PHILADELPHIA – As the new school year approaches for students of St. Joe’s Prep, so too does another football season for the Hawks. After a disappointing loss to archrival La Salle in the PCL (Philadelphia Catholic League) Championship last season, the Hawks look to not only capture the PCL title, but also the State Championship this time around.
Under the leadership of head coach Gabe Infante, the Hawks will be entering the season with a plethora of returning starters as well as some emerging players on both sides of the ball. The offense will be run through senior captain running back D’Andre Swift. He is the No.1 RB in PA and the No.4 RB in the nation as ranked by 247Sports. The high-profile RB has narrowed his list of 23 schools to 5 schools: Alabama, Florida State, Clemson, Penn State, and Georgia.
When asked about how the college recruiting process affects him, Swift said, “I try to block most of it out, and focus on how I can best help the team.”
Many recruiting experts across the country say that Georgia is the frontrunner; however, Penn State is a high possibility with former Prep Hawk, John Reid, entering his second year as a Nittany Lion. Swift will be announcing his decision on September 1st at 1PM.
The Hawks pre-season practice at Temple University - photo by Greg Bradbury
While the standout RB will be the centerpiece of the offense once again, junior Marquez McCray will be stepping up into the starting QB role this year. He saw some playing time last year as a backup behind Kevin Shaw, but looks to make a big impact for the Hawks this season. McCray should have plenty of time in the pocket this year behind the strong offensive line that includes returning starters Sal Cinaglia, Jackson Evans and Mack Grey. In addition to the stellar offensive line, McCray will have two all-catholic wideouts from last season in senior captain, Terrance Greene, and rising junior, Darryle Simmons.
“I put in more work this offseason than ever before,” said Greene. “Coming into The Prep I never thought I’d be a captain, I’m very grateful and blessed to be a leader of this team.”
The Hawks star studded offense is poised to have an excellent season with a number of returning players led by RB D’Andre Swift.
SJP preparing for their West Coast season debut - photo by Greg Bradbury
With the Prep being ranked No.1 in the state by MaxPreps, it is not just the offense that will lead the team through the season. Princeton commit and senior captain, James Johnson, will anchor the defense at the middle linebacker position. He will be wearing #10 this season, a number traditionally given to the best defensive player.
“It’s a great honor to be able to wear this number and be a part of the tradition,” said Johnson. “As a captain, we are responsible for keeping everyone on track.”
In addition to Johnson’s play in the middle of the field, returning starting cornerbacks Richard Carr and Ricky Goodson look to improve upon their 2015 season and keep opposing wideouts locked down. While all aspects of the team have performed well in their first two scrimmages of the season, the Hawks will have a tough test Friday, September 2nd during their first regular-season game.
The team will be traveling all the way out to Mission Viejo, California to take on OCS (Oaks Christian School) in the annual Honor Bowl. The Hawks offense will be facing an inexperienced OCS defense with only 2 returning starters. On the defensive side of the ball, they have a tough matchup ahead of them. OCS is led by junior QB Matt Corral, a USC commit, and his favorite target, Colby Parkinson, a Stanford commit. Corral is the No.2 ranked QB in his class and Parkinson is the No.1 tight end in his class according to 247Sports.
This first game will be part of a series of tough games for the Hawks. On September 10th, The Prep will be taking on reigning New Jersey State Champion, Don Bosco Prep, at Widener University, the Hawks new home field. Don Bosco, ranked No. 28 in the Nation by MaxPreps, is becoming an annual opponent for the Hawks and will pose another tough challenge to start the season. The Ironmen of Don Bosco remain solid on the offensive and defensive lines with top recruits Tyler Friday and Liam Fornadel leading the way.
“These two out of state games against top tier opponents prepare us for the tougher games into the season; you have to grind iron with iron, the more tough opponents we face, the better we will be,” said coach Infante.
The third game of the year for The Prep will be aired on ESPNU and will be against Archbishop Wood, ranked No.3 in PA by MaxPreps. The game will be focused on the high profile recruits that each team has: D’Andre Swift for the Hawks, and Mark Webb for the Vikings. Webb is the No.19 wideout in the nation and holding multiple offers. The Prep moves on after their first Catholic League matchup to the remainder of the Catholic League. The Hawks play Archbishop Carroll on the 24th of September, and then do not have another game until October 7th against Roman Catholic due to their bye week. On Oct. 14th, The Prep will face Father Judge before playing a rematch of last years’ PCL Championship against the La Salle Explorers. The game will be played at Plymouth Whitemarsh High School at 2PM on Oct. 22nd. Overall, the Hawks led by coach Gabe Infante are primed for a third state championship run, but it will certainly be a tough road.
*If you can’t make it to a SJP game this season, make sure to check out the WSJP Student Broadcast of all the games here: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/wsjp.