St. Peter’s just pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the year, absolutely dismantling #3 Paramus Catholic with a dominant 34-10 victory on Oct. 16. This wasn’t just a win, it was a statement that has completely scrambled the non-public state playoff picture.
Chaos Reigns: The Playoff Committee Is Screaming
This Marauders squad, ranked #10 in the USA TODAY NETWORK New Jersey Super 25, didn’t just beat a highly-ranked team, they flat-out dominated them. Paramus Catholic, itself fresh off stunning then-No. 1 Bergen Catholic 31-17 just six days prior, looked completely overwhelmed. The Paladins, who were supposed to be riding high, are now sitting at 4-4, while St. Peter’s moves to a solid 5-2. It is chaos, plain and simple, and St. Peter’s coach Ryan O’Flaherty knows it. “I think all the coaches got together and said, ‘Let’s make it hard as we possibly can for the committee,’” O’Flaherty quipped. You can bet that committee, meeting on Nov. 1 at NJSIAA headquarters in Robbinsville to seed the Non-Public A and B playoffs, is going to have a headache trying to sort this out.
Marauders Came to Play: Every Player Stepped Up
St. Peter’s came out swinging and never let up. They took a 10-0 lead into halftime and then turned on the jets in the third quarter. Junior quarterback Zack Karelia was carving up the Paramus Catholic defense, throwing two crucial touchdown passes to senior receiver Chris Horn in that third quarter, extending their lead to 24-10. But it wasn’t just a passing game. Senior running back Abdul Turay was a force on the ground, punching in a touchdown in each half, keeping the pressure on the Paladins. And let’s not forget junior Bradley Abraham, who nailed two field goals, a 21-yarder and a 31-yarder, adding crucial points to that scoreboard. Every single player stepped up.
Paramus Catholic’s Brief Respite
Paramus Catholic did manage to get on the board in the third quarter. Sophomore Walker Snee connected with junior receiver Anthony Lopez for a 45-yard touchdown catch, and junior Harry Jones added a 31-yard field goal. But those moments were fleeting. The Paladins could not get anything consistent going against a St. Peter’s defense that looked impenetrable for long stretches. They tried, sure, but the Marauders had an answer for everything. This 34-10 beatdown is a serious blow to their season, especially after such a high-profile win just last week.
So, what happens now? The ball is in the committee’s court. With #10 St. Peter’s dramatically improving their resume by absolutely dominating #3 Paramus Catholic, the debate for those Non-Public A and B playoff spots is going to be fierce. Everyone will be watching what goes down on Nov. 1.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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