BURLINGTON – How good was the St. John’s Prep football team on Friday night?
A steaming freight train would have done less damage.
The top-seeded Eagles scored touchdowns on six straight first-half possessions – at one point scoring four times on six plays – to destroy Central Catholic in the Division 1 state semifinal, 48-7.
“They’re very good, we had a bad night, and the roof came in quick,” said Central coach John Sexton, whose Raiders head to Thanksgiving against Lawrence High with a 7-4 mark. “I wish we had a do-over. I don’t think the final score and the running time is indicative of how our kids have improved over the season. But tonight was not our night. It was St. John’s. And that’s what happens when you have a bad night against a great team.”
St. John’s, hampered by a pair of quick penalties, methodically marched 90 yards on the game’s first possession and just never looked back.
The first-half barrage of scores came in different shapes and sizes from different angles, and Central just couldn’t find an answer.
Maxwell Parent had a pair of TD runs, and Jordan Toribio added TD gallops of 84 and 67 yards.
QB John Budrow, filling in for injured Chris Vargas – the 5-star recruit from Salem, N.H. – tossed a pair of TD bombs as well.
Almost as telling of the domination was the fact that the Prep was 6 for 6 in two-point conversions, all from its jumbo “wildcat” formation with Parent taking direct snaps.
The yardage disparity in the first half was Gargantuan, with the Eagles outgaining Central, 453-34.
“I don’t think you ever expect that. We’ve had some games like that with them, and we’ve had some really tight games with them,” said Prep coach Brian St. Pierre. “It’s a great program. John (Sexton) does a great job. It’s a prideful group. Our kids were ready. They had a look in their eye all week at practice.”
Sexton noted he’d never have expected Central to come out so flat.
“We did have a good week (of practice). I thought we were going to give them a great fight,” he said. “And then there’s a couple penalties, and we drop a couple of passes. You miss a couple of coverages, and the roof came in.”
The one ray of sunshine for Central is that Thanksgiving could help wash away this sour taste from Friday night.
“Say whatever you want about the new system and how it has impacted Thanksgiving, I’m thrilled tonight is not the last time I will see these seniors in their uniforms,” said Sexton. “I’m thrilled that we’re going to have three days (of practice) together this week.”
St. John’s Prep 48, Central Catholic 7
Division 1 state semifinals
Scoring summary
First Quarter
SJP — Maxwell Parent 19 run (Jordan Toribio rush)
SJP — Parent 3 run (Toribio rush)
Second Quarter
SJP — Toribio 84 run (Parent rush)
SJP — Ethan Stefanovich 83 pass from John Budrow (Brody Gillingham pass from Parent)
SJP — Toribio 67 run (Parent rush)
SJP — Riley Selvais 55 pass from Budrow (Parent rush)
Fourth Quarter
CC — Armari Mills 1 run (Ryan Hill kick)
Individual Statistics
RUSHING: CC — Armari Mills 12-60, Caden Chase 9-41, Caden Smith 9-(-6); SJP — Jordan Toribio 7-170, Maxwell Parent 9-98, Jayden Toppin 3-2.
PASSING: CC — Smith 3-12, 17 yards; SJP — John Budrow 6-7-185-2-0.
RECEIVING: CC — Drew O’Keefe 1-14, Chase 2-3; SJP — Ethan Stefanovich 2-107, Riley Selvais 4-78.