Top-ranked DeMatha Meets St. John’s Tonight in WCAC Football Playoffs

At this point in the season, there are no easy games in the WCAC Capital Division playoffs. And for top-ranked and top-seeded DeMatha, its first-round opponent is the team that provided it with the most difficulty.

The Stags (9-0 and 4-0 in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference) host St. John’s (6-4, 1-3) tonight at Wilson Stadium in Landover, Md., at 7 p.m. On Oct. 24, DeMatha had to rally from its only fourth-quarter deficit of the year to win 23-20 in overtime.

“St. John’s is a good football team. They’re big, they’re strong, they’re very athletic and well coached,” Stags coach Bill McGregor said. “We’re going to have our hands full.”

In their first meeting of the year, the No. 10 Cadets ran the ball better than anyone has this season against the vaunted DeMatha defense. They led 17-9 early in the fourth quarter before the Stags rallied to tie it on a 15-yard run by junior quarterback Tristan Sabb. Senior running back Elijah Lee squared the score with the two-point conversion.

Dajon Talley-Rhodes and Tyric Powell lead the St. John’s rushing attack. Powell punctuated an 80-yard drive against DeMatha with a 1-yard TD, and Josiah Ampofo’s 11-yard end-zone-finder concluded a 74-yard drive in which the Cadets gained 59 yards on the ground.

McGregor said St. John’s can also beat you on the strength of its passing game, helmed by junior QB Nyeem Woods.

“St. John’s likes to run the ball,” McGregor said. “They have a big offensive line and two outstanding running backs, but they also have the ability to throw.

“So, we’re going to have to play great defense and try to shut down their run game as best as we possibly can.”

Sabb, who succeeded four-year starter Denzel Gardner as the Stags’ signal caller, has done a good job running and throwing the football. He has passed for over 1,200 yards and thrown 13 touchdowns.

Lee is the workhorse of the DeMatha running game and has scored 12 rushing TDs. One of those came in the overtime victory against the Cadets. He likes the team’s chances to advance.

“We’re unified, all the way from August 1st until now,” Lee said. “We healed our bodies during the bye week, watched a lot of film and will hopefully come out on top.”

All Things Must Pass

When Sabb looks to pass, he has four outstanding wideouts from which to choose: seniors Lavar Keys and Josh Parker, junior Austin Barber and sophomore Chace Irvin.

Keys is a strong candidate for first-team All-Met accolades because of his 4.3 speed and pass-catching ability. He leads the receiving corps in receptions (39), yards (518) and TDs (8) and is a threat to score on punt returns.

While he checks in at 5-foot-9, 165 pounds, Parker is 6-foor-4 and 210 pounds. Parker paces the club in yards per catch (16.6) on 24 receptions for 399 yards and four TDs.

McGregor, whose team downed the Cadets 42-6 in the semifinals of the 2024 playoffs en route to DeMatha’s 25th conference championship, is expecting a much-closer game Friday.

“Offensively, we’ve got to move the ball,” McGregor said. “Their defensive line is big, very athletic, and they have a number of really good players. They have good linebackers and a good secondary.

“It’s going to be a 48-minute football game.”

WCAC Capital Division Playoffs

Friday’s winning team will advance to play the winner of Saturday’s contest between Good Counsel and host Gonzaga at 2 p.m. When the two met on Oct. 25, Gonzaga prevailed 13-7.

The championship is set for 6 p.m. Sunday Nov. 23 at Navy Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis.

This is the third straight year St. John’s and the Stags will meet in the semifinals. DeMatha has won each game. The last time the Cadets won a playoff game between the long-time foes came in the 2022 title game, 7-3.

Keys to Unlock College Choice Sunday

Keys, who had been committed to Penn State until James Franklin was fired, will announce his new college choice Sunday at 5 p.m. He will choose from among Maryland, Indiana and Kansas State.

DeMatha D Gets an A

The Stags’ defense has been outstanding all season, having allowed no more than 20 points and holding opponents to an average of 9.5 points. The unit held five teams to seven points or less, including two shutouts.

DeMatha is led defensively by a pair of juniors, edge rusher James Pace and cornerback Knyair Crumb. Darrell Carey, who recently switched his commitment from Penn State to Maryland, is a force in the secondary, while fellow seniors Tristan McCall and Jordan Stevens anchor the defensive line.

Gonzaga Explosion

After winning its first three WCAC games by a total of 15 points, the Stags exploded for a season-high 21 points in the first quarter of its 42-14 victory over Gonzaga on Oct. 31. DeMatha led 28-14 at halftime, scored on its opening possession of the second half and held the Eagles scoreless the rest of the way.

Crumb, who transferred from Calvert Hall, had two interceptions and returned one for a TD.

Gonzaga, needing a victory to make the playoffs, rebounded by downing St. John’s last Saturday, 24-21. The win gave it the second seed and opportunity to host Good Counsel for the second tine in three weeks.

The Eagles and Cadets, as reported by The Washington Post, are 50-50-5 against one another in the oldest Catholic school rivalry in the D.C. area.

The Stags and Cadets’ rivalry stretches back to the 1950s. Tonight’s contest promises to be another tough encounter for both teams.