4 Straight Long TD Plays Key
As SHP Stuns St. Joe's (Mont.)

Seton Hall Prep football’s array of talented athletes seems to keeps increasing as the program continues to make strides under ninth-year head coach Bill Fitzgerald, and perhaps it’s just a matter of time until the Pirates can also match up on a regular basis with all ‘The Big Boys’ in the state’s Non-Public power structure.

And, perhaps Saturday’s positive tone for SHP Pirates - past or present - was established in the nationally-televised Big 10 Conference showdown between two Top 5 ranked teams and on full display when former SHP all-state DB Jaylen McClain – now a junior star in the Buckeyes defensive secondary – came  off the edge to sack Indiana QB Josh Hoover while also causing an important fumble and recovery for the visitors in their 19-15 win which also snapped Indiana’s 22-game winning streak..     

Many miles away back at Brendan P. Tevlin Memorial Field inside the Kelly Athletic Complex in West Orange, the present-day Pirates were definitely looking for some big plays after falling behind, 14-3, in the first quarter vs. No. 2 ranked St. Joseph of Montvale.

A big play - or rather an impressive flurry of 4 straight long touchdowns – changed the tone and ultimately the final result as SHP (3-4) pulled off their biggest victory so far this season with 31-24 upset to the Green Knights (3-3).

Trailing 14-3, SHP began its surge forward as speedy senior Cadel Barilford returned a kickoff 91 yards to pay dirt with 3:14 still remaining in the first quarter.

Three plays later, after SHP sophomore D-lineman William Kelly had recovered a fumble at the St. Joe’s 48, senior quarterback Jaylin Bullock (8-of-12 for 145 yards and 2 TDs) connected with senior tight end Benjamin Ross on a 48-yard TD pass play followed lzte in the second quarter by another Bullock TD toss, this time 46 yards to Barilford to finish off an impressive 8-play, 99-yard drive and put the Pirates up 24-14.

Then, on just its third play from scrimmage in the second half, sophomore running back Adonis Rabru (7 carries for 63 yards) broke off right tackle and let his speed do the rest to complete a 52-yard TD burst and a commanding 31-14 lead.

Four long TD plays is an impressive total for an SHP team not always associated with such an array of long gainers for six points.

“We definitely made some big plays and Cadel’s kickoff return to get it all started was definitely a huge turning point to help provide us with some great momentum” said Fitzgerald, who is now 4-5 vs. St. Joe’s since taking the helm of the Pirates gridiron program in 2018. “If instead of looking to finish a long drive you can move 50 yards on one play and also put points on the board, that’s a great way to be.

“Looking back on some of our earlier games it would have been nice if we could have had one of those long TD plays to make the difference instead of ultimately winding up on the short end at the end.

“Hopefully the long TD plays are a good sign for us moving forward and we can produce more of the same with a lot more of this season still to play.”
SHP has dropped four games - 34-30 at Mount St. Joseph of Maryland, 28-17 at DePaul, 9-6 vs. Pope John and 21-14 at St. Peter’s Prep – when it held the lead in the second half only to fall in the end.

In addition to cruising past Chaminade (N.Y.), 30-11 and longtime rival Delbarton, 24-7, the Pirates now have a signature victory to build on as they prepare to face a talented Irvington squad (5-3) 1 p.m. this Saturday, back at the KAC.

The regular season comes to an end on Friday night, Oct. 30, at Immaculata of Somerville.

Then, the real fun will begin when the Non-Public, Group A playoffs commence Nov. 13-14. With all the upsets among the North Jersey parochial schools this season, including Bergen Catholic knocking off Don Bosco Prep, Paramus Catholic beating Bergen Catholic and then St. Peter’s Prep cruising past Paramus Catholic, the committee seeding the field will have its hands full.

Regardless of what ensues in terms of playoff pairings, SHP appears to be on the upswing as the regular season enters its stretch run.

“I like this group’s work ethic and there is still a lot of time left to keep getting better,” said Fitzgerald. “We’ll get back to work and continue to try and shore things up a little more while preparing to meet a good Irvington team on Saturday.”

NOTES- SHP defeated St. Joe’s in Montvale in back-to-back playoff seasons, 34-30 in a first-round game in 2022 in a 5 vs. 4 match-up in terms of seeding, and then again in 2023 with the Pirates emerging a 35-28 victor when the visitors were an 11-seed and the Green Knights were third seeded and also third ranked in the state….Fitzgerald’s Pirates also won a narrow 28-27 decision vs. St. Joe’s in a 2019 regular season clash in West Orange…SHP is 10-6 all-time vs. St. Joe’s and 17-2 against Irvington in a series that dates back to 1960. The Pirates defeated the Blue Knights, 38-22, last fall, and also won 23-12 in 2023 and 28-20 in 2022 in terms of contests between the two Essex County schools in the past 15 years…Fitzgerald said that starting junior RB Leonard West, who was sidelined for this past Saturday’s game with St. Joe’s, should be able to return to action this coming Saturday vs. Irvington....SHP's place kicker Jackson DeStefano booted a 30-yard field goal for the Pirates' initial scoring in the first quarter...Ross had a solid day with 5 receptions forf 82 yards and the TD, while Barilford had 3 catches for 63 yards and the receiving TD to complement his already strong afternoon highlighted by the 91 TD kickoff return to jet start Pirates.         

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