Football Preview: Delbarton Green Wave vs. Pope John XXIII
Delbarton has been away from home for three games now, but on Saturday they'll finally make their return. They will host Pope John XXIII at 1:00 p.m. Delbarton's defense has only allowed 11 points per game this season, so Pope John XXIII's offense will have their work cut out for them.
Delbarton is coming in fresh off a high-stakes matchup with another one of New Jersey's top teams: Seton Hall Prep, who was ranked 17th in their home state at the time (Delbarton was ranked fifth). Delbarton blew past Seton Hall Prep 40-0 on the road on Saturday. The result was nothing new for the Green Wave, who have now won four contests by 23 points or more so far this season.
It was another big night for Brock Dandridge, who rushed for 114 yards and two touchdowns, and also picked up 44 receiving yards and a touchdown. He got the majority of those rushing yards when he took off on a run that went for an incredible 60 yards. Phillip Folmar was another key player, gaining 44 total yards and two touchdowns.
Delbarton wouldn't let Seton Hall Prep keep a hold of the ball as they managed to force two fumbles. Delbarton can thank Chase Houser and Kyle Checchio for forcing both of them. Checchio is also on a roll when it comes to total tackles, as he's now made five or more in the last five games he's played dating back to last season. Delbarton got some further help from Tyler Jackson: he picked up four sacks and made seven total tackles.
Perhaps unsurprisingly given the score, Delbarton was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 201 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 186 rushing yards in three consecutive matches.
Meanwhile, after soaring to 48 points the game before, Pope John XXIII was a bit more limited in their game last Saturday. They were dealt a 63-7 loss at the hands of Bergen Catholic. Pope John XXIII has struggled against Bergen Catholic recently, as their game last Saturday was their seventh consecutive lost matchup.
Delbarton's victory was their sixth straight on the road dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 4-1. As for Pope John XXIII, their defeat dropped their record down to 1-3.
Delbarton took their win against Pope John XXIII in their previous matchup back in October of 2023 by a conclusive 30-6. Does Delbarton have another victory up their sleeve, or will Pope John XXIII turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
