For the third time in as many seasons, the John Paul II Catholic High School football team is headed to the NCISAA 8-man state championship game.
An expected tight matchup in a semifinal on Thursday evening against third-seeded Rocky Mount Academy never really materialized as the second-seeded Saints relied on their usual punishing ground game and got a standout effort from the defense in a 48-13 victory.
JPII, which had beaten RMA 48-24 on Sept. 16 on the road, improved to 11-1 and will play at top-seeded Parrott in the final on Friday, Nov. 18. Parrott beat fifth-seeded Cary Christian 54-22 in the other semifinal on Thursday as it improved to 10-1.
The Eagles, whose two losses in their five games since the first meeting with the Saints were by a combined four points to Parrott and Cary Christian, finished 6-4.
“RMA is a very good team and was one of the preseason favorites to win it all,” JPII coach Sean Murphy said. “Our kids were excited to play them and it showed tonight.”
Defensively for JPII, Xae Lang had an interception, Quinn McCaffrey and Max Winkler forced fumbles, and McCaffrey and Tucker Holmes had fumble recoveries. Additionally, JPII forced a punt and took over on downs twice. Holmes, Winkler and Nick Garza constantly interrupted the offense of the Eagles. RMA scored only on its first and last possessions of the game, with the last one coming against mainly reserves as time expired.
“This was one of our best overall team efforts of the year,” Murphy said. “I thought our defense played their best game of the season, and on offense we controlled the line of scrimmage. Special teams was solid all night.”
Rion Roseborough rushed 33 times for 264 yards and four touchdowns. Even his only miscue — a fumble going in from the 4-yard line — turned into a touchdown as Brody Mitchell fell on it in the end zone with 1:47 left in the first half. Roseborough sat out the fourth quarter after scoring his final touchdown on a 53-yard run on the last play of the third quarter, extending JPII’s advantage to 35-7.
The Saints won the toss and deferred. On a third-and-8 from their own 46, Eagles quarterback Wells Hutson found Jordan Wright on a short pass to the right, and Wright managed to find open space after eluding a crowd of would-be tacklers near the line, breaking free for a 54-yard score.
JPII answered quickly with a 10-yard touchdown by Roseborough, followed by a 6-yard Roseborough touchdown run and then Mitchell’s recovery in the end zone.
In the second half the Saints continued to pull away. They took the opening kickoff and eventually capitalized with a 12-yard touchdown run by Roseborough. In the fourth quarter, Lang had a 1-yard scoring run and freshman Gentry McMinn closed JPII’s scoring with a 5-yard touchdown.
Now it’s back to the final once again for the Saints, although unlike the last two years this time they’ll be on the road. JPII, which is in just its fourth year as a program and will move to 11-man football next season, lost the championship game at home to Parrott two years ago and to Cary Christian last year.
“We’re very excited to be going back to the state championship game,” Murphy said. “Our goal was to get back to the final and get one more chance at winning it all.”
ROCKY MOUNT ACADEMY 7 0 0 6 — 13
JOHN PAUL II 14 8 13 13 — 48
RMA—Jordan Wright 54 pass from Wells Hutson (Hutson kick)
JPII—Rion Roseborough 10 run (Will Wright kick)
JPII—Roseborough 6 run (Wright kick)
JPII—Brody Mitchell fumble recovery in end zone (Roseborough run)
JPII—Roseborough 12 run (Wright kick)
JPII—Roseborough 53 run (kick failed)
JPII—Xae Lang 1 run (Wright kick)
JPII—Gentry McMinn 5 run (run failed)
RMA—Isaac Lewis 64 run (no try)
