Red Bank Catholic High School and Mater Dei Prep are going to MetLife Stadium to square off for the NJSIAA Non-Public, Group 3 playoff championship.
Both football programs won their Non-Public, Group 3 semifinal games on Nov. 10. Top-seeded Red Bank Catholic beat fifth-seeded Pope John Paul II, 27-0, at home. Third-seeded Mater Dei went on the road and topped second-seeded DePaul Catholic High School, 28-23, in Wayne.
Now, RBC and Mater Dei will meet on either Nov. 23 or 24 at the home of the National Football League’s New York Giants and Jets.
Red Bank Catholic reached the championship with a dominant semifinal victory. The Caseys scored in every quarter versus Pope John Paul, picked up nine more first downs (17-8) and gained 95 more total yards (308-213).
Running back Billy Guidetti sparked the Caseys’ offense, with 154 rushing yards and an 18-yard touchdown. Quarterback Steve Lubischer threw a 41-yard touchdown to Kevin Bauman and ran for a six-yard score.
Mater Dei advanced to the title game by upsetting a North Jersey power, DePaul, in a thriller.
Defensive back Tahaj Parland broke up a pass in the end zone on the game’s final play, preserving the five point victory. Quarterback Rob McCoy accounted for all four Mater Dei touchdowns, including two go ahead touchdown passes, to Isaiah Alston and Clarence Lewis, in the fourth quarter.
The Seraphs will try to pull off another upset in the championship. But the teams are not really that far apart.
Red Bank Catholic is undefeated at 9-0, while Mater Dei is at 10-1.
