Saturday night’s showdown between Catholic Conference giants St. John’s Prep and Xaverian in the Division I state championship is set to be the highlight of this week’s eight state championship games at Gillette Stadium.
The game is full of intrigue with storylines running throughout.
Let’s take a look at the storylines and the keys to the title game.
Will St. John’s Prep quarterback Chris Vargas play?
St. John’s Prep’s star sophomore quarterback suffered a leg injury during the first half of the team’s first round game against Framingham earlier this postseason. Since then, the dynamic underclassman has not dressed for the team’s last two playoff games and has moved around on crutches up and down the sideline.
In the regular season, Vargas helped the Eagles to an 8-0 record and the No. 1 seed in the playoffs. Prep averaged 44 points in the regular season with Vargas dominating through the air.
Prior to this season, the sophomore became the highest ranked football recruit in Massachusetts history. 247sports has Vargas as the No. 2 sophomore quarterback in the nation, and he already has offers from Auburn, Georgia, Ohio State, Penn State, and Texas A&M.
Although his absence in the team’s huddle is huge, senior John Budrow has stepped up to the challenge of leading the program’s offense, orchestrating the team’s attack through a win over Leominster and a blowout victory over Central Catholic in the semifinals, a game where he threw two touchdowns.
Budrow has been capable in his starts for the Eagles, but with the title on the line at Gillette Stadium, it will be interesting to see if Vargas is suited up in case of emergency or if he gets the green light to give starting the game a shot.
Xaverian WR Christian McIntyre will pressure Prep’s defense
The sun rises in the east, sets in the west and Christian McIntyre gashes defenses.
There hasn’t been a team this season that has been able to find a solution for Xaverian’s dynamic wide receiver.
With UMass commit Dave Chiavegato out most of the regular season, the senior became quarterback Will Wood’s favorite target early this fall. The two have connected on deep passes down the middle of the field, stretching opposing defenses vertically. The senior had a big game in Xaverian’s win over St. John’s Prep on Thanksgiving, scoring on an 80-yard reception and pulling in big gains for 38 and 46 yards later in the game.
As the team’s top target during the regular season he was difficult to stop, now with Chiavegato healthy and back in the mix, McIntyre has even more room to work and pressure St. John’s Prep’s defense.
Between McIntyre’s streaking routes down the middle, Chiavegato’s shifty moves after the catch, Wood’s strong arm and running from Bryce Todd and Rocco Sestito, it will be interesting to see how the Eagles deal with all the ways that Xaverian can threaten its defense on Saturday.
St. John’s Prep might have the best RB duo in the state
There’s an argument to be made that Xaverian’s Will Wood and Christian McIntyre are the best QB-WR duo in the state, but there’s also an argument to be made that Prep’s Maxwell Parent and Jordan Toribio are the best RB pairing in the state.
The Eagle ballcarriers have run wild over defenses this fall, each accumulating over 1,000 yards individually on the year.
Parent rushed for five touchdowns in the team’s win over Leominster in the quarterfinals, while Toribio has contributed to a handful of big moments, including a game-winning touchdown in the red zone against Springfield Central in the team’s season opener.
If there’s a front seven that can give shutting down the duo a shot, it is Xaverian’s. With Boston College commit Dominic Funke coming off the edge and McIntyre flying up in run support from the defensive backfield, it won’t be easy to get yards on the ground for the Eagles. But if there’s a duo that can make it happen and open up a game, it’s Parent and Toribio.
Xaverian defeated Prep last week, can the Hawks do it again at Gillette Stadium?
It’s difficult to know if defeating the Eagles on Thanksgiving a week ago gives the Hawks an edge or not on Saturday night.
Xaverian can now play with the confidence that it has what it takes to defeat previously unbeaten St. John’s Prep, because the team has already done it. But with a week to study tape and make adjustments, could that put the Eagles in a good spot to punch back?
Both teams more than likely have plays and packages up their sleeves that they didn’t show on Thanksgiving and haven’t put on film yet this fall. Heading into the title game on Saturday, with fresh film to watch, a lot of who wins the game will come down to individual players seizing the game with big plays, but the chess match that goes on to set up those big plays will be the underlying fuel that powers whoever wins.
Hawks going for history
Since the creation of the statewide playoff format in 2013, there has never been a team that has won three-straight Division I state titles.
Xaverian won back to back in 2014 and 2015, but fell to Everett in the title game the following year.
The Hawks come into this week’s game the back to back reigning champs with a chance to make their mark by winning a third consecutive title. The program defeated St. John’s Prep by a touchdown in 2023 before defeating a historic Needham team last year, also by a touchdown.
Xaverian is on the hunt for history this weekend. It will be interesting to see if the Hawks get it done, or if the Eagles play spoiler.
