Spartans Seize Victory: DePaul Takes Non Public B Title Over Pope John
photo by: Anthony Ferrara
In a game that was as thrilling as any in the state finals, the DePaul Spartans emerged victorious over Pope John with a 33-21 win to claim the Non Public B Championship.
The action kicked off with DePaul setting a commanding tone. Derek Zammit, showcasing his dual-threat capability, opened the scoring with a 14-yard touchdown dash, concluding a drive that had the Pope John defense scrambling. Zammit’s ability to pull and keep the ball on option plays gave DePaul an early advantage. The response from Pope John was swift and decisive, however. On a crucial fourth-and-goal from the 3, Tylik Hill stretched for the pylon to even the score, capping a drive highlighted by his agility and vision.
DePaul wasn’t deterred. An 86-yard kickoff return by Kyshawn Bryant set up another scoring opportunity, which Nolan James converted with a 3-yard rush into the end zone. Despite a missed PAT, the Spartans showed they were here to play.
As the game progressed, both teams traded blows. Pope John found the end zone again, keeping the game within reach, but DePaul's defense started to tighten up at crucial moments. The key play came when Dez Jones intercepted a pass deep in the game, stifling a potential game-changing drive by Pope John.
In the final moments, DePaul’s control of the clock and strategic punting left Pope John without enough time to mount a comeback, despite their earlier efforts to close the gap. As the clock dwindled down, the Spartans made sure to maintain possession and finished strong with a 33-21 victory, thanks largely to the efforts of players like Nolan James, who was pivotal in both the ground and air game, and Dez Jones, whose late-game heroics on defense cemented the win.
After falling short just a year ago, the Spartans come back to MetLife and take the crown. This win has capped off a dominant season for what might be the second best team in the state as they were able to prove their skill time and time again.