St. Joseph Shuts Down Phillipsburg to Stay Perfect

by NJ Athletics October 11, 2025

photo & coverage by: Antonio Morales

In a clash of Central Jersey powerhouses, St. Joseph (Metuchen) showed why they’ve quietly become one of the most balanced teams in the state. The Falcons turned a scoreless first half into a statement second, breaking through with a mix of relentless defense and patient, methodical offense to hand Phillipsburg its first loss of the season, 21–0.

The first two quarters were a defensive clinic. Both teams traded punts and pressure as the front lines controlled the tempo. St. Joe’s defensive anchor C.J. Edwards burst off the edge for a sack that set the tone, while Joe Ketuskey made arguably the play of the half with a key interception to halt a promising Stateliners drive. Each stop added to the tension as the teams went into halftime locked at 0–0.

Once the third quarter began, St. Joe’s found its rhythm. Quarterback Justin Scaramuzzo started spreading the ball around, and Michael Wellet III powered through the trenches to punch in a 1-yard touchdown run to finally break the stalemate. From there, the Falcons’ offense started clicking on all levels. Scaramuzzo connected with Reggie Bropleh on a short touchdown pass in the fourth, then Wellet sealed the win with a 24-yard burst to put the game away.

By the end, St. Joe’s had racked up 194 rushing yards and 93 through the air while their defense pitched a shutout — holding Phillipsburg to just 36 passing yards and forcing two interceptions.

After the game, Bropleh emphasized the team’s mindset as they head into the home stretch.

“Our focus going forward is just to take it one week at a time and never underestimate your next opponent,” Bropleh said. “What I feel confident about is this team going into the final stretch of the season. We believe deep down we can make something happen because the key for us is staying disciplined and executing the game plan.”

With the win, the Falcons move to 6–0, continuing their climb up the state rankings. Phillipsburg, now 5–1, will look to regroup in Big Central play, while St. Joe’s sets its sights on finishing strong — proving once again that their brand of disciplined, physical football travels anywhere.