St. Joseph at St. Anthony

Slyvester Wright, St. Anthony

Slyvester Wright and the Friars seek their first-ever playoff victory tomorrow.

By Jason Bernstein
Editorial Director

Non-Public, Group I/II
St. Joseph Hammonton (7-1) at St. Anthony (9-0)
Saturday, 7 p.m. Caven Point

As St. Anthony prepares for it’s second-ever appearance in the state playoffs, the expectations have certainly changed at the Jersey City school.

The Friars may have merely been happy to be there a year ago when they lost to St. Mary’s of Rutherford. But with a 9-0 record, St. Anthony is recognized as a legitimate as they open its playoff slate tomorrow.

While the Friars are relative newcomers to the state playoffs, St. Joseph of Hammonton comes to Caven Point with one of the most accomplished playoff histories in the state. The Wildcats have been a perennial contender, making the playoffs 32 times and capturing a staggering 19 state titles, including last season’s Non-Public, Group 2 championship.

Players to Watch for St. Anthony

RB/LB Jidamon Sparkman

While the Friars have a three-headed monster at running back, there’s little doubt they’ll rely on Sparkman deep in the red zone. The senior has scored a team-high 20 touchdowns, including four against Hoboken and three against Lincoln. Sparkman is also the lynchpin to St. Anthony’s front seven at linebacker with a team-best 66 tackles.

QB/S Slyvester Wright

St. Anthony hasn’t had to rely on Wright and the passing game as much this year, but when they were forced to the air in Week 9 against Hudson Catholic, Wright showed he’s still up to the task with four touchdown passes. A year removed from a 20-touchdown junior season, Wright has completed 62% of his passes for 628 yards and nine touchdowns.

Players to Watch for St. Joseph Hammonton

RB/DB Gordon Hill

In a deep Wildcats backfield, Hill has emerged as the hot hand entering the postseason. The 6’0”, 210-pound senior is on a roll as he rushed for 173 yards on Nov. 6 against Egg Harbor and 134 yards against Bridgeton. For the season, Hill has a team-high 706 yards and 11 touchdowns on just 90 carries.

DE/LB Kaiwan Lewis

At 6’2” and 227 pounds, Lewis has the strength and athleticism that defensive coaches crave and keep the opposition sleepless at night. The dangerous junior has shown the ability to rush the passer (seven sacks) to go with 60 tackles and an interception. Rutgers and Boston College are among five colleges to already make verbal offers to Lewis.