STH vs. JPII Football game preview

The St. Thomas football team travels all the way to Plano Texas to take on the John Paul II Cardinals in a north versus south TAPPS rivalry game. The St. Thomas Eagles are coming off of a hot 3-0 start in which they beat the northern powerhouse Nolan Catholic 45-28. The JPII cardinals are facing the backlash of their coach leaving this past year. The Cardinals have lost a number of transfers and a number of staff members. The Cardinals used to be a huge powerhouse in TAPPS winning multiple state championships, but now they are struggling for a playoff spot.

Both St. Thomas and JPII are led by some very talented players. St. Thomas, on the offensive side of the ball, is led by their 4-star running back Johann Cardenas and star transfer quarterback Donte Lewis. Johann in the first 3 games has 372 rushing yards and 178 receiving yards. Donte Lewis has thrown for 852 passing yards with 93 attempts and 229 rushing yards.

This dynamic duo in the back field is almost impossible to stop. On the defensive side of the ball St. Thomas is led by two D1 athletes, Caleb Davis and Jack Ward. Caleb Davis leads the team with 2 interceptions in 3 games and contributes to a number of pass break ups. Jack Ward leads the team with 38 tackles and also has 1 sack for a loss of 8 yards. This St. Thomas is a force to be reckoned with and hopes to hold down the JPII offense.

On the JPII offense, the cardinals are led by Dom Anderson who has 152 rushing yards on the season. Another rushing leader is DJ Taylor who has 115 rushing yards on the season. DJ’s stats don’t show the potential he really has. DJ is the type of player that scouts look for, he is aggressive, knows how to turn that switch on, and knows how to lead a team.

This game between St. Thomas and JPII is a game to keep your eye on. The cardinals are hungry for their first win in this frustrating season and hope to do so against the St. Thomas Eagles.