The day after Thanksgiving is usually reserved for leftovers, pumpkin pie for breakfast and shopping ’til you drop with Black Friday deals. But this year, in the sports world, the day after Thanksgiving belonged entirely to high school football. New Jersey isn’t just a football state; it’s a high school football state and MetLife Stadium turned into the center of the universe for players, coaches, alums and families making the trip to watch all the fun.
For Paramus Catholic, this championship meant more than just a game. It marked their first state finals appearance since winning Non-Public Group 4 back in 2016. That’s nearly a decade without reaching the biggest stage. For a program that has had stretches as a regional powerhouse and remains one of North Jersey’s most recognizable names, this was an opportunity to reestablish itself among the state’s elite. DePaul, on the other hand, arrived with familiarity and expectation. This marked their fifth straight season playing for a state title in the Non-Public B bracket, a testament to consistency, culture, and a program that reloads rather than rebuilds.
On a windy and chilly afternoon at MetLife, the two teams took the field in 30-degree weather. DePaul struck first, punching in a touchdown with four minutes left in the opening quarter. Paramus Catholic’s offense struggled to respond, unable to establish the run or generate enough time in the pocket to push the ball downfield.
The struggles continued into the third quarter, with the Paladins unable to find any real momentum. But with just over four minutes left in the third, they finally broke through and got on the board, only to miss the extra point. Those MetLife winds will get ya every time, won’t they? That miss didn’t just cost them a point; it shifted the energy. Instead of building momentum, Paramus Catholic found itself still chasing.
DePaul controlled the tempo from there and played smart, disciplined football. The real dagger came late in the fourth quarter, when DePaul picked up a crucial first down with under two minutes remaining, effectively sealing the game and draining whatever hope Paramus had left.
All credit goes to DePaul quarterback Derek Zammit, who played on an injured ankle yet commanded the offense with poise. His leadership, paired with DePaul’s overall consistency, lifted the Spartans to a 21–12 victory. With the win, DePaul secured the 12th state title in program history and successfully defended its crown, officially repeating as Non-Public B state champions.
For Paramus Catholic, it was a tough ending to an otherwise impressive postseason run. For DePaul, it was another chapter in what has become one of the most consistently dominant stretches in New Jersey high school football.
