Ramsey, NJ – The Ironmen are back in the Non-Public A football championship game.
Don Bosco Prep seeded No. 2, secured their spot in the final with a decisive 35-14 victory over No. 6 seed St. Augustine Prep in Friday night’s semifinal at Granatell Stadium. Key contributors included Isaiah Alvarez, who scored three touchdowns, and Dante DeLuca, who added two rushing scores.
Under head coach Dan Sabella, Don Bosco (8-3) has reached the state championship game in four of the past six seasons. The 2020 playoffs were canceled due to COVID-19, but Sabella and his squad are no strangers to this stage.
Awaiting Don Bosco in the final will be the winner of Saturday’s semifinal between No. 1 seed Bergen Catholic and No. 4 seed St. Joseph Regional. Regardless of their opponent or the venue, Sabella is clear on what his team must do.
“We’ve been playing strong football down the stretch,” Sabella said. “To win a state championship, we’re going to need to play our best game of the season, and I know our kids are ready for the challenge.”
Dominance in the Playoffs
The victory marked Don Bosco’s fifth playoff win against St. Augustine since 2012. The Ironmen have outscored the Hermits 54-0 in their last two postseason meetings (2021 and 2022). However, both years ended in disappointment for Don Bosco as they fell to Bergen Catholic in the Non-Public A final.
Don Bosco’s last state title came nine years ago in the Non-Public Group 4 category, before the NJSIAA reduced the number of groups for non-public schools.
St. Augustine, meanwhile, concluded its season with a 7-4 record and continues to seek its first state championship since 1995.
Game Highlights
Despite the snowy conditions, Don Bosco wasted no time making an impact. On the game’s opening play, quarterback Deven Sisler connected with Alvarez for a 58-yard touchdown pass.
The Hermits responded quickly with a 71-yard kickoff return by Roman Coney, setting up a short touchdown drive to tie the game. However, Don Bosco adjusted its strategy, leaning heavily on a physical ground attack for much of the first half.
A standout moment came late in the second quarter when Sisler found Alvarez again, this time for a 52-yard touchdown pass, pushing the Ironmen to a 21-7 lead.
With momentum on their side, Don Bosco remained in control, paving their way to another chance at the state title.
