To some in Central Catholic’s inner-circle, Scott Darby’s postgame plaudits for the Raiders and their rivalry with his St. John’s Prep club would be considered fighting words.
“They’re not in our conference, but they might as well be,” said Darby after the Prep blanked Central, 12-0, in a gritty, defensive tussle before about 1,000 fans at Veterans Stadium Saturday night.
“It’s a great rivalry. We love to play this game.”
While Xaverian and St. John’s will always ring special, and Eagles vs. Boxers equal Mass. high school football greatness, The Prep and Central remains a natural.
There’s a reason these teams meet in all sports annually.
“They should be in our league,” chimed in Prep head coach/athletic director Jim O’Leary. “This is one of the few games for us where the kids cross over. They all know each other, from competing with and against each other. It’s a great rivalry, always has been.
“We come up here. It’s always a tough game. The kids go out, hit each other hard. There’s never any garbage out there. Just good, hard, clean football. And we always have it tough up here.”
You can hear the Central supporters grumbling | please lay off the messenger in this one | but the health of this rivalry does remain essential to both schools.
It will definitely help keep attracting athletes on both sides.
