DePaul football stands tall on defense, beats Pope John in state-championship rematch

SPARTA − On an afternoon when it didn't play its sharpest offensively, DePaul relied upon a strong defense to take the season opener.

The Spartans defeated Pope John, 31-3, on Aug. 30 in a rematch of the 2024 Non-Public B state final at MetLife Stadium.

Mason James caught a pair of touchdown passes, and Sean Nevers rushed in from three yards out with 29 seconds left in the first half as DePaul took a 24-0 lead into halftime.

Pope John struggled on offense but was helped out by Spartans mistakes. The Spartans turned the ball over four times, including two Derek Zammit interceptions.

The Spartans stepped in defensively to hold Pope John to three points off of those mistakes, a 42-yard field goal by Seamus Corcoran.

DePaul expanded its lead in the fourth quarter on a 7-yard touchdown run by Marquan Carter.

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This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: DePaul NJ football routs Pope John in state-championship rematch