Notre Dame Commit Christian Gray, Top Irish Target Jeremiyah Love Set To Square Off

A pair of St. Louis standouts - one a Notre Dame commit and the other a top target - square off tonight on the gridiron in Missouri

On Friday night, Christian Brothers Academy (3-1) will travel to DeSmet Jesuit (2-2) in a massive battle between two premier programs in the St. Louis area. This is a massive matchup to keep an eye on. Not only for St. Louis or the fans of each team, but for Notre Dame fans as well.

DeSmet is led by senior cornerback Christian Gray, who also doubles as a playmaker on the offensive side of the football. While he may be the only committed player in the game, he will also be opposed by a key target on the other sideline.

Christian Brothers is led by senior running back Jeremiyah Love, who is the top remaining target on the offensive board for Notre Dame. They also boast junior wide receiver Jeremiah McClellan, who the Irish staff is also recruiting.

THE MATCHUP

Christian Brothers and DeSmet Jesuit have quickly separated themselves as two of the premier programs in the St. Louis area over the last several years. Both programs have come from very different circumstances.

For Christian Brothers, it was about maintaining the excellence that they had already laid for some time. Over the last ten years, including the 3-1 start this season, Christian Brothers has been a dominant football program. They have accumulated a 102-15 overall record during that ten year span. That includes a 15-0 campaign during the 2014 season.

As a whole, the Christian Brothers Cadets don’t lose very often. It is one of the winningest programs in their region, with high expectations for the 2022 season.

Conversely, DeSmet Jesuit had to completely reverse their fortunes. They were a down program for several years and had to fight back to a competitive level. They have done just that.

If you look at the last ten years together, DeSmet has had their struggles, including a 50-49 overall record. That record, however, does not tell the full story. The program was marred by three separate 1-9 campaigns during that span. Since 2018, the program has been at a completely different level, totaling a 39-9 record during that time.

They are a program on the rise and look to make a statement on Friday against Christian Brothers.

For the most part, Christian Brothers has dominated the overall matchup against DeSmet Jesuit. They play each other every season and over the last nine matchups, Christian Brothers has gone 7-2.

Christian Brothers especially toyed with them during their down years early in the 2010s. It has been a different story over the last four years, where the two teams have split the series 2-2 in the regular season, with DeSmet winning a playoff game against CBC in 2019.

2021: Christian Brothers 44, DeSmet Jesuit 29
2020: DeSmet Jesuit 41, Christian Brothers 21
2019: DeSmet Jesuit 42, Christian Brothers 14
2019: DeSmet Jesuit 35, Christian Brothers 14
2018: Christian Brothers 49, DeSmet Jesuit 14
2017: Christian Brothers 42, DeSmet Jesuit 7
2016: Christian Brothers 49, DeSmet Jesuit 6
2015: Christian Brothers 66, DeSmet Jesuit 3
2014: Christian Brothers 60, DeSmet Jesuit 0
2013: Christian Brothers 14, DeSmet Jesuit 11

This will be an interesting game to really establish a deeper understanding for just how good the 2022 versions of each team really is. This one sets up as a big time matchup for both squads.

GOTTA LOVE IT

The 6-1, 195-pound playmaker is one of the more gifted athletes in the 2023 recruiting class. He has been dealing with some cramping issues and nagging injuries over the fast few games, but Love has still been a dominant playmaker when he has been on the field.

Through the first four games of the season, he has rushed for 217 yards and four touchdowns on just 30 carries. That 7.2 yard per carry average is a huge indicator of his home run ability. That includes their massive 63-35 victory over St. Louis University, where Love exploded for 128 yards and two touchdowns on just 11 carries.

Love has also worked on the defensive side of the football for Christian Brothers when needed. He has totaled six tackles and a fumble recovery in limited snaps.

He is a dominant member of the Christian Brothers program, in every phase they needed him.

FEELING GRAY (T)

Like Love, Gray does a little bit of everything for the DeSmet Jesuit program. He does his best work on the defensive side of the football but the 6-1, 175-pound athlete also has a background on the offensive side of the football at the wide receiver position. Whether he is making plays in the passing game, or limiting them, Gray will be arguably the top talent on the field Friday night.

DeSmet is coming off of a dominant 56-7 win over Vianney last week. That pushed their record to 2-2 after a daunting two game stretch to start the 2022 campaign.

In last year’s battle, Christian Brothers defeated DeSmet Jesuit 44-29. Gray and the rest of his teammates will do their absolute best to get back on the right side of the win column in this upcoming matchup.

Both Christian Brothers and DeSmet Jesuit have the expectations to compete at the highest level and challenge as one of the best programs in the state. This game will go a long way into showing the quality that each program is at for the 2022 season.

Notre Dame fans will also be locked into their game. Christian Gray sits as one of the more gifted defensive recruits in the class, while Love is arguably the top player left on the board for the Irish.

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Ranking The 2022 Signees - Offense
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