St. Edward football defeats St. Joseph's Prep: 5 takeaways

In a battle between two of Ohio and Pennsylvania's top high school football teams, St. Edward defeated St. Joseph's Prep

St. Edward football head coach Tom Lombardo watches as his team warms up prior to a game against Our Lady of Good Counsel (Maryland) on August 27, 2023. / Jeff Harwell, SBLive Sports

LAKEWOOD, Ohio - There was a high school football clash of the titans from Ohio and Pennsylvania on Saturday afternoon at First Federal Lakewood Stadium between St. Edward (Ohio) and St. Joseph's Prep (Pennsylvania).

St. Edward scored 35 points in the second quarter to take a 35-7 lead into the half and then gave up a pair of touchdowns in the fourth quarter to make the final score closer in a 35-21 win.

Both teams are the recent kings of the largest classification in their respective states, as St. Edward, ranked No. 2 in the latest SBLive/SI Ohio Top 25 and No. 15 nationally, has captured the last three OHSAA Division I state titles.

St. Joseph's Prep, the top-ranked team in the SBLive/SI Pennsylvania Top 25 and the No. 9 team nationally, has won the last two and five of the last six PIAA Class 6A state championships.

FIVE TAKEAWAYS FROM THE ST. EDWARD WIN OVER ST. JOSEPH'S PREP

1. St. Edward doesn't rebuild, the Eagles reload

Some might have thought St. Edward would be vulnerable this season, having graduated 40 seniors from last season's roster, but if the first two weeks have told us anything, it is that head coach Tom Lombardo and the Eagles are primed for a run at their fourth straight Division I state title.

After defeating Pickerington North 28-0 in the opener, St. Edward held St. Joseph's Prep to just seven points through three quarters, that touchdown coming with 59 seconds remaining in the second quarter and St. Edward leading 28-0.

2. St. Edward can still run the football

The big three from St. Edward's offensive line - Ben Roebuck (Michigan) and Deontae and Devontae Armstrong (Ohio State) - have moved on. But St. Edward can still control the line of scrimmage and run the football.

Junior running back Brandon White looks like the runner he was at the end of last season when he ran for 1,913 yards and 23 touchdowns despite minimal touches early in the season.

On Saturday, White ran for 104 yards against a tough St. Joseph's Prep defense, including a 75-yard touchdown run in the second quarter. He also had a touchdown catch.

3. Last season's injury a blessing in disguise at quarterback for St. Edward?

When starting quarterback Casey Bullock went down with a knee injury last season, the Eagles were forced to go to junior Thomas Csanyi. In five games last season, Csanyi completed 63 percent of his passes for 768 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Now a senior and the team's starting signal caller, Csanyi has used those reps from last season to his advantage. After throwing for 188 yards and three touchdowns with three interceptions against Pickerington North, Csanyi looked completely in control of the offense against St. Joseph's Prep as he threw for 147 yards and two scores.

4. Bradley Eaton proving he can do a little bit of everything for St. Edward

The senior defensive back made play after play for the Eagles on Saturday.

With St. Edward leading 7-0 midway throught the second quarter and St. Joseph's Prep backed up near its own goal line for a punt, Eaton broke through the line and blocked the punt in the end zone with teammate Nate Gregory recovering it for a touchdown.

And then on the next offensive possession for St. Joseph's Prep (St. Edward forced a fumble on the kickoff after the punt block), Eaton played the role of ball hawk as he ran down a tipped pass and intercepted it, leading to another St. Edward touchdown.

Then after St. Joseph's Prep finally got on the board with 59 seconds remaining in the second quarter, Eaton took the ensuing kickoff 94 yards for a touchdown to make it 35-7.

5. Jett Harrison could follow in the recent footsteps of his brother

St. Joseph's Prep wide receiver Jett Harrison might only be a freshman, but there was no doubt who was the best receiver on the field for the Hawks in their season opener.

Harrison, the son of Pro Football Hall of Fame wide receiver Marvin Harrsion, Sr. and the brother of Marvin Harrison, Jr., who graduated from St. Joseph's Prep in 2021 and was the No. 4 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft by the Arizona Cardinals, finished the game with four catches for 57 yards.

With his father watching from the sideline, Harrison consistently was able to run routes that got him open, even if he finished with only four catches.

On two straight plays late in the fourth quarter with the Hawks trailing 35-21, Harrison broke free from his defender but the St. Edward defense was able to put pressure on St. Joseph's Prep quarterback Charles Foulke IV, not allowing him to make a throw to Harrison.

-- Ryan Isley | ryan@scorebooklive.com | @sbliveoh | @sblivepa

Stay tuned to SBLive Ohio all season long for all of your high school football coverage. You can check out our Ohio high school football scoreboards throughout the season.

Stay tuned to SBLive Pennsylvania all season long for all of your high school football coverage. You can check out our Pennsylvania high school football scoreboards all season long.

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