St. Joseph’s Prep trounces Central York, 62-13, to capture third straight state championship
The Hawks took a 38-7 halftime lead against the previously undefeated District 3 champions as quarterback Kyle McCord and receivers Marvin Harrison Jr., Malik Cooper, and Sahmir Hagans dominated.
Coach Tim Roken (center) and the St. Joseph’s Prep team celebrate winning the PIAA Class 6A state championship game over Central York on Saturday. It was the Hawks' third consecutive state championship.Read moreCHARLES FOX / Staff Photographer
The St. Joseph’s Prep football team won its third straight state title, its fourth in five years and sixth since 2013 on Saturday night with an emphatic 62-13 victory over Central York in the PIAA Class 6A final at HersheyPark Stadium.
The Hawks’ seniors stamped an exclamation point on their unparalleled careers by leading the way in a dominant performance that culminated a coronavirus-shortened season.
“This was special,” said senior all-purpose star Malik Cooper, a Temple recruit who caught a pass for one touchdown, threw a pass for another and returned a punt for a third. “We said in 2017, when that team lost [in the state final], ‘Never again.’ ”
Said senior quarterback Kyle McCord, who threw four touchdown passes, “That was the promise we made, and we kept it.”
St. Joseph’s Prep took a 38-7 halftime lead against the previously undefeated District 3 champions as McCord, Cooper and wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. turned the first 24 minutes of their final game into a highlight-film performance.
McCord, an Ohio State recruit, threw three touchdown passes in the first half. Two of them went to Harrison, who also is an Ohio State recruit.
“Just thankful to be able to be out here with my best friends,” Harrison said.
Cooper tossed a 55-yard strike to senior Sahmir Hagans with less than a minute to play in the second quarter. He added another score on a 55-yard punt return early in the third quarter to start a running clock under PIAA “mercy-rule” guidelines.
Watch: Marvin Harrison Jr. sets city record with his 37th career TD catch, this one covering 45 yards from Kyle McCord, as St Joseph’s Prep stretches lead over Central York to 24-0. It was McCord’s city record 86th TD pass as well @SJPrep_Football@SJPrep_Sportspic.twitter.com/UeSwIuXmrw
The victory cemented the legacy of the Hawks’ seniors as arguably the best class in school history. They are the first team from the city to win three state titles in a row, and the first to three-peat in the state’ largest classification since Central Bucks West in 1997-1999.
In the seniors’ four seasons in the program, St. Joseph’s went 44-3, finishing with 17 consecutive victories.
“This senior class will go down in history, " St. Joseph’s coach Tim Roken said. “Everybody will remember the records. But they are even better as young men.”
This season was unusual as the Hawks played just six games. It was the fewest games played by a St. Joseph’s Prep team since the 1932 squad went 5-1.
But these Hawks made the best of limited opportunities, building halftime leads of 38, 38, 42, 37 and 31 points in their last five games. McCord and Harrison set city records for career yardage and touchdowns, and Cooper turned his last game into a showcase of his dynamic athleticism, including a one-handed catch.
By their standards, the Hawks got off to a slow start as a McCord touchdown pass to Cooper was nullified by a holding penalty, and they settled for a 39-yard field goal by Antonio Chadha and a 3-0 lead.
But they quickly hit their stride as Noble House capped an 89-yard drive with a 1-yard touchdown run, and House’s 25-yard run set up a 7-yard scoring pass from McCord to Harrison for a 17-0 lead.
The Philadelphia Catholic League power was just getting warmed up on a cold night. McCord found Harrison in stride on a picturesque 45-yard touchdown strike, then fired a 79-yarder to Cooper, who weaved through two defenders on his way to the end zone.
The Hawks capped the dominating first half as Cooper took a pitch on an end-around and fired a strike to Hagans. The Duke recruit raced to the end zone for a 38-7 lead.
“It just means so much to the seniors to finish this way,” Cooper said.
Malik Coopser of St. Joseph’s Prep celebrates after the Prep won the PIAA Class 6A state championship game against Central York at Hershey Park Stadium on Nov. 28, 2020. It was their third consecutive state championship.Read moreCHARLES FOX / Staff Photographer
Malik Cooper, left, of St. Joseph’s Prep heads past Taylor Wright-Rawls of Central York on his way to a 78-yard touchdown reception during the 1st half of the PIAA Class 6A state championship game at Hershey Park Stadium on Nov. 28, 2020.Read moreCHARLES FOX / Staff Photographer
Malik Cooper of St. Joseph’s Prep is lifted up by a teammate after his 78-year touchdown reception against Central York during the 1st half of the PIAA Class 6A state championship game at Hershey Park Stadium on Nov. 28, 2020.Read moreCHARLES FOX / Staff Photographer
Nick Yagodich, left, of St. Joseph’s Prep flexes his muscles after sacking quarterback Beau Pribula of Central York during the 1st half of the PIAA Class 6A state championship game at Hershey Park Stadium on Nov. 28, 2020.Read moreCHARLES FOX / Staff Photographer
Noah Klick, center, of St. Joseph’s Prep celebrates after intercepting a shuttle pass against Central York during the 2nd half of the PIAA Class 6A state championship game at Hershey Park Stadium on Nov. 28, 2020.Read moreCHARLES FOX / Staff Photographer
Noble House, left, of St. Joseph’s Prep extends the ball for a touchdown against Central York during the 2nd half of the PIAA Class 6A state championship game at Hershey Park Stadium on Nov. 28, 2020.Read moreCHARLES FOX / Staff Photographer
Kyle McCord, left, of St. Joseph’s Prep throws a long pass against Central York during the 1st half of the PIAA Class 6A state championship game at Hershey Park Stadium on Nov. 28, 2020.Read moreCHARLES FOX / Staff Photographer
Cade Rooney, center, of St. Joseph’s Prep is congratulated by Coach Tim Roken, right, after catching a touchdown pass against Central York during the 2nd half of the PIAA Class 6A state championship game at Hershey Park Stadium on Nov. 28, 2020.Read moreCHARLES FOX / Staff Photographer
Malik Coopser of St. Joseph’s Prep returns a punt for a tounchdown against Central York during the 2nd half of the PIAA Class 6A state championship game at Hershey Park Stadium on Nov. 28, 2020.Read moreCHARLES FOX / Staff Photographer
Malik Coopser of St. Joseph’s Prep celebrates after returning a punt for a touchdown against Central York during the 2nd half of the PIAA Class 6A state championship game at Hershey Park Stadium on Nov. 28, 2020.Read moreCHARLES FOX / Staff Photographer
Keenan Nelson, left, of St. Joseph’s Prep pulls down Jahmar Simpson of Central York by his jersey during the 1st half of the PIAA Class 6A state championship game at Hershey Park Stadium on Nov. 28, 2020.Read moreCHARLES FOX / Staff Photographer
Malik Cooper of St. Joseph’s Prep knocks the helmet off of Beau Pribula of Central York as they collide during the 1st half of the PIAA Class 6A state championship game at Hershey Park Stadium on Nov. 28, 2020.Read moreCHARLES FOX / Staff Photographer
Noble House, left, of St. Joseph’s Prep is knocke out of bounds after a gain by Keelan Stroman of Central York during the 1st half of the PIAA Class 6A state championship game at Hershey Park Stadium on Nov. 28, 2020.Read moreCHARLES FOX / Staff Photographer
Head Coach Tim Roken, left, uses some fast foot work to avoid the water cooler as St. Joseph’s Prep celebrates after the Prep won the PIAA Class 6A state championship game against Central York at Hershey Park Stadium on Nov. 28, 2020. It was their third consecutive state championship.Read moreCHARLES FOX / Staff Photographer
Head Coach Tim Roken, left, hugs quarterback Kyle McCord as St. Joseph’s Prep celebrates after the Prep won the PIAA Class 6A state championship game against Central York at Hershey Park Stadium on Nov. 28, 2020. It was their third consecutive state championship.Read moreCHARLES FOX / Staff Photographer
Malik Coopser, left, and Head Coach Tim Roken, center, as St. Joseph’s Prep celebrates in the final seconds of the game. The Prep won the PIAA Class 6A state championship game against Central York at Hershey Park Stadium on Nov. 28, 2020. It was their third consecutive state championship.Read moreCHARLES FOX / Staff Photographer
Giambi Nesbitt, right, lets out a yelss as St. Joseph’s Prep celebrates after the Prep won the PIAA Class 6A state championship game against Central York at Hershey Park Stadium on Nov. 28, 2020. It was their third consecutive state championship.Read moreCHARLES FOX / Staff Photographer
Jeremiah Trotter, center, is swarmed by teammates after being presented with one of the game balls. He was unable to play in the game due to injury. St. Joseph’s Prep celebrates after the Prep won the PIAA Class 6A state championship game against Central York at Hershey Park Stadium on Nov. 28, 2020. It was their third consecutive state championship.Read moreCHARLES FOX / Staff Photographer
Quarterback Kyle McCord, center, holds up the trophy as St. Joseph’s Prep celebrates after the Prep won the PIAA Class 6A state championship game against Central York at Hershey Park Stadium on Nov. 28, 2020. It was their third consecutive state championship.Read moreCHARLES FOX / Staff Photographer
Head Coach Tim Roken, center, and the St. Joseph’s Prep team celebrate after the Prep won the PIAA Class 6A state championship game against Central York at Hershey Park Stadium on Nov. 28, 2020. It was their third consecutive state championship.Read moreCHARLES FOX / Staff Photographer
Central York 0 7 0 6 -- 13
St. Joseph’s Prep 10 28 17 7 -- 62
SJP: Antonio Chadha 39 FG
SJP: Noble House 1 run (Chadha kick)
SJP: Marvin Harrison Jr. 7 pass from Kyle McCord (Chadha kick)
SJP: Harrison Jr. 45 pass from McCord (Chadha kick)
Born and raised in South Jersey, Phil Anastasia prefers standing on the sidelines at high school football games on Friday nights to sitting in the press box at Eagles games on Sunday afternoons. He’s a graduate of Rowan University with a degree in English.
