By Mukala Kabongo
NEFJ Staff

DANVERS  —  When the MIAA playoff brackets came out, the potential matchup between No.1 St. John’s Prep and No.8 Leominster had fans from both schools excited with the potential quarterback matchup.

Coastal Carolina commit and five-star recruit Chris Vargas is a dream matchup for football lovers. Unfortunately, that matchup did not occur due to Vargas being sidelined with an injury.

Despite the star quarterback’s absence, the Eagles found offense from their junior running back Maxwell Parent who had a career day rushing for 337 yards and five touchdowns en route to a wild 48-32 win.

Prep (10-0) now has another sate with Central Catholic next weekend for a spot in the D1 Super Bowl at Gillette. Leominster fell to 7-3.

“This is my dream,” said Parent.”Coming from St. Mary’s where I had to fight for everything, coming here where I had to fight even more and it’s just all showing.”

While Parent and the Eagles’ offense used the ground game to move up and down the field, Lopez and Leominster’s offense set the tone on their opening possession when Lopez connected with Keegan White for a 35-yard touchdown pass.

It didn’t take long for the Eagles to respond. Parent went 53-yards on his first carry, all the way down to the Leominster nine-yard line. Parent then scored from nine yards out and converted the two point try to make it 8-6.

Fellow back Jordan Toribio got into the scoring action in the second quarter with a one yard touchdown run and another conversion by Parent that made it a 10-point game.

“I thought the offensive line was unbelievable tonight,” said head coach Brian St. Pierre.

The game seemed to begin to slip away for Leominster until their star quarterback took control on the ensuing possession.

Lopez time and time again made the big plays either with his arm or his legs on a 90-yard drive that culminated with a five-yard touchdown run.

After a defensive stop, Lopez and the offense once again marched down the field, with Lopez doing his best Lamar Jackson impersonation running for first downs and making big time passes. Eventually he threw a two yard touchdown pass to Zack OIiver and a two point conversion to Ryan Ricker that gave the visitors the 20-16 lead going into the half.

“That quarterback, he’s special,” said St. Pierre of Lopez.

Trailing only for the second time at the half this season, the Eagles marched right down the field behind their offensive line and Parent – who at that point had 180 yards on the ground and three touchdowns – gave St. John’s Prep the lead at 24-20.

Leominster once again responded with an 89-yard touchdown drive that saw Lopez complete passes of 38 and 33 yards on third and fourth down to get into Eagles territory. Lopez ran in for a second time to give the visitors the 26-24 lead.

“I thought our defense played tough most of the time,”  St. Pierre said. “It was just tough corralling him.”

As they did all game, Parent and the Eagles offense responded with a touchdown drive. This time, Parent took it in from seven yards out to regain the lead at 32-26 heading into the fourth.

Needing a stop with Leominster threatening to score, the Eagles defense sacked Lopez on third down then forced a turnover on downs.

“Defense comes up in big moments, that’s what they always do,” said Parent.

The Eagles then gave themselves a two-score cushion with Parent’s fourth touchdown run of the game. Momentum shifted to the Eagles’ side when the special teams unit forced and recovered a fumble on the ensuing kickoff in Leominster territory.

Parent put the exclamation point on his big day with his fifth touchdown run.

“I thought Maxwell was unreal and that special teams play was huge,” said St. Pierre. “It was a three phase win.”

Now, SJP looks forward to what will be the second meeting with the Raiders this season (a 47-21 win) and the first meeting in the semifinals since the 2022 semi game in Lowell.

“I’m just happy for the kids, they’ve worked really hard for it,” added St. Pierre.