Non-Public Group B Playoff Performers to Watch in Round 1

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As the calendar turns to November, the second season begins: playoff football. Below I review each matchup in this specified region within this article's title, highlighting one offensive and one defensive player from each team that I anticipate rising to the occasion when everyone's record resets this week, again, to 0-0.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Non-Public Group B</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>#9 Immaculata at #8 Paul VI</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:table --> <figure class="wp-block-table"><table class="has-fixed-layout"><tbody><tr><td></td><td>Offense</td><td>Defense</td></tr><tr><td>Immaculata</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='1021138' first='Cole' last='Hayden'], 2025, QB<br><br>21-31, 631, 10 TD, 3 Int<br>152 carries, 1209 yards, 16 TD<br>25 tackles (14 solo), 1 Int</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='1021139' first='Luke' last='Laub'], 2025, LB<br><br>91 tackles (62 solo), 8 TFL, 3 sacks<br>1 reception, 5 yards<br>14 carries, 73 yards, 3 TD</td></tr><tr><td>Paul VI</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='1160587' first='Nate' last='Klecko'], 2027, RB<br><br>94 carries, 577 yards, 7 TD<br>9 receptions, 138 yards, 1 TD<br>40 tackles (35 solo), 10 TFL, 7 sacks</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='1552710' first='Mourin' last='Keshen'], 2025, LB<br><br>98 tackles (89 solo), 16 TFL, 4 sacks, 3 FF, 1 FR</td></tr></tbody></table></figure> <!-- /wp:table --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>#12 St. Mary Rutherford at #5 St. Thomas Aquinas</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:table --> <figure class="wp-block-table"><table class="has-fixed-layout"><tbody><tr><td></td><td>Offense</td><td>Defense</td></tr><tr><td>St. Mary Rutherford</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='1361294' first='Nasir' last='Owens'], 2025, RB<br><br>164 carries, 1347 yards, 18 TD<br>7 receptions, 73 yards<br>37 tackles (20 solo), 4 TFL, 1 Int</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='1530308' first='Marcello' last='Estevez'], 2026, DL<br><br>29 tackles (17 solo), 14 TFL, 7 sacks, 1 FF<br>2 receptions, 45 yards</td></tr><tr><td>St. Thomas Aquinas</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='614993' first='Chukwuma' last='Odoh'], 2027, RB<br><br>115 carries, 1154 yards, 14 TD<br>6 receptions, 55 yards<br>26 tackles (15 solo), 1 TFL, 1 sacks</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='1170231' first='Anwar' last='Witherspoon'], 2026, LB<br><br>86 tackles (53 solo), 18 TFL, 4 sacks, 1 FF, 2 Int<br>10 reception, 103 yards<br>4 Kickoff Returns, 145 yards, 1 TD</td></tr></tbody></table></figure> <!-- /wp:table --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>#13 Donovan Catholic at #4 Holy Spirit</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:table --> <figure class="wp-block-table"><table class="has-fixed-layout"><tbody><tr><td></td><td>Offense</td><td>Defense</td></tr><tr><td>Donovan Catholic</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='345435' first='Michael' last='Thomas III'], 2025, RB<br><br>70 carries, 584 yards, 8 TD<br>19 receptions, 193 yards, 1 TD<br>1-1, 9 yards, 1 TD<br>28 tackles (17 solo), 1 TFL, 1 Int</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='1552711' first='Jayden' last='Nascimento'], 2026, LB<br><br>118 tackles (64 solo), 3 TFL<br>6 receptions, 77 yards, 1 TD</td></tr><tr><td>Holy Spirit</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='994277' first='Emir' last='Hicks'], 2026, RB<br><br>118 carries, 439 yards, 5 TD<br>9 tackles (4 solo)</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='1281466' first='Nicholas' last='Medina'], 2025, LB<br><br>78 tackles (31 solo), 2.5 TFL, 8.5 sacks, 1 Int<br>1 reception, 10 yards</td></tr></tbody></table></figure> <!-- /wp:table --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>#14 Hudson Catholic at #3 Paramus Catholic</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:table --> <figure class="wp-block-table"><table class="has-fixed-layout"><tbody><tr><td></td><td>Offense</td><td>Defense</td></tr><tr><td>Hudson Catholic</td><td>Kyle Mercorelli, 2027, QB<br><br>73-143, 1365 yards, 11 TD, 7 Int<br>30 carries, 135 yards, 1 TD<br>1 reception, 5 yards, 1 TD</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='1552712' first='Lamont' last='Williams'], 2026, DB<br><br>41 tackles (28 solo), 1 FF, 2 Int<br>12 receptions, 359 yards, 4 TD</td></tr><tr><td>Paramus Catholic</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='960397' first='Xavier' last='Williams'], 2025, RB<br><br>140 carries, 949 yards, 12 TD<br>12 receptions, 177 yards, 1 TD<br>27 tackles (5 solo), 1.5 TFL, 1 Int<br>2, two-point conversions</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='909715' first='Austin' last='Barrett'], 2027, DB<br><br>41 tackles (8 solo), 1 FF, 2 FR, 1 Int<br>1 reception, 27 yards<br>19 carries, 89 yards, 1 TD<br>4-5, 16 yards</td></tr></tbody></table></figure> <!-- /wp:table --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>#11 Camden Catholic at #6 Pope John</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:table --> <figure class="wp-block-table"><table class="has-fixed-layout"><tbody><tr><td></td><td>Offense</td><td>Defense</td></tr><tr><td>Camden Catholic</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='1552713' first='Nymir' last='Daily'], 2027, RB<br><br>119 carries, 720 yards, 10 TD<br>13 receptions, 147 yards, 3 TD</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='1524452' first='Bryce' last='Clark'], 2027, DB<br><br>22 tackles (13 solo), 1 TFL, 5 Int, 4 pick-six<br>26 receptions, 314 yards, 2 TD<br>16 carries, 106 yards, 1 TD</td></tr><tr><td>Pope John</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='344220' first='Tylik' last='Hill'], 2025, RB<br><br>207 carries, 1609 yards, 16 TD<br>18 receptions, 99 yards<br>9 tackles (8 solo), 1 TFL, 1 Int<br>12 Kickoff Returns, 294 yards, 1 TD</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='1552723' first='Shawn' last='Baumann'], 2026, EDGE<br><br>39 tackles (21 solo), 9 TFL, 3.5 sacks</td></tr></tbody></table></figure> <!-- /wp:table --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>#10 St. John Vianney at #7 Notre Dame</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:table --> <figure class="wp-block-table"><table class="has-fixed-layout"><tbody><tr><td></td><td>Offense</td><td>Defense</td></tr><tr><td>St. John Vianney</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='691039' first='Abdul' last='Turay'], 2027, RB<br><br>215 carries, 1904 yards, 31 TD<br>16 receptions, 260 yards<br>60 tackles, 9 TFL, 3 sacks, 1 FR</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='1552718' first='Danny' last='Breen'], 2026, LB<br><br>87 tackles, 9 TFL, 2 sacks, 1 FR</td></tr><tr><td>Notre Dame</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='1529480' first='Wyatt' last='Moore'], 2025, WR<br><br>70 receptions, 698 yards, 15 TD</td><td>[player_tooltip player_id='1540503' first='Alex' last='Vilarelle'], LB, 2026<br><br>82 tackles (45 solo), 1 TFL, 1.5 sacks, 2 FF, 1 Int</td></tr></tbody></table></figure> <!-- /wp:table --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Teams that Earned First Round Bye Weeks</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>#1 DePaul (plays winner of Immacualta vs. Paul VI)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>#2 Red Bank Catholic (players winner of St. John Vianney vs. Notre Dame)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->