By John Knebels • Posted November 9, 2026

Long nights. Early mornings. Extra preparation.

According to Roman Catholic junior quarterback Jahmil Hawkins, that trifecta explains why he and his teammates emerged as Philadelphia Catholic League football champions for the first time in nearly two decades.

Anything else?

“Takes everything,” Hawkins said.

On Oct. 31 at Franklin Field, Roman defeated St. Joseph’s Prep, 21-17, capturing the Red Division title with a perfect 5-0 league record and ending a championship drought that had lasted since 2007.

The victory was particularly meaningful considering the opponent. La Salle and the Prep had combined to win the previous 17 large-school division championships, with nine going to La Salle and eight to the Hawks.

Roman hadn’t defeated the Prep in a regular-season game since 1999. This time, with a championship at stake, the Cahillites found a way.

Prep junior quarterback Max Rogers connected with junior Jett Harrison for a 74-yard touchdown on the game’s opening possession. Roman answered when senior Eisa Nealy recovered a teammate’s fumble on a handoff and returned it eight yards for a touchdown.

Senior Jayden Alford later gave the Cahillites a 14-7 advantage with a 32-yard scoring run, but Rogers and Harrison connected again for a 44-yard tally, tying the game at 14.

Harrison finished with five receptions for 144 yards, but his second touchdown reception also made Catholic League history. It gave him 38 career touchdown catches, surpassing the previous league record of 37 set by his older brother, Marvin Harrison Jr., who starred at the Prep before continuing his career at Ohio State and turning professional.

But Roman’s defense gradually made life more difficult for the Hawks, particularly after halftime. Harrison’s production diminished, and the Prep struggled to generate consistent offense.

The teams remained locked in a tense battle until senior Colin Stoner converted a 22-yard field goal with 4:43 remaining, giving the Prep a 17-14 lead.

Roman needed an answer.

Hawkins provided one.

With Roman trailing, the junior quarterback directed a determined final possession, connecting with Nealy for a crucial third-down conversion before the Cahillites advanced into scoring position. On third-and-three from the Prep 15, Hawkins found wide-open junior Tre Montgomery for the go-ahead touchdown with 27 seconds remaining.

The game wasn’t over, however.

“We still had to go out there, play defense, and get the stop,” Nealy said.

The Cahillites delivered. Nealy ultimately sealed the victory with an interception on the game’s final play, setting off a celebration that had been years in the making.

For Nealy, the championship represented the payoff for a week of preparation that began immediately after Roman’s 38-0 victory over Father Judge.

“We’ve been coming prepared every day and working hard,” he said. “We knew what was at stake. We knew the PCL championship was on the line, and we just needed to do what we do to win this game. That’s exactly what we did.”

Hawkins credited the team’s unity and willingness to remain together throughout the season, particularly during the biggest moments.

“Day in and day out we prepared and stayed together,” he said. “I just told my guys, I’m with you all.”

Head coach Rick Prete, whose expression had remained remarkably composed throughout the afternoon, finally had reason to let his emotions show.

After the final whistle, he gathered his players and reminded them of the significance of what they had accomplished.

“There’s guys who have been 20-something years fighting for this,” Prete told his team. “Almost two decades to fight for this. And y’all went and took it today.”

Once he handed the players the championship plaque, the celebrations became considerably louder.

Prete said the players’ determination and commitment to preparation were responsible for carrying the program to its long-awaited milestone.

“When I took this job, this was the goal I wanted to achieve: to help make everybody proud, including our alumni and the entire school community,” he said. “I think we’ve been doing that over the last few years, and I think today we can put a stamp on it.”

Roman president John Prendergast, a 2008 Roman Catholic graduate, shared that sentiment. For him, the victory carried a personal significance, particularly given the longstanding rivalry with Prep.

“The support from our fans, alumni, parents, and the entire school community has been incredible,” Prendergast said. “Everyone came out, and our entire school community is incredibly proud.”

He acknowledged that separating his responsibilities as school president from his enthusiasm as a Roman alumnus wasn’t necessarily easy.

“The administrator hat is always on,” he said with a smile, “but I’d be lying if I said there wasn’t a little fan in me, too.”

Prete reminded his players that another meeting with Prep remained possible, with both teams potentially advancing to the Nov. 15 PCL Red Division Class 6A championship at Franklin Field. The winner would then face the Public League champion for a chance to advance to the PIAA tournament.

They might not have been listening. A long on-field celebration with teammates, family and friends beckoned.

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Contact John Knebels at jknebels@gmail.com, on ‘X’ @johnknebels, or on Instagram @johnknebels.