The non-league portion of the schedule is officially in the rearview mirror for most teams, and now we get to see what these teams are really made of.

There were some impressive statements made last week. Iona Prep put the entire league on notice, Monsignor Farrell showed they can win games in multiple ways, and Archbishop Stepinac reminded everyone that their running game is going to be a problem. Meanwhile, several teams enter league play with questions that need to be answered quickly.

This is where the season starts to take shape.

1. Kennedy Catholic vs. Mount St. Michael

Kennedy gets its first real opportunity to make a statement after opening the season against one of the better teams in Section 1. The Gaels have had some time to prepare, and now they welcome a Mount team that has already played three challenging opponents to begin the year.

Mount St. Michael has shown flashes offensively, but the defense has not quite looked settled yet. That is something Kennedy should try to exploit. The Gaels have the size and physicality to make this a difficult game, especially if they can establish the run and avoid giving Mount short fields.

For Mount, this is the type of game they need to win if they want to be taken seriously in the AA-II conversation. They have played a difficult schedule, but eventually you have to turn those competitive performances into victories.

Prediction: Kennedy Catholic

I think Kennedy’s physicality and home-field advantage are enough to get them over the hump, but I expect this to be a competitive game into the second half.

2. Nazareth vs. St. Dominic’s

Nazareth finally opens its season, while St. Dominic’s enters its second league game after getting thoroughly handled by St. John the Baptist.

There is not a whole lot of information available on Nazareth coming into this one, which makes this a difficult game to evaluate. St. Dominic’s is a young team, and the loss to St. John was a reminder of how much work there is to do against the stronger teams in this division.

The question here is whether Nazareth can take advantage of a St. Dominic’s team that is still trying to find its identity. The Bayhawks should be more comfortable this week after getting their first league game out of the way, but they need to show more consistency on both sides of the ball.

Prediction: St. Dominic’s

I’m giving the Bayhawks the benefit of the doubt here. They have already seen what the speed and physicality of league play looks like, and I think that experience helps them this week.

3. Cardinal Spellman vs. Christ the King

This is a game both teams desperately need.

Christ the King has played two very strong MIFL programs in Poly Prep and Hackley, so I’m not going to overreact to their results. Those games were difficult assignments, especially for a new-look Royals team with a number of players seeing their first varsity action.

But now the excuses are over. This is league play.

Cardinal Spellman, meanwhile, has had a rough opening to the season. They were dominant against FDA but were overwhelmed by Xavier. This is much closer to the level of competition where the Pilots need to establish themselves.

I think this game comes down to which team can create some consistency offensively. Christ the King has the athletes to make plays, but Spellman has the opportunity to use its physicality and experience to control the game.

Prediction: Cardinal Spellman

I expect a much more competitive game than either team’s previous matchup against a superior opponent, but I think Spellman does enough at home.

4. St. John the Baptist vs. St. Francis Prep

This is where St. John the Baptist finally gets tested.

The Cougars are 2-0 and have looked impressive, but their first two opponents were clearly not at the level of the rest of the AA-I field. Now they welcome a St. Francis Prep team that has already played a difficult schedule and has plenty of size, strength, and defensive ability.

St. Francis Prep has been a little inconsistent offensively. There are plenty of mouths to feed, and the defense has looked like the stronger unit so far. The question is whether they can generate enough offense against a St. John team that appears to have found something with Devin Michaels at quarterback.

This is a very interesting matchup because I think St. Francis is probably the more physically imposing team, but St. John has the better momentum and has been much more consistent offensively.

Prediction: St. John the Baptist

I’m taking the Cougars in a close one, but this is the first game that will really tell us whether St. John is a legitimate contender or simply a team that took care of business against inferior competition.

5. Chaminade vs. Monsignor Farrell

Chaminade has not looked bad, but they have not looked like the team many expected them to be either. The Flyers struggled to finish drives against Seton Hall Prep, and now they get a Monsignor Farrell team that has won three straight and just erased a double-digit deficit against DePaul Catholic.

Farrell has “that dog in them.” They are confident, physical, and they believe they can win regardless of the situation. Bryce Moye has continued to improve, Jayden Burch gives them a different dimension offensively, and their defense has been opportunistic and aggressive.

For Chaminade, this is where Anthony Trapani becomes extremely important. His return gives the Flyers another legitimate offensive weapon and should help take pressure off the rest of the offense. But Chaminade has to finish drives. They cannot afford to move the ball well and come away with field goals—or worse, nothing.

The biggest question is whether Chaminade can handle Farrell’s physicality for four quarters. Farrell has shown they can grind out a game, but Chaminade has enough talent to make this very difficult.

Prediction: Monsignor Farrell

I’m taking Farrell, but I think this is going to be a very good football game. Chaminade has the talent to win this, but until they show me they can consistently finish drives, I’m going with the Lions.

6. St. Peter’s vs. Fordham Prep

Fordham Prep opens its season against a St. Peter’s team that just survived one of the more entertaining games of the weekend against Hudson Catholic.

The Eagles showed a lot of toughness in that game. They turned the ball over several times, put themselves in difficult situations, and still found a way to win. That says a lot about the team’s resilience.

Anthony D’Acunto and Victor Baez are going to be key pieces for St. Peter’s all season. Baez’s ability to impact the game on special teams is especially valuable, and the Eagles’ defense has shown it can make plays when it needs to.

Fordham Prep has been waiting for this one after a difficult opening stretch, and this is the beginning of a brutal league schedule. Coach Farrell’s first league game is against a familiar opponent, and I expect the Rams to come in prepared.

The big question is whether Fordham can handle St. Peter’s defensively. The Eagles have enough offensive ability to make this uncomfortable, but I think Fordham’s size and preparation will make a difference.

Prediction: Fordham Prep

I think this is close for most of the game, but Fordham finds a way to pull away late. St. Peter’s is a legitimate team, and this is not going to be an easy opener for the Rams.

7. Archbishop Stepinac vs. St. Anthony’s

This is another massive game.

Stepinac looked like a completely different team in the second half against Immaculata. After struggling early, the Crusaders turned to their running game and absolutely took over. Nahum Pierre was outstanding, and Ronell Chambers gave them another dimension that makes this offense difficult to defend.

But St. Anthony’s is not Immaculata.

The Friars just played one of the better teams in New Jersey and were within one score late in the game. The final score was misleading. St. Anthony’s was competitive for most of the afternoon and showed that they can play with a team of St. Peter’s Prep’s caliber.

The issue for the Friars is that they cannot afford the mistakes they made last week. Turnovers, missed tackles, and special teams miscues against a team like Stepinac will get you beat quickly.

This game will come down to whether St. Anthony’s can slow down the Stepinac running game. If Pierre and Chambers are allowed to dictate the tempo, this could get away from the Friars. If St. Anthony’s can force Stepinac to throw consistently, I think they have the athletes to make this a very interesting game.

Prediction: Archbishop Stepinac

I’m taking Stepinac, but I think this is going to be one of the best games of the week. St. Anthony’s is too talented to overlook, and Stepinac is going to have to play a complete game to win this.

8. Kellenberg Memorial vs. Cardinal Hayes

This is a statement game for Kellenberg.

The Firebirds bounced back in a big way against South Shore, putting together a balanced offensive performance and showing that they can beat you through the air or on the ground. Brendan Farrelly looked comfortable, and Kellenberg’s stable of running backs gives them a lot of flexibility.

But now comes the real test.

Cardinal Hayes just defeated Middletown, a defending Delaware state champion with legitimate Division I prospects. Hayes showed that they can play physical football, and Kymonni Valentine is a problem for anyone trying to defend them.

This game is going to be about which team can impose its style. Kellenberg wants to be balanced and methodical, while Hayes is going to try to win the battle up front and let Valentine dictate the game.

I think Kellenberg has the depth and balance to make this a very difficult matchup for Hayes. But the Cardinals have the kind of physicality that can ruin a team’s game plan if they get rolling.

Prediction: Kellenberg Memorial

I’m taking Kellenberg at home. This is a toss-up, but I think the Firebirds’ balance gives them just enough to win a close one.

9. St. Joseph by the Sea vs. Iona Prep

This is the game everyone is watching.

St. Joseph by the Sea has looked excellent offensively through the first three weeks. Pete Tronolone has been outstanding, Joey Moran continues to be one of the more productive players in the league, and the offense looks like it has found a rhythm.

But now they get Iona Prep.

The Gaels just demolished Paramus Catholic 63-20, and that result was about as impressive as anything we saw this weekend. They ran for over 400 yards, scored five touchdowns in the second half, and completely shut down a team that came in with plenty of hype and Division I prospects.

Iona is not just winning games. They are overwhelming teams.

The question for St. Joseph by the Sea is whether their defense can slow down Iona’s running game. Offensively, I think the Vikings can score. Tronolone has shown he can make plays, and Moran is a legitimate weapon. But if they cannot get stops, it is going to be difficult to keep pace.

This is the first true test for Iona in league play, and it is the first game where we get to see how big the gap really is between the Gaels and one of the top teams of the AA-1 division..

Prediction: Iona Prep

I think Sea gives a good effort, but Iona is playing at another level right now. Until someone proves otherwise, the Gaels are the team to beat in the NYCHSFL.

10. Xavier vs. Holy Cross

Xavier has looked exactly like Xavier.

They have overwhelmed teams with their physicality, dominated up front, and used their system to control games. The Knights are not trying to reinvent football—they are doing what they do best, and they are doing it effectively.

Holy Cross, meanwhile, went from scoring 46 points one week to scoring just 8 the next. That inconsistency is going to be a problem against a team like Xavier.

The Knights need to find some balance offensively. They have enough ability to make plays through the air, but if they become one-dimensional, Xavier is going to make life very difficult.

Xavier’s defense should control this game, and I expect their running game to wear Holy Cross down over four quarters.

Prediction: Xavier

I think Holy Cross will have some moments, but Xavier is too physical and too disciplined for me to pick against them here.

My biggest questions heading into the week:

• Can anyone actually slow down Iona Prep?
• Is St. John the Baptist a legitimate AA-I contender, or have they just had a favorable opening schedule?
• Can Chaminade finally finish drives against a team as physical as Monsignor Farrell?
• Is Kellenberg ready to make the jump from a good AA-I team to a legitimate championship contender?
• Can St. Anthony’s clean up the mistakes that cost them against St. Peter’s Prep?
• How good is Fordham Prep going to be once league play begins?

This is where the season starts getting real. The non-league games gave us some clues, but the next few weeks are going to tell us which teams are actually contenders and which teams were simply beating teams they were supposed to beat.

My Game of the Week is St. Peter’s vs Fordham Prep. An important game for both teams, and one that will set the tone for both teams going into the meat of the regular season.