The JPII Middle School Warriors closed out their season in strong fashion Thursday night, defeating their local rivals, the HHCA Eagles, 28–13. The win marks the Warriors’ fourth straight victory over the Eagles, extending their rivalry streak and capping off a memorable season.

The game opened much like last week, with HHCA marching down the field on their opening drive to take a 7–0 lead. But after that, it was all Blue and Gold. Once the Warriors’ offense found its rhythm, they never looked back.

On a night honoring the team’s 8th graders in their final middle school appearance, Captain Carter Whiteside delivered a performance to remember — rushing for 139 yards on 12 carries and 3 touchdowns, a fitting finale to his stellar career. Francisco Don Juan added to the scoring with a powerful touchdown run and 43 rushing yards of his own.

Quarterback Alex Marcinkoski connected with David Remigio and Anthony Mascolo on key two-point conversions to keep the momentum rolling.

The defense set the tone with tough, hard-nosed football all night long. Max Dunham broke up four passes and tallied two tackles, while Ryan Fox, in his final middle school outing, was nearly unstoppable — recording 3 sacks, 3 tackles for loss, and a fumble recovery.

The Warriors finish the season proud, grateful, and hungry for more. They extend their thanks to the school, fans, parents, and administration for their unwavering support. This team has built something special — and next year, they’ll be ready to pick up right where they left off.