The Red Bank Catholic football team has moved within one win of capping off a magical, emotional run of outstanding football.

The second-seeded Caseys defeated third-seeded St. Joe’s of Hammonton, 21-10, Nov. 19 in the NJSIAA Non-Public Group B semifinals at Count Basie Field in Red Bank.

The victory puts Red Bank Catholic (10-1 record) in the Nov. 26 championship game against top-seeded DePaul Catholic of Wayne at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford. Game time is 7 p.m.

RBC is pursuing its fourth state title and first since 2018. DePaul is going for its eighth state crown and second straight, having won the Non-Public Group III title in 2019 (no playoffs were held last year).

RBC was forced to rally twice against the Wildcats (8-3), who took leads of 7-0 and 10-7.  

After St. Joe’s scored on a 59-yard touchdown pass early in the second quarter, the Caseys responded with a four-yard touchdown run by Rajahn Cooper and the first of three Jake Jacobsen extra points. The Wildcats kicked a field goal to take a 10-7 lead into halftime.

But quarterback Alex Brown, still grieving the loss of his mom, Michelle, on Nov. 11, once again lifted his team by scoring on two 7-yard touchdown runs in the third and fourth quarters. In two playoff games since his mom’s passing, Brown has thrown six touchdown passes and run for four more TDs.

DePaul enters the title game with a 9-2 record and four-game winning streak. The Spartans defeated Immaculata, 42-2, and Holy Spirit, 28-14, in their first two playoff wins.