St. John's Shrewsbury Stuns Xaverian 42-22: 5 Takeaways From Massachusetts Football Upset

St. John's Shrewsbury is no longer just an unbeaten team off to a promising start. The Pioneers have a victory over the program that has dominated Massachusetts Division 1 football for the past three seasons.

Behind five touchdown passes from Brad Perry and four interceptions by its defense, St. John's defeated three-time defending state champion Xaverian 42-22 Friday night in Westwood.

The victory improved the Pioneers to 5-0 and handed Xaverian (2-3) its third consecutive loss.

Perry threw for more than 300 yards, connecting with Zaccheus Collins for three touchdowns, including a 90-yard score. The St. John's defense also intercepted Penn State commit Will Wood four times, twice in the fourth quarter.

Here are five takeaways from one of the biggest results of the Massachusetts high school football season.

1. St. John's Has Its Signature Victory

An unbeaten record is impressive. Beating the three-time defending Division 1 state champion on its home field is something else.

St. John's entered Friday having won its first four games, including a 56-6 victory over Masconomet the previous week.

Xaverian presented a different challenge.

The Hawks had lost consecutive games to Springfield Central and Central Catholic, but they remained a program with considerable talent and championship experience.

St. John's didn't merely survive the matchup. The Pioneers won by 20 points, scoring 42 against a team that has set the standard in Massachusetts Division 1 football.

The victory gives St. John's its most significant result of the season heading into another major test against St. John's Prep.

2. Brad Perry Is Playing at a High Level

Perry followed his strong performance against Masconomet with an even bigger game against Xaverian.

The St. John's quarterback threw for more than 300 yards and five touchdowns, repeatedly connecting with receivers downfield.

His performance was especially important against a Xaverian defense that has faced some of the state's strongest competition.

Perry's ability to create explosive plays helped St. John's build the offensive production needed to win comfortably on the road.

Five touchdown passes against the defending state champions also make a compelling case that Perry belongs in the conversation among Massachusetts' most productive quarterbacks this season.

3. Zaccheus Collins Gave Xaverian Problems All Night

Three of Perry's five touchdown passes went to Collins, including a 90-yard scoring play.

The connection between the quarterback and receiver was one of the defining elements of the game.

Collins accounted for 60% of St. John's passing touchdowns and provided the kind of big-play threat that makes the Pioneers difficult to defend.

The 90-yard touchdown was particularly significant. St. John's showed it could score without needing a sustained drive, forcing Xaverian to account for Collins anywhere on the field.

Perry deserves plenty of credit for his five-touchdown performance, but Collins was central to making it happen.

4. Four Interceptions Changed the Game

Xaverian quarterback Will Wood entered the matchup as one of Massachusetts' most prominent prospects, having committed to Penn State.

St. John's defense made it a difficult night for him, intercepting Wood four times, including twice in the fourth quarter.

Those late takeaways were especially important because they prevented Xaverian from mounting a comeback.

While Perry's five touchdown passes will attract much of the attention, the four interceptions were just as important to the result.

5. Both Teams Face Another Major Test

Friday's result sent St. John's and Xaverian in opposite directions.

The Pioneers improved to 5-0 and will face St. John's Prep in a matchup that should provide another measure of their standing among Massachusetts' top programs.

Xaverian, meanwhile, has dropped three consecutive games after opening the season 2-0.

The losses have come against Springfield Central, Central Catholic and St. John's Shrewsbury, three challenging opponents.

The schedule doesn't get easier. Xaverian's next opponent is unbeaten Catholic Memorial, which enters the matchup 5-0.

For St. John's, the question has changed.

The Pioneers no longer need to prove they can beat quality opponents. They just did it convincingly against the defending champions.

Now they'll have to show they can do it again.

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