1. What made you go to Prep?
   
   It was kind of predestined. I grew up right down the road in Kearny, both my parents were from Jersey City, and my older brother went to Prep. There was never a doubt.
   
   
   
2. What's your most lasting memory of Prep?
   
   Beating Bergen in Giants Stadium to win the 1994 championship. We had a great group of players and coaches, and it was an amazing ride.
   
   
   
3. How important was football to your prep experience?
   
   Football was paramount to my Prep experience. Being the starting QB for the #1 team in the state was my identity and I loved every minute of it. Of course, attending Prep was more than just football, and the entire experience has played a huge role in helping me become the man I am today.
   
   Equally as important, I made lifelong friendships during my time at Prep. A transformative experience for me.
   
   
   
4. What are you doing now? 

         
          For my day job, I am a compliance professional in the financial services industry but I’m most passionate               about coaching my sons and other young men. I have two boys, and both are very active in youth sports. I             also coach football for Bergen Stars, a travel team, and on the 7v7 football circuit. 
​

1. What can you tell us about the Bubba Fund? 
   
   It’s a scholarship fund vested at St Peter’s Prep in loving memory of my friend and teammate Bill “Bubba” O’Donnell. The Foundation has been active since 2017, and we continue to host a few events a year to raise tuition assistance funds for student-athletes associated with Prep football. It’s a great way to keep Bill’s memory alive. He was a great friend and teammate.
   
   
   
2. How has your Prep experience helped you in the real world?
   
   I’ll often leverage my Prep network to help navigate real life situations. The brotherhood is a real thing, and guys are always willing to help one another.
   
   I’ve also seen my Prep background benefit me beyond my Prep network because once people hear you’re associated with St. Peter’s, they assume they’re dealing with someone who has integrity. That really matters. ​

Prep Football Alum Cody Simon, '20 and RJ Oben, '19 faced off on opposite sides of the field in this year's College Football Playoff National Championship. Ohio State defeated Notre Dame by a score of 34-23 and OSU Captain and defensive leader Cody Simon was named the Defensive Player of the Game. Cody became the third Prep Football graduate to star on a national championship team in recent memory. He joins 2015 graduate Minkah Fitzpatrick (University of Alabama) and 2008 graduate Will Hill (University of Florida).

Both RJ and Cody played instrumental roles in their teams road to the finals. In the CFP Semifinals, Ohio State defeated Texas in the Cotton Bowl and Notre Dame defeated Penn State in the Orange Bowl. In the Quarterfinals, Ohio State routed the #1 seeded Oregon Ducks while Notre Dame upset the #2 seeded Georgia Bulldogs. Oben had the biggest defensive play of the game when he turned the corner and executed a perfect strip sack of Georgia QB Gunner Stockton. The forced fumble set up ND in Georgia territory and led to a TD before the half to put ND up 13-3. In the Rose Bowl, Simon led the Buckeyes to a huge win over Oregon. Cody was named the Rose Bowl Defensive MVP and finished the game with 11 tackles, 2 sacks, 3 TFLs, and 1 pass defended.

When the book was closed on the 2024-25 college football season, Cody had a dream season capped off with an amazing playoff run. Oben shined in his own sense. This article in the Haitian Times recaps his college career and this year's playoff run. Congrats to both Marauder alum!

​Q: What made you go to Prep?
A: I knew I wanted to go to a private school with a good mix of academics and athletics. In
addition, the camaraderie I felt on my “Freshman for a Day” put the icing on the cake as
well as the motto of “Men for Others.” It was a no-brainer decision for me. 

Q: What is your most lasting memory of Prep?
A: There are so many memories that come to mind. The friendships, state championships,
hanging out at lunch in the Commons, and even Prom are great memories. I guess if I
were to choose one, I’d have to go with the State Championship in 2014.

Q: How important was football to your prep experience?
A: The value of football was a lot bigger than the sport itself. Discipline, brotherhood, trust,
camaraderie, work ethic, and respect. Football teaches the understanding of
perseverance and outcomes. It taught me that positive inputs result in positive
outcomes. The Prep coaches taught me how to be a responsible and respectable young
man. 

Q: What’s your greatest Prep football memory?
A: Our trip to Ireland in 2016 when we beat Blessed Trinity, a powerhouse from Atlanta. Our
team had some great memories from that trip which we still laugh about now. Most of all,
we handled business. I scored three touchdowns in the first half, it was a great win for
the program, and we showcased our abilities on a national scale.

Also, the day before, our team was able to watch Georgia Tech against Boston College
in Ireland. That was awesome because BC’s running back was Jon Hilliman (Prep ’14),
who dominated in the game. Our senior class played with Jon during our freshman year
at Prep and watching his dreams come to life was eye-opening for us. It sparked energy
in our team for the season.

Q: What are you doing now? 
A: I’ve been working at EY since June of 2022. I started as a business strategy analyst and
was promoted to senior strategy consultant this summer.

Q: What is your job like?
A: It's similar to football in a way. I'm in a group of eight consultants, we help our clients
strategize their wealth management capabilities and planning. Just like football, each
team member has a role and needs to play their part. 

Q: How has your Prep experience helped you in the real world?
A: It has shaped my experience a lot. Prep taught me how to maneuver in a room of smart-
minded people and how to be positively competitive. I compete every day regardless of
the objective, it could be as simple as beating out a competitor or finishing three bottles
of water before a friend.

Also, the camaraderie at St. Peter's showed me what good leadership looks like and that
carried over to my college experience and now my career in business. It taught me how
to be a leader. 

Q: Any additional thoughts?
A: Yes, I want to mention a very impactful person at Prep, Trish Fitzpatrick. Consistently,
she took time to get to know me and gave me a sense of belonging. Over the years, that
relationship has continued to grow, and I am grateful to have her in my life as a role
model and a friend. I continue to use her as an example of how I treat and interact with
others.

On September 2nd, Akron traveled to Lincoln Financial Field to take on Temple. In this game, FOUR Prep football alumni met with two on each sideline. On the Akron sideline stood cornerbacks coach Tre Bell, '13 & QB Tahj Bullock, '21. Across the field was OL Eric King, '23 and DL KJ Miles, '22. After trailing 21-10 at the half, Temple mustered 14 unanswered in the 2nd half to come away with a 24-21 win.