Page 2 w Glory Days Magazine w Sept. 5, 2019
ABOUT THE COVER
It would have been hard to predict the kind of impact E’lijah Gray would eventually have on the Holy Spirit football program back when he was a freshman in the fall of 2016. He was 5-foot-6 and just 159 pounds, and the Spartans had a star running back in Reggie Jean-Charles. The great thing about high school sports, however, is that it cycles through very quickly, and if a kid is willing to take advantage of an opportunity coaches present to him, there’s no telling what level that player can achieve. Gray completely transformed his body through rigorous workouts and a lot of hours in the weight room, and know he’s a 195-pound senior wrecking ball in the backfield. He’ll likely finish he career with more than 3,000 rushing yards and has a chance to get to 50 touchdowns, but the stats are only part of what Gray brings to the blue and gold. He’s become the star player, the senior leader, the heartbeat of everything the Spartans do on a daily basis. His signature dreadlocks and bright smile help him stand out on the sidelines, but other things make him stand out even more, like giving back to the community and always being there after games to pal around with kids who see him as a superstar. Gray said he’s hoping to leave a lasting impact on the Holy Spirit and South Jersey football communities, but it looks like he’s already done that. — Dave O’Sullivan, Staff Writer
GLORY DAYS MAGAZINE General contact: 609-788-4294/advertising@acglorydays.com Dave O’Sullivan, Publisher: sully@acglorydays.com On Twitter: @GDsullysays Giuseppe Ungaro, Managing Editor: gungaro@acglorydays.com On Twitter: @GDgisepu Amy D’Adamo, Graphic Design: advertising@acglorydays.com Bill Lynskey, Director of Advertising: bill@acglorydays.com STORY IDEAS/ADVERTISING: Have a story you’d like to see told in Glory Days Magazine? Want to get your business noticed with a marketing campaign on our website or digital magazine? Call us anytime at 609-788-4294. Volume: 7 Issue: 1 Overall Issue Number: 135. Cover Photography: Dave O’Sullivan. 2019 Glory Days Magazine. All rights reserved.
Sept. 5, 2019 w Glory Days Magazine w Page 5
MAKING HEADLINES Sully takes a closer look at the athletes, coaches and teams who are generating news and highlights in the Cape-Atlantic League and throughout South Jersey.
u Sensational season openers: The high school football season
kicked off before Labor Day this year with some Week 00 games, and fans in Atlantic County certainly got their money’s worth! Senior Malachi “Max” Melton put on a show on both defense and special teams, as he recovered a pair of fumbles and had a huge punt return for a touchdown in the fourth quarter that helped Cedar Creek beat a tough Willingboro team, 24-20. Right after that game, Holy Spirit got an up-close look at one of the best teams in the region, as Mount St. Joseph of Maryland scored a 56-27 win over the Spartans. In the nightcap, Pleasantville senior Ernest Howard put the Greyhounds on his back in the fourth quarter, leading his team to a gutsy 27-18 victory over a good Salem squad. Week Zero, what ya got for us?
glory days digital Want the best high school sports coverage every day of the week? Visit glorydaysonline.com for game coverage, features and more! You can also like us at facebook.com/acglorydays, and follow Sully on Twitter @GDsullysays. Get the best. Every day.
Page 6 w Glory Days Magazine w Sept. 5, 2019
ATLANTIC, CAPE MAY, CUMBERLAND COUNTY SCHEDULES ATLANTIC COUNTY ABSEGAMI (WJFL Independence Division) September 13 vs. Mainland* 6pm 21 at Cedar Creek 1pm 27 vs. Ocean City* 7pm October 4 at Hammonton 7pm 11 vs. Bridgeton* 6pm 18 vs. Moorestown 6pm 26 BYE November 1 at Egg Harbor Township* 7pm 27 vs. Oakcrest* 6pm *Divisional game ATLANTIC CITY (WJFL Continental Division) September 6 vs. Egg Harbor Twp. 6pm 13 at Vineland* TBA 20 vs. Washington Twp. 6pm 28 at St. Joseph* Noon October 4 at Williamstown 7pm 11 at Eastern 7pm 18 at Deptford 7pm 25 vs. Millville* 6pm November 1 vs. Timber Creek* 6pm 28 vs. Holy Spirit 10am *Divisional game BUENA REGIONAL (WJFL United Division) September 6 at Gateway Regional 7pm 14 at Haddon Township 10:30am 20 at Middle Township* 6pm 27 vs. Lower Cape May* 6pm October 4 vs. Lindenwold 6pm 11 at Gloucester City* 7pm 18 at Clayton 7pm 25 vs. Pleasantville* 6pm November 1 vs. Gloucester Catholic* 6pm *Divisional game CEDAR CREEK (WJFL Constitution Division) August 30 Beat Willingboro, 24-20 September 7 at Salem TBA 14 at Camden* 1pm 21 vs. Absegami 1pm 28 at Woodrow Wilson* 1pm October 4 at Pleasantville 7pm 11 BYE 18 at Oakcrest TBA 26 vs. Delsea* 1pm
November 1 at Camden Catholic* TBA *Divisional game EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP (WJFL Independence Division) September 6 at Atlantic City 6pm 13 at Ocean City* 6pm 21 vs. Kingsway 6pm 27 vs. Oakcrest* 7pm October 4 at Washington Township 7pm 11 BYE 19 at Cherry Hill East 11am 25 at Bridgeton* 1pm November 1 vs. Absegami* 7pm 28 vs. Mainland* 10am *Divisional game HOLY SPIRIT (WJFL Royal Division) August 30 Lost to Mount St. Joseph (Md.) 56-27 September 6 BYE 13 vs. Eastern 7pm 20 vs. Camden Catholic 7pm 27 at Hammonton 7pm October 4 BYE 11 at Washington Township 7pm 18 vs. St. Augustine Prep 7pm 25 vs. Kingsway 7pm November 2 at St. Joseph Noon 28 at Atlantic City 10am *Divisional game MAINLAND REGIONAL (WJFL Independence Division) September 6 vs. Overbrook 6pm
13 at Absegami* 6pm 21 vs. Cherry Hill West 6pm 27 at Bridgeton* 7pm October 4 vs. Clearview 6pm 11 vs. Oakcrest* 6pm 18 at Middle Township 6pm 26 BYE November 1 at Ocean City* 6pm 28 at Egg Harbor Township* 10am *Divisional game OAKCREST (WJFL Independence Division) September 6 at Hammonton 7pm 13 vs. Bridgeton* 6pm 20 vs. Highland 6pm 27 at Egg Harbor Township* 7pm October 4 at Middle Township 7pm 11 at Mainland* 6pm 18 vs. Cedar Creek 6pm 26 vs. Ocean City* 1pm November 1 BYE 27 at Absegami 6pm *Divisional game PLEASANTVILLE (WJFL United Division) August 30 Beat Salem, 27-18 September 6 at Haddonfield 7pm 13 BYE 20 at Lower Cape May Regional* 7pm 27 vs. Gloucester City* 7pm October 4 vs. Cedar Creek 7pm 11 vs. Gloucester Catholic* 7pm 18 BYE
25 at Buena Regional* 6pm November 1 at Middle Township* 6pm 28 at Ocean City 10am *Divisional game ST. AUGUSTINE PREP (WJFL American Division) August 30 Lost to State College (Pa.), 20-17 September 6 BYE 13 at Lenape* 7pm 21 at St. Joseph Noon 27 at Shawnee* 7pm October 4 vs. Ocean City 6pm 11 vs. Rancocas Valley* 6pm 18 at Holy Spirit 6pm 25 vs. Cherokee* 6pm November 1 vs. Williamstown* 6pm *Divisional game ST. JOSEPH (WJFL Continental Division) August 31 Beat Highland, 34-20 September 6 BYE 13 at Millville* 6pm 21 vs. St. Augustine Prep Noon 28 vs. Atlantic City* Noon October 4 at Haddonfield 7pm 12 at Vineland* 2pm 18 at West Deptford 7pm 26 vs. Timber Creek* Noon November 2 vs. Holy Spirit Noon *Divisional game
Sept. 5, 2019 w Glory Days Magazine w Page 7 CAPE MAY COUNTY LOWER CAPE MAY REGIONAL (WJFL United Division) September 6 vs. Ocean City 13 vs. Riverside 20 vs. Pleasantville* 27 at Buena Regional* October 4 vs. Haddon Township 11 BYE 18 vs. Wildwood 25 vs. Gloucester Catholic* November 1 vs. Gloucester City* 28 vs. Middle Township* *Divisional game MIDDLE TOWNSHIP (WJFL United Division) September 6 vs. Cumberland Regional 13 vs. Wildwood 20 vs. Buena Regional* 28 at Gloucester Catholic* October 4 vs. Oakcrest 11 BYE 18 vs. Mainland 25 at Gloucester City* November 1 vs. Pleasantville* 28 at Lower Cape May Regional* *Divisional game OCEAN CITY (WJFL Independence Division) September 6 at Lower Cape May Regional 13 vs. Egg Harbor Township* 20 at Bridgeton* 27 at Absegami* October 4 at St. Augustine Prep 11 BYE 18 vs. Triton 26 at Oakcrest*
6pm 7pm 7pm 6pm 7pm Noon Noon 7pm 10am
6pm 6pm 6pm 11am 6pm 6pm 7pm 6pm 10am
6pm 6pm 7pm 7pm 6pm 6pm 6pm 1pm
November 1 at Mainland* 28 vs. Pleasantville *Divisional game WILDWOOD (WJFL Classic Division) September 6 BYE 13 at Middle Township 20 at Clayton* 27 at Riverside* October 4 at Gloucester City 11 vs. Haddon Township* 18 at Lower Cape May Regional 25 at Robbinsville* November 2 vs. Maple Shade* 8 at Pitman *Divisional game CUMBERLAND COUNTY BRIDGETON (WJFL Independence Division) September 4 at Clayton 13 at Oakcrest* 20 vs. Ocean City* 27 vs. Mainland*
6pm 10am
6pm 7pm 7pm 7pm 6pm Noon 7pm Noon 7pm
TBA 6pm 7pm 6pm
October 4 at Hillsborough 11 at Absegami* 18 at Millville 25 vs. Egg Harbor Township* November 1 at Delsea Regional *Divisional game CUMBERLAND REGIONAL (WJFL National Division) September 6 at Middle Township 13 vs. Seneca* 21 at Pennsauken* 27 at Triton* October 4 at Bridgeton 11 vs. Cherry Hill East* 18 BYE 25 vs. Pitman November 1 at Cherry Hill West* 27 vs. Schalick *Divisional game MILLVILLE (WJFL Continental Division) August 31 Lost to St. Peter’s Prep, 48-0 September
TBA 6pm 6pm 7pm 7pm
6pm 7pm 6pm 6pm 6pm 6pm 7pm 6pm 6pm
6 BYE 13 vs. St. Joseph 20 vs. Williamstown 27 at Kingsway October 4 at Cherokee 11 at Timber Creek 18 vs. Bridgeton 25 at Atlantic City November 2 BYE 28 vs. Vineland *Divisional game SCHALICK (WJFL Diamond Division) September 6 vs. Palmyra 14 at Salem* 21 at Audubon 27 at Glassboro* October 4 vs. Clayton 11 BYE 19 at Penns Grove* 25 vs. Woodstown* November 1 vs. Pennsville* 27 at Cumberland Regional *Divisional game VINELAND (WJFL Continental Division) September 6 at Williamstown 13 vs. Atlantic City* 20 vs. Lenape 27 at Timber Creek* October 5 at Trenton Central 12 vs. St. Joseph* 18 vs. Rancocas Valley 26 at Washington Township November 1 BYE 28 at Millville* *Divisional game
6pm 6pm 7pm 7pm 7pm 6pm 6pm 10am
7pm Noon 1pm TBA 7pm Noon 7pm 7pm 6pm
TBA TBA TBA 7pm 1pm 2pm 7pm 6pm 10am
Page 8 w Glory Days Magazine w Sept. 5, 2019
GAMES TO WATCH The great thing about the West Jersey Football League is it gives teams some wiggle room when it comes to scheduling non-divisional games, so every weekend there are great matchups. The league has also done a pretty good job of coming up with competitive divisions, and with only four or five divisional games, each one is very important if a team hopes to claim a title. Here’s a quick look at some of the best games involving teams from the former Cape-Atlantic League. u SEPT. 13, Mainland at Absegami, 6pm: Mainland is coming off an Independence Division title and went 5-0 inside this division a year ago, but Absegami is looking to make a run at the title this time around and is led by sophomore quarterback Ray Weed, a dynamic athlete who made it to the state wrestling championships at Boardwalk Hall as a freshman. The Braves also have an extra week to prepare, as this will be their season opener while Mainland has a Week Zero games scheduled. u SEPT. 14, Cedar Creek at Camden, 1pm: Cedar Creek got off to a 1-0 start with a gritty 24-20 win over Willingboro in Week 00, and going on the road to Camden will be a big-time early test for the Pirates. A win here would put Creek in early control of the division race. u SEPT. 20, Williamstown at Millville, 6pm: This game features two of the top squads in South Jersey Group 5, and Millville has to rebound quickly from a 48-0 loss in its Week 00 game. Williamstown had an outstanding season last year and is thinking state championship in 2019. u SEPT. 21, St. Augustine Prep at St. Joseph, noon: The Hermits could have as many as five or six freshmen or sophomores on defense at any given time this season, and they’ll get their first taste of Jada Byers, one of the top running backs in the state, as well as a talented and experienced Wildcats offensive line. And don’t forget about St. Joe quarterback Jayden Shertel, who is a big-time playmaker in his own right. u SEPT. 27, Vineland at Timber Creek, 7pm: This will be the second big road test for the Fighting Clan, and the result could go a long way in determining whether or not Vineland will be a legit contender in South Jersey Group 5. u OCT. 18, St. Augustine Prep at Holy Spirit,
Glory Days photo/Dave O’Sullivan
Patrick “Cheeks” Smith attended St. Augustine Prep when he was a freshman and he’ll get the chance to face his former team on Oct. 18 when the Hermits come to Absecon to square off against Holy Spirit in one of the best matchups in Atlantic County this season. Smith made quite an impact with his new Spartans teammates in Week 00, racking up nearly 300 all-purpose yards in a loss to Mount St. Joseph of Maryland. 7pm: This is always a heated rivalry, and each team brings a wealth of talent to the field. Prep is led by Texas A&M recruit Isaiah Raikes on the defensive line and the Hermits also have a big, talented offensive line. Holy Spirit will counter with talented backs like E’lijah Gray and Patrick Smith. u OCT. 25, Pleasantville at Buena Regional, 6pm: The Chiefs secured the division title a year ago with a victory at Pleasantville, and the Greyhounds know that if they want to win the title this year, it goes through Buena Vista Township. Pleasantville is led by senior linebacker Ernest Howard and running back Joshua Kotokpa, while Buena counters with a pair of solid senior leaders in quarterback Luke Santiago and defensive end Byron Spellman. The Greyhounds will have to be on their game defensively to slow down Buena’s Wing-T attack.
u NOV. 1, Ocean City at Mainland, 6pm: Last season, Mainland sealed the Independence Division title with a thrilling 24-21 victory in Ocean City, thanks to a last-second field goal by then-senior kicker Sean Carey. You know the Red Raiders will be looking for some serious payback in this one! u NOV. 28, Vineland at Millville, 10am: When it comes to Thanksgiving football, it doesn’t get much better than this, as these squads have been going at it for more than 100 years. This game typical draws thousands of fans. u NOV. 28, Middle Township at Lower Cape May, 10am: The Anchor Bowl is a Cape May County classic, and both teams should be better this year than they have the past couple of seasons, so that, along with local bragging rights, should make this a pretty interesting matchup in 2019.
Page 10 w Glory Days Magazine w Sept. 5, 2019
VIC’S SUBS COVER STORY “This blue and gold uniform means a lot. The uniform tells me everything. It’s a story that you see, and it’s a blessing to be out here.”
Little man, big impact Senior E’lijah Gray has become the face of Holy Spirit football through dedication, confidence By DAVE O’SULLIVAN Staff Writer hree years ago, Holy Spirit had Reggie JeanCharles — a bruising 6-foot, 210-pound senior running back — leading the way to a 9-3 record and a berth in the state championship game. Also on that roster was a little known (at the time) freshman named E’lijah Gray from Mays Landing. All 5-foot-6, 159 pounds of him, wearing No. 29. A lot has changed in the last couple of years, and not just his jersey number. With the graduation of Jean-Charles in 2017, Gray became the featured back in Holy Spirit’s offense. He switched to No. 24, got in the weight room, and the results have been nothing short of remarkable. He’s not much taller than what he was listed as on the 2016 roster, but Gray is now a chiseled 195-pound senior who has more than 2,500 yards and more than 30 rushing touchdowns to his credit. “When you come from youth football and you’re the man, then you come to high school as a freshman, you’re the little man. But it’s been a great experience. I never thought I would be this hyped up, but I don’t see it like that. I’m still underrated and I still want to work hard to get to college,” Gray said during preseason camp in August. “Reggie is a big man and there’s a big size difference between us. I used to always watch Darren Sproles, you just have to get behind your offensive line, that’s all I worry about. I had to get in the weight room and put some pounds on me because when I first came in I was about 160, now I’m at 195. I just have to keep working. It’s been all about the weight room for me.” Gray has embodied the Holy Spirit work ethic and the tradition of playing for the man next to you, embracing what your role is as a player and leader, not
T
Glory Days file photo/Dave O’Sullivan
Senior E’lijah Gray has rushed for nearly 3,000 yards during his Holy Spirit career and helped lead the Spartans to an appearance in the state championship game a year ago. only on the football team but in school and in the community, and he’s grown from a boy into a young man with a world of potential because of coaches like Bill Walsh and A.J. Russo, among others. Walsh, former Spartans head coach and assistant, is battling life-threatening ALS, and Russo, who took over as head coach a few years ago, is battling colon cancer. Gray said seeing guys like that go through lifealtering circumstances has helped him put football in perspective, and made him want to grind even harder
every day so that he can make the most of the opportunity they have given him. “The definition of a Spartan is someone who is courageous. That’s what I want to be and what I want to be known as. This is who I am and I want to be known as a Spartan for life. Coach Walsh is fighting for his life right now, that’s my man. We’re showing
See Impact, page 11
Sept. 5, 2019 w Glory Days Magazine w Page 11 Impact, from page 10 everybody that what we do out here is for him,” Gray said. “It’s the academics here, it’s everything. This blue and gold uniform means a lot. The uniform tells me everything. It’s a story that you see, and it’s a blessing to be out here.” Russo said he knew Gray was a pretty good running back when he came into Holy Spirit as a freshman, but he’s been pleasantly surprised with all the intangibles Gray has brought to the table. “We knew he was a very skilled back but we didn’t know the intensity at which he was going to play at, and the unselfishness he has. That’s something you don’t get to see when you watch youth football,” Russo said. “Talent-wise, we knew he was going to be a good back, but then when you add the work ethic, the unselfishness and the leadership component to it, that just makes him that much more special. He’s dedicated, a workaholic, and he doesn’t like letting anybody down so he’s always out there trying to get better each and every day.” And through the years Gray has developed into a team leader, along with guys like Ahmad Brown, Kurt Driscoll and others. “The kids feed of him and it makes for a better team and better camaraderie,” Russo said. “Earlier in the season he put together a bowling outing as a team, and of the 80 kids we have on our roster, 76
of them actually came, and he coordinated all that. It was great, he put all that stuff together, and that’s the type of kid he is.” Gray is the type of player who understands that being the star running back at Holy Spirit brings with it certain responsibilities. He’s always there for the press if they need a post-game interview, win or lose, and he’ll hang around after games to say hello and take pictures with young kids who idolize him. “That really warms my heart when little kids want to look up to me. I just want to be a role model for these kids,” he said. “It’s a blessing that all these kids look up to me and I want to continue to be a role model as my career goes on. I love this game, and since I was 5 years old it has touched my heart. I just want to prove to everybody that I can be one of the best backs in South Jersey.” Interestingly, Gray’s career has sort of mirrored that of another Atlantic County star, running back Jada Byers of St. Joseph. Byers is listed at 5-foot-7 and 170 pounds, so Gray has about 25 pounds on him, but they are both dynamic, game-changing backs and both have outgoing personalities that players, fans and kids gravitate toward. The pair even was featured together on a preseason television broadcast, and it’s no surprise that they met up in last year’s state championship game. Both had big games, of course, with Byers scoring a couple of touchdowns for the winners and Gray racking up yards for Spirit. Gray even came in to play quarterback in the fourth quarter after
starter Ryan Yost went down with a broken collarbone. They are both working as hard as they can to get college coaches to notice them despite their relatively diminutive size, at least in terms of college football rosters. “Sometimes with the college coaches, all they look at are the measurables — how big a kid is, how fast he runs — but it’s hard to measure heart. Whatever college hooks their teeth into (Gray) is going to find out, the kid has the biggest heart in the world and he’ll do anything for you. He sacrifices himself to make the team better, and that’s something you can’t gauge with a tape measure or a stopwatch,” coach Russo said. “(In the state championship game) St. Joe had 11 guys in the box and he was still able to be successful running the ball. He does whatever he can to help the team win. From a talent perspective, we’ll find kids with the same amount of talent, but as far as the work ethic — the heart, the effort he puts into everything — that’s what really makes him special. Finding kids like that is difficult. You might find one once every 10 years if you’re lucky, and we were fortunate enough to find that in him.” “Me and Jada, freshman year, we didn’t know it would be like this but we’ve just been working our way up. We’re taking over and we’re going to show
See Impact, page 13
Sept. 5, 2019 w Glory Days Magazine w Page 13 Impact, from page 11 everybody in this game that we can play. Heart over height, I don’t care what anybody says, we’re going to take over,” Gray said. “It’s a tough thing. Me and Jada are going through the same thing, but we’re going to show people that little guys can play football, that’s all we have to do. That’s all we want to prove. You have to keep your head up, that’s what my mom always tells me — keep your head above water, God has a plan for you, and that’s been my motto. When I have a bad game, I look to my teammates to push me, look at film and go out on the field the next day and work my butt off, just try my hardest every single day.” So far, the numbers don’t lie: Gray has rushed for nearly 3,000 yards in his career, averaging better than six yards-per-carry, has 15 games of 100 or more rushing yards, nine games with 150-plus and four games with 200-plus yards. No matter what happens this year, Gray is going to continue to churn out yardage, do whatever he can to help his team get back to the state championship game, and hope his resume is good enough to catch the eye of some college coaches. (Hint: it will be). “I just get in that mindset that the only person I fear is God. It’s all mental with me,” Gray said. “I just want to be known as the guy who never quit, who put God first and who showed team effort in everything. I want to be known not for the touchdowns, not for the yards, but for my character. That’s the only thing I care about.” Contact Dave O’Sullivan: sully@acglorydays.com; on Twitter @GDsullysays
Glory Days file photo/Dave O’Sullivan
Not only is Gray an outstanding running back, but he’s also embraced the idea of being a team leader as well as a role model to young kids.
Page 14 w Glory Days Magazine w Sept. 5, 2019
TEAM REPORT/MAINLAND REGIONAL Mustangs looking to build on strong 2018 campaign
I
n his first two years guiding the Mainland Regional football program after a very successful stint at Oakcrest, Chuck Smith’s teams were a combined 2-18. But in a remarkable turnaround, the Mustangs went 8-3 last season, won the West Jersey Football League Independence Division title, scored a heart-thumping win over rival Ocean City in late October and earned a trip to the state playoffs. Now, the challenge is making sure Mainland can repeat that kind of success year in and year out. And, by all accounts, the Mustangs are embracing that challenge head on. They believe they can win the division again, and this time around make some noise once they get to the postseason. “The kids expect to do the same as last year. The foundation has been laid. Our goal this year is to repeat as division champs, make the playoffs and make a little more noise in the playoffs,” Smith said. “We have a good core back from last year. We do have some pieces we have to replace, but the thing I think we have this year that we haven’t had in recent years is depth. We have competition at almost every single position, and that will make us better in the long run.” Zack Graziotto takes over at quarterback for the Mustangs, and Mainland is high on incoming freshman running back Jabriel Mace. The Stangs will have to fill some holes up front, but they have some other playmakers with guys like Brandon Batz (receiver, safety), Dennis Moreno (running back, safety) and Jake Cook, a basket-
2015 5-5
ball star who has come out for football again in his senior year. He’s 6-foot-2, 210 pounds, so he provides a big target for Graziotto. Mainland also has some stalwarts back on defense in linebackers Brayden Pohlman and Drew DeMorat, and an outstanding defensive back in Amir Vick. “We had a really good offseason in the weight room again, the 5:30 a.m. Club had more than 30 guys in there three days a week all winter long. We have the foundation, the depth is there, now the expectations are there. Now you can tell we have a program because this year, we only had a couple kids make the record board in the weight room, where as in the past every year somebody new was going up there. Now, it’s been established and firmly entrenched,” Smith said. “The culture has changed. It was different from our freshman and sophomore years to our junior year, and we just have to keep it going as seniors,” Pohlman added. “Some of us won’t go on and play in college, so we want to make this the best year for everyone.” Batz said this senior class is raring to go after having been the cornerstones of the rebuilding project as freshmen and sophomores. They saw the beginnings of reaping the rewards for all that hard work last year, and now want to keep the momentum going. “We expect to repeat and have a playoff run. We’re all excited and ready to go. We’ve been talking about this season since our freshman year. We’re excited.”
LAST FOUR SEASONS
2016 1-9
2017 1-9
2018 TOTAL 8-3 15-26
Glory Days photo/Dave O’Sullivan
Mainland will be relying on seniors such as Brandon Batz, left, and Drew DeMorat to lead a strong defense that helped the Mustangs win eight games and a division title in 2018.
2018 record: 8-3, won Independence Division, lost in first round of state playoffs Head coach: Chuck Smith Returning Starters Offense: 6 Defense: 6 Base Formations Offense: Spread Defense: 3-3 Stack
PLAYERS TO WATCH QB Zack Graziotto/Takes over for Dean Hall, got some time as a starter late in 2018, mobile and a dual-threat talent; S Brandon Batz/Looks to set the tone in the secondary, had some big picks a year ago; LB Drew DeMorat & LB Brayden Pohlman/Two guys who can clog the middle and make a bunch of tackles, they’ll need to stay healthy all year; RB Jabriel Mace/Just a freshman, has the potential to be a very good tailback; C/DL Sam Epstein/Stangs are a little young up front, so he’ll have to lead the way.
DIVISION OUTLOOK The Stangs are the defending champs of the Independence, so until someone proves they can knock them off, they’re the favorites. Watch out for a key early test from Absegami, and a big game vs. Ocean City.
Page 16 w Glory Days Magazine w Sept. 5, 2019
Sept. 5, 2019 w Glory Days Magazine w Page 17
TEAM REPORT/ATLANTIC CITY Hamlett laying foundation for success brick by brick
L
eo Hamlett took over Atlantic City football, a program steeped in tradition and success, last year and the Vikings went 0-10. But the former Holy Spirit standout wasn’t discouraged, knowing that when he took the job he was looking at the prospects of a complete rebuild, and that would take time, patience, tough love and everything else that goes into creating a winning football program. “When you go 0-10, of course you’re going to be excited to get off the snide, but we have to build something here. You have those instances where you can come in, sell your soul to the devil and maybe go .500, and I think with the type of athletes we have we could probably do that. But as much as I want to do that — especially for the seniors — I want to build the program so that the program can last. We have to invest in the young kids, so we’ll be young again this year,” said Hamlett, who will be in search of his first win on Sept. 6 when Atlantic City hosts Egg Harbor Township. “We have to invest in the weight room and we know that takes more than one year for us to get stronger, and we have to invest in an ability to have some versatility. If we don’t develop our guys — we have upperclassmen who could probably play multiple positions on both sides of the ball, but if I don’t put young guys out there they will never develop and never be ready when their time comes.” The Vikings certainly have the talent to be better than they were a year ago. Junior Corey Yeoman, formerly of St. Augustine Prep, brings a ton of athletic
2015 4-6
ability as well as size to the middle linebacker position, and he may also end up being the starting quarterback. Atlantic City can also put senior Connor Culmone under center, or use him as a receiver, and he’ll also be asked to play linebacker. At running back, the Vikings have a serious playmaker in Shawn McGraw, a 5-foot-11, 175-pound junior who has breakaway speed and the toughness to get yards inside the tackles. The offensive line is spearheaded by senior Dwayne Johnson, but will need some young guys to step up and play well, as will the defensive line. The Vikings don’t have a ton of numbers, so there will be a fair number of players going both ways. “We’re trying to come together as a team, as a brotherhood, play together and teach each other — never bring each other down, bring each other up every time and go out there and fight for four quarters, never give up and play to the end,” Johnson said. “We have a smaller line, but I’m going to make sure my line fights to the end and make sure we get that push whenever we can, and just do what we have to do. I like that this line comes every day to get better. They come and do what they have to do so we can get better as a team. We’re all pushing each other to do what we have to do to help this offense.” The schedule is going to be tough, with teams like Vineland, St. Joseph, St. Augustine Prep and Williamstown, but Hamlett said his guys are ready to compete.
LAST FOUR SEASONS
2016 4-6
2017 6-4
2018 TOTAL 0-10 14-24
Glory Days photo/Dave O’Sullivan
Shawn McGraw has the potential to become a big-time running back for the Vikings, and they’ll need him to produce as the look to turn around an 0-10 season from a year ago.
2018 record: 0-10, finished 5th in Continental Division, no state playoffs Head coach: Leo Hamlett Returning Starters Offense: 4 Defense: 4 Base Formations Offense: Spread Defense: 4-3
PLAYERS TO WATCH QB/LB Corey Yeoman/Could end up as the starting quarterback, almost certainly will be the main linebacker in the middle. A junior and a physical specimen at 6-foot-3, 205 pounds, he’s also the younger brother of former Spirit standout and NFL linebacker with the Colts, Anthony Sarao; RB Shawn McGraw/Watch out for this kid, with enough touches he could become a breakout star; QB/DB Connor Culmone/Last year’s starting QB, he could be the signal caller again or become a WR or Hback. Potential Ivy League student who is like a coach on the field.
DIVISION OUTLOOK Atlantic City is in a REALLY tough division with St. Joseph, Millville, Vineland and Timber Creek. The focus this year will be on getting some wins, gaining momentum and building for the future.
Page 18 w Glory Days Magazine w Sept. 5, 2019
TEAM REPORT/ST. AUGUSTNIE PREP
Lancetta hoping Hermits can grow up in a hurry
T
here may be times this year when half of St. Augustine Prep’s defense features either freshmen or sophomores, so head coach Pete Lancetta is hoping his young guys can begin to step up to the plate, and quickly. The Hermits don’t have much time to mess around, as each week they’ll face a really tough team. It has started already, as Prep traveled to State College, Pa., in Week 00 and suffered a 2017 loss against one of the best teams in Pennsylvania. But playing well against that team should bode well for the rest of the season, and the Hermits have some big-time players with experience they can lean on throughout the grind of the season. “We’re excited, but we are playing a lot of young guys. At times, we’ll have four sophomores and a freshman on defense,” Lancetta said. “They are good, they’re just not varsity experienced. But we do have a good nucleus of seniors on the line and that’s important. We do have some guys who won’t be eligible in the beginning because of transfer issues.” Prep is hoping it can get Carnell Davis (Absegami) and Angelo Vokolos (St. Joseph) eligible after the 30-day transfer wait period, and those two guys should make a huge difference, as Davis is a tall, fast receiver and Vokolos a hard-hitting linebacker. In the meantime, Prep isn’t short of stars, particularly on the offensive and defensive lines. Isaiah Raikes is a man among boys,
2015 9-1
a 300-pound defensive tackle who has committed to Texas A&M, and is very effective in the running game as well. The Hermits also have some serious beef and talent up front on offense with guys like Angelo Fodera (6-0, 240), Chandler Bird (6-1, 275), Nick Meduri (5-11, 255), Gavin Kennedy (63, 260) and Jake Ketschek (6-4, 290). Ketschek and Raikes were just named as two of nj.com’s Top 20 Players to Watch in the state. “The whole senior class works hard, and Isaiah has a great work ethic. It’s not so much that he’s going to Texas A&M, it’s the way that he works — and the other guys work like that, and then the young guys see all that,” Lancetta said. “It’s just the work ethic. I think the guys have bought into the weight room in the offseason the way I like it to be done. The younger kids see that, and that’s how you create a culture. That’s the key, the work ethic.” The Hermits will have a new quarterback in Austin Leyman, but he’ll have the security blanket of Nasir Hill, who had a dynamic freshman season at running back. “He’s not going to come off the field unless he absolutely has to. He’ll be on defense and on offense in various places. He’s a big key for us,” Lancetta said of Hill, the 6-foot, 180-pounder who rushed for nearly 900 yards last year as a rookie. “I’m just as nervous as I ever was, and I guess that’s a good thing,” Lancetta added. “We have a tough schedule, but I’m excited to get started.”
LAST FOUR SEASONS
2016 9-1
2017 5-5
2018 TOTAL 7-4 30-11
Glory Days photo/Dave O’Sullivan
Senior Isaiah Raikes will be one of the most watched players in South Jersey this season, as the defensive lineman is committed to Texas A&M and also is a factor in the running game.
2018 record: 7-4, 2nd in American Division, lost in second round of state playoffs Head coach: Pete Lancetta Returning Starters Offense: 6 Defense: 3 Base Formations Offense: Multiple/spread Defense: 4-3
PLAYERS TO WATCH DL Isaiah Raikes/He’s hard to miss as a 300-pound run stuffer and sack artist, and he’ll be the key to everything on defense up front. He’s also a very capable running back and has a nose for the end zone; QB Austin Leyman/The junior gets the call under center for the Hermits and he’ll have to play well as Prep has a daunting schedule; RB Nasir Hill/He may not get as many touches since he’s going both ways, but an electrifying back nonethless; OL Chandler Bird, Angelo Fodera, Jake Ketscheck/ Returners anchor a very good offensive line.
DIVISION OUTLOOK The Hermits certainly will compete for the American Division title, but it will be anything but easy against teams like Williamstown, Shawnee, Rancocas Valley, Lenape and Cherokee.
Sept. 5, 2019 w Glory Days Magazine w Page 19
Page 20 w Glory Days Magazine w Sept. 5, 2019
TEAM REPORT/ocean CITY New faces eager to prove they can get the job done
D
uring a hot summer practice that was well into its third hour, Ocean City coach Kevin Smith called for a 10-minute finale of drills. He didn’t like the way his team was moving around, how the players were showing fatigue, so he made them go through the drills again to prove a point. That if you don’t finish strong, you won’t be taken seriously as a playoff contender. His players got the message, grinded their way through the last set of drills and came together with a solid end-ofpractice team cheer. There are plenty of new faces on this year’s Red Raiders roster, and they all want to prove they can go out and win a West Jersey Football League Independence Division title and be a serious contender in the state playoffs. “We’re harping on the little things. I didn’t like how we finished just then,” Smith said as that practice was wrapping up. “I think we need to tighten up the screws. We lost some games in the fourth quarter last year and if we had been better at the end our season could have had a whole different feel to it. So, we’re trying to emphasize finishing, giving them hard things to do at the end of practices — that 48-minute mentality.” The Red Raiders’ offense will have a similar look, as Joe Repetti takes over for the graduated Ian Aungst at quarterback, and he’ll have plenty of speed on the outside, especially with a guy like Jake Schneider. The offensive line is led by senior Chris Armstrong and has
2015 4-6
some talent and the big boys up front will have to come together quickly, because after the season opener at Lower Cape May, the Red Raiders face three straight division opponents in EHT, Bridgeton and Absegami. They’ll know how they stack up in the division before the calendar even turns to October. “The focus in summer camp was just to finish. I think we lost four games in the fourth quarter last year. We just have to finish in every game,” said Armstrong, a senior left guard. “I just can’t wait to run the ball. Last year we were struggling to run the ball, so we have to be more of a balanced team. We just have to get off the ball and hit somebody. We’re trying to win some playoff games this year and maybe make a run at the (South Jersey) Group 4 championship. I like the energy around here. Football is alive again around here, it’s awesome. The big thing is the weight room, we’ve been working hard and we just have to push each other to the limit.” “Our goal is to just keep pushing and finish in the fourth quarter. We struggled (with that) last year, so we have finish this year and keep everyone together as a family,” added safety Brian Beckmann added. “We have to improve a little bit (on defense) but we’re all molding together as a group.” If Ocean City can navigate its way through the first four games in good standing, things will only get tougher agains the likes of St. Augustine Prep, Triton, Oakcrest and Mainland.
LAST FOUR SEASONS
2016 6-5
2017 7-3
2018 TOTAL 4-6 21-20
Glory Days photo/Dave O’Sullivan
Senior Brian Beckmann will be a key leader on both side of the ball, as a wide receiver and defensive back, for a Red Raiders team looking to challenge for a division title.
2018 record: 4-6, tied for 2nd in Independence Division, lost in 1st round of state playoffs Head coach: Kevin Smith Returning Starters Offense: 5 Defense: 8 Base Formations Offense: Multiple/Spread Defense: 4-3
PLAYERS TO WATCH QB Joe Repetti/The junior takes over for Ian Aungst and brings similar talents, can make the throws and also be a factor in the running game; RBs Issac and Jacob Wilson/A senior and sophomore, respectively, they’ll be asked to carry a big load in the running game; WR Jake Schneider/A burner, this guy is tough to cover either on the outside or in the slot, a lot of big-play potential; OL Chris Armstrong/A 250-pounder, he’ll need to anchor the offensive line; OLB Teddy Grimley/This kid can really get after it, should help contain opposing rushing attacks.
DIVISION OUTLOOK The Red Raiders should be right in the thick of things along with teams like Mainland, Absegami, Oakcrest and EHT in a very balanced Independence. It’s anybody’s guess who will come out on top come November.
Sept. 5, 2019 w Glory Days Magazine w Page 21
Page 22 w Glory Days Magazine w Sept. 5, 2019
Sept. 5, 2019 w Glory Days Magazine w Page 23
TEAM REPORT/HOLY SPIRIT Spartans gearing up for another championship run
U
ndefeated seasons are going to be hard to come by during coach A.J. Russo’s tenure at Holy Spirit. Not because the Spartans aren’t a great football team, but because Russo goes out of his way to schedule the toughest games possible so that his boys are ready for the state playoffs. The Spartans allowed 56 points in their Week 00 season opener, a 56-27 loss to Mount St. Joseph, one of the best teams in Maryland and arguably one of the top teams in the entire region. As senior wide receiver Ahmad Brown said, playing the Gaels was a building block, with a bigger goal in mind. “This is just a building block. I take my hat off to them because they are a really good team, I respect their coaches and they are a well-coached team. We have stuff to work on, definitely, but we’re going to be good,” Brown said. “We’re looking forward to playing the next opponent, and we’re going to keep getting better and better.” Holy Spirit is going to be plenty good this year, so don’t let the score of that opening game fool you. The Spartans have one of the best running backs in South Jersey in E’lijah Gray (see our Football Preview Edition cover story), the best tight end in South Jersey in Isaiah Gerena, a talented young quarterback in Trevor Cohen, some good linebackers and defensive backs and an offensive line that will no doubt come together throughout the season. Oh, and they also just happen to have Patrick “Cheeks” Smith, a trans-
2015 4-6
fer from Peddie (and formerly of St. Augustine Prep) who is another gamechanging running back/receiver who will make a huge impact in the return game. As for that season opener against a powerhouse from a neighboring state? “We asked our kids in the second half to go out and compete — regardless of what the score was, to go out and play — and they did that. They competed in the first half as well, we just didn’t match up well with those guys. They are obviously one of the better teams we’ll see all year, so to have an opportunity to play a team like that early in the season allows us to build. We’ll fix some of the mistakes we made, address some of the issues we had, and just keep getting better. That’s all you can do. We don’t want to peak right now, we want to peak in November,” Russo said. The rest of the schedule features some tough games as well. In September, the Spartans take on Eastern, Camden Catholic and Hammonton, and October features Washington Township, St. Augustine Prep and Kingsway. And they also face St. Joseph on the road in early November, the team that Spirit lost to in last year’s state championship game. “We’re feeling good, I feel like we all gel together great. Our defense flies around and makes plays, and on offense, with our quarterback, we’re really coming together well,” Brown said. “I think we’re going to be really good this year. We’re looking forward to competing against everybody we play.”
LAST FOUR SEASONS
2016 9-3
2017 8-3
2018 TOTAL 8-4 29-16
Glory Days photo/Dave O’Sullivan
At 6-foot-4, 240 pounds, senior tight end Isaiah Gerena is a matchup nightmare for any defense, and Holy Spirit certainly will look to exploit that throughout the 2019 season.
2018 record: 8-4, won Royal Division, lost to St. Joseph in state title game. Head coach: A.J. Russo Returning Starters Offense: 8 Defense: 6 Base Formations Offense: 1-back Pro Defense: 3-4
PLAYERS TO WATCH RB E’lijah Gray/One of the toughest and best backs in the WJFL, expect another big-time season from the senior; QB Trevor Cohen/Brings confidence from the baseball field to the pocket, very mobile, strong arm, will need to be accurate in short passing game; TE Isaiah Gerena/Just an absolute monster at 6-4, 240, a true game-changer in the passing game; WR Ahmad Brown/Really came on strong a year ago and should be a playmaker on the outside for Cohen; LB Justin Curcio/A big-time hitter in the middle, he’ll set the tone for the defense.
DIVISION OUTLOOK Safe to say the Spartans are the favorite in the Royal, but they can’t look past the likes of Kingsway and Eastern, and Hammonton is always a tough team. Spirit should have the firepower to win it, though.
Page 24 w Glory Days Magazine w Sept. 5, 2019
TEAM REPORT/EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP Eagles believe they are on verge of turning it around
E
gg Harbor Township lost to rival Mainland Regional on Thanksgiving, 13-7, but the Eagles played tough and took the West Jersey Football League Independence Division champion Mustangs into overtime. Coach Keven Stetser said that kind of effort is what he’s been looking for, and if the Eagles can play like that in 2019 a state playoff berth isn’t out of the questions. Of course, every team is optimistic in preseason, but Stetser said he really likes the makeup of this team, the senior leadership, and the geniune desire among players to turn one of the largest schools in South Jersey back into a winning program. Throughout preseason, Stetser has been harping on playing a full four quarters. There were times last year when the Eagles let games slip away late, or got off to such a slow start in the first quarter that they simply couldn’t recover enough to win the game. “Last year, we played much better than we had the previous two years and a lot of that came from the work the kids put in during the offseason, and their approach. The big thing for us is just playing a full four quarters, and I feel like this is a group that can do that,” he said. “They’ve come in and done everything we’ve asked them to do, their attitudes are great and the numbers are good. But, like I’ve been saying, the feel goods and the good numbers is not where we’re at — we want to win football games. And we feel like this group can take the next step.”
2015 4-6
He has some solid senior leaders to lean on this year with the likes of Tre McKenzie, Stephen Moore and Jack Schiavo. McKenzie is an underrated running back who should get more touches this year, particularly if new quarterback Anthony Rando can do enough in the passing game to open up some runs. And Moore and Schiavo are relentless on defense at linebacker and safety, respectively. “Tre has been with us for four years and this is a real big year for him. He’s another guy who has put in the work, and he makes the other guys in the huddle comfortable because they know he knows what he’s doing and he’s going to go out there and do what he’s supposed to,” Stetser said. “That comfort level (with a running back) is important for a quarterback, so having a guy like Tre back there is invaluable.” “We’re just taking it day by day. We want it, we’re working harder, and we’re just going to take it game by game and the wins and everything else will come later,” McKenzie said. “We have a lot of linemen who have been in here since last winter getting better and training, we have a junior quarterback in Rando, I have trust in him, and we’re just working. I just want to play every game like it’s my last.” Egg Harbor Township will know how good it is pretty early on, as after the season opener at Atlantic City, the Eagles take on Ocean City, Kingsway and Oakcrest to finish out September. They also have Washington Township, Cherry Hill East and Bridgeton in October, and Absegami on Nov. 1.
LAST FOUR SEASONS
2016 1-9-1
2017 2-8
2018 TOTAL 4-6 11-29-1
Glory Days photo/Dave O’Sullivan
Senior safety Jack Schiavo leads and Egg Harbor Township defense that will have to play well against some creative offenses in the WJFL Independence Division.
2018 record: 4-6, finished 5th in Independence Division, no state playoffs Head coach: Kevin Stetser Returning Starters Offense: 6 Defense: 6 Base Formations Offense: Wing-T Defense: 4-3
PLAYERS TO WATCH RB Tre McKenzie/He’s been the heart of this offense the past couple years, so look for him to get a lot of carries in his senior year as he looks to lead the Eagles back to the playoffs; LB Stephen Moore/A very physical backer, he’ll need to set the tone on defense early in the year; S Jack Schiavo/A wrestler, so he knows how to grind, he’ll be sort of the quarterback of the defense; QB Anthony Rando/His teammates are high on this junior and think he can be a playmaker; WR Ben Cericola/Should be one of Rando’s go-to targets on the outside.
DIVISION OUTLOOK With teams like Mainland, Ocean City, Oakcrest, Absegami and Bridgeton, this division is very evenly matched, so the Eagles can compete if they limit turnovers and can find ways to score consistently.
Sept. 5, 2019 w Glory Days Magazine w Page 25
Tackling New Jersey’s new rules Teams find creative ways to adhere to restrictive rules on player-to-player tackling By DAVE O’SULLIVAN Staff Writer o a high school student, “thud” refers to the sound a book makes when it drops to the cafeteria floor as you’re rushing to be the first in line at lunch. Or maybe the sound your heart makes when you find out the crush you had since sixth grade started dating somebody else. But to high school football players, “thud” has a whole new meaning. It’s the new way of tackling in summer practice. Basically, a player makes the initial hit as if he were going to make a full tackle, but doesn’t fully bring the ball carrier to the ground. That is one of the interesting ways teams are using to make sure they are adhering to the new tackling rules the NJSIAA approved back in February. According to U.S. News & World Report in a Feb. 14 article on its website, New Jersey adopted the most strict high school football tackling rules in the nation when it limited full practice field tackling to 15 minutes per week (down from 90 minutes). Pre-season full contact, which is currently unlimited, would be reduced to 6 hours, and the existing ban on full contact in spring and summer would remain unchanged, according to a NJSIAA press release. The new rules were introduced by the New Jersey Coaches Association in conjunction with Practice Like Pros, an organization that seeks to limit injury among teenage football players. To make sure they are in compliance with the rules, coaches have become pretty creative in how they teach tackling so that their players are ready for games. Ocean City employs the use of a motorized tackling dummy, and many teams are using a tackling “donut”, a big, round, foam wheel that simulates the motion of a running back. “On a normal day, we start practice with a four- or five-station tackling
T
Glory Days photo/Dave O’Sullivan
Teams like Oakcrest, and many others, are employing the use of tackling wheels or donuts to help avoid injury and also adhere to the NJSIAA’s new restrictive rules on player-to-player tackling during practices. circuit, so it affects that. Most of those stations were live to the ground tackling, so we’re going to have to eliminate that, but we’ve been creative with how we handle that,” said Absegami coach Dennis Scuderi. “Now, instead of tackling to the ground, we stress getting in good position and thudding them up because we can do unlimited thud (contact without a full tackle). All of our team sessions have almost always been thud. Even at the collegiate and pro levels, very few times do they actually tackle throughout the week.” For some schools, limited tackling in practice is nothing new. A team like Buena, for instance, is usually so short on numbers that coach Jonathan Caputo said the Chiefs have been limiting tackling in practice for years so that they can keep the guys they have out there healthy for game night, and throughout the season. A tackling injury in practice to a star player on a team that has less than 40 players could ruin
an entire season. In addition, New Jersey is slowly making its way toward true state champions, which would mean more playoff games. The state had always stopped at sectional championships, meaning a team would have to win three playoff games, but last year introduced “bowl games” where, for instance, the Central Jersey Group 3 champion would play the South Jersey Group 3 champion, adding a fourth playoff game. Eventually a team would have to play 13 or 14 games to win a state championship, five in the playoffs and eight or nine in the regular season, which makes it even more imperative to keep players healthy throughout the course of a season. Scuderi said coaches have to be aware of players’ health on a near constant basis. The days of denying kids water as a punishment, or using smelling salts after a big hit and pushing a player back onto the field are long
gone. Coaches have to understand that players’ lives are much more important that wins or losses, Scuderi said. “It is challenging. We did a whole scrimmage against Shawnee that was just thud, but what I do like about it is it stresses good body position, good form and good technique instead of just trying to go after somebody’s legs. Honestly, we haven’t had that many concussions here in the last four or five years. With the equipment the way it is and the Heads Up program being such a factor — what’s really helped us is we’re doing a form-fit tackle circuit on every defensive day. We stress head up, head off the body and technique,” he said. “It is a little different when you get in a game and it’s live, but somebody at USA Football put it best: when you lose a football game you’re frustrated, but you would be very disappointed if you had a kid get hurt. If you’re weighing a game vs. a kid’s life, there’s no comparison.”
Page 26 w Glory Days Magazine w Sept. 5, 2019
TEAM REPORT/ABSEGAMI Braves believe ’18 finish is a sign of things to come
A
bsegami has been a .500 football team the past two years, but the way the Braves finished off the 2018 season gives head coach Dennis Scuderi some confidence that better days are ahead in Galloway. Last season, the Braves limped to an 0-4 start which essentially ended their playoff hopes, but a win over Bridgeton in early October helped Absegami avoid disaster, and after a loss to Moorestown the following week, the Braves ripped off four straight victories to end the season at 5-5. It appears, through the preseason at least, that a late-season winning streak has boosted the confidence of the entire program, and the Braves believe they can be a legitimate contender in the West Jersey Football League’s Independence Division. They’ll find out how much of a reality that scenario is in their season opener on Sept. 13 when they welcome in defending champion Mainland Regional. Having a guy like sophomore Ray Weed at quarterback gives the entire team confidence. He may be young, but he’s very athletic, as evidenced by his trip to the NJSIAA wrestling championships as a 160-pound freshman in March. “A lot has actually carried over. We’re going into this season confident, we’re together this year. We had some bumps in the road last year starting out 0-4. We started to come
2015 3-7
together, but it was a little too late. We’ve been together since the end of last year, in the film room, the weight room — everybody is training hard together, so we’re pretty excited going into this season,” Weed said. “I’m a lot more confident. I’ve been working with coach Scuderi and even with my shoulder injury I was in the film room, working on the plays. Now, I’m asking him to start running plays that I’m creating on my own. I’m a lot more comfortable and I feel like I know what’s going on around me. (Wrestling) helps a lot. I’ve been doing that since I was a baby, and having a lot of eyes on me is something I thrive on. Whether people love me or hate me, I still like it. I like being ‘the man’ in certain situations, and wrestling helps with that a lot.” “For the next couple of years that he’s here, he’s going to do some great things. He’s one of the best quarterbacks out here,” said senior defensive end and wide receiver Isaac Ingram. Scuderi said he’s counting on his defense to set the tone early this year. “We have a lot of kids coming back, so we’ll have experience and they are coming off a high at the end of the year. We put together a nice winning streak and we were able to carry that over into this year,” Scuderi said. “Our front four (on defense) can be pretty good. We have six kids returning who rotated through there, so we’re really relying on them. As they go, that’s how we’ll go on defense.”
LAST FOUR SEASONS
2016 9-3
2017 5-5
2018 TOTAL 5-5 22-20
Glory Days photo/Dave O’Sullivan
Two-way lineman Brian Searight is one of several returning starters who the Braves will look to for leadership as they try to build on their strong finish in 2018.
2018 record: 5-5, finished 2nd in Independence Division, no state playoffs Head coach: Dennis Scuderi Returning Starters Offense: 6 Defense: 6 Base Formations Offense: Spread Defense: 4-3
PLAYERS TO WATCH QB/DB Ray Weed/Became the starter as a freshman a year ago, and now is much more polished as a passer, and he’ll definitely be a threat in the running game. Look for a big year out of this kid; OL/DL Brian Searight/ One of the leaders up front, he’s a “lunch pail” type of guy who comes to work every day; WR/DB Jordan Marcucci/Older brother Andrew was the star quarterback for a few years, and now Jordan is looking to make a name for himself; RB/DB Quinn McLaughlin/He’s a playmaker on both side of the ball for the Braves.
DIVISION OUTLOOK Don’t be surprised if the Braves have a chance to win this division when it comes time for their annual Thanksgiving game against Oakcrest. Good vibes, good talent so far for this team.
Sept. 5, 2019 w Glory Days Magazine w Page 27
TEAM REPORT/oakcrest With consistency, Falcons can become a contender
T
he good news for Oakcrest in 2018 was the Falcons didn’t have a losing streak longer than two games. The bad news? They also didn’t have a winning streak longer than two games. The Falcons need to be much more consistent this season if they hope to contend in the West Jersey Football League Indepedence Division, which features Mainland Regional, Ocean City, Absegami, Egg Harbor Township and Bridgeton. The good news here is that all these teams are fairly evenly matched. The bad news is, they are all pretty good, which means Oakcrest will have to play good, clean football and take advantage of scoring opportunities. Last year, Mainland beat the Falcons 3-0, and that kind of lowscoring affair is typical inside this division. Oakcrest beat Bridgeton 12-0 and Ocean City 20-14, lost to Absegami 21-6, so points are at a premium. To that end, Oakcrest does have some scoring talent in the form of new quarterback Angel Casanova, a senior who played wideout last year, twins Imaari and Imaad Andrews, and senior running backs Darrien DeJean and Joshua Mensah, who also will play big roles on defense. During the preseason, head coach Eric Anderson has been preaching assignment football. Know what you’re doing on every play and that will help eliminate mistakes and penalties. “We have a lot of new varsity players this year, so they have to learn game speed, game jitters, and just playing
2015 5-5
at the varsity level,” Anderson said. “Most of them were at the JV level last year and now they need to step up and play some varsity. We have to get them experience and hope they can get the job done. I’m just concerned about execution. Not any particular position, necessarily, but just that everybody can do their job — alignment and assignment, and just be in the right spot at all times.” Casanova said he’s ready for the challenge of playing quarterback and leading the Falcons. “I feel like we definitely got better from last year and we’re way more versatile on offense and defense. I think we’ll be much better this year. I played quarterback freshman and sophomore year, so I kind of already know the offense, and as a receiver (last year) I had to know all those positions, so, stepping in as quarterback this season, it’s growing on me and starting to come easier. As the quarterback of the team, I’m controlling the whole thing and I feel comfortable with it all,” Casanova said. “I feel like we have such high confidence because we have such good chemistry. All the seniors this year have played since freshman year and we’ve been building up, from freshmen to JV to varsity — we’ve been through each stage together, so I feel like that boosts our confidence and we’re ready.” “We’ve been working really hard lately and have athletes all over the field. We’re hoping to make it to (the state championship) this year. That’s the plan,” DeJean added.
LAST FOUR SEASONS
2016 6-4
2017 2-8
2018 TOTAL 4-5 17-22
Glory Days photo/Dave O’Sullivan
Oakcrest seems to always crank out very good linebackers, and Darrien DeJean is the next in line. The Falcons will be relying on this senior to lead the way defensively.
2018 record: 4-5, 2nd in Independence Division, lost in first round of state playoffs Head coach: Eric Anderson Returning Starters Offense: 3 Defense: 5 Base Formations Offense: Spread Defense: 3-5-3
PLAYERS TO WATCH QB Angel Casanova/A senior who played wide receiver last year, Casanova takes over for the graduated Trey Sayers. He brings a strong arm and a knowledge of the offense; LB Darrien DeJean/A fierce hitter, this guy can cover some ground and force turnovers; WR/DB Imaari Andrews/At 6-foot-2, 185 pounds, he provides a big target on the outside for Casanova; LB/TE Zaire Jones/A big, strong kid, coach Anderson will ask a lot out of him on the defensive side; OL/DE Amir Cherry/A team captain, he’ll anchor the lines on both sides of the ball.
DIVISION OUTLOOK Oakcrest can always play tough defense, as it proved last year by limiting division champ Mainland to just 3 points, but the Falcons will have to find ways to score in order to contend.
Page 28 w Glory Days Magazine w Sept. 5, 2019
TEAM REPORT/cedar creek Pirates looking to ‘getback’ to their championship form
C
edar Creek had played some pretty good football the past two years, posting 12 wins and a pair of state playoff berths, but head coach Tim Watson still felt like there was something missing. So the team came up with a slogan for the 2019 season: “The Championship Getback.” What it means is that the Pirates are making a concerted effort to rekindle the fire that fueled past runs to state championship games. And the Pirates look to have all the ingredients they need. Senior Malachi “Max” Melton is now a senior, and he’s grown up watching older brothers Gary and Bo lead the school to incredibly successful seasons. Creek also has a veteran quarterback in Louie Barrios, a potential game-changing slot receiver in sophomore JoJo Bermudez, and a bunch of hungry young guys looking to make an impact on defense. “Early on in our program, we started off really hungry, and success sometimes is your worst enemy. We got away from that hunger. We were working hard and we knew what it looked like, there was just something missing,” Watson said after the Week 00 win. “These young guys watched us when they were coming up, Malachi watched his brothers in championship games when he was playing with the Crusaders, and he was a freshman in a championship game, so those guys want to get back to that. These types of games will help us, but we have a long way to go. We got this win last year and that ended up being big for us. It’s going to be a slugfest in our division.”
2015 10-2
Bermudez may be small at only about 5-foot-6, but he has great speed, vision and toughness. He’ll also make an impact as a cover corner on defense. “I think, when it’s all said and done, he’s going to be one of the best slot receivers in this division. Having said that, I think that makes him one of the best slot receivers in South Jersey,” Watson said. “He’s one of our best young skill position players. He’s not 6-foot, but he has tremendous vision, sets up defenders, and I think people are going to hear about him if they haven’t already. If teams want to pay a lot of attention to Malachi Melton or Manny Reid, JoJo can hurt you.” It’s going to be a tall order for Cedar Creek to win a division that includes teams like Camden, Delsea and Woodrow Wilson, but the Pirates say they are ready for the challenge, and they took the first step in Week 00 with a 24-20 win over Willingboro. They’re also eager to erase the memory of a 57-0 thrashing at the hands of Pleasantville in the state playoffs last year. “Last year, we ended with a bitter taste, so this offseason all our guys were just grinding in the weight room, grinding on the field — a lot of guys who you really don’t hear about are going to make plays this year, and you’re going to start hearing about them,” Barrios said. “That was our motivation every day. If there was ever a day when we were slacking, I would get in everybody’s face and say, ‘remember last year.’ Our motto this year is ‘The Greatness Getback.’ We have to get back to the roots of this program and get our name back.”
LAST FOUR SEASONS
2016 12-2
2017 8-3
2018 TOTAL 4-5 34-12
Glory Days photo/Dave O’Sullivan
Malachi “Max” Melton, the youngest of the three Melton brothers, is extremely versatile and can play three or four positions on both sides of the ball. The senior wants to go out with a state title.
2018 record: 4-5, 3rd in Constitution Division, lost in first round of state playoffs Head coach: Tim Watson Returning Starters Offense: 6 Defense: 2 Base Formations Offense: Spread Defense: 4-3
PLAYERS TO WATCH WR/LB Malachi Melton/It all starts with this guy, a Purdue University recruit and the star of the team. He had a huge season opener in Week 00 with two fumble recoveries and a punt return for a score; RB/WR/ DB JoJo Bermudez/A budding star, this sophomore has some serious speed and game-breaking ability; QB/Louie Barrios/He’s a senior with a couple years experience, and also a threat in the running game; OL/LB Tyler Hendrickson/A returning starter, the Pirates will need a big year out of him on the defensive side of the ball.
DIVISION OUTLOOK It’s a tough divsion with the likes of Camden, Delsea and Woodrow Wilson, but the Pirates already have a win over Willingboro in Week 00. Look for Cedar Creek to be in the mix until the end.
Sept. 5, 2019 w Glory Days Magazine w Page 29
TEAM REPORT/pleasantville Upward trend continuing, now it’s time for Hounds to start thinking titles
A
s Chris Sacco enters his fifth season as head coach at Pleasantville, he can take satisfaction in the fact that he took a winless football program and turned it into a championship contender. The next step in Pleasantville’s evolution as a football program is not simply being among the handful of teams contending for a title in South Jersey Group 2, but actually winning a couple of crowns. The Greyhounds are young and will have to grow up quickly, especially at key positions like quarterback and the defensive line, but Sacco said he likes the talent he has, as well as the fact that there are now new, higher expectations in place and the players now that if they don’t live up to them, if they don’t take their offseason and film work seriously, they aren’t going to get much playing time. “The program has continued to trend upward. A lot of people from the outside looking in will see we lost a lot of seniors from last year, and a lot of them really exceptional football players, but when you start to establish yourself as a program and not just a team, you start to get younger guys who can step up. I think we’re starting to see that now,” Sacco said. “We’re not where we need to be, but we played a lot of young, inexperienced guys in our first two scrimmages. We’ve made some mistakes, but we like what they are able to do. We’re creating some depth and I like
2015 0-10
the direction and the camaraderie of this team.” “We lost a lot of key players, but we have a lot of young guys stepping up who are ready to play. This year is going to be a big year for them, and for us, and the seniors are trying to lead them the right way,” said senior Ernest Howard, the strong-side linebacker in Pleasantville’s 3-3 stack defense. “It’s a different environment out here now, the city is behind us, we have a lot of energy, we just have to finish this season strong. We just have to push harder now that everybody is on us. We just care about ourselves and working harder to get better every day.” The Greyhounds got off to a good start in their Week 00 season opener, grinding out a 27-18 win over a pretty good Salem team. A big part of Pleasantville’s recent success is what Sacco calls a rebranding of the entire program. “Anytime something isn’t going well, you want to rebrand it. That’s kind of what we did, we changed the Greyhound logo, got new helmets, new game jerseys. Now we have all black uniforms. We reward them for the work they put in,” Sacco said. “We started a booster club and they’re on board with everything. It’s a total team and total program effort. This is our biggest and most talented freshman class coming in since we’ve been here, so the future is really bright.”
LAST FOUR SEASONS
2016 4-6
2017 7-3
2018 TOTAL 8-3 19-22
Glory Days photo/Dave O’Sullivan
Senior Ernest Howard has been waiting to show what he can do at linebacker, and with guys like Mohamed Toure and Elijah Glover graduated, he’ll get plenty of opportunities.
2018 record: 8-3, second in United Division, lost in South Jersey Group 2 semifinals. Head coach: Chris Sacco Returning Starters Offense: 5 Defense: 3 Base Formations Offense: Multiple/spread Defense: 3-3 stack
PLAYERS TO WATCH RB/LB Ernest Howard/He’s been waiting to take this team over as a senior leader since transferring over from Mainland prior to his junior year, a solid linebacker who also should help in the run game; OL Equallie Bumpass/The line needs to come together quickly, as The Ville has some tough games early on, and Bumpass will need to lead the way; RB Joshua Kotokpo/Keep an eye on this kid because he has breakout potential this season; WR/DB Keon Henry/One of the fastest players on the team, Pleasantville will need his game-breaking ability.
DIVISION OUTLOOK The United most likely will come down to Pleasantville and Buena again, and the Greyhounds will be looking for some revenge after a 19-13 loss last year. They’ll have to get it on the road, however.
Page 30 w Glory Days Magazine w Sept. 5, 2019
TEAM REPORT/BUENA REGIONAL Small numbers, big heart is always the theme at Buena
S
ome high school soccer and field hockey programs have more players than the Buena Regional football team, but the Chiefs have never minded that they field the smallest team in Atlantic County, numberswise. What the team doesn’t have in depth it makes up for in toughness and heart, and that led to a 9-1 record a year ago that included a berth in the South Jersey Group 1 semifinals. Head coach Jonathan Caputo asks most of his starters to go both ways, but they never seem to mind. It’s expected that if you’re a football player at Buena, you better be in shape because you’re going to go hard for 48 minutes every week. “We have a good crew coming back. Obviously, we lost a lot of talented seniors from last year and they’ll be hard to replace, but the junior class from last year, all the way through growing up they’ve been winners and that’s driving us,” Caputo said. “Our goals are the same as last year — we want to win our division and compete in the South Jersey Group 1 playoffs.” The Chiefs have a couple of seniors they’ll rely heavily on to set the tone, most notably quarterback Luke Santiago and linebacker Byron Spellman. Santiago knows this Wing-T hybrid offense inside and out, as he’s been running it since he first put a helmet on at age 5. He knows what it takes to make this offense go, and Spellman provides a guy who can run or catch on offense and will be right in the middle of things on defense. “It’s all hard work. We’re all lifting
2015 9-2
after practice, everybody is going 100 percent every play; team ‘O’, team ‘D’, everybody gets after it,” Santiago said. “We love competing. It’s the same formula as last year, work hard, hit hard, go get it.” “We just want to get a ring,” Spellman added. “Everybody just has to do what they are supposed to, fly around and play 100 percent. I love hearing all the people who don’t think we can win. I love the doubters.” Running the Wing-T has its advantages, as so few teams run it anymore that it can be confusing for opposing defenses, and Buena counts on that each week. “We do a couple things out of it that are different from the traditional WingT. The (youth league) Braves run the same system so they’ve been hearing the terminology for years, and one of my assistant coaches is a coach over there, so hopefully when they get here it’s not all brand new,” Caputo said. “We think (running this offense) is part of our advantage. A lot of people are running spread and shotgun, then when they have to play us it’s not that familiar, and I think that helps us. It’s one more thing a team has to prepare for.” Ultimately, it’s championship or bust for this group of seniors. “That’s been our goal since Braves mini-football,” Santiago said. “Last year we were right there, we just came up a little short, so this year we’re looking to finish it. In the first weight room session (after the season) everybody was there grinding. Everybody wants it, you can tell.”
LAST FOUR SEASONS
2016 4-8
2017 5-5
2018 TOTAL 9-1 27-16
Glory Days photo/Dave O’Sullivan
Senior quarterback Luke Santiago is the undeniable leader of this year’s Buena squad, and he’s been running the Wing-T offense since he was about 5 years old.
2018 record: 9-1, won United Division, reached semifinals of SJG1 state playoffs Head coach: Jonathan Caputo Returning Starters Offense: 6 Defense: 5 Base Formations Offense: Wing-T Defense: 3-3 Stack
PLAYERS TO WATCH QB/DB Luke Santiago/He’s a multiple-year starter and a veteran in this offense, a very smart signal caller who can be counted on to make plays on both sides of the ball; LB/RB Byron Spellman/Buena may be a small school, but this is a big dude who gets after it and loves to hit people, on either side of the ball; LB/OL Sam Drogo/He’s one of those guys who will rarely come off the field, as coach Caputo will ask a lot of him on both sides of the ball; LB/OL Gavin Anchetta/Just like Drogo, he’ll have to contribute on both sides, which he’s expected to handle.
DIVISION OUTLOOK Buena scored a big road win over Pleasantville a year ago to seal the division title, so the Greyhounds will be looking for payback. But somebody is going to have to take this championship from the Chiefs.
Page 32 w Glory Days Magazine w Sept. 5, 2019
Players you may not have heard of ... yet Staff report One of the great things about high school football is that each year new players step up into roles and make an impact for their respective teams, and in the process make a name for themselves. Here’s a quick look at some of the guys Glory Days thinks are on the brink of becoming household names in the South Jersey football scene. u Patrick “Cheeks” Smith/Holy Spirit/RB/DB: South Jersey fans got a glimpse of Smith two years ago when he was a freshman at St. Augustine Prep, and were reminded what kind of athlete he is in Holy Spirit’s Week 00 opener when he racked up nearly 300 all-purpose yards against Maryland powerhouse Mount St. Joseph. u Joshua Kotokpo/Pleasantville/RB: Most of the headlines went to Mohamed Toure last year, but Kotokpo made the most of his carries as a junior and now should be the featured back in the Greyhounds’ offense. A 1,000-yard season wouldn’t be a surprise. u Keon Henry/Pleasantville/WR/DB: This kid is a burner and can make an impact not only on offense, but on special teams as well. He returned a punt for a touchdown in the Greyhounds’ season-opening win against Salem. u Amir Vick/Mainland Regional/WR/DB: Definitely a guy who has flown under the radar, but has good size (5-10, 170) for a corner, and has the speed and physicality to match up with most receivers. He’s grown into a team leader and has gotten stronger since last fall. u Mike Ordille/Mainland Regional/RB/LB: He’s the future of the Mustangs’ linebacking crew, a tough kid who also plays baseball and is pretty athletic. u Jake Ketschek/St. Augustine Prep/OL: If you haven’t heard of this guy, you will very soon. Dude is an absolute truck on the offensive line, pancake machine. u Darrien DeJean/Oakcrest/LB: Oakcrest seems to always have a big, physical linebacker in the middle of its defense, and DeJean is the next in line. A physical specimen who has speed to run sidelineto-sideline. u Jake Schneider/Ocean City/WR/DB: This guy isn’t very big, but he’s one of those kids who just loves the competition and is overlooked a lot. He took advantage of that in lacrosse and looks to do the same this year on the gridiron. u JoJo Bermudez/Cedar Creek/WR/DB: Everybody talks about Malachi Melton, and for good reason, but JoJo is starting to enter the conversation when it comes to game breakers. Watch out for this sophomore, he’s just scratching the surface. u Ray Weed/Absegami/QB/DB: South Jersey fans began to hear about this kid during the wrestling season when he made it to states as a 160-pound freshman. You’ll hear a lot more this fall. u Jack Schiavo/EHT/S: Another wrestler, this guy brings toughness and a “lunch pail” mentality to the Eagles’ defense.
Sept. 5, 2019 w Glory Days Magazine w Page 33
Trible bringing talents to Glory Days Popular writer joining staff as special football correspondent
M
Staff Report ark Trible is a Virginia native, but endeared himself to South Jersey sports fans the past couple of years with his unique writing style as a reporter for the Courier-Post. During his years at the Courier, Trible — whose career took him to Philadelphia and a different industry — became hugely popular with his engaging personality and the way he embraced local South Jersey traditions and rivalries. During his time at the Courier, Trible covered football, wrestling and softball, and became famously known in South Jersey for his “Hats Off” football player of the game on Twitter. After each game he covered, Trible would select a player of the game and take a photo of that player shaking hands with Trible while wearing Trible’s trademark fedora hat. It became such a hit that Trible now has more than 6,000 followers on the social media site. Glory Days Sports is proud to announce that it is bringing Trible on board as a special football writer for the 2019 season. Each week, Trible will cover a marquee game in South Jersey and bring his perspective through game stories, columns and features. “As a staff, we are really excited to be able to have a guy as talented and enthusiastic about high school football on board. This is really a game changer for Glory Days as we look to expand our
Well known South Jersey sports reporter Mark Trible is set to make his return to the sidelines in 2019 as a member of the Glory Days staff. He’ll also be bringing back his hugely popular Facebook Live preview show every Wednesday at 7 p.m. at facebook.com/acglorydays. brand to different parts of South Jersey,” said Glory Days Publisher Dave “Sully” O’Sullivan. “For the past couple of years, Mark has really had his finger on the pulse of the South Jersey football scene and has been able to bring to life the great people, from players to coaches to parents and fans, who make high school football so popular in South Jersey. Having glorydaysonline.com associated with a guy like Mark, and the talent and passion he brings to what he does, is really a huge stepping stone for this company.” “South Jersey high school football is an experience that has truly enriched my life,” Trible said. “I’m excited and happy to return for an outlet I hold in such
high regard.” Glory Days also will be incorporating Trible’s hugely popular Facebook Live preview show each Wednesday evening at 7 p.m. throughout the season. Mark and a guest will give their opinions on the biggest games of the weekend throughout South Jersey, and the show typically has thousands of fans tuning in. (facebook.com/acglorydays). “I’ve really enjoyed Mark’s Facebook Live preview show in the past, he really dives into the matchups and gives fans a lot of information and analysis about the upcoming games. It’s really a can’t-miss for the passionate high school football fan in South Jersey,” O’Sullivan said.
glory days images
FOOTBALL / WEEK DOUBLE ZERO Malachi Melton makes a touchdown-saving tackle on Willingboro’s Zaire Clements in the first half of Cedar Creek’s 24-20 win over the Chimeras. Melton also had a 55-yard punt return for a touchdown in the fourth quarter that helped seal the victory. Glory Days photos/ Dave O’Sullivan
Amin Bailey celebrates a big hit on a Salem running back during the second half of the Greyhounds’ 27-18 win over the Rams.
Assistant coach Andrew DiPasquale sends a play in with quarterback Trevor Cohen during Holy Spirit’s season opener against Mount St. Joseph of Maryland.