South Jersey high school football 2024: Games to Watch, schedule for Week 0

The countdown is almost over.

The high school football season will start across South Jersey on Thursday.

What are the best matchups for the upcoming weekend?

Here are our games to watch with predictions and a schedule for all the weekend's action:

More: Football 2024: Check out all our content for the South Jersey high school season

Games to Watch for Week 0

Mainland vs. Atlantic City, Thursday, 12:45, at Ocean City

Owners of the state's longest winning streak at 14, the Mustangs will look to tie a program record if they can claim a victory in this Battle at the Beach tussle at Carey Stadium. Mainland won 15 games over two seasons in 2008-09. ... After starting 6-1 last fall, Atlantic City lost its final four games of the season.

Rimback: Mainland; McGurk: Mainland.

Eastern at Kingsway, Thursday, 6 p.m.

If the Vikings are eyeing a run at their first winning season since 2018, a victory in Woolwich Township would go a long way in accomplishing the feat. Eastern has started 1-0 each of the last two seasons. ... Kingsway has won five straight decisions over Eastern since 2018, including last fall's 28-21 overtime victory in Voorhees.

Rimback: Kingsway; McGurk: Kingsway.

Florence at Deptford, Thursday, 6 p.m.

The Flashes will enter a game for the first time in half a century with a new head coach. Joe Frappolli Jr. takes over the program after a legendary run by his father, Joe. ... Deptford will look to rebound after last year's 1-7 campaign.

Rimback: Florence; McGurk: Florence.

Shawnee at Northern Burlington, Thursday, 6 p.m.

Tim Gushue begins his 42nd season as head coach with Shawnee, the longest tenured boss in South Jersey football after Frappolli stepped down after last fall. Senior wideout/defensive back Lucas Estevez will don the prestigious No. 44 for Shawnee, which has won five of its last six season openers including the last three in a row. ... Northern Burlington will look to avenge back-to-back losses to Shawnee in the last two openers. The Greyhounds start the season with three straight home games and four of their first five.

Rimback: Shawnee; McGurk: Shawnee.

Pennsville at Gloucester, Thursday, 6 p.m.

Whatever the sport, it's a rivalry for these two squads. Oddly, this will mark the first meeting in football since 2017 when the Eagles soared to a 47-6 win. Pennsville has won the last five games against Gloucester while the Lions are looking for their first win in the series since 2012.

Rimback: Gloucester; McGurk: Gloucester.

Pleasantville at Timber Creek, Thursday, 6 p.m.

The season opener is the first of three straight road games for the Greyhounds. ... Timber Creek went 4-1 last season at Ralph Ross Stadium, but the last game was a playoff loss to Cedar Creek.

Rimback: Pleasantville; McGurk: Timber Creek.

Seneca at Williamstown, Friday, 7 p.m.

Two new head coaches will lead their respective teams into battle in Monroe Township. Anthony Diorio is just the second head coach in Seneca history , taking over for Bill Fisher, who led the Golden Eagles since the inception of the program in 2003. Frank Fucetola returns to the helm at Williamstown after he stepped away in 2020 for personal reasons. During his first stint with the Braves that spanned 24 years, Fucetola won three sectional championships.

Rimback: Williamstown; McGurk: Seneca.

Cherry Hill West at Triton, Friday, 6 p.m.

After playing their home games at sister school Highland last season, the Mustangs return to their home digs with refurbished stands at John Oakes Stadium. Cherry Hill West has won four of the last five meetings since 2019 with Triton's lone win coming in the 2021 season finale.

Rimback: Triton; McGurk: Cherry Hill West.

Millville vs. Holy Spirit, Friday, 7:30, at Egg Harbor Township

While the IMG Academy/Bergen Catholic game will draw a national television audience for the Battle at the Beach, this showcase game will be a must-see for South Jersey football fans as it pits the No. 1 Thunderbolts against the No. 2 Spartans. The two teams haven't met since 2013, when Holy Spirit won 16-7 at Wheaton Field. ... Millville's Lotzeir Brooks could catch some history. The Alabama-bound wideouts is one TD catch away from the state record (52) held by Westwood's Nolan Borgersen (2014) and with eight points would become the second receiver in state history to reach 400 for a career, according to high school football historian Chuck Langerman.

Rimback: Millville; McGurk: Millville.

Cedar Creek vs. Eastside, Saturday, 5 p.m., at Egg Harbor Township

Another Battle at the Beach contest; these two teams have met six times since 2018 and produced some wild games. Cedar Creek has won four of those meetings with three games decided by one point, including a 35-34 thriller in the 2021 regional championship at Rutgers. Eastside won the last meeting with a 26-8 triumph last fall.

Rimback: Eastside; McGurk: Cedar Creek.

More: Football 2024: Check out all our content for the South Jersey high school season

Schedule Week 0

Thursday, August 29

Battle at the Beach

At Carey Stadium, Ocean City:

West Deptford vs. Manchester Township, 10 am

Mainland vs. Atlantic City, 12:45 pm

Ocean City vs. Cinnaminson, 3:30

IMG Academy (Fla.) vs. Bergen Catholic, 7 p.m.

West Jersey Football League

Burlington Township at Absegami, noon

St. Frances Ac. (Md.) at Glassboro, 3

Palmyra at Riverside, 5:30

Eastern at Kingsway, 6

Cherry Hill East at Clearview, 6

Florence at Deptford, 6

Shawnee at Northern Burlington, 6

Vineland at St. Joseph, 6

Pennsville at Gloucester, 6

Overbrook at Buena, 6

Pleasantville at Timber Creek, 6

KIPP Cooper Norcross Ac. at Gateway, 6

Collingswood at Clayton, 7

More: Football 2024: Check out all our content for the South Jersey high school season

Friday, August 30

Battle at the Beach

At Egg Harbor Township High School:

Schalick vs. Cedar Grove, 9:30 am

Washington Township vs. Northern Highlands, noon

Cherokee vs. Middletown South, 2:30 pm

Winslow vs. Montclair, 5

Millville vs. Holy Spirit, 7:30

West Jersey Football League

Seneca at Williamstown, 7

Cherry Hill West at Triton, 6

Bishop Eustace at Sterling, 6

Burlington City at Haddonfield, 7

Lower Cape May at Bridgeton, 7

Nonleague

Lenape at Passaic Tech, 5

Donovan Catholic at St. Augustine, 6

Delran at Abraham Clark, 6

Nottingham at Paul VI, 6

Camden at St. Christopher (Va.), 6:30

Watchung Hills at Moorestown, 7

Saturday, August 31

Battle at the Beach

At Egg Harbor Township:

Highland vs. Southern, 9:30 am

Rancocas Valley vs. Pascack Valley, noon

Oakcrest vs. Hammonton, 2:30 pm

Cedar Creek vs. Eastside, 5

Egg Harbor vs. West Windsor-Plainsboro, 7:30

More: Football 2024: Check out all our content for the South Jersey high school season

West Jersey Football League

Penns Grove at Paulsboro, 10:30 am

Burlington Township at Absegami, noon

Willingboro at Salem, noon

Tom McGurk is a regional sports reporter for the Courier-Post, The Daily Journal and Burlington County Times, covering South Jersey sports for over 30 years. If you have a sports story that needs to be told, contact him at (856) 486-2420 or email tmcgurk@gannett.com . Follow him on Twitter at @McGurkSports. Help support local journalism with a digital subscription.

This article originally appeared on Cherry Hill Courier-Post: South Jersey high school football 2024: Games to Watch, schedule for Week 0