Bigger and better, Battle at the Beach returns for fourth edition

Battle at the Beach IV is ready for kickoff.

The three-day showcase of high school football games, now an annual end-of-summer staple for fans, will take place at two different sites this year.

The first day's games will be played at Ocean City’s Carey Stadium, just off the boardwalk in the shadow of the Ferris wheel at Wonderland Pier.

The weekend’s action will move inland to Egg Harbor Township High School for the final two days. It will mark the first time the Battle at the Beach hasn’t been played in Ocean City since the first year, when coastal flooding forced the final day to play at different sites, including Camden Catholic High School.

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

Tickets

Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for seniors with ID. Kids under 10 years of age will be admitted free without a ticket. Online tickets can be purchased here .

The West Jersey Football League Coaches Association, which runs the event, said there were over 3,500 tickets sold for Thursday’s action.

Hall of Famers

The West Jersey Football Coaches Association will honor the South Jersey Football Coaches Hall of Fame Class of 2024 inductees during halftime of the Bergen Catholic-IMG Academy game on Thursday night.

The honorees are coaches Bill Fisher and Frank Riggitano, assistant coach Pat Gallagher, media member Phil Anastasia and distinguished service inductee Rich Sharpnack, Jr.

It’s the first time the induction ceremony will take place since 2018.

Star power

With several former and present Philadelphia Eagles making the trek to OC in recent years, there have been many celebrity sightings on the sidelines at the Battle at the Beach.

Could a former NFL coach be in attendance for Thursday’s super showdown between IMG Academy and Bergen Catholic?

Bill Belichick, who led the New England Patriots to a record six Super Bowl titles, is listed for a sideline pass, according to a WJFLCA official. Belichick talked up the big game at last April’s NFL Draft.

Monster game

“The Beach House” will be rocking with the event’s showcase matchup between Florida’s IMG Academy and Garden State superpower Bergen Catholic.

IMG Academy, led by Delran native and head coach Billy Miller, is ranked No. 10 in the country by High School Football America. Bergen Catholic is the No. 1 team in the Gannett New Jersey Super 25 rankings.

The game will be streamed live on SportsCenter NEXT and MaxPreps.com. It will also be available on YouTube after the game is completed.

It’s an encore performance for IMG, which recorded a 17-14 win over St. Joseph Prep (Pa.) in last year’s marquee matchup that was nationally televised on ESPN2.

Fast facts

The Battle at the Beach will kickoff with West Deptford facing off against Manchester on Thursday. WJFLCA president John Emel will make his WD debut as its new head coach.

The WJFL American Division, which is regarded as one of the toughest in the state, will feature three of its teams on Friday with Cherokee, Winslow and Millville playing in consecutive games to round the day.

What’s better than No. 1 vs. No. 2 to kick off the season? It won’t take long for one of the biggest games of the year as top-ranked Millville plays No. 2 Holy Spirit in Friday’s nightcap.

Trivia: Which team captured the first-ever win at the Battle of the Beach? Answer following the schedule.

The Schedule

Thursday, Aug. 29

at Carey Stadium in Ocean City :

• 10:00 a.m.: West Deptford vs. Manchester Twp.
• 12:45 p.m.: Mainland vs. Atlantic City
• 3:30 p.m.: Ocean City vs. Cinnaminson
• 7:00 p.m.: IMG Academy (FL) vs. Bergen Catholic

Friday, Aug. 30

At Egg Harbor Township H.S.

• 9:30 a.m.: Schalick vs. Cedar Grove
• Noon: Washington Twp. vs. Northern Highlands
• 2:30 p.m.: Cherokee vs. Middletown South
• 5:00 p.m.: Winslow Twp. vs. Montclair
• 7:30 p.m.: Millville vs. Holy Spirit

Saturday, Aug. 31

at Egg Harbor Township H.S.

• 9:30 a.m.: Highland vs. Southern Regional
• Noon: Rancocas Valley vs. Pascack Valley
• 2:30 p.m.: Oakcrest vs. Hammonton
• 5:00 p.m.: Cedar Creek vs. Eastside Camden
• 7:30 p.m.: Egg Harbor Twp. vs. West Windsor-Plainsboro North

Trivia answer: St. Joseph Academy. The Wildcats defeated Northeast (Pa.), 31-18, in the first game of the 2021 edition of the Battle at the Beach.

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: Bigger and better, Battle at the Beach returns for fourth edition