South Jersey Football Roundup: August 29-30

Friday, August 30

Battle at the Beach

At Egg Harbor

Cedar Grove 41, Schalick 3: Day 2 of the Battle at the Beach started off on a good note for the Cougars as Hunter Dragotta strokes a 36-yard field goal to give his team a 3-0 lead five minutes into the first quarter. The rest of the morning didn't go quite as well as Panthers ran off 41 points to end the game.

Stephen Paradiso threw four touchdown passes, two to Nick Russo and two more to Jackson Morrice in the onslaught. Morrice added a kickoff return TD to start the second half. Anthony Tronio scored on a five-yard run to account for the other TD.

Cherokee 20, Middletown South 0: Darwin Walker scored a pair of touchdowns and blocked a field goal to lead Cherokee to a dominating win over their Shore Conference foe. Walker returned the first play from scrimmage of the season for the first score. He added a 39-yard TD reception from Cooper Burti.

Burti threw two TDs, also connecting with Sam Resto from 41 yards in the first half.

Matthew St. John kicked a 25-yard field goal to set the halftime score at 16-0. Murad Campfield (22-for-144 rushing) closed out the scoring with a seven-yard TD run.

Washington Township 23, Northern Highlands 8: Colin Beeler ran 26 times for 125 yards and two touchdowns as the Minutemen rolled to a wire-to-wire win. Beeler scored from nine yards out in the second quarter and six yards in the fourth to seal the victory.

Andrew Osborn had a one-yard plunge to get the scoring going. Luke Sheetz added a 26-yard field goal in the first quarter.

Cole Aquino led the Township air attack, completing 14 of 18 passes for 187 yards. Paris Pratt caught six balls for 117 yards.

Winslow 21, Montclair 0: The Eagles scored on their first drive and never looked back as Roman Duckett capped the opening drive with a one-yard run. Kadon Ali added a 21-yard second quarter TD run.

Jalen Parker found Hakeem Powell on a double move for a third-period score. The game was delayed slightly after a fourth-quarter altercation led to two ejections for each team.

McGurk: Record-breaking Brooks' highlights Battle at the Beach Day 2

Millville 35, Holy Spirit 0: Lotzeir Brooks did Lotzeir things, scoring three touchdowns with an interception to lead South Jersey's No. 1 team to a convincing win over No. 2.

Brooks connected with quarterback Robert O'Connor for TDs of 27, 44 and 98 yards. Brooks set a state record for career receiving touchdowns with 54.

Jaden Everett started the scoring with a 12-yard fumble return in the first quarter. Brooks had on TD in the second quarter and two more in the third. Jamar Wallace closed out the scoring with a 25-yard run in the third.

Regular season

Bishop Eustace 24, Sterling 7 : Mekhi Simmons ran for 219 yards and two touchdowns on 28 carries to lift Eustace toa comfortable win.

Simmons bulled over from two yards out in the first quarter, then added a 39-yard second quarter run to set the final score before halftime. Simmons added two conversion runs.

Delano Mann put the Crusaders on the scoreboard first with a 10-yard reception from Roman Faiola.

Jace Ali-Ward took a swing pass to the right and slashed through the defense for a 50-yard TD pass from Gary Battaglini on the second play of the second quarter to cut the Silver Knights deficit to 16-7.

Bridgeton 12, Lower Cape May 3 : Jeremiah Russell accounted for both Bulldogs' touchdowns in the win.

In the first quarter, Russell hauled ina 20-yard pass from Dante Howard. In the third, Russell added an 11-yard scoring run.

Dennis Serra had a 22-yard field goal for the Caper Tigers.

Camden 39, St. Christopher 17 : Mahki Brunson threw four touchdown passes to spark the Panthers to a comeback win over their Richmond, Va. rival. Malik Redd added three scores including third-quarter TD receptions from Brunson of 28 and 16 yards.

After falling behind 10-7 in the first quarter, Redd (4 catches, 72 yards) returned the second half kickoff 92 yards to put Camden ahead for good. Haleem Muhammad picked an option handoff out of the air cleanly and returned it 30 yards for a score on the first play of the fourth quarter.

Brunson (11-for-22, 239 passing, 8-72 rush) closed out the scoring with his most spectacular play. Brunson bobbled the shotgun snap, picked up the loose ball shook off an apparent sack and scrambled to his left before launching a ball to D'Hani Cobbs, who race into the end zone for the final 25 yards of the 63-yard touchdown.

Christian Braxton gave the Panthers a first-quarter lead with a three-yard TD reception from Brunson.

Collingswood 30, Clayton 26 : The Panthers' Caden Luby scored four touchdowns and Demetris Williams of the Clippers scored three TDs as Collingswood survived in a slugfest.

Luby (23 carries, 205 yards) had a 69-yard run to give the Colls the lead for good. He added a two-yard TD to put the game out of reach.

Williams (13-205 rushing) scored from 58 yards out with eight minutes left to cut the Clayton deficit to four points. Quaddy Walls scored the other Clayton rushing TD. The final Clippers possession ended with 20 seconds to play with a turnover on downs.

Delran 41, Abraham Clark 7 : Vinny Sacca scored twice and threw for two more scores during a 27-point second quarter to lead the Bears attack.

Sacca scored on 27- and 57-yard runs. He threw a 15-yard TD pass to Justin Mary and a 26-yard strike to Jayden Alford. Sacca finished 10-for-15 for 107 yards passing and ran for 107 yards on four carries.

Zahir Cobbins opened the scoring with a 46-yard first-quarter run. Nick Pean scored the only second-half points, a 4-yard third quarter run.

Haddonfield 22, Burlington City 12 : Van Lefakis tossed a pair of touchdown passes to help the Bulldogs extend their win streak in season-openers to nine seasons.

Van Lefakis (9-for-12, 159 yards) connected with Jack McKeever for 22 yards. Marty Foust pulled in a 24-yard TD pass. Brody Leonard (22-for-108 rushing) added an 18-yard TD run in the win.

Holy Cross 18, Academy New Church 10 : Anthony D'Ambrosio caught two touchdown passes and intercepted two more as the Lancers opened the season with a road win in Bryn Athyn, Pa. D'Ambrosio caught fvie apsses in all, for 55 yards.

Quarterback Will Updike completed a dozen passes, including five to Manny Doku, who had a team best 57 receiving yards. Doku gave the Lancers the lead for good with a 79-yard kickoff return after ANC took a 7-6 lead in the second quarter.

Passaic Tech 14, Lenape 10 : Kellen Pierce threw for 103 yards and ran for 35 more, including a touchdown to pace Lenape. The Pierce TD game Lenape a 10-7 lead at the half.

Ethan Blackburn got Lenape on the scoreboard with a 32-yard field goal. Passaic Tech scored the only touchdown of the second half to cap the comeback.

Paul VI 42, Nottingham 7 : Tyree Roane scored three times to lead the Eagles to a dominant win. Roane scored on a 1-yard run, a 27-yard pass from Daulton Phalines (11-for-16, 116 yards) and a three-yard run.

Nate Klecko (12-for-110 rushing), from four yards out and Elijah Wilso, from two, added TDs as PVI jumped out to a 28-0 first-half lead. Nick Ried put a capper on the day with a 45-yard interception return score in the third quarter.

The only flaw for the Eagles was a 91-yard Northstars' kickoff return after the Eagles' fourth TD.

St. Augustine 35, Donovan Catholic 6 : Julian Turney had bookend touchdown runs as the Hermits reeled off 35 unanswered points to open with a win.

After Donovan Catholic opened the scoring with a 67-yard touchdown pass, Turney capped a first-quarter drive with a one-yard run. Turney added a seven-yard fourth-quarter TD run.

Roman Coney scored from five yards out before halftime. In the third, Ty McLeer added a 13-yard score and Ryan Stoehr found Liam Flynn for a 41-yard touchdown pass.

Watchung Hills 31, Moorestown 7 : Luke Dengler provided the lone Quakers' highlight with a 93-yard kickoff return to trim the deficit to 17-7 at the half.

Dengler added three carries for 62 yards and two catches for seven more. Quarterback Will Mindrich completed eight passes for 62 yards.

Hunter: Alexander leads Williamstown over Seneca in coach Fucetola's return

Williamstown 21, Seneca 14 : Trey Alexander scored two second-half rushing touchdowns to lead the Braves to their first win since Oct. 14, 2022, breaking an 11-game losing skid. Alexander scored from 20 yards away in the third quarter, then gave the Braves the lead on a 12-yard jaunt with 10 minutes to play.

Aidan Davidson knotted the game at 7 in the second quarter with a 30-yard touchdown pass to Kysheem Prunty.

Jamar Warthen scored the only points of the first quarter for the Golden Eagles. Anthony Tirico gave Seneca a halftime advantage with a 10-yard touchdown pass to Nate Sauerwald.

Thursday, August 29

Battle at the Beach

At Carey Stadium, Ocean City:

Mainland 30, Atlantic City 18 : Jake Blum scored a pair of touchdowns as the Mustangs ran their state-best win streak to 15 games with a convincing win in the Battle at the Beach. Blum (7 carries, 22 yards) scored from four yards out to give overcome a six-point deficit with a second quarter run.

Blum's (2 receptions, 65 yards) 37-yard TD catch from John Franchini (8-14, 188 yards) put Mainland up for good in the third quarter. Chase Hoag (9 for 100 rushing) added a 58-yard scoring run. In the fourth quarter, an errant punt snap for a safety and a Rocco DeBiaso three-yard run closed out the scoring.

Sah'nye Degraffenreidt (5 catches, 66 yards) opened the scoring with a 13-yard touchdown from Khajuan Roseborough. In the third, Roseborough gave the Vikings a brief 12-7 lead with a 20-yard run. Roseborough (11-for-27, 185 yards) and Degraffenreidt connected on an 8-yard TD to pull AC within 21-18 heading into the fourth quarter.

More: Battle at the Beach kicks '24 season off as teams embrace new beginnings

Manchester Township 26, West Deptford 21 : Brady Cobb threw for 135 yards and a touchdown and Bryce Wynn added 71 rushing yards, scoring on a 44-yard run but the Eagles fell in their season opener.

Wynn's run gave West Deptford its first lead of the season, but a fourth-quarter touchdown foiled the Eagles victory bid.

Zamir Davis (15 carries, 64 yards) scored the first Eagles touchdown of the season and added a 2-point conversion run to help claw back from a 10-0 second-quarter deficit. Cole Paskiewicz took a Cobb pass 97 yards to open the second half scoring.

Ocean City 35, Cinnaminson 7 : Triton Schmidt had a pair of one-yard touchdowns and 121 yards rushing on 21 carries as the hosts of the Battle at the Beach rolled to a season-opening win. Clay Compton (9 for 27 rushing) added scores of three and four yards in the win.

Walker Bailey came three yards shy of triple digits with 97 yards on 11 carries. Jackson Becker scored a two-yard touchdown on his only carry.

Gavin Prendergast scored on a 13-yard pass from Dylan McAndrews to cut the Pirates' deficit to 14-7 before halftime.

IMG Academy 27, Bergen Catholic 14 : The meeting between the two national scholastic powers went to the juggernaut from Florida.

West Jersey Football League

Cherry Hill East 38, Clearview 0 : Senior quarterback Zach Salsbery connect with classmate Isaiah Donaldson for a pair of touchdown passes as East rolled to a road win. Donaldson added an interception in the win.

Ryan Moyer, Nick Garcia and Kyle Scott chipped in with one touchdown each as the Cougars spoiled the debut of the Pioneers' new artificial turf stadium field.

Florence 33, Deptford 14 : Julian John-Baptise had a pair of touchdowns as the Flashes rallied from a two-touchdown deficit to give coach Joe Frappolli Jr. his first career win.

John-Baptise pulled in a 72-yard pass from Bryce Ojeikere to cut the deficit in half in the second quarter. His three-yard plunge in the third quarter gave Florence the lead for good. John-Baptise 108 yards on 24 carries in addition to his only catch.

Leaire Williams knotted the game before halftime with a 16-yard pass from Ojiekere (3-for-6, 95 yards). Baron VanKline added a 22-yard Td run in the fourth. Emmanuel Nagbe sealed the win with a 31-yard interception return score.

Frappolli is in his first season, replacing his father Joe Sr. after a 50-year career at the school.

Ahzier Pagan scored from 52 and eight yards and caught a conversion pass from Josiah Bynum to account for all the Spartans scoring. Pagan carried five times for 103 yards.

Gloucester 14, Pennsville 0 : Trevin Burkhardt gave the Lions all the scoring they would need with a one-yard touchdown run in the first quarter. Mason Widman doubled the lead with a 22-yard second quarter run. Burkhardt added a conversion run to set the final score.

Kingsway 23, Eastern 6 : Mason Bryan returned an interception for a score and Cole DeNick rushed for two second-half touchdowns as the Dragons reeled off 23 unanswered points in their opener.

After a 28-21 overtime win against Eastern in last year’s meeting, Kingsway earned this victory in regulation.

DeNick, a sophomore, had another touchdown called back when he picked off a pass and raced to the end zone. The TD was taken off the board because of a penalty.

DeNick and senior Tommy DiPietro, a three-year starter at OLB, led a defensive effort that silenced Eastern after the opening possession.

“They made a ton of tackles,” Kingsway head coach Mark Hendrick said of his linebackers who double as wrestlers during the winter. “They have that wrestler mentality. We don’t try to take it away from them.

“Those are two throwback kids that you don’t see a ton of these days. Tommy is going to be all over the field. He comes off the edge I’m like I don’t know how he makes the tackle. Any kid that knifes the way he does, I marvel at that type of play.”

Eastern took a 6-0 lead in the first quarter, but Kingsway took the lead for good on Bryan’s interception return for a TD.

Zack Burlingame booted a 26-yard field goal to close out the first half as Kingsway took a 10-6 lead into the intermission.

KIPP Cooper Norcross 16, Gateway 0 : Jaheim Edmonson scored through the air in each direction as KIPP won its first ever West Jersey Football League game in shutout fashion.

Edmonson had a 34-yard touchdown catch from Davion Ross-Ways in the first quarter. In the second quarter, Edmonson snatched a Gators' pass out of the air and returned it 40 yards for a second score. Neo Echevarria and Michael Morton added 2-point conversion runs in the win.

KIPP, in its third season, had one previous win, over Wildwood on Oct. 6 last fall.

Overbrook 36, Buena 0 : Axcel Bailey had three touchdown runs to spark the Rams to a shutout win in their opener. Bailey had a two-yard run in the first quarter and TD runs of 37 and four yards in the second quarter.

Tariq Moore split the two Bailey second quarter touchdowns with a 50-yard punt return touchdown. Elvin Santiago closed out the scoring with a 10-yard TD reception from Matt Tausenfreundt. Santiago and Courtney Hudson added interceptions in the win.

Riverside 28, Palmyra 22 : Xavier Parnell ran for 114 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries as the Rams opened the season with a win in a battle of Burlington County river towns. Alton Howell (15 carries, 54 yards) added another rushing TD.

Greg Turner scored a 25-yard touchdown on his only catch from quarterback Dean Potts. Isaiah Potts added a fumble recovery touchdown.

John Lattimore (12-for-126 rushing) paced the Panthers attack with a rushing touchdown and a TD pass to Jaleel Lattimore. Sykeem Muse added a rushing score for the Pals.

Shawnee 33, Northern Burlington 6 : Brett Lundberg erupted for 257 yards and three rushing touchdowns as the Renegades had an impressive opening night.

Lundberg opened the scoring with an 85-yard TD run for the only first-quarter score. His 71-yard dash gave Shawnee a 20-0 lead. He closed out the scoring with a 63-yard fourth-quarter score.

Lucas Estevez had a four-yard touchdown run. Tyler Nickles pulled in a 10-yard fourth-quarter TD pass from Lucas Solomen (8-for-14, 126 yards passing).

Timber Creek 21, Pleasantville 14 : Tyrone Baker connected with Kysim Khan for a touchdown pass and Amir Reason-Dallas added a rushing TD as the Chargers ran out to a two-touchdown first quarter lead, then never trailed in their season opener.

Zyeir Green shut the door on the scoring with a 24-yard touchdown run after Pleasantville cut the deficit to 14-8. The Greyhounds added a fourth quarter score in a failed comeback bid.

Triton 30, Cherry Hill West 0 : Ryan Morley had 199 combined yards and two touchdowns as the Mustangs rolled to a shutout. Morley caught a 58-yard TD toss from Jaylen Morris and scampered in from four yards out for another score.

Morley had three catches for 110 yards and rushed 16 times for 89 yards. Morris was a near-perfect 7-for-9 for 182 passing yards.

Jayden Menk had a one-yard first quarter TD run. Jon Pettigrew closed out the evening with an 11-yard TD run. Sebastian Fernandez kicked a 19-yard field goal to open the scoring.

Vineland 24, St. Joseph 0 : Omar Davis had two rushing touchdowns and Vineland had a pair of safeties as the Fighting Clan won their first season-opener since 2017. Davis scored on a two-yard first-quarter run after the first safety. He closed out the scoring with a 20-yard scamper in the fourth.

Zha'Vian Diaz added a 31-yard TD reception from Elyjah Calderone in the second quarter. Calderone added the conversion run to make it 16-0 at the half.

St. Frances (Md.) at Glassboro, ppd.

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

Tom Rimback grew up reading the Burlington County Times and Courier Post sports sections and began writing for the BCT in 1996. He has covered everything from Super Bowls and Final Fours to Tri-County Swimming but he’s happiest on a sideline interviewing South Jersey scholastic athletes. Follow him on twitter @Rimbacksports. Email him with story ideas at tomrimback@gmail.com and, most importantly, support local journalism with a subscription to the Courier Post.

This article originally appeared on Cherry Hill Courier-Post: South Jersey Football Roundup: August 29-30