South Jersey Football Roundup: August 31

Saturday, August 31

Battle at the Beach

At Egg Harbor Township:

Cedar Creek 20, Eastside 6: Aamir Dunbar had a pair of five-yard touchdown runs to help lead the Pirates to an opening day victory.

Dunbar first TD came in the second quarter to stake Creek to a 14-0 halftime advantage. Dunbar cemented the win with his second score in the final two minutes of play.

Jahmier Campfield caught a 21-yard pass from Frenchmon Bethea to open the scoring in the first quarter. It was Bethea's 18-yard run on 4th and 17 that set up Dunbar's second TD one play later.

Tyson Forman found Dymear Hill for a 31-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter to pull the Tigers to within eight points in the second half.

Egg Harbor 40, West Windsor-Plainsboro 7 : Xavier Cocci accounted for four touchdowns as the co-hosts of the 14-game season-opening showcase ran away with a win in the finale of the Battle at the Beach.

Cocci ran for 77 yards and touchdowns of 10, two and one yards and added a 65-yard touchdown pass to Julian Reyes. Cocci (12-for-16, 227 yards) set up two of his rushing TDs with a pair of 43-yard passes, one on the second-to-last play of the first half and the other for the first score of the third quarter.

The Eagles scored the first 26 points of the game starting with a 22-yard run by Zachary Puentes. West Windsor ended the shutout with a two-yard pass early in the fourth quarter.

After the 65-yard pass to Reyes, Mike Rodas set the running clock rolling with a 40-yard TD run.

Oakcrest 20, Hammonton 0 : Donovan Linthicum originally made his mark as a linebacker but maybe, the Falcons' junior might be just as good as a running back. The junior scored two touchdown and added a 2-point conversion to power Oakcrest to an impressive win.

Linthicum reeled off a 73-yard touchdown run for the only points of the first half. He added a six-yard fourth quarter touchdown and conversion to make it 14-0.

Zicri Forest put the cherry on the win with a 28-yard punt return score in the final 30 seconds of play.

Pascack Valley 31, Rancocas Valley 14: Montre Wilson opened up the season with a 71-yard touchdown run to put the Red Devils up early. However, Pascack reeled off the next 28 points to take control of the game.

Devin Dauna stretched the ball over the goal line for a 29-yard third-quarter scoring strike from Sayvien Adams but the RV comeback bid never gained traction.

Pascack broke open the game with two touchdowns in the final seconds of the first half. Adam Shaw scored from eight yards, then after a turnover on the kickoff, Kevin Regula punched in from a yard out to make it 21-7 at the half. Shaw Added a 38-yard scramble to all but put the game away on the first possession of the second half.

Southern 17, Highland 0: Day 3 of the season-opening of South Jersey football began with a shutout of the Tartans.

After a scoreless first quarter the Rams' Keegan Foote got on the scoreboard with a 27-yard field goal. Southern added to its lead with a three-yard third-quarter touchdown run by Justin Silva. DJ Halm locked down the win with a six-yard TD run in the fourth.

More: South Jersey Football Roundup: August 29-30

West Jersey Football League

Burlington Township 34, Absegami 0: The Falcons used a surprise onside kick to post a two-touchdown lead before its hosts ever took an offensive snap in coach Stephen Everette's Township debut.

Bryce Carter scored from three yards away, then Aiden Binns scored from a yard out on the first of his two short rushing TDs to make it 14-0.

Baron Davis (13-for-20, 212 yards passing) took over from there adding two second-quarter passing touchdowns covering 95 yards. Eric Smith scored on a 66-yard pass and Yeater Tapia had a 29-yard score before the break.

Binns closed out the scoring from two yard midway through the third quarter.

Paulsboro 12, Penns Grove 7: Jeremiah Carr pulled down a second-quarter touchdown pass from Malachi McKenzie to give Paulsboro the edge in a hard-fought battle of rivals.

McKenzie got the scoring going with a one-yard TD run in the first.

Knowledge Young scored from seven yards out on a pass from Ramelo Erickson-Hubbard as PG took a brief second-quarter 7-6 lead.

Willingboro 35, Salem 0 : Sean Taylor threw three touchdown passes and ran for a fourth as the Chimeras won their first opening day game since 2011.

Taylor connected with Brandon Cox, then James Pemberton twice before Mekhi Cottle broke the string with a third-quarter touchdown run. Taylor capped off the win with a traditional QB sneak in the fourth quarter.

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 31