South Jersey Football Games of the Week Part I
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The sectional finals are this weekend. Here is the first of two parts of games featuring teams from the seven-county South Jersey area.
South Jersey Group 4
(2) Millville (8-2) at (1) Hammonton (9-2), Friday 6
Millville is the defending SJ Group 4 champion, having beaten Ocean City, 40-3 in last year’s final. Hammonton sophomore running back Kenny Smith rushed for 209 yards and three touchdowns in the 27-16 semifinal win over Shawnee. Smith has rushed for 1,450 yards (7.3 avg.) and 19 touchdowns. Millville relies more on the passing game. Junior Jacob Zamot has thrown for 2.319 yards and 22 touchdowns. Receiver Lotzeir Brooks, among the top sophomores in the country, has 42 receptions for 746 yards and 11 touchdowns. Millville can also run the ball. Junior Na’eem Sharp has rushed for 974 yards (6.7 avg.) and 10 touchdowns.
Central Jersey Group 5
(6) Edison (8-3) at (1) Lenape (6-4), Friday, 6
Lenape is coming off a 21-20 semifinal win over Atlantic City as senior Zyaire Goffney-Fleming rushed for 182 yards, three touchdowns and one two-point conversion. For the season Goffney-Fleming has rushed for 1,186 yards (6.4 avg.) and 14 touchdowns. Junior quarterback Jaelin Mims has thrown for 1,019 yards and eight touchdowns. Edison is coming off a 33-31 semifinal win at second-seeded North Brunswick. In that game, Edison overcame a 31-17 deficit with under four minutes remaining. Senior quarterback Matt Yascko threw a TD pass and scored on a 3-yard run after Edison recovered an onside kick to get to within 31-30. The Eagles recovered a second onside kick and then got a game-winning 30-yard field goal by Selbin Sabio in a truly wild game. Yascko has thrown for 1,599 yards and 13 touchdowns. Sophomore Nyekir Eato has rushed for 1,220 yards (7.4 avg.) and 15 touchdowns.
South Jersey Group 5
(2) Kingsway (7-3) at (1) Toms River North (11-0), Friday, 6
This is a rematch of last year’s SJ Group 5 final when Kingsway won 21-14. Both teams have enjoyed convincing playoff wins this year. Kingsway defeated Southern Regional 35-6 in the first round and Cherokee, 41-14 in the semifinal. TR North defeated Old Bridge, 49-7 and Marlboro, 42-6. Kingsway senior quarterback Nate Maiers has thrown for 1,970 yards and 29 touchdowns. He has also rushed for 402 yards (3.9 avg.) and seven scores. Senior Darrell Brown Jr. has caught 31 passes for 611 yards and seven touchdowns. He has also rushed for 210 yards (7.0 avg.) and one score. Toms River North is led by one of the most dynamic players in the state, junior quarterback Micah Ford. He has thrown for 1,061 yards and 13 touchdowns and runs for 1,687 yards (10.6 avg.) and 25 touchdowns.
Central Jersey Group 2
(4) Willingboro (5-5) at (3) Gloucester (8-2) Friday, 7
Willingboro was a sectional finalist last year, losing to Pt. Pleasant Boro, 32-8 in the SJ Group 2 final. Gloucester had one of the bigger semifinal upsets with a 14-13 semifinal victory over defending sectional and regional champion Haddonfield. John Daily, who had two interceptions against Haddonfield, is one of the defensive leaders for Gloucester, which has won five in a row. Willingboro has had little resistance in the postseason, beating New Providence and Point Pleasant Boro by a combined 100-37 score. The Chimeras have won four in a row after their 50-30 semifinal win over previously unbeaten Point Pleasant Boro.
Central Jersey Group 4
(3) Mainland (9-1) at (1) Middletown South (8-1), Friday, 7
Mainland has won nine in a row since a 21-20 loss to Ocean City. The Mustangs defeated Long Branch, 34-20 in the semifinal. Senior Ja’Briel Mace, a Villanova commit, rushed for 137 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries in the win. Mace has rushed for 1,152 yards (10.0 avg.) and 24 touchdowns. Middletown South defeated defending sectional champion Winslow Township, 24-10 in the semifinal. The Eagles have won six in a row. Junior quarterback Jake Czwakiel has thrown for 702 yards and four touchdowns and runs for 478 yards (6.3 avg.) and eight touchdowns.
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