Timber Creek Football Rebounds
One high school football team that has exceeded expectations this year is Timber Creek. The Chargers for many years were among South Jersey’s top teams. After suffering through two losing seasons, Timber Creek rebounded to go 6-4 last year.
And now the Chargers have taken that next step. They are 6-0 and clinched at least a share of the West Jersey Football League Memorial Division with this past week’s 21-14 comeback win over Hammonton.
Timber Creek (6-0, 3-0) can clinch the outright title with a win Oct. 20 at Eastern (1-6, 0-3).
In addition, the Chargers are the top seeded team in South Group 3, according to Gridironnewjersey.com.
What has made this season so successful has been Timber Creek’s ability to earn comeback wins.
Against Hammonton, in a game featuring unbeaten teams in the Memorial Division, Timber Creek faced a 14-0 deficit before storming back.
In a 16-14 win over Willingboro, Timber Creek trailed 14-13 before junior Matt Kelly kicked a game-winning 25-yard field goal with 23 seconds left.
The craziest comeback came in a 21-18 division win at Rancocas Valley. The Chargers trailed 18-7 and threw an end zone interception with under three minutes left.
This is where it got crazy.
The Rancocas Valley player who intercepted the pass, decided to run the ball out of the end zone. Timber Creek junior Marcus Upton forced a fumble that teammate Zyeir Green caught in mid-air and scooted 11 yards for the TD, cutting the lead to 18-13.
Rancocas Valley then fumbled three plays later and the Chargers recovered on the Red Devils’ 42-yard line with 1:26 left.
Timber Creek completed the comeback when Upton caught a 28-yard touchdown pass from senior Victor Oquendo with 45.6 seconds left.
The Chargers’ beat Highland, Camden Catholic and Cherry Hill West by a combined 145-6.
So it has either been a close game or a lopsided one for coach Brian Wright’s Timber Creek team.
The Chargers have gotten huge contributions from Oquendo and junior Reilly Hoffacker at quarterback. Hoffacker has thrown seven touchdown passes and Oquedo has thrown two.
Upton, with three touchdown receptions, has been part of a balanced receiving corps.
Senior Chase Conway, who has rushed for five touchdowns, has led a balanced ground game. As a linebacker, Conway has been one of the defensive leaders.
The Chargers will be on the road for their final two regular season games, at Williamstown (0-7) and Eastern.
Despite its record, Williamstown has played one of the tougher schedules in South Jersey and should be competitive.
After those two games, Timber Creek will compete in South Group 3, which always provides good competition. Delsea, the defending South Jersey Group 3 championship, will again be a formidable team.
With one championship earned, the Chargers will look for another. It won’t be easy, but the Chargers have overcome some difficult situations to put themselves in position to compete for a sectional championship.
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Author: Marc Narducci
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