The Run Down

by Marc Narducci | Aug 12, 2024

The high school football season is right around the corner and one of the great opening-week events is the Battle at the Beach.

This year the first day’s action will be at Ocean City High, with the last two days at Egg Harbor Township.

There are 14 games over the three days, featuring 18 teams from the seven county South Jersey area.

Here is the schedule:

Thursday, Aug. 29 at Carey Stadium in Ocean City:

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

Friday, Aug. 30 at Egg Harbor Township High School:

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

Saturday, Aug. 31 at Egg Harbor Township High School:

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

Here are some of the highlights:

West Deptford opens the event by playing Manchester Township, which is coming off an 8-3 season. The storyline in this one is the debut of West Deptford coach John Emel, who had a successful decade guiding Penn’s Grove.

Junior QB Brady Cobb leads the West Deptford attack, while slot back Zamir Davis could be among the top sophomores in South Jersey.

Last year Mainland opened its season with a 26-7 win over Washington Twp in the Battle at the Beach. That win set the tone for a 14-0 season in which the Mustangs won the state Group 3 championship. This year Mainland will face an Atlantic City team coming off a 6-5 season. The Vikings feature one of South Jersey’s top players - wide receiver Sah’nye Degraffenreidt, who had 43 receptions for 1,009 yards and 14 touchdowns. Degraffenreidt is a Rutgers commit.

In the Millville-Holy Spirit game, fans will get to see yet another explosive receiver in Millville senior Lotzeir Brooks.

During his first three seasons Brooks has 51 touchdown receptions, which is a South Jersey record, according to historian Chuck Langerman.

Brooks is an Alabama commit.

Photo of Lotzeir Brooks of Millville / Marc Narducci

Article continues below

- Seizing the Moment

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- South Jersey Football Playoff Preview: Friday Games

It’s the opening of the playoffs in South Jersey football where teams need to win three games to a sectional title. Here is a look at all of the Friday games involving teams from the seven-county South Jersey area.

Author: Marc Narducci

The Run Down

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