South Jersey Football Games of the Week
The South Jersey high school football season is here with its opening day on Thursday. Games at the three-day Battle at the Beach, which will be played Thursday at Ocean City, and Friday and Saturday at Rowan University, highlight the opening week action.
Thursday, Aug. 28
Winslow Township (14-0) vs. IMG Academy, Fla. (7-2), 7 p.m. at Ocean City H.S. This is the final game of Thursday’s Battle At The Beach. Winslow Township is the defending state Group 4 champion and the consensus No. 1 team in South Jersey. The Eagles are led by junior quarterback Jalen Parker, who threw for 2,916 yards and 43 touchdowns. Senior running back NaKeem Powell is a Delaware commit, who rushed for 478 yards (5.2 avg.) and seven touchdowns. Classmate Nyqir Helton, a Boston College commit, had 47 receptions for 852 yards and 13 touchdowns. Newcomer Quayd Hendryx, a transfer from Burlington Township, should give the Eagles one of the state’s best receiving duos. Senior cornerback Julian Peterson is a Penn State commit. The question is whether Winslow Township can stop the IMG offense. IMG is already 2-0 this season after last week’s 34-13 win over Hoover, Alabama. The Ascenders are led defensively by edge Jake Kreul (6-3, 230), an Oklahoma commit. Offensive lineman Keenyi Pepe (6-7, 325) is a USC commit. Running back Le’Khy Thompkins, a Louisville commit, scored three touchdowns in last week’s win over Hoover. This is a team that recruits nationally and will be a major test for a talented Winslow Township team.
Friday, Aug. 29
Millville (10-3) vs. Rancocas Valley (9-3), 7:30 p.m. Rowan University. This is Friday’s final game in the Battle At The Beach. Rancocas Valley lost to three-time defending state champion Toms River North in last year’s South Jersey Group 5 championship. The Red Devils have one of South Jersey’s best quarterbacks in Sayvien Adams, a Monmouth commit, who passed for 2,134 yards and 26 touchdowns and rushed for 1,036 yards and eight scores. Millville is the defending Central Jersey Group 4 champion. The Thunderbolts lost to Winslow Township, 13-7, in the state Group 4 semifinal. Millville linebacker Jayden Jones, a UConn commit, is considered among the top players in South Jersey. Last season he had 14 tackles for loss, including six sacks. How Jones and the Millville defense is able to contain Adams, will be the key to this game.
Saturday, Aug. 30
Delran (9-2) vs. Bridgeton (6-4), 12:45 at Rowan University. Delran advanced to the Central Jersey Group 2 semifinal before being defeated by Rumson-Fair Haven. Leading Delran is one of South Jersey’s top quarterbacks, senior Vinny Sacca, who threw for 1,258 yards and 16 touchdowns. Bridgeton finished 6-4 and returned a large contingent of starters on both sides of the ball. Senior Jeremiah Russell is among the top athletes in South Jersey and could play a variety of positions. Last year he had 55 tackles and five interceptions, while catching 15 passes for 397 yards and six touchdowns and rushing for 210 yards and three scores.
Haddonfield (7-4) vs. Glassboro (13-0), 6:15 at Rowan University. This is the final of the Battle At The Beach. Glassboro is the defending state Group 1 champion. The Bulldogs have two of the most dynamic players in South Jersey in brothers Amari Sabb, a senior and Xavier Sabb, a junior. Last year Amari Sabb had 62 receptions for 1,116 yards and 13 touchdowns. Xavier Sabb had 48 receptions for 843 yards and 12 scores. The Sabbs are also top-flight defensive backs. Senior Brandon Simmons, an Eastern Michigan commit, had 20 sacks. Haddonfield returns most of its starters from a team that lost to Wall, 20-7, in the South Jersey Group 2 semifinals. Quarterback Van Lefakis threw for 1189 yards and 12 touchdowns. The key will be whether Haddonfield can limit the big-play from Glassboro.
Photo: Winslow Township QB Jalen Parker / Marc Narducci
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Author: Marc Narducci
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