South Jersey Football Championship Previews

There are teams from the seven-county South Jersey area playing in both the South Jersey and Central Jersey football championships this weekend. Here is a look at the five South Jersey public school title games. Teams’ seed is in parenthesis.

Friday, 6 p.m.

These two teams met in the regular season with Schalick earning a 41-20 win on Oct. 16. Pennsville scored a season-high in points during its 49-21 semifinal win over second-seeded Delaware Valley. Senior Jake Layfield threw for 209 yards and four touchdowns. In his first full season as the starting quarterback, Layfield has thrown for 2,270 yards and 22 touchdowns. Schalick is led by dual-threat junior quarterback Kenneth Bartee, who has thrown for 570 yards and three touchdowns and run for 1,488 yards and 21 scores. In the earlier win over Pennsville, Bartee rushed for 252 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries. He also completed 3 of 6 passes for 55 yards and a score.

Friday, 7 p.m.

West Deptford enjoyed a remarkable comeback in last week’s 14-10 semifinal win over Wall. Eagles running back Cole Paskiewicz scored on a 44-yard hook-and-ladder play in the final minute for the winning points. That completed a 99-yard drive for the Eagles. Paskiewicz has rushed for 1,344 yards and 20 touchdowns for a team that has one of the best running attacks in the state. Zamir Davis has rushed for 872 yards and 14 touchdowns. Eastside is coming off a 13-12 win over defending South Jersey Group 2 champion Haddonfield. The Tigers took advantage of two Haddonfield missed PATs. Iziah Guzman rushed for 114 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries to spark the win. Eastside has won nine in a row since suffering an opening day 37-28 loss to Philadelphia’s Simon Gratz.

Friday, 7 p.m.

Seneca is making its fifth straight appearance in a sectional final, still looking for its first crown. The Golden Eagles are led by senior quarterback and Marist commit Anthony Tirico. According to historian Chuck Langerman, Tirico is the all-time career total yards leader in the state. He has 11,180 career total yards. This year Tirico has thrown for 1,434 yards and 12 touchdowns and run for 1,600 yards and 22 scores. The Golden Eagles advanced with a 21-14 win over Timber Creek. Tirico broke a 14-14 tie with a 76-yard touchdown run. Pinelands advanced with a 13-7 overtime win over Oakcrest in the semifinal. Quarterback Jamie Jenkins’ 9-yard touchdown run in the extra period was the difference. Jenkins, like Tirico is a dual-threat, with 1,099 yards passing and 12 touchdowns and 495 yards rushing and six scores.

Friday, 6 p.m.

Winslow Township has won consecutive state Group 4 titles, but coach Bill Belton then left to take the same position at St. Augustine and several players also transferred. Still, the Eagles have returned to the sectional championship game after a 6-0 overtime semifinal win over Bridgeton on a 20-yard touchdown run by Trey Alexander. The Eagles have won three in a row, a streak that began with a 14-13 victory over Central Jersey Group 4 finalist Millville. Shawnee advanced with a 28-14 semifinal win over Marlboro. The Renegades have a potent ground attack, led by junior Cole Anderson, who has rushed for 1,714 yards and 20 touchdowns. In the win over Marlboro, he rushed for 232 yards and two touchdowns on 34 carries.

Friday, 6 p.m.

This is the fifth year of NJSIAA public school state championships and these two have won all four Group 5 state crowns. Toms River North won the first three titles, and Washington Township was last year’s champ. Washington Township has the current longest win streak in the state, 25 games. Jalen Parker, who helped lead Winslow Township to the previous two state Group 4 championships, missed the first four games for Washington Township due to NJSIAA transfer rules, but he has thrown for 1,210 yards and 20 touchdowns in seven games, and he has run for 442 yards and seven scores. The Minutemen have outscored South Brunswick and Eastern in two playoff games, 108-35. Toms River North is coming off a 31-6 semifinal win over Trenton. Senior Lucas Elias is the offensive leader. He has rushed for 1,144 yards and 15 touchdowns.