OCHS boys soccer advances in Group 3
November 1, 2019
A dozen area teams set for football playoffs
November 3, 2019

VIDEO, PHOTO GALLERY: Warriors show spunk in latest loss

Wildwood's Jayden Young leaps over teammate Joe Awad in an attempt to gain more yards on a kickoff return.

  • Wildwood's Mike Ashton tries to block after teammate Karl Brown is stood up after catching a pass and gaining 11 yards.
  • Wildwood lineman Cody Koelle wraps up a Maple Shade player.
  • Wildwood coach Ken Loomis questions a call made by the officials.
  • Wildwood's Ernie Troiano lunges forward for extra yards.
  • Wildwood's Max McGrath punts.
  • Wildwood quarterback Ernie Troiano fires downfield.
  • Wildwood's Jayden Young leaps over teammate Joe Awad in an attempt to gain more yards on a kickoff return.
  • Wildwood's Karl Brown is held while trying to make a play on a Maple Shade runner.

By BRIAN CUNNIFF

WILDWOOD — Ernie Troiano IV wasn’t going to be denied.

“There was no way I wasn’t scoring,” the sophomore quarterback from the Wildwood High School football team said.

Troiano ran around left tackle, stuck his head down and barreled into the end zone from one yard out with 4 minutes, 50 seconds to play in the third quarter against Maple Shade Saturday.

His touchdown, coupled with the ensuing two-point conversion run, still left the Warriors trailing, 31-8, in a game they’d eventually lose by a score of 37-8. But Troiano’s scoring run was a breakthrough for Wildwood, which hadn’t scored an offensive touchdown all season entering the game.

It’s progress for a team that has been beaten up — both literally on the field and, at times, figuratively in the community, all season.

The touchdown rewarded the Warriors for a solid effort against a Maple Shade team that picked up its sixth victory of the season.

“I think our effort was great,” Wildwood coach Ken Loomis said. “It was Senior Day, it was our Homecoming, it’s great weather on a Saturday … our energy was there. The only things that hurt us today were mistakes and the weight room. But our effort today was what we need.”

Wildwood (0-8) moved the ball well for much of the game. In addition to the touchdown, the Warriors advanced inside Maple Shade’s 10-yard line on two other possessions, only to have Troiano toss two interceptions.

“I was mad at myself at those interceptions,” Troiano said. “I knew I had to at least get in the end zone to make up for them.”

Trailing 31-0 at the half, Wildwood’s Max McGrath gave his team a spark by recovering an onside kick to start the second half. The Warriors promptly marched down the field. A circus catch by Greg Mitchell on fourth down and a roughing the passer penalty on the same play gave Wildwood a first and goal at the 2-yard line. Troiano ran in two plays later.

The Warriors also forced a fumble on the next Maple Shade possession but turned the ball over on downs. In the fourth quarter, Mitchell sacked the Maple Shade quarterback on fourth down to give Wildwood the ball inside the Maple Shade 20-yard line. Another interception followed a few plays later, however.

But, again, progress.

“We stayed motivated the whole game,” said Troiano, who accounted for a combined 170 yards of passing and rushing despite playing with two broken fingers. “We were moving the ball down the field a lot, but we just had a couple mistakes.”

In the post-game huddle, Loomis told his players he was proud of their effort, particularly in the second half. The challenge now, he said later, is for them to duplicate that effort in every game while improving as football players.

“If we had that kind of effort in every game, I think we’d have two or three wins right now,” Loomis said. “The effort was great. It was a beautiful effort and that’s what I knew we could put forth. But we have to do it in every game, on every play, on every practice and every time we’re in the weight room.”

Wildwood finishes the season Wednesday at Pitman. They’ll look for more progress.

“We’re a better football team than we were early in the season,” Troiano said. “That’s important.”