VIDEO: LCM shuts out Pitman, is over .500 in October for first time in 7 years
October 5, 2018
One of county’s all-time great soccer players passes
October 8, 2018

Week 5 Football Notes: QBs steal the spotlight and new NJSIAA football numbers

By TOM WILLIAMS

Quarterbacks stole the spotlight this weekend among football teams at Cape-Atlantic League schools in different ways.

Ryan Yost of Holy Spirit and Ed Jamison of Millville each tied a record for a CAL quarterback with five touchdown passes. The first person to do that was Holy Spirit’s Fred Dalzell against St. James in 1968 (that’s 50 years ago!!!). Dalzell was the guy who guided the Spartans to their first win over Atlantic City in a long time who now wastes six months of the year rooting for the Pittsburgh Pirates and continues to battle Steve Parker for the longest drive off the tee.

Others to throw five in a game include Mainland’s Matt Flynn, Middle Township’s Nolan Quinn, Ocean City’s Chris Curran, Jose Tabora of St. Augustine and Absegami’s Andrew Marcucci.

In addition to the record-tying tosses by Yost and Jamison (who set a new Millville single-game record for passing yardage), Absegami freshman Ray Weed moved to quarterback and threw a pair of TDs while running for one; Pleasantville’s Brian Stalworth filled in at QB for the injured Sahmir Jones and threw three touchdowns; and Chris Allen of St. Augustine threw two touchdowns, both to Jaylan DeCoteau. Allen has six TD passes this season, all to DeCoteau, who leads CAL receivers with those six scoring catches.

Check out all the CAL scoring leaders at http://www.primeevents.net/FootballScoring2018.html.

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Speaking of St. Augustine, congratulations to Pete Lancetta who won his 224th game on Friday to move into No. 7 all-time among South Jersey football coaches. No. 6 is former Delsea coach John Oberg with 230. Lancetta notched 215 of his wins at Hammonton.

The other coaches ahead of Lancetta are Paul Sacco of St. Joseph, Joe Frappolli of Florence, Glenn Howard of Paulsboro, former West Deptford coach Clyde Folsom and Tim Gushue of Shawnee. It would be very hard to find a more accomplished group than those guys.

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There is not much change in the United Power Ratings (UPR) – the combination of the Born Index and the NJSIAA power points – this week. That is what determines qualifiers and seeding for the NJSIAA football playoffs.

This breakdown is compiled by Will Morris, the Malaga Math Master. His scores are a bit different than what you might see from other media because he takes into consideration the points a team is guaranteed in future weeks and uses a geographic score to separate South from Central.

If the South Jersey public school playoffs were this week, No. 4 seeded Vineland would host Kingsway in Group 5; No. 1 Millville would host No. 8 Mainland and No. 4 Ocean City would host Hammonton in Group 4; No. 6 Oakcrest would travel to Timber Creek in Group 3; No. 2 Pleasantville would host No. 5 Cedar Creek in Group 2; and No. 4 Buena would host Woodbury in Group 1.

Among the Non-Publics, No. 1 St. Joseph would host the St. Mary-Immaculate Conception winner in Non-Public 2 and No. 2 Holy Spirit would host the Gloucester Catholic-Montclair Kimberley winner.

St. Augustine Prep will play in Non-Public 4 but the final seeding in that group will be done by a committee, using the UPR as a guide. St. Augustine’s rating is currently No. 4 in the group.

In a couple of interesting South Jersey ratings stories – Cherokee would be the No. 8 seed in Group 5 despite its 0-5 record; Paulsboro, which has won three of the last four South Jersey Group 1 titles and 19 overall, would be in the Central Jersey playoffs; and Williamstown and Millville share the best current United Power Rating among traditional South Jersey schools.

Final ratings will be based on games played through the end of October. The South Jersey champions will be determined by playoff games played the first three weekends of November.

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Williamstown, No. 1 in the Online 25, played the last game of the weekend, a comfortable win over Cherokee, which is 0-5 for the first time since 1976. There are some changes in the ranking of South Jersey’s best teams but the biggest gain was by Millville.

The complete Online 25, including each team’s next opponent, can be found at http://www.primeevents.net/FootballScoring2018.html.

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With its win over Pitman on Friday, Lower Cape May moved its record above .500 after playing multiple games for the first time since beating Wildwood on Sept. 30, 2011. The Tigers will play Wildwood again on Friday and should be favored to win and move two games above .500. Wildwood has lost 32 straight since beating Pleasantville on Nov. 13, 2014.

Elsewhere, Cherry Hill East snapped its 32-game losing streak on Saturday. East will be hoping to start a winning streak on Friday with a game at Egg Harbor Township. The Eagles will be trying to end a four-game losing streak.

Oakcrest dropped a 3-0 decision to Mainland on Friday, about a week after beating Middle Township, 3-0. You can probably look a long time before finding a team that played back-to-back 3-0 games.

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Speaking of Oakcrest, somebody has to figure out a way to get a new field for them in Mays Landing.

For the last two weeks that field has been in terrible shape. It could use new sod or, better yet, a turf surface.

A few years ago a bond issue was offered to lay down turf fields at Oakcrest, Absegami and Cedar Creek. It was voted down. Not sure that the need is as great at Absegami or Cedar Creek but Oakcrest needs a new field. Turf is not just something that makes four or five home football games safer and more enjoyable, it also opens up most of the athletic program and community recreation to new options.

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Holy Spirit at St. Augustine Prep highlights this weekend’s Friday night schedule and West Deptford at St. Joseph is the big area game on Saturday.

Later this month (the 19th), Pleasantville and Buena should decide the West Jersey Football League’s United Division title. Both have five-game win streaks.

Also on the 19th, Holy Spirit and Kingsway should decide the Royal Division title in a game in Woolwich Township; St. Joseph will look to wrap up the Continental Division championship at Timber Creek; and Ocean City will play Oakcrest to seek the chance to play Mainland on the 26th for the Independence Division crown.

Also on the 26th, St. Augustine will travel to Williamstown to play the Braves for the championship of the WJFL American Division.

Standings, schedules and results are all at http://www.primeevents.net/FootballStandings2018.html.

Lots of important football coming in October.