Football Preview: A Look at South Jersey Group 1

Some teams have already started training camp for a South Jersey high school football season that will begin for some teams before the end of the month.

Here is our beginning look at the various Groups. This year, South and Central are together, so 16 teams will qualify in the South and then be broken up in two groups, South and Central.

Here are the teams, according to the NJSIAA, which released them last week. There are 31 teams competing for the 16 playoffs spots.

SOUTH GROUP 1
Asbury Park, Buena, Burlington City, Clayton, Florence, Gateway, Glassboro, Gloucester, Haddon Township, Highland Park, Keansburg, Keyport (co-op) Henry Hudson, Manville, Maple Shade, Middlesex, New Egypt, Overbrook, Palmyra, Paulsboro, Penns Grove, Pennsville, Pitman, Point Pleasant Beach, Riverside, Salem, Schalick, South Hunterdon, Wildwood, Willingboro, Woodbury, Woodstown.

Outlook: Since the advent of NJSIAA playoffs, Paulsboro has won 19 sectional titles, most by a South Jersey public school. The Red Raiders have won three of the past four after defeating Penns Grove, 34-24 in last year’s championship game.

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And the way things are looking, Paulsboro and Penns Grove could very well again be competing in the championship game.

Paulsboro coach Glenn Howard has long established himself as one of the best in South Jersey history. The Red Raiders will be strong on both sides of the ball, led by senior two-way linemen Robert Glocker (6-3, 280) and Douglas Blue-Eli (6-3, 310).

Glocker was an all-South Jersey performer on offense. He also contributed 50 tackles. Blue-Eli had 79 tackles and 10 tackles for loss.

Senior tight end-outside linebacker Santino Morina (6-1, 195) recorded 10 sacks and also had 16 receptions for 275 yards and four touchdowns.

Those are the three core players for a Paulsboro team that enters the season looking for a quarterback, but the Red Raiders should be major contenders.

So should Penns Grove, which has one of the best offenses in South Jersey.

Senior receiver-linebacker Tyreke Brown (6-1, 225) is one of the best athletes in South Jersey. Last season he rushed for 526 yards and 12 TDs and caught 43 passes for 1,125 yards and 15 TDs. He is also a terror on defense after recording 107 tackles.

Junior slot-defensive back Jamar Johnson earned all-conference honors on defense, and he rushed for 286 yards and 4 TDs and caught 47 passes for 599 yards and three TDs.

There are countless weapons on this team and junior quarterback Kavon Lewis (5-9, 150) runs the show. He threw for 2,949 yards and 34 TDs.

Among the other Group 1 contenders are Woodbury, Florence and Willingboro, to name a few.

Still, it would almost be a surprise if the same championship rematch from last year (Paulsboro vs. Penns Grove) occurs this season.

View South Jersey Group 2 here.

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Author: Marc Narducci; Photo by Marc Narducci