Football Preview: A Look at South Jersey Group 2

Football Preview: A Look at South Jersey Group 2 

Last season Haddonfield was the No. 6 seed and ended up winning the South Jersey Group 2 football title. The Bulldogs bring back a veteran team and will be among a number of contenders. Here is a look at Group 2.

With the new format, 16 teams from the South section will qualify for the postseason and then it will separate in a South and a Central bracket.

The field: Abraham Clark, Arthur L. Johnson, Audubon, Barnegat, Bernards, Bordentown, Camden, Cedar Creek, Cinnaminson, Collingswood, Delaware Valley, Delran, Haddon Heights, Haddonfield, Harrison, Hillside, Lincoln, Lindenwold, Lower Cape May, Manasquan, Metuchen, Middle Township, Newark Collegiate Charter, Pleasantville, Point Pleasant Borough, Shore Regional, South River, Spotswood, Sterling, West Deptford.

Outlook. Look for the usual contenders to emerge, namely Haddonfield and West Deptford, two WJFL Colonial rivals. Haddonfield has experienced unit back from last season. Leading the defense is senior end Gabe Klaus (6-2, 225), who had 11.5 sacks last season. He is also a big-blocking tight end on offense.

Senior WR-DB Davis Smith (6-2. 185) is one of the best two-way performers in Group 2. Smith broke his collarbone early in the season and returned before the postseason and made a major difference. The leader of the Bulldogs offense is senior quarterback Jay Foley, who threw 14 TDs last year and has one of the strongest arms in South Jersey.

Besides Smith, another favorite target of Foley’s, is his twin brother John Foley, an all-conference receiver.

Haddonfield also welcomes back some payers from injury, with the biggest name being senior RB-DB Chris Brown, who could be a game-breaker.

West Deptford, which won the WFJL Liberty and advanced to the SJ Group 2 final before losing to Haddonfield, will make another serious run in Group 2.

The biggest change is the retirement of Clyde Folsom, one of the top coaches in South Jersey history. Jason Morrell, who played with Folsom at West Deptford, takes over for his former coach.

Senior tight end-defensive end Jason Collier (6-7, 280) is an imposing figure on both sides of the ball. He has accepted a scholarship to the University of Pittsburgh.

Senior running back-defensive back Kenny Lim rushed for 1,055 yards and 14 TDs, despite missing substantial time due to injury.

Another team to watch is Camden, which is coming off an 8-2 season and has one of the top players in South Jersey in senior cornerback Donald Williams, who has committed to Rutgers.

Cinnaminson and Willingboro are among the other list of contenders with others possibly surfacing.

One of the most exciting players will be sophomore running back Johnny Martin, who was a 1,000-yard rusher during his freshman season.

View South Jersey Group 1 here.

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Author: Marc Narducci; Photo courtesy of Marc Narducci