Quarterback Ryan Bender completed 13 of 17 passes for 188 yards and a pair of touchdown passes in the second quarter to lead the Cherokee High School football team to beat St. Augustine, 20-14, in a contest of the American Division of the West Jersey Football League on Friday night. .
The Chiefs (1-2) scored 20 unanswered points in the second quarter to erase a 7-0 lead at St. Augustine. Bender, a junior, hit Trent Osborn on a 63-yard touchdown pass and then hit Murad Campfield on a 25-yard touchdown throw.
Campfield opened the scoring for Cherokee with a 6-yard run.
The Hermits (1-2) jumped out to a first-quarter lead on Tristan McLeer’s 2-yard run. The junior charged 19 times for 85 yards with five receptions for 45 yards. St. Augustine’s Na’Cire Christmas returned a 98-yard touchdown kick in the third quarter to cut the Hermits’ deficit to 20-14.
Saint Joseph 30, Holy Spirit 26: The Wildcats got their first victory over Holy Spirit since 2019 thanks in large part to Nasir Mahmoud, who scored on a 46-yard touchdown run and then added a 52-yard touchdown reception from quarterback Jimmy Mantuano.
St. Joseph capitalized on some big plays, including an 86-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by Jamaad Davis and a 44-yard pick-six by Richard Chandler.
Holy Spirit quarterback Sean Burns threw three touchdown passes in the loss.
Millville 49, Williamstown 28: Lotzeir Brooks found the end zone three times, each in a different way, as the Bolts (2-1) rallied to find the victory column.
Brooks scored on a 60-yard run in the first quarter, a 32-yard reception in the second quarter and capped a big night with a 22-yard pick-six.
Naeem Sharp also had a standout game for Millville, scoring on runs of 6 and 39 yards.
Zach Zerbe had a pair of touchdown runs in the second quarter for Williamstown (1-2).
Shawnee 14, Lenape 3: Quarterback Joe Papa threw for 91 yards and a touchdown while adding 82 rushing yards in Shawnee’s victory.
Dad found Ethan Krauss for an 11-yard touchdown pass, while Jimmy Potter rushed for 69 yards, including a 12-yard touchdown run, in the Renegades’ win.
Vineland 34, Clearview 14: Zha’Vian Diaz returned a 45-yard interception for a touchdown on the first play from scrimmage for Vineland, who threw a second-half shutout in the win over Clearview.
Fighting Clan quarterback Daniel Russo threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to James Hitchens Jr. and then added a 1-yard touchdown run. Charles Clark found the end zone with a 20-yard run and DJ Clark capped the scoring with a 1-yard run for Vineland.
Clearview led 14-13 at halftime on 2-yard touchdown runs by Tyler Dell and Anthony Salerno.
Kingsway 24, Washington Township 10: The Dragons defense played with a lot of fire, generating four points, including two that turned into touchdowns, as the defending Group 5 sectional champions rebounded from a season-opening loss with an impressive victory over the visiting Minutemen.
Senior defensive end Carter Williams set the tone early on, taking the ball from the quarterback and returning the ball 30 yards for a touchdown on the first possession of the game. Junior linebacker Luke Van Brill froze the game in the fourth quarter with a pick-6.
Kingsway linebacker DJ DiPietro made a game-high 23 tackles, an area the defense really struggled with in Week 1.
Delsea 35, Winslow 21: Jared Schoppe had 136 scrimmage yards and 3 touchdowns and Dom Teti had an 82-yard kickoff return for a touchdown late in the third quarter as the Crusaders held Winslow on Friday night.
Delsea made a save at 4-and-1 midway through the fourth quarter to preserve a 28-21 lead, and Zach Maxwell ended the game on the ensuing drive with a 23-yard run with 91 seconds remaining.
Penn State head coach James Franklin helicoptered into Delsea midway through the first quarter and watched the Nittany Lions commit Ejani Shakir for a touchdown and shine with 12 receptions for 129 yards in the loss.
Hammonton 40, Highland 7: The Blue Devils (3-0) totaled 359 rushing yards, 59 of which came on their first play: a run from the belly of sophomore Kenny Smith, who later scored from 66 yards. Junior Lucas Goehringer added a 76-yard touchdown run on his way to 105 yards on seven carries. Freshman Nakeem Powell caught a 37-yard touchdown pass from Billy Way and added 84 rushing yards and a touchdown.
Moorestown 24, Burlington North 21 (OT): A 26-yard field goal by Elias Diamantakas gave Moorestown a 24-21 victory over Northern Burlington on Friday night to keep the Quakers undefeated.
The Greyhounds tied the score with eight seconds remaining on a touchdown pass and two-point conversion by Clark Norway. Northern Burlington saw a 39-yard field goal attempt that would have sent the game into a second overtime sailing to the left.
Gloucester 35, Overbrook 0: Jacob Zearfoss scored on carries of 9 and 52 yards, while Mason Widman also found ground on a 7-yard run.
The Lions didn’t just find success on the field. John Daily opened the scoring with an 89-yard kickoff return and quarterback Jake Seibert threw a 46-yard touchdown pass to Trevin Burkhardt.
Continent 49, Oakcrest 0: Mustangs running back Ja’Briel Mace had six touchdowns, five in the first half, and had 207 rushing yards in the win.
Pitman 21, Cumberland 20: Kyle Kubat accounted for three touchdowns, including a 57-yard rushing and 21-yard touchdown pass to Porter Kostiuk in Pitman’s victory. Kubat also scored on a 1-yard run. Kyon Barnes had a 60-yard touchdown run in the loss.
Cinnaminson 34, New Egypt 7: Eddie Davis and Kyle Willis each had a rushing and receiving touchdown in the Pirates’ win. Davis scored on a 62-yard run and 15-yard reception, while Willis found the end zone on a 7-yard run and 40-yard reception. Jack Zarnawski threw for two touchdowns in the victory. Immanuel Brown opened Cinnaminson’s recording with a 25-yard interception return. Gavin Morrow accounted for New Egypt’s only touchdown on a 5-yard run.