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September 28, 2005

Interesting football season developing

By TOM WILLIAMS
Sports Columnist


One third of the 2005 Cape-Atlantic League football regular season has been completed and some interesting things are developing.

First of all, it looks like the National Conference will again be decided on the night after Thanksgiving. Over the last 15 years, either St. Joseph or Hammonton has won or shared the conference championship. Altogether, St. Joe has won 12 titles and Hammonton has won or shared 18.

Unless Holy Spirit regroups and knocks off Hammonton or Buena steps it up when it meets the two favorites, the Nov. 26 game in Hammonton will again determine the champion.

But the American Conference is a different story. If you can sort that out at this early point, you should also be able to predict baseball’s playoff pairings.

Coming into the season, a consensus had six contenders in the eight-team conference. But one of the two teams not expected to contend – Oakcrest – has already beaten one of the contenders – Egg Harbor Township. And the Falcons had lost 14 straight conference games.

In addition, the other “non-contender” – Vineland – gave one of the contenders – Ocean City – a real game before losing by seven. Had the young Clan players made a few less mistakes, they also might have registered an early upset.

What all this means is that coaches in the American Conference can use that old cliché – “Anybody can beat anybody on any Friday night” – with a straight face this year.

Everybody seems to have legitimate weapons.

Absegami, probably the consensus favorite entering the season, returned quarterback Mike Isgro, who put up great numbers last year, along with wideout Lee Jones and young running backs Steve Hevalow and Keith Nelson.

Atlantic City, which shared the title with Gami last year, returns versatile running back Marshall Jones, quarterback Bruce Harris (though he might have suffered a season-ending injury last Friday), fullback Stephon Kent and South Jersey sprint champion Lindsey Shannon at wide receiver.

Egg Harbor Township returns Pierre Reid, who led the conference in rushing last year, along with Cedric Jeffries, who accepted a football scholarship to attend the University of Virginia.

Mainland offers Matt Flynn, who threw for 23 TDs a year ago and already has nine this season. His favorite target is Ryan Abdilla, who has caught seven touchdowns already. But K.J. Borlandoe and Hugh McLaughlin are other talented athletes who provide additional options for Flynn.

Millville’s returning trio of quarterback Bryan Pfirman, running back Charlie Patterson and wide receiver Dale Parris, has become a quartet with the emergence of sophomore running back Chris Church.

Oakcrest offers powerful running back LaQuan Lee and junior quarterback Chuck Core, who gained experience at the position last year. New head coach Clint Wiley has them lining up in the shotgun, spreading the defense, but still primarily running the ball.

Ocean City has three threats at running back in workhorse George Coccodrilli and speedsters A.J. Harris and Dan Bonato, plus a solid quarterback in Jordan Torroni and the league’s best tight end, Mike Hinsley.

And Vineland returns its leading ground gainer in junior Breeon Cobbs, plus a number of backs like senior Bruce Bartley, junior Robert Clarke and sophomore Tony Loatman, who can get to the end zone quickly from any spot on the field.

The bad news is that these teams might beat each other enough to reduce the number that qualify for the NJSIAA playoffs, especially among the Group 4 teams.

But the good news is that CAL fans will have a couple of exciting and significant games to watch every single weekend.



Read more of Tom Williams' columns