South Jersey football: Williamstown, Penns Grove, Willingboro look to repeat as sectional champions

By the end of this weekend, some South Jersey football teams will be crowned champions of the sectional playoffs.

Teams like Willingboro, Penns Grove, and Williamstown could repeat as champs while schools such as Ocean City and Cedar Creek will hope to earn their first sectional titles in quite some time.

Here’s a preview of every playoff game this weekend in South Jersey:

Willingboro (10-1) will look to win its second straight Central title against Salem (8-3) on Friday. After losing their first game of the season to Cedar Creek, the Chimeras have won 10 straight and are averaging 42.2 points per game in that stretch.

The Rams will have their hands full defending Willingboro’s quarterback-wideout tandem of junior Ah-Shaun Davis and senior Chris Long, a Temple recruit. The duo has hooked up for 16 touchdown passes this season.

The South Group 1 championship game between Penns Grove (11-0) and Paulsboro (8-2) on Saturday could be settled between two running backs.

The Red Devils, who have won 24 games in a row, are led by junior running back Nasir Robinson. He has rushed for a school-record 1,396 yards, according to sports historian Chuck Langerman, and 27 touchdowns.

Red Raiders junior running back Bhayshul Tuten has 1,334 rushing yards and 24 rushing scores. He has scored four touchdowns or more in five games this season.

Penns Grove is the reigning South Group 2 champ.

Cedar Creek, which is on a five-game winning streak, will take on Camden (8-2) in the sectional title game. The Pirates (9-2) are in the game for the first time since 2016, when they lost, 19-13, to West Deptford.

Camden moved on with a 22-0 victory over Pleasantville. The game resumed on Wednesday at Lincoln Financial Field after gunshots rang out during the second half of the game last week.

Duce Chestnut and DaShaun Harris scored rushing touchdowns for the Panthers.

Last week, senior running back Tyshawn Bookman told The Inquirer that he and his teammates on West Deptford (9-1) were motivated to move past the semifinals after last year’s loss.

The Eagles did that in a 56-17 victory over Delran to advance and play Hillside in the final on Friday. A win would be West Deptford’s eighth sectional title since 2002.

Woodrow Wilson sophomore quarterback Devin Kargman is trying to follow his brother’s footsteps.

Last year, Nick Kargman threw three touchdown passes to lead the Tigers (7-2) to a 22-14 win over Burlington Township in the South Group 3 championship.

On Saturday, Devin Kargman will attempt to replicate his brother’s performance against Somerville in the same sectional championship game. He’s coming off a 42-0 victory over Holmdel when he threw for 449 yards and four touchdowns.

Hammonton (9-2) enters the title game against Jackson Memorial on an eight-game winning streak.

The Blue Devils, the No. 1 seed in the bracket, overcame a 21-14 deficit against Middletown South to advance to the sectional final. Senior running back Caleb Narty scored three second-half touchdowns, including two passing scores from senior quarterback Ryan Barts, to help Hammonton pull away with the win.

Hammonton will also feed junior running back Jaiden Abrams the rock. He has 1,647 rushing yards on 225 carries and 18 touchdowns.

Shawnee (8-2), the No. 1 seed, will have a chance to win its third straight sectional final against Ocean City on Friday.

But, Ocean City (8-2) might have another upset up its sleeve.

The Red Raiders, the No. 7 seed, beat second-seeded Mainland in the quarterfinals to move on in the playoffs. Ocean City junior quarterback Joe Repetti has thrown for 18 touchdown passes in his first year as the starter.

Cherokee (5-5) and Kingsway (6-4) have taken similar paths in the playoffs.

The Chiefs, the No. 5 seed in the bracket, upset No. 1 seed North Brunswick, 41-25, in the semifinals.

The Dragons, who are the No. 6 seed, defeated Toms River North, 19-14, to move on.

Now, Cherokee and Kingsway will face each other in the final on Friday. May the best underdog win.

Williamstown (10-1) and Lenape, the Nos. 1 and 2 seeds in the tournament, will play in the sectional title game on Friday. It’s a rematch from the regular season when the Braves edged Lenape, 28-21, in September.

In that contest, Williamstown bottled up Lenape’s junior running backs. Hamza Bruce had 49 yards on 14 carries and Xavier Coleman had 12 yards on four touches.

The Braves also found success through the air during that contest. Junior quarterback Doug Brown connected with senior Jon Wood for two scores.

Williamstown is seeking its second straight sectional title, while Lenape (9-1) is trying to retake the trophy it won in 2017.

St. Joseph (8-1) will play Morris Catholic on Saturday. The Wildcats, who are the No. 1 seed in the bracket, were off for two straight weekends because of a double bye in Non-Public 2 tournament play. St. Joseph’s last game was against Holy Spirit, a 22-19, victory on Nov. 2.

Speaking of Holy Spirit, the Spartans will take on Hudson Catholic on Friday in other Non-Public Group 2 action. With a victory over Hudson Catholic, the Spartans (5-4) could look to avenge their loss against the Wildcats in the championship game on Nov. 29.

In October, St. Augustine junior linebacker and running back Angelo Vokolos told The Inquirer that he thinks the Hermits can play the teams up north. So far, he’s been right.

St. Augustine (7-3) defeated Seton Hall Prep, 20-15, in the quarterfinals last week. Junior wideout Carnell Davis hauled in a touchdown pass from sophomore quarterback Austin Leyman to regain the lead.

Vokolos and the Hermits will get a chance to beat another team from North Jersey when they face St. Peter’s Prep on Friday in the Non-Public Group 4 semifinals.

St. Augustine started off the year slow but is on a six-game winning streak entering Friday’s game.