Haddon Heights spoils it for Collingswood

The day belonged to Collingswood.

The game belonged to Haddon Heights.

On the occasion of Collingswood's celebration of 100 years of football, the visiting Garnets crashed the party with a 20-7 win yesterday in a Colonial Conference Liberty Division game.

Junior Josh Johnson ran for 144 yards and two touchdowns behind a dominating offensive line, and the Haddon Heights defense allowed just five first downs as the Garnets evened their record at 2-2.

"The offensive linemen kept saying, 'Josh, we're going to get you in the end zone,' " Johnson said. "I said, 'Let's not talk about it, let's be about it.' They're all good blockers."

The game was part of Collingswood's commemoration of one of South Jersey's most fabled football programs. The events included a pregame reception, followed by an introduction of all former players in attendance, announced by decades.

Collingswood's current players wore replica uniforms from the 1936 season.

"This was a good experience for our kids," Collingswood coach Bob Barikian said after his team's record dropped to 1-3. "They got to meet a lot of the older players and really got a sense of what Collingswood football is all about."

Haddon Heights seized command from the start, as sophomore Mike Pitts returned the opening kickoff 68 yards to the Collingswood 17. Five plays later, the Garnets were looking at fourth and goal from the 18, and sophomore quarterback Jim Liquori lofted a fade pass that sophomore wide receiver Darius Jones caught in the end zone.

"We have them stopped and they convert a fourth and 18," Barikian said. "It's little things like that, a play here and there, that are killing us."

Johnson scored on a 18-yard burst around left end early in the second quarter.

Collingswood got on the board midway through the third quarter when Bryant Carter scooped up a fumble and raced 36 yards for a TD. In the fourth, Haddon Heights sealed the game with a 17-play drive that took nearly 10 minutes.

"We knew there would be a lot of emotion," said Haddon Heights coach Tim George, a Collingswood graduate and former player. "But our Thanksgiving Day rivalry with Haddonfield is the biggest thing around, so we told our players to just expect a big crowd and play through it. They rose up to it."

Haddon Heights 7 7 0 6 - 20

Collingswood 0 0 7 0 - 7

HH: Jones 18 pass from Liquori (Madiraca kick)

HH: Johnson 18 run (Madiraca kick)

C: Carter 36 fumble return (Fernandez kick)

HH: Johnson 2 run (kick blocked)