Trae Greene and David Green power Willingboro

Trae Greene was a tight end in youth football.

"Power blocking and all that," Greene said of those days.

Greene decided to try quarterback as a freshman at Willingboro. One of his best friends helped convince him of the wisdom of the move.

"I knew he could do it," David Green said.

During their high school careers, Greene and Green have developed into one of South Jersey's top pass-catch combinations.

Now seniors, the athletes with similar names and completely combatable games have led Willingboro on a four-game winning streak that has positioned the Chimeras among the top contenders in South Jersey Group 2.

"They have a great rapport with each other," Willingboro coach Steve Everett said. "They've been together for four years, and they're close with each other. It shows."

The 5-foot-11, 175-pound Greene has completed 74 of 132 passes (57 percent) for 1,064 yards and 12 touchdowns. The lefthander with the shoulder-length hair has thrown 10 touchdown passes in the four-game winning streak, including three each in victories over Delran and Ewing.

In last Saturday's 23-16 win over previously undefeated Woodrow Wilson, Greene was 14-for-25 for 250 yards and two touchdowns as Willingboro improved to 4-2 and moved into the No. 2 spot in power points in South Jersey Group 2.

"We knew we could do it," Greene said after the Chimeras' signature victory of the season. "There was a lot of talk about them having great players, great athletes, but I knew we had guys who could make plays against them."

Tops on the Chimeras' list of playmakers is the 6-foot-3, 205-pound Green, who might be among the state's most underrated players.

"I see all these lists, and anyone who doesn't think David Green is one of the best players in the state is not paying attention," Everett said. "He's special, and he plays some kind of angry."

Green has a scholarship offer from Navy. For the season, Green has 31 receptions for 515 yards (16.6-yard average) with seven touchdowns.

Green was at his best against Woodrow Wilson with eight catches for 171 yards and a score. He had receptions of 51, 39 and 35 yards and also made a diving catch of a 10-yard touchdown pass in the back of the end zone.

"I know no one can stop that guy," Greene said of Green.

The two athletes have developed a strong rapport on the field and off. Green said they have been best friends since they started talking NFL football in eighth grade.

"We've been doing it for four years, staying at each other's house, getting up in the morning, running routes, just working to get better," Green said. "We're always trying to get our timing right."

Greene said Green can adjust his routes based on his feel for the quarterback's intentions.

"We been through it all, seen it all, did it all," Greene said. "He knows exactly what I'm thinking."

The two grew closer, both as players and as friends, after spending a week this past summer at the Manning Passing Academy in Thibodaux, La.

Green said he worked with Oklahoma State star wide receiver Jalen McCleskey while Greene got instruction from top college and NFL quarterbacks.

"There were a lot of top college players, NFL players, to role-model us, teach us," Greene said, "It was really big learning session."