Football: New Top 25

By Phil Anastasia

By Phil Anastasia

Here's the new Top 25 in South Jersey football, as of Sunday, Nov. 16:

(Last week's rankings in parentheses)

1. St. Joseph (1) 9-0
Senior fullback/linebacker C.J. LaFragola has commtted to Brown University. St Joseph will play just one game in a 28-day stretch from Nov. 8 to Dec. 6. That's the result of both the loss of their Thanksgiving weekend rivalry with Hammonton and a bye in the first round of the NP 1 tournament. It would be nice to see the Wildcats busy in November, like other top teams, in the future. Next: Vs. Mater Dei (8-2) in NP 1 Saturday at 1.

2. Shawnee (2) 9-0
The Renegades are averaging 39.8 points. Senior Jake Parola (29) and junior Mike Welsh (11) have combined for 40 touchdowns. Shawnee has won 15 in a row. The narrowest margin of victory in that run was 10-7 over Hammonton in the first round of last year's SJ 4 tournament. Next: Vs. No. 20 Hammonton (7-3) in SJ 4 Friday at 7.

3. Timber Creek (3) 9-0
Junior LB Julian Mahan leads the Timber Creek defense with 90 tackles. Senior QB Khalil Trotman has 1,998 passing yards this season. According to SJ sports historian Chuck Langerman, Trotman is about to become the first New Jersey player to pass for more than 2,000 yards at two different schools. As a sophomore and junior at Burlington Twp., Trotman passed for more than 2,800 yards. He transferred to Timber Creek this season. Next: Vs. No. 13 Kingsway (6-3) in SJ 4 Friday at 7.

4. Haddonfield (4) 9-0
The Bulldogs have allowed a total of 14 points in their last five games. Buena will represented the fourth undefeated team that Haddonfield has faced in its last five playoff games. The Bulldogs beat the first three. Next: At No. 14 Buena (10-0) in SJ 2 Friday at 7.

5. West Deptford (7) 8-1
The Eagles have won their last five games by a combined score of 215-23. Senior fullback Kevin DeCaesar ran for 246 yard and 5 TDs in a 45-16 win over Glassboro on Friday. "I've been fortunate enough to coach a lot of great players," WD coach Clyde Folsom said of DeCaesar. "He ranks up there at the top of the list." Last weekend proved again that anything can happen. But it sure looks like West Deptford vs. Haddonfield again in the SJ 2 title game at Rowan. Next: Vs. No. 15 Collingswood (7-2) Friday at 7.

6. St. Augustine (8) 7-2
The Hermits are 23-7 in their first 30 games under coach Mark Reardon. The only public school to beat them? Cedar Creek. St. Augustine will visit Cedar Creek Saturday in a game that was moved up from Thanksgiving weekend as neither team has a playoff game next weekend. Next: At No. 25 Cedar Creek (7-2) Saturday at 1.

7. Holy Cross (9) 10-0
The Lancers have won their last three games by a combined score of 121-0. They face a challenge this weekend from a Holy Spirit team with a rich tradition. Holy Spirit and Holy Cross have won a combined six state titles since 2007. Next: Vs. Holy Spirit (4-5) in NP 2 Friday at 7.

8. Cherokee (11) 6-3
Sophomore Jon Lovett scored three TDs in a 45-28 win over Brick in the first round of the SJ 5 tournament on Friday. With TR North upsetting Lenape, Cherokee is looking at a run of four straight home games (Nov. 7 vs. CHE, Nov. 14 vs. Brick, Nov. 21 vs. TRN and Nov. 27 vs. Seneca) in November. That's clean living by P.J. Mehigan. Next: Vs. TR North (6-4) in SJ 5 Friday at 7.

9. Williamstown (12) 7-2
The Braves have won four in a row and allowed a total of three points in those games, with thee straight shutouts. Senior linemen David Sanchez and Paul Flagg, senior LB Jarius Ransom and senior backs Isaiah Perkins and Anthony Racobaldo are leading the defense. This team is miles ahead of the squad that lost 42-7 to Shawnee on opening night. Next: At No. 12 Rancocas Valley (7-2) in SJ 5 Friday at 7.

10. Lenape (6) 8-1
The Indians have allowed just 78 points, an average of 8.6 per game. They still have a lot on the line with their Thanksgiving game at No. 2 Shawnee. That could be a tricky game for the Renegades if they are preparing for the SJ 4 title game. Next: At No. 2 Shawnee (9-0) Nov. 27 at 10:30.

11. Camden (5) 8-1
In the last two seasons, Camden is 17-0 against WJFL teams and 0-2 against Colonial Conference teams. The Panthers dropped a 17-8 decision to Collingswood in the first round of SJ 2 on Friday night. "Take nothing away from Collingswood," Camden coach Dwayne Savage said in a text late Friday night. "They were the better team tonight." Next: Vs. Woodrow Wilson (2-7) Nov. 27 at 11.

12. Rancocas Valley (15) 7-2
The Red Devils won a game on their new home turf after dropping two in a row, beating Millville 52-29 in SJ 5 action on Friday. Senior RB Shaun Bradley ran for two TDs, giving him 13 for the season. Next: Vs. No. 9 Williamstown (7-2) in SJ 5 Friday at 7.

13. Kingsway (14) 6-3
The Dragons have won five in a row. Coach Tony Barchuk won the 200th game of his career as Kingsway beat Clearview 15-12 in the SJ 4 opener on Friday night. The Dragons face a familiar opening in the second round. Kingsway lost to Timber Creek in the playoffs in 2012 and 2013. Next: At No. 3 Timber Creek (9-0) in SJ 4 Friday at 7.
 
14. Buena (16) 10-0
The Chiefs have three players with double-digit touchdowns in Quadir Albright (17), Sam Crouch (12) and Tyler Rainer (10). Next: Vs. No. 4 Haddonfield (9-0) in SJ 2 Friday at 7.

15. Collingswood (NR) 7-2
Coach Jack McConnell said he told his players to relax and "be themselves" in Friday's game at Camden. It worked. Collingswood scored the stunner of the season with a 17-8 win over top-seeded and previously undefeated Camden. Senior QB Jordan Wallace scored two TDs on sneaks and senior OLB Marcquon Lawrence made the play of the game with a late Pick 6. Collingswood faces a daunting challenge in a visit to a West Deptford that scored a 34-7 victory over the Panthers on Oct. 31. WD has beaten Collingswood 16 times in a row since 1998. Next: At No. 5 West Deptford (8-1) Friday at 7.

16. Glassboro (10) 7-2
Senior WR Juwan Johnson caught two TD passes and ran for a two-point conversion in the 45-16 loss to West Deptford on Friday. Next: At Deptford (2-7) Nov. 27 at 10:30.

17. Camden Catholic (13) 7-2
Junior Jamal Parker, who returned a kickoff for a TD in the first half of Saturday's loss at St. Joseph of Montvale, has 11 touchdowns. Next: At No. 21 Paul VI (6-3) Nov. 26 at 7.

18. Bridgeton (17) 8-2
The Bulldogs have won seven in a row since a 27-26 loss to River Dell on a Hail Mary pass on the last play of the game on Sept. 26. Next: At No. 19 Delsea (6-4) Friday at 7

in SJ 3.

19. Delsea (18) 6-4
The Crusaders are angling for their third straight SJ 3 title. Next: Vs. No. 18 Bridgeton (8-2) in SJ 3 Friday at 7.

20. Hammonton (20) 7-3
The Bleu Devils snapped a three-game losing streak with a 25-18 victory over Triton in SJ 4 Friday night. That earned them a trip down Rt. 206 to Medford for a meeting with unbeaten Shawnee. Hammonton gave Shawnee all it could handle in a 10-7 game in last year's playoffs. Next: At No. 2 Shawnee (9-0) Friday at 7.

21. Paul VI (19) 6-3
Junior Matt Vitale has thrown 9 TD passes in the last two games. PVI's home game against rival Camden Camden on Thanksgiving eve could be one of the best games of that weekend. Both teams are explosive on offense and both know the outcome will go a long way toward defining their season. Next: Vs. No. 17 Camden Catholic (7-2) Nov. 26 at 7.

22. Cinnaminson (21) 8-1
The Pirates were a South Jersey 2 team until this season, when they were moved to Central Jersey 2. If they were still in SJ 2 this season, they would have tied Barnegat with 102 power points. One would have been the No. 7 seed, the other the No. 8. And Collingswood, with 96 power points, would not have made the field. Next: At Rumson Fair-Haven (7-2) in CJ 2 Friday at 7.

23. Burlington Twp. (22) 6-3
The Falcons have a big game remaining as they visit RV on Thanksgiving. Next: At No. 12 Rancocas Valley (7-2) Nov. 27 at 11.

24. Northern Burlington (25) 6-3
The Greyhounds have won 30 games since 2011. Next: At Pemberton (3-6) Nov. 27 at 11.

25. Cedar Creek (NR) 7-2
The Pirates have won five in a row by a combined score of 195-7 as sophomore quarterback Jesse Milza has thrown 14 touchdown passes and junior wide receiver Ahmir Mitchell has caught eight of them. Next: Vs. No. 6 St. Augustine (7-2) Saturday at 1.

Under consideration (listed alphabetically): Bordentown (6-3), Palmyra (8-1), Paulsboro

(7-2).

-- Contact Phil Anastasia at panastasia@phillynews.com

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