Countdown to Kickoff: Cherokee

(Another in a series of South Jersey high school football previews)

Cherokee

Conference: WJFL American.

Group: South Jersey 5.

Last year: 8-3 overall, 4-1 and tied for first in American Division.

Coach: P.J. Mehigan (122-34 entering his 15th season).

Last five years: 8-3, 9-3, 11-1, 6-4, 7-3.

Schedule: at Shawnee, Timber Creek, Kingsway, at Hammonton, Paul VI, Washington Twp., at Lenape, at Williamstown, Seneca (Thanksgiving).

Outlook: The Chiefs are primed for another run at division and sectional titles. This is a team with an experienced group of talented seniors. Cherokee won the SJ 5 title in 2013 and 2014 and this team is capable of making it three-out-of-four for one of the area's top programs. Leading the way will be seniors such as RB/DB John Lovett (6-0, 200), a Rutgers recruit, and WR/DB Mike Bowers (6-2, 180), a Monmouth recruit. TE/DE Steve Gervasi (6-3, 220) and QB Jake Bodine (6-0, 180) are other key seniors.

The team has talent, size and experience along both lines with standout seniors such as OL Brian Stickney (5-11, 230) and DL Mike Pawlowski (6-2, 210). Junior DL Andrew Cardinali (6-0, 190) is a player to watch along with junior OL Pat McKenna (5-10, 230) and senior DB Connor Ashton (5-10, 175), a veteran leader of the secondary. Junior Ethan McCarren (5-9, 185) is one of South Jersey's top kickers.

Schedule analysis: The Chiefs will be challenged out of the gate with a visit to arch-rival Shawnee followed by the home opener against Timber Creek in a clash of two teams likely to be ranked among the Top 3 in South Jersey. The game against Paul VI will mark the first time in several seasons that Cherokee has faced a non-public foe. The Nov. 4 visit to Williamstown looms large as that weekend will be the playoff cutoff and the game likely will have major SJ 5 tournament implications.

Player to watch: Bodine split time with veteran Evan Powell last season but ended up taking most of the snaps as Powell was more focused on defense and also missed time with an injury. Bodine completed 52 of 87 passes for 772 yards and 9 TDs. He's an accurate passer with good pocket presence. He can scramble, too, showing a willingness in a recent scrimmage against St. Augustine to battle for extra yarrdage. Cherokee is a run-first offense and with Lovett, the Chiefs are not likely to stray far from that approach. But Mehigan knows the Chiefs have to mix in a few passes to keep defenses honest and also to deal with long-yardage, late-in-the-half and behind-in-the-score situations. Bodine has top weapons in Gervasi and Bowers. Cherokee will throw this season. Bodine said his parents are teachers at Cherokee and he grew up watching the Chiefs and dreaming of playing for the program. "I remember seeing those guys and thinking, 'I want to be like them someday,'" Bodine said. "Now here I am."

Fast fact: Cherokee has won five South Jersey titles since 2005.

The last word: "Expect big things from us," Bowers said of the Chiefs in 2016.

-- Contact Phil Anastasia at panastasia@phillynews.com

-- Follow @PhilAnastasia on Twitter

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