Devin Leary has record night with touchdowns and yards in Timber Creek victory

After another record-breaking performance, Devin Leary thanked his offensive line, his receivers and his coaching staff.

His grandfather taught him that.

"He was the most self-less person I ever met," Timber Creek's sensational senior quarterback said of his grandfather, Jim Leary, who died this week from cancer at the age of 76. "He put everybody before himself. He always used to tell me, 'When you're getting interviewed, always talk about your linemen, your receivers, and your coaches before yourself.'"

Leary did the man he called 'Pop' proud after the game.

He did him proud during the game as well.

That was no run-of-the-mill record that Leary set in the course of visiting Timber Creek's 35-10 victory over Williamstown in a West Jersey Football League cross-over game.

Leary finished the cool, clear Friday night with 8,783 career passing yards, tops on the state list. He also tied the state record for career touchdown passes with 96.

"Honestly, I didn't even know what I needed," Leary said. "I thought I needed one touchdown pass and like 200 yards. My mom (Lori) knew but she didn't tell me."
Leary was 20-for-37 passing for 288 yards and two touchdowns. He threw a 92-yard scoring pass to sophomore Tarheeb Still and a 42-yard scoring pass to senior Mike Johnson, both in the first half.

"He had it all on his shoulders," Timber Creek coach Rob Hinson said of Leary. "We really didn't executed in the running game, so he had it all on him football-wise. And the adversity that he faced this week, to do what he did, he's just something special."

Said Johnson, one of Leary' closest friends: "It's unbelievable. He's the best at what he does. But it's just the leadership that he has, everything that he's persevered through, just his humbleness."

Johnson caught six passes for 102 yards and a touchdown and senior Kyle Dobbins ran for a score and made a diving interception for Timber Creek (7-0), the No. 1 team in the Inquirer Top 25.

The Chargers also extended their winning streak to 23 games, one short of the Camden County record of 24 set by Collingswood in 1934.

"That's the only record I care about, the winning streak," Leary said.

It was bittersweet night for Leary at the end of a draining week.

He said his grandfather was a regular at his games "from the time I started playing."

Jim Leary last saw his grandson play Oct. 6 in a 47-3 win over Eastern.

Devin Leary said his grandfather was on his mind before, during and after the game.

"I prayed to him before the game," Leary said. "I prayed to him during the game and I prayed to him after the game. I thought about him a lot."
Jim Leary was a long-time coach for the Bellmawr Purple Eagles youth football program. He also was a past president of the Garden State Football League.
Jim Leary moved to North Wildwood and his grandchildren, including Devin Leary and his cousin, St. Joseph center Tucker Monico, were regular visitors to the beach house on 10th Avenue.

"He never thought of himself," Leary said of his grandfather. "In the summer, we wanted to have a benefit for him at Keenan's. But we had to keep it from him because if he found out, he would have canceled it."

Johnson said Leary didn't talk much about losing his grandfather this week.

"He kept to himself," Johnson said. "He dealt with it, and he came out there and did his thing."

Leary was at the top of his game in the first half, completing 15 of 26 passes for 245 yards and two scores. Both touchdowns were deep throws that hit his receivers in stride.

Leary played in front of a large group of friends and family, some of whom came to South Jersey from out of the area to attend Jim Leary's viewing on Sunday night.

"I hope he was smiling up there," Leary said of his grandfather. "He had the best seat in the house. I hope he knows I did it for him."

Timber Creek 14 14 0 7 — 35
Williamstown 3 7 0 0 — 10
TC: Jerome Gibson 8 run (Zach Coluccio kick)
W: Nick Pomerleau 26 FG
TC: Tarheeb Still 92 pass from Devin Leary (Coluccio kick)
TC: Michael Johnson 42 pass from Leary (Coluccio kick)
TC: Leary 1 run (Coluccio kick)
W: Deuce Smith 3 run (Pomerleau kick)
TC: Kyle Dobbins 14 run (Coluccio kick)