They're Pennsauken's 'Steady Eddies'

Pennsauken coach Clint Tabb doesn't talk much about Aaron Swann's blocking or tackling.

He raves about Swann's diligence.

Tabb doesn't talk much about Nate Rivera's pass rushing or ability to defend the run.

He praises Rivera's dependability.

"I call them 'Steady Eddies,' " Tabb said of his two senior leaders. "I always know what I'm going to get from them."

Make no mistake: Swann and Rivera have contributed on the field for the Indians.

Swann has made 36 tackles with three sacks as a middle linebacker. He also has run for 234 yards and three touchdowns and generated another 66 receiving yards.

Rivera leads the team with 54 tackles as a defensive end. He also has registered four sacks.

But during the long course of a difficult season, Swann and Rivera have done more than make plays. They've set a tone for the team.

That's why they both are so deserving of this most unexpected of gifts: the chance to lead their team into a game with major playoff implications on Friday night.

"It's like all the hard work is paying off," Rivera said of the key game at Clearview. "After everything that happened this season, we still have a chance."

It's easy for seniors on a winning team with legitimate division-title and playoff aspirations to stay positive, to set an example.

But it's tricky when a team loses five of its first six games. And it's even tougher when that happens to a program such as Pennsauken, where many of the athletes face off-the-field challenges.

That's why Tabb doesn't talk that much about Swann's ability to fight off blocks as a linebacker or battle for extra yardage, or Rivera's knack for disrupting rival offenses in the backfield.

The coach is more impressed by his seniors' near-perfect attendance at practice as well as their steely-eyed focus both during the week and on game day.

"Aaron, I call him a grumpy old man," Tabb said. "He's your typical middle linebacker, always angry. But it's just because he cares so much."

Rivera might be less demonstrative than Swann, but the defensive end has impressed his coaches, teammates, and rivals with his nonstop hustle.

"I loved that kid," said Timber Creek coach Rob Hinson, whose team defeated Pennsauken in the season opener. "He was all over the field. He was about as active as we've seen all season."

The loss to Timber Creek on Sept. 12 underscored something that's often overlooked about Pennsauken: the strength of the Indians' schedule. The Indians are 2-5, but their losses have been to teams that are ranked No. 3 (Timber Creek), No. 11 (Delsea), No. 14 (Williamstown), No. 16 (Hammonton), and No. 19 (Kingsway) in The Inquirer's South Jersey Top 25.

That's why Swann and Rivera believe Pennsauken deserves to be in position to qualify for the South Jersey Group 4 tournament with a victory over Clearview.

"We've stayed together through some tough games," Swann said. "We've played good teams, and we've fought. To get the chance to win a big game and make the playoffs, that's what we've worked for."

Both athletes admit to being frustrated at times this season. They are veterans of a program that as recently as 2011, their freshman year, was the South Jersey Group 4 champion.

But here's the point: They haven't let the team's struggles get the best of them. They've continued to play hard, and they've been rewarded with an opportunity to take the field on Friday night for a game loaded with playoff implications.

"If you don't get frustrated, something is wrong with you," Rivera said. "You can't get used to losing. You can't accept losing. You have to keep fighting, keep playing hard.

"That's what we've done. We haven't given up."