Timber Creek and Camden invited to East St. Louis football showcase
The football teams from Camden and Timber Creek were scheduled to meet on the Farnham Park field in October. Instead, they plan to opt out of that game and travel to East St. Louis, Ill., to play different opponents in a showcase event over Labor Day weekend.
The football teams from Camden and Timber Creek were scheduled to meet on the Farnham Park field in October.
Instead, they plan to opt out of that game and travel to East St. Louis, Ill., to play different opponents in a showcase event over Labor Day weekend.
"We've been trying to do this for the last few years," said Frank Torcasio, athletic director of the Black Horse Pike School District, which includes Timber Creek. "Camden thought it was a good idea. My administration is on board with it. I'm on board with it. So, 'Let's do it.' "
Camden coach Dwayne Savage said the Panthers hope to bring their renown band, the Mighty Marching Panthers.
"We're hoping it's a great experience," Savage said. "The only bad thing is not getting chance to play Timber Creek. That's a team that I always want to play."
West Jersey Football League president Bud Kowal, the athletic director at Ewing, confirmed that the league will allow the teams to cancel their game.
"As long as it's mutually agreed upon, we don't have a problem with it," Kowal said.
The tentative schedule has Timber Creek playing Belleville (Ill.) West and Camden playing Cahokia (Ill.) on the afternoon of Sept. 2.
The event, the Flyers Football Classic, will be hosted by East St. Louis High School, which is coached by Camden graduate Darren Sunkett.
"I've been bragging on South Jersey football," said Sunkett, a 1983 Camden graduate. "I'm so excited to get those guys out here."
Sunkett said the three games would be played at East St. Louis' home stadium, which seats close to 12,000.
East St. Louis was 15-0 last season. The host team will play Whitehaven of Tennessee in the final game of the showcase.
"I try to get my guys as many experiences as possible," Timber Creek coach Rob Hinson said. "We're pumped up, looking forward to it."
Both teams are scheduled to travel by bus on Friday and return on Sunday.
"We don't have a full itinerary yet, but hopefully we can find something educational or historical that we can visit while we're out there," Hinson said.
By playing on Labor Day weekend and opting out of the October game with each other, Camden and Timber Creek will have two bye weeks during the regular season, although they also would open a week earlier than most teams.
Camden was 3-7 last season, but the Panthers were a combined 28-5 in the previous three seasons.
Timber Creek is coming off a 12-0 season capped by the team's second consecutive South Jersey Group 4 title.
"It's a chance to show the Midwest what South Jersey football is about," Hinson said.
Williamstown-St. Augustine game in doubt
Athletic director Ron Becker confirmed that Williamstown is seeking to replace its scheduled Week 2 game against St. Augustine Prep with a different game.
Williamstown lost, 48-10, to St. Augustine last season.
St. Augustine Prep, which has won 25 games in a row against South Jersey teams, was placed on Williamstown's schedule as a cross-over game when the Hermits and the rest of the Cape-Atlantic League joined the WJFL.
"If we can both find another game that we both want to play, that's what we'll do," Becker said. "If we can't, it is what it is, and we'll still play them."
St. Augustine already opts out of one WJFL cross-over game - against Trenton - to play Malvern (Pa.) Prep.
St. Augustine athletic director Mike Rizzo confirmed that he has been trying to arrange another game for the Hermits to take the place of the cross-over game with Williamstown.
The Hermits could find a matchup with a Philadelphia Catholic League team or perhaps a North Jersey non-public power.
This and that
Cherokee two-way senior back John Lovett this week announced the top five colleges he is considering: Michigan State, Iowa, Penn State, Baylor and Tennessee. Lovett also said in the Twitter post that Rutgers and Central Florida were "still contenders." . . . Camden senior quarterback Drew Harris has picked up an offer from Delaware State. . . . Lenape senior lineman Noah Carroll has picked up an offer from Marist.
@PhilAnastasia