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Irish use explosive comeback to keep local streak alive

Camden Catholic scored 22 unanswered fourth quarter points to win its 27th consecutive game against teams from the seven-county South Jersey area.

Camden Catholic’s Tyrese Ware (center) gets wrapped up by Shawnee’s Tommy Kane (right).
Camden Catholic’s Tyrese Ware (center) gets wrapped up by Shawnee’s Tommy Kane (right).Read moreAKIRA SUWA

Camden Catholic's football team hasn't lost to an opponent from the seven-county South Jersey area in more than three years, and the streak was kept alive courtesy of three fourth quarter touchdowns against one of the top programs in South Jersey.

Trailing 21-3 early in the fourth quarter, the Irish exploded for 22 unanswered points to stun host  Shawnee, 25-21 during Friday's interdivisional West Jersey Football League game.

Ranked No. 3 in South Jersey by The Inquirer, Camden Catholic improved to 5-0 while No. 10 Shawnee fell to 3-2.

The Irish have now won 27 in a row against teams from the seven-county South Jersey area, having last tasted local defeat in a 27-14 loss to Camden on Oct. 10, 2014.

"I told the kids they are becoming a foxhole team," Camden Catholic coach Nick Strom said. "Maybe they are too young to realize that they weren't supposed to come back."

Shawnee had extended its lead to 21-3 when Colin Wetterau found North Carolina State recruit Daevon Robinson on a 10-yard scoring pass on the first play of the fourth quarter. It was Robinson's second touchdown of the game, having scored on a 3-yard run for Shawnee's first touchdown of the game.

Even with what appeared to be a convincing lead, Shawnee coach Tim Gushue knew better than to relax.

"As explosive as they are, I never felt comfortable," Gushue said.

The Irish showed why on the next drive, going 96 yards on six plays, with Marcus Hillman finishing matters on a 1-yard run.

Camden Catholic got the ball back on the next series when Eric Rogers intercepted a pass, giving the Irish possession on their 38.

Seven plays later, Rob McCoy hit Andre Tucker on a 37-yard scoring pass. Tucker caught the ball at the 20 and broke a tackle enroute to the end zone.

Hillman ran for the two-point conversion, cutting the Shawnee lead to 21-18 with 6 minutes and 50 seconds left.

Hillman was only getting warmed up.

On the next series following a 26-yard reception by Tyrese Ware on the first play of the drive, Hillman finished matters with a 42-yard touchdown run, giving the Irish a 25-21 lead, their first since taking a 3-0 advantage in the first quarter on Danny Kay's 37-yard field goal.

Hillman finished with 177 yards and two touchdowns on 21 carries and also played a stellar game at linebacker.

"When we were down 21-3, I was frustrated, but we had to stay together," Hillman said. "We kept fighting the entire fourth quarter."

Shawnee showed plenty of fight. In fact the Renegades drove into the Irish red zone before Tirek Austin-Cave sealed the win with an interception on a 2nd and 10 play from the Irish 15 with under 40 seconds remaining.

"It was a great comeback," Hillman said.

And it kept an impressive streak alive, when early in the fourth quarter, it looked all but dead.

Camden Catholic 3 0 0 22 – 25

Shawnee 14 0 0 7 – 21

C: Danny Kay 37 FG

S: Daevon Robinson 3 run (Joe Dalsey kick)

S: Colin Wetterau 1 run (Dalsey kick)

S: Robinson 10 pass from Wetterau

C: Marcus Hilman 1 run (Kay kick

C: Andre Tucker 37 pass from Rob McCoy (Hillman run)

C: Hillman 42 run (Kay kick