Deja vu, sort of, for Seneca

The situations are the same, yet different for Seneca's football team. For the second year in a row, the Golden Eagles have a chance to play giant-slayer, with an opportunity to knock off The Inquirer's No. 1-ranked South Jersey team, Cherokee.

Last year, Seneca played the role perfectly, beating an undefeated Cherokee team, 14-7, on Thanksgiving to finish with an 8-3 record.

Once again, Cherokee is 10-0, ranked No. 1, and headed to the South Jersey Group 4 final, in which the Chiefs will host Oakcrest on Dec. 4.

That's where the similarities end.

Seneca was a Group 3 playoff qualifier last year, but it enters Thursday's 11 a.m. game at Cherokee with a 4-5 record.

It's not what was predicted in the preseason, but then again, high school football might be the most difficult sport to forecast, mainly because of its physical nature and injuries.

Last year, Cherokee survived the loss to Seneca, beat then-top-ranked Egg Harbor Township in the South Jersey Group 4 championship, and regained the No. 1 ranking.

This season, a similar misstep Thursday could force the Chiefs to relinquish the No. 1 spot for good. No. 2 Holy Spirit is 10-0 and more than capable of staying on top.

So while Cherokee expects to be more focused, so will Seneca.

The Golden Eagles have played among the most difficult schedules, one that has six teams that reached the postseason, including Cherokee. Four of the losses have been by a touchdown or less.

Last year, Seneca entered the Cherokee game on the heels of a 3-0 overtime loss to eventual sectional champion Hammonton in a South Jersey Group 3 semifinal.

"It was a tremendous feeling, beating Cherokee," said senior captain Lucas Brown, a starting tight end and linebacker. "I remember we wanted to send the seniors off the right way."

And now Brown and his classmates would like a similar send-off, although it won't be easy. First, Cherokee is No. 1 for a reason. And second, the Chiefs don't have short memories and will no doubt learn from last year.

"Seneca played a great game last year, but we played really bad," said Cherokee fullback-safety Mike Zeuli, one of the top two-way performers in South Jersey. "I don't know if we were looking ahead or not."

He does know that won't happen Thursday.

"We are trying to stay really focused this week," Zeuli said.

Being focused won't be a problem with Seneca, either.

Besides playing an undefeated team, there is the emotion of that final game for the Seneca seniors.

"It will break my heart when that clock hits zero," Brown said. "Many of us have been playing together since fifth grade."

And it will be just as heartbreaking for Seneca coach Bill Fisher, who has such an appreciation for the effort his seniors have provided.

"It's probably the worst time, having to say goodbye to the seniors," Fisher said. "As freshmen, they come in with what we call blind faith. We tell them to do all this lifting and running, and they have bought into it and done it nonstop for four years."

When the seniors would be in the weight room in January, February, and the other months, they dreamed about being on this type of stage.

There is no shortage of drama for either participant.

One team will be continuing its quest for perfection, and the other will be looking for a lifelong memory from this game, for the second straight year.