Training camp 101: Timber Creek
The Chargers open the season as South Jersey's top-ranked team, with a 16-game winning streak and their sights set for a third straight sectional title.
Coach: Rob Hinson (98-36 overall; 93-31 entering his 12th season at Timber Creek).
Last season: 12-0, won WJFL National title and S.J. Group 4 title.
Last five seasons: 12-0, 9-3, 11-1, 10-2, 10-2.
Schedule:
9/2: vs. Belleville West (Il.) in East St. Louis, Il.
9/8: Delsea
9/15: Cherokee
9/22: at Clearview
10/6: Eastern
10/20: Paul VI
10/27: at Williamstown
11/4: at Cherry Hill East
11/23: Winslow Twp.
Outlook: The Chargers enter the season with a 16-game winning streak. This has the capability of running that up to 28 but that will require the quick development of several inexperienced players. TC will be led by senior QB Devin Leary (6-2, 195), a North Carolina State recruit who set single-season state records last season for touchdown passes (48) and passing yards (3,688). Other key veterans include OL Derryk Sellers (6-3, 280), Jake Kidwell (6-2, 245) and Nate Rowe (5-9, 230). Senior WR/DB Deion Jennings (6-1, 195) is a Rutgers recruit and senior WR/DB Michael Johnson (5-10, 180), a standout at Shawnee as a sophomore who sat out last season as a transfer, is another player to watch. The Chargers have a top 1-2 punch at RB in seniors Kyle Dobbins (5-10, 195), a Temple recruit and transfer from St. Augustine, and Jerome Gibson (5-9, 165), a speedster. The defense features veterans such as senior LB/DE Dallas Newkirk (6-2, 195) and DL Isaiah Bolden (6-2, 350). Other players in the mix include seniors such as OL/DL Quashon Pearson (6-0, 255), WR Jordan Nash (6-3, 185), OL/DL Jaishon Connor (6-1, 240), DB Sage Brown (5-9, 165), DL Diomari Gordon (6-2, 190), DB Jayvin Little (5-10, 170), LB Clarence Henderson (5-11, 200), DL Daeshun Polk (6-1, 265), DB/WR Tariq Snead (5-10, 170) and WR/DB Jihad Stephenson (5-10, 180). This is a talented group with several athletes who are short on varsity experience as they waited their turn behind two accomplished classes.
Post-season prospects: The Chargers are two-time S.J. 4 champions but have been re-classified to S.J. 3 this season. That means no battle with rival Shawnee in the tournament this season. Instead, Timber Creek likely will be challenged by teams such as perennial S.J. 3 power Delsea as well as Woodrow Wilson and perhaps a Shore Conference program. Timber Creek has the ability to rack up another sectional crown but the Chargers have to stay healthy and likely will need to be playing their best football in November to earn a repeat visit to Rowan in December.
Schedule analysis: The Chargers have a unique schedule this season, mainly because they will open so-called "Zero Week" vs. Belleville West (Il.) in a showcase event at East St. Louis High School. TC's bus will depart on a 13- or 14-hour trip at 4 a.m. Thursday. The early start as well as the new Thanksgiving Day series with Winslow Twp. means that the Chargers will have two byes during the regular season. Between Sept. 22 and Oct. 20, TC will play just one game. The Week 1 battle with Delsea will go a long way toward determining the WJFL National title and have major implications on S.J. 3 playoff seedings, too. TC also is a Group 3 program playing three Group 5s in Cherokee, Eastern and Williamstown.
Player to watch: Leary has an outside shot of setting career marks of 10,000 yards and 100 touchdowns but that might be tough because of the inexperience around him and because TC could focus a little more on running the football this season. Still, the QB's importance can't be overstated in terms of his leadership and ability to make clutch throws in key situations. With Leary under center, TC has a chance to beat any team.
Fast fact: Timber Creek is 64-8 in the last six seasons and has reached the sectional finals in every season since 2011.
The last word: "Coach says every team plays against us like it's their Super Bowl," Jennings said. "So we have to make it our Super Bowl, too."