FOOTBALL: Paulsboro brings home title No. 18

GLASSBORO - The self-proclaimed “Home of Champions” will have another trophy to stack in the cases.

That seemingly-patented Paulsboro magic appeared again on Saturday. It got displayed by a group of never-say-die, red-clad football players. It met its old, familiar crowd that voiced its approval until the sun set at Rowan University with an 18th sectional title.

By the time darkness fell, the buses were ready to head back to the tiny town – where a police and fire truck escort awaited after a 29-26 win over Salem in the South Jersey Group 1 championship.

“It feels real good to bring it back to the ’Boro,” senior Joey Perez, who blocked a punt in the affair, said. “I don’t know how to explain it.”

FOOTBALL: Paulsboro looks to silence Taylor talk

It proved a classic for the small schools, with Richard Wackar Stadium packed to the gills with interested parties.

Many flooded the bleachers to see Rams’ star and soon-to-be University of Wisconsin running back Jonathan Taylor. While he finished with 178 yards and two touchdowns, he wasn’t the story on the blustery afternoon.

Instead, that was Paulsboro (10-2). The diminutive Dehron Holloway chipped in 105 yards and a pair of his own scores.

His last, a 67-yard scamper that came mostly after a juke of Taylor, put the Red Raiders up 29-20 on the second snap of the final quarter.

It came a play after a fourth-down stop that opened the frame.

Holloway shouted in bursts after the final whistle blew.

“I’ve been doing that all year,” he said of the eventual winning dash. “One man can’t bring me down in the open field.”

Backfield mate and quarterback Kyle Jones agreed.

“I knew he had one in him the whole time,” Jones, who threw for 66 yards and a score in addition to 62 on the ground and another touchdown, said. “He’s my partner in crime. I’ve said it every week, he scores, I score.

“We got at it together. We’re a team and we did it together. The line blocked, the receivers blocked, then he got free.”

FOOTBALL: Delsea runs into unbreakable Wall

Down 20-13 at halftime, Jones and Co. started off the third quarter with a bang.

He hit Emmanuel Simon for a 48-yard pass that set up one of the area’s finest plays all season. On a scramble backwards that lasted eight seconds, Jones launched a ball to the far corner of the end zone.

Senior Matt Pettinichio dove and pulled it down, with a midair rotation of his body on the fall to protect the pigskin from the turf.

“That was the momentum shift,” Perez admitted of the score and two-point conversion that gave his side the lead.

Pettinichio stands at 5-foot-6. Perez is 5-foot-7. Holloway is 5-foot-8.

They are not big, but played huge. Like the gritty and rugged town they inhabit, the Red Raiders never minded the odds. Despite a No. 2 seed to Salem's (9-3) No. 4, they came in as the side dish to many observers next to Taylor, the main course.

On that front, they did their best to contain the star. His final total came on 37 totes, good for 4.8 per touch. He entered Saturday with an average in the mid-teens.

Zaire Jones also made his impact felt with 177 yards on 12 carries, none bigger than his jaunt for six from 71 out to trim the deficit to its final score. But a fourth-and-six run from quarterback Keanen Cheeks Jr. came up short on the next possession near midfield to put an end to the comeback bid.

“We didn’t capitalize on mistakes,” Taylor said. “When opportunities are presented, you need to take advantage of them every time.”

FOOTBALL: Lenape to face ultimate challenge

Paulsboro coach Glenn Howard wasn’t sure when those chances were available or not. He, like those in attendance, watched with uncertain tension.

“It was fun, a lot of pressure, but a lot of opportunity too,” he said. “It’s almost like every time they hand it off to 25 (Jones) or 23 (Taylor), you hold your breath and hope you don’t see them pop out of the pile and running down the field.”

When Jones found Simon down the left sideline for the long completion that ignited the crowd, Howard smiled as the rest of the team celebrated.

For a moment, he no longer stood as coach, but just another happy Red Raider.

“It never gets old,” Howard said of the title. “Each one is just as sweet.”

FOOTBALL: West Deptford out to finish the deal

Off into the night they went, mobbed by fans and fervent supporters. Back to the ’Boro, where the bright lights would wait to take them down Berkley Road, then to Broad Street and over to Delaware Street back to the school and its trophy cases.

It would be darker than the first trip in early afternoon when Perez looked out the bus window and saw those he and his hard-nosed crew were about to represent in the biggest game of their lives.

“We drove out of town and everyone was out on the street,” he said. “Everyone was holding up their fists.”

Mark Trible; (856) 486-2424; mtrible@gannettnj.com

Paulsboro 29, Salem 26

Play of the game: Red Raiders’ QB Kyle Jones scrambled for eight seconds before a heave to the end zone caught by Matt Pettinichio in an outstanding dive to put Paulsboro up in the third quarter.

Hat’s off to: Diminutive Red Raiders’ RB Dehron Holloway, who rushed for more than 100 yards and added two scores – the last a 67-yarder that stood as the winner.

Well said: “Each one is just as sweet.” – Paulsboro coach Glenn Howard on the school’s 18th South Jersey title.