In a defensive battle befitted a long-time rivalry, even though it was the first time they played each other in several years, St. Joseph (Hammonton) dominated time of possession en route to a 13-0 road victory over Hammonton Friday night.
St. Joseph finished the season 5-2 after being knocked out of the WJFL Bracket B playoffs last week. Hammonton fell to 3-3 with one game remaining.
The two teams played every year from 1962 to 2013 before ending the rivalry, which was renewed this year. St. Joseph has won three of the last four meetings, but Hammonton still leads all-time, 27-25-1.
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11/20 - 6:00 PM Football Final St. Joseph (Hamm.) 13 Hammonton 0
Ahmad Ross rushed for 110 yards on 21 carries for the game and scored a touchdown in the first quarter while Cohl Mercado caught a 9-yard touchdown pass from Ja’son Prevard in the third quarter to give Wildcats all the points they needed.
But Hammonton was haunted by four interceptions, three on drives deep inside St. Joseph’s side of the field that could have tied or even given the Blue Devils the lead.
With Hammonton driving in the second quarter inside the Wildcats 40, Jahqir Haley came up with the big interception at the St. Joseph 13, ending the Blue Devils’ best scoring chance in the first half.
Trailing 7-0 at halftime, Hammonton quarterback Kyle Vandever ripped off a 57-yard run on the Blue Devils first play of the second half, setting his team up at the Wildcats 19. St. Joseph’s defense stiffened and Myles Solomon grabbed an interception at the Wildcats 4.
After Mercado’s touchdown, Hammonton drove down to the Wildcats’ 16, sparked by Vandever’s 32-yard pass to Santino Rao. Again, the Wildcats defense held firm and on fourth down Haley grabbed his second interception at the Wildcats 2.
“We’ve been waiting for a shutout all year,” veteran St. Joseph coach Paul Sacco said. “We set the tempo early on defense. I have so much respect for their offensive line. They do everything right. I think we were a little bit stronger to begin with. Give them credit. They have a good football team, but I’m happy that it ended this way.”
Hammonton’s Jim Raso said his team had chances to come away with the win, but could not execute in crucial situations and turned the ball over when they could least afford it.
“I told these guys it wasn’t for a lack of effort. We played hard,” Raso said. “We turned the ball over too many times and we couldn’t get anything going offensively. Hats off to them. They have a great program and do a great job. You just aren’t going to win football games turning the ball over that many times.”
Hammonton also lost leading rusher Jaiden Abrams to start the second half to what appeared to be a leg injury. He was injured on Vandever’s long run on the first play of the third quarter and carried the ball one more time in the series before sitting out the rest of the game.
“That hurt us,” Raso admitted. “That’s our top weapon. There’s no excused. They were the better team tonight and they did the better job.”