South Jersey Football on the Horizon
Local football fans are already circling 'Friday the 13th' on their calendars this September. That evening won't feature the usual bad luck taboo or machete-wielding horror figures, but it could give South Jersey football fanatics a reason to remember the date.
That's when the 2013 High School Football season officially kicks off, with eight Cape-Atlantic League games featuring some of the region's best athletes.
We turned to our own South Jersey football expert Tom Williams for answers to the biggest questions posed from the new schedule. Find out the games he's already got circled, which contenders have the best chance to make deep postseason runs, and which teams have the toughest challenges right out of the gate.
Aside from being a three-time A.C.Press Coach of the Year, one South Jersey icon now has a new place in local football history. Southern Regional head football coach Chuck Donohue joined us on the South Jersey Sports Report to express his gratitude for being elected to the Shore Conference Hall of Fame. We also asked him about his expectations for the Rams in 2013, and why a family dynamic in the Southern Regional Athletic Department makes every day at work special for him.
From a legend who's spent four decades on the sidelines to a man who's gearing up for his first head coaching job, Temple University's Matt Rhule couldn't imagine a better place to be this year. After spending six years as an assistant with the Owls and another with the New York Giants, Coach Rhule finally has his chance to establish his legacy with the program. We asked him about Temple's resurgence and potential in the next few years, and why the Owls are looking to create an even bigger presence in South Jersey.
Another local product is ready to make national headlines, and he's also calling Philadelphia his football home this season. Former Mainland Regional standout Antoine Lewis isn't only a senior captain for the Villanova Wildcats, but he's also one of the highest-ranked defensive players in the entire country. Listen to hear how he ended up as a four-year starter for the Wildcats, and if the NFL could be a potential destination for the South Jersey native.
Listen to this week's show:
Paul Moore, Holy Spirit graduate & Wilmington University (DE) basketball commit
Chuck Donohue, Southern Regional head football coach
Antoine Lewis, Mainland Regional alum & Villanova University senior football captain
Antoine White, Millville Thunderbolts defensive tackle & Penn State University commit
Tom Williams, South Jersey Hall of Fame sports reporter
Matt Rhule, Temple University head football coach
It’s all right here, on The South Jersey Sports Report. Listen every Saturday, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. on 97.3 ESPN-FM or 973espn.com, and catch the expanded edition every Thursday night from 6-7 p.m.
Follow Tyler Donohue on Twitter @TDsTake
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