CAL Re-Cap: Cedar Creek, EHT, Hammonton All Win Openers
Football finally returned in all its glory throughout the region on Friday night, Sept. 7. The Cape-Atlantic League kicked things off with a bevy of big-time matchups that could ultimately determine conference title in November.
Cedar Creek starts strong
The Pirates pillaged and plundered in Ocean City. Led by head coach Tim Watson, Cedar Creek surged to a 40-0 halftime lead in its CAL debut and capped off the contest with a 47-0 National Conference victory.
Quarterback Damon "Duwop" Mitchell was as good as advertised, throwing for a touchdown and running for another score. Mitchell, a senior who is committed to play at Georgia Tech, was hardly alone in the Pirates' efforts.
Running back Gary Melton scored two touchdown, each coming in the first half. Teammate Nolan Seward displayed sensational big-play ability, hauling in a 16-yard touchdown pass from Mitchell and taking a punt return 65 yards to the house for his second score.
Caleb Graves came up big on defense, returning a fumble recovery 20 yards to the end zone.
EHT edges Oakcrest in American Conference clash
This was a matchup that screamed nail biter as soon as the 2012 CAL football schedule was unveiled. Egg Harbor Township and Oakcrest each have ambitions to emerge as a contender in the hotly-contested American Conference.
Led by a strong offensive rushing attack, EHT earned a 14-9 victory. Curis Fitzpatrick punched into the endzone from five yards out to cap of the Eagles' opening drive.
Matt Clayton scored the team's second touchdown with a three-yard scamper in the third quarter.
Falcons quarterback Quaashie Jetter enjoyed a solid game, scoring on a one-yard touchdown run in the second quarter. However, he was sacked by Austin Gray in scoring position on the final play of the game.
Holy Spirit falls short at Hammonton in overtime thriller (97.3 ESPN Game of the Week)
The John Iannucci era began Friday night. Holy Spirit's new head coach led the Spartans on the road against fellow perennial powerhouse Hammonton. Despite turning the ball over six times, Iannucci's team nearly returned to Absecon with a win.
Hammonton and Holy Spirit ended regulation knotted at 14-14, but Blue Devils running back Dom Williams scored on the first possession of overtime and the team converted on the following two-point opportunity to take a 22-14 lead.
Talib Gerald responded with a 25-yard scoring burst on the following possession, but Holy Spirit failed to score on its two-point conversion and Hammontonn escaped with a victory.
It was a wild game that featured a hail mary at the end of the first hald. Spartans quarterback C.J. LaFragola launched a 42-yard heave to receiver Jordan Taylor to tie that game at 14 points apiece as time expired in the second quarter.
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