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Winslow Township quarterback Prince-Dru Bey stands out on and off the field

The speedy senior can run and pass. He also is a top defensive player and an outstanding student.

Winslow Township quarterback Prince-Dru Bey.
Winslow Township quarterback Prince-Dru Bey.Read moreELIZABETH ROBERTSON / Staff Photographer

Prince-Dru Bey can run and pass.

He also can ace A.P. calculus and honors physics.

The Winslow Township High School senior takes his role as a dual threat to another level.

He's a rusher and a thrower. He's an offensive star and a defensive play-maker. He's a leader who prefers not to stand out. He's a top athlete and Ivy League-caliber student.

"He's every teacher's favorite kid," Winslow Township football coach Ken Scott said of Bey. "He's just a kid. But he has the wisdom of a 22-, 23-year-old."

Scott calls Bey a "coach's dream," and not just because of the 17-year-old's ability to make plays.

Bey also sets the tone — in the classroom, on the practice field and on game night — for a resurgent program that is making a steady climb up the Top 25 rankings.

Bey threw for five touchdowns last Friday as Winslow Township beat Cherokee for the first time in the history of the program. Looking back at the landmark 34-14 victory, Bey credited his offensive line and wide receivers, and seemed proudest of the work of the Eagles' defense.

"It's 11 guys, playing their role," Bey said. "I have a role, everybody has a role. I'm just one of 11 out there. If we all do our jobs, we'll be good."

Scott said Bey seeks to share the spotlight with his teammates. "He always deflects the credit," Scott said.

Bey and senior wide receiver/defensive back Donovan Bunch, a Rutgers recruit, are top students who have helped to instill a culture of focus, maturity and responsibility to the team, according to Scott.

"We said it when we were younger that when we were seniors, class of 2019, there was going to be no playing," said Bunch, who has excelled on both sides of the football as the Eagles have compiled a 2-1 record in three games against teams ranked in the Top 25.

Bunch said Bey's cerebral approach to the game is as important as his ability to both run and pass.

"He sees everything," Bunch said. "He's so smart, gets the ball out quick because he knows what the defense is doing."

Scott also believes Bey's intelligence and instincts are more valuable than his athleticism.

"His player IQ is ridiculous," Scott said. "And the way he approaches things, the way he studies, it's contagious. Now we have guys texting all the time, 'Coach I saw this watching film,' or, 'Coach what if we did this?' "

Bey has thrown nine touchdown passes in three games. He also has run for 114 yards and regularly keeps plays alive with his ability to scramble away from would-be tacklers.

Last season, Bey passed for 2,416 yards and 24 touchdowns and ran for 543 yards and six touchdowns. The 6-foot-1, 185-pounder's dynamic versatility as a quarterback reminds many observers of former Winslow Township star quarterback Bill Belton, who played at Penn State.

Bey said that comparison is special to him, since he was a water boy for the Eagles during Belton's career, which featured 2,000 passing-yard and 1,000-rushing-yard seasons in both 2009 and 2010.

"I was at all their practices," Bey said. "People say I play like him. But we all have our own style."

Bey, who has made two interceptions as a safety, takes pride in his ability to challenge defenses with both his arm and his legs. "I like when they have to put it on their chalkboard, 'He can run and he can pass,' " Bey said.

He has drawn recruiting interest from Ivy League schools such as Brown, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, and Yale as well as Colgate and Bucknell, among other programs.

Bey said he has been a diligent student since pre-kindergarten.

"I was looking at my old report cards from all the way back to pre-K," Bey said. "Mostly A's, some B's. I had a C here and there, but nobody's perfect."

The Game at a Glance

Winslow Township. (2-1) at Highland (3-0), Friday at 7 p.m.

The rankings: Winslow Township is No. 17 in the Inquirer Top 25. Highland is No. 18.

The stakes: This is a WJFL Liberty game between teams that are both 1-0 in the division. Both teams also are angling for South 4 playoff berths.

The series: The teams have played 25 times, with Winslow Township (formerly Edgewood) holding a 18-7 edge, according to sports historian Chuck Langerman. The last game was in 2001, won by Winslow Township, 19-9.

Coaches: Brian Leary is 22-13 in his fourth season at Highland. Ken Scott is 2-1 in his first season at Winslow Township.

Highland players to watch: Sophomore running back Johnny Martin (514 yards, 5 TDs), junior linebacker Brad Small (26 tackles), and senior tackle Javon Randall (3 sacks).

Winslow Township players to watch: Senior wide receiver Isaiah Lewis (10 catches, 242 yards, 3 TDs), senior wide receiver Donovan Bunch (10 catches, 204 yards, 2 TDs), and senior linebacker Geremy Cobb (24 tackles).

Key matchup: Highland's sturdy defense, which has allowed just 13 points, vs. Winslow Township's explosive offense, which has scored 76 points.

The pick: Winslow Township, 20-17.