South Jersey Football Rankings: Timber Creek, Cedar Creek burst into Top 10

Tarheeb Still caught two touchdown passes Friday night vs. Vineland. That was nothing new.

Still ran for two touchdowns. That was something different, since the Timber Creek senior is a wide receiver and defensive back and entered the game with one carry this season.

Still’s four touchdown powered the Chargers to a 44-10 victory and vaulted one of South Jersey’s most accomplished programs into the Top 10 for the first time this season.

Cedar Creek also jumped into the Top 10 on the strength of a dramatic victory over former No. 2 Woodrow Wilson.

Here’s the Top 10, with last week’s ranking in parentheses:

1. Williamstown (1) 4-0: The Braves are 16-1 over the last two seasons thanks in large part to their defense. But it was the offense that sparked the team’s rally for a 28-21 victory over Lenape in a West Jersey Football League American Division clash of Top 5 teams. Mekhi Gamble caught a 27-yard touchdown pass from Doug Brown with 0:19 on the clock to complete a remarkable rally for the Braves, who trailed by 13-0 at the half. Brown and senior wide receiver Jon Wood, who caught a pair of touchdown passes, led the comeback. Williamstown is home Friday vs. Atlantic City.

2. Shawnee (3) 4-0: The Renegades rallied for a 14-7 overtime win over St. Augustine in another WJFL American battle of Top 5 teams. Jake Barnett scored the winning touchdown on a 4-yard run. Matt Welsey’s 26-yard touchdown pass to Nate Summerville in the fourth quarter rallied the Renegades from a 7-0 deficit. Shawnee visits Moorestown on Friday.

3. Lenape (4) 3-1: The Indians move up despite the loss, based on their impressive play at Williamstown. They moved the ball better against the Braves than just about any team has done in the last two seasons. Quarterback Brady Long threw a pair of touchdown passes, both to the increasingly impressive Connor Kennedy. Lenape is home Friday vs. Allentown.

4. St. Augustine (5) 1-3: The Hermits are a tricky team to rank. Their record is their record, but the losses are to undefeated Pennsylvania Class 6A power State College as well as to Lenape and Shawnee, and the win is over then-No. 1 St. Joseph. St. Augustine hosts undefeated Ocean City on Friday. If the Hermits truly merit this ranking, they will prove it against the Red Raiders.

5. St. Joseph (6) 3-1: The Wildcats bounced back from a tough loss to St. Augustine with a workmanlike 41-6 win over Atlantic City. Jada Byers continued his climb up the record books for the all-time South Jersey scoring and touchdown marks. He ran for three scores and caught a pass for another. Keshon Griffin sparked the defense with two tackles for losses, 1 1/2 sacks and two knocked-down passes. St. Joseph visits undefeated Haddonfield, which has won 21 in a row, including a huge upset of the then-No. 1 Wildcats last October, on Friday night.

6. West Deptford (8) 4-0: The Eagles move up in the rankings after another dominant performance in a 34-0 win over Sterling. West Deptford has scored 31, 33, 41, and 34 points in four victories. The Eagles have a bye week before visiting archrival Haddonfield on Oct. 11.

7. Penns Grove (9) 4-0: The Red Devils carried the banner for South Jersey and Group 1 in a 42-7 victory over North Jersey Group 3 power River Dell. Nasir Robinson ran for three touchdowns and Aaron Frazier-Spencer led the defense with two sacks and a fumble return for touchdown. Penns Grove is home vs. Florence on Friday night.

8. Timber Creek (NR) 3-1: The Chargers enter the Top 10 on a strength of a three-game winning streak. Tarheeb Still, a Maryland recruit, led the way in the victory over Vineland, while sophomore quarterback Donovan Leary was 16-for-25 for 368 yards and a pair of touchdowns. For the season, Leary has thrown 13 touchdown passes and just one interception.

9. Cedar Creek (NR) 4-1: In two home games against teams from Camden, the Pirates have scored 70 points and allowed 70 points. They lost, 42-41, to Camden on Sept. 14. They beat Woodrow Wilson, 29-28, on Saturday, with Taylor Manning making a 30-yard field goal as time expired. One common thread in both games: fourth-quarter heroics from senior all-purpose star Malachi Melton. Cedar Creek visits Pleasantville
on Friday night.

10. Woodrow Wilson (2) 2-1: The Tigers got strong work from senior running back Muheem McCargo, a Temple recruit, in the loss to Cedar Creek. McCargo ran 17 times for 145 yards and went 30 yards for a score in another wild fourth quarter. Woodrow Wilson is home Saturday vs. Seneca.

Under consideration (listed alphabetically): Camden (3-1), Delsea (1-2), Haddonfield (4-0), Highland (3-1), Ocean City (4-0), Willingboro (4-1).