Williamstown downs Shawnee behind Wade Inge, J.C. Collins

It might have been when Wade Inge bolted 30 yards for the first touchdown.

Or when the Williamstown senior ran 63 yards for the second.

Or 14 for the third.

Or it might have been when J.C. Collins reversed field and gained 20 on a scramble, or when the Williamstown quarterback fired a dart of a slant pass that Damonte Campbell took 34 yards to the end zone.

But at some point in Williamstown's 48-14 victory over Shawnee, veteran Renegades' coach Tim Gusghue heard the sound of some frustration on his sideline.

"One of our kids was yelling, 'C'mon guys, tackle him,' " Gushue said. "I said, 'Guys, it's hard to tackle him when you can't catch him.' "

Williamstown's team speed was on full display in the Braves' imposing victory in this West Jersey Football League American Division clash on Friday night.

It wasn't just that Inge ran for 214 yards and three scores. It wasn't just that Collins passed for two touchdown and ran for another.

It wasn't just that Campbell and fullback Brandon Perkins took short passes and accelerated through the Shawnee secondary on their way to the end zone.

It was all of that, plus the athleticism of the Williamstown defense, which was led by burgeoning star Aaron Lewis, a junior who was literally all over the field.

"We play him everywhere," Williamstown coach Frank Fucetola said of the 6-foot-5, 230-pound Lewis. "We play him at the '1,' the '3,' the '5' and the '9' [along the defensive line]. You can't find him."

At the end of many plays, it was easy to find Lewis. He was guy on top of the ball-carrier.

"We just have a great brotherhood that's carrying us right now," Lewis said. "That's why we're clicking."

Williamstown (8-0), the No. 2 team in the Inquirer Top 25, improved to 4-0 in the division, setting up a showdown next weekend with No. 3 St. Augustine, which is 6-2 overall and also 4-0 in the division.

"They're going to bring their 'A' game, and we're going to bring our 'A' game, too," said Collins, who ran for 83 yards and threw touchdown passes of 32 and 34 yards.

Number 19 Shawnee fell to 2-5, although the Renegades still project as a South 4 playoff qualifier.

"We have to stick together," Gushue said. "I really like these kids. I really like this team. We're in a position we're not accustomed to, but the only thing we can do is stick together and see if maybe we can do something" in the state tournament.

Gushue said Williamstown's speed was the difference in the game.

"They're really good," Gushue said of Williamstown. "Way too much speed. Inge, Collins, some other guys. They really run really well."

Inge followed a strong block by fullback Julian Gravener, turned the corner and raced 30 yards for the game's first score.

He went 63 yards in the same direction for another score a couple of minutes later, then went 14 yards untouched for his third touchdown to give the Braves a 20-0 lead midway in the second quarter.

"I have to give it to my line," Inge said. "Those guys are dogs."

Collins made it 27-0 a few minutes later, faking to Inge and bursting up the middle on a five-yard touchdown run.

The senior quarterback threw both of his touchdown passes in the second half as the Braves showed their offensive balance.

"We've got a lot of athletes on the edges," Collins said.

Inge said the Braves have been on a mission since the week after the end of last season, when they started workouts.

"We put the time in," Inge said. "We did two-a-days. We were there at 6 a.m. when coach would blow the whistle, and we were all tired, but we were all there.

"We put in the work in the spring and summer, and now it's the fall, and it's our time to shine."

Shawnee             0     7    0    7      –   14

Williamstown    13   14   14   7    –  48

W: Wade Inge 30 run (run fail)

W: Inge 63 run (Nick Pomerleau kick)

W: Inge 14 run (Pomerleau kick)

W: J.C. Collins 5 run (Pomerleau kick)

S: Jon Searcy 25 pass from Joe Dalsey (Dalsey kick)

W: Brandon Perkins 32 pass from Collins (Pomerleau kick)

W: Damonte Campbell 34 pass from Collins (Pomerleau kick)

S: Jason Blemlekn 55 pass from Matt Welsey (Oliver Stern kick)

W: Christian Forman 11 run (Pomerleau kick)