Lenape Edges Cherokee in Top-10 Thriller
In a classic on Saturday afternoon, Lenape, the No. 3 team in the state, got past No. 7 Cherokee 31-28 in overtime in a West Jersey Football League Pod A semifinal game. The Indians tied the game with 1:01 left…
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Continue ReadingIn a classic on Saturday afternoon, Lenape, the No. 3 team in the state, got past No. 7 Cherokee 31-28 in overtime in a West Jersey Football League Pod A semifinal game.
The Indians tied the game with 1:01 left in the fourth quarter following a 19-play, 71-yard drive.
The Indians capitalized in overtime, and junior kicker Dylan Shank connected on a 48-yard field goal.
A 48-yard field goal – at any level – is far from automatic. Yet Shank calmly put it through the uprights.
Lenape will meet No. 8 Holy Spirit in the WJFL Pod A championship game in a contest that will certainly be highly anticipated. Cherokee takes on Winslow in the consolation game.
Despite limited practice and coming off a two-week shutdown due to COVID-19, thus moving this matchup with Cherokee back, the wait was certainly worth it.
Lenape (5-0) handed Cherokee (5-1) its first loss. The Indians started off strong with quarterback Brady Long throwing two of his three touchdowns. He connected with Bruce Hazma on a 7-yard TD and then found Xavier Coleman Xavier Coleman 5'10" | RB Lenape | 2021 State NJ on a 5-yard score.
The Chiefs responded after quarterback Billy Osborn found Mark Phillips on a 37-yard TD.
Lenape then took a 21-7 lead as Long, who went 18-for-33 for 160 yards, threw his third TD of the game, this time for 20 yards to Tyler Davis Tyler Davis 6'3" | DB Lenape | 2021 State NJ .
Cherokee responded with 21 unanswered points, all on the ground. Osborn found pay dirt from two yards out, and then Brandon Boria, who had a monstrous game with 258 yards on 34 carries, scored on runs of three and 82 yards. Cherokee led 28-21 all of a sudden with 6:47 to play.
Lenape knew it would have to make clutch plays on the next drive. That it did.
On 4th-and-3 on its own 46, Lenape got a crucial first down on a four-yard run by Kobi Ray-Reed, who led the Indians with 45 rushing yards on eight carries.
Then, on a 3rd-and-10 at midfield, Long found Davis for 11 yards.
Time and time again, Lenape made the necessary plays. On a 3rd-and-14 from the Cherokee 43, Long hit Coleman over the middle for 17 yards. Long then found Brayden Dixon for 12 yards on a 3rd-and-10 on the 26.
Long eventually scored on an 8-yard run on a 4th-and-4. Shank converted the extra point to tie the game.
After Shank’s 48-yard field goal, Cherokee had a chance to tie or win the game. A 27-yard field goal sailed wide right, however, and Lenape survived a major test.
The Indians will meet Holy Spirit and then take on St. Augustine on Thanksgiving.
Coleman made five catches for 51 yards, had the TD reception and made an interception on defense. Davis led Lenape with six catches for 55 yards.
Cherokee’s Caden Burti totaled three receptions for 55 yards.