Schools
Central Tackles First Playoff Appearance in 10 Years
The Golden Eagles head to Camden today to face Woodrow Wilson in the first round of the NJSIAA South Jersey Group II playoffs
Vinnie Casale shook his head and laughed.
"We quit watching film, because they just kept getting better and better," said Casale, the head football coach of Central Regional, which is headed to Camden to face Woodrow Wilson in the first round of the NJSIAA South Jersey Group III playoffs.
What Casale didn't note, however, is that just as Wilson has gotten better over the course of the 2011 season, so has Central.
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While the Golden Eagles lost at Lacey three weeks ago, in a game that marked the last time the two rivals will face off for at least two years, and to St. John Vianney, a team that was extremely capable but ran into tough competition along its travels, Central has come together and become closer over the course of the season.
The losses were costly. The loss to Lacey cost Central a share of its first Class B South crown in a decade. The loss to Vianney cost Central what would have been the team's first home playoff game in school history.
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In Wilson, the Golden Eagles face a team that Casale said is "like Lakewood, but a better version of Lakewood."
Central beat Lakewood 28-22 the week after the loss to Lacey, as senior Kalyph Hardy rushed for 313 yards and four touchdowns.
Wilson has shown the ability to put up points in bunches. Its lowest-scoring game was a 6-2 victory over Bishop Eustace, where the lone touchdown came on a pass from Aaron Spencer to Terrance Chambliss. Wilson also lost 34-13 to Timber Creek, the top seed in South Jersey Group III. Timber Creek shut out Lacey on Friday night, 23-0.
The pressure will be on Central's defense to shut down Spencer's passing lanes, to Chambliss and to Sean Walters, his other favorite target. At the same time, they will have to contain Spencer, who's shown the ability to run the ball as well.
If Javon Hardy can connect on his passes and keep the Wilson defense honest, it will open up opportunities for Kalyph Hardy to do what he does best: run the ball.
Time -- just a short time at that -- will tell.
