Cherry Hill East Beats Paul VI, Ups Odds for Football Playoffs

An 0-3 start almost doomed the Cherry Hill East football team.

But with a 39-21 victory over Paul VI Saturday, the Cougars find themselves back at .500 on the season—and with a playoff berth growing a stronger possibility with every week.

East did it on the back of running back Daishi Goto for the second straight week—the senior scored three times on runs of 1, 50 and 80 yards, racking up 211 yards on 27 carries against Paul VI.

The Eagles mounted a short-lived comeback—they had drawn it to 25-14, but Goto’s 80-yarder broke that and kept the game wide open.

The Cougars got another solid performance from sophomore quarterback Brandon Stern, who tossed a pair of touchdowns—a 31-yarder to Andrew Brown and a 44-yarder to Brandon Bryant—and took matters into his own hands in a 58-yard run for a third touchdown.

East’s defense was a handful, as well, picking off three Alec Vignola passes and forcing four punts to limit Paul VI’s scoring chances.

The win helps edge the Cougars closer to the playoffs, though they may have to win out to assure themselves a berth. The win over Paul VI will move them higher in the power points standings, where the Cougars were eighth as of last week.

With their bye week late—it won't come until after next weekend's game at Washington Township—the Cougars will need to pile up as many points as possible to stay in contention, with four teams within striking distance of the last three playoff spots in South Jersey, Group 5.