Cherry Hill East Falls Out of Football Playoff Picture, West Waits

The playoff dream came to an end for the Cherry Hill East football team Friday night, as the Cougars fell to Cherokee, 42-13, to drop to 3-5 on the season on the night before the cutoff.

In a must-win game, the Cougars were playing from behind right out of the gate, after Cherokee’s Marc Woodard ripped off a 63-yard touchdown on the first play from scrimmage.

It didn’t get much better from there—the Chiefs built a 28-0 lead before East was able to strike back with a Daishi Goto one-yard plunge, and it was 35-6 at halftime.

Goto would score again in the second half, but it was too little, too late.

The loss bounced the Cougars from a possible playoff spot that was already in doubt after Millville, which had been tied with East, beat Hammonton in a snowstorm Wednesday night.

Cherry Hill West Football

Though the Lions were idle, the playoff storm still swirled around West Friday night.

Hammonton’s loss Wednesday night put the Lions into a better position for a shot at qualifying in South Jersey, Group 4, but still left the team on the playoff bubble. Losses by Cumberland and Woodrow Wilson Friday night, two teams that could’ve given West a boost in residual points, could spell the end for West’s hopes at the first-ever playoff spot in school history.

One game remains in the Group 4 playoff picture, when Group 4 Toms River South (4-3) takes on Group 5 Toms River North Saturday.