Absegami Travels to Hammonton for 7 p.m. Kickoff

As pleased as they were with their 3-0 win last week, the football players know they need to score touchdowns to have any chance of beating Hammonton tonight, Nov. 4.

Absegami (4-3) travels to Hammonton (6-1) for a 7 p.m. kickoff. A win means a heap of power points, but the Braves also need some help in front of them to clinch a playoff berth.

This weekend’s the final game to accumulate power points. But before the Braves worry about that, they have to get by a solid Blue Devils team that is coming off its first loss of the season.

“They are big, physically and have tremendous skill in their backs,” Absegami coach Dennis Scuderi Jr. said. “They are one of the better teams down here.”

The Braves moved the ball well against Mainland, but both times they were inside the 5-yard line, they had costly penalties that pushed the ball back.

“We have to go back to basics and do the things to keep us in sync,” Scuderi Jr. said.

The Braves will again be without starting quarterback Rashad Kinlaw. The offense will be led by sophomore Mike Dolan. The young quarterback will have plenty of help from Tyler Bing and David Hood.

“It’s not that what we are doing is not as good, but it’s different,” said Scuderi Jr. of having Dolan lead the team. “We have to move the ball and play better up front. With our backs, we have a chance to be in the game.”

Dolan has shown that he can make some plays. He threw for a touchdown two weeks ago when Kinlaw broke his fibula. Last week he connected with Bing for a 46-yard completion that put the Braves inside the 5-yard line.

“There is no doubt we can score points with Mike,” Scuderi Jr. said. “We scored 27 points against St. Augustine Prep.”

After defeating Holy Spirit to win their sixth straight game to start the season, there was talk that the Blue Devils were among the elite teams in all of South Jersey. There are still plenty of reasons to make that case, but the Blue Devils lost, 13-9, to Atlantic City, which scored a late kick-off return en route to the win last week.

Hammonton features a host of talented running backs, led by Russ Forchian. However, the Blue Devils added a passing game with 6-foot-5 junior quarterback Christian Mortellite and wide receiver Bobby Barbieri. Mortellite also likes to connect with his backs.

“I think it starts with stopping the run game,” the Braves' coach said. “If you don’t allow them to run the ball you do have a chance to beat them.”

The Braves' defense came up big last week, but will have to play without Kevin Duncan this week. Duncan, who made several key plays against Mainland, injured himself at practice this week.