WDHS Football Team Takes Practice To 'Next Level'

The wait is surely agonizing.

The countdown to Saturday’s Group 2 South Jersey championship continues to slowly tick down as the football team prepares to take on rival Haddonfield.

The storyline is a rather simple one. The Bulldawgs defeated the Eagles in the championship game last season, taking a perfect season away from West Deptford along with the title. Haddonfield also defeated West Deptford during the regular season this year, a result that is the Eagles' only setback in 2011.

So it’s no surprise that the Eagles are champing at the bit to get after the Bulldawgs. However, for the next four days they will have to settle for pushing each other in a practice environment that brings a new meaning to the word intense.

Following West Deptford’s 40-14 win over Paulsboro on Saturday, Jamil Pollard was asked what he expected from the coming week of practice. The anchor of the Eagles’ offensive and defensive line paused for a bit to find the perfect phrase.

“Next level,” said Pollard. “It’s going to be crazy. Not one person is going to take a play off. We have one thing on our minds before and now: We want Haddonfield. That’s what we are going to get.”

Senior Todd Jarrell had a similar response.

“We are probably going to get in trouble for being a little too rambunctious,” he said.

It’s not often that the notion of practice excites a group of high school kids, but then again it isn’t often a team gets a rematch with its rival for the biggest prize in the game. So for this group of Eagles, the thought of practice is not met with a sigh and an eye roll. It is met with anticipation.

Head coach Clyde Folsom said he expected to keep the routine mostly the same as it has been in the past. He said the focus will continue to be on improving a stifling defense while sharpening up a few things with an offense that sits just 16 points away from a South Jersey record.

“We pride ourselves on defense, and if we are going to have a shot at winning a state championship, we are going to have to play very well (this) week,” Folsom said. "Once again, we pride ourselves on that and we are getting better each week. We are putting pressure on the quarterback and we have defended the run well all year. Hopefully this carries on next week.”

Sophomore running back Gerald Towns–who has collected over 1,300 yards this season–is ready to embrace a hard week of practice, including a Friday session on the turf at Gateway to prep for Rowan's field, and is looking forward to his final days with his teammates.

“We are all expecting to work hard non-stop,” said Towns. “It’s our last week together as a whole team, so we are going to give it all.”