Courier-Post from Camden, New Jersey • Page 64

COURIER-POST, Sunday December 1988 H.S. Football S.J. Sectional finals 12D Kurlej gains as Cougars 241 yards, scores 5 TDs capture Group 4 crown resT -iTwkir -p -SUB i WA.Zaw.aifcjy,,,,,,,, ond touchdown early in the second period, sending Kurlej across from the three. Kurlej contributed a 27-yard run and Foley hit Lobel and Erik Schwartz with nine- and eight-yard completions in the drive. Freshman Erik Henry-kicked his first of four extra points.

East threatened again in the first half after Glenn Surowiee recovered a Brick fumble at the Green Dragons' 31, but the visitors held and took over on their own three. There was no holding East in the third period, however, as Lobel's 30-yard punt return set up Kurlej 's 24-yard touchdown run to give the Cougars a 22-6 lead just over two minutes into the second half. Foley's 14-yard passes to Ted Page and Lobel helped the Cougars bring the ball to the two, from where Kurlej knifed across for the touchdown. Henry added the point to give East a 29-6 lead with 4:16 left in the period. Brick Township drove 49 yards for its second touchdown in the fourth period, the final 19 yards coming on a pass, Durkin to Bob 'Osbom.

Kurlej put the icing on the cake with a 15-yard touchdown run with only 1:04 remaining. He had 13-and 23-yard runs in a 61-yard drive that followed Brick Township's touchdown. By WALT BURROWS Courier-Post Staff CHERRY HILL Brian Kurlej rushed for 241 yards and scored five touchdowns to lead unbeaten Cherry Hill East High School to a 36-14 victory over Brick Township and the South Jersey Group 4 football championship yesterday before an estimated 5,000 fans. The victory enabled Cherry Hill East, ranked No. 1 in the Top Ten Poll, to finish the season with an 11-0 record.

Kurlej had a field day against a Brick Township team that went into the game geared to stop the Cougars' high-powered passing attack. "We take what they give us," said Kurlej, who finished the season with 140 points and 953 rushing yards despite missing three games early in the season because of an injury. "It might be the pass one game, the run the next. Today it was the run. "The holes were there.

The counter trap was the golden play today. The slant worked well, too. Everything just seemed to fall in place." "Brian is the best player on both sides of the line I've ever coached," said East coach Bo Wood, who silently celebrated his 100th coaching win. "What a player! He was terrific today. He came through big for us time after time." Wood's game plan was to run," said Foley, who finished the season completing 155 of 252 passes for 2,188 yards and 25 touchdowns, setting South Jersey records for passing yardage and touchdown passes.

"It's great to win, and I don't care how we did it," Foley added. "Our line did a heck of a job today and Brian (Kurlej) has got to be the best back in the state. If something's not open, then something else is. That why we're a great team. We have too many weapons to be stopped." "Just incredible," shouted wide receiver Steve Lobel, who caught three passes in the game to establish a South Jersey single-season record tor receptions with 63.

The old record of 61 was held by Holy Spirit's Kevin Hallman. "Every Courier-Post photo by Rachelle Omenson Township defender yesterday. Kurlej rushed for five touchdowns and 241 yards. Big day: Cherry Hill East High School running back Brian Kurlej breaks away from a Brick Victory in championship is I By BOB CABNET Courier-Post Staff CHERRY HILL The Cherry Hill East High School football team presented coach Bo Wood with his 100th career win and the South Jersey Group 4 football title yesterday with its 36-14 win over Brick Township. "This is it there's not a better feeling," said an elated Wood moments after the Cougars finished their season at 11-0, securing both the first undefeated season and South Jersey championship in the school's history.

"I've never seen anything like it. I've never seen a group of kids work harder than this bunch," said Wood. "I played four years of football in high school, four years in college and three years in the pros and was never on a team that finished undefeated. This is the greatest thing that's ever happened to me in football." In a season that was highlighted with the achievement of numerous individual records, it was obvious that those accomplishments were an afterthought for the Cougars. "We don't worry about the individual records.

The only record we're concerned with is the final one," said Wood. "I really wasn't thinking about No. 100 as much as I was about just winning the championship." Wood's feelings were shared by his players. "The game was a real team effort," said senior end-linebacker Ted Page. "We came into the game Group 4 While quarterback Glenn Foley passed for a below par 7-for-21 and 83 yards with one interception, his presence gave Kurlej the ticket to enjoy the game of his life.

"I was very surprised they were able to run on us," said veteran Brick Township coach Warren Wolf. "We couldn't handle Kurlej. He's great. "Kurlej was the difference. Foley wasn't the issue today.

He was kind of throwing the ball all around. We lost to an outstanding football team." It didn't take East long to hit the scoreboard. After Kurlej returned the opening kickoff to his own 24-yard line, he carried the ball four straight times, gaining a total of 15 yards, before breaking a counter trap for 61 yards and a touchdown. "The path was there," Kurlej explained. "It was there all day because they were double covering (wide receiver) Steve (Lobel).

They gave it and we took it." Foley ran in a busted conversion attempt for two points and East led 8-0 with 9:59 left in the first period. Brick Township, 9-2, bounced back and drove 64 yards in 15 plays, quarterback Todd Durkin plunging the final yard for the touchdown. Ted Page batted down Durkin's pass on a bid for a two-point conversion. East drove 55 yards for its sec 1 00th body played well. We could have let Brian run all day, the way the line was opening holes for him." Knowing that the Cougars would be placing their quest for an undefeated championship season on his shoulders didn't bother Kurlej.

"It doesn't matter to me whether we run or pass, as long as we win," said Kurlej. "Today, the holes were there and everything fell into place." Kurlej ended the season rushing for 953 yards and 20 touchdowns to go along with his 20 pass receptions while playing in only eight games. He missed three early-season games because of an injury. Perhaps Matt Geis, the Cougars' leading tackier, best summed up the victory and the season: defenders to run fourth quarter of Salem was hurting Running back Derek White sidelined with bruised hip: Page 14D score that gave Buena a 13-0 lead. "We just put that play in this week," Barrale said.

"We noticed on films they like to play man defense and rotate to the center of the field. So we just had Damon slip out of the backfield and he hadn't made his cut when I threw the ball. But when he did cut, the ball was right there. It was strictly a timing play. In fact, we completed a pass in the first half on the same play but it was called back because of a penalty." "Bill put the ball right there," Nelson said.

"There was a man in front of me, but when I made my break I lost him. Once I caught the ball and looked up field, I knew I had a shot for the end zone." Woodbury whips Paulsboro to complete perfect season Group 1 Stanton (seven of nine, 128 yards) hit Demby with a 52-yard scoring pass with 7:06 remaining before intermission for a 12-0 lead. Following a 14-yard punt by the 8-3 Red Raiders, Stanton passed to Rodney Miller for 39 yards to the Paulsboro six-yard line, and on the next play Quincy Harmon took it in to make it 18-0. Stanton scored on a three-yard run in the third quarter following a fumble recovery by David Rone. Billy Moore, subbing for the injured Bundy at fullback, scored on a 30-yard run in the fourth quarter.

Strong defense has been Woodbury's trademark all season, and Ginsburg's team went into the title game having posted five shutouts and given up just 37 points. The Thunderding Herd had not allowed more than 12 points in any game this year. Yesterday, Woodbury's defense limited Paulsboro's running game to 55 yards (minus-one in the sec- Missed early games Determinaton brought East's Kurlej back from injury: Page 16D knowing that we had to control the ball to win and that Glenn (Foley) wasn't supposed to throw much. Glenn is a great athlete and wasn't concerned about his own stats. He was just concerned about winning.

We knew the key to this game would be who won in the trenches. We practiced long and hard for this game and it paid off." Foley entered the game needing to pass for four touchdowns to set a state single-season record, but it wasn't in the game plan. "Brick was prepared for our passing attack. Our wideouts were in double coverage all day, so our Woodbury's sweet taste Nothing campares to the taste of winning a championship: Page 15D ond halOi recovered two fumbles, recorded four sacks and got Demby's two interceptions. Woodbury outgained Paulsboro 336-210 in total yards.

Defensive lineman Scott Cordy had two sacks, and Brown and Billy Moore had one each. Derrick Moore and Rone had the fumble recoveries. "When we shut out Paulsboro the first time we played them this season, we began to realize how good our defense was," said Demby, a 5-10, 165-pounder who started at safety and running back, gaining 108 total yards on offense (51 rushing and four receptions for 57 yards). "Early in the season we felt it was our offense which was going to do it because we had a guy like Jimmer Bundy, but it was our defense which turned out to be our strong point." Group 2 ferent. "But beating such an excellent team like Salem in the game that meant everything is just a great tribute to our kids.

They did that for 11 games this year through hard work. I can honestly say this was a great team." The Chiefs, who became only the second team to score more than 400 points in a season (417), struck for their first touchdown with lightning quickness. On their first possession, they marched 61 yards on six plays, with the big play being a 43-yard run by Damon Nelson that brought the ball to the Salem five-yard line. Two plays later, Obie Daids went over from the one, and when George Maxwell added the extra point, the Chiefs led 7-0 with 7:01 remaining in the period. mm 4mu.

BO WOOD milestone victory "We were a little flat on defense in the first half, but this team knew coming into the game what it had to do to win. We've done it all year and that's a sign of a great team." Courier-Post photo by Al Schel! 30 yards for a touchdown in the yesterday's Group 1 game. Early in the final period, the Chiefs drove the final nail in Salem's coffin. The Chiefs took over at the Salem 42 following a Maxwell interception. Eight plays later, Maxwell ended the drive and wrapped up the game and the title for the Chiefs by bulling his way over from the one.

Then Nelson, on an option play, ran for the two-point conversion to give Buena a 21-0 lead with 7:54 remaining. "This team did what it had to do all year," Donohue said. "They weren't the biggest kids in the world, but there wasn't a harder working group around. They never let up from the first day of practice." "I am kind of humbled by this whole experience. But I know it's something I'll never forget the rest of the my life.

To go 11-0 is really something." Touchdown run: Woodbury High School's Billy Moore gets away from four Paulsboro By JOEY CULLIGAN Courier-Post Staff WOODBURY Senior Darnell Demby scored two touchdowns and intercepted two passes, and junior quarterback Duane Stanton passed for one score and ran for another as unbeaten Woodbury High School completed the most successful football season in its history with a 32-6 victory over Paulsboro to win the South Jersey Group 1 championship yesterday. Woodbury, ranked No. 4 in the Top Ten Poll, finished its season with an 11-0 mark to set a school record for victories and won its first-ever South Jersey title. Woodbury lost semifinal playoff games to Paulsboro last year and Florence in 1979. The Thundering Herd, coached by Larry Ginsburg, put the final touch on their first unbeaten season since 1963 (7-0-1) and their first unbeaten and untied mark since 1962 (9-0).

Woodbury has won 12 straight games over two seasons since losing to Paulsboro (20-15) in the playoff semifinals last year, and has won 20 of its last 21. "We've been the little guy on the block, and up until two years ago we thought just having a winning season was what we were shooting for," said Ginsburg, in his 12th season at Woodbury. "Even this season, when we were picked to repeat in our conference, I had some doubts because we only had three returning starters in Jimmer Bundy, Rob Brown and Demby." Woodbury beat Paulsboro 35-0 in their Colonial Conference meeting in the third game of this season and led 25-0 in the third quarter yesterday, before Paulsboro quarterback Marc Bay (11 of 24, 152 yards) hooked up with Billy Kidd (five receptions, 102 yards) on a 30-yard scoring play early in the fourth quarter. Demby gave Woodbury a 6-0 lead in the first quarter on a 37-yard run. The Thundering Herd then capitalized on two short Paulsboro punts to score two touchdowns within a three-minute span of the second quarter and take an 18-0 lead at halftime.

Buena shuts down Salem to capture Group 2 title By BOBVIGGIANO Courier-Post Staff BUENA The Buena High School football team is proudly wearing the label of South Jersey Group 2 champion. The Chiefs put the finishing touch on the greatest season in the school's history yesterday when they whipped previously unbeaten Salem 21-0 for the Group 2 title. The 11-0 Chiefs won the title with a little offense and plenty of defense. The offense was slowed by two fumbles and a blocked punt, but each time the defense came to the rescue to shut down the vaunted Salem offense. Salem was without its all-time leading rusher, Derek White, who was out with an injured hip.

"The defense was just fantastic," Buena coach Chuck Donohue said. "Those two stands in the first half were the ballgame. If Salem scored then, things might have been dif- ii'' But then the Chiefs' offense started sputtering, and on successive possesions fumbled the ball away inside its own 15. But each time, the defense, led by Maxwell, Alan Gerstle and Shawn Smith, stoned the Salem offense to help preserve the lead. "I don't know what happened to our offense in the first half," Donohue said.

"But I sure do know the defense did a fantastic job and I really believe that's where we won the game." The second half was all Buena. The Chiefs' offense came alive and the defense kept its intensity level high. Buena put the game away for good with 6:32 remaining in the third period. With the ball resting at the Buena 38, quarterback Bill Barrale hit Nelson with a perfect pass at the Salem 40. Once Nelson had the ball in his hands, he had a clear path to the end zone for the n.

-r irr.