Salem Football

Looking, talking like team ready to return to final
Posted on 09/25/2015
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GLOUCESTER – Shareef Jefferies feels theSalem High School football team came into the season somewhat overlooked.

Despite reaching the South Jersey Group 1 final last season, where they fell to Paulsboro, 21-0, the Rams lost their coach, Dennis Thomas, to Millville and 2/3 of their vaunted running back trio.

The South Jersey Group 1 field is also expected to include defending champion Paulsboro, improved Penns Grove and Glassboro – back in Group 1 which it won 5 out of 7 years before jumping to Group 2 last season.

After Thursday night, Salem should have opened some eyes around South Jersey, blasting Gloucester, 49-0., in a West Jersey Football League Classic Division matchupto move to 3-0.


WEEK 3: WJFL schedule/predictions


Jefferies and Jonathan Taylor combined for 287 yards and five touchdowns rushing and the defense forced five turnovers in blowing out a Gloucester team that had won its first two games. The Rams have allowed just 10 points in three games and have wins over Glassboro and Gloucester, two of the premier Group 1 programs.

“This is what we expected,” said Jefferies, Salem’s senior quarterback. “We’ve been working hard all year, all offseason. It was huge, everybody’s been sleeping on us. Everybody was expecting the ship to sink, we keep running up.”

Teron Nance, who posted two of the three Salem interceptions, admitted he didn’t expect the Rams to win 49-0. But he did feel they could force some turnovers and win the game.

“The defense did good, executed like the coaches told us,” said Nance. “I thought it was gonna be a good game, but we showed up better than we thought. We’re the best defense in South Jersey, that’s all I can say.”

Salem coach Montrey Wright wasn’t expecting a 49-0 score either but he said the Rams executed the way he thought they would.

“I am extremely happy with the way these guys played,” said Wright. “Going in knowing it would be a tough game, these guys played alignment assignment football like we do every week. They locked in and got it done.

"Was it a surprise? I expected we would play hard and the results showed we wanted it. My defense.. … Five turnovers is not surprising at all. The ‘D’ is playing real well, fast and aggressive.”

If the Rams continue to play as well as they did Thursday, a return trip to the South Jersey final could be in the cards.

“We’re going back to Rowan,” said Nance. “No doubt about it.”