Friday’s South Jersey roundup: Patrick Smith’s record-breaking night leads Holy Spirit to Non-Public Group 2 final

Patrick Smith scored a Holy Spirit record seven touchdowns in its 50-24 win over Hudson Catholic in the Non-Public Group 2 semifinals on Friday.

Smith’s first of his six rushing touchdowns put the first points on the board, scoring from 4 yards out to give the Spartans a 7-0 lead in the first quarter. After an Amarrie Bolden 7-yard reception from Lukas Kasko to make it 7-6, Smith took the ensuing kickoff 64 yards for a score. He then reeled off touchdown runs of 13 and 50 yards to put Holy Spirit up 28-6 at halftime. Bolden and Kasko connected two more times for touchdowns in the second half as Hudson Catholic brought the game to within 10, scoring the first two touchdowns in the second half but failing twice on two-point conversions. That’s when Smith ripped touchdown runs of 52, 28 and 50 yards to seal the win. His 28-yard score tied the school record of six touchdowns in a game with Reggie Jean-Charles (2016) and William Washington (2007). Holy Spirit plays the winner of St. Joseph (Hamm.) and Morris Catholic in the final next Friday.

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Jaiden Abrams scored twice on the ground and caught a touchdown pass to lead top-seeded Hammonton over Jackson Memorial, 28-12, in the Central Group 4 final. The Blue Devils got out to a 21-0 lead at halftime, as Ryan Barts threw touchdown passes to Abrams for 22 yards and Hunter Macduff for 19. Coming into the contest, Abrams had 1,647 rushing yards on 225 carries and 18 touchdowns. Lonnie Cebulski connected with Zach Novak for touchdown passes of 32 and 41 yards for Jackson Memorial.

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Tom Rebstock scored two rushing touchdowns for top-seeded Shawnee in its 28-0 win over Ocean City in the South Group 4 final. The win gives the Renegades a third consecutive sectional title and their ninth in program history. The Red Raiders, the seventh seed, had upset second-seeded Mainland in the quarterfinals, 21-14 and then beat sixth-seeded Long Branch, 21-20, in the semifinals.

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Billy Osborn threw a pair of touchdowns and ran for two more to lead Cherokee past Kingsway, 35-18, in the Central Group 5 final. Mark Phillips had two touchdown receptions for the Chiefs, while Alex Odom scored once on the ground and once through the air. Both teams came into the final as underdog stories, as Cherokee upset No. 1 seed North Brunswick in the semifinals, 41-25. Kingsway, the No. 6 seed, downed No. 2 Toms River North in the semifinals, 19-14, in a game that saw every point scored in the first half.

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Willingboro kept Salem scoreless in the second half of its 40-8 Central Group 1 final win. Zaire Clements had a 75-yard touchdown run and a 22-yard touchdown reception from Ah-Shaun Davis. Demie Sumo had a pair of rushing scores as well, while Angelo Green returned a 16-yard interception for a touchdown as the Chimeras captured their second straight Central title. Davis connected with Chris Long for the duos 17th touchdown pass of the season in the win.

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St. Augustine fell to St. Peter’s Prep in the Non-Public Group 4 semifinals, as Tahjamell Bullock’s game-winning rushing touchdown from one yard out with just under 30 seconds remaining cut the Hermits’ comeback efforts short. After trailing 21-14 to open up the fourth quarter, St. Augustine quarterback Austin Leyman connected with Carnell Davis for a 5-yard touchdown pass to tie the game. On the ensuing St. Peter’s Prep possession, Kenny Selby intercepted Bullock for a 45-yard pick-six, putting the Hermits up 28-21 with 9 minutes remaining. But Bullock came back, as he found Byron Shipman for a 60-yard touchdown. And after a David Benoit interception to set the Marauders on their own 42-yard line with 1:18 remaining, Bullock drove the Marauders down the field for the game-winning drive.

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West Deptford lost to Hillside in the South Group 2 final, 14-10. James Westry’s 20-yard pass from Gavin Melendez with 3:59 remaining in the game sealed the win for Hillside, which came back from being down 10-0 to start the fourth quarter.