Harris leads Camden past Wilson
Drew Harris didn't know much about Camden High School's storied rivalry with Woodrow Wilson before Friday night's playoff game. "He found out, didn't he?" Camden coach Dwayne Savage said.
Drew Harris didn't know much about Camden High School's storied rivalry with Woodrow Wilson before Friday night's playoff game.
"He found out, didn't he?" Camden coach Dwayne Savage said.
Harris, a junior who transferred to Camden from Philadelphia before this school year, was more than just an interested observer as seemingly half of the city crowded into Farnham Park for the first playoff game between the crosstown teams.
Harris probably played his best game of the season, throwing three touchdown passes to spark Camden to a 31-6 victory in a first-round game of the South Jersey Group 3 tournament Friday night.
"It was a great game for the whole team," Harris said. "The offensive line did a great job, the receivers made plays. I was just happy to help out my team."
Senior Dustin Singleton caught two touchdown passes and senior Brad Hawkins ran for one score and caught a pass for another as third-seeded Camden (7-2) advanced to the sectional semifinals.
Camden will play the winner of Saturday's game between second-seeded Pemberton and seventh-seeded Oakcrest.
If Pemberton wins, the Hornets will host Camden next Saturday. If Oakcrest wins, the Falcons will visit Camden on Friday.
"It's huge, because it's the playoffs and it's Woodrow Wilson," said Singleton, who caught scoring passes of 27 and 25 yards.
Junior Jelani McCargo ran 11 yards for a touchdown and senior Coron Mitchell had three sacks for sixth-seeded Woodrow Wilson (6-3).
Camden and Woodrow Wilson will meet again on Thanksgiving back in Farnham Park.
"It's just great to see our city behind us," Singleton said of the crowd that still was filing into the stadium at the start of the second half.
Camden got strong work from its defense, especially its front seven. The Panthers registered seven sacks, with ends Jamal Holloway and Ron Johnson and linebackers Josh Clark and Dymelle Parker providing most of the pass-rush pressure.
Camden led 7-0 at halftime, but the Panthers found their stride in the second half, scoring touchdowns on four of their first five possessions.
"We made some mistakes in the first half but we've been a second-half team," Harris said.
Harris struggled a bit in the first half, although his 27-yard strike to Singleton provided the only touchdown. But that was one of just three completions in seven attempts.
"He fought through it," Savage said. "He's a young kid and that was huge."
Said Singleton: "We encouraged him, didn't let him get his head down."
Harris was 8 for 10 passing for 127 yards in the second half and one of the incompletions was a drop.
"We just played a lot better as a team in the second half," Harris said.
Harris said his teammates told him before the game to prepare for something special with Woodrow Wilson traveling across town and much of the city coming out to see the big game.
"They told me what it would be like, but I really didn't have any idea it would be like this," Harris said. "I tried to treat it like just another game."
Woodrow Wilson 0 0 6 0 - 6
Camden 0 7 6 18 - 31
C: Dustin Singleton 27 pass from Drew Harris (John Green kick)
W: Jelani McCargo 11 run (kick fail)
C: Brad Hawkins 12 run (kick fail)
C: Singleton 25 pass from Harris (run fail)
C: Hawkins 15 pass from Harris (kick fail)
C: Dymelle Parker 1 run (pass fail)
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