FOOTBALL
By: Tim Falls
The Lawrence High School varsity football team has been able to extend practice time thanks to the use of Elvin Bethea Field in Central Park off Eggerts Crossing Road.
The lights at that location have allowed the Cardinals to play past dusk.
Daylight may be dim more quickly as the season wanes, but the Cardinals can’t afford to lose their edge or practice time so they are grateful for the opportunity to use the township field in place of the high school practice field.
"Mr. (Ken) Mason our A.D. and Mr. (Steven) Groeger, (the Superintendent) of Parks and Recreation have been great, working together to let us use this field," said Lawrence football coach Rob Radice during practice Tuesday night. "It lets us keep practicing instead having to finish up at 4:30, quarter to five, when we lose daylight."
The Cardinals want the extra practice time to be ready for their first round game against Moorestown in the NJSIAA Central Group III playoffs. Top-seeded Lawrence will host eighth-seeded Moorestown at 1 p.m. Saturday. A win would be the first state victory for the Lawrence program.
The Cardinals have earned the top seed in the Central Group III playoffs with a 9-0 record, that includes a 41-3 victory over Allentown (0-8) last Saturday.
Senior Alex Pearson and his brother, sophomore Sean Pearson, had two touchdown runs each, while senior Bayshawn Wells and junior Brian Mills ran in one touchdown against the Redbirds. Senior Jim Gorski kicked all the extra points.
Wells led Lawrence with 106-rushing yards on four carries, sophomore Jerry McClure had 58 yards on five carries, the senior Pearson had 53 yards on three carries, Mills rushed twice for 33 yards and the sophomore Pearson had three carries for 21 yards.
The victory over Allentown, and a dominant win over West Windsor-Plainsboro North the previous week have given Lawrence time to prepare and get all of its players ready for the post season.
"I think we’re ready to go," said Radice, adding that Moorestown should be a good match-up for the Cardinals. "I know they have an offense similar to ours and a defense similar to ours. We’re like mirrored teams.
Both teams are alike, except for the fact that Lawrence is the top seed and Moorestown is the last seed. Radice has reason to be wary after his unbeaten and second-seeded Cardinals were upset by Ocean Township, 28-25, in the first round of the playoffs last year.
"Any team can win in the postseason," said Radice. "Ocean was the seventh seed and went on to win Central Group III. That just shows the seeding doesn’t really mean anything except who has the home field."
The loss to Ocean Township last year frustrated the Cardinals, but better prepared them for the competition this season.
"Last year was a good warm-up," said Radice. "We expected to win. We left that game knowing we had played hard, but we had a hallow feeling inside."
This will be Radice’s fourth chance to deliver the Cardinals a state win. Colts Neck, Hillsborough and most recently Ocean Township, all denied Lawrence during Radice’s tenure.
Those state losses are all the more reason for Radice to want a little more time at practice.

