By: Sean Moylan Sports Writer
With the threat of possible tornadoes, severe winds and heavy rains in the forecast, the Northern Burlington County Regional High football team’s NJSIAA consolation game scheduled for November 15th at Deptford High was cancelled. Then, two days later, the contest was strangely rescheduled for last Thursday morning.
Consequently, it took the Greyhounds a full quarter and a half to get their game in gear and by that time they were already down 14-0 in a contest they ended up losing to Deptford, 26-7.
“I think it was tough on our kids. We got told on Saturday that our game against Deptford was cancelled. And then by the time Monday afternoon came around and they told us we’d be playing at Deptford on Thursday morning, a lot of our kids had already got settled into the fact that our season was over,” said Northern Burlington football coach Jon Reising.
Midway through the second quarter, NBC players adjusted to the strange game time and ýPage=014 Column=001 OK,0009.03þ
started playing better. And in the final minutes of the first half, senior Joe Washington scored the only touchdown of the game for the Greyhounds and Thomas Mannucia added the extra point.
“Joe’s (Washington) touchdown was on a quarterback sneak of 6 yards,” added Reising, whose team was starting to get some momentum back by that point.
Although they started moving the ball well on offense, a few costly mistakes prevented the Greyhounds from tying the game up in the early stages of the third quarter. Then a muffed punt led to a 32-yard touchdown by Josh Milton, which gave Deptford a 20-7 advantage. NBC continued to play hard, however, but a questionable call in the third quarter ended all chances of a comeback.
“The backbreaker was we punted the ball and it hit one of their kids and we recovered the ball (in good field position). But we got called for a penalty,” said Reising, who had one of his players called for an illegal block of the punt returner into the ball. It was a call that Reising strongly disagreed with, but in high school football they don’t use instant replay so the call wasn’t about to get changed. That call took something out of Northern Burlington, which ended up giving up a fourth-quarter touchdown.
Although it’s been a toughseason for NBC in general, the Greyhounds’ senior running back Andrew Bothwell has had a fantastic year and he had another strong game against Deptford with 116 yards rushing on 21 carries. In fact, Bothwell was so good he was recognized as a Second Team All-Star in the conference this season.
“Andrew Bothwell is a great kid on and off the field,” added Reising, pointing to Bothwell’s unselfish nature and the fine way in which his parents have raised him. “This year Andrew just kept on getting hit yard after yard yet he never complained.”
NBC First Team All-Stars were juniors Boomer Walton, a tight end, and Thaddeus Richards, a defensive back.
“I think Boomer (Walton) is a very solid player offensively. He knows how to read coverages. He knows how to find an opening. And he has a great pair of hands,” said Reising.
Richards, on the other hand, uses his great quickness to play runs well and he’s also a very good cover guy on pass plays.
NBC’s other Second Team All-Stars were quarterback Joe Washington and offensive lineman Ron Garrett.
“Joe Washington is a very solid football player and he plays the quarterback position within our system very well. And Ronnie Garrett is a workýPage=014 Column=003 OK,0007.02þ
horse. He’s the type of kid that every coach likes to be around,” Reising added.
Unfortunately for the Greyhounds, Garrett, Washington and Bothwell will all be graduating this Spring along with Will Morgan (OL/DL), Cliff Nanfeldt (WR/DB), Marcellus Bethea (LB/FB), Lorenzo Capeles (OL/DL), Frank Capra (OL/DL), Jordan Downs (RB/LB), Jeff Townsend (FB/LB), Chad Dill (WR/DB), Nate Pryce (WR/DB) and Mannucia (FB/LB). Yet strong players like Walton and Richards will be back.
While nearly every high school football team will have some injuries, the Greyhounds (2-8) were devastated by injuries this year and that is a big reason they didn’t win a few more games. But Reising believes if his team improves its conditioning in the offseason that will not only cut down on the injuries but it will also prepare his boys better to play the bigger, faster and more physical teams on their schedule.
“I think the number one thing our kids have to do this offseason is dedicate themselves to the weight room,” said Reising, who’d love to be coaching a bigger, faster and more physical NBC football team next Fall.
FLORENCE
The Florence High football team will play a Thanksgiving Day game at Riverside today. The Flashes still have an outside shot at winning a piece of a Freedom Division with a win and a Palmyra league loss.
BRHS
The Bordentown High football team will conclude its season with its annual Thanksgiving Day game. Bordentown will play at New Egypt at 10 a.m.

