FOOTBALL
By Tim Falls, Sports Editor
The next football season is only nine months away.
The Lawrence High School football team’s season has ended, but workouts are about to begin for next year.
The year-round training is part of the Cardinals’ program. It’s a program that has kept Lawrence competitive and brought the Cardinals closer to winning their first NJSIAA playoff game.
”We’re knocking on the door,” said Lawrence head coach Rob Radice. “Since I’ve been coach we’ve reached the playoffs six times, and the last five times were all legitimate physical battles that all could have gone either way.”
The Cardinals lost to Neptune, 21-13, last Sunday in the first round of the NJSIAA Central Group III tournament. While Lawrence has lost all eight of its NJSIAA playoff appearances, the Cardinals came extremely close to tying Neptune late in the fourth quarter.
Lawrence finished the season, 7-3, with losses in the Colonial Valley Conference to Colonial Division rivals, West Windsor-Plainsboro South and Notre Dame.
”In all three games there were chances,” said Radice. “We had the opportunity to make plays and we didn’t.”
Overall Lawrence had quite the impressive season, even without a much-wanted playoff win. The Cardinals compiled impressive statistics and handled most of the competition they faced quite confidently.
”I think considering that we started with a lot of new faces in different positions we achieved at a high level,” said Radice. “We consistently achieved at a high level and kept Lawrence football’s standards going strong. Going 7-3 was a very good year.”
Senior quarterback Anthony Russ led Lawrence’s offense and set several school records throughout the season.
Russ started the season throwing 305 yards in the loss to West Windsor-Plainsboro South and set the Cardinals’ single-game passing record.
Russ threw 1,931 yards throughout the record to surpass Brett Bracket’s 2005 single-season passing record.
”Anthony broke his leg as sophomore after going 5-0 as a starter,” said Radice. “Then as a sophomore he had mono and never got back into it. I’m happy he could come into his senior year and have the year I knew he could have. He’s a super individual, a great kid on the field and in the classroom. He’s a type of kid you don’t get a chance to be around that often.”
Russ completed 118 passes for another Cardinal record and threw for 11 touchdowns, the last an 85-yard pass to senior Colin Anderson in the fourth quarter in the loss to Neptune for the Cardinals’ final touchdown of the season.
Lawrence senior Sean Pearson led the Cardinals’ scoring with 19 touchdowns this season and posted his second season gaining over 1,000 rushing yards.
”Sean’s another super kid,” said Radice. “He had 1,288 yards this season and had 1,100 and change last year.”
Radice described Pearson as a very unselfish player who took up the responsibility of running the ball for the Cardinals.
One reason Russ had so much success throwing this season was Keith Sherman. The Lawrence senior had 44 receptions for a school record. Sherman’s big plays led to 634 receiving yards and four touchdowns for the Cardinals.
”Keith emerged as one of our big players,” said Radice. “Anthony was very fortunate to have him as a receiver.”
Radice also praised junior receiver Nick Brackett who had 36 catches over the season and Anderson, who came through for several catches on long throws.
The Lawrence defense did a tremendous job all season, posting several shutouts and making stops in crucial scoring situations. Led by defensive coordinator Anthony Ammirata, the Cardinal defense anticipated the opposition’s plays and rarely gave up any significant yardage.
”These seniors were a real group of hardworking kids,” said Radice. “Kalen McCallum, EJ Watson, Steven Mitchell, Brandon Henderson, are a great group of guys. They really had some shoes to fill and they did a super job, we’re certainly going to miss them.”
The Lawrence seniors this season were EJ Watson, Matt Irene, Colin Anderson, Dion Ross, Corey Thomas, Sean Pearson, Corey Bannister, Anthony Russ, Jerry McClure, Case Jemison, Raffaele Albanese, Brandon Henderson, Jensen Pierre, Kalen McCallum, Shukri Wrights, Rob Khatchadourian, Alphy Herrera, Stephen Mitchell, Matt Gregory, Lee Wing Zhou, Tommy Kmiec, Dean Massaro, Kevin Lopez and Steve Parsons.
With the season completed, the juniors, sophomores and freshman have to get back to work to be prepared to continue the Cardinals’ success.
”The next guys are waiting,” said Radice. “This group is gone, they left the foundation the next group has to rise up to. My seniors have done nothing but the right thing the past four years, now the younger guys need to step up. We’re moving forward. Monday after Thanksgiving, we’re getting at it again in the weight room.”
The Cardinals continue to train with hopes that next season they’ll be the ones to give Lawrence a playoff victory.
”The players are hungry for a win in the postseason,” said Radice. “The community is hungry for it. As a Lawrence alum, I’m hungry for it. I want to be the one who does it.”
Along with the players, Radice thanked the Cardinal fans for their support throughout the season.
”The whole community has been very supportive,” said Radice. “We can’t thank them enough. That’s what’s special about football, it brings everyone together.”

