By Jimmy Allinder
On paper, the Spotswood High School football team (3-0 division, 4-0 overall) should win its five remaining regular-season games.
That’s because every opponent is either .500 or less at this point. However, football games have never been played on paper, and it would be more than fair to say the Chargers’ five remaining games will be their most competitive.
Greater Middlesex Conference (GMC) Blue Division opponent Highland Park High School (1-1 division, 2-2 overall) pays a visit Oct. 8, Point Pleasant Beach High School (2-2) of the Shore Conference comes to town Oct. 15 and division newcomer Bishop George Ahr High School (2-0 division, 2-2 overall) ends the home stand Oct. 22. The final game before state playoff qualification is a visit to another Shore Conference team, Raritan High School (1-3), Oct. 28.
Qualifying for the states is an important goal for the Chargers, who have been to the postseason three straight years but have yet to advance past the first round. But there is another important game to close out the regular season.
Spotswood will travel to Metuchen High School (1-0 division, 1-2 overall) Nov. 5 in a game that could decide the GMC Blue Division championship. It would be the third consecutive season the division title hinged on the outcome of that game, although the Bulldogs have one more division game to play on Thanksgiving Day against rival Highland Park.
“We want to win the Blue Division and advance in the [NJSIAA Central Jersey, Group II] playoffs,” head coach Andy Cammarano said. “Our guys have experienced nothing but success in the past three years, and we want to be the best Spotswood team ever.”
While that may be perceived as a cocky statement, Cammarano says that’s only an expression of confidence in his team.
“We want to compare ourselves to the standard that’s been set by our program’s success,” he said. “The goal is to go beyond where we’ve been.”
The Chargers have already beaten South River High School, 31-6, Middlesex High School, 14-3, Dunellen High School, 28-20, and Holmdel High School of the Shore Conference, 27-13. Those opponents have combined for a paltry 1-14 record, so Cammarano agrees the rest of the schedule will be tougher.
In addition to returning players who have made important contributions, new faces have dotted the Chargers’ starting lineup in many skilled positions and have also done well. Senior right tackle Chris Robel has been steady and has turned into a quality run blocker and pass protector. Senior wingback Chase Esser has consistently gained key yardage when the Chargers opt to run the sweep, and junior defensive tackles Jesse Sowell and Yousef Elhalaka have developed into quality linemen.
“This is a good practice team, and the players have a great attitude,” Cammarano said. “They’re very loose, they laugh a lot and they support each other. Things don’t bother them, and they always keep pushing.”
The coach said what’s most fun is how the team has responded to his admonition that it can’t rest on its laurels.
“It’s easy to say we’re fine, but as any coach knows, we’re never that fine,” he said. “There’s always something that can be fixed, and making those adjustments and seeing the results on the field is what I enjoy most.”