By Wayne Witkowski
Jordan Bendick scored all three touchdowns while New Egypt High School’s football team put in another strong defensive effort when it beat Gloucester Catholic High School, 21-0, Sept. 17.
“The defense is playing great, really helping the offense, which is doing good,” said Steve Fence, who made his coaching debut at New Egypt in the previous game when the Warriors opened their season with a 30-7 victory over Maple Shade High School.
“Our secondary is solid, and the linebacking corps is doing well.”
“They had only one good drive,” New Egypt linebacker, running back and kicker Mario Reed said of Gloucester Catholic. “We’ve just been taking away what the opposing team has been trying to do. The coaches have put us in the right position to make plays, and we’re executing well.
“Coach Fence is bringing back the pride in New Egypt, and so has the administration. Students were tailgating before the [Gloucester Catholic] game. There’s a better atmosphere around the school. It’s fun to be a part of that.”
New Egypt has gotten off to good starts in recent years but will have a good test in its West Jersey Football League Freedom Division opener Sept. 23 at Palmyra High School (1-1).
“It’s a big challenge,” Fence said, as Palmyra comes off a 14-3 loss to Gloucester City Junior-Senior High School Sept. 16 after beating Riverside High School, 28-21, in its Sept. 9 opener. “This game will go a long way in deciding the West Jersey Freedom Division and making the state playoffs.”
Against Gloucester Catholic, Bendick ran 5 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter and added a pair of scores in the fourth quarter. Bendick’s first touchdown of the fourth quarter — a 4-yard run — came after New Egypt took Reed’s successful 28-yard field goal off the scoreboard because of a roughing the kicker penalty that gave the Warriors a first and goal at Gloucester Catholic’s 8-yard line.
The second touchdown of 12 yards midway through the final quarter followed a Gloucester Catholic punt blocked by Bob Farrand that gave New Egypt the ball at Gloucester Catholic’s 25-yard line.
Bendick also played well at cornerback along with Neal Floge.
“Bendick is a big part of what we do at cornerback,” Fence said.
Fence said Palmyra comes out with a spread offense with four fast receivers.
“And their defense is fast, so we have to be strong up front,” he said.
Fence gave credit on New Egypt’s defensive line to Matt Soles and Noah Viera.
“Palmyra has a quick tailback, so we have to play at the top of our game, which we’re capable of doing,” Reed said.
New Egypt will rely on the play of quarterback Kyle Frimel, who threw a pair of touchdown passes in the first quarter of the season-opener contest to Bryce Cristman and Jacke Kear and ran 12 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter. Viera ran 2 yards for the other touchdown, and Reed kicked a 28-yard field goal. Reed has made six of seven extra-point attempts.
Fence said there have been no major injuries keeping players out of games over the first two games, which is important for a team that has worn down at the end of the season in recent years.