VIDEO: Wyers brilliant, but Warriors suffer yet another close defeat

Posted: October 7th 2023

Wildwood coach Ken Loomis addresses his team after a close defeat to KIPP Cooper Norcross Academy

By BRIAN CUNNIFF

CapeAtlanticLive.com

WILDWOOD – James Wyers enjoyed the most productive game of his high school football career Friday.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to steer Wildwood’s football team to a victory in the school’s Homecoming game.

Wildwood suffered its third agonizingly close defeat in four games, falling 12-8 to KIPP Cooper Norcross Academy when the Warriors’ final possession ended with an interception inside KIPP’s 30-yard line with less than two minutes to play.

The defeat comes on the heels of last week’s 7-0 loss to Gloucester Catholic, which was preceded two weeks earlier by a 13-7 loss to Bishop Eustace.

“This hurts, just like every loss hurts,” Wyers said. “It comes down to not making as many mistakes as the other team. Yeah, it hurts.”

JAMES WYERS: 11 catches for 145 yards in loss

Wyers was brilliant in defeat. He caught a career-best 11 passes for 145 yards. His 33-yard reception midway through the fourth quarter set the Warriors up with a first-and-goal from the 5-yard line, but Wildwood failed to score and turned the ball over on downs with KIPP leading, 12-6.

Wyers, however, made the game’s biggest defensive play when he tackled KIPP’s A’shon Robinson in the end zone for a safety on the next play from scrimmage. The Warriors then started the next possession on the KIPP 35-yard line after the ensuing free kick but tossed an interception on a fourth-and-10 play that ended their chances.

“It hurts a lot, going out of our senior season in our last home game with a loss,” Wyers said. “But in my opinion, the score doesn’t show how hard us seniors and the whole team worked.”

Wildwood opened the scoring in the second quarter on a one-yard touchdown run by sophomore Jordan Dozier, who made his first career start at quarterback. It was Wildwood’s first offensive touchdown since a 28-21 win over Cumberland in the team’s season opener.

KIPP responded with a 21-yard touchdown pass from Ja’Kere Ward to Jahseer Thompson shortly before halftime.

KIPP took the lead for good by scoring early in the second half after intercepting Wildwood near midfield, this time on a 22-yard toss from Ward to Thompson.

Wildwood (1-5), limited offensively due to a rushing attack that netted just seven yards on 13 carries, almost certainly set a school record for passing attempts in a game with a whopping 53. Dozer completed 23 of those attempts for 246 yards.

In addition to the 11 catches for 145 yards by Wyers, Junior Hans caught eight balls for 82 yards.

Hans and Justice Santiago each had interceptions for Wildwood.

The Warriors are set to finish the season with two road games – Friday at Haddon Township and Oct. 21 at Riverside.