VIDEO: Caper Tigers rout Gateway to wrap up first division title in 41 years in Not For Long Media Game of the Week

Posted: October 21st 2023

The Lower Cape May Regional High School football team celebrates winning the WJFL Royal Division championship following a 48-2 victory over Gateway Saturday.

By BRIAN CUNNIFF

CapeAtlanticLive.com

ERMA – A division championship was on the line for the Lower Cape May Regional High School football team when it took the field against Gateway Regional Saturday afternoon.

But despite the high stakes, there was little drama to the contest.

That’s because the Caper Tigers exploded for 28 first-quarter points en route to a 48-2 rout that gave the program the West Jersey Football League Royal Division championship on its Homecoming Day.

“I couldn’t be prouder of them,” said Lance Bailey, in the fourth year of his second stint as Lower’s head coach. “Most of the seniors, I had them when they were in eighth grade and I was coaching (at that level), so to see them mature into young adults the way they have to get to this moment … We had a vision together. We asked a lot of them and they’ve done it and they’ve done it above and beyond. They’re a great group of leaders and they deserve it.”

The division championship is the program’s first since 1982, when the Caper Tigers won the Cape-Atlantic League title.

“This is a great moment for us,” said Bailey, who was given a Gatorade shower by his players as the final whistle blew.

Isiah Carr-Wing (left) and Hunter Ray (center) combined to score seven touchdowns while Amir Clarke (right) had three sacks to lead Lower Cape May to a 48-2 win over Gateway.

Lower jumped to a 14-0 lead after its first two possessions on touchdown runs by Isiah Carr-Wing and Hunter Ray. Gateway appeared to get back into the game on a 90-yard kickoff return for a score, but a penalty negated the score and brought the ball back to the Gator 30-yard line. On the next play, Ray intercepted a pass and returned it 38 yards for a touchdown.

Ray added another short scoring run near the end of the first quarter, and the rout was on.

Ray finished with three rushing touchdowns in addition to his interception return for a score. Carr-Wing, who needed just 10 carries to run for 156 yards, added three scoring runs, one from 65 yards out.

Dennis Serra went 6 for 7 on extra-point kick attempts.

Amir Clarke paced the Lower defense with three sacks. Carr-Wing, Ben Rue and Oguer Nunez each recovered fumbles. Quintin Hagan added two sacks.

Despite a 7-1 finish to the regular season (4-0 WJFL Royal), Lower Cape May is most likely not going to qualify for the Group II playoffs. Although the team has solid power points, the Tigers grade out very low on opponents’ strength index and went into the weekend seeded 18th in the section in the United Power Ranking used to determine playoff positioning. The top 16 teams qualify. It is not believed the win over Gateway will move Lower into the top 16. Official standings are due to be released tomorrow.

If Lower indeed does not qualify, Bailey said the team plans to play at least two consolation games. Victories in both would match the 1980 team’s program record finish of 9-1.

“We feel like there’s still some meat on the bone out there for us,” Bailey said. “We’d like to play at least two more games. The kids and the program have come a long way. The kids have worked their tails off and they deserve every opportunity to try to go out and win a couple more football games.”