Step up in competition awaits LCM after eight-win campaign, new season begins Friday at Bridgeton

Posted: August 29th 2024

By BRIAN CUNNIFF

CapeAtlanticLive.com

The Lower Cape May Regional High School football program was talked about extensively across South Jersey and even the state last season.

That’s because the Caper Tigers, due to the complex – and some might say extremely flawed – power-point system, failed to qualify for the state playoffs despite winning seven of its eight regular-season games.

Still, it was a season to remember. Lower finished 8-2 after splitting its two consolation games, marking just the fourth time in program history the Tigers posted at least eight wins in a season.

Quite a few of the top players from that club have graduated, including running back Isiah Carr-Wing (1,800 rushing yards, 24 TDs – both school records), quarterback Hunter Ray (1,055 passing yards, 13 rushing TDs) and A.J. King (team-best 70 tackles). Division I Penn state commit Braswell Thomas is also gone, having transferred to Pleasantville, although Thomas is expected to miss his entire senior season after suffering an elbow injury during a workout at Penn State.

Lower will also face a more difficult schedule this fall, beginning with Friday’s opener at an improved Bridgeton team. As 2023 champions of the West Jersey Football League’s Royal Division, the Tigers have been moved into the Liberty Division, which will feature games against Middle Township, Absegami, Cumberland, Oakcrest and St. Joseph. That certainly represents a step up in class from the Tigers’ schedule from the last couple of seasons.

Lower will lean on the handful of experienced players to help the team navigate the process.

“Since we’ve had success, we’ve moved up and we’re going to have to really compete,” Lower coach Lance Bailey said. “We lost a lot, but we still have some guys in the third and fourth years in our program. They’ll have to help the others with what’s expected and they know that.”

Senior Dennis Serra (RB/DB/K) was a first team division all-star last fall after setting a program record with 44 extra-point kicks. He also went 4 for 5 with a long of 43 yards on field-goal tries. He’s also expected to make a big impact on offense and defense this fall/ Senior Zach Castellano (WR/DB) and junior Will Garoh (OL/DL) were honorable mention division all-stars a year ago and could have breakout campaigns this fall.

Others with some solid varsity experience include seniors Brian McNeal (WR/DB/P), Sam Lake (OL/DL) and Tim Booth (WR/LB) and juniors Jake Hearon (OL/DL) and Caden Britton (OL/DL).

“Some of those guys got a lot of time last year,” Bailey said. “They either worked their way into the lineup – maybe not as a starter – but they got into a lot of games and got some experience and performed well. The last couple years, we felt we had really good scout teams that pushed our top guys, so it’s only natural for those guys to elevate themselves into bigger roles.

“But some of these guys are going to go from role players and fringe players to full-time, two-way starters. They know what’s expected of them. They’re excited.”

Younger players, some of whom saw limited varsity action a season ago, looking to make a bigger impact include juniors John Fernandez (WR/DB), Alex Nelson (RB/LB) and Max Bracken (RB/LB) and sophomores Dave Douglass (QB/LB/P), Ryan Mallon (RB/DB), Cole Cooper (OL/DL) and Will Torres (OL/DL).

Newcomers expected to make an impact include senior Jake Robson (RB/WR/LB) and freshman Ashton Ray (QB/WR/DB). Robson could emerge as one of Lower’s better players despite his lack of high school experience, while Ray could be a future standout.

Douglass is expected to start at quarterback in the opener against Bridgeton, although Ray could also see time at the position as the season progresses, making Lower extremely young at the position.

“We’re used to that here, where a guy graduates and we start over with a younger guy and there’s going to be some growing pains,” Bailey said. “Both those guys are doing a great job so far.”

Bailey is optimistic his team can compete for a winning season and a possible Group II playoff berth.

“Like we’ve always said here, we’re taking everything one snap at a time and one game at a time,” he said. “You can’t get too high and you can’t get too low. We know we’re going to be in competitive football games every week this year. We honestly weren’t the last couple years. We’ll get to see what we’re made of. But we know we’re going to have to fight on a weekly basis.”

Bailey is assisted by Eric Albert, Paul Baruffi, Billy Damiana, Cory Damiana, Jimmy Gonzalez, Sam Lawler, Rob White, Shane Wilford and Erich Wolf.

Lower was an easy winner over Bridgeton a season ago but the Bulldogs, Bailey said, looked much improved heading into 2024.

“They’re very athletic and the whole mechanics of what they’re doing now compared to last year at this time are completely different,” Bailey said. “They’re more disciplined, they’re more organized and their numbers are up. It looks like they’re on their way to being a really good football team. It’s definitely going to be a tough game for us.”