Carr-Wing’s rushing explosion moves LCM to brink of outright division title in Not For Long Media Game of the Week

Posted: October 7th 2023

By BRIAN CUNNIFF

CapeAtlanticLive.com

The Lower Cape May Regional High School football team has inched closer to the division title that slipped through their grasp last season.

The Caper Tigers’ 46-22 road victory over Pitman Friday fueled by another terrific performance by Isiah Carr-Wing not only avenged a shocking loss to the Panthers last season but it also puts Lower in perfect position to win the West Jersey Football League’s Royal Division title.

Lower improved to 5-1 overall, 3-0 in division games with the victory. Technically, Lower can now do no worse than a tie for the division title but would clinch the championship outright with a victory over a one-win Gateway team at home on Saturday, Oct. 21.

Lower faces winless Buena in a WJFL crossover game next Friday that does not count in the division standings.

Lower has not won a title of any kind in football since taking the Cape-Atlantic National Conference championship in 1982, before many of the current players’ parents were in high school.

“It’s cliche, but we’re worried about Buena next week. It really is one game at a time,” Lower coach Lance Bailey said. “But we know the opportunity for that to happen is there for the taking. If we take care of business next week with a good performance, that would put us in a good position going into the game with Gateway. … To win a division title, for this program, it’s big.”

ISIAH CARR-WING: 319 rushing yards, 4 TDs

Carr-Wing enjoyed a game for the ages against Pitman. The senior running back dashed for 319 yards and four touchdowns on 24 carries. Friday’s output put Carr-Wing at 1,084 yards for the season. For those wondering, the school record for rushing yards in a game is 326 and in a season is 1,778, both set by Matt Dicken in 2002.

Carr-Wing led a ground attack that amassed an incredible 442 yards. He also posted two sacks from his linebacker position on defense.

“He’s benefitting from a lot of teams putting two and three guys over to wherever (standout receiver Braswell Thomas) is, but what he’s doing with that opportunity is unbelievable,” Bailey said. “He’s having a really special season.”

Carr-Wing has amassed his 1,084 yards to date on just 109 carries, giving him a 9.9 yards-per-carry average.

“For him to be averaging 10 yards per carry at this stage of the season is incredible,” Bailey said.

Lower raced out to a 20-0 lead midway through the second quarter on rushing touchdowns by Carr-Wing, Thomas and quarterback Hunter Ray. Pitman got back in the game with a long touchdown pass but Lower upped its lead to 27-7 when Carr-Wing scored from 38 yards out late in the first half.

Pitman scored again early in the second half to momentarily get back to within two scores, but Lower responded with scoring runs by Carr-Wing and Ray later in the third quarter to put the game away.

“After what happened last year, it wasn’t hard to motivate the kids,” Bailey said. “They knew what was on the line. We had a really good week of practice and it showed.”