Sports

UPDATED: Haddonfield Captures SJ Group 2 Football Crown 21-0 Over Woodstown

This is the second state championship for the Bulldawgs in the past four years.

ORIGINALLY POSTED AT 4:22 P.M.

The Haddonfield Bulldawgs rode a stifling, opportunistic defense Saturday to an improbable, upset win over previously undefeated Woodstown to capture the South Jersey Group 2 Football championship, 21-0.

Haddonfield had to run a gauntlet of three undefeated teams in the playoffs — West Deptford(8-0 ), Camden(9-0) and  Woodstown(11-0) —to Saturday's decisive championship win in a game played on the neutral field of Rowan University on a cold, windy day.

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"It’s always something to prove, to ourselves, our kids, and the challenge never ends," Haddonfield head coach Frank DeLano said.

It was Haddonfield's second state championship in the past four years.

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"It’s a special journey," DeLano said.

Haddonfield(10-2) scored two defensive touchdowns—on a four-yard run after a third-quarter fumble recovery by Mark Walker, and on a 35-yard touchdown scamper after a fourth-quarter interception by Ted Stavetski. Jacob Klaus also scored in the third quarter for the Bulldawgs on a 19-yard touchdown run on offense.

Klaus paced the Bulldawgs with 19 carries for 116 yards.

Both defenses had their way in a scoreless first half. Haddonfield moved the ball on offense, but had little to show for it. The Bulldawgs had 177 total yards to just 30 for Woodstown.

The Wolverines mounted a threat to open the second half, moving from their own 35 to Haddonfield’s 23 on seven plays. The big play in the series was a 27-yard pass play to Tariq Thomas on third and 23 from the 50-yard-line.

The Haddons were on their heals until Klaus, a two-way player, fell on a fumble on the next play at 9:18 of the third quarter. Then, it was all Haddonfield.

On Woodstown’s next possession, a quarterback fumble landed on the 4-yard-line. Walker scooped up the ball and scored the first points of the game at 4:59 of the third quarter.

"That was one thing we noticed on film," DeLano said. "They do put the ball down on the ground, especially when you pressure them a little bit. Anytime you can create a turnover in a game like this, it’s deflating."

 


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