ERMA – A well-placed swat of the hand helped lift the Lower Cape May Regional football team over Cumberland and preserve a homecoming win for the Caper Tigers.
LCMR (6-2) led the game at halftime, 13-0, and although they put up no points in the second half, they only allowed one touchdown, that in the third quarter, to earn their sixth win of the season, 13-7 over the visiting Colts.
Late in the game, Cumberland (5-3) drove to the four yard line and on fourth down threw the ball into the end zone. Senior cornerback Andrew Brant managed to knock the ball away and preserve the win for the Caper Tigers.
LCMR will move on to play Oakcrest High School (2-4), which has struggled this year, and could go into the state tournament with a seven-win season, something the Caper Tigers have not seen in a while.
The team is now 4-0 in conference play and sits on top of the West Jersey Football League’s Liberty Division. The schedule for the state tournament will be determined soon after teams play their final games.
The season’s success, which first-year head coach Bill Damiana credited to his players’ commitment, comes on the heels of a 2-8 campaign.
Damiana was a standout wrestler and football player at LCMR, graduating in 2009. He ended up playing Division I football at Kean University.
Contact the reporter, Christopher South, at csouth@cmcherald.com or call 609-886-8600, ext. 128.
