Willingboro rallies for dramatic 20-19 win over Ramapo
Last year the Willingboro Chimeras(2-2) football truly enjoyed a historic season, a program-record 12 wins, second straight Group 1 sectional championship title, West Jersey Football League Constitution Division Champs and finishing off the 2019 in grand style by crushing Penns Grove 50-14 in the South/Central Group 1 regional championship game at SHI Stadium on the campus of Rutgers University.
Looking forward to the 2020 season with 11 seniors returning to the team and opportunity to add more championship hardware, the COVID-19 pandemic quickly derailed those plans as the Chimeras only had the opportunity to play two meaningful games plus forfeiting a game to Williamstown on October 16th. That meant the last time actually was on the field occurred back on October 23rd in a 34-23 win over West Deptford.
When the opportunity arose to play at Ramapo (3-2), Chimeras head coach Steve Everette did not hesitate at all. Even with a long bus ride of almost two hours up to Franklin Lakes, just the chance to play a football game could not be passed up at all.
“Can we talk about the walkthrough in the parking lot because our field was underwater,” said Willingboro Head Coach Steve Everette. “We had two practices or so but that part was okay so let’s just have fun playing. I couldn’t have come up to North Jersey with out the Grant brothers’, Derek Coleman, Jim Williams, Ron Jackson and Gary Mobley if we didn’t put on good performance up here, they would have not allowed me to come back into North Jersey”
“Normally we come up to North Jersey to scrimmage against Shabazz and JFK because it’s a different brand of football.” “Having the ability to come up here, Coach (Drew)Gibbs agreeing to play us when most people will not play us because we are a Group 1 school and Coach(Gibbs) said let’s play football.” I have nothing but gratitude for Coach Gibbs, we know each other from the Glazier Clinics. To get the chance to play at great facilities, great hospitality by Ramapo High School, we haven’t played in a month and we’re just glad to have somebody to play.”
Ramapo Head Coach Drew Gibbs on the Green Raiders playing Willingboro, “I have a tremendous respect for Steve (Everette), they needed a game and reached out to us.” “They’ve got a lot of confidence in their program, usually teams’ don’t often reach out to top level teams’ to play because sometimes people look to protect their record but they were looking for a challenging game.”
Trailing 13-6 in the fourth quarter, Willingboro had an opportunity to tie the game up but ended up turning over the ball on downs at the Ramapo 14-yard line. However, the momentum quickly shifted back in the Chimeras favor with the defense forcing Green Raiders senior running back Rich Sica into fumbling ball at the Ramapo 30-yard line.
Facing a third down and eight at the 28-yard line, junior running back Bryson Bright (14 carries for 99 yards) broke loose for a 26-yard run. Despite gaining only 22 yards on the ground, senior quarterback Ah-Shaun Davis made them count at the right time, barreling ahead for his second touchdown of the contest on first and goal at the two-yard line with 7:57 remaining. Going for the two-point conversion, Bright found a gaping hole for the run as Willingboro went ahead 14-13.
“Some of these guys made some tremendous plays today, we have great athletes and it’s about being disciplined when you are supposed to be and when you put all that together you get a really good football team,” said Steve Everette. “Now listen they (Ramapo) have that quarterback (Charles DePrima) over there that’s pretty good but I think I got the best one (Ah-Shaun Davis) and Harvard versus Lafayette.”
However, the Green Raiders offense quickly got back in sync by mixing up the run and pass to move the ball into Chimeras territory. Facing a fourth and eight at the 36-yard line, junior defensive back Naseem Greshan swooped in for his second interception of the day, returning it back to the Ramapo 43-yard line and fourth time senior quarterback Charles DePrima had been picked off in the game.
Pounding the rock by running the ball enabled the Willingboro offense moved into the red zone. Facing a second and one at the 19-yard line, junior running back Nasir Abney burst through the line for the score with 1:29 left. Once again going for the two-point conversion, this time around the Chimeras could not convert as a running play ended up short of the goal line leaving the score at 20-13.
“He(Nasir Abney) could have dropped on the two-yard line but that was his first game,” Steve Everette explained. “He is a transfer, didn’t get to play the first two games and then we got hit(COVID-19) for the last month.” It would have been nice to tell him to fall down but we said let’s go score and play some football.”
Just when the game might be in the bag as Ramapo had no timeouts to work with, a short kickoff gave the Green Raiders a light at the end of the tunnel with the ball at their own 42-yard line. Facing a third down and 10, DePrima aired out a 47-yard bomb to senior wide receiver Sean Clapp that advanced the back to the Willingboro 11-yard line.
With time about to expire on the clock, and facing a fourth down play, DePrima displayed steely-eyed composure by firing his second touchdown pass of the game, a six-yard strike to senior wide receiver John Skead. Instead of kicking the extra point, Ramapo Head Coach Drew Gibbs made the decision to go for the two-point conversion and win. Taking the snap, DePrima heaved a pass into the left corner of the end zone but Clapp could not keep his feet inbounds thus setting off a jubilant celebration on the Willingboro sidelines and at midfield.
“Certainly we had a call in that situation, felt good about our players and felt good about executing,” said Drew Gibbs. “I guess Sean’s foot was about four inches out of bounds down with that throw.” Just proud of our players, our backs were up against the wall late in the game and fortunate to get that touchdown on the last play of the game. I’m proud of the way our boys fought to the end. It was a great game to be part of and hate to come out on the losing end but both teams’ battled, fought hard, great sportsmanship on both sides and had a championship atmosphere on a beautiful Saturday afternoon
Willingboro quarterback Ah-Shaun Davis on the win, “Everybody kept working, it was a great game and we preached all week play like it’s your last because you never know during these times and that’s what we did. “We came out and played for each other, we are brothers’ and that’s how we came out on top. We had a couple of early losses, didn’t play over in a month and great bounce back for our program.”
“I believe we have the best backfield in South Jersey, we got a three-headed monster, Nasir Abney a transfer from Holy Cross and not a lot of people know about him.” “A big bruiser back, you know Bryson (Bright) an underrated player and has a lot of speed and I try to preach to him to use his speed a lot and he is a lot faster than he looks. Demie (Suto) is all-around, he is an N.C.(North Carolina) State commit, and he does what he does.
Head Coach Steve Everette on the victory, “We’re grateful right now and glad my kids played well.” “We showed folks that South Jersey has a good brand of football and our little small high school can play with just about anybody and I’m so proud of my kids right now.”
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