High School Football:
Shawnee Defense Key In Win Over 10th Ranked Cherry Hill East

By Bob Grimmie
SJSports Staff Writer

For three quarters the Shawnee High School defense dug in and kept tenth ranked Cherry Hill East out of the end zone. During those quarters Shawnee senior tailback P.J. Lockard, who finished with 108 yards on 24 carries, scored on touchdown runs of 5 and 29 yards.

So with the home team leading 14-0 and threatening to score again in the fourth quarter, things looked grim for the Cougars of Cherry Hill East. Then, the momentum swing took a drastic turn in their favor. Shawnee quarterback Mike Connelly dropped back to pass at the Cougar 13 yard line only to have the toss deflected and picked off by East's Matt Tamburrino.

Tamburrino returned the interception to the Shawnee 42 where Connelly took him down. The Cougars then mounted an 11 play drive that resulted in Phil Anderson's five yard run for a touchdown.

With 4:35 remaining, and trailing 14-7, East attempted an onside kick that Shawnee recovered. Never-the-less, the Cougars got the ball back at their own 43 with 1:30 remaining after their defense forced a fourth down sack.

Now it would be up to Shawnee's defensive unit to hold off the Cougars one more time. The first play of the drive was an 11-yard completion from Tamburrino to Gary Cobb. That would be all East could muster though. Shawnee swatted away Tamburrino's next pass and then Mike Zambetti broke through for a sack.

The game ended with Shawnee's defense stepping up like they had all day.