The Wait Is Over: Pinelands Wins First State Playoff Game in 22 Years
The greatest season in Pinelands football history still has a chapter to write after another historic win on Friday night.
The undefeated Wildcats blanked sixth-seeded Triton, 21-0, in the South Jersey Group 3 quarterfinals for their first state playoff win in 22 years and just their second in program history.
“We had to sell hard to our kids that we’re 0-0, and the 9-0 season doesn’t exist any more,” Pinelands head coach John Tierney said. “We’ll celebrate that at the banquet. Tonight was just huge for us, for our community, and our school.”
Pinelands running back RJ Clark ran for a pair of touchdowns in a playoff win over Triton. (Photo by SidelineSamsShots)
Pinelands is now 10-0 after having blown past the previous school record of seven wins in a season. The Wildcats have also won their first division title since 1987 and their first outright division title in history.
They now await the winner of Saturday’s Red Bank-Oakcrest game in the semifinals, which will be at Pinelands if Red Bank pulls the upset or on the road if second-seeded Oakcrest wins. One more victory puts the third-seeded Wildcats in their first NJSIAA sectional final in history.
Despite not having won a state playoff game since 2004, they were the favorite on Friday night as the higher seed and the home team, putting them in a strange position.
Pinelands linebacker Montrell Carter helped lead a swarming defense that posted its sixth shutout of the season in the win. (Photo by bzbphoto)
“We always talk about going up rungs on the ladder,” Tierney said. “We had to skip a rung to win this game.”
The Wildcats came out a little tight, but still took a 6-0 lead into halftime thanks to a 21-yard touchdown run by junior running back RJ Clark. They were able to keep a lid on dynamic Triton senior quarterback Jaylen Morris, who then suffered an injury and did not return.
They leaned on a dominant defense led by junior linebackers Montrell Carter and Paul Veneri. That unit registered its school-record sixth shutout of the season, the most of any team in the Shore Conference this year. The Class B South champs are allowing a state-low 3.1 points per game this season.
“The defense turned it up, and after halftime we really started to take over the game,” Tierney said.
Senior quarterback JJ Jenkins found senior wide receiver Dom Colosi for a 34-yard touchdown pass and then ran in a two-point conversion to extend the lead. Clark then scored on a one-yard run to cap the scoring.
Scott Stump is the football editor and a reporter for Shore Sports Insider. He first started covering Shore Conference football in 1999.
Email: scottstump25@gmail.com
