Finally! Camden High School football wins first sectional championship in 46 years

TABERNACLE – As the Camden High School football team celebrated its first sectional championship in 46 years Saturday night, the gap between its titles came into focus.

Head coach Rob Hinson played his first year with the Centerville Simbas midget program in 1976, the last time the Panthers could call themselves champions.

Assistant offensive line coach Eddie Alston was the starting center on that team. Now, he’s 63 years old.

It was so long ago most of the players’ parents weren’t even born yet.

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“My grandparents, they went to the High, I’m pretty sure they (were) born (by) 1976,” senior defensive lineman Jahmye Tyson said.

For all the talent Camden High has produced over the last four-plus decades, including numerous Division-I prospects as well as NFL players like Sean Chandler and Brad Hawkins, it’s spent years falling just short come playoff time.

Not anymore.

The second-seeded Panthers shut out their third straight playoff foe, upending No. 1 Seneca 21-0 for the Central Jersey Group 3 crown.

“We just always wanted to bring one back,” senior Hamin Anderson said. “… We always wanted to bring that back and we finally did it.”

Hinson won four sectional titles as head coach at Timber Creek, but this one felt different.

“Being able to come home and do it, these guys have had a lot of success over the years, but not quite able to get over the hump man,” said the 1989 grad, who lost twice in the semifinals as a player. “Just being able to work with these guys since February in the weight room all the way to now, and having ’em buy in the way they bought in, it’s amazing.”

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Hinson had two uncles on the 1976 team, and his other uncle Andy Hinson helped put it together before stepping away from the program that very year.

Hinson grew up expecting more championships to come. So did Alston. Finishing the job was beyond words.

“It’s indescribable,” Alston said. “This feels so good being out here, being a part of the organization and watching these young men bring something back home.”

The history was hard to grasp for some players, but seniors like Anderson and Tyson know the journey they went on.

They lost in the final their freshman year to Cedar Creek, lost their sophomore postseason to COVID, and were banned from the playoffs last year due to an incident at Pleasantville.

“We just came back hungrier,” Anderson said. “We had a new coaching staff and we all came back hungrier. What happened last year was a bad situation, and we just came back wanting to win.”

It wasn’t just for them though.

“The fans came out, and to be over here making big plays for the city, I know the city felt good,” senior Taquan Brittingham said.

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And the city will make sure this group is remembered for all time.

“The city loves it,” Alston said. “… Watch the city tomorrow. That’s all they’re going to be talking about.”

Three things we learned

∎ Camden has one of the state’s best defenses. The numbers are impressive – no points allowed in the playoffs and just 34 in the past nine games – but it really stands out watching the Panthers play.

They’re relentless pursuing the ball and have playmakers at all three levels. Against Seneca, linemen James Heard Jr. (3 sacks, forced fumble) and Richard James (1 sack) were constantly in the backfield, fellow lineman Tyson had a fumble-return TD, linebacker Tahmir Bush had an interception while the secondary produced three more picks (Anderson 2, Craig Walton 1). The Golden Eagles only managed 86 yards from scrimmage, and had just two in the second half.

“AAE man, alignment, assignment, execution,” said Hinson when describing what makes the defense successful. “You put that in with conditioning and believing they can really stop anybody, that’s a big part of it. In all our game notes, in all our game plans, AAE, AAE, AAE. Players know it, and then implement the game plan and they believe it.

“And they’re athletic as heck. They athletic as heck. What’s the saying, you win with Jim’s and Joe’s not X’s and O’s. I got some great Jim’s and Joe’s man.”

∎ Camden offense needs to play better to advance again. The Panthers turned the ball over three times and didn’t score a point on the offensive end until the final minutes of the game. They had some success running the ball, particularly Israel Clark-White, who had 8 carries for 99 yards, but other than that there was no rhythm. Quarterback Deante Ruffin, who battled all evening, also had a sling on at the end of the game, which is worth monitoring this week.

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∎ Applause for Seneca. The Golden Eagles took the fight to the Panthers and proved they belonged among South Jersey’s best. The defense delivered all evening as Max Borton forced a pair of fumbles and Tommy Mikulski flew around the field making plays. Quarterback Brayden Davis tried his best to tough his way through an injury, but he clearly wasn’t 100 percent. The fact Seneca was able to hang around as long as it did with Davis hurt is a testament to everyone associated with the program.

Game balls

Heard: Posted three sacks and a forced fumble and pressured the quarterback all evening.

Brittingham: His 58-yard punt return touchdown early in the third quarter gave the Panthers a needed cushion. He also had a 10-yard TD run to ice the game in the fourth quarter.

James: Had a sack and was instrumental in limiting Seneca to just 86 yards of offense.

Anderson: Finished with a pair of interceptions.

Up next

Camden takes on Delsea in the state semifinals on Saturday at Cherokee at 2 p.m.

Well said

“We need a full game, offense, defense and special teams. I’ve had games with Delsea where our offense was lighting it up and we didn’t win. Had games with Delsea where the defense was lighting it up and we didn’t win. When you play Delsea, special teams, offense and defense need to show up.”

– Camden coach Rob Hinson on what his team needs to do to beat undefeated Delsea in the state semifinals

Josh Friedman has produced award-winning South Jersey sports coverage for the Courier Post, The Daily Journal and the Burlington County Times for more than a decade. If you have or know of an interesting story to tell, reach out on Twitter at @JFriedman57 or via email at jfriedman2@gannettnj.com. You can also contact him at 856-486-2431. Help support local journalism with a subscription.

This article originally appeared on Cherry Hill Courier-Post: Camden High football captures first sectional title since 1976