After opening the season with a 35-0 victory at Clearview High School everyone, whether fans, students or players, had reason to be optimistic about Cherry Hill East football.   The Cougars were able to run the ball up and down the field, with four of their five touchdowns coming off of running plays in their season-opening win.

However, in Week Two, the Cougars football team would have a bit of a tougher challenge, facing Washington Township, a team that also had a big win on week one, dismantling Winslow Township 42-0.  The Cougars met the challenge in a hard-fought battle to improve to 2-0 on the season with the 31-27 win.

East jumped on the Minutemen early, recovering a fumble on the opening kick-off, and starting with the ball on the Township 36 yard line.  The Cougars would capitalize on the opportunity just a few short plays later, as Jesse Gold (’12) and Taj Frazier (’12) would connect for a 36 yard touchdown.  Mike Suli (’12) would kick an extra point, giving East a quick 7-0 lead.

The score would remain 7-0 until Township took the ball 48 yards on a drive that included three third down conversions and ended with a touchdown, tying the game at 7-7.  But the game would not be tied for long, as Rob Taylor (’12) took the ensuing kick-off back for a touchdown.  Suli would complete the extra point, giving East a 14-7 advantage.

After a Township punt, the Cougars started with the ball on their own 35 yard line, using a few big runs and a trick pass from running back Brian Regan (’12) to march the ball all the way inside the Township five yard line.  From there, quarterback Jesse Gold would sneak the ball in, giving the Cougars a 21-7 lead after an extra point from Mike Suli.  Suli would add a 30 yard field goal in the third quarter

Washington Township would not give up without a fight though, scoring back-to-back touchdowns, the second of which was a punt return, cutting the Cougar lead to 24-21.  East fought back though, driving down the field to the Washington Township one yard line, where Brian Regan would punch the ball in for a touchdown. Coupled with an extra point, the Cougars took a 31-21 lead.  The drive would also eat the clock down to 2:17, not giving the Minutemen much time to comeback.

Washington Township would only be able to get one touchdown, failing to complete the extra point, ending the game 31-27.  The win puts East’s record at 2-0, the first time since 1991 that the school has started the football season with two wins.  They will have a great opportunity to win a third game next Saturday, as they travel to Atco to face Winslow Township (0-2), a team that has been held scoreless in their first two games.