The Cherry Hill East Cougars headed up Route 73 to take on the Palmyra Panthers in an important division game. 

The Cougars did not get off to the start they were looking for. After a 3rd and long conversion, Palmyra RB Kwinten Ives shredded multiple tackles and broke free for a 58-yard touchdown scamper. After a quick 3 and out for the Cougars, Ives took his next handoff 55 yards to the house. Just like that, the Panthers were up 13-0.

The Cougars would not strike until midway through the 2nd quarter. After back-to-back Mo Sample (‘23) first down carries, who ran for a total of 65 yards on eight carries, the Cougars found themselves facing a 4th and 10 from the Palmyra 14-yard line. QB Ben Cohen (‘24) ran over to the sideline, got the call, and converted a gutsy touchdown throw to TE Jaxson Bowman (‘25). Cohen was 4-16, with 85 passing yards, a touchdown, and an interception. The Cougars would go for the two-point conversion and succeed to make the game 20-8.

Unfortunately, Ives was too much to handle for the Cougars. He responded to the Cougars’ score with a 31-yard touchdown run and the Panthers succeeded on a two-point try of their own to make the score 28-8. 

After the ensuing East drive stalled out, Palmyra got to work in the two-minute drill. After a quick screen pass to Ives and a failed deep shot, QB Evan Montgomery connected with Ives once again for a 40-yard touchdown throw as time expired in the 1st half. The Cougars headed to the locker room trailing 35-8.

The East offense continued to struggle in the 2nd half. After another Ives touchdown run and the score being 41-8, the game was all but over. Ives finished with a whopping 252 yards on the ground. QB Zach Salsbery (‘25) got his first varsity action and went 5-6 with 56 yards, highlighted by a nice deep throw to Jevin Dutch (‘23) who made a spectacular one-handed catch while being interfered with. Unfortunately, the Cougars could not get into the endzone. Palmyra ran the clock out for the rest of the game as the clock eventually hit zero.

The Cougars will look to bounce back next Saturday at home against Princeton on senior day.