Cherry Hill East Cougars, after having an incredible winning streak of 9 in a row, lost their winning streak in the second round of playoffs on November 8th. The final score was 35-7. The team lost to the number one seed team in the conference, Washington Township High School. Each team put in every ounce of energy they had and it was a never ending battle from the minute they stepped onto the field.
The Cougars started off strong with an unplanned recovery of the ball during kickoff in the very first play. The crowd was roaring with excitement and constantly cheering on the team. The bleachers were filled with students and parents excited to watch and support the boys.
Washington Township came out strong and managed to come out of the first quarter with two touchdowns, making the score 14-0. The Cougars did not let the score stop them from trying their hardest to even up the game. East’s offense was constantly trying to break Washington’s aggressive and impenetrable defense. Township came out of the second quarter with another touchdown, making the score 21-0.
After the half, the Cougars seemed like a team with a mission. East made numerous attempts to get the ball down the field, only for Township’s defense to constantly intercept their passes. Township then threw a 28-yard pass, resulting in another touchdown.
Finally, the last quarter arrived and they knew this was their last chance. Washington scored another touchdown making the score 35-0. The Cougars still never backed down and were determined to score. Denzel Lee (‘25), one of the top scorers for East this season, managed to break through Washington’s tough defense and scored the final touchdown of the 2024 East football season.
After the game, the players were glad they managed to score at least one touchdown but were still upset by the outcome.
“We expected to win tonight and we were confident coming into it so it’s definitely disappointing right now…I am definitely proud of the season but it is one of those things where I will reflect more on it after the year and think back on it.” said Coach Tyler Drob.
Despite the loss, what the team has accomplished this season is nothing for them to hang their heads over. The football team has not had a winning record since 2011, had an undefeated season since 1988, and made the first round of playoffs since 2006.
“We could have been more physical and executed the plan better on defense. [But I am] very proud of the team and glad that [they] gave the seniors one last ride,” said Ryan Moyer (‘26), tight end (TE) and linebacker (LB).
The loss was disappointing to the whole team since they had worked hard all season to make the playoffs, but overall they are proud of what they have accomplished as a team.
“[We all] did a good job proving to everyone what this team could do and hopefully for years to come. [We] will miss the seniors and they put a lot of hard work and dedication [into] their 4 years on the team. They really turned [the] team around when coming into the program,” said Cole Haddock (‘26), defensive back (DB) and wide receiver (WR).
The Cougars can now reflect on their ’24 season and use what they have learned to come out even stronger next year. Although their season has come to an end, it is a memorable one and one that will be a part of East’s history forever.