EGG HARBOR CITY – The playoff push by the Lower Cape May Regional Caper Tigers hit a snag in the road after a tough game against the Cedar Creek High School Pirates.
Lower came into the game riding high off a four-game win streak but could not get anything going against the Pirates and lost 42-0 on Oct. 9. The Caper Tigers turned the ball over a season high three times, which ultimately led to the disappointing loss.
The tone of the game was set by Cedar Creek on the very first possession of the game when they forced a fumble and stole the ball from Lower. The Pirates’ offense immediately cashed in on the turnover with an 11-play touchdown drive. Running back Aamir Dunbar punched it in for the first points of the game.
Dunbar was a problem for the Caper Tigers all game long and it routinely required multiple defenders to take him down. He finished the game with 170 yards on the ground and scored three touchdowns. It was his fourth game this season in which he scored three touchdowns. He has proved to be a force every week for Cedar Creek.
After another score by Dunbar to increase the Pirates’ lead to 14-0, the Caper Tigers put together their best drive of the day and got down to the 10-yard line using their own strong run game. Cedar Creek held firm and hauled in an interception to turn Lower away. The Pirates went on to take a 28-0 halftime lead topped off by a buzzer-beating 35-yard touchdown pass to the back of the end zone as time expired.
With the loss to Cedar Creek, the Caper Tigers’ record fell to 5-2 with two more games to play in the regular season. Lower is in solid position to make the playoffs and can secure a home playoff game with wins in the final two games.
Lower’s signature win of the season came on Sept. 26 against previously unbeaten St. Joseph High School of Hammonton. Junior quarterback David Douglas scored twice in the second half to lead Lower to a 31-19 win.
The Caper Tigers were efficient in all three phases of the game and scored the game’s first points via special teams. Ryan Mallon, who plays multiple positions for the Caper Tigers, returned the first punt of the game 55 yards for a touchdown.
Mallon has been the bell cow running back for the team with nearly 500 yards on the ground and 10 total touchdowns this season. On defense, the junior also recovered a fumble and had two interceptions.
Alongside Mallon in the run game has been his quarterback Douglas, who has been effective using both his arm and legs. Douglas is responsible for nine touchdowns this season and has the second most rushing attempts behind Mallon.
Lower was able to close the game out against St. Joseph thanks to two forced turnovers by the defense in the second half.
One week later, for the Caper Tigers’ fourth win in a row, they took down Egg Harbor Township High School 34-6 on Oct. 3. The third piece of the Caper Tigers’ offense was front and center as senior Jonathan Fernandez took center stage. The wide receiver had 50 yards receiving and 101 on the ground. He also scored twice for his best game of the season.
For the last month of the season, Lower had been soaring up the standings but now has a week to figure out what happened against Cedar Creek. The Caper Tigers’ final two games will both be at home and serve as a pre-playoff test to how well they bounce back.
Lower will look to get back into the win column against Cumberland Regional High School on Oct. 17. Both teams enter the game with identical 5-2 records, but the Caper Tigers have won the previous four head-to-head matchups, including last year’s nail-biting 10-7 game. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m.
By WILLIAM TRUITT/For the Star and Wave
