East Orange Campus HS football team gears up for home game vs. Montclair

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EAST ORANGE, NJ — The East Orange Campus High School football team simply has been dominant to start the season.

The Jaguars opened with a 50-2 thrashing of Newark East Side, followed by a 42-0 home drubbing of Passaic.

After a bye week, head coach Rae Oliver’s squad returns to action against rival Montclair in a battle of Super Football Conference-Liberty Blue Division reigning co-champions, this Saturday, Sept. 28 at Paul Robeson Stadium in East Orange at 1 p.m.

Montclair, of course, has been one of the best public school teams in North Jersey, winning several state sectional championships. This year’s Montclair team, however, is off to a slow start. The Mounties lost to West Orange, 14-6, for the second straight year to start the season, this time at Rutgers’ SHI Stadium as part of the Rumble on the Raritan. They bounced back with a convincing 49-21 road win over Nutley, but lost by a point to an undefeated Bayonne team, 25-24, to fall to 1-2.

Last season, Montclair edged East Orange Campus by a point, 28-27, at Woodman Field in Montclair. The teams went on to share the divisional title, both at 4-1. EOCHS finished 7-3 overall, which included a loss to Ridge in the North 2, Group 5 sectional quarterfinals. Montclair was going for its second straight North 1, Group 5 title, but lost to Ridgewood in the final to finish 7-5. In 2017, Montclair finished 12-0.

The Jaguars offensively have been led by senior quarterback Nasir Montgomery, senior receivers Bryant Manual and Quadir Scott and junior running back Al-Shadee Salaam, while the defense has been sparked by junior linebackers Locksley Burke and Matt Ziao and senior defensive back Ian Brown.

East Orange Campus (2-0)

Sept. 6, Won, at Newark East Side, 50-2

Sept. 14, Won, Passaic, 42-0

Sept. 28, Montclair, 1 p.m.

Oct. 5, at Seton Hall Prep, 2 p.m.

Oct. 11, at West Orange, 7 p.m.

Oct. 19, Livingston, 2:30 p.m.

Oct. 25, Columbia, 7 p.m.

Nov. 1, at Bloomfield, 7 p.m.

Nov. 28, Barringer, 10:30 a.m.

Photos by Kerry E. Porter