EAST ORANGE, NJ — If you were to look closely at the recent histories of the storied football programs at East Orange Campus High School and Newark West Side, you would notice two glaring facts, along with a host of other things that would make most high school football pundits scratch their heads in wonderment.
East Orange Campus prevailed over Newark West Side, 35-0, at Paul Robeson Stadium in East Orange on Saturday afternoon, Oct. 30, to improve to an 8-0 record on the season.
If there was a game that needed all eyes watching, it was the one between these two neighborhood heavyweights. West Side, a traditional North Jersey, Group 3, powerhouse, has dropped to North Jersey, Group 1, this year under new head coach Markell Thomas. Thomas took over for former head coach Marion Bell, who relocated out of state after the 2020 season.
Newark West Side and East Orange Campus have played each other only three times dating back to 2009, when the West Side Roughriders, then coached by Brian Logan, now at Weequahic High School, came and squeaked out a 14-12 decision at Robeson Stadium. At that time, both schools were two years removed from winning their first state sectional titles. East Orange Campus, which was under then longtime head coach Bell, went on to rub the Roughriders’ noses in the turf at Shabazz Stadium the following two years under Logan and Halim McNeal. So it was no surprise after Bell left that he would coach at few schools before taking over Newark West Side in 2017. Bell quickly turned them into contenders, going 25-12 with a stacked team, including a 9-2 2019 playoff run. Markell Thomas continued that part of the legacy.
East Orange Campus enjoyed several playoff runs and a championship under Bell. After Bell left, East Orange was coached by Al-Majid Hutchins for two years before current head coach Rae Oliver took over.
By the numbers, both schools have veteran quarterbacks who are on pace for 1,600 yards on the season. Both schools are playoff-bound in their respective groups, and both have a steady crop of top college recruits. The difference maker is the necessary facts of their defense.
But that would not be much of a factor as the Roughriders walked into East Orange Campus’ senior day and homecoming, looking for the super upset. With a win over East Orange, the Roughriders, who are playing as a Group 1 school this year, would have solidified their top seeding and win the SFC–American Red Division title. “The Sharks are circling, and the chum is in the water” was all that was being said about the game at Robeson Stadium on social media this past week. When the Jaguars found their groove, it wouldn’t be until the second quarter, but it wouldn’t be without any first-quarter fireworks. The cast of characters from East Orange Campus’ offensive line, known as “The Killer Whales,” is led by senior linemen Dieunerst Collin, Rahmir Garner and Sekou Kromah, along with junior linemen Auco Williams and EJ Pullins. The stingy defense was led by Ahmad Nalls; BJ Covington; and Kyle Louis, who was out with an elbow injury; Moungue Nyame, who had five sacks in the game; and Akeerie McFarland, who had three sacks in the gzme. Of course, the super friends in wide receiver Josh Richards and running back Damon Phillips, along with their field general, Raeden Oliver, 55 of 82 for 1,056 yards, 11 touchdowns and two interceptions prior to the game, came alive after trading punts with West Side. Oliver and Richards were clicking all day, as Oliver fired a cannon of a bomb to Richards on their first series. Richards, who says he is listed at 6-foot-4, used every inch of his height for the 39-yard jump ball, out-jumping two Newark West Side defenders with the opening quarter winding down.
In the second quarter, Oliver immediately went back to Richards, hitting him on a 21-yard post play that shook the Roughrider defense to its core. Richards found a way to keep that hot streak going as he went on to score a second touchdown. Oliver fired another heat-seeking bullet to Richards, who shook off two Roughrider defenders like hula hoops on his way to a 42-yard score, taking the 14-0 lead into the half. West Side’s quarterback, Devion Sheppard, 11 for 16 passing, 65 yards, couldn’t get a breath as the hungry Jaguars defense morphed into their alter ego. “The Sharks” were feasting on their offensive struggles.
By the second half, East Orange had enough of the close-game semantics and continued to ring West Side’s doorbell without an answer. The showmanship of Josh Richards continued as he put his stamp on the game with a near impossible one-handed left-hand snag, “I couldn’t get my right hand free as the defender was holding my arm back,” said Richards, “so I just stuck out my left hand to catch it.” He also said that he practiced going up for the ball and winning the battle as well as using his basketball skills. As he stated, “It all came together.”
West Side rushed by committee 23 times for 17 yards. East Orange’s Phillips, who started the day needing 13 carries and 173 yards to eclipse 100 carries and 1,000 yards on the season, rushed 19 times for 127 yards and two touchdowns to firmly put the Jags ahead, 35-0. Phillips’ first touchdown came with 10:55 left in the final quarter, capping a short drive with an 8-yard scoot to the house. On their next possession, after the Jags defense was able to corral Sheppard deep in their own territory, Oliver and company took over on the Roughriders’ 17-yard line. Phillips, doing his best Barry Sanders imitation as he shook and baked a few West Side defenders in the backfield, hit the spin cycle and slipped away from the surge before going terminal velocity down the left sideline as he took off and superman-dove into the end zone with perfect form, completing the game with the Jaguars gaining home-field advantage on their side of the playoff bracket.
West Side head coach Markell Thomas said that this was a pride game for some of his players and coaches who have familial ties to East Orange along with bragging rights. But what stood out in his postgame speech to his squad was this poignant point. “Now what are you going to do? Adversity comes around — what are you going to do? How will you face it and overcome it?” Thomas went on to say that they have playoffs to worry about. “It’s about the Group 1 playoffs, no more Group 3, no more Group 4 or Group 5 on our schedule. It’s all about the Group 1 playoffs!” West Side, which is seeded at No. 3, will play host to Kittatinny Friday evening, Nov. 5, in the North Jersey, Section 1, Group 1, playoffs evening at Shabazz Stadium in Newark.
“This was a statement game more so than the rest because we are showing everyone that we can make those big plays and keep our focus on what is important,” said East Orange Campus quarterback Raeden Oliver, who finished the day 12 of 14 passing for 205 yards and three touchdowns. “Our goal is to win a championship, and we are locked in to make that happen.”
His father, EOCHS head coach Rae Oliver, said, “You all needed to rise to the occasion, because we needed this. There is no more rivalry. Let’s enjoy this for the moment, then let’s get back to work!”
He also said, “God bless everybody in the state, but from here on out, they’ve got to come through these gates on North Clinton Street.”
East Orange is the top seed in the North Jersey, Section 1, Group 5, playoffs. It is also 8-0 for the first time in program history. “We had some rust that we quickly knocked off due to playing only two games in the past four weeks,” said Oliver. “I am extremely happy and appreciative for all we have built here.”
The Jaguars will have the Minutemen of Elizabeth High School pay a visit to Robeson Stadium for the quarterfinal round on Saturday afternoon, Nov. 6.
Kickoff is at 1 p.m.
Photos Courtesy of Kerry E. Porter
Photos also include EOCHS Homecoming
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