Devil of an opener

Penns Grove opens season at home with Burlington City in a game that might loom large at end of the year

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PENNS GROVE – It might only be the first game of the season, but Penns Grove football coach John Emel is treating it as the most important game of the year.

Because it just might be.

It was last year.

The Red Devils open their season Friday with a 10:30 a.m. home game with Burlington City. In a game that, even though early, truly could have end-of-season implications.

Emel is hoping the Red Devils have improved enough that it won’t come down to this again, but this game last year basically was the reason they got in the playoffs and the Blue Devils didn’t. Penns Grove won the head-to-head battle in the opener 48-14 giving them the tiebreaker to grab the last spot in the South Jersey Group I playoffs.

The Red Devils went on to lose to eventual state champion Woodbury in the first round of the South Jersey Group I playoffs, while Burlington City grabbed a 3 seed and won the SJ Group 1 regional invitational tournament.

“With the (WJFL) league we play in, this is a playoff game,” Emel said. “The winner of this game – I think we both feel the same way – whoever wins this game is going to, I don’t want to say qualify right away, but … will get ahead of the other one when it comes to qualifying for the playoffs.”

The game appears evenly matched with Penns Grove opening the season with a 55.82 strength index to Burlington City’s 55.23. The Red Devils were able to separate themselves in last year’s game by taking advantage of Burlington City mistakes and that will be a factor Friday.

“When a team like them is explosive on offense and has a veteran quarterback, you don’t want to give them extra possessions,” Emel said. “It’s going to be who’s going to make those first-game mistakes you see every year.

“I think they’re looking forward to getting a chance to get back at us. Even though we beat them pretty good (last year), the first game of the season you’re not looking past anybody. We’ve been preparing for them all season.”

The Red Devils do have a couple things going for them. They’re playing at home, where they’re 39- 17 in Emel’s nine years (including a 26-2 run from 2017-2020) and they haven’t lost a season opener since 2016. The two openers they’ve lost in Emel’s tenure have been by a combined eight points.

One of the biggest missions in the Red Devils’ camp this summer was determining their starting five on the offensive line. It shook out quickly with center Damani Brice, guards Isaiah Upshur and Tony Cooper, and tackles Wayne Scott and lone senior Misa Nieves.

Bryce Wright returns from a 600-yard rushing season to take over as the lead back, ready for a big year. The Red Devils have several other weapons, including Knowledge Young, Khiry Higgs and Karon Ceasar, the team’s first true freshman skill position opening day starter since 2005. Sophomore Remello Erickson is the quarterback with two previous starts under his belt.

The defense will be the strength of the team with a front seven that projects as good as any team around in Group 1.

The Red Devils have high expectations, but they still have to negotiate the tough WJFL Diamond Division, the SEC West of the league. All five teams from the division made the playoffs last year.

But they have to get past Burlington City first.

“All our scrimmages were away, so this is the first time we’ve been on the game field since last November, so it’s just an opportunity to start the season off on a high note,” Emel said. “You want to play at home. You want to play a good team at home and this is a quality opponent. The Red Devils and Blue Devils are going to get it on Friday.”

Devilish in openers

Penns Grove record in season openers under head coach John Emel

YEAR	OPPONENT	SCORE
2022	at Burlington City	W 48-14
2021	Bernards	W 40-20
2020	at Woodstown	W 48-7
2019	at Pennsville	W 68-7
2018	Pennsville	W 63-3
2017	at Deptford	W 51-34
2016	Deptford	L 27-20
2015	at Woodstown	W 18-6
2014	Woodstown	L 21-20

Photo: Penns Grove senior Nasir Stewart picks out the No. 52 jersey he has worn for three seasons as the Red Devils distribute game jerseys in the run up to Friday’s season opener with Burlington City.