Pennsville payback ‘a great feeling’

Eagles beat a third team that got them a year ago, now have four wins in a season for the first time since 2017, looking for a playoff spot

WJFL ROYAL DIVISION SCORES
Cumberland 26, Gateway 20
Lower Cape May 46, Pitman 22
Pennsville 42, Overbrook 18

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PENNSVILLE  — Mike Healy won’t call it a revenge tour, but his Pennsville football team has had a good amount of success this year getting back at the teams that got them last year.

The Eagles got payback for the third time this season Friday night, swamping Overbrook 42-18 in a manner similar to what the Rams did to them a year ago. They got payback on Gateway and Cumberland earlier this year.

“It gives the kids so much more confidence throughout the season as they’re seeing we’re not the same team and they’re playing more confidently,” Healy said. “They believe more in what we’re doing as coaches because obviously they want to see results of what we’re teaching them. We got embarrassed by some of these teams last year and coming back and beating them is a great feeling.”

When you go 1-8, there are a lot of chances for revenge. The latest payback victory gives them four wins on the season, which hasn’t happened since 2017 when they went 4-6. They didn’t win their fourth game that year until the eighth game. They haven’t won back-to-back games since the start of the 2020 season.

“A big thing we preach to the kids is get respect back,” Healy continued. “We want people to respect Pennsville football when they see a Pennsville football shirt or when they hear about Pennsville football. We want them to know we’re a tough team to play and we’re not pushovers. We’re going to give you four quarters and we’re going to play hard all four quarters. We might not come out on top all the time, but we’re a team that people need to be ready for.”

The Eagles got Overbrook’s attention. They jumped out to a 21-0 lead and after the Rams brought it back midway through the third quarter they pulled back out with the help of a series of takeaways.

“We had a bit of a lull there and we need to get that fixed, but we were able to come back on top,” Healy said.

Quarterback Robbie McDade, running back Sky Eppes and Malik Rehmer all scored a pair of touchdowns for the Eagles. One of Rehmer’s scores was a 16-yard pick-six. 

McDade completed 10 of 16 passes for 132 yards and one touchdown and rushed for 76 yards and two scores. Rehmer caught six balls for 107 yards. Sky Eppes rushed for 110 yards and two scores.

This win should go a long way towards getting the Eagles into playoff consideration. They came into the week two-tenths of a point out of the top 16 playoff qualifiers and stand to pick up a lot of points by beating a middle of the pack Group II team with three wins.

“I do think this should get us in, “ Healy said. “This was a huge win for us. I’d be shocked that we’re still stuck at 17.”

Every team the Eagles play the rest of the year will give them a chance for more payback. Next Friday they’re at rival Penns Grove under the portable lights in the Battle for the Boot. Healy will be looking to get the boot for the first time in his career.

“It’s something we really want,” he said. “When we broke it down after the game tonight it was ‘Win the Boot.’ It’s a big thing that matters.”

Pennsville 42, Overbrook 18

Overbrook (3-3)	0	6	6	6 –	18
Pennsville (4-2)	7	14	7	14 –	42

Scoring plays:
P – Robbie McDade 8 run (Jackson Leino kick), 7:01 1Q
P – Malik Rehmer 48 pass from Robbie McDade (Jackson Leino kick), 11:47 2Q
P – Sky Eppes 3 run (Jackson Leino kick), 7:53 2Q
O – DeAngello Conquest 4 run (pass failed), 3:39 2Q
O – DeAngello Conquest 1 run (pass failed), 6:19 3Q
P – Malik Rehmer 16 interception return (Jackson Leino kick), 0:31 3Q
P – Robbie McDade 10 run (Jackson Leino kick), 9:31 4Q
O – Jalen Aiken 88 pass from DeAngello Conquest (pass failed), 8:03 4Q
P – Sky Eppes 2 run (Jackson Leino kick), 2:42 4Q