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High School Football:
Paulsboro Delivers another Win When Needed

Saturday, October 23, 2004

By Jason Brown
SJSports Special Correspondent

Power rankings, final standings, big wins...oh my!?! It's that time again when teams are looking for the much needed victories to either move themselves higher up in the rankings or just trying to make the rankings. Paulsboro was hosting a Woodbury team that was looking to establish a new identity after losing keys players due to graduation. It was a game that Paulsboro felt confident about and they demonstrated that on the field. Running back DeAndre Fowlkes had plenty of room to run and then used his strength to push away the Thundering Herd to capture the 28-6 victory in a Colonial Conference Patriot Division match up.

There are those who know that just because you have an undefeated season doesn’t mean you’ll have a higher seeding in the postseason. Power rankings come into play which is based upon the strength of your schedule. In the past, when Woodbury and Paulsboro met on the field everyone knew it was going to be a very competitive contest with the winner even though battered and bruise would be rewarded with a “good” win. Still, these two teams will continue to change as the seasons come and go, but the Paulsboro/Woodbury match up is a must see.

Paulsboro took advantage of a turnover that gave them excellent field position that Fowlkes was ready to take on the responsibility. On a nice play call, Chuck Martell received the handle instead of Fowlkes and scored easily from 11 yards out. It would seem as if the points would come frequently for Paulsboro, but that didn’t happen. Stalled drives and turnovers kept the first half scoring down. Fowlkes would break open a 46 yard touchdown run that gave Paulsboro the lead at the half by a 13-0 score.

Woodbury’s defense put points on the scoreboard in the third quarter when Bryan Duffield stepped in front of a Matt Campbell pass and scored. Only trailing by a touchdown, the Patriot Division leading Red Raiders began to put this game away. Fowlkes scored his second rushing touchdown of the day when another impressive 46 yard run and a two point conversion push their lead to 21-6. Campbell finished the scoring with a 28 yard touchdown reception to Jamel St. John.

Photos by Mark Fletcher


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