Lower Cape May made school history, earning the football program’s first playoff victory more than 120 years after it began, with a 34-13 win over Gloucester in the NJSIAA/Xfinity South Jersey, Group 2 quarterfinals in Cape May.
David Douglas powered the fourth-seeded Tigers’ offense with a dominant rushing performance, scoring five touchdowns on runs of 1, 1, 8, 4 and 4 yards.
His scoring burst came primarily in the second half, as Lower Cape May (8-2) pulled away with 14 third-quarter points and 13 more in the fourth quarter to secure the historic victory.
The program, which started in 1902, was making just its fourth playoff appearance after reaching the postseason in 1980, 2006 and 2010.
The victory also avenged a 28-7 loss to Gloucester back in September.
First-year head coach Bill Damiana, who was a starting offensive lineman on the school’s 2000 team that lost in the playoffs, guided his team to the breakthrough victory.
The Caper Tigers advance to the semifinals to meet top-seeded Haddonfield, which advanced with a 20-14 victory over Willingboro.
The game started as a back-and-forth affair.
Fifth-seeded Gloucester struck first when Kevin Boulden punched in a 1-yard touchdown run, though the extra point attempt failed, giving the Lions a 6-0 lead.
Lower Cape May answered immediately with Douglas’ first touchdown of the day, a 1-yard run, followed by Britton Walls’ successful extra point to take a 7-6 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Gloucester regained the lead in the second quarter when Will Rodgers broke free for a 21-yard touchdown run. Ashton Wall’s extra point gave the Lions a 13-7 advantage at halftime, but it would be their final points of the game.
Lower Cape May’s defense made crucial plays when it mattered most. Jadon Henry delivered a game-changing defensive play when he stripped the ball from a Gloucester ball carrier at the goal line to prevent a touchdown.
Jonathan Fernandez recovered the fumble for Lower Cape May and later added an interception in the fourth quarter that set up the game’s final touchdown.
The Tigers took control in the third quarter when Douglas scored his second 1-yard touchdown run, with Walls adding the extra point to put Lower Cape May ahead to stay, at 14-13.
Douglas then took over in the fourth quarter, scoring on runs of 8, 4 and 4 yards. Walls converted two of the three extra point attempts as Lower Cape May outscored Gloucester 27-0 in the second half.
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