We Are The Champions!!!!

Sing it with me people - On Red Raiders, On Red Raiders, Fight with all your might. Take the ball right down the field, you are doing fine - rah, rah, rah. On Red Raiders, On Red Raiders, fight with all your might. Cheer, cheer for Paulsboro High and fight...fight...fight!

What an afternoon. How bout those Raiders! This game was 0-0 until 2:33 left in the third. That's when Shavon (Salem) Mears took it in and put the Raiders up by 6. Torre Polimeni mage good on the PAT - 7-0 Paulsboro. With today's efforts, Mr. Mears went over 2,000 yards for his career. I'm sure he had over a buck and a half today alone. Fittingly, he was awarded the Game Ball after the win - quite an accomplishment. Thank you Salem - for everything.

With 9:27 left in the 4th it was young Mr. Hodges turn to put one in the endzone to put the Raiders on top 13-0. Big Man had a rocky start but once he got his feet under him - there was no stopping him. Offensively or defensively. I know he had at least one pick.

Then the icing on the cake came at 2:31 to go in the game courtesy of who else - Mears. Torre knocked the PAT through and the lead grew to 20-0 which is where it would stay.

Shane Mitchell let his presence be felt be intercepting a Hagerty pass. I had a great angle for that one - watched the whole thing develope in slow motion - it was great. Demitrius Hester, Alex Silvestro, Bobby Barnes, Poppy Cooper....all the seniors had a fabulous day. Without them, there's no reason for this blog.

The game wouldn't have had the wonderful ending without the underclassmen either. Carter, Greenwald, Cosgrove (arguably my favorite), Braxton, Gilcrest and the list goes on and on. Paulsboro is going to be a force to contend with for a long time coming. Amen.

The after party was almost as exciting as the game. Thank you to Rev. Hodges, who coordinated the event, and all of the parents who contributed to the feast - seriously feast - for all of the players, coaches and their families. The PHS cafeteria was a sea of red and white, just breath taking from a fan point of view. And the food, well....it was endless and delicious. Again, it was a very community grounded time and I just eat that up. Boy I love Paulsboro.

Finally the Christmas/Championship parade down Broad Street. It always starts out as the Christmas parade so as not to jinx the Raiders (which the Bulldogs can understand since they announced their Championship parade during the 1974 game and then Paulsboro beat them). If things don't go well....it stays as a Christmas parade.....a very lonely, sad Christmas parade. But when things go well - it's a festive occasion. I was able to view the festivities from my porch. With any luck the pictures my daughter took will turn out and then I'll post them tomorrow. My proudest moment was waving to my 4 year old grandson as he rode in the parade with the Coaching staff and team. It was the 1st time he was a parade participant (he's a parade pro though) and he was thrilled silly. Fire trucks, Red Raiders and all things G I Joe are everything to him so he was in his glory.

So today was one of the good ones. I made good on most of my point spreads - I did exceptionally well with one (wink, wink) and my grandson was in a Paulsboro parade. It doesn't get any better than that. It's been my pleasure to post on this blog this season - thank you all for even caring what I think and listening to my ramblings. It's wrestling season now - at least there's no stress there!!!!!!

Congratulations Red Raiders players, coaches and fans. There's nothing greater than being a Raider!

SJ Group 1 Championship

Oy ve! I had a blogger crisis today and couldn't post anything - thank God I'm already on medication.

Anyway..crisis over and I'm ready for tomorrow. Showtime! Same bat time...same bat channel...same bat result???? If we're taking a vote, I vote for not quite so nerve racking as last year please. My official pick is Paulsboro by 16 and my only real basis for that is that I personally think Shavon (Salem) Mears is going to have the game of his life and go out with a bang. I say he rushes for over 200 yards.

I also think the outcome of last week's game (which will never be mentioned again from this day forward....sigh) didn't sit too well with the fellas. They will want to take it out on someone and since Glassboro is making the trip - they're elected.

It just occured to me tonight (I'm a little slow) that this will be the last time I probably see any of these seniors play football again.....always depressing. Although I honestly don't usually feel depressed until after wrestling season. THAT'S DEPRESSING!!!

The bright spot is that the Red Raiders will be returning some very talented underclassmen. Zach (Attack) Greenwald will be back - possibly going both ways next season? (Eat you heart out Wechter). Kevin Johnson, who's season was cut a little short, will return. To name a few more: Artie Mears, Ra'shard Braxton, Darius Quarles, Darren Carter, Corey Gilcrest, Gary Grimes and of course, Gerald Hodges. All of whom have made some valuable contributions already this year. Not too shabby people. Plus countless others I haven't even mentioned. We're in good shape.

So...tomorrow...1:00pm will be the kickoff and the start of the Ice Age. I just saw Dorothy go by my window a minute ago. Can you believe the timing on this weather? Never fear...I've planned ahead and thanks to my co-conspirators, I will be at the game. Comfy cozy.

30-14 Raiders. How's that? Works for me.