By DAVE O’SULLIVAN
Staff Writer
On X @GDsullysays
(Editor’s note: Throughout the season, Sully will give some of his thoughts on the weekend that was in high school football, games and players that stood out and what impressed him on the sidelines.)
If Millville High football fans haven’t been paying close attention, they may think Jacob Zamot is still playing quarterback for the Thunderbolts this season.
The guy running around making big plays and wearing No. 5 on his jersey is not Zamot, however, because he graduated a few months ago. No, it’s newcomer Robbie O’Connor — and if the first two games of his Thunderbolts career are any indication, he may put up the kind of numbers that Zamot did.
That may be asking a lot, as Zamot finished his high school career with 5,500-plus yards and 53 touchdowns, but O’Connor is almost a mirror image of Zamot in the way he moves and throws the ball. It’s actually uncanny how much he plays like Zamot. Millville has won its first two games, beating Holy Spirit and Atlantic City, outscoring those two teams 84-6! Included in those numbers was O’Connor’s first varsity start after transferring in from Paul VI, as the sophomore went 7-of-14 for 222 yards, three touchdowns and one interception in a 35-0 win over Holy Spirit in one of the premier games at the prestigious Battle at the Beach showcase.
Of course, it certainly helps to have a wide receiver like Lotzeir Brooks, a University of Alabama commit who might be the best overall player in the state.
“This is awesome, they treat me like a brother already. It’s my first year here and I’m best friends with all of them,” O’Connor said of his teammates. “Me and Brooks always talk — all the receivers, we all have a great relationship. I have high expectations because that’s the standard at Millville. And I know I’m ready for it. Jacob’s a great kid and we talk all the time. He was texting me before the (season opener), we’re good friends.
“At first, it was a little more overwhelming than usual, but after awhile you’re just playing football and I’ve been doing that my whole life. You settle in.”
O’Connor already has completed more than 50 percent of his passes for more than 400 yards and six touchdowns — in just two games. But, after the Battle at the Beach win, he was quick to squash any comparisons with Zamot, at least for the time being.
“Me and Jacob can’t be compared. What he did, he cemented himself in Millville history, and I’m just starting to make my mark,” he said. “If I had laid an egg (in my first start) that would have been bad, but I feel great. My teammates trust me. If I throw a pick they are all like, ‘we’re good.’ We all communicate very well.”
LOOK GOOD, PLAY WELL
I’m a big believer in looking good can translate into playing well. Taking the time and effort to outfit kids with good uniforms and have your coaching staff looking professional means you take pride in your program, and high school athletes definitely respond to that.
Take Camden, for instance. A small Group 2 school, they are outmatched in terms of numbers when it comes to the teams they play, but coach Rob Hinson has those kids on point. Prior to a 30-0 win over Group 5 Kingsway on Friday, the Panthers were ready to go 10 minutes before the national anthem was played. They had their pregame workouts done, they were all suited up and looking sharp, the coaches all had on tan pants, black shoes, white baseball hats and snazzy yellow polo shirts with the Panther head logo.
They looked like a team that was on a business trip, and they got down to business in a hurry and never really let Kingsway get into the game. It was 17-0 at halftime, but could easily have been 35-0 since a couple of scores got called back for penalties.
I like what Hinson said after the game: “It’s the toughness,” he said, referring to his team’s ability to quickly move past calls that go against them. “We practice football a lot, but we also try to emphasize that mental toughness, too. They deal with a lot just to get to practice, they deal with a lot when we coach them because we coach them really hard, so hopefully we’re preparing them for situations like this where they’re not folding under adversity. They don’t fold outside of football, so I don’t want them folding during a football game.”
TIMBERRRRR!
Don’t look now, but a Timber Creek team that was decimated by graduation and transfers is 2-0 after a stunning 27-24 win over visiting Notre Dame on Friday night. In the final minute of play, new quarterback Tyrone Baker Jr. made some kind of throw that looked like a last-second basketball shot and somehow receiver Quadir Baldwin hauled it in, made a few defenders miss and was gone for a 98-yard game-winning touchdown. Oh, and the play came on a 4th-down-and-long situation!
In two games, Baker Jr. has thrown for more than 200 yards and three touchdowns and the running game has put up 450 yards, including 203 from senior Amir Reason-Dallas, who — believe it or not — started his career as a freshman nose guard starting on varsity.
GREAT ATMOSPHERE
Kingsway may have lost on Friday night, but kudos to athletic director June Cioffi and her staff, they put on a great show. There’s about a million cheerleaders and dance team members who do all kinds of tumbling stunts, and the band is outstanding, one of the best in South Jersey. There’s even a traditional rock band inside the marching band, complete with guitarist, bassist, drummer and keyboards. They keep fans entertained during timeouts and changes of possession. Definitely makes for a fun Friday night!
