By BRIAN TORTELLA
Correspondent
On X @tortreports
SEWELL — The Millville High football team thrives off of tough competition. The Thunderbolts’ undefeated start has featured wins over four South Jersey Glory Days/South Jersey Football Frenzy Show Best 11 opponents — Holy Spirit, Atlantic City, Mainland and as of Friday night, Washington Township.
Top-ranked Millville dominated in every phase of the game as the Thunderbolts cruised past the No. 4 Minutemen, 36-7, in front of a sold-out crowd at Tom Brown Field.
Senior running back Jamal Wallace crashed his 5-foot-9, 205-pound frame through the defensive hearts of the Minutemen for 116 yards and three scores on just 11 carries.
“We love the competition,” Wallace said. “We never want it to be easy. We’ve all been playing since we were 6 years old together and we’ve always played against great competition here in Jersey. We just love the competition and wouldn’t want it any other way.”
According to coach Humberto Ayala, Wallace’s workload was ticked up a notch after fellow back Demere White sat out this week with an ankle injury.
“Jamal was in it, he was in his zone, and we just kept grinding him,” Ayala said. “He’s a physical back. You can see he’s a load to bring down.”
He was, in fact, in his zone. He took the Thunderbolts’ second snap from scrimmage 54 yards to the end zone to give Millville (4-0, 1-0 West Jersey Football League American) a 7-0 lead. His second came with 28 seconds remaining in the first half to give the Bolts a 21-7 advantage, and his final in the third quarter ended up being the last points of the night for either squad.
“It really opened us up,” he said of his second-quarter touchdown. “We just love it, we love when we run it, we love it. Even though we have great receivers, we love when we run the ball. Everybody just loves it.
“I love those guys up front,” he continued. “They make it easy, they open up our run game. They (the offensive line) do a great job up there and Lotzeir Brooks, he’s just so dynamic. They look at him, and that opens up the box for me. If they look at me, it’s opened up for him.”
Speaking of Lotzeir Brooks, the University of Alabama commit only touched the ball four times on Friday night. That would normally be a pretty good thing if he was just about any other player in New Jersey, but — the only difference is — he’s Lotzeir Brooks.
He finished with three receptions for 119 yards and two touchdowns, including an 80-yard dime from sophomore quarterback Robbie O’Connor at the start of the second half.
It was quite the special performance for Brooks, as University of Alabama wide receivers coach JaMarcus Shephard was in attendance and shared a conversation with him following the game.
“It’s cool,” he said of the coach visiting. “I still have to lock in and go 1-0 each week, but I appreciate the love from him. We have a real bond, like family.”
Brooks was quick to note the importance in the Thunderbolts’ next game, though. They’ll take on a familiar foe in No. 3 Winslow— which knocked off No. 2 St. Augustine Prep by a 21-7 mark on Friday. The game will likely be a playoff preview and potential regular-season Game of the Year.
“I’m very excited (for next week),” he said. “This game has been talked about before we even came on the field, the 7-on-7s — this game has been talked about. I’m definitely ready.”
Junior lineman Octavion Spence finished with 1 1/2 sacks, plus a key play early in the game, tipping the ball as Washington Township’s Cole Aquino went to pass late in the first quarter. It led to an interception by Shermar Collins.
“See ball, get ball,” said an enthusiastic Spence. “The quarterback had the ball, and I had to get it.”
“We didn’t play our best today, and that says a lot,” Brooks added.
Next week?
The Thunderbolts will need to play their absolute best.
“It’s another game,” coach Ayala said. “It’s a big game, but this was a big game. They were ranked No. 4 in South Jersey and we’re ranked No. 1. It’s just another game for us, because you know what? We’re probably going to see them in the playoffs.
“There’s a lot of crosstown talk, everybody has something to say, everyone wants to knock us off, everybody’s high on them. They have a lot of transfers that came in. They’re a very talented team. There’s going to be a lot of athletes on the field, so it’s going to be an interesting game to watch.”
Click on this link to see Jamal Wallace’s full postgame video interview:
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DAKNpn-t8jK/?igsh=MWphM3hkZmltM2N6Zw==
WHAT’S NEXT: Washington Township hosts Williamstown on Friday at 6 p.m. Millville hosts Winslow on Friday at 6 p.m.
Contact Brian Tortella: btortreportssj@gmail.com
