Staff Report

Now is the time of year when teams want to send a message that they are not only playoff worthy, but a squad that should be reckoned with in the postseason. We’re already a third of the way through the season, and starting to see who can legitimately say they are contenders for their particular section.

Ocean City is one of those teams that is starting to make some noise, as the Red Raiders are 3-0 so far and will begin play in the West Jersey Football League’s Constitution Division this week when the Red Raiders host Atlantic City. It’s the last of four straight home games to start the season for O.C., and with a win they could vault into the South Jersey Glory Days/South Jersey Football Frenzy Show Best 11 rankings. Right now the Raiders are just on the outside looking in.

A win over a team like Atlantic City could be a huge confidence boost to a squad that is rebuilding from a 3-7 team last year that put a scare into Hammonton in the first round of the state playoffs before falling, 23-22.

The schedule has been a little more favorable this season, and the Raiders have taken advantage, beating Cinnaminson, Eastern Regional and Lenape to start the season. Last year, their early season schedule included Mainland (a 14-0 state champion), Cedar Creek, Delsea Regional (another state champ) and Winslow. Talk about a gauntlet!

Ocean City has gotten back to a run-heavy offense this year behind Triston Schmidt, a kid who quickly is making a name for himself. He has nearly 300 yards rushing in the team’s first three games to go along with four touchdowns, and as a team Ocean City has rushed for more than 700 yards. That’s taken some pressure off of QB Walker Bailey, a senior who suffered through some injuries last year. He’s thrown for 200 yards and a pair of scores so far, and also is the team’s second-leading rusher behind Schmidt.

Ocean City is in a tough division with Holy Spirit, Atlantic City, Cedar Creek and Hammonton, so beating the Vikings on Friday night will go a long way toward competing for the division title. A.C. lost its first two games, but rebounded with a resounding 42-0 win over Cedar Creek last week. The Raiders will have to put the clamps on QB Peaky Roseborough, who exploded for 241 yards and three TDs through the air and added 136 yards and another three scores as a runner.

Here’s a look at this weekend’s schedule and some games to watch:

TONIGHT

6pm: Paulsboro at Collingswood, Bridgeton at Deptford, Salem at Glassboro, Atlantic Tech at Triton.

6:30pm: Vineland at Pennsauken.

FRIDAY

5:30pm: Burlington City at Riverside.

6pm: Cherry Hill East at EHT, Clearview at Highland, Cherokee at Mainland, Lindenwold at Wildwood, Millville at Washington Township, Atlantic City at Ocean City, Holy Spirit at Camden, St. Joseph Academy at Cumberland Regional, Oakcrest at Middle Township, Eastern at Cherry Hill West, Haddon Heights at Cinnaminson, Holy Cross at Buena Regional, St. Augustine Prep at Winslow.

7pm: Burlington Township at Moorestown, Haddon Township at Pitman, Seneca at Haddonfield, Gateway at Sterling, Absegami at Lower Cape May, Audubon at Pennsville, Kingsway at Delsea Regional, Gloucester Catholic at Clayton, Paul VI at Pleasantville, Woodbury at Woodstown, Timber Creek at Williamstown, Penns Grove at Schalick.

SATURDAY

10am: KIPP Cooper Norcross Academy at Palmyra.

11am: Camden Eastside at Lenape, Shawnee at Rancocas Valley, Bishop Eustace at Mastery Camden.

Noon: Gloucester at Willingboro.

2pm: Hammonton at Cedar Creek.

KEY GAMES

Oakcrest at Middle Township: Both teams are 1-0 in the West Jersey Football League’s Liberty Division, so the winner will have the inside track on the division title. Oakcrest got back on track last week with a big win over Cumberland, and QB Andrew Estrada began to hit his stride, completing 11-of-16 passes for 214 yards and three touchdowns. If he can continue to do that, the Falcons will have a much more balanced offense and that will open things up for Donovan Linthicum to run the ball.

No. 2 St. Augustine Prep at No. 3 Winslow: This will be a huge test for the host Eagles. Yes, they have explosive playmakers, but they don’t have a ton of depth. They are going to have their work cut out for them trying to stop Prep’s rushing attack, led by Julian Turney, who averages nearly seven yards per carry.

No. 6 Holy Spirit at No. 5 Camden: The Spartans’ schedule is no joke, and they get another juggernaut this week. The LEAST amount of points Camden has scored in its three wins is 30, so the Spartans better have a plan to contain dynamic QB Mekhi Brunson.

(South Jersey Glory Days coverage, Mark Trible; on X @Mtrible)

No 1 Millville at No. 4 Washington Township: This will be one of Millville’s toughest tests of the season. Township can throw numbers at you on the lines, it will likely be a HUGE crowd, and the Minutemen have some pretty good athletes on defense. They’ll have to find a way to control star Millville WR Lotzeir Brooks, because if you don’t, you have no chance.

(South Jersey Glory Days coverage, Brian Tortella; on X @tortreports)

Gloucester at Willingboro: The Lions got walloped a week ago by Paul VI, so how will they respond against, so far, the top team in the Continental Division? Gloucester typically is a scrappy team but the Lions only rushed for 42 yards last week. They’ll have to do better than that to keep the ball out of the hands of Willingboro’s talented offensive unit.