By MARK TRIBLE

South Jersey Glory Days Senior Football Writer

HADDON HEIGHTS — As he addressed his team after its first win of the season here at Haddon Heights High on Saturday, Glassboro coach Timmy Breaker heard a noise.

A light applause sounded across the field in the Garnets’ postgame gathering. Breaker, whose tone echoed nothing but displeasure, used the sound as an example.

“It’s a moral victory for them,” he said. “It’s a moral loss for us.”

And while the first portion may be left to interpretation, the second half of his statement certainly rang true for his squad.

Despite a 22-12 win for the Bulldogs (1-0, 0-0 West Jersey Football League Diamond) in the South Jersey Football Frenzy Show Game of the Week, the lesson loomed large.

“We need to respond to adversity better,” junior lineman Brandon Simmons said. “When we know everybody is going to give us their best game, we should play every game like it’s our last.”

Adversity came by way of penalties, turnovers, mistakes and all the other sordid decoration that a season opener normally offers. That’s not what had Glassboro upset. Rather, it was the lethargy that came after an early 22-0 lead. Early, the team that started the contest looked like the team that’s the prohibitive favorite to win Group 1.

A state final loss last season set that expectation with so many players back on the roster off the 2023 edition. Star tailback Kenny Smith, who had three outstanding seasons at Hammonton, will join them soon in a few weeks, his absence due to the transfer rule.

Anyone who came to see the show — perhaps including NFL star Haason Reddick, a Heights alum who is still holding out of the New York Jets season — got an early glimpse. Star junior Amari Sabb took a short pass 89 yards for touchdown on the Bulldogs’ first possession.

His brother, Xavier Sabb, added a 46-yard punt return for score after the next drive for the Garnets (0-1. 0-0 WJFL Independence).

Davon Barr’s short plunge early in the second frame made the dam more stressed, but it never truly broke. Heights fought admirably and got on the board when Tajon Rivera recovered a fumbled punt snap in the end zone to make it 22-6.

A likely pick-six that was dropped soon after would have made the game much closer. However, it remained a 16-point margin until a late touchdown rounded out the final margin.

“I think we lost energy,” lineman Kyle Williams, the lone senior starter on offense, said. “I think we can get that back and we’re a really good team.

“I would say it showed me we need to be better all around. We need to hold everybody more responsible. As a captain, I need to hold myself more accountable as well.”

The target is most definitely on the back of the maroon-and-gold, and that comes with the talent the club boasts on both sides of the ball.

It also comes with a storied program history, where second place doesn’t really merit much mention in the long run.

“I feel like we have a big standard to uphold,” Amari Sabb, who finished with five catches for 121 yards and two pass deflections, said. “We want to be a part of that history and etch our names into the school.

“We want to be part of our Hall of Fame. Stuff like this can’t happen again.”

Next week’s practice before a Friday night date with Penns Grove and former coach Mark Maccarone — who added plenty of chapters to that storied history — won’t be a cakewalk.

Breaker guaranteed that.

“There are no breaks,” he said. “Once we get back Monday, we’re right back at it. We’ll scratch this game after we watch it, but after that we’ll be full steam ahead.”

There’s reason to believe the Bulldogs will make good on their postgame promises. For starters, Glassboro has plenty of time to fix what needs fixing. They also have a roster with oodles of talent, speed, size and athleticism.

But most importantly, the united front after the final whistle on Saturday proved all were on the same page — it’s time to get to work.

NOTES

Two quarterbacks split time for Glassboro, last year’s starter Kristopher Foster and junior Jack O’Connell. O’Connell started the first half, Foster the second. Breaker said it’s been a great competition in the offseason, he expects both to play … The coach also said he’s looking for a leader to step up on his team and pull the reins in situations like Saturday … Heights’ coach Chris Lina liked his team’s response on Saturday, but said the early missed tackle on the Amari Sabb and punt to Xavier Sabb were mistakes that can’t happen … Outside of those two plays, the game was fairly even … Lina also lamented his schedule which will see teams like Burlington Township, Cinnaminson, Moorestown, Delran and Northern Burlington — teams who traditionally have no ties to the Garnets … Heights brought out a display and balloons to celebrate 100 years in its current school building.