By MARK TRIBLE

South Jersey Glory Days Senior Football Writer

On X @Mtrible

EVESHAM TOWNSHIP — St. Augustine Preparatory School football coach Pete Lancetta has coached for many years, and, by now, there is no modicum of a secret about what he wants his team to do well.

Run the ball. Play good defense.

On Friday night at Cherokee High, Lancetta’s Hermits checked both boxes for the third consecutive time this season in a 21-7 win.

Star senior back Julian Turney made his presence felt early and often for the Hermits (3-0, 1-0 West Jersey Football League American), ranked No. 2 in the South Jersey Football Frenzy Show Best 11. The 6-foot, 220-pounder from Mays Landing lowered the boom in the second quarter to open the score of the much-anticipated divisional clash.

From 15 yards out, he rolled through the line and left behind those who tried arm tackles. When the two final Chiefs fell on Turney as he plunged into the end zone, it marked defenders six and seven on the play that touched him.

Only his dive made it look like they’d been effective.

“I want to run somebody over, that’s my mentality,” Turney said. “When I come out and run hard, the whole team feeds off that energy.”

He can squat as much as 450 pounds, and, boy, does it look like it. A throwback to yesteryear’s bruisers who can also accelerate and finish through the goal line, Turney’s one of the best around.

His 22-carry, 146-yard effort pushed him into fourth place all-time in Prep history, per team statistician Will Morris.

Current team assistant Lamont Harris Jr., Kyle Dobbins and current Army standout Kanye Udoh are the three he sits behind.

“We have had great running backs come through this program like Kanye,” Turney said of the now-West Point back. “He ran hard. I run hard. I feel like that’s a good example.”

A good example of what exactly? The mentality this club promotes.

“Turney ran … Oh, my gosh,” Lancetta said. “What a player.”

The first score set the tone with nine minutes, two seconds left in the second stanza. Roman Covey took a short pass from Ryan Stoehr into the end zone with 6:21 left before halftime.

Prep wouldn’t need another point, but Liam Flynn’s acrobatic grab in the third quarter provided good measure. He outjumped a defender well-positioned for the interception and made a highlight-reel catch.

Seventh-ranked Cherokee (2-1, 0-1 WJFL American) hung in the contest with a blocked punt return in the fourth by Daniel Cruz. It didn’t amount to a scare by that point. The Hermits had been too strong through the night to give it up late.

The massive offensive line of Cameron Greene, Slayton D’Amico, Luca Escro, Joey Tenaglia, Ethan Muller, Joe Irvine and stud defensive line prospect Damari Simeon — who also plays tight end — made hay up front.

Defensively, Prep proved just as impressive.

Marist-committed linebacker Matt Bonczek snagged a pick in the first half and nearly another in the third quarter. He moved relentlessly through the night. Where action went, No. 44 found himself near it.

“It’s a special group and we’re all selfless,” said Bonczek, younger brother of former star Prep and Princeton linebacker Joe Bonczek. “I think we all play our role and it fits what our coaches set up and it sets us up for success.

“Everybody is being a leader this year and doing their job. We have to clean up a few things and we’ll be ready for next week.”

Bonczek and Co. are on to third-ranked Winslow (3-0, 0-0) next week.

Have defense, will travel.

Have Turney. He’ll travel, too.

“It’s scary. It really is scary,” Bonczek said of what it’s like to tackle Turney in practice. “I go at 100 percent against him, but he is one tough kid to tackle. He just bounces off kids.

“He is a bruiser and he’s athletic. He’s the whole package.”

These Hermits may say the same thing about themselves.

Mark Trible is the host of the South Jersey Football Frenzy Show. You can check it out every Wednesday at 7 p.m. at facebook.com/sjglorydays. The show features highlights, analysis, rankings and more.