Salem CC sees its vision of playing football become a reality

PENNSVILLE – Mike Gorman was in the customary seat on the top row of the bleachers he occupies at every Salem Community College athletics event he attends. As an old lineman he’d prefer to watch from the end zone because he says it gives the best perspective on the game, but where he  positioned himself Saturday provided a better chance to mingle with all the people who came to share this important day in the college’s history.

As the college president looked out on the field at Lou D’Angelo Stadium while greeting both the well-wishers and the curious, the first Salem CC football team was going through its pre-game warmup. A little over a year ago, the idea of the school having a junior college football team was the vision of only a few. But Saturday afternoon that vision became a reality for all as the Mighty Oaks took on Hudson Valley Community College in the first game in the Carneys Point school’s history.

The Mighty Oaks lost the game 26-18, but they sent the crowd of about 850 home buzzing after Aidan Hill, their third quarterback of the game, threw a 44-yard touchdown pass to Jahfarri Payne on the final play of the game to tighten the margin.

“It’s been a dream for a long time, it’s been a plan for the last two years, and today is the fruition of all those labors,” Gorman said before the game. “Once the kickoff occurs it’s another game and everything else just kind of leans to the side and we focus on the field and the athletes on the field.

“I was walking the dog early this morning and there was that flavor in the air that tells you football season’s here and guess what – it is.”

Bringing a junior college football program to South Jersey was a vision of former Rowan head coach Jay Accorsi, who would ultimately become the Mighty Oaks’ head coach. Accorsi brought his vision to Gorman, and the proposal went to the college’s board last fall. Their shared vision was one of not just having a football team but changing lives of prospective students who would be attracted to to the college who might not have had the opportunity to attend college otherwise.

The board unanimously approved the project, the school officially launched the program in January and the athletics department spent the next seven month bringing everything together culminating in Saturday’s inaugural game.

“I told the team, last year at this time these guys were all over the place,” Accorsi said. “All the coaches were all over the place. I was trying to convince the school to start football. So, to think in less than a year we’re eight points from a team that went 9-1, that’s crazy. You couldn’t draw up a script, and I couldn’t be more pleased.”

Gorman; SCC board chairman Jason Supernavage; Pennsville Schools Superintendent Dr. Kyle Baker-Plale; Marc Ray, the college’s new CFO; Billy Mays, an associate professor of mathematics representing the SCC faculty; and Maura Cavanagh Dick, SCC’s associate dean of academic affairs, served as honorary captains for the inaugural game. They stood behind the team’s game captains – Ben Secouler, Jermar Jones, Brian Pritchett and Aidan Alexander – at midfield for the traditional coin toss.

The school also recognized Matt O’Brien and Beth Blohm at halftime. They are two Pennsville Middle School teams who are Pennsville High School and Salem CC alumni.

Honorary captains also will be named for the team’s three other home games later in the season. The honorary captains for the Homecoming Game Oct. 17 will be former alumni association presidents.

While his focus was on the events unfolding on the field in front of him, Accorsi couldn’t help noticing the atmosphere surrounding the game.

“It was awesome,” he said. “I turned around twice. Somebody told me it was around 900, close to 1,000,. That’s awesome because you’ve the Battle at the Beach, they had teams playing at Rowan, teams playing  down the shore in Ocean City, yet here in little Salem County you had almost 1,000 people. That’s awesome.”

HUDSON VALLEY 26, SALEM CC 18

SCORING SUMMARY
HV-Samuel Locarno 24 FG, 11:18 1Q
HV-Safety, Malakhai McKenzie tackled in end zone, 13:50 2Q
HV-Jayden Hines 29 pass from MaKao Taylor (Connor Jackson kick), 7:08 2Q
SCC-Jerrell Burks 85 interception return (run failed), 2:13 2Q
HV-Julian Colon 12 pass from MaKao Taylor (Connor Jackson kick), 0:20 2Q
SCC-Malakhai McKenzie 2 run (run failed), 6:17 3Q
HV-Tevonte Williams 53 pass from MaKao Taylor (Samuel Locarno kick), 4:23 3Q
SCC-Jahfarri Payne 44 pass from Aidan Hill (no attempt), 0:00 4Q

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING — Hudson Valley: Tyquan Rush-Esdale 13-103, MaKao Taylor 3-34, Aaron Barnes 3-15, Dylan Maye 2-5, Daniel Olmstead 3-4, Cartier Joshua 1-0, Alex Lenoir 2(-1), Jayden Hines 2-(1-11); Salem CC: Tre McCloud 6-35, Kahmaj Kearney 7-30, Demetris Williams 5-9, Aidan Hill 2-8, Brian Pritchett 1-0, Jamar Smith 4-(-5), Malahkai McKenzie 10-(-15), Team 1-(-16).
PASSING — Hudson Valley: MaKao Taylor 14-28-2, 181 yards, 3 TDs; Daniel Olmstead 4-6-0, 58 yards. Salem CC: Aidan Hill 2-3-0, 44 yards, 1 TD; Malakhai McKenzie 5-11-0, 41 yards; Cam Wright 1-3-0, 14 yards.
RECEIVING — Hudson Valley: Trevonte Williams 1-53-1, Cartier Joshua 5-51, Jayden Hines 3-39-1, Dylan Maye 2-35, Julian Colon 3-30-1, Cameron Margeson 2-15, Raymere Mahadeo 1-15, Myquan Rush-Edsaile 1-1; Salem CC: Jahfarri Payne 1-44-1, Darion Joyner 2-21, Jeremiah Russell 1-18, Lamar McCoy 1-16, Kahmaj Kearney 2-12, Jon Pettigrew 1-6.

More photos and details on the game soon to follow.