Salem sticks to the game plan, celebrates with pancakes, will play Schalick in state semifinals next
PAULSBORO — Kemp Carr laid out a dozen plates of pancakes and a couple commemorative sheet cakes in front of his players and supporters who gathered in the middle of the field to celebrate a big win.
‘This is what work looks like,” he said passing his hand over the assemblage of short stacks.
And hard work brings results – and rewards.
Carr’s Salem Rams reaped the rewards of three years of hard work Saturday when they dominated a Paulsboro team that had beaten them by two points earlier in the season when their persona was way different, 38-14, to win the Central Jersey Group I football championship.
The team that was 0-9 two seasons ago was gathered around a blue trophy that goes to a section champion.
The Rams next play at Schalick for a trip to the state title game, and it’ll be a game that will carry a lot of motivation for the Rams from the way that regular season game ended to the reception they received at the Schalick game Friday.
The pancakes were for the players. The cakes were for Carr.
Cashmir Parsley rushed for 201 and three touchdowns to lead the offense. And that was the plan, putting the game in the hands of the running back on a windy, blustery day and letting them rock. The line, for whom the pancakes originally were intended, helped the Rams rush for 328 yards as a team.
Parsley scored on a 1-yard run in the first quarter and runs of 27 and 14 yards in the third quarter in which he rushed for 105 yards. It was his seventh straight 100-yard game and 10th of the season. He passed Salem legend Jonathan Taylor on the next rung of the Rams’ single-season rushing chart. His next target is Zaire Jones’ 2017 total of 1792 yards with potentially two games remaining. Taylor still owns the single-season record with a state record 2815 yards
The win was Carr’s 100th as a football coach, making him the first in South Jersey with 100 wins in football and basketball.
The Rams took control of the game early, scoring the first two times they had the ball on Parsley’s 1-yard run and a 52-yard burst by quarterback Desmund Thomas, who appeared to be stymied five yards into the run only to bounce out to freedom. The Rams completely broke the Red Raiders’ will when Ahmad Tucker returned a punt 48 yards for Salem’s third touchdown.
Later in the quarter Tucker was ejected from the game for what officials claimed was throwing a punch near the Paulsboro sideline. Tucker denied the action, Carr said that’s not what they saw on film and Salem athletics director Darryl Roberts said the Rams would will appeal the penalty to the state. If the appeal is denied, Tucker, a key wide receiver and defensive back, will be unavailable for the semifinal game against Schalick.
This story will be updated.
| SALEM | PBORO | |
| 13 | First Downs | 11 |
| 42-328 | Rushing | 19-8 |
| 2-2-0 | Passes | 8-19-1 |
| 15 | Passing | 165 |
| 0-0 | Fum-Lost | 1-1 |
| 0-0 | Punts | 3-33.3 |
| 8-79 | Penalties | 6-55 |
| Salem (9-3) | 12 | 6 | 14 | 6- | 38 |
| Paulsboro (9-3) | 0 | 8 | 0 | 6- | 14 |
SCORING SUMMARY
S – Cashmir Parsley 1 run (run failed), 9:01 1Q
S – Desmund Thomas 52 run (run failed), 3:36 1Q
S – Ahmad Tucker 48 punt return (pass failed), 10:54 2Q
P – Jeremiah Carr 1 run (Jeremiah Carr pass from Jahsir Johnson), 7:40 2Q
S – Cashmir Parsley 28 run (Cashmir Parsley run), 5:40 3Q
S – Cashmir Parsley 14 run (pass failed), 0:00 3Q
P – Julian Gaines 37 pass from Jahsir Johnson (pass failed), 10:14 4Q
S – Adrian Alleyne 4 run (pass failed), 2:55 4Q