The Atlantic City High School football team captured the Central Jersey Group 4 championship on Friday night with a 35-14 victory over Millville.
This win marks the first sectional title for the program since 1999, according to “reporting from Yahoo Sports.”
The Vikings entered the game with an 8-3 record following a season where they matured after a difficult loss the previous year.
Junior quarterback Marvin Burroughs led the offensive effort, throwing four touchdown passes during the contest, as noted by “coverage by the Courier-Post.”
Burroughs credited the team’s success to a shift in mindset and experience.
“Last year we felt like we had it more with all the seniors and all the offers we had, this year I feel like we have a way hungrier team,” “Burroughs said.”
The game remained competitive until the third quarter when Atlantic City began to pull away.
A major turning point occurred when Millville star Reggie Holley left the game due to a shoulder injury and did not return.
Head coach Keenan Wright praised his team’s composure throughout the playoff run.
“Our kids don’t get too up, they don’t get too down,” “Wright explained.”
The coach compared his team’s strategic approach to managing a golf course.
Atlantic City will now advance to face Winslow Township in the next round of the state playoffs.
Winslow Township, the two-time defending state champion, secured its own spot by defeating Shawnee 26-23 on Friday, according to “local reports.”
Senior defensive tackle Anas Newsome emphasized that the team’s dedication to hard work was the primary factor in their victory.
“We put the work in and everything came out tonight and we dominated,” “Newsome stated.”
The win represents a significant turnaround for a program that struggled in previous years before Wright’s arrival.