SPORTS WRAP
BY WILLIAM HATHAWAY, JR.
COVER PHOTO BY MUSTAFA HOOTEN – D1 MEDIA PRO
This past week saw the traditional Thanksgiving games for New Jersey high school football squads. Among the classic rivalry games is the annual Soul Bowl between Weequahic and Shabazz. The 2022 edition sort of lived up to the name, where Weequahic snatched the soul out of Shabazz in a 68-8 beatdown. (Yes, 68-8.) Leading Weequahic was top running back Rashawn Marshall who tallied 130 yards and led with three touchdowns. Marshall put up over 1,800 yards and 23 TDs for a pretty impressive season. Zakai Armstrong grabbed two interceptions in the game that led to Marshall scoring drives. The two picks were among seven turnovers forced in the game
Another game played on Thanksgiving was the annual Old Guard Game in which the East Orange mauled the Barringer Bears 38-0 before a large crowd at Paul Robeson Stadium. Leading East Orange was quarterback Kyree Fisher with 179 yards in the air, along with Irijah Wright’s 105 yards on the ground. Wright opened the game with a 63 touchdown run in the first quarter. Fisher himself scored on a 7 yard TD run, while Kasim Cross added a pair of rushing scores. The Old Guard Game dates back to 1879, making it the oldest rivalry game in the state. The Jaguars have won the last 14 OG games in a row.
In college basketball, the Seton Hall men’s basketball team took to the road this past week at the ESPN Events International in Orlando, Florida. In an instant classic, SHU defeated Memphis 70-69 thanks to Tyrese Samuel who banked in a three-pointer for the victory. The Hall wasn’t as lucky in their game against Oklahoma, losing 77-64. The Pirates followed this up with a surprise loss to Siena 60-55, dropping their record to 4-3 this year.
Meanwhile, the Seton Hall women’s basketball team was on the road and took part in the Paradise Jam on Friday in St. Thomas. Senior Lauren Park-Lane had a career high 37 points as the Lady Pirates took down Wisconsin 83-72. Also leading Seton Hall was Jordan Jala with 11 points and Sidney Cooks with 9 points. Seton Hall also scored a win over Georgia 86-80, improving their record to 4-3.
In the NFL, the Jets got a big boost from quarterback Mike White, who threw for 315 yards and 3 TDs in a 31-10 home win over the Bears. White took over the starting job from Zach Wilson, and it appears he is not ready to give it back anytime soon. The Giants took a Thanksgiving loss to the Cowboys 28-20, which does not help in a tight NFC East division that would see all four teams make the playoff if they started today.
