Sports
Football Group Shuffle Means New Matchups on Gridiron
Defending Group 3 champions Timber Creek moves up to Group 4 to join Triton in football. Highland also moves up to Group 3 in new NJSIAA football group classifications.
Since the opening of , Triton and Timber Creek have been archrivals in football, each year.
With the newest NJSIAA football group classifications, however, a playoff matchup between the two schools could be in the cards in 2012.
With the addition of a new fifth group this season, the NJSIAA reorganized its groups for football. Timber Creek is on the move, from Group 3 to its new Group 4, joining cross-district rival Triton.
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The move follows a huge season for both schools. Last year, Timber Creek won and Triton got to the .
Timber Creek will see some of the same foes from last year's postseason run, as 2011 playoff opponents Lacey and Hammonton also moved up to Group 4.
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Triton, however, won't see Pennsauken, the team that eliminated it in 2011, again in the postseason. Pennsauken has moved to the Central Jersey region for 2012, meaning that none of the schools in the BHPRSD will run into them come playoff time. Pennsauken and Triton still play in the same division in the regular season, however.
, like Timber Creek, will also move up a group as they join Group 3 for the 2012 season. Highland is coming off of a rough season with a 1-9 record, winning just their final game of the year against Pleasantville.
in the regular season for the first time since the West Jersey Football League formed in 2010. All three schools were moved out of the Royal Division as part of realignment.
Timber Creek is joining the Constitution Division for 2012 with Camden Catholic, Cherry Hill West, Moorestown, Paul VI and Seneca.
Triton has moved to the National Division with Clearview, Kingsway, Pennsauken, Shawnee and Winslow Township.
Highland will be in the Diamond Division this season with Glassboro, Gloucester Catholic, Penns Grove, Schalick and Woodstown.
Below are the full NJSIAA groups in South Jersey with enrollment figures.
Group 5
- Absegami—1364
- Atlantic City—1496
- Cherokee—1792
- Cherry Hill East—1504
- Eastern—1550
- Egg Harbor—1913
- Jackson Memorial—1291
- Lenape—1449
- Millville—1424
- Rancocas Valley—1392
- Southern Regional—1496
- Toms River North—1713
- Vineland—1966
- Washington Twp.—1986
- Williamstown—1278
Group 4
- Cherry Hill West—1166
- Clearview—1193
- Hammonton—1030
- Kingsway—1034
- Lacey—1073
- Mainland—1100
- Oakcrest—976
- Seneca—971
- Shawnee—1205
- Timber Creek—1068
- Toms River East—1239
- Toms River South—1105
- Triton—1147
- Winslow Twp.—984
Group 3
- Barnegat—736
- Bridgeton—738
- Burlington Twp.—939
- Camden—816
- Central Regional—932
- Cumberland—905
- Delsea—861
- Deptford—755
- Highland—856
- Manchester Twp.—792
- Northern Burlington—884
- Ocean City—942
- Pinelands—841
- Point Pleasant Boro—733
- Woodrow Wilson—867
Group 2
- Buena—606
- Cedar Creek—619
- Cinnaminson—565
- Collingswood—576
- Haddonfield—547
- Lower Cape May—718
- Maple Shade—536
- Middle Twp.—636
- Overbrook—539
- Pemberton—726
- Pleasantville—612
- Sterling—727
- West Deptford—627
- Willingboro—685
- Woodstown—549
Group 1
- Audubon—438
- Clayton—230
- Gateway—390
- Glassboro—466
- Gloucester—465
- Haddon Heights—487
- Lindenwold—338
- Paulsboro—293
- Penns Grove—376
- Pennsville—375
- Pitman—329
- Salem—283
- Schalick—404
- Wildwood—186
- Woodbury—353
