Like Babe Ruth before him, Cherokee High School head football coach PJ Mehigan called his shot.
“We look to compete for a conference championship and look to secure a spot in the playoffs to compete for a group championship. We have big expectations every season,” Mehigan said before the season. “We’ve had a great offseason and we’re returning a lot of our starters and team leaders that have been in some battles the last couple of seasons. They’ve had some disappointments to learn from, and we’ll see how that experience translates.”
Turns out it translated into a NJSIAA South Jersey Group V championship as the Chiefs dismantled the Vikings of Eastern High School, 38–2, on Dec. 6 at Rowan University. The title was Cherokee’s ninth, the first since winning consecutive championships in 2009 and 2010. It was the second time the Chiefs and Vikings met this season with Cherokee winning the first matchup, 28–21, on Oct. 25. The second matchup proved to be a more one-sided affair.
“We started off slow the first time we played them and they came roaring back,” Mehigan said. “I did think we would be in for a battle all night, but I am happy we weren’t.”
Paced by 17 first quarter points, the Chiefs held a 24–0 lead at halftime. It was more than enough as the only points Eastern could muster were on a blocked punt in the third quarter. As the bracket’s №2 seed, Cherokee looked dominant with wins over Washington Township High School and Jackson High School, 51–0 and 35–14, respectively.
Mehigan said the team relied on its depth on the offensive and defensive line, as well as quarterback Trevor Osler. For Osler, there was no better way for the season to end.
“This absolutely was the best way to end my career at Cherokee and for all of us seniors to end our careers here,” Osler said. “This is an incredible feeling.”
