The Pleasantville High School football team secured their first win of the season in an exciting game against Penns Grove. The Greyhounds emerged victorious with a final score of 14-6 in a West Jersey Football League interdivision matchup.
The game was tightly contested throughout, with both teams putting up a strong fight. With just over a minute left on the clock, the Red Devils forced the Greyhounds to punt. Taking over at their own 17-yard line, Penns Grove had hopes of mounting a comeback. However, with only 1:02 remaining, Pleasantville’s senior linebacker Gabriel Rodriguez made a game-changing play by recovering a fumble in the end zone, sealing the win for his team.
The Greyhounds’ defense played a crucial role in the victory, delivering a sack on Penns Grove’s quarterback on the final play of the game. Head coach Malachi Timberlake praised his team’s defensive effort, stating, The offense moved the ball, but we just couldn’t finish. Penalties killed us too. But the defense stepped up.
The game was filled with impressive defensive plays from both sides. Dwayne Carter of Pleasantville intercepted a pass early in the first quarter when Penns Grove was threatening to score. However, Penns Grove’s defense responded with a stop on fourth-and-inches. The game remained scoreless until the second quarter when the Greyhounds’ offense finally found the end zone. On fourth down, sophomore quarterback Ahmad Jones connected with Carter for a 19-yard touchdown, caught between two defenders.
Carter, a senior defensive back and wide receiver, had a standout performance, finishing the game with two interceptions and a touchdown. Other players who made significant contributions were Pleasantville’s sophomore defensive lineman Damion Yarleque, who made several impressive tackles in the first half, and senior linebacker Brandon St. Martin, who made a crucial interception.
Pleasantville took a 7-0 lead into halftime, but Penns Grove fought back in the third quarter. Junior linebacker/running back Bryce Wright intercepted a pass, setting up Penns Grove deep in Pleasantville territory. Wright then rushed for a 25-yard touchdown. Although Penns Grove failed to convert the two-point play, they narrowed the deficit to 7-6.
However, Pleasantville’s defense held strong in the fourth quarter, and with Rodriguez’s fumble recovery in the end zone, the Greyhounds extended their lead to 14-6. The team was able to secure their first win of the season in this hard-fought battle.
Pleasantville had previously defeated Penns Grove 26-2 in 2022 and reached the South Jersey Group II semifinals. In their previous game, they suffered a 14-6 loss against Ocean City in the Battle at the Beach. Looking ahead, Pleasantville will host Salem in their home opener next Friday, and coach Timberlake is excited about the prospects, saying, Next game is at home, our home opener. I know the energy is going to be through the roof for the kids and for the community. We can’t wait to be back home next Friday. Looking forward to next week and building off today.
The victory has given the Pleasantville High School football team a much-needed boost, and they can now look forward to the rest of the season with renewed confidence.
