Millville feasts again on Thanksgiving, rolls over rival Vineland
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MILLVILLE – While the standard for the Millville High School football team is measured in championships, a win over rival Vineland is still a pretty tasty treat for the Thunderbolts.
Millville feasted on Thanksgiving, carving up the Fighting Clan with a 55-7 victory in the 154th meeting between the two bitter opponents on Wheaton Field at John Barbose Stadium.
The Tony Surace/John Pierantozzi Victory Cup will stay in Holly City for another year.
With the win, Millville pulled ahead in the all-time series, which began in 1893 and now stands at 68-67-19. The Thunderbolts have won the last six meetings in dominating fashion, outscoring the Fighting Clan 279-33 over the stretch.
“It means a lot to come out here on Thanksgiving and put on a show for the town,” said Millville junior Jaden Days, who scored a touchdown on offense and defense in the game.
Junior quarterback Robert O’Connor added, “(The rivalry) means so much to the city. A lot goes into the game. The Thunderbolt Club does so much for us. They feed us and they get us ready for the game. It means so much to them, and it was fun talking to them about the rivalry.”
Before the game, Millville honored one of the greatest teams in program history, marking the 50th anniversary of the 1975 undefeated, championship squad. Many of the players came back to the same field they played on, along with legendary coach Tony Surace.
The current team gave the alumni plenty to cheer about on Turkey Day.
The Thunderbolts scored seven touchdowns in the opening half, including two pick-6s by Days and Marzine Johnson Jr., along with a 54-yard punt return for a score by senior Evan O’Neill.
“I just wanted to go ball. This is my last time playing football, I just wanted to go out with a bang,” O’Neill said.
O’Connor completed 9 of 16 passes for 171 yards and two touchdowns, including a 61-yarder to senior Divonte Smith’s on the game’s second play from scrimmage.
The 6-foot-2, 185-pound quarterback took another step forward in his progression. After a slow start to the season, O’Connor finished on a heater, throwing 15 touchdowns in his final five games.
“He really found his stride,” Ayala said. “He fought through some adversity early in the year and grew from it. I’m really excited to see what he can do next season for us.”
The Thunderbolts are also amped up about a full season with Days. The 6-foot, 190-pound Days had four touchdowns in this final two games after missing a big chuck of the season with a fractured elbow.
“He’s amazing,” O’Connor said about the wide receiver whom he considers one of his best friends. “He makes that much of a difference when he’s in there. He’s proven that in the last couple of games.”
Look for the O’Connor-Days combination to be a big hit next season.
Play of the Game
While there were plenty of touchdowns to choose from, the play of the game actually came on the final snap.
That’s when Millville senior Shermar Collins Jr. took the field at safety.
Collins, an Eastern Michigan commit, missed the entire season with an ankle injury he suffered back in August.
When No. 8 took the field in the secondary, a large cheer erupted from the Millville sideline and a buzz grew in the stands.
“It felt like I was on top of the world,” Colins said about the moment. “Just being out here with all my brothers. It made me feel really good.”
It meant a lot to his head coach, too.
“Just seeing him get out there, even in the pre-game warmups, just seeing him suit up, it brought a tear to my eye,” Ayala said. “Everybody loves that kid. Everything he did for this program, how hard he works, not seeing him playing in his senior season, it was tough.”
Collins was projected as one of the Garden State’s top defensive players coming into the season. He had 105 tackles with two sacks last season.
Collins said missing his senior season hurt, but it also gave him a new perspective.
“It makes you adapt to life,” Collins said. “Football isn’t going to be forever and you’re just one injury from being out of the game.”
The next chapter of Collins’ life will begin at Eastern Michigan, where he plans to play football and pursue studies in the medical field.
Game notes
Millville finished its season at 7-5, but the ‘Bolts had six victories in their last seven games. The team scored 40 or more points in four of those games, twice topping the 50-point mark. Also, included in the winning stretch was a 28-21 overtime win against St. Augustine.
Senior Breeon Cobbs Jr. and sophomore Ronald Saunders III each rushed for touchdowns and junior James Jackson hauled in a 10-yard touchdown pass from sophomore quarterback Samir Hadley to close out the scoring.
Vineland, which featured a very young lineup, finished at 2-8. It’s the fewest wins for the Fighting Clan since 2021.
After getting shut out in each of its last two trips to Millville, Vineland got on the scoreboard when junior linebacker Bahrius Hill had a scoop and score off a botched snap.
Vineland head coach Jose Guzman said, “They are a resilient group. They finished what they started. I can’t ask for anything more. … My kids put forth great effort and they listen. They’re just good kids.”
Tom McGurk is a regional sports editor for the Courier-Post, The Daily Journal and Burlington County Times, covering South Jersey sports for over 35 years. If you have a sports story that needs to be told, contact him by email at tmcgurk@usatodayco.com. Follow him on Twitter at @McGurkSports. Help support local journalism with a digital subscription.
This article originally appeared on Cherry Hill Courier-Post: Millville captures a lopsided win in the 154th meeting with rival Vineland
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