West plays lights out against East to keep stranglehold on 'The Boot'

CHERRY HILL – In what will likely be the last daytime meeting between the rivals, it was the Cherry Hill West High School football team that turned out the lights on their crosstown foe on Saturday.

The Lions ran roughshod with over 300 yards on the ground, led by senior Gary Rowe’s 201 rushing yards and three total touchdowns, en route to a 54-13 win over the host Cougars.

The Boot, a trophy in honor of late beloved Cherry Hill educator and administrator Alexander DiBartolomeo, will remain on Chapel Ave. for the tenth straight year – the longest streak in the series - and was West’s 19^th win in the last 23 years. East still owns a 31-23 lead overall in the rivalry, which began in 1969.

The game was played at East for just the second time in its history, but will have a much different look the next time the two teams meet here again.

That’s because the Cherry Hill East campus will be getting stadium bleachers and lights for the football field, a part of the $363 million referendum that was passed on Oct. 6, according to Cherry Hill school district athletic director Mike Beirao.

Construction is slated to begin in June and is scheduled to be completed in time for East’s home season next fall.

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Unlike last year’s game that was played in the driving rain of a Nor’easter, West's game was nearly as close to perfect as Saturday's weather.

“We were ready to play,” said Rowe, who played for Wood-Ridge the previous two seasons before returning to West for his senior year. “I was just looking forward to playing with these guys and having fun. We wanted to come out and do what we do best and that’s score.”

West did plenty of that.

The Lions scored on their first play from scrimmage – a 70-yard TD run by Rowe – and would produce touchdowns in each of their first four possessions and three more straight possessions in the second half.

The 54 points are the most for the program since they posted 60 against Cumberland in 2018.

Cherry Hill West has won back-to-back games, raising its record to 3-5.

“They’re hitting their stride a little late in the season,” West head coach Justin Arabia said about his team. “We’ll see what happens down the road. I know these guys put the work in to improve and they’re a quality football team.”

Three things we learned

∎ Rowe is finally healthy and it shows. The senior has posted five touchdowns in his last two games and has rushed for 391 yards. A standout triple jumper on the track team, Rowe says he’d like to play football or compete in track and field in college.

“Gary’s an explosive kid,” Arabia said. “He’s finally getting healthy. He had some bumps and bruises over the course of the season, but he’s really getting things going the last two weeks.”

Ward has over 700 yards rushing in seven games, one season after running for 837 yards for Wood-Ridge.

∎ West’s offensive line was a huge reason the Lions’ ground attack was so lethal. The big fellas – Jordan Mendoza, Ryan Alabanzas, AJ D’Auria, Ben Quach, Nic Zuniga and tight end Anthony Horiates – created plenty of holes that helped produce 300 rushing yards.

“Our backs are explosive, but we’re not going anywhere without those guys up front,” Arabia said.

And one can’t overlook one of the other big blocks for West as fullback Colin Costello took out the East middle linebacker on the first play of the game, clearing a lane for Rowe.

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∎ West’s defense is starting to hit its stride, too. The Lions recorded two interceptions by Tom Arcaroli and Ben Secouler, who returned his pick for six points.

While the first unit was on the field, the Lions only surrendered one touchdown for the second straight week and third time this season.

Tom McGurk is a regional sports editor for the Courier-Post, The Daily Journal and Burlington County Times, covering South Jersey sports for over 30 years. If you have a sports story that needs to be told, contact him at (856) 486-2420 or email tmcgurk@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @McGurkSports. Help support local journalism with a digital subscription.

This article originally appeared on Cherry Hill Courier-Post: West beats East in annual battle of Cherry Hill in high school football