Group III Title Game Standouts: Delsea vs. West Essex

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>On Sunday, November 27 at Rutgers, Delsea and West Essex met in Piscataway to battle at Rutgers for the right to be named the NJSIAA Group III State Champion. This honor went to Delsea, who ended up victorious by a score of 28-3.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In this game there were standouts on both sides of the ball. Below are a few who laid it out and left it all on the field for their respective teams.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Delsea</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1031726"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"after an incredible, breakthrough season as a junior, Russo is now a state champion. The scary thing? He has one more season to play. In the 13-game slate, Russo failed to rush for 100+ yards just twice and scored in all but one game. In the victory against West Essex, Russo rushed 22 times for 127 yards and 2 touchdowns. He looks to repeat as a champion again next season.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6565ed06d807f"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["220077"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Adair, also a tailback for champion Delsea, had a tremendous game on the ground in the Group III State Final game. Adair rushed 12 times for 134 yards and 1 score - or a 11.2 yards per carry average. Adair also made one stop on defense.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6565f51637a5e"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1097523"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Defensively for Delsea they were led by the play of Harris. A defensive lineman, Harris was credited with 7 tackles (6 solos) in the title game. Of those tackles, 5 were for a loss and 2 were for sacks. He finishes his junior campaign with 11 sacks - including at least 1 sack his last 5 straight games and at least one in every playoff game.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6565f51637ada"} /--> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">West Essex</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1097524"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"West Essex had one of the hottest defenses coming into the title game. Phillips, a junior who missed a stretch of games form mid-September until state semifinal weekend, came out full force for West Essex. Phillips made 13 tackles in the contest, including 7 solos and a tackle for loss. In all six games Phillips appeared in he made double-digit tackles with 9.5 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, and 1 forced fumble - all-in-all totally 75 tackles in just 6 games.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6565f51637b55"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1097525"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"A solid defensive back for West Essex, Simeone did his absolute best to change the outcome of his team's efforts in the tough loss. Simeone managed to make 7 stops - 6 of which were solos - from the secondary in this one.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6565f51637bc7"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1097526"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Gann, like many other seniors on West Essex, should be holding their heads up high and with pride for how they performed this season. In the state final game, Gann was a defensive standout for West Essex as he made 6 tackles in the game. He also intercepted a pass, which was a big forced turnover for his squad.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6565f51637c39"} /-->