Clearview football perseveres after a shortened 2020 season
MULLICA HILL, N.J. — For Clearview High School, the 2020-21 season wasn鈥檛 quite a return to normal. While touchdown passes and tackles were a welcome sight following a year of COVID-19 protocols, a tornado ripped through southern New Jersey, putting the entire season on hold less than a week after it began.
鈥淲e鈥檝e definitely been hit pretty hard,鈥� school athletic director Mike Vicente in September. 鈥淲e had several students鈥� families and a few staff members impacted. Thankfully, no serious injuries, more structural, complete or partial structural damage. We鈥檙e in the middle of determining what folks need.鈥�
In the aftermath of the tornado, head coach Steve Scanlon had nothing but good things to say about his team and the community that has always embraced them.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e phenomenal,鈥� Scanlon . 鈥淥ur program鈥檚 really cool because it鈥檚 kind of like the (Philadelphia) Eagles before they won the Super Bowl. It matters so much in town and we have so much pride for the people that played before us. We carry that with us.鈥�
That pride carried over onto the field. While never flashy, Clearview was carried by a committee rushing attack and a stingy defense in tightly contested victories. In their six West Jersey Football League (WJFL) wins this season, four came by a margin of ten points or less. Despite a lackluster passing attack, Scanlon鈥檚 offense was based primarily around ball control, with three different players rushing for over 300 yards. Still, most didn鈥檛 expect much from the plucky Pioneers in the NJSIAA playoffs.
Luckily for Clearview, the team saved up their best performance of the year for the postseason. After getting into the bracket with a 5-3 regular season record, the Pioneers thrashed favored Lacey Township by a score of 34-14. It was a major statement against a team few outside of the locker room expected Clearview to defeat.
鈥淥ne thing about us is that we get better every game we play,鈥� senior Forrest Love following the win over Lacey. 鈥淲e came out here and everyone wrote us off. We came out and made a statement.鈥�
The wins did not last for Clearview. Following the victory over Lacey, the Pioneers were defeated handily by Shawnee by a score of 42-7 in the Section 4 title game. Still, one game shouldn鈥檛 overshadow what was otherwise a fantastic season for Clearview football.
While they may not have been dominant (the team had a point differential of -62), the Pioneers represented their community and their history with resilience all year. It鈥檚 now up to Scanlon and the rest of the coaching staff to carry over the momentum of 2021 into next season and push Clearview towards competing for a state title.
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