Yet this season in football, the district appears to have reached a higher level, if that is possible.
And this isn't a one-year aberration.
The Inquirer's No. 1 team last year?
Cherokee, which went 11-1.
How about in 2008?
That would be Shawnee, which went 12-0.
There was talk when the school district created Seneca and it began playing varsity football in 2004 that the Golden Eagles would struggle mightily and that Shawnee's program would take a step backward after losing students to Seneca.
By its second varsity season, though, Seneca had qualified for the postseason and won a playoff game, and then went 11-1 in 2006. Last season, the Golden Eagles were back in the playoffs, going 8-3, and were the only team to beat Cherokee.
Since Seneca started the program in 2004, Shawnee has gone 52-15 and been The Inquirer's No. 1 team twice, after going 12-0 in both 2004 and '08. The Renegades have won three South Jersey titles in that span.
That doesn't look very much like slippage.
Among representatives of all four programs, there is agreement on why the football is so strong.
It's a combination of great feeder programs, dedicated parents, and a collection of outstanding athletes.
"The communities are very supportive of sports programs and run great feeder programs," Lenape coach Greg Harvey said.
Added Seneca coach Bill Fisher: "You drive by other towns and you won't see that many kids participating. The athletes and their parents are involved, and athletics are a big deal."
Another factor is the varsity coaching staffs.
Cherokee's P.J. Mehigan is 69-20 at his alma mater. Shawnee's Tim Gushue is 182-86-6 at his alma mater and is already a member of the South Jersey Football Coaches Hall of Fame.
