From there, Cortez ran it in for the touchdown. Anthony Sweet, who hadn't made an extra point all night, kicked the ball through the uprights for a 35-28 victory.
The hosts launched their attack mostly on the legs of senior Kyle Wigley and junior Rob D'Orio behind an offensive line that included Tulane-bound Bob Bradley, Jesse Osbourne, and Rob Beachy.
Wigley scored three touchdowns and kicked four extra points, but it wasn't enough.
Meanwhile, Pennsauken relied on the arm and legs of Cortez, who threw for 10 touchdowns and ran for seven more last year. When he wasn't running, he was throwing to speedy wide receivers Amar Williams and Ameer Williams (no relation), and Sweet, a Camden Catholic transfer.
"My whole thinking is that he doesn't want to get into a shootout with us," Pennsauken coach Clint Tabb said before the game. "I don't think he can. But I know that he's gonna try to run the ball."
At intermission, Pennsauken led by 14-7 instead of 21-7 because the Indians fumbled the ball on Shawnee's 1-yard line with 19 seconds left.
Cortez was so slick in running and passing that he gave Shawnee's defense fits. At the half, the senior had 101 yards rushing and 54 yards passing. Meanwhile, the Renegades were getting beaten at their own game: possession. Shawnee had 69 yards rushing and eight more in the air at the half.
Pennsauken started its first offensive series on the 11-yard line and never got beyond that mark as Shawnee's defense swarmed to the ball. The next time the Indians had the ball, that didn't happen as Cortez took over.
The Indians scored first when Cortez, from his own 20-yard line, passed and ran the ball down to the Shawnee 2, from which Tyrik Thomas ran it in for a 6-0 lead with 3 minutes, 55 seconds left in the first quarter.
