A Closer Look: Timber Creek-Delsea football game

Timber Creek coach Rob Hinson thinks there will be "two angry teams" taking the field for Friday's WJFL Royal Division football showdown between the host Chargers and Delsea.

Three hours later, one team is going to be doubly upset.

Timber Creek, the No. 8 team in The Inquirer Top 10, has a little bit of leeway since the Chargers opened the season with a 19-0 victory over division foe Cumberland.

But No. 9 Delsea has its back to the wall in Week 2. The Crusaders were upset by Royal rival Kingsway on opening night, and another loss would stick them in a 0-2 hole in the division and force them to climb a steep hill to qualify for the South Jersey Group 3 playoffs.

"We've got hardworking kids, tough kids," Delsea coach Sal Marchese Jr. said. "Our whole coaching staff expects them to come out strong."

Delsea squandered a 14-3 lead in the fourth quarter last Friday night at Kingsway. The Crusaders made some uncharacteristic mistakes, lost their captain and leader to a season-ending injury, and saw several players sidelined with cramps.

Kingsway made a few plays, too.

"Give them credit," Marchese said of Kingsway. "I wasn't happy with how we approached the game and how we played. That was my fault."

Delsea also suffered a big setback when senior center Joe Moffa was lost for the season with a knee injury.

The Crusaders will attempt to rally behind senior running back/linebacker Marshall Brooks, junior quarterback Josh Atowunde, and junior scatback Tyrone Saud. Saud scored both touchdowns against Kingsway.

"We're going to have to be ready to play our best to hang with Timber Creek," Marchese said. "They are so talented."

Timber Creek has a physically imposing defense led by linebacker Quanzell Lambert; linemen Myles Nash, Dajuan Drennon and Greg Webb; and free safety Calvin Lowe.

The Chargers were a little ragged on offense against Cumberland, according to Hinson.

Hinson said Delsea represents the team to beat in the Royal Division in the second year of the WJFL.

"For us, it used to be Shawnee," Hinson said. "They were the big blue empire. It was always so hard to beat them in anything.

"Now, it's Delsea, the big red machine. They don't lose many games. You know in this division that Delsea is always going to be there."

Hinson said Timber Creek will be angry because the Chargers were disappointed in their performance against Cumberland, despite the victory.

"It's good to win, but I wasn't happy with a lot of things we did," Hinson said. "There's going to be two angry teams out there. One angry because they lost last week, and one angry because of the way they executed."

Analysis. It's desperation time for Delsea. Another loss and a potentially special season could start to slip away by the middle of September.

Pick: Delsea, 27-24.

Contact staff writer Phil Anastasia at 856-779-3223, panastasia@phillynews.com, or @PhilAnastasia on Twitter.