If opposing defenses can't slow Pennsauken quarterback Manny Cortez, his coach figures the odds might do it.
"I was teasing him, 'You're going to cool off one of these days,' " Pennsauken coach Clinton Tabb said. "He said, 'Don't count on it.' "
Cortez is the hottest quarterback in South Jersey. He passed for four touchdowns and ran for another Saturday as Pennsauken beat Triton, 33-13, in a West Jersey Football League interdivision game.
Cortez, a 6-foot-2 senior, has 10 touchdown passes in his last two games.
"I have to give it up to the guys up front," Cortez said. "We're a total team. It was the front five that made the difference today."
Cortez was 15-for-19 passing for 257 yards. He scored on a 67-yard run.
Amar Williams and Tyrik Thomas caught two touchdown passes each for Pennsauken (3-0), the No. 5 team in The Inquirer Top 10.
Williams, a speedy wide receiver, caught six passes for 144 yards.
"Guys are getting open, and Manny is getting us the ball," Williams said.
Quarterback Brian Keller threw touchdown passes of 78 yards to Josh Woods and 22 yards to Jimmy Burns for Triton (2-1).
"We made some costly mistakes, but give Pennsauken credit," Pennsauken coach Pete Goetz said. "They are an excellent football team. Cortez makes plays, and they are a lot better defensively than people realize."
Triton scored first on Keller's pass to Woods, who broke a couple of tackles in the secondary. Woods, a speedy junior, also rushed for 91 yards.
"He gave us fits," Tabb said.
The Mustangs' second score cut the Indians' lead to 14-13 early in the second quarter.
But Pennsauken pulled away as Cortez hit Thomas with a 16-yard touchdown pass late in the first half and a 9-yard touchdown pass midway through the third period. Williams made a leaping catch of a 22-yard touchdown pass from Cortez to close the scoring in the fourth quarter.
End Korey Mitchell and linebacker Tyrik West led Pennsauken's defense. Mitchell had two sacks, and West made seven tackles and had a sack and fumble recovery.
"We haven't played a complete game yet," Tabb said. "But it's only Week 3. We have to continue to get better."
Triton 7 6 0 0 – 13
Pennsauken 14 7 6 6 – 33
T: Josh Woods 78 pass from Brian Keller (Dean Cowley kick)
P: Amar Williams 66 pass from Manny Cortez (Anthony Sweet kick)
P: Cortez 67 run (Sweet kick)
T: Jimmy Burns 22 pass from Keller (kick failed)
P: Tyrik Thomas 16 pass from Cortez (Sweet kick)
P: Thomas 9 pass from Cortez (kick failed)
P: Williams 22 pass from Cortez (kick failed)
Contact staff writer Phil Anastasia at 856-779-3223, panastasia@phillynews.com, or @PhilAnastasia on Twitter.
