Jarren McBryde rode out the storm at a hotel in Mount Laurel.
"My grandmother wanted to get as far away as possible," the Atlantic City quarterback said of his family's reaction to the approach of Sandy, the storm that battered the Jersey Shore on Oct. 29.
McBryde was lucky. He lives in Brigantine and was able to travel to Mount Laurel on Oct. 28. He said he spent five nights in a hotel.
Several of his teammates who live in Atlantic City were evacuated to shelters inside and outside the city.
Friday night's game between Atlantic City and host Absegami is loaded with South Jersey Group 5 playoff implications for both teams. But it also will mark both teams' first game since Sandy, which impacted players and coaches from both programs.
"We had one of our defensive coaches who lost his whole downstairs," Absegami coach Dennis Scuderi Jr. said. "Last week was tough because we were dealing with a lot of different things. This week, we've been pretty much back to normal."
Atlantic City's program had a tougher time because so many players live in the city, which was heavily damaged by the storm.
Wide receiver Dayshawn Reynolds, who combines with McBryde to form one of the most dangerous pass-catch combinations in South Jersey, said he spent a few nights at the home of a teammate whose residence maintained power.
"It was tough for a lot of guys," Reynolds said. "Hopefully, we can get things back to normal and play football again."
Atlantic City coach Thomas Kelly said he wants his team to try to maintain a balance between focusing on finishing the season with a flourish and appreciating that the impact of the storm dwarfs the importance of football.
"We still want to play well," Kelly said. "We still have a lot to play for."
The Vikings returned to practice Saturday after eight days away from the field. The team practiced on its regular schedule this week.
"We have a lot of senior leadership," McBryde said. "Our seniors and our coaches will get us through this."
Both teams enter the Cape-Atlantic American Division game with 5-2 records. Absegami has clinched a South Jersey Group 5 playoff berth and could rise to the No. 2 seed with a victory.
Atlantic City likely would be the No. 4 seed with a victory. The Vikings still could qualify if they lose, but they also could be eliminated if Toms River North and Cherry Hill East win their games.
"Coach says we have to realize that sometimes you have to step outside the football box," Reynolds said. "We understand that. But when it comes time to play football, we want to play football."
Contact Phil Anastasia at panastasia@phillynews.com or @PhilAnastasia on Twitter. Read his blog, "Jersey Side Sports," at www.philly.com/jerseysidesports
