PISCATAWAY – Playing in the final game of the 2024 season in New Jersey, the Winslow High School football team put together a performance worthy of being a headliner act.
Behind a swarming defensive effort and a relentless offensive attack, the Eagles captured the program’s first-ever state championship with a 35-0 rout over Phillipsburg at Rutgers University’s SHI Stadium on Wednesday.
Winslow finished 14-0 and joined the 1969 squad (9-0, back when the school was named Edgewood) as the only unbeaten teams in program history.
“I can’t put into words how excited I am for these guys and the community,” Winslow head coach Bill Belton said. “It means everything being the first one (state title). Being an alum and to come back and get that first one. It’s very special.”
Senior two-way star Cameron Miller, who signed with the University of Kentucky earlier in the day, is the heart-and-soul leader of this group.
“It means everything,” Miller said of the state title. “To go out here for the last year, go undefeated and win the state championship, this feeling is second to none. Also being able to sign to Kentucky, ‘Go Cats’, is great. This day can’t get any better.”
Junior lineman Rob Carstarphen said, “I’ve never won a championship in anything in my whole life, this feels great.”
While Winslow’s offense has garnered plenty of attention for its star power and ability to pile up the points, the team’s defense was absolutely devastating this season and it may have saved its best effort for the state final.
The Eagles held Phillipsburg (11-3) to 78 offensive yards, including 21 on the ground, en route to their fifth shutout of the season. The Stateliners were shut out for the first time since 2019.
On a cold night, Winslow’s defense brought the heat all evening. The Eagles racked up seven sacks, nine tackles for loss and Nyqir “Boomer” Helton picked off two passes, returning one 67 yards for a first-quarter touchdown.
“Best defense in the state!” Helton said. “We have a great coaching staff and dogs all across this whole defense.”
After a 13-7 win over Millville in the state semifinal, Belton said it was great for Winslow to earn a chance to go to “the dance”, but they had to finish it.
The Eagles’ defense made this dance look like a mosh pit, bringing its fast and physical play to completely snuff out the Stateliners all evening.
Sophomore Ben Carter and Carstarphen packed plenty of punch on the defensive line, combining for four sacks and six tackles for loss. Sophomore Ausar Heard chipped in 1.5 sacks.
“Fast, physical and strong,” the 5-foot-11, 230-pound Carstarphen said when asked to describe the defense. “We put in the work all offseason and this was the result.”
Carter was one of the brightest surprises on this year’s team. After seeing very limited time last season, the 6-foot-1, 230-pound Carter grew into a menace on the defensive line.
“Benjy, he’s a grown man,” Belton said. “He put on 40, 50 pounds from last season and hit the weight room. He’s just getting started. I’m proud of him, the sky is the limit.”
Carter said Winslow played with a chip on its shoulder the entire season and that didn’t change in the biggest game.
“I feel like we needed to make a statement and we did, we made history (Wednesday),” Carter said.
Player of the Game
Helton lowered the boom throughout the game and was a couple of inches away from having two more touchdowns. He finished with three catches for 43 yards and lock-down coverage at cornerback.
“I think Boomer played amazing (on Wednesday),” Belton said.
Miller finished his career with two great TD catches while NaKeem Powell and KaRon Ali each rushed for touchdowns for the Eagles.
They’ll be back
The scary part about Winslow is how young the Eagles are. The team has eight seniors on its entire roster.
With that kind of production coming back next season, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Winslow back at Rutgers in December next season.
“Repeat coming,” Carter said.
Belton added, “Winning isn’t guaranteed. We’re going to enjoy this one for a while before we get back to work for next season.”
Record breaker
Winslow quarterback Jalen Parker completed 17 of 22 passes for 238 yards and two touchdowns. He finished the season with 2,916 passing yards, breaking the old school record (2,883) set by Hamas Duren in 2021.
Parker’s 43 touchdown passes in 2024 is tied for the third highest total for a single season in South Jersey history and fourth in state history.
From the Langerman file
Winslow’s 14 straight wins this season ties the school record which was previously set from 1968-1970, according to football historian Chuck Langerman.
The Eagles finished with 559 points, the fourth highest total in South Jersey history and the second highest total for a Camden County program. Timber Creek had 564 points in 2016. Penns Grove holds the overall record with 621 in 1999.
One of the best features of the Winslow’s offense was its balance. In South Jersey history, 16 teams had scored over 500 points in a season, but only two teams (Winslow and St. Joseph in 2013) didn’t boast a player with 100 points or more. Powell finished with 98 points, Miller had 96 and Roman Duckett had 90.
Miller finished his career with 42 touchdown catches, which ranks third in South Jersey history behind Millville’s Lotzeir Brooks (67 touchdown receptions from 2021-24) and Glassboro’s Terrance Holmes (47 in 1998-2001).
Tom McGurk is a regional sports editor for the Courier-Post, The Daily Journal and Burlington County Times, covering South Jersey sports for over 35 years. If you have a sports story that needs to be told, contact him by email tmcgurk@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @McGurkSports. Help support local journalism with a digital subscription.
This article originally appeared on Cherry Hill Courier-Post: Winslow football makes big statement with rout in state Group 4 final
