February 2, 2005
About Super Sunday's big game
By TOM WILLIAMS
Sports Columnist
South Jersey – and the rest of the Delaware Valley – is jumping with excitement. Eagles shirts and caps
are leaping off the shelves and fans are convinced their wait for a Super Bowl champion is coming to an
end.
Those of us who are not gigantic Eagles fans are probably feeling inundated by the media coverage. But a
lot of our friends root hard for the Birds and we’d like to see them satisfied.
However, if somebody came to me with a complimentary plane ticket to Jacksonville, a free suite for the
weekend and a ticket to the game at no cost, I’d have to turn them down.
Because it would mean missing Pleasantville at Atlantic City.
There is no greater Cape-Atlantic League sports event than the Greyhounds and the Vikings. Like the best
football rivalries, it doesn’t matter which team is favored. There have been upsets, overtimes, spectacular
dunks and blocked shots, pressure defense and 60-foot shots in this series. Even when the outcome is
somewhat one-sided, the game is still great to watch.
And, at halftime, the two cheerleading squads challenge each other with dance routines on the court in a
local version of the movie, “Bring It On”.
The game has no meaning in the CAL – the teams are from different conferences. They didn’t play each
other in the days of Reggie Miller and Walt Montford, robbing fans of some great memories. But they’ve
made up for it somewhat with the great memories of the last 10 years.
Pleasantville-Atlantic City is also the final game of the Battle by the Bay, the first of four high school
basketball showcases coming up in February in the CAL area. Pleasantville plays Plainfield and ACHS
faces St. Benedict Prep on Friday night. The Absegami girls meet Holy Spirit Saturday in a preview of the
CAL championship game. St. Augustine plays nationally-ranked St. Patrick’s Saturday night. And Middle
Township faces Woodrow Wilson Sunday before the AC-Pleasantville game.
The following weekend there will be two events.
In Vineland on Feb. 12-13, the Olympic-Cape Challenge pairs teams from the CAL against the Olympic
Conference in boys basketball. Saturday’s best games should be Ocean City vs Shawnee and Holy Spirit
against Camden Catholic. On Sunday, Middle Township meets Lenape, Atlantic City plays Winslow
Township and St. Augustine faces Woodrow Wilson.
That same weekend the Future Stars Shootout at Mainland plays Friday, Saturday and Sunday in girls
basketball. Mainland meets rival Holy Spirit Friday night. Among Saturday’s games, Camden Catholic
meets Colts Neck and Sterling plays Absegami. Sunday is highlighted by Woodrow Wilson-Red Bank
Catholic, Holy Spirit-Rumson and Wildwood Catholic-Ocean City.
Then, over President’s weekend (Feb. 18-21) in the Ventnor Education Community Complex, the 10th
annual Ventnor City Girls Shootout will play 17 games during four days. Atlantic City plays Holy Spirit
among three games the first night. Saturday is highlighted by Hammonton-Bishop Eustace and
Absegami-Willingboro. Sunday finds Sacred Heart against Wildwood, Atlantic City facing Bishop Kearney
of Brooklyn and Holy Spirit vs. New York’s St. John Villa. On Monday, Wildwood Catholic plays Trenton
Central, Absegami meets Bloomfield Tech and Camden Catholic takes on the No. 1 girls team in the
country, Christ the King.
Just to complete the spectacular February, on Saturday the 26th the CAL championship games will be
played at Richard Stockton College, probably pairing Absegami-Holy Spirit in the girls game and St.
Augustine-Atlantic City in the boys.
Its great basketball and, for local fans, its all just a short trip from home.
But, right now we’re talking about the big game on Sunday. Thousands of us will watch it, taking in the
thrills, the excitement, the tradition and the spectacle.
Then we’ll leave the ACHS gym and find a TV somewhere to watch the Eagles play the Patriots.
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