Young QBs lead the way for Winslow, Shawnee in South Jersey football final

Shawnee coach Tim Gushue, in his fifth decade of coaching high school football, used names like Kevin Harvey, Devin Leary, Glenn Foley and Matt Welsey when discussing the two quarterbacks who were on the field in Saturday’s NJSIAA/Xfinity South Jersey Group 4 final.
Pretty good company.
Winslow sophomore Jalen Parker reached 40 touchdowns on the season and led the top-seeded Eagles to the NJSIAA/Xfinity South Jersey Group 4 title Saturday as they knocked off third-seeded Shawnee, 32-8. He broke the program mark of 2022 graduate Hamas Duren, who finished with 37 touchdowns in 2021 when he was named first-team all-state.
Parker has potentially two games left and while a long shot Leary’s single-season state record of 48 touchdown passes is in reach. The sophomore completed his first 10 passes and finished 13-of-15 for 217 yards with three touchdowns and one interception.
“He probably throws the best deep ball I’ve seen and this is Year 47 for me,” said Gushue. “We did play against Devin Leary, and I don’t want to knock Devin, and Glenn Foley, who played for Boston College and the New York Jets. No disrespect.”
Parker was a part-time starter as a true freshman but was sidelined by injury when the Eagles won a sectional title and lost in the state semifinal to Mainland.
“It was hard to watch even though they were winning, it hurt me to not be out there with them,” said Parker.
Parker said he felt especially motivated to come out and have a big game on Saturday.
“I felt I had to come out hot for the team and just dominate for us,” said Parker. “They gave me a bigger role (this year). I have the confidence to take over.”
Winslow coach Bill Belton and Parker said those smooth mechanics Gushue raved about were because the sophomore’s dad worked with him since he was four years old.
“His dad did a great job with him when he was younger,” said Belton. “We did a couple things with him when he got here, but he has a great touch on the ball and that’s something he came here with. The sky’s the limit for him, he just has to keep getting better each week.”
While Parker has established himself as one of the best quarterbacks in the state, Anderson has made tremendous strides since his first start as an injury replacement in Week 4 against Rancocas Valley when he ran for 200 yards but struggled passing. His development was a big reason the Renegades made it to the championship game after a 3-3 start to the season.
Anderson finished the year with 906 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns and also threw for 441 yards and five touchdowns. He ran for 63 yards and the Renegades’ only score Saturday even if they struggled against the Eagles’ stout pass defense.
Asked how far Anderson has come, Gushue gushed, “Oh, my gosh.”
“He might have broke Kevin Harvey’s freshman rushing record, that would be like, man,” said Gushue of a player who along with Leary – now with the Ravens – are considered the best quarterbacks in South Jersey history. “I’ve known Cole since he was that big (holding his hand knee-high). My wife and youngest daughter were nannies to him when he was a little rugrat. Brian, his dad, I taught him in school, coached him in high school as a running back, and then he coached with me for 25 years, so we know the family. His wife Jen, played softball at Shawnee. His brother-in-law, Matt Davis, was a stud for us. So we’re pretty close with the family.
“People always ask me, even (Belton) asked me, how long are you going to coach? I said I take it one year at a time, but I think with Cole I’ll be back for at least three more years, and I’ll leave it at that.”
The last freshman to start for Gushue was Matt Welsey, who is now at Rowan. Welsey didn’t start as early in the season as Anderson and led the Renegades to a South Jersey title,
“There’s a lot of Matt Welsey in Cole Anderson,” said Gushue. “(Offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach) Dennis Scuderi deserves the credit, he brought him along. There were games earlier in the year we didn’t throw the ball at all.”
Said Anderson: “I definitely came far, it’s nothing like RV. I just got better throughout the year, everybody got plays down, we started throwing more and runs were always there. We made it far. Coach (Scuderi) really every time we did defense (in practice), I’d stay with coach and practice throwing and footsteps. Practice makes progression. I’ll be back next year, and I’m really excited. We’ll go far again.”
Belton said he was impressed with Anderson and that he fits the description of the players they’ve had at the position over the years.
“Shawnee quarterbacks in general are pretty good athletes, they can run around and do things and that particular quarterback is going to be very, very good for the next several years to come,” said Belton.
Anderson and the Renegades have a bright future. Meanwhile, Winslow and Parker are two steps from the ultimate goal of a Group 4 state title and undefeated season.
Asked what it means to have 40 touchdowns this season with a chance for more, Parker shrugged.
“Everybody kept saying they wanted me to get 60 this year,” said Parker. “I just take what they give me. I just want to hold a gold trophy at the end.”
The N.J. High School Sports newsletter now appearing in mailboxes 5 days a week. Sign up now and be among the first to get all the boys and girls sports you care about, straight to your inbox each weekday. To add your name, click here.
Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a subscription.