Tom McGurkCherry Hill Courier-Post
EGG HARBOR TWP. – On the stage where he first introduced himself to high school football, Lotzeir Brooks’ final Battle at the Beach appearance was even more jaw dropping.
The senior wide receiver for the Millville High School football team displayed the skills that have made him a fan favorite along with a recruit at the University of Alabama.
Brooks caught five passes for 202 yards and three touchdowns, breaking the Garden State’s record for most TD catches, during the top-ranked Thunderbolts’ very impressive 35-0 win over No. 2 Holy Spirit on Friday night at Egg Harbor Township High School.
Brooks raised his career receiving touchdown total to 54, surpassing Westwood’s Nolan Borgensen’s mark of 52 set in 2014. He also raised his career point total to 410, becoming just the second wideout to achieve the feat in state history according to football historian Chuck Langerman.
While holding plenty of hardware he earned from his Most Valuable Player honor for the game, Brooks remained focus on winning another piece of bling.
“I want that end goal, that state championship ring,” he said.
More: South Jersey Football Roundup: August 29-30
Performing in the season-opening event that has become a staple in South Jersey in four years, Brooks has basked in the spotlight of the showcase. And for Friday's main event, Brooks was clearly the brightest star.
In four Battle at the Beach appearances, Brooks has made 18 catches for 538 yards and eight touchdowns (one on a kickoff return).
Back in 2021, Brooks caught his first touchdown pass of his career, an 86-yarder in the fourth quarter that lifted Millville to a thrilling 31-28 win over Union.
“I remember I came out nervous because it was my first high school game. I was very nervous,” Brooks said.
Was he nervous Friday night?
“Nah,” Brooks said with a laugh.
“I just come out here and ball. I’m still the same guy, same heart. I’m just a different ballplayer, a better ballplayer.”
For football fans who may have never saw him play before Friday, Brooks provided another performance that has many talking about him as one of the all-time greats in South Jersey history.
After he picked off a pass deep in Millville territory on defense, Brooks hauled in a third-down pass and took it 98 yards, showing off his fancy footwork by somehow staying in bounds as he cut up the field.
“He’s amazing,” Millville head coach Humberto Ayala said. “We just enjoy these moments.”
Observations from Day 2
Millville’s defense is legit. The Thunderbolts constantly fly to the ball, deliver big-time hits and they have an uncanny knack of producing points too. Jaden Everett opened the scoring when he picked up a fumble and raced 12 yards for the game’s opening score in the first quarter.
“They play with a different grit,” Ayala said of his defensive unit. “They play with the OBG mindset, they just love to play defense, that’s Millville football.”
Along with a talented defensive line, junior linebackers Shermar Collins and Jayden Jones are fun to watch but create plenty of nightmares for opposing offenses.
Sophom*ore quarterback Robert O’Connor, a transfer from Paul VI, was impressive in his Millville debut.
On a day where several of the top teams in South Jersey played at the Battle at the Beach, Millville left no doubt which squad is No. 1 in the area after the opening weekend.
No. 3 Winslow had some shining moments during its 21-0 win over Montclair, but the victory was also marred by an on-field fight that caused two of its players to be ejected.
KaRon Ali, a transfer from Pennsauken, rushed 15 times for 116 yards and a touchdown in his Eagles’ debut. He had another long TD called back because of a penalty.
Winslow’s defense delivered five sacks while Eagles’ quarterback Jalen Parker completed 12-of-19 passes for 155 yards with a touchdown and two picks.
Winslow can’t afford another player disqualification for the remainder of the year. Three disqualifications would keep the team out of the state tournament, according to NJSIAA rules.
Winslow head coach Bill Belton called the altercation “embarrassing” for his program and said, “Going forward, we’re not going to have those issues. … It doesn’t matter what the other side does, we’re here to play football, it’s simple as that.”
Cherokee opened its season with a workmanlike 30-0 win over Middletown South.
Senior Darwin Walker did just about everything except drive the team bus to EHT. He had a pick-6 on the season’s first play from scrimmage, hauled in a 39-yard touchdown throw and blocked a field goal.
Cherokee’s defense had two sacks by Naasir Oliver and Micah Lee while senior Murad Campfield rushed for 144 yards and a touchdown and sophom*ore quarterback Cooper Burti completed 6-of-8 passes for 145 yards and two scores.
Washington Township flexed its muscles during a 23-6 win over Northern Highlands.
Quarterback Cole Aquino worked well with his new target as Paris Pratt, a St. Augustine transfer, made six catches for 117 yards in his Township debut.
Tom McGurk is a regional sports reporter for the Courier-Post, The Daily Journal and Burlington County Times, covering South Jersey sports for over 30 years. If you have a sports story that needs to be told, contact him at (856) 486-2420 or emailtmcgurk@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @McGurkSports. Help support local journalism with a digitalsubscription.
