Camden High Bulldogs Growl! ::

Shamefully stolen from this morning's The State:

CAMDEN — A few seasons out of the spotlight left Camden High’s football players longing for more.

More wins.

More playoff games.

More fun.

A late-season rush, advancing further in the Class 3A playoffs than they have in five years, has helped the Bulldogs accomplish it all.

“Like our coaches said, we’ve got our swagger back,” Camden senior wide receiver Jonathon Marshall said. “We’re going all the way, hopefully.”

Reaching the third round of the playoffs, where they play at Marlboro County on Friday night, represents a return to normalcy for the Bulldogs.

Camden has won seven state championships, with the most recent coming in 2001. The Bulldogs reached the state finals again in 2002, losing to Union, and advanced to the third round in 2003.

Since then, the program fell on hard times.

In the past four seasons, Camden has won just one playoff game. The Bulldogs missed the playoffs in 2006 and had back-to-back losing seasons entering this season.

On Oct. 10, following a 40-7 loss to Wilson, Camden was 3-4 overall, 0-2 in Region 6-3A and appeared headed for another rough fall.

Things changed quickly. Behind improved defense and strong play from its offensive line, Camden (7-5) has won four of five games since then. That includes playoff wins at Georgetown, 33-0 and at Midland Valley, 35-27.

“They are having fun right now,” Camden coach Jimmy Neal said. “They are practicing hard and enjoying it. It’s a fun time of the year. Everybody wants to be here this time of year. They are enjoying it, enjoying every minute of it.”

Camden’s defense has become a brick wall.

Georgetown amassed a minuscule 47 yards of offense while being shut out in the first round. Midland Valley managed 19 rushing yards and 135 yards of total offense. The Mustangs point total is deceiving, as they scored touchdowns on a kick return and an interception return while also scoring a touchdown on the game’s final play.

“We’re motivated,” said Camden senior linebacker Chris Outten, a North-South All-Star pick. “Coaches are giving us great plays. We’re hungry as a defense. We’re just proving that we’re a better team, a better team than our record shows.”

Sophomore running back SaVonn Wingate paces the offense with 1,346 yards rushing and seven touchdowns. Marshall is the team’s top receiver with 445 yards and five touchdowns.

To reach the school’s first Lower State final since 2002, the Bulldogs must win a third consecutive road playoff game. This one comes against a familiar foe. Marlboro County, a fellow Region 6-3A team, won 24-6 at Camden on Oct. 31.

But Outten said the Bulldogs learned a lesson from that defeat, their lone loss in the past five games.

“They were a more physical team than us,” Outten said. “They came out and showed us they were physical. They were giving us late hits, they were holding. It was real physical. We were playing softer than we usually played. Now we know we’ve got to go out there and be more physical.”

They’ll be more physical and, no matter the outcome, more satisfied because the Bulldogs have returned Camden football to prominence.