Cherokee’s Osler Ready For Next Level

There were quarterbacks in South Jersey who threw for more yards and touchdowns, but few displayed the leadership ability of Cherokee’s Trevor Osler (pictured).

With Osler guiding a Cherokee offense that tilted more toward running the ball but was highly effective passing, the Chiefs went 11-1, won the South Jersey Group 5 championship, and ended as the consensus No. 1 team in South Jersey.

It was quite a way to go out for the 6-foot-3, 185-pound Osler, who was among the most efficient and effective quarterbacks in South Jersey.

As a senior, he completed 88 of 127 passes (69.3 percent) for 1,202 yards, 17 touchdowns and just two interceptions.

“My senior season was like a movie, something you see on Friday Night Lights,” said Osler, who will be taking his talents to the College of New Jersey.

And if it were the movie, Osler was the perfect director.

His mistake-free approach helped lead a powerful Cherokee offense. In fact, Cherokee’s 38-2 win over Eastern in the South Jersey Group 5 title game at Rowan University was a classic example of Osler’s effectiveness.

Playing in a driving rain, he attempted only 10 passes, but he completed six for 135 yards and two touchdowns.

“I remember being so nervous in warm-ups because it wasn’t cold, but there was pouring rain,” he said. “The ball was so heavy to throw.”

He adjusted quite well.

And Osler said that the Cherokee fans gave the players a major lift. Cherokee was represented in full force at the game.

“The fans were out there in the rain just like we were and they were great,” he said.

What’s ironic is that Osler represented Cherokee one final time at the same Rowan University field. He was the quarterback for the Blue team in the Adam Taliaferro South Jersey Football Coaches all-star game on July 2.

And like his final game for Cherokee, the weather conditions weren’t good. In fact, the game had to be cancelled with 3:45 left in the first quarter due to lightning that lasted for hours.

Osler’s Blue team, which consisted of players from Burlington, Cumberland, Atlantic and Cape May Counties, won the game 13-0.

Despite the shortened game, Osler said it was a great experience and tremendous preparation for his upcoming college training camp at the College of New Jersey.

Both the Blue and White teams went through three days of practices leading up to the game.

“It was good to shake off the rust,” said Osler, who was also a lacrosse standout for the Chiefs. Now he is looking forward to competing for the College of New Jersey.

“It’s a great school academically, with a strong football program, and they run the type of offense I am used to,” he said, referring to the Lions pro-style offense. “It was a school that showed that it really wanted me in the program.”

Osler took pride in being part of a Cherokee football program whose tradition is among the best in South Jersey. The program fielded its first varsity team in 1976 and has since won nine South Jersey championships. The Chiefs have won one title in SJ Group 5, six in Group 4 and two in Group 3.

“This is a prestigious football program, and I was proud to compete for Cherokee,” Osler said. “The best part was winning with my teammates because many of us grew up together you couldn’t ask for a better group.”

Or, for that matter, a better quarterback for the championship unit.

Photo (Marc Narducci): Cherokee's Trevor Osler

© SouthJersey.com 2014. All rights reserved. This article or parts thereof may not be reprinted or reproduced by any other party without the express written consent of SouthJersey.com. For more information, please call 856-797-9910.

For more Local Sports features, visit our South Jersey Sports page.

Article continues below

---

advertisement

---

Author: Marc Narducci; photo by Marc Narducci