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Camden High Football Makes History: Panthers Win First-Ever State Championship
Camden, NJ — After 46 years of waiting, the drought is finally over.
The Camden High School Panthers are state champions for the first time in program history, and they did it in dominant fashion. On Wednesday night at Rutgers University’s SHI Stadium, Camden defeated Malcolm X Shabazz 27-8 to claim the Group 2 championship crown.
Let that sink in for a second. A school with 13 boys basketball state titles finally got its first in football. And for everyone who’s been following The High over the decades—watching countless talented teams fall just short come playoff time—this one hits different.
How It Went Down
The game started slow with a scoreless first quarter, and honestly, Camden didn’t look sharp early on. The Panthers fumbled twice on strip sacks before scoring any points. But here’s the thing about this team—they don’t fold under pressure.
Late in the second quarter, everything clicked. Senior Talib Shakir picked off a pass and took it 56 yards to the house, giving Camden its first points with less than three minutes before halftime. Then, with just 19 seconds left in the half, quarterback Ahmad Jones connected with Syracuse commit Ibn Muhammad for a 21-yard touchdown. Just like that, Camden went into the break up 14-0.
The second half? That was all Panthers. Running back Roman Duckett powered in from three yards out in the third quarter, though the extra point was blocked. No matter—Camden kept the pressure on. Jones found Wasi Muhammad for a 10-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter, and the rout was on.
Shabazz finally got on the board late, but by then Camden was up 27-0 and cruising to history.
The Marching Band Brought the Energy
Before kickoff, Camden’s nationally-acclaimed Marching Band brought the funk, setting the tone for what would be an unforgettable night. If you know anything about The High, you know the band doesn’t play—they perform. And Wednesday night, they showed up and showed out.
Why This Matters
Camden is known for producing elite athletes. NFL players like Sean Chandler and Brad Hawkins came through these halls. Division-I prospects year after year. But for all that talent, a state championship in football remained elusive—until now.
Head coach Rob Hinson, a 1989 Camden grad who won four sectional titles at Timber Creek before coming home, got to experience something special. As he put it after their semifinal win: “They wanted to make history. There’s a lot of great things that have come out of the city of Camden… but they have an opportunity to be a first. As storied as Camden is in athletics, politics and music, acting—all that stuff—to be a first is significant and special.”
And now they are. The first.
What’s Next?
For now? Celebrate. The city has been waiting since 1979 for this moment—let’s be real, most of these players’ parents weren’t even born the last time Camden won a sectional title.
This team proved they could handle adversity, adjust on the fly, and execute when it mattered most. That’s championship football, and Camden just showed the whole state they belong at the top.
Congratulations to the Panthers. History made.
