By Jay Cook
It was a senior year that Eddie Lewis surely will never forget. With 11 seconds remaining in the Non-Public Group 2 State Finals against Holy Spirit, it would be No. 11 himself who scored the game-winning touchdown on the play now dubbed the “Mater Dei Miracle.”
With the game tied at 20- 20, a pass from quarterback George “LC” Pearson to slot receiver Kyle Devaney got the play going. After the reception, Devaney turned back inside, tossed a pitch in the air which was caught mid-stride by Lewis, who took it 45 yards to the house in extraordinary fashion.
“It was a play we worked on since like Week 1,” Lewis said of the play. “It was a trick play. Coach always said we were going to hit it for a big one, and we did. LC made a great throw, Kyle made a great catch, the line made great blocks – I had a great lead block downfield from Izaiah Henderson – and I just took it into the zone for the win.”
If one play could summarize his career at Mater Dei Prep, that game winner would have to be it.
For those who did not get a chance to watch Lewis work his magic throughout the Seraphs’ dominant 12-0 campaign – which consisted of notable wins over Central Jersey Group 1 champs Asbury Park in Week 5 and a shutout of St. Joseph (Hammonton) in the Non- Public Group 2 semifinals – he was one of the most dynamic players on the field.
Consistently lining up as the top receiving option for Pearson, the junior quarterback, Lewis used his speed on the offensive side of the ball to blow any game open in a single play.
That knack for both explosive plays and finding the end zone can be seen through his senior season numbers. Lewis accounted for 25 receptions, 549 receiving yards (which averages out to just under 22 yards per reception) and an astounding 13 receiving touchdowns.
Those statistics go hand-in-hand with Lewis’ mentality when carrying the ball.
“Just do my best to get in the zone or get the yards we need,” he said. “If I know it’s third down, I’m gonna to get that first down. If I know it’s first down, and I got some space, I’m gonna try and get into that end zone.”
Most definitely a speedster, Lewis was able to showcase his soon-to-be Division 1 speed on special teams. On numerous occasions this past season, long distance punt and kick returns had been called back by penalties. Though on Nov. 19, in the playoff game against Saint Joseph (Hammonton), he took a 90-yard punt return to the zone; it was the biggest play in a game where Mater Dei had faced their toughest opponent to that date.
Also an overlooked component of Lewis’ game is his effort on defense. His speed from the secondary was notable when chasing defenders down from behind, tracking them down the field and blitzing the quarterback from the edge.
It was an immensely successful season for the Seraphs, who were led by first-year head coach and former NFL player Dino Mangiero. Lewis believes that Mater Dei reached their heights in 2016 thanks to Mangiero’s hard work.
“This year, with the head coach that we had, we just took that over the top,” Lewis said. “He was there from eight in the morning until about eight at night, and he was one of the main reasons why we won this championship.”
Mater Dei’s history has been well-documented over the past two years, making this championship run even more special. The school was set to shut down in June of 2015, yet locals and alumni helped raised $1 million to keep the doors open.
Lewis, along with his teammates, rewarded the school with a season for the ages, one that will undoubtedly go down in the history books.
“We always had that team, we always had that dominance, we always had that drive to be the best team in the Shore, or one of the best teams in the Shore.”
The 2016 season was a spectacular one for Lewis, who is a nationally-recruited FCS wide receiver. Here’s a peek at the schools who have offered the Seraph a scholarship to play college football: Boston College, University of Buffalo, Colorado State University, Duke University, Indiana University, University of Iowa, Monmouth University, University of North Carolina, Old Dominion University, Rutgers University, Temple University and Syracuse University.
While Lewis has some time before National Signing Day, which falls on February 1 this year, he says that he will be verbally committing to a school “soon.”
When asked about what he looks to accomplish at the next level, Lewis gave the answer any potential coaching staff would love to hear.
“Just the same things I completed here – bring a championship to the team at whatever school I go to.”
It’s that mentality which has made Lewis a highly sought after college recruit, part of the biggest play in Mater Dei’s history and one of the most explosive Shore Conference football players in 2016.
