Cherry Hill East football will kick off its 2026 season on Friday, Aug. 28, against Delran at Rowan University in Glassboro, opening on a showcase stage after last year's 9-0 regular season.

The 2:30 p.m. game is part of the Battle at the Boro event at Rowan, which also features Pennsauken vs. Camden Catholic, Williamstown vs. Timber Creek and Glassboro vs. Immaculata.

Head Coach Tyler Drob, who has led the program since 2022, returns a roster that went unbeaten through the regular season before falling 22-14 to defending South Jersey Group 5 champion Toms River North in the first round of the playoffs, the Courier Post reported. Cherry Hill East was the fourth seed; Toms River North was the fifth.

The Cougars have spent much of the summer grinding through three-hour practices Monday through Thursday, Eastside Online reported. Sessions start with positional meetings indoors, move outside for position-group work on both sides of the ball, then finish with full-team drills.

Five rising seniors were voted team captains for the fall: quarterback Josh Greenberg, linebacker and running back Dillon Haddock, tight end and defensive end Trevor Levin, offensive and defensive lineman Jayden Pitter and wide receiver and safety Liam Sweeny. All five are Class of 2027. This is their final season in a Cougars uniform.

The two-way depth is notable. Four of the five captains play on both sides of the ball, with Haddock, Levin, Pitter and Sweeny each splitting duties between offense and defense.

After the Delran opener, East travels to Eastern on Thursday, Sept. 3, for a 6 p.m. kickoff. The schedule features a trip to Washington Township on Thursday, Oct. 1, and the rivalry showdown against Cherry Hill West at home on Friday, Oct. 9.

Cherry Hill East competes in the West Jersey Football League's Memorial Division in South Jersey Group 5. The Cougars finished 9-1 overall last season.