Month: October 2023

Tech-nically tight

UPDATED
Rich wins super close boys race, VanHorn repeats in girls; GCIT, Morris Tech win team titles

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

WOODSTOWN — If you blinked at the finish of the boys race in Monday’s NJTAC cross country meet you missed it.

Camden Vo-Tech’s Julian Rich won by a mere 32-hundreths of a second, holding off Luke Damato of Medford Tech at the wire to win the state tech schools championship in the cross country equivalent of a NASCAR photo finish.

Rich covered the 5K at Salem Tech in 17:28.20. He turned on the jets in the final 100 meters or so to take the lead and then held off Damato’s sprint to catch up at the line. It was the closest boys finish since 2015 when the margin was 3.5 seconds.

It wasn’t a close enough finish for Rich to feel Damato’s breath on his back but he could feel the footsteps.

“It was tight the whole time,” Rich said. “We were close enough that we could’ve stepped on each other’s foot.  It was a close race, but when we were coming down the home stretch I knew I had it. I’ve always had a good kick at the end, but once I saw him I just went.” 

In his post-race analysis moments after the finish, Damato figured he exploded at the start and got ahead of Rich too early and created the tight finish. He wasn’t too disappointed, though. He was seconds off his personal best set two races ago.

“It was tight. He won. He beat me at the end,” he said matter-of-factly. “That last kick, if you’ve got that last kick you mostly won. You got it if you’ve got that. If that guy can pass me, he wins.

“I wasn’t that bummed. I think I did the best that I could. If that guy can pass me, he wins. He got me at the end, that’s all that really matters. He did it. That’s all I can say. I’m happy with my result. I’m happy with his result because he got first place. At the end of the day there’s nothing to be mad about. I ran a great race by my standards.”

VanHorn repeats, Seiden eighth

Girls winner Maya Van Horn had an easier time of it. She won the race for the second year in a row in a breezy 18:57.45, a comfortable two minutes ahead of runner up Micah Dilello of Sussex Tech. She’s coming off an 18:49.9 in her NJAC conference meet a week ago.

“It was a pretty awesome race,” she said. “Near me there’s a lot of hills and this was a pretty flat course today and that definitely made it a lot easier. It was a fun race.”

Salem Tech’s Sarah Seiden, the Salem County girls runner up, was eighth (22:22.42). She went out with the idea of keeping a steady pace over the first two-thirds of the race because there’s another race Tuesday, but felt good at that point and started picking off runners over the last 1000 meters.

The Chargers cap off a busy week Tuesday in the Tri-County Showcase at Cumberland. It will be their third race in seven days.

“A lot of stretching, a lot of sleep will probably do me good,” Seiden said. “We’ll see how tomorrow goes. I think I’ve got it.”

GCIT, Morris team champs

Gloucester Tech and Morris Tech won the boys and girls team titles, respectively.

GCIT won the boys team title the way you’re supposed to, bunching its runners in a tight group. Their counters finished 4, 6, 9, 10 and 11 in a spread separated by just 37 seconds. Gavin Hoover was their first across the line with a fourth-place 17:49:11.

“We train together and run together so it would make sense,” GCIT coach Rob Kijewski said. “Any time we compete and do well at these races, it has everything to do with, not so much winning the race, but always being able to bunch up and win out that way. We’re a team. We’re the definition of a what a cross country team really has to do to be at its best.”

With VanHorn setting the pace, Morris Tech’s girls put four runners in the top seven and all five counters in the top 16.

NJTAC Cross Country Championship
(at Salem Tech)

BOYS TEAM SCORES: GCIT 40, Passaic Tech 67, Medford Tech, 93, Morris Tech 123, Camden Vo-Tech 144, Sussex Tech 147, Salem Tech 160, Warren Tech 203, BCIT-Westhampton 233, Cape May Tech 263, Newark Tech 346, East Brunswick Vo-Tech 366.
GIRLS TEAM SCORES: Morris Tech 33, Atlantic Tech 82, Passaic Tech 107, GCIT 118, Sussex Tech 133, Salem Tech 176, Warren Tech 181, Camden Vo-Tech 192, Cape May Tech 196, BCIT-Westhampton 201.

BOYS TOP 10GIRLS TOP 10
Julian Rich, Camden17:28.20Maya VanHorn, Morris18:57.45
Luke Damato, Medford17:28.52Micah Dalelio, Sussex21:03.90
David Cunha, Sussex17:47.32Grace Napoli, Passaic21:14.28
Gavin Hoover, GCIT17:49.11Aditi Mukundhan, Morris21:27.03
John Swaney, Passaic17:49.91Harper Felch, Morris21:50.52
Luke Clodfelter, GCIT17:53.23Ave Dixon, GCIT22:04.46
Vansh Patel, Morris17:55.34Sophia Felix, Morris22:06.21
Shawn Tamanini, Atlantic18:13.19Sarah Seiden, Salem22:22.42
Raynier Galvez, Passaic18:14.28Elena Urriola, Passaic22:35.24
Gavin Kravchuck, GCIT18:15.84Ava Macchione, Atlantic22:36.19
29. Dominic Milliti, Salem, 18:51.98
Morris Tech’s Maya VanHorn cruises to the finish in the NJTAC girls cross country race. Top photo: Camden County Vo-Tech’s Julian Rich (414) sprints past Medford Tech’s Luke Damato down the stretch to win the boys race.

Eagles flock to Hall

8 of the 9 honorees in the Salem County Sports Hall of Fame’s first induction class since 2019 have ties to Pennsville

By Riverview Sports News

CARNEYS POINT – The Salem County Sports Hall of Fame has announced its 2023 induction class and the group has a heavy Pennsville flavor.

Five of the six inductees for the Hall’s first class since 2019 have direct ties to Pennsville Memorial High School. All three service award honorees also have connections to the high school or township.

The inductees are Dylan Cummings, his brother Tyler Cummings, Amy Coker McDade, Victoria (Tori) Nugent, Katie Jackson Scull and Ta’riq D. Thomas. In addition, Louise Foley, Mike Hartman and Louis (Lou) Priest will be recognized for community service in local sports.  

“This is a reflection of the great tradition that we have here at Pennsville when it comes to athletics,” current Pennsville athletics director Jamy Thomas said. “It also shows we have a lot of work to do with our (PMHS Athletic) Hall of Fame, us being only five years into it. There are a ton of great athletes that we still have to induct in our own personal Hall of Fame. You look at this list and none of these people are in our Hall of Fame.

“It’s glaring how much we needed to have a Hall of Fame. Thankful for the work the previous athletics director did to get this thing off the ground along with the committee members and we’re moving in the right direction with that, but we have a lot of great athletes that we’re going to be discussing over the next many years that there will never be a shortage of inductees for our Hall of Fame.”

Thomas has a direct connection to many of this year’s Salem County Hall inductees, either as a classmate, teammate, student or co-worker. One of the 2023 honorees, Amy Coker McDade, is the athletics department administrative assistant.

“Amy was a great player,” he said. “In ’01 I was coaching here, I wasn’t even teaching here yet, so I was still kind of in the background, but I remember Amy playing. She was a stud athlete on the soccer field, on the softball fields and now just a great overall person. She does so much for the athletics department.

“She is the one behind our current Hall of Fame. Her work is just second to none. It’s what makes that night for us so enjoyable and run so smoothly. She’s taken that work ethic she had on the athletic fields and converted it into her career and we hope we’re doing that with a lot of kids. That’s a major piece to an academic-based athletics program, trying to teach kids how to be successful in their future. Whether we’re successful on the fields or not, wins and losses don’t really matter, what matters are these kids becoming successful when they get out of here and Amy is absolutely one who proves that point.”

The induction ceremonies are in Salem Community College’s Sol and Jean Davidow Performing Arts Theatre Nov. 17 at 6:30 p.m. Admission is free and open to the public.

The following biographies are courtesy of Salem Community College.

Hall of Fame Inductees

DYLAN CUMMINGS was a two-sport athlete (baseball and football) at Pennsville Memorial High School, finishing his senior season as the 2014 Salem/Cumberland County Male Athlete of the Year. In baseball, he was named two-time All-Conference and two-time All-South Jersey. In his senior season, the Pennsville Eagles won a South Jersey Championship, earning the top spot in the state baseball rankings. 

In football, he was named three-time All-South Jersey, All-State, South Jersey Times Player of the Year, and Brooks-Irvine Memorial Football Club Award winner. As the Eagles quarterback, he broke several South Jersey records including career passing yards (7,695), passing touchdowns (84), completions (498), total yards (10,083), and total touchdowns (126). He is currently the only quarterback in state history to throw for 30 touchdowns and run for more than 20, totaling 55 touchdowns in the same season. 

He continued his academic and athletic career at Methodist University, where he was a three-year football starter and two-time team captain, playing slot receiver for the Monarchs with 150 receptions, 1,250 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns. He was named USA South Academic All-Conference and Athlete of the Year. 

TYLER CUMMINGS competed at PMHS from 2007 to 2011, earning 10 varsity letters in cross country, and track and field. He captured nine Salem County titles and three South Jersey titles while being named to numerous All Tri-County, All-South Jersey and All-State teams. During his senior season, he earned the PEPAA Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award and the PMHS Sportsmanship Award. He currently holds the individual school record in the 1600-meter run at 4:25 and is the first athlete in Salem County history to win three individual Salem County cross country titles. 

He continued his academic and athletic career at Coastal Carolina University, where he graduated with a degree in business administration and ran personal bests in the 1500-meter run (4:01) and 5K (15:42). Tyler also earned numerous Big South Conference academic and athletic awards.

AMY COKER McDADE started a passion for softball at a young age. Her Pennsville team qualified for the 1996 Little League World Series for the first time.  

A 2002 Pennsville grad, she was a three-sport athlete (soccer, basketball and softball).  A four-year softball starter, she collected more than 100 hits during her career. Her team won the 2002 softball state championship.  Amy was selected as Today’s Sunbeam player of the year. She earned first team All-Conference two years in a row. 

She continued with softball at Caldwell College and earned her bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. In 2004, the Cougars were 45-7 and won the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference’s regular and post-season championship. From there, her team won an NCAA regional title and advanced to the NCAA Division II World Series for the first time. Her softball team also was the CACC Champions in 2005 and 2006. She earned the CACC Tournament MVP in 2006 and was selected to the All-Tournament Team. In 2019, the Caldwell College 2004 Softball team was inducted into the college’s Athletics Hall of Fame. 

She currently works in the high school’s athletics department.

VICTORIA (TORI) NUGENT was a two-sport athlete at Pennsville. Her freshman year, she powered through a three-hour tennis match, coming from behind to win the deciding point in the state championship. Pennsville was 2012 state champions with Tori named the Salem-Cumberland County Player of the Year and Tri-County Player of the Year.

She won the Tri-County Conference singles title two years in a row, and earned First Team All-State, First Team All-Group I and All-South Jersey honors. She was the first person in school history to earn 100 wins in tennis, finishing her high school career with a record of 101-13-2. Aside from tennis, she also collected 100 hits in high school softball. She played one year of tennis at Monmouth University, then was undefeated at Rowan College Gloucester County, where she earned National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) All-American, All-Region Team honors, and was the college’s Women’s Tennis Player of the Year. 

She went on to become the Head Tennis and Paddle Professional at Philadelphia Country Club. She is playing two new sports: platform tennis (currently ranked 85th on the APTA Women’s National Rankings) and paddle tennis (ranked 79th in the world on the USPA tour).

KATIE JACKSON SCULL was also a member of that 1996 Pennsville Little League softball team. She was a three-sport varsity athlete at Pennsville (soccer, softball and basketball), earning 13 varsity letters. Her first varsity letter was earned in eighth grade, as one of the managers for the varsity softball team. A four-year softball starter (outfielder and catcher), she earned her way into the 100-hit club and a Group I State Champion. She also reached the Group I State Championship in soccer as the starting goalie. During her senior year, she was named Today’s Sunbeam Co-Athlete of the Year. She was also a member of the National Honor Society and Golden Eagles Club. 

At Caldwell College (now Caldwell University), she was the softball team’s starting right fielder all four years.  She collected 189 hits, 19 home runs and 108 RBIs with a career batting average of .377. She held the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) record in walks for three consecutive years (2004-2006). She was also named to the first team All-CACC and All-Northeast Region first team all four years.  In 2004, she had the privilege of playing right field as the Cougars competed in Caldwell’s first Division II Women’s College World Series appearance.

During her junior year, she was named the Louisville Slugger/National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Division II National Player of the Week. In her senior year, she was the first Caldwell Cougar in history to be named the CACC Player of the Year. In 2006, she graduated cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in accounting, elected to the Delta Epsilon Sigma National Honor Society, Dean’s List accreditation, New Jersey Society of CPAs Scholar’s Institute Participant, Academic All-American and CACC All-Academic Team.

TA’RIQ D. THOMAS was a three-sport athlete (football, basketball, and track and field) at Woodstown High School. During his senior year of football, he tied for first with three others for the most interceptions (eight) in New Jersey. He was selected playoff player of the week by the South Jersey Touchdown Club and selected to the Diamond Division first team.

He also was a two-year starter for the Wolverines basketball team and a four-year letter winner in track and field. During his sophomore year, he placed third in the triple jump at the Group II Sectional Championships. He was Group II Sectional runner-up in the long jump during his junior year and was selected first team All-Tri-County. In his senior year, he was the South Jersey long- and triple-jump Group II Sectional Champion, placed third in the long jump and sixth in the triple jump at the Group II Championship. 

He went on to compete in football and track and field at Delaware Valley University. After playing varsity football as a freshman for the Aggies, he chose to solely commit to the indoor and outdoor track and field teams. He was a two-time Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) rookie of the year (indoor and outdoor), three-time MAC field athlete of the year (one indoor, two outdoor), and a nine-time MAC champion (six triple jump and three long jump). 

He still holds the MAC record for long jump and the fourth-longest mark in NCAA Division III history (25-9.5). He also holds school records in both triple jump (49-10) and long jump and is a seven-time NCAA All-American. He graduated from Delaware Valley with a degree in criminal justice.

Community Service Awards

LOUISE FOLEY graduated from Pennsville after being a three-sport athlete (field hockey, basketball and tennis). She received the MVP award in tennis and was a member of the 1970 field hockey team that was Tri-County champion under Salem County Hall of Fame Coach Betsy Salberg.

In 1981, she became program director at the YMCA of Salem County. One of her favorite responsibilities was teaching swim lessons to all ages. For 34 years, she and the other instructors under her guidance taught the children of Salem County how to swim. Many of those children went on to join the YMCA swim team and compete on college swim teams. It is unknown exactly how many people learned to swim under her direction but suffice to say “countless,” including three generations in some families. 

Now retired, she volunteers with the Rotary Club of Penns Grove and Salem County Meals on Wheels, and is a Salem County Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Academy Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Instructor.

MIKE HARTMAN has been a significant figure in Salem County scholastic sports for 40 years. He played football, basketball, baseball and golf at Pennsville Memorial High School. When he began his teaching career in 1983, he also started his coaching career.  

At Woodstown High School, Mike coached freshman football for 11 years and boys’ basketball for several years, including six years as varsity head coach. He was named the Al Carino All-Star Basketball Coach in 1990. He also devoted 15 years to helping coach Woodstown’s baseball team and coached Salem High’s varsity boys’ basketball for six years. In 2016, he took the reins of the Pennsville girls’ basketball program and spent five years as varsity head coach. He is credited with turning it into a winning program.  

As his children played youth sports, he was active with the Pennsville Little League, Pennsville Babe Ruth and Pennsville Youth Basketball Association (PYBA). He served as a PYBA board member.   

He taught Industrial Technology at Woodstown for 39 years. He received the Governor’s Teacher Recognition Award twice (1993 and 2000). He is currently an instructor of Technical Drawing and CADD at Salem Community College and also works at Random 8 Woodworking in Pedricktown.

Mike’s rapport with past athletes is his legacy, and it means the world to him.  Whether it was football, basketball or baseball — scholastic or youth league — he contributed countless hours and much of his heart to Salem County sports. To the benefit of his student-athletes, his influence carries on.

LOUIS (LOU) PRIEST was a star three-sport player at St. James High School that won multiple state championships in football (1959-1962), basketball (1962-63 season) and baseball (1961-1963).

His greatest individual achievement was his .640 batting average in 1962. This record has stood for more than 60 years as the highest in Salem County history and third highest for all of South Jersey.He batted over .425 during his career and was selected Honorable Mention to the South Jersey Baseball All-Century Team.

Owing to his success as a three-sport athlete, he was named St. James’ 1963 Male Athlete of the Year.

He played semi-pro baseball in the Tri-County Baseball League on the Penton Cubs. His success led to an invitation to try out for the Philadelphia Phillies’ minor league system.

He coached in Pennsville Little League, Babe Ruth and soccer, winning multiple championships, and helped coach several all-star teams. He played men’s softball in Pennsville for many years and has served as an umpire for more than 15 years in Salem County.

This week’s schedule

Here is the high school sports schedule for Salem County teams for the week of Oct. 16-21

Oct. 16
FIELD HOCKEY
Gloucester Catholic at Salem, 4 p.m.
Pennsville at Oakcrest, 4 p.m.
Woodstown at Overbook, 4 p.m.
Deptford Twp. at Schalick, 6 p.m.

BOYS SOCCER
Salem at Gloucester City, 6 p.m.
Woodstown at Sterling, 7 p.m.

GIRLS SOCCER
Gloucester City at Salem, 4 p.m.
Overbrook at Penns Grove, 6:30 p.m.

GIRLS TENNIS
Bridgeton at Salem, 4 p.m.
Pennsville at Gloucester Catholic, 4 p.m.
Woodstown at Glassboro, 4 p.m.

CROSS COUNTY
State Tech School Championship, Salem Tech

VOLLEYBALL
Clearview at Salem Tech, 4 p.m.

Oct. 17
BOYS SOCCER
Overbook at Woodstown, 4 p.m.
Salem at Gloucester Catholic, 4 p.m.
Schalick at Penns Grove, 4 p.m.
Wildwood at Salem Tech, 4 p.m.
Glassboro at Pennsville, 5 p.m.

GIRLS SOCCER
Gloucester Catholic at Salem, 4 p.m.
Salem Tech at Wildwood, 4 p.m.
Woodstown at Overbrook, 4 p.m.
Penns Grove at Schalick, 6 p.m.
Glassboro at Pennsville, 7 p.m.

GIRLS TENNIS
Pennsville at Haddon Heights, 4 p.m.
Pitman at Salem, 4 p.m.

NJSIAA Group I Sectionals
Championship matches
North 1: Kinnelon at Glen Rock, 1 p.m.
North 2: Whippany Park at Glen Ridge, 3 p.m.
South: Schalick at Haddon Twp., 3 p.m.
Central: New Providence at Highland Park, 4 p.m.


CROSS COUNTRY
Tri-County Conference Showcase, Cumberland, 3:30 p.m.

VOLLEYBALL
Gloucester Catholic at Salem Tech, 4 p.m.

Oct. 18
FIELD HOCKEY
Moorestown Friends at Woodstown, 4 p.m.
Oakcrest at Schalick, 4 p.m.
Salem at Glassboro, 4 p.m.
Overbrook at Pennsville, 4:30 p.m.

GIRLS TENNIS
Overbrook at Pennsville, 4 p.m.
Schalick at Gloucester Catholic, 4 p.m.
Penns Grove at Salem, 4 p.m.
Woodstown at Wildwood, 4 p.m.

Oct. 19
BOYS SOCCER
Gloucester Catholic at Pennsville, 4 p.m.
Overbrook at Salem Tech, 4 p.m.
Penns Grove at Wildwood, 4 p.m.
Schalick at Pitman, 4 p.m.
Woodstown at Salem, 4 p.m.

GIRLS SOCCER
Pennsville at Gloucester Catholic, 4 p.m.
Pitman at Schalick, 4 p.m.
Salem at Woodstown, 4 p.m.
Salem Tech at Overbrook, 4 p.m.

GIRLS TENNIS
Glassboro at Penns Grove, 4 p.m.
Pennsville at Triton, 4 p.m.
Salem at Wildwood, 4 p.m.
Woodstown at Schalick, 4 p.m.

NJSIAA State Tournament
Championship Matches
Mercer County Park, T

VOLLEYBALL
KIPP Cooper at Salem Tech, 4 p.m.

Oct. 20
FOOTBALL
Gloucester Catholic at Schalick, 7 p.m.
Pennsville at Pitman, 7 p.m.

FIELD HOCKEY
Clayton at Pennsville, 4 p.m.
Glassboro at Woodstown, 4 p.m.
Schalick at Overbrook, 4 p.m.

BOYS SOCCER
Clayton at Salem, 4 p.m.
Overbrook at Schalick, 4 p.m.
Pennsville at Penns Grove, 4 p.m.
Salem Tech at Pitman, 4 p.m.
Woodstown at Glassboro, 4 p.m.

GIRLS SOCCER
Glassboro at Woodstown, 4 p.m.
Pennsville at Penns Grove, 4 p.m.
Pitman at Salem Tech, 4 p.m.
Salem at Clayton, 4 p.m.
Schalick at Overbrook, 4 p.m.

VOLLEYBALL
Salem Tech at LEAP Academy, 4 p.m.

Oct. 21
FOOTBALL
Salem at Woodbury, 10:30 a.m.
Woodstown at Penns Grove, 11 a.m.

Cover photo by Heather Papiano

Popping into history

Pop Jackson goes over 1,000 as Salem opens new stadium with win over West Deptford that likely gets it in the playoffs

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

SALEM — Danny Mendoza says Pop Jackson is one of the best backs he’s ever been around as a coach and should be in every conversation when they talk about the next great back in the line of those who’ve come out of the Salem football program.

And that’s saying something even Jackson had to agree because Mendoza is a Florida guy where great backs grow like oranges.

Jackson made a little history of his own on an historic day on the Salem campus Saturday, squeezing out enough yards to go over 1,000 for the season as the Rams opened their brand new on-campus stadium with a 38-14 Homecoming win over West Deptford.

The junior ran through the rain for 255 yards (on 25 carries) and four touchdowns, including the first one ever in what for now is called SHS Stadium. He now has 1,005 yards rushing for the year and amazingly has done most it over the last four games.

He had 155 yards as a role guy against Pleasantville and Penns Grove, but burst on the scene against Cedar Creek in the rain at Rutgers and over the last four weeks has gone for 249, 149, 197 and 255 on 110 total carries.

“I wanted to be a team player and play anything I needed for us to succeed and win,” Jackson said. “I didn’t know if I’d be able to accomplish it or I was going to accomplish this, but I’m very proud of myself.

“It means a lot to me, but not really. I created history, but I feel as though we’ve got more to go on the road.”

The Rams’ last 1,000-yard season rusher was Zaire Jones back in 2017 (1,792 yards). The year before, future NFL All-Pro Jonathan Taylor went for a state record 2,815 yards.

“He is by far probably one of the most talented backs I’ve ever had the opportunity and the pleasure to coach,” Mendoza said. “Obviously, we got to him a little bit late in the season, but at least, the good thing is, we found him eventually. His performance today was absolutely amazing.

“I knew he needed 250. I thought we would be able to get it in the next couple games, God willing, but for him to get it in one game tells you what kind of player he is. I’ve never seen anybody to do that (in such a short stretch) before, so to be able to be on the right side of that is just that much more sweeter.”

The neat thing about having a new stadium is you can assign naming rights to everything. When they do get around to giving the stadium a more formal name, they should also consider naming the end zone The Pop Zone. Jackson scored on runs of 13, 15, 46 and 34 yards and until Jared Pew scored their last touchdown late in the fourth quarter he was the only Ram to find the end zone for six.

Once the game reached the fourth quarter, his teammates were keeping tabs on just how many yards Jackson needed to reach the milestone. On the run that put him over the top, a 10-yard sweep with about three minutes left in the game, Jackson stiff-armed on-coming Eagles defensive back QuJuan Land and shed him with a resolve that said he wasn’t going to be denied.

What gave Jackson an even bigger thrill was seeing Darius Brooks, one of the linemen who helped him get to 1,000, get in the end zone for a two-point conversion on the Rams’ last touchdown. The 5-foot-9, 315-pound senior had been asking to carry the ball all year and Mendoza promised if the right time presented he’d give him a shot. He got the shot and he delivered. It was supposed to be a direct snap, but he cozied under center and drove into the Pop, er, end zone tush-push style.

“I wanted to play it safe; I didn’t want to mess up my big chance,” Brooks said. “It’s once-in-a-lifetime, I wanted to make sure I did it right. It’s every big man’s dream to score and coach told me on Senior Night if we’re up he’ll give me the chance. I’m glad he did. It’s a great feeling.”

The win also is believed to be just what the Rams needed to get in the Group I playoffs. They have only two wins – after starting the season 0-6 – but play in the tough WJFL Diamond Division that’s filled with power points. Penns Grove got in last year with two overall wins without winning a game in the division.

The Rams were 17th in the South Jersey Group I UPR ratings that go toward determining the qualifiers before the game, just four-tenths of a point off the cut line. Another Central Jersey numbers-cruncher had them solidly at 16. 

In the newest UPR ratings updated just hours after Saturday’s games, the Rams were No. 15 and all five Salem County football-playing schools were inside the 16 qualifiers: 1. Schalick, 3. Woodstown, 8. Penns Grove, 15. Salem, 16. Pennsville.

“You never know until the season’s over,” Mendoza said. “I know you can drop one at the cutoff after you play a Week Zero. A win against Woodbury (next week) would put us up pretty high, so that’s what we’re looking forward to try to do. We control our own destiny. We know if we beat Woodbury we’re 100 percent in and then we can give ourselves a good seed, so Woodbury is our focus going into next week.”

Salem 38, West Deptford 14

WDEPT (14)SALEM (38)
111st Downs15
31-158Rushing47-342
0-6-0Penalties2-5-0
0Passing9
2-1Fum-lost0-0
5-32.4Punts-avg2-14.0
8-65Penalties5-50
West Deptford (2-6)86816 –38
Salem (2-6)0770 –14

Scoring plays:
S – Pop Jackson 13 run (Pop Jackson run), 8:39 1Q
WD – James Lorman 14 run (Ryan Cook kick), 8:44 2Q
S – Pop Jackson 15 run (run failed), 0:47 2Q
S – Pop Jackson 46 run (Jared Pew run), 10:26 3Q
WD – James Lorman 3 run (Ryan Cook kick), 7:53 3Q
S – Pop Jackson 34 run (Jared Pew run), 5:14 4Q
S – Jared Pew 9 run (Darius Brooks run), 1:04 3Q

Salem’s football team celebrates in front of the jumbotron and scoreboard the first win in its new stadium.


Friday roundup

Here are scores from Friday’s non-football high school action involving Salem County schools

FRIDAY’S SCORES
FIELD HOCKEY
Gloucester Tech 5, Salem 1: Rams suffer third straight loss
Schalick at Woodstown

BOYS SOCCER
Audubon 4, Woodstown 0
Schalick 3, Glassboro 1: Luke Price, Michael Nelson and Bradford Foster scored Cougars goals.
Wildwood 7, Salem 0

GIRLS SOCCER
Salem 1, Wildwood 0
Schalick 3, Glassboro 1: Emily Miller scored a hat trick

Woodstown falls hard

Wolverines start out well, then suffer through a series of penalties and mistakes in falling to Haddonfield

DIAMOND DIVISION SCORES
Friday’s games
Haddonfield 48, Woodstown 16
Penns Grove 32, Pennsville 3
Saturday’s games
Camden at Paulsboro, 10:30 a.m.
West Deptford at Salem, noon

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

HADDONFIELD — It was one of those games that was bad enough the first time you don’t really want to look at the film again unless they make you.

Woodstown was looking to pick up some major points in its bid to secure a couple home playoff games Friday night, but it wound up taking one of its biggest losses in four seasons, falling to Haddonfield 48-16.

Things started off well for the Wolverines (5-2). They got a defensive stop on the opening drive and then Bryce Belinfanti broke off a 76-yard touchdown run on their first play from scrimmage. They led 10-7 midway through the first quarter after a Jake Ware field goal, but then it deteriorated quickly.

The Haddons (6-1) used two big plays to take a 21-10 halftime lead. All three of their touchdowns in the first half were of the big-play variety.

It was more of the same in the second half as the Haddons went to score 35 straight points before Alex Torres stopped the surge with a Woodstown score with 4:16 to play. Things snowballed for the Wolverines under the weight of numerous mistakes, major penalties and an ejection that may keep one of their top players out of next week’s Diamond Division title game against Penns Grove.

“It was ugly,” Woodstown coach John Adams said. “We had about 14 penalties for 114 yards, something like that. It was awful. It was the worst I’ve ever seen us with penalties.

“Whatever could go wrong went wrong. They played a clean football game. They didn’t do what they typically do with all those crazy formations and such, they just lined up and played smash-mouth football and we didn’t tackle well. It was one of those things where we didn’t play well and then we killed ourselves.”

It was their biggest loss since a 48-7 setback to Penns Grove in their COVID-delayed 2020 season opener.

Belinfanti finished with 147 yards on 19 carries. Wolverines quarterback Max Webb completed 11 of 19 passes for 74 yards with one interception.

Dominic Hahn had 164 yards rushing and scored four total touchdowns for the Haddons. Declan McCarthy threw two long touchdown passes and Charlie Klaus scored twice.

Haddonfield 48, Woodstown 16

Woodstown (5-2)10006 –16
Haddonfield (6-1)714720 –48

Scoring plays:
W – Bryce Belanfani 76 run (Jake Ware kick), 10:10 1Q
H – Dominic Hahn 62 pass from Declan McCarthy (kick good), 7:30 1Q
W – Jake Ware 27 FG, 6:42 1Q
H – Charlie Klaus 57 pass from Declan McCarthy (kick good), 4:51 2Q
H – Dominic Hahn 42 run (kick good), 2:39 2Q
H – Dominic Hahn 32 run (PAT good), 3:38 3Q
H – Charlie Klaus 16 run (PAT good), 9:50 4Q
H – Dominic Hahn touchdown (PAT good), 6:59 4Q
W – Alex Torres 10 run (PAT failed), 4:16 4Q
H – Kai Richards 68 run (PAT failed), 3:55 4Q

Passing fancy

SJ-I No. 1 Schalick retakes Hars-Lake Trophy, remains undefeated after big passing game from Simmons

HORIZON DIVISION SCORES
Friday’s games
Florence 1, Bishop Eustace 0, forfeit
Haddon Twp. 20, Wildwood 0
Holy Cross 32, Gloucester Catholic 27
Overbrook 48, Lindenwold 12
Schalick 35, Cumberland 8

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

SEABROOK – If you ever wondered why Schalick coach Mike Wilson spent so much time in the offseason trying to develop a passing game when the running game has served the Cougars so well, you got the answer Friday night.

It was for games like the latest installment of this neighborhood rivalry with Cumberland and all the games going forward from this point.

Kenai Simmons completed 13 of 17 passes for 236 yards and two touchdowns and ran for two more scores as undefeated Schalick crushed the Colts 35-8 to take back the Hars-Lake Memorial Trophy that goes to the winner of this annual game.

The junior threw touchdown passes to Dylan Sheehan and Reggie Allen and scored on a pair of 5-yard runs. The pass attempts, completions and yardage are all career highs, and the 236 yards is second-best in school history. He threw three touchdowns passes against Pennsville, the last time Schalick played before taking forfeit wins from Lindenwold and Bishop Eustace each of the last two weeks.

Each team names an MVP in the game and Simmons was the Cougars’ choice, Wilson said, “for the obvious reasons.”

And it was obvious why the Cougars went to the air so much this week.

“It was what Cumberland was doing defensively,” Wilson said. “They were stacking eight in the box and we said, OK, you want to stack eight, we’ll throw the ball.

“That’s basically why we did what we did in this offseason, why we put all that work in, because we knew this time of year if people are going to stack the box we’re going to throw the ball. You have to be able to throw the ball. I’ve learned in coaching for 19 years. If you can’t throw the ball and impact the games and playoff games, you’ve got to be able to do it.”

The Cougars (8-0) were playing their first game in 21 days and looked it at times, but they were solid enough to open a 21-0 halftime lead that included a blocked punt (by Simmons) and safety and led 35-0 before the Colts (3-5) finally scored.

“We played a pretty good game,” Wilson said. “Sometimes it felt like it was our first game of the year all over again, but overall we played well. The kids got the trophy back. We played a pretty good game for 21 days off and I’m very happy with the offense. The ability to throw the football is going to help us down the road.”

The Cougars are 8-0 for the first time since 2006 and have won eight games in a season for the first time since 2016. Just three seasons ago they were 0-7.

Schalick 35, Cumberland 8

Schalick (8-0)129140 –35
Cumberland (3-5) 0008 –8

Scoring plays:
S – Kenai Simmons 5 run (run failed)
S – Reggie Allen 14 run (run failed)
S – Safety, punt blocked/tackle in end zone
S – Dylan Sheehan 32 pass from Kenai Simmons (Hunter Dragotta kick)
S – Kenai Simmons 5 run (Hunter Dragotta kick)
S – Reggie Allen 20 pass from Kenai Simmons (Hunter Dragotta kick)
C – 4-yard run (Mark Sooy run)

Schalick quarterback Kenai Simmons (1) had a career night passing in the Cougars’ win over rival Cumberland. Top photo: Coach Mike Wilson raises the Hars-Lake Trophy that goes to the game’s winner. (Photos by Heather Popiano)




Penns Grove keeps The Boot

Red Devils win Norm ‘Wildman’ Willey Trophy for record seventh straight year after dominating Pennsville

SALEM COUNTY SCORES
Friday’s games
Penns Grove 32, Pennsville 3
Schalick 35, Cumberland 8
Haddonfield 48, Woodstown 16
Saturday’s games
West Deptford at Salem, noon

ROYAL DIVISION SCORES
Friday’s games
Lower Cape May 60, Buena 0
Penns Grove 32, Pennsville 3
Pitman 20, Gateway 6
Schalick 35, Cumberland 8

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PENNS GROVE — Former Philadelphia Eagles All-Pro Norm Willey hung his hat as a teacher in the Pennsville school district for more than 30 years, but one of his shoes has been missing since 2017.

For the last seven years now his Boot has been sitting in the trophy case at Penns Grove.

Knowledge Young scored touchdowns the first two times he touched the ball, Bryce Wright scored three the rest of the game and the defense held the opposition out of the end zone for the second straight game as the Red Devils beat back rival Pennsville 32-3 Friday night.

There was a lot at stake. Both teams were riding three-game winning streaks and looking to score some major points towards the playoffs, which Penns Grove all but locked up with the win and Pennsville probably needs a win next week. They also were playing for the Pennsville Lions Club Award, better known as the Norm ‘Wildman’ Willey Trophy atop which one of the former Eagles great’s bronze cleats rests.

The Red Devils, now 4-4 after an 0-3 start, have won it each of the last seven years, their longest streak in the series. Their captains carried the Boot onto the field with them for the coin toss and they carried it back to the trophy case when the game was over.

“The Boot means a lot to me,” Wright said. “Because every time I came to a Pennsville High School game I saw them holding the Boot. I always wanted to do that since I was yay-high. So when I came out here and I went for three touchdowns I wanted that to be on the Boot.”

“I told them yesterday for the older guys they never lost to Pennsville, so that’s special,” Penns Grove coach John Emel said. “They were looking at The Boot today. I tried to hide it from them throughout the year, but it was out today and about and we probably spent a lot of time with it. This is a big win for us.”

The first time Young touched the ball he electrified the Homecoming crowd by returning the opening kickoff 93 yards for a touchdown. It set the tone for the rest of the game.

It was the first he’d ever returned a kickoff for a touchdown in a varsity game, although he’d come close to breaking one several times this season.

“The guys were talking to me before the game,” Young said. “They’ve been trying to get me in the end zone. They missed a couple blocks before. They said they got me on this one and they did. As a ballcarrier it’s my job to read the lanes and they gave amazing blocks, so they got me there.”

“The momentum swing there is huge,” Pennsville coach Mike Healy said. 

“When you play Pennsville you know you’re in for a high-scoring game,” Emel said. “They won the toss and they gave the ball to our offense and we’re a defensive team, so if you don’t score there and they’re able to get the ball in good field position and start fast like they have in their winning streak, it’s a whole different game.”

Penns Grove’s Knowledge Young (7) scored big-play touchdowns the first two times he touched the ball Friday to get the Red Devils going on their 32-3 win over Pennsville. (Photo by Lorraine Jenkins. Check Lorraine’s Facebook page for more photos from the game)

The next time Young touched the ball he went 61 yards for a touchdown. It was the only play the Red Devils ran in the first quarter.

“It felt like I’ve been trying to get there for a minute now,” Young said. “It’s been a long time since I got in there. It just feels good.”

“I liked seeing No. 7 get in there,” Wright said. “He’s been my best friend since we were little. We dreamed of this, man, coming out here doing our thing together.”

Pennsville tried to counter the explosiveness, moving the ball into the red zone all three times it had it in the first half – twice inside the 10 – but had only Jackson Leino’s 25-yard field goal that made it 8-3 to show for it. The other two drives ended with a missed field goal and failed fourth down conversion. Quarterback Robbie McDade moved them along with 119 yards passing.

“We let up too many big plays on defense and then offensively we just didn’t finish,” Healy said. “They’re on the upswing right now, they’re playing real good football right now and we did not play our best at all today.”

The Penns Grove defense held the Eagles to 34 yards rushing in the game and 46 yards total in the second half. The Red Devils have held their opponents out of the end zone for 10 straight quarters and have allowed only four offensive touchdowns in the five games since their blowout loss to Woodbury.

“It’s definitely gotten better from Week Zero because Burlington City put 33 on us, so it feels good to know the hard work is paying off,” freshman defensive back Karon Caeser said of the defense.

“The mood and battery in our guys’ back have changed,” Wright said. “We lost 42-6 to Woodbury and we didn’t like that. We came back on Monday and it was time to work and ever since then we’ve been the team we knew we could be.”

Wright scored on runs of 8 and 26 yards in the first half and 9 yards in the fourth quarter. He finished with 106 yards rushing in the game. Caeser, who ran the offense at quarterback, had 119 yards rushing, including bursts of 40 and 23 yards. Young had 91 yards rushing and, of course, the long kickoff return. 

Penns Grove 32, Pennsville 3

PVILLEPGROVE
91st Downs15
25-34Rushing41-299
12-19-1Passes2-2-0
159Passing28
0-0Fum-lost1-0
1-45.0Punts-avg0-0
4-20Penalties5-30
Pennsville (4-3)0300 –3
Penns Grove (4-4)141206 –32

Scoring plays:
PG – Knowledge Young 93 kickoff return (Bryce Wright 1), 11:45 1Q
PV – Jackson Leino 25 FG, 4:33 1Q
PG – Knowledge Young 61 run (PAT fail), 4:12 1Q
PG – Bryce Wright 8 run (kick failed), 6:52 2Q
PG – Bryce Wright 26 run (pass failed), 0:28, 2Q
PG – Bryce Wright 9 run (run failed), 3:44 4Q

Penns Grove senior captain DeVonte Davenport (50) carried The Boot, the Norm Willey Trophy, to midfield for the pre-game coin toss. Top photo: The Red Devils raise The Boot after winning the game.

Maybe an historic year

If the fates and numbers allow, all five Salem County football-playing schools could make the playoffs for the first time since 2017

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

Salem County is one of the smallest football-playing counties in the state, but if the fates allow and the numbers align it could get 100 percent participation in this year’s Group I playoffs.

That would be nearly one-third of the 16-team South/Central Jersey Group I bracket.

The last time all five Salem County football teams made the playoffs was 2017 and it’s close to happening now. Four of them are currently in the top 16, including the top two. Three are in the top 10 and one is on the cusp and could do a lot for its chances with a win this week.

“For a small county that doesn’t get a lot of press or a lot of hoopla, that’s pretty good,” Schalick head coach Mike Wilson said.

Pennsville coach Mike Healy agrees.

“It’s really cool to see a county that’s not as highly populated as other places have success like that,” he said. “It’s an awesome thing to see.”

Wilson’s undefeated Cougars and Woodstown are currently 1 and 2, respectively, in the South Jersey Group I UPR ratings that determine the seedings, so you have to figure they’re a lock regardless of what happens the next two weeks.

Penns Grove appears pretty solid, too, at No. 10 with a win over current No. 3 Glassboro and playing Woodstown for a division title next week. Pennsville’s comeback express has climbed into the top 16 and it would gain even more steam if it beats Penns Grove tonight.

Salem, winners of the last two Central Jersey championships, is right there but not quite in. The Rams currently sit at No. 17, just four-tenths of a point off the cut line. Because they play in the demanding Diamond Division loaded with ratings points, there’s a strong sense they would get in if they beat West Deptford in the first game in their new stadium Saturday even if they lose to Woodbury next week. Their 40.35 OSI is the highest of any team outside of the South Jersey Group I top 10.

Penns Grove got in last year without winning a game in the Diamond and with only two overall wins before the cutoff.

“I think it just shows the quality of the football down here in the Diamond Division and the West Jersey Football League and how it compares to other parts of the state,” first-year Salem coach Danny Mendoza said. “I think it will say a lot for the quality of football that’s played down in this area and will give a good outlook to everybody on what South Jersey football really is if we get all five teams in. You can’t deny the quality of football down here if that happens.”

“Football in South Jersey is as competitive as it’s ever been,” said Penns Grove coach John Emel.

Actually, all five teams made it in 2016 and 2017 and they all played in the South half of the sectional split both years. Salem has won the Central Jersey sectional title each of the last two years and played in the Central each of the last three years it made it.

In 2017, Penns Grove was the 2 seed, Salem 4, Woodstown 6, Schalick 7 and Pennsville 8. Because there were five teams in a four-game bracket, Penns Grove and Schalick met in the first round. Penns Grove played in the sectional final.

The year before, it was Pennsville 3, Salem 4, Woodstown 6, Schalick 7 and Penns Grove 8. Pennsville and Woodstown played in the first round. Salem played in the sectional final.

Pennsville has been away from the playoffs the longest, missing since 2019. Schalick got back in last year after not making it since 2018. Penns Grove, Salem and Woodstown have been fixtures. 

“There are only five schools here but we have some good football down in the county and getting all five of those in would be a way to just showcase it,” Woodstown coach John Adams said. “Sometimes people feel like Salem County is down and out of the way, but to have five of those top 16 teams in Group I be from one county that’s pretty special.”

A couple things still have to happen before it all shakes out. Just something to think about as the regular season winds down.

RECENT SALEM COUNTY PLAYOFF QUALIFIERS
2022: Penns Grove (S), Woodstown (C), Schalick (C), x-Salem (C).
2021: Penns Grove (S), Woodstown (S), x-Salem (C)
2020: No playoffs.
2019: x-Penns Grove (S), Salem (C), Pennsville (C), Woodstown (C)
2018: x-Penns Grove (S), Woodstown (S), Schalick (S), Salem (S)
2017: Penns Grove (S), Salem (S), Woodstown (S), Schalick (S), Pennsville (S).
2016: Pennsville (S), Salem (S), Woodstown (S), Schlaick (S) Penns Grove (S)
S-South Jersey bracket, C-Central Jersey bracket, x-won sectional title

CURRENT SJ-I UPR TOP 16
(Through Oct. 12)
1. Schalick (7-0)
2. Woodstown (5-1)
3. Glassboro (3-3)
4. South Hunterdon (6-1)
5. Florence (5-0)
6. Shore (4-2)
7. Middlesex (5-1)
8. Woodbury (3-3)
9. Audubon (3-2)
10. Penns Grove (3-4)
11. Keyport (6-1)
12. Riverside (5-1)
13. Burlington City (5-2)
14. Clayton (3-3)
15. Pennsville (4-2)
16. Dunellen (4-2)

PROJECTED PLAYOFF PAIRINGS
(Based on this week’s UPR)
South Jersey Group I
No. 16 Dunellen (4-2) at No. 1 Schalick (7-0)
No. 9 Audubon (3-2) at No. 8 Woodbury (3-3)
No. 13 Burlington City (5-2) at No. 4 South Hunterdon (6-1)
No. 12 Riverside (5-1) at No. 5 Florence (5-0)
Central Jersey Group I
No. 14 Clayton (3-3) at No. 3 Glassboro (3-3)
No. 11 Keyport (6-1) at No. 6 Shore (4-2)
No. 10 Penns Grove (3-4) at No. 7 Middlesex (5-1)
No. 15 Pennsville (4-2) at No. 2 Woodstown (5-1)
Salem currently No. 17











‘It was our day’

Schalick girls finally solve Gateway, reach South Jersey Group I sectional tennis finals; also includes Thursday’s scores around the county

THURSDAY’S SCORES
FIELD HOCKEY
Glassboro 3, Schalick 2
GIRLS SOCCER
Paulsboro at Penns Grove
GIRLS TENNIS
Pitman at Penns Grove
Salem at Overbrook
Woodstown 5, Gloucester Catholic 0
South Jersey Group I Tournament
Semifinals
Schalick 3, Gateway 2
Haddon Twp. 5, Pitman 0
VOLLEYBALL
Highland Regional 2, Salem Tech 0 (25-16, 25-15)

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PITTSGROVE – After two years of frustrating finishes, the Schalick girls tennis team was ready to get the gator, er, monkey, off their back named Gateway.

The Cougars showed the grit and guile that has epitomized their season and knocked off the nemesis that beat them in the South Jersey Group I Tournament each of the last two years 3-2 to reach this year’s SJ-I finals.

The Cougars (17-2) will play at top-seeded Haddon Twp. (15-3) Tuesday for the sectional title and a spot in the Group I Final Four Oct. 19 at Mercer County Park.

“It was our day,” Schalick coach John Romano said. “Our girls came out there, they were prepared. They were ready to get the monkey off their back so to speak. They were just ready to take that step forward, and they did.

“The last three years it could have gone either way. We were fortunate to get the best of them this time.”

The Cougars swept the doubles points and ultimately clinched the match on junior Ally Green’s 6-1, 6-3 win over Allison Eckstein at third singles. Green trailed in the second set 3-2, then, showing the drive that took her from first doubles to No. 3 singles this season, won the next four games convincingly to win her match with one still on the court.

She knew the match was close, but she didn’t want to ask if it might come down to her court.

“I didn’t want to put it in my head and stress myself out, but I had a feeling when I saw our first single walk off and I saw the stress going on at second,” Green said. “There was definitely more pressure on that second set.

“I felt tired for some reason today and there was a point she had me 3-2. We had switched sides and I could hear her coach give her a lot of confidence and when other coaches are hyping someone against me it makes me a little more nervous.”

But she overcame that with a smooth, consistent approach to every shot and started clicking off points.

“Any time you play you want to have a solid third singles player,” Romano said. “We’ve been very fortunate over the past few years to have very, very good third singles players and she epitomizes that. She’s gritty, she gets everything back. That’s what their coach said: She gets everything back. She’s tough.”

The Cougars have been to the sectional semifinals or finals eight of the last 14 years. They’ve played Gateway in one of them four times.

The Gators ended their tournament dreams each of the previous two years, both in 3-2 nailbiters. It was in the sectional finals in 2021 and the semifinals last year.

“I really wanted that for (the seniors), this being their senior year and this being their last shot at it, so it made me really happy we were able to take them further,” Green said. “But not only them, I really wanted it for Romano because I knew how bad he wanted that win and I know he wanted the season to keep going, so to see him get happy on the side and he was all pumped up, it made us all really happy.”

The other sectional finals are Highland Park-New Providence (Central), Kinnelon-Glen Rock/Lenape Valley (North 1) and Whippany Park-Glen Ridge (North 2).

SCHALICK 3, GATEWAY 2
Singles
Morgan McNally (G) def. Rachel Irizarry, 6-0, 6-1.
Tabitha Bay (G) def. Grace O’Neill, 6-1, 0-6, 10-8.
Ally Green (S) def. Allison Eckstein, 6-1, 6-3.
Doubles
Emma Adams-Katelyn Little (S) def. Viena Chen-Sarah Martin, 6-2, 6-0.
Miya Watkins-Rachel Goranson (S) def. Addison Packer-Ashley Jackson, 6-1, 6-0.
Records: Schalick 17-2, Gateway 11-9