4 Pennsville wrestlers reach quarterfinals in Delaware tournament; Woodstown falls in its first match of the season
By Riverview Sports News
NEW CASTLE, Del. – Pennsville has four wrestlers still alive in the championship bracket of the Howdy Duncan Invitational after Friday’s first day of competition at William Penn High School.
Christopher Daniels (120), Randy Hall (132), Robbie McDade (157) and Elias Lussi (190) are all in the quarterfinals when the tournament resumes Saturday morning.
Lussi, the No. 5 seed in his weight class, advanced with a pair of pins. McDade, the 3-seed in his division, won a first-round decision and advanced in a DQ. Hall, a 6-seed, and Daniels, an 8-seed, both received first-round byes and won a second-round decision.
The Eagles have 43,5 points and are tied for 14th with Delcastle and Middletown in the team standings. Lower Dauphin (81.5) is currently in first place, 5.5 points ahead of New Oxford.
W. Deptford whacks Woodstown
WEST DEPTFORD – The Woodstown wrestling team opened its season with a 52-15 loss at West Deptford. Brett Rowand (144) and Mateo Vinciguerra (285) scored pins for the Wolverines, while Travis Balback recorded a decision at 120.
WEST DEPTFORD 52, WOODSTOWN 15 144: Brett Rowand pinned Nate Benner, 3:01 150: James Lorman (WD) maj. dec. over Laitton Roberts, 14-3 157: Nick Graziano (WD) maj. dec. over Zayden Donahue, 19-7 165: Caleb Jackson (WD) dec. Zach Bevis, 9-3 175: Chris Andujar (WD) dec. Greyson Hyland, 12-10 190: Marcus Carter (WD) won by forfeit 215: Andrew Tighe (WD) pinned Josiah Mejias, 2:49 285: Mateo Vinciguerra pinned Van Galbraith, 0:44 106: Ryan McConaghy (WD) pinned Chase Blandino, 1:36 113: Talen Terinoni (WD) won by forfeit 120: Travis Balback dec. Brayden Curcio, 12-6 126: Anthony Conway-Popeskic (WD) dec. Carson Bradway, 8-2 132: Owen Entrekin (WD) pinned Ryan Polk, 0:25 138: Trevor Lundfelt (WD) tech fall over Willem Groom, 18-1 4:40
Cover photo: Pennsville wrestling coaches plot out their lineup before a recent match.
Pennsville’s boys follow a plan to combat Clayton, Schalick wins first season opener since 2015, Penns Grove challenged by strong competition FRIDAY BOYS SCORES Pennsville 80, Clayton 66 Pitman 69, Penns Grove 41 Schalick 65, Salem Tech 43
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News PENNSVILLE – Clayton came into David Salberg Gym Friday night having scored 96 points the night before and the reputation for firing 3-pointers at will. That made the Clippers a dangerous opening-night opponent for anyone.
But Pennsville coach Joe Mecholsky had a plan – guard the 3, rebound and play tight man defense.
It proved to be the winning formula as the Eagles clipped their visitors 80-66, missing by just one point the score the coach had predicted before the game.
“We knew coming in that their game is to shoot the 3 and give us the 2,” Mecholsky said. “We tried to be very diligent guarding the 3-point shot. At one point to start the fourth quarter I told the boys let them drive, give up the 2. They want to shoot the 3 to get back in this game.
“That’s just their system. When it’s working that’s a much tighter game. When the system doesn’t work we ended up with a favorable outcome. They’ve got a South Jersey title with that system, his kids love playing that system, but I think tonight it just came down to we were the better team.”
Clayton came out firing – and missing. The Clippers missed their first 11 shots from the field – most of them 3s – and Pennsville ran out to a 12-2 lead despite not being very sharp themselves. The Clippers, 9-of-30 from behind the arc in their opener at Pennsauken Tech, were 1-for-10 from behind the arc in the first quarter against the Eagles, 4-for-18 in the half and 10-for-38 for the game..
Instead of going into the locker room at halftime to discuss strategy, the Clippers spent the entire halftime on the floor putting up shots. They shot a better percentage in the second half, but never got closer than eight points and that was early in the third quarter.
The more they missed, the more the Eagles rebounded. Danny Saulin, a 6-foot-7 senior starting in his final season opener, pulled down 14 rebounds to go with 17 points, many off putbacks.
“We have a saying – long shot, long rebound,” Saulin said. “When you’re jacking it up from 3 you just have to know you have to back up and get ready to box out and jump up for the ball. For them not playing so much in the paint it made it easier for us to score 2-pointers, made it easier for the whole team to score.”
Saulin wasn’t the only one clearing the boards. Peyton O’Brien, who spelled Saulin off the bench, grabbed 13 rebounds. The Eagles had 49 rebounds in the game.
“He was so noticeable out there,” Mecholsky said. “When Danny comes out and Peyton can control the boards like that, that’s a big relief as a coach. Not only can he grab the boards, he starts the transition. He can turn and go.”
“I just try to contribute the best I can,” O’Brien said. “It feels good just to know I contributed some way to the win.”
The Clippers hit their only 3 of the first quarter with 2:13 left and it touched off a flurry that got them to 12-11 with a chance to tie. They missed the free throw on a potential three-point play, Saulin made a bucket on the other end and that started a 14-0 Pennsville run across two quarters that put the Eagles safely back in front for good.
“It’s an old cliché,” Mecholsky said, “the better team should win the game and tonight we were the better team.”
In most areas they were. One that left Mecholsky wiping his brow was the 24 turnovers charged to his team.
“We were incredibly lucky tonight that they didn’t shoot well; let’s be honest,” he said. “I didn’t see what Clayton shot from the field but we had 20-plus turnovers. How many games do you win when you turn the ball over 20 times? To have 24 turnovers you just start shaking your head and say all right we got one tonight.” PENNSVILLE 80, CLAYTON 66 CLAYTON (1-1) – Dillon Jones 3 1-2 8, Princeton Sackor 5 1-1 14, Nazir Davis 1 0-0 2, John Carter 1 0-0 3, Khamari Farley 7 0-0 17, Demetris Williams 4 0-0 8, Jon Cox 0 0-2 0, Cristan Scott 0 0-2 0, A’Shaud Hine-Pope 3 0-1 6, Nasir Carter 3 0-0 8, Jayden Prince 0 0-0 0. Totals 27 2-8 66. PENNSVILLE (1-0) – Mason O’Brien 1 0-0 3, Luke Wood 10 2-4 24, Cohen Petrutz 5 0-0 11, Chase Burchfield 7 0-1 14, Peyton O’Brien 2 0-0 4, Jayden Thomas 3 0-2 7, Malik Rehmer 0 0-0 0, Daniel Saulin 8 1-1 17. Totals 36 3-8 80.
Clayton
11
18
15
22 –
66
Pennsville
19
19
22
20 –
80
3-point goals: Clayton 10 (Jones, Sackor 3, J. Carter, Farley 3, N. Carter 2); Pennsville 5 (Wood 2, M. O’Brien, Petrutz, Thomas). Total fouls: Clayton 10, Pennsville 16.
SCHALICK 65, SALEM TECH 43: The Cougars won only three games a year ago, but got their new season off to a rousing start – 25-4 in the first quarter and 39-11 at halftime – and won their season opener for the first time since 2015.
Reggie Allen led the way with 17 points. Daniel Lis had 12 and Ryan Johnson had 10. Junior Nylan Sutton added five points for the Cougars, and had one of the night’s biggest highlights when he threw down the first dunk of his career in the fourth quarter.
“I think it is meaningful for our program overall,” Schalick coach James Turner said. “It’s nice to finally open up the season with a win and for these guys to carry that same winning mentality from one season to the next, which was what our goal was, and they did a good job today.”
The Cougars got off to what Turner called “a great start.” Their press forced several turnovers that led to some transition baskets and they held the Chargers without a field goal in the first quarter.
“The game plan going in was to put pressure on them and try to get up early,” Turner said. “We tried our best to keep them from getting set in their offense.”
The Cougars didn’t secure their first win last season until after the first of the year. It’s the earlier they’ve gotten a win since beating Collingswood at home on Dec. 15, 2018 – Turner’s second game as their coach.
The last time they opened a season with a win, they beat Clearview 57-42 in 2015 and went on to go 22-8. They’ve won 22 games the previous five seasons combined.
“I think it was just a little bit of a relief, to say OK we got that first win out of the way, we got that first game out of the way,” Turner said. “I’d just say it was a feeling of relief because of what we’ve gone through the last few years.”
Salem Tech’s Antoine Robinson led all scorers with 19 points.
SCHALICK 65, SALEM TECH 43 SALEM TECH (0-1) – Antoine Robinson 5 8-11 19, Chase Wills 3 2-4 9, Josh Muntz 1 0-0 3, Tyler Zampino 1 0-0 3, Haneef Frisby 3 0-0 6, Joseph Hayes 0 1-4 1, Gio Holmes 0 0-0 0, Daviontae Russell 1 0-0 2, Chase Ayers 0 0-0 0. Totals 14 11-19 43. SCHALICK (1-0) – Reggie Allen 6 2-6 17, Daniel Lis 5 1-3 12, Sherrod Jones 1 0-0 2, Justin Iacona 0 0-0 0, Nylan Sutton 2 1-4 5, Nasir Sutton 3 2-9 8, Ryan Johnson 4 2-2 10, Jordan Johnson 2 1-2 5, Jake Siedlecki 2 0-0 4, Jase Volovar 1 0-1 2. Totals 26 9-27 65.
Salem Tech
4
7
20
12 –
43
Schalick
25
14
8
18 –
65
3-point goals: Salem Tech 4 (Robinson, Wills, Muntz, Zampino); Schalick 4 (Alllen 3, Lis). Fouled out: Frisby, J. Johnson, Siedlecki. Total fouls: Salem Tech 21, Schalick 21.
PITMAN 69, PENNS GROVE 41: Some days you play well and some days you learn well. Red Devils coach Damian Ware hopes his team is learning to see what takes to play at a high level because they’ve seen those teams that do twice since practice began.
The Red Devils got their second dose of it Friday and the Panthers put their skill and experience together to show them how the other half lives.
“For our guys the difference in the game was the intensity of the game,” Ware said. “It was actually a good learning lesson and that’s why I told the guys. I said now you see what it looks like to be a contender. If you want to be a contender this is the level you have to play to.”
They got a taste of it last week when they played Egg Harbor Twp., but that was a scrimmage so when they came up short in that one it was no harm, no foul. Friday night’s game counted in the standings.
Penns Grove was in it early and only trailed 15-12 after the first quarter, but then Pitman’s Elijah Crispin and Michael Fisicaro started hearing up and the Panthers started pulling away. Crispin hit three 3s from NBA range and the lead started to grow. It was 16 at halftime, 25 after three quarters.
Crispin led all scorers with 17 points. Fisicaro had 15. Crispin hit three 3s, Fisicaro hit four. Meanwhile, Penns Grove was 0-for-16 from behind the arc.
Roman Gipson led the Red Devils with 13 points off the bench and he may have earned himself a promotion.
“He’s the first sub off the bench, he’s our sixth man, which actually might change,” Ware said. “I might put him in the starting lineup, we’ll see.
“In two of the three scrimmages he came off the bench and did some work there. I’m trying to give guys a little bit of rope to see what they do, but when these young guys come up ,you can’t deny them. You’ve got to let them play.”
The first chance for that possibility is Saturday when they play Lindenwold in the nightcap of their own Red Devil Classic. Pitman opens the event against Burlington City at 11 a.m., followed by Salem and Woodbury. Both Penns Grove teams play in the evening session.
PITMAN 69, PENNS GROVE 41 PITMAN (1-0) – Porter Kostiuk 5-3-13, Stephen Devanney 4-1-10, Hudson Rue 4-0-8, Elijah Crispin 6-2-17, Chris Wyllie 2-0-4, Michael Fisicaro 6-1-15, Greg Petersen 1-0-2, Jake Epting 0-0-0, Trey Tinges 0-0-0. Totals 27-7-69. PENNS GROVE (0-1) – Roman Gipson 5-3-13, Camren Thompson 0-1-0, Giomar Conrad 2-8-12, Mehki Ballard 1-0-2, Willie Slocum 1-2-4, Brandin Robbins 2-0-4, KaRon Ceaser 2-0-4, Luis Colon 0-1-1. Totals 13-15-41.
Gloucester Catholic goes out fast against Woodstown to spoil Straughn’s coaching debut; Penns Grove pulls away from Clayton for county girls’ only win of the night
FRIDAY’S GIRLS SCORES Glassboro 44, Salem 29 Gloucester Catholic 69, Woodstown 41 Penns Grove 47, Clayton 38 Pitman 52, Schalick 14 Wildwood 64, Pennsville 30 Overbrook at Salem Tech
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
GLOUCESTER CITY – The moment she saw it on the schedule Kara Straughn knew her first game as the Woodstown girls basketball coach was going to be a tough one.
Straughn made her head coaching debut Friday night and it didn’t go well as the Rams handed her and the Wolverines a 69-41 loss.
“I knew it was going to be a tough game even if it wasn’t my first game,” Straughn said. “I was still going to have the same amount of nerves just because of who they are. They’re a team, a program, a coach … you cannot not honor and respect them as a whole.
“I knew it was going to be a difficult game because of who they are and going up there adds a whole ‘nother level of anxiety. I knew off the bat it was going to be a difficult game and we just didn’t match up.”
The Rams took advantage of their size and placed four scorers in double figures. Jazhara Green led the way with 17 points. Talia Schumate had 15, Jalyn Moore 13 and Julianna DiFebbo 12.
Talia Battavio led Woodstown with five 3-pointers and 17 points, but their next two scorers – Megan Donelson and Shannon Pierman – had 12 apiece. The Rams jumped out to a 21-11 lead in the first quarter and Woodstown just couldn’t put enough together to overcome the deficit.
“Matchup-wise it wasn’t there tonight,” Straughn said. “My girls played their hearts out, but we just couldn’t piece things together. We would get a couple stops and then we would throw the ball away sometimes. We just couldn’t put it all together.”
PENNS GROVE 47, CLAYTON 38: A veteran and a newcomer took over a close game in the fourth quarter and led the Red Devils to their opening-night victory
Jameelyonna Horace and transfer RaNiyah Wilson combined for 15 of their team’s 17 points in the fourth quarter as Penns Grove pulled away.
Horace knocked down two of her three 3-pointers and scored eight of her game-high 16 points in the fourth quarter. Wilson went 3-for-4 from the free throw line and scored seven of her 11 in the quarter.
The Red Devils held a 19-14 halftime lead, but the Clippers closed the margin to 30-29 entering the fourth quarter behind eight of Rainelle Blocker’s 13 points.
3-point goals: Penns Grove 4 (Horace 3, Dowe); Clayton 4 (Delaney 4). Total fouls: Penns Grove 3, Clayton 7.
WILDWOOD 64, PENNSVILLE 30: After enduring a 90-minute bus ride to the game, the Eagles had trouble getting on track and fell behind 46-14 at halftime.
The Warriors took advantage of the friendly confines to hit eight 3-pointers in the first half to open up their big lead. Leading scorer Macie McCracken (22) and Rebecca Benichou (13) both hit three 3s in the half.
Nora Ausland led Pennsville with nine points. She had the Eagles’ five points in the first quarter.
“They played in the South Jersey Group I championship last year (against Woodstown) for a reason; (coach Teresa Cunniff) has always had a solid program,” Pennsville coach Sam Trapp said. “They are a very good shooting team and executed man defense well, which we struggled against. We had several open looks, but could not finish at the basket.
“We are still figuring out who we are and what our strengths are as a team. Hoping to have a better showing and boost our confidence next week.”
GLASSBORO 44, SALEM 29: Tamia Smith (17) and Kezia Brackett (15) combined to outscore the Rams (0-1) themselves. Ava Rodgerss led Salem with 11 points.
Pennsville appeal to WJFL approved, moving into what should be a more competitive division for a team on the rise that went 6-4 last season
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
Pennsville enjoyed its best football season in eight years this fall and were rewarded for it by being moved into a weak division with more travel when the initial West Jersey Football League division reshuffle was announced last month.
The Eagles knew they were going to appeal .
They had that appeal heard and approved 6-0 Friday and now they will play in a division more closely aligned with their upward trend and program goals.
“When you look at what we’re trying to do as a program, the West Jersey Football League was set up to help teams that were at all areas and all levels, whether you were trying to rebuild your program, whether you were trying to maintain your program or whether you were trying to be a competitive program,” Pennsville athletic director Jamy Thomas explained. “We want to be a competitive program. That division we were in was not going to allow us to continue to do that for the next two years.”
Basically, the Eagles changed places with WJFL newcomer Mastery Charter and – pending the outcome of other appeals – are now set to play in a division that includes Audubon (5-5), Camden Catholic (3-7), Collingswood (4-6), Overbrook (6-4), Paulsboro (1-7) and West Deptford (3-8). The other teams in that alignment are a mix of Group I and Group II programs that had a combined record of 22-37 last season.
They initially were assigned a division with Buena (0-8), Clayton (5-5), Gateway (2-8), Gloucester Catholic (2-7), Lindenwold (1-9) and Pitman (6-4). The other teams in that alignment had a combined 16-41 record.
Mastery Charter was 2-5 as an independent this past season, 4-8-1 over the last two years. In terms of the WJFL geographic footprint, Pennsville would only add one-tenth of a mile to its prospective travel had it played all its games in the new division on the road. Mastery Charter, which does not have its own field, would have traveled a total of 58 miles in its initial placement; it now travels 112 miles.
The outcome of other appeals was not immediately known. WJFL member schools now have until Dec. 20 to vote to approve the changes.
“I’m very excited about it,” Pennsville coach Mike Healy said of the change. “I think it’s going to give us more opportunities to get in the playoffs, the big reason we wanted to move up.
“We bring back most of our team and we really want to kind of help our competition level because we believe we’re ready to start handling that.”
Given the relative strength of the division, the initial alignment would have made it difficult to bank power points necessary for playoff consideration. Essentially, the Eagles could have won their new division and not made the playoffs, which teams in stronger divisions could have a lesser record and not even won a division game and made the postseason field.
Pennsville finished tied for second in the Royal Division and was the first team out of this year’s South/Central Jersey Group I playoffs, but won the regional consolation tournament.
“That was the concern we had,” Healy said. “Just looking at how the playoffs have shaken out the last couple years, the number of wins, whether right or wrong, is not the most important thing. It’s who you’re playing, the group of schools you’re playing and their competitiveness.”
The Eagles graduate only four seniors, but they could not use their projection of experience as an argument towards their appeal. There is no guarantee they will have immediate success in their new division, but the alignment will better allow them to pursue those goals.
“I see the trajectory of our team moving up; we need to challenge ourselves,” Thomas said. “We want to be a playoff team and a South Jersey contender and a state contender and we have to do that from a division that provides us those challenges throughout the regular season to get better.”
Pennsville opens its wrestling season with a 58-24 win over Palmyra; Lussi, newcomer Shinn score two of Eagles’ six pins
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
PENNSVILLE – When Elias Lussi walked into the Pennsville wrestling room for the first time three seasons ago he knew absolutely nothing about the sport other than what he might have caught on TV growing up in a tough but loving neighborhood in Miami Gardens.
He was 260 pounds, didn’t know the difference between a take down and back points and the only reason he was there at all was because he tagged along with his only friend in a new school, Ayden Perez.
In the time that has transpired, Lussi dropped 70 pounds, became the leader in the wrestling room and finally stopped throwing up before practices, which had been an everyday occurrence when he first got involved.
Now he has designs on qualifying for the state tournament. He got that goal off to a good start Thursday with a third-period pin in the Eagles’ 58-24 season-opening victory over Palmyra.
“I had no clue, I came into it completely blinded,” Lussi recalled. “I just got lucky with the community and got two amazing coaches who continued following me and were always by my side.”
His first year on the mat was a rough one. He was the backup varsity heavyweight who spent most of his mat time with the JVs and more often than not ended up on his back. But there was this one exhibition match against Overbrook in which he put a cross face on his opponent and turned him and that got his coaches’ attention.
The next year he slimmed down to 190, because the Eagles already had two guys at 215. He went 17-22 with the varsity and qualified next to last for the regionals and lost his opening match. But he was steadily making progress.
“To this day I still can’t believe it,” Lussi said. “I virtually think about this every day and every day I remind myself that I still can’t believe it because it’s an incredible journey. I would never imagine myself to lose 80 pounds and being able to discipline myself any time I want.
“There’s not just one word that can describe it, it’s a whole bunch of words. Getting beat up by my teammates, my life in general, so many things happening. Wrestling is the toughest sport and everybody says if you can get through wrestling you can get through life. It completely shows it now.”
On Thursday he weighed in at 189.2 pounds and had his way with opponent Joe Garrison. He scored the pin with 1:03 left in the third period and was leading 10-0 at the time of the pin.
“From a coaching perspective, there’s no better feeling than to take a kid who knows nothing and turn him into a region qualifier in his first year wrestling varsity,” Pennsville coach John Starcevich said. “He just made this transition as a person. Now he’s our senior captain, he’s the leader in the room, he’s the voice of our room.
“Rewind two years ago he was the most quiet person in the room. So, for him to learn the sport, love the spot and project his knowledge and his love of wrestling onto others right now, there’s no better feeling. That just lets us know we can take kids as freshmen and develop them by the times they’re sophomore, juniors – the earlier the better – to be able to compete.”
Another one of those success stories was looming at the other end of the lineup. Sophomore Gina Shinn was making her varsity debut as a new-to-the-sport wrestler. She won her match at 113 with a second-period pin to give the Eagles their first on-the-mat win of the season.
It was 50-50 whether she was going to get on the mat Thursday. She was listed as an either/or with Lucas Thomas at 106 and 113. When Pennsville sent out Thomas at 106 and Palmyra forfeited, the Panthers moved Gabriella Alves de Sousa to 113 for the matchup with Shinn.
It was a tight match throughout. Shinn fell behind 6-4 in the second period, then “my anxiety kicked in” and she quickly turned the tables on the match. The pin came with 32 seconds left in the period.
“It was really tough, like really tough,” Shinn said. “She definitely put up a really good fight. It was a good match and that win felt like I was in a whole ‘nother world. It was amazing. It’s a once in a lifetime experience. You never forget the first match, the first pin.”
Shinn was never one to shy away from contact. She played football in middle school and was always up for a challenge. Her Pennsville Little League World Series softball teammate Kloi Tighe, who wrestles for Gloucester City, influenced her to give that sport a try.
With the first win under her belt she could retire tomorrow undefeated as a varsity wrestler. But she believes she’ll stick with it.
“The coaches told me I should wait for my first match and depending on the outcome I can choose if I want to quit or I want to stay,” she said. “I never had doubts of quitting, but they told the whole team wait for your first match, so that’s what I did. I waited until my first match.
“Knowing I can do something like that, it definitely gives me the ability to keep going and have more confidence in myself. No quitting. They said they knew they were going to lose people, but I said I’m not a quitter.”
The Eagles won 10 bouts in the match – six by pin, three by forfeit and one major decision. They’re back on the mat this weekend in the two-day Howdy Duncan Classic at William Penn in New Castle.
“That’s a great start.” Starcevich said. “There were a lot of positives, there were some negatives as well, but it’s the first match of the season.
We had a great practice yesterday, we had a great preseason, back it up even further, this was the most active offseason we’ve had … and that’s showing. Guys who might have struggled at the varsity level last year or even wrestle with the varsity, those guys are now our team leaders, the guys we depend on. The offseason for our team right now has made all the difference … tonight.”
PENNSVILLE 58, PALMYRA 24 106: Lucas Thomas (Pv) won by forfeit 113: Gina Shinn (Pv) pinned Gabriella Alves de Sousa, 3:28 120: Chris Daniels (Pv) pinned Chase Moritz, 1:29 126: Kameron Drummond (Pv) maj. dec. over Toaha Sajim, 10-0 132: Trevor Young (Pal) pinned Randy Hall, 1:24 138: Aiden Hines (Pal) pinned Joey Maurer, 2:40 144: Travis Hagan (Pv) pinned Ben Still, 1:46 150: Sky Eppes (Pv) pinned Elliott Jackson, 1:12 157: Robbie McDade (Pv) won by forfeit 165: Cole Campbell (Pv) won by forfeit 175: Pat Daly (Pal) won by forfeit 190: Elias Lussi (Pv) pinned Joe Garrison, 4:57 215: Deakon Haines (Pal) won by forfeit 285: Trevor Waddington (Pv) pinned Stephen Hankey, 1:36
Pennsville’s Gina Shinn has control over Palmyra’s Gabriella Alves deSousa on the way to a pin in her first varsity match Thursday.
Penns Grove boys ready for opener after running past Gloucester Christian in final scrimmage; PG girls come close to shutting out Pleasantville
TUESDAY SCRIMMAGE SCORES Girls Burlington Tech at Salem Penns Grove 72, Pleasantville 2 Woodstown 77, at Kingsway 43 Boys Penns Grove 73, Gloucester Christian 49
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
PENNS GROVE – It was their final scrimmage before a pretty good season opener. The hay is in the barn, so to speak, and Penns Grove coach Damian Ware said his team is ready to go.
The Red Devils went through their final tune-up of the preseason Tuesday and beat a Gloucester County Christian team with three regular-season games under its belt, 73-49. They open their season Friday against Pitman.
“It was the last dress rehearsal,” Ware said. “I saw what I needed to see. We’re tuned up.”
The scrimmage gave Ware one last chance to see a lot of combinations in game-like conditions without consequences to the record. There was a stretch when all the freshmen were on the floor. Another with all the seniors. The Red Devils gave the early minutes to the core group that will get the heaviest minutes during the season and won Monday’s scrimmage and it gave them a lead they never lost.
The Conquerors did pull within one late in the first quarter under a hail of 3-pointers, but then the Red Devils pulled back out and steadily pulled away. Shane Bradway did his best to keep the visitors in it – he led all scorers with 23 points – but Penns Grove was just too deep.
Giomar Conrad and Karon Ceaser led the Red Devils with 14 points apiece. Eleven of their 13 players who got in the game scored.
Freshman point guard Brandon Robbins didn’t score, but he gave them something more valuable from the position – the ability to run the offense, distribute the ball and not turn it over.
Ceaser made an immediate impact on the Red Devils’ football team in the fall as a freshman and Ware is hoping he has the same impact on the basketball floor. He had six points, a couple rebounds and a steal in the first five and a half minutes of the game after forced the Conquerors to take second timeout in less than a minute after his back-to-back buckets put Penns Grove up 13-5.
“He definitely will,” Ware said. “Ever since we started camp he’s shown me his ability to play, and it’s not even his natural skill, it’s his raw talent and athleticism, his quickness, his aggressiveness.
“He’s going to get 10-12 points a game just off run-out layups and steals and transition. I do expect him to make an immediate impact just as he did in football.”
The Red Devils open their season Friday against Pitman. The Panthers return to Penns Grove Saturday to open the Red Devil Classic, a four-game showcase that benefits the high school PTO.
The first session starts at 11 a.m. and features Pitman-Burlington City and Salem-Woodbury boys games. The 4:30 p.m. second session is a Penns Grove doubleheader with the girls playing Bridgeton and the boys playing Lindenwold.
PENNS GROVE 73, GLOUCESTER CHRISTIAN 49 GLOUCESTER CHRISTIAN – Sam Bishop 0 0-0 0, Ben Small 3 0-0 6, Brady Gesuh 4 0-1 10, David Dellarova 1 2-4 4, Andrew Field 0 0-0 0, Mike Perentozi 0 0-0 0, Shane Bradway 8 5-9 23, Jay Craig 0 0-0 0, Matt Pilla 1 4-7 6. Totals 17 11-21 49. PENNS GROVE – Mekhi Ballard 3 1-1 9, Khiry Higgs 0 0-0 0, Giomar Conrad 5 2-3 14, Luis Colon 2 0-0 4, Will Roy 1 0-0 2, Karon Ceaser 6 2-4 14, Camren Thompson 1 2-2 4, Jaden Sorrell 2 0-0 4, Brandon Robbins 0 0-0 0, Roman Gipson 4 1-1 9, Willie Sutton 2 0-2 4, Mr. Peterson 2 0-0 4, Naizan Spence 2 0-0 5. Totals 30 8-13 73.
Gloucester Christian
14
11
10
14 –
49
Penns Grove
17
17
17
22 –
73
3-point goals: Gloucester Christian 4 (Gesuh 2, Bradway 2); Penns Grove 5 (Ballard 2, Conrad 2, Spence). Total fouls: Gloucester Christian 13, Penns Grove 18.
GIRLS
PENNS GROVE 72, PLEASANTVILLE 2: A first-quarter basket was the only thing that stood between the Red Devils and a shutout.
Jameelyonna Horace led Penns Grove with 20 points distributed across the three quarters of the scrimmage. Ariana Dowe scored all 16 of her points in the first quarter and Raniyah Wilson scored all 13 of hers in the second quarter. It was 55-2 at halftime.
Cover photo: Penns Grove freshman Karon Ceaser (12) making as big an impression on the basketball floor as he did on the football field in the fall.
Pennsville’s Ausland makes a smooth transition to new team after transferring from Salem, could be Eagles’ final piece
MONDAY’S SCRIMMAGES Girls Pennsville 63, Palmyra 40 Penns Grove 30, Kingsway 30 (3Q) Boys Penns Grove 49, Kingsway 46 Woodstown 58, Maple Shade 29 Pennsville 50, Palmyra 46 (3Q) Bridgeton 68, Schalick 40
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
PENNSVILLE – Nora Ausland had a lot of time to think about her future after a broken foot prematurely ended her sophomore season last year.
She wanted a basketball team capable of winning that would appreciate the skills she would bring to the table. Pennsville coach Sam Trapp wanted that one piece that would complete her team and make it a contender.
The two wants merged at the intersection of William Penn Avenue and South Broadway, right up the road from where Ausland used to play.
Ausland has merged seamlessly into the Pennsville program after transferring from Salem. On Monday she scored 27 points with five 3-pointers to lead the Eagles past Palmyra 63-40 for their first preseason victory.
“I’m glad it wasn’t difficult (to transition) because I was really scared to come here,” Ausland said. “I didn’t think people were going to accept me having this new girl, she’s going to take over, whatever. I was really scared people weren’t going to like me because I’m just coming in, taking over their stuff, but that’s not the case at all.
“It was really easy coming in here. Everybody was really accepting. I feel like I’ve known them since I was little. They all care for me and want me to do good and succeed, which I’m very thankful for. The first day of school I was just everywhere by myself, but then people were coming up to talk to me. Now I have a bunch of friends.”
The 5-foot-10 junior forward has made an immediate impact on the Eagles, who have designs on challenging Woodstown for the Tri-County Diamond Division title this year. She scored 17 points in her scrimmage debut against Millville and had nine the next time out against West Deptford.
Had Monday been a regular-season game, the 27 she scored against Palmyra would have been the second-best game of her high school career.
Nora Ausland (L) has fit into the Pennsville girls basketball program nicely after transferring from Salem before her junior year.
In two seasons at Salem she had 462 points, 61 3-pointers, 305 rebounds and 101 blocked shots. She had 179 points, 76 rebounds and 33 blocked shots when she broke a bone in her left ankle in late January. The Rams already were in the midst of a losing streak when she got hurt and they lost seven of their next eight without her.
The time away allowed Ausland to think long and hard about what she wanted from the game.
“I didn’t really have a good year because I broke my foot and the team wasn’t the best; they didn’t really give enough effort to care to win,” she said. “I was tired of that because I wanted to play, I want to win.
“I was just looking around at other schools, like what’s close, what’s easy for me to go to and also a good team. Last year they (Pennsville) got fourth seed out of the 16 (in South Jersey Group I) so OK it’s pretty good, it’s pretty easy to come here, so that’s what I did. I came here.”
Her arrival certainly was welcomed by Trapp. Ausland brings a dynamic the Eagles haven’t had since Ryane Wood, their last 1,000-point scorer who graduated in 2022.
She completes a lineup that returned three starters – senior Bella Farina, Taylor Bass and point guard Marley Wood – and includes elevated reserve Isabelle Saulin. Wood had 12 points on four 3-pointers against Palmyra.
“She just really incorporates a lot more offensive threat for us,” Trapp said. “We needed to be able to balance that responsibility between all five players and it helps with another player who can score.
“I like that she brings that competitiveness to practice because now it’s somebody that’ll push other girls and she can get pushed by other people, so I think it’s a real key component that is helping all the way around.”
3-point goals: Palmyra 4 (Anderson 4); Pennsville 10 (N. Ausland 5, Belitsas, Wood 4). Total fouls: Palmyra 13, Pennsville 4.
PENNS GROVE 30, KINGSWAY 30: Penns Grove’s Raniyah Wilson, the other dynamic transfer in the county this year, returned to her old stomping grounds and although she wasn’t as sharp as she might have been for the occasion scored 11 points as the varsities played to a tie in three quarters of action.
Wilson is in her first year with Penns Grove after transferring from Kingsway, where she would have been the Dragons’ top returning scorer and rebounder this season. She had six points in the first half as the Red Devils grabbed an 18-16 lead.
“We started her against her old team and I don’t think she had her best game at all,” Penns Grove coach Jennifer Denby said. “She was a little nervous. I wanted as a player, even as a coach, for her to come in and let them know how much they miss her and tonight just wasn’t her night.”
Jameelyonna Horace led Penns Grove with 12 points, including two 3-pointers. She had half of the Red Devils’ points at halftime.
Kingsway hit a 3-pointer at the end of the third quarter to force the tie.
“In the beginning of the game it was a struggle,” Denby said. “It’s hard to play with one person on the floor and everyone else’s mind is not there. Right now we’re still looking for chemistry.”
The Red Devils scrimmage again Tuesday and then open their season Friday against Clayton.
3-point goals: Penns Grove 2 (Horace 2); Kingsway 2 (Valente, Archer). NOTE: Varsity played three quarters.
Boys
PENNS GROVE 49, KINGSWAY 46: After running through numerous combinations in the first three quarters, Penns Grove coach Damian Ware stuck with his Super Six in the fourth and they went on a 20-2 tear that carried the Red Devils to a come-from-behind victory.
The Red Devils jumped out 19-7 in the first quarter, but were outscored 37-10 over the next two quarters to fall behind 15. Ware got on his team before the fourth quarter began, subbed in his better athletes and off they went.
They started Mehki Ballard, Willie Slocum, Roman Gipson and freshmen KaRon Ceaser and Brandon Robbins and scored the first 10 points of the quarter. Giomar Conrad entered three minutes into the quarter and help the Red Devils close it out.
“We had a lot of good possessions in the third quarter, but a couple guys missed some layups; we make those layups it changes the third quarter,” Ware said. “In the fourth quarter I went with my main six guys. We just played our pressure defense and turned them over a lot with the main guys I feel are going to be the guys going forward.”
Conrad and Ballard led the Red Devils with 15 points apiece and combined for 13 points in the fourth quarter. Ballard, their best 3-point shooter a year ago (59 made), hit two of his three 3-pointers in the rally.
“I got on them in the third quarter and lit a little bit of a fire under them,” Ware said. “The fourth quarter they turned it up and played the type of defense I want to play. If we can bottle up what we did in the fourth quarter today, we’re going to be really good. It’s going to be tough to score on.”
3-point goals: Kingsway 4 (Hart, Tavares, Kuzmick 2); Penns Grove 6 (Conrad 2, Ballard 3, Ceaser). Total fouls: Kingsway 13, Penns Grove 9.
BRIDGETON 68, SCHALICK 40: Jameel Purnell led three Bridgeton scorers in double figures with 29 points and the Bulldogs were just too much for the Cougars on the glass.
Zikown Anderson (14) and Zamir Chance (10) also scored in double figures for the Bulldogs. Purnell and Anderson combined for 18 points in the first quarter. Nasir Sutton led Schalick with 10 points.
PENNSVILLE 50, PALMYRA 46: Luke Wood poured in 17 points and drew several charges and the Eagles moved a step closer to their Opening Night lineup, beating flu-ridden Palmyra in a scrimmage reduced to three quarters.
With a limited time to get something accomplished, the Eagles got off to a slow start, but they picked up the pace in their final two quarters to squeeze out the win. Wood and Cohen Petrutz both hit 3-pointers in the third quarter when Pennsville finally took the lead.
“Everything is coming together,” Eagles coach Joe Mecholsky said. “We’re starting to get the hang of it. I think last week I said defense is always ahead of the offense and now, T-minus four days (to the opener), we’re rounding into form.”
Regular season for basketball, wrestling gets underway for teams in Salem County for the week of Dec. 11-16; x-indicates scrimmages
MONDAY BASKETBALL Girls x-Palmyra at Pennsville, 4 p.m. x-Penns Grove at Kingsway, 4 p.m. Boys x-Kingsway at Penns Grove, 4 p.m. x-Maple Shade at Woodstown, 4 p.m. x-Pennsville at Palmyra, 4 p.m. x-Schalick at Bridgeton, 4 p.m.
TUESDAY BASKETBALL Girls x-Burlington Tech at Salem, 3:45 p.m. x-Penns Grove at Pleasantville, 4 p.m. x-Woodstown at Kingsway, 4 p.m. Boys x-Gloucester Christian at Penns Grove, 4 p.m.
SWIMMING Schalick vs. Millville at YMCA of Vineland, 3 p.m.
INDOOR TRACK Pennsville, Salem in SJTCA Meet, Toms River
BOWLING Salem vs. Salem Tech, Wood Lanes, 4 p.m.
WEDNESDAY BOWLING Salem Tech at Washington Twp., 4 p.m.
THURSDAY WRESTLING Palmyra at Pennsville, 5 p.m.
SWIMMING Salem vs. Pitman at GCIT, 6 p.m.
BOWLING Salem vs. Clayton, Bolero Lanes, 4 p.m.
FRIDAY BASKETBALL Girls Glassboro at Salem, 5:30 p.m. Overbrook at Salem Tech, 5:30 p.m. Penns Grove at Clayton, 5:30 p.m. Pennsville at Wildwood, 5:30 p.m. Schalick at Pitman, 5:30 p.m. Woodstown at Gloucester Catholic, 5:30 p.m. Boys Clayton at Pennsville, 5:30 p.m. Pitman at Penns Grove, 5:30 p.m. Salem Tech at Schalick, 5:30 p.m.
WRESTLING Pennsville in Howdy Duncan Invitational at William Penn, 4:15 p.m. Woodstown at West Deptford, 5 p.m.
SWIMMING Schalick at Camden Co. Tech, 3:30 p.m.
SATURDAY BASKETBALL Girls Audubon at Pennsville, noon Red Devil Classic Bridgeton at Penns Grove, 4:30 p.m.
Boys Pennsville at Deptford, noon Red Devil Classic At Penns Grove Pitman vs. Burlington City, 11 a.m. Woodbury vs. Salem, 1 p.m. Lindenwold at Penns Grove, 6:30 p.m.
WRESTLING Pennsville in Howdy Duncan Invitational at William Penn, 10 a.m. Penns Grove in Schalick Tournament (with Haddon Heights, Mainland, Oakcrest, Pt. Pleasant Beach, WW-P North, WW-P South) Woodstown in Delaware Valley (Pa.) Tournament
INDOOR TRACK Woodstown at Bennett Center, Toms River
Woodstown’s boys come up short on the scoreboard, but everything about the scrimmage left the feeling of a win
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
WOODSTOWN – It’s a good thing preseason scrimmages aren’t about winning or losing – they’re about getting better – or Woodstown coach Phil Campbell might not have been as upbeat when Saturday’s exercise was over.
The Wolverines lost to Brandywine (Del.) both ways – on the scoreboard (55-49) and in the scorebook (47-46) – but Campbell considered the day a win because of what his team got out of it.
The difference in the results reflects the way game was scored. The scoreboard reflected the scoring system used to award points on free throws to reduce delays at the line while the scorebook indicated the points that actually went through the basket.
Regardless how it was counted, the Wolverines got more out of it than not.
“I was just telling them this was a great learning experience for us,” Campbell said. “We’ll see some teams that are similar – they’re fast, they’re athletic, they have a really good point guard – so it’s a good learning experience.
“I thought our offensive execution at times was fantastic. To be able to do that against a team that’s fast defensively, has long arms, and be able to compete really well with teams that are so athletic I think is a really good learning experience for us. I feel like (it’s) a win as far as we’re learning how to play our game and how our execution can affect other teams.”
Brandywine big Shamar Samuel (R) making sure Woodstown’s Rocco String doesn’t get too far away.
Campbell was quite familiar with the team Woodstown played. He used to be the Bulldogs’ head coach and their current head coach, Lorenzo Gales, was his assistant. Gales bragged on his point guard, Dadrien Howell in their conversation and Campbell believed it when he saw him.
Howell had 11 points in the scrimmage. Sincere Miller led all scorers with 16.
“He said No. 50 (Howell) had better court vision than anybody we ever had play for us (there), and now I agree after watching him,” Campbell said. “I was pretty amazed at some of the passing that he did. And he’s good getting to the rim.”
The Wolverines, meanwhile, came out with a hot hand and hit four 3-pointers among their first six baskets – two by Eli Caesar – and jumped out 16-5. Then Howell got involved and the Bulldogs rallied.
Alejandro Vazquez hit a couple 3s and the Wolverines went back up by nine, but the Bulldogs rallied again and wound up winning the first half.
Rocco String got the best of Brandywine big man Shamar Samuel and finished with eight points and 11 rebounds. Garrett Leyman gave the Wolverines seven points and seven boards and Blake Bialecki gave them his usual consistent effort at the point.
Defensively, they’re tweaking their approach and learning to be more aggressive in the half court. If there was any shortcoming it was handling the endgame, but if it were a regular-season game Campbell would have been a lot more strategic.
“I feel good about what we saw today,” Campbell said. “It was a good learning experience for us because our scrimmage against Gateway on Tuesday was a little sloppy.”
The Wolverines are back at it Monday against Maple Shade.
BRANDYWINE 47, WOODSTOWN 46 BRANDYWINE – Jahzier Penn 2 1-2 6, Crisdon Wright 1 2-2 4, Zion Charles 4 0-0 8, Sincere Miller 8 0-2 16, Mohamed Sankoh 0 0-0 0, Shamar Samuel 1 0-0 2, Dadrien Howell 5 1-3 11. Totals 21 4-9 47. WOODSTOWN – Blake Bialecki 2 0-0 5, Alejandro Vazquez 3 0-0 8, M.J. Hall 1 0-0 3, Garrett Leyman 3 1-2 7, Max Webb 3 0-1 7, Rocco String 4 0-1 8, Zyaire Caesar 0 0-0 0, Eli Caesar 3 0-0 8, Anthony Bokolas 0 0-0 0. Totals 19 1-4 46.
Brandywine
11
15
12
9 –
47
Woodstown
18
12
10
6 –
46
3-point goals: Brandywine (Penn); Woodstown 7 (Bialecki, Vazquez 2, Hall, Webb, E. Caesar 2).
Woodstown guard Max Webb drives to the basket in Saturday’s scrimmage against Brandywine. (Photo by Ellen Sickler)
Salem County products Harris, Husser have traveled a long road to reach today’s Division II national semifinals
TODAY: Division II semifinals: Kutztown (12-2) at Colorado School of Mines (13-0), 3:30 p.m.
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
Justin Harris has waited a long time to play in a game like the one he’ll be in today. When the former Salem defensive back was recruited to Kutztown out of high school way back in 2018, he was told he would play in big games, in front of big crowds and play for championships.
All of that has happened, but none will have been as big as what these Golden Bears will experience two time zones from home today.
Harris is part of a special group of Kutztown players who have come through the COVID era of college sports and accepted the extra years for the chance to play in the Division II national semifinals at top-seeded Colorado School of Mines.
“It’s just a great moment, a great feeling to be here,” Harris said. “We feel like we belong here.”
Harris has been through a lot in his career. He arrived in 2018 and spent the year getting accustomed to the speed of the college game and learning the playbook. He got on the field as the starting nickel in 2019 as a redshirt freshman and even though the Bears lost in the PSAC championship game they did make the playoffs. COVID turned the world upside down the next year and he was off the field again.
Things started getting back to normal in 2021 and the Golden Bears reached the D-II Elite 8, getting their hearts broken by Shepherd on a walk-off Hail Mary. Last season didn’t go the way any of them wanted, but they returned in 2023 more determined than ever and raised the bar for Kutztown teams in the future.
The Golden Bears (12-2) have won 12 in a row and beaten a ranked opponent each of the last four weeks. They’re in the national semifinals for the first time in school history.
“It‘s definitely been worth it,” Harris said. “Coming back for this last year, I felt like I left a lot on the table as a player (last season). I knew we had the talent to get back into that playoff spot and compete for championships again and that’s exactly what we’re doing right now.”
Any of the half-dozen players who came in together in 2018 and are still on the roster could have packed it at any point along the way, but it was important to them to finish it out together.
Tight end Tyreek Husser is another one of those “old heads.” The former Woodstown quarterback hasn’t been in the program as long as Harris, but he’s gone through all the post-COVID ups and downs.
His first year was actually the COVID year, but he couldn’t afford to let that slow him down. He was in the middle of a position change. He credited the players who were already in place with helping him on his journey.
“We all took that as a chance to get better, get bigger, learn the playbook,” he said. “Even the guys who were here before us they all used that as a way to refine themselves and become better.
“We’re a little younger this year, but some people have been through that COVID year. We understand what the system is, how things should run, what we want to get out of certain plays. I think that’s what’s starting to come to fruition now, that understanding of what our system and our scheme is and how we operate in our scheme.”
He called this season “nothing short of amazing.”
The key to keeping it going is staying grounded, focused on the game they’re playing this week and not get ahead of themselves. The deeper you go in the playoffs, the harder that gets.
It’s not lost on anyone that the winner of today’s game will play either Harding or Lenoir-Rhyne for the national championship next Saturday in McKinney, Texas..
“It’s hard not to think about that,” Harris said. “Those are just conversations we have with our roommates when we’re just chilling. That’s also what makes the moment so much greater because these are actually conversations that we’ve had before and we’re living in it now.
“We don’t want to get too far ahead of ourselves, but we’re definitely confident in ourselves on Saturday that we can pull out this W and get back on another flight and go to Texas and take it on to whoever that opponent might be.”
pinned Nate Benner, 3:01
Riverview Sports News 