Back and ready

Baber back in Wolverines’ backcourt after missing junior season, comfort level growing with each game

FRIDAY’S SCRIMMAGES
Girls
Woodstown 55, Camden Tech 12
West Deptford 43, Pennsville 32
Boys
Salem def. Bridgeton

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

WOODSTOWN – In the overall scheme of a 33-point blowout in a preseason scrimmage it was a rather insignificant basket, but it sure meant a lot to Alyssa Baber.

When the Woodstown senior guard broke in on a 2-on-1 with Talia Battavio off the tip and scored the layup to open the second half scoring against Camden Tech, it wasn’t just another basket.

It was the first basket she has scored against somebody not wearing a Woodstown uniform in 21 months.

“She needed that confidence,” Wolverines coach Kara Straughn said. “She hasn’t played a full game or a natural game in years. She’s a good shooter. I think she just kind of needs a little confidence and kick start herself again.”

Baber missed her entire junior season following twice-delayed surgery on the ACL she tore in her right knee in one of her team’s last AAU games the May of her sophomore year.

The layup Friday was her first points in a game since a 3-pointer against Pennsville on March 3, 2022. You can look it up. (We did in the gym, and the result surprised her).

“I don’t remember that,” she said. “I didn’t get to shoot a lot my sophomore year, now I can have that feeling of what it’s like to make a basket and I’ve been wanting that. Unfortunately, at Gateway I didn’t get to make anything, but I was just happy being out there and today I made my shot and I was really happy.”

Baber was so excited to get back into it, she couldn’t wait to text Straughn to remind her she had been cleared by her doctors to start practicing. Straughn eased her back into the action in the first scrimmage at Gateway Tuesday playing her only two quarters, but she played all four quarters Friday against the Warriors.

She didn’t score in the first scrimmage or in the first half Friday. But she had two buckets in the third quarter against the Warriors, finished with four points, grabbed four rebounds, dealt three assists and collected five steals before retiring for the day with 2:56 left in the scrimmage.

“Recently I’ve been really anxious about the games so I have a lot of jitters,” she said. “But every time I play it just all comes back to me, even if I’d played two years ago. It just comes back to me and I just love being out here with all the girls again.”

Sitting out while her teammates played made for one of the hardest years of her life. She tried to put on a brave face, but admitted it was tough watching while others play while she couldn’t. Now that she’s back, she’s pushing hard to get back where she was before the injury as a facilitator.

Her return strengthens an already deep array of Woodstown guards and gives Straughn even more options on how to attack an opponent.

“It makes us that much harder to defend,” Straughn said. “Because now I have not just two phenomenal guards, I have three, and then I have two girls underneath who can score 8 to 10 to 12 points. You’re going to overplay Megan or Talia, I have Alyssa Baber who will score. You’re going to overplay my forwards, I have three girls over the top who can score. I have five who can play pretty much any position.”

But scoring isn’t Baber’s game. She’d rather do the things that gets her teammates involved.

The Wolverines won big (55-12) even without top returning scorer Megan Donelson, who didn’t play due to illness. Her absence gave sixth-man Lauren Hengel a chance to shine and she responded with 16 points, four rebounds and four steals.

Battavio led all scorers with 24 points, Shannon Pierman had nine points and eight rebounds, and Gia Maiorini grabbed 10 rebounds.

WOODSTOWN 55, CAMDEN TECH 12
CAMDEN TECH – Ryan Jones 1 1-1 3, Carlee Miller 0 0-0 0, Kiara Miller 1 0-0 3, Vianny Fernandez 2 0-0 4, Brena Stiles 0 0-0 0, Daniya Forrest 0 0-0 0, Erica Bennett 0 0-0 0, Jaelyn White 1 0-0 2. Totals 5 1-1 12.
WOODSTOWN – Talia Battavio 8 3-4 24, Alyssa Baber 2 0-0 4, Shannon Pierman 4 1-2 9, Gianna Maiorini 0 0-0 0, Lauren Hengel 6 3-4 16, Lizzy Daly 0 0-0 0, Brae DiGregorio 0 0-0 0, Jaia Thomas 0 0-0 0, Others 1 0-0 2. Totals 21 7-10 55.

Camden Tech	6	4	2	0 –	12
Woodstown	16	16	21	2 –	55

3-point goals: Camden Tech 1 (K. Miller); Woodstown 6 (Battavio 5, Hengel). Total fouls: Camden Tech 9, Woodstown 6.

WEST DEPTFORD 43, PENNSVILLE 32: The teams were locked in a tight battle in the first half, but West Deptford held the Eagles to one field goal in the third quarter and pulled away. Reyanna Jamison (12) and Alivia Arena (10) combined for 15 points in the second half for West Deptford.

Taylor Bass led Pennsville with 10 points. Marley Wood and Nora Ausland had nine each.

“We lost, but everything came together a lot better and I’m excited for Monday (when they host Palmyra),” Pennsville coach Sam Trapp said. “We’ve got to keep improving on defense, finding ways to create opportunities to finish and knowing our personnel.”

WEST DEPTFORD 43, PENNSVILLE 32
PENNSVILLE – Celli Ausland 0 0-0 0, Nora Ausland 3 2-4 9, Taylor Bass 4 2-2 10, Sofia Belitsas 0 0-0 0, Bella Farina 1 0-4 2, Kylie Harris 0 0-0 0, Anikka Macalino 0 0-0 0, Malani McGee 0 0-0 0, Isabelle Saulin 1 0-0 2, Avery Watson 0 0-0 0, Marley Wood 3 2-4 9. Totals 12 6-14 32.
WEST DEPTFORD – Janie Cross 2 2-6 6, Alivia Arrera 5 0-0 10, Jesce Diaz 1 0-0 3, Reyanna Jamison 5 1-3 12, Ciara Moss 1 0-2 2, Olivia Smith 0 2-2 2, DeaOnna Lawrence 3 0-0 6, Kallie Christy 0 0-0 0, Alyssa Taylor 1 0-0 2. Totals 18 5-13 43.

Pennsville	7	8	5	12 –	32
West Deptford	9	8	12	14 –	43

3-point goals: Pennsville 2 (M. Ausland, Wood); West Deptford 2 (Jamison, Diaz). Total fouls: Pennsville 8, West Deptford 16.

Boys

Salem went to Bridgeton for its final preseason scrimmage and came back with a win.

The biggest takeaway was the Rams being able to pull it back together after losing the lead. They led by six to eight points most of the game, fell behind 45-44 in the third quarter and then went on a run to pull away.

“That was good,” Rams coach Anthony Farmer said. “We have upperclassmen, so that’s my expectation. You have to stay poised. They’ve been around. I’m not looking for those guys to get rattled. We were sloppy at times, but later in the game we got it back together.”

Freshman Tymier Lecator showed poise beyond his years, hitting two big 3-pointers and taking two charges.

The Rams now start working towards their opener next Saturday against Woodbury in Penns Grove’s Red Devil Classic.

The floor is yours

Schalick boys basketball team getting the chance to play at Wells Fargo Center before Sixers’ game

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PITTSGROVE – In any other year, a late January basketball game against a non-division opponent wouldn’t draw any special attention, but this isn’t any other game.

When Schalick and Clayton play Jan. 22, it won’t be just another Saturday afternoon matinee. The teams will play under the bright lights of the Wells Fargo Center as part of a high school tripleheader before the Sixers play San Antonio that evening.

“I remember Schalick used to do it even before I even went to Schalick High School, but they stopped doing it I remember when I got to high school, so I never got to experience it,” Cougars coach James Turner said. “Then they picked it up again, but the girls did it a couple times a handful of years ago.

“I’m just glad the kids are going to be able to have that opportunity to be there, be on the floor; hopefully they’ll have some time to take some pictures. They don’t give us a whole lot of time to do all that kind of stuff because it has to be in and out, but we’ll do the best we can to try to make it a memorable night for them.”

The Schalick girls played Clayton in the Wells Fargo Center back in 2016. The Clayton girls beat Overbrook there last season.

The Cougars plan to make a day of it. After playing the Clippers in the afternoon, they’ll head to Dave & Busters for a couple hours of dinner and team bonding, and then head back to watch the Sixers play.

Just the thought of playing on an NBA floor has the players excited. It’ll be a normal high school game with a five-minute halftime, but if the game is running long the fourth quarter will play with a running clock. As part of the deal the schools are required to sell 55 tickets at $35 each.

“Coming into the season we heard rumors of a surprise and we tried to get our coach to budge and tell us, but that didn’t work,” senior forward Jake Siedlecki said. “We ended up finding out a few weeks before the season and we are super excited.

“It’s going to be a really fun day, not only playing there, but watching the Sixers play at night also. It’s really a unique experience and it’s given our team a lot of excitement for this upcoming season.”

It was a no-brainer for Schalick athletics director Doug Volovar. He reached out to Clayton AD Dan Antonelli about the availability of the game and the Schalick board approved the Cougars’ participation in it in November. Officials broke the news to the team at the parents meeting Monday.

“I think it’s awesome,” Volovar said. “To me, as an athletics director, that’s what you’re supposed to do – try to provide opportunities out of the norm for your kids to enhance your programs. That just seems like it’d be a great opportunity as an athletics director to give your kids a chance to do something different, to being a part of something special.”

The Wells Fargo date isn’t the only special event on the Cougars’ radar. The football team is in the mix for a game in next season’s Battle at the Beach in Ocean City and Volovar has entertained the idea of playing a soccer game at the Philadelphia Union’s stadium if that opportunity resurfaces.

“We’ve done it before and I’m trying to do it again,” he said. “Our kids are good enough to play, why wouldn’t you want to give them an experience like that?”

No easy test

Penns Grove boys look for answers against one of Group IV’s best, girls enhance Fab Five with dynamic freshmen, transfer

THURSDAY SCRIMMAGES
Girls
Penns Grove 67, Paulsboro 15
Salem at Bridgeton
West Deptford at Schalick
Camden Co. Tech at Salem Tech
Boys
Clearview 61, Schalick 30
Egg Harbor Twp. 78, Penns Grove 34
Paulsboro 50, Pennsville 40
Salem Tech at Camden Co. Tech

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PENNS GROVE – Even if he does have a young team and is still looking for a permanent point guard, Penns Grove coach Damian Ware will never pass up a chance to scrimmage a team like Egg Harbor Twp.

The Red Devils opened their scrimmage schedule against the reigning South Jersey Group IV champions and 2023 state runner-up and lost 78-34 in a game that got away in the fourth quarter, but there’s a reason they play every year in the preseason.

“We were supposed to have one under our belt before today and that was against a Group I school, it just didn’t work out,” Ware said. “We scrimmage Egg Harbor every year. We’ve been doing this for the last six years because they are that level we want to attain.

“It’s like I told the kids just now, that’s the level we want to get to, to the point where everything is moving like clockwork. One thing they didn’t do out there, they didn’t miss their layups. We missed a gag of layups. If we make at least 10 of the ones we missed the score’s not that bad, but we’ve got to make our layups and we’ve got to not turn the ball over.”

The Red Devils faced the juggernaut with three returning players who have any appreciable varsity experience – Mekhi Ballard, Gio Conrad and Willie Slocum – and at times had four freshmen on the floor at the same time. They fell behind in each of the first three quarters, but rallied to get within three in the first and second quarters and five in the third before the Eagles pulled away.

“It totally showed me that the guys I put in the game were fighting back,” Ware said. “They played better than Egg Harbor’s second unit; that’s when we came back into the game. Those guys came off the bench and showed me something.”

The fourth quarter it was all Egg Harbor. The Eagles scored the first 19 points of the fourth quarter behind a barrage of 3-pointers.

Jalen Bell hit four 3-pointers in the game and led all scorers with 21 points. Jake Karp (15), Jayden Dixon (12) and C.J. Ford III (10) also scored in double figures.

But fortunately for the Red Devils they won’t see that on a regular basis when they get back into Group I.

“In Group I, we’ll be right there,” Ware said. “We’ll be one of the top teams in Group I. Just from what I saw today, I know we have the potential to be one of the top teams in Group I.”

The Red Devils could solve their turnover troubles by finding a point guard. Khiry Higgs, a senior playing his first year of basketball, could turn into the guy, or it could be a freshman who’ll need to develop on the fly.

The brightest spot of the entire exercise for Penns Grove was the play of Roman Gipson. Mostly a JV player last year, the sophomore led the Red Devils in scoring Thursday night with 12 points. He was their only scorer in double figures.

“I left him out on the floor a lot because he was one of the guys who showed me he wasn’t scared,” Ware said. “I’m looking for guys who are going to be dogs right now. Guys who aren’t scared, guys who are going to play well and play hard, and he was one of the main guys as a sophomore.”

EGG HARBOR TWP. 78, PENNS GROVE 34
EGG HARBOR TWP. – Bradley Smith 2 1-5 5, Jalen Bell 8 1-2 21, Jake Karp 7 0-0 15, Jaydenn Reyes 2 0-0 5, Justin Moore 2 0-1 4, Jay Salsberry 2 0-0 6, Jayden Dixon 3 4-4 12, Jelson Deocampo 0 0-0 0, Dashawn Laboy 0 0-0 0, Nick Cruse 0 0-0 0, C.J. Ford III 4 1-1 10. Totals 30 7-13 78.
PENNS GROVE – Roman Gipson 4 3-4 12, Camren Thompson 0 0-0 0, Gio Conrad 2 0-0 4, Naizah Spence 0 0-0 0, Dameon Wilson 0 0-0 0, Khiry Higgs 3 1-4 7, Willie Slocum 2 0-3 4, Brandon Robbins 0 0-0 0, Will Roy 1 0-3 2, Karon Ceaser 0 1-2 1, Luis Colon 1 0-0 2, MR Peterson 0 0-0 0, Jaden Sorrell 0 1-2 1, Mekhi Ballard 1 0-0 2. Totals 13 6-18 33.

Egg Harbor Twp.	15	12	18	33 –	78
Penns Grove	12	5	9	7 –	33

3-point goals: Egg Harbor Twp. 11 (Bell 4, Karp, Reyes, Salsberry 2, Dixon 2, Ford); Penns Grove 1 (Gipson). Total fouls: Egg Harbor Twp. 20, Penns Grove 19.

PAULSBORO 50, PENNSVILLE 40: The Eagles moved a step closer to determining a starting five and rotation among their top seven players, but they’ve “still got to get it together” after dropping their second scrimmage of the preseason.

They did open an early lead for the second straight scrimmage, but were outscored 17-3 in the second quarter and played catch up the rest of the night.

Point guard Luke Wood returned to the floor after missing the first scrimmage and scored seven points in the first quarter, but had only two the rest of the game. Brooklyn-born transfer Jayden Thomas also had nine points. Payton O’Brien had eight.

“I was happy with our defense, which is always farther along than offense at this point,” Eagles coach Joe Mecholsky said. “Guys who had a rough start on Tuesday (against Triton) played much better.”

CLEARVIEW 61, SCHALICK 30: The Cougars haven’t won many games the past couple years, but they’re hoping the success and momentum of an historic football season can carry over to the hardwood.

The majority of players on the basketball roster were part of the football team’s undefeated run to the Central Jersey Group I championship game this fall and 19 wins over the last two seasons.

“You’ve got to have people who are used to winning, you’ve got to have people on the team who understand the culture of winning,” Cougars coach James Turner said. “When you understand your culture of winning it makes it easier to bring in that culture in the one program into the next.

“For the football program and before these last few years that culture wasn’t there, but thankfully we’ve had that culture in the fall sports all around, with all our fall sports, especially football, and we’re just hoping it finally can carry over into the winter programs as well.”

The key, of course, is picking up some wins early in the season to keep their spirits up and the momentum building. The Cougars have that chance as their first three regular-season games are against two teams that won only two games last year and a Woodstown team they claimed as one of their three wins.

But after being doubled up by the Pioneers Thursday Turner confesses they “have a lot of work to do.”

Nylan Sutton led the Cougars with 12 points. Reggie Allen had nine.

CLEARVIEW 61, SCHALICK 30
SCHALICK – Reggie Allen 4 1-2 9, Ryan Johnson 0 0-0 0, Jordan Johnson 2 0-0 4, Nylan Sutton 5 2-2 12, Nasir Sutton 2 0-0 4, Jake Siedlecki 0 0-0 0, Nyzier Wynder 0 0-0 0, Dan Lis 0 1-3 1, Jase Volovar 0 0-0 0. Totals 13 4-7 30.
CLEARVIEW – Luke Andres 1 2-4 5, Kaprice Stewart 7 2-4 17, Dalton Phalines 3 3-4 9, Michael Guy 3 0-0 6, JD Steidle 1 2-3 5, Jonah Turner 3 1-2 7, Jake Slotter 0 0-0 0, Trevor Durkin 0 0-0 0, Luke Zuba 4 0-0 9, George Kritikson 1 0-0 3, Russ Manel 0 0-0 0. Totals 23 10-17 61.

Schalick	16	14 –	30
Clearview	30	31 –	61

3-point goals: Clearview 5 (Anders, Stewart, Steidle, Zuba, Kritikson). Technical fouls: Ny. Sutton. Total fouls: Schalick 11, Clearview 8.

Girls

Not rebuilding, reloading

PENNS GROVE – It already returns a Fab Five that brought the team through the adversity of an ever-shrinking roster to the South Jersey semifinals, but add a dynamic freshman class that tasted victory as eighth-graders and a standout transfer with two years eligibility left and it’s easy to understand the optimism in the Penns Grove girls basketball program.

The Red Devils hit the court for their second scrimmage and crushed Paulsboro 67-15 for their first victory of the preseason.

The foundation of the team lies in the Fab Five starters who kept it together last year when it looked like their season was going to crumble around them. Coach Jennifer Denby brought in four fabulous freshmen who won a title as eighth-graders and welcomed Raniyah Wilson from Kingsway who would have been the Dragons’ top returning scorer and rebounder.

“I like the chemistry,” Denby said. “We have a lot of girls and different types of chemistry that we can put out on the floor.”

Every combination had a hand in the rout. Senior Jameelyonna Horace had 18 points, three 3-pointers and three rebounds. Among the newcomers, Wilson had eight points and seven rebounds, JaNiyah Cummings had 10 points and five boards, and Zoey Caesar had eight points and seven boards.

Overall, there was just a lot to like.

“I like the defense, I like them laughing and playing with each other and just out there having fun, and they’re coachable,” Denby said. “The five freshmen (she includes Wilson in the group because she’s a newcomer) we have are very coachable, which makes the coach’s job much easier.”

PENNS GROVE 67, PAULSBORO 15

Paulsboro	3	5	2	5 –	15
Penns Grove	14	20	18	15 –	67

Looking for more

Pennsville’s girls start slow in first scrimmage and lose, but outscore Millville over the last three quarters

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

MILLVILLE – The start may have been slow, but once it settled in, the Pennsville girls basketball team looked like the above average team coach Sam Trapp is looking for.

The Eagles lost their first scrimmage of the preseason 37-27 at Millville Wednesday, but after their slow start they outscored their hosts over the last three quarters.

“Overall, I was decently pleased with what we were able to do,” Trapp said. “Slow start because it’s the first game, we were nervous, hard to remember everything. About four minutes into the first quarter we started to settle in a little bit … then we cleaned some things up and had a big comeback. Overall, it wasn’t a bad first showing.”

The Eagles struggled in their 1-3-1 defense and fell behind 18-6, but then plugged in their man, held Millville to three points in the second quarter and won the second half.

Newcomer Nora Ausland, a 5-10 junior who led Salem in scoring each of the last two seasons, made her Pennsville debut after just six practices with her new team and led the Eagles with 17 points. She scored 12 in the second half, including two of her three 3-pointers.

She had 462 points, 61 3-pointers, 305 rebounds and 101 blocked shots in her two seasons with the Rams and will be a valuable addition to an Eagles lineup that returns three starters – senior Bella Farina, point guard Marley Wood and Taylor Bass. Isabelle Saulin moves into the starting five after holding a reserve role last year.

“We have a slogan for this year that’s ‘More than average,’” Trapp said. “I told the girls we can’t be doing average – average moves, average plays and average effort – to go and get big outcomes. It’s been 30-plus years since there’s been anything added to the banners and a lot of the girls want to add to the banner.

“Our goal is, of course, a division title and it very well could split that way this year. I think for the first time in my career I’m actually optimistic we could split with Woodstown. We haven’t split with them yet since I’ve been a head coach, so if we can split with them and collect wins with the rest of the division, then we would split the division title, which I would be OK with. That would be awesome for us.”

MILLVILLE 37, PENNSVILLE 27
PENNSVILLE (27) – Calli Ausland 0 0-0 0, Nora Ausland 7 0-0 17, Taylor Bass 1 0-0 2, Bella Farina 0 2-4 2, Anikka Macalino 0 0-0 0, Malani McGee 0 0-0 0, Isabelle Saulin 1 0-0 2, Avery Watson 0 0-0 0, Marley Wood 2 0-0 4. Totals 11 2-4 27.
MILLVILLE (37) – Brooke Jaslin 3 1-2 7, Brianee Edwards 7 0-3 15, Jaylynn Jones 0 0-0 0, Ayla Gomez 2 0-0 5, Aubree Joslin 2 0-0 5, Marissa Stevens 2 0-0 5. Totals 16 1-2 37.

Pennsville	6	2	10	9 –	27
Millville	18	3	8	8 –	37

3-point goals: Pennsville 3 (N. Ausland 3); Millville 4 (Edwards, Gomez, A. Joslin, Stevens). Total fouls: Pennsville 5, Millville 8.

Getting their wings

One of the perks playing in the Division II semifinals is the trip comes with a plane ride, it’ll be a new experience to many Kutztown players

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

There’s a lot about playing in the Division II national semifinals that is new to a lot of the players on the Kutztown football team, not the least of which is the way to get there.

Life in Division II athletics doesn’t usually come with flying around the country, but the Golden Bears are leaving on a jet plane Thursday for their biggest game in program history at top-seeded Colorado School of Mines.

It’s not another long ride on a bus. This time it’s a flight halfway across the country – and there’s a big group of players who have never flown before.

“That’s what I’m really looking forward to about this game, other than winning, which is No. 1,” Tyreek Husser, a senior tight end from Woodstown, said. “That’s been something we’ve been talking about all week. There’s a decent amount of guys who haven’t flown in a plane before, so I’m glad I’m not the only one and I can share that experience with some of the other guys.

“Once we found out we were flying we’ve all been talking about it, trying to find little tips and tricks to get through it. I’m a little nervous, but I feel once you get up in the sky the nerves will go away. It’ll be more nerves for the game.”

Justin Harris, a defensive back from Salem and the longest tenured of the four Salem County players on the team, is an experienced flyer and has advice to comfort the first-timers.

“I’d tell them to make sure you’re in a comfortable fit, you don’t want to be uncomfortable in an already uncomfortable situation,” he said. “Get some headphones, listen to your favorite music. Get a neck pillow, for sure, and just rock out with your music. The flight isn’t too long, maybe like four hours. We’re used to those six-hour bus rides.”

The Bears better get used to it. If they beat the Orediggers Saturday, there’s another plane ride in their future – to the national championship game in Texas.

Coming up: Kutztown veterans Harris and Husser have come through a lot to reach this weekend’s opportunity

Getting it started

Salem County basketball teams go into first scrimmages with high expectations; Woodstown girls win in new coach’s debut, Pennsville boys fall, but remain optimistic

TUESDAY SCRIMMAGES
Girls
Schalick at Cumberland Christian
Woodstown 61, Gateway 33
Haddon Twp. at Penns Grove
Boys
Gateway at Woodstown
Triton 72, Pennsville 50

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PENNSVILLE – The Golden Years have arrived in the Pennsville basketball program.

That’s what coach Joe Mecholsky calls these next two seasons, the next 50 games or so for his core group that has been together as freshmen and sophomores and now will be together as juniors and seniors going forward.

The start of the Golden Years didn’t start too well as the Eagles dropped their first scrimmage of the season Tuesday 72-50 to Group III Triton, but even with the results of the day they remain optimistic for the road ahead.

For the Eagles it’s all about those eight Diamond Division games they play later in the year. They won more games last season (10) than they won in the previous 2 1/2 seasons combined and made the Group I playoffs for the first time since their last 10-win season (2016), but that’s just the start of their progression. Next on their list of firsts is winning a division title, winning a playoff game and whatever comes after that.

“This is my golden generation,” Mecholsky said. “They were six sophomores last year, they were six juniors now and then we’re going to be six seniors next year, so we’re really focusing on these next 50 games rewriting the ledger and see if we can’t (make some history).

“Nothing less than a division champions, a division championship and making a deep run in South Jersey Group I. That’s our focus, anything less than that is … well, let the season play out and see what anything less than that is. If we make a run, that’d be great, but we’ve got to hang and division banner up in this gym. We’ve got the guys to do it.”

The Eagles looked good in spurts Tuesday. They opened a quick lead behind Cohen Petrutz’ hot 3-point shooting and then, after falling behind under the weight of their substitution patterns, climbed back to within seven early in the fourth quarter.

“It felt like a 50-50 game,” Mecholsky said. “The score didn’t indicate that but when you’re making subs in a scrimmage we throw the score out and we look at our defensive intensity and our rebounding. We had a lot of guys huffin’ and puffin’ out there so we gotta still work on our conditioning, but it’s coming together.”

The Eagles should look sharper when Luke Wood gets back on the floor. The junior point guard, who likely will reach the 1,000-point milestone before the calendar turns over, missed the scrimmage, but should return when the Eagles scrimmage Paulsboro Thursday.

“It’ll definitely make us better,” Petrutz said. “He’s a (big) part of our team. Missing him hurts us a lot. When he’s back it’ll make us even better.”

Petrutz hit three 3s in the first quarter, had six in the game and finished with a game-high 22 points. “I’ve been waiting all day for this,” he said.

Chase Birchfield, another junior, gives the Eagles another 3-point threat. Six-seven Daniel Saulin gives them size inside and Brooklyn-born transfer Jayden Thomas, who got a longer look with Wood unavailable, gives them a dimension they haven’t in a while.

“We’re on our way up,” Mecholsky said. “Everything is leading towards those eight big division games we have.”

TRITON 72, PENNSVILLE 50
TRITON (72) – Leo Impoliazzo 8 0-0 18, Talen Walsh 3 6-6 14, Jayon Sanders-Cash 2 1-3 7, Major Tomco 0 0-2 0, Richie Kosma 2 0-0 6, Mike Campbell 0 0-0 0, Justice Avery 4 0-0 7, Yandel Santos 2 2-2 6, Kasir Baker 2 0-0 4, Josiah Grant 1 0-0 2. Totals 24 9-13 72
PENNSVILLE (50) – Cohen Petrutz 8 0-0 22, Chase Birchfield 2 0-0 5, Daniel Saulin 3 2-2 8, Peyton O’Brien 0 0-0 0, Malik Rehmer 0 0-0 0, Jayden Thomas 4 1-5 10, Carlo Merendino 0 0-0 0, Tyree Young 0 0-0 0, Mason O’Brien 1 0-0 2, Logan Hitt 1 0-0 3. Totals 20 3-7 50.

Triton	17	22	13	20 –	72
Pennsville	15	11	16	8 –	50

3-point goals: Triton 9 (Impoliazzo 2, Walsh 2, Sanders-Cash 2, Kosma 2, Avery); Pennsville 9 (Petrutz 6, Birchfield, Thomas, Hitt). Total fouls: Triton 7, Pennsville 5.

Girls

Good start for Straughn

WOODBURY HEIGHTS – Sure, it didn’t count in the standings, but it was new Woodstown coach Kara Straughn’s first game under real conditions and she admittedly was nervous.

Straughn inherited a veteran team that has high expectations and they were still getting to know each other, and in that there were unknowns. She sent them on the floor for the first time Tuesday and it couldn’t have gone better for all concerned.

The Wolverines jumped out to a big first-quarter lead, held their hosts without a field goal into the second quarter and put their top three returning scorers in double figures while routing Gateway 61-33.

“I was nervous,” Straughn said. “Just kind of like that anticipation of all right we practiced and practiced and practiced, now let’s see if we can execute in a real situation.

“Me being a first-time head coach we’ve got all these ‘did we do enough, did we go over this enough,’ all the little things.”

Straughn changed the defense in the transition, putting Talia Battavio and Megan Donelson at the top so they can get out and run, and it produced 16 steals in the game and a 27-2 first-quarter lead. Battavio had 13 of her 20 points in the first with Donelson scoring 10 of her game-high 25. Donelson had five steals in the game, while three other players each had three.

Shannon Pierman had 10 points, 12 rebounds and a blocked shot, sixth-man Lauren Hengel had five points and eight rebounds, and Alyssa Baber, back after missing last season following ACL surgery, didn’t score but had four rebounds in two quarters of varsity action.

“It makes me feel a little better and kind of got the ball rolling for them that hey we can do this,” Straughn said. “It was a good first kind-of-like introduction to a real life situation.”

WOODSTOWN 61, GATEWAY 33
WOODSTOWN (61) – Talia Battavio 8 3-4 20, Alyssa Baber 0 0-0 0, Megan Donelson 11 0-0 25, Shannon Pierman 5 0-0 10, Gianna Maiorini 0 1-2 1, Lauren Hengel 2 1-4 5, Brae DiGregorio 0 0-0 0. Totals 26 5-10 61.
GATEWAY (33) – Angelina Zagone 8 3-3 21, Bella Fini 4 4-5 12, Gabby Gasis 0 0-0 0, Tabby Bay 0 0-0 0, Sydney Hughes 0 0-0 0, Rachael Summers 0 0-0 0, Maggie Eliasen 0 0-0 0. Totals 12 7-8 33.

Woodstown	27	8	9	17 –	61
Gateway	2	7	16	8 –	33

3-point goals: Woodstown 4 (Battavio, Donelson 3); Gateway 2 (Zagone 2). Total fouls: Woodstown 4, Gateway 3.

Tis the season

Salem County basketball teams hit the court with scrimmages this week; Salem gets it started at Cinnaminson Monday

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

SALEM – When Anthony Farmer answers the phone and right off the bat apologizes for the raspiness of his voice, you know exactly what time of year it is.

“That means basketball season is here and we still have work to do,” he said.

It’s the price a coach pays for trying to get the most out of a team he believes has the potential to be pretty good.

Salem’s boys lost a couple dynamic scorers and rebounders off last year’s 13-13 team and a 6-8 transfer starter who didn’t make it through the first semester, but Farmer is confident his Rams have the makings to be even better than the 21-8 team they put on the floor in his first season two years ago.

That team enjoyed a 15-game winning streak in the middle of the season and wound up losing in the South Jersey Group I finals. They started last year with equally high hopes and a pair of top 20 wins, but went through some early-season turmoil and never quite recovered.

This year hopes are high.

“I’m excited about this year’s team,” he said. “I think we can get back to where we were a few years ago and in fact go even further. Salem hasn’t had that level of success in quite some time.”

His optimism is rooted in a veteran team with size inside and guard play that’s expected to be the strength of the team. The backcourt is anchored by senior Anthony Farmer and will get a boost from Tymear Lecator, a 6-1 transfer who is expected to be one of the top freshmen in the state.

The Rams are the first in Salem County to get things started Monday in a scrimmage at Cinnaminson. Everyone else in the county hits the court start Tuesday.

“Just (looking) for the guys to compete, not hang their head,” Farmer said. “It’ll look ugly at times because you’re not there, but just do the little things, compete, share the ball, take the right shots; just go in there and do the things that people don’t write about, but things that win games.”

The Rams open the season for real against defending Group I state champion Woodbury in Penns Grove’s Red Devil Classic. Later this month they’ll travel to Bayonne for a holiday tournament in which they’ll face a Charlestown (Mass.) team that went 21-5 a year ago. They have set up a GoFundMe page to help defray expenses on their first overnight tournament trip.

Here is this week’s scrimmage schedule:

MONDAY
Boys
Salem at Cinnaminson, 3:45 p.m.

TUESDAY
Girls
Schalick at Cumberland Christian, 4 p.m.
Woodstown at Gateway, 4 p.m.
Haddon Twp. at Penns Grove, 4:15 p.m.
Boys
Cumberland Christian at Schalick, 4 p.m.
Gateway at Woodstown, 4 p.m.
Triton at Pennsville, 4 p.m.

WEDNESDAY
Girls
Pennsville at Millville, 4 p.m.
Camden Academy at Salem Tech, 5:30 p.m.
Boys
Kipp at Penns Grove, 4 p.m.
Schalick at Clearview, 4 p.m.

THURSDAY
Girls
Paulsboro at Penns Grove, 4 p.m.
Salem at Bridgeton, 4 p.m.
West Deptford at Schalick, 4 p.m.
Camden Co. Tech at Salem Tech, 5:30 p.m.
Boys
Egg Harbor Twp. at Penns Grove, 4 p.m.
Paulsboro at Pennsville, 4 p.m.
Salem Tech at Camden Co. Tech, 5:30 p.m.

FRIDAY
Girls
Camden Tech at Woodstown, 4 p.m.
Boys
Salem at Bridgeton, 4 p.m.

SATURDAY
Boys
Brandywine at Woodstown, 10 a.m.

This week’s schedule

Here is the high school sports schedule for teams in Salem County for the week of Dec. 4-9; x-scrimmages

MONDAY
BASKETBALL
Boys
x-Salem at Cinnaminson, 3:45 p.m.

BOWLING
Salem vs. West Deptford, Wood Lanes, 4 p.m.
Salem Tech vs. Atlantic County Tech, 4 p.m.

TUESDAY
BASKETBALL
Girls
x-Schalick at Cumberland Christian, 4 p.m.
x-Woodstown at Gateway, 4 p.m.
x-Haddon Twp. at Penns Grove, 4:15 p.m.
Boys
x-Cumberland Christian at Schalick, 4 p.m.
x-Gateway at Woodstown, 4 p.m.
x-Triton at Pennsville, 4 p.m.

WEDNESDAY
BASKETBALL
Girls
x-Pennsville at Millville, 4 p.m.
x-Camden Academy at Salem Tech, 5:30 p.m.
Boys
x-Kipp at Penns Grove, 4 p.m.
x-Schalick at Clearview, 4 p.m.

WRESTLING
x-Pennsville at Highland Regional, 3:30 p.m.

BOWLING
Salem vs. Gloucester City, Wood Lanes, 4 p.m.
Salem Tech at Clayton

THURSDAY
BASKETBALL
Girls
x-Paulsboro at Penns Grove, 4 p.m.
x-Salem at Bridgeton, 4 p.m.
x-West Deptford at Schalick, 4 p.m.
x-Camden Co. Tech at Salem Tech, 5:30 p.m.
Boys
x-Egg Harbor Twp. at Penns Grove, 4 p.m.
x-Paulsboro at Pennsville, 4 p.m.
x-Salem Tech at Camden Co. Tech, 5:30 p.m.

FRIDAY
BASKETBALL
Girls
x-Camden Tech at Woodstown, 4 p.m.
Boys
x-Salem at Bridgeton, 4 p.m.

SWIMMING
Salem vs. Gloucester Catholic at GCIT, 7:15 p.m.
Schalick vs Woodstown at GCIT, 8:15 p.m.

SATURDAY
BASKETBALL
Boys
x-Brandywine at Woodstown, 10 a.m.