Cougars paired in Battle

Battle of the Beach pairs Schalick with Cedar Grove in this year’s fourth annual showcase in Ocean City

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PITTSGROVE – Mike Wilson would watch the Battle at the Beach games on television whenever practice week prep would allow. He always wanted to play in it, but never had the chance.

Well, the Schalick football coach can cross that off his bucket list now.

His Cougars, coming off one of the best years in school history and still loaded with talent, will get one of the Friday games in this year’s fourth annual Battle in Ocean City. They are scheduled to play Cedar Grove in an all-Group I matchup Aug. 30 at 10 a.m. in Carey Stadium. All that awaits is approval from their board.

“I think it’s good because it’s a showcase weekend,” Wilson said. “John (Emel), Mike (McKeown), (Clyde) Folsom, those guys have done a great job of organizing a great weekend. Just to have the opportunity to play in a showcase weekend like that is a big deal. It’s good for the kids. It’s good for the school.

“I’ve watched plenty of it on TV. Usually we’re playing that weekend, so I don’t have time to get down there myself. But last year I watched St. Joe Prep on TV. I watched Mainland play on TV. I played on that field growing up … the ferris wheel in the background … the beach in the background. I played there in high school, played there in youth football. It’s one of the best fields in New Jersey. It’s a great atmosphere.”

It’s just another chance for Schalick administrators to give their athletes a special experience. Later this winter the Cougars’ basketball team will play Clayton in the Wells Fargo Center before a Sixers game.

“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,” AD Doug Volovar said at the time of the basketball announcement. “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.”

While Schalick will be making its Battle debut, Cedar Grove has been there before. The Panthers played in it in 2022 and got crushed by Salem.

The Panthers went 8-2 last year and lost to eventual sectional champion Shabazz in the first round of the North Jersey-2 playoffs. Schalick won its first 11 games before losing to Glassboro in the Central Jersey final.

Other Battle at the Beach games that have been previously announced are George Washington (Phila.)-Glassboro, Winslow-Montclair, Willingboro-Oakcrest, Irvington-Eastside Camden, Millville-Holy Spirit, Mainland-Camden, Washington Twp.-Northern Highlands and Rancocas Valley-Pascack Valley. 

Penns Grove is likely to play in the event, but no matchup has yet been made.