Here is the Salem County sports schedule for the week of Sept. 16-21; all football 7 p.m. unless noted, all others 4 p.m. unless noted
MONDAY FIELD HOCKEY Schalick at OLMA BOYS SOCCER Penns Grove at Glassboro Salem at Pennsville Wildwood at Salem Tech Woodstown at Schalick GIRLS SOCCER Glassboro at Penns Grove Pennsville at Overbrook Pitman at Salem Salem Tech at Wildwood Schalick at Woodstown GIRLS TENNIS Glassboro at Salem Schalick at Penns Grove Woodstown at Overbrook
TUESDAY CROSS COUNTRY Pennsville, Penns Grove, Salem, Schalick, Woodstown at Cumberland FIELD HOCKEY Deptford at Salem Pennsville at Gloucester Catholic Woodstown at Schalick GIRLS TENNIS Salem at Pitman
WEDNESDAY BOYS SOCCER Clayton at Schalick Gloucester Catholic at Woodstown Pitman at Pennsville Salem at Overbrook Salem Tech at Glassboro Wildwood at Penns Grove GIRLS SOCCER Glassboro at Salem Tech Overbrook at Salem Pennsville at Pitman Penns Grove at Wildwood Schalick at Clayton Woodstown at Gloucester Catholic GIRLS TENNIS Overbrook at Pennsville Penns Grove at Wildwood Woodstown at Schalick VOLLEYBALL Salem Tech at GCIT
THURSDAY FOOTBALL Salem at Glassboro, 6 p.m. Paulsboro at Collingswood, 6 p.m. BOYS SOCCER Pennsville at Gateway Woodstown at Audubon, 7 p.m. GIRLS SOCCER Audubon at Woodstown Gateway at Pennsville FIELD HOCKEY Gloucester Catholic at Schalick Pennsville at Glassboro Salem at Overbrook Woodstown vs. Delsea (Total Turf) GIRLS TENNIS Pennsville at Kingsway, 3:45 p.m. VOLLEYBALL Salem Tech at Pennsauken Tech, 3:45 p.m.
FRIDAY FOOTBALL Overbrook at Florence, 6 p.m. Audubon at Pennsville Penns Grove at Schalick, 6 p.m. West Deptford at Camden Catholic Woodbury at Woodstown BOYS SOCCER Paulsboro at Salem Tech Salem at Burlington Twp. GIRLS SOCCER Buena at Salem Salem Tech at Paulsboro Schalick at Williamstown GIRLS TENNIS Gloucester Catholic at Salem Mainland at Woodstown CROSS COUNTRY Salem Tech, Woodstown at Stockton
SATURDAY BOYS SOCCER Woodstown at Cedar Creek, 9:30 a.m. FIELD HOCKEY Woodstown vs. Delsea at Rowan, 3 p.m.
Cover photo: Reggie Allen (4) and his Schalick teammates take on Penns Grove in another Salem County football showdown Friday night. (Photo by Heather Papiano)
Saturday Salem County roundup: Schalick’s Hadfield nipped at the wire in South Jersey XC Shootout
By Riverview Sports News
LOGAN TWP. – It doesn’t get any close than this.
Schalick’s Jordan Hadfield and Voorhees’ Daphne Roskowski were going stride for stride down the stretch in the girls varsity race of the South Jersey Shootout at Dream Park Saturday.
In a heart-pounding finish, Hadfield came home in 18:38.65, but was nipped at the wire by 12-hundredths of a second.
The Cougars finished ninth as a team.In the boys race, Salvatore Longo ran 18:34.95 to finish 35th and lead the Cougars to a 12th-place team finish. Chase Walker was the Cougars’ second-fastest finisher at 19:16.15 (61st).
Briarwood Invitational
PHILADELPHIA – Woodstown sophomore Lilian Norman ran a 22:22.96 to place 17th in the varsity girls race on the Belmont Plateau. Freshman teammate Abby Marino finished 21st at 22:37.83.
The Wolverines finished tenth as a team.
Jacob Marino ran an 18:58.03 to place 56th in the varsity boys race. Cole Lucas was 68th (19:18.56). The Wolverines were 13th as a team.
FIELD HOCKEY
MANTUA – Washington Township scored five goals in the first quarter and went on to beat Woodstown 6-0.
Taylor Zee had a goal and two assists in the uprising. Emma-Rose Phillips, Cecilia LaGreca, Ryli Zee and Karley DuCoin scored the other goals in the quarter. Samantha Boone scored the final goal in the fourth quarter.
Glassboro takes ‘couple steps forward’ in getting its offense right, Pennsville scores its first win of the season, Salem staying positive
SALEM COUNTY SCORES Glassboro 24, Penns Grove 0 Pennsville 39, Overbrook 22 Woodbury 25, Salem 0
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
PENNS GROVE – This week was all about cleaning up the offense for the Glassboro football team.
It got a little closer to where the Bulldogs would like it Saturday, but when you’ve got the Sabb brothers in the mix and play defense the way they do, what they had was good enough to get by a team like Penns Grove, itself a team trying to find an offensive identity.
Xavier Sabb grabbed a touchdown pass, Amari Sabb had a touchdown run and Brandon Simmons fell on a blocked punt in the end zone — all in the first half — to give the Bulldogs control of an eventual 24-0 victory over the Red Devils and their former coach Mark Maccarone.
“We took some steps today,” Bulldogs coach Timmy Breaker said. “We were hitting on all cylinders. It just comes down to execution. I tell them all the time we’ve got to execute at a high level and make the plays that are supposed to be made.
“There were a couple plays that were left on the field that obviously could have blown this game wide open, but it’s something you can fix. But we did turn a corner today. We did take a couple steps forward.”
The thought at the start of the year was the Bulldogs were going to have their way with Haddon Heights in their season opener and they did jump out to a 22-0 lead, but they didn’t score any more after that early surge. They still won the game, but had only 237 yards of offense in the game, 63 on the ground.
They got off to a fast start against the Red Devils, too, finding the end zone on two of their first three possessions, but they managed just 265 yards for the game. Unlike the week before, they did have 199 yards on the ground.
Penns Grove, meanwhile, managed only 87 yards on offense, and most of it came on a 13-play drive in the fourth quarter that reached into the red zone before being thrown back by two losses.
“We were outphysicalled, which is about as plain as I can put it on the offensive side of the ball,” Maccarone said.
Breaker could sense his offense turning the corner on the opening drive when Xavier Sabb hauled in a 20-yard touchdown pass from Jack O’Connell. The Bulldogs added another touchdown later in the quarter when Amari Sabb ran in from the 5.
Amari Sabb rushed for 74 yards on seven carries. Davon Barr had 67 yards on six carries. And freshman Hakim Theresa had 78 yards on 10 carries. Xavier Sabb had three catches for 21 yards.
Quarterback Melo Erickson was Penns Grove’s leading rusher with 22 yards. He also completed seven passes, including one to himself on a batted ball, for 50 yards.
The turning point of the game came on the final play of the first half when DayShaun Day snuffed a punt and Brandon Simmons fell on the loose ball in the end zone for a touchdown with no time left on the clock. It was the worst possible outcome for the various options the Red Devils had for the situation.
“DayShaun blocked it, it just bounced off the ground and went right into my hands,” Simmons said. “It was like early Christmas.”
It was the third year in a row the 270-pound junior defensive tackle has scored a defensive touchdown and the second time he did it against the Red Devils at Jim Devonshire Field. He had a 30-yard scoop-and-score in the fourth quarter of the 2022 game here as a freshman and a 10-yard fumble return last year against Deptford.
“I’m trying to get at least one every year,” he said.
With his team pinned against its end zone and only six seconds left in the half, Maccarone said he contemplated just taking the safety and letting the clock run out, then decided to punt figuring to go into the break down only 12-0.
Day broke through up the middle to block the kick. He was looking for the ball after the play but couldn’t find it. That’s because Simmons had already fallen on it.
Breaker said the players called the block and he was OK with granting it as long as they could explain to him what they were doing and why they wanted to do it.
“The kids called me and we talked about it yesterday,” he said. “I said if they’re backed up we’ll go for it. DayShaun Day was the one who was like, ‘Coach, I think it’s that time.’”
It stayed an 18-0 game until the final 20 seconds when Jack O’Connell hit Mekhi Parker with a 37-yard touchdown pass against a makeshift Penns Grove secondary that had three of its starters injured on the sideline.
Glassboro 24, Penns Grove 0
GLASS (24)
PG (0)
17
1st Downs
4
29-199
Rush-yards
18-37
8-24-1
Passing (C-A-I)
7-15-1
66
Passing yds
50
1-1
Fum-lost
1-1
1-22.0
Punts-avg
5-24.0
14-125
Pen-yds
15-133
Glassboro (2-0)
12
6
0
6-
24
Penns Grove (1-2)
0
0
0
0-
0
SCORING SUMMARY G-Xavier Sabb 20 pass from Jack O’Connell (run failed), 8:56 1Q G-Amari Sabb 5 run (kick failed), 2:24 1Q G-Brandon Simmons recovered block punt in end zone (PAT failed), 0:00 2Q G-Mekhi Parker 37 pass from Jack O’Connell (pass failed), 0:17 4Q
Laurels to Hardy
PINE HILL – After coming close in each of its first two games, Pennsville broke through for its first win of the season, pulling away in the fourth quarter to turn back Overbrook 39-22.
“After that unfortunate loss last week it was really good to come back and show what we can do,” junior running back Rylan Hardy said. “I knew it was going to happen. I knew what we were capable of.”
And he was a big part of it. Hardy scored three touchdowns for the second week in a row and had two huge runs in the fourth quarter after the Rams pulled within 27-22 with 6:35 to play.
His 78-yard run set up Jovanni Rios’ 2-yard touchdown run to give Pennsville a 33-22 lead. He broke off a 28-yard touchdown run with 2:58 to play for the final score of the game. His first score tied the game in the first quarter.
“Rylan is very instinctive with just finding space to run to,” Eagles coach Mike Healy said. “He just finds the area to go to. His vision and his ability to find the open area is incredible.”
“I’ve been waiting to show what I can do out there,” Hardy said, adding he’s just been following his blockers. “I think it’s showing that I am capable of doing some great stuff out there.”
Malik Rehmer scored a pair of touchdowns in the second quarter to give the Eagles a 20-14 halftime lead. His second was an 89-yard pass play from Robbie McDade.
The Eagles came into the season with high expectations, returning a veteran team and moving into a more competitive division to help enhance their playoff posture. But they lost their first games – a 14-0 dud at Gloucester and their home opener against West Deptford after leading 20-7 in the third quarter.
“Obviously last week was a heartbreaker; we played well for the most part and thought we played well enough for a win, but that’s football,” Healy said. “Coming back this week and not having a letdown after that and being able to come out and get done what we know we can do, I’m very proud of the kids.
“As a coach anytime you start off 0-1 you have a slight worry, but on the other side you also know what your team is capable of and you know we are better than our record might show. I thought we had our best week of practice this week and it showed in the game. We knew we were good enough to win some games, we just have to keep working, keep getting better every week.”
Pennsville 39, Overbrook 22
Pennsville (1-2)
6
14
7
12-
39
Overbrook (1-2)
6
8
0
8-
22
SCORING SUMMARY O-Teriq Moore run (run failed) P-Rylan Hardy run (kick failed) P-Malik Rehmer run (Luke Wood kick) P-Malik Rehmer 89 pass from Robbie McDade (Luke Wood kick) O-Axcel Bailey 6 pass from Teriq Moore (Teriq Moore kick) P-Rylan Hardy run (Luke Wood kick), 6:53 3Q O-Axcel Bailey 80 run (Teriq Moore run), 6:35 4Q P-Jovanni Rios 2 run (kick failed), 6:03 4Q P-Rylan Hardy 28 run (kick failed), 2:58 4Q
Salem still searching
WOODBURY – Kemp Carr finds himself in some uncharted territory, but he isn’t discouraged. If anything, it’s made him more determined.
Carr has never been 0-3 as a head coach before, but that’s where he is with his new Salem team after the Rams fell at Woodbury 25-0. In fact, in all his years as a head coach, he’s only had losing streaks of three or more games four times.
Though the score looked one-sided, the Rams gave their hosts a battle. They moved the ball all day between the 30s, but just couldn’t get it in the end zone. Pop Jackson rushed for 133 yards.
The teams played to a scoreless first quarter and it was 7-0 at halftime and 13-0 after three quarters. Marquis Taylor scored the Herd’s first two touchdowns, on a 22-yard run late in the second quarter after a short Salem punt and a pick-six.
“The guys are playing hard, they can see they’re playing hard,” Carr said. “We have all the pieces to be successful. I think they’ve got to believe.”
Woodbury 25, Salem 0
Salem (0-3)
0
0
0
0-
0
Woodbury (1-1)
0
7
6
12-
25
SCORING SUMMARY Wo-Marquis Taylor 22 run (kick good), 2:22 2Q Wo-Marquis Taylor interception return (PAT failed), 4:43 3Q Wo-Elijah Young 42 pass (PAT failed), 6:55 4Q Wo-TD run (PAT failed)
WJFL DIAMOND DIVISION
DIV
ALL
Woodstown
1-0
2-0
Glassboro
1-0
2-0
Woodbury
1-0
1-1
Penns Grove
0-1
1-2
Salem
0-1
0-3
Schalick
0-1
1-2
FRIDAY GAMES Woodstown 26, Schalick 0 SATURDAY GAMES Woodbury 25, Salem 0 Glassboro 24, Penns Grove 0 NEXT WEEK’S GAMES THURSDAY Salem at Glassboro, 6 p.m. FRIDAY Penns Grove at Schalick, 7 p.m. Woodbury at Woodstown, 7 p.m.
WJFL PATRIOT DIVISION
DIV
ALL
West Deptford
2-0
2-1
Camden Catholic
1-0
2-0
Paulsboro
1-1
2-1
Collingswood
1-1
2-1
Pennsville
1-1
1-2
Audubon
0-1
1-1
Overbrook
0-2
1-2
FRIDAY GAMES Audubon 8, Bordentown 7 West Deptford 46, Collingswood 6 SATURDAY GAMES Camden Catholic 29, Paulsboro 28 Pennsville 39, Overbrook 22 NEXT WEEK’S GAMES THURSDAY Paulsboro at Collingswood, 6 p.m. FRIDAY Overbrook at Florence, 6 p.m. Audubon at Pennsville, 7 p.m. West Deptford at Camden Catholic, 7 p.m.
Woodstown takes advantage of Schalick’s special teams miscues, wins Diamond Division opener, extends winning streak in series to 12
SALEM COUNTY FOOTBALL FRIDAY GAMES Woodstown 26, Schalick 0 SATURDAY GAMES Glassboro at Penns Grove Pennsville at Overbrook Salem at Woodbury
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
WOODSTOWN – If you grew up Down South watching football, especially in the state of Alabama where the sport just means more, there are certain games that just resonate through generations.
One of the most memorable is the 1972 Iron Bowl in which Auburn stunned No. 2 Alabama 17-16, blocking two punts in the fourth quarter and returning both for touchdowns to win a game that is forever known as “Punt, Bama, Punt.”
Woodstown staged its own version of “Punt, Bama, Punt” Friday night, taking advantage of several Schalick miscues in the punting game to win its WJFL Diamond Division opener and extend its dominance in the series with their nearest county rival, 26-0.
All of the Wolverines’ points came as a result of shortcomings on the Cougars’ special teams. There was a safety off a bad punt snap to open the scoring, a short-field touchdown drive with the ensuing free kick, a short-field touchdown drive off a 7-yard punt, a field goal off another bad punt snap and a touchdown off another short punt They almost had another touchdown after a long punt return into Schalick territory, but turned it over on downs after getting inside the 10.
“Special teams is such an emphasis for us,” Woodstown coach Frank Trautz said. “We put a huge emphasis on it every week and take it very seriously.
“Any time you can get a special teams turnover it drastically swings momentum and it gives you a real good shot at winning a football game, so that was very big for us in terms of helping us get this one.”
The Wolverines (2-0) gained control of the game early. They went up 2-0 when a snap sailed over punter Shawn Kelly’s head and he ended up falling on it in the end zone after a 27-yard loss. They took Schalick’s free kick near midfield and after Bryce Belinfanti softened up the defense with three hard runs, Alex Torres took a shuttle pass from Jack Holladay and went 35 yards for the game’s first touchdown.
“It’s always about setting the tone and that safety really set the tone for us,” said linebacker Anthony Bokolas, who chased down Kelly in the end zone.
A 7-yard punt gave the Wolverines another short field on their next possession and Belinfanti capped that drive with an 11-yard touchdown run. Another bad punt snap set them up at the Schalick 20 shortly before halftime and kicker Jake Ware salvaged that possession with a 29-yard field goal to make it 19-0.
“On film we did see that their punt team was a little off and we knew if we attacked them, just played physical, they were going to mess up,” Belinfanti said.
Belinfanti scored the game’s final touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter when he caught Holladay’s pass wide open across the middle and scored from 35 yards out. That drive was set up by a 12-yard punt.
Belinfanti finished the game with 85 yards rushing on 17 carries and the one catch for 35 yards. Holladay was 8-of-13 passing for 108 yards and two touchdowns.
“Honestly, I’m unsatisfied,” Belinfanti said. “I’m happy that we won, but I know I’m way better than that. I think I could’ve touched the end zone three times today. The best is yet to come for me.”
The game left Schalick looking for answers. It was a first chance for the Cougars to show they had what it took to play in South Jersey Group I’s toughest division after gaining traction as the beast of a lesser division last season. But the Wolverines never gave them a chance to get going and the special teams mistakes kept them at a disadvantage all night.
With the two bad punt snaps sapping a lot of their yardage, the Cougars were held to negative net rushing yardage and 12 yards total in the first half. They managed only 65 net yards in the game. Their deepest penetration into Woodstown territory in the first half was the 32 and that ended in a Garrett Leyman interception. Their most sustained drive came in the opening possession of the second half and reached the Woodstown 22 but ended with a missed field goal attempt.
“The kids played hard all game, they didn’t quit,” Cougars coach Mike Wilson said. “We just couldn’t get out of our way. We spotted them 19 points.
“You can’t have bad snaps like that against good football teams. You have to play clean football in all three phases; we did not do that tonight. We were constantly in bad positions. We’re doing uncharacteristic things.
“I want to play good clean football. We’re giving them points, we’re giving them plays, we’re putting ourselves in bad position. We played on our side of the field all night. I don’t care what level of game, you can’t play like that. You’ve got to play good in all three phases and right now we’re not.”
The win was Woodstown’s 12th in a row in the series. It has been 5,103 days since the Cougars last tasted victory in the rivalry and will be at least another 365 before they have a chance to try again.
Woodstown’s Anthony Bokolas (25) chases down Schalick punter Shawn Kelly for the first-quarter safety that got it all started for the Wolverines Friday night. On the cover, quarterback Jack Holladay and coach Frank Trautz talk over a play on the sideline. (Photos by Ellen Sickler)
Woodstown 26, Schalick 0
SCH (0)
WOO(26)
6
1st Downs
13
28-45
Rush-yards
31-120
4-6-1
Passing (C-A-I)
8-13-0
20
Passing yds
108
2-0
Fum-lost
0-0
4-24.3
Punts-avg
2-43.0
1-0
Pen-yds
6-45
Schalick (1-2)
0
0
0
0-
0
Woodstown (2-0)
9
10
0
7-
26
SCORING SUMMARY W-Safety, punter tackled in end zone, 5:38 1Q W-Alex Torres 35 pass from Jack Holladay (Jake Ware kick), 2:34 1Q W-Bryce Belinfanti 11 run (Jake Ware kick), 6:16 2Q W-Jake Ware 29 FG, 1:28 2Q W-Bryce Belinfanti 35 pass from Jack Holladay (Jake Ware kick), 11:52 4Q
WJFL DIAMOND DIVISION
DIV
ALL
Woodstown
1-0
2-0
Glassboro
0-0
1-0
Penns Grove
0-0
1-1
Salem
0-0
0-2
Woodbury
0-0
0-1
Schalick
0-1
1-2
FRIDAY GAMES Woodstown 26, Schalick 0 SATURDAY GAMES Salem at Woodbury, 10:30 a.m. Glassboro at Penns Grove, noon
WJFL PATRIOT DIVISION
DIV
ALL
West Deptford
2-0
2-1
Paulsboro
1-0
2-0
Collingswood
1-1
2-1
Camden Catholic
0-0
1-0
Audubon
0-1
1-1
Overbrook
0-1
1-1
Pennsville
0-1
0-2
FRIDAY GAMES Audubon 8, Bordentown 7 West Deptford 46, Collingswood 6 SATURDAY GAMES Camden Catholic at Paulsboro, 10 a.m. Pennsville at Overbrook, 11 a.m.
Woodstown’s Bryce Belinfanti looks to make a move around Schalick’s Dylan Sheehan Friday night. (Photo by Heather Papiano)
Results, details from around Salem County in girls soccer, boys soccer, field hockey; Schalick’s Willoughby scores four goals, Woodstown’s Battavio notches her 50th career goal
GIRLS SOCCER Clayton 6, Salem 0 Glassboro 1, Pennsville 0 Pitman 7, Salem Tech 0 Schalick 6, Overbrook 0 Woodstown 4, Penns Grove 0
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
PITTSGROVE – Abby Willoughby has goals. She had four of them Thursday afternoon in Schalick’s 6-0 girls soccer win over Overbrook, but don’t get the idea one of them is the desire to be the Cougars’ next Emily Miller.
The Cougars are on the lookout for their next prolific scorer following Miller’s 48-goal season in 2023, but instead of emulating the record-setting scorer, they simply want Willoughby — and the rest of the players on the team, for that matter — to be the best version of herself she can be. Besides they already have another Emily Miller on the roster.
“I don’t think there is going to be a new Emily,” coach Will Kemp said. “I think that Abby’s Abby. Emily wasn’t the new Kerri Jackson (43 goals in 2022). Kerri Jackson wasn’t Sara Copare (who held all the records before her).
“Everyone’s their own individual, which I actually love. No one’s trying to emulate those players, they’re trying to be themselves. So, Abby’s going to do her job this year and we also have other players who are going to be playing that same type position. Abby just stepped up big-time today, scored the goals, but she also played in the midfield, she also played in the defense.
“I’m not going to say she’s going to be that role, but whatever role she fits in, she does great with it.”
Willoughby, a defensive specialist with one goal (Penns Grove) during last year’s South Jersey Group I finalist season, was one of five players to play striker against the Rams as Kemp seeks to put the best players for the best spots. The others strikers Thursday were freshman Liv Vanacker, sophomores Emily Tramonta-Miller and Helen Lillia and senior Quinn Berger.
Willoughby actually started playing soccer as a goalie, but soon found herself playing all over the field. She started her high school career as an outside back.
As a newly placed goal scorer she only has 44 goals to go to catch Miller’s mark.
“I’m super glad,” she said. “I was playing defense all year last year so getting up top I released my excitement to score. I don’t know if I can be quite as good as her, that’s a pretty tall task, but I guess I can get close and try my best. I have goals.”
Those actual goals include seeing her teammates grow as a team, do the simple things and win the big games.
The junior scored both goals as Schalick opened a 2-0 halftime lead. Her third goal put the Cougars up 4-0 and her fourth – a spinner off her left foot – wrapped the scoring. Cali Fisler and Carly Vicente scored the Cougars’ other two goals.
They were the Cougars’ first goals of the season in their first win after a 5-0 loss to Cherokee in the season opener.
“It was good to see the girls get on the board today,” Kemp said. “They’re going through some stuff. We had a tough preseason … to prepare for the playoffs this year.”
“it’s a bit of a boost of confidence after the last game,” Willoughby said. “It was nice to come back and be strong.”
WOODSTOWN 4, PENNS GROVE 0: Talia Battavio became the fifth player in Woodstown girls soccer history to score 50 career goals when he banged home a rebound off the post for the first of her two goals against the Red Devils. Now with 51 career goals, she remains No. 5 on the Wolverines’ all-time girls goal scoring list.
“It’s a phenomenal career milestone,” Wolverines coach Kieren Keyser said. “The goal itself came in typical Talia fashion. It was a scrap goal and she had to work to get it. That’s the type player she is.
“It came on a cross. It actually hit off the post and Talia was able to be there and square it away and bang it home. That’s the type of player she is.”
Keyser had the good fortune to coach two of the Wolverines’ 50-goal scorers. One of his first players was all-time leading goal scorer Tatum Devault, who scored 75 goals in a career that concluded in 2022.
“What’s cool is Tatum and Talia played together and Talia’s kind of chasing her and they assisted each other a lot,” Keyser said. “I’m not sure if Talia can quite get to No. 1, but certainly getting to 50 is a huge deal, especially for an athlete who is a basketball player first, and to reach that milestone is soccer, that is phenomenal.”
Lia Covely and Emma Perry scored the other two goals for Woodstown, who’ve now won two in a row after dropping their season opener and have an early-season showdown with Schalick Monday. Perry has scored in all three games for the Wolverines.
Penns Grove (0-1-1)
0
0-
0
Woodstown (2-1)
3
1-
4
GOALS – Woodstown: Talia Battavio 2, Lia Covely, Emma Perry.
WOODSTOWN GIRLS CAREER GOALS
GOALS
SR. YEAR
Tatum Devault
75
2022
Tori Malpezzi
70
2008
Amy Gray
69
1993
Chelsea Norbuts
65
2009
Talia Battavio
51
2024
GLASSBORO 1, PENNSVILLE 0: Amina Brown scored the game’s only goal at the 6:04 mark of the second half.
Pennsville (0-2)
0
0-
0
Glassboro (1-1)
0
1-
1
GOALS – Glassboro: Amina Brown.
PITMAN 7, SALEM TECH 0: Emery Sharpnack scored two goals and dished three assists to lead the Panthers. Pitman scored four goals in the first 11 minutes of the match.
CLAYTON 6, SALEM 0: Ava Delaney and Deondria Simon scored two goals apiece for the Clippers. Simon also had a pair of assists.
Salem (0-2)
0
0-
0
Clayton (1-0)
6
0-
6
GOALS – Clayton: Ava Delaney 2, Kyleigh Grigorean, Deondria Simon 2, Madi Traister.
Boys soccer
THURSDAY’S SCORES Clayton at Salem Pennsville 3, Salem Tech 0 Schalick 3, Overbrook 0 Woodstown 4, Penns Grove 1 PENNSVILLE 3, SALEM TECH 0: J.P. Laughrey scored a pair of goals two minutes apart midway through the first half for Pennsville’s first goals of the season and Sam Hassler added a second-half goal as the Eagles earned their first win. Coen Rinnier made eight saves to record the shutout.
“I love a freshman who knows how to be in the right spot,” Pennsville coach Derek Foglein said of Laughrey. “He had both of his in quick succession where he was in the right place and hammered them home.
“He’s just a good player who sees the field well and isn’t afraid to use his body (and) strength, which is very rare for a freshman.”
SCHALICK 3, OVERBROOK 0: The Cougars got goals from three different players in their season-opening win. Jaxon Weber scored the only goal of the first half, then Bradford Foster and Michael Nelson stretched the lead in the second half.
Schalick (1-0)
1
2-
3
Overbrook (0-1)
0
0-
0
GOALS – Schalick: Jaxon Weber (unassisted), Bradford Foster, (Steve Chomo) Michael Nelson (Anthony Sepers).
WOODSTOWN 4, PENNS GROVE 1: Adrian Ibarra, who scored 26 goals last season, opened the scoring to Woodstown’s season and Grant Prater scored twice in the first half for the Wolverines. Juan Ortiz got Penns Grove on the board before halftime. Ben Lippencott scored Woodstown’s fourth goal in the second half.
Woodstown (1-0)
3
1-
4
Penns Grove (1-1)
1
0-
1
GOALS – W: Adrian Ibarra (Bryce Ayars); W: Grant Prater (Adrian Ibarra); W: Grant Prater (Ben Lippincott); PG: Juan Ortiz; W: Ben Lippincott (Nicholas DiTeodoro).
Field hockey
THURSDAY’S SCORES Salem 3, Pennsville 1 Schalick 7, Glassboro 1 Woodstown 4, Deptford 0 SCHALICK 7, GLASSBORO 1: Ava Scurry scored a scored a hat trick and Luci Virga and Phoebe Alward each scored twice. The Cougars outshot their visitors 32-5.
Glassboro (1-1)
0
0
0
1-
1
Schalick (2-0)
1
3
1
2-
7
GOALS – Glassboro: Karli Pritchett; Schalick: Ava Scurry 3, Luci Virga 2, Phoebe Alward 2.
SALEM 3, PENNSVILLE 1: Audrey Boggs scored twice and Kevana Roman once as the Rams opened their season with a victory in this Battle of Broadway. Sophia Marandola scored Pennsville’s goal in the fourth quarter.
“It was commented by a spectator after the game, ‘It looked like an ‘old school’ hockey game and was enjoyable to watch,'” Rams coach Shanna Scott said. “(It) was a very fast-paced and quick game. There were simple mistakes made and things we can do better for next time – there is always something we could ‘do better or grow in’ – but I am very proud of my girls and give them the credit they deserve for how hard they worked in our season opener.”
WOODSTOWN 4, DEPTFORD 0: Shyann Higinbotham scored two goals and assisted on another in the Wolverines’ season-opening win. Megan Donelson and Bradley DiGregorio scored Woodstown’s other two goals.
PITTSGROVE – Lily Edwards was playing on the farthest of the singles courts in the Schalick tennis complex. There were a handful of spectators on the other side of the fence when she started, but each time she dared look away from the match she noticed more and more people gathering in her little corner of the world so she figured something was up with her match.
It was only the pivotal point of the day.
Edwards won the point at No. 3 singles to clinch undefeated Pennsville’s 3-2 victory over Schalick Thursday in the first leg of what figures to be an intriguing battle among the two teams and Woodstown for supremacy in South Jersey Group I girls tennis.
She handed Miya Watkins her first loss since last year’s state team semifinals 6-3, 6-1 after her Eagles teammates swept both doubles points and Schalick’s Emma Adams and Allyson Green won the first two singles points.
“I did feel that way, honestly,” she said. “I didn’t before I started the match, but we were playing and I did feel that way because everyone was watching me and I could tell (it was an important point). I had like a feeling.”
Actually, the win, her sixth of the year (all in straight sets) and 17th in a row at No. 3 singles over the last two seasons, came at a time she admitted to battling a slump for the first time in her career. She has only lost two matches (with one draw) in 44 varsity starts, but there was just something unfulfilling about her recent success.
“At practice I was just struggling,” she said. “Just hitting the ball and making sure my mechanics are right and I’m hitting it the right way and I was struggling. It’s really stressful because it gets in your head and you have to fight through it… but I came out of it today.
“We all were a little nervous because Schalick is our big competition, but I came out with a positive attitude and fought my way through it.”
It pains Eagles coach Dan LaMont to see his players struggle. He could sense his steady junior’s frustration and had a simple solution – just get out of your head and play your normal aggressive game.
“She does hit a nice tennis ball, but sometimes there are little things we have to correct,” he said. “We worked on it and then we kind of just said let’s keep it simple. Don’t think too much about this. Roll balls back. Be you.
“I told her you’ve won a lot of matches in your three years, let’s remember how you did that. And she did today. She had to, because that girl was tough.”
PENNSVILLE 3, SCHALICK 2 Emma Adams (S) def. Megan Morris, 6-4, 6-4 Allyson Green (S) def. Regan Witt, 6-4, 6-0 Lily Edwards (P) def. Miya Watkins, 6-3, 6-1 Emma Cornette-Gabi Farino (P) def. Julia Langley-Helana Tyers, 6-1, 6-4 Naomi Hess-Isabell Schrenker (P) def. Kayleigh Veach-Annie Podeh, 6-2, 6-1 Records: Pennsville 6-0, Schalick 3-1
WOODSTOWN 5, PENNS GROVE 0 Aubrie Rennie (Wo) def. Alease Stewart, 6-0, 6-0 Leah Waterman (Wo) def. Janiyah Cummings, 6-0, 6-0 EvaLouise Thomsen (Wo) def. Elif Sagir, 6-0, 6-0 Julianna Lindenmuth-Noelle Neron (Wo) won by forfeit Alyssa Berry-Melissa Hassler (Wo) won by forfeit Records: Woodstown 3-1, Penns Grove 0-3.
Alward’s hat trick leads Schalick field hockey, Gilligan makes 200th save; Battavio moves closer to 50 goals for Woodstown soccer; Pennsville, Schalick girls tennis stay on track for Thursday’s showdown
FIELD HOCKEY SCHALICK 5, TRITON 3: Phoebe Alward got her junior season off to the same kind of start she did as a sophomore. She had a hat trick in last year’s season opener at Gloucester Catholic and had a hat trick Tuesday as the Cougars came out aggressive and opened the 2024 season with a victory on the road.
Ava Scurry, who had 13 goals and 17 assists last year, had two goals and two assists against the Mustangs (0-2). The Cougars pumped 31 shots on goal and led wire-to-wire.
Keeper Lydia Gilligan also had a milestone game. She recorded her 200th career save during the game and now has 211 in her three seasons guarding the cage.
Schalick (1-0)
2
2
1
0-
5
Triton (0-2)
0
1
2
0-
3
GOALS – Schalick: Ava Scurry 2, Phoebe Alward 3; Triton: Kayla Garofolo, Sofia Morris, Olivia Broome.
GIRLS TENNIS Glassboro at Penns Grove Gloucester Catholic at Woodstown
PENNSVILLE 5, WILDWOOD 0 Megan Morris (P) def. Charlie Cunningham-Hackney, 6-0, 6-2 Regan Witt (P) def. Cydnee Kilian, 6-1, 6-1 Lily Edwards (P) def. Angela Wilber, 6-3, 6-2 Emma Cornette-Gabi Forino (P) def. Kiana D’Antuano-Estella Robinson, 6-0, 6-0 Isabella Schrenker-Morgan Holt (P) def. Emma Contreras-Selin Ogden, 6-1, 6-0 Records: Pennsville 4-0, Wildwood 0-2 BOYS SOCCER Penns Grove at Gloucester Co. Christian GIRLS SOCCER Gloucester Co. Christian at Penns Grove
WOODSTOWN 8, WILDWOOD 1: Talia Battavio and Emma Perry, Woodstown’s two top goal-scorers a year ago, both scored a pair of goals and Lia Covely recorded three assists as the Wolverines scored their first win of the season.
Battavio’s two goals left her with 49 for her career, one shy of becoming only the fifth player in program history with 50 goals or more. Covely, Sophia Wells, Gina Murray and Mary Zarinko scored the other Woodstown goals.
The Wolverines settled this one early, jumping out to a 6-0 halftime lead.
Pennsville gets first field hockey win of season, celebrates with a batch of brownies; includes girls tennis results
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
PENNSVILLE – Sophia Marandola and Izzy Saulin were happily munching on a couple healthy-sized brownies that were secretly waiting for the players behind the Pennsville field hockey bench.
It was something the two captains could definitely get used to, and if the treats lead to the results they produced Monday it might just become an everyday thing.
With the brownies safely hidden under a cover of tin foil, the Eagles scored their first win of the season 7-1 over Paulsboro. It was a big turnaround from the lopsided loss they took in the season opener.
After posing for their traditional W picture after the win, they dug into the brownies, courtesy of team baker and manager Jacqui Kelly.
“I am a real brownie fan; I love brownies so I was real excited when they said they were going to make up a sweet treat,” Marandola said. “They didn’t tell us what they were, but they said there was a sweet treat.”
“I kind of forgot about them; they were nice after the game,” Saulin said. “I might have eaten them way too fast, my stomach kind of hurts.”
Saulin led the offense with her second career hat trick. Marandola had a goal and three assists. Kylie Harris scored twice. Kendal Hoyt’s first career goal at 10:48 of the first quarter was the Eagles’ first goal of the year and set off a feeding frenzy. The Eagles scored four goals in the second quarter to take a 5-0 halftime lead.
“Once they scored I felt they were a little more hungry and trying to get in there more, a little more aggressive,” Pennsville coach Lisa Doran said.
It’s the earliest they scored their first win of the season since 2021 when they beat Clayton in the second game of the season. They started last season 0-6.
The difference between their 8-0 loss to Audubon in the opener and Monday’s win was crisper passing and better communication.
“Today we were just working together more and had more opportunity to pass to each other,” Saulin said. “I’m glad we can start getting this to click in the second game, really early, so it can only go forward from here.”
If they’re going to produce these kinds of results knowing a sweet treat awaits, brownies on the bench might be a requirement every game.
“Did you tell them my manager that?” Doran asked projecting her voice towards the bench. “I like that.”
Hearing the conversation and the answer in the affirmative, Kelly said that was all right by her.
Pennsville’s Haley Pace celebrates after Kylie Harris scored her first goal right before halftime to give the Eagles a 5-0 lead over Paulsboro.
Cover photo: Pennsville field hockey captains Sophia Marandola (L) and Izzy Saulin enjoy a sweet treat after the Eagles beat Paulsboro 7-1 for their first win of the season.
Here is the Salem County sports schedule for the week of Sept. 9-14; all events 4 p.m. unless noted
SEPT. 9 FIELD HOCKEY Paulsboro at Pennsville GIRLS SOCCER Camden County Tech at Salem GIRLS TENNIS Woodstown at West Deptford
SEPT. 10 FIELD HOCKEY Schalick at Triton GIRLS TENNIS Glassboro at Penns Grove Gloucester Catholic at Woodstown Salem at Schalick Wildwood at Pennsville BOYS SOCCER Penns Grove at Gloucester Co. Christian, 3:45 p.m. GIRLS SOCCER Gloucester Co. Christian at Penns Grove Woodstown at Wildwood
SEPT. 11 GIRLS SOCCER Salem Tech at Cape May Tech GIRLS TENNIS Triton at Pennsville, 3:45 p.m. Salem at Wildwood
SEPT. 12 FIELD HOCKEY Deptford at Woodstown Glassboro at Schalick Salem at Pennsville BOYS SOCCER Clayton at Salem Salem Tech at Pennsville Schalick at Overbrook Woodstown at Penns Grove GIRLS SOCCER Overbrook at Schalick Pennsville at Glassboro Pitman at Salem Tech Salem at Clayton Penns Grove at Woodstown GIRLS TENNIS Penns Grove at Woodstown Pennsville at Schalick, 3:45 p.m. GIRLS VOLLEYBALL Salem Tech at Gloucester Catholic
SEPT. 13 FOOTBALL Audubon at Bordentown, 6 p.m. Collingswood at West Deptford, 7 p.m. Schalick at Woodstown, 7 p.m. GIRLS TENNIS Penns Grove at Lindenwold Pennsville at Lower Cape May
SEPT. 14 FOOTBALL Camden Catholic at Paulsboro, 10:30 a.m. Salem at Woodbury, 10:30 a.m. Pennsville at Overbrook, 11 a.m. Glassboro at Penns Grove, noon FIELD HOCKEY Woodstown at Washington Twp., 10 a.m. CROSS COUNTRY South Jersey Open, Dream Park, 8:30 a.m. Woodstown at Belmont Plateau, 10:30 a.m.
Cover photo of Woodstown kicker Jake Ware’s game-winning overtime PAT against Delsea by Ellen Sickler.
def. Gianna Concordia, 6-3, 6-0
Riverview Sports News 