Leyman has game of his life, plugged in at quarterback, throws 4 TD passes, picks two, returns one for TD, in Woodstown rout of Salem; Woodbury dulls Penns Grove’s playoff hopes with late rally
By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News
SALEM — Garrett Leyman has played a lot of games in a Woodstown uniform over the years, but he’s never had a game like he did Saturday.
The senior was responsible for five touchdowns on both sides of the ball as the Wolverines took it to Salem 42-13 to remain unbeaten and set up a WJFL Diamond Division title game at Glassboro next week.
Pressed into action as the Wolverines’ third quarterback this season Leyman threw four touchdown passes on the only varsity passes he’s ever thrown in his life. Then on defense he intercepted two passes and returned one of them for a touchdown.
Leyman threw two touchdown passes to M.J. Hall (55 and 48 yards) and one each to Bobby Donahue (49) and Rocco String (5). The first two completions gave him a passer rating of 866.80 and curiously it dropped with each successive completion. His 4-for-4 for 157 yards and four TDs total netted him a passer rating of 759.70 for the game.
If he isn’t somebody’s dot-com Player of the Week either the voting is flawed or nobody’s paying attention.
“After last week we faced a lot of adversity, I knew I needed to step up,” said Leyman, who was more of a run threat when he last played quarterback in eighth grade. “Coach chose me to play in Jack’s (Holladay) position, so I knew I had to go out and perform and I did.
“I wasn’t expecting it to go how it did, but I was confident going into today. It felt amazing.”
The Wolverines were into their third quarterback after losing starter Holladay to a sprained left shoulder in the first half of last week’s game at Haddon Heights. JV quarterback Lucas Fulmer played the rest of the game and completed the 17-8 victory.
It was the Fulmer’s first varsity action and while the backup checked all the boxes in his relief appearance it was Leyman’s experience and familiarity with the offense that led Trautz to start him against the Rams. Leyman was told he’d be playing quarterback Monday and had all week to prepare himself.
“He’s played a million football games for us; he’s just football smart, he’s got great football IQ and we can trust him in these situations,” Trautz said. “We know that he’s going to make the right decisions and you saw today. He commanded this offense, he was able to run it fully and he shined. It was nice to see him spin it.
“I’m not the least surprised with what he did today. He’s just a great player and he doesn’t back down from the moment. He elevates his game when the lights start shining the brightest.”
The Wolverines used a sanitized version of the playbook for Fulmer last week, but Leyman had full reign of it this week.
“We were going to run our offense the way we run it and take what they give us and we did a good job executing it,” Trautz said.
Salem moved the ball through the air, too. They immediately answered Woodstown’s first touchdown, working the ball downfield through a series of possession passes.
Rams quarterback Troy Carey was 12-of-15 in the first quarter and finished the game 25-for-35 for 241 yards and touchdowns to Kaden Robinson (5) and Terrance Smith (16). Robinson caught seven passes for 53 yards. Smith caught four for 103.
“It was just trusting our receivers, trusting them to make plays, putting the ball in their hands,” Carey said. “We work on certain plays every week just working to get better at things that affect our craft and just finding open men reading the defense.”
The win sets up a titanic battle of unbeatens between Woodstown and Glassboro Friday night. Whether Leyman gets the call again at quarterback depends on Holladay’s status during the week. Both Trautz and Holladay are hopeful of a return at some point this season.
Players on the Glassboro roster believe the Wolverines will be treating the showdown as “their Super Bowl” because of the recent history in the series; the Bulldogs beat them twice last year, once in overtime and once in the Group I state semifinals. The Wolverines, however, are approaching it, as usual, as any other game.
“It’s Week 8 for us,” the usually understated Trautz understated. “We’re going to attack it like we attack every week and we’re looking forward to the challenge next Friday.”
NOTES: Woodstown’s other touchdown was Bryce Belinfanti’s weekly long run, this one going for 94 yards … String’s TD catch was the first of his career … Salem had thrown only 78 passes in their first seven games. The 35 passes and 241 yards Cater threw for Saturday were the most by a Rams quarterback since 2022 when Jahki Coates threw 29 passes against Woodbury in 2022 and for 245 yards against Pleasantville. His game passer rating was 136.70 … The Rams will be looking to avoid their first winless season since 2012 (0-10) next week against Penns Grove.
Cover photo: Woodstown senior Garrett Leyman (10) rolls out in his first career start at quarterback. Leyman threw four passes – all for touchdowns.
Woodstown 42, Salem 13
| WOOD (42) | SAL (13) | |
| 7 | 1st Downs | 19 |
| 15-203 | Rushing | 17-31 |
| 4-4-0 | C-A-I | 24-35-2 |
| 157 | Passing | 241 |
| 1-1 | Fum-lost | 1-1 |
| 1-58.0 | Punts | 1-38.0 |
| 6-58 | Penalties | 3-35 |
| Woodstown (7-0) | 14 | 21 | 7 | 0- | 42 |
| Salem (0-8) | 7 | 0 | 0 | 6- | 13 |
SCORING SUMMARY
WO-M.J. Hall 55 pass from Garrett Leyman (Jake Ware kick), 9:26 1Q
S-Kaden Robinson 5 pass from Troy Cater (Andrew May kick), 2:21 1Q
WO-Bobby Donahue 49 pass from Garrett Leyman (Jake Ware kick), 2:01 1Q
WO-M.J. Hall 48 pass from Garrett Leyman (Jake Ware kick), 9:29 2Q
WO-Garrett Leyman 33 interception return (Jake Ware kick)
WO-Bryce Belinfanti 94 run (Jake Ware kick), 35.6 2Q
WO-Rocco String 5 pass from Garrett Leyman (Jake Ware kick), 9:32 3Q
S-Terrance Smith 16 pass from Troy Cater (kick failed), 9:12 4Q
Late miscues spoil PG upset bid
WOODBURY — KaRon Caesar’s 68-yard touchdown run on Penns Grove’s first play of the third quarter gave the Red Devils a nine-point lead and hopes for playoff contention. They carried that lead carried into the fourth quarter, but Woodbury took advantage of late Penns Grove mistakes to score three touchdowns in the final nine minutes to hand the Red Devils their sixth straight loss, 37-23.
Tim Holmes’ 34-yard touchdown pass to Jason Solomon cut Penns Grove’s lead to 23-21 with 9:06 left and then the mistakes set in for the Red Devils.
Penns Grove had Woodbury stopped later in the quarter but mishandled a punt and the Herd recovered at the 30. Holmes ran for 20 yards, then Marquis Taylor ultimately scored from 2 yards out to give the Herd their first lead since the game’s opening drive, 29-23 with 2:49 left.
Solomon iced the game with a 10-yard scoop and score with a fumbled pitch.
Caesar rushed for a career-high 228 yards with touchdown runs of 73, 14 and 68 yards.
Had the Red Devils held on, they would have earned their second win of the season with a shot for a third and possibly a playoff spot against struggling Salem next week. They currently hold the 20th spot in the South Jersey Group I power rankings that should be updated Sunday.
Woodbury 37, Penns Grove 23
| Penns Grove (1-7) | 7 | 9 | 7 | 0- | 23 |
| Woodbury (3-4) | 7 | 7 | 0 | 23- | 37 |
SCORING SUMMARY
WO-Marquis Taylor 4 run (Fabian Gonzalez kick)
PG-KaRon Ceaser 73 run (Tre Brown kick)
PG-KaRon Caesar 14 run (Tre Brown kick)
WO-Marquis Taylor 30 pass from Tim Holmes (Fabian Gonzalez kick)
PG-Safety, QB tackled in end zone
PG-KaRon Ceaser 68 run (Tre Brown kick)
WO-Jasuan Solomon 34 pass from Tim Holmes (Fabian Gonzalez kick), 9:06 4Q
WO-Marquis Taylor 2 run (Marquis Taylor run), 2:49 4Q
WO-Jasuan Solomon 10 fumble return (Elijah Young pass from Marquis Taylor)
WJFL Standings
| DIAMOND DIVISION | DIV | ALL |
|---|---|---|
| Glassboro (1) | 4-0 | 7-0 |
| Woodstown (2) | 4-0 | 7-0 |
| Schalick (5) | 2-2 | 5-3 |
| Woodbury (11) | 2-2 | 3-4 |
| Penns Grove (20) | 0-4 | 1-7 |
| Salem (21) | 0-4 | 0-8 |
NOTE: Number in parenthesis is South Jersey Group I UPR power ranking through Oct. 19
FRIDAY’S GAMES
Glassboro 20, Schalick 10
SATURDAY’S GAMES
Woodbury 37, Penns Grove 23
Woodstown 42, Salem 13
NEXT WEEK’S GAMES
FRIDAY
Woodstown at Glassboro, 6 p.m.
Woodbury at Schalick, 6 p.m.
SATURDAY
Salem at Penns Grove, noon
| PATRIOT DIVISION | DIV | ALL |
|---|---|---|
| Camden Catholic (NPB-3) | 5-0 | 7-0 |
| Paulsboro (4) | 5-1 | 6-2 |
| West Deptford (G2-14) | 3-2 | 4-4 |
| Pennsville (10) | 2-3 | 4-4 |
| Audubon (16) | 1-4 | 2-4 |
| Collingswood (G2-18) | 1-4 | 3-5 |
| Overbrook (G2-23) | 1-4 | 3-4-1 |
NOTE: Number in parenthesis is South Jersey Group I UPR power rankings through Oct. 19 (G2-Group 2, NPB-Non Public B)
FRIDAY’S GAMES
Pennsville 35, Lawrence 8
Camden Catholic 55, Collingswood 0
Paulsboro 18, West Deptford 12
SATURDAY’S GAMES
Overbrook 34, Audubon 6
NEXT WEEK’S GAMES
THURSDAY
Paulsboro at Clayton, 6 p.m.
FRIDAY
Collingswood at Pennsville, 7 p.m.
Overbrook at West Deptford, 7 p.m.
Camden Catholic at Audubon, 7 p.m.
SJ Group I power ratings
| TOP 16 | (as of Oct. 20) | |||
| SCHOOL | RECORD | POWER PTS | OSI | UPR |
| Glassboro | 7-0 | 12.00 | 57.08 | 2.4 |
| Woodstown | 7-0 | 11.57 | 61.83 | 3.0 |
| Shore | 7-0 | 13.71 | 45.61 | 3.4 |
| Paulsboro | 6-2 | 11.81 | 48.65 | 4.0 |
| Schalick | 5-3 | 10.13 | 49.7 | 5.4 |
| Haddon Twp. | 5-1 | 11.58 | 41.19 | 6.2 |
| Riverside | 6-2 | 12.13 | 38.32 | 8.0 |
| Middlesex | 6-2 | 11.38 | 40.13 | 8.2 |
| Burlington City | 5-3 | 10.50 | 39.67 | 9-2 |
| Pennsville | 4-4 | 8.44 | 40.94 | 10.4 |
| Woodbury | 3-4 | 7.71 | 42.88 | 10.8 |
| New Egypt | 5-2 | 8.86 | 38.67 | 11.0 |
| Manville | 6-2 | 9.25 | 37.35 | 11.8 |
| Clayton | 4-2-1 | 8.00 | 34.00 | 16.8 |
| Pt. Pleasant Beach | 4-3 | 7.71 | 35.68 | 16.8 |
| Audubon | 2-4 | 7.83 | 34.78 | 17.0 |
20. Penns Grove (1-7) 18.0, 21. Salem (0-8) 19.4
PROJECTED PLAYOFF MATCHUPS
(Based on current standings)
SOUTH JERSEY
Glassboro vs. Audubon
Middlesex vs. Burlington City
x-Paulsboro vs. New Egypt
x-Schalick vs. Manville
CENTRAL JERSEY
Shore vs. Clayton
Haddon Twp. vs. Woodbury
Riverside vs. Pennsville
Woodstown vs. Point Pleasant Beach
x-Schalick jumps Paulsboro based on head-to-head
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