Salem’s energy falls flat in Senior Day loss to Absegami; includes all of Saturday’s Salem County sports action
BOYS GAMES
Absegami 56, Salem 43
Cherokee 54, Woodstown 38
West Deptford 60, Pennsville 30
GIRLS GAME
Cumberland 54, Schalick 21
By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News
SALEM – Even though his team was facing an opponent that had 19 wins and was fourth in South Jersey Group 3, Salem basketball coach Anthony Farmer believed it was a winnable game if the Rams brought the right energy.
But even with a Senior Day celebration to add some more juice, the Rams were flat and lost to Absegami 56-43.
The Braves are now 20-3 with a 12-game winning streak.
“I wish I had some answers for you, but the whole game it was energy and effort,” Farmer said. “This was considered a big one for us, we needed this one (and) thought it was a winnable opportunity for us if we played with the right spirit. We just didn’t have the spirit. We didn’t have the energy, effort that we needed.
“You expect the guys to come out and play with some spirit, play with some energy and effort and fly around and we just didn’t have that today. We were flat.”
The big downer was the third quarter. The Rams (9-11) were held to one late field goal and outscored 18-3.
It was a tight game early with the teams trading baskets through 7-7. The Braves started exerting its game-long dominance in the paint and opened an 18-8 lead, but the Rams buried three straight 3s by Tymear Lecator and Xavier McGriff to climb back in it.
It was a four-point game when Absegami coach John Arcidiacono called time with 2:43 left in the first half after Jermyis Burroughs’ 3-pointer gave the Braves a 23-19 lead and then then they really went to work.
They gave up a bucket to Neziah Spence that made it 24-21 then didn’t allow another bucket until Azhone Burden’s running hook with 2:08 left in the third quarter. It was the Rams’ only basket of the third quarter.
“It’s a (close) game at halftime, you’ve got to come out, make a shot or two, get some stops and the game could change just like that,” Farmer said. “Obviously, a three-point quarter, things didn’t go our way … We just need to be better. We need to be able to use energy or we’ll be out (of the playoffs) early.”
The Rams recognized their two seniors before the game and both scored in the game. Burden scored 10 points and grabbed five rebounds. Joe Tunis scored a bucket in the fourth quarter.
The game also marked the return of Darrelle Johnson. The junior guard had to sit out since Jan. 13 when the NJSIAA declared him ineligible for a violation of its transfer rules and stripped the Rams of four wins that interrupted Farmer’s run towards 100 career victories.
ABSEGAMI 56, SALEM 43
ABSEGAMI (20-3) – Steven Deviney 1 0-0 3, Donald Johnson 1 5-6 7, Adam Leigh 1 5-8 7, Jamal Davis 8 2-2 19, Jermyis Burroughs 4 5-7 15, Bobby Peterson 2 0-0 5, Quadir Epps 0 0-0 0, Jeriko Thomas 0 0-0 0, Elias Blocker 0 0-0 0. Totals 17 17-23 56.
SALEM (9-11) – Donovan Weathers 2 1-2 5, Xavier McGriff 1 0-0 3, Neziah Spence 5 0-0 12, Tymear Lecator 2 0-0 6, Deshaan Williams 0 2-4 2, Antwuan Rogers 1 0-2 2, Joe Tunis 1 0-2 2,
Darrelle Johnson 0 1-2 1, Azhone Burden 5 0-0 10. Totals 17 4-12 43.
| Absegami | 16 | 10 | 18 | 12- | 56 |
| Salem | 8 | 13 | 3 | 19- | 43 |
CHEROKEE 54, WOODSTOWN 38: The Chiefs locked down defensively on the Wolverines in the second quarter and outscored them 18-1 to take control of the game. Cherokee placed three scorers in double figures, led by John Comito’s 15.
| Woodstown (12-7) | 12 | 1 | 13 | 12- | 38 |
| West Deptford (11-11) | 8 | 18 | 13 | 15- | 54 |
WEST DEPTFORD 60, PENNSVILLE 30
PENNSVILLE (2-19) – Mason O’Brien 2 2-4 7, Cole Johnston 1 0-0 3, C.J. McDevitt 2 2-4 6, Aiden Alleye 3 1-4 8, J.P. Laughrey 2 2-2 6. Totals 10 7-14 30.
WEST DEPTFORD (4-16) – Shayne Halter 2 0-0 5, Kyree Eason 1 0-0 2, Nick Senatore 5 2-4 14, Thomas Cross 0 0-4 0, Aaron Benson 2 0-0 4, Anthony Martello 3 0-0 8, Curtis Pearson 2 1-2 5, Carter 4 0-0 10, Michael 4 0-0 4, Andrew Gardner 2 0-0 4, Cole Stanish 0 0-0 0. Totals 25 3-14 60.
| Pennsville | 5 | 13 | 4 | 8- | 30 |
| West Deptford | 13 | 13 | 14 | 20- | 60 |
GIRLS GAME
CUMBERLAND 54, SCHALICK 21
| Cumberland (9-11) | 18 | 3 | 17 | 16- | 54 |
| Schalick (4-14) | 7 | 7 | 5 | 2- | 21 |
Wrestling
Hammonton Quad
HAMMONTON – Brett Rowand was in the right place at the right time in Woodstown’s two wins here. Rowand (150) and Angel Hernandez (144) won the final two bouts to close out Williamstown and Rowand won the clinching match against Hammonton.
WOODSTOWN 41, WILLIAMSTOWN 34
157: Joe Hatefi (WI) pinned Thomas Lacy, 1:26
165: Laitton Roberts (WO( pinned Erick Garcia, 3:02
175: Greyson Hyland (WO) dec. Aiden Garcia, 9-7
190: Deryk Hannold (WI) pinned Paul Banff, 5:31
215: Walter Carter (WO) tech fall over Matthew Lahn, 18-2 (2:23)
285: Mateo Vinciguerra (WO) pinned Logan Kennedy, 1:06
106: Tristan Rosemeyer (WI) pinned Hunter Allen 1:34
113: Adam Froehlich (WI) pinned Luke Woronicak, 1:10
120: Carson Bradway (WO) tech fall over Freedom Neff, 17-0 (3:32)
126: Travis Balback (WO) pinned Joseph Lascala, 1:44
132: Jayden Hennessy (WI) maj. dec. Barry Coverly, 12-0
138: Jackson Slotnick (WI) pinned Louie Scholl, 0:44
144: Angel Hernandez (WO) maj. dec. Jack Masterson, 14-0
150: Brett Rowand (WO) pinned Rohan Jaswal, 0:44
WOODSTOWN 38, HAMMONTON 34
175: Greyson Hyland (WO) tech fall over Julius Witcher, 18-1 (4:59)
190: Paul Banff (WO) pinned Timothy Hignutt, 1:18
215: Walter Carter (WO) tech fall over Mark Hartley, 21-0 (5:34)
285: Mateo Vinciguerra (WO) pinned Angel Arvizu, 0:24
106: Tyler Police (H) maj. dec. Hunter Allen 11-2
113: Nathan Clauhs (H) dec. Luke Woronicak, 11-8
120: Shane Way (H) dec. Carson Bradway, 6-0
126: Barry Coverly (WO) maj. dec. Dylan Tollefson, 11-0
132: Travis Balback (WO) won by forfeit
138: Luca Giagunto (H) pinned Louie Scholl, 0:38
144: Wyatt Patterson (H) pinned Angel Hernandez, 0:40
150: Brett Rowand (WO) pinned Evan Allison, 1:27
157: Michael Maimone (H) pinned Thomas Lacy, 3:20
165: Vincent Palermo (H) pinned Laitton Roberts, 1:37
Pennsville Quad
PENNSVILLE – Brett Land, Connor Ayars and Trevor Waddington all went 3-0 and Gabe Supernavage and Travis Hagan went 2-0 as Pennsville won two of the three matches in its quad meet.
Ayars won by a tech fall, major decision and a pin. Waddington pinned two opponents and won a decision. Land had a tech fall, pin and a decision. Supernavage pinned both of his opponents and Hagan won by tech fall and pin.
PENNSVILLE 68, BURLINGTON CITY 6
120: Mehki Dicks (P) pinned Owen Williams, 4:50
126: Vincent Ciccantelli (P) won by forfeit
132: Christopher Daniels (P) dec. Aaron Woomer, 11-7
138: Nathaniel Mason (P) pinned Brandon Greenberg, 2:37
144: Gave Supernavage (P) pinned Calvin Barchue, 2:45
150: Travis Hagan (P) tech fall over Qaddeah Bright, 17-0 (2:00)
157: Xzavier Waters (B) won by forfeit
165: Juan Velasquez (P) dec. Owen Keefe, 12-5
175: Joseph Halstead (P) tech fall over Suleemon Watson, 15-0 (4:10)
190: Christian Blyler (P) won by forfeit
215: Connor Ayars (P) tech fall over Delkontee Lincoln, 15-0 (2:37)
285: Trevor Waddington (P) pinned Jaden Martinez, 2:45
106: Brett Land (P) tech fall over Gerard Cole, 19-4 (1:13)
113: Erick Davalos (P) won by forfeit
EGG HARBOR 43, PENNSVILLE 31
126: Anthony Pineda (EH) maj. dec. Christopher Daniels, 8-0
132: Marco Manzo (EH) dec. Nathaniel Mason, 9-6
138: Gave Supernavage (P) pinned Graham Schlemo, 3:04
144: Travis Hagan (P) pinned Lionel Lertara, 1:26
150: Tyler Schumacker (EH) won by forfeit
157: Joseph Henderson (EH) pinned Juan Velasquez, 3:00
165: Thomas Corcoran (EH) won by forfeit
175: Zia Ali (EH) pinned Christian Blyler, 0:44
190: Joseph Halstead (P) pinned Jacob Cicchino, 3:32
215: Connor Ayars (P) maj. dec. Marco Saavedra, 10-1
285: Trevor Waddington (P) pinned Kaiden Valera, 2:28
106: Brett Land (P) dec. Maruf Reza, 8-7
113: Jayson Garcia (EH) pinned Erick Davalos, 0:43
120: Alex Piskun (EH) pinned Mehki Dicks, 0:50
PENNSVILLE 63, St. JOE (HAMM.) 18
113: Brett Land (P) pinned Damien Spera, 2:15
120: Mehki Dicks (P) won by forfeit
126: Christopher Daniels (P) pinned Naheem Davis, 1:50
132: Nathaniel Mason (P) pinned Tiernan Tracy, 0:53
138: Dalton Ammon (P) won by forfeit
144: Mason Hollywood (SJ) won by forfeit
150: Paul Lacy (SJ) won by forfeit
157: Juan Velasquez (P) won by forfeit
165: Bobby Butkus (SJ) won by forfeit
175: Joseph Halstead (P) won by forfeit
190: Christian Blyler (P) won by forfeit
215: Connor Ayars (P) pinned Chris Morgan, 1:15
285: Trevor Waddington (P) dec. Cayden Banks, 4-0
106: John Sassi (P) won by forfeit
Riverview Sports News 