Here is the Salem County sports schedule for the week of March 23-30; events start at 4 p.m. unless noted; x-scrimmage
MARCH 23 COLLEGE SOFTBALL Salem CC at Delaware Tech, noon
MARCH 24 BASEBALL x-Highland at Schalick SOFTBALL x-Lindenwold at Penns Grove x-Lower Cape May at Salem x-Paulsboro at Pennsville TENNIS x-Gateway at Pennsville, 3:45 p.m. GOLF Woodstown vs. Highland, Town & Country GL, 3:45 p.m. BOYS LACROSSE x-Woodstown at St. Augustine MARCH 25 BASEBALL x-Woodstown at Cumberland SOFTBALL x-Cumberland at Woodstown TRACK x-Penns Grove, Salem at Bridgeton BOYS TENNIS x-Pennsville at Delsea, 3:45 p.m. GOLF Pennsville vs. Haddon Heights, Tavistock CC Wildwood vs. Salem Tech, Sakima CC, 3:45 p.m. Woodstown at Wild Oaks GC, 9 a.m. GIRLS LACROSSE x-Woodstown at Haddon Twp. COLLEGE SOFTBALL Raritan Valley CC at Salem CC, 3:30 p.m. MARCH 26 BASEBALL Penns Grove at Pitman GOLF Pennsville, Clayton vs. Salem Tech, Sakima CC, 3:30 p.m. Schalick girls vs. Delsea, The Birches, 3:30 p.m. Schalick boys vs. Woodstown, Centerton CC, 3:30 p.m. TRACK x-Camden Co. Tech at Pennsville BOYS VOLLEYBALL Cape May Tech at Salem Tech, 3:45 p.m. COLLEGE BASEBALL Mercer County CC at Salem CC, 3:30 p.m.
MARCH 27 BASEBALL x-Schalick at Collingswood SOFTBALL Pitman at Penns Grove x-Timber Creek at Schalick GOLF Pennsville vs. Woodstown, Town & Country GL, 3:45 p.m. Salem Tech vs. Gloucester Catholic, Westwood GC, 3:45 p.m. TENNIS x-Clearview at Woodstown, 3:45 p.m. x-Schalick at Triton
MARCH 28 BASEBALL Bridgeton at Penns Grove, 9:30 a.m. Penns Grove vs. Gateway at Westville LL, 2:30 p.m. x-GCIT at Woodstown x-Schalick at Timber Creek x-West Deptford at Pennsville GOLF Clearview vs. Schalick, Centerton CC Pennsville vs. Haddon Twp., Sakima CC BOYS TENNIS Schalick at Cumberland GIRLS LACROSSE x-Timber Creek at Woodstown BOYS LACROSSE Woodstown at Ocean City BOYS VOLLEYBALL Riverside at Salem Tech, 3:45 p.m. COLLEGE BASEBALL Salem CC at Montgomery County (Pa.) CC, 3:30 p.m. MARCH 29 BASEBALL Woodstown at Gateway, 10 a.m. Bridgeton at Penns Grove, 11 a.m. Penns Grove at Gateway, 2 p.m. COLLEGE BASEBALL Montgomery County (Pa.) CC at Salem CC (2), noon COLLEGE SOFTBALL Salem CC at CC of Morris, noon
MARCH 30 COLLEGE SOFTBALL Bucks County CC at Salem CC, noon
Rodriguez’ sac fly in 12th lifts Mighty Oaks past RCSJ-Cumberland for sweep of doubleheader, weekend series
SATURDAY REGION 19 BASEBALL Salem 10-4, RCSJ-Cumberland 3-3 Montgomery 7-16, Bergen 6-11 Brookdale 9-2, Middlesex 1-4 Mercer 5-4, Morris 3-2 Raritan Valley 6-12, Sussex 3-2 Lackawanna 11-11, Delaware Tech 3-6 Northampton 23-22, Delaware Co. 1-7 Ocean 18-7, Union 5-5
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
CARNEYS POINT – Yen Rodriguez had two very good and very personal reasons for ending the marathon that became the nightcap of Salem CC’s doubleheader with RCSJ-Cumberland when he came to the plate in the 12th inning Saturday.
The switch-hitting sophomore shortstop lofted a sacrifice fly into center field that sent Tim Bowlby home with the winning run to give the Mighty Oaks a 4-3 win that swept the scheduled seven-inning doubleheader and the weekend series. They won the opener 10-3 that had an equally interesting storyline.
“It’s funny because before that at-bat I was like I don’t want to go through the lineup again,” Rodriguez said. “I’m hungry. I really want to go home. Righty is my dominant sense, a lefty was on the bump, so I knew I had to do the job.
“He threw me two good pitches. The one low I got a hold of it. It was very good, up the middle. (The centerfielder) got it and all I thought was please score, please score, please score. I was hungry. I was tired. I couldn’t do it again.”
Bowlby, who entered the game in the ninth as a pinch-runner and stayed, got the winning rally started by drawing a leadoff walk. He raced all the way to third when the throw on Jason LeBold’s sacrifice got loose. LeBold stole second just to give the Dukes something to think about and Rodriguez followed with his walkout sac fly..
The Mighty Oaks (10-13), now 3-0 since coming back from their Florida trip, had plenty of chance to win it earlier in the extra innings, but could never deliver the decisive hit.
They had the winning run at third with one out in the eighth and ninth innings, the winning run at second with one out and third with two in the tenth, and at third with no outs in the 11th (after tying the game) and went a combined 0-for-9 with six strikeouts.
“We had a lot of opportunities to end it; it’s frustrating,” Mighty Oaks coach John Holt said. “We’re doing some of the things a little better simpler. We try to preach ‘do simple better’ and some of the simple things we didn’t get done today made us go that longer. That’s baseball.”
Things looked dire for the Mighty Oaks after Cumberland scored twice in the top of the 11th to take a 3-1 lead. But Demetrius DeRamus gave them life when he re-tied it with a two-run moonshot homer inside the left field foul pole. He had been 0-for-5 in the game before the blast.
“I was just trying to be patient, trying to stay relaxed as much as possible,” the sophomore centerfield said. “There was a lot of noise going on, so I was just trying to relax. Do simple. I soon as I hit it … I knew it was gone.”
Matt Murphy kept the line moving with a walk and raced all the way to third when Angel Velez beat out a sacrifice bunt and nobody covered the bag. But each of the next three batters struck out to kill the threat.
Jared Vanderstuer came out after pitching seven innings for the first time in his career and holding the Dukes to one run. Alex Newman kept the Dukes off the board until the 11th – working out of jams in the ninth and tenth – and Tyler Hacker pitched the 12th without incident and got the win.
Until the drama of the nightcap, the story of the day was going to be how Seth McCormick came on in emergency relief in the opener and carried a no-hitter into the fifth inning.
As a reliever you learn to be ready at a moment’s notice, but nobody could’ve planned for the way he entered the game.
Normally, the reliever has an idea when he’s going to pitch, and normally he gets a chance to warmup in the bullpen before getting summoned into the game. McCormick knew he was going to be the first reliever behind starter J.D. Wilson, but likely in the third or fourth inning.
He went in at the fifth batter after Wilson tweaked a hamstring pushing off the rubber on his second pitch of the second inning.
“Honestly, that’s probably the first time that’s ever happened in my life,” McCormick said. “And then it’s like, take your time, don’t hurt your arm and make sure you’re ready to go. Being a reliever you’ve gotta be ready when you’re needed.”
McCormick was doing his usual bands in the bullpen when he got the call. It took him fewer than 20 pitches to get warm. He finished out the walk to his first batter, but he also carried the no-hitter Wilson started into the fifth inning when Chase Montgomery broke it up with a bloop double to shallow rightfield.
The fifth was his toughest inning. He gave up two runs on two hits and three walks. It drew the Dukes within 4-3, but Mighty Oaks got the runs back in the bottom of the inning when two scored on an infield error.
McCormick gave up three hits total, but only one that was considered solid. He struck out two, got 12 groundball outs, picked off a runner and his infield turned two double plays.
“First batter, I knew I was gonna walk him just by the fact it was 2-0, but once I got that first walk out of the way it right back to the zone and hope for a double play,” he said. “The fifth inning I got a little rattled had to dial it back in.
“I felt I had to change my mechanics for some reason, just getting in my head about it. The sixth inning I had to take a break, went back out and started shoving again.”
His day got even more eventful in the nightcap when he came in to catch in the third inning after Chris Laute took a pitch in the dirt directly off his knee. He entered the game after Holt tried to hit Joe Fekete in Laute’s spot but couldn’t because the player wasn’t on the scorecard and then sent Ben Charbonneau in to hit.
McCormick caught until the eighth inning when Angel Velez replaced him during the pitching change that brought Newman into the game.
ACORNS: The 19 innings of baseball took 6 hours, 10 minutes to play. The nightcap took 3:40 … DeRamus (three hits) and Hacker (two hits) both had three RBIs in the opener … Vanderstuer has a unique way of fielding comebackers to the mound. He takes them himself to first base. Did it three times Saturday. “I mainly do it as sort of a mind game against the other team,” he said. “By racing them to the bag when I know I can beat them there it is just another way to try to get in the other team’s head.”
RCSJ-Cumberland
010 020 0-
3
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Salem CC
103 024 x-
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WP: Seth McCormick. LP: Austin Wocock.
RCSJ-Cumberland
000 100 000 020-
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Salem CC
010 000 000 021-
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7
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WP: Tyler Hacker. LP: Ryan Beebe. HR: Demetrius DeRamus (S)
Freshman pitcher Wilson takes big step forward in Mighty Oaks’ softball split with Brookdale; baseball routs RCSJ-Cumberland on road
REGION 19 SOFTBALL Brookdale 10-3, Salem 5-4 Middlesex 9-9, Finger Lakes 7-1
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
PENNSVILLE – Raegan Wilson blossomed as a pitcher on the first full day of spring.
When she was in high school, which is where she only started to pitch, she never found herself in a tight situation in the circle because she didn’t play on a team that played in many of them. The first time she faced it in college on Salem Community College’s trip to the Carolinas, it went sideways.
But Friday she was in a tight game again – against the No. 6 team in JUCO Division III – and this time she pitched her way out of it – twice – to preserve the Mighty Oaks’ 4-3 win over Brookdale for a split of their doubleheader.
The game was a lot closer than Brookdale’s 10-5 win in the opener, and Wilson’s ability to work out of trouble was a big reason for it.
She gave up 13 hits in going the distance against the Jersey Blues (12-4), but put up zeroes in each of the last five innings, pitching out of jams in the fifth and sixth innings to give the Mighty Oaks (7-3) a chance.
The Blues had runners at second and third with one out in the fifth inning of a 3-3 game and had the tying run at second with one out in sixth inning, but Wilson squashed the threat both times by getting a pair of fly balls to Lilly Peverelle, who covers ground in centerfield like Johan Rojas .
“I definitely think I have grown from that,” Wilson said. “I was very stressed. That was stressful with a close score, but I trusted myself and I trusted my defense with me, and we got it done.
“This is definitely the first time I felt like it was so close and it really did matter for us to win. High school it wasn’t like that. I was nervous, I was scared, but I think I hit my spots. I did very good at coming back.”
The key to a pitcher surviving such jams is hitting their spots and that’s what coach Angel Rodriguez said Wilson did better with in this one.
“One thing about Raegan is she stays calm,” Rodriguez said. “You can tell it doesn’t bother her. She doesn’t let the noise get to her and she just goes out there and throws. I think right now our defense reads that from her, they see her just kind of going out there and getting the next pitch, and they’re making plays behind her, too.”
After Wilson doused the flames in the fifth, the Mighty Oaks took a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the inning when Bella Rappa raced home from third on Tessa Wise’ one-out grounder to short. The Blues traded the run for an out, but never got the run back.
The first game looked like it was going to be a score fest. Playing their first game since the end of their rain-shortened Carolinas trip March 12, the Mighty Oaks answered Brookdale’s four-run first with five in the bottom of the inning but they never scored again the rest of the game while the Jersey Blues continued adding on.
Callie Rozak hit a three-run homer in the first inning. She was robbed of a two-run shot at the wall in the fourth inning of the nightcap right after the Mighty Oaks had just tied the game.
Shortstop Ella Hayes, the nation’s leading hitter, was held hitless for the first time this season in the opener, but was credited in the dugout with two hits in the nightcap and now has 98 for her Salem CC career.
“It’s been a while,” Rodriguez said. “Having a week with no competition we were eager to go. I think we were a little too hungry at times kind of just being a little undisciplined, but they found a way to get the split and that was good.”
REGION 19 BASEBALL Salem 16, RCSJ-Cumberland 3 Lackawanna 15, Delaware Tech 8 Mercer 6, Morris 2 Brookdale 14, Middlesex 4 Northampton 21, Delaware County 9 Sussex 17, Raritan Valley 7 Ocean at Union Montgomery 21, Bergen 13
VINELAND – Matt Murphy snapped an 0-for-12 slump with his second homer of the year to tie the game and the engine of Salem’s lineup combined for 11 hits and 12 RBIs as the Mighty Oaks routed RCSJ-Cumberland 16-3 in its first game back from Florida to snap a four-game losing streak.
Murphy’s two-run homer in the fifth inning tied the game 3-3. The Mighty Oaks took the lead for good later in the inning when Angel Velez scored on an infield error.
The Mighty Oaks (8-13) broke it open with eight in the sixth. They sent 11 batters to the plate in the inning with the first eight all reaching safely. Velez, Yen Rodriguez and Jared Vandersteur all had two-run singles in the inning.
Spots 2 through 6 in the lineup – Rodriguez, Demetrius DeRamus, Murphy, Velez and Tyler Hacker – were a combined 11-for-21 with 12 runs scored and 12 RBIs. Velez went 3-for-5 with four RBIs, Murphy and Hacker each drove in three runs and DeRamus had three hits. Rodriguez was 2-for-2 and walked four times.
Jon Gambone pitched the first seven innings to get his second win of the season. He retired 15 of the last 18 Dukes he faced. Pat Seitzinger came behind him and faced the minimum in two innings of no-hit relief.
The teams play a doubleheader Saturday at the Carneys Point Rec Complex starting at noon.
Salem CC (8-13)
100 038 004-
16
13
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RCSJ-Cumberland (9-9)
021 000 000-
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9
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WP: Jon Gambone (2-3). LP: Kyle Kennedy (1-1). HR: Matt Murphy (S), Brinden Floyd (C).
Assistant coach Leamy approved by board to become Schalick’s new head football coach; choice applauded by players
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
PITTSGROVE – Schalick has found its new head football coach – and he was already in the house.
Kevin Leamy, an assistant coach with big-picture focus already teaching in the district, was approved Thursday night to become the Cougars’ next coach in a board meeting at the high school.
“I am super excited, but also humbled, that they decided to go with me,” said Leamy, who attended the meeting. “There were a lot of qualified people who applied for the position who have a lot of wins in high school football so being someone who has no high school head coach experience it was something that was humbling, but I believe I sold my vision on what the program should be, is going to be, and they believed in me, so I’m excited to get started and see where it goes.”
He succeeds Mike Wilson, who is leaving at the end of the school year to become the head coach at Clearview. Wilson guided the Cougars for five years, taking them from a program that didn’t win a game his first season to playing for Group I sectional championships each of the last two years.
Leamy, 38, a special education teacher in the district, was an integral part of that staff. He coached various positions on both sides of the ball in his three years with Wilson, most recently as offensive line coach.
“He was a big help with some of the big picture stuff and you need that to run the program properly,” Wilson said. “It was very helpful to have him on the staff. As a head football coach you’re worrying about all that CEO stuff, so it’s nice to have a guy to help you out with the football stuff.
“He made some good adjustments, some really good calls. He was definitely an asset.”
The fact he was already in district, is raising his family in the district and is familiar with the players he inherits checked a big box for Schalick athletics director Doug Volovar, who recommended Leamy after interviews with six finalists that included some current and former South Jersey head coaches.
“He has been a very solid staff member as a coach for the last three years,” Volovar said. “I think he has the depth of knowledge and understand of the game, a very good rapport with the kids he currently coaches and I think he was a good decision with regard what we looking for – somebody who’s a pillar of the community, is vested in the school district and somebody who really cares what’s right for the kids.
“He fits all the bills for it.”
A group of about a dozen players sat in on the board meeting wearing their Schalick jerseys in a show of support for their new coach. Assistant coach Henry Papiano addressed the board during public comments and touted Leamy’s football knowledge and connectivity with the players that he called “second to none.”
“I really like it,” rising senior kicker Hunter Dragotta said. “Everyone knows him, he knows everybody. All the kids love him. When he was at practice he interacted with everybody. We’re all super excited. Everyone wanted it to be him. We were all praying and hoping it would be him.”
Leamy is the fourth new head football coach hired in Salem County within the past year. Pennsville’s Mike Healy is now the longest active head football coach at a county school.
Leamy played his high school football at Gateway and collegiately at Wesleyan University. He previously held coaching assignments at Gateway and Clearview. His background also includes spending a year and a half interning with the New York Jets game operations.
In his three years on the Schalick staff, the Cougars have gone 26-8 – 7-3, 11-1, 8-4 – won back-to-back WJFL Horizon Division crowns and played for Central Jersey and South Jersey Group I championships
“I like the idea there’s been a lot of success over last couple years and he’s been a part of it,” Volovar said. “There’s continuity and we have a group of kids (who) like him, they respect him and think he’s a very good football coach.
“Quite frankly, there were great candidates who applied for the job. Something that made sense was the idea he’s here for the long haul and to me that says lot about who he is and his character and that’s what I look for in a coach – somebody who has loyalty, somebody who thinks about our school and district first and is prepared to propel our program to higher level than it already is.”
Leamy’s vision for the program is to sustain the success provided by the “fantastic foundation” laid out by his predecessor. With so many of his players involved in spring sports – a situation he favors, by the way – he said he plans to hold a mini-camp for his team right after the Meet of Champions track championship and get started on meeting some ambitious goals.
“I have two goals and they’re big goals,” he said. “I want to beat Woodstown and Glassboro. That’s my goal.
“Since I’ve been here we’ve had a lot of success but we haven’t had any success against those two teams (the Cougars are 0-17 combined since 2014 and beaten each only once since 2010), and if you want to be what people talk about when they talk about Group I football you’ve got to start beating those teams. So, I think that’s the goal, to get over that hurdle and start beating those elite teams and then keep doing it every year.”
Leamy makes his head coaching debut at home in a Week Zero game against Somerville that originally had been a matchup for the Battle At The Beach. The Pioneers went 12-1 last season and lost to Mainland in the Group 3 state semifinals.
“I love starting the season off with that challenge, especially with the way that powr points and the index is set up,” he said. “Even if you lose that game you’re still going to be in a phenomenal position going forward.”
Cougars heading to Cooperstown
In other athletics related action, the board approved the Schalick baseball team’s two-day trip to Cooperstown, N.Y., to visit the Baseball Hall of Fame and play Bridgeton in a May 12 game at Doubleday Field. It also approved the appointment of Robert Morris as a volunteer golf coach.
“The Cooperstown trip will be a unique opportunity for our players to learn more about the history of the game they play along with creating memories of playing on Doubleday Field,” Cougars baseball coach Sean O’Brien said. “It’s an experience not many players get to have and will create memories with their teammates.
“I have done this trip a couple times before when I coached at Salem and the former players still talk about their memories of playing at Cooperstown.”
Top photo: Kevin Leamy addresses the school board Thursday after being approved as Schalick’s new head football coach.
Assistant Kevin Leamy is on the agenda for board approval as Schalick’s next head football coach
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
PITTSGROVE – Schalick is a day away from naming its next head football coach.
Kevin Leamy, an assistant with big-picture focus already teaching in the district, is on the agenda to come before the board Thursday night and pending its approval will be the Cougars’ next football coach.
If approved, he will succeed Mike Wilson, who is leaving at the end of the school year to become the head coach at Clearview. Wilson guided the Cougars for five years, taking them from a program that didn’t win a game his first season to playing for a Group I sectional championship each of the last two years.
When approved, he will be the fourth new head football coach hired in Salem County within the past year. Pennsville’s Mike Healy is now the longest active head football coach at a county school.
Leamy, a special education teacher in the district, was an integral part of the Cougars’ staff. He coached various positions in his three years as an assistant, most recently as offensive line coach.
“He was a big help with some of the big picture stuff and you need that to run the program properly,” Wilson said. “It was very helpful to have him on the staff. As a head football coach you’re worrying about all that CEO stuff, so it’s nice to have a guy to help you out with the football stuff.
“He made some good adjustments, some really good calls. He was definitely an asset.”
Leamy played his high school football at Gateway and collegiately at Wesleyan University. He previously had coaching assignments at Gateway and Clearview. His background also includes spending a year and a half interning with the New York Jets game operations.
He declined comment Wednesday night.
On the cover: Schalick assistant Kevin Leamy (R), the Cougars’ recommendation for their next head football coach, stands with linebacker Riley Papiano after a game last season.
Here is the Salem County sports schedule for the week of March 17-23; events at 4 p.m. unless noted; x-scrimmage
MARCH 17 BASEBALL x-Williamstown at Pennsville SOFTBALL x-Pennsville at Williamstown
MARCH 18 BASEBALL x-Salem at Maple Shade SOFTBALL x-Pennsville at Cedar Creek x-Salem at Maple Shade TENNIS x-Palmyra at Woodstown COLLEGE SOFTBALL Bergen CC at Salem CC (2), 3:30 p.m.
MARCH 19 BASEBALL x-Pennsville at Holy Spirit x-Salem at ACIT SOFTBALL x-New Egypt at Pennsville x-Penns Grove at Paulsboro TENNIS x-Pennsville at Middle Twp. x-Schalick at Millville
MARCH 20 BASEBALL x-Pennsville at Riverside TENNIS x-Pennsville at West Deptford BOYS LACROSSE x-Woodstown at Delran GOLF Woodstown vs. Ocean City, Greate Bay GC COLLEGE SOFTBALL Brookdale CC at Salem CC, 3:30 p.m. MARCH 21 BASEBALL x-Gloucester City at Schalick x-LEAP at Penns Grove x-Woodstown at Deptford SOFTBALL x-Bridgeton at Salem x-Schalick at Gloucester City x-Woodstown at Deptford COLLEGE BASEBALL Salem CC at RCSJ-Cumberland, 3:30 p.m.
MARCH 22 BASEBALL x-Bridgeton at Salem, 11 a.m. SOFTBALL x-Gateway at Woodstown, 10 a.m. GIRLS LACROSSE x-Woodstown at Mainland, 10 a.m. BOYS LACROSSE x-Camden Catholic at Woodstown, 10 a.m. TRACK Woodstown at Upper Darby Relays COLLEGE BASEBALL RCSJ-Cumberland at Salem CC (2), noon
MARCH 23 COLLEGE SOFTBALL Salem CC at Delaware Tech (2), noon
Mighty Oaks close historic season with 77-75 win over Sandhills for fifth place in JUCO Division III national tournament; Taylor named all-tournament
JUCO DIVISION III CHAMPIONSHIP At Herkimer, N.Y. Fifth-place game (10) Salem CC 77, (4) Sandhills CC 75 Third-place game (9) Dallas Richland 86, (3) Minnesota State 69 Championship game (2) Mohawk Valley 58, (5) Herkimer 51
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
HERKIMER, N.Y. – The final game of an historic year went down to the wire and the Salem CC prevailed, bringing a joyous end to the winningest season in the history of the men’s basketball program.
TAYLOR
A.J. Jones hit a free throw with 9.9 seconds left to give them a two-point lead and the Mighty Oaks survived two potential game-tying shots at the basket to get past Sandhills (N.C.) CC 77-75 Saturday to claim fifth place in the NJCAA Division III national tournament.
The tenth-seeded Mighty Oaks (26-8) knocked off the seventh, sixth and, finally, fourth seeds in their first-ever national tournament appearance.
“At the end of the year there are only a couple of teams that leave a winner,” Mighty Oaks coach Mike Green said. “We had an opportunity to leave a winner, so we won out. Everybody here who is leaving, they won their last junior college game, so that’s good. That feels really good.”
“Top five in the country. We can say that now,” sophomore guard Akeem Taylor said. “This is definitely a big win. I feel like every win we had in this tournament was a big win because every game was history for the school and I feel like they’ll always remember this because it’s the start of a new culture here at Salem.”
Taylor was named to the all-tournament team after scoring 21 points, grabbing a career-high 15 rebounds and dealing six assists against the Flyers (28-8), who also were in their first-ever national tournament appearance. In the four tournament games, the 6-4 sophomore guard from Chester had 78 points, 37 rebounds and 17 assists.
Because of some caveat of not playing in 80 percent of the Mighty Oaks’ games – he became eligible in January and played 80 percent of the games he was eligible – Taylor wasn’t even considered for the All-Region 19 team. But he was named MVP of the Region 19/North Atlantic District B Tournament and made the national tournament all-star team.
“Before the game we thought I already had it locked in, but they said it was questionable,” Taylor said. “Before the game my goal was to dominate and I feel like I did well today.”
While Taylor was the only Salem player to make the all-tournament team, Tamir Powell and Jyheim Spencer also had big games in what likely will be their final games in a Salem uniform. Powell had 20 points – 19 in the second half – while Spencer had 12 points, 21 rebounds and three blocked shots. The single-game tournament record for rebounds is 28.
“It was the last game of JUCO and I was trying to set the tone for the team for next year,” Spencer said.
The Mighty Oaks scored their biggest win in school history with their typical second-half surge and despite another tough game from behind the arc. They were 8-for-34 from 3-point range in the game, but at one point were only 2-for-20. They were just 1-of-17 in the first half. Had they just hit at their season clip they would have been leading by double digits instead of being down by three at halftime and sweating it out down the stretch.
Green refused to blame the shooting struggles on tired legs from playing four grueling games in four days.
“We’re not making any excuses, we just missed shots,” he said. “But our guys hit them when they mattered the most. Teams look at our percentage and try to zone us, but I know better. Those guys can shoot the ball. It’s just about taking the right shots.”
The Mighty Oaks were 4-for-26 from behind the arc with less than five minutes to play and trailed by four. Then all of a sudden they found the range.
Josh Ramos, 0-for-5 at the time in the game and 4-for-20 in the tournament, hit back-to-back 3s to draw them within one and then tie the game 62-62 with 3:26 to go. Powell hit one and then Ramos hit another from the left corner with 54.9 seconds left to cap an 8-0 rally that put Salem up for good 72-69.
“We were definitely tired coming up, we didn’t have any legs,” Ramos said. “But at halftime they told us to lock in, there are bigger things to worry about, things to finish the game, then – boom – we came out and shot the thing.
“I knew if it came to me I was ready for it. I wanted it to come to me and when it came to me I let it fly.”
Right after Ramos’ go-ahead 3, the Mighty Oaks forced Sandhills into a turnover, but the Flyers got it right back when Taylor couldn’t get the ball inbounds. Although it looked bad at the time, Taylor accepted it hoping to get a stop on the ensuing play instead of throwing it away.
That’s what happened. Taylor blocked Sandhills Damien Robinson from behind and grabbed the rebound, but the officials called him for a flagrant foul after checking the monitor. Zack Noel made one of the two free throws to make it 72-70 and this time on the inbounds play Taylor threw a baseball pass to Spencer, who finished it off with a resounding dunk.
“I saw the way they were guarding (the inbounds), so I saw it from the start,” Taylor said. “Once (Spencer) went, I threw it. I was scared to throw it; that was probably one of the first times I was that nervous. But I threw it and when I saw him catch it I knew it was dunk.”
“I wanted to make a statement,” Spencer said.
It still wasn’t over. Kendall Smith hit three free throws with 12.8 seconds left to make it 76-75. Spencer briefly lost the handle on the inbounds play, but got it to Jones, who was immediately fouled by Smith at 9.9. Jones made the second of his two free throws to make it a two-point game.
Green declined to outline the final defensive sequence, but the Mighty Oaks certainly didn’t want to lose the game on a 3. They chased the Flyers off the 3-point line to make them take a tough mid-range jumper and succeeded. Isaiah Upchurch, 1-of-9 from the floor at the time, took the initial shot from just inside the arc, launching it with 2.8 seconds left.
The ball caromed off the back iron and Robinson flew in over Spencer shoulder for a tip, but the flying Flyer got blocked by the rim with sixth-tenths of a second left and Spencer swatted the rebound back as the horn sounded.
“I was just hoping for us not to foul,” Powell said. “I wasn’t worrying about their shot going in. I knew we would stay inside them – we were playing good defense – I just hoped we didn’t foul. As long as we didn’t foul I knew we were good and they missed the shot like I thought so.”
The Mighty Oaks checked a lot of boxes this season. They had their winningest season in school history. They made their first region tournament appearance since 2022. They won their first district title to make their first national tournament appearance. They picked up their first national tournament win. They also had the district MVP, region/district Coach of the Year and an all-tournament pick at the nationals.
“Amazing year, amazing, big-time year,” Green said. “The guys came together and made it happen. I think we have a pretty good team coming in next year, but this is uncharted territory. It’ll be a disservice to the kids who come in next year to try to do the same thing. That was amazing.”
ACORNS: The Mighty Oaks were 31.5-percent 3-point shooters entering the tournament, but were just 26-for-104 (.250) in their four games here … They were down two players as Tyrese Fortune (wrist) and Stefan Phillips (broken nose) were out with injuries … A.J. Jones started in Fortune’s spot. It was his third start of the year and first since Feb. 6. He played 26 minutes, giving the Mighty Oaks three points, four rebounds, three assists … The Mighty Oaks finished the season 14th in scoring (84.4) and 21st in scoring defense (72.1) … If they played enough games to qualify Taylor would finish 18th in Division III in scoring and Spencer would finish second in rebounding … Team officials are hoping to have a signing ceremony for the Mighty Oaks moving on to the next level later this spring. So far, only Rodney Shelton has committed (Harris-Stowe).
SALEM CC 77, SANDHILLS CC 75 SALEM CC (26-8) – Tamir Powell 5-16 7-8 20, A.J. Jones 0-5 3-5 3, Xavier Brewington 2-7 0-0 4, Akeem Taylor 8-18 4-4 21, Jyheim Spencer 4-6 4-6 12, Dontarius Jones 2-4 0-0 5, Tivon Woolford 0-4 0-0 0, Josh Ramos 3-11 0-0 9, Rodney Shelton 0-0 0-0 0, Tajee Jordan 1-1 1-2 3. Totals 25-72 19-25 77. SANDHILLS CC (28-8) – Kevin Gentry 2-5 0-0 4, Mike Fee 2-4 0-0 4, Isaiah Upchurch 1-10 4-6 6, Damien Robinson 8-18 4-4 21, Zack Noel 2-9 2-4 6, Kendall Smith 1-6 6-9 8, Mylon Campbell 5-13 1-2 11, Jacob Grantham 0-0 0-0 0, Nylikk Throutman 6-10 0-1 13, Amarie Liburn 0-3 0-0 0, Xavion White 0–1 2-2 2. Total 27-79 19-28 75.
Salem
27
50-
77
Sandhills
30
45-
75
3-point goals: Salem 8-34 (Powell 3-10, A. Jones 0-2, Brewington 0-4, Taylor 1-3, D. Jones 1-2, Woolford 0-3, Ramos 3-10); Sandhills 2-3 (Upchurch 0-2, Robinson 1-1, Troutman 1-1). Rebounds: Salem 54 (Spencer 21, Taylor 15); Sandhills 50 (Noel 15, Robinson 7). Technical fouls: Salem coach Green. Total fouls: Salem 21, Sandhills 17. Officials: Tim Seil, Dan Viscariello, Ryan Schupp.
The Mighty Oaks go out to defend Isaiah Upchurch’s potential game-tying jumper in the closing seconds of their game Saturday. The shot was long and the Flyers’ last-second putback was turned back at the rim.
Salem CC wins a pair of games to even record on Florida swing, son of former major-leaguer pitches final inning of nightcap
By Riverview Sports News
AUBURNDALE, Fla. – Salem CC baseball coach John Holt had been waiting to hand Fernando Rodney Jr. the ball for more than a year. He got the chance Friday.
Rodney, the son of the former MLB All-Star pitcher, was coming off an injury and finally made his Salem debut in the fifth inning of the Mighty Oaks’ 14-3 rout of Oakton in their second game of the day.
His dad, who played for 11 major-league teams and was known for the crooked way he wore his cap, spoke to the team before they beat North Dakota State College of Science 11-1 in their first game of the day.
Rodney, a right-hander just like his dad, came in behind starter Pat Seitzinger with the Mighty Oaks safely ahead of Oakton 14-1 after four innings. It was his job to close out the run-rule victory.
He didn’t give up a hit, but walked the bases loaded and was charged with two unearned runs that scored on a two-out error. He struck out one. He faced seven batters and threw 31 pitches, consistently hitting between 77 and 82 mph.
Yen Rodriguez highlighted the NDSCS game with a grand slam in the fourth inning off a 68-mph changeup. Chris Kelly had two hits and two RBIs and Tim Bowlby drove in a pair of runs. Seth McCormick pitched all five innings, giving up five hits, a run and striking out six.
Matt Murphy led the hit parade in the Oakton game, going 3-for-4 with four RBIs. He had two doubles and all four of his RBIs in a 10-run first inning that decided the game.
Bowlby went 2-for-2 with two RBIs; Cole Dawson, Demetrius DeRamus and Kelly all had two hits; and Lee Rodriguez drove in two runs.
The Mighty Oaks are now 4-4 on the Florida swing after winning their last four games.
‘Get Back Gang’ lives to play another day; Powell rediscovers shot, helps Salem CC take down Union 72-65 to lay claim as Region 19 champion, reach JUCO Division III fifth-place game
JUCO DIVISION III TOURNAMENT At Herkimer (N.Y.) College Friday’s Games Consolation Bracket Sandhills 78, Dutchess 77 Salem CC 72, Union 65 Championship Semifinals Herkimer 72, Dallas Richland 59 Mohawk Valley 92, Minnesota State-Fergus Falls 90 Saturday’s Games Fifth-place game (10) Salem vs. (4) Sandhills, noon Third-place game (9) Dallas Richland vs. (3) Minnesota State, 2 p.m. Championship Game (5) Herkimer vs. (2) Mohawk Valley, 5 p.m.
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
HERKIMER, N.Y. — The Salem CC basketball team responded to coach Mike Green’s challenge after a dreadful Elite 8 game the day before, Tamir Powell found his shot and the Mighty Oaks lived to play the final day of the JUCO Division III national tournament by taking out Region 19 rival Union Friday, 72-65.
The Mighty Oaks (25-8) will now play Sandhills (N.C.) CC for fifth place Saturday at noon. It’ll be their fourth game in four days.
The win avenged a 10-point regular-season loss to the Owls and had the Mighty Oaks claiming the Region 19 championship since the teams didn’t meet after winning their respective Region 19/North Atlantic District tournament brackets at Northampton.
They’ve now won four games against teams that beat them earlier in the season (Camden, Philadelphia, Montgomery County and Union) — the last three in the playoffs — earning the nickname “The Getback Gang.”
The Mighty Oaks played so much better in so many areas Friday than they did in the Elite 8 game. Playing with the heart and energy that was missing against Mohawk Valley, they outrebounded the bigger Owls, moved the ball around better (15 assists), created turnovers and made shots. If they were sharper from 3-point range they would have won by a wider margin.
“We challenged them and they answered the bell,” Green said. “I feel like we laid down yesterday. Mohawk Valley is a really good team, but I don’t think they’re 20 points better than us. I think we laid down and we just challenged them. I let them know they’ve got to respond and I think they responded today.”
The game followed the early script of the regular-season game between the teams with Salem again opening an early lead. Only this time they kept it up and never lost the lead after Jyheim Spencer put them up 23-22 with 5:14 left in the first half.
They got the biggest boost from Powell. The freshman from Philadelphia has struggled mightily in the national tournament with his shot. He was just 1-for-13 against Mohawk Valley and 2-for-26 through the first five halves of the tournament. His two makes were a goaltending basket Thursday and a layup in the first half Friday. He was 0-for-11 from 3 after hitting at a 36 percent during the season.
But he kept playing big minutes – he got 27 Friday – because he continued to guard and do the things that don’t necessarily show up in the box score.
His shot came around in the second half against the Owls. He opened Salem’s scoring in the half with back-to-back 3-pointers after Union tied the game at 32, giving the Mighty Oaks the cushion they maintained the rest of the game. The Owls brought it back to within four later in the half, then Powell stretched the lead back out with a conventional three-point play.
He finished with a team-high 17 points, 14 in the second half. He was 4-for-12 from the field in the half (5-of-19 for the game), but hit three from behind the arc.
“That game yesterday hurt him and I knew he was going to respond,” Green said. “He’s a Philly kid; he’s tough. He still didn’t have a great shooting night, but he hit the ones when we went on our run.”
Powell had been shooting it so bad up here he really wanted to feel like finding some corner to crawl into and disappear, but the shooter in him told him to keep firing.
He’d gone through shooting slumps before in high school and travel ball and he’s always snapped out of it. With the help of his teammates, particularly guard A.J. Jones, and family back home offering encouragement, he knew he would again.
“I feel like all I had to see was one go in to get me rolling and I feel like that’s what happened,” a ‘very relieved’ Powell said. “I knew the shots were going to come, that’s why I didn’t stop shooting; 1-for-20, 1-for-13, just keep shooting. I know my teammates and my coaches they want me to shoot it, they’ve got my back, I’m going to let it go.”
The Owls scored the first two baskets of the second half to tie the game. Powell squared up in the right corner and answered with his first 3 since the district championship game March 1. He got it the next trip down the floor and did it again. Akeem Taylor capped the flurry with a three-point play.
“What went through my mind at that instant is it’s on, we’re really not losing this game,” Powell said. “I don’t know what it is about the second half with us, we just come out on fire. I think it’s our halftime talk.”
Taylor continued to be the Mighty Oaks most valuable player and with a reasonable final game for the Saturday will likely land a spot on the all-tournament team. He had 16 points and nine rebounds Friday. Xavier Brewington had 10 points after going scoreless against Mohawk Valley. Spencer had six points and 11 rebounds.
ACORNS: By the time the Mighty Oaks wrap up the tournament, they will have played teams from six different states this season (seven counting scrimmages) … Freshman center Stefan Phillips suffered a broken nose after taking an elbow to the face late in the second half. He is doubtful for the final game of the season … Tyrese Fortune has also struggled with his shot this tournament (1-for-15), but he’s been plagued by a right wrist injury he sustained in the team’s final on-campus practice … Dutchess CC, the No. 1 seed in the tournament who bowed out in two games, is interested playing the Mighty Oaks next season … The championship game will be a neighborhood rivalry between Herkimer and Mohawk Valley. The schools are 15 miles apart.
SALEM CC 72, UNION 65 SALEM CC (25-8): Tamir Powell 5-19 4-7 17, Tyrese Fortune 1-6 3-5 5, Xavier Brewington 3-11 2-2 10, Akeem Taylor 6-14 4-5 16, Jyheim Spencer 3-5 0-1 6, Dontarius Jones 2-3 0-0 5, A.J. Jones 1-3 4-6 6, Tivon Woolford 0-0 0-0 0, Josh Ramos 1-3 0-0 3, Rodney Shelton 1-2 0-0 2, Tajee Jordan 0-0 0-0 0, Stefan Phillips 1-1 0-0 2. Totals 24-67 17-26 72. UNION (24-6): David McKnight 5-10 2-2 14, Nicolas Acosta 1-4 0-0 2, Joseph Gargiulo 4-9 1-4 9, Kanye Brown 0-0 0-0 0, Jeremiah Saint Jean 1-2 0-0 2, Jayden Bates 4-11 0-0 8, Devin Geiger 6-14 10-10 22, Craig West 1-3 0-1 3, Amaad Kennedy 2-2 1-1 5. Totals 24-55 14-18 65.
Salem
32
40-
72
Union
28
37-
65
3-point goals: Salem 7-30 (Powell 3-11, Fortune 0-4, Brewington 2-5, Taylor 0-3, Spencer 0-1, D. Jones 1-2, A. Jones 0-1, Ramos 1-3); Union 3-7 (McKnight 2-3, Gargiulo 0-2, West 1-2). Rebounds: Salem 43 (Spencer 11, Taylor 9); Union 39 (Geiger 9). Fouled out: Acosta, Bates. Total fouls: Salem 19, Union 23.
Tamir Powell (C) draws extra attention from Union defenders after hitting several big shots for Salem CC in the second half.
‘Everything that could go wrong did’ for Mighty Oaks in Elite 8 loss to Mohawk Valley; play region rival Union in consolation bracket Friday at 2 p.m.
JUCO DIVISION III TOURNAMENT Thursday’s Games Consolation Bracket (8) Northern Essex 107, (12) Dallas Mountain View 99 (7) Riverland 74, (11) Genesee 70 Championship Bracket (9) Dallas-Richland 67, (1) Dutchess 60 (5) Herkimer 75, (4) Sandhills 72 (2) Mohawk Valley 71, (10) Salem CC 49 (3) Minnesota State-Fergus Falls 78, (6) Union 58 Friday’s Games Consolation Bracket Dutchess vs. Sandhills, noon Salem CC vs. Union, 2 p.m. Championship Semifinals Dallas Richland vs. Herkimer, 5 p.m. Mohawk Valley vs. Minnesota State Fergus Falls, 7 p.m.
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
HERKIMER, N.Y. — The mood in the Salem CC dressing room was infinitely more subdued than it was the day before.
The overwhelming joy that came with getting their first ever win in the national tournament in their first try was replaced by a mournful sadness that comes with losing a big game that didn’t have their best effort.
The Mighty Oaks had hoped to ride the momentum of their opening-round win with another history-making result in the Elite 8 Thursday, but a long, tall Mohawk Valley team that had lost only once this season had different ideas. The third-ranked and second-seeded Hawks imposed their will inside and out and handed Salem a 71-49 loss.
The 49 points were the fewest the Mighty Oaks have scored in a game this season and second-fewest in Mike Green’s 50-game tenure as head coach. They came into the tournament as the ninth-best scoring team in JUCO Division III and fifth-highest scoring team here. Mohawk Valley was the No. 1 team in scoring defense and held them 37 points below their average.
“It was a really tough game for us,” Green said. “They just beat us in every facet of the game. Everything that could go wrong went wrong. One of our worst games of the year.”
“We just didn’t bring it mentally, we didn’t bring it as a team,” guard A.J. Jones said. “We didn’t have the energy … to feed off each other. No other team is beating us if we’ve got that.”
All is not lost, however. Although their dream of winning a national championship is dashed, the Mighty Oaks (24-8) do get to continue here and will play even bigger Region 19 rival Union at 2 p.m. Friday. A win in that game will allow them to play Saturday. A loss sends them home.
Mohawk Valley dominated the first half and led wire-to-wire. With a front line that went 6-6, 6-8, 6-10, the Hawks (27-1) clogged up in the inside, repelled most of the attacks Salem made on the basket and when the Mighty Oaks did miss predictably cleared the boards.
In the first half, Mohawk Valley held a 25-9 rebounding edge and outscored the Mighty Oaks 14-0 on second-chance points. Salem had one offensive rebound in the half (and missed the putback). They got around the big guys a little better in the second half and closed the gap to 13 with 10 minutes to play, but the hole was just too big to overcome even for a team that has been known all year for its second-half surges.
Even their own defense was good enough to win all but two of their games this year. If they just made more shots. The loss snapped a six-game winning streak.
The Hawks’ three bigs – 6-10 Isaiah Earl, 6-8 Andre Pasha and 6-6 Alex Barnhill – combined for 41 points and 27 rebounds. Pasha had 18 points on 8-of-18 shooting and 12 rebounds. Barnhill had 13 and nine. They bottled up 6-8 Salem center Jyheim Spencer, Division III’s second leading rebounder, to a career-low six rebounds.
“It’s something new, I never had to do that before,” Spencer said. “It was new to me. I’m trying to adjust to it at the same time so I’m just trying to follow what my coach is telling me so I could play the game right.”
Akeem Taylor was the only Salem player to have any success against the Hawks. He scored 23 points, grabbed seven rebounds and had five assists. Their other starters combined for nine points, with Spencer accounting for seven. Their three other starting guards went a combined 1-for-20 shooting and scored two points (Tamir Powell’s goaltending basket in the second half, his first bucket of the tournament). Jones scored seven points off the bench.
“I just feel like I was prepared real well for that (gauntlet of big men),” Taylor said. “We knew they would try to put a longer guy on me to try to stop me from getting to the basket, but I found my shot early and I think that’s what gave me the advantage.”
“He’s a dog, he gets up for games like that,” Green said. “We just didn’t have enough dogs to go with him – tonight.”
MOHAWK VALLEY 71, SALEM CC 49 SALEM CC (24-8): Tamir Powell 1-13 0-0 2, Tyrese Fortune 0-5 0-0 0, Xavier Brewington 0-2 0-0 0, Akeem Taylor 7-10 9-10 23, Jyheim Spencer 2-4 1-2 7, Dontarius Jones 0-3 0-0 0, A.J. Jones 3-5 0-0 7, Tivon Woolford 0-4 0-0 0, Josh Ramos 2-9 0-0 6, Rodney Shelton 0-1 0-0 0, Tajee Jordan 0-1 0-0 0, Stefan Phillips 2-3 0-0 4. Totals 18-60 10-12 49. MOHAWK VALLEY (27-1): Jamir Smith 2-9 0-0 4, Jalen Bradberry 5-12 3-4 14, Andre Pasha 8-18 2-2 18, Isaiah Earl 1-4 8-8 10, Alex Barnhill 5-13 3-3 13, James Collar 0-0 0-0 0, Khai Pugh 3-6 0-0 6, A.J. Burns 0-0 0-0 0, Javon Smith 0-0 0-0 0, Jaeshaun Felder 2-4 0-0 4, Cam Pownall 1-2 0-0 2. Totals 27-68 16-17 71.
Salem CC
27
22-
49
Mohawk Valley
43
28-
71
3-point goals: Salem 3-21 (Powell 0-5, Fortune 0-2, Brewington 0-1, Taylor 0-1, A. Jones 1-1, Woolford 0-3, Ramos 2-7, Phillips 0-1); Mohawk Valley 1-12 (Ja. Smith 0-2, Bradberry 1-5, Pasha 0-1, Earl 0-1, Barnhill 0-2, Pownall 0-1). Rebounds: Salem 35 (Spencer 6, Taylor 7, A. Jones 5); Mohawk Valley 48 (Pasha 12, Barnhill 9, Ja. Smith 8). Technical fouls: A. Jones, Bradberry, Barnhill. Total fouls: Salem 17, Mohawk Valley 11. Officials: Riley McGraw, Jaymes Steere, Darnell Cudjoe.
Riverview Sports News 