Scurry, Virga each score twice as Schalick field hockey opens season of high expectations with a win; will be updated
TUESDAY FIELD HOCKEY
Schalick 5, Haddon Heights 2
Pennsville 3, Bridgeton 2
By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News
PITTSGROVE — Ava Scurry scored a school-record 40 goals on a field hockey team that set a lot of records last season and she wasted little time setting out to break that mark this year.
The Schalick senior scored two goals in the first 100 seconds of the season Tuesday and assisted on another goal, sending the Cougars to a 5-2 win over Haddon Heights.
“We were hyping this game up a lot because we had a target on our backs from last season so we wanted to come out and show everyone we still have it,” Scurry said. “We have our whole team from last year. It was a good way to start the season and a great way to start the game.”
Her goals came on the Cougars’ first two attacks of the season. The first came 20 seconds into the game when Luci Virga lifted a ball into the circle and Scurry knocked in a pass from Phoebe Alward. The second goal came 78 seconds later when she converted a 30-yard flick from Caylen Taylor.
The first goal came so quick Scurry worried that her mother might not have gotten to the game yet to see it.
“That was really quick,” Cougars coach Heather Cheesman said. “The girls made a commitment to themselves, they’re going full force every single time, never giving up. They don’t care how far they’re behind in a game, how far they’re ahead of a game, that was one of their goals. They’re going full force, 100 percent every single time.”
Virga, a 22-goal scorer last year, lit the lamp twice in the second quarter to give the Cougars a 4-0 halftime lead. Addi Shimp scored their final goal in the third off another assist from Alward.
“That forward line (Virga, Alward, Scurry), all three of them are a force to be dealt with,” Cheesman said. “All three of them together have their own strength and just together they get it done.”
NOTES: Lydia Gilligan made 10 saves in the cage on her 17th birthday for the keeper win … The Cougars have been invited to play in the new 16-team South Jersey Field Hockey Coaches Tournament of Championship Oct. 4 at Camden Catholic and Oct. 5 at Clearview.
PENNSVILLE 3, BRIDGETON 2: Izzie Saulin scored twice and Laura Tamburella once as the Eagles won a back-and-forth affair for their first season-opening win since 2020. Kelsey Cook posted her 100th career save during the game while preserving the victory.
Getting to know … Ava Scurry
Schalick senior talks about her love for field hockey, becoming a goal-scoring machine, the expectations for her senior season and playing with his sister.
RIVERVIEW SPORTS NEWS: You play a lot of sports at Schalick, but you’re a field hockey player first. Why did it rise to the top of your sports menu?
AVA SCURRY: I just enjoy it so much. I’ve been playing with all these people, my teammates, since I started in fourth grade. I played softball since I was like 4. (Field hockey) is just so much more fun to me.
RSN: What was the first success you enjoyed in it that told you this was the sport for you?
AS: Probably winning when we were in fourth and fifth grades, winning big games or big tournaments with all of our team, just celebrating. We made so many fond memories and had so many big moments.
My mom told me when I was like 12 I thought softball was going to be it for you and then field hockey just like kind of sucked it away.
RSN: I remember you early on as a big assist person, but last year you turned into a big goal scorer. Was that a conscious effort on your part or did it just happen?
AS: I think it just happened like that because I’m always trying to assist my teammates. I still try, but now being on the right side helps a lot and I think my teammates do great at sending balls (my way), that’s what changed.
I played on the left when I was a freshman and sophomore and I think that helped a lot with me getting a lot of assists. I moved to right last year and I think that made a huge change.
RSN: You guys had a really big year last year and everybody is back from that team, so what are your expectations for this year?
AS: Very high. I think our goal is to win state championship. It’s our last time as a group being together.
RSN: How much better is it now?
AS: I think we’ve progressed all season. We’ve been working in the offseason. We’ve been with each other all summer. We do camps together.
RSN: You’re playing with your sister Renee this year, a year delayed because of her injury, what will that be like?
AS: When we were little I didn’t really like it that much, but now I think it’s so much fun playing with her. We come to school together every day, we come to practice together, it really strengthens our bond. It’s just so much fun doing something that you love with your best friend.
RSN: What’s recruiting like for you?
AS: I’m committed to Montclair State. I’ve been committed since April. I knew I wanted to stay close to home, but not too close. I thought Rowan was way too close. Montclair is a bigger D-III. I liked the size. And the coaches and team atmosphere were really nice.
Tennis
Tuesday’s matches
Pennsville 5, Penns Grove 0
Salem at Gloucester Catholic
Schalick 5, Overbrook 0
Woodstown 5, Glassboro 0
PENNSVILLE 5, PENNS GROVE 0
Lily Edwards (P) def. Alease Stewart, 6-0, 6-1 (ret.)
Isabell Schrenker (P) def. Kavita Pulchard, 6-0, 6-0
Morgan Holt (P) def. Ada Lopez, 6-0, 6-0
Gabi Forino-Naomi Hess (P) def. Andrea Chapone-Valaria Pedroza, 6-0, 6-0
Yerlian Charon-Emma Hankin (P) def. Gianco Tirado-Nathalie Dominquez, 6-1, 6-1
Records: Pennsville 2-1, Penns Grove 0-1
SCHALICK 5, OVERBROOK 0
Miya Watkins (S) def. Sophia Burgos, 6-4, 4-1
Annamarie Podehl (S) def. Natasha Hreiz, 6-4, 6-0
Macy Clow (S) def. Isabella Sepulveda, 6-0, 6-0
Olivia Lunemann-Sebrina Bradford (S) def. Leah Wilde-Anna Mason, 6-0, 6-1
Sammi Twigg-Jasmine (S) def. Sophia Perticari-Charlotte Gall, 6-0, 6-2
Records: Schalick 1-0, Overbrook 0-1.
WOODSTOWN 5, GLASSBORO 0
Nathalie Neron (WO) def. Alana Killelea, 6-0, 6-0
Alyssa Berry (WO) def. Taylor Adcock, 6-0, 6-0
Noelle Neron (WO) def. Alice Dinzeo, 6-1, 6-1
Madison LaPalomento-Emilee Kehr (WO) def. Virginia Tarasevich-Sofia Dungca, 6-2, 6-2
Emma West-Elianna Norman (WO) def. Amani George-Ellie Whitaker, 7-5, 6-4
Record: Woodstown 1-0, Glassboro 0-1
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