Getting started

Salem Tech falls to Sterling in its first field hockey game in school history; also includes girls soccer, girls tennis

THURSDAY’S SCORES
FIELD HOCKEY
Sterling 4, Salem Tech 0
GIRLS SOCCER
Washington Twp. 5, Schalick 0
GIRLS TENNIS
Overbrook 5, Penns Grove 0
Vineland 3, Schalick 2
Wildwood at Salem

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

SOMERDALE — It was the first day of school for the students at Salem County Vo-Tech and a new day in the world of athletics at the school.

The Chargers have expanded their varsity sports offerings this academic year with the additions of field hockey, baseball and softball, and Thursday they played their first official field hockey match in school history.

It was a spirited debut despite losing to Sterling 4-0.

“I think we were all really excited for the game,” Chargers coach Maureen Lewis said. “The score honestly wasn’t a good reflection of how the game was actually played. If someone missed the first 10 minutes they would have thought at the end of the fourth it was 0-0.”

The game came at the Chargers fast, with the Silver Knights scoring all four of their goals in the first 10 minutes of the match. Alexis Johnston, Amelia Champion, Rilynn Eddis and McKenzie Ferrari all scored for the Silver Knights.

After that, Caroline Tighe stoned them in the cage. She was credited with five saves.

“I think we needed to get out our first official game jitters,” Lewis said. “Once we called a time out after the fourth goal was scored, we regrouped and they kicked it into gear.”

The Chargers will classify as Group 2 for NJSIAA playoff purposes and play in the Tri-County Conference Classic Division. They will compete as an independent this school year because the conference is in the second year of a two-year schedule cycle, but will be eligible for the state playoffs.

Their roster is a mix of players who may not have had an opportunity to play the sport before and, because the school now has a team to call its own, Vo-Tech students who had been playing at other programs because it had no team.

The plan is to play a schedule that gives the fledgling program every chance at early success. Most of their matches this season are against opponents that did not make the playoffs last year.

“We have some really talented players and I am really excited to see what they are going to do this season,” Lewis said. “Our new players are also doing great and getting better every day. Sometimes I forget some players are brand new to the sport. It’s been really cool to see their progress.

“This team is just really special and I’m lucky to be a part of it. It wasn’t easy for some of them to leave their teams they’ve played on for the last two or three years and I really respect how they have handled that. On the flip side, starting this team has given other players who may not have played for their home district an opportunity to play or try something new.”

The Chargers put their product in front of the home folks Wednesday against Paulsboro in their first-ever home opener.

GIRLS SOCCER
WASHINGTON TWP. 5, SCHALICK 0: Corrine Myers scored two goals in the first half and Taylor Stuart scored a pair in the second half as Washington Twp. spoiled Schalick’s season opener.

GIRLS TENNIS
VINELAND 3, SCHALICK 2
Kaitlyn Jones (V) def. Miya Watkins, 6-0, 6-0
Kasha Patel (V) def. Annmarie Podehl, 6-3, 6-1
Gonna Soto (V) def. Macy Slow, 6-1, 6-1
Olivia Lunemann-Sebrina Bradford (S) def. Angelina Apel-Marely Garcia-Flores, 6-2, 1-6, 10-2
Sammi Twigg-Jasmine Hunt (S) def. Cassidy Keller-Liliana Beni, 6-2, 6-4
Records: Vineland 3-0, Schalick 1-1,

OVERBROOK 5, PENNS GROVE 0
Sophia Burgos (O) def. Andrea Restrepo, 6-0, 6-1
Natasha Hreiz (O) def. Kavita Pulchard, 6-0, 6-0
Isabella Sepulveda (O) def. Ada Lopez, 6-0, 6-0
Anna Mason-Leah Wilde (O) def. Gianco Tirado-Nathalie Dominquez, 6-0, 6-0
Sophia Perticari-Charlotte Gall (O) def. Valaria Pedroza-Andrea Chapone, 6-1, 6-4.
Records: Overbrook 1-2, Penns Grove 0-2.