Salem Tech field hockey beats the clock in regulation and overtime, turns back Paulsboro for program’s first win in first official home game; includes Wednesday’s Salem County roundup, Thursday’s schedule
FIELD HOCKEY
Salem Tech 4, Paulsboro 3 (OT)
By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News
WOODSTOWN — When superintendent Jack Swain started sports at Salem Tech in a time that wasn’t really that long ago, it was with the vision of giving its students the chance to make lifelong memories beyond the classroom. Chances are no one connected with the school will forget what took place Wednesday.
The Chargers’ fledgling field hockey team played its first official home game in program history and made it a memorable one. They rallied from two-goal deficits in the first and fourth quarters, beat the clock at the end of both regulation and overtime and dramatically turned back Paulsboro 4-3 for their first win in school history.
Sophomore forward Adessa Plum scored two goals on her 15th birthday, the first one in program history in the second quarter and the game-tying goal 10 seconds before the end of regulation on the officials’ watches. Freshman Hazel Eachus slipped the game-winner through right at the whistle to end overtime.
“I’m just so proud of the girls,” Chargers coach Maureen Lewis said. “I feel like they deserve this win because of how hard they have worked and they worked so hard on the field during this game.
“I think I’ll always remember it. I remember these kinds of moments from when I played, so I feel like I’ll remember it. To do it on our home turf for the first, it’s truly special.”
Salem Tech added field hockey to its varsity offerings this year and will have 14 sports when baseball and softball come on line in the spring. They will play as an independent this year because the Tri-County Conference is in the middle of a two-year scheduling cycle, but will be eligible for the Group 2 playoffs.
The field hockey team debuted last Thursday and lost to Sterling 4-0. All four goals came in the first six minutes of the season, then the teams played even the rest of the game.
The Chargers seemed destined for a similar fate Wednesday when the Red Raiders scored in the opening minute and grabbed a 2-0 lead after the first quarter. Lewis gathered the team after the second goal and before the quarter break and encouraged them to keep fighting.
“Our girls just didn’t give up,” she said. “That’s what’s so special about them, they don’t give up and don’t let it get to their head and they just keep working hard. Sometimes we just need to adjust and they need some talking to and that will usually get it done.”
Plum had the honor of scoring the first goal in school history when she knocked in a pass from Eachus on the right side of the cage with 8:50 left in the second quarter. It stayed 2-1 through halftime.
“Adessa, sometimes she just comes out of nowhere,” Lewis said. “She surprises us often.”
Paulsboro regained a two-goal lead early in the fourth quarter, but the Chargers scored twice in the final five minutes of regulation to force 7v7 overtime. Abigail Beals got them within one and then Plum tied it off a pass from Shelby Drummond.
The Red Raiders questioned whether time had expired prior to Plum’s goal, but the officials said there was a lag between the clock at the scoring table and their official watches and by their count there were enough seconds remaining to score the goal. Plum was unaware of how little time remained and just kept attacking the cage.
“I just kept going,” she said. “I didn’t hear a horn.”
The Chargers had several good chances in overtime but were turned away. Conversely, Salem Tech goalie Caroline Tighe kicked out a serious threat by Paulsboro early in the extra period.
On Tech’s winning rush, Jessilyn Chambers sent the ball across from the right wing and Beals got it to Eachus down by the left post. Paulsboro goalie Amelia Lyons came out to challenge, but Eachus pushed it past her and off the inside of the right post for the game-winner.
“I didn’t realize (how much time was left) at all,” Eachus said. “I was just trying to score a goal and win the game. We push ourselves to the limit no matter what.”
And on this day the Chargers pushed themselves to an historic win.
“It was really memorable,” Eachus said. “I’m glad to be a part of this.”
| Paulsboro (0-2) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0- | 3 |
| Salem Tech (1-1) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1- | 4 |
Wednesday roundup
BOYS SOCCER
PENNS GROVE – Penns Grove and Glassboro have staged some epic battles in recent years and Wednesday was another of them. In a series that seems to go back and forth, this edition went to the Red Devils.
Rooby Dorival was brought up from the midfield to give the Red Devils a little more punch in overtime and the moved worked as he converted Louby Guerrier’s pass about seven minutes into the extra session for the game-winner in a 3-2 victory.
“I made the decision to take him out from the back and put him up with another striker; they both have a lot of speed and it paid off big time,” Penns Grove coach Mano Massari said. “I talked to the guys in overtime and asked do we want to go for it and they all said yeah we want to go for it. We put them up top and it paid off big time.
“They’re from Haiti;. I call them the Haitian Sensations. They really do a nice job together.”
The game went back and forth. The Red Devils took a 1-0 lead on Mario Fuentes’ penalty kick, but Glassboro tied it. The Bulldogs went ahead 2-1, then senior captain Joey Schultz made a ”great shot” off a cross from Guerrier with about 10 minutes left to retie it.
Seven of the last eight games between the teams have been decided by one goal. The other was a tie.
“Every time we play them it’s a battle,” Massari said. “This was pretty big for us. We did not show up against Pitman on Tuesday. We moved some things around last minute and it just didn’t work; the guys were flat. Today was the polar opposite. They fought hard.
“It showed grit, character, things we want and things we need. Definitely taking us in the right direction. We’ve just got to keep it going.”
Woodstown 3, Overbrook 2: The Wolverines fell behind early, then scored three straight goals to take control. Bryce Ayars got the equalizer on a penalty kick, Jake Lewis gave them the lead and Landon Guglielmo added a necessary insurance goal on a left-foot shot from 20 yards.
Schalick 3, Pitman 1: Luke Price broke a 1-1 tie in the 71st minute with his second goal of the game off a rare goalie assist from Evan Sepers and Marco Spinnato put it away three minutes later.
Pennsville 3, Wildwood 0: Danny Bunny Coronel scored in the eighth minute and Lucas Cooksey and Justin Michaca scored two minutes apart in the second half. Coen Rinnier made 11 saves in posting his second straight shutout and had a goalie assist on Coronel’s goal.
Salem Tech 6, Salem 0: Kameron Brown had a hat trick, Logan Pace scored twice and James Welch had the goal of the game off a Daniel Marandola corner kick. Aiden Bobo earned the shutout.
GIRLS SOCCER
Schalick 6, Pennsville 0: Abby Willoughby scored four goals, one in the opening minute and three in the second half, to lead the Cougars. Olivia Vanacker and Karlie Bakley had the other two goals. Cali Fisler picked up the assist on Willoughby’s last two goals and is now two shy of the school’s all-time record.
Woodstown 7, Overbrook 1: Gina Murray scored twice, while Emma Perry, Sophie Wells, Hailey Kucharczuk, Aubree Covely and Evelyn Walker each scored once.
Glassboro 5, Penns Grove 0: Amina Brown had a hat trick for the Bulldogs.
GIRLS TENNIS
Schalick at Pennsville
Woodstown at Penns Grove
Salem at Overbrook
Thursday’s schedule
WJFL FOOTBALL
Penns Grove at Glassboro, 7 p.m.
Eastern at Vineland, 6 p.m.
Gateway at Wildwood, 6 p.m.
Highland at Pennsauken, 6 p.m.
KIPP Cooper Norcross at Buena, 6 p.m.
Riverside at Maple Shade, 6 p.m.
West Deptford at Collingswood, 6 p.m.
Haddon Township at Clayton, 7 p.m.
FIELD HOCKEY
Gloucester Catholic at Pennsville, 4 p.m.
Salem at Deptford, 4 p.m.
Salem Tech at Clayton, 6 p.m.
Schalick at Woodstown, 4 p.m.
GIRLS TENNIS
Pennsville at Woodstown, 3:45 p.m.
Penns Grove at Palmyra, 4 p.m.
Riverview Sports News 