Salem, winless a year ago, slams Middle Twp. to gain a solid foothold on Group 1 playoff berth; includes WJFL standings
By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News
CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE – Usually when someone wants to draw your attention to something that might be historically surprising they’ll start by saying something along the lines of “Don’t look now, but …”
Well, it says right here you can go ahead and look now. A team that didn’t win a game all last season and had lost 13 in a row before finally breaking through for their new coach is now solidly in the picture for a South Jersey Group I playoff berth.
Salem won for the second week in a row and third time in the last four games with a 44-0 pasting of winless Middle Twp. way down here Saturday. It’s the latest the Rams (3-3) have been .500 or better in a season since the end of their 2022 state semifinal season, when they started 4-1 and finished 8-5.
The Rams were seventh in the SJ Group I UPR rankings before beating Schalick last Thursday for their second win to become playoff eligible and rose to No. 5 this week before beating the Group 2 Panthers (0-6).
They last made the playoffs in 2023 with a 2-8 record, but missed out in last year’s winless season — the first year with Kemp Carr at the helm — their first oh-fer in 13 years. They can just about start printing their first playoff tickets now.
“It means a lot,” Carr said. “Any time you can get in the playoff and hopefully that happens everybody is 0-0; that’s the greatest thing. Everybody’s record is erased and you have a chance. We’ve got work to do, but we love the fact we have an opportunity.”
“We’re excited, we’re ecstatic,” added sophomore Quimee Bergen. “Last year we were 0-and-9, but we’re winning games now. We’ve got a nice future.”
Bergen, Kai’Siere Muhammad and Torryn Ransome each scored two touchdowns for the Rams.
Muhammad and Bergen both caught a touchdown pass from Desmund Thomas, but it was their other two scores that caught the most attention.
Bergen broke in a smothered a bad punt snap in the end zone in the second quarter to give the Rams the special team’s touchdown Carr had requested and a 26-0 lead.
“At first I was going to hit him, but he wasn’t picking up the ball, so that was an easy touchdown for us,” Bergen said. “They weren’t blocking me so I was free every time so it was easy to get back there.”
Muhammad got the running clock started when picked off a pass in traffic over the middle and returned it 25 yards to give the Rams a 38-0 lead.
“It was like an adrenaline rush,” the junior said. “When I saw the ball and felt it touch my hand I had to score. When I saw the ball, I just got it and took off.
“All I saw was the end zone. I was telling myself I have score. I got the one boy off me, then saw the next boy, stiffed on him and the touchdown. My goal for the game was two touchdowns and that’s what I accomplished.”
Somebody in a Rams’ helmet was going to get that interception. Muhammad actually took it off teammate Makhye Murray as they converged and collided on the coverage.
“We talked about it after; it was cool,” Muhammad said. “I said, my fault. I said, you’re going to get it next time. He said he was going to get a pick.”
Ramsome scored the first and last touchdowns of the game. Troy Cater rushed for the Rams’ other touchdown.
The Rams’ defense, meanwhile, was relentless. It locked up the Panthers for minus-25 yards net rushing, minus-1 yard net offense and one first down. It was their first shutout since blanking Florence 42-0 in late October 2022 (29 games).
The Rams had a running clock on their side for the first time in three years from the 7:10 mark of the third quarter. The 44 points were the most they’ve scored in a game since putting 53 on Pleasantville in the third game of the 2022 season.
“I’ve been on that side of the coin before, so it’s nice to be on this side of it,” Carr said. “It’s nice for the guys to be able to enjoy it.”
They had two possessions in the final minute of the second quarter for a chance to have it the entire second half, but major penalties negated two touchdowns and both possessions ended in interceptions at or near the goal line.
They actually had three touchdowns called back by penalties in the game. They’ve now lost nine touchdowns this season because of penalties.
While the Rams may be firmly on the playoff ladder, Carr insists their focus is squarely on next week’s game with West Deptford.
“We’re very happy, but we ain’t satisfied; we’ve got work to do,” Carr said. “We still have three games in front of us during the regular season and wer’e going to try to get every last one of them and then well post where we’re supposed to be posted at, what seed we’re supposed to be.
“We’re just going to continue to plug and work our butts off in practice. Fundamentally we need to get a little bit better. I think fundamentally we get better I think we can do some damage in the next couple weeks.”
Salem 44, Middle Twp. 0
| SAL | MT | |
| 16 | 1st Downs | 1 |
| 40-203 | Rushing | 12-(-25) |
| 6-16-2 | Passing | 4-10-2 |
| 100 | Passing yds | 24 |
| 2-0 | Fumbles-lost | 2-2 |
| 0-0 | Punts-avg | 4-11.0 |
| 5-50 | Penalties | 5-45 |
| Salem | 14 | 12 | 12 | 6- | 44 |
| Middle Twp. | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0- | 0 |
SCORING SUMMARY
S-Torryn Ransome 3 run (Jonathan Bower kick), 6:04 1Q
S-Kai’Siere Muhammad 16 pass from Desmund Thomas (Jonathan Bower kick), 3:50 1Q
S-Troy Carey 3 run (kick failed), 9:56 2Q
S-Quimere Bergen fumble recovery in end zone (run failed), 8:46 2Q
S-Quimere Bergen 38 pass from Desmund Thomas (kick failed), 7:31 3Q
S-Kai’Siere Muhammad 25 interception return (run failed), 7:10 3Q
S-Torryn Ramsome 3 run (kick failed), 8:53 4Q
WJFL Standings
| DIAMOND | ALL | DIV |
| Glassboro | 6-0 | 3-0 |
| Salem | 3-3 | 2-1 |
| Schalick | 2-4 | 2-1 |
| Woodbury | 2-4 | 1-2 |
| Woodstown | 2-4 | 1-2 |
| Penns Grove | 0-6 | 0-3 |
| PATRIOT | ALL | DIV |
| West Deptford | 5-1 | 4-0 |
| Paulsboro | 6-0 | 4-0 |
| Pennsville | 3-3 | 2-2 |
| Overbrook | 4-2 | 1-2 |
| Collingswood | 4-2 | 1-2 |
| Camden Catholic | 0-6 | 0-3 |
| Audubon | 1-4 | 0-3 |
SATURDAY’S GAMES
Woodbury 32, Gateway 21
Audubon 58, Gloucester Catholic 0
Haddon Heights 35, Camden Catholic 6
Salem 44, Middle Township 0
OTHER WJFL GAMES
Wildwood 21, Mastery Camden 18
Hamilton West 19, Nottingham 13
Winslow 26, Camden 8
Pennsauken 27, Camden Eastside 0
Bordentown 27, Robbinsville 7
KIPP at Ewing
Steinert 41, Moorestown 15
THURSDAY’S GAMES
Pleasantville 40, Woodstown 0
FRIDAY’S GAMES
Glassboro 56, Deptford 0
Paulsboro 6, Schalick 0
Pennsville 41, Penns Grove 0
Collingswood 31, Sterling 14
Haddonfield 29, West Deptford 14
Overbrook 38, Clayton 14
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