Month: October 2025

Kicked to the (on)side

Tough ruling on an onside kick saps Pennsville’s growing momentum in Homecoming loss to Paulsboro; Woodstown falls at home to Haddon Heights

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PENNSVILLE – Mike Healy isn’t the type to dwell on what-might-have-beens, so he didn’t spend a lot of energy going over what did or didn’t happen on a particular onsides kick early in the fourth quarter Thursday night that didn’t go his Pennsville team’s way.

Still, it was a big play, maybe even the turning point, in the game. The Eagles had just scored to cut their deficit with Paulsboro to 16 points with plenty of time to mount a comeback. They appeared to recover the ensuing onsides kick at midfield, but after spotting it once the officials conferred and it was decided the ball hadn’t traveled the requisite 10 yards before Pennsville touched it.

Possession was awarded to Paulsboro on the Pennsville side of the 50 and instead of the Eagles getting a chance to make it a one-score game, the Red Raiders went down and scored to regain a three-touchdown lead and eventually won 44-32 to spoil Pennsville’s Homecoming and remain undefeated.

“In any game some things are going to go your way and some things are not,” Healy said. “Obviously, the onsides kick we were very frustrated about the outcome of that. Not that we would have won the game, but that definitely changes where the game is at that point.

“Yeah, it’s frustrating, but there were also other chances where we had opportunities to get the ball and get stuff done and didn’t do it. So it’s all across the board.”

Rylan Hardy’s 6-yard touchdown run and the two-point conversion brought the Eagles (3-4) to 38-22 with 9:59 and all of its timeouts left. 

Of course, they were going to attempt an onsides kick. They hit it to their right side and senior receiver Hayden Sherman appeared to recover it in Paulsboro territory.

The Eagles had the momentum and now they were convinced they had the ball, too. Initially, the officials spotted it on the Paulsboro 49 for the Eagles, talked about it some more and then placed it on the Pennsville 49 for the Red Raiders.

Paulsboro covered the distance in eight plays, with McKenzie pushing in from the 1 for the score. So, instead of it possibly being 38-30, the Red Raiders were back on top 44-24 with 6:15 to play.

“I jumped up in the air and I landed five yards after where the ball would’ve been live, so I think I recovered it,” Sherman said. “You can’t argue with the refs; it’s their game, not mine. 

“If we would’ve got the ball I think we could have gone down and scored and maybe even went for another onsides and got it again. It killed our momentum. It killed everything. It made everybody all upset and killed it.”

Paulsboro coach Kevin Harvey said the play was “kind of huge. We didn’t want to give them the ball back right there. That was a close one there.”

Of course, one play didn’t cause the Eagles to lose. They got the ball to open the third quarter, but didn’t score, losing three yards on a fourth-and-1 from the Paulsboro 31. The Red Raiders took over, used two big plays to get to the 1 and scored. They also turned over their next possession on downs (at the Paulsboro 40) and Red Raiders scored again to take a 38-16 lead into the fourth quarter.

The Red Raiders (7-0), meanwhile, were efficient in their offense. Running back KyAire Harvey rushed for 180 yards and three touchdowns. Quarterback Malakah McKenzie passed for 210 yards and two touchdowns and ran for another score. He was 12-of-20 through the air and completed his last seven passes in a row, two for touchdowns.

“We did a good job today, we did a good job,” Coach Harvey said. “The line’s gotta get all the credit. That’s what they’re (Harvey and McKenzie) supposed to do. That’s why they’re out there.”

Harvey the RB scored twice in the first half and Pennsville quarterback Robbie McDade matched it each time. It was a 14-14 game until McKenzie threw a 24-yard touchdown pass to Kahlil Streeter with 28 seconds left in the first half to give the Red Raiders the lead for good.

Hardy rushed for 85 yards and two fourth-quarter touchdowns for Pennsville. McDade rushed for 97 yards and the two first-half scores. Aiden Collazo also gave the Eagles some good yards, especially in the early return game.

Paulsboro 44, Pennsville 32

PBORO (44) PVILLE (32)
221st Downs16
26-248Rushing38-200
13-20-1Passing10-14-1
210Passing yds102
0-0Fumbles-lost1-1
1-23.0Punts-avg0-0
5-55Penalties1-10
Paulsboro814166-44
Pennsville88016-32

SCORING SUMMARY
PB-KyAire Harvey 42 run (Kayden Weber pass from Malakah McKenzie), 8:20 1Q
PV-Robbie McDade 12 run (Rylan Hardy run), 4:52 1Q
PB-KyAire Harvey 28 run (May Mears run), 8:36 2Q
PV-Robbie McDade 1 run (Rylan Hardy run), 2:54 2Q
PB-Khalil Streeter 24 pass from Malakah McKenzie (run failed), 0:28 2Q
PB-KyAire Harvey 1 run (Malakah McKenzie run), 7:07 3Q
PB-Jeremiah Carr 47 pass from Malakah McKenzie), 2:39 3Q
PV-Rylan Hardy 6 run (Aiden Collazo pass from Robbie McDade), 9:59 4Q
PB-Malakah McKenzie 1 run (run failed), 6:15 4Q
PV-Rylan Hardy 9 run (Rylan Hardy run), 3:10 4Q

Haddon Heights 27, Woodstown 6

WOODSTOWN — Kevin Clark ran for one touchdown and threw for another and kicker Jake Dillon booted a pair of field goals as Haddon Heights handed Woodstown a 27-6 loss.

Clark opened the scoring with a 17-yard touchdown pass to Lanont Robinson. Dillon kicked the extra point to make it 7-0.

The Wolverines answered with Frankie Hoerst’s 42-yard touchdown pass to Andrew White, but they missed the game-tying extra point. The Garnets scored the next 20 points to secure the win.

Haddon Heights 27, Woodstown 6

Haddon Heights73710-27
Woodstown6000-6

SCORING SUMMARY
HH-Lamont Robinson 17 pass from Kevin Clark (Jake Dillon kick)
W-Andrew White 42 pass from Frankie Hoerst (kick failed)
HH-Jake Dillon 23 FG
HH-Kevin Clark 1 run (Jake Dillon kick), 7:15 3Q
HH-Jake Dillon 23 FG, 9:24 4Q
HH-Amare Ridley 4 run (Jake Dillon kick)

WJFL Standings

DIAMONDALLDIV
Glassboro6-03-0
Salem3-32-1
Schalick2-42-1
Woodbury2-41-2
Woodstown2-51-2
Penns Grove0-60-3
PATRIOTALLDIV
West Deptford5-14-0
Paulsboro7-05-0
Pennsville3-42-3
Overbrook4-21-2
Collingswood4-21-2
Camden Catholic0-60-3
Audubon1-40-3

THURSDAY’S GAMES
Paulsboro 44, Pennsville 32
Haddon Heights 27, Woodstown 6
OTHER WJFL GAMES
Cedar Creek 42, Lower Cape May 0
Cherry Hill East 49, Cherry Hill West 7
Florence 42, Pemberton 36
Haddon Twp. 28, Mastery Camden 14
Maple Shade 32, Pitman 9
Pleasantville 42, Oakcrest 0

FRIDAY’S GAMES
Penns Grove at Delran
Gloucester City at Schalick
Collingswood at Audubon
Overbrook at Camden Catholic
Cinnaminson at Glassboro
Woodbury at Willingboro

SATURDAY’S GAME
West Deptford at Salem

Wednesday roundup

BOYS SOCCER
Woodstown 8, Salem 0: Three more players joined the ranks as the Wolverines moved closer to 300 all-time goal scorers and a trio of keepers keep the Rams off the board.

Josef Hummel, Don Milhomme and Aiden Milici all scored their first career goals, running the list of players who have scored a goal in Woodstown soccer history to 298. Josh Olbrich and Blake Bialecki scored their first goals of the season

Bryce Ayars had a goal and an assist, continuing his run of scoring a goal in every Woodstown win this season. Landon Gugliemo and Ayden Ellis scored the Wolverines’ other two goals.

Pennsville 0, Pitman 0: The teams played to a scoreless draw that Pennsville coach Derek Foglein described as “a dog fight on a football field.” It was the Eagles’ first point against the Panthers since 2017, the year before Foglein took over the program, and snapped a 10-game losing streak in the series.

It was the Eagles’ eighth shutout of the season, their first tie since 2021 (86 games) and their first scoreless tie since before 2010, the last year records are publicly available.

Schalick 3, Palmyra 2: Tyler Vanlier, Luke Price and Jaxon Weber all scored goals in the Cougars’ sixth straight win.

Penns Grove 1, Cumberland 1:  Poyraz Erdonmez gave the Red Devils a 1-0 lead and Ruben Lopez got Cumberland’s equalizer in the second half.

GIRLS SOCCER
Schalick 4, Gloucester Catholic 0: Cali Fisler scored a goal and added two more assists to her all-time school record. Olivia Vanacker, Kassady Sickler and Brooke Valentine had the other goals and Evan Berger was credited with two saves in the shutout.

Woodstown 7, Salem 0: Lia Covely had two goals and three assists and Gabby Maldonado scored twice. Bailey Arnold Peters, Genevieve Flynn and Aubree Covely scored the other goals. Ellie Wygand and Mazie Mazzoni shared the shutout.

Cumberland 5, Penns Grove 0: Ellie Bodine scored three goals for the Colts, giving her 23 for the season.

Pennsville at Pitman

GIRLS TENNIS
WOODSTOWN 5, PENNS GROVE 0
Nathalie Neron (WO) def. Kavita Pulchard, 6-0, 6-0
Alyssa Berry (WO) def. Yanet Cruz, 6-0, 6-0
Noelle Neron (WO) def. Andrea Chapone, 6-0, 6-0
Emma West-Elliana Norman (WO) def. Gianco Tirado-Nathalie Dominquez, 6-0, 6-0
Bailee Coles-Madison LaPalomento (WO) def. Valaria Pedroza-Cadence Jachoa, 6-1, 6-1
Records: Woodstown 12-3, Penns Grove 0-8.

OLMA 5, SALEM 0
Evangeline Catanese (O) def. Angelina Fothergill, 6-0, 6-2
Sara Wojtokowiak (O) def. Erica Brewer, 6-0, 6-1
Erin Malixi (O) def. Evangeline Jimenez Barreto, 6-0, 6-0
Leah Calderon-Sophia Terry (O) def. Phoenix Holland-Aleena Allen, 6-0, 6-1
Halle Dolce-Lily Mayo (O) won by forfeit
Records: OLMA 8-8, Salem 2-8.

Sibling sweep

Jacob and Abby Marino give Woodstown unique brother-sister sweep in Salem County Cross Country Championships; Woodstown boys, Schalick girls win team crowns

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PITTSGROVE — Jacob and Abby Marino were sitting in the living room Tuesday night talking with their mom about how special it would be for brother and sister to win their respective races in the Salem County Cross Country Championships the next day. The conversation was light and hopeful.

It would be their last chance to pull it off and their best chance of happening — one, because Jacob is a senior and was making his last stand and, two, because there’s a changing of the guard on the girls side of the race.

They talked about it Tuesday. Less than 24 hours later the siblings were high-fiving after pulling it off.

Jacob won the boys race with a PR 16:37 after some trouble in Turn One. Sophomore sister Abby completed the gold-medal family portrait, winning with in 19:59 with plenty of room to spare.

“It’s awesome that we’re able to do this together, (in) my last county race, senior year,” said Jacob, who followed his sister to the finish from along the boundary. “It’s great that we’re able to win Salem Counties together my last year. It’s not something that gets to happen all the time, you know. It’s a big opportunity to finish together with your sibling in first place at a meet as big as the county meet.”

“It really means a lot to me,” Abby said. “It makes me really happy to see us both do it together. He always supports me every single race and I support him every single race.”

Jacob couldn’t recall the siblings ever winning race together although they have matched places “a lot.” They’re also believed to be the first brother-sister combo to win the county.

“Coming into this year we knew there was that chance and we wanted to build on that and win together,” Jacob said after his race. “That would be really cool as a family to both win counties. 

“That was our goal for today. Obviously, we have a very strong bond as siblings, so we wanted to build on that.”

Abby led her race wire-to-wire and hit the tape more than a minute and a half ahead of second-place teammate Anabel Schaal. Jacob’s race had a bit more drama.

He and teammate Karson Chew were well in front of the pack running shoulder-to-shoulder through the first 1,000 yards, but when they turned behind the football stadium Chew came in too tight and hit the chain-link fence’s corner support post with his right arm and it knocked him off the pace.

Marino heard the impact of the collision, and as much as he felt for his friend, he had a race to run and focused on pulling away to avoid being caught by one of the defending race champion’s renowned closing kicks. Chew closed the gap a little, but Marino won the race by 21 seconds.

“That’s the most idiotic way for me to go out in the race,” Chew said. “I keep thinking to myself that’s something that would only happen to me. I would be the only person who would do that.

“I knew we were going to slingshot out of that turn, so I was trying to stick the inside as much as I could and I didn’t have peripheral vision. I turned in and the pole was there. I never thought I’d be going fast enough to not see something.”

Woodstown won the boys team title. Schalick edged Woodstown for the girls crown.

The Woodstown boys flooded the top 15, going 1-2-3 and 7 through 12. Schalick filled in the three spots in between and finished second.

Schalick won the girls title by four points. The Cougars placed all five of their counters in the top 10, with Helen Lillia and Emma Cain’s PR coming in behind Marino and Schaal. They led by a point after the first five counters were scored, then slammed the door with 6, 7 and 8.

Woodstown closed the gap with its fourth runner, but two more Schalick runners were among the traffic that helped keep the final Wolverines counter from making up enough of the difference.

Schalick coach Missy Pine couldn’t tell her runners they had won the meet as they were calculating the scores, but she didn’t have to. They knew it when they saw their coach crying on the side.

“We weren’t expecting it; this one surprised me,” Pine said. “I set goals for the girls and we went over them right before the race and they just went out and achieved above and beyond. They pushed the hardest that we could and were just amazing. So many personal bests today. They’ve been working really hard and I’m glad it was able to see pay off for them.”

Woodstown’s Jacob Marino (R) comforts teammate Karson Chew after they finished 1-2 in the boys race. They went stride-for-stride for the first 1,000 yards until Chew hit a fence post making a tight turn and fell off the pace.
BOYS TEAM: Woodstown 21, Schalick 50, Salem Tech 84, Salem 136
GIRLS TEAM: Schalick 28, Woodstown 32, Salem Tech 77
BOYS TOP 15GIRLS TOP 15
Jacob Marino, Woodstown16:37Abby Marino, Woodstown19:59
Karson Chew, Woodstown16:58Anabel Schaal, Woodstown21:33
David Ferrell, Woodstown17:19Helen Lillia, Schalick22:20
Colin Bittle, Schalick17:31Sawyer Slad, Pennsville22:20
Sal Longo, Schalick17:33Emma Cain, Schalick23:17
Chase Riley, Schalick17:44Arianna Mott, Woodstown23:54
Pacey Hutton, Woodstown18:08Paetyn Wallace, Schalick24:52
Torsten Duva, Woodstown18:22Sarah Torpey, Schalick24:55
Jackson Perry, Woodstown18:23Emma Wilbur, Schalick25:02
John Hearst, Woodstown18:31Kiera Porch, Woodstown25:30
Mike Turner, Woodstown18:45Paityn Harrington, Salem Tech25:38
Brady Williams, Woodstown18:50Abigail Vanaman, Salem Tech25:39
Gavin Cronrath, Salem18:50Savannah Guglielmo, Pennsville25:49
J.P. Pozo, Salem Tech18:59Ava Melnick, Schalick25:51
Josh Weiner, Schalick19:04Brooke Lutek, Schalick26:55

Never let up

Woodstown advances to girls tennis sectional semifinals working overtime against Schalick; also includes Tuesday’s county field hockey action

SJ GROUP I QIARTERFINALS
Pitman 5, Lower Cape May 0
Audubon 3, Pennsville 2 (Mon.)
Woodstown 4, Schalick 1
Haddon Twp. 5, Wildwood 0
THURSDAY’S SEMIFINALS
Audubon at Pitman
Woodstown at Haddon Twp.

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

WOODSTOWN – Jesse Stemberger gathered his Woodstown tennis team on the grassy knoll behind the tennis courts and laid down to make a point in a way befitting his unique coaching style.

The Wolverines had just dispatched county rival Schalick 4-1 to reach the South Jersey Group I girls tennis semifinals for the first time since 2022, but there were elements of their performance he needed to address.

Once he laid on the grass he asked for four volunteers to do all they could to keep him pinned down. Alyssa Berry, Madison LaPalomento and twins Nathalie and Noelle Neron each grabbed an arm or a leg and did all they could to keep their squirming coach pinned to the turf.

After a few moments Stemberger stopped struggling. His players instinctively relaxed, and that release was all the coach needed to sit straight up and thereby prove the point he was trying to convey about the effects of letting up.

The Wolverines won the first set in four of their five matches, but three of their four wins and four matches overall went to third-set 10-point tiebreakers. It didn’t have to be so stressful if they kept the pedal down.

“I don’t want to win matches in four tiebreakers, I want the straight sets; I’m not a tiebreaker guy,” Stemberger said. “Everybody on the team has played a 10-point tiebreaker this year, so they all experienced it, they all know it, so I think that helped coming into today.

“It’s a great neutralizer (tiebreakers), but mental toughness came through. That’s the beauty of coaching tennis here. They’re all high performers and I don’t question their mental toughness.”

He just has to reinforce it from time to time. He learned the demonstration he used Tuesday when he worked in the mental health industry and has kept the technique “in my back pocket” all these years for just such coachable moments. He said he’s used it maybe twice in his coaching career.

“I use that as an example to say as soon as we relaxed, we let them back in,” he said. “We’ve got to keep (the pressure) up.”

The players at first were confused by their coach’s demonstration, but they wound up getting the point.

“I was thinking what is going on,” said sophomore Emilee Kehr, LoPalomento’s doubles partner. “Another crazy demonstration. It turns out to be a message underneath that we realize after a match. (This message was) don’t give up, keep pushing.”

Woodstown tennis coach Jesse Stemberger allows his players to pin him to the ground for a teachable moment after their 4-1 SJ Group I tournament win over Schalick Tuesday. (Top photo) Stemberger talks with Noelle Neron (L) and Alyssa Berry during a break in the match.

The No. 1 doubles team of LaPalomento and Kehr earned the Wolverines a huge first point when rallied from dropping the first set to even the match and then convincingly won a 10-5 tiebreaker. Nathalie Neron clinched the victory with a 6-2, 4-6, 10-5 win at No. 1 singles.

The No. 2 doubles team of Emma West and Angelina Lindenmuth bounced back after dropping the second set to win an intense 11-9 tiebreaker for the final margin. Berry scored the Wolverines’ second point with the only straight-set match of the day at No. 2 singles.

The tiebreaker wins by Nathalie Neron and LaPalomento-Kehr came over Schalick players who played in last weekend’s NJSIAA singles and double draw.

LaPalomento and Kehr never led in their first set, but fought back to get it tied before Olivia Lunemann and Sebrina Bradford close it out 7-5. They trailed 4-3 in the second set, then won the next three games to even the match. They took command of the tiebreaker with seven straight points to open a 9-2 lead.

Lunemann and Bradford played in the second round of the NJSIAA doubles draw Sunday.

“The tiebreaker is always a lot more pressure than a regular set,” Kehr said, “but because there is more pressure you want to do better, you want to just finish it out, and that’s exactly what we did. After the (second) set were like we lost the first one, we came back in the second one, we’ve just got to finish it. It’s like the moment this all led up to. We had to finish it out.”

The seven players in Woodstown’s lineup Tuesday were a combined 5-4 10-point tiebreakers coming into the match, 10-6 if you include the 7-point set tiebreakers.

Nathalie Neron was playing in the first singles tiebreaker of her career against Miya Watkins and never lost the lead. It was 4-2 at one point and then she locked in to roll off four straight points to take control. Watkins lost in the first round of the NJSIAA singles draw Saturday.

“At first it was nerve-wracking, but I needed to reset my mindset and think of it like a clean slate,” she said. “It can go either way. You’ve just  got to get up and get up fast.”

The Wolverines (11-3) will now travel to second-seeded Haddon Twp. (12-4) Thursday for the semifinals. Audubon (13-1) plays at top-seeded Pitman (15-3) for the other spot in the Oct. 14 sectional finals.

WOODSTOWN 4, SCHALICK 1
Nathalie Neron (WO) def. Miya Watkins, 6-2, 4-6, 10-5
Alyssa Berry (WO) def. Annmarie Podehl, 6-2, 6-4
Macy Clow (S) def. Noelle Neron, 5-7, 6-2, 10-8
Madison LaPalomento-Emilee Kehr (WO) def. Olivia Lunemann-Sebrina Bradford, 5-7, 6-4, 10-5
Emma West-Angelina Lindenmuth (WO) def. Sam Twigg-Jasmine Hunt, 6-4, 5-7, 11-9
Records: Woodstown 11-3, Schalick 6-5.

Field hockey

Woodstown 6, Deptford 0

PENNSVILLE 6, SALEM 1: Kylie Harris scored a career-high three goals, Gracie Mease had two and Kendall Hoyt had three assists as the Eagles presented coach Lisa Duran with a victory on the eve of her induction into the PMHS Athletic Hall of Fame. Duran is being enshrined for her standout playing career, which included 11 varsity letters and several high honors in three sports before starring collegiately at Old Dominion. The win snapped a five-game losing streak.

SCHALICK 10, GLASSBORO 2: Luci Virga scored three goals, Ava Scurry had two goals and five assists and five others scored goals for the Cougars (9-6). Scurry had five assists in last year’s 11-0 South Jersey tournament opener against South Hunterdon.


Within reach

Pennsville closing in on first division title in 32 years, Price scores twice in Schalick return, Ayars scores first hat trick

BOYS SOCCER
Pennsville 1, Wildwood 0
Schalick 4, Pitman 0
Woodstown 3, Overbrook 0
Penns Grove 1, Glassboro 0
Salem at Salem Tech

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News 

PENNSVILLE – Derek Foglein can’t quite wrap his hands around the trophy yet, but the 29-year-old Pennsville soccer coach can feel it and he says “it feels really good.”

The Eagles took a big step towards securing their first Tri-County Classic Division title in 32 years Monday when they edged Wildwood with a second-half own goal, 1-0.

The Eagles (8-4, 7-0) still have three division games remaining, but are the only undefeated team in the group and everyone else has at least two losses. They have won 13 straight Classic Division games over the last two seasons.

Interestingly, all eight of Pennsville’s wins this season have come via shutout.

“At this point we would need to lose to Clayton (8-4) and then lose to either Gloucester Catholic (4-6) or Salem (0-9) and Wildwood would have to clean out the rest of the way to go 8-2,” Foglein said. “I don’t see it happening, but I can’t call it official.

“I think getting a result on Tuesday night at Clayton on their turf on their Senior Night is going to be another huge battle for us, but I think if we win that one then we can pretty definitively say that it’s ours.”

How long has it been? Foglein wasn’t even on the planet when the Eagles last won a division in 1993. Assistant coach Joe Mecholsky was two years removed from graduating as a member of their 1991 division champions and could be part of the school’s first father-son soccer division champs if son Jackson and Friends pull it off.

“I could cry right now, I’m so happy,” stopper Steve Fatcher said. “When we go in the gym and we look in the soccer bleachers, (the banner says) it hasn’t been done since 1993. This is something that’s been waiting for generations now. Finally.

“It was the goal last year, but Wildwood came out shooting. It feels like a big weight is lifted off my shoulders and this team’s shoulders.”

The Eagles dominated the tempo in the second half and had several good chances to score that just missed the target. They finally got one in the net on an own goal credit to Sam Hassler with 21:28 left.

It came off another monster thrown in by Fatcher from the far sideline and was going to come right to Hassler when a Wildwood defender headed it into the top corner of the goal. 

“We came into this game knowing my throw-ins are a big weapon,” Fatcher said. “A lot of the corners and throw-ins to Wildwood work because they don’t mark up straight out; they wait for you to come in.

“It seems like when they tried that they lost a lot of people in the box. The best chances we had were the throw-in or the corner kicks. We honestly should’ve had three or four more, but I don’t care how many chance we miss as long as the end result is a win.”

Funny how those crazy bounces have a way of evening out. The Eagles lost a 1-0 game earlier this year on an own goal and now they get their biggest goal of the year to date because of one.

“I said after the Glassboro game that was one I felt didn’t bounce in our favor,” Foglein said. “We got one to bounce in our favor today and probably the more important of the two we got to bounce in our favor today. I’m never going to complain about that.”

Especially not when it gets them so close to a title.

SCHALICK 4, PITMAN 0: Luke Price returned to the Schalick lineup after missing five games in concussion protocol and scored two goals in the Cougars’ fifth straight win.

“It was amazing,” the junior forward said of his return. “It’s great to be back. It’s a great group of boys to play with. I was happy to be with the team and contribute.”

Price sustained his concussion in the first half of the Cougars’ Sept. 20 loss to Bordentown and watched his mates go 4-1 in his absence. He got cleared for athletics Saturday and participated in practice that day.

He came off the bench Monday and scored his first goal since Sept. 18 off a cross from Josh Stecher after being in the game about five minutes. He scored his second goal in the second half to make it 3-0.
 
“I was really hoping for a goal just to get back into the groove,” he said. ”It was great scoring those.”

Tyler Vanlier, the freshman who took Price spot up front while he was out and scored four goals, scored the Cougars’ other two goals against the Panthers. Evan Sepers posted the shutout, his third in a row and fifth of the season.

WOODSTOWN 3, OVERBROOK 0: Bryce Ayars scored his first high school hat trick. Nick DiTeodoro assisted on two of the goals and Blake Bialecki assisted on the other.

Ayars has scored a goal in each of the Wolverines’ eight wins this season. They have won 17 straight and 22 of the last 23 in which he has scored a goal.

“It’s definitely an achievement that I’ve been driven to make this year, but it couldn’t be done without my teammates,” Ayars said. “This season feels different and the teamwork we have made this hat trick possible. Hoping this is the first of many, but I’m definitely going to remember this one.”

PENNS GROVE 1, GLASSBORO 0: Juan Ortiz scored the game’s only goal in the first half and Dwayne Guzman Silva made it stand in the goal, including a great save on a header off a corner kick in the first half. The Red Devils are 3-0 in one-goal games this season.

SALEM AT SALEM TECH: The Rams were looking for their first win of the season. The Chargers were looking for a season sweep.

Keeping pace

Girls roundup: Schalick soccer dodges bullet in division with Berger’s golden goal, Salem field hockey wins in final minute, Pennsville falls in South Jersey tennis quarterfinals

GIRLS SOCCER
Schalick 3, Pennsville 2 (OT)
Woodstown 3, Overbrook 1
Salem Tech 7, Salem 1
Glassboro at Penns Grove

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PENNSVILLE – Will Kemp might not have seen it that way, but the Schalick girls soccer team dodged a bullet that could have disrupted its division title hopes Monday.

The Cougars needed a goal less than four minutes before the end of regulation to keep the game alive and then got a golden goal in overtime to beat Pennsville 3-2.

The win allowed them to remain tied with Woodstown atop the TCC Diamond Division at 6-0-1. The teams play the rematch of their 1-1 draw at Schalick Oct. 16 – as if there needed to be any more incentive for a matchup between those two teams, although it might not have been as juicy had the Cougars not won Monday.

“I don’t think we dodged a bullet,” the Schalick coach said. “We had a good match against a team that’s developed extremely well over the last few weeks.

“Even if the division’s not on the line, the match with Woodstown is always going to be a heated, high-intense match, so for us to go ahead and continue to have a first-place fight going into a match like that, it just adds a lot more fuel to the actual fire that’s going to happen inside that game. I’m just really excited for the girls to be able to continue to play for it.”

Pennsville took a 2-1 lead on Taylor Bass’ goal with 8:38 to play and as time dwindled down the Cougars chances to pull this one out were starting to look what Quinn Berger described as “iffy” until center back-turned striker Emily Miller got the equalizer with 3:31 to play.

“Emily has been able to find the back of the net numerous times over her career,” Kemp said. “I’m not really too surprised she actually was able to give us the equalizer inside a match like this.”

Berger then won it midway through the first overtime with a 20-yard kick to her lower left side after a foul just outside the box.

“I saw the gap in between their wall and the corner of the net and the goalie kind of behind the wall so I knew not to chip it over the wall,” Berger said. “And I saw the corner was wide open so I might as well place it, so that’s exactly what I did.”

The Cougars won the first meeting between the teams 6-0 and seemed headed that way when Cali Fisher scored in the eighth minute of the rematch. But the Eagles were having none of it as Marley Wood drew them even 8:54 before halftime.

It was the first goal the Eagles have scored on Schalick in seven meetings and the closest they’re played the Cougars since beating them 1-0 in 2021.

“They played spectacularly,” Pennsville coach Casey Slusher said of her team. “This group of girls is very resilient. We’ve had some ups and downs, up players, down players, it doesn’t matter to them, they come out and just give us their all.

“Even going into overtime with Schalick is a pretty good accomplishment for us, so I’m just proud of my girls for putting it all out there and playing the way they did.”

Kemp was equally generous with the praise for his team’s resiliency.

“Our word of the day today was ‘remember,’” he said. “I was talking to the players about what are you actually going to be remembered for when you leave this field. For us to walk away from this match, they’re going to remember us for getting frustrated but still continue to maintain the course by keeping the standard and making sure we see the game through.”

WOODSTOWN 3, OVERBROOK 1: The Wolverines (8-2-1) held onto their share of the division lead behind goals from Emma Morgan, Emma Perry and Sophie Wells.  Wells has scored both of her goals this season against the Rams (4-7). 

SALEM TECH 7, SALEM 1: Julia Hewitt-Friebel scored three goals and Ava Robinson scored twice to lead the Chargers. Evening Ademee and Peyton Pratt scored Salem Tech’s other goals. Isla Bohn scored for Salem.

Love that goal scorer

Samiyah Moore leaps into the arms of teammate Julliana Love after Love scored Salem’s last-minute game-winning goal against Absegami. (Photo by Miranda Love)

FIELD HOCKEY
Salem 3, Absegami 2
Hammonton 2, Woodstown 1

SALEM – Julliana Love beat the clock and the goalie in the final minute to complete a three-goal comeback against Absegami that produced the Rams’ second win of the season, 3-2.

With time running out, the senior went 1-on-1 with Braves goalie Fairleigh Wilson, aimed for the corner and popped in the game-winner with 52 seconds to play. She scored two goals in the game. Freshman Khloe Bubier scored the Rams’ other goal.

“It was a great competitive game,” Love said. “All I can remember is thinking I didn’t want to go into overtime, so I took the ball up the field, dodged two girls and then was 1-on-1 with the goalie and made the game-winning shot.”

HAMMONTON 2, WOODSTOWN 1: Gabriella Teti scored the game-winner in the fourth quarter. Bella Eachus scored for Woodstown (6-4-1) in the second quarter.

Tennis

SJ Group I Quarterfinals
AUDUBON 3, PENNSVILLE 2
Lily Edwards (P) def. Olivia Tessitore, 6-0, 6-0
Olivia Tessitore (A) def. Isabella Schrenker, 6-1, 6-2
Isabella Lamancusa (A) def. Morgan Holt, 6-3, 6-2
Bridget Mattson-Finola Witherington (A) def. Emma Hankin-Naomi Hess, 6-0, 7-5
Graillyn Weber-Yerlian Charon (P) def. Yesica Palillero-Bea Herman, 6-4, 2-6 10-8
Records: Audubon 13-1, Pennsville 9-7.

Volleyball

WOODSTOWN – Neima Dominguez scored 18 kills and Erin Compton 14 as Camden Tech rallied from one set down to defeat Salem Tech 2-1. The set scores were 20-25, 25-23, 25-14. Valentina Andeliz had 22 digs and Madeline Kopakowski had 26 assists and seven aces.

This week’s schedule

Here is the Salem County sports schedule for the week of Oct. 5-12

SUNDAY, OCT. 5
FIELD HOCKEY
SJ Tournament of Champions
At Clearview
Schalick vs. Clearview, 3:15 p.m.

MONDAY, OCT. 6
FIELD HOCKEY
Absegami at Salem, 4 p.m.
Pennsville at Gloucester Catholic, 4 p.m.
Woodstown at Hammonton, 4 p.m.
BOYS SOCCER
Penns Grove at Glassboro, 4 p.m.
Pitman at Schalick, 4 p.m.
Salem at Salem Tech, 4 p.m.
Wildwood at Pennsville, 4 p.m.
Overbrook at Woodstown, 4 p.m.
GIRLS SOCCER
Glassboro at Penns Grove, 4 p.m.
Salem Tech at Salem, 4 p.m.
Schalick at Pennsville, 4 p.m.
Woodstown at Overbrook, 4 p.m.
GIRLS TENNIS
Pennsville at Gloucester Catholic, 3:45 p.m.
VOLLEYBALL
Camden County Tech at Salem Tech, 4 p.m.

TUESDAY, OCT. 7
FIELD HOCKEY
Deptford at Woodstown, 4 p.m.
Pitman at Schalick, 4 p.m.
Salem at Pennsville, 4 p.m.
GIRLS TENNIS
SJ Group I Quarterfinals
Lower Cape May at Pitman, 2 p.m.
Schalick at Woodstown, 3 p.m.
Wildwood at Haddon Twp., 3 p.m.
Audubon at Pennsville, 3:30 p.m.
GIRLS VOLLEYBALL
Salem Tech at Gloucester Catholic, 4 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 8
BOYS SOCCER
Cumberland at Penns Grove, 4 p.m.
Salem at Woodstown, 4 p.m.
Schalick at Palmyra, 4 p.m.
Pennsville at Pitman, 7 p.m.
GIRLS SOCCER
Schalick at Gloucester Catholic, 4 p.m.
Woodstown at Salem, 4 p.m.
Pennsville at Pitman, 5 p.m.
Penns Grove at Cumberland, 6 p.m.
GIRLS TENNIS
Penns Grove at Woodstown, 3:45 p.m.
OLMA at Salem, 4 p.m.
CROSS COUNTRY
Salem County Meet at Schalick, 3:30 p.m.

THURSDAY, OCT. 9
WJFL FOOTBALL
Paulsboro at Pennsville, 6 p.m.
Haddon Heights at Woodstown, 7 p.m.
Cinnaminson at Glassboro
FIELD HOCKEY
Burlington City at Salem Tech, 3:45 p.m.
Woodstown at Schalick, 4 p.m.
BOYS SOCCER
Camden Academy Charter at Salem Tech, 4 p.m.
Gloucester City at Salem, 4 p.m.
GIRLS SOCCER
Salem at Gloucester City, 4 p.m.
VOLLEYBALL
Salem Tech at Wildwood, 4 p.m.

FRIDAY, OCT. 10
WJFL FOOTBALL
Gloucester at Schalick, 6 p.m.
Penns Grove at Delran, 6 p.m.
Collingswood at Audubon, 7 p.m.
Overbrook at Camden Catholic
Woodbury at Willingboro
FIELD HOCKEY
Overbrook at Salem Tech, 3:45 p.m.
Salem at Gloucester City, 4 p.m.
BOYS SOCCER
Penns Grove at Woodbury, 4 p.m.
GIRLS SOCCER
Paulsboro at Salem Tech, 4 p.m.
Woodbury at Penns Grove, 4 p.m.
GIRLS TENNIS
Woodstown at Pitman, 3:45 p.m.
Penns Grove at Salem, 4 p.m.
Schalick at Wildwood, 4:15 p.m.
VOLLEYBALL
Salem Tech at Highland, 4 p.m.
COLLEGE BASEBALL
Salem CC Prospect Showcase

SATURDAY, OCT. 11
WJFL FOOTBALL
West Deptford at Salem, noon
CROSS COUNTRY
South Jersey Coaches Meet, Dream Park
COLLEGE BASEBALL
Salem CC Prospect Showcase

SUNDAY, OCT. 12
COLLEGE BASEBALL
Salem CC Prospect Showcase
COLLEGE SOFTBALL
Morris CC, CCBC at Salem CC, 10 a.m.

Photo credit: Kaitlyn Khairzada

Saturday roundup

Here are the scores and highlights from Saturday’s Salem County sports calendar

BOYS SOCCER
Northern Burlington 6, Woodstown 0: Elijah Font scored three goals and recorded his school-record 29th career assist as the Greyhounds handed Woodstown its first loss of the season. Bryce Ayars had a few good chances to score for the Wolverines in the first half, but was turned away by a defensive swarm.

FIELD HOCKEY
Schalick swamped Audubon 7-0 in the first round of the South Jersey Coaches Tournament of Champions at Camden Catholic. The Cougars play Clearview in Round 2 3:15 p.m. Sunday at Clearview.

In the other games, Camden Catholic blanked Delsea, 4-0; West Deptford swamped Gloucester 9-1; and Clearview blanked Delran 4-0.

CROSS COUNTRY
HOLMDEL – Jacob Marino finished 11th overall and two other runners placed in the top 25 to lead Woodstown to a third-place finish in the Shore Coaches Invitational Boys Varsity E race at Holmdel Park.

Marino ran a 17:01, while David Farrell (17:40) and Karson Chew (17:44) both finished in the top 25.

Salem Tech also was in the field and finished 21st. Jean-Pierre Pozo was the Chargers’ fastest runner (20:02)

Schalick finished 18th in the Girls Varsity F race. Helen Lillia was the Cougars fastest runner (23:10.08).

NJSIAA TENNIS TOURNAMENT
WEST WINDSOR – Schalick’s doubles team of Sebrina Bradford and Olivia Lunemann defeated Lejla Kaba and Kylie LaCroix of Pompton Lakes 6-1, 7-5 in the opening round of the NJSIAA Tournament doubles draw. They will play 5-8 seed Charlotte Hao and Nicole Rubin of Pingry in Sunday’s second round.

The Cougars’ Miya Watkins fell in the opening round of the singles draw to Julia Kravchenko of Gov. Livingston, 6-0, 6-1.

Playoff bound turnaround

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.”

Troy Cater (10) celebrates his second-quarter touchdown with teammates in the end zone. (Photo by Julliana Love)

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
161st Downs1
40-203Rushing12-(-25)
6-16-2Passing4-10-2
100Passing yds24
2-0Fumbles-lost2-2
0-0Punts-avg4-11.0
5-50Penalties5-45
Salem1412126-44
Middle Twp.0000-0

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

DIAMONDALLDIV
Glassboro6-03-0
Salem3-32-1
Schalick2-42-1
Woodbury2-41-2
Woodstown2-41-2
Penns Grove0-60-3
PATRIOTALLDIV
West Deptford5-14-0
Paulsboro6-04-0
Pennsville3-32-2
Overbrook4-21-2
Collingswood4-21-2
Camden Catholic0-60-3
Audubon1-40-3

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

Down to the wire

Woodstown tennis wins a pair of tiebreakers to clinch match with Pennsville; includes scores and highlights from Friday’s Salem County sports calendar

FIELD HOCKEY
OLMA 2, Salem 0
Schalick 1, Williamstown 0
Woodstown 3, Gateway 0
Salem Tech at Winslow
BOYS SOCCER
Buena 4, Salem Tech 2
GIRLS TENNIS
Woodstown 3, Pennsville 2

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PENNSVILLE — No. 2 singles Alyssa Berry and the doubles team of Emma West and Angelina Lindenmuth pulled out exciting tiebreakers in deciding sets to lift Woodstown over Pennsville 3-2 in girls tennis Friday.

West and Lindenmuth edged Graillyn Weber and Yerlian Charon 7-5 in the second-set tiebreaker at No. 2 doubles to clinch the overall match moments after Berry outlasted Isabell Schrenker 11-9 in their third-set tiebreaker to even the score.

The doubles team was down 3-0 and 4-2 in their tiebreaker before rallying to win the clinching match.

“I told them both the same thing,” Wolverines coach Jesse Stemberger said. “If I’m not panicking, you’re not panicking. So, play under control and play with confidence. If you do that, you’ll be OK.”

The match could potentially be the final one between Stemberger and his Pennsville counterpart Dan LaMont in girls tennis. Unless their teams play in the South Jersey Group I finals, LaMont could be leaving with an 11-10 all-time lead in the matchup.

WOODSTOWN 3, PENNSVILLE 2
Lily Edwards (P) def. Nathalie Neron, 7-5, 6-0
Alyssa Berry (WO) def. Isabell Schrenker, 4-6, 6-0, 11-9
Morgan Holt (P) def. Noelle Neron, 6-1, 6-0
Madison LaPalomento-Emilee Kehr (WO) def. Emma Hankin-Naomi Hess, 6-1, 6-2
Emma West-Angelina Lindenmuth (WO) def. Graillyn Weber-Yerlian Charon, 6-4, 7-5 (7-5)
Records: Woodstown 10-3, Pennsville 9-6.

FIELD HOCKEY
OLMA 2, Salem 0: Lindsey Graham and Marlee McGrath scored second-half goals. Ava Rodgers was credited with 23 saves in the Salem goal.
Schalick 1, Williamstown 0: Alexa Shimp scored the game’s only goal in the second quarter and Lydia Gilligan posted the shutout. The Cougars play Audubon Saturday in the South Jersey TOC at Camden Catholic.
Woodstown 3, Gateway 0: Freshman Brooke Dillion scored two goals, Talia Guardascione scored one and Kendall Higgins posted the shutout.

BOYS SOCCER
Buena 4, Salem Tech 2: The Chiefs scored four goals in the second half to erase a 2-0 halftime deficit and earn their first win of the season. Kameron Brown and Josh Woroniak gave the Chargers their halftime lead.