Salem’s Farmer collects 100th career coaching win in nail biter over Woodstown; story will be updated
TUESDAY BASKETBALL
BOYS
Clayton 102, Schalick 65
Salem 62, Woodstown 59
Wildwood at Pennsville
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Wildwood 66, Pennsville 37
Schalick 40, Clayton 35
Woodstown 50, Salem 21
By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News
WOODSTOWN – Anthony Farmer certainly has had easier wins, but it’s hard to imagine any more personally satisfying at this stage in his coaching career than the one he collected Tuesday night.
Farmer scored his 100th career coaching win when his Salem basketball team held off a furious fourth-quarter charge by Woodstown for a 62-59 victory in their season opener.
“Obviously it’s a feel good moment to accomplish a milestone,” the nine-year coaching veteran said. “It just means you’ve been around a long time.
“To get 100 wins, taking over some programs that were in a rebuild. My first two stops were rebuild situations; I didn’t step into anything that was put together. First stop was pretty unsuccessful (at Middle Twp.), but then you come to Salem and you walk into something and build something of your own and I’m really proud of that.”
He would have had the milestone late last season, but the Rams were stripped of four wins in their 5-1 start due to an ineligible player. Despite the blow, the Rams went on to make the playoffs and post a winning record for the season, but it left him one short of the milestone and nine months to think about it..
In collecting the milestone win, Farmer now joins an elite group with 100 coaching wins, 1,000 high school points (St. Augustine) and 1,000 college points (Rutgers). He went on to play professionally overseas, but those records are incomplete.
“That speaks highly right there; that’s big time,” Farmer said. “I don’t know how many people across the state who can pull out a resume like that. To be a 1,000-point scorer in high school, 1,000-point scorer in the Big East, which was the best college basketball conference in America when I played, and then to transition because that doesn’t always translate.
“Because you were decent player at the high school level, at the college level, doesn’t mean you can go on and have success on any level. It just doesn’t. People just think because you were a decent player that it translates and it just doesn’t. You see so many great athletes fail on the coaching side because it doesn’t always translate. I must be learning and doing a little something right.”
Daeshaun Williams scored 22 points and grabbed 13 rebounds to lead the Rams’ effort. Marshall Stephens, playing his first high school basketball game in two years, had 10 points and eight boards. Tymear Lecator had 13 points in the second half.
Stephens played for the Rams as a sophomore, but moved to New York and only played football there last season because he didn’t think it was fair to his longtime teammates back in Salem to play their game while he was away.
“That tells you a lot about Marshall and his loyalty and how he feels about the Salem community and the kids,” Farmer said. “It’s a great opportunity with Antwuan (Rogers) signing early (with Temple football) and leaving, he’s able to step in. He’s very raw, but he’s an athlete.”
The Rams had big leads in both halves, but couldn’t shake their hosts. The Wolverines got it back to one at halftime with a big second quarter and were down 12 in the fourth quarter, but brought it back to a one-possession game.
It was their second straight nailbiter for Woodstown. The Wolverines lost to Woodbury 53-52 at Penns Grove Saturday in their season opener. In both games they couldn’t get off a final shot.
Blake Bialecki led the Wolverines with 15 points. Elijah Caesar had 12 and Joshua King 11.
“It was a lot closer than it should have been,” Farmer said. “That nine (point lead) should’ve turned into 15, 16 the last two minutes, not four, so we’ve got to finish better.”
SALEM (1-0): Tymear Lecator 13, B.J. Robbins 0, Neziah Spence 7, Harlem Parsons 1, Cole Sayers 6, Daeshaun Williams 22, Xavier McGriff 4, Marshall Stevens 10, Donnie Weathers 0.
WOODSTOWN (0-2): Elijah Caesar 4 3-5 12, Jalen Markward 0 0-2 0, Andrew White 3 1-2 8, Blake Bialecki 4 5-7 15, Frank Hoerst 1 1-2 3, Connor Miller 1 2-2 5, Alejandro Vazquez 1 2-2 5, Joshua King 5 0-0 11, Lucas Fulmer 0 0-0 0. Totals 19 14-22 59.
Salem 22 8 13 19- 62
Woodstown 14 15 8 22- 59
3-point goals: Woodstown 7 (King, Vazquez, Miller, Bialecki 2, White, Caesar). Rebounds: Salem 39 (Williams 13, Sayers 7, Stevens 8). Fouled out: Marshall, Vazquez. Total fouls: Salem 19, Woodstown 19.
Clayton 102, Schalick 65: The Cougars put four scorers in double figures, but it wasn’t near enough to overcome the Clippers’ depth firepower.
The Clippers ran 16 players into the game and 13 of them scored. James Fritz led the assault with 25 points, 10 steals and seven rebounds. Isaiah Aviles had 14 points and Jackson Venuto added 12 points and eight assists.
Kade Macom had 16 points to lead Schalick. Sherrod Jones had 11 and Orion Baldwin and Cooper Willoughby had 10 apiece.
SCHALICK (0-1): Orion Baldwin 5-0-10, Julian Dickerson 4-0-8, Dylan Sheehan 2-0-4, Sherrod Jones 5-0-11, Justin Iacona 3-0-6, Kade Macom 7-0-16, Cooper Willoughby 5-0-10. Totals 31-0-65,
CLAYTON (1-0): Jackson Venuto 4 2-4 12, Anthony Taylor 1 0-0 2, Dominic Lemon 2 0-0 5, Trevor Rehm 4 0-0 9, King Mosley 2 0-0 5, Enok Figeruoa 0 0-0 0, Mason Gable 0 0-0 0, Nasir Carter 2 4-4 8, Isaiah Aviles 7 0-0 14, Anthony Archer 2 0-0 4, Kevin Mosley 2 1-2 8, Michael Bull 1 0-3 2, Kieran Queflander 0 0-0 0, Sincere Sierra 1 0-0 2, Justin Delaney 2 0-0 6, James Fritz 10 4-5 25. Totals 40 11-18 102.
Schalick 10 21 20 14- 65
Clayton 23 21 34 14- 102
3-point goals: Schalick 3 (Macom 2, Jones); Clayton 9 (Fritz, Delaney 2, Ke. Mosley, Ki. Mosley, Rehm, Lemon, Venuto 2). Rebounds: Clayton 40 (Carter 7, Fritz 7).
1000-Point Watch
| PLAYER | TONIGHT | TOTAL |
| Taylor Bass, Pennsville | 21 vs. Wildwood | 915 |
| Blake Bialecki, Woodstown | 15 vs. Salem | 748 |
| Tymear Lecator, Salem | 13 vs. Woodstown | 666 |
GIRLS BASKETBALL
SALEM — Woodstown opened its season looking a lot different than it had the past four years, but the results were the same.
The Wolverines may not have the dynamic scorers they had in recent years, but their defense was just as stout and together they produced a 50-21 win over Salem.
“Different can be good,” coach Matt Smart said. “Right now we are trying to figure out our identity, things like who are the leaders, who can play great defense, who can help us score.
“Almost every girl on our team has a vastly different role on the team than they have had in the past. We are still trying to figure out how to use everyone most effectively and yes there will be some struggles, but each and every girl is embracing the role.”
The Wolverines got balanced scoring from their starters with Lauren Hengel hitting three 3-pointers in the first quarter and finishing with a team-high 14 and Mia Waterman hitting four 3s in the game for 12 points. Kendall Young had 10 points.
Defensively, the Wolverines held their hosts to two field goals and single digits each quarter.
“You can really tell the girls enjoy the game of basketball and enjoy being around each other,” Smart said. “They give up good shots for better shots, they are starting to play as a defensive unit, and they are having fun doing it. They are smiling and laughing all the time, but when it comes to the game, they are able to lock in and perform.”
WOODSTOWN (1-0) – Lauren Hengel 5 1-1 14, Emma Perry 3 0-2 6, Kyia Leyman 3 0-0 6, Kendall Young 4 2-4 10, Mia Waterman 4 0-0 12, Kailyn Kennedy 0 0-0 0, Talia Guardascione 0 0-0 0, Maddie Roback 0 0-0 0, Jaelyn McDonald 0 0-0 0, Gina Murray 1 0-0 2, Autumn Paleschic 0 0-0 0, Gabriella Maldinado 0 0-0 0, Cecelia Nachbar 0 0-0 0. Totals 16 3-8
SALEM (0-1) – Timmyiah Simmions 1 0-0 2, Madison Dixon 3 0-2 7, Dyaira Anderson 0 1-2 1, Carlysia Pierce 2 3-7 7, Samiyah Moore 0 0-0 0, Kaliyah Taylor 0 0-4 0, Shyla Parsons 0 0-0 0, Triscia Wilson 2 0-0 4, Taleah Elliot 0 0-2 0. Totals 8 4-17 21.
Woodstown 18 12 13 7- 50
Salem 5 5 6 5- 21
3-point goals: Woodstown 7 (Hengel 3, Waterman 4); Salem 1 (Dixon). Total fouls: Woodstown 11, Salem 9.
Wildwood 66, Pennsville 37: The Warriors opened a 23-12 lead in the first quarter, then put it away with a 27-3 third quarter. They hit four of their 11 3-pointers in the first quarter and five in the third.
Rebecca Benichou led three Wildwood scorers in double figures with 17 points, with eight rebounds, seven assists and five steals. Laila Fathi had 15 and Angela Wilber 12. The trio combined for 10 of the Warriors’ 3s.
Pennsville’s Taylor Bass led all scorers with 21 points, moving to within 85 of becoming the Eagles’ next 1,000-point scorer.
PENNSVILLE (0-1) – Taylor Bass 10 0-0 21, Marley Wood 3 3-4 9, Isabelle Saulin 1 2-4 4, Addison Johnston 1 0-0 3, Jaida Burns 0 0-0 0, Jaiden Wilson 0 0-0 0, Kylie Harris 0 0-0 0. Totals 15 5-8 37.
WILDWOOD (1-1) – Angela Wilber 3 1-2 12, Rebecca Benichou 6 2-2 17, Kiana D’Antuono 0 0-0 0, Addison Troiano 4 0-0 9, Joelle Murphy 4 1-1 9, Cydnee Kilian 1 0-0 2, Laila Fathi 5 1-2 15, Emma Bontreras 0 2-4 2, Sabrin Fathi 0 0-0 0, Antoinette Cooper 0 0-0 0, Ellasyn Morey 0 0-0 0, Lily Atkinson 0 0-0 0, Julia Ennis 0 0-0 0, Sarah Djellal 0 0-0 0. Totals 24 7-11 66.
Pennsville 12 8 3 14- 37
Wildwood 23 12 27 4- 66
3-point goals: Pennsville 2 (Bass, Johnston); Wildwood 11 (Wilber 3, Benichou 3, Troiano, Fathi 4). Rebounds: Wildwood 39 (Benichou 8, Murphy 8). Total fouls: Pennsville 14, Wildwood 10.
Schalick 40, Clayton 34: Willow Davis scored nine of her game-high 12 points in the first half to help Schalick establish the lead and Olivia Vanacker had six of her 10 in the fourth quarter to help the Cougars close out their first season-opening win since 2022.
“It was a great win for us to set the tone for our season,” Cougars coach John Whalen said.
CLAYTON (0-1) – Deondria Simon 1 3-4 5, Janice Blair 0 1-2 1, India Bryant 3 1-2 9, Alivia Howey 0 0-2 0, India Williams 2 0-4 4, Bella Wiseburn 0 1-2 1, Gabby Searle 0 1-2 1, Kennedy Eaddy 1 3-4 5, Layana Carr-Archie 4 1-1 9. Totals 11 11-23 35.
SCHALICK (1-0) – Ava Scurry 2 2-4 6, Nevaeh Robinson 3 3-6 9, Cali Fisler 1 1-2 3, Willow Davis 4 3-6 12, Olivia Vanacker 4 2-4 10, Vic Basich 0 0-0 0, Jaelynn Jarmon 0 0-4 0, Emma O’Neill 0 0-0 0. Totals 14 11-26 40.
Clayton 3 7 12 13- 35
Schalick 7 14 5 14- 40
3-point goals: Clayton 2 (Bryant 2); Schalick 1 (Davis). Technical fouls: Williams. Fouled out: Williams, Scurry. Total fouls: Clayton 20, Schalick 21.
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