Salem boys clinch TCC Classic division title in big way; Pennsville girls settling in with new coach, win second with Efelis; also scores and highlights from the rest of Thursday night’s Salem County sports calendar
BOYS BASKETBALL
Penns Grove 66, Glassboro 52
Salem 110, Clayton 77
Schalick 63, Pennsville 33
Overbrook 51, Woodstown 46
Buena 57, Salem Tech 42
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Glassboro 65, Penns Grove 31
Salem 54, Clayton 40
Woodstown 54, Overbrook 16
Pennsville 52, Schalick 35
WRESTLING
Oakcrest 67, Salem 9
By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News
PITTSGROVE – The second time around was a little bit easier for Robin Efelis and the Pennsville girls basketball team.
With a lot less chaos and a bit more preparation, the Eagles won their second game in three days under their new coach Thursday night, topping Schalick 52-35 to remain on pace for a Tri-County Conference Diamond Division crown.
“They named Ryan Wood assistant coach, so with his knowledge and skill it made it a lot easier,” Efelis said. “Right now I’m just trying to get used to the thought (of being head coach). The girls are good. They’re handling it well, all the changes this week. They just pushed and pushed tonight and they did really good.
“I was just letting the girls be the girls. We had a few things that we tweaked here and there, but for the most part this week we were just letting them play.”
Efelis was installed as the Eagles’ interim head coach Monday night, less than 24 hours before they took on their biggest county rival in a game that could have derailed their title hopes. They beat Woodstown that night, but Efelis admitted “I was just a little bit overwhelmed. Everything happened so fast. I don’t mind stepping up, but I kind of miss my partner, too.”
She was promoted following the abrupt resignation of coach Steve Merritt after Monday’s practice. It’s her first time as a head coach in basketball, although she spent two seasons as the Pennsville track coach earlier in her career.
Neither Merritt nor Pennsville athletics director Jamy Thomas would comment on the internal nature of the resignation when the news broke. And neither would Efelis, except to express loyalty and appreciation for the coach she aided both years of his tenure.
“Steve’s heart was in the game,” Efelis said. “He had basketball in his heart. My opinion is not going to change.”
The Eagles (12-6) are a veteran team so Efelis wasn’t worried about them being able to handle the adversity. They got off to a slow start Thursday, falling behind 14-7 in the first quarter, but the fortunes swung on the last two minutes of the second quarter and first two minutes of the third. It was Pennsville’s fourth straight win.
Taylor Bass and Marley Wood led the offense with 18 and 17 points, respectively. Bass had 13 in the second half. Addie Johnston, who hit five 3-pointers in the Woodstown game, hit three more against the Cougers (12-5) and finished with 11 points. Jaida Burns and Izzy Saulin played key roles defensively.
Nevaeh Robinson and Ava Scurry led Schalick with 11 points apiece. Robinson hit a pair of 3-pointers in the Cougars’ first-quarter surge, but was held to five the rest of the night.
“The Pennsville girls kind of ran the show tonight,” Efelis said. “They got it together. They were a little lax the first quarter and then they took off.
“My coaching thing is I’m in it for the girls. I love watching them play. I love everything. Whether they lose or whether they win, I love seeing them compete. Tonight was a good night for us.”
They don’t time to rest on it. They have another emotional game Friday, hosting Millville for Senior Night.
PENNSVILLE 52, SCHALICK 35
PENNSVILLE (12-6): Taylor Bass 7 2-2 18, Marley Wood 5 6-8 17, Addie Johnston 4 0-0 11, Izzy Saulin 2 0-0 4, Jaiden Wilson 0 0-0 0, Jaida Burns 1 0-2 2. Totals 19 8-12 52.
SCHALICK (12-5): Cali Fisler 1 1-4 3, Ava Scurry 4 3-8 11, Willow Davis 0 0-0 0, Nevaeh Robinson 4 0-0 11, Olivia Vanacker 3 2-2 8, Vicky Basich 0 0-0 0, Emmalyn Weir 0 0-0 0, Jaelynn Jarmon 0 0-0 0, Emma O’Neill 1 0-0 2. Totals 13 6-11 35.
| Pennsville | 7 | 16 | 20 | 9- | 52 |
| Schalick | 14 | 5 | 9 | 7- | 35 |
SALEM 54, CLAYTON 40: Dyaira Anderson scored 16 points and grabbed 17 rebounds for her ninth double-double of the season, Carlysia Pierce scored 16 points and Jaryn Weathers had 10 as the Rams won their second straight and got back to .500 (8-8) on the season. Pierce also had eight rebounds, six steals and two blocked shots.
WOODSTOWN 54, OVERBROOK 16: The Wolverines got balanced scoring and played a tough defense that held the Rams to two points in three of the four quarters. Kendall Young led Woodstown’s offense with 14 points. Lauren Hengel had 10. Kemma Perry and Autumn Paleschic had eight apiece. For Paleschic, a sophomore in her first year on varsity, it was a career-high and doubled her season point total.
GLASSBORO 65, PENNS GROVE 31. Keziah Patterson scored 20 points for Penns Grove, but Glassboro got 27 from Kezia Brackett and 19 from Lily Czubas to remain on track with Pennsville to tie for the TCC Diamond Division crown,
Boys games: Salem clinches
CLAYTON — Salem scratched off a big box on their to-do list Thursday night, clinched its first Tri-County Classic Division title in five years and did it in a most emphatic way.
The Rams placed five scorers in double-figures, got double-doubles from Tymear Lecator and Marshall Stephens, and scored the most points in a game under coach Anthony Farmer, outgunning Clayton 110-77.
With their fourth straight win, the Rams (16-3) opened a two-game lead on Wildwood with one division game to play.
“It’s one of the first goals that you try to accomplish as you move forward to the ultimate goal, which is winning a state title,” Farmer said. “The first one you’ve got to get is the division. So, definitely a good feeling for the boys and the program to claim a division again, but there’s more work to be done.”
It was the second time this season and fifth time in Farmer’s five-year tenure the Rams have scored 100 or more in a game. Four of those games were against Clayton.
Lecator led the Rams with 17 points, 11 assists and six rebounds. Stephens had 11 points, 11 rebounds and four blocked shots. Xavier McGriff (15), Neziah Spence (15) and Deshaan Williams (14) also scored in double figures. All of Spence’s points came on 3-pointers. Clayton’s James Fritz led all scorers with 30 points.
The Rams led 46-34 at halftime, then erupted for 38 points in the third quarter to give themselves a chance at 100.
“That’s what our pregame was about, mentally preparing for the task at hand and going to play the right way,” Farmer said. “We have been playing better lately and we wanted to keep it rolling. We know Clayton forces you into some bad things and some bad habits with their style of play, so we wanted to be conscious of the things we’ve been working on and continuing to take steps forward. I’m proud of the way they finished today.”
It was another big game for Lecator. The junior moved to within 52 points to becoming a 1,000-point scorers. He’s scored 71 points in three games this week and he’s been averaging 20.7 in the 11 games since Pitman held him to seven points on Jan. 6. He’s also had 63 assists in the same stretch.
“Ty is a true student of the game,” Farmer said. “He’s a hard worker so I’m proud as coach to see those type of guys rewarded. He’s a heck of a player and he’s improving day by day. The sky’s the limit for that kid if he continues to listen and do the right things. He’s just gotten better each year.”
The Rams have a big test in their next game, facing SJ Group 4 No. 1 Cherry Hill East (18-2) Saturday in the Battle by the Bay in Atlantic City.
SALEM 110, CLAYTON 77
SALEM (16-3): Donnie Weathers 2 1-2 5, Xavier McGriff 7 0-0 15, Neziah Spence 5 0-0 15, Tymear Lecator 6 2-2 17, Fatah Paige 3 0-0 6, Deshaan Williams 7 0-0 14, BJ Robbins 4 0-0 9, Cole Sayers 2 0-0 4, Kaden Robinson 1 0-0 2, Jovanni Rios 3 0-0 6, Marshall Stephens 5 1-2 11, Darrelle Johnson 3 0-0 6. Totals 48 4-6 110.
CLAYTON (7-11): Jackson Venuto 2 2-3 7, James Fritz 10 8-9 30, Nasir Carter 5 1-1 12, Kevin Mosley 3 1-4 10, Isaiah Aviles 1 0-0 2, Dominic Lemon 1 0-0 2, Trevor Rehm 1 0-0 3, King Mosley 2 0-0 5, Enok Figeruoa 1 0-0 2, Anthony Archer 1 2-2 4. Totals 27 14-19 77.
| Salem | 25 | 21 | 38 | 26- | 110 |
| Clayton | 15 | 19 | 19 | 24- | 77 |
| 1000-POINT WATCH | TODAY | TOTAL | NEXT |
| Tymear Lecator, Salem | 17 vs. Clayton | 948 | vs. CHE, Saturday in Atlantic City |
PENNS GROVE 66, GLASSBORO 52: The Red Devils jumped out to a 10-0 lead in the first 3:30 of the game and maintained the lead. Penns Grove’s three double-digits scorers outscored Glassboro’s three by 13 points. Roman Gipson led Penns Grove with a season-high 21 points and Haneef Frisby scored 16, his best game in a Penns Grove uniform. Geonni Conrad added 10. Glassboro was led by Xavier Sabb’s 13.
OVERBROOK 51, WOODSTOWN 46: Newly minted 1,000-point scorer Blake Bialecki had 12 points and hit four 3-pointers to set Woodstown’s all-time record for career treys and Elijah Caesar had 10, but the Wolverines couldn’t overcome three double-digit scorers by the Rams. Bialecki now has 1,013 career points and 190 career 3-pointers.
SCHALICK 63, PENNSVILLE 33: Danny Knight had 22 points for Pennsville.
Wrestling
OAKCREST 67, SALEM 9
106: Giovanni Taylor (O) won by forfeit
113: Mason Sanchez (O) won by forfeit
120: Joseph Sanchez (O) tech fall over Zachary Tortella, 23-4 (4:00)
126: Romas Rivera (O) dec. Hayden Stauble, 15-11
132: Heriberto Curtidor (O) tech fall over Guylherme Quintanilha, 18-3 (4:00)
138: Kevin Longo (O) pinned Brodie Parker, 4:00
144: Aiden Xayaphachan (O) won by forfeit
150: Joseph Goetaski (S) pinned Gavin Gabriel
157: Roberth Quiroz (O) won by forfeit
165: Malik Hughes (O) won by forfeit
175: Gunnar Olivieri (O) won by forfeit
190: Nyree Montford (O) won by forfeit
215: Nicholas Bellace (O) won by forfeit
285: Abdullah Jenkins (S) dec. Youssef Nosair, 7-2.
Riverview Sports News 