Close to ready

Pennsville, Salem go through final scrimmages before their season openers

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PENNSVILLE – It was six days before the games begin and Pennsville’s football team continues to get closer to being ready for its season opener.

The Eagles went through their final game-like scrimmage before Thursday’s season opener against Woodstown and had its way with Delaware’s PolyTech in the three quarters of varsity work, 21-8.

Danny Knight set the tone with an interception on the fifth play of the game. Jake Layfield, the presumptive opening-day quarterback threw a 17-yard touchdown pass to Dante Cummings, Tristan Horner had an 8-yard touchdown run and sophomore safety David Biddle had a 15-yard scoop and score.

Layfield completed his first three passes and was 6-of-9 for 130 yards. Horner rushed for 11 yards on three carries and caught two passes for 72 yards.

“We definitely progressed today,” Healy said. “Every day I feel like they’re getting better and today I saw a lot of growth from them as well. It’s not finished, obviously, but I think we’re moving in the right direction.”

Healy wouldn’t commit to Layfield over Grady Sanders as the opening-day quarterback, but Layfield was working with the first team throughout the scrimmage.

“We’re going to make the decision still,” Healy said. “They’re both working hard. They both did some good things today. Either way we’re going to have them both involved somehow. Eventually one of them will be our starter and the other guy will be playing.”

Salem: Tale of two halves

CAMDEN – Salem looked average in its final scrimmage of camp, and were nothing like coach Kemp Carr expects them to be later in the season.

The Rams held their own at Camden, but it took them a while to get going.

“We played at a C level against a Group 2 state champion who is going to be a contender for Group 3 this year,” Carr said. “I thought we gave up two big plays, a long run and a blown-coverage catch. Outside of that, I thought we played really well. We did answer the bell. The first half we didn’t look like who we are. The second half we came out, we established the run, we almost held the ball the whole quarter.

“Some things I’ll take from this is we were a tale of two halves and we can’t be a tale of two halves. We have to be a consistent four-quarter football team because that’s what I believe this team is.”

The Rams played two quarterbacks, senior Desmund Thomas and Owen McDonald, a freshman who is expected to get most of the reps in the early part of the season.

“When they were given time I thought they played extremely well,” Carr said. “I think they stepped up and when there was pressure a couple times they did step up and took what the defense was giving them. I think they’re understanding, their timing and rhythm is starting to get there.

“It’s cohesiveness, right? We want to hit stride earlier, but I think the best that you’re going to see this team is in the middle of the year. I think we’ll take off and be a different team than we were in the beginning of the year. We’re not leaving the beginning of the year out at all, because we want to come out firing from all cylinders right away, but I think we throw gas on the fire in the middle of the season.”

Salem’s season-opening opponent, Ironton (Ohio), opened its season Thursday night with a 42-0 shutout of Williamsburg. The Fighting Tigers scored three touchdowns in a three-minute stretch late in the first quarter to take control and held their hosts to five yards of net offense for the game.

Three-star receiver Kayden Edwards, who committed to Boston College from 22 Division I offers, caught a 65-yard touchdown pass from Wyatt Wolfe in the first quarter and had a 44-yard punt return to set up another score. Easton Caudill had TD runs for 49 and 40 yards in a 121-yard rushing night. Wolfe was 9 of 15 for 160 yards and two touchdowns passing.

“It was a good overall effort for the first game out,” acting head coach Todd Knipp told the Ironton Tribune. “Our defense did a great job getting off blocks … We were swarming all over the. I am really pleased with how we performed there. Offensively, once we got going and started to establish things we were able to make some plays,. We want to see more consistency in our run game … but for the first game, we’ll take this.”

The Rams leave on the trip at 4 a.m. Friday. They’ll make a stop at West Virginia University on the way down and Marshall University on the way back.

Schalick: Continuing to grow

BUENA – Gary Simonini and Gabe McFarland scored touchdowns and the defense “played very well against the run” as Schalick blanked Buena 14-0 in its second scrimmage of camp.

“All went well,” Cougars coach Kevin Leamy said. “It was a little sloppy on our part, but we continue to grow and get better.”

The Cougars open the season Friday at home against Maple Shade.

Top photo: Tristan Horner takes a handoff from Jake Layfield during Pennsville’s scrimmage with Delaware’s PolyTech.