Getting to know …

Salem’s DaviYonn (Pop) Jackson

EDITORS NOTE: This is the latest in a recurring series of in depth interviews with athletes in Salem County. Coaches, if there is a player in your program with an interesting background or backstory the community would be interested in “Getting to Know …,” forward details in an email to Riverview Sports News at al.muskewitz@gmail.com.

SALEM – Pop Jackson is a man on the move. The multi-sport Salem athlete sat down with Riverview Sports News for a deep dive into all the things that drive him, but he had a schedule to keep. New Rams football coach Kemp Carr cautioned the junior only had 15 minutes before he needed to be in a peer counseling session for younger teammates for which he is a teacher-appointed mentor.

So his time was limited, but Jackson still answered all the questions with the focus he exhibits seeking the best route for a big gain when he runs the football.

But don’t pigeonhole him as just a running back – or a defensive player, for that matter. Carr is quick to call him a “football player,” a nod to Jackson’s versatility as a player and his own present noncommittal to the role the rising senior will play on his team this coming fall.

Before Jackson burst on the scene as a running back to build an offense around last fall he burst on the scene as a track athlete, excelling in the long and triple jump.

During his “15 minutes of fame,” Jackson talked about how he got his nickname, what rushing for 1,200 yards last year meant to him and his goals in both track and football going forward.

And then he was off. You know, a man on the move. – Al Muskewitz

RIVERVIEW SPORTS NEWS: How did you come to be called Pop?

POP JACKSON: I’ve always been Pop since I grew up. I don’t know how it came about, but ever since I was little they called me Pop-Pop and then it just changed to Pop.

RSN: What did being a 1,000-yard rusher mean to you last year? You had 1,245 yards (1,090 of it in the final six games), Salem’s first 1,000-yard rusher in six years (Zaire Jones).

POP: I felt as though I could accomplish more. It felt good to rush for 1,000, but I’m just trying to elevate and get 2,000 this year.

RSN: It started late to you, like the fifth game of the year at Rutgers. What was the change that turned you into that guy?

POP: If nobody else is going to be the guy, I’ve got to be the guy. And when I’m running the ball I felt as though nobody wanted to tackle me. I’m about to start toting the ball.

RSN: Coach Carr is going to be your third head coach in three years. What’s that like for a player to keep going through change like that?

POP: To learn from him and learn from different coaches and how they coach it feels good because in college you don’t know what coach you might run into and what offense and defense you’ll play. It’s a good thing.

RSN: Can you tell yet how the change has impacted you? What do you like about Coach Carr and what do you think his plans are for you?

POP: Since he got here, I’m not going to lie, I’ve been more serious. He doesn’t let any of the guys slip up. It’s needed, so they’re not disrespecting themselves, their family and the team as a whole.

RSN: What are your personal goals for track and football going forward. I know you want to win games and go to the playoffs, but what do you want to get down in this important year?

POP: I want to get more recognized, rushing for a lot of yards and defense. Anything I can get recognized for will be a good thing.

RSN: What do you do when you’re not playing or practicing. Tell me something you do outside of sports?

POP: I just like being in my house. I don’t like going places a lot, but when I go places I like to walk my dog. Other than that, I just stay in the house watching YouTube and stuff. I need to recoup.

RSN: What is something you wish you could do again?

POP: I would have started football earlier. It would have given me more experience and I would have been way better than what I am now.

RSN: Are you an offensive guy or a defensive guy who found his place on offense?

It’s at this point, Carr interjected, “Football player, Pop.” Later in the conversation, after Jackson had left the room, Carr reserved commenting on his plans for the player this coming season.

CARR: I don’t know what I have. I know of what they did. I know some of the guys who are returning who play. I think quality coaches build their structure, their philosophies, their missions, their identity and what they’re trying to do according to your personnel then just trying to get the personnel to fit your identity.

That’s where guys get run into it. They get so accustomed to running one thing, but they don’t have the unit to run it and then they wonder why they pitfall. We know we’ve got a piece, but we need more than a piece. It’s a team sport. We’ve got 45 guys and all 45 play an intricate part of what we’re doing.

Are we going to be a team that has to get the ball out of the quarterback’s hand fast? Are we going to be a team that can hold onto it and do some play action? Is he going to be a decoy at times? Are we going to give him 30 touches? We don’t know that yet. I’ll identify that later down the road.

I knew Pop when he was a sophomore. I saw him play, not running the ball but just as an athlete. He was thrown to the wolves early as a freshman and he held his own. Made some plays. I just think that’s just going to get better for him. As he gets stronger, bigger, faster, more knowledgeable of what his assignments are, the dynamic only gets better for him. Not only that, it’s going to be a turnaround this year and I think he has a lot to do with it. He’s a catalyst of what we’re trying to do … You’re going to need to know where he is on the field at all times. He’s one of those guys.

RSN: Before you burst on the scene as a football player, you burst on the scene as a track guy. What do you like about running track?

POP: I’m on a team and we’re all competing together, but there are individual things you can do. It’s you versus this person, you versus this person. If I don’t do this, I lose because of myself, not because of someone else. If I don’t get it done, I’m mad at myself.

RSN: What’s the longest you stayed mad?

POP: I think a month. After losing the championship to Woodbury (in the 2022 Group I semifinals). We were the better team, but that’s in the past.

RSN: Last year you won the triple jump at the state meet and now you’re looking to win gold in the long jump, too. What’s the factor that’s held it back?

POP: Getting my mark down. I know my steps, my numbers, but when I’m approaching the runway and the board, I’m just passing the board and getting fouls. Then I get to thinking about it instead of just running and giving it my all.

RSN: What does your recruiting look like?

POP: I’ve been getting letters and things, but the top one (for track) is Liberty. For football, there’s Monmouth, Wagner and a couple others (to which Carr added, “but that’s all about to change.”)

I’m a hard working person. I would love to run for any college.

And then he had run.

Big win

Burchfield homers, sophomore Copperthwait provides Pennsville a ‘Pinto moment’ and the Eagles knock off Delsea

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PENNSVILLE – After coming so close against some of the elites on its schedule over the years and just not being able to get over the hump, the Pennsville baseball team proved Tuesday this is a different year.

The Eagles jumped on South Jersey power Delsea with an early home run, extended their lead through an unexpected source and turned back the Crusaders 8-6 for one of the biggest regular-season wins in coach Matt Karr’s tenure.

“This is a huge win for us,” outfielder Chase Burchfield said. “For the past two years we’ve been close to beating teams like a Delsea and big schools like that and we came up just short.

“I feel like this year our guys are tougher and we’re not afraid to go against these big schools even though we’re smaller than them. We just have a bunch of guys who won’t quit.”

Burchfield’s three-run homer with two outs in the third – his first high school homer – broke a 1-1 tie and put the Eagles (3-1) on top for good. It came on the first pitch after he just barely missed a sure double down the line.

The Crusaders (3-1) made it a 4-3 game in fifth, but Pennsville added some distance with a run in the bottom of the inning.

Then came the game breaker.

A player never knows when his time will come to shine, so they must be ready at all times. Sophomore Logan Copperthwait’s time came Tuesday and he was ready.

The Eagles lost second baseman Jacob Grant to a leg injury earlier in the game. Luckily, “Copper” had come down from the JV game and was immediately inserted him in the lineup. And much like Ricardo Pinto did for the Phillies the other night, he delivered in a whirlwind.

Shortly after he got in the game, he turned a diving stop into a 4-6-3 double play to get the Eagles out of a jam. But it’s what he did in the sixth inning that will be one of the season’s memorable moments.

In only his second varsity at bat, Copper battles back from an 0-2 count with two outs to draw a walk that loads the bases. Otley Makosky tried to pick him off first, but the throw sailed into the outfield and two runs score. Luke Wood drove him home with a double and suddenly the Eagles were leading 8-3.

“He was, for sure, the MVP of the game,” winning pitcher Peyton O’Brien said . “Without him and his AB we’re not in that position.”

“We preach next-man-up and playing selfless team baseball,” Karr said. “When we make changes positionally it’s like a merry-go-round of guys changing positions. It’s Group I baseball at its finest. We have 22 guys in our whole program between varsity and JV and we can go toe-to-toe with anyone and today solidified that thought for our guys.”

“To be able to get this win just boosts our confidence a whole bunch,” O’Brien said.

O’Brien offered up what Karr called “just a gritty performance” in his first outing of the season. He pitched into the fifth inning, giving up five hits, two earned runs and striking out seven. He also had two doubles at the plate and a pair of RBIs.

Cohen Petrutz took the game into the seventh and Connor Starn came from behind the plate for the second time in as many days – this time with bases loaded – and got the final two outs for the save.

“This is huge, for sure,” O’Brien said. “Last year we played a lot of the bigger schools and we felt we were always in those games, but we could never come out with the win. Coming out this year and beating Delsea, that’s just huge, because we know this season is different and that’s a good start for us.”

He wanted the ball

Salem CC freshman Wilson asks to start, pitches six strong innings after rough start, leaves with lead, but Mighty Oaks can’t hold it

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

CARNEYS POINT – J.D. Wilson has never asked for a start on the mound since he got to college, but this time he just seemed compelled to do it.

The freshman right-hander from Pennsville absolutely wanted the ball in Salem CC’s Tuesday series finale with Middlesex College. He was going to get it anyway, but he wanted it from the start.

After a rough adrenaline-filled opening inning that could have turned into a be-careful-what-you-wish-for moment, Wilson settled in and proved worthy of the ask. He left his first college start after six innings with the lead, but the Mighty Oaks couldn’t hold it and fell to the Colts 6-5 for their seventh straight loss.

“I went up to (coach John Holt) before the game and he was like you’re coming in in relief today (and) I was like I kind of really want to start because I don’t really want these kids to hit the baseball,” Wilson said. “It was the first time this year I’ve said that.

“They took two from us on the weekend, pissed me off a couple things they did. I just went out there angry. Wanted it more than they did.”

The way things started it looked like he might have bitten off more than he could chew. He threw hard as usual, but he walked six of the first nine batters he faced and walked in a run in the first inning. But once he settled down, he allowed only one hit – a single in the fifth inning – and struck out 10. He retired 14 of the last 15 batters he faced.

“J.D. pitched great, J.D. pitched his tail off,” Holt said. “He deserved a better result.

“He wanted the ball. (Ben) Foote was coming off a short rest and (Wilson) was a guy who wanted the ball. He’s never asked for it so I assumed he felt great. I figured let’s roll with it.”

Wilson blamed his early struggles on rushing himself after a short, 10-pitch warmup in the bullpen. Once he got comfortable – and got his slider working – he lasted through just about 100 high-velocity pitches.

The Oaks (8-19) gave their starter a 5-2 lead with four runs in the fourth inning. The first three batters all reached base and Nick Ciesielka’s bases-loaded sacrifice fly tied the game. Dane Thomas walked to reload the bases and Matt Murphy followed with a two-run double just inside the left-field line to give the Mighty Oaks the lead. Mike Ochmanski’s sacrifice fly made it 5-2.

“I just had a clear mind,” Murphy said of his at-bat. “When I get in my head I usually don’t hit well, but I had a clear mind up there. He threw a hanging curveball and I put a good barrel on it and got a double on it.”

Murphy, a freshman outfielder from Vorhees, changed his walk-up song just prior to the game from “Kashmir” by Led Zeppelin – the Chase Utley walk-up song – to “Knock, Knock” by Mac Miller and it seemed to help him. He’d had only one RBI in his previous eight games (since March 26).

“That kind of played in it, too,” he said. “I talked to my parents about it. My dad was like if you ever make it you can’t have that song when you go in because that’s his (Utley’s) song.”

The Colts put their rally together against reliever Ben Foote. Conor Drury’s two-out RBI single to left field gave them Colts the lead after Joshua Rodriguez’ two-run double tied it. Brett Lukachyk’s RBI double the game.

The Oaks threatened in the eighth. Thomas hit a leadoff double, but between Murphy and Ochmanski being hit by pitches, Thomas was picked off second and it drained the Oaks’ momentum. Colts reliever Sal Della Fave retired the next two batters to end the inning, then set Salem down in order in the ninth.

Both teams scored a run in the first inning. Middlesex scored on a bases-loaded walk to Drury. The Oaks matched it in the bottom of the inning when Yen Rodriguez raced home from third when the Colts had to play a dropped third strike to first.

NOTES: The loss was the Oaks’ 14th in the last 16 games after a four-game winning streak in early March that had them over .500 … Starting catcher Angel Velez left the game in the top of the first after taking a ball that bounced in the dirt in the neck. He’s likely headed to concussion protocol. Ochmanski replaced him in the lineup. Thomas was a last-minute replacement for an ailing Demetrius DeRamus.

Streak ends

Salem CC softball splits at Northampton, loss in nightcap ends Mighty Oaks’ winning streak at 19 games

By Riverview Sports News

BETHLEHEM, Pa. – As much as the players didn’t want it to end, the law of averages suggested Salem softball’s winning streak had to end sometime.

Northampton CC used a five-run fifth inning, highlighted by Morgan Boyd’s game-tying home run, to beat Salem 8-6 and stop the Mighty Oaks’ winning streak from reaching 20 games.

The Oaks’ extended their streak to 19 games in Game 1 of the doubleheader, 3-2, pushing across the go-ahead run on Vaye Savage’s sacrifice fly in the top of the seventh. It was the second-longest active winning streak in the country after Bryant & Stratton (Wis.) dropped the first game of its doubleheader Tuesday.

Division II No. 1 Parkland College is working on a 32-game winning streak.

“The streak was the streak; though it was great, we always took it one game at a time,” Oaks coach Angel Rodriguez said. “As far as the team, they obviously didn’t want to see it end, but we have a lot of softball left to play and a lot more to prove as a group.”

It looked like the Oaks (21-5) were headed for another sweep when they scored four in the first inning of the nightcap highlighted by Courtney Hoggard’s three-run homer. Vaye Savage’s two-run homer gave them a 6-3 lead in the fifth, but the Spartans (6-4), ranked No. 10 in JUCO Division III, answered and took the lead in the bottom of the inning.

Boyd hit a three-run homer to tie the game. Morgan Rissmiller gave the Spartans a 7-6 lead with an RBI double and Rissmiller scored on Chelsea Melkowits’ single.

Sydney Harper then kept the Oaks off the board in the sixth and seventh inning,

Emma Hayes went 5-for-8 in doubleheader, raising her season average to .589 (43-for-73). Savage (3-for-4) and Hoggard (2-for-4) both drove in three runs in the nightcap.

“We learned from each game up to where we are now and with the split there’s a lot we can take away and get better for the next series, which in this case is a quick turnaround as we are back at it tomorrow,” Rodriguez said.

The Oaks return to the field Wednesday with a doubleheader at RCSJ-Cumberland, a team they swept in the early stages of the winning streak.

Tuesday roundup

Here is a roundup of Tuesday’s high school sports action involving Salem County teams; will be updated during the evening

BASEBALL
Hammonton 10, Schalick 0
Pennsville 8, Delsea 6
Woodstown 10, Clayton 4
SOFTBALL
Delsea 3, Pennsville 2
BOYS TENNIS
Pennsville 5, Washington Twp. 0
Woodstown 4, Schalick 1

Baseball

WOODSTOWN 10, CLAYTON 4: The meat of Woodstown’s lineup – Andrew Pedrick, Jack Knorr and Brent Williams – had two hits apiece and combined for seven RBIs as the Wolverines (2-2) got back on the winning track. Pedrick had two singles, two RBIs and three stolen bases. Knorr had a single, double and two RBIs. Williams had two doubles and three RBIs. Three Woodstown pitchers allowed five hits and struck out 11.

HAMMONTON 10, SCHALICK 0: Jaiden Franchetti scattered three hits over five innings and struck out six in shutting out the Cougars (1-3). Luke Pokrovsky (double), Joseph-Tyler Fleming (single) and Ricky Watt (single) had Schalick’s three hits.

Jaxon Miller and Brayden Markart swung the big bats for Hammonton (1-1). Miller had two doubles and five RBIs, while Markart doubled three times and drove in two.

Softball

DELSEA 3, PENNSVILLE 2: Zoey Shangle delivered Delsea’s third straight single to open the eighth inning and drove home the winning run. The Crusaders (2-1) scored the tying run in the seventh on an error in the outfield.

Pennsville (3-2) took a 2-0 lead in the fourth on Bella Farina’s RBI double and Bella Rappa’s sacrifice fly. Farina had two doubles in the game and Mary-Louise Montagna had three hits.

Tennis

WOODSTOWN 4, SCHALICK 1
Tim Schwienbacher def. George Gould, 6-4, 6-3
Drew Stengel def. Jesus Espinoza, 6-1, 6-1
Erich Lipovsky def. Conor O’Toole, 6-1, 6-2
Rocky Monticolo-David Santana (S) def. Joseph Kurpis-Ben Stengel, 2-6, 6-4, 10-8
Luke Shaw-Mason Shimp def. Kaden Barnes-Cayden Brzozowski, 6-7, 6-4, 10-8
Records: Woodstown 3-0, Schalick 0-2.

PENNSVILLE 5, WASHINGTON TWP. 0
Gabe Schneider (P) def. Khang Nguyen, 6-0, 6-0
Maddox Efelis (P) def. William Minchin, 6-2, 6-0
Brody Wiggins (P) def. John Ecker, 6-0, 6-0
Noah Bohn-Noah Flitcraft (P) Jack Laubin-Kaden Murphy, 6-0, 6-0
Luke Chamberlain-Sawyer Humphrey (P) wins 6-0, 6-1
Records: Pennsville 3-0, Washington Twp. 0-2.

Monday roundup

Here are scores and details from Monday’s high school sports action in Salem County made available to Riverview Sports News; coaches, don’t wait for the sketchy dot-com reports, send your results to Riverview Sports News directly at al.muskewitz@gmail.com.

BOYS TENNIS
Penns Grove 4, Clayton 1
Pennsville 5, Glassboro 0
Woodstown 4, Triton 1

WOODSTOWN 4, TRITON 1
Steve Schilder (T) def. Tim Schwienbacher, 6-2, 6-2
Drew Stengel def. Tristyn Malone, 6-1, 5-2
Eric Lipovzky def. William Ahrens, 6-4, 6-0
Ben Stengel-Joseph Kurpis def. Tirth Patel-Brennan Zabala, 6-1, 6-1
Jason LaFond-Luke Shaw def. Sean Gorski-Cole Durham, 6-0, 6-1
Records: Woodstown 2-0, Triton 0-1.

PENNS GROVE 4, CLAYTON 1
Chase Fronczklewucz (CL) def. Alex Ramirez Martinez, 6-0, 6-0
Poyraz Erdonmez (PG) def. Chase Murphy, 6-3, 6-1
Angel Perez Herrera (PG) def. Troy Hollis, 6-3, 6-2
Ricardo Vichi-Anthony Pacheco (PG) def. Jayden Sanchez-James Mai, 7-5, 6-1
Pablo Sanchez Correa-Stuart Mondragon (PG) def. Ian Johnson-Dyshamir Miller, 6-1, 6-2.

BOYS LACROSSE
Woodstown 13, Cedar Creek 5: Woodstown (2-2) outscored Cedar Creek 6-0 in the second quarter to take a 9-3 halftime lead.

GIRLS LACROSSE
Haddonfield 17, Woodstown 2: Riley Austin scored four goals and Stella Stolarick dished four assists to lead Haddonfield. Delaney Walker and Jaime Deal scored Woodstown’s goals.

GOLF
Boys
Pitman 198, Salem Tech 246 – Medalist: Joey Zubert (P) 45

BOYS VOLLEYBALL
GCIT 2, Salem Tech 0 (25-12, 25-10): Nicholas Caltabiano had six kills and three aces for GCIT to spoil the Chargers’ season opener. Mason Hohl had five kills and six digs.

‘A good win’

Pennsville softball opens a busy week with a victory over county rival Woodstown; Schalick uses two big innings to pick up its first win of the season

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

WOODSTOWN – It was a strange game on so many fronts, but in the end, Pennsville pulled out a big victory to start what for the Eagles is a week of big games.

The Eagles took down county rival Woodstown 7-3 Monday. The game time was pushed back a half-hour to allow the solar eclipse to run its course. The Eagles arrived at 3 p.m. to find an empty stadium as the Wolverines waited things out in the gym, but it did allow them to experience the celestial event.

When the game did get underway, they lost their starting pitcher to a blister blowout in the fifth inning, but their reliever kept the hard-hitting Wolverines off the board the rest of the way.

“It was just a crazy afternoon,” Pennsville coach Beth Jackson said.

Savannah Palverento started in the circle for the Eagles (3-1) and was pitching through a blister on her throwing hand that developed during Saturday’s doubleheader. It finally burst in the fifth inning, forcing her out of the circle into left field and calling Sierra Stultz out of the bullpen.

Palverento gave up three runs in the first two innings, but kept the Wolverines off the board up to the time she came out with one out in the bottom of the fifth and Stultz shut them out on three hits the rest of the way. Lilly Birney helped keep Woodstown off the board with a great catch in centerfield in the seventh.

“The two of them pitched well,” Jackson said. “Sierra came in and helped out and did her job. We had a couple hiccups in the field, but other than that the girls were making the plays. Lilly Birney made an excellent play in centerfield in the bottom of the seventh.”

Palverento’s availability to pitch the rest of the week wasn’t immediately certain.

Woodstown (2-1) scored a pair of runs in the first on Ellie Wygand’s RBI single and Katie Brown’s run-scoring fielder’s choice. Pennsville scored four runs in the second on a pair of errors to take the lead. Five of Pennsville’s runs were unearned.

Birney and Reagan Wariwanchik each had two hits for the Eagles.

“Our whole lineup was hitting the ball, making contact,” Jackson said. “There were a few plays we took advantage of and we added on with some hits.

“We hit the ball pretty much through the lineup, put the ball in play. My dad always says put the ball in play, good things will happen.”

The Eagles didn’t have any more luck getting Woodstown leadoff hitter Tulana Mingin out than anybody else that has played the Wolverines this year. Mingin reached base all four times she batted, extending her streak of reaching safely to 14 straight plate appearances going back to last season. The single she got in the sixth inning ran her career total to 104 hits.

“This was a good win,” Jackson said. “Like I said to them, playing Millville and Ocean City on Saturday. I think that really helped prepare them for this week.

“That was my post on Instagram. I said we went 1-1 and no rest for the weary next week. We’re playing Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday. We have a tough week and I think this was a good way to start this week.”

SCHALICK 16, CLAYTON 2: The Cougars put together a pair of seven-run innings to score their first win of the season.

Alex Shimp had a pair of hits and three RBIs to lead the offense and Abby Willoughby spun a complete game with eight strikeouts. Cloe Elliott also had two hits, while Addi Shimp, Taylor Sparks, Ava Scurry, Cayla Sbrana and Willoughby all had one.

‘He’s Luke, you know’

Wood gives Pennsville six good innings in his first start of the season, then goes behind the plate for the first time to guide his reliever to the save

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PENNSVILLE – Luke Wood does a pretty good job keeping his emotions in check when he’s out on the mound. Inside, his heart might be pounding like a bass drum and every nerve on fire, but outwardly he remains as steady as an ace of the staff should be.

Which is what made what happened on the final pitch of his first start of the season so noteworthy.

Maybe he knew it was going to be his last pitch of the day. Maybe he was just relieved to have pitched out of a little jam in a tight game. Maybe he just appreciated the strikeout.

Whatever the reason, the Pennsville junior let out a very audible “Let’s go,” after he blew a fastball past Woodstown’s Sam Chard for the final out of the sixth before switching places with batterymate Connor Starn to close out Monday’s 4-2 victory.

“I was trying to stay locked in all game, keep my emotions very level,” he said, “but I got out of that first-and-second (situation), which was really huge up by two (and) not giving up any runs there, and I think the emotions came over me. I was excited.

“I’m always pretty fiery when I’m on the mound. Any time I’m throwing well I’m pumped up. It’s a good feeling to go out and throw well.”

Wood thought his first start of the year went “pretty good” outside of the one inning Woodstown scored its runs. He wasn’t on a pitch count and wanted to finish the game, but coach Matt Karr lifted his ace after six innings and 85 pitches “looking out for him” for the long run. No sense in running risk in the third game in April when there’s bigger stakes in late May and June.

The Eagles (2-1) have games against powerhouses Delsea and Gloucester Catholic later this week and as much as the baseball world would love to see Wood on the mound in those situations he probably won’t pitch against either of them.

The left-hander gave up seven hits, a four-pitch walk and hit two batters in his in his final inning on Eclipse Monday, but he struck out nine, including the side in order in the third inning. Woodstown touched him for four straight hits and both their runs leading off the fourth, but he got out of it with two strikeouts and kept the Wolverines off the board the rest of the game.

“He’s Luke, you know,” Karr said. “We get him on the mound and we expect to win a baseball game, he expects to win a baseball game. I think he’ll tell you he can be better. It’s his first outing of the year and we’re still trying to build him up to where he wants to be pitching at the end of May and early June.

“He’s just working through some things, mechanical stuff. He was injured in basketball, so he’s a little behind in his throw program, but he’s a gamer. We know when we put Luke on the mound we can beat anybody.”

When Wood came off the mound for the last time he didn’t go far. He switched places with his catcher in a move he appreciated on a number of fronts. He got to break in the new catcher’s mitt he got for Christmas in anticipation of being behind the plate some this season and he was happy not to be “stuck out in the outfield without much control of what’s going on.”

When he set up for Starn in the seventh, it was his first inning of catching in high school.

It got dicey in the seventh inning. The Wolverines (1-2) put some good swings on the ball against Starn and got the tying run on with one out and loaded the bases with two. But Starn got cleanup hitter Brent Williams to ground sharply to shortstop Peyton O’Brien to end the game.

“Catching six innings your legs are a little tired, but you’ve got to push through it,” Starn said. “You can’t be scared. Being scared you’re just going to get beat every time. I just went out there knowing they’re not better than me, throw it where they can’t hit it and hope they call it a strike.”

In assessing his first-time catcher Starn said “he’s not bad, can’t complain.” Wood will be behind the plate every time Starn pitches going forward.

Woodstown took a 2-1 lead in the fourth on RBI singles by Williams and Rocco String, but the Eagles retook the lead in the bottom of the inning on two-out bases-loaded walks to Jacob Grant and Wood. Jeff Wagner’s two-out RBI double gave them an insurance run in the fifth.

Wagner was the first batter reliever Jack Holladay saw when he followed Jack Knorr, but after the double Holladay struck out the last four batters he faced.

The Wolverines outhit their hosts 10-6, but base-running mistakes cost them potentially five runs, three early and two in the seventh. They ran themselves out of two in the first and botched a squeeze in the fourth.

They cost themselves potentially two more in the seventh when Mark Banff misread Ty Coblentz’ shot to the centerfield fence that resulted in a long single with runners at first and second instead of the corners or better with the heart of the order coming to bat.

“We made three outs on the bases in the first two innings; on top of that we missed three (other) opportunities,” Woodstown coach Marc DeCastro said. “We just relied on beating a good pitcher with hitting and then we couldn’t capitalize on anything outside of that and we couldn’t run the bases, so you get what you get.”

PENNSVILLE 4, WOODSTOWN 2

Woodstown (1-2)	000 200 0-	2 10 0
Pennsville (2-1)	100 210 x-	4 6 1

LUKE WOOD (WP), Connor Starn (7, S) and Connor Starn, Luke Wood (7); TY TAYLOR (LP), Jack Knorr (4), Jack Holladay (5) and Ty Coblentz. 2B: Brent Williams (W), Jack Knorr (W), Luke Wood (P), Jeff Wagner (P).

Still not enough

Salem CC softball among national leaders in hitting, as a team and individually, but remain outside JUCO’s Division II Top 20

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

CARNEYS POINT – The Salem CC softball team is off to its best start in program history. The Mighty Oaks have one of the longest current winning streaks in its division and several players among the national leaders, but it’s still not enough to break them into the national rankings.

The Mighty Oaks (20-4) have an 18-game winning streak and lead JUCO Division II in batting (.436) and on-base percentage (.534) among teams that have played at least 20 games this season, but they weren’t listed in this week’s Top 20 or teams receiving votes.

Oaks leadoff hitter Karyn Trice is second nationally in batting (.594) and first in OBP (.689) among players on teams with a minimum of 20 games. Ella Hayes is fourth in batting (.585), fourth in OBP (.641) and 11th in slugging (1.015). Other statistics are listed on a total basis and Hayes is tied for 14th in total RBIs.

Morgan Mecham is eighth in ERA among pitchers with 10 or more appearances (1.35). The Oaks are sixth in team ERA (2.40) and tenth in strikeouts per seven innings (7.37).

Despite their early-season success, the Oaks remained unranked in the latest D-II Top 20. Among the teams in this week’s poll, only unanimous No. 1 Parkland (30) and No. 14 Bryant & Stratton-Wis. (18) have winning streaks equal or longer than the Oaks.

“There’s no reason why we shouldn’t be (in the poll); I think we have a good shot,” Salem coach Angel Rodriguez said after Sunday’s sweep of Bucks CC. “We’re playing hot. We’re doing all the right things.

“The first step was getting a player recognized for the first time (GSAC Player of the Week Hayes). That’s a good start; hopefully we can make a good argument this week and see when the new rankings come up. It’s definitely going to be nice to see it, but (if) we don’t see it, it’s just more motivation for us – what do we have to keep doing to get there.”

JUCO DIVISION II RANKINGS
1. Parkland (37-3), 2. Copiah-Lincoln (27-3), 3. Louisburg (33-3), 4. Murray State (33-5), 5. Pearl River (33-6), 6. Jones (26-10), 7. Johnson County (26-6), 8. LSU-Eunice (32-8), 9. Kirkwood (22-10), 10. Phoenix (25-6);
11. Des Moines Area (23-7), 12. East Central (26-8), 13. St. Johns River (36-13), 14. Bryant & Stratton-Wis. (18-1), 15. Hines (23-11), 16. Spoon River (24-12), 17. Catawba Valley (19-2), 18. Cowley County (29-10), 19. Marion Military Institute (32-12), 20. NW Mississippi (19-13).
Receiving votes: Bryant & Stratton-Va., North Iowa Area, Kankakee, Rock Valley.

This week’s schedule

Here is the sports schedule for teams in Salem County for the week of April 8-13; all events 4 p.m. unless noted

MONDAY

BASEBALL
Penns Grove at Salem
Schalick at Clayton
Woodstown at Pennsville
SOFTBALL
Clayton at Schalick
Pennsville at Woodstown, 4:30 p.m.
Salem at Penns Grove
GOLF
Schalick girls vs. Williamstown, Scotland Run GC
Overbrook vs. Woodstown, Town & Country GL, 4:30 p.m.
Pennsville boys vs. Schalick, Centerton CC, 3:45 p.m.
Salem Tech at Pitman, 3:45 p.m.
BOYS TENNIS
Pennsville at Glassboro, 3:45 p.m.
Triton at Woodstown, 4:30 p.m.
Clayton at Penns Grove, 4:30 p.m.
BOYS LACROSSE
Woodstown at Cedar Creek, 4:30 p.m.
GIRLS LACROSSE
Woodstown at Haddonfield, 5:30 p.m.
TRACK
Pennsville at Penns Grove
BOYS VOLLEYBALL
Salem Tech at GCIT, 3:45 p.m.

TUESDAY

BASEBALL
Clayton at Woodstown
Delsea at Pennsville
Schalick at Hammonton
SOFTBALL
Pennsville at Delsea
COLLEGE BASEBALL
Middlesex at Salem CC, 3:30 p.m.
COLLEGE SOFTBALL
Salem CC at Northampton (2), 3:30 p.m.
GOLF
Pennsville vs. Clayton, Pitman CC, 3:45 p.m.
Schalick girls in South Jersey Open, Westwood GC
BOYS TENNIS
Schalick at Woodstown, 3:45 p.m.
Pennsville at Washington Twp.
TRACK
Overbrook at Woodstown
Schalick at Glassboro

WEDNESDAY

BASEBALL
Gloucester at Woodstown
Overbrook at Penns Grove
Schalick at Glassboro
Wildwood at Salem
SOFTBALL
Glassboro at Schalick
Gloucester Catholic at Pennsville
Penns Grove at Overbrook
Salem at Wildwood
Woodstown at Haddon Heights
COLLEGE BASEBALL
Salem CC at Montgomery County CC, 3:30 p.m.
COLLEGE SOFTBALL
Salem CC at RCSJ-Cumberland (2), 3 p.m.
BOYS TENNIS
Woodstown at Penns Grove, 3:45 p.m.
Cumberland at Pennsville
Schalick at Overbrook
GIRLS LACROSSE
Woodstown at West Deptford
GOLF
Pennsville vs. West Deptford, Riverwinds GC
Salem Tech vs. Overbrook, Kresson GC, 3:30 p.m.
Schalick girls vs. Clearview, Westwood GC
TRACK
Clayton at Salem
BOYS VOLLEYBALL
Salem Tech at Triton, 3:45 p.m.

THURSDAY

BASEBALL
Gloucester Catholic at Pennsville
Schalick at Deptford
SOFTBALL
Camden at Penns Grove
Woodstown at Cumberland
BOYS TENNIS
Pennsville at Vineland, 3:45 p.m.
Schalick at Millville
GOLF
Pennsville vs. Woodstown, Town & Country GL, 3:30 p.m.
Salem Tech vs. Gateway, Riverwinds GC, 3:45 p.m.
Schalick girls vs. Cumberland, Running Deer GC
BOYS LACROSSE
Woodstown at Mainland

FRIDAY

BASEBALL
Penns Grove at Gateway
Salem at Paulsboro
Schalick at Haddon Heights
SOFTBALL
Salem at Cumberland
Schalick at Gloucester Catholic
COLLEGE BASEBALL
Bergen CC at Salem CC, 3:30 p.m.
GOLF
Millville vs. Pennsville, Sakima CC, 3:30 p.m.
BOYS TENNIS
Pitman at Pennsville, 3:45 p.m.
Woodstown at Delsea, 3:45 p.m.
Penns Grove at Wildwood
Schalick at Clayton
GIRLS LACROSSE
Woodstown at Haddon Heights

SATURDAY

BASEBALL
Woodstown at West Deptford, 10 a.m.
Schalick at Paulsboro, 10 a.m.
SOFTBALL
Pennsville at West Deptford, 6 p.m.
COLLEGE BASEBALL
Salem CC at Bergen CC (2), noon
COLLEGE SOFTBALL
Morris at Salem CC (2), noon
BOYS LACROSSE
Woodstown at Egg Harbor Twp., 10 a.m.
TRACK
Schalick girls, Penns Grove girls, Pennsville, Salem at West Deptford Relays, 9 a.m.
Schalick boys at Bridgeton Relays, 9 a.m.
Penns Grove boys at Cherokee