Here is the Salem County sports schedule for the week of Feb. 5-11
Monday
BASKETBALL Girls Wildwood at Salem Tech, 4 p.m. Pennsville at Gloucester City, 5:30 p.m. Salem at Kingsway, 5:30 p.m. Schalick at Maple Shade, 5:30 p.m. Boys Gloucester City at Pennsville, 5:30 p.m. Maple Shade at Schalick, 5:30 p.m. Penns Grove at Williamstown, 5:30 p.m. Woodstown at Glassboro, 5:30 p.m.
WRESTLING South Jersey Group I Tournament At Woodstown Audubon vs. Palmyra, 6 p.m. Haddon Twp. at Woodstown, 6 p.m. Audubon-Palmyra winner vs. Haddon Twp.-Woodstown winner, 7 p.m. At Paulsboro Pitman at Paulsboro, 5:30 p.m. Pennsville vs. Gloucester, 5:30 p.m. Pitman-Paulsboro winner vs. Pennsville-Gloucester winner, 7 p.m.
Penns Grove, Camden, Riverside at Lindenwold, 4 p.m. Schalick at Northern Burlington, 6 p.m.
SWIMMING NJSIAA Playoffs Schalick vs. Barnegat at St. Francis Community Center, 4:30 p.m. Woodstown vs. Cape May Co. Tech at GCIT, 6:30 p.m.
INDOOR TRACK Salem at Ocean Breeze Complex, Staten Island, N.Y., 5 p.m.
Tuesday
BASKETBALL Girls Penns Grove at Schalick, 4 p.m. Pennsville at Glassboro, 4 p.m. Salem Tech at Wildwood, 4 p.m. Gloucester Catholic at Salem, 5:30 p.m. Woodstown at Overbrook, 5:30 p.m. Boys Salem at Gloucester Catholic, 5 p.m. Glassboro at Pennsville, 5:30 p.m. Overbrook at Woodstown, 5:30 p.m. Schalick at Penns Grove, 5:30 p.m. Salem Tech at Wildwood, 5:30 p.m.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL Women Salem CC at Bucks County CC, 5 p.m. Men Montgomery County CC at Salem CC, 7 p.m.
BOWLING TCC Showcase at 30 Strikes, 4 p.m.
SWIMMING Schalick at West Deptford, 3:30 p.m.
Wednesday
BASKETBALL Girls Glassboro at Woodstown, 4 p.m.
WRESTLING Pennsville at Haddon Heights, 5 p.m. Pitman at Schalick, 5 p.m. Salem at Gloucester Catholic, 6 p.m.
SWIMMING Schalick at Camden Academy Charter, 3:30 p.m.
Thursday
BASKETBALL Girls Penns Grove at Pennsville, 5:30 p.m. Salem Tech at Pitman, 5:30 p.m. Salem at Clayton, 5:30 p.m. Schalick at Overbrook, 5:30 p.m. Boys Penns Grove at Pennsville, 4 p.m. Clayton at Salem, 5:30 p.m. Overbrook at Schalick, 5:30 p.m. Woodstown at Washington Twp., 5:30 p.m. Salem Tech at Pitman, 7 p.m.
SWIMMING South Jersey Group C Tournament Schalick at Middle Twp. Woodstown at Oakcrest
Friday
BASKETBALL Girls Schalick at Penns Grove, 4 p.m. Pleasantville at Salem, 5 p.m. Cape May Co. Tech at Salem Tech, 5:30 p.m. Millville at Pennsville, 5:30 p.m. Woodstown at Lower Cape May, 5:30 p.m. Boys Buena at Woodstown, 5:30 p.m. Penns Grove at Schalick, 5:30 p.m. Pennsville at Paulsboro, 5:30 p.m. Salem Tech at Cape May Co. Tech, 5:30 p.m.
WRESTLING Woodstown at Delran, 6 p.m.
Saturday
BASKETBALL Girls South Jersey Invitational Tournament at Eastern Regional HS Woodstown vs. Williamstown, 8 p.m. Boys Bridgeton at Salem, 12:30 p.m.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL Women Salem CC at Lackawanna College, 1 p.m. Men Harrisburg Area CC at Salem CC, noon
WRESTLING Schalick, Burlington Twp., Cherry Hill-West at Maple Shade, 8 a.m. Pennsville, Cedar Creek, Delran at Hightstown, 10 a.m. Salem, Mainland, Timber Creek at Pennsauken, 10 a.m.
Battavio passes 1,000 points for her career, but Woodstown falls to Cherokee in close game in SJIBT Elite 8, will be updated; includes other county games of the day
SJIBT ELITE EIGHT Saturday’s Games Paul VI 77, Timber Creek 33 Cherokee 55, Woodstown 49 Sunday’s Games Moorestown vs. Gloucester Catholic, 4:45 p.m. Cinnaminson vs. Williamstown, 6 p.m.
OTHER GAMES Girls Pennsville 47, West Deptford 41 Boys Gloucester Catholic 59, Woodstown 57 Salem 61, Paulsboro 60
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
VOORHEES – She really wasn’t feeling it right after the game, but in a day or so, once the sting of a hard-fought loss melts into the preparation of the next game, Talia Battavio will feel the rush accomplishment wash over her like it never has before in her career.
Battavio became the second Woodstown player to score her 1,000th career point this week when she reached the milestone in the third quarter of Saturday night’s Elite 8 game of the South Jersey Invitational Basketball Tournament at Eastern Regional High School.
The only thing that kept it from being a perfect night was her Wolverines lost to second-seeded Cherokee 55-49.
“It’s a good accomplishment, but it’s not the biggest thing to me,” the junior guard said. “I’m more proud of the South Jersey championship banner that we have and being undefeated in the division, and I think that’s more important than any individual accomplishment.
“It really does not mean anything; we didn’t get the win as a team.”
Woodstown’s Talia Battavio stands with the banner commemorating her membership in the 1,000-Point Club.
Battavio became the 11th player in the Woodstown girls program to score 1,000 points. She pumped in 28 in the game – matching her career high set earlier this year against Bridgeton – and now has 1,009 for her career, with the rest of this year and all next season to go. Teammate Megan Donelson, also a junior, reached the milestone Thursday night at Pennsville.
Woodstown plans a special ceremony to recognize the feats Wednesday night.
“I think they’re both relieved,” Wolverines coach Kara Straughn said. “I feel like I’ve lost 10 pounds (during the pursuit) because two girls in a week with 1,000 points. Two juniors.
“She honestly had no clue how many more she needed, which I was worried coming into the game that she was going to get in her head because she’s the queen of doing too much, but she was just enough. She was perfect. She was great.”
Battavio is the fourth Salem County player to notch their 1,000th point this season, joining Donelson and boys players Luke Wood (Pennsville) and Anthony Farmer (Salem). Penns Grove’s Meely Horace (998) can join the club as early as Tuesday.
She needed 19 entering the game and set her sights on it after collecting 11 in the first half. She added nine more in the fourth quarter, including a rare four-point play with 20 seconds left that got her team to 52-48.
“I came in here and I said I’m going to get it,” Battavio said. “I do the best against good teams like this. I come in clutch when it comes to things like this and I love that.”
A free throw by Donelson after the four-point play made it 52-49, but the Wolverines had to foul to give themselves a chance and the Chiefs made three free throws in the final 15 seconds to close it out.
Battavio had envisioned reaching the milestone on one of her signature high-arching 3-pointers in a game the Wolverines would win. Instead, it came on a free throw with 5.5 seconds left in the third quarter.
In a sense, the free throw was an even better scenario because everyone in the gym knew what it was worth and it gave the player a chance to settle and savor the moment without the worry of having to immediately get back on defense. She actually made two free throws in the situation to draw the Wolverines within 36-30 at the end of the quarter.
There weren’t many who gave Woodstown much of a chance. The Chiefs (15-5) have won the tournament five of the last six years and are now in the Final Four for the eighth year in a row, but the Wolverines (14-4) were never out of the game, even when Donelson went out in foul trouble and post Shannon Pierman fouled out.
Three times they had fallen behind by 10 in the second half – as late as with 4:59 to play – and each time they climbed back into the game.
“I think a lot of people take us for granted because we’re a small school, but we wanted that more,” Battavio said. “We have a lot of more heart and it felt like it, too. We all work together, we all want it, it’s a great team.”
“For us to come in and lose by a handful, I can’t ask them for anything else,” Straughn said. “If we play like that against anybody in Group I, we’re beating them by 20 or 30. If we play like that against Wildwood, there’s no way it’s going to be the same outcome (as their 27-point loss 10 days ago). They played their butts off.”
Woodstown returns to the tournament Saturday at 8 p.m. against the loser of Sunday’s Moorestown-Gloucester Catholic game. If that happens to be Gloucester Catholic there already has been discussion of a shifting loser bracket opponents to avoid a Tri-County Conference matchup.
PENNSVILLE 47, WEST DEPTFORD 41: The Eagles trailed by eight entering the fourth quarter, but Nora Ausland and Taylor Bass combined for 13 points to fuel their comeback. Ausland finished with 18 points and Bass had 10.
Cover photo: Woodstown’s Talia Battavio focuses on the rim as she prepares to score the 1,000th point of her high school career in the SJIBT Elite Eight against Cherokee Saturday night.
Couple of rough patches conspire to send Salem CC women to defeat in final home game of season
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
CARNEYS POINT – Whether you’re a new team in the game or been playing since Naismith hung his first peach basket, three principles remain true about the game. If you don’t protect the ball, rebound and finish at the rim, you don’t win.
The revived Salem Community College women’s basketball team went through three such stretches Saturday and in a 71-41 loss to Raritan Valley CC in the Dupont Field House.
Salem CC’s Carly Santimaw (1) takes a defensive stance against Raritan Valley’s Jakayia Jenkins in Saturday’s game.
There was a 10-0 run over the final 4:30 of the first quarter that gave the Lions control of the game. Then there was a 15-4 spree over about the same stretch in the third quarter and finally a forgettable 12-2 fourth quarter in which it didn’t score a field goal.
Take away those stretches and the Mighty Oaks (8-11) hung with a sophomore-laden team of internationals that until recently had been ranked in the JUCO Division II Top 20.
“It’s one of the things we’ve been fighting through, honestly,” Oaks coach Brian Marsh said. “Our energy was there, but our execution wasn’t there.”
That kind of thing can happen when you bring in nine players from nine different schools who played the game nine different ways and try to blend them into one system that wasn’t necessarily the one they signed up for. With a year together under Marsh’s Way next season should go a lot smoother.
“I think if we work on those things for next year they will definitely be great next year,” added Carly Santimaw, a freshman with sophomore credits from Pennsville. “It’s just kind of a learning progress, we just learn as we go and it’s the first year, so …”
The loss was Salem’s fourth in a row and forces the Oaks to win their final three games on the road to make the playoffs.
The game was Salem’s final home game of its first season since bringing the program back after a 10-year break. The school shuttered the program after the 2013-14 season.
Since revitalizing the program Marsh has been trying to spread the word that there is a program here and beating the bushes to find players. He originally was hired as an assistant coach to find players for the upstart program, then was elevated to head coach when the former coach left abruptly for the Midwest.
Both of the players who played their final home games for the Oaks Saturday joined the program after originally coming to campus to do something else. Kyla Buerger came in from Houston to play softball, but she played basketball in high school and became intrigued about helping start a program from the ground floor. Santimaw was coming to Salem just to study, but also liked what she hearing when the Oaks coaches came to her Senior Night at Salem Tech.
“I was really excited,” Buerger said. “I love being a part of stuff like this. I’m not going to lie, it’s been a tough year. We’re not the tallest (team), but it’s mainly the heart that our team has (that helps it persevere).”
“It’s a cool thing to be a part of, because we’re making history,” Santimaw said. “It’s great to be a part of that.”
The Mighty Oaks recognized one of the stars of that last team. After an exhaustive search through the archives over the summer, the school discovered Shaqui Coppage was the all-time leading scorer in program history and recognized the accomplishment at halftime.
Coppage scored 1,236 points in her two seasons (2012-13 and 2013-14) with the Oaks and is second on the school’s all-time scoring list regardless of gender. She scored 1,262 points at Salem High School before that.
She honestly didn’t know where she stood on the all-time list. When the school shut down the program, all the banners and records went into storage – until a summer intern went through them to bring the records up to date.
“It was amazing because I didn’t know any of it until now,” Coppage said. “To know all this now, with the numbers and being the all-time leading scorer, it’s overwhelming. I’m overwhelmed with different emotions. Like I want to cry, but I’m smiling real hard.”
Coppage averaged 22.9 in her sophomore year, which turned out to the program’s final season for a long time. The players learned during the year the program would be discontinued at the end of the season, but they were determined to finish strong and got the team into the playoffs for the first time in 20 years.
She was disappointed they shut it down, but was over the moon when she learned they were bringing it back.
“I was very proud of the school to do so,” she said. “Basketball was the thing that kept me going. It pushed me and for another little girl it could be the same for them, too. It was good to know they brought it back. I have a daughter as well now, so that’s something she can look forward to.”
RARITAN VALLEY 71, SALEM CC 41 RARITAN VALLEY (19-5) – Kerine Thomas 3 0-0 7, Judith Vila 7 0-0 16, Freya Rauschenfels 1 1-2 3, Lucia Noin 11 2-2 24, Quanajah Felder 3 0-0 8, JaNya Mills 2 0-1 4, Vega Gil 2 1-2 5, Julia Fontanillo 2 0-0 4, Alexis Junker 0 0-0 0. Totals 31 4-7 71. SALEM CC (8-11) – Caroline Zullo 0-6 1-4 1, Maggie St. Clair 2-8 0-0 5, Jakayla Jenkins 1-9 5-6 7, Kyla Buerger 0-0 0-0 0, Carly Santimaw 2-12 0-0 5, Alexa Hopkins 4-8 0-0 11, Callie Rozak 0-0 0-0 0, Kathryn Laurence 4-9 2-4 12. Totals 13-52 8-14 41.
Raritan Valley
21
15
23
12 –
71
Salem CC
9
14
16
2 –
41
3-point goals: Raritan Valley 5 (Thomas, Vila 2, Felder 2); Salem CC 7-18 (St. Clair 1-2, Santimaw 1-4, Hopkins 3-4, Laurence 2-5). Total fouls: Raritan Valley 9, Salem CC 5.
Salem CC athletics director Bob Bunnell (R) recognizes Shaqui Coppage as the all-time leading scorer in the school’s women’s basketball program. On the cover, Mighty Oaks coach Brian Marsh draws up a play during a timeout in Saturday’s game.
Salem CC women’s basketball team to play its final home game of season Saturday, will recognize Oaks legend Coppage during the day
By Riverview Sports News
CARNEYS POINT – The Salem Community College revived women’s basketball team has been nothing short of road warriors this second half of the season, but Saturday the Mighty Oaks get one final chance to play at home and will recognize one of the legends of their game in the process.
The Oaks (8-10) host Raritan Valley CC (18-5) in their final home game of the season in a noon tip at DuPont Field House. They’ll be looking to snap a three-game losing streak against some of their stiffest competition of the year and secure a winning record at home for the season.
They’ve played their previous four games on the road and will wrap their revival season with three road games after Saturday’s contest.
Salem revived its women’s basketball program this season after a 10-year break from competition and the team is slowly trying to regain a foothold in the Garden State Athletic Conference and JUCO’s Region 19.
As part of the day’s events the school plans to recognize Shaqui Coppage, the fourth player to score 1,000 career points in the program’s history. That’s 1,000 points at a two-year school. Coppage also was a 1,000-point scorer at Salem High School.
Ironically, Raritan Valley was the opposition the last time Salem recognized Coppage’s milestone as a sophomore in 2014.
It’s just another way coach Brian Marsh is trying to spread the word to the community that there is a college team in their own backyard. That’s just one of the challenges one faces when restarting a program.
“It’s been a great learning experience for me,” Marsh said. “It’s not been all sunny and rainbows, but one thing is (the players) haven’t quit. They’ve fought through some things.”
Friday roundup: Balback’s pin lifts Woodstown to Diamond Division wrestling crown; also, indoor track sectionals
By Riverview Sports News
SICKLERVILLE – The Woodstown wrestling team went hunting a division title Friday night and it went down to the wire.
Travis Balback’s first-period pin at 120 gave the streaking Wolverines a 42-34 win over Timber Creek for the Tri-County Diamond Division title. Balback pinned Matthew Steele in 1:52.
The Wolverines, who host half the bracket in the South Jersey Group I tournament Monday, are now 11-10. They were 2-9 at one point this season.
Both teams were 3-0 in the Diamond Division going into the match.
The teams traded bouts early in the match. Three straight pins by Brett Rowand (157), Zach Bevis (165) and Greyson Hyland (175) gave the Wolverines a 30-10 lead. A pin by Mateo Vinciguerra at 215 pushed the lead to 36-16, then Timber Creek won three straight bouts (285-106-113) to set the stage for the winner-take-all bout at 120.
All Balback had to do was not lose and the Wolverines would wear the crown, and he took care of business.
WOODSTOWN 42, TIMBER CREEK 34 126: Devin Karge (T) dec. Carson Bradway, 5-2 132: Alex Torres (Wo) pinned Josh Wolfenden, 1:22 138: Joey Walker (T) dec. Willem Groom, SV 4-2 144: Laitton Roberts (Wo) pinned Eric Rambaran, 2:00 150: Ryan Kuriger (T) maj. dec. over Zayden Donahue, 13-4 157: Brett Rowand (Wo) pinned Gavin Bates, 3:13 165: Zach Bevis (Wo) pinned Zyeir Green, 1:02 175: Greyson Hyland (Wo( pinned Elijah Green, 5:49 190: Amir Reason-Dallas (T) pinned Karsten Hantho, 1:42 215: Mateo Vinciguerra (Wo) pinned Josh Bartell, 1:38 285: Jayson Ross (T) pinned Andre Sinou, 0:27 106: Ryan Pancoast (T) pinned Chase Blandino, 3:58 113: Dominic Speakman (T) won by forfeit 120: Travis Balback (Wo) pinned Matthew Steele, 1:52. Records: Woodstown 11-10, Timber Creek 10-8.
OTHER MATCHES SCHALICK/CUMBERLAND 44, ABSEGAMI 33 106: Liam Kisby (A) pinned Caleb Jenkins, 4:19 113: DeAnthony Harden (SC) pinned Rafael Estrada-Perez, 2:40 120: Luke Silva (SC) dec. Tristan Brown, 4-0 126: Chase Williams (SC) pinned Michael Famelio, 3:25 132: Aiden Torres (A) pinned Colin Bittle, 4:22 138: Daniel Lloyd (SC) pinned Brendan Ross, 0:19 144: Ayden Jenkins (SC) won by forfeit 150: Christopher Eaton (A) pinned Michael Carastro, 0:31 157: Ibn Russell (A) dec. Riley Papiano, 1-0 165: Sebron Hall-Jones (SC) won by forfeit 175: Julian Rivera (A) pinned Jake Magonagle, 0:40 190: Brayden Wright (A) won by forfeit 215: Evan Elliott (SC) pinned Mason Tharp, 1:42 285: Noval Jenkins (SC) pinned Brandon Miller, 0:43 Schalick had 1 team point deduction (taunting 285).
BURLINGTON TWP. 37, PENNSVILLE 34 215: Messiah Malik (B) pinned Daniel Emmons, 0:12 285: Trevor Waddington (P) won by forfeit 106: Gina Shinn (P) won by forfeit 113: Xavier Moy (B) pinned Lucas Thomas, 3:58 120: Christopher Daniels (P) pinned Jacob Palentchar, 1:15 126: Kaiem Uthman (B) maj. dec. over Kameron Drummond, 20-9 132: Gabriel Supernavage (P) pinned Lucas Rush, 0:29 138: Anthony Cook (B) pinned Maddox Efelis, 0:51 144: Travis Hagan (P) dec. Nicholas Davis, SV 7-5 150: Logan Kahrs (B) dec. Sky Eppes, 9-3 157: Robbie McDade (P) maj. dec. over Dominick Saulle, 12-4 165: Eric Salazar-Hernandez (B) pinned Cole Campbell, 4:45 175: Connor Ayars (P) dec. Dylan Zerillo, 5-1 190: Jacob Davis (B) pinned Justin Oldaker, 1:48
PITMAN 42, PENNS GROVE 26 113: Skylar Nicola (P) won by forfeit 120: Double forfeit 126: Adriano Platt (P) pinned Devine Arce, 4:18 132: Adam Gonzales (PG) pinned Justin Evans, 3:18 138: Jacob Lawrence (P) pinned Raeed Clark, 0:56 144: Chris McIntyre (P) won by forfeit 150: Jonathan Bruno (P) pinned Jayden Owens, 1:55 157: Tre Brown (PG) maj. dec. over Robert Graves, 11-0 165: Chase Rollins (P) pinned Antonio Garris, 0:55 175: Dwayne Guzman (PG) won by forfeit 190: Clinton Bobo (PG) maj. dec. over Dominic Saffioti, 18-5 215: Isaiah Upshur (PG) won by forfeit 285: Aiden Milward (P) pinned Antonio Cooper, 3:49 106: Double forfeit
PENNS GROVE 54, SALEM 6 150: Jayden Owens (PG) pinned Gabrielle Johnson, 0:55 165: Antonio Garris (PG) pinned Jajuan Anderson, 3:09 Penns Grove won by forfeit at 126, 132, 138, 157, 175, 190, 215. Salem won by forfeit at 285.
PITMAN 60, SALEM 6 150: Jonathan Bruno (P) pinned Gabrielle Johnson, 0:36 157: Robert Graves (P) pinned Jahquan Gooden, 0:51 285: Abdullah Jenkins (S) pinned Nicholas Horner, 0:31 Pitman won by forfeit at 106, 126, 132, 138, 144, 165, 190, 215.
Indoor Track
TOMS RIVER – Salem County produced four sectional champions, two runner-ups and qualified 18 individuals and four relays to state across 10 events at Friday’s South Jersey Group I indoor track championship at The Bubble.
All four champions came from the girls side. Schalick’s Jordan Hadfield swept the 1600 and 3200 meter races. Salem’s Anna Buzby won the 800 and Karima Davenport-White won the 55 hurdles.
Salem’s Dominique Lewis placed second in the girls shot put and Woodstown’s Cole Lucas was runner-up in the boys 800.
Salem finished third in the girls standings with 49 points. Schalick was fifth, Woodstown eighth, Penns Grove T-10 and Pennsville T-12. On the boys side, Schalick was sixth, Salem seventh, Woodstown tenth and Penns Grove T-11.
The complete list of Salem County qualifiers to state are posted below:
GROUP I GIRLS TEAM SCORES: Audubon 72, Clayton 59, Salem 49, Haddon Twp. 43, Schalick 22, Glassboro 15, Woodbury 15, Woodstown 12, KIPP Norcross 8, Bordentown 4, Penns Grove 2, Pennsville 2, Gateway 2, Linewold 2, Buena 1.
SALEM Anna Buzby: 3. 400 (1:01.84); 1. 800 (2:22.30); 4. Pole vault (8-0) Karima Davenport-White: 1. 55 hurdles (8.98); 6. 55 dash (7.76) Sairis Jiminez: 5. 55 hurdles (10.04) Dominique Lewis: 2. Shot put (34-10) 2. 4×400 Relay (4:22.25)
Shorthanded Pennsville comes through a rough week 3-1 to gain confidence for stretch run; updated to include boxscores of other county games
FRIDAY’S GAMES Boys Pennsville 49, West Deptford 46 Riverside 59, Salem Tech 31 Schalick 49, Gateway 40 Girls Gateway 41, Schalick 33 Gloucester Catholic 83, Salem 31 St. Joe (Hamm.) 43, Salem Tech 36
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
PENNSVILLE – No team deserves to go through the turmoil the Pennsville basketball team has endured this past week. But it happens. And because it did, it just might have been the thing the Eagles needed to establish their identity.
The Eagles have been down three starters for a variety of reasons since last Saturday. Many other teams might have packed it in, but the Eagles were determined to rise above. They went 3-1 this week without them, capped by Friday night’s 49-46 win over West Deptford.
It wasn’t easy and the bullet they dodged could have put them on the deck. They needed a big second half to beat one-win Gateway, but lost the night’s leading scorer Jayden Thomas to a severe ankle sprain in the closing seconds. They needed overtime to get past Schalick, got blown out by Woodstown Thursday and then needed a put-back by Peyton O’Brien with 18 seconds left and two Luke Wood free throws with 3.9 seconds to go to turn back West Deptford after blowing an second-half lead.
Thomas wasn’t the only one who’s been out. Center Danny Saulin was serving the final game of a four-game state/school suspension for a flagrant foul in the Triton game Saturday and they were missing Malik Rehmer for disciplinary reasons. Saulin is due back Monday, while Thomas remains day-to-day.
The Eagles came out of the gauntlet 9-11 on the season when under different outcomes they could easily be 6-14.
“We’re gaining a lot of confidence because guys are stepping up that haven’t had to step up a lot this year and we’re just coming together as a team,” O’Brien said. “Having that many issues you’re not like scared, but you know there are going to be some struggles, but I feel like we faced adversity pretty well.”
“Through the fire, now we’re stronger,” coach Joe Mecholsky said. “I didn’t think (they needed that to find their identity), but that’s the outcome. I didn’t think so, but hindsight being undefeated, that’s what we got.”
Pennsville was hot right out of the gate on this night, opening a 15-4 lead and holding a seven-point lead in the third quarter under a hail of 3-pointers. The Eagles made a season-high eight 3s in the game. They had hit eight in their previous three games combined.
Wood had six of them, including a running buzzer-beater to give them a nine-point halftime lead. He finished with 22 points and moved into fifth place on Pennsville’s all-time boys scoring list (1,107).
“When the roulette wheel keeps coming up red, red, red, red, red – missed 3s, missed 3s, missed 3s, missed 3s – it had to come up black one time,” Mecholsky said. “It came up black for us tonight. The little ball landed on the black for us tonight.”
“We haven’t been able to shoot all season and to finally break through and make some 3s, the whole team, it felt really good,” Wood said.
But their biggest plays of the game came around the basket in the final minute. After being down most of the game, West Deptford held a 46-43 lead with 1:21 to play.
Cohen Petrutz’ putback got Pennsville within one with 56 seconds left. West Deptford gave Pennsville the chance to get back in it when Aiden Cranmer missed two free throws, Mark Koszowski missed the putback and O’Brien cleared the rebound.
Wood missed a spinning layup in traffic for the lead at the other end, but O’Brien was in the perfect spot underneath to rebound and put it back to give Pennsville a 47-46 lead. O’Brien had 10 points, five rebounds and three blocked shots.
“I’m exhausted still from yesterday,” O’Brien said. “Yesterday I had to play a full game and that was a tough game, too. I tried my hardest to get that rebound, doing whatever it takes. I knew if that one didn’t go in then I had to be the one to get it back.”
Cranmer missed again with 3.9 seconds left. This time Wood rebounded and was fouled. He sank both free throws at the other end to make it a three-point game and after a time out to set the final play Cranmer missed a shot from mid-court at the buzzer.
“To go up and get shellacked last night and come back tonight and not fold under the pressure after we gave up a nine-point lead and stick to what we were doing showed a tremendous amount of fortitude in these young men,” Mecholsky said.
“I think our team has just found itself,” Wood said. “This whole past week I think we’ve jelled together, realized what everyone’s good at it, we’ve started playing together a lot better like we know we can. As a whole team it made us stronger. This whole past week I think we’ve really shown up and down our lineup we’re going to go out there and compete and we’re really a basketball team.”
PENNSVILLE 49, WEST DEPTFORD 46 WEST DEPTFORD (6-13) – Andre Johnson 4 0-1 8, Zayd Mijahid 1 0-0 3, Mark Koszowski 2 8-9 12, Jalen Chandler 0 0-0 0, Nick Senatore 4 1-2 11, Allen Eastlack 0 0-0 0, Aiden Cranmer 5 0-2 11. Totals 16 9-14 46. PENNSVILLE (9-11) – Luke Wood 6-18 4-7 22, Peyton O’Brien 4-7 1-2 10, Cohen Petrutz 4-10 0-0 9, Mason O’Brien 0-4 3-6 3, Connor Starn 1-1 1-2 3, Carlos Merindino 1-2 0-0 2, Cole Johnston 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 16-43 9-17 49.
West Deptford
7
10
15
14 –
46
Pennsville
15
11
9
14 –
49
3-point goals: West Deptford 5 (Mujahid, Senatore 3, Cranmer); Pennsville 8-19 (Wood 6-13, P. O’Brien 1-2, Petrutz 1-3, Johnston 0-1). Total fouls: West Deptford 19, Pennsville 11.
RIVERSIDE 59, SALEM TECH 31 SALEM TECH (2-15) – Chase Wills 5 0-0 10, Haneef Frisby 4 1-2 9, Daviontae Russell 0 1-2 1, Tyler Zampino 3 0-0 6, Antoine Robinson 2 0-0 5. Totals 14 2-4 31. RIVERSIDE (8-11) – Jashir Bridges 8 2-6 21, Carmine Smith 7 0-0 14, Jamir Brown 2 0-0 4, Cameron Brown 2 0-0 5, John Boston 0 0-0 0, Zaire Ali-Lewis 4 0-0 8, Dan Ventura 1 0-0 2, Isaiah Ali-Lewis 1 0-0 2, Anthony Martinez 0 0-0 0, Jayion Howell 0 0-0 0, John Salerno 1 0-0 3. Totals 26 2-6 59.
3-point goals: St. Joseph 4 (Perri 4); Salem Tech 3 (VanDover, Beardsley, Drummond).
Cover photo: Pennsville’s Peyton O’Brien puts back an offensive rebound with 18 seconds left in the game to give the Eagles the lead for good against West Deptford.
UPDATED: Adams puts family first in his decision to step away as Woodstown’s head football coach after 14 seasons, process of finding his successor will be ‘methodical’
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
WOODSTOWN – After spending more than half his life coaching other families’ kids, 18 of those years at his current school and 14 as its head coach, and a whole life ahead of him with his own, John Adams figured it was time.
Thursday afternoon, at the end of an emotional week, he quietly stepped down as Woodstown’s head football coach. He did it genuinely for family reasons.
He informed his coaching staff of his decision earlier in the week and told athletics director Joe Ursino the next day. He chose to tell the players during their weight room session Thursday, a day when the Wolverines’ basketball team had a home game and the other winter sports involving his football players didn’t have a competition.
“I basically said it came down to one major thing,” Adams told Riverview Sports News Friday morning in his first public comments on the decision. “I always would sacrifice things for the program but I always said to myself if my kids ever started having to sacrifice things for me to coach then I’d know I would need to step away.
“My son was starting to get into sports. He’s young, but it was one of those things my wife said to him do you want to play soccer or do you want to go to daddy’s game, because there was a conflict of time. His games would have been Friday nights for his age group and he said he wanted to go to daddy’s game, which I appreciated but at the same time I said a young kid shouldn’t have to be picking something I’m doing. That weighed heavy on me most of the season.”
Another element that made the timing right was the maturity level of the veteran underclassmen to handle such a transition.
Adams, 41, steps away about a season’s worth of wins short of 100 for his career, although he’s never been one to keep up with the numbers. His most recent teams have been a favorite in South Jersey Group I football only to meet some hard-luck finishes before reaching their ultimate goal.
After coming up short in the most heartbreaking of ways each of the previous two years, the Wolverines finally won the SJ Group I title this season and then fell to Glassboro on a last-minute gadget play in the Group I state semifinals.
The former Temple walk-on took the head coaching position in 2010 he admittedly wasn’t ready for but grew into the post and over the next 14 years won five division titles and made 12 playoff appearances. At least three of the seniors on this year’s team will be in the next wave of Wolverines signing to play college football next week – linebacker Jack Knorr (Kutztown), running back James Hill (Kutztown) and quarterback Max Webb (Misericordia).
“I would love to know what people could say negatively about the 14-year career he’s had as our head coach,” said Ursino, who came to Woodstown the same year as Adams. “I’m biased. John and I are friends and also as a former head coach I just look at him and look back on my career and kind of wish I could have had as much of an impact that I’ve seen John have. He was just as much a life figure, a life coach, as he was a football coach.
“I sent him a text message yesterday that it was a bittersweet day. The sweet part is we’re lucky to still have him in our building, still lucky to have him as a leader and someone who can lead our students to be productive citizens when they leave our high school. But it’s bitter because the feeling when you have a coach who’s had so much success and as much of an impact step away, it’s just a really big challenge because I want to make sure that position is filled with the respect of John in mind.”
Adams will remain at the school as a teacher, class advisor and union rep and hopes to stay involved with the strength and conditioning program if that’s the desire of the new head coach. He is hoping the school will stay in-house for his successor and the current staff, which has been together for the length of Adams’ tenure, has several viable candidates within it.
He didn’t rule out a return to coaching in the future, but for now he’s at peace with being a dad to his kids and fan to the Wolverines.
“I did pick the brains of some coaches who previously stepped away in other sports,” he said. “One thing I noticed was some of them said (they) probably stayed a year or two too long and I didn’t want that to be me. That’s why yesterday was so emotional.
“I still have a passion for it. I love the kids to death. But I didn’t ever want to get to a season where I was like gosh, can this get over, like I’m just done.”
Ursino said the process of finding Adams’ successor will not be a quick one, but a methodical one that will provide “multiple opportunities for candidates to demonstrate their ability and knowledge” so the administrative team can make an “informed decision” to identify the coach best to further their mission of “promising every Wolverine a future.”
“This is certainly not going to be the kind of shoot-from-the-hip and let’s get this in place (decision),” he said.
Adams is the third of Salem County’s five head football coaches to vacate since the end of the season, probably the largest shakeup on the county gridiron scene in a long time.
Penns Grove coach John Emel stepped down to take the West Deptford job. Salem’s Danny Mendoza stepped down a couple weeks ago to explore other opportunities. That leaves Schalick’s Mike Wilson and Pennsville’s Mike Healy as the last head coaches standing in Salem County.
Healy now becomes the longest-tenured head football coach in Salem County, beating Wilson by two years.
Reaction internally to Adams’ decision was swift and emotional. Players and former players offered the coach their thanks and messages of gratitude and appreciation on social media all night.
In reply to a post by one of his underclassmen, Adams wrote, “I am going to miss coaching you but I know the leadership is strong with you and the rest of the soon to be seniors. … I am excited to become a fan now.”
Donelson reaches 1,000-point milestone as Woodstown overcomes slow start to beat Pennsville; includes other Salem County games and box scores
THURSDAY’S GIRLS SCORES Woodstown 66, Pennsville 57 Penns Grove 81, Overbrook 24 Glassboro 67, Schalick 14 Wildwood 67, Salem 22 Clayton 51, Salem Tech 30
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
PENNSVILLE — Megan Donelson might have had prettier baskets in her career, but not many were more memorable than the one she dropped in the fourth quarter Thursday night.
The Woodstown junior became the 10th player in her school’s girls basketball history to score 1,000 career points — and the third player in Salem County to reach the milestone this season – in the Wolverines’ 66-57 win over Pennsville.
She needed 29 points to reach the milestone entering the game and hit it on the number. She hit the milestone on a layup with 1:57 left in the game.
“I was really determined to get my thousandth point and it put me to drive to get that goal,” she said. “I set that goal for myself as soon as I walked in my freshman year and I just wanted to complete my goal.”
Donelson was four points short of the milestone entering the fourth quarter, but given the weight of the situation they were as hard to get as the final three outs of a no-hitter and made harder by picking up her fourth foul with five minutes left in the game. She didn’t peel away the first two points until 2:41 remained – and they were on free throws. The milestone came about a minute later.
It wasn’t artistic, but it was effective. She took the outlet pass from one of Shannon Pierman’s defensive rebounds, drove the length of the floor and tossed an off-balanced shot towards the basket in traffic from the right side of the lane. It went through just as she was falling out of bounds.
“I thought it was a really good way to score the thousandth,” she said. “I had the defender on me and I got the thousandth point off the defender.”
She is the first Woodstown girls player to reach the milestone since Riley Fulmer in 2022. Junior teammate Talia Battavio could join her in the club as early as Saturday when the Wolverines play Cherokee in the South Jersey Invitational Basketball Tournament at Eastern. The girls school record for points is 1,566 by Tori Smick (2013).
Boys players Luke Wood (Pennsville) and Anthony Farmer (Salem) joined the club earlier this year and Penns Grove girls guard Meely Horace, who needs just two points after putting 38 on Overbrook Thursday, is a lock to get it in her next game against Schalick.
“There was anxiousness all day of is she going to get it, when is she going to get it, how is she going to get it, is she going to have to get Saturday,” Wolverines coach Kara Straughn said. “Once she got it, it was just like this overwhelming sense of relief, like, all the hard work she put in came to fruition.
“She’ll say she wasn’t counting, but I know inside she probably was.”
Woodstown’s Megan Donelson (24) drives on Pennsville’s Marley Wood (4) in the fourth quarter on the way to the basket for her 1,000th career point.
The final score may have looked like another routine win for the Wolverines (14-3), but it was anything but that. Pennsville (7-11), playing the best it has all season, jumped out to leads of 13-0, 15-2 and 26-15 before Donelson and Pierman brought their team back.
Donelson scored the last nine points in an 11-0 run that drew the Wolverines even at 26 with 1:27 left in the half. She made two free throws with 10 seconds left to give them a 32-30 halftime lead.
They never trailed again. They scored the first 10 points of the third quarter and by the end of it led by 15.
“I’m really proud of the way we didn’t give up,” Pierman said. “We obviously did not give up. We pushed back, we fought harder and it showed. We knew we could play better. We knew we were better than that. Eventually something has to change, especially when we know how we can win.” Pennsville built its early lead by making layups inside Woodstown’s 2-3 zone and caught the Wolverines on a cold start.
Taylor Bass got it started with a 3 and two free throws. Marley Wood made three buckets and Bella Farina hit two free throws. Suddenly it was 13-0 and the Wolverines called time looking for energy. It was 17-8 at quarter’s end.
“We talked about what the best way to open up the court to get open looks, we talked about where the cuts need to be,” Eagles coach Sam Trapp said. “As long as that kept happening we kept scoring.”
The quick start wasn’t without a hitch, however. Post Bella Farina picked up three fouls in the first six and a half minutes and sat the rest of the half.
Meanwhile, the Wolverines were just stuck in the mud. They missed their first 11 shots and had five turnovers before Donelson finally broke the ice off an inbounds play with 2:34 left in the first quarter. They shot 2-for-14 from the floor in the quarter.
The Eagles’ inspired play continued through the first half of the second quarter, extending the lead to 26-15. The Wolverines were 7-of-25 from the field before Donelson and Co. started the charge to get back in the game.
“Their two leading scorers were creeping into their 1,000, that always makes a kid nervous, that kind of got in their head a little bit and this is the first time they’ve seen us at full strength and now they’re being able to see what the girls Pennsville basketball team can really bring,” Trapp said. “I think that was what executed that great 13-0 stretch at the beginning.
“I’ve been putting a big emphasis on playing together, looking ahead, focusing on using each other’s strength and I think that’s a big component. I keep telling the girls when we play together, when we’re sharing the ball, distributing the ball, making everybody work to help us get to a good place we play our best basketball.”
Nora Ausland led the Eagles with 21 points. Wood had 15.
Donelson’s 29 points matched her season-high. Pierman had 12 points and 15 rebounds for her fourth straight double-double. Battavio had 21 points and needs 19 to become the next member of Woodstown’s 1,000-Point Club.
Woodstown football coach John Adams stepped down quietly Thursday night, social media flooded with messages honoring a ‘great career’
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
Apparently, Salem County has another head football coaching vacancy to fill.
Word around the coaching world in South Jersey is Woodstown football coach John Adams stepped down Thursday night about a season short of 100 career wins. While Riverview Sports News has not been able to confirm the news through Woodstown officials Thursday night, it has been confirmed through football sources.
Attempts to reach Adams and other Woodstown officials Thursday night were unsuccessful.
Earlier Thursday Adams responded to a text message from Riverview Sports News regarding the new WJFL schedule that was released Wednesday and said they were talking about the Delsea opener being a Thursday game without any mention of his situation. Asked Wednesday following the schedule release if there was anything to be aware of he replied “Not right now.”
Players and former players have been offering the coach their thanks and messages of gratitude and appreciation on social media all night.
In reply to a post by one of his unerclassmen, Adams wrote, “I am going to miss coaching you but I know the leadership is strong with you and the rest of the soon to be seniors. … I am excited to become a fan now.”
Adams’ most recent teams have been a favorite in South Jersey Group I football only to meet bitter and untimely ends before reaching their ultimate goal. After coming up short in the most heartbreaking of ways each of the previous two years, the Wolverines finally won the SJ Group I title this season and then fell to Glassboro on a last-minute gadget play 14-10 in the Group I state semifinals.
Adams would be the third of five Salem County head coaches to vacate since the end of the season. It’s probably the largest shakeup on the county football scene in a long time.
Penns Grove coach John Emel stepped down to take the West Deptford job. Salem’s Danny Mendoza stepped down a couple weeks ago to explore other opportunities. That leaves Schalick’s Mike Wilson and Pennsville’s Mike Healy as the last head coaches standing in Salem County.
Healy now becomes the longest-tenured head football coach in Salem County, beating Wilson by two years.
