Author: almusky

Back in black

Inspired by new black-on-black uniforms just for the occasion, Woodstown’s Belinfanti scores 3 TD, defense blanks Salem at Homecoming

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

WOODSTOWN – The worst thing Salem could have done to Woodstown’s Bryce Belinfanti Friday night was stop him on the goal line on the first drive of the game.

The Rams may have stopped the junior once, but he was determined they weren’t going to do it again if he had anything to say about it. And he had plenty to say about it.

WOODSTOWN 27,
SALEM 0
NEXT: Woodbury at Woodstown, Fri., 7 p.m.
Paulsboro at Salem,
Oct. 7, noon

The Wolverines’ lead back didn’t get in the first time, but he did get in the next time and then twice in the second half to lead his team to a 27-0 victory over their longest-standing rivals in front a Homecoming crowd of 1,400 at Clint Ware Field.

Salem stymied Belinfanti at the goal line on a fourth-and-goal from the 1 at the end of a 70-yard drive that consumed the first seven and a half minutes of the game. The next two times he touched the ball he went for 29 and 17 yards. The 17-yarder went for a touchdown and he later scored on runs of 48 and 16 yards in the second half.

“I was just ready to run it up from there,” he said. “They were hyped that they stopped us and honestly I thought I scored there, but we had to come correct it the next time. I was sitting on the sideline thinking about it and it really got to me. I ran it hard. I needed my touchdown.”

It was an emotional night in a lot of ways for the Wolverines (4-1). Besides the Homecoming festivities, they held a pre-game moment of silence for a beloved teacher and coach Dave Lewis who passed away earlier in the week.

On a lighter note, Wolverines coach John Adams surprised the team with new black jerseys he’s been secreting away in his classroom closet since June. He broke them out during the pep rally earlier in the day and when junior lineman Bump Carter came out wearing the ensemble for the big reveal the players went nuts. 

“We’ve been waiting on them for a couple years now and tonight we came out with the black jerseys and showed Salem what’s up,” running back/linebacker Bobby Donahue said. “We had no idea the black jerseys were coming. Homecoming Night in black jerseys was real special. A shutout against Salem under the lights on a Friday night is very special, especially without a Thanksgiving game.”

The game for the longest time had been played on Thanksgiving Day. It was only moved two years ago to accommodate the new conference scheduling and playoff formula. This was the 114th time the teams have played. Salem leads the series 64-40-10, but Woodstown has now won four of the last five.

If the Wolverines play their cards right they might get to wear these special uniforms again this year. Adams said if they get a home playoff game they might bring them out, but the intention is to only wear them once a year.

“We’re only allowed to wear these like once a year, so we knew we had to come play good in them instead of come lose,” Belinfanti said.

Woodstown’s Bryce Belinfanti (3) sweeps right to get around the Salem defense Friday night. (Photo by Ellen Sickler)

The play Belinfanti was stopped on the opening drive wasn’t the first the Wolverines had denied from the 1. A few plays earlier they didn’t execute the Eagles’ “Brotherly Shove/Tush Push” properly and instead of quarterback Max Webb burrowing in from the 1 for the game’s first score, the Wolverines were penalized back to the 6 for aiding the ballcarrier.

“It’s on me for not coaching them up on it, but at the high school level you can’t do what they do to (Eagles quarterback Jalen) Hurts,” Adams said. “You can move the pile, you can’t actually push the runner. That’s what we got flagged on there and it was disheartening because I think our quarterback probably got in on it on his own.”

Webb got the Wolverines back to the 1 and Belinfanti was stopped with Salem linebacker Jared Pew leading the charge.

But that didn’t stop Belinfanti. Besides scoring on the next series and twice in the second half, he finished the game with 164 yards rushing on 17 carries.

“He runs the ball hard and I knew when they stopped him there that he was going to get his the next time,” Adams said. “That’s just how Bryce is. He feeds off it. He’s a good player.”

NOTES: Pop Jackson provided much of Salem’s offense for the second game in a row. He rushed for 123 yards on 23 carries … It was the first shutout in the series since Salem’s 49-0 win in 2018 and Woodstown’s first shutout in the series since a 19-0 victory in 2013 … Taylor Sparks was named Woodstown’s Homecoming Queen. Earlier in the day injured running back James Hill was introduced as the Homecoming King … Woodstown hosts Woodbury next week in the Diamond Division game of the year. Salem (0-6), meanwhile, has a Saturday home date with Paulsboro in the projected first game of its new on-campus stadium, but crews are racing the clock to have the facility ready so the game likely will be played at historic Walnut Street Field.

Woodstown 27, Salem 0

SALWOOD
81st Downs12
39-216Rushing32-249
0-4-1Passes3-5-0
0Passing16
1-1Fum-lost0-0
4-30.0Punts-avg3-33.0
10-60Penalties4-40
Salem (0-6)0000 –0
Woodstown (4-1)70713 –27

Scoring plays:
W – Bryce Belinfanti 17 run (Jake Ware kick), 0:48 1Q
W – Bryce Belinfanti 48 run (Jake Ware kick), 1:40 3Q
W – Bryce Belinfanti 16 run (Jake Ware kick), 7:37 4Q
W – Bobby Donahue 1 run (kick failed), 0:51 4Q

On the cover: Woodstown’s football team stretches prior to the start of the second half in brand new black uniforms they expressly broke out for Homecoming.
Woodstown quarterback Max Webb (12) throws an out pass to Zach Bevis on the Wolverines’ opening drive against Salem. (Photo by Ellen Sickler)
Woodstown’s Bobby Donahue (5) chases down Salem quarterback Ramaji Bundy. The Wolverines’ linebacker had a pair of sacks in the game. (Photo by Ellen Sickler)

Milestone in OT

Two of the highest scoring field hockey teams in region play to scoreless tie in regulation, then Schalick gets game-winner on rebound in OT, hands Salem first loss, Cheesman 100th win

THURSDAY’S RESULTS
FIELD HOCKEY
Pennsville 8, Deptford 0
Schalick 1, Salem 0 (OT)
Woodstown at Gloucester Catholic, ppd.
GIRLS SOCCER
Clayton 5, Penns Grove 0
Highland Regional 1, Woodstown 0
GIRLS TENNIS
Woodstown 5, OLMA 0
Vineland 3, Schalick 2

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

SALEM – Heather Cheesman couldn’t tell you her Schalick field hockey team’s record in overtime games or even if they were going to play one Thursday as regulation was winding down, so when the Cougars went to extra time she came up with the fastest strategy that came to mind.

Put the players who had been playing the best in the game and just have at it.

What is it they say? The first instinct is usually the right one? After the teams played to a spirited scoreless tie in regulation, Phoebe Alward banged home a doorstep rebound just over two minutes into sudden death overtime giving the Cougars a 1-0 victory over Salem and handing Cheesman her 100th career victory.

It was the first overtime game either team has played this season, a testament to their dominance over their opponents this year. The Cougars (6-2) had played three previously since the sport went to a four-quarters format in 2020 and were 1-1-1 in those games.

“I put our most skilled players in, they weren’t actually our most skilled, but they were the kids who were playing really well today,” Cheesman said. “I think our team is very skilled, but I picked the girls who were having a good game today and then we took it from there.”

With only 10 extra minutes to get something done, you have to be aggressive and the Cougars were. They never gave the Rams a chance.

“That’s the way I am,” Cheesman said. “I said if we win the toss to get possession; we want to start off with the ball. We have to beat them to the ball. Once we get in the circle we’ve got to shoot and we’ve got to get a stick on it.”

The goal came just that way. Caylan Taylor sent a ball to Ava Scurry who had gotten well behind the defense. Scurry broke in alone on the goal, Salem keeper Dominique Lewis stood her ground and made the initial save with her pads, but the rebound came right to Alward and she sent it back into the cage for her county-leading 10th goal of the year.

It took all of 2 minutes and 3 seconds of sudden death.

Both teams are among the most prolific-scoring squads in the region, but curiously they couldn’t put one home in regulation. That’s not to say they didn’t have chances on the windy, blustery day. The action was end-to-end and both goalies were excellent in keeping their opponent out of the net.

Schalick finished with 14 shots and 12 penalty corners. Salem had 11 shots and 11 corners. Cougars keeper Lydia Gilligan made 12 saves and got help from defensive stops by Hanna Widdifield and Ella Cheesman. Lewis has 14 saves.

The one that got through was only the second goal the Rams (5-1) have allowed this season. They’d outscored their first five opponents 33-1. 

“I think we were pretty evenly matched,” first-year Salem coach Shanna Scott said. “We were capitalizing on their weaknesses and they were capitalizing on ours.

“Our goalie played great. This is the best she’s played.”

Reaching the milestone victory was special for Cheesman. She’s been coaching at Schalick 10 years and reached the mark in her eighth season as head coach.

“It was amazing,” she said. “It helped me reflect on all the athletes present and previously who played for me (and) all the triumphs and heartbreaks we experienced as a team.”

It’s been a good 24 hours of overtime experience in the Cheesman household. The night before her daughter Emmi scored the game-winner for her Cedar Crest College team in a penalty-stroke shootout.

“I watched it, they stream everything; it was exciting,” Heather said. “Now I’m going to have to call her and be like, ‘We went to overtime.’”

PENNSVILLE 8, DEPTFORD 0: Sophia Marandola had a hat trick and Isabelle Saulin had two goals and an assist as the Eagles (2-6) won their second straight. 

Schalick’s Ava Scurry (R) tries to advance the ball against Salem’s Michele Brittingham during Thursday’s field hockey game.

Girls tennis

WOODSTOWN 5, OLMA 0: Gabby Kurpis prevailed in a third-set tiebreaker 10-2 to win at No. 2 singles and complete the undefeated Wolverines’ sweep. The Wolverines (9-0) have won each of their last five matches 5-0.

VINELAND 3, SCHALICK 2: Once-beaten Vineland (12-1) snapped the Cougars’ six-match winning streak. No. 3 singles Allyson Green and the No. 1 doubles team of Katelyn Little and Emma Adams won matches for Schalick (9-2).

A big game anytime

Woodstown, Salem resume rivalry with Homecoming game; Penns Grove, Pennsville look to enhance playoff positions, unbeaten Schalick open after forfeit win 

SALEM COUNTY FOOTBALL
Friday’s games
Pennsville at Cumberland, 6 p.m.
Salem at Woodstown, 7 p.m.
Schalick 1, Lindenwold 0, forfeit
Saturday’s game
Paulsboro at Penns Grove, noon

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

WOODSTOWN – They might not play the game on Thanksgiving anymore because it’s too valuable in the current playoff formula, but it still carries the same amount of pageantry and stakes.

Woodstown and Salem meet for the 114th time Friday night in a game that holds a lot of meaning for both teams.

The Wolverines (3-1) are looking to get back on track after last week’s overtime loss to Glassboro that knocked them out of the top spot in the South Jersey Group I UPR power ratings that determine playoff seedings. 

The Rams (0-5) are looking for their first win. It’s their slowest start since 2012 when they went 0-10. They’re used to a season starting in the other direction, but they did give Group III Cedar Creek all it could handle in the rain at Rutgers last week and their offense showed signs of coming around with the emergence of now lead back Pop Jackson.

Quarterback Ramaji Bundy didn’t make the trip for undisclosed disciplinary reasons, paving the way for Jackson’s breakout game (30 carries, 154 yards). And while Rams coach Danny Mendoza said the evaluation was “to be continued” into this week, the player’s status for Mendoza’s first Woodstown-Salem experience remained unclear even as he and the Rams practiced Thursday.

“Any time you play Salem it’s a huge game because of the rivalry,” Woodstown coach John Adams said. “I know their record doesn’t reflect how well they’ve played. They’ve had a tough schedule and they have some good players and they started getting things clicking there the last game and had a shot to win that. We can’t have any missed opportunities like we had last week and we can’t lose the turnover battle and the penalty battle.”

It was a big deal when the teams always played on Thanksgiving, such a big deal, in fact, that when the date change came about officials from both schools met with their constituencies to explain the situation. It had to move it off the traditional date when the current scheduling model and playoff system went into effect but, in a nod to pageantry and tradition, for these last two years at least the schools decided to make it their respective Homecoming games.

“We knew there was tradition, but we had to talk about the players now and what was in their best interest,” Adams said. 

It is such a big deal they’ve gotten in writing that if at any time they find themselves in different WJFL divisions they’ll still be guaranteed to be regular opponents.

Adams said the date change and the impact the game has on the post-season formula has ”definitely added” to the meaningfulness of the game.

“When you became the coach here it was like, ‘You’ve got to beat Salem,’” Adams said. “That’s what everybody in town focused on because back in the day they didn’t have playoffs, that was the last game of the year, that was like the final game, so it always came down to Woodstown-Salem at the end of the year.

“Even when we did keep it on Thanksgiving and both programs got to the point where we were going far in the playoffs, it was like bragging rights. A couple years we played them back-to-back. In 2019 they beat us in the playoffs and then we played them the next week and beat them on Thanksgiving. I think it was redemption.”

This might be just his first run through the rivalry, but Mendoza knows what it means to play in a traditional game and is well-versed in the history of this one.

“It’s a little bit different this year with us being a little bit down and them being a little bit up, the buzz around it may not be as big ,” he said, “but I’m sure tomorrow night it’ll be a sight to see.”

Salem leads the series 64-39-10. Woodstown has won three of the last four, but all four have been decided by six points or less (14 points total). Last year’s game was 7-6 and, Adams said, “just as crowded as Thanksgiving would have been.”

The Salem Rams practice for Friday night’s rivalry game with Woodstown against the backdrop of its new stadium construction. The project is in a race against the clock to be ready for an anticipated Oct. 7 opening. Otherwise games will return to the Walnut Street Field.

PENNSVILLE (2-2) at CUMBERLAND (2-3): The Eagles play one of the most pivotal games of their turnaround season.

They currently sit at No. 17 in the South Jersey Group I UPR ratings – one spot out of the 16 playoff qualifiers – less than a half-point off the cut and two points ahead of No. 18. They’ve already won more games than they did a year ago, but they’ll likely need to double that total coming out of the Royal Division.

There’s a lot of football left to play in what Eagles coach Mike Healy calls “an interesting year” and lot of shuffling that’ll go on before the playoff field is ultimately determined, but beating a Group III division rival certainly would score them a lot of points.

“We’re halfway through the season so it’s getting to the time where every game is going to be (pivotal),” Healy said. “We’re one spot out of the playoffs right now and we really want to get a shot to get in there and see what we can do.

“Beating a team that has a couple wins, get some extra power points, things like that, is definitely big for us because you’re going to start running out of chances eventually, so we really have to focus now and get this. I think the kids realize it’s getting late in the season, we’ve got to make sure we’re not having more letdowns. We can control our own future if we want. If we take care of business we don’t have to worry about anything else.”

The Eagles are coming off a 38-20 loss to Schalick in a game they were in through the middle of the third quarter. They did a lot of good things in the game, they just needed to be more consistent.

After drawing to within 17-14, they gave up a long touchdown pass and then failed to move the chains in their next two offensive series as the Cougars pulled away.

“It’s time for us to take the next step now,” Healy said. “Get rid of these mental mistakes. We need to be more disciplined as a team and that’s what’s going to get us to that next level of the teams we want to be playing with and beating. 

“We mentioned where we are in the playoffs (picture), but it’s more every game we’ve got to get better and keep getting better every game and doing what we should. It’s not so much it’s make or break (this week), but there is a part of that where we need this game to do what we want to do.”

LINDENWOLD (0-5) vs. SCHALICK (5-0): The undefeated Cougars found themselves with an unscheduled open week after accepting Lindenwold’s forfeit due to a lack of numbers in the Lions’ program. Riverview Sports News first reported the forfeit last week.

When advised of the Lions’ plight, the Cougars sought an alternate opponent, but after deeper consideration decided to accept the forfeit “in the best interest of the team,” becoming the state’s first 6-0 team this season in the process. They’re one of 36 undefeated teams in the NJSIAA this week.

Without a game to play, the Cougars had a reduced practice week, but as they say, there may be off days but there are no days off, so they did have some football activities.

“I told the kids flat out everything you haven’t been able to do the last 6-8 weeks, go get it done, because that’s what I’m doing,” Cougars coach Mike Wilson said. “Not playing allows us to rest up a bit mentally and physically to get ready for the second-half push. With the new schedule and not playing on Thanksgiving teams have lost their bye weeks. This was unexpected, but we will take it and get better.”

Earlier in the week the Cougars moved into the No. 1 spot in the South Jersey Group I UPR rankings that determine playoff seedings for the first time in Wilson’s tenure. The top four teams in SJ-I this week are Schalick, Florence, Glassboro and Woodbury. Last week’s No. 1, Woodstown, fell to No. 6 after its overtime loss to Glassboro.

“Is it nice to see our players hard work has paid off to this point; yes,” Wilson said. “But we’re only halfway through the season, we’re turning to the October, which is the second-half push.

“One thing I did tell the kids about all this – and it was before the rankings came out – we control our own destiny. Last year we kind of had to cross our fingers that last week. If we go 1-0 every week everything will take care of itself. The best thing about where we’re at right now is we control our own destiny, we don’t need anybody else’s help.”

Saturday’s game

PAULSBORO (0-4) AT PENNS GROVE (1-4): The Red Devils have been struggling to find consistency this season, but they can greatly enhance their playoff position with a win Saturday. They got in last year without winning a game in the WJFL’s black-and-blue Diamond Division – all five division teams got in – but they’re already ahead of the game with one this year and could effectively punch their ticket by winning Saturday.

Paulsboro may be winless, but its not punchless and Red Devils coach John Emel is wary. The Red Raiders have a storied program that this year has fallen victim to a brutal schedule (highest OSI outside of the SJ-I top 16). They played their closest game of the year last week, losing 14-13 at West Deptford. Last year they started 0-3 and wound up playing Salem for the Central Jersey Group I title.

“I think they’re a Group I playoff team in terms of caliber of talent,” Emel said. “They played some really good teams. Haddonfield, Woodstown and Woodbury are the top of Groups I and II. A lot of people might be 0-4 playing that type of schedule.

“I don’t pay attention to the records. We’ve only got one more win than them, so we don’t have any room to be resting on laurels.”

Lighting it up

Wednesday roundup: Pennsville, Woodstown boys soccer score big in their first halves, also includes girls soccer and girls tennis

By Riverview Sports News

PENNSVILLE – When the train comes in, everybody rides.

Pennsville scored seven goals on 10 shots in the first half Wednesday in a 7-2 boys soccer rout of Salem.

Six different players found the back of the net for the Eagles, and one of the goal was particularly special.

Senior Stathis Efelis has been playing with the varsity for the past three years and scored his first goal since his sophomore year in the first-half onslaught. Actually, he had a goal and an assist in the game.

“To get a goal today felt incredible,” he said. “The assist and the build up was very intense and I was so glad to be able to celebrate it with my teammates.”

Stathis assisted on Maddox Efelis’ goal shortly after scoring his own. Shane Puckett got the first two followed by Stone Mumink, then John Thomas and Jake Isaac scored after the two Efelises’ goals.

It was the Eagles’ most prolific half of goalscoring in Derek Foglein’s tenure as head coach.

“To be completely honest, if you asked the team they’d say we started slow,” the coach said. “Once we got those (first) two, they settled down and moved the ball.

“The thing I’m really pleased about today is the fact the team did a great job moving the ball as the first half developed and as the score line showed we got everyone involved.”

Jose Vilalplando scored both Salem goals in the second half. 

WOODSTOWN 9, GLOUCESTER CATHOLIC 0: Bryce Ayars banged home a header 30 seconds into the game and the Wolverines (6-1) went on to pump in nine goals on 16 shots in the first half to win their sixth straight.

Adrian Ibarra scored the first of his two goals 40 seconds after Ayars’ header and the rout was on. They had another flurry later in the half in which they scored four goals in four minutes. Ibarra also recorded three assists.

“We’re not a team that scores a lot of goals traditionally,” Woodstown coach Darren Huck said, “but today things were clicking and we got on them early.”

Freshman Ayden Ellis, sophomore assist machine Blake Bialecki and senior Dalton Berry all scored their first varsity goals, while Ben Lippincott (on the first goal), Dante Mistichelli, Nick DiTeodoro and senior Eddie Whelan all recorded their first varsity assists.

The Wolverines’ final goal of the half was the play that brought Berry and Whelan their first varsity marks and the crowd to its feet.

“That was kind of a nice moment,” Huck said. “They’d been together for four years and been total team players; it’s always been the team first. They were with the JVs last year, but decided to come back and be part of everything and they were able to reap the rewards today, which I was happy about.

“The whole team was cheering for (Berry), the whole place got excited. He does work hard and always gives 100 percent and he was able to put one in today.”

PITMAN 2, PENNS GROVE 1: The Red Devils (1-6) have to be the hardest-luck team in South Jersey. All six of their losses this season have been of the one-loss variety. They fell behind 2-0 nine minutes into the second half, got a goal from Ashton Harris four minutes later and just couldn’t get the equalizer.

“We’re doing the best we can,” Penns Grove coach Mano Massari said. “The guys fought hard today; you can’t ask anymore than that. We’re fighting and taking punches with some really good teams. We just need to be more consistent.”

SCHALICK 3, WILDWOOD 0: Nolan O’Toole, Bradford Foster and Elijah Cummings scored goals and Evan Sepers was a rock in goal as the Cougars (7-2) won their third in a row. 

Pennsville’s Riley Bowman (5) and Reagan Wariwanchik celebrate another Eagles goal in their match with Salem Wednesday. (Photos by Lorraine Jenkins)

Girls soccer

PENNSVILLE 8, SALEM 1: The Eagles found the scoring touch for the second straight game, this time scoring four goals in each half. They have scored 15 goals in their two games this week.

Riley Bowman scored her first hat trick, which included a penalty kick late in the first half. Karsen Cooksey had the first goal of the second half and assisted on the other three goals. Gabby Marandola scored her first career goal 90 seconds into the game, while Molly Gratz, Kallie Morrison and Marley Wood had the other goals. The Eagles had 27 shots and eight corner kicks in the game.

“The girls are distributing the ball well and looking for opportunities for each other to score,” Eagles coach Sam Trapp said. “They are gaining more confidence as a unit each game.”

Ryann Foote scored Salem’s goal on a free kick in the first half.

GLASSBORO 7, SALEM TECH 0: Marianna Dempster and Emma Mattox both scored twice for the Bulldogs (4-2-1).

PITMAN 5, PENNS GROVE 0: Emery Sharpnack had two goals and an assist and Riley Sharpnack had a goal and two assists for Pitman.

Girls tennis

PITTMAN 4, PENNSVILLE 1: Megan Morris won 6-4, 6-1 at No. 2 singles to pick up Pennsville’s only point. Morris is 9-0 this season and has not lost a set.

WOODSTOWN 5, PENNS GROVE 0: The Wolverines went to 5-0, losing only two games the entire match. Noelle Neron and Aubrie Rennie at No. 2 doubles scored their first career win.

Pittsgrove votes for progress

School District’s $14-million Promise of Progress referendum passes convincingly, bringing necessary upgrades to facilities

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PITTSGROVE – Schalick High School football coach Mike Wilson is a big-picture kind of guy. He always has an eye towards the future, a vision of what the sports facilities at his school could be like if it had the means to upgrade. But it was always a wish list.

Now that list can become a reality.

Voters in Pittsgrove Twp. Tuesday night voted convincingly to support a $14 million bond referendum that will shape the future of facilities, athletics and otherwise, throughout the township.

In a special election, The Promise of Progress Referendum passed 551-336. It not only will benefit the athletics facilities at the high school, but also fund essential upgrades throughout the district. All seven of the township’s precincts voted in favor of the referendum.

“This referendum will drastically upgrade our sports programs and facilities,” Pittsgrove Twp. school superintendent Dr. Courtney McNeely said. “…This was our opportunity to elevate our athletes’ experience and strengthen our community spirit.

“Our community made this possible. We are so proud to promise our student athletes the progress and facilities they deserve.”

Specifically for the high school athletics facilities, plans call for building a field house, concession stand, community restrooms and bleachers for the football field, upgrading sound and lighting, and updating the boys and girls locker rooms. The playing surface on the football field will not be affected.

“First thing, it’s great for the district because it’s necessary repairs and upgrades,” Wilson said. “The high school is turning 50 years soon, the district’s buildings are on the older side, so it’s great for the Township of Pittsgrove and it’s a great way where the taxpayer is going to see minimal increase if any at all for repairs that have to be done anyway.”

Wilson just read news reports where a community in football-mad Texas is about to build a $94 million football stadium. Another Texas program recently built a $35-million home. The Pittsgrove upgrades won’t be quite as extreme, but it will enhance what the Cougars have to offer.

“These are necessary facility upgrades for the athletics program,” Wilson said. “Right now our varsity athletes don’t have a varsity locker room. They’re going to have space to call their own – for all sports, not just football. Just necessary stuff to bring us to the 21st Century. I just think it’s nice that these kids work so hard in all our sports that they’re going to have facilities they can be proud of.

“I always think big picture, I always think grand, I want things now. Since we got here me and my staff have said we’d love to have X, Y and Z, and with this referendum we’re going to get X, Y, Z. Again, it’s not extravagant, it’s not unnecessary, these are the necessary things that these student-athletes deserve. We have good athletics at Schalick and it’s nice to see our facilities are going to reflect the success we’ve bene having on the field for so many years before I was there.”

The New Jersey Dept. of Education has pledged nearly $6.5 million for eligible projects under the State Share program, while the school district is responsible for the remaining $8,217,744. The bond issue will increase the tax bill for the average assessed home in Pittsgrove by less than $1 per month (approximately $11 per month in Elmer) over the next 20 years compared to existing debt service payment for the 2023-24 school year.

It was not immediately known what the athletics portion of the upgrades would cost or when construction would begin.

THE big game

Foglein Bowl IV kicks off Friday when Pennsville visits Paulsboro in soccer match pitting brother against brother

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PENNSVILLE – Forget the Super Bowl or Wrestlemania or whatever event with a long series of Roman numerals after its name. There is only one Big Game that matters at this Maple Street homestead.

It’s the Foglein Bowl, the yearly soccer matchup now in its fourth year that pits coaching brother against coaching brother for family bragging rights on the pitch.

Foglein Bowl IV is Friday at Paulsboro when older brother (by four years) Doug hosts little brother Derek and his Pennsville side at 4 p.m. Derek leads the series 2-1 and isn’t keen to give up his lead.

“It’s always super exciting,” Derek said. “Growing up as brothers, we were always competitive in just about everything we did. I know it’s really exciting for both programs. I think both programs really enjoy the camaraderie and the matchup and really buy into it. I know his guys are always excited and looking up to this game. I know my guys are really looking forward to it, too.

“It’s a lot of fun when you get these out of division, even out of conference games, that mean a lot more because of the matchup. It’s just been a lot of fun and really helps the kids get motivated for a game that on paper might not look like it doesn’t matter, but it really matters to these kids and it really matters to us.”

Both teams are looking for something to get them going. Paulsboro entered the week 0-7, stuck in a 26-match losing streak and hasn’t won since its next to last game in 2021. Pennsville went into a week that had three winnable games 1-6.

It was pretty much a no-brainer to put the game on the schedule when both brothers got to be head coach. The first time they played it in 2019, it was a really big deal. Doug back then was coaching at Clayton, where both boys went to school. They played it at night. On the football field. On Senior Night. And it had all the feel of a Hollywood premier. Even though the teams were on opposite ends of the standings, the game matched the hype.

COVID protocols forced them off the pitch the next year, but the series resumed in 2021 after Doug moved to Paulsboro. And now they see the series continuing, as Doug says, “as long as we’re coaching together and it’s a game that’s good for both of us.”

Ditching their hoodies and athletics attire, the brothers show up on the sidelines in suits and ties like they were Diego Simeone or Pep Guardiola, two of the most fashion-chic managers in the game. It’s still the only time they wear a suit for a game.

The whole family gets involved. The first year of the game mom made “Clay-Ville” T-shirts for everybody, a mash up of the Clayton and Pennsville names with logos of each team. There’s a picture of the battling brothers striking a boxing pose and used it as their Christmas card. Sister Dawn even gets in the act while remaining neutral with shirts that say, “My favorite brother is your coach.”

“We love playing this up in our family and making it a big deal, for sure,” Derek said.

“It gets to show all the players on both teams how soccer can really kind of transcend whatever is going on,” Doug said. “It’s really great. You see two brothers who love each other to death, except for those 80 minutes in the middle.”

There is no familial bet – at least not one the brothers are keen to admit publicly – but you know it means something to both of them.

Doug won that inaugural game, but Derek has had the best of it in the last two. There was something not quite right after his first win in the series, something not even last year’s 7-1 rout could fix, something he hopes to set straight in this year’s game.

“We won that game 3-1 on two very soft penalty kick calls that went our way, so even though (the series) is 2-1, it’s 2-1 with an asterisk,” Derek said. “I’m really looking forward this year to firmly hopefully taking that winning record and not having to worry about the contingencies any more.

“We did not deserve to win that game two years ago. I’ll even say we should have played better and we kind of got the luck of the draw that day, so we really want to prove that it wasn’t a fluke two years ago and we’re really moving the program forward.”

That’s about the closest you’re going to get to bulletin board material from these two. Whenever they do have conversation about the game at the family picnic in Clayton, it’s usually about trying to pry secrets out of each other to gain an edge.

If the game ends it a tie, the result their mom always bets on, that’s how it will go in the NJSIAA record. But don’t be surprised if, with a wink and a nod, they put together some sort of PK shootout after the referees disappear in their cars to bring the match to an outcome. That’s how much it means.

“Our teams have almost come to fisticuffs once or twice,” Doug said. “The teams buy in. They know at the beginning of the season – I tell my boys the same thing and he tells his boys the same thing – this is the one game we want. If we go 1-17 this is the one I want.”

The Foglein Bowl
(Derek 2, Doug 1)

YEARPLACEWINNERSCORE
2019ClaytonClayton (Doug)5-2
2021PaulsboroPennsville (Derek)3-1
2022PennsvillePennsville (Derek)7-1
2023PaulsboroFriday, 4 p.m.
Dawn Foglein plays no favorites as she stands with brothers Doug (L) and Derek (R) after last year’s Paulsboro-Pennsville Foglein Bowl soccer match. Top photo: Dawn steps in to separate the two combatants prior to the first game of the series in 2019. (Submitted photos)

Coen saves Eagles

Pennsville boys start important week with 2-1 win over Penns Grove, keeper Rinnier turns back late threats, hands Red Devils another one-goal loss

SALEM COUNTY SOCCER
Monday’s games
Pennsville 2, Penns Grove 1
Pitman 6, Salem Tech 0
Schalick 6, Overbrook 2

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PENNSVILLE – In what just might be the most important week of their season and in miserable conditions to play a game, it’s vital to have a goalkeeper who can be counted on as the last line defense.

Pennsville keeper Coen Rinnier was fighting a cold and nerves from the opening kick, but he was the rock the Eagles needed in a 2-1 victory over Penns Grove Monday.

Rinnier, a sophomore playing goalie on the varsity level for the first time, made 18 saves and turned back several attacks the Red Devils (1-5) mounted in the final 20 minutes to keep it a one-goal game. All five of Penns Grove’s losses have been one-goal decisions.

Perhaps his biggest save of the game came with less than 10 minutes to play when he came off his line to make a sliding kick save on the right side of the box to deny Edward Swank a game-tying goal.

“On a messy day like today any shot can take a weird bounce, take a weird deflection, but it’s very simple: Coen won us the game today,” Pennsville coach Derek Foglein said. “You look at the stats, Coen had 15, 16, 17 saves, that’s a lot, but it also speaks a lot to the fact we know we can trust Coen.

“There were a lot of chances today where they were taking shots from 25. We know he’s a good keeper back there with a good head on his shoulders, but there’s not a doubt in my mind that Coen made some phenomenal saves today that won us the game.”

The teams played the first half in a cold rain that was blowing across the field in sheets. When the rain stopped, the wind kept blowing across the field making any ball in the air difficult to play.

The Red Devils got one past Rinnier with 25 minutes to play when Sebastian Hernandez blasted a ball that carried into the upper left corner just inside the post.

And after that they kept coming. Rinnier turned back at least 10 shots after the goal, including four tough chances in the final five minutes as the speedy and skilled Red Devils pressed hard for the tie. He’s been an active keeper all season, recording 105 saves in eight games, by far the most of any keeper in Salem County.

“It was just so nervous, the most nervous feeling ever, but I think it’s all worth it after the game,” Rinnier said. “The nervousness goes away after the game. 

“It was pretty intense because I’ve never played goalie for this team and this was the biggest test because we lose this game our season’s over. It was nerve-wracking, honestly, but as soon as I made that (save on Swank) I think I knew we were going to win this game. As soon as I made that save I was not nervous at all.”

The win over Penns Grove snapped a four-game losing streak and got a big week for the Eagles (2-6) off to a good start. They play three winnable games against teams with one combined win and if they sweep the week they could find themselves right in the mix for a South Jersey Group I playoff berth after starting the season against arguably the toughest schedule in the section.

Their six losses have been to teams from Group II and Group III, three of the top four teams in SJ-I and a season opener without a scrimmage.

But you can’t win all three unless you win the first one.

“I told them before we started we can go 3-0 this week but it’s got to start today,” Foglein said.

The Eagles grabbed their 2-0 lead by being aggressive at the start of each half. Shane Puckett scored the first goal on an assist from Stone Mumink five minutes into the match. Dylan Waller made it 2-0 less than 90 seconds into the second half when he scored from in close off a pass from Jake Isaac.

PITMAN 6, SALEM TECH 0: Ben Newcomb and Maddox Marker each scored twice for Pitman. For Newcomb, they were his first goals in two years after missing almost all of last season with a knee injury. He scored three goals as a sophomore. It was Pitman’s third straight win – all by 6-0 scores.

SCHALICK 6, OVERBROOK 2: Luke Price and Oscar Hernandez each scored twice for the Cougars (6-2).

Pennsville 2, Penns Grove 1

Pennsville (2-6)11 –2
Penns Grove (1-5)01 –1

Goals: PV – Shane Puckett (Stone Mumink), 5:00; PV – Dylan Waller (Jake Isaac), 41:20; PG – Sebastian Hernandez (unassisted), 55:39

Much-needed win

Pennsville girls erupt for six goals in second half, crush Penns Grove 7-0 for first win of season; Miller scores 4 more in Schalick rout

SALEM COUNTY GIRLS SOCCER
Monday’s games
Pennsville 7, Penns Grove 0
Schalick 7, Overbrook 0

PENNSVILLE – The Pennsville girls soccer team needed a win in a bad way and the players knew it. So, they took matters into their own hands.

Sparked by the good feeling of two players-only dinners over the weekend and a pre-game pow-wow before Monday’s game, the Eagles took self-reflection to another level. It paid huge dividends as they erupted for six goals after a messy first half and crushed Penns Grove 7-0 for their first win of the season.

The first half was played in miserable wind-blown rain. Riley Bowman scored the only goal when she banged home the rebound of a Karsen Cooksey shot 3 minutes and 13 seconds into the match.

The weather broke at halftime and the Eagles broke out. Cooksey scored twice, Bowman picked up a second goal and Anikka Macalino, Molly Gratz and Kallie Morrison each scored once in clearly their most prolific half of the season.

It led to their most goals in a game since a 9-2 win over Salem on Oct. 26, 2021, and their highest scoring half since putting up six in the first half of that same game.

“It was needed, it was so, so needed,” Pennsville coach Sam Trapp said of the win. “It was just a morale booster for the team; the girls needed to win and to feel confident in themselves and believe in themselves again.

“This was huge for us, this win today. We have a chance for the win Wednesday (at Salem) and a chance for the win Friday (Camden Tech) and I told them today’s the day we need to change the season around, change the trajectory of what the rest of the looks like.”

Barring a tie, one of these teams was going to get its first win of the season.

The Eagles (1-5-1) were winless in their first six games of the season against teams of varying skill sets, with a 2-2 tie with Clayton the only positive result. They began to see progress by winning the second half of their 2-1 loss to Glassboro Thursday, and it started to register when they went to dinner after the game at Gus’ Pizzeria on South Broadway, followed by another get-together over the weekend at captain Bowman’s house.

Trapp was invited to both gatherings, but gave the players their space. She didn’t know about the meeting before Monday’s game until the players came out of the locker room, but she was happy to see the players take the initiative.

“I’m always proud to see the captains are stepping up and taking leadership responsibilities and taking accountability to get their team focused back on the energy,” Trapp said. “I always say the captains are a reflection of me and they saw what was needed and they went and implemented it.

“I love that they took the initiative. They didn’t really have to check in with me. They know it’s something I’m going to support, so I loved that they did that on their own.”

And it just might be the thing that turned their season around.

SCHALICK 7, OVERBROOK 0: Emily Miller scored four more goals, running her season total to 22, just over half of last year’s school record (43) set by Kerri Jackson. Miller has scored at least two goals in every game this season and has scored 16 goals in her last four games.

Pennsville 7, Penns Grove 0

Penns Grove (0-3-1) 00 –0
Pennsville (1-5-1)16 –7

Goals: P – Riley Bowman (unassisted), 3:13; P – Riley Bowman (penalty kick), 54:10; P – Karsen Cooksey, 58:00; P – Anikka Macalino (unassisted), 61:16; P – Molly Gratz (unassisted), 69:14; P – Karsen Cooksey (Kallie Morrison) 73:26; P – Kallie Morrison (unassisted), 74:53.

Fall scoring leaders

Here are the updated Salem County scoring leaders for high school field hockey and soccer teams; stats through Sept. 24, for coaches to make adjustments email al.muskewitz@gmail.com

Salem County scoring leaders

FIELD HOCKEY
PLAYERSCHOOLGOALS
Braeley DiGregorioWoodstown8
Morgan VanDoverSalem7
Rhionna TimmonsSalem6
Phoebe AlwardSchalick5
Megan DonelsonWoodstown5
Hannah HitchnerWoodstown5
Marissa BowerSalem4
Autumn FooteSalem4
Caylan TaylorSchalick4
Tamya DriverSalem3
Julliana LoveSalem3
Tulana MinginWoodstown3
Isabelle SaulinPennsville2
Ava ScurrySchalick2
Lucianna VirgaSchalick2
PLAYERSCHOOLASSISTS
Autumn FooteSalem6
Tulana MinginWoodstown6
Kayla BrownWoodstown4
Ava ScurrySchalick4
Morgan VanDoverSalem4
Marissa BowerSalem3
Tamya DriverSalem3
Hannah HitchnerWoodstown3
Taylor PrendergastWoodstown3
Ella ShimpSchalick3
Rhionna TimmonsSalem3
BOYS SOCCER
PLAYERSCHOOL GOALS
Adrian IbarraWoodstown12
Bryce AyarsWoodstown5
Graham FieldsSalem Tech4
Bradford FosterSchalick4
Luke PriceSchalick4
Seth FisherSchalick2
Jake IsaacPennsville2
Erich LipovskyWoodstown2
Stone MuminkPennsville2
Jayden MurgaPenns Grove2
Shane PuckettPennsville2
Dylan WallerPennsville2
Jaxon WeberSchalick2
PLAYERSCHOOLASSISTS
Blake BialeckiWoodstown7
Bryce AyarsWoodstown4
Grant PraterWoodstown3
Anthony SepersSchalick3
Lucas ColeWoodstown2
Stone MuminkPennsville2
Shane PuckettPennsville2
Jaxon WeberSchalick2
GIRLS SOCCER
PLAYERSCHOOLGOALS
Emily MillerSchalick18
Emma PerryWoodstown5
Lia CovelyWoodstown4
Cali FislerSchalick4
Ryann FooteSalem4
Ameriyona HunterSalem2
PLAYER SCHOOLASSISTS
Cali FislerSchalick8
Quinn BergerSchalick4
Ameriyona HunterSalem3
Emily MillerSchalick3
Emma PerryWoodstown3
Lia CovelyWoodstown2
Kyleigh CutlerSchalick2
Olivia DevoeSchalick2
Gia MartellacciSchalick2
Emma MorganWoodstown2
Ella PriceSchalick2
Xin ShenSalem2
Abby WilloughbySchalick2

This week’s schedule

Here is the high school sports schedule for Salem County schools for the week of Sept. 25-30

Sept. 25
FIELD HOCKEY
Timber Creek at Schalick, 4 p.m.

BOYS SOCCER
Penns Grove at Pennsville, 4 p.m.
Pitman at Salem Tech, 4 p.m.
Salem at Clayton, 4 p.m.
Schalick at Overbrook, 4 p.m.

GIRLS SOCCER
Overbrook at Schalick, 4 p.m.
Penns Grove at Pennsville, 4 p.m.

GIRLS TENNIS
Glassboro at Penns Grove, 4 p.m.
Pitman at Salem, 4 p.m.

Sept. 26
FIELD HOCKEY
Overbrook at Schalick, 4 p.m.
Pennsville at Clayton, 4 p.m.
Woodstown at Glassboro, 4 p.m.

CROSS COUNTRY
Tri-County Batch Meet, Kingsway

GIRLS TENNIS
Pitman at Salem, 4 p.m.
Vineland at Schalick, 4 p.m.

Sept. 27
BOYS SOCCER
Gloucester Catholic at Woodstown, 4 p.m.
Pitman at Penns Grove, 4 p.m.
Salem at Pennsville, 4 p.m.
Salem Tech at Glassboro, 4 p.m.
Wildwood at Schalick, 4 p.m.

GIRLS SOCCER
Penns Grove at Pitman, 4 p.m.
Pennsville at Salem, 4 p.m.
Schalick at Wildwood, 4 p.m.
Woodstown at Gloucester Catholic, 4 p.m.

GIRLS TENNIS
Pennsville at Pitman, 4 p.m.
Wildwood at Salem, 4 p.m.
Woodstown at Penns Grove, 4 p.m.

Sept. 28
FIELD HOCKEY
Deptford Twp. at Pennsville, 4 p.m.
Schalick at Salem, 4 p.m.
Woodstown at Gloucester Catholic, 4 p.m.

GIRLS SOCCER
Highland Regional at Woodstown, 4 p.m.
Penns Grove at Clayton 4 p.m.

GIRLS TENNIS
Our Lady of Mercy at Woodstown, 3:45 p.m.

Sept. 29
FOOTBALL
Pennsville at Cumberland Regional, 6 p.m.
Lindenwold at Schalick, forfeit
Salem at Woodstown, 7 p.m.

BOYS SOCCER
Penns Grove at Haddon Twp., 4 p.m.
Pennsville at Paulsboro, 4 p.m.
Salem at Haddon Heights, 4 p.m.
Schalick at Palmyra, 4 p.m.

GIRLS SOCCER
Salem at Pennsauken Tech, 3:45 p.m.

GIRLS TENNIS
Penns Grove at Overbook, 4 p.m.
Salem at Pennsville, 4 p.m.

Sept. 30
FOOTBALL
Paulsboro at Penns Grove, noon

CROSS COUNTRY
Shore Coaches Invitational, Holmdel Park

Cover photo by Heather Papiano