Former Salem High lineman Brooks excited about having the chance to play football again; he’s the type student-athlete who fits the Mighty Oaks’ mold
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
CARNEYS POINT – When the Salem High School football team took the final snap of the 2023 season, Darius Brooks resigned himself to the fact his playing career was over. It was great fun while it lasted, but with no immediate opportunities to play at the next level in front of him it was time to get on with the rest of his life.
BROOKS
There was a year in trade school and then enrolling at Salem Community College to start pursuing his degree. Then, the college began to explore adding a football program to its sports offerings, and when its board of trustees approved the initiative Thursday all of a sudden Brooks had a place back in the game.
“I thought it was over with, I kind of accepted that, but I always wanted to get back to it somehow, someway,” Brooks said. “I’m excited, for sure. Definitely ready to lace them back up at least one more year.”
It’s players like the former Rams lineman that interim head coach Jay Accorsi was thinking about when he pitched the idea of starting football to Salem president Mike Gorman. Accorsi, the former Rowan head coach, knew there were hundreds of players in the region who still had the ability and desire to play the game, but were shut out of places to continue after high school.
There was only one two-year college in New Jersey playing NJCAA-sanctioned football and it was way up in North Jersey. Before the Salem board green-lighted the initiative, there was no JUCO football between Central New York and Louisburg, N.C.
“Believe it or not in this (consultant’s) role I’ve had several conversations with coaches and different people specifically about several of those type of players and several of those type of players have already reached out to me,” Accorsi said. “There’s already that population that even at the beginning of this process of doing this is already reaching out.
“I already have several names on a bulletin board for that. And that just validates why I wanted to get involved in this and why I wanted to do this and why I feel so strongly about it.”
While the talk of the Mighty Oaks adding football circulated, Brooks told the many friends who asked that he’d be interested in playing if it became a reality and started “getting ready.” He hadn’t spoken to anyone in the athletic department about it, but you can bet he’ll be among the first in line when the door opens.
“I was definitely excited,” Brooks said. “Believe it or not somebody asked me if I would be interested in coaching, but I’m not old enough for that yet. If I’m doing anything I’ve got to play. I’m definitely looking forward to it.”
Top photo: Lineman Darius Brooks (52) is joined by some Salem High School teammates at a preseason media event before the 2023 football season.
Salem CC board of trustees OK bringing football to campus for first time, inaugural game expected in Fall 2026; Accorsi named interim head coach
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
CARNEYS POINT — The Salem Community College board of trustee Thursday approved the president’s recommendation to bring junior college football to the campus, an initiative the college president says will “change lives.”
The athletic department isn’t expected to formally launch the program until January, but Thursday’s vote gives the administrative green light to proceed with hiring coaches, recruiting players, buying equipment and building a schedule for the Fall of 2026.
“And the adventure begins,” president Mike Gorman said after the unanimous vote.
On Friday, the Mighty Oaks are expected to classify the sport with the National Junior College Athletic Association (Division III) and interim head coach Jay Accorsi will hit the road recruiting while a national search gets underway for a permanent leader of the program.
Accorsi, the retired Rowan University head coach, has long been intrigued with the idea of having junior college football in New Jersey. He pitched it to Gorman in the spring and has been a paid consultant on the project since August. His favorite saying throughout the process was “to make it hard for them to say no.”
“That’s kind of what I thought my job was all through the process, to help Bob (Hughes, Salem’s athletics director)) present the material with Dr. Gorman and make it really hard for them not to make the decision to do it,” Accorsi said. “That’s really what my goal was and so far we’ve done that. We’ve got a ways to go, but so far we’ve done that.”
Supporters of the initiative said adding football would, among other things, raise the visibility of the college locally and regionally and increase enrollment not just through the 80-100 student-athletes the program would attract but through the ancillary programs that go with it such as cheer, band and support groups.
To maintain Title IX balance the school will be starting women’s volleyball in the fall. The board approved the appointment of Delaware club coach Andrea Bartlett as that program’s first head coach Thursday.
With the addition of the two newest sports, Salem now offers cross country in the fall, men’s and women’s basketball in the winter, and softball and baseball in the spring.
“We’re thrilled to have the board’s support; it’s a big day for Salem athletics,” Hughes said. “We couldn’t be more excited to bring football to Salem County at the collegiate level and we’re looking forward to getting to work. The best times are ahead.”
With the board approval and Accorsi’s interim head coaching tag, the school can now begin to recruit players for spring practice, build a schedule and enter formal discussions for a permanent practice site. Among the sites being considered are the preferred Carneys Point Recreation Complex, which could become home to all the Mighty Oaks’ outdoor sports; the local YMCA fields, the Walnut Street Field in Salem City, and the middle school fields adjacent to the Carneys Point/Penns Grove School District offices.
Home games are expected to be played in the Pennsville and Penns Grove High School stadiums.
The Mighty Oaks now join Sussex CC as the only two-year colleges in New Jersey that offer NJCAA-sanctioned football, a void proponents say will help the program attract players. Additionally, two other JUCOs in the region, Lackawanna (Pa) and Monroe (N.Y.), will be reclassifying to NCAA Division II, further opening the door for players.
The team is expected to play initially as an NJCAA Division III independent with a modified seven- or eight-game first-year schedule drawn from regional NJCAA Division I and III programs, four-year junior varsities and two-year technical colleges in the area. They must play a minimum of six games against NJCAA programs to qualify for the playoffs.
The college examined the feasibility of starting a football program five years ago, but decided not to pursue it at that time. This latest exploration was a “much deeper dive.” It was anticipated the board would vote on the proposal last month, but policymakers wanted more time to digest all the information laid out in a detailed report researched by Accorsi and presented Hughes.
The success of the vote was said to hinge on the amount of risk the board was willing to take to launch a program said to have start-up costs of nearly $500,000. Gorman said the college’s budget is aligned in a manner that leaves him confident they could afford it, adding if they couldn’t afford it he wouldn’t have proposed it in the first place. Athletic department officials have said those costs could be recouped within the first two years of operation.
The result of the vote seemed to indicate the risk was acceptable.
“I think once the board realized the commitment we had made on students, not just the game and the expenses, the finances surrounding it, but the commitment we were making to young people who currently don’t have this option and are not necessarily purusing higher education, once they grasped that I really think it turned the tide on everything and they realized everything else will fall into place,” Gorman said.
“If we’re doing this for the right reasons, and I firmly believe that we are, I really look at it that it’s going to change lives and that’s what we’re in the business of doing, changing lives. The whole idea is let’s make sure we are giving as many people an opportunity to pursue their dreams as they possibly can. This is a way we can do it that can change the lives of 100 people tomorrow we couldn’t do any other way.”
Top photo: Salem CC president Mike Gorman (L) talks football with athletics director Bob Hughes (R) and interim head coach Jay Accorsi after the school’s board of trustees approved starting a program for play in the Fall of 2026.
NJCAA DIVISION III FOOTBALL Central Lakes-Brainerd (Minn.) College of DuPage (Ill.) Erie (N.Y.) CC Hocking (Ohio) College Hudson Valley (N.Y.) CC Louisburg (N.C.) College Minnesota North-Mesabi Range Minnesota North-Vermilion Minnesota State C&T Minnesota West C&T Nassau (N.Y.) CC North Dakota College of Science Rochester (Minn.) C&T Salem CC
No. 2 Mighty Oaks make it six in a row, back home over Ocean; Salem women play first game in two weeks, fall at Mercer
MENS BASKETBALL Salem CC 113, Ocean 90 WOMENS BASKETBALL Mercer 88, Salem CC 39
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
CARNEYS POINT – One of the biggest keys to Salem CC’s deep run to the national tournament last year was its ability to get contributions from throughout the roster. The starters were the engine, but when the reserves went in the game the Mighty Oaks could count on getting something from them to keep the train rolling.
The new group of starters still make the Mighty Oaks go this year, but the new group of reserves are still trying to find their niche.
Second-ranked Salem won its sixth straight Tuesday night, returning home from a weekend away to beat Ocean 113-90.
All five starters scored in double figures (82 points) for the second time this season and had the Mighty Oaks (6-0) on pace to break the scoreboard, but when coach Mike Green gave the second group a chance to show their stuff with a comfortable lead, the Vikings kept it from getting further out of hand.
They hadn’t given up that many points in a game since a 102-93 loss at Camden in the eighth game last season.
“We gave those guys who don’t play as much … some game reps so they can help us later on down the road,” Green explained. “A few of them didn’t appreciate those minutes, so we might have to pull them back.
“We were good offensively, we were good defensive with our first five, six guys. Those guys seven, eight, nine, ten, they’ve got to give us something. If they think they’re going to outscore those starters, they got it all wrong. They’ve got to come guard, they’ve got to make that extra pass, they’ve got to come get a rebound because those five who start are going to score the ball – all year long. Last year we were good from one to 11. We’ve got to get that again.”
“Any team shouldn’t be scoring 90 points on us,” freshman guard Jarrell Little said. “Ninety points is way too much for a team like that, especially if we’re blowing them out.”
It’s not that they’re down on the non-starters, the group just didn’t deliver on this particular night.
“They’ve got it, they’ve just got to come show it,” Green said. “If they come in with the wrong mindset they’re going to struggle more and more and more. But we recruited them for a reason. They have to understand their role on the team.”
The Mighty Oaks’ shooting stroke came around. They were 38-of-132 from 3-point range coming into the game, but hit a season-high 14-of-29 against the Vikings (2-3), tying for third-most in Green’s 58-game tenure as coach. Seven players hit at least one; the starters were 11-for-16. The reason they had a 22-point halftime lead is because they had seven more 3s than the Vikings in the half.
“We want to be around double-digit 3s and we got 14 of them today – and a good percentage, too,” Green said. “We were shooting 28 percent from 3, that’s why teams were zoning us.”
“We were just shooting the ball today,” Little said. “It’s our home gym, we’re supposed to be lighting it up.”
Little was 0-for-10 from beyond the arc the last time the Mighty Oaks played at home, but he nailed the first 3 of the game from the right corner and had three on the night en route to a game-high 23 points. In the three games since that cold home debut, he’s averaging just under 22 points a game and is 8-of-21 from behind the arc.
“My coach always gave me the confidence to shoot the ball; either way, I’m just going to keep shooting,” Little said. “That’s all he put in my brain, just keep shooting, and I worked on it the next day at practice. I was just focusing on being consistent, taking better shots and working on my game.”
He wasn’t the one who’s shot came around. Zyaire Gibson was 2-of-12 from behind the arc in the Mighty Oaks’ two wins at Penn Highlands last weekend, but he hit 4-of-5 in the first half and finished with 14 points.
“He can shoot the ball; we’re just trying to get those guys confident in the shot they’re taking,” Green said. “Saving face when you miss is when you make. You can’t go out there feeling sorry for yourself, the basketball gods don’t care. You can go 0-for-10, they don’t care.”
The Mighty Oaks also got big games from starters Nasseem Wright and Saaid Lee. Wright had 20 points, five rebounds and four assists. Lee, the point guard, bounced back from fouling out Sunday seven minutes into the second half with 15 points and eight assists
“I just wanted to make up for this week; it made me want to be there for my team,” Lee said. “I left them on the water by themselves last game, so I wanted to make sure I was there to do what I’ve got to do and be there for them.”
Salem CC 113, Ocean 90
OCEAN (2-3): A.J. Lemons 6-12 5-6 18, Myles Marabuto 2-4 2-2 7, Jamari Smith 7-10 8-10 22, Aiden Sosinov 4-6 0-0 8, James Gibbons 3-3 0-0 6, Jack Malek 2-3 0-0 4, Kai Barckley 3-5 0-0 6, Omar Hadid 1-2 0-0 2, Aiden Falduto 0-0 0-0 0, Jeremy Grospe 1-5 0-1 2, Mattox Watson 1-1 1-3 4, Tristan Ulrich 0-1 0-0 0, Mason Krye 2-6 0-0 5, Liam Yefet 2-2 0-6 4, Joseph Witter 1-3 0-0 2. Totals 35-63 16-28 90. SALEM CC (6-0): Jarrell Little 9-15 2-2 23, Saaid Lee 7-10 0-0 15, Zyaire Gibson 5-7 0-1 14, Nasseem Wright 8-15 3-5 20, Stefan Phillips 4-4 0-0 10, Jahseir Sayles 0-3 0-0 0, Jaiayre Wright 1-3 1-2 3, Qua Smith 1-4 5-8 7, Lenar Anderson 3-7 0-1 7, Idris Rines 4-9 4-4 14, Michael Goodwin 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 42-78 15-23 113.
Ocean
41
49-
90
Salem
63
50-
113
3-point goals: Ocean 4-18 (Lemons 1-4, Marabuto 1-2, Sosinov 0-1, Barckley 0-2, Grospe 0-4, Watson 1-1, Ulrich 0-1, Krey 1-3); Salem 14-29 (Little 3-6, Lee 1-1, Gibson 4-5, N. Wright 1-2, Phillips 2-2, Sayles 0-3, Smith 0-1, Anderson 1-4, Rines 2-5). Rebounds: Ocean 32 (Yefet 8); Salem 38 (N. Wright 5, Smith 5, Rines 5). Technical fouls: Gibbons. Fouled out: J. Smith. Total fouls: Ocean 20, Salem 19.
Region XIX Standings
DIVISION III
R19
ALL
GSAC
Union
5-0
5-0
4-0
SALEM CC
4-0
6-0
2-0
Camden
4-0
4-0
2-0
Northampton
3-0
5-0
Montgomery
2-0
2-1
Brookdale
3-2
3-4
1-2
Atlantic Cape
2-2
2-2
1-2
RCSJ-Gloucester
2-2
2-3
1-2
Bergen
2-3
2-3
1-1
Ocean
2-3
2-3
1-2
RCSJ-Cumberland
1-2
1-2
1-1
Delaware County
1-3
1-3
Passaic
1-3
1-3
1-2
Sussex
1-3
1-4
0-2
Thaddeus Stevens
0-2
2-3
Luzerne
0-2
1-3
Harrisburg Area
0-2
0-5
Philadelphia
0-4
1-4
TUESDAY’S GAMES Salem 113, Ocean 90 Prince George’s 105, Essex 94 Union 84, Atlantic Cape 66 Sussex 68, Luzerne 64 Allegany (Md.) 103, Harrisburg Area 66 Delaware County at Thaddeus Stevens Brookdale 63, Philadelphia 54 Morris 88, Lackawanna 76 RCSJ-Cumberland at Northampton Montgomery 67, Camden 65 Passaic 89, Bergen 80
WEDNESDAY’S GAMES CCBC Dundalk at Delaware Tech Harcum at Cecil
THURSDAY’S GAMES Salem at Passaic Miseracordia JV at Luzerne SUNY-Broome at Northampton Bucks at Middlesex Raritan Valley at Mercer Philadelphia at Georgian Court JV Atlantic Cape at Brookdale Ocean at RCSJ-Gloucester Sussex at Bergen
Women’s game
WEST WINDSOR – The Salem CC women were playing just their second game of the season and first game in two weeks, and the layoff was evident.
The Mighty Oaks were held to 14 points in the first half and fell on the road to Mercer, 88-39.
“It helped us in a way because our players got healthy,” Salem coach Brian Marsh said of the layoff, “but (it) affected our timing, for sure.”
The Mighty Oaks were shorthanded as it was, but they already were without injured point guard Justine Cardona and Neicy King fouled out in the first half.
“It definitely affected our press break and we had 41 turnovers,” Marsh said. “But they still played hard even very short-handed.”
Mercer’s Alexandra Galan-Garcia led all scorers with 29 points. Evangelina Fransisco had 20. Kasey Oliver and Tanya Shaw led Salem with 13 and 12 points, respectively.
SALEM CC (0-2): Ray’Nescia King 0-1 0-0 0, Tanijya Shaw 4-12 4-5 12, Kasey Oliver 5-11 3-9 13, Dani Gustin 4-9 0-2 8, Breanne Ruhl 0-0 0-0 0, Jayda Hunter 0-6 3-5 3, Paula Wilson 1-8 1-2 3. Totals 14-47 11-24 49. MERCER (4-1): Evangelina Fransisco 7-14 1-2 20, Mayah Alford 6-10 0-2 12, Zaakirah Edwards 5-16 0-3 10, Gabriella Smith 3-8, 0-0 6, Qui-Mia Wilkins 2-9 1-4 5, Alexandra Galan-Garcia 13-22 2-4 29, Patricia Moore 2-5 0-0 4, Emma Wilke 1-6 0-0 2. Totals 39-91 4-12 88.
Salem CC
6
8
10
15-
39
Mercer
22
20
18
28-
88
3-point goals: Salem 0-7 (King 0-1, Shaw 0-1, Oliver 0-3, Hunter 0-2); Mercer 6-24 (Fransisco 5-9, Edwards 0-3, Smith 0-4, Wilkins 0-1, Galan-Garcia 1-2, Moore 0-1, Wilke 0-3). Rebounds: Salem 48 (Hunter 12, Oliver 6); Mercer 49 (Wilkins 10, Alford 7). Fouled out: King, Moore. Total fouls: Salem 13, Mercer 22.
Region XIX Standings
WOMENS DIVISION II
R19
ALL
GSAC
Union
1-0
6-0
1-0
Harcum
1-0
4-1
Mercer
1-0
4-1
0-0
Lackawanna
1-0
1-3
Essex
0-0
3-0
0-0
Delaware Tech
0-0
1-6
Middlesex
0-1
4-4
0-0
Raritan Valley
0-1
1-2
0-1
Morris
0-1
0-1
0-0
SALEM CC
0-1
0-2
0-1
TUESDAY’S GAMES Mercer 88, Salem CC 39 Essex 53, Prince George’s 46 Harcum 113, Middlesex 45 Union 84, Raritan Valley 60 Montgomery 44, Camden 43 Passaic 82, Bergen 51 Philadelphia 74, Brookdale 67 Northampton 84, RCSJ-Cumberland 23 Lackawanna 69, Morris 56 Atlantic Cape 73, Sussex 41
THURSDAY’S GAMES Palm Beach (Fla.) State at Salem CC Ocean at RCSJ-Gloucester Raritan Valley at Mercer SUNY-Broome at Northampton Sussex at Bergen Atlantic Cape at Brookdale RCSJ-Cumberland at Philadelphia Middlesex at Bronx Union at Essex Lackawanna at Five Towns Allegany (Md.) at Camden
Here are the first and second team selections for the Tri-County Conference Diamond and Classic All-Star Teams; 27 Salem County players recognized; x-known TCC-v-Colonial All-Star Game picks
Dragotta commemorates 10th anniversary of near-fatal heart attack with ceremonial dash to finish the soccer game he couldn’t before
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
SEABROOK – It’s 7 a.m.and the November morning sun is barely rising over the acres of fields that spread out as far as the eye can see. The only people up are the kids getting ready for school and the folks taking them there. It’s so cold you can see your breath.
Out on the Cohansey Soccer Club pitch, readied in advance for one man’s approach, a solitary figure breaks the silence, kicking a soccer ball in an otherwise empty complex.
One man. One ball. One goal. No defense. Just the man against the world.
He dribbles from one end of the shortened field to the other, stopping just once, right around the 18 box.
He shoots. He scores. GOOOOOOAL.
There was one around to cheer, but the roars inside the man’s head were as loud as any World Cup final.
He takes a picture of the ball in the back of the goal, quietly takes it from the net. Then heads off to Anderson’s Country Store, his inner circle’s favorite meet-up spot, for a big cup of coffee courtesy of his friends and carries on with the rest of his day.
It’s a ritual Pepi Dragotta has repeated every Nov. 18 for the last 10 years. He hasn’t missed yet – either the date or the goal. He’s scored every time.
“I’m just happy to be there, I’m happy to be on that field to finish the game every year,” he said. “Grabbing that ball out of that net is like taking a knee at the end of the (football) game and winning it. I made it, we won, I can go home and relax.”
It may not mean something to anyone else, and may seem an odd activity to anyone unfamiliar with the story, but it means the world to him. And Tuesday it meant even more … for it was 10 years ago to the day fast-acting friends made another kind of save.
They saved his life.
It was during a kids against the parents soccer game that Dragotta collapsed on the field with a heart attack. But through the quick action of Doug and Deanna Volovar and others he’s here today to take on the challenges and successes of this game called life.
And he marks the occasion every year, returning like a marathoner who finally gets to finish the race to finish the game and score the goal that never got to happen.
“That’s where I started the game and that’s where I’ve gotta finish the game,” he said.
Pepi Dragotta (L) and Schalick athletics director Doug Volovar.
The incident
Pepi Dragotta was headed home from work as a project manager for a large South Jersey electrical contractor on Nov. 18, 2015 – a typical Wednesday evening – when he got a call from his good friend Chubby Weber. They were going to have a game against the kids for the final practice of that year’s Cohansey soccer season and they wanted him to play.
He had been an active in athletics all his life, from high school football player at Cumberland Regional to longtime youth league coach to Sunday trainer to some of the top athletes in Salem and Cumberland counties. But nothing would have prepared him for what was about it happen.
The game had been going for only about four minutes — at least that’s what they told him later — when Dragotta, two months after his 39th birthday, collapsed on the field with a heart attack and went into cardiac arrest.
But thanks to the quick action of longtime friend Volovar, his wife Deanna, and two others at the complex, he is here today.
Initially they thought he was having a seizure, but when they got to his side they discovered he had no pulse. The Volovars along with soccer dad Brian Stanker, a state trooper, and Jeanette Bokma, a coach on an adjacent field with medical training, performed CPR and other life-saving procedures to help their friend while emergency services were on the way.
“It was a shock, something that was unexpected and very scary,” said Volovar, now the athletics director at A.P. Schalick High School. “It was very hard to watch that happen. It was very difficult because I didn’t think it was something major at the time but then to watch it happen and unfold and being right there … it was very difficult.
“When you’re trained to do that kind of stuff you always think that it would be no big deal, I’d jump right in. I wouldn’t say it was traumatic, but it was close to something very traumatic.”
The EMTs, who included the nephew of Dragotta’s late business partner, shocked his heart twice. A medivac helicopter landed in the middle of the field to transport him to the hospital. They placed him in an ice bath for 24 hours. He underwent six bypasses.
Because of the quick actions of his friends, his chances of survival went from 6 percent to 28. Not great odds, but he had a fighting chance.
“The hospital was amazed,” Dragotta said. “They said I was one of the first patients that has ever survived out of hospital with a cardiac arrest. But it was because of Doug and Deanna and the other two people, because they kept oxygen going to my brain.”
“Everybody was kind of involved, it wasn’t primarily just the four of us, there were other parents that were there, too, helping out,” Volovar said. “We just started the life-saving procedures we were familiar with. I think we all had a huge role in it. If everybody who was there didn’t do something and contribute in some way he might not still here.”
They told him he was dead for seven minutes. He wasn’t ready for the final whistle. There was still so much to do.
Had he not survived he wouldn’t have been there to teach his soccer-playing son Hunter a new sport and watch him become a record-setting kicker for the Schalick football team. Or watch his daughter Natalee graduate at the top of her high school class. Or be there to help his wife Jen raise their special needs daughter Hailey. Not to mention all the graduations and birthdays and good times that would be missed.
“There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t think about it,” Dragotta said. “I travel a lot driving to football and work and different things and you think about it. Like, what happened. That’s what my boss asked me, when you died did you see anything. I said I think I just went to the Gates and said screw this I’m going back.”
Which brings it to this frigid Tuesday morning.
The Dragotta Dash usually takes place with little fanfare. Last year his cousin and a friend showed up to watch, but they stayed in the car and Dragotta carried on as usual. Friends told him over the weekend they’d be there Tuesday because it was a special anniversary, but whether it was the hour, the sub-freezing temperatures or other circumstances he was the only one there this time. And that was OK.
“I scored the goal, then (Volovar) texted me and said ‘Happy Re-birthday, love ya,’ and I sent him a picture of the ball in the back of the net.”
What would he do if the community ever came out en masse to show their support?
“I would damn well make sure that I made that goal,” he said.
He’s never missed.
Paying it forward
When Dragotta first got out of the hospital, his friends wanted to hold a benefit through the Pittsgrove football and Cohansey soccer programs to help ease some of the financial burden of getting back on his feet. He declined the gesture, saying he wasn’t going to take any money.
His friends persisted and he gave his blessing, but told them he was going to make it big and donate all the money they raised to the local sports leagues. But he didn’t know the proper way.
It started with a series of scholarships for students in the two counties with the Volovars, Stanker and Bokma selecting the recipients.
But the night before the benefit Dragotta decided his way to give back was to buy as many portable defibrillators as he could and give them to as many youth recreation facilities as possible. They raised $12,000 that first year and he purchased 12 AEDs and distributed them throughout South Jersey.
The initiative was so well received the friends started Heroes Foundation NJ and to date has donated 150 devices to recreation facilities throughout the state. Dragotta, an electrician by trade, hooked up the unit on the scoreboard at the Schalick football stadium given in honor of former Cougars coach Mike Hars, who died of a heart attack in 2017.
Ironically, a few years back Dragotta and Stanker helped a soccer official in Marlton survive an in-game heart attack with their knowledge and access to an AED.
Since that fateful day in 2015, Dragotta has been all about his family and friends. He’s glad they’re a part of his life and he let them know during a gathering at his home to mark the occasion Sunday night.
“Honestly, I’m happy to be alive, man, I really am,” he said. “When I’m on these websites and I read things about sudden cardiac survivors and these things, I’m very fortunate. A lot of these people are really in bad shape.
“It’s not about me. It’s about my kids and my family and my friends and everybody else. I love my friends, my family, being able to be out there every Friday and Saturday with my son and spending time with my daughters. And my friends. There’s nothing better than it. Nothing better.”
No. 2 Salem CC makes it five in a row with hard-fought win over host Penn Highlands, Mighty Oaks show moxie pulling away in final six minutes
PENN HIGHLANDS TURKEY CLASSIC Sunday’s Games Sandhills 115, Bryant & Stratton 58 Salem CC 80, Penn Highlands 70
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – When Mike Green went looking to replace all the players who moved on from last year’s national tournament run – and there were a lot of them – he recruited for games just like this.
It was toughness the Salem CC coach went looking forward and the players he signed showed how much of it they had down the stretch Sunday to lift the second-ranked Mighty Oaks past Penn Highlands 80-70 in the Black Bears’ Turkey Classic.
The Mighty Oaks (5-0) lost an 11-point halftime lead in the second half and had their point guard foul out with 13 minutes left, but after getting back into the game they outscored their hosts 17-4 over the last five minutes to win going away.
“This team has a toughness about them,” Green said. “I think last year around this time they would have lost that game until we got Akeem (Taylor) and Jyheim (Spencer). This team has a lot of toughness, and it shows.”
Jerrell Little was particularly strong down the stretch. He had the bulk of the Mighty Oaks’ points in the closing run and finished with 23 points, six rebounds, four assists and two steals. Nasseem Wright had 17 points and 13 rebounds and made the all-tournament team. Saaid Lee had four points, but was big on hustle points (three rebounds, three assists, four steals) and Zyaire Gibson had nine points, three rebounds and a pair of blocked shots.
“It was a collective (effort),” Green said. “They posed a threat to us and I said that coming here, and our guys stepped in there and battled. This team has a nastiness about them and it’s a good nastiness. We did a good job recruiting. We’ve got to see it through.”
Top photo: The Salem CC basketball team talks things over Sunday during a second-half timeout down by four with eight minutes to play
Salem CC 80, Penn Highlands 70
SALEM CC (5-0): Jahseir Sayles 1-3 0-0 2, Jerrell Little 8-16 7-10 23, Saaid Lee 1-3 2-2 4, Jaiayre Wright 0-2 0-0 0, Qua Smith 1-3 1-2 3, Zyaire Gibson 2-8 3-5 9, Nasseem Wright 7-12 3-6 17, Lenar Anderson 3-4 0-0 8, Idris Rines 1-5 2-2 5, Stefan Phillips 2-3 3-4 9. Totals 26-60 21-29 80. PENN HIGHLANDS (1-6): Keyshawn White 2-5 0-0 4, Alex Moise 1-2 0-0 2, Wes Simon 0-0 0-0 0, Anthony Ross 2-4 3-4 7, Ahmad Boone 4-10 4-4 12, B.J. Lavender 7-20 1-2 18, Jay Brumbaugh 1-3 2-3 5, Manny Brannon 0-0 2-2 2, Des Handon 5-19 3-4 13, Victor Raymond 3-5 1-2 7. Totals 25-68 16-21 70.
Salem CC
45
35-
80
Penn Highlands
34
36-
70
3-point goals: Salem CC 7-23 (Sayles 0-2, Little 0-4, Gibson 2-7, Anderson 2-2, Rines 1-4, Phillips 2-3); Penn Highlands 4-24 (White 0-1, Boone 0-4, Lavender 3-12, Brumbaugh 1-2, Handon 0-5). Rebounds: Salem CC 40 (Little 6, N. Wright 13). Penn Highlands (White 9, Raymond 9). Total fouls: Penn Highlands 22. All-Tournament: Nasseem Wright, Salem; B.J. Lavender, Penn Highlands; Isaiah Upchurch, Sandhills; Donovan Barnes, Bryant & Stratton.
Region XIX Standings
DIVISION III
R19
ALL
GSAC
Camden
4-0
4-0
2-0
Union
4-0
4-0
3-0
SALEM CC
3-0
5-0
1-0
Northampton
3-0
5-0
Montgomery
2-0
2-1
Atlantic Cape
2-1
2-1
1-1
Ocean
2-2
2-2
1-1
RCSJ-Cumberland
1-1
1-1
1-0
RCSJ-Gloucester
2-2
2-3
1-2
Brookdale
2-2
2-4
0-2
Bergen
2-3
2-3
1-1
Delaware County
1-3
1-3
Passaic
1-3
1-3
1-2
Luzerne
0-1
1-2
Thaddeus Stevens
0-2
2-3
Harrisburg Area
0-2
0-4
Sussex
0-3
0-4
0-2
Philadelphia
0-4
1-4
SUNDAY’S GAMES Salem CC 80, Penn Highlands 70 Morris 59, Howard CC 55 Camp CC 51, Essex 37 Raritan Valley 88, Cecil 64 Richard Bland at Harcum Delaware Tech at Montgomery (Md.)
TUESDAY’S GAMES Ocean at Salem Prince George’s at Essex Union at Atlantic Cape Luzerne at Sussex Harrisburg Area at Allegany (Md.) Delaware County at Thaddeus Stevens Philadelphia at Brookdale Morris at Lackawanna RCSJ-Cumberland at Northampton Camden at Montgomery Bergen at Passaic
No. 2 Salem CC runs over Bryant & Stratton in Penn Highlands Turkey Classic, plays host team Sunday
PENN HIGHLANDS TURKEY CLASSIC Salem CC 89, Bryant & Stratton 55 Sandhills 107, Penn Highlands 98 Sunday’s Games Sandhills vs. Bryant & Stratton, 1 p.m. Salem CC vs. Penn Highlands, 3 p.m.
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. — Second-ranked Salem CC regained some of its 3-point shooting touch, started fast and ended even faster in overrunning Bryant & Stratton (Ohio), 89-55, Saturday in the opening game of the Penn Highlands Turkey Classic.
The Mighty Oaks were cold from behind the arc in their home opener (7 of 37), but went 10-of-28 in the Penn Highlands gym. Jerrell Little, 0-for-10 from 3 in the last game, hit their first 3 of the game and went on to shoot 5-of-11 on deep balls against the Bobcats. The Mighty Oaks are 24-of-73 from 3-point range in their three road games this season.
“It’s a win, another road win, feisty team, feels great getting another one,” coach Mike Green said. “This is the third team that’s zoned us in a row, so most of the teams must think we can’t shoot the ball and we haven’t proved it yet.”
Little finished with 19 points. He also had five rebounds, five assists and three steals. Nasseem Wright led all scorers with 20 points to go with five rebounds and five assists. Jaiayre Wright had five points, but grabbed eight rebounds and blocked three shots.
Stefan Phillips, the only returning player from last year’s national tournament team, scored a career-high 14 points without missing a shot. He was 5-for-5 from the field, 3-for-3 at the line and hit his only 3-point attempt.
“That’s what we expect from him the whole year,” Green said. “The kind of game he played today is what’s expected of him. It’s good to see he finally put it together. He’s done a good job leading us. it felt good to see him play the way we envision him playing.”
The Mighty Oaks (4-0) opened the game with an 11-2 run and steadily stretched the lead. The Bobcats got within 22 with about eight minutes left, then Salem went on a 20-4 run to slam the door.
“We kept our foot on the pedal the whole game,” Green said. “We’re here to pile up wins. However they look it doesn’t even matter, it’s winning.”
On Sunday they play host Penn Highlands, a team that puts up 35 3-pointers a game.
Salem CC 89, Bryant & Stratton 55
BRYANT & STRATTON (2-3): Aaron Wilson 3-5 0-0 7, Caron McClendon 0-2 1-2 1, Kevon Clay 0-1 0-0 0, Donovan Barnes 6-12 1-2 14, Curtis Granger 1-3 0-0 2, Zavionn Thurman 2-5 0-0 4, Remi Gilmore 3-7 1-2 9, Jack Smith 0-4 0-0 0, Jayshaun Lewis 3-6 0-1 6, Blake Brookenthal 3-10 0-0 8, Hunter Graham 2-6 0-1 4. Totals 23-71 3-8 55. SALEM CC (4-0): Jahseir Sayles 1-4 1-2 4, Jarrell Little 7-15 0-0 19, Saaid Lee 4-9 0-0 9, Jaiayre Wright 1-1 3-4 5, Qua Smith 1-2 2-2 4, Zaire Gibson 1-8 0-0 2, Nasseem Wright 9-13 2-4 20, Lenar Anderson 2-4 0-0 5, Idris Rines 2-4 0-0 5, Stefan Phillips 5-5 3-3 14, Michael Goodwin 1-1 0-0 2. Totals 34-67 11-15 89.
Bryant & Stratton (Ohio)
26
29-
55
Salem CC
47
42-
89
3-point goals: B&S 6-36 (Wilson 1-10, McClendon 0-1, Barnes 1-4), Granger 0-1), Thurman 0-3, Gilmore 2-6, Smith 0-4, Lewis 0-1, Brookenthal 2-6); Salem CC 10-28 (Sayles 1-2, Little 5-11, Lee 1-3, Smith 0-1, Gibson 0-6, N. Wright 0-1, Anderson 1-2, Rines 1-1, Phillips 1-1). Rebounds: B&S 29 (Brookenthal 7, Graham 5); Salem CC 44 (Gibson 6, J. Wright 8).
Region XIX Standings
DIVISION III
R19
ALL
GSAC
Camden
4-0
4-0
2-0
Union
4-0
4-0
3-0
SALEM CC
3-0
4-0
1-0
Northampton
3-0
5-0
Montgomery
2-0
2-1
Atlantic Cape
2-1
2-1
1-1
Ocean
2-2
2-2
1-1
RCSJ-Cumberland
1-1
1-1
1-0
RCSJ-Gloucester
2-2
2-3
1-2
Brookdale
2-2
2-4
0-2
Bergen
2-3
2-3
1-1
Delaware County
1-3
1-3
Passaic
1-3
1-3
1-2
Luzerne
0-1
1-2
Thaddeus Stevens
0-2
2-3
Harrisburg Area
0-2
0-4
Sussex
0-3
0-4
0-2
Philadelphia
0-4
1-4
SATURDAY’S GAMES Salem CC 89, Bryant & Stratton (Ohio) 55 Union 77, Harrisburg Area 52 RCSJ-Gloucester 87, Luzerne 70 Morris 79, Cecil 76 Camden 60, Thaddeus Stevens 58 Frederick 71, Mercer 66 Montgomery 65, Philadelphia 58 Atlantic Cape 81, Sussex 57 RCSJ-Cumberland at Brookdale Bergen 86, Delaware County 82 Northampton 81, Ocean 75 Raritan Valley 81, Howard CC 73 Essex 87, Delaware Tech 85
SUNDAY’S GAMES Salem CC at Penn Highlands, 3 p.m. Morris vs. Howard CC Essex vs. Camp CC Raritan Valley at Cecil Richard Bland at Harcum Delaware Tech at Montgomery (Md.)
Response to Salem CC’s proposal to start football has been favorable, but it all rests on Thursday’s board vote; without sharing her vote, current board chair would be surprised if it didn’t pass
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
CARNEYS POINT – The out-going chairman of the Salem Community College board of trustees said earlier this week she would be surprised if the proposal to bring football to the two-year college for the first time this fall was not approved when it comes to an expected vote at next week’s board meeting.
While sentiment within the athletics department, college community and community at large remains positive, it will be up to the board to decide whether the plan goes forward and that decision hinges largely on the amount of risk policymakers are willing to accept.
Ida M. Bowen, in an interview following the banner-raising ceremony for last year’s Salem CC basketball success, declined to disclose the way she’ll vote on the measure, but she recognizes all the positives adding football would bring to the campus – as well as the risks.
“It would surprise me if it did not pass,” she said. “I can see the cons behind it and I can see the pros behind it. It’s all determined by whether we want to take that risk or not. We’ve done that before. We’ve taken the risk.”
The college has been formally exploring the possibility of bringing football on line since August, when it approved the contract of former Rowan University head coach Jay Accorsi as consultant to the project. Accorsi, the presumptive head coach if the Mighty Oaks add the sport, has been intrigued with the possibility of junior college football in New Jersey for some time and brought his ideas to SCC president Mike Gorman in May.
If the initiative is approved, the Mighty Oaks would begin play in the fall of 2026. They would be one of only two junior colleges in the state to offer NJCAA-sanctioned football, and the only one between Newton, N.J. (Sussex CC) and Louisburg, N.C.
A vote was anticipated at the October board meeting, but members wanted more time to digest the volume of information presented by athletics director Bob Hughes so it was delayed for another month and Accorsi’s consultant contract extended. Vice-chair Jason Supernavage said after the October meeting he wanted time to review the details before casting his vote.
The board held a work session last week and there was a sentiment when it was over of “everybody feeling comfortable” their concerns had been addressed.
“I think we’ve answered some of their questions that put them in doubt whether to do it or not,” Gorman said. “I don’t think there’s anybody who looks at this as a bad idea. What they’re doing is a risk analysis in their own mind … We don’t want to put the college in any jeopardy and honestly if we thought we were doing that, this proposal never would have seen the light of day.”
Bowen said she has not discussed the football issue with other board members individually and to her knowledge they have not discussed it outside the confines of board meeting discussions.
“We left the last meeting knowing next Thursday we’re going to vote,” she said. “We will find out on Thursday.”
Gorman would not presume to speak for the board or speculate on the outcome of the vote. There is history that suggests, however, major initiatives Gorman has brought before the board get approved.
“I’ve been in this business a long time, so I try not to have surprises,” the president said. “If we didn’t think we had support we wouldn’t force this onto the table for a review. It would have stopped by now.”
“It’s a lot for us to undertake,” Bowen said. “It’s a lot of commitment up front. It’s a risk. There’s hesitation of taking that risk, but there have been explanations to try to clear up any of that hesitation, and the comparison of other things we have taken risks on that have succeeded. Because we have that direction with president Gorman, he’s been successful in everything he’s done and we have full confidence in him, and I don’t think he would even offer this if he (was unsure of its success).”
Among the larger issues is securing a permanent practice site for the team. College officials have had informal discussions with potential stakeholders, but have been told no formal talks would occur until the board green lights the project.
Potential sites include the preferred Carneys Point Recreation Complex that currently serves as the Mighty Oaks’ baseball home, the Carneys Point YMCA fields, the Walnut Street Field in Salem and a piece of property currently held by the Penns Grove/Carneys Point School District. A key piece to the site for Salem is whether the property could be built upon.
Even if the board approves the proposal, the plan could be scrapped in January if the Mighty Oaks don’t secure a practice facility, have at least 20 prospective players in the fold and a schedule. Athletic department officials don’t believe the latter two issues are a problem at all.
Top photo: Salem CC athletics director Bob Hughes explains the finer points of the proposal to bring football to the college at the October board of trustees meeting.
Woodstown siblings run in Meet of Champions together, only second brother-sister combo to run same race, same year
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
HOLMDEL – Jacob Marino has made a lot of memories during his cross country career, but none likely compared to the piece of his history he and sister Abby carved out at the NJSIAA Meet of Champions Saturday.
While several family members have run together in the elite race over the years, the Woodstown siblings became only the second brother-sister combination to run in it the same year. Both qualified with top 10 finishes in last week’s state Group I meet here.
“It was very cool,” Jake said of the experience as the family drove back from Holmdel Park. “We got to practice together all week and we just really bonded over the week. Really, were trying to do something special this weekend and it was great to be able to race with her.”
Jacob and Abby Marino wore throwback Woodstown uniforms to commemorate their historic running in the MOC. (Submitted photo)
Jacob finished 94th in the final cross country race of his high school career, coming home in 17:10.07, some 30 seconds better than his MOC time of a year ago and about eight seconds off his PR for the course.
Abby, a sophomore, was running with a cold and went the distance in the girls race, placing 153rd in 22:03.78.
“For my race I had a great race, I’m very happy with the way I’m ending off my career,” Jacob said. “In the top 100 of runners throughout the state, so that was great for me. A big improvement from last year (125th, 17:41), so really happy with how I ended off there.
“I was feeling really great going up to the big hill and I just didn’t recover fast enough to break that 17 mark, but I’m still really happy with how it turned out.”
Abby said not feeling well made it “just difficult” to get through the race, but she was going to run “no matter what” and was determined to finish. She, too, enjoyed the week training and running with her brother.
“I kind of wish it did go better because I am sick right now, but I still raced,” she said. “For being sick, I’m not completely disappointed in my time, but I did wish I did a lot better.”
Luke Hnatt of team champion Christian Brothers Academy won the boys race (15:22.86) and Leah Starkey of Ocean Twp. won the girls race (17:14.33). Union Catholic won the girls team title.
Top photo: Woodstown siblings Abby (L) and Jacob Marino celebrate after winning their respective races in this year’s Salem County Cross Country Meet.
Schalick falls hard to top-seeded Glassboro in SJ Group I title game, but game was closer than final score indicated; Sabb rushes for 4 TDs
GROUP 1 FINALS South: Glassboro 47, Schalick 14 Central: Burlington City 28, Shore 20 North I: Butler 28, Kinnelon 14 North II: Cedar Grove 37, New Providence 17
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
GLASSBORO — When Kevin Leamy looked at the scoreboard at the end of the game Friday night, the lights he saw burning into the night showed Schalick on the short end of a 47-14 loss to Glassboro in the South Jersey Group I championship game.
But in the Cougars coach’s heart of hearts, and in the hearts of his players, he knew it wasn’t that kind of game.
The Cougars actually held a lead late in the second quarter — only the second time Glassboro has trailed all year — and seemed headed for a halftime lead until the No. 1 seed did No. 1 seed things and scored two touchdowns in the final 30 seconds of the half. And it was still a one-score game midway through the third quarter.
“The scoreboard is misleading to say the least,” Leamy said.
“One hundred percent the score does not reflect this game whatsoever,” chimed in linebacker Gary Simonini.
The Cougars came into the game with an aggressive mindset, but sometime In the second quarter they turned it up a notch with Leamy making the call that defined the game.
He turned to one of his assistants and said the Cougars could play it safe the rest of the game and try to keep it close or they could go for it and live with the consequences.
He conveyed the message to his players and they let it all hang out. They threw it deep, they took their shots, they went for it on fourth down. They already played a little mind game with their undefeated hosts, warming up at school and then arriving shortly before kickoff, and they figured a little physicality piled on top might just do the trick.
The Cougars didn’t lay down, but eventually got worn down and the Bulldogs scored three more touchdowns in the fourth quarter to set off the running clock.
“We weren’t going to give up, we were going to keep fighting regardless what the score is,” Leamy said. “There was a lot of shock from the other side. They weren’t expecting for this to be a game at any point. They thought it was going to be a blowout from the first quarter on. I think the kids made a statement that Schalick isn’t just a pushover.
“I couldn’t be more proud of this group of kids. For them to come out and give that kind of effort, I think everyone in attendance tonight saw the true story that isn’t on that scoreboard: This team has a lot of guts, we just don’t have as many dudes as they do.”
Glassboro’s Xavier Sabb (1) goes over Schalick’s Sherrod Jones to haul in a fourth-quarter touchdown pass. (Photo by Heather Papiano)
Among the dudes at Glassboro’s disposal , Amari Sabb rushed for 242 yards and scored four touchdowns on runs of 49, 24, 31 and 32 yards. Quarterback Jack O’Connell threw two touchdown passes to break the school record for passing touchdowns. He put up a 32-yarder to Mekhi Parker on the final play of the second quarter and a 27-yarder to Xavier Sabb in the fourth quarter to break the record.
“He’s a gamer,” Glassboro coach Timmy Breaker said. “Amari, when the lights are on, he’s gonna perform. He doesn’t mind it, he loves it. He’s one of those kids like when you’re looking to count on him he can give you, No. 1, everything he’s got and, No. 2, he loves to be the guy who makes the play that change the game. Every moment to shine he’s going to step in that light, for sure.”
Schalick quarterback Kenny Bartee was a certified dude as well. He played the whole game on a bad ankle that made walking difficult as late as Tuesday. He courageously ran it 18 times, rushed for one touchdown and threw a touchdown pass to Simonini for their first score. Leamy said he was “phenomenal.”
“It was a group effort (to get back on the field),” Bartee said, even more eager to play having missed the regular season game with Glassboro because of a concussion. “I told them Saturday after the (Paulsboro) game when it happened that no matter how much pain I’m in I’m going to play Friday. No matter how much therapy I’ve got to do, no matter how much icing and heating I’ve got to do, I’m playing Friday just to be here with my boys one last time.”
The teams battled to a scoreless first quarter thanks in part to Schalick defensive back Gio Alicea’s interception in the end zone –one of three picks the Cougars had in the game – but Glassboro broke the ice with Sabb’s first touchdown early in the second.
The Bulldogs missed the extra point, opening the door for the Cougars to take the lead if they could execute. They were handed a short field after making a fourth-down stop deep in Glassboro’s end and three plays later Bartee escaped traffic in the backfield and flipped a pass to a wide open Simonini at the 2 and he easily stepped into the end zone. Hunter Dragotta’s PAT gave the Cougars a 7-6 lead with 1:07 left in the half.
Gary Simonini (9) leaves a Glassboro defender in his wake as moves into the end zone for Schalick’s first touchdown and a 7-6 lead in their South Jersey Group I football playoff game Friday. (Photo by Heather Papiano)
All that did was enflame the Bulldogs. They regained the lead when Sabb went up the middle for a 24-yard touchdown with less than 30 seconds left in the half and then after a Sabb interception Mekhi Parker pulled in a jump ball from O’Connell on the final play of the half to make it 20-7.
“Adversity is the best teacher,” Breaker said. “You always find out who your kids are, you always find out who your staff is when you hit adversity.
“I think we were down maybe one time this year, against Woodbury, and the kids they enjoy that part. I think Schalick was hooting and hollering and the kids saw that. We were down and they said now we know we’re not playing Glassboro football. They were able to bind together off that adversity. They did a great job of responding off of that.”
The Cougars, though, let everyone know they came to play.
“We all wanted it, we all wanted it for our seniors, we all wanted it for ourselves, we all wanted it for Schalick,” Bartee said. “We all wanted it because Schalick gets slept on. We wanted to make a name for ourselves. Although we didn’t win, as bad as the score looked, that’s not how the game turned out. Glassboro hasn’t played anybody as hard as they played us, so I feel like everybody gave their all today.”
“We all put our hearts on the field and that’s really it,” safety Dylan Sheehan said. “No matter what the score shows, that was a tight game. If you were watching the game I was watching we put our hearts out on the field and that’s the best we could do.”
Top photo: Glassboro’s Amari Sabb (3) rushed for 242 yards and four touchdowns in Friday’s South Jersey Group I championship game against Schalick. (Photo by Heather Papiano)
Glassboro 47, Schalick 14
SCHAL
GLASS
7
1st Downs
16
29-34
Rushing
31-371
5-16-2
Passing
6-14-3
75
Passing yds
99
0-0
Fum-lost
0-0
5-31.0
Punts-avg
0-0
4-45
Penalties
13-110
Schalick
0
7
7
0-
14
Paulsboro
0
20
7
20-
47
SCORING SUMMARY G – Amari Sapp 49 run (pass failed), 9:40 2Q S – Gary Simonini 14 pass from Kenny Bartee (Hunter Dragotta kick), 1:07 2Q G – Amari Sabb 24 run (Amari Sabb run), 29.8 2Q G – Mekhi Parker 32 pass from Jack O’Connell (kick failed), 0:00 2Q S – Kenny Bartee 1 run (Hunter Dragotta kick), 6:44 3Q G – Amari Sabb 31 run (Sal Esgro kick), 4:24 3Q G – Amari Sabb 32 run (run failed), 9:51 4Q G – Xavier Sabb 27 pass from Jack O’Connell (Sal Esgro kick), 7:09 4Q G – Davon Barr 12 run (Sal Esgro kick), 3:04 4Q
Riverview Sports News 