Author: almusky

WJFL Scoreboard

Here are Friday night’s scores in the West Jersey Football League, includes Thursday’s scores and Saturday’s games; Salem County scores in bold

FRIDAY’S SCORES
Absegami 47, Middle Township 14
Bishop Eustace 25, Wildwood 14
Bordentown 31, Florence 7
Bridgeton 28, Atlantic Tech 0
Burlington City 42, Maple Shade 0
Cedar Creek 49, Timber Creek 14
Cinnaminson 42, Moorestown 7
Collingswood 28, Camden Catholic 24
Delsea 13, Williamstown 7
Eastern 47, Clearview 6
Ewing 63, WW-Plainsboro South 0
Gateway 40, Mastery Camden 20
Glassboro 35, Schalick 7
Holy Spirit 48, Ocean City 0
Hightstown 39, Allentown 6
KIPP 20, Holy Cross 12
Lower Cape May 13, Cumberland 7
Pennsauken 25, Cherry Hill West 7
Pennsville 44, Lawrence 6
Salem 47, Woodstown 0
Seneca 27, Paul VI 14
Shawnee 38, Camden Eastside 14
Sterling 20, Lindenwold 0
St. Joseph (Hamm.) 23, Oakcrest 20
Trenton 27, Princeton 14
Triton 27, Egg Harbor Township 0
Vineland 20, Highland 17
Washington Twp. 39, Kingsway 36
Willingboro 47, Pleasantville 22
Winslow 41, Mainland 6

SATURDAY’S GAMES
Atlantic City at Hammonton, 11 a.m.
Buena at Palmyra, 11
Camden at Lenape, 11
Hopewell Valley at Steinert, 11
Ocean Twp. at Colts Neck, 11
Overbrook at Audubon, 11
West Deptford at Paulsboro, 11
Delran at Haddon Heights, noon
Rancocas Valley at St. Augustine, noon
Woodbury at Penns Grove, noon
Northern Burlington at Burlington Twp., 1:30 p.m.
Riverside at Pemberton, 2
Robbinsville at Hamilton West, 2
Nottingham at Notre Dame, 6

THURSDAY’S SCORES
Cherry Hill East 42, Deptford 0
Haddonfield 38, Gloucester 9
Haddon Twp. 43, Gloucester Catholic 20
Millville 55, Cherokee 28

Closer to kickoff

Salem CC board takes another step toward starting football, extends consultant’s contract a month, buys time to digest data, close gaps

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

CARNEYS POINT – The Salem Community College board of trustees heard the most extensive proposal on the athletic department’s plan to bring football to the campus in 2026 Thursday night and although sentiment generally appears favorable the policymakers weren’t quite ready to green light the program.

The board heard a comprehensive 90-minute presentation from athletics director Bob Hughes on the viability of bringing the sport to the college for the first time. The body wasn’t expected to approve the measure at this meeting, but it did keep the door open by extending the contract of consultant Jay Accorsi through Nov. 30 to bring into focus some remaining open questions.

Salem CC athletics director Bob Hughes proudly displays the football proposal he distributed to the college’s board of trustees Thursday night.

“I wasn’t going to push for a decision at this point in time because I don’t feel we were ready to make a recommendation to the level that we wanted,” Salem CC president Mike Gorman said. “I would not push them to reach a premature conclusion. I will ask them to reach a conclusion, but I wouldn’t have forced the issue that we need to know tonight. I don’t think that would have been in their best interest.”

He anticipates taking the question to a vote Nov. 20 “as long as a couple of things fall into place between now and then.”

The extension gives the board’s members time to digest all the data in the 75-page report Hughes presented before it can consider signing off on such a large investment. Research indicates it will cost between $350,000 and $400,000 in initial start-up costs with about one-tenth of that needed by January if the Mighty Oaks plan to play in the fall of 2026.

The November target will allow the new program, if approved, to start hiring coaches, recruiting players, buying equipment and getting the word out.

“The timeline will not wait for us,” Hughes said.

“My biggest concern right now is making sure we do our full due diligence,” board vice chair Jason Supernavage said. “This is a much bigger risk and investment than this college has ever seen when it comes to athletics, at least during my tenure here. This is one of those things I would not want to get wrong just because the emotional side of it looks like it’s something we want to have.

“It’s not that I’m anti the concept of adding. I think it’s a great idea, but before I feel comfortable putting support behind it I think there’s a lot of logistics the board should feel obligated to find out because this number is going to be so large I wouldn’t want to get it wrong. This is a  big boy. This is not monopoly money. This is one of those I’d like to see specifics and not generalities.”

Hughes called football “the next logical step and natural progression” in the college’s growth.
Starting the program could bring an additional 100 students immediately to campus. When the school brought back sports in 2018, it saw an increase of 140 students, only about half of whom were athletes.

“For me, it lines up with our mission and I wouldn’t be talking to you if I didn’t think it did,” Hughes said. “If I didn’t believe that this serves our mission I wouldn’t be so full-throated behind it.

“I believe strongly that this can bring a campus together and I want to see what that looks like here. This is a moment that we have an opportunity to do something that people probably 10 years ago didn’t think was possible. For us it’s a chance to say we have this possibility, that we have a purpose here and we’re ready to partake in the next step.”

Salem CC athletics director Bob Hughes explains to the board of trustees the merits of starting a football program at the school. The top photo is an artist’s rendition of a Mighty Oaks football helmet.

The most immediate question is securing a practice site. The Mighty Oaks will start talking with the National Junior College Athletic Association next week about declaring the sport and hope to hold a spring practice with 20 to 40 players, but they need a place to hold it. The preferred space is the Carneys Point Rec Complex, which currently serves as the home for the Mighty Oaks’ baseball team, but there are logistical issues with the township to consider.

Other venues being considered are the nearby YMCA fields and the Walnut Street Field in Salem City that was once the game-day home of Salem High School. The Carneys Point Complex is appealing because it would allow the Mighty Oaks to unify all their teams in one location.

“If we can’t get a commitment on the site all bets are off,” Gorman said.

Games are expected to be played in local high school stadiums, starting with Pennsville and Penns Grove. Officials expect a short schedule of at least six to eight games the first year.

Accorsi told the board the climate is right for a junior college football program to flourish in New Jersey and Salem is the “right fit” to get the ball rolling. 

Gorman said he’s never had a negative reaction from anyone in the public arena when he’s brought up the idea of football at Salem. The votes are believed to be there from the board to approve it. Typically the board has supported the president’s recommendation when it finds a proposal is well researched.

There is only one two-year school in New Jersey that currently offers football – Sussex County CC – and the conditions under which it started the program are said to be “vastly different” than the reason Salem is considering it.

Sussex did it to save jobs within the college. Salem is doing it to bring more students on campus. When the Mighty Oaks revived their athletics program in 2018, student enrollment increased by 140, and less than half of those new students were athletes.

The addition of football could open the door for other activities for students, Hughes told the board. He finds the prospect of the first Homecoming football Saturday at Salem CC particularly exciting.

The athletic department already has been fielding calls from prospective football players once word started getting out the school was moving towards the sport.

“There is no way I could get 100 students tomorrow in another way,” Gorman said. “There’s just no other pathways that would bring us 100 students that rapidly.”

Administrators at other JUCOs in the state are watching and selfishly hoping the Mighty Oaks can make a go of it. The thinking there is if Salem can do it, so can they.

Jay Accorsi, the former Rowan head coach serving as the consultant on Salem CC’s exploration of football, tells the college’s board why the time is right for JUCO football to flourish in New Jersey and how the Mighty Oaks are the ‘right fit’ to get the ball rolling.

Tie that binds

Woodstown, Schalick battle to scoreless tie to remain tied for division lead; Pennsville also plays to a draw in its quest for a division crown

BOYS SOCCER
Pennsville 1, Gloucester Catholic 1
Penns Grove 4, Overbrook 1
Wildwood 7, Salem 1
Schalick 0, Woodstown 0

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

WOODSTOWN — Rivals Woodstown and Schalick played for the upper hand in the TCC Diamond Division, as they always seem to do, but they came out of this one the same way they went into it: Tied for the lead after playing to a scoreless draw.

The game may have been scoreless, but it was an aficionado’s dream.

“It’s a game that those who don’t care for soccer and part of it is because there’s no scoring and there’s no action, this would be that game they would want to use for evidence,” Woodstown coach Darren Huck said. “But if you were there you would have seen it was a good game.”

Another false assumption would be thinking the Wolverines were playing for the tie because they moved leading scorer Bryce Ayars back into a more defensive center mid position. Huck refuted the notion, saying they played the same formation they had the last three games, but had to drop Ayars back because Jake Lewis remained out after getting hurt in the Penns Grove match and that move gave them the best chance to win the game.

“We weren’t playing for the tie, we weren’t,” Huck said. “I looked at some of my options and each one I said who’s going to give us the best opportunity to stay in the game and Bryce was the best, the most logical, choice. When I presented it to my coaching staff every one of them came back and said this is the right call.

“It wasn’t about putting Bryce there to keep a tie. It was about putting Bryce there to keep us in the game to give us a chance to win the game. I wasn’t moving Bryce back there with a healthy team. What I was looking for was someone else step up and score a goal.” 

The Cougars, meanwhile, were prepared to play their rivals the way they played in the first meeting, with Ayars up top. The change was a “clear indication,” to Schalick coach Joe Mannella at least, “that you’re going to try to score on a free kick or a counterattack … and they stuck with it the whole time.”

Mannella acknowledged it was frustrating at times and tested the Cougars patience. They created enough chances, he said, they just didn’t score.

Schalick outshot their rivals 14-5, but Woodstown keeper Trey Markward made 11 saves. Schalick keeper Evan Sepers was credited with four saves and wasn’t overly tested, but he did hold his breath in overtime when Ben Lippincott’s shot from just outside the box just missed the post.

The tie left the teams atop the division standings with 15 points — Woodstown at 6-0-3 and Schalick at 7-1-1. They can finish as co-champions in the division with wins Monday (even though Woodstown is 1-0-1 in the season series), and that wouldn’t be a bad thing in Huck’s mind.

Schalick remained No. 1 in the South Jersey Group I power points standings, with a slight lead over Haddon Twp. Woodstown fell to No. 4, just behind Audubon. Schalick and Woodstown came into the week 1-2.

“I look at it as sharing a division championship with a team like Schalick, who routinely, year in and year out, is a division champion, a South Jersey finalist, a state Group I contender, I look at that as an honor and an accomplishment to be in there with them in the same sentence,” Huck said. “I really, honestly feel that way.

“Schalick has been a thorn in our side for a long time. I wouldn’t want it any other way. If given a choice, I wouldn’t want to be in any other division where it’s easy. I take a lot of pride in going ‘us and Schalick, co-champs,’ well deserved by both teams.”

NOTES: The three ties are the most Woodstown has had in a season since 2022 (5-10-3) and with Monday’s draw at Penns Grove it marks the first time the Wolverines have had back-to-back ties since 2016 (Triton, Schalick) … It was Woodstown’s first scoreless tie since 2019 (Glassboro) and Schalick’s first since 2022 (Palmyra) … Schalick hosts Penns Grove Monday, Woodstown hosts Pitman.

Penns Grove 4, Overbrook 1: Prince Ledbetter scored twice and assisted on Michael Schultz’ first career goal in the second half as the Red Devils (6-3-3) extended their unbeaten streak to five games. Erdem Yardim scored their other goal.
Pennsville 1, Gloucester Catholic 1: Not really the result the Eagles were looking for, but they still can clinch their first division title in 32 years with a win over Salem Monday. Right back Brett Land scored the tying goal in the first half, four minutes after the Rams scored, off a long Stevie Fatcher throw-in that hit the crossbar and came straight to him.
Wildwood 7, Salem 1: Michael Blanda had two goals and an assist for the Warriors, who moved within a half-game of Pennsville in the Classic Division race.

Tri-County Conference Standings

CLASSICDIV.DIAMONDDIV.
Pennsville (8-5-2)7-1-1Schalick (11-2-2)7-1-1
Wildwood (7-6)7-2-0Woodstown (9-1-3)6-0-3
Clayton (9-6)6-2-0Pitman (8-5-1)6-3-0
Gloucester Cath. (5-6-1)2-5-1Penns Grove (6-3-3)4-3-2
Salem Tech (3-11)2-6-0Overbrook (7-8)1-8-0
Salem (0-14)0-8-0Glassboro (5-10-1)0-9-0


View from the top

Girls roundup: Schalick edges Woodstown to win sixth straight soccer division title; includes tennis and field hockey

GIRLS SOCCER
Schalick 2, Woodstown 1
Clayton 6, Salem Tech 0
Overbrook 5, Penns Grove 2
Glassboro 2, Pennsville 0
Wildwood 6, Salem 0

By Riverview Sports News

PITTSGROVE – You know you’ve got something special going on when you don’t know what it feels like to finish second.

The Schalick girls soccer team under coach Will Kemp doesn’t know second place.

The Cougars clinched at least a share of their sixth straight TCC Diamond Division title and fourth under Kemp Thursday in a 2-1 victory over rival Woodstown. They can win it outright with a win at Penns Grove Monday or a Woodstown loss at Pennsville.

Since the conference declares co-champions in event of a tie at the top, that means Kemp’s entire class rotation of players – freshmen through seniors – have known nothing but division championships. That’s a closet full of championship jackets.

“It’s the culture,” Kemp said. “It’s a special thing for us to continue to win the division year after year, but it just shows you the standard that has been set in the past and that continues to be inside the actual program itself.

“It’s special for the ladies to win this. When you’re now a senior, such as Cali (Fisler) and Abigail (Willoughby), for them to win it four years in a row it’s just something special. It’s almost starting to become the lone standard when you play at Schalick soccer to win the division.”

The Cougars (9-5-1) have lost only one division game in Kemp’s four years at the helm – to Woodstown in his first year. They’re unbeaten in their last 32 regular-season division games (31-0-1). The teams played to a 1-1 draw earlier this season.

Despite the close score, the Cougars dominated the game, playing most of it in their attacking end. Olivia Vanacker scored in the 34th minute to open the scoring and Karlie Bakley scored in the first 30 seconds of the second half to give them a 2-0 lead.

Kyleigh Cutler, in her first game back from a recovery break, assisted on both Schalick goals.

“Kyleigh Cutler came in a changed the whole dynamic of our team,” Kemp said. “Adding her back to the squad, she’s a very important piece to us.”

Gina Murray made it a one-goal game in the 55th minute when she hit a great shot past keeper Eve Berger after the Cougars failed to clear a free kick.

The win was the Cougars’ fifth in a row since moving into the second phase of their season on Senior Night, Oct. 2. In Kemp’s tenure, they are 30-9-1 after Oct. 1.

“The main timeline I always give my players is six weeks, from preseason all the way into the sixth week,” Kemp said. “That’s when everything starts to roll for them and they start to understand the consistency inside their style of play, the effort that’s needed and, of course, being able to showcase their talents.

“Before the six weeks, lot of mistakes happen, we’re still trying to figure some things out, players are still getting their fitness in, but after six weeks that’s when you start to see exactly what type of team that we are.”

Glassboro 2, Pennsville 0: Amina Brown and Alyssa Mattox scored goals for the Bulldogs.
Clayton 6, Salem Tech 0: Nicole Lemon scored two goals in the second half for the Clippers.

FIELD HOCKEY
Schalick 9, Overbrook 0: The Cougars (11-6) got all their goals from seniors on Senior Night, including two each from Caylen Taylor, Ava Scurry, Lena Virga and Phoebe Alward, to win their third straight and clinch the TCC Diamond Division crown. For Alward, it was her 50th career goal. Natalie May scored their other goal. The shutout was their seventh of the season.
GCIT 4, Woodstown 1: Lexi Taylor scored the Wolverines’ goal in the third quarter.

GIRLS TENNIS
Pennsville 5, Salem 0
Woodstown 5, Wildwood 0
Glassboro at Schalick

WOODSTOWN 5, WILDWOOD 0
Nathalie Neron (WO) def. Cyndee Killian, 6-0, 6-0
Alyssa Berry (WO) def. Kiana D’Antuono, 6-3, 6-3
Noelle Neron (WO) def. Estella Robinson, 6-1, 6-3
Madison LaPalomento-Emilee Kehr (WO) def. Selin Ogden-Antoinette Cooper, 6-0, 6-3
Elliana Norman-Angelina Lindenmuth (WO) def. Emma Contreras-Charlotte Baetz, 6-0, 7-6 (7-5)
Records: Woodstown 14-5, Wildwood 7-9.

PENNSVILLE 5, SALEM 0
Lily Edwards (P) def. Angelina Fothergill, 6-1, 6-0
Isabell Schlenker (P) def. Tahirah Davenport-White, 6-1, 7-5
Morgan Holt (P) def. JaNye Hubbard, 6-0, 6-1
Emma Hankin-Naomi Hess (P) def. Heaven Jones-McCullough-Erica Brewer, 6-1, 6-3
Graillyn Weber-Yerlian Charon (P) def. Evangeline Jimenez Barreto-Phoenix Holland, 6-0, 6-0
Records: Pennsville 11-7, Salem 3-10.

Wednesday roundup

Harris continues her torrid goal-scoring streak in Pennsville’s Senior Day field hockey win, Highland ends Salem Tech streak in OT; plus tennis, volleyball

By Riverview Sports News

PENNSVILLE – Kylie Harris continued her torrid goal-scoring streak Wednesday, scoring three more goals in the Eagles’ dominant 5-1 Senior Day victory over Clayton.

Harris has scored eight goals in the last three games – all wins – with two hat tricks. She had scored only two goals this season and nine in her career prior to the move.

The Eagles were 3-6-1 before Hall of Fame coach Lisa Doran moved Harris and her powerful swing from the top of the defensive diamond to forward, and now they’re at .500. Kendall Hoyt and Elizabeth Fleming scored the Eagles’ other goals Wednesday.

“I do really like being on the front line; it’s a lot of fun,” Harris said. “We just wanted to move people around to see what worked and they told me I would be playing center forward one day and they just kept telling me to stay up there.

“We have been doing great with passing and our strong defense has been super strong, but my favorite thing so far about being up top is being able to be with all the girls after someone scores and get to give them all high fives and laugh after a goal with my best friends. It’s just as awesome feeling.”
 
Highland 3, Salem Tech 2: Kiersten Heverly scored her third goal of the game – at the 4:50 mark of overtime – to end the Chargers’ five-game shutout winning streak. Hayden Crispin and Peyton Mayhew scored in the final five minutes of the second quarter to give the Chargers a 2-1 halftime lead. Jessilyn Chambers assisted on both goals.

GIRLS TENNIS
PENNSVILLE 3, SCHALICK 2
Lily Edwards (P) def. Miya Watkins, 6-1, 6-0
Annmarie Podehl (S) def. Izzy Schrenker, 6-3, 6-1
Morgan Holt (P) def. Macy Clow, 6-0, 6-0
Naomi Hess-Graillyn Weber (P) def. Sebrina Bradford-Olivia Lunemann, 6-3, 6-2
jasmine Hunt-Sammi Twigg (S) def. Emma Hankin-Yerlian Charon, 6-3, 6-0
Records: Pennsville 10-7, Schalick 7-6.

WILDWOOD 5, PENNS GROVE 0
Cydnee Kilian (WI) def. Ada Lopez, 6-0, 6-0
Estella Robinson (WI) Kavita Pulchard, 6-0, 6-0
Antoinette Cooper (WI) def. Yanet Cruz, 6-0, 6-0
Emma Contreras-Selin Ogden (WI) won by forfeit
Jess Alamein-Charlotte Baetz (WI) won by forfeit
Records: Wildwood 7-8, Penns Grove 0-11.

GIRLS VOLLEYBALL
Triton 2, Salem Tech 0:  Abigail Dalbey had four kills, nine service points and seven aces for Triton. The set scores were 25-18, 25-16. 

Tuesday roundup

Here are the scores and highlights from Tuesday’s Salem County sports action

FIELD HOCKEY
Salem Tech 3, Clayton 0: Jessilyn Chambers, Hazel Eachus and Olivia Lydon scored second-half goals in the Chargers’ fifth straight win. All five wins have been by shutout with Caroline Tighe in the cage. Peyton Mayhew assisted on two of the goals.
Pennsville 3, Deptford 2: Kylie Harris scored two more goals and Gracie Mease scored once for the Eagles (5-6-1). Harris has scored five goals in her last two games.
Salem at Glassboro, 4 p.m.

GIRLS SOCCER
Woodstown 6, Penns Grove 0: Lia Covely scored two goals, while Emma Perry, Hailey Kucharczuk, Kyrsten Dussault and Elizabeth Daly scored once in the Wolverines’ fifth straight win. Ellie Wygand and Mazie Mazzoni combined for their seventh shutout  The Wolverines visit Schalick for the Diamond Division title Thursday.
Schalick 2, Glassboro 0: Olivia Vanacker and Quinn Berger scored in the first half and goalie Eve Berger made them stand up. The Cougars take a four-game winning streak into their showdown with Woodstown and have shut out three of their last four.
Wildwood 2, Salem Tech 0: Addison Troiano and Nyara Alves scored second-half goals for the Warriors. 
Pennsville 3, Overbrook 2: Taylor Bass scored her third goal of the game with 3:25 left in overtime to lift the Eagles (8-5), who bettered last year’s win total with the victory.
Salem at Gloucester Catholic, 6 p.m.

GIRLS TENNIS
WOODSTOWN 5, OVERBROOK 0
Nathalie Neron (WO) def. Sophia Burgos, 6-0, 6-0
Alyssa Berry (WO) def. Anna Mason, 6-0, 6-0
Noelle Neron (WO) def. Heaven Williams, 6-1, 6-1
Madison LaPalomento-Emilee Kehr (WO) def. Lean Wilde-Liana Grant-Williams, 6-2, 6-1
Emma West-Elliana Norman (WO) def. Sophia Perticari-Charlotte Gall, 6-1, 6-1
Records: Woodstown 13-5, Overbrook 2-14.

SCHALICK 5, PENNS GROVE 0
Miya Watkins (S) def. Ada Lopez, 6-0, 6-0
Annmarie Podehl (S) def. Kanta Pulchard, 6-0, 6-0
Macy Clow (S) def. Yante Cruz, 6-0, 6-0
Sebrina Bradford-Olivia Lunemann (S) def. Jayla Nunez-Elif Sagir, 6-1, 6-0
jasmine Hunt-Sammi Twigg (S) def. Natanalie Dominguez-Valaria Pedroza, 6-1, 6-0
Records: Schalick 7-5, Penns Grove 0-10.

GLASSBORO 3, SALEM 2
Angelina Fothergill (S) def. Alana Killelea, 6-0, 6-1
Tahirah Davenport-White (S) def. Taylor Adcock, 7-6 (10-8), 1-6, 11-9
Alice Dinzeo (G) def. JaNye Hubbard, 6-4, 7-5
Virginia Tarasevich-Amani George (G) def. Erica Brewer-Evangelyn Jiminez Barreto, 6-0, 6-3
Sofia Dungca-Conception Soriano (G) def. Phoenix Holland-Aleena Allen, 6-1, 6-1
Records: Glassboro 6-8, Salem 3-9.

GIRLS VOLLEYBALL
Salem Tech at Cape May Tech, 5:15 p.m. 

Stage is set

Woodstown scores twice in final three minutes of regulation, then holds on in OT to tie Penns Grove, set up showdown with Schalick

BOYS SOCCER
Woodstown 2, Penns Grove 2
Schalick 4, Glassboro 0
Clayton 3, Pennsville 0
Gloucester Catholic 7, Salem 0
Salem Tech at Wildwood

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PENNS GROVE – Woodstown plays the biggest game of the season in South Jersey Group I boys soccer Thursday when it hosts rival Schalick for the TCC Diamond Division title and the presumptive No. 1 seed in the upcoming sectional tournament.

But the matchup would have lost a lot of its juice if the Wolverines didn’t take of business Tuesday. Or if Schalick didn’t either.

Luckily, both teams upheld their end to remain on collision course, but, boy, did Woodstown cut it close.

The Wolverines needed two goals in the final three minutes of regulation to get back in the game and then held on through overtime to earn a 2-2 draw with Penns Grove. Bryce Ayars scored both their goals, with the equalizer coming in the final minute on a pass from Trey Markward, who was pulled up top with his goalie gear on to give them an extra attacker.

“My goodness, way too close,” Woodstown coach Darren Huck said. “I’m proud of the resiliency this team showed, the don’t give up. Even though they were not happy with the way they were playing and we all felt we could be playing better, the will was always there. We just kept coming back, coming  back, coming back. There’s something to say about that.”

Schalick upheld its end with a 4-0 Senior Night win over Glassboro, its seventh win in a row since the loss to Woodstown.

If Woodstown (9-1-2, 6-0-2) wins the showdown, it can win the division outright with just a tie against Pitman in its last division game Monday. If Schalick (11-2-1, 7-1) wins, the Cougars could win it outright beating Penns Grove in their last division game Monday. There are scenarios they could share the title regardless of Thursday’s outcome.

And then there’s the matter of the South Jersey Group I power points standings. Schalick currently holds the No. 1 seed and Woodstown is No. 3, but the cutoff is Saturday and the Wolverines have just reached the threshold where they can start dropping games in the formula.

“The power points that are available on Thursday will have a huge impact on first through third,” Huck said.

“Pulling out a tie after being down 2-0 definitely gives us hope to beating Schalick and taking the division,” Ayars said.

But none of it would’ve mattered if the Wolverines didn’t get a positive result against Penns Grove. And for 77 minutes the Red Devils had them on the ropes.

Prince Ledbetter converted a pass from Joey Schultz with 14:10 left in the first half and Poyraz Erdonmez blasted home the rebound after Markward stoned Juan Ortiz’ penalty kick 10 minutes into the second half to make it 2-0.

The Red Devils held onto the lead until the closing minutes of regulation before the Wolverines came to life.

Ayars got the first goal with three minutes to play on a cross from Nick DiTeodoro, then got the equalizer with about a minute to go with help from an unlikely source. He had a good chance to win it in overtime, but his free kick from right outside the box skittered just past the far right post.

“I was just trying to find different connections I thought could give us a spark out there and give us something to change it up a little bit,” Huck said. “Even if it was a different style of player, someone who maybe is not a threat to score but could be maybe settle the ball a little bit better or pass the ball a little bit better.”

He found that player way back on the end line. With time running out, Markward came all the way up from the goal leaving the crease empty. As fate would have it, the ball came his way and he got just enough touch on it to direct it toward Ayars for the equalizer and his first career assist.

“At first I really wanted to (do it), then I got there and I was scared,” Markward said. “I got a touch on it and was like, ‘Please, God, help me,’ then I kicked it and was like, aw, I missed it, but it was OK, Bryce got me. He’s always there.”

“The first thing I saw was a beautiful touch by the goalie; I didn’t know Trey could do that,” Ayars said. “I think he took a shot or a pass, I don’t really know, that’s up to how he wants to describe that, but it went right to my foot like normal and I just put it away.”

Both games between the teams this year have ended in ties, but this one didn’t leave the Red Devils with the same sense of accomplishment as the earlier meeting. They were that close to beating Woodstown for the first time since October 2022 and couldn’t close it out.

“I kept telling my guys to stop talking about it because a team like Woodstown is never out of it and clearly that’s what happened,” Penns Grove coach Mano Massari said. “Good teams find ways to get back in games no matter how much time is left and that’s exactly what Woodstown did.

“Good teams also know how to close a game out and we didn’t do that, so that’s something we definitely need to improve on if we want to have success moving forward in this season.”

NOTES: By the time overtime started the Wolverines were missing three starters, two of whom went down during the game. At least they could be replaced. The Red Devils played the OT one man down due to an end-of-regulation red card. There were seven yellow cards and one red card issued in the game … The Wolverines are 9-0-1 this year in games Ayars scores a goal.

SCHALICK 4, GLASSBORO 0: Glassboro 0: Mikey Nelson and Anthony Sepers, two of the 11 seniors recognized prior to the game, had a goal and an assist for the Cougars. Luke Price and freshman Jake Sepers scored their other goals.

CLAYTON 3, PENNSVILLE 0: The Eagles missed a chance to clinch a share of the TCC Classic Division title. The still hold a one-game lead over the Clippers and can now clinch a share with a win at Gloucester Catholic Thursday and then clinch its first division title in 32 years Monday against Salem.

GLOUCESTER CATHOLIC 7, SALEM 0: Zack Payne scored the first four goals of the game and assisted on another score.

Closer to fruition

Salem CC expected to approve extending Accorsi’s consulting contract as school moves toward adding football in 2026

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

CARNEYS POINT – Salem Community College is expected to take another step towards the most significant expansion in the modern era of its athletics program Thursday when policymakers hear a proposal to continue its exploration of bringing football to the campus for the first time in Fall 2026.

GORMAN

Athletics director Bob Hughes is scheduled to make a presentation on the current state of the department’s research at the board of trustee’s monthly meeting and president Mike Gorman is expected to recommend extending the contract of consultant Jay Accorsi in order to bring into focus some unresolved variables that are beyond the school’s control.

Both administrators are in favor of the move, but the ultimate decision rests with the board.

Gorman told the board in August if the school were to move forward with starting football it would need to commit by mid-October. He said Tuesday “things will solidify over the next four weeks” for the Mighty Oaks to move forward with fielding a team in 2026 or not.

“It would be premature (today to say the program is starting), but we’re definitely moving in a direction to bring that to fruition,” Gorman said. “The concept that I anticipate on this (Thursday) is getting the nod from the board to continue the path that we are on with an intent of becoming more deliberate here.

“We still have pieces of this puzzle to assemble, but I need (the board’s) authorization to continue doing that. I’ve got to get these other pieces in place in order to make it happen.”

Accorsi, the retired Rowan University head football coach, has been serving as a consultant researching the feasibility of bringing football to the two-year college for the past two months. He has been interested in the idea of that level of football in New Jersey for several years and brought it to Gorman earlier this spring.

The school considered adding the sport earlier this decade and the idea had support, but it ultimately was decided the time wasn’t quite right to pull the trigger.

The climate appears even more favorable this time. There is only one junior college football program in New Jersey – Sussex County CC – and when Pennsylvania’s Lackawanna CC transitions to NCAA Division II in 2026 there will be no other NJCAA football between Newton and Louisburg, N.C., leaving a wide and fertile ground for attracting players.

It is estimated it would cost $500,000 for the Mighty Oaks to start a football program.

Among the challenges still to be addressed are where the team will play and practice and what schedule will it play. It is believed the team would play its games at the various county high school stadiums against a schedule that likely would include Sussex and teams from New York, North Carolina, nearby trade colleges and four-year junior varsities. Area hotels could be used for the housing needs of the players.

Hughes called the process to date “thorough and exhaustive” and said Accorsi has done “a great job of getting a detailed look of what this investment for the college looks like and I’m happy with the results.” He was looking forward to addressing the board.

“We’ve done a lot of work on this,” Hughes said. “It’ll be great to share it and I’m looking forward to whatever conversation comes from it.

“It’s energized me. It wasn’t something I was expecting to do, but it’s been a great process and I think we’re still just in the infancy, and that’s the fun part – we’re really just getting started.”

This week’s schedule

Here is the Salem County sports schedule for the week of Oct. 13-18

MONDAY, OCT. 13
GIRLS TENNIS
Schalick at Woodstown, 4 p.m.

TUESDAY, OCT. 14
FIELD HOCKEY
Clayton at Salem Tech, 4 p.m.
Pennsville at Deptford, 4 p.m.
Salem at Glassboro, 4 p.m.
Woodstown at St. Joe (Hamm.), 4 p.m.
BOYS SOCCER
Gloucester Catholic at Salem, 4 p.m.
Pennsville at Clayton, 4 p.m.
Salem Tech at Wildwood, 4 p.m.
Woodstown at Penns Grove, 4 p.m.
Glassboro at Schalick, 6 p.m.
GIRLS SOCCER
Overbrook at Pennsville, 4 p.m.
Penns Grove at Woodstown, 4 p.m.
Schalick at Glassboro, 4 p.m.
Wildwood at Salem Tech, 4 p.m.
Salem at Gloucester Catholic, 6 p.m.
GIRLS TENNIS
Woodstown at Overbrook, 3:45 p.m.
Glassboro at Salem, 4 p.m.
Schalick at Penns Grove, 4 p.m.
GIRLS VOLLEYBALL
Salem Tech at Cape May Tech, 4 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 15
FIELD HOCKEY
Clayton at Pennsville, 4 p.m.
Salem Tech at Highland, 4 p.m.
GIRLS TENNIS
Schalick at Pennsville, 3:45 p.m.
Wildwood at Penns Grove, 4 p.m.
GIRLS VOLLEYBALL
Triton at Salem Tech, 4 p.m.

THURSDAY, OCT. 16
FIELD HOCKEY
Woodstown at GCIT, 4 p.m.
Overbrook at Schalick, 6 p.m.
BOYS SOCCER
Pennsville at Gloucester Catholic, 4 p.m.
Penns Grove at Overbrook, 4 p.m.
Wildwood at Salem, 4 p.m.
Schalick at Woodstown, 4 p.m.
GIRLS SOCCER
Clayton at Salem Tech, 4 p.m.
Overbrook at Penns Grove, 4 p.m.
Pennsville at Glassboro, 4 p.m.
Salem at Wildwood, 4 p.m.
Woodstown at Schalick, 4 p.m.
GIRLS TENNIS
Salem at Pennsville, 3:45 p.m.
Wildwood at Woodstown, 3:45 p.m.
Glassboro at Schalick, 4 p.m.
Pitman at Penns Grove, 4 p.m.

FRIDAY, OCT. 17
WJFL FOOTBALL
Camden Catholic at Collingswood, 6 p.m.
Lawrence at Pennsville, 6 p.m.
Salem at Woodstown, 7 p.m.
Schalick at Glassboro, 7 p.m.
FIELD HOCKEY
Clayton at Salem, 4 p.m.
Schalick at Overbrook, 4 p.m.
Vineland at Pennsville, 4 p.m.
BOYS SOCCER
Clayton at Salem Tech, 4 p.m.
Salem at Haddon Heights, 4 p.m.
GIRLS SOCCER
Paulsboro at Salem, 4 p.m.
VOLLEYBALL
Clearview at Salem Tech, 4 p.m.

SATURDAY, OCT. 18
WJFL FOOTBALL
Overbrook at Audubon, 11 a.m.
West Deptford at Paulsboro, 11 a.m.
Woodbury at Penns Grove, noon
COLLEGE BASEBALL
Salem CC at Wilmington (2), noon
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Salem CC Jamboree at Cristo Rey HS, Philadelphia

Wolverines show out

Woodstown, Marino win South Jersey Open division titles, team posts fastest average among all teams at the event

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

LOGAN TOWNSHIP – Woodstown scored one of the most significant victories in the history of its boys cross country program Saturday when it won its division in the South Jersey Open at DREAM Park. But a very real case could be made that the Wolverines won the entire day as well.

Led by Salem County champion Jacob Marino’s photo-finish win in the individual race, the Wolverines placed four of their five counters in the top 10 and all five in the top 15 to edge Haddon Twp. by nine points for the Division I team title.

Additionally, the collective effort of their five counters – Marino, No. 4 Karson Chew, No. 6 David Farrell, No. 9 Pacey Hutton and No. 15 Torsten Duva – produced a team average of 16:44 that was best among all teams in all divisions at the meet.

“I didn’t think we did it to be honest with you from looking at it,” Wolverines coach Steve New said. “I’m horrible when I’m watching racing with numbers and stuff because I get too emotionally invested in it while I watch.

“People are like I think we got them. I had no idea. I didn’t know what place anybody was in, I just knew they looked good. They’re just a tough group of kids who push each other.”

It was the Wolverines’ first win in the event. Their best finish previously was fourth in 2018. Nearly every runner they put in Saturday’s race ran a personal best in perfect weather conditions for good times, some by significant margins.

“We were underrated and we showed out,” Marino said.

“It was really good showing by our entire team,” added Chew. “Everybody did their part. It was a really good race.”

Marino won the race in 16:06.27, just one second off the school record he’s been chasing and nearly three-tenths of a second ahead ofrunner-up Shaun Maloney of Haddon Twp. (16:06.56). He’s the first boys winner from Salem County since Pennsville’s Dan Wyshinski in 2019. Schalick’s Jordan Hadfield won the girls race in 2023.

Marino led most of the race out of the gate. Maloney made a “serious” move late to take the lead with about 800 meters left, but as Chew described it, Marino “really gutted it out to finish first.” The Woodstown senior closed a 60-meter gap over the last 500 to nip the Haddon Twp. senior at the wire.

“It was so exciting coming across that finish line,” Marino said. “He was right ahead me after I led the whole race so I knew I wanted to catch him. It was a photo finish, one I definitely want to replay.

“Usually I’m not one that has that big kick, but I just turned it on today. There was no real lean or anything (at the finish), I just got him with pure speed at the finish. Really picked it up the last five meters just to try to get him. I knew he was on the same team we were trying to beat and I just knew I had to catch him to be able to get our team a big win.”

Marino’s sister Abby, the Salem County girls champion, finished second in the Division I girls race, posting a 19:28.78. Anabel Schaal was eighth overall (20:55.55) and fifth among team counters. Maple Shade’s Juliana Catalani won the race in 19:19.49.

The Wolverines finished fourth as a team.

Schalick finished fifth in the team race. Chase Riley was the Cougars’ fastest runner, placing 20th overall (17:32.46). Collin Bittle was 23rd (17:34.82) and Salvatore Longo was 24th (17:40.24). The Cougars won it in 2023.

The Cougars’ girls team finished sixth. Helen Lillia was 13th overall (21:47.57), ninth among team counters.

South Jersey Open
Division I race

BOYS TEAM: Woodstown 35, Haddon Twp. 44, Camden Catholic 84, Collingswood 151, Schalick 158, Gloucester City 170, Bishop Eustace 192, Pitman 211, Maple Shade 219, West Deptford 266, Kings Christian 270, Buena 297, Lower Cape May 351.
GIRLS TEAM: Haddon Twp. 52, Camden Catholic 62, Maple Shade 73, Woodstown 88, Bishop Eustace 119, Schalick 146, Lower Cape May 163, Gloucester City 189.
BOYS TOP 15GIRLS TOP 15
Jacob Marino, Woodstown16:06.27Juliana Catalni, Maple Shade19:19.49
Shaun Maloney, Haddon Twp.16:06.56Abby Marino, Woodstown19:28.78
James Clauson, Haddon Twp.16:13.00Kayla Romanoski, W. Deptford19:30.57
Karson Chew, Woodstown16:31.23Taylor Sierzega, W. Deptford19:50.49
Vincent Kelly, Gloucester16:33.40Hazel Straight, Collingswood20:27.56
David Farrell, Woodstown16:37.81Tanner Lajoie, Haddon Twp.20:45.47
Landon Forero, Collingswood16:39.12Erin Callinan, Camden Cath.20:54.51
Rhys Blackman, Pitman16:39.44Anabel Schaal, Woodstown20:55.55
Logan Camm, Audubon16:41.16Brynn Deiwert, Camden Cath.21:23.05
Pacey Hutton, Woodstown17:05.47Blake Kamery, Haddon Twp.21:23.50
Jim Rotaeche, Camden Cath.17:10.35Hailee Dicks, Collingswood21:39.33
Luke Wolfram, Haddon Twp.17:13.77Maddy O’Neil, Camden Cath.21:43.83
James Strimel, Haddon Twp.17:14.28Helen Lillia, Schalick21:47.57
Brayden Magee, Camden Cath.17:18.10Isabella Dodd, Haddon Twp.21:49.18
James Barone, Audubon17:18.93Haylee Marakovits, Bishop Eustace21:56.19