Salem CC’s shortcomings on offense, special teams show in road loss at Sussex CC
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
NEWTON – It takes consistency in all three phases of the game to bring a football team a victory. Salem CC is still trying to find the answer in two of them.
The Mighty Oaks got another good outing from their defense, but they struggled on offense and on special teams and fell to Sussex CC Saturday, 23-8.
The defense gave up two touchdowns and none in the second half, but the offense was beset by turnovers and had two big miscues in the kick return game.
“We were behind most of the game,” Mighty Oaks coach Jay Accorsi said. “I think the difference was they were able to run the ball and we weren’t able to run the ball. They did a great job running the ball, controlling it a little bit, and we really had a hard time running the ball. We really struggled running the football.”
“When you can’t run the football and you turn the ball over then you’re going to be in harm’s way and that’s kind of how we were.”
The Mighty Oaks (1-4) started the game by fumbling the opening kickoff, but they survived that without giving up points. They weren’t so lucky in the return game later when the Skylanders (1-3) returned the second half kickoff for a touchdown to make it 23-8.
Offensively, they couldn’t get a running game going and were the victims of several turnovers. Newcomer Jimmy Wilson played well in spots in in his Salem CC debut, throwing a long touchdown pass to D.J. Joyner to draw the Mighty Oaks to within 16-8 at halftime. Wilson just became eligible this week and became the fifth player the Mighty Oaks have used at quarterback in a game this season. He passed for 1,425 yards and accounted for 18 touchdown his senior season at Winslow (2022).
The Mighty Oaks scored their first points when Sam Rowley blocked the extra point after Sussex’ first touchdown and Jarrell Burks brought it all the way back for two to make it 9-2.
“We did enough to make it close, we didn’t do enough to put ourselves in a position to win the game or try to do something at the end, so it’s back on us,” Accorsi said. “I thought defensively we played well. We got some turnovers, we got some stops, we turned them away. Shoot, it seemed like the whole first quarter they had the ball and we didn’t let them score. So, defensively, I thought we played really well at times.
“They only gave up 14 points, 12 because we blocked the extra point. Sometimes you would hope that would be enough for you to be able to win the game, but we’re just not there yet special teams and offense to complement with what they do yet. We’re still a work in progress and it’s going to be all the way through the year. We just don’t have a lot of experience there (on offense), we don’t have a lot of depth there, and we’re trying to muster as much as we can on that side of the ball.”
The teams play again in two weeks at Pennsville High School for the Mighty Oaks’ homecoming game.
Here are the scores from the West Jersey Football League schedule for the week of Oct. 1-3
SATURDAY, OCT. 3 Salem 40, Woodstown 7 Paulsboro 50, Woodbury 24 Pitman 48, Gloucester Catholic 8 Mastern Camden at Audubon Bridgeton 35, Atlantic Tech 0 Pennsauken 17, Trenton 8 Ewing 44, Cherry Hill West 27 Pemberton at Hamilton West Steinert 15, Hammonton 14 Winslow at Red Bank Catholic Ocean City 26, Oakcrest 18 Lower Cape May 40, Middle Twp. 8
FRIDAY, OCT. 2 Pennsville 14, Penns Grove 12 Buena 28, Wildwood 14 West Deptford 59, Overbrook 8 Clayton 40, Gateway 0 WW-Plainsboro at Lindenwold Paul VI 35, Eastern 7 KIPP at Lawrence Holy Cross 14, Florence 6 Seneca 27, Hopewell Valley 13 Nottingham at Delran Williamstown 15, Kingsway 14 Delsea 41, Triton 27 Notre Dame 20, Allentown 8 Shawnee 24, Lenape 23 Timber Creek 43, Absegami 0 Rancocas Valley 21, Millville 20 Maple Shade at Sterling Lower Cape May at Middle Twp. St. Augustine 49, Burlington Twp. 0 Atlantic City 49, Mainland 13 Holy Spirit 27, Pleasantville 22 Glassboro 43, Willingboro 19 Cedar Creek 20, Cherokee 14 Bordentown 58, Hightstown 20 Cinnaminson 20, Camden Catholic 0 Gloucester 42, Riverside 7 Bishop Eustace 34, Haddon Twp. 0 Moorestown 20, Robbinsville 14
THURSDAY, OCT. 1 Schalick 41, Cumberland 15 Northern Burlington 31, Princeton 7 Clearview 14, Highland 6 Deptford 34, Collingswood 0 Burlington City 44, Palmyra 12 Oakcrest at Ocean City Washington Twp. 42, Cherry Hill East 13 St. Joe (Hamm.) 35, Egg Harbor 14 Permian (Tex.) 28, Camden 13
Salem’s defense never rests against Woodstown, combining with Thomas’ efficiency for a 40-7 win over Woodstown
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
SALEM – The bad weather cleared out right before the start of the game, but luckily for the Salem football team the Blue Storm stayed around.
Rams head coach Kemp Carr put the moniker on his defense before the season started and the unit lived up to the name Saturday. They were aggressive, they were fast and they were physical. And with an offense equally impressive in the hands of Desmund Thomas, it added up to a 40-7 homecoming win over Woodstown.
The defense established its presence right from the start. On the first defensive play of the game, the Rams threw Cole Ware for a five-yard loss on a screen pass and knocked him out of the game. On the next play, Tony Merendino broke into the backfield and dropped TyRell West for a three-yard loss. Six of Woodstown’s first eight plays and seven of their first 10 were negative impact plays. The Wolverines had only six yards net rushing in the first half and 17 in the game.
“That’s what we want to be; we want to be a storm,” Carr said. “When a storm comes, people run for shelter. That storm can be many different storms. Storms come in many different volumes. It comes with violence, sometimes it comes with a lot of noise, and we want to be that.
“There are a lot of facets around that. We’ve got three things we want to do every week. We want to be disciplined, we want to communicate and we want to be violent. I think we answered all three of those bells.”
Merendino, a transfer from Woodstown, really showed out against his former team with 2.5 sacks, several other tackles for loss and a fumble recovery that led to the Rams’ fourth touchdown. Carr called it “the strongest game he’s played” with the Rams.
“This one felt extremely important to me because throughout my entire career I was always doubted upon and I took advantage of every opportunity on the field,” the edge rusher said. “I was extremely aggressive because I did understand their offense a lot more, but at the end of the day if he’s not wearing a blue, gray, white jersey or he’s not a Ram, that’s a target.
“We were all excited today. We all wanted this win. I believe we were all hungry for this. I believe this defense could really do something big and special. I believe this could be a state championship defense; we’ve just got to work on our Ps and Qs. That name, It fits the program. As a unit, as an entire team, we come, we conquer, and I believe that this team can go far with that motto.”
Salem’s Tony Merendino (50) comes out of the pile with the football after his fumble recovery in the second quarter Saturday. (Photo by Zachary Ahl)
The defense playing as well as it did made it a lot more comfortable for Thomas and the Rams’ offense to function; more pressure by their defense, less pressure on their offense. The Rams scored on six of their first seven possessions in the game, and the only one they missed was an interception in the end zone from inside the 30. They scored on all six of their meaningful possession in Thomas’ season debut last week against Overbrook.
“They’re a different team with him at quarterback,” Woodstown coach Frank Trautz said. “He makes them a much more dangerous offense.”
Thomas completed 14 pf 18 passes for 144 yards to seven different receivers against the Wolverines and had five carries for 41 yards. He threw for two touchdowns – to Ahmad Tucker and Kyvion Parsons — and ran for two more – all in the first half. The pass to Tucker he threw sidearm. In his two games back, he is 21-of-25 passing for 285 and four touchdowns for a passer efficiency rating of 224.56.
Carr continues to say the senior is one of the top five quarterbacks in South Jersey. He cites maturity as the key to Thomas’ increased efficiency over a year ago.
“I’m just trying to do better every game,” Thomas said. “I feel like I got better this game.”
Salem’s Kamal Chatum (2) hauls down Woodstown quarterback Mason Middlemiss. (Photo by Zachary Ahl)
The Salem defense was so aggressive they left the Wolverines in a condition similar to the Thanksgiving Day Classic/Rivalry Week trophy the Rams retained for winning the game.
Four significant Woodstown players were knocked out of the game. Ware went out with an ankle injury on that first screen pass, seriously crimped the Wolverines’ offense the rest of the day. It got even bleaker when quarterback Mason Middlemiss (ankle) and center Rex Hannah (head) went out on the same play later in the first quarter. And Asher Fitzpatrick (shoulder) joined them later.
Cole and Middlemiss both went for X-rays after the game. The images were negative, indicating sprained ankles for both. The status of the four going forward will be better determined early next week. The Wolverines host Overbrook Friday.
The Wolverines went through a similar rash of injuries last year that was so severe as many as nine starters were on the sideline at the same time.
“It’s tough when we got, again, guys in key positions go down who we rely on very much,” Wolverines coach Frank Trautz said. “We lose Cole Ware on the first play of the game. It’s tough.
“I was proud of the way the kids came back out at halftime. They battled. They stuck together. This team, we’re learning to stick together. We’re learning to win. And we’re learning to try to get to where we want to go. We’re not going to be the same team in November.”
Noah Chiu replaced Middlemiss at quarterback and directed the Wolverines to their lone touchdown, a 35-yard pass to Andrew White with 4:19 left on a running third quarter clock that capped the opening drive of the second half. Chiu was 3-for-4 on the touchdown drive and finished the game 5-of-8 for 62 yards.
WOOD (7)
SAL (40)
7
1st Downs
13
23-17
Rushing
23-224
8-14-1
Passes
14-18-1
130
Passing
144
3-1
Fum-Lost
0-0
3-26.3
Punts-Avg
0-0
10-65
Penalties
7-80
Woodstown (3-3)
0
0
7
0-
7
Salem (3-3)
12
22
0
8-
40
SCORING SUMMARY S-Desmund Thomas 11 run (pass failed), 10:18 1Q S-Ahmad Tucker 19 pass from Desmund Thomas (run failed), 6:55 1Q S-Izaiah Santiago 9 run (Myshon Barnes pass from Desmund Thomas), 10:32 2Q S-Kyvion Parsons 7 pass from Desmund Thomas (Adrian Alleyne run), 6:21 2Q S-Desmund Thomas 14 run (pass failed), 0:33 2Q WO-Andrew White 35 pass from Noah Chiu (Jack Bucksar kick), 4:19 3Q S-Adrian Alleyne 3 run (run failed), 8:33 4Q
The Salem football team celebrates with the trophy that goes with the rivalry after beating Woodstown for the second year in a row. (Photo by Zachary Ahl)
Here are scores from Friday’s Salem County sports calendar
BOYS SOCCER Gloucester 4, Salem 0 Salem Tech 3, Buena 0 Highland 3, Woodstown 0 GIRLS SOCCER Buena at Salem Tech Cherry Hill East 2, Schalick 0 Woodstown 2, Cumberland 1 FIELD HOCKEY Delran 3, Woodstown 1 Schalick at Rancocas Valley GIRLS TENNIS Mainland 5, Schalick 0 Kingsway 4, Woodstown 1
Pennsville wins annual rivalry game with Penns Grove 14-12, surviving a serious threat from the Red Devils in the fourth quarter
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
PENNSVILLE — No football team likes leaving their fortunes to chance, but you could say fate was on Pennsville’s side in its annual rivalry game with Penns Grove Friday night.
Sometime during pregame warm-ups Pennsville seniors Danny Knight and Aiden Clark found a quarter in the grass around the 40-yard-line near the Penns Grove sideline. Just for fun, Clark suggested they flip the coin to determine who was going to win The Boot. Heads, the Eagles win; tails, they lose. (Somehow you got the feeling they were going to flip it until it came out correctly.)
They flipped it once and the usually sure-handed Knight tried to catch the coin on the way down, but it bounced out of his hands and landed on the ground tails. The pair took a do-over and this time it came up heads. They did it again for good measure (more like best 2-of-3 the way it started) and it came up favorably heads again.
As fate would have it, the Eagles went on to win the game, 14-12, to retain the Wildman Willey Boot for the third straight year.
“I wish fate was a little nicer to me and wouldn’t give me a heart attack,” said Pennsville coach Mike Healy, now 3-7 in the series as head coach.
Actually, the Eagles (3-3) needed someone or something looking out for them. They already had lost three games in the fourth quarter this season and needed to survive a furious Penns Grove rally in this one to avoid another that would’ve spoiled Homecoming. And in that comeback bid, freshman Ayden Epstein stopped a potential game-tying two-point conversion and Grady Sanders shut down a reverse on fourth down deep in Pennsville territory that ended the Red Devils’ bid for the winning touchdown.
Pennsville’s Grady Sanders (7) closes in on Penns Grove’s Savior Allah to make the tackle that sealed the Eagles’ Homecoming Night victory and retain the Wildman Willey Boot trophy that goes with it. (Photo by Lucky Shots)
The game began in a steady rain that limited both teams’ offensive production in the first half. Penns Grove scored first when Jaivon Thomas broke free for a 26-yard touchdown run, but the Red Devils dropped the two-point conversion. The Eagles took a 7-6 lead 92 seconds before halftime when Jake Layfield threw the first of his two touchdown passes to C.J. Johnson and Dante Cummings hit the extra point.
Beyond the touchdown run, the Eagles held Penns Grove’s Thomas tandem to 154 combined yards rushing. Terrell Thomas had 35 yards on 13 carries and Jaivon Thomas had 119 yards on 22 carries. The touchdown run was the Red Devils’ longest offensive play of the game.
“They’re a good duo over there, probably Sonic and Knuckles, that’s what I would call them,” Sanders said referring to the classic video game characters who combine speed and glide to thwart their opponents. “They run very hard.”
The Eagles had a hard runner of their own. Tristan Horner rushed for a career-high 114 yards to give the Eagles their first 100-yard rusher of the season. He should have had their go-ahead touchdown, but fumbled at the goal line in the second quarter.
“It was good to see him that type of day,” Healy said. “He runs tough, so I was really happy to see that from him.”
“Overall I’ve just been feeling like the season hasn’t gone my way,” Horner said. “Starting off against Woodstown I think I had like 20 yards. It’s gotta click at some point. You’ve gotta get it moving. Coming into this game I was hyped. I was ready. It’s Penns Grove Week. It’s rivalry week. You’ve got to turn it up.”
Tristan Horner (14) became Pennsville’s first running back to rush for 100 yards or more in a game this season. (Photo by Lucky Shots)
Layfield’s second touchdown pass to Johnson, a 44-yarder early in the third quarter, extended the Eagles lead to 14-6. It stayed that way until Jaivon Thomas picked off Layfield and returned it 30 yards for a touchdown. The Red Devils went for 2 looking to tie, but Epstein caught Thomas from behind to keep Pennsville in front. Thomas got banged up on the play, eventually leaving him unavailable for the team’s final drive.
“These are the type of game that we live for,” Penns Grove coach Damian Ware said. “We live for these games where it’s a tight game, where it’s a one score game – not even a one-score game, a two-point game. It came down to extra points in this game. We didn’t get either extra point, they got two extra points, they win the game. It’s tough because it comes down to extra points and that’s something we been working on. But we played tough though, we battled, we grinded, so I’m not mad at these guys.”
Despite the two touchdown passes, it was an off night for Layfield. The Pennsville quarterback had thrown for more than 1150 yards and been intercepted just four times in 158 pass attempts in the first five games of the season, but on this rainy night he was just 6-of-12 for 94 yards and was intercepted four times. Jaivon Thomas and Jerry Wooten both picked him twice. He was, however, crowned Homecoming King at halftime.
The Red Devils had one last shot to get the game-winner and remain undefeated and they took up almost all of the final 7:28 to complete the task. They eventually got it to the Pennsville 12 with 2:08 to play. Terrell Thomas was stopped for no gain on second down and then the Red Devils threw an incomplete pass along the sideline on third.
They had a play lined up on the do-or-die fourth down Ware was confident was going to work, but they never got to run it because they were hit with a false start. On the restart they ran a reverse to Savior Allah that was supposed to turn into a pass, but Allah never got it off as Sanders met him head-on near the right sideline to kill the threat with one minute to go.
“The last drive we were getting some things that we were looking for all game, we just started executing them,” Ware said. “We had a play called that I though was going to be very successful before we got the false start and that kind of pushed us back behind the sticks. We tried to run a little something (on the last play) and it just didn’t work out.”
“I’ve played football my whole entire life, I know Penns Grove runs it,” Sanders said. “I saw the reverse coming. I told my teammates, but just a lot of years of football and knowing the situation and going down there and making a play. I don’t really think (it was for The Boot) in the moment; it’s just another football play. You’ve got to take every play as the most important play and as it turns out it was the most important play.”
It wasn’t the first time in the game Sanders thwarted a Penns Grove threat. He recovered a fumble to end a drive in the first quarter.
After Sanders’ stop in the fourth quarter Layfield took two knees to run out the clock and touch off a celebration that was equal parts joy and relief.
“I’m so proud of how (they played) defensively on that drive,” Healy said. “We gave up a few yards today but every time they got near the end zone for the most part we buckled down and did our job. Couldn’t be happier, but we’ve gpt to stop putting ourselves in situations where games are so close. We need to get to that point we’re not making mistakes and we’re taking advantage of opportunities.”
Pennsville 14, Penns Grove 12
PG
PV
13
1st Downs
13
39-151
Rushing
27-104
5-11-1
Passes
6-12-4
43
Passing
94
3-1
Fum-Lost
2-1
2-27.0
Punts-Avg
0-0
10-115
Penalties
8-60
Penns Grove (4-1)
6
0
0
6-
12
Pennsville (3-3)
0
7
7
0-
14
SCORING SUMMARY PG-Jaivon Thomas 26 run (pass failed), 7:30 1Q PV-C.J. Johnson 14 pass from Jake Layfield (Dante Cummings kick), 1:32 2Q PV-C.J. Johnson 44 pass from Jake Layfield (Dante Cummings kick), 10:03 3Q PG-Jaivon Thomas 30 interception return (run failed), 10:59 4Q
Pennsville freshman Ayden Epstein (44) moves in to stop Penns Grove’s Jaivon Thomas on a failed fourth-quarter two-point conversion that prevented the Red Devils from tying the game. (Photo by Lucky Shots)
Salem CC goes on the road for the second week in a row, travels to Sussex for what could be the start of a budding rivalry
By Al Muskewitz
CARNEYS POINT — If there’s ever going to be a chance for the Salem CC football program to develop a rivalry this early in its history, this is the week.
If anything looks like a rivalry on the Mighty Oaks’ football schedule, this is it.
The Mighty Oaks hit the road for the first of back-to-back games with Sussex CC (with a week off in between), and how could it not become a rivalry.
* The only two junior college football programs in the state to date. * It’s North Jersey vs. South Jersey * They recruit the same players and the Skylanders have a couple the Mighty Oaks tried to get * They play each other twice in the same season * When the Skylanders come to Pennsville in two weeks, it will be the Mighty Oaks’ homecoming game. * Sussex was one of the first programs Salem coach Jay Accorsi researched when he explored the idea of bringing JUCO football in South Jersey
All that’s missing is a trophy, a friendly wager between presidents and athletics directors perhaps, and a cool nickname. The River-to-Sky Rivalry? The Hundred-Mile Hoedown? The Turnpike Tussle?
“We’re not making it like a big rivalry game right now, we’re just trying to build a program,” Accorsi said. “We can’t do that yet I don’t think.
“I think at some point it might (become one). I think right now there are so many other things you’ve gotta worry about and do before we do that. I don’t think it’s critical right now, to be honest with you.”
Everybody has a rival. Where would Alabama be without Auburn, Clemson without South Carolina, Michigan without Ohio State, Notre Dame without everybody. When Accorsi was at Rowan, it was the College of New Jersey (proximity) and Montclair (success). The teams the Mighty Oaks will play regularly outside Sussex may be JUCO Division III, but they’re way too far away to be hated or prankable.
“It makes a lot of sense,” Accorsi said. “There’s a lot of validity to it and I think as the program grows here that’s something we can develop and do. I just don’t think we’re there yet. We’ve got a lot to do and a lot to figure out.”
One thing is learning to win on a consistent basis. They’re getting closer every week.
They are coming off a 35-6 loss at Army Prep. They stayed with the “best team we’ve played this year” for three of the quarters but were done in by a disastrous second quarter (28 points). Their touchdown came on a 60-yard pass from Kahmaj Kearney to Jeremiah Russell out of the wildcat formation that could become a bigger piece of their offense going forward.
“That’s going to be part of what we do,” Accorsi said. “I don’t think we can just completely do that, but it’s going to be probably part of it or more of what we do.
“We tried with Aidan (Hill) a little bit to do some things with him that way, just for one reason or another it hadn’t really worked out yet so we decided to put somebody else in there with a shot to do it and see. Obviously he was productive throwing the ball, obviously productive running the ball a little bit. I think that’s going to be a thing we continue to do as we go through. We’ll keep using it and see what works and develops as we try to go through the second half of the season.”
Kearney was in that spot last week because Hill didn’t make the trip. He was the fourth quarterback the Mighty Oaks have used this year. They could see a fifth Saturday with Jimmy Wilson among three new players in line to be added to the roster. Wilson, 6-3 and 210 pounds, passed for 1,425 yards and 11 touchdowns and rushed for seven more scores as a senior at Winslow in 2022. His availability could free up the expand versatile Aidan Hill’s in the offense.
“Any time you can add somebody who’s that dual threat to run and throw a little bit it helps kind of take the pressure off a lot of people around everybody else,” Accorsi said. “It’s going to be what do we need this week, who’s playing well and who’s practicing and where do we go from there.”
The Skylanders, meanwhile, are 0-3 and struggling to find an offense. They’re averaging only 111 yards a game and are a combined 5-for-37 on third and fourth down. Quarterback Kareem Moore has passed for 201 yards and is their leading rusher with 96 yards, most of it on a 72-yard run. His top two receivers are Daryus Dixon (9-69) and Allen Feliciano (8-75).
Salem Tech field hockey routs Pennsville, takes upper hand in TCC Classic; includes scores and highlights from Thursday’s Salem County sports calendar
THURSDAY’S SCORES FIELD HOCKEY Salem Tech 10, Pennsville 0 BOYS SOCCER Schalick 1, Clearview 0 GIRLS SOCCER Salem at Pennsville GIRLS TENNIS SJ Group 1 Tournament Pitman 4, Bernards 1 Roselle Park at Middlesex Gateway 5, South River 0 Haddon Twp. 4, Schalick 1 Woodstown 3, Lower Cape May 2 Metuchen 5, Edison Magnet 0 Woodbridge Magnet 5, Pennsville 0 New Providence 3, Shore 2 COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL Chesapeake 3, Salem CC 0
By Riverview Sports News
PENNSVILLE – Abigail Beals, Hazel Eachus and Adessa Plum scored two goals apiece and the two-year-old Salem Tech field hockey program took the upper hand in the Tri-County Classic Division with a school-record 10-0 rout of Pennsville Thursday.
The Chargers (6-2, 4-0) are the last remaining undefeated team in Classic Division play. They hold a 1½ game lead over Pennsville in the standings. Last year, in their inaugural season, they played as a TCC independent while they awaited the new scheduling cycle.
Jessilyn Chambers, Hayden Crispin, Avery Dalton and Gina LaRosa scored their other goals. Crispin was credited with three assists.
The Chargers have won their last three games by scores of 10-0, 9-0 and 6-0. They have now won five in a row, matching their longest winning streak in program history.
The teams play again Monday.
BOYS SOCCER SCHALICK 1, CLEARVIEW 0: Nolan O’Toole converted a penalty kick in the 81st minute for the game’s only goal and Nick Latona made eight saves in his fourth shutout of the season. According to reports, Marco Spinnato was sent in on net and taken down from behind in the box to set up the PK. The Cougars (6-2) have won four in a row, outscoring their opponents 13-1.
GIRLS TENNIS WOODSTOWN 3, LOWER CAPE MAY 2 Mia Gilbert (L) def. Madison LaPalomento, 6-1, 6-1 Emma West (WO) def. Casey Fitzpatrick, 6-3, 6-3 Angelina Lindenmuth (WO) def. Reilly Fitzpatrick, 6-2, 6-4 Emilee Kehr-Elliana Norman (WO) def. Mia Teng-Gia Guzzi, 4-6, 6-2, 10-3 Aubrey Gamble-Kaleigh Griser (L) def. Isabella Lindenmuth-Eleanore Lawson, 6-2, 6-4 Records: Woodstown 8-4, Lower Cape May 8-5.
SJ Group 1 Quarterfinals Tuesday’s Matches Roselle Park-Middlesex winner at Pitman Gateway at Haddon Twp. Metuchen at Woodstown Woodbridge Magnet at New Providence
Schalick’s Purnell returns with a vengeance — 3 TDs in four minutes — to help Cougars reclaim Hars-Lake Trophy
By Al Muskewitz
BRIDGETON — All Dez Purnell could do was watch last week’s game from his living room on somebody’s Facebook Live. And he cried. He wanted to be out there with his teammates more than anyone could know, but the officials ruled him out of bounds.
At that moment the Schalick senior running back/linebacker decided when he did get back on the field again he was going to make something happen and show people who he really was.
He was all over the place Thursday against one of the Cougars’ biggest rivals, especially in the second quarter.
Dez Purnell is all smiles as he receiving the trophy for being Schalick’s Hars-Lake game MVP.
Purnell scored three touchdowns in a stretch of 4 minutes, 16 seconds — two on offense, one on defense — and played like the Red Power Rangers he embodied as the Cougars dominated Cumberland 41-15 to win back the Hars-Lake Trophy.
He scored touchdowns on runs of 9 and 6 yards on back-to-back possession and then on Cumberland’s next snap returned an interception 35 yards for another score. The series took the Cougars from a 7-7 tie to a 28-7 halftime lead.
“I had to make a statement,” he said. “I had to let them know, like, y’all took 2 out and now he’s back. That’s really it.
“I knew that today it was going to be hell for them. I knew 100 percent of the way I was going to show them what I was going to show them what I was made of today. I’ve been letting off a bit of the gas pedal, but there’s not any more letting up in here.”
Purnell, whose teammates call him “Dooder,” was barred from last week’s game at Paulsboro for alleged unsportsmanlike language directed towards a Salem player at the end of that controversial game. A game official reported it and Schalick upheld the decision despite Salem coach Kemp Carr going to bat for the player.
Cougars head coach Kevin Leamy called the whole situation “unfortunate.” Purnell said he didn’t say what was alleged to have been said, but accepted the consequences and seems to have put it behind him.
He gained seven yards and a first down the first time he touched the ball Thursday night. He ended up rushing for 29 yards and was an aggressive part of a defense that held the Colts to negative rushing yardage in the first half and only 22 through the first three quarters. The touchdowns were his first in his two years with the Cougars.
“So, so happy for that kid,” Leamy said. “I told him before the game if we’re going to get opportunities down at the goal line you’re going to score.
“He’s a fantastic kid. He’s done everything right since he’s been here. He’s been the perfect captain and the perfect leader and I believe in him 100 percent. He showed last week by the way he practiced the reason we picked him to be captain. I thought he showed up. He responded exactly the way you would have hoped, conducted himself perfect, played his … off and the results spoke for themselves.
“I knew the way he practiced the past week and a half he just wanted to get back on the football field, so you knew as soon as he got back onto that field, he was going to do something special and he did … It’s really the way you would hope that a kid would handle adversity.”
Purnell wasn’t the only star of the show, although he was recognized as the Cougars’ Hars-Lake MVP. Quarterback Kenny Bartee accounted for 254 yards of offense, rushed for one touchdown and connected on a 78-yard pass play with Shawn Kelly for another. Kelly, the Cougars’ kicker, caught two passes for 112 yards. Speedster David Stewart opened the scoring with a 50-yard touchdown run and had 114 yards rushing and receiving.
The seniors all came out with colors of their favorite Power Ranger sticking out of their jerseys; Bartee in green, Stewart in orange. Many of them had matching shoes. Purnell knew all about the legacy of the Red one – traditional leader, cornerstone, enhanced strength, speed and durability; the leader – and he played like it.
SCH (41)
CUMB (15)
16
1st Downs
7
29-182
Rushing
20-78
6-10-0
Passes
7-16-2
194
Passing
127
0-0
Fum-Lost
1-0
2-30.5
Punts-Avg
3-41.3
7-70
Penalties
5-45
Schalick (6-0)
7
21
13
0-
41
Cumberland (0-6)
0
7
0
8-
15
SCORING SUMMARY S-David Stewart 50 run (Shawn Kelly kick), 0:09 1Q CU-ZayMere Hall 80 pass from Malik Jones (Jett Marguglio kick), 9:52 2Q S-DezYon Purnell 9 run (Shawn Kelly kick), 5:33 2Q S-DezYon Purnell 6 run (Shawn Kelly kick), 3:22 2Q S-DezYon Purnell 35 interception return (Shawn Kelly kick), 1:17 2Q S-Kenny Bartee 14 run (kick failed), 7:43 3Q S-Shawn Kelly 78 pass from Kenny Bartee (Dash Mayne kick), 3:30 3Q CU-Dereon Johnson 40 run (Dereon Johnson pass from Malik Jones), 10:10 4Q
The Schalick players show off the colors and salute of their favorite Power Ranger before Thursday night’s game with Cumberland.
All five teams in Salem County will be playing for special trophies this week; includes Salem County football leaders through games of Sept. 28
THIS WEEK’S GAMES Tonight: Schalick at Cumberland, 6 p.m. Friday: Penns Grove at Pennsville, 7 p.m. Saturday: Woodstown at Salem, noon
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
It’s Trophy Week in Salem County.
There’s a rivalry game of some kind somewhere every week, and all three games involving teams from Salem County are this week.
Tonight, Schalick, the No. 1 team in the South Jersey Group 1 power points standings, travels the six miles up Centerton Road to take on Cumberland for the Hars-Lake Trophy. Surprising Penns Grove plays at Pennsville Friday for the Wildman Willey Boot. And Saturday, surging Salem hosts Woodstown for the Rivalry Week Trophy that used to be the Thanksgiving Day Classic.
The Woodstown-Salem Thanksgiving Day Classic trophy, now called the Rivalry Week trophy.
“I think it means more to the kids from the simple fact you get to engrave your name on something and say you won something that particular year,” said Salem coach Kemp Carr, who has coached for and held high both The Boot and the Rivalry Week trophies in his career. “Anytime you get an opportunity to play for something no matter what it is you want to play your hardest and your best.”
The Salem-Woodstown series began in 1911 and has been played continuously since 1924; Salem leads it 64-40-10. Since they don’t play it on Thanksgiving Day anymore it has been decreed to be the home team’s homecoming game every year, and since they’re not in the same WJFL division at this time they’ve been designated opponents. Salem wrestled the trophy back last year – and had it hand delivered to the school — after it had been in Woodstown’s hands since 2021.
The trophy they’re playing for in Pennsville is named in honor of Norm “Wildman” Willey, the three-time Philadelphia Eagles All-Pro defensive lineman of the ’50s who taught PE and drivers ed at Pennsville for 30 years. He still holds the NFL record for sacks in a game – 17 against the New York Giants – at a time before sacks were an officially recognized league stat. He passed away in 2011.
It’s called The Boot because one of Willey’s football cleats is part of the trophy.
Penns Grove leads the series 37-29-4 and is 11-6 since 2010, but Pennsville has won the last two in a row.
“It’s always one of the most anticipated games of the season, especially when it’s our homecoming,” Eagles coach Mike Healy said. “The school and the community get really into this game and can’t wait for Friday night.”
The Schalick-Cumberland series began in 1977 with the first varsity football games in both schools’ history and then broke until 2002 when the Colts joined the Tri-County Conference when the Hars-Lake Memorial Trophy was established. It is named in the memories of longtime Cumberland coach Tom Lake, who oversaw the most successful stretch in Colts history, and former Schalick history teacher Mike Hars, who served as an assistant coach at both schools. Each team names an MVP when it’s over.
Schalick leads the series 16-9, but Cumberland won last year and will be looking to win back-to-back for the first time since 2008. Adding to the intrigue is the fact it will be played for the first time on a Thursday night.
They don’t call this one “The Neighborhood Game” for nothing. The players know each other, they’ve played with and against each other for years. The coaches and administrators overlap. Current Schalick athletics director Doug Volovar’s last game as Cumberland’s head football coach was in this game in 2002.
The Gloucester City game might be the Cougars’ longest-standing football rivalry, but this one is personal.
“It definitely has that kind of taste to it,” former Schalick head coach Mike Wilson said back in 2023. “I’ve been on staffs where the people in town only care about one game; this game has that same type of level. Whether both teams are 7-0, 0-7 or whatever it doesn’t matter.
“This one checks all the boxes. It used to be Schalick and Cumberland’s Super Bowl when Thanksgiving kind of ended your season. I still think it’s a mid-year Super Bowl. It’s a big deal. These kids are going to come out ready to play and you’re going to see the best effort on both sides.”
Pennsville players raise The Boot last year after retaining the trophy in the series with Penns Grove. Top photo: The Wildman Willey Boot and the Hars-Lake Trophy.
Pennsville takes down Dayton in play-in round of the South Jersey Group 1 girls tennis tournament; Eagles take long ride to Woodbridge Thursday for next round
GIRLS TENNIS SJ Group 1 Tournament Pennsville 4, Dayton 1
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
PENNSVILLE — They’ve only known each other since the start of tennis season. They’ve only been paired as Pennsville’s No. 2 doubles team for about a week. But Mariangela Rangel and Yasary Clemente Brito have found the formula to create some tennis magic together.
The recently paired tandem won a straight set victory Wednesday to clinch the Eagles’ 4-1 victory over Dayton in the play-in round of the South Jersey Group 1 Tournament. They defeated Nilaja Awogboro-Clark and Payten Santiago, 6-4, 6-4.
It was only the tandem’s fifth match together; they’re 4-1. They’ve played together at No. 2 doubles in four straight matches since Sept. 22, winning three of them.
“We’ve been trying to mix our doubles combinations up looking for chemistry between the girls,” Pennsville head coach Brynn Buechler said after claiming her first sectional tournament victory as a head coach. “We’ve had a few practices where we have the girls rotating and noticed that Yas and Mariangela communicate with each other and their personalties really gel.
“They feed off each other’s energy and it was great to see them get the win today to clinch the match for us.”
Yasary Clemente Brito (L) and Mariangela Rangel walk back to rejoin their teammates after winning the match that clinched Pennsville’s victory.
The two partners credit their culture and style of play as the secrets to their success.
“I feel it works because we both speak Spanish and we understand,” said Rangel, a sophomore playing her first year of tennis. “And she’s really good in the back and I’m really good up at the net, so I’m not surprised how good we’ve been playing together.”
“They have such an energy between them,” Eagles assistant coach Dallas Dilks said. “Really upbeat. Picking each other up. And then it was just can we get their games better from the time they started playing together and they both stepped up. Today was great. They hustled around, they put extra balls in, their confidence was so high. This is what we’ve been wanting all year and they stepped up to the plate.”
Both of their sets on the far end of the courts were tight. Once they got the lead in the second set they never lost it. The Dayton duo tied the set at 2-2 and 4-4. The Pennsville pair held serve to take the lead 5-4, then broke the Bulldogs’ serve to send the 10th-seeded Eagles (9-3) to the next round.
They now travel to seventh-seeded Woodbridge Magnet Thursday for the Round of 16. This year’s tournament was compressed into North and South sectionals with 24 teams in each. The top eight seeds drew byes.
“I think we did a really good job,” said Clemente Brito, a junior. “We started off really strong. We got a little down, but we didn’t give up. We just kept going and we won. We came in with positive minds and we knew if we wanted to win we can’t get mad if we lose a point. We just came to win and we just had to get the job done.”
The Eagles swept the three singles matches for their other points. Naomi Hess and Jaisley Weber won in straight sets in advance of Rangel and Clemente Brito’s clinching win, then No. 1 singles Graillyn Weber won a 10-5 third-set tiebreaker for the final margin.
SOUTH JERSEY GROUP 1 TOURNAMENT Thursday’s first-round matchups Bernards at Pitman, 3:30 p.m. Roselle Park at Middlesex, 3:30 p.m. South River at Gateway, 3:30 p.m. Schalick at Haddon Twp., 3 p.m. Lower Cape May at Woodstown, 3 p.m. Edison Magnet at Metuchen, 3:30 p.m. Pennsville at Woodbridge Magnet, 3:30 p.m. Shore at New Providence, 3 p.m.
