Author: almusky

Running on empty

Wednesday roundup:Salem Tech harriers win first SJ Tech title one day after winning TCC division crown; Pennsville soccer beats Pitman for first time since 2017, and more

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

WESTAMPTON – Every bit of conventional wisdom would tell you the Salem Tech cross country runners should have been spent. Like sending a relief pitcher out to the mound for a third day in a row, there shouldn’t have been anything left. But the Chargers saw a unique opportunity and literally found another gear.

Levi Seals and Anthony Morano went 3-4, respectively and the Chargers placed all five counters in the top 10, to win their first ever South Jersey Vo-Tech Championship at Westampton Tech Wednesday – one day after clinching its fifth straight TCC Classic Division title.

The Chargers finished with 29 points. GCIT and Camden Vo-Tech both scored 66 points. Medford Tech was fourth with 67 points.

“I was impressed with the guys,” Chargers coach Matt DiTizio said. “(Defending race champion) GCIT on a normal day, they would’ve had us for sure, but they were in a tough race yesterday, too.

“We saw an opportunity we don’t normally have, so we went for it. I figured it might be tight with some of the teams there, but there was just too much of an opportunity there and the guys really wanted to go for it. I gave them the green light and they took advantage of it.”

Seals hit the finish in 17:57.21; he’s run faster before, but his time here was six seconds faster than he ran in Tuesday’s TCC Batch Meet. Morano finished in 18:45.16. Jean-Pierre Pozo (19:02.69), Joseph MacNeil (19:11.23) and Chase Pompper (19:32.05) all finished in the top 10, with Pozo and MacNeil both posting faster times than the day before. Medford Tech’s Chris Davis won the race in 17:42.00.

“It’s a lot on a runner to have them push like that two days in a row,” DiTizio said. “I felt this group had what it took to win it and push through a back-to-back race. They showed how tough they are and I am super proud of how they performed. They all ran a solid race”

The Salem Tech girls finished third in their race, behind winner GCIT and Medford Tech. Sophomore Paityn Harrington (26:21.34) and Abigail Vanaman (26:41.51) finished fourth and fifth, respectively, for the Chargers. Medford Tech’s Hailey Fedezko won the race in 24:48.15.

Boys soccer

PENNSVILLE — Sam Hassler scored off an indirect free kick from Lucas Cooksey in the 35th minute to give his team a two-goal lead and Pennsville “held on like crazy” in the second half to end a long losing streak against Pitman, 2-1.

It was the Eagles’ first win over the Panthers since 2017, ending a 12-game winless streak. The Eagles last win over Pitman came in the first meeting of the 2017 season, 4-3 at Alcyon Park. The teams played to a scoreless tie last year.

Justin Michaca scored Pennsville’s first goal on a penalty kick in the 20th minute. Pitman’s goal also came on a PK, by Jonas Drum, with 20 minutes left in regulation. Lochlann Hooks kept the out the rest of the game, making 15 saves total.

“I respect coach (Matt) Newcomb and the Pitman program a lot, so to get a first win against them feels like a big accomplishment,” Pennsville coach Derek Foglein said. “We’ve had a lot of firsts for our program recently. Just goes to show how far we’ve come.”

Girls soccer

SCHALICK 7, GLOUCESTER CATHOLIC 0: Karlie Bakley, Nicolette Bloomer and Olivia Vanacker all scored twice and Izzy Desantis tallied once as the Cougars (7-1) erupted for seven goals in the first half. The shutout was the Cougars’ sixth of the season and second in as many days

WOODSTOWN 2, PITMAN 0: Korynn Hernandez and Mariah Hyman scored goals in the first half as the Wolverines bounced back from a tough loss to arch-rival Schalick a day before. Hernandez now has 13 goals in her freshman season.

Field hockey

SCHALICK 10, SALEM 0: Luci Virga scored two goals and eight other players scored once as the Cougars won their seventh straight and second in a row by a 10-0 score. After being shutout in their first two games of the season, the Cougars have outscored their opponents 41-4.

“After adjusting our formation a few times, we finally found what works for us,” Cougars coach Heather Cheesman said.

HAMMONTON 2, WOODSTOWN 0: Lucia Donio scored two goals in the fourth quarter to help the Blue Devils extend their unbeaten streak to six games and snap Woodstown’s six-game winning streak.

OVERBROOK 2, PENNSVILLE 0: The Rams applied relentless pressure on Pennsville goalie Kelsey Cook, but only Lucylaine Bannan and Cadence Burr could get it past the junior keeper.

Girls tennis

PENNSVILLE 4, DAYTON 1: The recently paired tandem of Mariangela Rangel and Yasary Clemente Brito won a straight set victory at second doubles to clinch the Eagles’ victory in the play-in round of the South Jersey Group 1 Tournament.

The 10th-seeded Eagles (9-3) now travel to seventh-seeded Woodbridge Magnet Thursday for a first-round match.

The Eagles swept the three singles matches for their other points. Naomi Hess and Jaisley Weber won in straight sets, while No. 1 singles Graillyn Weber won a 10-5 third-set tiebreaker.

A more detailed account will be posted to Riverview Sports News soon.


On the rebound

Schalick scores two goals off rebounds to bounce archival Woodstown and maintain the top spot in South Jersey Group 1

BOYS SOCCER
Schalick 3, Woodstown 1

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PITTSGROVE — Joe Mannella is constantly reminding his Schalick soccer players the value of collecting rebounds. Be in the right place at the right time enough times, the 300-win coach tells them, and the goals will come.

While long free kicks, even longer upfield runs to beat a defender one-on-one and headers off corner kicks are all the rage, there’s something to be said about being Johnny-on-the-spot. The Cougars scored two second-half goals off rebounds Tuesday and they provided the margin of victory in their 3-1 win over archival Woodstown.

“They’re there every game,” Mannella said. “We talk about it to these guys all the time that if you just do nothing but go for rebounds you’ll get double-digit goals.

“These guys all want the highlight-reel goals. You saw how many balls went 20 feet over the net and 20 feet wide because they’re trying to (do something spectacular). Sometimes it’s just get to the front of the net and get a rebound and put it in the back of the net.”

Woodstown’s Landon Gugliemo (11) wins a header with Schalick’s Ryan Loper in their game Tuesday. Top photo, Schalick’s Tyler Vanlier (17) looks to distribute he ball before the Woodstown defense converges on him.

Tyler Vanlier broke a 1-1 tie when he rushed in to collect a shot Marco Spinnato banged off the crossbar five minutes into the second half. Spinnato made it 3-1 six minutes later when he followed Josh Stecher’s shot that bounced back into play off Woodstown keeper Lee Coombs’ chest for his second goal of the game.

“That’s part of playing your role,” Manella said. “That strike for Tyler and Marco and those guys up there, their job is to follow shots because there are going to be rebounds.”

But sending a rebound back home is harder than it looks. You’ve got to think, too, the last thing anyone wants to do is whiff or airmail it when the whole goal is in front of you. It’d be like a defensive lineman scooping up and fumble and rumbling 50, 60 yards and then fumbling before he crosses the goal line. 

“Yeah, because you’re thinking about it,” Spinnato said. “People think when you’re in front of the goal and stuff it’s just an easy tap in; it’s so much more than that. The ball’s bouncing, you’re playing weird bounces and stuff, you’re on a field that’s all mushy and stuff, I put those in as factors, so, yes, it’s hard.”

“It is kind of hard because you’ve got to be in the right place at the right time; you’ve just gotta be there,” Vanlier said. “I was trying to predict it (on his). I thought (the original shot) was going to go in, but I was there just in case.”

Spinnato now has 16 career goals. Nine have come against Salem County teams. He’s scored at least one goal in four of the Cougars’ last six games.

“My job is to put goals in the back of the net; I feel like that’s what I’m doing right now,” it doesn’t matter against whom, he said. “Losing (Luke) Price I have to step up in some ways and I feel like today I kind of like really put that into my head and I tried to score, and I think I did pretty good.”

Spinnato scored the first goal of the game when pushed one past Coombs from the doorstop less than four minutes into the match. Woodstown’s Nick DiTeodoro got the equalizer five minutes before halftime when he moved down the right wing and ripped one of those highlight-reel goals into the upper left corner from the right side of the box.

Schalick controlled the play, especially in the second half, outshooting the Wolverines 21-11.

“He’s got a very talented team there and they definitely controlled possession,” Huck said of his buddy Mannella. “We discussed it at halftime. They’re going to control possession on us, but we just needed to keep working. The few opportunities that we get, when we could break something down, we were going for it, but like I said, they’ve got a heck of a team and they showed it today.”

Woodstown (5-4-1)10-1
Schalick (5-2)12-3

GOALS: Marco Spinnato (S), 3:40; Nick DiTeodoro (WO), 35:00; Tyler Vanlier (S), 45:02; Marco Spinnato (S), 51:06.

Woodstown’s Nick DiTeodoro (22) gets great leg extension on this shot that produced the Wolverines’ only goal in the first half against Schalick.


Early Bloomer

Schalick freshman emerging as a goal-scoring machine, nets two in win over Woodstown; plus, Schalick’s girls win SJ tennis tourney opener

GIRLS SOCCER
Schalick 4, Woodstown 0

By Brian Tortella
For Riverview Sports News

WOODSTOWN — After graduating a talented senior class that accounted for nearly half of the team’s scoring last season, it would be understandable if Will Kemp didn’t know what to expect this season from a young squad featuring several new faces.

However, it didn’t take the Schalick girls soccer coach long during the preseason to realize that this would be far from a rebuilding year.

Behind two goals from standout freshman Nicolette Bloomer, the Cougars earned a 4-0 shutout over county rival Woodstown in Tri-County Diamond Division action Tuesday.

“She’s done extremely well,” Kemp said of his star rookie. “She’s a fiery individual. She’s developed really fast inside the last three weeks alone. I was excited to get her on the squad when she was coming through the eighth grade system. I’ve seen her play a few times for Pittsgrove Club. It’s good to see what she’s applying from there over to here.

“She’s been an absolute game changer for us when it comes to us getting some more goals and adding that aggression on the field that we currently need.”

Bloomer scored the first goal of the match midway through the first half with a strike to the bottom left corner of the net while in the box to give Schalick a 1-0 advantage into intermission.

It didn’t take her long into the second half to find the net again as her shot seven minutes into the second half gave the Cougars a two-score lead they would not look back on. Olivia Vanacker and Emily Tramontana-Miller each scored insurance goals within the 64th minute to solidify the triumph.

“I’ve been playing since I was really little and I’ve been working my way up,” Bloomer said. “I’ve been striving to be who I am now and I’m looking forward to keeping going.

“It was a big win. We came out real strong. We really came together as a team.”

Schalick improved to 6-1 and recorded its fifth shutout of the young season. The Cougars’ lone blemish came 2-1 to Camden Catholic in a non-league matchup last Friday.

Unbeaten in their last seven contests in the series, the Cougars haven’t lost to Woodstown in 1,452 days. You’d have to flip the calendar back to Oct. 7, 2022, to find Schalick’s last setback to their division rival.

Under the direction of coach Will Kemp, Schalick is off to a 4-0 start against division opponents this fall.

With the win, the Cougars now narrowly hold the No. 1 seed in the South Jersey Group 1 girls soccer power point standings. Gateway, Collingswood, Wildwood and Woodstown round out the top five in what is expected to be a highly competitive race this fall, with two-time defending champion Haddon Township currently riding a five-game losing streak due to an injury-riddled roster.

“I believe we’re one of the best teams (in Group 1),” Bloomer said. “We’re for sure up there. If we keep playing the way we are, we’re for sure the best team.”

It has been an impressive start, to say the least, for a squad that graduated two of its top three scorers in the spring. The heavy production lost from graduated seniors Quinn Berger (team-high 14 goals and 18 assists) and Cali Fisler (eight goals and 11 assists) has been filled by Bloomer, who now leads the team with nine goals, and fellow rookie Mackenzie Talarico, who has five goals this fall.

So does Kemp believe his squad is the best in South Jersey Group 1 like the standings say? Only time will tell.

“I have a lot of faith in my players,” he said. “They’ve done extremely well over the last few weeks. We still have a lot of growing to do, but I think we can really push forward to another level.”

Woodstown fell to 6-2-1 with the setback. The Wolverines enjoyed one of their best seasons in recent memory in 2025, finishing with a 15-4-1 record and reaching the South Jersey Group 1 semifinal, where they fell to eventual champion Haddon Township.

Freshmen like Schalick’s Mackenzie Talarico (17) and Woodstown’s Korynn Hernandez are making a big splash on the South Jersey Group 1 girls soccer scene this fall. Top photo: Schalick’s Nicolette Bloomer. (Photos by Brian Tortella)

The Wolverines are also riding a strong underclassmen core, headlined by freshman Korynn Hernandez, the team leader with 12 goals. They also have a first-year varsity goal keeper in sophomore Mazie Mazzoni, while freshman Bella Lucas and sophomore Hailey Kucharczuk continue to make dividends on the scoreboard.

They just couldn’t get much going Tuesday.

“As the saying goes, ‘You learn more in a loss;’ we’ll learn from the mistakes we made today because we made a lot of them,” Woodstown coach Kieran Keyser said. “Schalick is a heck of a team. We beat ourselves down in a lot of ways. Small defensive breakdowns here and there. We’ll work on those things and I’m glad they’re happening now rather than in November.”

Brian Tortella is an occasional contributor to Riverview Sports News. He can be reached at btortreportssj@gmail.com

Schalick (6-1)13-4
Woodstown (6-2-1)00-0

GOALS: Nicolette Bloomer (S) 2, Olivia Vanacker (S), Emily Miller (S).

Girls tennis
Schalick sweeps, Pennsville delayed

SJ GROUP 1 TOURNAMENT
Bernards 5, Highland Park 0
Roselle Park 5, New Egypt 0
South River 5, Wildwood 0
Schalick 5, Glassboro 0
Lower Cape May 5, Henry Hudson/Keyport 0
Edison Magnet 5, Pt. Pleasant Beach 0
Dayton at Pennsville, Wednesday
Shore 5, Dunellen 0

PITTSGROVE — Olivia Lunemann remembered what it felt like losing a 10-point tiebreaker to Glassboro’s No. 1 singles player during the regular season. It stayed with her a while. She didn’t want to feel that way again.

This time, in the rematch with even bigger stakes attached, the Schalick senior left no doubt. She dispatched Alana Killelea in straight sets, 6-3, 6-4, to win her match and help the Cougars sweep Glassboro 5-0 in the play-in round of the South Jersey Group 1 girls tennis tournament.

“I thought about how that one went, how I was feeling that whole time and I didn’t want to go through that,” she said. “I just wanted to play more my sport than get all emotional.

“The first time when I lost I was very emotional and for like the week after that I was just off the entire time. All my shots were bad. I was hitting the net all the time. Everyone was like you did good, it was only a 10-point, but that’s right, it was only a 10-point. If I get that 10-point I would have won. I think that hit me.”

This time she kept her emotions in check, placed her ball anywhere she wanted on the court and stayed in the points.

The Cougars lost two third-set tiebreakers in that 3-2 regular-season team victory over the Bulldogs. They had only one go to the third set Tuesday and the second doubles team of River Wojcik and Janae White pulled that out, 3-6, 6-3, 11-9.

Sebrina Bradford, Lunemann’s former doubles partner, and Jasmine Hunt claimed the Cougars’ other singles points. Brooke Brown and Jazmin Perez earned their other doubles point.

“I think they came in with more confidence now that it’s a little bit later in the year,” Schalick coach Brandi Petrunis said. “We have a senior at 1 and 2, so I think that helps, too. And being at home, that’s always a good thing.

“My girls played really well. Glassboro was hitting some really good points, but our girls were just limiting our errors and keeping the balls in looking for open blue ,,, so that was perfect. We’re really hoping this will give us momentum for the second round and we can calm down and just play like we can play.”

‘The Cougars (8-3) now travel to No. 4 Haddon Twp. (9-5) on Thursday. Schalick has won the last two meetings in the series, but the teams haven’t played since 2023.

Tenth-seeded Pennsville (8-3) also was scheduled for a play-in match Tuesday, but No. 23 Dayton (1-8) wasn’t expected to have enough players to compete and was granted a delay. The teams now will play Wednesday at Pennsville. The winner travels to No. 7 Woodbridge Magnet (5-5) on Thursday. — Al Muskewitz

SCHALICK 5, GLASSBORO 0
Olivia Lunemann (S) def. Alana Killelea, 6-3, 6-4
Sebrina Bradford (S) def. Taylor Adcock, 6-3, 6-1
Jasmine Hunt (S) def. Virginia Tarasevich, 6-1, 6-2
Brooke Brown-Jazmin Perez (S) def. Sofia Dungca-Conception Soriano, 7-6 (8-6), 6-4
River Wojcik-Janae White (S) def. Alice Denzel-Amani George, 3-6, 6-3, 11-9
Records: Schalick 8-3, Glassboro 6-5.

Night to remember

Pennsville’s Regner scores first high school goal on team’s Senior Night


BOYS SOCCER
Penns Grove 2, Glassboro 2
Pennsville 3, Salem Tech 0
GIRLS SOCCER
Glassboro at Penns Grove
Pennsville at Salem Tech
Schalick at Woodstown, ppd.
FIELD HOCKEY
Gloucester Catholic at Pennsville, ppd.
Overbrook at Schalick, ppd.
Salem Tech 9, Clayton 0
Deptford 4, Salem 0
GIRLS TENNIS
Pennsville 5, Salem 0

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PENNSVILLE — Brant Regner didn’t know if he was ever going to score a goal in his high school soccer career, but he finally broke through Monday on a night made just for him.

Regner, Justin Michaca and Lochlann Hooks all had a Senior Night to remember in Pennsville’s much-needed 3-0 victory over Salem Tech under the lights of Lou D’Angelo Stadium.

Regner, a defender, scored the first goal of his high school career after fielding a corner kick by Lucas Cooksey to open the scoring. Michaca capped the Eagles’ relentless attack with their third goal. And Hooks, a four-year player in the program finally getting his chance to start, scored the shutout.

“It was really special to me,” Regner said. “I haven’t scored since probably middle school, seventh grade year, so I’m super excited about my first goal after four, five years, however long it was. I’ve been wanting to score since my freshman year and I made it.”

“It had eyes,” Eagles coach Derek Foglein said. “It found the hole it was supposed to find.”

The Eagles were playing their first game since a 3-0 loss at Penns Grove 11 days ago,. They showed little signs of being rusty as they kept constant pressure on Chargers’ keeper Aiden Bobo. The senior keeper was credited with 22 saves.

Regner’s goal was the only tally of the first half. Sam Hassler gave the Eagles a 2-0 lead in the 51st minute and Michaca made it 3-0 about 10 minutes later.

“The last game we played was losing at Penns Grove on their Senior Night, so for us being able to hit the reset button was super important,” Foglein said. “The guys did a great job tonight of connecting, moving the ball, playing as a team and hitting the reset button.

“They came out right from the get=go and they moved the ball like they were supposed to. I’m very happy with the performance. It’s a good team performance. We got a lot of people involved and that’s because we connected and moved the ball well.”

PENNS GROVE 2, GLASSBORO 2: David Adu’s header off a free kick with five seconds left in regulation sent the match into overtime. Dominique Tino scored the Red Devils’ first goal. Jesus Arredondo kept the Bulldogs out of the net in overtime after replacing injured Ruben Torres Saenz in goal. Saenz (11) and Arredondo combined for 14 saves.

Field hockey

SALEM TECH 9, CLAYTON 0: Araya DiGregorio scored a goal and a school-record five assists, while Hayden Crispin, Abigail Beals and Mia Caltabiano all scored twice as the Chargers set a program record for goals in a game. Jocelyn Ross and Hazel Eachus scored the Chargers’ other goals. It was their fourth win in a row. The game was called in the fourth quarter when the Clippers lost a player to injury and didn’t have enough players to continue.

Girls tennis

PENNSVILLE 5, SALEM 0
Graillyn Weber (P) def. Heaven Jones-McCullough, 6-2, 6-2
Naomi Hess (P) def. JaNye Hubbard, 6-1, 6-2
Jaisley Weber (P) def. Erica Brewer, 6-1, 6-2
Aubrey Hall-Juliana Thomas (P) def. Aleena Allen-Aniya Lyles-Clark, 6-0, 6-0
Yasary Clemente-Brito-Mariangela Rangel (P) won by forfeit
Pennsville 8-3, Salem 0-7

WJFL Scoreboard

Here are the scores from this weekend’s West Jersey Football League schedule; games postponed Saturday will be played Monday

MONDAY’S GAMES
Salem 42, Overbrook 0
Penns Grove 24, Woodbury 12
Middle Twp. 21, Haddon Twp. 0
Bordentown at KIPP

SATURDAY’S GAMES
Schalick 16, Paulsboro 8
Ewing 39, Princeton 8
Haddon Heights 36, Bishop Eustace 14
Bordentown at KIPP, ppd.
Lawrence at Nottingham, noon
Haadon Twp. at Middle Twp., ppd.
Overbrook at Salem, ppd.
Penns Grove at Woodbury, ppd.

FRIDAY’S SCORES
Burlington City 24, Pennsville 22
Woodstown 42, Buena 8
Atlantic City 36, Winslow 30
Audubon 24, Gateway 12
Bridgeton 26, Vineland 21
Burlington Twp. 20, Pleasantville 18
Camden 27, Cedar Creek 7
Clearview 28, Pemberton 18
Deptford 46, Holy Cross 19
Eastern 17, Lenape 7
Egg Harbor 37, Atlantic Tech 6
Glassboro 42, Holy Spirit 0
Hammonton 21, Oakcrest 20
Lower Cape May 28, Absegami 0
Mastery Camden 26, WW-Plainsboro 6
Millville 28, St. Augustine 21
Moorestown 7, Cherry Hill West 0
Northern Burlington 14, Pennsauken 7
Notre Dame 21, Robbinsville 0
Ocean City 27, Mainland 21
Paul VI 35, Willingboro 15
Rancocas Valley 35, Cherokee 0
Shawnee 37, Delsea 7
St. Joe (Hamm.) 41, Highland 7
Sterling 39, Collingswood 6
Timber Creek 55, Cumberland 7
Trenton 46, Hightstown 7
Washington Twp. 28, Kingsway 7
West Deptford 28, Haddonfield 0
Wildwood 28, Gloucester Catholic 14

THURSDAY’S RESULTS
Camden Catholic 20, Maple Shade 14
Florence 21, Riverside 20
Gloucester 41, Cinnaminson 12
Hopewell Valley 42, Allentown 25
Seneca 35, Delran 14
Williamstown 33, Cherry Hill East 21

New day dawning

With two dynamic additions, Salem looks like the team it envisioned at the beginning of the season; Penns Grove remains undefeated after benchmark win

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

SALEM — The alarm for school went off in Desmund Thomas’ house Monday morning at precisely 5:51 a.m. The one in Raymond Brown’s house buzzed him awake even earlier. It was the dawn of a new day for the Salem football team.

Salem coach Kemp Carr has often said in these first four weeks of the season his Rams would be a better team in the second half of the season than it was at the beginning, and a big reason for it was knowing he’d have Thomas and Brown back on the field.

The two seniors saw their first action of the season after satisfying NJSIAA senior two-time transfer rules and their presence definitely was felt in the Rams’ 42-0 rout of Overbrook.

“It’s good to have seven (Thomas) and five-four (Brown) back,” Carr said. “It adds to the team. They’re the leaders. You don’t have to be a captain to be a leader. They’re leaders on this football team. if you really want to be good, you need leaders. They did a good job of orchestrating when it was their time and their number was called, and football players make plays.

“They’re special football players. They were first teamers last year within their conference, so they’re pretty good football players. They got to show their talent, their skill level, their ability to play football and they’re hungry. You keep a wild dog caged up and you let him out, you expect him to go crazy, do things you expect him to do because they have that extra fuel.”

Their debuts were delayed two days as Saturday’s scheduled kick was postponed by the weekend’s weather. All that did was make the two players more eager to play.

They all had even more reason to be excited. Before the game Carr sprung a new set of black jerseys on the players, laying them out along the basketball court sideline and having them pick their numbers as they came out of the locker room door.

And as soon as Brown and Thomas got in the game they had an immediate impact.

Brown, who landed at Salem after stops at Penns Grove and Hammonton’s St. Joseph Academy, didn’t start on the Rams’ deep defensive line Monday. The coaches all wanted to put him in the second play after the Rams gained seven on their first snap, but pumped the brakes. He went in after Overbrook’s Axcel Bailey picked up another seven on a second-and-13 and on his first play he broke through the line and sacked quarterback Mark Hailstork with such authority it forced a fumble that Mahkye Murray recovered at the 21. 

Brown had at least two sacks in the game and several other tackles for loss. Salem’s Blue Storm defense held Overbrook (2-3) to minus-seven yards of offense on a limited number of plays in the second half.

“It felt good, especially being in this environment with these teammates; I really feel like we can take it far,” Brown said. “I was really excited to get out here, just the atmosphere we have during practice and in games, it really keeps me going.

“That first play, it was just my teammates, they do such a good job with their one-on-ones it just opened it up for me. I couldn’t have asked for anything better. It was a surreal moment. I couldn’t have dreamed it any better.”

The fumble gave Thomas a short field to work with on his opening drive of the season. He transferred to Salem from suburban Atlanta before the start of last season, returned to his original school after football season for personal reasons, then came back to Salem constituting a second transfer.

His first play was negated by a holding penalty, but on the next snap he floated a beautiful 31-yard pass to Quemere Bergen for the game’s first touchdown. He threw a 24-yard touchdown pass to Kane Green the next time they got the ball.

The Rams (2-3) scored on all six of their meaningful possessions. They had the ball for the final two snaps of the first half after denying Overbrook on fourth down from the 11, but they simply took a knee to run out the clock.

Thomas completed all seven of his pass attempts for 122 yards and two touchdowns – a 340.69 NCAA passer rating (NFL 158.33) – and rushed for 47 yards and another score on 10 carries. He made all the throws to all areas of the field. The one pass he did overthrow was erased by a roughing penalty. He also was 3-for-3 on two-point conversion throws.

“I just wanted to get out there with my guys,” Thomas said. “I was looking forward to playing last game, but I just knew I had to stay patient; my day was going to come. It’s all about patience. This was the start of us being a collective. Have you ever seen a complete puzzle that’s good? We were missing pieces. We put the pieces back together, you’re ready to win as one.”

Overbrook coach Frank Wilczynski said the appearance of Thomas at quarterback caught the Rams by surprise. All the film they had seen of Salem had either freshman Owen McDonald or sophomore Kyvion Parsons directing the offense.

“We had no idea he was going to be behind center today,” Wilczynski said. “As I said to him after we shook hands, he is a phenomenal, phenomenal football player and it just changes the whole dynamic of them offensively. He can throw it. He can run it. Watching the last four games on them, we were not prepared for him.

“They’re going to hit their stride right now and they’re going to be a tough team to beat when it comes late October, November. They’re going to be very, very good.”

That’s what Carr has been saying all along.

Salem’s Raymond Brown wraps up Overbrook quarterback Mark Hailstork and forces a fumble on his first play of the season Monday. Top photo: Salem quarterback Desmund Thomas (7) throws a touchdown pass on his first official play of the season. Both players became eligible for this game after satisfying state transfer rules.
OVER (0)SAL (42)
61st Downs17
34-64Rushing31-187
2-7-0Passes7-7-0
1Passing122
1-1Fum-Lost1-1
1-29.0Punts-Avg0-0
10-87Penalties6-65
Overbrook0000-0
Salem168126-42

SCORING SUMMARY
S-Quemere Bergen 31 pass from Desmund Thomas (Desmund Thomas run), 9:30 1Q
S-Kane Green 24 pass from Desmund Thomas (Izaiah Santiago pass from Desmund Thomas), 0:30 1Q
S-Desmund Thomas 5 run (Quemere Bergen pass from Desmund Thomas), 2:26 2Q
S-Cashmir Parsley 1 run (run failed), 8:48 3Q
S-Cashmir Parsley 2 run (run failed), 6:01 3Q
S-Rahkye Seals 4 run (run failed), 3:22 4Q

Red Devils play like ‘grown men’

WOODBURY — After handling its first three opponents rather handily, about the only thing Penns Grove had yet to experience this season is any kind of serious adversity. 

The Red Devils had plenty of it in the first half here Monday, but they weathered the storm well enough for coach Damian Ware to be impressed.

Three turnovers and a late touchdown in the second quarter sent the Red Devils to face their first halftime deficit of the year. They bounced back with three scores in the second half, held Woodbury off the scoreboard and won 24-12 to remain undefeated. 

They’re 4-0 for the first time since 2019, which is also the last time they beat the Thundering Herd.

“The story was showing some resiliency and learning how to win a tough game,” Ware said. “We’ve been having these blowout games, but today we had a tough game.”

Penns Grove’s Thomas tandem – freshman Jaivon and senior Terrell – combined for 211 yards rushing and four touchdowns. Jaivon Thomas rushed for 145 yards on 21 carries and scored on runs of 13 and 9 yards. Terrell Thomas rushed for 66 yards, scored on runs of 5 and 11 yards, and played a big role on a defense that held Woodbury to minus-32 yards of offense.

The Thundering Herd had minus-2 yards of passing and minus-30 yards of net rushing. The Red Devils held Dale Thomas, one of the top 10 rushers in the WJFL, to minus-17 yards on 13 carries.

“Our defense was really the stalwart today,” Ware said. “Our defense was lights out.”

The two touchdowns Woodbury scored came on a fumble return in the first quarter and a blocked punt that set up a short field for Dale Thomas’ 1-yard run in the final 30 seconds of the first half. The Red Devils trailed 6-0 and 12-6, but outscored the Herd 18-0 in the second half.

Penns Grove almost scored after Woodbury took its 12-6 lead. The Red Devils got the ball back with 14 seconds left in the half. Jaivon Thomas broke off a long run to get to the 5. Terrell Thomas looked to get in the end zone on the final play of the half, but the officials ruled he was out of bounds before hitting the pylon.

“Today was a game of learning how to win through adversity,” Ware said. “When we had three turnovers in the first half we could have easily felt sorry for ourselves, but they just kept fighting. They scored on two plays we gave them and we moved the ball at will. If we didn’t turn it over a couple times we probably would’ve scored two more touchdowns in the first half and been up and they wouldn’t have had any points.

“That was the game today, learning how to win through adversity when it’s not easy. That was a growing up game for us. I told the guys we played like some grown men today because we didn’t cower down, we didn’t feel sorry for ourselves, we just kept fighting and punching and punching and punching. It showed me a lot today.”

PG (24)WBURY (12)
121st Downs 5
44-236Rushing25-(-30)
3-4-0Passes2-13-0
23Passing-2
11-80Penalties12-102
Penns Grove06612-24
Woodbury6600-12

SCORING SUMMARY
WB-Kayir McIntosh 43 fumble return (kick failed)
PG-Terrell Thomas 5 run (PAT failed)
WB-Dale Thomas 1 run (run failed)
PG-Jaivon Thomas 13 run (run failed)
PG-Terrell Thomas 11 run (run failed)
PG-Jaivon Thomas 9 run (pass failed)



Salem County series

Here are the standings within this season’s games among teams in Salem County

Football

TEAMSALLPGPVSALSCHWOO
PENNS GROVE0-0XXX
PENNSVILLE1-0XXX28-21
SALEM0-1XXX14-15
SCHALICK2-015-14XXX41-0
WOODSTOWN0-221-280-41XXX

AUG. 27
Pennsville 28, Woodstown 21 (OT)
SEPT. 11
Schalick 41, Woodstown 0
SEPT. 18
Schalick 15, Salem 14
OCT. 2
Penns Grove at Pennsville
OCT. 3
Woodstown at Salem
OCT. 9
Penns Grove at Schalick
OCT. 16
Pennsville at Schalick
OCT. 17
Woodstown at Penns Grove
OCT. 23
Salem at Pennsville

Boys Soccer

TEAMSALLPGPVSALSTSCHWOO
PENNS GROVE2-2XXXWWLL
PENNSVILLE0-2LXXXL
SALEM0-2XXXLL
SALEM TECH1-1LWXXX
SCHALICK1-0WXXX
WOODSTOWN3-0WWWXXX

SEPT. 3
Woodstown 5, Pennsville 4
SEPT. 10
Schalick 7, Penns Grove 0
Salem at Salem Tech, ppd.
SEPT. 16
Penns Grove 3, Salem Tech 2
SEPT. 17
Penns Grove 3, Pennsville 0
SEPT. 18
Woodstown 9, Salem 0
SEPT. 22
Pennsville at Salem
SEPT. 24
Woodstown 4, Penns Grove 2
SEPT. 25
Salem Tech 5, Salem 1
SEPT. 28
Salem Tech at Pennsville
SEPT. 29
Woodstown at Schalick
SEPT. 30
Penns Grove at Salem
OCT. 6
Penns Grove at Schalick
Salem Tech at Salem
OCT. 14
Salem at Pennsville
OCT. 20
Penns Grove at Woodstown
OCT. 22
Schalick at Woodstown
Pennsville at Salem Tech
OCT. 28
Pennsville at Schalick
Salem Tech at Woodstown

Girls Soccer

TEAMSALLPGPVSALSTSCHWOO
PENNS GROVE1-2XXXWLL
PENNSVILLE0-1XXXL
SALEM0-1XXXL
SALEM TECH1-1LWXXX
SCHALICK1-0WXXX
WOODSTOWN2-0WWXXX

SEPT. 3
Woodstown 5, Pennsville 2
SEPT. 10
Schalick 8, Penns Grove 0
Salem Tech 7, Salem 1
SEPT. 16
Penns Grove 3, Salem Tech 2
SEPT. 22
Salem at Pennsville
SEPT. 24
Woodstown 7, Penns Grove 0
SEPT. 28
Schalick at Woodstown
Pennsville at Salem Tech
SEPT. 30
Salem at Penns Grove
OCT. 6
Schalick at Penns Grove
Salem at Salem Tech
OCT. 14
Pennsville at Salem
OCT. 20
Woodstown at Penns Grove
OCT. 22
Woodstown at Schalick
Salem Tech at Pennsville
OCT. 28
Schalick at Pennsville
Woodstown at Salem Tech

Field Hockey

TEAMSALLPVSALSTSCHWOO
PENNSVILLE1-1XXXWL
SALEM0-2LXXXL
SALEM TECH1-1WXXXL
SCHALICK2-1WWXXXL
WOODSTOWN1-0WXXX

SEPT. 10
Pennsville 4, Salem 1
Woodstown 2, Schalick 0
SEPT. 14
Schalick 2, Salem Tech 1
SEPT. 16
Schalick 12, Pennsville 0
SEPT. 24
Salem Tech 6, Salem 0
SEPT. 30
Schalick at Salem
OCT. 1
Pennsville at Salem Tech
OCT. 6
Pennsville at Salem
Schalick at Woodstown
OCT. 16
Salem Tech at Pennsville
OCT. 20
Salem Tech at Salem

Girls Tennis

TEAMALLPGPVSALSCHWOO
PENNS GROVE0-4XXXLLLL
PENNSVILLE2-1WXXXWL
SALEM0-2LXXXL
SCHALICK2-1WWXXXL
WOODSTOWN4-0WWWWXXX

SEPT. 3
Woodstown 5, Penns Grove 0
SEPT. 8
Pennsville 5, Salem 0
SEPT. 10
Woodstown 4, Pennsville 1
Schalick 5, Salem 0
SEPT. 14
Woodstown 5, Schalick 0
SEPT. 15
Pennsville 5, Penns Grove 0
SEPT. 21
Schalick 5, Penns Grove 0
SEPT. 24
Woodstown 5, Penns Grove 0
SEPT. 28
Salem at Pennsville
OCT. 8
Woodstown at Schalick
OCT. 12
Schalick at Pennsville
Penns Grove at Salem
OCT. 14
Schalick at Penns Grove
OCT. 16
Salem at Woodstown

Overall

TEAMSALLFBBSOCGSOCFHTEN
PENNS GROVE3-80-02-21-2XX0-4
PENNSVILLE4-51-00-20-11-12-1
SALEM0-80-10-20-10-20-2
SALEM TECH3-3XX1-11-11-1XX
SCHALICK8-22-01-01-02-12-1
WOODSTOWN10-20-23-02-01-04-0




This week’s schedule

Here is the Salem County sports schedule for the week of Sept. 28-Oct. 3; all events 4 p.m. unless noted

MONDAY, SEPT. 28
WJFL FOOTBALL
Overbrook at Salem 3:30 p.m.
Penns Grove at Woodbury, 4 p.m.
Bordentown at KIPP, 5 p.m.
Haddon Twp. at Middle Twp., 6 p.m.
BOYS SOCCER
Penns Grove at Glassboro
Salem at Gloucester Catholic 
Salem Tech at Pennsville, 6 p.m.
GIRLS SOCCER
Glassboro at Penns Grove
Gloucester Catholic at Salem
Pennsville at Salem Tech
Schalick at Woodstown
FIELD HOCKEY
Gloucester Catholic at Pennsville
Overbrook at Schalick, 4:30 p.m.
Salem Tech at Clayton
Salem at Deptford, 6 p.m.
Woodstown at Glassboro
GIRLS TENNIS
Salem at Pennsville
Timber Creek at Woodstown

TUESDAY, SEPT. 29
BOYS SOCCER
Woodstown at Schalick
GIRLS TENNIS
Regular season
Overbrook at Penns Grove
Timber Creek at Woodstown
SJ Group 1 Tournament
Bernards at Highland Park
New Egypt at Roselle Park
Wildwood at South River, 3:30 p.m.
Glassboro at Schalick, 2 p.m.
Henry Hudson/Keyport at Lower Cape May
Pt. Pleasant Beach at Edison Magnet
Dayton at Pennsville
Shore at Dunellen
CROSS COUNTRY
TCC Batch Meet
VOLLEYBALL
Salem Tech at Williamstown, 5:15 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 30
BOYS SOCCER
Glassboro at Salem Tech
Penns Grove at Salem
Pitman at Pennsville
GIRLS SOCCER
Gloucester Catholic at Schalick
Pitman at Woodstown
Salem at Penns Grove
Salem Tech at Glassboro
FIELD HOCKEY
Cumberland at Salem Tech
Overbrook at Pennsville, 4:30 p.m.
Schalick at Salem
Woodstown at Hammonton

THURSDAY, OCT. 1
FOOTBALL
Schalick at Cumberland, 6 p.m.
Princeton at Northern Burlington, 6 p.m.
Clearview at Highland, 6 p.m.
Collingswood at Deptford, 6 p.m.
Palmyra at Burlington City, 6 p.m.
Oakcrest at Ocean City, 6 p.m.
Cherry Hill East at Washington Twp., 6 p.m.
Egg Harbor at St. Joe (Hamm.), 6:30 p.m.
Camden at Permian (Tex.), 7 p.m.
FIELD HOCKEY
Salem Tech at Pennsville
BOYS SOCCER
Clearview at Schalick
GIRLS SOCCER
Salem at Pennsville
GIRLS TENNIS
SJ Group 1 Tournament
Bernards-Highland Park winner at Pitman
Roselle Park-New Egypt winner at Middlesex
Wildwood-South River winner at Gateway
Schalick-Glassboro winner at Haddon Twp.
Henry Hudson/Keyport-Lower Cape May winner at Woodstown
Edison Magnet-PP Beach winner at Metuchen
Pennsville-Dayton winner at Woodbridge Magnet
Dunellen-Shore winner at New Providence
COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL
Salem CC at Chesapeake, 6 p.m.

FRIDAY, OCT. 2
FOOTBALL
Penns Grove at Pennsville, 7 p.m.
Wildwood at Buena, 6 p.m.
West Deptford at Overbrook, 7 p.m.
Gateway at Clayton, 7 p.m.
WW-Plainsboro at Lindenwold, 6 p.m.
Paul VI at Eastern, 6 p.m.
KIPP at Lawrence, 6 p.m.
Holy Cross at Florence, 6 p.m.
Seneca at Hopewell Valley, 6 p.m.
Nottingham at Delran, 6 p.m.
Kingsway at Williamstown, 6 p.m.
Delsea at Triton, 6 p.m.
Notre Dame at Allentown, 6 p.m.
Shawnee at Lenape, 6 p.m.
Timber Creek at Absegami, 6 p.m.
Rancocas Valley at Millville, 6 p.m.
Maple Shade at Sterling, 6 p.m.
Lower Cape May at Middle Twp., 6 p.m.
Burlington Twp. at St. Augustine, 6 p.m.
Atlantic City at Mainland, 6 p.m.
Holy Spirit at Pleasantville, 6 p.m.
Willingboro at Glassboro, 6 p.m.
Cherokee at Cedar Creek, 6 p.m.
Hightstown at Bordentown, 6 p.m.
Cinnaminson at Camden Catholic, 6 p.m.
Riverside at Gloucester, 7 p.m.
Bishop Eustace at Haddon Twp., 7 p.m.
Moorestown at Robbinsville, 7 p.m.
BOYS SOCCER
Gloucester at Salem
Salem Tech at Buena
Woodstown at Highland, 6 p.m.
GIRLS SOCCER
Buena at Salem Tech
Cherry Hill East at Schalick
Cumberland at Woodstown
FIELD HOCKEY
Delran at Woodstown, 4:15 p.m.
Schalick at Rancocas Valley, 5 p.m.
GIRLS TENNIS
Schalick at Mainland
Woodstown at Kingsway

SATURDAY, OCT. 3
FOOTBALL
Woodstown at Salem, noon
Paulsboro at Woodbury, 11 a.m.
Pitman at Gloucester Catholic, 11 a.m.
Mastern Camden at Audubon, 11 a.m.
Bridgeton at Atlantic Tech, noon
Pennsauken at Trenton, 1 p.m.
Cherry Hill West at Ewing, 2 p.m.
Pemberton at Hamilton West, 2 p.m.
Hammonton at Steinert, 2 p.m.
Winslow at Red Bank Catholic, 6 p.m.
CROSS COUNTRY
Shore Coaches Invitational
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Salem CC at Sussex CC, noon
COLLEGE CROSS COUNTRY
Salem CC at Cairn Highlander Invitational
COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL
Morris at Salem CC, noon
COLLEGE SOFTBALL
Salem CC in Delaware Tournament
COLLEGE BASEBALL
Salem CC at Stockton Tri-Scrimmage

Standings

Here are the standings for the WJFL and Tri-County Conference through Sept. 27

WJFL Football

DIAMONDALLDIVINDEPENDENCEALLDIV
Schalick5-03-0Woodstown3-23-0
Overbrook2-22-0Penns Grove3-02-0
Paulsboro3-22-1Clayton3-11-1
Burlington City1-41-2Woodbury2-21-1
Salem1-30-2Pitman1-30-2
Pennsville2-30-3Buena1-40-3

TCC Boys Soccer

CLASSICALLDIVDIAMONDALLDIV
Clayton4-43-0Schalick4-24-0
Salem Tech5-22-1Penns Grove5-22-2
Pennsville1-51-1Woodstown5-3-12-2
Salem0-30-2Overbrook3-42-2
Glou Cath0-70-3Pitman3-4-11-3
Glassboro3-41-3

TCC Girls Soccer

CLASSICALLDIVDIAMONDALLDIV
Pitman4-24-0Schalick5-13-0
Glou Cath4-33-1Woodstown6-1-13-0
Clayton4-32-2Overbrook4-32-2
Pennsville3-41-2Penns Grove1-50-3
Salem Tech1-51-3Glassboro0-80-3
Salem0-50-3

TCC Field Hockey

CLASSICALLDIVDIAMONDALLDIV
Pennsville2-42-0Woodstown5-13-0
Salem Tech4-22-0Schalick6-22-1
Glou Cath1-31-1Overbrook4-32-1
Salem1-61-3Glass/Pit2-31-2
Clayton0-30-2Deptford2-60-4

TCC Girls Tennis

CLASSICALLDIVDIAMONDALLDIV
Pitman10-44-0Woodstown7-450
Pennsville7-32-2Schalick7-34-1
Glassboro6-42-2Timber Cr4-42-2
Glou Cath0-00-0Overbrook2-71-4
Salem0-60-4Penns Grove0-80-5

Bartee, bar none

Bartee, Cougars brave the elements for big win over Paulsboro

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PAULSBORO — Kenny Bartee is the kind of player who would do whatever it takes to advance his team’s success. He took a big one for the team in a really big game Saturday.

With Schalick’s usual kick returner dealing with some soreness, Bartee, the Cougars’ athletic junior quarterback, volunteered to go back to return the second half kickoff.

He did more than just secure the ball. He picked up the wet slow roller like a shortstop and once he got a head a steam returned it 75 yards for a touchdown that put the Cougars ahead for good in an eventual 16-8 win on a messy day at Paulsboro.

“It was just magical,” Bartee said. “I love playing kickoff return. David (Stewart) is usually back there, but he’s having a little injury himself so I told them put me back there I can do something big for us and that’s all I do. Follow my blockers, trusted myself, trusted them, they told ankle bite me, I broke the tackle, stayed up and scored.”

It doesn’t happen often, but it’s not out of the ordinary for Bartee to return kicks — and with success. He has had nine kick returns over his three-year career. He had a 17-yard return in the season opener against against Maple Shade for his only other one this year and he returned one 90 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter of last year’s season opener against Somerville.

Oh, by the way, he also played defensive end on the Cougars’ final defensive stand that ended with Gary Simonini knocking away the Red Raiders’ fourth-down pass from midfield with 1:15 to play.

“I always want to do what’s best for my team,” he said.

“It’s hard to argue with him volunteering,” Cougars coach Kevin Leamy said. “It didn’t surprise me at all (he asked) and it didn’t surprise me that he returned it for a touchdown. He’s that type of kid who when we need a play he’s going to make a play. That’s what he’s done for us all year. Every time he gets the ball in his hands he does something special with it.

Bartee also scored the Cougars’ first touchdown on a 45-yard run in the first quarter that for the longest time seemed would be the only touchdown of the game as both teams tried to deal with the conditions the best they could. He finished with 94 yards rushing.

The game, played in blowing winds and a steady rain that only subsided after the final whistle, pitted the top two teams in South Jersey Group 1 power points. The undefeated Cougars (5-0) solidified their claim on No. 1 with the victory, as well as the upper hand in the WJFL Diamond Division.

“We’re the best team in South Jersey Group 1,” senior linebacker Gary Simonini said as he made his way to the bus.

That wind played a huge factor in the decisions of both teams. It gave Cougars kicker Shawn Kelly two chances to set the school field goal record when he made attempts of 46 and 49 yards with the wind at his back in the first quarter; both kicks had plenty of leg, but pulled both to the left.

The Cougars actually gained defensive ground on the plays as the ball gets spotted at the 20 after missed attempts instead of where it was tried. Their defense then held the Red Raiders to a three-and-out after the first one and forced a fumble recovered by Freddie Allen in the red zone after the other.

The wind also was the deciding factor in Leamy’s curious decision to go for it, into the wind, on fourth-and 10 from their 10 on the possession following Allen’s fumble recovery midway through the second quarter. The play didn’t yield much and it set up the Red Raiders on a short field route to their touchdown.

“Punting into the wind was not ideal,” Leamy said. “The way (Kelly) punts the ball, he puts a lot of height under his punts. He was out here punting in pregame and it was going straight up in the air. At the end of the day we thought we had a good play called. If the kids executed it, it would have gotten the first down; they didn’t execute. Sometimes you take a risk and you don’t get the reward. That’s part of it.

“So many things can happen. The last thing we need is just give them a touchdown down there in our own end. We felt like we had a good play call. It didn’t quite work in our favor.”

Evan Elliott led another strong Schalick defensive effort. They gave up only 183 yards, made the Red Devils for the only touchdown they scored even in a short field, collected three turnovers and stood their ground with the game on the line.

Elliott caught Paulsboro’s Jeremiah Carr from behind to keep the Red Raiders out of the end zone from the 1 on their short-yardage scoring drive. He threw Carr for a 10-yard loss in the middle of the drive after Bartee’s kickoff return.

Then, he was in on the safety in the fourth quarter with Malachi Hill that ran Schalick’s lead to eight. And he flushed quarterback Jahsir Johnson for a five-yard sack and accompanying intentional grounding penalty that forced the Red Raiders into the fourth-down pass Simonini knocked down to seal the victory.

“I knew I had to do my job,” Elliott said. “I’ve got my boys behind me and they did a good job, too.”

“He played phenomenal on defense,” Leamy said. “He just took over that game defensively in the second half.”

SCH (16)PAUL (8)
81st Downs9
34-160Rushing41-110
0-0-0Passes3-6-0
0Passing73
3-1Fum-Lost5-3
1-50.0Punts-Avg3-3`.3
7-50Penalties0-00
Schalick7072-16
Paulsboro0800-8

SCORING SUMMARY
S-Kenny Bartee 45 run (Shawn Kelly kick), 4:48 1Q
P-Jeremiah Carr 1 run (Marques Eli run), 2:35 2Q
S-Kenny Bartee 75 kickoff return (Shawn Kelly kick), 11:47 3Q
S-Safety, tackle in end zone, 7:49 4Q