Here is the Salem County sports schedule for the week of Sept. 21-26; all events 4 p.m. unless noted
MONDAY, SEPT. 21 BOYS SOCCER Woodstown at Audubon, 3:45 p.m. Salem Tech at Paulsboro GIRLS SOCCER Audubon at Woodstown Millville at Pennsville Pitman at Salem Tech FIELD HOCKEY Salem at Clayton GIRLS TENNIS Schalick at Kingsway VOLLEYBALL Timber Creek at Salem Tech, 5:15 p.m. COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL Atlantic Cape at Salem CC, 6 p.m.
TUESDAY, SEPT. 22 (Power points cutoff for girls tennis) FIELD HOCKEY Glassboro at Schalick Gloucester Catholic at Woodstown Salem Tech at Pennsville BOYS SOCCER Glassboro at Schalick Pennsville at Salem Penns Grove at Overbrook Pitman at Woodstown GIRLS SOCCER Overbrook at Penns Grove Salem at Pennsville Salem Tech at Pitman Schalick at Glassboro GIRLS TENNIS Mainland at Woodstown, 3:45 p.m. Glassboro at Penns Grove Pennsville at Overbrook Pitman at Schalick Salem at Timber Creek CROSS COUNTRY TCC Batch Meet at Salem Tech, 3:30 p.m. VOLLEYBALL Salem Tech at Lindenwold
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 23 VOLLEYBALL Timber Creek at Salem Tech, 5:15 p.m.
THURSDAY, SEPT. 24 FOOTBALL Camden Catholic at Maple Shade, 6 p.m. Haddon Twp. at Middle Twp., 6 p.m. Hopewell Valley at Allentown, 6 p.m. Riverside at Florence, 6 p.m. Gloucester at Cinnaminson, 6 p.m. Williamstown at Cherry Hill East, 6:30 p.m. Delran at Seneca, 7 p.m. FIELD HOCKEY Glassboro at Pennsville Overbrook at Woodstown Salem at Salem Tech Schalick at Deptford BOYS SOCCER Clayton at Salem Gloucester Catholic at Salem Tech Schalick at Pitman Woodstown at Penns Grove GIRLS SOCCER Penns Grove at Woodstown Pitman at Pennsville Salem at Clayton Salem Tech at Gloucester Catholic GIRLS TENNIS Woodstown at Penns Grove, 3:45 p.m. Glassboro at Salem Pitman at Pennville Schalick at Overbrook COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL Anne Arundel at Salem CC, 6 p.m.
FRIDAY, SEPT. 25 FOOTBALL Buena at Woodstown, 6 p.m. Burlington City at Pennsville, 7 p.m. Cedar Creek at Camden, 6 p.m. Mastery Camden at WW-Plainsboro, 6 p.m. Pleasantville at Burlington Twp., 6 p.m. Lower Cape May at Absegami, 6 p.m. Vineland at Bridgeton, 6 p.m. Atlantic City at Winslow, 6 p.m. Gloucester Catholic at Wildwood, 6 p.m. Glassboro at Holy Spirit, 6 p.m. Delsea at Shawnee, 6 p.m. Lindenwold at Palmyra, 6 p.m. Rancocas Valley at Cherokee, 6 p.m. St. Joe (Hamm.) at Highland, 6 p.m. Sterling at Collingswood, 6 p.m. Washington Twp. at Kingsway, 6 p.m. Ocean City at Mainland, 6 p.m. Paul VI at Willingboro, 6 p.m. Hammonton at Oakcrest, 6 p.m. St. Augustine at Millville, 6 p.m. Eastern at Lenape, 6 p.m. Northern Burlington at Pennsauken, 6 p.m. Trenton at Hightstown, 6 p.m. Pemberton at Clearview, 7 p.m. Atlantic Tech at Egg Harbor, 7 p.m. Notre Dame at Robbinsville, 7 p.m. Haddonfield at West Deptford, 7 p.m. Cherry Hill West at Moorestown, 7 p.m. Audubon at Gateway, 7 p.m. BOYS SOCCER Salem at Salem Tech GIRLS SOCCER Camden Catholic at Schalick FIELD HOCKEY Oakcrest at Pennsville GIRLS TENNIS Salem at St. Joe (Hamm.) COLLEGE FOOTBALL Salem CC at Army Prep, 6:30 p.m.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 26 FOOTBALL Penns Grove at Woodbury, 11 a.m. Schalick at Paulsboro, 11 a.m. Overbrook at Salem, noon Bishop Eustace at Haddon Heights, 11:30 a.m. Bordentown at KIPP, noon Lawrence at Nottingham, noon Ewing at Princeton, noon BOYS SOCCER Schalick vs. Shore, 10 a.m. CROSS COUNTRY Schalick girls at Wild Safari Invitational, Six Flags Great Adventure COLLEGE SOFTBALL Salem CC at Chestnut Hill, noon
Girls roundup: Schalick scores 1-0 victory over Group 3 Cherry Hill West; Bloomer scores, Berger saves
GIRLS SOCCER Gloucester Catholic 6, Penns Grove 0 Schalick 1, Cherry Hill West 0 FIELD HOCKEY Schalick 2, Delsea 1 Gateway at Woodstown COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL Salem CC at Morris
By Riverview Sports News
CHERRY HILL — One thing about the Schalick girls soccer program: The Cougars have never backed down from playing up in the schedule. It toughens them up during the season and gets them ready for post-season play.
Those bigger challenges have typically been a tough nut to crack, but Thursday the Cougars came through with a statement win, knocking off Cherry Hill West 1-0 in a battle of top 10 programs on the Lions’ Senior Day.
“It was great,” Cougars coach Will Kemp said. “I thought the girls really showed up today against a really good Cherry Hill West team, especially traveling here, it’s always difficult, especially playing on their turf. It was good.”
The undefeated Cougars (4-0) solidified their hold on the No. 1 spot in the South Jersey Group I power points standings. The Lions (3-2) remained No. 6 in the South Jersey Group 3 standings. Kemp can’t recall knocking off a similar quality larger classification team before in his tenure.
“It just allows them to see that they can overcome a lot of the bigger schools when they play against them,” he said. “In the past that’s been our Kryptonite when it comes to our seasons. Most of the time those are our losses on our records, but this time around they actually stepped up, they rose to the occasion and they played the beautiful game the way you’re supposed to play.”
Freshman Nicolette Bloomer scored the only goal of the match, finishing off a pass from Karlie Bakley midway through the second half. It was her sixth goal of the year. She has found the back of the net in every game this season.
Despite the low score, the Cougars’ dominated the play and their back line four of Emily Miller, Kassady Sickler, Ava Mayne and Brooke Valentine limited the Lions’ challenges. Schalick keeper Eve Berger recorded 11 saves in recording her third straight shutout and 21st over the last three seasons.
“Our back line was rock solid today,” Kemp said. “They handled business. They cleared their lines, prevented a lot of 1-v-1 situations, won their battles and did exactly what they were supposed to do together. We did a lot of defensive shape work this past work. It really showed inside this game.”
GLOUCESTER CATHOLIC 6, PENNS GROVE 0: Six different players scored goals for the Rams.
Field hockey
SCHALICK 2, DELSEA 1: Alexa Shimp brought the Cougars their third straight win when she scored the game winner off a penalty corner in the fourth quarter with time already expired. Paisley Warner scored their other goal. Goalkeeper Melissa Basilone made four saves and Ella Cheesman made a defensive save to keep the Crusaders out of the cage.
There was a light lineup on the Salem County sports schedule
TUESDAY’S RESULTS FIELD HOCKEY Pennsville 4, Clayton 0 Gloucester Catholic at Salem GIRLS TENNIS Woodstown 4, West Deptford 1 Pennsville at Penns Grove VOLLEYBALL Salem Tech at GCIT
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
PENNSVILLE — Pennsville reduced its lineup to eight players to make it a fair divisional fight and still dominated the play.
Polina Wright scored two goals and Laura Tamberella had a goal and an assist as the Eagles rolled over undermanned Clayton 4-0 in field hockey Tuesday.
The game was an 8-on-8 affair to accommodate the Clippers’ limited roster.
The Eagles (2-1) took control with two goals in the first five minutes. Tamberella scored the first goal and Polina got the second off a pass from Tomberella. Kylie Smith banged home her own rebound with 47.8 seconds left in the second quarter to give them a 3-0 halftime lead.
Polina scored her second goal with 7:52 left in the game.
“She’s just a girl who likes to sprint the whole field with the ball and somehow finds the goal,” Pennsville coach Cass Massari said. “She either does that or she does a full run and gets us a corner.
“She actually started to do that last year for us. She just sees that ball and keeps running with it.”
The Eagles has plenty of opportunities for more, but just couldn’t quite finish. They had 12 corners in the game and Clayton goalie Meadow Hamilton made 11 saves.
“You could tell we were keeping possession of the ball,” Massari said. “The girls took today to really focus on the things that we needed to work on. Because we had less girls on the field we were able to create open spaces. It’s helping us prepare for the next couple games.”
Top photo: Pennsville’s Kendall Hoyt fires a shot on goal during Tuesday’s game with Clayton.
GIRLS TENNIS
WOODSTOWN — Woodstown won two points in third-set tiebreakers and beat West Deptford 4-1 for its third win in a row.
No. 2 singles Emma West defeated Harper Short 6-3, 1-6, 10-6. Isabella Lindenmuth and Eleanore Lawson won the No. 1 doubles point, 6-2, 1-6, 10-4.
WOODSTOWN 4, WEST DEPTFORD 1 Jody Wu (WD) def. Madison LaPalomento, 6-2, 6-1 Emma West (WO) def. Harper Short, 6-3, 2-6, 10-6 Angelina Lindenmuth (WO) def. Anastasia Besar, 6-0, 6-1 Emilee Kehr-Elliana Norman (WO) def. Lily Avila-Najae Budiere, 6-2, 6-2 Isabella Lindenmuth-Eleanore Lawson (WO) def. Laura Monticolo-Rylee Hill, 6-2, 1-6, 10-4 Records Woodstown 5-3, West Deptford 2-5.
Schalick field hockey scores first goal, first win against gritty Salem Tech; roundup includes scores, highlights from Monday’s Salem County sports schedule
MONDAY FIELD HOCKEY Schalick 2, Salem Tech 1 Woodstown 8, Deptford 0
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
WOODSTOWN – This is a different kind of year for the Schalick field hockey. The Cougars have been the dominant team in Salem County and one of contenders in South Jersey Group 1 for the past couple years, but now they’re in a rebuild.
The core of the group that had won 56 games over last last four years has graduated, off to other pursuits, leaving coach Heather Cheesman with one of the youngest teams in her tenure, but one intent of starting the cycle all over again. Of course, all that comes with growing pains until the light bulb comes on.
The Cougars hadn’t been 0-2 to start a season in 13 years and had yet to score a goal. They finally broke through both barriers Monday when they scored their first goals of the season and secured their first win of the season, 2-1 at Salem Tech.
“It for sure is a different kind of year,” Cheesman said. “I have a lot of young players. We haven’t a team like this in probably the last four years with so many freshmen starting or playing the game at this level. Even when the kids who just graduated were freshmen they had been playing together for years throughout our feeder program so they were already jelled.
“I think once we connect it’s going to be good. It’s just getting them to jell and connect and play together. Individually they’re all good, we’ve just got to bring it together.”
One sure sign it’s a different kind of year is the length of the post-game huddle. The ones the last couple years were brief, if they had one at all. The one down in the far corner Monday lasted 10 minutes – and that wasn’t even the longest one of this season.
“Probably the one against Woodstown was probably more like 20 minutes,” Cheesman said. “The last couple years sometimes we wouldn’t even meet; we’d talk about it the next day. It was a three-minute, five-minute conversation. Now, it’s definitely a lot longer, like what can we do, what can we fix, this is what looked good, this is what we need to work on.”
Ranae Scurry scored the Cougars’ first goal of the season with 4:50 left in the first quarter. Addy Shimp, in her new role as inserter, got the ball to Lucy Virga at the top of the arc. Virga sent it towards the goal and Scurry ripped it into the cage.
“it wasn’t a relief,” Scurry said. “I think it was just a pick-me-up. More like, OK, we can get one, how many more can we get?”
That answer came in the first minute of the second quarter when Shimp made it 2-0. Scurry sent Shimp’s corner into the zone where Virga got it to Morgan DuBois who put a nice touch on it in traffic. Chargers goalie Caroline Tighe made the initial stop, but the ball dropped at her feet where Shimp was “there at the right time” to bang it home.
Both goal scorers are confident the Cougars will return to their old form soon.
“It’s definitely a rebuilding process, but as the season goes on we’re going to learn each other,” Scurry said. “It’s just meshing together. I think it’s kind of hard right now, but we’re learning this game, we’re trying different formations, lineups to deal with. We didn’t have to (before) because we were together for so long.”
“I think the only difference is we’re just not completely used to playing with each other yet,” Shimp said. “We all have the skill, we just have to connect. I think we’ll connect eventually. We definitely have a lot of potential and I think we’re going to connect, it’s just early in season. That was definitely an improvement today because we definitely did a lot better.”
The Chargers, meanwhile, were playing their first game ever against a Salem County opponent and held their own against one of the county’s traditional bests. As an independent in their inaugural season, they could schedule at their leisure for early success and foundational confidence and did just that. Now that they’re in the TCC Classic Division, however, half the schedule is made for them and that includes at least two games each with county rivals Pennsville and Salem.
They fell behind 2-0 in the first half, but didn’t wilt. Abby Beals got them on the board when she kept Hayden Crispin’s shot moving through the box and inside the left post with 9:45 left in the third quarter.
It looked like they got the tying goal five minutes later, but the whistle blew the play dead before the ball reached the crease. They had another good chance with 2:30 left, when Beals got it in to Crispin, but her shot just missed the right post.
“I think they did great,” Chargers coach Melissa Lewis said. “I felt like they played their game and they were very strong. They didn’t give up and they had a fire in them. They wanted this win and it’s unfortunate we didn’t get it.”
WOODSTOWN 8, DEPTFORD 0: Talia Guardascione had a pair of goals and six other Wolverines scored. Lexi Taylor and Brooke Dillion both had a goal and an assist. The eight goals were the most they’ve scored in a game since a 9-1 win over Cumberland in 2024. It was their third straight shutout.
BOYS SOCCER Clayton 3, Salem Tech 2: Jonathan Rehm’s second goal, a penalty kick five minutes into overtime, was the game-winner. Logan Pace got the game-tying tying goal for the Chargers on a penalty kick four minutes before the end of regulation. Penns Grove 6, Pitman 1: Juan Ortiz scores three goals. Pennsville 2, Gloucester Catholic 0: Sam Hassler and Ugur Elmali scored goals as the Eagles got their first win of the year and extended their unbeaten streak over the Rams to six in a row. Schalick 8, Overbrook 1: Luke Price and Tyler Vanlier each scored twice and Marco Spinnato had three assists. Woodstown 1, Glassboro 0 (OT): Ayden Ellis collected his second game-winning goal of the season when he was credited with an own goal midway through OT1. He got the game-winner in the final five minutes against Pennsville in their season opener.
GIRLS SOCCER Clayton 6, Salem Tech 0: Six players lit the lamp for the Clippers. Gloucester Catholic 2, Pennsville 0: Alexa Battaglia and Olivia Pisano scored goals, Ruth Cutuli made eight saves in the shutout. Schalick 6, Overbrook 0: Emily Miller scored three goals and Mackenzie Talarico had a goal and two assists. Woodstown 7, Glassboro 0: Freshman Korynn Hernandez scored her third hat trick in five games. Pitman 7, Salem 1: Erin Rudley had two goals and Emery Sharpnack had three assists for Pitman. Jaylynn Dickerson scored Salem’s goal in the fourth minute of the second half. Woodbury 5, Penns Grove 0
GIRLS TENNIS Pennsville 3, Buena 2 Woodstown 5, Schalick 0 Salem at Bridgeton Timber Creek at Penns Grove
Here is the Salem County sports schedule for the week of Sept. 14-19; all events start at 4 p.m. unless noted
MONDAY, SEPT. 14 FIELD HOCKEY Schalick at Salem Tech Woodstown at Deptford BOYS SOCCER Gloucester Catholic at Pennsville Overbrook at Schalick Penns Grove at Pitman Salem Tech at Clayton Woodstown at Glassboro GIRLS SOCCER Clayton at Salem Tech Glassboro at Woodstown Pennsville at Gloucester Catholic Pitman at Salem Schalick at Overbrook Woodbury at Penns Grove, 6 p.m. GIRLS TENNIS Schalick at Woodstown, 3:45 p.m. Buena at Pennsville Salem at Bridgeton Timber Creek at Penns Grove COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL Salem CC at Atlantic Cape, 6 p.m.
TUESDAY, SEPT. 15 FIELD HOCKEY Clayton at Pennsville Gloucester Catholic at Salem GIRLS TENNIS West Deptford at Woodstown, 3:45 p.m. Pennsville at Penns Grove, 6 p.m. VOLLEYBALL Salem Tech at GCIT, 3:45 p.m.
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 16 FIELD HOCKEY Gateway at Woodstown Pennsville at Schalick Salem Tech at Overbrook BOYS SOCCER Gloucester Catholic at Woodstown Pennsville at Glassboro Salem Tech at Penns Grove Schalick at Cumberland GIRLS SOCCER Cumberland at Salem Glassboro at Pennsville Penns Grove at Salem Tech Woodstown at Gloucester Catholic GIRLS TENNIS Pennsville at Glassboro, 3:45 p.m. Pitman at Woodstown, 3:45 p.m. Penns Grove at Schalick
THURSDAY, SEPT. 17 FOOTBALL Buena at Clayton, 6 p.m. Pleasantville at Cherokee, 6 p.m. Cumberland at Vineland, 6 p.m. Gateway at Sterling, 6 p.m. Bridgeton at St. Joe (Hamm.), 6:30 p.m. Lindenwold at Haddon Twp., 7 p.m. West Deptford at Paul VI, 7 p.m. FIELD HOCKEY Schalick at Delsea BOYS SOCCER Pennsville at Penns Grove, 6 p.m. GIRLS SOCCER Cumberland at Salem Penns Grove at Gloucester Catholic Schalick at Cherry Hill West GIRLS TENNIS Pennsville at Millville VOLLEYBALL Salem Tech at Gloucester Catholic, 5:15 p.m. COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL Salem CC at Morris, 6 p.m.
FRIDAY, SEPT. 18 FOOTBALL Salem at Schalick, 6 p.m. Pitman at Penns Grove, 6:30 p.m. Burlington City at Overbrook, 7 p.m. Shawnee at Rancocas Valley, 6 p.m. Eastern at Northern Burlington, 6 p.m. Allentown at Trenton, 6 p.m. Atlantic Tech at Lower Cape May, 6 p.m. Absegami at Hammonton, 6 p.m. Gloucester at Triton, 6 p.m. Lenape at Williamstown, 6 p.m. Mainland at Holy Spirit, 6 p.m. Millville at Kingsway, 6 p.m. Washington Twp. at Atlantic City, 6 p.m. Pennsauken at Cherry Hill East, 6 p.m. Lawrence at Notre Dame, 6 p.m. Highland at Timber Creek, 6 p.m. Maple Shade at Bordentown, 6 p.m. Seneca at Willingboro, 6 p.m. Camden at Ocean City, 6 p.m. Oakcrest at Egg Harbor, 6 p.m. Clearview at Deptford, 6 p.m. Cinnaminson at Cherry Hill West, 6 p.m. Middle Twp. at Wildwood, 6 p.m. Collingswood at Bishop Eustace, 6:30 p.m. Ewing at Hopewell Valley, 7 p.m. Florence at Camden Catholic, 7 p.m. Camden Eastside at Moorestown, 7 p.m. Delran at Haddonfield, 7 p.m. Burlington Twp. at Delsea, 7 p.m. BOYS SOCCER Salem at Woodstown GIRLS SOCCER Bridgeton at Pennsville FIELD HOCKEY Absegami at Salem Tech Pennsville at Bridgeton Salem at Winslow GIRLS TENNIS Pitman at Salem Schalick at Timber Creek Woodstown at Overbrook
SATURDAY, SEPT. 19 FOOTBALL Woodstown at Woodbury, 11 a.m. Pennsville at Paulsboro, 11 a.m. Hightstown at Princeton, 11 a.m. Mastern Camden at Holy Cross, 11 a.m. Palmyra at Gloucester Catholic, 11 a.m. Haddon Heights at Audubon, 11 a.m. Nottingham at Steinert, 11 a.m. Riverside at KIPP, noon WW-Plainsboro at Pemberton, noon Glassboro at Cedar Creek, 1:30 p.m. Robbinsville at Hamilton West, 2 p.m. Buena at Clayton, 3 p.m. Winslow at St. Augustine, 6 p.m. FIELD HOCKEY Haddon Twp. at Schalick COLLEGE FOOTBALL Thaddeus Stevens vs. Salem CC, Penns Grove H.S., noon
Schalick soccer bounces back after rare season-opening loss; roundup includes results and highlights from Thursday’s Salem County sports calendar
BOYS SOCCER Clayton 3, Pennsville 0 Overbrook 2, Woodstown 1 Salem at Salem Tech, ppd. Schalick 7, Penns Grove 0 GIRLS SOCCER Pennsville 3, Clayton 2 Salem Tech 7, Salem 1 Schalick 8, Penns Grove 0 Woodstown 5, Overbrook 0 FIELD HOCKEY Salem Tech 6, Gloucester Catholic 0 Pennsville 4, Salem 1 Woodstown 2, Schalick 0 GIRLS TENNIS Woodstown 4, Pennsville 1 Schalick 5, Salem 0
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
CARNEYS POINT – Mano Massari’s Penns Grove soccer team was coming off an inspiring season-opening win looking forward to getting off to a good start. Then he looked at the schedule.
There was Schalick on the next line. Massari knew what that meant, but it was going to be even more challenging than usual. This was a Schalick team coming off a loss. He’d seen this movie before.
The Cougars are a tough out under normal conditions, but don’t get them when they’re mad.
In three of the previous four regular-season meetings between the teams Schalick came into the Penns Grove game reeling from a loss or a tie and handled the Red Devils pretty well. It happened again Thursday, 7-0.
Last year the Cougars came to Penns Grove off a loss to rival Woodstown — and back-to-back losses at that — and won 7-1. In the return game, they were coming off a scoreless tie with the Wolverines and won 4-0. The year before they beat them 5-0 coming off a loss to Cinnaminson. They have now won eight in a row in the series.
“Schalick is Schalick,” Massari said. “I think there’s a big gap between us right now. I think there has been for a few years. They’re a talented group. You can tell they’re very well coached. They listen, they’re very disciplined and they execute. They finish their opportunities; that’s something we need to be better at. We had little to no opportunities today.
“They proved they’re still a top dog. They’re the measuring stick for us right now. We knew it was going to be tough. I think the last couple times we’ve played them they’ve come in off of a loss. I don’t know if they have extra motivation because they’re coming off of a loss, but they really have been our Kryptonite for the last few years.”
Schalick coach Joe Mannella called it purely coincidental Penns Grove has fallen as the next team on the schedule so many times after a rare Schalick loss, but the Cougars were very much in need of a win to get their season started. They were coming off a season-opening 3-0 loss to Delran, the first time since 2022 they lost a season opener and the first time since 2018 they were blanked in one. You have to go back before 2010 to find the last time they started a season 0-2.
“We finally scored,” Manella said. “We had a bunch of scrimmages and the Delran game we weren’t scoring goals. Scoring goals and winning games cures a lot of ailments and we started to question our confidence, question ourselves and wonder how good are we. This helps. We’ve still got a lot to do, but this certainly is what we needed.
“To most competitors your pride gets bruised (in a loss) and you want to get out there and prove yourself. We certainly made a point that we wanted to get the taste of that loss Tuesday out of our mouth and start feeling good about ourselves. We don’t want to hit a losing streak or anything like that so you definitely dig down a little bit, try a little harder, and don’t give them anything.”
The Cougars went right at their hosts. Sophomore Josh Stecher scored their first goal of the season and the first of his two in the game when he buried a shot from the right side of the box into the far left corner two minutes into the match. He was credited with the game’s second score 17 minutes later when his crossing pass caromed home off a Penns Grove defender into the goal. Connor McQuade and Nolan O’Toole made it 4-0 with two quick goals in the 23rd minute.
Marco Spinnato scored two goals a minute part in the second half and Jake Sepers scored on a penalty kick. Stecher scored the Cougars’ first two and Spinnato scored their last two.
“We knew we could win this game by a lot and we just wanted to smash this team because of what happened to us last year,” Stecher said. “Every time we play this team we play very well. I don’t know why we play really well against this team, but we always play pretty good.”
The Cougars could’ve had a lot more. Penns Grove freshman keeper Ruben Torres Saenz stoned Luke Price and Spinnato three times one-on-one between Stecher’s two goals and the Cougars hit the post three times in the game. The goalie was credited with 30 saves on the reporting form.
“I’m very happy with how my keeper performed today,” Massari said. “I think a lot of their goals were second opportunities. I think he made really good saves and my defense was caught lacking. I think as a freshman going against that team and showing what he showed today, he showed a lot guts. I think he shows he can play with these guys.
“He’s a calm kid every day and I don’t think he gets rattled very much. He knew we were playing a very good team. I don’t think he realized how good, but I think he stepped up and showed us something. Dwayne (Guzman) left a big hole for us and last year I didn’t know what we were going to do. I had nobody and now we have this kid, who, quite frankly, looked better as a freshman his first game than Dwayne did. It’s the first game of the season, but it’s promising. That was the one bright spot for us today.”
Top photo: Penns Grove’s Esvin Padilla (5) slides in to deny Schalick’s Marco Spinnato a scoring chance in the first half.
CLAYTON 3, PENNSVILLE 0: Jonathan Rehm scored all three goals in the battle of TCC Classic Division contenders. Rehm scored early in the first half and then converted a pair of King Mosley passes in the second. Justin Delaney made 10 saves in recording the shutout.
OVERBROOK 2, WOODSTOWN 1: Brian Reyes broke a 1-1 tie with a goal eight minutes before halftime and the teams slugged it out in a scoreless second half. Don Milhomme scored Woodstown’s game-tying goal in the 18th minute. Woodstown peppered the goal with 24 shots, but couldn’t get the equalizer.
Girls soccer
PENNSVILLE 3, CLAYTON 2: Sloan Marquette bent a corner kick around the near left post with 3:16 left in the first overtime to bring the Eagles the victory.
The Eagles fell behind 1-0, but took a 2-1 lead on a pair of goals less than two minutes apart late in the first half. Karson Cooksey tied the game with 8:19 left in the half off another Marquette corner kick. Abby Marandola made it 2-1 with 6:31 left in the half.
Clayton’s Madi Traister tied the game with her second goal with 22:18 left in regulation.
SCHALICK 8, PENNS GROVE 0: Nicolette Bloomer and Mackenzie Talarico both scored a pair of goals for the second game in a row and Kyleigh Cutler had a goal and three assists to lead the Cougars. Emily Miller, Karlie Bakley and freshman Giuliana Martin, notched Schalick’s other goals.
WOODSTOWN 5, OVERBROOK 0: Freshman Korynn Hernandez scored her second hat trick in three games. Bella Lucas and Krysten Dussault had the Wolverines’ other goals and Hailey Kucharczuk dished three assists. Mazie Mazzoni made three saves in recording her second shutout.
“She’s a threat anywhere on the field and capitalizes on all her opportunities,” Woodstown coach Kieran Keyser said of Hernandez. “She’s very technically sound, aggressive, fast, and just has a knack for finding the back of the net.”
SALEM TECH 7, SALEM 1: Allie Wentz and Abigail Leuallen each scored a pair of goals and the Chargers tied the program record for goals in a game while winning their season opener for the first time in school history. Kapri Holmes, Olivia Blais and Peyton Pratt scored the Chargers’ only goals and Bryn McLaughlin had two assists. Lyric Hayes scored Salem’s goal in the second half.
Field hockey
PENNSVILLE 4, SALEM 1: The Eagles scored their first goal of the season and gave coach Cass Massari her first official career coaching win.
Massari guided the Eagles to three October wins during head coach Lisa Doran’s medical leave last season, but the win in Thursday’s home opener was all her own.
“It feels really good and it feels really good for the girls to have this under their belt, too,” Massari said. “They were coming off the 8-0 loss to a win; it felt very good to them. They kept their spirits up even though they were coming off that loss and they wanted it today.”
Junior Brianna Hill, one of 10 Eagles playing the sport for the first time, scored the Eagles’ first goal of the season. Massari brought defender Addy Hitt up after the goal as a reward for her impressive early-season stick work and the sophomore responded with the game’s second goal. Kendall Hoyt and Polina Wright scored their other two goals.
“We played well,” Massari said. “We have a very inexperienced team. We have 17 girls on our roster and 10 of them have never played before. We have a ton of girls who this is their first year ever picking up a stick. They’re learning, but they’re learning quick, which is good, because they want to learn. They’re all very motivated to learn the sport, learn the game, and they have positive attitudes.”
WOODSTOWN 2, SCHALICK 0: Joey Foote and Lexi Taylor both scored goals on first-half penalty corners and the Wolverines snapped a five-game winless streak in the series. Kendall Higgins made three saves in posting the shutout.
It’s starting out to be a different kind of year for the Cougars. They fell to 0-2 for the first time since 2013 and have yet to score a goal.
SALEM TECH 6, GLOUCESTER CATHOLIC 0: Hazel Eachus and Hayden Crispin each scored a pair of goals as the Chargers bounced back from a season-opening loss. Araya DiGregorio and Jessilynn Chambers scored the other goals.
Abigail Beals had a pair of assists and senior goalie Caroline Tighe made five saves in recording the shutout, with a defensive assist from Chambers to keep the sheet clean. The Chargers won nine games in their inaugural season last year, eight by shutout, so the trend continues.
Girls tennis
SCHALICK 5, SALEM 0 Olivia Lunemann (SC) def. Heaven Jones-McCullough, 6-3, 6-0 Sebrina Bradford (SC) def. JaNye Hubbard, 6-1, 6-0 Jasmine Hunt (SC) def. Erica Brewer, 6-0, 6-0 Janae White-Abigail Sotela Hernandez (SC) won by forfeit River Wojcik-Brooke Brown (SC) won by forfeit Records: Schalick 4-1, Salem 0-3.
Here are the scores and highlights from Tuesday’s Salem County sports calendar
BOYS SOCCER Cumberland 9, Pennsville 0 Penns Grove 4, Gloucester Catholic 2 Delran 3, Schalick 0 Woodstown 1, Gateway 1
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
PENNSVILLE — This year’s Pennsville soccer team may be better than some of coach Derek Foglein’s early teams and it may catch up to last year’s division champion in time, but on this day they were overwhelmed by a superior force on this day.
Izzy Benigno got a hat trick and a water bottle shower, captain Fernando Santiago scored twice and Brodey Willis and JV call-up Cristian Villagomez scored their first career goals to lead Cumberland over the Eagles 9-0 Tuesday. The Colts scored their nine goals on 17 shots and had chances for three other goals (offsides, two posts).
Sam Hassler had perhaps the Eagles’ best attempt at a goal when his semi-breakaway and shot across the box four minutes into the second half was turned away at the right post.
“What I just told them in the circle was that I think this year’s team beats the first team that Coach Joe (Mecholsky) and I had eight years ago 9-0 and I think it shows how far our program has come,” Foglein said, “but at the same time if you want to be an elite soccer program in South Jersey we’ve still got a long way to go.
“And that’s OK. It just reminds us that when we’re in practice, the basics matter. We have to do the basics with intensity, we have to compete with intensity and we have to move the ball with intensity. They’re a fantastic team. Yes, they have great kids, but they were a fantastic team. We’ll learn.”
Top photo: Cumberland’s Andrew Rebollo heads the ball away from Pennsville’s Brant Regner (2) during Tuesday’s game.
Cumberland (2-0)
6
3-
9
Pennsville (0-2)
0
0-
0
GOALS — Fernando Santiago (CR), 5:22; Izzy Benigno (CR), penalty kick, 14:14; Ruben Lopez (CR), 15:13; Izzy Benigno (CR), 17:07; Fernando Santiago CR), 23:02; Izzy Benigno (CR), 32:43; Brodey Willis (CR), 42:00; Matt Lucas (CR), 47:48; Cristian Villagomez (CR), 54:55.
PENNS GROVE 4, GLOUCESTER CATHOLIC 2: Juan Ortiz got his junior season off to a rousing start, scoring all four of the Red Devils’ goals, including two in the final 25 minutes after the Rams rallied to tie the game.
Ortiz, who scored six goals last season and 11 in his first two seasons, staked his team to a 2-0 halftime lead. The Red Devils came out of the break a little complacent and the Rams scored twice to tie it. Ortiz put Penns Grove back on top and then added an insurance goal by curling a corner kick into the top corner.
“He’s a special player, there’s no doubt it,” Red Devils coach Mano Massari said. “Sometimes he tries to do too much and his play drops when he tries to do too much, but when he lets the game come to him and plays his game, I always put him as one of the top players on the field at all times.
“He’s still maturing on the field … but I think when he plays poised and calm and lets the game come to him his game goes to another level and I think today was a good showing of that.”
After giving up the two goals early in the second half, freshman keeper Ruben Torres Sinz kept the Rams out of the net the rest of the game.
WOODSTOWN 1, GATEWAY 1: Both teams scored in the first half and then battled through a scoreless second half and overtime. Jake Lewis scored Woodstown’s goal and Vincent Toner lit the lamp for the Gators. Eddie Fuller made six saves in the Woodstown goal.
The Wolverines played to four draws last season.
DELRAN 3, SCHALICK 0: Three different players scored as the Bears handed the Cougars their first season-opening loss since 2022. The Cougars tied Washington Twp. in last year’s season opener and went on to play in the South Jersey Group I championship game.
Girls soccer
TUESDAY’S GAMES Schalick 7, Deptford 2 GCIT 3, Woodstown 2 Paulsboro at Salem Tech
PITTSGROVE — Schalick coach Will Kemp has gotten excited about a lot of teams he’s had over the years, but he’s starting to develop a special kind of affinity for the one he has this season. It all goes to the way they go about their business.
Freshmen Nicolette Bloomer and Mackenzie Talerico each scored two goals and Kyleigh Cutler had a goal and two assists to help the Cougars open their season with a 7-2 win over Deptford.
“This one of those squads I’m actually really excited for,” Kemp said. “I don’t have any type of nerves for, it’s just like pure excitement. Everyone understands it now. The culture is fully established within. We have a lot of selfless players who are focused on rebuilding the tradition and legacy of what Schalick soccer used to be. The work ethic is through the roof. It’s been really nice.”
The Cougars led wire-to-wire, but broke it open with three straight goals from Karlie Bakley, Talerico and Cutler to take a 5-2 halftime lead. Cecilee Bell and Bloomer scored in the second half. It was their first opening day win since 2023.
“The ladies really showed up for the first part of the season, dominated the whole entire game,” Kemp said. “Obviously there are a few things we still need to work on, but for the most part they came to play today, which was really good to see.”
GCIT 3, WOODSTOWN 2: The Cheetahs scored three goals in the first half and held on to hand the Wolverines their first loss of the season. Jorja Widmer scored twice and Khloe Leacott once for GCIT. Hailey Kucharczyk and Korynn Hernandez scored Woodstown’s goals.
GCIT led wire-to-wire, but the Wolverines put up a fight against a team that beat them 3-0 last season. Kucharczyk got them on the board with a left-footed goal from the left side. The Cheetahs made it 3-1, but right back Sadie Moore kept it close with a nice defensive save off a corner kick.
Hernandez scored Woodstown’s second goal off a Delia Hahn free kick with about 10 minutes left to bring the Wolverines within one. She brought it down to her foot, made a move to create space and ripped a shot past GCIT keeper Gwen Marvil from 22 yards out to make it 3-2.
Even in the last minute the Wolverines had a chance to tie. Freshman Bella Lucas put a long throw-in into the box with 10 seconds left, but they couldn’t get a shot on net.
“We were pressing; if we had five more minutes …,” Woodstown coach Kieran Keyser said. “It was a hard-fought battle for our girls. They beat us 3-0 last year, so to go 3-2 and be there with some of South Jersey’s Group 4 good strong teams is definitely a win.”
Field hockey
TUESDAY’S GAMES Audubon 8, Pennsville 0 St. Joe (Hamm.) 5, Woodstown 0 Highland 9, Salem 0
AUDUBON 8, PENNSVILLE 0: The Green Wave scored three goals in each of the first two quarters to spoil the official coaching debut of Pennsville’s Cass Massari.
Massari guided the Eagles to three wins last year filling in during coach Lisa Doran’s medical leave, a stretch that included a division-clinching win, and was promoted following Doran’s retirement.
HIGHLAND 9, SALEM 0: Kiersten Heverly scored the first four goals of the game and the Tartans scored three goals in each of the first three quarters to hand the Rams their second straight 9-0 loss.
Girls tennis
TUESDAY’S MATCHES Overbrook 4, Penns Grove 1 Pennsville 5, Salem 0 Schalick 3, Glassboro 2 Woodstown 5, Timber Creek 0
PENNSVILLE 5, SALEM 0 Graillyn Weber (P) def. Heaven Jones-McCullough, 6-0, 6-0 Naomi Hess (P) def. JaNye Hubbard, 6-0, 6-0 Jaisley Weber (P) def. Erica Brewer, 6-1, 6-2 Audrey Sauermilch-Mariangela Rangel (P) won by forfeit Marissa Dowell-Juliana Thomas (P) won by forfeit Records: Pennsville 2-1, Salem 0-2.
Here is this week’s Salem County sports schedule for the week of Sept. 7-12; all events 4 p.m. unless noted
TUESDAY, SEPT. 8 BOYS SOCCER Cumberland at Pennsville Gloucester Catholic at Penns Grove Schalick at Delran Woodstown at Gateway GIRLS SOCCER Deptford at Schalick GCIT at Woodstown FIELD HOCKEY Pennsville at Audubon St. Joe (Hamm.) at Woodstown Salem at Highland GIRLS TENNIS Glassboro at Schalick Penns Grove at Overbrook Woodstown at Timber Creek CROSS COUNTRY TCC Batch Meet at Kingsway, 3:30 p.m.
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 9 VOLLEYBALL Triton at Salem Tech, 5:15 p.m. COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL Delaware Tech at Salem CC, 6 p.m.
THURSDAY, SEPT. 10 FOOTBALL Clayton at Haddon Twp., 6 p.m. Atlantic City at Eastern, 6 p.m. Williamstown at Washington Twp., 6 p.m. Vineland at Pennsauken, 6 p.m. Hopewell Valley at Burlington City, 6 p.m. Lenape at Cherokee, 6 p.m. Trenton at Northern Burlington, 6 p.m. Delran at Cinnaminson, 6 p.m. Gloucester Catholic at WW-Plainsboro, 6 p.m. Woodbury at Gateway, 6 p.m. Hightstown at Moorestown, 6 p.m. Shawnee at Cherry Hill East, 6:30 p.m. Egg Harbor at Clearview, 7 p.m. Princeton at Robbinsville, 7 p.m. Mainland at Seneca, 7 p.m. FIELD HOCKEY Gloucester Catholic at Salem Tech Salem at Pennsville Woodstown at Schalick BOYS SOCCER Overbrook at Woodstown Pennsville at Clayton Salem at Salem Tech Schalick at Penns Grove GIRLS SOCCER Clayton at Pennsville Penns Grove at Schalick Salem Tech at Salem Woodstown at Overbrook GIRLS TENNIS Woodstown at Pennsville, 3:45 p.m. Schalick at Salem
FRIDAY, SEPT. 11 FOOTBALL Schalick at Woodstown, 6 p.m. Pennsville at Pitman, 7 p.m. Buena at Mastery Camden, 6 p.m. Paulsboro at West Deptford, 7 p.m. Highland at Overbrook, 7 p.m. Bordentown at Steinert, 3:45 p.m. Timber Creek at Triton, 6 p.m. Deptford at Oakcrest, 6 p.m. Burlington Twp. at Willingboro, 6 p.m. Lower Cape May Cumberland, 6 p.m. Cherry Hill West at Lawrence, 6 p.. Allentown at Collingswood, 6 p.m. Palmyra at Florence, 6 p.m. Riverside at Holy Cross, 6 p.m. Notre Dame at Ewing, 6 p.m. Cedar Creek at Pleasantville, 6 p.m. Rancocas Valley at Kingsway, 6 p.m. Atlantic Tech at Middle Twp., 6 p.m. Haddon Heights at Maple Shade, 6 p.m. Hammonton at Bridgeton, 6 p.m. Holy Spirit at St. Augustine, 6 p.m. Winslow at Glassboro, 6 p.m. Camden Catholic at Bishop Eustace, 6:30 p.m. Sterling at Gloucester, 7 p.m. St. Joe (Hamm.) at Paul VI, 7 p.m. Haddonfield at Delsea, 7 p.m. FIELD HOCKEY Bridgeton at Salem BOYS SOCCER Gloucester at Salem Salem Tech at Camden Academy Charter GIRLS TENNIS Haddon Heights at Pennsville, 3:45 p.m. Trenton at Penns Grove VOLLEYBALL Highland at Salem Tech, 5:15 p.m. COLLEGE CROSS COUNTRY Salem CC in Bill Fritz Open, Dream Park
SATURDAY, SEPT. 12 FOOTBALL Audubon at Salem, noon Lindenwold at Penns Grove, noon KIPP at Wildwood, noon Pemberton at Nottingham, noon FIELD HOCKEY Woodstown vs. Delsea, Rowan, 2:30 p.m. COLLEGE FOOTBALL Nassau CC vs. Salem CC, Schalick H.S., noon
Saulin sets Salem CC women’s cross country record in season-opening meet at West Chester; includes all the non-football action from Friday’s Salem County sports calendar
By Riverview Sports News
WEST CHESTER, Pa. — Isabelle Saulin ran the fastest time in Salem CC women’s cross country history Friday when she led the Mighty Oaks across the line in the West Chester Season Opener.
While the official women’s race results are pending, Saulin, a freshman from Pennsville, ran a 28:52.9 over the 5000-meter course. The previous school record was 32:15.50, set by Chantelle Haskie last year in the Mighty Oaks’ return to the sport. The standing mark at the time was Emily McGlamery’s 2019 time of 32:24.60.
George Nelson was fastest among the Salem CC men, running a 26:00.0.
“It was the first time in SCC history cross country has two full teams competing,” coach Ashley Johnson said. “This course is the toughest course they will see all season. It was a great experience.”
Prep sports
GIRLS SOCCER Paulsboro 5, Salem 3: Gabby Hicks scored four goals for the Red Raiders. Lyrice Hayes scored Salem’s first goal and assisted on Carlysia Pierce’s goal in the second half. FIELD HOCKEY Delran 7, Schalick 0
