Category: FOOTBALL

Breaking it down

Taking a look at the Group I championship game from the unique perspective of a coach who played both finalists this season

EDITOR’S NOTE: Schalick football coach Mike Wilson is uniquely qualified to break down Friday’s Group I championship game between Cedar Grove and Glassboro. His Cougars played Cedar Grove in their first game of the year (Battle at the Beach) and Glassboro – twice actually – in their final game (South Jersey Group I final). They are the only team in the state to play both finalists in any of the five public school title games.

By Mike Wilson
Special to Riverview Sports News

OVERVIEW 

Cedar Grove (13-0) has scored 557 points this year (42.8 ppg). Quarterback Stephen Paradiso has thrown for 3,501 passing yards and 42 touchdowns against only seven interceptions. The Panthers have rushed for 1,216 yards as a team and scored 26 touchdowns on the ground. This is a high-powered, no huddle, Air Raid Offense that has been tough to stop this year. 

The Cedar Grove defense has been good this year as well only giving up 13 points per game over 13 games. 

Glassboro (12-0) has Division I talent all over the field led by the Sabb brothers, Xavier and Amari, and the addition of senior transfer running back Kenny Smith has been tremendous for the Bulldogs. 

Amari Sabb has caught 56 passes for 1,049 yards and 12 touchdowns and Xavier Sabb has caught 43 for 774 yards and 11 touchdowns. Smith has rushed for 1,407 yards and 19 touchdowns in nine games (he had to sit the first three as a senior transfer). Their two quarterbacks, Kris Foster and Jack O’Connell both have thrown for more than 1,000 yards and have 30 combined touchdown passes.

Glassboro relies on a defense that only gives up five points per game. 

Schalick head coach Mike Wilson talks to his team after a game. The Cougars played both teams in this year’s Group I championship game, Cedar Grove and Glassboro. (Photo by Heather Papiano)

AT FIRST GLANCE 

Cedar Grove and Glassboro are two of the best football teams I have seen in a long time. It’s going to be a great match up. 

Having played both of them, Cedar Grove doesn’t look impressive on film but they are impressive in person. The Panthers are a different level in person, well coached, know their system very well and execute on a high level. 

Glassboro is just physically tough and have playmakers everywhere. It’s not easy to beat the Bulldogs because of their sheer physical nature of play. It reminds me of playing Bridgeton while I was in high school. 

KEYS TO VICTORY

Can Cedar Grove protect their quarterback against the Front 5 of Glassboro? 

Cedar Grove throws the ball an awful lot. I think we can all agree Glassboro has a very good front five; they’ve only given up like five points per game this year. They’re good, they’re star-studded, they’re big, they’re fast, they’re physical. But Cedar Grove is very good at pass protection. We threw a lot at them and they picked everything up.

That’s going to be the matchup going into the game. I can see Glassboro dominating, but I can also see Cedar Grove picking it up because I’ve seen it on both side.

Can Glassboro slow down an offense that they haven’t seen before? 

Nobody runs what they’re going to see. Nobody they play this year runs anything close to that.

It’s a spread offense, but it’s Air Raid. They’re the fastest no-huddle team I’ve seen ever live for high school football. And the pass concepts they ran, nobody in Glassboro’s schedule runs any of that stuff.

It’s very unique. You can’t practice it. It’s hard to replace stuff that you don’t do. It all depends on how fast Glassboro can ease into the game. Kind of like the Eagles (Sunday) night where the defense took about two or three series to get used to what the Rams were doing and then they were fine the rest of the game. Can you ease into the game when it’s still close?

Can Cedar Grove protect against the big play capability of the Sabbs and Smith?

I think so. Of all the teams we played this year, Cedar Grove is very fundamentally sound. I would think they’ll make Glassboro work for it. I don’t think you’re going to see Cedar Grove line up wrong, be out of place. 

Glassboro might just have better athletes than them, but Cedar Grove is not going to line up wrong, they’ll be in the right spots. It’s can their athletes match up direct with (Glassboro’s) athletes.

Who will win the special teams battle? 

Cedar Grove has a very good placekicker (Sebastian Kovacs). That kid’s going to put the ball in the end zone every time. He can kick a field goal because he has a leg and a half. (Kovacs is 7-of-9 on field goals, long of 42; 70 of 72 on PATs). The quarterback does the punting and the flip side of it is Glassboro hasn’t punted the football in over a month. So, if I’m Cedar Grove I want those guys to punt. And if you look back to how Glassboro got beat last year, I think Mountain Lakes blocked a kick or two.

I think the third phase of the game, if it’s close, can decide the game.

Left cover photo: Schalick kicker Hunter Dragotta (12) tries to corral Cedar Grove receiver Jackson Morrice during their season opener. Right cover photo: Glassboro’s Jordan Gravener (75) wraps up Schalick’s Reggie Allen during the South Jersey Group I championship game. (Photos by Heather Papiano)

Wolverines stopped in semis

A tough first quarter sends Woodstown to defeat in Group 1 state semifinals, Glassboro headed back to state title game

GROUP I SEMIFINALS
Glassboro 36, Woodstown 0
Cedar Grove 52, Butler 21
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
Glassboro vs. Cedar Grove

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

GLASSBORO – The Woodstown coaches gathered their players at the 30-yard line for one final post-game huddle. While the other team celebrated at the other end of the field, the coaches stood before the Wolverines and one by one told them how proud they were of what they had done this season.

The comments were genuine, the sudden finality made it emotional, but it really wasn’t the message the players were prepared to hear. The Wolverines came into this cold, rainy night with designs on getting to the state championship game. 

But Glassboro scored three touchdowns in the first quarter and rode them to a 36-0 win that sent them to Group I title game for the second straight year and ended the Wolverines’ season one game short of the promised land for the second year in a row.

“The game didn’t have the outcome we wanted, but we fought through everything,” Woodstown senior running back Bryce Belinfanti said. “We had fun in our last game and we just trooped it out. That’s what it was about, trooping it out. Everyone on the field has character and that’s something we’ll walk away with forever.”

The undefeated Bulldogs (12-0), who now face undefeated Cedar Grove in next week’s title game, jumped out to a 22-0 lead in the first quarter with the help of a couple happy accidents.

Amari Sabb took a pop pass from Jack O’Connell 7 yards to open the scoring, then Kenny Smith scored on a pair of 1-yard runs after the Bulldogs recovered back-to-back onsides kicks that looked like brilliant strategy but actually weren’t planned at all.

Freshman Moses Robles, Glassboro’s kickoff specialist, just missed both kicks. Mehki Parker recovered the first one at the Woodstown 45, Davon Barr got the second at the 50 and it didn’t take long for the Bulldogs to find the end zone after either one.

“We didn’t plan it,” Glassboro coach Timmy Breaker said. “He just kind of muffed it on both of them and they got both of them. That changed the game. We didn’t plan for that to happen and when it happened a second time around I couldn’t believe it. A broken clock is right twice a day.”

“It didn’t surprise me, really,” Belinfanti said. “It’s the semis, people gotta do what they’ve gotta do to win.”

Although his two touchdown runs were short, Smith wound up rushing for 204 yards to close in on 5,000 career yards. The senior transfer set the tone for the Bulldogs when he broke off a 59-yard run on their first play from scrimmage and he had a 48-yard run in the middle of the second quarter worthy of its own SportsCenter moment.

“He’s made our offense so dynamic,” Breaker said. “He’s made us so explosive. Having a seasoned guy, a senior, back there able to run that football and sometimes you just lean on him to do it. In a game like this – we talked about it earlier at school – we knew coming out he was getting that ball and he was excited for it.”

Glassboro’s Kenny Smith (3) watches intently as teammate Xavier Sabb tries to elude Woodstown’s Rocco String Friday night. (Photo by Ellen Sickler)

Xavier Sabb went 22 yards with a screen pass in the final minute of the second quarter to give the Bulldogs a 30-0 halftime lead.

“We made some mistakes early, we put ourselves in a little bit of a hole,” Woodstown coach Frank Trautz said. “That’s a very talented team over there. I don’t think the score was indicative of the guys we have, but it is what it is tonight. We just came up short.”

Trautz appealed to his players’ legacy in his halftime speech and the Wolverines showed a lot of moxie in the second half. He noted the players have been teammates since they were little and may be heading into their final 24 minutes together so make the most of them.

They responded by driving into the red zone on their opening possession of the half before turning it over. They also stopped the Bulldogs with an interception by Carter Orlandini and a fumble recovery in the red zone. The only touchdown Glassboro scored after halftime came on a 6-yard pick-six in the fourth quarter.

“We found ourselves in a big hole, but the second half we battled,” quarterback Garrett Leyman said. “We never gave up and I think anybody who was here can see that. (The second half) just showed we never give up, it doesn’t matter what the score is, what the weather is, wer’e never ready to go home, and we showed it tonight.”

The Wolverines (10-2) reached the state semifinals for the second year in a row with a first-year head coach and quarterback in the second half of the year that hadn’t played the position since eighth grade. 

Leyman, a senior receiver and defensive back, burst on the scene as a quarterback with a four-touchdown debut at Salem and stayed in the position the rest of the season as Jack Holladay never returned from his shoulder injury and directed the Wolverines to four wins.

Their only two losses of the season both came to Glassboro – in the Diamond Division title game and Friday night – prompting the stadium public address announcer to say the Wolverines would have had an undefeated season if it weren’t for the Bulldogs.

“I think I had a lot of things I could’ve cleaned up and done better for my team,” Leyman said. “I’m proud of myself for stepping up, (but) I just think there’s a lot I could’ve done to change the outcome. This wasn’t the final goal. We wanted to make it to the state championship.”

Glassboro 36, Woodstown 0

WOODGLASS
71st Downs17
37-90Rushing25-261
2-3-1C-A-I11-14-1
9Passing109
5-4Fum-lost1-1
2-24.5Punts0-0
3-25Penalties8-50
Woodstown (10-2) 0000-0
Glassboro (12-0)22806-36

SCORING SUMMARY
G-Amari Sabb 8 pass from Jack O’Connell (kick failed), 8:17 1Q
G-Kenny Smith 1 run (Amari Sabb run), 5:53 1Q
G-Kenny Smith 1 run (Xavier Sabb pass from Jack O’Connell), 2:07 1Q
G-Xavier Sabb 22 pass from Jack O’Connell (Amari Sabb run), 33.5 2Q
G-Maurice Davis 6 interception return (kick failed), 9:18 4Q

NJSIAA PLAYOFFS
GROUP 2 SEMIFINALS
Rumson-Fair Haven 44, Point Pleasant Bobo 10
Shabazz 8, Hanover Park 7
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
Rumson-Fair Haven vs. Shabazz

GROUP 3 SEMIFINALS
Old Tappan 43, Pascack Valley 14
Mainland 36, Somerville 35
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
Old Tappan vs. Mainland

GROUP 4 SEMIFINALS
Phillipsburg 35, Ramapo 6
Millville at Winslow (Saturday)
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
Phillipsburg vs. Millville-Winslow

GROUP 5 SEMIFINALS
Union City 42, East Orange 0
Toms River North 27, Washington Twp. 10
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
Union City vs. Toms River North

NON-PUBLIC A SEMIFINALS
St. Joseph (Mont.) at Bergen Catholic (Saturday)
Don Bosco Prep 35, St. Augustine 14
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
St. Joseph (Mont.)-Bergen Catholic vs. Don Bosco Prep

NON-PUBLIC B SEMIFINALS
(Saturday Games)
Holy Spirit at DePaul
St. John Vianney at Pope John
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
Holy Spirit-DePaul vs. St. John Vianney-Pope John

Woodstown’s Bump Carter (71) gets a line on Glassboro’s Amari Sabb during their Group I state semifinal game Friday night. (Photo by Ellen Sickler)

Woodstown’s big night

Wolverines post first playoff shutout in more than 40 years to win the Central Jersey Group I title

GROUP I SECTIONAL FINALS
South: Glassboro 40, Schalick 9
Central: Woodstown 31, Shore 0
North I: Butler 42, Mountain Lakes 7
North II: Cedar Grove 35, New Providence 14
STATE SEMIFINALS
Woodstown (10-1) at Glassboro (11-0)
Butler (11-0) at Cedar Grove (12-0)

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

WOODSTOWN — Woodstown set out to win another sectional football title Friday night. The Wolverines didn’t know they’d be making a little history along the way.

Bryce Belinfanti returned to the fold as the lead back and Carter Orlandini led a stout defense with two interceptions, one he returned for a touchdown, as the Wolverines walloped Shore Regional 31-0 for the Central Jersey Group I football title in coach Frank Trautz’ first season.

It was the Wolverines’ first playoff shutout in more than 40 years. In 1984, they held Hammonton without a touchdown in an 8-3 second-round win in the SJ Group 2 playoffs.

“It was a great game and moment for everyone in Woodstown, but especially Coach Trautz,” Belinfanti said. “I wanted him to win this one big time and we did.”

Corbin Walz wraps up a Shore Regional ballcarrier as part of a Woodstown defense that scored its first playoff shutout in more than 40 years Friday night. (Photo by Ellen Sickler)

Belinfanti, who had been out or limited in an offensive role since turning an ankle in the regular-season finale, rushed for 225 yards and a fourth-quarter touchdown. He also eclipsed the 1,000-yard rushing mark for the second year in a row. He only needed 10 yards to reach the plateau and got all of that and more on his first run of the night — a 15-yard gain. He touchdown covered 39 yards in the fourth quarter.

Orlandini returned an interception 38 yards for a touchdown to cap a 17-point first quarter that gave the Wolverines (10-1) control of the game. The junior defensive back with a nose for the ball has four interceptions and nine takeaways this season. The pic-six was the first of his career.

“We really wanted to focus on starting fast and setting the tone of the game from the beginning, and that’s exactly what we did in that first quarter,” Orlandini said. “I think the momentum really shifted when I crossed the goal line, and we were all rolling from there.

“As a defense, it’s always the goal to keep the other team off the scoreboard, but to do it the way we did in that big of a game, and for it to possibly be the first playoff shutout in school history, it was really special. Everyone had a hand in it.”

Shore had scored 325 points in winning its first 10 games this season. The Blue Devils had 188 yards rushing Friday night.

Just as they did the week before in knocking out Pennsville, the Wolverines did all their damage offensively on the ground. They had 315 yards rushing on 45 carries and no passing yards. In addition to Belinfanti’s big night, Alex Torres rushed for 52 yards and a touchdown on nine carries and quarterback Garrett Leyman rushed for 36 yards and a touchdown on nine carries.

“Our plan was to be all around offensively, but our running game was superior from the start,” Belinfanti said. “Getting 1000 (yards) was definitely great, but the win is the best part of it all.”

The Wolverines now travel to Glassboro next week for the state semifinals in a rematch of last year’s state semifinal won by the Bulldogs on a 60-yard halfback pass to Xavier Sabb with 50 seconds to play. The Bulldogs (11-0) handed Woodstown its only loss this season. The winner will face the Butler-Cedar Grove winner for the Group I crown.

Carter Orlandini is congratulated in the bench area after returning an interception for a touchdown to give Woodstown a 17-0 first-quarter lead. On the cover, the Wolverines celebrate their Central Jersey Group I title. (Photos by Ellen Sickler)

Woodstown 31, Shore 0

Shore 0000-0
Woodstown 170014-31

SCORING SUMMARY
WO-Jake Ware 25 FG
WO-Garrett Leyman 5 run (Jake Ware kick)
WO-Carter Orlandini 30 interception return (Jake Ware kick)
WO-Bryce Belinfanti 39 run (Jake Ware kick)
WO-Alex Torres 17 run (Jake Ware kick)

Bryce Belinanti returned to the Woodstown backfield and had a big night. He rushed for 225 yards to go over 1,000 for the second year in a row. (Photo by Ellen Sickler)



Schalick shut down

Cougars needed to be flawless to win the South Jersey Group I title game, but early miscues and top-seeded Glassboro never gave them a chance

GROUP I SECTIONAL FINALS
South: Glassboro 40, Schalick 9
Central: Woodstown 31, Shore 0
North I: Butler 42, Mountain Lakes 7
North II: Cedar Grove 35, New Providence 14
NOV. 15 STATE SEMIFINALS
Woodstown (10-1) at Glassboro (11-0), 6 p.m.
Butler (11-0) at Cedar Grove (12-0), 7 p.m.

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

GLASSBORO – Schalick coach Mike Wilson knew it was going to take a near flawless effort for his Cougars to get past top-seeded Glassboro in the sectional title game Friday night. As much as they wanted it, It just didn’t happen.

The Cougars mishandled fourth-down snaps on their first two possessions and the Bulldogs converted both into Xavier Sabb touchdowns to take early control of an eventual 40-9 victory for the South Jersey Group 1 sectional crown.

Glassboro (11-0) will now host Central Jersey champ Woodstown next week in the Group 1 semifinals. Woodstown beat Shore Regional 31-0 in its first playoff shutout in more than 40 years.

The Cougars (8-4) actually had three mishandled fourth-down snaps in the first half, leading to 32 yards in losses and three Glassboro touchdowns. The Bulldogs also had two defensive touchdowns on back-to-back snaps in the fourth quarter to put the game out of reach. 

“You have to play a perfect game, we shot ourselves in the foot,” Wilson said. “We fought in the second half … what are you going to do? 

“Our kids played their (butts) off. They played hard. The effort’s there. Great group of kids. They did a lot for the program and they’ve done a lot of good things over the last four years.”

Schalick quarterback Kenai Simmons was under seize all night. The Bulldogs came after him with such fury they eventually sent him to the sidelines with a leg injury after being fallen on twice by massive Glassboro lineman Brandon Simmons. It forced the Cougars to bring in backup Gary Simonini for the final 3:37 of the half.

“I knew what it was like, I played against them three times and every time they probably had at least three, four sacks on me a game,” Simmons said after his final high school game. “In trying to get ready for this game, I planned on getting out of the box a little bit more, but a couple of their guys kept me in the box. If we complete a couple more of those passes we have a better ballgame in the first half.”

The pressure Glassboro brought Friday was “way more” than it did in their regular-season win over the Cougars, Brandon Simmons said. The Bulldogs held Schalick to 86 total yards and they got almost half of that on a 34-yard pass to Dylan Sheehan in the fourth quarter. They had more than a dozen plays that went for negative yardage.

“We learned from our mistakes,” he said. “We realized we gave him too much time in the pocket, he felt too comfortable. I talked with the D-line, we’ve all been talking all week, once we put so more pressure on him it makes our DBs’ and linebackers’ job way easier. 

“We knew we kind of screwed them over a little bit last time we played them by giving them by giving them too much time in the pocket, so we knew we had to help the team out and put more pressure on them.”

Schalick trailed 27-3 at halftime with only 11 yards of net offense. Quarterback Simmons, who left the field at halftime under his own power, returned to the lineup to start the second half and the Cougars came out looking to make something happen. They recovered the onsides kick to open the half and put together a 10-play, 50-yard drive for their only touchdown – a 2-yard pass from Simmons to Jace Volovar.

“We always play to win,” Wilson said. “We were not thinking we were going to lose that ball game. We were like, this is how we get back in the game. We weren’t going to roll (over).”

Glassboro put it out of reach with two defensive touchdowns on back-to-back snaps 21 seconds apart midway through the fourth quarter. The first was a 33-yard fumble return by Devon Barr after Simmons and Dorian Kelsey flushed Kenai Simmons from the pocket and into something that looked like a pass but was allowed to come back as a fumble. The other was a 38-yard interception return by Sabb on another deep ball thrown under pressure.

“This is probably one of the top two defensive games we ever had,” Sabb said. “They couldn’t run the ball. (and0 throwing the ball was a nightmare. They had a couple special plays, but outside of that … That quarterback, he likes to run a lot and we checked him out early, so once we took that away it was about over.”

“We wanted to play physical,” Glassboro coach Timmy Breaker said. “We wanted them to feel the physicality in the beginning of the game and the boys did a heck of a job doing it.”

While the loss ended Schalick’s season, in some ways this may have been a better year than last year’s 11-1 campaign. The Cougars moved into the strongest Group I division of the WJFL and played better competition all season long. Their four losses have come from three of the four teams playing for a berth in the Group I title game, teams that are a combined 33-1 — Cedar Grove, Woodstown and Glassboro (twice) – and that one loss came from within the group.

“We played fantastic this year against much better competition,” Wilson said. “We rose to the occasion. We go to back-to-back sectional championship games; that’s not easy to do.

“Big picture, can’t be upset. Obviously you don’t want to lose games and it’s going to kill us to look at the tape and see could’ve, would’ve, should’ve, but the bottom line is these kids have done a lot.”

Glassboro 40, Schalick 9

SCHALGLASS
71st Downs12
26-36Rushing17-93
7-15-2C-A-I10-19-0
52Passing139
5-1Fum-lost4-3
3-23.7Punts0-0
7-60Penalties11-101
Schalick (8-4)0360-9
Glassboro (11-0)1413013-40

SCORING SUMMARY
G-Xavier Sabb 16 run (kick failed), 10:42 1Q
G-Xavier Sabb 29 pass from Jack O’Connell (Amari Sabb run), 7:06 1Q
S-Hunter Dragotta 30 FG, 10:26 2Q
G-Kenny Smith 1 run (Sal Esgro kick), 7:29 2Q
G-Amari Sabb 29 pass from Jack O’Connell (kick failed), 3:54 2Q
S-Jace Volovar 2 pass from Kenai Simmons (pass failed), 5:01 3Q
G-Davon Barr 33 fumble return (Sal Esgro kick), 7:21 4Q
G-Xavier Sabb 38 interception return (kick failed), 7:00 4Q

WJFL Patriot Stars

Pennsville’s first playoff team since 2019 placed four players on the WJFL Patriot Division all-star team as voted upon by the coaches last week and recently approved by the athletic directors — OL Jacob Hand, 1,000-yard rushing RB Rylan Hardy, DB Malik Rehmer and LB Connor Ayars. Former Penns Grove player Bryce Wright, a transfer to West Deptford this season, was picked as a first-team LB. Division winner Camden Catholic had nine players on the first team.

WJFL PATRIOT DIVISION OFFENSE
OLRyan BurkeOverbrook
OLLars StegnerCamden Catholic
OLJacob HandPennsville
OLSal FilfeWest Deptford
OLChris NeffPaulsboro
QBMike MoritzCamden Catholic
RBNymir DailyCamden Catholic
RBRylan HardyPennsville
WR/TEYon AndersonCollingswood
WR/TEJeremiah CarrPaulsboro
WR/TESean WeideCamden Catholic
KMatthew KilicCamden Catholic
ATHTeriq MooreOverbrook
ATHKyair HarveyPaulsboro
WJFL PATRIOT DIVISION DEFENSE
DLJonah JordanAudubon
DLJoel AmegatherCamden Catholic
DLJarred HazelPaulsboro
DLEric ScottPaulsboro
DBTommy QuinnAudubon
DBJoshua CollierCamden Catholic
DBMalik RehmerPennsville
DBZamir DavisWest Deptford
LBSean O’ReillyCamden Catholic
LBConnor AyarsPennsville
LBCaden LubyCollingswood
LBBryce WrightWest Deptford
PLogan GilbertAudubon
ATH Bryce ClarkCamden Catholic

This week’s schedule

Here is this week’s sports schedule for events involving teams from Salem County for the week of Nov. 11-16

TUESDAY
BOYS SOCCER
SJ GROUP I SEMIFINALS
Haddon Twp. at Schalick, 2 p.m.
Palmyra at Woodstown, 4 p.m.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Bucks County CC at Salem CC, 7 p.m.
WOMENS COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Anne Arundel CC at Salem CC, 5 p.m.

THURSDAY
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Delaware Tech at Salem CC, 7 p.m.
WOMENS COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Delaware Tech at Salem CC, 5 p.m.

FRIDAY
FOOTBALL
GROUP I SECTIONAL FINALS
Schalick at Glassboro, 6 p.m.
Shore at Woodstown, 7 p.m.
Mountain Lakes at Butler, 7 p.m.
New Providence at Cedar Grove, 7 p.m.
BOYS SOCCER
GROUP I SECTIONAL FINALS
South: Palmyra-Woodstown winner vs. Haddon Twp.-Schalick winner
Central: Brearley-Shore winner vs. College Achieve-Roselle Park winner
North I: Lenape Valley-Emerson Boro winner vs. Indian Hills-Waldwick winner
North II: Wallington-Glen Ridge winner vs. Verona-New Providence winner

SATURDAY
CROSS COUNTRY
Meet of Champions, Holmdel Park
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Lehigh Carbon CC at Salem CC, 2 p.m.
WOMENS COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Lehigh Carbon CC at Salem CC, noon

Cougars find a way

Schalick rallies after losing big lead, beats Paulsboro for spot in SJ Group I finals, 200th all-time win

SOUTH JERSEY GROUP I
Friday’s Semifinals
Schalick 33, Paulsboro 28
Glassboro 55, Riverside 8
Nov. 15 Championship
(2) Schalick at (1) Glassboro

GROUP I SECTIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
Central: Shore (10-0) at Woodstown (9-1)
South: Schalick (8-3) at Glassboro (10-0)
North Jersey I: Mountain Lakes (6-4) at Butler (10-0)
North Jersey II: New Providence (9-2) at Cedar Grove (11-0)

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PITTSGROVE – The Schalick Cougars couldn’t help feeling like another local team in green with the way their South Jersey Group I playoff game went Friday night.

The Cougars, reminiscent of the Philadelphia Eagles last week against Jacksonville, lost a 21-point second-quarter lead in the second half, but pulled it back together and eventually escaped with a 33-28 win over Paulsboro to reach the South Jersey Group I championship game.

“You always worry about complacency as a coach and I think we got a little complacent,” Cougars coach Mike Wilson said. “But we figured it out. Games are swings of momentum. They got the momentum, then we got it back and we finished on top. As an Eagles fan, I can see why you’d say that.”

It also was the 200th win in the history of the program. Thirty have come on Wilson’s watch (30-20).

The Cougars (8-3) shook off an opening interception and early 6-0 deficit to lead 27-6 in the second quarter before enduring a 15-minute stretch of what Mike Wilson called “some unfortunate stuff” that found them trailing 28-27 after three quarters.

“Anything that could go wrong went wrong,” Wilson said. “But we battled back and found a way to win. There wasn’t a light-bulb moment. We just calmed down and played football again.”

They put together the game-winning drive capped by Reggie Allen’s second touchdown of the game, a 6-yard run with less than five minutes to play.

“We just needed to take a deep breath, relax and start playing like we played earlier in the game,” Wilson said. “We just had to settle down.”

The Cougars built their lead on a 3-yard run by Kenai Simmons, a 57-yard run by Sherrod Jones, Matthew LaMazza’s fumble recovery in the end zone and Allen’s 2-yard run.

Paulsboro (8-3) brought it back to take the lead with a touchdown three seconds before halftime, a 73-yard touchdown pass, a short run after recovering a Schalick fumble and a pair of two-point conversions.

“I knew if we would just settle down and relax, do our jobs, we were fine,” Wilson said. “Our senior leadership kicked in, the kids calmed themselves down, they all looked at themselves and said hey we’ve done this before, we’re fine and that’s what they did.

“It was great as coach to see because you see the maturation of your team. A group of sophomores might panic, but these seniors have seen everything … and they did a great job tonight.”

The win earned the Cougars a trip to Glassboro next week for the sectional championship. It’s a tall task considering the top-seeded Bulldogs (10-0) have beaten their first two playoff opponents by a combined score of 119-15.

The two teams played last year in the Central Jersey final with Glassboro winning 20-0. The Bulldogs won this year’s regular-season meeting 20-10.

“Let’s go,” Wilson said. “This is our third time playing them within the last calendar year. We feel that we’re only a few plays away and we’ve just got to play good football.”

Schalick 33, Paulsboro 28

Paulsboro (8-3)66160-28
Schalick (8-3)62106-33

SCORING SUMMARY
P-24-yard pass (PAT failed), 1Q
S-Kenai Simmons 3 run (kick failed), 1QS-Sherrod Jones 57-run (Hunter Dragotta kick), 2Q         
S-Matthew LaMazza fumble recovery in end zone (Hunter Dragotta kick), 2Q
S-Reggie Allen 2 run (Hunter Dragotta kick), 2Q
P-NA, 2Q
P-73-yard pass (conversion), 3Q
P-Quarterback scramble (conversion), 3Q
S-Reggie Allen 6 run (PAT failed), 4Q

Cover photo of Reggie Allen by Heather Papiano

Wearing ’em down

Woodstown keeps the ball on the ground, runs past Pennsville to reach Central Jersey Group I finals

CENTRAL JERSEY GROUP I
Friday’s Semifinals
Woodstown 21, Pennsville 6
Shore 17, Woodbury 7
Nov. 15 Championship
(2) Shore at (1) Woodstown

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

WOODSTOWN – Back in the day when Woodstown football was at its best, the Wolverines would run over, run around and run through opponents to get where they wanted to go. Sometimes it’s good to go back to the past to find the way forward.

The Wolverines went back to their roots Friday night, just pounding play after play on the ground and that strategy carried them past county rival Pennsville 21-6 in the Central Jersey Group I semifinals.

They wound up with 213 yards on 39 time-consuming carries and now will host unbeaten Shore Regional for the sectional championship next week.

“Running has been part of Woodstown football for a very long time – it’s been run, run, run,” running back Alex Torres said. “Then we’ve had amazing quarterbacks come through here and we’ve been in the pass game. They couldn’t stop the run, so we just kept running and we were putting the ball down their throat.”

“It was just working,” quarterback Garrett Leyman said. “We knew we could pound the ball down their throats. We got some long drives in and capitalized.”

Their longest drive of the night actually sealed the game. They put together a 10-minute, 16-play, 90-yard drive that started in the third quarter and ended in the fourth and was capped by Torres’ third short-yardage touchdown of the game. There were 15 running plays in the drive.

The Wolverines threw only four passes in the game. Pennsville coach Mike Healy figured to see a lot of run from them, but nothing quite like that.

“I expected them to be very run heavy; I didn’t think it was going to be that much, but they were having success,” he said. “There was one drive in the third into fourth quarter they just kept getting yards. We knew they could run the ball, we knew they’re tough up front. We still feel like we’re tough up front, too, there were just a couple things kind of went their way.”

The Wolverines (9-1) showed right off the bat they meant business when it came to running the football. Torres took the first snap of the game for 26 yards. In fact, the first play of each of their first six possessions in the first half went for 26, 10, 2 (touchdown), 5, 20 (a pass) and 52 yards.

“We want to establish the run and we want to run the ball,” Woodstown coach Frank Trautz said. “And if we’re able to do that and feel like we’re getting what we need to get to, then that’s going to be the plan; we’ll stick with it.”

“I’ve got to give props to our line,” Leyman said. “They were out there grinding. It was a hard-fought win for them, too.”

Woodstown’s Alex Torres (6) bursts through a big hole in the line for one of his three touchdowns against Pennsville. (Photo by Ellen Sickler)

Once again the Wolverines got big games from their next men up – Torres and Leyman.

Torres, drawing the start at running back ahead of Bryce Belinfanti for the second week in a row, rushed for 111 yards on a career-high 23 carries and scored all three Woodstown touchdowns on short-yardage runs (2, 3, 2). It was his second straight 100-yard game and third of his career.

The Wolverines continue to go slow with the ankle Belinfanti rolled in the Glassboro game. The senior was back in the game Friday, but got most of his time against the Eagles on defense. He did get one carry — late in the third quarter – and picked up a first down with it. He still needs 10 yards for his second straight 1,000-yard season rushing.

“I just knew I couldn’t let my team down,” said Torres, who had 152 yards rushing in the playoff opener against KIPP. “I knew that I worked all summer for this and as soon as they brought me up I knew it was my time to show what I can do and I definitely did. As soon as they said my name I knew I had to put everything out there for my team.”

Leyman, meanwhile, continues to hold the reins at quarterback and he rushed for 100 yards on 14 carries. Most of his yards came on a 52-yard burst that set up Torres’ second touchdown.

It was reminiscent of his days as a running quarterback as an eighth grader, the last time he played the position before being thrust into the role at Salem (with great success) following the shoulder injury to starter Jack Holladay in the Haddon Heights game Oct. 12.

“It definitely reminded me of eighth grade,” he said. “I feel like that’s my strong suit, my running game. I know I just had to do it.”

The Wolverines are hopeful of a full return for both injured players – Belinfanti, Trautz said, is “almost 100 percent,” almost to the point the Wolverines could have used him on offense Friday they needed to, and Holladay is “getting closer” – but they’re also confident they can continue to succeed with these next men up as the go deeper into the playoffs.

“One hundred percent,” Trautz said. “These aren’t backup players who are playing. These are guys who have played a million varsity game for us. If we need to, we’re ready to roll with them and we’re very confident in what they can do.”

“It just shows how dominant we can be,” Leyman said. “We have guys all over the place who can step in and play when their number is called.”

Pennsville came out ready to go. The Eagles put together a five and a half minute, nine-play, 86-yard drive on their first possession with Robbie McDade hooking up with Malik Rehmer on a 53-yard pass play for the game’s first score. But the Eagles missed the extra point.

They held the lead until a muffed punt later in the quarter set up Woodstown at 2. Torres scored his first touchdown on the next snap and Jake Ware’s extra point gave the Wolverines the lead for good.

Woodstown’s Bump Carter (71) is in hot pursuit of Pennsville quarterback Robbie McDade. Carter sacked McDade for a big loss late in the fourth quarter. (Photo by Ellen Sickler)

Woodstown 21, Pennsville 6

PVILLEWOOD
61st Downs11
17-75Rushing39-213
6-14-1C-A-I2-4-0
77Passing41
2-2Fum-lost2-0
4-28.5Punts5-31.6
1-5Penalties5-35
Pennsville6000-6
Woodstown 7707-21

SCORING SUMMARY
P-Malik Rehmer 53 pass from Robbie McDade (kick failed), 3:29 1Q
WO-Alex Torres 2 run (Jake Ware kick), 1:11 1Q
WO-Alex Torres 3 run (Jake Ware kick), 1:03 2Q
WO-Alex Torres 2 run (Jake Ware kick), 7:18 4Q

Playoff head-to-head

Here are the records of Salem County teams in head-to-head playoff matchups since 2003.

TEAMPGSALPVLWOOSCHTOTAL
Penns Grove—2-10-11-13-06-3
Salem1-2—1-01-01-14-3
Pennsville1-00-1—1-2NA2-3
Woodstown1-10-12-1—1-04-3
Schalick0-31-1NA0-1—1-5

This week’s schedule

The South Jersey Group I & II playoffs in boys soccer, girls soccer, field hockey and volleyball get underway this week. Here is the weekly sports schedule for teams in Salem County for the week of Nov. 4-9

NOV. 4
GIRLS SOCCER
SOUTH JERSEY GROUP I TOURNAMENT
(9) Clayton at (8) Gateway, 2 p.m.
(12) Pennsville at (5) Riverside, 3 p.m.
(13) Buena at (4) Haddon Twp., 4 p.m.
(14) Wildwood at (3) Woodstown, 2 p.m.
(11) Maple Shade at (6) Palmyra, 2 p.m.
(10) Pitman at (7) Glassboro, 2 p.m.
(15) Cape May Tech at (2) Schalick, 3 p.m.
FIELD HOCKEY
SOUTH JERSEY GROUP I TOURNAMENT 
(16) Audubon at (1) Shore
(9) Florence at (8) Salem, 2 p.m.
(12) Lower Cape May at (5) Gloucester
(13) Haddon Twp. at (4) Haddon Heights
(14) Maple Shade at (3) West Deptford
(11) Bordentown at (6) Gateway, 4 p.m.
(10) Collingswood at (7) Woodstown
(15) South Hunterdon at (2) Schalick, 2 p.m.

NOV. 5
BOYS SOCCER
SOUTH JERSEY GROUP I TOURNAMENT
(16) Cape May Tech at (1) Schalick, 2 p.m.
(9) Penns Grove at (8) Pitman, 2 p.m.
(12) Gateway at (5) Audubon, 2 p.m.
(13) Pennsville at (4) Haddon Twp., 4 p.m.
(14) Woodbury at (3) Palmyra, 4 p.m.
(11) Glassboro at (6) Riverside, 4 p.m.
(10) Maple Shade at (7) Wildwood, 2 p.m.
(15) Clayton at (2) Woodstown, 4 p.m.
SOUTH JERSEY GROUP II TOURNAMENT
(15) Salem Tech at (2) Haddon Heights
VOLLEYBALL
SOUTH JERSEY GROUP II TOURNAMENT
(14) Salem Tech at (3) Seneca

NOV. 6
FIELD HOCKEY
SOUTH JERSEY GROUP I TOURNAMENT
Salem at Shore, 4 p.m.
Gloucester at Haddon Heights, 2 p.m.
Bordentown at West Deptford, 2 p.m.
Collingswood at Schalick, 2 p.m.
WOMENS COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Salem CC at Bryn Mawr, 7 p.m.

NOV. 7
GIRLS SOCCER
SOUTH JERSEY GROUP I TOURNAMENT
Gateway at Audubon
Riverside at Haddon Twp.
Palmyra at Woodstown
Glassboro at Schalick

NOV. 8
FOOTBALL
SOUTH JERSEY GROUP I PLAYOFFS
Riverside at Glassboro, 6 p.m.
Paulsboro at Schalick, 6 p.m.
CENTRAL JERSEY GROUP I PLAYOFFS
Pennsville at Woodstown, 7 p.m.
Woodbury at Shore, 7 p.m.
BOYS SOCCER
SOUTH JERSEY GROUP I TOURNAMENT
Pitman at Schalick
Audubon at Haddon Twp.
Riverside Palmyra
Wildwood at Woodstown

NOV. 9
CROSS COUNTRY
NJSIAA Group Championships, Holmdel Park
MENS COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Delaware County CC at Salem CC, noon

Familiar foe, familiar result

Cougars offense catches up to defense, together they blank Audubon in the opening round of the playoffs for second year in a row; contains updated material

SOUTH JERSEY GROUP I
Friday’s Games
(1) Glassboro 64, (8) Pt. Pleasant Beach 7
(2) Schalick 24, (7) Audubon 0
Saturday’s Games
(5) Riverside 40, (4) Haddon Twp. 20
(3) Paulsboro 34, (6) Manville 9
Nov. 8 semifinals
Riverside at Glassboro
Paulsboro at Schalick

By Riverview Sports News

PITTSGROVE – Wasn’t it that famous old sage Yogi Berra who once said it was like deja vu all over again?

Schalick played Audubon in the opening round of the Group I playoffs for the second year in a row Friday night and it felt like a rerun.

The Cougars took out the Green Wave 24-0 in their first game in the South Jersey Group I bracket. It was 35-0 last year in the Central Jersey bracket.

The Cougars (7-3) now host Paulsboro in the sectional semifinals Friday. Paulsboro beat Manville 34-9 Saturday. The Cougars shut out Paulsboro 17-0 on Oct. 7.

“If we go out and we play to the level we’re capable of playing … we’re hard to beat when we don’t make mistakes,” Cougars coach Mike Wilson said. “If we don’t mistakes, even if we’re not moving the ball great, we have very good special teams and we’re playing very good defense.”

Schalick held the Green Wave to less than 100 yards of net offense and just 1-of-12 third-down conversions. It was the Cougars’ third shutout of the season.

It was a battle of punters and field position early, which the Cougars really didn’t mind, but they finally broke the ice when Kenai Simmons went on a 9-yard touchdown run with 6:01 left in the first half. Once they adjusted to the way the Wave was playing their unique offense, Simmons threw a 70-yard touchdown pass to Levi Feeney-Childers in the third quarter. Simmons passed for 99 yards and rushed for 13.

“Our kids have to learn to be patient that sometimes winning ugly is OK,” Wilson said. “What I mean by ugly is … it’s OK to punt and play defense sometimes.

“One of my buddies said to me even though it was 7-0 (at halftime) the way you guys are playing special teams and defense you weren’t going to lose that game.”

The Cougars extended their lead in the fourth on Dragotta’s 28-yard field goal and Dezyon Purnell’s touchdown run. Dragotta handled both the punting and placements in the game. His leg got a workout in the first half and he came within inches of hitting a school-record field goal late in the half, the ball hitting the left upright.

“It takes us a couple series to figure out how people are going to line up to us,” Wilson said. “If you notice every game once we figure it out and make our adjustments then we start scoring points. We came out the second half and just blew the ball right down the field.

“The kids have to just relax and understand we have great special teams, we have a very good defense and the offense will score points because we’re too talented not to. Just calm down and play football.”

Schalick 24, Audubon 0

AUDSCH
51st Downs9
17-30Rushing36-106
12-27-1C-A-I4-15-0
54Passing99
1-1Fum-Lost0-0
NAPunts6-36.3
NAPenalties4-29
Audubon (2-6)0000-0
Schalick (7-3)07710-24

SCORING SUMMARY
S-Kenai Simmons 9 run (Hunter Dragotta kick)
S-Levi Feeney-Childers 70 pass from Kenai Simmons (Hunter Dragotta kick)
S-Hunter Dragotta 28 FG
S-Dez Purnell run (Hunter Dragotta kick)