Eagles denied in opener

Pennsville couldn’t get anything going, shut out in season opener at Gloucester

WJFL SCORES
Patriot Division
Thursday’s Games
Gloucester City 14, Pennsville 0
Manchester Twp. 26, West Deptford 21 (BATB)
Overbrook 36, Buena 0
Friday’s Games
Collingswood at Clayton, 6 p.m.
Diamond Division
Friday’s Game
Schalick vs. Cedar Grove at Egg Harbor Twp., 9:30 a.m.
Saturday’s Games
Penns Grove at Paulsboro, 10 a.m.
Willingboro at Salem, noon

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

GLOUCESTER CITY — Football is such a momentum game. Pennsville looked like it was building some late in the first half to get back in the game, but they lost it on a crushing turnover in the end zone and never got it back again.

And once it’s gone, it’s really hard to get back unless something extraordinary happens.

The Eagles dropped their season opener Thursday night, 14-0 at Gloucester City in a rare Week Zero game.

They gave up touchdowns on the first two defensive stands of the season but kept the Lions out of the end zone the rest of the game. They just could never get anything going offensively. They had only 10 yards net rushing, quarterback Robbie McDade was sacked four times and was intercepted three others.

“We had some opportunities, didn’t take advantage of them and they were a physical football team and we didn’t match them consistently,” Pennsville coach Mike Healy said. “Just too many mistakes across the board. Across the board didn’t make great decisions today.

“We know what we’re capable of on both sides of the ball, it’s just we have to be consistent. When you play good football teams and you’re not consistent they’re going to beat you.”

The Eagles looked like they were finally gaining steam in the final drive of the first half. A score would have given them momentum going into the locker room where adjustments could be made for when got the ball to start the second half.

They drove it all the way down to the Lions’ 2, thanks in part to a 45-yard catch and run by Luke Wood, and had it fourth-and-goal with 25 seconds left in the half, but linebacker Ryan Coffigny intercepted McDade a couple yards deep in the end zone with Malik Rehmer and Wood in the area to kill the threat.

“You score there and all of a sudden we get a little more confidence on offense, feel more confident getting the ball,” Healy said. “You score there and now it’s a one-score game and the defense is starting to settle down some and it just completely changes the game.”

“I definitely think it was a huge setback because we just made our first great drive down the field that unfortunately ended on a pick,” Wood said. “That’s something we can’t let affect us. Today we did and later on down the road, next week, the next week after that, that’s something we’re going to try to not let affect us because we have the talent to win.”

Wood, a college prospect in baseball and a 1,000-point scorer in basketball, was playing football as a senior for the first time since youth and caught three passes in the game for 67 yards. He looked a little uncertain after his first career catch, an 8-yard gain in the second quarter that put Pennsville back into positive net yardage, but the 45-yarder was the Eagles’ biggest offensive play of the game.

“It was fun,” he said. “It’s just a completely different atmosphere than baseball or basketball. This is the ultimate team sport. This is 11 guys playing all for the same goal. We’re really a family, we’re really a brotherhood, which you really don’t feel like that in other sports, as much as you do in football.”

Gloucester pounded the ball on the ground and racked up 108 yards of offense on its first two possessions. Touchdown runs by Trevin Burkhardt and Mason Widman gave the Lions a 14-0 lead early in the second quarter, but they Eagles’ defense tightened and held held them to minus-1 yard net the rest of the half and only 61 more yards in the third quarter.

Twice in the fourth quarter the Lions penetrated into the red zone – the second time after Pennsville went for it on fourth down from its 33 – but the Eagles kept them off the board.

“We got humbled,” senior Connor Ayers said. “The first two scores, we took that to heart. Me, personally, I’ve never been scored on like that on defense, but after the first two scores I think our defense held our own.”

SCHALICK ‘MORE THAN READY’: Every team will tell you they’re as ready as they can be heading into their season openers, but with expectations for his team this year through the roof Schalick quarterback Kenai Simmons, for one, can’t wait to get started.

“Ready isn’t the word,” the senior said as the Cougars prepare to meet Cedar Grove to open Day Two of the Battle At The Beach. “What is the word? I can’t find the word, but ready isn’t the word.

“I wouldn’t even use ready. I’d use a crazy word that means … ready to the highest point.”

Expectations are high for the Cougars this season. They return virtually their entire team that started 11-0 last year, built momentum with several close wins early and lost in the Central Jersey Group I title game.

Given that backdrop, this year’s theme, of course, is unfinished business. There are a lot of observers who expect the Cougars and Glassboro to play for the South Jersey spot in the Group I state championship game.

“I think the kids earned the expectation,” coach Mike Wilson said. “We’re motivated because we didn’t finish the deal last year; you can see it on our shirts. Last year it was ‘Burn the boats.’ This year it’s ‘Unfinished Business.’ We still have expectations, but we’re still not getting our due.”

The key to managing those expectations, Simmons said, is to “ignore the noise.” Last year as they were trying to grab a foothold in the South Jersey football landscape they truly embraced the notion of one play at a time, one game at a time, and this year it’s more of the same. They certainly won’t sneak up on anyone, especially as they move into the tougher WJFL Diamond Division.

“You still have to be confident, but not too confident,” safety Dylan Sheehan said. “It’s all a mindset with us. As long as our guys believe we’ve got it, we’ve got it.”

EXTRA POINTS: Schalick and Cedar Grove are 124 miles apart. It’s the second-farthest matchup in this year’s BATB behind only Bergen Catholic-IMG (1,184 miles). The 13 matchups outside the headliner combined have a total of 939 one-way instate miles … The Cougars are working on a 10-game regular-season winning streak.

Pennsville’s Malik Rehmer hauls in a catch before taking a hit from Gloucester’s Mason Widman. On the cover, Gloucester’s Rylan Coffigny snags an interception in the end zone to end a Pennsville threat.

Gloucester 14, Pennsville 0

PMHS		GHS
10	1st Downs	14
27-10	Rushes-yards	44-237
9-21-3	Passes (C-A-I)	1-5-0
117	Passing yards	5
0-0	Fumbles-lost	0-0
4-34.8	Punts-avg	4-26.8
3-25	Penalties-yards	8-65

Pennsville (0-1)	0	0	0	0-	0
Gloucester (1-0)	6	8	0	0-	14

SCORING SUMMARY
G-Trevin Burkhardt 2 run (kick failed), 6:48 1Q
G-Mason Widman 16 run (Trevin Burkhardt run), 10:40 1Q

WJFL STANDINGS
DIAMOND	DIV	ALL
Glassboro	0-0	0-0
Penns Grove	0-0	0-0
Salem	0-0	0-0
Schalick	0-0	0-0
Woodbury	0-0	0-0
Woodstown	0-0	0-0
PATRIOT	DIV	ALL
Audubon	0-0	0-0
Camden Cath.	0-0	0-0
Collingswood	0-0	0-0
Overbrook	0-0	1-0
Paulsboro	0-0	0-0
Pennsville	0-0	0-1
West Deptford	0-0	0-1

This week’s schedule

Here is the high school schedule for Salem County sports teams for the week of Aug. 26-31; x-scrimmage

AUG. 26
GIRLS TENNIS
x-GCIT at Pennsville, 9 a.m.
Mainland at Schalick, 9 a.m.
GIRLS SOCCER
x-Salem at Maple Shade, 9 a.m.
GIRLS VOLLEYBALL
x-Winslow at Salem Tech, 11 a.m.

AUG. 27
FIELD HOCKEY
x-Schalick at Cumberland, 9 a.m.
BOYS SOCCER
x-Woodbury at Penns Grove, 9 a.m.
x-Schalick at Clearview, 9:30 a.m.
x-Lower Cape May at Salem, 10 a.m.
x-Salem Tech at Pennsauken Tech, 3:45 p.m.
GIRLS SOCCER
x-Clearview at Schalick, 9 a.m.
x-Penns Grove at Paulsboro, 9 a.m.
x-Salem at Cumberland, 10 a.m.
GIRLS TENNIS
x-Penns Grove at Deptford, 10 a.m.
x-Salem at Lower Cape May, 10 a.m.

AUG. 28
GIRLS TENNIS
Pennsville at West Deptford, 10 a.m.
BOYS SOCCER
x-Cumberland at Woodstown, 10 a.m.
x-Pemberton at Salem Tech, 10:30 a.m.

AUG. 29
FOOTBALL
Collingswood at Clayton, TBA
West Deptford vs. Manchester Twp., 10 a.m. (at Ocean City)
Pennsville at Gloucester City, 6 p.m.
x-Pitman at Woodstown, 6 p.m.
FIELD HOCKEY
x-Woodstown at Collingswood, 10 a.m.
GIRLS SOCCER
x-Bridgeton at Penns Grove, 9 a.m.
x-Schalick at Cumberland, 9 a.m.
x-Woodstown at Haddon Twp., 9 a.m.
x-Pennsville at Woodbury, 10 a.m.
BOYS SOCCER
x-Penns Grove at Bridgeton, 9 a.m.
x-Woodbury at Pennsville, 10 a.m.
x-Highland at Salem, 3:30 p.m.
GIRLS TENNIS
x-Penns Grove at Bridgeton, 9 a.m.
Pennsville at Cumberland, 10 a.m.

AUG. 30
FOOTBALL
Schalick vs. Cedar Grove, 9:30 a.m. (at Egg Harbor Twp.)
FIELD HOCKEY
x-Schalick at Ocean City, 10 a.m.
BOYS SOCCER
x-Schalick at Moorestown Friends, 9 a.m.
x-Woodstown at Williamstown, 10 a.m.
GIRLS TENNIS
x-Lindenwold at Penns Grove, 9 a.m.

AUG. 31
FOOTBALL
Penns Grove at Paulsboro, 10 a.m.
Willingboro at Salem, noon

Developing depth

Schalick gives bulk of live-ball time in Friday’s scrimmage to underclassmen as the Cougars eye future while positioning themselves for this year’s run

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

BUENA – Mike Wilson already knows what his veteran starters can do – and he has a lot of them to track. He saw their work first-hand last year as the junior-laden bunch led Schalick to historic program heights that fuel even higher expectations for the season ahead.

So as the Cougars went through their game scrimmage in the run-up to next week’s Battle at the Beach season opener Friday at Buena, the coach’s focus turned to the equally deep group in the next two classes for what they’re anticipating as a long run.

That’s the reason Reggie Allen played only five snaps on offense and none on defense, Levi Feeney-Childers didn’t play much on offense and none on defense, the second defensive line played the whole time and senior quarterback Kenai Simmons didn’t play at all.

“We played a lot of 2s, a lot of backups, a lot of rotators,” Wilson said. “We put a lot of sophomores in positions.”

The resting of Simmons opened the door for a full live-ball look at sophomore backup Ayden Jenkins. Early in the exercise Jenkins looked like a sophomore, fumbling twice in his first six snaps and losing one of them. But after that, he looked like the player the Cougars can use to give Simmons a break on offense to open up his value as the team’s best defender.

After the initial miscues, Jenkins completed four of five passes for 153 yards – 45, 51, 20, 37 — and a touchdown and ran 15 yards for another score. Junior Sherrod Jones, who had three varsity carries last year, rushed for 63 yards and a touchdown on two carries. The Cougars won the half of live-ball action 21-7.

“We wanted to play the sophomore quarterback,” Wilson said explaining the call to sideline Simmons. “We don’t want Gloucester Catholic last year again. We need a quarterback who can run the offense Kenai runs. As you saw today, Ayden did a nice job, but he’s a sophomore, one play’s really nice, the next play looks like a sophomore.

“We know Kenai can play. Kenai does not have to prove to me he can play the game. He has had 30 varsity games before his senior year.”

The Gloucester Catholic situation to which Wilson alluded is a reference to last year’s Homecoming Game in which Matthew LaMazza played the rest of the game after Simmons hurt his non-throwing shoulder in the first minute of the second quarter. LaMazza did an admirable job directing the Cougars to a 42-20 victory that completed their undefeated regular season, and if he were a baseball relief pitcher would have been credited with the win, but the offense was reduced to its most basic operation.

“I heard this from a coach from Arkansas and he said you never want a senior with sophomore experience and that’s what we’re trying to avoid this year,” Wilson said. “We graduate a great senior class at the end of the year, we do not need juniors and seniors next year with no experience, so we’re trying to avoid that with the preseason

“We’ve got some talented kids, but you need game-feel experience (and) you can’t replicate the game overnight. That was kind of the goal today. That’s why Ayden was playing quarterback. I’d rather him make mistakes today than if he has to play in a game.”

The Cougars literally snuck up on people last season, their 11-1 record and run to the Central Jersey Group I title game a culmination in a four-year reclamation project by Wilson and his staff.

But as you’d expect, it wasn’t enough for the Cougars. This year is all about unfinished business and while there may have been some questions about the veracity of the Cougars’ success, there’s a growing sense in the region it’ll be the Cougars and Glassboro meeting for South Jersey’s spot in the Group I state championship game.

“We have a lot of seniors,” Simmons said. “It means a lot (to them) and I don’t think they’re ready to go down soon at all in this last run.”

One only had to look at the Cougars’ social media page a couple weeks ago to see how they’ve set themselves up from some long-term success. Of course, they have a huge senior class (18 players), but they have just as many in their current junior and sophomore classes who will figure prominently in this year’s plans.

Some Group I programs would be lucky to have half as many players in those three classes.

“Everybody’s focused on 2024 and so am I, but being the head coach I’m looking at 2025,” Wilson said. “We have a lot of ‘isms’ on our coaching staff. One big thing we do for development is we don’t let a senior back up a senior. That’s why we’re trying to give the kids the opportunities to play.

“One thing I learned when I was at Oakcrest and Mainland, develop as many as 1½ times player as you can. That’s kind of the goal. Limit two-way players, create one-way players and your really good kids play 1½ ways. When you do that, you develop your kids for the future and, No. 2, you wear teams out. It accomplishes your short term, your near term and your long-term goals because we want to be consistent, in the mix every year. If you put all your eggs in one basket and you only play 12 kids, you see those booms and those busts.”

Cover photo: Schalick backup quarterback Ayden Jenkins (11) scores a touchdown in Friday scrimmage against Buena.

Classy HOF class

Salem County Sports Hall of Fame welcomes seven new members, brings all-time roster of inductees to 143

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

CARNEYS POINT – Everyone on the Davidow Theater stage was decked out in their Sunday best befitting a Hall of Fame induction, but still it was easy to pick out the baseball player in the bunch. He was one wearing the Pennsville baseball jersey that looked just as sharp as a three-piece suit.

**Lex Bleckley addresses the crowd during his Salem County Sports Hall of Fame induction.**

Pennsville baseball great Lex Bleckley was among the seven newest inductees into the Salem County Sports Hall of Fame. They were inducted in ceremonies on the Salem Community College campus Thursday night.

Bleckley was joined in the class by Jaymes Dennison (track), James Dickerson (track) , Nick Elmer (football), Steve Merritt (coach), Donna O’Leary (coach) and Latika Ross (basketball). In addition, the Hall board will recognize Vince Gioia and Steve Lopes for their decades of service to Salem County sports as well as eight current and previous high school state champions.

The high school honorees were headlined by Penns Grove’s three-time boys (2013-15) and two-time girls (2013-14) Group I state champions.

Record-breaking Salem running back Jonathan Taylor, currently in training camp with the Indianapolis Colts, was enshrined in a separate ceremony last month.

The story of the Pennsville jersey finding its way on stage is a story of family love. Johnny Swiderski, one of the heroes of this year’s Pennsville Little League District 3 championship team, ran into Eagles baseball coach Matt Karr at a midget football game last week and asked if the coach had a couple of extra jerseys he could spare so the family could support their uncle at the ceremonies.

Karr came through. Young Johnny wore a blue Pennsville jersey the team wore a couple years ago and a vintage Montreal Expos cap representing the MLB team that drafted his uncle out of the University of Delaware. Bleckley had this year’s Eagles jersey, number 15. (He wore 5 when he helped the Eagles to an undefeated season).

“I was thinking about putting a piece of tape over that 1 and leave the 5,” he joked. “Close enough.”

Bleckley, who celebrated his 61st birthday Wednesday with family and friends, was a product of the Pennsville sports system, playing football and baseball. He is most proud of the baseball championships from an early age through his decorated career with the Eagles. The championships include district titles in Little League, State and Mid-Atlantic Champions in Babe Ruth Baseball and a state championship his senior year with a 25-0 record and the No. 1 ranked team in the state. The undefeated season has not been duplicated.

“We went 25-0, but there were only so many guys who could play and there were so many guys on that team that would have been starters for anybody else – and they were busting their butts every day,” he said. “I always wished they got more recognition. I’m up there because of them.”

His personal accomplishments include three-time All-Salem County, two-time Tri-County, two-time South Jersey Group II, two-time All-South Jersey, Group II All State, All-State First Team and Today’s Sunbeam Player of the Year. He finished his career at Pennsville with a .503 batting average and a team win-loss record of 66-6. He was taken in the major league draft twice.

“When I was growing up in town, Lex Bleckley was one of the names that you heard about in baseball,” said Karr, who didn’t attend the ceremony but was on top of the happenings. “I saw that Coach (Ed) Reiger was there tonight. I had him for study hall when I was a junior and senior and he used to share with us all his stories about teams from the past and some of those legendary teams and Lex Bleckley was definitely a big part of all that type of baseball history.”

The Kansas City Royals drafted Bleckley after his high school career, but he went to Delaware, where he was a three-year starter at shortstop. During his UD career, the Blue Hens were East Coast Conference champions twice and missed making it to the College World Series by one game. Lex came in second for the Division I batting title with a .455 average his junior year and was named ECC Player of the Year. He was drafted and signed by the Expos and spent a brief time in the minors before being derailed by a shoulder injury. After his playing career ended, he was head coach at Salem CC for two years.

He now runs a wholesale seafood business in Florida, but keeps up with the sports happenings from home on the internet. He’s going through some health challenges, but otherwise was in good form Thursday and genuinely proud to be on the stage with the other inductees.

“This has always been home,” he said.

JAYMES DENNISON excelled in track at Penns Grove High School. A member of the Class of 2013, Jaymes was a two-time state champion. He won the 800 in his junior year and the 400 in his senior year. He helped lead the team to a Group 1 team state championship in 2013, and holds school records in the 800.

He was a three-time South Jersey champion in the 800 meters. As a senior, he finished seventh in the Meet of Champions in one of the most competitive 800-meter races in its history. “If you ran 1:54-flat you did not finish in the top 10,” Hall board member and 2011 inductee Tom Mason said in introducing Dennison.

His post-high school accomplishments may be more impressive. In two years at Iowa State, he was a two-time NCAA All-American in 2018, Second Team All-American in the 4×400 meter relay and Honorable Mention All-American in the 800 meters. He was the Big 12 indoor champion in the 600 meters. Before enrolling at Iowa State, he was a two-time junior college indoor national champion in the 600 meters.

JAMES (JIMMY) DICKERSON graduated from Salem High School in 1964. Following high school, he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force for eight years and traveled extensively throughout Europe. While serving in the military, Jimmy was a medic.

In addition to his medic responsibilities, he played in the European Conference, on the track and field team, where he placed first in high jump at 6-10 and excelled in the triple jump. He also made the All-Europe Football Team as a running back and kick returner. After his tour of duty, Jimmy was an OSHA inspector at BF Goodrich in Pedricktown until his retirement.

In 1976, Jimmy was invited to attend Philadelphia Eagles head coach Dick Vermeil’s tryout camp. Although not selected, he considered meeting fellow tryout attendee Vince Papale, who went on to make the Eagles’ roster from that tryout, an experience of a lifetime.

At 34, Jimmy enrolled at Gloucester County College and competed in the track and field high/triple jump. He never lost a match during his two seasons. Community focused, Jimmy is involved in coaching youth basketball and mentoring. In addition, he is an active member of his church and sings in the senior choir.

NICK ELMER was a multi-sport athlete (football, wrestling, track and field) at Penns Grove High School.

In football, he set school records for passing yards (4,580) and passing touchdowns (61). He also helped lead PGHS to a record-breaking 2012 season and a South Jersey Group 1 championship in which he rushed for a record 308 yards in the title game. The 2012 team still holds the record for most points scored in a season in South Jersey history. He earned All-State First Team honors in 2012 and was the Philadelphia Inquirer South Jersey Player of the Year.

As a wrestler, Nick amassed a school-record 137 victories and qualified for the state tournament on twice, ultimately earning a seventh-place finish in 2013. He continued his academic and athletic career in wrestling at Drexel University, where he was a varsity starter for two years, accumulating 31 wins and a spot on the podium in the 2016 Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA) Conference Tournament and earned an EIWA Academic Achievement Award in the same year.

He went on to medical school at Thomas Jefferson University, where he graduated cum laude and as a member of the prestigious Alpha Omega Alpha national medical honors society. He is currently a plastic surgery resident at NYU Langone Hospital in New York City.

His commitments in New York prevented him from attending the ceremony. John Emel, the current West Deptford football coach and former Penns Grove coach, spoke on his behalf.

**Former Salem field hockey coach Donna O’Leary (L) estimated she influenced nearly 1,000 girls during her Hall of Fame coaching career.**

DONNA O’LEARY graduated from Paulsboro High School and was a two-sport varsity athlete (field hockey and tennis) there. She also swam competitively year-round at the Woodbury YMCA.

She earned a degree from Glassboro State College as a health/physical education major. Playing field hockey and swimming in college were important milestones in her path to becoming a coach. After graduation, she became the head women’s swim coach at Glassboro State. During those six years, she produced six All-Americans.

In 1988, Salem City hired her as a full-time health/physical education teacher in the elementary school and as the field hockey head coach at Salem High School. After taking the reins from Liz Pappas, she put her heart into making the field hockey program successful and without a feeder system afforded other communities she accumulated 315 wins and seven Tri-County championships. She was a two-time Coach of the Year.

“First of all, I never expected to be 34 years in one spot,” she said. “I figured when my kids went to high school I would leave. I loved it so much.

“Field hockey and Salem is n-o-o-o-o-t (usually in the same sentence) … We quietly made an impact and that’s what I think I’ll remember most.”

In 34 years of coaching she estimates she’s had an influence on more than 1,000 athletes – a remembers almost of them.

LATIKA ROSS, a 2001 Salem High School graduate, excelled in both basketball and track and field. In track, she broke the 800-meter record as a sophomore. In basketball, she became the third Lady Ram to join SHS’s 1000-point club and pulled down over 1,000 rebounds as a four-year varsity player. Latika earned numerous accolades, including All-Tournament Team and First Team for All South Jersey Group 1 and Tri-County Conference Classic Divisions for two consecutive years. Today’s Sunbeam named her Player of the Year in 2001.

Moving on to Salem CC, Latika amassed 1,130 points and 1,028 rebounds over two years, earning National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division II Second Team honors. She holds the NJCAA Division II Women’s Basketball regular-season record for rebound average (23.2 per game in 2002-03).

After attending Drexel University for one year on a full athletic scholarship, Latika transferred to Saint Augustine’s University (SAU), where she made the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association All-Tournament Team and averaged a double-double her senior year (10 points, 10 rebounds per game). Graduating from SAU with a bachelor’s degree in accounting and 3.9 grade point average, Latika embarked on a successful 15-year career in accounting.

Today, she channels her talents into entertainment as an actress, producer and stand-up comedian, performing under the name Latika Sye (a family surname).

During the ceremony it was announced Latika is the first member of a Salem CC sports team to be inducted into the County Sports Hall of Fame.

STEVE MERRITT was never the last to be picked for any of the seasonal schoolyard games, until he turned 12 and lost a game of “chicken” with the front end of a Buick or Pontiac. It’s not clear to this day. A significant injury cost him any speed he might have had or would have. Nonetheless, it is difficult to temper a Type A personality and there was always some kind of competition at home with three brothers.

A single junior varsity season of baseball and senior year “cup of coffee” as a wrestler sums up his high school athletic career. Intramural softball and volleyball were competitive outlets at Glassboro State College.

After college, long-distance running became his outlet for competition. His omnipresent opponent became the stopwatch. No longer did he have to finish first to win. He ran the New York City Marathon twice, the Marine Corps Marathon twice and the Boston Marathon in 1992.

A combined 50 varsity seasons (tennis, soccer, basketball and softball) as a head coach at Salem High School yielded over 500 victories, four South Jersey Championships, three Tri-County Classic titles and helped to satisfy his yen for competition. Earlier this summer he was named the girls basketball coach at Pennsville High School.

COMMUNITY SERVICE HONOREES

VINCENT GIOLA JR. graduated from Penns Grove High School in 1968 and began working for DuPont Chambers Works in 1969, retiring in 2010. To say his life revolved around sports would be an understatement.

Vince first coached in 1969 and over the next 50 years spent countless hours coaching, managing and maintaining the fields at the Carneys Point Recreation Complex for the Carneys Point-Penns Grove-Pedricktown Little League and Penns Grove Soccer Club.

He played and coached in both the Salem County Men’s Baseball League (1969-1976) and the PG-CP Men’s Softball League (1975-2015) while also serving as a league officer and a liaison with Salem County. He coached for the PG mini-wrestling organization (1979-1986), managed for the PG-CP Women’s Softball (1978-1982), and for the PG Babe Ruth (1985-1987). Vince also coached PG Twins 130 lb. football team (1985-1991) and was head coach of the SCC’s softball team (1991-1995, 2011-2013).

Vince has been a member of the South Jersey Officials Association (football) since 1999 and Unified Umpire Association of Southern New Jersey since 2007. He served on the Carneys Point Recreation Commission (1999-2023) and was chairman (2004-2023). He managed the CP Recreation Complex (2004-2023) and was president of the Servicemen’s Memorial Home (2015-2023).

Today, Vince can be found on a field or in a gym in South Jersey officiating, umpiring or just watching his grandchildrens’ games or any game, for that matter.

STEVE LOPES graduated from Penns Grove High School in 1964, after playing three years of varsity basketball with coach Rudy Baric.

For 45 years, Steve has officiated over 800 high school football games. He had the honor of officiating over 50 state playoff games, including several state championship games at Rutgers, Giants and MetLife Stadiums. Steve has served as the president of New Jersey Football Officials Association – South, the organization representing football officials in South Jersey. Additionally, he is an official for the NFL’s Girls Flag Football program and officiated the Big 33 tournament sponsored by several NFL teams. In addition, Steve has umpired high school, college and semi-pro baseball for 17 years.

For 16 years, Steve managed in the Penns Grove-Carneys Point-Pedricktown Little League and Babe Ruth League, where his teams won several league and district titles. He has played and managed a senior (ages 50, 60, 70) baseball team in Carneys Point. For over 20 years, he has played in men’s senior baseball national tournaments in Florida and Arizona.

A lot of new

Penns Grove goes through its first scrimmage of camp with a new coaching staff and new systems on offense and defense

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PENNS GROVE – There’s a whole lot of new about the Penns Grove football program this year and it goes far beyond just having a new head coach.

Whenever there’s a change at the time there’s bound to be some tweaks to the way things get done.

New coach Mark Maccarone has installed new offensive and defensive systems and the Red Devils put them on display against someone in a different colored uniform for the first time Tuesday in a three-team scrimmage with Maple Shade and Gloucester Catholic.

Some other nuances have been applied internally, but the ones most observable are the overhauls on offense and defense.

“I would not say they exceeded my expectations,” Maccarone said assessing the first scrimmage. “I would say they’re about where I expected in some aspects. There’s definitely things I thought we would be a little bit more polished on that we’re not.

“Again, it’s a new offense, a new defense. It’s a whole new style of football this group of kids isn’t used to. As long as we get better, take a step at being better every day, then we’ll take those positive gains. As long as we have more positive days than negative days, I’ll be happy.”

Maccarone called the offense “a radical departure from what they’ve done in the past,” an old-school downhill scheme he has been running as long as he’s been coaching. Defensively, there are “some similarities” to the look the Devils have run in the past that he had a hand in shaping as defensive coordinator here, but some terminology and techniques may be a little different.

The first thing that jumps out is seeing KaRon Ceaser out on the flank. He was a 1,000-yard rusher as a freshman and figured to be the lead back with 1,200-yard rusher Bryce Young’s departure to West Deptford (with former Penns Grove coach John Emel), but there he was Tuesday out at receiver. And there was even a time Knowledge Young, the regular deep threat last year, lined up in the backfield.

“It’s a new staff and they’re trying new things, but I’m loving it now,” Ceaser said. “It didn’t really shock me because they put me there because they know I can play it. I’ll play wherever they want me to play; that’s the type player I am. We’ve got a great running (in Trey Brown). I like the offense right now. I’m going to work so I can be the best.”

You can’t argue the results. Ceaser, who caught nine passes for 109 yards without a score last year, took a pass from Melo Erickson in the Devils’ final 10-play set of the day, shed a tackler at the 35 and continued down the sideline for a 51-yard touchdown that was their only offensive score of the exercise. Young, when he was in the backfield, broke off an 18-yard gain.

“It took us 20 plays and that’s too long,” Ceaser said. “In a real game you’ve got to come out straight from the jump.”

Expect more of that during the season.

“We’re fortunate we do have some weapons offensively,” Maccarone said. “With the system we run it allows us to take players and move them around. You might be at wide out one play, you might be a tailback the next, you might be a slot the next.

“Part of our offense is to be able to utilize the weapons we have on the field and to move our weapons around so you don’t know who’s going to get the ball.”

Until the offense came to life in the late session it looked like the Red Devils’ defense was going to be the story of the scrimmage.

It was the strength of last year’s 6-6 team, holding half their opponents to two touchdowns or less and shutting out eventual Group I runner-up Glassboro, and is shaping up that way again. Forget defending the goal line, the Red Devils were protecting the 50.

Out of their 32 defensive snaps, the Devils gave up a total of 21 net yards and only two plays were run on the going-in side of midfield – and neither of those from deeper than the 48.

Makye Murray returned an interception against Maple Shade on seventh play of the opening series 40 yards that until Ceaser’s score was the only touchdown scored in the varsity portion of the scrimmage. Raymond Brown, a transfer from St. Joe (Hammonton), had a big sack on the final play of that 10-play set.

“I like our defense overall,” Brown said. “Our coach is just wonderful. We fly around, play hard, play physical. I’m having fun out here making tackles.”

The Red Devils get a chance to do it again Friday at 10 a.m. in a game-like scrimmage at home against Gateway. They almost didn’t have a second scrimmage after a scheduling snafu with Highland scrapped what they had, but Penns Grove athletics director Anwar Golden worked the phones all Tuesday morning and found a willing participant to help keep the program on schedule.

“It would have been detrimental to us (to miss out),” Maccarone said. “With a game-style scrimmage, especially with a new staff and program, you as coaches need the opportunity to get your learning curve out when it doesn’t count. Those are some invaluable things that without game scrimmage we’d have to address during a game.

“In the same breath, it gives the kids the ability to have a flow to the game, again, where you can do it when it doesn’t count. Especially with a new system it would be very advantageous.”

This story will be updated.

KaRon Ceaser (6) and Knowledge Young could find themselves in some atypical positions this year in Penns Grove’s new offense. On the cover, new coach Mark Maccarone reviews the scrimmage’s opening segment with his defense.

Trautz pleased with effort, results

HAMMONTON – New Woodstown coach Frank Trautz sent his charges into battle for the first time this camp and said he was “happy with our effort and the results.”

The Wolverines scored touchdowns in both of their 10-and-10 segments at St. Joe (Hammonton) and kept the Wildcats out of the end zone in theirs. They also scored a touchdown in the down-and-distance segment.

“I was happy with the work today,” Trautz said. “It’s the first scrimmage. Just being able to hit somebody else and go live for the first time was good for everyone. You can only do so much in practice. It was good to see live action.”

Alex Torres scored on a run and Jack Holladay threw a touchdown pass to Garrett Leyman. Holladay, a senior getting his first chance to be QB1, completed 5-of-8 passes in the 10-play segments.

“Getting Jack out there to live action at quarterback was good to see,” Trautz said. “I thought he played well. He was in control of the huddle. He’s a leader and it was good to see him take control of the offense.”

Bringing the energy

Salem, Pennsville, Schalick run through first scrimmages with lots to like, things to work on; Penns Grove, Woodstown scrimmage Tuesday

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

SALEM – Kemp Carr was not happy. Senior receiver Terrence Smith had just caught a zipper over the middle from Troy Carey for Salem’s first touchdown of the season’s first scrimmage. Everyone in blue and white should have been over the moon, but the Rams just stood around the goal line like they were waiting for another shoe to drop.

Touchdowns aren’t easy to come by – sometimes, they don’t come at all – and should be celebrated as such. But on this occasion there wasn’t even a high-five. Not even a yell. Maybe it was because it was only a scrimmage. Still, Carr wanted to let his players know such a muted response wasn’t going to be acceptable on his watch.

At first glance one might have thought the new head coach was chastising his players for something they did technically wrong even though they scored. Far from it. They did everything right and he wanted fireworks. Instead, he got the last shot of a wet Roman candle.

“We just worked as a unit to get our energy to be motivated – their brother just did something good, we crossed the barrier that gets you points on the board,” Carr said after Monday’s 90-snap exercise with Pennsville. “The scoreboard’s going ding, ding, ding, ding, ding. It’s magical. That’s the time you have fun. It’s a time for you to release that 30 seconds (of joy); run and get him.

“Where’s the excitement at where you’re excited for that player. Why are you not happy for him? You just blocked for him. Things just worked on what we’ve been working on.

“You only play the game four percent of the time; you practice 96 percent. So when we get an opportunity to do well in that four percent, it better be a party. Don’t talk to the other players, have fun with your guy. That’s fun. They know to do it, they do it in practice. They missed an opportunity of the moment. Don’t miss again.”

Carr puts the omission in the same category of walking past a teammate who had gotten knocked down on your way back to the huddle and not helping him to his feet.

“When something happens, we’re supposed to do certain things and they didn’t do the certain thing,” Carr continued. “When you have 11 being excited at the same time, it’s like dynamite going off. That’s what we want. We want dynamite. We want firecrackers. We want fireworks. We want boom, boom, boom.

“When the Phillies hit a home run, don’t fireworks go off? When the Eagles score at the Linc, don’t fireworks go off? Well, that’s our fireworks. We don’t have cannons and trickery, we’ve got each other.”

That’s just the kind of energy he’s bringing to program he once played in now as the head coach.

The starters got the message and didn’t miss the chance to celebrate when it came around again. When Pop Jackson scored in a down-and-distance drill about an hour later, the other 10 Rams on the field piled on their offensive leader in the end zone and the reserves standing behind the play sprinted downfield with their arms raised to join them.

“He’s just trying to build character, trying to build a unit with us, trying to bring us all together as a brotherhood,” Carey said. “We knew exactly what it was (Carr was doing). We’ve been talking about it all week whenever we capitalize on a big opportunity like that we want to go celebrate and have a party.”

“The energy is going to be there, I promise,” senior running back Jared Pew agreed.

Going into any new situation creates an amount of uncertainty. The coach isn’t certain about the players. The players aren’t certain about the coach.

Carr is the Rams’ third head coach in as many seasons, but he’s got something going for him that gives him an edge in the transition. He’s one of them. He played for the Rams. He understands the community and its expectations. He coached many of the parents of his current players and several of the Salem men who preceded him to their sideline.

Carr was approved to succeed Danny Mendoza in March and resumes the tradition of former Salem men at the helm of the football program. Each of the four coaches prior to Mendoza were former Rams who returned to coach their alma mater. Carr got his playing and coaching starts in the Salem youth leagues before going on to become head coach at Penns Grove and Winslow and returned to the coaching ranks this year after a six-year break in private business.

“It feels good to have a Salem guy, someone who’s around here, knows the town, coached most of our parents, things like that,” Carey said. “It feels good having a coach who knows how things are around here, understands what some people go through. It kind of gives you a better bond with your coach, helps build that relationship.”

“It is different football down here in Salem,” Pew said. “He’s been through the Salem records before, so he knows what to bring, he knows what we bring him and the community as well. There wasn’t anything wrong with (former coach Danny) Mendoza; he came in here and did well. But having like a Salem coach, knowing what the community is like, what the players are like, knowing how we are in general, it’s definitely not a bad thing.”

The scrimmage served its purpose. Both coaches saw a lot to like and things that needed to be addressed. Pennsville coach Mike Healy agreed it might have been the best first scrimmage of his tenure with the Eagles.

Both teams have game-situation scrimmages set for later in the week.

“Came out and played physical, which is what I really wanted to see,” Healy said. “There were some loud hits there, which is fun.

“First scrimmage there were some jitters there, but I thought we did a good job. Offensively and defensively we did a lot of good stuff, made a lot of big plays, but it being the first scrimmage there’s a lot of mistakes that are things that are coachable to fix. Overall, very happy with where we are.”

Stats were inconsequential, but there were big plays on both sides.

Pennsville running back Rylan Hardy had a big day. The junior rushed for 62 yards and two touchdowns on four carries and caught three passes for 45 yards and a touchdown. “His vision is incredible (the way) he sees holes and gaps,” Healy said.

Eagles quarterback Robbie McDade completed 5 of 11 passes for 65 yards and two touchdowns. Salem’s Jackson, a 1,200-yard rusher a year ago, ran for 71 yards and a TD on 10 carries, including a power run in which he broke through two waves of tackles and then carried three more to complete a 30-yard gain. Carey was 3-of-10 for 43 yards and a touchdown, but fell victim of several drops.

As for his assessment of the scrimmage, Carr said: “We’ve got some things to clean up, we got caught out of assignment couple times, but that’s what scrimmages are for. You can tell athletically we’re where we need to be, but that team (Pennsville) has been playing together for two years and you could see that versus us. As the year goes on we’re going to get better.”

Schalick: Good work done

PITTSGROVE – Schalick got 30 minutes with Lower Cape May, West Deptford and Mainland in its first scrimmage of camp. The Cougars saved the defending Group 4 state champs for last and it was all they expected it to be.

“It was intense, very intense,” Schalick coach Mike Wilson said. “We made them work, they made us work. It was a slugfest back and forth. We stood up there and that’s the best we’ve ever played against Mainland.”

Wilson was particularly interested in seeing how the Cougars’ younger players fared. He said veterans Reggie Allen and Levi Feeney-Childers “played well,” Ethan McLean and speedy David Stewart “played well,” and sophomore backup quarterback Ayden Jenkins “moved the ball on everybody.”

The matchup with Mainland was the matchup of the day. The Mustangs swept their way to the Group 4 state title last year. Schalick returns virtually its whole team that won its first 11 games before losing in the Central Jersey Group I championship game – and held their own.

“It tells me that our kids are willing to line up and play against anybody,” Wilson said. “That we can match the physicality of a big school. All our kids could care less that they were Mainland. Our kids came out, they were flying around, they were excited. Mainland made plays, we made plays. It was a good 30 minutes.”

Time for hitting

County football teams start scrimmaging Monday; Salem hosts Pennsville, defending Group 4 state champs among those visiting Schalick

THIS WEEK’S SCRIMMAGE SCHEDULE
MONDAY
Mainland, Lower Cape May, West Deptford at Schalick, 10 a.m.
Pennsville at Salem, 11 a.m.
TUESDAY
Gloucester Catholic, Maple Shade at Penns Grove, 9 a.m.
Woodstown at St. Joe (Hamm.), 9 a.m.
FRIDAY
Schalick at Buena, 10 a.m.
Salem at Absegami, 4 p.m.
Pennsville at Triton, 6 p.m.

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

Salem County’s five football-playing high school teams have been working all summer and, for the last week, gearing up for their fast-approaching season openers. Outside of the various 7-on-7s that offered a modest taste of competition but isn’t quite complete football, the exercises have been largely unpadded and in house.

That all ends Monday when the teams start scrimmaging and take things to the next level by hitting someone wearing a different colored uniform.

Three of the county’s five teams get after it Monday morning – two against each other – with the remaining two teams going Tuesday.

Pennsville works out at Salem at 11 a.m. Schalick, last year’s Central Jersey Group I finalist with great expectations for 2024, hosts defending Group 4 state champion Mainland, Lower Cape May and West Deptford at 10.

Woodstown and Penns Grove, both with new head coaches, go Tuesday. The Wolverines travel to St. Joe (Hammonton) and the Red Devils host Gloucester Catholic and Maple Shade.

The mindset across the board for these initial scrimmages is simply to compete, see how players who have been banging on each other react to outside influences, to see who is ready to answer the bell and what is or isn’t working. Things will be more game-like the next time they take the field.

“One hundred percent,” Pennsville coach Mike Healy said. “A lot of it is trying to see where we are, seeing what kids step up for their first time against another team after a whole summer working against each other. Just trying to start seeing how it all comes together. With this first scrimmage I accept the mistakes, but I also expect to do some things correctly.

“We have kids who have started to really have stepped up. I’m really happy with where we are as a team right now, but it’s hard to tell because we’ve only really had one full day in pads and this will be the first time we’ll see them against someone else and you really never know how your kids are going to react the first time they go against someone else.”

The Pennsville-Salem workout will feature 10-and-10, red zone situations, a couple periods focusing on younger players, two live series with moving chains and kicking with pressure.

It will give new Rams coach Kemp Carr, a Salem man charged with bringing the program back from its first losing season in 10 years, the chance to see all the pieces he’s put together after a busy 7-v-7 summer as he strives to “build lions” for the season ahead.

“Fortitude and the willingness to play hard on every play is very rare,” Carr said. “When you get 11 guys to do it, it’s an unstoppable machine. That’s what we’re trying to get to.”
The Schalick controlled scrimmage will follow script similar to Pennsville-Salem with each team getting 30 minutes with the other.

Cougars coach Mike Wilson returns virtually the entire lineup that started the 2023 season 11-0 and is approaching Monday’s exercise like an Eagles preseason game. Veteran players like quarterback Kenai Simmons and running back Reggie Allen will see limited time while the emphasis turns to developing depth.

“Normally I wouldn’t do it, but these kids have played so much football; I don’t need to know Reggie or Kenai can play,” Wilson said. “Our goal is to play as many kids as possible. We want to look at a couple battles, look at what we’ve got.

“I told the kids at practice everybody’s back from last year, you could roll out the same lineup, but I don’t want to do that. We’ve got a lot of talent, a lot of good kids. I want to play as many as possible. All I want (Monday) is the kids to compete. We’ve been practicing hard all summer. If we do that, I’ll feel pretty good.”

Woodstown’s scrimmage Tuesday is expected to feature two 10-and-10 sets with the starters and then one with JVs. After that, they’ll work on goal-line and a down-and-distance series.

Salem County fall schedule

Here is the 2024 master schedule for Salem County high school teams. (Football games are for WJFL divisions involving Salem County teams (Diamond and Patriot); all football games are 7 p.m. unless noted, all others 4 p.m. unless noted; x-scrimmage), report changes to al.muskewitz@gmail.com

AUG. 19
FOOTBALL
x-Mainland, Lower Cape May, West Deptford at Schalick, 10 a.m.
x-Pennsville at Salem, 11 a.m.

AUG. 20
FOOTBALL
x-Gloucester Catholic, Maple Shade at Penns Grove, 9 a.m.
x-Woodstown at St. Joe (Hamm.), 9 a.m.
GIRLS TENNIS
x-Pennsville at Delsea, 10 a.m.
x-Woodstown at Ocean City, 11 a.m.

AUG. 22
FOOTBALL
x-Salem at Absegami, 4 p.m.
GIRLS TENNIS
x-GCIT at Woodstown, 9 a.m.
x-Pennsville at Vineland, 10 a.m.

AUG. 23
FOOTBALL
x-Gateway at Penns Grove, 10 a.m.
x-Schalick at Buena, 10 a.m.
x-Pennsville at Triton, 6 p.m.
GIRLS TENNIS
x-Gateway at Woodstown, 9 a.m.

AUG. 26
GIRLS TENNIS
x-GCIT at Pennsville, 9 a.m.
Mainland at Schalick
GIRLS SOCCER
x-Salem at Maple Shade, 9 a.m.

AUG. 27
FIELD HOCKEY
x-Schalick at Cumberland, 9 a.m.
BOYS SOCCER
x-Woodbury at Penns Grove, 9 a.m.
x-Schalick at Clearview, 9:30 a.m.
x-Lower Cape May at Salem, 10 a.m.
x-Salem Tech at Pennsauken Tech, 3:45 p.m.
GIRLS SOCCER
x-Penns Grove at Paulsboro, 9 a.m.
x-Salem at Cumberland, 10 a.m.
Clearview at Schalick
GIRLS TENNIS
x-Penns Grove at Deptford, 10 a.m.
x-Salem at Lower Cape May, 10 a.m.

AUG. 28
GIRLS TENNIS
Pennsville at West Deptford, 10 a.m.
BOYS SOCCER
x-Cumberland at Woodstown, 10 a.m.
x-Pemberton at Salem Tech, 10:30 a.m.

AUG. 29
FOOTBALL
Collingswood at Clayton, TBA
West Deptford vs. Manchester Twp., 10 a.m. (at Ocean City)
Pennsville at Gloucester City, 6 p.m.
x-Pitman at Woodstown, 6 p.m.
FIELD HOCKEY
x-Woodstown at Collingswood, 10 a.m.
GIRLS SOCCER
x-Bridgeton at Penns Grove, 9 a.m.
x-Woodstown at Haddon Twp., 9 a.m.
x-Pennsville at Woodbury, 10 a.m.
Schalick at Cumberland
BOYS SOCCER
x-Penns Grove at Bridgeton, 9 a.m.
x-Woodbury at Pennsville, 10 a.m.
x-Highland at Salem, 3:30 p.m.
GIRLS TENNIS
x-Penns Grove at Bridgeton, 9 a.m.
Pennsville at Cumberland, 10 a.m.

AUG. 30
FOOTBALL
Schalick vs. Cedar Grove, 9:30 a.m. (at Egg Harbor Twp.)
FIELD HOCKEY
x-Schalick at Ocean City, 10 a.m.
BOYS SOCCER
x-Schalick at Moorestown Friends, 9 a.m.
x-Woodstown at Williamstown, 10 a.m.
GIRLS TENNIS
x-Lindenwold at Penns Grove, 9 a.m.

AUG. 31
FOOTBALL
Penns Grove at Paulsboro, 10 a.m.
Willingboro at Salem, noon

SEPT. 3
FIELD HOCKEY
x-GCIT at Woodstown
BOYS SOCCER
x-Clayton at Penns Grove
x-Woodstown at GCIT
GIRLS SOCCER
x-GCIT at Woodstown
x-Penns Grove at Clayton
GIRLS TENNIS
Gloucester Catholic at Salem
Pennsville at Penns Grove
Schalick at Overbrook
Woodstown at Glassboro

SEPT. 4
BOYS SOCCER
x-Pennsville at Cumberland
GIRLS SOCCER
x-Pitman at Penns Grove

SEPT. 5
BOYS SOCCER
Palmyra at Schalick
GIRLS TENNIS
Salem at Wildwood
Schalick at Gloucester Catholic
Woodstown at Pennsville
FIELD HOCKEY
Audubon at Pennsville

SEPT. 6
FOOTBALL
Overbrook at Collingswood, 6 p.m.
Penns Grove at Deptford, 6 p.m.
KIPP Cooper Norcross at Camden Catholic, TBA
Cumberland at Schalick
Delsea at Woodstown
West Deptford at Pennsville
GIRLS SOCCER
Deptford at Pennsville

SEPT. 7
FOOTBALL
Paulsboro at Audubon, TBA
Haddonfield at Woodbury, 10:30 a.m.
Glassboro at Haddon Heights, 11 a.m.
Cinnaminson at Salem, noon
GIRLS SOCCER
Schalick at Cherokee

SEPT. 9
FIELD HOCKEY
Paulsboro at Pennsville
GIRLS TENNIS
Woodstown at West Deptford
BOYS SOCCER
Penns Grove at Gloucester Co. Christian, 3:45 p.m.
GIRLS SOCCER
Gloucester Co. Christian at Penns Grove

SEPT. 10
FIELD HOCKEY
Schalick at Triton
GIRLS TENNIS
Glassboro at Penns Grove
Gloucester Catholic at Woodstown
Salem at Schalick
Wildwood at Pennsville
BOYS SOCCER
Wildwood at Pennsville
Wildwood at Woodstown
GIRLS SOCCER
Woodstown at Wildwood

SEPT. 11
GIRLS TENNIS
Triton at Pennsville

SEPT. 12
FIELD HOCKEY
Deptford at Woodstown
Glassboro at Schalick
Salem at Pennsville
BOYS SOCCER
Clayton at Salem
Salem Tech at Pennsville
Schalick at Overbrook
Woodstown at Penns Grove
GIRLS SOCCER
Overbrook at Schalick
Pennsville at Glassboro
Pitman at Salem Tech
Salem at Clayton
Penns Grove at Woodstown
GIRLS TENNIS
Penns Grove at Woodstown
Pennsville at Schalick

SEPT. 13
FOOTBALL
Audubon at Bordentown, 6 p.m.
Collingswood at West Deptford
Schalick at Woodstown
GIRLS TENNIS
Penns Grove at Lindenwold
Vineland at Woodstown, 3:45 p.m.

SEPT. 14
FOOTBALL
Camden Catholic at Paulsboro, TBA
Salem at Woodbury, 10:30 a.m.
Pennsville at Overbrook, 11 a.m.
Glassboro at Penns Grove, noon
FIELD HOCKEY
Woodstown at Washington Twp.

SEPT. 16
FIELD HOCKEY
Schalick at OLMA
BOYS SOCCER
Penns Grove at Glassboro
Salem at Pennsville
Wildwood at Salem Tech
Woodstown at Schalick
GIRLS SOCCER
Glassboro at Penns Grove
Pennsville at Overbrook
Pitman at Salem
Salem Tech at Wildwood
Schalick at Woodstown
GIRLS TENNIS
Glassboro at Salem
Schalick at Penns Grove
Woodstown at Overbrook

SEPT. 17
CROSS COUNTRY
Pennsville, Penns Grove, Schalick, Woodstown at Cumberland
FIELD HOCKEY
Deptford at Salem
Pennsville at Gloucester Catholic
Woodstown at Schalick

SEPT. 18
BOYS SOCCER
Clayton at Schalick
Gloucester Catholic at Woodstown
Pitman at Pennsville
Salem at Overbrook
Salem Tech at Glassboro
Wildwood at Penns Grove
GIRLS SOCCER
Glassboro at Salem Tech
Overbrook at Salem
Pennsville at Pitman
Penns Grove at Wildwood
Schalick at Clayton
Woodstown at Gloucester Catholic
GIRLS TENNIS
Overbrook at Pennsville
Penns Grove at Wildwood
Salem at Pitman
Woodstown at Schalick

SEPT. 19
BOYS SOCCER
Pennsville at Gateway
Woodstown at Audubon, 7 p.m.
GIRLS SOCCER
Audubon at Woodstown
Gateway at Pennsville
FIELD HOCKEY
Gloucester Catholic at Schalick
Pennsville at Glassboro
Salem at Overbrook
Woodstown vs. Delsea (Total Turf)

SEPT. 20
FOOTBALL
Overbrook at Florence, 6 p.m.
Paulsboro at Collingswood, 6 p.m.
Salem at Glassboro, 6 p.m.
Audubon at Pennsville
Penns Grove at Schalick
West Deptford at Camden Catholic
Woodbury at Woodstown
BOYS SOCCER
Paulsboro at Salem Tech
Salem at Burlington Twp.
GIRLS SOCCER
Buena at Salem
Salem Tech at Paulsboro
Schalick at Williamstown
GIRLS TENNIS
Mainland at Woodstown

SEPT. 21
CROSS COUNTRY
Salem at Cumberland

SEPT. 23
BOYS SOCCER
Paulsboro at Pennsville (Foglein Bowl)
GIRLS SOCCER
Pennsville at Paulsboro
FIELD HOCKEY
Clayton at Salem
Pennsville at Woodstown
Schalick at Overbrook
GIRLS TENNIS
Clearview at Woodstown, 3:45 p.m.

SEPT. 24
BOYS SOCCER
Glassboro at Schalick
Gloucester Catholic at Salem
Overbrook at Woodstown
Pennsville at Wildwood
Pitman at Penns Grove, 6:30 p.m.
Salem Tech at Clayton, 7 p.m.
GIRLS SOCCER
Penns Grove at Pennsville
Salem at Gloucester Catholic
Schalick at Glassboro
Woodstown at Overbrook
Salem Tech at Clayton, 5 p.m.
GIRLS TENNIS
Glassboro at Pennsville
Penns Grove at Gloucester Catholic
Schalick at Pitman
Woodstown at Salem

SEPT. 25
FIELD HOCKEY
Deptford at Schalick
Gloucester Catholic at Salem
Overbrook at Woodstown

SEPT. 26
BOYS SOCCER
Clayton at Pennsville
Penns Grove at Overbrook
Salem Tech at Gloucester Catholic
Wildwood at Salem
Woodstown at Glassboro
GIRLS SOCCER
Glassboro at Woodstown
Gloucester Catholic at Salem Tech
Pennsville at Schalick
Salem at Wildwood
Overbrook at Penns Grove, 6:30 p.m.
GIRLS TENNIS
Overbrook at Schalick
Penns Grove at Pennsville
Salem at Gloucester Catholic
Woodstown at Cedar Creek

SEPT. 27
FOOTBALL
Woodbury at Glassboro, 6 p.m.
Woodstown at Penns Grove, 6:30 p.m.
Pennsville at Camden Catholic
FIELD HOCKEY
Salem at Hammongton
Schalick at Cumberland

SEPT. 28
FOOTBALL
Collingswood at Haddon Twp., 10:30 a.m.
Overbrook at Paulsboro, 11 a.m.
West Deptford at Audubon, 11 a.m.
Schalick at Salem, noon
BOYS SOCCER
Salem at Paulsboro, 11 a.m.
GIRLS SOCCER
Salem at Paulsboro, 9 a.m.
Schalick at Cinnaminson

SEPT. 30
FIELD HOCKEY
Oakcrest at Schalick
Woodstown at Cumberland
BOYS SOCCER
Pennsville at Gloucester Catholic
Pitman at Woodstown
Salem at Salem Tech
GIRLS SOCCER
Salem Tech at Salem
Schalick at Penns Grove
Woodstown at Pennsville
GIRLS TENNIS
Pennsville at Woodstown
Penns Grove at Overbrook
Schalick at Cedar Creek
Wildwood at Salem

OCT. 1
FIELD HOCKEY
Pennsville at Clayton
Salem at St. Joseph Academy
Schalick at Gloucester City
Woodstown at Glassboro
CROSS COUNTRY
Pennsville, Penns Grove, Salem, Woodstown at Salem Tech, 3:30 p.m.
GIRLS SOCCER
Salem at Winslow Twp., 3:45 p.m.

OCT. 2
BOYS SOCCER
Glassboro at Salem
Penns Grove at Gloucester Catholic
Pitman at Salem Tech
Woodstown at Pennsville
GIRLS SOCCER
Gloucester Catholic at Penns Grove
Pitman at Woodstown
Salem at Glassboro
Salem Tech at Pennsville

OCT. 3
BOYS SOCCER
Collingswood at Pennsville
GIRLS SOCCER
Glassboro at Schalick
GIRLS TENNIS
NJSIAA Playoffs
FIELD HOCKEY
Schalick at Pennsville
Woodstown at Salem

OCT. 4
FOOTBALL
Haddon Heights at Camden Catholic, TBA
Deptford at Glassboro
Penns Grove at Pennsville
Pleasantville at Woodstown
Sterling at Collingswood
West Deptford at Haddonfield
Woodbury at Gateway
BOYS SOCCER
Penns Grove at Cumberland
GIRLS SOCCER
Penns Grove at Cumberland, 6:30 p.m.

OCT. 5
FOOTBALL
Schalick at Paulsboro, 10:30 a.m.
Clayton at Overbrook, 11 a.m.
Middle Twp. at Salem, noon
BOYS SOCCER
Northern Burlington at Woodstown, 10 a.m.

OCT. 7
FIELD HOCKEY
Pennsville at Salem
Schalick at Glassboro
Woodstown at Deptford
BOYS SOCCER
Pennsville at Gloucester City
Woodstown at Gateway
GIRLS SOCCER
Paulsboro at Penns Grove
Pennsville at Gloucester City, 7 p.m.
GIRLS TENNIS
Haddon Heights at Penns Grove
Schalick at Mainland

OCT. 8
BOYS SOCCER
Penns Grove at Woodstown
Pennsville at Salem Tech
Salem at Clayton
GIRLS SOCCER
Clayton at Salem
Glassboro at Pennsville
Salem Tech at Pitman
Schalick at Overbrook
Woodstown at Penns Grove
GIRLS TENNIS
Woodstown at Wildwood
CROSS COUNTRY
Schalick TBA

OCT. 9
FIELD HOCKEY
Gloucester Catholic at Pennsville
Schalick at Woodstown
GIRLS TENNIS
Haddon Heights at Pennsville, 3:45 p.m.
Woodstown at Millville, 3:45 p.m.
CROSS COUNTRY
Salem County Championship, Schalick, 3:30 p.m.

OCT. 10
FOOTBALL
Delran at Penns Grove, 6:30 p.m.
BOYS SOCCER
Glassboro at Penns Grove
Pennsville at Salem
Salem Tech at Wildwood
Schalick at Woodstown
GIRLS SOCCER
Penns Grove at Glassboro
Overbrook at Pennsville
Salem at Pitman
Wildwood at Salem Tech
Woodstown at Schalick
GIRLS TENNIS
Schalick at Pennsville, 3:45 p.m.
Woodstown at Penns Grove
FIELD HOCKEY
Gateway at Pennsville
Salem at Maple Shade
Schalick at Mainland, 4:15 p.m.

OCT. 11
FOOTBALL
Audubon at Collingswood, 6 p.m.
Glassboro at Cinnaminson, 6 p.m.
Schalick at Gloucester City, 6 p.m.
Salem at West Deptford
FIELD HOCKEY
Cumberland at Salem
Woodstown at Ocean City
GIRLS SOCCER
Audubon at Schalick
Salem at Gateway
BOYS SOCCER
Salem at Haddon Heights

OCT. 12
FOOTBALL
Pennsville at Paulsboro, 10:30 a.m.
Willingboro at Woodbury, 10:30 a.m.
Camden Catholic at Overbrook, 11 a.m.
Woodstown at Haddon Heights, 11 a.m.
Delran at Penns Grove, noon

OCT. 14
BOYS SOCCER
Salem at Highland
Woodstown at Clayton
GIRLS SOCCER
Woodstown at Triton

OCT. 15
CROSS COUNTRY
Pennsville, Penns Grove, Salem, Woodstown at Kingsway, 3:30 p.m.
Schalick TBA
FIELD HOCKEY
Deptford at Pennsville
Glassboro at Salem
St. Joe’s at Schalick
Woodstown at Gloucester Catholic
GIRLS TENNIS
Gloucester Catholic at Pennsville, 3:45 p.m.
Pitman at Woodstown
Salem at Penns Grove
Wildwood at Schalick, 4:15 p.m.

OCT. 16
BOYS SOCCER
Penns Grove at Pennsville
Pitman at Salem
Woodstown at Salem Tech
GIRLS SOCCER
Gloucester Catholic at Schalick
Salem at Pennsville
Salem Tech at Woodstown
GIRLS TENNIS
Haddon Heights at Schalick

OCT. 17
FIELD HOCKEY
Overbrook at Schalick
Salem at Clayton
Woodstown at Clearview
GIRLS TENNIS
Overbrook at Woodstown
Penns Grove at Schalick
Salem at Glassboro

OCT. 18
FOOTBALL
Pennsville at Lawrence, 6:30 p.m.
Collingswood at Camden Catholic
Glassboro at Schalick
Paulsboro at West Deptford
FIELD HOCKEY
Egg Harbor Twp. at Woodstown
BOYS SOCCER
Clayton at Salem Tech
Penns Grove at Pitman
Salem at Gloucester Catholic
Woodstown at Overbrook
GIRLS SOCCER
Clayton at Salem Tech
Gloucester Catholic at Salem
Penns Grove at Pennsville
Overbrook at Woodstown
GIRLS TENNIS
Pennsville at Salem
Penns Grove at Pitman
Schalick at Glassboro

OCT. 19
FOOTBALL
Penns Grove at Woodbury, 10:30 a.m.
Audubon at Overbrook, 11 a.m.
Woodstown at Salem, noon
GIRLS SOCCER
Cherry Hill West at Schalick

OCT. 21
FIELD HOCKEY
Salem at Gloucester Catholic
Schalick at Deptford
Woodstown at Overbrook
GIRLS TENNIS
Pennsville at Overbrook, 3:45 p.m.
Pitman at Salem
Schalick at Woodstown
BOYS SOCCER
Bridgeton at Penns Grove
Salem at Camden County Tech

OCT. 22
BOYS SOCCER
Glassboro at Woodstown
Gloucester Catholic at Salem Tech
Overbrook at Penns Grove
Pennsville at Clayton
Salem at Wildwood
GIRLS SOCCER
Penns Grove at Overbrook
Salem Tech at Gloucester Catholic
Schalick at Pennsville
Wildwood at Salem
Woodstown at Glassboro
GIRLS TENNIS
Woodstown at Haddon Heights

OCT. 23
FIELD HOCKEY
Pennsville at Overbrook
Salem at Schalick
GIRLS TENNIS
Glassboro at Woodstown
Pitman at Pennsville
Salem at Overbrook
Wildwood at Penns Grove
CROSS COUNTRY
Tri-County Showcase

OCT. 24
FIELD HOCKEY
Woodstown at Hammonton
BOYS SOCCER
Gloucester Catholic at Pennsville
Woodstown at Pitman
Salem Tech at Salem
Schalick at Penns Grove
GIRLS SOCCER
Penns Grove at Schalick
Salem at Salem Tech
Pennsville at Woodstown
CROSS COUNTRY
Pennsville, Woodstown at Cumberland

OCT. 25
FOOTBALL
Woodstown at Glassboro, 6 p.m.
Audubon at Camden Catholic, TBA
Paulsboro at Clayton, TBA
Collingswood at Pennsville
Overbrook at West Deptford
Woodbury at Schalick
BOYS SOCCER
Salem Tech at Wildwood Catholic

OCT. 26
FOOTBALL
Salem at Penns Grove, noon

OCT. 28
BOYS SOCCER
Pennsville at Overbrook
Salem at Penns Grove
Salem Tech at Schalick
GIRLS SOCCER
Penns Grove at Salem
Pennsville at Wildwood
Schalick at Salem Tech

OCT. 29
FIELD HOCKEY
Clayton at Pennsville
Glassboro at Woodstown

NOV. 1
GIRLS SOCCER
Woodstown at Clayton
CROSS COUNTRY
Sectionals

NOV. 9
CROSS COUNTRY
NJSIAA Group Championships

NOV. 27
FOOTBALL
Camden Catholic at Paul VI, TBA

NOV. 28
FOOTBALL
Haddon Twp. at Audubon, TBA

Hall of Fame induction

Salem County Sports Hall of Fame to enshrine seven remaining members of this year’s induction class Thursday at Salem CC; Salem NFL running back Jonathan Taylor was enshrined earlier this summer

From Salem Community College

CARNEYS POINT – The seven remaining members of this year’s Salem County Sports Hall of Fame induction class will go marching into the Hall Thursday night in ceremonies at Salem Community College’s Davidow Theatre.

The Salem County SHOF Board has selected these individuals for induction in the latest ceremony. Former Salem High School current NFL running back Jonathan Taylor was inducted in a separate ceremony earlier in the summer.

Lex Bleckley (professional baseball)
Jaymes Dennison (track)
James Dickerson (track)
Nick Elmer (football)
Steve Merritt (coach)
Donna O’Leary (coach)
Latika Ross (basketball)

In addition, the Hall board will recognize Vince Gioia and Steve Lopes for their decades of service to Salem County sports as well as the following high school state champions:

Penns Grove’s three-time NJSIAA Group I state champion Boys Track Team (2013-15);

Penns Grove’s two-time NJSIAA Group I state champion Girls Track Team (2013-14);

Pennsville’s Megan Morris (2024 Pole Vault); Salem’s DaviYonn Jackson (2023-24 Triple Jump); Salem’s 2024 girls 4×100 Relay (Sairis Jimenez, Karima Davenport-White, Morgan Van Dover, Rhi’Onna Timmons); Salem’s 2024 girls shot put relay (Dominique Lewis and Ryann Mulhorn); Schalick’s Jordan Hadfield (2023 cross country 2024 1600); and Woodstown 2024 boys 4×800 Relay (Karson Chew, Joshua Crawford, Jacob Martino, Cole Lucas).

Admission is free and no tickets are required. The ceremony begins at 6:30 p.m.

Here is a thumbnail look at the Hall of Fame inductees

LEX BLECKLEY was a product of the Pennsville sports system, playing football and baseball. He is most proud of the baseball championships from an early age through his decorated career at Pennsville Memorial High School. The championships include district titles in Little League, State and Mid-Atlantic Champions in Babe Ruth and a state championship his senior year with a 25-0 record and the No. 1 ranked team in the state. The undefeated season has not been duplicated.

His personal accomplishments include three-time All-Salem County, two-time Tri-County, two-time South Jersey Group II, two-time All-South Jersey, Group II All State, All-State First Team and Today’s Sunbeam Player of the Year. He finished his career at Pennsville with a .503 batting average and a team win-loss record of 66-6. He was taken in the major league draft twice.

The Kansas City Royals drafted Bleckley after his high school career, but he elected to attend the University of Delaware, where he was a three-year starter at shortstop. During his UD career, the Blue Hens were East Coast Conference champions twice and missed making it to the College World Series by one game, losing in the finals. Lex came in second for the Division I batting title with a .455 average his junior year and was named ECC Player of the Year. He was drafted and signed by the Montreal Expos. After his playing career ended, he was head coach at Salem Community College for two years. Currently, he resides in Florida with his wife and son.

He was a three-time South Jersey champion in the 800 meters. As a senior, he finished seventh in the Meet of Champions in one of the most competitive 800-meter races in its history.

NICK ELMER was a multi-sport athlete (football, wrestling, track and field) at Penns Grove High School.

DONNA O’LEARY graduated from Paulsboro High School and was a two-sport varsity athlete (field hockey and tennis) there. She also swam competitively year-round at the Woodbury YMCA.

Moving on to Salem Community College, Latika amassed 1,130 points and 1,028 rebounds over two years, earning National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division II Second Team honors. She holds the NJCAA Division II Women’s Basketball regular-season record for rebound average (23.2 per game in 2002-03).

Today, she channels her talents into entertainment as an actress, producer and stand-up comedian, performing under the name Latika Sye (a family surname).

Community Service

Vince first coached in 1969 and over the next 50 years spent countless hours coaching, managing and maintaining the fields at the Carneys Point Recreation Complex for the Carneys Point-Penns Grove-Pedricktown Little League and Penns Grove Soccer Club.

Vince played and coached in both the Salem County Men’s Baseball League (1969-1976) and the PG-CP Men’s Softball League (1975-2015) while also serving as a league officer and a liaison with Salem County. He coached for the PG mini-wrestling organization (1979-1986), managed for the PG-CP Women’s Softball (1978-1982), and for the PG Babe Ruth (1985-1987). Vince also coached PG Twins 130 lb. football team (1985-1991) and was head coach of the SCC’s softball team (1991-1995, 2011-2013).

Vince has been a member of the South Jersey Officials Association (football) since 1999 and Unified Umpire Association of Southern New Jersey since 2007. He served on the Carneys Point Recreation Commission (1999-2023) and was chairman (2004-2023). Vince managed the CP Recreation Complex (2004-2023) and was president of the Servicemen’s Memorial Home (2015-2023). Today, Vince can be found on a field or in a gym in South Jersey officiating, umpiring or just watching his grandchildrens’ games or any game, for that matter.

STEVE LOPES graduated from Penns Grove High School in 1964, after playing three years of varsity basketball with coach Rudy Baric.

For 16 years, Steve managed in the Penns Grove-Carneys Point-Pedricktown Little League and Babe Ruth League, where his teams won several league and district titles. He has played and managed a senior (ages 50, 60, 70) baseball team in Carneys Point. For over 20 years, Steve has played in men’s senior baseball national tournaments in Florida and Arizona.

A hidden gem

Growing Bridgeton museum overflows with memorabilia linked to South Jersey’s rich sporting past; Morganti to enter HOF Saturday

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

BRIDGETON — If you’re not quite sure where you’re going you just might miss it, just like Todd Frazier did – twice – with humorous results when he was inducted into the Hall of Fame, but once you get there you’ll be amazed at what’s inside.

From the outside, Building 7 that houses the All Sports Museum (and Hall of Fame) of Southern New Jersey appears to be just another unassuming building in the city’s athletic complex, but within its walls contains a veritable treasure trove of memorabilia commemorating the region’s rich sporting past.

The quaint five-room, 1,500-square foot white bungalow that serves a variety of purposes for the city houses more than 15,000 artifacts, photos and films from across the sporting spectrum with some connection to the state’s eight southern-most counties – only about half of which is currently on display.

“A hidden gem, you said the exact words,” museum and Hall chairman Dom Valella said during a recent tour for a first-time visitor. “When we have an athlete down here who’s not familiar with this area and they see it, they say this is a hidden gem you have here.

“We’re very proud of that. We’re all volunteers; we’re all guys who just love the sport, love doing this. We just enjoy having the athletes come down (and) meeting them on a personal level.”

It certainly gave pause to Frazier, the former Shore-area baseball great who gained early fame as the hero of Toms River East’s 1998 Little League World Series title team and went on to become a two-time major-league All-Star and Home Run Derby champion over 11 big-league seasons. Once he found the museum, he was, of course, blown away by its offerings.

The story goes that Frazier was driving around town looking for the building and twice was stopped by local police as a suspicious vehicle. Once it was determined who they had detained and what his purpose was for being in the area, they gave him a full police escort to the facility.

It is easy to see how one could get waylaid. The official address is 8 Richie Kates Way, a street just off the main drag renamed in honor of the local boxer and Hall of Fame inductee who twice fought for the light-heavyweight championship and had WBA champ Victor Galindez beat in their 15-rounder in South Africa. (There’s a life-sized cutout of a ring-ready Kates right outside the case displaying his memorabilia as well as homages to Joe Frazier (who trained for a time in Vineland and sparred with Kates in Philadelphia) and Jersey Joe Wolcott).

But to have the GPS get you there you have to punch in 8 Burt Street.

It’s two turns off Hwy. 49 as you get into town, just past the high school football stadium and right across the street from Alden Field, home of the annual Bridgeton Invitational semi-pro baseball tournament that introduced MLB to the concept of pitch clocks and designated hitters long before those innovations became fashionable. They still talk about the night two of tournament teams brought in a couple ringers named Dickie Noles and Tug McGraw to pitch against each other.

The museum has items from every sport imaginable. There’s an early vaulting pole, a French foil from the 70s, the original four-pound green sneakers of the Phillie Phanatic (a popular item with the kids), local trophies that date back to 1904, photos that go back to 1896, several game-used equipment and jerseys and more than 200 autographed baseballs. There’s a bat from Jackie Robinson and even the partial uniform of baseball’s first professional female umpire, Bernice Gera, which landed in their cases after swapping the complete uniform they had with Cooperstown.

“People are surprised at how big it is,” said Ed Forman, in his 19th year as the fourth-ever curator of the museum that was founded by Ed Alden as a Bridgeton-centric repository. “Looking at it from the outside it looks like we just have one room or something like that, so when they come in and find out we have this room and this room and this room … (they’re amazed).

“I love the fact they’re amazed. Mostly everything here was donated. The only things that weren’t donated were the two (Little League World Series) trophies in the first room. It is impressive. I’m impressed with some of the things.”

Dom Valella, chairman of the All-Sports Museum of Southern New Jersey, points to the plaque of Flayers great Rick MacLeish, one of the nearly 150 inductees into the museum’s Hall of Fame. The next Hall induction ceremony is Saturday.

There’s a heavy presence of Phillies, Eagles and Flyers – many of whom lived in the South Jersey suburbs – but there is just as much emphasis on the accomplishments of athletes with natural roots in the area.

Coming through the door you’re welcomed by a display cases honoring locally high school and Little League championship teams. There are rooms dedicated to baseball, football, basketball and hockey. There are dedicated displays for Baseball Hall of Famer Goose Goslin; football’s George Jamison, Lydell Mitchell and Dave Robinson; track’s John Borican and auto racing pioneer Bunky Higbee. The exhibit for Millville native son Mike Trout takes up an entire wall.

There’s even a “writers wing,” a section dedicated to prominent local media, whose ranks will increase by one with Saturday’s Hall of Fame induction of Al Morganti, a Massachusetts kid who earned his chops as a Philadelphia hockey writer and network analyst. His induction brings to 135 the coaches, athletes, contributors, pioneers and teams enshrined in the Hall with many more luminaries holding a place in the museum.

There’s a distinction between the Hall of Fame and the museum – not all museum benefactors are inducted into the Hall, but inductees are asked if they’d like to donate an item to the Hall – but If there’s a connection to South Jersey, no matter how small, it’s in there.

‘Our mission statement is to preserve, protect and display all sports memorabilia connected from Philly on down, South Jersey and Philly,” Valella said. “It is surprising (the number of accomplished sportsmen hail from the area). We should be proud of it.”

Everyone who comes through the museum, which is open with free admission from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday through Saturday or by appointment, has a favorite piece, but the star of the show is the 1960 National League Gold Glove of Willie Mays, whose connection to South Jersey runs from his days as a minor leaguer in Trenton to his somewhat controversial (at the time) connection to promoting the casinos in Atlantic City.

Mays, who passed away earlier this summer, came to Bridgeton as a guest of the Invitational. Between games tournament officials were known to give away baskets of local peaches and plums as door prizes. A son of the south, Mays wasn’t interested in peaches, but did want to know what it’d take to get some of those plums.

Tournament organizers said if he made a donation to the museum they’d provide him as many plums as he could stand. Mays told them to come see him at Resorts and he’d have something for them. When they arrived, he presented them the Gold Glove (he won 12 of them) with the caveat not to sell it, trade it or give it away. The award is displayed on the first shelf of a case in the middle of the back wall in the main room.

“That’s the No. 1 item that’s here,” Valella said. “I think the Gold Glove is one of the nicest things we’ve got here – and the story.”

There’s no telling how much all the memorabilia housed in the museum is worth, but rest assured it’s all insured. Former Phillies reliever, current studio host and future Hall inductee Ricky Bottalico toured the museum during broadcast partner Michael Barkann’s induction and asked what they thought the Mays Gold Glove was worth. Museum officials estimated conservatively $150,000. Bottalico said they should double it, in a tone that that suggested even his assessment was low.

After all, you can’t put a price on memories.