Category: FOOTBALL

Eagles flock to Hall

8 of the 9 honorees in the Salem County Sports Hall of Fame’s first induction class since 2019 have ties to Pennsville

By Riverview Sports News

CARNEYS POINT – The Salem County Sports Hall of Fame has announced its 2023 induction class and the group has a heavy Pennsville flavor.

Five of the six inductees for the Hall’s first class since 2019 have direct ties to Pennsville Memorial High School. All three service award honorees also have connections to the high school or township.

The inductees are Dylan Cummings, his brother Tyler Cummings, Amy Coker McDade, Victoria (Tori) Nugent, Katie Jackson Scull and Ta’riq D. Thomas. In addition, Louise Foley, Mike Hartman and Louis (Lou) Priest will be recognized for community service in local sports.  

“This is a reflection of the great tradition that we have here at Pennsville when it comes to athletics,” current Pennsville athletics director Jamy Thomas said. “It also shows we have a lot of work to do with our (PMHS Athletic) Hall of Fame, us being only five years into it. There are a ton of great athletes that we still have to induct in our own personal Hall of Fame. You look at this list and none of these people are in our Hall of Fame.

“It’s glaring how much we needed to have a Hall of Fame. Thankful for the work the previous athletics director did to get this thing off the ground along with the committee members and we’re moving in the right direction with that, but we have a lot of great athletes that we’re going to be discussing over the next many years that there will never be a shortage of inductees for our Hall of Fame.”

Thomas has a direct connection to many of this year’s Salem County Hall inductees, either as a classmate, teammate, student or co-worker. One of the 2023 honorees, Amy Coker McDade, is the athletics department administrative assistant.

“Amy was a great player,” he said. “In ’01 I was coaching here, I wasn’t even teaching here yet, so I was still kind of in the background, but I remember Amy playing. She was a stud athlete on the soccer field, on the softball fields and now just a great overall person. She does so much for the athletics department.

“She is the one behind our current Hall of Fame. Her work is just second to none. It’s what makes that night for us so enjoyable and run so smoothly. She’s taken that work ethic she had on the athletic fields and converted it into her career and we hope we’re doing that with a lot of kids. That’s a major piece to an academic-based athletics program, trying to teach kids how to be successful in their future. Whether we’re successful on the fields or not, wins and losses don’t really matter, what matters are these kids becoming successful when they get out of here and Amy is absolutely one who proves that point.”

The induction ceremonies are in Salem Community College’s Sol and Jean Davidow Performing Arts Theatre Nov. 17 at 6:30 p.m. Admission is free and open to the public.

The following biographies are courtesy of Salem Community College.

Hall of Fame Inductees

DYLAN CUMMINGS was a two-sport athlete (baseball and football) at Pennsville Memorial High School, finishing his senior season as the 2014 Salem/Cumberland County Male Athlete of the Year. In baseball, he was named two-time All-Conference and two-time All-South Jersey. In his senior season, the Pennsville Eagles won a South Jersey Championship, earning the top spot in the state baseball rankings. 

In football, he was named three-time All-South Jersey, All-State, South Jersey Times Player of the Year, and Brooks-Irvine Memorial Football Club Award winner. As the Eagles quarterback, he broke several South Jersey records including career passing yards (7,695), passing touchdowns (84), completions (498), total yards (10,083), and total touchdowns (126). He is currently the only quarterback in state history to throw for 30 touchdowns and run for more than 20, totaling 55 touchdowns in the same season. 

He continued his academic and athletic career at Methodist University, where he was a three-year football starter and two-time team captain, playing slot receiver for the Monarchs with 150 receptions, 1,250 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns. He was named USA South Academic All-Conference and Athlete of the Year. 

TYLER CUMMINGS competed at PMHS from 2007 to 2011, earning 10 varsity letters in cross country, and track and field. He captured nine Salem County titles and three South Jersey titles while being named to numerous All Tri-County, All-South Jersey and All-State teams. During his senior season, he earned the PEPAA Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award and the PMHS Sportsmanship Award. He currently holds the individual school record in the 1600-meter run at 4:25 and is the first athlete in Salem County history to win three individual Salem County cross country titles. 

He continued his academic and athletic career at Coastal Carolina University, where he graduated with a degree in business administration and ran personal bests in the 1500-meter run (4:01) and 5K (15:42). Tyler also earned numerous Big South Conference academic and athletic awards.

AMY COKER McDADE started a passion for softball at a young age. Her Pennsville team qualified for the 1996 Little League World Series for the first time.  

A 2002 Pennsville grad, she was a three-sport athlete (soccer, basketball and softball).  A four-year softball starter, she collected more than 100 hits during her career. Her team won the 2002 softball state championship.  Amy was selected as Today’s Sunbeam player of the year. She earned first team All-Conference two years in a row. 

She continued with softball at Caldwell College and earned her bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. In 2004, the Cougars were 45-7 and won the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference’s regular and post-season championship. From there, her team won an NCAA regional title and advanced to the NCAA Division II World Series for the first time. Her softball team also was the CACC Champions in 2005 and 2006. She earned the CACC Tournament MVP in 2006 and was selected to the All-Tournament Team. In 2019, the Caldwell College 2004 Softball team was inducted into the college’s Athletics Hall of Fame. 

She currently works in the high school’s athletics department.

VICTORIA (TORI) NUGENT was a two-sport athlete at Pennsville. Her freshman year, she powered through a three-hour tennis match, coming from behind to win the deciding point in the state championship. Pennsville was 2012 state champions with Tori named the Salem-Cumberland County Player of the Year and Tri-County Player of the Year.

She won the Tri-County Conference singles title two years in a row, and earned First Team All-State, First Team All-Group I and All-South Jersey honors. She was the first person in school history to earn 100 wins in tennis, finishing her high school career with a record of 101-13-2. Aside from tennis, she also collected 100 hits in high school softball. She played one year of tennis at Monmouth University, then was undefeated at Rowan College Gloucester County, where she earned National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) All-American, All-Region Team honors, and was the college’s Women’s Tennis Player of the Year. 

She went on to become the Head Tennis and Paddle Professional at Philadelphia Country Club. She is playing two new sports: platform tennis (currently ranked 85th on the APTA Women’s National Rankings) and paddle tennis (ranked 79th in the world on the USPA tour).

KATIE JACKSON SCULL was also a member of that 1996 Pennsville Little League softball team. She was a three-sport varsity athlete at Pennsville (soccer, softball and basketball), earning 13 varsity letters. Her first varsity letter was earned in eighth grade, as one of the managers for the varsity softball team. A four-year softball starter (outfielder and catcher), she earned her way into the 100-hit club and a Group I State Champion. She also reached the Group I State Championship in soccer as the starting goalie. During her senior year, she was named Today’s Sunbeam Co-Athlete of the Year. She was also a member of the National Honor Society and Golden Eagles Club. 

At Caldwell College (now Caldwell University), she was the softball team’s starting right fielder all four years.  She collected 189 hits, 19 home runs and 108 RBIs with a career batting average of .377. She held the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) record in walks for three consecutive years (2004-2006). She was also named to the first team All-CACC and All-Northeast Region first team all four years.  In 2004, she had the privilege of playing right field as the Cougars competed in Caldwell’s first Division II Women’s College World Series appearance.

During her junior year, she was named the Louisville Slugger/National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Division II National Player of the Week. In her senior year, she was the first Caldwell Cougar in history to be named the CACC Player of the Year. In 2006, she graduated cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in accounting, elected to the Delta Epsilon Sigma National Honor Society, Dean’s List accreditation, New Jersey Society of CPAs Scholar’s Institute Participant, Academic All-American and CACC All-Academic Team.

TA’RIQ D. THOMAS was a three-sport athlete (football, basketball, and track and field) at Woodstown High School. During his senior year of football, he tied for first with three others for the most interceptions (eight) in New Jersey. He was selected playoff player of the week by the South Jersey Touchdown Club and selected to the Diamond Division first team.

He also was a two-year starter for the Wolverines basketball team and a four-year letter winner in track and field. During his sophomore year, he placed third in the triple jump at the Group II Sectional Championships. He was Group II Sectional runner-up in the long jump during his junior year and was selected first team All-Tri-County. In his senior year, he was the South Jersey long- and triple-jump Group II Sectional Champion, placed third in the long jump and sixth in the triple jump at the Group II Championship. 

He went on to compete in football and track and field at Delaware Valley University. After playing varsity football as a freshman for the Aggies, he chose to solely commit to the indoor and outdoor track and field teams. He was a two-time Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) rookie of the year (indoor and outdoor), three-time MAC field athlete of the year (one indoor, two outdoor), and a nine-time MAC champion (six triple jump and three long jump). 

He still holds the MAC record for long jump and the fourth-longest mark in NCAA Division III history (25-9.5). He also holds school records in both triple jump (49-10) and long jump and is a seven-time NCAA All-American. He graduated from Delaware Valley with a degree in criminal justice.

Community Service Awards

LOUISE FOLEY graduated from Pennsville after being a three-sport athlete (field hockey, basketball and tennis). She received the MVP award in tennis and was a member of the 1970 field hockey team that was Tri-County champion under Salem County Hall of Fame Coach Betsy Salberg.

In 1981, she became program director at the YMCA of Salem County. One of her favorite responsibilities was teaching swim lessons to all ages. For 34 years, she and the other instructors under her guidance taught the children of Salem County how to swim. Many of those children went on to join the YMCA swim team and compete on college swim teams. It is unknown exactly how many people learned to swim under her direction but suffice to say “countless,” including three generations in some families. 

Now retired, she volunteers with the Rotary Club of Penns Grove and Salem County Meals on Wheels, and is a Salem County Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Academy Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Instructor.

MIKE HARTMAN has been a significant figure in Salem County scholastic sports for 40 years. He played football, basketball, baseball and golf at Pennsville Memorial High School. When he began his teaching career in 1983, he also started his coaching career.  

At Woodstown High School, Mike coached freshman football for 11 years and boys’ basketball for several years, including six years as varsity head coach. He was named the Al Carino All-Star Basketball Coach in 1990. He also devoted 15 years to helping coach Woodstown’s baseball team and coached Salem High’s varsity boys’ basketball for six years. In 2016, he took the reins of the Pennsville girls’ basketball program and spent five years as varsity head coach. He is credited with turning it into a winning program.  

As his children played youth sports, he was active with the Pennsville Little League, Pennsville Babe Ruth and Pennsville Youth Basketball Association (PYBA). He served as a PYBA board member.   

He taught Industrial Technology at Woodstown for 39 years. He received the Governor’s Teacher Recognition Award twice (1993 and 2000). He is currently an instructor of Technical Drawing and CADD at Salem Community College and also works at Random 8 Woodworking in Pedricktown.

Mike’s rapport with past athletes is his legacy, and it means the world to him.  Whether it was football, basketball or baseball — scholastic or youth league — he contributed countless hours and much of his heart to Salem County sports. To the benefit of his student-athletes, his influence carries on.

LOUIS (LOU) PRIEST was a star three-sport player at St. James High School that won multiple state championships in football (1959-1962), basketball (1962-63 season) and baseball (1961-1963).

His greatest individual achievement was his .640 batting average in 1962. This record has stood for more than 60 years as the highest in Salem County history and third highest for all of South Jersey.He batted over .425 during his career and was selected Honorable Mention to the South Jersey Baseball All-Century Team.

Owing to his success as a three-sport athlete, he was named St. James’ 1963 Male Athlete of the Year.

He played semi-pro baseball in the Tri-County Baseball League on the Penton Cubs. His success led to an invitation to try out for the Philadelphia Phillies’ minor league system.

He coached in Pennsville Little League, Babe Ruth and soccer, winning multiple championships, and helped coach several all-star teams. He played men’s softball in Pennsville for many years and has served as an umpire for more than 15 years in Salem County.

This week’s schedule

Here is the high school sports schedule for Salem County teams for the week of Oct. 16-21

Oct. 16
FIELD HOCKEY
Gloucester Catholic at Salem, 4 p.m.
Pennsville at Oakcrest, 4 p.m.
Woodstown at Overbook, 4 p.m.
Deptford Twp. at Schalick, 6 p.m.

BOYS SOCCER
Salem at Gloucester City, 6 p.m.
Woodstown at Sterling, 7 p.m.

GIRLS SOCCER
Gloucester City at Salem, 4 p.m.
Overbrook at Penns Grove, 6:30 p.m.

GIRLS TENNIS
Bridgeton at Salem, 4 p.m.
Pennsville at Gloucester Catholic, 4 p.m.
Woodstown at Glassboro, 4 p.m.

CROSS COUNTY
State Tech School Championship, Salem Tech

VOLLEYBALL
Clearview at Salem Tech, 4 p.m.

Oct. 17
BOYS SOCCER
Overbook at Woodstown, 4 p.m.
Salem at Gloucester Catholic, 4 p.m.
Schalick at Penns Grove, 4 p.m.
Wildwood at Salem Tech, 4 p.m.
Glassboro at Pennsville, 5 p.m.

GIRLS SOCCER
Gloucester Catholic at Salem, 4 p.m.
Salem Tech at Wildwood, 4 p.m.
Woodstown at Overbrook, 4 p.m.
Penns Grove at Schalick, 6 p.m.
Glassboro at Pennsville, 7 p.m.

GIRLS TENNIS
Pennsville at Haddon Heights, 4 p.m.
Pitman at Salem, 4 p.m.

NJSIAA Group I Sectionals
Championship matches
North 1: Kinnelon at Glen Rock, 1 p.m.
North 2: Whippany Park at Glen Ridge, 3 p.m.
South: Schalick at Haddon Twp., 3 p.m.
Central: New Providence at Highland Park, 4 p.m.


CROSS COUNTRY
Tri-County Conference Showcase, Cumberland, 3:30 p.m.

VOLLEYBALL
Gloucester Catholic at Salem Tech, 4 p.m.

Oct. 18
FIELD HOCKEY
Moorestown Friends at Woodstown, 4 p.m.
Oakcrest at Schalick, 4 p.m.
Salem at Glassboro, 4 p.m.
Overbrook at Pennsville, 4:30 p.m.

GIRLS TENNIS
Overbrook at Pennsville, 4 p.m.
Schalick at Gloucester Catholic, 4 p.m.
Penns Grove at Salem, 4 p.m.
Woodstown at Wildwood, 4 p.m.

Oct. 19
BOYS SOCCER
Gloucester Catholic at Pennsville, 4 p.m.
Overbrook at Salem Tech, 4 p.m.
Penns Grove at Wildwood, 4 p.m.
Schalick at Pitman, 4 p.m.
Woodstown at Salem, 4 p.m.

GIRLS SOCCER
Pennsville at Gloucester Catholic, 4 p.m.
Pitman at Schalick, 4 p.m.
Salem at Woodstown, 4 p.m.
Salem Tech at Overbrook, 4 p.m.

GIRLS TENNIS
Glassboro at Penns Grove, 4 p.m.
Pennsville at Triton, 4 p.m.
Salem at Wildwood, 4 p.m.
Woodstown at Schalick, 4 p.m.

NJSIAA State Tournament
Championship Matches
Mercer County Park, T

VOLLEYBALL
KIPP Cooper at Salem Tech, 4 p.m.

Oct. 20
FOOTBALL
Gloucester Catholic at Schalick, 7 p.m.
Pennsville at Pitman, 7 p.m.

FIELD HOCKEY
Clayton at Pennsville, 4 p.m.
Glassboro at Woodstown, 4 p.m.
Schalick at Overbrook, 4 p.m.

BOYS SOCCER
Clayton at Salem, 4 p.m.
Overbrook at Schalick, 4 p.m.
Pennsville at Penns Grove, 4 p.m.
Salem Tech at Pitman, 4 p.m.
Woodstown at Glassboro, 4 p.m.

GIRLS SOCCER
Glassboro at Woodstown, 4 p.m.
Pennsville at Penns Grove, 4 p.m.
Pitman at Salem Tech, 4 p.m.
Salem at Clayton, 4 p.m.
Schalick at Overbrook, 4 p.m.

VOLLEYBALL
Salem Tech at LEAP Academy, 4 p.m.

Oct. 21
FOOTBALL
Salem at Woodbury, 10:30 a.m.
Woodstown at Penns Grove, 11 a.m.

Cover photo by Heather Papiano

Popping into history

Pop Jackson goes over 1,000 as Salem opens new stadium with win over West Deptford that likely gets it in the playoffs

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

SALEM — Danny Mendoza says Pop Jackson is one of the best backs he’s ever been around as a coach and should be in every conversation when they talk about the next great back in the line of those who’ve come out of the Salem football program.

And that’s saying something even Jackson had to agree because Mendoza is a Florida guy where great backs grow like oranges.

Jackson made a little history of his own on an historic day on the Salem campus Saturday, squeezing out enough yards to go over 1,000 for the season as the Rams opened their brand new on-campus stadium with a 38-14 Homecoming win over West Deptford.

The junior ran through the rain for 255 yards (on 25 carries) and four touchdowns, including the first one ever in what for now is called SHS Stadium. He now has 1,005 yards rushing for the year and amazingly has done most it over the last four games.

He had 155 yards as a role guy against Pleasantville and Penns Grove, but burst on the scene against Cedar Creek in the rain at Rutgers and over the last four weeks has gone for 249, 149, 197 and 255 on 110 total carries.

“I wanted to be a team player and play anything I needed for us to succeed and win,” Jackson said. “I didn’t know if I’d be able to accomplish it or I was going to accomplish this, but I’m very proud of myself.

“It means a lot to me, but not really. I created history, but I feel as though we’ve got more to go on the road.”

The Rams’ last 1,000-yard season rusher was Zaire Jones back in 2017 (1,792 yards). The year before, future NFL All-Pro Jonathan Taylor went for a state record 2,815 yards.

“He is by far probably one of the most talented backs I’ve ever had the opportunity and the pleasure to coach,” Mendoza said. “Obviously, we got to him a little bit late in the season, but at least, the good thing is, we found him eventually. His performance today was absolutely amazing.

“I knew he needed 250. I thought we would be able to get it in the next couple games, God willing, but for him to get it in one game tells you what kind of player he is. I’ve never seen anybody to do that (in such a short stretch) before, so to be able to be on the right side of that is just that much more sweeter.”

The neat thing about having a new stadium is you can assign naming rights to everything. When they do get around to giving the stadium a more formal name, they should also consider naming the end zone The Pop Zone. Jackson scored on runs of 13, 15, 46 and 34 yards and until Jared Pew scored their last touchdown late in the fourth quarter he was the only Ram to find the end zone for six.

Once the game reached the fourth quarter, his teammates were keeping tabs on just how many yards Jackson needed to reach the milestone. On the run that put him over the top, a 10-yard sweep with about three minutes left in the game, Jackson stiff-armed on-coming Eagles defensive back QuJuan Land and shed him with a resolve that said he wasn’t going to be denied.

What gave Jackson an even bigger thrill was seeing Darius Brooks, one of the linemen who helped him get to 1,000, get in the end zone for a two-point conversion on the Rams’ last touchdown. The 5-foot-9, 315-pound senior had been asking to carry the ball all year and Mendoza promised if the right time presented he’d give him a shot. He got the shot and he delivered. It was supposed to be a direct snap, but he cozied under center and drove into the Pop, er, end zone tush-push style.

“I wanted to play it safe; I didn’t want to mess up my big chance,” Brooks said. “It’s once-in-a-lifetime, I wanted to make sure I did it right. It’s every big man’s dream to score and coach told me on Senior Night if we’re up he’ll give me the chance. I’m glad he did. It’s a great feeling.”

The win also is believed to be just what the Rams needed to get in the Group I playoffs. They have only two wins – after starting the season 0-6 – but play in the tough WJFL Diamond Division that’s filled with power points. Penns Grove got in last year with two overall wins without winning a game in the division.

The Rams were 17th in the South Jersey Group I UPR ratings that go toward determining the qualifiers before the game, just four-tenths of a point off the cut line. Another Central Jersey numbers-cruncher had them solidly at 16. 

In the newest UPR ratings updated just hours after Saturday’s games, the Rams were No. 15 and all five Salem County football-playing schools were inside the 16 qualifiers: 1. Schalick, 3. Woodstown, 8. Penns Grove, 15. Salem, 16. Pennsville.

“You never know until the season’s over,” Mendoza said. “I know you can drop one at the cutoff after you play a Week Zero. A win against Woodbury (next week) would put us up pretty high, so that’s what we’re looking forward to try to do. We control our own destiny. We know if we beat Woodbury we’re 100 percent in and then we can give ourselves a good seed, so Woodbury is our focus going into next week.”

Salem 38, West Deptford 14

WDEPT (14)SALEM (38)
111st Downs15
31-158Rushing47-342
0-6-0Penalties2-5-0
0Passing9
2-1Fum-lost0-0
5-32.4Punts-avg2-14.0
8-65Penalties5-50
West Deptford (2-6)86816 –38
Salem (2-6)0770 –14

Scoring plays:
S – Pop Jackson 13 run (Pop Jackson run), 8:39 1Q
WD – James Lorman 14 run (Ryan Cook kick), 8:44 2Q
S – Pop Jackson 15 run (run failed), 0:47 2Q
S – Pop Jackson 46 run (Jared Pew run), 10:26 3Q
WD – James Lorman 3 run (Ryan Cook kick), 7:53 3Q
S – Pop Jackson 34 run (Jared Pew run), 5:14 4Q
S – Jared Pew 9 run (Darius Brooks run), 1:04 3Q

Salem’s football team celebrates in front of the jumbotron and scoreboard the first win in its new stadium.


Woodstown falls hard

Wolverines start out well, then suffer through a series of penalties and mistakes in falling to Haddonfield

DIAMOND DIVISION SCORES
Friday’s games
Haddonfield 48, Woodstown 16
Penns Grove 32, Pennsville 3
Saturday’s games
Camden at Paulsboro, 10:30 a.m.
West Deptford at Salem, noon

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

HADDONFIELD — It was one of those games that was bad enough the first time you don’t really want to look at the film again unless they make you.

Woodstown was looking to pick up some major points in its bid to secure a couple home playoff games Friday night, but it wound up taking one of its biggest losses in four seasons, falling to Haddonfield 48-16.

Things started off well for the Wolverines (5-2). They got a defensive stop on the opening drive and then Bryce Belinfanti broke off a 76-yard touchdown run on their first play from scrimmage. They led 10-7 midway through the first quarter after a Jake Ware field goal, but then it deteriorated quickly.

The Haddons (6-1) used two big plays to take a 21-10 halftime lead. All three of their touchdowns in the first half were of the big-play variety.

It was more of the same in the second half as the Haddons went to score 35 straight points before Alex Torres stopped the surge with a Woodstown score with 4:16 to play. Things snowballed for the Wolverines under the weight of numerous mistakes, major penalties and an ejection that may keep one of their top players out of next week’s Diamond Division title game against Penns Grove.

“It was ugly,” Woodstown coach John Adams said. “We had about 14 penalties for 114 yards, something like that. It was awful. It was the worst I’ve ever seen us with penalties.

“Whatever could go wrong went wrong. They played a clean football game. They didn’t do what they typically do with all those crazy formations and such, they just lined up and played smash-mouth football and we didn’t tackle well. It was one of those things where we didn’t play well and then we killed ourselves.”

It was their biggest loss since a 48-7 setback to Penns Grove in their COVID-delayed 2020 season opener.

Belinfanti finished with 147 yards on 19 carries. Wolverines quarterback Max Webb completed 11 of 19 passes for 74 yards with one interception.

Dominic Hahn had 164 yards rushing and scored four total touchdowns for the Haddons. Declan McCarthy threw two long touchdown passes and Charlie Klaus scored twice.

Haddonfield 48, Woodstown 16

Woodstown (5-2)10006 –16
Haddonfield (6-1)714720 –48

Scoring plays:
W – Bryce Belanfani 76 run (Jake Ware kick), 10:10 1Q
H – Dominic Hahn 62 pass from Declan McCarthy (kick good), 7:30 1Q
W – Jake Ware 27 FG, 6:42 1Q
H – Charlie Klaus 57 pass from Declan McCarthy (kick good), 4:51 2Q
H – Dominic Hahn 42 run (kick good), 2:39 2Q
H – Dominic Hahn 32 run (PAT good), 3:38 3Q
H – Charlie Klaus 16 run (PAT good), 9:50 4Q
H – Dominic Hahn touchdown (PAT good), 6:59 4Q
W – Alex Torres 10 run (PAT failed), 4:16 4Q
H – Kai Richards 68 run (PAT failed), 3:55 4Q

Passing fancy

SJ-I No. 1 Schalick retakes Hars-Lake Trophy, remains undefeated after big passing game from Simmons

HORIZON DIVISION SCORES
Friday’s games
Florence 1, Bishop Eustace 0, forfeit
Haddon Twp. 20, Wildwood 0
Holy Cross 32, Gloucester Catholic 27
Overbrook 48, Lindenwold 12
Schalick 35, Cumberland 8

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

SEABROOK – If you ever wondered why Schalick coach Mike Wilson spent so much time in the offseason trying to develop a passing game when the running game has served the Cougars so well, you got the answer Friday night.

It was for games like the latest installment of this neighborhood rivalry with Cumberland and all the games going forward from this point.

Kenai Simmons completed 13 of 17 passes for 236 yards and two touchdowns and ran for two more scores as undefeated Schalick crushed the Colts 35-8 to take back the Hars-Lake Memorial Trophy that goes to the winner of this annual game.

The junior threw touchdown passes to Dylan Sheehan and Reggie Allen and scored on a pair of 5-yard runs. The pass attempts, completions and yardage are all career highs, and the 236 yards is second-best in school history. He threw three touchdowns passes against Pennsville, the last time Schalick played before taking forfeit wins from Lindenwold and Bishop Eustace each of the last two weeks.

Each team names an MVP in the game and Simmons was the Cougars’ choice, Wilson said, “for the obvious reasons.”

And it was obvious why the Cougars went to the air so much this week.

“It was what Cumberland was doing defensively,” Wilson said. “They were stacking eight in the box and we said, OK, you want to stack eight, we’ll throw the ball.

“That’s basically why we did what we did in this offseason, why we put all that work in, because we knew this time of year if people are going to stack the box we’re going to throw the ball. You have to be able to throw the ball. I’ve learned in coaching for 19 years. If you can’t throw the ball and impact the games and playoff games, you’ve got to be able to do it.”

The Cougars (8-0) were playing their first game in 21 days and looked it at times, but they were solid enough to open a 21-0 halftime lead that included a blocked punt (by Simmons) and safety and led 35-0 before the Colts (3-5) finally scored.

“We played a pretty good game,” Wilson said. “Sometimes it felt like it was our first game of the year all over again, but overall we played well. The kids got the trophy back. We played a pretty good game for 21 days off and I’m very happy with the offense. The ability to throw the football is going to help us down the road.”

The Cougars are 8-0 for the first time since 2006 and have won eight games in a season for the first time since 2016. Just three seasons ago they were 0-7.

Schalick 35, Cumberland 8

Schalick (8-0)129140 –35
Cumberland (3-5) 0008 –8

Scoring plays:
S – Kenai Simmons 5 run (run failed)
S – Reggie Allen 14 run (run failed)
S – Safety, punt blocked/tackle in end zone
S – Dylan Sheehan 32 pass from Kenai Simmons (Hunter Dragotta kick)
S – Kenai Simmons 5 run (Hunter Dragotta kick)
S – Reggie Allen 20 pass from Kenai Simmons (Hunter Dragotta kick)
C – 4-yard run (Mark Sooy run)

Schalick quarterback Kenai Simmons (1) had a career night passing in the Cougars’ win over rival Cumberland. Top photo: Coach Mike Wilson raises the Hars-Lake Trophy that goes to the game’s winner. (Photos by Heather Popiano)




Penns Grove keeps The Boot

Red Devils win Norm ‘Wildman’ Willey Trophy for record seventh straight year after dominating Pennsville

SALEM COUNTY SCORES
Friday’s games
Penns Grove 32, Pennsville 3
Schalick 35, Cumberland 8
Haddonfield 48, Woodstown 16
Saturday’s games
West Deptford at Salem, noon

ROYAL DIVISION SCORES
Friday’s games
Lower Cape May 60, Buena 0
Penns Grove 32, Pennsville 3
Pitman 20, Gateway 6
Schalick 35, Cumberland 8

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PENNS GROVE — Former Philadelphia Eagles All-Pro Norm Willey hung his hat as a teacher in the Pennsville school district for more than 30 years, but one of his shoes has been missing since 2017.

For the last seven years now his Boot has been sitting in the trophy case at Penns Grove.

Knowledge Young scored touchdowns the first two times he touched the ball, Bryce Wright scored three the rest of the game and the defense held the opposition out of the end zone for the second straight game as the Red Devils beat back rival Pennsville 32-3 Friday night.

There was a lot at stake. Both teams were riding three-game winning streaks and looking to score some major points towards the playoffs, which Penns Grove all but locked up with the win and Pennsville probably needs a win next week. They also were playing for the Pennsville Lions Club Award, better known as the Norm ‘Wildman’ Willey Trophy atop which one of the former Eagles great’s bronze cleats rests.

The Red Devils, now 4-4 after an 0-3 start, have won it each of the last seven years, their longest streak in the series. Their captains carried the Boot onto the field with them for the coin toss and they carried it back to the trophy case when the game was over.

“The Boot means a lot to me,” Wright said. “Because every time I came to a Pennsville High School game I saw them holding the Boot. I always wanted to do that since I was yay-high. So when I came out here and I went for three touchdowns I wanted that to be on the Boot.”

“I told them yesterday for the older guys they never lost to Pennsville, so that’s special,” Penns Grove coach John Emel said. “They were looking at The Boot today. I tried to hide it from them throughout the year, but it was out today and about and we probably spent a lot of time with it. This is a big win for us.”

The first time Young touched the ball he electrified the Homecoming crowd by returning the opening kickoff 93 yards for a touchdown. It set the tone for the rest of the game.

It was the first he’d ever returned a kickoff for a touchdown in a varsity game, although he’d come close to breaking one several times this season.

“The guys were talking to me before the game,” Young said. “They’ve been trying to get me in the end zone. They missed a couple blocks before. They said they got me on this one and they did. As a ballcarrier it’s my job to read the lanes and they gave amazing blocks, so they got me there.”

“The momentum swing there is huge,” Pennsville coach Mike Healy said. 

“When you play Pennsville you know you’re in for a high-scoring game,” Emel said. “They won the toss and they gave the ball to our offense and we’re a defensive team, so if you don’t score there and they’re able to get the ball in good field position and start fast like they have in their winning streak, it’s a whole different game.”

Penns Grove’s Knowledge Young (7) scored big-play touchdowns the first two times he touched the ball Friday to get the Red Devils going on their 32-3 win over Pennsville. (Photo by Lorraine Jenkins. Check Lorraine’s Facebook page for more photos from the game)

The next time Young touched the ball he went 61 yards for a touchdown. It was the only play the Red Devils ran in the first quarter.

“It felt like I’ve been trying to get there for a minute now,” Young said. “It’s been a long time since I got in there. It just feels good.”

“I liked seeing No. 7 get in there,” Wright said. “He’s been my best friend since we were little. We dreamed of this, man, coming out here doing our thing together.”

Pennsville tried to counter the explosiveness, moving the ball into the red zone all three times it had it in the first half – twice inside the 10 – but had only Jackson Leino’s 25-yard field goal that made it 8-3 to show for it. The other two drives ended with a missed field goal and failed fourth down conversion. Quarterback Robbie McDade moved them along with 119 yards passing.

“We let up too many big plays on defense and then offensively we just didn’t finish,” Healy said. “They’re on the upswing right now, they’re playing real good football right now and we did not play our best at all today.”

The Penns Grove defense held the Eagles to 34 yards rushing in the game and 46 yards total in the second half. The Red Devils have held their opponents out of the end zone for 10 straight quarters and have allowed only four offensive touchdowns in the five games since their blowout loss to Woodbury.

“It’s definitely gotten better from Week Zero because Burlington City put 33 on us, so it feels good to know the hard work is paying off,” freshman defensive back Karon Caeser said of the defense.

“The mood and battery in our guys’ back have changed,” Wright said. “We lost 42-6 to Woodbury and we didn’t like that. We came back on Monday and it was time to work and ever since then we’ve been the team we knew we could be.”

Wright scored on runs of 8 and 26 yards in the first half and 9 yards in the fourth quarter. He finished with 106 yards rushing in the game. Caeser, who ran the offense at quarterback, had 119 yards rushing, including bursts of 40 and 23 yards. Young had 91 yards rushing and, of course, the long kickoff return. 

Penns Grove 32, Pennsville 3

PVILLEPGROVE
91st Downs15
25-34Rushing41-299
12-19-1Passes2-2-0
159Passing28
0-0Fum-lost1-0
1-45.0Punts-avg0-0
4-20Penalties5-30
Pennsville (4-3)0300 –3
Penns Grove (4-4)141206 –32

Scoring plays:
PG – Knowledge Young 93 kickoff return (Bryce Wright 1), 11:45 1Q
PV – Jackson Leino 25 FG, 4:33 1Q
PG – Knowledge Young 61 run (PAT fail), 4:12 1Q
PG – Bryce Wright 8 run (kick failed), 6:52 2Q
PG – Bryce Wright 26 run (pass failed), 0:28, 2Q
PG – Bryce Wright 9 run (run failed), 3:44 4Q

Penns Grove senior captain DeVonte Davenport (50) carried The Boot, the Norm Willey Trophy, to midfield for the pre-game coin toss. Top photo: The Red Devils raise The Boot after winning the game.

Maybe an historic year

If the fates and numbers allow, all five Salem County football-playing schools could make the playoffs for the first time since 2017

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

Salem County is one of the smallest football-playing counties in the state, but if the fates allow and the numbers align it could get 100 percent participation in this year’s Group I playoffs.

That would be nearly one-third of the 16-team South/Central Jersey Group I bracket.

The last time all five Salem County football teams made the playoffs was 2017 and it’s close to happening now. Four of them are currently in the top 16, including the top two. Three are in the top 10 and one is on the cusp and could do a lot for its chances with a win this week.

“For a small county that doesn’t get a lot of press or a lot of hoopla, that’s pretty good,” Schalick head coach Mike Wilson said.

Pennsville coach Mike Healy agrees.

“It’s really cool to see a county that’s not as highly populated as other places have success like that,” he said. “It’s an awesome thing to see.”

Wilson’s undefeated Cougars and Woodstown are currently 1 and 2, respectively, in the South Jersey Group I UPR ratings that determine the seedings, so you have to figure they’re a lock regardless of what happens the next two weeks.

Penns Grove appears pretty solid, too, at No. 10 with a win over current No. 3 Glassboro and playing Woodstown for a division title next week. Pennsville’s comeback express has climbed into the top 16 and it would gain even more steam if it beats Penns Grove tonight.

Salem, winners of the last two Central Jersey championships, is right there but not quite in. The Rams currently sit at No. 17, just four-tenths of a point off the cut line. Because they play in the demanding Diamond Division loaded with ratings points, there’s a strong sense they would get in if they beat West Deptford in the first game in their new stadium Saturday even if they lose to Woodbury next week. Their 40.35 OSI is the highest of any team outside of the South Jersey Group I top 10.

Penns Grove got in last year without winning a game in the Diamond and with only two overall wins before the cutoff.

“I think it just shows the quality of the football down here in the Diamond Division and the West Jersey Football League and how it compares to other parts of the state,” first-year Salem coach Danny Mendoza said. “I think it will say a lot for the quality of football that’s played down in this area and will give a good outlook to everybody on what South Jersey football really is if we get all five teams in. You can’t deny the quality of football down here if that happens.”

“Football in South Jersey is as competitive as it’s ever been,” said Penns Grove coach John Emel.

Actually, all five teams made it in 2016 and 2017 and they all played in the South half of the sectional split both years. Salem has won the Central Jersey sectional title each of the last two years and played in the Central each of the last three years it made it.

In 2017, Penns Grove was the 2 seed, Salem 4, Woodstown 6, Schalick 7 and Pennsville 8. Because there were five teams in a four-game bracket, Penns Grove and Schalick met in the first round. Penns Grove played in the sectional final.

The year before, it was Pennsville 3, Salem 4, Woodstown 6, Schalick 7 and Penns Grove 8. Pennsville and Woodstown played in the first round. Salem played in the sectional final.

Pennsville has been away from the playoffs the longest, missing since 2019. Schalick got back in last year after not making it since 2018. Penns Grove, Salem and Woodstown have been fixtures. 

“There are only five schools here but we have some good football down in the county and getting all five of those in would be a way to just showcase it,” Woodstown coach John Adams said. “Sometimes people feel like Salem County is down and out of the way, but to have five of those top 16 teams in Group I be from one county that’s pretty special.”

A couple things still have to happen before it all shakes out. Just something to think about as the regular season winds down.

RECENT SALEM COUNTY PLAYOFF QUALIFIERS
2022: Penns Grove (S), Woodstown (C), Schalick (C), x-Salem (C).
2021: Penns Grove (S), Woodstown (S), x-Salem (C)
2020: No playoffs.
2019: x-Penns Grove (S), Salem (C), Pennsville (C), Woodstown (C)
2018: x-Penns Grove (S), Woodstown (S), Schalick (S), Salem (S)
2017: Penns Grove (S), Salem (S), Woodstown (S), Schalick (S), Pennsville (S).
2016: Pennsville (S), Salem (S), Woodstown (S), Schlaick (S) Penns Grove (S)
S-South Jersey bracket, C-Central Jersey bracket, x-won sectional title

CURRENT SJ-I UPR TOP 16
(Through Oct. 12)
1. Schalick (7-0)
2. Woodstown (5-1)
3. Glassboro (3-3)
4. South Hunterdon (6-1)
5. Florence (5-0)
6. Shore (4-2)
7. Middlesex (5-1)
8. Woodbury (3-3)
9. Audubon (3-2)
10. Penns Grove (3-4)
11. Keyport (6-1)
12. Riverside (5-1)
13. Burlington City (5-2)
14. Clayton (3-3)
15. Pennsville (4-2)
16. Dunellen (4-2)

PROJECTED PLAYOFF PAIRINGS
(Based on this week’s UPR)
South Jersey Group I
No. 16 Dunellen (4-2) at No. 1 Schalick (7-0)
No. 9 Audubon (3-2) at No. 8 Woodbury (3-3)
No. 13 Burlington City (5-2) at No. 4 South Hunterdon (6-1)
No. 12 Riverside (5-1) at No. 5 Florence (5-0)
Central Jersey Group I
No. 14 Clayton (3-3) at No. 3 Glassboro (3-3)
No. 11 Keyport (6-1) at No. 6 Shore (4-2)
No. 10 Penns Grove (3-4) at No. 7 Middlesex (5-1)
No. 15 Pennsville (4-2) at No. 2 Woodstown (5-1)
Salem currently No. 17











A quick look

Woodstown visits Haddonfield in a cross-classification battle of 5-1 teams with a brief, but intense history

By Riverview Sports News

WOODSTOWN (5-1) at HADDONFIELD (5-1): The two teams haven’t played often, but they do have a history and whenever they have it’s been a battle. Wolverines coach John Adams expects more of the same Friday.

The teams first got together in 2013 and met in the playoffs three straight years – all at Haddonfield – with the Haddons winning all three games. The first one was in the South Jersey Group 2 final and was scoreless at halftime before Haddonfield capitalized on several Woodstown turnovers to win 21-0. The second was a runaway, but the third was decided on a walk-off field goal.

They scrimmaged in 2019, but didn’t play again until last year when they met in Woodstown for the first time and the Wolverines won 19-0.

“We’re going to give it our best shot to do it again,” Adams said.

The teams have a lot of similarities beyond their current records. Both try to be balanced between the run and pass, and both employ enough motion and shifts to keep their opponents on their toes.

Talk about balance: Haddons quarterback Declan McCarthy has thrown for 647 yards and running back Doninic Hahn has rushed for 686 yards and nine touchdowns. Woodstown quarterback Max Webb has thrown for 407 yards, rushed for 235 and accounted for nine touchdowns. Running back Bryce Belinfanti has rushed for 858 yards and 11 scores.

Adding even more flavor to the game, two Woodstown assistants, Nate Engle and Frank Trauz, coached at Haddonfield last year.

“I know they’re going to be fired up to play against two of their old assistant coaches,” Adams said. “It’s always a good atmosphere over there and a tough game.”

Haddonfield won its first give games before losing to Camden last week. The Wolverines are coming off an emotional 27-21 overtime win over Woodbury for first place in the WJFL Diamond Division.

A true homecoming

After decades at Walnut Street Field, Salem opens its long-awaited on-campus football stadium, a modern facility touted as ‘top of the line’

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

SALEM – The principal wasn’t sure he’d ever see it in his time as an administrator. Even as it was going up before his eyes, the head coach was hopeful but not sure if he’d see it this year.

But the new football stadium at Salem High School is up and running, and everyone involved in the progress can’t wait to get into it.

The Salem football team has been making memories at historic Walnut Street Field for generations, from the traditional players’ walk from campus to the great victories between the white lines, but Saturday it turns the page to a new chapter of memories with the opening of a modern on-campus stadium – just in time for Homecoming.

The Rams christen their yet-to-be-named 2,000-seat stadium with a noon game against West Deptford that has become a big game for so many reasons. To celebrate the occasion, admission to the game is free. School officials are inviting all former coaches, players and alums to attend.

The team closed decades of play at Walnut Street last week with a victory – its first of the season – and it’s eager to do the same in the first game in their new home that if they get it likely will qualify them for the Group I playoffs.

But win or lose, they’re just glad to have it open for business to give their players and fans what schools superintendent Dr. Patrick Michel called “something of their own … that reflected their talents, their gifts, their abilities, their pride.”

“Being an administrator here for 24 years and being a teacher here prior to that for two years I never thought I’d see a football stadium here,” principal John Mulhorn said. “I just didn’t think it was going to happen.”

But there it is, right behind the tennis courts and adjacent to the field hockey field.

When the school put a track on this piece of the campus’ 80 acres several years ago, the thought was there’d be a football stadium around it “sometime down the road,” but the process for making it happen was long and there were other priorities.

Besides, they had Walnut Street and team had been playing and winning there for years. But they had been leasing only the playing surface there, so when the city condemned the bleachers the Rams were forced to find another place to play. 

They went into this season expecting their days at Walnut Street to be over and scheduled all their games before October either on the road or at neutral sites as workers built the new stadium. But there wound up being three “last” games at Walnut Street before the end actually came.

They were forced to find a new venue for their Camden game when a conflict arose with the original game in Wilmington. Salem city crews worked diligently during the week to get The Nut back up to code and the game moved there. 

Since the field was functional again, the Rams moved their rivalry game with Penns Grove that originally was a home date back there the following week even though outside influences forced fan restrictions. They had hoped to debut the new stadium last week against Paulsboro, but bad weather interrupted the finishing touches, so they returned to Walnut Street for one last hurrah.

Workers have been racing against the clock to have the new stadium ready this week.

“We wanted to make sure we had a game this year in our stadium,” Mulhorn said. “What we weren’t going to let happen was let this senior class go through expecting to have this stadium ready for at least a couple games (and not deliver). Because of all the commitment from so many people wanted to make sure we have one game here.

“It’s not going to be perfect, but it’s one of those things that we just have to do it. It’s been a vision of so many people and so much hard work.”

The concession stand won’t be operational, but most everything else in the facility, financed through a $2.6 million bond issue, will be, especially the new scoreboard and jumbotron that has all the players excited. The playing surface will remain natural grass and there are no lights.

There are, however, play clocks in both end zones, but they won’t be functional this week as workers needed to move them to accommodate the quarterback’s line of sight.

“One of the things we wanted to make sure we did was if we’re going to have a stadium here, if we’re going to finance this project, we want to get top of the line,” Mulhorn said. “We always try to do the best for our kids, so we wanted the top-of-the-line scoreboard. We wanted a great press box. We didn’t want to say let’s build a stadium but build it half way … Our scoreboard, we wanted it to be the best in the county because that’s what our kids deserve.”

“All I’m looking for, to be honest, is to see myself on that jumbotron running into the end zone,” Rams quarterback Ramaji Bundy said. 

The football team had a bird’s eye view of the project and watched with growing anticipation the stadium take shape as they practiced on the field adjacent to the site. They expect to get in it for a little game simulation Friday.

School officials had training on the PA, scoreboard and jumbotron Thursday with Mulhorn making the first official announcement over the sound system.

Even the former players now on the coaching staff are jealous.

“I was jealous that I couldn’t play on it rather than coach,” said Dione Alston, who immediately preceded record-breaking running back Jonathan Taylor in the Rams’ backfield during his playing days. “It’s going to be super exciting for the them. They have the field right in their backyard now, the jumbotron, seats about 9,000. It’s very exciting. The kids are super excited. We’ve got to keep them focused on the actual game and not just playing in the stadium.”

While school officials admit part of them will miss good ol’ Walnut Street Field and wouldn’t completely rule out ever going back to play there for old time’s sake, with the new stadium up and running there are no immediate plans to return.

“You never say never, “ Mulhorn said, “but our plan is this is where we’re going to play our football games.”

“The kids will miss Walnut and that’s sad,” head coach Danny Mendoza said. “but I also think they’re understanding it’s a closed chapter to a new chapter that’s a little bit more exciting. That’s what you do this for, for the little stories and victories within itself. For us, it’d just be icing on the cake to be able to close (one stadium) and open (another) with a win.”

A view of the new Salem football stadium bleachers as seen from the visitors side. Top photo: A three-room press box with roof access sits atop the bleachers. Inset: The jumbotron and scoreboard has the Rams’ players excited. (Submitted photos)

Playing for something

In a couple riverview rivalries this week, Pennsville-Penns Grove and Schalick-Cumberland both have historic trophies for the winners to claim

THIS WEEK’S GAMES
Friday’s games
Schalick at Cumberland, 6 p.m.
Pennsville at Penns Grove, 6:30 p.m.
Woodstown at Haddonfield, 7 p.m.
Saturday’s game
West Deptford at Salem, noon

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

Mike Healy has never beaten Penns Grove in his tenure as Pennsville’s head football coach. In some circles that lack of success in a storied rivalry might get a coach a change of address. Strangely, even if he pulls it off this week he knows he’s going to get the Boot.

The same holds for Penns Grove coach John Emel. Even if his team wins the game under the temporary lights at home Friday night, he’ll get the Boot as well.

Relax. Nobody’s getting fired. The two schools, 8 miles apart, are just playing for The Boot – the trophy that has gone to the winner of this riverview rivalry for years. It’s such a prized possession, winning coaches have used it as the centerpiece next the turkey on their Thanksgiving table back when the game was played on that day.

“It’s a huge deal,” Healy said. “Our towns border each other. The kids all know each other, do social media and all that stuff, and play against each other. For me, you want to win the rival game, it’s big as a coach, but for the players it means more, the bragging rights and just the ability to pump your chest a little bit and have that for the year.

“It’s a feeling we haven’t had in a while, so it’s something that means a lot to the town. It was a Thanksgiving Day game. Thanksgiving Day games mean a lot in New Jersey. We don’t have them anymore, but still that rivalry is there.”

The trophy awaiting the winner is named in honor of Norm “Wildman” Willey, the three-time Philadelphia Eagles All-Pro defensive lineman of the ’50s who taught PE and drivers ed at Pennsville for 30 years. He still holds the NFL record for sacks in a game – 17 against the New York Giants – at a time before sacks were an officially recognized league stat. He passed away in 2011.

The reason it’s called The Boot is because one of Willey’s football cleats is part of the trophy.

“Nowadays it’s pretty cool for the kids to play for a trophy,” Emel said. “It’s a pretty cool trophy. Adds something to the game.

“To be honest, we don’t spend much time talking about it outside of the one week a year we play Pennsville, but … it’s something we’re excited to currently have and we’re going to play this week with the goal to keep it. I’ve been in this program long enough where we’ve watched the other side walk off with it (and) it’s not a fun feeling.”

Pennsville raises The Boot after winning the game in 2013.

Pennsville is trying to get The Boot back. The Eagles haven’t won it since 2016 and the games have been quite one-sided, too. Penns Grove leads the series 36-27-4 and is 10-4 since 2010.

Both teams are on a roll and have their sights on a playoff berth. Both have won three of their last four and are looking to win their third straight.

The Eagles (4-2) haven’t won three in a row since 2016. Their four wins already are the most in a season since 2017 (4-6) and getting the Boot would guarantee them their first winning regular season since 2016.

The Red Devils (3-4) have steadily eliminated their turnovers in recent weeks and are working on a string of six straight shutout quarters. They haven’t won three in row since 2020. They’ve already matched their win total from last year and keeping the Boot gives them a chance to guarantee a winning regular season when they play for the Diamond Division title against Woodstown next week.

“It’s hard not to be a little more excited for this game than other games,” Healy said. “There’s always the competitive side, but any time it’s a rival, especially when you haven’t been successful against them and just feeling we have a good shot this year, it’s hard not to be a little more juiced up for it.

“That being said we still have to make sure we’re doing what we’re doing. We can’t just rely on adrenaline out there. I felt like today we were more focused at practice. You really don’t have to do anything to get your kids excited when it comes to this week.”

This one’s personal

SCHALICK (7-0) at CUMBERLAND (3-4): Mike Wilson has played and coached in a lot of rivalry games in his day, but the one his undefeated Schalick Cougars play this week is about as intense as they come.

They don’t call this one “The Neighborhood Game” for nothing. The schools are 6 miles apart. The players know each other, they’ve played with and against each other for years. The coaches and administrators overlap. Current Schalick athletics director Doug Volovar’s last game as Cumberland’s head football coach was in this game in 2002, so he has seen it from both sides. 

The Gloucester City game might be the Cougars’ longest-standing football rivalry, but this one is personal.

“It definitely has that kind of taste to it,” Wilson said. “I’ve been on staffs where the people in town only care about one game; this game has that same type of level. Whether both teams are 7-0, 0-7 or whatever it doesn’t matter. 

“This one checks all the boxes. It used to be Schalick and Cumberland’s Super Bowl when Thanksgiving kind of ended your season. I still think it’s a mid-year Super Bowl. It’s a big deal. These kids are going to come out ready to play and you’re going to see the best effort on both sides.”

There is a trophy, the Hars-Lake Memorial Trophy, established last year and named in the memories of longtime Cumberland coach Tom Lake, who oversaw the most successful stretch in Colts history, and former Schalick history teacher Mike Hars, who served as an assistant coach at both schools. Each team names an MVP when it’s over.

For the record, Schalick holds a 14-8 lead in the series, which began in 1977 with the first varsity football games in both schools’ history and then broke until 2002 when the Colts joined the Tri-County Conference. Cumberland won last year’s game in Pittsgrove 21-16 in front of about 1,200 people, snapping Schalick’s six-game winning streak under the weight of more turnovers in one game than the Cougars had to that point all season.

Nobody has won back-to-back since the Cougars won in 2018 and 2019. The Colts’ last won back-to-back games in 2007 and 2008.

The Cougars should be especially amped to play. They’ll be back on the field for the first time since Sept. 22 after getting two forfeit victories that earned the top spot in the South Jersey Group I UPR ratings and a second straight Horizon Division crown. They stand to pick up a lot of ratings points if they can knock off a Group III team with three wins.

“Looking at the big picture our ultimate goal is to secure home field advantage in the playoffs,” Wilson said. “That adds an extra layer in this game for us.”

Cover photo: The Hars-Lake Memorial Trophy (right) and the Norm Willey Boot, the trophies awarded the winner in the Schalick-Cumberland and Pennsville-Penns Grove games.

CURRENT SJ-I UPR
(Updated Oct. 8)
(Top 16 qualify for playoffs)
1. Schalick (7-0) 2.6
2. Woodstown (5-1) 4.2
3. Glassboro (3-3) 4.4
4. South Hunterdon (6-1) 5.2
5. Florence (5-0) 5.8
6. Shore (4-2) 6.0
7. Middlesex (5-1) 8.4
8. Woodbury (3-3) 8.4
9. Audubon (3-2) 9.0
10. Penns Grove (3-4) 9.4
11. Keyport (6-1) 10.6
12. Riverside (5-1) 11.0
13. Burlington City (5-2) 12.8
14. Clayton (3-3) 12.8
15. Pennsville (4-2) 13.6
16. Dunellen (4-2) 16.6
17. Salem (1-6) 17.0
18. Manville (2-5) 19.0
19. Maple Shade (2-5) 20.8
20. Asbury Park (0-5) 21.4