Penns Grove has shown signs of progress, now it’s a matter of learning how to win
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
PENNS GROVE – The Penns Grove football team had a lot of learning to do in coach Marc Maccarone’s first season last year. The Red Devils were picking up a new offense, a new defense and some new terminology – the typical stuff that comes with a coaching transition.
But there was one element they’re still trying to grasp and it’s what this season is all about.
PENNS GROVE
Aug. 30: Paulsboro
Sept. 6: Deptford
Sept. 12: at Glassboro
Sept. 20: Schalick
Sept. 26: at Woodstown
Oct. 3: Pennsville
Oct. 10: at Delran
Oct. 18: Woodbury
Oct. 25: at Salem
Learning how to win.
The Red Devils did win two games last year, including their season finale against Salem, but they lost five others they were in or led going into the fourth quarter and couldn’t close the deal. Any one of them would have gotten them to the playoffs.
It started in Game One with Paulsboro, when they were in position for the game-winning score but sacked on fourth down with 13 seconds left, and carried throughout the year.
But none of the “fourth-quarter fall-aparts” as Maccarone called them was as bad as the one at Woodbury when they were still entertaining hopes for the playoffs. They held a nine-point lead in the fourth quarter then were outscored 23-0 in the final nine minutes with all kinds of disasters.
“It felt terrible,” safety Messiah Allah said. “If there’s one game I can narrow down it was definitely the Woodbury game. That was tragic. I was devastated. “
“It was definitely a horrible feeling, for sure,” lineman Ray Brown agreed.
With that in mind, the Red Devils look at the 2025 season as a revenge tour of sorts.
“It just motivated you to want to do better,” Allah said. “(The game’s) close. It’s right there. You can just grasp it. it just motivates you to want to do more, to want to do better. It lights something inside of you that makes you want to do more. You want to do more. It’s right there.”
The Red Devils look to attack it with a lineup that may be short on experience but long on enthusiasm..
Mello Erickson-Hubbard, one of the team’s six seniors, returns for his fourth year as quarterback eager to embrace the role his position and standing commands. His passing skills have improved every year – he threw the first touchdown passes of his career last year – and with the work he’s done over the summer is “very confident behind my arm” coming into this season.
“I have to be a bigger leader than I have any other year and I have to put on a good image for the young guys,” he said. “As a leader I’ve got to make sure everybody doing what they’re supposed to do. I’ve got to make sure I’m doing my job and everybody is working as fluently as possible.”
Defensively, Brown will be hard to handle. He had 68 tackles, six sacks and four fumble recoveries last year, can play every spot across the front and will provide a formidable force with Isaiah Upshur. “I can’t take any plays off,” he said.
“He’s definitely a very difficult kid to block,” Maccarone said. “That’s not my quote, that’s coming from opposing coaches. I got that from a coach the other night after the scrimmage like ‘that kid’s almost unblockable.’”
Among the newcomers, Terrell Thomas gives the powerful runner they need in the backfield. The Red Devils are hoping the dominant form he showed in the youth leagues will translate to this level.
Of course, the key to it all is conditioning and eliminating the “too many” turnovers that plagued them last year. That’s what they’ve been working on since the end of last season. Between the full year with the coaching staff and what they’ve done so far Maccarone says “we’re a month ahead of where we were last year at this time.”
Win a couple games early and get some momentum and all of a sudden circumstances change.
“Improve on last year, that’s the key,” Maccarone said. “We’ve taken small steps and trying to improve every day. As long as we get better today than we were yesterday we’re moving in the right direction.”
Penns Grove quarterback Mello Erickson-Hubbard is looking to improve on a junior season in which he passed for 568 yards and seven touchdowns.
Ceil Smith started the Salem County Sports Hall of Fame and now she is one of its inductees
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
CARNEYS POINT – Ceil Smith knew there were a lot of sports luminaries in the county who deserved recognition for their achievements when she started the Salem County Sports Hall of Fame and over the past 25 years she has helped induct a lot of them. Never once in all that time did she imagine she would be one of them.
So you can probably guess her reaction when the letter arrived announcing her as one of the inductees in the Hall’s Class of 2025.
“I was really surprised; it was such a nice gesture,” she said. “Everybody in my family – grandchildren, everyone — were very active in sports and very good. So when I broke the news that I’m the one going into the Sports Hall of Fame it was very funny.”
And all would agree well deserved. Smith was enshrined Thursday night along with Faleesha Dowe, Linda DuBois, Joe Frassenei, Aisha Morgan and Dennis Thomas during ceremonies in Salem Community College’s Davidow Hall. The Hall also recognized Donald Ayars as its Community Service honoree, Salem CC’s two-time softball Region XIX Player of the Year Ella Hayes and several high school state champions.
Smith might not have played the game like the others going in with her, but it was her unwavering commitment to the project that shaped the Hall into what it is today.
It was at the urging of the late Vic Majors, a longtime Salem County business and sportsman from Woodstown, while she was the publisher of Today’s Sunbeam that moved her to action. Every time Majors saw her, she recalled, he’d say she was the only one who could make it happen. Humbly, Smith credits the Hall’s volunteer board for its success.
They are the ones who process and research the candidates for induction and make the final call.
“All I did was keep it going and keep the meetings moving,” Smith said. “When athletes get together they can talk about the good old times forever.
“I never played sports, I never watched sports, but I knew who to pick that would make this work. I reached out to the schools, because I knew a couple (athletic directors) who were fabulous. I put these local community people together with the educators and from then on we chose a great, great group of people. I was so fortunate that all the people that I chose really made it work.”
Smith continued to lead the charge when she became executive director of the Salem CC Foundation in 2015. She stepped away from the Hall last August when she became Deputy Executive Director of the Delaware River & Bay Authority, a position appointed by the Governor.
Nearly 150 Salem County athletes, coaches, administrators and community leaders have been enshrined in the Hall under her leadership.
She called her experience working with the Hall “wonderful” and said every induction ceremony “blew me away.”
Through the early support of then-Salem CC president Dr. Peter Contini, the Hall established its home in the college’s Davidow Hall. The pictures of the inductees line the walls inside the DuPont Fieldhouse.
At one time Hall officials “looked into” finding a more stand-alone home, but Smith said it’s right where it belongs.
“It’s so wonderful at the college because they’re a hub to the community; they are really community,” she said. “It’s just wonderful that now President (Mike) Gorman has followed through and is keeping it going. It’s a wonderful thing – and it is at the right place.”
Ceil Smith (L) is inducted into the Salem County Sports Hall of Fame she founded.
2025 SALEM COUNTY SPORTS HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES & HONOREES
FALEESHA DOWE
In track and field, where every fraction of a second counts, Faleesha Lachelle Dowe emerges as a beacon of determination and talent. At Penns Grove High School, she quickly established herself as a standout athlete, dominating local and regional track meets. Her dedication to training, coupled with natural ability, propelled her to new heights of success.
DOWE
It wasn’t long before college recruiters came knocking, eager to enlist Dowe onto their track and field teams. After careful consideration, she chose Delaware State University, where she continued to excel both academically and athletically. Under the guidance of top-tier coaches, she honed her skills and earned recognition as one of the most promising talents in collegiate athletics.
Throughout her career, Faleesha faced numerous challenges, from injuries to fierce competition. However, each setback only fueled her determination to succeed. The pinnacle of her high school career came during 2011 Group I Sectionals, where she took first place in the 55-meter dash as well as the 400. She then led the 4×400 relay team to the Group I state title. She delivered a series of stellar performances throughout her high school years, earning medals and accolades that solidified her status as a track and field legend.
In the track and field history at Penns Grove, Faleesha stands as a shining example of what can be achieved through perseverance, dedication, and a love for the sport. As she continues to write new chapters, one thing remains certain: her legacy will endure at Penns Grove High School, a testament to the power of the human spirit to transcend boundaries and reach new heights.
LINDA DuBOIS
Linda DuBois graduated from Bridgeton High School, where she participated in basketball and tennis, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in health and physical education (K-12) from Trenton State College (now The College of New Jersey).
As the head swim coach at Arthur P. Schalick High School from 1989 until 2008, Linda guided the team to national rankings for eight straight years and an undefeated season in 2000, when she achieved 100 career wins.
Subsequently, she devoted 13 years as a volunteer assistant swim coach for Schalick, while spending two years as head diving coach for both Schalick and Cumberland Regional High School.
In 2022, Linda returned as Schalick’s head swim coach. In 2024, the team advanced to round two of NJSIAA state playoffs. Linda’s lifetime coaching wins are pushing 200, a challenging achievement since there are normally only 10 meets per season.
She has worked as NJSIAA state swim team championship site director for 35 years and NJSIAA state individual swim championship site director for 15 years. Linda has been a NJSIAA certified high school swim official for 10 years and served as secretary of the South Jersey Officials Chapter.
She has earned “Coach of the Year” honors from the National Interscholastic Federation of Coaching Association and South Jersey Interscholastic Swim Coaches Association, and received the NJSIAA Sports Award in Swimming, and South Jersey Coaches Recognition at the Tri-County Classic Division Swim Championship.
Linda played a role in starting girls’ soccer at Schalick, serving as the team’s first head coach for four seasons. She then devoted four years as head coach of girls’ cross country at Schalick, with the team achieving a South Jersey title.
JOE FRASSENEI
In 1986, Joe Frassenei began his high school coaching career in New Jersey. Formerly a varsity wrestler at Drexel and West Chester universities, he coached for five years at Haddonfield and Clayton before coming to Salem County in 1991. This decision was best for his family, and teaching and coaching careers. Joe has coached for the last 44 years, accumulating 509 wins. Of those, 460 have come in Salem County at Woodstown, Penns Grove and Schalick.
FRASSENEI
As a head wrestling coach, Frassenei’s teams have enjoyed 22 winning seasons, 310 dual meet victories and four league titles with 76 regional qualifiers, three state qualifiers and one state place-winner.
Joe’s 21 years as a head track coach were highlighted by 20 winning seasons, 100 dual meet victories, one Salem County Championship, four Tri-County Divisional titles, 48 individual county champs, seven individual South Jersey champions, four individual state place-winners and two Meet of Champions medalists.
His coaching career in cross country was highlighted by 15 winning seasons, 99 dual-meet victories, four Tri-County Divisional titles, four Salem County championships, six individual Salem County champs, three South Jersey Group champs, 43 state qualifiers and two state place-winners.
Coach Fraz still has a passion for coaching. He serves as an assistant football and track coach at Schalick and will enter his fifth year as the Cougars’ head wrestling coach. Last season, his wrestling team finished with a 27-2 record and advanced to the South Jersey Group I final. At last year’s District 30 Championships, he was named District Coach of the Year.
AISHA MORGAN
Aisha Morgan was a multi-sport athlete (field hockey, tennis, indoor track, basketball and outdoor track) at Schalick. She continues to hold the school record in the 100, is tied for the Salem County championship meet record in the 100 and has the fastest 100 time of any Salem County athlete.
She attended the University of Houston where she was coached by Mike Takaha and Leroy Burrell. She was the conference champion in the 100 and advanced to the NCAA track meet in the 100 and 4×100. She had the distinction of qualifying for the USA Track and Field Championship meet where she competed alongside several Olympians.
After graduating from college, Morgan started her teaching career, working with individuals with special needs. She earned her master’s degree in applied behavior analysis from Rowan University and works closely with teachers and students in the special education field.
In 2014, Aisha started her high school coaching career in Houston. Her athletes and teams were district champions, regional qualifiers and state qualifiers.
CEIL SMITH
In 2000, Ceil Smith started the Salem County Sports Hall of Fame while serving as the publisher of Today’s Sunbeam. She continued the annual recognition ceremony when she became the executive director of the SCC Foundation in 2015.
SMITH
During her 25 years as the Hall of Fame chair, Ceil worked closely with a volunteer board comprised of high school athletic directors and community members steeped in Salem County sports history.
As a testament to her unwavering leadership, nearly 150 athletes, coaches, athletic directors and other sports dignitaries have been inducted. In the early days of the Sports Hall of Fame, Ceil worked with then-Salem Community College President Dr. Peter B. Contini to establish the Sports Hall of Fame in the college’s Davidow Hall, where it still resides today. In addition, the Sports Hall of Fame has recognized many other individuals for their community service in fostering growth in Salem County sports.
In August 2024, Ceil stepped away from the Sports Hall of Fame when she became the Deputy Executive Director of the Delaware River & Bay Authority. In this capacity, she focuses on Authority-related economic development initiatives, airport operations and marketing. Previously, Ceil served as a DRBA Commissioner, representing Salem County for more than 18 years.
Before being appointed to direct the SCC Foundation, Ceil served on the SCC Foundation board. During this time, she and Dr. Contini founded the SCC Gala, which has now raised more than $1 million for scholarships in 25 years.
Very active in civic and community activities, Ceil serves as a member of the Salem City Council and on the SCC Foundation Board of Directors. She also served on the Board of Directors of the Memorial Hospital of Salem County, Salem County Chamber of Commerce, Salem County Vocational-Technical School Educational Foundation, Meals on Wheels and Salem Main Street, and as a member of the Salem City Rotary Club and Salem County United Way.
DENNIS THOMAS
Dennis Thomas is a seasoned football coach and educator whose journey spans from elite athletic performance to shaping future generations both on and off the field.
As a standout athlete at Salem High School, Dennis was named a Blue-Chip All-Region player as a junior and a Big Chip All-American as a senior. He also earned All-State honors in track and field for the 100-meter dash and long jump. His athleticism and work ethic earned him a full scholarship to Rutgers University. He was named Special Teams Player of the Year as a sophomore and Team MVP as a junior.
After college, Thomas earned a spot with the Kansas City Chiefs, but his playing career was cut short by injury. He pivoted to education, earning two master’s degrees – one in mathematics from Purdue University and another in special education from Rowan University.
In 2011, he took over a struggling Salem High School football program and led the team from a winless season to the state semifinals in just one year, followed by a state championship appearance the next. His success continued at Millville, where he guided the Bolts to three state titles in seven years.
Dennis transitioned to the college level, returning briefly to his alma mater before joining Syracuse University, where he currently serves as tight ends coach.
During his 12 years in high school coaching and now three years at the collegiate level, Dennis has helped send more than 100 athletes to college and several to the NFL. His impact as a coach, mentor and educator continues to shape the lives of young athletes nationwide.
COMMUNITY SERVICE HONOREE DONALD R. AYARS SR.
Donald Ayars graduated from Woodstown High School, Class of 1975. While there, he played quarterback and ran track (3200), with his team taking many championships in both Salem County and Tri-County meets.
Don holds an associate degree in criminal justice from Brandywine College (now part of Widener University) and a bachelor’s from Glassboro State College (now Rowan University). During his 26 years as a patrolman in Woodstown, he received multiple commendations, introduced safety programs to schools and became very involved with the youth sports programs.
Coaching led him to holding several positions in both Little League and soccer as well as the Woodstown-Pilesgrove Recreation Association. When his children aged-out of youth sports, he stayed involved for another 25 years as an umpire for softball and baseball in the surrounding communities.
After retiring from the Woodstown Police Department, Don taught in the Salem County Vocational-Technical School’s law enforcement program and joined the Salem County Prosecutor’s Office as evidence coordinator. During his 16-year tenure with the Prosecutor’s Office, he also volunteered as a firearms and safety instructor for 12 summers with the Leaders Camp, a program offered to Salem County youth, held at Camp Edge.
Don has served as a hunting guide with Game Creek Hunting Farms for 35 years. His favorite pastimes are fishing and hunting, and enjoying his four grandchildren.
SCC ATHLETE RECOGNITION ELLA HAYES, SOFTBALL
In 2024, freshman shortstop Ella Hayes became Salem Community College’s first softball All-American. She also was named National Junior College Athletic Association Region 19 Division II Softball Player of the Year, leading the Mighty Oaks to the post-season that included an opening-round upset of top-seeded Mercer County CC in the region tournament.
In 2025, following another standout season, the sophomore from Kansas City, Mo., repeated as the region’s Player of the Year. She led the region in batting for the second year in a row (.577) – fifth nationally – as well as hits (79) and stolen bases (23 of 24). She was second in the region in extra-base hits (33) and fourth in runs batted in (54).
Over her two seasons with the Mighty Oaks, Ella played in 83 games, collecting 154 hits, scoring 117 runs and knocking in 115. Her two-year batting average was an astounding .586 with an on-base percentage of .644 and a slugging percentage of .973. She also stole 34 bases.
She also was named Garden State Athletic Conference Player of the Year in 2024 and 2025.
In May, Ella graduated with honors with an associate degree in health science. She earned Dean’s List all four semesters. She will continue her softball career at Stony Brook University.
Two-time Region Player of the Year Ella Hayes receives her plaque from Salem CC softball coach Angel Rodriguez after being recognized by the Salem County Sports Hall of Fame.
Freshman quarterback shows he’d run through a wall to help Woodstown win, Wolverines use big second half to turn back Pitman
SALEM COUNTY FOOTBALL Thursday’s Games Gloucester 44, Pennsville 20 Woodstown 34, Pitman 14
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
WOODSTOWN – Frankie Hoerst came to the Woodstown football program with a reputation of a big arm, the kind of arm that gets a player who’s only a freshman noticed by Power 5 organizations.
The big wing may very well be the thing that gets the quarterback to the next level four years from now, but the biggest play he made in his high school debut Thursday night came with his legs and his body.
Hoerst broke off a 51-yard touchdown run in the third quarter to literally send the Wolverines on their way to a 34-14 season-opening victory over Pitman, but it was the way he scored that had people talking.
PIT (14)
WOOD (34)
10
1st Downs
12
22-76
Rushes-yards
32-192
12-16-1
Passing (C-A-I)
6-11-0
191
Passing yards
88
1-1
Fumbles-lost
1-0
3-37.7
Punts-avg.
3-38.3
7-66
Penalties-yards
7-50
With the game tied at 14, Hoerst called his own number on a play from midfield. He rolled out to his right, saw some open field, pulled the ball down and then took off down the sideline.
The first down was a given, but Hoerst wanted more.
The Panthers were converging on him around the 20, but the 6-4 freshman wasn’t stopping. He lowered the boom on defensive back Sam Adams and just kept trucking into the end zone.
The last time a freshman blew up an opponent that demonstratively on his way to the end zone his name was Herschel Walker and they still talk about the way he ran over Tennessee’s Bill Bates 45 years after the fact.
“That’s just a special athlete making a special play, and sometimes that’s all you need,” Wolverines coach Frank Trautz said. “His playmaking ability, you see that. Yeah, he has a big arm but that’s a special play he made there.
“I know he has the ability to do that. I saw him take off running, I was like, all right, good, first down, thinking next play. Then all of a sudden I see he’s still on his feet running and I start running down the sidelines and we’re in the end zone.”
“It felt good, it felt good stiff-arming those two down there,” Hoerst said.
Hoerst won the starting job after a tight battle in camp with sophomore Mason Middlemiss and played the majority of the game. Trautz said he was in “complete command of the offense.”
Thanks to the big run, he wound up with 49 yards rushing. As a passer he completed six of 11 for 88 yards. After misfiring on his first two passes, his first career completion produced his first career touchdown pass, a 28-yard floater over the middle to Bryceton Rooney.
“I wasn’t really nervous,” Hoerst said. “I felt good going into it.”
Trautz may have put the offense in his freshman’s hands, but Middlemiss didn’t miss his chance to make a mark.
He made a big contribution on defense, recovering a muffed punt in the first quarter to keep the Wolverines’ opening possession alive, breaking up a pass in the second quarter and intercepting a pass at the start of the fourth. The Wolverines converted both turnovers into touchdowns by Cole Ware.
“I came into this game with a mentality that I’m going to do whatever I need to help our team win,” Middlemiss said. “If I’ve got to play defense, that’s the way I’ve got to go to help the team.”
Middlemiss did see some action at quarterback and made the most of it. He went in with two minutes left in the third quarter and the Wolverines in the red zone. He covered the final 12 yards on a pair of carries for the touchdown that made it 27-14. He also was under center in the Wolverines’ final series of the game.
“I went in with the mentality that I was just going to help the team and do what I do every day in practice,” he said. “I came into the game knowing if I want to be great I’ve got to get in there and do what I need to do every single day. Getting in there felt amazing, the first varsity touchdown for the Woodstown Wolverines with me, and it just felt great.”
The touchdown runs by Hoerst and Middlemiss were part of a big second half that carried the Wolverines to their fourth straight Opening Night win. They pulled away from a 14-all halftime tie with 155 yards and touchdowns on their first three possessions while shutting out the Panthers on just 85 yards and never letting them cross midfield.
“Coming into this game I just wanted to see us line up and execute,” Trautz said. “I knew we were going to do some things I was happy with (and) I knew that we were going to make some mistakes. I think the two touchdowns we gave up were very uncharacteristic of us, especially on defense to give up things like that, but that’s going to come with a young team. We’re going to get it fixed.
“I thought the way we responded in the second half was that of a mature team. A lot of young teams, not used to being in close games like that, it could go the other way. I was very happy with how they came out and answered the bell.”
Woodstown 34, Pitman 14
Pitman (0-1)
0
14
0
0-
14
Woodstown (1-0)
14
0
13
7-
34
SCORING SUMMARY WO: Cole Ware 6 run (Frankie Hoerst kick), 5:33 1Q WO: Bryceton Rooney 28 pass from Frankie Hoerst (Frankie Hoerst kick), 1:45 1Q P: Aiden Upham 55 pass from Dane Collum (Christian Camiscioli kick), 9:09 2Q P: Jay Craig 49 pass from Dane Collum (Christian Camiscioli kick), 2:52 2Q WO: Frankie Hoerst 51 run (kick blocked), 6:57 3Q WO: Mason Middlemiss 3 run (Frankie Hoerst kick), 1:27 3Q WO: Cole Ware 1 run (Frankie Hoerst kick), 9:58 4Q
Cole Ware dives into the end zone for Woodstown’s first touchdown of the season. (Top photo) Freshman QB Frankie Hoerst takes a snap early in his varsity debut.
Gloucester 44, Pennsville 20
PENNSVILLE – For a team that is looking to take the next step in its progression, this was not the way Pennsville wanted to open the season.
The Eagles had the game tied 6-6 in the second quarter, but the Lions pulled away.
“We didn’t do the little things right today,” Eagles coach Mike Healy said. “Made too many mistakes.”
One of the early miscues led to the Lions’ go-ahead touchdown. The Eagles had just tied the game and appeared to have stopped the Lions on fourth down near midfield, but they were hit with a facemask penalty that gave Gloucester a new set of chains and two plays later they broke off a 34-yard touchdown run to take the lead.
The Lions scored on a 19-yard touchdown pass later in the quarter to take a 20-6 halftime lead.
Adrian Alleyne, Rylan Hardy and Robbie McDade scored Pennsville’s touchdowns.
THURSDAY’S GAMES Gloucester 44, Pennsville 20 Woodstown 34, Pitman 14 Absegami 21, Egg Harbor 0 Brick Twp. 35, Woodbury 22 Burlington City 30, Ewing 25 Cherokee 27, Middletown South 26 Cherry Hill East 26, Eastern 23 Cherry Hill West 27, Haddon Heights 7 Cumberland 26, Clearview 0 Delsea 35, Vineland 0 Deptford 16, Florence 7 Eastside 21, Triton 7 Hammonton 24, Franklin 14 Gateway 29, Middle Township 7 Kingsway 20, Donovan Catholic 7 Lower Cape May 35, Pinelands 14 Northern Burlington 19, Nottingham 14 Overbrook 14, Cinnaminson 0 Paul VI 34, Timber Creek 8 Pennsauken 34, Camden Catholic 0 Pocono Mountain West 34, Lenape 28 Pope John Paul II (Pa.) 20, Shawnee 19 Riverside 40, Palmyra 6 Seneca 23, Williamstown 15 Trenton 27, Allentown 20
Battle at the Beach, Ocean City Northern Highlands 27, Holy Spirit 12 Ocean City 32, Oakcrest 0 Bergen Catholic 22, East St. Louis 21 IMG Academy 35, Winslow 14
After tight battles in camp, county teams with decisions at quarterback make the call on their opening night starter; Schalick tabs Bartee, Woodstown picks Hoerst
SALEM COUNTY FOOTBALL Thursday’s Games Gloucester at Pennsville, 6 p.m. Pitman at Woodstown, 7 p.m. Friday’s Games Pleasantville at Salem, 3:30 p.m. Somerville at Schalick, 6 p.m. Saturday’s Game Paulsboro at Penns Grove, noon
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
PITTSGROVE – The battles for starting quarterback have been tight all camp, but with game week preparation starting Monday the head coaches at Schalick and Woodstown knew they had to make a call.
LEAMY
Sophomore Kenny Bartee will start Friday night when Schalick plays Somerville in Kevin Leamy’s first game as head coach, but junior Gary Simonini also will play.
Woodstown has tabbed freshman Frankie Hoerst in its rare Week Zero opener Thursday against Pitman, but sophomore Mason Middlemiss also will play.
Both starting choices have not played the position in a varsity game before.
Leamy told his quarterbacks of the decision right before the start of practice early this morning.
“I think that Bartee just showed that he is more dynamic with the ball in his hands,” he said. “They were even with a lot of things but that last scrimmage you saw the flashes when he (Bartee) broke out that long run. Those are the things that really separated them.”
With three Somerville coaches in the stands, Bartee broke off a 27-yard run to get the Cougars in the red zone during his only drive of Friday’s scrimmage against Buena. He also had an 11-yard run on fourth down to keep the drive alive.
Woodstown coach Frank Trautz confirmed his choice after practice Monday.
“For us and the coaching staff, it was kind of based on the game plan and what we want to try to do offensively,” Trautz said. “Both of them give us something; two different styles of quarterback that can help our offense. We know what Mason gives us with his playmaking ability.”
The likely plan for Bartee is to get the first drives before Simonini makes his season debut.
“I’m going into it pretty open mindedly,” Leamy said. “It’s still a pretty fluid situation. That’s the plan, but that is not to say the plan can’t be adjusted on the fly.”
Don’t be surprised if Bartee doesn’t see some time at running back when Simonini is in the game. Kenai Simmons was effective as a runner and a passer the previous two years as Schalick’s quarterback.
“I want to be able to put (Bartee) in situations where he can get the ball in his hands,” Leamy said. “It has a different dynamic to it and it puts the defense in different binds. As long as he can do it, I’d like to cross train him to be able to put him in different spots to utilize his talents because right now he’s really shown that he is pretty dynamic with the ball in his hands.”
Meanwhile, Woodstown’s approach to the position, Trautz said, will be to “kind of let the game dictate what we need and how we’re going to do it.”
Hoerst has drawn raves this summer for his size, poise and big arm. He already has an offer from Syracuse. He completed 9 of 10 passes for 91 yards and led the offense to 150 net yards in the Wolverines’ scrimmage with Audubon. He was 4-for-4 and had a 9-yard run to get inside the 10 in the two-minute drill at the end of the varsity half.
Middlemiss gained varsity experience at Absegami last year before transferring back to the Wolverines. He produced 205 yards of offense in the scrimmage and directed two 11-play touchdown drives.
“All camp they’ve been getting reps with the 1s and we continued that today,” Trautz said. “Both continue to make good progress. They’ve just got to get reps under their belt, each day trying to get a little bit better. They’re both starting the pick up the offense and both are starting to correct guys on the field, getting guys in the right position, getting guys lined up and that’s kind of the first step that I want to see a quarterback take, being a coach on the field.”
Freshman Frankie Hoerst has been tabbed as Woodstown’s opening-night starting quarterback. (Photo by Erin Hoerst)
Pennsville looks to take its biggest step yet in steady climb to football prosperity
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
PENNSVILLE – If the Pennsville football team were a post on Facebook or a play on the New York Stock Exchange the Eagles would be, as the kids say, trending.
After years of just spinning their wheels, the Eagles have started gaining traction and have been making steady progress.
PENNSVILLE
Aug. 26: Gloucester
Sept. 5: at West Deptford
Sept. 12: Overbrook
Sept. 20: Audubon
Sept. 26: Camden Cath.
Oct. 3: at Penns Grove
Oct. 9: Paulsboro
Oct. 17: Lawrence
Oct. 24: at Collingswood
When this year’s senior class were freshmen, they had a dreadful 2022 season. The next year they enjoyed a big turnaround, went 6-4 and just barely missed the playoffs, but swept their regional consolation bracket to enjoy a winning season. Last year, in a tougher division, they had their first winning regular season since 2016, made the playoffs for the first time since 2019 and won a playoff game.
This year they want more.
“The seniors have left behind a step we have to keep building on,” senior running back Rylan Hardy said. “I played on that 1-8 team and there wasn’t much spirit or drive; they were so used to this losing atmosphere and no one really believed in themselves or the team. Making it back to the playoffs and maybe winning more games than last year would be great.”
“This year is all or nothing for everybody,” senior quarterback Robbie McDade said. “We’ve got a lot of seniors on the team who want to go out there and win a championship. We’ve made progress every single year I’ve been through. This year we’re trying to go all the way. We’re going in there trying to win a championship this year.”
The Eagles are looking to evolve on both sides of the ball. They have a lot of players with experience but many are new to their positions and the rest are either brand new or haven’t played in a year.
“We still bring back enough we’re not looking at a rebuild,” head coach Mike Healy said. “We have some younger kids we feel are now ready to take those spots we lost and just keep progressing.”
The constants are Hardy and McDade.
Hardy had his breakout season last year, rushing for 1,097 yards and 15 touchdowns. The 1,097 were more yards than the Eagles rushed for as a team in that 1-8 season and the most in a season by a Pennsville running back since Nick Bard’s 1,657 and 18 TDs in 2017.
If he hits his goal of another 1,000-yard season he’d the Eagles’ first back-to-back 1,000-yard rusher since Bard (2016-2017).
McDade passed for more than 1,100 yards each of the last two seasons and could end up being a 4,000-yard career passer with a typical year. He also runs the ball like a linebacker and that could send him past 6,000 total yards if he has the kind of year he’s targeting.
He’s showing no signs of the offseason surgery on his right shoulder that kept him out of all the team’s 7-on-7s activity this summer.
“This being the year we’re trying to take the next step we need to be able to do more and control the defense more,” Healy said.
One of the keys to the taking the next step is getting into a better position going into the playoffs and that means getting off to a good start. The Eagles got better as the season went along last year and were playing their best football at the end of the year, but it came after starting the season 0-2.
“I want to start quicker than we did last year,” Healy said.
The first week of the football regular season and a slew of scrimmages in the other fall sports highlight the Salem County schedule for the week of Aug. 25-30; x-scrimmage
MONDAY, AUG. 25 FIELD HOCKEY x-Highland at Salem Tech, 10 a.m. BOYS SOCCER x-Woodstown at Maple Shade, 9:30 a.m. x-Penns Grove at Clayton, 10 a.m. GIRLS SOCCER x-Deptford at Woodstown, 9 a.m. x-Clayton at Penns Grove, 10 a.m. GIRLS TENNIS x-Pennsville vs. GCIT at RC-Gloucester, 9 a.m. x-Schalick at Clearview, 9:30 a.m.
TUESDAY, AUG. 26 BOYS SOCCER x-Cumberland at Schalick, 10 a.m. GIRLS SOCCER x-Penns Grove at Palmyra, 10 a.m. x-Schalick at Cumberland, 10 a.m. FIELD HOCKEY x-Woodstown at Cherry Hill West, 9 a.m. x-Collingswood at Schalick, 10 a.m. GIRLS TENNIS x-Woodstown at Gateway, 9 a.m. x-Penns Grove at Cumberland, 10 a.m. x-Salem at Bridgeton, 10 a.m. x-West Deptford at Pennsville, 10 a.m.
WEDNESDAY, AUG. 27 FIELD HOCKEY x-Pennsville at Williamstown, 10 a.m. x-Salem Tech at Pemberton, 4 p.m. x-Woodstown at Washington Twp., 6 p.m. BOYS SOCCER x-Buena at Salem Tech, 10 a.m. GIRLS TENNIS x-Palmyra at Penns Grove, 10 a.m. Vineland at Pennsville, 10 a.m. VOLLEYBALL x-Clearview vs. Salem Tech, 10 a.m.
THURSDAY, AUG. 28 WJFL FOOTBALL Gloucester City at Pennsville, 6 p.m. Pitman at Woodstown, 7 p.m. Bishop Eustace at Audubon Cinnaminson at Overbrook Pennsauken at Camden Catholic FIELD HOCKEY x-Salem, Schalick, Bridgeton at Cumberland, 9 a.m. BOYS SOCCER x-Cumberland at Woodstown, 10 a.m. x-Penns Grove at Woodbury, 10 a.m. x-Gloucester City at Pennsville, 3:45 p.m. GIRLS SOCCER x-Penns Grove at Woodbury, 10 a.m. x-Schalick at Gloucester City, 10 a.m. x-Woodstown at Cumberland, 10 a.m. x-Pennsville at Gloucester City, 3:45 p.m. x-Salem Tech at Medford Tech, 4 p.m. GIRLS TENNIS x-Collingswood at Schalick, 10 a.m. GIRLS VOLLEYBALL x-Buena at Schalick, 10 a.m. MISCELLANEOUS Salem County Sports Hall of Fame Induction, Salem CC, 6:30 p.m.
FRIDAY, AUG. 29 WJFL FOOTBALL West Deptford vs. KIPP at Rowan, 9 a.m. Clayton at Collingswood, 10:30 a.m. Pleasantville at Salem, 3:30 p.m. Somerville at Schalick, 6 p.m. FIELD HOCKEY x-Pennsville at Vineland, 10 a.m. BOYS SOCCER x-Schalick at Vineland, 10 a.m. GIRLS SOCCER x-Haddon Twp. at Woodstown, 9 a.m. GIRLS VOLLEYBALL x-Salem Tech at Camden County Tech, 11 a.m. GIRLS TENNIS x-Salem at Delran, 10 a.m.
SATURDAY, AUG. 30 WJFL FOOTBALL Paulsboro at Penns Grove, noon Glassboro vs. Haddonfield at Rowan BOYS SOCCER x-Williamstown at Woodstown, 10 a.m.
Salem beats former coach in ‘family feud,’ Schalick has surprise visitors, Pennsville takes road less traveled
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
SALEM – It might not go down as anything more than a footnote to the season in the long run, but when you haven’t won a game in a while, even a win in a scrimmage is worth celebrating.
The Salem Rams were feeling pretty good Thursday after scored their first win under full game-like conditions in 22 months when they blanked Haddon Heights 8-0.
“We talked about it (the impact of the win),” Rams coach Kemp Carr said. “I thought we had good energy all day, which is going to be important to the way we play … I think if we play the way we did in the third quarter it’s going to be a fun season.”
There was a fun element to the scrimmage. They were calling it a “Family Feud” on the sideline. Heights is coached by former Salem head coach Montrey Wright and seven of the Garnets coaches were coached by Carr.
Wright led the Rams to eight straight winning seasons (67-24) and two sectional titles from 2015 to 2022. He had this year’s Salem seniors as freshmen.
“It was (a family feud); I’m glad my food tastes better,” Carr quipped.
The Rams embraced it. They held the Garnets to 104 yards of net offense during the three varsity quarters and 138 yards total. They turned back three red zone threats. They scored the game’s only touchdown and had two others denied by a penalty and a quick whistle.
“If it takes me coming back to get those kids excited to play, that’s just what it is,” Wright said. “There’s no ill will; I love Salem. If I’ve got to come back to get those kids to play like I know they ought to can, then I’ll do it.”
Salem rush end Antwuan Rogers (44) and Haddon Heights coach Montrey Wright (L), the former Salem head coach, share a moment on the way off the field following the Rams’ 8-0 win. (Riverview Sports News photo)
Antwuan Rogers was inspired. The Temple pledge looked like he was trying to set the school’s single-season sack record all in one day. He wound up with four and kept Garnet quarterbacks on the run. He was a force all game long, but there was a particular three-play sequence late in the second quarter that really stood out.
Heights had taken over in the red zone after a turnover. Rogers sacked the quarterback on back-to-back plays for 12 yards in losses, then provided the heavy produced that led to Isaiah Santiago’s interception.
“My DB told me, ‘Tweeze, I need pressure from you; you give me pressure, make the quarterback throw a bad ball, and I’m going to get it,” Rogers said. “I gave him what he needed. I want to do whatever I can do for my team to win.”
“I need that all year,” Carr said. “I hope (teams) double-team him; it allows us to do some other things. If one guy can do two people’s job in any job in the real world you get more bang for your buck, so we feel like we’re going to get more bang for our buck. I thought he played hard and if you play hard you’re going to get good results.”
The whole defense was active and determined to get the shutout. Heights had it first-and-goal from the 5 on the final series of the scrimmage, but the Rams wouldn’t yield. They made a stop for no gain on first down and then they threw the Garnets for a 3-yard loss.
The next two plays went for the score. Kyshann Long broke up the pass on third down and then Long and Kyvion Parsons – Carr’s grandson – broke up the final play in the back of the end zone.
“That was all freshmen and sophomores out there (in that final possession),” Carr said. “One of the things we want to do is let them play a little bit together no matter how good or developed they need to be. We want them to play together so they can get a chemistry, a camaraderie and they can believe in each other. Now they know each other, so that was really good.”
Rogers and freshman Ahmad Tucker were named the Kings of the Game and had the hardware to go with it.
Tucker’s biggest play was a 60-yard touchdown catch that made quarterback Desmund Thomas look good. Thomas stayed in the pocket looking for a receiver and Tucker eventually gave him a target by deftly slipping behind the defense who weren’t going to catch him.
The game style “didn’t fit” Thomas on this day, but the quarterback still managed to complete 8 of 14 passes for 101 yards and a touchdown and rush for 51 yards on six carries. He had a 38-yard touchdown pass to Kaden Robinson blown dead by a quick whistle to protect the quarterback that probably wouldn’t occur in a real game.
The Rams also lost a touchdown to a holding penalty on their opening drive.
Salem quarterback Desmund Thomas extends his body for more yardage after being brought down by Haddon Heights. Top photo: Freshman Ahmad Tucker celebrates after scoring the scrimmage’s only touchdown. (Photos by Kaitlyn Khairzada)
Schalick’s surprise spectators
PITTSGROVE – Schalick coach Kevin Leamy looked around the stadium after he walked into Friday’s scrimmage with Buena and was a little surprised by who he saw.
Walking through the gate was the Somerville head coach and a couple of his assistants who made the 90 mile drive down the turnpike to see their opening game opponent up close and personal. The teams play Friday night at Schalick in a game that initially was part of the Battle at the Beach weekend..
“I went over and introduced myself and said ‘Hi,’ asked them how their drive was,” Leamy said. “That’s a long hike. That’s commitment, driving down and scouting us like that.
“I told the kids this is going to be a well-coached team. Any coaches who have that type of commitment, you know that they’re doing everything they can to try and win a game. A lot of respect for those guys who drive two hours to watch a scrimmage. It means they’re putting in a lot of work and taking us seriously.”
All they did by making the trip was beat the Hudl posting by six hours. It’s not like they really saw a lot because Leamy had already planned to be “very vanilla and conservative” in the scrimmage. The visiting coaches were gone after the Cougars’ starters finished their two quarters of work.
Neither team scored in the half and for the Cougars that’s two scrimmages without a touchdown. Because of the pace and style of the game, both Schalick quarterbacks effectively got a quarter to put some separation in their battle.
Sophomore Kenny Bartee appeared to get the best of it, but apparently not enough to distance himself from junior scrimmage starter Gary Simonini.
Bartee got the second possession and took the Cougars from their 46 to the 20. He moved the chains with an 11-run on fourth down and broke off another 27-yard burst to reach the red zone.
“He had a good day,” Leamy said. “He runs the ball really well. He’s hard to bring down. Once he gets out in space he’s very dangerous. He did a really good job.
“We’re going to meet as coaches (Saturday) and talk more about making a decision (on a starter). We’ll see what that decision is.”
Pennsville on the move
WOODSIDE, Del. – Pennsville took a ride over the bridge and came back feeling good about itself heading into Game Week.
Coach Mike Healy went searching after his Thursday scrimmage fell through at the last minute and Delaware’s Polytech answered the call. So did the Eagles.
“It was much better across the board (than Monday’s scrimmage with Salem),” Healy said. “More disciplined and aggressive.”
And efficient, too. The only drive they were stopped on was due to a fumbled handoff.
Ahmad Tucker (4) and Antwuan Rogers show off their regal hardware after being named Salem’s players of the game for their effort in Friday’s scrimmage. (Riverview Sports News photo)
Among the many questions Salem CC faces in its exploration of bringing a football program to campus is where to play its games; two local sites come to mind
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
Salem Community College officials already have a lot of positive data as they explore the possibility of starting a football program, but as president Mike Gorman has said, “there are a number of questions that have to be addressed.”
Among them is where would the Mighty Oaks play their home games if the team becomes a reality. There is no permanent stadium on campus – all of the school’s current outdoor teams play at off-campus venues – so in the beginning at least the football team would be a band of barnstormers.
There are options, among them playing at one or several high school stadiums in the county until more permanent digs can be secured.
The two closest possibilities are Penns Grove and Pennsville high schools. The Mighty Oaks’ two spring sports play their home games at recreation complexes nearby so they already have relationships in those communities.
Pennsville talked about it when Salem looked into starting a program several years ago. Lou D’Angelo Stadium does have permanent lights and the Eagles play their home games on Friday nights, so it wouldn’t be difficult to schedule Saturday games there.
“I think with the relationship we have with the college we would be very open to welcoming them onto our campus,” Pennsville athletics director Jamy Thomas said. “We have a lot of space back there for practices and storage of equipment. I am sure there would be some benefits to our program that we would welcome through the process.”
Penns Grove’s Jim Devonshire Field does not have permanent lights so the Mighty Oaks would have to work around the Red Devils’ Saturday afternoon home games.
Penns Grove AD Anwar Golden said the prospect of having a college team playing in his stadium is “appealing on a lot of levels,” but added the ultimate decision rests with the school board and superintendent.
Both high school stadiums have natural grass playing surfaces.
Salem CC gets board approval to hire consultant to explore feasibility of bringing football to campus, already has some ‘powerful’ data
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
CARNEYS POINT – Is there football in Salem Community College’s future?
The prospect has been discussed from time to time, but Thursday evening the junior college’s Board of Trustees took a formal first step towards finding that answer when it authorized hiring a consultant for the next two months “in pursuit of a football program.”
The board’s action is not a mandate to field a football team, only to learn the feasibility of bringing the sport to campus. College president Mike Gorman told the board if the school is going to approve the program it needs to commit by mid-October for the team to start playing in 2026.
“There are probably 143 steps to getting this thing off the ground, this is probably Step 12,” Gorman said. “I’m excited to see what the research brings us.”
The board approved a two-month contract for former Rowan head football coach Jay Accorsi as consultant on the project. Accorsi first approached Salem officials in May about the prospects of starting football and they’ve had “extensive” informal conversations with a lot of preliminarily positive data since. The consulting contract will run from Aug. 25 to Oct. 25 at a rate of $400 per day not to exceed $15,000.
Athletics director Bob Hughes also is looking forward to the report.
“I’m excited to explore what football could mean not just for the college but for Salem County as a whole,” he said. “I think this brings educational opportunities to young men who otherwise might not have them and can create a better sense of community on the college’s campus.”
The Mighty Oaks currently offer men’s and women’s basketball, baseball, softball and, new this year, cross country – programs that all were either started or revived within the past seven years.
They have never sponsored football before, but explored the possibility of bringing it on line shortly before the COVID pandemic. If the board gives the go-ahead this time, the program would be a true start-up, with all the political, institutional, financial and athletic considerations that go with it. The school would have to buy uniforms and equipment, hire coaches, recruit players, build a schedule and, of course, secure a place to play.
Gorman estimated it would take an initial outlay of $500,000 to get the program off the ground.
“There are a number of questions that have to be addressed,” Gorman said.
“We have a lot of data that tells us not just why to do it, but how to do it and now it’s a matter of putting a plan into place,” Hughes said. “Being someone who very much enjoys creating systems and figuring out ways to do things we’re going to find out what the first step is and we’re going to do that, then we’ll do step two. We’re not going to try to put the cart before the horse.”
There is an opportunity for the Mighty Oaks in the market. Currently, there are 121 two-year colleges across the country playing football – 54 aligned with the National Junior College Athletic Association – but only one in New Jersey, none in Delaware and soon-to-be none in Pennsylvania. The other 67 are affiliated with the California Community College Athletic Association.
Sussex County CC is the only two-year school in New Jersey that has football. Lackawanna CC is the only one in Pennsylvania, but it will be transitioning to NCAA Division II in 2026-27.
Recent changes to the NCAA’s eligibility clock related to the junior college experience also work in Salem’s favor.
“If we’re going to do it, in all honesty, this is our window of opportunity to do it,” Gorman told the board.
The Mighty Oaks would play as a Division III (non-scholarship) independent for the first two years at least, Gorman said. In addition to four reasonably close New York JUCOs, there are numerous four-year junior varsity programs and trade schools in the region that could be prospective opponents. Home games could be played at area high schools until the Mighty Oaks found a permanent home.
“We wouldn’t be going forward if things weren’t pointing in the north direction now,” Gorman said. “You keep going forward until something tells you OK, now stop. Right now our internal work and the statistics and research we have been able to do have said this is worth going to the next level to talk about. Not necessarily to commit to yet, but hopefully with the feedback we get from (Accorsi) we’ll be able to make a good decision.”
Studies have indicated the addition of football promotes increased student enrollment and changes the perception of the college as a whole. Gorman told the board the addition of football could increase enrollment by more than 100. It also would narrow the school’s gender gap, which is now about 70-30 female.
Gorman was confident there are enough athletes in the immediate area that will be the program’s recruiting base to successfully field a team.
“It will draw, I have no doubt about that,” he said. “They would be pouring out to do this.”
At least one high school football coach in Salem County is excited about the prospect of college football coming to the county.
“I think it’d be a great idea,” Pennsville’s Mike Healy said. “I’ve had players in the past who’ve wanted to and were able to play college football, but because of the cost they never got the opportunity. Others weren’t sure if college was the best route for them and chose community college over playing football at a four-year university.”
In other action, the board approved an updated job description for an athletic coordinator (allowing for, among other things, the hiring of a head coach for another potential new program), and ratified the one-year stipends for new women’s basketball assistants Jeremy Jeane and Kayla Chambliss.
Riverview Sports News 