Here is the high school sports schedule for Salem County teams for the week of Oct. 14-19
MONDAY, OCT. 14 BOYS SOCCER Palmyra at Schalick Woodstown at Clayton, 11 a.m. GIRLS SOCCER Woodstown at Clayton, 1 p.m.
TUESDAY, OCT. 15 GIRLS TENNIS Salem at Penns Grove Wildwood at Schalick, 4:15 p.m. Group I Sectional Finals Pennsville at Pitman, Shertel Park, 3 p.m. Glen Ridge at Hanover Park New Providence at Highland Park Pascack Hills at Glen Rock CROSS COUNTRY TCC Batch Meet at Kingsway, 3:30 p.m. FIELD HOCKEY Deptford at Pennsville Glassboro at Salem St. Joe’s at Schalick BOYS SOCCER Salem at Highland GIRLS VOLLEYBALL Salem Tech at Cape May Tech
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 16 BOYS SOCCER Penns Grove at Pennsville, 3:30 p.m. Pitman at Salem Woodstown at Salem Tech GIRLS SOCCER Gloucester at Schalick Penns Grove at Paulsboro Salem at Pennsville, 6 p.m. Salem Tech at Woodstown GIRLS TENNIS Haddon Heights at Schalick Pennsville at Millville, 3:45 p.m.
THURSDAY, OCT. 17 FIELD HOCKEY Overbrook at Schalick Pennsville at Bridgeton Salem at Clayton Woodstown at Clearview GIRLS TENNIS Overbrook at Woodstown Penns Grove at Schalick Salem at Glassboro
Group I Final Four Mercer County Park Semifinals, 11 a.m. Championship Match, 1 p.m.
BOYS SOCCER Penns Grove at Pitman, 6:30 p.m.
FRIDAY, OCT. 18 FOOTBALL Pennsville at Lawrence, 6:30 p.m. Collingswood at Camden Catholic Glassboro at Schalick Paulsboro at West Deptford FIELD HOCKEY Egg Harbor Twp. at Woodstown BOYS SOCCER Clayton at Salem Tech Salem at Gloucester Catholic Schalick at Glassboro Woodstown at Overbrook GIRLS SOCCER Clayton at Salem Tech Gloucester Catholic at Salem Pennsville at Penns Grove Overbrook at Woodstown GIRLS TENNIS Pennsville at Salem, 3:45 p.m. Penns Grove at Pitman Schalick at Glassboro VOLLEYBALL Salem Tech at Triton
SATURDAY, OCT. 19 FOOTBALL Penns Grove at Woodbury, 10:30 a.m. Audubon at Overbrook, 11 a.m. Woodstown at Salem, noon GIRLS SOCCER Cherry Hill West at Schalick
Here are scores and highlights from Thursday’s high school action involving teams from Salem County
BOYS SOCCER Schalick 2, Woodstown 0: Louis Sepers and Brad Foster scored the goals and keeper Ben Stengel made seven saves for the Cougars’ first shutout in the series since 2021. “This was the first time this group has shut them out, which is something we wanted to do,” Schalick coach Joe Mannella said.
Pennsville 3, Salem 0: Griffin Hern and Shane Puckett scored goals three minutes apart in the first half for the Eagles (8-6) and Evan Pessoa extended the lead seven minutes into the second. The victory matches the Eagles’ single-season high in coach Derek Foglein’s tenure; they were 8-10 in 2022.
Penns Grove 2, Glassboro 1: Edward Swank scored with nine minutes left in the second half to break a 1-1 tie. It was his second game-winner of the season. The Red Devils lost a 2-1 game to the Bulldogs earlier this year and lost a pair of 1-0 games to them last season. Goalie Dwayne Guzman made three big saves in the final 15 minutes to keep the game tied or preserve the lead.
Wildwood 6, Salem Tech 1: NuNu Bedderi scored three goals for the Warriors, playing their first game since losing to Schalick 3-2 in Cougars coach Joe Mannella’s 300th career win Oct. 2. Sophomore Christian VanTonder scored his first career goal for the Chargers in the first half.
SJ GROUP I POWER POINTS STANDINGS (Top 16 thru Oct. 10): Schalick (10-1), Audubon (9-2), Palmyra (9-3), Haddon Twp. (7-2-2), Woodstown (9-4), Riverside (7-4-1), Pitman (6-5-1), Wildwood (8-3), Maple Shade (7-4-1), Glassboro (5-5-1), Penns Grove (5-6), Gateway (5-7), Pennsville (8-6), Clayton (6-6), Woodbury (3-7), Buena (0-9-1).
GIRLS SOCCER Schalick 3, Woodstown 1: Quinn Berger scored twice and Olivia Vanacker scored once as the Cougars (9-2) won their fourth in a row and completed a season sweep of the Wolverines.
Pennsville 3, Overbrook 2: Riley Bowman had a goal and two assists as the Eagles opened a 3-0 lead and held on to avenge a loss to the Rams earlier in the season. Bowman assisted on goals by Kallie Morrison and Taylor Bass in the first half.
Pitman 6, Salem 0: Teagan Canna scored the first two goals of the match and the Panthers pulled away. Emery Sharpnack had a goal and two assists.
Glassboro 3, Penns Grove 0: Alana Figueroa, Marianna Dempster and Tamia Smith scored for the Bulldogs in the first half.
Wildwood 3, Salem Tech 2: The Warriors scored two goals in the second half to win. Goals by Ava Robinson and Julia Hewitt Friebel staked the Chargers to a 2-1 halftime lead.
SJ GROUP I POWER POINTS STANDINGS (Top 16 thru Oct. 10): Audubon (11-1), Schalick (9-2), Haddon Twp. (7-4-1), Riverside (9-4), Palmyra (10-2), Gateway (9-2), Woodstown (7-4-1), Clayton (7-3-1), Glassboro (6-3-2), Pitman (8-5), Maple Shade (3-7), Buena (6-6), Pennsville (4-9), Penns Grove (1-9-1), Wildwood (3-9), Cape May Tech (1-11). FIELD HOCKEY Schalick 4, Mainland 3: The Cougars jumped out to a 3-0 halftime lead and held on to remain undefeated (13-0). Luci Virga, Ava Marynowicz and Ava Scurry all scored in the first half. Caylen Taylor scored with 1:58 left in the third quarter after Mainland cut it to 3-2. It was the Cougars’ third one-goal win of the streak and sixth decided by two goals or less.
Gateway 5, Pennsville 0: Bella Fini scored a hat trick for the Gators (10-2).
Maple Shade 4, Salem 0: Sophia Weisler and Rachel Loomis each scored twice for the Wildcats. The Rams are winless in their last four with only one goal after starting the season 4-0.
SJ GROUP I POWER POINTS STANDINGS (Top 16 thru Oct. 10): Shore (14-1), Schalick (13-0), West Deptford (9-3), Haddon Heights (6-5-1), Gateway (10-2), Gloucester (8-5), Woodstown (8-3), Collingswood (5-5), Bordentown (5-6), Florence (5-7-1), Haddon Twp. (4-8), Salem (4-3-1), South Hunterdon (8-5), Lower Cape May (5-6-2), Audubon (6-4), Pennsville (4-7-1).
VOLLEYBALL Salem Tech 2, Gloucester Catholic 1: The Chargers won a tight third set to follow their first win of the season with their second in a row, 25-16, 23-25, 25-23. It’s the first time since 2021 they have won back-to-back matches.
Cori Farnkoph had 13 kills and eight aces. Tiara Bazemore had four kills, 13 assists and eight aces. Alan’s James had five kills and eight assists.
QB Sacca accounts for four first-half touchdowns and Delran goes on to rout Penns Grove 38-8; Red Devils avoid shutout in fourth quarter
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
PENNS GROVE – Delran coach Colin Hewko couldn’t help feeling like a stranger in a strange land and he was sure his players felt the same way.
The Bears were playing a Penns Grove team they’d never faced before, on the road in a stadium they’d never played in before, on a Thursday night in the middle of the season they’d never played on before.
DEL
PG
15
1st Downs
8
28-116
Rushing
22-63
12-16-1
C-A-I
7-13-2
192
Passing
81
0-0
Fum-Lost
1-1
0-0
Punts
3-20.0
3-25
Penalties
6-38
The best way to combat all that, Hewko told his players, was just focus on being themselves, staying in the moment and doing something that would make them comfortable.
They didn’t wait. On the third play of the game, Bears quarterback Vinny Sacca hit sophomore Jayden Alford with a pass over the middle. The play looked like it was going to get a modest gain, then suddenly Alford rolled off the bodies of his would-be tacklers, regained his footing and raced 50 yards to the end zone.
The Bears went on to score three more times in the first half and eventually hand Penns Grove its fifth straight loss, 38-8.
“That set the tone,” Sacca said.
Hewko said he only called the play to get some space to make the next down a little more manageable. But, he pointed out, when you do the little things right like Alford did, sometimes they turn into big plays.
“I just kept my feet moving and made a great play,” Alford said. “Our coach does a great job telling us to keep our feet moving until you’re down and just dominate. Don’t stop.
“He alligator rolled me and I rolled over his back, then once I was up it was all open because everybody else just gave up on the play and thought I was down. That’s one thing our coach tells us, never give up on the play, always give 100 each play. Once he rolled off me, he thought I was down. He gave up and I didn’t and that’s what it comes down to.”
The play caught everyone by surprise. Hewko, who was dealing with a drone issue on the sideline, didn’t see it until they showed him the replay on the I-pad. Sacca didn’t know what was happening even while it was happening.
“I was surprised because I thought he initially got tackled and I looked at the sticks to see if he got the first down,” the quarterback said. “Then I looked back over at him and he’s still running and people are cheering. I’m thinking what’s going on. It was a great play.”
Sacca connected on his first seven passes in three first-quarter touchdown drives and accounted for four scores total in the first half. He threw touchdown passes to Alford and Justin Mary in the first quarter and ran for a pair of 1-yard scores as the Bears (6-1) opened a 28-0 halftime lead.
The Bears scored on their first three possessions and four of five in the first half. And the one they missed was turned away by Karon Ceaser’s interception in the end zone. Sacca completed 12 of 16 passes for 192 yards in the game. He also rushed for 34 yards.
Alford’s big play was his only reception of the night. Mary caught four passes — all in the first half — for 86 yards.
“I’d say it was a better (start than usual), but my teammates really make it easy for me,” Sacca said. “I knew it was a pretty good start. I just wanted to keep it going. We’ve got a special team here and we’re looking for special things.”
The Delran defense held Penns Grove (1-6) to 83 yards through the first three quarters.
The Red Devils’ offense came to life in the fourth quarter. Knowledge Young caught a 17-yard pass from Melo Erickson for the Red Devils’ touchdown with 2:34 to play. Erickson completed three passes in the 53-yard drive for 40 yards. The Red Devils had three plays of 10 yards or better in the drive.
Cover photo: Delran quarterback Vinny Sacca (9) looks towards the bench for a play during Thursday night’s game at Penns Grove.
Delran 38, Penns Grove 8
Delran (6-1)
21
7
3
7-
38
Penns Grove (1-6)
0
0
0
8-
8
SCORING SUMMARY D-Jayden Alford 50 pass from Vinny Sacca (Shane Palena kick), 10:26 1Q D-Vinny Sacca 1 run (Shane Palena kick), 5:50 1Q D-Justin Mary 14 pass from Vinny Sacca (Shane Palena kick), 13.3 1Q D-Vinny Sacca 1 run (Shane Palena kick), 05.0 2Q D-Shane Palena 22 FG, 4:11 3Q D-Zahir Cobbins 1 run )Shane Palena kick), 9:45 4Q PG-Knowledge Young 17 pass from Melo Erickson (Melson Erickson run), 2:34 4Q
WJFL DIAMOND DIVISION
DIV
ALL
Woodstown (1)
3-0
5-0
Glassboro (5)
3-0
6-0
Schalick (2)
2-1
4-2
Woodbury (14)
1-2
2-3
Penns Grove (20)
0-3
1-6
Salem (22)
0-3
0-6
NOTE: Number in parenthesis is South Jersey Group I UPR power ranking through Oct. 8
THURSDAY’S GAME Glassboro 40, Cinnaminson 10 Delran 38, Penns Grove 8 FRIDAY’S GAMES Schalick at Gloucester City, 6 p.m. Salem at West Deptford, 7 p.m. SATURDAY’S GAMES Willingboro at Woodbury, 11 a.m. Woodstown at Haddon Heights, 11 a.m.
Woodstown’s Chew wins Salem County Cross County boys race, Schalick’s Hadfield wins girls race, their squads win team titles
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
WOODSTOWN — Two races. Two winners. Two vastly different reactions.
Schalick’s Jordan Hadfield repeated as the Salem County girls cross country champion and Woodstown’s Karson Chew made his first varsity win a big one in the boys race, but the reactions to their victories couldn’t have been more different.
CHEW
Chew was over the moon after he won the boys race at Salem Tech in 17:00.79, while Hadfield was visibly upset walking away from the finish after winning the girls race in 19:15.79.
Woodstown won the boys team title for the first time since 2021 with 17 points. Schalick edged Woodstown by nine points in what amounted to a dual meet for the girls crown.
Chew admitted he wasn’t a very good classmate or student for much of the school day because he was so locked in to winning the race. He’d come up short each of the last two years, finishing fifth as a freshman and second last year, and wasn’t sure how he’d finish this year because his teammates were equally strong, but he was determined to go for it.
He was the fastest Salem County boys runner in a Tri-County Conference batch meet on the Salem Tech course Oct. 1 (seventh overall).
“I came into it today thinking I need a win, so I went for it and here we are,” Chew said. “Honestly, this year has been rocky for me. I’ve had a couple meets where I didn’t do my best; I had one DNF, which has never happened to me before. A couple meets before this I ran my PR for the season and I was like I know I can do this.
“I knew in my heart, in my head and my legs that I could do it and I did it and I’m super proud of myself for that. I love the energy that all gave me. I’ve been in the top 25 since my freshman year, this year I’m top seven, and I was like, county, this is it, I’m going to win it.”
He’s the first Woodstown boy to win the county crown since John Turner ran a 17:58 to lead a 1-2-4 Wolverines finish in 2021 at Schalick.
He went out in a pack with several teammates, but quickly separated himself with teammate Jacob Marino. They came through the midpoint of the race stride for stride, but then halfway through the second loop he went for it and eventually beat his teammate to the line by 15 seconds. Wolverines senior track captain Cole Lucas, running cross country for the first time, was third.
“I was in my own world the whole day; I was thinking to myself about this meet the whole day,” Chew said. “This is a big thing for me. I needed this so much.
“This was the meet that my coach was hyping me up about. He was like, ‘Who’s it going to be, you or Jacob, who’s it going to be? I kept thinking to myself I need this to be me. For the rest of my season to go well, I need this to be me.”
HADFIELD
Winning races might be a new experience for Chew, it’s a regular occurrence for Hadfield. So much so that the quality of the run is as important as the finish.
And that’s what had her coming out of the finishing chute with her face in her hands on the verge of tears and then walking across the field to be consoled by coach Missy Pine. She led wire-to-wire without much push and won by more than a minute, but the 19-minute run over the flat course just wasn’t up to her standard.
She was hoping for something closer to the 18:22 she ran while winning her race Six Flags on Sept. 28 as she prepares for a run at states.
“It should not have been that,” the Cougars senior said. “I’m trying to be better each time and today I guess wasn’t me. I just wasn’t feeling good or something, I don’t know. We need to look forward to Saturday (at Dream Park) and forget about this and just focus on that.”
In her defense she was running her second race in five days and ran into a strong headwind several times along Wednesday’s route. She finished third in her race at Holmdel Park last Saturday.
“It’s definitely a lot racing multiple times a week, it definitely gets you for sure this part of the season,” she said. “You definitely felt the wind. I don’t know if that was a part of it. My first mile was fine and then after that, that’s when I fell off.”
In the team standings, Woodstown put five of the first six runners across the line in the boys race. Salvatore Longo of Schalick finished fourth to prevent them from scoring a cross country shutout. Schalick’s girls placed seven runners in the top 12 overall and had five of the first eight counters.
“It’s a small county but these small programs have always had quality teams,” Woodstown coach Steve New said. “You might think that winning Salem County is small and not that big of a deal, but I think beating some of these teams that are around here is impressive. I don’t think it’s a small feat to win this county title. It takes a lot of work to do it.”
Schalick’s Jordan Hadfield comes across the finish line to win the Salem County Cross Country girls race. On the cover, Woodstown’s Karson Chew made the boys race his first varsity win.
Salem County XC Championship
BOYS TEAM SCORES: Woodstown 17, Schalick 41, Salem Tech 77, Salem 101, Penns Grove 141. GIRLS TEAM SCORES: Schalick 25, Woodstown 34.
Schalick’s Price on hot streak, Willoughby erupts for five goals in girls game, Salem Tech gets first volleyball win of the season, and more
BOYS SOCCER Schalick 7, Overbrook 1: Luke Price scored three goals and Anthony Sepers and Connor Jackson both had a pair of assists at Schalick. Price has scored eight goals during the Cougars’ current four-game winning streak.
Woodstown 3, Penns Grove 1: Blake Bialecki and Bryce Ayars scored second-half goals to snap a 1-1 tie and hand Wolverines coach Darren Huck career win No. 295.
Pennsville 3, Salem Tech 0: Shane Puckett, Sam Hassler and Evan Pessoa all scored and Coen Rinnier made seven saves in posting the shutout.
Salem at Clayton
GIRLS SOCCER Schalick 9, Overbrook 1: Abby Willoughby erupted for five goals and Gia Martellacci scored twice to lead the Cougars to their third straight win. Willoughby has scored nine goals against the Rams in two games.
Woodstown 4, Penns Grove 0: Talia Battavio, Blair Baldi, Emma Perry and Gina Murray all scored for the Wolverines.
Clayton 10, Salem 2: Diondria Simon and Ava Delaney both had hat tricks for the Clippers.
Glassboro 3, Pennsville 0: Amina Brown scored two goals and Tamia Smith had the other.
Salem Tech at Pitman
VOLLEYBALL Salem Tech 2, Highland 0: Cori Farnkoph delivered nine aces and Tiara Bazemore had four kills and nine assists to lead the Chargers (1-6) to their first win of the season, 25-16, 25-10. Valeria Camacho-Martinez had five kills and Alanis James had five assists. The Chargers didn’t win their first match last season until their 14th match.
Here is the Salem County sports schedule for Oct. 7-12, featuring Schalick’s rescheduled football game, SJ girls tennis tournament and County XC Championship; all events 4 p.m. unless noted
MONDAY FOOTBALL Schalick at Paulsboro, 4 p.m. FIELD HOCKEY Pennsville at Salem Schalick at Glassboro Woodstown at Deptford BOYS SOCCER Pennsville at Gloucester City Woodstown at Gateway GIRLS SOCCER Paulsboro at Penns Grove Pennsville at Gloucester City, 7 p.m. GIRLS TENNIS Schalick at Mainland Woodstown at Kingsway
TUESDAY GIRLS TENNIS South Jersey Group I quarterfinals Woodstown at Haddon Twp., 3 p.m. Schalick at Pennsville, 3 p.m. Lower Cape May at Gateway, 3 p.m. Audubon at Pitman, 4 p.m. BOYS SOCCER Overbrook at Schalick Penns Grove at Woodstown Pennsville at Salem Tech Salem at Clayton, 6 p.m. GIRLS SOCCER Clayton at Salem Glassboro at Pennsville Salem Tech at Pitman Schalick at Overbrook Woodstown at Penns Grove VOLLEYBALL Highland at Salem
WEDNESDAY FIELD HOCKEY Gloucester Catholic at Pennsville Schalick at Woodstown GIRLS TENNIS Haddon Heights at Pennsville, 3:45 p.m. Woodstown at Millville, 3:45 p.m. OLMA at Salem CROSS COUNTRY Salem County Championship, Salem Tech, 3:30 p.m.
THURSDAY FOOTBALL Delran at Penns Grove, 6:30 p.m. GIRLS TENNIS South Jersey Group I semifinals Woodstown-Haddon Twp. winner vs. Schalick-Pennsville winner Lower Cape May-Gateway winner vs. Audubon-Pitman winner BOYS SOCCER Glassboro at Penns Grove Pennsville at Salem Salem Tech at Wildwood Schalick at Woodstown GIRLS SOCCER Penns Grove at Glassboro Overbrook at Pennsville Salem at Pitman Wildwood at Salem Tech Woodstown at Schalick FIELD HOCKEY Gateway at Pennsville Salem at Maple Shade Schalick at Mainland, 4:15 p.m. VOLLEYBALL Gloucester Catholic at Salem Tech
FRIDAY FOOTBALL Audubon at Collingswood, 6 p.m. Glassboro at Cinnaminson, 6 p.m. Schalick at Gloucester City, 6 p.m. Salem at West Deptford, 7 p.m. FIELD HOCKEY Cumberland at Salem Woodstown at Ocean City, 3:45 p.m. GIRLS SOCCER Audubon at Schalick Salem at Gateway BOYS SOCCER Haddon Heights at Salem Schalick at Audubon GIRLS TENNIS Pennsville at Bridgeton Vineland at Woodstown
SATURDAY FOOTBALL Willingboro at Woodbury, 10:30 a.m. Camden Catholic at Overbrook, 11 a.m. Woodstown at Haddon Heights, 11 a.m. Pennsville at Paulsboro, noon CROSS COUNTRY SJCTA Meet at Dream Park
Eagles end seven-year drought with Penns Grove to take the Wildman Willey Boot; Woodstown handles Pleasantville to go 5-0 for second time in three seasons; Saturday’s Schalick-Paulsboro game postponed due to security threat
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
PENNSVILLE — Mike Healy has been trying to get his hands on The Boot his entire coaching career.
Once he finally got his mitts on it Friday night and raised it above his head during the joyous post-game celebration, he said it was “a little bigger than I thought,” but beyond that, holding the trophy was “just perfect.”
Pennsville claimed the Pennsville Lions Club Award that goes to the winner of the Pennsville-Penns Grove game – better known as the Norm Wildman Willey Boot – for the first time since 2016 Friday when it made big play after big play on critical downs, especially in the second half, to secure a 19-12 victory.
It was the first time Healy had won it in his seven-year coaching tenure with the Eagles. The Red Devils’ seven-game winning streak in the Riverview Rivalry was the longest by either team in the series.
“It was awesome to finally do it,” said Healy, who also got soaked by the ice bucket in the celebration. ‘This game means so much to our kids and our town.
“We had our pep rally today and everyone was excited. Everyone kept asking me ,‘Are we going to get it? Are we going to get it?’ I felt good, but just to finally get that feels so good. There’s not much else I can say.”
It means a little more residing in the Eagles’ trophy case. Willey was a three-time Philadelphia Eagles All-Pro way back in the day and a teacher in the Pennsville school district for more than 30 years. One of his original game cleats adorns the top of the trophy.
The trophy was a late arrival at Lou D’Angelo Stadium. The Red Devils left it back at school and Penns Grove athletics director Anwar Golden drove back to retrieve it, returning with trophy in hand just as they started playing the national anthem, and it stayed on their sideline until it wound up in the Eagles’ hands at the end of the game.
“It was everything I thought it would be,” quarterback Robbie McDade said. “We came in here wanting to get The Boot, knowing we had to get The Boot. It’s been so long, it felt really good.”
The Eagles never trailed in the game, but they never could relax.
Penns Grove closed to within 13-12 on MahKye Murray’s 40-yard touchdown catch late in the third quarter. But Pennsville answered it with another long touchdown drive to push its lead to 19-12.
The Eagles went 73 yards in 10 plays that included three long completions on crucial downs to move the chains.
McDade hit Luke Wood in stride down the sideline on a 48-yard pass on third-and-21. He hit Rylan Hardy for 24 yards on third-and-20. And the Eagles scored on an 18-yard pass to Wood on fourth-and-17 with 8:10 to play. They ran the same play to Wood on the snap before, but to the other side of the field, that was out of his reach.
The Eagles converted a fourth-down situation in each of their two touchdown drives in the first half, too.
“That’s what we’ve been looking for on offense,” Healy said. “When we’re in those big moments are we going to step up and get it done and tonight we stepped up and got things done. We know our kids are capable of it. They’ve just got to constantly believe they can do it. If they buckle down they’re capable of doing anything.”
“It’s just all about trusting your guys,” McDade said. “You’ve got to trust your receivers, you’ve got to trust the offensive line. I trusted myself to make that play all the time. We’ve just got to do our job and I think we did that and we got big plays out of it.”
McDade was 9-of-14 for 146 yards passing. Wood, a senior playing his first year of varsity football, caught four balls for 81 yards.
“They used to play this game on Thanksgiving Day and the centerpiece of our table would be The Boot whenever my dad would win it,” said Wood, whose dad Ryan was a longtime Eagles head coach and now a Healy assistant. “So, if there was one game I had to win it was this one.
“I grew up every Thanksgiving looking at that in the middle of my table and we haven’t had it in so long it feels so good.”
There was still plenty of time after Pennsville scored for the Red Devils to come back and retain The Boot.
They got it down in the red zone, but Melo Erickson’s fourth-and-5 pass to KaRon Ceaser from the 10 with less than four minutes to play fell incomplete.
“That’s me; I’m an athlete, I can make a play,” Ceaser said. “That’s on me. The quarterback put in a route to get it. I should’ve went to go get it.”
Ceaser was a big part of the Red Devils’ offense all night. He had two 11-yard runs and a 17-yard catch to keep that drive moving. He finished with 107 yards rushing and 17 yards receiving.
There was some confusion late in the drive that may have cost the Red Devils a down. The pass to Ceaser gave the Red Devils a first down at the 15. Erickson ran for 2 yards on the first-down play, then the Red Devils were flagged for delay of game. The next play they ran was third down.
Erickson hit Knowledge Young for 8 yards, but it left the Red Devils to face what the down marker read as fourth-and-5 for The Boot.
They lost another scoring chance at the end of the first half on a similarly confusing situation. Erickson looked like he spiked the ball at the 8 to stop the clock with 15.8 seconds left, but it later was explained to Healy the quarterback took too long making the spike and that’s what drew the flag for grounding.
The Red Devils lost yardage, lost the down and eventually time expired.
Pennsville 19, Penns Grove 12
PG (12)
PV (19)
10
1st Downs
16
22-134
Rushing
36-148
7-14-1
Passes
9-14-0
86
Passing
146
1-0
Fum-Lost
1-1
2-34.5
Punts
2-29.5
5-36
Penalties
6-45
Penns Grove (1-5)
6
0
6
0-
12
Pennsville (3-3)
7
6
0
6-
19
SCORING SUMMARY PV-Malik Rehmer 8 run (Luke Wood kick), 4:02 1Q PG-KaRon Ceaser 39 run (kick failed), 2:22 1Q PV-Robbie McDade 1 run (kick failed), 4:03 2Q PG-MahKye Murray 40 pass from Melo Erickson (pass failed), 2:17 3Q PV-Luke Wood 18 pass from Robbie McDade (pass failed), 8:10 4Q
Woodstown’s Bryce Belinfanti is about to leave the Pleasantville defense in the dust on the way to his game-breaking 50-yard touchdown Friday night. (Photo by Ellen Sickler)
Woodstown remains undefeated
WOODSTOWN — Bryce Belinfanti rushed for 189 yards and two third-quarter touchdowns and went 60 yards on a screen pass to set up their first score as Woodstown handled winless Pleasantville 24-12 to go 5-0 for the second time in three seasons.
The Wolverines were 5-0 in 2022 as well, but coach Frank Trautz doesn’t get caught up in all that.
“Obviously it’s another win and it feels great, but we’re not looking at 5-0,” he said. “We’re not looking at 2, 3, 4 weeks down the line. We’re on to Week No. 6 and trying to get that one.
“It’s our approach and our staff’s approach to take it a week at a time and we try to do our best to win that game. It’s our goal to try to win every week. If you were to ask me at the beginning of the season, I was focused on Week No. 1. Now, I’m focused on Week No. 6. We’re not done writing the story yet. We’re focused on the next chapter.”
For Belinfanti it’s never a case of if he’s going to break a long one but when. The Homecoming crowd didn’t have to wait long on this night. The senior took a screen pass from Jack Holladay and bolted downfield 60 yards to set the stage for the Wolverines’ first touchdown. Holladay finished it off with a 1-yard run.
In the third quarter, Belinfanti scored on a 50-yard run and a 1-yard run to help the Wolverines stretch their lead to 24-6.
He had a 25-yard touchdown run in overtime to win the opener against Delsea and has had other scores of 35, 85, 37 and 44 this season.
“He’s got that big play capability,” Trautz said. “We do a good job up front with our blocking, he sees a little window and he’s got the ability to go.”
Woodstown 24, Pleasantville 12
Pleasantville (0-6)
6
0
0
6-
12
Woodstown (5-0)
7
3
14
0-
24
SCORING SUMMARY W-Jack Holladay 1 run (Jake Ware kick), 3:30 1Q P-Nazir Griffin 55 run (run failed) W-Jake Ware 37 FG, 4:56 2Q W-Bryce Belinfanti 50 run (Jake Ware kick), 7:09 3Q W-Bryce Belinfanti 1 run (Jake Ware kick), 0:57 3Q P-Dajaun Martin 6 pass from Ahmad Jones (pass failed), 8:09 4Q
Woodstown’s Rocco String (21) tries to sake off a block so he can chase down a Pleasantville ballcarrier. (Photo by Ellen Sickler)
Schalick-Paulsboro ppd.
PAULSBORO — Schalick’s first-ever regular-season meeting with Paulsboro Saturday has been postponed due to a “security concern” that is being investigated by the host school district. According to sources, Paulsboro became aware of a threat specifically linked to the football game earlier Friday and took action.
“Both school districts have collectively determined that postponing the game is in the best interest of our students and families while the investigation is underway,” Schalick principal Yvette DuBois Trembley and athletic director Doug Volovar said in a joint statement from the Cougars. “The safety of our students, staff and community remains our top priority.”
It wasn’t immediately known if or when the game would be rescheduled. The game does have South Jersey Group I playoff seeding implications as both teams are currently ranked in the top seven in the sectional power points standings.
The teams have played four times previously, all in the South Jersey Group I playoffs.
WJFL DIAMOND DIVISION
DIV
ALL
Glassboro (4)
3-0
5-0
Woodstown (1)
3-0
5-0
Schalick (7)
2-1
3-2
Woodbury (12)
1-2
2-3
Salem (23)
0-3
0-5
Penns Grove (18)
0-3
1-5
NOTE: Number in parenthesis is South Jersey Group I UPR power ranking through Sept. 28
THURSDAY’S GAME Woodbury 35, Gateway 6 FRIDAY’S GAMES Glassboro 51, Deptford 0 Pennsville 19, Penns Grove 12 Woodstown 24, Pleasantville 12 SATURDAY’S GAMES Schalick at Paulsboro, ppd. Middle Twp. at Salem. noon
WJFL PATRIOT DIVISION
DIV
ALL
Camden Catholic
3-0
5-0
West Deptford
3-1
3-3
Paulsboro (5)
3-1
4-1
Pennsville (14)
2-2
3-3
Collingswood
1-2
3-3
Audubon (20)
0-3
1-3
Overbrook
0-3
2-3
FRIDAY’S GAMES Camden Catholic 48, Haddon Heights 22 Collingswood 20, Sterling 6 Haddonfield 30, West Deptford 28 Pennsville 19, Penns Grove 12 SATURDAY’S GAMES Schalick at Paulsboro, ppd. Clayton at Overbrook, 11 a.m.
Here are the scores and highlights from Thursday’s high school action involving Salem County teams
FIELD HOCKEY SCHALICK 6, PENNSVILLE 0: The Cougars scored five goals in the first quarter and cruised to their 10th straight victory to remain undefeated. Luci Virga and Alexis Smith both had a hat trick.
WOODSTOWN 4, SALEM 0: Brae DiGregorio, Shyann Higinbotham and Megan Donelson all had a goal and an assist as the Wolverines handed Salem its first loss of the season. Hannah Hitchner scored Woodstown’s other goal and Shelby Foote recorded the shutout.
BOYS SOCCER COLLINGSWOOD 3, PENNSVILLE 2: John Lara scored the game-winner in the 63rd minute. Maddox Efelis and Shane Puckett scored Pennsville’s two goals, both of which tied the game.
GIRLS SOCCER CUMBERLAND 7, PENNS GROVE 1: Alee Lorito had a hat trick and Ellie Bodine scored twice for the Colts.
SCHALICK 1, GLASSBORO 0: Abby Willoughby scored in the second half off a Quinn Berger corner kick and the Cougars won on Senior Night.
PENNSVILLE 5, GLASSBORO 0 Megan Morris (P) def. Ella Killelea, 6-0, 6-0 Regan Witt (P) def. Kaylee Johnson, 7-6 (12-10), 7-5 Lily Edwards (P) def. Halle Lazarus, 6-0, 6-0 Emma Cornette-Morgan Holt (P) def. Alana Killelea-Taylor Adcock, 6-0, 6-0 Cassandra Fortenberry-Devon Sebell (P) def. Anatasia Baratta-Amani George, 6-1, 6-2 Records: Pennsville 12-0, Glassboro 4-4. Notes: Pennsville is now off to its best start in more than 15 years. The Eagles have won 18 regular season matches in a row going back to last season.
Pennsville girls tennis gets early leg up in division race after beating Woodstown, extends winning streak to 16
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
WOODSTOWN – The Pennsville girls tennis team remained undefeated and took the early upper hand in the TCC Diamond Division race Tuesday with a 4-1 win at Woodstown, but, befitting the rivalry, it was a lot closer than the score indicated.
A lot closer.
The Eagles fought back to win super tiebreakers at second singles and first doubles after both lost the second set and fell way behind in the 10-pointer and won at first singles after holding off a threat to create another super tiebreaker.
They now have division wins over Woodstown and Schalick but have to play them each again. Their second match with Schalick was suspended by weather with the Eagles trailing 2-1 but up a set in both doubles matches. The match is scheduled to resume in late October.
While it won’t count towards in the division race, Pennsville and Schalick are scheduled to play Oct. 8 in the second round of the South Jersey Group I tournament. The winner could potentially get Woodstown in the group semifinals.
“(Getting a leg up in the division) is all it is, the way we look at it, because we’re so close to them; all three of us (Pennsville, Woodstown, Schalick) there’s not much difference,” Pennsville coach Dan LaMont said. “I don’t even think we played great tennis, we just played scrappy. We know that’s what we’ve got to do. We just put a lot of balls back, we hustled. It was as tight as two teams can be.”
The difference on this day was the Eagles’ two super tiebreaker wins.
Regan Witt defeated Camille Osborn 6-2, 2-6, 10-8 at No. 2 singles and the No. 1 doubles team of Emma Cornette and Gabi Forino outlasted Alyssa Berry and Julianna Lindenmuth 6-0, 3-6, 10-8.
Witt (8-2) was down 8-4 in her tiebreaker, then won every point on the other side of the net to score her second super tiebreaker win of the season. The first doubles team was down 5-1 in their third and then won all six points on the other side of the net to take control and remain undefeated as partners (8-0).
Forino has won her last 12 doubles matches going back to last season, when she played second doubles. Cornette has won her last 15.
“It hasn’t been easy for Regan,” LaMont said. “She’s getting some good players and she just persevered. That was pretty big. The first doubles we just said let’s get to Emma’s serve. If we can get to Emma’s serve then we feel pretty good and that’s what they did.
“We just found a little gear when we had to. We kind of clamped down, locked in a little more. We’ve just got to keep on getting better and better. We can’t stop.”
With the win, the Eagles improved to 10-0 this season and extended their regular-season winning streak to 16 in a row. It’s their third best start in the last 15 years and their best since 2021 when they opened the season 11-0. The 2010 team started the year 12-0. The 2011 team had a 15-match in-season winning streak.
Lamont said his current team compared favorably to the 2021 squad.
“It’s very similar,” he said. “Just typical Pennsville girls who are going to go out there, they’re going to limit their unforced errors, they’re going to hustle. We’re not going to wow anybody with our tennis skills as you’ve seen. We’re not going to wow anybody with our overall play. Same type of team.”
FIELD HOCKEY Schalick 2, Gloucester City 1: Caylen Taylor and Phoebe Alward scored goals and Lydia Gilligan made 12 saves as the Cougars followed up their big win over Hammonton with an equally big win on the road at Gloucester City to remain undefeated. Ava Scurry assisted on both Schalick goals. Woodstown 3, Glassboro 0: The Wolverines broke a scoreless halftime tie with three goals in the third quarter. Zoe Lipovsky scored twice and Hanna Hitchner scored once. Shelby Foote recorded the shutout. Pennsville 5, Clayton 1
Schalick bounces back from season’s first loss, moves Mannella to 299, Ibarra leads Woodstown past Pitman
BOYS SOCCER Pennsville 4, Gloucester Catholic 1 Salem Tech 6, Salem 0 Schalick 5, Penns Grove 0 Woodstown 3, Pitman 1 GIRLS SOCCER Schalick 5, Penns Grove 0 Woodstown 2, Pennsville 0 Salem Tech at Salem
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
PITTSGROVE — Joe Mannella moved another step closer to making some Salem County soccer history Monday, but truth be told he was much happier with the way his Schalick soccer team responded to its first loss of the season.
The Cougars handed their coach career win No. 299 Monday with a dominating 5-0 win over Penns Grove. Mannella came become the first soccer coach in Salem County to reach 300 career wins Wednesday at Wildwood.
The milestone and celebration would have happened Monday had the Cougars (6-1) taken care of business Saturday in Cinnaminson. Instead, they fell 2-1 in their most physical match of the season and Mannella was keenly interested in seeing how they would respond their next time out.
They responded by playing most of the game in the offensive end, turning back every Penns Grove advance and getting goals from five separate players .
“I couldn’t have been happier (with their response),” Mannella said as he watched his Cougars of the future in the JV game. “I thought about it the whole weekend. Not that we lost and not that we played bad, it’s just when the pressure gets on and when things aren’t going your way you see little cracks in the armor.
“I told them after the game I should know by now because all last year when things weren’t going our way they rose to the occasion. They did today. Everybody did what we talked about, everybody executed the game plan. I couldn’t be happier with the way we played today.”
Each of the last eight games in the series have been decided by shutout, with Schalick winning six, including the last three. Five of the Cougars’ wins this season have been by shutout.
The Cougars got goals from Anthony Sepers (19:36), Luke Price (36:52), Seth Fisher (54:13), freshman Connor Jackson (68:26) and Nolan O’Toole (71:42).
Sepers opened the scoring when he collected a ball in the upper left corner of the penalty area, pushed it forward a couple yards, then fired a volley over Penns Grove keeper Dwayne Guzman’s outstretched arm and into the upper right corner of the goal.
Price took a through ball from Oscar Hernandez in the box and beat the keeper with 3:08 left in the first half to give the Cougars a 2-0 halftime lead. It was his first goal since sustaining a broken wrist and growth plate when he was knocked down in the box five minutes into the Pitman match last Thursday. He played with a black cast that probably will stay on the rest of the season.
“It’s just all heart,” Price said. “I wanted to get right back at the game. It’s a disadvantage, but at the same time you’ve got to use it and bring your best.
“We got away from our game (Saturday), we just got away from it, but this is a great bounce back. We needed to respond. We played our game and had so many chances.”
The Cougars really turned up the pressure in the second half.
Jackson’s goal was the first of his career and added to a family legacy. He split two defenders and moved in on the net. He almost lost the ball in the box, but gathered it back in and had a wide open net to accept his shot. It gave the Cougars a 4-0 lead.
Jackson’s father is a former Schalick player and Mannella’s younger first cousin. His uncle, Kevin, is the Cougars’ all-time leading goal scorer (100).
They all are among the many who have contributed to Mannella’s 22-year run towards 300 wins.
“I’d trade it all for a state title, even a sectional title,” he said. “When you’re here over 20 years and you coach all these good players you’re going to accumulate numbers, so you don’t want it to be a hollow – it hasn’t been – but moreso if we don’t come out of this season doing what we’re capable of, I’ll probably be disappointed.”
WOODSTOWN 3, PITMAN 1: Adrian Ibarra broke a 1-1 tie with a goal in the first half, then added an insurance goal in the second to help the Wolverines (6-2) to their fourth straight win. It was Ibarra’s second two-goal game in a row. Ben Stengel made four saves in the Woodstown goal and also assisted on Ibarra’s first goal.
The Wolverines have won their last 10 in a row when Ibarra scores a goal. They are 18-4-1 over the last four seasons when he scores.
The game had major playoff seeding implications. The teams were Nos. 7 and 8 in the South Jersey Group I power points standings entering the game.
The win leaves Woodstown coach Darren Huck eight shy of 300 for his coaching career.
PENNSVILLE 4, GLOUCESTER CATHOLIC 1: Shane Puckett scored twice in the first 14 minutes of the match and got the assist on the Eagles’ next goal. John Thomas and Sam Hassler scored later in the half to give the Eagles a 4-0 halftime lead. Maddox Efelis had a pair of assists
SALEM TECH 6, SALEM 0: Aiden Bobo and Alexander Robi scored two goals apiece and Graham Fields recorded a goal and two first-half assists as the Chargers (2-6) won back-to-back games for the first time in program history. The six goals are also a program record, topping the five they put on Gloucester Catholic in their last win.
Penns Grove keeper Dwayne Guzman stops Schalick’s Brad Foster from close range in the first half Monday. On the cover, Luke Price breaks in to score the second goal of the match.
Girls games
WOODSTOWN 2, PENNSVILLE 0: Ryann Foote and Emma Perry scored goals for the Wolverines (5-3-1) and Ellie Wygand recorded the shutout.
SCHALICK 5, PENNS GROVE 0: Freshman Olivia Vanacker had the first two-goal game of her career to lead the Cougars (6-2). Abby Willoughby, Cali Fisler and Joel Winnberg netted the other Schalick goals. Freshman Jessica Fantini recorded her first shutout.
Riverview Sports News 