Woodstown takes advantage of Schalick’s special teams miscues, wins Diamond Division opener, extends winning streak in series to 12

SALEM COUNTY FOOTBALL
FRIDAY GAMES
Woodstown 26, Schalick 0
SATURDAY GAMES
Glassboro at Penns Grove
Pennsville at Overbrook
Salem at Woodbury

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

WOODSTOWN – If you grew up Down South watching football, especially in the state of Alabama where the sport just means more, there are certain games that just resonate through generations.

One of the most memorable is the 1972 Iron Bowl in which Auburn stunned No. 2 Alabama 17-16, blocking two punts in the fourth quarter and returning both for touchdowns to win a game that is forever known as “Punt, Bama, Punt.”

Woodstown staged its own version of “Punt, Bama, Punt” Friday night, taking advantage of several Schalick miscues in the punting game to win its WJFL Diamond Division opener and extend its dominance in the series with their nearest county rival, 26-0.

All of the Wolverines’ points came as a result of shortcomings on the Cougars’ special teams. There was a safety off a bad punt snap to open the scoring, a short-field touchdown drive with the ensuing free kick, a short-field touchdown drive off a 7-yard punt, a field goal off another bad punt snap and a touchdown off another short punt  They almost had another touchdown after a long punt return into Schalick territory, but turned it over on downs after getting inside the 10.

“Special teams is such an emphasis for us,” Woodstown coach Frank Trautz said. “We put a huge emphasis on it every week and take it very seriously.

“Any time you can get a special teams turnover it drastically swings momentum and it gives you a real good shot at winning a football game, so that was very big for us in terms of helping us get this one.”

The Wolverines (2-0) gained control of the game early. They went up 2-0 when a snap sailed over punter Shawn Kelly’s head and he ended up falling on it in the end zone after a 27-yard loss. They took Schalick’s free kick near midfield and after Bryce Belinfanti softened up the defense with three hard runs, Alex Torres took a shuttle pass from Jack Holladay and went 35 yards for the game’s first touchdown.

“It’s always about setting the tone and that safety really set the tone for us,” said linebacker Anthony Bokolas, who chased down Kelly in the end zone.

A 7-yard punt gave the Wolverines another short field on their next possession and Belinfanti capped that drive with an 11-yard touchdown run. Another bad punt snap set them up at the Schalick 20 shortly before halftime and kicker Jake Ware salvaged that possession with a 29-yard field goal to make it 19-0.

“On film we did see that their punt team was a little off and we knew if we attacked them, just played physical, they were going to mess up,” Belinfanti said.

Belinfanti scored the game’s final touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter when he caught Holladay’s pass wide open across the middle and scored from 35 yards out. That drive was set up by a 12-yard punt.

Belinfanti finished the game with 85 yards rushing on 17 carries and the one catch for 35 yards. Holladay was 8-of-13 passing for 108 yards and two touchdowns.

“Honestly, I’m unsatisfied,” Belinfanti said. “I’m happy that we won, but I know I’m way better than that. I think I could’ve touched the end zone three times today. The best is yet to come for me.”

The game left Schalick looking for answers. It was a first chance for the Cougars to show they had what it took to play in South Jersey Group I’s toughest division after gaining traction as the beast of a lesser division last season. But the Wolverines never gave them a chance to get going and the special teams mistakes kept them at a disadvantage all night.

With the two bad punt snaps sapping a lot of their yardage, the Cougars were held to negative net rushing yardage and 12 yards total in the first half. They managed only 65 net yards in the game. Their deepest penetration into Woodstown territory in the first half was the 32 and that ended in a Garrett Leyman interception. Their most sustained drive came in the opening possession of the second half and reached the Woodstown 22 but ended with a missed field goal attempt.

“The kids played hard all game, they didn’t quit,” Cougars coach Mike Wilson said. “We just couldn’t get out of our way. We spotted them 19 points.

“You can’t have bad snaps like that against good football teams. You have to play clean football in all three phases; we did not do that tonight. We were constantly in bad positions. We’re doing uncharacteristic things.

“I want to play good clean football. We’re giving them points, we’re giving them plays, we’re putting ourselves in bad position. We played on our side of the field all night. I don’t care what level of game, you can’t play like that. You’ve got to play good in all three phases and right now we’re not.”

The win was Woodstown’s 12th in a row in the series. It has been 5,103 days since the Cougars last tasted victory in the rivalry and will be at least another 365 before they have a chance to try again.

Woodstown 26, Schalick 0

SCORING SUMMARY
W-Safety, punter tackled in end zone, 5:38 1Q
W-Alex Torres 35 pass from Jack Holladay (Jake Ware kick), 2:34 1Q
W-Bryce Belinfanti 11 run (Jake Ware kick), 6:16 2Q
W-Jake Ware 29 FG, 1:28 2Q
W-Bryce Belinfanti 35 pass from Jack Holladay (Jake Ware kick), 11:52 4Q

FRIDAY GAMES
Woodstown 26, Schalick 0
SATURDAY GAMES
Salem at Woodbury, 10:30 a.m.
Glassboro at Penns Grove, noon

FRIDAY GAMES
Audubon 8, Bordentown 7
West Deptford 46, Collingswood 6
SATURDAY GAMES
Camden Catholic at Paulsboro, 10 a.m.
Pennsville at Overbrook, 11 a.m.

Jack Holladay takes over as Woodstown’s quarterback, getting his shot to lead the offense after learning behind cousin Max Webb

FRIDAY’S SALEM COUNTY GAMES
Penns Grove at Deptford, 6 p.m.
Cumberland at Schalick, 7 p.m.
Delsea at Woodstown, 7 p.m.
West Deptford at Pennsville, 7 p.m.
SATURDAY’S GAME
Cinnaminson at Salem, noon

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

WOODSTOWN – It may be a little hyperbole, but Jack Holladay has been waiting for tonight all his life.

Ever since he got to high school, Holladay has dreamed and worked for the day he would become Wolverines’ starting quarterback. The day comes tonight when the Wolverines host Delsea in the first game of Frank Trautz’ tenure as head coach.

The last couple years Holladay’s been on the team but on the quarterback depth chart he was behind his cousin Max Webb as the Wolverines’ lead signal caller.

Well, Max has moved on after leading the Wolverines to three straight deep playoff runs and now it’s Holladay’s time to step up and shine.

“I’ve been thinking about it a lot,” Holladay said over the summer. “Since freshman year I’ve wanted to be the quarterback. I know that’d be behind Max, but I was just learn from him and do what I can in practice and I knew I’d be ready for my senior year.

“It’ll be different (now as the starter), but I think the coaches will have me prepared and I think I’m ready for it.”

It was always been like that as the two were coming up. Webb would be the starter because he was older and the next year Holladay would follow because Max would move up to the next level.

Holladay always felt he “did good” in the seasons he immediately followed his cousin.

He doesn’t have a lot of game statistics to show for the work he’s put in behind Max because his cousin was so durable – he hasn’t thrown a pass in varsity two seasons and has been credited with just five career carries – but he’s said to have a big upside.

Trautz said every time the Wolverines needed to put the 6-1, 170-pound Holladay in a game they were “completely confident” in his ability.

He’s shown a strong arm in the summer and an even disposition to combat the pressure of his elevated circumstances. In his first 7-on-7 game his first pass was intercepted, then he went 7-for-7 on the next series, culminating in a touchdown to Anthony Bokolas, and ultimately completed eight in a row. 

“I’m really excited to see what Jack’s gonna do this year,” said Trautz, Holladay’s quarterback coach before being promoted to succeed John Adams last spring. “He’s a great athlete. He’s got all the tools you want in a quarterback. He can make every throw. He’s a really good athlete, so he’s going to be able to help us out as well in the run game a little bit. I’m excited about the direction this offense can go with him under center.

“He’s definitely ready for this. He got a ton of reps last year in practice and already what I’ve seen from him early on in the summer is a lot of good stuff. I think the sky’s the limit for him. He could have a real special year.”

So tonight’s game has been a lifetime in the making.

When Holladay did allow himself to think of what it would be like to step into the starting role, his dream covered the total package.

“Just playing in front of everyone, the students, everyone at the game,” he said. “I thought that would be fun throwing touchdowns and just winning. I want to win a championship.”

AROUND THE COUNTY: There has been no change in Schalick quarterback Kenai Simmons’ status, coach Mike Wilson said Thursday, so it appears sophomore Ayden Jenkins will draw his second straight start in tonight’s home opener with Cumberland. Jenkins was under center the entire 41-3 loss to Cedar Grove in the Battle at the Beach. “We will be making sure to call the correct stuff to help him,” Wilson said. Tonight’s neighborhood rivals have split the last four games in the battle for the Hars-Lake Trophy, once a staple of the Thanksgiving Day slate … West Deptford coach John Emel may have moved onto a new team this season, but he’ll be looking for a same result when his Eagles take on Pennsville’s Eagles in tonight’s WJFL Patriot Division opener. Emel was 8-2 with a current seven-game winning streak against Pennsville when he was head coach at Penns Grove … Last week was a rarity in Salem County football. It was the first time in more than 20 years the county was shut out of the win column on the opening weekend with four or more teams playing. The county schools went 0-4 last week with Woodstown idle.

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

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

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Gloucester 14, Pennsville 0

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