Penns Grove scores its first victory of the season with Conrad taking over in the final 40.6 seconds
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
PENNS GROVE – Former Arkansas basketball coach Nolan Richardson used to call it 40 minutes of hell when teams came to play his Razorbacks. Giomar Conrad reduced it to 40 seconds of hell unleashed on Lindenwold Saturday night.
The final game of the Red Devil Classic was a 32-minute battle of wills, for sure, but it was what happened in the final 40.6 seconds that made all the difference.
Conrad grabbed two big rebounds and calmly sank four straight free throws – all in the final 40.6 seconds – to help Penns Grove pull out its first victory of the season, 60-54.
The teams had been punching and counterpunching all game. The Red Devils (1-1) had an eight-point lead early in the fourth quarter, but not even that was safe. With less than a minute to go Lindenwold’s Tajamir Brown hit a 3 and it was a tied game.
Karon Ceaser broke the tie with 40.6 seconds left when he hit a layup from the underside of the basket and was fouled. The Lions falled time before the free throw to ice the freshman and make plans.
The Red Devils made plans as well.
“I told all my guards we had big Willie (Slocum) down there working his behind off but at the same time I need all the guards to crash and help out,” PG coach Damian Ware said. “We stressed that during that final time out that we need everybody to crash the boards. Crash, crash, crash.
“Everybody crashed the boards in that final 30 seconds because we knew if we just get one rebound we can finish the game out from the free throw line. That’s what we were really looking for at that point.”
No one took that message to heart more than Conrad. Ceaser missed the free throw, but Conrad raced in to get the rebound. He was fouled and with 29 seconds left made both free throws to extend the lead to 58-54.
The Lions (1-1) needed to make something happen quickly and Brown missed a 3-pointer. Conrad was there again to corral the rebounds and was fouled again with less than four seconds left. He made those two free throws to complete a 27-point night and the final margin.
“I just had to catch the ball, make sure I hold it, waste some time and when they fouled me make sure I made two free throws and the game was over after that,” Conrad said. “At the end of the game when it’s close like that I always go get the ball. I had to make sure we got it.”
Penns Grove’s Horace marching towards 1,000 career points on the way to a deep run in the playoffs
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
PENNS GROVE – Meely Horace really wants 1,000 points. And she really wants a championship banner.
There’s no reason those two items have to be mutually exclusive.
The Penns Grove senior guard moved a little closer to that personal goal and helped her team gain a lot of power points for the other when she went for 22 points to earn Player of the Game honors in the Red Devils’ 63-27 rout of Group IV Bridgeton in the only girls game of this year’s Red Devil Classic.
She now has 747 career points after two games this season. At her current pace – 19 points a game – she’s reach the milestone sometime late next month.
Just how much does she want it? She has 1K written on one of her pairs of shoes. She figures averaging five points a quarter should do the trick.
“I want to get to my 1K, my 1,000 points,” she said. “I want to break the record for them. It’s been a while since somebody hit 1K. I want to do that before I leave.”
There’s banner hanging high on the gym wall containing the names of the six 1,000-point scorers in Penns Grove girls basketball history, The last name went up in 2018 (Natrice Reed, 1,065).
There’s a piece of tape covering the next line on the banner. No one will say what the tape is covering, but it’s presumed that’s where Horace’s name will go when she hits the number.
“She’s going to get her 1,000 points and we want her to get that,” Red Devils coach Jennifer Denby said. “This is why we’re trying to coach her so she can become a better player mentally and physically on the court.
“It is reachable. She most definitely is going to get her thousand, but she wants to win a championship. This is why we’re doing all this work now.”
Denby knows a little about scoring points as the all-time leading scorer in the Rowan women’s basketball program. She’s personally placed four of the six names on the banner during her tenure.
Meely’s mental toughness was put to the test early in the game. The Bulldogs held her scoreless in the first quarter and she admitted her game was “all over the place” in the early going. But as the game went on she fixed her mistakes, became a defender and turned it into offense to help her team.
Even as she struggled to get on track, the Red Devils were building a 13-2 lead in the first quarter. In the second quarter she hit a couple 3s and Penns Grove extended the lead to 13 at halftime. She scored 13 points in the second half.
“Meely did struggle in the first half,” Denby agreed. “We pulled her off and talked to her and she got back in there and did her defense assignment, and she played offense. So, she deserves that reward that she got.”
Schalick’s Magonagle wins in SC Holiday Classic in first tournament back from a season-ending injury, Penns Grove’s Arce wins his first title in same event; Pennsville, Woodstown also in action
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
PITTSGROVE – The flex Schalick junior Jake Magonagle did after winning his weight division in the SC Holiday Classic Saturday might be all the evidence one needed to prove it just might be the most satisfying title claim of the early wrestling season.
Magonagle won the 175-pound division with a 5-3 decision over Chase Hoag of Mainland. It was his first tournament back after having last season cut short by an injury. He was seeded second, drew a first-round bye, then won a pair of decisions.
“I think he needed that,” Schalick coach Joe Frassenei said. “He was definitely one of the more happy kids.
“He’s very confident to begin with, but I think the win was a nice start for him. He was super happy after the match and I was very proud of him.”
The Schalick-Cumberland co-op team finished fourth in the team race with five individual medalists (top three finishers) and eight placers (top four). DeAnthony Hardin was runner-up at 113, while Daniel Lloyd (144), Ayden Jenkins (150) and Keon Martin (165) all placed third.
Point Pleasant Beach won it handily with three individual champions and seven wrestlers in the finals.
Magonagle wasn’t the only wrestler from Salem County to bring home a title from the tournament.
Penns Grove’s Devine Arce holds his medal and his bracket after winning the SC Holiday Classic title at 120.
Penns Grove’s Devine Arce won his first tournament title when he pinned Mainland’s Garrett Chew to win at 120. His road to the title featured an opening-round bye and two pins in two minutes of elapsed time..
“I was amazed at myself like how I did it,” Arce said. “My freshman record was 8-13. Last year I went twenty-something and four or five, and this year I’m starting off 3-0.”
With two pins.
“He’s probably our most dedicated wrestler, especially the early part of this season,” Red Devils coach John Emel said. “To be at a weight that a little higher than he’s going to wrestle later in the year and have success that’s bodes well for him going forward.”
Arce was one of four Penns Grove wrestlers place in the top three. Isaiah Upshur was runner-up at 190, while Jayden Owens (157) and Antonio Cooper (215) both won consolation finals for third. For Cooper it was the best tournament finish of his career.
“I was actually pretty excited with the way we wrestled,” Emel said. “We have a lot of kids who have never won a match in districts.
“This type of tournament experience is what we’ve tried to get them early in the season. We haven’t done an opening weekend tournament in a few years, probably pre-COVID, and we’re going to get four tournament-type atmospheres early in the season. I just hope it prepares them for districts later on. Getting in these type tournaments early in the season I think it gives our guys good experience going forward.”
SC HOLIDAY CLASSIC TEAM SCORES: Point Pleasant Beach 186.5, Haddon Heights 119, WW-Plainsboro North 117, Schalick-Cumberland 96, Mainland 83, WW-Plainsboro South 81, Penns Grove 74, Oakcrest 50.
CHAMPIONSHIP MATCHES 106: Cole Denning (HH) tech fall over Brandon Stizza (PPB), 15-0 113: Bruce Bellace (O) def. DeAnthony Hardin (SC), med. forf. 120: Devine Arce (PG) pinned Garrett Chew (M), 1:00 126: Zachary Owens (WWPN) pinned Luke DeBenedett (PPB), 1:00 132: P.J. Niethe (PPB) dec. Ryan Brown (WWPN), 11-4 138: Jude Bowers (PPB) tech fall over Joaquin Poventud, (O) 15-0 144: Jordan Blaise (WWPS) dec. Antonio Acevedo (PPB), 10-3 150: Josh Delgozzo (HH) dec. Christian Tardieu (WWPS), 1-0 157: Evan DeJong (WWPN) pinned Liam Wikberg (HH), 1:00 165: Gary Williams (M) dec. Sam Yedman (PPB), 6-3 175: Jake Magonagle (SC) dec. Chase Hoag (M), 5-3 190: Darren DeJong (WWPN) pinned Isaiah Upshur (PG), 0:55 215: Marcos Kaiafas (PPB) dec. Jason George (WWPS), 6-0 285: Jayden Trace (HH) pinned Youssef Abouelela (WWPS), 1:10
Wendy Pandy-Leh Invitational
FRENCHTOWN – Woodstown’s Zach Bevin and Mateo Vinciguerra wrestled for championships in their weight classes at the Wendy Pandy-Leh Invitational at Delaware Valley High School and just came up short.
Bevis was pinned in the 165-pound final by Logan Wiecoreck of Voorhees and Vinciguerra lost a decision in the 285 final to Cameron Baumann, also of Vorhees.
The Wolverines had four wrestlers win consolation finals – Travis Balback (120), Carson Bradway (126), Greyson Hyland (175) and Paul Banff (190) – and two others finish fourth.
The Wolverines finished fourth in the 10-team field.
CHAMPIONSHIP MATCHES 106: Justin Penta (OT) pinned Michael Apicelli (OT), 1:42 113: Johnny D’Andrewa (V) maj. dec. over Justin Farina (OT), 10-1 120: Jake Taylor (DV) maj. dec. over Christian Bollette (V), 13-5 126: Jaden Perez (DV) maj. dec. over Cole Rose (P), 9-0 132: Matt Roche (DV) pinned Luke Sluberski (We), 0:32 138: Blasé Mele (P) pinned Dominic Volek (OT), 1:01 144: Jackson Bush (DV) dec. Michael Volek (OT), 11-9 150: Jake Wacha (PH) pinned Ben Levy (DV), 4:33 157: James Farina (OT) maj. dec. over Jeremy Marsella (Wa), 13-1 165: Logan Wiecoreck (V) pinned Zach Bevis (Wo), 0:35 175: Kevin Roman (DV) dec. Travis Cryan (V), 10-8 190: Anderson Olcott (DV) pinned Jake Zemsky (We), 4:52 215: Trevor Zabroski (V) pinned Cody Lagun (DV), 4:50 285: Cameron Baumann (V) dec. Mateo Vinciguerra (Wo), 5-3
Howdy Duncan Classic
NEW CASTLE, Del. – Three of the four Pennsville wrestlers who reached the quarterfinals of the Howdy Duncan Classic at William Penn High School placed in the top six of their respective weight divisions Saturday.
Christopher Daniels (120) was their highest finisher, placing fourth. Kameron Drummond (126) and Elias Lussi (190) both finished sixth in their weight classes. Daniels was seeded eighth in his weight class and Drummond was seeded tenth.
The Eagles finished 13th in the 32-team field.
“It was a tough tournament, very competitive, and we got a lot of mat time,” Eagles coach John Starcevich said. “A couple guys got seven matches this weekend.”
Among those who didn’t place Sky Eppes lost in overtime in the pre-quarterfinals and just missed getting a spot and freshman Luke Thomas showed a lot of potential in going 2-2 at 106.
HOWDY DUNCAN CLASSIC TEAM SCORES: Exeter Twp. 246, Lower Dauphin 243.5, Red Lion Christian 193, New Oxford 168, St. Frances Acad. 165, Palisades 158, Central Bucks West 157.5, Milford Senior 126, William Penn 125, Unionville 100, Tower Hill 94, Middleton 85.5, Pennsville 78.5, Appoquinimink 76.5, Charter-Wilmington 74, Episcopal 68, First State MA 68, Wilmington Friends 67.5, Dickinson 57.5, Odessa 57, Christian 56, Delcastle 54.5, Conrad Science 42, Tatnall 42, Hodgson VoTech 40, Howard Tech 37, McKean 32, Archmere 30, AI Dupont 23, John Carroll 23, West Nottingham 19, Mt. Pleasant 7.
PENNSVILLE FINALS Third Place Match 120: Sam Johnson (Exeter) pinned Christopher Daniels, 4:59 Fifth Place Match 126: Kamren Griffin (St. Frances) maj. dec. over Kameron Drummond, 11-3 Fifth Place Match 190: Jacob Julier (Unionville) maj. dec. over Elias Lussi, 10-1
Pennsville’s boys follow a plan to combat Clayton, Schalick wins first season opener since 2015, Penns Grove challenged by strong competition FRIDAY BOYS SCORES Pennsville 80, Clayton 66 Pitman 69, Penns Grove 41 Schalick 65, Salem Tech 43
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News PENNSVILLE – Clayton came into David Salberg Gym Friday night having scored 96 points the night before and the reputation for firing 3-pointers at will. That made the Clippers a dangerous opening-night opponent for anyone.
But Pennsville coach Joe Mecholsky had a plan – guard the 3, rebound and play tight man defense.
It proved to be the winning formula as the Eagles clipped their visitors 80-66, missing by just one point the score the coach had predicted before the game.
“We knew coming in that their game is to shoot the 3 and give us the 2,” Mecholsky said. “We tried to be very diligent guarding the 3-point shot. At one point to start the fourth quarter I told the boys let them drive, give up the 2. They want to shoot the 3 to get back in this game.
“That’s just their system. When it’s working that’s a much tighter game. When the system doesn’t work we ended up with a favorable outcome. They’ve got a South Jersey title with that system, his kids love playing that system, but I think tonight it just came down to we were the better team.”
Clayton came out firing – and missing. The Clippers missed their first 11 shots from the field – most of them 3s – and Pennsville ran out to a 12-2 lead despite not being very sharp themselves. The Clippers, 9-of-30 from behind the arc in their opener at Pennsauken Tech, were 1-for-10 from behind the arc in the first quarter against the Eagles, 4-for-18 in the half and 10-for-38 for the game..
Instead of going into the locker room at halftime to discuss strategy, the Clippers spent the entire halftime on the floor putting up shots. They shot a better percentage in the second half, but never got closer than eight points and that was early in the third quarter.
The more they missed, the more the Eagles rebounded. Danny Saulin, a 6-foot-7 senior starting in his final season opener, pulled down 14 rebounds to go with 17 points, many off putbacks.
“We have a saying – long shot, long rebound,” Saulin said. “When you’re jacking it up from 3 you just have to know you have to back up and get ready to box out and jump up for the ball. For them not playing so much in the paint it made it easier for us to score 2-pointers, made it easier for the whole team to score.”
Saulin wasn’t the only one clearing the boards. Peyton O’Brien, who spelled Saulin off the bench, grabbed 13 rebounds. The Eagles had 49 rebounds in the game.
“He was so noticeable out there,” Mecholsky said. “When Danny comes out and Peyton can control the boards like that, that’s a big relief as a coach. Not only can he grab the boards, he starts the transition. He can turn and go.”
“I just try to contribute the best I can,” O’Brien said. “It feels good just to know I contributed some way to the win.”
The Clippers hit their only 3 of the first quarter with 2:13 left and it touched off a flurry that got them to 12-11 with a chance to tie. They missed the free throw on a potential three-point play, Saulin made a bucket on the other end and that started a 14-0 Pennsville run across two quarters that put the Eagles safely back in front for good.
“It’s an old cliché,” Mecholsky said, “the better team should win the game and tonight we were the better team.”
In most areas they were. One that left Mecholsky wiping his brow was the 24 turnovers charged to his team.
“We were incredibly lucky tonight that they didn’t shoot well; let’s be honest,” he said. “I didn’t see what Clayton shot from the field but we had 20-plus turnovers. How many games do you win when you turn the ball over 20 times? To have 24 turnovers you just start shaking your head and say all right we got one tonight.” PENNSVILLE 80, CLAYTON 66 CLAYTON (1-1) – Dillon Jones 3 1-2 8, Princeton Sackor 5 1-1 14, Nazir Davis 1 0-0 2, John Carter 1 0-0 3, Khamari Farley 7 0-0 17, Demetris Williams 4 0-0 8, Jon Cox 0 0-2 0, Cristan Scott 0 0-2 0, A’Shaud Hine-Pope 3 0-1 6, Nasir Carter 3 0-0 8, Jayden Prince 0 0-0 0. Totals 27 2-8 66. PENNSVILLE (1-0) – Mason O’Brien 1 0-0 3, Luke Wood 10 2-4 24, Cohen Petrutz 5 0-0 11, Chase Burchfield 7 0-1 14, Peyton O’Brien 2 0-0 4, Jayden Thomas 3 0-2 7, Malik Rehmer 0 0-0 0, Daniel Saulin 8 1-1 17. Totals 36 3-8 80.
Clayton
11
18
15
22 –
66
Pennsville
19
19
22
20 –
80
3-point goals: Clayton 10 (Jones, Sackor 3, J. Carter, Farley 3, N. Carter 2); Pennsville 5 (Wood 2, M. O’Brien, Petrutz, Thomas). Total fouls: Clayton 10, Pennsville 16.
SCHALICK 65, SALEM TECH 43: The Cougars won only three games a year ago, but got their new season off to a rousing start – 25-4 in the first quarter and 39-11 at halftime – and won their season opener for the first time since 2015.
Reggie Allen led the way with 17 points. Daniel Lis had 12 and Ryan Johnson had 10. Junior Nylan Sutton added five points for the Cougars, and had one of the night’s biggest highlights when he threw down the first dunk of his career in the fourth quarter.
“I think it is meaningful for our program overall,” Schalick coach James Turner said. “It’s nice to finally open up the season with a win and for these guys to carry that same winning mentality from one season to the next, which was what our goal was, and they did a good job today.”
The Cougars got off to what Turner called “a great start.” Their press forced several turnovers that led to some transition baskets and they held the Chargers without a field goal in the first quarter.
“The game plan going in was to put pressure on them and try to get up early,” Turner said. “We tried our best to keep them from getting set in their offense.”
The Cougars didn’t secure their first win last season until after the first of the year. It’s the earlier they’ve gotten a win since beating Collingswood at home on Dec. 15, 2018 – Turner’s second game as their coach.
The last time they opened a season with a win, they beat Clearview 57-42 in 2015 and went on to go 22-8. They’ve won 22 games the previous five seasons combined.
“I think it was just a little bit of a relief, to say OK we got that first win out of the way, we got that first game out of the way,” Turner said. “I’d just say it was a feeling of relief because of what we’ve gone through the last few years.”
Salem Tech’s Antoine Robinson led all scorers with 19 points.
SCHALICK 65, SALEM TECH 43 SALEM TECH (0-1) – Antoine Robinson 5 8-11 19, Chase Wills 3 2-4 9, Josh Muntz 1 0-0 3, Tyler Zampino 1 0-0 3, Haneef Frisby 3 0-0 6, Joseph Hayes 0 1-4 1, Gio Holmes 0 0-0 0, Daviontae Russell 1 0-0 2, Chase Ayers 0 0-0 0. Totals 14 11-19 43. SCHALICK (1-0) – Reggie Allen 6 2-6 17, Daniel Lis 5 1-3 12, Sherrod Jones 1 0-0 2, Justin Iacona 0 0-0 0, Nylan Sutton 2 1-4 5, Nasir Sutton 3 2-9 8, Ryan Johnson 4 2-2 10, Jordan Johnson 2 1-2 5, Jake Siedlecki 2 0-0 4, Jase Volovar 1 0-1 2. Totals 26 9-27 65.
Salem Tech
4
7
20
12 –
43
Schalick
25
14
8
18 –
65
3-point goals: Salem Tech 4 (Robinson, Wills, Muntz, Zampino); Schalick 4 (Alllen 3, Lis). Fouled out: Frisby, J. Johnson, Siedlecki. Total fouls: Salem Tech 21, Schalick 21.
PITMAN 69, PENNS GROVE 41: Some days you play well and some days you learn well. Red Devils coach Damian Ware hopes his team is learning to see what takes to play at a high level because they’ve seen those teams that do twice since practice began.
The Red Devils got their second dose of it Friday and the Panthers put their skill and experience together to show them how the other half lives.
“For our guys the difference in the game was the intensity of the game,” Ware said. “It was actually a good learning lesson and that’s why I told the guys. I said now you see what it looks like to be a contender. If you want to be a contender this is the level you have to play to.”
They got a taste of it last week when they played Egg Harbor Twp., but that was a scrimmage so when they came up short in that one it was no harm, no foul. Friday night’s game counted in the standings.
Penns Grove was in it early and only trailed 15-12 after the first quarter, but then Pitman’s Elijah Crispin and Michael Fisicaro started hearing up and the Panthers started pulling away. Crispin hit three 3s from NBA range and the lead started to grow. It was 16 at halftime, 25 after three quarters.
Crispin led all scorers with 17 points. Fisicaro had 15. Crispin hit three 3s, Fisicaro hit four. Meanwhile, Penns Grove was 0-for-16 from behind the arc.
Roman Gipson led the Red Devils with 13 points off the bench and he may have earned himself a promotion.
“He’s the first sub off the bench, he’s our sixth man, which actually might change,” Ware said. “I might put him in the starting lineup, we’ll see.
“In two of the three scrimmages he came off the bench and did some work there. I’m trying to give guys a little bit of rope to see what they do, but when these young guys come up ,you can’t deny them. You’ve got to let them play.”
The first chance for that possibility is Saturday when they play Lindenwold in the nightcap of their own Red Devil Classic. Pitman opens the event against Burlington City at 11 a.m., followed by Salem and Woodbury. Both Penns Grove teams play in the evening session.
PITMAN 69, PENNS GROVE 41 PITMAN (1-0) – Porter Kostiuk 5-3-13, Stephen Devanney 4-1-10, Hudson Rue 4-0-8, Elijah Crispin 6-2-17, Chris Wyllie 2-0-4, Michael Fisicaro 6-1-15, Greg Petersen 1-0-2, Jake Epting 0-0-0, Trey Tinges 0-0-0. Totals 27-7-69. PENNS GROVE (0-1) – Roman Gipson 5-3-13, Camren Thompson 0-1-0, Giomar Conrad 2-8-12, Mehki Ballard 1-0-2, Willie Slocum 1-2-4, Brandin Robbins 2-0-4, KaRon Ceaser 2-0-4, Luis Colon 0-1-1. Totals 13-15-41.
Gloucester Catholic goes out fast against Woodstown to spoil Straughn’s coaching debut; Penns Grove pulls away from Clayton for county girls’ only win of the night
FRIDAY’S GIRLS SCORES Glassboro 44, Salem 29 Gloucester Catholic 69, Woodstown 41 Penns Grove 47, Clayton 38 Pitman 52, Schalick 14 Wildwood 64, Pennsville 30 Overbrook at Salem Tech
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
GLOUCESTER CITY – The moment she saw it on the schedule Kara Straughn knew her first game as the Woodstown girls basketball coach was going to be a tough one.
Straughn made her head coaching debut Friday night and it didn’t go well as the Rams handed her and the Wolverines a 69-41 loss.
“I knew it was going to be a tough game even if it wasn’t my first game,” Straughn said. “I was still going to have the same amount of nerves just because of who they are. They’re a team, a program, a coach … you cannot not honor and respect them as a whole.
“I knew it was going to be a difficult game because of who they are and going up there adds a whole ‘nother level of anxiety. I knew off the bat it was going to be a difficult game and we just didn’t match up.”
The Rams took advantage of their size and placed four scorers in double figures. Jazhara Green led the way with 17 points. Talia Schumate had 15, Jalyn Moore 13 and Julianna DiFebbo 12.
Talia Battavio led Woodstown with five 3-pointers and 17 points, but their next two scorers – Megan Donelson and Shannon Pierman – had 12 apiece. The Rams jumped out to a 21-11 lead in the first quarter and Woodstown just couldn’t put enough together to overcome the deficit.
“Matchup-wise it wasn’t there tonight,” Straughn said. “My girls played their hearts out, but we just couldn’t piece things together. We would get a couple stops and then we would throw the ball away sometimes. We just couldn’t put it all together.”
PENNS GROVE 47, CLAYTON 38: A veteran and a newcomer took over a close game in the fourth quarter and led the Red Devils to their opening-night victory
Jameelyonna Horace and transfer RaNiyah Wilson combined for 15 of their team’s 17 points in the fourth quarter as Penns Grove pulled away.
Horace knocked down two of her three 3-pointers and scored eight of her game-high 16 points in the fourth quarter. Wilson went 3-for-4 from the free throw line and scored seven of her 11 in the quarter.
The Red Devils held a 19-14 halftime lead, but the Clippers closed the margin to 30-29 entering the fourth quarter behind eight of Rainelle Blocker’s 13 points.
3-point goals: Penns Grove 4 (Horace 3, Dowe); Clayton 4 (Delaney 4). Total fouls: Penns Grove 3, Clayton 7.
WILDWOOD 64, PENNSVILLE 30: After enduring a 90-minute bus ride to the game, the Eagles had trouble getting on track and fell behind 46-14 at halftime.
The Warriors took advantage of the friendly confines to hit eight 3-pointers in the first half to open up their big lead. Leading scorer Macie McCracken (22) and Rebecca Benichou (13) both hit three 3s in the half.
Nora Ausland led Pennsville with nine points. She had the Eagles’ five points in the first quarter.
“They played in the South Jersey Group I championship last year (against Woodstown) for a reason; (coach Teresa Cunniff) has always had a solid program,” Pennsville coach Sam Trapp said. “They are a very good shooting team and executed man defense well, which we struggled against. We had several open looks, but could not finish at the basket.
“We are still figuring out who we are and what our strengths are as a team. Hoping to have a better showing and boost our confidence next week.”
GLASSBORO 44, SALEM 29: Tamia Smith (17) and Kezia Brackett (15) combined to outscore the Rams (0-1) themselves. Ava Rodgerss led Salem with 11 points.
Penns Grove boys ready for opener after running past Gloucester Christian in final scrimmage; PG girls come close to shutting out Pleasantville
TUESDAY SCRIMMAGE SCORES Girls Burlington Tech at Salem Penns Grove 72, Pleasantville 2 Woodstown 77, at Kingsway 43 Boys Penns Grove 73, Gloucester Christian 49
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
PENNS GROVE – It was their final scrimmage before a pretty good season opener. The hay is in the barn, so to speak, and Penns Grove coach Damian Ware said his team is ready to go.
The Red Devils went through their final tune-up of the preseason Tuesday and beat a Gloucester County Christian team with three regular-season games under its belt, 73-49. They open their season Friday against Pitman.
“It was the last dress rehearsal,” Ware said. “I saw what I needed to see. We’re tuned up.”
The scrimmage gave Ware one last chance to see a lot of combinations in game-like conditions without consequences to the record. There was a stretch when all the freshmen were on the floor. Another with all the seniors. The Red Devils gave the early minutes to the core group that will get the heaviest minutes during the season and won Monday’s scrimmage and it gave them a lead they never lost.
The Conquerors did pull within one late in the first quarter under a hail of 3-pointers, but then the Red Devils pulled back out and steadily pulled away. Shane Bradway did his best to keep the visitors in it – he led all scorers with 23 points – but Penns Grove was just too deep.
Giomar Conrad and Karon Ceaser led the Red Devils with 14 points apiece. Eleven of their 13 players who got in the game scored.
Freshman point guard Brandon Robbins didn’t score, but he gave them something more valuable from the position – the ability to run the offense, distribute the ball and not turn it over.
Ceaser made an immediate impact on the Red Devils’ football team in the fall as a freshman and Ware is hoping he has the same impact on the basketball floor. He had six points, a couple rebounds and a steal in the first five and a half minutes of the game after forced the Conquerors to take second timeout in less than a minute after his back-to-back buckets put Penns Grove up 13-5.
“He definitely will,” Ware said. “Ever since we started camp he’s shown me his ability to play, and it’s not even his natural skill, it’s his raw talent and athleticism, his quickness, his aggressiveness.
“He’s going to get 10-12 points a game just off run-out layups and steals and transition. I do expect him to make an immediate impact just as he did in football.”
The Red Devils open their season Friday against Pitman. The Panthers return to Penns Grove Saturday to open the Red Devil Classic, a four-game showcase that benefits the high school PTO.
The first session starts at 11 a.m. and features Pitman-Burlington City and Salem-Woodbury boys games. The 4:30 p.m. second session is a Penns Grove doubleheader with the girls playing Bridgeton and the boys playing Lindenwold.
PENNS GROVE 73, GLOUCESTER CHRISTIAN 49 GLOUCESTER CHRISTIAN – Sam Bishop 0 0-0 0, Ben Small 3 0-0 6, Brady Gesuh 4 0-1 10, David Dellarova 1 2-4 4, Andrew Field 0 0-0 0, Mike Perentozi 0 0-0 0, Shane Bradway 8 5-9 23, Jay Craig 0 0-0 0, Matt Pilla 1 4-7 6. Totals 17 11-21 49. PENNS GROVE – Mekhi Ballard 3 1-1 9, Khiry Higgs 0 0-0 0, Giomar Conrad 5 2-3 14, Luis Colon 2 0-0 4, Will Roy 1 0-0 2, Karon Ceaser 6 2-4 14, Camren Thompson 1 2-2 4, Jaden Sorrell 2 0-0 4, Brandon Robbins 0 0-0 0, Roman Gipson 4 1-1 9, Willie Sutton 2 0-2 4, Mr. Peterson 2 0-0 4, Naizan Spence 2 0-0 5. Totals 30 8-13 73.
Gloucester Christian
14
11
10
14 –
49
Penns Grove
17
17
17
22 –
73
3-point goals: Gloucester Christian 4 (Gesuh 2, Bradway 2); Penns Grove 5 (Ballard 2, Conrad 2, Spence). Total fouls: Gloucester Christian 13, Penns Grove 18.
GIRLS
PENNS GROVE 72, PLEASANTVILLE 2: A first-quarter basket was the only thing that stood between the Red Devils and a shutout.
Jameelyonna Horace led Penns Grove with 20 points distributed across the three quarters of the scrimmage. Ariana Dowe scored all 16 of her points in the first quarter and Raniyah Wilson scored all 13 of hers in the second quarter. It was 55-2 at halftime.
Cover photo: Penns Grove freshman Karon Ceaser (12) making as big an impression on the basketball floor as he did on the football field in the fall.
Pennsville’s Ausland makes a smooth transition to new team after transferring from Salem, could be Eagles’ final piece
MONDAY’S SCRIMMAGES Girls Pennsville 63, Palmyra 40 Penns Grove 30, Kingsway 30 (3Q) Boys Penns Grove 49, Kingsway 46 Woodstown 58, Maple Shade 29 Pennsville 50, Palmyra 46 (3Q) Bridgeton 68, Schalick 40
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
PENNSVILLE – Nora Ausland had a lot of time to think about her future after a broken foot prematurely ended her sophomore season last year.
She wanted a basketball team capable of winning that would appreciate the skills she would bring to the table. Pennsville coach Sam Trapp wanted that one piece that would complete her team and make it a contender.
The two wants merged at the intersection of William Penn Avenue and South Broadway, right up the road from where Ausland used to play.
Ausland has merged seamlessly into the Pennsville program after transferring from Salem. On Monday she scored 27 points with five 3-pointers to lead the Eagles past Palmyra 63-40 for their first preseason victory.
“I’m glad it wasn’t difficult (to transition) because I was really scared to come here,” Ausland said. “I didn’t think people were going to accept me having this new girl, she’s going to take over, whatever. I was really scared people weren’t going to like me because I’m just coming in, taking over their stuff, but that’s not the case at all.
“It was really easy coming in here. Everybody was really accepting. I feel like I’ve known them since I was little. They all care for me and want me to do good and succeed, which I’m very thankful for. The first day of school I was just everywhere by myself, but then people were coming up to talk to me. Now I have a bunch of friends.”
The 5-foot-10 junior forward has made an immediate impact on the Eagles, who have designs on challenging Woodstown for the Tri-County Diamond Division title this year. She scored 17 points in her scrimmage debut against Millville and had nine the next time out against West Deptford.
Had Monday been a regular-season game, the 27 she scored against Palmyra would have been the second-best game of her high school career.
Nora Ausland (L) has fit into the Pennsville girls basketball program nicely after transferring from Salem before her junior year.
In two seasons at Salem she had 462 points, 61 3-pointers, 305 rebounds and 101 blocked shots. She had 179 points, 76 rebounds and 33 blocked shots when she broke a bone in her left ankle in late January. The Rams already were in the midst of a losing streak when she got hurt and they lost seven of their next eight without her.
The time away allowed Ausland to think long and hard about what she wanted from the game.
“I didn’t really have a good year because I broke my foot and the team wasn’t the best; they didn’t really give enough effort to care to win,” she said. “I was tired of that because I wanted to play, I want to win.
“I was just looking around at other schools, like what’s close, what’s easy for me to go to and also a good team. Last year they (Pennsville) got fourth seed out of the 16 (in South Jersey Group I) so OK it’s pretty good, it’s pretty easy to come here, so that’s what I did. I came here.”
Her arrival certainly was welcomed by Trapp. Ausland brings a dynamic the Eagles haven’t had since Ryane Wood, their last 1,000-point scorer who graduated in 2022.
She completes a lineup that returned three starters – senior Bella Farina, Taylor Bass and point guard Marley Wood – and includes elevated reserve Isabelle Saulin. Wood had 12 points on four 3-pointers against Palmyra.
“She just really incorporates a lot more offensive threat for us,” Trapp said. “We needed to be able to balance that responsibility between all five players and it helps with another player who can score.
“I like that she brings that competitiveness to practice because now it’s somebody that’ll push other girls and she can get pushed by other people, so I think it’s a real key component that is helping all the way around.”
3-point goals: Palmyra 4 (Anderson 4); Pennsville 10 (N. Ausland 5, Belitsas, Wood 4). Total fouls: Palmyra 13, Pennsville 4.
PENNS GROVE 30, KINGSWAY 30: Penns Grove’s Raniyah Wilson, the other dynamic transfer in the county this year, returned to her old stomping grounds and although she wasn’t as sharp as she might have been for the occasion scored 11 points as the varsities played to a tie in three quarters of action.
Wilson is in her first year with Penns Grove after transferring from Kingsway, where she would have been the Dragons’ top returning scorer and rebounder this season. She had six points in the first half as the Red Devils grabbed an 18-16 lead.
“We started her against her old team and I don’t think she had her best game at all,” Penns Grove coach Jennifer Denby said. “She was a little nervous. I wanted as a player, even as a coach, for her to come in and let them know how much they miss her and tonight just wasn’t her night.”
Jameelyonna Horace led Penns Grove with 12 points, including two 3-pointers. She had half of the Red Devils’ points at halftime.
Kingsway hit a 3-pointer at the end of the third quarter to force the tie.
“In the beginning of the game it was a struggle,” Denby said. “It’s hard to play with one person on the floor and everyone else’s mind is not there. Right now we’re still looking for chemistry.”
The Red Devils scrimmage again Tuesday and then open their season Friday against Clayton.
3-point goals: Penns Grove 2 (Horace 2); Kingsway 2 (Valente, Archer). NOTE: Varsity played three quarters.
Boys
PENNS GROVE 49, KINGSWAY 46: After running through numerous combinations in the first three quarters, Penns Grove coach Damian Ware stuck with his Super Six in the fourth and they went on a 20-2 tear that carried the Red Devils to a come-from-behind victory.
The Red Devils jumped out 19-7 in the first quarter, but were outscored 37-10 over the next two quarters to fall behind 15. Ware got on his team before the fourth quarter began, subbed in his better athletes and off they went.
They started Mehki Ballard, Willie Slocum, Roman Gipson and freshmen KaRon Ceaser and Brandon Robbins and scored the first 10 points of the quarter. Giomar Conrad entered three minutes into the quarter and help the Red Devils close it out.
“We had a lot of good possessions in the third quarter, but a couple guys missed some layups; we make those layups it changes the third quarter,” Ware said. “In the fourth quarter I went with my main six guys. We just played our pressure defense and turned them over a lot with the main guys I feel are going to be the guys going forward.”
Conrad and Ballard led the Red Devils with 15 points apiece and combined for 13 points in the fourth quarter. Ballard, their best 3-point shooter a year ago (59 made), hit two of his three 3-pointers in the rally.
“I got on them in the third quarter and lit a little bit of a fire under them,” Ware said. “The fourth quarter they turned it up and played the type of defense I want to play. If we can bottle up what we did in the fourth quarter today, we’re going to be really good. It’s going to be tough to score on.”
3-point goals: Kingsway 4 (Hart, Tavares, Kuzmick 2); Penns Grove 6 (Conrad 2, Ballard 3, Ceaser). Total fouls: Kingsway 13, Penns Grove 9.
BRIDGETON 68, SCHALICK 40: Jameel Purnell led three Bridgeton scorers in double figures with 29 points and the Bulldogs were just too much for the Cougars on the glass.
Zikown Anderson (14) and Zamir Chance (10) also scored in double figures for the Bulldogs. Purnell and Anderson combined for 18 points in the first quarter. Nasir Sutton led Schalick with 10 points.
PENNSVILLE 50, PALMYRA 46: Luke Wood poured in 17 points and drew several charges and the Eagles moved a step closer to their Opening Night lineup, beating flu-ridden Palmyra in a scrimmage reduced to three quarters.
With a limited time to get something accomplished, the Eagles got off to a slow start, but they picked up the pace in their final two quarters to squeeze out the win. Wood and Cohen Petrutz both hit 3-pointers in the third quarter when Pennsville finally took the lead.
“Everything is coming together,” Eagles coach Joe Mecholsky said. “We’re starting to get the hang of it. I think last week I said defense is always ahead of the offense and now, T-minus four days (to the opener), we’re rounding into form.”
Regular season for basketball, wrestling gets underway for teams in Salem County for the week of Dec. 11-16; x-indicates scrimmages
MONDAY BASKETBALL Girls x-Palmyra at Pennsville, 4 p.m. x-Penns Grove at Kingsway, 4 p.m. Boys x-Kingsway at Penns Grove, 4 p.m. x-Maple Shade at Woodstown, 4 p.m. x-Pennsville at Palmyra, 4 p.m. x-Schalick at Bridgeton, 4 p.m.
TUESDAY BASKETBALL Girls x-Burlington Tech at Salem, 3:45 p.m. x-Penns Grove at Pleasantville, 4 p.m. x-Woodstown at Kingsway, 4 p.m. Boys x-Gloucester Christian at Penns Grove, 4 p.m.
SWIMMING Schalick vs. Millville at YMCA of Vineland, 3 p.m.
INDOOR TRACK Pennsville, Salem in SJTCA Meet, Toms River
BOWLING Salem vs. Salem Tech, Wood Lanes, 4 p.m.
WEDNESDAY BOWLING Salem Tech at Washington Twp., 4 p.m.
THURSDAY WRESTLING Palmyra at Pennsville, 5 p.m.
SWIMMING Salem vs. Pitman at GCIT, 6 p.m.
BOWLING Salem vs. Clayton, Bolero Lanes, 4 p.m.
FRIDAY BASKETBALL Girls Glassboro at Salem, 5:30 p.m. Overbrook at Salem Tech, 5:30 p.m. Penns Grove at Clayton, 5:30 p.m. Pennsville at Wildwood, 5:30 p.m. Schalick at Pitman, 5:30 p.m. Woodstown at Gloucester Catholic, 5:30 p.m. Boys Clayton at Pennsville, 5:30 p.m. Pitman at Penns Grove, 5:30 p.m. Salem Tech at Schalick, 5:30 p.m.
WRESTLING Pennsville in Howdy Duncan Invitational at William Penn, 4:15 p.m. Woodstown at West Deptford, 5 p.m.
SWIMMING Schalick at Camden Co. Tech, 3:30 p.m.
SATURDAY BASKETBALL Girls Audubon at Pennsville, noon Red Devil Classic Bridgeton at Penns Grove, 4:30 p.m.
Boys Pennsville at Deptford, noon Red Devil Classic At Penns Grove Pitman vs. Burlington City, 11 a.m. Woodbury vs. Salem, 1 p.m. Lindenwold at Penns Grove, 6:30 p.m.
WRESTLING Pennsville in Howdy Duncan Invitational at William Penn, 10 a.m. Penns Grove in Schalick Tournament (with Haddon Heights, Mainland, Oakcrest, Pt. Pleasant Beach, WW-P North, WW-P South) Woodstown in Delaware Valley (Pa.) Tournament
INDOOR TRACK Woodstown at Bennett Center, Toms River
Penns Grove boys look for answers against one of Group IV’s best, girls enhance Fab Five with dynamic freshmen, transfer
THURSDAY SCRIMMAGES Girls Penns Grove 67, Paulsboro 15 Salem at Bridgeton West Deptford at Schalick Camden Co. Tech at Salem Tech Boys Clearview 61, Schalick 30 Egg Harbor Twp. 78, Penns Grove 34 Paulsboro 50, Pennsville 40 Salem Tech at Camden Co. Tech
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
PENNS GROVE – Even if he does have a young team and is still looking for a permanent point guard, Penns Grove coach Damian Ware will never pass up a chance to scrimmage a team like Egg Harbor Twp.
The Red Devils opened their scrimmage schedule against the reigning South Jersey Group IV champions and 2023 state runner-up and lost 78-34 in a game that got away in the fourth quarter, but there’s a reason they play every year in the preseason.
“We were supposed to have one under our belt before today and that was against a Group I school, it just didn’t work out,” Ware said. “We scrimmage Egg Harbor every year. We’ve been doing this for the last six years because they are that level we want to attain.
“It’s like I told the kids just now, that’s the level we want to get to, to the point where everything is moving like clockwork. One thing they didn’t do out there, they didn’t miss their layups. We missed a gag of layups. If we make at least 10 of the ones we missed the score’s not that bad, but we’ve got to make our layups and we’ve got to not turn the ball over.”
The Red Devils faced the juggernaut with three returning players who have any appreciable varsity experience – Mekhi Ballard, Gio Conrad and Willie Slocum – and at times had four freshmen on the floor at the same time. They fell behind in each of the first three quarters, but rallied to get within three in the first and second quarters and five in the third before the Eagles pulled away.
“It totally showed me that the guys I put in the game were fighting back,” Ware said. “They played better than Egg Harbor’s second unit; that’s when we came back into the game. Those guys came off the bench and showed me something.”
The fourth quarter it was all Egg Harbor. The Eagles scored the first 19 points of the fourth quarter behind a barrage of 3-pointers.
Jalen Bell hit four 3-pointers in the game and led all scorers with 21 points. Jake Karp (15), Jayden Dixon (12) and C.J. Ford III (10) also scored in double figures.
But fortunately for the Red Devils they won’t see that on a regular basis when they get back into Group I.
“In Group I, we’ll be right there,” Ware said. “We’ll be one of the top teams in Group I. Just from what I saw today, I know we have the potential to be one of the top teams in Group I.”
The Red Devils could solve their turnover troubles by finding a point guard. Khiry Higgs, a senior playing his first year of basketball, could turn into the guy, or it could be a freshman who’ll need to develop on the fly.
The brightest spot of the entire exercise for Penns Grove was the play of Roman Gipson. Mostly a JV player last year, the sophomore led the Red Devils in scoring Thursday night with 12 points. He was their only scorer in double figures.
“I left him out on the floor a lot because he was one of the guys who showed me he wasn’t scared,” Ware said. “I’m looking for guys who are going to be dogs right now. Guys who aren’t scared, guys who are going to play well and play hard, and he was one of the main guys as a sophomore.”
3-point goals: Egg Harbor Twp. 11 (Bell 4, Karp, Reyes, Salsberry 2, Dixon 2, Ford); Penns Grove 1 (Gipson). Total fouls: Egg Harbor Twp. 20, Penns Grove 19.
PAULSBORO 50, PENNSVILLE 40: The Eagles moved a step closer to determining a starting five and rotation among their top seven players, but they’ve “still got to get it together” after dropping their second scrimmage of the preseason.
They did open an early lead for the second straight scrimmage, but were outscored 17-3 in the second quarter and played catch up the rest of the night.
Point guard Luke Wood returned to the floor after missing the first scrimmage and scored seven points in the first quarter, but had only two the rest of the game. Brooklyn-born transfer Jayden Thomas also had nine points. Payton O’Brien had eight.
“I was happy with our defense, which is always farther along than offense at this point,” Eagles coach Joe Mecholsky said. “Guys who had a rough start on Tuesday (against Triton) played much better.”
CLEARVIEW 61, SCHALICK 30: The Cougars haven’t won many games the past couple years, but they’re hoping the success and momentum of an historic football season can carry over to the hardwood.
The majority of players on the basketball roster were part of the football team’s undefeated run to the Central Jersey Group I championship game this fall and 19 wins over the last two seasons.
“You’ve got to have people who are used to winning, you’ve got to have people on the team who understand the culture of winning,” Cougars coach James Turner said. “When you understand your culture of winning it makes it easier to bring in that culture in the one program into the next.
“For the football program and before these last few years that culture wasn’t there, but thankfully we’ve had that culture in the fall sports all around, with all our fall sports, especially football, and we’re just hoping it finally can carry over into the winter programs as well.”
The key, of course, is picking up some wins early in the season to keep their spirits up and the momentum building. The Cougars have that chance as their first three regular-season games are against two teams that won only two games last year and a Woodstown team they claimed as one of their three wins.
But after being doubled up by the Pioneers Thursday Turner confesses they “have a lot of work to do.”
Nylan Sutton led the Cougars with 12 points. Reggie Allen had nine.
CLEARVIEW 61, SCHALICK 30 SCHALICK – Reggie Allen 4 1-2 9, Ryan Johnson 0 0-0 0, Jordan Johnson 2 0-0 4, Nylan Sutton 5 2-2 12, Nasir Sutton 2 0-0 4, Jake Siedlecki 0 0-0 0, Nyzier Wynder 0 0-0 0, Dan Lis 0 1-3 1, Jase Volovar 0 0-0 0. Totals 13 4-7 30. CLEARVIEW – Luke Andres 1 2-4 5, Kaprice Stewart 7 2-4 17, Dalton Phalines 3 3-4 9, Michael Guy 3 0-0 6, JD Steidle 1 2-3 5, Jonah Turner 3 1-2 7, Jake Slotter 0 0-0 0, Trevor Durkin 0 0-0 0, Luke Zuba 4 0-0 9, George Kritikson 1 0-0 3, Russ Manel 0 0-0 0. Totals 23 10-17 61.
Penns Grove girls coach Jennifer Denby plots strategy with her team during a timeout in their scrimmage with Paulsboro. On the cover, Damien Ware does the same with his Red Devils boys team against Egg Harbor Twp.
Not rebuilding, reloading
PENNS GROVE – It already returns a Fab Five that brought the team through the adversity of an ever-shrinking roster to the South Jersey semifinals, but add a dynamic freshman class that tasted victory as eighth-graders and a standout transfer with two years eligibility left and it’s easy to understand the optimism in the Penns Grove girls basketball program.
The Red Devils hit the court for their second scrimmage and crushed Paulsboro 67-15 for their first victory of the preseason.
The foundation of the team lies in the Fab Five starters who kept it together last year when it looked like their season was going to crumble around them. Coach Jennifer Denby brought in four fabulous freshmen who won a title as eighth-graders and welcomed Raniyah Wilson from Kingsway who would have been the Dragons’ top returning scorer and rebounder.
“I like the chemistry,” Denby said. “We have a lot of girls and different types of chemistry that we can put out on the floor.”
Every combination had a hand in the rout. Senior Jameelyonna Horace had 18 points, three 3-pointers and three rebounds. Among the newcomers, Wilson had eight points and seven rebounds, JaNiyah Cummings had 10 points and five boards, and Zoey Caesar had eight points and seven boards.
Overall, there was just a lot to like.
“I like the defense, I like them laughing and playing with each other and just out there having fun, and they’re coachable,” Denby said. “The five freshmen (she includes Wilson in the group because she’s a newcomer) we have are very coachable, which makes the coach’s job much easier.”
Salem County basketball teams go into first scrimmages with high expectations; Woodstown girls win in new coach’s debut, Pennsville boys fall, but remain optimistic
TUESDAY SCRIMMAGES Girls Schalick at Cumberland Christian Woodstown 61, Gateway 33 Haddon Twp. at Penns Grove Boys Gateway at Woodstown Triton 72, Pennsville 50
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
PENNSVILLE – The Golden Years have arrived in the Pennsville basketball program.
That’s what coach Joe Mecholsky calls these next two seasons, the next 50 games or so for his core group that has been together as freshmen and sophomores and now will be together as juniors and seniors going forward.
The start of the Golden Years didn’t start too well as the Eagles dropped their first scrimmage of the season Tuesday 72-50 to Group III Triton, but even with the results of the day they remain optimistic for the road ahead.
For the Eagles it’s all about those eight Diamond Division games they play later in the year. They won more games last season (10) than they won in the previous 2 1/2 seasons combined and made the Group I playoffs for the first time since their last 10-win season (2016), but that’s just the start of their progression. Next on their list of firsts is winning a division title, winning a playoff game and whatever comes after that.
“This is my golden generation,” Mecholsky said. “They were six sophomores last year, they were six juniors now and then we’re going to be six seniors next year, so we’re really focusing on these next 50 games rewriting the ledger and see if we can’t (make some history).
“Nothing less than a division champions, a division championship and making a deep run in South Jersey Group I. That’s our focus, anything less than that is … well, let the season play out and see what anything less than that is. If we make a run, that’d be great, but we’ve got to hang and division banner up in this gym. We’ve got the guys to do it.”
The Eagles looked good in spurts Tuesday. They opened a quick lead behind Cohen Petrutz’ hot 3-point shooting and then, after falling behind under the weight of their substitution patterns, climbed back to within seven early in the fourth quarter.
“It felt like a 50-50 game,” Mecholsky said. “The score didn’t indicate that but when you’re making subs in a scrimmage we throw the score out and we look at our defensive intensity and our rebounding. We had a lot of guys huffin’ and puffin’ out there so we gotta still work on our conditioning, but it’s coming together.”
The Eagles should look sharper when Luke Wood gets back on the floor. The junior point guard, who likely will reach the 1,000-point milestone before the calendar turns over, missed the scrimmage, but should return when the Eagles scrimmage Paulsboro Thursday.
“It’ll definitely make us better,” Petrutz said. “He’s a (big) part of our team. Missing him hurts us a lot. When he’s back it’ll make us even better.”
Petrutz hit three 3s in the first quarter, had six in the game and finished with a game-high 22 points. “I’ve been waiting all day for this,” he said.
Chase Birchfield, another junior, gives the Eagles another 3-point threat. Six-seven Daniel Saulin gives them size inside and Brooklyn-born transfer Jayden Thomas, who got a longer look with Wood unavailable, gives them a dimension they haven’t in a while.
“We’re on our way up,” Mecholsky said. “Everything is leading towards those eight big division games we have.” TRITON 72, PENNSVILLE 50 TRITON (72) – Leo Impoliazzo 8 0-0 18, Talen Walsh 3 6-6 14, Jayon Sanders-Cash 2 1-3 7, Major Tomco 0 0-2 0, Richie Kosma 2 0-0 6, Mike Campbell 0 0-0 0, Justice Avery 4 0-0 7, Yandel Santos 2 2-2 6, Kasir Baker 2 0-0 4, Josiah Grant 1 0-0 2. Totals 24 9-13 72 PENNSVILLE (50) – Cohen Petrutz 8 0-0 22, Chase Birchfield 2 0-0 5, Daniel Saulin 3 2-2 8, Peyton O’Brien 0 0-0 0, Malik Rehmer 0 0-0 0, Jayden Thomas 4 1-5 10, Carlo Merendino 0 0-0 0, Tyree Young 0 0-0 0, Mason O’Brien 1 0-0 2, Logan Hitt 1 0-0 3. Totals 20 3-7 50.
WOODBURY HEIGHTS – Sure, it didn’t count in the standings, but it was new Woodstown coach Kara Straughn’s first game under real conditions and she admittedly was nervous.
Straughn inherited a veteran team that has high expectations and they were still getting to know each other, and in that there were unknowns. She sent them on the floor for the first time Tuesday and it couldn’t have gone better for all concerned.
The Wolverines jumped out to a big first-quarter lead, held their hosts without a field goal into the second quarter and put their top three returning scorers in double figures while routing Gateway 61-33.
“I was nervous,” Straughn said. “Just kind of like that anticipation of all right we practiced and practiced and practiced, now let’s see if we can execute in a real situation.
“Me being a first-time head coach we’ve got all these ‘did we do enough, did we go over this enough,’ all the little things.”
Straughn changed the defense in the transition, putting Talia Battavio and Megan Donelson at the top so they can get out and run, and it produced 16 steals in the game and a 27-2 first-quarter lead. Battavio had 13 of her 20 points in the first with Donelson scoring 10 of her game-high 25. Donelson had five steals in the game, while three other players each had three.
Shannon Pierman had 10 points, 12 rebounds and a blocked shot, sixth-man Lauren Hengel had five points and eight rebounds, and Alyssa Baber, back after missing last season following ACL surgery, didn’t score but had four rebounds in two quarters of varsity action.
“It makes me feel a little better and kind of got the ball rolling for them that hey we can do this,” Straughn said. “It was a good first kind-of-like introduction to a real life situation.” WOODSTOWN 61, GATEWAY 33 WOODSTOWN (61) – Talia Battavio 8 3-4 20, Alyssa Baber 0 0-0 0, Megan Donelson 11 0-0 25, Shannon Pierman 5 0-0 10, Gianna Maiorini 0 1-2 1, Lauren Hengel 2 1-4 5, Brae DiGregorio 0 0-0 0. Totals 26 5-10 61. GATEWAY (33) – Angelina Zagone 8 3-3 21, Bella Fini 4 4-5 12, Gabby Gasis 0 0-0 0, Tabby Bay 0 0-0 0, Sydney Hughes 0 0-0 0, Rachael Summers 0 0-0 0, Maggie Eliasen 0 0-0 0. Totals 12 7-8 33.
Riverview Sports News 