McDade passes for 4 TDs, intercepts a pair of passes and Pennsville rolls over Collingswood for fifth win in six games; turnaround gets them a home playoff game
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
COLLINGSWOOD – Robbie McDade is literally doing it all for the Pennsville football team this season and Friday night he basically did.
The senior quarterback, linebacker and special teams blocker threw four touchdown passes and had two interceptions as the Eagles swamped Collingswood 36-15 to finish the regular season with a winning record and presumptively procure a home game in the opening round of the South Jersey Group I playoffs.
Not bad for a team that started the season 0-3.
“We came in today and we executed in all three phases of the game,” McDade said. “The O-line played a great game and the receivers came up big and made big-time plays.
“Defensively, I had to step up and make big-time plays when we needed them most.”
McDade threw a pair of touchdown passes to Perry Meranti and one each to Adrian Alleyne and Kane Green. The touchdown throws covered 25, 43, 21 and 60 yards.
“He’s been coming back from surgery and his arm is getting better,” Eagles coach Mike Healy said. “It’s a huge difference that we can now throw the ball, push the ball downfield, compared to earlier this year.
“Obviously, we’re a running football team. Now we can take advantage of teams trying to stop the run and win some matchups. That’s gonna be a huge help.”
McDade’s first interception was as big a play as any of his touchdown throws. He stopped a potential go-ahead drive inside the 10 with the Eagles leading 14-8, Then he turned around on offense and directed a 95-yard drive that gave the Eagles a 20-8 halftime lead.
“Robbie doesn’t just play offense and defense, Robbie plays everywhere,” assistant coach Ryan Wood said. “He’s even a blocker on our kickoff team.”
“The only thing he’s not on is PAT and punt – and we don’t do much of either right now,” Healy said.
The Eagles went into the game ranked sixth in the South Jersey Group I power points standings and a projected 3-seed in the South Jersey bracket after a big jump the week before. The official GridironNJ UPR index won’t be updated until after Saturday’s games, but the Central Jersey Sports Radio projection that’s as good as any entity’s has them still sixth after Friday night’s results. (It also has Salem 9 and Schalick 13, but both play Saturday)
“The way we’ve matured offensively and defensively, we’re playing much better now; in a much better position,” Healy said. “Kind of the same thing we did last year, but this year we’re going to get a home playoff game out of it.”
Pennsville 36, Collingswood 15
Pennsville (5-4)
8
12
8
8-
36
Collingswood (5-4)
8
0
0
7-
15
SCORING SUMMARY P – Kane Green 60 pass from Robbie McDade (pass good) CO – John Antrilli 1 run (Semaj Trotman pass from John Antrilli) P – Perry Meranti 25 pass from Robbie McDade (run failed) P – Adrian Alleyne 21 pass from Robbie McDade (run failed) P – Perry Meranti 43 pass from Robbie McDade (Kane Green pass from Robbie McDade) P – Rylan Hardy 4 run (Robbie McDade run) CO – Terrance Goffney 34 run (Lino Bataloni kick)
Schalick projected the South Jersey Group I girls soccer top seed after beating Clayton; Woodstown eyes a home game after edging Pennsville; includes boys tennis, field hockey, tennis results
FRIDAY’S SCORES GIRLS SOCCER Woodstown 2, Pennsville 1 Schalick 4, Clayton 1 BOYS SOCCER Penns Grove 3, Wildwood 1 Pennsville 3, Gloucester City 0 South Jersey Coaches Tournament Shawnee 1, Schalick 0 FIELD HOCKEY Overbrook 3, Salem Tech 2 Woodstown 1, Gloucester Catholic 0 GIRLS TENNIS Woodstown 4, Cumberland 1
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
PITTSGROVE – The prospect of waking up Saturday morning as the No. 1 team in South Jersey Group I makes Schalick girls soccer coach Will Kemp smile.
The Cougars moved into the top spot overnight after taking down Clayton 4-1 Friday behind Emily Miller’s first career hat trick.
The TCC Diamond Division champions jumped over once-beaten Gateway in the sectional power points standings and if they hold their two-point lead through Saturday’s cutoff, they will earn their first No. 1 seed since 2018. They were No. 2 in 2024 and 2021.
“I’m quite sure we got it, it just switched up,” Kemp said after checking the standings. “It feels great. If that happens and that’s our official spot, it’s exactly where I believe we belong and then now it’s time to handle business because it’s the business end of the season.
“It’s something the girls deserve; they’ve worked hard all season. Being the No. 1 seed is not the end all, be all, but it sets us up nicely for the actual playoff run. It gives our girls that confidence boost that they actually need going into the playoffs.”
Miller scored all three of her goals on headers off corner kicks by Quinn Berger. Berger scored the Cougars’ other goal and with her five scoring points in the game she is now four points shy of joining Cali Fisler in the 100-Point Club this season.
“I think Quinn played the perfect ball and I was just in the right spot,” Miller said. “It’s worth the headache after the game.”
Miller isn’t as prolific a goal scorer as the other Emily Miller that roamed the pitch for the Cougars a couple years ago, but she sure knows how to use her head to get the job done. She ran through two defenders to win the header on her first goal. The second came by redirecting a rebound off the post and the third came after losing her mark and heading it home.
Berger, meanwhile, distributes it as well as she scores. The three corner assists Friday gave her 16 this season and 36 in her career. The goal, which came off a pass from Fisler and gave the Cougars a 3-1 lead, was her 13th of the season and 30th of her career.
“Quinn’s service today was phenomenal,” Kemp said. “I know she was striking the ball extremely well, whether it was in play or from a restart. And Emily Miller is probably one of our best players in the air; she loves going for any type of aerial challenge and she was consistent with winning the ball.
“Quinn continued to find her every single time, so it was just a great combination today. A mix of wanting to get the ball and wanting to get the ball to the right place.”
As the projected No. 1 seed, the Cougars would line up with a first-round game against No. 16 Penns Grove, but school officials have said the Red Devils were opting out of the playoffs. If they draw a bye, the Cougars’ first tournament game would be against the winner of the 8-9 game, currently Woodstown and Glassboro.
Whoever it’s against, as the No. 1, the Cougars will be home all the way through the sectional playoffs.
“It makes me feel great that we will be the No. 1 seed because I think home field advantage will be good for our soccer team,” Miller said.
Covely’s left is all right
WOODSTOWN 2, PENNSVILLE 1: Lia Covely found the upper left corner from the middle of the box with 9:12 to play to give the Wolverines a two-goal lead and they survived a late goal by Taylor Bass to win their first match since falling to Schalick in the division title match eight days ago.
Covely could’ve picked any corner when she got the ball on a throw in the dead center of the box, but chose the upper left to prove a point to her teammates.
“I saw the defender go for it and I knew I could beat her there, so I just got my foot on it, looked for the top left corner and that’s where it went,” Covely said. “They make fun of me for not knowing my left from the right.”
Covely has known right where to go in the last couple weeks. She has had three two-goals games in her last four, the best run of her career., and has scored from all three forward spots.
“It’s my team,” she said of her recent success. “I wouldn’t be able to score if it wasn’t for them. I just happened to be the one who finished today. We just really know how to work the field and I’ve been able to find the back of the net, which I have not in the beginning of the season, so we finally turned that around.”
The Wolverines needed the game to get some separation from the Eagles; the teams were ranked eighth and ninth in the South Jersey Group I power points standings. With the win, the Woodstown remained eighth – the final spot for an opening-round home playoff game – but closed to within 0.167 of a more favorable seventh. Pennsville dropped to 10th ahead of Saturday’s cutout date.
“An eighth seed is fine, “ Wolverines coach Kieran Keyser said. “We’re happy with having a home game, but I think that seed is not reflective of how our season has gone. We’re probably a little better than that, but that’s how it goes.”
The Wolverines dominated the play, but both teams’ defenses kept either team from getting an upper hand. Pennsville kept Woodstown’s threats at bay and Woodstown kept the Eagles’ attack from getting going.
Covely scored the first goal of the match on a bouncy ball she redirected that got away from Pennsville keeper Tatyana Crawford. She made it 2-0 in the second half.
“She’s one of the hardest workers we have in the field,” Keyser said. “It’s not just right place, right time; she’s making things happen for us.”
The Eagles closed to 2-1 on Bass’ goal with 5:10 to play. Her initial shot was stopped by Woodstown keeper Ellie Wygand, but the momentum of the play left the goal open and Delia Hahn came in to clear away the rebound.
But Bass flagged it down and the angle of her shot back towards the goal was just steep enough to catch the net inside the far post.
Boys soccer
SHAWNEE 1, SCHALICK 0: Cooper Adinolfi’s goal in the 77th minute was the only goal in the South Jersey Coaches Cup opening-round match. The fourth-seeded Renegades (9-4-2), the defending tournament champions, now play fifth-seeded Egg Harbor in the quarterfinals. The Cougars (12-3-9) are currently No. 2 in the South Jersey Group I power points standings going into Saturday’s cutoff.
PENNS GROVE 3, WILDWOOD 1: Stuart Mondragon, Juan Ortiz and Mario Fuentes scored goals for Penns Grove. The Red Devils (8-4-3) look solidly in command of a first-round home playoff game as they currently sit seventh in the South Jersey Group I power points standings going into Saturday’s cutoff.
PENNSVILLE 3, GLOUCESTER CITY 0: Justin Michaca scored three second-half goals to help the Eagles wrap up the TCC Classic Division title they clinched earlier in the week. Coen Rinnier made 10 saves in recording the shutout. The Eagles (10-6-2) are currently ninth in the South Jersey Group I power points standings, but are hoping to secure a home game going into Saturday’s cutoff.
Field hockey
OVERBROOK 3, SALEM TECH 2: Argenita Llugani, Amani Grace and Lucylaine Bannan scored goals as the Rams snapped a seven-game losing streak. Reagan Gillespie and Olivia Lydon scored for Salem Tech. The Chargers (8-5) are eligible for postseason play, but are currently 19th in South Jersey Group 2 going into Saturday’s cutoff.
WOODSTOWN 1, GLOUCESTER CATHOLIC 0: Estella Hitchner’s converted a pass from Zoe Lipovsky in the second quarter for the only goal of the game. The Wolverines (9-7-1) go into Saturday’s cutoff date No. 10 in the South Jersey Group I power points standings.
Woodstown to miss playoffs for first time since 2010 after 47-0 loss to projected No. 1 Glassboro, although coach believes it’s worthy; O’Connell sets Glassboro TD pass record in win
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
WOODSTOWN – Things will look a lot different around Clint Ware Field these next couple weeks than it has been at this time of year for nearly a generation of Woodstown football players.
For the first time since 2010 – before many of the current players were even born – the Wolverines will miss the South Jersey playoffs after ending their regular season Friday with a 47-0 loss to undefeated Glassboro.
It’s just been a tough season for the Wolverines (2-7). They came into the year with a young team as it was, having graduated another strong senior class that included the majority of their skill position players, and then were gutted by an historical spate of injuries.
They fell out of the top 16 of the power points standings for the first time since the inception of the OSI after their Oct. 9 loss to Haddon Heights and went into Friday night 20th in the South Jersey Group I rankings. They were last in the rankings after two games in 2018 under the old Born Power Index, but made the playoffs that year at 2-6.
“Our goal’s every year is to get to the playoffs; it’s disappointing, it really is,” Woodstown coach Frank Trautz said. “When you kind of look around at the whole landscape of football in South Jersey, I don’t think we should be out of the playoffs. Given, especially, the schedule we have played and everything, I think 100 percent we deserve a shot in the playoffs.
“I understand the system is the system and it is what it is. We’ve got to abide by it and that’s the situation. At the end of the day we’ve got to get more wins to get in. At the end of the day it’s on us. I’d love for these kids to get a shot to compete in the playoffs, but it didn’t work that way, but I’m super proud of them.
“We’ve got a lot of guys coming back and I think it’s going to be a special group. We’ll play our consolation game (likely Thursday) and hopefully try to end on a positive note.”
This Woodstown-Glassboro matchup has been one of the best games in the state the last couple years, but it wasn’t much of a contest Friday.
As if it needed any extra hype, amped by the season return of senior lineman Tyler Bright, the Bulldogs’ “stifling” defense smothered the Wolverines, holding them to minus-38 yards of net offense and one first down. That came on sophomore Mason Middlemiss’ 14-yard run in the third quarter, the Wolverines’ only play over two yards from scrimmage..
“Glassboro is a great team and we just tried our best to get the farthest we could on the field,” said Middlemiss, who played the whole game at quarterback with freshman Frankie Hoerst in concussion protocol. “Props to our line for battling. I’m really proud of them, especially Aiden (Taulane). He tried his best to protect me back there.”
“That’s one of the best front sevens you’re going to see in Group I, probably the best front seven you’re going to see in Group I football this year and they might be one of the best front sevens in most groups in New Jersey,” Trautz said. “I thought our kids fought, they were fighting and scrapping and clawing for every yard they could and that’s all we can ask of them.”
The Glassboro offense didn’t have it easy. The Wolverines held it to 139 yards and 19 points in the first half and made them look as uneasy as they did last week against Schalick. They fumbled away each of their first two possessions inside the Glassboro 25, but the Bulldogs only got one touchdown out of it and needed seven total plays in the two possessions to get that.
“It was best (effort) we’ve ever given; I was really happy about it,” said Taulane, who shut down several Glassboro plays in the first half. “Obviously, the score wasn’t too good, but it was a great defensive effort. It took everything. They just put us in tough situations.”
“That was the challenge for today, go out and fight and just keep fighting until you can’t do it anymore,” Trautz said. “The message was if you can do that for 48 minutes then you’re going to be able to look yourself and your teammates in the eyes and be proud of the job you did tonight. They answered. They came in and they were ready to fight and scrap.”
Bulldogs coach Timmy Breaker chalked up his offense’s balkiness to the learning curve that comes with getting comfortable with new plays and rotations for a long postseason run.
Glassboro quarterback Jack O’Connell threw five touchdown passes to break Sakeen Wright’s 25-year-old single-season school record for passing touchdowns (27); he now has 31, 49 in two years as a Bulldog.
He was 14-of-23 for 199 yards in the game, an NCAA-style passer rating of 205.29, 8-of-10 for 108 yards and three TDs in the second half. Amari Sabb and Xavier Sabb each caught two of the tournament passes and JoJo DeLecce ran for two scores. Amari caught six passes for 111 yards and had a 31-yard run.
“He did a great job today,” Breaker said of his quarterback. “Battled a little adversity in the beginning, but for him to battle back in that second half and have the game he did in the second half and lead that offense that was great to see. You don’t get to see that sometimes throughout the year, but to see it at the last game was beautiful because you’re going to the playoffs with that momentum. Tonight was a big night for him.”
It was the Wolverines’ fourth straight loss, by a combined score of 161-6.
Glassboro (9-0) has now won 22 in a row and is 30-2 since dropping back-to-back games in early 2023 – a run that started with a 13-7 overtime win at Woodstown. The Bulldogs are expected to be the overall No. 1 in the South Jersey Group I super section and the No. 1 seed in the South Jersey Group I playoff bracket.
Glassboro 47, Woodstown 0
GLASS
WOOD
12
1st Downs
1
9-100
Rushing
22-(-37)
14-23-0
Passing
1-5-2
199
Passing yds.
(-1)
0-0
Fumbles-lost
2-2
0-0
Punts-avg
3-20.3
6-40
Penalties
3-30
Glassboro (9-0)
13
6
14
14-
47
Woodstown (2-7)
0
0
0
0-
0
SCORING SUMMARY G – Amari Sabb 12 pass from Jack O’Connell (Sal Esgro kick), 6:38 1Q G – JoJo DeLecce 25 run (kick failed), 1:22 1Q G – Amari Sabb 43 pass from Jack O’Connell (kick failed), 8:33 2Q G – Mekhi Parker 9 pass from Jack O’Connell (Davon Barr run), 10:18 3Q G – Xavier Sabb 12 pass from Jack O’Connell (kick failed), 2:10 3Q G – Xavier Sabb 16 pass from Jack O’Connell (kick failed), 7:00 4Q G – JoJo DeLecce 19 run (Mekhi Parker pass from Jack O’Connell), 1:14 4Q
WJFL Standings
DIAMOND
ALL
DIV
Glassboro
9-0
5-0
Salem
4-4
3-1
Schalick
2-6
2-2
Woodbury
3-4
2-2
Woodstown
2-7
1-4
Penns Grove
0-8
0-4
PATRIOT
ALL
DIV
West Deptford
8-1
6-0
Paulsboro
7-1
5-1
Overbrook
6-3
3-3
Pennsville
5-4
3-3
Collingswood
5-4
2-4
Audubon
2-5
1-4
Camden Catholic
0-8
0-5
FRIDAY’S GAMES Pennsville 36, Collingswood 15 Glassboro 47, Woodstown 0 West Deptford 21, Overbrook 8
SATURDAY’S GAMES Clayton at Paulsboro Penns Grove at Salem Schalick at Woodbury
Harris nets two as Pennsville field hockey edges Overbrook to keep playoff hopes alive, Penns Grove boys soccer wins in OT to enhance position for a home playoff game, and more
THURSDAY’S SCORES FIELD HOCKEY Pennsville 2, Overbrook 1 BOYS SOCCER Penns Grove 2, Maple Shade 1 (OT) Audubon 1, Woodstown 0 (OT) GIRLS SOCCER Salem 6, Salem Tech 0 WJFL FOOTBALL Atlantic Tech 33, Egg Harbor Twp. 7 Burlington Twp. 21, Cinnaminson 0 Pennsauken 40, Clearview 6 Seneca 28, Willingboro 21 Shawnee 21, Hammonton 0 GIRLS VOLLEYBALL Timber Creek 2, Salem Tech 0 (25-11, 25-20) GIRLS TENNIS Schalick 3, Woodstown 2
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
PENNSVILLE – The Pennsville field hockey team had a lot to play for Thursday and it delivered on all counts.
The Eagles were playing in their final home game and wanted to send their seniors out on a good note. They also were playing for their playoff lives. And they were playing for their coach, Lisa Doran, a Pennsville Hall of Famer who missed the game for health reasons.
But they made good on all of it, beating a late-arriving Overbrook team 2-1. Kylie Harris scored both goals for the Eagles, slamming home the game-winner in traffic with 4:22 to play.
“They did it for a lot of reasons,” said assistant coach Cassandra Kirk, who ran the team in Doran’s absence. “They did it for the playoffs, they did it for the seniors and they did it for Coach Doran. She’s a huge missing piece right now I think the girls wanted to really step it up for her.”
“We all love Doran to bits and pieces,” Harris said. “She’s such an important person for me, in my career, so I wanted to do it for her. I wanted to do it for her, I wanted to do it for the seniors, for the underclassmen, to show them you don’t stop fighting. It was for everyone, especially for Doran, because she loves all of us to bits and pieces.”
It was a game the Eagles (7-8-1) had to have if they wanted any chance of making the playoffs. They entered the game holding the 16th and final qualifying spot in the South Jersey Group I field hockey power points standings, 0.975 points ahead of Paulsboro, idle through Saturday’s cutoff. The calculation after the win still wasn’t updated at midnight.
(As of Friday morning, the Eagles remained 16, but lost a few percentage points on their lead over Paulsboro.)
SJ GROUP i (thru Thurs.)
W-L-T
POWER
15. New Egypt
6-8-1
10.280
16. Pennsville
7-8-1
10.042
17. Paulsboro
5-9-1
9.121
If the Eagles hold onto the 16th spot through Saturday, they would draw projected No. 1 Shore Regional in the tournament’s opening round. They last made the playoffs in 2021, when they went in as an eighth seed and lost in the opening round.
“I do think with this win it can push us in there, or at least keep us there,” Kirk said. “We would love to keep our season going, especially for these seniors. They’ve worked super hard, so I know having an extra game will be really important to them.”
Harris has become quite adept at scoring since the Eagles moved her big stick to the front line from the top of diamond. She has scored all 13 of her goals this season since Sept. 23 and is now the Eagles’ leading scorer. The Eagles are now 4-2 this year, 10-2 during her career, in games she has scored a goal.
She gave Pennsville a 1-0 lead with a big shot with 9:40 left in the second quarter. She was able to swing both goals despite constantly being hawked by Rams’ junior Lula Bannon.
The Rams got the equalizer literally with no time left in the third quarter when Rosie Loibman scored after the Eagles failed to clear the zone on a corner that was set on the line with three seconds left in the quarter.
“That was a huge decision that we made and I really think it was pivotal for us,” Kirk said. “Kylie is amazing in circle and has great stickwork. Even during corners we thought she was the one who knows how to carry the ball and shoot, so we just figured let’s try it up there. I know that we need her in the backfield, but we also need her up front to score some goals.”
The best part is Harris is really enjoying it.
“I really like it – a lot,” she said. “It’s a lot of fun.”
Boys soccer
PENNS GROVE 2, MAPLE SHADE 1: Juan Ortiz scored a long-distance goal with less than three minutes left in the first overtime to give the Red Devils the win and possibly a first-round home game in the South Jersey Group I playoffs.
The Red Devils (7-4-3) were a solid No. 7 in the SJ Group I power points standings going into the match and beat a seven-win team that was No. 13 in the standings and remained there with one more game before Saturday’s cutoff.
If the standings remain as they are, the Red Devils would host Pennsville in the opening round. They haven’t had a home playoff game since 2022, when they host the first two rounds.
I think it would validate to this town, the community and my players that we belong at the top with the other top teams,” coach Mano Massari said of the importance of getting a home playoff game. “We’d have something other than my words telling them that they belong. Something to show for it. They deserve it.”
Prince Ledbetter gave the Red Devils a 1-0 halftime lead, also from long distance. They are 4-1-2 in their last seven games.
SJ GROUP I (thru Thurs.)
W-L-T
POWER
7. Penns Grove
7-4-3
18.573
8. Glassboro
7-10-1
15.117
9. Gateway
9-5-2
14.743
10. Pennsville
9-6-2
14.327
AUDUBON 1, WOODSTOWN 0: The teams went back and forth for nearly 100 minutes before the Green Wave (13-2-1) broke the ice on Aiden Stallard’s breakaway in the second overtime. The Wolverines (9-2-4) were headed to their fifth tie of the season before the golden goal.
Girls soccer
WOODSTOWN – Abigail Leuallen and Julia Hewitt Friebel each scored a pair of goals and Ava Robinson scored three assists as Salem Tech routed Salem, 6-0, to snap a four-game losing streak. Olivia Blais and Peyton Pratt scored the Chargers’ other goals.
Girls tennis
WOODSTOWN — Schalick won third-set tiebreakers at third singles and first doubles to edge Woodstown 3-2 and end its season with a victory.
Third singles Macy Clow and the first doubles team of Olivia Lunemann and Sabrina Bradford won their tiebreakers after dropping their second sets. Clow, in the final match of her high school career, held off Noelle Neron, 7-5, 1-6, 10-6, to clinch the victory and Lunemann-Bradford finally outlasted Madison LaPalomento-Emilee Kehr, 6-2, 4-6, 10-3.
Lunemann-Bradford lost both of their previous matches to the Wolverine pair in third-set tiebreakers.
Second doubles Sammi Twigg and Jasmine Hunt won the Cougars’ other point. Singles players Nathalie Neron and Alyssa Berry secured Woodstown’s points.
The win avenged a South Jersey tournament loss in which Woodstown won three of its four points in third-set tiebreakers. Clow took a third-set tiebreaker from Neron for Schalick’s only point of that match.
“Every member of our team put their heart and soul into (the) match,” Cougars coach Brandi Petrunis said on the program’s Facebook page. “Their perseverance and positive mindset shined through. We are so proud of our girls, both on and off the coach. Congratulations girls! Way to finish our season with a match we’ll never forget.”
Woodstown boys fourth in Tri-County XC Showcase, girls fifth; Wolverines’ Abby Marino finishes third in girls race; also includes tennis results
By Riverview Sports News
SEABROOK — The Woodstown boys by all accounts ran well in Wednesday’s Tri-County Conference Cross Country Showcase, just not well enough to overthrow the loaded field.
The Wolverines, the Salem County champions, put three runners in the top 20 and finished an expected fourth in the race at Cumberland Regional. They had the third-fastest team average in the field.
Jacob Marino led the Wolverines across the line with a 10th-place 16:35.47. Karson Chew finished 13th and David Farrell was 18th. The top 20 finishers received medals.
“I think we landed right where I expected,” Woodstown coach Steve New said. “We could have maybe done a little better, but sectionals is what matters.”
Woodstown’s girls finished fifth, with Abby Marino running third (19:41.62), the highest individual finish among all Salem County runners. Teammate Anabel Schaal was 17th.
Glassboro, with three of the top four finishers, won the boys title. Delsea won the girls crown.
Tri-County Showcase
BOYS TEAM: Glassboro 48, Highland 98, Timber Creek 115, WOODSTOWN 121, Kingsway 134, Washington Twp. 161, Delsea 180, Williamstown 207, Clearview 211, SCHALICK 236, Pitman 275, GCIT 284, SALEM TECH 341, Cumberland 371, Deptford 402, SALEM 431, PENNSVILLE 506.
Top finishers among other Salem County teams: PENNSVILLE – Boys: (90) Logan Cowperthwait 20:11.09; Girls: (23) Sawyer Slad 21:58.38. PENNS GROVE – Boys: (67) John Johnson 19:08.72. SALEM – Boys: (72) Gavin Conrath 19:14.73. SALEM TECH – Boys: (50) Levi Seals 18:24.74; Girls: (51) Paityn Harrington 24:28.63. SCHALICK – Boys: (22) Collin Bittle 17:27.50; Girls: (21) Helen Lillia 21:41.66.
Girls tennis
WEDNESDAY’S SCORES Woodstown 5, Glassboro 0 Salem 5, Overbrook 0
SALEM 5, OVERBROOK 0 Angelina Fothergill (S) def. Sophia Burgos, 6-1, 6-2 Tahirah Davenport-White (S) def. Isabella Sepulveda, 7-5, 6-2 JaNye Hubbard (S) def. Anne Mason, 6-2, 1-6, 13-11 Heaven Jones-McCullough-Erica Brewer (S) def. Sophia Perticari-Heaven Williams, 4-6, 6-3, 10-8 Evangeline Jimenez Barreto-Phoenix Holland (S) def. Liana Grant-Williams-Emma Acevedo, 7-5, 6-6 (10-7) Records: Salem 4-11, Overbrook 3-19.
WOODSTOWN 5, GLASSBORO 0 Nathalie Neron (WO) def. Alana Killelea, 6-0, 6-0 Alyssa Berry (WO) def. Alice Dinzeo, 6-0, 6-0 Noelle Neron (WO) def. Virginia Tarasevich, 6-1, 6-0 Madison LaPalomento-Emilee Kehr (WO) def. Sofia Dungea-Amani George, 6-3, 7-6 (8-6) Elliana Norman-Emma West (WO) def. Ijeoma Ufomba-Conception Soriano, 6-2, 6-1 Records: Woodstown 16-5, Glassboro 6-10.
Clayton stuns Pennsville girls with three goals in the final 8:30, gets game-winner with 1:12 left; Schalick’s Fisler hits 100 career points; Penns Grove’s Dowe nets four
GIRLS SOCCER Schalick 5, Pitman 1 Clayton 3, Pennsville 2 Overbrook 6, Salem Tech 0 Penns Grove 6, Salem 0 BOYS SOCCER Collingswood 1, Pennsville 0 Overbrook 3, Salem Tech 0
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
PENNSVILLE — Eight minutes might not seem like a lot of time to the people in the stands, but for the soccer teams on the pitch it can feel like an eternity.
For the team that’s ahead in the match, the time can’t go by fast enough to get to the victory. For the team that’s behind, there’s never enough time to catch up.
Pennsville’s girls came within nine minutes on its Senior Night Wednesday of moving closer to securing a home playoff game, but Clayton snatched that away, scoring three goals in the final 8:28 to stun the Eagles 3-2.
“Eight minutes,” Eagles coach Casey Slusher said. “The girls played hard, they really played hard. We’re coming off a game being really banged up, we had a lot of injuries and everything, and these girls really dug deep and played hard.”
Deondria Simon scored the game-winner with 1:12 to go, curling a long shot just over the outstretched reach of Pennsville keeper Tatyana Crawford and into the left side of the cage.
“Luck and some praying,” the Clippers’ 50-goal scorer said, explaining how she got such a long shot to go. “Honestly, our girls’ hard work, that’s how that ball went in. We did not give up, even when we were (down) 2-0, 15 minutes left in the second half, our girls just never gave up once.”
Nicole Lemon scored the Clippers’ first two goals. She got them on the board with 8:28 to play and notching the equalizer with 3:18 left when a Pennsville clearing attempt ricocheted off her body and into the goal.
“She just put her body on the line and it ricocheted off her head (and) went past the goalie,” said Simon, who took the initial shot into the box.
Seniors Taylor Bass and Kallie Morrison gave the Eagles (8-7) a 2-0 halftime lead and they had several other good scoring chances they just couldn’t get to go. Molly Gratz hit the left goalpost at the crossbar three minutes into the second half.
The Eagles went into the game ninth in the South Jersey Group I power points standings, three points behind No. 8 Woodstown for the final opening-round home slot, with No. 4 Clayton and Woodstown left before Saturday’s cutoff.
They remained ninth after the loss and actually closed the points gap on Woodstown, but even a win over the Wolverines Friday might not be enough for them to jump. The Eagles haven’t had a home playoff game since 2022.
Clayton (12-4), meanwhile, moved up to No. 3, just 0.31 points behind No. 2 Schalick.
“You always want a home game if you can; it’s just unfortunate for us,” Slusher said. “We have to have a lot of things fall in our favor. Not just our game, but I think other things would have to fall in our favor.”
Cali Fisler is the latest soccer player to join the Schalick 100-Point Club. She reached the milestone with a goal and an assist against Pitman. (Submitted photo)
SCHALICK 5, PITMAN 1: Cali Fisler added another milestone to her career when she surpassed 100 career points with a goal and an assist. Fisler, who set the Cougars’ all-time assist record earlier this season, scored her 28th career goal in the second half and reached the milestone point with her 48th assist on Olivia Vanacker’s final goal of the game. Quinn Berger had two goals and an assist and is now at 91 on the points list.
“Getting 100 points was definitely a huge accomplishment, not only on my part but it’s a total team effort,” Fisler said. “I couldn’t have done it without the girls I’ve been playing with my four years.
“It’s definitely not a feeling that will overcome breaking the assist record because that was something I had my mind set on for a while. However, getting 100 points is nothing short of an example of hard work, determination and excitement.”
PENNS GROVE 6, SALEM 0: Arianna Dowe scored four goals. They were the most goals in a game by a Red Devils player since A’Mani Taylor pumped in five against the Rams in 7-6 loss in 2022.
OVERBROOK 6, SALEM 0: The Rams (9-8) scored five goals in the first half.
Boys games
COLLINGSWOOD 1, PENNSVILLE 0: The Eagles’ bid to get a home playoff game took a hit when Steve Carrillo dropped a volley from outside the box into the bottom corner in the second half and they couldn’t get the equalizer. The loss left the TCC Classic Division champions No. 10 in the South Jersey Group I power points standings with one game to play before the cutoff (at 5-11-1 G2 Gloucester Friday).
Salem Tech blanks Absegami to assure a winning regular season, still in the running for a playoff berth FIELD HOCKEY Salem Tech 2, Absegami 0 Gateway 3, Pennsville 0 GIRLS TENNIS Pennsville 3, Schalick 2
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
GALLOWAY – Every first-year athletic program has a set of benchmarks it aspires to meet for a successful start.
They’re pretty easy early in the year – first game, home opener, first win. As the year goes on, they tend to become a little more complicated – winning season, playoff berth, things like that.
Salem Tech’s first-year field hockey program reached a pretty big milestone Tuesday. The Chargers blanked Absegami 2-0 to guarantee a winning regular-season record. They’re now 8-3 with three regular-season games remaining – all on the road.
They have beaten all three of the remaining teams on their regular-season schedule, two by shutout.
“Having a winning record in our first season means a lot,” coach Maureen Lewis said. “To see all their hard work pay off with wins is really rewarding. It shows what’s possible when a team plays together and has fun.”
The Chargers got goals from Hazel Eachus and Jessilyn Chambers and another shutout from Caroline Tighe. Chambers got the assist on Eachus’ team-leading seventh goal of the season with 3:10 left in the second quarter and then scored her fifth goal 4:16 into the third quarter.
The shutout was Tighe’s seventh of the season. After giving up 12 goals in their first four games of the season, Tighe has surrendered only two since.
“We started off a little slow, but once the girls settled in, they found their groove and played really well,” Lewis said. “They moved the ball nicely down the field and communicated well. We are proud of how they adjusted.”
The school started field hockey this year as part of an athletics expansion that includes baseball and softball in the spring. The new teams play as a Tri-County Conference independent until the next conference scheduling cycle, but are eligible for the playoffs.
At 8-3, the Chargers are No. 18 in the South Jersey Group 2 power points standings, less than one point out of the 16th and final qualifying spot for the tournament. All three of their remaining games come before Saturday’s cutoff.
They have the highest winning percentage of any SJ Group 2 team outside of the top five, playing a schedule designed to promote success. They’ve won six of their last seven.
“Being a first-year team it’s hard to say exactly where we’ll end up, but I couldn’t be prouder of the effort and growth we’ve shown,” Lewis said. “If we make the playoffs, that would be great. It would be a nice bonus to an already successful season.
“But no matter what, this is just the beginning. These girls have set the foundation for something special.”
GATEWAY 3, PENNSVILLE 0: Emma Mason had a goal and two assists as the Gators scored three times in the second quarter. Isabella Egenoff and Lucy Matthews had the other goals.
Here are the scores from Monday’s Salem County sports calendar GIRLS SOCCER Schalick 6, Penns Grove 0: Quinn Berger had two goals and two assists as the Cougars completed their third straight unbeaten season in the TCC Diamond Division. Berger scored the first and third goals of the game and assisted on Schalick’s two second-half goals. Pitman 6, Salem 0: Emery Sharpnack scored three goals and assisted on another for the Panthers. Woodstown at Pennsville Salem Tech at Gloucester Catholic FIELD HOCKEY Schalick 9, Deptford 0: Nine different players scored for the Cougars. Lena Virga and Ava Scurry each had a goal and two assists. Gloucester Catholic 3, Salem 0: Freshman Alana Bellan scored two second-quarter goals. Overbrook at Woodstown GIRLS VOLLEYBALL Salem Tech 2, Buena 0: Tiara Bazemore had 12 aces and seven assists to lead the Chargers. The set scores were 25-8, 25-13. GIRLS TENNIS Woodstown 5, Schalick 0 Pitman 5, Salem 0 Pennsville 5, Overbrook 0
Pennsville swamps Salem 7-1 to clinch its first boys soccer division title in 32 years and fourth all-time; set sights on a home playoff game
BOYS SOCCER Woodstown 1, Pitman 1 Schalick 4, Penns Grove 0 Pennsville 7, Salem 1 Gloucester Catholic 6, Salem Tech 4
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
PENNSVILLE – It isn’t often Pennsville coach Derek Foglein dresses up in a suit coat and tie for a soccer game, so it had to be a pretty special occasion for him to put on the ritz Monday night.
Usually, he reserves the sartorial splendor for the Foglein Bowl, the annual game between the Eagles and whatever team Foglein’s brother is coaching at the time. Well, the Foglein Bowl is on hold for the time being, so there had to be something else afoot.
Does the prospect of winning your first division championship in 32 years count?
The Eagles don’t have many soccer banners in the gym rafters, but they earned the right to raise another one in an historic Senior Night when they routed Salem 7-1 under the lights of Lou D’Angelo Stadium to win their first Tri-County Classic Division championship since 1993 and just the fourth all-time.
“Today in the circle before we started warmups I said I put on a shirt and tie for two reasons,” Foglein said. “No. 1, to look good for the seniors and No. 2 because we need to be professionals and we need to go to work. They went to work.
“Our seniors got a lot of joy and we get a lot of joy as a team because we did something that hasn’t been done in a long, long time and it feels really good. It was just a really positive night for soccer in Pennsville.”
Pennsville captains Coen Rinnier and Steve Fatcher hold the jersey that depicts the four division titles the Eagles have won over the years. They clinched their first in 32 years Monday night.
It had been so long, Foglein wasn’t even born the last time they did it. Assistant coach Joe Mecholsky was a senior on the 1991 team that won it before that.
Luckily, the players didn’t mess up the coach’s outfit, sparing him the traditional water bucket salute as they celebrated the title.
“I asked him in school today because he was looking all spiffy is is the full tuxedo and tie and dress shoes coming out for the game tonight,” senior stopper Steve Fatcher said. “He says we’ll see. So he pulls up and says I have two reasons to be going fancy, Senior Night and to win the division for the first time in 32 years. It got us real hyped up. It was what we needed, especially after the rough week we had.”
The Eagles cut their run to the title close. They were on the cusp of clinching after beating Wildwood 1-0, but the celebration kept getting delayed as they lost to Clayton and then tied Gloucester Catholic. Luckily, all they had to do was get past the winless Rams to claim the crown.
“I will say that that was not the way we intended to finish the season,” Foglein said. “This was a night-and-day performance from what I’d seen from them over the last two games and the performance that we needed to go after Collingswood on Wednesday, because that’s going to be an enormous game to determine if we get a home playoff game or not.”
They haven’t had a home game in the playoffs since the 2020 semifinals and haven’t had a first-round home game since 2017. They haven’t won a tournament game since 2014.
All four field-position seniors scored goals for the Eagles – and in the first 15 minutes of the match. Their fifth senior, goalkeeper Coen Rinnier, came within a penalty kick near the end of the 60-minute game of recording the shutout.
Trevor Hann got them on the board with his second career goal and first since 2023 on a breakaway in the seventh minute. Sophomore J.P. Laughrey made it 2-0 two minutes later, followed in quick succession by seniors Edwin Castaneda-Sanchez, (his career first), Fatcher and Danny Bunay Coronel.
“It’s felt amazing,” Hann said. “Scoring on my Senior Night, winning the division title for the first time in more than 30 years, I feel amazing. I never felt like this before. It feels amazing.”
Freshman Anthony Michaca made it 6-0 before halftime and set the stage for a 60-minute finish. Guy Quintanilha got the Rams inside the mercy threshold with a PK 3:49 before the deadline, but freshman Jhonny Medina made it a six-goal game again with his first career goal in the 59th minute .
Sixty seconds later, the celebration began.
“Coach Foglein wasn’t even born when that (last) happened,” Rinnier said. “Coach Joe was one of the last to do it. We’ve had him just cheering us on the whole way. He still remembers his whole team when he won and I think it’s going to be the same thing for us. He talks about how special it is and we’re going to see how special it is.”
Woodstown battles Pitman to 1-1 tie, but needed a win to share division title with Schalick; draw was the Wolverines’ fourth of the season and third in a row
BOYS SOCCER Woodstown 1, Pitman 1 Schalick 4, Penns Grove 0 Pennsville 7, Salem 1 Gloucester Catholic 6, Salem Tech 4
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
WOODSTOWN – The message to the Woodstown soccer team as it was about to start the second overtime was pretty straightforward: “We cannot tie and we cannot lose.”
The Wolverines just couldn’t get what they needed.
Most teams might accept a tie with a rival as a positive result, but the 1-1 draw the Wolverines got against Pitman Monday was neither the one they wanted nor needed.
It felt like a loss. With Schalick beating Penns Grove 15 miles down the road, Woodstown needed to beat the Panthers to grab a share of their first Tri-County Diamond Division title since 2014.
Instead, the tie – their fourth of the season and third in a row — left the Wolverines (9-1-4) one point behind the Cougars in the final division standings despite posting a winning record against them (1-0-1) during the season. They also had four ties in 2016.
“I feel like it feels more like a loss to this group of guys,” backliner Tommy Tucci said. “We came off the really good game against Schalick, keeping them to zero, and then came out here today really excited to hopefully get the win to keep the division. I think (the tie) feels more like a loss today.”
Both teams had chances, but both goalies and defenses turned them away. The Panthers finally broke through with 4:09 left in the half when Jonas Trum sent Trevor Leach down the right side and Leach shot it across into his left side of the net.
Landon Gugliemo got the equalizer with 9:11 left in regulation when Bryce Ayars’ shot went towards the left post and Gugliemo came crashing it and rifled back into the right side. But the Wolverines needed more.
While the Wolverines were clearly focused on their game at hand, they had an eye on the events 15 miles down the road and Schalick kept the pressure on from afar.
The Cougars grabbed a 1-0 halftime lead on the strength of Anthony Sepers’ penalty kick, then poured in three goals in the second half that left no doubt what the Wolverines had to do.
Steve Chomo headed home a cross from Mike Nelson to give Schalick a 2-0 lead, he assisted on Connor Jackson’s goal that made it 3-0, then closed the scoring later in the half. Evan Sepers made three saves in goal to record his eighth shutout of the season. The division title was Schalick’s third straight.
Both Pitman and Woodstown had good chances to win their game in the second overtime. With six minutes to go, Ayars got the ball in the box, stepped over a defender to create some separation but the keeper blocked his shot and the Panthers cleared the ensuing corner kick.
Three minutes later, Trum got past a defender down the right side and got in alone on the keeper, but Trey Markward stoned him to keep it tied. Both keepers, Markward and Pitman’s Joey Zubert, were credited with 13 saves.
“I just felt confident in myself and felt confident that God would give me the ability to make the save,” Markward said. “I kind of yelled way too loud basically at Him, then I apologized to Him.”
The match ended with the ball at Ayars’ feet in the Panthers’ box, but the double team on him kept him from controlling it and getting a shot.
“We came up a little short,” Woodstown coach Darren Huck said. “I know the way we play we’re going to keep games close and we did it today. We had the formation we wanted, we had we thought the guys in place to be successful. We just needed that one goal, that one more goal.”
There was a lot on the line for the Wolverines. Besides the division title, the teams were battling for the Orange Cup and it also was Woodstown’s Senior Day. The tie allowed the Wolverines to retain the Cup, having won last year’s designated game, but they no doubt would have preferred the bigger prize. Both Schalick and Woodstown had 15 standings points coming into the day.
“It’s terrible, not only for us, but for our seniors, too,” junior Nick DiTeodoro said. “This was their last chance. We all tried, we really wanted it. Even in the huddle, at halftime, before overtime, we were like this is our last time, this is our one chance. Coming up short just hurts.”
NOTES: It was the sixth tie in the history of the Orange Cup … The Wolverines had four ties in 2016 (6-12-4) … The teams considered an unofficial penalty kick shootout to decide the Cup (it would’ve still gone down as a tie), but dwindling daylight and the Senior Day program prevented it from happening … To show there were no hard feelings over the hard-fought result, Huck noticed the Pitman team still in the parking lot waiting on their bus to return and called them over to share in the Senior Day smorgasbord. “We got to share a little bit of a moment,” Huck said. “It was a little emotional.”
def. Mollie Willis, 6-1, 6-1
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