True grit

Penns Grove soccer shows grit in extending longest winning streak since 2022; conditions impact the day’s schedule but Schalick weathers it

TUESDAY RESULTS
BOYS SOCCER
Schalick 7, Glassboro 0
Penns Grove 4, Overbrook 3
GIRLS SOCCER
Overbrook 6, Penns Grove 0
Salem at Pennsville, ppd.
Salem Tech at Pitman
Schalick 6, Glassboro 0
FIELD HOCKEY
Schalick 2, Glassboro 0
Gloucester Catholic at Woodstown
Salem Tech at Pennsville, ppd.
GIRLS TENNIS
Mainland at Woodstown, ppd.
Glassboro at Penns Grove
Pennsville at Overbrook, ppd.
Pitman 5, Schalick 0
Salem at Timber Creek, ppd.
CROSS COUNTRY
TCC Batch Meet at Salem Tech
Boys
Salem Tech 17, Clayton 44
Glassboro 16, Woodstown 39
Pennsville 28, Salem 29
VOLLEYBALL
Lindenwold 2, Salem Tech 0 (27-25, 25-16)

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PINE HILL – It was a long, wet bus ride back to campus after the match, but it gave the Penns Grove soccer team a chance to reflect.

The Red Devils outlasted Overbrook 4-3 Tuesday for their fourth straight win, their longest winning streak since 2022. You’ve got to go back before 2010 to find the last time they started a season 5-1 and the conversation they had on the ride back home attempted to put things in perspective.

“It just validates to guys that what we do in practice is working,” Penns Grove coach Mano Massari said. “We had a long talk on the bus that it’s a long season, they can’t get full of themselves. We know this is the hottest start we’ve had in a long time, but we’ve got to keep our heads straight, stay calm, keep doing our jobs and good things will happen.

“Be proud of themselves because it’s hard to win in this division. So far they’ve had a good start. Had some bumps in the road, but they can’t get full of themselves. They can’t get caught up in it, gotta stay hungry. All this does is validate what we’re doing is working, but we’ve got a lot of good teams on our schedule ahead. We’ve got to keep doing what we’re doing.”

Juan Ortiz scored two goals to lead the Red Devils, including the game-winner with about 15 minutes left in the match, and assisted on both of senior David Adu’s two goals. Ortiz has scored in all five of the Red Devils’ wins. They have won their last nine in which the junior has scored at least one goal.

“He’s a very skilled player; he elevates the team when he keeps his head straight,” Massari said. “He’s just got to keep grinding, keep working. He can be a force on the field if he keeps going in this direction.”

Penns Grove never trailed in the match, but the Rams matched every goal the Red Devils scored until Ortiz put home his county-leading 12th of the year for the game-winner.

“All the goals were really good goals on both sides,” Massari said. “It took everything out of my guys to win that game. I told them every time we get into a dogfight usually we come out on top. It says a lot about the grit of the team, but I said we can’t make a habit of it.”

SCHALICK 7, GLASSBORO 0: Luke Price scored two of the Cougars’ six first-half goals. Ryan Loper, Nolan O’Toole, Landon Anderson, Marco Spinnato and Grant Vanlier scored their other goals. All three of the Cougars’ wins have been by seven-goal margins.

Girls soccer

SCHALICK 6, GLASSBORO 0: Brooke Valentine and Kyleigh Cutler both scored twice as the Cougars erupted for five goals in the second half and remained undefeated (5-0). It’s their longest winning streak to open the season since going 6-0 to open the 2020 season. They were unbeaten in their first nine in 2022.

OVERBROOK 6, PENNS GROVE 0: Victoria Bupp scored a hat trick in the first half to reach 100 career points and Lilly LaFountain scored twice in the second half. Bupp also had three assists and LaFountain had two.

Field hockey

SCHALICK 2, GLASSBORO 0: The Cougars didn’t wait to the last-second to extend their winning streak, scoring both their goals in the first quarter. Luci Virga and Addi Shimp lit the lamp. It was the Cougars’ fifth win in a row. Their last two came on goal off a corner after time had expired and on a goal with 19 seconds left. The game was called at halftime because of the weather, but it’s official.

Cross country

WOODSTOWN – Glassboro put the first four runners across the line in a pack six seconds apart to lead the field in Tri-County batch meet at Salem Tech and was just too tough for Woodstown to catch in their head-to-head shakeout..

Woodstown’s David Farrell was the fastest Salem County runner across the line, finishing seventh overall in 16:32.61.

Salem Tech’s Levi Seals finished 22nd overall (17:48.78) and led the Chargers over Clayton, 17-44.

Pennsville’s Carter Marts was 28th and led the Eagles to a 28-29 win over Salem. The Eagles won it by going 9-10-11 in the head-to-head before the Rams posted their fifth counter. Gavin Cronrath was Salem’s fastest runner, placing 64th overall in 19:02.44.

Schalick was matched with Overbrook, but the Rams didn’t have enough runners to post a team score. The Cougars were led by Aidan Cain’s 18:16.69 (30th).

Woodstown’s Abby Marino finished fifth overall in the girls race (19:48.87). Pennsville’s Sawyer Slad was 19th overall (21:27.57). Helen Lillia was Schalick’s fastest (22:53.47, 40th). Abigail Vanaman led Salem Tech at 24:39.64. Kingsway put the first three runners across the line in the girls race.

Girls tennis

WESTVILLE — Schalick moved its match to RiverWinds to get it played in hopes of advancing its power points position on the cut-off date, but the Cougars came up short 5-0. The Cougars entered the day No. 11 in the South Jersey Group 1 power points standings.

PITMAN 5, SCHALICK 0
Ava Mollenhauer (P) def. Olivia Lunemann, 6-1, 6-1
Kendall Bennett (P) def. Sebrina Bradford, 6-1, 6-0
Mykaela Totora (P) def. Jasmine Hunt, 6-1, 6-2
Listella Eisenhardt-Delaney Pierson (P) def. Brooke Brown-Jasmin Perez, 6-0, 6-2
Anna Jones-Mia Gladney (P) def. River Wojcik-Janae White, 7-5, 7-5
Records: Pitman 9-4, Schalick 6-3

Hurdling Hernandez

Freshman leads Woodstown girls soccer to fourth straight win; includes all of Monday’s Salem Cou

MONDAY’S SCORES
GIRLS SOCCER
Woodstown 7, Audubon 1
Millville 6, Pennsville 1
Pitman 6, Salem Tech 0
BOYS SOCCER
Audubon 1, Woodstown 0
Salem Tech 1, Paulsboro 0
FIELD HOCKEY
Salem 2, Clayton 1
GIRLS TENNIS
Schalick 5, Penns Grove 0
VOLLEYBALL
Timber Creek at Salem Tech
COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL
Atlantic Cape 3, Salem CC 0 (25-6, 25-9, 25-6)

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

WOODSTOWN — Korynn Hernandez is thinking about going out for track this winter or spring. She’s never run the hurdles before, but she should consider it. She’d be pretty good at it.

Her game, of course, is soccer and she’s pretty good at that, too.

In a fortuitous blend of the two sports, the Woodstown freshman hurdled an Audubon defender at the top of the 18 box like Saquon Barkley, then planted her foot on the other side and fired a shot past a surprised goalie for her 11th goal of the season. It touched off a five-goal eruption over the next 26 minutes that carried the Wolverines to a 7-1 mercy-rule win.

It was their fourth win in a row.

“I don’t think I realized (she did that); I just kind of run and push as hard as I can until something develops,” she said. “At that moment I just got changed into attacking mid from wing, so I was coming from the outside and running in, so I think it’s easier to get the ball and go forward that way. That was a really good idea by my coach to switch me that fast.

“I also think I’m pretty good at checking my surroundings and Ive gotten better at that, so I think I was aware there was a girl behind me and as I turned in front of me, so I think as I was able to get that forward touch on the ball I was able to get over her because I knew she was there in advance.”

Seven different players scored for the Wolverines (5-1-1), the product of their unique rotation that allows opportunities to happen.

Hernandez had a hand in their first two goals. She assisted on the only goal of the first half when Genevieve Flynn headed home the freshman’s perfectly placed corner kick in the ninth minute. Then in the first minute of the second half she sent a quick shot into the middle that Sayumi Gonzalez got a piece of and Aubree Covely finished with her left foot, making it 2-0.

With a goal and three assists against the Green Wave, she now leads Salem County girls in goals and overall points by a wide margin.

“She’s definitely not a one trick pony; I mean she’s good at everything,” Wolverines coach Kieran Keyser said. “She works hard. She obviously can score goals; she has a natural knack to find the back of the net. She’s a good shot. She’s got some speed. She’s got some great skill. Positioning, she’s great. She kind of does everything you needed today. She played in four different positions today.

“The fact she can play anywhere and is so versatile helps us so much. “

Ellie Springer answered Covely’s goal three minutes later when she took advantage of a defensive breakdown and bounced a rebound the Wolverines should have cleared just over the reach of keeper Mazie Mazzoni. It ended a stretch of 335 minutes over five games without allowing a goal and cut the margin in half. But it also lit a fire under the Wolverines.

Hernandez followed with her hurdling goal five minutes later, followed by goals from Mariah Hyman, Hailey Kucharczuk, Bella Lucas and Gabby Maldonado. The game ended with 4:18 still to play.

“That was all credit to our team,” Keyser said. “We made a few subs, talked to our girls about staying home and sticking to our game plan. (The Audubon goal) probably helped us in sense because we realized the game was still a game. That gave us a little motivation to lock in and finish it out.”

MILLVILLE 6, PENNSVILLE 1: Freshman Bailey Hulse scored a hat trick in the second half and Naomi Burkhart scored twice for the Thunderbolts. Abby Marandola scored Pennsville’s goal in the second half.

PITMAN 6, SALEM TECH 0: Junior Elizabeth Heintz scored the first two goals of her career and Emery Sharpnack had three assists.

**Woodstown’s Aubree Covely (4) moves in on Audubon keeper Anna Gaspari. Top photo: Wolverines freshman Korynn Hernandez (8) is challenged by Audubon’s Luna Schields.**

Boys soccer

SALEM TECH 1, PAULSBORO 0: Josh Woroniak scored the goal and Aiden Bobo recorded his third shutout of the season.

AUDUBON 1, WOODSTOWN 0: Anastasios Novratidis scored in the last five minutes of the first half and a pair of Green Wave goalies kept the Wolverines out of the net.

Field hockey

SALEM 2, CLAYTON 1: The Rams (1-6) scored a goal in overtime to score their first win of the season.

Tennis

SCHALICK 5, PENNS GROVE 0
Olivia Lunemann (S) def. Valeria Torres, 6-0, 6-0
Sebrina Bradford (S) def. Clarisleidy Smith, 6-0, 6-0
Jasmine Hunt (S) def. Stephani Recinos, 6-0, 6-0
Brooke Brown-Jazmin Perez (S) def. Angelica Luna-Savannah Bazemore, 6-0, 6-0
River Wojcik-Janae White (S) def. Alexandra Pantoja-Jackelyn Garcia, 6-0, 6-0
Records: Schalick 6-2, Penns Grove 0-6.

County leaders

Here are the Salem County scoring leaders through Sept. 20

Goals

B SOCCER		G SOCCER		F HOCKEY
Juan Ortiz, Penns Grove	10	Korynn Hernandez, Woodstown	10	Luci Virga, Schalick	5
Nick DiTeodoro, Woodstown	5	Nicolette Bloomer, Schalick	6	Hayden Crispin, Salem Tech	4
Logan Pace, Salem Tech	5	Mackenzie Talarico, Schalick	5	Talia Guardascione, Woodstown	4
Ayden Ellis, Woodstown	4	Abby Marandola, Pennsville	4	Joey Foote, Woodstown	3
Jake Lewis, Woodstown	4	Sloan Marquette, Pennsville	4	Addi Shimp, Schalick	3
Josh Stecher, Schalick	4	Emily Miller, Schalick	4	Lexi Taylor, Woodstown	3
Sam Hassler, Pennsville	3	Hailey Kucharczuk, Woodstown	3	Polina Wright, Pennsville	3
Guy Quintanilha, Salem	3	Bella Lucas, Woodstown	3	Abigail Beals, Salem Tech	2
Marco Spinnato, Woodstown	3	Karlie Bakley, Schalick	2	Araya DiGregorio, Salem Tech	2
Ethan Cottman, Woodstown	2	Gianna Battista, Pennsville	2	Brooke Dillion, Woodstown	2
Prince Ledbetter, Penns Grove	2	Cecilee Bell, Schalick	2	Hazel Eachus, Salem Tech	2
Connor McQuade, Schalick	2	Karsen Cooksey, Pennsville	2	Molly Hurff, Woodstown	2
Don Mihomme, Woodstown	2	Kyleigh Cutler, Schalick	2	Ranae Scurry, Schalick	2
Aiden Milici, Woodstown	2	Arianna Dowe, Penns Grove	2	Lily Terrigno, Schalick	2
Stuart Mondragon, Penns Grove	2	Lyric Hayes, Salem	2	Paisley Warner, Schalick	2
Luke Price, Schalick	2	Abigail Leuuallen, Salem Tech	2
Tyler Robertson, Woodstown	2	Peyton Pratt, Salem Tech	2
Avery Reed, Salem Tech	2	Alana Press, Pennsville	2
Tyler Vanlier, Schalick	2	Allie Wentz, Salem Tech	2
Ricardo Vichi, Penns Grove	2

Assists

B SOCCER		G SOCCER		F HOCKEY
Marco Spinnato, Schalick	4	Kyleigh Cutler, Schalick	6	Margaux Lipovsky, Woodstown	4
Nick DiTeodoro, Woodstown	3	Cecilee Bell, Schalick	4	Luci Virga, Schalick	4
Josh Olbrich, Woodstown	3	Dalia Hahn, Woodstown	4	Araya DiGregorio, Salem Tech	3
Juan Ortiz, Penns Grove	3	Hailey Kucharczuk, Woodstown	4	Abigail Beals, Salem Tech	2
Bradley Heck, Woodstown	2	Karlie Bakley, Schalick	3	Ella Cheesman, Schalick	2
Justin Michaca, Pennsville	2			Brooke Dillion, Woodstown	2
Don Milhomme, Woodstown	2			Morgan DuBois, Schalick	2
Stuart Mondragon, Penns Grove	2
Josh Woroniak, Salem Tech	2

Points

B SOCCER		G SOCCER		F HOCKEY
Juan Ortiz, Penns Grove	23	Korynn Hernandez, Woodstown	21	Luci Virga, Schalick	14
Nick DiTeodoro, Woodstown	12	Nicolette Bloomer, Schalick	12	Hayden Crispin, Salem Tech	8
Logan Pace, Salem Tech	10	Mackenzie Talarico, Schalick	12	Talia Guardascione, Woodstown	8
Marco Spinnato, Woodstown	10	Kyleigh Cutler, Schalick	10	Araya DiGregorio, Salem Tech	7
Ayden Ellis, Woodstown	9	Hailey Kucharczuk, Woodstown	10	Joey Foote, Woodstown	7
Josh Stecher, Schalick	9	Abby Marandola, Pennsville	9	Lexi Taylor, Woodstown	7
Jake Lewis, Woodstown	8	Sloan Marquette, Pennsville	9	Abigail Beals, Salem Tech	6
Sam Hassler, Pennsville	6	Emily Miller, Schalick	9	Brooke Dillion, Woodstown	6
Don Milhomme, Woodstown	6	Cecilee Bell, Schalick	8	Margaux Lipovsky, Woodstown	6
Stuart Mondragon, Penns Grove	6	Bella Lucas, Woodstown	8	Addi Shimp, Schalick	6
Luke Price, Schalick	6	Karlie Bakley, Schalick	7	Polina Wright, Pennsville	6
Ethan Cottman, Woodstown	5	Gianna Battista, Pennsville	5	Hazel Eachus, Salem Tech	5
Josh Olbrich, Woodstown	5	Abigail Leuallen, Salem Tech	5	Ranae Scurry, Schalick	5
Avery Reed, Salem Tech	5	Allie Wentz, Salem Tech	5	Paisley Warner, Schalick	5
Tyler Robertson, Woodstown	5	Karsen Cooksey, Pennsville	4	Molly Hurff, Woodstown	4
Ricardo Vichi, Penns Grove	5	Aubree Covely, Woodstown	4	Lily Tarrigno, Schalick	4
Tim Koenig, Schalick	4	Arianna Dowe, Penns Grove	4
Prince Ledbetter, Penns Grove	4	Delia Hahn, Woodstown	4
Justin Michaca, Pennsville	4	Lyric Hayes, Salem	4
Aiden Milici, Woodstown	4	Giuliana Martin, Schalick	4
Tyler Vanlier, Schalick	4	Peyton Pratt, Salem Tech	4
Josh Woroniak, Salem Tech	4	Alaina Press, Pennsville	4

Saves

B SOCCER		G SOCCER		F HOCKEY
Ruben Torres Saenz, Penns Grove	71	JaNiyah Cummings, Penns Grove	60	Kelsey Cook, Pennsville	73
Lochlann Hooks, Pennsville	48	Ava Fredo, Salem Tech	42	Caroline Tighe, Salem Tech	39
Aiden Bobo, Salem Tech	37	Zoe Taylor, Pennsville	41	Kendall Higgins, Woodstown	29
Eddie Fuller, Woodstown	24	Mazie Mazzoni, Woodstown	21	Melissa Basilone, Schalick	20
Lou Coombs, Woodstown	15	Tiphany Fernandez, Salem	20	Jayonna Johnson, Schalick	15
Pavel Norberto-Castro, Salem	12	Eve Berger, Schalick	15
Nick Latona, Schalick	10	Isla Bohn, Salem	15

Standings

Here are the standings for the WJFL and Tri-County Conference and SJ Group 1 power points through Sept. 20

WJFL Football

DIAMOND	ALL	DIV	INDEPENDENCE	ALL	DIV
Schalick	4-0	2-0	Penns Grove	3-0	2-0
Overbrook	2-2	2-0	Woodstown	2-2	2-0
Paulsboro	2-1	1-0	Clayton	3-1	1-1
Pennsville	2-1	0-1	Woodbury	2-2	1-1
Salem	1-3	0-2	Buena	1-3	0-2
Burlington City	0-4	0-2	Pitman	1-3	0-2

TCC Boys Soccer

CLASSIC	ALL	DIV	DIAMOND	ALL	DIV
Clayton	2-3	1-0	Schalick	2-2	2-0
Pennsville	1-5	1-1	Penns Grove	4-1	1-1
Salem Tech	2-2	0-0	Woodstown	4-1-1	1-1
Glou Cath	0-5	0-1	Glassboro	3-2	1-1
Salem	0-1	0-0	Overbrook	2-2	1-1
			Pitman	2-3-1	0-2

TCC Girls Soccer

CLASSIC	ALL	DIV	DIAMOND	ALL	DIV
Pitman	2-2	2-0	Schalick	4-0	2-0
Pennsville	3-2	1-1	Woodstown	4-1-1	2-0
Clayton	2-2	1-1	Penns Grove	1-3	0-1
Glou Cath	2-3	1-1	Glassboro	0-5	0-1
Salem Tech	1-3	1-1	Overbook	1-3	0-2
Salem	0-4	0-2

TCC Field Hockey

CLASSIC	ALL	DIV	DIAMOND	ALL	DIV
Pennsville	2-3	2-0	Woodstown	4-1	2-0
Salem Tech	3-2	1-0	Overbrook	2-2	1-0
Glou Cath	1-2	1-1	Glass/Pit	2-1	1-1
Clayton	0-2	0-1	Schalick	4-2	0-1
Salem	0-6	0-2	Deptford	2-4	0-2

TCC Girls Tennis

CLASSIC	ALL	DIV	DIAMOND	ALL	DIV
Pitman	7-4	3-0	Woodstown	6-4	4-0
Pennsville	6-2	2-1	Schalick	5-2	2-1
Glassboro	3-4	1-2	Timber Cr	4-3	2-2
Glou Cath	0-0	0-0	Overbrook	1-4	1-3
Salem	0-5	0-3	Penns Grove	0-5	0-3

SJ Group i Power Points Standings

FOOTBALL	B SOCCER	G SOCCER	F HOCKEY	TENNIS
Schalick	Audubon	Schalick	Shore	New Prov
Paulsboro	Penns Grove	Gateway	Woodstown	Metuchen
Woodstown	Woodbury	Collingswood	PP Boro	Pitman
Del. Valley	Glassboro	Palmyra	W Deptford	Middlesex
Penns Grove	Gateway	Wildwood	Schalick	Woodstown
Pennsville	Haddon Twp.	Woodstown	Haddon Hts	Shore
Gateway	Palmyra	Haddon Twp.	L Cape May	Haddon Twp
Clayton	Woodstown	Riverside	Bordentown	Gateway
Highland Pk	Schalick	Pennsville	Rumson-FH	Wdbrdge Mag
Salem	Pitman	Audubon	Salem Tech	Roselle Pk
Shore	Wildwood	Woodbury	Haddon Twp	Pennsville
Audubon	Maple Sh	Pitman	Collingswood	Schalick
PP Beach	Riverside	CM Tech	Gloucester	Dunellen
Woodbury	Clayton	Clayton	Gateway	L Cape May
Manville	Pennsville	Maple Sh	Audubon	Edison Mag
Burl City	Salem	Paulsboro	Maple Sh	S River

SJ GROUP 2 — Boys Soccer: Salem Tech 13, Girls Soccer: Salem Tech 19; standings through Sept. 20; tennis cutoff Sept. 22.

This week’s schedule

Here is the Salem County sports schedule for the week of Sept. 21-26; all events 4 p.m. unless noted

MONDAY, SEPT. 21
BOYS SOCCER
Woodstown at Audubon, 3:45 p.m.
Salem Tech at Paulsboro
GIRLS SOCCER
Audubon at Woodstown
Millville at Pennsville
Pitman at Salem Tech
FIELD HOCKEY
Salem at Clayton
GIRLS TENNIS
Schalick at Kingsway
VOLLEYBALL
Timber Creek at Salem Tech, 5:15 p.m.
COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL
Atlantic Cape at Salem CC, 6 p.m.

TUESDAY, SEPT. 22
(Power points cutoff for girls tennis)
FIELD HOCKEY
Glassboro at Schalick
Gloucester Catholic at Woodstown
Salem Tech at Pennsville
BOYS SOCCER
Glassboro at Schalick
Pennsville at Salem
Penns Grove at Overbrook
Pitman at Woodstown
GIRLS SOCCER
Overbrook at Penns Grove
Salem at Pennsville
Salem Tech at Pitman
Schalick at Glassboro
GIRLS TENNIS
Mainland at Woodstown, 3:45 p.m.
Glassboro at Penns Grove
Pennsville at Overbrook
Pitman at Schalick
Salem at Timber Creek
CROSS COUNTRY
TCC Batch Meet at Salem Tech, 3:30 p.m.
VOLLEYBALL
Salem Tech at Lindenwold

WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 23
VOLLEYBALL
Timber Creek at Salem Tech, 5:15 p.m.

THURSDAY, SEPT. 24
FOOTBALL
Camden Catholic at Maple Shade, 6 p.m.
Haddon Twp. at Middle Twp., 6 p.m.
Hopewell Valley at Allentown, 6 p.m.
Riverside at Florence, 6 p.m.
Gloucester at Cinnaminson, 6 p.m.
Williamstown at Cherry Hill East, 6:30 p.m.
Delran at Seneca, 7 p.m.
FIELD HOCKEY
Glassboro at Pennsville
Overbrook at Woodstown
Salem at Salem Tech
Schalick at Deptford
BOYS SOCCER
Clayton at Salem
Gloucester Catholic at Salem Tech
Schalick at Pitman
Woodstown at Penns Grove
GIRLS SOCCER
Penns Grove at Woodstown
Pitman at Pennsville
Salem at Clayton
Salem Tech at Gloucester Catholic
GIRLS TENNIS
Woodstown at Penns Grove, 3:45 p.m.
Glassboro at Salem
Pitman at Pennville
Schalick at Overbrook
COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL
Anne Arundel at Salem CC, 6 p.m.

FRIDAY, SEPT. 25
FOOTBALL
Buena at Woodstown, 6 p.m.
Burlington City at Pennsville, 7 p.m.
Cedar Creek at Camden, 6 p.m.
Mastery Camden at WW-Plainsboro, 6 p.m.
Pleasantville at Burlington Twp., 6 p.m.
Lower Cape May at Absegami, 6 p.m.
Vineland at Bridgeton, 6 p.m.
Atlantic City at Winslow, 6 p.m.
Gloucester Catholic at Wildwood, 6 p.m.
Glassboro at Holy Spirit, 6 p.m.
Delsea at Shawnee, 6 p.m.
Lindenwold at Palmyra, 6 p.m.
Rancocas Valley at Cherokee, 6 p.m.
St. Joe (Hamm.) at Highland, 6 p.m.
Sterling at Collingswood, 6 p.m.
Washington Twp. at Kingsway, 6 p.m.
Ocean City at Mainland, 6 p.m.
Paul VI at Willingboro, 6 p.m.
Hammonton at Oakcrest, 6 p.m.
St. Augustine at Millville, 6 p.m.
Eastern at Lenape, 6 p.m.
Northern Burlington at Pennsauken, 6 p.m.
Trenton at Hightstown, 6 p.m.
Pemberton at Clearview, 7 p.m.
Atlantic Tech at Egg Harbor, 7 p.m.
Notre Dame at Robbinsville, 7 p.m.
Haddonfield at West Deptford, 7 p.m.
Cherry Hill West at Moorestown, 7 p.m.
Audubon at Gateway, 7 p.m.
BOYS SOCCER
Salem at Salem Tech
GIRLS SOCCER
Camden Catholic at Schalick
FIELD HOCKEY
Oakcrest at Pennsville
GIRLS TENNIS
Salem at St. Joe (Hamm.)
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Salem CC at Army Prep, 6:30 p.m.

SATURDAY, SEPT. 26
FOOTBALL
Penns Grove at Woodbury, 11 a.m.
Schalick at Paulsboro, 11 a.m.
Overbrook at Salem, noon
Bishop Eustace at Haddon Heights, 11:30 a.m.
Bordentown at KIPP, noon
Lawrence at Nottingham, noon
Ewing at Princeton, noon
BOYS SOCCER
Schalick vs. Shore, 10 a.m.
CROSS COUNTRY
Schalick girls at Wild Safari Invitational, Six Flags Great Adventure
COLLEGE SOFTBALL
Salem CC at Chestnut Hill, noon

Mixed results on Saturday

Woodstown puts together “most complete game” in beating Woodbury, Pennsville blanked at Paulsboro

By Riverview Sports News

WOODBURY – When Woodstown was relegated to the WJFL Independence Division in the latest shuffling of teams, it meant the Wolverines were headed into a brave new world of teams they hadn’t been used to playing. They seem to be adjusting just well, thank you.

The Wolverines, forever fixtures in the Diamond Division before the realignment, won their second straight game in their new division Saturday, overrunning Woodbury 34-8.

“Any win’s a good one,” Woodstown coach Frank Trautz said. “We’re happy to be 2-0 in the division, but there’s still a lot of football to be played.”

And they’re tied for first with Penns Grove, another Diamond Division stalwart that got moved down to the Independence Division.

Trautz called the game against the Thundering Herd the “most complete game we’ve put together” so far this season. Quarterback Mason Middlemiss ran for one touchdown and passed to Andrew White for another, Ty West ran for two touchdowns and Cole Ware scored at the end of a steady drive. Ware also intercepted a pass. They led 15-0 after the first quarter, 21-0 at halftime and 28-0 entering the fourth quarter.

“We got back to playing tough, disciplined, physical football today and when you’re able to do that and you’re not committing penalties it’s going to put your in position to win games, and that’s really what I was happy to see today,” Trautz said. “We had a really good week of practice. The kids wanted to get that taste out of their mouth from last week. They just played their butts off today, really executed the gameplan well, the defense is flying around. This puts us back on the right track.”

Woodstown	15	6	7	6-	34
Woodbury	0	0	0	8-	8

PAULSBORO 12, PENNSVILLE 0

PAULSBORO – Pennsville had been moving the ball at a pretty good clip this season, but Saturday the Eagles ran into a determined Paulsboro defense and hurt themselves with untimely penalties and suffered a 12-0 loss.

“It was a tough game,” Pennsville coach Mike Healy said. “Defensively they’re a tough team, but we didn’t help ourselves. We had penalties. We didn’t take care of little things.

The Red Raiders scored on a 97-yard touchdown play in the second quarter and a gave up another score in the fourth quarter after a long interception return.

The Eagles had a couple chances to score, but negative plays put them in long-yardage situations where the Red Raiders could just send the defense.

“It obviously was frustrating with how much offensively we’ve moved the ball this year, but they’re a really good team and defensively they fly around and make plays,” Healy said. “They’ve got some good kids there and we didn’t take advantage of our opportunities. If we don’t make mistakes we win that game, but when you play a good team like that you can’t afford to make mistakes like that.”

Pennsville	0	0	0	0-	0
Paulsboro	0	6	0	6-	12

Paulsboro’s Jeremiah Carr (3) lowers the boom on Pennsville’s Tristan Horner. Middle photo: Frank Damminger wraps up Pennsville’s Jake Layfield for one of his multiple sacks. Top photo: Paulsboro’s Paris Graves (1) runs through the Pennsville defense. (All photos by Lucky Shots)

WJFL scoreboard

Here are this weekend’s West Jersey Football League scores; scores will be updated as they become available

SATURDAY, SEPT. 19
Woodstown 34, Woodbury 8
Paulsboro 12, Pennsville 0
Audubon 36, Haddon Heights 0
Clayton 34, Buena 6
Glassboro 41, Cedar Creek 6
Hamilton West 35, Robbinsville 19
Mastern Camden at Holy Cross, 11 a.m.
Palmyra 43, Gloucester Catholic 0
Princeton 41, Hightstown 22
Riverside at KIPP, noon
Steinert 41, Nottingham 0
Pemberton 62, WW-Plainsboro 0
Winslow at St. Augustine, 6 p.m.

FRIDAY, SEPT. 18
Schalick 15, Salem 14
Penns Grove 38, Pitman 0
Overbrook 44, Burlington City 12
Bishop Eustace 16, Collingswood 6
Bordentown 28, Maple Shade 6
Burlington Twp. 26, Delsea 14
Camden 32, Ocean City 8
Camden Catholic 24, Florence 0
Camden Eastside 14, Moorestown 6
Cinnaminson 14, Cherry Hill West 7
Clearview 14, Deptford 6
Eastern 38, Northern Burlington 13
Gloucester 49, Triton 41
Haddonfield 21, Delran 13
Hammonton 27, Absegami 10
Holy Spirit 35, Mainland 6
Hopewell Valley 33, Ewing 28
Lower Cape May 48, Atlantic Tech 12
Middle Twp. 35, Wildwood 14
Millville 30, Kingsway 19
Notre Dame 50, Lawrence 0
Oakcrest 27, Egg Harbor 14
Pennsauken 28, Cherry Hill East 21
Rancocas Valley 36, Shawnee 6
Timber Creek 45, Highland 6
Trenton 49, Allentown 14
Washington Twp. 21, Atlantic City 19
Williamstown 28, Lenape 21

THURSDAY, SEPT. 17
Bridgeton 24, St. Joe (Hamm.) 6
Pleasantville 20, Cherokee 7
Riverside 22, KIPP 6
Sterling 19, Gateway 0
Lindenwold at Haddon Twp.
Vineland 35, Cumberland 6
West Deptford 22, Paul VI 7

Saenz a super stopper

Freshman keeper turns away penalty kick, scores his first career shutout as Penns Grove blanks Pennsville 3-0

THURSDAY SOCCER
Penns Grove 3, Pennsville 0

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

CARNEYS POINT – Mano Massari had a big problem. His all-star goalie had graduated, leaving a big hole on the back line of his Penns Grove defense.

He was just about resigned to promoting last year’s backup who had never played in a varsity game anywhere before and take his chances. Then, about a month before school started, a freshman named Ruben Torres Saenz showed up on his doorstep. Just like that, that backup plan was on permanent hold and the rest, as the world is discovering, is becoming history.

Saenz has proven in five games already to be a reliable replacement, some say even better than his predecessor at that age. He came up big for the Red Devils Thursday night, making 14 saves, surviving two penalty kicks and recorded his first career shutout in a 3-0 win over Pennsville.

“We lucked out with him, we really did,” Massari said. “I don’t think I’m being very biased by it: I think for a freshman he’s really solidified a tough position to play.

“I think we have a tough division historically, a lot of good teams, a lot of good coaches, and having a keeper you can depend on, especially at a young age who can contribute right away, is a blessing for anybody. So, I’m very blessed to have him.”

Of course the freshman has some big shoes to fill. Dwayne Guzman was one of the top goalkeepers in South Jersey and a big reason the Red Devils won 37 games over the last four years. He feels “very honored” and “very excited” to be the next in line.

“I know he was amazing; he was something,,” Saenz said. “I’m very glad to take the position since he left because he graduated. I feel very happy to be in his spot and very proud.”

Ironically, he was thisclose to landing on Pennsville coach Derek Foglein’s doorstep as he considered his options for high school. Ultimately, the family decided Penns Grove was more convenient to where they lived. It didn’t hurt that the goalie already had relatives on the Red Devils roster.

Saenz said he was just a “pretty meh” goalie in the Pitman Summer League as he prepared for his first high school season, but he worked at his it all summer and has turned into a stone wall on the goal line.

He has looked very much like the keeper he replaced, standing his ground without flinching even as opposing attackers came at him one-on-one. He made several acrobatic saves in his debut against Gloucester Catholic and he stoned several Schalick players in the first half of their game last week and was the reason that game stayed as close as it was at halftime. Massari called him the “one bright spot for us” in an otherwise 7-0 loss.

Massari said Guzman told him Thursday night the freshman was better than he was at that age.

“I saw him a couple times in the summer and I’ve seen really big glimpses of myself in him,” Guzman said. “He was scared coming into the first high school match, but I told keep everything calm, play simple and play what you can do. You can only do so much. I just told him he has to control what he can control. I only see really big things for him, really big things.”

While Saenz continually turned back the Eagles in the first half, he faced his biggest channel shortly before halftime when he found himself staring down the first penalty shot of his varsity career. He gave up two in the Pitman league, but said he learned from that experience. This time he turned away Sam Hassler, diving to his right and stopping the low shot at the post to maintain the Red Devils’ 2-0 lead.

He faced a second penalty shot midway through the second half and survived that as Justin Michaca banged a rocket off the crossbar.

“The first penalty, and I’m being completely honest, a teammate pointed at where he was going to go,” Saenz said. “I just went for it and I saved it with one hand and I felt very happy because that’s first penalty I saved in my high school season. I’m going to remember that one.”

Foglein is going to remember him, too.

“A keeper stopping a PK, the odds are against him, so I’m always going to give hat’s off to a keeper who stands tall on a PK,” he said. “I’ll be excited to see what he does for his next four years. He’s a great keeper already and he’s only going to get better as he gets better and better and more refined.”

NOTES: The Red Devils have won all five of their Homecoming Week matches under the portable lights in the football stadium (Pennsville, Gloucester Catholic, Pitman, Salem Tech, Woodstown) … Their goals Thursday were scored by Ricardo Vichi Torres in the sixth minute, Prince Ledbetter (17th minute) and Juan Ortiz (early in the second half)… Penns Grove has won three in a row and is 4-1 for the first time since 2017. Pennsville is 1-5 for the first time since 2023.

Penns Grove’s Juan Ortiz (10) tries to keep Pennsville’s Anthony Michaca from getting the ball during the first half of Thursday’s game. Top photo: Penns Grove freshman goalie Ruben Torres Saenz comes off his line to punch away a Pennsville threat.

Slaying a giant

Girls roundup: Schalick scores 1-0 victory over Group 3 Cherry Hill West; Bloomer scores, Berger saves

GIRLS SOCCER
Gloucester Catholic 6, Penns Grove 0
Schalick 1, Cherry Hill West 0
FIELD HOCKEY
Schalick 2, Delsea 1
Gateway at Woodstown
COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL
Salem CC at Morris

By Riverview Sports News

CHERRY HILL — One thing about the Schalick girls soccer program: The Cougars have never backed down from playing up in the schedule. It toughens them up during the season and gets them ready for post-season play.

Those bigger challenges have typically been a tough nut to crack, but Thursday the Cougars came through with a statement win, knocking off Cherry Hill West 1-0 in a battle of top 10 programs on the Lions’ Senior Day.

“It was great,” Cougars coach Will Kemp said. “I thought the girls really showed up today against a really good Cherry Hill West team, especially traveling here, it’s always difficult, especially playing on their turf. It was good.”

The undefeated Cougars (4-0) solidified their hold on the No. 1 spot in the South Jersey Group I power points standings. The Lions (3-2) remained No. 6 in the South Jersey Group 3 standings. Kemp can’t recall knocking off a similar quality larger classification team before in his tenure.

“It just allows them to see that they can overcome a lot of the bigger schools when they play against them,” he said. “In the past that’s been our Kryptonite when it comes to our seasons. Most of the time those are our losses on our records, but this time around they actually stepped up, they rose to the occasion and they played the beautiful game the way you’re supposed to play.”

Freshman Nicolette Bloomer scored the only goal of the match, finishing off a pass from Karlie Bakley midway through the second half. It was her sixth goal of the year. She has found the back of the net in every game this season.

Despite the low score, the Cougars’ dominated the play and their back line four of Emily Miller, Kassady Sickler, Ava Mayne and Brooke Valentine limited the Lions’ challenges. Schalick keeper Eve Berger recorded 11 saves in recording her third straight shutout and 21st over the last three seasons.

“Our back line was rock solid today,” Kemp said. “They handled business. They cleared their lines, prevented a lot of 1-v-1 situations, won their battles and did exactly what they were supposed to do together. We did a lot of defensive shape work this past work. It really showed inside this game.”

GLOUCESTER CATHOLIC 6, PENNS GROVE 0: Six different players scored goals for the Rams.

Field hockey

SCHALICK 2, DELSEA 1: Alexa Shimp brought the Cougars their third straight win when she scored the game winner off a penalty corner in the fourth quarter with time already expired. Paisley Warner scored their other goal. Goalkeeper Melissa Basilone made four saves and Ella Cheesman made a defensive save to keep the Crusaders out of the cage.

More driven than ever

Woodstown’s Hannah returns to site of harrowing hit determined to ‘rewrite history,’ includes Salem County statistical leaders

THIS WEEK’S GAMES
Friday’s Games
Salem at Schalick, 6 p.m.
Pitman at Penns Grove, 6:30 p.m.
Saturday’s Games
Woodstown at Woodbury, 11 a.m.
Pennsville at Paulsboro, 11 a.m.

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

WOODSTOWN – Rex Hannah has the tape. He hasn’t watched it in a while. Doesn’t want to see it. Doesn’t need to see it. He lived it. He doesn’t want to see it because it reminds him of one of the scariest experiences of his life – football or otherwise – but because it brings up memories of a loss.

It was a year ago this week the two-way Woodstown lineman was laid out on the field at Woodbury, knocked down by a blindside hit after the play as he was coming off the field. The crowd sat silently as trainers on the field worked to stabilize his head and neck. An ambulance waited nearby, rear doors open, ready to take him to a nearby hospital.

Ironically, Hannah and the Wolverines play the team that laid him out Saturday — 364 days after the incident – and as fate (and the new West Jersey Football League scheduling cycle) would have it, it’s back at Woodbury.

“I just remember waking up in the hospital; I was scared, I didn’t know what happened,” Hannah said before joining his teammates for a mid-week practice. “I really don’t remember the game, to be honest. I just remember waking up and having the great doctors with me and, of course, my family, my parents, who are my rock. Of course, it was tough because we couldn’t get it done and what happened. It was a hard day, but family is everything, so having them with me made it a lot better. It was just a rough day.”

The play occurred midway through the second quarter and the Wolverines were chasing Woodbury quarterback Nico Jimenez in the red zone. A broadcast of the game shows from just outside the frame Hannah appearing to take a front hit that knocked him backwards. The game was delayed nearly 20 minutes while medical personnel attended to him. He was said to have briefly lost consciousness on the field, but was talking and moving his extremities by the time he was transported from the field.

Wolverines head coach Frank Trautz called it a “scary moment … that I don’t wish upon any (player or coach) who ever has to do this.”

Hannah was released later that evening with a neck strain and a concussion that has the now junior cautious about his future in the game and long-term quality of life going forward. He returned to action in Week 7, but was re-concussed and remained sidelined for the rest of the season.

He holds no animosity towards the offending Thundering Herd player and was actually mad at himself for not having “protected myself better” and not being there for his team in the 42-6 loss. He is proud of the way he’s put it behind him and the way he’s worked all summer to get back for the season and this game.

The last thing he wants is for Saturday to be thought of as “my game” or take away from the team’s focus and goal for the game that has become important to both teams’ seasons. Still, when he gets to the stadium he’ll probably slip away for a quiet moment at the spot to recognize the anniversary of the hit that could’ve ended it all and his recovery from it.

“I’ve had dreams about it, getting off that bus and walking up that hill and getting into that gym,” he said. “Before the game definitely I’m gonna take a knee, take a little rest, think about how far I’ve come, how far I’ve worked and think about how I could’ve gave up.

“I could’ve sat in that hospital bed and went home and then gave up, but I didn’t and I pushed through. I’m just going to think about that and how I can help my team and what I can do to win. I’ll take it all in pre-game, think about what happened, but definitely take a breath, say a prayer, thank God for letting me still be here.”

Hannah is an intense player as it is, but the experience of last year’s trauma has made him more driven. In an interview during training camp he said ever since that date – and he specifically mentioned the date — he couldn’t wait for this season to get underway. He’s the Wolverines’ center responsible for setting the plays for a young offensive line and is a moving part on the defensive line. Even Trautz has noticed the lineman more determined to succeed.

“I did a lot of work outside football just finding myself,” Hannah said. “(The injury) made me drive a lot harder because nobody’s gonna lower how hard they go just because of whatever happened. It really flipped the switch for me that if they don’t care about you, you should play with that same intensity. Not everybody gets a chance to play football and it can always get taken away from you, so you’ve got to play with that intensity so you don’t get taken out.

“I love football. Football is my favorite thing is life, and to almost have that taken away from me at that spot it’s definitely a big deal (going back to Woodbury). I almost lost what I love there, but I just want to rewrite history, rewrite what happened, and hopefully make it a better ending than what happened last time.”

FUN FACT: Hannah’s given name is Abraxus Tristan, named after a family friend, who he’s never met, and his father. He said he only recently learned of the 1970 Santana album “Abraxas,” which carried the band’s hits “Black Magic Woman” and “Oye Como Va.”

Salem County leaders

Rushing

PLAYER	CAR.	YARDS	TD
Kenny Bartee, Schalick	30	423	7
Jaivon Thomas, Penns Grove	17	335	5
Cole Ware, Woodstown	47	255	o
David Stewart, Schalick	23	236	4
Cashmir Parsley, Salem	30	219	1
Terrell Thomas, Penns Grove	24	188	4
Ayden Jenkins, Schalick	20	157	1
Aidan Collazo, Pennsville	11	152	1
Tristan Horner, Pennsville	26	118	4
Mason Middlemiss, Woodstown	26	89	3
Adrian Alleyne, Salem	7	59	0
Savior Allah, Penns Grove	3	54	0
Kyvion Parsons, Salem	8	52	1
Freddie Allen, Schalick	8	49	1

Passing

PLAYER	C-A-I	YARDS	TD
Jake Layfield, Pennsville	60-98-2	744	8
Owen McDonald, Salem	10-22-2	105	1
Mason Middlemiss, Woodstown	8-18-4	76	1
Kenny Bartee, Schalick	4-14-0	45	0
Damien Robinson, Penns Grove	6-8-0	49	2
Kyvion Parsons, Salem	3-7-1	41	1

Receiving

PLAYER	NO.	YARDS	TD
Chase Johnson, Pennsville	23	374	4
Lucas Thomas, Pennsville	10	78	1
Jacob Kimani, Pennsville	8	112	1
Tristan Horner, Pennsville	8	43	1
Aidan Collazo, Pennsville	7	78	0
Jerry Wooton, Penns Grove	5	92	2
Ahmad Tucker, Salem	4	51	1
Gio Alicea, Schalick	3	56	1
KaiSiere Muhammad, Salem	3	49	0
Quimere Bergen, Salem	2	24	1
Nehemiah Carter, Woodstown	2	23	0
Dante Cummings, Pennsville	2	11	1
Evan Elliott, Schalick	2	10	1
Cole Ware, Woodstown	2	4	0

Defense

SACKS — 4.5: Myshion Barnes, Salem; 4: Omari Robinson, Penns Grove; 3: JaKai Ingram, Penns Grove; 2.5: Tony Merendino, Salem; 2: Kamal Chatum, Salem; Evan Elliott, Schalick; Mahkye Murray, Salem

INTERCEPTIONS — 4: Jacob Kimani, Pennsville; 2: Gio Alicea, Schalick; Jaivon Thomas, Penns Grove

Team Leaders

TEAM	RUSH	C-A-I	PASS	PF	PA
PENNS GROVE (2-0)	631	7-9-0	114	95	26
PENNSVILLE (2-1)	243	60-98-2	744	95	49
SALEM (1-2)	395	13-29-3	146	42	83
SCHALICK (3-0)	942	10-22-0	148	132	12
WOODSTOWN (1-2)	356	8-18-4	76	28	75