Here is the high school sports schedule for Salem County teams for the week of Oct. 14-19
MONDAY, OCT. 14 BOYS SOCCER Palmyra at Schalick Woodstown at Clayton, 11 a.m. GIRLS SOCCER Woodstown at Clayton, 1 p.m.
TUESDAY, OCT. 15 GIRLS TENNIS Salem at Penns Grove Wildwood at Schalick, 4:15 p.m. Group I Sectional Finals Pennsville at Pitman, Shertel Park, 3 p.m. Glen Ridge at Hanover Park New Providence at Highland Park Pascack Hills at Glen Rock CROSS COUNTRY TCC Batch Meet at Kingsway, 3:30 p.m. FIELD HOCKEY Deptford at Pennsville Glassboro at Salem St. Joe’s at Schalick BOYS SOCCER Salem at Highland GIRLS VOLLEYBALL Salem Tech at Cape May Tech
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 16 BOYS SOCCER Penns Grove at Pennsville, 3:30 p.m. Pitman at Salem Woodstown at Salem Tech GIRLS SOCCER Gloucester at Schalick Penns Grove at Paulsboro Salem at Pennsville, 6 p.m. Salem Tech at Woodstown GIRLS TENNIS Haddon Heights at Schalick Pennsville at Millville, 3:45 p.m.
THURSDAY, OCT. 17 FIELD HOCKEY Overbrook at Schalick Pennsville at Bridgeton Salem at Clayton Woodstown at Clearview GIRLS TENNIS Overbrook at Woodstown Penns Grove at Schalick Salem at Glassboro
Group I Final Four Mercer County Park Semifinals, 11 a.m. Championship Match, 1 p.m.
BOYS SOCCER Penns Grove at Pitman, 6:30 p.m.
FRIDAY, OCT. 18 FOOTBALL Pennsville at Lawrence, 6:30 p.m. Collingswood at Camden Catholic Glassboro at Schalick Paulsboro at West Deptford FIELD HOCKEY Egg Harbor Twp. at Woodstown BOYS SOCCER Clayton at Salem Tech Salem at Gloucester Catholic Schalick at Glassboro Woodstown at Overbrook GIRLS SOCCER Clayton at Salem Tech Gloucester Catholic at Salem Pennsville at Penns Grove Overbrook at Woodstown GIRLS TENNIS Pennsville at Salem, 3:45 p.m. Penns Grove at Pitman Schalick at Glassboro VOLLEYBALL Salem Tech at Triton
SATURDAY, OCT. 19 FOOTBALL Penns Grove at Woodbury, 10:30 a.m. Audubon at Overbrook, 11 a.m. Woodstown at Salem, noon GIRLS SOCCER Cherry Hill West at Schalick
Saturday football: Pennsville’s loss at Paulsboro turns on three big miscues in second half; Woodstown hits 6-0 for first time since 2013, but facing adversity
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
PAULSBORO – Pennsville came out for the second half Saturday brimming with confidence. After a flat first half and long halftime, they were convinced things were going to be different.
And they did start fast, getting two long touchdown bursts from Rylan Hardy to take their first lead of the game. Sure, it was only a two-point lead, but momentum was building on their side. Even their sideline sounded louder after the first score tied the game.
But then things went south. In a hurry. Like a Jenga tower when the wrong block gets pulled.
The Eagles gave up a big play and a touchdown on the next possession to lose the lead and then made three huge mistakes over the next five minutes of game clock they couldn’t recover from and lost to Paulsboro 36-24.
They gave up a 48-yard run to Sawyer Cabanas on the first play after Hardy’s 65-yard touchdown run and Robbie McDade’s conversion pass to Malik Rehmer gave the Eagles a 16-14 lead with 4:39 left in the third quarter. That eventually led to Aundre Hill’s second touchdown of the quarter to put the Red Raiders back on top.
But it got worse. It was still only a six-point game, but the Eagles mishandled a bouncing ball on the ensuing kickoff and Paulsboro recovered. They made the Red Raiders work for it, but Jahsir Johnson tossed a 2-yard TD pass to Jeremiah Carr on fourth-and-goal to stretch the lead.
On the next possession Hardy had a for-sure 47-yard touchdown run, but it was called back by a holding penalty. The Eagles started going backwards after that and then on fourth down they snapped a ball over the punter’s head for a 23-yard loss.
Paulsboro took over in the red zone and Cabanas eventually scored on a 1-yard run.
“You can call it bad luck, but you’ve got to make your own luck also in football, and we just didn’t do some things right today,” Pennsville coach Mike Healy said. “It kind of started compounding and we weren’t able to settle down and get control of the game again. We just kept making mistakes one on top of the other and that’s what happens.
“It’s frustrating but at the same time we put ourselves in that position by not playing well in the first half.”
The first half was kind of a snoozefest with very little action, but that changed in the second half. The teams traded touchdowns on the first four possessions and then it broke on the mishandled kickoff.
The play happened on the far side of the field and Healy didn’t get a clear look at it so he deferred comment except to chalk it up to cascade of mistakes that was to come.
“We’ve got to coach that up better,” Healy said.
The loss spoiled a big game from Hardy. The junior running back came to life in the second half and picked up 127 of his 145 yards rushing in the third quarter with runs of 28, 29 and 65 yards. And he was denied another 47 yards in the fourth.
Paulsboro, meanwhile, spread the wealth. KyAire Harvey rushed for 113 yards in the first half, including a 64-yard touchdown for the only points of the half. He finished with 193 yards rushing. Cabanas had 73 yards and Hill had 70.
The Eagles did salvage a bit of pride when they drove 45 and scored on Robbie McDade’s 9-yard touchdown pass to Malik Rehmer with just under a minute to play.
“I was glad to us playing there til the end,” Healy said. “Defensively we were still trying to get after kids. It’s frustrating all around, but it’s always good to see kids are still trying to move the ball and do what they’re supposed to do. You’re still to coach ‘em the whole time even when it’s in a situation like that.”
Paulsboro 36, Pennsville 24
PENN
PAUL
8
1st Downs
12
22-161
Rushing
40-343
6-11-0
Passes
5-8-0
67
Passing
29
2-1
Fum-Lost
2-1
3-28.7
Punts
1-25.0
7-45
Penalties
7-50
Pennsville (3-4)
0
0
16
8-
24
Paulsboro (5-2)
8
0
14
14-
36
SCORING SUMMARY PB-KyAire Harvey 64 run (Jeremiah Carr pass from Jahsir Johnson), 6:36 1Q PV-Rylan Hardy 29 run (Malik Rehmer pass from Robbie McDade), 7:18 3Q PB-Aundre Hill 30 run (pass failed), 5:36 3Q PV-Rylan Hardy 65 run (Malik Rehmer pass from Robbie McDade), 4:30 3Q PB-Aundre Hill 9 run (Jeremiah Carr pass from Jahsir Johnson), 1:10 3Q PB-Jeremiah Carr 2 pass from Jahsir Johnson), 10:21 4Q PB-Sawyer Cabanas 1 run (kick failed), 4:14 4Q PV-Malik Rehmer 9 pass from Robbie McDade (Robbie McDade run), 58.1 4Q
Woodstown backup quarterback Lucas Fulmer (2) watches starter Jack Holladay throw a pass in the first half against Haddon Heights. Fulmer directed the offense in the second half after Holladay got hurt late in the second quarter. (Photo by Ellen Sickler)
Wolverines win, but face adversity
HADDON HEIGHTS – Throughout his first season as Woodstown’s head coach, Frank Trautz has preferred to focus on the progress of his players and their team above any buzz their season-opening winning streak is creating.
The Wolverines won again Saturday, beating Haddon Heights 17-8 to reach 6-0 for the first time since 2013, but they’re about to face the first real challenge to that all-for-one mindset they’ve embraced.
Senior quarterback Jack Holladay suffered an upper body injury in the collarbone/shoulder area late in the second quarter and didn’t play the second half. The extent of his injury won’t be known until further evaluation Monday.
The Wolverines are currently tied with Glassboro for the WJFL Diamond Division lead and are the No. 1 team in the latest South Jersey Group I power points standings, meaning they would be a No. 1 South or Central Jersey seed for the third year in a row if the playoffs started today.
Holladay was in his first year as the Wolverines’ starter, stepping into the role following the graduation of his four-year starter cousin, Max Webb. In the first five games of the season he completed 17 of 35 passes for 325 yards and four touchdowns. He was 3-for-3 for 53 yards, including a 42-yard pass to Garrett Leyman shortly before getting hurt.
“I think you know what I’m going to say about (the winning streak) – we’ll enjoy the win, let’s get ready for next week,” Trautz said. “We’re just a complete team. We can do it in a lot of different ways. The kids just pick each other up and it doesn’t matter really who’s doing it. We find a way to get it done.”
With Holladay on the sidelines, the Wolverines turned to backup quarterback Lucas Fulmer to run the offense in the second half. The junior has been the Wolverines’ JV quarterback and his appearance in the second half was his first varsity action.
“In my opinion in sports that’s one of the toughest spots to go in as a backup quarterback,” Trautz said. “He handled the offense well. He got us in and out of the huddle, controlled everything. I was very proud of the way he handled himself out there today.”
Of course, the playbook shrunk “a lot” with Fulmer in the game and the second half became more about “grind it out and get the win any way necessary,.”
“Football is all about facing adversity,” running back Bryce Belinfanti told Brian Tortella of South Jersey Glory Days after the game. “That’s what we had to do is face adversity. It’s a football game and at the end of the day we still had to go out and win the second half.”
The Wolverines were leading 10-0 at the time Holladay got hurt. Belinfanti capped their first possession with a 2-yard touchdown run and Jake Ware kicked a 25-yard second-quarter field goal. Belinfanti rushed for 98 yards in the game.
It stayed that way until the final minute of the game when Bobby Donahue scored from two yards out. The Garnets returned the ensuing kickoff for a touchdown to avoid the shutout.
“That was huge to get that extra touchdown there at the end,” Trautz said.
If Holladay can’t go next Saturday at Salem Trautz has “complete faith” in Fulmer stepping up and doing the job. The 2013 team whose start this year’s team matched started 11-0.
“These guys play for one another and they pick each other up,” Trautz said. “I have no doubt if Jack can’t go next week then these guys will be ready to go.”
Woodstown 17, Haddon Heights 8
WOOD
HH
8
1st Downs
7
43-138
Rushing
25-35
3-3-0
Passes
5-8-1
53
Passing
11
4-20
Penalties
NA
Woodstown (6-0)
7
3
0
7-
7
Haddon Heights (1-5)
0
0
0
8-
8
SCORING SUMMARY WO-Bryce Belinfanti 2 run (Jake Ware kick) WO-Jake Ware 25 FG WO-Bobby Donahue 2 run (Jake Ware kick) HH-Camaj Matthews 75 kickoff return (Damier Outterbridge-Ali pass from Amare Ridley)
Lucas Fulmer (2) turns to hand the ball to Bryce Belinfanti in the second half against Haddon Heights. Belinfanti rushed for 98 yards in the game. (Photo by Ellen Sickler)
WJFL Standings
DIAMOND DIVISION
DIV
ALL
Woodstown (1)
3-0
6-0
Glassboro (4)
3-0
6-0
Schalick (6)
2-1
5-2
Woodbury (11)
1-2
2-4
Penns Grove (20)
0-3
1-6
Salem (23)
0-3
0-7
NOTE: Number in parenthesis is South Jersey Group I UPR power ranking through Oct. 12
THURSDAY’S GAME Glassboro 40, Cinnaminson 10 Delran 38, Penns Grove 8 FRIDAY’S GAMES Schalick 28, Gloucester City 21 West Deptford 58, Salem 19 SATURDAY’S GAMES Willingboro 43, Woodbury 30 Woodstown 17, Haddon Heights 8
PATRIOT DIVISION
DIV
ALL
Camden Catholic (NPB-3)
4-0
6-0
Paulsboro (5)
4-1
5-2
West Deptford (G2-13)
3-1
4-3
Pennsville (12)
2-3
3-4
Audubon (13)
1-3
2-3
Collingswood (G2-16)
1-3
3-4
Overbrook (G2-25)
0-4
2-4-1
NOTE: Number in parenthesis is South Jersey Group I UPR power rankings through Oct. 7 (G2-Group 2, NPB-Non Public B)
FRIDAY’S GAMES Audubon 7, Collingswood 0 West Deptford 58, Salem 19 SATURDAY’S GAMES Camden Catholic 41, Overbrook 6 Paulsboro 36, Pennsville 24
Here are scores and highlights from Thursday’s high school action involving teams from Salem County
BOYS SOCCER Schalick 2, Woodstown 0: Louis Sepers and Brad Foster scored the goals and keeper Ben Stengel made seven saves for the Cougars’ first shutout in the series since 2021. “This was the first time this group has shut them out, which is something we wanted to do,” Schalick coach Joe Mannella said.
Pennsville 3, Salem 0: Griffin Hern and Shane Puckett scored goals three minutes apart in the first half for the Eagles (8-6) and Evan Pessoa extended the lead seven minutes into the second. The victory matches the Eagles’ single-season high in coach Derek Foglein’s tenure; they were 8-10 in 2022.
Penns Grove 2, Glassboro 1: Edward Swank scored with nine minutes left in the second half to break a 1-1 tie. It was his second game-winner of the season. The Red Devils lost a 2-1 game to the Bulldogs earlier this year and lost a pair of 1-0 games to them last season. Goalie Dwayne Guzman made three big saves in the final 15 minutes to keep the game tied or preserve the lead.
Wildwood 6, Salem Tech 1: NuNu Bedderi scored three goals for the Warriors, playing their first game since losing to Schalick 3-2 in Cougars coach Joe Mannella’s 300th career win Oct. 2. Sophomore Christian VanTonder scored his first career goal for the Chargers in the first half.
SJ GROUP I POWER POINTS STANDINGS (Top 16 thru Oct. 10): Schalick (10-1), Audubon (9-2), Palmyra (9-3), Haddon Twp. (7-2-2), Woodstown (9-4), Riverside (7-4-1), Pitman (6-5-1), Wildwood (8-3), Maple Shade (7-4-1), Glassboro (5-5-1), Penns Grove (5-6), Gateway (5-7), Pennsville (8-6), Clayton (6-6), Woodbury (3-7), Buena (0-9-1).
GIRLS SOCCER Schalick 3, Woodstown 1: Quinn Berger scored twice and Olivia Vanacker scored once as the Cougars (9-2) won their fourth in a row and completed a season sweep of the Wolverines.
Pennsville 3, Overbrook 2: Riley Bowman had a goal and two assists as the Eagles opened a 3-0 lead and held on to avenge a loss to the Rams earlier in the season. Bowman assisted on goals by Kallie Morrison and Taylor Bass in the first half.
Pitman 6, Salem 0: Teagan Canna scored the first two goals of the match and the Panthers pulled away. Emery Sharpnack had a goal and two assists.
Glassboro 3, Penns Grove 0: Alana Figueroa, Marianna Dempster and Tamia Smith scored for the Bulldogs in the first half.
Wildwood 3, Salem Tech 2: The Warriors scored two goals in the second half to win. Goals by Ava Robinson and Julia Hewitt Friebel staked the Chargers to a 2-1 halftime lead.
SJ GROUP I POWER POINTS STANDINGS (Top 16 thru Oct. 10): Audubon (11-1), Schalick (9-2), Haddon Twp. (7-4-1), Riverside (9-4), Palmyra (10-2), Gateway (9-2), Woodstown (7-4-1), Clayton (7-3-1), Glassboro (6-3-2), Pitman (8-5), Maple Shade (3-7), Buena (6-6), Pennsville (4-9), Penns Grove (1-9-1), Wildwood (3-9), Cape May Tech (1-11). FIELD HOCKEY Schalick 4, Mainland 3: The Cougars jumped out to a 3-0 halftime lead and held on to remain undefeated (13-0). Luci Virga, Ava Marynowicz and Ava Scurry all scored in the first half. Caylen Taylor scored with 1:58 left in the third quarter after Mainland cut it to 3-2. It was the Cougars’ third one-goal win of the streak and sixth decided by two goals or less.
Gateway 5, Pennsville 0: Bella Fini scored a hat trick for the Gators (10-2).
Maple Shade 4, Salem 0: Sophia Weisler and Rachel Loomis each scored twice for the Wildcats. The Rams are winless in their last four with only one goal after starting the season 4-0.
SJ GROUP I POWER POINTS STANDINGS (Top 16 thru Oct. 10): Shore (14-1), Schalick (13-0), West Deptford (9-3), Haddon Heights (6-5-1), Gateway (10-2), Gloucester (8-5), Woodstown (8-3), Collingswood (5-5), Bordentown (5-6), Florence (5-7-1), Haddon Twp. (4-8), Salem (4-3-1), South Hunterdon (8-5), Lower Cape May (5-6-2), Audubon (6-4), Pennsville (4-7-1).
VOLLEYBALL Salem Tech 2, Gloucester Catholic 1: The Chargers won a tight third set to follow their first win of the season with their second in a row, 25-16, 23-25, 25-23. It’s the first time since 2021 they have won back-to-back matches.
Cori Farnkoph had 13 kills and eight aces. Tiara Bazemore had four kills, 13 assists and eight aces. Alan’s James had five kills and eight assists.
Second doubles clinches another playoff win as Pennsville tennis (15-0) edges Haddon Twp. for spot in sectional final
GIRLS TENNIS South Jersey Group I semifinals Pennsville 3, Haddon Twp. 2 Pitman 4, Gateway 1 Championship match Tuesday Pennsville at Pitman, 3 p.m.
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
PENNSVILLE — Dan LaMont gathered his Pennsville girls tennis team together before sending the players out for their biggest match of the year Thursday and he could tell there was something different about them.
The Eagles just had a certain look about them that somehow elevates the confidence their coach already had in them.
Then they took that look to the court and took down Haddon Twp. 3-2 in the South Jersey Group I semifinals.
The win sends them to play top-seeded Pitman Tuesday at Shertel Park in their first non-COVID sectional final since 2015, which also was the last time they won a sectional title.
“They had a certain look in their eye today,” LaMont said. “It was just a little bit more focused. They were just a little bit more understanding of what we were here for. I could just tell in our huddle it was a little bit different … so I’ve got to get that same look on Tuesday.”
For the second round in a row, the second-seeded Eagles (15-0) got the clinching point from the newly minted second doubles team of Morgan Holt and Naomi Hess. They won in straight sets, 7-6 (9-7), 6-3. They clinched the Eagles’ quarterfinal win over Schalick on Tuesday and are now 3-0 since being paired together.
The Eagles also got a point at No. 3 singles (Lily Edwards, 6-2, 6-2) and No. 1 doubles (Emma Cornette and Izzy Schrenker, 6-3. 6-2).
There were only two matches on the court at the end. Holt and Hess were up a set in their second doubles match. Regan Witt was down a set in her second singles match, but rallying in the second set to force a super tiebreaker. The race was on to see which match was going to decide it.
If Witt’s opponent held on, the match would be tied and it definitely would have come down to the new doubles team. If the doubles team won, the match would be clinched and the singles match was a pride point for the final margin.
Holt and Hess had a 5-2 lead in the first set of their match but Haddon Twp.’s Lily Steele and Olivia Fleming rallied to force a tiebreaker. The Eagles’ pair fell behind in the tiebreaker 6-4, then fought back to win five of the next six points to win the set.
“It was definitely scary,” said Holt, using her favorite word to describe the intensity. “It’s always scary. We just knew if we worked hard we had it. The first set was stressful because it didn’t need to happen – we should have had that – but winning it was really nice.”
And it put them in the best possible frame of mind for the second set, which they won easily, serving out the match at 5-3.
“Their composure is impressive,” LaMont said. “They’re handling it well. I think that’s going to serve them well as we go through.”
And while the outcome of the match was decided, Witt didn’t go out without a fight. She won the second set to force a super tiebreaker and had that tied early 3-3. Witt has been in either set or match tiebreakers in four of her last six matches and won three of them.
“Regan played tough out there,” LaMont said. “She’s grindy.”
Pennsville’s 15-0 start — it’s actually a 21-match winning streak going back to last year — matches the mid-season streak by the 2011 team that beat Pitman in the sectional final and went on to win the Group I state title. Their last loss was to Haddon Twp. 3-2 in last year’s sectional quarterfinals.
Just as LaMont saw something different in his team Thursday, he recognized something special about this team a few years back.
“I saw this team a couple years ago when I had the seniors as freshmen and I actually thought we could make a run,” LaMont said. “I’m not surprised (where they are). We put a lot of time in.
“We’re not the best tennis players. We’re not the most athletic team. But they just do some really good things.”
Here are Thursday’s other sectional semifinals Central Jersey Group I Highland Park 3, Hoboken 2 New Providence 5, Metuchen 0 North Jersey Group 1 Section 1 Glen Rock 4, Cresskill 1 Pascack Hills 5, Pequannock 0 North Jersey Group 1 Section 2 Hanover Park 4, Verona 1 Glen Ridge 3, Madison 2
Sectional Finals Tuesday Pennsville (15-0) at Pitman (17-2), 3 p.m. Glen Ridge (8-11) at Hanover Park (12-0) New Providence (5-7) at Highland Park (8-4) Pascack Hills (10-5) at Glen Rock (16-1) State Finals Mercer County Park, Oct. 17 Semifinals, 11 a.m. Finals, 1 p.m.
Wednesday’s sports report: Schalick field hockey (12-0) blanks Woodstown; Pennsville tennis (14-0) tunes up for semifinals with sweep
By Riverview Sports News
WOODSTOWN — Caylan Taylor capped a strong field goal with a third-quarter goal, Ava Scurry had a goal and an assist and Lydia Gilligan came up with another shutout as Schalick’s best-ever start hit 12 in a row Wednesday in a 2-0 victory over Woodstown.
The Cougars are now 12-0, besting their previous best start of 11-0 in 2020. They are one of only two remaining undefeated teams in Group I, one of four in the state and the only one in South Jersey.
The other remaining undefeateds are Madison (NJ G1), Northern Highlands (NJ G3) and East Brunswick (NJ G4).
“I’m not surprised, but I am surprised,” Schalick coach Heather Cheesman said. “I don’t want the girls to get too comfortable. They know they have to work hard every single game. We try not to focus on records. We just want them to work hard every game because when you relax, that’s when the other team swoops in and takes a win.”
Woodstown actually had the best of it early in the game, but Scurry broke the scoreless tie with her 26th goal of the season in the second quarter. Taylor gave the Cougars a 2-0 lead in the third quarter off an assist from Scurry.
“Caylan killed it,” Cheesman said. “She was getting back, everywhere the ball was when it was around here she seemed to pick it up. The field was tough to adjust to. She did such an amazing job.”
Gilligan again was steady in the cage. She made 10 saves in recording her third straight shutout and fifth of the year. She has allowed only three goals in her last seven games.
PENNSVILLE 2, GLOUCESTER CATHOLIC 1: Laura Tamberella and Sophia Marandola scored goals for the Eagles (4-6-1).
Girls tennis
Pennsville coach Dan LaMont was really glad his team had a match between its two South Jersey Group I playoff matches Wednesday to give his new doubles teams some work and they both came through with straight set victories in the Eagles’ 5-0 win over Haddon Heights. They host Haddon Twp. in the semifinals Thursday, 3 p.m.
Schalick’s Price on hot streak, Willoughby erupts for five goals in girls game, Salem Tech gets first volleyball win of the season, and more
BOYS SOCCER Schalick 7, Overbrook 1: Luke Price scored three goals and Anthony Sepers and Connor Jackson both had a pair of assists at Schalick. Price has scored eight goals during the Cougars’ current four-game winning streak.
Woodstown 3, Penns Grove 1: Blake Bialecki and Bryce Ayars scored second-half goals to snap a 1-1 tie and hand Wolverines coach Darren Huck career win No. 295.
Pennsville 3, Salem Tech 0: Shane Puckett, Sam Hassler and Evan Pessoa all scored and Coen Rinnier made seven saves in posting the shutout.
Salem at Clayton
GIRLS SOCCER Schalick 9, Overbrook 1: Abby Willoughby erupted for five goals and Gia Martellacci scored twice to lead the Cougars to their third straight win. Willoughby has scored nine goals against the Rams in two games.
Woodstown 4, Penns Grove 0: Talia Battavio, Blair Baldi, Emma Perry and Gina Murray all scored for the Wolverines.
Clayton 10, Salem 2: Diondria Simon and Ava Delaney both had hat tricks for the Clippers.
Glassboro 3, Pennsville 0: Amina Brown scored two goals and Tamia Smith had the other.
Salem Tech at Pitman
VOLLEYBALL Salem Tech 2, Highland 0: Cori Farnkoph delivered nine aces and Tiara Bazemore had four kills and nine assists to lead the Chargers (1-6) to their first win of the season, 25-16, 25-10. Valeria Camacho-Martinez had five kills and Alanis James had five assists. The Chargers didn’t win their first match last season until their 14th match.
Pennsville’s reworked doubles teams sweep to clinch undefeated Eagles SJ Group I quarterfinals win over Schalick; Woodstown eliminated by Haddon Twp.
South Jersey Group I Tournament Tuesday’s quarterfinals No. 3 Haddon Twp. 3, No. 6 Woodstown 2 No. 2 Pennsville 3, No. 7 Schalick 2 No. 4 Gateway 3.5, No. 5 Lower Cape May 1.5 No. 1 Pitman 4, No. 9 Audubon 1 Thursday semifinals Haddon Twp. at Pennsville, 3 p.m. Gateway at Pitman, 3 p.m.
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
PENNSVILLE – When a team is on the kind of roll Pennsville’s girls tennis team is enjoying the absolute last thing it needs is any kind of disruption. Especially in the doubles department in its sport where chemistry is everything.
The Eagles faced a potentially big disruption last week when they lost one of their steadiest doubles player to an injury. But coach Dan LaMont pulled out the depth chart, shuffled the deck and the Eagles haven’t missed a beat.
And it was one of those shuffled doubles teams that came through for them in a big way Tuesday, winning a super tiebreaker at No. 2 doubles to clinch their 3-2 win over Schalick in the South Jersey Group I quarterfinals.
The second-seeded Eagles, now 13-0 and one of two remaining undefeated teams statewide in Group 1, will host third-seeded Haddon Twp. in the sectional semifinals Thursday.
“It wasn’t the prettiest,” LaMont said. “There were times we were good. There were times we were not so good. And there were times we were able to pull it out.
“We’ve been finding ways all year and that’s what I keep on telling them. Who’s going to be the next hero? Who’s the one who’s going to pull out (the match)?”
That would be the No. 2 double teams of Naomi Hess and Morgan Holt, first-time partners who regrouped after losing the second set and won the clinching point 6-0, 2-6, 10-5 over Kayleigh Veach and Annie Podehl.
The Eagles’ lineup had been steady all season until Gabi Forino turned her right knee crashing into the fence before the Overbrook match. It forced LaMont to reshuffle his deck, but luckily he had cards to play.
He initially moved Holt into Forino’s spot at first doubles with Emma Cornette and they played together for two matches. He put Izzy Schrenker in that spot Tuesday and placed Holt with Hess, who had been paired with Schrenker for six matches.
“We really consider our top eight, nine our varsity,” LaMont said. “We always get them ready. I made a little decision, almost like a rotation with Morgan and Naomi, but they each always got matches in.
“A couple weeks ago (Forino) also had a little nagging injury, so we had a feeling; I don’t know why. But we got a challenge match in, so we have it all legal. I know they can play together. Even though they haven’t done much we have to make it work. We don’t have any other choice in the matter.”
Holt and Hess breezed through the first set like they were long-time partners, but Veach and Podehl evened the match with a big second set.
In the super tiebreaker, the first team to 10 was going to win it. The Schalick side went up 3-1 and 5-3, but Holt and Hess figured it out on their own – the changeover was still four points away – and won the next seven points to secure the win.
“We knew we had to win the tiebreaker,” Hess said. “We did everything we could to win the tiebreaker.”
“It was definitely scary,” said Holt, “because you really don’t want to lose. You don’t want to let your coach down and you don’t want to let your team down because everybody tries so hard. You just want to win. You want to win for everybody. I just didn’t want to lose.”
The match was just more of the same nailbiters the teams had been playing during the season. Pennsville won the first meeting 3-2 with Edwards clinching the match at No. 3 singles. The second meeting was suspended by weather with Schalick leading 2-1, but Pennsville leading in both doubles matches; that match is scheduled to resume Oct. 24.
There were still two points up for grabs as No. 2 doubles battled it out Tuesday. Pennsville won at No. 1 doubles (Cornette-Schrenker) and No. 3 singles (Edwards). Schalick won at No. 1 singles (Emma Adams) and Ally Green was leading at No. 2 singles making the doubles match the swing point.
The Cougars were the seventh seed, but a win would keep alive their hope of returning to the State Final Four. They lost in the state semifinals last year, but were looking to write their own history this year.
“I wanted to talk to them before we came out on the court and I told them I felt like all year long we hadn’t really put a full match together,” Cougars coach John Romano said. “We had spots here and there and, sure, we were beating people, but I told them you’re not riding the coat tails of last year’s team. You have your own legacy to set and today is going to be that day.
“We did really well. We were up 5-3 and had a shot to win it in the tiebreak and it just didn’t fall our way; kudos to them. I went over after and asked (Veach and Podehl) if they were OK and they said yes. I said I thought they played really well. I thought they both played a great tiebreak early on and then they both said they don’t know what happened.”
Pennsville tennis coach Dan LaMont visits with Naomi Hess (R) and Morgan Holt after the doubles team won the clinching point in Tuesday’s South Jersey quarterfinals match with Schalick.
Here are the results and details of Monday’s high school sports action involving Salem County teams
FIELD HOCKEY Pennsville 0, Salem 0: Kelsey Cook made 12 saves to keep Salem out of the net and Ava Rogers made two saves in Salem’s goal. It was Pennsville’s first tie since 2022 and the Eagles’ first scoreless tie since before 2010. It was Salem’s first tie and scoreless tie since a match with Glassboro in October 2022. Schalick 5, Glassboro 0: Ava Scurry had a hat trick and Phoebe Alward scored twice as the Cougars ran their record to 11-0. It’s their best start since 2020 when they also opened 11-0 before falling to Delsea. They were unbeaten in their first 11 matches in 2019 (10-0-1). BOYS SOCCER Pennsville 1, Gloucester 0: Maddox Efelis scored in the 27th minute and Coen Rinnier stoned nine shots in the goal to make it stand. Woodstown 2, Gateway 0: Landon Guglielmo and Bryce Ayars scored goals, and Ben Stengel made four saves for his fourth shutout of the season. GIRLS SOCCER Gloucester 6, Pennsville 0: Bailey Schoenfeldt scored two goals in the first half and Meghan Gorman scored two in the second half. Ava Rodgers had a goal and two assists. GIRLS TENNIS WOODSTOWN 3, KINGSWAY 2 Skylar Grabarski (K) def. Gabby Kurpis, 6-1, 6-3 Abby Malesich (K) def. Camille Osborn, 6-4, 6-4 Aubrie Rennie (Wo) def. Molly Baldino, 6-2, 6-2 Alyssa Berry-Julianna Lindenmuth (Wo) def. Krishani Parikh-Mishi Chaturvedi, 6-3, 6-7 (2-7) Nathalie Neron-Noelle Neron (Wo) def. Sophia Campbell-Kelsey Dion, 6-1, 6-3 Records: Woodstown 9-3, Kingsway 5-8.
Here is the Salem County sports schedule for Oct. 7-12, featuring Schalick’s rescheduled football game, SJ girls tennis tournament and County XC Championship; all events 4 p.m. unless noted
MONDAY FOOTBALL Schalick at Paulsboro, 4 p.m. FIELD HOCKEY Pennsville at Salem Schalick at Glassboro Woodstown at Deptford BOYS SOCCER Pennsville at Gloucester City Woodstown at Gateway GIRLS SOCCER Paulsboro at Penns Grove Pennsville at Gloucester City, 7 p.m. GIRLS TENNIS Schalick at Mainland Woodstown at Kingsway
TUESDAY GIRLS TENNIS South Jersey Group I quarterfinals Woodstown at Haddon Twp., 3 p.m. Schalick at Pennsville, 3 p.m. Lower Cape May at Gateway, 3 p.m. Audubon at Pitman, 4 p.m. BOYS SOCCER Overbrook at Schalick Penns Grove at Woodstown Pennsville at Salem Tech Salem at Clayton, 6 p.m. GIRLS SOCCER Clayton at Salem Glassboro at Pennsville Salem Tech at Pitman Schalick at Overbrook Woodstown at Penns Grove VOLLEYBALL Highland at Salem
WEDNESDAY FIELD HOCKEY Gloucester Catholic at Pennsville Schalick at Woodstown GIRLS TENNIS Haddon Heights at Pennsville, 3:45 p.m. Woodstown at Millville, 3:45 p.m. OLMA at Salem CROSS COUNTRY Salem County Championship, Salem Tech, 3:30 p.m.
THURSDAY FOOTBALL Delran at Penns Grove, 6:30 p.m. GIRLS TENNIS South Jersey Group I semifinals Woodstown-Haddon Twp. winner vs. Schalick-Pennsville winner Lower Cape May-Gateway winner vs. Audubon-Pitman winner BOYS SOCCER Glassboro at Penns Grove Pennsville at Salem Salem Tech at Wildwood Schalick at Woodstown GIRLS SOCCER Penns Grove at Glassboro Overbrook at Pennsville Salem at Pitman Wildwood at Salem Tech Woodstown at Schalick FIELD HOCKEY Gateway at Pennsville Salem at Maple Shade Schalick at Mainland, 4:15 p.m. VOLLEYBALL Gloucester Catholic at Salem Tech
FRIDAY FOOTBALL Audubon at Collingswood, 6 p.m. Glassboro at Cinnaminson, 6 p.m. Schalick at Gloucester City, 6 p.m. Salem at West Deptford, 7 p.m. FIELD HOCKEY Cumberland at Salem Woodstown at Ocean City, 3:45 p.m. GIRLS SOCCER Audubon at Schalick Salem at Gateway BOYS SOCCER Haddon Heights at Salem Schalick at Audubon GIRLS TENNIS Pennsville at Bridgeton Vineland at Woodstown
SATURDAY FOOTBALL Willingboro at Woodbury, 10:30 a.m. Camden Catholic at Overbrook, 11 a.m. Woodstown at Haddon Heights, 11 a.m. Pennsville at Paulsboro, noon CROSS COUNTRY SJCTA Meet at Dream Park
Eagles end seven-year drought with Penns Grove to take the Wildman Willey Boot; Woodstown handles Pleasantville to go 5-0 for second time in three seasons; Saturday’s Schalick-Paulsboro game postponed due to security threat
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
PENNSVILLE — Mike Healy has been trying to get his hands on The Boot his entire coaching career.
Once he finally got his mitts on it Friday night and raised it above his head during the joyous post-game celebration, he said it was “a little bigger than I thought,” but beyond that, holding the trophy was “just perfect.”
Pennsville claimed the Pennsville Lions Club Award that goes to the winner of the Pennsville-Penns Grove game – better known as the Norm Wildman Willey Boot – for the first time since 2016 Friday when it made big play after big play on critical downs, especially in the second half, to secure a 19-12 victory.
It was the first time Healy had won it in his seven-year coaching tenure with the Eagles. The Red Devils’ seven-game winning streak in the Riverview Rivalry was the longest by either team in the series.
“It was awesome to finally do it,” said Healy, who also got soaked by the ice bucket in the celebration. ‘This game means so much to our kids and our town.
“We had our pep rally today and everyone was excited. Everyone kept asking me ,‘Are we going to get it? Are we going to get it?’ I felt good, but just to finally get that feels so good. There’s not much else I can say.”
It means a little more residing in the Eagles’ trophy case. Willey was a three-time Philadelphia Eagles All-Pro way back in the day and a teacher in the Pennsville school district for more than 30 years. One of his original game cleats adorns the top of the trophy.
The trophy was a late arrival at Lou D’Angelo Stadium. The Red Devils left it back at school and Penns Grove athletics director Anwar Golden drove back to retrieve it, returning with trophy in hand just as they started playing the national anthem, and it stayed on their sideline until it wound up in the Eagles’ hands at the end of the game.
“It was everything I thought it would be,” quarterback Robbie McDade said. “We came in here wanting to get The Boot, knowing we had to get The Boot. It’s been so long, it felt really good.”
The Eagles never trailed in the game, but they never could relax.
Penns Grove closed to within 13-12 on MahKye Murray’s 40-yard touchdown catch late in the third quarter. But Pennsville answered it with another long touchdown drive to push its lead to 19-12.
The Eagles went 73 yards in 10 plays that included three long completions on crucial downs to move the chains.
McDade hit Luke Wood in stride down the sideline on a 48-yard pass on third-and-21. He hit Rylan Hardy for 24 yards on third-and-20. And the Eagles scored on an 18-yard pass to Wood on fourth-and-17 with 8:10 to play. They ran the same play to Wood on the snap before, but to the other side of the field, that was out of his reach.
The Eagles converted a fourth-down situation in each of their two touchdown drives in the first half, too.
“That’s what we’ve been looking for on offense,” Healy said. “When we’re in those big moments are we going to step up and get it done and tonight we stepped up and got things done. We know our kids are capable of it. They’ve just got to constantly believe they can do it. If they buckle down they’re capable of doing anything.”
“It’s just all about trusting your guys,” McDade said. “You’ve got to trust your receivers, you’ve got to trust the offensive line. I trusted myself to make that play all the time. We’ve just got to do our job and I think we did that and we got big plays out of it.”
McDade was 9-of-14 for 146 yards passing. Wood, a senior playing his first year of varsity football, caught four balls for 81 yards.
“They used to play this game on Thanksgiving Day and the centerpiece of our table would be The Boot whenever my dad would win it,” said Wood, whose dad Ryan was a longtime Eagles head coach and now a Healy assistant. “So, if there was one game I had to win it was this one.
“I grew up every Thanksgiving looking at that in the middle of my table and we haven’t had it in so long it feels so good.”
There was still plenty of time after Pennsville scored for the Red Devils to come back and retain The Boot.
They got it down in the red zone, but Melo Erickson’s fourth-and-5 pass to KaRon Ceaser from the 10 with less than four minutes to play fell incomplete.
“That’s me; I’m an athlete, I can make a play,” Ceaser said. “That’s on me. The quarterback put in a route to get it. I should’ve went to go get it.”
Ceaser was a big part of the Red Devils’ offense all night. He had two 11-yard runs and a 17-yard catch to keep that drive moving. He finished with 107 yards rushing and 17 yards receiving.
There was some confusion late in the drive that may have cost the Red Devils a down. The pass to Ceaser gave the Red Devils a first down at the 15. Erickson ran for 2 yards on the first-down play, then the Red Devils were flagged for delay of game. The next play they ran was third down.
Erickson hit Knowledge Young for 8 yards, but it left the Red Devils to face what the down marker read as fourth-and-5 for The Boot.
They lost another scoring chance at the end of the first half on a similarly confusing situation. Erickson looked like he spiked the ball at the 8 to stop the clock with 15.8 seconds left, but it later was explained to Healy the quarterback took too long making the spike and that’s what drew the flag for grounding.
The Red Devils lost yardage, lost the down and eventually time expired.
Pennsville 19, Penns Grove 12
PG (12)
PV (19)
10
1st Downs
16
22-134
Rushing
36-148
7-14-1
Passes
9-14-0
86
Passing
146
1-0
Fum-Lost
1-1
2-34.5
Punts
2-29.5
5-36
Penalties
6-45
Penns Grove (1-5)
6
0
6
0-
12
Pennsville (3-3)
7
6
0
6-
19
SCORING SUMMARY PV-Malik Rehmer 8 run (Luke Wood kick), 4:02 1Q PG-KaRon Ceaser 39 run (kick failed), 2:22 1Q PV-Robbie McDade 1 run (kick failed), 4:03 2Q PG-MahKye Murray 40 pass from Melo Erickson (pass failed), 2:17 3Q PV-Luke Wood 18 pass from Robbie McDade (pass failed), 8:10 4Q
Woodstown’s Bryce Belinfanti is about to leave the Pleasantville defense in the dust on the way to his game-breaking 50-yard touchdown Friday night. (Photo by Ellen Sickler)
Woodstown remains undefeated
WOODSTOWN — Bryce Belinfanti rushed for 189 yards and two third-quarter touchdowns and went 60 yards on a screen pass to set up their first score as Woodstown handled winless Pleasantville 24-12 to go 5-0 for the second time in three seasons.
The Wolverines were 5-0 in 2022 as well, but coach Frank Trautz doesn’t get caught up in all that.
“Obviously it’s another win and it feels great, but we’re not looking at 5-0,” he said. “We’re not looking at 2, 3, 4 weeks down the line. We’re on to Week No. 6 and trying to get that one.
“It’s our approach and our staff’s approach to take it a week at a time and we try to do our best to win that game. It’s our goal to try to win every week. If you were to ask me at the beginning of the season, I was focused on Week No. 1. Now, I’m focused on Week No. 6. We’re not done writing the story yet. We’re focused on the next chapter.”
For Belinfanti it’s never a case of if he’s going to break a long one but when. The Homecoming crowd didn’t have to wait long on this night. The senior took a screen pass from Jack Holladay and bolted downfield 60 yards to set the stage for the Wolverines’ first touchdown. Holladay finished it off with a 1-yard run.
In the third quarter, Belinfanti scored on a 50-yard run and a 1-yard run to help the Wolverines stretch their lead to 24-6.
He had a 25-yard touchdown run in overtime to win the opener against Delsea and has had other scores of 35, 85, 37 and 44 this season.
“He’s got that big play capability,” Trautz said. “We do a good job up front with our blocking, he sees a little window and he’s got the ability to go.”
Woodstown 24, Pleasantville 12
Pleasantville (0-6)
6
0
0
6-
12
Woodstown (5-0)
7
3
14
0-
24
SCORING SUMMARY W-Jack Holladay 1 run (Jake Ware kick), 3:30 1Q P-Nazir Griffin 55 run (run failed) W-Jake Ware 37 FG, 4:56 2Q W-Bryce Belinfanti 50 run (Jake Ware kick), 7:09 3Q W-Bryce Belinfanti 1 run (Jake Ware kick), 0:57 3Q P-Dajaun Martin 6 pass from Ahmad Jones (pass failed), 8:09 4Q
Woodstown’s Rocco String (21) tries to sake off a block so he can chase down a Pleasantville ballcarrier. (Photo by Ellen Sickler)
Schalick-Paulsboro ppd.
PAULSBORO — Schalick’s first-ever regular-season meeting with Paulsboro Saturday has been postponed due to a “security concern” that is being investigated by the host school district. According to sources, Paulsboro became aware of a threat specifically linked to the football game earlier Friday and took action.
“Both school districts have collectively determined that postponing the game is in the best interest of our students and families while the investigation is underway,” Schalick principal Yvette DuBois Trembley and athletic director Doug Volovar said in a joint statement from the Cougars. “The safety of our students, staff and community remains our top priority.”
It wasn’t immediately known if or when the game would be rescheduled. The game does have South Jersey Group I playoff seeding implications as both teams are currently ranked in the top seven in the sectional power points standings.
The teams have played four times previously, all in the South Jersey Group I playoffs.
WJFL DIAMOND DIVISION
DIV
ALL
Glassboro (4)
3-0
5-0
Woodstown (1)
3-0
5-0
Schalick (7)
2-1
3-2
Woodbury (12)
1-2
2-3
Salem (23)
0-3
0-5
Penns Grove (18)
0-3
1-5
NOTE: Number in parenthesis is South Jersey Group I UPR power ranking through Sept. 28
THURSDAY’S GAME Woodbury 35, Gateway 6 FRIDAY’S GAMES Glassboro 51, Deptford 0 Pennsville 19, Penns Grove 12 Woodstown 24, Pleasantville 12 SATURDAY’S GAMES Schalick at Paulsboro, ppd. Middle Twp. at Salem. noon
WJFL PATRIOT DIVISION
DIV
ALL
Camden Catholic
3-0
5-0
West Deptford
3-1
3-3
Paulsboro (5)
3-1
4-1
Pennsville (14)
2-2
3-3
Collingswood
1-2
3-3
Audubon (20)
0-3
1-3
Overbrook
0-3
2-3
FRIDAY’S GAMES Camden Catholic 48, Haddon Heights 22 Collingswood 20, Sterling 6 Haddonfield 30, West Deptford 28 Pennsville 19, Penns Grove 12 SATURDAY’S GAMES Schalick at Paulsboro, ppd. Clayton at Overbrook, 11 a.m.
