SOUTH JERSEY GROUP I PLAYOFFS
Friday’s Semifinals
(1) Haddon Twp. 5, (4) Middle Twp. 0
(2) Pitman 3, (2) Pennsville 1
Tuesday’s Championship
(2) Pitman at No. 1 Haddon Twp.
PITMAN – Pennsville’s longtime tennis nemesis got the Eagles again Friday, this time coring a 4-1 victory in the South Jersey Group I semifinals. The Panthers will now play Haddon Twp. Tuesday for the sectional championship.
No. 1 doubles team of Noah Bohn and Noah Flitcraft picked up Pennsville’s point. Pitman scored two singles points in third-set pro sets after dropping the first set in both matches.
It was Pitman’s third win over the Eagles this season and ninth in a row. Pennsville’s last win in the series came in April 2019.
PITMAN 4, PENNSVILLE 1
Maddox Marker (Pi) def. Gabe Schneider, 6-0, 6-1
Chase Rollins (Pi) def. Maddox Efelis, 4-6, 7-5, 10-7
Cole Kelly (Pi) def. Brody Wiggins, 2-6, 6-1, 10-3
Noah Bohn-Noah Flitcraft (Pv) def. Charlie Duffield-Ethan Loudner, 7-5, 7-6 (8-6)
Michael Fisicaro-Max Pappalardo (Pi) def. Luke Chamberlain-Sawyer Humphrey, 6-0, 6-2
Records: Pitman 18-7, Pennsville 18-4.
Category: PENNSVILLE
Big inning bounces Eagles
Audubon scores nine unearned runs in fourth inning to put Pennsville out of South Jersey softball playoffs, snap Eagles’ 15-game winning streak
SOUTH JERSEY GROUP I SOFTBALL PLAYOFFS
Thursday’s Semifinals
(1) Audubon 12, (4) Pennsville 0
(3) Haddon Twp. 9, (2) Buena 1
Saturday’s Championship Game
(3) Haddon Twp. (19-6) at No. 1 Audubon (18-5)
By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News
AUDUBON – It’s amazing how one play can change the course of an entire game, but when you have a lineup like Audubon’s sometimes that’s all it takes.
The Pennsville softball team was expecting a tight game in their South Jersey Group I semifinal with top-seeded Audubon Thursday, a game the Eagles knew they needed to be at the top of their game.
An error in the infield with two outs in the fourth inning opened the door to nine unearned runs that propelled the Green Wave to a 12-0 victory to snap the Eagles’ 15-game winning streak, deny them an undefeated May and end their season.
“You can’t make mistakes against teams like that; they’re a good team,” a tearful Pennsville coach Beth Jackson said after breaking the Eagles’ post-game huddle.
It was still anybody’s game going to the bottom of the fourth and the Eagles came thisclose to keeping it that way. But they also were that close from it getting away, too.
The Green Wave had a runner at third with two outs and the Eagles were effectively one pitch from getting out of it, but shortstop Avery Watson mishandled Peyton Marrone’s sharp grounder and then threw the ball past first baseman Bella Rappa when she recovered. It allowed the run to score and opened the floodgates.
The next seven Audubon batters all delivered hits and the next nine reached safely. Ava Grebel got the tidal wave rolling with an RBI double off the base of the short 182-foot left-field fence. Abigail Tole and Emma Speyerer both ripped two-run triples. The Eagles (18-5) also made three more errors that either allowed runs to score or runners to take an extra base.
“We tell the girls all the time just putting the pressure on the defense is key – putting balls in play, hitting balls hard,” Audubon coach Erin Small said. “It doesn’t always have to be a hit, just put the pressure on the defense, allow them to make a play or make a mistake.
“We were able to string some good hits together along with some mistakes and it’s contagious. Hitting is contagious. Fortunately, we were on the good side of it today.”
Aubudon reached Pennsville starter Savannah Palverento for three runs in the first inning before Jackson lifted her for Sierra Stultz with one out. Stultz stomped out that fire on seven pitches and got out of a second-and-third jam in the third inning to keep the Eagles in it.
“I was thinking I had to keep them from scoring and I had to do my job and hit my spots,” Stultz said.
“That’s been her whole (approach) all season; she’s done her job, she’s always ready to go,” Jackson said. “I know she’s ready, but I’m always asking her, but that just helps me give her a mental check. She’s done her job all year and always done it with a smile.”
The smile turned to frustration in the fourth. Stultz got two of the first three hitters on infield outs, but things were about to change – and quickly – as the Wave began making contact with the good pitches she was throwing.
Audubon ended up getting nine hits in the big inning and 14 in the game. Speyerer, Grebel and Tole had three apiece. Tole was a homer short of the cycle. The Green Wave have scored 40 runs in their three playoff games.
“We were hoping for a big inning, we just had to really sit back on her,” Small said of Stultz. “Her speed was a little slower than the first (pitcher). When she first came in we were popping up, we were reaching, so our timing was off.
“We just felt like after getting through her at least one time we felt confident we’d be able to put some hits together and we were fortunate enough to do that behind some of the mistakes they made as well.”
Pennsville’s bats, meanwhile, loud throughout the winning streak, were silenced by Audubon pitcher Emily Bobo. She held the Eagles to three hits over the first four innings, struck out eight – two in each inning – and turned back their two threats when it was still a game.
The Eagles put two on with one out in the first, but their next two hitters struck out. They loaded the bases with one out in the fourth, but Bobo got out of that with an infield fly and her final strikeout. Audubon has not allowed a run in the playoffs and has shut out four of its last five opponents.
“You have to hit the ball to get runs in,” Jackson said. “We knew we were going to see good pitching and tried to prepare for it as best as possible, but it was probably the best pitching we’ve seen all season from all 23 games.”
The Green Wave (18-5) will host third-seeded Haddon Twp. (19-6) Saturday in the South Jersey Group I championship game.
NOTES: It was the first time the Eagles had been shut out all season and the first time they’d been shutout since last year’s season opener (Clayton 8-0) … Bella Farina, Lilly Birney and Stultz had Pennsville’s three hits … The Green Wave held Rappa hitless in three plate appearances, denying her a 50th hit at Pennsville and 100th in her career. She finished with 97 career hits … The five losses are the fewest for a Pennsville softball team since it went 22-5 in 2014. The Eagles were trying to get to the SJ finals for the first time since 2019.
Semis showdown set
Pennsville headed to another epic showdown with Pitman looking to finally solve the Panthers in the South Jersey Group I semifinals Friday; Woodstown, Schalick both fall in the quarterfinals.
SOUTH JERSEY GROUP I BOYS TENNIS
Wednesday’s Quarterfinals
(1) Haddon Twp. 5, (8) Overbrook 0 (Tues.)
(4) Middle Twp. 5, (5) Woodstown 0
(3) Pennsville 5, (6) Buena 0
(2) Pitman 4, (7) Schalick 1
Friday’s Semifinals
Middle Twp. (14-7) at Haddon Twp. (15-5)
Pennsville (18-3) at Pitman (17-7)
MIDDLE TWP. 5, WOODSTOWN 0
Simon Hardin (M) def. Tim Schwienbacher, 6-1, 6-1
Justen Wen (M) def. Drew Stengel, 7-5, 6-2
Tommy Barber (M) def. Erich Lipovsky, 7-6 (7-2), 6-4
Jack Morton-Jake King (M) def. Ben Stengel-Joseph Kurpis, 7-5, 6-3
Brandyn Acevedo-Miles Stafford (M) def. Luke Shaw-John Farrell, 7-5, 6-2
Records: Woodstown 13-7, Middle Twp. 14-7.
PENNSVILLE 5, BUENA 0
Gabe Schneider (P) def. Donimic Longona, 6-0, 6-2
Maddox Efelis (P) def. Stephen Pepper, 6-2, 6-0
Brody Wiggins (P) def. Jonas Regnaert, 6-0, 6-0
Noah Flitcraft-Noah Bohn (P) def. Gabe Ridolfo-Matthew Lillia, 6-2, 6-2
Luke Chamberlain-Sawyer Humphrey (P) def. Michael Letushko-Joshua Sharpe, 6-3, 6-2
Records: Buena 18-4, Pennsville 18-3.
PITMAN 4, SCHALICK 1
Maddox Marker (P) def. George Gould, 7-5, 6-0
Chase Rollins (P) def. Jesus Espinoza, 6-0, 6-3
Cole Kelly (P) def. Conor O’Toole, 6-3, 6-1
Rocky Monticolo-David Santana (S) def. NA, 6-2, 4-6, 10-8
Michael Fisicaro-Max Pappalardo (P) def. Kaden Barnes-Cayden Brzozowski, 6-1, 6-1
Records: Schalick 16-8, Pitman 17-7.
Stomping into the semis
Woodstown hits back-to-back jacks in first inning, slams door on Pennsville, advances to SJ Group I baseball semifinals; Schalick falls under weight of errors
SOUTH JERSEY GROUP I BASEBALL PLAYOFFS
Wednesday’s Quarterfinals
(1) Audubon 11, (8) Haddon Twp. 1
(5) Woodstown 8, (4) Pennsville 3
(3) Pitman 6, (6) Schalick 2
(2) Gloucester 8, (7) Wildwood 4
Friday’s Semifinals
Woodstown (17-9) at Audubon (19-9)
Pitman (20-6) at Gloucester (20-7)
By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News
PENNSVILLE – The official height of home plate (not that anyone cares to measure it) is one inch and it is supposed to be planted level with the batter’s box.
After Andrew Pedrick and Rocco String stomped their big shoes on the dish to celebrate back-to-back homers in the first inning of their South Jersey Group I quarterfinal with Pennsville Wednesday, instead of dusting off the plate somebody probably needed to remeasure and replant it.
Pedrick and String went back-to-back to give the Wolverines a three-run lead right out of the gate and set the tone in an eventual 8-3 victory. Pedrick dropped his size 12 on it first and then, just as the plate was returning to its original shape, String put his size 15 right on top of it with flourish.
“I do it all the time, but here I just needed to do it because I needed to make a statement to these guys,” String said. “Losing to them (earlier in the season) I really wanted to beat them real bad, so I needed to make something.”
If the Wolverines wanted to “let ‘em know you’re here” as someone shouted from the dugout after String’s shot, call it mission accomplished. They probably heard it all the way to Elmer with the energy the home runs injected to an already electric atmosphere.
The homers came after Brent Williams brought Jack Knorr home from third with a sacrifice fly. Knorr opened the game with a double.
It was the second time in their careers Pedrick and String have homered in the same game – they did last year against Salem – but it was the first time they’ve gone back-to-back. String has now homered in back-to-back playoff games.
“I think that’s what really got us up,” Pedrick said. “We’re not really a home run-hitting team, so when we got three runs in the first inning, two off two bombs, it’s just crazy, especially back-to-back like that. I was going nuts. I was jumping up and down.
“I just think we wanted to let them know we were here early. We don’t usually come out firing like that, so getting those three runs in the first inning that really put them down and got us up.”
Woodstown coach Marc DeCastro didn’t read anything more into the back-to-back homers other than it gave his team a 3-0 and a little cushion to play with “a little more freedom so if they scored a run it wasn’t the end of the world.”
The Eagles (17-10) got that run in the second inning on Jacob Grant’s sacrifice bunt and it wasn’t the end of the world for the Wolverines. Grant’s shoulder injury kept him from swinging away, but nothing was going to keep the Eagles’ only senior from playing in the biggest game of the year.
After the initial energy from both teams, the game settled into the intensity of a typical game between rivals. That is, until Woodstown broke it open with five in the top of the top of the fifth.
The Wolverines sent eight men to the plate. Williams brought home a run with a single that got through the leftfielder, String brought two home with a single that got through the centerfielder and Ty Coblentz and Caiden Spinelli drove in runs with ground outs to the right side of the infield.
Pennsville got two in the bottom of the fifth on Cohen Petrutz’ two-run single, but it wasn’t nearly enough to catch up to the Wolverines.
“They came out and set the tone,” Pennsville coach Matt Karr said. “They barreled up some balls. It’s a tough pill to swallow and it’s kind of indicative of how the rest of the game went. They set the tone and they tacked on, did the little things they needed to do.
“Like I told those guys, we got beat today. There was no one call. They hit better, they threw better and they won a baseball game and sometimes that happens.”
The fifth-seeded Wolverines (17-9) will now travel to top-seeded Audubon (19-9) Friday for one of the South Jersey Group I semifinals. They beat the Green Wave earlier this season, 8-3.
Knorr started the game on the mound for Woodstown Wednesday, but was lifted after walking two of the first three batters he faced. Aaron Foote stomped out that fire and pitched into the fifth to get the win. Michael Valente and Dante Holmes finished it up. Peyton O’Brien took the loss for Pennsville.
Knorr, Valente and Holmes all will be available “in some way, fashion or form” to pitch in the Audubon game. The starter, DeCastro said after the game, is to be determined.
PITMAN 6, SCHALICK 2: The Cougars picked the wrong time to have a difficult day in the field.
Pitman took advantage of six Schalick errors to either score runs or extend innings in their South Jersey Group I playoff game. The Panthers (20-6) advance to play at second-seeded Gloucester in Friday’s semifinals.
The Cougars (15-11) led twice in the game, but each time lost it under the weight of the miscues.
Luke Pokrovsky gave them a 1-0 lead with a homer in the first inning, but Pitman tied it in the home half on one of three errors in the inning.
Ricky Watt gave them a 2-1 lead with a RBI single in the third, but Pitman took the lead for good in the bottom of the inning when two runs scored on an infield error. Two more errors helped along a three-run sixth that put the game away.
Pokrovsky pitched the whole game for Schalick. The junior lefthander gave up six hits, three earned runs and struck out nine to finish the season with 122 strikeouts and a 1.09 ERA.
Love on the links
Kingsway’s Parrish, Kuminka, dating off the course, medalists in Tri-County Showcase; Williamstown boys, Kingsway girls win team titles
By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News
PITMAN – The next time Christopher Parrish and Carly Kuminka are in their favorite Italian restaurant together for a night out, they’ll have a little bit more to talk about than how things went at school that day.
The two Kingsway underclassmen won their respective medalist prizes Tuesday in the Tri-County Showcase at Pitman Golf Course. While it’s not the first time either of them have won, it’s the first time they’ve won on the same day since they’ve started dating.
Parrish, a sophomore, posted a 1-over-par 71 to win the boys title by a shot over Gloucester Tech’s Jamie Ciesielka and two over Justin Forman of Washington Twp. Kuminka, a junior, shot 83 and defended her girls title by five shots over two-time Salem/Cumberland girls champion Nicole Tarquinio of Cumberland Regional.
“It’s cool,” Parris said. “I was watching when we finished and she was like four ahead and I was like, Wow, we could actually both win this. It’s a great way to go into next year.”
“It’s really cool, it’s nice; I’m happy for him,” Kuminka said. “There’s not a lot of tournaments we both play in together.”
The two met through high school golf and have been an item now for about a year. They play “a lot” of golf together, which Carly says is “really fun.” She said Parrish usually gets the better of their competition “because he’s really consistent.”
Pulling off his win brought Parrish a measure of revenge after losing the Gloucester County Tournament here Thursday in a sudden-death playoff to Forman, one of his foursome partners Tuesday and one of the players he was battling with down the stretch.
Five days ago, Parrish and Forman both got around in regulation in 72. Forman was leading by two going to 18, but Parrish birdied and Forman three-putted for bogey to force the playoff. Forman won it when Parrish missed an 18-finch par putt on the second extra hole.
“After getting second Thursday in a playoff, to win today and beat Justin, who I love playing with because we play so close, felt great,” Parrish said. “I really wanted to get back at him today … I wanted to definitely make sure I won today. Shoot a good number and see if I win today.”
Parrish had no such misadventures on the greens this day. In fact, he made three mid-range birdies in a row at 12, 13 and 14 to climb into contention, but perhaps the biggest putt of his round was the one he made on 15 to save par.
“I think it’s only the second time in my life I made three birdies in a row,” he said. “It’s definitely not something I do often. But after I bogey 11, a hole I tripled on Thursday, it was like a win, but (with the holes coming up) if I can just hit greens and I can get my line and hit a good putt I can easily make birdies on these holes. That’s what I did.
“I knew I had to get something going because I was hitting the ball great, I was hitting a lot of greens, so I was like on the back if I could just get the putter going and keep hitting greens, get up and down a few times, I can definitely score pretty well on the back.”
On Tuesday, he ultimately was locked in a three-way battle down the stretch with Forman and Ciesielka, who was playing in the group ahead of him.
Forman was even through 12 holes, but fell back with a double-bogey on the par-3 on 14, the victim of some wicked backspin that brought his tee ball into the par-3 all the way back off the green. He bounced back with a birdie on 15, but bogeyed two of his last three holes.
Ciesielka was 2-under through his first seven holes and held a one-shot lead after No. 16, bur he bogeyed 17 and 18 and needed to make a 30-foot birdie on No. 1 to force a playoff. He finished second for the second year in a row. Forman finished third.
“I’m bummed I didn’t shoot where I thought I would, but all in all it’s a better score than Thursday (81 in the Gloucester County Tournament here); it’s really what I wanted,” Ciesielka said.
Pennsville’s Jacob Isaac posted the low round from a Salem County golfer. He posted a 10-over 80 on his first trip seeing the course that tied for sixth. His round featured a chip-in birdie on No. 17 and “six or seven” one-putts that kept him in the game.
Salem/Cumberland runner-up Jeffrey Covely of Woodstown also had a top 10 (T-9) with an 84 highlighted by birdies on 7 and 13.
Williamstown’s boys and the Kingsway girls (Kuminka and Ava Volpe) won the team titles. The Braves counted fourth-place Cole Gaetens’ 77 and three 84s. Woodstown finished third in the boys race, six shots ahead of fourth-place Schalick.
TRI-COUNTY SHOWCASE
At Pitman Golf Course
| BOYS TEAM | SCORE | GIRLS TEAM | SCORE |
| Williamstown | 329 | Kingsway | 180 |
| Triton | 351 | Clearview | 184 |
| Woodstown | 364 | Washington Twp. | 193 |
| Schalick | 370 | Cumberland | 206 |
| Gloucester Cath. | 391 | Schalick | 224 |
| Pitman | 411 | GCIT | 224 |
| Williamstown | 225 | ||
| Delsea | 255 | ||
| Wildwood | 273 |
| BOYS TOP 15 | SCHOOL | SCORE |
| Christopher Parrish | Kingsway | 37-34–71 |
| Jamie Ciesielka | GCIT | 34-38–72 |
| Justin Forman | Washington Twp. | 36-37–73 |
| Cole Geatens | Williamstown | 37-40–77 |
| Enrique Altmann | GCIT | 37-41–78 |
| Jacob Isaac | Pennsville | 39-41–80 |
| Luke Canino | Washington Twp. | 39-41–80 |
| Nick Renz | Gloucester Cath. | 40-43–83 |
| Bradyn Skokowski | Triton | 41-43–84 |
| Andrew Michalski | Williamstown | 44-40–84 |
| Brady Geatens | Williamstown | 43-41–84 |
| Julian Boyer | Deptford | 42-42–84 |
| Jeffrey Covely | Woodstown | 45-39–84 |
| Gavin McClaskey | Williamstown | 42-42–84 |
| Isaiah Garcia | Triton | 43-43–86 |
| GIRLS TOP 15 | SCHOOL | SCORE |
| Carly Kuminka | Kingsway | 41-42–83 |
| Nicole Tarquinio | Cumberland | 45-43–88 |
| Tessa Reilley | Washington Twp. | 46-45–91 |
| Lydia Bernardi | Clearview | 46-46–92 |
| Stella Bernardi | Clearview | 46-46–92 |
| Sarah Kaestner | Clearview | 45-49–94 |
| Ava Volpe | Kingsway | 48-49–97 |
| Delaney Schwartz | Washington Twp. | 52-49–101 |
| Alivia Wirtz | GCIT | 53-50–103 |
| Sienna Longo | Clearview | 52-52–104 |
| Kaci Adams | Williamstown | 49-56–105 |
| Sophia Stultz | OLMA | 53-57–110 |
| Julie Swierczynski | Woodstown | 54-57–111 |
| Casey Widdifield | Schalick | 53-58–111 |
| Hannah Widdifield | Schalick | 58-55–113 |
Nothing fazes them
Streaking Pennsville rallies from two four-run deficits, beats Maple Shade in SJ Group I playoffs on Harris’ walk-off single
SOUTH JERSEY GROUP I SOFTBALL PLAYOFFS
Tuesday’s quarterfinals
(1) Audubon 15, (8) Paulsboro 0
(4) Pennsville 9, (5) Maple Shade 8
(3) Haddon Twp. 3, (6) Woodstown 1
(2) Buena 6, (10) Gateway 4
Thursday’s semifinals
Pennsville (18-4) at Audubon (17-5), 4 p.m.
Haddon Twp. (18-6) at Buena (18-6)
Saturday’s game
Championship game at higher seed
By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News
PENNSVILLE – The Pennsville softball team hasn’t been behind much since its last loss 45 days ago, but the Eagles trailed by four runs twice in Tuesday’s South Jersey Group I quarterfinals and just weren’t fazed by it.
They battled back both times to get back in the game and now they’re in the South Jersey Final Four for the first time since 2021.
Sophomore catcher Kylie Harris’ two-out RBI single in the bottom of the seventh scored Avery Watson from second and allowed the Eagles to walk off Maple Shade 9-8 for their 15th straight win.
“It felt really good to do that for my team,” Harris said. “They wanted that win super bad and you could just feel the energy in the dugout, so I knew what I needed to do.
“I left runners on my last at bat and I wanted to make my last at bat count.”
Now, a win at top-seeded Audubon (17-5) in Thursday’s 4 p.m. semifinal would send the Eagles (18-4) to the South Jersey finals for the first time since 2019, when they lost to Buena.
The Eagles have trailed a total of two innings since losing to West Deptford on April 13, but were down 5-1 and 8-4 against the Wildcats. The last time they trailed any opponent was 3-2 in the second inning against Pitman April 18.
They gave up three runs in the first inning Tuesday and trailed 5-1 in the third. They made it 5-4 in the third on Bella Rappa’s RBI single and Lilly Birney’s two-run double, but the Wildcats went back up 8-4 in the fourth.
The Eagles rallied for three in the fifth to bring it back to 8-7, then tied it on Bella Farina’s homer to center in the sixth – her ninth of the season – and won it in the seventh.
“I pulled them all together before we went out (for the seventh) and just said everybody take a deep breath, it’s a 0-0 game, we’re going back out, take a deep breath, you know what to do,” Eagles coach Beth Jackson said. “This is all stuff that you’ve done, nothing that you haven’t done all season. They were all fired up anyway in the dugout.”
The Eagles had multiple runners on base all inning in the seventh. They had runners at first and second with two outs when Harris delivered her game-winning hit. It was her 40th hit of the season. She is 31-of-56 (.554) during the winning streak.
“Kylie hit the some bullets right at them and they made some nice catches, so she came up big,” Jackson said. “It was good that she wasn’t frustrated from her at-bats earlier in the game. You keep at it you’re going to find a hole. There were a couple of nice things that happened that inning to lead up to that win.”
Savannah Palverento and Rappa both had three hits for the Eagles. Rappa and Birney each had three RBIs. Rappa is 6-for-8 with five RBIs in two playoff games and 26-of-47 (.553) during the winning streak. She is three hits shy of 100 for her Penns Grove/Pennsville career.
TCC pairings
Here are the pairings for Tuesday’s Tri-County Conference Showcase golf tournament at Pitman GC
TRI-COUNTY CONFERENCE SHOWCASE
At Pitman GC
8 a.m. shotgun
BOYS PAIRINGS
1: Christopher Parrish (Kingsway), Julian Boyer (Deptford), Justin Forman (Washington Twp.), Brady Geatens (Williamstown).
2: Lyle Petersen (Kingsway), Cole Geatens (Williamstown), Jamie Ciesielka (GCIT), Luke Canino (Washington Twp.).
3: Gavin McClaskey (Williamstown), Jacob Isaac (Pennsville), Lance Creighton (Schalick), Jacob Schermerhorn (Woodstown).
4: Andrew Michalski (Williamstown), Enrique Altmann (GCIT), Jaxon Weber (Schalick), Jackson DeAngelo (Clearview).
5: Isaiah Garcia (Triton), Ryan Johnson (Schalick), Kyle Brainard (Woodstown), Thomas Luu (Clearview).
6: Dylan Convery (Timber Creek), Bradyn Skokowski (Triton), Seth Fisher (Schalick), Jeffrey Covely (Woodstown).
7: Hunter Cannon (Delsea), Mac Weldon (Highland), Billy Stuski (Gloucester Catholic), Sean Costello (Deptford).
8: Daniele Sanzone (Wildwood), Gabriel Smith (Delsea), Connor Marvel (Highland), Nick Renz (Gloucester Catholic).
9: Joey Zubert (Pitman), Aidan Young (Timber Creek), Luke Venuto (Clayton), Mason Griffith (Salem Tech).
10: Luke Discoll (Pitman), Mikey Joyce (Triton), Stephen Wilchensky (Cumberland), Max Webb (Woodstown).
11: Owen Boulton (Pitman), Samuel Thompson (Cumberland), Dylan Waller (Pennsville), Billy Ginipro (Gloucester Catholic).
12: Logan Sharpnack (Pitman), Leo Impagliazzo (Triton), Jeffrey Boyd (Overbrook), T.J. Pisano (Gloucester Catholic).
13: Vance Elder (Overbrook), Austin Short (Salem Tech), John Shoemaker (Wildwood).
GIRLS PAIRINGS
14: Stella Bernardi (Clearview), Nicole Tarquinio (Cumberland), Carly Kuminka (Kingsway), Tessa Reilley (Washington Twp.).
15: Sarah Kaestner (Clearview), Hannah Widdifield (Schalick), Ava Volpe (Kingsway), Delaney Schwartz (Washington Twp.)
16: Lydia Bernardi (Clearview), Kaci Adams (Williamstown), Alivia Wirtz (GCIT), Maahishee Patel (Cumberland).
17: Sienna Longo (Clearview), Isabella Gordon (Williamstown), Julia Swierczynski (Woodstown), Lilianna Himstedt (OLMA).
18A: Casey Widdifield (Schalick), Lindsey Harris (GCIT), Jessica Johnson (Wildwood), Brooke Prager (Delsea).
18B: Leigh Ann Nage (Clayton), Cheyenne Cope (Wildwood), Sarah Mathiesen (Delsea), Sophia Stultz (OLMA).
Cover photo: Schalick’s Ryan Johnson (L) and Woodstown teammates Jeffrey Covely (C) and Jacob Schermerhorn on the green of the first hole of a sudden-death playoff in last week’s Salem/Cumberland county tournament. All three will be playing in Tuesday’s Tri-County Conference Showcase..
Grand opening
Pennsville’s O’Brien spins five-inning no-hitter to open South Jersey Group I playoffs, Eagles run past Gateway 10-0; Wood returns to lineup
SOUTH JERSEY GROUP I BASEBALL PLAYOFFS
Thursday’s results
No. 1 Audubon 14, No. 16 Camden Academy Charter 3
No. 8 Haddon Twp. 8, No. 9 Buena 1
No. 5 Woodstown 3, No. 12 Maple Shade 1
No. 4 Pennsville 10, No. 13 Gateway 0
No. 6 Schalick 3, No. 11 Paulsboro 1
No. 3 Pitman 13, No. 14 Glassboro 0
No. 7 Wildwood 2, No. 10 Cape May Tech 1
No. 2 Gloucester 16, No. 15 Penns Grove 3
Second Round (May 29)
Haddon Twp. at Audubon
Woodstown at Pennsville
Schalick at Pitman
Wildwood vs. Gloucester
By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News
PENNSVILLE – Most pitchers after throwing a no-hitter in a big game are going to do something like say they’re going to Disney World. What does Pennsville’s Peyton O’Brien do when he throws a no-hitter in a playoff game? He loads up in the car with a bunch of teammates and heads down the highway to Woodstown.
O’Brien certainly was a king of the hill Thursday. He pitched a five-inning no-hitter as the Eagles blanked Gateway 10-0 in the opening round of the South Jersey Group I baseball playoffs.
The victory sets up a second-round meeting at home with county rival Woodstown. And that is the reason O’Brien was so anxious to head down the road after spinning his gem.
“The job’s not finished yet,” he said. “First round of the playoffs, of course that’s huge for us, but that’s nowhere near where we want to end.
“It was kind of last minute (to head down to Woodstown). Our game was at noon and we got done super early; we got done around 2. They started at 3 and we got on our baseball group chat and said let’s go. Everyone was on board with it so we went.”
It didn’t surprise Eagles coach Matt Karr, who said his player “eat, sleep and breathe baseball and know the magnitude” of the second-round matchup.
About seven or eight Eagles perched on the right field to watch the Wolverines take out Maple Shade, 3-1. Their second-round game is scheduled for Wednesday. Karr expects the atmosphere will be “electric.”
“They definitely knew (the Eagles were there),” O’Brien said. “A couple of the kids still had their Pennsville stuff on, but we were talking to them a little bit.”
O’Brien was on Thursday, hitting spots and touching velocity. He threw 81 pitches – 50 for strikes – struck out seven, walked four and allowed five base runners.
His defense came up big twice to help preserve the gem.
In the second inning, Tony Tacconelli hit a ball in the hole between first and second. Diving first baseman Cohen Petrutz got enough glove on it to deflect it to second baseman Logan Streitz and O’Brien got the out picking a low throw to his backhand side covering first.
Then in the fifth, Ryan Seber lined out hard to centerfielder Luke Wood for the final out of the game. It was the hardest ball the Gators hit all game and only the second one that got out of the infield.
It was the first no-hitter O’Brien had thrown in high school and his first since a seven-inning travel ball no-no the fall of his sophomore year.
“It was awesome,” he said. “I didn’t throw as many strikes as I wanted – I had gotten into some deep counts and walked a couple batters – but it felt good in the first playoff game to go out there and throw well.
“I was so amped up for the game. The game was at 12 today, so I was just looking forward to it the whole day and to go out there and throw a no-hitter was just awesome.”
With the next game six days away and pitch counts reset, O’Brien is likely to start the game against Woodstown. But the Eagles have options.
Wood returned to the Eagles’ lineup after a lengthy battle with a lower back injury and his presence seemed to energize the team. Earlier in the week coach Matt Karr wasn’t certain if the versatile junior would be back at all, but he was there Thursday and batted three times.
He was hit with a pitch in his first plate appearance since April 28 and scored on Streitz’ two-run single that gave the Eagles a 2-0 lead. He struck out with bases loaded in the second and reached on an error and later scored in the fourth.
“He made his return today and it was absolutely awesome,” Karr said. “I didn’t really talk to the kids about it. I always write the lineup on the white board in our locker room and I was a little delayed doing that because I was just confirming he was going to play and when I wrote the lineup down and put him in the 2 slot the energy in the room just went to another level.
“That’s our leader. He’s our guy. When he’s with us, you feel like we’re the best version of us and the guys fed off that. The energy today was just unbelievable in the clubhouse and the dugout. Just having him back around us and on the field was a huge lift.”
The Eagles pounded out eight hits and took advantage of eight walks and three Gator errors. Streitz and Connor Stern both had two hits and three RBIs, and Chase Burchfield drove in a pair of runs.
“The energy was just different,” O’Brien said. “The last couple weeks for us have not been that good and we came out today and I just felt like we wanted to be there, we were excited to be there, everyone was just going crazy. No one was feeling bad for themselves today, everyone was up. We just really wanted to win.”
Wednesday roundup
Woodstown girls lose close one in SJ Group I lacrosse tournament, Salem County athletes show out at TCC Showcase, Schalick golf clinches share of division title
GIRLS LACROSSE
South Jersey Group I Tournament
No. 1 Glen Ridge 17, No. 16 Middle Twp. 1
No. 8 Delaware Valley 10, No. 9 West Deptford 8
No. 12 Haddon Twp. 9, No. 5 Woodstown 7
No. 4 Shore 18, No. 13 Haddon Heights 12
No. 3 Madison 16, No. 14 Sterling 2
No. 11 Lower Cape May 12, No. 6 Cinnaminson 9
No. 10 New Providence at No. 7 Bernards (Thursday)
No. 2 Rumson-Fair Haven 18, No. 15 Dayton 2
By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News
WOODSTOWN – A 5-12 tournament match-up always has the potential to be a trap game for the favorite and it turned out that way for the Woodstown girls lacrosse team Wednesday.
Haddon Twp., a No. 12 seed despite having twice as many wins and almost 100 more power points than the Wolverines, scored three straight goals in a little over 14 minutes in the second half to pull away from a tie game and eventually score a 9-7 upset in the opening round of the South Jersey Group I girls lacrosse playoffs.
Six players scored goals for the Hawks (15-3), with Sage Looram, Mady Maronski and Amelia Tomashek each scoring two. Loorem also had a pair of assists. The Hawks hadn’t won a first-round game since 2021, but they were one of two double-digit seeds to win Wednesday.
Delaney Walker scored three goals for Woodstown (7-9) – giving her 55 for the season – while Emma Morgan and Blair Baldi had two apiece. All three goal scorers are sophomores.
“I think we were feeling the pressure,” first-year Woodstown coach Erin Renshaw said. “They’re a good team, so I was expecting the game that we got. I just think a good team like that is going to capitalize on our little mistakes.”
The Wolverines had the Hawks on the run early, jumping out to a 3-0 lead in the first nine minutes of the game. Haddon Twp. fought back to tie it 3-3 and the teams traded goals to tie it at 4-4, 5-5 and 6-6.
The Hawks took the lead with 5:14 left in the third quarter, then added goals with 11:16 and 6:09 left in the fourth quarter to go up 9-6.
“Yes, we are young, but I think it was just our little mistakes,” Renshaw said. “We’ve got to work more on getting the ball out of the defensive end. We had some trouble with that today.
“I think we were forcing some things and not taking our best shots, not taking our best options. I think that kind of killed us. If we can’t handle possession, get on the ball, we can’t score.”
The Wolverines did have three 8-meter opportunities in the final five minutes to potentially close the gap, but cashed in on only one with 3:07 to play. The missed second opportunity was particularly demoralizing.
“One thing I will say about my girls is they will play every minute,” Renshaw said. “I know we had some turnovers but they’re still going 100 percent to get the ball back.
“As a first-year coach I am completely happy with the how they played (this season). I think our growth is what I’m most proud of and how we are as a team. I will take the team I have over a team that is packed with elite girls who just think they can roll over another team. My team will fight and they will play with heart.”
TRACK
FRANKLINVILLE – Schalick junior Jordan Hadfield won two events and led a group of four Salem County athletes who won five events at the Tri-County Showcase at Delsea Wednesday.
Hadfield won the 800 in a personal best 2:18.61 and the 3200 in 11:30.95. She didn’t run the 1600, which opened the door for Woodstown’s Lillian Norman to win in a PR 5:29.46.
The county produced two winners on the boys side.
Penns Grove senior Khalim Smith won the triple jump with a PR and state top 25 jump of 44-9. He beat runnerup DaviYonn Jackson of Salem by eight inches.
“He was a sleeper coming into the year, but not anymore,” said Damian Ware, the Red Devils’ jumpers coach.
The triple jump was Salem County’s best event. In addition to Smith and Jackson going 1-2, freshmen David Stewart of Schalick and KaRon Ceaser were third and fourth, respectively.
Pennsville’s Connor Ayars completed the county’s champions group by winning the javelin with a PR of 159-6.
“This was the best I’ve seen Connor look,” Eagles coach Mike Healy said. “Not only did he PR, but he was consistently throwing in the 150s for all his throws, which was great to see.
“Between Connor and Cole (Campbell) finishing fourth, they’ve been our most consistent athletes and have been putting in a ton of work.”
The county also had four event runner-ups – Woodstown’s boys 4×800 relay and Salem’s Jackson, Anthony Parker (400 hurdles) and Rhionna Timmons (long jump) – and 25 top fives.
The meet was not team scored.
TCC SHOWCASE
BOYS WINNERS
4×100: Washington Twp. (Ajani Dwyer, Yashahya Brown, John Santos, Jack Schuck), 41.77.
4×800: Deptford (Abu Jabbie, Sean Nieves, Anthony Schilling, Lucius Davis), 8:15.04.
400 Hurdles: Alexander Osayemi, Clayton, 55.20.
1600: Ty Blackman, Glassboro, 4:33.91.
400: Dante McGrenehan, Delsea, 49.05.
100: Ajani Dwyer, Washington Twp., 10.45.
800: Daniel Torres, Washington Twp., 1:57.44.
110 Hurdles: Yashahya Brown, Washington Twp., 13.64 (USA Top 25).
200: Ajani Dwyer, Washington Twp., 21.29 (NJ Top 10).
3200: Aziz Muhammad-Kane, Highland, 9:56.04.
4×400: Williamstown (Alexander Hollimon, Kobinah Amissah, Sam Bruno, Gordon Pinnock), 3:27.39.
High jump: Jayden DeLeon, Highland, 6-7 (NJ Top 10).
Pole vault: Marcus Hood, Deptford, 14-6 (NJ Top 10).
Long jump: Benny Liles III, Kingsway, 22-6.50.
Triple jump: Khalim Smith, Penns Grove, 44-9 (PR, NJ Top 25).
Discus: Damere Lassiter, Glassboro, 171-2 (NJ Top 10).
Javelin: Connor Ayars, Pennsville, 159-6 (PR).
Shot put: Jonathan Harris, Delsea, 61-7.50 (NJ Top 10).
Top 5 finishers (Salem County)
4×800: 2. Woodstown (Karson Chew, Joshua Crawford, Cole Lucas, Jacob Marino) 8:19.91.
400 Hurdles: 2. Anthony Parker, Salem, 55.26 (PR, NJ Top 25).
1600: 4. Matthew Tozer, Schalick, 4:44.48 (PR); 5. Cole Lucas, Woodstown, 4:52.94.
800: 5. Steve Chomo, Schalick, 2:03.25 (PR).
110 Hurdles: 5. Anthony Parker, Salem, 15.25
4×400: 4. Penns Grove (Theus Berrios, Kylee Goodson, Bryan Garlic, Knowledge Young), 3:32.83.
High jump: 5. Reggie Allen, Schalick, 6-0.
Triple jump: 2. DaviYonn Jackson, Salem, 44-1; 3. David Stewart, Schalick, 43-7 (PR); 5. KaRon Ceaser, Penns Grove, 43-0.50.
Discus: 4. Jackson McFarland, Pennsville, 129-8 (PR).
Javelin: 4. Cole Campbell, Pennsville, 147-11.
GIRLS WINNERS
4×100: Kingsway (Jonnelle Lewis, Camryn Stanard, Kennedy Brathwaite, Naveya Hall), 49.57
4×800: Washington Twp. (Kaylee Russen, Taylor Stuart, Rachael Wilson, Hannah Saleh), 10:02.57.
400 Hurdles: Nyla Jones, Timber Creek, 1:01.87.
1600: Lillian Norman, Woodstown, 5:29.46 (PR).
400: Nayla Jones, Timber Creek, 56.36 (NJ Top 10).
100: Ryan Jennings, Timber Creek, 11.56.
800: Jordan Hadfield, Schalick, 2:18.61 (PR).
100 Hurdles: Nyla Jones, Timber Creek, 14.55 (NJ Top 10).
200: Ryan Jennings, Timber Creek, 24.36 (NJ Top 10).
3200: Jordan Hadfield, Schalick, 11:30.95.
4×400: Timber Creek (Amaya Jones, Autumn Cato, Jordyn Cato, Taylor Gaines), 4:06.85.
High jump: Alanna Woolfolk, Clayton, 5-6 (NJ No. 1).
Pole vault: Cali Lacovara, Washington Twp., 10-6.
Long jump: Guerlande Pierre, Timber Creek, 17-0.
Triple jump: Riley Gramble, Washington Twp., 33-11.25.
Discus: Hannah Nuhfer, Delsea, 146-10 (NJ Top 10).
Javelin: Paige Franklin, Williamstown, 114-1.
Shot put: Hannah Nuhfer, Delsea, 38-5.75.
Top 5 finishers (Salem County)
4×100: 3. Schalick (Brooke Watt, Calleigh Schalick, Gia Martellacci, Zoe Jenkins), 51.65.
400 Hurdles: 4. Anna Buzby, Salem, 1:07.94; 5. Grace O’Neill, Schalick, 1:08.55.
1600: 4. Helen Lillia, Schalick, 5:49.02 (PR).
100: 5. Daivonnah Thomas, Penns Grove, 12.83 (PR).
Pole vault: 3. Megan Morris, Pennsville, 8-6.
Long jump: 2. Rhionna Timmons, Salem, 16-6.
Triple jump: 3. Brooke Watt, Schalick, 33-4.50; 5. Calista Hunt, Woodstown, 32-9.Javelin: 3. Allyson Green, Schalick, 99-0; 5. Alivia Klancic, Schalick, 91-11.
Shot put: 5. Ava Rodgers, Salem, 34-0.
GOLF
SCHALICK 162, DELSEA 174, OVERBROOK 224: Senior Ryan Johnson parred his final hole to shoot a 3-over-par 38 and win medalist honors as Schalick clinched a share of the Tri-County Conference Diamond Division title.
As a co-champion (with Woodstown), the Cougars will send a full contingent of players to the Tri-County Championships Tuesday at Pitman GC. All five division winners will send full groups, while everyone else will send two players.
The Cougars also counted a 39 from Seth Fisher, a 42 from Anthony Sepers and a 43 from Lance Creighton.
KINGSWAY GIRLS 188, SCHALICK 200: Kingsway’s Carly Kuminka birdied her first hole, one-putted her first two and shot 5-over-par 40 to win medalist honors by seven strokes. Hannah Widdifield shot Schalick’s low round (48).
BOYS TENNIS
South Jersey Group I Tournament
BUENA 5, PENNS GROVE 0
Jake Harris (B) def. Alex Ramirez Martinez, 6-0, 6-0
Dominic Longona (B) def. Angel Perez Herrera, 6-1, 6-1
Stephen Pepper (B) def. Stuart Mondragon, 6-1, 6-0
Matthew Lillia-Gabe Ridolfo (B) def. Anthony Pacheco-Ricardo Vichi, 6-0, 6-0
Joshua Sharpe-Michael Letushko (B) def. Adam Gonzalez-Rene Ruiz, 6-0, 6-2
Records: Penns Grove 4-10, Buena 18-3.
Regular season
WOODSTOWN 5, OVERBROOK 0
Tim Schwienbacher (Wo) def. Andrew Weaver, 6-2, 7-5
Drew Stengel (Wo) def. Logan Milas, 6-1, 6-3
Erich Lipovsky (Wo) def. Colin Campbrell, 6-3, 6-0
Joseph Kurpis-Luke Shaw (Wo) def. Connor Kustera-Alan Marcos, 6-4, 3-6, 10-3
John Farrell-Nichols DiTeodoro (Wo) def. Jose Paz-Gabe Martinez, 6-1, 6-2
Records: Overbrook 5-15, Woodstown 12-6.
Well-armed Wolverines
Woodstown’s pitching plan blanks Schalick to open South Jersey Group I softball tournament; Pennsville wins big, Salem faced big challenge
SOUTH JERSEY GROUP I TOURNAMENT
Wednesday’s first-round games
No. 1 Audubon 13, No. 16 Camden Academy Charter 0
No. 9 Paulsboro 10, No. 8 Palmyra 3
No. 5 Maple Shade 11, No. 12 Cape May Tech 0
No. 4 Pennsville 17, No. 13 Glassboro 0
No. 3 Haddon Twp. 10, No. 14 Clayton 0
No. 6 Woodstown 10, No. 11 Schalick 0
No. 10 Gateway 5, No. 7 Pitman 3
No. 2 Buena 19, No. 15 Salem 0
SECOND ROUND (MAY 28)
Paulsboro at Audubon
Maple Shade at Pennsville
Woodstown at Haddon Twp.
Gateway at Buena
By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News
WOODSTOWN – So much of a team’s success in the softball playoffs is predicated on pitching. A good one can give you an edge. Two can take you a long way.
Woodstown has two good ones capable of shutting down an opposing team’s lineup and put them both on display in Wednesday’s South Jersey Group I playoff opener. Get ready to see a lot more of them both for as long as the Wolverines stick around.
Liv Boultinghouse and Grace White combined on a three-hitter as the sixth-seeded Wolverines blanked county rival Schalick 10-0 in what may have been retiring coach Dave Wildermuth’s final home game. They now travel to third-seeded Haddon Twp. Tuesday for Round 2, with the 1, 2, 4 and 5 seeds all still alive.
Boultinghouse threw 41 pitches over the first four innings (33 for strikes) and gave up all three hits, but allowed two runners got past first base – both with two outs. White pitched the fifth, with an expectation of going more if needed, and needed only 17 pitches to get the four batters to close it out.
“That’s kind of our game plan,” Wildermuth said. “We’re probably going to split them, Liv to start and Grace to finish, three and three and then figure out the fourth inning. And that worked out today.
“When you have two really good pitchers and both are seniors and both have been in the playoffs before and won playoff games, I’m going to ride them. That’s the plan.”
The fielders and hitters supported them. Tulana Mingin made the defensive play of the game when she went deep to her backhand side to snare Alli Shimp’s grounder and threw her out from her knees.
The Wolverines led 3-0 after three innings, then broke it open with four in the fourth on six consecutive two-out hits or walks. Mingin went 3-for-3 with a walk and two RBIs. Ellie Wygand had two hits and three RBIs, including the walk-off single in the fifth. Kayla Brown and Aubrie Rennie had two hits apiece.
Schalick, meanwhile, just couldn’t solve the two Woodstown pitchers. Taylor Sparks, Alli Shimp and Ava Scurry had the Cougars’ hits, but almost everything else they put in play stayed in the infield.
“The pitching is good, we didn’t get hits when we needed to,” Cougars coach Rick Higinbotham said. “We were hitting the ball, they just weren’t falling for us. It’s tough. You get a good pitcher, two pitchers like theirs, it’s tough for a playoff game.
“I liked the fact we were hitting the ball. We were putting the ball in play, they weren’t falling for us.”
Wildermuth announced shortly before the season began he was retiring from teaching and coaching at the end of the season/school year. He deferred talking about any kind of farewell tour at the start of the season and he wasn’t thinking about it being close to the end now.
“All I asked them today was give me one more week with you guys, and they did,” he said. “They gave me one more week so I’m going to enjoy this next week with them.”
PENNSVILLE 17, GLASSBORO 0: Bella Farina homered and drove in six runs, Kylie Harris set the modern-era single-season school record for doubles and Savannah Palverento spun another no-hitter as the Eagles won their 14th in a row.
Farina went 4-for-4 and Bella Rappa was 3-for-4 with two RBIs and both were a double shy of the cycle. Sophomore Harris doubled on a fly ball to center field in the Eagles’ seven-run second inning. It was her 15th double of the season and 25th of her career.
Palverento’s no-hitter was far from perfect – she walked five, hit a batter and struck out four – but she faced four batters over the minimum in the five-inning game. She only had two runners reach third base and they were both in the fifth inning and catcher Harris picked off one of them.
It was her fourth no-hit appearance in her last five appearances and third complete-game no-hitter. She has given up four hits in her last 24 1/3 innings with no-hitters against Glassboro, Salem and Wildwood. She also pitched three no-hit innings in a combined one-hitter against Pitman in that stretch.
“I’m sure she was ‘oh, I could have done better,'” Eagles coach Beth Jackson said. “But she fought through and her team helped her out defensively when the ball was put in play.”
BUENA 19, SALEM 0: Anna Sheridan went 4-for-4, Layiah Collins went 3-for-4 with a homer and both drove in four runs. The Chiefs led 9-0 after two innings, then put it way out of reach with 10 in the third. Raegan Wilson had both of Salem’s hits.
