This week’s schedule

Here is the sports schedule for Salem County high school and college teams for the week of May 6-11; all events 4 p.m. unless noted

Monday

COLLEGE BASEBALL
RCSJ-Gloucester at Salem CC, 3:30 p.m.
BASEBALL
Glassboro at Schalick
Penns Grove at Overbrook
Salem at Wildwood
Woodstown at Camden Academy Charter
SOFTBALL
Overbrook at Penns Grove
Gloucester Catholic at Pennsville
Schalick at Glassboro
Wildwood at Salem
GOLF
GCIT vs. Schalick, Centerton CC, 3:30 p.m.
BOYS TENNIS
Glassboro at Pennsville, 3:45 p.m.
Woodstown at Triton, 3:45 p.m.
Penns Grove at Clayton
Schalick at Bridgeton
TRACK
Penns Grove at Overbrook
BOYS VOLLEYBALL
Triton at Salem Tech

Tuesday

BASEBALL
LEAP at Penns Grove
Schalick at Clayton
SOFTBALL
Pennsville at Triton
Pitman at Salem
Woodstown at Gloucester Catholic
GOLF
Schalick, Woodstown in NJSIAA Sectionals, Cream Ridge GC
BOYS TENNIS
Pennsville at Schalick, 3:45 p.m.
Cumberland at Woodstown
BOYS LACROSSE
Woodstown at Haddon Twp., 6:30 p.m.

Wednesday

BASEBALL
Overbrook at Woodstown
Salem at Clayton
Schalick at Penns Grove
Wildwood at Pennsville
SOFTBALL
Penns Grove at Schalick
Wildwood at Pennsville
Woodstown at Overbrook
GOLF
Cumberland girls vs. Schalick, Centerton CC, 3:30 p.m.
Northern Burlington boys vs. Schalick, Centerton CC, 4:15 p.m.
Middle Twp. vs. Pennsville, Sakima GC, 4:30 p.m.
TRACK
Salem County Championships, Salem, 3:30 p.m.
BOYS TENNIS
Delsea at Woodstown, 3:45 p.m.
Pennsville at Pitman, 3:45 p.m.
Clayton at Schalick
GIRLS LACROSSE
Woodstown at Kingsway, 6 p.m.

Thursday

BASEBALL
Woodstown vs. Schalick, Elmer LL, 6:30 p.m.
SOFTBALL
Clayton at Salem
Glassboro at Penns Grove
Pennsville at Clayton
Woodstown vs. Schalick, Elmer LL, 6:30 p.m.
GOLF
Salem Tech, Pennsville, Clayton at The Birches, 3:45 p.m.
Timber Creek vs. Woodstown, Town & Country GC, 3:45 p.m.
Schalick vs. Deptford, Pitman GC
BOYS TENNIS
Woodstown at Haddon Heights
Williamstown at Penns Grove
GIRLS LACROSSE
Clearview at Woodstown

Friday

BASEBALL
Haddon Heights at Pennsville
Penns Grove at Clayton
Woodstown at Salem
SOFTBALL
Pennsville at Overbrook
Salem at Woodstown
Wildwood at Penns Grove
GOLF
Woodbury vs. Pennsville, Sakima GC, 3:30 p.m.
BOYS LACROSSE
Clearview at Woodstown
BOYS TENNIS
GCIT at Pennsville
Schalick at Wildwood, 4:15 p.m.
BOYS VOLLEYBALL
Salem Tech at Washington Twp., 3:45 p.m.

Saturday

COLLEGE BASEBALL
Region XIX Tournament
(All doubleheaders starting at noon)
Salem CC at Northampton
RCSJ-Cumberland at Middlesex
Ocean at Brookdale
(Game 3, if necessary, Sunday, noon)
BASEBALL
Lee Ware Tournament
Woodstown vs. Camden Catholic, 10 a.m.
Paulsboro vs. Cherry Hill East, 10 a.m.
Consolation game, noon
Championship game, noon
GIRLS LACROSSE
Lower Cape May at Woodstown, 10 a.m.

Where the elite meet

Six Salem County athletes score top eight finishes at the NIKE SJTCA Elite Meet

By Riverview Sports News

FRANKLINVILLE – Four from Salem led a group of six Salem County athletes who scored top eight finishes at the Nike SJTCA Elite Meet at Delsea High School Thursday.

Three Salem girls posted PRs in their events. Anna Buzby finished sixth in the 400 hurdles (1:05.42). Dominique Lewis was fifth in the shot (37.4) and Rhionna Timmons was eighth in the long jump (17-0.75).

Timmons also PR’d in the 100 (12.62, ninth) and 200 (26.65). Lewis finished in the top 20 in the discus and javelin; Buzby was top 20 in the 400 and 800, and Karima Davenport-White was 12th in the long. Davenport-White committed to Coppin State easlier in the week.

Buzby (800) and Timmons (200 and long jump) sit atop the South Jersey Group I rankings in their events. Davenport-White is third in the long jump and second in the 100.

“They stepped up and competed against some of the best runners, not only in New Jersey, but in the country,” Salem head coach David Hunt said.

On the boys side, Salem’s DaviYonn Jackson finished fifth in the triple jump (44-7.50). Woodstown’s Cole Lucas was sixth in the 800 (1:58.89), improving six spots on the final lap. And Pennsville’s Connor Ayars was seventh in the javelin (152-7).

“It was a great day overall,” Salem assistant coach Spencer Jarrett said. “The heat really helped open up a lot of things for PRs. Most of the kids were going against some of the best in South Jersey from all groups and we got a lot of top 10 finishes and a lot of movement in the rankings in South Jersey Group I.”

Fantastic firsts

Pennsville’s Burchfield makes first varsity appearance on mound, assistant McAllister gets first varsity coaching win; includes rest of Wednesday’s Salem County roundup

WEDNESDAY COUNTY BASEBALL
Pennsville 17, Salem 2
Schalick 24, Bridgeton 4

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

SALEM – Chase Burchfield won’t soon forget the first game he’s ever pitched in high school. And neither will Aaron McAllister.

Burchfield had been begging to pitch in a game for the last couple weeks and the Pennsville coaches finally granted his wish Wednesday, giving him the fifth inning to finish off a 17-2 win over Salem for McAllister’s first varsity coaching win.

McAllister has been running the team while Eagles coach Matt Karr has been recovering from a surgical procedure last week. It was hoped Karr would return to the team in some capacity by the weekend, but McAllister is moving the pieces in the meantime.

In his first two games over the weekend, the Eagles lost to Cedar Creek in Mainland’s Coaches vs. Cancer Classic and Rancocas Valley in the Diamond Classic.

“It’s good to get back in the win column,” McAllister said. “We preach to these guys from Day One that we’ve got pretty lofty goals for this program and it’s about the program and not who gets it. We talk about be ready for your opportunity and next man up. Whoever gets the hit, whoever gets the RBI, it’s where we’re trying to be in June what we’re really about.”

That next man up on this day was Burchfield. With the Eagles running short of pitchers for various reasons, the coaches thought it was a good time to grant Burchfield’s wish to pitch.

The junior right-hander entered in the fifth inning with a 15-run lead and faced four batters. He threw 11 pitches, seven for strikes. He struck out the first batter he faced as a pitcher since eighth grade, had the next one reach on an infield error and balked that runner to third for not pausing between two fly outs to end the game.

“I was begging them to let me pitch since the Buena game (April 20),” Burchfield said. “They let me warmup in the Williamstown game (the day before) and I’ve been waiting. I finally got them to let me pitch today and I was just trying to throw some gas.

“I did not think I was going to step foot on the mound ever again, but I was able to get back out there. It felt pretty good. It was the first time since eighth grade, but hopefully I can get out there more.”

Although he left the field with a career ERA of 0.00 Burchfield thought he could have done better. He promised the next time he gets out there he’ll throw even more strikes.

Is there going to be a next time?

“His opportunity might come again,” McAllister hinted. “We’ve got a lot of games and our schedule is so compact and condenses that there may be another opportunity where he gets to come in a situation to close out a game. I wouldn’t say it’s a one-and-done. I’d say it’s a potential he could get back out there … without having to beg.”

Burchfield came in to finish up for Logan Streitz, who was making his second start of the season and first since Opening Day. Streitz allowed one hit through four innings – a triple by Caleb Clark in the third inning – walked three and struck out eight. He struck out the side in his final inning.

“I figured out I was going to start on the bus,” Streitz said. “They didn’t tell me from yesterday and on the way here they mentioned I was pitching. Sometimes I like knowing before I’m going to pitch, like the day before, so I can prepare. Today I just had to switch my mentality that I was going to pitch.”

Throwing just 73 pitches with velocity McAllister said was as good as he has seen from him and feeling “pretty good,” the sophomore could have gone out to finish his first complete game. But the score being what it was, the situation was good to grant Burchfield’s wish.

“That’s something we’ve been wanting to do for a while,” McAllister said. “Burchfield has always let us know that he’s ready, always ready. He told me pregame today he’s ready, what’s the situation gpnna have to be for me to get into the game. I said you just do your job and you stay ready and when it’s time for your number to be called you’ll know.

“Luckily these guys came out and swung the bats and did what they were supposed to do to get us in a position to get him on the mound today.”

Salem countered with Colin Finney, who was starting for the second day in a row. He threw 28 pitches in two innings against Camden Eastside on Tuesday, but threw 24 in the first inning against a vastly different team.

Rams coach Eric Fizur gave him the choice of staying in and not be able to pitch again until the middle of next week or coming out and have an earlier return. The right-hander opted for the early exit so he could pitch again Monday.

The Rams ran out three pitchers behind him, but the results were the same. The Eagles scored in every inning. Every spot in their order reached base at least twice and seven spots had at least one hit. Mason O’Brien, Peyton O’Brien and Streitz had two hits apiece. Burchfield and Cohen Petrutz each had three.

“They were what we thought they were as Dennis Green said before,” Fizur said. “You could see why even missing three or four of their top guys that’s the No. 1 Group I South right now; you could easily see that.

“(Colin) threw well. He didn’t change anything (from Tuesday). We just saw a team that knows how to play the game versus a team that is young and developing.”

**Pennsville right-hander Logan Streitz looks in for a pitch in his first start since Opening Day. On the cover, Chase Burchfield delivers a pitch in his first mound appearance since eighth grade.**

SCHALICK 24, BRIDGETON 4: Playing under the lights at Elmer LL, the Cougars erupted for 23 hits and scored their most runs in a game since putting up 24 in a game last May for their fourth win in a row.

Luke Pokrovsky led the hit parade going 4-for-4 with five RBIs. Jamari Whitley went 3-for-4 with four RBIs and Wyatt Cushane went 3-for-3 with three RBIs. J.T. Fleming, Jake Siedlecki and Elijah Cummings also had three hits.

The Cougars actually trailed 4-1 after the first inning, but they took control with 12 in the second. Seventeen batters came to the plate in the inning with the first 11 all reaching safely. Siedlecki’s bases-loaded walk tied the game and Lucas D’Agostino’s hit by pitch put the Cougars in front for good.

SOFTBALL
CUMBERLAND 12, SCHALICK 1: The bottom four hitters in the Colts’ lineup combined for six hits, five runs and seven RBIs. Shayla Richmond was 2-for-3 with two RBIs and Storylynn Dagostino was 2-for-3 with three RBIs. The Colts broke it open with an 11-run third inning.

Taylor Sparks drove in Schalick’s run with a two-out bases-loaded walk in the fifth inning as the Cougars tried to extend the game. Addy Shimp had two of Schalick’s three hits.

BOYS TENNIS
SCHALICK 4, GCIT 1
George Gould (S) def. Luke Clodfelter, 6-2, 6-0.
Jesus Espinoza (S) def. Jeffrey Smith, 6-2, 6-3
Conor O’Toole (S) def. Lorenzo Miglino, 6-1, 6-2
Rocky Monticolo-David Santana (S) def. Rory Guice-Liam Masusock, 6-0, 6-2
George Gould-James Helder (G) def. Kaden Barnes-Cayden Brzozowski, 6-0, 2-6, 10-6
Records: Schalick 8-4, GCIT 4-8.

Monday milestone

Schalick junior Luke Pokrovsky spins no-hitter against Wildwood, fans 15 to reach 200 career Ks; includes highlights from Monday’s Salem County sports calendar

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PITTSGROVE – It was red letter day for Luke Pokrovsky all the way around Monday.

The junior left-hander threw the first no-hitter of his high school career and collected his 200th career strikeout during Schalick’s 8-0 victory over Wildwood.

He threw 96 pitches in the complete game (64 for strikes), struck out 15 and walked three – the only base runners he allowed. He called it one of his top pitching game after his 16-strikeout, one-hit near-complete game against Gloucester on April 19.

In his last three starts he allowed one hit with 16 strikeouts against Gloucester, three hits with 13 strikeouts with 13 strikeouts in a complete game against Lower Cape May and then Monday.

“He’s been locked in, especially the last three starts where he’s been all around the strike zone, getting ahead of guys, finishing guys off,” Cougars coach Sean O’Brien said. “It’s been fun to watch.

“It’s been easy for our guys playing defense behind him, but he really has been ahead of every batter and attacking batters and not really walking that many guys.”

O’Brien couldn’t remember having a no-hitter in his tenure at Schalick and even this one caught him a little by surprise.

“I heard someone mention it to me, so it was around there, but I didn’t realize it until later in the game,” O’Brien said someone. “We were looking at the pitch count and then I realized they hadn’t had any hits.”

Pokrovsky was so sharp he didn’t allow a ball out of the infield. The closest the Warriors came to a hit was Logan Totten’s sharp grounder to second baseman Evan Glaspey for the first out in the seventh.

He retired the first eight batters he faced and 13 of the first 14. He hit the milestone strikeout on the number, fanning the last two batters of the game.

“I was going into the game knowing 15 Ks is a lot to get,” Pokrovsky said. “Wildwood is a good team after looking at the stats. I knew they were going to compete and look to jump on the fastball. I tried to mix up my off-speed pitches early in the count and then come back with the fastball hoping to get it past them.

“When I got into the dugout after the sixth inning, a teammate came up to me saying I needed two more (for 200). I got excited knowing I could get my 200 strikeouts. They had their top hitters up the next inning. After walking the third hitter and grounding out the fourth I knew the lineup kind of dropped off so I just tried to blow my fast by them and it ended up working out.”

The pitcher got a lot of support from his teammates. J.T. Fleming went 3-for-3, Evan Glaspey went 2-for-3 with two RBIs and Lucas D’Agostino had a pair of hits. Pokrovsky also had two hits, giving him 79 for his career in that department.

Diamond Classic
Rancocas Valley 7, Pennsville 1
Lenape 6, Mainland 2
Egg Harbor 4, Seneca 3

Rancocas Valley 7, Pennsville 1: The Red Devils scored all their runs in the first four innings and held the Eagles to just two singles. Jeff Wagner and Peyton O’Brien had Pennsville’s two hits and Mason O’Brien drove in the Eagles’ run in the second inning to make it a 2-1 game.

SOFTBALL
Schalick 17, Wildwood 0: The Cougars erupted for eight runs in the first inning and Addy Shimp and Annie Podhel split a four-inning one-hitter. Cayla Sbrana had a two-run single in the first inning and had four RBIs in the game. Cloe Elliott, Maddie Brown and Lucy Virga all drove in three runs.

Salem 8, Cape May Tech 7: The Rams scored two runs in the sixth inning to snap a 6-6 tie and then held on to snap an eight-game losing streak. Ava Ortiz and Julliana Love scored the decisive runs stealing home.

CMT made it 8-7 with two outs in the bottom of the seventh and had the tying run at third, but the game ended with offensive interference.

Morgan Johnson had a bases-loaded triple in Salem’s five-run second inning and had four RBIs in the game. Love had three hits, Johnson, Ortiz and Kyla Henderson had two hits apiece.

GOLF
Woodstown 174, Wildwood 196: Grant Prater shot 38 at Union League National to lead the Wolverines (11-3).

Clearview girls 170, Schalick 209: Clearview’s Stella Bernardi won medalist honors at Centerton CC with a 41. Hannah Widdifield posted Schalick’s low score (46).

BOYS TENNIS
SCHALICK 4, WASHINGTON TWP. 1
Zack Torbik (WT) def. George Gould, 5-7, 6-3, 10-6
Jesus Espinoza (S) def. Khang Nguyen, 6-0, 3-6, 10-7
Conor O’Toole (S) def. Jack Hanson, 6-0, 6-0
Rocky Monticolo-David Santana (S) def. John Ecker-Kaden Murphy, 6-2, 6-4
Kaden Barnes-Cayden Brzozowski (S) won 6-1, 6-0
Records: Schalick 6-4, Washington Twp. 1-8.

This week’s schedule

Here is the Salem County sports schedule for the week of April 28-May 4; all events start at 4 p.m. unless noted

Sunday

BASEBALL
Mainland Coaches vs. Cancer
Pennsville vs Cedar Creek, 9 a.m.

Monday

BASEBALL
Wildwood at Schalick

Diamond Classic
Pennsville at Rancocas Valley
SOFTBALL
Salem at Cape May Tech
Schalick at Wildwood
COLLEGE BASEBALL
Salem CC at Delaware County CC, 3 p.m.
GOLF
Clearview girls vs. Schalick, Centerton CC, 3:30 p.m.
Pennsville vs. Penns Grove, Sakima CC, 3:30 p.m.
Woodstown vs. Wildwood, Union League National, 3:45 p.m.
Salem Tech vs. Gloucester Catholic
Clearview vs. Schalick, Centerton CC, 4:15 p.m.
BOYS TENNIS
Washington Twp. at Schalick

Tuesday

BASEBALL
Camden Eastside at Salem
SOFTBALL
Paulsboro at Salem
COLLEGE BASEBALL
Salem CC at Anne Arundel CC (2), 2 p.m.
GOLF
Schalick girls vs. Delsea, Birches/Wash. Twp. GC
Schalick vs. Overbrook, Kresson GC
BOYS TENNIS
Wildwood at Schalick
BOYS VOLLEYBALL
Riverside at Salem Tech, 3:45 p.m.

Wednesday

BASEBALL
Pennsville at Salem
Bridgeton at Schalick, Elmer LL, 6:30 p.m.
SOFTBALL
Schalick at Cumberland
BOYS TENNIS
Schalick at GCIT
BOYS LACROSSE
St. Joe’s at Woodstown

Thursday

BASEBALL
Penns Grove at Pleasantville
COLLEGE BASEBALL
Lehigh Carbon at Salem CC, 3:30 p.m.
GOLF
Pennsville, Schalick, Woodstown in Carl Arena Tournament, 8 a.m.
TRACK
Salem at SJTCA Meet, Delsea

Friday

BASEBALL
Salem at Overbrook
SOFTBALL
LEAP at Salem
COLLEGE BASEBALL
Salem CC at RCSJ-Gloucester, 3:30 p.m.
COLLEGE SOFTBALL
REGION XIX TOURNAMENT
at Mercer County CC
Salem CC vs. Mercer CC, 10 a.m.
Delaware Tech vs. Lackawanna, noon
Salem-Mercer winner vs. Del Tech-Lackawanna winner, 2 p.m.
Salem-Mercer loser vs. Del Tech-Lackawanna loser, 4 p.m.
GOLF
Cedar Creek vs. Schalick, Centerton CC, 3:30 p.m.

Saturday

COLLEGE BASEBALL
RCSJ-Gloucester at Salem CC (2), noon
COLLEGE SOFTBALL
REGION XIX TOURNAMENT
at Mercer County CC
Elimination game, 10 a.m.
Championship Game, noon
If necessary, 2 p.m.

Running hard

Salem, Schalick girls 4×400 teams rn well at Penn Relays; roundup includes scores from Thursday’s Salem County sports action

By Riverview Sports News

PHILADELPHIA – The girls 4×400 relay teams from Salem and Schalick both finished in the top 10 of their respective Friday races at the Penn Relays Thursday.

Schalick’s team of Gia Martellacci, Grace O’Neill, Gabriella Simonini and Jordan Hadfield placed eighth in the high school girls division with a time of 4:30.47. Southern (Harwood, Md.) led the field at 4:07.11.

Martellacci got the Cougars started with a leg of 1:04.69 that had them in the top five and Hadfield brought them home with a leg of 1:05.70.

Salem’s team of Anyzha Williams, Rhionna Timmons, Sairis Jimenez and Anna Buzby finished fourth in the South Jersey Small Schools race, running 4:11.34. It was the first team in school history to medal there in any event.

The Rams had been in the top nine all race, with Buzby bringing them home with a final leg 59.99. Willingboro won it at 4:02.97.

Their 4×100 team of Karima Davenport-White, Buzby, Timmons and Dayana Jones ran a season-best 50.63.

PENN RELAYS
GIRLS PRELIMS
4×100: 71. Salem (Karima Davenport-White, Anna Buzby, RhiOnna Timmons, Dayana Jones) 50.63; 92. Schalick (Caileigh Schalick, Zoe Jenkins, Gia Marellacci, Brooke Watt) 55.83
4×400: 8. Schalick (Gia Martellacci, Grace O’Neill, Gabriella Simonini, Jordan Hadfield) 4:30.47
4×400 South Jersey Small: 4. Salem (Anyzha Williams, Rhionna Timmons, Sairis Jimenez, Anna Buzby) 4:11.34

BASEBALL
Delran 5, Woodstown 3
BOYS TENNIS
Pennsville 5, Penns Grove 0
Woodstown 5, Bridgeton 0
BOYS LACROSSE
Woodstown 12, Sterling 5
GIRLS LACROSSE
Haddonfield 20, Woodstown 6
GOLF
Triton 177, Pennsville 225

Wednesday roundup

Here are the scores and highlights from Wednesday’s high school action involving Salem County teams

BASEBALL
SCHALICK 9, LOWER CAPE MAY 3: Luke Pokrovsky gave up three hits and struck out 13 in a complete game and the Cougars (6-6) broke it open with a five-run second inning to bounce back from a tough loss the day before. J.T. Fleming and Ricky Watt both had three hits and a pair of RBIs. The 13 strikeouts give Pokrovsky, a junior, 185 for his career.

WOODSTOWN 8, AUDUBON 3: The Wolverines answered Audubon’s three-run rally to fourth to get close with three in the fifth to pull away. Brent Williams, Blake Bialecki and Dante Holmes all drove in a pair of runs. Holmes’ RBIs came on a two-run double in the fourth that made it 7-3.

GLASSBORO 9, PENNS GROVE 2: Gavin Dillard had two extra-base hits and two RBIs for the Bulldogs, who scored two in the first inning and never trailed. Elijah Crespo, Ryan Hunt, Ethan Brooks and Bristol Scott had hits for the Red Devils.

PITMAN 13, SALEM 1: Connor Sharkey drove in four runs and Hudson Rue and Jackson Austin each drove in three for the Panthers. Ethan McDonnell-Longo went 2-for-2 and drove in the Rams’ run in the fourth inning.

2 IN DIAMOND CLASSIC: Pennsville and Woodstown both are in the field for the 50th annual Joe Hartmann Diamond Classic.

Pennsville is the No. 24 seed in the 32-team field and will visit No. 9 Rancocas Valley on or before May 1 in a Top Bracket game. The Eagles would get the Camden Catholic-Eastern winner if successful.

Woodstown is seeded No. 26 and will play at No. 6 Delsea in its first-round game. The Wolverines would get the Bishop Eustace-Audubon winner if successful. Notice above they beat Audubon today.

The title game is May 16 at Alcyon Park in Pitman.

SOFTBALL
PITMAN 12, SALEM 3: The Panthers broke a 2-2 tie with a run in the third, then broke open the game with eight runs in the sixth. The teams matched single runs each of the first two innings until Pitman broke on top. Julliana Love had three hits and Raegan Wilson had two for the Rams. Love and Morgan Johnson had RBIs.

GLASSBORO 19, PENNS GROVE 2: The Red Devils scored both their runs in the top of the first, but the Bulldogs responded with 13 runs in the home half of the inning. Jarlene Vichi had the Red Devils’ only hit and RBI.

GOLF
WOODSTOWN 131, OVERBROOK 174: Jacob Schermerhorn and Jeffrey Covely both shot 32 to lead the Wolverines (10-3) at Kresson GC. Kyle Brainard came in with a 33 and Joey Olbrich posted a 34.
PITMAN 208, SALEM TECH 245: Pitman’s Owen Boulton was medalist at Sakima CC with a 49. Jack Bermann posted Salem Tech’s low score (59).

WASHINGTON TWP. 195, SCHALICK GIRLS 250: Washington Twp. Delaney Schwartz (46) edged teammate Ryli Zee by a stroke for medalist honors at Wedgewood CC. Casey Widdifield posted Schalick’s low score (61).

BOYS TENNIS
PENNSVILLE 5, TRITON 0
Gabe Schneider (P) def. Steve Schilder, 6-1, 6-2
Maddox Efelis (P) def. Tristyn Malone, 6-1, 6-0
Brody Wiggins (P) def. William Ahrens
Noah Bohn-Noah Flitcraft (P) def. Sean Gorsky-Cole Durham, 6-0, 6-0
Sawyer Humphrey-Luke Chamberlain (P) def. Tirth Patel-Brennan Zabala, 6-1, 6-1
Records: Pennsville 11-1, Triton 2-5.

A total turf experience

The Taliaferro Foundation’s Ginsburg Football Classic expanding to include youth flag football, moving to Total Turf, high school 7-on-7 field filling quickly

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

After three strong years playing at the high school complex of its foundation namesake, the Adam Taliaferro Foundation Larry Ginsburg Football Classic is expanding and moving.

This year’s fifth annual event, scheduled for June 29, is heading 15 miles down the road to the expansive Total Turf Experience in Pitman. It had been staged the last three years at Eastern High School in Voorhees, where Taliaferro played his high school ball before moving on to Penn State and living one of the most inspirational stories in sports of all time.

Most people recognize the Classic as a 7-on-7 showcase for South Jersey high school football teams, but this year the event is adding a flag football element for youth teams and needs more room for the demand with the potential for making Total Turf its permanent home.

“We started off with it at Rowan University, then we moved it to Eastern High School and now we’re trying something a little bit different,” executive director Gus Ostrum said. “The high school tournament is staying in place, but we’re also trying to start up a subsequent flag football tournament for the youth leagues.

“That’s why we moved it to Total Turf, because they do the flag football tournaments all the time. They do things for high schools all the time, so they’re very familiar with their facilities. They have great indoor and outdoor facilities over there. It’s an incredible facility.”

The move has gained some early support.

“Total Turf is a really nice facility,” Pennsville coach Mike Healy said. “I’m excited mostly because it’s closer to us. Eastern was very nice. Total Turf has all sorts of stuff in it besides sports. It’s a cool place to watch sports.”

The field for the high school tournament is filling quickly and nearly halfway to its cap of 16 teams.

Four Salem County teams played in it last year – Healy’s Eagles, Penns Grove, Schalick and Woodstown. Of that group, only runner-up Penns Grove has yet to commit for this year, but former Penns Grove coach John Emel is bringing his new West Deptford team. Timber Creek and Mercer County’s Nottingham also are said to be committed.

With a guarantee of three games, the tournament is an early summer test for the teams’ passing games and secondaries. Woodbury won it last year.

“Last year we were competitive in our games,” Pennsville coach Mike Healy said. “This year I’d like to take the next step and finish with a winning record. It is early in the summer so we will still be learning and working on some new things.”

Organizers hope to attract at least a dozen teams for each of its two flag football divisions – 9-10 and 11-12.

“With the first year it’ll be a little bit harder because they don’t really know us and we’re going in there introducing ourselves to those coaches and groups so it’ll take some time,” Ostrum said. “We hope at least for 12 teams in each division. If we can grab 16 that’d be wonderful, but we’ll see what happens and hopefully it will work out OK for us.

“I know over time it will. The event we had at Eastern with the high schools has a lot of acceptance now, but it took time to get there. It doesn’t just happen overnight.”

They also would be open in time to an offering for the fledgling high school girls flag football market.

Cover photo: Penns Grove coach John Emel accepts the runner-up trophy on behalf of his team at last year’s Taliaferro/Ginsburg 7-on-7 Football Classic at Eastern Regional High School.

Tuesday roundup

Here is a look at what happened Tuesday in Salem County high school sports

SOFTBALL
WEST DEPTFORD 12, WOODSTOWN 1: The Eagles broke open a scoreless game with nine runs in the fourth inning. Isabella Kwashek went 4-for-5 with a homer and four RBIs.

Tulana Mingin had two of Woodstown’s four hits and now has 120 for her career, 12 shy of the school’s all-time record. Cara Delia and Kayla Brown had their other hits. Brown drove in their run in the fifth inning.

GLOUCESTER CATHOLIC 11, SALEM 1: Madelyn McGinn drove in three runs and Brooklyn Carcaci struck out 10 in five innings to lead Gloucester Catholic.

Julliana Love scored in the first inning to give Salem a 1-0 lead. Gloucester Catholic tied it in second, then took the lead with three in the third. Love had two of the Rams’ four hits. Raegan Wilson and Morgan Johnson had the other two.

BOYS LACROSSE
Kingsway 7, Woodstown 5

BOYS TENNIS
PENNSVILLE 5, PENNS GROVE 0
Gabe Schneider (P) def. Alex Ramirez Martinez, 6-0, 6-0
Maddox Efelis (P) def. Poyraz Erdonmez, 6-0, 6-1
Brody Wiggins (P) def. Ricardo Vichi, 6-0, 6-0
Noah Flitcraft-Noah Bohn (P) def. Angel Perez Herrera-Stuart Mondragon, 6-0, 6-0
Luke Chamberlain-Sawyer Humphrey (P) def. Pablo Sanchez Correa-Adan Gonzalez, 6-0, 6-0
Records: Pennsville 10-1, Penns Grove 2-4.

TRACK
Gloucester Catholic, Wildwood at Salem
Penns Grove at Glassboro
Woodstown at Pennsville

BOYS VOLLEYBALL
Camden Tech 2, Salem Tech 0 (25-13, 25-11)

It’s never over

Burchfield’s first-ever game-winning walk-off hit caps seventh-inning Pennsville rally to sting Schalick

TUESDAY BASEBALL
Pennsville 11, Schalick 10
Woodstown 14, Penns Grove 2

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PENNSVILLE — Whether it’s two outs, two strikes or three runs down in the bottom of the seventh, Pennsville coach Matt Karr preaches to his players to never give up.

The Eagles didn’t give up Tuesday and were rewarded for it with a come-from-behind victory over a county rival.

Faced with a three-run deficit entering the bottom of the seventh, the Eagles rallied for four runs and escaped with an 11-10 victory over Schalick, breaking the heart of a team coached by a Pennsville alum.

Chase Burchfield got the game-winner on a one-out, two-run double to left center right after Peyton O’Brien’s two-run bases-loaded single got the Eagles close the hitter before. Burchfield said it was his first-ever game-winning walk-off hit on any level of baseball.

“First one, my whole life, honestly; I’ve hit a 10-run-rule walk-off, but nothing like that,” he said. “That’s just how we’ve been trying to play all year. In the past years we probably wouldn’t have won that game, so I feel like this team has more fight than last year’s.”

The Eagles’ rally started from the bottom of the lineup with pinch-hitter Mason O’Brien drawing a leadoff walk and 9-hole hitter Logan Streitz delivering a single. Luke Wood then walked to load the base.

A visit to the mound netted the Cougars a strikeout, but Peyton O’Brien came through with his two-run single to right to make it 10-9 and Burchfield followed him with his game-winner.

“One of our big team mantras is give the guy behind you a shot,” Karr said. “Our guys at the top are really good. We trust those guys and we gave them shots with guys on to cash in and they did.

“We’re still trying to work through those type of things. We’re still a young ballclub – we’ve got one senior – and we’re trying to learn there are ups and downs in this sport that when things aren’t going well or things don’t seem to be going right for you, you have to find a way to keep it together, stay level headed and push through to the other side and we were able to do that today.

“It’s been a challenge for us. When we find ourselves in a tight situation we’re learning to push through that and come out on the other side. I keep preaching to these guys that’s what playoff baseball is gonna be. If we want to make a deep run, we have to be able to compete in those kind of games because the teams we play are going to be good. Today was a good test and a great game for us to get that experience.”

Before Burchfield’s heroics sent the Pennsville players pouring out of the dugout the game belonged Jake Siedlecki. The Schalick senior parked a three-run homer on a two-out 0-2 pitch in the fourth inning to give the Cougars an 8-7 lead and then pitched three innings of no-hit relief until the Eagles figured him out in the seventh.

His teammates gave him an even bigger cushion by scoring two more in the top of the seventh.

Of the homer, which capped a seven-run Cougars rally, Siedlecki said, “when I go up to bat I just try to have fun. I think that pitch looked good to me. I haven’t been able to hit a high fastball all year and finally my barrel got to it.”

As a pitcher he had only gone longer than 2 2/3 innings once in his career and that was his first career appearance as a freshman (four innings and 96 pitches against Pitman). But the Cougars were running short on arms and they needed to get as much out of him as they could.

He wound up throwing 73 pitches, two more than he had in his previous four appearances this season combined. But he was fresh. He only threw 18 pitches last week, 10 in getting the final out of Luke Pokrovsky’s 16-strikeout Friday gem against Gloucester and eight in two innings the next day against Eastern.

He was on top of it early. Over his first three innings he allowed only two walks, neither runner past first base, and struck out five. He retired all the Pennsville hitters who got to him in the seventh the first time around.

“I’m not really a pitcher so I decided to have fun with it; they couldn’t hit my slider,” he said. “Then in the last inning I’ve never pitched that long and my arm never really felt that tired before, so my slider started being more of a hanger. I was still pitching strikes, but they finally got a hit and made good contact on it.”

Under the circumstances, Schalick coach Sean O’Brien thought his regular short reliever/closer “did a great job.”

“I said to the guys I would still go with him in that situation because I trust him,” O’Brien said.

Overall, the Cougars’ coach was happy with the way his team fought to get back in the game after being down 6-0 and 7-1 to give it a chance to win, but lamented a lack of execution in certain situations that could’ve put them over the top. Still, they should leave the ballpark feeling they can play with the top teams in South Jersey Group I, he said.

Schalick leadoff man J.T. Fleming had two hits and two RBIs. Ricky Watt also had two hits, including a two-run single to chase Pennsville starter Peyton O’Brien right before Siedlecki hit his homer.

WOODSTOWN 14, PENNS GROVE 2: Andrew Pedrick and Blake Bialecki both had a pair of hits and Pedrick drove in three runs to lead the Wolverines (7-5). Woodstown pulled away from a 1-1 game with three runs in the second inning, then after Penns Grove (0-7) closed within 4-2 it scored four in the fourth.

Thomas Boyles, the first reliever behind winning pitcher Cole Begley, struck out all five batters he faced. Seven of the eight outs Boyles has recorded in two appearances this season have come on strikeouts.