Category: SALEM TECH

This week’s schedule

Here is the Salem County sports schedule for the week of Feb. 5-11

Monday

BASKETBALL
Girls
Wildwood at Salem Tech, 4 p.m.
Pennsville at Gloucester City, 5:30 p.m.
Salem at Kingsway, 5:30 p.m.
Schalick at Maple Shade, 5:30 p.m.
Boys
Gloucester City at Pennsville, 5:30 p.m.
Maple Shade at Schalick, 5:30 p.m.
Penns Grove at Williamstown, 5:30 p.m.
Woodstown at Glassboro, 5:30 p.m.

WRESTLING
South Jersey Group I Tournament
At Woodstown
Audubon vs. Palmyra, 6 p.m.
Haddon Twp. at Woodstown, 6 p.m.
Audubon-Palmyra winner vs. Haddon Twp.-Woodstown winner, 7 p.m.
At Paulsboro
Pitman at Paulsboro, 5:30 p.m.
Pennsville vs. Gloucester, 5:30 p.m.
Pitman-Paulsboro winner vs. Pennsville-Gloucester winner, 7 p.m.

Penns Grove, Camden, Riverside at Lindenwold, 4 p.m.
Schalick at Northern Burlington, 6 p.m.

SWIMMING
NJSIAA Playoffs
Schalick vs. Barnegat at St. Francis Community Center, 4:30 p.m.
Woodstown vs. Cape May Co. Tech at GCIT, 6:30 p.m.

INDOOR TRACK
Salem at Ocean Breeze Complex, Staten Island, N.Y., 5 p.m.

Tuesday

BASKETBALL
Girls
Penns Grove at Schalick, 4 p.m.
Pennsville at Glassboro, 4 p.m.
Salem Tech at Wildwood, 4 p.m.
Gloucester Catholic at Salem, 5:30 p.m.
Woodstown at Overbrook, 5:30 p.m.
Boys
Salem at Gloucester Catholic, 5 p.m.
Glassboro at Pennsville, 5:30 p.m.
Overbrook at Woodstown, 5:30 p.m.
Schalick at Penns Grove, 5:30 p.m.
Salem Tech at Wildwood, 5:30 p.m.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Women
Salem CC at Bucks County CC, 5 p.m.
Men
Montgomery County CC at Salem CC, 7 p.m.

BOWLING
TCC Showcase at 30 Strikes, 4 p.m. 

SWIMMING
Schalick at West Deptford, 3:30 p.m.

Wednesday

BASKETBALL
Girls
Glassboro at Woodstown, 4 p.m.

WRESTLING
Pennsville at Haddon Heights, 5 p.m.
Pitman at Schalick, 5 p.m.
Salem at Gloucester Catholic, 6 p.m.

SWIMMING
Schalick at Camden Academy Charter, 3:30 p.m.

Thursday

BASKETBALL
Girls
Penns Grove at Pennsville, 5:30 p.m.
Salem Tech at Pitman, 5:30 p.m.
Salem at Clayton, 5:30 p.m.
Schalick at Overbrook, 5:30 p.m.
Boys
Penns Grove at Pennsville, 4 p.m.
Clayton at Salem, 5:30 p.m.
Overbrook at Schalick, 5:30 p.m.
Woodstown at Washington Twp., 5:30 p.m.
Salem Tech at Pitman, 7 p.m.

SWIMMING
South Jersey Group C Tournament
Schalick at Middle Twp.
Woodstown at Oakcrest

Friday

BASKETBALL
Girls
Schalick at Penns Grove, 4 p.m.
Pleasantville at Salem, 5 p.m.
Cape May Co. Tech at Salem Tech, 5:30 p.m.
Millville at Pennsville, 5:30 p.m.
Woodstown at Lower Cape May, 5:30 p.m.
Boys
Buena at Woodstown, 5:30 p.m.
Penns Grove at Schalick, 5:30 p.m.
Pennsville at Paulsboro, 5:30 p.m.
Salem Tech at Cape May Co. Tech, 5:30 p.m.

WRESTLING
Woodstown at Delran, 6 p.m.

Saturday

BASKETBALL
Girls
South Jersey Invitational Tournament
at Eastern Regional HS
Woodstown vs. Williamstown, 8 p.m.
Boys
Bridgeton at Salem, 12:30 p.m.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Women
Salem CC at Lackawanna College, 1 p.m.
Men
Harrisburg Area CC at Salem CC, noon

WRESTLING
Schalick, Burlington Twp., Cherry Hill-West at Maple Shade, 8 a.m.
Pennsville, Cedar Creek, Delran at Hightstown, 10 a.m.
Salem, Mainland, Timber Creek at Pennsauken, 10 a.m.

BOWLING
Girls
NJSIAA Sectionals

Identity through adversity

Shorthanded Pennsville comes through a rough week 3-1 to gain confidence for stretch run; updated to include boxscores of other county games

FRIDAY’S GAMES
Boys
Pennsville 49, West Deptford 46
Riverside 59, Salem Tech 31
Schalick 49, Gateway 40
Girls
Gateway 41, Schalick 33
Gloucester Catholic 83, Salem 31
St. Joe (Hamm.) 43, Salem Tech 36

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PENNSVILLE – No team deserves to go through the turmoil the Pennsville basketball team has endured this past week. But it happens. And because it did, it just might have been the thing the Eagles needed to establish their identity.

The Eagles have been down three starters for a variety of reasons since last Saturday. Many other teams might have packed it in, but the Eagles were determined to rise above. They went 3-1 this week without them, capped by Friday night’s 49-46 win over West Deptford.

It wasn’t easy and the bullet they dodged could have put them on the deck. They needed a big second half to beat one-win Gateway, but lost the night’s leading scorer Jayden Thomas to a severe ankle sprain in the closing seconds. They needed overtime to get past Schalick, got blown out by Woodstown Thursday and then needed a put-back by Peyton O’Brien with 18 seconds left and two Luke Wood free throws with 3.9 seconds to go to turn back West Deptford after blowing an second-half lead.

Thomas wasn’t the only one who’s been out. Center Danny Saulin was serving the final game of a four-game state/school suspension for a flagrant foul in the Triton game Saturday and they were missing Malik Rehmer for disciplinary reasons. Saulin is due back Monday, while Thomas remains day-to-day.

The Eagles came out of the gauntlet 9-11 on the season when under different outcomes they could easily be 6-14.

“We’re gaining a lot of confidence because guys are stepping up that haven’t had to step up a lot this year and we’re just coming together as a team,” O’Brien said. “Having that many issues you’re not like scared, but you know there are going to be some struggles, but I feel like we faced adversity pretty well.”

“Through the fire, now we’re stronger,” coach Joe Mecholsky said. “I didn’t think (they needed that to find their identity), but that’s the outcome. I didn’t think so, but hindsight being undefeated, that’s what we got.”

Pennsville was hot right out of the gate on this night, opening a 15-4 lead and holding a seven-point lead in the third quarter under a hail of 3-pointers. The Eagles made a season-high eight 3s in the game. They had hit eight in their previous three games combined.

Wood had six of them, including a running buzzer-beater to give them a nine-point halftime lead. He finished with 22 points and moved into fifth place on Pennsville’s all-time boys scoring list (1,107).

“When the roulette wheel keeps coming up red, red, red, red, red – missed 3s, missed 3s, missed 3s, missed 3s – it had to come up black one time,” Mecholsky said. “It came up black for us tonight. The little ball landed on the black for us tonight.”

“We haven’t been able to shoot all season and to finally break through and make some 3s, the whole team, it felt really good,” Wood said.

But their biggest plays of the game came around the basket in the final minute. After being down most of the game, West Deptford held a 46-43 lead with 1:21 to play.

Cohen Petrutz’ putback got Pennsville within one with 56 seconds left. West Deptford gave Pennsville the chance to get back in it when Aiden Cranmer missed two free throws, Mark Koszowski missed the putback and O’Brien cleared the rebound.

Wood missed a spinning layup in traffic for the lead at the other end, but O’Brien was in the perfect spot underneath to rebound and put it back to give Pennsville a 47-46 lead. O’Brien had 10 points, five rebounds and three blocked shots.

“I’m exhausted still from yesterday,” O’Brien said. “Yesterday I had to play a full game and that was a tough game, too. I tried my hardest to get that rebound, doing whatever it takes. I knew if that one didn’t go in then I had to be the one to get it back.”

Cranmer missed again with 3.9 seconds left. This time Wood rebounded and was fouled. He sank both free throws at the other end to make it a three-point game and after a time out to set the final play Cranmer missed a shot from mid-court at the buzzer.

“To go up and get shellacked last night and come back tonight and not fold under the pressure after we gave up a nine-point lead and stick to what we were doing showed a tremendous amount of fortitude in these young men,” Mecholsky said.

“I think our team has just found itself,” Wood said. “This whole past week I think we’ve jelled together, realized what everyone’s good at it, we’ve started playing together a lot better like we know we can. As a whole team it made us stronger. This whole past week I think we’ve really shown up and down our lineup we’re going to go out there and compete and we’re really a basketball team.”

PENNSVILLE 49, WEST DEPTFORD 46
WEST DEPTFORD (6-13) – Andre Johnson 4 0-1 8, Zayd Mijahid 1 0-0 3, Mark Koszowski 2 8-9 12, Jalen Chandler 0 0-0 0, Nick Senatore 4 1-2 11, Allen Eastlack 0 0-0 0, Aiden Cranmer 5 0-2 11. Totals 16 9-14 46.
PENNSVILLE (9-11) – Luke Wood 6-18 4-7 22, Peyton O’Brien 4-7 1-2 10, Cohen Petrutz 4-10 0-0 9, Mason O’Brien 0-4 3-6 3, Connor Starn 1-1 1-2 3, Carlos Merindino 1-2 0-0 2, Cole Johnston 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 16-43 9-17 49.

West Deptford7101514 –46
Pennsville1511914 –49
3-point goals: West Deptford 5 (Mujahid, Senatore 3, Cranmer); Pennsville 8-19 (Wood 6-13, P. O’Brien 1-2, Petrutz 1-3, Johnston 0-1). Total fouls: West Deptford 19, Pennsville 11.

RIVERSIDE 59, SALEM TECH 31
SALEM TECH (2-15) – Chase Wills 5 0-0 10, Haneef Frisby 4 1-2 9, Daviontae Russell 0 1-2 1, Tyler Zampino 3 0-0 6, Antoine Robinson 2 0-0 5. Totals 14 2-4 31.
RIVERSIDE (8-11) – Jashir Bridges 8 2-6 21, Carmine Smith 7 0-0 14, Jamir Brown 2 0-0 4, Cameron Brown 2 0-0 5, John Boston 0 0-0 0, Zaire Ali-Lewis 4 0-0 8, Dan Ventura 1 0-0 2, Isaiah Ali-Lewis 1 0-0 2, Anthony Martinez 0 0-0 0, Jayion Howell 0 0-0 0, John Salerno 1 0-0 3. Totals 26 2-6 59.
Salem Tech1194 9 –31
Riverside19121416 –59
3-point goals: Salem Tech 1 (Robinson); Riverside 5 (Bridges 3, Brown, Salerno).

SCHALICK 49, GATEWAY 40
SCHALICK (6-10) – Levi Freeney-Childers 2 9-15 13, Jake Siedlecki 5 0-0 12, Nylan Sutton 4 1-4 9, Daniel Lis 3 0-0 7, Reggie Lewis 2 1-4 6, Nasir Sutton 1 0-0 2. Totals 17 11-23 49.
GATEWAY (1-19) – Sean Cawley 10 0-0 25, Steven Morlachetta 2 1-2 6, Nahmeire Rowe-Walls 1 1-2 4, Benji Contarino 0 3-4 3, A’Key Talley 1 0-0 2, Cody Shaw 0 0-0 0. Totals 14 5-8 40.
3-point goals: Schalick 4 (Siedlecki 2, Lis, Allen); Gateway 7 (Cawley 5, Morlachetta, Rowe-Walls).

Girls Games

GATEWAY 41, SCHALICK 33
GATEWAY (11-8) – Angelina Zagone 4 4-8 12, Gabby Gasis 1 0-0 3, Tabby Bay 1 2-4 4, Bella Fini 6 5-8 19, Molly Sholders 1 1-2 3, Sydney Hughes 0 0-0 0, Jayda Catoe 0 0-0 0. Totals 13 12-22 41.
SCHALICK (5-11) – Ava Scurry 1 0-0 2, Cianna Gaines 1 1-6 3, Taylor Sparks 3 0-0 8, Abby Willoughby 2 0-0 6, Cali Fisler 5 1-7 12, Carly Vicente 1 0-0 2. Totals 13 2-13 33.

Gateway1114412 –41
Schalick67218 –33
3-point goals: Gateway 3 (Gasis, Fini 2); Schalick 5 (Sparks 2, Willoughby 2, Fisler). Total fouls: Gateway 12, Schalick 15.

ST. JOESEPH (HAMM.) 43, SALEM TECH 36
ST. JOSEPH (8-8) – Cassidy Perri 8 1-2 21, Erica Paranzino 3 0-0 6, Giselle Pescatore 2 0-0 4, Leylani Muniz 1 0-0 2, Madyson Longwith 4 2-2 10. Totals 18 3-4 43.
SALEM TECH (1-14) – TiRonna McGaha 1 0-2 2, Morgan VanDover 4 2-5 11, Hanna DeWitt 2 0-0 4, Kaylin Beardsley 1 0-0 3, Demajae White 2 0-0 4, Shelby Drummond 2 0-0 5, Rylee Doerr 3 1-2 7. Totals 15 3-9 36. 

St. Joseph186613 –43
Salem Tech811710 –36
3-point goals: St. Joseph 4 (Perri 4); Salem Tech 3 (VanDover, Beardsley, Drummond).

Cover photo: Pennsville’s Peyton O’Brien puts back an offensive rebound with 18 seconds left in the game to give the Eagles the lead for good against West Deptford.






Ain’t life grand

Donelson reaches 1,000-point milestone as Woodstown overcomes slow start to beat Pennsville; includes other Salem County games and box scores

THURSDAY’S GIRLS SCORES
Woodstown 66, Pennsville 57
Penns Grove 81, Overbrook 24
Glassboro 67, Schalick 14
Wildwood 67, Salem 22
Clayton 51, Salem Tech 30

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PENNSVILLE — Megan Donelson might have had prettier baskets in her career, but not many were more memorable than the one she dropped in the fourth quarter Thursday night.

The Woodstown junior became the 10th player in her school’s girls basketball history to score 1,000 career points — and the third player in Salem County to reach the milestone this season – in the Wolverines’ 66-57 win over Pennsville.

She needed 29 points to reach the milestone entering the game and hit it on the number. She hit the milestone on a layup with 1:57 left in the game.

“I was really determined to get my thousandth point and it put me to drive to get that goal,” she said. “I set that goal for myself as soon as I walked in my freshman year and I just wanted to complete my goal.”

Donelson was four points short of the milestone entering the fourth quarter, but given the weight of the situation they were as hard to get as the final three outs of a no-hitter and made harder by picking up her fourth foul with five minutes left in the game. She didn’t peel away the first two points until 2:41 remained – and they were on free throws. The milestone came about a minute later.

It wasn’t artistic, but it was effective. She took the outlet pass from one of Shannon Pierman’s defensive rebounds, drove the length of the floor and tossed an off-balanced shot towards the basket in traffic from the right side of the lane. It went through just as she was falling out of bounds.

“I thought it was a really good way to score the thousandth,” she said. “I had the defender on me and I got the thousandth point off the defender.”

She is the first Woodstown girls player to reach the milestone since Riley Fulmer in 2022. Junior teammate Talia Battavio could join her in the club as early as Saturday when the Wolverines play Cherokee in the South Jersey Invitational Basketball Tournament at Eastern. The girls school record for points is 1,566 by Tori Smick (2013).

Boys players Luke Wood (Pennsville) and Anthony Farmer (Salem) joined the club earlier this year and Penns Grove girls guard Meely Horace, who needs just two points after putting 38 on Overbrook Thursday, is a lock to get it in her next game against Schalick.

“There was anxiousness all day of is she going to get it, when is she going to get it, how is she going to get it, is she going to have to get Saturday,” Wolverines coach Kara Straughn said. “Once she got it, it was just like this overwhelming sense of relief, like, all the hard work she put in came to fruition.

“She’ll say she wasn’t counting, but I know inside she probably was.”

Woodstown’s Megan Donelson (24) drives on Pennsville’s Marley Wood (4) in the fourth quarter on the way to the basket for her 1,000th career point.

The final score may have looked like another routine win for the Wolverines (14-3), but it was anything but that. Pennsville (7-11), playing the best it has all season, jumped out to leads of 13-0, 15-2 and 26-15 before Donelson and Pierman brought their team back.

Donelson scored the last nine points in an 11-0 run that drew the Wolverines even at 26 with 1:27 left in the half. She made two free throws with 10 seconds left to give them a 32-30 halftime lead.

They never trailed again. They scored the first 10 points of the third quarter and by the end of it led by 15.

“I’m really proud of the way we didn’t give up,” Pierman said. “We obviously did not give up. We pushed back, we fought harder and it showed. We knew we could play better. We knew we were better than that. Eventually something has to change, especially when we know how we can win.”
Pennsville built its early lead by making layups inside Woodstown’s 2-3 zone and caught the Wolverines on a cold start.

Taylor Bass got it started with a 3 and two free throws. Marley Wood made three buckets and Bella Farina hit two free throws. Suddenly it was 13-0 and the Wolverines called time looking for energy. It was 17-8 at quarter’s end.

“We talked about what the best way to open up the court to get open looks, we talked about where the cuts need to be,” Eagles coach Sam Trapp said. “As long as that kept happening we kept scoring.”

The quick start wasn’t without a hitch, however. Post Bella Farina picked up three fouls in the first six and a half minutes and sat the rest of the half.

Meanwhile, the Wolverines were just stuck in the mud. They missed their first 11 shots and had five turnovers before Donelson finally broke the ice off an inbounds play with 2:34 left in the first quarter. They shot 2-for-14 from the floor in the quarter.

The Eagles’ inspired play continued through the first half of the second quarter, extending the lead to 26-15. The Wolverines were 7-of-25 from the field before Donelson and Co. started the charge to get back in the game.

“Their two leading scorers were creeping into their 1,000, that always makes a kid nervous, that kind of got in their head a little bit and this is the first time they’ve seen us at full strength and now they’re being able to see what the girls Pennsville basketball team can really bring,” Trapp said. “I think that was what executed that great 13-0 stretch at the beginning.

“I’ve been putting a big emphasis on playing together, looking ahead, focusing on using each other’s strength and I think that’s a big component. I keep telling the girls when we play together, when we’re sharing the ball, distributing the ball, making everybody work to help us get to a good place we play our best basketball.”

Nora Ausland led the Eagles with 21 points. Wood had 15.

Donelson’s 29 points matched her season-high. Pierman had 12 points and 15 rebounds for her fourth straight double-double. Battavio had 21 points and needs 19 to become the next member of Woodstown’s 1,000-Point Club.

WOODSTOWN 66, PENNSVILLE 57
WOODSTOWN (14-3) — Talia Battavio 7 4-4 21, Megan Donelson 9 7-8 29, Gianna Mairoini 1 0-2 2, Alyssa Baber 0 1-2 1, Shannon Pierman 4 4-4 12, Lauren Hengel 0 1-2 1, Emma Perry 0 0-0 0, Brae DiGregorio 0 0-0 0, Jala Thomas 0 0-0 0, Lizzy Daly 0 0-0 0. Totals 21 17-22 66.
PENNSVILLE (7-11) — Celli Ausland 0 0-0 0, Nora Ausland 9 1-1 21, Taylor Bass 3 2-2 9, Karsen Cooksey 0 2-2 2, Bella Farina 1 2-2 4, Kylie Harris 0 0-0 0, Izzy Saulin 2 2-2 6, Marley Wood 7 0-2 15. Totals 22 9-11 57.

Woodstown8242311 —66
Pennsville17131017 —57
3-point goals: Woodstown 7 (Battavio 3, Donelson 4); Pennsville 4 (N. Ausland 2, Bass, Wood). Fouled out: Farina. Total fouls: Woodstown 16, Pennsville 18.

WILDWOOD 67, SALEM 22
WILDWOOD (14-4) — Sophia Wilber 4 3-4 12, Angela Wilber 2 0-0 5, Macie McCracken 9 0-0 25, Saliah Sumlin 2 0-0 4, Rebecca Benichou 8 1-2 20, Cydnee Kilian 0 0-0 0, Mia Cripps 0 1-4 1, Ashley Nagle 0 0-0 0, Janet Gonzalez 0 0-0 0. Totals 25 5-10 67.
SALEM (7-10) — Ryann Foote 1 1-6 3, Ava Rodgers 3 1-2 7, Ameriyona Hunter 1 0-0 3, Kaela Nichols 1 0-0 3, Carlysia Pierce 1 0-0 2, NaeNae Logan 1 0-0 2, Marjziah Bundy 1 0-0 2, Zaniyah Freison 0 0-0 0, Nevaeh Hickman 0 0-0 0, Marissa Bower 0 0-0 0. Totals 9 2-8 22.

Wildwood19191613 —67
Salem7645 —22
3-point goals: Wildwood 12 (S. Wilber, A. Wilber, McCracken 7, Benichou 3); Salem 2 (Hunter, Nichols). Rebounds: Wildwood 29 (McCracken 9, Sumlin 9); Salem 57 (Rodgers 13, Logan 10).

CLAYTON 51, SALEM TECH 30
SALEM TECH (1-13) — Morgan VanDover 5 3-4 15, Kaylin Beardsley 2 0-0 5, Hanna DeWitt 1 0-2 2, Rylee Doerr 2 0-0 4, Shelby Drummond 2 0-0 4. Totals 12 3-6 30.
CLAYTON (8-9) — Jordyn Jones 9 6-8 24, Deondria Simon 4 1-2 9, Ava Delaney 4 0-0 8, India Williams 1 0-0 3, Janice Blair 0 2-4 2, Kaya Gunther 1 1-4 3, Sophia Petsch 1 0-0 2. Totals 20 10-18 51.
Salem Tech65127 —30
Clayton9121516 —51
3-point goals: Salem Tech 3 (VanDover 2, Beardsley); Clayton 1 (Williams).

GLASSBORO 67, SCHALICK 14
SCHALICK (5-10) — Ava Scurry 1 0-2 2, Gianna Gaines 0 3-4 3, Taylor Sparks 1 0-0 3, Abby Willoughby 0 0-2 0, Cali Fisler 3 0-0 6, Victoria Basich 0 0-0 0, Olivia Lunemann 0 0-2 0, Carly Vicente 0 0-0 0. Totals 5 3-10 14.
GLASSBORO (11-5) — Sanaa Thomas 5 0-0 13, Tamia Smith 8 3-8 21, Kezia Bracektt 9 6-8 28, Sianna Wedderburn 2 0-2 4, Kimora Miles 0 1-2 1, Ante Davis 0 0-0 0, Jayde Darling 0 0-0 0, Nevaeh Cox-Clement 0 0-0 0, Samyra Lane 0 0-0 0. Totals 24 10-20 67.
Schalick2354 —14
Glassboro 1592518 —67
3-point goals: Schalick 1 (Sparks); Glassboro 9 (Thomas 3, Smith 2, Brackett 4). Fouled out: Davis. Total fouls: Schalick 16, Glassboro 13.

Practice makes perfect

Salem Tech scores its first Tri-County Conference divisional win in shootout with Clayton; includes Salem County games and box scores

THURSDAY’S BOYS SCORES
Glassboro 44, Schalick 41
Overbrook 53, Penns Grove 37
Salem 62, Wildwood 52
Salem Tech 86, Clayton 76
Woodstown 81, Pennsville 51

By Riverview Sports News

WOODSTOWN – The two things Salem Tech worked on all week in preparation for Thursday night’s basketball game were the two things that helped the Chargers score an historic victory.

The Chargers outran Clayton for an 86-76 victory that was their first in Tri-County Classic Division play in school history.

They had lost 16 straight division games since officially joining the conference last academic year and were 0-6 this season.

“The first thing I did was congratulate the boys, they did exactly what I told them do,” Chargers coach Bryan Riley said. “And then I told them this was our first win in the Tri-County Classic. They were pretty excited.”

The 86 points were the most the Chargers have scored in a game in Riley’s two seasons as the coach and the most they’ve scored in any game since putting 88 on Clayton in a win in January 2022. The school record is 92, in a pre-Christmas loss to the Clippers in 2019.

Five players scored in double figures for the Chargers (2-14), led by junior Tyler Zampino’s career-high 25 points. Joseph Hayes had a career-high 17 points with four 3-pointers. Haneef Frisby had 14, Chase Wills 13 and Antoine Robinson 11.

Clayton’s Demetris Williams led all scorers with 28 points.

“There was no set offense, it was just run and gun; we had to keep up with them,” Riley said. “I knew it was going to be a high scoring game. I told the boys it’s a track meet, bring your running shoes.

“We finished at the rim. It was fast breaks, beat the press, finish at the rim. We’re 49 percent from the (foul) line this season and were 63 percent today. It was those little things. That’s what I had them doing all week, shooting foul shots and full-speed sprints to the basket, and that’s exactly what they did.”

The Chargers got a good jump out of the blocks. Zampino had nine points in the first quarter as the Chargers jumped out to 22-13 lead.

“He finished at the rim,” Riley repeated. “He was the deep guy. They moved the ball around beating that press and he was the guy down at the other end. We found him and he connected on most of his drives.”

SALEM TECH 86, CLAYTON 76
CLAYTON (3-15) – Dillon Jones 3 0-0 6, Nazir Davis 5 2-7 15, John Carter 1 2-2 5, Demetris Williams 10 7-11 28, Jon Cox 2 0-0 4, Cristan Scott 0 0-2 0, Ashaud Hine-Pope 4 1-2 9, Nasir Carter 2 0-0 5, Mason Gable 0 0-0 0, Chimali Mitchell 0 0-0 0, Earl Townsend 1 0-0 2, Michael Akosah 0 1-4 1, Brian Marshall 1 0-0 2. Totals 29 13-28 76.
SALEM TECH (2-14) – Chase Wills 6 0-0 13, Haneef Frisby 7 0-3 14, Joseph Hayes 6 1-2 17, Daviontae Russell 0 0-0 0, Tyler Zampino 8 9-11 25, Gio Holmes 3 0-0 6, Antoine Robinson 3 5-8 11. Totals 33 15-24 86.

Clayton132224 17 –76
Salem Tech22172819 –86
3-point goals: Clayton 6 (Davis 3, Carter, Williams. N. Carter); Salem Tech 5 (Wills, Hayes 4). Fouled out: Willis. Total fouls: Clayton 18, Salem Tech 19.

WOODSTOWN 81, PENNSVILLE 51
PENNSVILLE (8-11) – Luke Wood 4 3-4 12, Peyton O’Brien 6 4-6 16, Mason O’Brien 5 0-0 10, Cohen Petrutz 1 0-0 2, Connor Starn 0 1-2 1, Cole Johnston 3 0-0 7, Logan Hitt 0 1-2 1, S. Jefferson 1 0-0 2. Totals 20 9-14 51.
WOODSTOWN (9-6) – Manny Ortega 2 0-2 5, Blake Bialecki 4 0-0 10, Alejandro Vazquez 5 0-0 14, M.J. Hall 7 1-2 17, Connor Sanderson 0 0-2 0, Garrett Leyman 1 0-0 2, Anthony Bokolas 0 0-0 0, Lucas Fulmer 2 0-0 4, Max Webb 3 5-6 12, Rocco String 6 3-3 15, Elijah Caesar 1 0-0 2. Totals 31 9-15 81.

Pennsville10131414 – 51
Woodstown19232514 –81
3-point goals: Pennsville 2 (Johnston, Wood); Woodstown 10 (Ortega, Bialecki 2, Vazquez 4, Hall 2, Webb).

OVERBROOK 53, PENNS GROVE 37
PENNS GROVE (6-12) – Brandon Robbins 6, Roman Gipson 2, Giomar Conrad 16, Willie Slocum 4, Mehki Ballard 7, Luis Colon 2.
OVERBROOK (14-5) – Lamar Little 1 0-0 2, Xavier Wright 0 2-4 2, Chris Grier 2 1-2 5, Amare Kee 3 0-0 9, Maki Ortiz 0 0-0 0, Shaun Mills 5 0-0 10, Tory Scott 2 0-0 4, Zair Green 3 3-4 9, Kevin Satchell 1 0-0 2, Nic Johnson 4 1-5 10. Totals 21 7-15 53.

Penns Grove810109 –37
Overbrook6171713 –53
3-point goals: Penns Grove NA; Overbrook 4 (Kee 3, Johnson)

GLASSBORO 44, SCHALICK 41
GLASSBORO (9-10) – Xavier Sabb 3 4-8 10, Charles Graves 4 8-12 16, Michael Dougherty 3 1-2 10, Tashean Thomas 1 1-2 3, Crowly Marley 2 1-3 5. Totals 13 15-25 44.
SCHALICK (5-10) – Reggie Allen 3 3-6 11, Danny Lis 6 2-2 16, Jordan Johnson 2 5-7 9, Ryan Johnson 2 0-0 4, Nasir Sutton 0 1-4 1, Jake Siedlecki 0 0-0 0, Dylan Sheehan 0 0-0 0, Jase Volovar 0 0-0 0. Totals 13 11-19 41.

Glassboro1218122 –44
Schalick131297 –41
3-point goals: Glassboro 3 (Dougherty 3); Schalick 4 (Allen 2, Lis 2).

SALEM 62, WILDWOOD 52

Salem (12-6)16181117 –62
Wildwood (11-8)9131515 –52


Feels good to finish

Penns Grove finally pulls out close game, edges Woodstown to snap five-game losing streak; Salem slams Salem Tech, shorthanded Pennsville beats Schalick in OT

TUESDAY’S BOYS GAMES
Pennsville 42, Schalick 37
Penns Grove 47, Woodstown 42
Salem 83, Salem Tech 41

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PENNS GROVE – That Penns Grove won a basketball game for the first time in two weeks was cause enough for celebration in the locker room after it was over, but the way it won the game might have been the most welcoming news of all.

The Red Devils snapped a five-game losing streak – their longest slide in seven years – Tuesday night with a 47-42 win over Tri-County Diamond Division rival Woodstown. They did it by outscoring the Wolverines 7-2 over the final minute and hitting five of six free throws down the stretch.

Exactly a week ago they lost a game they were leading by three with less than a minute to go.

“We needed it bad,” Penns Grove coach Damian Ware said. “The five-game losing streak was really rough. To get this win today against a good Woodstown team is very important for us. It gives us confidence.

“The guys work so hard and it hurts when you have those close losses because you want the kids to have success. I want them to have the success and feel the success because they work for it.”

Now, teams win games with late runs all the day, but if you knew anything about the Red Devils’ recent history, you knew endgame scenarios haven’t been kind to them.

The losses on the front and back ends of the five-game losing streak were hopeless blowouts, but in each of the three in the middle – in a span of four days – they had legitimate chances to win and couldn’t finish.

They lost at Clearview on a steal and layup with 12 seconds left and missed two shots to win or tie it. They got beat at home by Glassboro on a buzzer-beater 3 in a game they were leading by three with a minute left. And then they lost at home to Wildwood in overtime when they just ran out of gas.

“I think the fact of winning a close game that came down to when it was winning time (was the big thing),” Ware said. “I tell the kids all the time the thing with winning and losing is it’s one possession here or there. Everything has to be solid. 

“You can’t try to be fancy because that one possession could be the one that we needed at the end of the game. I try to make them value every single possession and we’re starting to get to that point.”

Penns Grove’s Mr Peterson (10) comes out to challenge a shot by Woodstown’s Alejandro Vazquez in the game’s closing seconds.

Neither team would let the other get too far ahead. The way they were going after it defensively, a six-point lead felt like it was a lot bigger than it actually was.

Early in the game Rocco String gave the Wolverines an edge with his commanding inside presence. But soon both he and Max Webb would be in foul trouble and sat most of the second quarter. Penns Grove’s Mr Peterson was there to take advantage of the opening and command the respect his name demands.

Peterson had six points and two rebounds in an 11-2 run that gave the Red Devils the lead early in the quarter. The Wolverines followed with their own rally to cut Penns Grove’s halftime lead to 20-19. It stayed close like that the rest of the game.

“Tonight was all about playing harder than I did last night,” Peterson said, referring to the Red Devils’ 40-point to Salem. “So, I came out and did it. To be honest, it felt good.”

With the game tied at 40, Penns Grove guard KaRon Ceaser made a basket around String and then stole the inbounds pass like a defensive back. He got it to Mekhi Ballard who was fouled and hit the first two of his four free throws with 41 seconds left to give the Red Devils a four-point lead.

“Coach called the press and I got the middle,” Ceaser said. “It’s like playing safety in football, so I just reacted when the ball was in the air. I had to go get it and make a play.”

“The last couple days at practice we’ve been doing situationals,” Ware said. “I think we’re starting to understand what it takes at the end of games to win, especially when we’re in these close games. I’m glad we got one today.”

“It feels like we just broke the spell, so we’re just going to keep winning from here on,” Mekhi Ballard said.

Woodstown’s Garrett Leyman converted a crisp pass from Alejandro Vazquez into a layup to make it 44-42 with 25 seconds left. The Wolverines called time to set up their end game, then came out of the break and fouled Ballard in the backcourt. The Red Devils’ guard, the player Ware wants at the line down the stretch of a close game, made those two to make it 46-42. 

The Wolverines missed three shots to get closer – 3-pointers by Blake Bialecki and Webb and a wild turnaround jumper in the lane by Connor Sanderson – then fouled Willie Slocum on the defensive rebound. Slocum made one of two for the final margin.

The Red Devils were 7-of-10 from the free throw line in the fourth quarter. They were 6-for-10 in the first three, usually making the first and missing the second.

“I remember going to the line thinking I’ve got to make these free throws if we want to win this game,” Ballard said. “I think in the clutch we come through as a team and we end up making our free throws.

“Sometimes in the beginning of the game we start off real shaky. In the beginning of the game I don’t think we really try as hard to make our free throws as at the end of the game. When it’s time to win the game I think we come through as a team and make our free throws.”

While it may be debatable just how good a win it was for the Red Devils, there’s no denying it was a bad loss to for the Wolverines. 

Woodstown is currently one of the bubble teams in the South Jersey Group I power points standings. The Wolverines went into the game as the only team between No. 10 and the bottom (No. 23) with a winning overall record, but they were No. 15 in the standings.

PENNS GROVE 47, WOODSTOWN 42
WOODSTOWN (8-6) – Manny Ortega 0 0-0 0, Blake Bialecki 3 1-2 8, Alejandro Vazquez 1 0-0 2, M.J. Hall 4 0-0 8, Connor Sanderson 0 0-0 0, Garrett Leyman 3 0-0 6, Anthony Bokolas 1 0-0 2, Max Webb 1 1-2 3, Rocco String 5 0-0 10, Elijah Caesar 1 0-0 3. Totals 19 2-4 42.
PENNS GROVE (6-11) – Roman Gipson 0 0-0 0, Giomar Conrad 7 0-0 16, KaRon Ceaser 1 4-10 6, Willie Slocum 1 3-4 5, Mekhi Ballard 3 4-4 12, Camron Thompson 0 0-0 0, Khiry Higgs 0 2-2 2, Mr Peterson 3 0-0 6. Totals 15 13-20 47.

Woodstown9101013 –42
Penns Grove6141314 –47
3-point goals: Woodstown 2 (Bialecki, Caesar); Penns Grove 4 (Conrad 2, Ballard 2). Total fouls: Woodstown 16, Penns Grove 10.

SALEM 83, SALEM TECH 41: One night after senior Anthony Farmer became the latest member of the school’s 1,000-point club and they nearly turned over the scoreboard, the Rams poured it on again. They opened a a 60-15 halftime lead and cruised to their fourth straight win and 13th in a row over Salem County competition.

Freshman Tymear Lecator led three Salem scorers in double figures with 19 points. Jabez DeJesus had 11 and Davonte Jackson doubled his season output with a career-high 10, and four other Rams had at least eight points. Farmer saw limited action after scoring 36 points in each of his previous two games.

Salem has won four in a row.

SALEM 83, SALEM TECH 41
SALEM TECH (1-14) – Chase Wills 3 0-0 7, Haneef Frisby 3 2-6 8, Joseph Hayes 4 1-2 9, Daviontae Russell 1 0-0 2, Tyler Zampino 3 0-0 6, Antoine Robinson 3 3-5 9, Gio Holmes 0 0-0 0. Totals 17 6-13 41.
SALEM (11-6) – Anthony Farmer 0 0-0 0, Donovan Weathers 1 0-0 2, Ramaji Bundy 3 0-0 6, Jabez DeJesus 4 0-1 11, Paul Weathers 2 3-4 8, Tymear Lecator 8 0-0 19, Xavier McGriff 3 0-0 8, Antwone Rogers 4 1-2 9, Marshall Stephens 4 0-0 8, Joseph Tunis 1 0-0 2, Davante Jackson 4 0-0 10. Totals 34 4-6 83.
Salem Tech1141511 –41
Salem32281211 –83
3-point goals: Salem Tech (Wills); Salem 11 (DeJesus 3, P. Weathers, Lecator 3, McGriff 2, Jackson 2). Total fouls: Salem Tech 8.

PENNSVILLE 42, SCHALICK 37 (OT): The Eagles were down three starters and had only eight varsity players available, but found enough within themselves to win for the second night in a row, this time in overtime.

Jayden Thomas, Danny Saulin and Malik Rehmer all missed the game for various reasons and probably won’t be available when the Eagles go to Woodstown Thursday. Coach Joe Mecholsky pulled up two junior varsity players to make sure he had two full units

The Eagles led most of the game, but fell behind 30-29 with 1:47 left before Cohen Petrutz put them back on top with a 3-pointer.

Schalick’s Danny Lis’ tip-in off a missed 3 with 4.8 seconds left tied the game at 33. The Eagles had a shot to win it in regulation and got what they wanted with Petrutz driving the lane. There was contact, but no foul and the game went to overtime.

Petrutz and Mason O’Brien gave the Eagles the lead in overtime and their defense did the rest.

“When you give up 36 points you’ve done something right,” Mecholsky said.

Peyton O’Brien led the Eagles with 13 points. Petrutz had 12. Luke Wood had all nine of his points in the fourth quarter and overtime.

Reggie Allen led Schalick with 13 points – all in the second half – and Lis had 12.

“To be shorthanded and to pull through the adversity will make us tougher for the stretch run,” Mecholsky said.

PENNSVILLE 41, SCHALICK 37 (OT)
SCHALICK (5-9) – Reggie Allen 5 0-4 13, Levi Feeney-Childers 1 1-2 3, Dan Lis 6 0-0 12, Nylan Sutton 3 0-2 7, Nasir Sutton 0 0-0 0, Jake Siedlecki 0 0-0 0, Ryan Johnson 0 0-0 0, Dylan Sheehan 1 0-2 2, Jase Volovar 0 0-0 0. Totals 16 1-10 37.
PENNSVILLE (8-10) – Luke Wood 2 5-5 9, Peyton O’Brien 6 1-4 13, Cohen Petrutz 5 1-2 12, Mason O’Brien 2 0-0 4, Connor Starn 1 0-0 3, Cole Johnston 0 0-0 0, Carlos Merendino 0 0-0 0. Totals 16 7-11 41.
Schalick 668144 –37
Pennsville867118 –41
3-point goals: Schalick 4 (Allen 3, Ny. Sutton); Pennsville 2 (Petrutz, Starn). Total fouls: Schalick 14, Pennsville 7.

Tri-County Conference

CLASSICALLDIVDIAMONDALLDIV
Pitman14-46-0Overbrook13-56-1
Gloucester Cath.10-75-3Glassboro8-105-2
Salem11-64-3Penns Grove6-114-2
Wildwood11-74-3Woodstown8-63-4
Clayton3-141-5Pennsville8-102-5
Salem Tech1-140-6Schalick5-90-6

Shannon steps up

Tuesday’s girls roundup: Pierman produces in a big way on Woodstown’s Senior Night, Pennsville sees what its full complement can do, Salem back in win column

TUESDAY’S GIRLS GAMES
Woodstown 60, Penns Grove 44
Pennsville 49, Schalick 16
Salem 52, Salem Tech 32

By Riverview Sports News

WOODSTOWN – Shannon Pierman enjoyed a big Senior Night and juniors Megan Donelson and Talia Battavio both moved within 40 points of 1,000 for their careers Tuesday leading Woodstown’s girls to a 60-44 victory over Penns Grove.

Pierman had 14 points and 10 rebounds for her third straight double-double and ninth of her career. It was the seventh time in the last eight games she has had 10 or more rebounds and the 10th time all season. She has averaged 12.7 points and 11.7 rebounds over the past three games, the best three-game stretch of her career.

“Shannon played her butt off,” Wolverines coach Kara Straughn said. “She is by far the best center in Salem County.”

Donelson and Battavio, meanwhile, both continued their march to a milestone. Donelson led the Wolverines’ offense with 23 points and now stands at 971 for her career. Battavio added 16 points and is now at 960.

The Wolverines (13-3) opened the game on a 16-2 run, led 24-18 at halftime and pulled away in the third quarter.

“The girls played solid, composed team ball,” Straughn said, “and that’s what wins us games over and over.”

Penns Grove’s Meely Horace also is on track to reach the 1,000-point plateau. She scored 15 points in the game and now had 959. RaNiyah Wilson was the Red Devils’ leading scorer with 22 points.

WOODSTOWN 60, PENNS GROVE 44
PENNS GROVE (7-8) – RaNiyah Wilson 9 1-2 22, Meely Horace 7 0-0 15, Brianna Robbins 2 0-2 5, Amani Taylor 0 0-0 0, Zoey Caesar 0 1-2 1, JaNiyah Cummings 0 0-0 0, Rolande Delva 0 0-0 0, Semijah Hines 0 1-2 1. Totals 18 3-8 44.
WOODSTOWN (13-3) – Talia Battavio 6 4-4 16, Megan Donelson 7 9-13 23, Gianna Maiorini 1 0-0 2, Alyssa Baber 2 1-2 5, Shannon Pieman 4 6-8 14, Emma Perry 0 0-0 0, Lauren Hengel 0 0-0 0, Jala Thomas 0 0-0 0, Lizzy Daly 0 0-0 0, Brae DiGregorio 0 0-0 0. Totals 20 20-29 60.

Penns Grove612917 –44
Woodstown1681917 –60
3-point goals: Penns Grove 5 (Wilson 3, Horace, Robbins).

SALEM 62, SALEM TECH 32: Nine players scored and four players flirted with double-doubles as Salem bounced back from a Monday loss to Penns Grove to pick up a win that moved it into third place in the Tri-County Classic Division behind two of the best teams in South Jersey.

Ameriyona Hunter led the Rams with 11 points. She also had seven rebounds and seven steals. Ryann Foote had nine points and 10 boards. Ava Rogers had eight points and nine rebounds. NaeNae Logan had seven points, 14 rebounds and seven blocked shots (raising her season total to 74).

SALEM 52, SALEM TECH 32
SALEM (7-9) – Ameriyona Hunter 4 0-0 11, Ryann Foote 4 1-3 9, Lyric Hayes 1 0-0 3, Carlysia Pierce 1 1-2 3, Madison Dixon 1 0-0 2, Ava Rodgers 4 0-0 8, NaeNae Logan 3 1-2 7, Kaela Nichols 1 1-1 3, Dakirah Gray 0 0-0 0, Nevaeh Hickman 3 0-0 6, Zaniyah Freson 0 0-0 0, Marjziah Bundy 0 0-0 0. Totals 22 4-8 52.
SALEM TECH (1-12) – Hanna DeWitt 0 0-4 0, Morgan VanDover 3 0-0 7, TiRonna McGaha 2 1-1 5, Kaylin Beardsley 1 0-2 2, Rylee Doerr 2 1-2 5, Shelby Drummond 2 2-2 6. Totals 10 4-11 25.

Salem1561813 –52
Salem Tech65615 –32
3-point goals: Salem 4 (Hunter 3, Hayes); Salem Tech 1 (VanDover).

PENNSVILLE 49, SCHALICK 16: Nora Ausland had the best game of the two she’s played since returning from a foot injury and hit five 3-pointers on the way to leading the Eagles with 19 points. Marley Wood had 15 points.

The Eagles held their hosts scoreless in the second quarter and without a field goal in the second and third quarters.

“It was a much-needed win,” Pennsville coach Sam Trapp said.

The Eagles had lost four in a row.

PENNSVILLE 49, SCHALICK 16
PENNSVILLE (7-10) – Nora Ausland 7 0-0 19, Taylor Bass 3 1-2 7, Karsen Cooksey 0 0-0 0, Bella Farina 0 2-4 2, Kylie Harris 0 0-0 0, Izzy Saulin 3 0-0 6, Marley Wood 7 0-0 15. Totals 20 3-6 49.
SCHALICK (5-9) – Ava Scurry 2 1-3 5, Gianna Gaines 0 0-2 0, Taylor Sparks 2 1-4 7, Abby Willoughby 0 0-0 0, Carly Vicente 0 0-0 0, Cali Fisler 1 2-4 4, Victoria Basich 0 0-0 0, Kyleigh Cutler 0 0-0 0, Olivia Lunemann 0 0-0 0. Totals 5 4-11 16.
Pennsville13111213 –49
Schalick6028 –16
3-point goals: Pennsville 6 (N. Ausland 5, Wood); Schalick 2 (Sparks 2). Total fouls: Pennsville 9, Schalick 7.

Tri-County Conference

CLASSICALLDIVDIAMONDALLDIV
Wildwood13-46-0Woodstown13-36-0
Gloucester Cath.13-55-1Glassboro10-55-2
Salem7-93-3Pennsville7-104-3
Pitman8-72-4Penns Grove7-82-4
Clayton7-92-4Schalick5-91-5
Salem Tech1-120-6Overbrook3-121-5

This week’s schedule

Here is the Salem County sports schedule for the week of Jan. 29-Feb. 3; SJIBT Elite 8, four county basketball players could reach 1,000-point milestone among this week’s highlights

Monday

BASKETBALL
Girls
Glassboro at Pennsville, 4 p.m.
Salem at Penns Grove, 4 p.m.
Woodstown at Delran, 6:30 p.m.
Boys
Penns Grove at Salem, 5:30 p.m.
Pennsville at Gateway, 5:30 p.m.

INDOOR TRACK
Schalick vs. TBA, Toms River

SWIMMING
Salem vs. Woodstown at GCIT, 8:15 p.m.

BOWLING
Salem vs. Kingsway, Wood Lanes, 4 p.m.
Salem Tech at West Deptford, 4 p.m.

WRESTLING
Deptford Twp. at Schalick, 5 p.m.

Tuesday

BASKETBALL
Girls
Penns Grove at Woodstown, 5:30 p.m.
Pennsville at Schalick, 5:30 p.m.
Salem at Salem Tech, 5:30 p.m.
Boys
Schalick at Pennsville, 5:30 p.m.
Woodstown at Penns Grove, 5:30 p.m.
Salem Tech at Salem, 7 p.m.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Men
CC of Philadelphia at Salem CC, 6 p.m.
Women
Salem CC at Harcum College, 5 p.m.

BOWLING
Salem Tech at Lindenwold, 4 p.m.

Wednesday

WRESTLING
Cumberland at Woodstown, 5:30 p.m.
Pennsville, Glassboro at Clayton, 6 p.m.

SWIMMING
Tri-County Conference Showcase at GCIT, 3 p.m.

BOWLING
Salem vs. Salem Tech, Wood Lanes, 4 p.m.

Thursday

BASKETBALL
Girls
Overbrook at Penns Grove, 4 p.m.
Schalick at Glassboro, 5:30 p.m.
Salem Tech at Clayton, 5:30 p.m.
Wildwood at Salem, 5:30 p.m.
Woodstown at Pennsville, 5:30 p.m.
Boys
Clayton at Salem Tech, 5:30 p.m.
Glassboro at Schalick, 5:30 p.m.
Penns Grove at Overbrook, 5:30 p.m.
Pennsville at Woodstown, 5:30 p.m.
Salem at Wildwood, 5:30 p.m.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Women
Salem CC at RCSJ-Gloucester, 5 p.m.
Men
Salem CC at RCSJ-Gloucester, 7 p.m.

BOWLING
Salem vs. Hammonton, Wood Lanes, 4 p.m.
Salem Tech vs. Kingsway, Wood Lanes, 4 p.m.

Friday

BASKETBALL
Girls
St. Joe (Hamm.) at Salem Tech, 5 p.m.
Gateway at Schalick, 5:30 p.m.
Salem at Gloucester Catholic, 5:30 p.m.
Boys
Salem Tech at Riverside, 5:15 p.m.
Schalick at Gateway, 5:30 p.m.
West Deptford at Pennsville, 5:30 p.m.

WRESTLING
Salem, Pitman at Penns Grove, 4 p.m.
Woodstown at Timber Creek, 5 p.m.
Pennsville at Burlington Twp., 6 p.m.
Schalick at Absegami, 6 p.m.

INDOOR TRACK
NJSIAA Sectionals, Toms River

SWIMMING
Woodstown vs. Haddon Heights at Giant Fitness, 6 p.m.

Saturday

BASKETBALL
Girls
Pennsville at West Deptford, 11:30 a.m.

South Jersey Invitational Tournament
at Eastern HS
Paul VI vs. Timber Creek, 5:45 p.m.
Woodstown vs. Cherokee, 7:30 p.m.

Boys
Woodstown at Gloucester Catholic, 11:30 a.m.
Salem vs. Paulsboro at Atlantic City, 6:30 p.m.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Women
Raritan Valley CC at Salem CC, noon
Men
Salem CC at Luzerne County CC, noon

WRESTLING
Bordentown, Vineland at Penns Grove, 9 a.m.
Clearview, Hammonton, Central Regional at Pennsville, 10 a.m.
Woodstown, Lacey, Pennsauken at Burlington Twp., 10 a.m.

Another tough loss

Penns Grove suffers third heartbreaking loss n four days; Pennsville, Salem, Woodstown all pick up wins

THURSDAY’S BOYS SCORES
Pennsville 72, Salem Tech 44
Salem 67, Schalick 32
Wildwood 66, Penns Grove 60 (OT)
Woodstown 87, Clayton 63

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PENNS GROVE – This was supposed to be a big week for the Penns Grove basketball team, a week in which the Red Devils had a chance to make a significant move in the South Jersey Group I playoff picture and Tri-County Diamond Division standings.

But now, after a third heartbreaking loss in four days, they’re left to think about what might have been and what can they do to bounce back from it.

The Red Devils lost to Wildwood Thursday night 66-60 in a game that went to overtime. Stack that on top of losing to Clearview on a steal and layup with 12 seconds left Monday and then losing to Glassboro the next night on a buzzer-beating 3 in a game they led by three with a minute to play and it’s enough to make any sane person lose it a little.

Penns Grove coach Damian Ware said he’s never gone through a stretch like that before, at least not one with three losses in a row like that.

“It’s tough,” he said. “because the kids are playing so hard and they’re playing so well. In the beginning of the season we were struggling a little bit, but now we’re playing at a high level and we’re hanging right with the teams that are the cream of the crop. It’s encouraging for me, but at the same time disappointing because we’re not getting the wins.

“It’s a double-edged sword. It’s rough, but at the same time I see the light at the end of the tunnel. If we could just finish a little bit better or not make a couple mistakes that we’re making here and there we can really get over the hump and really start challenging and be one of the teams that’s going to be there at the end of the season.”

The game against the current No. 3 team in the South Jersey Group I power points standings was close throughout. The Warriors jumped out 9-0, but the Red Devils brought it back with their own seven-point run and no one led by more than five the rest of regulation.

Penns Grove’s Giomar Conrad sent the game into overtime with a 3-pointer at the buzzer; it was his third 3 of the fourth quarter. Conrad lhad four 3s in the game and led the Red Devils with 22 points. Mekhi Ballard had three 3s – two in overtime – and finished with 11 points and Karon Ceaser had 13.

Brian Cunniff led Wildwood with 25 points, including nine in overtime. Junior Hans had 14 of his 15 in the second half and overtime. They were a combined 7-of-9 from the free throw line in overtime.

“We just ran out of steam,” Ware said. “We fought so hard to get back and tie the game … all that energy might have tapped us out.”

Energy was a key element during one portion of the game. There was a 10-minute delay in the second half when the gym lost power with 5:08 left in the third quarter. Ware believes the stoppage hurt the Red Devils as they had just cut the margin to two and were about to take the momentum.

“I told them in the locker room, we’re 5-10, but we’re not a 5-10 team,” Ware said. “Our record does not define us, that’s not who we are. Who we are right now is we see we’re right there with the best teams in the league, the best teams in the division and playing right there with all the top teams.

“We’re just trying to get to their head and help them understand that even though we’re losing these games I want them to understand the progress we’re making and by the end of the season I think we’re going to turn the corner all the way and we’ll be right there.”

WILDWOOD 66, PENNS GROVE 60 (OT)
WILDWOOD (10-6) – Junior Hans 5 5-14 15, Ryan Troiano 1 2-4 4, Jordan Fusik 3 1-2 8, Brian Cunniff 9 7-11 25, Josh Pintella 1 0-2 2, Harley Buscham 1 0-0 2, Lukas Basile 4 0-0 10, James Wyers 0 0-0 0. Totals 24 15-33 66.
PENNS GROVE (5-10) – Roman Gipson 3 0-0 6, Giomar Conrad 8 2-2 22, Karon Ceaser 6 0-2 13, Willie Slocum 0 1-4 1, Mehki Ballard 4 0-0 11, Camren Thompson 1 0-0 2, Mr Peterson 2 1-4 5. Totals 24 4-12 60.

Wildwood141381516 – 66
Penns Grove1210919 10 – 60
3-point goals: Wildwood 3 (Fusik, Basile 2); Penns Grove 8 (Conrad 4, Ceaser, Ballard 3). Fouled out: Slocum, Peterson. Total fouls: Wildwood 13, Penns Grove 23.

WOODSTOWN 87, CLAYTON 63: Rocco String returned to some early-season form, scoring a career-high 24 points and grabbing 14 rebounds while leading the Wolverines to their highest scoring game in three seasons. It was String’s fifth double-double. He had four in the first five games this season, but had scored only 39 points in his previous seven games.

Four Wolverines scored in double figures. Blake Bialecki had 12, Garrett Leyman 11 and Manny Ortega 10. Leyman had 16 rebounds and Max Webb distributed 11 assists.

The 87 points were the most the Wolverines have scored in a game since they put 90 on Camden Academy Charter in early January 2022. It’s the second time they’ve scored in the 80s in coach Phillip Campbell’s two-year tenure.

CLAYTON (3-12) – Dillon Jones 5 2-4 12, Nazir Davis 3 0-0 7, Demetris Williams 5 2-4 12, Jon Cox 2 0-1 5, Ashaud Hines 2 0-0 4, Nasir Carter 2 0-0 6, Fareed Mamah 3 2-2 8, John Carter 2 0-0 6, Deion Scott 1 0-0 3. Totals 25 6-11 63.
WOODSTOWN (8-5) – Manny Ortega 4 0-0 10, Blake Bialecki 5 0-0 12, Alejandro Vazquez 2 0-0 5, M.J. Hall 4 0-0 8, Connor Sanderson-Dick 1 0-0 2, Garrett Leyman 5 1-1 11, Anthony Bokolas 3 0-0 6, Lucas Fulmer1 0-0 2, Max Webb 2 0-0 4, Rocco String 12 0-0 24, Elijah Caesar 1 0-0 3. Totals 40 1-1 87.

Clayton1814724 –63
Woodstown21271821 –87
3-point goals: Clayton 7 (Davis, Cox, N. Carter 2, J. Carter 2); Woodstown 6 (Ortega 2, Bialecki 2, Vazquez, Caesar).

SALEM 67, SCHALICK 32: Jabez DeJesus led three Rams in double figures with 19 points. Anthony Farmer and Paul Weathers each tossed in 12.

Nylan Sutton (11 points) was the only scorer in double figures for the Cougars, who were without top scorer Reggie Allen for the second straight game. Allen took a shot above his left eye near the end of the Cougars’ game with Clayton Monday at the Wells Fargo Center and went for further attention when the team returned home.

SALEM (8-6) – Tymear Lecator 3 0-0 8, Jabez DeJesus 7 3-3 19, Anthony Farmer 4 3-3 12, Ramaji Bundy 1 0-0 2, Paul Weathers 5 2-2 12, Xavier McGriff 1 0-0 3, Antwan Rodgers 2 0-0 4, Marshall Stephens 2 3-5 7, Davante Jackson 1 0-0 2. Totals 26 11-13 68.
SCHALICK (5-7) – Jordan Johnson 2 0-0 4, Jake Siedlecki 1 0-0 3, Nasir Sutton 3 0-0 7, Nylan Sutton 4 1-2 11, Levi Freeney-Childers 1 4-11 6, Dylan Sheehan 0 1-2 1. Totals 11 6-15 32.

Salem16211713 –67
Schalick410711 –32
3-point goals: Salem 6 (Lecator 2, DeJesus 2, Farmer, McGriff); Schalick 4 (Siedlecki, Na. Sutton, Ny. Sutton 2).

PENNSVILLE 72, SALEM TECH 44: Daniel Saulin had 16 points on 6-of-7 shooting and grabbed six rebound as the Eagles snapped a three-game losing streak with their fourth straight win over the Chargers.

The Eagles scored the first 12 points of the game to take control and carried it to a 35-17 halftime lead. Luke Wood (14) and Jayden Thomas (12) also scored in double figures for Pennsville. All 11 players scored for the Eagles. Josh Muntz led Salem Tech with 10.

SALEM TECH (1-12) – Chase Willis 2 0-2 4, Haneef Frisby 2 5-9 9, Joseph Hayes 3 0-0 5, Josh Muntz 3 4-8 10, Tyler Zampino 4 0-0 9, Antoine Robinson 2 0-0 5, Gio Holmes 0 0-0 0, Chase Ayars 0 0-0 0. Totals 16 9-19 44.
PENNSVILLE (6-9) – Luke Wood 6-12 2-3 14, Peyton O’Brien 3-4 0-2 6, Daniel Saulin 6-7 4-6 16, Jayden Thomas 4-6 4-6 12, Malik Rehmer 2-6 1-2 5, Cohen Petrutz 2-6 1-3 5, Mason O’Brien 2-4 1-2 5, Connor Starn 1-1 0-0 2, Logan Hill 0-0 1-2 1, Carlo Merindino 1-2 0-0 3, Cole Johnston 1-3 0-0 3. Totals 28-51 14-28 72.

Salem Tech891410 –44
Pennsville21141522 –72
3-point goals: Salem Tech 3 (Hayes, Zampino, Robinson); Pennsville 2-15 (Wood 0-3, Thomas 0-2, Rehmer 0-2, Petrutz 0-3, M. O’Brien 0-1, Johnston 1-3, Merindino 1-1). Technical fouls: Rehmer. Total fouls: Salem Tech 18, Pennsville 15.

Bringing the 3

Girls basketball: Woodstown buried under barrage of Wildwood 3s; fourth quarter goes in opposite directions for Salem, Pennsville; Schalick rolls over Salem Tech

THURSDAY’S GIRLS SCORES
Clayton 67, Pennsville 50
Salem 62, Overbrook 44
Schalick 44, Salem Tech 8
Wildwood 84, Woodstown 57

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

WILDWOOD – The Woodstown girls made the two-hour trip to the shore Thursday for one of their biggest basketball games of the season and when they got there a four-alarm fire broke out.

Now before anyone gets concerned, it wasn’t a physical fire. The venerable old school on Pacific Avenue is still standing. It’s just that the Wildwood team Woodstown played was on fire from behind the 3-point arc the likes of which the Wolverines had never seen before.

The Warriors, the No. 1 team in South Jersey Group I power points, busted 21 3-pointers in the first three quarters and ran past the Wolverines 84-57.

“Cudos to them, but, geez, they even had some of their fans saying we never shoot like that,” Woodstown coach Kara Straughn said. “They were like, yeah, we’re good shooters, but what the heck. I was like, what the heck.”

The Warriors (12-3) hit 13 of the deep balls in the first half – and their first eight buckets of the third quarter were 3s. At one point 16 straight of their baskets were 3s. They came from four players – Macie McCracken, Sophia Wilber, Angela Wilber and Rebecca Benichou.

Angela Wilber and McCracken each had seven and finished with 25 and 31 points, respectively. Benichou had six for all 18 of her points. Sophia Wilber hit the first one of the game and it was on. Woodstown hit two 3s in the game.

The Warriors took 42 3-pointers in the game and were hitting from everywhere. When Benichou banked one in from the top of the key early in the third quarter, if you didn’t know it then, you just felt they couldn’t miss. When they shot one and didn’t make, the crowd was disappointed. 

And it wasn’t like the Wolverines were just letting them shoot. They actually played good defense denying anything inside, the Warriors just worked it around until they got that outside shot.

“We went through five different defenses and nothing seemed to be it,” Straughn said. “If we guarded them up top, they would hit them on the baseline. If we guarded the baseline, they would hit them at the top of the key. They were just on fire.”

And the Wolverines got enough offense that would have won most of their games, they just couldn’t keep pace with the 3s. Talia Battavio led Woodstown with 18 points and made it a doiuble-double with 10 assists. Megan Donelson had 17 points and Shannon Pierman had 12 points and 11 rebounds.

It was the fifth time this year the Warriors had 10 or more 3s in a game. Their previous single-game high this season was 16 against Clayton. They topped that Thursday midway through the third quarter and showed no signs of stopping. They made it 20 when McCracken hit one from the top of the key with 1:12 left in the third.

The loss snapped Woodstown’s six-game winning streak. The Wolverines (11-3) were third in SJ-I power points entering the game. Curiously, by the end of the game, despite the loss, they had moved up to No. 2 in the power points, but after the results of some other games slipped back to No. 3 behind Woodbury. 

“I think they’re pretty accurate right now,” Straughn said. “We’ve beaten some really good teams and they continue to win, so I think that bumped us up. Pennsville and Clayton played tonight; if either one of those teams win we get points because we beat them.

“I would love the No. 1 seed. It would be possible, Wildwood has some tough games and we’ve got some big games coming up. It’s not out of the question, but it’s going to be tough. Either way, I think on February 10 I think it’s going to be Wildwood and us 1 and 2, whichever way it goes. That’s my 99.9 percent promise.”

WILDWOOD 84, WOODSTOWN 57
WOODSTOWN (11-3) – Talia Battavio 7 3-4 18, Megan Donelson 8 0-0 17, Alyssa Baber 2 2-2 6, Shannon Pierman 6 0-0 12, Lauren HEngel 2 0-0 4. Totals 25 5-6 57.
WILDWOOD (12-3) – Sophia Wilber 1 5-6 8, Angela Wilber 9 0-0 25, Macie McCracken 10 4-8 31, Kaliah Sumlin 1 0-0 2, Cydnee Kilian 0 0-0 0, Rebecca Benichou 6 0-0 18, Ashley Nagle 0 0-0 0, Mia Cripps 0 0-0 0. Totals 27 9-14 84.

Woodstown15121515 –57
Wildwood1934265 –84
3-point goals: Woodstown 2 (Battavio, Donelson); Wildwood 21 (S. Wilber, A. Wilber 7, McCracken 7, Benichou 6). Total fouls: Woodstown 13, Wildwood 8.

SALEM 62, OVERBROOK 44: The Rams erupted for an 18-4 fourth quarter to pull away from a game that was tight for three quarters.

They got six points each from Ryann Foote and Ava Rodgers in the quarter to fuel the flurry. Rogers had 14 points in the second half and led all scorers with 23. Foote finished with 19.

“It was an intense game, back and forth, and they took all the fire and put their foot on their necks and never let go,” Salem coach Tiasia Tatem said. “We had a conversation at halftime and let them know it was going to be an intense game and it was going to come down to who wants it more. The third quarter I could see the fire coming.”

It was the second game in a row the Rams used a big fourth quarter to pull away. They outscored Pitman 17-6 in the fourth quarter of their last game – and 31-14 in the second half – to stretch a slim halftime lead.

“The last two games it’s been the team I’ve been waiting for and what we had,” Tatem said. “There’s been a lot of communication, a lot of holding each other accountable, a lot of coaching on the floor. They’re pushing each other. It’s beautiful to see we’re hitting that stride as a team.”

OVERBROOK (3-9) – Jael Presley 4 2-5 10, Sarah Evans 2 0-0 6, Lelani Knight 0 0-0 0, Ahlani White 0 0-0 0, Zahaisha Nevius 6 5-16 20, Gianna Simon 3 0-0 6, Nahia Smith 0 0-0 0, Taija Wiggins 0 0-0 0, Kaylee Burkhardt 1 0-0 2. Totals 16 7-21 44.
SALEM (6-8) – Ryann Foote 6 6-7 19, Ava Rodgers 8 7-10 23, Ameriyona Hunter 0 0-2 0, Carlysia Pierce 5 0-0 10, Dahkirah Grey 0 0-0 0, Kaela Nichols 0 0-0 0, Naveah Hickman 1 0-0 2, Marjziah Bundy 0 0-0 0, Madison Dixon 3 0-2 8. Totals 23 13-21 62.

Overbrook1512134 –44
Salem12181418 –62
3-point goals: Overbrook 5 (Evans 2, Nevius 3); Salem 3 (Foote, Dixon 2). Fouled out: Presley. Total fouls: Overbook 20, Salem 18.

SCHALICK 44, SALEM TECH 8: Carly Vicente scored a career-high 14 points and Schalick held the Chargers scoreless in two quarters on the way to their third win in the last four games. Vicente’s previous career high was 13 against LEAP Academy earlier this season.

“She was hitting shots all night,” Cougars coach John Whelan said. “It was really good to see her shoot the ball with confidence. She is growing towards her potential of being the scorer we know she can be and showing she can be a major piece of the team. I’m excited to watch her continue to grow.”

SCHALICK (5-7) – Cianna Gaines 2 0-2 4, Taylor Sparks 2 1-2 5, Carly Vicente 6 0-0 14, Abby Willoughby 2 0-0 6, Cali Fisler 4 1-2 9, Kyleigh Cutler 1 0-0 2, Olivia Lunemann 2 0-0 4, Victoria Basich 0 0-0 0. Totals 19 2-6 44.
SALEM TECH (1-11) – Drummond 1 0-0 2, Hanna DeWitt 1 1-4 3, Kaylin Beardsley 1 0-0 3. Totals 3 1-4 8.

Schalick814814 –44
Salem Tech0206 –8
3-point goals: Schalick 4 (Vicente 2, Willoughby 2); Salem Tech 1 (Beardsley).

CLAYTON 67, PENNSVILLE 50: The Eagles went shot for shot with the Clippers for three quarters, but ran out of gas in the fourth, had two key players foul out and were outscored 20-4. Taylor Bass had her best game since returning from an injury, leading the Eagles with a season-high 20 points.

Clayton’s Rainelle Blocker led all scorers with 32 points.

PENNSVILLE (6-8) – Taylor Bass 9 2-5 20, Karsen Cooksey 1 0-0 2, Bella Farina 3 0-2 6, Kylie Harris 1 0-0 2, Izzy Saulin 1 1-5 3, Marley Wood 7 2-2 17, Sofia Belitsas 0 0-0 0, Calli Ausland 0 0-0 0, Avery Watson 0 0-0 0. Totals 22 5-14 50.
CLAYTON (7-8) – Jordyn Jones 5 0-1 10, Rainelle Blocker 12 7-12 32, Rosalina Pereira 1 0-0 2, Deondria Simon 2 4-4 8, Ava Delaney 4 1-5 11, India Williams 0 0-0 0, Janice Blair 1 0-0 2, K. Guntner 1 0-0 2. Totals 26 12-22 67.
Pennsville1021154 –50
Clayton15171320 –67
3-point goals: Pennsville 1 (Wood); Clayton 2 (Blocker, Delaney). Technical fouls: Bass. Fouled out: Farina, Wood, Jones. Total fouls: Pennsville 17, Clayton 17.


Tuesday girls basketball

Here are the scores and box scores from Tuesday night’s Salem County girls basketball games; Woodstown wins sixth in a row, and more

TUESDAY’S GIRLS GAMES
Penns Grove at Glassboro, ppd.
Overbrook 42, Pennsville 34
Salem 49, Pitman 28
Gloucester Catholic 71, Salem Tech 10
Woodstown 69, Schalick 17

WOODSTOWN 69, SCHALICK 17
WOODSTOWN (11-2) — Talia Battavio 7 0-0 17, Megan Donelson 6 0-0 14, Gianna Mairoini 1 0-0 2, Alyssa Baber 3 0-0 9, Shannon Pieman 4 4-5 12, Lauren Hengel 4 0-2 8, Emma Perry 2 1-2 5, Brae DiGregorio 0 0-0 0, Jala Thomas 1 0-0 2, Lizzy Daly 0 0-0 0, K. Young 0 0-0 0, Talia Guardascione 0 0-0 0, Kailyn Kennedy 0 0-0 0. Totals 28 5-9 69.
SCHALICK (4-7) — Ava Scurry 3 0-0 6, Cianna Gaines 0 1-4 1, Taylor Sparks 1 0-0 2, Abby Willoughby 0 2-2 2, Victoria Basich 0 0-0 0, Olivia Lunemann 2 0-0 4, Kyleigh Cutler 0 0-0 0, Danae Woodson-Cain 1 0-0 2, E. O’Neill 0 0-0 0. Totals 7 3-6 17.

Woodstown2913234 —69
Schalick0944 —17
3-point goals: Woodstown 8 (Battavio 3, Donelson 2, Baber 3). Total fouls: Woodstown 6, Schalick 9. Notes: Woodstown, ranked No. 10 in the latest SJIBT rankings (its highest ever), has won six in a row. Donelson is now 106 points shy of 1,000, Battavio needs 111.

GLOUCESTER CATHOLIC 71, SALEM TECH 10

Salem Tech (1-10)0352 —10
Gloucester Catholic (11-4)23122016 —71

Tri-County Conference

CLASSICALLDIVDIAMONDALLDIV
Wildwood11-35-0Woodstown11-25-0
Gloucester Cath.11-43-1Pennsville6-73-2
Pitman7-32-1Glassboro6-52-2
Clayton6-82-3Penns Grove6-52-2
Salem4-81-3Schalick4-71-4
Salem Tech1-100-5Overbrook3-81-4