A lot to take in

Penns Grove outlasts Pennsville in a game that had a little bit of everything, a lengthy delay and a player going over 1,000 points

THURSDAY’S BOYS GAMES
Glassboro 55, Woodstown 47
Overbrook 58, Schalick 31
Penns Grove 75, Pennsville 65
Pitman 101, Salem Tech 44
Salem 90, Clayton 52

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PENNS GROVE – For all the highs and lows that were going on in the Pennsville-Penns Grove game Thursday night, there were three big takeaways that should have followed the crowd back out into the cold night.

Penns Grove coach Damian Ware picked up another win over his Carleton School teaching colleague, planning period partner and Pennsville coaching buddy Joe Mecholsky. The Red Devils collected a bunch of South Jersey Group I power points and some serious county cred by beating their rivals. And Pennsville’s Luke Wood became the latest member of the 1,000-Point Club.

And, oh, Penns Grove’s floor Zamboni works just fine.

**Luke Wood and his family celebrate the Pennsville junior guard scoring his 1,000th career point Thursday night at Penns Grove.**

First the highlights:

The Red Devils took down the Eagles 75-65 for their ninth win in the last 10 meetings between the two coaches. They led virtually wire-to-wire largely by hitting 3s and ruling the boards (18 offensive rebounds) and placed three scorers in double figures.

Freshman KaRon Ceaser, riding the high of receiving his first college football scholarship offer from Syracuse earlier in the day, led the Red Devils with 20 points. Giomar Conrad had 18 points and Mehki Ballard, who seems to have found his shooting rhythm just in time for the second half of the season, had 14 with a couple 3-pointers.

Wood became the 17th member of Pennsville’s 1,000-Point Club and second in his family when he drained a 3-pointer from the left corner with 5:45 left in a game the Eagles had climbed back into contention for. He needed 19 points coming into the game and finished with a season-high 28, going 11-of-25 from the field. He hit the magic number on his 18th shot of the game.

It was hoped he would reach the milestone at home this weekend, where his sister Ryane, the most recent player to join the club (1224 points ending in 2022), could have been on hand to watch. Instead, he had to settle for reaching the milestone against the same team his coach did against in 1992.

“I don’t know if there’s any other emotion other than it feels good, it’s great,” Wood said. “That’s something you come into high school trying to get and you finally hit it, it feels good.”

Now for the lowlight:

The game was delayed 28 minutes late in the first quarter as a custodian cleaned the gym floor after it had become dangerously slippery from the de-icing salt on spectators’ shoes mixing with the chemicals used to clean the floor. It made for hazardous footing along the sidelines and players from each team fell hard as a result.

Mecholsky threatened to pull his team from the game after Peyton O’Brien slipped along the baseline for a second time in the opening minutes of play. The game was halted at 7:28 p.m. local time – with 36.9 seconds left in the first quarter and Penns Grove leading by 10 – after the Red Devils’ Camren Thompson crashed into the bleachers.

“We’re here with kids, we’re here just trying to play a game and conditions are disastrously … I’ve never even seen that before in my life,” Mecholsky said. “We were going home. We were going home. What am I going do, have a Pennsville kid break his clavicle over there? No. We were leaving. We were leaving. That was an embarrassment. But they did fix it.”

The players from both teams said it was only slippery in the corners and around the sideline. The playing area was not affected, they said.

“The court was fine, but once you went out of bounds it was scary,” O’Brien said, “but we fought through it and they fixed it after a while so we were good.”

“I tried to stay away from the sidelines,” Wood said. “I was playing it smart. I tried to stay in the middle of the floor.”

A custodian made four laps around the court on the cleaner during and went back-and-forth three times along the baselines before the game resumed at 8 p.m. local time. The custodian went around the court twice more at halftime.

**A Penns Grove High School custodian cleans the edge of the basketball court during a delay in Thursday night’s game with Pennsville.**

The teams hung out in their bench area until the clean-up was finished.

“It was something that was out of any of our control,” Ware said. “For precaution and safety of the kids (the delay) was the best thing to do. You never know, somebody could have slipped, rolled an ankle, fell, bust their elbow up. It was the best thing we could do at that point.”

There were some rumblings the game could be suspended at halftime and resumed at a later date, but the three-person all-female officiating crew indicated at halftime the second half would proceed as scheduled. Ware said he would have not been in favor of a stoppage. The second half proceeded without incident.

The delay didn’t seem to bother the Red Devils’ game. They were leading 24-14 at the time of the delay and wound up winning by that margin. They hit six of their eight 3-pointers after the delay. They led by 20 in the third quarter before Ware subbed in his reserves and Pennsville rallied.

“I was actually kind of tired in the beginning of the game so the delay actually kind of helped me,” Ballard said.

Wood’s milestone 3-pointer got the Eagles to within 10. The junior guard looked a lot more relaxed once he reached 1,000 and he scored the Eagles next seven points. His next 3-pointer got them within six with 3:34 to play, 65-59, but that was as close as they got.

“There’s definitely a little bit of pressure when you’re about to score 1,000 points,” Wood said. “I think definitely after I scored it today everyone could tell the pressure got lifted and that I was back to my normal self.”

Thompson answered with a 3 and the Red Devils kept the margin between eight and 10 for the time that remained.

“They made more 3s than I anticipated and we didn’t rebound like them,” Mecholsky said. “Great game by coach (Ware). His players made shots tonight and they rebounded. They weren’t special, but they outrebounded us and we lost.”

PENNS GROVE 75, PENNSVILLE 65
PENNSVILLE (5-7) – Luke Wood 11-25 2-3 28, Peyton O’Brien 7-9 2-5 18, Daniel Saulin 2-3 0-0 4, Jayden Thomas 3-8 1-2 7, Malik Rehmer 1-4 0-0 2, Cohen Petrutz 1-3 1-2 3, Mason O’Brien 1-2 1-2 3, Logan Hitt 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 26-54 7-14 65.
PENNS GROVE (5-6) – Brandon Robbins 0 0-0 0, Giomar Conrad 7 2-4 18, Karon Ceaser 5 8-10 20, Willie Slocum 3 3-4 9, Mehki Ballard 5 2-4 14, Camron Thompson 2 0-0 5, Khiry Higgs 0 0-0 0, Mr Peterson 0 0-0 0, Dameon Wilson 3 0-1 6, Neziah Spence 1 0-2 3, Will Roy 0 0-0 0. Totals 26 15-25 75.

Pennsville	17	12	14	12 –	65
Penns Grove	24	16	22	13 –	75

3-point goals: Pennsville 6-18 (Wood 4-10, P. O’Brien 2-3, Thomas 0-1, Rehmer 0-2, Petrutz 0-2); Penns Grove 8 (Conrad 2, Ceaser 2, Ballard 2, Thompson, Spence). Technical fouls: Wood. Total fouls: Pennsville 17, Penns Grove 13. Officials: Dumas, Jackson, Carter.

SALEM 90, CLAYTON 52
SALEM (7-4) – Jabez DeJesus 18 0-0 41, Paul Weathers 5 0-0 10, Tymear Lecator 4 2-2 10, Donovan Weathers 2 2-2 6, Xavier McGriff 2 1-2 5, Antwan Rodgers 5 0-0 10, Cole Sayers 1 0-0 2, Joseph Tunis 2 0-0 6, Anthony Farmer 0 0-0 0. Totals 39 5-6 90.
CLAYTON (3-10) – Dillon Jones 2 1-2 5, Princeton Sackor 6 3-4 17, Nazir Davis 5 0-0 11, Demetris Williams 1 2-4 4, Jon Cox 1 3-4 5, Cristan Scott 1 0-0 2, Ashaud Hines 4 0-0 8. Totals 20 9-14 52.

Salem	21	25	22	22 –	90
Clayton	8	14	12	18 –	52

3-point goals: Salem 7 (DeJesus 5, Tunis 2); Clayton 3 (Sackor 2, Davis).
NOTES: DeJesus smashed his career high by 15 points.

GLASSBORO 55, WOODSTOWN 47
GLASSBORO (5-7) – Charles Graves 5 12-13 22, Xavier Sabb 5 4-8 14, Clinton Suggs 4 2-3 11, Jayce Grays 1 0-0 2, Josh Buff 1 1-1 3, Michael Dougherty 1 0-2 3. Totals 17 19-27 55.
WOODSTOWN (6-5) – Blake Bialecki 4 0-0 11, M.J. Hall 3 0-0 9, Max Webb 3 3-4 10, Garrett Leyman 2 0-0 5, Rocco String 3 0-2 6, Alejandro Vazquez 1 0-0 3, Anthony Bokolas 1 0-0 2, Manny Ortega 0 0-0 0, Elijah Caesar 0 1-2 1. Totals 17 4-8 47.

Glassboro	16	4	21	13 –	55
Woodstown	15	6	11	15 –	47

3-point goals: Glassboro 2 (Suggs, Dougherty); Woodstown 9 (Bialecki 3, Hall 3, Webb, Leyman, Vazquez).
NOTES: Graves and Sabb both had double-doubles with Graves grabbing 10 rebounds and Sabb hauling in 11. Webb had six assists and four steals for Woodstown. The Wolverines have lost three in a row.

OVERBROOK 58, SCHALICK 31
SCHALICK (4-5) – Reggie Allen 19, Dan Lis 4, Jordan Johnson 2, Nylan Sutton 4, Jase Volovar 2.
OVERBROOK (9-3) – Jaden St. John 2 0-0 4, Lamar Little 4 0-0 11, Chris Grier 2 1-3 5, Amare Kee 2 1-1 6, Maki Ortiz 1 0-0 2, Angel Bermudez 0 0-0 0, Shaun Mills 4 0-1 9, Tory Scott 1 0-0 2, Zair Green 3 1-1 8, Kevin Satchell 0 1-2 1, Elvin Santiago 1 2-2 4, Nic Johnson 2 2-5 6. Totals 22 8-15 58.

Schalick	5	0	14	12 –	31
Overbrook	26	7	9	16 –	58

3-point goals: Overbrook 6 (Little 3, Kee, Mills, Green).

PITMAN 101, SALEM TECH 44
PITMAN (10-3) – Porter Kostiuk 2 6-6 10, Stephen Devanney 1 2-4 4, Hudson Rue 1 0-0 2, Elijah Crispin 8 2-2 19, Trey Tinges 1 1-2 4, Colin Ambrosius 1 0-0 2, Chris Wyllie 3 0-0 7, Michael Fisciaro 12 3-3 32, Sonny Myers 5 1-4 11, Greg Petersen 1 4-4 8, Jake Epting 2 0-0 4. Totals 37 19-25 101.
SALEM TECH (0-10) – Haneef Frisby 12, Joseph Hayes 4, Daviontae Russell 6, Josh Muntz 4, Tyler Zampino 8, Antoine Robinson 8, Chase Ayers 2.

Pitman	34	23	28	16 –	101
Salem Tech	12	14	12	6 –	44

3-point goals: Pitman 8 (Crispin, Tinges, Wyllie, Fisicaro 5).
NOTES: The Panthers became the first team to score 100 in Salem Tech’s gym. Clayton hung 100-plus on the visiting Chargers in the 2021-22 and 2019-20 seasons.

Friendly rivalry

For the two coaches in the Pennsville-Penns Grove basketball game, tomorrow they can be friends, today they fight

THURSDAY’S BOYS GAMES
Glassboro 55, Woodstown 47
Overbrook 58, Schalick 31
Penns Grove 75, Pennsville 65
Pitman def. Salem Tech
Salem 90, Clayton 52

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PENNS GROVE – For everybody else at the Paul W. Carleton School it was just another day at school, but for two of the teachers there it was a day a little different than all others.

For 363 days of the year, Damian Ware and Joe Mecholsky are teachers in the same school. One, Ware, teaches the fifth graders in an upstairs classroom. The other, Mecholsky, has the fourth graders downstairs.

They wave familiarly when they pass in the halls. They have the same planning period and often sit together talking basketball, comparing notes on common opponents.

But Thursday, while the conversation may be cordial and more poor mouth than trash talk, this day is different.

Every other day of the year they’re Carleton School teachers through and through, but when this school day ended Thursday they were trying to beat each other’s brains in as the coaches of the Penns Grove and Pennsville basketball teams that also, by the way, happen to be their high school alma maters.

“Oh, we’ll talk,” Ware said. “We don’t trade secrets or anything, but we’ll have general conversations about hoops and stuff like that.

“It’s actually a lot of fun. We have fun with each other. Neither one of us take anything personally. It’s all fun. It’s all about the kids. It’s a competitive, fun thing, basically.”

Everybody in the school gets caught up in it. Teachers and students are always asking when they’re going to play. The students get a kick out of watching their Mr. M coach the opposition.

Their teams have met nine times in the previous six years they’ve been head coaches at their alma maters and Ware has had the best of it, winning eight of them. Mecholsky finally broke through in the first meeting last season – in the Hyper-Baric Chamber that is Penns Grove’s gym – but the Red Devils got them back in Pennsville in the rematch.

(UPDATE: Ware made it nine out of 10 against his buddy Thursday night as the Red Devils won 75-65.)

There have been some memorable games though.

“We aren’t friendly while coaching against each other because every chance that son of a gun has had a chance to put 100 on my head he does it,” Mecholsky said. “He doesn’t try to hold back his team. He doesn’t try to be nice. No-o-o-o.

“One year (2018), they scored 100 on us and had a foul called so they took the 100 off the board. The next possession instead of just dribbling out the clock, with the crowd going ‘one hundred, one hundred,’ he scored again, so the crowd got to celebrate twice.

“And then the next morning we had breakfast together at the Deepwater Diner as if nothing happened.”

The game has no name, like the Wildman Willey Boot the teams play for in football, and strangely there have been no special wagers between the coaches like mayors and governors sometime do during football bowl games. Those things aren’t needed here. They’re playing for something more. Much more.

“We bet the one thing that can’t be bought with money – pride,” Mecholsky said. “When I see him in the hall the next day and I look at him, yea-h-h-h, I’m able to say I got you. And if he gets me, he’ll give me the same thing. We get on each other, but it’s brotherly love.”

When Friday morning comes things will return to normal for everyone at the Carleton School, unless, of course, school gets canceled or delayed by the impending snowstorm. Ware will make his way upstairs to teach his fifth graders and Mecholsky will head to downstairs to be with his fourth graders.

They’ll pass each other in the halls and get together during their planning period and talk ball as if nothing had happened. Only this time one will have a little extra pep in their step that’s not likely to subside until they play again the last day of the regular season.

“During the game we’re rivals and want to beat each other, Pennsville-Penns Grove,” Mecholsky said, “but right after the game it’s a handshake, it’s a hug and we’re back to work tomorrow.”

Who knows, they might even have breakfast at the Deepwater Diner together again.

Snow day reset

With the weather putting everything on hold Tuesday, let’s take a look at where things stand on a number of fronts

Chasing 1,000

PLAYER	TEAM	TOTAL	NEEDS	SEA. AVG.
Luke Wood	Pennsville	981	19	15.3
Anthony Farmer	Salem	871	129	16.9
Meely Horace	Penns Grove	864	136	17.2
Megan Donelson	Woodstown	860	140	18.4
Talia Battavio	Woodstown	853	147	19.8

Tri-County Conference Standings

CLASSIC GIRLS	ALL	DIV	CLASSIC BOYS	ALL	DIV
Wildwood	9-3	3-0	Pitman	9-3	3-0
Gloucester Cath.	9-3	2-0	Salem	6-4	2-1
Pitman	6-2	1-1	Wildwood	8-5	3-2
Clayton	5-6	1-2	Gloucester Cath.	6-4	2-2
Salem	4-6	1-2	Clayton	3-9	1-3
Salem Tech	0-8	0-3	Salem Tech	0-9	0-3

DIAMOND GIRLS	ALL	DIV	DIAMOND BOYS	ALL	DIV
Woodstown	8-2	3-0	Overbrook	7-3	2-1
Glassboro	6-3	2-1	Woodstown	6-3	2-1
Penns Grove	5-4	2-1	Penns Grove	4-6	2-1
Pennsville	5-6	2-1	Glassboro	4-7	2-1
Schalick	2-6	0-3	Pennsville	5-6	1-2
Overbrook	2-7	0-3	Schalick	4-4	0-3

SJ Group I Power Points

GIRLS	W-L	PCT	PTS
Wildwood	9-3	.750	248
Woodstown	8-2	.800	200
Palmyra	9-1	.900	195
Maple Shade	9-3	.750	192
Woodbury	5-7	.417	180
Audubon	8-3	.727	175
Gateway	8-4	.667	165
Burlington City	8-6	.571	154
Pennsville	5-6	.455	117
Cape May Tech	4-6	.400	106
Pitman	6-2	.750	101
Glassboro	6-3	.667	97
Penns Grove	5-4	.556	93
Clayton	5-6	.455	91
Salem	4-6	.400	89
Paulsboro	4-5	.444	78
Buena	2-6	.250	67
Riverside	3-7	.300	63
Schalick	2-6	.250	53
KIPP Cooper	0-11	.000	52
Camden Acad.	1-8	.111	32
LEAP	0-7	.000	13

NOTE: Salem Tech (0-8) is No. 20 in South Jersey Group II (36 points).

BOYS	W-L	PCT	PTS
KIPP Cooper	11-3	.786	234
Pitman	9-3	.750	234
Wildwood	8-5	.615	212
Woodbury	7-7	.500	171
Audubon	8-4	.667	168
Salem	6-4	.600	153
Paulsboro	5-7	.417	148
LEAP	7-6	.538	144
Glassboro	4-7	.364	139
Palmyra	6-5	.545	134
Riverside	5-7	.417	125
Pennsville	5-6	.455	122
Penns Grove	4-6	.400	122
Maple Shade	4-8	.333	113
Woodstown	6-3	.667	104
Burlington City	2-12	.143	103
New Egypt	4-5	.444	99
Clayton	3-9	.250	89
Cape May Tech	1-10	.091	67
Gateway	0-12	.000	62
Schalick	4-4	.500	60
Buena	0-11	.000	60
Camden Prep	1-3	.250	36

NOTE: Salem Tech (0-9) is No. 21 in South Jersey Group II (34 points)

This week’s schedule

Here is the high school sports schedule for Salem County teams for the week of Jan. 15-21

Monday

BASKETBALL
Girls
Salem at Burlington City, 11 a.m.
St. Joe at Schalick, 1:30 p.m.

Boys
Pennsville at Haddon Twp., 11 a.m.

WRESTLING
Egg Harbor Twp. at Schalick, 5 p.m.

INDOOR TRACK
NJSIAA Relays, Bennett Center, Toms River

Tuesday

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

SWIMMING
Schlick at Camden Academy, 3:30 p.m.

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

Wednesday

BASKETBALL
Girls
Salem at Gloucester Catholic, 5:30 p.m.
Boys
Woodstown at Overbrook, 5:30 p.m.

WRESTLING
Woodstown at Cumberland, 5 p.m.
Pennsville at Penns Grove, 6 p.m.

INDOOR TRACK
Pennsville, Penns Grove, Salem in SJCTA Meet, Toms River, 3:30 p.m.

BOWLING
Salem Tech at West Deptford, 4 p.m.

Thursday

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

SWIMMING
Woodstown vs. Gloucester Catholic at GCIT, 5:45 p.m.
Schalick vs. Pitman at GCIT, 7:15 p.m.
Salem vs. Deptford Twp. at GCIT, 8:30 p.m.

BOWLING
Salem Tech in NJTAC at Bowlero, North Brunswick, 11:30 a.m.
Salem vs. Collingswood, Westbrook Lanes, 4 p.m.

Friday

BASKETBALL
Girls
Pennsville at Gloucester City, 5:30 p.m.
Schalick at Buena, 4 p.m.
Boys
Buena at Schalick, 5:30 p.m.
Gloucester City at Pennsville, 5:30 p.m.
Salem Tech at Moorestown Friends, 5:30 p.m.

WRESTLING
Woodstown at Timber Creek, 5 p.m.
Pennsville at Mainland Regional, 5:30 p.m.

Saturday

BASKETBALL
Girls
Salem Tech at Camden County Tech, 11:30 a.m.

SJIBT Tournament
Woodstown at Camden Catholic, 2:30 p.m.

WRESTLING
Schalick, Deptford Twp., Pemberton at Haddon Twp., 8 a.m.
Salem, Overbrook, Pitman at Penns Grove, 9 a.m.
Pennsville, Vineland, BCIT-Westampton at Collingswood, 10 a.m.
Woodstown, Haddon Heights, Pennsauken at Buena

SWIMMING
Salem, Schalick in SJISA Championships at GCIT

INDOOR TRACK
Woodstown, Penns Grove at Bennett Center, Toms River

BOWLING
Salem vs. Eastern at 30 Strikes, 9 a.m.

Marching towards milestones

Girls roundup: Wolverines roll over Clayton behind Donelson, Battavio; Pennsville, Salem Tech fall

WEDNESDAY’S GIRLS SCORES
Glassboro 61, Salem Tech 23
Gloucester Catholic 68, Pennsville 18
Salem at Schalick, ppd.
Woodstown 72, Clayton 42

By Riverview Sports News

WOODSTOWN — Talia Battavio helped teammate Megan Donelson hit her 100th career 3-pointer in a game the other day, and now she’s not that far behind.

Battavio hit five 3-pointers on the way to a 23-point game in Woodstown’s 72-42 rout of Clayton, and now she needs just one more from behind the arc to reach 100 for her career. She’s also just two steals short of 100 in that category.

Donelson led the Wolverines with 27 points and went over 250 rebounds and 125 assists in the game.

The Wolverines are now 12-1 over the last two seasons when either Donelson or Battavio score 20 in the same game, 7-0 when they both go for 20.

Both players are going for an even more prestigious milestone. Donelson now needs 151 points for 1,000 and Battavio needs 170.

WOODSTOWN 72, CLAYTON 42
CLAYTON (4-6) — Jordyn Jones 4 2-2 10, Rainelle Blocker 7 4-8 18, Rosalina Pereira 1 1-2 4, Deondria Simons 4 0-2 8, Ava Delaney 0 0-0 0, India Williams 1 0-0 3, Sophia Petsch 0 0-0 0. Totals 17 7-14 43.
WOODSTOWN (7-2) — Talia Battavio 9 0-2 23, Megan Donelson 13 0-1 27, Gianna Maiorini 1 0-0 2, Alyssa Baber 2 3-4 7, Shannon Pieman 4 1-2 9, Lauren Hengel 0 0-0 0, Emma Perry 0 0-0 0, Brae DiGregorio 0 0-0 0Jala Thomas 2 0-0 4, Lizzy Daly 0 0-0 0, Kendall Young 0 0-0 0, Talia Guardascione 0 0-0 0, Kailyn Kennedy 0 0-0 0. Totals 31 4-9 72.

Clayton	10	16	12	5 —	43
Woodstown	19	19	21	13 —	72

3-point goals: Clayton 2 (Pereira, Williams); Woodstown 7 (Battavio 5, Donelson, Baber).

Gloucester Catholic 68, Pennsville 18

GLOUCESTER CITY — The Eagles can’t wait to start getting some their injured players back. They were held scoreless in the first quarter and only got scoring from three players in their third straight loss.

GLOUCESTER CATHOLIC 68, PENNSVILLE 18
PENNSVILLE (4-6) — Calli Ausland 0 0-0 0, Nora Ausland 4 0-0 8, Sofia Belitsas 0 0-0 0, Kylie Harris 0 0-0 0, Malani McGee 0 0-0 0, Izzie Saulin 1 0-0 2, Avery Watson 0 0-0 0, Marley Wood 2 0-4 4. Totals 7 4-4 18.
GLOUCESTER CATHOLIC (8-2) — Jahzara Green 13 1-1 27, Julianna DiFebbo 2 0-0 5, Talia Shumate 6 0-0 12, Jalyn Moore 5 1-1 13, Alyssa Elliott 0 0-0 0, Yazaniah Shumate 1 0-0 2, Maya Hutchinson 2 0-0 6, Ashlynn Eggers 1 0-0 3, Anna Gerardi 0 0-0 0. Totals 30 2-2 68.

Pennsville	0	6	6	6 —	18
Gloucester Catholic	24	4	17	23 —	68

3-point goals: Pennsville 0; Gloucester Catholic 6 (DiFebbo, Moore 2, Hutchinson 2, Eggers).

Glassboro 61, Salem Tech 23

GLASSBORO — Tamia Smith scored 26 points, Kezia Bracket scored 25 and Gianna Wedderburn grabbed 13 rebounds as Glassboro won its third straight and kept the Chargers winless.

GLASSBORO 61, SALEM TECH 23
SALEM TECH (0-8) — Hanna DeWitt 2-3-7, Kaylin Beardsley 1-3-5, Rylee Doerr 1-0-2, Morgan VanDover 3-0-7, Shelby Drummond 1-0-2. Totals 8-6-23.
GLASSBORO (6-3) — Tamia Smith 12 0-3 26, Kezia Brackett 10 2-3 25, Ante Davis 1 0-0 2, Sianna Wedderburn 1 0-0 2, Scarlett Saicic 1 0-0 3, NiJah Norton Clark 1 0-0 3, Grave Moore 0 0-0 0, Sanaa Thomas 0 0-0 0, Kimora Miles 0 0-0 0. Totals 26 2-8 61.

Salem Tech	3	2	10	8 —	23
Glassboro	17	12	15	17 —	61

3-point goals: Salem Tech 1 (VanDover); Glassboro 7 (Smith 2, Brackett 3, Saicic, Norton Clark).

Wild Wednesday

Salem wins a frenzied game with Pennsville, Bialecki has a big game for Woodstown

WEDNESDAY’S BOYS SCORES
Salem 77, Pennsville 66
Woodstown 74, Salem Tech 40

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

SALEM – Jabez DeJesus has thrown down many loud dunks during his Salem basketball career, but there haven’t been many as satisfying as the one he slammed in the final minute of Wednesday night’s 77-66 win over Pennsville.

It was one of those dunks that screamed enough-is-enough in a bizzare game that had devolved into ugliness.

It was a game that certainly kept the officials busy. They whistled 55 fouls, four technicals and issued several bench warnings. Four players fouled out (two on each side) and every call in the second half seemed to draw a reaction from the coaches and the crowd.

Maybe you should’ve seen it coming. The game started with a technical foul when the Rams were caught dunking in warm-ups.

DeJesus brought an end to the foolishness when he drove the length of the floor with a deep rebound and dunked with 41 seconds left that was more an exclamation point on the Rams’ fourth straight win and 10th straight against county competition than an incitement for more chaos.

“I was really thinking about it moments before,” the 6-foot-1 senior said. “I was like, ‘Man, what can I do to solidify myself into this game,’ and I was surprised I was that open. This is my opportunity, I’ve got to take it, make a statement, so I ran down the court and hit it with authority.

“(Taking the game off the edge) was definitely part of the reason, but I just wanted to get myself into the game, help my team out and I saw the opportunity to help us extend the lead. I really wanted to add an exclamation point to the last seconds of the game, (so) I put it all out there for my team and made my statement.”

Pennsville looked dead midway through the third quarter when Luke Wood caught his fourth foul on the floor and then got T’d walking away for his disqualifying fifth foul, followed immediately by a T on Eagles coach Joe Mecholsky. DeJesus made all four free throws and the Rams led by 18. It was a 20-point game moments later.

But the Eagles put on another rally similar to the comeback they staged against Woodstown two nights earlier. They turned up the defense and exploited a mismatch with Daniel Saulin inside and brought it all the way to four, 65-61 with 2:17 to play.

“I think that our defense brought us back into the game,” Mecholsky said. “I think when they got into foul trouble they had to put in some inexperienced players and we were able to turn them over and get what we wanted to do.

“It was a battle of wills tonight. They imposed their will for three quarters, we imposed ours in the fourth, but that’s still not enough time to overcome the hole we were in.

“I just told them in the locker room when our best player went out we didn’t shrink, we got tougher. We had grapes, we didn’t have raisins. We stayed tough, we stayed to it, we came back. Tonight Salem was just a better team than us.”

The Rams pushed their lead back to seven and then it got ugly again. Malik Rehmer dropped a hard foul against guard Anthony Farmer that sent Salem coach Anthony Farmer into a rage and several steps out on the floor.

After a officials’ huddled (and Farmer made the first free throw), Rehmer’s foul was ruled intentional and Farmer Sr. was hit with tech.

Farmer the younger collected himself to make his two free throws. Rehmer offset them by making the two technical foul shots on the other end and it was a 70-63 game with 1:21 to play. Pennsville called time and Rehmer launched a deep 3 coming out of it that missed the mark.

The teams traded free throws on the next three possessions to make it an eight-point game and the atmosphere was still frenzied. Jayden Thomas fired up a deep 3 hoping to get the Eagles closer. DeJesus grabbed the rebound, drove the length of the floor and slammed it home for a 10-point lead to end any residual discussion.

“I liked it,” Farmer the guard said. “I was definitely a fan. I loved that he went up for that dunk and I was happy he got the opportunity and threw it down. An exclamation point. He closed the door.”

“It was one of those players a senior makes,” Farmer the coach said. “Bez being a senior had an opportunity to change the momentum and shift things and really seal the game. That was a senior type play.

“Honestly, in any other situation I probably would have told him to pull it out and run clock, but because of how ugly it was and the flow of the way the game was going we encouraged him to go make that play. And obviously it sealed the deal.”

DeJesus scored 16 of his 20 points in the second half. Farmer, who Mecholsky called “the difference in the game tonight,” had 22 points, 18 in the first half. Farmer took on a lot with Ramaji Bundy out with a sore knee, but he made a lot of shots and distributed the ball when he wasn’t.

Saulin led Pennsville with 20 points, 12 in the second half, and 15 rebounds and two blocked shots. Peyton O’Brien had 13 points and six rebounds. Wood was held to eight points and now needs 41 to become the Eagles’ 17th 1,000-point scorer.

SALEM 77, PENNSVILLE 66
PENNSVILLE (4-5) – Luke Wood 2-6 3-5 8, Peyton O’Brien 3-8 6-6 13, Daniel Saulin 8-13 4-6 20, Jayden Thomas 3-11 1-7 8, Malik Rehmer 1-6 2-2 4, Cohen Petrutz 2-7 1-4 5, Mason O’Brien 2-7 4-4 8, Carlo Merindino 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 21-58 21-34 66.
SALEM (5-3) – Anthony Farmer 5 9-11 22, Jabez DeJesus 4 10-14 20, Paul Weathers 0 1-2 1, Xavier McGriff 3 0-2 8, Tymear Lecator 4 7-10 16, Donavon Weathers 1 0-0 2, Antwone Rodgers 2 0-0 4, Joseph Tunis 1 0-0 2, Davonte Jackson 0 0-0 0, Cole Sayers 1 0-0 2. Totals 21 27-39 77.

Pennsville	16	13	12	25 –	66
Salem	17	22	17	21 —	77

3-point goals: Pennsville 3 (Wood, P. O’Brien, Thomas); Salem 8 (Farmer 3, DeJesus 2, McGriff 2, Lecator). Technical fouls: Wood, Pennsville coach Mecholsky, Salem (dunking in warmups), Salem coach Farmer. Fouled out: Wood, Thomas, Rodgers, D. Weathers. Total fouls: Pennsville 28, Salem 27. Officials: Harbin, Wright, Torres.

Woodstown 74, Salem Tech 40

WOODSTOWN – There’s something about playing Salem Tech that does something for Blake Bialecki.

The Woodstown sophomore hit a career-high 3-pointers and scored 29 points as the Wolverines won their second game of the week.

Bialecki, coming off a 23-point against Pennsville last time out, hit three 3s in the first quarter against the Chargers and four in the first half as the Wolverines opened a 32-20 halftime lead. He had hit 10 3s this season coming into the game. His previous high for 3s in a game was five last January against Salem Tech.

“The second we gave him an inch he was making his shots,” Chargers coach Bryan Riley said.

WOODSTOWN 74, SALEM TECH 40
WOODSTOWN (6-2) – Manny Ortega 0 0-2 0, Blake Bialecki 10 1-2 29, Alejandro Vazquez 2 3-4 7, M.J. Hall 2 0-0 4, Garrett Leyman 3 2-3 8, Lucas Fulmer 1 2-2 4, Max Webb 4 2-2 10, Rocco String 2 0-0 4,
Elijah Caesar 4 0-4 8. Totals 28 10-19 74.
SALEM TECH (0-9) – Chase Wills 4 1-1 10, Haneef Frisby 3 0-0 6, Josh Muntz 4 0-0 8, Tyler Zampino 1 0-0 3, Antoine Robinson 5 0-4 11, Joseph Hayes 1 0-2 2, Gio Holmes 0 0-0 0, Chase Ayers 0 0-0 0. Totals 18 1-7 40.

Woodstown	18	14	23	19 –	74
Salem Tech	11	9	6	14 –	40

3-point goals: Woodstown 8 (Bialecki 8); Salem Tech 3 (Wills, Zampino, Robinson). Total fouls: Woodstown 10, Salem Tech 17.

Back on track

MONDAY’S GIRLS BASKETBALL SCORES
Clayton 64, Salem Tech 17
Glassboro 70, Schalick 18
Penns Grove 79, Overbrook 22
Wildwood 84, Salem 33
Woodstown 58, Pennsville 43

By Riverview Sports News

WOODSTOWN — Talia Battavio bounced back from a cold shooting Saturday to score 22 points Monday night and lead Woodstown back into the win column, 59-43 over Pennsville in the Wolverines’ Coaches vs. Cancer game.

Battavio was held to a season-low nine points by OLMA and didn’t hit a shot in the second half, but bounced back for her fourth 20-point game of the season. The Wolverines are 11-1 the last two seasons when either Battavio or Megan Donelson score 20 points in a game. She also had five assists and six blocked shots.

The junior guard was one of three Wolverines to score in double figures in the game. Donelson had 17 points, including her 100th career 3-pointer, with five assists, three blocks and four steals. And Shannon Pieman had 12 points and eight rebounds. Alyssa Baber grabbed 12 boards.

“I feel like we’re still not playing our best basketball, individually or as a whole, but it was a good division win with multiple girls scoring,” Wolverines coach Kara Straughn said. “There’s nothing we can’t iron out in practice tomorrow (and) the rest of the week.

“We needed some momentum with tonight’s win because I think we have the potential to go on a winning streak for a few weeks now through the month.”

Pennsville’s Marley Wood led all scorers with 27 points. She hit a career-high seven 3-pointers, matching teammate Nora Ausland for the team’s single-game high this season (Overbrook).

WOODSTOWN 59, PENNSVILLE 43
PENNSVILLE (4-5) — Nora Ausland 4 0-0 9, Celli Ausland 1 0-0 3, Kylie Harris 1 0-0 2, Izzie Säulen 1 0-0 2, Marley Wood 10 0-1 27. Totals 17 0-1 43.
WOODSTOWN (6-2) — Talia Battavio 9 2-2 22, Megan Donelson 7 0-0 17, Gianna Maiorini 2 0-0 4, Alyssa Baber 1 0-0 2, Shannon Pieman 6 0-2 12, Jala Thomas 1 0-0 2, Lizzy Daly 0 0-0 0, Emma Perry 0 0-0 0, Lauren Hengel 0 0-0 0, Brae DiGregorio 0 0-0 0. Totals 26 2-4 59.

Pennsville	7	8	10	18 —	43
Woodstown	19	12	11	17 —	59

3-point goals: Pennsville 9 (N. Ausland, C. Ausland, Wood 7); Woodstown 5 (Batavia 2, Donelson 3).

WILDWOOD 84, SALEM 33
SALEM (2-5) — Ryann Foote 4 6-8 14, Ameriyona Hunter 1 0-0 2, Carlysia Pierce 1 0-0 2, Ava Rodgers 0 1-2 1, Kaela Nichols 3 0-0 6, Marissa Bower 3 0-0 6, Zaniyah Frieson 1 0-0 2. Totals 13 7-10 33.
WILDWOOD 84 (6-3) — Sophia Wilber 1 3-4 6, Angela Wilber 6 5-7 18, Macie McCracken 12 1-1 30, Kaliah Sumlin 3 3-6 9, Rebecca Benichou 9 1-1 21, Cydnee Kilian 0 0-0 0. Totals 31 13-19 84.

Salem	6	9	11	7 —	33
Wildwood	32	24	22	6 —	84

3-point goals: Salem 0, Wildwood 9 (S. Wilber, A. Wilber, McCracken 5, Benichou 2).

CLAYTON 64, SALEM TECH 17
CLAYTON (4-5) — Jordyn Jones 5 0-0 10, Rainelle Blocker 7 0-0 14, Rosalina Pereira 4 0-0 11, Deondria Simon 1 0-0 2, Ava Delaney 9 0-0 19, Janice Blair 0 1-2 1, Sophia Petsch 3 0-0 7. Totals 29 1-2 64.
SALEM TECH (0-7) — Shelby Drummond 1 0-0 2, Kaylin Beardsley 2 0-0 6, Demajae White 1 0-0 2, Hanna DeWitt 1 0-0 2, TiRonna McGaha 1 0-0 0, Morgan VanDover 1 1-2 3. Totals 7 1-2 17.

Clayton	21	21	12	10 —	64
Salem Tech	10	2	2	3 —	17

3-point goals: Clayton 5 (Pereira 3, Delaney, Petsch); Salem Tech 2 (Beardsley 2).

Familiar finish

Hall again hits the big shot as Woodstown gets back on track with a tight win over Pennsville; Ballard makes four late FTs to lift Penns Grove, Salem stages big fourth-quarter rally

MONDAY’S SALEM COUNTY BOYS SCORES
Penns Grove 51, Overbrook 48
Clayton 83, Salem Tech 57
Glassboro 68, Schalick 42
Salem 64, Wildwood 57
Woodstown 60, Pennsville 57

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PENNSVILLE – The Woodstown basketball team needed a win in the worst of ways. That it came against a heated rival only made it better.

M.J. Hall hit a game-tying free throw with 38 seconds to play and then nailed the go-ahead 3-pointer with 5.2 seconds left to lift Woodstown over Pennsville 60-57 to get back on track after two crushing losses.

The Wolverines started the season 4-0, but their fortunes changed when the calendar did. They started the new year by letting a double-digit lead against Penns Grove get away under a hail of turnovers and then losing a low-scoring three-point game to Delsea 24 hours later.

But they were determined to get back on track and Hall, a junior guard with a history of picking the Eagles apart, made it happen.

“It’s a brotherhood and for us to be down in a situation like this after coming off an 0-2 week is just a blessing to have,” Hall said. “Going through the shot with the ball in your hand on the last possession is always a nervous wreck, but to come through and get us back on a winning streak hopefully is a blessing.

“We all play a part. Rocco (String) getting fouled out had us nervous, but we just found a way to come through and pull off the win and send a statement to anybody else.”

The end of the game was eerily similar to the one the Wolverines won here last year when Hall hit the game-winning shot from in front of the Woodstown bench with time running out.

The Wolverines opened a 20-5 lead early in the second quarter and the way things were going felt they had a real opportunity to push the lead to 25 or 30 before halftime. But Pennsville, showing shades of Penns Grove’s rally Thursday night, chipped away on the front end to get within eight and then got back in the game altogether with the final nine points of the half.

The Eagles did take the lead early in the third quarter when Daniel Saulin converted a long pass from Jayden Thomas into a layup to make it 33-32. The game stayed tight the rest of the night and was tied at 45 going into the fourth quarter.

“We talk about the hope that we keep for ourselves and the hope we shouldn’t give the other teams,” Woodstown coach Phil Campbell said. “We gave them some hope there before halftime and they made a game of it.”

Malik Rehmer hit two free throws with 1:13 left off the play that fouled String out to put Pennsville up for the last time 57-56. Woodstown, now without its big man in the game, called time with 1:08 left to set up a play. The Wolverines worked it around and Hall was fouled by Saulin.

Hall hit the first of the two free throws to tie the game. He missed the second shot and Saulin rebounded, but Hall snuck around to steal it back and the Wolverines immediately called time again with 33.8 left.

The plan was to work it around to about 15 seconds and get it to Garrett Leyman. They did, but the Eagles sealed off his drive to the basket. Instead of forcing something, Leyman smartly kicked it out to Hall, who drained the go-ahead 3 from the far left side of the floor.

Last year Hall hit the winning 3 from the right corner after the Eagles missed a potential game-winning layup just seconds earlier.

“We talk a lot about inside-out 3-pointers are the best shot you can take,” Campbell said. “They’re the highest percentage 3 in the country, inside-out, and that was exactly what he got. He’s a good shooter, especially in that kind of position.”

It just had to be Hall. In two career games in Pennsville, he has scored 23 points and hit two game-winning shots.

“To hit a shot like that, big, it’s fun,” he said.

“He just seems to flip the switch here in Pennsville,” sophomore guard Blake Bialecki said. “He always seems to play good here.”

Hall finished with 11 points. Bialecki led the Wolverines with 26 points, including five 3-pointers.

Hall’s big shot may have given the Wolverines the lead, but it still wasn’t over. Pennsville called time with 4.4 seconds left to set up the tying shot. They set the play in motion, but Luke Wood stepped on the sideline trying to rush up the floor for a 3.

Wood led Pennsville with 19 points and moved inside 50 points of 1,000. He had 12 points during the Eagles’ second-quarter comeback, but fell ill during halftime and missed the first four minutes of the third quarter. Saulin had 14 points and six rebounds. Rehmer had 13 points and nine boards.

“We played good team ball tonight, it was just unfortunate that we got nearly home and we just … two plays either way and we win that game,” Pennsville coach Joe Mecholsky said. “I’m not discouraged whatsoever. The kids decided the game and tonight the Woodstown team was a play better than us.”

WOODSTOWN 60, PENNSVILLE 57
WOODSTOWN (5-2) — Manny Ortega 1 0-0 3, Blake Bialecki 10 1-2 26, Alejandro Vazquez 0 0-0 0, M.J. Hall 4 1-2 11, Garrett Leyman 1 2-2 4, Anthony Bokolas 1 0-0 2, Max Webb 4 0-0 10, Rocco String 2 0-0 4. Totals 23 4-6 60.
PENNSVILLE (4-4) — Mason O’Brien 1 0-0 2, Luke Wood 7 2-4 19, Cohen Petrutz 2 0-0 4, Peyton O’Brien 2 0-0 4, Jayden Thomas 0 0-0 0, Malik Rehmer 3 6-7 14, Daniel Saulin 6 2-3 14. Totals 21 10-14 57.

Woodstown	16	16	13	15 —	60
Pennsville	5	23	17	12 —	57

3-point goals: Woodstown 10 (Ortega, Bialecki 5, Hall 2, Webb 2); Pennsville 5 (Wood 3, Rehmer 2).
Technical fouls: Thomas. Fouled out: String. Total fouls: Woodstown 12, Pennsville 8. Officials: Panko, Popper, Johnson.

PENNS GROVE 51, OVERBROOK 48: Mekhi Ballard seems to be back in the groove and that’s a good thing for the Red Devils.

Ballard hit four free throws in the final 30 seconds to seal the victory and send the Red Devils into a four-way tie for first in the Tri-County Diamond Division.

“He’s our most experienced player who was off to a slow start, but has come up big the last two games,” Penns Grove coach Damian Ware said. “He had seven fourth-quarter points against Woodstown and then four big free throws today in the fourth. He’s starting to find his rhythm.”

Both pairs of free throws came after Overbrook scored to cut into the Red Devils’ lead. The first set pushed the lead to four. The Rams hit a 3 on the next trip down the floor and then he made two more to make it a three-point game. Overbrook had a shot at the buzzer for the tie but missed.

Ballard finished with 13 points to lead three Red Devils scorers in double figures. Giomar Conrad had 12 and Mr Peterson 10. Yes, the name is Mr, as in Mister.

“My dad told me a long time ago it was because when anybody talks to me he wants them to respect my name,” Peterson explained.

It’s the same reason Mr. T explained his name is Mr. T.

PENNS GROVE 51, OVERBROOK 48
OVERBROOK (5-3) — Shaun Mills 1 4 6, Chris Grier 6 9 24, Amare Kee 1 0 3, Lamar Little 1 0 2, Kevin Satchell 1 0 3, Xavier Wright 2 1 5, Maki Ortiz 1 0 2, Jaden St. John 0 3 3. Totals 13 17 48.
PENNS GROVE (4-5) — Brandon Robbins 0 0 0, Roman Gipson 2 3 7, Giomar Conrad 5 1 12, KaRon Ceaser 0 1 1, Willie Slocum 1 2 4, Mehki Ballard 3 6 13, Camren Thompson 1 0 2, Khiry Higgs 1 0 2, Mr Peterson 5 0 10. Totals 18 13 51.

Overbrook	9	7	17	15 —	48
Penns Grove	13	11	11	16 —	51

3-point goals: Overbrook 1 (Grier 3, Kee, Satchell); Penns Grove 2 (Conrad, Ballard).

SALEM 64, WILDWOOD 57: Freshman Tymear Lecator had the best game of his career, leading three Salem scorers in double figures, and the Rams went an amazing 18-for-18 from the free throw line.

The Rams trailed by 12 in the third quarter and staged a furious fourth-quarter rally to win their third game in a row.

“I don’t know how we did it, but we pulled it off,” Salem coach Anthony Farmer said.

Lecator, a transfer from Winslow, scored 21 points and grabbed six rebounds. Anthony Farmer had 19 points and was 11-for-11 from the line. Paul Weathers posted a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds.

SALEM 64, WILDWOOD 57
WILDWOOD (6-4) — Junior Hans 4 7-8 16, Ryan Troiano 3 0-1 7, Jordan Fusi 3 1-1 12, Brian Cunniff 7 3-3 17, Josh Pintella 0 0-0 0, Harley Buscham 0 0-0 0, Lukas Basile 0 1-2 1, James Wyers 2 0-0 4. Totals 20 12-15 57.
SALEM (4-2) — Ramaji Bundy 1 0-0 2, Anthony Farmer 4 11-11 19, Jabez DeJesus 2 0-0 4, Paul Weathers 6 3-3 16, Tymear Lecator 7 4-4 21, Antwone Rogers 1 0-0 2, Donovan Weathers 0 0-0 0. Totals 21 18-18 64.

Wildwood	14	21	13	9 —	57
Salem	11	15	18	20 —	64

3-point goals: Wildwood 5 (Hans, Troiano, Fusik 3); Salem 4 (P. Weathers, Lecator 3).

GLASSBORO 68, SCHALICK 42: Charles Graves scored 21 of his career-high 45 points in the first quarter and helped the Bulldogs (4-4) pull away from a one-point game in the final 2:30 of the quarter to take control.

The Bulldogs hit six 3-pointers in the first quarter; Graves had four of them. He’s gone for 20 or more in six of his last seven games, averaging 26.0 a game in that stretch. He’s averaging 23.7 for the season.

GLASSBORO 68, SCHALICK 42
SCHALICK (3-4) — Nylan Sutton 2 0-2 4, Jordan Johnson 1 2-2 5, Reggie Allen 9 2-6 21, Ryan Johnson 1 0-0 2, Daniel Lis 4 1-2 10, Jake Siedlecki 0 1-2 1. Totals 17 6-14 42.
GLASSBORO (4-4) — Charles Graves 18 5-8 45, Clinton Suggs 2 3-3 7, Michael Dougherty 3 1-2 10, Josh Buff 1 0-0 2, William Goggans 2 0-0 4. Totals 26 9-13 68.

Schalick	12	9	10	11 —	42
Glassboro	29	15	15	9 —	68

3-point goals: Schalick 3 (Johnson, Allen, Lis); Glassboro 7 (Graves 4, Dougherty 3). Total fouls: Schalick 11, Glassboro 10.

CLAYTON 83, SALEM TECH 57
SALEM TECH (0-8) — Antoine Robinson 1 2-4 4, Chase Wills 5 2-2 12, Tyler Zampino 2 1-2 5, Josh Muntz 0 0-0 0, Haneef Frisby 5 1-2 11, Joseph Hayes 2 0-0 4, Gio Holmes 4 0-0 10, Daviontae Russell 2 4-6 9. Totals 21 10-14 55.
CLAYTON (2-7) — Dillon Jones 3 0-2 6, Princeton Sackor 6 4-6 20, Nazir Davis 9 2-5 23, John Carter 1 0-0 3, Michael Akosah 0 1-2 1, Demetris Williams 5 3-8 13, Jon Cox 1 1-1 3, Ashaud Hines 4 0-2 8, Chimali Mitchell 1 0-0 3, Mason Gable 1 0-0 3. Totals 31 11-26 83.

Salem Tech	5	11	27	14 —	57
Clayton	22	16	17	28 —	83

3-point goals: Salem Tech 3 (Holmes 2, Russell); Clayton 10 (Sackor 4, Davis 3, Carter, Mitchell, Gable).

Tri-County Conference

DIAMOND	ALL	DIV	CLASSIC	ALL	DIV
Woodstown	5-2	2-1	Pitman	8-2	3-0
Overbrook	5-3	2-1	Gloucester Cath.	6-3	2-1
Glassboro	4-4	2-1	Salem	4-3	2-1
Penns Grove	4-5	2-1	Wildwood	6-4	2-2
Pennsville	4-4	1-2	Clayton	2-7	1-3
Schalick	3-4	0-3	Salem Tech	0-8	0-3

Framed for success

Salem Tech girls bowlers go into the new week still glowing from first win in program history

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

WOODSTOWN – Matt DiTizio loves it when a plan comes together.

After two years laying the foundation for the bowling program at Salem Tech, DiTizio and assistant coach Mark Kasubinski came into the preseason this year with the priority of building up the girls team.

They were able to put a full boys team together right away, but the girls have been a slow grow. They did have bowlers to put on the lanes, but not enough for a complete five-man lineup. Now, things are starting to “come together” for them and they’re making strides one step at a time.

You might have noticed a little different swagger in the Tech girls as they walked around school this past week.

That’s because they’ve been riding the momentum of the first win in their program’s history, a 3-1 win over Lindenwold last time out at Wood Lanes.

“Thing are starting to come together,” DiTizio said. “They’ve had some close moments. But I don’t think they really fully understand the significance of it. That’s the first one we’ve had of hopefully many wins and they did it. They’ve been learning and improving together and that’s the big step in the right direction as far as I’m concerned.”

The boys team had enjoyed some success – they won four matches last year and are 2-2-2 this season – but the girls, with their limited lineup, had lost 21 straight matches since their inception in 2021-22. They hadn’t won a game until they evened their match with a 532 against Salem in mid-December.

“I think they knew it was coming after that,” DiTizio said.

They split the first two games with Lindenwold – winning the first 531-505 and losing second 634-538 – then won the third game 634-535 and took the overall point 1703-1601.

Lexi Cagle, the Chargers’ lone senior, led the way with the match’s high game – a career-best 177 in Game 3 – and high series (397). She averages 125.4. Naomi Hess and Casey Zaluske both averaged 117 for the match.

It was said they were really excited for the morning announcements the next day at school to hear their results broadcast to their classmates.

“To be truly honest with you, both Coach Matt and myself were actually more head over heels than they were,” said Kasubinski, who oversees the girls team. “They almost took it in stride, very matter of factly. They were obviously excited and happy, especially the new girls, they got a real kick out of it. Coach and I were over the moon about it and we’re like ‘Girls, you just made history,’ and they were like, ‘Yeah, we know. That’s cool.’

“It was very understated, but you could tell all the things that we’ve been preaching at them and telling them – this is going to happen, once you get a full team we’re going to be able to compete, we’re going to win game, we’re going to win matches – (was kicking in). I think they realized all that stuff we’ve been telling them since the preseason is not just lip service. They were obviously very satisfied, very happy to make that accomplishment and be part of history at Salem Tech.”

And now they have a couple tall orders coming up. They go to Hammonton Tuesday and host Clayton at Wood Lanes Thursday. Both opponents are currently 5-1 and they lost to Clayton with only four bowlers earlier this year, but the Chargers go into the matches knowing what winning feels like.

“I think getting a taste of that and seeing that it’s not just a myth that we can go out there and win matches, they’re going to ramp up their expectations for themselves because they know what they’re capable of, they’ve seen what they can accomplish,” Kasubinski said. “To get that first taste of winning a match and knowing when we are at full strength, when we do have a full team, when we do bowl well, we can go out there and go shoulder to shoulder with other teams in our division or in our conference, in the region, and have positive results.

“And I think if they don’t meet those expectations they’re going to be very critical of themselves. Knowing how our young ladies are, they take these things seriously.”

Tri-County Conference Bowling

CLASSIC BOYS	ALL	DIV	CLASSIC GIRLS	ALL	DIV
Clayton	5-0-1	4-0	Gloucester	5-0	4-0
Gloucester	3-1-1	2-1-1	Clayton	5-1	3-1
Salem Tech	2-2-2	1-1-2	Salem	1-3	1-2
Lindenwold	0-3-1	0-2-1	Salem Tech	1-5	1-3
Salem	1-3	0-3	Lindenwold	0-4	0-3

Standings through Jan. 7

This week’s schedule

Here is the high school sports schedule for Salem County teams for the week of Jan. 8-13

Monday

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

INDOOR TRACK
Salem vs. TBA, Toms River, 5 p.m.

Tuesday

WRESTLING
Oakcrest at Schalick, 5 p.m.
Pitman at Pennsville, 6 p.m.
Timber Creek at Penns Grove, 6 p.m.
Woodstown at Deptford Twp.

BOWLING
Salem Tech at Hammonton, 4 p.m.

Wednesday

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

Thursday

BASKETBALL
Boys
Clearview at Pennsvile, 5:30 p.m.
Salem at LEAP, 5:30 p.m.

WRESTLING
Pennsville at Penns Grove, 6 p.m.
Schalick at Clayton, 6 p.m.

SWIMMING
Schalick vs. Triton Regional at GCIT, 6 p.m.
Woodstown vs. Highland at GCIT, 7 p.m.

BOWLING
Clayton vs. Salem Tech, Wood Lanes, 4 p.m.
Salem vs. Gloucester City, Westbrook Lanes, 6 p.m.

Friday

BASKETBALL
Girls
Camden Academy at Salem, 4 p.m.
Penns Grove at Deptford Twp., 4 p.m.
Schalick at Paulsboro, 5:30 p.m.
Pennsville at Bridgeton, 6 p.m.
Boys
Camden Catholic at Woodstown, 5:30 p.m.
Deptford Twp. at Penns Grove, 5:30 p.m.
Gateway at Schalick, 5:30 p.m.

WRESTLING
Woodstown at Clearview, 5 p.m.
Buena at Pennsville, 6 p.m.

INDOOR TRACK
Schalick at NJSIAA Relays, Toms River, 4:30 p.m.

Saturday

BASKETBALL
Girls
South Jersey Invitational Tournament
South Region
Eastern at Woodstown, 11:30 a.m.
Camden Catholic 42, Rancocas Valley 39
Gloucester Catholic 41, Haddon Heights 39
Lenape 62, West Deptford 13
North Region
Moorestown Friends at Cherokee
Haddon Twp. at Highland
Paul IV 81, Delran 12
Shawnee 41, Westampton Tech 36
West Region
Williamstown 53, Pennsauken 40
Cherry Hill West 49, Woodbury 37
Moorestown 72, Kingsway 27
Holy Cross 50, Bishop Eustace 45
East Region
Gateway at Cinnaminson
Clearview at Haddonfield
Medford Tech at Sterling
Timber Creek 46, Winslow 34

Boys
Salem at Cherokee, 12:30 p.m.

WRESTLING
Deptford Twp., St. Joseph Academy at Penns Grove, 9 a.m.
Woodstown, Hillsborough, Watchung Hills at Park Ridge, 11 a.m.
Pennsville vs. Oakcrest, Overbrook, Millville
Schalick, Buena, N. Burlington, Timber Creek at Cumberland