Here are scores and highlights from Monday’s Salem County sports schedule; boys tennis tournament pairings announced
SOFTBALL
Clayton 21, Penns Grove 1
Pennsville 17, Salem 2
Woodstown 8, Pitman 2
PENNSVILLE 17, SALEM 2: Kylie Harris had two hits and four RBIs, and Graillyn Weber and Sawyer Simmons both drove in three runs. The Eagles (18-3) jumped out front with 10 runs in the first inning. Julliana Love and Isla Bohn had two hits apiece for Salem.
The Eagles (18-3) have won seven in a row, but remain 0.963 points behind Audubon in the race to No. 1 seed in the South Jersey Group I power points standings. The cutoff for playoff consideration is Wednesday.
TENNIS
Undefeated Pennsville (18-0) pulled down a No. 2 seed and has drawn a first-round bye to the South Jersey Group I tennis tournament along with No. 1 Haddon Twp. and No. 3 West Deptford.
No. 4 Woodstown opens with Penns Grove Tuesday, and No. 5 Schalick opens with Lower Cape May Wednesday. If they both win they meet in Round 2.
PENNSVILLE 5, WILDWOOD 0
Gabe Schneider (P) def. Giorgio Palesano, 6-0, 6-0
Maddox Efelis (P) def. Simon Palacias, 6-0, 6-0
Brody Wiggins (P) def. Cristopher Hernandez, 6-1, 6-0
Sawyer Humphrey-Lucas Cooksey (P) def. Chris Olivera-Alexis Mejia, 6-0, 6-0
Ian Peacock-Carter Willis (P) def. Daniel Salomao-Angel DeJesus, 6-0, 6-0
Records: Pennsville 18-0, Wildwood 3-12
SCHALICK 5, PITMAN 0
George Gould (S) def. Chase Pogozelski, 6-0, 6-0
Rocky Monticolo (S) def. Nolan Russell, 6-2, 6-0
Conor O’Toole (S) def. Jaron Scull, 6-2, 6-2
Kaden Barnes-Cayden Brzozowski (S) def. Ben Williams-Aiden Evans, 6-0, 6-0
David Santana-Anthony McGrath (S) def. Spencer Bianchini-Liam Etter, 6-2, 6-2
Records: Schalick 13-5, Pitman 5-14
CUMBERLAND 3, WOODSTOWN 2
Drew Stengel (WO) def. Luke Fischer, 6-1, 6-1
John Farrell (WO) def. Joseph Nolan, 6-3, 6-1
Carter Fischer (C) def. Jake Lewis, 6-0, 6-1
Asher Kennedy-Chase Sheppard (C) def. Luke Shaw-Mason Shimp, 6-4, 3-6, 10-6
Mason Staffieri-Justin Nolan (C) def. Ben Stengel-Joseph Kurpis, 6-2, 6-3
Records: Cumberland 15-1, Woodstown 13-4
GIRLS LACROSSE
WOODSTOWN 19, TRITON 1: Ten players scored goals for the Wolverines. Delaney Walker scored four (giving her 149 for her career); Jaime Deal scored three; Sienna Land, Emma Morgan, Blair Baldi and Arianna Hyman all had two; and Isabella Lindenmuth, Angelina Lindenmuth, Gina Murray and Lucy Mannella each scored one.
VOLLEYBALL
HIGHLAND 2, SALEM TECH 0: The Tartans won 25-18, 25-16 in the first round of the Tri-County Tournament. Highland then fell to Kingsway 2-0 (25-10, 25-12) in the quarterfinals.
Category: SALEM
Confidence booster
Pennsville hands Schalick just its second loss of the season in potential playoff preview; Woodstown walked off in 11th
MONDAY BASEBALL
Clayton 12, Penns Grove 3
Glassboro 11, Salem 1
Pennsville 8, Schalick 2
Pitman 6, Woodstown 5 (11 inns.)
By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News
PENNSVILLE – The folks at the very top on the inside of the Pennsville baseball team talked about the Eagles’ 8-2 win over Schalick Monday just like it was another game when everyone on their side of the ballpark knew it was so much more than that.
The Eagles (13-7) celebrated Senior Day with a win over one of the best teams in South Jersey Group I, maybe even the state, that could serve as a message for a bigger matchup down the road.
They overcame a leadoff home run by the best player in the county and bunched their eight runs into three late innings to hand the Cougars (17-2) only their second loss of the season and one that didn’t come against a rushed schedule.
The way the South Jersey Group I power points are tracking, the teams are likely to finish 2 and 3, setting up a potential sectional semifinal rematch.
“It was a good baseball game, it was a good springboard for us heading to the playoffs,” Eagles coach Matt Karr said. “No message sent today other than Pennsville played a good baseball game at 4 o’clock on Monday May 19 and if we are lucky enough to run into each other again this game and that microcosm will mean absolutely nothing. At the end of the day, when we get to May 27 everybody’s 0-0 and it’s a brand new season.”
The Eagles are now 4-0 against county rivals this year and have won 18 straight regular-season games against in-county competition (the only setback in the run was last year’s playoff loss to Woodstown). This year’s senior group, which includes the five-man heart of the batting order, is now 67-31 in their careers and has taken four in a row from the Cougars since losing the first game of a home-and-home series in 2022.
The loss snapped Schalick’s seven-game winning streak. The Cougars’ other loss came to Haddonfield in the opening round of the Diamond Classic in a game that started less than 12 hours after their five most veteran players got back home from their senior class trip and ended 30 minutes before the prom. Coach Sean O’Brien chalked up latest loss to a bad day.
“You play 18 games you’re bound to have a bad against a good team,” he said. “A bad game against a mediocre team you can recover from, against a good team (it’s tough). It’s one of those games you’ve got to leave behind. It happens.”
The game couldn’t have started better for the Cougars. Leadoff hitter Luke Pokrovsky, the player many hoped would pitch, opened the game with his 21st career homer. It was his fifth homer in five games and the third straight game he’s gone yard.
The next two hitters also singled, but after that they didn’t get another hit off Pennsville starter Cohen Petrutz until Eli Cummings singled leading off the seventh.
“Cohen’s been battling through some stuff; today, it was awesome for him,” Karr said. “I don’t like to throw words around loosely so I won’t use the word domination. Cohen Petrutz was in absolute control of that game from the second batter on.
“Today was a reminder that he can beat anybody on any given day, which just makes us even more dangerous going to the playoffs to have two top-tier left-handed pitchers. I know they didn’t throw Pokrovsky, but they batted their lineup they would bat in a playoff game and Cohen held them in check.”
“I think I did all right,” Petrutz said. “I was feeling good. I’ve been having arm pain the past couple outings but today I felt really great. Ready to go the whole time, had trust in my infield, didn’t have to strike everybody out today. I just felt really good.”
For the second straight game the play of the game was delivered by Jake Layfield. The sophomore shortstop snared Ricky Watt’s screaming liner with two runners in scoring position for the final out of the fourth to keep it a 1-0 game.
“He doesn’t do anything flashy, but he just seems to always make the play,” Karr said. “He doesn’t look like your typical shortstop you see on some of these elite teams but when push comes to shove Jake will be there to make the play.”
The Eagles took the lead in the bottom of the inning. Stevie Fatcher hit a two-out, two-strike, two-run double to center to put them ahead 2-1 and he rode home on Mason O’Brien’s triple to right.
“He got me chasing high for the first two and I was just thinking got to get it in play,” Fatcher said. “Then he lifted one right down the middle and I took it and hit it.
“This is one we marked on the calendar that we wanted. Coming into school today all I could think about was this game, wanting to win. I kind of wanted to show them a little bit. We did. We came in there and produced. It’s a lot of fun when you win games like that against those teams you’re going to see.”
The Eagles added two more in the fifth on Chase Burchfield’s RBI double and Petrutz’ run-scoring single to get starter Lucas D’Agostino out of the game, then tacked on three more in the sixth on four walks and Jeff Wagner’s two-run single.
The Cougars threatened in the seventh. Petrutz was going to get all 110 pitches he was promised and started the inning but gave up a single and two walks and came out. Gavin Spears put out the fire with a sacrifice fly by Evan Sepers and two strikeouts.
PITMAN 6, WOODSTOWN 5: Drew Keefe’s two-out single to right field on a payoff pitch – his fourth hit of the game – walked it off for the Panthers in the 11th inning.
The Wolverines took a 5-4 lead in the top of the ninth on Ty Coblentz’ two-out double but Pitman extended the game on Aidan Stranahan’s two-out RBI single in the home half. Stranahan also homered in the game.
Caiden Spinelli had three hits for the Wolverines, while Coblentz and Chase Harding each had two. Rocco String had an RBI single in the fifth and walked five times – four intentionally.
CLAYTON 12, PENNS GROVE 3: Christian Thibault went 3-for-3 with three RBIs and David Chapes had three hits to lead the Clippers. Elijah Crespo (2×2, walk, HBP) and Alex Paz (3×3, walk) both had perfect days at the plate for Penns Grove.
GLASSBORO 11, SALEM 1: Aidan Evengelisti and Colin Riley both had two hits, Gavin Dillard and Ryan Newell both drove in two runs and two Glassboro pitchers combined to hold the Rams to four hits. Bryce Harris drove in Salem’s run in the sixth inning.
This week’s schedule
Here is this week’s Salem County sports schedule for the week of May 19-24; events start at 4 p.m. unless noted
MAY 19
BASEBALL
Glassboro at Salem
Penns Grove at Clayton
Schalick at Pennsville
Woodstown at Pitman
SOFTBALL
Clayton at Penns Grove
Pitman at Woodstown
Salem at Pennsville
GOLF
Salem/Cumberland County Tournament, Centerton CC, 8 a.m.
Schalick girls vs. Delsea, Centerton CC, 3:30 p.m.
TENNIS
Pennsville at Wildwood, 3:45 p.m.
Pitman at Schalick
Woodstown at Cumberland, 3:45 p.m.
LACROSSE
Williamstown at Woodstown, 6:15 p.m.
GIRLS LACROSSE
Triton at Woodstown
VOLLEYBALL
Salem Tech at LEAP
MAY 20
BASEBALL
Pennsville vs. Tome School (Md.), Frawley Stadium, 7 p.m.
SOFTBALL
Clayton at Salem
Pennsville at Schalick
Woodstown at Wildwood
GOLF
Schalick vs. Pitman, Pitman GC, 3:30 p.m.
Schalick girls vs. Washington Twp., The Birches, 3:30 p.m.
TENNIS
Pennsville at Penns Grove, 3:30 p.m.
Woodstown at Delsea, 3:45 p.m.
MAY 21
BASEBALL
Penns Grove at Overbrook
Pennsville at Salem
SOFTBALL
Delsea at Pennsville
Palmyra at Schalick
GOLF
Schalick girls vs. Kingsway, River Winds, 3:30 p.m.
TENNIS
South Jersey Group I Tournament
GIRLS LACROSSE
Millville at Woodstown
VOLLEYBALL
Salem Tech at Clearview
MAY 22
BASEBALL
Collingswood at Schalick
Penns Grove at Pleasantville
Pennsville at Triton
Woodstown at Cedar Creek
SOFTBALL
Clearview at Pennsville
Schalick at OLMA
Woodstown at Ocean City
TENNIS
Pennsville at Cumberland, 3:45 p.m.
Schalick at Wildwood, 4:15 p.m.
LACROSSE
West Deptford at Woodstown
VOLLEYBALL
Salem Tech at Triton
MAY 23
BASEBALL
Salem at Camden Academy Charter
GIRLS LACROSSE
Woodstown at Williamstown, 3 p.m.
Playoff projections
Here are the South Jersey Group I playoff projection for baseball, softball, boys tennis; the baseball and softball power points are open through Wednesday
Saturday was the originally scheduled cutoff date for eligible power points towards playoff consideration, but the date was moved to Wednesday due to all the inclement weather this season. Here is what the South Jersey Group I baseball and softball playoffs would have looked like if the Saturday date stood.
BASEBALL
Paulsboro at Audubon
Palmyra at Buena
Haddon Twp. at Woodstown
Gateway at Pitman
Salem at Pennsville
Clayton at Riverside
Glassboro at Maple Shade
Wildwood at Schalick
SOFTBALL
Burlington City at Audubon
Cape May Tech at Riverside
Glassboro at Schalick
Palmyra at Woodstown
LEAP at Haddon Twp.
Buena at Maple Shade
Clayton at Pitman
Paulsboro at Pennsville
The boys tennis cutoff date was Saturday, pairings are expected to be announced Monday. Here are the projected pairings; some teams may opt out of the competition (Glassboro and Pitman have), which would open up byes in the official bracket
TENNIS (May 21 first round)
Glassboro at Haddon Twp.
Gateway at Clayton
Wildwood at Schalick
West Deptford at Woodstown
Buena at West Deptford
Pitman at Palmyra
Audubon at Point Pleasant Beach
Penns Grove at Pennsville
SJ sectional track
Despite having his routine thrown out of whack, Pennsville’s Ayars wins boys javelin; among 12 Salem County sectional champions, 64 state qualifiers
By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News
PENNSAUKEN – Imagine spending all day mentally preparing for the only event you’re competing in at the biggest meet of the year so far, getting to the site and fine-tuning your game face only to have the event pulled out from under you.
And then having to go through it all again the next morning. And still having it within yourself to produce a gold-medal result.
That’s what Pennsville’s Connor Ayars faced this weekend as he competed in – and won – the boys javelin in the South Jersey Group I track and field sectionals at Pennsauken High School.
Ayars had been gearing up all day Friday for his event, but wet weather and field conditions, combined with the time it took to complete an 88-man field in the Group 4 javelin prompted officials to call it a night shortly before the Pennsville senior’s flight was scheduled to throw.
He had to come back Saturday morning and although the throw wasn’t quite up to his usual standards, he still won the event with a throw of 161 feet, 1 inch – some 12 feet shorter of his best throw ever, but still six feet better than his closest competitor.
“I was a little upset because I was ready to throw, there was still some daylight left, but …,” he said. “It definitely was disappointing because I get out of school early, I go up there, I’m waiting five plus hours to throw and I don’t get to throw after I’ve been stretching, prepping myself, doing my technique work with Cole (Campbell) and then five minutes before I’m about to throw they say they’re going to postpone it.
“I’m pretty bummed out because I’ve been working all week to be ready to throw Friday and not expecting to throw today, and it ended up being a disappointing throw today as well. It was a total kill.”
On Friday Ayars was “as loose as I’ve ever been” and was expecting to post something in the high 170s at or better than the school record. His best-ever throw is 173-2, this year at the Woodbury Relays.
His winning throw Saturday came on his fifth attempt. He followed it with a 159-11, which still was better than the runner-up’s best.
“I wouldn’t say it was really off, it just wasn’t what I was expecting to throw,” he said. “It is a disappointing throw for me, but I got first place so I can’t put myself down for that.”
Now he has two weeks to bring it back. After a disappointing showing in the state meet last year Ayars plans to change what he does to get ready.
“I’ve just got to be more locked in this season,” he said. “It’s my last outing if I don’t do well. I’m going to have to push myself to take these two weeks and really focus on what I need to get better at.”
Ayars won one of eight boys and four girls sectional champions from Salem County and 64 total qualifiers to the state championship meet from the county.
Among the boys champions crowned Saturday were Ayars, Schalick’s Ethan McLean (discus) and David Stewart (triple jump); Salem’s Anthony Parker (long jump); and Woodstown’s 4×400 and 4×800 relay teams.
Josh Crawford, looking every bit in like the Atlanta Braves’ Flash who gives random fans a big head start and then runs them down in his between innings promo on the warning track, took the baton in sixth place and made up some 60 meters on the final leg to edge Camden in the 4×400 relay. He ran a 47.095 final leg. He won the 800 on Friday.
“With every race I run, whether it is a relay or an open it is never about me. It’s about me doing my part for the team and my coach,” Crawford said. “They did their part. it was my turn to do mine. I didn’t even think. I was calm and knew what I had to do.
“I loved the celebration with my team at the end. Opposing runners came up to me. I do the same to them. We have respect for each other. Most importantly, I know that every stride I take is partly hard work and discipline, but is mostly the strength from God and some good genes.”
Among the girls champions crowned Saturday were Schalick’s Jordan Hadfield (1600); Woodstown’s Kami Casiano (high jump); and Pennsville’s Megan Morris (pole vault). Hadfield’s win the 1600 gave her a double after winning the 3200 the day before.
Woodstown and Schalick finished 2-3 behind champion Glassboro in the boys team standings. Schalick was third in the girls teams standings, just two points behind runnerup Haddon Twp. Woodstown was sixth.
Stewart and Hadfield were second in their respective Group I MVP standings. Hadfield was second in girls Group I track scoring and Crawford was second in boys Group I track scoring.
SOUTH JERSEY GROUP I
TRACK SECTIONALS
BOYS
TEAM SCORES: Glassboro 135, Woodstown 66.5, Schalick 57, Camden 44, Haddon Twp. 33, Audubon 33, Clayton 32, Palmyra 28, Woodbury 23, Gateway 22, Penns Grove 19, Pennsville 14, Maple Shade 12, Buena 11, Burlington City 10, Salem 10, Paulsboro 8.5
EVENTS (winners and Salem County state qualifiers)
100: 1. Xavier Sabb, Glassboro 10.69; 6. Colin McGlinn, Pennsville 11.07
200: 1. Alexander Osayemi, Clayton 21.67; 4. David Stewart, Schalick 22.18; 6. Zaeshawn Mills, Schalick 22.52
400: 1. Alexander Osayemi, Clayton 46.91; 2. Josh Crawford, Woodstown 49.01
800: 1. Josh Crawford, Woodstown 1:53.59; 2. Cole Lucas, Woodstown 1:54.87; 5. Karson Chew, Woodstown 1:59.92
1600: Ty Blackman, Glassboro 4:27.73; 3. Cole Lucas, Woodstown 4:34.08
3200: 1. Ty Blackman, Glassboro 9:47.48; 3. Jacob Marino, Woodstown 10:00.32
4×100 Relay: 1. Schalick (Reggie Allen, Michael Eberl, Zaeshawn Mills, David Stewart) 42.34 (Group I sectional record)
4×400 Relay: 1. Woodstown (Karson Chew, Kyle Reitz, Anthony Costello, Josh Crawford) 3:26.84; 5. Penns Grove (Kylee Goodson, Sebastian Hernandez, Bryan Garlic, Knowledge Young) 3:28.42
4×800 Relay: 1. Woodstown (Karson Chew, David Farrell, Pacey Hutton, Jacob Marino) 8:20.34; 6. Penns Grove (Messiah Allah, Connor Duggan, Bryan Garlic, Robert Sanchez-Gomez) 8:43.15
100 Hurdles: 1. Andres Santiago, Haddon Twp. 14.92
400 Hurdles: 1. Alexander Osayemi, Clayton 53.14; 2. David Stewart, Schalick 54.22; 5. Bryan Garlic, Penns Grove 56.09
Discus: 1. Ethan McLean, Schalick 139-6; 4. Aidan Taulane, Woodstown 131-4; 5. Jackson McFarland, Pennsville 130-8
High Jump: 1. Jaleel Latimore, Palmyra 6-4; T-6. Elijah Caesar, Woodstown 5-10
Javelin: 1. Connor Ayars, Pennsville 161-1; 3. Nyzier Wynder, Schalick 147-11; 5. Lorenzo Dignee, Woodstown 140-5; 6. Cole Campbell, Pennsville 140-3
Long Jump: 1. Anthony Parker, Salem 23-2; 5. Will Roy, Penns Grove 20-5
Pole Vault: 1. Jacob George, Haddon Twp. 14-0; 4. Salvatore Longo, Schalick 12-0
Shot Put: 1. Sam Adams, Palmyra 46-3; 2. Raymond Brown, Penns Grove, 46-1; 4, Sheldon Goldsborogh, Schalick 45-7.5
Triple Jump: 1. David Stewart, Schalick 45-4.25; 4. Bryan Garlic, Penns Grove 42-9; 6. Zaeshawn Mills, Schalick 41-9.5
GIRLS
TEAM SCORES: Clayton 86, Haddon Twp. 74, Schalick 72, Audubon 65.5, Woodbury 55, Woodstown 45, Maple Shade 42, Glassboro 28, Riverside 18, Burlington City 18, Pennsville 12, Buena 10, Salem 9, Camden 8, Wildwood 6, Paulsboro 4, Pitman 4, Gateway 1.5.
EVENTS (winners and Salem County state qualifiers)
100: 1, Miyana Johnson, Clayton 12.40; 6. Raniyah Parsons-Smith, Salem 12.99
200: 1. Leila Ortiz, Clayton 25.24; 6. Gia Martellacci, Schalick 26.44
400: 1. Leila Ortiz, Clayton 56.39; 5. Gia Marellacci, Schalick 1:00.04
800: 1. Riley Fayer, Audubon 2:17.09; 2. Jordan Hadfield, Schalick 2:18.67; 4. Lilian Norman, Woodstown 2:22.57
1600: 1. Jordan Hadfield, Schalick 5:04.83; 5. Lilian Norman, Woodstown 5:30.23
3200: 1. Jordan Hadfield, Schalick 11:16.14; 2. Anabel Schaal, Woodstown 12:24.42; 3. Abby Marino, Woodstown 12:27.02; 5. Samantha Sterner, Woodstown 12:34.84
4×100 Relay: 1. Woodbury 49.70; 2. Schalick (Jaelynn Jarmon, Phoebe Alward, Caileigh Schalick, Gia Martellacci) 50.87; 6. Salem (Angelina Fothergill, MaKayla Smith, Raniyah Parsons-Smith, Kashira Patterson) 52.63
4×400 Relay: 1. Haddon Twp. 4:06.29; 5. Schalick (Brooke Valentine, Sophia Harris, Jordan Hadfield, Gia Martellacci) 4:14.06; 6. Pennsville (Taylor Bass, Molly Gratz, Ariana Charles, Megan Morris) 4:16.64
4×800 Relay: 1. Audubon 9:55.24; 2. Woodstown (Abby Marino, Samantha Sterner, Sarah Seiden, Lilian Norman) 10:04.31; Schalick (Caylen Taylor, Sarah Torpey, Helen Lilli, Allyson Green) 10:48.66
100 Hurdles: 1. Ciani Floyd, Maple Shade 15.93
400 Hurdles: 1. Emily Madden, Buena 1:07.74; 4. Audrey Boggs, Salem 1:09.88; 6. Sarah Seiden, Woodstown 1:10.77
Discus: 1. Sunny Moore, Glassboro 137-1; 6. Sebrina Bradford, Schalick 106-10
High Jump: 1. Kami Casiano, Woodstown 5-2; 4. Navaeh Robinson, Schalick 4-10
Javelin: 1. Rainelle Blocker, Clayton 114-7, 3. Allyson Green, Schalick 105-1, 5. Navaeh Robinson 97-7
Long Jump: 1. Denirah Jones, Woodbury 17-4.5; 3. Phoebe Alward, Schalick 16-6; 4. Emma Perry, Woodstown 16-0
Pole Vault: 1. Megan Morris, Pennsville 10-6; 5. Gabriella Simonini, Schalick 8-0
Shot Put: 1. Antonia Federici, Woodbury 38-4; 5. Ava Rodgers, Salem 32-9; 6. Tatiyonna Crawford, Pennsville 32-8.75
Triple Jump: 1. Nyima Burley, Burlington City 35-9; 4. Jaelynn Jarmon, Schalick 34-7.25; 6. MaKayla Smith, Salem 33-5.
Beating the weather and the clock
Woodstown’s Crawford sets sectional record in winning SJ Group I boys 800, Schalick’s Hadfield wins 3200
By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News
PENNSAUKEN – It really didn’t seem like a good day to run, but Woodstown junior Josh Crawford fought through the challenges and ran one of the best times in county history in his specialty Friday while setting a South Jersey Group I sectional record.
Crawford won the South Jersey Group I boys 800 in a personal best 1:53.59 that broke a 28-year-old hand-timed meet record set by Paulsboro’s Fred Sharpe. It was the second-fastest 800 in Salem County history, behind only the 1:52.97 Penns Grove’s Jaymes Dennison ran in 2013
Truth be told, Crawford wasn’t even sure they would have a meet as he sat in the middle of the school day. The skies were dark and the students were sheltering in place from the storm that was raging outside.
The skies eventually cleared and Crawford made his way to Pennsauken High. Once he got there he found the track dry, but the field turf was wet and spongy making it difficult to warm up.
“As soon as I got to the meet I was a little out of it mindset wise, but as soon as I saw the track I knew it was time to get my game face on it,” Crawford said. “That was me and my friends putting our best time down even though the circumstances were kind of iffy.”
He credited the pace of the race and the push from the field for helping raise the standard.
Woodstown teammates Cole Lucas and Karson Chew finished second and fifth, respectively, in the race. Lucas ran a 1:54.87 – the third fastest time in meet and Salem County history – and Chew ran a 1:59.92.
“It was mostly just me trusting my coach,” Crawford said. “He told me how I should run it along with my teammates. He told us to go 54 first lap and then we heard him throughout the entire race cheering for us and that really encouraged me.
“Plus having my teammates on my back the entire race. I know what they’re like and I know they have the ability to push me and that’s exactly what they did today. They pushed me. I wouldn’t have been able to reach that time if they weren’t on top of me the entire race.”
Crawford wasn’t the only Salem County athlete to win an event on the first day of sectionals. Schalick’s Jordan Hadfield won the girls 3200 in 11:16.14. She finished second in the girls 800.
All told, the county advanced 25 athletes and relays (11 boys, 14 girls) to the state meet. The sectionals continue Saturday.
With seven of the 18 events scored in each gender, Schalick leads the girls team race with 31 points, but is only three points ahead of Clayton. Woodstown and Schalick are second and third in the boys race behind Glassboro.
Here are Friday’s finals from the South Jersey Group I track sectionals; includes event winners and Salem County scorers/state qualifiers
SOUTH JERSEY GROUP I
TRACK SECTIONALS
BOYS
TEAM SCORES (7 events scored): Glassboro 55, Woodstown 26.5, Schalick 22, Palmyra 20, Camden 17, Clayton 12, Gateway 10, Burlington City 10, Penns Grove 10, Audubon 9, Woodbury 8, Maple Shade 6, Paulsboro 4.5, Haddon Twp. 4, Buena 2, Pennsville 1
100: 1. Xavier Sabb, Glassboro 10.69; 6. Colin McGlinn, Pennsville 11.07
400 Hurdles: 1. Alexander Osayemi, Clayton 53.14; 2. David Stewart, Schalick 54.22; 5. Bryan Garlic, Penns Grove 56.09
800: 1. Josh Crawford, Woodstown 1:53.59; 2. Cole Lucas, Woodstown 1:54.87; 5. Karson Chew, Woodstown 1:59.92
3200: 1. Ty Blackman, Glassboro 9:47.48; 3. Jacob Marino, Woodstown 10:00.32
4×100 Relay: 1. Schalick 42.34
High Jump: 1. Jaleel Latimore, Palmyra 6-4; T-6. Elijah Caesar, Woodstown 5-10
Shot Put: 1. Sam Adams, Palmyra 46-3; 2. Raymond Brown, Penns Grove, 46-1; 4, Sheldon Goldsborogh, Schalick 45-7.5
GIRLS
TEAM SCORES (7 events scored): Schalick 31, Clayton 28, Woodbury 22, Audubon 22, Haddon Twp. 21, Woodstown 21, Glassboro 19, Maple Shade 14, Riverside 10, Burlington City 10, Buena 10, Salem 7, Camden 2
100: 1, Miyana Johnson, Clayton 12.40; 6. Raniyah Parsons-Smith, Salem 12.99
400 Hurdles: 1. Emily Madden, Buena 1:07.74; 4. Audrey Boggs, Salem 1:09.88; 6. Sarah Seiden, Woodstown 1:10.77
800: 1. Riley Fayer, Audubon 2:17.09; 2. Jordan Hadfield, Schalick 2:18.67; 4. Lilian Norman, Woodstown 2:22.57
3200: 1. Jordan Hadfield, Schalick 11:16.14; 2. Anabel Schaal, Woodstown 12:24.42; 3. Abby Marino, Woodstown 12:27.02; 5. Samantha Sterner, Woodstown 12:34.84
4×100 Relay: 1. Woodbury 49.70; 2. Schalick 50.87; 6. Salem 52.63
Discus: 1. Sunny Moore, Glassboro 137-1; 6. Sebrina Bradford, Schalick 106-10
Triple Jump: 1. Nyima Burley, Burlington City 35-9; 4. Jaelynn Jarmon, Schalick 34-7.25; 6. MaKayla Smith, Salem 33-5.
Hall of Fame level
5 Schalick pitchers combine on no-hitter, get all outs by strikeout, walk-off Bridgeton 13-3 in five innings
MONDAY BASEBALL
Schalick 13, Bridgeton 3
Woodstown 9, Clayton 1
Pennsville 12, Glassboro 7
Wildwood 11, Penns Grove 1
MONDAY SOFTBALL
Pennsville 19, Glassboro 8
Woodstown 11, Clayton 1
Schalick 19, Salem 0
Wildwood 21, Penns Grove 0
By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News
COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. – The Schalick baseball team went to the home of baseball, got the tour and (presumably) the T-shirt, and then put on a Hall of Fame performance Monday morning, dispatching Bridgeton 13-3 in five innings.
Five Schalick pitchers combined to throw a no-hitter, retired 12 of the first 13 batters they faced and got all 15 outs by strikeout. The Bulldogs did not put a ball in play against them, getting all their baserunners via walk.
Aptly-named Cooper Willoughby’s long bases-loaded single to left with one out in the fifth inning walked it off after the Bulldogs intentionally walked Luke Pokrovsky to load the bases, denying Schalick’s all-time home run and RBI king the opportunity to walk it off.
“I think it’s pretty special what we did today,” senior pitcher Lucas D’Agostino said. “No matter what the circumstances are, 15 strikeouts in 15 outs to go along with a no-hitter is something special and I believe it reflects how dominant our pitching staff has been all year. Especially in Cooperstown, that definitely meant a lot to me personally, as well as the team as a whole.”
Cougars coach Sean O’Brien gave his two senior aces the first two innings on historic Doubleday Field and they put on a Hall of Fame performance.
Starter Pokrovsky and D’Agostino both struck out the side in their inning. On his final pitch, D’Agostino’s windup looked like something you might’ve seen from one of the pitcher inductees inside the Hall. He wrapped his arms around his back, came around and tucked and then fired his final strike.
“I figured I’d pay some homage to some of the great pitchers that are immortalized and have some fun with an old-timer windup,” D’Agostino said. “I didn’t have anyone in mind. In my head I thought to myself ‘something in the ballpark of Walter Johnson’ and I guess that pitch is what ended up coming out.”
Cole Hartley got the next two innings and he struck out his six batters. He fanned the side in the third on 10 pitches.
Senior Matthew LaMazza started the fifth inning but had trouble locating the plate and walked the four batters he faced. He was replaced by senior Eli Cummings, who struck out his first two batters and eventually the side, but walked in a run and allowed another when a pitch got away at the plate.
The Cougars (15-1) answered with three in the bottom of the inning to walk it off. Their first three batters reached to load the bases. Travis Snodgrass’ ground out brought home the first run, Cummings’ RBI single made it 12-3 and Willoughby followed the walk to Pokrovsky with his game-winner.
Cummings sacrifice fly in the fourth got the game into run-rule territory. Pokrovsky had two hits and Ricky Watt went 3-for-3.
“The team’s experience will be one the players won’t forget,” O’Brien said. “Touring the museum and having the opportunity to play on Doubleday Field is something they will aways remember. Every player on the team got at least one at bat.”
“You really can’t have a bad time when you’re in Cooperstown,” D’Agostino said.
This story will be updated.
WOODSTOWN 9, CLAYTON 1: The Wolverines erupted for six runs in the first inning. Rocco String went 3-for-3, Caiden Spinelli had two hits and Lucas Fulmer and Nate Williams each had a pair of RBIs.
PENNSVILLE 12, GLASSBORO 7: The Eagles opened 9-0 lead in the fourth inning, then held off the Bulldogs’ comeback bid. Cohen Petrutz had two hits and four RBIs at the plate and set the Bulldogs down in order in the seventh with two strikeouts to close out the game. Logan Streitz and starting pitcher Luke Wood both had two hits, while Connor Starn, Jeff Wagner and Stevie Fatcher all had two RBIs.
WILDWOOD 11, PENNS GROVE 1: The Warriors erupted for seven runs in the second inning after Penns Grove grabbed a 1-0 lead in the first. Liam Irvin doubled home Elijah Crespo for the Red Devils’ run :
SOFTBALL
PENNSVILLE 19, GLASSBORO 8: Kylie Harris, Savannah Brewer-Palverento and Makenzie Widener had perfect days at the plate, combining to go 12-for-12 with 12 RBIs as the Eagles (17-3) pounded 20 hits. Harris went 5-for-5 to tie her career high, Brewer-Palverento went 3-for-3 with six RBIs and Widener went 4-for-4 with four RBIs
WOODSTOWN 11, CLAYTON 1: Aubrie Rennie and Talia Guardascione both went 3-for-4 for the Wolverines. Leah Clark scattered six hits and struck out eight in her six-inning complete game.
SCHALICK 19, SALEM 0: The Cougars took advantage of 23 walks.
WILDWOOD 21, PENNS GROVE 0: Emma Contreras homered, had six RBIs and spun a one-hitter with 10 strikeouts in the circle. She had a perfect game for 3 1/3 innings, until Jarlene Vichi-Torres broke up the gem with a fourth-inning single for Penns Grove’s only hit.
Photo: Schalick’s Luke Pokrovsky delivers the first pitch in the Cougars’ game with Bridgeton this morning at Doubleday Field in Cooperstown, N.Y. (Submitted photo)
This week’s schedule
Here is the Salem County sports schedule for the week of May 12-17; events start at 4 p.m. unless noted
MAY 12
BASEBALL
Salem vs. Bridgeton, Doubleday Field, Cooperstown, N.Y., 10 a.m.
Clayton at Woodstown
Pennsville at Glassboro
Wildwood at Penns Grove
SOFTBALL
Glassboro at Pennsville
Penns Grove at Wildwood
Schalick at Salem
Woodstown at Clayton
GOLF
Salem Tech vs. West Deptford, River Winds, 3:30 p.m.
Schalick vs. Pennsville, Sakima CC, 3:30 p.m.
Schalick girls vs. OLMA, White Oaks GC, 3:30 p.m.
Woodstown vs. Haddon Heights, Town & Country, 3:45 p.m.
TENNIS
Penns Grove at Pitman
Pennsville at Schalick
Timber Creek at Woodstown, 3:45 p.m.
TRACK
Schalick at Penns Grove
Salem at Deptford, 5 p.m.
GIRLS LACROSSE
Maple Shade at Woodstown
MAY 13
BASEBALL
Woodstown at Delran
GOLF
Schalick vs. West Deptford, River Winds, 3:30 p.m.
TENNIS
Pennsville at Glassboro, 3:30 p.m.
Woodstown at Collingswood, 3:45 p.m.
TRACK
Pennsville at Woodstown
LACROSSE
Woodstown at Clearview, 5 p.m.
VOLLEYBALL
Washington Twp. at Salem Tech, 3:45 p.m.
MAY 14
BASEBALL
Glassboro at Woodstown
Penns Grove at Overbrook
Pennsville at Salem
Schalick at Cumberland
SOFTBALL
Cumberland at Schalick
Overbrook at Penns Grove
Salem at Pennsville
Woodstown at Glassboro
GOLF
Woodstown vs. Pitman, Pitman CC, 3:45 p.m.
Schalick girls vs. Delsea, Centerton CC
TENNIS
Pitman at Pennsville, 3:45 p.m.
Schalick at Penns Grove
Woodstown at Delsea, 3:45 p.m.
LACROSSE
Rancocas Valley at Woodstown, 4:15 p.m.
MAY 15
BASEBALL
Buena at Schalick
Pennsville at Triton
SOFTBALL
Schalick at Buena
Triton at Pennsville
GOLF
Schalick vs. Hammonton, Pinelands GC, 3:30 p.m.
Woodstown vs. Sterling, Town & Country, 3:45 p.m.
TENNIS
Woodstown at Highland, 3:45 p.m.
Glassboro at Pennsville
GIRLS LACROSSE
Woodstown at Eastern
VOLLEYBALL
Timber Creek at Salem Tech, 3:45 p.m.
COLLEGE BASEBALL
Region 19 Final Four, Rutgers-Camden
Salem CC vs. RCSJ-Gloucester or Brookdale, TBA
MAY 16
BASEBALL
Pennsville at Cedar Creek
SOFTBALL
Salem at Cape May Tech
Triton at Woodstown
GOLF
Pennsville vs. Millville, Sakima CC, 3:30 p.m.
TENNIS
Woodstown at Overbrook, 3:45 p.m.
Schalick at Wildwood, 4:15 p.m.
TRACK
NJSIAA Sectionals
LACROSSE
Woodstown at Millville
VOLLEYBALL
Salem Tech at Cape May Tech, 3:45 p.m.
COLLEGE BASEBALL
Region 19 Final Four, Rutgers-Camden, TBA
MAY 17
BASEBALL
Schalick at Paulsboro, 11 a.m.
TRACK
NJSIAA Sectionals
COLLEGE BASEBALL
Region 19 Final Four, Rutgers-Camden, TBA
Schalick slams Salem
Pokrovsky homers twice in first inning, passes 100 career RBIs; he and D’Agostino both hit grand slams and the Cougars roll before heading to the Hall of Fame
By Riverview Sports News
ELMER – It must have felt like the good old days to many a Schalick baseball player Friday night.
The Cougars returned to the Elmer Little League complex where it all began for a lot of them for the second time this week and put on an impressive display of power.
They hit three home runs – two grand slams – and had eight extra-base hits in crushing Salem 26-2 in five innings.
It was just the kind of game they needed to send them to Cooperstown, where they’ll play Bridgeton at Doubleday Field Monday.
Luke Pokrovsky and Lucas D’Agostino, two of the players recognized during Senior Day activities here Tuesday night, led the 22-hit attack. Pokrovsky homered twice in the first inning, doubled and drove in a career-high seven runs to surpass 100 for his career. D’Agostino homered, doubled and had five RBIs.
Pokrovsky homered leading off the home first to tie the game and hit a grand slam later in the inning. They were his 17th and 18th homers of his career to stand alone as Schalick’s all-time home run king. It was the second multi-homer game of his career and 24th multi-RBI game.
D’Agostino hit a slam in the second inning for his first career homer. The Cougars scored nine runs in each of the first two innings.
Every Schalick starter had at least one hit and 14 Cougars had hits in the game. Starting pitcher Jamari Whitley had two hits and three RBIs, while Ricky Watt, Mason Sanchez, Enrico Hatz and Evan Glaspey had two hits apiece.
Bryce Harris drew a bases-loaded walk to give Salem a 1-0 lead in the first. The Rams scored their other run in the fourth inning on a error off the bat of Chase Pompper. Terrell Robinson had two of their four hits in the game.
Another centurion
Pennsville’s Wood collects his 100th career hit in Eagles rout of Wildwood; includes results from throughout Salem County
THURSDAY BASEBALL
Pennsville 21, Wildwood 3
Overbrook 4, Woodstown 1
Clayton 7, Salem 6
THURSDAY SOFTBALL
Pennsville 15, Wildwood 1
Woodstown 17, Overbrook 7
By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News
WILDWOOD – A lot of players might have been a little anxious being so close to a milestone they’ve chased all their life and not seeing it happen, but as long as he was helping his team win while he waited Luke Wood was OK with it.
The Pennsville senior needed one more hit since Monday to get the 100th hit of his high school career, which with his eye at the plate figured to come at any minute. It just seemed to be taking forever.
Wood finally reached the milestone Thursday. It came on a two-out single to right field in the fifth inning – his last at-bat of the game – of the Eagles’ 21-3 rout of Wildwood.
Since collecting hit No. 99 – a bases-loaded triple in his last at-bat against Clayton – he went 0-for-2 with two walks against Pitman (reaching on an error in the eighth inning) and 0-for-2 with two walks and an error before finally breaking through Thursday.
“When you’re going for 100 hits it’s frustrating, but at the same time you just have to realize your team’s up a lot of runs and that’s not what matters at the end of the day,” Wood said. “As nerve wracking as it might be or as big a deal as it is to some people, I always kind of push it to the back of my mind and do what I can to help the team win.
“Just through the last 10 plate appearances I had there was a string of bad luck, but that’s kind of how my approach is. I don’t want to make outs easy for them. I want to go up there and I want to get walked, I want to hit balls on the ground. If I don’t get hits because of this but I get on base that’s all I really care about.
“I needed one hit, so it’s not like I was sitting here stressed out about getting it for the rest of the season. I needed 13 coming into the season, I knew it was going to happen eventually. I just wanted to go out and do my job every day, get on base, because that’s always been my best asset, never really being just a hitter.”
Now, he can put this milestone with his 200-plus career strikeouts as a pitcher and 1,000-plus career points in basketball. Soon he can add 100 career runs to his collection of milestones (he needs three).
He is the third Pennsville athlete to collect their 100th career hit this season, joining baseball teammate Chase Burchfield (who has 100-plus RBIs as well) and softball junior Kylie Harris.
“Obviously, it feels really good,” he said. “It’s another milestone I can add to my high school career. It’s nice everything I’ve worked for and everything I’ve done is finally paying off. It’s nice to see the results of all the work you’ve put in.
“It’s super cool. It’s something I thought about doing since I was in seventh and eighth grade. It’s one of the coolest things. I don’t know any other words to put it as. It’s a good feeling.”
“I’m really happy for Luke,” Pennsville coach Matt Karr said. “To be able to achieve 100 hits in baseball is very impressive. And for him to miss most of his junior season due to injury and still be able to achieve the feat speaks volumes … In nine years as head coach I’ve only had three guys get 100; again, speaks volumes about how difficult it is.”
After scratching and clawing to score the runs to beat Pitman the day before, the Eagles batted around twice and erupted for 15 runs in the first inning against the Warriors.
Twenty batters saw 76 pitches from three pitchers in the inning. Logan Streitz, Cohen Petrutz, Jeff Wagner and Mason O’Brien all had two hits in the inning. Wagner and O’Brien both drove in four runs. Wood walked twice.
“We came out today and were swinging the bat well and getting a lot of things go our way,” Wood said. “We swung the bats extremely well top to bottom. We had I think three JV guys get their first hits today (Jay Nickels, Jacob Hand and Grady Sanders). We just swung it well up and down the lineup.
“It goes to show when we bear down, work at bats, and be what I would call reasonably aggressive at the plate we’re gonna be really hard to beat. Like you saw today, we put up a ton of runs.”
Sanders’ first hit kept the fifth inning alive bringing Wood to the plate for his 100th.
With the win, the Eagles can clinch their fourth straight TCC Classic Division title and first outright since 2023 with a win Wednesday at Salem.
OVERBROOK 4, WOODSTOWN 1: The Wolverines slump at the plate against some pretty good arms continued as they were held to just two hits by a pair of Rams pitchers. Over the last three games the Wolverines have managed just four hits.
Woodstown tied the game 1-1 in the fifth on Caiden Spinelli’s run-scoring ground out, but the Rams answered with three in the bottom of the inning. They loaded the bases against Wolverines starter Aaron Foote on two singles and a walk, then Louis Hanna cleared them with a double to left.
CLAYTON 7, SALEM 6: After losing in a walk-off the day before, the Clippers turned the tables on the Rams with three in the bottom of the seventh. Jamison Emerle provided the crushing blow, a two-out double to center after Jackson Petsch stole second to move the winning run into scoring position.
The Rams took a 6-1 lead on Chase Davis’ grand slam in the fourth inning.
Softball
PENNSVILLE 15, WILDWOOD 1: Avery Watson continued to swing a hot bat, going 3-for-4 with a pair of triples, four runs and four RBIs. Over her last eight games the Eagles’ infielder is 16-for-24 with six of he seven triples and 17 RBIs. She has a 10-game hitting streak.
Savannah Brewer-Palverento also two extra-base hits and four RBIs for the Eagles. Makenzie Widener had two hits and three RBIs and Kylie Harris added two more hits to her state-leading total.
Brewer-Palverento held the Warriors to two hits and an unearned run on 55 pitches over five innings and faced only two batters over the minimum. She struck out five.
WOODSTOWN 17, OVERBROOK 7: Ellie Wygand went 3-for-4, Talia Guardascione and Aubrie Rennie both had three RBIs and the Wolverines erupted for 10 runs in the fifth inning to turn a close game into a walkoff rout.
Actually, it was a come-from-behind win for the Wolverines. They trailed 2-0, 6-5 and 7-6 at various points in the game.
Rennie tied the game for the last time in the fourth inning when she raced home on Kendall Young’s bunt, then gave the Wolverines the lead for good in the fifth with a two-run single. Guardascione had a three-run double later in the inning.
Grace Hitchner, Young, Shyann Higinbotham, Wygand and Lila Bowling each drove in a run in the big inning.
Golf
Woodstown 176, Highland 194: Woodstown’s Erich Lipovsky (41) was low medalist at Valley Brook.
Washington Twp. girls 177, Schalick 202: WT’s Tessa Reilley’s 2-over 37 was low medalist at Centerton. Lena Virga had Schalick’s low round (47).
Tennis
PENNSVILLE 5, GCIT 0
Gabe Schneider (P) def. Ilan Torres, 6-2, 6-0
Maddox Efelis (P) def. Jeffrey Smith, 6-0, 6-0
Brody Wiggins (P) def. Gabe Ferraro, 6-1, 6-0
Lucas Cooksey-Sawyer Humphrey (P) def. James Helder-Jacob Everson, 6-1, 4-6, 12-10
Ian Peacock-Carter Willis (P) def. Robert Helder-Gavin Shainline, 5-7, 6-2, 10-7
Records: Pennsville 13-0, GCIT 4-11.
SCHALICK 5, WASHINGTON TWP. 0
George Gould (S) def. Zach Torbik, 7-6 (7-5), 6-4
Rocky Monticolo (S) def. William Minchin, 6-0, 6-1
Conor O’Toole (S) def. Alex Fogg, 6-4, 6-4
Cayden Brzozowski-Cayden Brzozowski (S) def. Aaron Begin-Andy Wu, 6-4, 6-2
David Santana-Anthony McGrath (S) def. Jack Hanson-Jack Laubin, 6-2, 6-2
Records: Schalick 12-4, Washington Twp. 1-15.
Photo: Pennsville’s Luke Wood comes out of the batter’s box after delivering his 100th career hit Thursday at Wildwood. (Screenshot from Gamechanger video)
Riverview Sports News 