Salem brings former Penns Grove, Winslow football coach back to the game to coach at his alma mater
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
SALEM — Salem High School went back to its roots to land the next coach for its football program.
Kemp Carr, a Salem native, former Rams athlete and former championship head coach at another school in the county, was approved unanimously by the Salem City Schools board Wednesday night to become the Rams next head football coach.
He replaces Danny Mendoza, who stepped down after his first season as the Rams’ head coach to pursue other opportunities. Carr plans to meet his team for the first time Tuesday and start the process of returning the Rams to their past glory.
The 51-year-old Montclair State grad was approved as a physical education teacher at the high school and the weight room supervisor we well. The positions carry a total compensation package of $96,864, which includes a $5,947 stipend as head football coach. Those figures can be adjusted upon settlement of the contract.
“It’s exciting for our kids, for our school, to be able to hire somebody with the experience, the knowledge, Kemp has,” said Salem principal John Mulhorn, who actually coached with Carr for a year before moving into administration. “Kemp is from Salem, he’s played for Salem, he’s had a lot of success outside of Salem and when we communicated about his possibly coming back for the high school coaching position here I was very excited because I know it’s going to really help continue to move the football program forward.”
The new coach continues a long line of Salem men who have coached the Rams football team. Each of the four coaches prior to Mendoza were former Rams who returned to coach at their alma mater — Montrey Wright, Dennis Thomas, Randy Johnson and Steve Sheffield.
And Carr has a connection to them all, which inspires him even more to keep the tradition rolling.
“Dennis Thomas came in and laid the foundation; Montrey Wright built the structure, did a nice job with that, built a house; we’re coming in to do the interior decorating,” Carr said. “When you understand the tradition of what a Ram means and what it is, and to have sat in the very same seat the scholar-athletes have done is a thrill. Me and my family are extremely ecstatic of the opportunity.”
His friends have been pushing for him to get the Salem job since 2007. Actually, he really wasn’t sure he wanted back in after he left Winslow. He was running two successful private businesses and liked the independence of moving to his own beat. It was actually his wife of 22 years Iris who nudged him back into football.
The job did draw a lot of interest, Mulhorn said, but Carr quickly moved to the top of the list because of his ties to the community and record of success.
“When you and I spoke at the (basketball) playoff game a couple weeks ago I said it was going to make a splash and it will make a splash because it is a big deal (bringing home a native son),” Mulhorn said. “He understands our scholar-athletes, he understands our community and he’s familiar with the conference, which is neat, too. So, it’s a win-win for us.
“To me, with Mr. Wright stepping down, Mr. Mendoza stepping down – two great guys – it was just important to be able to find somebody that we hoped to bring more stability to the program. Knowing that he’s a local guy, knowing this is a job he’s always really wanted, in my opinion, is exciting to me.
“To get someone who wants to be here, who wants to be committed, is always a hard find and I think that’s what we found in this young man.”
Carr brings with him a winning mentality and an ability to forge relationships that go beyond the huddle. He won 85 games as head football coach at Penns Grove and Winslow. He was 74-34 at Penns Grove from 2004-2013, playing in three South Jersey Group I title games and winning it in 2012. He also coached basketball (137-68) and golf there.
He was 11-18 from 2015-2017 at Winslow, in a program that had won only seven games in the four years prior to his arrival. His final year was marred by a late-season suspension for a head-slapping incident in the locker room captured on video, but he was later reinstated by the board after impassioned testimony from the players, parents and opposing coaches he has impacted there and beyond.
He really didn’t want the athletics director position he took with the Winslow football job just to bring some administrative stability to the program anymore and sought a return to the classroom, but stepped away altogether when there were no classroom slots available.
He’s been in private business since.
“You never know where God is going to place you,” Carr said. “This was nothing I saw. I really loved what I was doing, but I prayed and I meditated and it was like ‘you’re needed.’ And when you’re needed sometimes you have to give up what you like to do what’s right spiritually, and that’s how this basically came about.”
Now his charge is to take a team that fell on some hard times last year but still made the playoffs and turn them back into a consistent winner again.
“We made this a full-family tilt; that’s what we’re going to bring at Salem – we’re a family, man,” Carr said. “We’re going to give these kids opportunities and provide them. As long as they put in and do the things that are needed of them and handle their expectations we have for them, they’re going to have opportunities.
“Salem never lacks athletes, that’s never an issue. It’s just going to be about timing, development, getting back to the basics of fundamental football. That’s what we’re going to build from and then we’ll go from there.”
With Carr’s approval Wednesday night, two of the three head coaching openings in Salem County have now been filled. Penns Grove approved Mark Maccarone as its new coach Monday and Woodstown is expected to approve Frank Trautz as its new coach Thursday.
Penns Grove sends Maccarone for board approval tonight, Salem to recommend Carr for its opening Wednesday, Woodstown new coach said to be on agenda Thursday
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
It’s a big week in Salem County football as all three current head coaching vacancies in the county are expected to be filled, the first two with the return of two coaches with a history of winning and relationships.
Penns Grove is putting up former Glassboro head coach and Red Devils assistant Mark Maccarone for approval at tonight’s Penns Grove-Carneys Point Regional School District board meeting. His position and those to approve several other head coaches and assistants are listed in the night’s agenda.
Salem is putting former Penns Grove and Winslow head coach Kemp Carr before the board for approval at the Salem City School District meeting at the high school Wednesday. Salem High School athletics director Darryl Roberts declined to confirm the identify of the candidate.
Woodstown’s next scheduled board meeting is Thursday and its new coach is said to be on the agenda.
Maccarone, who is expected to attend tonight’s meeting, was 43-33 at Glassboro with playoff appearance each of his first five years before the program hit hard times. He won two South Jersey Group I titles and reached the semifinals two other times.
After stepping stepped down from the Bulldogs after seven years of commuting between Bridgeton and the school, former Penns Grove coach John Emel scarfed him up to be the Red Devils’ defensive coordinator during their 2018-19 championship run and has helped with the program in a less formal capacity post-COVID.
Emel, who has worked with, for and against both projected new coaches, has said Maccarone “checks all the boxes.”
The other Penns Grove coaches slated for approval on the agenda are football assistants Damian Ware and Kyle Goodson, soccer head coaches Mano Massari and Shawna Blickle, baseball coach Charles Weigle III, softball coach Dionna Hargrove, track coaches Samuel Alvira and Marcus Dowe, and their assistants.
Carr won 85 games as head football coach at Penns Grove and Winslow. He was 74-34 at Penns Grove from 2004-2013, playing in three South Jersey Group I title games and winning it in 2012. He also coached basketball (137-68) and golf there.
He was 11-18 from 2015-2017 at Winslow, in a program that had won only seven games in the four years prior to his arrival. His final year was marred by a late-season suspension for a head-slapping incident in the locker room captured on video. He was later reinstated by the board after impassioned testimony from players, parents and opposing coaches, but resigned that summer when his hopes of returning to the classroom didn’t materialize.
Carr would replace Danny Mendoza, who stepped down at the end of his first season to pursue other opportunities.
Woodstown is looking to replace John Adams, who stepped down from coaching at the end of this season to spend more time with his family.
Story will be updated after Monday’s board meeting.
Former Glassboro HC, Penns Grove DC Maccarone said to be Red Devils’ choice for next head football coach
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
Mark Maccarone never ruled out being a head coach again when he stepped away in 2017 and now that window appears to be open for him.
Penns Grove is working toward bringing former Glassboro head coach on as its next head football coach, Riverview Sports News has learned.
Any hire, of course, is pending board approval. Maccarone declined to comment on the matter and Penns Grove athletics director Anwar Golden said an announcement on the next coach will be made March 11, which just happens to be the date of the next scheduled board meeting.
The match is gaining traction in South Jersey high school football circles.
Maccarone certainly checks all the boxes. He has been a head coach. He has been in big games. He has won championships and coached players who’ve gone on to the NFL. He knows the Penns Grove players and the expectations the administration and community have for their football team.
He made five straight playoff appearances with Glassboro, winning two South Jersey Group I titles and reaching the semifinals two other times.
After Maccarone stepped down from the Bulldogs after seven years of commuting between Bridgeton and the school, former Penns Grove coach John Emel scarfed him up to be the Red Devils’ defensive coordinator during their 2018-19 championship run and he has helped with the program in a less formal capacity post-COVID.
“I think Mark is a heck of a football coach,” Emel, now the head coach at West Deptford, said in a general context about Maccarone’s experience. “I’ve competed against him as an assistant coach, competed against him as a head coach and coached with him for the best two-year stretch in school history.
“After 2017 when we lost I wanted to find an assistant coach with big-game experience. One of the things he hangs his hat on is never losing a sectional championship game as a coach (6-0). He’s always had a great relationship with players. I care about the kids and I’d want somebody who’d put them in positions to win. He knows how to get a team ready to win.”
With the Penns Grove search wrapping, it leaves two head football coaching openings in Salem County.
The searches at Woodstown and Salem are progressing. Woodstown has started conducting interviews. Salem has interviewed one candidate and is awaiting more.
“We won’t let it go too long before we try to ramp it up,” Rams athletics director Darryl Roberts said.
Salem rallies from 12 down in second half to make it a two-point game late in fourth quarter, then comes up dry, falls to Pitman in SJ Group I semifinals
SOUTH JERSEY GROUP I THURSDAY’S BOYS SEMIFINALS Pitman 51, Salem 42 KIPP Cooper 70, Wildwood 48 SATURDAY’S CHAMPIONSHIP GAME No. 2 Pitman (22-7) at No. 1 KIPP Cooper (22-8), 3 p.m.
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
PITMAN – Anthony Farmer, the coach, slumped on a bench in the back row of the locker room, his head buried in his hands. Paul Weathers leaned against a wall with a towel over his head to hide his emotions. The rest of Salem players cleared out their stalls and silently stuffed gear in their bags. The despair in the dressing room was palpable.
The Rams gave it all they had and were in it with three minutes to play, then went dry.
Pitman pulled away from a close game with three minutes to play and then held off the Rams 51-42 in the South Jersey Group I boys semifinals. The second-seeded Panthers (22-7) now travel to top-seeded KIPP Cooper Norcross Academy (22-8) for Saturday’s 3 p.m. sectional title game.
Pitman junior Elijah Crispin led the all scorers with 32 points. He buried three straight deep 3-pointers in a 90-second stretch late in the second quarter to give his team an eight-point halftime lead. Sonny Myers had 15 rebounds. Trey Tinges did an admirable job on Salem senior guard Anthony Farmer, holding the coach’s son and 1,000-point scorer to nine points in his final high school game and none in the fourth quarter.
“It hurts,” guard Farmer said. “We were right there. I really wanted this. It’s definitely tough when you know you’re that close and you come up short. We gave it everything we had, but … they got the best of us tonight.”
Salem’s Anthony Farmer (L) and Pitman’s Elijah Crispin share a moment after facing each other for the final time in Thursday’s SJ Group I playoff game.
Ramaji Bundy led Salem in his final high school game with a career-tying 15 points and six rebounds and drew the defensive assignment on Crispin. He hit all three of the Rams’ 3-pointers and was their driving force early with seven points in the first quarter. Jabez DeJesus had 10 points and nine boards. Weathers also grabbed nine rebounds.
The Rams (18-9) trailed by 12 early in the third quarter and by seven early in the fourth, but refused to fold. DeJesus got them within four on a driving layup with 5:04 to play and Bundy made it a two-point game with a pair of free throws with 2:56 left. But they were the last points Salem would score.
They nearly brought it all the way back, but just couldn’t get over the hump.
“That right there is the dagger in my heart,” DeJesus said. “I’m proud of my guys for fighting to the end. I know we didn’t get the end result we wanted, but that goes to show even if you give 100 percent the wins are never promised. Sometimes things just happen like that. We did what we could, we live with the results.”
Crispin extended the lead with a basket, then hit two free throws with less than a minute to go to make it 48-42. Chris Wyllie closed the scoring with a three-point play, his only points of the game, with 48.4 to go.
“We had opportunities,” Coach Farmer said. “We had plenty of clean looks that we could take the lead or blow it open, maybe play with a little lead, (but) the opportunities didn’t go down for us, shots didn’t go down for us. Give them credit. They hit the ones they needed to make.
“What more do you want? You cut it two, two minutes to go, you’re on the road, it’s yours for the taking. You’ve gotta make plays.”
NOTES: Bundy scored 35 points in his last three games and averaged almost 10 over his last seven games … It was only the third time in his last 40 games Farmer was held out of double figures … The nine points he did get left him with 1,175 for his career … Crispin hit four 3s in the game and now has 65 and 184 in his career. “It’s a nice feeling to hit a deep one,” he said … The Panthers were 13-of-13 from the free throw line before Crispin missed two with 34 seconds left.
SOUTH JERSEY GROUP I BOYS SEMIFINALS PITMAN 51, SALEM 42 SALEM (18-9) – Ramaji Bundy 5 2-2 15, Anthony Farmer 4 1-2 9, Jabez DeJesus 5 0-0 10, Paul Weathers 2 0-0 4, Tymear Lecator 1 0-2 2, Donovan Weathers 0 0-0 0, Marshall Stephens 1 0-0 2. Totals 18 3-6 42. PITMAN (22-7) – Porter Kostiuk 0-2 0-0 0, Stephen Devanney 3-11 0-0 7, Elijah Crispin 8-25 8-10 28, Trey Tinges 1-2 2-2 4, Chris Wyllie 1-2 1-1 3, Michael Fisicaro 1-9 0-0 3, Sonny Myers 2-8 2-2 6, Greg Peterson 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 16-59 13-15 51.
SJ Group I boys: Rams finally get past Glassboro, earn a spot in semifinals; Penns Grove gets out to fast start, but falls to top-seeded KIPP; also includes TCC Diamond, Classic all-star teams
SOUTH JERSEY GROUP I BOYS QUARTERFINALS KIPP Cooper Norcross 64, Penns Grove 59 Wildwood 49, Audubon 38 Salem 62, Glassboro 55 Pittman 47, Paulsboro 37 THURSDAY’S SEMIFINALS No. 4 Wildwood at No. 1 KIPP Cooper Norcross, 5:30 p.m. No. 3 Salem at No. 2 Pitman, 5:30 p.m.
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
SALEM – Anthony Farmer and the Salem Rams have been trying to beat Glassboro for nearly a decade now. They finally got the Bulldogs on the biggest stage.
Salem ended a seven-game losing streak to the Bulldogs Tuesday night with a 62-55 victory in the quarterfinals of the South Jersey Group I boys tournament. The Rams’ last win in the series was in the 2014-15 season opener. All of the previous eight games were in the regular season. The majority of the losses were by double-digits.
“Those guys have been a tough out,” Farmer said. “They’ve had our number. It was good to get the most important one.”
The Rams (18-8) didn’t have history on their mind when they took the floor Tuesday as much as doing what it took to get where they want to go. They took control of the game early, weathered a storm in the third quarter and held on through the fourth.
“You can’t change the past, so, honestly, we’ve got a one-track mind,” Farmer said. “We know what we’re trying to get to. This is about us and how we continue to come together and make the right plays at the right moment and be one step ahead. We at this time it’s survive and advance, so we’re preparing like everything is our last.”
The difference in the game was the play of Jabez DeJesus and Anthony Farmer. DeJesus scored a team’ high 21 points, grabbed nine rebounds and blocked a couple shots. Farmer, the coach’s son, scored 17 points. Ramaji Bundy added 10 points.
Both DeJesus and Farmer were confirmed as Tri-County Conference Classic Division first-team all-stars earlier in the day.
“Those guys are no secret,” Farmer said. “I think we have one of the top backcourts is South Jersey, no doubt. They’ve been consistent all year long. They’re the reason we’re the third seed and in the position we’re in. Those guys are seniors and they’ve just been doing what they’ve been doing.”
The win sets up a showdown with second-seeded Pitman in the semifinals Thursday night. The Panthers have gotten them twice this year, none more painful than the one in late December in which the Rams jumped out to a big early lead only to lose by two at the end.
“This is what high school basketball is about,” Farmer said. “This is why you play the game, why I coach the game. I coach the game for the kids, for them to have experiences like this that they’ll talk about forever.
“I want them to go seize the moment. Once again, it’s more about us and where we’re trying to go. Obviously they got us twice and we understand that as well. Once again, this one means the most.”
3-point goals: Glassboro 5 (Graves 3, Dougherty, Buff); Salem 4 (Farmer 2, P. Weathers, Lecator). Rebounds: Salem 30 (P. Weathers 10, DeJesus 9). Fouled out: Graves. Total fouls: Glassboro 21, Salem 16.
KIPP Academy 64, Penns Grove 59
CAMDEN – When Penns Grove coach Damian Ware saw Willie Slocum and Camren Thompson hit 3-pointers early in the game he had to think this just might just be the Red Devils’ night to pull an upset. But he also knew there was a lot of basketball to play.
Slocum and Thompson combined to hit just one 3-pointer this season – and Slocum hadn’t hit any – but there they were, playing in a game to extend their careers, each hitting one from beyond the arc to help the Red Devils forge an early 10-point lead.
The good fortune didn’t last, however. Karon Ceaser and Slocum both got in foul trouble that cost them valuable minutes in the first half and top-seeded KIPP Cooper Norcross Academy began its long march to the foul line that proved the difference in scuttling the Red Devils’ season.
“Going into the game I expected to win, so it was not a big surprise we were up,” Ware said. “We had an opportunity to win the game going into it, we had a chance and I felt good about it, but we just didn’t have enough to pull it out.”
The Titans (21-8) took 31 free throws in the game compared to only seven for a Red Devils team that likes to attack the basket. They made 16 with leading scorer Meleake Kelly (18 points) going 8-for-14 and Tahmir Dixton (15) going 5-for-10.
Slocum wound up hitting two 3s in the game and finished with 10 points. Roman Gipson was the Red Devils’ leading scorer with 16 points, while Giomar Conrad and Thompson had 13 apiece.
Here is this week’s sports schedules for teams in Salem County for the week of Feb. 25-March 2
Sunday
WRESTLING NJSIAA Girls Regionals, Pennsauken
Tuesday
BASKETBALL South Jersey Group I Tournament Girls No. 8 Pennsville at No. 1 Woodbury, 4:30 p.m. No. 12 Penns Grove at No. 4 Woodstown, 5:30 p.m. No. 6 Audubon at No. 3 Maple Shade, 5:30 p.m. No. 7 Glassboro at No. 2 Wildwood, 4 p.m. Boys No. 9 Penns Grove at No. 1 KIPP Cooper Norcross Academy, 5:15 p.m. No. 5 Audubon at No. 4 Wildwood, 6 p.m. No. 6 Glassboro at No. 3 Salem, 5 p.m. No. 10 Paulsboro at No. 2 Pitman, 5:30 p.m.
Thursday
BASKETBALL South Jersey Group I Tournament Girls Pennsville-Woodbury vs. Penns Grove-Woodstown Audubon-Maple Shade vs. Glassboro-Wildwood Boys Penns Grove-KIPP Cooper Norcross Academy vs. Audubon-Wildwood Glassboro-Salem vs. Paulsboro-Pitman WRESTLING NJSIAA State Championship, Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City
Friday
COLLEGE BASEBALL Ocean CC at Salem CC (Carneys Point Rec), 3 p.m. WRESTLING NJSIAA State Championship, Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City
Saturday
BASKETBALL Girls South Jersey Group I championship Boys South Jersey Group I championship WRESTLING NJSIAA State Championship, Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City COLLEGE BASEBALL Salem CC at Ocean CC (2), noon
Penns Grove stands its ground to score mild upset in opening round of South Jersey Group I tournament; Salem pulls away from New Egypt, Wildwood shuts down Woodstown SOUTH JERSEY GROUP I TOURNAMENT THURSDAY’S GAMES No. 1 KIPP Cooper Norcross Academy 61, No. 16 Burlington City 40 No. 9 Penns Grove 54, No. 8 Woodbury 46 No. 5 Audubon 61, No. 12 LEAP Academy 44 No. 4 Wildwood 46, No. 13 Woodstown 25 No. 3 Salem 83, No. 14 New Egypt 52 No. 6 Glassboro 64, No. 11 Riverside 41 No. 10 Paulsboro 52, No. 7 Palmyra 46 No. 2 Pitman 80, No. 15 Pennsville 60 TUESDAY’S GAMES No. 9 Penns Grove at No. 1 KIPP Cooper Norcross Academy No. 5 Audubon at No. 4 Wildwood No. 6 Glassboro at No. 3 Salem No. 10 Paulsboro at No. 2 Pitman
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
WOODBURY – All season long Penns Grove coach Damian Ware has been asking his players to take some for the team and sacrifice their body for the greater good. He’s gotten the occasional taker, but with the season on the line Thursday night the Red Devils stood and delivered.
The ninth-seeded Red Devils took three charges in the second half that changed the game and propelled them to a 54-46 victory over eighth-seeded Woodbury in the opening round of the South Jersey Group I boys basketball tournament.
The Devils trailed by one at halftime, but Willie Slocum and Camren Thompson took charges in the third quarter and Giomar Conrad took one in the fourth and that, Ware said, set the tone for the rest of the game.
“I told the kids that was really the key to the game, taking charges on these guys, because they are driving team, they like to drive and most of them are going to put their head down and try to get to the basket,” Ware said. “Once you start taking charges teams are going to hesitate on that drive, they’re not going to drive it as aggressively.
“The only guy who has taken charges all season was Willie; he had about 12 of them. The next person had one or two. I’ve been trying to get them to do it all season and finally they stepped up and did it in the second half today when it counted.”
Conrad led the Red Devils (11-14) with 21 points, 11 in the second half. Mekhi Ballard had 13 on three 3-pointers and 4-for-4 second-half free throw shooting. The Devils outscored their hosts 17-9 in the fourth quarter to pull away from a tie game.
It was the third year in a row they’ve won a first-round playoff game and the sixth straight year they’ve won a first-round game when they were in it.
The win keeps them alive and on the road, to play top-seeded KIPP Cooper Norcross Academy in the second round Tuesday.
The Thundering Herd (14-14), coached by 2022-23 Penns Grove assistant Mark DiRugeris, had three scorers in double figures, led by Troy Lindsay’s 15 points.
3-point goals: Penns Grove 5 (Conrad 2, Ballard 3); Woodbury 3 (Heigler, Lindsay, Sacko). Technical fouls: Slocum. Fouled out: Slocum, Dunbar. Total fouls: Penns Grove 13, Woodbury 21.
SALEM 82, NEW EGYPT 52: This is the time of the year when a team’s seniors and top players are expected to step up and deliver.
New Egypt rallied in the third quarter to make it a two point game, but the Rams pulled away with a 31-point fourth quarter. Anthony Farmer had 11 of his game-high 29, including 5-for-5 from the foul line, in the fourth quarter. Paul Weathers and Jabez DeJesus combined for 11 in the quarter.
Weathers finished with another double-double, 18 points and 11 rebounds. DeJesus had nine points and seven rebounds. Tymear Lecator had eight points and eight assists.
“Any coach will tell you wins are hard to come by,” Salem coach Anthony Farmer said. “You never want to take them for granted; you can’t get complacent. That’s something that’s hard to teach young kids who think that because they look better on paper or the record may be better, but, man if you don’t bring it you can lose. We’re happy to get another win. Survive and advance.”
New Egypt
14
7
29
11 –
52
Salem
16
18
18
31 –
83
WILDWOOD 46, WOODSTOWN 25: The fourth-seeded Warriors held Woodstown scoreless in the second quarter and to only 15 points in the second half.
Jordan Fusik led Wildwood with 12 points. Brian Cunniff and Junior Hans added 11 each. Blake Bialecki led the Wolverines with 11 points.
Pennsville girls turn up defense in fourth quarter to keep their season going and their coach around a while longer
SOUTH JERSEY GROUP I TOURNAMENT THURSDAY’S GAMES No. 1 Woodbury 81, No. 16 Salem 26 No. 8 Pennsville 59, No. 9 Gateway 55 No. 12 Penns Grove 48, No. 5 Palmyra 37 No. 4 Woodstown 67, No. 13 Cape May Tech 28 No. 3 Maple Shade 32, No. 14 Pitman 18 No. 6 Audubon 44, No. 11 Clayton 30 No. 7 Glassboro 74, No. 10 Burlington City 28 No. 2 Wildwood 77, No. 15 Paulsboro 27 TUESDAY’S GAMES No. 8 Pennsville at No. 1 Woodbury No. 12 Penns Grove at No. 4 Woodstown No. 6 Audubon at No. 3 Maple Shade No. 7 Glassboro at No. 2 Wildwood
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
PENNSVILLE – Sam Trapp was waiting at the end of the line to give each one of her starters their special handshake like she always does during the pregame introductions. When she got to Bella Farina’s turn to come through, the Pennsville girls basketball coach raised her arms as if to place a crown on her senior center’s head.
Before Farina could get away, she whispered to her coach a comment that brought a tear to Trapp’s eye.
“This isn’t going to be the last time.”
When the game ended, the coach raced out to midcourt to embrace her senior and delivered a message of her own.
“We’re not done yet.”
The Trapp farewell tour extended for at least one more game Thursday night after the eighth-seeded Eagles rallied to beat Gateway 59-55 in the opening round of the South Jersey Group I tournament.
The win sends the Eagles (14-13) to top-seeded Woodbury for a quarterfinals matchup Tuesday. It also guarantees Trapp a .500 record in her final season with the Eagles. Late last month she announced she was stepping down at the end of the season to become to new athletics director at Triton Regional.
“I’m ecstatic,” Trapp said. “(Pennsville athletics director) Jamy (Thomas) and I have a little inside joke that he calls me ‘Doc Rivers’ because I didn’t make it out of the first round last year. I had to prove a point.
“But moreso I wanted to prove to these girls just how good they are. I think sometimes they can doubt themselves, get down on themselves, but they’re so much better than they even know they really truly are.
“They showed it. They played so well together tonight and they worked so hard together at the end and they found a way to win it. That’s what we continue to do. We found a way to win it and we continue to work together. I love it.”
The Eagles are 8-4 since Trapp revealed her plans to the players after their Jan. 26 game with Haddon Heights. The remaining time they have with their coach was very much on the players’ minds during the game. And for a while in the second half it looked as if their run together would end in Trapp’s final game on her home floor.
The Eagles trailed the Gators by nine late in the third quarter, but about that time Trapp implored her players to “pick it up on defense” and that suggestion was all it took to flip the switch.
They went to the half-court press at the start of the fourth quarter and it produced a 14-0 run that was part of a larger 18-3 spree that put them up six with 2:40 to play. The 14-0 run started with three straight steals – one by Taylor Bass and two by Farina – that were quickly converted into points.
There were five takeaway altogether in the spree, three missed shots and a held ball that went in Pennsville’s favor. Nora Ausland provided 10 of the points when they converted.
“I know she’s sad about it being her last home game and I just didn’t want it to add the pressure of being her last game ever here,” Ausland said. “That was definitely a factor in trying to win this game.“
“It’s always a good feeling knowing you go from kind of dead to so much energy and you get that comeback and that win,” Bass said. “I definitely think we deserved it.”
“I think we all played really hard today for her and our seniors,” Marley Wood said. “Bella’s a big part of our team and we didn’t want it to be her last game, either.”
The flurry might have gotten them the lead, but the Eagles still had work to do. The Gators got within two on Angie Zagone’s 3-pointer with 25 seconds left and then one on two Zagone free throws with 12.6 seconds left.
Wood hit the first of two free throws with 11.7 left. She missed the second and Pennsville lost the rebound out of bounds at 9.8. Gateway’s Bella Fini drove into traffic trying to get the tying basket and maybe a foul, but Bass knocked the ball away and was fouled when she collected it.
She hit two free throws with 2.5 seconds left to seal it.
“There was definitely a lot of feelings involved (going to the line),” Bass said. “We definitely wanted this win to carry on. We went out first round last year. We wanted to come back, prove that we’re better. We haven’t had the best season statistically because we lost all of our players, but tonight proved we’re better.”
Ausland (21) and Wood combined for 41 points to lead Pennsville’s offense. Bass had 11. Zagone led all scorers with 27 points to finish her career as the Gators’ second all-time leading scorer.
Pennsville’s Taylor Bass is about to corral a ball she knocked away in traffic and sink two free throws to seal her team’s South Jersey Group I tournament win over Gateway. On the cover, outgoing Eagles coach Sam Trapp hugs center Bella Farina after securing the victory to extend their season.
WOODSTOWN 67, CAPE MAY TECH 28: It took the Wolverines a quarter to shake off the rust of not playing for eight days, but once they settled in, they got back to playing in a manner to which they are accustomed. It was a four-point game after one quarter, then the home team steadily pulled away.
Cape May Tech came out in a triangle-and-two against Woodstown’s Talia Battavio and Megan Donelson, but as other teams have discovered throughout the season, the Wolverines have a lot of weapons at their disposal.
Battavio and Donelson once again were their leading scorers with 18 and 16, respectively, but the Wolverines got 13 from post Shannon Pierman and sophomore Lauren Hengel gave them a career-high 10 off the bench.
“We have solid players who step up when our leading scorers get taken out in the offense,” Woodstown coach Kara Straughn said.
Hengel has scored 16 points in her last two games after scoring 37 in her previous 21 games this season.
“She’s just put in a lot of work; she wants so badly to elevate her game,” Straughn said. “She’s going to be a good player and I think games like the last two are starting to give her a little more confidence. She plays well on both ends of the floor and she wants to be good, which helps a lot.”
The Wolverines (18-6) now host Penns Grove in a second-round game Tuesday, but first they’ll try to complete a third-straight undefeated TCC Diamond Division slate Friday against Overbrook.
PENNS GROVE 48, PALMYRA 37: The 5-12 games in the NCAA Tournament tend to produce the most upsets and it did in the South Jersey Group I girls tournament Thursday.
RaNiyah Wilson scored 30 points for the third time this season and led the 12th-seeded Lady Devils (14-9) to their seventh win in the last eight games and the only opening-round win among the bracket’s road teams.
Earlier this season, her first with the Lady Devils since transferring from Kingsway, Wilson went for 33 against Woodstown and 30 against Salem. She is averaging nearly 17 points a game.
Penns Grove now travels to Woodstown for its third meeting of the season with the Wolverines in Tuesday’s second round.
WOODBURY 81, SALEM 26: The Thundering Herd (17-10) flexed their muscle as the top seed and held Salem scoreless in the first quarter. Maya Braxton-Young led four Herd scorers in double figures with 23 points.
Ava Rodgers led Salem (8-16) with eight points and nine rebounds. Ryann Foote had six points, seven rebounds and six steals. Marjziah Bundy didn’t score, but had six rebounds and four blocked shots.
The Herd, which was 2-7 at one point this season, now hosts eighth-seeded Pennsville in Tuesday’s second round.
Here is the day-by-day 2024 spring sports schedules for high school and college teams in Salem County; to include or update your schedule, email al.muskewitz@gmail.com; all games 4 p.m. unless noted; x-scrimmage
SALEM COUNTY DAY-BY-DAY
MARCH 1 COLLEGE BASEBALL Ocean CC at Salem CC, 3 p.m.
MARCH 2 BASKETBALL South Jersey Group I Girls Championship South Jersey Group I Boys Championship COLLEGE BASEBALL Salem CC at Ocean CC (2), noon
MARCH 3 INDOOR TRACK NJSIAA Meet of Champions
MARCH 4 COLLEGE BASEBALL Salem CC vs. Cairn JV at Myrtle Beach, 9 p.m.
MARCH 5 COLLEGE BASEBALL Salem CC vs. Penn State Kensington (MB), 7:30 p.m.
MARCH 6 COLLEGE BASEBALL Salem CC vs. Rochester C&T (MB), 2 p.m. Salem CC vs. DuPage (MB), 6:30 p.m. COLLEGE SOFTBALL Salem CC vs. Southeastern (2) (MB), 1 p.m.
MARCH 7 COLLEGE BASEBALL Salem CC vs. Muskegon CC (MB), 3 p.m. Salem CC vs. Bay (MB), 6 p.m. COLLEGE SOFTBALL Salem CC vs. Fayetteville (2) (MB), noon
MARCH 8 COLLEGE BASEBALL Salem CC vs. Rays Collegiate (MB), 11 a.m. Salem CC vs. Manhattanville (MB), 4 p.m. COLLEGE SOFTBALL Salem CC vs. Harford (MB), 3 p.m. Salem CC vs. Henry Ford (MB), 5 p.m.
MARCH 9 COLLEGE BASEBALL Salem CC vs. Westmoreland County (2) (MB), 9 a.m. COLLEGE SOFTBALL Salem CC vs. Madison (MB), 9 a.m. Salem CC vs. USC-Sumter (MB), 11 a.m.
MARCH 10 COLLEGE SOFTBALL Salem CC vs. Prairie (MB), 9 a.m. Salem CC vs. Potomac State (MB), 11 a.m.
MARCH 12 COLLEGE BASEBALL Salem CC at Delaware County CC, 3 p.m.
MARCH 14 Pi Day
MARCH 15 COLLEGE BASEBALL Salem CC at Northampton CC, 3:30 p.m. COLLEGE SOFTBALL Northampton CC at Salem CC (2), noon
MARCH 16 COLLEGE SOFTBALL Salem CC at Cecil (2), noon
MARCH 18 BOYS TENNIS x-Mainland at Woodstown
MARCH 19 COLLEGE SOFTBALL Salem CC at Lehigh Carbon CC (2), 3 p.m. BOYS TENNIS x-Schalick at Cumberland x-Pennsville at St. Augustine
MARCH 20 COLLEGE SOFTBALL SUNY-Orange at Salem CC (2), 3:30 p.m. BOYS TENNIS x-West Deptford at Pennsville, 3:45 p.m. x-Millville at Schalick
MARCH 21 BASEBALL x-Woodstown at Clearview, 4 p.m. SOFTBALL x-Cedar Creek at Schalick x-Woodstown at Gloucester City COLLEGE SOFTBALL Salem CC at RCSJ-Cumberland (2), 3:30 p.m. GOLF Woodstown vs. Triton, Valley Brook CC BOYS TENNIS x-Woodstown at Palmyra
MARCH 22 BASEBALL x-Pennsauken Tech at Penns Grove SOFTBALL x-Kingsway at Woodstown COLLEGE BASEBALL Salem CC at Brookdale CC, 3:30 p.m. BOYS TENNIS x-Millville at Pennsville, 4 p.m.
MARCH 23 SOFTBALL x-Pennsville at Buena COLLEGE BASEBALL Brookdale CC at Salem CC (2), noon COLLEGE SOFTBALL Delaware Tech at Salem CC (2), noon
MARCH 24 COLLEGE SOFTBALL Northampton at Salem CC (2), noon
MARCH 25 BASEBALL x-Cumberland at Woodstown, 4 p.m. x-Millville at Schalick SOFTBALL x-Pennsville at GCIT BOYS TENNIS x-St. Augustine at Woodstown, 3:45 p.m. GIRLS LACROSSE x-Woodstown at OLMA BOYS LACROSSE x-Millville at Woodstown
MARCH 26 BASEBALL x-Pleasantville at Penns Grove COLLEGE BASEBALL Salem CC at Lehigh Carbon CC, 3 p.m. COLLEGE SOFTBALL Middlesex at Salem CC (2), 3:30 p.m. BOYS TENNIS Schalick at Gateway x-Woodstown at Millville TRACK Camden Co. Tech at Pennsville
MARCH 27 BASEBALL x-Cumberland at Schalick x-Deptford at Woodstown, 4 p.m. SOFTBALL x-Cumberland at Schalick x-Deptford at Woodstown x-Paulsboro at Pennsville COLLEGE BASEBALL Lehigh Carbon CC at Salem CC, noon GOLF Pennsville vs. Gloucester Catholic, Westwood GC, 3:30 p.m. BOYS TENNIS x-Pennsville at Delsea, 3:45 p.m.
MARCH 28 BASEBALL x-Clayton at Penns Grove SOFTBALL x-Penns Grove at Clayton GOLF Schalick vs. Woodstown, Town & Country GL
MARCH 29 BASEBALL x-Paulsboro at Schalick SOFTBALL Millville at Pennsville COLLEGE SOFTBALL Salem CC at Sussex (2), 1 p.m. GOLF Woodstown at Delran, Golden Pheasant GC
MARCH 30 BASEBALL x-Woodstown vs. GCIT, Deptford MS, 10 a.m. GIRLS LACROSSE x-Washington Twp. at Woodstown, 10 a.m. BOYS LACROSSE x-Woodstown at Absegami, 10 a.m.
APRIL 1 BASEBALL Penns Grove at Glassboro Schalick at Woodstown SOFTBALL Glassboro at Penns Grove Schalick at Woodstown GIRLS GOLF Delsea vs. Schalick, Centerton CC, 3:30 p.m. BOYS LACROSSE Gloucester Catholic at Woodstown
APRIL 2 BASEBALL Pennsville at Clayton SOFTBALL Clearview at Woodstown OLMA at Schalick Pennsville at Clayton COLLEGE BASEBALL Salem CC at Mercer County CC, 3 p.m. COLLEGE SOFTBALL Salem CC at Mercer County CC (2), 3 p.m. GOLF Washington Twp. girls at Schalick, 3:30 p.m. Schalick boys vs. West Deptford, River Winds GC Pennsville vs. Overbrook, Kresson GC, 3:45 p.m. Woodstown at Penns Grove BOYS TENNIS Cunberland at Woodstown, 10 a.m. Pennsville at Penns Grove, 3:45 p.m.
APRIL 3 BASEBALL Schalick at Millville SOFTBALL Ocean City at Woodstown TRACK Pennsville at Glassboro Schalick at Woodstown BOYS LACROSSE Woodstown at Paul VI, 3:45 p.m. GIRLS LACROSSE Clearview at Woodstown BOYS TENNIS Middle Twp. at Pennsville
APRIL 4 BASEBALL Salem at Pennsville Penns Grove at Woodstown Pitman at Schalick SOFTBALL Pennsville at Salem Woodstown at Penns Grove COLLEGE SOFTBALL RCSJ-Cumberland at Salem CC (2), 3:30 p.m. GOLF Schalick boya vs. Overbrook, Kresson GC Pennsville vs. West Deptford, Riverwinds GC, 3:30 p.m. TRACK Schalick at Pennsville BOYS TENNIS Schalick at Pennsville, 3:45 p.m.
APRIL 5 BASEBALL Pennsville at Penns Grove SOFTBALL Penns Grove at Pennsville Schalick at Clearview COLLEGE BASEBALL RCSJ-Cumberland at Salem CC, 3:30 p.m. GOLF Pennsville vs. Penns Grove, Sakima GC, 3:30 p.m. BOYS TENNIS Delsea at Pennsville, 3:45 p.m. Schalick at Haddon Heights GIRLS LACROSSE Woodstown at Paul VI
APRIL 6 BASEBALL Schalick at Gloucester City, 10 a.m. Woodstown at Cedar Creek, 11 a.m. SOFTBALL Camden Catholic at Woodstown, 10 a.m. COLLEGE BASEBALL Salem CC at RCSJ-Cumberland (2), noon COLLEGE SOFTBALL Raritan Valley at Salem CC (2), noon TRACK Pennsville at Deptford Twp. Relays, 9 a.m. BOYS LACROSSE Washington Twp. at Woodstown, 10 a.m.
APRIL 7 COLLEGE BASEBALL Salem CC at Middlesex (2), noon COLLEGE SOFTBALL Salem CC at Bucks (2), 1 p.m.
APRIL 8 BASEBALL Penns Grove at Salem Schalick at Clayton Woodstown at Pennsville SOFTBALL Clayton at Schalick Pennsville at Woodstown Salem at Penns Grove GOLF Schalick girls vs. Williamstown, Scotland Run GC Overbrook vs. Woodstown, Town & Country GL, 3:30 p.m. Pennsville boys vs. Schalick, Centerton CC, 3:45 p.m. BOYS TENNIS Pennsville at Glassboro, 3:45 p.m. Triton at Woodstown, 3:45 p.m. Clayton at Penns Grove Delran at Schalick BOYS LACROSSE Woodstown at Cedar Creek, 2:45 p.m. GIRLS LACROSSE Woodstown at Haddonfield
APRIL 9 BASEBALL Woodstown at Clayton COLLEGE BASEBALL Middlesex at Salem CC, 3:30 p.m. COLLEGE SOFTBALL Salem CC at Northampton (2), 3:30 p.m. GOLF Pennsville vs. Clayton, Pitman CC, 3:45 p.m. Schalick girls vs. Clearview, Westwood GC BOYS TENNIS Pennsville at Washington Twp., 4 p.m. TRACK Overbrook at Woodstown Pennsville at Penns Grove Schalick at Glassboro
APRIL 10 BASEBALL Gloucester at Woodstown Overbrook at Penns Grove Schalick at Glassboro SOFTBALL Glassboro at Schalick Gloucester Catholic at Pennsville Penns Grove at Woodstown Woodstown at Haddon Heights COLLEGE BASEBALL Salem CC at Montgomery County CC, 3:30 p.m. COLLEGE SOFTBALL Bucks at Salem CC (2), 4:30 p.m. BOYS TENNIS Woodstown at Penns Grove, 3:45 p.m. Cumberland at Pennsville Schalick at Overbrook GIRLS LACROSSE Woodstown at West Deptford
APRIL 11 BASEBALL Gloucester Catholic at Pennsville SOFTBALL Woodstown at Cumberland BOYS TENNIS Pennsville at Vineland, 3:45 p.m. Schalick at Millville GOLF Pennsville vs. Woodstown, Town & Country GL, 3:30 p.m. Schalick girls vs. Cumberland, Running Deer GC BOYS LACROSSE Woodstown at Mainland
APRIL 12 BASEBALL Delsea at Pennsville Schalick at Haddon Heights SOFTBALL Pennsville at Delsea Schalick at Gloucester Catholic COLLEGE BASEBALL Bergen CC at Salem CC, 3:30 p.m. GOLF Millville vs. Pennsville, Sakima CC, 3:30 p.m. BOYS TENNIS Pitman at Pennsville, 3:45 p.m. Woodstown at Delsea, 3:45 p.m. Penns Grove at Wildwood Schalick at Clayton GIRLS LACROSSE Woodstown at Haddon Heights
APRIL 13 BASEBALL Woodstown at West Deptford, 10 a.m. Schalick at Paulsboro SOFTBALL West Deptford at Pennsville COLLEGE BASEBALL Salem CC at Bergen CC (2), noon COLLEGE SOFTBALL Morris at Salem CC (2), noon BOYS LACROSSE Woodstown at Egg Harbor Twp., 10 a.m. TRACK Pennsville at West Deptford Relays, 9 a.m.
APRIL 14 COLLEGE SOFTBALL Cecil at Salem CC (2), noon
APRIL 15 BASEBALL Woodstown at Haddon Heights, 4 p.m. SOFTBALL Buena at Schalick Pennsville at Paulsboro GOLF OLMA vs. Schalick, Centerton CC Wildwood boys vs. Schalick, Centerton CC BOYS TENNIS Pennsville at Kingsway, 3:45 p.m. Deptford at Schalick GIRLS LACROSSE Eastern at Woodstown
APRIL 16 BASEBALL Penns Grove at Schalick Wildwood at Pennsville Woodstown at Overbrook SOFTBALL Overbrook at Woodstown Pennsville at Wildwood Schalick at Penns Grove COLLEGE BASEBALL Luzerne County CC at Salem CC, 3:30 p.m. GOLF Woodstown vs. Schalick, Centerton CC, 3:30 p.m. BOYS TENNIS Woodstown at Cumberland, 3:45 p.m. Pitman at Penns Grove Schalick at Glassboro BOYS LACROSSE Woodstown at Williamstown
APRIL 17 BASEBALL Pennsville at Millville SOFTBALL Williamstown at Woodstown GOLF Kingsway girls vs. Schalick, Centerton CC Schalick boys vs. Cumberland, Running Deer GC Woodstown vs. Pennsville, Sakima GC, 3:30 p.m. TRACK Overbrook at Pennsville Penns Grove at Schalick Woodstown at Glassboro BOYS TENNIS Delran at Pennsville, 3:45 p.m. Vineland at Woodstown, 3:45 p.m. GIRLS LACROSSE Kingsway at Woodstown
APRIL 18 BASEBALL Glassboro at Woodstown, 4 p.m. Pitman at Pennsville Schalick at Overbrook SOFTBALL Overbrook at Schalick Pennsville at Pitman Woodstown at Glassboro BOYS TENNIS Pennsville at Wildwood, 3:45 p.m. Penns Grove at Schalick GOLF Penns Grove vs. Woodstown, Town & Country GL, 3:30 p.m. Overbrook vs. Pennsville, Sakima GC, 3:45 p.m.
APRIL 19 BASEBALL Gloucester City at Schalick Wildwood at Woodstown Williamstown at Pennsville SOFTBALL Schalick at Gloucester City Woodstown at Wildwood COLLEGE BASEBALL Salem CC at Camden CC, 3 p.m. BOYS TENNIS Woodstown at Overbrook, 3:45 p.m. Pennsville at Millville GIRLS LACROSSE Woodstown at Egg Harbor Twp.
APRIL 20 BASEBALL Schalick at Eastern, 10 a.m. Pitman at Woodstown, 11 a.m. Pennsville in Oakcrest Tournament COLLEGE BASEBALL Camden CC at Salem CC (2), noon COLLEGE SOFTBALL Salem CC at Lackawanna (2), noon BOYS LACROSSE Woodstown at Lower Cape May, 10 a.m.
APRIL 21 BASEBALL Pennsville in Oakcrest Tournament COLLEGE SOFTBALL Ocean at Salem CC (2), noon
APRIL 22 BASEBALL Pennsville at Glassboro Pitman at Penns Grove Woodstown at Clayton SOFTBALL Glassboro at Pennsville Penns Grove at Pitman Woodstown at Clayton GOLF Williamstown girls vs. Schalick, Centerton CC Overbrook boys vs. Schalick, Centerton CC Pennsville at Penns Grove, 3:30 p.m. TRACK Overbrook at Schalick, 3:30 p.m. BOYS TENNIS Clayton at Pennsville, 3:45 p.m. Woodstown at Deptford Twp., 3:45 p.m. Penns Grove at Glassboro Schalick at Pitman BOYS LACROSSE Oakcrest at Woodstown GIRLS LACROSSE Woodstown at Clearview, 6 p.m.
APRIL 23 BASEBALL Schalick at Pennsville SOFTBALL Pennsville at Hammonton West Deptford at Woodstown COLLEGE BASEBALL Salem CC at Luzerne County CC, 3:30 p.m. BOYS LACROSSE Kingsway at Woodstown TRACK Woodstown at Pennsville
APRIL 24 BASEBALL Clayton at Pennsville Glassboro at Penns Grove Woodstown at Audubon SOFTBALL Clayton at Pennsville Penns Grove at Glassboro COLLEGE BASEBALL Montgomery County CC at Salem CC, 3:30 p.m. GOLF Schalick girls vs. Washington Twp., Wedgewood CC Woodstown vs. Overbrook, Kresson GC, 3:30 p.m. BOYS TENNIS Wildwood at Schalick
APRIL 25 BASEBALL Delran at Woodstown, 4:30 p.m. COLLEGE SOFTBALL Camden CC at Salem CC (2), 3:30 p.m. GOLF Pennsville vs. Triton, Valleybrook CC, 3:30 p.m. BOYS TENNIS Bridgeton at Woodstown, 3:45 p.m. BOYS LACROSSE Woodstown at Sterling
APRIL 26 BASEBALL Mainland Coaches vs. Cancer Schalick vs. Cape May Tech COLLEGE BASEBALL Union at Salem CC, 3:30 p.m. COLLEGE SOFTBALL Salem CC at Bergen (2), 3:30 p.m. GIRLS LACROSSE Haddonfield at Woodstown
APRIL 27 BASEBALL Woodstown at Haddonfield, 10 a.m. SOFTBALL Woodstown at Williamstown, 9 a.m. COLLEGE BASEBALL Salem CC at Union (2), noon
APRIL 28 BASEBALL Mainland Coaches vs. Cancer Pennsville vs Cedar Creek, 9 a.m.
APRIL 29 BASEBALL Wildwood at Schalick SOFTBALL Schalick at Wildwood COLLEGE BASEBALL Delaware County CC at Salem CC, 3 p.m. GOLF Clearview girls vs. Schalick, Centerton CC, 3:30 p.m. Clearview vs. Schalick, Centerton CC, 4:15 p.m. BOYS TENNIS Washington Twp. at Schalick
APRIL 30 COLLEGE BASEBALL Salem CC at Anne Arundel CC (2), 2 p.m. GOLF Schalick girls vs. Delsea, White Oaks CC BOYS TENNIS Penns Grove at Pennsville, 3:45 p.m. Wildwood at Schalick
MAY 1 BASEBALL Bridgeton at Schalick, Elmer LL, 6 p.m. SOFTBALL Schalick at Cumberland BOYS TENNIS Schalick at GCIT TRACK Penns Grove at Woodstown
MAY 2 BASEBALL Penns Grove at Pleasantville GOLF Pennsville, Schalick, Woodstown in Carl Arena Tournament, Valleybrook CC, 8 a.m.
MAY 3 COLLEGE BASEBALL Salem CC at RCSJ-Gloucester, 3:30 p.m. GOLF Cedar Creek vs. Schalick, Centerton CC, 3:30 p.m.
MAY 4 COLLEGE BASEBALL RCSJ-Gloucester at Salem CC (2), noon TRACK Pennsville in SJTCA Meet, Rancocas Valley, 1 p.m.
MAY 6 BASEBALL Glassboro at Schalick Penns Grove at Overbrook Woodstown at Penns Grove SOFTBALL Overbrook at Penns Grove Pennsville at Gloucester Catholic Schalick at Glassboro GOLF GCIT vs. Schalick, Centerton CC, 3:30 p.m. BOYS TENNIS Glassboro at Pennsville, 3:45 p.m. Woodstown at Triton, 3:45 p.m. Penns Grove at Clayton Schalick at Bridgeton
MAY 7 SOFTBALL Woodstown at Gloucester Catholic GOLF Schalick boys vs. Pennsville, Sakima CC, 3:45 p.m. BOYS TENNIS Pennsville at Schalick, 3:45 p.m. BOYS LACROSSE Woodstown at Haddon Twp., 6:30 p.m.
MAY 8 BASEBALL Overbrook at Woodstown Pennsville at Wildwood Schalick at Penns Grove SOFTBALL Penns Grove at Schalick Wildwood at Pennsville Woodstown at Overbrook GOLF Cumberland girls vs. Schalick, Centerton CC, 3:30 p.m. Northern Burlington boys vs. Schalick, Centerton CC, 4:15 p.m. Middle Twp. vs. Pennsville, Sakima GC, 4:30 p.m. TRACK Salem County Championships, Pennsville, 3:30 p.m. BOYS TENNIS Delsea at Woodstown, 3:45 p.m. Pennsville at Pitman, 3:45 p.m. Clayton at Schalick GIRLS LACROSSE Woodstown at Kingsway, 6 p.m.
MAY 9 BASEBALL Woodstown vs. Schalick, Elmer LL, 6:30 p.m. SOFTBALL Woodstown vs. Schalick, Elmer LL, 6:30 p.m. GOLF Schalick vs. Deptford, Pitman GC BOYS TENNIS Clearview at Pennsville, 3:45 p.m. Haddon Heights at Woodstown Williamstown at Penns Grove
MAY 10 BASEBALL Haddon Heights at Pennsville Penns Grove at Clayton Woodstown at Salem SOFTBALL Pennsville at Overbrook Pitman at Schalick Salem at Woodstown Wildwood at Penns Grove GOLF Woodbury vs. Pennsville, Sakima GC, 3:30 p.m. Schalick girls vs. OLMA, White Oaks CC BOYS LACROSSE Clearview at Woodstown BOYS TENNIS GCIT at Pennsville
MAY 11 BASEBALL Lee Ware Tournament Woodstown vs. Cherry Hill East Paulsboro vs. Camden Catholic GIRLS LACROSSE Lower Cape May at Woodstown, 10 a.m.
MAY 13 BASEBALL Pennsville at Salem Schalick at Cumberland SOFTBALL ACIT at Schalick Salem at Pennsville Woodstown at Cinnaminson GOLF Gloucester Catholic at Schalick BOYS TENNIS Cinnaminson at Schalick Pennsville at West Deptford Woodstown at Clearview BOYS LACROSSE Egg Harbor Twp. at Woodstown
MAY 14 BASEBALL Overbrook at Schalick Pennsville at Pitman Woodstown at Glassboro SOFTBALL Glassboro at Woodstown Overbrook at Schalick Pitman at Pennsville BOYS TENNIS Buena at Woodstown Glassboro at Schalick GIRLS LACROSSE Mainland at Woodstown
MAY 15 BASEBALL Buena at Woodstown GOLF Schalick vs. Kingsway, River Winds GC BOYS TRACK Tri-County Showcase, Delsea, 3:30 p.m. BOYS TENNIS Schalick at Triton Woodstown at Pitman
MAY 16 BASEBALL Overbrook at Pennsville Salem at Schalick Wildwood at Penns Grove SOFTBALL Penns Grove at Clayton Schalick at Salem GOLF Schalick vs. Cumberland, Running Deer GC BOYS TENNIS Wildwood at Pennsville, 3:45 p.m. Schalick at Penns Grove
MAY 17 BASEBALL Cumberland at Pennsville Woodstown at Penns Grove Delran at Schalick, 4:15 p.m. SOFTBALL Penns Grove at Woodstown GOLF Pennsville at Delran, 4:30 p.m. BOYS TENNIS Overbrook at Woodstown, 3:45 p.m.
MAY 18 GIRLS LACROSSE West Deptford at Woodstown, 10 a.m.
MAY 20 SOFTBALL Pennsville at West Deptford GOLF Salem-Cumberland County Tournament, Centerton CC, 8 a.m. Haddon Heights vs. Pennsville, Sakima GC, 3:30 p.m. BOYS TENNIS Deptford Twp. at Woodstown, 3:45 p.m. Pennsville at Williamstown, 3:45 p.m. Pitman at Schalick
MAY 21 TRACK Pennsville at Schalick, 3:30 p.m.
MAY 23 BASEBALL NJSIAA Round 1
MAY 28 GOLF Tri-County Conference Showcase, Pitman GC, 8 a.m.
MAY 29 BASEBALL NJSIAA Round 2
MAY 31 BASEBALL NJSIAA Round 3 TRACK NJSIAA Sectionals, Pennsauken
Salem Tech boys beat Pennsauken Tech in two close games to reach SJ Group II bowling semifinals; Tech girls, Salem boys fall
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News Consistency from all five spots in the lineup propelled the Salem Tech boys into the semifinal round of the South Jersey Group II Tournament.
The Chargers defeated Pennsauken Tech 2-0 Tuesday at Wood Lanes. They won 787-731 and 898-878.
They now play at Overbrook (12-2-1) Thursday for a spot in Saturday’s finals opposite the Manchester Twp.-Seneca winner at Laurel Lanes.
“In the past we have struggled with bowling in high-pressure situations,” Tech coach Matt DiTizio said. “We struggled early in the first game, but the boys all made the correct adjustments and we were able to pull off the win.
“The second game Penn Tech came out swinging and they bowled really well; we were just more consistent through the lineup.”
The Chargers (5-7-2) were the only one of the three Salem County teams in action Tuesday to advance. In the girls SJ Group II quarterfinals, Salem Tech lost at Manchester Twp. 2-0 (912-471, 757-615) and Salem lost to Camden Catholic in the Group I boys quarterfinals 2-0 (869-826, 855-829)
Josh Mackey’s 202 was the Chargers’ high game in Game One of their match, while Rosario Torres rolled their high game in Game Two (203) and high series (374). The Chargers’ other three bowlers – Raymond Ridgway, Evan Malone and Aaron Dean – were all within 10 pins of each other for the match.
Dean was nearly 70 pins better in Game Two (125-192) and Malone 70 pins better than Penn Tech’s No. 2 in Game Two (169-96) to offset an opposing 226 and 201 and help that win along.
“It was close and we were actually down going into the tenth frame, but the boys capitalized on a strong ninth frame and we were able to pull off the sweep,” DiTizio said. “We are excited that we made it this far this early in our program and are looking forward to playing on Thursday.”
In the other matches, Alexis Cagle rolled the high game (161) and high series (263) for the Salem Tech girls and Zachary Gannon rolled a 500 series for the Salem boys (236-264).
The Salem girls (4-9) travel to undefeated New Egypt (19-0) today for their SJ Group I semifinals. The winner faces the survivor of Friday’s Clayton-Gloucester match in Saturday’s finals at Laurel Lanes.
Riverview Sports News 