Holiday tournaments highlight the schedule for Salem County teams for the week of Dec. 25-30
DEC. 26 BASKETBALL Girls Battle of the Boards Wildwood Convention Center Salem vs. Millville, 1 p.m.
DEC. 27 BASKETBALL Girls Battle at Buena Pennsville vs. Pemberton, 11 a.m.
Battle of the Boards Wildwood Convention Center Salem vs. Oakcrest, 11:30 a.m.
ACIT Tournament Salem Tech vs. Camden Tech, 10 a.m. GCIT vs. ACIT, 1 p.m.
Boys Battle at Buena Pennsville vs. Camden Academy Charter, 1 p.m.
ACIT Tournament Salem Tech vs. Camden Tech, 11:30 a.m. GCIT vs. ACIT, 3:30 p.m.
Bayonne Tournament Salem vs. Charlestown, 4 p.m. West Orange at Bayonne, 5:30 p.m.
Warrior Classic, New Egypt Pinelands at New Egypt, 3:30 p.m. Woodstown vs. Steinert, 5:30 p.m. WRESTLING Audubon, Northern Burlington at Woodstown, 10 a.m.
INDOOR TRACK Woodstown at Ocean Breeze Complex, Staten Island, N.Y.
DEC. 28 BASKETBALL Girls Battle at Buena Pemberton vs. Buena Pennsville vs. Camden Academy
ACIT Tournament Consolation: Salem Tech vs. GCIT, 10 a.m. Championship: Camden Tech vs. ACIT, 1 p.m.
Wolverine Holiday Tournament at Woodstown Highland vs. Paulsboro, 10 a.m. Bridgeton vs. Woodstown, noon
Boardwalk Classic Wildwood Convention Center Penns Grove vs. St. Dominic, 5:45 p.m.
Boys Penns Grove vs. Vineland at Delsea, 4 p.m. Battle at Buena Pennsville vs. Buena Camden Academy vs. LEAP
Warrior Classic, New Egypt Pinelands vs. Steinert Woodstown vs. New Egypt
ACIT Tournament Consolation: Salem Tech vs. ACIT, 11:30 a.m. Championship: Camden Tech vs. GCIT, 3:30 p.m.
Salem in Bayonne Tournament Consolation: Salem vs. West Orange, 2 p.m. Championship: Charlestown (Mass.) vs. Bayonne, 3:30 p.m. WRESTLING Pennsville in Overbrook Tournament Schalick in Clayton Classic
DEC. 29 BASKETBALL Girls Wolverine Holiday Tournament at Woodstown Consolation game, 10 a.m. Championship game, noon WRESTLING Pennsville vs. Barnegat
DEC. 30 BASKETBALL Girls Boardwalk Classic Wildwood Convention Center Penns Grove vs. Ocean City, 2:30 p.m. Boys Boardwalk Classic Wildwood Convention Center Penns Grove vs. Lower Cape May, 5:45 p.m.
Pennsville swamps Salem, rallies twice to trim Egg Harbor Twp. in Wednesday wrestling
PENNSVILLE – Trevor Waddington’s pin over Marco Florian at 285 clinched Pennsville’s 39-36 victory over Egg Harbor Twp. Wednesday and set up the Eagles’ sweep of the night. They also swamped Salem 64-0.
The Eagles rallied from 15-0 and 24-21 deficits against EHT. Robbie McDade’s 18-second pin at 157 gave them the lead the first time, then after falling behind again they clinched the match with a forfeit victory (190) and pins by Elias Lussi (215) and Waddington (285).
Waddington also scored a pin in the Salem match.
PENNSVILLE 39, EGG HARBOR TWP. 36 120: Tyler Thomas (E) won by forfeit 126: Peter Steed (E) pinned Christopher Daniels, 4:40 132: Dugan Matthew (E) dec. Randy Hall, 7-5 138: Travis Hagan (P) won by forfeit 144: Joseph Maurer (P) pinned Tyler Schumacker, 1:29 150: Sky Eppes (P) dec. Clarence Mays, 5-3 157: Robbie McDade (P) pinned Logan Benson, 0:18 165: Calvin Johnson (E) dec. Cole Campbell, 5-0 175: Reed Orbach (E) won by forfeit 190: Connor Ayars (P) won by forfeit 215: Elias Lussi (_ pinned Kaiden Vakera, 0:40 285: Trevor Waddington (P) pinned Marco Florian, 3:20 106: Jayson Garcia (E) pinned Lucas Thomas, 3:18 113: Aidan Schlemo (E) won by forfeit
Salem opens big lead in first quarter, but Pitman rallies to claim a two-point win on a pair of Fisicaro free throws with 7.3 seconds left
WEDNESDAY’S BOYS SCORE Pitman 64, Salem 62
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
SALEM – It was an early regular-season game on the eve of the winter solstice. A month from now as teams are jockeying for playoff positions people probably won’t even remember it.
But you can bet the Salem Rams won’t forget.
The Rams opened their Tri-County Classic Division schedule Wednesday night in a game as intense as any you’ll find in February and lost to Pitman 64-62 in a game that went down to the wire. Call it a Classic classic.
“As a team we’re obviously disappointed,” Rams senior Jabez DeJesus said. “We knew they were going to come in and punch us right back; they weren’t going to go without a fight.”
It was a game that had everything for the Rams (1-2) and had to have the Panthers (3-0) hurrying to the bus thinking they got away with one.
The Rams had control of the game early, were tied at halftime, rallied from nine down at the start of the fourth to tie the game after Pitman’s star player fouled out, and then lost it at the end.
Pitman’s Michael Fisicaro hit two free throws with 7.3 seconds left to break a 62-all tie. The Rams had two shots at the end to win it or tie it, but Xavier McGriff missed from the right side and Paul Weathers’ turnaround jumper from the foul line with the rebound and Pitman’s Sonny Myers in his face hit off the backboard as the buzzer sounded.
“I was just thinking I’ll make this shot for my team,” Weathers said. “It was really quick.”
Salem’s Paul Weathers (5) launches a last-second shot hoping to force overtime at the end of Wednesday night’s game with Pitman. The shot missed the mark and the Rams fell 64-62.
The Rams looked like they were going to run the Panthers out of the gym. They jumped out to a 17-2 lead in the first five and a half minutes and led 19-4 with sharp shooting and smothering defense, but then the game started to change.
Salem’s top players started getting in foul trouble, Pitman star Elijah Crispin, Steohen Devanney and Fisicaro started getting involved in the scoring and the Panthers outscored the Rams 46-25 on either side of halftime to take a 53-44 lead into the fourth quarter.
“We started off strong and once the second quarter came we kind of took our foot off the gas, we got too comfortable,” DeJesus said. “We knew they were coming for a run, but still we didn’t do anything defensively to stop it.”
The Rams have won the first quarter in all three of their games this season and the fourth quarter twice, including Wednesday, but it’s been a different story in the second and third. They’ve won only one of the six middle quarters they’ve played – the second quarter against Woodbury – and only that by two points.
“We just have to get better with the middle quarters,” Salem coach Anthony Farmer said. “We start off pretty hot and then we finish strong. We’ve just got to get the middle quarters. We’ve got to be able to fight through adversity whatever that may be out there.”
It was a 57-51 game with four minutes left when senior guard Anthony Farmer went on a personal tear and outscored the Panthers 11-5, tying the game three times in the final three minutes. Farmer scored 16 of his team-high 25 points in the fourth quarter. DeJesus had 14 (seven in the first quarter) and Weathers had 10 points and 12 boards.
Crispin led four Pitman scorers in double figures with 16 points. He also had eight rebounds and eight assists, but fouled out on an offensive foul at midcourt with 37 seconds left and the Panthers leading by 62-60. Devanney (13 points, 8 rebounds) followed him to the bench 12 seconds later.
So with two of the Panthers’ big weapons now out, the game seemed right for the Rams to get. Farmer tied it on two free throws with 25.4 to play. Fisicaro was fouled by McGriff with 7.3 seconds left and sank what proved to be the winning free throws.
“This game right here is going to stay in my head because I’m disappointed we didn’t get the outcome we wanted,” DeJesus said. “But I’m happy that we have a chance to learn from our mistakes. We’ll see them again in the season.
“We’re not going to let this hang into our heads. We’ve got a whole season left – all the way to the beginning of March.”
PITMAN 64, SALEM 62 PITMAN (3-0) – Peter Kostiuk 2 0-1 4, Stephen Devanney 6 0-0 13, Hudson Rue 0 0-0 0, Elijah Crispin 3 9-14 16, Trey Tinges 0 0-0 0, Chris Wylie 0 0-0 0, Michael Fisicaro 4 4-4 15, Sonny Myers 2 2-3 6, Greg Petersen 3 2-4 10. Totals 20 17-24 64. SALEM (1-2) – Ramaji Bundy 2 1-2 6, Anthony Farmer 8 8-12 25, Jabez DeJesus 5 2-2 14, Paul Weathers 5 0-1 10, Xavier McGriff 0 0-0 0, Ty Lecator 2 3-5 7, Joe Tunis 0 0-0 0, Davontae Jackson 0 0-0 0. Totals 22 14-22 62.
Pitman
7
23
23
11 –
64
Salem
19
11
14
18 –
62
TRI-COUNTY CLASSIC
OVERALL
DIVISION
Gloucester Cath.
3-0
1-0
Pitman
3-0
1-0
Wildwood
2-1
1-0
Salem
1-2
0-1
Clayton
1-3
0-1
Salem Tech
0-3
0-1
Cover photo: Two of the premier guards in South Jersey, Salem’s Anthony Farmer (R) and Pitman’s Elijah Crispin, went head-to-head for the first time this season Wednesday night. Farmer brought his team back in the fourth quarter after it lost an early lead, but Crispin got the win.
Boys roundup: Woodstown opens its season with a win at Schalick, Pennsville, Penns Grove and Salem Tech all lose
TUESDAY’S BOYS SCORES Glassboro 71, Penns Grove 32 Gloucester Catholic 85, Salem Tech 53 Overbrook 67, Pennsville 35 Woodstown 61, Schalick 27
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
PENNSVILLE – When you’re playing a team expected to be one of the best in Group II – even without its full complement of players that will make it even better later in the season – it takes a complete game to have a shot.
Pennsville played what coach Joe Mecholsky considered pretty good defense against Overbrook in its Diamond Division opener Tuesday night, but the Eagles were cold from the field for the second game in a row and fell 67-35.
“We played really good defense, we just couldn’t convert,” Mecholsky said. “Every time we did a (defensive) stand we’d go down and miss a basket. We made probably three D stands and then they’d make the fourth.
“It was 14-8 at the end of first quarter and we missed 10 shots, but we played great 2-3 (defense), we ran them off the 3-point line. They hit a 3 at the (halftime) buzzer or we hold them to 24 points in the first half; that’s something to hang your hat on. We did what we wanted to do, we were happy … we just couldn’t put the ball in the daggone basket.”
The Eagles (1-2) were just 13-for-55 from the field, 3-of-21 from 3-point range. They scored only four points in the second quarter. The Rams (3-0) eventually hit 11 3s and placed four scorers in double figures.
In its last two losses, Pennsville has shot 31-of-120 from the field, 7-of-46 from behind the arc. They hit five 3s in their season-opening victory over Clayton.
“A lot of balls were on the rim, in the rim, out of the rim; we’re just gonna say it was one of those nights,” Macholsky said. “I don’t count Saturday as part of our slump because it was off a back-to-back after running up and down with Clayton (the night before). Tonight, in our own gym, the ball just wouldn’t go in.”
Luke Wood led the Eagles with 11 points. Daniel Saulin had 10 points and 11 rebounds. Peyton O’Brien grabbed 10 boards. Overbrook’s Amare Kee led all scorers with 17 points.
OVERBROOK 67, PENNSVILLE 35 OVERBROOK (3-0) – Shaun Mills 4 1-1 10, Zair Green 5 1-3 12, Amare Kee 6 0-0 17, Lamar Little 5 0-0 14, Kevin Satchell 1 0-0 2, Xavier Wright 3 0-0 6, Elvin Santiago 1 0-0 2, Tory Scott 2 0-0 4. Totals 27 2-4 67. PENNSVILLE (1-2) – Luke Wood 4 2-2 11, Peyton O’Brien 1 2-3 5, Daniel Saulin 4 2-6 10, Jayden Thomas 1 0-0 2, Malik Rehmer 1 0-0 2, Cohen Petrutz 2 0-0 5. Totals 13 6-11 35.
Woodstown’s Max Webb brings the ball up the floor against Schalick’s Jordan Johnson (2) and Daniel Lis (23). (Photo by Ellen Sickler)
WOODSTOWN 61, SCHALICK 27: The Wolverines were the last team in Salem County to open their basketball season and they looked like a team that couldn’t wait to get on the court for real.
Rocco String had 13 points and 11 rebounds, the Wolverines (1-0) placed four scorers in double figures and held the Cougars (1-1) scoreless in the second quarter while opening a 25-7 halftime lead. Blake Bialecki, M.J. Hall and Max Webb each added 11 points to the effort and had all four of the Wolverines’ 3-pointers.
Woodstown’s defense collected 19 steals, with String and Garrett Leyman getting four apiece.
GLASSBORO 71, PENNS GROVE 32: Charles Graves (26) and Clinton Suggs (24) combined to outscore the Red Devils by themselves.
Graves and Suggs combined for 30 points in the first half. Michael Dougherty joined the fun with all four of his 3-pointers in the second quarter. It added up to a 44-16 Glassboro lead at the break.
3-point goals: Penns Grove 1 (Conrad); Glassboro 7 (Graves, Suggs, Dougherty 4, Buff). Total fouls: Penns Grove 14, Glassboro 14.
GLOUCESTER CATHOLIC 85, SALEM TECH 53: The Chargers hit 10 3-pointers in the game to keep up with Jack Mustaro’s game-high 30 points, but the Rams had too many other weapons.
Six players hit at last one 3 for the Chargers (0-3), with Josh Muntz hitting 3 on his way to a team-high 15 points.
The Chargers trailed by only two after the first quarter, then Mustaro really got going and erupted for 22 points over the next two quarters to help the Rams pull away. The junior guard is averaging 23 points a game this season.
Cover photo: Woodstown’s Blake Bialecki fires up a shot from the top of the key in the Wolverines’ season opener against Schalick. (Photo by Ellen Sickler)
Tough day for the four Salem County basketball teams in action Monday; also includes track and swimming report
MONDAY’S BASKETBALL SCORES GIRLS Pitman 45, Salem 36 GCIT 38, Salem Tech 12 BOYS GCIT 75, Salem Tech 41 Wildwood Catholic 72, Salem 53
By Riverview Sports News
WOODSTOWN – Salem Tech focused on putting the wraps on GCIT’s Mark Hallman, but by the time the defense settled in, it was too late.
Hallman hit five 3-pointers and scored 23 of his 30 points in the first quarter as Gloucester Tech handled a Chargers team still trying to find itself, 72-53. The junior hit seven 3-pointers in the game. He is averaging 21.7 points with 14 3-pointers in the Cheetahs’ first three games.
“I prioritized our defense to slow him down, but by that time the lead was too big,” Chargers coach Bryan Riley said.
Haneef Frisby, playing point guard for the first time for injured Antoine Robinson, led Salem Tech with 14 points. Tyler Zampino had 10 points with all three of his team’s 3-pointers and Chase Wills had eight steals.
“We’re a young team trying to figure things out,” Riley said. “Last year we had Brandon Bermudez, who was our leading scorer, and him graduating we have to find our identity. Somebody’s got to step up and score.”
GCIT 75, SALEM TECH 41 GLOUCESTER TECH (2-1) – Trent Phillips 0 0-0 0, Michael Stanwood 5 3-4 13, Carl Schmidt 5 0-0 13, Mark Hallman 10 3-7 30, James Donahue 0 0-0 0, Patrick Monoghan 2 1-1 5, Brady Johnson 0 0-3 0, Gavin Shaneline 1 0-2 2, Amad Traeore 1 0-0 3, Ian Malgapo 3 0-0 9, Charles Donaldson 0 0-0 0. Totals 27 7-14 75. SALEM TECH (0-2) – Chase Wills 3 0-1 6, Josh Muntz 2 1-1 5, Tyler Zampino 3 1-2 10, Haneef Frisby 5 4-8 14, Joseph Hayes 0 2-2 2, Gio Holmes 0 0-0 0, Daviontae Russell 0 0-4 0, Chase Ayars 2 0-1 4. Totals 15 8-19 41
GCIT
28
17
19
11 –
75
Salem Tech
7
14
10
10 –
41
3-point goals: GCIT 14 (Schmidt 3, Hallman 7, Traeore, Malgapo 3); Salem Tech 3 (Zampino 3). Fouled out: Monoghan. Total fouls: GCIT 16, Salem Tech 14.
Wildwood Catholic 72, Salem 53: Freshman Tymear Lecator had a breakout game leading three Salem scorers in double figures with three 3-pointers and a career-high 16 points, but Wildwood Catholic played hard, physical on the glass and steadily pulled away. Jabez DeJesus had 12 points and Paul Weathers 11 for the Rams.
“Going on the road is never easy,” Salem coach Anthony Farmer said. “We have to go back and watch film and figure out to to learn from it.”
GIRLS Pitman 45, Salem 36: Miya Villari scored 20 points and grabbed nine rebounds to lead the Panthers. Ryann Foote led Salem with 11 points and nine rebounds. QwenNazha Johnson-Logan had nine points, eight boards and four blocked shots for the Rams.
3-point goals: Salem 1 (Bower); Pitman 1 (Villari).
Gloucester Tech 38, Salem Tech 12: Ava Friel scored 10 points and Sophia Molinari and Maggie Duer combined for 15 points on five 3-pointers to lead GCIT.
TOMS RIVER – Salem’s girls finished third in three relays (shuttle hurdle, sprint medley, 4×200) and finished tied for sixth in SJTCA’s third winter meet Monday. Dominique Lewis and Ryann Mulhorn finished fourth and sixth, respectively, in the girls shot put. Schalick was 11th.
Swimming
Woodstown 96, West Deptford 74: The Wolverines (2-0) won three individual events and all three relays. Thomas Boyles won the 50 free and swam legs on all three relays. Sabastian Smith won 100 back and 100 free and swam leadoff on the 200 medley and 400 free relays.
Here is the Salem County high school sports calendar for the week of Dec. 18-23
MONDAY BASKETBALL Girls Penns Grove at Paulsboro, 4 p.m. Pennsville at Kingsway, 5:30 p.m. Pitman at Salem, 5:30 p.m. Salem Tech at GCIT, 5:30 p.m. Boys GCIT at Salem Tech, 5:30 p.m. Salem at Wildwood Catholic, 6 p.m. WRESTLING Millville at Schalick, 5 p.m.
INDOOR TRACK Salem, Schalick in SJCTA Meet, Toms River
SWIMMING Woodstown vs. West Deptford at Riverwinds, 3:30 p.m.
BOWLING Salem vs. Lindenwold, Wood Lanes, 4 p.m.
TUESDAY BASKETBALL Girls Glassboro at Penns Grove, 4 p.m. Gloucester Cath. at Salem Tech, 5:30 p.m. Pennsville at Overbrook, 5:30 p.m. Schalick at Woodstown, 5:30 p.m. Boys Overbrook at Pennsville, 5:30 p.m. Penns Grove at Glassboro, 5:30 p.m. Woodstown at Schalick, 5:30 p.m. Salem Tech at Gloucester Cath., 5:30 p.m.
BOWLING Salem Tech at Gloucester City, 4 p.m.
WEDNESDAY BASKETBALL Pitman at Salem, 7 p.m.
WRESTLING Schalick, Salem, Egg Harbor Twp. at Pennsville, 5 p.m. Penns Grove at Clayton, 6 p.m.
WINTER TRACK Penns Grove, Salem in Polar Bear Meet, Pennsville, 3:30 p.m.
BOWLING Salem in Holiday Tournament, Laurel Lanes, 3:30 p.m.
THURSDAY BASKETBALL Girls Schalick at LEAP, 4 p.m. Clearview at Woodstown, 5:30 p.m. Pennsville at Gloucester Tech, 5:30 p.m. Salem Tech at Penns Grove, 4 p.m. Boys Gloucester Tech at Pennsville, 5:30 p.m. LEAP at Schalick, 5:30 p.m. Penns Grove at Salem Tech, 5:30 p.m. Woodstown at Cumberland, 5:30 p.m.
SWIMMING Schalick vs. Gloucester Cath. at GCIT, 4:45 p.m. Salem vs. Triton Regional at GCIT, 7:15 p.m.
SATURDAY BASKETBALL Boys Cherokee at Penns Grove, 1 p.m.
WRESTLING Pennsville, Penns Grove, Schalick in Cumberland Duals Woodstown, Seneca, St. Joseph at Mainland, 9 a.m.
Salem opens its season with an intense victory over Woodbury behind MVP Farmer, Bundy
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
PENNS GROVE – Anthony Farmer was the last one to get back to the locker room for the post-game meeting. His father, the coach, had already begun his remarks. When you’re the player of the game there are a lot of demands on your time.
FARMER
Farmer scored 19 points and was right in the middle of all the key moments in the game leading Salem to a 67-56 victory over defending Group I champion Woodbury in their season opener Saturday in the Red Devil Classic.
Before rejoining his teammates in their sanctuary, the senior guard had to negotiate a gauntlet of well-wishers and interviewers following the MVP trophy presentation. But it’s an experience he wouldn’t trade for the world.
“It’s a hassle, everybody asking questions, but I embrace that kind of stuff and that’s what I do it for,” he said. “I love the feeling, it’s a very good feeling and I hope to feel that plenty more times.”
Salem had several leads that seemed comfortable, but Woodbury rallied every time. The Rams never put the Herd away until the final two minutes.
It was a 10-point game early in the third quarter, but the Herd rallied behind some big shots by Jajuan Solomon and Troy Lindsey and eventually took a 42-41 lead on R.J. Heighler’s 3-pointer right before the horn.
The most important minute of the game came early in the fourth quarter and Farmer was right in the middle of it.
The Rams had regained the lead 45-41, but the way teams were making runs in the game that could change in an instant. Farmer went the length of the floor for a layup and then made a steal near midcourt and finished the play with a layup from underneath the basket.
When freshman Ty Lecator followed with a 3-pointer to cap an 11-0 run, Salem led by 10 once again. This time they didn’t let it go. The Herd got within five with two minutes left, but the Rams didn’t let them get any closer.
“I knew I had to make a play,” the guard said. “I’m one of the leaders on the team and they need me, they’re depending on me, and I felt like at that time I know I needed to make a play. Thank the man above I was able to do that.”
“That definitely was a big stretch for us; we needed to make plays,” Farmer the coach said. “That’s his job, he’s a senior, he’s been around. He’s a calm kid, he made the plays that needed to be made as a senior.”
Ramaji Bundy also played a big role. He banked home a 3 from the side-court logo at the end of the first quarter to put Salem up by six. He plunged in the dagger with a minute to go when he hit a 3 to put the Rams up eight.
“Bundy was special all night, man,” Farmer the coach said. “Just some of the plays down the stretch that maybe didn’t show up in the box score. He was huge, getting deflections, chasing balls around, just being active. That’s what he is for us.
“When he’s making shots and scoring for us that’s a bonus, but his energy and effort and leadership is really what we rely on.”
Gloucester Catholic goes out fast against Woodstown to spoil Straughn’s coaching debut; Penns Grove pulls away from Clayton for county girls’ only win of the night
FRIDAY’S GIRLS SCORES Glassboro 44, Salem 29 Gloucester Catholic 69, Woodstown 41 Penns Grove 47, Clayton 38 Pitman 52, Schalick 14 Wildwood 64, Pennsville 30 Overbrook at Salem Tech
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
GLOUCESTER CITY – The moment she saw it on the schedule Kara Straughn knew her first game as the Woodstown girls basketball coach was going to be a tough one.
Straughn made her head coaching debut Friday night and it didn’t go well as the Rams handed her and the Wolverines a 69-41 loss.
“I knew it was going to be a tough game even if it wasn’t my first game,” Straughn said. “I was still going to have the same amount of nerves just because of who they are. They’re a team, a program, a coach … you cannot not honor and respect them as a whole.
“I knew it was going to be a difficult game because of who they are and going up there adds a whole ‘nother level of anxiety. I knew off the bat it was going to be a difficult game and we just didn’t match up.”
The Rams took advantage of their size and placed four scorers in double figures. Jazhara Green led the way with 17 points. Talia Schumate had 15, Jalyn Moore 13 and Julianna DiFebbo 12.
Talia Battavio led Woodstown with five 3-pointers and 17 points, but their next two scorers – Megan Donelson and Shannon Pierman – had 12 apiece. The Rams jumped out to a 21-11 lead in the first quarter and Woodstown just couldn’t put enough together to overcome the deficit.
“Matchup-wise it wasn’t there tonight,” Straughn said. “My girls played their hearts out, but we just couldn’t piece things together. We would get a couple stops and then we would throw the ball away sometimes. We just couldn’t put it all together.”
PENNS GROVE 47, CLAYTON 38: A veteran and a newcomer took over a close game in the fourth quarter and led the Red Devils to their opening-night victory
Jameelyonna Horace and transfer RaNiyah Wilson combined for 15 of their team’s 17 points in the fourth quarter as Penns Grove pulled away.
Horace knocked down two of her three 3-pointers and scored eight of her game-high 16 points in the fourth quarter. Wilson went 3-for-4 from the free throw line and scored seven of her 11 in the quarter.
The Red Devils held a 19-14 halftime lead, but the Clippers closed the margin to 30-29 entering the fourth quarter behind eight of Rainelle Blocker’s 13 points.
3-point goals: Penns Grove 4 (Horace 3, Dowe); Clayton 4 (Delaney 4). Total fouls: Penns Grove 3, Clayton 7.
WILDWOOD 64, PENNSVILLE 30: After enduring a 90-minute bus ride to the game, the Eagles had trouble getting on track and fell behind 46-14 at halftime.
The Warriors took advantage of the friendly confines to hit eight 3-pointers in the first half to open up their big lead. Leading scorer Macie McCracken (22) and Rebecca Benichou (13) both hit three 3s in the half.
Nora Ausland led Pennsville with nine points. She had the Eagles’ five points in the first quarter.
“They played in the South Jersey Group I championship last year (against Woodstown) for a reason; (coach Teresa Cunniff) has always had a solid program,” Pennsville coach Sam Trapp said. “They are a very good shooting team and executed man defense well, which we struggled against. We had several open looks, but could not finish at the basket.
“We are still figuring out who we are and what our strengths are as a team. Hoping to have a better showing and boost our confidence next week.”
GLASSBORO 44, SALEM 29: Tamia Smith (17) and Kezia Brackett (15) combined to outscore the Rams (0-1) themselves. Ava Rodgerss led Salem with 11 points.
