WJFL Schedule

Here is the 2025 West Jersey Football League schedule; Salem County games is bold type.

AUGUST 28
Cherry Hill West at Haddon Heights, 11 a.m.
Northern Burlington at Nottingham, 11
Eastside at Triton, 4 p.m.
Palmyra at Riverside, 5:30
Asbury Park at Pleasantville, 6
Cherokee at Middletown South, 6
Cherry Hill East at Eastern, 6
Delsea at Vineland, 6
Deptford at Florence, 6
Franklin at Hammonton, 6
Gateway at Middle Township, 6
Gloucester at Pennsville, 6
Lower Cape May at Pinelands, 6
Pennsauken at Camden Catholic, 6
Timber Creek at Paul VI, 6
Willingboro at Rahway, 6
Kingsway at Donovan Catholic, 6:30
Cinnaminson at Overbrook, 7
Cumberland at Clearview, 7
Pitman at Woodstown, 7
Shawnee at Pope John Paul II (Pa.), 7
Williamstown at Seneca, 7

Battle at the Beach, Ocean City
Holy Spirit vs. Northern Highlands, 10 a.m.
Ocean City vs. Oakcrest, 1 p.m.
Bergen Catholic vs. East St. Louis, 4
Winslow vs. IMG Academy, 7

AUGUST 29
Maple Shade at Wildwood, 10 a.m.
Clayton at Collingswood, 11
Absegami at Egg Harbor Township, 6 p.m.
Buena at Sterling, 6
Moorestown at Watchung Hills, 6
Somerville at Schalick, 6
St. Augustine at McKinley, 7:30
Burlington Township vs. Passaic Tech, at West Orange, 8

Battle at the Beach, Rowan
West Deptford vs. KIPP Cooper Norcross, 9 a.m.
Washington Township vs. Hillsborough, 11:45
Millville vs. Rancocas Valley, 7:30 p.m.

Pigskin Classic, Wilmington, Del.
Mainland vs. Atlantic City, 4 p.m.

AUGUST 30
Pemberton at Hamilton West, 11 a.m.
Paulsboro at Penns Grove, noon

Battle at the Beach, Rowan
Highland vs. Southern, 10 a.m.
Delran vs. Bridgeton, 1 p.m.
Cedar Creek vs. Old Bridge, 3
Glassboro vs. Haddonfield, 6

SEPTEMBER 4
Ewing at Delran, 6 p.m.
Haddon Township at Gateway, 6
Lenape at Cherokee, 6
Mastery Charter at Clayton, 6
Ocean City at Eastern, 6
Pennsauken at Washington Township, 6
Riverside at Florence, 6
Salem at Cinnaminson, 6
West Windsor-Plainsboro North at Cherry Hill East, 6
Winslow at Highland, 6
Buena at Lindenwold, 6:30
Bridgeton at Clearview, 7
Burlington City at Bordentown

SEPTEMBER 5
Atlantic County Tech at Vineland, 6 p.m.
Cedar Creek at Absegami, 6
Haddon Heights at Glassboro, 6
Holy Cross at Wildwood, 6
Holy Spirit at Oakcrest, 6
Lawrence at Maple Shade, 6
Kingsway at Camden, 6
Mainland at Hammonton, 6
Millville at Atlantic City, 6
Nottingham at Burlington Township, 6
Pitman at Sterling, 6
Rancocas Valley at Pleasantville, 6
Schalick at Cumberland, 6
Timber Creek at Notre Dame, 6
Triton at Middle Township, 6
Collingswood at Overbrook, 7
Pennsville at West Deptford, 7
Seneca at Moorestown, 7
Shawnee at Williamstown, 7
St. Augustine at Paul VI, 7
Woodbury at Haddonfield, 7
Woodstown at Delsea, 7
Egg Harbor Township at St. Joseph
Gloucester at Lower Cape May

SEPTEMBER 6
Audubon at Paulsboro, 11 a.m.
Cherry Hill West at Steinert, 11
Morris Catholic at Gloucester Catholic, 11
Palmyra at Bishop Eustace, 11
Deptford at Penns Grove, noon
Northern Burlington at Pemberton, noon
Neumann-Goretti at Camden Catholic, 6:30 p.m.
Willingboro at Eastside

SEPTEMBER 11
Eastern at Vineland, 6 p.m.
Gateway at Wildwood, 6
Highland at Pennsauken, 6
KIPP Cooper Norcross at Buena, 6
Riverside at Maple Shade, 6
West Deptford at Collingswood, 6 
Haddon Township at Clayton, 7

SEPTEMBER 12
Atlantic County Tech at Deptford, 6 p.m.
Bergen Catholic at Winslow, 6
Bridgeton at Egg Harbor Township, 6
Cherry Hill East at Triton, 6
Cherokee at St. Augustine, 6
Cinnaminson at Delran, 6
Clearview at Cherry Hill West, 6
Gloucester Catholic at Pitman, 6
Haddon Heights at Burlington Township, 6
Hammonton at Holy Spirit, 6
Kingsway at Timber Creek, 6
Lawrence at Florence, 6
Lindenwold at Bishop Eustace, 6
Lower Cape May at Middle Township, 6
Millville at Mainland, 6
Oakcrest at Cumberland, 6
Ocean City at Lenape, 6
Palmyra at Holy Cross, 6
Penns Grove at Glassboro, 6
Seneca at Pleasantville, 6
Shawnee at Camden, 6
Woodstown at Schalick, 6
Haddonfield at Willingboro, 7
Northern Burlington at Moorestown, 7
Overbrook at Pennsville, 7
Paulsboro at Camden Catholic, 7
Washington Township at Delsea, 7
Paul VI at Gloucester

SEPTEMBER 13
Bordentown at Audubon, 11 a.m.
Rancocas Valley at Eastside, 11
Burlington City at Pemberton, noon
Woodbury at Salem, noon
Atlantic City at Cedar Creek, 1:30 p.m.
Absegami at St. Joseph
Buena at KIPP Cooper Norcross
Sterling at Mastery Charter

SEPTEMBER 18
ACIT at Triton, 6 p.m.
Buena at Holy Cross, 6
Cumberland at St. Joseph, 6
Riverside at Burlington City, 6
Willingboro at Gloucester, 6
Deptford at Bridgeton, 7
Pitman at Haddon Township, 7

SEPTEMBER 19
Palmyra at KIPP Cooper Norcross, noon
Bordentown at Lawrence, 6 p.m.
Camden at Holy Spirit, 6
Cedar Creek at Hammonton, 6
Cherry Hill West at Eastern, 6
Delsea at Kingsway, 6
Egg Harbor Township at Cherry Hill East, 6
Florence at Overbrook, 6
Mainland at Cherokee, 6
Middle Township at Oakcrest, 6
Moorestown at Burlington Township, 6
Northern Burlington at Delran, 6
Ocean City at Atlantic City, 6
Pemberton at Maple Shade, 6
Pennsauken at Vineland, 6
Rancocas Valley at Shawnee, 6
Washington Township at Millville, 6
Wildwood at Lindenwold, 6
Williamstown at Timber Creek, 6
Winslow at St. Augustine, 6
Camden Catholic at West Deptford, 7
Haddonfield at Seneca, 7
Highland at Clearview, 7
Sterling at Gateway, 7

SEPTEMBER 20
Clayton at Gloucester Catholic, 11 a.m.
Collingswood at Paulsboro, 11
Pennsville at Audubon, 11
Woodstown at Woodbury, 11
Cinnaminson at Haddon Heights, noon
Glassboro at Salem, noon
Schalick at Penns Grove, noon
Lenape at Eastside, 1 p.m.
Pleasantville at Paul VI, 6
Buena at Holy Cross
Lower Cape May at Absegami
Mastery Charter at Bishop Eustace

SEPTEMBER 25
Atlantic County Tech at Cherry Hill East, 6 p.m.
Bishop Eustace at Buena, 6
Eastside at Kingsway, 6
Middle Twp. at Cumberland, 6
Northern Burlington at Cinnaminson, 6
Salem at Schalick, 6
St. Augustine at Mainland, 6
Audubon at West Deptford, 7
Paulsboro at Overbrook, 7
Timber Creek at Delsea, 7

SEPTEMBER 26
Absegami at Oakcrest, 6 p.m.
Atlantic City at Cherokee, 6
Bridgeton at Triton, 6
Bordentown at Maple Shade, 6
Burlington Township at Delran, 6
Camden at Rancocas Valley, 6
Cherry Hill West at Highland, 6
Deptford at Egg Harbor Township, 6
Florence at Burlington City, 6
Haddon Township at Collingswood, 6
Hammonton at Ocean City, 6
Holy Spirit at Cedar Creek, 6
Palmyra at Wildwood, 6
Shawnee at Lenape, 6
Camden Catholic at Pennsville, 7
Clayton at Gateway, 7
Gloucester at Seneca, 7
Mastery Charter at Pitman, 7
Penns Grove at Woodstown, 7
Pleasantville at Haddonfield, 7
Vineland at Clearview, 7
Washington Township at Williamstown, 7
Gloucester Catholic at Sterling
Paul VI at Willingboro
Riverside at Holy Cross
St. Joseph at Lower Cape May

SEPTEMBER 27
Lawrence at Pemberton, noon
Moorestown at Haddon Heights, noon
Eastern at Pennsauken, 1 p.m.
Millville at Winslow, 1
Glassboro at Woodbury
KIPP Cooper Norcross at Lindenwold

OCTOBER 2
Woodstown at Pleasantville, 6 p.m.
Lindenwold at Pitman, 7

OCTOBER 3
Mainland at Ocean City, 3 p.m.
Allentown at Northern Burlington, 6
Cherokee at Shawnee, 6
Cinnaminson at Florence, 6
Clearview at Cherry Hill East, 6
Cumberland at Bridgeton, 6
Delran at Hightstown, 6
Glassboro at Deptford, 6
Hammonton at Kingsway, 6
Highland at Notre Dame, 6
Hopewell Valley at Seneca, 6
Lower Cape May at Egg Harbor Township, 6
Oakcrest at Cedar Creek, 6
Palmyra at Maple Shade, 6
Paulsboro at Schalick, 6
St. Joseph at Buena, 6
Timber Creek at Willingboro, 6
Triton at Cherry Hill West, 6
Vineland at Atlantic City, 6
Williamstown at Rancocas Valley, 6
Pennsville at Penns Grove, 6:30
Burlington Township at Burlington City, 7
Collingswood at Sterling, 7
Haddonfield at West Deptford, 7
Lenape at Washington Township, 7
Millville at Delsea, 7
Overbrook at Clayton, 7
Bishop Eustace at Riverside
Eastern at Trenton
Holy Cross at Princeton
KIPP Cooper Norcross at Ewing
Robbinsville at Bordentown

OCTOBER 4
Gateway at Woodbury, 10 a.m.
Mastery Charter at Wildwood, 10
Audubon at Gloucester Catholic. 11
Camden Catholic at Haddon Heights, noon
Pennsauken at Eastside, noon
Salem at Middle Township, noon
Moorestown at Steinert, 2 p.m.
Winslow at Camden, 2 p.m.
Atlantic County Tech at Absegami
Pemberton at Keansburg

OCTOBER 9
Camden at Timber Creek, 6 p.m.
Cherry Hill East at Cherry Hill West, 6
Lower Cape May at Cedar Creek, 6
Paulsboro at Pennsville, 6
Pemberton at Florence, 6
Pitman at Maple Shade, 6
Pleasantville at Oakcrest, 6
Cinnaminson at Glassboro, 7
Mastery Charter at Haddon Township, 7

OCTOBER 10
Collingswood at Audubon, 6 p.m.
Delsea at Holy Spirit, 6
Deptford at Cumberland, 6
Egg Harbor Township at Mainland, 6
Gloucester at Schalick, 6
Highland at Triton, 6
Middle Township at Ocean City, 6
Palmyra at Lindenwold, 6
Penns Grove at Delran, 6
Seneca at Hammonton, 6
Shawnee at Pennsauken, 6
St. Augustine at Lenape, 6
Trenton at Northern Burlington, 6
Washington Township at Rancocas Valley, 6
Absegami at Bridgeton, 7
Cherokee at Williamstown, 7
Clayton at Sterling, 7
Haddon Heights at Woodstown, 7
Kingsway at Clearview, 7
Overbrook at Camden Catholic, 7
Robbinsville at Moorestown, 7
Atlantic City at Eastern
Holy Cross at Bishop Eustace
Notre Dame at Paul VI
Riverside at Bordentown
St. Joseph at Atlantic County Tech
Woodbury at Willingboro

OCTOBER 11
Gateway at Gloucester Catholic, 11 a.m.
Burlington Township at Hopewell Valley, noon
KIPP Cooper Norcross at Wildwood, noon
West Deptford at Salem, noon
Eastside at Winslow, 1 p.m.
Burlington City at Lawrence

OCTOBER 16
Cherry Hill East at Deptford, 6 p.m.
Gloucester at Haddonfield, 7
Gloucester Catholic at Haddon Township, 7

OCTOBER 17
Bordentown at Florence, 6 p.m.
Camden Catholic at Collingswood, 6
Cedar Creek at Timber Creek, 6
Clearview at Eastern, 6    
Cumberland at Lower Cape May, 6 
Eastside at Shawnee, 6
Kingsway at Washington Township, 6
Lawrence at Pennsville, 6
Mainland at Winslow, 6
Maple Shade at Burlington City, 6
Moorestown at Cinnaminson, 6
Oakcrest at St. Joseph, 6
Ocean City at Holy Spirit, 6
Pennsauken at Cherry Hill West, 6
Triton at Egg Harbor Township, 6
Vineland at Highland, 6
Wildwood at Bishop Eustace, 6
Willingboro at Pleasantville, 6
Atlantic County Tech at Bridgeton, 7
Delsea at Williamstown, 7
Mastery Charter at Gateway, 7
Salem at Woodstown, 7
Schalick at Glassboro, 7
Seneca at Paul VI, 7
Middle Township at Absegami
Sterling at Lindenwold

OCTOBER 18
Atlantic City at Hammonton, 11 a.m.
Buena at Palmyra, 11
Camden at Lenape, 11
West Deptford at Paulsboro, 11
Overbrook at Audubon, 11
Delran at Haddon Heights, noon
Rancocas Valley at St. Augustine, noon
Woodbury at Penns Grove, noon
Northern Burlington at Burlington Township, 1:30 p.m.
Cherokee at Millville, 2
Riverside at Pemberton, 2
Holy Cross at KIPP Cooper Norcross

OCTOBER 23
Atlantic County Tech at Egg Harbor Township, 6 p.m.
Hammonton at Shawnee, 6
Haddon Heights at Northern Burlington, 6
Burlington Township at Cinnaminson, 7
Clearview at Pennsauken, 7
Willingboro at Seneca, 7

OCTOBER 24
Bridgeton at Cherry Hill East, 6 p.m.
Cedar Creek at Ocean City, 6
Cumberland at Absegami, 6
Delsea at Mainland, 6
Eastern at Highland, 6
Oakcrest at Lower Cape May, 6
Pemberton at Bordentown, 6
Pennsville at Collingswood, 6
Pleasantville at Gloucester, 6
St. Augustine at Millville, 6
St. Joseph at Middle Township, 6
Sterling at Haddon Township, 6
Timber Creek at Washington Township, 6
Triton at Deptford, 6
West Deptford at Overbrook, 6
Wildwood at Buena, 6
Williamstown at Kingsway, 6
Winslow at Cherokee, 6
Gateway at Pitman, 7
Glassboro at Woodstown, 7
Paul VI at Haddonfield, 7
Bishop Eustace at KIPP Cooper Norcross
Lindenwold at Holy Cross

OCTOBER 25
Burlington City at Palmyra, 11 a.m.
Cherry Hill West at Vineland, 11
Florence at Maple Shade, 11
Mastery Charter at Gloucester Catholic, 11
Schalick at Woodbury, 11
Penns Grove at Salem, noon
Clayton at Paulsboro, 12:30 p.m.
Delran at Moorestown, 1
Lenape at Rancocas Valley, 1
Lawrence at Riverside

OCTOBER 31
Holy Spirit at St. Augustine, 6 p.m.

NOVEMBER 26
Audubon at Haddon Township, 6 p.m.

NOVEMBER 27

Paul VI at Camden Catholic, 10 a.m.
Pitman at Clayton, 10:30
Gloucester Catholic at Gloucester, 10:30
Vineland at Millville, 10:30
Haddonfield at Haddon Heights, 11
Eastside at Camden
Holy Spirit at Atlantic City

Starting strength index

Gridiron New Jersey, the gatekeeper of the formula that determines that New Jersey high school football playoff field, released its starting strength index rating for the 2025 season Thursday.

The index is just one of the tools that go into determining the power rankings used for tournament seedings.

Listed below are the starting strength index ratings for the teams in the West Jersey Football League Diamond and Patriot Divisions that contain the Salem County teams as well as the ratings for South Jersey Group I.

The top 16 teams in the South Jersey Group I United Power Ratings (UPR) will make up the Group I South and Central Jersey brackets.

The complete can be found at the gridironnewjersey.com website.

WJFL

DIAMOND DIVISIONPATRIOT DIVISION
Glassboro91.44Paulsboro67.96
Woodstown70.84West Deptford65.00
Schalick66.30Camden Catholic64.80
Woodbury63.65Pennsville63,24
Penns Grove58.43Overbrook55.60
Salem47.47Audubon50.76
Collingswood44.22

South Jersey Group I

Glassboro91.44
Woodstown70.84
Paulsboro67.96
Schalick66.30
Shore63.79
Woodbury63.65
Pennsville63.24
Middlesex60.23
Manville60.10
Burlington City59.71
Pitman59.63
Penns Grove58.43
Riverside56.42
Clayton56.26
Asbury Park55.36
South Hunterdon54.73
KIPP Cooper Norcross52.16
Audubon50.76
Highland Park49.90
Haddon Twp.48.38
Gateway47.66
Salem47.47
Point Pleasant Beach46.63
Buena46.37
New Egypt46.37
Palmyra43.18
Maple Shade42.22
Bound Brook 41.95
Keyport41.09
Florence40.77
Keansburg38.68
Wildwood35.05

Salem County football

Here is the 2025 Salem County football schedule; check back for updates from the WJFL Patriot and Diamond Divisions

2025 SALEM COUNTY FOOTBALL
(x-scrimmage)

AUG. 18
x-Clearview, Mainland, West Deptford at Penns Grove, 9 a.m.
x-Schalick at Delsea

AUG. 22
x-Buena at Schalick

AUG. 19
x-Audubon at Woodstown

AUG. 28
Gloucester City at Pennsville, 6 p.m.
Pitman at Woodstown

AUG. 29
Somerville at Schalick

AUG. 30
Paulsboro at Penns Grove, noon

SEPT. 5
Pennsville at West Deptford
Schalick at Cumberland
Woodstown at Delsea

SEPT. 6
Penns Grove at Deptford, noon
Salem at Cinnaminson

SEPT. 12
Overbrook at Pennsville
Penns Grove at Glassboro, 6 p.m.
Woodstown at Schalick

SEPT. 13
Woodbury at Salem

SEPT. 20
Glassboro at Salem
Pennsville at Audubon, 11 a.m.
Schalick at Penns Grove, noon
Woodstown at Woodbury

SEPT. 25
Salem at Schalick

SEPT. 26
Camden Catholic at Pennsville, 7 p.m.
Penns Grove at Woodstown, 7 p.m.

OCT. 3
Paulsboro at Schalick
Pennsville at Penns Grove, 6:30 p.m.
Woodstown at Pleasantville

OCT. 4
Salem at Middle Twp.

OCT. 9
Paulsboro at Pennsville, 6 p.m.

OCT. 10
Gloucester at Schalick
Haddon Heights at Woodstown
Penns Grove at Delran

OCT. 11
West Deptford at Salem

OCT. 17
Lawrence at Pennsville, 6 p.m.
Salem at Woodstown
Schalick at Glassboro

OCT. 18
Woodbury at Penns Grove, noon

OCT. 24
Glassboro at Woodstown
Pennsville at Collingswood, 6 p.m.

OCT. 25
Penns Grove at Salem, noon
Schalick at Woodbury

The last leg

As the relay’s lone senior, Woodstown’s Lucas runs last race with his 4×800 buddies at the New Balance Nationals

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

WOODSTOWN – When Cole Lucas was looking for a sport to play in high school Reggie Teemer encouraged him to try track. It will change your life, the coach told the incoming freshman. It turned out to work both ways.

On the eve of the final race weekend of his high school career Lucas admitted the choice to run track in the spring did change his life. But his impact on the Woodstown track program, especially its decorated 4×800 relay team, has been equally profound.

Since getting put together prior to last year’s South Jersey sectionals specifically to challenge to one team, the quartet of Lucas, Karson Chew, Jacob Marino and Josh Crawford has won state championships and set records many times over with Lucas serving as the reliable setup man to Crawford’s clinching anchor.

But the end of their partnership is near. The last time the Fast Four runs together is Friday night in the New Balance Nationals in Philly’s Franklin Field. Three members of the group will return next year, but Lucas, as the lone senior, will be moving on to the next level.

“I’m going to be very emotional after I finish, but I’m still going to give it my all while I’m running it,” he said. “I don’t think it’s going to hit me until after that it’s going to be my last high school race with them.

“I’m definitely going to miss those three. We’re like brothers now. It’s crazy how close we’ve become in these couple of years. I’m going to miss them so much. It hasn’t hit me too much yet, but it will eventually. The memories I’ve made are going to be unforgettable. Teemer said it would change my life and it did.”

Woodstown’s 4×8 is among 11 Salem County athletes competing in six events at the national high school outdoor championships.

Salem’s Anthony Parker is in the boys long jump and Raniyah Parsons-Smith is in the freshman girls 100. Schalick’s boys 4×100 relay (Michael Eberl, Zaeshawn Mills, Reggie Allen, David Stewart), who’ve run the second fastest time in Group I history, is in the field and Navaeh Robinson is entered in the freshman girls javelin. And in addition to the 4×8, Crawford and Lucas will run in the deep individual 800.

There are 99 teams in the 4×8 that will be scored on time, meaning the Wolverines have one shot to shine. Their hope is to run 7:50 – or better. The meet record is 7:36.26.

One thing about this group, when they want something they go after it. They needed to meet the New Balance qualifying standard in the Meet of Champions – their final NJSIAA meet together – and did it in record time (7:54.84).

“I don’t think I’ll ever find another group of guys on the track team at the next level as close are we are,” said Lucas, who’s heading to Marist next year to run indoor and outdoor track.

The feeling is mutual.

“Everybody has their own job, everybody’s making sure our team is dominating and doing well, but Cole really has one of the most important jobs,” Chew said. “If me and Jacob don’t execute the way we want to, he’s there to (bring it back). He’s basically our Mr. Reliable. He’s the most reliable guy on the team and he makes sure we get back that spot that we need for Josh to finish with.”

Amazingly, the unit has only been together for two years. They were put together right before last year’s sectional championship to give Woodbury a run of its money, but it turned into so much more.

“We just wanted to beat Woodbury, we didn’t necessarily care about beating anybody else,” Lucas said. “When we got together that was our main goal, trying to beat Woodbury, and it turned out we beat the whole state.”

Multiple times.

But now it’s coming to an end. The whole group wants to run well for their legacy, but the underclassmen want to go, go, go to give their senior a memorable send off.

“Our plan is to go in there and dominate as much as we possibly can,” Chew said. “It’s the last race of our season and for us three it’s the last race of our career with Cole. We have to make this worth it. We’re going to run our … hearts out and do everything we can to give him a real big send off for the end of his high school career.”

Here are the Salem County athletes competing in the New Balance Outdoor National High School Championships at Franklin Field and the time their events are scheduled

NEW BALANCE NATIONALS
(SALEM COUNTY ENTRIES)

Josh Crawford, Woodstown, boys 800 – Sunday, 1:27 p.m.
Cole Lucas, Woodstown, boys 800 – Sunday, 1:27 p.m.
Anthony Parker, Salem, boys long jump – Sunday, 10 a.m.
Raniyah Parsons-Smith, Salem, freshman girls 100 – Thursday, 12:52 p.m. (prelims), 2:52 p.m. (finals)
Navaeh Robinson, Schalick, freshman girls javelin – Saturday, 10 a.m.
Woodstown 4×800 (Karson Chew, Jacob Marino, Cole Lucas, Josh Crawford) – Friday, 7:42 p.m.
Schalick 4×100 (Michael Eberl, Zaeshawn Mills, Reggie Allen, David Stewart) – Saturday, 1:57 p.m. (prelims), Sunday, 11:57 a.m. (finals)

ALL-SOUTH JERSEY
(Selected by SJTCA)
Track Coaches All-South Jersey Boys
800 – Josh Crawford, Woodstown
LJ – Anthony Parker, Salem
Multi-Event – David Stewart, Schalick
4×800 – Woodstown

Long time coming

Schalick dumps top-seeded Audubon to win first South Jersey Group I baseball title in 33 years, grabbed early lead, turned back threat in seventh

GROUP I SECTIONAL FINALS
Thursday
South: Schalick 4, Audubon 3
Central: Middlesex 7, Point Pleasant Beach 1
North I: Midland Park 1, Wallkill Valley 0
North II: Brearley 8, Verona 0
STATE SEMIFINALS
Monday
Schalick (22-2) at Middlesex (21-5)
Brearley (15-9) at Midland Park (20-8-1)
STATE FINALS
Saturday
At Veterans Park, Hamilton, 1 p.m.

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

AUDUBON — “Somewhere” in the display cases that line the hallways at Schalick High School there’s a 33-year-old trophy gathering dust commemorating one of the greatest accomplishments in the school’s sports history.

But it’s been in there for so long the folks who regularly walk those halls aren’t really sure where it is.

Not to worry. There’s a new, shinier version about to go in the case and everyone will know where it will be.

The Cougars won their first South Jersey Group I baseball title since 1992 Thursday when they held off top-seeded Audubon 4-3 in a game that really was all it was cracked up to be. They now travel to Central champion Middlesex (21-5) in the state semifinals Monday.

“This is the main goal the whole entire year,” starting pitcher Luke Pokrovsky said. “This was the first thing (talked about) when we first walked in the first practice of the year. After beating Woodstown (in the semifinals) we knew we could do it.”

“We’ve worked hard for it and we definitely deserved it,” shortstop Eli Cummings added.

The underdog Cougars (22-2), now the winningest baseball team in school history, a distinction they wrestled from that 1992 team, took the lead early and held it the rest of the game, although they had to survive some seventh-inning Green Wave drama to make it happen.

Pokrovsky once again was brilliant. The senior left-hander gave up four hits and struck out 12, including his 100th of season, and seemed to thrive on the jibes coming from the other side, throwing harder as the game went on. 

He wanted to go the distance, but had to come out in the seventh after 113 pitches and Audubon getting the first two batters on with the top of the order coming up. Cougars coach Sean O’Brien went with his most experienced option, bringing in Lucas D’Agostino from right field to close it out, and the senior right-hander didn’t flinch. 

He induced dangerous leadoff man Tyler Wiltsey to hit a ball up the middle that that Cummings turned into a double play – and more importantly held the lead runner and tying run at third – and got Nick Kalogiros on a foul pop to first baseman Rico Hatz to end the game.

What made Wiltsey even more dangerous in that situation is he took Pokrovsky deep for a two-run homer in the third that cut Schalick’s lead to 4-3. “He got me pretty good,” Pokrovsky said.

“At first I was relieved because that guy showcased his power early in the game so I was relieved as soon as he hit it and it was on the ground,” D’Agostino said. “It’s been this way the whole year: I trust my defense completely. Once I saw that ball up the middle on the ground and I saw Eli was in perfect position I knew what we had going for us.”

“As soon as I knew that ball was hit to me I knew I was turning that double play,” Cummings said. “Coach OB prepares us for those kind of moments. I knew as soon as it was hit to me, I’ve gotta move. That kid going down the line is quick and he made a close play so I knew I had to come up throwing.”

Hatz called it “a beautiful ball” that Cummings delivered to first.

“I was over at first base praying for a double play so our prayers were answered,” Hatz said. “And to get that final out, it was a feeling of victory.”

The Cougars took a 3-1 lead with three runs off Kalogiros in the second from the bottom third of the lineup. Hatz had a game-tying RBI double, J.T. Fleming dropped the go-ahead RBI single into short left field and Cummings made it 3-1 with a sacrifice fly. They are the 7-8-9 hitters in the Schalick order.

“That’s been kind of like our M.O.,” O’Brien said. “It’s like if the top of the order isn’t doing anything, the bottom of the order does it. It’s been happening all year. We beat some good teams. We beat Cherry Hill West and Rancocas Valley and those guys carried us in those games. That’s why we’re so good because 1 through 9 we compete.”

The Cougars added what proved to be the winning run in the third on D’Agostino’s sacrifice fly after Jamari Whitley doubled Evan Sepers to third. Whitley and Sepers both had two hits in the game.

The coach of that 1992 sectional championship team, Chuck Tortella, was at the game and gave O’Brien some words of encouragement beforehand, words said to be similar to the colorful message Tortella gave his team before they beat Audubon in the ‘92 game.

O’Brien had been to this stage of the playoffs twice before with the Cougars (2019 and 2021) but came up empty both times. This time, they went home celebrating and carried a shiny new piece of hardware for the trophy case with them.

“It’s been a long time coming,” O’Brien said. “We kind of went into those (other two) games not wanting to lose; today, these guys showed up ready to win. They were going to take it.”

“I like the history of the game and especially in my own high school,” D’Agostino said. “I’m very glad we could put some more hardware back in the trophy case and when they look at that team they can say, hey, that’s pretty good.”

Schalick (22-2)031 000 0-472
Audubon (20-7)102 000 0-340
LUKE POKROVSKY, Lucas D’Agostino (7) and Ricky Watt. NIK KALAGIROS and Trent Bantle. 2B: Jamari Whitley (S), Rico Hatz (S). HR: Tyler Wiltsey (A)

Beating the clock

Wednesday roundup: Woodstown’s 4×800 relay qualifies for nationals at Meet of Champions; Pennsville announces Hall of Fame Class, names Athletes of the Year

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PENNSAUKEN – The Woodstown 4×800 relay team had one job in Wednesday’s NJSIAA Meet of Champions and they got it done.

Winning the race would have been a nice get, but the Wolverines were focused on posting a time that would get them in the New Balance Nationals at Franklin Field later this month.

They got it done, even with their anchor a little under the weather. The Group I champion quartet of Karson Chew, Jacob Marino, Cole Lucas and Josh Crawford finished fifth in the MOC, but their 7:54.84 set a new Group I record and got them into the nationals.

“One thing those guys won’t do is shy away from competition,” Wolverines coach Reggie Teemer said. “They feed off it.”

Salem County had athletes in 12 events at the all-group meet. Salem’s Anthony Parker had the best individual finish, placing fourth in the boys long jump with a best of 23-5. Crawford also finished seventh in the 800, Schalick’s David Stewart was eighth in the 400 hurdles and Cougars’ 4×100 relay team (Reggie Allen Jr., Michael Eberl, Zaeshawn Mills, David Stewart) finished sixth.

Woodstown’s 4×800 time was more than four seconds better than their winning time in last weekend’s Group I championship meet. They were just shy of a provisional qualifying time for the nationals, but wanted to run a race in their last chance to get in that would leave no doubt.

Chew led them out in 1:59.50. Marino kept them on pace with a 2:02.4. Lucas set them up with a 1:58.45. And Crawford, running with a “minor” cough and fever that “slightly impacted my running,” brought it home with two laps in the 50s and a 1:54.46. Christian Brothers Academy won the race with a collective 7:48.55.

“We came very mentally prepared to break our previous record in the 4×8 and qualify for the New Balance Nationals and I wasn’t going to let a sickness get in the way of that opportunity for my teammates,” Crawford said. “ I was proud of all my teammates for running this race as if it was our last and thankfully earning another opportunity because of the combined culmination of our efforts to give our senior, Cole, a sendoff for the record books.”

It was a busy day for the junior. He ran in three events. He ran 1:53.83 to get on the podium in the individual 800 and ran a leg on the 4×400 relay.

Here are the Salem County results from the Meet of Champions:

MEET OF CHAMPIONS
At Pennsauken HS
GIRLS
1600: 12. Jordan Hadfield, Schalick, 5:05.56
3200: 21. Jordan Hadfield, Schalick 10:58.85
Shot Put: T-20. Tatiyonna Crawford, Pennsville 34-6
Pole Vault: T-10. Megan Morris, Pennsville 10-6
BOYS
4×800: 5. Woodstown (Karson Chew, Jacob Marino, Cole Lucas, Josh Crawford) 7:54.84
400 Hurdles: 8. David Stewart, Schalick 54.53
4×100: 6. Schalick (Reggie Allen Jr., Michael Eberl, Zaeshawn Mills, David Stewart) 42.08
800: 7. Josh Crawford, Woodstown 1:53.83; 20. Cole Lucas, Woodstown 1:58.23
4×400: 21. Woodstown (Karson Chew, Kyle Reitz, Anthony Costello, Josh Crawford) 3:25.85
Javelin: 14. Connor Ayars, Pennsville 165-0
Long Jump: 4. Anthony Parker, Salem 23-5
Triple Jump: 26. Bryan Garlic, Penns Grove 41-4

Pennsville tabs Hall class

PENNSVILLE – Five decorated athletes spanning five sports and four decades, three successful head coaches and two state champion teams will comprise the 2025 class that will be inducted into the Pennsville Memorial High School Athletic Hall of Fame.

The class was announced at the school’s annual awards assembly Wednesday night. It will be formally inducted in ceremonies at the school Oct. 7.

The class includes athletes Tom Ridgway (Class of 1978), HJ Lopes (’79), Lisa Doran (’86), Dannielle Dolbow-Darby (’95) and Ashley Minch (’08); coaches Ryan Wood (football/baseball), Jack Hathaway (soccer) and Dan LaMont (tennis/wrestling); and the 2005 state champion girls tennis and baseball teams.

“The Hall of Fame Committee did a wonderful job spanning several decades in putting together this year’s class,” Eagles athletics director Jamy Thomas said. “We have a wide variety of sports recognized with our inductees from field hockey, baseball, softball, soccer and tennis. The athletes in this group may have had one sport in which they truly shined, but each of them were great all-around athletes.

“In regards to the coaches being honored this year I have had the opportunity to be taught by Coach Hathaway as a PMHS student and work alongside Coach Wood and Coach LaMont. They are a group of great coaches and even more importantly are great people who are wonderful role models for our student-athletes.”

At the same assembly, potential future Hall of Famers Megan Morris and Connor Ayars were recognized as the school’s PEPPA Scholar-Athletes of the Year. Morris is a multiple state champion pole vaulter and tennis player, while Ayars is football/track standout. Both competed at the Meet of Champions prior to attending the ceremonies.

Megan Morris (L) and Connor Ayars were named Pennsville’s PEPPA Scholar-Athletes of the Year.

TCC All-Stars

Here are the Tri-County Conference all-star teams for the Classic and Diamond divisions as selected by the coaches

Baseball

POSCLASSIC FIRST TEAMCLASSIC SECOND TEAM
PLuke Wood, PennsvilleBrian Cuniff, Wildwood
PAiden Stranahan, PitmanMark Manera, Clayton
CJake Sharrow, PitmanConnor Starn, Pennsville
IFHudson Rue, PitmanLogan Streitz, Pennsville
IFNick Watson, PitmanPeyton O’Brien, Pennsville
IFCohen Petrutz, PennsvilleChase Davis, Salem
IFTrevor Troiano, WildwoodJustin Delaney, Clayton
OFJackson Austin, PitmanDane Collum, Pitman
OFChase Burchfield, PennsvilleMason O’Brien, Pennsville
OFJeff Wagner, PennsvilleJameson Emerle, Clayton
POSDIAMOND FIRST TEAMDIAMOND SECOND TEAM
PTyler Wood, OverbrookAaron Foote, Woodstown
PLucas D’Agostino, SchalickJack Holladay, Woodstown
CGavin Dillard, GlassboroRicky Watt, Schalick
IFLou Hanna, OverbrookEvan Glassy, Schalick
IFCooper Hines, OverbrookJude Dempster, Glassboro
IFJamari Whitley, SchalickJoey Tongue, Glassboro
IFElijah Crespo, Penns GroveBrennan Crosse, Glassboro
OFRocco String, WoodstownMike Romano, Overbrook
OFCharlie Snyder, OverbrookCaden Lawless, Overbrook
OFLuke Pokrovsky, SchalickEvan Sepers, Schalick

Softball

POSCLASSIC FIRST TEAMCLASSIC SECOND TEAM
PJessica Bretz, PitmanMadelyn McGinn, Gloucester Cath.
PSavannah Brewer-Palverento, PennsvilleEmma Contreras, Wildwood
CKylie Harris, PennsvilleAlexus Paden, Clayton
IFMakenzie Widener, PennsvilleAyanna Davis, Clayton
IFMaya Hutchinson, Gloucester Cath.Avery Watson, Pennsville
IFRosalina Pereira, ClaytonMaura Quinn, Pitman
IFGraillyn Weber, PennsvilleJulia Ennis, Wildwood
OFLily Edwards, PennsvilleSawyer Simmons, Pennsville
OFJulianna Aguilar, ClaytonMadison Peek, Pitman
OFKaitlyn Capalbo, Gloucester Cath.Samantha Scutt, Pitman
POSDIAMOND FIRST TEAMDIAMOND SECOND TEAM
PAddi Shimp, SchalickTaylor Adcock, Glassboro
PLeah Clark, WoodstownLayla Perez, Overbrook
CScarlett Saicic, GlassboroLila Bowling, Woodstown
OFSienna Kudless, GlassboroMarissa Rode, Glassboro
OFGianna Simon, OverbrookCecelia Mitchell, Overbrook
OFEllie Wygand, WoodstownShyann Higinbotham, Woodstown
IFOlivia VanAcker, SchalickAva Landolt, Overbrook
IFCloe Elliott, SchalickDanica Maggi, Overbrook
IFAubrie Rennie, WoodstownEmma Schoch, Glassboro
IFAlaina Dufresne, OverbrookMarissa Pasquarello, Glassboro

Tennis

POSCLASSIC FIRST TEAMCLASSIC SECOND TEAM
SGabe Schneider, PennsvilleMaddox Efelis, Pennsville
SGeorge Gould, SchalickBrody Wiggins, Pennsville
SChase Fronczkiewicz, ClaytonRocky Monticolo, Schalick
DKaden Barnes, SchalickCarter Willis, Pennsville
DCayden Brzozowski, Schalick Ian Peacock, Pennsville
DLucas Cooksey, PennsvilleDavid Santana, Schalick
DSawyer Humpreys, PennsvilleAnthony McGrath, Schalick
POSDIAMOND FIRST TEAMDIAMOND FIRST TEAM
SZeph Kell, DelseaMohammad Sheyam, Highland
SLucius Davis, DeptfordBradyn Gee, Deptford
SDrew Stengel, WoodstownEli Croce, Delsea
DLuke Shaw, WoodstownAlan Marcos, Overbrook
DMason Shimp, WoodstownGabe Martinez, Overbrook
DJacob Bramble, DelseaBen Stengel, Woodstown
DJude Thompson, DelseaNicholas DiTeodoro, Woodstown

Boys Golf

CLASSIC FIRST TEAMCLASSIC SECOND TEAM
Mikey Joyce, Gloucester Cath.A.J. Beach, Gloucester Cath.
Joey Zubert, PitmanRobbie Ricardi, Gloucester Cath.
Owen Boulton, PitmanLuke Driscoll, Pitman
Jake Bowen-Ashwin, PitmanJackson Venuto, Clayton
Max Pappalardo, PitmanBurke Fotzsimmons, Wildwood
Gavin Burns, WildwoodChase Ayars, Salem Tech
DIAMOND FIRST TEAMDIAMOND SECOND TEAM
Jaxon Weber, SchalickRiley Bowman, Pennsville
Seth Fisher, SchalickTrevor Hann, Pennsville
Erich Lipovsky, WoodstownJeffrey Boyd, Overbrook
Anthony Sepers, SchalickChase Pepper, Cumberland
Grant Prater, WoodstownMichael Nelson, Schalick
Joey Olbrich, WoodstownJack Bucksar, Woodstown

Boys Track

EVTCLASSIC FIRST TEAMCLASSIC SECOND TEAM
100Jason Stewart, ClaytonJosiel Figueroa Marrero, Clayton
200Willie Weathers, ClaytonJamel Lemon-Ward, Gloucester Cath.
400Alexander Osayemi, ClaytonXavier McGriff, Salem
800Wyatt Evans, ClaytonLiam Edelman, Pitman
1600Jake Bowen-Ashwin, PitmanSamuel Cooke, Salem
3200Rhys Blackman, PitmanMaximus Weng, Pitman
100HAnthony Parker, SalemTimothy Gregory, Salem
400HJerry Seals, SalemLucas Razze, Pitman
HJDayvon Williams, WildwoodGiani Jackson, Wildwood
LJOmarion Pierce, SalemJustice Santiago, Wildwood
TJDonovan Weathers, SalemMission Barnes, Salem
PVGradin Buzby, SalemDuncan Freeman, Clayton
SPPedro Ibarra, ClaytonTorryn Ransome, Salem
DISNate Newcomb, PitmanGiovani Talavera Rosas, Salem
JAVWyatt Irvine, SalemJovani Rios, Salem
4×400ClaytonSalem
EVTDIAMOND FIRST TEAMDIAMOND SECOND TEAM
100Xavier Sabb, GlassboroColin McGlinn, Pennsville
200Zaeshawn Mills, SchalickAxcel Bailey, Overbrook
400John Froehlich, OverbrookKyle Reitz, Woodstown
800Josh Crawford, WoodstownSteve Chomo, Schalick
1600Ty Blackman, GlassboroCole Lucas, Woodstown
3200Joey Saicic, GlassboroJacob Marino, Woodstown
100HDayshaun Day, GlassboroKnowledge Young, Penns Grove
400HMekhi Parker, GlassboroBryan Garlic, Penns Grove
HJAmari Sabb, GlassboroReggie Allen, Schalick
LJAlex Adeleye, GlassboroJaiden Mitchell, Overbrook
TJDavid Stewart, SchalickMoses Robles, Glassboro
PVDaniel Adams, GlassboroSalvatore Longo, Schalick
SPKyle Williams, GlassboroSheldon Goldsborogh, Schalick
DISEthan McLean, SchalickAiden Tulane, Woodstown
JAVConnor Ayars, PennsvilleNyzier Wonder, Schalick
4×400WoodstownPenns Grove

Girls Track

EVTCLASSIC FIRST TEAMCLASSIC SECOND TEAM
100Miyana Johnson, ClaytonJaiyoni Yates, Clayton
200Raniyah Parsons-Smith, SalemGabrielle Pernell-Lipsey, Clayton
400Leila Ortiz, ClaytonMolly Wiśniewski, Pitman
800Amanda Bradley, PitmanAntonia Yucis, Gloucester Cath.
1600Macie McCracken, WildwoodSamantha Dale, Salem
3200Lauren Streck, PitmanMackenzie Whilden, Pitman
100HAnna Gallo, ClaytonTahirah Davenport-White, Salem
400HAudrey Boggs, SalemCarly Razze, Pitman
HJUnique Nance, SalemZyonnah Forman, Salem
LJMaKayla Smith, SalemLily Atkinson, Wildwood
TJAlaina Williams, PitmanHanna Keefe, Pitman
PVKashira Patterson, SalemTatiana Miller, Salem
SPAva Rodgers, SalemMarJziah Bundy, Salem
DISDestinee Williams, Clayton Jocelyn O’Brien, Pitman
JAVRainelle Blocker, ClaytonMegan Wehlen, Pitman
4×400ClaytonSalem
EVTDIAMOND FIRST TEAMDIAMOND SECOND TEAM
100Tamia Smith, GlassboroKezia Brackett, Glassboro
200Gia Martellacci, SchalickMissouri Pratt, Overbrook
400Rylee Clark, OverbrookSamantha Sterner, Woodstown
800Lillian Norman, WoodstownKelis Coston, Glassboro
1600Jordan Hadfield, SchalickHelen Lillia, Schalick
3200Abby Marino, WoodstownAnabel Schaal, Woodstown
100HLia Covely, WoodstownGabriella Simonini, Schalick
400HLondon Banks, OverbrookSarah Seiden, Woodstown
HJAshley Armstrong, GlassboroKami Casiano, Woodstown
LJPhoebe Alward, SchalickEmma Perry, Woodstown
TJJaelynn Jarmon, SchalickOnye Peoples, Overbrook
PVMegan Morris, PennsvilleElizabeth Mann, Glassboro
SPHeaven Franklin, GlassboroZoey Ceasar, Penns Grove
DISSunny Moore, GlassboroVirginia Tarasevich, Glassboro
JAVAllyson Green, SchalickNevaeh Robinson, Schalick
4×400SchalickOverbrook

Girls Lacrosse

POSSJILL AMERICAN FIRST TEAMSJILL AMERICAN SECOND TEAM
GShelby Foote, WoodstownMackenzie Keleher, Haddonfield
MRiley Austin, HaddonfieldCallie Warner, Clearview
MDelaney Walker, WoodstownHaley Brown, Kingsway
MMaddie Eastlack, W. DeptfordRiley Walsh, W. Deptford
MBrooke Schultz, HaddonfieldJaime Deal, Woodstown
DMia Borodin, ClearviewMarley Nate, Clearview
DFiona Keenan, HaddonfieldEmily Coyle, Clearview
DSienna Struzynski, W. DeptfordElizabeth Daly, Woodstown
OGrace Farrell, HaddonfieldSofia Conrey, Haddonfield (D)
OLauren Hamblin, HaddonfieldReese Remaly, Clearview
OPhoebe O’Rourke, KingswayRiley MacHenry, Clearview
ORhea Remaly, ClearviewCeCe Batson, Haddonfield
OEmma Morgan, Woodstown Marlina Kadar, Haddonfield

Boys Lacrosse

POSSJILL AMERICAN FIRST TEAMSJILL AMERICAN SECOND TEAM
AKeegan Borkowski, KingswayR.J. Sciarrotta, Clearview
AOwen Dougherty, KingswayJake Borkowski, Washington Twp.
AMyles Malone, Washington Twp.Aidan Batterman, Williamstown
ARobert Donahue, WoodstownMichael Kugler, Clearview
DJ.D. Seidel, ClearviewDane Jespersen, Kingsway
DCole DeNick, KingswayEthan Wechter, Washington Twp.
DDominic Hibbs, KingswayCole Aquino, Washington Twp.
DJoseph Kopaczewski, WilliamstownWalter Carter, Woodstown
GJohn Mentee, KingswayJoseph Hatefi, Williamstown (FOGO)
LSMRyan Glenn KingswayJake Devereaux, Washington Twp. (G)
MT.J. Mills, ClearviewGarrett Leyman, Woodstown (M/L/D)
MPatrick Civitarese, KingswayMason Bryan, Kingsway
MRobbie Finnegan, Washington Twp.Nicholas Maccariella, Williamstown
M/FThomas Dipietro, KingswayParker Reese, Washington Twp.



Step-Up Soph

Schalick blanks Woodstown again, this time behind Whitley’s six strong innings, to reach SJ Group I finals

SOUTH JERSEY GROUP I BASEBALL
Semifinals

Audubon 4, Maple Shade 1
Schalick 8, Woodstown 0
Finals
Thursday
No. 2 Schalick (21-2) at No. 1 Audubon (20-7), 4 p.m.

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PITTSGROVE — Schalick coach Sean O’Brien had a lot of options Tuesday if the idea was to save ace Luke Pokrovsky for Audubon in the South Jersey Group I championship game.

Everybody else was relatively fresh, but O’Brien went with the youngest option in a big game – sophomore over senior – and Jamari Whitley came through like a seasoned veteran.

WHITLEY

The hard-throwing right-hander, making his first career playoff mound start and second appearance of this postseason, calmly gave the Cougars six strong innings, setting them up for an 8-0 win over Woodstown for a spot in the SJ Group I finals.

The second-seeded Cougars (21-2) now travel to top-seeded Audubon (20-7) Thursday for the sectional final everyone expected to see.

“Lucas (D’Agostino) is a guy who attacks hitters, gets ahead of guys and throws strikes consistently, but Jamari has really tough stuff to hit,” O’Brien explained. “When he’s on, he is really, really good. We put him up against Cherry Hill West (in mid-April) and the way he stepped up in that game that kind of just showed me he was ready for whatever moment we needed him to throw in.

“I know he was nervous going into it, but once things get going, he’s a competitor. He’s been consistent in all aspects of it — hitting, pitching, fielding — and I have all the confidence in the world in him. You can trust him out there. That’s why we put him in this situation today.”

Whitley had plenty of time to prepare for the start. O’Brien likes to give his pitchers ample warning and told him Saturday he was getting the ball. He didn’t believe it at first, but the coach said he wasn’t kidding and he trusted him. He was the Cougars’ first playoff starting pitcher not named Pokrovsky since June 2022.

He threw 102 pitches, allowed just one hit and struck out a career-high 11. He gave up a leadoff single and walk to the first two Woodstown hitters of the game, then retired 15 of the next 16 he faced, including 10 in a row at one point. The Wolverines loaded the bases on him in the sixth, but he got out of it with a fly to shallow left that froze the runners and his final strikeout of the game.

He even drove in the Cougars’ first run with a first-inning double. He also walked and scored in their three-run third.

“I woke up this morning and felt really good,” he said. “During school I had a little nerves, it was one of the biggest (starts) of my career, but after the first inning I shook it off and kept going. It was just trusting my pitches and everything I had.”

“He’s done outstanding this year,” Pokrovsky said. “His head is always up. He worked off of last year and now he’s unbeatable.”

Pokrovsky came in behind him and threw 12 pitches in the seventh, using the outing as his typical tune-up right before his next start.

“We’ve done it all year, he’s done it all his career,” O’Brien said. “I knew he was going to ask me, but I talked to him like ‘Do you want to throw the last inning?’ and he said, ‘Aw, please, yes.’ He’s a guy who needs to throw to be ready for his next start. That’s how he is … so that’s why we did it that way.”

In three games this season (19 innings) the Cougars’ pitching staff has held Woodstown to just two hits and no runs. They’ve given up just two runs in the whole playoffs. Pokrovsky threw a five-inning perfect game at them in his first start of the year.

The Cougars have gotten strong pitching all year long. They haven’t even given up 100 hits this year. After Tuesday’s shutout – their sixth of the season – their team ERA dropped to 1.35. Woodstown, meanwhile, batted just .255 as a team.

“Our pitching has been phenomenal,” O’Brien said. “I was comparing our stats from last year and a lot of our offensive stats aren’t as good as they were last year but our pitching stats are not even close. What they’ve done with whoever’s throwing they give us a chance to compete and especially they’ve stepped up against Woodstown.”

Wolverines coach Marc DeCastro said his team was prepared to face any of the three –Pokrovsky, Whitley or D’Agostino, who they hadn’t seen this year – but they just couldn’t find any offense. Caiden Spinelli had their only hit, a single leading off the game. They had just six baserunners.

“It surprised me just in the fact if they weren’t going to throw Luke that he hadn’t started in a while, but either way they have three pitchers who are all good so we were ready for whichever one happened to throw,” DeCastro said. “He didn’t walk us and he did a good job after the first two batters of settling in; in that situation that could’ve gone a lot of different ways and the game could’ve been a little bit different.

“When you don’t get hits and they’re up 4-, 5-nothing, it’s a lot different than if we would’ve kept it 1 and 2. That was our thing all year. In the two (previous playoff) games alone we scored three runs. Our thing was going to have to be we were going to have to play really clean games and pitch really well and we didn’t play a clean game today.”

Woodstown (16-11)000 000 0-015
Schalick (21-2)103 121 x-872
WP: Jamari Whitley (W), Luke Pokrovsky (7) and Ricky Watt. LP: Aaron Foote (L), Rocco String (4), Michael Valente (4), Jack Holladay (5) and Ty Coblentz. 2B: Luke Pokrovsky (S), Jamari Whitley (S), Enrico Hatz (S).

GROUP I SECTIONAL FINALS
Thursday’s Games

North I: Wallkill Valley (17-6) at Midland Park (19-8-1)
North II: Brearily (14-9) at Verona (19-6)
Central: Point Pleasant Beach (20-7) at Middlesex (20-5)
South: Schalick (21-2) at Audubon (20-7)

STATE SEMIFINALS
June 9

North I at North II
South at Central

CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
June 14

Veterans Park, Hamilton, 1 p.m.

Stepping aside

Schalick’s John Romano stepping down as Cougars’ girls tennis coach to enjoy the experiences of being a dad

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PITTSGROVE – John Romano learned a long time ago to be good at something you have to pour everything you have into it. He knows no other way.

Romano admitted he didn’t know a lot about tennis when former athletic director Mike Clark asked him to take over the Schalick girls tennis program and everything he did, at the beginning at least, he learned from books and videos. 

He was a soccer guy, he told them, but Clark said he’d seen him coach, knew how he was with people and he’d pick it up.

So the new tennis coach immersed himself in the subject and after feeling his way the first couple years turned the Cougars into a program that could be counted on to be in the hunt every year.

But the time has come to step away, to go to full bore with family as his children, ages 4 and 8, are starting to discover organized sports before the window for those experiences closes. So, after 17 years the soccer guy is putting that original racquet he bought at Dick’s to learn the game aside and pausing the high coaching side of his career.

Starting next fall the Cougars will have a new girls tennis coach, assistant coach Brandi Petrunis. It had been a decision Romano had been contemplated for a while. He told his team Friday.

“It’s been a lot of fun, I’ve really enjoyed it, I love the kids,” he said. “When I told them on Friday you get teary-eyed and that’s one of the things I’m going to miss.

“I’ve never looked it at as wins and losses. I think where you have your most success when a kid comes back and says you ‘I remember a time …’ and you see the effect you had on them. You realize you have a lot of those moments every year. That’s the stuff I’ll take with me.”

In 17 seasons at the Cougars helm, the 41-year-old health/PE teacher compiled a 219-93 record with seven Tri-County Diamond Division titles (all since 2014) and two sectional crowns, most recently in 2023 when they lost to New Providence in the state semifinals. They were 23-3 that year. This year’s team went 10-8 and lost in the South Jersey Group I quarterfinals, its earliest exit since 2015.

“Had a pretty crummy season (the first year), only won a few games, and I said to myself if I’m going to do this I’ve got to dive in, and I did,” he said. “I started right then and there, came up with a whole slew of rules and expectations for the girls and just what the expectation was.

“I distinctly recall in the next season we had a match at Salem and I gave the girls a heck of a speech. I said this is the point where you guys decide where (you’re going to go). At the time we were competitive with Salem and I said we’re going to need this match in order to get there. I remember one of the kids looking over like I would run through a wall right now for you. We’re not going back.

“It was fun learning with the girls along the way and then it became a thing. We just had a trivia contest and one of the winter pep rallies. They asked a question like what is the winningest program in Schalick history and the kid buzzed in and said ‘girls tennis.’ I graduated from Schalick in 2002 and I know it’s either girls track or boys soccer, but for these kids the past 14 seasons that has been the norm, girls tennis is going to be one of the best programs in Group I year in and year out. That’s what we built up.”

And the experience has changed the soccer guy, too.

“I’m a tennis guy now,” he said.

Photo: Schalick girls tennis coach John Romano celebrates winning the 2023 South Jersey Group I title with his family.

Tri-Cape Cup team

Pennsville’s Burchfield, Schalick’s Pokrovsky return to the Tri-Cape Carpenter Cup team for some unfinished business

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

Pennsville’s Chase Burchfield talked earlier this season about how playing in Citizens Bank Park in last year’s Carpenter Cup finals gave him a good idea of what to expect when the Eagles played in Frawley Stadium last month. He may get a chance to rely on that experience again if all goes well.

Burchfield and Schalick’s Luke Pokrovsky are back on the Tri-Cape roster for this year’s Carpenter Cup that starts Monday in Philly’s FDR Park. The four finalists play in Citizens Bank Park June 16 with the championship game June 17.

Burchfield, a LaSalle signee, and Pokrovsky, a Penn signee whose Cougars are still alive in the Group I playoffs, are part of another strong Tri-Cape roster.

Burchfield hit .a career-high 486 with 34 RBIs this past season and collected 119 hits and 114 RBIs in his career. Pokrovsky continues to rewrite the Schalick record book with every game he plays. He’s batting .493 with 10 homers, 31 RBIs and has 90 strikeouts and a 0.78 ERA going into today’s SJ semifinal against Woodstown . For his career he has 137 hits, 101 runs, 115 RBIs, 22 homers at a hitter and 347 strikeouts as a pitcher.

Tri-Cape opens the tournament Tuesday against Shore.

Pokrovksy, Burchfield and Pennsville’s Peyton O’Brien were on the team last year that lost to Inter Ac/Independents in the championship game, 3-2. It was Tri-Cape’s fourth straight year in the finals. Evan Taylor (Ocean City), Jake Cagna (Egg Harbor Twp.) and Jack Mustaro (Gloucester Catholic) are also returnees from last year.

Pennsville’s Beth Jackson and Schalick’s Rick Higinbotham again will help coach the Tri-Cape softball all-stars. Their tournament bracket starts June 17 and includes Philadelphia Catholic, Burlington County and SOL/BAL.

Tri-Cape Baseball Roster

POSPLAYERYRSCHOOL
IFEthan DuboisSophDelsea
IFSawyer WoodSophClearview
IFBrayden ThorpJrKingsway
IF/PEvan TaylorSrOcean City
IFJoe EraceSrSt. Augustine
P/OFJake LodgekSrMainland
IF/PAlex WeingartnerJrSt. Augustine
P/IFMario ToroJrVineland
P/IFFinnegan HainesSrMainland
P/OFAdel VillegasJrAtlantic City
P/1BAndrew ValeyJrGCIT
OFChase BurchfieldSrPennsville
OFTy CostabileJrHoly Spirit
OF/CCole JudgeSrDeptford
OF/PLuke PokrovskySrSchalick
IFJack MustaroSrGloucester Cath.
CBraeden LipoffJrGloucester Cath.
PJackson SmalletsSrGloucester Cath.
OFRichie GonzalesJrCedar Creek
IF/PJake CagnaSrEgg Harbor Twp.
UTJacob BuddJrCedar Creek


CARPENTER CUP BASEBALL SCHEDULE
June 9, FDR Park
Game 1: Philadelphia Public vs. Inter Ac/Independents, 9 a.m. (DA)
Game 2: Mercer County vs. Chester County, 10:30 a.m. (RA)
Game 3: Delaware County vs. Berks County, noon (DA)
Game 4: Delaware South vs. Delaware North, 1:30 p.m. (RA)
June 10, FDR Park
Game 5: Olympic-Colonial vs. Lehigh Valley, 9 a.m. (DA)
Game 6: Bux-Mont vs. Burlington County, 10:30 a.m. (RA)
Game 7: Tri-Cape vs. Jersey Shore, noon (DA)
Game 8: SEPA vs. Philadelphia Catholic, 1:30 p.m. (RA)
June 12, FDR Park
Game 9: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, 9 a.m. (DA)
Game 10: Game 4 winner vs. Game 3 winner, 10:30 a.m. (RA)
Game 11: Game 6 winner vs. Game 5 winner, noon (DA)
Game 12: Game 7 winner vs. Game 8 winner, 1:30 p.m. (RA)
June 16, Citizens Bank Park
Game 13: Game 9 winner vs. Game 10 winner, 9 a.m.
Game 14: Game 11 winner vs. Game 12 winner, noon
June 17, Citizens Bank Park
Championship Game, 9:30 a.m.
DA: Dick Allen Field. RA: Richie Ashburn Field