Almost a shocker

Salem wanted another bite at the apple after losing to Glassboro in the regular season, gave top-seeded Bulldogs a battle for three quarters

SOUTH JERSEY GROUP I PLAYOFFS
Semifinals
Glassboro 35, Salem 0
Schalick at Paulsboro, Saturday, noon

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

GLASSBORO — Abdullah Jenkins carried the sentiment of every Salem player on the field on the plate of his back pad.

“Shock the world” he had written in bold black letters. It was a message the senior lineman had been carrying all season but it was particularly poignant Friday night.

The Rams came into their South Jersey Group I semifinal heavy underdogs to top-seeded Glassboro, but they believed more than ever they could win.

They almost pulled it off, too, holding their hosts to two touchdowns through the first three quarters before the Bulldogs did what they invariably do to everyone. They scored three touchdowns in the fourth quarter to turn a tight game into a 35-0 victory.

“We had our shots,” Salem coach Kemp Carr said. “We had our shots early, didn’t take advantage of it. When you’ve got your shots against a good team you have to cash in and we didn’t cash the check.

“We turned them over early. We had ‘em. We put a lot of fear in that team, I guarantee that.”

**Abdullah Jenkins’ back plate says it all. (Photo by Kaitlyn Khairzada)**

The Rams (6-5) were all over their hosts in the first half. They held the Bulldogs to less than 100 yards of offense in the half and a lot of that came on a 38-yard touchdown pass to Mekhi Parker on the last play of the first quarter.

It was the only offensive touchdown Glassboro scored until the fourth quarter. The Bulldogs’ other touchdown came on a 50-yard interception return by Parker. Beyond that, they got nothing in the half.

The Rams say they didn’t do anything different schematically than they did in their 42-0 loss in September that was over at halftime. They just got better as the season progressed.

“Earlier in the season we didn’t know what heart we had,” senior edge rusher Antwuan Rogers said. “But throughout the season we worked … and we gave it all out there today. We played harder.

“We had them. They were worried. We couldn’t get it done.”

The Rams kept them out of the end zone in the third quarter, too, despite the Bulldogs having the ball for all but six plays in the quarter. Still, they started to wear the Rams down before finally erupting in the fourth quarter. Glassboro rushed for 221 yards in the second half after being held to 12 in the first.

The game followed a recent pattern for the Bulldogs. Each of their previous three games were tight at halftime and into the third quarter before the Bulldogs turned it into a rout in the fourth.

Bulldogs coach Timmy Breaker said it wasn’t the way Salem was stifling his team that was frustrating, but rather all the penalties that kept it from moving forward. The Bulldogs were flagged for 155 yards in penalties, 90 in the third quarter alone. There were 30 accepted penalties for 263 yards in mark-offs between the two teams.

“It was more the mistakes on our side,” Breaker said. “Penalty after penalty. We’re starting first-and-twentysomething, so the playbook condenses at that point. We had some decisions in there that could’ve been made that would change the first half, but even when we made a big play, run after run, we’re back another 15.

“The third quarter would have been an explosive quarter (if not for the penalties). That changes the entire landscape of how you call it. We were getting what we wanted to get, but we couldn’t sustain the drive penalty-wise. It was something we had to clean up.”

They did in the fourth quarter. Amari Sabb rushed for 120 yards and two touchdowns in just the quarter for the Bulldogs. He finished with 130 yards on 12 carries.

One has to wonder how things might have turned out had the Rams scored on their opening possession. A fumble recovery created by another Rogers sack set them up at the Glassboro 40. They got all the way down to the 12 when two sacks and two penalties derailed the drive and they had to punt from just about where they started.

“For two years we haven’t scored on Glassboro, so I felt like if we would’ve scored then their momentum would have gone down seeing that we were a different team,” Jenkins said. “We just couldn’t replicate practice to the field.”

“If we put up any points, their whole momentum goes, we win,” said Rogers.

The Bulldogs (11-0) will now host the winner of Saturday’s Schalick-Paulsboro game in next week’s sectional final. Schalick is expected to be a heavy favorite in its semifinal with Paulsboro having suspended 16 players, including at least six starters (and in Group 1 that’s typically 12 positions), for their part in a fourth-quarter brawl last week with Woodbury.

In a sense, the Rams did shock the world this season. They turned an 0-9 first year under Carr into a winning second campaign that included their first playoff win since 2022. And they anticipate even better things going forward.

“From going 0-9 last year to 5-4 and the second round of the playoffs, it’s definitely a jump,” Jenkins said. “I feel next year the championship is ours. We’re going to shock the world again.”

Glassboro 35, Salem 0

SALEM		GLASS
7	1st Downs	15
25-33	Rushing	29-233
3-16-1	Passing	7-15-0
47	Passing yds	82
2-1	Fumbles-lost	3-1
7-25.9	Punts-avg	2-19.5
12-108	Penalties	18-155

Salem	0	0	0	0-	0
Glassboro	7	7	0	21-	35

SCORING SUMMARY
G-Mekhi Parker 38 pass from Jack O’Connell (Sal Esgro kick), 0:07 1Q
G-Mekhi Parker 50 interception return (Sal Esgro kick), 3:36 2Q
G-Amari Sabb 5 run (Amari Sabb run), 6:52 4Q
G-Amari Sabb 10 run (run failed), 4:10 4Q
G-Davon Barr 6 run (Sal Esgro kick), 2:50 4Q

GROUP I PLAYOFFS
NORTH I
Butler 49, New Milford 13
Kinnelon 37, Kittatinny 7
NORTH II
Cedar Grove 22, Mountain Lakes 15
New Providence 28, Hasbrouck Heights 21
SOUTH
Glassboro 35, Salem 0
Schalick at Paulsboro, Saturday
CENTRAL
Burlington City 52, Manville 14
Shore 30, Pt. Pleasant Beach 6

Schalick to semis

Cougars take an emotional win over Penns Grove in SJ Group I boys soccer tournament; Pennsville blanked by top seed Haddon Twp.

SJ GROUP 1 BOYS SOCCER

FRIDAY’S QUARTERFINALS	TUESDAY’S SEMIFINALS
Haddon Twp. 6, Pennsville 0	Palmyra at Haddon Twp.
Palmyra 1, Pitman 0	Audubon at Schalick
Audubon 5, Riverside 2
Schalick 4, Penns Grove 0

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PITTSGROVE — Schalick scored three goals in the second half after a dust-up right before intermission and handled Penns Grove 4-0 in the South Jersey Group I boys soccer quarterfinals.

In a game between two county and division rivals, tempers flared along the far sideline just as the first half ended. There was some discussion of ending the game right there with Schalick leading 1-0, but it was agreed the game would continue if the principal protagonists, Schalick’s Anthony Sepers and Penns Grove’s Michael Schultz, did not play in the second half and no further incidents would be tolerated. There were no red card ejections.

Schalick coach Joe Mannella declined to comment on the incident and Penns Grove’s Mano Massari said he was preoccupied with getting a sub into the game at the time and didn’t have a good enough vantage point of the scuffle to comment.

Officials, coaches and administrators huddled at midfield during the entire halftime before making their decision to continue.

The second-seeded Cougars were on their Ps and Qs after that so not to jeopardize their playoff hopes. Playing for their ousted teammate, they scored three times in the second half.

“It definitely fired us up,” Mike Nelson said.

“We wanted to do it for our teammate,” Jaxon Weber said.

Marco Spinnato told Sepers after the incident he was going to score a goal in the second half and he scored the first of his two five minutes into the period to give the Cougars some breathing room. He had a third goal waved off for offsides. Nelson got the other goal in the half, deflecting a long free kick from Weber inside the left post.

“I think that motivated us and pushed us to win this game,” Spinnato said. “It helped us because we knew if we made one mistake we were out of there.

“Our coaches, Jaxon, our captains, all told us we have to stay through the game plan and we have to keep motivated, we can’t let one thing get to us because if we let it get to us we’re jeopardizing our playoff run.”

“Momentum is a real thing,” Massari said. “They did nice job of putting the ball in the back of the net and staying in control. Good team over there.”

Nolan O’Toole banged home a rebound for the first goal of the match midway through the first half.

In terms of what took place between the lines, the Cougars (15-3-2) controlled the action on both sides of the ball. They created numerous chances on offense and when the Red Devils (9-6-3) appeared to mount an attack their defense was there to collect the ball and move it out of harm’s way. Goalie Evan Sepers had three saves.

“Defensively we continue to play really strong; we know that’s the key to winning in the playoffs, keeping the ball out of your net,” Mannella said. “They continue to do that and they were excellent today.”

The Cougars now host third-seeded Audubon in Tuesday’s semifinals.

**Pennsville coach Derek Foglein. (Photo by Brian Tortella)**

HADDON TWP. 6, PENNSVILLE 0: The top-seeded Hawks scored three goals in the first eight mights of the second half to open a comfortable margin and finished it off before the 20-minute mark to end Pennsville’s historic season and reach the sectional semifinals.

Sophomore Brody Beals scored his first career hat trick and Bobby McIlvaine scored twice to lead the victory. Danny McIlvaine scored the other goal.

Beals and Bobby McIlvaine scored in the first half to give the Hawks (14-5-1) a 2-0 lead. Beals opened the scoring in the second half and the McIlvaines scored a minute apart to make it 5-0.

“We ran into one of the best Group 1 teams in the state and they were on form,” Foglein said. “We battled with them for the first half, but then in the second half every shot they had was perfect.

“I know it’s crazy to praise my keeper in that scoreline, but Coen (Rinnier) was fantastic. He made some unbelievable stops in the first half. When it got to the second half, it wouldn’t have mattered who the goalie was.”

The Eagles (11-7-2) checked off a lot of boxes during the season. They enjoyed their winningest season since 2017, won their first division title in 32 years and won their first playoff game since 2014 in the opening round.

“It leaves a sour taste tonight, but tomorrow we’ll wake up and remember that we had a historic season,” Foglein said. “That’s what I reminded the guys on the bus.”

Hawks oust Schalick

Virga’s milestone goal gives Cougars a lead in SJ Group I field hockey quarterfinal, but Haddon Twp. scores twice in second half to win; game-winner comes in final four minutes

SJ GROUP I TOURNAMENT
Thursday’s quarterfinals
Shore 2, Haddon Heights 0
Gloucester 7, South Hunterdon 2
Haddon Twp. 2, Schalick 1
West Deptford 12, Gateway 0
Monday’s semifinals
Gloucester at Shore
Haddon Twp. at West Deptford, 2 p.m.

By Riverview Sports News

WESTMONT – Luci Virga scored a milestone goal in the second quarter and it looked like Schalick was on its way to a spot in the South Jersey Group 1 field hockey semifinals. All the Cougars had to do was hold off Haddon Twp. for two more quarters.

But the Hawks pushed home a pair of goals in the second half, including Emory Shaw’s game-winner with less than four minutes to play to dash the Cougars’ hopes, 2-1.

Third-seeded Haddon Twp. (14-6) now plays West Deptford Monday in the sectional semifinal.

Virga, a junior, gave the Cougars (14-7) a 1-0 lead with her 50th career goal. Sofia Nagel got the equalizer in the third quarter and then Shaw got the game-winner, tipping in a shot from Kenzi Ricci off a corner with 3:56 left in regulation.

“They had way more corners than we did throughout the whole game,” Schalick coach Heather Cheesman said. “I honestly think the second half we were dominating. We were at our offensive goal most of the time and they just had that one breakway.”

Brian Tortella contributed to this report. Photo credit: Brian Tortella

WJFL All-Stars

Here are the all-star teams for the West Jersey Football League Patriot and Diamond Divisions

Patriot Division

POS	FIRST TEAM OFFENSE
OL	Salvatore Fife, W. Deptford
OL	Chris Neff, Paulsboro
OL	Joseph Calderon, Overbrook
OL	Jacob Hand, Pennsville
OL	Lars Stenger, Camden Cath.
QB	Malakhai McKenzie, Paulsboro
RB	Axcel Bailey, Overbrook
RB	Nymir Daily, Camden Cath.
WR	Jeremiah Carr, Paulsboro
WR	Michael Joseph, W. Deptford
WR	Mike Aversa, Audubon
ATH	Colę Paskiewicz, W. Deptford
ATH	Teriq Moore, Overbrook
K	Brady Cobb, W. Deptford

POS	FIRST TEAM DEFENSE
DL	Al Dayrell, W. Deptford
DL	Jonah Jordan, Audubon
DL	Charles Schriver, W. Deptford
DL	Jayden Gurnovich, Pennsville
LB	Kam Simpkins, W. Deptford
LB	A.J. Powell, Overbrook
LB	Caden Luby, Collingswood
LB	Colton Sabo, W. Deptford
DB	Zamir Davis, W. Deptford
DB	Kyaire Harvey, Paulsboro
DB	Rylan Hardy, Pennsville
DB	Daniel Leahy, Camden Cath.
ATH	Robbie McDade, Pennsville
P	Lino Bataloni, Collingwood

HONORABLE MENTION
OFFENSE: Dylan Huff, OL Audubon; Terrance Gaffney, RB Collingswood; Jayden Devan, OL Overbrook; Madden Rosario, OL Camden Catholic; Marques Eli, WR Paulsboro; Perry Meranti, TE Pennsville; Shane Cruz, OL West Deptford.
DEFENSE: Cole Trotz, LB Camden Catholic; Aaron Pilla, DB Audubon; Tacere Redd, LB Collingswood; Rayon Pressler, DL Overbrook; Jamaal Robinson, DB Paulsboro; Trevor Waddington, DL Pennsville; Curtis Pearson, DB West Deptford.

Diamond Division

POS	FIRST TEAM OFFENSE
OL	Jayce Grays, Glassboro
OL	Amon Wright, Glassboro
OL	Abdur Jenkins, Salem
OL	Wyatt Irvine, Salem
OL	JaKai Ingrim, Penns Grove
QB	Jack O’Connell, Glassboro
RB	JoJo DeLecce, Glassboro
RB	Troy Carey, Salem
WR	Xavier Sabb, Glassboro
WR	Mekhi Parker, Glassboro
WR	Kaden Robinson, Salem
ATH	Amari Sabb, Glassboro
ATH	Desmund Thomas, Salem
K	Hunter Dragotta, Schalick

POS	FIRST TEAM DEFENSE
DL	Ray Brown, Penns Grove
DL	Antwuan Rogers, Salem
DL	Brandon Simmons, Glassboro
DL	Aiden Torres, Schalick
DB	Niko Jimenez, Woodbury
DB	Kyvion Parsons, Salem
DB	William Dunn, Salem
DB	David Stewart, Schalick
LB	Tasheem Butler, Glassboro
LB	DezYon Purnell, Schalick
LB	Elijah Young, Woodbury
LB	Davon Barr, Glassboro
ATH	Junior Serrano, Glassboro
P	Shawn Kelly, Schalick

HONORABLE MENTION
OFFENSE: Ryan Dispensa, OL Glassboro; Willie Chattam, OL Salem; Dale Thomas, RB Woodbury; Aiden Taulane, OL Woodstown; Sherrod Jones, WR Schalick; Antonio Cooper, OL Penns Grove.
DEFENSE: Dorian Kelsey, DL Glassboro; Quimere Bergen, DB Salem; Kahree Brown, LB Woodbury; Dylan Sheehan, DB Schalick; Bryceton Rooney, LB Woodstown; Luis Colon, LB Penns Grove.

Change comes quick

Woodstown strikes in final minute of first half, beats Pennsville in opening round of South Jersey Group I girls soccer tournament; top-seeded Schalick draws first-round bye

SJ GROUP 1 GIRLS SOCCER TOURNAMENT

FIRST ROUND GAMES	SATURDAY QUARTERFINALS
Schalick bye	Glassboro at Schalick, 10 a.m.
Glassboro 2, Pitman 0	Audubon at Palmyra
Audubon 6, Buena 0	Haddon Twp. at Clayton, 2:30 p.m.
Palmyra 7, Wildwood 0	Woodstown at Gateway
Clayton 9, Woodbury 1
Haddon Twp. 8, Maple Shade 0
Woodstown 2, Pennsville 0
Gateway 7, Cape May Tech 0

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

WOODSTOWN — The two teams on the pitch were locked in a scoreless tug-of-war. Woodstown was getting the best of it but after repeated attacks had nothing to show for it. As the clock hit the final minute Wolverines coach Kieran Keyser was starting to make mental plans for the second half.

Then in the blink of an eye the whole complexion of the match changed.

Sophie Wells sent a bouncing ball towards the goal that the Pennsville keeper couldn’t corral and just that quickly the Wolverines had the lead 30 seconds before halftime.

It was the kind of jolt that energized the Wolverines and sent the Eagles, who had thought they were holding their own, into the break looking to regroup.

With a renewed sense of fire, Woodstown kept the pressure up in the second half, added a more conventional goal from freshman Hailey Kucharczuk in the eighth minute of the half and went on to win 2-0 in the opening round of the South Jersey Group 1 girls soccer tournament.

“Our first half we started off really strong, really fast,” Keyser said. “We came out firing right away and I think our girls maybe got a little frustrated when we didn’t score when we had a couple chances early and I thought we deflated a little bit about halfway through the first half. We didn’t have that intensity.

“Having that goal right before the half gave us the momentum we needed. It was a lucky goal. Sometimes you gotta get shots, sometimes you get lucky. That carried us into the second half and I thought we played way better in the second half. We played our game the second half.”

Wells admitted it was weird goal and a shot she didn’t expect to go in. “I thought it was just going to be an ordinary shot,” she said. She agreed it did bring the Wolverines energy after a “stressful” first half.

**Pennsville’s Marley Wood clears away another first half Woodstown threat.**

As shocking as the goal was in its arrival, it didn’t devastate the Eagles as much as one might think. They created more chances in the second half although the Wolverines were successful keeping the ball down in Pennsville’s end.

The Eagles got their first real shot of the game three minutes into the second half when Marley Wood broke in on the keeper and Ellie Wygand saved a soft shot. Wygand turned back a sharper shot from Taylor Bass 10 minutes later and went on to complete her ninth shutout of the season.

“At halftime we just needed to get the girls’ heads back in the game, get them to lock in and refocus,” Pennsville coach Casey Slusher said. “They kept playing the whole game; they played the whole game. They didn’t give up. At all.”

Kucharczuk gave the Wolverines a little more breathing room with her 10^th goal of the season. She took a throw-in from Ally Sheppard, deked around several defenders in the box and put one inside the near post from the 6.

“When I have the chance I definitely take them and it’s definitely great when it all works out,” Kucharczuk said.

The seventh-seeded Wolverines (14-3-1) now play at Gateway (16-1) in Saturday’s quarterfinals. The second-seeded Gators routed Cape May Tech Wednesday 7-0.

Pennsville’s Cameron Robbins (3) keeps an eye on Emma Perry as the Woodstown senior tries to take the ball down the sideline. (Top photo) Woodstown’s Hailey Kucharczuk takes a shot in the first half.

Prince of a player

Penns Grove freshman takes game to next level in playoffs; Red Devils, Pennsville score historic wins in SJ Group I boys soccer tournament; also includes opening round of field hockey tournament

SJ GROUP I BOYS SOCCER	SJ GROUP I FIELD HOCKEY
Tuesday’s first round	Tuesday’s first round
Haddon Twp. 5, Woodbury 0	Shore 6, Collingswood 0
Pennsville 1, Glassboro 0	Haddon Hts. 2, Woodstown 0
Pitman 2, Clayton 0	S. Hunterdon 2, Bordentown 1
Palmyra 1, Woodstown 0	Gloucester 5, Lower Cape May 0
Audubon 4, Wildwood 0	Haddon Twp. 6, New Egypt 0
Riverside 2, Maple Shade 0	Schalick 2, Florence 1
Penns Grove 3, Gateway 1	Gateway 1, Audubon 0
Schalick 2, New Egypt 0	West Deptford 11, Pennsville 0
Friday’s quarterfinals	Thursday’s quarterfinals
Pennsville at Haddon Twp., 4 p.m.	Haddon Heights at Shore
Palmyra at Pitman	S. Hunterdon at Gloucester
Riverside at Audubon	Schalick at Haddon Twp.
Penns Grove at Schalick, 2 p.m.	Gateway at West Deptford

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PENNS GROVE – Prince Ledbetter came off the pitch with about 10 minutes to play and a two-goal lead to series of high fives on his way to the bench. The celebration started early, but coach Mano Massari warned his players it wasn’t over.

It was necessary to do, but it really wasn’t.

Necessary because only three weeks ago the Red Devils held a two-goal lead on a high-powered opponent with a lot less time remaining and left with a draw that felt a lot worse. Unnecessary because they played a strong second half and continued to after their flashy freshman came off the field, putting away Gateway 3-1 in the opening round of the South Jersey Group I boys soccer tournament.

It was the Red Devils’ first win in the tournament since 2022. They now travel to second-seeded Schalick Friday for the quarterfinals.

“The history is we were up 2-0 on a very good team (Woodstown), dominated that game for a while, but we took our foot off the gas and got comfortable, complacent, and you know how that ended,” Massari said. “It ended in a tie with a good team, but it felt like a loss to us.

“All season long they’ll say we’ll fix it tomorrow, we’ll fix it tomorrow, and the message today was there is no tomorrow. I’ve got a good team, but they’re very inconsistent at times and to be the best you’ve got to be consistent.”

The Red Devils (9-5-3) had a lot of messages sent their way during the game.

Huddled in the goal at halftime trailing 1-0, Massari told them to just take a breath and “clear the mechanism.”

They had the best of the opportunities, but still were behind. Watching Mario Fuentes’ penalty kick slam off the crossbar in the 19th minute got them out of sorts and their fears intensified when Gateway’s Max Hohl parked a shot just out of the reach of PG keeper Dwayne Guzman Silva 17:38 before halftime. They needed to regroup.

They got it back together in the second half. They continued to have the best of the chances, but this time they finished, scoring three goals in 17 minutes.

“I wanted them to fight out of a hole and they did,” Massari said.

Ledbetter had a part in all three goals, but a more direct one in the second two.

Poyrez Erdonmez got the equalizer three minutes into the second half off a rebound of a Ledbetter shot. The freshman put the Red Devils ahead with a bullet into the upper left corner on a free kick from just outside the box nine minutes later and then made a nifty side-boot flick to set up Erdom Yardim’s insurance goal with 20:24 to play.

“I saw the open gap and saw the keeper was off his line a little bit and I took a hard rip to the top corner and it went in,” Ledbetter said of his goal. “I was anticipating (the final goal). I was waiting for the perfect moment (to make the pass). I knew that play was going to happen and it just came out how I wanted it and we got the goal.”

Ledbetter figures his freshman season is “going pretty well.” His goal is to become the best player he can. Massari believes he went to a another level Tuesday.

“I’ve been praising this kid since August,” Massari said. “I said to my assistant coach (Jesus Lopez) today this is the day Prince is going to take over this game and take over this team, and I really do believe he just did that.

“He is a special kid. If he can get out of his own way at times and make smart decisions, my God is he going to be a problem for the next couple years. He is going to be a problem in this conference, I really do think that.

“I am petrified to lose Dwayne next year, but having a kid like Prince kind of softens the blow a little bit.”

This defense doesn’t rest

GLASSBORO – Pennsville just keeps checking off historical boxes.

The Eagles won their first division title in 32 years earlier this season and Tuesday they picked up their first playoff win in 11 years with a 1-0 victory over eighth-seeded Glassboro. It also was coach Derek Foglein’s first playoff win as head coach.

The ninth-seeded Eagles (11-6-2) now travel to top-seeded Haddon Twp. for Thursday’s quarterfinals.

“Today just solidifies how hard this year’s team has worked, especially this group of seniors,” Foglein said. “Even these guys have been working in May, but Coen (Rinnier) and Steve (Fatcher), in particular, have been working their butts off all four years. It’s really nice to see them kind of get something out of all that labor and everything that they’ve put into the program.

“Yeah, it feels nice to win this game today, but it really is a win for Pennsville soccer and that, to me, is bigger than anything else, for sure.”

It was the first time the Eagles have beaten Glassboro in nine games since the teams began playing regularly in 2018, including a 1-0 own-goal loss earlier this season. They had been 0-9 against the Bulldogs since 2010, the first year records are publicly available.

“It feels really good to get it done especially after the season we are having and especially on Glassboro because that’s a team me and my coaches, I’m pretty sure, have never beaten,” Fatcher said. “We had lost to them in the summer league championship and earlier in the season so it felt like we had a little something to prove as well as continuing me and the other seniors’ careers.”

Sam Hassler scored the game’s only goal two minutes before halftime, cashing in a free kick by Edwin Castaneda-Sanchez from 35 yards out.

“We’ve been focusing on set pieces all year,” Foglein said. “We got plenty of opportunities in the first half and we took advantage of the one that we needed.”

Much of the credit for the historic victory goes to the Eagles’ defense, led by stopper Fatcher and defensive mid J.P. Laughrey. Rinnier was credited with seven saves in goal, but thanks to the play of the back line he was rarely tested. It was their 11^thshutout in 19 games.

“Coen’s leadership and his calm demeanor at the back was super helpful for us, for sure, but overall this was our best team defensive effort of the season and it wasn’t even close,” Foglein said. “Once we scored that goal, in the second half everybody on the field was committed to defending as a team and making smart choices when they were on the ball.”

“I talked to the boys before the game and said we need to win me and the other seniors another game because this team deserves that,” Fatcher said. “I also felt a little bit of pressure being that this could have been my last high school soccer game so I felt like I had to prove something any way I could and tried my best to limit shots on goal. It feels really good to know that me and the team left everything out on the field and won.”

Cougars find a way

PITTSGROVE – Schalick ran into another team that didn’t want to play with them, but the Cougars still had plenty of firepower to overtake their opponent’s conservative approach.

The second-seeded Cougars scored two goals in the second half to push past No. 15 New Egypt 2-0. They now host Penns Grove in the quarterfinals Friday.

The Warriors seemed not to want to push the ball forward , instead just nudging it up towards the front and hoping to capitalize on a Schalick mistake. But once Nolan O’Toole broke the ice it opened things up for the Cougars.

“When teams are playing like that, (if) you get that early goal that kind of opens things up and makes it less frustrating,” Schalick coach Joe Mannella said. “We didn’t do that, so we did a good job of just continuing to play at it and keep poking away until we found a breakthrough and then it clearly opened up after that.”

Jaxon Weber had a hand in both goals. He assisted on O’Toole’s goal and then scored the insurance goal on an assist from Tyler Vanlier.

Mannella expects “a lot of teams” to take a conservative approach against his team the deeper they get into the playoffs.

“We’re still trying to find our way without Luke (Price) and with some young guys, figuring out a way to integrate some of the other guys whose roles have now changed,” Mannella said. “We need Jaxon Weber to get more involved in the offense.”

No pal of theirs

WOODSTOWN – An old nemesis did it to Woodstown again.

Palmyra, the team that knocked the Wolverines out in the sectional semifinals three times in the last four years, did it to them again, this time in the opening round, 1-0 in overtime.

The Panthers beat them in a shootout last year and with shutouts in 2021 and 2023.

“I guess we’re just destined to run into them,” Woodstown coach Darren Huck said. “For a while there when I was in Group 2 it always seemed like we were going against Cinnaminson. Then the one year we didn’t have Cinnaminson, we had Delran. For us right it’s just that Palmyra is the team we’re running into.

“When you look at South Jersey Group 1, I’ve said it for many years, the team that wins it they have to go through either Palmyra, Woodstown, Haddon Twp. or Schalick. If you want to win it, you have to beat one of those teams or we’re all beating each other, that’s what it comes down to.”

Patrick Broadbelt scored the golden goal two minutes into overtime when he ran onto a bending free kick Kian Briant sent into the box and headed into the goal.

The fourth-seeded Wolverines (11-4-4) had several good chances in the first half that keeper Deakon Haines came out to stop. Meanwhile, they played their typically gritty defense to keep the Panthers out of the goal through regulation.

“Disappointed we lost, but all in all, looking back on it, we played 19 games this year and only lost four of them,” Huck said. “I’m proud of that. I’m proud of the 4-seed. Who else would have to play a 13-seed Palmyra team. If anybody would have said that in the soccer world they would have gone that must be a different sport than boys soccer.”

Field Hockey

SCHALICK 2, FLORENCE 1: Caylen Taylor and Luci Virga scored goals in the first quarter and goalie Lydia Gilligan made 15 saves to help the sixth-seeded Cougars hang on. Ryann Smith scored in the second quarter for Florence and the teams battled through a scoreless second half.

“It was a tough one, for sure,” Schalick coach Heather Cheesman said. “I don’t think the girls were expecting Florence to come out like they did. They were fast and aggressive.”

HADDON HEIGHTS 2, WOODSTOWN 0: Abigail Lovelidge and Lily Paul scored goals in the second quarter and the Garnets completed the shutout to bring the curtain down on Gloria Byard’s first season as the Wolverines’ head coach. The loss snapped Woodstown’s four-game winning streak

WEST DEPTFORD 11, PENNSVILLE 0: The Eagles were just too strong and overpowered Pennsville in coach Lisa Doran’s return to the sideline. Avery Gasparovic, Isabella Gibbons and Julia Barger scored two goals apiece and five other players had individual goals

Game on

NJSIAA identifies 16 Paulsboro player for disqualification and suspension for Saturday’s playoff game with Schalick; game still on as scheduled

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

Schalick’s South Jersey Group I semifinal playoff game Saturday remains on as schedule, but with host Paulsboro playing with a highly limited roster.

The Red Raiders had 16 players, to date, “identified for disqualification,” and by NJSIAA rules subject to a one-game suspension for their involvement in a wild altercation in the fourth quarter of their 38-0 quarterfinals win over Woodbury Saturday. Game officials terminated the game with 4:41 left to play.

The NJSIAA identified four Woodbury players for the same penalties.

The NJSIAA said Monday Paulsboro is scheduled to host the Cougars Saturday in the second round and the game is on without with DQ’d players. Kickoff is set for noon.

“Our kids are excited that they’re actually going to play,” Schalick coach Kevin Leamy said. “All of them wanted to play.”

Here is the NJSIAA’s statement:

“Late Saturday, NJSIAA learned that the Paulsboro–Woodbury football game had been terminated with approximately four minutes remaining and Paulsboro leading 38–0. An altercation broke out along the Paulsboro sideline which escalated onto the field. Video review confirmed that multiple Paulsboro players engaged in fighting and left the bench area, along with several from Woodbury.

“As required by NJSIAA rules, any player engaged in fighting or leaving the bench area during an altercation is disqualified. Based on the review, 16 Paulsboro players and 4 Woodbury players, to date, have been identified for disqualification and will be subject to a 1-game sit. Both schools have been notified, and disqualifications have been entered into the NJSIAA system.

“The situation is certainly unfortunate, and NJSIAA appreciates the cooperation of both schools as the review process continues.”

Messages have been left for Paulsboro officials for further comment. Schalick athletics director Doug Volovar said he spoke briefly with Paulsboro AD Paul Morina after the NJSIAA’s announcement without much detail.

A Paulsboro senior player responding to a Riverview Sports News post on X said “several” people were ejected for passing the 25-yard-line bench boundary to get away from the melee, the “only” direction they could go he said after they “were instructed” to get away.

The NJSIAA did not identify the 16 disciplined players in its statement; a roster from a game with Penns Grove earlier this year lists 36 players on the Paulsboro roster. Schalick officials were working to identify who they were going to play against, but the team is preparing as if the Red Raiders would be at full strength. The winner draws the Salem-Glassboro winner in the sectional finals. Several starters are said to be among the sanctioned.

“We’ll see who those players (suspended) are,” Leamy said. “It could be all JV players, could be a handful of varsity players, we have no idea right now.

“We’re still preparing as if they’re full strength. We’re preparing that they’re not losing anyone and they have to sit a bunch of JV kids. That’s the way we’re preparing.”

The teams played earlier this year at Schalick with Paulsboro winning 6-0 in a game basically played between the 30s.

Paulsboro controlled the clock in the first half and scored a touchdown late in the second quarter. The Cougars had the ball with five minutes left and mounted a threat for the winning score, but the drive was gutted by back-to-back penalties.

It was the first of three straight losses (among four in a row) the Cougars sustained with quarterback Kenny Bartee in concussion protocol. Bartee returned for the regular-season finale against Woodbury and the Cougars have won two straight since.

So in the rematch, Paulsboro will be without 16 players who played in that game and the Cougars will be with one big piece who didn’t.

“I’m glad there wasn’t a forfeit; I’m glad we get to play,” Leamy said. “We’ll see what happens, but I’m glad there’s a game.”

This story will be updated.

This week’s schedule

Here is the Salem County sports schedule for the week of Nov. 3-8

MONDAY, NOV. 3
FOOTBALL
Woodstown at Clayton, 6 p.m.
GIRLS SOCCER
South Jersey Group I Tournament
Wildwood at Palmyra, 2 p.m.

TUESDAY, NOV. 4
BOYS SOCCER
South Jersey Group I Tournament
Woodbury at Haddon Twp., 4 p.m.
Pennsville at Glassboro, 2 p.m.
Clayton at Pitman, 2 p.m.
Palmyra at Woodstown, 2 p.m.
Wildwood at Audubon, 2 p.m.
Maple Shade at Riverside, 3 p.m.
Gateway at Penns Grove, 2:30 p.m.
New Egypt at Schalick, 2 p.m.
FIELD HOCKEY
South Jersey Group I Tournament
Collingswood at Shore, 6 p.m.
Woodstown at Haddon Heights, 2 p.m.
Bordentown at South Hunterdon, 2 p.m.
Lower Cape May at Gloucester, 3 p.m.
New Egypt at Haddon Twp., 2 p.m.
Florence at Schalick, 2 p.m.
Gateway at Audubon, 2 p.m.
Pennsville at West Deptford, 1 p.m.
WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Hagerstown at Salem CC, 6 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, NOV. 5
GIRLS SOCCER
South Jersey Group I Tournament
Glassboro at Pitman, 2 p.m.
Buena at Audubon, 3 p.m.
Woodbury at Clayton, 3 p.m.
Maple Shade at Haddon Twp., 4 p.m.
Pennsville at Woodstown, 2 p.m.
Cape May Tech at Gateway, 2 p.m.

THURSDAY, NOV. 6
FIELD HOCKEY
South Jersey Group I Tournament
Collingswood-Shore vs. Woodstown-Haddon Heights
Bordentown-South Hunterdon vs. Lower Cape May-Gloucester
New Egypt-Haddon Twp. vs. Florence-Schalick
Gateway-Audubon vs. Pennsville-West Deptford
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Salem CC at Atlantic Cape, 7 p.m.

FRIDAY, NOV. 7
FOOTBALL
South Jersey Group I Playoffs
Salem at Glassboro
Schalick at Paulsboro
BOYS SOCCER
South Jersey Group I Tournament
Woodbury-Haddon Twp. vs. Pennsville-Glassboro
Clayton-Pitman vs. Palmyra-Woodstown
Wildwood-Audubon vs. Maple Shade-Riverside
Gateway-Penns Grove vs. New Egypt-Schalick

SATURDAY, NOV. 8
GIRLS SOCCER
South Jersey Group I Tournament
Glassboro-Pitman winner at Schalick
Audubon-Buena vs. Palmyra-Wildwood
Clayton-Woodbury vs. Maple Shade-Haddon Twp.
Woodstown-Pennsville vs. Cape May Tech-Gateway
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Salem CC at Delaware County

Photo credit: Julliana Love

XC South Sectional

Woodstown, Schalick boys and girls advance to Group I state race after top five finishes at DREAM Park

By Riverview Sports News

LOGAN TWP. – The boys and girls teams from Woodstown and Schalick and an individual runner from Pennsville all advance to the Group I cross country state championship meet after posting qualifying finishes in the South Sectionals at DREAM Park Saturday.

Woodstown and Schalick finished 3-4 in the boys standings, while they went 4-5 in the girls standings.

Woodstown’s Jacob Marino finished sixth overall in the Boys Group I race and the Wolverines placed all five counters in the top 15 to score 75 points. Chase Riley was Schalick’s fastest runner, finishing 10th. Collin Bittle was 15th.

Woodstown’s Abby Marino finished second overall in the girls race, running 19:44.80. Teammate Anabel Schaal was seventh. The Wolverines finished two points behind third-place Maple Shade. Helen Lillia led Schalick across the line with an 11th overall finish.

Pennsville’s Sawyer Slad qualified individually after finishing 13th in the girls race.

The top five teams and individual runners in the top 15 not already qualified advance to the state meet. The top 10 runners received medals.

The championship meet is Nov. 8 in Holmdel. The Meet of Champions is there Nov. 15.

Group I South Sectional

BOYS TEAM SCORES: Glassboro 25, Haddon Twp. 58, Woodstown 75, Schalick 117, Audubon 127, Pitman 173, Maple Shade 184, Cape May Tech 253, Riverside 276, Buena 280, Paulsboro 315, Salem 330, Pt. Pleasant Beach 367, New Egypt 378.

GIRLS TEAM SCORES: Audubon 43, Haddon Twp. 61, Maple Shade 86, Woodstown 88, Schalick 108, Pitman 135, Cape May Tech 163,

BOYS TOP 15		GIRLS TOP 15
Joseph Saicic, Glassboro	15:51.84	Riley Fayer, Audubon	18:18.40
James Clauson, Haddon Twp.	16:05.00	Abby Marino, Woodstown	19:44.80
Jaeden Wesley, Glassboro	16:07.92	Emma Came, Audubon	20:09.69
Shaun Maloney, Haddon Twp.	16:13.17	Juliana Catalani, Maple Shade	20:26.77
Zacchaeus Harrigan, Glassboro	16:29.05	Isabella Legatie, Audubon	20:41.78
Jacob Marino, Woodstown	16:39.81	Tanner Lajoie, Haddon Twp.	20:57.91
Aaron Johnson, Glassboro	16:43.89	Anabel Schaal, Woodstown	21:05.00
Logan Camm, Audubon	16:47.05	Abigail Johns, Glassboro	21:33.72
Gavin Raktis, Glassboro	16:58.96	Peyton Coyle, Pitman	21:36.28
Chase Riley, Schalick	17:00.49	Kirstyn McHale, Cape May Tech	21:43.17
Rhys Blackman, Pitman	17:01.56	Helen Lillia, Schalick	21:48.21
David Farrell, Woodstown	17:05.47	Blake Kemery, Haddon Twp.	21:56.00
Torsten Duva, Woodstown	17:11.85	Sawyer Slad, Pennsville	22:08.65
Aidan Curran, Haddon Twp.	17:18.88	Johana Perez, Maple Shade	22:14.66
Collin Bittle, Schalick	17:18.94	Isabella Dodd, Haddon Twp.	22:21.87

Rams dominate

Salem unloads on KIPP, rolls in South Jersey Group I playoff opener for first playoff win since 2022; Paulsboro, Woodbury brawl in their playoff opener, could impact Schalick semifinal

SOUTH JERSEY GROUP I PLAYOFFS
Quarterfinals
Glassboro 41, Audubon 0
Salem 47, KIPP 0
Schalick 21, Pennsville 16
Paulsboro 38, Woodbury 0
Semifinals
Salem at Glassboro, Friday, 6 p.m.
Schalick at Paulsboro, Saturday, noon

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

CAMDEN — It takes a certain mindset to navigate the perils of a long regular season. Then, after getting through that, teams that make it into the playoffs are asked to compress all that urgency into each specific week knowing that game could be its last.

Streaking Salem really locked into the playoff mentality Saturday and gave an absolutely dominant performance in their 47-0 rout of KIPP in the 4-5 game of the South Jersey Group I quarterfinals. The Rams (6-4) now visit top-seeded Glassboro in the sectional semifinal Friday.

They have won three in a row and five of their last six.

Dominant is the operative word. The Rams ran 37 of their 44 offensive snaps on the Titans’ side of the field. The deepest they were backed into their own territory all game was their 38 – in the third quarter after a punt with a lot of roll – and then it only took them one play to get back to the other side of the field.

Meanwhile, the defense didn’t let the Titans breathe. They had amassed 2800 yards and scored 270 points in their first eight games, but had only 52 net yards and never got close to the end zone against the Rams. Their deepest penetration was the Salem 46. KIPP ran just two total plays on the Salem side of the field and both of those produced interceptions.

“It does change,” Rams coach Kemp Carr said of the approach. “It’s a new season. It’s mental toughness. One and done. There’s no tomorrow.

“We talked about mental toughness all week long I was beating that in their head. You’ve got to let the bad things that happen to you expire quickly and get back to the next play. The mentality is we’re trying to play every down like it’s our last down and we’re never going to get to play football again. That’s got to be the mentality in the playoffs.”

**Salem’s Antwuan Rogers (44) draws a bead on KIPP quarterback Davion Ross-Ways in his relentless pursuit of the Rams’ sack record.**

Senior defensive lineman Antwuan Rogers certainly embraced the mentality. Facing the prospect of playing his final high school game if the Rams didn’t win, the Temple commitment took up residence in the Titans’ backfield. Carr called him “relentless.”

He was credited with seven sacks in the game, breaking Amare Smith’s 2021 single season school record. Rogers now has 20 sacks this season with at least one more game to play.

“I saw I was close; I had 13,” Rogers said. “At first I was like I’m probably just going to try to get three (Saturday) and try to finish it out the next game, but then I’m like no, we can go home today, you never know, so I’m like I’ve got to get it today.

“We got super locked in. This is the first time we’ve been in the playoffs in a couple years so we were coming to dominate. We came in with the mindset that we were going to be dominate, so nobody on KIPP Cooper could mess with us – at any position. We came and dominated every position. That’s why we won the game.”

**Salem sophomore Izaiah Santiago (25) had the best game of his career in Saturday’s South Jersey Group I playoff opener against KIPP.**

Sophomore Izaiah Santiago also played a huge role keeping the season alive. He scored three touchdowns. Santiago scored on runs of 1 and 3 yards and two plays after his second rushing touchdown he anticipated an out route, picked it off and returned it 50 yards for another score.

“He was locked in on a different mindset,” Carr said. “Whoever fed him make sure they give that to him for the rest of his life.”

“It was just hearing number called,” Santiago said. “All week in practice, running through the plays, getting ready for the game. It was just coming out here and doing what I was supposed to do. I’m just thankful for Coach Carr calling my number.”

The Rams’ domination commenced right from the start, when KIPP touched its game-opening onside kick before it had traveled 10 yards. It took the Rams three plays to get in the end zone and the rout was on.

It was 20-0 at halftime and easily could have been 35-0 with a little more sharpness. Quarterback Desmund Thomas ran for two scores. Freshmen Cashmir Parsley ran for their first touchdown and Kyvion Parsons ran for their last one. Quarterback Desmund Thomas ran for two scores in between.

“I thought we played pretty well,” Carr said. “We left some plays out there; we’ve still got some things we need to execute up front. At first I wasn’t happy with the way we were able to establish the run and then we were able to get it going.

“We’re just trying to figure it out. We’re just tryng to get better every week. Like I said at the beginning of the season I thought we would be pretty good at the end of the season and we are.”

SCHALICK WATCHING: The Schalick football program will be watching closely for any ruling that may come down as a result of the brawl that ended the Woodbury-Paulsboro playoff game Saturday but is going forward with its plan to play a game next week.

The Cougars are scheduled to play the winner (Paulsboro) in the next round Saturday, but the status of that game (and opponent) is potentially in jeopardy after the fight broke out on the Paulsboro sideline after Red Raiders quarterback Malakhai McKenzie was hit out of bounds. Paulsboro was leading the game 38-0 when both benches emptied as a fight erupted on the field. The officials called the game with 4:41 to play.

Reports indicate there were several late hit penalties on Woodbury before the incident that sparked the fight

The NJSIAA is awaiting further information on the incident.

“It’s obviously something you never want to see in high school football,” said Schalick coach Kevin Leamy, who was not at the game. “Whatever the circumstances are you never want to see those type of incidents with that many players involved, people running off the bench. That’s not what any coach wants and I feel bad for both of those staffs that have to deal with that.

“You never know what the results are going to be. The state comes in and makes rulings on these things. Usually, they don’t make the quickest ruling either … We’ll be preparing tomorrow and Monday like we’re playing Paulsboro next Saturday. Until that changes we are preparing for Paulsboro.”

Repercussions could include both teams get kicked out of the playoffs — giving Schalick a bye into the sectional final against the Salem-Glassboro winner in two weeks — multiple player suspensions with the game to continue as scheduled, and even a change to a neutral site.

In any event, the Cougars are going forward with business as usual until they hear otherwise.

“We’ve got to prepare like we’re playing,” Leamy said.

Last year’s Schalick-Paulsboro regular-season game got caught up in a threat that forced officials to postpone the game, at Paulsboro, until the following Monday afternoon.

Salem 47, KIPP 0

SALEM		KIPP
13	1st Downs	3
28-97	Rushing	20-14
7-14-0	Passing	4-13-3
105	Passing yds	38
0-0	Fumbles-lost	1-1
0	Punts-avg	3-33.0
8-60	Penalties	8-62

Salem	14	6	20	7-	47
KIPP	0	0	0	0-	0

SCORING SUMMARY
S-Cashmir Parsley 48 run (Desmund Thomas run), 10:42 1Q
S-Desmund Thomas 15 run (PAT failed), 0:28 1Q
S-Izaiah Santiago 1 run (kick failed), 4:25 2Q
S-Desmund Thomas 9 run (kick failed), 7:22 3Q
S-Izaiah Santiago 3 run (pass failed), 1:44 3Q
S-Izaiah Santiago 50 interception return (Jonathan Bower kick), 0:07 3Q
S-Kyvion Parsons 4 run (Jonathan Bower kick), 5:03 4Q

GROUP I PLAYOFFS
NORTH I
Butler 42, Hawthorne 7
New Milford 35, Bogota 21
Kittatinny 12, Wallkill Valley 7
Kinnelon 26, Park Ridge 7
NORTH II
Mountain Lakes 42, Brearley 0
Cedar Grove 35, Glen Ridge 20
New Providence 38, Secaucus 0
Hasbrouck Heights 45, Wood-Ridge 14
SOUTH
Glassboro 41, Audubon 0
Salem 47, KIPP 0
Schalick 21, Pennsville 16
Paulsboro 38, Woodbury 0
CENTRAL
Burlington City 49, Bound Brook 0
Manville 35, Asbury Park 0
Pt. Pleasant Beach 42, Riverside 14
Shore 34, New Egypt 0