Category: SCHALICK

Wednesday roundup

Woodstown girls lose close one in SJ Group I lacrosse tournament, Salem County athletes show out at TCC Showcase, Schalick golf clinches share of division title

GIRLS LACROSSE
South Jersey Group I Tournament
No. 1 Glen Ridge 17, No. 16 Middle Twp. 1
No. 8 Delaware Valley 10, No. 9 West Deptford 8
No. 12 Haddon Twp. 9, No. 5 Woodstown 7
No. 4 Shore 18, No. 13 Haddon Heights 12
No. 3 Madison 16, No. 14 Sterling 2
No. 11 Lower Cape May 12, No. 6 Cinnaminson 9
No. 10 New Providence at No. 7 Bernards (Thursday)
No. 2 Rumson-Fair Haven 18, No. 15 Dayton 2

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

WOODSTOWN – A 5-12 tournament match-up always has the potential to be a trap game for the favorite and it turned out that way for the Woodstown girls lacrosse team Wednesday.

Haddon Twp., a No. 12 seed despite having twice as many wins and almost 100 more power points than the Wolverines, scored three straight goals in a little over 14 minutes in the second half to pull away from a tie game and eventually score a 9-7 upset in the opening round of the South Jersey Group I girls lacrosse playoffs.

Six players scored goals for the Hawks (15-3), with Sage Looram, Mady Maronski and Amelia Tomashek each scoring two. Loorem also had a pair of assists. The Hawks hadn’t won a first-round game since 2021, but they were one of two double-digit seeds to win Wednesday.

Delaney Walker scored three goals for Woodstown (7-9) – giving her 55 for the season – while Emma Morgan and Blair Baldi had two apiece. All three goal scorers are sophomores.

“I think we were feeling the pressure,” first-year Woodstown coach Erin Renshaw said. “They’re a good team, so I was expecting the game that we got. I just think a good team like that is going to capitalize on our little mistakes.”

The Wolverines had the Hawks on the run early, jumping out to a 3-0 lead in the first nine minutes of the game. Haddon Twp. fought back to tie it 3-3 and the teams traded goals to tie it at 4-4, 5-5 and 6-6.

The Hawks took the lead with 5:14 left in the third quarter, then added goals with 11:16 and 6:09 left in the fourth quarter to go up 9-6.

“Yes, we are young, but I think it was just our little mistakes,” Renshaw said. “We’ve got to work more on getting the ball out of the defensive end. We had some trouble with that today.

“I think we were forcing some things and not taking our best shots, not taking our best options. I think that kind of killed us. If we can’t handle possession, get on the ball, we can’t score.”

The Wolverines did have three 8-meter opportunities in the final five minutes to potentially close the gap, but cashed in on only one with 3:07 to play. The missed second opportunity was particularly demoralizing.

“One thing I will say about my girls is they will play every minute,” Renshaw said. “I know we had some turnovers but they’re still going 100 percent to get the ball back.

“As a first-year coach I am completely happy with the how they played (this season). I think our growth is what I’m most proud of and how we are as a team. I will take the team I have over a team that is packed with elite girls who just think they can roll over another team. My team will fight and they will play with heart.” 

TRACK

FRANKLINVILLE – Schalick junior Jordan Hadfield won two events and led a group of four Salem County athletes who won five events at the Tri-County Showcase at Delsea Wednesday.

Hadfield won the 800 in a personal best 2:18.61 and the 3200 in 11:30.95. She didn’t run the 1600, which opened the door for Woodstown’s Lillian Norman to win in a PR 5:29.46.

The county produced two winners on the boys side.

Penns Grove senior Khalim Smith won the triple jump with a PR and state top 25 jump of 44-9. He beat runnerup DaviYonn Jackson of Salem by eight inches. 

“He was a sleeper coming into the year, but not anymore,” said Damian Ware, the Red Devils’ jumpers coach.

The triple jump was Salem County’s best event. In addition to Smith and Jackson going 1-2, freshmen David Stewart of Schalick and KaRon Ceaser were third and fourth, respectively.

Pennsville’s Connor Ayars completed the county’s champions group by winning the javelin with a PR of 159-6.

“This was the best I’ve seen Connor look,” Eagles coach Mike Healy said. “Not only did he PR, but he was consistently throwing in the 150s for all his throws, which was great to see.

“Between Connor and Cole (Campbell) finishing fourth, they’ve been our most consistent athletes and have been putting in a ton of work.”

The county also had four event runner-ups – Woodstown’s boys 4×800 relay and Salem’s Jackson, Anthony Parker (400 hurdles) and Rhionna Timmons (long jump) – and 25 top fives.

The meet was not team scored.

TCC SHOWCASE
BOYS WINNERS
4×100: Washington Twp. (Ajani Dwyer, Yashahya Brown, John Santos, Jack Schuck), 41.77.
4×800: Deptford (Abu Jabbie, Sean Nieves, Anthony Schilling, Lucius Davis), 8:15.04.
400 Hurdles: Alexander Osayemi, Clayton, 55.20.
1600: Ty Blackman, Glassboro, 4:33.91.
400: Dante McGrenehan, Delsea, 49.05.
100: Ajani Dwyer, Washington Twp., 10.45.
800: Daniel Torres, Washington Twp., 1:57.44.
110 Hurdles: Yashahya Brown, Washington Twp., 13.64 (USA Top 25).
200: Ajani Dwyer, Washington Twp., 21.29 (NJ Top 10).
3200: Aziz Muhammad-Kane, Highland, 9:56.04.
4×400: Williamstown (Alexander Hollimon, Kobinah Amissah, Sam Bruno, Gordon Pinnock), 3:27.39.
High jump: Jayden DeLeon, Highland, 6-7 (NJ Top 10).
Pole vault: Marcus Hood, Deptford, 14-6 (NJ Top 10).
Long jump: Benny Liles III, Kingsway, 22-6.50.
Triple jump: Khalim Smith, Penns Grove, 44-9 (PR, NJ Top 25).
Discus: Damere Lassiter, Glassboro, 171-2 (NJ Top 10).
Javelin: Connor Ayars, Pennsville, 159-6 (PR).
Shot put:  Jonathan Harris, Delsea, 61-7.50 (NJ Top 10).

Top 5 finishers (Salem County)
4×800: 2. Woodstown (Karson Chew, Joshua Crawford, Cole Lucas, Jacob Marino) 8:19.91.
400 Hurdles: 2. Anthony Parker, Salem, 55.26 (PR, NJ Top 25).
1600: 4. Matthew Tozer, Schalick, 4:44.48 (PR); 5. Cole Lucas, Woodstown, 4:52.94.
800: 5. Steve Chomo, Schalick, 2:03.25 (PR).
110 Hurdles: 5. Anthony Parker, Salem, 15.25
4×400: 4. Penns Grove (Theus Berrios, Kylee Goodson, Bryan Garlic, Knowledge Young), 3:32.83.
High jump: 5. Reggie Allen, Schalick, 6-0.
Triple jump: 2. DaviYonn Jackson, Salem, 44-1; 3. David Stewart, Schalick, 43-7 (PR); 5. KaRon Ceaser, Penns Grove, 43-0.50.
Discus: 4. Jackson McFarland, Pennsville, 129-8 (PR).
Javelin: 4. Cole Campbell, Pennsville, 147-11.

GIRLS WINNERS
4×100: Kingsway (Jonnelle Lewis, Camryn Stanard, Kennedy Brathwaite, Naveya Hall), 49.57
4×800: Washington Twp. (Kaylee Russen, Taylor Stuart, Rachael Wilson, Hannah Saleh), 10:02.57.
400 Hurdles: Nyla Jones, Timber Creek, 1:01.87.
1600: Lillian Norman, Woodstown, 5:29.46 (PR).
400: Nayla Jones, Timber Creek, 56.36 (NJ Top 10).
100: Ryan Jennings, Timber Creek, 11.56.
800: Jordan Hadfield, Schalick, 2:18.61 (PR).
100 Hurdles: Nyla Jones, Timber Creek, 14.55 (NJ Top 10).
200: Ryan Jennings, Timber Creek, 24.36 (NJ Top 10).
3200: Jordan Hadfield, Schalick, 11:30.95.
4×400: Timber Creek (Amaya Jones, Autumn Cato, Jordyn Cato, Taylor Gaines), 4:06.85.
High jump: Alanna Woolfolk, Clayton, 5-6 (NJ No. 1).
Pole vault: Cali Lacovara, Washington Twp., 10-6.
Long jump: Guerlande Pierre, Timber Creek, 17-0.
Triple jump: Riley Gramble, Washington Twp., 33-11.25.
Discus: Hannah Nuhfer, Delsea, 146-10 (NJ Top 10).
Javelin: Paige Franklin, Williamstown, 114-1.
Shot put: Hannah Nuhfer, Delsea, 38-5.75.

Top 5 finishers (Salem County)
4×100: 3. Schalick (Brooke Watt, Calleigh Schalick, Gia Martellacci, Zoe Jenkins), 51.65.
400 Hurdles: 4. Anna Buzby, Salem, 1:07.94; 5. Grace O’Neill, Schalick, 1:08.55.
1600: 4. Helen Lillia, Schalick, 5:49.02 (PR).
100: 5. Daivonnah Thomas, Penns Grove, 12.83 (PR).
Pole vault: 3. Megan Morris, Pennsville, 8-6.
Long jump: 2. Rhionna Timmons, Salem, 16-6.
Triple jump: 3. Brooke Watt, Schalick, 33-4.50; 5. Calista Hunt, Woodstown, 32-9.Javelin: 3. Allyson Green, Schalick, 99-0; 5. Alivia Klancic, Schalick, 91-11.
Shot put: 5. Ava Rodgers, Salem, 34-0.

GOLF
SCHALICK 162, DELSEA 174, OVERBROOK 224: Senior Ryan Johnson parred his final hole to shoot a 3-over-par 38 and win medalist honors as Schalick clinched a share of the Tri-County Conference Diamond Division title.

As a co-champion (with Woodstown), the Cougars will send a full contingent of players to the Tri-County Championships Tuesday at Pitman GC. All five division winners will send full groups, while everyone else will send two players.

The Cougars also counted a 39 from Seth Fisher, a 42 from Anthony Sepers and a 43 from Lance Creighton.

KINGSWAY GIRLS 188, SCHALICK 200: Kingsway’s Carly Kuminka birdied her first hole, one-putted her first two and shot 5-over-par 40 to win medalist honors by seven strokes. Hannah Widdifield shot Schalick’s low round (48).

BOYS TENNIS
South Jersey Group I Tournament
BUENA 5, PENNS GROVE 0
Jake Harris (B) def. Alex Ramirez Martinez, 6-0, 6-0
Dominic Longona (B) def. Angel Perez Herrera, 6-1, 6-1
Stephen Pepper (B) def. Stuart Mondragon, 6-1, 6-0
Matthew Lillia-Gabe Ridolfo (B) def. Anthony Pacheco-Ricardo Vichi, 6-0, 6-0
Joshua Sharpe-Michael Letushko (B) def. Adam Gonzalez-Rene Ruiz, 6-0, 6-2
Records: Penns Grove 4-10, Buena 18-3.

Regular season
WOODSTOWN 5, OVERBROOK 0
Tim Schwienbacher (Wo) def. Andrew Weaver, 6-2, 7-5
Drew Stengel (Wo) def. Logan Milas, 6-1, 6-3
Erich Lipovsky (Wo) def. Colin Campbrell, 6-3, 6-0
Joseph Kurpis-Luke Shaw (Wo) def. Connor Kustera-Alan Marcos, 6-4, 3-6, 10-3
John Farrell-Nichols DiTeodoro (Wo) def. Jose Paz-Gabe Martinez, 6-1, 6-2
Records: Overbrook 5-15, Woodstown 12-6.

Well-armed Wolverines

Woodstown’s pitching plan blanks Schalick to open South Jersey Group I softball tournament; Pennsville wins big, Salem faced big challenge

SOUTH JERSEY GROUP I TOURNAMENT
Wednesday’s first-round games
No. 1 Audubon 13, No. 16 Camden Academy Charter 0
No. 9 Paulsboro 10, No. 8 Palmyra 3
No. 5 Maple Shade 11, No. 12 Cape May Tech 0
No. 4 Pennsville 17, No. 13 Glassboro 0
No. 3 Haddon Twp. 10, No. 14 Clayton 0
No. 6 Woodstown 10, No. 11 Schalick 0
No. 10 Gateway 5, No. 7 Pitman 3
No. 2 Buena 19, No. 15 Salem 0

SECOND ROUND (MAY 28)
Paulsboro at Audubon
Maple Shade at Pennsville
Woodstown at Haddon Twp.
Gateway at Buena

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

WOODSTOWN – So much of a team’s success in the softball playoffs is predicated on pitching. A good one can give you an edge. Two can take you a long way.

Woodstown has two good ones capable of shutting down an opposing team’s lineup and put them both on display in Wednesday’s South Jersey Group I playoff opener. Get ready to see a lot more of them both for as long as the Wolverines stick around.

Liv Boultinghouse and Grace White combined on a three-hitter as the sixth-seeded Wolverines blanked county rival Schalick 10-0 in what may have been retiring coach Dave Wildermuth’s final home game. They now travel to third-seeded Haddon Twp. Tuesday for Round 2, with the 1, 2, 4 and 5 seeds all still alive.

Boultinghouse threw 41 pitches over the first four innings (33 for strikes) and gave up all three hits, but allowed two runners got past first base – both with two outs. White pitched the fifth, with an expectation of going more if needed, and needed only 17 pitches to get the four batters to close it out.

“That’s kind of our game plan,” Wildermuth said. “We’re probably going to split them, Liv to start and Grace to finish, three and three and then figure out the fourth inning. And that worked out today.

“When you have two really good pitchers and both are seniors and both have been in the playoffs before and won playoff games, I’m going to ride them. That’s the plan.”

The fielders and hitters supported them. Tulana Mingin made the defensive play of the game when she went deep to her backhand side to snare Alli Shimp’s grounder and threw her out from her knees.

The Wolverines led 3-0 after three innings, then broke it open with four in the fourth on six consecutive two-out hits or walks. Mingin went 3-for-3 with a walk and two RBIs. Ellie Wygand had two hits and three RBIs, including the walk-off single in the fifth. Kayla Brown and Aubrie Rennie had two hits apiece.

Schalick, meanwhile, just couldn’t solve the two Woodstown pitchers. Taylor Sparks, Alli Shimp and Ava Scurry had the Cougars’ hits, but almost everything else they put in play stayed in the infield.

“The pitching is good, we didn’t get hits when we needed to,” Cougars coach Rick Higinbotham said. “We were hitting the ball, they just weren’t falling for us. It’s tough. You get a good pitcher, two pitchers like theirs, it’s tough for a playoff game.

“I liked the fact we were hitting the ball. We were putting the ball in play, they weren’t falling for us.”
Wildermuth announced shortly before the season began he was retiring from teaching and coaching at the end of the season/school year. He deferred talking about any kind of farewell tour at the start of the season and he wasn’t thinking about it being close to the end now.

“All I asked them today was give me one more week with you guys, and they did,” he said. “They gave me one more week so I’m going to enjoy this next week with them.”

PENNSVILLE 17, GLASSBORO 0: Bella Farina homered and drove in six runs, Kylie Harris set the modern-era single-season school record for doubles and Savannah Palverento spun another no-hitter as the Eagles won their 14th in a row.

Farina went 4-for-4 and Bella Rappa was 3-for-4 with two RBIs and both were a double shy of the cycle. Sophomore Harris doubled on a fly ball to center field in the Eagles’ seven-run second inning. It was her 15th double of the season and 25th of her career.

Palverento’s no-hitter was far from perfect – she walked five, hit a batter and struck out four – but she faced four batters over the minimum in the five-inning game. She only had two runners reach third base and they were both in the fifth inning and catcher Harris picked off one of them.

It was her fourth no-hit appearance in her last five appearances and third complete-game no-hitter. She has given up four hits in her last 24 1/3 innings with no-hitters against Glassboro, Salem and Wildwood. She also pitched three no-hit innings in a combined one-hitter against Pitman in that stretch.

“I’m sure she was ‘oh, I could have done better,'” Eagles coach Beth Jackson said. “But she fought through and her team helped her out defensively when the ball was put in play.”

BUENA 19, SALEM 0: Anna Sheridan went 4-for-4, Layiah Collins went 3-for-4 with a homer and both drove in four runs. The Chiefs led 9-0 after two innings, then put it way out of reach with 10 in the third. Raegan Wilson had both of Salem’s hits.

Classical victory

Wagner’s first career homer powers Pennsville to third straight TCC Classic Division title; includes softball, golf, tennis updates

TUESDAY BASEBALL
Pennsville 17, Wildwood 7

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PENNSVILLE – Jeff Wagner will forever remember his first high school home run as the one that won Pennsville another division baseball championship.

WAGNER

It wasn’t one of those dramatic bottom-of-the-seventh bombs that has everyone pouring out of the dugout and the fans doing backflips in the aisles, but it was the shot that opened the gates for the Eagles to maul Wildwood 17-7 and claim a share of their third straight Tri-County Conference Classic Division crown with Pitman.

Pennsville and Pitman split their regular-season series and beat everyone else in the division twice. The Eagles (16-9) are the No. 4 seed in the South Jersey Group I playoffs, where they’ll host Gateway in the first round Thursday at 2 p.m.

“It’s a goal at the beginning of every year,” Pennsville coach Matt Karr said. “I told these guys today we don’t get to pick what division we play in or who we play, we just play the games and whenever you get a chance to win anything that says ‘championship’ you enjoy it and you go after it. They did the job today. Add another year to the banner.”

Wagner’s two-run blast to left center in the fifth inning broke it open, extending the Eagles’ lead to 9-6 after they had taken it for the second time in the game earlier in the inning. It came in his 65th at bat this season and 79th career plate appearance. The sophomore designated hitter had one-hopped or hit the fence three times this season, but this was the first one he hit that wasn’t coming back.

Buoyed by the bomb, the Eagles wound up scoring 12 runs over the final two innings, walking it off on Chase Burchfield’s fourth hit of the game with two outs in the sixth inning. They were down 3-0, 4-3 and 6-5 at various points before the eruption.

“It kind of got the momentum flowing,” Wagner said. “It felt good catching the barrel, kind of got back to my groove and got the boys going.

“I felt like my part to the plate was kind of sentimental to the team because it was close. We weren’t playing good in the first half of the game and after I hit that I kind of felt like it turned us around and got us going. I definitely felt a big part of the team there. It felt good.”

The final two innings are much more the way the Eagles want to be heading into the playoffs than the last three weeks of the season. After Monday’s tight win over Clayton, the Eagles were 5-6 since their walk-off win over Schalick on April 23. When they won Tuesday, it marked the first time they’d won back-to-back games since April 22-23.

Part of their struggles are rooted in missing two of their top players. Versatile junior Luke Wood has been out with a lower back injury and his status going forward is TBD. Jacob Grant, their lone senior, has been out with a shoulder injury, but he rehabbed Tuesday and the Eagles are hoping to have him back for Round 2 (May 29 and a potential matchup with Woodstown).

Instead of wallowing in what his team might not have available, Karr hopes the Eagles embrace the opportunities it creates and the next-man-up approach that presents.

In the meantime they have been trying all kinds of creative ways to get their swagger back. One of the more interesting efforts was a bonfire after a closer-than-necessary run-fest with Clayton in which they burned all kinds of equipment. 

It was an idea Grant is said to have discovered surfing the ‘net. A college baseball team was going through a tough stretch, decided to burn a bunch of their stuff, posted the video on TikTok (of course) and then went on a home-run-hitting tear. Grant figured if it worked for them, it couldn’t hurt the Eagles to try it.

“With the way we’ve played in the past two weeks we’ve had bad mojo,” Wagner said. “We kind of got rid of the bad mojo. We were off and on and then today I felt like the team came together and got it done.”

Whatever works, right?

“You want to find something positive to build on whether it’s the last two innings, the last pitch, the last at-bat, whatever it is; take whatever positive you can get (and) build on them,” Karr said. “We didn’t even give them any speeches about anything in the outfield other than we need to have a great workout tomorrow and be ready to roll on Thursday.”

South Jersey Group I Tournament
Thursday’s first-round games
No. 16 Camden Academy Charter at No. 1 Audubon, 4 p.m.
No. 9 Buena at No. 8 Haddon Twp., 4 p.m.
No. 12 Maple Shade at No. 5 Woodstown, 3 p.m.
No. 13 Gateway at No. 4 Pennsville, 2 p.m.
No. 14 Glassboro at No. 3 Pitman, 3 p.m.
No. 11 Paulsboro at No. 6 Schalick, 4 p.m.
No. 10 Cape May Tech at No. 7 Wildwood, 4 p.m.
No. 15 Penns Grove at No. 2 Gloucester, 4 p.m.

SOFTBALL
GLOUCESTER CATHOLIC 17, SALEM 0: Madelyn McGinn hit three doubles and drove in five runs and Brooklyn Carcaci held Salem to two hits in the four-inning game. Julliana Love and Alexandrea Matias had the Rams’ two hits.

South Jersey Group I Tournament
Wednesday’s first-round games
No. 16 Camden Academy Charter at No. 1 Audubon, 4 p.m.
No. 9 Paulsboro at No. 8 Palmyra, 3:45 p.m.
No. 12 Cape May Tech at No. 5 Maple Shade
No. 13 Glassboro at No. 4 Pennsville, 2 p.m.
No. 14 Clayton at No. 3 Haddon Twp., 4 p.m.
No. 11 Schalick at No. 6 Woodstown, 4 p.m.
No. 10 Gateway at No. 7 Pitman, 4 p.m.
No. 15 Salem at No. 2 Buena, 4 p.m.

BOYS TENNIS
PENNSVILLE 5, SCHALICK 0
Gave Schneider (Pv) def. George Gould, 6-1, 6-1
Maddox Efelis (Pv) def. Jesus Espinoza, 6-0, 6-0
Brody Wiggins (Pv) def. Conor O’Toole, 6-1, 6-1
Noah Bohn-Noah Flitcraft (Pv) def. Rocky Monticolo-David Santana, 6-1, 6-2
Saywer Humphrey-Luke Chamberlain (Pv) def. Cayden Brzozowski-Kaden Barnes, 7-5, 7-6 (7-5)
Records: Schalick 15-7, Pennsville 17-3.

South Jersey Group I Tournament
Thursday’s games
Lindenwold at Overbrook 1 p.m.
Wildwood at Woodstown, 2:30 p.m.
Penns Grove at Buena
Palmyra at Schalick, 3 p.m.
May 29
Lindenwold-Overbrook winner at Haddon Twp.
Wildwood-Woodstown winner at Middle Twp.
Penns Grove-Buena winner at Pennsville
Palmyra-Schalick winner at Pitman

GOLF
SCHALICK 165, PENNSVILLE 176: Ryan Johnson and Lance Creighton, Schalick’s two representatives in Monday’s Salem-Cumberland county tournament, posted rounds of 39 and 40, respectively, at Sakima CC to move the Cougars a step closer to a share of the Tri-County Conference Diamond Division title. A win over Overbrook Wednesday will seal it.

Pennsville senior Jacob Isaac was the match’s medalist with a 2-under-par 34. He had back-to-back birdies on 6 and 7.

WASHINGTON TWP. GIRLS 181, SCHALICK 212: Washington Twp. posted three rounds in the 40s at Centerton CC, led by medalist Tessa Reilley’s 42. Lena Virga posted Schalick’s low round (49).

Monday roundup

Clinching time: Woodstown baseball, softball clinch TCC Diamond Division titles; Pennsville softball clinches share of Classic Division crown 

BASEBALL
PENNSVILLE 5, CLAYTON 2: Chase Burchfield pitched five solid innings and went 3-for-3 at the plate. He drove in the first run of the game with an RBI single in the first and the Eagles tacked on two more on a walk and a hit batsman both with bases loaded.

Burchfield has been itching to pitch and the Eagles gave him his chance at Salem on May 1. He has pitched a total of four games — twice each against Salem and Clayton — and has given up one earned run and struck out 10 in nine total innings. The hits he allowed Monday were his first of the year.

In addition, in the games he has pitched, he has gone 8-for-14 at the plate with eight RBIs.

The Clippers made it 3-2 in the fifth, but the Eagles answered with two in the bottom of the fifth on Jeff Wagner’s two-out RBI single and Birchfield’s steal of home.

The Eagles can claim a share of the Tri-County Conference Classic Division (with Pitman) by beating Wildwood Tuesday.

WOODSTOWN 10, PENNS GROVE 0: Thomas Tucci threw three strong innings and three relievers completed a one-hitter as the Wolverines clinched the Tri-County Conference Diamond Division title.

Tucci pitched the first three innings and struck out five. Jack Knorr, Michael Valente and Dante Spina followed him to the hill and threw three no-hit innings of relief. All three of Spina’s outs were strikeouts.

Blake Bialecki had three of Woodstown’s eight hits. Andrew Pedrick had two hits with a double, drew two walks and scored three runs. Dylan Hyatt had Penns Grove’s only hit.

Both teams are headed to the South Jersey Group I playoffs.

SCHALICK 8, STERLING 1: Luke Pokrovsky struck out all six batters he faced in two innings on the mound and hit a grand slam in the second inning. Four Schalick pitchers combined to hold the Silver Knights to three singles. Jake Siedlecki put the Cougars on top with a two-run homer in the first.

Pokrovsky went 3-for-3 with four RBIs. Matt Lamazza and Evan Glaspey each had two hits for the Cougars.

Here are the first-round matchups for the South Jersey Group I tournament
May 23
Camden Academy Charter at Audubon
Buena at Haddon Twp.
Maple Shade at Woodstown
Gateway at Pennsville
Glassboro at Pitman
Paulsboro at Schalick
Cape May Tech at Wildwood
Penns Grove at Gloucester

SOFTBALL
PENNSVILLE 11, CLAYTON 1: Kylie Harris drove in three runs with a double and a triple, Savannah Palverento had two RBIs and Bella Rappa and Lilly Birney had two hits apiece as the Eagles ran their winning streak to 13 games and clinched a tie for the Tri-County Classic Division title. They can win it outright if Gloucester Catholic falls to Salem Tuesday.

WOODSTOWN 19-16, PENNS GROVE 0-3: The Wolverines clinched the TCC Diamond Division title and extended their winning streak over in-county competition to 28 games. Hannah Hitchner’s three-run double highlighted a seven-run first in the opener. The Wolverines got eight in the first inning of the nightcap. Madison LaPalomento and Sara Weinstein both had three RBIs in that game. Woodstown’s pitchers gave up only two hits in each game.

SCHALICK 1, OLMA 0: Abby Willoughby raced home with the game’s only run when the Villagers mishandled Addi Shimp’s bunt back to the circle. Shimp kept the Villagers off the board, turning back threats in the first, second, fifth and sixth innings. The Cougars cut down a runner at the plate in the second.

Shimp gave up three hits and struck out seven in spinning the complete-game shutout. Willoughby had two hits.

Here are the first-round matchups in the South Jersey Group I tournament
May 22
Camden Academy Charter at Audubon
Paulsboro at Palmyra
Cape May Tech at Maple Shade
Glassboro at Pennsville
Clayton at Haddon Twp.
Schalick at Woodstown
Gateway at Pitman
Salem at Buena

BOYS TENNIS
SCHALICK 3, PITMAN 2: The Cougars won dramatic tiebreakers at 2 singles (Jesus Espinoza) and 2 doubles (Kaden Barnes-Cayden Brzozowski) to stun the TCC Diamond Division leader and No. 2 South Jersey Group I seed. It was the Cougars’ first win over the Panthers since 2019.
Maddox Marker (P) def. George Gould, 6-2, 6-1
Jesus Espinoza (S) def. Cole Kelly, 7-5, 1-6, 10-7
Conor O’Toole (S) def. Chase Pogozelski, 6-0, 6-0
Michael Fisicaro-Max Pappalardo (P) def. Rocky Monticolo-David Santana, 6-4, 6-2
Kaden Barnes-Cayden Brzozowski (S) def. Matthew Bauman-Dom Saffioti, 7-5, 3-6, 11-9
Records: Pitman 15-7, Schalick 15-6.

WOODSTOWN 5, DEPTFORD 0
Tim Schwienbacher (Wo) def. Ethan Bui, 6-1, 6-2
Drew Stengel (Wo) def. Xavier Dean, 6-2, 6-0
Erich Lipovsky (Wo) def. Bradyn Gee, 6-4, 6-0
Mason Shimp-Joseph Kurpis (Wo) def. Anmolpreet Singh-Tony Logan, 6-3, 6-1
John Farrell-Luke Shaw (Wo) def. Joseph Crowley-Olaoluwa Gureje, 6-0, 4-6, 10-8
Records: Deptford 4-13, Woodstown 11-5

Here are the pairings for the South Jersey Group I tennis tournament
May 23
No. 1 Haddon Twp. bye
No. 9 Lindenwold at No. 8 Overbrook
No. 12 Wildwood at No. 5 Woodstown
No. 4 Middle Twp. bye
No. 3 Pennsville bye
No. 11 Penns Grove at No. 6 Buena
No. 10 Palmyra at No. 7 Schalick
No. 2 Pitman bye
May 29
Lindenwold-Overbrook winner at Haddon Twp.
Wildwood-Woodstown winner at Middle Twp.
Penns Grove-Buena winner at Pennsville
Schalick-Palmyra winner at Pitman
May 31
Semifinals
June 4
Championship match

GIRLS LACROSSE
Here are the first round games for the South Jersey Group I tournament
May 22
Middle Twp. at Glen Ridge
Haddon Heights at Shore
May 25
West Deptford at Delaware Valley
Haddon Twp. at Woodstown
Sterling at Madison
Lower Cape May at Cinnaminson
New Providence at Bernards
Dayton at Rumson-Fair Haven

BOYS LACROSSE
Here are the first-round games for the South Jersey Group I tournament
May 22
Lower Cape May at Johnson
Point Pleasant Boro at New Providence
Dayton at Shore
Cinnaminson at Rumson-Fair Haven
May 25 
Sterling at Bernards
Delaware Valley at Haddonfield
Verona at Glen Ridge
Woodstown at Madison

Friends in playoff

Schermerhorn edges Woodstown teammate Covely in sudden death in Salem/Cumberland county tournament; Cumberland’s Tarquinio girls medalist, Wolverines, Colts win team titles

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

CENTERTON — Imagine if you will a sudden-death playoff the likes of Couples-Norman, JT-Speith, McIlroy-Lowry or Westwood-Clarke.

That’s the kind of flavor you got Monday when the Salem-Cumberland county golf championship came down to good friends and Woodstown teammates Jacob Schermerhorn and Jeffrey Covely playing for boys medalist honors at Centerton Country Club.

Schermerhorn, the defending champ, and Covely were the last golfers standing in an initial three-way sudden death before Schermerhorn took out his buddy with a two-putt par on the second extra hole.

“The entire time we were just excited to just hopefully get a chance to win 1 and 2, me and him,” Schermerhorn said. “That’s my guy. I can’t complain. I got to go with my best friend. Between me and him, as long as me or him got first or second neither of us would’ve complained. And fortunately I came out on top. So now I have something to brag about.”

“Going into the playoff with him our senior year is awesome; I couldn’t have written it up any better,” Covely said. “Of course, I want to win – everyone wants to win – but that’s my best friend. I’m happy for him. I’m not going to be jealous or mad or anything. That’s the best way of getting second, I guess you could say.”

The third golfer in the playoff was Schalick senior Ryan Johnson. He fell out after the first playoff hole when his wedge betrayed him from 70 yards after being the longest off the tee. All three players shot 4-over-par 75 in regulation.

Schermerhorn forced a three-way playoff when he bogeyed his 18th hole. He extended the playoff with a 25-foot par “putt of my life” on the first extra hole with Covely staring down a seven-inch kick in for the win.

The playoff started on No. 2 because course crews were working on 1 and 18 and for a brief time it looked like Johnson was going to come out of the playoff on top. All three players were inside 100 yards off the tee, but they all hit terrible second shots.

Covely went first and blocked his wedge off to the right about 15 yards from the green in deep rough. Schermerhorn wound up 15 yards behind the green. With the door open, all Johnson had to do was hit the green and he’d have the advantage. Instead, with a good lie but an awkward stance, he got underneath the ball and lit squirted off the clubface, landing about 15 yards short of the green. He wound up making bogey to end his day and leave the two friends to battle it out.

“The backswing felt good and then just messed it up,” he said. “I was between a 54 and 58. I wanted to go with the 58 and hit it well today. I should have gone with my gut. When you step up without confidence you’re not going to hit a good shot ever. That’s what happened there.”

Covely’s brilliant pitch settled a few inches from the hole and put the advantage clearly in his bag. Schermerhorn hit last and left his 60-degree wedge in the middle of the green.

“After the second shot on 2, I really thought Ryan was going to end up taking that hole and me and Jeffrey would be battling it out for second,” Schermerhorn said. “He (Covely) hit an amazing chip shot and I made the putt of my life.”

“The whole time (after the pitch) I thought I was going to win,” Covely said. “I thought that was it, but, nah, he always has those hero putts every now and then. I hadn’t seen one from him in a while, but he was due for one and that was it. I was happy for him.”

It all came down to the par-3 third. 

Covely overswung a 6-iron off the tee and hit it in the right greenside bunker. Schermerhorn went with a 4-iron and put it on the right collar pin high about 15 feet from the hole.

Covely left his second shot in the bunker, then blasted out to seven feet. All Schermerhorn had to do was two-putt and the victory was his. His first putt didn’t make it to the hole, but he made the three-footer to end it.

“The first chip on the first playoff hole I blocked out, I knew I still had a chance because they still had to hit,” Covely said. “When I duffed that chip (in the bunker) and I saw him on the fringe I knew it was over. I knew he would two-putt from there. He doesn’t bang his long ones every time but he’s a consistent two-putter.”

Woodstown won the boys team title in a field reduced to five two-man teams by cost considerations and a scheduling conflict with the Cape Atlantic League. Because of the situation, both counties played for one prize in each gender instead of separate boys, girls and team titles for each county as they have in the past.

TARQUINIO

Cumberland Regional won the girls title behind a record-setting 84 by sophomore medalist Nicole Tarquinio. Her round was highlighted by back-to-back birdies for the first time in her career early in the back nine. She shot 91 in winning the Cumberland County girls medal last year as a freshman.

“That 84 is actually the best I’ve done, but I’ve been practicing really hard and every time I go out I’ve been shooting better and better,” she said. “I really see the improvement and I’m really happy I broke 90. I’m happy my hard work is paying off.”

Her birdie on 12 was a 9-iron off the tee to five feet. The one on 13 came with a hybrid from the right rough that bounced in front of the green and rolled up to 15 feet above the hole. She was hoping to make it three in a row on the par-5 and nearly chipped in for it from the back of the green.

“I think I was just more focused (on the back nine),” she said. “I just got too worried on the front nine. I was just in my head and I just relaxed.”

NOTES: Schalick’s Hannah Widdifield took second in the girls field by winning a playoff from Cumberland’s Emily Bruce. Widdifield parred the first extra hole. Both shot 95 in regulation … Schalick’s boys play for a share of the Tri-County Conference Diamond Division title Tuesday. If the Cougars defeat Pennsville at Sakima CC, they will share the division with Woodstown and both teams will send full teams to the TCC Championship next Tuesday at Pitman GC. The four division winners (five with a Schalick-Woodstown share) will send full teams, while everyone else will submit two entries each … The TCC Championship will be Johnson’s final high school tournament, but not the end of his golf. He will enter the PGM program at Coastal Carolina later this summer … If they played the tournament as a two-man best ball, Woodstown’s duo would have edged Schalick by a stroke thanks to birdies on 16 and 17

While the teams were taking their positions in the shotgun start, in a play unrelated to the tournament, Rowan University freshman quarterback Nate Maiers scored his first ever hole-in-one in front of the tournament field on No. 3. The Swedesboro native aced the 181-yard par-3 with a 7-iron. When the ball disappeared into the cup Maiers and his three playing partners – Roman Kuzmick, Dean Martin and Dylan Fuchs — all sprinted from the tee box to the green to check it out. “That was wild,” Maiers said.

SALEM/CUMBERLAND COUNTY TOURNAMENT
At Centerton CC

BOYS TEAMSCOREGIRLS TEAMSCORE
Woodstown150Cumberland179
Schalick154Schalick206
Pennsville186Pennsville238
Cumberland199Woodstown240
Salem Tech200
BOYS INDIVIDUALSCOREGIRLS INDIVIDUALSCORE
Jacob Schermerhorn,
Woodstown		36-36–75
Nicole Tarquinio,
Cumberland		45-39–84
Jeffrey Covely,
Woodstown		39-36–75
Hannah Widdifield,
Schalick		45-50–95
Ryan Johnson,
Schalick		39-36–75
Emily Bruce,
Cumberland		45-50–95
Lance Creighton,
Schalick		40-39–79
Julie Swierczynski,
Woodstown		49-61–110
Jacob Isaac,
Pennsville		43-39–82
Lena Virga,
Schalick		57-54–111
Stephen Wilchensky,
Cumberland		42-44–86
Maische Degamo,
Pennsville		62-55–117
Mason Griffith,
Salem Tech		48-42–90
Abigail Bohn,
Pennsville		59-62–121
Nolan Dowell,
Pennsville		50-54–104
Kathrine Lewis,
Woodstown		63-67–130
Jacob Ferrell-Tomarchio,
Salem Tech		58-52–110
Billy Cleaver,
Cumberland		56-57–113
Schermerhorn won on second hole of sudden-death playoff; Widdifield got second in girls on first hole of sudden-death playoff
Jeffrey Covely (R) congratulates good friend Jacob Schermerhorn after his Woodstown teammate wins the Salem/Cumberland county tournament in a playoff. On the cover, the two teammates walk back to the clubhouse together after the playoff.

Golf pairings

CENTERTON – Here are the pairings for Monday’s Salem-Cumberland County Championship at Centerton CC. Financial considerations limited the lineup to two players per team and a scheduling conflict with the Cape Atlantic League Championship reduced the field to five teams – Pennsville, Salem Tech (boys only), Schalick, Woodstown and Cumberland.

SALEM/CUMBERLAND COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP
At Centerton CC
8 a.m. shotgun
Boys Pairings
Group One: Jacob Schermerhorn (Woodstown), Mason Griffith (Salem Tech), Lance Creighton (Schalick), Jacob Isaac (Pennsville).
Group Two: Jeffrey Covely (Woodstown), Stephen Wilchensky (Cumberland), Ryan Johnson (Schalick).
Group Three: Samuel Thompson (Cumberland), Jacob Farrell-Tomarchio (Salem Tech), Nolan Dowell (Pennsville).

Girls Pairings
Group One: Emily Bruce (Cumberland), Nicole Tarquinio (Cumberland), Hannah Widdifield (Schalick), Abigail Bohn (Pennsville).
Group Two: Lena Virga (Schalick), Julia Swierczynski (Woodstown), Meischa Degamo (Pennsville), Katherine Lewis (Woodstown).

This week’s schedule

First round of South Jersey Group I baseball, softball tournaments, TCC track showcase and Salem-Cumberland golf championships highlight the Salem County sports schedule for the week of May 20-25. All events start 4 p.m. unless noted.

MONDAY, MAY 20
BASEBALL
Clayton at Pennsville
Penns Grove at Woodstown
Schalick at Sterling
SOFTBALL
Clayton at Pennsville
Middle Twp., OLMA at Schalick
Penns Grove at Woodstown (2)
Bridgeton at Salem
GOLF
Salem-Cumberland County Tournament, Centerton CC, 8 a.m.
BOYS TENNIS
Deptford Twp. at Woodstown, 3:45 p.m.
Pennsville at Williamstown, 3:45 p.m.
Glassboro at Penns Grove
Pitman at Schalick
GIRLS LACROSSE
Woodstown at Haddon Heights
BOYS VOLLEYBALL
Clearview at Salem Tech, 3:45 p.m.

TUESDAY, MAY 21
BASEBALL
Wildwood at Pennsville
SOFTBALL
Salem at Gloucester Catholic
BOYS TENNIS
Schalick at Pennsville
Woodstown at Delsea, 3:45 p.m.
GOLF
Schalick girls vs. Washington Twp., Centerton CC, 3:30 p.m.
Schalick boys vs. Pennsville, Sakima CC

WEDNESDAY, MAY 22
SOFTBALL
South Jersey Group I Tournament
First-round games
No. 16 Camden Academy Charter at No. 1 Audubon
No. 9 Paulsboro at No. 8 Palmyra
No. 12 Cape May Tech at No. 5 Maple Shade
No. 13 Glassboro at No. 4 Pennsville
No. 14 Clayton at No. 3 Haddon Twp.
No. 11 Schalick at No. 6 Woodstown
No. 10 Gateway at No. 7 Pitman
No. 15 Salem at No. 2 Buena
BOYS TENNIS
Overbrook at Woodstown, 3:45 p.m.
TRACK
TCC Showcase, Delsea, 3:30 p.m.
GOLF
Schalick girls vs. Kingsway, Centerton CC, 3:30 p.m.
Schalick boys vs. Overbrook, Centerton CC, 4:15 p.m.

THURSDAY, MAY 23
BASEBALL
South Jersey Group I Tournament
First-round games
No. 16 Camden Academy Charter at No. 1 Audubon
No. 9 Buena at No. 8 Haddon Twp.
No. 12 Maple Shade at No. 5 Woodstown
No. 13 Gateway at No. 4 Pennsville
No. 11 Paulsboro at No. 6 Schalick
No. 14 Glassboro at No. 3 Pitman
No. 10 Cape May Tech at No. 7 Wildwood
No. 15 Penns Grove at No. 2 Gloucester
GOLF
Woodstown vs. Highland, Town & Country, 3:45 p.m.
TRACK
Penns Grove at Woodstown

Eyeing the playoffs

UPDATED
Woodstown baseball falls in final game before cutoff, includes projected first-round South Jersey Group I playoff pairings for baseball and softball based on power points at the cutoff

BASEBALL
ABSEGAMI 6, WOODSTOWN 2: The Wolverines played one last game in an attempt to gain some power points before Saturday’s cutoff, but fell behind 5-0 and couldn’t recover. They are projected to be the fifth seed in the South Jersey Group I tournament that starts next week.

Adrian Rosario hit a two-run triple and scored on Joaquin Velez’ single to give the Braves a 3-0 lead in the first. An infield out with runners at second and third and an RBI single made it 5-0 in the second.

The Wolverines were held to two hits. Rocco String’s two-run double in the third made it 5-2. Ty Coblentz had the other hit.

Here are the projected first-round pairings in the South Jersey Group I tournament based on power points through Saturday night. The seeding meeting to formalize the bracket is Monday. The first round of the tournament is Thursday.

No. 16 Camden Academy Charter (8-6) at No. 1 Audubon (17-8)
No. 9 Buena (7-18) at No. 8 Haddon Twp. (8-13)
No. 12 Maple Shade (9-12) at No. 5 Woodstown (14-9)
No. 13 Gateway (8-14) at No. 4 Pennsville (14-9)
No. 11 Paulsboro (8-17) at No. 6 Schalick (13-10)
No. 14 Glassboro (6-13) at No. 3 Pitman (17-6)
No. 10 Cape May Tech (11-11) at No. 7 Wildwood (16-8)
No. 15 Penns Grove (5-13) at No. 2 Gloucester (17-6)
NOTE: Current No. 15 (Salem) and No. 17 (Clayton) in the standings reportedly are opting out, elevating the positions of Penns Grove and Camden Academy Charter.

Here are the projected South Jersey Group I softball pairings based on the power points through Saturday night. The seeding meeting to formalize the bracket is Monday. The first round of the tournament is Wednesday.

No. 16 Wildwood (2-13) at No. 1 Audubon (15-5)
No. 9 Paulsboro (10-10) at No. 8 Palmyra (10-9)
No. 12 Cape May Tech (9-12) at No. 5 Maple Shade (13-7)
No. 13 Glassboro (6-14) at No. 4 Pennsville (15-4)
No. 14 Clayton (7-11) at No. 3 Haddon Twp. (16-6)
No. 11 Schalick ( 8-8) at No. 6 Woodstown (11-7)
No. 10 Gateway (6-10) at No. 7 Pitman (10-8)
No. 15 Salem (4-12) at No. 2 Buena (16-5)

Friday roundup

Here are the results and details from Friday’s Salem County sports schedule

SOFTBALL
PENNSVILLE 3, HIGHLAND 0: Savannah Palverento may have had her string of consecutive hitless innings end at 12 1/3 with a leadoff single, but she extended her shutout streak to 16 1/3 consecutive innings with a seven-inning four-hitter.

The Eagles (15-4) have won 12 in a row. Half of the wins in the streak have been shutouts.

Mary Montagna singled home Sierra Stultz in the first inning. Avery Watson’s ground out brought home Montagna in the fourth. And Palverento singled home Kylie Harris in the fifth. Harris reached in the fifth on her 13th double of the season.

SCHALICK 7, CAPE MAY TECH 1: Abby Willoughby had a two-run single among her two hits and struck out 13 with no walks while spinning a complete-game four-hitter in the circle. Alexa Shimp and Rachael Irizarry had two hits apiece for the Cougars.

Willoughby’s two-run single came in the fourth inning and gave the Cougars a 4-0 lead. Irizarry singled home a run in the second, Lucy Virga singled home a run in the third and Shimp singled home a run in the fourth. Rachel Grandson had an RBI ground out in the fifth and Willoughby scored on a passed ball in the sixth.

BASEBALL
CUMBERLAND 7, PENNSVILLE 5: The Colts scored three runs on a pair of errors in the sixth inning and Luke Fithian turned the Eagles back over the final two innings to finish off a complete game. Fithian struck out 13.

Pennsville held leads of 2-0 and 5-4 in the game. Cohen Petrutz gave the Eagles their 5-4 lead in the fifth after Chase Burchfield and Peyton O’Brien delivered back-to-back RBI singles. O’Brien and Connor Starn singled runs home in the first inning.

Burchfield went 3-for-4, while O’Brien and Starn both went 2-for-4.

DELRAN 12, SCHALICK 2: The Cougars outhit Delran 9-4, but their pitchers issued 11 walks and hit four batters and six of them scored. Luke Pokrovsky, Ricky Watts and Jake Siedlecki – the heart of the Schalick order – had two hits apiece for the Cougars.

WOODSTOWN 3, GCIT 2: Blake Bialecki put the Wolverines ahead for good with a two-run single in the third inning and Rocco String helped his own cause with a RBI double in the fifth. String pitched two innings of relief and got the win. Jack Knorr set down the Cheetahs in order in the seventh for the save.

Pennsville (14-8), Woodstown (13-8) and Schalick (13-9) are projected as the 4, 5 and 6 seeds, respectively, in the upcoming South Jersey Group I playoffs. The cutoff date for power points is Saturday.

GOLF
GLOUCESTER CATHOLIC 187, PENNSVILLE 196, SALEM TECH 225: Pennsville’s Jacob Isaac and Gloucester Catholic’s Billy Stuski shared medalist honors after posting 6-over-par 42s at Sakima CC. Stuski birdied No. 9 to pull into the tie.

Gloucester Catholic posted three rounds in the 40s. Mason Griffith shot Salem Tech’s low round (48)

BOYS TENNIS
SCHALICK 5, CLAYTON 0
George Gould (S) def. Troy Hollis, 6-0, 6-0
Jesus Espinoza (S) def. Jayden Sanchez, 6-0, 6-0
Conor O’Toole (S) def. Dyshamir Miller, 6-1, 6-0
Rocky Monticolo-David Santana (S) def. Guiseppe Wiltsey-Chase Murphy, 6-1, 6-0
Kaden Barnes-Cayden Brzozowski (S) def. Briseis Hansen-Idris Stewart, 6-0, 6-0
Records: Clayton 4-7, Schalick 14-6.

BOYS VOLLEYBALL
Timber Creek 2, Salem Tech 0 (25-10, 25-16)

Red Devils in waiting game

Penns Grove locked in a battle for one of the final South Jersey Group I baseball playoff spots, cutoff date is Saturday; roundup includes golf, tennis

THURSDAY BASEBALL
Pennsville 4, Overbrook 1
Schalick 14, Salem 3
Wildwood 6, Penns Grove 1

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PENNS GROVE – If all the things Chuck Weigle is hearing are true, he has growing confidence the his team will have a spot in the South Jersey Group I baseball playoffs next week, but the Penns Grove baseball coach learned a long time ago not to count his chickens before they hatch.

The Red Devils have been doing a dance with Salem and Clayton for the final spots in the playoff. They had a chance to gain some major points Thursday, but lost to Wildwood 6-1 on their Senior Day to keep the race in the back tight.

Going into the day, the Red Devils (5-13) held the 16th and final power points spot, two points ahead of Clayton and 18.5 behind No. 15 Salem. But he’s also heard through the coaching grapevine that Salem (confirmed by Riverview Sports News) and Clayton both were opting out of the playoffs, potentially moving the Red Devils into the field without much more effort.

The cutoff date for power points is Saturday and the Red Devils are trying to find additional games before the deadline without much success. As it unfolds, Weigle is content to wait for the official word after Monday’s seeding meeting before making travel plans and as a 15 or 16 seed they will be going on the road.

“We’re waiting to see how everything pans out, we’re waiting until the information is sent out to us,” he said. “We’re looking ahead towards the future and hoping for the best.

“I don’t want to give these guys a false sense of reality and hope. It’s been going back and forth between us and Clayton for a week or so. It’s been real interesting to say the least. We look at it after one game’s entered and then you look at it 30 minutes later and it’s changed again.”

Had the Red Devils won Thursday, they would have netted more than 30 power points and basically punched their ticket. With the loss, they netted only six more points and have 162. Salem netted seven points for its loss to Schalick and Clayton netted just two for its loss to Glassboro for 157.

If the Red Devils make it, it will be their first playoff appearance since 2021, when they were 2-15 and lost to Woodstown in the first round.

“I just hope we have an opportunity to get in, but whatever happens happens,” shortstop Elijah Crespo said. “It would be a great experience, another journey that we can just have fun and come back and play baseball.”

“It would be the first time in high school for me playing baseball,” pitcher Chase Wills said. “From where we started at the beginning of the year to fight back and make it into the playoffs would mean a lot, especially being my last year. It’s been nice to even sniff out playoffs.”

With all that was at stake, the Red Devils sent their best arm to the mound to give them a chance. Wills gave up only three hits and struck out six in what might be his final home game, but some tough luck in the field worked against him. Only four of Wildwood’s runs were earned.

“I gave my all, did my best to help the team win,” Wills said. “Sadly, it didn’t come through, but I felt I did the best I could.”

Crespo’s RBI double to left center gave the Red Devils a 1-0 lead in the first. Wills smoothly retired the first seven batters he faced, but Wildwood got to him in the third.

Junior Hans gave the Warriors the lead with a two-run single and he later scored from second when he beat the throw from first on a slow roller in the infield. The Warriors added another run in the fifth and got two more in the sixth.

Wildwood pitchers Logan Totten and Harley Buscham made life difficult for the Red Devils. Tommy Mattioli’s single leading off the seventh was their first since Crespo’s RBI double in the first. They did put runners at second and third with two outs in the sixth, but couldn’t bring them home.

SCHALICK 14, SALEM 3: The Cougars broke away from a scoreless tie with eight runs in the third inning and backed it up with a six-run fifth.

Luke Pokrovsky and Ricky Watts had two-run singles in the fifth. Starting and winning pitcher Evan Glaspey had a two-run single in the sixth to walk it off.

Pokrovsky, Watts, Jake Siedlecki, Lucas D’Agostino and Jamari Whitley all had two hits for the Cougars.

Salem scored all its runs in the fifth inning on a sacrifice fly, a bases-loaded walk and bases-loaded hit batsman. 

PENNSVILLE 4, OVERBROOK 1: Logan Streitz’s two-run single with none out in the fifth inning broke a 1-1 tie. Chase Burchfield singled Streitz home two batters later.

Cohen Petrutz and Streitz combined to hold Overbrook to three hits. The Rams scored an unearned run in the first inning, but Pennsville tied it on Jacob Wagner’s one-out single in the second. 

SOUTH JERSEY GROUP I
Power Points (as of 11 p.m. May 16)
1. Audubon (16-8) 495, 2. Gloucester (17-6) 477, 3. Pitman (17-5) 454, 4. Pennsville (14-8) 436, 5. Woodstown (13-8) 400, 6. Schalick (13-9) 374, 7. Haddon Twp. (8-13) 339, 8. Buena (7-17) 322, 9. Cape May Tech (10-11) 318, 10. Wildwood (13-8) 298, 11. Paulsboro (7-17) 256, 12. Maple Shade (9-11) 254, 13. Gateway (8-13) 253, 14. Glassboro (6-13) 221, 15. Salem (4-13-1) 183.5, 16. Penns Grove (5-13) 162, 17. Clayton (3-14) 157, 18. Camden Academy Charter (8-4) 134, 19. LEAP (1-12) 55.

GOLF
SCHALICK 176, CUMBERLAND 237: Ryan Johnson parred three of his last four holes to shoot a 4-over-par 40 and South Jersey Group I medalist Jaxon Weber shot 41 to lead the Cougars at Running Deer GC. Schalick also counted a 45 from Seth Fisher and chose between the 50s of Anthony Sepers and Michael Nelson.

BOYS TENNIS
PENNSVILLE 5, WILDWOOD 0
Gabe Schneider (P) def. Giorgio Palesano, 6-0, 6-0
Maddox Efelis (P) def. Brian Damian, 6-0, 6-0
Brody Wiggins (P) def. Christopher Olivera, 6-0, 6-1
Noah Flitcraft-Noah Bohn (P) def. Christopher Hernandez-Simon Palacias, 6-0, 6-0
Sawyer Humphrey-Luke Chamberlain (P) def. Miguel Amendondo-Kevin Damian, 6-1, 6-1
Records: Wildwood 4-10, Pennsville 15-3.

NOTES: Based on the South Jersey Group I power points standings that closed Thursday, Pennsville is No. 4, Woodstown No. 6, Schalick No. 7 and Penns Grove No. 12. There were 11 teams in last year’s SJ Group I Tournament.