Category: SCHALICK

Developing depth

Schalick gives bulk of live-ball time in Friday’s scrimmage to underclassmen as the Cougars eye future while positioning themselves for this year’s run

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

BUENA – Mike Wilson already knows what his veteran starters can do – and he has a lot of them to track. He saw their work first-hand last year as the junior-laden bunch led Schalick to historic program heights that fuel even higher expectations for the season ahead.

So as the Cougars went through their game scrimmage in the run-up to next week’s Battle at the Beach season opener Friday at Buena, the coach’s focus turned to the equally deep group in the next two classes for what they’re anticipating as a long run.

That’s the reason Reggie Allen played only five snaps on offense and none on defense, Levi Feeney-Childers didn’t play much on offense and none on defense, the second defensive line played the whole time and senior quarterback Kenai Simmons didn’t play at all.

“We played a lot of 2s, a lot of backups, a lot of rotators,” Wilson said. “We put a lot of sophomores in positions.”

The resting of Simmons opened the door for a full live-ball look at sophomore backup Ayden Jenkins. Early in the exercise Jenkins looked like a sophomore, fumbling twice in his first six snaps and losing one of them. But after that, he looked like the player the Cougars can use to give Simmons a break on offense to open up his value as the team’s best defender.

After the initial miscues, Jenkins completed four of five passes for 153 yards – 45, 51, 20, 37 — and a touchdown and ran 15 yards for another score.  Junior Sherrod Jones, who had three varsity carries last year, rushed for 63 yards and a touchdown on two carries. The Cougars won the half of live-ball action 21-7.

“We wanted to play the sophomore quarterback,” Wilson said explaining the call to sideline Simmons. “We don’t want Gloucester Catholic last year again. We need a quarterback who can run the offense Kenai runs. As you saw today, Ayden did a nice job, but he’s a sophomore, one play’s really nice, the next play looks like a sophomore. 

“We know Kenai can play. Kenai does not have to prove to me he can play the game. He has had 30 varsity games before his senior year.”

The Gloucester Catholic situation to which Wilson alluded is a reference to last year’s Homecoming Game in which Matthew LaMazza played the rest of the game after Simmons hurt his non-throwing shoulder in the first minute of the second quarter. LaMazza did an admirable job directing the Cougars to a 42-20 victory that completed their undefeated regular season, and if he were a baseball relief pitcher would have been credited with the win, but the offense was reduced to its most basic operation.

“I heard this from a coach from Arkansas and he said you never want a senior with sophomore experience and that’s what we’re trying to avoid this year,” Wilson said. “We graduate a great senior class at the end of the year, we do not need juniors and seniors next year with no experience, so we’re trying to avoid that with the preseason

“We’ve got some talented kids, but you need game-feel experience (and) you can’t replicate the game overnight. That was kind of the goal today. That’s why Ayden was playing quarterback. I’d rather him make mistakes today than if he has to play in a game.”

The Cougars literally snuck up on people last season, their 11-1 record and run to the Central Jersey Group I title game a culmination in a four-year reclamation project by Wilson and his staff. 

But as you’d expect, it wasn’t enough for the Cougars. This year is all about unfinished business and while there may have been some questions about the veracity of the Cougars’ success, there’s a growing sense in the region it’ll be the Cougars and Glassboro meeting for South Jersey’s spot in the Group I state championship game.

“We have a lot of seniors,” Simmons said. “It means a lot (to them) and I don’t think they’re ready to go down soon at all in this last run.”

One only had to look at the Cougars’ social media page a couple weeks ago to see how they’ve set themselves up from some long-term success. Of course, they have a huge senior class (18 players), but they have just as many in their current junior and sophomore classes who will figure prominently in this year’s plans.

Some Group I programs would be lucky to have half as many players in those three classes.

“Everybody’s focused on 2024 and so am I, but being the head coach I’m looking at 2025,” Wilson said. “We have a lot of ‘isms’ on our coaching staff. One big thing we do for development is we don’t let a senior back up a senior. That’s why we’re trying to give the kids the opportunities to play.

“One thing I learned when I was at Oakcrest and Mainland, develop as many as 1½ times player as you can. That’s kind of the goal. Limit two-way players, create one-way players and your really good kids play 1½ ways. When you do that, you develop your kids for the future and, No. 2, you wear teams out. It accomplishes your short term, your near term and your long-term goals because we want to be consistent, in the mix every year. If you put all your eggs in one basket and you only play 12 kids, you see those booms and those busts.”

Cover photo: Schalick backup quarterback Ayden Jenkins (11) scores a touchdown in Friday scrimmage against Buena.

Bringing the energy

Salem, Pennsville, Schalick run through first scrimmages with lots to like, things to work on; Penns Grove, Woodstown scrimmage Tuesday

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

SALEM – Kemp Carr was not happy. Senior receiver Terrence Smith had just caught a zipper over the middle from Troy Carey for Salem’s first touchdown of the season’s first scrimmage. Everyone in blue and white should have been over the moon, but the Rams just stood around the goal line like they were waiting for another shoe to drop.

Touchdowns aren’t easy to come by – sometimes, they don’t come at all – and should be celebrated as such. But on this occasion there wasn’t even a high-five. Not even a yell. Maybe it was because it was only a scrimmage. Still, Carr wanted to let his players know such a muted response wasn’t going to be acceptable on his watch.

At first glance one might have thought the new head coach was chastising his players for something they did technically wrong even though they scored. Far from it. They did everything right and he wanted fireworks. Instead, he got the last shot of a wet Roman candle.

“We just worked as a unit to get our energy to be motivated – their brother just did something good, we crossed the barrier that gets you points on the board,” Carr said after Monday’s 90-snap exercise with Pennsville. “The scoreboard’s going ding, ding, ding, ding, ding. It’s magical. That’s the time you have fun. It’s a time for you to release that 30 seconds (of joy); run and get him.

“Where’s the excitement at where you’re excited for that player. Why are you not happy for him? You just blocked for him. Things just worked on what we’ve been working on.

“You only play the game four percent of the time; you practice 96 percent. So when we get an opportunity to do well in that four percent, it better be a party. Don’t talk to the other players, have fun with your guy. That’s fun. They know to do it, they do it in practice. They missed an opportunity of the moment. Don’t miss again.”

Carr puts the omission in the same category of walking past a teammate who had gotten knocked down on your way back to the huddle and not helping him to his feet.

“When something happens, we’re supposed to do certain things and they didn’t do the certain thing,” Carr continued. “When you have 11 being excited at the same time, it’s like dynamite going off. That’s what we want. We want dynamite. We want firecrackers. We want fireworks. We want boom, boom, boom.

“When the Phillies hit a home run, don’t fireworks go off? When the Eagles score at the Linc, don’t fireworks go off? Well, that’s our fireworks. We don’t have cannons and trickery, we’ve got each other.”

That’s just the kind of energy he’s bringing to program he once played in now as the head coach.

The starters got the message and didn’t miss the chance to celebrate when it came around again. When Pop Jackson scored in a down-and-distance drill about an hour later, the other 10 Rams on the field piled on their offensive leader in the end zone and the reserves standing behind the play sprinted downfield with their arms raised to join them.

“He’s just trying to build character, trying to build a unit with us, trying to bring us all together as a brotherhood,” Carey said. “We knew exactly what it was (Carr was doing). We’ve been talking about it all week whenever we capitalize on a big opportunity like that we want to go celebrate and have a party.”

“The energy is going to be there, I promise,” senior running back Jared Pew agreed.

Going into any new situation creates an amount of uncertainty. The coach isn’t certain about the players. The players aren’t certain about the coach.

Carr is the Rams’ third head coach in as many seasons, but he’s got something going for him that gives him an edge in the transition. He’s one of them. He played for the Rams. He understands the community and its expectations. He coached many of the parents of his current players and several of the Salem men who preceded him to their sideline.

Carr was approved to succeed Danny Mendoza in March and resumes the tradition of former Salem men at the helm of the football program. Each of the four coaches prior to Mendoza were former Rams who returned to coach their alma mater. Carr got his playing and coaching starts in the Salem youth leagues before going on to become head coach at Penns Grove and Winslow and returned to the coaching ranks this year after a six-year break in private business.

“It feels good to have a Salem guy, someone who’s around here, knows the town, coached most of our parents, things like that,” Carey said. “It feels good having a coach who knows how things are around here, understands what some people go through. It kind of gives you a better bond with your coach, helps build that relationship.”

“It is different football down here in Salem,” Pew said. “He’s been through the Salem records before, so he knows what to bring, he knows what we bring him and the community as well. There wasn’t anything wrong with (former coach Danny) Mendoza; he came in here and did well. But having like a Salem coach, knowing what the community is like, what the players are like, knowing how we are in general, it’s definitely not a bad thing.”

The scrimmage served its purpose. Both coaches saw a lot to like and things that needed to be addressed. Pennsville coach Mike Healy agreed it might have been the best first scrimmage of his tenure with the Eagles.

Both teams have game-situation scrimmages set for later in the week.

“Came out and played physical, which is what I really wanted to see,” Healy said. “There were some loud hits there, which is fun.

“First scrimmage there were some jitters there, but I thought we did a good job. Offensively and defensively we did a lot of good stuff, made a lot of big plays, but it being the first scrimmage there’s a lot of mistakes that are things that are coachable to fix. Overall, very happy with where we are.”

Stats were inconsequential, but there were big plays on both sides.

Pennsville running back Rylan Hardy had a big day. The junior rushed for 62 yards and two touchdowns on four carries and caught three passes for 45 yards and a touchdown. “His vision is incredible (the way) he sees holes and gaps,” Healy said.

Eagles quarterback Robbie McDade completed 5 of 11 passes for 65 yards and two touchdowns. Salem’s Jackson, a 1,200-yard rusher a year ago, ran for 71 yards and a TD on 10 carries, including a power run in which he broke through two waves of tackles and then carried three more to complete a 30-yard gain. Carey was 3-of-10 for 43 yards and a touchdown, but fell victim of several drops.

As for his assessment of the scrimmage, Carr said: “We’ve got some things to clean up, we got caught out of assignment couple times, but that’s what scrimmages are for. You can tell athletically we’re where we need to be, but that team (Pennsville) has been playing together for two years and you could see that versus us. As the year goes on we’re going to get better.”


Schalick: Good work done

PITTSGROVE – Schalick got 30 minutes with Lower Cape May, West Deptford and Mainland in its first scrimmage of camp. The Cougars saved the defending Group 4 state champs for last and it was all they expected it to be.

“It was intense, very intense,” Schalick coach Mike Wilson said. “We made them work, they made us work. It was a slugfest back and forth. We stood up there and that’s the best we’ve ever played against Mainland.”

Wilson was particularly interested in seeing how the Cougars’ younger players fared. He said veterans Reggie Allen and Levi Feeney-Childers “played well,” Ethan McLean and speedy David Stewart “played well,” and sophomore backup quarterback Ayden Jenkins “moved the ball on everybody.”

The matchup with Mainland was the matchup of the day. The Mustangs swept their way to the Group 4 state title last year. Schalick returns virtually its whole team that won its first 11 games before losing in the Central Jersey Group I championship game – and held their own.

“It tells me that our kids are willing to line up and play against anybody,” Wilson said. “That we can match the physicality of a big school. All our kids could care less that they were Mainland. Our kids came out, they were flying around, they were excited. Mainland made plays, we made plays. It was a good 30 minutes.”


Time for hitting

County football teams start scrimmaging Monday; Salem hosts Pennsville, defending Group 4 state champs among those visiting Schalick

THIS WEEK’S SCRIMMAGE SCHEDULE
MONDAY
Mainland, Lower Cape May, West Deptford at Schalick, 10 a.m.
Pennsville at Salem, 11 a.m.
TUESDAY
Gloucester Catholic, Maple Shade at Penns Grove, 9 a.m.
Woodstown at St. Joe (Hamm.), 9 a.m.
FRIDAY
Schalick at Buena, 10 a.m.
Salem at Absegami, 4 p.m.
Pennsville at Triton, 6 p.m.

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

Salem County’s five football-playing high school teams have been working all summer and, for the last week, gearing up for their fast-approaching season openers. Outside of the various 7-on-7s that offered a modest taste of competition but isn’t quite complete football, the exercises have been largely unpadded and in house.

That all ends Monday when the teams start scrimmaging and take things to the next level by hitting someone wearing a different colored uniform.

Three of the county’s five teams get after it Monday morning – two against each other – with the remaining two teams going Tuesday.

Pennsville works out at Salem at 11 a.m. Schalick, last year’s Central Jersey Group I finalist with great expectations for 2024, hosts defending Group 4 state champion Mainland, Lower Cape May and West Deptford at 10.

Woodstown and Penns Grove, both with new head coaches, go Tuesday. The Wolverines travel to St. Joe (Hammonton) and the Red Devils host Gloucester Catholic and Maple Shade.

The mindset across the board for these initial scrimmages is simply to compete, see how players who have been banging on each other react to outside influences, to see who is ready to answer the bell and what is or isn’t working. Things will be more game-like the next time they take the field.

“One hundred percent,” Pennsville coach Mike Healy said. “A lot of it is trying to see where we are, seeing what kids step up for their first time against another team after a whole summer working against each other. Just trying to start seeing how it all comes together. With this first scrimmage I accept the mistakes, but I also expect to do some things correctly.

“We have kids who have started to really have stepped up. I’m really happy with where we are as a team right now, but it’s hard to tell because we’ve only really had one full day in pads and this will be the first time we’ll see them against someone else and you really never know how your kids are going to react the first time they go against someone else.”

The Pennsville-Salem workout will feature 10-and-10, red zone situations, a couple periods focusing on younger players, two live series with moving chains and kicking with pressure.

It will give new Rams coach Kemp Carr, a Salem man charged with bringing the program back from its first losing season in 10 years, the chance to see all the pieces he’s put together after a busy 7-v-7 summer as he strives to “build lions” for the season ahead.

“Fortitude and the willingness to play hard on every play is very rare,” Carr said. “When you get 11 guys to do it, it’s an unstoppable machine. That’s what we’re trying to get to.”
The Schalick controlled scrimmage will follow script similar to Pennsville-Salem with each team getting 30 minutes with the other.

Cougars coach Mike Wilson returns virtually the entire lineup that started the 2023 season 11-0 and is approaching Monday’s exercise like an Eagles preseason game. Veteran players like quarterback Kenai Simmons and running back Reggie Allen will see limited time while the emphasis turns to developing depth.

“Normally I wouldn’t do it, but these kids have played so much football; I don’t need to know Reggie or Kenai can play,” Wilson said. “Our goal is to play as many kids as possible. We want to look at a couple battles, look at what we’ve got. 

“I told the kids at practice everybody’s back from last year, you could roll out the same lineup, but I don’t want to do that. We’ve got a lot of talent, a lot of good kids. I want to play as many as possible. All I want (Monday) is the kids to compete. We’ve been practicing hard all summer. If we do that, I’ll feel pretty good.”

Woodstown’s scrimmage Tuesday is expected to feature two 10-and-10 sets with the starters and then one with JVs. After that, they’ll work on goal-line and a down-and-distance series.

Salem County fall schedule

Here is the 2024 master schedule for Salem County high school teams. (Football games are for WJFL divisions involving Salem County teams (Diamond and Patriot); all football games are 7 p.m. unless noted, all others 4 p.m. unless noted; x-scrimmage), report changes to al.muskewitz@gmail.com

AUG. 19
FOOTBALL
x-Mainland, Lower Cape May, West Deptford at Schalick, 10 a.m.
x-Pennsville at Salem, 11 a.m.

AUG. 20
FOOTBALL
x-Gloucester Catholic, Maple Shade at Penns Grove, 9 a.m.
x-Woodstown at St. Joe (Hamm.), 9 a.m.
GIRLS TENNIS
x-Pennsville at Delsea, 10 a.m.
x-Woodstown at Ocean City, 11 a.m.

AUG. 22
FOOTBALL
x-Salem at Absegami, 4 p.m.
GIRLS TENNIS
x-GCIT at Woodstown, 9 a.m.
x-Pennsville at Vineland, 10 a.m.

AUG. 23
FOOTBALL
x-Gateway at Penns Grove, 10 a.m.
x-Schalick at Buena, 10 a.m.
x-Pennsville at Triton, 6 p.m.
GIRLS TENNIS
x-Gateway at Woodstown, 9 a.m.

AUG. 26
GIRLS TENNIS
x-GCIT at Pennsville, 9 a.m.
Mainland at Schalick
GIRLS SOCCER
x-Salem at Maple Shade, 9 a.m.

AUG. 27
FIELD HOCKEY
x-Schalick at Cumberland, 9 a.m.
BOYS SOCCER
x-Woodbury at Penns Grove, 9 a.m.
x-Schalick at Clearview, 9:30 a.m.
x-Lower Cape May at Salem, 10 a.m.
x-Salem Tech at Pennsauken Tech, 3:45 p.m.
GIRLS SOCCER
x-Penns Grove at Paulsboro, 9 a.m.
x-Salem at Cumberland, 10 a.m.
Clearview at Schalick
GIRLS TENNIS
x-Penns Grove at Deptford, 10 a.m.
x-Salem at Lower Cape May, 10 a.m.

AUG. 28
GIRLS TENNIS
Pennsville at West Deptford, 10 a.m.
BOYS SOCCER
x-Cumberland at Woodstown, 10 a.m.
x-Pemberton at Salem Tech, 10:30 a.m.

AUG. 29
FOOTBALL
Collingswood at Clayton, TBA
West Deptford vs. Manchester Twp., 10 a.m. (at Ocean City)
Pennsville at Gloucester City, 6 p.m.
x-Pitman at Woodstown, 6 p.m.
FIELD HOCKEY
x-Woodstown at Collingswood, 10 a.m.
GIRLS SOCCER
x-Bridgeton at Penns Grove, 9 a.m.
x-Woodstown at Haddon Twp., 9 a.m.
x-Pennsville at Woodbury, 10 a.m.
Schalick at Cumberland
BOYS SOCCER
x-Penns Grove at Bridgeton, 9 a.m.
x-Woodbury at Pennsville, 10 a.m.
x-Highland at Salem, 3:30 p.m.
GIRLS TENNIS
x-Penns Grove at Bridgeton, 9 a.m.
Pennsville at Cumberland, 10 a.m.

AUG. 30
FOOTBALL
Schalick vs. Cedar Grove, 9:30 a.m. (at Egg Harbor Twp.)
FIELD HOCKEY
x-Schalick at Ocean City, 10 a.m.
BOYS SOCCER
x-Schalick at Moorestown Friends, 9 a.m.
x-Woodstown at Williamstown, 10 a.m.
GIRLS TENNIS
x-Lindenwold at Penns Grove, 9 a.m.

AUG. 31
FOOTBALL
Penns Grove at Paulsboro, 10 a.m.
Willingboro at Salem, noon

SEPT. 3
FIELD HOCKEY
x-GCIT at Woodstown
BOYS SOCCER
x-Clayton at Penns Grove
x-Woodstown at GCIT
GIRLS SOCCER
x-GCIT at Woodstown
x-Penns Grove at Clayton
GIRLS TENNIS
Gloucester Catholic at Salem
Pennsville at Penns Grove
Schalick at Overbrook
Woodstown at Glassboro

SEPT. 4
BOYS SOCCER
x-Pennsville at Cumberland
GIRLS SOCCER
x-Pitman at Penns Grove

SEPT. 5
BOYS SOCCER
Palmyra at Schalick
GIRLS TENNIS
Salem at Wildwood
Schalick at Gloucester Catholic
Woodstown at Pennsville
FIELD HOCKEY
Audubon at Pennsville

SEPT. 6
FOOTBALL
Overbrook at Collingswood, 6 p.m.
Penns Grove at Deptford, 6 p.m.
KIPP Cooper Norcross at Camden Catholic, TBA
Cumberland at Schalick
Delsea at Woodstown
West Deptford at Pennsville
GIRLS SOCCER
Deptford at Pennsville

SEPT. 7
FOOTBALL
Paulsboro at Audubon, TBA
Haddonfield at Woodbury, 10:30 a.m.
Glassboro at Haddon Heights, 11 a.m.
Cinnaminson at Salem, noon
GIRLS SOCCER
Schalick at Cherokee

SEPT. 9
FIELD HOCKEY
Paulsboro at Pennsville
GIRLS TENNIS
Woodstown at West Deptford
BOYS SOCCER
Penns Grove at Gloucester Co. Christian, 3:45 p.m.
GIRLS SOCCER
Gloucester Co. Christian at Penns Grove

SEPT. 10
FIELD HOCKEY
Schalick at Triton
GIRLS TENNIS
Glassboro at Penns Grove
Gloucester Catholic at Woodstown
Salem at Schalick
Wildwood at Pennsville
BOYS SOCCER
Wildwood at Pennsville
Wildwood at Woodstown
GIRLS SOCCER
Woodstown at Wildwood

SEPT. 11
GIRLS TENNIS
Triton at Pennsville

SEPT. 12
FIELD HOCKEY
Deptford at Woodstown
Glassboro at Schalick
Salem at Pennsville
BOYS SOCCER
Clayton at Salem
Salem Tech at Pennsville
Schalick at Overbrook
Woodstown at Penns Grove
GIRLS SOCCER
Overbrook at Schalick
Pennsville at Glassboro
Pitman at Salem Tech
Salem at Clayton
Penns Grove at Woodstown
GIRLS TENNIS
Penns Grove at Woodstown
Pennsville at Schalick

SEPT. 13
FOOTBALL
Audubon at Bordentown, 6 p.m.
Collingswood at West Deptford
Schalick at Woodstown
GIRLS TENNIS
Penns Grove at Lindenwold
Vineland at Woodstown, 3:45 p.m.

SEPT. 14
FOOTBALL
Camden Catholic at Paulsboro, TBA
Salem at Woodbury, 10:30 a.m.
Pennsville at Overbrook, 11 a.m.
Glassboro at Penns Grove, noon
FIELD HOCKEY
Woodstown at Washington Twp.

SEPT. 16
FIELD HOCKEY
Schalick at OLMA
BOYS SOCCER
Penns Grove at Glassboro
Salem at Pennsville
Wildwood at Salem Tech
Woodstown at Schalick
GIRLS SOCCER
Glassboro at Penns Grove
Pennsville at Overbrook
Pitman at Salem
Salem Tech at Wildwood
Schalick at Woodstown
GIRLS TENNIS
Glassboro at Salem
Schalick at Penns Grove
Woodstown at Overbrook

SEPT. 17
CROSS COUNTRY
Pennsville, Penns Grove, Schalick, Woodstown at Cumberland
FIELD HOCKEY
Deptford at Salem
Pennsville at Gloucester Catholic
Woodstown at Schalick

SEPT. 18
BOYS SOCCER
Clayton at Schalick
Gloucester Catholic at Woodstown
Pitman at Pennsville
Salem at Overbrook
Salem Tech at Glassboro
Wildwood at Penns Grove
GIRLS SOCCER
Glassboro at Salem Tech
Overbrook at Salem
Pennsville at Pitman
Penns Grove at Wildwood
Schalick at Clayton
Woodstown at Gloucester Catholic
GIRLS TENNIS
Overbrook at Pennsville
Penns Grove at Wildwood
Salem at Pitman
Woodstown at Schalick

SEPT. 19
BOYS SOCCER
Pennsville at Gateway
Woodstown at Audubon, 7 p.m.
GIRLS SOCCER
Audubon at Woodstown
Gateway at Pennsville
FIELD HOCKEY
Gloucester Catholic at Schalick
Pennsville at Glassboro
Salem at Overbrook
Woodstown vs. Delsea (Total Turf)

SEPT. 20
FOOTBALL
Overbrook at Florence, 6 p.m.
Paulsboro at Collingswood, 6 p.m.
Salem at Glassboro, 6 p.m.
Audubon at Pennsville
Penns Grove at Schalick
West Deptford at Camden Catholic
Woodbury at Woodstown
BOYS SOCCER
Paulsboro at Salem Tech
Salem at Burlington Twp.
GIRLS SOCCER
Buena at Salem
Salem Tech at Paulsboro
Schalick at Williamstown
GIRLS TENNIS
Mainland at Woodstown

SEPT. 21
CROSS COUNTRY
Salem at Cumberland

SEPT. 23
BOYS SOCCER
Paulsboro at Pennsville (Foglein Bowl)
GIRLS SOCCER
Pennsville at Paulsboro
FIELD HOCKEY
Clayton at Salem
Pennsville at Woodstown
Schalick at Overbrook
GIRLS TENNIS
Clearview at Woodstown, 3:45 p.m.

SEPT. 24
BOYS SOCCER
Glassboro at Schalick
Gloucester Catholic at Salem
Overbrook at Woodstown
Pennsville at Wildwood
Pitman at Penns Grove, 6:30 p.m.
Salem Tech at Clayton, 7 p.m.
GIRLS SOCCER
Penns Grove at Pennsville
Salem at Gloucester Catholic
Schalick at Glassboro
Woodstown at Overbrook
Salem Tech at Clayton, 5 p.m.
GIRLS TENNIS
Glassboro at Pennsville
Penns Grove at Gloucester Catholic
Schalick at Pitman
Woodstown at Salem

SEPT. 25
FIELD HOCKEY
Deptford at Schalick
Gloucester Catholic at Salem
Overbrook at Woodstown

SEPT. 26
BOYS SOCCER
Clayton at Pennsville
Penns Grove at Overbrook
Salem Tech at Gloucester Catholic
Wildwood at Salem
Woodstown at Glassboro
GIRLS SOCCER
Glassboro at Woodstown
Gloucester Catholic at Salem Tech
Pennsville at Schalick
Salem at Wildwood
Overbrook at Penns Grove, 6:30 p.m.
GIRLS TENNIS
Overbrook at Schalick
Penns Grove at Pennsville
Salem at Gloucester Catholic
Woodstown at Cedar Creek

SEPT. 27
FOOTBALL
Woodbury at Glassboro, 6 p.m.
Woodstown at Penns Grove, 6:30 p.m.
Pennsville at Camden Catholic
FIELD HOCKEY
Salem at Hammongton
Schalick at Cumberland

SEPT. 28
FOOTBALL
Collingswood at Haddon Twp., 10:30 a.m.
Overbrook at Paulsboro, 11 a.m.
West Deptford at Audubon, 11 a.m.
Schalick at Salem, noon
BOYS SOCCER
Salem at Paulsboro, 11 a.m.
GIRLS SOCCER
Salem at Paulsboro, 9 a.m.
Schalick at Cinnaminson

SEPT. 30
FIELD HOCKEY
Oakcrest at Schalick
Woodstown at Cumberland
BOYS SOCCER
Pennsville at Gloucester Catholic
Pitman at Woodstown
Salem at Salem Tech
GIRLS SOCCER
Salem Tech at Salem
Schalick at Penns Grove
Woodstown at Pennsville
GIRLS TENNIS
Pennsville at Woodstown
Penns Grove at Overbrook
Schalick at Cedar Creek
Wildwood at Salem

OCT. 1
FIELD HOCKEY
Pennsville at Clayton
Salem at St. Joseph Academy
Schalick at Gloucester City
Woodstown at Glassboro
CROSS COUNTRY
Pennsville, Penns Grove, Salem, Woodstown at Salem Tech, 3:30 p.m.
GIRLS SOCCER
Salem at Winslow Twp., 3:45 p.m.

OCT. 2
BOYS SOCCER
Glassboro at Salem
Penns Grove at Gloucester Catholic
Pitman at Salem Tech
Woodstown at Pennsville
GIRLS SOCCER
Gloucester Catholic at Penns Grove
Pitman at Woodstown
Salem at Glassboro
Salem Tech at Pennsville

OCT. 3
BOYS SOCCER
Collingswood at Pennsville
GIRLS SOCCER
Glassboro at Schalick
GIRLS TENNIS
NJSIAA Playoffs
FIELD HOCKEY
Schalick at Pennsville
Woodstown at Salem

OCT. 4
FOOTBALL
Haddon Heights at Camden Catholic, TBA
Deptford at Glassboro
Penns Grove at Pennsville
Pleasantville at Woodstown
Sterling at Collingswood
West Deptford at Haddonfield
Woodbury at Gateway
BOYS SOCCER
Penns Grove at Cumberland
GIRLS SOCCER
Penns Grove at Cumberland, 6:30 p.m.

OCT. 5
FOOTBALL
Schalick at Paulsboro, 10:30 a.m.
Clayton at Overbrook, 11 a.m.
Middle Twp. at Salem, noon
BOYS SOCCER
Northern Burlington at Woodstown, 10 a.m.

OCT. 7
FIELD HOCKEY
Pennsville at Salem
Schalick at Glassboro
Woodstown at Deptford
BOYS SOCCER
Pennsville at Gloucester City
Woodstown at Gateway
GIRLS SOCCER
Paulsboro at Penns Grove
Pennsville at Gloucester City, 7 p.m.
GIRLS TENNIS
Haddon Heights at Penns Grove
Schalick at Mainland

OCT. 8
BOYS SOCCER
Penns Grove at Woodstown
Pennsville at Salem Tech
Salem at Clayton
GIRLS SOCCER
Clayton at Salem
Glassboro at Pennsville
Salem Tech at Pitman
Schalick at Overbrook
Woodstown at Penns Grove
GIRLS TENNIS
Woodstown at Wildwood
CROSS COUNTRY
Schalick TBA

OCT. 9
FIELD HOCKEY
Gloucester Catholic at Pennsville
Schalick at Woodstown
GIRLS TENNIS
Haddon Heights at Pennsville, 3:45 p.m.
Woodstown at Millville, 3:45 p.m.
CROSS COUNTRY
Salem County Championship, Schalick, 3:30 p.m.

OCT. 10
FOOTBALL
Delran at Penns Grove, 6:30 p.m.
BOYS SOCCER
Glassboro at Penns Grove
Pennsville at Salem
Salem Tech at Wildwood
Schalick at Woodstown
GIRLS SOCCER
Penns Grove at Glassboro
Overbrook at Pennsville
Salem at Pitman
Wildwood at Salem Tech
Woodstown at Schalick
GIRLS TENNIS
Schalick at Pennsville, 3:45 p.m.
Woodstown at Penns Grove
FIELD HOCKEY
Gateway at Pennsville
Salem at Maple Shade
Schalick at Mainland, 4:15 p.m.

OCT. 11
FOOTBALL
Audubon at Collingswood, 6 p.m.
Glassboro at Cinnaminson, 6 p.m.
Schalick at Gloucester City, 6 p.m.
Salem at West Deptford
FIELD HOCKEY
Cumberland at Salem
Woodstown at Ocean City
GIRLS SOCCER
Audubon at Schalick
Salem at Gateway
BOYS SOCCER
Salem at Haddon Heights

OCT. 12
FOOTBALL
Pennsville at Paulsboro, 10:30 a.m.
Willingboro at Woodbury, 10:30 a.m.
Camden Catholic at Overbrook, 11 a.m.
Woodstown at Haddon Heights, 11 a.m.
Delran at Penns Grove, noon

OCT. 14
BOYS SOCCER
Salem at Highland
Woodstown at Clayton
GIRLS SOCCER
Woodstown at Triton

OCT. 15
CROSS COUNTRY
Pennsville, Penns Grove, Salem, Woodstown at Kingsway, 3:30 p.m.
Schalick TBA
FIELD HOCKEY
Deptford at Pennsville
Glassboro at Salem
St. Joe’s at Schalick
Woodstown at Gloucester Catholic
GIRLS TENNIS
Gloucester Catholic at Pennsville, 3:45 p.m.
Pitman at Woodstown
Salem at Penns Grove
Wildwood at Schalick, 4:15 p.m.

OCT. 16
BOYS SOCCER
Penns Grove at Pennsville
Pitman at Salem
Woodstown at Salem Tech
GIRLS SOCCER
Gloucester Catholic at Schalick
Salem at Pennsville
Salem Tech at Woodstown
GIRLS TENNIS
Haddon Heights at Schalick

OCT. 17
FIELD HOCKEY
Overbrook at Schalick
Salem at Clayton
Woodstown at Clearview
GIRLS TENNIS
Overbrook at Woodstown
Penns Grove at Schalick
Salem at Glassboro

OCT. 18
FOOTBALL
Pennsville at Lawrence, 6:30 p.m.
Collingswood at Camden Catholic
Glassboro at Schalick
Paulsboro at West Deptford
FIELD HOCKEY
Egg Harbor Twp. at Woodstown
BOYS SOCCER
Clayton at Salem Tech
Penns Grove at Pitman
Salem at Gloucester Catholic
Woodstown at Overbrook
GIRLS SOCCER
Clayton at Salem Tech
Gloucester Catholic at Salem
Penns Grove at Pennsville
Overbrook at Woodstown
GIRLS TENNIS
Pennsville at Salem
Penns Grove at Pitman
Schalick at Glassboro

OCT. 19
FOOTBALL
Penns Grove at Woodbury, 10:30 a.m.
Audubon at Overbrook, 11 a.m.
Woodstown at Salem, noon
GIRLS SOCCER
Cherry Hill West at Schalick

OCT. 21
FIELD HOCKEY
Salem at Gloucester Catholic
Schalick at Deptford
Woodstown at Overbrook
GIRLS TENNIS
Pennsville at Overbrook, 3:45 p.m.
Pitman at Salem
Schalick at Woodstown
BOYS SOCCER
Bridgeton at Penns Grove
Salem at Camden County Tech

OCT. 22
BOYS SOCCER
Glassboro at Woodstown
Gloucester Catholic at Salem Tech
Overbrook at Penns Grove
Pennsville at Clayton
Salem at Wildwood
GIRLS SOCCER
Penns Grove at Overbrook
Salem Tech at Gloucester Catholic
Schalick at Pennsville
Wildwood at Salem
Woodstown at Glassboro
GIRLS TENNIS
Woodstown at Haddon Heights

OCT. 23
FIELD HOCKEY
Pennsville at Overbrook
Salem at Schalick
GIRLS TENNIS
Glassboro at Woodstown
Pitman at Pennsville
Salem at Overbrook
Wildwood at Penns Grove
CROSS COUNTRY
Tri-County Showcase

OCT. 24
FIELD HOCKEY
Woodstown at Hammonton
BOYS SOCCER
Gloucester Catholic at Pennsville
Woodstown at Pitman
Salem Tech at Salem
Schalick at Penns Grove
GIRLS SOCCER
Penns Grove at Schalick
Salem at Salem Tech
Pennsville at Woodstown
CROSS COUNTRY
Pennsville, Woodstown at Cumberland

OCT. 25
FOOTBALL
Woodstown at Glassboro, 6 p.m.
Audubon at Camden Catholic, TBA
Paulsboro at Clayton, TBA
Collingswood at Pennsville
Overbrook at West Deptford
Woodbury at Schalick
BOYS SOCCER
Salem Tech at Wildwood Catholic

OCT. 26
FOOTBALL
Salem at Penns Grove, noon

OCT. 28
BOYS SOCCER
Pennsville at Overbrook
Salem at Penns Grove
Salem Tech at Schalick
GIRLS SOCCER
Penns Grove at Salem
Pennsville at Wildwood
Schalick at Salem Tech

OCT. 29
FIELD HOCKEY
Clayton at Pennsville
Glassboro at Woodstown

NOV. 1
GIRLS SOCCER
Woodstown at Clayton
CROSS COUNTRY
Sectionals

NOV. 9
CROSS COUNTRY
NJSIAA Group Championships

NOV. 27
FOOTBALL
Camden Catholic at Paul VI, TBA

NOV. 28
FOOTBALL
Haddon Twp. at Audubon, TBA

Hall of Fame induction

Salem County Sports Hall of Fame to enshrine seven remaining members of this year’s induction class Thursday at Salem CC; Salem NFL running back Jonathan Taylor was enshrined earlier this summer

From Salem Community College

CARNEYS POINT – The seven remaining members of this year’s Salem County Sports Hall of Fame induction class will go marching into the Hall Thursday night in ceremonies at Salem Community College’s Davidow Theatre.

The Salem County SHOF Board has selected these individuals for induction in the latest ceremony. Former Salem High School current NFL running back Jonathan Taylor was inducted in a separate ceremony earlier in the summer.

Lex Bleckley (professional baseball) 
Jaymes Dennison (track) 
James Dickerson (track) 
Nick Elmer (football)
Steve Merritt (coach)
Donna O’Leary (coach)
Latika Ross (basketball) 

In addition, the Hall board will recognize Vince Gioia and Steve Lopes for their decades of service to Salem County sports as well as the following high school state champions:

Penns Grove’s three-time NJSIAA Group I state champion Boys Track Team (2013-15); 

Penns Grove’s two-time NJSIAA Group I state champion Girls Track Team (2013-14); 

Pennsville’s  Megan Morris (2024 Pole Vault); Salem’s DaviYonn Jackson (2023-24 Triple Jump); Salem’s 2024 girls 4×100 Relay (Sairis Jimenez, Karima Davenport-White, Morgan Van Dover, Rhi’Onna Timmons); Salem’s 2024 girls shot put relay (Dominique Lewis and Ryann Mulhorn); Schalick’s Jordan Hadfield (2023 cross country 2024 1600); and Woodstown 2024 boys 4×800 Relay (Karson Chew, Joshua Crawford, Jacob Martino, Cole Lucas).

Admission is free and no tickets are required. The ceremony begins at 6:30 p.m.


Here is a thumbnail look at the Hall of Fame inductees

LEX BLECKLEY was a product of the Pennsville sports system, playing football and baseball. He is most proud of the baseball championships from an early age through his decorated career at Pennsville Memorial High School.  The championships include district titles in Little League, State and Mid-Atlantic Champions in Babe Ruth and a state championship his senior year with a 25-0 record and the No. 1 ranked team in the state. The undefeated season has not been duplicated. 

His personal accomplishments include three-time All-Salem County, two-time Tri-County, two-time South Jersey Group II, two-time All-South Jersey, Group II All State, All-State First Team and Today’s Sunbeam Player of the Year. He finished his career at Pennsville with a .503 batting average and a team win-loss record of 66-6. He was taken in the major league draft twice.

The Kansas City Royals drafted Bleckley after his high school career, but he elected to attend the University of Delaware, where he was a three-year starter at shortstop. During his UD career, the Blue Hens were East Coast Conference champions twice and missed making it to the College World Series by one game, losing in the finals. Lex came in second for the Division I batting title with a .455 average his junior year and was named ECC Player of the Year. He was drafted and signed by the Montreal Expos. After his playing career ended, he was head coach at Salem Community College for two years. Currently, he resides in Florida with his wife and son.

JAYMES DENNISON excelled in track at Penns Grove High School. A member of the Class of 2013, Jaymes was a two-time state champion. He won the 800 in his junior year and the 400 in his senior year. He helped lead the team to a Group 1 team state championship in 2013, and holds school records in the 800.

He was a three-time South Jersey champion in the 800 meters. As a senior, he finished seventh in the Meet of Champions in one of the most competitive 800-meter races in its history.

His post-high school accomplishments may be more impressive. In two years at Iowa State, he was a two-time NCAA All-American in 2018, Second Team All-American in the 4×400 meter relay and Honorable Mention All-American in the 800 meters. He was the Big 12 indoor champion in the 600 meters. Before enrolling at Iowa State, he was a two-time junior college indoor national champion in the 600 meters.

JAMES (JIMMY) DICKERSON graduated from Salem High School in 1964. Following high school, he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force for eight years and traveled extensively throughout Europe. While serving in the military, Jimmy was a medic.

In addition to his medic responsibilities, he played in the European Conference, on the track and field team, where he placed first in high jump at 6-10 and excelled in the triple jump. He also made the All-Europe Football Team as a running back and kick returner. After his tour of duty, Jimmy was an OSHA inspector at BF Goodrich in Pedricktown until his retirement.

In 1976, Jimmy was invited to attend Philadelphia Eagles head coach Dick Vermeil’s tryout camp. Although not selected, he considered meeting fellow tryout attendee Vince Papale, who went on to make the Eagles’ roster, an experience of a lifetime.

At 34, Jimmy enrolled at Gloucester County College and competed in the track and field high/triple jump. He never lost a match during his two seasons. Community focused, Jimmy is involved in coaching youth basketball and mentoring.  In addition, he is an active member of his church and sings in the senior choir.

NICK ELMER was a multi-sport athlete (football, wrestling, track and field) at Penns Grove High School.

In football, he set school records for passing yards (4,580) and passing touchdowns (61). He also helped lead PGHS to a record-breaking 2012 season and a South Jersey Group 1 championship in which he rushed for a record 308 yards in the title game. The 2012 team still holds the record for most points scored in a season in South Jersey history. He earned All-State First Team honors in 2012 and was the Philadelphia Inquirer South Jersey Player of the Year.

As a wrestler, Nick amassed a school-record 137 victories and qualified for the state tournament on twice, ultimately earning a seventh-place finish in 2013. He continued his academic and athletic career in wrestling at Drexel University, where he was a varsity starter for two years, accumulating 31 wins and a spot on the podium in the 2016 Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA) Conference Tournament and earned an EIWA Academic Achievement Award in the same year.

He went on to medical school at Thomas Jefferson University, where he graduated cum laude and as a member of the prestigious Alpha Omega Alpha national medical honors society. He is currently a plastic surgery resident at NYU Langone Hospital in New York City.

DONNA O’LEARY graduated from Paulsboro High School and was a two-sport varsity athlete (field hockey and tennis) there. She also swam competitively year-round at the Woodbury YMCA.  

She earned a degree from Glassboro State College as a health/physical education major. Playing field hockey and swimming in college were important milestones in her path to becoming a coach. After graduation, she became the head women’s swim coach at Glassboro State. During those six years, she produced six All-Americans. 

In 1988, Salem City hired her as a full-time health/physical education teacher in the elementary school and as the field hockey head coach at Salem High School. After taking the reins from Liz Pappas, she put her heart into making the field hockey program successful and she accumulated 315 wins and seven Tri-County championships.  She was a two-time Coach of the Year. 

LATIKA ROSS, a 2001 Salem High School graduate, excelled in both basketball and track and field. In track, she broke the 800-meter record as a sophomore. In basketball, she became the third Lady Ram to join SHS’s 1000-point club and pulled down over 1,000 rebounds as a four-year varsity player. Latika earned numerous accolades, including All-Tournament Team and First Team for All South Jersey Group 1 and Tri-County Conference Classic Divisions for two consecutive years. Today’s Sunbeam named her Player of the Year in 2001.

Moving on to Salem Community College, Latika amassed 1,130 points and 1,028 rebounds over two years, earning National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division II Second Team honors. She holds the NJCAA Division II Women’s Basketball regular-season record for rebound average (23.2 per game in 2002-03).

After attending Drexel University for one year on a full athletic scholarship, Latika transferred to Saint Augustine’s University (SAU), where she made the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association All-Tournament Team and averaged a double-double her senior year (10 points, 10 rebounds per game). Graduating from SAU with a bachelor’s degree in accounting and 3.9 grade point average, Latika embarked on a successful 15-year career in accounting. 

Today, she channels her talents into entertainment as an actress, producer and stand-up comedian, performing under the name Latika Sye (a family surname).

STEVE MERRITT was never the last to be picked for any of the seasonal schoolyard games, until he turned 12 and lost a game of “chicken” with the front end of a Buick or Pontiac. It’s not clear to this day. A significant injury cost him any speed he might have had or would have.  Nonetheless, it is difficult to temper a Type A personality and there was always some kind of competition at home with three brothers.

A single junior varsity season of baseball and senior year “cup of coffee” as a wrestler sums up his high school athletic career.  Intramural softball and volleyball were competitive outlets at Glassboro State College.

After college, long-distance running became his outlet for competition. His omnipresent opponent became the stopwatch.  No longer did he have to finish first to win. He ran the New York City Marathon twice, the Marine Corps Marathon twice and the Boston Marathon in 1992.

A combined 50 varsity seasons (tennis, soccer, basketball and softball) as a head coach at Salem High School yielded over 500 victories, four South Jersey Championships, three Tri-County Classic titles and helped to satisfy his yen for competition. Earlier this summer he was named the girls basketball coach at Pennsville High School.

Community Service

VINCENT GIOLA JR. graduated from Penns Grove High School in 1968 and began working for DuPont Chambers Works in 1969, retiring in 2010. To say his life revolved around sports would be an understatement. 

Vince first coached in 1969 and over the next 50 years spent countless hours coaching, managing and maintaining the fields at the Carneys Point Recreation Complex for the Carneys Point-Penns Grove-Pedricktown Little League and Penns Grove Soccer Club. 

Vince played and coached in both the Salem County Men’s Baseball League (1969-1976) and the PG-CP Men’s Softball League (1975-2015) while also serving as a league officer and a liaison with Salem County. He coached for the PG mini-wrestling organization (1979-1986), managed for the PG-CP Women’s Softball (1978-1982), and for the PG Babe Ruth (1985-1987). Vince also coached PG Twins 130 lb. football team (1985-1991) and was head coach of the SCC’s softball team (1991-1995, 2011-2013). 

Vince has been a member of the South Jersey Officials Association (football) since 1999 and Unified Umpire Association of Southern New Jersey since 2007. He served on the Carneys Point Recreation Commission (1999-2023) and was chairman (2004-2023). Vince managed the CP Recreation Complex (2004-2023) and was president of the Servicemen’s Memorial Home (2015-2023). Today, Vince can be found on a field or in a gym in South Jersey officiating, umpiring or just watching his grandchildrens’ games or any game, for that matter.

STEVE LOPES graduated from Penns Grove High School in 1964, after playing three years of varsity basketball with coach Rudy Baric. 

For 45 years, Steve has officiated over 800 high school football games. He had the honor of officiating over 50 state playoff games, including several state championship games at Rutgers, Giants and MetLife Stadiums. Steve has served as the president of New Jersey Football Officials Association – South, the organization representing football officials in South Jersey. Additionally, he is an official for the NFL’s Girls Flag Football program and officiated the Big 33 tournament sponsored by several NFL teams. In addition, Steve has umpired high school, college and semi-pro baseball for 17 years.

For 16 years, Steve managed in the Penns Grove-Carneys Point-Pedricktown Little League and Babe Ruth League, where his teams won several league and district titles. He has played and managed a senior (ages 50, 60, 70) baseball team in Carneys Point.  For over 20 years, Steve has played in men’s senior baseball national tournaments in Florida and Arizona. 

Salem football +

Here is the 2024 West Jersey Football League schedule for the divisions involving Salem County’s teams

2024 WEST JERSEY FOOTBALL LEAGUE
(Divisions involving Salem County teams; all games 7 p.m. unless noted, x-scrimmage)

AUG. 19
x-Mainland, Cape May, West Deptford at Schalick, 10 a.m.
x-Pennsville at Salem, 10 a.m.
x-Woodstown at St. Joseph’s Academy

AUG. 23
x-Schalick at Buena, 10 a.m.
x-Salem at Absegami, 6 p.m.

AUG. 29
Collingswood at Clayton, TBA
West Deptford vs. Manchester Twp., 10 a.m. (at Ocean City)
Pennsville at Gloucester City

AUG. 30
Schalick vs. Cedar Grove, 9:30 a.m. (at Egg Harbor Twp.)

AUG. 31
Willingboro at Salem, noon

SEPT. 6
Overbrook at Collingswood, 6 p.m.
Penns Grove at Deptford, 6 p.m.
KIPP Cooper Norcross at Camden Catholic, TBA
Cumberland at Schalick
Delsea at Woodstown
West Deptford at PennsvilleSEPT. 7
Paulsboro at Audubon, TBA
Haddonfield at Woodbury, 10:30 a.m.
Glassboro at Haddon Heights, 11 a.m.
Cinnaminson at Salem, noon

SEPT. 13
Audubon at Bordentown, 6 p.m.
Collingswood at West Deptford
Pennsville at Overbrook
Schalick at Woodstown

SEPT. 14
Camden Catholic at Paulsboro, TBA
Salem at Woodbury, 10:30 a.m.
Glassboro at Penns Grove, noon

SEPT. 20
Overbrook at Florence, 6 p.m.
Paulsboro at Collingswood, 6 p.m.
Salem at Glassboro, 6 p.m.
Audubon at Pennsville
Penns Grove at Schalick
West Deptford at Camden Catholic
Woodbury at Woodstown

SEPT. 27
Woodbury at Glassboro, 6 p.m.
Woodstown at Penns Grove, 6:30 p.m.
Pennsville at Camden Catholic

SEPT. 28
Collingswood at Haddon Twp., 10:30 a.m.
Overbrook at Paulsboro, 11 a.m.
West Deptford at Audubon, 11 a.m.
Schalick at Salem, noon

OCT. 4
Haddon Heights at Camden Catholic, TBA
Deptford at Glassboro
Penns Grove at Pennsville
Pleasantville at Woodstown
Sterling at Collingswood
West Deptford at Haddonfield
Woodbury at Gateway

OCT. 5
Schalick at Paulsboro, 10:30 a.m.
Clayton at Overbrook, 11 a.m.
Middle Twp. at Salem, noon

OCT. 11
Audubon at Collingswood, 6 p.m.
Glassboro at Cinnaminson, 6 p.m.
Schalick at Gloucester City, 6 p.m.
Salem at West Deptford

OCT. 12
Pennsville at Paulsboro, 10:30 a.m.
Willingboro at Woodbury, 10:30 a.m.
Camden Catholic at Overbrook, 11 a.m.
Woodstown at Haddon Heights, 11 a.m.
Delran at Penns Grove, noon

OCT. 18
Pennsville at Lawrence, 6 p.m.
Collingswood at Camden Catholic
Glassboro at Schalick
Paulsboro at West Deptford

OCT. 19
Penns Grove at Woodbury, 10:30 a.m.
Audubon at Overbrook, 11 a.m.
Woodstown at Salem, noon

OCT. 25
Woodstown at Glassboro, 6 p.m.
Audubon at Camden Catholic, TBA
Paulsboro at Clayton, TBA
Collingswood at Pennsville
Overbrook at West Deptford
Woodbury at Schalick

OCT. 26
Salem at Penns Grove, noon

NOV. 27
Camden Catholic at Paul VI, TBA

NOV. 28
Haddon Twp. at Audubon, TBA

Inter-active

InterAc All-Stars rally in late innings again, topple Tri-Cape All-Stars in bottom of ninth for first Carpenter Cup title

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PHILADELPHIA – Over the past four summers the Tri-Cape All-Stars have experienced almost every emotion a baseball team can feel. They’ve been over the moon winning Carpenter Cup championships in 2021 and 2022 and they felt the despair of losing in the championship game last year.

But even as the rosters change each year nothing could compare to the hurt they felt Wednesday when they lost this year’s title game in Citizens Bank Park after leading with six outs to go.

InterAc, a championship game first-timer with at least one big-league prospect on its roster, pushed across two runs in the eighth inning to tie the game and then scored an unearned run in the ninth to pull out a 3-2 win.

“It’s awful,” Pennsville junior Peyton O’Brien said. “To come all this way and then to lose, especially when we were up the whole game and we thought we were going to win and to lose it late it just sucks. You always hate losing no matter what.”

Tri-Cape led 2-0 going into the bottom of the eighth, but InterAc tied the game on Cole Kirschner’s two-run double to right center. They scored the game winner off William Grayson (Oakcrest), one of two pitchers Tri-Cape manager D.J. Gore added late Tuesday night to give them enough arms to compete.

The ninth started when Tri-Cape third baseman Guy Lynam misplayed leadoff man Lucas Albert’s bunt into a two-base error. Albert (Germantown Academy) went to third on a wild pitch and scored the game-winner with a head-first slide on Jimmy Amplo’s sacrifice fly to left field.

It was a familiar scenario for InterAc. They won their semifinal game against defending champion Jersey Shore Tuesday with a four-run rally in the ninth.

“I like them,” Gore assessed of the InterAc team. “It’s an all-star team. For us, when we talk about, like, our St. Augustine Prep and Gloucester Catholic, it’s similar to what that is over there.

“Very good franchise. You see a Louisville commit, potential major-league draft pick, start the game against us. We had our 1 going, too, and I think it was a treat for the fans to watch there. It’s a really good franchise. They do things the right way. We just needed to play a little better today.”

Tri-Cape All-Stars manager D.J. Gore gathers his team after it just lost to InterAc in the bottom of the ninth inning of the Carpenter Cup championship game. Schalick’s Luke Pokrovsky (44) is in the foreground.

Tri-Cape did have the go-ahead runner in scoring position twice in the top of the ninth, but couldn’t bring it home. They also came up empty with a runner at second and one out in the fourth and bases loaded with two outs in the seventh after having Jack Mustaro (Gloucester Catholic) cut down in a collision at the plate earlier in the inning.

“There were opportunities; I think we could have put the game away and we just didn’t do it,” Gore said. “You can’t do that in all-star caliber kind of baseball. Give credit to them for what they did and being able to withstand and make some plays when they needed to make some plays. 

“You have to execute in some situations. There were some things we’d like to have back to do but we didn’t, but you can’t fault anybody’s effort or anything like that. These kids have given up three weeks of the summer to represent the Tri-Cape franchise and I couldn’t be any prouder of a group of kids.”

InterAc started Tague Davis (Malvern Prep), the son of former major-leaguer and Phillies studio host Ben Davis, and Tri-Cape countered with Miami commitment Tate DeRias (Gloucester Catholic). Both pitched the first three innings. Davis gave up two hits, an unearned run and struck out five. DeRias pitched three no-hit innings.

Tri-Cape’s first three pitchers threw seven shutout innings, giving up four hits and one walk.

“It feels really good getting a chance to go out there and throw (in a major-league stadium),” DeRias said. “You step on the mound and it’s kind of like, ‘Wow, this is where all the pros play, this is where the guys I look up to pitch.

“It’s pretty cool to soak it in and go out there and throw three hitless innings. Not many guys might have the chance of that happening in the future, so hopefully it was taste of the future for me. I’d love to come back as a major league ballplayer and pitch (here).

”All three Salem County players batted in the game.O’Brien (first base) and Chase Burchfield (designated hitter) drew starts and Schalick’s Luke Pokrovsky went into right field late in the game and chased down Kirschner’s game-tying double in the eighth.

O’Brien was a last-minute addition to the starting lineup and went 1-for-2. He drove in Tri-Cape’s second run of the game with a single in the fourth after fouling off three straight payoff pitches. He went 3-for-7 with two RBIs in the tournament.

“It was awesome,” he said. “I was up in a big spot, man on third, one out and I was refusing to strike out. I knew I had to put a ball in play and try to make things happen and that’s what I did and got the RBI.”

Burchfield was 0-for-2 and Pokrovsky, who pitched in each of Tri-Cape’s first three games and was given his first chance to hit Wednesday, went 0-for-1 and hit by a pitch.

Carpenter Cup Championship Game
InterAc 3, Tri-Cape 2

Tri-Cape001100000-281
InterAc000000021-372
One out when winning run scored.

WP: Hunter West (1-0). LP: William Grayson (0-1). 2B: Hunter Ray (TC), Jack Mustaro (TC), Sergio Droz (TC), Cole Kirschner (IA).

InterAc’s Lucas Albert slides head first into the plate with the winning run in the bottom of the ninth. (Photo courtesy of The Phillies)

Cover photo: The players from the InterAc All-Stars raise the Carpenter Cup after beating Tri-Cape in the tournament championship game. (The Phillies/Miles Kennedy)

Back in the finals

Pennsville’s O’Brien plays big role in eighth-inning rally that sends Tri-Cape to Carpenter Cup finals for fourth year in a row

CARPENTER CUP
Tuesday’s semifinals
at Citizens Bank Park
InterAc 5, Jersey Shore 4
Tri-Cape 6, Delaware County 3
Championship Wednesday
at Citizens Bank Park
InterAc vs. Tri-Cape, 9:30 a.m.

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PHILADELPHIA — Peyton O’Brien never took part in Kids Run The Bases at Citizens Bank Park when he was growing up, but given the chance Tuesday afternoon, he ran like the wind.

The rising Pennsville senior might not have the wheels of Trea Turner, but his Bryce Harper-like base-running savvy played a big part in the eighth-inning rally that lifted his Tri-Cape All-Stars past Delaware County 6-3 and into the Carpenter Cup championship game for the fourth year in a row.

Tri-Cape will play the InterAc/Independent stars in CBP Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. They raised the Cup in 2021 and 2022 and lost in the title game last year.

“Man, it’s awesome,” O’Brien said. “For one, to just be able to play in this park and, two, to be to be able to play for something makes it’s even better.”

The Tri-Cape/Delco game was tied at 3 after Delco scored twice in the top of the eighth, but Tri-Cape answered quickly in what manager D.J. Gore called “the epitome” of the secret to the program’s success in this four-year run: Buying into what the coaches ask the players to do.

Hunter Ray (Lower Cape May) led off the bottom half of inning with a walk and with one out O’Brien, who entered the game in the sixth for starting Pennsville teammate Chase Burchfield, sent a shot into right centerfield for his second hit of the tournament. Ray drew a throw to third and O’Brien smartly took the extra base when the infielders drifted away from the bag.

Zach Maxwell (Delsea) then dropped a “terrific” bunt in front of the plate that Gore called the difference in the game. Delco third baseman Harrison Maull charged and tried to backhand flip it toward home, but the ball sailed well past the catcher allowing Ray to score the go-ahead run. O’Brien kept coming and slid in well ahead of the ball getting back to the pitcher covering to make it 5-3.

“I always try to stay aggressive,” O’Brien said. “I might not be the fastest kid, but whenever I can get an extra bag I try to take it and try to do my best on the bases because that’s a big asset in the game that people forget about.

“On the ball I hit I was just trying to get an extra bag. I took a peek at second and saw there was no one covering and I thought the outfielder was going to try to throw the guy out at third so I knew I had an advantage so I took the extra bag. (On the bunt) I was down to third as quick as I could and as soon as I saw that ball go by the catcher I didn’t think twice, I just went straight home.”

“It was good baserunning,” Gore said. “It was a good baseball play.”

The burst of speed certainly impressed O’Brien’s teammates.

“I just think he must have been put on the treadmill lately,” Burchfield said. “He can run now.”

Burchfield drew the start at DH and reached base in both his plate appearances after falling behind 0-2 in both at-bats. He coaxed a walk in the third inning and scored Tri-Cape’s first run and singled to left to load the bases in the fourth.

“I went down 0-2 and I knew I just had to put something in play,” he said. “I didn’t want to strike out on three pitches; I was like I’ve got to work an at-bat here. It landed in the right spot, so it felt pretty good. I wasn’t nervous. I thought it was pretty fun to be out here and get a hit.”

Schalick’s Luke Pokrovsky threw an inning out of the bullpen. He got Tri-Cape out of a jam in the sixth, but left with two on and one out in the seventh.

He replaced Travis Large (Ocean City) after Campbell McCormack one-hopped the fence to plate Delco’s first run. He put the tying run on base with a walk, but got out of the trouble with an fielder’s choice that put runners at the corners and an inning-ending strikeout.

His seventh started well with a ground out to first, but he was lifted after a walk and a single. Nate Bott (Kingsway) put out that fire and wound up getting the win.

“I was kind of nervous (but) no more nervous than other places, like normal ball parks,” Pokrovsky said. “I just tried to throw strikes, but I was pulling off a lot.”

It was likely the left-hander’s final pitching outing of the tournament as Gore said he would be used as a position player/hitter in the championship game. Pokrovsky has pitched in all three of Tri-Cape’s tournaments games thus far. In 3 2/3 innings he allowed two hits, no runs and struck out five.

After today we’re going to be able to flip Luke to be able to hit tomorrow so we’re going to look to see that side of him,” Gore said. “I know that’s a really special side. He’s done a really good job for us on the mound, but he’ll be a position player for us tomorrow.”

In the other semifinal, InterAc scored four runs in the ninth inning to take the lead, then held off a rally in the bottom of the ninth to eliminate defending champion Jersey Shore 5-4. They will be playing in the championship game for the first time.

Tri-Cape 6, Delaware County 3

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WP: Nate Bott (1-0). LP: Sabo Graham (0-1). S: Benedetto Andreoli (1). 2B: Campbell McCormack (DC), James Quici (DC).

InterAc 5, Jersey Shore 4

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WP: D.J. Peterson (1-0). LP: Dylan Shaffer (0-1). 2B: Tague Davis (IA), Joe Maier (JS). 3B: Tommy Markey (IA)

Meet of Champions

Salem’s Jackson, Schalick’s O’Neill bring top 10 finishes back to Salem County

By Riverview Sports News

PENNSAUKEN – Salem’s DaviYonn Jackson and Schalick’s Grace O’Neill both posted top 10 finishes – the highest finishes among Salem County athletes – at Wednesday’s NJSIAA Meet of Champions at Pennsauken High School.

Jackson, the Group I champion, finished fifth with a jump of 46 feet, 6.5 inches. O’Neill finished eighth in the girls discus with a throw of 134 feet, 3 inches that broke a 12-year-old school record. Her throw was two feet better than her third-place throw in the Group I meet.

Here is how the Salem County athletes fared at the TOC Meet.

BOYS
Triple jump: 5. DaviYonn Jackson, Salem, 46-6.5); 14. Khalim Smith, Penns Grove, 43-7.25.
4×800: 18. Woodstown (Karson Chew, Joshua Crasford, Jacob Marino, Cole Lucas), 8:15.98).

GIRLS
4×100: 11. Salem (Sairis Jiminez, Karima Davenport-White, Morgan VanDover, Rhionna Timmons), 49.3.
400: 13. Anna Buzby, Salem, 59.11.
3200: 13. Jordan Hadfield, Schalick, 11:05.33.
Discus: 8. Grace O’Neill, Schalick, 134-3.
Pole vault: 21. Megan Morris, Pennsville, 10-0.
Long jump: 26. Karima Davenport-White, 16-0.

Back to the Bank

Tri-Cape All-Stars score second win in Carpenter Cup, reach semifinals in Citizens Bank Park for fourth year in a row; all 3 Salem County players contribute

CARPENTER CUP
Thursday’s Games
Urban Youth Academy Fields, FDR Park
Inter-Ac/Independents 18, SEPA 5
Jersey Shore 9, Chester County 6
Tri-Cape 5, Philadelphia Catholic 2
Delaware County 10, Philadelphia Public 9

June 24 Semifinals
At Citizens Bank Park
Inter-Ac/Independents vs. Jersey Shore, 9 a.m.
Tri-Cape vs. Delaware County, 12:30 p.m.

June 25 Championship Game
At Citizens Bank Park
Semifinal winners, 9:30 a.m.

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PHILADELPHIA – D.J. Gore has taken the Tri-Cape All-Stars to the Carpenter Cup rounds in Citizens Bank Park so much the last couple years he could probably set up shop next to Rob Thomson’s office and nobody in the Phillies’ organization would think twice.

Meanwhile, the three Salem County players on the team have all been in the Bank before but never from the place they’ll be come next Monday.

The Tri-County/Cape Atlantic League stars coached by Gore punched their ticket to the Carpenter Cup semifinals for the fourth year in a row Thursday when they beat the Philadelphia Catholic League 5-2 on the Dick Allen Urban Youth Academy Field in FDR Park.

They’ll now play the Delaware County stars in the 12:30 p.m. June 24 semifinal at Citizens Park Bank, looking to reach the finals for the fourth year in a row. Inter-Ac/Independents will play Jersey Shore in the 9 a.m. semifinal. Jersey Shore beat Tri-Cape in last year’s championship game. The finals are 9:30 a.m. June 25.

“We’ve been fortunate because we’ve had a run of really good, successful kids and they’re extremely talented,” said Gore, the head coach at Highland Regional. “It really is easy to have them in the dugout. That’s how we’ve been able to have the success that we’ve been able to have.

“It’s always a big deal to get a new group of kids there. There are probably 10 kids who haven’t been there, so you get a new group to experience Citizens Bank Park and were all still probably little boys at heart so any time you can walk on the field and get on the field and get into the bullpens, get on the home plate, the pitching mound, it’s a memory that lasts a lifetime.”

All three of the Salem County players on the team – Pennsville’s Peyton O’Brien and Chase Burchifield and Schalick’s Luke Pokrovsky – have been in Citizens Bank Park before. O’Brien has even been on the field once for a meet-the-players session, but for the most part all of their experience has been from the stands.

Now, they’ll be able to experience it from a whole different perspective.

“That’s going to be really cool,” Burchfield said. “I’m going to have to take some videos of that.”

“It’s going to be crazy,” O’Brien said. “A field you grew up watching, now you have the opportunity to play on that field, it’s going to be awesome.”

Pokrovsky hadn’t really given any thought to throwing of the CBP mound before, but after Thursday’s win, he said, “I’m going to start thinking about it now.”

“We have a really good team,” he said. “I feel like we’re going to win the next one and get to the championship.”

All three Salem players played a part in Thursday’s victory.

O’Brien and Burchfield each collected their first hit of the series in the sixth inning. Burchfield beat out an infield single to third with one out and in somewhat a reversal of fortunes, O’Brien punched an opposite-field single into left to score his high school teammate and extended Tri-Cape’s lead to 4-1. 

During the high school season it was usually Burchfield, the Eagles’ cleanup hitter, knocking in O’Brien, who hit third.

“Tuesday I struck out with a guy on third base and I was not happy about it,” O’Brien said. “I wanted to get a run home, so I tried to do whatever I could and put the ball in play and it found a spot. To be able to hit him in is awesome.”

“It was pretty cool to have that happen, especially in this game where not all of us are from the same (high school) team.”

Pokrovsky pitched for the second game in a row. This time, instead of finishing the game, the left-hander pitched two innings of one-hit shutout middle relief immediately behind starter and winner Tate DeRias (Gloucester Catholic/Miami).

Pokrovsky was lifted in mid-count for Mainland’s Brady Blum after putting the first two runners on in the sixth, but, in one of the biggest moments of the game, after he loaded the bases with none out Blum got out of the jam with three straight strikeouts similar to what he did in the opener.

“Today was a lot better due to the fact I was more loose,” Pokrovsky said. “Tuesday I warmed up in the beginning of the game and it was like three hours later that I threw on the mound. Throwing in the middle of game it felt way better than Tuesday.”

The PCL stars hit DeRias’ first pitch for a triple and scored a run in the first inning, but got not more. They were 2-for-21 with runners on base, 1-for-13 with runners in scoring position and left 13 runners on base.

Tri-Cape took the lead with three in the second. They tied the game on an RBI infield single by Chris Smith (Washington Twp.), took the lead when Hunter Ray (Lower Cape May) scored on a wild pitch and extended the lead on another RBI infield single by Evan Taylor (Ocean City).

“it’s fun playing with all these kids,” Burchfield said. “You know they’re all so good. I feel like I’ll be up to bat and the next thing I’ll be right back up because all the kids are hitting. It’s fun.”

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WP: Tate DeRias (1-0). LP: Kyle Tuthill (0-1). S: Matt Kouser (1). 2B: Noah Danza (TC), Jake Cagna (TC), Frank Master (TC). RBI-Phila. Catholic: Harry Carr, Michael Coleman; Tri-Cape: Evan Taylor, Noah Danza, Peyton O’Brien, Chris Smith.

Cover photo: Pennsville’s Peyton O’Brien is poised to take a cut during his plate appearance for the Tri-Cape All-Stars in the eighth inning of Thursday’s Carpenter Cup game.