Keeping hope alive

Harris nets two as Pennsville field hockey edges Overbrook to keep playoff hopes alive, Penns Grove boys soccer wins in OT to enhance position for a home playoff game, and more

THURSDAY’S SCORES
FIELD HOCKEY
Pennsville 2, Overbrook 1
BOYS SOCCER
Penns Grove 2, Maple Shade 1 (OT)
Audubon 1, Woodstown 0 (OT)
GIRLS SOCCER
Salem 6, Salem Tech 0
WJFL FOOTBALL
Atlantic Tech 33, Egg Harbor Twp. 7
Burlington Twp. 21, Cinnaminson 0
Pennsauken 40, Clearview 6
Seneca 28, Willingboro 21
Shawnee 21, Hammonton 0
GIRLS VOLLEYBALL
Timber Creek 2, Salem Tech 0 (25-11, 25-20)
GIRLS TENNIS
Schalick 3, Woodstown 2

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PENNSVILLE – The Pennsville field hockey team had a lot to play for Thursday and it delivered on all counts.

The Eagles were playing in their final home game and wanted to send their seniors out on a good note. They also were playing for their playoff lives. And they were playing for their coach, Lisa Doran, a Pennsville Hall of Famer who missed the game for health reasons.

But they made good on all of it, beating a late-arriving Overbrook team 2-1. Kylie Harris scored both goals for the Eagles, slamming home the game-winner in traffic with 4:22 to play.

“They did it for a lot of reasons,” said assistant coach Cassandra Kirk, who ran the team in Doran’s absence. “They did it for the playoffs, they did it for the seniors and they did it for Coach Doran. She’s a huge missing piece right now I think the girls wanted to really step it up for her.”

“We all love Doran to bits and pieces,” Harris said. “She’s such an important person for me, in my career, so I wanted to do it for her. I wanted to do it for her, I wanted to do it for the seniors, for the underclassmen, to show them you don’t stop fighting. It was for everyone, especially for Doran, because she loves all of us to bits and pieces.”

It was a game the Eagles (7-8-1) had to have if they wanted any chance of making the playoffs. They entered the game holding the 16th and final qualifying spot in the South Jersey Group I field hockey power points standings, 0.975 points ahead of Paulsboro, idle through Saturday’s cutoff. The calculation after the win still wasn’t updated at midnight.

(As of Friday morning, the Eagles remained 16, but lost a few percentage points on their lead over Paulsboro.)

SJ GROUP i (thru Thurs.)	W-L-T	POWER
15. New Egypt	6-8-1	10.280
16. Pennsville	7-8-1	10.042
17. Paulsboro	5-9-1	9.121

If the Eagles hold onto the 16th spot through Saturday, they would draw projected No. 1 Shore Regional in the tournament’s opening round. They last made the playoffs in 2021, when they went in as an eighth seed and lost in the opening round.

“I do think with this win it can push us in there, or at least keep us there,” Kirk said. “We would love to keep our season going, especially for these seniors. They’ve worked super hard, so I know having an extra game will be really important to them.”

Harris has become quite adept at scoring since the Eagles moved her big stick to the front line from the top of diamond. She has scored all 13 of her goals this season since Sept. 23 and is now the Eagles’ leading scorer. The Eagles are now 4-2 this year, 10-2 during her career, in games she has scored a goal.

She gave Pennsville a 1-0 lead with a big shot with 9:40 left in the second quarter. She was able to swing both goals despite constantly being hawked by Rams’ junior Lula Bannon.

The Rams got the equalizer literally with no time left in the third quarter when Rosie Loibman scored after the Eagles failed to clear the zone on a corner that was set on the line with three seconds left in the quarter.

“That was a huge decision that we made and I really think it was pivotal for us,” Kirk said. “Kylie is amazing in circle and has great stickwork. Even during corners we thought she was the one who knows how to carry the ball and shoot, so we just figured let’s try it up there. I know that we need her in the backfield, but we also need her up front to score some goals.”

The best part is Harris is really enjoying it.

“I really like it – a lot,” she said. “It’s a lot of fun.”

Boys soccer

PENNS GROVE 2, MAPLE SHADE 1: Juan Ortiz scored a long-distance goal with less than three minutes left in the first overtime to give the Red Devils the win and possibly a first-round home game in the South Jersey Group I playoffs.

The Red Devils (7-4-3) were a solid No. 7 in the SJ Group I power points standings going into the match and beat a seven-win team that was No. 13 in the standings and remained there with one more game before Saturday’s cutoff.

If the standings remain as they are, the Red Devils would host Pennsville in the opening round. They haven’t had a home playoff game since 2022, when they host the first two rounds.

I think it would validate to this town, the community and my players that we belong at the top with the other top teams,” coach Mano Massari said of the importance of getting a home playoff game. “We’d have something other than my words telling them that they belong. Something to show for it. They deserve it.”

Prince Ledbetter gave the Red Devils a 1-0 halftime lead, also from long distance. They are 4-1-2 in their last seven games.

SJ GROUP I (thru Thurs.)	W-L-T	POWER
7. Penns Grove	7-4-3	18.573
8. Glassboro	7-10-1	15.117
9. Gateway	9-5-2	14.743
10. Pennsville	9-6-2	14.327

AUDUBON 1, WOODSTOWN 0: The teams went back and forth for nearly 100 minutes before the Green Wave (13-2-1) broke the ice on Aiden Stallard’s breakaway in the second overtime. The Wolverines (9-2-4) were headed to their fifth tie of the season before the golden goal.

Girls soccer

WOODSTOWN – Abigail Leuallen and Julia Hewitt Friebel each scored a pair of goals and Ava Robinson scored three assists as Salem Tech routed Salem, 6-0, to snap a four-game losing streak. Olivia Blais and Peyton Pratt scored the Chargers’ other goals.

Girls tennis

WOODSTOWN — Schalick won third-set tiebreakers at third singles and first doubles to edge Woodstown 3-2 and end its season with a victory.

Third singles Macy Clow and the first doubles team of Olivia Lunemann and Sabrina Bradford won their tiebreakers after dropping their second sets. Clow, in the final match of her high school career, held off Noelle Neron, 7-5, 1-6, 10-6, to clinch the victory and Lunemann-Bradford finally outlasted Madison LaPalomento-Emilee Kehr, 6-2, 4-6, 10-3.

Lunemann-Bradford lost both of their previous matches to the Wolverine pair in third-set tiebreakers.

Second doubles Sammi Twigg and Jasmine Hunt won the Cougars’ other point. Singles players Nathalie Neron and Alyssa Berry secured Woodstown’s points.

The win avenged a South Jersey tournament loss in which Woodstown won three of its four points in third-set tiebreakers. Clow took a third-set tiebreaker from Neron for Schalick’s only point of that match.

“Every member of our team put their heart and soul into (the) match,” Cougars coach Brandi Petrunis said on the program’s Facebook page. “Their perseverance and positive mindset shined through. We are so proud of our girls, both on and off the coach. Congratulations girls! Way to finish our season with a match we’ll never forget.”

SCHALICK 3, WOODSTOWN 2
Nathalie Neron (WO) def. Miya Watkins, 6-4, 6-2
Alyssa Berry (WO) def. Annmarie Podehl, 6-2, 6-0
Macy Clow (S) def. Noelle Neron, 7-5, 1-6, 10-6
Olivia Lunemann-Sebrina Bradford (S) def. Madison LaPalomento-Emilee Kehr, 6-2, 4-6, 10-3
Sammi Twigg-Jasmine Hunt (S) def. Emma West-Angelina Lindenmuth, 7-6 (7-4), 6-3
Records: Schalick 10-8, Woodstown 16-6.

Eagles clipped

Clayton stuns Pennsville girls with three goals in the final 8:30, gets game-winner with 1:12 left; Schalick’s Fisler hits 100 career points; Penns Grove’s Dowe nets four

GIRLS SOCCER
Schalick 5, Pitman 1
Clayton 3, Pennsville 2
Overbrook 6, Salem Tech 0
Penns Grove 6, Salem 0
BOYS SOCCER
Collingswood 1, Pennsville 0
Overbrook 3, Salem Tech 0

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PENNSVILLE — Eight minutes might not seem like a lot of time to the people in the stands, but for the soccer teams on the pitch it can feel like an eternity.

For the team that’s ahead in the match, the time can’t go by fast enough to get to the victory. For the team that’s behind, there’s never enough time to catch up.

Pennsville’s girls came within nine minutes on its Senior Night Wednesday of moving closer to securing a home playoff game, but Clayton snatched that away, scoring three goals in the final 8:28 to stun the Eagles 3-2.

“Eight minutes,” Eagles coach Casey Slusher said. “The girls played hard, they really played hard. We’re coming off a game being really banged up, we had a lot of injuries and everything, and these girls really dug deep and played hard.”

Deondria Simon scored the game-winner with 1:12 to go, curling a long shot just over the outstretched reach of Pennsville keeper Tatyana Crawford and into the left side of the cage.

“Luck and some praying,” the Clippers’ 50-goal scorer said, explaining how she got such a long shot to go. “Honestly, our girls’ hard work, that’s how that ball went in. We did not give up, even when we were (down) 2-0, 15 minutes left in the second half, our girls just never gave up once.”

Nicole Lemon scored the Clippers’ first two goals. She got them on the board with 8:28 to play and notching the equalizer with 3:18 left when a Pennsville clearing attempt ricocheted off her body and into the goal.

“She just put her body on the line and it ricocheted off her head (and) went past the goalie,” said Simon, who took the initial shot into the box.

Seniors Taylor Bass and Kallie Morrison gave the Eagles (8-7) a 2-0 halftime lead and they had several other good scoring chances they just couldn’t get to go. Molly Gratz hit the left goalpost at the crossbar three minutes into the second half.

The Eagles went into the game ninth in the South Jersey Group I power points standings, three points behind No. 8 Woodstown for the final opening-round home slot, with No. 4 Clayton and Woodstown left before Saturday’s cutoff.

They remained ninth after the loss and actually closed the points gap on Woodstown, but even a win over the Wolverines Friday might not be enough for them to jump. The Eagles haven’t had a home playoff game since 2022.

Clayton (12-4), meanwhile, moved up to No. 3, just 0.31 points behind No. 2 Schalick.

“You always want a home game if you can; it’s just unfortunate for us,” Slusher said. “We have to have a lot of things fall in our favor. Not just our game, but I think other things would have to fall in our favor.”

**Cali Fisler is the latest soccer player to join the Schalick 100-Point Club. She reached the milestone with a goal and an assist against Pitman. (Submitted photo)**

SCHALICK 5, PITMAN 1: Cali Fisler added another milestone to her career when she surpassed 100 career points with a goal and an assist. Fisler, who set the Cougars’ all-time assist record earlier this season, scored her 28th career goal in the second half and reached the milestone point with her 48th assist on Olivia Vanacker’s final goal of the game. Quinn Berger had two goals and an assist and is now at 91 on the points list.

“Getting 100 points was definitely a huge accomplishment, not only on my part but it’s a total team effort,” Fisler said. “I couldn’t have done it without the girls I’ve been playing with my four years.

“It’s definitely not a feeling that will overcome breaking the assist record because that was something I had my mind set on for a while. However, getting 100 points is nothing short of an example of hard work, determination and excitement.”

PENNS GROVE 6, SALEM 0: Arianna Dowe scored four goals. They were the most goals in a game by a Red Devils player since A’Mani Taylor pumped in five against the Rams in 7-6 loss in 2022.

OVERBROOK 6, SALEM 0: The Rams (9-8) scored five goals in the first half.

Boys games

COLLINGSWOOD 1, PENNSVILLE 0: The Eagles’ bid to get a home playoff game took a hit when Steve Carrillo dropped a volley from outside the box into the bottom corner in the second half and they couldn’t get the equalizer. The loss left the TCC Classic Division champions No. 10 in the South Jersey Group I power points standings with one game to play before the cutoff (at 5-11-1 G2 Gloucester Friday).

Monday sports report

Here are the scores from Monday’s Salem County sports calendar

GIRLS SOCCER
Schalick 6, Penns Grove 0: Quinn Berger had two goals and two assists as the Cougars completed their third straight unbeaten season in the TCC Diamond Division. Berger scored the first and third goals of the game and assisted on Schalick’s two second-half goals.
Pitman 6, Salem 0: Emery Sharpnack scored three goals and assisted on another for the Panthers.
Woodstown at Pennsville
Salem Tech at Gloucester Catholic
FIELD HOCKEY
Schalick 9, Deptford 0: Nine different players scored for the Cougars. Lena Virga and Ava Scurry each had a goal and two assists.
Gloucester Catholic 3, Salem 0: Freshman Alana Bellan scored two second-quarter goals.
Overbrook at Woodstown
GIRLS VOLLEYBALL
Salem Tech 2, Buena 0: Tiara Bazemore had 12 aces and seven assists to lead the Chargers. The set scores were 25-8, 25-13.
GIRLS TENNIS
Woodstown 5, Schalick 0
Pitman 5, Salem 0
Pennsville 5, Overbrook 0

WOODSTOWN 5, SCHALICK 0
Nathalie Neron (WO) def. Miya Watkins, 3-6, 7-5, 10-6
Alyssa Berry (WO) def. Annmarie Podehl, 7-6 (7-4), 6-3
Noelle Neron (WO) def. Macy Clow, 6-4, 7-5
Madison LaPalomento-Emilee Kehr (WO) def. Olivia Lunemann-Sebrina Bradford, 6-4, 3-6, 11-9
Emma West-Angelina Lindenmuth (WO) def. Sammi Twigg-Jasmine Hunt, 6-2, 6-2
Records: Woodstown 15-5, Schalick 8-7.

PENNSVILLE 5, OVERBROOK 0
Lily Edwards (P) def. Sophia Burgos, 6-0, 6-0
Isabell Schlenker (P) def. Isabella Sepulveda, 6-2, 6-0
Morgan Holt (P) def. Anna Mason, 6-1, 6-0
Naomi Hess-Graillyn Weber (P) def. Sophia Perticari-Charlotte Gall, 6-0, 6-0
Emma Hankin-Yerlian Charon (P) def. Heaven Williams-Liana Grant-Williams, 6-1, 6-0
Records: Pennsville 12-7, Overbrook 3-17.

Eagles land their title

Pennsville swamps Salem 7-1 to clinch its first boys soccer division title in 32 years and fourth all-time; set sights on a home playoff game

BOYS SOCCER
Woodstown 1, Pitman 1
Schalick 4, Penns Grove 0
Pennsville 7, Salem 1
Gloucester Catholic 6, Salem Tech 4

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PENNSVILLE – It isn’t often Pennsville coach Derek Foglein dresses up in a suit coat and tie for a soccer game, so it had to be a pretty special occasion for him to put on the ritz Monday night.

Usually, he reserves the sartorial splendor for the Foglein Bowl, the annual game between the Eagles and whatever team Foglein’s brother is coaching at the time. Well, the Foglein Bowl is on hold for the time being, so there had to be something else afoot.

Does the prospect of winning your first division championship in 32 years count?

The Eagles don’t have many soccer banners in the gym rafters, but they earned the right to raise another one in an historic Senior Night when they routed Salem 7-1 under the lights of Lou D’Angelo Stadium to win their first Tri-County Classic Division championship since 1993 and just the fourth all-time.

“Today in the circle before we started warmups I said I put on a shirt and tie for two reasons,” Foglein said. “No. 1, to look good for the seniors and No. 2 because we need to be professionals and we need to go to work. They went to work.

“Our seniors got a lot of joy and we get a lot of joy as a team because we did something that hasn’t been done in a long, long time and it feels really good. It was just a really positive night for soccer in Pennsville.”

**Pennsville captains Coen Rinnier and Steve Fatcher hold the jersey that depicts the four division titles the Eagles have won over the years. They clinched their first in 32 years Monday night.**

It had been so long, Foglein wasn’t even born the last time they did it. Assistant coach Joe Mecholsky was a senior on the 1991 team that won it before that.

Luckily, the players didn’t mess up the coach’s outfit, sparing him the traditional water bucket salute as they celebrated the title.

“I asked him in school today because he was looking all spiffy is is the full tuxedo and tie and dress shoes coming out for the game tonight,” senior stopper Steve Fatcher said. “He says we’ll see. So he pulls up and says I have two reasons to be going fancy, Senior Night and to win the division for the first time in 32 years. It got us real hyped up. It was what we needed, especially after the rough week we had.”

The Eagles cut their run to the title close. They were on the cusp of clinching after beating Wildwood 1-0, but the celebration kept getting delayed as they lost to Clayton and then tied Gloucester Catholic. Luckily, all they had to do was get past the winless Rams to claim the crown.

“I will say that that was not the way we intended to finish the season,” Foglein said. “This was a night-and-day performance from what I’d seen from them over the last two games and the performance that we needed to go after Collingswood on Wednesday, because that’s going to be an enormous game to determine if we get a home playoff game or not.”

They haven’t had a home game in the playoffs since the 2020 semifinals and haven’t had a first-round home game since 2017. They haven’t won a tournament game since 2014.

All four field-position seniors scored goals for the Eagles – and in the first 15 minutes of the match. Their fifth senior, goalkeeper Coen Rinnier, came within a penalty kick near the end of the 60-minute game of recording the shutout.

Trevor Hann got them on the board with his second career goal and first since 2023 on a breakaway in the seventh minute. Sophomore J.P. Laughrey made it 2-0 two minutes later, followed in quick succession by seniors Edwin Castaneda-Sanchez, (his career first), Fatcher and Danny Bunay Coronel.

“It’s felt amazing,” Hann said. “Scoring on my Senior Night, winning the division title for the first time in more than 30 years, I feel amazing. I never felt like this before. It feels amazing.”

Freshman Anthony Michaca made it 6-0 before halftime and set the stage for a 60-minute finish. Guy Quintanilha got the Rams inside the mercy threshold with a PK 3:49 before the deadline, but freshman Jhonny Medina made it a six-goal game again with his first career goal in the 59^thminute .

Sixty seconds later, the celebration began.

“Coach Foglein wasn’t even born when that (last) happened,” Rinnier said. “Coach Joe was one of the last to do it. We’ve had him just cheering us on the whole way. He still remembers his whole team when he won and I think it’s going to be the same thing for us. He talks about how special it is and we’re going to see how special it is.”

Tie that doesn’t bind

Woodstown battles Pitman to 1-1 tie, but needed a win to share division title with Schalick; draw was the Wolverines’ fourth of the season and third in a row

BOYS SOCCER
Woodstown 1, Pitman 1
Schalick 4, Penns Grove 0
Pennsville 7, Salem 1
Gloucester Catholic 6, Salem Tech 4

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

WOODSTOWN – The message to the Woodstown soccer team as it was about to start the second overtime was pretty straightforward: “We cannot tie and we cannot lose.”

The Wolverines just couldn’t get what they needed.

Most teams might accept a tie with a rival as a positive result, but the 1-1 draw the Wolverines got against Pitman Monday was neither the one they wanted nor needed.

It felt like a loss. With Schalick beating Penns Grove 15 miles down the road, Woodstown needed to beat the Panthers to grab a share of their first Tri-County Diamond Division title since 2014.

Instead, the tie – their fourth of the season and third in a row — left the Wolverines (9-1-4) one point behind the Cougars in the final division standings despite posting a winning record against them (1-0-1) during the season. They also had four ties in 2016.

“I feel like it feels more like a loss to this group of guys,” backliner Tommy Tucci said. “We came off the really good game against Schalick, keeping them to zero, and then came out here today really excited to hopefully get the win to keep the division. I think (the tie) feels more like a loss today.”

Both teams had chances, but both goalies and defenses turned them away. The Panthers finally broke through with 4:09 left in the half when Jonas Trum sent Trevor Leach down the right side and Leach shot it across into his left side of the net.

Landon Gugliemo got the equalizer with 9:11 left in regulation when Bryce Ayars’ shot went towards the left post and Gugliemo came crashing it and rifled back into the right side. But the Wolverines needed more.

While the Wolverines were clearly focused on their game at hand, they had an eye on the events 15 miles down the road and Schalick kept the pressure on from afar.

The Cougars grabbed a 1-0 halftime lead on the strength of Anthony Sepers’ penalty kick, then poured in three goals in the second half that left no doubt what the Wolverines had to do.

Steve Chomo headed home a cross from Mike Nelson to give Schalick a 2-0 lead, he assisted on Connor Jackson’s goal that made it 3-0, then closed the scoring later in the half. Evan Sepers made three saves in goal to record his eighth shutout of the season. The division title was Schalick’s third straight.

Both Pitman and Woodstown had good chances to win their game in the second overtime. With six minutes to go, Ayars got the ball in the box, stepped over a defender to create some separation but the keeper blocked his shot and the Panthers cleared the ensuing corner kick.

Three minutes later, Trum got past a defender down the right side and got in alone on the keeper, but Trey Markward stoned him to keep it tied. Both keepers, Markward and Pitman’s Joey Zubert, were credited with 13 saves.

“I just felt confident in myself and felt confident that God would give me the ability to make the save,” Markward said. “I kind of yelled way too loud basically at Him, then I apologized to Him.”

The match ended with the ball at Ayars’ feet in the Panthers’ box, but the double team on him kept him from controlling it and getting a shot.

“We came up a little short,” Woodstown coach Darren Huck said. “I know the way we play we’re going to keep games close and we did it today. We had the formation we wanted, we had we thought the guys in place to be successful. We just needed that one goal, that one more goal.”

There was a lot on the line for the Wolverines. Besides the division title, the teams were battling for the Orange Cup and it also was Woodstown’s Senior Day. The tie allowed the Wolverines to retain the Cup, having won last year’s designated game, but they no doubt would have preferred the bigger prize. Both Schalick and Woodstown had 15 standings points coming into the day.

“It’s terrible, not only for us, but for our seniors, too,” junior Nick DiTeodoro said. “This was their last chance. We all tried, we really wanted it. Even in the huddle, at halftime, before overtime, we were like this is our last time, this is our one chance. Coming up short just hurts.”

NOTES: It was the sixth tie in the history of the Orange Cup … The Wolverines had four ties in 2016 (6-12-4) … The teams considered an unofficial penalty kick shootout to decide the Cup (it would’ve still gone down as a tie), but dwindling daylight and the Senior Day program prevented it from happening … To show there were no hard feelings over the hard-fought result, Huck noticed the Pitman team still in the parking lot waiting on their bus to return and called them over to share in the Senior Day smorgasbord. “We got to share a little bit of a moment,” Huck said. “It was a little emotional.”

TCC Diamond Division

TEAM	ALL	DIV
Schalick	12-2-2	8-1-1
Woodstown	9-1-4	6-0-4
Pitman	8-5-2	6-3-1
Penns Grove	6-4-3	4-4-2
Overbrook	7-8-0	1-8-0
Glassboro	5-10-1	0-9-0

Power points

Here are the current South Jersey Group I top 16 in football, field hockey, boys soccer and girls soccer heading into the week; the cutoff date is Saturday; Salem County teams in bold

FOOTBALL	UPR	FIELD HOCKEY	PTS.
s-Glassboro (8-0)	1.4	Shore (15-0-1)	33.002
c-Burlington City (7-1)	2.2	W. Deptford (12-2)	28.964
s-Paulsboro (7-1)	2.8	Haddon Twp. (9-6)	22.695
c-Shore (5-2)	3.6	Schalick (11-6)	20.238
c-Riverside (6-2)	6.4	Gloucester (9-7)	20.181
s-Pennsville (4-4)	7.8	S. Hunterdon (12-3)	19.716
c-KIPP (5-2)	8.8	Audubon (9-5-2)	18.664
s-Salem (4-4)	8.8	Haddon Hts. (8-6-1)	18.548
c-Asbury Park (4-3)	9.8	Gateway (7-5-2)	15.033
c-Pt. Pleasant Beach (5-2)	10.2	Woodstown (7-7-1)	13.830
s-Woodbury (3-5)	11.4	Lower Cape May (6-4-1)	12.597
c-Manville (8-0)	12.0	Florence (5-7)	11.242
s-Schalick (2-6)	13.8	Pennsville (6-7-1)	10.970
s-Audubon (2-5)	14.0	New Egypt (5-8-1)	10.004
s-Clayton (4-3)	15.2	Collingswood (2-11-1)	9.884
c-Highland Park (2-5)	15.2	Bordentown (6-9)	9.821

Football teams projected out to South Section (s), Central Section (c)

BOYS SOCCER	PTS.	GIRLS SOCCER	PTS.
Schalick (11-2-2)	23.686	Gateway (13-1)	20.811
Haddon Twp. (10-5-1)	23.261	Haddon Twp. (7-9-1)	18.752
Audubon (11-2-1)	21.991	Schalick (9-5-1)	18.737
Woodstown (9-1-3)	20.905	Clayton (10-4-1)	17.256
Riverside (9-2-2)	19.096	Pitman (9-5)	17.048
Pitman (8-5-1)	18.760	Palmyra (8-5-1)	16.974
Penns Grove (6-3-3)	16.550	Woodstown (10-3-1)	16.085
Pennsville (8-5-2)	14.188	Audubon (6-8-1)	15.285
Gateway (7-5-2)	13.868	Pennsville (8-6)	12.883
Palmyra (7-5-3)	13.263	Glassboro (6-7)	10.316
Maple Shade (7-3-2)	13.057	Riverside (5-8)	9.975
Clayton (10-6)	12.411	Maple Shade (2-12-1)	9.300
Glassboro (5-10-1)	12.331	Buena (6-7-2)	9.131
Wildwood (7-6)	11.192	Wildwood (5-6-1)	8.613
New Egypt (5-11)	9.245	Woodbury (4-7-2)	7.110
Woodbury (5-7-2)	8.411	x-Penns Grove (1-12)	5.872

NOTE: Football, which follows a different qualifying formula than the other sports, will be split into South and Central sections based on top 16 and geographic northing numbers; Salem Tech is in Group 2 and currently No. 19 in field hockey, No. 19 in boys soccer; No. 17 in girls soccer; some teams may opt out of playoffs. x-Penns Grove has opted out of girls soccer playoffs.

This week’s schedule

Here is the Salem County sports schedule for the week of Oct. 20-25; the cutoff for fall sports power points is Saturday

MONDAY, OCT. 20
FIELD HOCKEY
Deptford at Schalick, 4 p.m.
Gloucester Catholic at Salem, 4 p.m.
Overbrook at Woodstown, 4 p.m.
BOYS SOCCER
Gloucester Catholic at Salem Tech, 4 p.m.
Penns Grove at Schalick, 4 p.m.
Pitman at Woodstown, 4 p.m.
Salem at Pennsville, 6 p.m.
GIRLS SOCCER
Pitman at Salem, 4 p.m.
Salem Tech at Gloucester Catholic, 4 p.m.
Schalick at Penns Grove, 4 p.m.
Woodstown at Pennsville, 4 p.m.
GIRLS TENNIS
Woodstown at Schalick, 3:45 p.m.
Salem at Pitman, 4 p.m.
Overbrook at Pennsville, 4:15 p.m.
GIRLS VOLLEYBALL
Buena at Salem Tech, 4 p.m.
CROSS COUNTRY
NJTAC at Salem Tech, 1 p.m.

TUESDAY, OCT. 21
FIELD HOCKEY
Overbrook at Salem, 4 p.m.
Pennsville at Gateway, 4 p.m.
Salem Tech at Absegami, 4 p.m.
GIRLS TENNIS
Pennsville at Schalick, 4 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 22
FIELD HOCKEY
Salem Tech at Paulsboro, 4 p.m.
BOYS SOCCER
Overbrook at Salem Tech, 4 p.m.
Pennsville at Collingswood, 4 p.m.
Penns Grove at Salem, 4 p.m.
GIRLS SOCCER
Salem at Penns Grove, 4 p.m.
Salem Tech at Overbrook, 4 p.m.
Schalick at Pitman, 4 p.m.
Clayton at Pennsville, 6 p.m.
GIRLS TENNIS
Pennsville at Pitman, 3:45 p.m.
Woodstown at Glassboro, 3:45 p.m.
Overbrook at Salem, 4 p.m.
Penns Grove at Wildwood, 4 p.m.
CROSS COUNTRY
TCC Championship at Cumberland, 3:30 p.m.

THURSDAY, OCT. 23
FIELD HOCKEY
Salem Tech at Burlington City, 3:45 p.m.
Overbrook at Pennsville, 4 p.m.
BOYS SOCCER
Schalick at Sterling, 4 p.m.
Woodstown at Audubon, 7 p.m.
GIRLS SOCCER
Gloucester City at Pennsville, 4 p.m.
Salem at Salem Tech, 4 p.m.
GIRLS TENNIS
Salem at Wildwood, 4 p.m.
Schalick at Woodstown, 4 p.m.
GIRLS VOLLEYBALL
Salem Tech at Timber Creek, 4 p.m.
WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Penn State-Brandywine at Salem CC, 7 p.m.

FRIDAY, OCT. 24
WJFL FOOTBALL
Pennsville at Collingswood, 6 p.m.
West Deptford at Overbrook, 6 p.m.
Glassboro at Woodstown, 7 p.m.
FIELD HOCKEY
Salem Tech at Overbrook, 3:45 p.m.
Gloucester Catholic at Woodstown, 4 p.m.
BOYS SOCCER
Penns Grove at Wildwood, 4 p.m.
Pennsville at Gloucester City, 4 p.m.
GIRLS SOCCER
Woodstown at Pennsville, 3:30 p.m.
Clayton at Schalick, 4 p.m.
GIRLS TENNIS
Cumberland at Woodstown, 3:45 p.m.

SATURDAY, OCT. 25
WJFL FOOTBALL
Schalick at Woodbury, 11 a.m.
Penns Grove at Salem, noon
Clayton at Paulsboro, 12:30 p.m.
BOYS SOCCER
Highland at Woodstown, 10 a.m.
GIRLS SOCCER
Woodstown at Highland, 10 a.m.
Penns Grove at Salem, noon
COLLEGE BASEBALL
Salem CC at Lincoln (2), noon

View from the top

Girls roundup: Schalick edges Woodstown to win sixth straight soccer division title; includes tennis and field hockey

GIRLS SOCCER
Schalick 2, Woodstown 1
Clayton 6, Salem Tech 0
Overbrook 5, Penns Grove 2
Glassboro 2, Pennsville 0
Wildwood 6, Salem 0

By Riverview Sports News

PITTSGROVE – You know you’ve got something special going on when you don’t know what it feels like to finish second.

The Schalick girls soccer team under coach Will Kemp doesn’t know second place.

The Cougars clinched at least a share of their sixth straight TCC Diamond Division title and fourth under Kemp Thursday in a 2-1 victory over rival Woodstown. They can win it outright with a win at Penns Grove Monday or a Woodstown loss at Pennsville.

Since the conference declares co-champions in event of a tie at the top, that means Kemp’s entire class rotation of players – freshmen through seniors – have known nothing but division championships. That’s a closet full of championship jackets.

“It’s the culture,” Kemp said. “It’s a special thing for us to continue to win the division year after year, but it just shows you the standard that has been set in the past and that continues to be inside the actual program itself.

“It’s special for the ladies to win this. When you’re now a senior, such as Cali (Fisler) and Abigail (Willoughby), for them to win it four years in a row it’s just something special. It’s almost starting to become the lone standard when you play at Schalick soccer to win the division.”

The Cougars (9-5-1) have lost only one division game in Kemp’s four years at the helm – to Woodstown in his first year. They’re unbeaten in their last 32 regular-season division games (31-0-1). The teams played to a 1-1 draw earlier this season.

Despite the close score, the Cougars dominated the game, playing most of it in their attacking end. Olivia Vanacker scored in the 34th minute to open the scoring and Karlie Bakley scored in the first 30 seconds of the second half to give them a 2-0 lead.

Kyleigh Cutler, in her first game back from a recovery break, assisted on both Schalick goals.

“Kyleigh Cutler came in a changed the whole dynamic of our team,” Kemp said. “Adding her back to the squad, she’s a very important piece to us.”

Gina Murray made it a one-goal game in the 55th minute when she hit a great shot past keeper Eve Berger after the Cougars failed to clear a free kick.

The win was the Cougars’ fifth in a row since moving into the second phase of their season on Senior Night, Oct. 2. In Kemp’s tenure, they are 30-9-1 after Oct. 1.

“The main timeline I always give my players is six weeks, from preseason all the way into the sixth week,” Kemp said. “That’s when everything starts to roll for them and they start to understand the consistency inside their style of play, the effort that’s needed and, of course, being able to showcase their talents.

“Before the six weeks, lot of mistakes happen, we’re still trying to figure some things out, players are still getting their fitness in, but after six weeks that’s when you start to see exactly what type of team that we are.”

Glassboro 2, Pennsville 0: Amina Brown and Alyssa Mattox scored goals for the Bulldogs.
Clayton 6, Salem Tech 0: Nicole Lemon scored two goals in the second half for the Clippers.

FIELD HOCKEY
Schalick 9, Overbrook 0: The Cougars (11-6) got all their goals from seniors on Senior Night, including two each from Caylen Taylor, Ava Scurry, Lena Virga and Phoebe Alward, to win their third straight and clinch the TCC Diamond Division crown. For Alward, it was her 50th career goal. Natalie May scored their other goal. The shutout was their seventh of the season.
GCIT 4, Woodstown 1: Lexi Taylor scored the Wolverines’ goal in the third quarter.

GIRLS TENNIS
Pennsville 5, Salem 0
Woodstown 5, Wildwood 0
Glassboro at Schalick

WOODSTOWN 5, WILDWOOD 0
Nathalie Neron (WO) def. Cyndee Killian, 6-0, 6-0
Alyssa Berry (WO) def. Kiana D’Antuono, 6-3, 6-3
Noelle Neron (WO) def. Estella Robinson, 6-1, 6-3
Madison LaPalomento-Emilee Kehr (WO) def. Selin Ogden-Antoinette Cooper, 6-0, 6-3
Elliana Norman-Angelina Lindenmuth (WO) def. Emma Contreras-Charlotte Baetz, 6-0, 7-6 (7-5)
Records: Woodstown 14-5, Wildwood 7-9.

PENNSVILLE 5, SALEM 0
Lily Edwards (P) def. Angelina Fothergill, 6-1, 6-0
Isabell Schlenker (P) def. Tahirah Davenport-White, 6-1, 7-5
Morgan Holt (P) def. JaNye Hubbard, 6-0, 6-1
Emma Hankin-Naomi Hess (P) def. Heaven Jones-McCullough-Erica Brewer, 6-1, 6-3
Graillyn Weber-Yerlian Charon (P) def. Evangeline Jimenez Barreto-Phoenix Holland, 6-0, 6-0
Records: Pennsville 11-7, Salem 3-10.

Tuesday roundup

Here are the scores and highlights from Tuesday’s Salem County sports action

FIELD HOCKEY
Salem Tech 3, Clayton 0: Jessilyn Chambers, Hazel Eachus and Olivia Lydon scored second-half goals in the Chargers’ fifth straight win. All five wins have been by shutout with Caroline Tighe in the cage. Peyton Mayhew assisted on two of the goals.
Pennsville 3, Deptford 2: Kylie Harris scored two more goals and Gracie Mease scored once for the Eagles (5-6-1). Harris has scored five goals in her last two games.
Salem at Glassboro, 4 p.m.

GIRLS SOCCER
Woodstown 6, Penns Grove 0: Lia Covely scored two goals, while Emma Perry, Hailey Kucharczuk, Kyrsten Dussault and Elizabeth Daly scored once in the Wolverines’ fifth straight win. Ellie Wygand and Mazie Mazzoni combined for their seventh shutout The Wolverines visit Schalick for the Diamond Division title Thursday.
Schalick 2, Glassboro 0: Olivia Vanacker and Quinn Berger scored in the first half and goalie Eve Berger made them stand up. The Cougars take a four-game winning streak into their showdown with Woodstown and have shut out three of their last four.
Wildwood 2, Salem Tech 0: Addison Troiano and Nyara Alves scored second-half goals for the Warriors.
Pennsville 3, Overbrook 2: Taylor Bass scored her third goal of the game with 3:25 left in overtime to lift the Eagles (8-5), who bettered last year’s win total with the victory.
Salem at Gloucester Catholic, 6 p.m.

GIRLS TENNIS
WOODSTOWN 5, OVERBROOK 0
Nathalie Neron (WO) def. Sophia Burgos, 6-0, 6-0
Alyssa Berry (WO) def. Anna Mason, 6-0, 6-0
Noelle Neron (WO) def. Heaven Williams, 6-1, 6-1
Madison LaPalomento-Emilee Kehr (WO) def. Lean Wilde-Liana Grant-Williams, 6-2, 6-1
Emma West-Elliana Norman (WO) def. Sophia Perticari-Charlotte Gall, 6-1, 6-1
Records: Woodstown 13-5, Overbrook 2-14.

SCHALICK 5, PENNS GROVE 0
Miya Watkins (S) def. Ada Lopez, 6-0, 6-0
Annmarie Podehl (S) def. Kanta Pulchard, 6-0, 6-0
Macy Clow (S) def. Yante Cruz, 6-0, 6-0
Sebrina Bradford-Olivia Lunemann (S) def. Jayla Nunez-Elif Sagir, 6-1, 6-0
jasmine Hunt-Sammi Twigg (S) def. Natanalie Dominguez-Valaria Pedroza, 6-1, 6-0
Records: Schalick 7-5, Penns Grove 0-10.

GLASSBORO 3, SALEM 2
Angelina Fothergill (S) def. Alana Killelea, 6-0, 6-1
Tahirah Davenport-White (S) def. Taylor Adcock, 7-6 (10-8), 1-6, 11-9
Alice Dinzeo (G) def. JaNye Hubbard, 6-4, 7-5
Virginia Tarasevich-Amani George (G) def. Erica Brewer-Evangelyn Jiminez Barreto, 6-0, 6-3
Sofia Dungca-Conception Soriano (G) def. Phoenix Holland-Aleena Allen, 6-1, 6-1
Records: Glassboro 6-8, Salem 3-9.

GIRLS VOLLEYBALL
Salem Tech at Cape May Tech, 5:15 p.m.

Stage is set

Woodstown scores twice in final three minutes of regulation, then holds on in OT to tie Penns Grove, set up showdown with Schalick

BOYS SOCCER
Woodstown 2, Penns Grove 2
Schalick 4, Glassboro 0
Clayton 3, Pennsville 0
Gloucester Catholic 7, Salem 0
Salem Tech at Wildwood

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PENNS GROVE – Woodstown plays the biggest game of the season in South Jersey Group I boys soccer Thursday when it hosts rival Schalick for the TCC Diamond Division title and the presumptive No. 1 seed in the upcoming sectional tournament.

But the matchup would have lost a lot of its juice if the Wolverines didn’t take of business Tuesday. Or if Schalick didn’t either.

Luckily, both teams upheld their end to remain on collision course, but, boy, did Woodstown cut it close.

The Wolverines needed two goals in the final three minutes of regulation to get back in the game and then held on through overtime to earn a 2-2 draw with Penns Grove. Bryce Ayars scored both their goals, with the equalizer coming in the final minute on a pass from Trey Markward, who was pulled up top with his goalie gear on to give them an extra attacker.

“My goodness, way too close,” Woodstown coach Darren Huck said. “I’m proud of the resiliency this team showed, the don’t give up. Even though they were not happy with the way they were playing and we all felt we could be playing better, the will was always there. We just kept coming back, coming back, coming back. There’s something to say about that.”

Schalick upheld its end with a 4-0 Senior Night win over Glassboro, its seventh win in a row since the loss to Woodstown.

If Woodstown (9-1-2, 6-0-2) wins the showdown, it can win the division outright with just a tie against Pitman in its last division game Monday. If Schalick (11-2-1, 7-1) wins, the Cougars could win it outright beating Penns Grove in their last division game Monday. There are scenarios they could share the title regardless of Thursday’s outcome.

And then there’s the matter of the South Jersey Group I power points standings. Schalick currently holds the No. 1 seed and Woodstown is No. 3, but the cutoff is Saturday and the Wolverines have just reached the threshold where they can start dropping games in the formula.

“The power points that are available on Thursday will have a huge impact on first through third,” Huck said.

“Pulling out a tie after being down 2-0 definitely gives us hope to beating Schalick and taking the division,” Ayars said.

But none of it would’ve mattered if the Wolverines didn’t get a positive result against Penns Grove. And for 77 minutes the Red Devils had them on the ropes.

Prince Ledbetter converted a pass from Joey Schultz with 14:10 left in the first half and Poyraz Erdonmez blasted home the rebound after Markward stoned Juan Ortiz’ penalty kick 10 minutes into the second half to make it 2-0.

The Red Devils held onto the lead until the closing minutes of regulation before the Wolverines came to life.

Ayars got the first goal with three minutes to play on a cross from Nick DiTeodoro, then got the equalizer with about a minute to go with help from an unlikely source. He had a good chance to win it in overtime, but his free kick from right outside the box skittered just past the far right post.

“I was just trying to find different connections I thought could give us a spark out there and give us something to change it up a little bit,” Huck said. “Even if it was a different style of player, someone who maybe is not a threat to score but could be maybe settle the ball a little bit better or pass the ball a little bit better.”

He found that player way back on the end line. With time running out, Markward came all the way up from the goal leaving the crease empty. As fate would have it, the ball came his way and he got just enough touch on it to direct it toward Ayars for the equalizer and his first career assist.

“At first I really wanted to (do it), then I got there and I was scared,” Markward said. “I got a touch on it and was like, ‘Please, God, help me,’ then I kicked it and was like, aw, I missed it, but it was OK, Bryce got me. He’s always there.”

“The first thing I saw was a beautiful touch by the goalie; I didn’t know Trey could do that,” Ayars said. “I think he took a shot or a pass, I don’t really know, that’s up to how he wants to describe that, but it went right to my foot like normal and I just put it away.”

Both games between the teams this year have ended in ties, but this one didn’t leave the Red Devils with the same sense of accomplishment as the earlier meeting. They were that close to beating Woodstown for the first time since October 2022 and couldn’t close it out.

“I kept telling my guys to stop talking about it because a team like Woodstown is never out of it and clearly that’s what happened,” Penns Grove coach Mano Massari said. “Good teams find ways to get back in games no matter how much time is left and that’s exactly what Woodstown did.

“Good teams also know how to close a game out and we didn’t do that, so that’s something we definitely need to improve on if we want to have success moving forward in this season.”

NOTES: By the time overtime started the Wolverines were missing three starters, two of whom went down during the game. At least they could be replaced. The Red Devils played the OT one man down due to an end-of-regulation red card. There were seven yellow cards and one red card issued in the game … The Wolverines are 9-0-1 this year in games Ayars scores a goal.

SCHALICK 4, GLASSBORO 0: Glassboro 0: Mikey Nelson and Anthony Sepers, two of the 11 seniors recognized prior to the game, had a goal and an assist for the Cougars. Luke Price and freshman Jake Sepers scored their other goals.

CLAYTON 3, PENNSVILLE 0: The Eagles missed a chance to clinch a share of the TCC Classic Division title. The still hold a one-game lead over the Clippers and can now clinch a share with a win at Gloucester Catholic Thursday and then clinch its first division title in 32 years Monday against Salem.

GLOUCESTER CATHOLIC 7, SALEM 0: Zack Payne scored the first four goals of the game and assisted on another score.