Woodstown adds two more milestones to its storied soccer history
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
CARNEYS POINT – There is one thing Darren Huck enjoys as much as he does coaching the Woodstown boys soccer team. It’s digging into the history of the Woodstown boys soccer team.
Those two passions converged on one field here Thursday as the Wolverines won the 500th game in the history of their soccer program, 4-2 over Penns Grove.
The Wolverines have been playing soccer since 1978. Huck has been at the helm since 1999, adding 318 wins to that total.
“For me, as an alumnus of Woodstown High School, for me, as someone who’s played at Woodstown, for someone who was an assistant coach at Woodstown and someone now as the head coach and I’ve been doing it for such a long time, I’m just proud to be a part of this program,” Huck said. “This is a program that is very dear to me and I put everything I can into it, whether it’s the players, the uniforms they wear, the equipment we get, the facility that we have, you name it, and for people to say wow that Woodstown soccer program that’s all right that means a lot.
“The 500th win in school history is pretty cool. We don’t play the game to try to get that 300th player to get a goal or get the school to get to 500 wins … but it’s nice to always look back and reflect on certain milestones like that.”
Another piece of Wolverines soccer history hit closer to Huck’s home last Friday, That’s when Cole Huck, the coach’s son, became the 300th individual player to score a goal for the boys program when he scored in the first half against Salem.
It wasn’t set up to fall that way, it just happened. Ethan Cottman, who scored two goals in Thursday’s win, became Goalscorer No. 299 when he got the first goal against Salem. Another player hit the post just minutes before Cole’s goal or he would have had the distinction of being Mr. 300.
Cole’s goal was sixth of the half in an eventual 9-0 victory. Thomas DiPrimio came into the middle of the field with the ball, tapped Huck a diagonal pass and the junior tucked it into the bottom left corner. He also had two assists in the game.
“People brought it up to me about it, but I didn’t know, it didn’t click to me that I was the 300th,” Cole said. “It was really me? I was shocked about it, but I thought it was pretty cool.”
HIGH PRAISE: Penns Grove coach Mano Massari tipped his hat to the way Woodstown played as a team throughout Thursday’s match and he reserved special praise for Wolverines’ midfielder Jake Lewis.
The senior went down hard in a collision with Penns Grove striker Juan Ortiz near midfield in the second half. Ortiz collected the ball and went the other way and scored. Lewis was hunched over in pain for several moments before leaving the field. He returned later in the half and finished the game.
His play spoke to the Red Devils’ coach.
“That kid is unbelievable to watch,” Massari said. “I don’t think he scored any goals today, I don’t think he’s their top goal-scorer, but that kid, just from one game, he looks like their engine, he really does.
“He dominated that entire midfield. He wins every ball in the air. He goes into tackles. He distributes. I would kill to have a kid like that on my team, I would. He is unbelievable to watch. He’s the most impressive kid I’ve seen this year, from a heart standpoint and effort and just drive to win. It’s Jake Lewis. It’s a pleasure to watch him.”
Woodstown senior scores first career goal in Wolverines’ 500th all-time win and more from Thursday’s full slate of Salem County games
BOYS SOCCER Clayton 8, Salem 0 Salem Tech 3, Gloucester Catholic 1 Schalick 2, Pitman 0 Woodstown 4, Penns Grove 2
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
CARNEYS POINT — Aaron Flynn still gets the questions and still hears the comments, but he’s used to them by now and usually just laughs them off.
At 6-foot-4, 240 pounds it’s only natural for people who watch him play futbol to wonder why he’s not protecting Mason Middlemiss’ blind side as an offensive tackle on the Woodstown football team instead of standing his ground as the last line of defense for the Wolverines’ soccer side.
Truth be told, the senior with a big throw-in and even bigger foot never really got introduced to or took an interest in football in his youth. He tells the curious he gets his contact playing lacrosse in the spring, but that doesn’t stop them from asking.
“Oh my God, yes, I get asked all the time why I don’t play football,” Flynn said. “You’d be surprised, almost every game I play in when I throw the ball in from the parents’ side, it’s either comments from parents, comments from kids at the school, they say man, you should be out there playing football or when the game’s chippy I get the usual ‘he’s too big for soccer.’
“I kind of take it like a compliment. It’s not every day you see a kid that’s 6-4 240 running up and down the field playing like I do. It’s fun. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Flynn said none of the current Woodstown football coaches have ever pressured him to crossover, but he did admit he “thought about it” briefly last year when it looked like the Wolverines were going to have some big holes to fill and the comments accelerated. Ultimately his love for the game and playing with his friends pulled him back.
His dedication to the sport was rewarded with the ultimate prize Thursday as he scored his first career goal in the second half of the Wolverines’ milestone 4-2 win over Penns Grove. It was the 500th victory in the 48-year history of the Woodstown soccer program.
The goal came on a 30-yard free kick that sailed over Penns Grove keeper Ruben Torres Saenz and gave the Wolverines a 4-1 lead.
“I didn’t get to see my player get fouled, but my coach Don Ayars said we’re going to kick it,” Flynn said. “I was surprised he was looking at me getting ready to kick the ball. I sat the ball down and I started to realize the goalie’s out pretty far, I think I’m going to try to shoot. I couldn’t believe it, but when I kicked the ball I saw his hands go up and as soon as I saw him jump I said I think it’s going to go in. I was super excited.
“I’ve never really come close. I’ll take a swing and I usually put it over top., so I don’t necessarily have the green light to rip one from outside usually. I’ll definitely remember it because it was my first one. I make a lot of jokes to the coaches before the games, after the games, that one of these times I kick it over it’s gonna drop in sometimes, so it was great. It was my senior year and I finally get to put one in.”
Penns Grove’s Esvin Padilla (5) makes a defensive save near the goalpost that temporarily keeps the Red Devils’ game with Woodstown scoreless in the first half.
Flynn’s goal was part of a three-goal eruption in the second half that kept Woodstown in control of the game.
The Wolverines had the most opportunities in the first half but only had a 1-0 lead to show for it. Josh Olbrich redirected a Tommy Tucci cross just inside the left post five minutes into the game to put Woodstown on the board. They could’ve had more in the half, but hit a post and a crossbar.
Ethan Cottman scored twice in the second half before Flynn delivered. Cottman’s second goal came on a penalty kick after a handball in the box made made it 3-1. Woodstown peppered Saenz with 33 shots.
“I was really happy with the amount of pressure we applied today and that was the key to some of the opportunities that we had,” Woodstown coach Darren Huck said. “I thought we worked well off the ball and we were very unselfish as far as all the passes we linked together.
“For us to be on the road and play a division team like Penns Grove with some of the crazy finishes that we’ve had over the last couple seasons, that (Red Devils coach) Mano (Massari) have been a part of, it was gratifying to see the work pay off.”
Penns Grove picked up its pace in the second half as well. Juan Ortiz scored both of the Red Devils’ goal. The first came after he violently collided with Woodstown midfielder Jake Lewis then took the ball all the way and beat keeper Eddie Fuller, who also was injured attempting to make the save. Lewis returned to the game, Fuller did not.
Ortiz notched his second goal against backup goal Lee Coombs with less than 10 minutes to play, but it only got the Red Devils back to 4-2.
“We took too long to show up today, we really did,” Massari said. “I think the last 20 minutes of that game we took control over it, but we took too long (getting there). We’ve talked about that; it’s been a thing with these guys. Some days they show up, some days they don’t. I don’t know how they don’t show up against a division rival.
“Woodstown plays as a team and that;’ what we talked about that after the game. We don’t play as a team sometimes and that was a total team effort from Woodstown and that’s what showed today. They outworked us today, easily.”
Now that Flynn has established himself as a goal scorer for the Wolverines, will there be more chances coming his way? Don’t wait for it.
“I think we’re good where he’s at right now,” Huck said. “We’ll leave that to some other players, let him continue to grow.”
Top photo: Woodstown senior Aaron Flynn moves in to clear a ball out of harm’s way.
SCHALICK 2, PITMAN 0: Connor McQuade scored in the first half and Tim Koering scored four minutes into the second half for the Cougars. Nick Latona recorded four saves in the shutout.
SALEM TECH 3, GLOUCESTER CATHOLIC 1: The Chargers rallied with three goals in the second half. Cross Lopez got the equalizer, Avery Reed put them ahead, and Logan Pace added an insurance goal. Aiden Bobo made a several saves in goal to keep the Charters in it until they go on track.
CLAYTON 8, SALEM 0: Jonathan Rehm scored five goals in the first half to run his career total to 70 and set the Clippers’ all-time scoring record. Kevin Mosley assisted on three of Rehm’s goals.
GIRLS SOCCER Clayton 6, Salem 0 Gloucester Catholic 7, Salem Tech 0 Pitman 3, Pennsville 1 Woodstown 7, Penns Grove 0
WOODSTOWN 7, PENNS GROVE 0: Seven different players lit the lamp in the Wolverines’ fifth straight win. They’ve outscored their opponents 28-1 during the streak.
PITMAN 3, PENNSVILLE 1: The Panthers scored three goals in the first half to take control. Karsen Cooksey scored Pennsville’s goal in the second half.
GLOUCESTER CATHOLIC 7, SALEM TECH 0: Seven different players scored goals for the Rams.
CLAYTON 6, SALEM 0: Mikaela Sciubba had a hat trick and Madi Traister scored a pair of goals for the Clippers.
FIELD HOCKEY Glassboro at Pennsville Salem Tech 6, Salem 0 Schalick 10, Deptford 0 Woodstown 5, Overbrook 0
SALEM TECH 6, SALEM 0: Hazel Eachus scored twice and Jessilyn Chambers had a goal and two assists to lead the Chargers to their first-ever win over a Salem County opponent. Hayden Crispin, Abigail Beals and Araya DiGregorio scored their other goals.
SCHALICK 10, DEPTFORD 0: Alexa Shimp and Chayce Hedley each scored twice and six others added single goals as the Cougars won their sixth in a row and posted their second straight shutout. Luci Virga had a goal and an assists to reach 150 career points.
WOODSTOWN 5, OVERBROOK 0: The Wolverines scored four goals in the first quarter, two by Caroline Sheets, and cruised to their fifth straight win. Lexi Taylor scored their first goal and fifth goal. Shyann Higinbotham scored the other goal and had three assists.
GIRLS TENNIS GLASSBORO 4, SALEM 1 Taylor Adcock (G) def. Heaven Jones-McCullough, 6-1, 4-6 10-1 JaNye Hubbard (S) def. Virginia Tarasevich, 6-3, 6-0 Amani George (G) def. Erica Brewer, 6-0, 6-0 Sofia Dungca-Conception Soriano (G) def. Aleena Allen-Aniya Lyles-Clark, 6-0, 6-0 Shreeti Sutaria-Lindsay Townsly (G) won by forfeit Records: Glassboro 6-4, Salem 0-6
Penns Grove soccer shows grit in extending longest winning streak since 2022; conditions impact the day’s schedule but Schalick weathers it
TUESDAY RESULTS BOYS SOCCER Schalick 7, Glassboro 0 Penns Grove 4, Overbrook 3 GIRLS SOCCER Overbrook 6, Penns Grove 0 Salem at Pennsville, ppd. Salem Tech at Pitman Schalick 6, Glassboro 0 FIELD HOCKEY Schalick 2, Glassboro 0 Gloucester Catholic at Woodstown Salem Tech at Pennsville, ppd. GIRLS TENNIS Mainland at Woodstown, ppd. Glassboro at Penns Grove Pennsville at Overbrook, ppd. Pitman 5, Schalick 0 Salem at Timber Creek, ppd. CROSS COUNTRY TCC Batch Meet at Salem Tech Boys Salem Tech 17, Clayton 44 Glassboro 16, Woodstown 39 Pennsville 28, Salem 29 VOLLEYBALL Lindenwold 2, Salem Tech 0 (27-25, 25-16)
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
PINE HILL – It was a long, wet bus ride back to campus after the match, but it gave the Penns Grove soccer team a chance to reflect.
The Red Devils outlasted Overbrook 4-3 Tuesday for their fourth straight win, their longest winning streak since 2022. You’ve got to go back before 2010 to find the last time they started a season 5-1 and the conversation they had on the ride back home attempted to put things in perspective.
“It just validates to guys that what we do in practice is working,” Penns Grove coach Mano Massari said. “We had a long talk on the bus that it’s a long season, they can’t get full of themselves. We know this is the hottest start we’ve had in a long time, but we’ve got to keep our heads straight, stay calm, keep doing our jobs and good things will happen.
“Be proud of themselves because it’s hard to win in this division. So far they’ve had a good start. Had some bumps in the road, but they can’t get full of themselves. They can’t get caught up in it, gotta stay hungry. All this does is validate what we’re doing is working, but we’ve got a lot of good teams on our schedule ahead. We’ve got to keep doing what we’re doing.”
Juan Ortiz scored two goals to lead the Red Devils, including the game-winner with about 15 minutes left in the match, and assisted on both of senior David Adu’s two goals. Ortiz has scored in all five of the Red Devils’ wins. They have won their last nine in which the junior has scored at least one goal.
“He’s a very skilled player; he elevates the team when he keeps his head straight,” Massari said. “He’s just got to keep grinding, keep working. He can be a force on the field if he keeps going in this direction.”
Penns Grove never trailed in the match, but the Rams matched every goal the Red Devils scored until Ortiz put home his county-leading 12th of the year for the game-winner.
“All the goals were really good goals on both sides,” Massari said. “It took everything out of my guys to win that game. I told them every time we get into a dogfight usually we come out on top. It says a lot about the grit of the team, but I said we can’t make a habit of it.”
SCHALICK 7, GLASSBORO 0: Luke Price scored two of the Cougars’ six first-half goals. Ryan Loper, Nolan O’Toole, Landon Anderson, Marco Spinnato and Grant Vanlier scored their other goals. All three of the Cougars’ wins have been by seven-goal margins.
Girls soccer
SCHALICK 6, GLASSBORO 0: Brooke Valentine and Kyleigh Cutler both scored twice as the Cougars erupted for five goals in the second half and remained undefeated (5-0). It’s their longest winning streak to open the season since going 6-0 to open the 2020 season. They were unbeaten in their first nine in 2022.
OVERBROOK 6, PENNS GROVE 0: Victoria Bupp scored a hat trick in the first half to reach 100 career points and Lilly LaFountain scored twice in the second half. Bupp also had three assists and LaFountain had two.
Field hockey
SCHALICK 2, GLASSBORO 0: The Cougars didn’t wait to the last-second to extend their winning streak, scoring both their goals in the first quarter. Luci Virga and Addi Shimp lit the lamp. It was the Cougars’ fifth win in a row. Their last two came on goal off a corner after time had expired and on a goal with 19 seconds left. The game was called at halftime because of the weather, but it’s official.
Cross country
WOODSTOWN – Glassboro put the first four runners across the line in a pack six seconds apart to lead the field in Tri-County batch meet at Salem Tech and was just too tough for Woodstown to catch in their head-to-head shakeout..
Woodstown’s David Farrell was the fastest Salem County runner across the line, finishing seventh overall in 16:32.61.
Salem Tech’s Levi Seals finished 22nd overall (17:48.78) and led the Chargers over Clayton, 17-44.
Pennsville’s Carter Marts was 28th and led the Eagles to a 28-29 win over Salem. The Eagles won it by going 9-10-11 in the head-to-head before the Rams posted their fifth counter. Gavin Cronrath was Salem’s fastest runner, placing 64th overall in 19:02.44.
Schalick was matched with Overbrook, but the Rams didn’t have enough runners to post a team score. The Cougars were led by Aidan Cain’s 18:16.69 (30th).
Woodstown’s Abby Marino finished fifth overall in the girls race (19:48.87). Pennsville’s Sawyer Slad was 19th overall (21:27.57). Helen Lillia was Schalick’s fastest (22:53.47, 40th). Abigail Vanaman led Salem Tech at 24:39.64. Kingsway put the first three runners across the line in the girls race.
Girls tennis
WESTVILLE — Schalick moved its match to RiverWinds to get it played in hopes of advancing its power points position on the cut-off date, but the Cougars came up short 5-0. The Cougars entered the day No. 11 in the South Jersey Group 1 power points standings.
Freshman leads Woodstown girls soccer to fourth straight win; includes all of Monday’s Salem Cou
MONDAY’S SCORES GIRLS SOCCER Woodstown 7, Audubon 1 Millville 6, Pennsville 1 Pitman 6, Salem Tech 0 BOYS SOCCER Audubon 1, Woodstown 0 Salem Tech 1, Paulsboro 0 FIELD HOCKEY Salem 2, Clayton 1 GIRLS TENNIS Schalick 5, Penns Grove 0 VOLLEYBALL Timber Creek at Salem Tech COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL Atlantic Cape 3, Salem CC 0 (25-6, 25-9, 25-6)
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
WOODSTOWN — Korynn Hernandez is thinking about going out for track this winter or spring. She’s never run the hurdles before, but she should consider it. She’d be pretty good at it.
Her game, of course, is soccer and she’s pretty good at that, too.
In a fortuitous blend of the two sports, the Woodstown freshman hurdled an Audubon defender at the top of the 18 box like Saquon Barkley, then planted her foot on the other side and fired a shot past a surprised goalie for her 11th goal of the season. It touched off a five-goal eruption over the next 26 minutes that carried the Wolverines to a 7-1 mercy-rule win.
It was their fourth win in a row.
“I don’t think I realized (she did that); I just kind of run and push as hard as I can until something develops,” she said. “At that moment I just got changed into attacking mid from wing, so I was coming from the outside and running in, so I think it’s easier to get the ball and go forward that way. That was a really good idea by my coach to switch me that fast.
“I also think I’m pretty good at checking my surroundings and Ive gotten better at that, so I think I was aware there was a girl behind me and as I turned in front of me, so I think as I was able to get that forward touch on the ball I was able to get over her because I knew she was there in advance.”
Seven different players scored for the Wolverines (5-1-1), the product of their unique rotation that allows opportunities to happen.
Hernandez had a hand in their first two goals. She assisted on the only goal of the first half when Genevieve Flynn headed home the freshman’s perfectly placed corner kick in the ninth minute. Then in the first minute of the second half she sent a quick shot into the middle that Sayumi Gonzalez got a piece of and Aubree Covely finished with her left foot, making it 2-0.
With a goal and three assists against the Green Wave, she now leads Salem County girls in goals and overall points by a wide margin.
“She’s definitely not a one trick pony; I mean she’s good at everything,” Wolverines coach Kieran Keyser said. “She works hard. She obviously can score goals; she has a natural knack to find the back of the net. She’s a good shot. She’s got some speed. She’s got some great skill. Positioning, she’s great. She kind of does everything you needed today. She played in four different positions today.
“The fact she can play anywhere and is so versatile helps us so much. “
Ellie Springer answered Covely’s goal three minutes later when she took advantage of a defensive breakdown and bounced a rebound the Wolverines should have cleared just over the reach of keeper Mazie Mazzoni. It ended a stretch of 335 minutes over five games without allowing a goal and cut the margin in half. But it also lit a fire under the Wolverines.
Hernandez followed with her hurdling goal five minutes later, followed by goals from Mariah Hyman, Hailey Kucharczuk, Bella Lucas and Gabby Maldonado. The game ended with 4:18 still to play.
“That was all credit to our team,” Keyser said. “We made a few subs, talked to our girls about staying home and sticking to our game plan. (The Audubon goal) probably helped us in sense because we realized the game was still a game. That gave us a little motivation to lock in and finish it out.”
MILLVILLE 6, PENNSVILLE 1: Freshman Bailey Hulse scored a hat trick in the second half and Naomi Burkhart scored twice for the Thunderbolts. Abby Marandola scored Pennsville’s goal in the second half.
PITMAN 6, SALEM TECH 0: Junior Elizabeth Heintz scored the first two goals of her career and Emery Sharpnack had three assists.
Woodstown’s Aubree Covely (4) moves in on Audubon keeper Anna Gaspari. Top photo: Wolverines freshman Korynn Hernandez (8) is challenged by Audubon’s Luna Schields.
Boys soccer
SALEM TECH 1, PAULSBORO 0: Josh Woroniak scored the goal and Aiden Bobo recorded his third shutout of the season.
AUDUBON 1, WOODSTOWN 0: Anastasios Novratidis scored in the last five minutes of the first half and a pair of Green Wave goalies kept the Wolverines out of the net.
Field hockey
SALEM 2, CLAYTON 1: The Rams (1-6) scored a goal in overtime to score their first win of the season.
Tennis
SCHALICK 5, PENNS GROVE 0 Olivia Lunemann (S) def. Valeria Torres, 6-0, 6-0 Sebrina Bradford (S) def. Clarisleidy Smith, 6-0, 6-0 Jasmine Hunt (S) def. Stephani Recinos, 6-0, 6-0 Brooke Brown-Jazmin Perez (S) def. Angelica Luna-Savannah Bazemore, 6-0, 6-0 River Wojcik-Janae White (S) def. Alexandra Pantoja-Jackelyn Garcia, 6-0, 6-0 Records: Schalick 6-2, Penns Grove 0-6.
Here is the Salem County sports schedule for the week of Sept. 21-26; all events 4 p.m. unless noted
MONDAY, SEPT. 21 BOYS SOCCER Woodstown at Audubon, 3:45 p.m. Salem Tech at Paulsboro GIRLS SOCCER Audubon at Woodstown Millville at Pennsville Pitman at Salem Tech FIELD HOCKEY Salem at Clayton GIRLS TENNIS Schalick at Kingsway VOLLEYBALL Timber Creek at Salem Tech, 5:15 p.m. COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL Atlantic Cape at Salem CC, 6 p.m.
TUESDAY, SEPT. 22 (Power points cutoff for girls tennis) FIELD HOCKEY Glassboro at Schalick Gloucester Catholic at Woodstown Salem Tech at Pennsville BOYS SOCCER Glassboro at Schalick Pennsville at Salem Penns Grove at Overbrook Pitman at Woodstown GIRLS SOCCER Overbrook at Penns Grove Salem at Pennsville Salem Tech at Pitman Schalick at Glassboro GIRLS TENNIS Mainland at Woodstown, 3:45 p.m. Glassboro at Penns Grove Pennsville at Overbrook Pitman at Schalick Salem at Timber Creek CROSS COUNTRY TCC Batch Meet at Salem Tech, 3:30 p.m. VOLLEYBALL Salem Tech at Lindenwold
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 23 VOLLEYBALL Timber Creek at Salem Tech, 5:15 p.m.
THURSDAY, SEPT. 24 FOOTBALL Camden Catholic at Maple Shade, 6 p.m. Haddon Twp. at Middle Twp., 6 p.m. Hopewell Valley at Allentown, 6 p.m. Riverside at Florence, 6 p.m. Gloucester at Cinnaminson, 6 p.m. Williamstown at Cherry Hill East, 6:30 p.m. Delran at Seneca, 7 p.m. FIELD HOCKEY Glassboro at Pennsville Overbrook at Woodstown Salem at Salem Tech Schalick at Deptford BOYS SOCCER Clayton at Salem Gloucester Catholic at Salem Tech Schalick at Pitman Woodstown at Penns Grove GIRLS SOCCER Penns Grove at Woodstown Pitman at Pennsville Salem at Clayton Salem Tech at Gloucester Catholic GIRLS TENNIS Woodstown at Penns Grove, 3:45 p.m. Glassboro at Salem Pitman at Pennville Schalick at Overbrook COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL Anne Arundel at Salem CC, 6 p.m.
FRIDAY, SEPT. 25 FOOTBALL Buena at Woodstown, 6 p.m. Burlington City at Pennsville, 7 p.m. Cedar Creek at Camden, 6 p.m. Mastery Camden at WW-Plainsboro, 6 p.m. Pleasantville at Burlington Twp., 6 p.m. Lower Cape May at Absegami, 6 p.m. Vineland at Bridgeton, 6 p.m. Atlantic City at Winslow, 6 p.m. Gloucester Catholic at Wildwood, 6 p.m. Glassboro at Holy Spirit, 6 p.m. Delsea at Shawnee, 6 p.m. Lindenwold at Palmyra, 6 p.m. Rancocas Valley at Cherokee, 6 p.m. St. Joe (Hamm.) at Highland, 6 p.m. Sterling at Collingswood, 6 p.m. Washington Twp. at Kingsway, 6 p.m. Ocean City at Mainland, 6 p.m. Paul VI at Willingboro, 6 p.m. Hammonton at Oakcrest, 6 p.m. St. Augustine at Millville, 6 p.m. Eastern at Lenape, 6 p.m. Northern Burlington at Pennsauken, 6 p.m. Trenton at Hightstown, 6 p.m. Pemberton at Clearview, 7 p.m. Atlantic Tech at Egg Harbor, 7 p.m. Notre Dame at Robbinsville, 7 p.m. Haddonfield at West Deptford, 7 p.m. Cherry Hill West at Moorestown, 7 p.m. Audubon at Gateway, 7 p.m. BOYS SOCCER Salem at Salem Tech GIRLS SOCCER Camden Catholic at Schalick FIELD HOCKEY Oakcrest at Pennsville GIRLS TENNIS Salem at St. Joe (Hamm.) COLLEGE FOOTBALL Salem CC at Army Prep, 6:30 p.m.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 26 FOOTBALL Penns Grove at Woodbury, 11 a.m. Schalick at Paulsboro, 11 a.m. Overbrook at Salem, noon Bishop Eustace at Haddon Heights, 11:30 a.m. Bordentown at KIPP, noon Lawrence at Nottingham, noon Ewing at Princeton, noon BOYS SOCCER Schalick vs. Shore, 10 a.m. CROSS COUNTRY Schalick girls at Wild Safari Invitational, Six Flags Great Adventure COLLEGE SOFTBALL Salem CC at Chestnut Hill, noon
Freshman keeper turns away penalty kick, scores his first career shutout as Penns Grove blanks Pennsville 3-0
THURSDAYSOCCER Penns Grove 3, Pennsville 0
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
CARNEYS POINT – Mano Massari had a big problem. His all-star goalie had graduated, leaving a big hole on the back line of his Penns Grove defense.
He was just about resigned to promoting last year’s backup who had never played in a varsity game anywhere before and take his chances. Then, about a month before school started, a freshman named Ruben Torres Saenz showed up on his doorstep. Just like that, that backup plan was on permanent hold and the rest, as the world is discovering, is becoming history.
Saenz has proven in five games already to be a reliable replacement, some say even better than his predecessor at that age. He came up big for the Red Devils Thursday night, making 14 saves, surviving two penalty kicks and recorded his first career shutout in a 3-0 win over Pennsville.
“We lucked out with him, we really did,” Massari said. “I don’t think I’m being very biased by it: I think for a freshman he’s really solidified a tough position to play.
“I think we have a tough division historically, a lot of good teams, a lot of good coaches, and having a keeper you can depend on, especially at a young age who can contribute right away, is a blessing for anybody. So, I’m very blessed to have him.”
Of course the freshman has some big shoes to fill. Dwayne Guzman was one of the top goalkeepers in South Jersey and a big reason the Red Devils won 37 games over the last four years. He feels “very honored” and “very excited” to be the next in line.
“I know he was amazing; he was something,,” Saenz said. “I’m very glad to take the position since he left because he graduated. I feel very happy to be in his spot and very proud.”
Ironically, he was thisclose to landing on Pennsville coach Derek Foglein’s doorstep as he considered his options for high school. Ultimately, the family decided Penns Grove was more convenient to where they lived. It didn’t hurt that the goalie already had relatives on the Red Devils roster.
Saenz said he was just a “pretty meh” goalie in the Pitman Summer League as he prepared for his first high school season, but he worked at his it all summer and has turned into a stone wall on the goal line.
He has looked very much like the keeper he replaced, standing his ground without flinching even as opposing attackers came at him one-on-one. He made several acrobatic saves in his debut against Gloucester Catholic and he stoned several Schalick players in the first half of their game last week and was the reason that game stayed as close as it was at halftime. Massari called him the “one bright spot for us” in an otherwise 7-0 loss.
Massari said Guzman told him Thursday night the freshman was better than he was at that age.
“I saw him a couple times in the summer and I’ve seen really big glimpses of myself in him,” Guzman said. “He was scared coming into the first high school match, but I told keep everything calm, play simple and play what you can do. You can only do so much. I just told him he has to control what he can control. I only see really big things for him, really big things.”
While Saenz continually turned back the Eagles in the first half, he faced his biggest channel shortly before halftime when he found himself staring down the first penalty shot of his varsity career. He gave up two in the Pitman league, but said he learned from that experience. This time he turned away Sam Hassler, diving to his right and stopping the low shot at the post to maintain the Red Devils’ 2-0 lead.
He faced a second penalty shot midway through the second half and survived that as Justin Michaca banged a rocket off the crossbar.
“The first penalty, and I’m being completely honest, a teammate pointed at where he was going to go,” Saenz said. “I just went for it and I saved it with one hand and I felt very happy because that’s first penalty I saved in my high school season. I’m going to remember that one.”
Foglein is going to remember him, too.
“A keeper stopping a PK, the odds are against him, so I’m always going to give hat’s off to a keeper who stands tall on a PK,” he said. “I’ll be excited to see what he does for his next four years. He’s a great keeper already and he’s only going to get better as he gets better and better and more refined.”
NOTES: The Red Devils have won all five of their Homecoming Week matches under the portable lights in the football stadium (Pennsville, Gloucester Catholic, Pitman, Salem Tech, Woodstown) … Their goals Thursday were scored by Ricardo Vichi Torres in the sixth minute, Prince Ledbetter (17th minute) and Juan Ortiz (early in the second half)… Penns Grove has won three in a row and is 4-1 for the first time since 2017. Pennsville is 1-5 for the first time since 2023.
Penns Grove’s Juan Ortiz (10) tries to keep Pennsville’s Anthony Michaca from getting the ball during the first half of Thursday’s game. Top photo: Penns Grove freshman goalie Ruben Torres Saenz comes off his line to punch away a Pennsville threat.
Girls roundup: Schalick scores 1-0 victory over Group 3 Cherry Hill West; Bloomer scores, Berger saves
GIRLS SOCCER Gloucester Catholic 6, Penns Grove 0 Schalick 1, Cherry Hill West 0 FIELD HOCKEY Schalick 2, Delsea 1 Gateway at Woodstown COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL Salem CC at Morris
By Riverview Sports News
CHERRY HILL — One thing about the Schalick girls soccer program: The Cougars have never backed down from playing up in the schedule. It toughens them up during the season and gets them ready for post-season play.
Those bigger challenges have typically been a tough nut to crack, but Thursday the Cougars came through with a statement win, knocking off Cherry Hill West 1-0 in a battle of top 10 programs on the Lions’ Senior Day.
“It was great,” Cougars coach Will Kemp said. “I thought the girls really showed up today against a really good Cherry Hill West team, especially traveling here, it’s always difficult, especially playing on their turf. It was good.”
The undefeated Cougars (4-0) solidified their hold on the No. 1 spot in the South Jersey Group I power points standings. The Lions (3-2) remained No. 6 in the South Jersey Group 3 standings. Kemp can’t recall knocking off a similar quality larger classification team before in his tenure.
“It just allows them to see that they can overcome a lot of the bigger schools when they play against them,” he said. “In the past that’s been our Kryptonite when it comes to our seasons. Most of the time those are our losses on our records, but this time around they actually stepped up, they rose to the occasion and they played the beautiful game the way you’re supposed to play.”
Freshman Nicolette Bloomer scored the only goal of the match, finishing off a pass from Karlie Bakley midway through the second half. It was her sixth goal of the year. She has found the back of the net in every game this season.
Despite the low score, the Cougars’ dominated the play and their back line four of Emily Miller, Kassady Sickler, Ava Mayne and Brooke Valentine limited the Lions’ challenges. Schalick keeper Eve Berger recorded 11 saves in recording her third straight shutout and 21st over the last three seasons.
“Our back line was rock solid today,” Kemp said. “They handled business. They cleared their lines, prevented a lot of 1-v-1 situations, won their battles and did exactly what they were supposed to do together. We did a lot of defensive shape work this past work. It really showed inside this game.”
GLOUCESTER CATHOLIC 6, PENNS GROVE 0: Six different players scored goals for the Rams.
Field hockey
SCHALICK 2, DELSEA 1: Alexa Shimp brought the Cougars their third straight win when she scored the game winner off a penalty corner in the fourth quarter with time already expired. Paisley Warner scored their other goal. Goalkeeper Melissa Basilone made four saves and Ella Cheesman made a defensive save to keep the Crusaders out of the cage.
