A month after landing at Pennsville, Blessing returning to GCIT after board finds funding to restore her former teaching, coaching posts

By Brian Tortella
Special to Riverview Sports News

It has been less than a month since Gloucester County Institute of Technology head softball coach Jamie Blessing was approved as the new health and physical education teacher and assistant softball coach at Pennsville Memorial High School after she was forced to search for a job when her position was slashed at the Group 4 school due to a lack of funding.

But the situation has changed.

Blessing confirmed Monday afternoon that she submitted her resignation to Pennsville athletic director Jamy Thomas after receiving the news earlier this week that her positions at GCIT were restored and she was hired back.

“I’m excited to keep my position and keep my day-to-day job,” Blessing said. “I enjoy working at GCIT. I love the kids, I have great coworkers, and athletes. I want to continue to be able to be a part of their successes and to continue to be able to build the program.

“I’m sincerely grateful for Jamy Thomas and the opportunity and the confidence he gave me throughout the hiring process. I appreciate him and Pennsville being understanding of my decision, and I wish them the best of luck.”

Blessing was one of five GCIT teachers notified their positions were being cut. It is believed four of the five teachers have been rehired.

There were rumors circulating over the last few months of the possibility that the school’s Board of Education would be able to save the positions that were cut, but without a contact, it was just hearsay. The tough situation forced Blessing, who previously held a health and  PE position as well as the head softball coaching position at Highland for a decade before leaving for GCIT in 2023, to search for a new job.

Thomas extended well wishes to Blessing and said the school district will begin a search for her replacement immediately.

“While we were excited to welcome Jamie Blessing to our district as a High School Health and Physical Education teacher and Assistant Softball coach, she has made the decision to return to the Gloucester County Institute of Technology (GCIT),” Thomas wrote in a statement to Riverview Sports News Monday. “Jamie had previously faced a reduction in force (RIF) at GCIT, but upon being offered her former position back, she chose to return.

“Although we are disappointed she won’t be joining our team this school year, we completely understand and respect that this decision is in the best interest of her career and her family. We wish her the very best. Our priority remains ensuring our students and athletic programs are fully supported. We will begin the search for her replacement immediately, and we are currently seeking qualified internal candidates for our open assistant coaching positions in both softball and basketball.”Now back at GCIT, Blessing will look to build off a strong 2025-26 campaign in which she led the Cheetahs to a 17-11 record and No. 6 seed in the South Jersey Group 4 tournament. The 17 wins were her single-season high as head coach.

Brian Tortella is a contributor to Riverview Sports News. He can be reached at btortreportssj@gmail.com

Central Jersey champions end Pennsville’s season, title dream in Group 1 semifinals, keeps own hopes alive

GROUP 1 SEMIFINALS
Bound Brook 7, Pennsville 2
Dayton 1, Indian Hills 0

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PENNSVILLE — Two teams looking to make some program history played for their first trip to the state championship game in in generations Monday and the one that came the farthest both literally and logistically came out on top.

Bound Brook, the Central Jersey champions that had come 100 miles down the turnpike for a chance to reach their first state final since 1997, scored four runs in the eighth inning after Pennville tied the game in the seventh, to win the state semifinal 7-3. The Crusaders (16-12) will play Dayton (18-12) for the Group 1 state softball title 11 a.m. Friday at Ivy Hill Park.

“My pitcher (Isabella Marusiak) got injured in the middle of the season and she was out for a few weeks so then we’re thinking we’re never going to get there,” Bound Brook coach Shannon DeLuca said, “but she came back stronger than ever and she literally leads us here.”

The Eagles (18-8) were looking to return to the state finals for the first time since they won it all in 2008 and they gave themselves a chance rallying from two runs down in the last inning to keep those hopes alive.

They were down to their last strike in the seventh inning when the heart of their order tied the game and forced extra innings. Avery Watson doubled home Kylie Harris to make it 3-2 and Kenzie Widener doubled home Watson to the tie game.

Up until that point the Eagles struggled to deliver with runners in scoring position. They collected 12 hits and threatened in virtually every inning, getting a runner to second with one out six times, but each time Marusiak rose to the challenge and got out of the jam. They left six runners in scoring position over the first six innings, eight in the game and 10 total, including bases loaded (with one out) in the fourth.

“We couldn’t get that hit,” Pennsville coach Beth Jackson said. “We made contact. A couple hits here and there, maybe hold them, it might be a different story.”

Marusiak said he doesn’t change anything in her approach when teams put runners in scoring position. She just rises to the occasion.

“She’s a fighter,” DeLuca said. “It doesn’t matter who’s at the plate, she’s gonna battle. She goes right at them.”

“I enjoy playing under the pressure,” Merusiak said. “I think the pressure adds so much excitement and I just own it and play my game.”

The Crusaders are now 9-2 and have won seven in a row since Marusiak returned from a back issue in mid-May.

“She pitched an amazing game, she kept us on our toes all game – they all did,” Eagles catcher Kylie Harris said. “They had a great defense and they did what they were supposed to do, so we all just have to tip our hats.”

Pennsville’s game-tying rally didn’t deter the Crusaders in the least. They’ve been in this situation before. They won the Central Jersey title by by answering in the eighth and tenth innings after Florence took the lead in the top of each inning.

They reached Pennsville pitcher Graillyn Weber for five hits in the eighth, seeing her for the fourth time in the game. The first batters of the inning delivered singles, Ava Dedousis singled home the go-ahead run, Lily Caprara followed with an RBI single and Brianna Gurczeski broke it open with a two-run single.

“That was a mood killer,” Harris said, “but I think they were just making contact. Graillyn can only pitch so many innings without them knowing what she throws and that’s not on her. They did a great job adjusting to what she was throwing and did what they were supposed to do.”

The Eagles tried not to go quietly. Taylor Bass opened their eighth by reaching second when the Crusaders threw away her infield single. But as had been the case all game, she was left there.

“The girls have nothing to hang their heads about; I’m proud of them,” Jackson said. “It’s been 18 years since we won South Jersey. It’s going to hurt now, be upsetting – they had high hopes and they were so close – but in the overall scheme of things they should be very proud of themselves, because I am.” 

Bound Brook 7, Pennsville 3

2B: Isabella Marusiak (BB)Kylie Harris 2 (P), Avery Watson (P), Kenzie Widener (P).

Once facing an uncertain future due to staff cuts, Jamie Blessing returning to teaching and coaching as a softball assistant at Pennsville

By Brian Tortella
Special to Riverview Sports News

Jamie Blessing sat in her usual seat behind the left side of the fence.

With a typical focused look in her eyes and a white notepad in her hand, the GCIT head softball coach arose from her stool to direct her players at third base.

Under her guidance on that beautiful May evening, the Cheetahs overcame a two-run deficit and upended Williamstown in a Tri-County Royal Division matchup.

Business went as usual. The players lined up for postgame handshakes, and Blessing caught up with Braves coach Dan Torcasio, a longtime divisional rival and friendly foe, at home plate. Afterward, senior night was celebrated. 

In Blessing’s eyes, this year’s GCIT program was one of the best, “if not the best,” she has ever coached, and it was her responsibility to guide the Cheetahs to achieve their maximum potential.

But as she walked off the field with husband Kyle and their 7-month-old son Braxton that night a dire reality loomed.

Blessing, who just completed her third year teaching health and physical education at the Sewell-based school, received a Reduction in Force letter two days before the game, official notice that her teaching position has been slashed for the upcoming 2026-27 school year. 

The RIF letter came less than two months after Blessing received a Rice Notice on March 16, just a month after she returned from maternity leave. In New Jersey, a Rice Notice is a required 48-hour advance notification sent to public employees, such as school staff, when a Board of Education intends to discuss their specific employment, performance or termination in a closed, private session.

“I started school in September and I had my son Braxton on October 5, so I literally worked up until the day,” Blessing said. “So, I’ve been out on maternity leave from October until the first week of February. I’m grinding, doing my job, doing everything I need to do, and then I received a notice that my job was up in discussion for next year.

“I was extremely shocked. It made myself sick, I was sick. I had to literally ask, ‘What is this Rice letter?’ Everyone was like ‘Oh, don’t worry about it, they give them out when they’re discussing anything about your job, don’t worry about it, don’t worry about it.’”

But the following morning, she realized it wasn’t just a normal notice given to the majority of staff.

According to Blessing, she was just one of five teachers that received notice, which was certainly not what she initially expected. Among others, head boys tennis coach Jeff Ferraino’s health and physical education position was also slashed.

The elimination of numerous positions seemingly appears to be sweeping school districts across the Garden State during this grueling budget season. According to media reports, many school districts are facing layoffs just to stay afloat. 

Part of the strain stems from changes to New Jersey’s school funding law. In 2018, the state revised its school funding formula to shift aid toward districts considered historically underfunded. But that left other districts scrambling to replace millions of dollars in lost revenue, according to NJ Advance Media.

Blessing’s board meeting was held March 18 in the GCIT Theater. There were 150 students in the audience, she said, for a meeting that lasted two and a half hours.

“Softball girls were there and students were there, and they weren’t just fighting for me, they were fighting for all five of the teachers,” Blessing said.

Upon graduating from Rowan University in 2012, Blessing started her teaching career at Highland Regional High School, where she also served as the head softball coach until she left for GCIT in 2023.

“I was going to get the opportunity to coach better athletes with a lot of talent,” she said. “You’re grabbing kids from all over the county. I have Delsea kids, Williamstown kids, and Kingsway kids. So I knew when the head coaching position and the teaching position was open, I knew I had to take the leap of faith to give myself an opportunity to better myself in a career, but also as a coach.”

Progressive growth was shown over the last three years. Blessing directed the Cheetahs to 14-8 and 11-8 records in her first two seasons and guided them to a 17-11 mark this spring, earning the sixth seed in the South Jersey Group 4 playoffs and falling to Egg Harbor Township. This 17 wins were her single-season high as a head coach.

But with her GCIT teaching position going away, she won’t be out of coaching or teaching long. She has accepted and been board approved as a new health and physical education teacher at Pennsville Memorial High School, effective Sept. 1. And she’ll be filling the upcoming assistant varsity softball coach vacancy, succeeding longtime assistant Lisa Doran.

“I grew up playing softball every weekend. We balanced out having softball and family, and everyone’s different priorities,” Blessing said of still deciding to coach with a toddler at home. “Being involved in a sport is something I’m used to. I’m not ready to give it up yet.”

It may be in a different role, but the same goal for Blessing next spring.

“Having to adapt to not being a head coach and running a program after 14 years is challenging,” she said. “Having the potential to take that program over when the time is right … if the opportunity comes to me and they want me to coach, I would love to take over a program like that.”

Beth Jackson has been Pennsville’s head softball coach since 2009. She picked up her 250th career win earlier this season and most recently guided the Eagles to a stunning 3-1 victory over top-seeded defending champion Audubon in the South Jersey Group 1 semifinal. The Eagles host Woodstown for the sectional championship today.

Pennsville athletic director Jamy Thomas said Blessing would be the perfect fit as a potential successor.

“She’s going to bring a lot,” Thomas said. “She comes with a wealth of knowledge already having been a head coach. Right now the plan is with coach Doran retiring, she’ll step into that spot with coach Jackson next year and we’ll go from there.

“She definitely has the drive and the want to be a head coach and to be successful. She’s seen our program and knows what we offer at Pennsville, especially in the softball area. I’m sure she’s ready to step in whenever Beth is ready to step aside. At this point, we’re going to have an awesome combo next year with the two of them, and I’m excited for both of them.”

Whether it’s a big school or small, head coach or assistant, Gloucester County or Salem, the approach remains the same.

“Guess what, there’s 21 outs and seven innings a game whether you have 20 kids come out to play or 50,” Blessing said. “The game is the game. I’m excited for the opportunity to bring the passion I have for the game to Pennsville for my new future career path.”