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.

Wednesday roundup

Harris continues her torrid goal-scoring streak in Pennsville’s Senior Day field hockey win, Highland ends Salem Tech streak in OT; plus tennis, volleyball

By Riverview Sports News

PENNSVILLE – Kylie Harris continued her torrid goal-scoring streak Wednesday, scoring three more goals in the Eagles’ dominant 5-1 Senior Day victory over Clayton.

Harris has scored eight goals in the last three games – all wins – with two hat tricks. She had scored only two goals this season and nine in her career prior to the move.

The Eagles were 3-6-1 before Hall of Fame coach Lisa Doran moved Harris and her powerful swing from the top of the defensive diamond to forward, and now they’re at .500. Kendall Hoyt and Elizabeth Fleming scored the Eagles’ other goals Wednesday.

“I do really like being on the front line; it’s a lot of fun,” Harris said. “We just wanted to move people around to see what worked and they told me I would be playing center forward one day and they just kept telling me to stay up there.

“We have been doing great with passing and our strong defense has been super strong, but my favorite thing so far about being up top is being able to be with all the girls after someone scores and get to give them all high fives and laugh after a goal with my best friends. It’s just as awesome feeling.”

Highland 3, Salem Tech 2: Kiersten Heverly scored her third goal of the game – at the 4:50 mark of overtime – to end the Chargers’ five-game shutout winning streak. Hayden Crispin and Peyton Mayhew scored in the final five minutes of the second quarter to give the Chargers a 2-1 halftime lead. Jessilyn Chambers assisted on both goals.

GIRLS TENNIS
PENNSVILLE 3, SCHALICK 2
Lily Edwards (P) def. Miya Watkins, 6-1, 6-0
Annmarie Podehl (S) def. Izzy Schrenker, 6-3, 6-1
Morgan Holt (P) def. Macy Clow, 6-0, 6-0
Naomi Hess-Graillyn Weber (P) def. Sebrina Bradford-Olivia Lunemann, 6-3, 6-2
jasmine Hunt-Sammi Twigg (S) def. Emma Hankin-Yerlian Charon, 6-3, 6-0
Records: Pennsville 10-7, Schalick 7-6.

WILDWOOD 5, PENNS GROVE 0
Cydnee Kilian (WI) def. Ada Lopez, 6-0, 6-0
Estella Robinson (WI) Kavita Pulchard, 6-0, 6-0
Antoinette Cooper (WI) def. Yanet Cruz, 6-0, 6-0
Emma Contreras-Selin Ogden (WI) won by forfeit
Jess Alamein-Charlotte Baetz (WI) won by forfeit
Records: Wildwood 7-8, Penns Grove 0-11.

GIRLS VOLLEYBALL
Triton 2, Salem Tech 0: Abigail Dalbey had four kills, nine service points and seven aces for Triton. The set scores were 25-18, 25-16.

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.

This week’s schedule

Here is the Salem County sports schedule for the week of Oct. 13-18

MONDAY, OCT. 13
GIRLS TENNIS
Schalick at Woodstown, 4 p.m.

TUESDAY, OCT. 14
FIELD HOCKEY
Clayton at Salem Tech, 4 p.m.
Pennsville at Deptford, 4 p.m.
Salem at Glassboro, 4 p.m.
Woodstown at St. Joe (Hamm.), 4 p.m.
BOYS SOCCER
Gloucester Catholic at Salem, 4 p.m.
Pennsville at Clayton, 4 p.m.
Salem Tech at Wildwood, 4 p.m.
Woodstown at Penns Grove, 4 p.m.
Glassboro at Schalick, 6 p.m.
GIRLS SOCCER
Overbrook at Pennsville, 4 p.m.
Penns Grove at Woodstown, 4 p.m.
Schalick at Glassboro, 4 p.m.
Wildwood at Salem Tech, 4 p.m.
Salem at Gloucester Catholic, 6 p.m.
GIRLS TENNIS
Woodstown at Overbrook, 3:45 p.m.
Glassboro at Salem, 4 p.m.
Schalick at Penns Grove, 4 p.m.
GIRLS VOLLEYBALL
Salem Tech at Cape May Tech, 4 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 15
FIELD HOCKEY
Clayton at Pennsville, 4 p.m.
Salem Tech at Highland, 4 p.m.
GIRLS TENNIS
Schalick at Pennsville, 3:45 p.m.
Wildwood at Penns Grove, 4 p.m.
GIRLS VOLLEYBALL
Triton at Salem Tech, 4 p.m.

THURSDAY, OCT. 16
FIELD HOCKEY
Woodstown at GCIT, 4 p.m.
Overbrook at Schalick, 6 p.m.
BOYS SOCCER
Pennsville at Gloucester Catholic, 4 p.m.
Penns Grove at Overbrook, 4 p.m.
Wildwood at Salem, 4 p.m.
Schalick at Woodstown, 4 p.m.
GIRLS SOCCER
Clayton at Salem Tech, 4 p.m.
Overbrook at Penns Grove, 4 p.m.
Pennsville at Glassboro, 4 p.m.
Salem at Wildwood, 4 p.m.
Woodstown at Schalick, 4 p.m.
GIRLS TENNIS
Salem at Pennsville, 3:45 p.m.
Wildwood at Woodstown, 3:45 p.m.
Glassboro at Schalick, 4 p.m.
Pitman at Penns Grove, 4 p.m.

FRIDAY, OCT. 17
WJFL FOOTBALL
Camden Catholic at Collingswood, 6 p.m.
Lawrence at Pennsville, 6 p.m.
Salem at Woodstown, 7 p.m.
Schalick at Glassboro, 7 p.m.
FIELD HOCKEY
Clayton at Salem, 4 p.m.
Schalick at Overbrook, 4 p.m.
Vineland at Pennsville, 4 p.m.
BOYS SOCCER
Clayton at Salem Tech, 4 p.m.
Salem at Haddon Heights, 4 p.m.
GIRLS SOCCER
Paulsboro at Salem, 4 p.m.
VOLLEYBALL
Clearview at Salem Tech, 4 p.m.

SATURDAY, OCT. 18
WJFL FOOTBALL
Overbrook at Audubon, 11 a.m.
West Deptford at Paulsboro, 11 a.m.
Woodbury at Penns Grove, noon
COLLEGE BASEBALL
Salem CC at Wilmington (2), noon
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Salem CC Jamboree at Cristo Rey HS, Philadelphia

Breaking through

Penns Grove’s girls soccer gets its first goals of the season and first win; includes scores and highlights from Friday’s Salem County sports action

GIRLS SOCCER
Penns Grove 2, Woodbury 0: Berra Akkaya and Yareliz Pantoja scored Penns Grove’s first two goals of the season to bring the Red Devils (1-10) their first win of the season. Pantoja broke a 1-1 tie in the second half.
Salem Tech 2, Paulsboro 0: Ava Robinson and Peyton Pratt scored second-half goals for the Chargers.
BOYS SOCCER
Penns Grove 1, Woodbury 0: Prince Ledbetter scored the game’s only goal in the second half off an assist from goalie Dwayne Guzman Silva.
FIELD HOCKEY
Overbrook at Salem Tech
GIRLS TENNIS
Pitman 5, Woodstown 0
Salem 4, Penns Grove 1

PITMAN 5, WOODSTOWN 0
Anna Fisicaro (P) def. Nathalie Neron, 6-0, 6-1
Colette Rollins (P) def. Alyssa Berry, 6-2, 6-0
Ava Mullenhauer (P) def. Noelle Neron, 6-0, 6-0
Kendall Bennett-Amanda Bradley (P) def. Madison LaPalomento-Emilee Kehr, 6-0, 6-0
Abigail Heil-Ella Ralph (P) def. Emma West-Angelina Lindenmuth, 6-1, 6-2
Records: Pitman 18-3, Woodstown 12-5.

SALEM 4, PENNS GROVE 1
Angelina Fothergill (S) def. Andrea Restrepo, 6-1, 6-1
Tahirah Davenport-White (S) def. Ada Lopez, 6-1, 6-2
JaNye Hubbard (S) def. Kanta Pulchard, 6-2, 6-3
Heaven Jones-McCullough-Erica Brewer (S) def. Andrea Capone-Natanalie Dominguez, 6-0, 6-1
Gianco Tirado-Cadence Jachos (PG) def. Evangeline Jiminez-Barreto-Aleena Allen, 6-1, 6-3
Records: Salem 3-8, Penns Grove 0-9.

VOLLEYBALL
Highland 2, Salem Tech 1: Brooke Tyler had 14 kills, 11 digs and nine assists to lead Highland. Yoselin Basantes had eight kills and 14 assists. The set scores were 25-22, 20-25, 25-11.

Thursday roundup

Schalick field hockey clinches share of division title, Woodstown falls in girls tennis sectional semis, and more

SJ GROUP I TENNIS TOURNAMENT
Semifinals
Pitman 4, Audubon 1
Haddon Twp. 5, Woodstown 0

HADDON TWP. 5, WOODSTOWN 0
Ellie Smith (HT) def. Nathalie Neron, 6-0, 6-0
Kiersten Callahan (HT) def. Alyssa Berry, 6-2, 3-6, 10-5
Leighton Thoder (HT) def. Noelle Neron, 6-2, 6-2
Sydney Troncone-Tessa Dybus (HT) def. Madison LaPalomento-Emilee Kehr, 6-0, 6-0
Lily Steele-Carly DeCinque (HT) def. Emma West-Angelina Lindenmuth, 6-2, 6-2
Records: Haddon Twp. 14-4, Woodstown 12-4.

FIELD HOCKEY
Schalick 3, Woodstown 0: The Cougars scored goals in each of the first three quarters and goalie Lydia Gilligan made 12 saves for the shutout that got them a series sweep of their rivals and at least a share of the TCC Diamond Division title. Gilligan’s final save was her 200th of the season. Caylen Taylor, Addi Shimp and Ava Scurry scored the Cougars’ goals.

BOYS SOCCER
Camden Academy Charter at Salem Tech

GIRLS SOCCER
Gloucester City 6, Salem 0: Bailey Schoenfeldt scored three goals to lead the Lions (6-6). She has scored multiple goals in all six of their wins.

Wednesday roundup

BOYS SOCCER
Woodstown 8, Salem 0: Three more players joined the ranks as the Wolverines moved closer to 300 all-time goal scorers and a trio of keepers keep the Rams off the board.

Josef Hummel, Don Milhomme and Aiden Milici all scored their first career goals, running the list of players who have scored a goal in Woodstown soccer history to 298. Josh Olbrich and Blake Bialecki scored their first goals of the season

Bryce Ayars had a goal and an assist, continuing his run of scoring a goal in every Woodstown win this season. Landon Gugliemo and Ayden Ellis scored the Wolverines’ other two goals.

Pennsville 0, Pitman 0: The teams played to a scoreless draw that Pennsville coach Derek Foglein described as “a dog fight on a football field.” It was the Eagles’ first point against the Panthers since 2017, the year before Foglein took over the program, and snapped a 10-game losing streak in the series.

It was the Eagles’ eighth shutout of the season, their first tie since 2021 (86 games) and their first scoreless tie since before 2010, the last year records are publicly available.

Schalick 3, Palmyra 2: Tyler Vanlier, Luke Price and Jaxon Weber all scored goals in the Cougars’ sixth straight win.

Penns Grove 1, Cumberland 1: Poyraz Erdonmez gave the Red Devils a 1-0 lead and Ruben Lopez got Cumberland’s equalizer in the second half.

GIRLS SOCCER
Schalick 4, Gloucester Catholic 0: Cali Fisler scored a goal and added two more assists to her all-time school record. Olivia Vanacker, Kassady Sickler and Brooke Valentine had the other goals and Evan Berger was credited with two saves in the shutout.

Woodstown 7, Salem 0: Lia Covely had two goals and three assists and Gabby Maldonado scored twice. Bailey Arnold Peters, Genevieve Flynn and Aubree Covely scored the other goals. Ellie Wygand and Mazie Mazzoni shared the shutout.

Cumberland 5, Penns Grove 0: Ellie Bodine scored three goals for the Colts, giving her 23 for the season.

Pennsville at Pitman

GIRLS TENNIS
WOODSTOWN 5, PENNS GROVE 0
Nathalie Neron (WO) def. Kavita Pulchard, 6-0, 6-0
Alyssa Berry (WO) def. Yanet Cruz, 6-0, 6-0
Noelle Neron (WO) def. Andrea Chapone, 6-0, 6-0
Emma West-Elliana Norman (WO) def. Gianco Tirado-Nathalie Dominquez, 6-0, 6-0
Bailee Coles-Madison LaPalomento (WO) def. Valaria Pedroza-Cadence Jachoa, 6-1, 6-1
Records: Woodstown 12-3, Penns Grove 0-8.

OLMA 5, SALEM 0
Evangeline Catanese (O) def. Angelina Fothergill, 6-0, 6-2
Sara Wojtokowiak (O) def. Erica Brewer, 6-0, 6-1
Erin Malixi (O) def. Evangeline Jimenez Barreto, 6-0, 6-0
Leah Calderon-Sophia Terry (O) def. Phoenix Holland-Aleena Allen, 6-0, 6-1
Halle Dolce-Lily Mayo (O) won by forfeit
Records: OLMA 8-8, Salem 2-8.

Never let up

Woodstown advances to girls tennis sectional semifinals working overtime against Schalick; also includes Tuesday’s county field hockey action

SJ GROUP I QIARTERFINALS
Pitman 5, Lower Cape May 0
Audubon 3, Pennsville 2 (Mon.)
Woodstown 4, Schalick 1
Haddon Twp. 5, Wildwood 0
THURSDAY’S SEMIFINALS
Audubon at Pitman
Woodstown at Haddon Twp.

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

WOODSTOWN – Jesse Stemberger gathered his Woodstown tennis team on the grassy knoll behind the tennis courts and laid down to make a point in a way befitting his unique coaching style.

The Wolverines had just dispatched county rival Schalick 4-1 to reach the South Jersey Group I girls tennis semifinals for the first time since 2022, but there were elements of their performance he needed to address.

Once he laid on the grass he asked for four volunteers to do all they could to keep him pinned down. Alyssa Berry, Madison LaPalomento and twins Nathalie and Noelle Neron each grabbed an arm or a leg and did all they could to keep their squirming coach pinned to the turf.

After a few moments Stemberger stopped struggling. His players instinctively relaxed, and that release was all the coach needed to sit straight up and thereby prove the point he was trying to convey about the effects of letting up.

The Wolverines won the first set in four of their five matches, but three of their four wins and four matches overall went to third-set 10-point tiebreakers. It didn’t have to be so stressful if they kept the pedal down.

“I don’t want to win matches in four tiebreakers, I want the straight sets; I’m not a tiebreaker guy,” Stemberger said. “Everybody on the team has played a 10-point tiebreaker this year, so they all experienced it, they all know it, so I think that helped coming into today.

“It’s a great neutralizer (tiebreakers), but mental toughness came through. That’s the beauty of coaching tennis here. They’re all high performers and I don’t question their mental toughness.”

He just has to reinforce it from time to time. He learned the demonstration he used Tuesday when he worked in the mental health industry and has kept the technique “in my back pocket” all these years for just such coachable moments. He said he’s used it maybe twice in his coaching career.

“I use that as an example to say as soon as we relaxed, we let them back in,” he said. “We’ve got to keep (the pressure) up.”

The players at first were confused by their coach’s demonstration, but they wound up getting the point.

“I was thinking what is going on,” said sophomore Emilee Kehr, LoPalomento’s doubles partner. “Another crazy demonstration. It turns out to be a message underneath that we realize after a match. (This message was) don’t give up, keep pushing.”

Woodstown tennis coach Jesse Stemberger allows his players to pin him to the ground for a teachable moment after their 4-1 SJ Group I tournament win over Schalick Tuesday. (Top photo) Stemberger talks with Noelle Neron (L) and Alyssa Berry during a break in the match.

The No. 1 doubles team of LaPalomento and Kehr earned the Wolverines a huge first point when rallied from dropping the first set to even the match and then convincingly won a 10-5 tiebreaker. Nathalie Neron clinched the victory with a 6-2, 4-6, 10-5 win at No. 1 singles.

The No. 2 doubles team of Emma West and Angelina Lindenmuth bounced back after dropping the second set to win an intense 11-9 tiebreaker for the final margin. Berry scored the Wolverines’ second point with the only straight-set match of the day at No. 2 singles.

The tiebreaker wins by Nathalie Neron and LaPalomento-Kehr came over Schalick players who played in last weekend’s NJSIAA singles and double draw.

LaPalomento and Kehr never led in their first set, but fought back to get it tied before Olivia Lunemann and Sebrina Bradford close it out 7-5. They trailed 4-3 in the second set, then won the next three games to even the match. They took command of the tiebreaker with seven straight points to open a 9-2 lead.

Lunemann and Bradford played in the second round of the NJSIAA doubles draw Sunday.

“The tiebreaker is always a lot more pressure than a regular set,” Kehr said, “but because there is more pressure you want to do better, you want to just finish it out, and that’s exactly what we did. After the (second) set were like we lost the first one, we came back in the second one, we’ve just got to finish it. It’s like the moment this all led up to. We had to finish it out.”

The seven players in Woodstown’s lineup Tuesday were a combined 5-4 10-point tiebreakers coming into the match, 10-6 if you include the 7-point set tiebreakers.

Nathalie Neron was playing in the first singles tiebreaker of her career against Miya Watkins and never lost the lead. It was 4-2 at one point and then she locked in to roll off four straight points to take control. Watkins lost in the first round of the NJSIAA singles draw Saturday.

“At first it was nerve-wracking, but I needed to reset my mindset and think of it like a clean slate,” she said. “It can go either way. You’ve just got to get up and get up fast.”

The Wolverines (11-3) will now travel to second-seeded Haddon Twp. (12-4) Thursday for the semifinals. Audubon (13-1) plays at top-seeded Pitman (15-3) for the other spot in the Oct. 14 sectional finals.

WOODSTOWN 4, SCHALICK 1
Nathalie Neron (WO) def. Miya Watkins, 6-2, 4-6, 10-5
Alyssa Berry (WO) def. Annmarie Podehl, 6-2, 6-4
Macy Clow (S) def. Noelle Neron, 5-7, 6-2, 10-8
Madison LaPalomento-Emilee Kehr (WO) def. Olivia Lunemann-Sebrina Bradford, 5-7, 6-4, 10-5
Emma West-Angelina Lindenmuth (WO) def. Sam Twigg-Jasmine Hunt, 6-4, 5-7, 11-9
Records: Woodstown 11-3, Schalick 6-5.

Field hockey

Woodstown 6, Deptford 0

PENNSVILLE 6, SALEM 1: Kylie Harris scored a career-high three goals, Gracie Mease had two and Kendall Hoyt had three assists as the Eagles presented coach Lisa Duran with a victory on the eve of her induction into the PMHS Athletic Hall of Fame. Duran is being enshrined for her standout playing career, which included 11 varsity letters and several high honors in three sports before starring collegiately at Old Dominion. The win snapped a five-game losing streak.

SCHALICK 10, GLASSBORO 2: Luci Virga scored three goals, Ava Scurry had two goals and five assists and five others scored goals for the Cougars (9-6). Scurry had five assists in last year’s 11-0 South Jersey tournament opener against South Hunterdon.

Keeping pace

Girls roundup: Schalick soccer dodges bullet in division with Berger’s golden goal, Salem field hockey wins in final minute, Pennsville falls in South Jersey tennis quarterfinals

GIRLS SOCCER
Schalick 3, Pennsville 2 (OT)
Woodstown 3, Overbrook 1
Salem Tech 7, Salem 1
Glassboro at Penns Grove

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PENNSVILLE – Will Kemp might not have seen it that way, but the Schalick girls soccer team dodged a bullet that could have disrupted its division title hopes Monday.

The Cougars needed a goal less than four minutes before the end of regulation to keep the game alive and then got a golden goal in overtime to beat Pennsville 3-2.

The win allowed them to remain tied with Woodstown atop the TCC Diamond Division at 6-0-1. The teams play the rematch of their 1-1 draw at Schalick Oct. 16 – as if there needed to be any more incentive for a matchup between those two teams, although it might not have been as juicy had the Cougars not won Monday.

“I don’t think we dodged a bullet,” the Schalick coach said. “We had a good match against a team that’s developed extremely well over the last few weeks.

“Even if the division’s not on the line, the match with Woodstown is always going to be a heated, high-intense match, so for us to go ahead and continue to have a first-place fight going into a match like that, it just adds a lot more fuel to the actual fire that’s going to happen inside that game. I’m just really excited for the girls to be able to continue to play for it.”

Pennsville took a 2-1 lead on Taylor Bass’ goal with 8:38 to play and as time dwindled down the Cougars chances to pull this one out were starting to look what Quinn Berger described as “iffy” until center back-turned striker Emily Miller got the equalizer with 3:31 to play.

“Emily has been able to find the back of the net numerous times over her career,” Kemp said. “I’m not really too surprised she actually was able to give us the equalizer inside a match like this.”

Berger then won it midway through the first overtime with a 20-yard kick to her lower left side after a foul just outside the box.

“I saw the gap in between their wall and the corner of the net and the goalie kind of behind the wall so I knew not to chip it over the wall,” Berger said. “And I saw the corner was wide open so I might as well place it, so that’s exactly what I did.”

The Cougars won the first meeting between the teams 6-0 and seemed headed that way when Cali Fisher scored in the eighth minute of the rematch. But the Eagles were having none of it as Marley Wood drew them even 8:54 before halftime.

It was the first goal the Eagles have scored on Schalick in seven meetings and the closest they’re played the Cougars since beating them 1-0 in 2021.

“They played spectacularly,” Pennsville coach Casey Slusher said of her team. “This group of girls is very resilient. We’ve had some ups and downs, up players, down players, it doesn’t matter to them, they come out and just give us their all.

“Even going into overtime with Schalick is a pretty good accomplishment for us, so I’m just proud of my girls for putting it all out there and playing the way they did.”

Kemp was equally generous with the praise for his team’s resiliency.

“Our word of the day today was ‘remember,’” he said. “I was talking to the players about what are you actually going to be remembered for when you leave this field. For us to walk away from this match, they’re going to remember us for getting frustrated but still continue to maintain the course by keeping the standard and making sure we see the game through.”

WOODSTOWN 3, OVERBROOK 1: The Wolverines (8-2-1) held onto their share of the division lead behind goals from Emma Morgan, Emma Perry and Sophie Wells. Wells has scored both of her goals this season against the Rams (4-7).

SALEM TECH 7, SALEM 1: Julia Hewitt-Friebel scored three goals and Ava Robinson scored twice to lead the Chargers. Evening Ademee and Peyton Pratt scored Salem Tech’s other goals. Isla Bohn scored for Salem.

Love that goal scorer

**Samiyah Moore leaps into the arms of teammate Julliana Love after Love scored Salem’s last-minute game-winning goal against Absegami. (Photo by Miranda Love)**

FIELD HOCKEY
Salem 3, Absegami 2
Hammonton 2, Woodstown 1

SALEM – Julliana Love beat the clock and the goalie in the final minute to complete a three-goal comeback against Absegami that produced the Rams’ second win of the season, 3-2.

With time running out, the senior went 1-on-1 with Braves goalie Fairleigh Wilson, aimed for the corner and popped in the game-winner with 52 seconds to play. She scored two goals in the game. Freshman Khloe Bubier scored the Rams’ other goal.

“It was a great competitive game,” Love said. “All I can remember is thinking I didn’t want to go into overtime, so I took the ball up the field, dodged two girls and then was 1-on-1 with the goalie and made the game-winning shot.”

HAMMONTON 2, WOODSTOWN 1: Gabriella Teti scored the game-winner in the fourth quarter. Bella Eachus scored for Woodstown (6-4-1) in the second quarter.

Tennis

SJ Group I Quarterfinals
AUDUBON 3, PENNSVILLE 2
Lily Edwards (P) def. Olivia Tessitore, 6-0, 6-0
Olivia Tessitore (A) def. Isabella Schrenker, 6-1, 6-2
Isabella Lamancusa (A) def. Morgan Holt, 6-3, 6-2
Bridget Mattson-Finola Witherington (A) def. Emma Hankin-Naomi Hess, 6-0, 7-5
Graillyn Weber-Yerlian Charon (P) def. Yesica Palillero-Bea Herman, 6-4, 2-6 10-8
Records: Audubon 13-1, Pennsville 9-7.

Volleyball

WOODSTOWN – Neima Dominguez scored 18 kills and Erin Compton 14 as Camden Tech rallied from one set down to defeat Salem Tech 2-1. The set scores were 20-25, 25-23, 25-14. Valentina Andeliz had 22 digs and Madeline Kopakowski had 26 assists and seven aces.