Woodstown boys, Schalick girls win Salem County track titles; Goodson, Stewart set records

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PENNSVILLE — The war hat is back and anyone who’s a student of the history of Salem County track and field knows what that means.

For all 15 Salem County and all six state championships he won at Penns Grove, Tom Mason wore the same Marine Corps khaki camo desert hat. It’s a little worn and pinched on the seams, but it was clean and fits as well as the first day he got it from one of his former students who served in Iraq. .

It had been tucked in a bedroom drawer beneath a stack of Penns Grove shirts since he retired from coaching. He dug it out Thursday for his first Salem County Championship Meet as Woodstown’s coach and just like that old silk hat they found for Frosty the Snowman it still had magic in it.

The Wolverines won their first Salem County boys track title since 2019 — and Mason’s first as a coach since 2017 — when they pulled away from a tight battle with Penns Grove in the late events at Pennsville High School.

“The war hat is back,” the Wolverines’ first-year coach said, noting the Tri-County coaches back in the day used to refer to him as The Little General. “I knew where it was, I went to the drawer it’s in, pulled it out and said, ‘OK, I’m back, it’s time to bring it out.'”

The key to the victory was scoring points in events they typically hadn’t before, like the jumps and throws outside of Aidan Taulane, and stepping in to steal points where other teams were strong. But in the end it was the traditional way they’ve scored in the past – the distance events – that clinched it for them as they went 1-2-4 in the 800 and 1-2-3 in the 3200. Josh Crawford led the Wolverines across the line in the 800 and Jacob Marino won the 3200 for the fourth year in a row — on his 18th birthday.

“I had to get another one,” Marino said. “I wanted to put our team in a good position and make me happy on my birthday to get the (3200) four times. I think the win overall as a team is a huge (birthday) present. It’s going to be our first one in several years and the four times is a big thing for me. I’m really proud of that.”

Ironically, it was the same way they closed out the Red Devils Monday for Mason’s 400th career dual meet victory.

“My philosophy has always been (score in) multiple places,” Mason said. “If you can do that you have a very good chance of winning and that’s what these kids did today. The unsung hero was Karson Chew for what he did in the 400 hurdles, a race he’s never run before.

“Schalick and Penns Grove are very, very good teams and both of them easily could have won the meet, but I believe these teams kind of overlooked us because I never once said to the opposing coaches we’re gonna win this thing today, as was said to me a couple times,. We’re just trying to be competitive. We’re going to score where people don’t think and it started going 2-3 in javelin – nobody expected that – and then the 2-4 in the high jump and that set us up.”

For most of the day it was a battle between Mason’s new team and his old one. They traded the lead five times before the Senior Recognition break, with neither leading the other by more than eight once the meet got going. .The Wolverines’ 1-2-4 finish in the 1600, led by Marino’s second title in the event, provided a 16-point swing that put them back on top. 

After the 110 hurdles posted, Penns Grove led by four before the Wolverines started pulling away.

“The name of the game is to compete and to fight; if everybody did their job we would be close,” Penns Grove coach Andrae Ames said. “This is my second year as coach. I’m so proud of these guys. They work hard … they listen … they bought into the program – and it’s showing. I’m just excited for the future.”

Speaking of the future, a question has persisted whether Mason would return to coach the Wolverines in 2027 after coming out of retirement this spring to take the team out of an admiration for their senior group and desire to see them succeed, and he remained non-committal throughout the season. Pressed on Thursday he said he has “sort of made a decision,” but wasn’t ready to disclose it publicly. “Let’s just say I really love the freshmen and sophomores that are out; we’ll let it go at that,” he said. 

If he does return, trust the war hat will come with him.

Top photo: Woodstown coach Tom Mason (L) is congratulated by Penns Grove girls coach Marcus Dowe after the Wolverines clinched their first boys county track title since 2019.

Record setters

Penns Grove’s Kylee Goodson and Schalick’s David Stewart set records and were named boys track and field MVPs, respectively. Goodson set the county 400 record (48.89) among his two individual and 4×400 relay wins. Stewart set the triple jump meet record (47-8.25) among his four individual wins.

In addition to his 400 win, Goodson won the 100 (11.04), anchored the 4×400 relay and finished second to Stewart in the 200 (22.33).

“It was very exceptional,” Goodson said. “Like my coach said this is a business trip, so I came out here and did what I had to do. I didn’t even know I set a record. When they said it I was happy, but I also had to lock in to my 200.”

Stewart continued his domination in the county meet. The junior set the tone for his meet by winning the long jump (22-3) on his first attempt of day. He also won the 400 hurdles (54.91) to go with the 200 and triple jump. In three years at the County Meet, he has 10 total golds.

“The meet record in the triple jump felt really good because I’ve been stuck at 45 all season and last season I was 45,” he said. “Another jumping coach gave me a tip on the last jump. I just did what he told me and it all came together and I jumped 47-8. Now that I’ve hit that it’s kind of the minimum, I want to get out to 48, 49, eventually 50.”

Schalick girls three-peat

Schalick won the girls county title for the third year in a row. It wasn’t as easy as last year when they won by 63 points, but it wasn’t as tight as two years ago when they won it in the 4×400 relay, either.

The Cougars won only four events, but they medaled (top 3) in 12 and won multiple medals in three. They swept the javelin.

“I wouldn’t say (it was) reasonably easy,” Pine said. “I am very surprised. Salem has such a strong team and so does Woodstown, so it was a complete surprise and shock to me. The girls came out and just outperformed themselves today and they continuous strive for better.”

Salem and Woodstown gave them a serious run. The Rams won four events and swept the 100 and 200 with Raniyah Parsons-Smith winning both. The Wolverines won five events with Abby Marino sweeping the 800, 1600 and 3200 to win girls track MVP honors.

Schalick junior Sebrina Bradford was the girls field MVP. She won the discus (109-1) and finished second to teammate Navaeh Robinson in the javelin with a PR of 91-7.

“It’s amazing,” Bradford said. “I’m proud of all of us because we do so many things individually. I’m just so proud of them, and proud of myself, too.”

NOTES: Schalick’s Gary Simonini was the day’s first boys winner, taking the javelin with an official PR of 161-5 using an implement he put in competition for the first time. His rainbow model has been with him since his freshman year, but it produced his shortest throw of four attempts Thursday. He put it aside and hit the winning mark with golden jav. “I think this is my new gamer for the rest of the year,” he said … In a battle of the county’s top throwers, Penns Grove’s JaKai Ingram edged Woodstown’s Taulane in the shot put for the second time this week … Penns Grove’s Arianna Dowe was the day’s first girls champion, winning her first county title in the long jump (15-3) … One of the more courageous efforts of the day was turned in by Woodstown’s Lia Covely. The Wolverines’ senior suffered a leg injury somersaulting at the finish of her second-place run in the girls 400 hurdles, but she bounced back to win the 100 hurdles by more than a second. Schalick’s Brooke Valentine won the 400 hurdles by 0.06 seconds.

44TH SALEM COUNTY TRACK CHAMPIONSHIPS
(Top 3 win medals, top 5 score points)

BOYS
Team scores: Woodstown 104, Penns Grove 89, Schalick 67.5, Salem 62.5, Pennsville 12.
400 Hurdles: 1. David Stewart, Schalick 54.91; 2. Bryan Garlic, Penns Grove 56.05; 3. Grady Buzby, Salem 58.06.
100: 1. Kylee Goodson, Penns Grove 11.04; 2. Will Roy, Penns Grove 11.35; 3. Danny Knight, Pennsville 11.46.
1600: 1. Jacob Marino, Woodstown 4:34.14; 2. David Farrell, Woodstown 4:35.13; 3. Gavin Cronrath, Salem 4:50.71.
400: 1. Kylee Goodson, Penns Grove 48.89 (county record, old record, Lance Husser, Woodstown 49.00-h, 2004); 2. Josh Crawford, Woodstown 49.79; 3. Karon Chew, Woodstown 50.29.
110 Hurdles: 1. Timothy Gregory, Salem 15.36; 2. Bryan Garlic, Penns Grove 15.59; 3. Sherrod Jones, Schalick 15.61.
800: 1. Josh Crawford, Woodstown 1:58.33; 2. Karson Chew, Woodstown 1:59.89; 3. Steve Chomo, Schalick 2:00.31.
3200: 1. Jacob Marino, Woodstown 10:28.36; 2. Pacey Hutton, Woodstown 10:42.26; 3. Jackson Perry, Woodstown 10:47.41.
200: 1. David Stewart, Schalick 22.26; 2. Kylee Goodson, Penns Grove 22.33; 3. Will Roy, Penns Grove 23.39.
4×400 Relay: 1. Penns Grove (Bryan Garlic, Tommy White, Savior Allah, Kylee Goodson) 3:28.35; 2. Salem 3:30.18; 3. Woodstown 3:30.36.
Long Jump: 1. David Stewart, Schalick 22-3; 2. Will Roy, Penns Grove 21-6.75; 3. Danny Knight, Pennsville 21-5.
Triple Jump: 1. David Stewart, Schalick 47-8.25 (meet record, old record, Steven Brown, Penns Grove, 47-5, 2009); 2. Bryan Garlic, Penns Grove 44-3; 3. Donovan Weathers, Salem 41-10.
High Jump: 1. Tommy White, Penns Grove 6-0; 2. Andrew White, Woodstown 6-0; 3. Donovan Weathers, Salem 6-0.
Discus: 1. Aidan Taulane, Woodstown 154-8; 2. Ethan McLean, Schalick, 142-2; 3. Giovanni Traini, Salem 120-3.
Shot Put: 1. JaKai Ingram, Penns Grove 47-3.75; 2. Aidan Taulane, Woodstown 47-0.5; 3. Connor Wariwanchik, Woodstown 44-2.5.
Javelin: 1. Gary Simonini, Schalick 161-5; 2. Noah Chiu, Woodstown 138-0; 3. Aidan Taulane, Woodstown 126-0.
Pole Vault: 1. Grady Buzby, Salem 11-0; 2. Jelani Beverly, Salem 9-6; 3. Messiah Allah, Penns Grove 9-6.

GIRLS
Team scores: Schalick 114.50, Salem 80, Woodstown 64, Pennsville 51.5, Penns Grove 25.
400 Hurdles: 1. Brooke Valentine, Schalick 1:10.22; 2. Lia Covely, Woodstown 1:10.28; 3. Ava Scurry, Schalick 1:17.79.
100: 1. Raniyah Parsons-Smith, Salem 12.88; 2. Dynastie Tucker, Salem 13:37; Amaia Massengill, Salem 13.65.
1600: 1. Abby Marino, Woodstown 5:27.23; 2. Emma Wilbur, Schalick 5:50.48; 3. Sawyer Slad, Pennsville 5:59.26.
400: 1. Dynastie Tucker, Salem 1:02.73; 2. Molly Gratz, Pennsville 1:03.34; 3. Brooklynn Jackson, Salem 1:03.54.
100 Hurdles: 1. Lia Covely, Woodstown 17.13; 2. Rebekah Cuff, Schalick 18.36; 3. JiYonna Seals, Salem 18.74.
800: 1. Abby Marino, Woodstown 2:32.16; 2. Kiley Parvin, Schalick 2:40.86; 3. Caylen Taylor, Schalick 2:43.72.
3200: 1. Abby Marino, Woodstown 12:50.44; 2. Emma Wilbur, Schalick 13:11.06; 3. Sawyer Slad, Pennsville 13:20.93.
200: 1. Raniyah Parsons-Smith, Salem 27.20; 2. Anyzha Williams, Salem 27.47; 3. Amaia Massengill, Salem 27.85.
4×400 Relay: 1. Salem (Amaia Massengill, Anyzha Williams, Dynastie Tucker, Brooklynn Jackson) 4:23.90; 2. Schalick 4:28.35; 3. Penns Grove 4:45.16.
Long Jump: 1. Arianna Dowe, Penns Grove 15-3; 2. Phoebe Alward, Schalick 15-2.5; 3. Jaelynn Jarmon, Schalick 14-10.
Triple Jump: 1. Jaelynn Jarmon, Schalick 35-9; 2. Ramiyah Jones, Salem 34-0; 3. Arianna Dowe, Penns Grove 32-8.5.
High Jump: 1. Kallie Morrison, Pennsville 4-10; 2. Rebekah Cuff, Schalick 4-8; 3. Aubrey Manorowitz, Pennsville 4-6.
Discus: 1. Sebrina Bradford, Schalick 109-1; 2. Tatiyonna Crawford, Pennsville 102-11; 3. Sara Lodge, Woodstown 97-8.
Shot Put: 1. Zoey Caesar, Penns Grove 33-8.75; 2. Rolande Delva, Pennsville 30-6; 3. Ava Rodgers, Salem 30-1.5.
Javelin: 1. Navaeh Robinson, Schalick 107-0; 2. Sebrina Bradford, Schalick 91-7; 3. River Wojcik, Schalick 83-6.
Pole Vault: 1. Juliette Angelus, Woodstown 7-0; 2. Molly Gratz, Pennsville 6-6; 3. Jillian Wriggins, Schalick 6-6