Schalick freshman’s first career goal earns Cougars a 1-1 tie with rival Woodstown; Gratz golden for Pennsville, includes other Salem County girls soccer, tennis results

MONDAY GIRLS SOCCER
Pennsville 5, Glassboro 4
Schalick 1, Woodstown 1
Wildwood 6, Salem 0
Clayton 6, Salem Tech 0
Penns Grove at Overbrook

By Brian Tortella
Special to Riverview Sports News

WOODSTOWN – Throughout the majority of Monday’s highly anticipated Schalick-Woodstown game, it seemed likely the host Wolverines were well on their way to a narrow victory over their Tri-County Diamond Division and cross county rivals for the first time in 1,081 days. 

However, the Cougars had other plans.

Freshman Cecilee Bell scored the game-tying goal with just three minutes left in regulation, sending the contest into overtime where neither side could find a winner and it ended in a battle-tested 1-1 draw.

“I’m really excited,” said Bell, whose goal was the first of her varsity career. “I’m glad I was able to make my first goal in a tough game.”

Bell, a Berlin resident, commutes 40 minutes to Schalick by bus every day. She said she was motivated by Cougars’ coach Will Kemp, who she knows from summer soccer, to attend the Salem County school.

The Cougars were battling multiple injuries, which made the rookie stepping up in a high pressure situation even more special.

“No matter what year it is, no matter what teams we both have, it’s always a good rivalry match,” Kemp said. “I thought that it was incredible to see our girls fight back, especially through a lot of different injuries we picked up.

“Our freshman stepped up. Cecilee Bell scored the first goal today for us to get back into the match. First goal of the season for her. She’s been a great addition to our squad and gave us some depth.”

As the final seconds ticked away, Kemp walked directly over and shared a moment with Woodstown coach Kieran Keyser. After all, after the fight his Cougars put up, he couldn’t be upset with their performance. 

“Battling back against a team like this is always going to be a physical battle,” Kemp said. “This has always been a joy of mine to come out here (to Woodstown). That’s the reason why I’m such good friends with Kieran, because we like to go back and forth.”

After the tie, Schalick stands at 3-3-1 against a highly competitive schedule against bigger schools. The Cougars are currently No. 9 in the South Jersey Group 1 power point standings. Kemp knows this gauntlet will have his team ready come playoff time.

“I’m feeling confident,” he said regarding the rest of the season. “The girls are usually kicking around this time. We had some tough matchups so far between Cherry Hill West, Washington Township and Timber Creek. Big schools. We have Hammonton this weekend. These are all tests to get ready for the playoffs because know this is going to be an important year and important time for us.”

Emma Morgan scored Woodstown’s goal with 7:01 left in the first half off of a corner from Emmy Perry. The strike came off her left foot for her third goal of the season. 

“I’m tired, obviously; 100 minutes is hard,” said Morgan, a senior. “But I think we battled really, really hard all throughout the game. Near the post you don’t always get a lot of balls, but I made that run there and it went off my left foot. It was perfect. I didn’t even know it went in, I was so hype.”

Outside of Schalick’s clutch score in the closing minutes, the Wolverines played exceptional defense throughout the contest, led by standout goalie Ellie Wygand. The senior came up with numerous big saves in the second half, single-handedly keeping Woodstown from falling behind.

At one point in overtime, Kemp even gave his props to Wygand after she made an impressive save as he trekked down the sideline.

“It feels good to have people come up to me and say that. It proves that I work hard in practice,” Wygand said. “I feel pretty good (about the game). I know it’s not the outcome we wanted – we ended in a tie – but we gave it our all and played the hardest we could. I think when we see them again it’s going to be an even better matchup.”

Woodstown hasn’t lost a game since its season-opening setback to Audubon on Sept. 5. The Wolverines are 4-1-1 and currently sit at No. 5 in the South Jersey Group 1 power point standings. 

“We have a bunch of good games coming up this week and next week that will be a good challenge for us at the beginning of midway through the season,” Morgan said.

“We are only going to go up from here,” Wygand said. “I think that in the playoffs we’re going to make a good show out and give (teams) a run for their money.”

Brian Tortella is a contributor to Riverview Sports News. His reports on South Jersey high school sports can be found on multiple platforms on the internet. (Photo by Brian Tortella)

PENNSVILLE 5, GLASSBORO 4: Molly Gratz scored three goals, including the game-winner with two minutes left in the first overtime. Taylor Bass scored the Eagles’ other two goals and assisted on the game-winner.

On the game-winner Bass broke free on the right side, then passed across to an unmarked Gratz, who easily finished.

Amina Brown scored the tying goal with 4:43 left in regulation.

“It was an exciting win,” Eagles coach Casey Slusher said.

WILDWOOD 6, SALEM 0: Molly Farrell scored two goals for the Warriors.

GIRLS TENNIS
PENNSVILLE 5, OVERBROOK 0
Izzy Schlenker (P) def. Sophia Burgos, 4-6, 6-4, 10-5
Morgan Holt (P) def. Natasha Hreiz, 6-0, 6-1.
Graillyn Weber (P) def. Isabella Sepulveda, 6-2, 6-0
Emma Hankin-Naomi Hess (P) def. Leah Wilde-Anna Mason, 6-2, 6-0
Lila Angelo-Yerlian Charon (P) def. Charlotte Gall-Sophia Perticari, 6-4, 6-1
Records: Pennsville 6-4, Overbrook 1-8.

SCHALICK 4, TIMBER CREEK 1
Miya Watkins (S) def. Christina Abolarin, 6-0, 6-0
Annmarie Podehl (S) def. Daniella Barbu, 6-3, 6-1
Ayooluwa Akimbo (TC) def. Macy Clow, 7-6, 4-6, 10-5
Olivia Lunemann-Sebrina Bradford (S) def. Allyah Joseph-Kylie Kernaghan, 6-1, 6-1
Sammi Twigg-Jasmine Hunt (S) def. Claire Kopeck-Anastasia Davis, 6-2, 7-5.
Records: Schalick 4-3, Timber Creek 0-8

KINGSWAY 4, WOODSTOWN 1
Nathalie Neron (WO) def. Abby Malesich, 6-1, 6-0
Krishani Parikh (K) def. Alyssa Berry, 6-2, 4-6, 11-9
Kelsey Dion (K) def. Noelle Neron, 6-1, 6-2
Mishi Chaturvedi-Sophia Campbell (K) def. Madison LaPalomento-Emilee Kehr, 6-3, 5-7, 10-6
Alicia Magin-Emily Magin (K) def. Emma West-Angelina Lindemuth, 6-2, 7-6 (7-5)
Records: Kingsway 6-3, Woodstown 7-3.

Woodstown senior fulfills his prophecy, scores game-winner against Schalick; includes other Salem County boys soccer games

MONDAY SOCCER
Pennsville 4, Gloucester Catholic 0
Penns Grove 3, Overbrook 2 (OT)
Salem at Wildwood
Woodstown 2, Schalick 1
Clayton 5, Salem Tech 0

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PITTSGROVE — Bryce Ayars told friends and teammates in school today he was going to score a goal against arch rival Schalick today. He just had that feeling.

It took nearly 71 hard minutes of soccer, but much like Babe Ruth calling his shot, the Woodstown senior fulfilled his prophecy. And the goal was significant.

Ayars stole the ball off a defender just outside the box and beat the Schalick keeper with a left-footed shot for the game-winner in a 2-1 road victory that coach Darren Huck said could afford the Wolverines “one heck of a bus ride home while were going down Route 40.”

It was the Wolverines’ first win over Schalick since the 2022 season opener in overtime (five games) and handed the Cougars (4-2-1) their first Tri-County Diamond Division loss since 2023 (21 games).

“I let my coach know I was going to score, I let the whole team know,” Ayars said. “Most of them look up to me, so in these big games I have to step up and finish the deal.

“When I play Schalick I really want one, I don’t know if it will come, but I’ll try my best to make it happen.”

It was the second year in a row he has scored on the Cougars. The goal Monday was his fifth of the season and 25th of his career. Ben Lippincott brought the ball up the field got it into the box. Ayars stole it from Cooper Willoughby then after a controlling touch shot it past keeper Evan Sepers, who was otherwise brilliant in the Schalick goal.

“The goal was probably about composure, that was the thing that stuck out to me,” Huck said while his entire squad stood around him. “He was composed in front of the net. He didn’t get tense. He didn’t come up short and got nervous because it wasn’t on the right foot or it took a bad bounce. 

“He’s a senior, he’s a captain and he knows that he either makes it and he’s a hero or if he doesn’t make it people are going why, and he answered the call.”

Twenty-four hours earlier the two head coaches, both 300-game winners and neighbors, were enjoying each other’s camaraderie watching the Eagles’ game, as they often do in the fall. There was no talk of the upcoming soccer game between them. The only teams they talked about were the two on the TV in front of them.

When it came to Monday’s game, however, they were all business and the competition between the teams was as intense as ever.

Schalick’s Jaxon Weber opened the scoring on a 25-yard rocket into the upper right corner with 23:43 left in the first half. Lippincott got the equalizer for the Wolverines (4-0-1) 10 minutes before halftime.

Woodstown keeper Trey Markward was a rock in goal and turned away several Schalick corner kicks in the air. He made 17 saves. When the horn sounded, the Wolverines poured off the bench and dogpiled the goalie in the crease.

“The first goal was 100 percent on me so we just had to kind of regroup and find a way to get back in it and then we scored two goals against the toughest defense in this group,” Markward said. “It was just the complete team getting through it and not stopping after that mistake. I just thought we had 11 guys back there at all times.”

“He came up with some big saves,” Huck said. “He came off his line. He was aggressive. He didn’t let anybody push him around. He basically let the people know that was his box today and took care of business out there.”

Given its magnitude, Huck said the victory “could be a season-changer” for the Wolverines.

“Every one of these guys had each other’s back out here today; I think that was evident,” Huck said. “It came down to one thing and that was a W. It didn’t come down to who scored the goal, how many saves did Trey have, who had the assists or anything else. It was about the W and they got it done today.”

The Cougars, meanwhile, were left to do a little regrouping. The loss was their second one-goal loss in a row after scoring 21 goals in their previous four games. Their attack was impacted by the unavailability of injured leading scorer Luke Price. Second-leading scorer Steve Chomo had to come out after a scary collision in the second half.

“These last two games have been battles.,” Cougars coach Joe Mannella said. “I thought Washington Twp. (in the season opener) kind of showed we’ve got some toughness to us and these last two (games) kind of showed that we lost that.”

NOTES: The teams meet again Oct. 16 in Woodstown … The Wolverines haven’t been unbeaten in their first five games since 2011, when they started the season 6-0 (with five shutouts) …
The Wolverines return to action Thursday at Pitman in the “Orange Cup” match.

PENNSVILLE 4, GLOUCESTER CATHOLIC 0: Justin Michaca and Sam Hassler scored in the first 10 minutes to give the Eagles (4-2) control of the match and John Sassi and Danny Bunny Coronel scored two minutes apart in the second. Coen Rinnier made six saves in goal. All four of the Eagles’ wins have been shutouts.

PENNS GROVE 3, OVERBROOK 2: Rooby Dorival moved up front for overtime and scored his second golden goal in three games when he converted a pass from Prince Ledbetter midway through the first overtime. Dorival also scored the game-winner against Glassboro that started the Red Devils’ current three-match unbeaten streak.

Poyraz Erdönmez and Anthony Pacheco scored Penns Grove’s other goals. Overbrook tied the match in the final minute of regulation.

“It was a good win,” Penns Grove coach Mano Massari said. “But we kind of have a way of shooting ourselves in the foot with silly mistakes that keep other teams in the game and keep us from putting the game away.”

It was tough to celebrate the win, however. Red Devils senior Louby Guerrier broke his collarbone on a breakaway in the second half. The game was delayed about 30 minutes while medical officials attended to him.

“It was a brutal loss, a brutal, brutal loss,” Massari said. “The kids won it for him, that’s for sure.”

CLAYTON 5, SALEM TECH 0: Jonathan Rehm ran his season total to 15 goals with three against the Chargers. It was his fifth multi-goal game of the season.