Category: WOODSTOWN

Friday girls basketball

Woodstown power pair, Battavio and Donelson, have another big game; Pennsville, Schalick, Salem Tech score first wins of the year

FRIDAY’S GIRLS GAMES
Woodstown 70, Penns Grove 38
Pennsville 52, Glassboro 44
Schalick 51, Overbrook 29
Salem Tech 36, Salem 22

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PENNS GROVE — When he watched them from a distance for scouting purposes last year Matt Smart thought then Woodstown’s dynamic duo of Talia Battavio and Megan Donelson were “phenomenal” players. Now that he sees them up close every day as their coach his appreciation for them is even greater.

Battavio and Donelson are never far apart on or off the basketball floor. On the court Friday night, Donelson scored 28 points with five 3-pointers and Battavio scored 26 with three as the Wolverines took down shorthanded Penns Grove 70-38.

Than, when they discovered one had left behind her water bottle as the team was leaving the gym, both tore out of the team bus and raced across the lawn to go back inside to retrieve it.

“We’ve had two tough tests this year so far and Megan and Talia have been great in both of them,” Smart said. “You see their court vision. They have a way of finding each other in situations that I might not even see. They are just so unselfish right now and they want each other to succeed. It’s not a race to see who can score how many points. 

“I scouted them for one game that didn’t end up happening (last year), they were phenomenal. It was how do we stop them offensively and how do we attack them defensively. They are just as advertised, if not better.”

It was the 11th time in their career they both scored 20 in the same game and eighth in the last 30 games. Only 18 points separate them on the career scoring list – Battavio now has 1,240 points, Donelson 1,222.

With the two of them combining for 20 points, the Wolverines (2-0) opened a 24-5 lead in the first quarter and never looked back, although the Red Devils (1-1), playing with only six players, scored the first nine points of second quarter and played them even to halftime.

They weren’t the first points the Wolverines scored in the game. Those belonged to Gianna Maiorini, who hit their first two baskets before the other two got going.

“Today I was most proud of Gianna,” Smart said. “It was a slow kind of start and she comes up and hits two big shots for us. She’s been that way all year. She’s kind of the quiet leader who kind of knows where everybody is.”

Donelson, a Millersville signee, also had seven rebounds and six more steals. Battavio, a Goldey Beacom signee, had six rebounds and seven assists, several of the whip-around variety that usually found Donelson in the corner for a 3. 

Donelson was 5-for-8 from behind the arc in the game.

“Working in the summer just really improved my shooting,” she said.

In perhaps the definition of their collaboration, there was a play early in the fourth quarter when Donelson made a steal that sent them off on a 2-on-1 break. She passed it to Battavio and just as they got to the foul line Battavio returned it past the unfortunate Penns Grove defender caught in the flow and Donelson soared in for an easy layup. 

The play came right after Battavio hit a 3

“Me and Talia work really well together,” Donelson said. “We both know we play and we just work off that and it’s really good.”

WOODSTOWN (2-0) – Talia Battavio 7 9-10 26, Megan Donelson 9 5-6 28, Gianna Maiorini 2 0-0 4, Kyla Leyman 1 0-0 2, Lauren Hengel 0 0-0 0, Emma Perry 1 0-0 3, Jala Thomas 1 0-0 3, Kendall Young 1 0-0 3, Talia Guardascione 0 0-0 0, Lizzy Daly 0 0-0 0, Kailyn Kennedy 0 0-0 0, Brynley Ecret 0 1-3 1, Ava White 0 0-0 0, Mia Waterman 0 0-0 0. Totals 22 15-19 70
PENNS GROVE (1-1) – Brianna Robbins 2 3-8 7, NyAsia Numan 2 0-0 5, RaNiyah Wilson 5 4-6 17, Keziah Patterson 1 0-0 2, MiKayla Washington 0 0-2 0, JaNiyah Cummings 3 1-3 7. Totals 13 8-19 38.

Woodstown24101620–70
Penns Grove5101310–38

3-point goals: Woodstown 11 (Battavio 3, Donelson 5, Perry, Thomas, Young); Penns Grove 4 (Numan, Wilson 3). Fouled out: Robbins, Washington. Total fouls: Woodstown 19, Penns Grove 23.

PENNSVILLE 52, GLASSBORO 44: Marley Wood helped the Eagles hold it together after two of their top players fouled out in the fourth quarter and Glassboro was rallying to help coach Steve Merritt get his first win with the program.

Wood scored 14 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and had five assists. It was her third career double-double. She was particularly instrumental after Taylor Bass (11 points, seven rebounds) and Nora Ausland (12 points, six rebounds) fouled out in the fourth quarter while Glassboro cut a 15-point deficit to six.

Although she didn’t do much scoring in the quarter, she was the rudder that steered the ship. Freshman Addison Johnston also played a big role, scoring four points in the fourth, including her first career 3-pointer.

“One-and-one feels a lot better than 0-2,” Merritt said. “I was almost giddy with joy postgame. I was so proud of how they did what I have been drilling into them.”

Glassboro’s Kezia Brackett led all scorers with 18 points. She had 13 in the second half.

PENNSVILLE (1-1) – Taylor Bass 4 1-1 11, Marley Wood 5 2-4 14, Nora Ausland 4 1-2 12, Jaida Burns 3 1-1 7, Addison Johnston 1 1-2 4, Izzy Saulin 2 0-0 4, Ashlyn Fredo 0 0-0 0, Calli Ausland 0 0-0 0. Totals 19 6-10 52.
GLASSBORO (0-2) – Tamia Smith 6 1-4 14, Grace Moore 1 0-0 2, Kezia Brackett 6 2-2 18, Kimora Miles 0 0-0 0, Sianna Wedderburn 1 0-0 2, Lily Czubas 4 0-2 8. Totals 18 3-8 44.

Pennsville7171612–52
Glassboro3121613–44

3-point goals: Pennsville 8 (Bass 2, Wood 2, N. Ausland 3, Johnston); Glassboro 5 (Smith, Brackett 4). Rebounds: Pennsville 33 (Wood); Glassboro 28 (Wedderburn 13, Czubas 10). Fouled out: Bass, N. Ausland. Total fouls: Pennsville 16, Glassboro 13.

SCHALICK 51, OVERBROOK 29: Freshmen Naveah Robinson and Willow Davis knocked down seven of Schalick’s nine 3-pointers and the long-range bombing led the Cougars to their first win of the season.

Robinson hit four 3-pointers and finished with a team-high 18 points. Davis hit three in her first career start and had 14 points. The Cougars (1-2) have hit 12 3s in their first three games. They had 41 in 22 games last season.

The Cougars hit six from behind the arc in the first half while opening a 33-10 halftime lead. Robinson and Davis had five of them.

“The 3-ball is definitely something Nevaeh and Willow bring to this team,” Cougars coach John Whalen said. “It allows us to do much more on offense and really helps us spread the floor.

“I think both (Robinson and Davis) are starting to more comfortable, more confident, and will be a major part of this team’s success.”

OVERBROOK (0-2) – Gianna Simon 5 7-14 18, Jael Pressley 1 4-6 6, Rosetta Loibman 0 0-0 0, Lelani Knight 1 0-0 2, Kayla Reynolds 1 1-2 3, Talia Wiggins 0 0-0 0, Leslies Rosario 0 0-0 0, Lily LaFountain 0 0-0 0. Totals 8 12-22 29.
SCHALICK (1-2) – Abby Willoughby 1 1-1 3, Cali Fisler 0 1-2 1, Nevaeh Robinson 7 0-1 18, Ava Scurry 3 1-2 7, Willow Davis 5 1-2 14, Emily Miller 2 0-0 5, Olivia Lunemann 0 0-0 0, Carly Vicente 1 0-0 3, Vic Basich 0 0-0 0, Kyleigh Cutler 0 0-0 0, Emma O’Neill 0 0-0 0. Totals 19 4-8 51.

Overbrook64910–29
Schalick1617108–51

3-point goals: Overbrook 1 (Simon); Schalick 9 (Robinson 4, Davis 3, Miller, Vicente). Fouled out: Lunemann. Total fouls: Overbrook 9, Schalick 17. 

SALEM TECH 36, SALEM 22: Shelby Liber hit two 3-pointers among her team-high nine points and the Chargers dominated the boards to win their season opener for the first time in program history. Demajae White had a game-high 12 rebounds. Rylee Doerr didn’t scored, but she grabbed 11 boards. 

Kaylin Beardsley and Shelby Drummond both had full boxscores. Beardlsey had four points, five rebounds, six assists and seven steals. Drummond had three points, eight rebounds, six assists and four steals.

The Chargers won only one game all last season. They had never beaten Salem before (0-4).

SALEM (0-2) – Zaniyah Frieson 1 0-2 2, Nevaeh Hickman 4 0-0 10, Carlysia Pierce 3 3-5 10, Lyric Hayes 0 0-0 0, Marcela Villalpando 0 0-0 0, Taleah Elliott 0 0-0 0, Dakirah Gray 0 0-0 0, Amariah Frye 0 0-0 0, Jania Adams 0 0-0 0, Shyla Parsons 0 0-0 0. Totals 8 3-7 22.
SALEM TECH (1-0) – Kaylin Beardsley 2 0-0 4, Hannah Dewitt 2 3-8 7, Shelby Drummond 1 1-2 3, Shelby Liber 3 1-6 9, Lavae Scott 1 0-0 2, Demajae White 2 2-2 6, Evening Amedee 2 1-1 5, Rylee Doerr 0 0-0 0, Jadelynn Stoffyn 0 0-0 0, Rachel Reed 0 0-0 0, Payton Fitzpatrick 0 0-0 0, Tiara Bazemore 0 0-0 0, Amora Delaine 0 0-0 0. Totals 13 8-19 36.

Salem31126–22
Salem Tech215712–36

3-point goals: Salem 3 (Hickman 2, Pierce); Salem Tech 2 (Liber 2).

Deep-rooted debut

Woodstown’s Roots returns to alma mater as opponent in his first game as a head coach, 3 other coaches also debut with their Salem County teams Wednesday 

WEDNESDAY BASKETBALL
BOYS GAMES
Salem 71, Woodstown 48
Wildwood 54, Pennsville 34
Clayton 87, Schalick 67
GIRLS GAMES
Woodstown 61, Salem 16
Wildwood 70, Pennsville 39
Clayton 65, Schalick 21

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

SALEM – Ramon Roots had all the emotions one would expect from the day of his first game as a head coach. He was excited. He was nervous. He was anxious all day.

But for the new Woodstown boys basketball coach there was more to Wednesday’s debut than just a first game as the guy in charge. It was on the road … against the team he used to help coach … in the gym where he used to play.

And he still teaches in the district, so he was embedded with the “enemy” all school day long.

Once the game started, however, it felt like any other game. And it hurt just as bad as any loss he’s ever had before after the Wolverines lost to Salem, 71-48.

“I was just anxious, I was anxious to get out here and start the program, start the journey,” Roots said. “You’re going to hear me say that a lot, we’re starting the journey.

“It was a little weird being on the other side, but I was ready for this moment. Going in I didn’t know what to really expect but I kind of knew how it would be. Things happen, but I was ready for it.”

Roots was one of four Salem County basketball coaches debuting with their teams Wednesday night. The other three were girls coaches Matt Smart (Woodstown), Steve Merritt (Pennsville) and Jerry Macon (Salem).

Merritt has been around the block a time or two, having won more than 500 games across multiple sports in 19 years at Salem and returning to the bench after a two-year break. Smart and Roots are head coaches for the first time. Macon has been a head coach before.

Before and after his game Roots was greeted by acquaintances who welcomed him back to the gym he experienced some of his fondest moments in sports. The Rams and their faithful were a lot less accommodating in the 32 minutes in between. 

As the game moved into the final minute a section of fans on the far side of the floor began  waving and chanting “Good-bye, Roots,” to which he responded by pointing in the direction of Salem’s 1,000-point scorer banner on which his name appears third from the bottom. A not-so-subtle reminder that no matter where he goes in the world he’ll always be connected to Salem.

“I knew what it would be like,” he said. “I know Salem’s a hostile environment. I know I got love here. I knew how the fans are going to be. It’s all love. I’m used to it already.

“I’ve been living in Salem all my life. I know the environment. I know what to expect. I’ve been on the other side of this. I was a coach for Salem three years and seen how they treat other coaches and other players. It wasn’t nothing I wasn’t used to. But I had a lot of love here tonight that was cheering for both sides.”

“We love him, he’s helped build this program to what it is so we appreciate him and want to see him to well just obviously not tonight,” Salem coach Anthony Farmer said. “It’s a mindset. He knows I’m a competitor. Give him a little high-five, welcome, if we can help you with anything, but (once the game starts) there’s really not much to talk about, there’s no handshakes, no high-fives, until obviously the game is over.”

The two teams gave both sides a lot to cheer about early, playing even for a quarter with Woodstown hitting an acrobatic layup at the buzzer to tie it at 16. Rocco String cleared a rebound to M.J. Hall, who threw an over-the-head backwards pass that found Eli Caesar on the low right block for a wide open layup that beat the horn. 

But then Tymear Lecator got in the game in the second quarter, which got the offense going, the Rams turned up the defense and they steadily pulled away. The Rams scored 10 of the first 12 points of the second quarter and never trailed again.

Lecator, held out of the first quarter for an unspecified issue, scored 12 points in the second quarter and then opened the second half with back-to-back 3s. The sophomore guard finished with 27 points – mostly in the second and third quarters – and seven assists.

Antwuan Rogers added 14 points and 10 rebounds, and Darrelle Johnson grabbed 10 boards. Woodstown didn’t have a double-figure scorer. Rocco String had 17 rebounds.

“They played us well for a quarter without our best kid, but obviously (Lecator) is a game-changer,” Farmer said. “When you insert him, you’re inserting a game-changer.”

“We definitely started strong, but I think we just turned over the ball a little bit too much and they had momentum plays that really hurt,” Roots said. “I liked our energy coming out. We’ve just got to maintain it.”

It was a physical game, as Roots expected, with 51 total fouls and 49 combined free throws. When Roots protested a call a little too vehemently he got hit with the first technical foul of his coaching career — 13 and a half minutes into his tenure — proving right there he may be a son of Salem but he was going to fight for his new charges.

“Everyone goes to bat for me, I’ll go to bat for them,” he said. “I’ve got their back when they’ve got mine.”

WILDWOOD GIRLS 70, PENNSVILLE 39: It may have been two years ago that Steve Merritt last coached a high school girls basketball game, but he remembers the experience being “every bit as frenetic as I remember it” as he directed his new Pennsville team through its regular-season opener.

The Eagles trailed the defending South Jersey Group I champions 10-8 with two minutes left in the first quarter, but the Warriors scored the last nine points of the quarter coming out of a timeout and steadily pulled away. Wildwood led 36-19 at halftime and 55-24 after three quarters. 

“We just didn’t play sharp defense,” Merritt said. “We let Macie (McCracken) go to the baseline too often. We didn’t stay with our player; we switched when I wanted them to get through the screens. It’s not what I had hoped.”

McCracken finished with 36 points (to surpass 1,800 for her career) and 14 rebounds. She hit five 3-pointers. Taylor Bass led Pennsville with 16 points. Nora Ausland had 13.

Before their first scrimmage together, Merritt was so amped for the exercise he had restless night of sleep, took his dog for a walk at 6 a.m. and wound up coming to the gym some two hours before the scheduled tip. 

It wasn’t nearly as disquieting awaiting the first real game, but he agreed his emotions he was experiencing were probably on a par with those of the county coaches going into their first games a head coach because he’d been away from it a few year.

“The anticipation for the game seemed to drag on forever … but as soon as it’s over I’m thinking ‘Holy cow, that was fast,’” he said. “I’m looking forward to tomorrow when I go on line and look at all the results and start doing my stat track and everything else. I get excited about that. Chews up the whole morning. The poor dog may not get out.”

WOODSTOWN GIRLS 61, SALEM 16: The Matt Smart Era of Woodstown girls basketball couldn’t have gotten off to a better start. The Wolverines jumped out to a 19-2 first-quarter lead, held the Rams scoreless in the third quarter, put 10 players in the scoring column and enjoyed their biggest opening day win since 2021.

“It was a fun experience, it was a great learning experience as well – for me and the girls,” Smart said. “I get to learn how the girls react to my coaching style, they get to see me in a real game scenario. It was a lot of fun. The girls responded great.”

Both teams were playing under new coaches as Salem’s Jerry Macon was coaching his first game with the Rams.

Smart admitted he was a “little nervous” waiting for the game to start, but once it got underway it was just like any other game.

And it was just like any other Woodstown game.

South Jersey girls basketball observers have gotten used to this phrase: Talia Battavio and Megan Donelson once again led the way. Battavio scored 20 points. Donelson had 13 points and 10 steals.

The Wolverines produced 43 steals in the game; six players had at least four each. They also had 21 assists among their 27 baskets.

“It was a great defensive effort for us,” Smart said. “I was most proud of how unselfish the whole team was. We were playing great defense, making unselfish passes for layups. I think the box score shows that we had 10 contributors scoring, which is awesome.

“We have to play to the Woodstown level and every day we’re just trying to get better. There’s always room to improve and that’s what we’re going to try to do every day.”

Salem coach Anthony Farmer (R) embraces new Woodstown coach Ramon Roots in the post-game handshake line Wednesday. Roots was Farmer’s assistant for three years before getting his first chance to be a head coach this season.

BOYS BOX SCORES
SALEM 71, WOODSTOWN 48
WOODSTOWN (0-1) – Eli Caesar 2 0-0 4, John McGinley 0 0-0 0, Blake Bialecki 2 3-3 8, Alejandro Vazquez 2 4-5 9, M.J. Hall 2 2-3 7, Garrett Leyman 1 1-2 4, Anthony Bokolas 0 0-0 0, Andrew White 1 3-4 5, Rocco String 1 2-5 4, B Mall 2 1-2 7. Totals 13 16-24 48.
SALEM (2-0) – Donovan Weathers 0 0-0 0, Xavier McGriff 1 1-3 3, Neziah Spence 3 0-0 8, Kyaire Parsons 0 0-0 0, Deshawn Williams 2 0-1 4, Tymear Lecator 7 10-13 27, Darrell Johnson 3 0-0 6, Antwan Rogers 4 4-5 12, Harlem Parsons 1 0-0 3, Joe Tunis 3 2-3 9, Giovanni Talave 0 0-0 0, Cole Sayers 0 0-0 0. Totals 24 17-25 71. 

Woodstown 1610148-48
Salem16241417-71

3-point goals: Woodstown 6 (Bialecki, Vazquez, Hall, Leyman, Mall 2); Salem 6 (Spence, Lecator 3, H. Parsons, Tunis). Technical fouls: Woodstown coach Roots. Fouled out: Bialecki, Hall. Total fouls: Woodstown 28, Salem 22.

WILDWOOD 54, PENNSVILLE 34: Brian Cunniff led three Wildwood scorers in double figures with 17 points. Trevor Troiano had 12 and Nolan Mawhinney 11. Mason O’Brien led Pennsville with 13 points.

WILDWOOD (1-0) – Eric Jordan 3, Nolan Mawhinney 11, Trevor Troiano 12, Brian Cunniff 17, Jordan Dozier 4, Gianna Groiano 2.
PENNSVILLE (0-1) – Mason O’Brien 3 6-10 13, Charles McDevitt 1 3-5 5, Giovanni Rios 2 4-7 8, Perry Meranti 0 1-4 1, Cole Johnston 1 0-0 3, Logan Hill 1 0-0 2, Daniel Knight 1 0-0 2. Totals 9 14-26 34.

Wildwood 7102011-54
Pennsville88612-34

3-point goals: Pennsville 2 (O’Brien, Johnston). Rebounds: Wildwood 35, Pennsville 21 (Rios 6).

CLAYTON 87, SCHALICK 67: Princeton Sackor scored 21 points, Nazir Davis had 20 and two others scored 11 apiece as the Clippers opened their season with a victory. 

Clayton 18222423-87
Schalick10132519-67
New Pennsville girls coach Steve Merritt (R) watches his team go through pre-game warmups before sending it out to play Wildwood in their first regular-season game together.

GIRLS BOX SCORES
WOODSTOWN 61, SALEM 16
SALEM (0-1) – Carlysia Pierce 4 0-2 9, Zaniyah Frieson 0 0-0 0, Lyric Hayes 0 0-0 0, Marcela Villalpando 0 1-2 1, Taleah Elliott 0 0-0 0, Dakirah Gray 0 0-0 0, Nevaeh Hickman 3 0-0 6, Amariah Frye 0 0-0 0, Jania Adams 0 0-0 0, Shyla Parsons 0 0-0 0. Totals 7 1-4 16.
WOODSTOWN (1-0) – Megan Donelson 6 0-0 13, Talia Battavio 8 0-0 20, Gianna Maiorini 1 0-0 2, Lauren Hengel 1 0-0 2, Kyia Leyman 2 0-0 4, Emma Perry 2 0-1 4, Kendall Young 3 2-2 8, Lizzy Daly 0 0-2 0, Kailyn Kennedy 1 0-0 3, Talia Guardascione 0 0-0 0, Brynley Ecret 1 0-0 2, Ava White 0 0-0 0, Mia Waterman 1 0-0 3, Monah Green 0 0-0 0. Totals 26 2-5 61.

Salem24010-16
Woodstown 19171114-61

3-point goals: Salem 1 (Pierce); Woodstown 7 (Donelson, Battavio 4, Kennedy, Waterman). Total fouls: Salem 10, Woodstown 8.

WILDWOOD 70, PENNSVILLE 39
WILDWOOD (1-0) – Macie McCracken 14 3-3 36, Angela Wilber 5 1-2 13, Rebecca Benichou 6 0-0 14, Kiana D’Antuono 1 0-0 3, Cydnee Kilian 0 0-0 0, Addison Troiano 0 1-2 1, Sara Bjellal 1 1-1 3, Laila Fathi 0 0-0 0, Lily Atkinson 0 0-0 0, Emma Contreras 0 0-0 0, Julia Ennis 0 0-0 0, Antoinette Cooper 0 0-0 0, Ellasyn Morey 0 0-0 0, Mollie Farrell 0 0-0 0, Janet Conzalez 0 0-0 0. Totals 27 6-8 70. 
PENNSVILLE (0-1) – Taylor Bass 7 1-1 16, Marley Wood 3 2-4 8, Izzy Saulin 1 1-2 3, Nora Ausland 5 2-3 12, Jaida Burns 0 0-2 0, Ashlyn Fredo 0 0-0 0, Calli Ausland 0 0-0 0, Addison Johnston 0 0-0 0, Kylie Harris 0 0-0 0. Totals 16 6-10 39.

Wildwood 19171915-70
Pennsville811515-39

3-point goals: Wildwood 10 (McCracken 5, Wilber 2, Benichou 2, D’Antuono); Pennsville 1 (Bass). Rebounds: Wildwood 33 (McCracken 14). Total fouls: Wildwood 12, Pennsville 8.

CLAYTON 65, SCHALICK 21: Rainelle Blocker dominated the game with 33 points and 26 rebounds. Teammate Ava Delaney had 16 points and 13 of the Clippers’ 24 steals.

SCHALICK (0-2) – Abby Willoughby 0 1-2 1, Cali Fisler 0 1-2 1, Neveah Robinson 2 1-2 5, Ava Scurry 0 0-0 0, Olivia Vanacker 2 0-0 4, Willow Davis 2 0-0 5, Emily Miller 1 0-0 2, Olivia Lunemann 1 0-0 2, Victoria Basich 0 0-0 0, Emma O’Neill 0 1-2 1, Kyleigh Cutler 0 0-0 0, Carly Vicente 0 0-2 0. Totals 8 4-10 21.
CLAYTON (1-0) – Ava Delaney 7 1-6 16, Rainelle Blocker 12 9-13 33, Rosa Pereira 1 0-0 3, India Williams 3 2-2 8, India Bryant 2 0-0 5, Bella Wiseburn 0 0-0 0, Kayma Revels 0 0-0 0. Totals 25 12-21 65.

Schalick (0-2) 2568-21
Clayton (1-0)1392219-65

3-point goals: Schalick 1 (Davis); Clayton 3 (Delaney, Pereira, Bryant). Total fouls: Schalick 16, Clayton 13.

Getting to Know …

Rocco String, Woodstown’s man for all seasons

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

WOODSTOWN – Rocco String truly is a man for all seasons. If there’s a game to be played any time during the school year, he’s usually right in the middle of it. He plays football, basketball and baseball for Woodstown and is a force in each.

STRING

At 6-foot-6, he’s hard to miss. On the football field he’s a big target as a tight end on offense and a giant terror as a rush end on defense. On the basketball court, of course, he’s the center. And on the baseball diamond, which is his first love, he pitches and plays first base.

The key to being ready in all three is concentrating on diet and doing the things necessary to have his body ready for each very specific grind.

String spent some time with Riverview Sports News before a recent basketball practice where he talked about the demands of being a year-round athlete, how big a grocery sack it takes to fill his gas tank, adjusting to two new head coaches his senior year and his aspirations for the future. The Wolverines open their regular season Wednesday at Salem, where new coach Ramon Roots used to be an assistant.

Here is the full length interview with the Wolverines’ “friendly giant” below.

RIVERVIEW SPORTS NEWS: You really are a man of all seasons. How do you keep up with it all, going from one season right into the other?

ROCCO STRING: It’s more about eating. Drink a lot of water and eating. Every night I go in the hot tub. I make sure my body is all fueled up for the next day. Get cool. Do cold tubs. Mostly my body, just trying to make sure I’m not sore the next day, make sure I’m all stretched out, make sure I’m flexible and able to move into the next sport. 

With football being so physical that was a big toll making sure my body was not all sore, fresh for the next day, fresh for the game, then transition into basketball, make sure my legs were all right. I’m burning 2-3-5,000 calories a day. It’s all about eating.

RSN: OK, give me a sense about your dietary regimen.

RS: In the morning I eat eggs, sausage, bacon. More like 6-8 eggs and then 6 to 8 strips of bacon, four sausages with like four pieces of bread. Sometimes I will miss breakfast because I’ve just got to get up and go. Most of the time I will have time to eat it. I usually do over easy with dipping the toast. That’s good.

Lunch I usually can do like two cheesesteaks or two meatball sandwiches, just anything with two sandwiches and any size. And dinner is more like meat, protein, like getting all the stuff ripped through my body, like steak, chicken, turkey, ham. Whatever my mom cooks. I usually have pasta one or two times a week with different kinds of sauces. Mix it all up.

RSN: Is the multi-sport thing something you’ve always done or just over the last couple years. Some guys might take a break, but you do everything.

RS: When I was younger I played football, baseball and basketball and I stopped playing football just to focus more on baseball. Coming back to Woodstown I wanted to play football again. As I was playing football again it brought back memories about going through all three of the sports.

It really didn’t have a major impact on me because going through three sports it’s more of an athletic thing. I have that, so being able to do that didn’t really affect me as much.

RSN: Luckily the state gives you a little bit of a buffer between each season. Where I was down south the seasons overlapped. How much do you appreciate whatever break you get between seasons and what do you during them to wind down and prep for the next?

RS: We actually went right into (basketball) because of the states (in football) and all that. If I do have that break I’ll kind of relax for a week and if I have two weeks I’ll relax for a week and then start working for a week for the next sport. If I don’t have a break, I’ll relax, eat a lot, drink a lot of water, make sure I’m ready to go for that next sport. If I do have it, I’m taking that week of a break. I think my body needs it, my mind needs it.

RSN: You’re all about maintaining your physical well-being. Have you ever been hurt, outside of the usual stuff that comes with the season?

RS: No. Being my size it’s hard. I’ve seen a lot of guys get hurt really quickly, so the big part is taking care of your body because once you take care of that then you’re basically all right.

RSN: Why do you play these three sports specifically?

RS: I’ve been playing baseball my whole life; that’s my first sport. Basketball, I kind of got into it when I was real young. My sisters played it. I think I was pretty good at it, especially when I got taller; people kept asking me if I played basketball and I would say yeah. I just loved it over the years and it’s my last year of playing all three so I figured to have the most joy out of it.

THE ROCCO FILE
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2024.289263E3.2015
2023.3922048.25.6511

RSN: Have you done any of the other sports – track, wrestling, soccer, golf?

RS: I do golf on my free time for fun with some of my guys who are in college. Town & Country. Centerton. Some courses up north I go to. I’m okay. I wouldn’t say I’m real good, but I’m OK. Some of my buddies are better than me, but I can go with them to where we can play. I played lacrosse for one year (fifth grade), but I didn’t really like it

RSN: What are you – a football player, a basketball player or a baseball player? 

RS: A baseball player. I’ve been playing my whole life. When I real younger I really took it seriously, playing baseball mostly. I really wanted to play just baseball, but my parents really wanted me to play all three sports, so that’s why I kind of play them now. Playing those other two sports helped me out a lot with baseball.

RSN: What are you going to do in college and why is that your sport? You probably have offers in all three.

RS: I want to play baseball. I want to do pitching and hitting and defense, whatever I have to do to help the team.

RSN: What’s the recruiting been like for all three. I’m sure there’s interest across the board.

RS: Basketball is out of the question, like nobody’s been here for basketball, which is obviously; Woodstown basketball is not that great. Football, there’s been a lot of D-II, D-III schools here, which I’ve talked to a lot; all of us guys have talked to them a lot. Baseball I’ve had a lot. I actually went on a visit today to RCSJ in Cumberland. I’ve been to Penn State-Abington and I’ve been to a couple others down south, which were pretty cool, like Alabama and Auburn. I was trying to go down to Florida, but I didn’t have a tournament down there so I couldn’t go.

I just want to play. I want somewhere I can get a degree, but I also want to just play for fun and just have a good time. Everyone says I have a unique size and you can’t teach size, so having that I can definitely work a lot harder with a lot of college guys, help me push a lot harder. And doing one sport at one time is even better.

RSN: Have you given any consideration or asked the programs that are talking to you if you could play multiple sports at their schools?

RS: There are some football coaches in here who say they want dual sport athletes, but I’ll mostly likely just want to focus on one sport.

RSN: Do you think playing multiple sports impacts that recruiting good or bad because they don’t know what sport you favor?

RS: I think it’s good because it shows that you’re very athlete, that you’re a team guy, you play with different people and you learn more about different sports. You’re training for that sport and then you have to transition to a different sport and you have to train for that, which not a lot of people can really do, so I think that’s a special gift to have.

RSN: As a multi-sport guy here you had the unique experience to adjusting to two new head coaches (football with Frank Trautz and basketball with Ramon Roots). That can be a challenge as well. What’s that been like?

RS: Fun, really. Roots was here for football as an assistant and getting to meet him before the (basketball) season was actually a little bit better because you were getting to know him and getting to see how functions around guys.

And Trautz coming in for football, we had him last year as an assistant and with coach (John) Adams stepping down we kind of saw it coming up and being a big part of this team. As we were going through summer camp we kind of thought this could be our year to do the same thing we did last year, which was go pretty far because of Trautz.

He had this big mindset going into the season, brought a lot of new plays in, a lot of new formations and a lot of new guys we had stepping up, which was big.

Even when they were assistants they talked to us about everything. They were there for us, so it really hasn’t changed. They were just always there.

RSN: If I remember right you’re related to Penns Grove football coach Mark Maccarone. That must’ve made that game pretty fun. Are there any other sports luminaries in your family tree?

RS: They’re my dad’s first cousins. It was a real fun game because he actually came over that night after the game, Greg and Mark, and it was real fun. We always talk throughout the season about football games. Even when Greg was at Glassboro coaching for them I always made jokes to him like “You shouldn’t be there, buddy, but you’re there.” He would laugh and whatnot, but we would have our times. Even his son Nick, whose at Montclair State, we talked about football, he gave me some advice and some pointers for it, so they’ve actually been a big help to me. They tell people all around they have a cousin who’s 6-6 who can play all three sports. 

RSN: What makes Woodstown sports so successful every year across the board?

RS: Just working out from freshman year, you’re seeing all the juniors and seniors working and seeing how they move with the game, seeing how their coached and seeing how they are off the field. It’s growing every year, growing every year with your buddies as your group, you get a sense they’re like your brothers and when you’re on the field you’ve got discipline.

All of us as a group, this year as seniors, we all had a mindset we could be how we were last year even with the guys that we lost – and we did it.

RSN: Knowing the story isn’t completely finished, what have been your best one or two all-time Rocco moments so far? 

RS: My first two were the first and second round of the playoffs last year in baseball against Maple Shade and Pennsville. I hit a home run in the fourth inning against Maple Shade to give us a 1-0 lead. That kind of changed the game. And in Pennsville going back-to-back with AP (Andrew Pedrick) that was a cool moment because I don’t that’s been done in a while here at Woodstown and we kind of knew what that game meant. That was our time.

In football it was that championship game against Shore. That was a really fun game for me. That has to be third. Just playing with those group of guys and kicking the crap out of Shore was real fun.

Rocco String stomps on the plate after hitting the back piece of back-to-back homers with Andrew Pedrick in the first inning of last year’s South Jersey Group I baseball playoff game at Pennsville.

RSN: What did you think of the football season and what are you expectations for basketball?

RS: I think we’ll be OK. I don’t think we’ll be as good as a lot of other teams up north because they breathe basketball up there. Basketball isn’t as strong down here, but we do it to the best of our ability. A lot of times basketball is not our strongest sport, a lot of guys just play it for fun, they play it to get exercise, basketball is just here.

For football at the beginning of the season we heard a lot of talk that we weren’t going to be that good, but we kind of had a chip on our shoulder and when Coach Trautz came in he had a chip on his shoulder, too. He was feeling kind of how we were feeling, like, listen, we’re not going to have anyone talk us down. Beating Delsea first game of the season that kind of ran something through our minds that we’ve got this, we can do it, we just have to work hard at it.

RSN: Can you tell any difference already how basketball is different with Roots here?

RS: We’ve been doing a lot more running, a lot more technical work that we didn’t really get to do last year, which has been helping us a lot. Running has been a big part. Last year we didn’t do much of that and we’ve been doing it every day at the beginning of practice, which is good for us. And we’re doing more defensive work, because that was a big struggle last year.

RSN: What’s Rocco all about off the field. What do you do that’s no sports related?

RS: My family has a construction business (MLS Lawns and Landscapes) that I work on a lot with my dad. I do all the hard work. I wake up at 4 in the morning and pour concrete with the guys. I do all the site work with my dad. And I also work on a farm with my uncle in Harrisonville.

When I’m working, that’s kind of my weight room. It takes a toll on your body, but when I’ve got the chance to go to the weight room I’ll go because I know I need to put a lot of weight on. I want to try to get to 240-250 of just lean muscle because I think that’ll help me out a lot in college. I think if I put on 20 pounds of muscle that’ll be perfect for me.

And I’m either fishing or hunting with my buddies that are around here and being around my girlfriend.

RSN: Just from your size, the position you play, your body type, you remind me of former NFL tight end Rob Gronkowski. Do you get that? 

RS: I’ve heard a lot about that, like you remind me of a professional player of this sport or that sport. I see that, but I don’t really feel like that because it’s just my size.

A lot of guys tell me I look like, baseball wise, Freddie Freeman, because he’s 6-6. Football wise it’s more like Gronk or Travis Kelce, just a tall tight end. In basketball it’s more like a (Nikola) Jokic, a type of guy who’s real tall but plays the game real lanky. There are a lot of people who say stuff like that. 

RSN: Do you have any advice for kids who are playing multiple sports or may be having a hard time in one of the multiple sports they play?

RS: Just be a competitive person but also an energetic, fun and friendly person off the court and field. When you’re on the field you want to be as competitive as you can, talkative as you can, be a leader. 

For baseball I’m a leader. Because I first base I talk to all the guys. Basketball, I’m a leader because I’m a center, making sure everyone’s in their places. Football, all of us were leaders, all of guys as seniors. When you’re on the field you have to have a mindset that you’re the guy everyone trusts, you’re the guy who puts people in position. I’ve gotten that the last couple years, I’ve kind of built that up. I’ve seen it in myself, telling guys where to go.

Don’t be scared of doing other sports. Try it. Even if it’s the first time. You’ll get coached. When you’re a little kid, like 10-12 years old, just try. Just do as many sports as you can. It won’t hurt you. It’ll just make you better.

RSN: Thanks for taking the time for this. We do these extended interviews in hopes of introducing people to the personalities of the players they watch beyond the arena.

RS: Just a friendly giant, that’s all.

This week’s schedule

Here is the schedule for Salem County sports teams for the week of Dec. 16-21; games 4 p.m. unless noted; x-scrimmage

MONDAY, DEC. 16
GIRLS BASKETBALL
x-Pennsville at Palmyra
x-Woodstown at Kingsway
BOYS BASKETBALL
x-Clearview at Woodstown
x-Palmyra at Pennsville
Buena at Salem Tech, 5:30 p.m.
SWIMMING
Woodstown vs. West Deptford at Riverwinds, 3:30 p.m.

TUESDAY, DEC. 17
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Schalick at Cape May Tech, 5:30 p.m.
BOYS BASKETBALL
Cape May Tech at Schalick
SWIMMING
Schalick vs. Camden Academy Charter at Vineland YMCA, 3:15 p.m.
INDOOR TRACK
Salem, Penns Grove at Bennett Center, Toms River, 5 p.m.
WRESTLING
Salem, Palmyra at Pennsville, 5 p.m.
BOWLING
Salem Tech vs. ACIT
WOMENS COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Mercer County CC at Salem CC, 5 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 18
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Wildwood at Pennsville
Salem at Woodstown, 5:30 p.m.
Schalick at Clayton, 5:30 p.m.
BOYS BASKETBALL
Wildwood at Pennsville, 5:30 p.m.
Clayton at Schalick, 5:30 p.m.
Woodstown at Salem, 5:30 p.m.
BOWLING
Salem in Holiday Showcase at Laurel Lanes, Maple Shade, 3:30 p.m.
Salem Tech vs. Gloucester Catholic at Wood Lanes

THURSDAY, DEC. 19
SWIMMING
Schalick vs. Gloucester Catholic at GCIT, 4:45 p.m.
Woodstown vs. Deptford at GCIT, 7 p.m.
WRESTLING
Penns Grove at Schalick
Timber Creek at Woodstown, 6 p.m.
Pennsville girls at Beast of the East Tournament (U of Del.)
TRACK
Pennsville Polar Bear Meet, 3 p.m.
MENS COLLEGE BASKETBALL
RCSJ-Cumberland at Salem CC, 5 p.m.

FRIDAY, DEC. 20
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Overbrook at Schalick, 5:30 p.m.
Pennsville at Glassboro, 5:30 p.m.
Salem at Salem Tech
Woodstown at Penns Grove
BOYS BASKETBALL
Glassboro at Pennsville, 3 p.m.
Penns Grove at Woodstown, 5:30 p.m.
Salem Tech at Salem, 3 p.m.
Schalick at Overbrook, 5:30 p.m.
WRESTLING
Pennsville at William Penn (Del.) Invitational 
Pennsville girls at Beast of the East Tournament (U of Del.)

SATURDAY, DEC. 21
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Salem Tech at Gloucester Catholic, 1:30 p.m.
Boardwalk Classic
Wildwood Convention Center
Penns Grove vs. Timber Creek, 2:15 p.m.
SJIBT Tournament
Highland at Woodstown, 11:30 a.m.
WRESTLING
Salem girls at Jackson Liberty Tournament, 9 a.m.
Pennsville at William Penn (Del.) Invitational, 10 a.m.
Woodstown in Beast of the East Tournament (U of Del.)
TRACK
Pennsville, Salem, Woodstown at Ott Center, Philadelphia

Wrestling roundup

Schalick wins its season-opening tournament, Woodstown places fourth at Delaware Valley

By Riverview Sports News

CENTERTON – Schalick won seven of the 14 weight divisions and had three other wrestlers in finals to run away with its Holiday Classic Saturday.

The Cougars, competing as a single-school team this year after being a co-op program with Cumberland Regional, scored 238 points. Penns Grove finished second (132) in the seven-team field.

Emma Cain (107), Caleb Jenkins (114), Luke Silva (127), Ayden Jenkins (151), James Cook (166), Ricky Watt (176) and Evan Elliott (191) all won their weight class. Koen Martin (158), Eric Sulik (166) and Gerardo Felipe (216) wrestled in the finals.

Tre Brown (158) and Wayne Scott (285) won weight classes for Penns Grove. Devine Arce (127) and Clinton Bobo (176) wrestled in finals.

Schalick had 15 wrestlers post top-four finishes. Penns Grove had nine wrestlers place in the top four.

SCHALICK HOLIDAY CLASSIC

TEAM SCORES: Schalick 238, Penns Grove 132, West Windsor-Plainsboro South 122.5, Oakcrest 120, Mainland 117, Haddon Heights 103.5, Holy Spirit 71

CHAMPIONSHIP MATCHES
107: Emma Cain (Schalick) pinned Ethan Kavanakudiyil (WWPS), 4:30
114: Caleb Jenkins (Schalick) maj. dec. over Michael Ferraro (Haddon Heights), 11-3
121: Cole Denning (Haddon Heights) tech fall over Sanchez Joseph (Oakcrest), 17-0
127: Luke Silva (Schalick) dec, Devine Arce (Penns Grove), 9-5
133: Gavin Mensch (Holy Spirit) pinned Braden Monroe (Oakcrest), 1:31
139: Chris Mazur (Mainland) pinned Erick Montas-Aras (Oakcrest), 4:34
145: James Morley (Mainland) pinned Cameron Blaise (WWPS), 1:02
151: Ayden Jenkins (Schalick) tech fall over Carson Endicott (Mainland), 19-3
158: Anthony Brown (Penns Grove) pinned Koen Martin (Schalick), 1:08
166: James Cook (Schalick) dec. Eric Sulik (Schalick), 11-4
176: Ricky Watt (Schalick) dec. Clinton Bobo (Penns Grove), 10-7
191: Evan Elliott (Schalick) pinned Alex Krapivin (WWPS), 0:43
216: Jackson Broschard (Holy Spirit) dec. Gerardo Felipe (Schalick), 7-3
285: Wayne Scott (Penns Grove) pinned Nate Lelionis (Haddon Heights), 1:33

Wendy Pandy-Leh Invitational

FRENCHTOWN – Four Woodstown wrestlers, including three members of its blonde brigade, won division titles and led the Wolverines to a solid fourth-place finish in their season-opening tournament at Delaware Valley Regional.

Carson Bradway (120), Greyson Hyland (175) and Mateo Vinciguerra (285) all won their weight class, as did 126 Travis Balback. A fourth member of the blonde brigade, Paul Banff, finished third at 190.

Bradway drew a first-round bye, then scored a pair of pins and won his weight class with a major decision. Balback also had two pins and a major. Hyland had two pins and won his title bout by decision. Vinciguerra drew two byes and scored two pins.

Vinciguerra told Riverview Sports News earlier in the week the four friends went for the dye job “for the fun of it, to have fun in the season.”

“I’ve seen other teams do it before,” the Wolverines’ heavyweight said. “It’s just a fun thing to do, just maybe get some team chemistry.”

The Wolverines also got top four finishes from Brett Rowand (second, 157); Alex Torres (fourth, 132); and Bradley Snitcher (third, 215). Rowand had three pins before being pinned in his title bout.

The Wolverines scored 153 points. Ocean Twp. edged Del Val by two points to win the team title.

“While we have a lot of work to do, we wrestled well in spots,” Wolverines coach Adam Hyland said. “Travis Balback looked great all day up a weight from last year and so did Carson Bradway down a weight. Both were attacking and wrestling a fun style to watch.

“Greyson and Mateo got the job done and Brett Rowand looked solid coming in second. Bradley Snitcher also wrestled well pinning three guys while taking third.”

WENDY PANDY-LEH INVITATIONAL

TEAM SCORES: Ocean Twp. 180, Del Val Regional 178, Wall 163.5, Woodstown 153, Westfield 111.5, Williamstown 110.5, Cherokee 83, Princeton 76, Vorhees (Glen Gardner) 56.5, Pascack Hills 28.

CHAMPIONSHIP MATCHES
106: Adam Froehlich (Williamstown) pinned Michael Apicelli (Ocean Twp.), pinned 3:22
113: Tristan Rosemeyer (Williamstown) maj. dec. over Omar Carrillo-Solano (Wall), 21-11
120: Carson Bradway (Woodstown) maj. dec. over Charles Mahoney (Wall), 15-4
126: Travis Balback (Woodstown) pinned Ben Waitzel (Wall), 1:58
132: Jaden Perez (Del Val) pinned Steven Perez (Ocean Twp.), 1:32
138: Dominic Volek (Ocean Twp.) def. Cole Rose (Princeton), inj. (5:15)
144: Michael Volek (Ocean Twp.) pinned Michael Hasson (Del Val), 3:41
150: Blase Mele (Princeton) pinned Parker Quinn (Wall), 1:26
157: Luke Sinkewicz (Del Val) pinned Brett Rowand (Woodstown), 1:45
165: Jeremy Marsella (Wall) tech fall over Olivier Paul (Del Val), 17-1 (2:45)
175: Greyson Hyland (Woodstown) dec. Jack McDermott (Westfield), 8-2
190: Jake Zemsky (Westfield) maj. dec. over Deryk Hannold (Williamstown), 12-1
215: Daniel Farina (Ocean Twp.) pinned Eric Clauburg (Wall), 1:57
285: Mateo Vinciguerra (Woodstown) pinned Luken Alberdi (Del Val), 1:03

Getting to know …

Mateo Vinciguerra, Woodstown’s blonde brawler

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

WOODSTOWN – The last time we saw Woodstown’s Mateo Vinciguerra on the mat he had a headful of dark hair and was wrestling in the 215 weight class.

VINCIGUERRA

But it’s a new year and a new look for the Wolverines’ junior. Now, the hair is dyed blonde in a measure of solidarity and he’s wrestling full time in the heavyweight division.

But as much as things are changing, some things remain the same. He remains committed to winning a state championship for himself and his Wolverines team. After coming close last year, he’s looking to complete the job.

Vinciguerra, the Region 8 champion at 215 last year, spent some time with Riverview Sports News after a recent practice to talk about, among other things, the changes, his goals and the irony of his name. He hits the mat for the first time this season Saturday.

ROUND ONE: The Changes

RIVERVIEW SPORTS NEWS: Okay, what’s the story with the hair?

MATEO VINCIGUERRA: Me and a couple other friends on the wrestling team (175 Grayson Hyland, 120 Carson Bradway and 190 Paul Banff) did it just for the fun it, to have fun in the season.

I’ve seen other teams do it before. It’s just a fun thing to do. Just maybe get some team chemistry; we all go dye our hair somewhere and have fun. Just have fun for the season.

RSN: Shaving it was out of the question, right?

MV: I usually have a buzz cut, but I’m not going to shave it like all the way.

RSN: Let’s talk about the move to heavyweight. You opened last year there (going 14-1) before dropping down to 215 for the rest of the year (going 18-3), winning the region and placing fourth at states). What’s this all about?

MV: I did it at the beginning and realized I was too small. I went into it barely 230 and I realized I was just too small for a heavyweight, so I went down. I knew since last year I would be a heavyweight this year.

RSN: So what are you now?

MV: Around 245.

RSN: Will the competition be different now and what will being a lighter heavy help you to do?

MV: Being on the lighter side of heavyweight really helps me with my speed and my overall technique. I wrestle a kid in here, he’s pretty big, he’s about 30 pounds (heavier), and I feel like my speed just capitalizes more often than his weight.

RSN: Does Maryland want you to wrestle as a heavyweight?

MV: Yes. I’ll be redshirting by freshman year at Maryland, but I want to be around 270 probably by the time I get to Maryland.

RSN: Did you have to wrestle with the idea of being a heavyweight because I’m sure there are some nuances associated with the two weight classes?

MV: Heavyweight is more of a dogfight match. The guys are a lot heavier than me so I’m going to have to work a little harder, get them tired, but I just have to capitalize having a better gas tank than them. I knew it was going to be a little harder to move the big guys, but I knew once I get into the late periods I could definitely capitalize on that.

ROUND TWO: Love of the Sport

THEMATEOFILE
2023-24RECORDPINS
215 18-311
28514-112
2022-23
19017-68
2158-24
TOTAL57-1235

RSN: You’ve wrestling since like you were 7. What is it about wrestling that appeals to you above all others, because it’s all you do?

MV: It really shapes you as a person, not just in wrestling, but in life. It makes you have that hard work ethic, that dedication. It really just teaches you not just principles of wrestling, but principles of life – just be a hard worker and have that mental toughness not really all the other sports teach you; you just have to be more mentally tough than every other sport.

RSN: What’s your earliest best memory in the sport that nailed it for you that this was the thing?

MV: Probably back in fifth grade when I won youth states. It was just an exciting moment with my dad. I knew that was my sport because that feeling of winning that big tournament just felt so good. I knew I wanted to win more like it.

RSN: Has it come easy for you or did you have to work at it?

MV: I kind of developed it at a young age, I picked it up real quick, but throughout middle school I drifted away from it, but once I got into high school I realized if I wanted to be really, really good I have to actually dedicate time to the sport and that’s when I really started to pick it up.

RSN: Did the success as a region champion last year surprise you, doing it as a sophomore?

MV: Not really. My expectations were to be a region champ, but I didn’t really meet my expectations last year placing in the states. After losing the districts it was a real heartbreaker, it really messed me up mentally, but after a couple days I talked to my coach and he really got my mindset right and ready for states.

RSN: What did the regional win do for you and your drive going forward?

MV: That win got me a little momentum going into states, even though state wasn’t the best. Even after state into the postseason, I realized winning that region I could really do something special and that’s what really helped me get that big push in the offseason.

RSN: Your brother (John, now wrestling at Penn) won the region title the year before. What’s it mean to have two of those things in the house?

MV: It was really cool having us both have the same weight and winning the same weight. It was cool to see both of our names up there on that board, both being 215. Seeing him do that really inspired me because I look up to my big brother a lot. He really keeps me pushing a lot. Whenever I need something I text him. It really pushed me to want to follow his footsteps and be a region champion just like him.

RSN: Part of that “offseason” included a nice showing in Fargo. Wrestling folks know what Fargo means, but help the non-wrestling folks understand what a big deal finishing third at 285 in freestyle there meant.

MV: I was a very big difference from Boardwalk Hall (where the NJSIAA states are held). The arena’s much bigger, there’s a lot more people. It’s a lot more nerve-wracking because you’re in that arena full of around 10,000 people. Competing in front of all them was a little stressful, but once I got the momentum going and I won my quarterfinals match I knew I could really do something special there, so it really got me a lot of momentum.

I think that tournament was kind of my breakout tournament and made me jump multiple levels. It really shaped me. I really saw what my potential was. I went into that tournament and the one I went into last year without much expectations, but once I realized I could compete with the nationally ranked guys and I was beating top 20 in the nation guys, it made me realize how good I could be and if I really went out there and let it fly I can win so many more matches.

RSN: Does it make you change your approach to matches now?

MV: It kind of makes me more relaxed going into my matches. I used to be a little too much in my head before matches, which I think was a big problem at my districts match, but after there it just made me realize just go out there and wrestle your best and if you win you win, if you lose you lose. Obviously, you want to win. Obviously, you want to have that gritty mentality. But I feel like just let it fly.

RSN: What are you looking forward to Saturday at Delaware Valley and what are the overall expectations for the season?

MV: Saturday I think of it as any other tournament, just a fun moment bonding with my team, all of us wrestling together. I feel like tournaments really bond you together as a team. When you get off that mat everyone’s high-fiving, it just helps you and the team. And moving forward it’s just gaining momentum.

We’re definitely expecting to win a state title. Our team is really, really solid this year and I think we can do one of the best seasons we’ve had ever and I think we can go super far.

I think it’s way more exciting to win as a team, having that excitement of everyone winning their matches, coming off, slapping hands, having those big wins. I think winning a team title is a lot more exciting than winning an individual title just because you’re with that team and get to celebrate it with each other.

ROUND THREE: Putting it away

RSN: What’s your signature move?

MV: The underhook. There’s so much to do from the underhook, there are so many options, it’s really infinite. You can get any kind of shot, you can get a throw there, you’re really controlling the whole side of the body you have the underhook on. You really can capitalize on everything there.

RSN: To what end do you see wrestling taking you? I know a wrestler in another state, a college wrestler now, interested in taking it to MMA. There are, of course, pro wrestlers who were college stars. There are guys in the movies (John Cena, Dwayne Johnson, Dave Bautista). Where is it leading you?

MV: I really love wrestling. I’m definitely going to wrestle all through college, really focus on wrestling as one of my main things in college, but I have a lot bigger life goal than wrestling, so I don’t really see much after college.

My dad’s a veterinarian and owns his own business, so after college I really just want to be a veterinarian. I really know that’s the thing I want to do now. Ever since I was little kid I loved animals.

RSN: You’ve already committed to Maryland. What was that experience like? With two years of high school still to go, how solid is that commitment?

MV: I really loved Maryland. I’m definitely going to stay loyal to them. I’ll never go anywhere else. I don’t think there’s anywhere else that would better suit me than Maryland. They were just all-around great people. They made me feel like I was one of them there. Maryland is definitely the place I’m going to be.

I visited a couple other schools and had a couple others lined up, but after I visited Maryland I knew there’d be no school other than them.

RSN: Weight management is probably the biggest challenge in your sport. Is there something you wish you could eat; what’s your guilty pleasure? I knew a really successful lighter weight wrestler in Alabama who loved Oreos. He could never eat them during the season, but once he won his state championship match he tore them up by the case. Do you have anything like that and have you ever cheated?

MV: During the season I usually eat very, very clean, no snacks or anything. I love ice cream cake, that’d be the first thing I’d eat. But I love cookies, too, any type of cookies. After regions I went to Applebee’s and had a big chocolate cake. I knew I’d feel a little crappy the next day.

RSN: You probably remember the story we did late in the season about your last name, loosely translated to “winner of the war”? Considering you excel at a combat sport, how ironic do you find that?

MV: I feel very ironic that translates to my name. Wrestling is that sport where you’ve just got to be a dog despite a dogfight sometimes. Technique does trump everything, but sometimes wrestling just comes down to being who’s tougher and I do feel it is ironic my last name does mean win the war.

This week’s schedule

Here is the schedule for Salem County sports teams for the week of Dec. 9-14; events start at 4 p.m. unless noted, x-scrimmage

DEC. 9
GIRLS BASKETBALL
x-Gloucester City at Salem Tech
x-Millville at Pennsville
x-Pleasantville at Penns Grove
x-Salem at Paulsboro
x-Schalick at Oakcrest
BOYS BASKETBALL
x-Atlantic Tech at Salem
x-Cedar Creek at Schalick
x-Penns Grove at Lindenwold

DEC. 10
GIRLS BASKETBALL
x-Penns Grove, Winslow at Highland
x-Woodstown at Moorestown Friends
BOYS BASKETBALL
x-Moorestown Friends at Woodstown
BOWLING
Salem Tech vs. ACIT
MENS COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Salem CC at Ocean County, 5 p.m.
WOMENS COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Salem CC at CC of Morris, 5 p.m.

DEC. 11
GIRLS BASKETBALL
x-Paulsboro at Schalick
x-Schalick at Bridgeton
BOYS BASKETBALL
x-Salem at Hammonton
x-Schalick at Winslow
x-West Deptford at Salem Tech
BOWLING
Salem vs. West Deptford at Bolero Lanes

DEC. 12
GIRLS BASKETBALL
x-Cumberland at Pennsville
x-Schalick at Salem
BOYS BASKETBALL
Mastery Charter at Salem Tech, 5:15 p.m.
x-Pennsville at Cumberland
x-Penns Grove at Egg Harbor Twp., 5:30 p.m.
x-Lower Cape May at Schalick
x-Salem at Vineland
x-Woodstown at Gateway
SWIMMING
Schalick vs. Highland at GCIT, 4:45 p.m.
Salem vs. Pitman at GCIT, 5:45 p.m.
BOWLING
Salem vs. Gloucester City at Westbrook Lanes
Salem Tech vs. Clayton at Wood Lanes
MENS COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Salem CC at Williamson Trades, 7 p.m.
WOMENS COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Bucks County CC at Salem CC, 5 p.m.

DEC. 13
GIRLS BASKETBALL
x-Hammonton at Woodstown

DEC. 14
BOYS BASKETBALL
Red Devil Classic, Penns Grove
Glassboro vs. Lindenwold, 10:30 a.m.
Salem vs. Woodbury, 4:30 p.m.
Paulsboro at Penns Grove, 6:30 p.m.
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Red Devil Classic, Penns Grove
Bridgeton at Penns Grove, 12:30 p.m.
Glassboro vs. Woodbury, 2:30 p.m.
WRESTLING
Schalick Holiday Tournament, 9 a.m.
Woodstown in Delaware Valley Tournament
MENS COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Brookdale CC at Salem CC, noon
WOMENS COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Salem CC at Lackawanna, noon

Wolverines stopped in semis

A tough first quarter sends Woodstown to defeat in Group 1 state semifinals, Glassboro headed back to state title game

GROUP I SEMIFINALS
Glassboro 36, Woodstown 0
Cedar Grove 52, Butler 21
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
Glassboro vs. Cedar Grove

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

GLASSBORO – The Woodstown coaches gathered their players at the 30-yard line for one final post-game huddle. While the other team celebrated at the other end of the field, the coaches stood before the Wolverines and one by one told them how proud they were of what they had done this season.

The comments were genuine, the sudden finality made it emotional, but it really wasn’t the message the players were prepared to hear. The Wolverines came into this cold, rainy night with designs on getting to the state championship game. 

But Glassboro scored three touchdowns in the first quarter and rode them to a 36-0 win that sent them to Group I title game for the second straight year and ended the Wolverines’ season one game short of the promised land for the second year in a row.

“The game didn’t have the outcome we wanted, but we fought through everything,” Woodstown senior running back Bryce Belinfanti said. “We had fun in our last game and we just trooped it out. That’s what it was about, trooping it out. Everyone on the field has character and that’s something we’ll walk away with forever.”

The undefeated Bulldogs (12-0), who now face undefeated Cedar Grove in next week’s title game, jumped out to a 22-0 lead in the first quarter with the help of a couple happy accidents.

Amari Sabb took a pop pass from Jack O’Connell 7 yards to open the scoring, then Kenny Smith scored on a pair of 1-yard runs after the Bulldogs recovered back-to-back onsides kicks that looked like brilliant strategy but actually weren’t planned at all.

Freshman Moses Robles, Glassboro’s kickoff specialist, just missed both kicks. Mehki Parker recovered the first one at the Woodstown 45, Davon Barr got the second at the 50 and it didn’t take long for the Bulldogs to find the end zone after either one.

“We didn’t plan it,” Glassboro coach Timmy Breaker said. “He just kind of muffed it on both of them and they got both of them. That changed the game. We didn’t plan for that to happen and when it happened a second time around I couldn’t believe it. A broken clock is right twice a day.”

“It didn’t surprise me, really,” Belinfanti said. “It’s the semis, people gotta do what they’ve gotta do to win.”

Although his two touchdown runs were short, Smith wound up rushing for 204 yards to close in on 5,000 career yards. The senior transfer set the tone for the Bulldogs when he broke off a 59-yard run on their first play from scrimmage and he had a 48-yard run in the middle of the second quarter worthy of its own SportsCenter moment.

“He’s made our offense so dynamic,” Breaker said. “He’s made us so explosive. Having a seasoned guy, a senior, back there able to run that football and sometimes you just lean on him to do it. In a game like this – we talked about it earlier at school – we knew coming out he was getting that ball and he was excited for it.”

Glassboro’s Kenny Smith (3) watches intently as teammate Xavier Sabb tries to elude Woodstown’s Rocco String Friday night. (Photo by Ellen Sickler)

Xavier Sabb went 22 yards with a screen pass in the final minute of the second quarter to give the Bulldogs a 30-0 halftime lead.

“We made some mistakes early, we put ourselves in a little bit of a hole,” Woodstown coach Frank Trautz said. “That’s a very talented team over there. I don’t think the score was indicative of the guys we have, but it is what it is tonight. We just came up short.”

Trautz appealed to his players’ legacy in his halftime speech and the Wolverines showed a lot of moxie in the second half. He noted the players have been teammates since they were little and may be heading into their final 24 minutes together so make the most of them.

They responded by driving into the red zone on their opening possession of the half before turning it over. They also stopped the Bulldogs with an interception by Carter Orlandini and a fumble recovery in the red zone. The only touchdown Glassboro scored after halftime came on a 6-yard pick-six in the fourth quarter.

“We found ourselves in a big hole, but the second half we battled,” quarterback Garrett Leyman said. “We never gave up and I think anybody who was here can see that. (The second half) just showed we never give up, it doesn’t matter what the score is, what the weather is, wer’e never ready to go home, and we showed it tonight.”

The Wolverines (10-2) reached the state semifinals for the second year in a row with a first-year head coach and quarterback in the second half of the year that hadn’t played the position since eighth grade. 

Leyman, a senior receiver and defensive back, burst on the scene as a quarterback with a four-touchdown debut at Salem and stayed in the position the rest of the season as Jack Holladay never returned from his shoulder injury and directed the Wolverines to four wins.

Their only two losses of the season both came to Glassboro – in the Diamond Division title game and Friday night – prompting the stadium public address announcer to say the Wolverines would have had an undefeated season if it weren’t for the Bulldogs.

“I think I had a lot of things I could’ve cleaned up and done better for my team,” Leyman said. “I’m proud of myself for stepping up, (but) I just think there’s a lot I could’ve done to change the outcome. This wasn’t the final goal. We wanted to make it to the state championship.”

Glassboro 36, Woodstown 0

WOODGLASS
71st Downs17
37-90Rushing25-261
2-3-1C-A-I11-14-1
9Passing109
5-4Fum-lost1-1
2-24.5Punts0-0
3-25Penalties8-50
Woodstown (10-2) 0000-0
Glassboro (12-0)22806-36

SCORING SUMMARY
G-Amari Sabb 8 pass from Jack O’Connell (kick failed), 8:17 1Q
G-Kenny Smith 1 run (Amari Sabb run), 5:53 1Q
G-Kenny Smith 1 run (Xavier Sabb pass from Jack O’Connell), 2:07 1Q
G-Xavier Sabb 22 pass from Jack O’Connell (Amari Sabb run), 33.5 2Q
G-Maurice Davis 6 interception return (kick failed), 9:18 4Q

NJSIAA PLAYOFFS
GROUP 2 SEMIFINALS
Rumson-Fair Haven 44, Point Pleasant Bobo 10
Shabazz 8, Hanover Park 7
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
Rumson-Fair Haven vs. Shabazz

GROUP 3 SEMIFINALS
Old Tappan 43, Pascack Valley 14
Mainland 36, Somerville 35
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
Old Tappan vs. Mainland

GROUP 4 SEMIFINALS
Phillipsburg 35, Ramapo 6
Millville at Winslow (Saturday)
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
Phillipsburg vs. Millville-Winslow

GROUP 5 SEMIFINALS
Union City 42, East Orange 0
Toms River North 27, Washington Twp. 10
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
Union City vs. Toms River North

NON-PUBLIC A SEMIFINALS
St. Joseph (Mont.) at Bergen Catholic (Saturday)
Don Bosco Prep 35, St. Augustine 14
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
St. Joseph (Mont.)-Bergen Catholic vs. Don Bosco Prep

NON-PUBLIC B SEMIFINALS
(Saturday Games)
Holy Spirit at DePaul
St. John Vianney at Pope John
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
Holy Spirit-DePaul vs. St. John Vianney-Pope John

Woodstown’s Bump Carter (71) gets a line on Glassboro’s Amari Sabb during their Group I state semifinal game Friday night. (Photo by Ellen Sickler)

Salem winter sports

Here is the complete 2024-25 Salem County winter sports schedule; look for the weekly schedule on the website starting in December; x-scrimmage

NOV. 23
MENS COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Atlantic Cape CC at Salem CC, 2 p.m.
WOMENS COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Essex County at Salem CC, noon

NOV. 26
MENS COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Salem CC at Camden County, 7 p.m.

DEC. 3
MENS COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Salem CC at Thaddeus Stevens, 7 p.m.
WOMENS COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Salem CC at Union, 5 p.m.

DEC. 6
SWIMMING
Salem vs. Gloucester Catholic at GCIT, 7 p.m.
Schalick vs. Woodstown at GCIT, 8:30 p.m.

DEC. 7
BOYS BASKETBALL
x-Penns Grove at Egg Harbor Twp., noon
MENS COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Bergen CC at Salem CC, 2 p.m.
WOMENS COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Raritan Valley CC at Salem CC, noon

DEC. 9
GIRLS BASKETBALL
x-Gloucester City at Salem Tech
x-Millville at Pennsville
x-Pleasantville at Penns Grove
x-Salem at Paulsboro
x-Schalick at Oakcrest
BOYS BASKETBALL
x-Atlantic Tech at Salem
x-Cedar Creek at Schalick
x-Penns Grove at Lindenwold

DEC. 10
GIRLS BASKETBALL
x-Penns Grove, Winslow at Highland
x-Woodstown at Moorestown Friends
BOYS BASKETBALL
x-Moorestown Friends at Woodstown
BOWLING
Salem Tech vs. ACIT
MENS COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Salem CC at Ocean County, 5 p.m.
WOMENS COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Salem CC at CC of Morris, 5 p.m.

DEC. 11
GIRLS BASKETBALL
x-Paulsboro at Schalick
x-Schalick at Bridgeton
BOYS BASKETBALL
x-Salem at Hammonton
x-Schalick at Winslow
x-West Deptford at Salem Tech
BOWLING
Salem vs. West Deptford at Bolero Lanes

DEC. 12
GIRLS BASKETBALL
x-Cumberland at Pennsville
x-Schalick at Salem
BOYS BASKETBALL
Mastery Charter at Salem Tech
x-Pennsville at Cumberland
x-Penns Grove at Egg Harbor Twp.
x-Lower Cape May at Schalick
x-Salem at Vineland
x-Woodstown at Gateway
SWIMMING
Schalick vs. Highland at GCIT, 4:45 p.m.
Salem vs. Pitman at GCIT, 5:45 p.m.
BOWLING
Salem vs. Gloucester City at Westbrook Lanes
Salem Tech vs. Clayton at Wood Lanes
MENS COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Salem CC at Williamson Trades, 7 p.m.
WOMENS COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Bucks County CC at Salem CC, 5 p.m.

DEC. 13
GIRLS BASKETBALL
x-Hammonton at Woodstown

DEC. 14
BOYS BASKETBALL
Penns Grove Showcase
Glassboro vs. Lindenwold
Salem vs. Woodbury, 4:30 p.m.
Paulsboro at Penns Grove, 6 p.m.
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Penns Grove Showcase
Bridgeton at Penns Grove, 1 p.m.
Glassboro vs. Woodbury
WRESTLING
Schalick Holiday Tournament
Woodstown in Delaware Valley Tournament
MENS COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Brookdale CC at Salem CC, noon
WOMENS COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Salem CC at Lackawanna, noon

DEC. 16
GIRLS BASKETBALL
x-Pennsville at Palmyra
x-Woodstown at Kingsway
BOYS BASKETBALL
x-Clearview at Woodstown
x-Palmyra at Pennsville
Buena at Salem Tech
SWIMMING
Woodstown vs. West Deptford at Riverwinds

DEC. 17
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Schalick at Cape May Tech
BOYS BASKETBALL
Cape May Tech at Schalick
BOWLING
Salem vs. Salem Tech at Wood Lanes
INDOOR TRACK
Salem at Bennett Center, Toms River
WOMENS COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Mercer County CC at Salem CC, 5 p.m.

DEC. 18
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Wildwood at Pennsville
Salem at Woodstown
Salem Tech at Penns Grove
Schalick at Clayton
BOYS BASKETBALL
Wildwood at Pennsville
Clayton at Schalick
Penns Grove at Salem Tech
Woodstown at Salem
TRACK
Pennsville Polar Bear Meet
BOWLING
Salem in Holiday Showcase at Laurel Lanes, Maple Shade

DEC. 19
SWIMMING
Schalick vs. Gloucester Catholic at GCIT, 4:45 p.m.
Woodstown vs. Deptford at GCIT, 7 p.m.
Salem vs. Triton at GCIT, 8:15 p.m.
WRESTLING
Palmyra, Salem at Pennsville
Penns Grove at Schalick
Timber Creek at Woodstown
BOWLING
Salem vs. Clayton, Wood Lanes
MENS COLLEGE BASKETBALL
RCSJ-Cumberland at Salem CC, 5 p.m.

DEC. 20
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Overbrook at Schalick
Pennsville at Glassboro
Salem at Salem Tech
Woodstown at Penns Grove
BOYS BASKETBALL
Glassboro at Pennsville
Penns Grove at Woodstown
Salem Tech at Salem
Schalick at Overbrook
WRESTLING
Pennsville at William Penn (Del.) Invitational 

DEC. 21
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Salem Tech at Gloucester Catholic, 1:30 p.m.
Boardwalk Classic
Wildwood Convention Center
Penns Grove vs. Timber Creek, 2:15 p.m.
SJIBT Tournament
Highland at Woodstown, 11:30 a.m.
WRESTLING
Pennsville at William Penn (Del.) Invitational
Woodstown in Beast of the East Tournament
TRACK
Pennsville, Salem, Woodstown at Ott Center, Philadelphia

DEC. 22
WRESTLING
Woodstown in Beast of the East Tournament

DEC. 23
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Boardwalk Classic
Wildwood Convention Center
Woodstown vs. Holy Spirit, 7:30 p.m.
BOYS BASKETBALL
Salem Tech at Pennsville, noon
WRESTLING
Pennsville at Mainland 

DEC. 26
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Pennsville at Washington Twp.

Boardwalk Classic 
Wildwood Convention Center
Salem vs Millville, 1 p.m.
BOYS BASKETBALL
Schalick at West Deptford Tournament

DEC. 27
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Pennsville at Buena
Penns Grove at Audubon Tournament
Woodstown in Haddon Twp. Tournament

Boardwalk Classic
Wildwood Convention Center
Salem vs. Bridgeton, 11:30 a.m.

BOYS BASKETBALL
Penns Grove at Delsea, 9:30 a.m.
Pennsville at Buena
Salem vs. Westampton Tech at Deslea, 5 p.m.
Salem Tech in ACIT Holiday Tournament
Schalick at West Deptford Tournament
Woodstown at New Egypt Tournament
WRESTLING
Pennsville at Overbrook Tournament
Penns Grove, Schalick at Clayton Tournament

DEC. 28
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Penns Grove at Audubon Tournament
BOYS BASKETBALL
Salem Tech in ACIT Holiday Tournament
Woodstown at New Egypt Tournament
TRACK
Woodstown at Ott Center, Philadelphia
WRESTLING
Audubon, Long Branch, Northern Burlington at Woodstown
Penns Grove at Cumberland Duals
Schalick at Clayton Tournament

DEC. 30
BOYS BASKETBALL
Schalick at Gloucester City, 11:30 a.m.

Boardwalk Classic
Wildwood Convention Center
Salem vs. Oakcrest, 2:45 p.m.
Penns Grove vs. St. Augustine, 7:30 p.m.

DEC. 31
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Woodstown in Haddon Twp. Tournament
BOYS BASKETBALL
Boardwalk Classic
Wildwood Convention Center
Salem vs. Millville, 10 a.m.

JAN. 2
BOWLING
Salem vs. Lindenwold at 30 Strikes
Salem Tech vs. Gloucester City at Wood Lanes

JAN. 3
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Glassboro at Woodstown
Pennsville at Overbrook
Penns Grove at Schalick
Salem Tech at Camden Academy Charter
Wildwood at Salem
BOYS BASKETBALL
Gloucester Catholic at Salem Tech
Overbrook at Pennsville
Salem at Wildwood
Schalick at Penns Grove
Woodstown at Glassboro
WRESTLING
Penns Grove in Bohemia Manor (Md.) Tournament
Schalick at Egg Harbor Twp.
SWIMMING
Woodstown vs. Triton at GCIT, 7 p.m.
Schalick vs. Glassboro at GCIT, 8:30 p.m.

JAN. 4
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Pennsville at Cumberland, 11:30 a.m.
BOYS BASKETBALL
Cumberland at Pennsville, 11:30 a.m.
Eastern at Penns Grove, 1 p.m.
WRESTLING
Pennsville at Hammonton Duals
Haddon Heights, Mainland, Overbrook at Schalick
Woodstown in Collingswood Duals
INDOOR TRACK
Salem, Woodstown at Ott Center, Philadelphia

JAN. 6
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Penns Grove at Haddon Twp., 7 p.m.
Schalick at Buena
BOYS BASKETBALL
Buena at Schalick
Camden Tech at Salem Tech
WRESTLING
Paul VI at Pennsville
Salem at Cumberland
SWIMMING
Schalick vs. West Deptford at River Winds
Woodstown vs. Lower Cape May

JAN. 7
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Clayton at Salem Tech
Overbrook at Penns Grove
Salem at Pitman
Schalick at Glassboro
Woodstown at Pennsville
BOYS BASKETBALL
Glassboro at Schalick
Pennsville at Woodstown
Penns Grove at Overbrook
Pitman at Salem
Salem Tech at Clayton
BOWLING:
Salem Tech vs. Lindenwold
MENS COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Camden County at Salem CC, 7 p.m.
WOMENS COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Camden County at Salem CC, 5 p.m.

JAN. 8
WRESTLING
Gloucester Catholic at Schalick
Pennsville at Penns Grove
Woodstown at Deptford
TRACK
Pennsville, Salem at Bennett Center, Toms River

JAN. 9
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Glassboro at Salem
Penns Grove at Pitman
Schalick at Salem Tech
Triton at Pennsville
Wildwood at Woodstown
BOYS BASKETBALL
Pennsville at Gloucester Catholic
Pitman at Penns Grove
Salem at Glassboro
Salem Tech at Schalick
Woodstown at Wildwood
BOWLING
Salem Tech vs. Kingsway at Wood Lanes
SWIMMING
Schalick at Camden County Tech
Woodstown vs. Highland at GCIT
WOMENS COLLEGE BASKETBALL
RCSJ-Cumberland at Salem CC, 5 p.m.

JAN. 10
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Salem at LEAP
BOYS BASKETBALL
LEAP at Salem
Pennsville at Clayton
WRESTLING
Collingswood at Schalick

JAN. 11
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Delsea at Woodstown, 11:30 a.m.
BOYS BASKETBALL
Woodstown at Camden Catholic, 11:30 a.m.
St. Joseph at Penns Grove, 1 p.m.
Schalick at Collingswood
WRESTLING
Pennsville, Oakcrest, Overbrook at Millville
Penns Grove at Deptford
Schalick, Cumberland, Timber Creek at Buena
Woodstown in Cinnaminson Duals
MENS COLLEGE BASKETBALL
RCSJ-Gloucester at Salem CC, noon
WOMENS COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Salem CC at Middlesex, noon

JAN. 13
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Clayton at Salem
Overbrook at Woodstown
Pennsville at Schalick
Penns Grove at Glassboro
Salem Tech at Wildwood
BOYS BASKETBALL
Glassboro at Penns Grove
Salem at Clayton
Schalick at Pennsville
Wildwood at Salem Tech
Woodstown at Overbrook
SWIMMING
Woodstown vs. Schalick at Vineland YMCA
TRACK
Pennsville at Ocean Breeze, Staten Island

JAN. 14
WRESTLING
Cumberland, Salem at Penns Grove
Pennsville at Pitman
Schalick at St. Joe (Hamm.)
BOWLING
Salem vs. Gloucester City at Wood Lanes
Salem Tech vs. Clayton
MENS COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Salem CC at RCSJ-Cumberland, 5 p.m.
WOMENS COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Harcum at Salem CC, 5 p.m.

JAN. 15
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Pennsville at Penns Grove
Pitman at Salem Tech
Salem at Gloucester Catholic
Schalick at Woodstown
BOYS BASKETBALL
Gloucester Catholic at Salem
Penns Grove at Pennsville
Salem Tech at Pitman
Woodstown at Schalick
SWIMMING
Woodstown vs. Haddon Heights at Camden County Tech
WRESTLING
Woodstown at Middle Twp.

JAN. 16
WRESTLING
Clayton at Penns Grove
Pennsville at Schalick
SWIMMING
Woodstown vs. Gloucester Catholic at GCIT, 5:45 p.m.
Schalick vs. Pitman at GCIT, 7:15 p.m.
Salem vs. Deptford at GCIT, 8:15 p.m.
BOWLING
Salem vs. Salem Tech at Wood Lanes
MENS COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Salem CC at Atlantic Cape, 6 p.m.
WOMENS COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Salem CC at Anne Arundel CC, 5 p.m.

JAN. 17
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Camden County Tech at Salem Tech
Salem at Gloucester City
BOYS BASKETBALL
Camden County Tech at Woodstown
Haddon Twp. at Pennsville
TRACK
Pennsville, Salem, Woodstown in NSIAA Relays, Bennett Center, Toms River

JAN. 18
BOYS BASKETBALL
Salem at Lenape, 1 p.m.
WRESTLING
Pennsville vs. Collingswood, Sterling, Vineland
Penns Grove, Salem, Overbrook at Pitman
Deptford, Haddon Twp., Pemberton at Schalick, 9 a.m.
Buena, Haddon Heights, Pennsauken at Woodstown
MENS COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Passaic County CC at Salem CC, 2 p.m.
WOMENS COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Salem CC at Essex County, noon

JAN. 20
BOYS BASKETBALL
Penns Grove vs. Burlington City at Woodbury, 12:30 p.m.

JAN. 21
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Glassboro at Pennsville
Penns Grove at Woodstown
Salem Tech at Salem
Schalick at Overbrook
BOYS BASKETBALL
Overbrook at Schalick
Pennsville at Glassboro
Salem at Salem Tech
Woodstown at Penns Grove
BOWLING
Salem vs. ACIT at Wood Lanes
Salem Tech vs. Collingswood at Wood Lanes
MENS COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Salem CC at Union College, 7 p.m.
WOMENS COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Salem CC at Delaware Tech, 6 p.m.

JAN. 22
WRESTLING
Clayton at Schalick
Gloucester Catholic at Salem
Timber Creek at Pennsville
Woodstown at Overbrook
TRACK
Pennsville, Woodstown at Bennett Center, Toms River

JAN. 23
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Clayton at Penns Grove
Pitman at Schalick
Salem at Pennsville
Salem Tech at Overbrook
BOYS BASKETBALL
Gloucester Catholic at Woodstown
Overbrook at Salem Tech
Pennsville at Salem
Penns Grove at Clayton
Schalick at Pitman
SWIMMING
Woodstown vs. Pitman at GCIT, 5:45 p.m.
Salem vs. Schalick at GCIT, 7:15 p.m.
BOWLING
Salem vs. Lindenwold at Wood Lanes
Salem Tech vs. Gloucester City at Westbrook Lanes
MENS COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Williamson Trades at Salem CC, 4 p.m.

JAN. 24
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Buena at Salem
Pennsville at Delsea, 7 p.m.
BOYS BASKETBALL
Salem Tech at Buena
WRESTLING
Woodstown at Pennsville

JAN. 25
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Penns Grove at OLMA, 11 a.m.
Schalick at Camden County Tech
BOYS BASKETBALL
Camden County Tech at Schalick, 11:30 a.m.
Pennsville at Clearview, 11:30 a.m.
West Deptford at Woodstown, 11:30 a.m.
WRESTLING
Salem, Timber Creek, Lower Cape May at Haddon Heights
Schalick, Holy Spirit, Toms River North at Vineland
Woodstown, Hillsborough, West Essex at Watchung Hills
SWIMMING
Salem at Invitational, GCIT
MENS COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Northampton CC at Salem CC, 2 p.m.
WOMENS COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Middlesex at Salem CC, noon

JAN. 27
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Gloucester City at Schalick
Palmyra at Salem
Salem Tech at Gateway
Woodstown at Cinnaminson
BOYS BASKETBALL
Pennsville at Gloucester City
SWIMMING
Salem vs. Woodstown at GCIT, 7 p.m.
BOWLING
Salem vs. Clayton at Wood Lanes

JAN. 28
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Gloucester Catholic at Salem Tech
Overbrook at Pennsville
Salem at Wildwood
Schalick at Penns Grove
Woodstown at Glassboro
BOYS BASKETBALL
Glassboro at Woodstown
Pennsville at Overbrook
Penns Grove at Schalick
Salem Tech at Gloucester Catholic
Wildwood at Salem
MENS COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Salem CC at CC of Philadelphia, 7 p.m.
WOMENS COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Union at Salem CC, 5 p.m.

JAN. 29
WRESTLING
Clayton at Salem
Cumberland at Woodstown
Pennsville at Gloucester Catholic
Pitman at Schalick
BOWLING
Salem Tech vs. Lindenwold at Wood Lanes

JAN. 30
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Schalick at Paulsboro
Wildwood at Penns Grove
Winslow at Salem
Woodstown at Clayton
BOYS BASKETBALL
Clayton at Woodstown
Penns Grove at Wildwood
Salem at Camden County Tech
Salem Tech at Camden County Tech
TRACK
Salem in TCC Showcase, Bennett Center

JAN. 31
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Salem Tech at Camden County Tech
BOYS BASKETBALL
Gateway at Salem Tech
WRESTLING
Clayton at Pennsville
Penns Grove at Gloucester Catholic
TRACK
Pennsville, Woodstown at Bennett Center, Toms River

FEB. 1
BOYS BASKETBALL
Woodstown at Bridgeton, 11:30 a.m.
WRESTLING
Pennsville, Clearview, Hammonton at Central Regional
Penns Grove vs. Bordentown, Vineland, Winslow
Salem, Schalick, Palmyra at Lindenwold
TRACK
Woodstown in SJTCA at Bennett Center
MENS COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Luzerne County CC at Salem CC, noon
WOMENS COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Salem CC at Raritan Valley CC, noon

FEB. 3
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Pennsville at West Deptford
Salem at Audubon
BOYS BASKETBALL
Buena at Pennsville
Riverside at Penns Grove
TRACK
Pennsville, Salem at Ocean Breeze Complex, Staten Island
BOWLING
Salem vs. Hammonton at DiDonato Bowling Center

FEB. 4
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Glassboro at Schalick
Pennsville at Woodstown
Penns Grove at Overbrook
Pitman at Salem
Salem Tech at Clayton
BOYS BASKETBALL
Clayton at Salem Tech
Overbrook at Penns Grove
Salem at Pitman
Schalick at Glassboro
Woodstown at Pennsville
MENS COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Salem CC at Montgomery County (Pa.) CC, 7 p.m.
WOMENS COLLEGE BASKETBALL
CC or Morris at Salem CC, 5 p.m.

FEB. 5
WRESTLING
Pennsville at Gateway
Penns Grove at Clearview
BOWLING
Salem, Salem Tech in TCC Showcase at 30 Strikes

FEB. 6
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Glassboro at Penns Grove
Salem at Clayton
Schalick at Pennsville
Wildwood at Salem Tech
Woodstown at Overbrook
BOYS BASKETBALL
Clayton at Salem
Overbrook at Woodstown
Pennsville at Schalick
Penns Grove at Glassboro
Salem Tech at Wildwood
WRESTLING
Woodstown, Williamstown at Hammonton
MENS COLLEGE BASKETBALL
RCSJ-Gloucester at Salem CC, 7 p.m.
WOMENS COLLEGE BASKETBALL
RCSJ-Gloucester at Salem CC, 5 p.m.

FEB. 7
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Pennsville at Millville
WRESTLING
Salem at Winslow
BOWLING
NJSIAA Playoffs

FEB. 8
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Cumberland at Schalick, 11:30 a.m.
BOYS BASKETBALL
Pennsville at West Deptford, 11:30 a.m.
Absegami at Salem, noon
WRESTLING
Burlington City, Egg Harbor Twp., St. Joe (Hamm.) at Pennsville
Woodstown, Williamstown at Hammonton
MENS COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Salem CC at Harrisburg Area CC, noon

FEB. 10
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Penns Grove at Pennsville
Schalick at Winslow
BOYS BASKETBALL
Pennsville at Triton
Salem at Winslow
Schalick at Maple Shade
TRACK
Pennsville, Salem at Ocean Breeze, Staten Island
WRESTLING
Playoffs Rounds 1 & 2

FEB. 11
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Gloucester Catholic at Salem
Pennsville vs. Clayton at Wells Fargo Center
Salem Tech at Pitman
Woodstown at Schalick
BOYS BASKETBALL
Pennsville at Penns Grove
Pitman at Salem Tech
Salem at Gloucester Catholic
Schalick at Woodstown
WOMENS COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Mercer County CC at Salem CC, 5 p.m.

FEB. 12
WRESTLING
Haddon Heights at Pennsville

FEB. 13
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Pennsville at Pitman
Penns Grove at Salem
LEAP Academy at Schalick
Woodstown at Salem Tech
BOYS BASKETBALL
Pitman at Pennsville
Salem at Penns Grove
Salem Tech at Woodstown
Schalick at Pennsauken Tech

FEB. 14
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Triton at Schalick
BOYS BASKETBALL
Salem Tech at Camden Academy Charter
WRESTLING
Schalick, Burlington Twp., Maple Shade at Cherry Hill West
Sectional Finals

FEB. 15
WRESTLING
Central Regional, Delran, Haddon Heights at Woodstown
Pennsville at Hightstown
Penns Grove, Gloucester Catholic at Lindenwold
TRACK
Pennsville, Salem at Bennett Center, Staten Island
Woodstown in NJSIAA Sectionals at Bennett Center
MENS COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Salem CC at Sussex County CC, 2 p.m.
WOMENS COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Lackawanna at Salem CC, 1 p.m.

FEB. 18
GIRLS BASKETBALL
TCC Showcase
BOYS BASKETBALL
Deptford at Penns Grove
TCC Showcase
WOMENS COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Montgomery County  (Pa.) CC at Salem CC, 5 p.m.

FEB. 20
GIRLS BASKETBALL
TCC Showcase
BOYS BASKETBALL
TCC Showcase

FEB. 22
GIRLS BASKETBALL
TCC Showcase
BOYS BASKETBALL
TCC Showcase

FEB. 23
TRACK
Pennsville, Salem at Bennett Center, Staten Island

MAR. 2
TRACK
Meet of Champions, Ocean Breeze, Staten Island

Woodstown’s big night

Wolverines post first playoff shutout in more than 40 years to win the Central Jersey Group I title

GROUP I SECTIONAL FINALS
South: Glassboro 40, Schalick 9
Central: Woodstown 31, Shore 0
North I: Butler 42, Mountain Lakes 7
North II: Cedar Grove 35, New Providence 14
STATE SEMIFINALS
Woodstown (10-1) at Glassboro (11-0)
Butler (11-0) at Cedar Grove (12-0)

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

WOODSTOWN — Woodstown set out to win another sectional football title Friday night. The Wolverines didn’t know they’d be making a little history along the way.

Bryce Belinfanti returned to the fold as the lead back and Carter Orlandini led a stout defense with two interceptions, one he returned for a touchdown, as the Wolverines walloped Shore Regional 31-0 for the Central Jersey Group I football title in coach Frank Trautz’ first season.

It was the Wolverines’ first playoff shutout in more than 40 years. In 1984, they held Hammonton without a touchdown in an 8-3 second-round win in the SJ Group 2 playoffs.

“It was a great game and moment for everyone in Woodstown, but especially Coach Trautz,” Belinfanti said. “I wanted him to win this one big time and we did.”

Corbin Walz wraps up a Shore Regional ballcarrier as part of a Woodstown defense that scored its first playoff shutout in more than 40 years Friday night. (Photo by Ellen Sickler)

Belinfanti, who had been out or limited in an offensive role since turning an ankle in the regular-season finale, rushed for 225 yards and a fourth-quarter touchdown. He also eclipsed the 1,000-yard rushing mark for the second year in a row. He only needed 10 yards to reach the plateau and got all of that and more on his first run of the night — a 15-yard gain. He touchdown covered 39 yards in the fourth quarter.

Orlandini returned an interception 38 yards for a touchdown to cap a 17-point first quarter that gave the Wolverines (10-1) control of the game. The junior defensive back with a nose for the ball has four interceptions and nine takeaways this season. The pic-six was the first of his career.

“We really wanted to focus on starting fast and setting the tone of the game from the beginning, and that’s exactly what we did in that first quarter,” Orlandini said. “I think the momentum really shifted when I crossed the goal line, and we were all rolling from there.

“As a defense, it’s always the goal to keep the other team off the scoreboard, but to do it the way we did in that big of a game, and for it to possibly be the first playoff shutout in school history, it was really special. Everyone had a hand in it.”

Shore had scored 325 points in winning its first 10 games this season. The Blue Devils had 188 yards rushing Friday night.

Just as they did the week before in knocking out Pennsville, the Wolverines did all their damage offensively on the ground. They had 315 yards rushing on 45 carries and no passing yards. In addition to Belinfanti’s big night, Alex Torres rushed for 52 yards and a touchdown on nine carries and quarterback Garrett Leyman rushed for 36 yards and a touchdown on nine carries.

“Our plan was to be all around offensively, but our running game was superior from the start,” Belinfanti said. “Getting 1000 (yards) was definitely great, but the win is the best part of it all.”

The Wolverines now travel to Glassboro next week for the state semifinals in a rematch of last year’s state semifinal won by the Bulldogs on a 60-yard halfback pass to Xavier Sabb with 50 seconds to play. The Bulldogs (11-0) handed Woodstown its only loss this season. The winner will face the Butler-Cedar Grove winner for the Group I crown.

Carter Orlandini is congratulated in the bench area after returning an interception for a touchdown to give Woodstown a 17-0 first-quarter lead. On the cover, the Wolverines celebrate their Central Jersey Group I title. (Photos by Ellen Sickler)

Woodstown 31, Shore 0

Shore 0000-0
Woodstown 170014-31

SCORING SUMMARY
WO-Jake Ware 25 FG
WO-Garrett Leyman 5 run (Jake Ware kick)
WO-Carter Orlandini 30 interception return (Jake Ware kick)
WO-Bryce Belinfanti 39 run (Jake Ware kick)
WO-Alex Torres 17 run (Jake Ware kick)

Bryce Belinanti returned to the Woodstown backfield and had a big night. He rushed for 225 yards to go over 1,000 for the second year in a row. (Photo by Ellen Sickler)