WJFL Schedule

Here is the 2025 West Jersey Football League schedule; Salem County games is bold type.

AUGUST 28
Cherry Hill West at Haddon Heights, 11 a.m.
Northern Burlington at Nottingham, 11
Eastside at Triton, 4 p.m.
Palmyra at Riverside, 5:30
Asbury Park at Pleasantville, 6
Cherokee at Middletown South, 6
Cherry Hill East at Eastern, 6
Delsea at Vineland, 6
Deptford at Florence, 6
Franklin at Hammonton, 6
Gateway at Middle Township, 6
Gloucester at Pennsville, 6
Lower Cape May at Pinelands, 6
Pennsauken at Camden Catholic, 6
Timber Creek at Paul VI, 6
Willingboro at Rahway, 6
Kingsway at Donovan Catholic, 6:30
Cinnaminson at Overbrook, 7
Cumberland at Clearview, 7
Pitman at Woodstown, 7
Shawnee at Pope John Paul II (Pa.), 7
Williamstown at Seneca, 7

Battle at the Beach, Ocean City
Holy Spirit vs. Northern Highlands, 10 a.m.
Ocean City vs. Oakcrest, 1 p.m.
Bergen Catholic vs. East St. Louis, 4
Winslow vs. IMG Academy, 7

AUGUST 29
Maple Shade at Wildwood, 10 a.m.
Clayton at Collingswood, 11
Absegami at Egg Harbor Township, 6 p.m.
Buena at Sterling, 6
Moorestown at Watchung Hills, 6
Somerville at Schalick, 6
St. Augustine at McKinley, 7:30
Burlington Township vs. Passaic Tech, at West Orange, 8

Battle at the Beach, Rowan
West Deptford vs. KIPP Cooper Norcross, 9 a.m.
Washington Township vs. Hillsborough, 11:45
Millville vs. Rancocas Valley, 7:30 p.m.

Pigskin Classic, Wilmington, Del.
Mainland vs. Atlantic City, 4 p.m.

AUGUST 30
Pemberton at Hamilton West, 11 a.m.
Paulsboro at Penns Grove, noon

Battle at the Beach, Rowan
Highland vs. Southern, 10 a.m.
Delran vs. Bridgeton, 1 p.m.
Cedar Creek vs. Old Bridge, 3
Glassboro vs. Haddonfield, 6

SEPTEMBER 4
Ewing at Delran, 6 p.m.
Haddon Township at Gateway, 6
Lenape at Cherokee, 6
Mastery Charter at Clayton, 6
Ocean City at Eastern, 6
Pennsauken at Washington Township, 6
Riverside at Florence, 6
Salem at Cinnaminson, 6
West Windsor-Plainsboro North at Cherry Hill East, 6
Winslow at Highland, 6
Buena at Lindenwold, 6:30
Bridgeton at Clearview, 7
Burlington City at Bordentown

SEPTEMBER 5
Atlantic County Tech at Vineland, 6 p.m.
Cedar Creek at Absegami, 6
Haddon Heights at Glassboro, 6
Holy Cross at Wildwood, 6
Holy Spirit at Oakcrest, 6
Lawrence at Maple Shade, 6
Kingsway at Camden, 6
Mainland at Hammonton, 6
Millville at Atlantic City, 6
Nottingham at Burlington Township, 6
Pitman at Sterling, 6
Rancocas Valley at Pleasantville, 6
Schalick at Cumberland, 6
Timber Creek at Notre Dame, 6
Triton at Middle Township, 6
Collingswood at Overbrook, 7
Pennsville at West Deptford, 7
Seneca at Moorestown, 7
Shawnee at Williamstown, 7
St. Augustine at Paul VI, 7
Woodbury at Haddonfield, 7
Woodstown at Delsea, 7
Egg Harbor Township at St. Joseph
Gloucester at Lower Cape May

SEPTEMBER 6
Audubon at Paulsboro, 11 a.m.
Cherry Hill West at Steinert, 11
Morris Catholic at Gloucester Catholic, 11
Palmyra at Bishop Eustace, 11
Deptford at Penns Grove, noon
Northern Burlington at Pemberton, noon
Neumann-Goretti at Camden Catholic, 6:30 p.m.
Willingboro at Eastside

SEPTEMBER 11
Eastern at Vineland, 6 p.m.
Gateway at Wildwood, 6
Highland at Pennsauken, 6
KIPP Cooper Norcross at Buena, 6
Riverside at Maple Shade, 6
West Deptford at Collingswood, 6 
Haddon Township at Clayton, 7

SEPTEMBER 12
Atlantic County Tech at Deptford, 6 p.m.
Bergen Catholic at Winslow, 6
Bridgeton at Egg Harbor Township, 6
Cherry Hill East at Triton, 6
Cherokee at St. Augustine, 6
Cinnaminson at Delran, 6
Clearview at Cherry Hill West, 6
Gloucester Catholic at Pitman, 6
Haddon Heights at Burlington Township, 6
Hammonton at Holy Spirit, 6
Kingsway at Timber Creek, 6
Lawrence at Florence, 6
Lindenwold at Bishop Eustace, 6
Lower Cape May at Middle Township, 6
Millville at Mainland, 6
Oakcrest at Cumberland, 6
Ocean City at Lenape, 6
Palmyra at Holy Cross, 6
Penns Grove at Glassboro, 6
Seneca at Pleasantville, 6
Shawnee at Camden, 6
Woodstown at Schalick, 6
Haddonfield at Willingboro, 7
Northern Burlington at Moorestown, 7
Overbrook at Pennsville, 7
Paulsboro at Camden Catholic, 7
Washington Township at Delsea, 7
Paul VI at Gloucester

SEPTEMBER 13
Bordentown at Audubon, 11 a.m.
Rancocas Valley at Eastside, 11
Burlington City at Pemberton, noon
Woodbury at Salem, noon
Atlantic City at Cedar Creek, 1:30 p.m.
Absegami at St. Joseph
Buena at KIPP Cooper Norcross
Sterling at Mastery Charter

SEPTEMBER 18
ACIT at Triton, 6 p.m.
Buena at Holy Cross, 6
Cumberland at St. Joseph, 6
Riverside at Burlington City, 6
Willingboro at Gloucester, 6
Deptford at Bridgeton, 7
Pitman at Haddon Township, 7

SEPTEMBER 19
Palmyra at KIPP Cooper Norcross, noon
Bordentown at Lawrence, 6 p.m.
Camden at Holy Spirit, 6
Cedar Creek at Hammonton, 6
Cherry Hill West at Eastern, 6
Delsea at Kingsway, 6
Egg Harbor Township at Cherry Hill East, 6
Florence at Overbrook, 6
Mainland at Cherokee, 6
Middle Township at Oakcrest, 6
Moorestown at Burlington Township, 6
Northern Burlington at Delran, 6
Ocean City at Atlantic City, 6
Pemberton at Maple Shade, 6
Pennsauken at Vineland, 6
Rancocas Valley at Shawnee, 6
Washington Township at Millville, 6
Wildwood at Lindenwold, 6
Williamstown at Timber Creek, 6
Winslow at St. Augustine, 6
Camden Catholic at West Deptford, 7
Haddonfield at Seneca, 7
Highland at Clearview, 7
Sterling at Gateway, 7

SEPTEMBER 20
Clayton at Gloucester Catholic, 11 a.m.
Collingswood at Paulsboro, 11
Pennsville at Audubon, 11
Woodstown at Woodbury, 11
Cinnaminson at Haddon Heights, noon
Glassboro at Salem, noon
Schalick at Penns Grove, noon
Lenape at Eastside, 1 p.m.
Pleasantville at Paul VI, 6
Buena at Holy Cross
Lower Cape May at Absegami
Mastery Charter at Bishop Eustace

SEPTEMBER 25
Atlantic County Tech at Cherry Hill East, 6 p.m.
Bishop Eustace at Buena, 6
Eastside at Kingsway, 6
Middle Twp. at Cumberland, 6
Northern Burlington at Cinnaminson, 6
Salem at Schalick, 6
St. Augustine at Mainland, 6
Audubon at West Deptford, 7
Paulsboro at Overbrook, 7
Timber Creek at Delsea, 7

SEPTEMBER 26
Absegami at Oakcrest, 6 p.m.
Atlantic City at Cherokee, 6
Bridgeton at Triton, 6
Bordentown at Maple Shade, 6
Burlington Township at Delran, 6
Camden at Rancocas Valley, 6
Cherry Hill West at Highland, 6
Deptford at Egg Harbor Township, 6
Florence at Burlington City, 6
Haddon Township at Collingswood, 6
Hammonton at Ocean City, 6
Holy Spirit at Cedar Creek, 6
Palmyra at Wildwood, 6
Shawnee at Lenape, 6
Camden Catholic at Pennsville, 7
Clayton at Gateway, 7
Gloucester at Seneca, 7
Mastery Charter at Pitman, 7
Penns Grove at Woodstown, 7
Pleasantville at Haddonfield, 7
Vineland at Clearview, 7
Washington Township at Williamstown, 7
Gloucester Catholic at Sterling
Paul VI at Willingboro
Riverside at Holy Cross
St. Joseph at Lower Cape May

SEPTEMBER 27
Lawrence at Pemberton, noon
Moorestown at Haddon Heights, noon
Eastern at Pennsauken, 1 p.m.
Millville at Winslow, 1
Glassboro at Woodbury
KIPP Cooper Norcross at Lindenwold

OCTOBER 2
Woodstown at Pleasantville, 6 p.m.
Lindenwold at Pitman, 7

OCTOBER 3
Mainland at Ocean City, 3 p.m.
Allentown at Northern Burlington, 6
Cherokee at Shawnee, 6
Cinnaminson at Florence, 6
Clearview at Cherry Hill East, 6
Cumberland at Bridgeton, 6
Delran at Hightstown, 6
Glassboro at Deptford, 6
Hammonton at Kingsway, 6
Highland at Notre Dame, 6
Hopewell Valley at Seneca, 6
Lower Cape May at Egg Harbor Township, 6
Oakcrest at Cedar Creek, 6
Palmyra at Maple Shade, 6
Paulsboro at Schalick, 6
St. Joseph at Buena, 6
Timber Creek at Willingboro, 6
Triton at Cherry Hill West, 6
Vineland at Atlantic City, 6
Williamstown at Rancocas Valley, 6
Pennsville at Penns Grove, 6:30
Burlington Township at Burlington City, 7
Collingswood at Sterling, 7
Haddonfield at West Deptford, 7
Lenape at Washington Township, 7
Millville at Delsea, 7
Overbrook at Clayton, 7
Bishop Eustace at Riverside
Eastern at Trenton
Holy Cross at Princeton
KIPP Cooper Norcross at Ewing
Robbinsville at Bordentown

OCTOBER 4
Gateway at Woodbury, 10 a.m.
Mastery Charter at Wildwood, 10
Audubon at Gloucester Catholic. 11
Camden Catholic at Haddon Heights, noon
Pennsauken at Eastside, noon
Salem at Middle Township, noon
Moorestown at Steinert, 2 p.m.
Winslow at Camden, 2 p.m.
Atlantic County Tech at Absegami
Pemberton at Keansburg

OCTOBER 9
Camden at Timber Creek, 6 p.m.
Cherry Hill East at Cherry Hill West, 6
Lower Cape May at Cedar Creek, 6
Paulsboro at Pennsville, 6
Pemberton at Florence, 6
Pitman at Maple Shade, 6
Pleasantville at Oakcrest, 6
Cinnaminson at Glassboro, 7
Mastery Charter at Haddon Township, 7

OCTOBER 10
Collingswood at Audubon, 6 p.m.
Delsea at Holy Spirit, 6
Deptford at Cumberland, 6
Egg Harbor Township at Mainland, 6
Gloucester at Schalick, 6
Highland at Triton, 6
Middle Township at Ocean City, 6
Palmyra at Lindenwold, 6
Penns Grove at Delran, 6
Seneca at Hammonton, 6
Shawnee at Pennsauken, 6
St. Augustine at Lenape, 6
Trenton at Northern Burlington, 6
Washington Township at Rancocas Valley, 6
Absegami at Bridgeton, 7
Cherokee at Williamstown, 7
Clayton at Sterling, 7
Haddon Heights at Woodstown, 7
Kingsway at Clearview, 7
Overbrook at Camden Catholic, 7
Robbinsville at Moorestown, 7
Atlantic City at Eastern
Holy Cross at Bishop Eustace
Notre Dame at Paul VI
Riverside at Bordentown
St. Joseph at Atlantic County Tech
Woodbury at Willingboro

OCTOBER 11
Gateway at Gloucester Catholic, 11 a.m.
Burlington Township at Hopewell Valley, noon
KIPP Cooper Norcross at Wildwood, noon
West Deptford at Salem, noon
Eastside at Winslow, 1 p.m.
Burlington City at Lawrence

OCTOBER 16
Cherry Hill East at Deptford, 6 p.m.
Gloucester at Haddonfield, 7
Gloucester Catholic at Haddon Township, 7

OCTOBER 17
Bordentown at Florence, 6 p.m.
Camden Catholic at Collingswood, 6
Cedar Creek at Timber Creek, 6
Clearview at Eastern, 6    
Cumberland at Lower Cape May, 6 
Eastside at Shawnee, 6
Kingsway at Washington Township, 6
Lawrence at Pennsville, 6
Mainland at Winslow, 6
Maple Shade at Burlington City, 6
Moorestown at Cinnaminson, 6
Oakcrest at St. Joseph, 6
Ocean City at Holy Spirit, 6
Pennsauken at Cherry Hill West, 6
Triton at Egg Harbor Township, 6
Vineland at Highland, 6
Wildwood at Bishop Eustace, 6
Willingboro at Pleasantville, 6
Atlantic County Tech at Bridgeton, 7
Delsea at Williamstown, 7
Mastery Charter at Gateway, 7
Salem at Woodstown, 7
Schalick at Glassboro, 7
Seneca at Paul VI, 7
Middle Township at Absegami
Sterling at Lindenwold

OCTOBER 18
Atlantic City at Hammonton, 11 a.m.
Buena at Palmyra, 11
Camden at Lenape, 11
West Deptford at Paulsboro, 11
Overbrook at Audubon, 11
Delran at Haddon Heights, noon
Rancocas Valley at St. Augustine, noon
Woodbury at Penns Grove, noon
Northern Burlington at Burlington Township, 1:30 p.m.
Cherokee at Millville, 2
Riverside at Pemberton, 2
Holy Cross at KIPP Cooper Norcross

OCTOBER 23
Atlantic County Tech at Egg Harbor Township, 6 p.m.
Hammonton at Shawnee, 6
Haddon Heights at Northern Burlington, 6
Burlington Township at Cinnaminson, 7
Clearview at Pennsauken, 7
Willingboro at Seneca, 7

OCTOBER 24
Bridgeton at Cherry Hill East, 6 p.m.
Cedar Creek at Ocean City, 6
Cumberland at Absegami, 6
Delsea at Mainland, 6
Eastern at Highland, 6
Oakcrest at Lower Cape May, 6
Pemberton at Bordentown, 6
Pennsville at Collingswood, 6
Pleasantville at Gloucester, 6
St. Augustine at Millville, 6
St. Joseph at Middle Township, 6
Sterling at Haddon Township, 6
Timber Creek at Washington Township, 6
Triton at Deptford, 6
West Deptford at Overbrook, 6
Wildwood at Buena, 6
Williamstown at Kingsway, 6
Winslow at Cherokee, 6
Gateway at Pitman, 7
Glassboro at Woodstown, 7
Paul VI at Haddonfield, 7
Bishop Eustace at KIPP Cooper Norcross
Lindenwold at Holy Cross

OCTOBER 25
Burlington City at Palmyra, 11 a.m.
Cherry Hill West at Vineland, 11
Florence at Maple Shade, 11
Mastery Charter at Gloucester Catholic, 11
Schalick at Woodbury, 11
Penns Grove at Salem, noon
Clayton at Paulsboro, 12:30 p.m.
Delran at Moorestown, 1
Lenape at Rancocas Valley, 1
Lawrence at Riverside

OCTOBER 31
Holy Spirit at St. Augustine, 6 p.m.

NOVEMBER 26
Audubon at Haddon Township, 6 p.m.

NOVEMBER 27

Paul VI at Camden Catholic, 10 a.m.
Pitman at Clayton, 10:30
Gloucester Catholic at Gloucester, 10:30
Vineland at Millville, 10:30
Haddonfield at Haddon Heights, 11
Eastside at Camden
Holy Spirit at Atlantic City

Starting strength index

Gridiron New Jersey, the gatekeeper of the formula that determines that New Jersey high school football playoff field, released its starting strength index rating for the 2025 season Thursday.

The index is just one of the tools that go into determining the power rankings used for tournament seedings.

Listed below are the starting strength index ratings for the teams in the West Jersey Football League Diamond and Patriot Divisions that contain the Salem County teams as well as the ratings for South Jersey Group I.

The top 16 teams in the South Jersey Group I United Power Ratings (UPR) will make up the Group I South and Central Jersey brackets.

The complete can be found at the gridironnewjersey.com website.

WJFL

DIAMOND DIVISIONPATRIOT DIVISION
Glassboro91.44Paulsboro67.96
Woodstown70.84West Deptford65.00
Schalick66.30Camden Catholic64.80
Woodbury63.65Pennsville63,24
Penns Grove58.43Overbrook55.60
Salem47.47Audubon50.76
Collingswood44.22

South Jersey Group I

Glassboro91.44
Woodstown70.84
Paulsboro67.96
Schalick66.30
Shore63.79
Woodbury63.65
Pennsville63.24
Middlesex60.23
Manville60.10
Burlington City59.71
Pitman59.63
Penns Grove58.43
Riverside56.42
Clayton56.26
Asbury Park55.36
South Hunterdon54.73
KIPP Cooper Norcross52.16
Audubon50.76
Highland Park49.90
Haddon Twp.48.38
Gateway47.66
Salem47.47
Point Pleasant Beach46.63
Buena46.37
New Egypt46.37
Palmyra43.18
Maple Shade42.22
Bound Brook 41.95
Keyport41.09
Florence40.77
Keansburg38.68
Wildwood35.05

Salem County football

Here is the 2025 Salem County football schedule; check back for updates from the WJFL Patriot and Diamond Divisions

2025 SALEM COUNTY FOOTBALL
(x-scrimmage)

AUG. 18
x-Clearview, Mainland, West Deptford at Penns Grove, 9 a.m.
x-Schalick at Delsea

AUG. 22
x-Buena at Schalick

AUG. 19
x-Audubon at Woodstown

AUG. 28
Gloucester City at Pennsville, 6 p.m.
Pitman at Woodstown

AUG. 29
Somerville at Schalick

AUG. 30
Paulsboro at Penns Grove, noon

SEPT. 5
Pennsville at West Deptford
Schalick at Cumberland
Woodstown at Delsea

SEPT. 6
Penns Grove at Deptford, noon
Salem at Cinnaminson

SEPT. 12
Overbrook at Pennsville
Penns Grove at Glassboro, 6 p.m.
Woodstown at Schalick

SEPT. 13
Woodbury at Salem

SEPT. 20
Glassboro at Salem
Pennsville at Audubon, 11 a.m.
Schalick at Penns Grove, noon
Woodstown at Woodbury

SEPT. 25
Salem at Schalick

SEPT. 26
Camden Catholic at Pennsville, 7 p.m.
Penns Grove at Woodstown, 7 p.m.

OCT. 3
Paulsboro at Schalick
Pennsville at Penns Grove, 6:30 p.m.
Woodstown at Pleasantville

OCT. 4
Salem at Middle Twp.

OCT. 9
Paulsboro at Pennsville, 6 p.m.

OCT. 10
Gloucester at Schalick
Haddon Heights at Woodstown
Penns Grove at Delran

OCT. 11
West Deptford at Salem

OCT. 17
Lawrence at Pennsville, 6 p.m.
Salem at Woodstown
Schalick at Glassboro

OCT. 18
Woodbury at Penns Grove, noon

OCT. 24
Glassboro at Woodstown
Pennsville at Collingswood, 6 p.m.

OCT. 25
Penns Grove at Salem, noon
Schalick at Woodbury

The last leg

As the relay’s lone senior, Woodstown’s Lucas runs last race with his 4×800 buddies at the New Balance Nationals

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

WOODSTOWN – When Cole Lucas was looking for a sport to play in high school Reggie Teemer encouraged him to try track. It will change your life, the coach told the incoming freshman. It turned out to work both ways.

On the eve of the final race weekend of his high school career Lucas admitted the choice to run track in the spring did change his life. But his impact on the Woodstown track program, especially its decorated 4×800 relay team, has been equally profound.

Since getting put together prior to last year’s South Jersey sectionals specifically to challenge to one team, the quartet of Lucas, Karson Chew, Jacob Marino and Josh Crawford has won state championships and set records many times over with Lucas serving as the reliable setup man to Crawford’s clinching anchor.

But the end of their partnership is near. The last time the Fast Four runs together is Friday night in the New Balance Nationals in Philly’s Franklin Field. Three members of the group will return next year, but Lucas, as the lone senior, will be moving on to the next level.

“I’m going to be very emotional after I finish, but I’m still going to give it my all while I’m running it,” he said. “I don’t think it’s going to hit me until after that it’s going to be my last high school race with them.

“I’m definitely going to miss those three. We’re like brothers now. It’s crazy how close we’ve become in these couple of years. I’m going to miss them so much. It hasn’t hit me too much yet, but it will eventually. The memories I’ve made are going to be unforgettable. Teemer said it would change my life and it did.”

Woodstown’s 4×8 is among 11 Salem County athletes competing in six events at the national high school outdoor championships.

Salem’s Anthony Parker is in the boys long jump and Raniyah Parsons-Smith is in the freshman girls 100. Schalick’s boys 4×100 relay (Michael Eberl, Zaeshawn Mills, Reggie Allen, David Stewart), who’ve run the second fastest time in Group I history, is in the field and Navaeh Robinson is entered in the freshman girls javelin. And in addition to the 4×8, Crawford and Lucas will run in the deep individual 800.

There are 99 teams in the 4×8 that will be scored on time, meaning the Wolverines have one shot to shine. Their hope is to run 7:50 – or better. The meet record is 7:36.26.

One thing about this group, when they want something they go after it. They needed to meet the New Balance qualifying standard in the Meet of Champions – their final NJSIAA meet together – and did it in record time (7:54.84).

“I don’t think I’ll ever find another group of guys on the track team at the next level as close are we are,” said Lucas, who’s heading to Marist next year to run indoor and outdoor track.

The feeling is mutual.

“Everybody has their own job, everybody’s making sure our team is dominating and doing well, but Cole really has one of the most important jobs,” Chew said. “If me and Jacob don’t execute the way we want to, he’s there to (bring it back). He’s basically our Mr. Reliable. He’s the most reliable guy on the team and he makes sure we get back that spot that we need for Josh to finish with.”

Amazingly, the unit has only been together for two years. They were put together right before last year’s sectional championship to give Woodbury a run of its money, but it turned into so much more.

“We just wanted to beat Woodbury, we didn’t necessarily care about beating anybody else,” Lucas said. “When we got together that was our main goal, trying to beat Woodbury, and it turned out we beat the whole state.”

Multiple times.

But now it’s coming to an end. The whole group wants to run well for their legacy, but the underclassmen want to go, go, go to give their senior a memorable send off.

“Our plan is to go in there and dominate as much as we possibly can,” Chew said. “It’s the last race of our season and for us three it’s the last race of our career with Cole. We have to make this worth it. We’re going to run our … hearts out and do everything we can to give him a real big send off for the end of his high school career.”

Here are the Salem County athletes competing in the New Balance Outdoor National High School Championships at Franklin Field and the time their events are scheduled

NEW BALANCE NATIONALS
(SALEM COUNTY ENTRIES)

Josh Crawford, Woodstown, boys 800 – Sunday, 1:27 p.m.
Cole Lucas, Woodstown, boys 800 – Sunday, 1:27 p.m.
Anthony Parker, Salem, boys long jump – Sunday, 10 a.m.
Raniyah Parsons-Smith, Salem, freshman girls 100 – Thursday, 12:52 p.m. (prelims), 2:52 p.m. (finals)
Navaeh Robinson, Schalick, freshman girls javelin – Saturday, 10 a.m.
Woodstown 4×800 (Karson Chew, Jacob Marino, Cole Lucas, Josh Crawford) – Friday, 7:42 p.m.
Schalick 4×100 (Michael Eberl, Zaeshawn Mills, Reggie Allen, David Stewart) – Saturday, 1:57 p.m. (prelims), Sunday, 11:57 a.m. (finals)

ALL-SOUTH JERSEY
(Selected by SJTCA)
Track Coaches All-South Jersey Boys
800 – Josh Crawford, Woodstown
LJ – Anthony Parker, Salem
Multi-Event – David Stewart, Schalick
4×800 – Woodstown

Beating the clock

Wednesday roundup: Woodstown’s 4×800 relay qualifies for nationals at Meet of Champions; Pennsville announces Hall of Fame Class, names Athletes of the Year

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PENNSAUKEN – The Woodstown 4×800 relay team had one job in Wednesday’s NJSIAA Meet of Champions and they got it done.

Winning the race would have been a nice get, but the Wolverines were focused on posting a time that would get them in the New Balance Nationals at Franklin Field later this month.

They got it done, even with their anchor a little under the weather. The Group I champion quartet of Karson Chew, Jacob Marino, Cole Lucas and Josh Crawford finished fifth in the MOC, but their 7:54.84 set a new Group I record and got them into the nationals.

“One thing those guys won’t do is shy away from competition,” Wolverines coach Reggie Teemer said. “They feed off it.”

Salem County had athletes in 12 events at the all-group meet. Salem’s Anthony Parker had the best individual finish, placing fourth in the boys long jump with a best of 23-5. Crawford also finished seventh in the 800, Schalick’s David Stewart was eighth in the 400 hurdles and Cougars’ 4×100 relay team (Reggie Allen Jr., Michael Eberl, Zaeshawn Mills, David Stewart) finished sixth.

Woodstown’s 4×800 time was more than four seconds better than their winning time in last weekend’s Group I championship meet. They were just shy of a provisional qualifying time for the nationals, but wanted to run a race in their last chance to get in that would leave no doubt.

Chew led them out in 1:59.50. Marino kept them on pace with a 2:02.4. Lucas set them up with a 1:58.45. And Crawford, running with a “minor” cough and fever that “slightly impacted my running,” brought it home with two laps in the 50s and a 1:54.46. Christian Brothers Academy won the race with a collective 7:48.55.

“We came very mentally prepared to break our previous record in the 4×8 and qualify for the New Balance Nationals and I wasn’t going to let a sickness get in the way of that opportunity for my teammates,” Crawford said. “ I was proud of all my teammates for running this race as if it was our last and thankfully earning another opportunity because of the combined culmination of our efforts to give our senior, Cole, a sendoff for the record books.”

It was a busy day for the junior. He ran in three events. He ran 1:53.83 to get on the podium in the individual 800 and ran a leg on the 4×400 relay.

Here are the Salem County results from the Meet of Champions:

MEET OF CHAMPIONS
At Pennsauken HS
GIRLS
1600: 12. Jordan Hadfield, Schalick, 5:05.56
3200: 21. Jordan Hadfield, Schalick 10:58.85
Shot Put: T-20. Tatiyonna Crawford, Pennsville 34-6
Pole Vault: T-10. Megan Morris, Pennsville 10-6
BOYS
4×800: 5. Woodstown (Karson Chew, Jacob Marino, Cole Lucas, Josh Crawford) 7:54.84
400 Hurdles: 8. David Stewart, Schalick 54.53
4×100: 6. Schalick (Reggie Allen Jr., Michael Eberl, Zaeshawn Mills, David Stewart) 42.08
800: 7. Josh Crawford, Woodstown 1:53.83; 20. Cole Lucas, Woodstown 1:58.23
4×400: 21. Woodstown (Karson Chew, Kyle Reitz, Anthony Costello, Josh Crawford) 3:25.85
Javelin: 14. Connor Ayars, Pennsville 165-0
Long Jump: 4. Anthony Parker, Salem 23-5
Triple Jump: 26. Bryan Garlic, Penns Grove 41-4

Pennsville tabs Hall class

PENNSVILLE – Five decorated athletes spanning five sports and four decades, three successful head coaches and two state champion teams will comprise the 2025 class that will be inducted into the Pennsville Memorial High School Athletic Hall of Fame.

The class was announced at the school’s annual awards assembly Wednesday night. It will be formally inducted in ceremonies at the school Oct. 7.

The class includes athletes Tom Ridgway (Class of 1978), HJ Lopes (’79), Lisa Doran (’86), Dannielle Dolbow-Darby (’95) and Ashley Minch (’08); coaches Ryan Wood (football/baseball), Jack Hathaway (soccer) and Dan LaMont (tennis/wrestling); and the 2005 state champion girls tennis and baseball teams.

“The Hall of Fame Committee did a wonderful job spanning several decades in putting together this year’s class,” Eagles athletics director Jamy Thomas said. “We have a wide variety of sports recognized with our inductees from field hockey, baseball, softball, soccer and tennis. The athletes in this group may have had one sport in which they truly shined, but each of them were great all-around athletes.

“In regards to the coaches being honored this year I have had the opportunity to be taught by Coach Hathaway as a PMHS student and work alongside Coach Wood and Coach LaMont. They are a group of great coaches and even more importantly are great people who are wonderful role models for our student-athletes.”

At the same assembly, potential future Hall of Famers Megan Morris and Connor Ayars were recognized as the school’s PEPPA Scholar-Athletes of the Year. Morris is a multiple state champion pole vaulter and tennis player, while Ayars is football/track standout. Both competed at the Meet of Champions prior to attending the ceremonies.

Megan Morris (L) and Connor Ayars were named Pennsville’s PEPPA Scholar-Athletes of the Year.

Stopped in semis

Pennsville, Woodstown see seasons come to an end in losses in South Jersey Group I softball semifinals; will be updated

SOUTH JERSEY GROUP I SOFTBALL
WEDNESDAY’S SEMIFINALS
Audubon 16, Woodstown 0
Haddon Twp. 8, Pennsville 2
FRIDAY’S CHAMPIONSHIP
Haddon Twp. at Audubon

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PENNSVILLE – Beth Jackson was 6 years old when Boston’s Bill Buckner booted that ball against the New York Mets in the 1986 World Series for the error heard ‘round the world. She was probably too young at the time to understand the magnitude of the play, but as she got older and came to learn and love the game the impact of play wasn’t lost on her.

The ghost of that play manifested itself nearly 40 years later Wednesday in Pennsville’s South Jersey Group I softball semifinal game against Haddon Twp. and it had as profound an effect on the team that made it as it did on the Sox.

The two-out error opened the door for a three-run inning that the second-seeded Eagles never quite recovered from in an eventual 8-2 loss. The win sends Haddon Twp. (17-8) to meet top-seeded  Audubon (18-7) Friday for the South Jersey Group I title, while the loss ended one of Pennsville’s winningest seasons ever.

Neither team scored in the first inning and Eagles starting pitcher Savannah Brewer-Palverento got the first two outs of the second, just like Red Sox did on the Mets that fateful 10th inning of Game 6 back in ’86. The Hawks got the next runner on and then Karsyn McCoy hit a ball off the end of the bat that rolled up the first base line.

Pennsville first baseman Makenzie Widener made a play on the ball at the bag and had it in her glove, but it spun out and caromed towards second base. She recovered it, but couldn’t get back to the bag in time to get McCoy. The next two batters, Grace Farah and left-handed third baseman Ariana Turkot, delivered RBI singles and suddenly the Hawks had three unearned runs and the Eagles were down 3-0.

“There was just a lot of spin on it and I couldn’t grab it correctly so I couldn’t get it in time,” Widener said. “I had it in my glove and it just (spun away).”

If you’re any kind of baseball fan it’s hard not to know the Buckner play. The Mets were down to their final strike of being closed out, but stayed alive and the error allowed them to win the game, tie the series and win it in Game 7. Both Jackson and pink-haired Haddon Twp. coach Pam McCabe got the connection when it came up in the post-game conversation.

“We’ve talked all year making mistakes and giving other teams extra outs and whatnot,” Jackson said. “We’re all human, we all make mistakes, it’s picking it back up and they did, but every game you have to make sure you make the plays and if you don’t, you give them the opportunity and they took advantage of it, which is tough.”

McCabe’s choice of hair color was the fulfillment of a promise she made to the players if they got this far in the playoffs. It’ll probably stay in for a couple months now, she said.

“They didn’t think I was going to,” she said. “I showed up today I think it pumped up me and my assistant more than it did them. They’re probably the quietest team I’ve ever coached in my life. 

The Eagles (21-4) did bounce back from that adversity and got within 3-2 when Graillyn Weber’s aggressive base running produced a run in the fourth and Kylie Harris’ sacrifice fly brought home another in the sixth. Weber was confirmed as a member of the Tri-Cape Carpenter Cup team after the game (along with Woodstown’s Ellie Wygand).

Although Brewer-Palverento pitched well for six innings, giving up only three hits and striking out three, Jackson replaced her with Weber to start to seventh inning in the hopes of giving the Hawks a different look. The visitors didn’t blink and erupted for five runs to put it out of reach.

Pitcher Jordan Strauss, Mikayla Callahan, Julie Broderick and Lexi Broderick delivered consecutive hits that drove runs home.

“They’d seen (SBP) four times already, I think they were on their fifth time seeing her,” Jackson explained. “She did an excellent job today with them, so I wanted to give them something else, just change it up a little bit.”

The last out Brewer-Palverento got in the sixth was her 100th strikeout of the season (and 190th for her career), a feat Jackson called “awesome.” The Eagles huddled around their pitcher as they came off the field and it actually confused her.

“I didn’t even know until they said something,” she said. “They all came up on me and I was like ‘What did I do?,’ the game’s not over with, what’s going on.”

The little celebration seemed to spark the Eagles briefly. When they came to the plate Lily Edwards slapped a leadoff single into left field, stole second, moved to third on Weber’s grounder to the right side and scored the Eagles’ second run on Harris’ sacrifice fly.

“We’ve been watching the College World Series and talking about that,” Jackson said. “Lily brought up errors were made in the games and how they have to have a short-term memory and forget about it and go on to the next one. Here they are at the highest level of softball and they make mistakes too and they didn’t give up. You have to stay at it all 21 outs.”

When the 21st out came for the Eagles Wednesday the season came to an end. There were a lot of tears in the outfield when the players gathered for their post-game huddle. Jackson even started to choke up when she reflected on the season they just completed.

“I told them they had nothing to hang their head about,” she said. “They gave it a good fight.”

Pennsville pitcher Savannah Brewer-Palverento recorded her 100th strikeout of the season in the sixth inning. Top photo: Eagles coach Beth Jackson encourages her team from the third-base coach’s box. (Photos by Brian Tortella)

AUDUBON 16, WOODSTOWN 0: The Wolverines felt ready and excited for the chance to take on the top-seeded Green Wave. They had learned people tell them that under the right set of circumstances they could pull the upset. 

It would take a near perfect game from the Wolverines to pull it off and in the end they fell victim to an 11-run first inning and never recovered.

“It was a shock for sure, but I wouldn’t say it was unexpected,” Woodstown coach Rob Hildebrand said. “We knew how good they were and we knew we were going to find out in the first three innings whether we were going to win that game. I would call it more of coming to fruition what we thought could happen.”

The Green Wave sent 16 batters to the plate in the first. It opened with three straight walks followed by a pair of RBI singles. After a strikeout, the next six batters reached safely extending the lead to 9-0. An error allowed the final two runs of the inning to score.

Audubon added five more runs in the second. 

“Their approach to the plate was by far the best team I’ve faced all year, not even close,” Hildebrand said. “I don’t know that I’ve seen a softball team that their approach, every batter, 1 through 9, probably 90 percent of the base hits against (Woodstown pitcher Leah Clark) were 1-2 or 2-2 counts. She was getting ahead and just couldn’t quite finish. That’s a testament to them. They are literally a fundamentally sound team.”

The Wolverines had two hits in the game, a two-out opposite-field single by Talia Guardascione in the first and Hannah Hitchner’s two-out single as their next-to-last batter in the fourth.

TCC All-Stars

Here are the Tri-County Conference all-star teams for the Classic and Diamond divisions as selected by the coaches

Baseball

POSCLASSIC FIRST TEAMCLASSIC SECOND TEAM
PLuke Wood, PennsvilleBrian Cuniff, Wildwood
PAiden Stranahan, PitmanMark Manera, Clayton
CJake Sharrow, PitmanConnor Starn, Pennsville
IFHudson Rue, PitmanLogan Streitz, Pennsville
IFNick Watson, PitmanPeyton O’Brien, Pennsville
IFCohen Petrutz, PennsvilleChase Davis, Salem
IFTrevor Troiano, WildwoodJustin Delaney, Clayton
OFJackson Austin, PitmanDane Collum, Pitman
OFChase Burchfield, PennsvilleMason O’Brien, Pennsville
OFJeff Wagner, PennsvilleJameson Emerle, Clayton
POSDIAMOND FIRST TEAMDIAMOND SECOND TEAM
PTyler Wood, OverbrookAaron Foote, Woodstown
PLucas D’Agostino, SchalickJack Holladay, Woodstown
CGavin Dillard, GlassboroRicky Watt, Schalick
IFLou Hanna, OverbrookEvan Glassy, Schalick
IFCooper Hines, OverbrookJude Dempster, Glassboro
IFJamari Whitley, SchalickJoey Tongue, Glassboro
IFElijah Crespo, Penns GroveBrennan Crosse, Glassboro
OFRocco String, WoodstownMike Romano, Overbrook
OFCharlie Snyder, OverbrookCaden Lawless, Overbrook
OFLuke Pokrovsky, SchalickEvan Sepers, Schalick

Softball

POSCLASSIC FIRST TEAMCLASSIC SECOND TEAM
PJessica Bretz, PitmanMadelyn McGinn, Gloucester Cath.
PSavannah Brewer-Palverento, PennsvilleEmma Contreras, Wildwood
CKylie Harris, PennsvilleAlexus Paden, Clayton
IFMakenzie Widener, PennsvilleAyanna Davis, Clayton
IFMaya Hutchinson, Gloucester Cath.Avery Watson, Pennsville
IFRosalina Pereira, ClaytonMaura Quinn, Pitman
IFGraillyn Weber, PennsvilleJulia Ennis, Wildwood
OFLily Edwards, PennsvilleSawyer Simmons, Pennsville
OFJulianna Aguilar, ClaytonMadison Peek, Pitman
OFKaitlyn Capalbo, Gloucester Cath.Samantha Scutt, Pitman
POSDIAMOND FIRST TEAMDIAMOND SECOND TEAM
PAddi Shimp, SchalickTaylor Adcock, Glassboro
PLeah Clark, WoodstownLayla Perez, Overbrook
CScarlett Saicic, GlassboroLila Bowling, Woodstown
OFSienna Kudless, GlassboroMarissa Rode, Glassboro
OFGianna Simon, OverbrookCecelia Mitchell, Overbrook
OFEllie Wygand, WoodstownShyann Higinbotham, Woodstown
IFOlivia VanAcker, SchalickAva Landolt, Overbrook
IFCloe Elliott, SchalickDanica Maggi, Overbrook
IFAubrie Rennie, WoodstownEmma Schoch, Glassboro
IFAlaina Dufresne, OverbrookMarissa Pasquarello, Glassboro

Tennis

POSCLASSIC FIRST TEAMCLASSIC SECOND TEAM
SGabe Schneider, PennsvilleMaddox Efelis, Pennsville
SGeorge Gould, SchalickBrody Wiggins, Pennsville
SChase Fronczkiewicz, ClaytonRocky Monticolo, Schalick
DKaden Barnes, SchalickCarter Willis, Pennsville
DCayden Brzozowski, Schalick Ian Peacock, Pennsville
DLucas Cooksey, PennsvilleDavid Santana, Schalick
DSawyer Humpreys, PennsvilleAnthony McGrath, Schalick
POSDIAMOND FIRST TEAMDIAMOND FIRST TEAM
SZeph Kell, DelseaMohammad Sheyam, Highland
SLucius Davis, DeptfordBradyn Gee, Deptford
SDrew Stengel, WoodstownEli Croce, Delsea
DLuke Shaw, WoodstownAlan Marcos, Overbrook
DMason Shimp, WoodstownGabe Martinez, Overbrook
DJacob Bramble, DelseaBen Stengel, Woodstown
DJude Thompson, DelseaNicholas DiTeodoro, Woodstown

Boys Golf

CLASSIC FIRST TEAMCLASSIC SECOND TEAM
Mikey Joyce, Gloucester Cath.A.J. Beach, Gloucester Cath.
Joey Zubert, PitmanRobbie Ricardi, Gloucester Cath.
Owen Boulton, PitmanLuke Driscoll, Pitman
Jake Bowen-Ashwin, PitmanJackson Venuto, Clayton
Max Pappalardo, PitmanBurke Fotzsimmons, Wildwood
Gavin Burns, WildwoodChase Ayars, Salem Tech
DIAMOND FIRST TEAMDIAMOND SECOND TEAM
Jaxon Weber, SchalickRiley Bowman, Pennsville
Seth Fisher, SchalickTrevor Hann, Pennsville
Erich Lipovsky, WoodstownJeffrey Boyd, Overbrook
Anthony Sepers, SchalickChase Pepper, Cumberland
Grant Prater, WoodstownMichael Nelson, Schalick
Joey Olbrich, WoodstownJack Bucksar, Woodstown

Boys Track

EVTCLASSIC FIRST TEAMCLASSIC SECOND TEAM
100Jason Stewart, ClaytonJosiel Figueroa Marrero, Clayton
200Willie Weathers, ClaytonJamel Lemon-Ward, Gloucester Cath.
400Alexander Osayemi, ClaytonXavier McGriff, Salem
800Wyatt Evans, ClaytonLiam Edelman, Pitman
1600Jake Bowen-Ashwin, PitmanSamuel Cooke, Salem
3200Rhys Blackman, PitmanMaximus Weng, Pitman
100HAnthony Parker, SalemTimothy Gregory, Salem
400HJerry Seals, SalemLucas Razze, Pitman
HJDayvon Williams, WildwoodGiani Jackson, Wildwood
LJOmarion Pierce, SalemJustice Santiago, Wildwood
TJDonovan Weathers, SalemMission Barnes, Salem
PVGradin Buzby, SalemDuncan Freeman, Clayton
SPPedro Ibarra, ClaytonTorryn Ransome, Salem
DISNate Newcomb, PitmanGiovani Talavera Rosas, Salem
JAVWyatt Irvine, SalemJovani Rios, Salem
4×400ClaytonSalem
EVTDIAMOND FIRST TEAMDIAMOND SECOND TEAM
100Xavier Sabb, GlassboroColin McGlinn, Pennsville
200Zaeshawn Mills, SchalickAxcel Bailey, Overbrook
400John Froehlich, OverbrookKyle Reitz, Woodstown
800Josh Crawford, WoodstownSteve Chomo, Schalick
1600Ty Blackman, GlassboroCole Lucas, Woodstown
3200Joey Saicic, GlassboroJacob Marino, Woodstown
100HDayshaun Day, GlassboroKnowledge Young, Penns Grove
400HMekhi Parker, GlassboroBryan Garlic, Penns Grove
HJAmari Sabb, GlassboroReggie Allen, Schalick
LJAlex Adeleye, GlassboroJaiden Mitchell, Overbrook
TJDavid Stewart, SchalickMoses Robles, Glassboro
PVDaniel Adams, GlassboroSalvatore Longo, Schalick
SPKyle Williams, GlassboroSheldon Goldsborogh, Schalick
DISEthan McLean, SchalickAiden Tulane, Woodstown
JAVConnor Ayars, PennsvilleNyzier Wonder, Schalick
4×400WoodstownPenns Grove

Girls Track

EVTCLASSIC FIRST TEAMCLASSIC SECOND TEAM
100Miyana Johnson, ClaytonJaiyoni Yates, Clayton
200Raniyah Parsons-Smith, SalemGabrielle Pernell-Lipsey, Clayton
400Leila Ortiz, ClaytonMolly Wiśniewski, Pitman
800Amanda Bradley, PitmanAntonia Yucis, Gloucester Cath.
1600Macie McCracken, WildwoodSamantha Dale, Salem
3200Lauren Streck, PitmanMackenzie Whilden, Pitman
100HAnna Gallo, ClaytonTahirah Davenport-White, Salem
400HAudrey Boggs, SalemCarly Razze, Pitman
HJUnique Nance, SalemZyonnah Forman, Salem
LJMaKayla Smith, SalemLily Atkinson, Wildwood
TJAlaina Williams, PitmanHanna Keefe, Pitman
PVKashira Patterson, SalemTatiana Miller, Salem
SPAva Rodgers, SalemMarJziah Bundy, Salem
DISDestinee Williams, Clayton Jocelyn O’Brien, Pitman
JAVRainelle Blocker, ClaytonMegan Wehlen, Pitman
4×400ClaytonSalem
EVTDIAMOND FIRST TEAMDIAMOND SECOND TEAM
100Tamia Smith, GlassboroKezia Brackett, Glassboro
200Gia Martellacci, SchalickMissouri Pratt, Overbrook
400Rylee Clark, OverbrookSamantha Sterner, Woodstown
800Lillian Norman, WoodstownKelis Coston, Glassboro
1600Jordan Hadfield, SchalickHelen Lillia, Schalick
3200Abby Marino, WoodstownAnabel Schaal, Woodstown
100HLia Covely, WoodstownGabriella Simonini, Schalick
400HLondon Banks, OverbrookSarah Seiden, Woodstown
HJAshley Armstrong, GlassboroKami Casiano, Woodstown
LJPhoebe Alward, SchalickEmma Perry, Woodstown
TJJaelynn Jarmon, SchalickOnye Peoples, Overbrook
PVMegan Morris, PennsvilleElizabeth Mann, Glassboro
SPHeaven Franklin, GlassboroZoey Ceasar, Penns Grove
DISSunny Moore, GlassboroVirginia Tarasevich, Glassboro
JAVAllyson Green, SchalickNevaeh Robinson, Schalick
4×400SchalickOverbrook

Girls Lacrosse

POSSJILL AMERICAN FIRST TEAMSJILL AMERICAN SECOND TEAM
GShelby Foote, WoodstownMackenzie Keleher, Haddonfield
MRiley Austin, HaddonfieldCallie Warner, Clearview
MDelaney Walker, WoodstownHaley Brown, Kingsway
MMaddie Eastlack, W. DeptfordRiley Walsh, W. Deptford
MBrooke Schultz, HaddonfieldJaime Deal, Woodstown
DMia Borodin, ClearviewMarley Nate, Clearview
DFiona Keenan, HaddonfieldEmily Coyle, Clearview
DSienna Struzynski, W. DeptfordElizabeth Daly, Woodstown
OGrace Farrell, HaddonfieldSofia Conrey, Haddonfield (D)
OLauren Hamblin, HaddonfieldReese Remaly, Clearview
OPhoebe O’Rourke, KingswayRiley MacHenry, Clearview
ORhea Remaly, ClearviewCeCe Batson, Haddonfield
OEmma Morgan, Woodstown Marlina Kadar, Haddonfield

Boys Lacrosse

POSSJILL AMERICAN FIRST TEAMSJILL AMERICAN SECOND TEAM
AKeegan Borkowski, KingswayR.J. Sciarrotta, Clearview
AOwen Dougherty, KingswayJake Borkowski, Washington Twp.
AMyles Malone, Washington Twp.Aidan Batterman, Williamstown
ARobert Donahue, WoodstownMichael Kugler, Clearview
DJ.D. Seidel, ClearviewDane Jespersen, Kingsway
DCole DeNick, KingswayEthan Wechter, Washington Twp.
DDominic Hibbs, KingswayCole Aquino, Washington Twp.
DJoseph Kopaczewski, WilliamstownWalter Carter, Woodstown
GJohn Mentee, KingswayJoseph Hatefi, Williamstown (FOGO)
LSMRyan Glenn KingswayJake Devereaux, Washington Twp. (G)
MT.J. Mills, ClearviewGarrett Leyman, Woodstown (M/L/D)
MPatrick Civitarese, KingswayMason Bryan, Kingsway
MRobbie Finnegan, Washington Twp.Nicholas Maccariella, Williamstown
M/FThomas Dipietro, KingswayParker Reese, Washington Twp.



Step-Up Soph

Schalick blanks Woodstown again, this time behind Whitley’s six strong innings, to reach SJ Group I finals

SOUTH JERSEY GROUP I BASEBALL
Semifinals

Audubon 4, Maple Shade 1
Schalick 8, Woodstown 0
Finals
Thursday
No. 2 Schalick (21-2) at No. 1 Audubon (20-7), 4 p.m.

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PITTSGROVE — Schalick coach Sean O’Brien had a lot of options Tuesday if the idea was to save ace Luke Pokrovsky for Audubon in the South Jersey Group I championship game.

Everybody else was relatively fresh, but O’Brien went with the youngest option in a big game – sophomore over senior – and Jamari Whitley came through like a seasoned veteran.

WHITLEY

The hard-throwing right-hander, making his first career playoff mound start and second appearance of this postseason, calmly gave the Cougars six strong innings, setting them up for an 8-0 win over Woodstown for a spot in the SJ Group I finals.

The second-seeded Cougars (21-2) now travel to top-seeded Audubon (20-7) Thursday for the sectional final everyone expected to see.

“Lucas (D’Agostino) is a guy who attacks hitters, gets ahead of guys and throws strikes consistently, but Jamari has really tough stuff to hit,” O’Brien explained. “When he’s on, he is really, really good. We put him up against Cherry Hill West (in mid-April) and the way he stepped up in that game that kind of just showed me he was ready for whatever moment we needed him to throw in.

“I know he was nervous going into it, but once things get going, he’s a competitor. He’s been consistent in all aspects of it — hitting, pitching, fielding — and I have all the confidence in the world in him. You can trust him out there. That’s why we put him in this situation today.”

Whitley had plenty of time to prepare for the start. O’Brien likes to give his pitchers ample warning and told him Saturday he was getting the ball. He didn’t believe it at first, but the coach said he wasn’t kidding and he trusted him. He was the Cougars’ first playoff starting pitcher not named Pokrovsky since June 2022.

He threw 102 pitches, allowed just one hit and struck out a career-high 11. He gave up a leadoff single and walk to the first two Woodstown hitters of the game, then retired 15 of the next 16 he faced, including 10 in a row at one point. The Wolverines loaded the bases on him in the sixth, but he got out of it with a fly to shallow left that froze the runners and his final strikeout of the game.

He even drove in the Cougars’ first run with a first-inning double. He also walked and scored in their three-run third.

“I woke up this morning and felt really good,” he said. “During school I had a little nerves, it was one of the biggest (starts) of my career, but after the first inning I shook it off and kept going. It was just trusting my pitches and everything I had.”

“He’s done outstanding this year,” Pokrovsky said. “His head is always up. He worked off of last year and now he’s unbeatable.”

Pokrovsky came in behind him and threw 12 pitches in the seventh, using the outing as his typical tune-up right before his next start.

“We’ve done it all year, he’s done it all his career,” O’Brien said. “I knew he was going to ask me, but I talked to him like ‘Do you want to throw the last inning?’ and he said, ‘Aw, please, yes.’ He’s a guy who needs to throw to be ready for his next start. That’s how he is … so that’s why we did it that way.”

In three games this season (19 innings) the Cougars’ pitching staff has held Woodstown to just two hits and no runs. They’ve given up just two runs in the whole playoffs. Pokrovsky threw a five-inning perfect game at them in his first start of the year.

The Cougars have gotten strong pitching all year long. They haven’t even given up 100 hits this year. After Tuesday’s shutout – their sixth of the season – their team ERA dropped to 1.35. Woodstown, meanwhile, batted just .255 as a team.

“Our pitching has been phenomenal,” O’Brien said. “I was comparing our stats from last year and a lot of our offensive stats aren’t as good as they were last year but our pitching stats are not even close. What they’ve done with whoever’s throwing they give us a chance to compete and especially they’ve stepped up against Woodstown.”

Wolverines coach Marc DeCastro said his team was prepared to face any of the three –Pokrovsky, Whitley or D’Agostino, who they hadn’t seen this year – but they just couldn’t find any offense. Caiden Spinelli had their only hit, a single leading off the game. They had just six baserunners.

“It surprised me just in the fact if they weren’t going to throw Luke that he hadn’t started in a while, but either way they have three pitchers who are all good so we were ready for whichever one happened to throw,” DeCastro said. “He didn’t walk us and he did a good job after the first two batters of settling in; in that situation that could’ve gone a lot of different ways and the game could’ve been a little bit different.

“When you don’t get hits and they’re up 4-, 5-nothing, it’s a lot different than if we would’ve kept it 1 and 2. That was our thing all year. In the two (previous playoff) games alone we scored three runs. Our thing was going to have to be we were going to have to play really clean games and pitch really well and we didn’t play a clean game today.”

Woodstown (16-11)000 000 0-015
Schalick (21-2)103 121 x-872
WP: Jamari Whitley (W), Luke Pokrovsky (7) and Ricky Watt. LP: Aaron Foote (L), Rocco String (4), Michael Valente (4), Jack Holladay (5) and Ty Coblentz. 2B: Luke Pokrovsky (S), Jamari Whitley (S), Enrico Hatz (S).

GROUP I SECTIONAL FINALS
Thursday’s Games

North I: Wallkill Valley (17-6) at Midland Park (19-8-1)
North II: Brearily (14-9) at Verona (19-6)
Central: Point Pleasant Beach (20-7) at Middlesex (20-5)
South: Schalick (21-2) at Audubon (20-7)

STATE SEMIFINALS
June 9

North I at North II
South at Central

CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
June 14

Veterans Park, Hamilton, 1 p.m.

Wild cards and such

Salem County has athletes in 12 events at Wednesday’s Meet of Champions

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

Schalick’s boys 4×100 relay team cut it close, but it’s getting another chance to qualify for nationals.

The Cougars’ relay made the field for the Meet of Champions as the cut off team in their event, giving Salem County athletes in 12 events at Wednesday’s NJSIAA season-finale at Pennsauken High School.

The quartet of Reggie Allen, Michael Eberl, Zaeshawn Mills and David Stewart ran 42.82 to finish third in the Group I Championship Friday and it was good enough to earn one of seven wild card spots Salem County athletes received.

“I’m glad they got in,” Schalick coach James Turner said. “Our goal is to qualify for the New Balance Nationals.

“We already know that we’re capable of running faster than we did at states. One of our runners was sick and another is dealing with an injury. After reviewing the film, I noticed our handoffs did not go as smooth as they did at the sectional meet. We’re going to work on that Monday. The kids are motivated and excited to have another chance.”

The county’s five Group I state champions – Schalick’s Jordan Hadfield (1600), Pennsville’s Megan Morris (pole vault), Woodstown’s Josh Crawford (800), Salem’s Anthony Parker (long jump) and Woodstown’s 4×800 relay team – as well as Woodstown’s runner-up 4×400 relay team received automatic bids. The best of the rest rest were eligible for wild cards.

Of course, even though they’re qualified, the athletes in multiple events may not compete in all of them Wednesday night. Woodstown’s Crawford isn’t likely to run in the individual 800 to focus on the two relays, Schalick’s David Stewart likely won’t run the 400 hurdles that he’s only recently added to his repertoire in order to be sharp for the 4×100, and Schalick’s Hadfield is still contemplating the 3200.

MEET OF CHAMPIONS
SALEM COUNTY QUALIFIERS
GIRLS

1600: 12. Jordan Hadfield, Schalick (5:01.16)
3200: 20. Jordan Hadfield, Schalick (10:59.56)
Shot Put: 23. Tatiyonna Crawford, Pennsville (36-9)
Pole Vault: 12. Megan Morris, Pennsville (10-6)

BOYS
4×800: 5. Woodstown (7:59.15)
400 Hurdles: 16. David Stewart, Schalick (55.04)
4×100: 27. Schalick (42.82) 
800: 3. Josh Crawford, Woodstown (1:53.44); 15. Cole Lucas, Woodstown (1:55.01)
4×400: 18. Woodstown (3:23.93)
Javelin: 12. Connor Ayars, Pennsville (172-10)
Long Jump: 10. Anthony Parker, Salem (22-5)
Triple Jump: 24. Bryan Garlic, Penns Grove (44-0)

Repeat winners

Day Two of the Group I Championships brings Salem County two more state champions – Schalick’s Jordan Hadfield (1600) and Woodstown’s record-setting 4×800 relay; county produces 5 champions total

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

SOMERSET – From the minute they were put together right before the sectionals last May, it was days like this the Woodstown 4×800 relay team has been training for.

The quartet of Jacob Marino, Karson Chew, Cole Lucas and Josh Crawford has won a lot of races, broke a bunch of records and even won a state championship in the 12 months they’ve been together. But what they did Saturday in the Group I championship meet at Franklin High School took their legacy to a whole ‘nother level.

They won the Group I boys title for the second straight year, but this time set the meet and state Group I record while blowing away the field. Their 7:59.15 broke the old record set by Shore Regional in 2017 by seven-tenths of a second and were waiting for runner-up Hasbrouck Heights at the finish line, winning by more than 13 seconds over teams that pushed them last year.

“It wasn’t just like a win for us, it really showed how far we’ve come,” said anchor Crawford, who won the 800 individual title the day before. “Not that we could just win the state meet like we did last year, but really blow them out of the water. It was just a great day that we’ve been training for for weeks and weeks.”

“We’ve definitely grown and learned from last year to this year,” Chew added. “We’ve definitely made our statement that we wanted to make.”

The Wolverines’ relay team was one of two repeat state champions Salem County produced on Day Two of the meet. Schalick’s Jordan Hadfield defended her girls 1600 title, winning in a time of 5:01.16.

County athletes brought home a total of five state titles over the weekend. The top two finishers in each event qualified for Wednesday’s Meet of Champions at Pennsauken. Several other non-winners, like Lucas (800), Pennsville’s Connor Ayars (javelin) and Penns Grove triple jumper Bryan Garlic, qualified for wild cards.

The Wolverines went into the 4×800 maybe a little sore from Friday’s events but were confident about what they were going after and ran what Chew called a “perfectly smooth” race. All four runners went sub-60 on the first lap of their legs and all were around 1:02 bringing it home. Crawford called it “definitely the best performance” they put out to date.

“We came in knowing we were going to win,” coach Reggie Teemer said. “It was a matter of how dominant we were going to be.”

Like a Ferrari against a Volkswagen. Marino set the tone with a 59.90 out of the gate and completed his leg in a best-ever split 2:01.94. Chew followed with a 2:00.71 to establish the lead and as Teemer said, “it was over from there.”

Lucas, the lone senior in the group, stretched an already big lead with his 1:59.21 and Crawford brought it home in 1:57.27. By the time the baton got to Crawford, the Wolverines were racing against the clock in pursuit of the meet record.

“We came into this thinking we can do this, we can break this state record, we can hit this state championship again,” Chew said. “We came in thinking let’s give it our all and let’s see what happens and we’re very happy with how the result came out.

“Last year going into the state we thought we could win it and everybody did their job and we won it. This year, we were in some individual events and another relay, but this 4×8 is definitely the pinnacle of our team. We like to call our team the ‘Middle Distance University of Salem County’ because all of us are 800 runners, so it’s definitely one of our favorite events. It’s great to see my guys so happy about it and it’s great to get that championship done again.”

As strong as their run to the title was, it did miss one mark. The Wolverines were hoping to run a time fast enough to qualify for the New Balance Nationals later this summer, but came up just short of a 7:58 provisional time. That will be their focus at the Meet of Champions.

Chew and Crawford also ran legs on the Wolverines’ 4×400 relay team that finished second to the Camden team that ran in the Penn Relays, but they still qualified for the MOC. With his win in the 800 Friday, Crawford is qualified for three events in Pennsauken and “most likely” will run all three if the schedule allows.

“He had a great weekend,” Teemer said of Crawford.

NJSIAA GROUP I TRACK CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Franklin H.S., Somerset
(Top 2 advance to Meet of Champions, top 6 score meet points)
DAY TWO RESULTS
GIRLS
FINAL TEAM SCORES (Top 15):
Clayton 73, Metuchen 56, Woodbury 29, Glassboro 28, Haddon Twp. 27, Hasbrouck Heights 27, Shore 27, Audubon 22, Maple Shade 18, Burlington City 18, Schalick 16, Riverside 16, Pennsville 16; Mountain Lakes 15, Verona 15. Also, Woodstown 3
INDIVIDUAL EVENTS
400: 1. Leila Ortiz, Clayton 57.42
4×800 Relay: 1. Shore 9:42.55; 6. Woodstown (Abby Marino, Samantha Sterner, Sarah Seiden, Lilian Norman) 10:10.28
100 Hurdles: 1. Ciani Floyd, Maple Shade 15.69
200: 1. Leila Ortiz, Clayton 25.57
1600: 1. Jordan Hadfield, Schalick 5:01.16
4×400 Relay: 1. Clayton 4:05.03
Shot Put: 1. Sunny Moore, Glassboro 39-9; 3. Tatiyonna Crawford, Pennsville 36-9
Javelin: 1. Rainelle Blocker, Clayton 110-1
Long Jump: 1. Denirah Jones, Woodbury 17-0; 5. Emma Perry, Woodstown 16-0.5
High Jump: 1. Taylor Peters, Butler 5-2

BOYS
FINAL TEAM SCORES (Top 15):
Camden 46, Hasbrouck Heights 45, Glassboro 38.5, Woodstown 38, Manville 34, Clayton 32, Metuchen 24, Dayton 22, Pequannock 19, Schalick 18, Hawthorne 18, Indian Hills 16, Bound Brook 14, Kinnelon 14, Penns Grove 13. Also, Salem 10, Pennsville 4
INDIVIDUAL EVENTS
400: 1. Alexander Osayemi, Clayton 47.81; 4. Josh Crawford, Woodstown 50.05
4×800 Relay: 1. Woodstown (Jacob Marino, Karson Chew, Cole Lucas, Josh Crawford) 7:59.15 (Group I meet record, old record 7:59.88 by Shore Regional, 2017)
110 Hurdles: 1. Williams Cusick, Creskill 14.57
200: 1. Alexander Osayemi, Clayton 22.04; 4. David Stewart, Schalick 22.47; 5. Zaeshawn Mills, Schalick 22.48
1600: 1. Eric Schleif, Metuchen 4:22.02
4×400 Relay: 1. Camden 3:21.43; 2. Woodstown (Karson Chew, Kyle Reitz, Anthony Costello, Josh Crawford) 3:23.43; 3. Penns Grove (Kylee Goodson, Sebastian Hernandez, Bryan Garlic, Knowledge Young) 3:26.52
Discus: 1. Henry Struble, Pequannock 165-4
Triple Jump: 1. Dalsen Jean-Baptiste, Bound Brook 45-8.5; 3. Bryan Garlic, Penns Grove 44-0
Pole Vault: 1. Jacob George, Haddon Twp. 14-6