Here are the projected opening-round matchups for the South Jersey Group I baseball playoffs based on Wednesday’s cutoff power points standings.
PROJECTED PAIRINGS
SOUTH JERSEY GROUP I BASEBALL
(Based on May 21 power points)
No. 16 Paulsboro (3-18, 9.036) at No. 1 Audubon (17-7, 25.253)
No. 9 Buena (13-11, 15.737) at No. 8 Palmyra (11-9, 16.457)
No. 12 Clayton (8-12, 13.363) at No. 5 Maple Shade (11-9, 18.072)
No. 13 Gateway (7-14, 12.239) at No. 4 Pitman (15-8, 19.256)
No. 14 Salem (7-12, 11.884) at No. 3 Pennsville (14-7, 21.804)
No. 11 Haddon Twp. (8-16, 13.562) at No. 6 Woodstown (14-10, 17.964)
No. 10 Glassboro (10-11, 14.918) at No. 7 Riverside (10-11, 17.797)
No. 15 Wildwood (10-12, 10.929) at No. 2 Schalick (18-2, 24.223)
Category: WOODSTOWN
Schalick stunner
Cougars ‘on point,’ score walk-off win over Pennsville, denting the Eagles’ bid to become the No. 1 seed in South Jersey Group I softball; Woodstown, Schalick win tennis tourney openers, face-off next week
TUESDAY SOFTBALL
Clayton 21, Salem 0
Schalick 4, Pennsville 3 (8 inns.)
Woodstown 15, Wildwood 2
By Riverview Sports News
PITTSGROVE – Emily Miller’s one-out single in the eighth inning scored Maddie Brown with the walk-off run in Schalick’s 4-3 win over Pennsville that put a dent in the Eagles’ bid for the No. 1 seed in the South Jersey Group I softball tournament.
The win was Schalick’s first over Pennsville since 2019 and extended the Cougars’ winning streak to four, enhancing their own position for a high seeding. The loss snapped Pennsville’s seven-game winning streak.
“It was a nice win for the team,” Cougars coach Rick Higinbotham said. “Pennsville is a tough opponent so we knew we were going to have to be on point. Fortunately, we played one of our best all around games of the season. We took advantage of a few opportunities and got the win. Hopefully we can use this win to build some momentum for the playoffs next week.”
Pennsville (18-4) was looking to stay ahead of Haddon Twp. and overtake Audubon at No. 1 in the SJ Group I power points standings, but likely needed a sweep of its three games before Wednesday’s cutoff to do it. The Eagles still could make a big move with a win over undefeated SJ Group 3 No. 1 Delsea at home Wednesday.
As of late Tuesday night, the Eagles were second with 22.783 power points. Audubon remained No. 1 at 24.424 and Haddon Twp. was third at 22.486. Schalick (12-4) is currently solidly in fifth, less than 900 percentage points behind No. 4 Woodstown.
Haddon Twp. lost to Gloucester Tuesday, but Audubon swamped Sterling.
Pennsville starter Savannah Brewer-Palverento pitched three perfect innings to open the game, but was lifted for Graillyn Weber as planned in the fourth and Schalick scored three runs to take a 3-0 lead. The Cougars got their runs on a bases-loaded walk to Cloe Elliott, a run-scoring fielder’s choice by Brown and Ava Lauglin’s ground out.
The Eagles closed their deficit to 3-2 in the fifth on Weber’s leadoff inside-the-park homer and Avery Watson’s RBI single. They tied it in the sixth on Weber’s RBI double.
The Cougars started their winning rally with Elliott’s walk off Weber. Brewer-Palverento was returned to the circle and got Brown to hit into a fielder’s choice. Brown stole second and moved to third on an infield error before Miller delivered her game-winning hit.
WOODSTOWN 15, WILDWOOD 2: Leah Clark struck out 12 and didn’t allow a hit over six innings and the Wolverines supported her with a 15-hit attack. Ellie Wygand went 4-for-5 with three RBIs, Kendall Young went 3-for-3 with three RBIs and Clark went 2-for-3 with three RBIs. Hannah Hitchner and Talia Guardascione had two hits apiece.
The Warriors scored two unearned runs in the second inning to tie the game 2-2
CLAYTON 21, SALEM 0: The Clippers had only four hits, but took advantage of 28 walks. Sophia Petsch held Salem to one hit over four innings and had two hits and two RBIs at the plate. Korrin Robinson had Salem’s only hit
GOLF
Schalick 174, Pitman 176: Jaxon Weber and Seth Fisher both shot 40 to squeeze between Pitman’s top two counters providing the margin of victory in a close one at the site of next week’s Tri-County Championship tournament. Nolan O’Toole and Shawn Kelly both shot 47 to tie Pitman’s other two counters.
Washington Twp. girls 139, Schalick 164: Paige Weber (32) and Tessa Reilley (34) posted the low rounds for Washington Twp. at The Birches. Cali Fisler posted Schalick’s low round (37).
TENNIS
Woodstown and Schalick are headed to a second-round matchup after sweeping their opponents in the opening round of the South Jersey Group I tournament. Fourth-seeded Woodstown eliminated Penns Grove 5-0 and fifth-seeded Schalick ousted Lower Cape May 5-0.
The second-round match is scheduled for Woodstown Tuesday. The teams have not played each other this season
South Jersey Group I Tournament
(1) Haddon Twp. bye
(9) Gateway 3.5, (8) Clayton 1.5
(5) Schalick 5, (12) Lower Cape May 0
(4) Woodstown 5, (13) Penns Grove 0
(3) West Deptford bye
(11) Wildwood at (6) Palmyra, Wednesday
(10) Audubon at (7) Point Pleasant Beach, Thursday
(2) Pennsville bye
WOODSTOWN 5, PENNS GROVE 0
Drew Stengel (WO) def. Alex Ramirez Martinez, 6-0, 6-3
John Farrell (WO) def. Stuart Mondragon, 6-1, 6-0
Jake Lewis (WO) def. Angel Perez Herrera, 6-4, 6-3
Ben Stengel-Joseph Kurpis (WO) def. Anthony Pacheco-Rene Ruiz, 6-0, 6-2
Mason Shimp-Vincent Merendino (WO) def. Juan Ortiz-Adam Gonzalez, 6-1, 6-2
Records: Woodstown 14-4, Penns Grove 2-9
SCHALICK 5, LOWER CAPE MAY 0
George Gould (S) def. Ismael Lopez, 6-1, 7-5
Rocky Monticolo (S) def. Nicholas Fitch, 6-0, 6-1
Conor O’Toole (S) def. Nathan Chase, 6-2, 6-0
Kaden Barnes-Cayden Brzozowski (S) def. Bryan Ortiz-Victor Vasquez, 6-0, 6-1
David Santana-Anthony McGrath (S) def. Max Vaught-Chris Hawes, 6-2, 6-2
Records: Schalick 14-5, Lower Cape May 4-15
Monday roundup
Here are scores and highlights from Monday’s Salem County sports schedule; boys tennis tournament pairings announced
SOFTBALL
Clayton 21, Penns Grove 1
Pennsville 17, Salem 2
Woodstown 8, Pitman 2
PENNSVILLE 17, SALEM 2: Kylie Harris had two hits and four RBIs, and Graillyn Weber and Sawyer Simmons both drove in three runs. The Eagles (18-3) jumped out front with 10 runs in the first inning. Julliana Love and Isla Bohn had two hits apiece for Salem.
The Eagles (18-3) have won seven in a row, but remain 0.963 points behind Audubon in the race to No. 1 seed in the South Jersey Group I power points standings. The cutoff for playoff consideration is Wednesday.
TENNIS
Undefeated Pennsville (18-0) pulled down a No. 2 seed and has drawn a first-round bye to the South Jersey Group I tennis tournament along with No. 1 Haddon Twp. and No. 3 West Deptford.
No. 4 Woodstown opens with Penns Grove Tuesday, and No. 5 Schalick opens with Lower Cape May Wednesday. If they both win they meet in Round 2.
PENNSVILLE 5, WILDWOOD 0
Gabe Schneider (P) def. Giorgio Palesano, 6-0, 6-0
Maddox Efelis (P) def. Simon Palacias, 6-0, 6-0
Brody Wiggins (P) def. Cristopher Hernandez, 6-1, 6-0
Sawyer Humphrey-Lucas Cooksey (P) def. Chris Olivera-Alexis Mejia, 6-0, 6-0
Ian Peacock-Carter Willis (P) def. Daniel Salomao-Angel DeJesus, 6-0, 6-0
Records: Pennsville 18-0, Wildwood 3-12
SCHALICK 5, PITMAN 0
George Gould (S) def. Chase Pogozelski, 6-0, 6-0
Rocky Monticolo (S) def. Nolan Russell, 6-2, 6-0
Conor O’Toole (S) def. Jaron Scull, 6-2, 6-2
Kaden Barnes-Cayden Brzozowski (S) def. Ben Williams-Aiden Evans, 6-0, 6-0
David Santana-Anthony McGrath (S) def. Spencer Bianchini-Liam Etter, 6-2, 6-2
Records: Schalick 13-5, Pitman 5-14
CUMBERLAND 3, WOODSTOWN 2
Drew Stengel (WO) def. Luke Fischer, 6-1, 6-1
John Farrell (WO) def. Joseph Nolan, 6-3, 6-1
Carter Fischer (C) def. Jake Lewis, 6-0, 6-1
Asher Kennedy-Chase Sheppard (C) def. Luke Shaw-Mason Shimp, 6-4, 3-6, 10-6
Mason Staffieri-Justin Nolan (C) def. Ben Stengel-Joseph Kurpis, 6-2, 6-3
Records: Cumberland 15-1, Woodstown 13-4
GIRLS LACROSSE
WOODSTOWN 19, TRITON 1: Ten players scored goals for the Wolverines. Delaney Walker scored four (giving her 149 for her career); Jaime Deal scored three; Sienna Land, Emma Morgan, Blair Baldi and Arianna Hyman all had two; and Isabella Lindenmuth, Angelina Lindenmuth, Gina Murray and Lucy Mannella each scored one.
VOLLEYBALL
HIGHLAND 2, SALEM TECH 0: The Tartans won 25-18, 25-16 in the first round of the Tri-County Tournament. Highland then fell to Kingsway 2-0 (25-10, 25-12) in the quarterfinals.
Confidence booster
Pennsville hands Schalick just its second loss of the season in potential playoff preview; Woodstown walked off in 11th
MONDAY BASEBALL
Clayton 12, Penns Grove 3
Glassboro 11, Salem 1
Pennsville 8, Schalick 2
Pitman 6, Woodstown 5 (11 inns.)
By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News
PENNSVILLE – The folks at the very top on the inside of the Pennsville baseball team talked about the Eagles’ 8-2 win over Schalick Monday just like it was another game when everyone on their side of the ballpark knew it was so much more than that.
The Eagles (13-7) celebrated Senior Day with a win over one of the best teams in South Jersey Group I, maybe even the state, that could serve as a message for a bigger matchup down the road.
They overcame a leadoff home run by the best player in the county and bunched their eight runs into three late innings to hand the Cougars (17-2) only their second loss of the season and one that didn’t come against a rushed schedule.
The way the South Jersey Group I power points are tracking, the teams are likely to finish 2 and 3, setting up a potential sectional semifinal rematch.
“It was a good baseball game, it was a good springboard for us heading to the playoffs,” Eagles coach Matt Karr said. “No message sent today other than Pennsville played a good baseball game at 4 o’clock on Monday May 19 and if we are lucky enough to run into each other again this game and that microcosm will mean absolutely nothing. At the end of the day, when we get to May 27 everybody’s 0-0 and it’s a brand new season.”
The Eagles are now 4-0 against county rivals this year and have won 18 straight regular-season games against in-county competition (the only setback in the run was last year’s playoff loss to Woodstown). This year’s senior group, which includes the five-man heart of the batting order, is now 67-31 in their careers and has taken four in a row from the Cougars since losing the first game of a home-and-home series in 2022.
The loss snapped Schalick’s seven-game winning streak. The Cougars’ other loss came to Haddonfield in the opening round of the Diamond Classic in a game that started less than 12 hours after their five most veteran players got back home from their senior class trip and ended 30 minutes before the prom. Coach Sean O’Brien chalked up latest loss to a bad day.
“You play 18 games you’re bound to have a bad against a good team,” he said. “A bad game against a mediocre team you can recover from, against a good team (it’s tough). It’s one of those games you’ve got to leave behind. It happens.”
The game couldn’t have started better for the Cougars. Leadoff hitter Luke Pokrovsky, the player many hoped would pitch, opened the game with his 21st career homer. It was his fifth homer in five games and the third straight game he’s gone yard.
The next two hitters also singled, but after that they didn’t get another hit off Pennsville starter Cohen Petrutz until Eli Cummings singled leading off the seventh.
“Cohen’s been battling through some stuff; today, it was awesome for him,” Karr said. “I don’t like to throw words around loosely so I won’t use the word domination. Cohen Petrutz was in absolute control of that game from the second batter on.
“Today was a reminder that he can beat anybody on any given day, which just makes us even more dangerous going to the playoffs to have two top-tier left-handed pitchers. I know they didn’t throw Pokrovsky, but they batted their lineup they would bat in a playoff game and Cohen held them in check.”
“I think I did all right,” Petrutz said. “I was feeling good. I’ve been having arm pain the past couple outings but today I felt really great. Ready to go the whole time, had trust in my infield, didn’t have to strike everybody out today. I just felt really good.”
For the second straight game the play of the game was delivered by Jake Layfield. The sophomore shortstop snared Ricky Watt’s screaming liner with two runners in scoring position for the final out of the fourth to keep it a 1-0 game.
“He doesn’t do anything flashy, but he just seems to always make the play,” Karr said. “He doesn’t look like your typical shortstop you see on some of these elite teams but when push comes to shove Jake will be there to make the play.”
The Eagles took the lead in the bottom of the inning. Stevie Fatcher hit a two-out, two-strike, two-run double to center to put them ahead 2-1 and he rode home on Mason O’Brien’s triple to right.
“He got me chasing high for the first two and I was just thinking got to get it in play,” Fatcher said. “Then he lifted one right down the middle and I took it and hit it.
“This is one we marked on the calendar that we wanted. Coming into school today all I could think about was this game, wanting to win. I kind of wanted to show them a little bit. We did. We came in there and produced. It’s a lot of fun when you win games like that against those teams you’re going to see.”
The Eagles added two more in the fifth on Chase Burchfield’s RBI double and Petrutz’ run-scoring single to get starter Lucas D’Agostino out of the game, then tacked on three more in the sixth on four walks and Jeff Wagner’s two-run single.
The Cougars threatened in the seventh. Petrutz was going to get all 110 pitches he was promised and started the inning but gave up a single and two walks and came out. Gavin Spears put out the fire with a sacrifice fly by Evan Sepers and two strikeouts.
PITMAN 6, WOODSTOWN 5: Drew Keefe’s two-out single to right field on a payoff pitch – his fourth hit of the game – walked it off for the Panthers in the 11th inning.
The Wolverines took a 5-4 lead in the top of the ninth on Ty Coblentz’ two-out double but Pitman extended the game on Aidan Stranahan’s two-out RBI single in the home half. Stranahan also homered in the game.
Caiden Spinelli had three hits for the Wolverines, while Coblentz and Chase Harding each had two. Rocco String had an RBI single in the fifth and walked five times – four intentionally.
CLAYTON 12, PENNS GROVE 3: Christian Thibault went 3-for-3 with three RBIs and David Chapes had three hits to lead the Clippers. Elijah Crespo (2×2, walk, HBP) and Alex Paz (3×3, walk) both had perfect days at the plate for Penns Grove.
GLASSBORO 11, SALEM 1: Aidan Evengelisti and Colin Riley both had two hits, Gavin Dillard and Ryan Newell both drove in two runs and two Glassboro pitchers combined to hold the Rams to four hits. Bryce Harris drove in Salem’s run in the sixth inning.
Dressed for success
Schalick’s Weber may have been “out of uniform,” but his game was the perfect fit as he leads Cougars to Salem/Cumberland Challenge title
By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News
CENTERTON — The more he thought about it, given the results he’s seen it produce, the more inclined Schalick golf coach Sean Collins would be to allow Jaxon Weber to play the remainder of his high school career “out of uniform” as it were.
It was easy to find the Cougars on the Centerton Country Club golf course Monday morning in their black polos with the interlocking “SC” stitched on the left breast. But you wouldn’t at first blush be able to tell Weber was a part of it.
He came to play in a plain white Under Armour polo and khaki shorts. And he wore it well, firing a best-ever 4-over-par 75 to win medalist honors and lead the Cougars to the Salem/Cumberland Challenge team title.
“I will allow it,” Collins said. “I didn’t even realize it until we went up for the picture. There are coaches who are much more detail-oriented than me, I’ll say that.
“I don’t even know I would have noticed if my (athletics director Doug Volovar) hadn’t pointed out the school just bought those shirts for the other three. I want him to be comfortable. I want to him win. So, if it’s the non-matching shirt that’s what gets him to win, I’m for it … We might all wear white Under Armour next year.”
Weber wasn’t trying to make a fashion statement or have his own diva moment on the course. Neither of his team shirts were available when he got up Monday morning so he just put together the first outfit that worked.
“It was in the wash, so I couldn’t wear it,” he said. “So, I had to improvise.”
Ironically, it was the same outfit he wore last year when he won the Group sectional title as a sophomore.
“That’s definitely the shirt he should be wearing,” Collins said. “He should wear that more often. He should wear it under his soccer jersey, whatever other sport he’s playing.”
Weber grabbed a share of the lead with a chip-in birdie from just off the green at 13, then fell out when teammate Anthony Sepers birdied 14 to go to 2-over. He rose back to the top of the leaderboard after Sepers’ wedges failed him on his final two holes, but thought he might have lost it altogether with his own bogey at 17.
Sepers double bogeyed 16 after dumping his 173-yard approach shot into the left greenside bunker and then taking two shots to get out and then bogeyed 17 — his final hole in the shotgun start — after duffing a delicate chip from just left of the green. His day started with a bogey on 18 after his approach shot bounced off flagstick and ricocheted off the green.
“It was kind of a bummer because it’s cool to win anything and I’m a competitor, but it was the best round I ever played (76),” said Sepers, who broke 80 for the first time Sunday with a 79.
While all that was going on with Sepers at the end, Weber parred 18 to finish even par on the back and one shot ahead of his teammate, but he still had to wait it out in the clubhouse. Cumberland’s Nicole Tarquinio also was at 4-over with three holes to play. She left a long birdie putt on the lip at 12, then fell out of contention with a triple-bogey 7 on her next to last hole and bogeyed her last to finish fourth in the co-ed event.
“It was nice,” Weber said. “After the front nine I didn’t really think I was going to do that good and then I got on the back nine and started going on a streak, so it kind of pushed my tempo up. After the bogey on 17 I was like it might not happen, but I’m still shooting really good.
“I knew I was shooting even on the back so if I kept doing what I was doing I knew good things were going to come. Even if I had gotten second place I still shot my best round of golf ever.”
Weber, Sepers and Michael Nelson (82) all posted their best 18-hole scores ever in the round and the Cougars won the team title by 24 shots over Woodstown. The Wolverines were led Erich Lipovsky, who finished third with a 77.
Photo: Tournament winner Jaxon Weber (center) is flanked by runner-up teammate Anthony Sepers (right) and Woodstown’s Erich Lipovsky after the Salem/Cumberland Challenge Monday.
Salem/Cumberland Challenge
TEAM SCORES: Schalick 315, Woodstown 339, Cumberland 346, Pennsville 383, Salem Tech 427
| INDIVIDUALS | |
| Jaxon Weber, Schalick | 39-36–75 |
| Anthony Sepers, Schalick | 35-41–76 |
| Erich Lipovsky, Woodstown | 38-39–77 |
| Nicole Tarquinio, Cumberland | 38-41–79 |
| Joey Olbrich, Woodstown | 38-42–80 |
| Michael Nelson, Schalick | 40-42–82 |
| Seth Fisher, Schalick | 42-40–82 |
| Jack Bucksar, Woodstown | 42-40–82 |
| Landon Hurff, Cumberland | 41-41–83 |
| Caden Thomas, Pennsville | 40-46–86 |
| Chase Pepper, Cumberland | 45-44–89 |
| Chase Ayars, Salem Tech | 46-45–91 |
| Trevor Hann, Pennsville | 49-46–95 |
| Maahishee Patel, Cumberland | 47-48–95 |
| Riley Bowman, Pennsville | 47-50–97 |
| Logan Jones, Woodstown | 51-49–100 |
| John Thomas, Pennsville | 53-52–105 |
| Benjamin McCann, Salem Tech | 55-53–108 |
| Tyler Zampino, Salem Tech | 53-56–109 |
| Josh Reed, Salem Tech | 61-58–119 |
This week’s schedule
Here is this week’s Salem County sports schedule for the week of May 19-24; events start at 4 p.m. unless noted
MAY 19
BASEBALL
Glassboro at Salem
Penns Grove at Clayton
Schalick at Pennsville
Woodstown at Pitman
SOFTBALL
Clayton at Penns Grove
Pitman at Woodstown
Salem at Pennsville
GOLF
Salem/Cumberland County Tournament, Centerton CC, 8 a.m.
Schalick girls vs. Delsea, Centerton CC, 3:30 p.m.
TENNIS
Pennsville at Wildwood, 3:45 p.m.
Pitman at Schalick
Woodstown at Cumberland, 3:45 p.m.
LACROSSE
Williamstown at Woodstown, 6:15 p.m.
GIRLS LACROSSE
Triton at Woodstown
VOLLEYBALL
Salem Tech at LEAP
MAY 20
BASEBALL
Pennsville vs. Tome School (Md.), Frawley Stadium, 7 p.m.
SOFTBALL
Clayton at Salem
Pennsville at Schalick
Woodstown at Wildwood
GOLF
Schalick vs. Pitman, Pitman GC, 3:30 p.m.
Schalick girls vs. Washington Twp., The Birches, 3:30 p.m.
TENNIS
Pennsville at Penns Grove, 3:30 p.m.
Woodstown at Delsea, 3:45 p.m.
MAY 21
BASEBALL
Penns Grove at Overbrook
Pennsville at Salem
SOFTBALL
Delsea at Pennsville
Palmyra at Schalick
GOLF
Schalick girls vs. Kingsway, River Winds, 3:30 p.m.
TENNIS
South Jersey Group I Tournament
GIRLS LACROSSE
Millville at Woodstown
VOLLEYBALL
Salem Tech at Clearview
MAY 22
BASEBALL
Collingswood at Schalick
Penns Grove at Pleasantville
Pennsville at Triton
Woodstown at Cedar Creek
SOFTBALL
Clearview at Pennsville
Schalick at OLMA
Woodstown at Ocean City
TENNIS
Pennsville at Cumberland, 3:45 p.m.
Schalick at Wildwood, 4:15 p.m.
LACROSSE
West Deptford at Woodstown
VOLLEYBALL
Salem Tech at Triton
MAY 23
BASEBALL
Salem at Camden Academy Charter
GIRLS LACROSSE
Woodstown at Williamstown, 3 p.m.
Playoff projections
Here are the South Jersey Group I playoff projection for baseball, softball, boys tennis; the baseball and softball power points are open through Wednesday
Saturday was the originally scheduled cutoff date for eligible power points towards playoff consideration, but the date was moved to Wednesday due to all the inclement weather this season. Here is what the South Jersey Group I baseball and softball playoffs would have looked like if the Saturday date stood.
BASEBALL
Paulsboro at Audubon
Palmyra at Buena
Haddon Twp. at Woodstown
Gateway at Pitman
Salem at Pennsville
Clayton at Riverside
Glassboro at Maple Shade
Wildwood at Schalick
SOFTBALL
Burlington City at Audubon
Cape May Tech at Riverside
Glassboro at Schalick
Palmyra at Woodstown
LEAP at Haddon Twp.
Buena at Maple Shade
Clayton at Pitman
Paulsboro at Pennsville
The boys tennis cutoff date was Saturday, pairings are expected to be announced Monday. Here are the projected pairings; some teams may opt out of the competition (Glassboro and Pitman have), which would open up byes in the official bracket
TENNIS (May 21 first round)
Glassboro at Haddon Twp.
Gateway at Clayton
Wildwood at Schalick
West Deptford at Woodstown
Buena at West Deptford
Pitman at Palmyra
Audubon at Point Pleasant Beach
Penns Grove at Pennsville
Style to dye for
Pennsville uses late rally to take down Lenape, play reminds coach they’re buying into ideals he’s preaching
SATURDAY BASEBALL
Pennsville 5, Lenape 4
Schalick 24, Paulsboro 1
Delran 6, Woodstown 4
By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News
PENNSVILLE — Pennsville rallied from an early four-run deficit to score five runs in its final two bats and beat Lenape 5-4 Saturday afternoon. The way the Eagles came back reminded coach Matt Karr of all the things he’d been preaching to his players about winning games after he found himself getting frustrated with their recent lack of production.
The blonde-topped Eagles, 12-7 and currently No. 3 in the South Jersey Group I power points, trailed 4-0 going to the home fifth, but put together enough quality at-bats late in the game to score three in the bottom of the inning to get close and then two more in the sixth to win it.
The three runs they scored in the fifth ended a string of 12 consecutive scoreless innings, a drought exacerbated by an unnerving string of setbacks at the plate, on the bases and in the field that keep a team from being successful.
“We’re just going to the plate and we’re not competing,” Karr said. “I felt like we were on cruise control, just going through the motions, then I catch myself over there counting … 8 … 9 … 10 innings without a run.
“Things were going bad. Everything that could go wrong … I felt like it was one of those days where it was going to go wrong. I told the boys out in the outfield, you guys kind of had to remind me through your play today the things we preach to you – a baseball game is seven innings long, the runs you score in inning one count the same as the runs you score in the seventh.
“We settled in and started grinding out at bats at the plate. The at bats at the end were awesome.”
The Eagles loaded the bases in the sixth on a leadoff walk, misplayed bunt and hit batsman from the bottom of the order. With the Pennsville bench erupting in the Florida State/Atlanta Braves tomahawk chant, Logan Streitz worked a bases-loaded walk to force home the tying run and Peyton O’Brien fought off several payoff pitches before delivering a one-out sacrifice fly to right to put his team ahead. O’Brien also doubled home their first two runs in the fifth.
“I knew I was going to eventually get one to handle,” O’Brien said. “I was saying to myself just don’t strike out because I knew I had to do a job for my team and I did it, so I’m glad.
“Before I went up there (on the double) coach told me just remember you’re one of the best hitters in the state, so I went up with that confidence and got a pitch I could hit, put a good swing on it and got us going.”
Perhaps their biggest play of the game didn’t come at the plate. The Indians were threatening to break it open with two runners in scoring position with two outs in the fifth but Jake Layfield kept Dante D’Ambra’s rocket to short in the infield preventing a second run to score that would’ve made it 5-0.
“When we were down in Ocean City we had a conversation about productive innings at the plate,” Karr said. “On the flip side, you guys hear me all the time saying belly down, keep it in. It’s for that reason right there. He makes an awesome play, keeps the ball in the infield. Doesn’t get an out, but he saved a run and today that’s the difference. The little things.
“When we play these playoff games, you get in the second, third, championship rounds, it’s those little things that are going to be the difference.”
The Indians scored three in the first inning off Luke Wood after he got the first two hitters out, but the Pennsville ace buckled down after that. He allowed only four hits, struck out five and faced only three batters over the minimum over the final six innings.
“I don’t feel like anything really changed (after the first inning), I think I just kept attacking the zone,” Wood said. “You’re going to give up hits, you’re going to give up runs, that’s the game of baseball. I’ve just got to trust that my stuff is going to be better than their lineup over the course of seven innings. You can’t let one inning bother you like that.”
Blonde ambition
Don’t look now but nearly every player on the Pennsville roster sports a dyed blonde head of hair underneath their caps.
It’s a look they’ve sported since their win over Pitman. It grew out of several players – Streitz, Jay Nickles, Mikey McClincy, Aidan Geary, Cohen Petrutz and Stevie Fatcher – sliding down to Streitz’ mom Pam’s Salone Di Bellezza on Broadway for a dye job before joining the team at O’Brien’s house for pizza, and once there convincing the rest to join them.
“It’s been brewing for a few weeks,” Karr said. “Then (Gavin) Spears shows up one day with the blonde hair and I say are you the guy in the group chat that didn’t get the hint it was a joke and they made you do it. He was like, no, no, no, we’re going to do it.”
So far the new look has been met with a curious but favorable response. Streitz reports there have been no negative comments. “I think everybody likes it,” he said. The Eagles won their first two games in the new do’s and are now 3-2 with them.
“They want to be like me,” said Wood, who has been regularly dying his hair blonde since his freshman year. “I like not being the only one. You’re looking at our whole group of guys and everyone looks the exact same. My mom tells me all the time she can’t tell anybody apart.”
“It’s growing on me,” O’Brien said. “At first I was a little upset about it, but it’s growing on me. Sometimes I think it looks a little stupid, but we’re a team.”
The only player who hasn’t done it is leftfielder Jeff Wagner and that’s because he has a senior portrait sitting soon.
Karr hasn’t done it, either, but he’s on board and will sit in the chair under one condition.
“I told them if you win a South Jersey championship,” Karr said, “I’ll go to the Salone 10 minutes after the game and do whatever you want.”
The Eagles have a busy week next week. They host current SJ-1 No. 2 Schalick Monday, play a free admission game against Tome School of Maryland in Wilmington’s Frawley Stadium Tuesday night and visit Salem with a chance to clinch their first outright TCC Classic Division title since 2023 Wednesday, the new cutoff date for playoff seedings.
SCHALICK 24, PAULSBORO 1: Luke Pokrovsky hit his fourth homer in four games, Ricky Watt hit a grand slam and four pitchers combined on a two-hitter with 10 strikeouts. Both homers came in a 13-run third inning. Cole Hartley homered in the fifth inning. The Cougars (17-1) have won seven in a row and scored 84 runs in their last five games.
DELRAN 6, WOODSTOWN 4: The Bears broke a 3-3 tie on Jackson Veneziano’s RBI single in the fifth and extended their lead on RBI singles by Jackson Hager and Andrew Reim in the sixth. Woodstown tied the game in the top of the fifth on Rocco String’s RBI double and Dante Holmes’ bases-loaded walk. String had three hits for the Wolverines.
SJ sectional track
Despite having his routine thrown out of whack, Pennsville’s Ayars wins boys javelin; among 12 Salem County sectional champions, 64 state qualifiers
By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News
PENNSAUKEN – Imagine spending all day mentally preparing for the only event you’re competing in at the biggest meet of the year so far, getting to the site and fine-tuning your game face only to have the event pulled out from under you.
And then having to go through it all again the next morning. And still having it within yourself to produce a gold-medal result.
That’s what Pennsville’s Connor Ayars faced this weekend as he competed in – and won – the boys javelin in the South Jersey Group I track and field sectionals at Pennsauken High School.
Ayars had been gearing up all day Friday for his event, but wet weather and field conditions, combined with the time it took to complete an 88-man field in the Group 4 javelin prompted officials to call it a night shortly before the Pennsville senior’s flight was scheduled to throw.
He had to come back Saturday morning and although the throw wasn’t quite up to his usual standards, he still won the event with a throw of 161 feet, 1 inch – some 12 feet shorter of his best throw ever, but still six feet better than his closest competitor.
“I was a little upset because I was ready to throw, there was still some daylight left, but …,” he said. “It definitely was disappointing because I get out of school early, I go up there, I’m waiting five plus hours to throw and I don’t get to throw after I’ve been stretching, prepping myself, doing my technique work with Cole (Campbell) and then five minutes before I’m about to throw they say they’re going to postpone it.
“I’m pretty bummed out because I’ve been working all week to be ready to throw Friday and not expecting to throw today, and it ended up being a disappointing throw today as well. It was a total kill.”
On Friday Ayars was “as loose as I’ve ever been” and was expecting to post something in the high 170s at or better than the school record. His best-ever throw is 173-2, this year at the Woodbury Relays.
His winning throw Saturday came on his fifth attempt. He followed it with a 159-11, which still was better than the runner-up’s best.
“I wouldn’t say it was really off, it just wasn’t what I was expecting to throw,” he said. “It is a disappointing throw for me, but I got first place so I can’t put myself down for that.”
Now he has two weeks to bring it back. After a disappointing showing in the state meet last year Ayars plans to change what he does to get ready.
“I’ve just got to be more locked in this season,” he said. “It’s my last outing if I don’t do well. I’m going to have to push myself to take these two weeks and really focus on what I need to get better at.”
Ayars won one of eight boys and four girls sectional champions from Salem County and 64 total qualifiers to the state championship meet from the county.
Among the boys champions crowned Saturday were Ayars, Schalick’s Ethan McLean (discus) and David Stewart (triple jump); Salem’s Anthony Parker (long jump); and Woodstown’s 4×400 and 4×800 relay teams.
Josh Crawford, looking every bit in like the Atlanta Braves’ Flash who gives random fans a big head start and then runs them down in his between innings promo on the warning track, took the baton in sixth place and made up some 60 meters on the final leg to edge Camden in the 4×400 relay. He ran a 47.095 final leg. He won the 800 on Friday.
“With every race I run, whether it is a relay or an open it is never about me. It’s about me doing my part for the team and my coach,” Crawford said. “They did their part. it was my turn to do mine. I didn’t even think. I was calm and knew what I had to do.
“I loved the celebration with my team at the end. Opposing runners came up to me. I do the same to them. We have respect for each other. Most importantly, I know that every stride I take is partly hard work and discipline, but is mostly the strength from God and some good genes.”
Among the girls champions crowned Saturday were Schalick’s Jordan Hadfield (1600); Woodstown’s Kami Casiano (high jump); and Pennsville’s Megan Morris (pole vault). Hadfield’s win the 1600 gave her a double after winning the 3200 the day before.
Woodstown and Schalick finished 2-3 behind champion Glassboro in the boys team standings. Schalick was third in the girls teams standings, just two points behind runnerup Haddon Twp. Woodstown was sixth.
Stewart and Hadfield were second in their respective Group I MVP standings. Hadfield was second in girls Group I track scoring and Crawford was second in boys Group I track scoring.
SOUTH JERSEY GROUP I
TRACK SECTIONALS
BOYS
TEAM SCORES: Glassboro 135, Woodstown 66.5, Schalick 57, Camden 44, Haddon Twp. 33, Audubon 33, Clayton 32, Palmyra 28, Woodbury 23, Gateway 22, Penns Grove 19, Pennsville 14, Maple Shade 12, Buena 11, Burlington City 10, Salem 10, Paulsboro 8.5
EVENTS (winners and Salem County state qualifiers)
100: 1. Xavier Sabb, Glassboro 10.69; 6. Colin McGlinn, Pennsville 11.07
200: 1. Alexander Osayemi, Clayton 21.67; 4. David Stewart, Schalick 22.18; 6. Zaeshawn Mills, Schalick 22.52
400: 1. Alexander Osayemi, Clayton 46.91; 2. Josh Crawford, Woodstown 49.01
800: 1. Josh Crawford, Woodstown 1:53.59; 2. Cole Lucas, Woodstown 1:54.87; 5. Karson Chew, Woodstown 1:59.92
1600: Ty Blackman, Glassboro 4:27.73; 3. Cole Lucas, Woodstown 4:34.08
3200: 1. Ty Blackman, Glassboro 9:47.48; 3. Jacob Marino, Woodstown 10:00.32
4×100 Relay: 1. Schalick (Reggie Allen, Michael Eberl, Zaeshawn Mills, David Stewart) 42.34 (Group I sectional record)
4×400 Relay: 1. Woodstown (Karson Chew, Kyle Reitz, Anthony Costello, Josh Crawford) 3:26.84; 5. Penns Grove (Kylee Goodson, Sebastian Hernandez, Bryan Garlic, Knowledge Young) 3:28.42
4×800 Relay: 1. Woodstown (Karson Chew, David Farrell, Pacey Hutton, Jacob Marino) 8:20.34; 6. Penns Grove (Messiah Allah, Connor Duggan, Bryan Garlic, Robert Sanchez-Gomez) 8:43.15
100 Hurdles: 1. Andres Santiago, Haddon Twp. 14.92
400 Hurdles: 1. Alexander Osayemi, Clayton 53.14; 2. David Stewart, Schalick 54.22; 5. Bryan Garlic, Penns Grove 56.09
Discus: 1. Ethan McLean, Schalick 139-6; 4. Aidan Taulane, Woodstown 131-4; 5. Jackson McFarland, Pennsville 130-8
High Jump: 1. Jaleel Latimore, Palmyra 6-4; T-6. Elijah Caesar, Woodstown 5-10
Javelin: 1. Connor Ayars, Pennsville 161-1; 3. Nyzier Wynder, Schalick 147-11; 5. Lorenzo Dignee, Woodstown 140-5; 6. Cole Campbell, Pennsville 140-3
Long Jump: 1. Anthony Parker, Salem 23-2; 5. Will Roy, Penns Grove 20-5
Pole Vault: 1. Jacob George, Haddon Twp. 14-0; 4. Salvatore Longo, Schalick 12-0
Shot Put: 1. Sam Adams, Palmyra 46-3; 2. Raymond Brown, Penns Grove, 46-1; 4, Sheldon Goldsborogh, Schalick 45-7.5
Triple Jump: 1. David Stewart, Schalick 45-4.25; 4. Bryan Garlic, Penns Grove 42-9; 6. Zaeshawn Mills, Schalick 41-9.5
GIRLS
TEAM SCORES: Clayton 86, Haddon Twp. 74, Schalick 72, Audubon 65.5, Woodbury 55, Woodstown 45, Maple Shade 42, Glassboro 28, Riverside 18, Burlington City 18, Pennsville 12, Buena 10, Salem 9, Camden 8, Wildwood 6, Paulsboro 4, Pitman 4, Gateway 1.5.
EVENTS (winners and Salem County state qualifiers)
100: 1, Miyana Johnson, Clayton 12.40; 6. Raniyah Parsons-Smith, Salem 12.99
200: 1. Leila Ortiz, Clayton 25.24; 6. Gia Martellacci, Schalick 26.44
400: 1. Leila Ortiz, Clayton 56.39; 5. Gia Marellacci, Schalick 1:00.04
800: 1. Riley Fayer, Audubon 2:17.09; 2. Jordan Hadfield, Schalick 2:18.67; 4. Lilian Norman, Woodstown 2:22.57
1600: 1. Jordan Hadfield, Schalick 5:04.83; 5. Lilian Norman, Woodstown 5:30.23
3200: 1. Jordan Hadfield, Schalick 11:16.14; 2. Anabel Schaal, Woodstown 12:24.42; 3. Abby Marino, Woodstown 12:27.02; 5. Samantha Sterner, Woodstown 12:34.84
4×100 Relay: 1. Woodbury 49.70; 2. Schalick (Jaelynn Jarmon, Phoebe Alward, Caileigh Schalick, Gia Martellacci) 50.87; 6. Salem (Angelina Fothergill, MaKayla Smith, Raniyah Parsons-Smith, Kashira Patterson) 52.63
4×400 Relay: 1. Haddon Twp. 4:06.29; 5. Schalick (Brooke Valentine, Sophia Harris, Jordan Hadfield, Gia Martellacci) 4:14.06; 6. Pennsville (Taylor Bass, Molly Gratz, Ariana Charles, Megan Morris) 4:16.64
4×800 Relay: 1. Audubon 9:55.24; 2. Woodstown (Abby Marino, Samantha Sterner, Sarah Seiden, Lilian Norman) 10:04.31; Schalick (Caylen Taylor, Sarah Torpey, Helen Lilli, Allyson Green) 10:48.66
100 Hurdles: 1. Ciani Floyd, Maple Shade 15.93
400 Hurdles: 1. Emily Madden, Buena 1:07.74; 4. Audrey Boggs, Salem 1:09.88; 6. Sarah Seiden, Woodstown 1:10.77
Discus: 1. Sunny Moore, Glassboro 137-1; 6. Sebrina Bradford, Schalick 106-10
High Jump: 1. Kami Casiano, Woodstown 5-2; 4. Navaeh Robinson, Schalick 4-10
Javelin: 1. Rainelle Blocker, Clayton 114-7, 3. Allyson Green, Schalick 105-1, 5. Navaeh Robinson 97-7
Long Jump: 1. Denirah Jones, Woodbury 17-4.5; 3. Phoebe Alward, Schalick 16-6; 4. Emma Perry, Woodstown 16-0
Pole Vault: 1. Megan Morris, Pennsville 10-6; 5. Gabriella Simonini, Schalick 8-0
Shot Put: 1. Antonia Federici, Woodbury 38-4; 5. Ava Rodgers, Salem 32-9; 6. Tatiyonna Crawford, Pennsville 32-8.75
Triple Jump: 1. Nyima Burley, Burlington City 35-9; 4. Jaelynn Jarmon, Schalick 34-7.25; 6. MaKayla Smith, Salem 33-5.
Beating the weather and the clock
Woodstown’s Crawford sets sectional record in winning SJ Group I boys 800, Schalick’s Hadfield wins 3200
By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News
PENNSAUKEN – It really didn’t seem like a good day to run, but Woodstown junior Josh Crawford fought through the challenges and ran one of the best times in county history in his specialty Friday while setting a South Jersey Group I sectional record.
Crawford won the South Jersey Group I boys 800 in a personal best 1:53.59 that broke a 28-year-old hand-timed meet record set by Paulsboro’s Fred Sharpe. It was the second-fastest 800 in Salem County history, behind only the 1:52.97 Penns Grove’s Jaymes Dennison ran in 2013
Truth be told, Crawford wasn’t even sure they would have a meet as he sat in the middle of the school day. The skies were dark and the students were sheltering in place from the storm that was raging outside.
The skies eventually cleared and Crawford made his way to Pennsauken High. Once he got there he found the track dry, but the field turf was wet and spongy making it difficult to warm up.
“As soon as I got to the meet I was a little out of it mindset wise, but as soon as I saw the track I knew it was time to get my game face on it,” Crawford said. “That was me and my friends putting our best time down even though the circumstances were kind of iffy.”
He credited the pace of the race and the push from the field for helping raise the standard.
Woodstown teammates Cole Lucas and Karson Chew finished second and fifth, respectively, in the race. Lucas ran a 1:54.87 – the third fastest time in meet and Salem County history – and Chew ran a 1:59.92.
“It was mostly just me trusting my coach,” Crawford said. “He told me how I should run it along with my teammates. He told us to go 54 first lap and then we heard him throughout the entire race cheering for us and that really encouraged me.
“Plus having my teammates on my back the entire race. I know what they’re like and I know they have the ability to push me and that’s exactly what they did today. They pushed me. I wouldn’t have been able to reach that time if they weren’t on top of me the entire race.”
Crawford wasn’t the only Salem County athlete to win an event on the first day of sectionals. Schalick’s Jordan Hadfield won the girls 3200 in 11:16.14. She finished second in the girls 800.
All told, the county advanced 25 athletes and relays (11 boys, 14 girls) to the state meet. The sectionals continue Saturday.
With seven of the 18 events scored in each gender, Schalick leads the girls team race with 31 points, but is only three points ahead of Clayton. Woodstown and Schalick are second and third in the boys race behind Glassboro.
Here are Friday’s finals from the South Jersey Group I track sectionals; includes event winners and Salem County scorers/state qualifiers
SOUTH JERSEY GROUP I
TRACK SECTIONALS
BOYS
TEAM SCORES (7 events scored): Glassboro 55, Woodstown 26.5, Schalick 22, Palmyra 20, Camden 17, Clayton 12, Gateway 10, Burlington City 10, Penns Grove 10, Audubon 9, Woodbury 8, Maple Shade 6, Paulsboro 4.5, Haddon Twp. 4, Buena 2, Pennsville 1
100: 1. Xavier Sabb, Glassboro 10.69; 6. Colin McGlinn, Pennsville 11.07
400 Hurdles: 1. Alexander Osayemi, Clayton 53.14; 2. David Stewart, Schalick 54.22; 5. Bryan Garlic, Penns Grove 56.09
800: 1. Josh Crawford, Woodstown 1:53.59; 2. Cole Lucas, Woodstown 1:54.87; 5. Karson Chew, Woodstown 1:59.92
3200: 1. Ty Blackman, Glassboro 9:47.48; 3. Jacob Marino, Woodstown 10:00.32
4×100 Relay: 1. Schalick 42.34
High Jump: 1. Jaleel Latimore, Palmyra 6-4; T-6. Elijah Caesar, Woodstown 5-10
Shot Put: 1. Sam Adams, Palmyra 46-3; 2. Raymond Brown, Penns Grove, 46-1; 4, Sheldon Goldsborogh, Schalick 45-7.5
GIRLS
TEAM SCORES (7 events scored): Schalick 31, Clayton 28, Woodbury 22, Audubon 22, Haddon Twp. 21, Woodstown 21, Glassboro 19, Maple Shade 14, Riverside 10, Burlington City 10, Buena 10, Salem 7, Camden 2
100: 1, Miyana Johnson, Clayton 12.40; 6. Raniyah Parsons-Smith, Salem 12.99
400 Hurdles: 1. Emily Madden, Buena 1:07.74; 4. Audrey Boggs, Salem 1:09.88; 6. Sarah Seiden, Woodstown 1:10.77
800: 1. Riley Fayer, Audubon 2:17.09; 2. Jordan Hadfield, Schalick 2:18.67; 4. Lilian Norman, Woodstown 2:22.57
3200: 1. Jordan Hadfield, Schalick 11:16.14; 2. Anabel Schaal, Woodstown 12:24.42; 3. Abby Marino, Woodstown 12:27.02; 5. Samantha Sterner, Woodstown 12:34.84
4×100 Relay: 1. Woodbury 49.70; 2. Schalick 50.87; 6. Salem 52.63
Discus: 1. Sunny Moore, Glassboro 137-1; 6. Sebrina Bradford, Schalick 106-10
Triple Jump: 1. Nyima Burley, Burlington City 35-9; 4. Jaelynn Jarmon, Schalick 34-7.25; 6. MaKayla Smith, Salem 33-5.
