Penns Grove stands its ground to score mild upset in opening round of South Jersey Group I tournament; Salem pulls away from New Egypt, Wildwood shuts down Woodstown SOUTH JERSEY GROUP I TOURNAMENT THURSDAY’S GAMES No. 1 KIPP Cooper Norcross Academy 61, No. 16 Burlington City 40 No. 9 Penns Grove 54, No. 8 Woodbury 46 No. 5 Audubon 61, No. 12 LEAP Academy 44 No. 4 Wildwood 46, No. 13 Woodstown 25 No. 3 Salem 83, No. 14 New Egypt 52 No. 6 Glassboro 64, No. 11 Riverside 41 No. 10 Paulsboro 52, No. 7 Palmyra 46 No. 2 Pitman 80, No. 15 Pennsville 60 TUESDAY’S GAMES No. 9 Penns Grove at No. 1 KIPP Cooper Norcross Academy No. 5 Audubon at No. 4 Wildwood No. 6 Glassboro at No. 3 Salem No. 10 Paulsboro at No. 2 Pitman
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
WOODBURY – All season long Penns Grove coach Damian Ware has been asking his players to take some for the team and sacrifice their body for the greater good. He’s gotten the occasional taker, but with the season on the line Thursday night the Red Devils stood and delivered.
The ninth-seeded Red Devils took three charges in the second half that changed the game and propelled them to a 54-46 victory over eighth-seeded Woodbury in the opening round of the South Jersey Group I boys basketball tournament.
The Devils trailed by one at halftime, but Willie Slocum and Camren Thompson took charges in the third quarter and Giomar Conrad took one in the fourth and that, Ware said, set the tone for the rest of the game.
“I told the kids that was really the key to the game, taking charges on these guys, because they are driving team, they like to drive and most of them are going to put their head down and try to get to the basket,” Ware said. “Once you start taking charges teams are going to hesitate on that drive, they’re not going to drive it as aggressively.
“The only guy who has taken charges all season was Willie; he had about 12 of them. The next person had one or two. I’ve been trying to get them to do it all season and finally they stepped up and did it in the second half today when it counted.”
Conrad led the Red Devils (11-14) with 21 points, 11 in the second half. Mekhi Ballard had 13 on three 3-pointers and 4-for-4 second-half free throw shooting. The Devils outscored their hosts 17-9 in the fourth quarter to pull away from a tie game.
It was the third year in a row they’ve won a first-round playoff game and the sixth straight year they’ve won a first-round game when they were in it.
The win keeps them alive and on the road, to play top-seeded KIPP Cooper Norcross Academy in the second round Tuesday.
The Thundering Herd (14-14), coached by 2022-23 Penns Grove assistant Mark DiRugeris, had three scorers in double figures, led by Troy Lindsay’s 15 points.
3-point goals: Penns Grove 5 (Conrad 2, Ballard 3); Woodbury 3 (Heigler, Lindsay, Sacko). Technical fouls: Slocum. Fouled out: Slocum, Dunbar. Total fouls: Penns Grove 13, Woodbury 21.
SALEM 82, NEW EGYPT 52: This is the time of the year when a team’s seniors and top players are expected to step up and deliver.
New Egypt rallied in the third quarter to make it a two point game, but the Rams pulled away with a 31-point fourth quarter. Anthony Farmer had 11 of his game-high 29, including 5-for-5 from the foul line, in the fourth quarter. Paul Weathers and Jabez DeJesus combined for 11 in the quarter.
Weathers finished with another double-double, 18 points and 11 rebounds. DeJesus had nine points and seven rebounds. Tymear Lecator had eight points and eight assists.
“Any coach will tell you wins are hard to come by,” Salem coach Anthony Farmer said. “You never want to take them for granted; you can’t get complacent. That’s something that’s hard to teach young kids who think that because they look better on paper or the record may be better, but, man if you don’t bring it you can lose. We’re happy to get another win. Survive and advance.”
New Egypt
14
7
29
11 –
52
Salem
16
18
18
31 –
83
WILDWOOD 46, WOODSTOWN 25: The fourth-seeded Warriors held Woodstown scoreless in the second quarter and to only 15 points in the second half.
Jordan Fusik led Wildwood with 12 points. Brian Cunniff and Junior Hans added 11 each. Blake Bialecki led the Wolverines with 11 points.
Pennsville girls turn up defense in fourth quarter to keep their season going and their coach around a while longer
SOUTH JERSEY GROUP I TOURNAMENT THURSDAY’S GAMES No. 1 Woodbury 81, No. 16 Salem 26 No. 8 Pennsville 59, No. 9 Gateway 55 No. 12 Penns Grove 48, No. 5 Palmyra 37 No. 4 Woodstown 67, No. 13 Cape May Tech 28 No. 3 Maple Shade 32, No. 14 Pitman 18 No. 6 Audubon 44, No. 11 Clayton 30 No. 7 Glassboro 74, No. 10 Burlington City 28 No. 2 Wildwood 77, No. 15 Paulsboro 27 TUESDAY’S GAMES No. 8 Pennsville at No. 1 Woodbury No. 12 Penns Grove at No. 4 Woodstown No. 6 Audubon at No. 3 Maple Shade No. 7 Glassboro at No. 2 Wildwood
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
PENNSVILLE – Sam Trapp was waiting at the end of the line to give each one of her starters their special handshake like she always does during the pregame introductions. When she got to Bella Farina’s turn to come through, the Pennsville girls basketball coach raised her arms as if to place a crown on her senior center’s head.
Before Farina could get away, she whispered to her coach a comment that brought a tear to Trapp’s eye.
“This isn’t going to be the last time.”
When the game ended, the coach raced out to midcourt to embrace her senior and delivered a message of her own.
“We’re not done yet.”
The Trapp farewell tour extended for at least one more game Thursday night after the eighth-seeded Eagles rallied to beat Gateway 59-55 in the opening round of the South Jersey Group I tournament.
The win sends the Eagles (14-13) to top-seeded Woodbury for a quarterfinals matchup Tuesday. It also guarantees Trapp a .500 record in her final season with the Eagles. Late last month she announced she was stepping down at the end of the season to become to new athletics director at Triton Regional.
“I’m ecstatic,” Trapp said. “(Pennsville athletics director) Jamy (Thomas) and I have a little inside joke that he calls me ‘Doc Rivers’ because I didn’t make it out of the first round last year. I had to prove a point.
“But moreso I wanted to prove to these girls just how good they are. I think sometimes they can doubt themselves, get down on themselves, but they’re so much better than they even know they really truly are.
“They showed it. They played so well together tonight and they worked so hard together at the end and they found a way to win it. That’s what we continue to do. We found a way to win it and we continue to work together. I love it.”
The Eagles are 8-4 since Trapp revealed her plans to the players after their Jan. 26 game with Haddon Heights. The remaining time they have with their coach was very much on the players’ minds during the game. And for a while in the second half it looked as if their run together would end in Trapp’s final game on her home floor.
The Eagles trailed the Gators by nine late in the third quarter, but about that time Trapp implored her players to “pick it up on defense” and that suggestion was all it took to flip the switch.
They went to the half-court press at the start of the fourth quarter and it produced a 14-0 run that was part of a larger 18-3 spree that put them up six with 2:40 to play. The 14-0 run started with three straight steals – one by Taylor Bass and two by Farina – that were quickly converted into points.
There were five takeaway altogether in the spree, three missed shots and a held ball that went in Pennsville’s favor. Nora Ausland provided 10 of the points when they converted.
“I know she’s sad about it being her last home game and I just didn’t want it to add the pressure of being her last game ever here,” Ausland said. “That was definitely a factor in trying to win this game.“
“It’s always a good feeling knowing you go from kind of dead to so much energy and you get that comeback and that win,” Bass said. “I definitely think we deserved it.”
“I think we all played really hard today for her and our seniors,” Marley Wood said. “Bella’s a big part of our team and we didn’t want it to be her last game, either.”
The flurry might have gotten them the lead, but the Eagles still had work to do. The Gators got within two on Angie Zagone’s 3-pointer with 25 seconds left and then one on two Zagone free throws with 12.6 seconds left.
Wood hit the first of two free throws with 11.7 left. She missed the second and Pennsville lost the rebound out of bounds at 9.8. Gateway’s Bella Fini drove into traffic trying to get the tying basket and maybe a foul, but Bass knocked the ball away and was fouled when she collected it.
She hit two free throws with 2.5 seconds left to seal it.
“There was definitely a lot of feelings involved (going to the line),” Bass said. “We definitely wanted this win to carry on. We went out first round last year. We wanted to come back, prove that we’re better. We haven’t had the best season statistically because we lost all of our players, but tonight proved we’re better.”
Ausland (21) and Wood combined for 41 points to lead Pennsville’s offense. Bass had 11. Zagone led all scorers with 27 points to finish her career as the Gators’ second all-time leading scorer.
Pennsville’s Taylor Bass is about to corral a ball she knocked away in traffic and sink two free throws to seal her team’s South Jersey Group I tournament win over Gateway. On the cover, outgoing Eagles coach Sam Trapp hugs center Bella Farina after securing the victory to extend their season.
WOODSTOWN 67, CAPE MAY TECH 28: It took the Wolverines a quarter to shake off the rust of not playing for eight days, but once they settled in, they got back to playing in a manner to which they are accustomed. It was a four-point game after one quarter, then the home team steadily pulled away.
Cape May Tech came out in a triangle-and-two against Woodstown’s Talia Battavio and Megan Donelson, but as other teams have discovered throughout the season, the Wolverines have a lot of weapons at their disposal.
Battavio and Donelson once again were their leading scorers with 18 and 16, respectively, but the Wolverines got 13 from post Shannon Pierman and sophomore Lauren Hengel gave them a career-high 10 off the bench.
“We have solid players who step up when our leading scorers get taken out in the offense,” Woodstown coach Kara Straughn said.
Hengel has scored 16 points in her last two games after scoring 37 in her previous 21 games this season.
“She’s just put in a lot of work; she wants so badly to elevate her game,” Straughn said. “She’s going to be a good player and I think games like the last two are starting to give her a little more confidence. She plays well on both ends of the floor and she wants to be good, which helps a lot.”
The Wolverines (18-6) now host Penns Grove in a second-round game Tuesday, but first they’ll try to complete a third-straight undefeated TCC Diamond Division slate Friday against Overbrook.
PENNS GROVE 48, PALMYRA 37: The 5-12 games in the NCAA Tournament tend to produce the most upsets and it did in the South Jersey Group I girls tournament Thursday.
RaNiyah Wilson scored 30 points for the third time this season and led the 12th-seeded Lady Devils (14-9) to their seventh win in the last eight games and the only opening-round win among the bracket’s road teams.
Earlier this season, her first with the Lady Devils since transferring from Kingsway, Wilson went for 33 against Woodstown and 30 against Salem. She is averaging nearly 17 points a game.
Penns Grove now travels to Woodstown for its third meeting of the season with the Wolverines in Tuesday’s second round.
WOODBURY 81, SALEM 26: The Thundering Herd (17-10) flexed their muscle as the top seed and held Salem scoreless in the first quarter. Maya Braxton-Young led four Herd scorers in double figures with 23 points.
Ava Rodgers led Salem (8-16) with eight points and nine rebounds. Ryann Foote had six points, seven rebounds and six steals. Marjziah Bundy didn’t score, but had six rebounds and four blocked shots.
The Herd, which was 2-7 at one point this season, now hosts eighth-seeded Pennsville in Tuesday’s second round.
Here is the day-by-day 2024 spring sports schedules for high school and college teams in Salem County; to include or update your schedule, email al.muskewitz@gmail.com; all games 4 p.m. unless noted; x-scrimmage
SALEM COUNTY DAY-BY-DAY
MARCH 1 COLLEGE BASEBALL Ocean CC at Salem CC, 3 p.m.
MARCH 2 BASKETBALL South Jersey Group I Girls Championship South Jersey Group I Boys Championship COLLEGE BASEBALL Salem CC at Ocean CC (2), noon
MARCH 3 INDOOR TRACK NJSIAA Meet of Champions
MARCH 4 COLLEGE BASEBALL Salem CC vs. Cairn JV at Myrtle Beach, 9 p.m.
MARCH 5 COLLEGE BASEBALL Salem CC vs. Penn State Kensington (MB), 7:30 p.m.
MARCH 6 COLLEGE BASEBALL Salem CC vs. Rochester C&T (MB), 2 p.m. Salem CC vs. DuPage (MB), 6:30 p.m. COLLEGE SOFTBALL Salem CC vs. Southeastern (2) (MB), 1 p.m.
MARCH 7 COLLEGE BASEBALL Salem CC vs. Muskegon CC (MB), 3 p.m. Salem CC vs. Bay (MB), 6 p.m. COLLEGE SOFTBALL Salem CC vs. Fayetteville (2) (MB), noon
MARCH 8 COLLEGE BASEBALL Salem CC vs. Rays Collegiate (MB), 11 a.m. Salem CC vs. Manhattanville (MB), 4 p.m. COLLEGE SOFTBALL Salem CC vs. Harford (MB), 3 p.m. Salem CC vs. Henry Ford (MB), 5 p.m.
MARCH 9 COLLEGE BASEBALL Salem CC vs. Westmoreland County (2) (MB), 9 a.m. COLLEGE SOFTBALL Salem CC vs. Madison (MB), 9 a.m. Salem CC vs. USC-Sumter (MB), 11 a.m.
MARCH 10 COLLEGE SOFTBALL Salem CC vs. Prairie (MB), 9 a.m. Salem CC vs. Potomac State (MB), 11 a.m.
MARCH 12 COLLEGE BASEBALL Salem CC at Delaware County CC, 3 p.m.
MARCH 14 Pi Day
MARCH 15 COLLEGE BASEBALL Salem CC at Northampton CC, 3:30 p.m. COLLEGE SOFTBALL Northampton CC at Salem CC (2), noon
MARCH 16 COLLEGE SOFTBALL Salem CC at Cecil (2), noon
MARCH 18 BOYS TENNIS x-Mainland at Woodstown
MARCH 19 COLLEGE SOFTBALL Salem CC at Lehigh Carbon CC (2), 3 p.m. BOYS TENNIS x-Schalick at Cumberland x-Pennsville at St. Augustine
MARCH 20 COLLEGE SOFTBALL SUNY-Orange at Salem CC (2), 3:30 p.m. BOYS TENNIS x-West Deptford at Pennsville, 3:45 p.m. x-Millville at Schalick
MARCH 21 BASEBALL x-Woodstown at Clearview, 4 p.m. SOFTBALL x-Cedar Creek at Schalick x-Woodstown at Gloucester City COLLEGE SOFTBALL Salem CC at RCSJ-Cumberland (2), 3:30 p.m. GOLF Woodstown vs. Triton, Valley Brook CC BOYS TENNIS x-Woodstown at Palmyra
MARCH 22 BASEBALL x-Pennsauken Tech at Penns Grove SOFTBALL x-Kingsway at Woodstown COLLEGE BASEBALL Salem CC at Brookdale CC, 3:30 p.m. BOYS TENNIS x-Millville at Pennsville, 4 p.m.
MARCH 23 SOFTBALL x-Pennsville at Buena COLLEGE BASEBALL Brookdale CC at Salem CC (2), noon COLLEGE SOFTBALL Delaware Tech at Salem CC (2), noon
MARCH 24 COLLEGE SOFTBALL Northampton at Salem CC (2), noon
MARCH 25 BASEBALL x-Cumberland at Woodstown, 4 p.m. x-Millville at Schalick SOFTBALL x-Pennsville at GCIT BOYS TENNIS x-St. Augustine at Woodstown, 3:45 p.m. GIRLS LACROSSE x-Woodstown at OLMA BOYS LACROSSE x-Millville at Woodstown
MARCH 26 BASEBALL x-Pleasantville at Penns Grove COLLEGE BASEBALL Salem CC at Lehigh Carbon CC, 3 p.m. COLLEGE SOFTBALL Middlesex at Salem CC (2), 3:30 p.m. BOYS TENNIS Schalick at Gateway x-Woodstown at Millville TRACK Camden Co. Tech at Pennsville
MARCH 27 BASEBALL x-Cumberland at Schalick x-Deptford at Woodstown, 4 p.m. SOFTBALL x-Cumberland at Schalick x-Deptford at Woodstown x-Paulsboro at Pennsville COLLEGE BASEBALL Lehigh Carbon CC at Salem CC, noon GOLF Pennsville vs. Gloucester Catholic, Westwood GC, 3:30 p.m. BOYS TENNIS x-Pennsville at Delsea, 3:45 p.m.
MARCH 28 BASEBALL x-Clayton at Penns Grove SOFTBALL x-Penns Grove at Clayton GOLF Schalick vs. Woodstown, Town & Country GL
MARCH 29 BASEBALL x-Paulsboro at Schalick SOFTBALL Millville at Pennsville COLLEGE SOFTBALL Salem CC at Sussex (2), 1 p.m. GOLF Woodstown at Delran, Golden Pheasant GC
MARCH 30 BASEBALL x-Woodstown vs. GCIT, Deptford MS, 10 a.m. GIRLS LACROSSE x-Washington Twp. at Woodstown, 10 a.m. BOYS LACROSSE x-Woodstown at Absegami, 10 a.m.
APRIL 1 BASEBALL Penns Grove at Glassboro Schalick at Woodstown SOFTBALL Glassboro at Penns Grove Schalick at Woodstown GIRLS GOLF Delsea vs. Schalick, Centerton CC, 3:30 p.m. BOYS LACROSSE Gloucester Catholic at Woodstown
APRIL 2 BASEBALL Pennsville at Clayton SOFTBALL Clearview at Woodstown OLMA at Schalick Pennsville at Clayton COLLEGE BASEBALL Salem CC at Mercer County CC, 3 p.m. COLLEGE SOFTBALL Salem CC at Mercer County CC (2), 3 p.m. GOLF Washington Twp. girls at Schalick, 3:30 p.m. Schalick boys vs. West Deptford, River Winds GC Pennsville vs. Overbrook, Kresson GC, 3:45 p.m. Woodstown at Penns Grove BOYS TENNIS Cunberland at Woodstown, 10 a.m. Pennsville at Penns Grove, 3:45 p.m.
APRIL 3 BASEBALL Schalick at Millville SOFTBALL Ocean City at Woodstown TRACK Pennsville at Glassboro Schalick at Woodstown BOYS LACROSSE Woodstown at Paul VI, 3:45 p.m. GIRLS LACROSSE Clearview at Woodstown BOYS TENNIS Middle Twp. at Pennsville
APRIL 4 BASEBALL Salem at Pennsville Penns Grove at Woodstown Pitman at Schalick SOFTBALL Pennsville at Salem Woodstown at Penns Grove COLLEGE SOFTBALL RCSJ-Cumberland at Salem CC (2), 3:30 p.m. GOLF Schalick boya vs. Overbrook, Kresson GC Pennsville vs. West Deptford, Riverwinds GC, 3:30 p.m. TRACK Schalick at Pennsville BOYS TENNIS Schalick at Pennsville, 3:45 p.m.
APRIL 5 BASEBALL Pennsville at Penns Grove SOFTBALL Penns Grove at Pennsville Schalick at Clearview COLLEGE BASEBALL RCSJ-Cumberland at Salem CC, 3:30 p.m. GOLF Pennsville vs. Penns Grove, Sakima GC, 3:30 p.m. BOYS TENNIS Delsea at Pennsville, 3:45 p.m. Schalick at Haddon Heights GIRLS LACROSSE Woodstown at Paul VI
APRIL 6 BASEBALL Schalick at Gloucester City, 10 a.m. Woodstown at Cedar Creek, 11 a.m. SOFTBALL Camden Catholic at Woodstown, 10 a.m. COLLEGE BASEBALL Salem CC at RCSJ-Cumberland (2), noon COLLEGE SOFTBALL Raritan Valley at Salem CC (2), noon TRACK Pennsville at Deptford Twp. Relays, 9 a.m. BOYS LACROSSE Washington Twp. at Woodstown, 10 a.m.
APRIL 7 COLLEGE BASEBALL Salem CC at Middlesex (2), noon COLLEGE SOFTBALL Salem CC at Bucks (2), 1 p.m.
APRIL 8 BASEBALL Penns Grove at Salem Schalick at Clayton Woodstown at Pennsville SOFTBALL Clayton at Schalick Pennsville at Woodstown Salem at Penns Grove GOLF Schalick girls vs. Williamstown, Scotland Run GC Overbrook vs. Woodstown, Town & Country GL, 3:30 p.m. Pennsville boys vs. Schalick, Centerton CC, 3:45 p.m. BOYS TENNIS Pennsville at Glassboro, 3:45 p.m. Triton at Woodstown, 3:45 p.m. Clayton at Penns Grove Delran at Schalick BOYS LACROSSE Woodstown at Cedar Creek, 2:45 p.m. GIRLS LACROSSE Woodstown at Haddonfield
APRIL 9 BASEBALL Woodstown at Clayton COLLEGE BASEBALL Middlesex at Salem CC, 3:30 p.m. COLLEGE SOFTBALL Salem CC at Northampton (2), 3:30 p.m. GOLF Pennsville vs. Clayton, Pitman CC, 3:45 p.m. Schalick girls vs. Clearview, Westwood GC BOYS TENNIS Pennsville at Washington Twp., 4 p.m. TRACK Overbrook at Woodstown Pennsville at Penns Grove Schalick at Glassboro
APRIL 10 BASEBALL Gloucester at Woodstown Overbrook at Penns Grove Schalick at Glassboro SOFTBALL Glassboro at Schalick Gloucester Catholic at Pennsville Penns Grove at Woodstown Woodstown at Haddon Heights COLLEGE BASEBALL Salem CC at Montgomery County CC, 3:30 p.m. COLLEGE SOFTBALL Bucks at Salem CC (2), 4:30 p.m. BOYS TENNIS Woodstown at Penns Grove, 3:45 p.m. Cumberland at Pennsville Schalick at Overbrook GIRLS LACROSSE Woodstown at West Deptford
APRIL 11 BASEBALL Gloucester Catholic at Pennsville SOFTBALL Woodstown at Cumberland BOYS TENNIS Pennsville at Vineland, 3:45 p.m. Schalick at Millville GOLF Pennsville vs. Woodstown, Town & Country GL, 3:30 p.m. Schalick girls vs. Cumberland, Running Deer GC BOYS LACROSSE Woodstown at Mainland
APRIL 12 BASEBALL Delsea at Pennsville Schalick at Haddon Heights SOFTBALL Pennsville at Delsea Schalick at Gloucester Catholic COLLEGE BASEBALL Bergen CC at Salem CC, 3:30 p.m. GOLF Millville vs. Pennsville, Sakima CC, 3:30 p.m. BOYS TENNIS Pitman at Pennsville, 3:45 p.m. Woodstown at Delsea, 3:45 p.m. Penns Grove at Wildwood Schalick at Clayton GIRLS LACROSSE Woodstown at Haddon Heights
APRIL 13 BASEBALL Woodstown at West Deptford, 10 a.m. Schalick at Paulsboro SOFTBALL West Deptford at Pennsville COLLEGE BASEBALL Salem CC at Bergen CC (2), noon COLLEGE SOFTBALL Morris at Salem CC (2), noon BOYS LACROSSE Woodstown at Egg Harbor Twp., 10 a.m. TRACK Pennsville at West Deptford Relays, 9 a.m.
APRIL 14 COLLEGE SOFTBALL Cecil at Salem CC (2), noon
APRIL 15 BASEBALL Woodstown at Haddon Heights, 4 p.m. SOFTBALL Buena at Schalick Pennsville at Paulsboro GOLF OLMA vs. Schalick, Centerton CC Wildwood boys vs. Schalick, Centerton CC BOYS TENNIS Pennsville at Kingsway, 3:45 p.m. Deptford at Schalick GIRLS LACROSSE Eastern at Woodstown
APRIL 16 BASEBALL Penns Grove at Schalick Wildwood at Pennsville Woodstown at Overbrook SOFTBALL Overbrook at Woodstown Pennsville at Wildwood Schalick at Penns Grove COLLEGE BASEBALL Luzerne County CC at Salem CC, 3:30 p.m. GOLF Woodstown vs. Schalick, Centerton CC, 3:30 p.m. BOYS TENNIS Woodstown at Cumberland, 3:45 p.m. Pitman at Penns Grove Schalick at Glassboro BOYS LACROSSE Woodstown at Williamstown
APRIL 17 BASEBALL Pennsville at Millville SOFTBALL Williamstown at Woodstown GOLF Kingsway girls vs. Schalick, Centerton CC Schalick boys vs. Cumberland, Running Deer GC Woodstown vs. Pennsville, Sakima GC, 3:30 p.m. TRACK Overbrook at Pennsville Penns Grove at Schalick Woodstown at Glassboro BOYS TENNIS Delran at Pennsville, 3:45 p.m. Vineland at Woodstown, 3:45 p.m. GIRLS LACROSSE Kingsway at Woodstown
APRIL 18 BASEBALL Glassboro at Woodstown, 4 p.m. Pitman at Pennsville Schalick at Overbrook SOFTBALL Overbrook at Schalick Pennsville at Pitman Woodstown at Glassboro BOYS TENNIS Pennsville at Wildwood, 3:45 p.m. Penns Grove at Schalick GOLF Penns Grove vs. Woodstown, Town & Country GL, 3:30 p.m. Overbrook vs. Pennsville, Sakima GC, 3:45 p.m.
APRIL 19 BASEBALL Gloucester City at Schalick Wildwood at Woodstown Williamstown at Pennsville SOFTBALL Schalick at Gloucester City Woodstown at Wildwood COLLEGE BASEBALL Salem CC at Camden CC, 3 p.m. BOYS TENNIS Woodstown at Overbrook, 3:45 p.m. Pennsville at Millville GIRLS LACROSSE Woodstown at Egg Harbor Twp.
APRIL 20 BASEBALL Schalick at Eastern, 10 a.m. Pitman at Woodstown, 11 a.m. Pennsville in Oakcrest Tournament COLLEGE BASEBALL Camden CC at Salem CC (2), noon COLLEGE SOFTBALL Salem CC at Lackawanna (2), noon BOYS LACROSSE Woodstown at Lower Cape May, 10 a.m.
APRIL 21 BASEBALL Pennsville in Oakcrest Tournament COLLEGE SOFTBALL Ocean at Salem CC (2), noon
APRIL 22 BASEBALL Pennsville at Glassboro Pitman at Penns Grove Woodstown at Clayton SOFTBALL Glassboro at Pennsville Penns Grove at Pitman Woodstown at Clayton GOLF Williamstown girls vs. Schalick, Centerton CC Overbrook boys vs. Schalick, Centerton CC Pennsville at Penns Grove, 3:30 p.m. TRACK Overbrook at Schalick, 3:30 p.m. BOYS TENNIS Clayton at Pennsville, 3:45 p.m. Woodstown at Deptford Twp., 3:45 p.m. Penns Grove at Glassboro Schalick at Pitman BOYS LACROSSE Oakcrest at Woodstown GIRLS LACROSSE Woodstown at Clearview, 6 p.m.
APRIL 23 BASEBALL Schalick at Pennsville SOFTBALL Pennsville at Hammonton West Deptford at Woodstown COLLEGE BASEBALL Salem CC at Luzerne County CC, 3:30 p.m. BOYS LACROSSE Kingsway at Woodstown TRACK Woodstown at Pennsville
APRIL 24 BASEBALL Clayton at Pennsville Glassboro at Penns Grove Woodstown at Audubon SOFTBALL Clayton at Pennsville Penns Grove at Glassboro COLLEGE BASEBALL Montgomery County CC at Salem CC, 3:30 p.m. GOLF Schalick girls vs. Washington Twp., Wedgewood CC Woodstown vs. Overbrook, Kresson GC, 3:30 p.m. BOYS TENNIS Wildwood at Schalick
APRIL 25 BASEBALL Delran at Woodstown, 4:30 p.m. COLLEGE SOFTBALL Camden CC at Salem CC (2), 3:30 p.m. GOLF Pennsville vs. Triton, Valleybrook CC, 3:30 p.m. BOYS TENNIS Bridgeton at Woodstown, 3:45 p.m. BOYS LACROSSE Woodstown at Sterling
APRIL 26 BASEBALL Mainland Coaches vs. Cancer Schalick vs. Cape May Tech COLLEGE BASEBALL Union at Salem CC, 3:30 p.m. COLLEGE SOFTBALL Salem CC at Bergen (2), 3:30 p.m. GIRLS LACROSSE Haddonfield at Woodstown
APRIL 27 BASEBALL Woodstown at Haddonfield, 10 a.m. SOFTBALL Woodstown at Williamstown, 9 a.m. COLLEGE BASEBALL Salem CC at Union (2), noon
APRIL 28 BASEBALL Mainland Coaches vs. Cancer Pennsville vs Cedar Creek, 9 a.m.
APRIL 29 BASEBALL Wildwood at Schalick SOFTBALL Schalick at Wildwood COLLEGE BASEBALL Delaware County CC at Salem CC, 3 p.m. GOLF Clearview girls vs. Schalick, Centerton CC, 3:30 p.m. Clearview vs. Schalick, Centerton CC, 4:15 p.m. BOYS TENNIS Washington Twp. at Schalick
APRIL 30 COLLEGE BASEBALL Salem CC at Anne Arundel CC (2), 2 p.m. GOLF Schalick girls vs. Delsea, White Oaks CC BOYS TENNIS Penns Grove at Pennsville, 3:45 p.m. Wildwood at Schalick
MAY 1 BASEBALL Bridgeton at Schalick, Elmer LL, 6 p.m. SOFTBALL Schalick at Cumberland BOYS TENNIS Schalick at GCIT TRACK Penns Grove at Woodstown
MAY 2 BASEBALL Penns Grove at Pleasantville GOLF Pennsville, Schalick, Woodstown in Carl Arena Tournament, Valleybrook CC, 8 a.m.
MAY 3 COLLEGE BASEBALL Salem CC at RCSJ-Gloucester, 3:30 p.m. GOLF Cedar Creek vs. Schalick, Centerton CC, 3:30 p.m.
MAY 4 COLLEGE BASEBALL RCSJ-Gloucester at Salem CC (2), noon TRACK Pennsville in SJTCA Meet, Rancocas Valley, 1 p.m.
MAY 6 BASEBALL Glassboro at Schalick Penns Grove at Overbrook Woodstown at Penns Grove SOFTBALL Overbrook at Penns Grove Pennsville at Gloucester Catholic Schalick at Glassboro GOLF GCIT vs. Schalick, Centerton CC, 3:30 p.m. BOYS TENNIS Glassboro at Pennsville, 3:45 p.m. Woodstown at Triton, 3:45 p.m. Penns Grove at Clayton Schalick at Bridgeton
MAY 7 SOFTBALL Woodstown at Gloucester Catholic GOLF Schalick boys vs. Pennsville, Sakima CC, 3:45 p.m. BOYS TENNIS Pennsville at Schalick, 3:45 p.m. BOYS LACROSSE Woodstown at Haddon Twp., 6:30 p.m.
MAY 8 BASEBALL Overbrook at Woodstown Pennsville at Wildwood Schalick at Penns Grove SOFTBALL Penns Grove at Schalick Wildwood at Pennsville Woodstown at Overbrook GOLF Cumberland girls vs. Schalick, Centerton CC, 3:30 p.m. Northern Burlington boys vs. Schalick, Centerton CC, 4:15 p.m. Middle Twp. vs. Pennsville, Sakima GC, 4:30 p.m. TRACK Salem County Championships, Pennsville, 3:30 p.m. BOYS TENNIS Delsea at Woodstown, 3:45 p.m. Pennsville at Pitman, 3:45 p.m. Clayton at Schalick GIRLS LACROSSE Woodstown at Kingsway, 6 p.m.
MAY 9 BASEBALL Woodstown vs. Schalick, Elmer LL, 6:30 p.m. SOFTBALL Woodstown vs. Schalick, Elmer LL, 6:30 p.m. GOLF Schalick vs. Deptford, Pitman GC BOYS TENNIS Clearview at Pennsville, 3:45 p.m. Haddon Heights at Woodstown Williamstown at Penns Grove
MAY 10 BASEBALL Haddon Heights at Pennsville Penns Grove at Clayton Woodstown at Salem SOFTBALL Pennsville at Overbrook Pitman at Schalick Salem at Woodstown Wildwood at Penns Grove GOLF Woodbury vs. Pennsville, Sakima GC, 3:30 p.m. Schalick girls vs. OLMA, White Oaks CC BOYS LACROSSE Clearview at Woodstown BOYS TENNIS GCIT at Pennsville
MAY 11 BASEBALL Lee Ware Tournament Woodstown vs. Cherry Hill East Paulsboro vs. Camden Catholic GIRLS LACROSSE Lower Cape May at Woodstown, 10 a.m.
MAY 13 BASEBALL Pennsville at Salem Schalick at Cumberland SOFTBALL ACIT at Schalick Salem at Pennsville Woodstown at Cinnaminson GOLF Gloucester Catholic at Schalick BOYS TENNIS Cinnaminson at Schalick Pennsville at West Deptford Woodstown at Clearview BOYS LACROSSE Egg Harbor Twp. at Woodstown
MAY 14 BASEBALL Overbrook at Schalick Pennsville at Pitman Woodstown at Glassboro SOFTBALL Glassboro at Woodstown Overbrook at Schalick Pitman at Pennsville BOYS TENNIS Buena at Woodstown Glassboro at Schalick GIRLS LACROSSE Mainland at Woodstown
MAY 15 BASEBALL Buena at Woodstown GOLF Schalick vs. Kingsway, River Winds GC BOYS TRACK Tri-County Showcase, Delsea, 3:30 p.m. BOYS TENNIS Schalick at Triton Woodstown at Pitman
MAY 16 BASEBALL Overbrook at Pennsville Salem at Schalick Wildwood at Penns Grove SOFTBALL Penns Grove at Clayton Schalick at Salem GOLF Schalick vs. Cumberland, Running Deer GC BOYS TENNIS Wildwood at Pennsville, 3:45 p.m. Schalick at Penns Grove
MAY 17 BASEBALL Cumberland at Pennsville Woodstown at Penns Grove Delran at Schalick, 4:15 p.m. SOFTBALL Penns Grove at Woodstown GOLF Pennsville at Delran, 4:30 p.m. BOYS TENNIS Overbrook at Woodstown, 3:45 p.m.
MAY 18 GIRLS LACROSSE West Deptford at Woodstown, 10 a.m.
MAY 20 SOFTBALL Pennsville at West Deptford GOLF Salem-Cumberland County Tournament, Centerton CC, 8 a.m. Haddon Heights vs. Pennsville, Sakima GC, 3:30 p.m. BOYS TENNIS Deptford Twp. at Woodstown, 3:45 p.m. Pennsville at Williamstown, 3:45 p.m. Pitman at Schalick
MAY 21 TRACK Pennsville at Schalick, 3:30 p.m.
MAY 23 BASEBALL NJSIAA Round 1
MAY 28 GOLF Tri-County Conference Showcase, Pitman GC, 8 a.m.
MAY 29 BASEBALL NJSIAA Round 2
MAY 31 BASEBALL NJSIAA Round 3 TRACK NJSIAA Sectionals, Pennsauken
Here is the sports schedule for teams in Salem County for the week of Feb. 19-24
Monday
COLLEGE BASKETBALL Men Camden County College at Salem CC, 6 p.m.
Tuesday
BASKETBALL Boys Wildwood at Salem Tech, 5:30 p.m. Girls LEAP Academy at Salem, 5:30 p.m.
BOWLING SOUTH JERSEY GROUP I TOURNAMENT Boys Quarterfinals Maple Shade at Gloucester, 3:45 p.m. Salem at Camden Catholic, Westbrook Lanes4 p.m. Doane Academy at Clayton, 4 p.m.
SOUTH JERSEY GROUP II TOURNAMENT Boys Quarterfinals Cinnaminson at Manchester Twp., 3 p.m. Pennsauken Tech at Salem Tech, 4 p.m. Medford Tech at Overbrook, 4 p.m. Girls Quarterfinals Salem Tech at Manchester Tech, 3 p.m. Pemberton at Barnegat, 3 p.m.
Wednesday
BOWLING SOUTH JERSEY GROUP I TOURNAMENT Boys semifinals Maple Shade-Gloucester winner at Donovan Catholic, 3 p.m. Girls semifinals Salem at New Egypt, Thunderbowl Lanes, 3:30 p.m.
Thursday
BASKETBALL Girls SOUTH JERSEY GROUP I TOURNAMENT No. 16 Salem at No. 1 Woodbury, 5:30 p.m. No. 9 Gateway at No. 8 Pennsville, 5:30 p.m. No. 12 Penns Grove at No. 5 Palmyra, 4 p.m. No. 13 Cape May Tech at No. 4 Woodstown, 5:30 p.m. No. 14 Pitman at No. 3 Maple Shade, 5:30 p.m. No. 11 Clayton at No. 6 Audubon, 4 p.m. No. 10 Burlington City at No. 7 Glassboro, 3:30 p.m. No. 15 Paulsboro at No. 2 Wildwood, 4 p.m. Boys SOUTH JERSEY GROUP I TOURNAMENT No. 16 Burlington City at No. 1 KIPP Cooper Academy, 6 p.m. No. 9 Penns Grove at No. 8 Woodbury, 4 p.m. No. 12 LEAP Academy at No. 5 Audubon, 5:30 p.m. No. 13 Woodstown at No. 4 Wildwood, 6 p.m. No. 14 New Egypt at No. 3 Salem, 5 p.m. No. 11 Riverside at No. 6 Glassboro, 5:15 p.m. No. 10 Paulsboro at No. 7 Palmyra, 5 p.m. No. 15 Pennsville at No. 2 Pitman, 5:30 p.m.
Friday
BASKETBALL Girls Overbrook at Woodstown, 4 p.m.
BOWLING SOUTH JERSEY GROUP II TOURNAMENT Boys semifinals Manchester Twp. at Seneca Salem Tech at Overbrook
WRESTLING Region tournaments
Saturday
BOWLING SOUTH JERSEY GROUP II TOURNAMENT Boys championship at Laurel Lanes
Schalick’s Hadfield, Salem’s Parker score in two individual events, highlighting the Salem County effort at the Group I state indoor meet; Salem’s Buzby second in girls 800
By Riverview Sports News
TOMS RIVER – Schalick’s Jordan Hadfield and Salem’s Anthony Parker both scored points in a pair of individual events Saturday to highlight Salem County’s showing at the NJSIAA Group I Indoor Track Championships in the Bennett Center Bubble.
Hadfield finished third in both the girls 3200 (11:30.76) and 1600 (5:09.28). Her time in the 1600 was a personal best.
Parker finished fourth in the 55 hurdles (7.82) and sixth in the 400 (51.89), with personal bests in both races.
Salem’s Anna Buzby was the county’s highest finisher in an individual event. The senior was second in the girls 800 (2:22.27). She finished second to Verona sophomore Gwendolyn Neale who ran a personal best 2:19.37.
Salem’s Karima Davenport-White picked up a point with her sixth-place finish in the 55 hurdles (9.20) and Woodstown’s Cole Lucas finished third in the boys 800 (2:01.40).
The county had two teams score in the girls 4×400 relay. The Woodstown team of Jaime Deal, Kayla Ayars, Sarah Seiden and Arie Still finished third in 4:22.43. The Salem team of Davenport-White, Buzby, Anyzha Williams and Rhionna Timmons finished sixth in 4:26.93.
The top three finishers in each event advance to the Meet of Champions March 3.
Here are the Group I team scores
BOYS GROUP I TEAM SCORES (Top 10 and Salem County) Metuchen 59, Glassboro 36, Woodbury 30, Pequannock 18, Glen Rock 18, Hasbrouck Heights 11, Weehawken 10, Hanover Park 10, Burlington City 10, Pompton Lakes 10, Shabazz 10. Salem County: 16. Woodstown 6, 20. Salem 5
GIRLS GROUP I TEAM SCORES (Top 10 and Salem County) Clayton 41, Audubon 34, Hasbrouck Heights 26, Metuchen 24, Wallkill Valley 20, Ridgefield 18, Becton 12, Verona 12, Schalick 12, Haddon Twp. 12, Whippany Park 11. Salem County: 12. Salem 10, 16. Woodstown 6
Woodstown district champion Hyland among 15 Salem County wrestlers advancing to region tournaments
By Riverview Sports News
Woodstown sophomore Greyson Hyland won a district championship Saturday to lead a group of 15 Salem County wrestlers from two districts advancing to region wrestling championships.
Hyland scored a 6-1 decision over Gateway/Woodbury’s Brandon Bourdon to win the 175 division in District 31. Hyland won his first two matches by major decision and decision. Bourdon pinned his first two opponents.
Woodstown advanced seven wrestlers to the regionals. Travis Balback (120), Alex Torres (132), Zach Bevis (165) and Mateo Vinciguerra (215) were district runnerups.
Schalick/Cumberland advanced five wrestlers. Daniel Lloyd (138) and Ayden Jenkins (144) were district runnerups.
Pennsville advanced two wrestlers with Sky Eppes (150) finishing second at 150.
Penns Grove’s Clinton Bobo advanced out of District 29 as runnerup in 175.
DISTRICT 31 TEAM SCORES: Delsea 287, Gateway/Woodbury 153, Schalick/Cumberland 125, Woodstown 121.5, Vineland 89, Pennsville 62, Millville 50, Buena 27, Cedar Creek 26, Gloucester Catholic 18.
REGION QUALIFIERS 106: Greyson Pettit, Delsea; Josh Kinchen, Vineland; Caleb Jenkins, Schalick/Cumberland. 113: Amari Vann, Delsea; Christian Snyder, Gateway/Woodbury; DeAnthony Harden, Schalick/Cumberland 120: Gage Summers, Delsea; Travis Balback, Woodstown; Aidan Barbato, Gateway/Cumberland. 126: Blaise Verdino, Delsea; Dante Gismondi, Gateway/Woodbury; Patrick Tull, Millville. 132: Zavier Stokes, Delsea; Alex Torres, Woodstown; Jayden Cinkowski, Vineland. 138: Chase Rossi, Gateway/Woodbury; Daniel Lloyd, Schalick/Cumberland; Matt Montalto-Summers, Delsea. 144: Michael Stokes, Delsea; Ayden Jenkins, Schalick/Cumberland; Brett Rowand, Woodstown. 150: Jamar Dixon, Delsea; Sky Eppes, Pennsville; Noah Ubil, Gateway. 157: Andres Cortes, Gateway/Woodbury; Charlie Muzzarelli, Buena; Lionel Powell, Vineland. 165: Riley Boos, Delsea; Zach Bevis, Woodstown; Donte Nocito, Gateway/Woodbury. 175: Greyson Hyland, Woodstown; Brandon Bourdon, Gateway/Woodbury; Noah Cruz, Vineland. 190: Salvatore Marchese, Delsea; Aamir Dunbar, Cedar Creek; Elias Lussi, Pennsville. 215: Alex Grippo, Delsea; Mateo Vinciguerra, Woodstown; Jayden Jones, Millville. 285: Jose Berrios, Delsea; Marcus Offer, Millville; Frank Leon-Keenan, Gloucester Catholic.
DISTRICT 29 TEAM SCORES: Washington Twp. 246, Kingsway 216, Clearview 144.5, Pennsauken 114.5, Deptford 64, Pitman 58, Clayton/Glassboro 48.5, Penns Grove 40, Lindenwold 10.
REGION QUALIFIERS 106: Jason Meola, Kingsway; Dylan Hetzel, Washington Twp.; Carter Greco, Clearview. 113: Colton Hagerty, Washington Twp.; Ryan Preziosi, Kingsway; Eoin Curran, Deptford. 120: Christian Hoopes, Washington Twp.; Lucas Silvestre, Pennsauken; Brady McCollough, Clearview. 126: Ramon Alfonso Arroyo, Kingsway; Adriano Platt, Pitman; Anthony Morales, Clearview. 132: Conrad Raynor, Clayton/Glassboro; Aiden Hardy, Washington Twp.; Andrew Jamieson, Pennsauken. 138: Michael Horn, Washington Twp.; Elijah Beatty, Clearview; Jaylen Huertas, Deptford. 144: Tommy DiPietro, Kingsway; Stephen Borrelli, Clearview; Chaz Melton, Washington Twp. 150: Chase Helder, Kingsway; Jackson Hoopes, Washington Twp.; Kole Reiss, Clearview. 157: Benjamin Dryden, Kingsway; Raymond McFall, Washington Twp.; Tyler Trovato, Clearview. 165: Cole DeNick, Kingsway; Chase Rollins, Pitman; Adrian Alqutawna, Clearview. 175: Piotr Bochenski, Washington Twp.; Clinton Bobo, Penns Grove; Joseph Leone, Kingsway. 190: Luke Van Schenk Brill, Kingsway; Christopher Lamonthe, Pennsauken; Aaron Veytsman, Clearview. 215: Andrew Osborn, Washington Twp.; Kameron Hoskins, Pennsauken; Ryland Angel, Kingsway. 285: Luciana Mazzeo, Clayton/Glassboro; Mitchell Lando, Washington Twp.; Shane Davilla, Pennsauken.
Farina leads Pennsville girls to B Flight consolation victory, Pennsville’s boys fall in the C Flight title game
TRI-COUNTY TOURNAMENT BOYS C Flight Championship Gloucester Tech 58, Pennsville 48 GIRLS B Flight Consolation Pennsville 45, Pitman 13
OTHER GAMES BOYS West Deptford 59, Woodstown 56
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
PENNSVILLE — Joe Mecholsky has never been a big fan of playing the next day after going 32 up-tempo minutes with Clayton regardless of the outcome and the Pennsville coach had more reason to dislike it Thursday night.
The experience is kind of like going to the holiday party. You know you’re going to have a good time, but you also know you’re going to pay for it the next day.
The Eagles had some of the most fun they had all season in beating the Clippers Wednesday night, but back at it 24 hours later they felt it in their legs and lost to Gloucester Tech 58-48 in the C Flight championship game of the Tri-County Conference Tournament.
They were off with their shots, both from the floor and the free throw line, and GCIT, which also played the night before, came with energy that lasted the whole game. They shot 40 percent for the game, but were only 4-of-20 from behind the 3-point arc, a sure sign of tired legs.
It’s the second time this year they have fallen victim to the Clayton Effect. They opened the season with an 80-66 win over the Clippers, then lost at Deptford 76-50 less than 24 hours later. They are 3-6 this year in the second game of consecutive starts regardless of the first-game opponent.
“We didn’t do the things that have made us successful tonight,” Mecholsky said. “We didn’t get it down to Danny (Saulin). We missed a lot of shots. Hung in it, however, basketball is a simple game. Their team made more shots than us.
“Could it have been the Clayton Effect? Maybe. I don’t want to take anything away from GCIT’s performance. They played well, they did what they wanted to do, we couldn’t stop it on defense and that’s why they won the game.”
The game was close throughout. The Cheetahs, who lost to Pennsville by 11 back in December, took the lead for good with an 8-0 run in the second quarter, but could never put the Eagles away until the end.
Pennsville’s shooting woes took their toll in the second half when the Eagles went 1-for-13 over an eight minute stretch that put them in a nine-point hole with 1:55 to play. Still, they got it back to within three with 18.4 seconds left, then GCIT closed it out by hitting seven of eight free throws in the final 16.6 seconds.
The Cheetahs were 14-of-22 from the line in the fourth quarter. Trent Phillips was 10 of 12 and led all scorers with 20 points.
Luke Wood had a tough night shooting for Pennsville, but still wound up as the Eagles’ high scorer with 13 points and moved into third place on their boys all-time scoring list. Saulin, who went for 29 points and 26 rebounds in the Clayton game, was bottled up for 12 points and eight boards.
“They did everything right tonight,” Mecholsky said of the Cheetahs. “I just think they played a really nice game. They came fired up, they were excited at every time out, their bench was engaged and they were ready. We got outplayed.”
The win left the Cheetahs feeling like they just won a national title. They didn’t qualify for the South Jersey Group IV playoffs, but the win did make them one of the winningest teams in school history. If they win their only remaining game on the schedule next week they would finish the season just one game below .500.
“That’s huge here,” Cheetahs coach McNeil Wrice said. “You’re talking about in the history of GCIT it’s only had one winning season in 20-plus years, so to be a double-digit win team puts us in a special place in history. For us to be the first one to bring a conference championship, whether it’s A, B, C or D, that means something.”
If the Eagles had pulled it out, it would have given them 11 wins in a season for the first time in more than 25 years. They can still hit that benchmark with an upset over second-seeded Pitman in the first round of the South Jersey Group I tournament Thursday.
“It would have been nice to go out with a good taste in our mouth on the long weekend,” Mecholsky said. “We wanted to win the C Bracket championship. It doesn’t break our heart (they didn’t). Now we get ready for Pitman and that’s our focus to end the season.”
WEST DEPTFORD 59, WOODSTOWN 56: The Eagles capped a second-half rally with a 21-14 fourth quarter to beat the Wolverines in a game Woodstown picked in lieu of a third meeting with Penns Grove in a TCC Tournament B Flight consolation game.
WOODSTOWN (11-12) — Blake Bialecki 4 3-3 12, Alejandro Vazquez 1 0-0 2, M.J. Hall 5 0-2 11, Garrett Leyman 4 0-1 9, Max Webb 2 0-1 4, Rocco String 5 2-2 12, Elijah Carter 3 0-0 6. Totals 24 5-9 56. WEST DEPTFORD (9-16) — Andre Johnson 7 1-2 15, Zayd Mujahid 0 0-0 0, Mark Koszowski 2 0-0 5, Nick Senatore 5 4-4 17, Carter Watson 1 0-0 3, Aiden Cranmer 8 3-3 19, Zamir Davis 0 0-0 0. Totals 23 8-9 59.
PENNSVILLE — Bella Farina knew it was going to be a good day the minute she hit the alarm clock early Thursday morning.
She got up on the right side of the bed, enjoyed a good lunch in the middle of the day and was excited to play a game against one of her close friends.
“I just had a lot of energy today,” she said.
She channeled that energy into the best game of her career. The senior post went for 19 points and 10 rebounds – the second double-double of her career – leading the Pennsville girls to a 45-13 rout of Pitman in the Tri-County Tournament B Flight consolation game.
“I knew the team wanted to end the week off with a win and it was my last regular season game of my career,” Farina said. “We all just worked really well together today.”
Farina’s other double-double came in a 13/11 game against Millville last Friday. Her previous scoring high was 16 points against Salem Tech in December 2022. In nine February games this season she has scored six points or more seven times and has scored eight points or more in each of the last four.
“I told her I don’t know what’s recently clicked for you but suddenly you’re getting it, you’re reading it, you’re understanding it and making the right cuts, in the right place at the right time,” Eagles coach Sam Trapp said. “Something is just clicking all of a sudden and she’s just blossoming at the right time, which is really fun to watch.”
When Farina scored, her points came in bunches. She had four straight points in the Eagles’ opening 8-0 run. She opened the second half with seven straight points, capped by a three-point play in which she went over Pennsville Senior Little League World Series teammate Jess Bretz for the putback.
And then she scored their last four points of the game.
The Eagles (13-13) took control of this one early. The Panthers (12-12) were missing one of their injured ballhandlers and the Eagles held them without a field goal and to just one point in the first quarter. They did the same thing in the third.
The win got the Eagles to .500 for the seventh time this season. They’ll play their final home game of the Trapp tenure Thursday in the opening round of the South Jersey Group I Tournament. The coach announced earlier this month that she was stepping down at the end of the season to become the new athletics director at Triton.
“The goal I set for myself at the beginning of the season was 17 wins,” Trapp said. “The best Pennsville has so far was 16 wins for the girls basketball team and I was really shooting and hoping for that 17. I finished 15-11 (each of the last two years), so my goal was not to be 15-11 one more time. I wanted to do whatever it took.
“I was hoping for that 17th win with no injuries and no issues. There was a slew of injuries that I wasn’t expecting, which significantly impacted our season. I think we were 6-10 at one point, so to be able to just turn it around and come back and get win after win after win and build their confidence and show the true potential of this team, that’s all we’ve been focusing on.
”Now that we’ve been playing all together, we’ve been playing our best basketball. We’re doing things right and we’re doing them right at the right time when were all back together finally, which is what I like to see.”
Here is Wednesday’s schedule and scores for the Tri-County Basketball Tournament; look for separate stories on Pennsville-Clayton boys, Penns Grove-Pennsville girls elsewhere on the website
TRI-COUNTY TOURNAMENT WEDNESDAY’S GAMES BOYS A Flight Timber Creek 63, Pitman 61 Delsea 56, Salem 54 Overbrook 59, Wildwood 43 Triton 59, Gloucester Catholic 52 B Flight Kingsway 64, Deptford Twp. 41 Clearview 54, Highland 52 Washington Twp. 63, Penns Grove 40 Glassboro 73, Woodstown 45 C Flight Pennsville 90, Clayton 62 GCIT 62, Williamstown 46 Salem Tech 52, Schalick 49 GIRLS A Flight Gloucester Catholic 62, Williamstown 46 Clearview 54, Wildwood 42 Woodstown 71, Highland 67 Timber Creek 55, Washington Twp. 34 B Flight Penns Grove 41, Pennsville 38 Glassboro 48, Pitman 34 GCIT 34, Delsea 24 Kingsway 56, Clayton 48 C Flight Overbrook 52, Salem 48 Cumberland 60, Schalick 28 Deptford 51, Salem Tech 23
Boys Games
DELSEA 56, SALEM 54: A wise coach once said sometimes you’re the bull and sometimes you get the horns. Salem caught the horns Wednesday night.
Chase Ambrosius hit the last of his seven 3-pointers with 13 seconds left to give Delsea the lead and the Rams couldn’t get a a final shot to tie or win the A Flight semifinal.
The Rams led 23-3 after the first quarter and 38-15 at halftime and couldn’t hold it.
The loss came two days after they beat Overbrook 51-50 in the opening round.
Ambrosius led Delsea with 21 points. Luke Van Auken had 17 points and 10 rebounds. Max Van Auken had 13 points and eight boards.
Salem’s Anthony Farmer led all scorers with 23 points. Jabez DeJesus had 20.
The loss sends Salem to a consolation game matchup with Pitman.
SALEM (16-8) – Anthony Farmer 7 6-8 23, RaMaji Bundy 1 0-0 2, Jabez DeJesus 6 5-5 20, Paul Weathers 0 0-2 0, Tymear Lecator 3 1-2 9. Totals 17 12-17 54. DELSEA (17-8) – Luke VanAuken 7 3-5 17, Max VanAuken 4 4-5 13, Mike McGinley 2 1-1 5, Chase Ambrosius 7 0-0 21, Frank Master 0 0-0 0, Shane Madden 0 0-0 0, Jimmy Reardon 0 0-0 0, Jelani Poles 0 0-0 0, Dahmir Hart 0 0-0 0. Totals 20 8-11 56.
SALEM TECH 52, SCHALICK 49: The Chargers steadily built their lead over the first three quarter and it was big enough to withstand a fourth-quarter charge by the Cougars.
WASHINGTON TWP. 63, PENNS GROVE 40: The Minutemen got out to a quick start and carried it to a victory in a B Flight consolation game. Washington Twp.’s Gevon Conrad led all scorers with 23 points. He also had seven rebounds and seven assists. Giomar Conrad was Penns Grove’s only scorer in double figures (20).
3-point goals: Penns Grove N/A; Washington Twp. 6 (Conrad 3, McKenty, Rodia 2).
GLASSBORO 73, WOODSTOWN 45: Clinton Suggs hit five 3-pointers on the way to 23 points, Charles Graves had 20, Xavier Sabb had 17 and Glassboro pulled away with a big fourth quarter. Max Webb and Blake Bialecki had 13 points each for Woodstown.
WOODSTOWN 71, HIGHLAND 67 (OT): Highland’s Big Three outscored Woodstown’s Big Three, but the Wolverines complementary players were just a little stronger and it proved to be the difference.
Megan Donelson scored 23 points and Talia Battavio had 19 and both made big plays down the stretch in regulation and in overtime as the Wolverines (17-8) rallied from an early 10-point deficit to beat the Tartans (14-11) for the second time this season. Shannon Pierman added 14 points despite fouling out in the fourth quarter to join the 500-500 Club in career points and rebounds.
Highland’s Dacia Mack led all scorers with 24 points. Breelynn Learn had 21 and Alonsa Thomas had 16.
OVERBROOK 52, SALEM 48: Salem senior NaeNae Logan reached a significant individual milestone in the game, but all things considered, she’d rather have been celebrating a victory.
Logan surpassed 100 blocked shots for the season in the first half of the C Flight semifinals. She had eight altogether and now has 104 for the year.
“She’s a kid who’s real heavy on herself, so for her to come back and get to have a moment like that and her teammates counting it down for her, she deserved it,” Salem coach Tiasia Tatem said.
The Rams, the No. 1 seed in the flight, celebrated Logan and her feat in the locker room at halftime with a 28-17 lead. They should have ridden that wave into the second half, but somebody forgot to tell Overbook. The visitors stormed through the third quarter on a 23-3 blitz to take the lead.
CUMBERLAND 60, SCHALICK 28: The Cougars were held scoreless in the first quarter and never recovered. Addison Weist scored 16 points and Isabella Albert had 13 to lead the Colts into the C Flight championship game. Taylor Sparks hit three 3-pointers and led Schalick with nine points.
WEDNESDAY’S GAMES BOYS A Flight Pitman at Timber Creek Salem at Delsea Wildwood at Overbrook Gloucester Catholic at Triton B Flight Deptford Twp. at Kingsway Highland at Clearview Penns Grove at Washington Twp. Woodstown at Glassboro C Flight Clayton at No. 1 Pennsville Williamstown at GCIT Salem Tech at Schalick GIRLS A Flight Gloucester Catholic at Williamstown Wildwood at Clearview Highland at Woodstown Timber Creek at Washington Twp. B Flight Penns Grove at. Pennsville Pitman at Glassboro Delsea at GCIT Clayton at Kingsway C Flight Overbrook at No. 1 Salem Schalick at Cumberland Salem Tech at Deptford
Boys Games
SALEM 51, OVERBROOK 50: Anthony Farmer scored 19 points and the Rams rallied from 10 down with four minutes left to upset the No. 3 seed in the A Flight. Marshall Stephens blocked four shots, including two in a row down the stretch to keep the Rams in front.
The win was Salem’s third in a row and ninth in its last 10 games and sent Overbrook to its second straight one-point loss.
SALEM (16-7) – Anthony Farmer 19, Ramaji Bundy 3, Jabez DeJesus 10, Paul Weathers 2, Tymear Lecator 10, Marshall Stephens 5, Antwone Rogers 2. Totals 17-40 12-16 51. OVERBROOK (18-7) – Shaun Mills 2 2-4 8, Chris Grier 0 2-4 2, Nic Johnson 3 3-7 9, Lamar Little 4 0-1 10, Zair Green 2 2-2 6, Maki Ortiz 2 1-1 5, Xavier Wright 4 0-0 8, Kevin Satchell 1 0-0 2, Amare Kee 0 0-0 0. Totals 18 10-19 50.
Salem
7
13
11
20 –
51
Overbrook
15
16
6
13 –
50
3-point goals: Salem 5-16; Overbrook 2 (Little 2). Rebounds: Salem 23 (DeJesus 6, P. Weathers 6, Stephens 7).
WILLIAMSTOWN 48, SCHALICK 46: The Braves had won only one game all season and lost 10 in a row, but they were the third seed and beat the Cougars on a couple late free throws. Daniel Lis hit four 3-pointers and led Schalick with 19 points.
GLOUCESTER TECH 75, SALEM TECH 55: Trent Phillips led four scorers in double figures with 16 points and Michael Stanwood had a double-double (12/13) to lead GCIT’s victory. Haneef Frisby had a double-double for Salem Tech (13/14).
SALEM TECH (4-18) – Josh Muntz 3 1-2 7, Tyler Zampino 6 0-1 13, Antoine Robinson 5 3-3 14, Haneef Frisby 3 6-8 13, Chase Wills 3 1-2 7, Joseph Hayes 0 1-2 1. Totals 20 12-18 55. GLOUCESTER TECH (10-14) – Trent Phillips 8 0-0 16, Mark Hallman 5 4-4 15, Michael Stanwood 5 2-2 12, Carl Schmidt 5 0-0 12, Ian Malgapo 2 0-0 5, Patrick Monaghan 2 0-0 4, Gavin Shainline 1 1-2 3, Charles Donaldson 1 0-0 2, Ethan Morris 1 0-0 2, Brady Johnson 1 0-0 2, Amad Traore-Koffi 1 0-0 2. Totals 32 7-8 75.
CLEARVIEW 51, PENNS GROVE 50: The Red Devils missed a potential game-tying 3-pointer in the fourth quarter and could only get a layup at the buzzer for the final margin. Kaprice Stewart scored 24 points to lead Clearview.
PENNS GROVE 54, GLOUCESTER TECH 44: Brianna Robbins is returning to the scoring form she displayed early in the season, going for a career-high 26 points as the Red Devils upset top-seeded GCIT in their B Flight opener. Robbins has been on a tear of late, scoring 63 points in her last three games. RaNiyah Wilson added 17 points. The Red Devils have won a season-best five in a row and six of their last seven.
The Red Devils will play at Pennsville in the Flight semifinals Wednesday.
Pennsville beat Delsea 43-35 behind Marley Wood’s 16 points. The win got the Eagles (12-12) back to .500 for the first time since mid-January.
SCHALICK 43, DEPTFORD 37: Cianna Gaines scored in double figures for the second time in her career and Abby Willoughby had 11 points and 10 steals as the Cougars won a first-round game in the tournament for the first time since 2021.
The Cougars got off to a slow start, falling behind 12-5 in the first quarter, but held the Spartans to just 13 points over the next two quarters to take control of the game. They outscored Deptford 16-5 in the second quarter behind eight points from Willoughby to grab the lead by halftime.
“We game planned to be a little more aggressive than normal and we were just that – aggressive and created turnovers,” Schalick coach John Whelan said. “Offensively, we showed a lot of growth in our confidence as we didn’t second-guess decision and that confidence showed with good ball movement and the highest amount of assists in a game this season. All the girls deserve a shoutout as the hustle and effort was there from everyone, but Abby played a great game today.
“The team wanted to get our seniors a win in their final home game and played for one another tonight. It was fun to see as a coach.”
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