Power move

Monday roundup: DiGregorio goal lifts Woodstown over Schalick in key Diamond Division field hockey game, also includes boys soccer, girls tennis

MONDAY’S SALEM COUNTY SCORES
FIELD HOCKEY
Gloucester Catholic 4, Pennsville 0
Salem 8, Clayton 0
Woodstown 1, Schalick 0
BOYS SOCCER
Penns Grove 6, Clayton 0
Salem Tech 1, Wildwood Catholic 0
Woodstown 2, Pennsville 0
GIRLS SOCCER
Wildwood Catholic 8, Salem Tech 1
Woodstown 6, Pennsville 1
GIRLS TENNIS
Washington Twp. 3, Pennsville 2
Woodstown 4, Kingsway 1

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PITTSGROVE – Whenever a new coach comes to town there are bound to be changes within the organization. One of the first decisions Bryanna Roberts made when she got the Woodstown field hockey job – after looking at the personnel, of course – was move Braeley DiGregorio to wing and it dramatically changed the Wolverines’ offense.

DiGregorio banged home her ninth goal of the season – and 10th of her career – with just under three minutes left in the third quarter Monday and it carried Woodstown to a 1-0 victory of Schalick in the first of their Tri-County Diamond Division showdowns. The win gave the Wolverines (6-1) sole possession of first place in the division.

“We’ve been anticipating this game for a while,” Roberts said. “To finally get to this game and win it just shows all the hard work and effort the girls have been putting forth this whole season.”

For the first two years of her varsity field hockey career DiGregorio was assigned to a more defensive posture as a reserve outside mid. But Roberts was impressed with the way she moved on the outside and pulled her up to forward wing.

There was uncertainty at first, but once the junior figured it out “I really took off running with it.” Now she leads the team in goals and is second in Salem County in goals and points. The Wolverines have outscored their seven opponents. 32-6.

“Braeley has really worked hard to get to where she’s at,” Roberts said. “She’s really shown all the hard work she’s been doing in the off-season.

“We bumped her up to that wing spot because she has that big ball from the side and she finds a way around the goalie and gets her stick on it, so this is new for this season. During the preseason I talked with the coaches and we all agreed that with the way she was moving down the field and moving inside the circle it was the best move for her and she’s shone through it. It’s awesome to see it work. It was a great move all around.”

DiGregorio’s latest goal came as the Wolverines amped up their attack in the second half. The Cougars dominated the first half outshooting Woodstown 7-2 and collecting six penalty corners, but they couldn’t find the back of the net.

Woodstown turned up the heat after a spirited halftime talk shook the players from their doldrums and the momentum shifted. The Wolverines outshot their hosts 7-1 in the second half and had four penalty corners.

Megan Donelson almost got them on the board five minutes into the second half, but Emma Cheesman was there to turn her away with a defensive save.

“We definitely dominated the first half and then the second half we were flat on our feet,” Schalick coach Heather Cheesman said. “We looked like we were tired, which gave them a lot of opportunities.”

“I always tell them that you have to find that will inside and they did,” Roberts said. “This win truly shows that the girls want it and they’re out here to play.”

The Wolverines finally broke the stalemate with 2:59 left in the third quarter. Kayla Brown’s initial shot was blocked by Schalick goalie Lydia Gilligan, but the rebound came right to DiGregorio, who squeezed her shot through a six-inch space between the keeper and the left post. They almost got a second goal in the closing seconds of the quarter but Gilligan came off her line to make a sliding save on Hannah Hitchner.

“I just happened to be there to finish it,” DiGregorio said of her goal. “It’s always very hit or miss with that (rebound) and you’re just lucky when you get a chance and it’s always exciting.”

But not totally surprising. The Wolverines have scored 20 of their goals this season in the second half.

SALEM 8, CLAYTON 0: Autumn Foote and Rhionna Timmons each scored a pair of goals as the Rams (6-1) bounced back from their first loss of the season in a big way.

GLOUCESTER CATHOLIC 4, PENNSVILLE 0: The Rams took control of the game with three goals in the first quarter. Bridget Taney scored twice in the game.

Boys soccer

WOODSTOWN 2, PENNSVILLE 0: Kaleb Gerace scored his first goal of the season and Blake Biaklecki scored his second goal in as many games – both in the second half — to extend the Wolverines’ winning streak to seven games and snap the Eagles’ three-game streak.

Freshman Ayden Ellis got his first career assist (on Bialecki’s goal) and Ben Stengel posted the Wolverines’ third shutout.

The game opens a three-game week of county opponents for the Wolverines. They play at Penns Grove Thursday and host Schalick in a 7 p.m. game Saturday in the football stadium in a rematch of their season-opener and Woodstown’s only loss. They are 4-1 against in-county competition this season.

PENNS GROVE 6, CLAYTON 0: Sebastian Hernandez scored the first of his two goals in the opening two minutes of the match and Ashton Harris scored twice in a three-minute stretch later in the half as the Red Devils scored their second win of the season to snap a five-game winless streak. Theus Berrios and Frankie Juarez Reynoso scored their other goals.

SALEM TECH 1, WILDWOOD CATHOLIC 0: In one of their gutsiest performances of the season, the Chargers (3-6) overcame playing most of the second half one man down and won in overtime. Graham Fields buried a penalty kick in overtime for the game’s only goal. Joshua Trinidad and Cody Messina combined for the shutout. All three of the Chargers’ victories this season have been by shutout.

Girls soccer

WOODSTOWN 6, PENNSVILLE 1: Talia Batavia had two goals and two assists as the Wolverines (4-5) snapped a two-game shutout slide. Emma Morgan, Lia Covely, Delaney Walker and Bailey Arnold Peters scored their other goals. Molly Gratz found the back of the net for Pennsville (2-6-2), which had been unbeaten in its last three.

Girls tennis

WOODSTOWN 4, KINGSWAY 1: The Wolverines go into Tuesday’s state tournament seeding meeting 10-0 after this latest victory and the projected fourth seed in South Jersey Group I.

Their No. 2 doubles team of Molly Curtis and Julianna Lindenmuth won a second-set tiebreaker to keep their match alive and then won the third set 10-6 to give the Wolverines a sweep in doubles. No. 1 doubles team of Vivian Ward and Camille Osborn won a first-set tiebreaker to set up their straight-set win.

Abigail Melle and Cara Delia won singles points in straight sets.

WASHINGTON TWP. 3, PENNSVILLE 2: Megan Morris and Lily Edwards won straight set matches for Pennsville, the projected 8 seed in SJ Group I.

Cover photo: Woodstown’s Braeley DiGregorio (R) and Schalick’s Sophia Longo battle for a ball near midfield in their field hockey game Monday afternoon.

This week’s schedule

Here is the schedule for Salem County high school sports for the week of Oct. 2-7

Oct. 2
FIELD HOCKEY
Pennsville at Gloucester Catholic, 4 p.m.
Salem at Clayton, 4 p.m.
Woodstown at Schalick, 4 p.m.

BOYS SOCCER
Clayton at Penns Grove, 6:30 p.m.

GIRLS TENNIS
Kingsway at Woodstown, 4 p.m.

Oct. 3
BOYS SOCCER
Glassboro at Penns Grove, 4 p.m.
Pennsville at Overbrook, 4 p.m.
Pitman at Salem, 4 p.m.

GIRLS SOCCER
Overbrook at Pennsville, 4 p.m.
Penns Grove at Glassboro, 4 p.m.
Salem at Pitman, 4 p.m.
Woodstown at Schalick, 4 p.m.

GIRLS TENNIS
Penns Grove at Wildwood, 4 p.m.
Schalick at Salem, 4 p.m.
Woodstown at Pennsville, 4 p.m.

Oct. 4
FIELD HOCKEY
Deptford Twp. at Woodstown, 4 p.m.
Salem at Pennsville, 4 p.m.

Oct. 5
FIELD HOCKEY
Cumberland Reg. at Schalick, 4 p.m.

BOYS SOCCER
Salem Tech at Salem, 4 p.m.
Schalick at Pennsville, 4 p.m.
Woodstown at Penns Grove, 4 p.m.

GIRLS SOCCER
Penns Grove at Woodstown, 4 p.m.
Pennsville at Schalick, 4 p.m.
Salem at Salem Tech, 4 p.m.

Oct. 6
FOOTBALL
Overbrook at Pennsville, 7 p.m.
Penns Grove at Glassboro, 7 p.m.
Schalick at Bishop Eustace, 7 p.m.
Woodbury at Woodstown, 7 p.m.

FIELD HOCKEY
Salem at Audubon, 4 p.m.
Schalick at Williamstown, 4 p.m.
Woodstown vs. Delsea at Total Turf, Pitman, 5:45 p.m.

GIRLS TENNIS
Woodstown at Delsea, 4 p.m.

Oct. 7
FOOTBALL
Paulsboro at Salem, noon

BOYS SOCCER
Schalick at Woodstown, 7 p.m.

GIRLS SOCCER
Schalick at Our Lady of Mercy, 4 p.m.

Back in black

Inspired by new black-on-black uniforms just for the occasion, Woodstown’s Belinfanti scores 3 TD, defense blanks Salem at Homecoming

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

WOODSTOWN – The worst thing Salem could have done to Woodstown’s Bryce Belinfanti Friday night was stop him on the goal line on the first drive of the game.

The Rams may have stopped the junior once, but he was determined they weren’t going to do it again if he had anything to say about it. And he had plenty to say about it.

WOODSTOWN 27,
SALEM 0
NEXT: Woodbury at Woodstown, Fri., 7 p.m.
Paulsboro at Salem,
Oct. 7, noon

The Wolverines’ lead back didn’t get in the first time, but he did get in the next time and then twice in the second half to lead his team to a 27-0 victory over their longest-standing rivals in front a Homecoming crowd of 1,400 at Clint Ware Field.

Salem stymied Belinfanti at the goal line on a fourth-and-goal from the 1 at the end of a 70-yard drive that consumed the first seven and a half minutes of the game. The next two times he touched the ball he went for 29 and 17 yards. The 17-yarder went for a touchdown and he later scored on runs of 48 and 16 yards in the second half.

“I was just ready to run it up from there,” he said. “They were hyped that they stopped us and honestly I thought I scored there, but we had to come correct it the next time. I was sitting on the sideline thinking about it and it really got to me. I ran it hard. I needed my touchdown.”

It was an emotional night in a lot of ways for the Wolverines (4-1). Besides the Homecoming festivities, they held a pre-game moment of silence for a beloved teacher and coach Dave Lewis who passed away earlier in the week.

On a lighter note, Wolverines coach John Adams surprised the team with new black jerseys he’s been secreting away in his classroom closet since June. He broke them out during the pep rally earlier in the day and when junior lineman Bump Carter came out wearing the ensemble for the big reveal the players went nuts.

“We’ve been waiting on them for a couple years now and tonight we came out with the black jerseys and showed Salem what’s up,” running back/linebacker Bobby Donahue said. “We had no idea the black jerseys were coming. Homecoming Night in black jerseys was real special. A shutout against Salem under the lights on a Friday night is very special, especially without a Thanksgiving game.”

The game for the longest time had been played on Thanksgiving Day. It was only moved two years ago to accommodate the new conference scheduling and playoff formula. This was the 114th time the teams have played. Salem leads the series 64-40-10, but Woodstown has now won four of the last five.

If the Wolverines play their cards right they might get to wear these special uniforms again this year. Adams said if they get a home playoff game they might bring them out, but the intention is to only wear them once a year.

“We’re only allowed to wear these like once a year, so we knew we had to come play good in them instead of come lose,” Belinfanti said.

**Woodstown’s Bryce Belinfanti (3) sweeps right to get around the Salem defense Friday night. (Photo by Ellen Sickler)**

The play Belinfanti was stopped on the opening drive wasn’t the first the Wolverines had denied from the 1. A few plays earlier they didn’t execute the Eagles’ “Brotherly Shove/Tush Push” properly and instead of quarterback Max Webb burrowing in from the 1 for the game’s first score, the Wolverines were penalized back to the 6 for aiding the ballcarrier.

“It’s on me for not coaching them up on it, but at the high school level you can’t do what they do to (Eagles quarterback Jalen) Hurts,” Adams said. “You can move the pile, you can’t actually push the runner. That’s what we got flagged on there and it was disheartening because I think our quarterback probably got in on it on his own.”

Webb got the Wolverines back to the 1 and Belinfanti was stopped with Salem linebacker Jared Pew leading the charge.

But that didn’t stop Belinfanti. Besides scoring on the next series and twice in the second half, he finished the game with 164 yards rushing on 17 carries.

“He runs the ball hard and I knew when they stopped him there that he was going to get his the next time,” Adams said. “That’s just how Bryce is. He feeds off it. He’s a good player.”

NOTES: Pop Jackson provided much of Salem’s offense for the second game in a row. He rushed for 123 yards on 23 carries … It was the first shutout in the series since Salem’s 49-0 win in 2018 and Woodstown’s first shutout in the series since a 19-0 victory in 2013 … Taylor Sparks was named Woodstown’s Homecoming Queen. Earlier in the day injured running back James Hill was introduced as the Homecoming King … Woodstown hosts Woodbury next week in the Diamond Division game of the year. Salem (0-6), meanwhile, has a Saturday home date with Paulsboro in the projected first game of its new on-campus stadium, but crews are racing the clock to have the facility ready so the game likely will be played at historic Walnut Street Field.

Woodstown 27, Salem 0

SAL		WOOD
8	1st Downs	12
39-216	Rushing	32-249
0-4-1	Passes	3-5-0
0	Passing	16
1-1	Fum-lost	0-0
4-30.0	Punts-avg	3-33.0
10-60	Penalties	4-40

Salem (0-6)	0	0	0	0 –	0
Woodstown (4-1)	7	0	7	13 –	27

Scoring plays:
W – Bryce Belinfanti 17 run (Jake Ware kick), 0:48 1Q
W – Bryce Belinfanti 48 run (Jake Ware kick), 1:40 3Q
W – Bryce Belinfanti 16 run (Jake Ware kick), 7:37 4Q
W – Bobby Donahue 1 run (kick failed), 0:51 4Q

On the cover: Woodstown’s football team stretches prior to the start of the second half in brand new black uniforms they expressly broke out for Homecoming.

**Woodstown quarterback Max Webb (12) throws an out pass to Zach Bevis on the Wolverines’ opening drive against Salem. (Photo by Ellen Sickler)**

**Woodstown’s Bobby Donahue (5) chases down Salem quarterback Ramaji Bundy. The Wolverines’ linebacker had a pair of sacks in the game. (Photo by Ellen Sickler)**

Lighting it up

Wednesday roundup: Pennsville, Woodstown boys soccer score big in their first halves, also includes girls soccer and girls tennis

By Riverview Sports News

PENNSVILLE – When the train comes in, everybody rides.

Pennsville scored seven goals on 10 shots in the first half Wednesday in a 7-2 boys soccer rout of Salem.

Six different players found the back of the net for the Eagles, and one of the goal was particularly special.

Senior Stathis Efelis has been playing with the varsity for the past three years and scored his first goal since his sophomore year in the first-half onslaught. Actually, he had a goal and an assist in the game.

“To get a goal today felt incredible,” he said. “The assist and the build up was very intense and I was so glad to be able to celebrate it with my teammates.”

Stathis assisted on Maddox Efelis’ goal shortly after scoring his own. Shane Puckett got the first two followed by Stone Mumink, then John Thomas and Jake Isaac scored after the two Efelises’ goals.

It was the Eagles’ most prolific half of goalscoring in Derek Foglein’s tenure as head coach.

“To be completely honest, if you asked the team they’d say we started slow,” the coach said. “Once we got those (first) two, they settled down and moved the ball.

“The thing I’m really pleased about today is the fact the team did a great job moving the ball as the first half developed and as the score line showed we got everyone involved.”

Jose Vilalplando scored both Salem goals in the second half.

WOODSTOWN 9, GLOUCESTER CATHOLIC 0: Bryce Ayars banged home a header 30 seconds into the game and the Wolverines (6-1) went on to pump in nine goals on 16 shots in the first half to win their sixth straight.

Adrian Ibarra scored the first of his two goals 40 seconds after Ayars’ header and the rout was on. They had another flurry later in the half in which they scored four goals in four minutes. Ibarra also recorded three assists.

“We’re not a team that scores a lot of goals traditionally,” Woodstown coach Darren Huck said, “but today things were clicking and we got on them early.”

Freshman Ayden Ellis, sophomore assist machine Blake Bialecki and senior Dalton Berry all scored their first varsity goals, while Ben Lippincott (on the first goal), Dante Mistichelli, Nick DiTeodoro and senior Eddie Whelan all recorded their first varsity assists.

The Wolverines’ final goal of the half was the play that brought Berry and Whelan their first varsity marks and the crowd to its feet.

“That was kind of a nice moment,” Huck said. “They’d been together for four years and been total team players; it’s always been the team first. They were with the JVs last year, but decided to come back and be part of everything and they were able to reap the rewards today, which I was happy about.

“The whole team was cheering for (Berry), the whole place got excited. He does work hard and always gives 100 percent and he was able to put one in today.”

PITMAN 2, PENNS GROVE 1: The Red Devils (1-6) have to be the hardest-luck team in South Jersey. All six of their losses this season have been of the one-loss variety. They fell behind 2-0 nine minutes into the second half, got a goal from Ashton Harris four minutes later and just couldn’t get the equalizer.

“We’re doing the best we can,” Penns Grove coach Mano Massari said. “The guys fought hard today; you can’t ask anymore than that. We’re fighting and taking punches with some really good teams. We just need to be more consistent.”

SCHALICK 3, WILDWOOD 0: Nolan O’Toole, Bradford Foster and Elijah Cummings scored goals and Evan Sepers was a rock in goal as the Cougars (7-2) won their third in a row.

**Pennsville’s Riley Bowman (5) and Reagan Wariwanchik celebrate another Eagles goal in their match with Salem Wednesday. (Photos by Lorraine Jenkins)**

Girls soccer

PENNSVILLE 8, SALEM 1: The Eagles found the scoring touch for the second straight game, this time scoring four goals in each half. They have scored 15 goals in their two games this week.

Riley Bowman scored her first hat trick, which included a penalty kick late in the first half. Karsen Cooksey had the first goal of the second half and assisted on the other three goals. Gabby Marandola scored her first career goal 90 seconds into the game, while Molly Gratz, Kallie Morrison and Marley Wood had the other goals. The Eagles had 27 shots and eight corner kicks in the game.

“The girls are distributing the ball well and looking for opportunities for each other to score,” Eagles coach Sam Trapp said. “They are gaining more confidence as a unit each game.”

Ryann Foote scored Salem’s goal on a free kick in the first half.

GLASSBORO 7, SALEM TECH 0: Marianna Dempster and Emma Mattox both scored twice for the Bulldogs (4-2-1).

PITMAN 5, PENNS GROVE 0: Emery Sharpnack had two goals and an assist and Riley Sharpnack had a goal and two assists for Pitman.

Girls tennis

PITTMAN 4, PENNSVILLE 1: Megan Morris won 6-4, 6-1 at No. 2 singles to pick up Pennsville’s only point. Morris is 9-0 this season and has not lost a set.

WOODSTOWN 5, PENNS GROVE 0: The Wolverines went to 5-0, losing only two games the entire match. Noelle Neron and Aubrie Rennie at No. 2 doubles scored their first career win.

This week’s schedule

Here is the high school sports schedule for Salem County schools for the week of Sept. 25-30

Sept. 25
FIELD HOCKEY
Timber Creek at Schalick, 4 p.m.

BOYS SOCCER
Penns Grove at Pennsville, 4 p.m.
Pitman at Salem Tech, 4 p.m.
Salem at Clayton, 4 p.m.
Schalick at Overbrook, 4 p.m.

GIRLS SOCCER
Overbrook at Schalick, 4 p.m.
Penns Grove at Pennsville, 4 p.m.

GIRLS TENNIS
Glassboro at Penns Grove, 4 p.m.
Pitman at Salem, 4 p.m.

Sept. 26
FIELD HOCKEY
Overbrook at Schalick, 4 p.m.
Pennsville at Clayton, 4 p.m.
Woodstown at Glassboro, 4 p.m.

CROSS COUNTRY
Tri-County Batch Meet, Kingsway

GIRLS TENNIS
Pitman at Salem, 4 p.m.
Vineland at Schalick, 4 p.m.

Sept. 27
BOYS SOCCER
Gloucester Catholic at Woodstown, 4 p.m.
Pitman at Penns Grove, 4 p.m.
Salem at Pennsville, 4 p.m.
Salem Tech at Glassboro, 4 p.m.
Wildwood at Schalick, 4 p.m.

GIRLS SOCCER
Penns Grove at Pitman, 4 p.m.
Pennsville at Salem, 4 p.m.
Schalick at Wildwood, 4 p.m.
Woodstown at Gloucester Catholic, 4 p.m.

GIRLS TENNIS
Pennsville at Pitman, 4 p.m.
Wildwood at Salem, 4 p.m.
Woodstown at Penns Grove, 4 p.m.

Sept. 28
FIELD HOCKEY
Deptford Twp. at Pennsville, 4 p.m.
Schalick at Salem, 4 p.m.
Woodstown at Gloucester Catholic, 4 p.m.

GIRLS SOCCER
Highland Regional at Woodstown, 4 p.m.
Penns Grove at Clayton 4 p.m.

GIRLS TENNIS
Our Lady of Mercy at Woodstown, 3:45 p.m.

Sept. 29
FOOTBALL
Pennsville at Cumberland Regional, 6 p.m.
Lindenwold at Schalick, forfeit
Salem at Woodstown, 7 p.m.

BOYS SOCCER
Penns Grove at Haddon Twp., 4 p.m.
Pennsville at Paulsboro, 4 p.m.
Salem at Haddon Heights, 4 p.m.
Schalick at Palmyra, 4 p.m.

GIRLS SOCCER
Salem at Pennsauken Tech, 3:45 p.m.

GIRLS TENNIS
Penns Grove at Overbook, 4 p.m.
Salem at Pennsville, 4 p.m.

Sept. 30
FOOTBALL
Paulsboro at Penns Grove, noon

CROSS COUNTRY
Shore Coaches Invitational, Holmdel Park

Cover photo by Heather Papiano

Friday roundup

Roundup features boys and girls soccer, field hockey and girls tennis; Schalick’s Miller continues her goal-scoring tear

By Riverview Sports News

PENNSVILLE – A long hard week caught up to the Pennsville soccer team in the end.

The Eagles tried to mount an attack Friday, but three grueling matches in five days left them with nothing in the tank and they lost to Haddon Heights 4-0.

The Garnets (5-1) scored a pair of goals in each half. Evan Rasicci, known for his powerful throw-ins, was credited with a pair of goals, including one that deflected in off a Pennsville player. Jack Kominos and Nolan Lachall scored their other two goals.

In their three games this week, the Eagles lost a one-goal game at Woodstown after opening a 2-0 lead, then suffered shutouts to Glassboro and Haddon Heights on consecutive days.

“I think Coach Joe (Mecholsky) put it on the head really well at halftime,” Eagles head coach Derek Foglein said. “If you looked at our schedule this week … our schedule was not our friend.

“We had a really, really tough schedule, but we’re going to come back out and we’ve got three big games next week – hopefully, three winnable games. Penns Grove is going to be a fight, it always is, but then we look at positives later in the week with Salem and Paulsboro, so we could very easily turn around and go three wins in a row next week. That’s what I’m positive about and that’s what I’m looking forward to.”

The Paulsboro game will have a little extra incentive for the Eagles head coach. It’ll be the fourth installment of the Foglein Bowl, the head-to-head matchup with his brother Doug.

“It’s going to be a fun one,” Derek said.

GIRLS SOCCER
WOODSTOWN – Emily Miller put on a dazzling display of speed and skill, scoring five goals, including a natural hat trick in the second half, to lead Schalick to its third straight shutout win, 6-0 over Woodstown.

Miller scored the Cougars’ first two goals, then collected three in the second half. Cali Fisler scored their other goal in the first half, on an assist by goalie Carly Hayman

The Cougars have outscored their last three opponents 19-0. Miller has scored 12 of her 18 goals in those games.

“Emily is a dynamic player who uses her technical ability to beat players,” Schalick coach Will Kemp said. “She is clinical in front of the net and has finished her opportunities when given one.”

FIELD HOCKEY
Salem 8, Bridgeton 0: The Rams scored their fifth straight victory, fourth shutout and third in a row. Morgan VanDover had two goals and two assists and seven players scored in total. Dominique Lewis posted nine saves in recording the shutout. The Rams (5-0) have outscored their five opponents this season 33-1.

Washington Twp. 6, Schalick 0: Meghan Sheldrick and Ava Porreca scored two goals each for the Minutemen.

GIRLS TENNIS
Pennsville 5, Glassboro 0: Regan Witt took a hard-fought 6-4, 6-2 win over Ella Killelea at No. 1 singles to send the Eagles on their way.

Woodstown 5, Salem 0: The Wolverines improved to 7-0, dropping only four games the entire match. Nos. 1 and 2 singles, Abigail Melle and Gabby Kurpis, both won 6-0, 6-0.

Bitten in OT

Woodstown goes to OT with Glassboro for second year in a row, this time come up short

By Riverview Sports News

WOODSTOWN – John Adams sounded a lot like a former NFL coach Dennis Green saying “They are who we thought they were” without raising his voice.

The Woodstown coach knew his Wolverines were in for a tough game even before the teams took the field.

Just looking at Glassboro on film told him the Wolverines were in for the most physical game they’d play this season. Knowing the teams went into overtime last year didn’t make the task any easier.

Glassboro 13,
Woodstown 7
NEXT: vs. Salem,
Friday, 6 p.m.

The teams went to overtime again Friday night, but this time Glassboro got the best of it, upsetting the top-ranked team in the South Jersey Group I power ratings, 13-7.

Amari Sabb broke through on a 5-yard run on the hammer side of the first overtime to give Glassboro the win. The Bulldogs turned back Woodstown’s possession that opened the OT with an end zone interception.

“They’re exactly what I said, the most physical team we’ve played to date,” Adams said. “They lined up in the I formation and pretty much had a defensive lineman in there at fullback and ran right at us.

“In overtime they got a first down and then busted one to the 5. The next play they ran the ball and their kid found a seam and found the end zone.”

The teams played to a scoreless first half. Glassboro broke through first on a 25-yard pass to Xavier Sabb in the third quarter that Gerrett Leyman nearly intercepted in the end zone. The Wolverines tied it on Max Webb’s 1-yard run in the fourth quarter.

The Wolverines ground out 119 yards on the ground with Bryce Belinfanti going for 85. Webb was 9-of-13 passing for 104 yards. Zach Bevis caught three balls for 52 yards.

“I liked the way our kids fought all game,” Adams said. “We told the kids we haven’t played a full 48 minutes with the varsity because we’ve been subbing the younger guys in. I told them all I ask is I get your maximum effort for 48 minutes and you gave me your maximum effort for more than that.

“This stings right now, but this is going to be something that helps us in the long run.”

Glassboro 13, Woodstown 7 (OT)

Glassboro (2-2)	0	0	7	0	6 –	13
Woodstown (3-1)	0	0	0	7	0 –	7

Scoring plays
G – Xavier Sabb 25 pass from Kristopher Foster (PAT kick)
W – Max Webb 1 run (Jake Ware kick)
G – Amari Sabb 5 run (no PAT attempt)

Cover photo of Woodstown QB Max Webb looking for an open receiver by Ellen Sickler.

Salem County showdown

Schalick visits Pennsville Friday in its only scheduled game with Salem County foe this season; where once everybody played each other, only five such matchups are scheduled this season

SALEM COUNTY FOOTBALL
Friday’s games
Glassboro at Woodstown, 7 p.m.
Schalick at Pennsville, 7 p.m.
Saturday’s games
Penns Grove at Haddon Heights, 11 a.m.
Salem vs. Cedar Creek at SHI Stadium (Rutgers), 3 p.m.

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PENNSVILLE – There are certain games on everybody’s football schedule that bring a little more anticipation than others; the ones that draw that big, bold circle as soon as its announced.

Maybe it’s a game that got away the year before. Maybe it’s a key game with a division rival and playoff implications. Or one with all the pageantry, like Homecoming or Senior Night.

Schalick and Pennsville play one of those games Friday night that carries even more importance and intensity.

It’s a game between county rivals and when there are only five teams in the county those games mean just a little bit more.

“These kids know each other playing sports against each other their whole lives,” Pennsville coach Mike Healy said. “You usually feel like it’s a little more competitive in terms of the environment and atmosphere.

“It is really for bragging rights because they play each other in everything, especially with social media now, how connected some of these kids are. It’s really important to us. We want respect in general, but having the bragging rights in the county is always something you want to have. You want to be the best of the bunch, for sure.”

Sadly, while there are enough teams and enough slots on the schedule to play an annual county series, they don’t all play each other anymore. Used to, but not anymore.

Everybody has at least one in-county game this season. Penns Grove plays the most – three, the first of which was last week at Salem. Penns Grove, Salem and Woodstown all get at least two because they’re all in the West Jersey Football League Diamond Division.

The traditionalist in Schalick coach Mike Wilson, a self-proclaimed history nerd, would like to see all five county teams play each other, but the realist in him understands with the WJFL’s desire for competitive balance in scheduling it’s not possible.

Woodstown was the last team to schedule all four of the other county teams and made it a point to play all four every year but one from 2004 to 2020. All five programs did it in 2018 and 2019, with Penns Grove going 10-0 over that stretch (including playoffs), Woodstown 6-5 and Salem 6-4.

“County games are always bigger than other games because these kids grow up playing each,” Wilson said. “It’s just a county thing. It’s county bragging rights. I think it’s huge that way.

“And the kids know each other. When kids really know each other it’s different. When we play at Riverside, they don’t know who Riverside is. When we play Wildwood, they don’t know Wildwood kids. We play Cape May, they don’t know Cape May kids. But these kids they know, so anytime you know the kids it’s a bigger game to them. A lot of these kids have probably been playing football against each other since they were 8 years old.”

There’s a lot on the line for both teams, too.

Schalick, No. 2 behind Woodstown in the South Jersey Group I power rankings, is looking to keep the train rolling and its undefeated record intact on the road against a team that’s improved from the one it beat by five touchdowns a year ago.

But they’re likely to be doing it without leading rusher Reggie Allen Jr., who took a big hit in last week’s win over Riverside. Wilson declined to comment on the status or availability of the player who called just last week the backbone of his team.

Pennsville, meanwhile, is looking to take another step forward after bouncing back from a flat second game to get its second win last week, doubling its win total of a year ago.

“Last year we didn’t put forth what we wanted to so there’s a little extra to this because we’re trying to get back to where we want to be and expect to be,” Healy said. “To be able to do it against a county team would just be that much better. Not only that, the kids are aware this is a 4-0 team we’re playing and No. 2 in the UPR rankings, so getting this win would be huge for us for what our goals are at the end of the season.”

Wilson knows that makes the Eagles a dangerous team.

“We are truly the hunted and we have to learn how to take that now,” he said. “We’re no longer the underdog in a lot of these games. The kids have to understand how to handle success and how to take care of business. It’s a huge game for us.”

Salem County Head-to-Head

TEAMS	PGRV	PVILLE	SALEM	SCHAL	WOODS
PENNS GROVE	—	10-4 (36-27-4)	9-8 (56-45-6)	9-0 (27-7)	8-6
PENNSVILLE	4-10 (27-36-4)	—	5-7	4-2 (16-8)	6-7
SALEM	8-9 (45-56-6)	7-5	—	3-4 (24-13-1)	9-5 (64-39-10)
SCHALICK	0-9 (7-27)	2-4 (8-16)	4-3 (13-24-1)	—	1-11 (9-24)
WOODSTOWN	6-8	7-6	5-9 (39-64-10)	11-1 (24-9)	—

Since 2010, includes playoffs; all-time series in parenthesis

GLASSBORO (1-2) at WOODSTOWN (3-0): The Wolverines, the No. 1 team in the South Jersey Group I power rankings, face their most physical opponent to date without their most dynamic player. Senior running back James Hill, a 3,000-yard career rusher, underwent surgery Thursday for a non-contact, non-football knee injury and will miss the rest of the season just when he was set to return from surgery on the other knee.

The Wolverines’ approach really doesn’t change much with the news. They went into the season with Bryce Belinfanti and Alex Torres the Nos. 1 and 2 running backs until Hill’s return and have elevated their games in the meantime. The only difference now is they’ll remain in those top tier spots the rest of the year.

Belinfanti has rushed for 413 yards and six touchdowns in the Wolverines’ first three games. Torres went for a career-high 120 yards and two touchdowns last week at Deptford.

“I don’t think it changes much because we had to prepare for not having (Hill) starting the season,” Adams said. “Bryce came into the season knowing he was the first running back and Torres knew he was the second running back and that’s been their mindset all along, so I don’t think anything really changes in that aspect.

“We said going into the season we needed to be able to execute the passing game better and last week we really showed that. We just need to keep that going and doing what we’re doing.”

As for being the early No. 1 in the SJ-I power rankings, the potential No. 1 seed in the sectional playoffs, Adams said the Wolverines don’t get caught up in all that, but admits it does change the way future opponents look at them.

“We don’t get wrapped up into it too much,” Adams said. “What it does for us is we know our opponents are looking at that going if we beat Woodstown we can get a lot of power points.

“We kind of talk to it from that aspect. We’ve got a bulls eye on our back and people are looking to beat us to jump up in their rankings … It’s a long season. We use it as everybody’s going to give you their best because they know it’s worth a lot to them if they can get a W over us.”

SATURDAY’S GAMES
PENNS GROVE (1-3) at HADDON HEIGHTS (2-1): The Red Devils go into another game with playoff implications experiencing life the week after playing a longtime rival and coming off a win.

it’s the first time this year they go into a game after a win and they did that only twice last year. They haven’t won back-to-back games since Oct. 30-Nov. 6, 2021.

And every game they’ve played this year seems to carry some kind of playoff implication. The opener against Burlington City has tiebreaker potential because the winner last year eventually was in and the loser was out. It was suggested the winner of last week’s game with rival Salem was in a good spot to make the playoffs. It’ll be more of the same this week.

The Red Devils are currently No. 18 in the South Jersey Group I power ratings, right behind Pennsville and currently on the outside of the playoff cutline. Haddon Heights is No. 20 in SJ-II.

“It’s a huge game, both teams need the game,” Penns Grove coach John Emel said. “I’m telling our kids with our schedule we win this game we’re clinching a playoff spot. We got in last year with two (wins) and to get two this early in the season and having a heads-up win over Salem and over Haddon Heights with three wins we can start working toward getting a home playoff or some of the goals we set throughout the year.

“I know our kids are excited to be coming off a win. It’s been a while since we came off a win, so I’m excited with how hungry our kids show up to be Saturday.”

The Garnets have a dynamic passer in Drew Harris who three for three touchdowns last week and is expected to provide a big test for the Red Devils’ young secondary of freshmen Karon Ceaser and Jayden Days, Knowledge Young and Kylee Goodson.

“We’re better than we’ve been the last couple years on the back end, but we’re young,” Emel said. “Those guys have gotta play big for us to have a chance to win.”

A late-developing intangible impacting the game is the weather. Haddon Heights officials have been considering an alternate site or moving the date if it looks like the expected weekend storms will make it too difficult to play the game as scheduled. A decision is likely to come sometime Friday.

(UPDATE: At 10:20 a.m. Friday, Haddon Heights officials told Riverview Sports News the game will be played as scheduled.)

SALEM (0-4) vs. CEDAR CREEK (3-1): The Rams will be seeking their first victory of the season against the No. 7 team in the South Jersey Group III power rankings in the Rumble on the Raritan at Rutgers’ SHI Stadium. It’ll be their second game in a college facility this season, having opened the year against Executive Education Academy at Lafayette College.

2023 SALEM COUNTY SHOWDOWNS
Penns Grove 21, Salem 6
Schalick at Pennsville, Friday
Salem at Woodstown, Sept. 29
Pennsville at Penns Grove, Oct. 13
Woodstown at Penns Grove, Oct. 21

Cover photo by Lorraine Jenkins

From the doorstep

Fisher’s fast foot from in front of the net delivers first-half goal to send Schalick past hard-luck Penns Grove

THURSDAY’S BOYS SOCCER
Glassboro 3, Pennsville 0
Schalick 1, Penns Grove 0
Wildwood 4, Salem Tech 0
Gloucester Catholic 4, Salem 0
Woodstown 5, Overbrook 2

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PITTSGROVE – Seth Fisher couldn’t believe the good fortune that fell at his feet in the first half Thursday afternoon.

The Schalick sophomore just happened to be in the right place at the right time when a ball off a free kick landed at his feet an empty section of goal staring him right in the face. All he had to do was not mess it up.

Fisher couldn’t have finished it off any more solid and drilled the ball into the back of the net for the only goal in the Cougars’ 1-0 victory over Penns Grove. It was the center midfielder’s second goal of his career – he scored the second goal against Gateway Sept. 9 – and his first game-winner.

“It was like this natural instinct,” he said. “I just saw the ball pass on my right side, it bounced off the keeper and it was right there on my right foot right in front of the goal. I couldn’t believe it was there. It fell right to me.”

The Cougars (5-2) were carrying the play, spending most of the game in the attacking end, but Fisher’s goal with 15:22 left in the first half was the only ball they could get past Penns Grove keeper Dwayne Guzman. They had several chances, but couldn’t cash in, thwarted either by Guzman or the Red Devils’ defense, led by first-year starting stopper Erlin Mondragon and sweeper Jason Cisneros.

Their best chance for a second goal came with 21 minutes to play when Bradford Foster hit the crossbar and Cooper Willoughby headed the rebound into the chest of Guzman. But all you have to do is score one more than the other team to win and the Cougars, thanks to Fisher’s fast foot, got that one.

“Tuesday (a 1-0 loss to Glassboro) was a physical beating so I really wasn’t sure how much we had left and we had some guys have to come off the bench and give minutes,” Cougars coach Joe Mannella said. “They have to get comfortable playing in close games, there are going to be a lot of them, and this is a good step forward to do that.”

Both teams were coming off a spate of one-goal losses. The Cougars had lost two in a row. All four of the Red Devils’ losses (1-4) have been by one goal. It might be the kind of thing that could get a team down, but first-year Penns Grove coach Mano Massari remains positive.

“I have a very young team, a very green team,” Massari said. “We’re keeping up with these top-tier teams in our division and conference, so, yeah, it stings now, but the optimism in me is looking towards the future and thinking, man, we’re going to be a force to deal with for the next couple years.”

WOODSTOWN 5, OVERBROOK 2: Adrian Ibarra scored a hat trick for the Wolverines (5-1).

GLOUCESTER CATHOLIC 4, SALEM 0: Trey Battle and Zack Payne scored two goals apiece for the winning Rams. Both of Battle’s goals came in the first 17 minutes of the game.

GLASSBORO 3, PENNSVILLE 0: Emirhan Kir scored a goal in the first half and Christopher Martinez and Atakan Ozdemir found the back of the net in the second as the Bulldogs remained unbeaten (7-0). It was their third straight shutout.

**Schalick’s Luke Price (3) controls the ball deep in Penns Grove’s end. Top photo: Cougars’ goal-scorer Seth Fisher (16) tries to move around Penns Grove’s Jayden Murga Santos.**

Goal of the year

Schalick keeper comes out in the field, scores first career goal to complete Cougars’ 7-0 win over Penns Grove

THURSDAY’S GIRLS SOCCER
Glassboro 2, Pennsville 1
Gloucester Catholic 9, Salem 0
Schalick 7, Penns Grove 0
Woodstown 4, Overbrook 0

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PENNS GROVE – Whenever presented a chance to do something nice for one of his players, Will Kemp will never hesitate.

The Schalick girls soccer coach got the chance to give career keeper Carly Hayman the chance to fulfill a goalie’s dream. He brought the senior into the field with about 15 minutes left and she scored the final goal of the Cougars’ 7-0 win over Penns Grove.

“I was like, ‘Oh my God, I just scored my first goal;’ it was awesome,” Hayman said. “I’ve wanted to score for the last four years I’ve been there, so it was definitely great to score.”

it wasn’t just one of those right place, right time kind of things. She took a pass from Mikayla Caputo, dribbled past a couple defenders and fired into the upper corner. When the ball finally settled into the back of the net she sat there stunned before realizing what just happened and then it touched off a wild celebration.

“(The girls) went ballistic,” Kemp said. “That was the most important goal of the entire game. Forget everything else. That’s the most important goal of the entire season pretty much right there.”

Hayman had scored goals in scrimmages before and she’s assisted on other goals, but Thursday was her first goal in a formal game setting. She came out of the goal with the Cougars leading 6-0, pulled freshman Kyleigh Cutter’s No. 3 jersey over her shoulders and headed out to the midfield. She was excited when Kemp gave her a chance to come off the line and made the most of it.

“I definitely give players opportunities inside matches like that just to get on the board, get some stats, make them feel great about themselves, because they deserve it,” Kemp said. “Like last year I moved one of my center backs up to playing a striker role, giving them some up-top time, and they ended up scoring a goal.

“Carly is a good field player; I know she wanted to score. Of course we were all happy (when she did). She always smiles, but seeing her smile as big as it was today, it means the world to her and, of course, to me, too.”

Before Hayman lit the lamp, Emily Miller scored a natural hat trick in the first half – giving her 13 goals for the season – and Abby Willoughby, Jael Winnberg and Quinn Berger scored goals.

Now that she’s gotten a taste for the goal, she hopes to score at least one more time this year, perhaps in her Senior Night game. Kemp already has shown he’s willing to give it a shot.

The Cougars (4-1) have been a scoring machine this season. They’ve scored at least three goals in every game, have outscored their opponents 26-8 and have won their last two by a combined 13-0.

WOODSTOWN 4, OVERBROOK 0: Emma Perry scored twice for the second game in a row and Ellie Wygand posted a shutout as the Wolverines won for the third time in their last four games to even their record for the first time this season. Ally Sheppard and Lia Covely scored Woodstown’s other goals. The future looks bright: All of their goals came from freshmen and sophomores.

GLASSBORO 2, PENNSVILLE 1: Amina Brown scored two goals in the first half and Glassboro held on through the second half. Molly Gratz scored for the Eagles.

GLOUCESTER CATHOLIC 9, SALEM 0: Hailey Molis and Lauren Narolewski both scored a pair of goals for the Lady Rams. Narolewski made five saves before coming out of the goal.