Here’s a quick look at Friday’s soccer and field hockey action involving Salem County teams
GIRLS SOCCER PITMAN 4, WOODSTOWN 1: Emery Sharpnack scored a hat trick and Alaina Williams had two assists as Pitman won the consolation game of Deptford’s Spartan Kickoff Tournament. Calista Hunt scored the Wolverines’ goal in the second half. BRIDGETON 5, PENNSVILLE 1: Adelina Wilks scored a hat trick and had a hand in all five Bridgeton goals. Karsen Cooksey scored the Eagles’ goal in the second half.
FIELD HOCKEY GATEWAY 8, PENNSVILLE 0: Eagles coach Lisa Doran was hoping for better things in her team’s second game in two days, but was disappointed. Gateway dominated play and squeezed eight goals into the first three quarters. Bella Fini had a hat trick and Angie Zagone had two goals and two assists.
Schalick wins its season opener, but all other county soccer teams come up short
SALEM COUNTY SCORES Thursday’s games BOYS Glassboro 1, Penns Grove 0 (OT) Overbook 2, Pennsville 1 Pitman 6, Salem 1 Schalick 4, Woodstown 2 GIRLS Spartan Kickoff Tournament at Deptford Timber Creek 7, Woodstown 1 Deptford 2, Pitman 1
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News GLASSBORO – Mano Massari admitted he was a little bummed when the schedule came out and he saw who the young Penns Grove soccer team he had inherited as the new head coach had to face in the opener.
It was the team that knocked the Red Devils out of the playoffs in double overtime last year and has become a veritable thorn in their side the last couple years.
The Red Devils suffered another tough loss at the hands of new nemesis Glassboro Thursday, 1-0 in overtime, but for the first time in a long time Massari didn’t feel crummy about a loss.
“My team just gave me new life with this group of guys,” Massari said. “It’s unbelievable what I saw them do on the field today with the heavyweight Glassboro is.
“We lost three-quarters of our team last year and we were taking it to them the entire game. We just couldn’t finish. I have a new life and fire in me and so do these boys. It’s unbelievable. I can’t wait to see them (Glassboro) in Penns Grove in a couple weeks.”
Every time the teams have gotten together the last couple years it’s been a dogfight. Last year they split two one-goal games and had a 1-1 tie. Seven of their last nine meetings have been one-goal games or draws and they’re 4-4-1 in the stretch.
The only goal in Thursday’s season opener came about five minutes into overtime when Atakan Ozdemir collected a 25-yard free kick in the box and before the Red Devils could adjust found the back of the net for his golden goal.
Sophomore keeper Dwayne Guzman did a nice job keeping the Bulldogs off the board until then. Massari called him “the best keeper I’ve seen coaching Penns Grove within the last 8-10 years.” He also was excited about the play of new outside backs Ricardo Vichi Torres, a freshman, and Eddie Tino, a junior first-year player, both of whom solidified their positions “for the foreseeable future.”.
“If this is at the end of the year it’d be very different, but because this is the first game, I don’t want to sound corny, I’m fired up,” Massari said. “The guys were bummed out but I think everyone has a fire in their belly now. They saw the beast inside of them and they’ve just got to pull it out.
“I really don’t think I’ve been this excited after a loss in a long time. When we got the schedule there was a little bit of a frustration level that we opened the season with Glassboro because I was kind of throwing my kids into the fire there, but now I’m thrilled we have them because know I know for sure we have it.”
Glassboro 1, Penns Grove 0
Penns Grove (0-1)
0
0
0 –
0
Glassboro (1-0)
0
0
1 –
1
GOALS: 1. Atakan Ozdemir, G.
OVERBROOK 2, PENNSVILLE 1: The Rams won only four games last season, didn’t win their first until Game 5, lost to Pennsville late in the season last year and you’ve got to go beyond 2010 to find the last time they won a season opener, but they put all that behind them by taking down the Eagles on the road.
David Ayala-Revas looped in a 25-yard free kick in the first half and Angel Mejia-Castro scored from the top of the box in the second to give the Rams a 2-0 lead. Pennsville’s Stone Mumink was dragged down on a breakaway and put away a red-card penalty kick to make it a one-goal game with 15 minutes left, but the Eagles couldn’t get the equalizer.
“The reality is obviously this is a game we wish we would’ve won,” Pennsville coach Derek Foglein said. “Opening at home, you always want to go get those wins, but I do think there’s a lot of good positives.
“Our over-the-top ball is where knew we were going to be strong and that’s where we got our (goal). Stone and Shane (Puckett) are phenomenal strikers, so once we get them more involved in the game I think it’s going to be really positive.”
Overbrook 2, Pennsville 1
Overbrook (1-0)
1
1 –
2
Pennsville (0-1)
0
1 –
1
GOALS: 1. David Ayala Revis, O; 2. Angel Mejia, O; 3. Stone Mumink, P (PK).
SCHALICK 4, WOODSTOWN 2: The Cougars erupted for three second-half goals to pull away from a 1-1 halftime tie and win their season opener.
Anthony Sepers scored the go-ahead goal on an assist from Donimic Bassano, then Bassano scored to extend the lead. The Wolverines made it a one-goal game again before Bradford Foster put the game away.
Schalick 4, Woodstown 2
Woodstown (0-1)
1
1 –
2
Schalick (1-0)
1
3 –
4
GOALS: 1. Luke Price, S; 2. Adrian Ibarra, W; 3. Anthony Sepers (Dominic Bassano), S; 4. Dominic Bassano, S; 5. Woodstown; 6. Bradford Foster, S.
PITMAN 6, SALEM 1: Charlie Duffield and Jake Bowen-Ashwin scored goals one minute apart early in the first half to give Pitman control of the match. Jose Vilalplando got Salem on the board early in the second half.
TIMBER CREEK 7, WOODSTOWN 1: The Wolverines young team got a rude welcome to varsity soccer in the first half of their opener of Deptford’s Spartan Kickoff, but the whole experience gave them a baseline off which to work for the rest of the season.
Woodstown started six underclassmen in the game – five sophomores and a freshman – and fell behind 4-0 at halftime. It was 5-0 before Lia Covely converted a pass from Bailey Arnold Peters in the 58th minute for the Wolverines’ goal.
Ava Stowell had three of Timber Creek’s first five goals for her third straight Spartan Kickoff hat trick. Adiat Dickson had a goal in each half.
The Wolverines had a couple other scoring chances by Talia Battavio and Gianna Pearlingi in the second half and had four corner kicks total, but couldn’t finish them. Keeper Ellie Wygand was peppered throughout the night and came up with 12 saves.
“We do have a very young team,” Woodstown coach Kieran Keyser said. “It was a good game to open up with because their a non-division game and it gave us an avenue to what we need to work on the rest of the season.
“It gave us the opportunity to see girls in new positions. It gave us the opportunity to see what mistakes we’re making and how to correct them. You want to move on and learn from losses like this. Yes, you want to forget them in a sense, but it’s a learning opportunity for our younger players and for me as a coach.”.
The Wolverines will play Pitman in Friday’s 5:30 p.m. consolation match. The Panthers fell to host Deptford 2-1.
Timber Creek 7, Woodstown 1
Timber Creek (1-0)
4
3 –
7
Woodstown (0-1)
0
1 –
1
GOALS: 1. Adiat Dickson (Ava Stowell), TC; 2. Ava Stowall (unassisted), TC; 3. Billie Frazier (unassisted), TC; 4. Ava Stowell (Karissa Coleman), TC; 5. Ava Stowell (Billie Frazier), TC; 6. Lia Covely (Bailey Arnold-Peters), W; 7. Adiat Dickson (unassisted), TC; 8. Sophie Willingmyre (Madison Freedman), TC
All 5 Salem County football teams in action this weekend, but Pennsville only one playing at home; Woodstown’s Hill cleared for full contact
SALEM COUNTY GAMES Friday’s games Salem at Pleasantville, 6 p.m. Schalick at Wildwood, 6 p.m. Lower Cape May at Pennsville, 7 p.m. Saturday’s games Penns Grove at Woodbury, 10:30 a.m. Woodstown at Paulsboro, 10:30 a.m. By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
PENNSVILLE – The excessive heat this week has impacted the things Pennsville wanted to get done in the run up to Friday night’s football game with Lower Cape May, but Eagles coach Mike Healy is confident everything is in place for what really is an important early-season game.
The Eagles open their WJFL Royal Division schedule with their home opener. In a division that’s not likely to get more than one team in the playoffs, getting off to a good start in the division is important. Lower Cape May lost one division game in a 6-2 regular season last year and didn’t make it.
“It’s huge from that aspect, if we want to be in that conversation at the end of the year,” Pennsville coach Mike Healy said. “The short term goal is to go 1-0 each week, any coach is going to say that, but long term, you win your first division game and now you’re in that battle all season long and your destiny is in your hands. Obviously it’s a long season, a lot of things can happen, but it feels a lot better when you’re in control of things.
“Division winners are getting in the playoffs, so if we want to accomplish our long term goals then we have to take care of business on Friday. Obviously other things can happen, but it’s better to take care of the division and not have to worry about that.”
The Eagles are 1-0 for the third time in four years. They won their season opener last year, but didn’t win another game the rest of the season. This year, they’re a lot more settled in, showed to be more sound in their technique in the opener and are just more confident going forward. The last time they were 2-0 was 2020 – the last time they beat the Tigers.
“Definitely feeling more confident than we did last year just based on how we played,” Healy said. “Every team makes mistakes during a game, but we didn’t have huge gaping issues that were apparent to us that we’re trying to cover up.
“I feel like we did a very good job last week; obviously, I was happy. It’s a different team this week. They’re 1-1, so they won a game this year. We’ve got to step up to that and I think if we play the way we can play – we want to be confident, but not overconfident – I think the kids are feeling we’re going in the right direction.”
Like all the teams in this part of the state, the Eagles have hit a few speed bumps this week because of the weather, juggling practice schedules to accommodate high temperatures and heat index. As recently as Wednesday they had to wait until the evening to get outside and then they had to start without pads.
“We definitely have changed what we’ve had to do,” Healy said. “We’re not even really sure what time we’re able to get out each day, so we start with a meeting and then we have to wait until we get the OK from the trainer to go outside.
“We’ve had limited practice time and, really, we just had to kind of pick what are the most important things we need to get done to be ready for the game. Everyone’s at a disadvantage from it, so it really comes down to who can adjust and prepare themselves the best in the limited time they’re going to have.
“Considering the circumstance I think we got in what we need to get in. Would I want more time? Yes, any coach is going to say that, but I think we did a good job as a staff getting in what needed to be put in for the game and I think the kids did a good job adjusting to the schedule and kind of just going with the flow.”
The Eagles are the only Salem County team at home this weekend. It’s the only week this season just one county team plays at home.
SCHALICK (2-0) at WILDWOOD (1-0): The Cougars are off to their best start in six years and are looking to go 3-0 for the first time since 2016 (when they started 6-0) as they open the most favorable stretch of their schedule.
But for all their early-season success, they’re also looking to put together a complete game and it starts with their Horizon Division opener – and first road game – against a Wildwood team Schalick coach Mike Wilson says looks to be one of its best in years.
The Cougars are “close,” Wilson said, but they could be a little sharper. They scored on their opening drive each of their first two games to take the lead, then held on for dear life. Last week against Pitman they opened the game with a flawless 74-yard drive that consumed nearly nine minutes, but they weren’t as consistent the rest of the way and needed a bang-bang stop of a two-point conversion in the fourth quarter to save the win.
“In hindsight we won two games against two very good teams, two solid playoff teams, both that will make a lot of noise this year, win a lot of games,” Wilson said. “We’ve just got to get better. I know that’s a coaching cliche, but that’s what it comes down to.”
The Cougars ran the table in their division last year and have won six straight division games. Of the seven games remaining on the schedule the Cougars beat six of them a year ago and the one they didn’t is 0-2 this season and lost to Wildwood last week.
Schalick leads the series with Wildwood 14-1 and have won the last 10 in a row. Last year’s 29-12 win was the closest game of the winning streak.
SALEM (0-2) at PLEASANTVILLE (1-1): The Rams go into their third game under new coach Danny Mendoza looking to put it all together. In their first game the offense and special teams held their own but the defense let them down. Last week it was just the opposite.
More than anything, they need to be sharper in the second half. In the opener they trailed 14-13 midway through the third quarter, then got outscored 28-6. Last week against Camden, a Group III state semifinalist last year, one bad bust on a pass coverage late in the second quarter led to a touchdown and a 7-0 halftime deficit, but they were swamped 27-0 after halftime.
“We competed, we just made really, really bad mistakes at the really wrong times,” Mendoza said. “Against teams with that size and those kind of guys you have to be, not perfect, but you got to be definitely teed in on a different level to be able to take that game from them.
“(What they did in the first half) I’m proud of them, but we have to sustain it. We can’t just be a first-half football team. That’s what we’re working on, understanding how to be a second-half football team … We’ve got to clean everything up. This is a big week for us.”
Salem is scheduled to open division play next week against Penns Grove, but a developing non-football related issue may impact the venue of the game. It is Salem’s home game, but because of the Rams’ on-going stadium project, it was moved to Penns Grove and then last week was moved back to Salem’s Walnut Street Field for what would be the final high school game played there.
But safety concerns around the game make playing it there an open question. Salem police declined to comment, deferring to the high school. Salem High officials call it an “ongoing situation” and continue to collect information. Penns Grove remains willing to host the game.
Saturday’s games
WOODSTOWN (1-0) at PAULSBORO (0-1): The Wolverines have had this game circled on their calendar for nine months, ever since the Red Raiders knocked them out of the playoffs.
They blanked Paulsboro during the regular season, but the script flipped in the higher-staked rematch. If that game taught them anything, it was the importance of being sharp and winning the turnover battle, lessons they’re sure to recall when they hit the field Saturday.
“It’s been something we’ve talked about since Day One, coming up short in that game and how well they played and executed and we didn’t,” Woodstown coach John Adams said. “It’s been a big focus … on doing our job, executing and finishing.”
The Wolverines got good news Wednesday when running back James Hill was cleared to return to full contact practice. Hill had been rehabbing off-season knee surgery and was cleared to return to football without contact last month.
He was expected to get full clearance Sept. 13, but his recent evaluation came in time to fulfill his six full practice requirement to be available for Game 3 next week at Deptford. He practiced Wednesday in shoulder pads and helmets because of the heat and Adams said “he looked good, he’s moving around good” and is “itching” to get back to full duty.
When Hill does play, he’ll probably start out at outside linebacker and maybe get in the mix at receiver before transitioning into the backfield. He’s a 3,000-yard career rusher.
PENNS GROVE (0-2) at WOODBURY (1-0): The Red Devils take a different approach and a lot of motivation into their first road game of the year and Diamond Division opener against the defending Group I state champions.
For the first two weeks, the emphasis was ball security and eliminating turnovers, but the Red Devils had 13 in the first two losses (nine lost fumbles) and are minus-9 in turnover ratio. Four of the turnovers have been inside their opponents 30 – two after sizeable gains – and seven inside the 40. That doesn’t count a fourth-down stop inside the 15.
Opponents have turned five of the takeaways into touchdowns, either directly on the return or on the ensuing possession. The Red Devils have converted two of their takeaways into touchdowns, including their only score against Pleasantville, and that’s the messaging going forward.
“Maybe I ought to change my emphasis from ball security to winning the turnover battle,” Penns Grove coach John Emel said. “We scored off our turnover so I think the key emphasis for me is turnovers lead to points and if we’re going to turn the ball over the other team is going to score more points than us. We need to get more turnovers and we need to protect the ball.
“I think we played better last week. Our defense can be pretty good. We cut down on the penalties, we played more disciplined, we limited big plays, but, again, we have to protect the football. We’re not good enough on offense to just waste possession and that’s what we’ve been doing.”
The Red Devils have plenty of motivation to break into the win column in this one. Woodbury has knocked them out of the playoffs each of the last two years and on a lesser scale the Thundering Herd rallied from a 12-0 deficit to beat them in the finals of the Taliaferro Foundation 7-on-7 tournament in June.
Here is the high school sports schedule for Salem County teams for the week of Sept. 5-9
Sept. 5 SCRIMMAGES GIRLS SOCCER Bridgeton at Salem, 4 p.m. Clayton at Penns Grove, 4 p.m. Pennsville at Gloucester City, 4 p.m. Timber Creek at Woodstown, 4 p.m. BOYS SOCCER Gloucester City at Pennsville, 4 p.m. Penns Grove at Clayton, 4 p.m. FIELD HOCKEY Woodstown at St. Joseph Academy, 9 a.m. Our Lady of Mercy at Woodstown, 3:30 p.m. Highland Regional at Salem, 4 p.m. Millville at Pennsville, 4 p.m.
REGULAR SEASON GIRLS TENNIS Penns Grove at Glassboro, 4 p.m. Pennsville at Overbrook, 4 p.m. Salem at Pitman, 4 p.m. Woodstown at Schalick, 4 p.m.
Sept. 6 GIRLS TENNIS Woodstown at West Deptford, 4 p.m.
Sept. 7 FIELD HOCKEY Clayton at Salem, 4 p.m. Gloucester Catholic at Pennsville, 4 p.m. Schalick at Woodstown, 4 p.m. BOYS SOCCER Overbrook at Pennsville, 4 p.m. Penns Grove at Glassboro, 4 p.m. Salem at Pittman, 4 p.m. Woodstown at Schalick, 4 p.m.
GIRLS SOCCER Glassboro at Penns Grove, 4 p.m. Pennsville at Overbrook, 4 p.m. Woodstown at Deptford Twp., 4 p.m. GIRLS TENNIS Penns Grove at Woodstown, 4 p.m. Pitman at Pennsville, 4 p.m.
Sept. 8 FOOTBALL Salem at Pleasantville, 6 p.m. Schalick at Wildwood, 6 p.m. Lower Cape May Regional at Pennsville, 7 p.m. FIELD HOCKEY Pennsville at Gateway, 4 p.m.
GIRLS SOCCER Woodstown at Deptford Twp., 4 p.m. Sept. 9 FOOTBALL Penns Grove at Woodbury, 10:30 a.m. Woodstown at Paulsboro, 10:30 a.m. BOYS SOCCER Gateway at Schalick, 10 a.m.
Wolverines take control of opener with early turnovers, seal the victory with solid second half
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
WOODSTOWN – When Woodstown coach John Adams talks about Garrett Leyman being a possession guy for the Wolverines, he means for the offense. A down-the-field threat who’ll catch anything thrown remotely in his direction a veritable frisbee-catching-dog kind of receiver.
But the junior was a pretty good possession guy for the Wolverines’ defense in Thursday night’s opener, too, and at point was the opponent’s most reliable receiver.
He intercepted two of Haddon Heights’ first four passing attempts and a had fumble recovery in the first 14 minutes of the season to give the Wolverines short fields to work with on the way to a quick 20-point lead en route to a 34-7 victory.
“Just in the right place at the right time,” Leyman said. “I would have never imagined it happening. It was fun to finally be that guy.”
“People forget he’s really solid on defense; that’s where we actually started him first in our program,” Adams said. “Right away they ran that RPO and we were worried about that and Garrett was right there, played it perfect, got the pick. That was awesome.”
The Wolverines turned their visitors over on each of their first three defensive series and four of the first five times the Garnets attempted to possess the ball. Leyman spoiled two of the Garnets’ first three series with interceptions and later recovered a fumbled kickoff.
With the help of the takeaways, the Wolverines ran their first 25 plays of the game inside Haddon Heights territory, only two outside the 25. They didn’t run their first play in their own end until 4:30 remained in the first half.
They scored 17 points off the first-half turnovers and came within two yards of adding another touchdown off one of them
“If you can win the turnover battle, you usually win the game, and that’s what we did tonight,” Adams said.
Meanwhile, kicker Jake Ware had a big night making his varsity debut on the field that bears his grandfather’s name.
He kicked field goals of 33 and 22 yards in the first half and his first three kickoffs found the end zone. His next kickoff was not quite as long, but the Garnets fumbled the return with Leyman there to fall on it. Another kickoff in the half found the end zone but was negated by a penalty. Altogether, he accounted for 10 points.
“It was great,” Ware said. “Once I got my groove, I was not missing; it felt great. It was as good as it could have been. It could have looked prettier, but everything went in.
“I thought I was going to get that much (work), but throughout the whole game not primarily in the first half, first quarter. It definitely helped me get my groove early and after those first couple kicks I was in my groove.”
It could have been a night for nerves. Ware went to the Woodstown schools through eighth grade, then transferred to Salesianum in Delaware to participate in that school’s nationally ranked soccer program. But he returned to his roots last winter to play on the field that bears his Hall of Fame coach grandfather Clint’s name and rejoin all his childhood friends.
“There was a little bit of emotion,” he admitted, “but I didn’t try to think about too much because I was trying to focus on doing my thing and not messing up at all.”
The Wolverines hadn’t attempted more than three field goals in any season over the last 10 years, but they almost tried that many in the first half. Adams thought about giving his new weapon a shot at a longer one when a first-and-goal got pushed back to the 25 by penalties, but recanted because of the distance (potentially 42 yards). The Wolverines almost scored when they went for it anyway, but Zach Bevis was stopped just short of the goal line on a pass from Max Webb.
For all that went the Wolverines’ way in the first half, it wasn’t a sharp half. Webb delivered an impassioned speech to the players at halftime about doing better, followed by a similar message from Adams, and the Wolverines were much cleaner in the second half.
They got two more takeaways and scored two touchdowns in the fourth quarter. The first score was a pass from Webb to Bevis and the other was a 58-yard dash from Bryce Belanfanti.
The Wolverines were looking for someone to help keep their running game viable while they await the return of James Hill from offseason surgery. Belanfanti answered that call with 125 yards and two touchdowns Thursday night. Woodstown rushed for 206 yards as a team.
“I took a lot of responsibility in it,” Belanfanti said. “I know people didn’t believe in us without James, but we did what we could.”
And when Hill, a 3,000-yard career rusher, does get back sometime after Sept. 13, what then?
“It’s going to be hard for defenses,” Belanfanti said. “We’ll be running all over them, really.”
Woodstown 34, Haddon Heights 7
HHTS (7)
WOOD (34)
9
1st Downs
11
22-72
Rushes-yds
36-206
8-20-3
Passes
3-9-0
73
Passing yds
38
3-3
Fumbles-lost
0-0
3-34.0
Punts-avg
3-34.0
3-42
Penalties-yds
9-100
Haddon Heights (0-1)
0
7
0
0 —
7
Woodstown (1-0)
10
10
0
14 —
34
Scoring plays W – Bryce Belanfanti 3 run (Jake Ware kick), 10:27 1Q W – Jake Ware 32 FG, 8:45 1Q W – Jake Ware 22 FG, 11:19 2Q W – Max Webb 8 run (Jake Ware kick), 10:10 2Q HH – Damier Outterbridge-Ali 7 pass from Drew Harris (Drew Harris kick), 4:39 2Q W – Zach Bevis 9 pass from Max Webb (Jake Ware kick), 8:18 4Q W – Bryce Belanfanti 58 run (Jake Ware kick), 6:43 4Q
Bryce Belanfanti signals after scoring Woodstown’s first touchdown of the season. Belanfanti got the final TD of the game, too, on a 58-yard burst in the fourth quarter. (Photos by Ellen Sickler)
Pennsville feeling good about season going into opener; all 5 county football teams in action this week
SALEM COUNTY SCHEDULE Thursday’s games Pleasantville at Penns Grove, 10 a.m. Pennsville at Lindenwold, 6 p.m. Haddon Heights at Woodstown, 7 p.m. Friday’s game Pitman at Schalick, 7 p.m. Saturday’s game Camden at Salem, noon
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
PENNSVILLE – Sky Eppes had never played running back on any level of organized football until Pennsville’s season opener last year against Lindenwold. But his first game – heck, his first carry – seemed to set him up as a natural.
Pennsville (0-0) at Lindenwold (0-1), Thursday, 6 p.m.
The then-junior admittedly was a little nervous going into it, but the first time he ever carried the ball in a varsity game he broke off a 20-yard run. He had two other long runs later, went for 200 yards and two touchdowns on 24 busy carries and the Eagles won by outscoring their visitors 34-26 when the clock ran out on the Lions.
The boys in blue seemed to be on their way to something special. But it didn’t continue. That spectacular beginning would be their only win as a bad mixture of internal and external forces conspired to tear their season apart.
Eppes and the Eagles open the new season against the same opponent Thursday – this time on the road — hoping for similar first-game results and confident about the needle trending upwards as they move forward.
“We won the game, but they had the ball driving it with time running out for a chance to tie it up, so it wasn’t like it was an easy game or anything for us,” Eagles coach Mike Healy said. “Obviously, it was great to get a win, but we knew we had some issues.
“This year I feel more confident going into it, for sure. I think we’re just better overall (on) offense and defense right now going into it. We think we’re better prepared this year, better ready to go. We’ve played much better this preseason. We’re limiting a lot of mistakes. We still have some, but we’re doing a better job of limiting them going forward.”
The issues of last year behind them, the Eagles have brought in some new coaches with links to their most recent decorated past and the players are buying into what the coaches are selling. Now, it’s a matter of executing when they get on the field.
Lindenwold spread the Eagles out last year and exposed their coverage issues, but the Lions showed to be heavy run last week in their 19-0 season opening loss at Sterling.
“We just want to execute properly, that’s really what it is,” Healy said. “We feel if we execute properly we can be in and win any game this year. I’m very excited with the group we have going this year. We’re still a young team but we have more experience coming back. There’s definitely anticipation because we think we can accomplish better stuff this year.
“We’re not dealing with internal things right now. We’re all focused on what the goal is. Everyone seems to have bought into their role on the team and understand that if we’re going to be successful we need all 11 guys on that field to do their job each time. We’re playing more as a team instead of 11 individuals.”
Eppes was as much a victim of whatever implosion was going on with the Eagles as anybody. He got moved to running back because Healy wanted some speed in the backfield and the move paid off with the 200 yards against Lindenwold, but he had only 452 in the eight games that followed.
His best rushing game the rest of the year was 97 yards against Schalick. In his defense, he also was used as a receiver and had 115 yards receiving against Cumberland.
“I was hyped,” he said about his first game at running back. “I was like we’re going to have a good year … and turn Pennsville around and bring it back to where it was in 2014. But it didn’t happen that way.”
This year promises to be better because attitudes are different and the Eagles have a scheme in place designed to put Eppes and the offense in situations to be able to do better. Now, he wants to set school rushing and touchdown records – once he learns what they are – and for the offense to have big games every week.
“This is my senior year; I’m trying to run as hard as I can and put up numbers,” he said. “I want to hit a big score again, I want to go hit a big score on everybody.
“We had bigger linemen (last year) but it isn’t about how big and strong you are, it’s about the heart that we have. The heart we have in this team will go very far. The heart and compassion for this team is what’s going to bring us along.”
PLEASANTVILLE (0-1) at PENNS GROVE (0-1): After suffering seven turnovers in their season opener – six lost fumbles – the Red Devils spent the week working on the highest priority for the offense – ball security. They moved the ball well enough to win, rushing for 328 yards, but the turnovers killed them.
There wasn’t an idle moment in practice this week when a Penns Grove player didn’t have a football tucked tightly on their person. The thing coach John Emel didn’t want to see was a ball on the ground or the Red Devils would have, um, the hot place to pay.
“We made it a point of emphasis,” Emel said. “We practiced a lot of ball security drills. It’s not something we don’t talk about. Everybody has a Big 3 keys to win – we’ve done it forever – and the No. 1 on our board is always been ball security. If you take care of the ball, you win the turnover battle, no matter what else happens you have a better opportunity to win the game.
“We didn’t do that; that’s disappointing. We’ve definitely got to be better. I’m optimistic we’ll go out and play a lot better on Thursday and we’ll fix the things where we made mistakes. It wasn’t just a bad game, it’s the worst turnover game we’ve ever had in my 20 years of coaching high school.”
The most positive takeaway from the game was the debut of freshman Karon Ceaser. The Red Devils’ first true freshman skill position starter in 20 years rushed for 155 yards and two touchdowns, but he wasn’t immune to fumbling either. The difference was he recovered his.
Pleasantville also is looking to get on the right track. The Greyhounds are coming off a 14-6 loss to Ocean City in the Battle at the Beach. They beat Penns Grove last year 26-2.
PITMAN (0-0) at SCHALICK (1-0): The Cougars’ dramatic season-opening win over their longest-tenured rival sets them up for another piece of history this week.
The Cougars have a chance to go 2-0 for the first time since 2017 when they opened the season with back-to-back shutouts of Wildwood and Riverside and set up what some observers think can be an even more historic start.
Coaches are notorious for not looking ahead (publicly, at least) so coach Mike Wilson’s focus this week was correcting the mistakes that were made in the opening – and there were some – and simply going 1-0 this week.
“It’s like I told the kids Saturday when we watched the film, we still haven’t played our best football yet,” Wilson said. “We did a lot of good things, but we left a lot of points on the field and made a lot of opening-game mistakes we’ve been fixing this week.
“The kids know we did a good job, but that’s over with now and we’ve got to get better. There’s a lot of room for growth. I expect us to make a big jump this week.”
Another thing the film revealed was just how good a game junior nose T.J. Hymer had. Hymer made the back-to-back stops on the goal line to keep Gloucester City from taking the lead at that point in the fourth quarter, but he did more than that.
“We knew T.J. played a great game, but he played probably the best football game of his life Friday night,” Wilson said. “What he did at nose Friday night, he played well, but watching the film, he played excellent. If I was grading his film, he would get high grades across the board.”
The Cougars lead the series 21-17. They have won 12 of the last 13 by some substantial margins, including an 11-game winning streak that was snapped in 2020.
CAMDEN (0-1) at SALEM (0-1): Now that they’ve sorted out where they’re going to play, the Rams can get back to the bigger business of fixing the things that went wrong in their opening-game loss to Executive Education.
The focus of the week has been tightening up their defense. The Rams were as close as 14-13 in the third quarter, then got outscored 28-6 the rest of the game.
“Our guys knew what we do, we just didn’t do it,” Rams coach Danny Mendoza said. “The discipline part of defense is what we need to focus on to get us on the right track. We’ve got guys who can make plays, we’ve just got to get those guys to do what we’re telling them.”
Now that he’s seen what his team has and needs at the speed of a real game, Mendoza can go about tweaking the defense to put players in more advantageous positions for their skill sets.
It’s a new experience for Mendoza, too. His experience has long been on offense, but the late timing of his hiring dictated Mendoza take the role of overseeing a defense for the first time. He’s brought a different look to the unit and it’s a work in progress for both sides.
“It’s a new role,” he said. “As an offensive guy you always make the defense the villain. Now, you have to even it out. The offense will always be solid, but we’ve got to make sure we’re just as solid on that side of the ball as well.”
The game was supposed to be part of the Mid-Atlantic Pigskin Classic at Wilmington’s Abessinio Stadium, but conflicts at the site led to both teams pulling out. The game now will be played at Salem’s Walnut Street Field, the Rams’ long-time stomping grounds that fell into disrepair and led to the school building an on-campus stadium.
Photo: Pennsville’s Sky Eppes (1) runs the ball back during a recent scrimmage against Haddon Heights. Eppes and the Eagles make their regular-season debut Thursday night at Lindenwold. (Photo by Lorraine Jenkins)
Woodstown kicker will extend a family legacy when Wolverines open season Thursday, provides a needed piece to offense
SALEM COUNTY SCHEDULE THIS WEEK’S GAMES Thursday Pleasantville at Penns Grove, 10 a.m. Pennsville at Lindenwold, 6 p.m. Haddon Heights at Woodstown, 7 p.m. Friday Pitman at Schalick, 7 p.m. Saturday Camden at Salem (Walnut Street), noon
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
WOODSTOWN – The first game of every team’s season is always an exciting time, some more than others. Woodstown kicker Jake Ware has been looking forward to Thursday night’s season opener against Haddon Heights since the day he came back to the school last January.
WARE
Of all the places the junior could think of to play his first varsity game, the Wolverines’ Clint Ware Field could not be more appropriate or special. The place has his grandfather’s name on it. His father ran into the school record books there. It’s the reason he wanted to transfer back to Woodstown to finish his high school football career.
Jake has kicked on the field already this summer – in the Wolverines’ two home scrimmages against St. Joe (Hammonton) and Delsea – but this time it’ll mean a little more because now it’s for real.
“It’s going to be really cool,” he said. “My grandfather coached for over 20 years, my dad (Steve) had the running record, he still might have it.
“With all the history of my family being here for so long and then my dad playing here being coached by his dad, I think it’s just cool. I think it will be very exciting. I’m not too nervous about it because if I’m nervous about it I’ll think about it too much and I’ll get out of my flow of hitting it normal every time.“
Jake didn’t ever know his grandfather; he was born in 2007 and Clint died in 2001 at age 59 of complications from ALS, Lou Gehrig’s Disease. But through all the stories he’s heard over the years he knows his granddad was a giant in the community.
Clint was the longest tenured coach in Woodstown’s history, leading the football team to a 164-139-10 record over a 34-year Hall of Fame career. As a player, he starred in football, basketball and baseball in high school and went on to play college football at the University of Delaware. He also was active in the community, serving as a Salem City Councilman for six years and a county freeholder for more than a quarter-century, initiating numerous programs that are still in force today.
“I just know he used to be really nice, and a really good coach,” Jake said. “I don’t really know too much.”
Jake went to the Woodstown schools through the eighth grade, then transferred to Wilmington’s Salesianum School to be part of the Sallies’ nationally ranked soccer program. He was still living in Woodstown and regularly attended Wolverine games on Friday nights, but drove back and forth across the bridge every day to go to school.
Actually, he never started kicking a football until about a year ago and when he kicked for Salesianum it was on the junior varsity and only extra points. It wasn’t the commute to Delaware every day that ultimately led to his return, but rather a return to his roots to fulfill his destiny and rejoin his childhood friends.
“I’m just really excited to be able to start my first varsity game and it makes it even better that it’s here with all my friends I grew up with,” he said.
When Woodstown coach John Adams learned of Ware’s return in January, it was like getting a late Christmas gift. The kicker immediately brings the Wolverines an element they haven’t had in a while.
They could have used a reliable leg in each of their last two playoff losses. He’s true on PATs, regularly kicks off into the end zone and is comfortable kicking field goals from beyond the 30; he’s kicked a 55-yarder once in a private workout. And he can punt it high and deep depending on the need.
The Wolverines were just 8-of-16 on PATs last season and had no field goals. They didn’t even attempt to kick an extra point the year before. Over the past 10 seasons they’ve only attempted 10 field goals. Ware kicks that many every practice.
It was a real shortcoming in the biggest games of the year. They missed their two-point conversion attempt in last year’s 15-6 sectional semifinal upset to Paulsboro. It was an even more glaring deficiency the year before when they lost to Woodbury 8-6 in the sectional final. They missed a two-point conversion in the second quarter and were in the red zone two other times and came away with no points.
“Ever since we lost Conner Batten, our kicker who went to Rowan to kick, we struggled with kicking,” Adams said. “Last season we had to go with two-point plays and spent a lot of practice time on all that. To have a guy transfer in who’s a great kid, who’s a really good kicker and only going to be a junior, we were like this is awesome.
“It filled a need for us and he works on his craft every day out here. We’re excited to have him because in Group I that can be a blessing for you. We’re excited that if it gets to be fourth down and we’re in the red zone we can go get points now and that changes how defenses have to play you and all that stuff. It’s going to be huge for us.”
Jake has been aware the name on the scoreboard is his grandfather’s from the time he was in first grade, so the charge of seeing it has worn off a little. But that doesn’t diminish the strong sense of pride he carries every time he goes on the field. It’ll just be a lot stronger Thursday.
Adams called the chance for Ware to kick on the field that bears his granddad’s name “special for him, special for his family” and there will be many members of the family on hand to witness it.
The coach will feel something, too.
“For him to come and kick on the field that’s named for his grandfather is just unreal,” he said. “It’s a great story.”
Woodstown’s Jake Ware practices his kickoffs during a recent practice. The junior will make his varsity debut Thursday night on the field that bears his grandfather’s name.
Here is the Salem County high school sports schedule for the week of Aug. 27-Sept. 2. The football games are regular season, all others are scrimmages. For additions or cancelations, email al.muskewitz@gmail.com
Aug. 28 GIRLS SOCCER Schalick at Kingsway, 9 a.m. Cumberland at Penns Grove, 10 a.m. BOYS SOCCER Clearview at Schalick, 9 a.m. FIELD HOCKEY Woodstown at Timber Creek, 9 a.m. Deptford Twp. at Pennsville, 10 a.m. GIRLS TENNIS Williamstown at Pennsville, 10 a.m. Woodstown at Ocean City, 11 a.m.
Aug. 29 FIELD HOCKEY Salem at Hammonton, 4 p.m. BOYS SOCCER Penns Grove at Cumberland, 10 a.m. Woodbury at Salem, 10 a.m. GIRLS SOCCER Pennsville at Buena, 10 a.m. Salem at Woodbury, 10 a.m. GIRLS TENNIS Woodstown at Kingsway, 9 a.m.
Aug. 30 FIELD HOCKEY Salem, Schalick, Bridgeton at Cumberland, 8:30 a.m. GIRLS SOCCER Schalick at Cumberland, 9 a.m. Penns Grove vs. Gloucester Co. Christian at Paulsboro, 10 a.m. BOYS SOCCER Cumberland at Schalick, 9 a.m. Williamstown at Woodstown, 9 a.m. GIRLS TENNIS Cumberland at Schalick, 9 a.m. Woodstown at Timber Creek, 9 a.m. Pennsville at Deptford Twp., 10 a.m.
Aug. 31 FOOTBALL Pleasantville at Penns Grove, 10 a.m. Pennsville at Lindenwold, 6 p.m. Haddon Heights at Woodstown, 7 p.m. GIRLS TENNIS Delsea at Pennsville, 10 a.m. Penns Grove at Haddon Twp., 10 a.m. Salem at Bridgeton, 10 a.m. GIRLS SOCCER Gloucester City at Woodstown, 9 a.m. Haddon Heights at Pennsville, 9 a.m. Penns Grove at Salem, 10 a.m. BOYS SOCCER Salem at Bridgeton, 10 a.m.
Sept. 1 FOOTBALL Pitman at Schalick, 7 p.m. FIELD HOCKEY Salem at Buena, 10 a.m. BOYS SOCCER Woodstown at Haddon Twp., 4:15 p.m. GIRLS SOCCER Haddon Twp. at Woodstown, 4:15 p.m.
Woodstown, Pennsville see encouraging signs in final scrimmages of camp; both open their seasons Thursday
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
WOODSTOWN – The first thing Woodstown coach John Adams thought when he saw the Delsea team his Wolverines were scrimmaging Thursday night get off the bus was it might be a tough go for his charges.
It didn’t get any easier when the Crusaders stifled Woodstown’s opening possession and then broke off an 87-yard touchdown run on their second play from scrimmage.
But then Adams saw something that bodes well for the Wolverines when their regular season gets underway next week.
They didn’t back down.
The Wolverines immediately answered two of Delsea’s three touchdowns and their defense stopped the defending South Jersey Group III champions on the final series of the varsity half to keep the margin a respectable 21-13.
“I loved the battle from our kids,” Adams said. “When they walked in, we were like … they were big; they had great size. But I thought we battled. It seemed like we answered against one of the best teams in the state.
“It was good seeing our kids fight from a deficit and still fight and be able to answer back.”
The Wolverines put together a 65-yard drive to answer Delsea’s first score. They went three-and-out after the second, then put together a 70-yard, nine-play drive after the third.
Woodstown’s offensive line has every Delsea lineman covered giving quarterback Max Webb time to find an open receiver. Webb was 8-of-10 for 95 yards and two TDs passing. (Photo by Ellen Sickler)
It was evident with Delsea’s size the Wolverines weren’t going to have much success running the ball, especially with star James Hill still two weeks away from rejoining the offense. So, they went up top and quarterback Max Webb was right on time.
The senior hit his first five throws and finished 8-of-10 for 95 yards with touchdown passes of 13 yards to Garrett Leyman to answer Delsea’s first score and 9 over the middle to Anthony Ford-Dale to answer the third. He also had two nice runs to get out of trouble.
Leyman caught three passes for 30 yards, Ford-Dale caught three for 33 and Zach Bevis had two for 32. The varsity rushed for 58 yards on 16 carries.
“We told the kids we’re not going to be able to run the ball on everybody and I thought we did a fantastic job in the pass game tonight,” Adams said. “Max looked lights out, scrambling for first downs, knowing where his receivers were. The pass blocking was pretty good for him.
“I was really, really pleased with how we executed offensively, because we knew with their size we were going to have trouble running the ball in between the tackles on them. And that’s the goal we wanted this year. We can’t just rely on the run, so being able to come out against a team like that and knowing we do have the passing game and were able to execute it well was phenomenal.”
The Wolverines open the regular season at home Thursday against Haddon Heights.
“It’s game week now,” Adams said. “Now it means something.”
Woodstown’s Anthony Ford-Dale looks to get around the corner. (Photo by Ellen Sickler)
Eagles encouraged going forward
PENNSVILLE – Pennsville scrimmaged the team Woodstown opens its season against next week and although the Eagles came up short in the varsity portion of the exercise 18-14, coach Mike Healy saw “enough good stuff on there to make me happy and give me encouragement.”
The Eagles opened up their passing game with some downfield throws and quarterback Robbie McDade connected twice with Malik Rehmer for long touchdown passes.
They hooked up on a 45-yard pass to open the scoring, then connected on a 70-yarder for another score.
“Malik’s a very good receiver; he’s going to go up and get the ball,” Healy said. “He’s got all the attributes you want and Robbie just has a lot of trust in him to go get the football. That confidence to know he’s going to go get the ball is huge for a young quarterback.
“We were a very young team last year. We’re still young this year, but we’re definitely seeing more chemistry develop between all the players really. We’re starting to see the confidence go up a little bit, too. They’re realizing we can do some things. It’s just a consistency issue more than anything else.”
The Eagles open their season Thursday at Lindenwold, a team they beat 34-26 in last year’s opener for their only victory of the season.
Pennsville’s Daniel Saulin bats down a pass in Thursday’s scrimmage against Haddon Heights. (Photo by Lorraine Jenkins)
Woodstown RB Hill will rejoin team Tuesday without contact, isn’t likely to play until third game
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
WOODSTOWN – The news wasn’t exactly what James Hill hoped to hear, but it was at least on the positive end of what he could have expected.
The senior Woodstown running back was cleared by his doctors Monday morning to return to football practice, but without contact. He was hoping to return without restrictions, but he also could have been held out longer.
“I got cleared to go to practice and everything, but me and my mom and my family and my doctor have waited on a decision of returning ASAP,” Hill said.
Hill, a 3,000-yard career runner, tore an ACL jumping in the Wolverines’ wrestling room this past winter. Typical recovery time is between six and nine months. His aggressive approach to recovery, which impressed both his coaches and his teammates, got him back on the front end of the window.
Wolverines coach John Adams was the first person Hill called after getting the report. He was “very excited” about the news Hill can return.
Despite taking the conservative approach, Hill called it “definitely a great day.”
“For the past couple weeks, all camps, I’ve been sitting at practice watching everybody,” he said. “Now I’m able to participate and push everybody else hard as I want to push. Push but don’t push over their limits.”
He plans to be at 8 a.m. practice Tuesday and participate in non-contact drills and be in uniform with his team for Thursday’s home scrimmage with Delsea, but it’ll be at least three weeks before he’ll see live action. His next doctor’s appointment is Sept. 13 and that, he says, is “my (date to) go play high school football.”
That means he’ll miss at least the Wolverines’ first two games against Haddon Heights and Paulsboro. He rushed for 540 yards and five touchdowns on 56 carries in those two games last season. In that scenario, his season debut would be Sept. 15 at Deptford.
“I said before Bryce (Belinfanti) and Bobby (Donahue) and everybody can take care of them, so I really didn’t need to rush myself back for them,” he said.
Adams has said throughout Hill’s rehab the plan was to go slow with the player’s return. Hill was expected to start out playing defense before being thrown into the rigors of the Wolverines’ WJFL Diamond Division schedule.
“When he first got surgery they said probably Week 4 as a timeline of getting him back and then he was doing great so we got our hopes up for Week 1,” Adams said. “The doctor said he looks amazing, but doesn’t want to jump the gun and now we are looking at having him out only two games, which is still tremendous and ahead of the original timeline.
“It gives us a chance to ease him back in more and make sure he’s ready. In the end I think it is what is best for him and his future.”
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