For the two coaches in the Pennsville-Penns Grove basketball game, tomorrow they can be friends, today they fight
THURSDAY’S BOYS GAMES Glassboro 55, Woodstown 47 Overbrook 58, Schalick 31 Penns Grove 75, Pennsville 65 Pitman def. Salem Tech Salem 90, Clayton 52
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
PENNS GROVE – For everybody else at the Paul W. Carleton School it was just another day at school, but for two of the teachers there it was a day a little different than all others.
For 363 days of the year, Damian Ware and Joe Mecholsky are teachers in the same school. One, Ware, teaches the fifth graders in an upstairs classroom. The other, Mecholsky, has the fourth graders downstairs.
They wave familiarly when they pass in the halls. They have the same planning period and often sit together talking basketball, comparing notes on common opponents.
But Thursday, while the conversation may be cordial and more poor mouth than trash talk, this day is different.
Every other day of the year they’re Carleton School teachers through and through, but when this school day ended Thursday they were trying to beat each other’s brains in as the coaches of the Penns Grove and Pennsville basketball teams that also, by the way, happen to be their high school alma maters.
“Oh, we’ll talk,” Ware said. “We don’t trade secrets or anything, but we’ll have general conversations about hoops and stuff like that.
“It’s actually a lot of fun. We have fun with each other. Neither one of us take anything personally. It’s all fun. It’s all about the kids. It’s a competitive, fun thing, basically.”
Everybody in the school gets caught up in it. Teachers and students are always asking when they’re going to play. The students get a kick out of watching their Mr. M coach the opposition.
Their teams have met nine times in the previous six years they’ve been head coaches at their alma maters and Ware has had the best of it, winning eight of them. Mecholsky finally broke through in the first meeting last season – in the Hyper-Baric Chamber that is Penns Grove’s gym – but the Red Devils got them back in Pennsville in the rematch.
(UPDATE: Ware made it nine out of 10 against his buddy Thursday night as the Red Devils won 75-65.)
There have been some memorable games though.
“We aren’t friendly while coaching against each other because every chance that son of a gun has had a chance to put 100 on my head he does it,” Mecholsky said. “He doesn’t try to hold back his team. He doesn’t try to be nice. No-o-o-o.
“One year (2018), they scored 100 on us and had a foul called so they took the 100 off the board. The next possession instead of just dribbling out the clock, with the crowd going ‘one hundred, one hundred,’ he scored again, so the crowd got to celebrate twice.
“And then the next morning we had breakfast together at the Deepwater Diner as if nothing happened.”
The game has no name, like the Wildman Willey Boot the teams play for in football, and strangely there have been no special wagers between the coaches like mayors and governors sometime do during football bowl games. Those things aren’t needed here. They’re playing for something more. Much more.
“We bet the one thing that can’t be bought with money – pride,” Mecholsky said. “When I see him in the hall the next day and I look at him, yea-h-h-h, I’m able to say I got you. And if he gets me, he’ll give me the same thing. We get on each other, but it’s brotherly love.”
When Friday morning comes things will return to normal for everyone at the Carleton School, unless, of course, school gets canceled or delayed by the impending snowstorm. Ware will make his way upstairs to teach his fifth graders and Mecholsky will head to downstairs to be with his fourth graders.
They’ll pass each other in the halls and get together during their planning period and talk ball as if nothing had happened. Only this time one will have a little extra pep in their step that’s not likely to subside until they play again the last day of the regular season.
“During the game we’re rivals and want to beat each other, Pennsville-Penns Grove,” Mecholsky said, “but right after the game it’s a handshake, it’s a hug and we’re back to work tomorrow.”
Who knows, they might even have breakfast at the Deepwater Diner together again.
Schalick knocks off winless Gateway to guarantee winningest season in four years; Camden Catholic denies Woodstown, Deptford dumps Penns Grove
FRIDAY’S BOYS SCORES Camden Catholic 60, Woodstown 41 Deptford 70, Penns Grove 51 Schalick 61, Gateway 47 SATURDAY’S GAMES Salem at Cherokee, 12:30 p.m.
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
PITTSGROVE – Getting to and staying at .500 is one of Schalick basketball’s biggest focuses this season, because there is so much that goes with it, but there was something even more special about getting back there – for the fourth time this season – Friday night.
When the Cougars put away winless Gateway 61-47, it allowed them to eclipse last season’s win total and guaranteed them their winningest season since the 2019-20 season. The four wins match their combined total of the last two years and has them thinking about something they haven’t dare consider since 2018-19 – a berth in the state tournament.
“Going into the game our goal is to always fight to be a .500 team and coming into today we had a chance to go back to that,” Schalick coach James Turner said. “I know that’s important to the kids as well because they know if we can stick to staying being a .500 team we have a good chance of getting into the playoffs. They really wanted that win today.”
The Cougars (4-4) had to work for it. They trailed the Gators (0-12) by two after the first quarter, but they made a defensive adjustment during the break and it produced turnovers and quick transition points that allowed them to pull away.
While all that was going on, Reggie Allen, Nylan Sutton and Dan Lis hit the Cougars’ three 3-pointers and they took a seven-point lead into halftime. The same defensive approach let them to stretch the lead to 13 going into the fourth quarter.
The Cougars know they have to keep winning. The 2019-20 team didn’t make the playoffs with nine wins, but the 2018-19 team did with seven. The last time the program had a winning season was 2015-16 when they were 22-8 and played in the South Jersey Group I final.
“They know that if we want to make the playoffs we have to get wins, so the .500 thing isn’t always the most important thing ,” Turner said. “We had certain things in front of us in the beginning of the season that we knew we had a great chance to be competitive in and the kids know that as well. When we’re playing those games we put more emphasis on winning the ones we’re supposed to be competitive in.”
They’re still looking for that signature win. The four teams they have beaten this season – Salem Tech, Cape May Tech, Pennsauken Tech, Gateway — have a combined record of 4-38. They are currently No. 20 in the South Jersey Group I power points standings, 35 points behind current No. 16 Pennsville.
Sutton led the Cougars with a career-high 20 points. Allen had 19, including nine in the second quarter, and Lis had 11.
SCHALICK 61, GATEWAY 47 GATEWAY (0-12) – Sean Simmons 10 1-2 22, Justin Dugan 4 2-4 13, Benji Contarino 1 0-1 2, Akey Talley 0 1-2 1, Steven Marlachatta 2 3-5 7, Sean Cawley 0 0-0 0, Cody Shaw 0 0-0 0, Jahmeire Rowe 1 0-0 2, Peter Franbach 0 0-0 0, Cole Tice 0 0-0 0, D.J. Bink 0 0-0 0. Totals 18 7-14 47. SCHALICK (4-4) – Reggie Allen 7 4-7 19, Nylan Sutton 9 1-3 20, Dan Lis 4 2-3 11, Jake Siedlecki 1 0-0 2, Jordan Johnson 1 3-6 5, Levi Mason 1 2-2 4, Ryan Johnson 0 0-0 0, Jase Volovar 0 0-0 0, Lincoln Murphy 0 0-0 0. Totals 23 12-21 61.
WOODSTOWN – Luke Kennevan and Bryce Clark combined for five 3-pointers and 35 points and the Irish put forth a defensive effort that shut down Woodstown’s hottest player while snapping the Wolverines’ two game winning streak.
Kennevan scored 20 with three 3-pointers and Clark had 15 with a pair of treys. The teams played to a 13-13 tie in the first quarter before the Irish pulled away.
Blake Bialecki had scored 23 and (4) and 29 (8) in the Wolverines’ previous two wins, but he was held scoreless for only the second time in his career. M.J. Hall, who hit the big 3-pointer in their win over Pennsville, led the Wolverines with 15 points. Max Webb had 13.
PENNS GROVE – The Red Devils went through one of the nights where nothing would fall for them and Deptford hit everything.
The Red Devils had numerous shots in and around the basket, but watched in frustration as shot after shot either went in and out or came up short. Deptford, meanwhile, made 27 buckets, including seven 3-pointers, four in the first quarter as it opened a 22-15 lead.
Aydan Copestick hit four of the 3s and led three Spartans in double figures with 18 points. Cairee Cooper had 15 and Deyon Rowland had 14.
“They shot the lights out and we couldn’t buy a bucket,” Penns Grove coach Damian Ware said.
Mekhi Ballard led Penns Grove with 16 points. He hit three of the Red Devils’ four 3-pointers and has drained seven in the last four games.
DEPTFORD 70, PENNS GROVE 51 DEPTFORD (6-5) – Bryce Dunn 1 0-1 2, Cairee Cooper 6 3-4 15, Deyon Rowland 5 2-4 14, Aydan Copestick 6 2-2 18, Brian Orio 4 1-2 9, Luke Vilary 1 1-2 3, Jordan Williams 3 0-0 7, Alanzo Hernandez 0 0-0 0, Braheem Korleh 1 0-0 2, Joe Crowley 0 0-0 0, Shakeem Green 0 0-0 0, Kenny Cockerill 0 0-0 0. Totals 27 9-15 70. PENNS GROVE (4-6) – Brandon Robbins 0 0-0 0, Roman Gipson 2 0-0 5, Giomar Conrad 4 4-7, Karon Ceaser 3 2-9 8, Mehki Ballard 5 3-5 16, Camron Thompson 1 0-0 2, Khiry Higgs 1 0-2 2, Mr Peterson 1 0-0 2, Dameon Wilson 2 0-0 4, Neziah Spence 0 0-0 0, Will Roy 0 0-0 0. Totals 19 9-23 51.
Deptford
22
13
18
17 –
70
Penns Grove
15
12
16
8 –
51
3-point goals: Deptford 7 (Rowland 2, Copestick 4, Williams); Penns Grove 4 (Gipson, Ballard 3). Total fouls: Deptford 18, Penns Grove 19.
Pennsville’s boys follow a plan to combat Clayton, Schalick wins first season opener since 2015, Penns Grove challenged by strong competition FRIDAY BOYS SCORES Pennsville 80, Clayton 66 Pitman 69, Penns Grove 41 Schalick 65, Salem Tech 43
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News PENNSVILLE – Clayton came into David Salberg Gym Friday night having scored 96 points the night before and the reputation for firing 3-pointers at will. That made the Clippers a dangerous opening-night opponent for anyone.
But Pennsville coach Joe Mecholsky had a plan – guard the 3, rebound and play tight man defense.
It proved to be the winning formula as the Eagles clipped their visitors 80-66, missing by just one point the score the coach had predicted before the game.
“We knew coming in that their game is to shoot the 3 and give us the 2,” Mecholsky said. “We tried to be very diligent guarding the 3-point shot. At one point to start the fourth quarter I told the boys let them drive, give up the 2. They want to shoot the 3 to get back in this game.
“That’s just their system. When it’s working that’s a much tighter game. When the system doesn’t work we ended up with a favorable outcome. They’ve got a South Jersey title with that system, his kids love playing that system, but I think tonight it just came down to we were the better team.”
Clayton came out firing – and missing. The Clippers missed their first 11 shots from the field – most of them 3s – and Pennsville ran out to a 12-2 lead despite not being very sharp themselves. The Clippers, 9-of-30 from behind the arc in their opener at Pennsauken Tech, were 1-for-10 from behind the arc in the first quarter against the Eagles, 4-for-18 in the half and 10-for-38 for the game..
Instead of going into the locker room at halftime to discuss strategy, the Clippers spent the entire halftime on the floor putting up shots. They shot a better percentage in the second half, but never got closer than eight points and that was early in the third quarter.
The more they missed, the more the Eagles rebounded. Danny Saulin, a 6-foot-7 senior starting in his final season opener, pulled down 14 rebounds to go with 17 points, many off putbacks.
“We have a saying – long shot, long rebound,” Saulin said. “When you’re jacking it up from 3 you just have to know you have to back up and get ready to box out and jump up for the ball. For them not playing so much in the paint it made it easier for us to score 2-pointers, made it easier for the whole team to score.”
Saulin wasn’t the only one clearing the boards. Peyton O’Brien, who spelled Saulin off the bench, grabbed 13 rebounds. The Eagles had 49 rebounds in the game.
“He was so noticeable out there,” Mecholsky said. “When Danny comes out and Peyton can control the boards like that, that’s a big relief as a coach. Not only can he grab the boards, he starts the transition. He can turn and go.”
“I just try to contribute the best I can,” O’Brien said. “It feels good just to know I contributed some way to the win.”
The Clippers hit their only 3 of the first quarter with 2:13 left and it touched off a flurry that got them to 12-11 with a chance to tie. They missed the free throw on a potential three-point play, Saulin made a bucket on the other end and that started a 14-0 Pennsville run across two quarters that put the Eagles safely back in front for good.
“It’s an old cliché,” Mecholsky said, “the better team should win the game and tonight we were the better team.”
In most areas they were. One that left Mecholsky wiping his brow was the 24 turnovers charged to his team.
“We were incredibly lucky tonight that they didn’t shoot well; let’s be honest,” he said. “I didn’t see what Clayton shot from the field but we had 20-plus turnovers. How many games do you win when you turn the ball over 20 times? To have 24 turnovers you just start shaking your head and say all right we got one tonight.” PENNSVILLE 80, CLAYTON 66 CLAYTON (1-1) – Dillon Jones 3 1-2 8, Princeton Sackor 5 1-1 14, Nazir Davis 1 0-0 2, John Carter 1 0-0 3, Khamari Farley 7 0-0 17, Demetris Williams 4 0-0 8, Jon Cox 0 0-2 0, Cristan Scott 0 0-2 0, A’Shaud Hine-Pope 3 0-1 6, Nasir Carter 3 0-0 8, Jayden Prince 0 0-0 0. Totals 27 2-8 66. PENNSVILLE (1-0) – Mason O’Brien 1 0-0 3, Luke Wood 10 2-4 24, Cohen Petrutz 5 0-0 11, Chase Burchfield 7 0-1 14, Peyton O’Brien 2 0-0 4, Jayden Thomas 3 0-2 7, Malik Rehmer 0 0-0 0, Daniel Saulin 8 1-1 17. Totals 36 3-8 80.
Clayton
11
18
15
22 –
66
Pennsville
19
19
22
20 –
80
3-point goals: Clayton 10 (Jones, Sackor 3, J. Carter, Farley 3, N. Carter 2); Pennsville 5 (Wood 2, M. O’Brien, Petrutz, Thomas). Total fouls: Clayton 10, Pennsville 16.
SCHALICK 65, SALEM TECH 43: The Cougars won only three games a year ago, but got their new season off to a rousing start – 25-4 in the first quarter and 39-11 at halftime – and won their season opener for the first time since 2015.
Reggie Allen led the way with 17 points. Daniel Lis had 12 and Ryan Johnson had 10. Junior Nylan Sutton added five points for the Cougars, and had one of the night’s biggest highlights when he threw down the first dunk of his career in the fourth quarter.
“I think it is meaningful for our program overall,” Schalick coach James Turner said. “It’s nice to finally open up the season with a win and for these guys to carry that same winning mentality from one season to the next, which was what our goal was, and they did a good job today.”
The Cougars got off to what Turner called “a great start.” Their press forced several turnovers that led to some transition baskets and they held the Chargers without a field goal in the first quarter.
“The game plan going in was to put pressure on them and try to get up early,” Turner said. “We tried our best to keep them from getting set in their offense.”
The Cougars didn’t secure their first win last season until after the first of the year. It’s the earlier they’ve gotten a win since beating Collingswood at home on Dec. 15, 2018 – Turner’s second game as their coach.
The last time they opened a season with a win, they beat Clearview 57-42 in 2015 and went on to go 22-8. They’ve won 22 games the previous five seasons combined.
“I think it was just a little bit of a relief, to say OK we got that first win out of the way, we got that first game out of the way,” Turner said. “I’d just say it was a feeling of relief because of what we’ve gone through the last few years.”
Salem Tech’s Antoine Robinson led all scorers with 19 points.
SCHALICK 65, SALEM TECH 43 SALEM TECH (0-1) – Antoine Robinson 5 8-11 19, Chase Wills 3 2-4 9, Josh Muntz 1 0-0 3, Tyler Zampino 1 0-0 3, Haneef Frisby 3 0-0 6, Joseph Hayes 0 1-4 1, Gio Holmes 0 0-0 0, Daviontae Russell 1 0-0 2, Chase Ayers 0 0-0 0. Totals 14 11-19 43. SCHALICK (1-0) – Reggie Allen 6 2-6 17, Daniel Lis 5 1-3 12, Sherrod Jones 1 0-0 2, Justin Iacona 0 0-0 0, Nylan Sutton 2 1-4 5, Nasir Sutton 3 2-9 8, Ryan Johnson 4 2-2 10, Jordan Johnson 2 1-2 5, Jake Siedlecki 2 0-0 4, Jase Volovar 1 0-1 2. Totals 26 9-27 65.
Salem Tech
4
7
20
12 –
43
Schalick
25
14
8
18 –
65
3-point goals: Salem Tech 4 (Robinson, Wills, Muntz, Zampino); Schalick 4 (Alllen 3, Lis). Fouled out: Frisby, J. Johnson, Siedlecki. Total fouls: Salem Tech 21, Schalick 21.
PITMAN 69, PENNS GROVE 41: Some days you play well and some days you learn well. Red Devils coach Damian Ware hopes his team is learning to see what takes to play at a high level because they’ve seen those teams that do twice since practice began.
The Red Devils got their second dose of it Friday and the Panthers put their skill and experience together to show them how the other half lives.
“For our guys the difference in the game was the intensity of the game,” Ware said. “It was actually a good learning lesson and that’s why I told the guys. I said now you see what it looks like to be a contender. If you want to be a contender this is the level you have to play to.”
They got a taste of it last week when they played Egg Harbor Twp., but that was a scrimmage so when they came up short in that one it was no harm, no foul. Friday night’s game counted in the standings.
Penns Grove was in it early and only trailed 15-12 after the first quarter, but then Pitman’s Elijah Crispin and Michael Fisicaro started hearing up and the Panthers started pulling away. Crispin hit three 3s from NBA range and the lead started to grow. It was 16 at halftime, 25 after three quarters.
Crispin led all scorers with 17 points. Fisicaro had 15. Crispin hit three 3s, Fisicaro hit four. Meanwhile, Penns Grove was 0-for-16 from behind the arc.
Roman Gipson led the Red Devils with 13 points off the bench and he may have earned himself a promotion.
“He’s the first sub off the bench, he’s our sixth man, which actually might change,” Ware said. “I might put him in the starting lineup, we’ll see.
“In two of the three scrimmages he came off the bench and did some work there. I’m trying to give guys a little bit of rope to see what they do, but when these young guys come up ,you can’t deny them. You’ve got to let them play.”
The first chance for that possibility is Saturday when they play Lindenwold in the nightcap of their own Red Devil Classic. Pitman opens the event against Burlington City at 11 a.m., followed by Salem and Woodbury. Both Penns Grove teams play in the evening session.
PITMAN 69, PENNS GROVE 41 PITMAN (1-0) – Porter Kostiuk 5-3-13, Stephen Devanney 4-1-10, Hudson Rue 4-0-8, Elijah Crispin 6-2-17, Chris Wyllie 2-0-4, Michael Fisicaro 6-1-15, Greg Petersen 1-0-2, Jake Epting 0-0-0, Trey Tinges 0-0-0. Totals 27-7-69. PENNS GROVE (0-1) – Roman Gipson 5-3-13, Camren Thompson 0-1-0, Giomar Conrad 2-8-12, Mehki Ballard 1-0-2, Willie Slocum 1-2-4, Brandin Robbins 2-0-4, KaRon Ceaser 2-0-4, Luis Colon 0-1-1. Totals 13-15-41.
Riverview Sports News 