Tag: sports

Next group up

With only two returning starters, Woodstown faces ‘a different challenge’ heading into Trautz’ second season

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

WOODSTOWN – It used to be real easy to find a seat in the Woodstown quarterback room. Now, not so much.

In the years coming out of COVID, the position was clearly Max Webb’s domain and he sat in the front row. When he graduated, the torch passed to his cousin Jack Holladay, who stepped in seamlessly despite not playing much as a junior and carried it until a shoulder injury derailed him in the sixth game of the season.

WOODSTOWN
Aug. 19: x-Audubon
Aug. 28: Pitman
Sept. 5: at Delsea
Sept. 12: at Schalick
Sept. 20: at Woodbury
Sept. 26: Penns Grove
Oct. 2: at Pleasantville
Oct. 9: Haddon Heights
Oct. 17: Salem
Oct. 24: Glassboro
x-scrimmage

This year, though, you’ve got to get in early to find a seat as the Wolverines have no fewer than six players with quarterback experience/designations attached to their name – but only two with (limited) varsity experience at the position and none of whom have thrown a varsity pass in a Woodstown uniform.

“It’s the first time (me) being at Woodstown we’re having a true QB competition heading into camp,” second-year head coach Frank Trautz said. “Competition is good for every position. It’s what drives everybody. It’s a good thing.”

Offseason workouts and experiences have created some separation. When the Wolverines open preseason camp Monday, the depth chart will show sophomore Mason Middlemiss and freshman Frankie Hoerst at the top of the list.

Middlemiss has the most varsity experience. He was with the Wolverines last summer, then moved to Absegami, where he completed 4-of-7 passes for 64 yards – all in a win over Cumberland. He’s more of a dual-threat quarterback, like Webb, and has been getting glowing reviews from his offseason camp/showcase work.

Hoerst is a prototypical pocket passer, like Holladay or second-half starter Garrett Leyman, with a big arm. The 6-4, 195-pounder already has an offer from Syracuse after throwing in a private session for the coaches after five games at a camp in which he twice produced wins on the final play.

Trautz said he’ll have to see more of them with live action in camp to determine who might emerge as the starter and what other roles they may play, but he’s excited with the prospects.

“It’s going to be a tough competition between the two of them,” he said. “It already has been in the summer, so it’s just going to heat up as we get into camp with the pads on and everything.

“I’m excited to see what both of them are able to do. They might be inexperienced in terms of varsity stats, but the talent is there and they’re not inexperienced in terms of their quarterback skills.”

For better or worse, after running through what Trautz called “two really good senior classes” the Wolverines have plenty of open spots in the lineup for those who don’t win the quarterback sweepstakes to find spots on the field.

Senior Lucas Fulmer, who finished the Haddon Heights game after Holladay got hurt and led the offense to a fourth-quarter touchdown with a reduced playbook in his varsity debut, will be a starting receiver.

Sophomore Cole Ware moves into leading rusher Bryce Belinfanti’s spot at running back. He ran for 35 yards in last year’s playoff opener with KIPP and is coming off a big summer in which he played in the national flag football tournament and was a finalist for 14U Player of the Year.

Senior Anthony Costello and junior Noah Chiu also are listed with quarterback experience and will be receivers and defensive backs.

The Wolverines have just come through one of the most successful cycles in the program’s history, but as Trautz admits, “we’re replacing a lot of guys.” With just two returning starters – RB/DB Bryceton Rooney and lineman Aiden Taulane – the cycle begins anew. And it starts with a couple young quarterbacks in a crowded room.

While It may be “the next group up,” the standard remains the same.

“I’m excited about everybody we have, really,” Trautz said. “I know we’ve had two really good senior classes that have just graduated, but we have a lot of good young talent, so it’s not just these two at the quarterback position. We have good young talent across all positions.

“It’s a different challenge for sure this year, but it’s an exciting one because of what I think we’ll be able to build with this young group. It’s the next group up; it’s their turn now. They’re very excited, too, to be the ones on Friday night now. I’m excited to see what they can do. It’s a group we have for the next two, three years and they’re going to do, hopefully, some special things together. This is the beginning of it.”

Tough one to lose

Pennsville gives its best effort in Foglein’s six seasons as coach, but falls on an overtime golden goal; includes full schedule of Salem County games

WEDNESDAY’S BOYS SOCCER
Pitman 2, Pennsville 1 (OT)
Schalick 7, Clayton 0
Woodstown 8, Gloucester Catholic 1
Wildwood 4, Penns Grove 2
Salem at Overbrook
Salem Tech at Glassboro

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PENNSVILLE – Coen Rinnier buried his head in his hands as he sat in the middle of the bench after the game. He was brilliant in the Pennsville goal all afternoon, but there was one shot he just couldn’t get at.

The Eagles had one of their best chances to beat long-time nemesis Pitman and, in fact, played what Derek Foglein called their best full-game effort in his six years as coach. But it just wasn’t to be as Panthers senior Jaiden Ammons headed back a rebound just beyond the keeper’s reach five minutes into overtime to send the Eagles to a bitter 2-1 defeat.

“That was the best 80 minutes of soccer I’ve seen in my six years,” Foglein said. “We were already down guys because I have a guy who was suspended from the first game with Wildwood, one of our center mids went down in the first half with an injury and never came out.

“I made zero subs in the second half. Every single guy on the field gutted out the second half and overtime. And that’s because they were fit. They played soccer every day since May and they were fit enough to hang with them.

“All I needed them to do was battle. We knew this was going to be a battle and they really battled. They battled really hard for 85 minutes.”

The Eagles (2-2) were trying to buck a lot of history. They hadn’t beaten the Panthers since Sept. 13, 2017 – that’s 11 in a row now – and hadn’t beaten them at home since before 2010. But they gave the Panthers (4-1) all they could handle.

And they struck first, and early to show they meant business. Shane Puckett took a through ball from freshman J.P. Laughrey, found Pitman keeper Joey Zubert out of position and ripped it into the back of net just 4:41 into the game.

“We specifically talked in film today about the fact off the tap and early we didn’t want to give up possession in the defensive third,” Foglein said. “We wanted to send the ball down their way quickly and force them to defend or do something with it.

“We’ve seen that other teams have been able to get on them quick. We saw Wildwood scored on them in the first five minutes as well. The first five minutes is going to be our chance to jump on them and then we’ve got to see if we could hold on and we held on for as long as we could.”

The Eagles kept the lead until Owen Hurley converted a throw-in from Nate Newcomb that bounced crazily in the box to tie it. After that the teams battled to keep the other from scoring again, with the Pennsville defense clearing numerous Pitman challenges and Rinnier turning back several shots to keep the game tied.

Newcomb got the game-winning exchange started with a throw-in from deep down the left sideline. Pitman’s Jake Bowen-Ashwin fought through the defensive challenge of Stevie Fatcher to keep it alive along the baseline and flicked it into the middle of the box. It deflected into the air off Pennsville senior Maddox Efelis’ foot, Trevor Leach moved in and headed it off the middle of the crossbar, Eagles’ back Jake Steiner appeared to clear it away, but Ammons charged in from the right side and headed it back into the left side of the goal just past the outstretched arms of a diving goalie.

“It was very hard,” Rinnier said. “It was deflected I think twice. There was just so much going through my head when that happened and unfortunately it just went in.

“As a goalie you know when the ball is going to go in. As soon as he headed that second ball in I know the game’s over. I still dove for it, but as soon as he heads the ball I know the game’s over.”

The goalie agreed with his coach that it was the best the Eagles have played in a while and the loss notwithstanding it bodes well for their fortunes going forward.

“We’ve never been close to Pitman, never, well, besides last year it was 1-0, but we didn’t play well,” he said. “This year we played amazing. He’s right, it’s the best soccer we ever played today.

“I’m just looking forward to the next games now. If we can compete with Pitman, we can compete with every other team. Competing with Pitman, we can beat Wildwood and win our division for the first time in God knows how long.”

Cover photo: Pitman’s Jaiden Ammons heads a shot back towards the Pennsville goal for the game-winner in overtime.

Pitman 2, Pennsville 1 (OT)

Pitman (4-1)101-2
Pennsville (2-2)100-1

SCORING
Pv-Shane Puckett (JP Laughrey), 4:41
Pt-Owen Hurley (Nate Newcomb), 13:14
Pt-Jaiden Ammons (Nate Newcomb), 84:59

SCHALICK 7, CLAYTON 0: Freshman Marco Spinnato assisted on the Cougars’ final goal against Woodstown in its last game Monday and he followed that with the first two goals of his career against the Clippers. Anthony Sepers also scored twice for the Cougars (3-0), while Steve Chomo, Mikey Nelson and Louis Sepers all scored once.

The shutout was coach Joe Mannella’s 296th career win. The earliest he could reach the 300-win milestone is Sept. 30 against Penns Grove.

WOODSTOWN 8, GLOUCESTER CATHOLIC 1: The Wolverines got goals from eight different players. Bryce Ayers, Blake Bialecki, Adrian Ibarra, Great Prater, Tyler Szatny and Brendon Curtis scored in the first half. Sid Leevy and Connor Williams scored in the second half.

The win was the 288th of coach Darren Huck’s career. The earliest he could reach the 300-win milestone is Oct. 16 at Salem Tech.

WILDWOOD 4, PENNS GROVE 2: The Warriors (4-1) scored a pair of goals in each half to win its fourth game in a row. Noureddine Bedderi broke a 1-1 tie in the first half and extended the lead to 3-1 with the first goal of the second half. Edwin Aviles and Edward Swank scored Penns Grove’s two goals.

Girls soccer

WEDNESDAY’S SCORES
Glassboro 6, Salem Tech 0
Pitman 2, Pennsville 0
Schalick 2, Clayton 1
Woodstown 2, Gloucester Catholic 1
Overbrook 7, Salem 1
Penns Grove at Wildwood

SCHALICK 2, CLAYTON 1: Quinn Berger scored the game-winner on a free kick in the final 20 minutes of the second half. Abby Willoughby scored the Cougars’ first goal. It was their third straight win.

WOODSTOWN 2, GLOUCESTER CATHOLIC 1: Lia Covely and Emma scored goals in the first half for the Wolverines (3-2). Ellie Wygand made 10 saves to turn the Rams away.

PITMAN 2, PENNSVILLE 0: Emery Sharpnack scored her fifth goal of the season in the first half and Madison Peek got her fifth in the second half.

GLASSBORO 6, SALEM TECH 0: Marianna Dempster and Amina Brown both scored a pair of goals for the Bulldogs.

OVERBROOK 7, SALEM 1: Gianna Simon and Maria Olea-Vinalay scored two goals apiece for Overbrook. Isla Bohn scored Salem’s goal in the first half.

Friendly rivalry

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.

Weathering the storm

Pennsville braves the weather, beats Pitman to avenge last year’s one-point loss

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PENNSVILLE – Neither wind nor rain nor gloom of night will keep the Pennsville wrestlers from their appointed round with victory.

While three other Salem County wrestling teams with matches scheduled Tuesday – Penns Grove, Woodstown, Schalick/Cumberland – canceled out of an abundance of caution for the heavy weather expected in during the evening, the Eagles soldiered on with postal service like dedication and turned back Pitman 51-24.

“We really don’t want to miss a match,” Eagles junior Connor Ayars said. “Especially since this is a conference match, so this was a good match for us, especially since we got the win. We really wanted to wrestle this one. They beat us last year by one.”

On the surface it looked like the Eagles were headed for an easy seventh dual win. Pitman had six open weights on the lineup card giving the Eagles a 36-point lead. 

They appeared to have clinched it when Sky Eppes stopped Pitman’s mid-match momentum with an overtime decision over Robert Graves at 150. But when Pennsville unexpectedly forfeited at 165, the Panthers were back in it. 

The Eagles finally clinched it when Ayars, wrestling up at 190, got a late takedown and took down Dominic Saffioti 3-1. The decision gave the Eagles an 18-point lead with two bouts remaining.

“I didn’t expect (to wrestle) especially when I checked that they didn’t have a 175; I didn’t think I was going to wrestle,” Ayars said. “Earlier this week I asked my coach if I could bump up to 190 and he said we’ll see how it works out, but I really wasn’t expecting it. But it did.”

He was giving up about 15 pounds and muscle mass to his opponent, but the bout was scoreless through two periods. Then Saffioti made the decision that played into Ayars’ hands. He gave up a point to start the period in neutral. Ayers shot the legs and scored a takedown and rode out the rest of the time for the win.

“With the weight defense plans in place and the newer rules in today’s wrestling it’s harder to kind of dance around and shuffle a lineup; you’re more restricted,” Pennsville coach John Starcevich said. “Pennsville teams of old were notorious for bumping and griding and doing what we’ve got to do to get the best matchups to ultimately win matches.

“But with Connor, especially tonight, he had been wrestling well. He got a late start to the season, but every time he stepped on the map he is just getting more confident, he’s getting better, and instead of getting his hand raised for a forfeit tonight we wanted him to compete. He gave up a little bit of weight but we were confident that he would have a good matchup and he executed on that and grinded out a win. He did a great job.”

With Ayars bumping up in class, Elias Lussi, their regular 190, bumped up to 215. He scored twice late in the third period and won a 5-1 decision. The Eagles won the final match at heavyweight by forfeit.

PENNSVILLE 51, PITMAN 24
106: Gina Haubrich (Pv) won by forfeit
113: Vincent Ciccantelli (Pv) won by forfeit
120: Christopher Daniels (Pv) won by forfeit
126: Adriano Platt (Pt) pinned Kameron Drummond, 5:25
132: Ayden Perez (Pv) pinned Ayden Employ, 5:04
138: Jacob Lawrence (Pt) pinned Travis Hagan, 3:27
144: Jonathan Bruno (Pt) pinned Joseph Maurer, 1:40
150: Sky Eppes (Pv) dec. Robert Graves, 4-2
157: Robert McDade (Pv) won by forfeit
165: Chase Rollins (Pt) won by forfeit
175: Justin Oldaker (Pv) won by forfeit
190: Connor Ayars (Pv) dec. Dominic Saffioti, 3-1
215: Elias Lussi (Pv) dec. Aiden Milward, 5-1
285: Trevor Waddington (Pv) won by forfeit
Records: Pitman 2-4, Pennsville 7-2.

Changing places

Pennsville, Pitman boys soccer changing divisions in a move expected to benefit both programs; this story will be updated

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

The boys soccer teams at Pennsville and Pitman are changing places in the Tri-County Conference in a move that will benefit both programs.

FOGLEIN

When the season opens next fall, Pennsville will play in the Tri-County Classic Division, while Pitman will move into the demanding Diamond Division. The change, approved in Tuesday’s conference athletics directors meeting at Kingsway, does not affect the girls alignment.

“Right now, for the next two years, it made sense for our program, it made sense for the Pitman program and it also made sense for the sub-varsity programs within the Diamond Division,” Pennsville AD Jamy Thomas said. “From a conference perspective we’re trying to benefit kids as much as possible and that’s not just from a competitive standpoint it’s from an opportunity to compete standpoint.”

The Diamond Division will now comprise Pittman, Glassboro, Overbrook and Salem County schools Schalick, Woodstown and Penns Grove. The Classic Division is now Pennsville, Clayton, Wildwood, Gloucester Catholic, Salem and Salem Tech.

Five of the six teams in the new Diamond Division lineup won at least 11 games last season. Only one of the teams in the new Classic Division lineup had a winning overall record and won more than seven games.

The move fits Pennsville from a competitive balance and scheduling standpoint. The Eagles finished last in the Diamond Division last season (6-13, 1-9) with a young squad, but the move will allow them to challenge for a division title as they get older and in turn increase interest and participation within the program with growing success.

“I think that gives us a chance to be very successful in our division record,” Pennsville coach Derek Foglein said. “It seemed weird to only go up or down a division and have it swing that much and I don’t want to count my chickens before they hatch but with the right work ethic and the right attitude I think a division title is very much a possibility for this team.

“Our team is only going to get better as we get more experience and as the team gets better we’ll find more division success in a division that’s better paired for us and as the program gets more successful it only gets more enticing for us to get more numbers. That chain of events is what I’m most excited about.  and that chain of events is what I’m most excited about. I would love to see a division title go up. Putting up a division banner only drums up interest for boys soccer, and that to me is the most exciting part about all of this.”

Pennsville also was the only team in the Diamond without a junior varsity program. None of the Classic Division programs have JV squads. Pitman, even as one of the smallest Group I schools in South Jersey, has huge soccer participation throughout its community and was the only Classic Division team with a JV.

Actually, the Eagles volunteered to move when Pitman requested the change, but they likely would’ve have gone anyway since the conference sets divisions by the size of schools and Pennsville was the smallest in the division.

Foglein already is working on the schedule for the coming season. In addition to the home-and-home series with their division opponents, the Eagles are expecting to play Woodstown and Penns Grove and have crossover commitments from Gloucester City, Collingswood and the always-anticipated matchup against brother Doug’s Paulsboro team. This year’s Foglein Bowl is Sept. 23 in Pennsville.

Framed for success

Salem Tech girls bowlers go into the new week still glowing from first win in program history

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

WOODSTOWN – Matt DiTizio loves it when a plan comes together.

After two years laying the foundation for the bowling program at Salem Tech, DiTizio and assistant coach Mark Kasubinski came into the preseason this year with the priority of building up the girls team.

They were able to put a full boys team together right away, but the girls have been a slow grow. They did have bowlers to put on the lanes, but not enough for a complete five-man lineup. Now, things are starting to “come together” for them and they’re making strides one step at a time.

You might have noticed a little different swagger in the Tech girls as they walked around school this past week.

That’s because they’ve been riding the momentum of the first win in their program’s history, a 3-1 win over Lindenwold last time out at Wood Lanes.

“Thing are starting to come together,” DiTizio said. “They’ve had some close moments. But I don’t think they really fully understand the significance of it. That’s the first one we’ve had of hopefully many wins and they did it. They’ve been learning and improving together and that’s the big step in the right direction as far as I’m concerned.”

The boys team had enjoyed some success – they won four matches last year and are 2-2-2 this season – but the girls, with their limited lineup, had lost 21 straight matches since their inception in 2021-22. They hadn’t won a game until they evened their match with a 532 against Salem in mid-December.

“I think they knew it was coming after that,” DiTizio said.

They split the first two games with Lindenwold – winning the first 531-505 and losing second 634-538 – then won the third game 634-535 and took the overall point 1703-1601.

Lexi Cagle, the Chargers’ lone senior, led the way with the match’s high game – a career-best 177 in Game 3 – and high series (397). She averages 125.4. Naomi Hess and Casey Zaluske both averaged 117 for the match.

It was said they were really excited for the morning announcements the next day at school to hear their results broadcast to their classmates.

“To be truly honest with you, both Coach Matt and myself were actually more head over heels than they were,” said Kasubinski, who oversees the girls team. “They almost took it in stride, very matter of factly. They were obviously excited and happy, especially the new girls, they got a real kick out of it. Coach and I were over the moon about it and we’re like ‘Girls, you just made history,’ and they were like, ‘Yeah, we know. That’s cool.’

“It was very understated, but you could tell all the things that we’ve been preaching at them and telling them – this is going to happen, once you get a full team we’re going to be able to compete, we’re going to win game, we’re going to win matches – (was kicking in). I think they realized all that stuff we’ve been telling them since the preseason is not just lip service. They were obviously very satisfied, very happy to make that accomplishment and be part of history at Salem Tech.”

And now they have a couple tall orders coming up. They go to Hammonton Tuesday and host Clayton at Wood Lanes Thursday. Both opponents are currently 5-1 and they lost to Clayton with only four bowlers earlier this year, but the Chargers go into the matches knowing what winning feels like.

“I think getting a taste of that and seeing that it’s not just a myth that we can go out there and win matches, they’re going to ramp up their expectations for themselves because they know what they’re capable of, they’ve seen what they can accomplish,” Kasubinski said. “To get that first taste of winning a match and knowing when we are at full strength, when we do have a full team, when we do bowl well, we can go out there and go shoulder to shoulder with other teams in our division or in our conference, in the region, and have positive results. 

“And I think if they don’t meet those expectations they’re going to be very critical of themselves. Knowing how our young ladies are, they take these things seriously.”

Tri-County Conference Bowling

CLASSIC BOYSALLDIVCLASSIC GIRLSALLDIV
Clayton5-0-14-0Gloucester5-04-0
Gloucester3-1-12-1-1Clayton5-13-1
Salem Tech2-2-21-1-2Salem1-31-2
Lindenwold0-3-10-2-1Salem Tech1-51-3
Salem1-30-3Lindenwold0-40-3
Standings through Jan. 7

‘Gio-cashing’

Penns Grove uses 20 seconds of chaos from Giomar Conrad at the end of the first half to take the momentum from Woodstown, Salem uses a big second half to beat Salem Tech, Pennsville’s balanced attack takes down Schalick

THURSDAY BOYS SCORES
Penns Grove 64, Woodstown 54
Pennsville 57, Schalick 37
Salem 84, Salem Tech 52

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

WOODSTOWN – Think of all the things you can do in 20 seconds. Maybe sprint from the easy chair to the mailbox and back on a cold winter’s day. How about a quick run to the fridge during a TV timeout of the big game. 

Some teams take longer than that to attack the basket, a situation that could be remedied with the introduction of a shot clock, but that’s a discussion for another time.

Penns Grove boys basketball coach Damian Ware isn’t sure he can do anything in 20 seconds, but he’s glad his team can.

That’s all the time Giomar Conrad and the Red Devils needed to flip the script on Woodstown Thursday night and turn a double-digit deficit into a halftime lead and an eventual 64-54 win to spoil the previously unbeaten Wolverines’ long awaited home opener.

Woodstown (4-1) led by double digits most of the first half, but Conrad scored eight straight points over the final 20 seconds to give his team a 32-30 halftime lead they never lost.

“That was crazy,” Conrad said, “but at the same time it felt good. I’d never done anything like that before.”

It started with a 3-pointer from the right side to cut the deficit to 30-27. Then in rapid-fire succession, Mekhi Ballard got a steal and fed him for a layup to make it 30-29, he put back a missed shot after another steal to put the Red Devils ahead, and then Willie Slocum picked off another rushed pass in the backcourt and fed Conrad for one final strike.

With time running out, Conrad drove wildly and appeared to lose his footing. His throw at the basket didn’t go in, but he was fouled right before the horn sounded. With no one else on the floor, he made the first of his two free throws and Penns Grove led by two at the break. If you want to extend the run even farther back, he hit two free throws inside 40 seconds that made it 30-24.

“I’m thinking, ‘finally,’” Ware said. “That’s what we did, honestly, in our heyday. Back when we won the South Jersey championship in 2020, that’s what we did all game long. We were known for that type of play, just tempo, tempo, turning teams up. And we didn’t have to come back, we just blew teams out.

“We’re trying to get this team to that same level to where they understand how they have to play, how hard we have to play and the energy we have to play with. We’re starting to get there. I’ve seen it in spurts for the last three games. Today I think was the culmination of everything and we kind of made a great run.”

The Red Devils (3-5) carried the momentum of those 20 seconds of chaos into the second half. Slocum scored the first three buckets of the third quarter to fuel a 14-3 run that gave them a 13-point lead with just over three minutes to go in the quarter. 

The Wolverines tried to come back, but never got closer than six the rest of the game. They were 8-of-27 from the field with nine turnovers in the second half.

Understandably, Woodstown coach Phil Campbell was in no mood to talk about it and declined a post-game interview request.

Conrad finished as the game’s leading scorer with 21 points. Slocum had 11 and Ballard added 10. Rocco String led Woodstown with 17 points.

PENNS GROVE (3-5, 1-1) – Brandon Robbins 0 0-0 0, Roman Gipson 1 2-2 4, Giomar Conrad 8 1-2 21, Karon Ceaser 3 1-2 8, Willie Slocum 4 3-4 11, Mehki Ballard 4 1-3 10, Camron Thompson 1 0-0 2, Khiry Higgs 0 0-0 0, Mr Peterson 3 0-1 6, Jaden Sorrell 1 0-0 2. Totals 25 8-13 64.
WOODSTOWN (4-1, 1-1) – Manny Ortega 2 1-2 7, Blake Bialecki 2 2-3 7, Alejandro Vazquez 0 0-0 0, M.J. Hall 4 2-2 11, Garrett Leyman 2 2-2 6, Anthony Bokolas 1 0-0 3, Max Webb 1 0-0 3, Rocco String 8 1-4 17. Totals 20 8-13 54.

Penns Grove9231715 –64
Woodstown1515915 –54
3-point goals: Penns Grove 6 (Conrad 4, Ceaser, Ballard); Woodstown 6 (Ortega 2, Bialecki, Hall, Bokolas, Webb). Total fouls: Penns Grove 13, Woodstown 14. Officials: Lawler, Montacalva.

Pennsville 57, Schalick 37

PITTSGROVE – Luke Wood led three Pennsville scorers in double figures with 16 points as the Eagles started the new year with a win for the second year in a row. Cohen Petrutz and Jayden Thomas both hit three 3-pointers and finished with 11 points apiece.

The Eagles trailed after the first quarter, then took the lead for good in the second quarter and steadily pulled away.

Wood is now 66 points away from 1,000 for his career. He has scored in double figures in his last 14 straight games. 

PENNSVILLE (4-3, 1-1) – Luke Wood 6 4-4 14, Malik Rehmer 1 0-1 2, Cohen Petrutz 4 0-0 11, Peyton O’Brien 2 1-2 5, Daniel Saulin 1 2-3 4, Jayden Thomas 4 0-0 11, Mason O’Brien 3 0-0 6, Logan Hitt 0 2-4 2. Totals 21 9-14 57.
SCHALICK (2-3, 0-2) – Reggie Allen 3 0-2 7, Nylan Sutton 5 0-2 10, Jordan Johnson 3 0-0 8, Dan Lis 3 1-2 9, Jake Siedlecki 0 0-0 0, Jase Volovar 1 0-0 3, Sherrod Jones 0 0-0 0. Totals 15 1-6 37.

Pennsville12131616 –57
Schalick13789 –37
3-point goals: Pennsville 6 (Petrutz 3, Thomas 3); Schalick 6 (Allen, Johnson 2, Lis 2, Volovar). Total fouls: Pennsville 6, Schalick 14.

Salem 84, Salem Tech 52

WOODSTOWN – The homestanding Chargers gave the Rams all they could handle for a half, but they changed defenses at halftime and Salem erupted for 58 points in the second half to win going away.

“Momentum killed us,” Tech coach Bryan Riley said. “(Antoine) Robinson got his third foul as soon as the third quarter started and we switched from man to zone (defense) at half.”

Jabez DeJesus and Anthony Farmer took advantage of the switch. DeJesus scored 18 of his game-high 26 points in the second half while Farmer had 10 of his 12.

Salem, meanwhile, held Tech’s two main scorers, Robinson and Haneef Frisby, to eight points apiece, but the Chargers got 13 from Tyler Zampino and 12 from Chase Wills.

Zampino had eight in the first quarter. Robinson scored six of his points in the second quarter as the Chargers took a 31-26 halftime lead, but he picking up his third foul early in the second half limited his effectiveness the rest of the game.

SALEM (3-3, 1-1) – Anthony Farmer 4 4-8 12, Ramaji Bundy 3 3-4 9, Jabez DeJesus 11 2-2 26, Paul Weathers 6 0-0 13, Tymear Lecater 4 0-0 9, Xavier McGriff 3 0-0 7, Antwan Rodgers 3 0-0 6, Donaven Weathers 0 0-0 0, Davonte Jackson 1 0-0 2, Joey Tunis 0 0-0 0. Totals 35 9-14 84.
SALEM TECH (0-7, 0-2) – Antoine Robinson 4 0-4 8, Chase Wills 5 2-5 12, Tyler Zampino 6 0-3 13, Josh Muntz 0 0-2 0, Haneef Frisby 3 2-5 8, Joseph Hayes 1 0-0 2, Gio Holmes 2 0-0 4, Charlie Brown 0 0-0 0, Chase Ayers 0 0-0 0, Daviontae Russell 2 1-1 5. Totals 23 5-20 52.

Salem1882830 –84
Salem Tech1714912 –52
3-point goals: Salem 5 (DeJesus 2, P. Weathers, Lecater, McGriff); Salem Tech 1 (Zampino). Total fouls: Salem 15, Salem Tech 12.

Tri-County Conference

CLASSICOVDIVDIAMONDOVDIV
Pitman7-12-0Overbrook5-12-0
Gloucester Cath.6-12-0Woodstown4-11-1
Wildwood5-32-1Pennsville4-31-1
Salem3-31-1Glassboro3-31-1
Clayton1-70-3Penns Grove3-51-1
Salem Tech 0-70-2Schalick2-30-2

Seeing some signs

Schalick girls draw some positives from their loss to Gloucester, boys get first road win since February 2021

TUESDAY BASKETBALL
Girls
Gloucester 33, Schalick 24
Boys
Schalick 47, Cape May Tech 35

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

PITTSGROVE – The Schalick girls basketball team’s approach hasn’t changed even if the calendar has turned the page to a new year. Their goal remains to continue to improve every game.

A nine-point loss in their first game of the new year – 33-24 to Gloucester Tuesday – may not appear to have done anything to further that agenda, but there were several positive takeaways hidden within the setback.

“I told them this isn’t a game to hang your head,” Cougars coach John Whelan said. “It’s a tough loss, but we played astronomically better on defense today. We played with energy. 

“Even before I said anything Cianna (Gaines), one of our team captains, stepped in and said even though it’s a loss it’s a confidence booster because we showed flashes of the way we played. It definitely feels good as a coach to have players step up and speak, especially in that regard. I think they’re coming to the realization of what they’re capable of doing if we can put together four full quarters of basketball.”

Among the positives, the Cougars (1-3) scored 20 points in the second half and were outscored by only two. They cut a nine-point halftime deficit to four with 1:25 left in the third quarter and had a chance to make it a one-point game going into the fourth when Cali Fisler was fouled on a 3-point shot right before the horn, but she made only one of the three free throws.

The Lady Lions (4-3) opened the fourth quarter with a 7-2 run to retake the momentum.

“The second half, you can’t complain about putting 20 points on the board in a half,” Whelan said. “There are a lot of good things to come out of this loss and that’s with missing two key pieces to our team. We just want to continue to grow.”

Of course, they still have things to clean up. The Cougars lost under the weight of 52 turnovers, off which Gloucester scored 29 of its points. They scored only four points in the first half.

Part of their troubles can be attributed to their inexperience. It didn’t help they were missing two key players. Taylor Sparks has been out all season after hurting her knee in the final scrimmage; the Cougars are hopeful she’ll return Friday. Point guard Abby Willoughby also missed the game, having sprained an ankle in a basketball-related activity over the holidays.

With Willoughby on the mend, it felt to Fisler to handle the point and Whelan said the sophomore did a “fantastic” job. Fisler led the Cougars with 11 points, all of them coming in the second half. Ava Scurry had six points and nine rebounds.

GLOUCESTER 33, SCHALICK 24
GLOUCESTER (4-3) – Bailey Schoenfieldt 5 0-0 11, Valerie Hatterer 2 1-2 5, Maya Beringer 2 0-0 4, Elizabeth Shultes 0 2-4 2, Victorina Serrano 0 0-0 0, Logan Thomson 2 3-4 7, Kierstynn O’Donnell 1 2-6 4. Totals 12 8-15 33.
SCHALICK (1-3) – Carly Vicente 2 1-6 5, Cali Fisler 4 3-5 11, Madison Brown 0 0-0 0, Katie Little 0 0-0 0, Ava Scurry 2 2-2 6, Victoria Basich 0 0-0 0, Cianna Gaines 1 0-2 2. Totals 9 6-15 24.

Gloucester67614 –33
Schalick2212 8 –24
3-point goals: Gloucester 1 (Schoenfieldt); Schalick 0. Total fouls: Gloucester 13, Schalick 14.

Boys Game

SCHALICK 47, CAPE MAY TECH 35: Daniel Lis scored 14 points and Nylan Sutton had 11 as the Cougars evened their record to 2-2 with their first road win since Feb. 5, 2021 (Woodstown).

It’s the last time they had two wins after four games and marks the earliest they’ve gotten their second win since 2018-19 (Dec. 20). They didn’t get their second win last year until their 14th game, Jan. 24 (Woodstown).

“It’s always nice getting a win in front of your home crowd, but good teams need to find a way to win on the road,” Cougars coach James Turner said.

Lis and Sutton combined for 11 points in the first quarter as the Cougars opened a 13-8 lead. The Cougars were 8-for-14 from the free throw in the fourth quarter to close it out.

SCHALICK 47, CAPE MAY TECH 35
SCHALICK (2-2) – Reggie Allen 3 0-2 7, Nylan Sutton 3 5-8 11, Nasir Sutton 3 2-5 9, Jordan Johnson 1 1-4 3, Dan Lis 4 4-4 14, Jase Volovar 0 0-0 0, Jake Siedlecki 1 1-1 3. Totals 15 13-24 47
CAPE MAY TECH (0-7) – Paul Simmerman 0 0-0 0, Ronnie Neenhola 4 0-0 8, Colin Gery 1 4-6 6, Chance Ginyard 1 0-0 2, Ben Lynch 5 2-3 14, Alec Dooley 0 1-2 1, Tyler Dille 0 2-3 2, Henry O’Brien 1 0-0 2. Totals 12 9-14 35.

Schalick1310Cape May Tech12 –47
Cape May Tech812105 – 35
3-point goals: Schalick 4 (Allen, Na. Sutton, Lis 2); Cape May Tech 2 (Lynch 2). Fouled out: Johnson. Total fouls: Schalick 14, Cape May Tech 17.


You’ve gotta have heart

Denby questions team’s mental toughness and heart after Penns Grove girls drop their second straight at the Shore

BOARDWALK CLASSIC
Saturday’s Girls Games
Egg Harbor Two. 57, Newark Academy 28
Absegami 50, Timber Creek 28
Cumberland 34, Oakcrest 13
Ocean City 66, Penns Grove 34
Holy Spirit 47, Cheltenham (Pa.) 30
OLMA 45, Wildwood 43
Wildwood Catholic 60, Bishop Eustace 32

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

WILDWOOD – The theme of this year’s Penns Grove girls basketball team is playing with mental toughness. It certainly faces its biggest challenge after this week’s trip to the Boardwalk Classic.

The Red Devils went into the Christmas break undefeated for the second year in a row and ranked No. 25 in the South Jersey Invitational Basketball Tournament poll, but find themselves spiraling into the New Year 4-2 after losing their second straight game in the Wildwood Convention Center 66-34 to Ocean City Saturday.

Their resolve was going to be tested Saturday as it was after the way their loss to St. Dominic went down Thursday night. It was strained even further after a listless showing against the Red Raiders (2-4).

“As a coach, you’ve got to have players who have heart – we ain’t got no heart, we ain’t going to win nothing,” Penns Grove coach Jennifer Denby said. “We can’t just have one girl play the whole game. We need everybody on the bench.

“We’re lacking heart right now, to be honest. We need everybody to carry the heart. We can’t just rely on one person.”

Brianna Robbins was the only Penns Grove player to score in double figures and led all scorers in the game with 17 points. Most of those (13) came in the second half when the Red Devils’ two other main scorers all but disappeared. The junior made the biggest plays in the second-half comeback against St. Dominic that was thwarted by a no-call on a drive in the closing seconds of a two-point game.

The Red Devils’ two other big scorers – RiNiyah Wilson and Meely Horace – had seven and five points, respectively, Saturday. Wilson, who averaged 17.6 ppg entering the game, had two points in the second half – on a pair of third-quarter free throws. Horace, who averaged 18.5 before Christmas and is on track to reach the 1,000-point plateau later this season, didn’t score in the second half.

“For you to be ranked and not put any points up and take your own self out of the game because mentally (you weren’t in it in, is not a good look),” Denby said. “Mentally is emotions. If you can’t control your emotions because your shot’s not falling, you get mad, you get upset, and instead of turning that negative energy to positive, you wind up on the bench because it’s too late. As coaches, we’re going to go to our freshmen and put them in the game.”

This one was easy to dissect and it goes directly to heart. The Red Devils committed too many turnovers and were outplayed on the boards. They didn’t get their first offensive rebound until RiNiyah Wilson banged a ball off an Ocean City defender under the basket; the Red Devils promptly turned over the inbounds play. The Red Raiders, meanwhile had 21 offensive boards off which they scored 26 points.

Penns Grove didn’t get its first putback basket until about two minutes left in the third quarter when Robbins followed her missed and-one free throw

The Red Devils have no time for a pity party. Their first game after the new year is an early Diamond Division showdown with Woodstown Jan. 4. 

“Hopefully it will put some fire up their (rear ends),” Denby said. “Moving forward, these last two losses, when they get in practice they’re going to feel it. They’re going to feel it. And hopefully mentally they’ll get back by themselves.”

“It’s going to make us play harder,” Robbins promised.

OCEAN CITY 66, PENNS GROVE 34
PENNS GROVE (4-2) – Meely Horace 2 1-3 5, RaNiyah Wilson 2 2-2 7, Rolande Delva 0 0-0 0, Arinna Dowe 1 0-0 2, Semijah Hines 0 0-0 0, Zoey Caesar 0 3-4 3, Brianna Robbins 7 3-6 17. Totals 12 9-15 34.
OCEAN CITY (2-4) – Callie Smith 5 2-4 12, Brielle Smith 3 1-2 7, Madelyn Adamson 2 1-2 5, McKenna Chisolm 5 2-3 12, Gabrielle Henry 1 0-0 3, Alexis Allegretto 2 0-0 4, Sophia Bishop 1 0-0 3, Kaia Chew 2 0-0 5, Scarlett Fletcher 1 2-4 4, Allie Hudson 3 2-2 9, Casey Adamson 1 0-0 2, Marley Ostrander 0 0-0 0. Totals 26 10-17 66.

Penns Grove86911 –34
Ocean City21918 18 –66
3-point goals: Penns Grove 1 (Wilson); Ocean City 4 (Henry, Bishop, Chew, Hudson). Total fouls: Penns Grove 12, Ocean City 13.

It takes a team

Pierman plays through illness, plays big role in supporting cast lifting Woodstown past Highland to win tournament title

WOLVERINE HOLIDAY TOURNAMENT
Bridgeton 41, Paulsboro 35
Woodstown 51, Highland 32

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

WOODSTOWN — Whenever teams play the Woodstown girls the focus always has to be slowing down Talia Battavio and Megan Donelson and making the other three players on the floor beat you.

The Wolverines know that going in and it’s their job to get the other three involved.

They did that Friday and it paid off in a 51-32 win over Group III Highland Regional to win the Wolverine Holiday Tournament title.

The Tartans did a nice job in their triangle-and-two on Battavio and Donelson, who went for 28 and 29 Thursday. And while they both ended up scoring in double figures — 15 and 13, respectively — it was the supporting cast that made all the difference.

“That’s how we won the game,” Woodstown coach Kara Straughn said. “I mean, Shannon Pierman stepped up. Alyssa Baber stepped up on offense. Gianna Maiorini was phenomenal on defense.

‘That’s what I tell them — it’s five of you; it’s not one or two. If they’re going to take one or two of them out of the game, OK, that’s why we have five on the floor. That’s why it’s so important that they’re all involved in the offense because in games like this I’m going to need two or three of the other ones to step up, and that’s exactly what they did today.”

Pierman had the biggest impact. The senior post kept the ball moving through the paint, she rebounded and she made almost every layup she took. She finished with 11 points, eight in the first quarter as the Wolverines (4-1) were trying to get the upper hand.

She scored Woodstown’s first and last baskets of the first quarter and battled Highland bigs London Sutton and Alonsa Thomas in the paint all day.

“She is such a fantastic person on their team,” Highland coach J.W. Senft said. “She’s willing to do all the hard stuff. She rebounds. She sets screens. She makes just about every layup. You’ve got to love a kid like that on your team.

“She doesn’t get as much of the press as Battavio and Donelson, and they deserve it, but I’ll tell you what, that team isn’t as good without (Pierman). She does a fantastic job.

“The other two kids do a nice job, too. They know their role and they’re fine with their role. As a basketball coach you love when you see kids who are willing to play their role and take the team glory instead of my own, so good for her.”

Shannon Pierman (32) pushed herself through illness to play a big role in Woodstown’s win over Highland Regional.

Actually, the Wolverines almost didn’t have her Friday.

Pierman called Straughn earlier in the morning complaining of a sore throat and just not feeling good. It wasn’t altogether certain if she was going to make it. She took some medicine and about 90 minutes before the noon tip she decided to give it a shot and wound up giving an MVP type performance.

She said she would have regretted not playing if she had stayed home.

“It feels so much better,” she said. “I felt like I had it in my mind like I don’t feel good; I’m just going to relax at home. But then around 10:30 I was like I can do this, I feel like I have it in me. I’m glad I was able to push myself and was able to come out.”

Battavio and Donelson both went for 20 in each of the Wolverines’ previous two games, but the Tartans locked onto them with Katie Punch on Battavio and Dacia Mack on Donelson and they just made it difficult for the two Woodstown aces to get comfortable. While they were doing other things to stay engaged, they only had one basket each in the first quarter and had 11 combined points at halftime.

“I thought they played really good defense, but I played tough and I think I did everything I could have done,” Battavio said. “When other teams face guard us we have three other players who can put the ball in the basket, so it’s pretty hard to defend us.”

It was a close game early with six ties and three lead changes, but things changed about two minutes into the second quarter when Battavio and Donelson started to recognize what had to happen as they were being covered up by the Tartans.

The Wolverines went on a 12-4 run the rest of the quarter to take a 26-18 halftime lead they never relinquished. They held the Tartans scoreless on 10 of their last 12 possessions of the half, forcing it into 2-of-7 shooting from the floor and four turnovers.

“I think we just figured out a more effective way to beat that triangle-and-two,” Straughn said. “That’s when I think Megan and Talia kind of clicked, like, OK, we’re not getting everything we’re used to getting, so let’s just hammer it home underneath. Those blocks were wide open and I think it finally started to settle with them.

“They were forcing it a little bit in the beginning and I told them be OK with the assist, be OK with the rebound, you don’t have to go, go, go all the time, and I think once they kind of settled into that it made a big difference. They like to just go. You don’t need to go all the time. Trust the other three and they did and we won the game.”

WOLVERINE HOLIDAY TOURNAMENT
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
WOODSTOWN 51, HIGHLAND 32
WOODSTOWN (4-1) – Talia Battavio 5 2-4 15, Alyssa Baber 2 1-2 5, Emma Perry 1 0-0 2, Talia Guardascione 0 1-2 1, Lauren Hengel 1 0-0 2, Gianna Maiorini 1 0-0 2, Brae DiGregorio 0 0-0 0, Shannon Pierman 4 3-4 11, Megan Donelson 6 1-2 13, Lizzy Daly 0 0-0 0, Jala Thomas 0 0-0 0. Totals 20 8-14 51.
HIGHLAND (4-3) – Katie Punch 0 2-2 2, Sejeida Jordan 0 1-2 1, Tajai Webb 0 0-0 0, Breelynn Leary 4 0-0 9, Jalena Lee 0 0-2 0, Dacia Mack 4 0-0 8, Yoselin Basantes 0 0-0 0, Hanilyah Williams 1 0-0 2, London Sutton 2 0-2 4, Alonsa Thomas 3 0-2 6. Totals 14 3-8 32.

Woodstown14121510 –51
Highland10895 –32
3-point goals: Woodstown 3 (Battavio 3); Highland 1 (Leary). Total fouls: Woodstown 12, Highland 12. Officials: Kahlbom, Rosenberger, Johnson.

ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM: Brookelyn Graham (Paulsboro), Jayla Bowman (Bridgeton), Adelina Wilks (Bridgeton), Breelynn Leary (Highland), London Sutton (Highland), Talia Battavio (Woodstown), Megan Donelson (Woodstown), Shannon Pierman (Woodstown).