Here is the schedule for Salem County high school sports for the week of Oct. 2-7
Oct. 2 FIELD HOCKEY Pennsville at Gloucester Catholic, 4 p.m. Salem at Clayton, 4 p.m. Woodstown at Schalick, 4 p.m.
BOYS SOCCER Clayton at Penns Grove, 6:30 p.m.
GIRLS TENNIS Kingsway at Woodstown, 4 p.m.
Oct. 3 BOYS SOCCER Glassboro at Penns Grove, 4 p.m. Pennsville at Overbrook, 4 p.m. Pitman at Salem, 4 p.m.
GIRLS SOCCER Overbrook at Pennsville, 4 p.m. Penns Grove at Glassboro, 4 p.m. Salem at Pitman, 4 p.m. Woodstown at Schalick, 4 p.m. GIRLS TENNIS Penns Grove at Wildwood, 4 p.m. Schalick at Salem, 4 p.m. Woodstown at Pennsville, 4 p.m.
Oct. 4 FIELD HOCKEY Deptford Twp. at Woodstown, 4 p.m. Salem at Pennsville, 4 p.m.
Oct. 5 FIELD HOCKEY Cumberland Reg. at Schalick, 4 p.m. BOYS SOCCER Salem Tech at Salem, 4 p.m. Schalick at Pennsville, 4 p.m. Woodstown at Penns Grove, 4 p.m. GIRLS SOCCER Penns Grove at Woodstown, 4 p.m. Pennsville at Schalick, 4 p.m. Salem at Salem Tech, 4 p.m. Oct. 6 FOOTBALL Overbrook at Pennsville, 7 p.m. Penns Grove at Glassboro, 7 p.m. Schalick at Bishop Eustace, 7 p.m. Woodbury at Woodstown, 7 p.m. FIELD HOCKEY Salem at Audubon, 4 p.m. Schalick at Williamstown, 4 p.m. Woodstown vs. Delsea at Total Turf, Pitman, 5:45 p.m.
GIRLS TENNIS Woodstown at Delsea, 4 p.m.
Oct. 7 FOOTBALL Paulsboro at Salem, noon BOYS SOCCER Schalick at Woodstown, 7 p.m.
GIRLS SOCCER Schalick at Our Lady of Mercy, 4 p.m.
Devils make Raiders see red, rallying from 19-0 halftime deficit to beat Paulsboro with TD in final 75 seconds
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
PENNS GROVE — Bryce Wright couldn’t be more proud of his teammates.
Last week, the Penns Grove junior running back stood in the cold rain and muck of a loss at Haddon Heights and as hard as it might have been to hear at the time passionately begged his teammates to play hard in the game all the way until the clock hit zeroes.
PENNS GROVE 22, PAULSBORO 19 Next: at Glassboro, Friday, 7 p.m.
That’s exactly what they did Saturday. The Red Devils could have phoned it in down 19 points at halftime against a storied program that hadn’t been winless this late in the season in generations, but instead they buckled down and staged one of their greatest rallies for a 22-19 win over Paulsboro.
It was third time since 2000 Penns Grove has come from three scores down to win a game and its biggest halftime deficit.
“I’m so proud of my team,” Wright said. “My team, they came out, and they did what I asked. I asked them to fight to zero-zero left on the clock. We were down 19-0, but we came back. I told them at half, yo, let’s go, there’s no reason for any heads to be down; we can do this. I told my team that and we came back out here and we executed.
“I think it should have happened when I told it to them in the game the first game. I’m just so proud my team came out here and did what I asked. I love my team.”
The Red Devils (2-4) brought it back in a manner that fit their personality, just pounding it and pounding it on the ground, but they got the go-ahead touchdown on a pass. Wright found freshman Jaden Days in the front right corner of the end zone from 15 yards out with 1:14 to play and then Wright roared in on the two-point conversion to make it 22-19.
It was the only pass they threw in the second half and only the third they completed in the game. It was only the second catch of Days’ career and his first touchdown.
Wright didn’t even see the receiver on the play until someone called his name and then he let it fly with Sharif Green challenging in coverage. Days was about two yards in bounds when he came down with it and he wasn’t about to let it go.
“At first I didn’t even see him open; he raised his hand up and I’m like let me get it there,” Wright said. “At practice he works real hard. He goes up and gets it and I gave him his chance and he showed me what he could do.”
“We talk about keeping your head up and waiting for my opportunity,” Days said. “I thought they were going to throw it out of bounds. It was a good ball by Bryce; that was really it. You’ve got to keep on fighting. We came back with a win. Keep on fighting. Keep your head up.”
The Red Devils had three meaningful possessions in the second half and scored on all three. The drives were 52 yards on 14 plays (including penalties) over 6:47, 75 yards on 17 runs (with no penalties) over 8:10 and 39 yards on two plays over 19 seconds.
Wright ran in the first touchdown from the 9. He scored the second on a fourth-and-goal quarterback sweep from the 6 with 2:54 to play, a call Penns Grove coach John Emel called “the play of the game.” He went in standing up.
Bryce Wright (R) and Jaden Days connected on Penns Grove’s game-winning touchdown with 1:14 left in the fourth quarter.
“With our style of play people would say you can’t come back down 19-0, the game’s over,” Emel said. “You’ve got to play a perfect half and we did. I would say we could come back without throwing a pass, but we did save one for the end.
“You’ve got to go with what got you there. We’re not a good passing team, we struggle throwing the ball, everyone can see that. And when they know you’re throwing, that’s even harder. We’re saying we’re going to give the ball to Bryce, we’re gonna run outside and try to make something big happen.
“There was no doubt in my mind we could score on another possession, but if we don’t score there, the game’s over.”
Penns Grove got the ball back at the Paulsboro 39 with 1:33 left and no time outs after a short punt. The Red Devils ran a reverse with Knowledge Young for 24 yards on the first play to get in the red zone, then went for the go-ahead score.
“What do they always say, you miss 100 percent of the shots you don’t take; you gotta keep playing ‘til the end,” Emel said. “You gotta keep playing or you’ll never make a comeback. You gotta go out there and keep fighting. I was proud of the way we played the second half even if we came up short once we got it to 19-14, but when you get that close and you can taste it you’ve got to finish it.”
Once the Red Devils got the lead, they never gave Paulsboro a chance to break their hearts. On the final threat from midfield, they forced quarterback Roman Onorato into three incompletions and then Dameon Wilson and Nasir Stewart broke in and threw Onorato for a 13-yard loss on fourth down to seal the victory.
The sack left the Red Raiders with minus-8 yards of net offense on 17 plays in the second half.
“I looked at the clock, I knew it was the last play, it’s what we needed,” Stewart said. “I put my head down and went to go get it for my team to come out on top. It was do or die. It was the easiest play all game to me.”
Paulsboro built its halftime lead on three big plays, but outside of those it didn’t really do anything great.
The Red Devils were happy with running the ball and controlling the clock. They had the ball for nearly 11 of the game’s first 14 minutes, but were down 14-0 because Paulsboro’s Keros (Super Duper) Cooper had touchdown bursts of 56 and 91 yards in the space of three offensive snaps.
Freshman Jeremiah Carr made it 19-0 with a spectacular one-handed interception that he returned 85 yards for a touchdown on the final play of the half.
That sent the Red Devils into the locker room to do a little soul searching.
“I huddled my guys up in the room, all just one-on-ones, told everybody to put our heads down, we can do it,” Stewart said. “We have done this before. It’s time to come back.”
Penns Grove 22, Paulsboro 19
PAULS (19)
PGROVE (22)
6
1st Downs
16
25-163
Rushing
47-176
3-9-0
Passes
3-7-1
23
Passing
32
1-0
Fum-lost
1-0
4-20.0
Punts-avg
2-41.0
3-15
Penalties
6-45
Paulsboro (0-5)
6
13
0
0 –
19
Penns Grove (2-4)
0
0
8
14 –
22
Scoring plays: P – Keros Cooper 56 run (kick blocked), 4:16 1Q P – Keros Cooper 91 run (Saeed Crite kick), 9:58 2Q P – Jeremiah Carr 85 interception return (run failed), 0:05 2Q PG – Bryce Wright 9 run (Bryce Wright run), 3:30 3Q PG – Bryce Wright 6 run (run failed), 2:54 4Q PG – Jaden Days 15 pass from Bryce Wright (Wright run), 1:14 4Q
McDade accounts for 300 yards, 3 TDs, Leino kicks 2 FGs as Pennsville matches most wins in a season since 2021
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News BRIDGETON — Pennsville took another step towards becoming the football team coach Mike Healy knows it can be, jumping out front early and then doing the things necessary to stay ahead when their opponent made it close.
Sophomore quarterback Robbie McDade accounted for 300 yards of offense and three touchdowns as the Eagles beat Cumberland in a key Royal Division game 25-12 for their third win of the season.
The Eagles entered the game No. 17 in the South Jersey Group I UPR ratings, one spot out of a playoff spot, and the win moved them into sole possession of second place in the Royal Division At 3-2, they have matched the most wins in a season since 2021 and haven’t had a winning record this late in the season since starting 4-1 in 2016.
“It was obviously an important game with power points and playoff position and all that, We still made a lot of mistakes, but we definitely stepped up when we needed to and made the plays, but we’ve still got a lot of room to fix and be more consistent.
“We still think we have a lot of room for improvement because we know we’regood enough to do it, but there was a lot of really good stuff today.”
McDade had a big game. He threw for 205 yards on 16-of-29 passing — all career highs — and rushed for 102 yards. Malik Rehmer caught nine balls for 144 yards and a touchdown and Jackson Leino kicked a pair of field goals.
“We needed him to step up and he did a good job throwing and running the ball,” Healy said. “He definitely threw the ball better today and he ran real tough today. We ran him a little more than usual and we got some big first downs for us and big plays. It was real good to see.
“He’s still growing every day and learning, but its definitely a step for him in the right direction.”
The other element that gave him encouragement was after the Colts made it a one-score game early in the third quarter, the Eagles didn’t back down. Instead, they drove back down the field behind their line and got a field goal to extend their lead.
McDade’s 15-yard touchdown run in the closing seconds of the quarter gave the Eagles some breathing room and then they handled their business defensively in the fourth quarter to stay out front.
“We did a lot of good stuff today,” Healy said. “Consistency’s still kind of our thing, but I’m proud of the kids how they stepped up. In the past we might have folded in that situation, but instead we didn’t. We did a great job of stepping up when we needed to and refocusing and getting the job done. To step up and meet what was needed was huge.”
Pennsville 25, Cumberland 12
Pennsville (3-2)
7
9
9
0 –
25
Cumberland (2-4)
0
6
6
0 –
12
Scoring plays: P – Robbie McDade 16 run (Jackson Leino kick), 11:11 1Q P – Jackson Leino 24 FG, 11:12 2Q P – Malik Rehmer 8 pass from Robbie McDade (kick failed), 6:35 2Q C – 30 blocked punt return (run failed), 3:05 2Q C – 48 run (kick failed), 10:47 3Q P – Jackson Leino 33 FG, 6:49 3Q P – Robbie McDade 15 run (kick failed), 0:16 3Q Cover photo of Pennsville quarterback Robbie McDade by Lorraine Jenkins
Fogelin Bowl IV goes to the younger brother for the third year in a row FRIDAY’S SALEM COUNTY SCORES BOYS SOCCER Palmyra 4, Schalick 0 Pennsville 6, Paulsboro 1 GIRLS SOCCER Sterling 3, Schalick 0 GIRLS TENNIS Pennsville 5, Salem 0 Schalick 5, Glassboro 0
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News PAULSBORO – Three was a big number in Foglein Bowl IV this year.
Bragging rights around the family Thanksgiving table goes to the younger brother for the third year in a row and Stone Mumink scored three goals to lead the charge.
Mumink scored a hat trick in a four-goal first half and Derek Foglein’s Pennsville squad went on to beat Paulsboro and older brother Doug 6-1 Friday in Foglein Bowl IV
Doug won the initial installment of the soccer sibling rivalry when he was coaching at Clayton, their alma maters. Derek and the Eagles have won each of the last three years, the last two convincingly.
“I’m really happy with how the team stepped up and took care of business, and beating Doug to cap off a three-win week made it feel a little extra special,” Derek said. “We really want to take the momentum into a huge game with Woodstown on Monday.”
After a slow start, the Eagles (4-6) started scoring in rapid fire fashion. Mumink scored the first two goals of the match on penalty kicks, then Jake Isaac made it 3-0 shortly thereafter. Mumink completed his hat trick before the half ended, giving him a career-high six goals for the season.
Trevor Hann extended the lead to 5-0 before Justin Roman Venosa got Paulsboro (0-9) on the board. Brody Wiggins scored the final goal on an assist from Stathis Efelis.
“Honestly, I felt again we started a little slow and Doug really had his team up to play,” Derek said. “It took us about 22 minutes to get the first one off a little bit of a controversial PK, but the second one was very quick after that and it was an obvious PK. Then the passing connection to Jake for the third came shortly after and we took control of the game.
“I was excited to get Brody a goal. He’s a junior who’s played for me all three years and always works really hard in practice. He usually plays outside back, so I put him up at striker and got him the sixth goal.”
Inspired by new black-on-black uniforms just for the occasion, Woodstown’s Belinfanti scores 3 TD, defense blanks Salem at Homecoming
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
WOODSTOWN – The worst thing Salem could have done to Woodstown’s Bryce Belinfanti Friday night was stop him on the goal line on the first drive of the game.
The Rams may have stopped the junior once, but he was determined they weren’t going to do it again if he had anything to say about it. And he had plenty to say about it.
WOODSTOWN 27, SALEM 0 NEXT: Woodbury at Woodstown, Fri., 7 p.m. Paulsboro at Salem, Oct. 7, noon
The Wolverines’ lead back didn’t get in the first time, but he did get in the next time and then twice in the second half to lead his team to a 27-0 victory over their longest-standing rivals in front a Homecoming crowd of 1,400 at Clint Ware Field.
Salem stymied Belinfanti at the goal line on a fourth-and-goal from the 1 at the end of a 70-yard drive that consumed the first seven and a half minutes of the game. The next two times he touched the ball he went for 29 and 17 yards. The 17-yarder went for a touchdown and he later scored on runs of 48 and 16 yards in the second half.
“I was just ready to run it up from there,” he said. “They were hyped that they stopped us and honestly I thought I scored there, but we had to come correct it the next time. I was sitting on the sideline thinking about it and it really got to me. I ran it hard. I needed my touchdown.”
It was an emotional night in a lot of ways for the Wolverines (4-1). Besides the Homecoming festivities, they held a pre-game moment of silence for a beloved teacher and coach Dave Lewis who passed away earlier in the week.
On a lighter note, Wolverines coach John Adams surprised the team with new black jerseys he’s been secreting away in his classroom closet since June. He broke them out during the pep rally earlier in the day and when junior lineman Bump Carter came out wearing the ensemble for the big reveal the players went nuts.
“We’ve been waiting on them for a couple years now and tonight we came out with the black jerseys and showed Salem what’s up,” running back/linebacker Bobby Donahue said. “We had no idea the black jerseys were coming. Homecoming Night in black jerseys was real special. A shutout against Salem under the lights on a Friday night is very special, especially without a Thanksgiving game.”
The game for the longest time had been played on Thanksgiving Day. It was only moved two years ago to accommodate the new conference scheduling and playoff formula. This was the 114th time the teams have played. Salem leads the series 64-40-10, but Woodstown has now won four of the last five.
If the Wolverines play their cards right they might get to wear these special uniforms again this year. Adams said if they get a home playoff game they might bring them out, but the intention is to only wear them once a year.
“We’re only allowed to wear these like once a year, so we knew we had to come play good in them instead of come lose,” Belinfanti said.
Woodstown’s Bryce Belinfanti (3) sweeps right to get around the Salem defense Friday night. (Photo by Ellen Sickler)
The play Belinfanti was stopped on the opening drive wasn’t the first the Wolverines had denied from the 1. A few plays earlier they didn’t execute the Eagles’ “Brotherly Shove/Tush Push” properly and instead of quarterback Max Webb burrowing in from the 1 for the game’s first score, the Wolverines were penalized back to the 6 for aiding the ballcarrier.
“It’s on me for not coaching them up on it, but at the high school level you can’t do what they do to (Eagles quarterback Jalen) Hurts,” Adams said. “You can move the pile, you can’t actually push the runner. That’s what we got flagged on there and it was disheartening because I think our quarterback probably got in on it on his own.”
Webb got the Wolverines back to the 1 and Belinfanti was stopped with Salem linebacker Jared Pew leading the charge.
But that didn’t stop Belinfanti. Besides scoring on the next series and twice in the second half, he finished the game with 164 yards rushing on 17 carries.
“He runs the ball hard and I knew when they stopped him there that he was going to get his the next time,” Adams said. “That’s just how Bryce is. He feeds off it. He’s a good player.”
NOTES: Pop Jackson provided much of Salem’s offense for the second game in a row. He rushed for 123 yards on 23 carries … It was the first shutout in the series since Salem’s 49-0 win in 2018 and Woodstown’s first shutout in the series since a 19-0 victory in 2013 …Taylor Sparks was named Woodstown’s Homecoming Queen. Earlier in the day injured running back James Hill was introduced as the Homecoming King … Woodstown hosts Woodbury next week in the Diamond Division game of the year. Salem (0-6), meanwhile, has a Saturday home date with Paulsboro in the projected first game of its new on-campus stadium, but crews are racing the clock to have the facility ready so the game likely will be played at historic Walnut Street Field.
Woodstown 27, Salem 0
SAL
WOOD
8
1st Downs
12
39-216
Rushing
32-249
0-4-1
Passes
3-5-0
0
Passing
16
1-1
Fum-lost
0-0
4-30.0
Punts-avg
3-33.0
10-60
Penalties
4-40
Salem (0-6)
0
0
0
0 –
0
Woodstown (4-1)
7
0
7
13 –
27
Scoring plays: W – Bryce Belinfanti 17 run (Jake Ware kick), 0:48 1Q W – Bryce Belinfanti 48 run (Jake Ware kick), 1:40 3Q W – Bryce Belinfanti 16 run (Jake Ware kick), 7:37 4Q W – Bobby Donahue 1 run (kick failed), 0:51 4Q
On the cover: Woodstown’s football team stretches prior to the start of the second half in brand new black uniforms they expressly broke out for Homecoming.
Woodstown quarterback Max Webb (12) throws an out pass to Zach Bevis on the Wolverines’ opening drive against Salem. (Photo by Ellen Sickler)
Woodstown’s Bobby Donahue (5) chases down Salem quarterback Ramaji Bundy. The Wolverines’ linebacker had a pair of sacks in the game. (Photo by Ellen Sickler)
Two of the highest scoring field hockey teams in region play to scoreless tie in regulation, then Schalick gets game-winner on rebound in OT, hands Salem first loss, Cheesman 100th win
THURSDAY’S RESULTS FIELD HOCKEY Pennsville 8, Deptford 0 Schalick 1, Salem 0 (OT) Woodstown at Gloucester Catholic, ppd. GIRLS SOCCER Clayton 5, Penns Grove 0 Highland Regional 1, Woodstown 0 GIRLS TENNIS Woodstown 5, OLMA 0 Vineland 3, Schalick 2 By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News SALEM – Heather Cheesman couldn’t tell you her Schalick field hockey team’s record in overtime games or even if they were going to play one Thursday as regulation was winding down, so when the Cougars went to extra time she came up with the fastest strategy that came to mind.
Put the players who had been playing the best in the game and just have at it.
What is it they say? The first instinct is usually the right one? After the teams played to a spirited scoreless tie in regulation, Phoebe Alward banged home a doorstep rebound just over two minutes into sudden death overtime giving the Cougars a 1-0 victory over Salem and handing Cheesman her 100th career victory.
It was the first overtime game either team has played this season, a testament to their dominance over their opponents this year. The Cougars (6-2) had played three previously since the sport went to a four-quarters format in 2020 and were 1-1-1 in those games.
“I put our most skilled players in, they weren’t actually our most skilled, but they were the kids who were playing really well today,” Cheesman said. “I think our team is very skilled, but I picked the girls who were having a good game today and then we took it from there.”
With only 10 extra minutes to get something done, you have to be aggressive and the Cougars were. They never gave the Rams a chance.
“That’s the way I am,” Cheesman said. “I said if we win the toss to get possession; we want to start off with the ball. We have to beat them to the ball. Once we get in the circle we’ve got to shoot and we’ve got to get a stick on it.”
The goal came just that way. Caylan Taylor sent a ball to Ava Scurry who had gotten well behind the defense. Scurry broke in alone on the goal, Salem keeper Dominique Lewis stood her ground and made the initial save with her pads, but the rebound came right to Alward and she sent it back into the cage for her county-leading 10th goal of the year.
It took all of 2 minutes and 3 seconds of sudden death.
Both teams are among the most prolific-scoring squads in the region, but curiously they couldn’t put one home in regulation. That’s not to say they didn’t have chances on the windy, blustery day. The action was end-to-end and both goalies were excellent in keeping their opponent out of the net.
Schalick finished with 14 shots and 12 penalty corners. Salem had 11 shots and 11 corners. Cougars keeper Lydia Gilligan made 12 saves and got help from defensive stops by Hanna Widdifield and Ella Cheesman. Lewis has 14 saves.
The one that got through was only the second goal the Rams (5-1) have allowed this season. They’d outscored their first five opponents 33-1.
“I think we were pretty evenly matched,” first-year Salem coach Shanna Scott said. “We were capitalizing on their weaknesses and they were capitalizing on ours.
“Our goalie played great. This is the best she’s played.”
Reaching the milestone victory was special for Cheesman. She’s been coaching at Schalick 10 years and reached the mark in her eighth season as head coach.
“It was amazing,” she said. “It helped me reflect on all the athletes present and previously who played for me (and) all the triumphs and heartbreaks we experienced as a team.”
It’s been a good 24 hours of overtime experience in the Cheesman household. The night before her daughter Emmi scored the game-winner for her Cedar Crest College team in a penalty-stroke shootout.
“I watched it, they stream everything; it was exciting,” Heather said. “Now I’m going to have to call her and be like, ‘We went to overtime.’”
PENNSVILLE 8, DEPTFORD 0: Sophia Marandola had a hat trick and Isabelle Saulin had two goals and an assist as the Eagles (2-6) won their second straight.
Schalick’s Ava Scurry (R) tries to advance the ball against Salem’s Michele Brittingham during Thursday’s field hockey game.
Girls tennis
WOODSTOWN 5, OLMA 0: Gabby Kurpis prevailed in a third-set tiebreaker 10-2 to win at No. 2 singles and complete the undefeated Wolverines’ sweep. The Wolverines (9-0) have won each of their last five matches 5-0.
VINELAND 3, SCHALICK 2: Once-beaten Vineland (12-1) snapped the Cougars’ six-match winning streak. No. 3 singles Allyson Green and the No. 1 doubles team of Katelyn Little and Emma Adams won matches for Schalick (9-2).
Woodstown, Salem resume rivalry with Homecoming game; Penns Grove, Pennsville look to enhance playoff positions, unbeaten Schalick open after forfeit win
SALEM COUNTY FOOTBALL Friday’s games Pennsville at Cumberland, 6 p.m. Salem at Woodstown, 7 p.m. Schalick 1, Lindenwold 0, forfeit Saturday’s game Paulsboro at Penns Grove, noon By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
WOODSTOWN – They might not play the game on Thanksgiving anymore because it’s too valuable in the current playoff formula, but it still carries the same amount of pageantry and stakes.
Woodstown and Salem meet for the 114th time Friday night in a game that holds a lot of meaning for both teams.
The Wolverines (3-1) are looking to get back on track after last week’s overtime loss to Glassboro that knocked them out of the top spot in the South Jersey Group I UPR power ratings that determine playoff seedings.
The Rams (0-5) are looking for their first win. It’s their slowest start since 2012 when they went 0-10. They’re used to a season starting in the other direction, but they did give Group III Cedar Creek all it could handle in the rain at Rutgers last week and their offense showed signs of coming around with the emergence of now lead back Pop Jackson.
Quarterback Ramaji Bundy didn’t make the trip for undisclosed disciplinary reasons, paving the way for Jackson’s breakout game (30 carries, 154 yards). And while Rams coach Danny Mendoza said the evaluation was “to be continued” into this week, the player’s status for Mendoza’s first Woodstown-Salem experience remained unclear even as he and the Rams practiced Thursday.
“Any time you play Salem it’s a huge game because of the rivalry,” Woodstown coach John Adams said. “I know their record doesn’t reflect how well they’ve played. They’ve had a tough schedule and they have some good players and they started getting things clicking there the last game and had a shot to win that. We can’t have any missed opportunities like we had last week and we can’t lose the turnover battle and the penalty battle.”
It was a big deal when the teams always played on Thanksgiving, such a big deal, in fact, that when the date change came about officials from both schools met with their constituencies to explain the situation. It had to move it off the traditional date when the current scheduling model and playoff system went into effect but, in a nod to pageantry and tradition, for these last two years at least the schools decided to make it their respective Homecoming games.
“We knew there was tradition, but we had to talk about the players now and what was in their best interest,” Adams said.
It is such a big deal they’ve gotten in writing that if at any time they find themselves in different WJFL divisions they’ll still be guaranteed to be regular opponents.
Adams said the date change and the impact the game has on the post-season formula has ”definitely added” to the meaningfulness of the game.
“When you became the coach here it was like, ‘You’ve got to beat Salem,’” Adams said. “That’s what everybody in town focused on because back in the day they didn’t have playoffs, that was the last game of the year, that was like the final game, so it always came down to Woodstown-Salem at the end of the year.
“Even when we did keep it on Thanksgiving and both programs got to the point where we were going far in the playoffs, it was like bragging rights. A couple years we played them back-to-back. In 2019 they beat us in the playoffs and then we played them the next week and beat them on Thanksgiving. I think it was redemption.”
This might be just his first run through the rivalry, but Mendoza knows what it means to play in a traditional game and is well-versed in the history of this one.
“It’s a little bit different this year with us being a little bit down and them being a little bit up, the buzz around it may not be as big ,” he said, “but I’m sure tomorrow night it’ll be a sight to see.”
Salem leads the series 64-39-10. Woodstown has won three of the last four, but all four have been decided by six points or less (14 points total). Last year’s game was 7-6 and, Adams said, “just as crowded as Thanksgiving would have been.”
The Salem Rams practice for Friday night’s rivalry game with Woodstown against the backdrop of its new stadium construction. The project is in a race against the clock to be ready for an anticipated Oct. 7 opening. Otherwise games will return to the Walnut Street Field.
PENNSVILLE (2-2) at CUMBERLAND (2-3): The Eagles play one of the most pivotal games of their turnaround season.
They currently sit at No. 17 in the South Jersey Group I UPR ratings – one spot out of the 16 playoff qualifiers – less than a half-point off the cut and two points ahead of No. 18. They’ve already won more games than they did a year ago, but they’ll likely need to double that total coming out of the Royal Division.
There’s a lot of football left to play in what Eagles coach Mike Healy calls “an interesting year” and lot of shuffling that’ll go on before the playoff field is ultimately determined, but beating a Group III division rival certainly would score them a lot of points.
“We’re halfway through the season so it’s getting to the time where every game is going to be (pivotal),” Healy said. “We’re one spot out of the playoffs right now and we really want to get a shot to get in there and see what we can do.
“Beating a team that has a couple wins, get some extra power points, things like that, is definitely big for us because you’re going to start running out of chances eventually, so we really have to focus now and get this. I think the kids realize it’s getting late in the season, we’ve got to make sure we’re not having more letdowns. We can control our own future if we want. If we take care of business we don’t have to worry about anything else.”
The Eagles are coming off a 38-20 loss to Schalick in a game they were in through the middle of the third quarter. They did a lot of good things in the game, they just needed to be more consistent.
After drawing to within 17-14, they gave up a long touchdown pass and then failed to move the chains in their next two offensive series as the Cougars pulled away.
“It’s time for us to take the next step now,” Healy said. “Get rid of these mental mistakes. We need to be more disciplined as a team and that’s what’s going to get us to that next level of the teams we want to be playing with and beating.
“We mentioned where we are in the playoffs (picture), but it’s more every game we’ve got to get better and keep getting better every game and doing what we should. It’s not so much it’s make or break (this week), but there is a part of that where we need this game to do what we want to do.” LINDENWOLD (0-5) vs. SCHALICK (5-0): The undefeated Cougars found themselves with an unscheduled open week after accepting Lindenwold’s forfeit due to a lack of numbers in the Lions’ program. Riverview Sports News first reported the forfeit last week.
When advised of the Lions’ plight, the Cougars sought an alternate opponent, but after deeper consideration decided to accept the forfeit “in the best interest of the team,” becoming the state’s first 6-0 team this season in the process. They’re one of 36 undefeated teams in the NJSIAA this week.
Without a game to play, the Cougars had a reduced practice week, but as they say, there may be off days but there are no days off, so they did have some football activities.
“I told the kids flat out everything you haven’t been able to do the last 6-8 weeks, go get it done, because that’s what I’m doing,” Cougars coach Mike Wilson said. “Not playing allows us to rest up a bit mentally and physically to get ready for the second-half push. With the new schedule and not playing on Thanksgiving teams have lost their bye weeks. This was unexpected, but we will take it and get better.”
Earlier in the week the Cougars moved into the No. 1 spot in the South Jersey Group I UPR rankings that determine playoff seedings for the first time in Wilson’s tenure. The top four teams in SJ-I this week are Schalick, Florence, Glassboro and Woodbury. Last week’s No. 1, Woodstown, fell to No. 6 after its overtime loss to Glassboro.
“Is it nice to see our players hard work has paid off to this point; yes,” Wilson said. “But we’re only halfway through the season, we’re turning to the October, which is the second-half push.
“One thing I did tell the kids about all this – and it was before the rankings came out – we control our own destiny. Last year we kind of had to cross our fingers that last week. If we go 1-0 every week everything will take care of itself. The best thing about where we’re at right now is we control our own destiny, we don’t need anybody else’s help.”
Saturday’s game
PAULSBORO (0-4) AT PENNS GROVE (1-4): The Red Devils have been struggling to find consistency this season, but they can greatly enhance their playoff position with a win Saturday. They got in last year without winning a game in the WJFL’s black-and-blue Diamond Division – all five division teams got in – but they’re already ahead of the game with one this year and could effectively punch their ticket by winning Saturday.
Paulsboro may be winless, but its not punchless and Red Devils coach John Emel is wary. The Red Raiders have a storied program that this year has fallen victim to a brutal schedule (highest OSI outside of the SJ-I top 16). They played their closest game of the year last week, losing 14-13 at West Deptford. Last year they started 0-3 and wound up playing Salem for the Central Jersey Group I title.
“I think they’re a Group I playoff team in terms of caliber of talent,” Emel said. “They played some really good teams. Haddonfield, Woodstown and Woodbury are the top of Groups I and II. A lot of people might be 0-4 playing that type of schedule.
“I don’t pay attention to the records. We’ve only got one more win than them, so we don’t have any room to be resting on laurels.”
Wednesday roundup: Pennsville, Woodstown boys soccer score big in their first halves, also includes girls soccer and girls tennis By Riverview Sports News
PENNSVILLE – When the train comes in, everybody rides.
Pennsville scored seven goals on 10 shots in the first half Wednesday in a 7-2 boys soccer rout of Salem.
Six different players found the back of the net for the Eagles, and one of the goal was particularly special.
Senior Stathis Efelis has been playing with the varsity for the past three years and scored his first goal since his sophomore year in the first-half onslaught. Actually, he had a goal and an assist in the game.
“To get a goal today felt incredible,” he said. “The assist and the build up was very intense and I was so glad to be able to celebrate it with my teammates.”
Stathis assisted on Maddox Efelis’ goal shortly after scoring his own. Shane Puckett got the first two followed by Stone Mumink, then John Thomas and Jake Isaac scored after the two Efelises’ goals.
It was the Eagles’ most prolific half of goalscoring in Derek Foglein’s tenure as head coach.
“To be completely honest, if you asked the team they’d say we started slow,” the coach said. “Once we got those (first) two, they settled down and moved the ball.
“The thing I’m really pleased about today is the fact the team did a great job moving the ball as the first half developed and as the score line showed we got everyone involved.”
Jose Vilalplando scored both Salem goals in the second half.
WOODSTOWN 9, GLOUCESTER CATHOLIC 0: Bryce Ayars banged home a header 30 seconds into the game and the Wolverines (6-1) went on to pump in nine goals on 16 shots in the first half to win their sixth straight.
Adrian Ibarra scored the first of his two goals 40 seconds after Ayars’ header and the rout was on. They had another flurry later in the half in which they scored four goals in four minutes. Ibarra also recorded three assists.
“We’re not a team that scores a lot of goals traditionally,” Woodstown coach Darren Huck said, “but today things were clicking and we got on them early.”
Freshman Ayden Ellis, sophomore assist machine Blake Bialecki and senior Dalton Berry all scored their first varsity goals, while Ben Lippincott (on the first goal), Dante Mistichelli, Nick DiTeodoro and senior Eddie Whelan all recorded their first varsity assists.
The Wolverines’ final goal of the half was the play that brought Berry and Whelan their first varsity marks and the crowd to its feet.
“That was kind of a nice moment,” Huck said. “They’d been together for four years and been total team players; it’s always been the team first. They were with the JVs last year, but decided to come back and be part of everything and they were able to reap the rewards today, which I was happy about.
“The whole team was cheering for (Berry), the whole place got excited. He does work hard and always gives 100 percent and he was able to put one in today.” PITMAN 2, PENNS GROVE 1: The Red Devils (1-6) have to be the hardest-luck team in South Jersey. All six of their losses this season have been of the one-loss variety. They fell behind 2-0 nine minutes into the second half, got a goal from Ashton Harris four minutes later and just couldn’t get the equalizer.
“We’re doing the best we can,” Penns Grove coach Mano Massari said. “The guys fought hard today; you can’t ask anymore than that. We’re fighting and taking punches with some really good teams. We just need to be more consistent.”
SCHALICK 3, WILDWOOD 0: Nolan O’Toole, Bradford Foster and Elijah Cummings scored goals and Evan Sepers was a rock in goal as the Cougars (7-2) won their third in a row.
Pennsville’s Riley Bowman (5) and Reagan Wariwanchik celebrate another Eagles goal in their match with Salem Wednesday. (Photos by Lorraine Jenkins)
Girls soccer
PENNSVILLE 8, SALEM 1: The Eagles found the scoring touch for the second straight game, this time scoring four goals in each half. They have scored 15 goals in their two games this week.
Riley Bowman scored her first hat trick, which included a penalty kick late in the first half. Karsen Cooksey had the first goal of the second half and assisted on the other three goals. Gabby Marandola scored her first career goal 90 seconds into the game, while Molly Gratz, Kallie Morrison and Marley Wood had the other goals. The Eagles had 27 shots and eight corner kicks in the game.
“The girls are distributing the ball well and looking for opportunities for each other to score,” Eagles coach Sam Trapp said. “They are gaining more confidence as a unit each game.”
Ryann Foote scored Salem’s goal on a free kick in the first half. GLASSBORO 7, SALEM TECH 0: Marianna Dempster and Emma Mattox both scored twice for the Bulldogs (4-2-1).
PITMAN 5, PENNS GROVE 0: Emery Sharpnack had two goals and an assist and Riley Sharpnack had a goal and two assists for Pitman.
Girls tennis
PITTMAN 4, PENNSVILLE 1: Megan Morris won 6-4, 6-1 at No. 2 singles to pick up Pennsville’s only point. Morris is 9-0 this season and has not lost a set.
WOODSTOWN 5, PENNS GROVE 0: The Wolverines went to 5-0, losing only two games the entire match. Noelle Neron and Aubrie Rennie at No. 2 doubles scored their first career win.
School District’s $14-million Promise of Progress referendum passes convincingly, bringing necessary upgrades to facilities By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
PITTSGROVE – Schalick High School football coach Mike Wilson is a big-picture kind of guy. He always has an eye towards the future, a vision of what the sports facilities at his school could be like if it had the means to upgrade. But it was always a wish list.
Now that list can become a reality.
Voters in Pittsgrove Twp. Tuesday night voted convincingly to support a $14 million bond referendum that will shape the future of facilities, athletics and otherwise, throughout the township.
In a special election, The Promise of Progress Referendum passed 551-336. It not only will benefit the athletics facilities at the high school, but also fund essential upgrades throughout the district. All seven of the township’s precincts voted in favor of the referendum.
“This referendum will drastically upgrade our sports programs and facilities,” Pittsgrove Twp. school superintendent Dr. Courtney McNeely said. “…This was our opportunity to elevate our athletes’ experience and strengthen our community spirit.
“Our community made this possible. We are so proud to promise our student athletes the progress and facilities they deserve.”
Specifically for the high school athletics facilities, plans call for building a field house, concession stand, community restrooms and bleachers for the football field, upgrading sound and lighting, and updating the boys and girls locker rooms. The playing surface on the football field will not be affected.
“First thing, it’s great for the district because it’s necessary repairs and upgrades,” Wilson said. “The high school is turning 50 years soon, the district’s buildings are on the older side, so it’s great for the Township of Pittsgrove and it’s a great way where the taxpayer is going to see minimal increase if any at all for repairs that have to be done anyway.”
Wilson just read news reports where a community in football-mad Texas is about to build a $94 million football stadium. Another Texas program recently built a $35-million home. The Pittsgrove upgrades won’t be quite as extreme, but it will enhance what the Cougars have to offer.
“These are necessary facility upgrades for the athletics program,” Wilson said. “Right now our varsity athletes don’t have a varsity locker room. They’re going to have space to call their own – for all sports, not just football. Just necessary stuff to bring us to the 21st Century. I just think it’s nice that these kids work so hard in all our sports that they’re going to have facilities they can be proud of.
“I always think big picture, I always think grand, I want things now. Since we got here me and my staff have said we’d love to have X, Y and Z, and with this referendum we’re going to get X, Y, Z. Again, it’s not extravagant, it’s not unnecessary, these are the necessary things that these student-athletes deserve. We have good athletics at Schalick and it’s nice to see our facilities are going to reflect the success we’ve bene having on the field for so many years before I was there.”
The New Jersey Dept. of Education has pledged nearly $6.5 million for eligible projects under the State Share program, while the school district is responsible for the remaining $8,217,744. The bond issue will increase the tax bill for the average assessed home in Pittsgrove by less than $1 per month (approximately $11 per month in Elmer) over the next 20 years compared to existing debt service payment for the 2023-24 school year.
It was not immediately known what the athletics portion of the upgrades would cost or when construction would begin.
Foglein Bowl IV kicks off Friday when Pennsville visits Paulsboro in soccer match pitting brother against brother By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
PENNSVILLE – Forget the Super Bowl or Wrestlemania or whatever event with a long series of Roman numerals after its name. There is only one Big Game that matters at this Maple Street homestead.
It’s the Foglein Bowl, the yearly soccer matchup now in its fourth year that pits coaching brother against coaching brother for family bragging rights on the pitch.
Foglein Bowl IV is Friday at Paulsboro when older brother (by four years) Doug hosts little brother Derek and his Pennsville side at 4 p.m. Derek leads the series 2-1 and isn’t keen to give up his lead.
“It’s always super exciting,” Derek said. “Growing up as brothers, we were always competitive in just about everything we did. I know it’s really exciting for both programs. I think both programs really enjoy the camaraderie and the matchup and really buy into it. I know his guys are always excited and looking up to this game. I know my guys are really looking forward to it, too.
“It’s a lot of fun when you get these out of division, even out of conference games, that mean a lot more because of the matchup. It’s just been a lot of fun and really helps the kids get motivated for a game that on paper might not look like it doesn’t matter, but it really matters to these kids and it really matters to us.” Both teams are looking for something to get them going. Paulsboro entered the week 0-7, stuck in a 26-match losing streak and hasn’t won since its next to last game in 2021. Pennsville went into a week that had three winnable games 1-6.
It was pretty much a no-brainer to put the game on the schedule when both brothers got to be head coach. The first time they played it in 2019, it was a really big deal. Doug back then was coaching at Clayton, where both boys went to school. They played it at night. On the football field. On Senior Night. And it had all the feel of a Hollywood premier. Even though the teams were on opposite ends of the standings, the game matched the hype.
COVID protocols forced them off the pitch the next year, but the series resumed in 2021 after Doug moved to Paulsboro. And now they see the series continuing, as Doug says, “as long as we’re coaching together and it’s a game that’s good for both of us.”
Ditching their hoodies and athletics attire, the brothers show up on the sidelines in suits and ties like they were Diego Simeone or Pep Guardiola, two of the most fashion-chic managers in the game. It’s still the only time they wear a suit for a game.
The whole family gets involved. The first year of the game mom made “Clay-Ville” T-shirts for everybody, a mash up of the Clayton and Pennsville names with logos of each team. There’s a picture of the battling brothers striking a boxing pose and used it as their Christmas card. Sister Dawn even gets in the act while remaining neutral with shirts that say, “My favorite brother is your coach.”
“We love playing this up in our family and making it a big deal, for sure,” Derek said.
“It gets to show all the players on both teams how soccer can really kind of transcend whatever is going on,” Doug said. “It’s really great. You see two brothers who love each other to death, except for those 80 minutes in the middle.” There is no familial bet – at least not one the brothers are keen to admit publicly – but you know it means something to both of them. Doug won that inaugural game, but Derek has had the best of it in the last two. There was something not quite right after his first win in the series, something not even last year’s 7-1 rout could fix, something he hopes to set straight in this year’s game.
“We won that game 3-1 on two very soft penalty kick calls that went our way, so even though (the series) is 2-1, it’s 2-1 with an asterisk,” Derek said. “I’m really looking forward this year to firmly hopefully taking that winning record and not having to worry about the contingencies any more.
“We did not deserve to win that game two years ago. I’ll even say we should have played better and we kind of got the luck of the draw that day, so we really want to prove that it wasn’t a fluke two years ago and we’re really moving the program forward.”
That’s about the closest you’re going to get to bulletin board material from these two. Whenever they do have conversation about the game at the family picnic in Clayton, it’s usually about trying to pry secrets out of each other to gain an edge.
If the game ends it a tie, the result their mom always bets on, that’s how it will go in the NJSIAA record. But don’t be surprised if, with a wink and a nod, they put together some sort of PK shootout after the referees disappear in their cars to bring the match to an outcome. That’s how much it means.
“Our teams have almost come to fisticuffs once or twice,” Doug said. “The teams buy in. They know at the beginning of the season – I tell my boys the same thing and he tells his boys the same thing – this is the one game we want. If we go 1-17 this is the one I want.”
The Foglein Bowl (Derek 2, Doug 1)
YEAR
PLACE
WINNER
SCORE
2019
Clayton
Clayton (Doug)
5-2
2021
Paulsboro
Pennsville (Derek)
3-1
2022
Pennsville
Pennsville (Derek)
7-1
2023
Paulsboro
Friday, 4 p.m.
Dawn Foglein plays no favorites as she stands with brothers Doug (L) and Derek (R) after last year’s Paulsboro-Pennsville Foglein Bowl soccer match. Top photo: Dawn steps in to separate the two combatants prior to the first game of the series in 2019. (Submitted photos)
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