Former Glassboro HC, Penns Grove DC Maccarone said to be Red Devils’ choice for next head football coach
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
Mark Maccarone never ruled out being a head coach again when he stepped away in 2017 and now that window appears to be open for him.
Penns Grove is working toward bringing former Glassboro head coach on as its next head football coach, Riverview Sports News has learned.
Any hire, of course, is pending board approval. Maccarone declined to comment on the matter and Penns Grove athletics director Anwar Golden said an announcement on the next coach will be made March 11, which just happens to be the date of the next scheduled board meeting.
The match is gaining traction in South Jersey high school football circles.
Maccarone certainly checks all the boxes. He has been a head coach. He has been in big games. He has won championships and coached players who’ve gone on to the NFL. He knows the Penns Grove players and the expectations the administration and community have for their football team.
He made five straight playoff appearances with Glassboro, winning two South Jersey Group I titles and reaching the semifinals two other times.
After Maccarone stepped down from the Bulldogs after seven years of commuting between Bridgeton and the school, former Penns Grove coach John Emel scarfed him up to be the Red Devils’ defensive coordinator during their 2018-19 championship run and he has helped with the program in a less formal capacity post-COVID.
“I think Mark is a heck of a football coach,” Emel, now the head coach at West Deptford, said in a general context about Maccarone’s experience. “I’ve competed against him as an assistant coach, competed against him as a head coach and coached with him for the best two-year stretch in school history.
“After 2017 when we lost I wanted to find an assistant coach with big-game experience. One of the things he hangs his hat on is never losing a sectional championship game as a coach (6-0). He’s always had a great relationship with players. I care about the kids and I’d want somebody who’d put them in positions to win. He knows how to get a team ready to win.”
With the Penns Grove search wrapping, it leaves two head football coaching openings in Salem County.
The searches at Woodstown and Salem are progressing. Woodstown has started conducting interviews. Salem has interviewed one candidate and is awaiting more.
“We won’t let it go too long before we try to ramp it up,” Rams athletics director Darryl Roberts said.
Salem rallies from 12 down in second half to make it a two-point game late in fourth quarter, then comes up dry, falls to Pitman in SJ Group I semifinals
SOUTH JERSEY GROUP I THURSDAY’S BOYS SEMIFINALS Pitman 51, Salem 42 KIPP Cooper 70, Wildwood 48 SATURDAY’S CHAMPIONSHIP GAME No. 2 Pitman (22-7) at No. 1 KIPP Cooper (22-8), 3 p.m.
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
PITMAN – Anthony Farmer, the coach, slumped on a bench in the back row of the locker room, his head buried in his hands. Paul Weathers leaned against a wall with a towel over his head to hide his emotions. The rest of Salem players cleared out their stalls and silently stuffed gear in their bags. The despair in the dressing room was palpable.
The Rams gave it all they had and were in it with three minutes to play, then went dry.
Pitman pulled away from a close game with three minutes to play and then held off the Rams 51-42 in the South Jersey Group I boys semifinals. The second-seeded Panthers (22-7) now travel to top-seeded KIPP Cooper Norcross Academy (22-8) for Saturday’s 3 p.m. sectional title game.
Pitman junior Elijah Crispin led the all scorers with 32 points. He buried three straight deep 3-pointers in a 90-second stretch late in the second quarter to give his team an eight-point halftime lead. Sonny Myers had 15 rebounds. Trey Tinges did an admirable job on Salem senior guard Anthony Farmer, holding the coach’s son and 1,000-point scorer to nine points in his final high school game and none in the fourth quarter.
“It hurts,” guard Farmer said. “We were right there. I really wanted this. It’s definitely tough when you know you’re that close and you come up short. We gave it everything we had, but … they got the best of us tonight.”
Salem’s Anthony Farmer (L) and Pitman’s Elijah Crispin share a moment after facing each other for the final time in Thursday’s SJ Group I playoff game.
Ramaji Bundy led Salem in his final high school game with a career-tying 15 points and six rebounds and drew the defensive assignment on Crispin. He hit all three of the Rams’ 3-pointers and was their driving force early with seven points in the first quarter. Jabez DeJesus had 10 points and nine boards. Weathers also grabbed nine rebounds.
The Rams (18-9) trailed by 12 early in the third quarter and by seven early in the fourth, but refused to fold. DeJesus got them within four on a driving layup with 5:04 to play and Bundy made it a two-point game with a pair of free throws with 2:56 left. But they were the last points Salem would score.
They nearly brought it all the way back, but just couldn’t get over the hump.
“That right there is the dagger in my heart,” DeJesus said. “I’m proud of my guys for fighting to the end. I know we didn’t get the end result we wanted, but that goes to show even if you give 100 percent the wins are never promised. Sometimes things just happen like that. We did what we could, we live with the results.”
Crispin extended the lead with a basket, then hit two free throws with less than a minute to go to make it 48-42. Chris Wyllie closed the scoring with a three-point play, his only points of the game, with 48.4 to go.
“We had opportunities,” Coach Farmer said. “We had plenty of clean looks that we could take the lead or blow it open, maybe play with a little lead, (but) the opportunities didn’t go down for us, shots didn’t go down for us. Give them credit. They hit the ones they needed to make.
“What more do you want? You cut it two, two minutes to go, you’re on the road, it’s yours for the taking. You’ve gotta make plays.”
NOTES: Bundy scored 35 points in his last three games and averaged almost 10 over his last seven games … It was only the third time in his last 40 games Farmer was held out of double figures … The nine points he did get left him with 1,175 for his career … Crispin hit four 3s in the game and now has 65 and 184 in his career. “It’s a nice feeling to hit a deep one,” he said … The Panthers were 13-of-13 from the free throw line before Crispin missed two with 34 seconds left.
SOUTH JERSEY GROUP I BOYS SEMIFINALS PITMAN 51, SALEM 42 SALEM (18-9) – Ramaji Bundy 5 2-2 15, Anthony Farmer 4 1-2 9, Jabez DeJesus 5 0-0 10, Paul Weathers 2 0-0 4, Tymear Lecator 1 0-2 2, Donovan Weathers 0 0-0 0, Marshall Stephens 1 0-0 2. Totals 18 3-6 42. PITMAN (22-7) – Porter Kostiuk 0-2 0-0 0, Stephen Devanney 3-11 0-0 7, Elijah Crispin 8-25 8-10 28, Trey Tinges 1-2 2-2 4, Chris Wyllie 1-2 1-1 3, Michael Fisicaro 1-9 0-0 3, Sonny Myers 2-8 2-2 6, Greg Peterson 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 16-59 13-15 51.
Woodstown plays best game of the year when it needed it most, routs Woodbury to reach SJ-I girls title game; includes remaining Group I playoff schedule
SOUTH JERSEY GROUP I THURSDAY’S GIRLS SEMIFINALS Woodstown 80, Woodbury 57 Wildwood 62, Audubon 36 SATURDAY’S CHAMPIONSHIP GAME No. 4 Woodstown (21-6) at No. 2 Wildwood (22-7), 1 p.m.
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
WOODBURY – On a night when the Woodstown girls basketball team had to be at its best, the Wolverines were just about perfect.
That’s the way coach Kara Straughn described it Thursday night after her team dismantled top-seeded Woodbury 80-57 in the South Jersey Group I girls semifinals.
The Wolverines (21-6) now play at second-seeded Wildwood (22-7) Saturday at 1 p.m. for the SJ-I title. The winner advances to the state semifinals March 6 at Deptford Twp. against Central Jersey champ Middlesex or Shore Regional.
“They played as a team more than I’ve ever seen them play as a team before,” Straughn said. “They were perfect. They were so seamless, so … just flawless.
“They played together. They saw the court. They were composed. They handled the pressure. They were showing the ball. It was perfect. They were just so great.”
Perfect is as perfect does.
The Wolverines scored more points in a game in more than 14 years on the road against the top team in the bracket. They got scoring from six players with their Big Three – Talia Battavio (25), Megan Donelson (24) and Shannon Pierman (21) – combining for 70 points.
Pierman also pulled down 16 rebounds for her 12th double-double of the year and 11th in the last 14 games; the Wolverines are 10-2 this season when the senior double dips.
And when Donelson and Pierman both were strapped to the bench in the first half with three fouls, Lauren Hengel and Emma Perry came off the bench were “just as perfect” as the starters.
The Thundering Herd (18-11) were playing without their top player, Maya Braxton-Young, suspended two games for a flagrant foul ejection in Tuesday night’s quarterfinal win over Pennsville, and were a mere shell of themselves. But the way the Wolverines played on this night, even if she were available it might not have made a difference.
Woodstown opened a 22-6 lead in the first quarter behind Donelson and Pierman and turned it into a rout with a 23-5 run in the third quarter behind the Big Three.
The win sends the Wolverines to face Wildwood with payback on their minds. When the teams met in late January, the Warriors took advantage of some friendly rims to shoot 21-of-42 from 3-point range. Angela Wilber and Macie McCracken hit seven each and Rebecca Benichou hit six.
Straughn said her team will be ready for anything. Last year they beat the Warriors in the sectional final.
“We’ve learned our lesson,” Straughn said. “We’ve watched the game when we played them before. We watched (Wildwood’s) Glassboro game. We’ve watched so much film and taken so many notes and learned all of the lessons. We’re going to have a good practice tomorrow and we’re ready to go.”
3-point goals: Audubon 3 (Speyerer 2, Munn); Wildwood 10 (S. Wilber 2, A. Wilber 3, McCracken 3, Benichou, Nagle). Rebounds: Wildwood 34 (McCracken 10, A. Wilber 6, Sumlin 7).
GROUP I ELITE 8 Saturday’s Games South: Woodstown (21-6) at Wildwood (22-7) Central: Shore Regional (16-11) at Middlesex (17-13) North Jersey I: Mountain Lakes (19-7) at Park Ridge (22-5) North Jersey II: Glen Ridge (20-6) at University (24-3)
STATE SEMIFINALS March 6 North I vs. North II, Ramapo, 4:30 p.m. South vs. Central, Deptford Twp., 5 p.m.
Wilson, Siedlecki selected for the South squad of the Phil Simms North-South All-Star Football Classic in June; Woodstown’s Eichler revealed Friday
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
PITTSGROVE – Schalick football coach Mike Wilson is honored to be a part of the coaching staff for the South team in the Phil Simms North-South All-Star Classic, but what really has him excited is the chance to one more time coach one of his players.
Wilson and Cougars senior Jake Siedlecki have been selected for the game, scheduled for June 9 at Kean University. Wilson will serve as the team’s defensive coordinator and if he has anything to say about it, Siedlecki, a two-way standout during the regular season, will be on the defensive side with him.
“It’s an honor,” Wilson said. “The Phil Simms North-South Game has been around a long time. I’m actually more looking forward to coaching another game with Jake. I find that more special than anything.
“It’s an honor to be included in a prestigious game like that. It’s going to be a lot of fun. Like I told Jake today, we get to do one more game together, which I think is really cool.”
This will be Wilson’s first coaching experience in the game.
He guided the Cougars to one of their best seasons in school history in his fourth season with the program. They won their first 11 games, earned a No. 1 seed in the Central Jersey Group I playoffs and played for the sectional title. Siedlecki led the team in receiving (13-321-4) and interceptions (5).
“The game is going to be fun,” Siedlecki said. “To be coached one more time by my coach will be a great experience and I’m excited to meet some of the other players. It seems like a pretty cool weekend to be a part of, so I’m looking forward to it.”
On Friday, former Woodstown coach John Adams posted on his X page that Wolverines lineman Damien Eichler has been selected for the game. It isn’t known if any other Salem County coaches or players have been picked for the game. South squad executive committee met earlier this week to select its roster. Full rosters are expected to announced in mid-March.
SJ Group I girls: Pierman powers Woodstown past Penns Grove and into semifinals; Pennsville falls to top-seeded Woodbury in Trapp’s final game as coach; includes Tri-County Diamond, Classic all-stars
SOUTH JERSEY GROUP I GIRLS QUARTERFINALS Woodbury 68, Pennsville 34 Woodstown 43, Penns Grove 32 Audubon 43, Maple Shade 35 Wildwood 51, Glassboro 40 THURSDAY’S SEMIFINALS No. 4 Woodstown at No. 1 Woodbury, 4:30 p.m. No. 6 Audubon at No. 2 Wildwood
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
WOODSTOWN — Coaches and teammates describe Shannon Pierman’s demeanor in her every day comings and goings as sweet, quiet, stoic, reserved, nice. They’re always the dangerous ones.
Cross her on the basketball court and that all changes.
Like that thing that happens whenever the Hulk gets mad, get under Pierman’s skin and she switches into beast mode and people better get out of the way.
The Woodstown senior’s personality changed dramatically in the fourth quarter Tuesday and by all accounts on both sides of the scorer’s table she was the difference in her team taking down Penns Grove 43-32 in the South Jersey Group I girls quarterfinals.
“She’s quiet, mature, but, man, don’t mess with her,” Wolverines coach Kara Straughn said. “She is our leader. She’s a constant. She’s so mature, so stoic, just quiet, but, man, if you come at her or somebody she cares about, it’s like she’s ready to go, but calmly.
“She’s emotionally mature. She knows when to give and take. She gets overshadowed by the other two (1,000-point scorers Talia Battavio and Megan Donelson), but she is our foundation. She keeps us together.”
The Wolverines (20-6) advance to play at top-seeded Woodbury in the semifinals Thursday. It will be against a Thundering Herd team without their best player, as point guard Maya Braxton-Young was ejected for a flagrant foul in her team’s quarterfinal win over Pennsville and by rule will not play.
Pierman got angry, too, but her ire had its limits. She had all her points and a double-double in the fourth quarter alone, dominating a 16-0 run that gave the Wolverines control of the game. Perhaps most out of character, she bowed up and went nose-to-nose with Zoey Ceasar in the lane after being fouled by the Penns Grove post going after an offensive rebound.
There was nothing calm about the response when the Wolverines’ foundation got rocked to her core. It seemed egregious enough to bring a technical foul, but instead she received only a warning for taunting. What followed it was vintage Pierman.
She made both free throws to extend the Wolverines lead and then wrapped seven more points around a Lauren Hengel basket before the Lady Devils ended their drought on Meely Horace’s runner with 2:42 to play. By then, Woodstown was up 41-27.
The decisive run actually got started with Battavio’s go-ahead 3-pointer with 6:33 left in the game. It was the Wolverines’ only 3 of the game. The junior guard added a basket on the next possession and then it was basically all Pierman, all starting with the confrontation with Ceasar.
“For a second I let the anger get to me,” Pierman admitted. “I heard her saying some stuff to me. I let it get the best of me for a second, but then I started thinking it’s my last home game I’ve got to get it together.
“I’d like to think I’m nice, I’m reserved. Usually I’m very good at keeping my cool and I try to be a good, kind person. That’s kind of just out of nowhere. I’m trying to go up and I just hear talking in my ear and I get fouled and my emotions got the best of me.”
“Out of all five of (her players on the floor) she was the one I least expected (to erupt),” Straughn said. “Obviously you don’t want them to be unsportsmanlike, but I’m proud of her for standing up for herself and standing up for her team. They’re a family and they’re going to protect each other and protect themselves. But like I said she knows when to put it on and cool off.”
Pierman finished with 10 points and 17 rebounds. It was her 11th double-double of the season and tenth in her last 13 games.
The win gave the Wolverines a third-straight 20-win season and fourth in the last five years, It also extended long winning streaks against Tri-County Conference Diamond Division (32) and Salem County opponents (29).
Penns Grove, the No. 12 seed, came into the game primed to pull off an upset and had things going its way in the first half. The Lady Devils held the Wolverines to only four points through the first 13 minutes of the game and once they established the lead successfully took the air out of the ball further frustrating their hosts.
Woodstown eventually started taking chances against the ploy and drew even at 13 with less than a minute left in the half before RaNiyah Wilson scored the last two buckets of the half to send the Lady Devils into the locker room with a four-point halftime lead.
Wilson led Penns Grove with 10 points. Horace had nine and finished her career with 1,063 points. Caesar was force in the paint early in the game and scored seven of her nine points in the first quarter.
The lead changed hands four more times before Woodstown went on the run the decided the game.
“I’m very proud of the girls,” Penns Grove coach Jennifer Denby said. “I’m glad that they came to play and let them know that they can play with anybody.”
3-point goals: Penns Grove 1 (Horace); Woodstown 1 (Battavio). Rebounds: Woodstown 28 (Pierman 17). Total fouls: Penns Grove 16, Woodstown 19. Officials: Carolyn Jackson, Crystal Marshall, Chris Seher. 3-point goals: Penns Grove 1 (Horace); Woodstown 1 (Battavio). Rebounds: Woodstown 28 (Pierman 17). Total fouls: Penns Grove 16, Woodstown 19. Officials: Carolyn Jackson, Crystal Marshall, Chris Seher.
Pennsville girls basketball coach Sam Trapp greets her players leaving the floor for the last time with her at the helm. (Photo by Chris Watson)
Eagles fall in Trapp’s finale
WOODBURY – Sam Trapp knew it was going to be emotional when she made the emotional announcement to her team five weeks ago, but is anyone ever really prepared for when the last game finally comes?
The Pennsville girls basketball coach knew her final game was coming at some point in this South Jersey Group I playoff season and it arrived Tuesday night when the Eagles were eliminated by top-seeded Woodbury in the quarterfinals 68-34.
Next month, Trapp will be leaving the school where she has been head soccer and basketball coach the last three years to become the athletics director at Triton Regional.
“I have so many emotions right now,” she said. “It’s just hard to know this is the last time you’ll be courtside. You start coaching because you’re so passionate about what you do, you’re so excited about the sport, you have a love for the sport and you love to see these kids grow and develop.
“Through that you just want to see so many great accomplishments and milestone. Of course, every coach dreams of being on the big stage and winning the big game and putting the trophy over your head.
“I just thought back to all those moments of what we’ve accomplished and what I was hoping we’d accomplish. We fell short today, but that doesn’t take away from the things that I’ve done and the hard work that I’ve put in and just how proud I am of what we have accomplished. I didn’t want to overly focus on this was the end, but grateful for all that’s happened throughout it.”
The game was manageable for about a quarter and a half. The Eagles trailed by seven after the first quarter, but the Thundering Herd steadily stretched the lead. It did get testy in the second half when Herd standout Maya Braxton-Young was ejected for a flagrant elbow against Pennsville’s Nora Ausland, a foul that likely will have her suspended for Thursday’s semifinal game with Woodstown.
Braxton-Young finished with 17 points to lead three Herd scorers in double figures. Abby Bush (16) and Dasani Talley-Dorrman (13) combined for 15 points in the fourth quarter.
Ausland led Pennsville with 11 points and will go into next season needing 195 points for 1,000. Tri-County Diamond Division first-teamer Marley Wood had nine points and she’ll need 280 next season for the milestone.
Trapp never had a losing season in her three years with the basketball team. She was 15-11 each of her first two years and was hoping for better this season, but a series of midseason injuries limited this year’s team to 14-14. The Eagles were 8-5 after she told the team her plans on Jan. 26. Her last official function with the team is its awards night March 11.
“It didn’t shake out the way we had hoped and dreamed at the start of the season, but like I told the girls afterward we fought hard to get an 8-seed,” Trapp said. “We made that our goal so we could get a home playoff game; we did that. We got a win more than we did last season as far as the playoff run goes.
“They’re a great bunch of girls who have a lot of potential to be a solid program again next year if they stay healthy and keep working in the offseason. All you can really ask and hope for is that when it’s not going the way we hoped to turn it around and set new goals and keep working hard for those and I think we did just that.”
SJ Group I boys: Rams finally get past Glassboro, earn a spot in semifinals; Penns Grove gets out to fast start, but falls to top-seeded KIPP; also includes TCC Diamond, Classic all-star teams
SOUTH JERSEY GROUP I BOYS QUARTERFINALS KIPP Cooper Norcross 64, Penns Grove 59 Wildwood 49, Audubon 38 Salem 62, Glassboro 55 Pittman 47, Paulsboro 37 THURSDAY’S SEMIFINALS No. 4 Wildwood at No. 1 KIPP Cooper Norcross, 5:30 p.m. No. 3 Salem at No. 2 Pitman, 5:30 p.m.
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
SALEM – Anthony Farmer and the Salem Rams have been trying to beat Glassboro for nearly a decade now. They finally got the Bulldogs on the biggest stage.
Salem ended a seven-game losing streak to the Bulldogs Tuesday night with a 62-55 victory in the quarterfinals of the South Jersey Group I boys tournament. The Rams’ last win in the series was in the 2014-15 season opener. All of the previous eight games were in the regular season. The majority of the losses were by double-digits.
“Those guys have been a tough out,” Farmer said. “They’ve had our number. It was good to get the most important one.”
The Rams (18-8) didn’t have history on their mind when they took the floor Tuesday as much as doing what it took to get where they want to go. They took control of the game early, weathered a storm in the third quarter and held on through the fourth.
“You can’t change the past, so, honestly, we’ve got a one-track mind,” Farmer said. “We know what we’re trying to get to. This is about us and how we continue to come together and make the right plays at the right moment and be one step ahead. We at this time it’s survive and advance, so we’re preparing like everything is our last.”
The difference in the game was the play of Jabez DeJesus and Anthony Farmer. DeJesus scored a team’ high 21 points, grabbed nine rebounds and blocked a couple shots. Farmer, the coach’s son, scored 17 points. Ramaji Bundy added 10 points.
Both DeJesus and Farmer were confirmed as Tri-County Conference Classic Division first-team all-stars earlier in the day.
“Those guys are no secret,” Farmer said. “I think we have one of the top backcourts is South Jersey, no doubt. They’ve been consistent all year long. They’re the reason we’re the third seed and in the position we’re in. Those guys are seniors and they’ve just been doing what they’ve been doing.”
The win sets up a showdown with second-seeded Pitman in the semifinals Thursday night. The Panthers have gotten them twice this year, none more painful than the one in late December in which the Rams jumped out to a big early lead only to lose by two at the end.
“This is what high school basketball is about,” Farmer said. “This is why you play the game, why I coach the game. I coach the game for the kids, for them to have experiences like this that they’ll talk about forever.
“I want them to go seize the moment. Once again, it’s more about us and where we’re trying to go. Obviously they got us twice and we understand that as well. Once again, this one means the most.”
3-point goals: Glassboro 5 (Graves 3, Dougherty, Buff); Salem 4 (Farmer 2, P. Weathers, Lecator). Rebounds: Salem 30 (P. Weathers 10, DeJesus 9). Fouled out: Graves. Total fouls: Glassboro 21, Salem 16.
KIPP Academy 64, Penns Grove 59
CAMDEN – When Penns Grove coach Damian Ware saw Willie Slocum and Camren Thompson hit 3-pointers early in the game he had to think this just might just be the Red Devils’ night to pull an upset. But he also knew there was a lot of basketball to play.
Slocum and Thompson combined to hit just one 3-pointer this season – and Slocum hadn’t hit any – but there they were, playing in a game to extend their careers, each hitting one from beyond the arc to help the Red Devils forge an early 10-point lead.
The good fortune didn’t last, however. Karon Ceaser and Slocum both got in foul trouble that cost them valuable minutes in the first half and top-seeded KIPP Cooper Norcross Academy began its long march to the foul line that proved the difference in scuttling the Red Devils’ season.
“Going into the game I expected to win, so it was not a big surprise we were up,” Ware said. “We had an opportunity to win the game going into it, we had a chance and I felt good about it, but we just didn’t have enough to pull it out.”
The Titans (21-8) took 31 free throws in the game compared to only seven for a Red Devils team that likes to attack the basket. They made 16 with leading scorer Meleake Kelly (18 points) going 8-for-14 and Tahmir Dixton (15) going 5-for-10.
Slocum wound up hitting two 3s in the game and finished with 10 points. Roman Gipson was the Red Devils’ leading scorer with 16 points, while Giomar Conrad and Thompson had 13 apiece.
Battle at the Beach officials confirm second, third days of the event will be at Egg Harbor Twp. stadium; Schalick opens Friday schedule
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
The final two days of this year’s Battle at the Beach will be played at Egg Harbor Twp. High School, event director John Emel confirmed Monday.
The series traditionally is played in Ocean City’s Carey Stadium, but a scheduling conflict with the Philadelphia Catholic League at the venue on Labor Day Weekend forced BATB officials to seek another option.
It was previously announced the games would move to Atlantic City High School. A window opened for the Aug. 29 BATB games to be played back in Ocean City with the final two days remaining in Atlantic City.
But negotiations broke down with the alternate site and the BATB went searching again. Other schools reached out to host and there were discussions with Rowan University, Emel said, before it was ultimately decided on Egg Harbor’s stadium for the games of the 30th and 31st.
“We wanted to keep it close to the beach,” said Emel, the former head coach at Penns Grove moving to West Deptford this fall. “I’d like to get back in one location for all three days. We’re going to sit down after this event this year and if we have to move it … I want all three days in the same location.”
Schalick kicks off the Egg Harbor Friday lineup at 10 a.m. against Cedar Grove. The other games that day are Washington Twp.-Northern Highlands (1 p.m.), Montclair-Winslow Twp. (4 p.m.), Holy Spirit-Millville (7 p.m.). Organizers are still working out some details on Saturday’s schedule.
“We are super excited to keep the event down the Shore,” the West Jersey Football Coaches Association wrote on its X page. “Egg Harbor Twp. facilities are second to none. We want to thank everyone involved in making this happen.”
As organizers searched for a new site, Schalick coach Mike Wilson was holding out hope for a Friday morning game at Ocean City.
“In all honesty, we’re just thrilled to be a part of the showcase weekend,” Wilson said. “We’ll play anybody, anywhere. The organization does a great job, so I’m just thrilled to be a part of it.”
Here is this week’s sports schedules for teams in Salem County for the week of Feb. 25-March 2
Sunday
WRESTLING NJSIAA Girls Regionals, Pennsauken
Tuesday
BASKETBALL South Jersey Group I Tournament Girls No. 8 Pennsville at No. 1 Woodbury, 4:30 p.m. No. 12 Penns Grove at No. 4 Woodstown, 5:30 p.m. No. 6 Audubon at No. 3 Maple Shade, 5:30 p.m. No. 7 Glassboro at No. 2 Wildwood, 4 p.m. Boys No. 9 Penns Grove at No. 1 KIPP Cooper Norcross Academy, 5:15 p.m. No. 5 Audubon at No. 4 Wildwood, 6 p.m. No. 6 Glassboro at No. 3 Salem, 5 p.m. No. 10 Paulsboro at No. 2 Pitman, 5:30 p.m.
Thursday
BASKETBALL South Jersey Group I Tournament Girls Pennsville-Woodbury vs. Penns Grove-Woodstown Audubon-Maple Shade vs. Glassboro-Wildwood Boys Penns Grove-KIPP Cooper Norcross Academy vs. Audubon-Wildwood Glassboro-Salem vs. Paulsboro-Pitman WRESTLING NJSIAA State Championship, Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City
Friday
COLLEGE BASEBALL Ocean CC at Salem CC (Carneys Point Rec), 3 p.m. WRESTLING NJSIAA State Championship, Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City
Saturday
BASKETBALL Girls South Jersey Group I championship Boys South Jersey Group I championship WRESTLING NJSIAA State Championship, Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City COLLEGE BASEBALL Salem CC at Ocean CC (2), noon
Woodstown’s Vinciguerra wins Region 8 title at 215, Hyland also advances to state wrestling championship at 175
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
EGG HARBOR TWP. – His name literally means “win the war,’ and that’s exactly what Mateo Vinciguerra did Saturday in his most dominating tournament to date. There was nothing lost in translation.
The Woodstown sophomore pinned top-seeded Delsea junior Alex Grippo in 1:52 to win the 215-pound title in the NJSIAA Region 8 wrestling championships and punch his ticket to the state meet next week at Atlantic City’s Boardwalk Hall.
It avenged a close loss to Grippo in last week’s District 31 finals and allowed him to follow in older brother John’s footsteps as last year’s 215 region champion.
“It means a lot,” Vinciguerra said. “I put a lot of work and effort into this. Getting the rematch I always wanted, it was great, because I really thought I could win.
“I was ready. I was coming for him. He’s a great wrestler, but my preparation, I knew I was ready for this. I had the same mindset I always do. Wrestle who’s in front of me, it doesn’t matter who it is.”
Vinciguerra, the No. 2 seed in the bracket, actually punched his ticket to state with a 10-0 major decision over Ed Vincent of St. Augustine in the semifinals. He also scored a pair of pins in his first two matches. He now has 22 pins this season.
“Mateo’s always been a good wrestler,” Wolverines coach Adam Hyland said. “He’s a lifer in wrestling, he loves it, he does it all the time. It’s his main and only sport, so he puts a ton of time into it, goes to all the big tournaments. He’s always been talented and always been a winner at wrestling.”
Both finalists went into their match off major decisions. Vinciguerra took Grippo down with a single leg to get the lead. He got hit with a stall point on top but didn’t let it bother him and went in for the pin.
Sophomore teammate Greyson Hyland, the coach’s son, also advanced to states as the fourth qualifier in 175 as an 8 seed. He secured his spot with an overtime decision in the wrestle-backs after losing a 3-2 decision in the semifinals, then lost to Ocean City senior Nick Layton 8-7 in the third-place match.
He is the lowest seeded 175 wrestler from all eight regions to advance to Atlantic City.
It really was a good weekend for him. He handed Layton his first loss of the season in the second round. He got up on the top seed early in the bout and literally held on to an ankle with all his might through the final seconds after Layton made his final move. In the rematch he fell behind 5-0 and fought back to make it close.
”I’ve been working hard in the season, grinding, we had a real tough practice this week, so pushing through that and seeing the results pay off was really exciting, a lot of fun,” Hyland said. “Today was a lot of fun. The semifinal match was tough, but I just stayed focused. I thought even though I lost that I could still make it to states, so I had a good mindset going into the consolation semis.
“The expectation from everyone else was this dude (him) is probably going to go 0-2, maybe 1-2, just get killed by the 1 seed, but my expectations were really high. I trained hard every day in the practice room, so to get an opportunity like that we don’t waste them.”
Now that they’re in the states, Vinciguerra has his eye on a spot on the podium. For Hyland, “we’re just going to let it fly in Atlantic City and have some fun.”
Speaking of fun, Vinciguerra’s birthday is Championship Saturday.
NJSIAA REGION 8 WRESTLING TEAM SCORES: Delsea 193.5, Camden Catholic 184.5, Washington Twp. 116, Kingsway 112, St. Augustine 100, Lower Cape May 78, Ocean City 74, Highland/Triton 60.5, Williamstown 52, Woodstown 49, Absegami 48, Timber Creek 45, Hammonton 44, Gateway/Woodbury 42, Middle Twp. 24, Clayton/Glassboro 23, Eastern 22, Egg Harbor 16, Vineland 15, Buena 10, Clearview 10, Pennsville 7, Holy Spirit 6, Pennsauken 6, Pitman 6, Deptford 4, Cedar Creek 3, Schalick/Cumberland 2, Winslow 2.
THE ROAD TO STATE (2) MATEO VINCIGUERRA, 215, Woodstown R1: Pinned (15) Ryland Angel (Kingsway), 2:36 QF: Pinned (7) Xavier Velez (Highland), 1:08 SF: Major dec. over (3) Ed Vincent (St. Augustine), 10-0 Finals: Pinned (1) Alex Grippi (Delsea), 1:52
(8) GREYSON HYLAND, 175, Woodstown R1: Bye QF: Dec. (1) Nick Layton (Ocean City), 7-5 SF: Lost to (5) Brayden Wright (Absegami), 3-2 Consy SF: Dec. (11) Joseph Leone (Kingsway), SV 3-1 3P: Lost to (1) Nick Layton (Ocean City), 8-7 Brian Tortella contributed to this report. His reports on South Jersey sports can be found on X at @tortreports
Woodstown girls rout Overbrook to complete third straight sweep of Tri-County Diamond Division schedule
By Al Muskewitz Riverview Sports News
WOODSTOWN – If it’s going to take winning three straight Super Bowls before they anoint the Kansas City Chiefs as a dynasty, what would you call the Woodstown girls basketball team after three undefeated seasons within their division?
The Wolverines completed their third straight undefeated run through the Tri-County Conference Diamond Division Friday with a 76-18 rout of Overbrook.
They have gone 10-0, 10-0 and 8-0 in the division over the last three seasons, but the actual in-division winning streak is 30 going back to 2021 – 31 if you count a playoff win against division rival Penns Grove during the same stretch. Their last loss in the Diamond came at Glassboro (60-45) on Feb. 25, 2021.
With a win over Penns Grove in Tuesday’s quarterfinals of the South Jersey Group I tournament, they will have 20 wins for the third year in a row and fourth straight in years they had that many games to win.
“It proves it’s not just a year-to-year team, it’s the program,” first-year head coach Kara Straughn said. “It’s a testament to how good our program is, not just like one year we’re really good (and it drops off).
“We’ve been consistently good and it’s because we have girls who have grown up in this program and who are good leaders, so then the young girls are coming in and we’re continuing to win. They work their butts off, so they deserve to be 10-0 in the division.”
The Wolverines (19-6) were heavily favored and took control by scoring the first 10 points of the game and opening a 22-6 lead at the end of the first quarter.
The most impressive part of the quarter was Woodstown center Shannon Pierman collecting a double-double before it was over. She had eight of the game’s first 10 points and ended the quarter with 12 points and 11 rebounds. She finished with 20 and 14 for her ninth double-double of the season and eighth in her last 12 games.
“I do not think that’s ever happened before,” an astonished Pierman said. “I didn’t realize it, I wasn’t keeping track. I thought it led off to a good start so we could get momentum going and get a win out of it.”
The plan all along was to play the starters for a comfortable amount of time and then give the reserves the floor.
The starters came out for the final 1:15 of the first half and then for good with 2:36 left in the third quarter. In addition to Pierman, Megan Donelson had 16 points – extending her streak in double figures to 38 games – five rebounds, four assists and three blocked shots; Talia Battavio had nine points and Lauren Hengel had six points, nine rebounds and four assists.
The backups took advantage of their opportunity. Sophomore post Jala Thomas scored a career-high eight points. Sophomore Lizzy Daly (4/6) and freshman Kendall Young (5/4) both had career highs in points and rebounds, and Ava White scored her first varsity points. The reserves held the Lady Rams (9-17) scoreless the entire time they were on the floor.
“That’s what they’re going to have memories about,” Straughn said. “Oh, yeah, we beat Overbrook, but that Ava’s first points or Jala had her career high. Those girls who cheer for the first five get cheered on by them.
“That’s what builds programs That’s what builds the morale, That’s what builds the relationships. Those games where they’re not so fun statistically, but they’re fun as a team.”
Riverview Sports News 