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ABOUT THE COVER
When a football coach takes over a struggling program, he needs that one guy who can be a game-changer. A kid who is big, strong, physical and smart and who has football instincts that were honed years ago in youth leagues. Chris Sacco knew he had the guy he was looking for when he took over at Pleasantville four years ago. Even as a freshman it was easy to see that Mohomed Toure projected out to be a star player. He had the look of a kid whose body would fill out into a man before he graduated, and he was mentally tough enough to handle the demands Sacco and his new staff had planned on putting onto their players’ shoulder pads. During the past couple of seasons, Toure became the heart and soul of one of the more impressive rebuilding projects in South Jersey in recent memory. The Greyhounds went 0-10 in Toure’s freshman year but have gone 15-6 the past two years, including 8-3 this fall and the program’s first state playoff victory in three years. There were plenty of players with great stats this year in South Jersey, but it’s hard to argue that anyone was more valuable to his team than Toure. — Dave O’Sullivan, Staff Writer
GLORY DAYS MAGAZINE General contact: 609-788-4294/advertising@acglorydays.com Dave O’Sullivan, Publisher: sully@acglorydays.com On Twitter: @GDsullysays Giuseppe Ungaro, Managing Editor: gungaro@acglorydays.com On Twitter: @GDgisepu Amy D’Adamo, Graphic Design: advertising@acglorydays.com Bill Lynskey, Director of Advertising: bill@acglorydays.com Victor McGuinn, Advertising Sales: victor@acglorydays.com STORY IDEAS/ADVERTISING: Have a story you’d like to see told in Glory Days Magazine? Want to get your business noticed with a marketing campaign in our print or digital platforms? Call us anytime at 609-788-4294. Volume: 6 Issue: 9 Overall Issue Number: 116. Cover Photography: Dave O’Sullivan. 2018 Glory Days Magazine. All rights reserved.
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Dec. 14, 2018 w Glory Days Magazine w Page 5
MAKING HEADLINES Sully takes a closer look at the athletes, coaches and teams who are generating news and highlights in the Cape-Atlantic League and throughout South Jersey.
u On the verge of a milestone: Most players who score 1,000
career points usually hit the milestone somewhere in the middle of the senior seasons, but Mainland Regional’s Kylee Watson almost assuredly will get hers in the first game of her junior year. She heads into this season sitting at 999 career points, and the Mustangs open their season Friday, Dec. 14 at Atlantic City at 5:15 p.m. at the MLK School.
glory days digital Want the best high school sports coverage every day of the week? Visit glorydaysonline.com for game coverage, features and more! You can also like us at facebook.com/acglorydays, and follow Sully on Twitter @GDsullysays. Get the best. Every day.
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A LOOK BACK ON FALL SPORTS 2018
Glory Days Magazine photo/Dave O’Sullivan
Ocean City’s Natale Stinson and Mainland’s Kailyn Gallagher battled it out three times this season; the teams played nearly 300 minutes of soccer with only two goals scored.
Mainland vs. O.C. girls soccer trilogy will be remembered for a long time
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ainland and Ocean City will always be rivals and would probably fight tooth-and-nail to win a checkers tournament if need be. Mustangs athletes rarely, if ever, wear any red clothing, and the Red Raiders certainly have an aversion to anything green, maybe even Christmas trees. So it came as no surprise that the girls soccer programs duked it out with gusto during their two regularseason matchups in the Cape-Atlantic League’s National Conference. But what fans probably didn’t count on were three meetings that featured some of the toughest soccer played in South Jersey, and a championship that came down to
Dave O’Sullivan
penalty kicks. To give you an idea of how even this matchup was in 2018, the teams played three times, nearly 300 minutes of soccer, and only TWO goals were scored. That’s it. Two. Mainland won both regular-season meetings, scoring a 1-0 win in regulation and a 1-0 overtime win, then the teams battled to a scoreless tie after 100 minutes in the inaugural CAL Tournament championship game. A game that, fittingly, came down to penalty kicks. In the end, the Mustangs outlasted the Red Raiders once again to win the championship and go 3-0 against their rival on the season, but even then it wasn’t finished. They had a chance to meet in the South Jersey Group 3 championship game, but, unfortunately, each was upended in the semifinal round. This trilogy was just one of the many highlights of a fun-filled, exciting fall 2018 season that saw some outstanding performances
See Trilogy, page 9
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Dec. 14, 2018 w Glory Days Magazine w Page 9 Trilogy, from page 6 throughout South Jersey. Here’s a quick look at some of the biggest storylines that Glory Days Magazine followed the past three-plus months. u Title finally hers: Egg Harbor Township senior Emily Manzo had the misfortune of playing most of her career in the same conference as Vineland’s Tess Fisher, one of the best girls tennis players in state history and the 2017 individual state champion. But Fisher graduating in 2018 and heading to Rutgers University left the door open for Manzo to win her first CAL championship, and she wasn’t about to let anyone take that opportunity from her. Manzo took down talented Cedar Creek sophomore Charisse Tigrado after a hard-fought win over Holy Spirit’s Morgan Grimmie in the semis, and finally had the title she had been fighting for the past four years. u Streak busters: For the past decade, the Ocean City boys cross country team has been unbeatable in CAL competition, but that changed this fall when Mainland finally got the better of its rival, beating the Red Raiders in early September. It was the first time any CAL team had topped Ocean City since Atlantic City did it back in 2008, and the Mustangs snapped the Red Raiders’ 94-meet league winning streak. u Back at the top: In 2017, Kelsey Mitchell’s first year as head coach of the Ocean City field hockey program, the Red Raiders had an uncharacteristic
Glory Days Magazine photo/Dave O’Sullivan
The Paone twins, Trevor, left, and Hunter, helped Ocean City rally to win the inaugural CAL Tournament over St. Augustine Prep. eight losses, including a 1-0 setback at Clearview in the South Jersey Group 3 championship game. But that was more of a blip on the radar than the beginning of a trend. Ocean City went 19-4-1 this season, including some revenge on Clearview with a 3-1 win in the sectional championship game, and made it to the Group 3 semifinals before being stopped by Moorestown. u Pirates take first title: For the first time ever, girls volleyball held a Cape-Atlantic League Tour-
nament and upstart Cedar Creek came out on top, besting teams like Oakcrest and ACIT along the way. The tournament was held at Stockton University and featured nearly a dozen teams. There may be some tweaks to the format in years to come, but coaches and players said they believe this is the start of increased interest in girls volleyball in South Jersey. u What a comeback! The Ocean City boys soccer team was trailing St. Augustine Prep late in the CAL Tournament championship, but the Red Raiders never gave up, scoring two unanswered goals to rally for a thrilling 2-1 victory in the inaugural event. u The Born Identity: The Born Power Index, which was used to determine playoff berths for football teams this season, befuddled coaches, players, fans and reporters all year long and had many teams scrambling for power points until the end of October in hopes of making the state playoffs. The system rewarded strength of schedule, and because of that a two-win Shawnee team made the postseason, and went on to win a sectional title. There were a ton of other storylines during the football season, from St. Joseph’s midseason struggles to Mainland bouncing back from a pair of 1-9 seasons to go 8-3 this year, to Holy Spirit making a run to a second state championship game in three years. Overall, it was one of the more interesting and exciting high school football seasons in recent years and should set fans up for a great 2019!
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VIC’S SUBS COVER STORY
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“He’s a football player. He understands the game, different concepts both offensively and defensively, and he has the talent to really be as good as he wants to be going forward. When you see him on film, he doesn’t stop. He likes the contact, and that’s the mindset we want this team to have. We want to be physical and we want to play all 48 minutes at a high level, and it all starts with guys like him.” Chris Sacco, Pleasantville coach (on senior RB/LB Mohamed Toure)
game wrecker Pleasantville’s Toure could dominate a high school football game on both sides of the ball By DAVE O’SULLIVAN Staff Writer hen Chris Sacco took over the Pleasantville football program a few years ago, the Greyhounds went 0-10 in his first season. But he knew that kind of misery wasn’t going to last for long, not with guys like Mohamed Toure getting after it in the weight and film rooms. Toure, Glory Days Magazine’s Football Most Valuable Player, recently wrapped up a jaw-dropping high school career by leading the Greyhounds to an 8-3 season that included their first state playoff victory in 15 years, and also landed himself a scholarship to continue his career at Rutgers University. Toure began to make a name for himself as a hardhitting sophomore linebacker, and helped Pleasantville rebound from that 0-10 season with a 4-6 mark. But he really exploded onto the scene last year, when as a junior he rushed for nearly 800 yards and nine touchdowns as the Greyhounds’ featured back and also established himself as one of the best linebackers in the West Jersey Football League. The squad went 7-3 and made it back to the state playoffs for the first time in a long while. This season, he did even better, albeit in a different role. Seeing the turnaround that was taking place, more quality athletes started joining the football program and some who had left as school choice students returned, like linebacker Ernest Howard. Being able to plug Howard into the linebacking crew allowed Sacco to move Toure from the middle to the outside and, in effect, virtually shut down one half of
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At 6-foot-2 and more than 200 pounds, Pleasantville senior Mohamed Toure was a beast on the football field during his career, whether it was as a running back or a linebacker. He helped lead the Greyhounds to an 8-3 season this fall, just three seasons after the team went 0-10. the field. The move cut down on Toure’s numbers, but allowed the unit to be more successful as a whole. Even with playing a new position, however, Toure still led the team in tackles with 69, including 40 solos and 10 tackles for loss. “He’s done a lot for us. He was a starting linebacker, rushed for a little under 1,000 yards this year, he kicks off for us. He does a lot and he’s going to be tough for us to replace, but I think he’s kind of set the tone for the younger kids, so they are excited to
try to do that. But in terms of what he’s brought to the table — I think his stats were something like 70 tackles and 10 or 11 for loss, but we lined him up on the edge a lot this year, and even when he wasn’t making tackles he was disrupting plays, blowing up blocks and really just shutting down a whole side of the field sometimes to allow other guys to go make
See Toure, page 11
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Dec. 14, 2018 w Glory Days Magazine w Page 11 Toure, from page 10 plays. I know a lot of people look at stats — and I’m not a huge stat guy — but if you put on the film and watch him, he’s clearly the best player on the football field in just about every game we played this year,” Sacco said. “We didn’t line him up in the middle this year, we put him on the edge, which kind of cuts your production in half because you’re not making plays on the other side of the field, you’re really responsible for your half of the field. We could have easily — if our defensive coordinator had his way — he would have just played defense. But he was an exceptional running back and offensive player, and as big and strong as he is, he wears teams down. We don’t like to rely on just one guy offensively, and I think he only carried the ball more than 20 times twice this year because we didn’t want to burn him out on offense. But if we lined him up in the wing-T and ran belly 35 times a game, he would have been a 2,500-yard rusher, for sure. He’s just too valuable on defense to do that.” When playing Pleasantville, opposing coaches HAD to know where Toure was at all times. Not doing so was a surefire way of collecting a game tape that was suitable for the trash can. “Just talking with coaches before we played teams, he’s obviously a guy they keyed on. But that was nice because we had other guys get a chance to step up and perform,” Sacco said. “It helps them because he’s getting a lot of the recognition in terms of having to shut him down (on offense) or run
Glory Days Magazine photo/Dave O’Sullivan
Toure was a true two-way player, racking up more than 1,000 all-purpose yards on offense while also leading the Greyhounds in tackles from his linebacker position. away from him (on defense). His stats maybe weren’t as high as some of these other guys, but he allowed other guys to be able to go and accumulate stats because of him taking on lead blockers or forcing plays outside. He was a tone-setter, and talking to coaches they definitely knew where he was at all times.”
Sacco was brought up in Hammonton, where football is king and you don’t shy away from any opponent. He wanted to bring that same ideology to Pleasantville, but you have to have the players to do it. With guys like Toure, Elijah Glover, Howard, Sahmir Jones, Jabril Shakur and others, he knew he had a group that wanted to go out and
play the best teams possible, even if they did come out with a loss. That’s why Sacco scheduled Haddonfield for Week Zero this year. The Bulldogs beat the Greyhounds and eventually finished the season as undefeated state champions, but Pleasantville gave them two of
See Toure, page 12
Page 12 w Glory Days Magazine w Dec. 14, 2018 Toure, from page 11 their toughest tests, one in the season opener and again in the South Jersey Group 2 semifinals. In the two games against Haddonfield, Toure rushed for a combined 140 yards, had 41 receiving yards and added 14 tackles. “We didn’t have to play Haddonfield this year, they weren’t originally on our schedule. But that goes back to what we talked about with these guys at the end of last year. If we want to play great teams in the playoffs, we needed to see where we were at in the regular season, and our guys wanted to play the best,” Sacco said. “I think it started with the mindset he and some of the other seniors had, the younger guys got hungry, and if you want to compete and be the best in the area, you have to play them and beat them. We played two tough games with Haddonfield — we didn’t beat them, but we played really well at times. That definitely gave us an idea about where we are as a team and what we need to fix going forward, and it’s a credit to guys like him that we were able to go out and
compete against teams like that.” For the season, Toure accumulated 1,140 all-purpose yards, and nearly all of them included some serious contact. But, Sacco said, Toure is not a guy who will ever shy away from contact on a football field. He lives for it. “He’s not going to shy away from contact and he plays through injury. He broke his hand junior year in the first game and I don’t think he missed a beat. He didn’t miss a practice, didn’t miss a carry and didn’t miss a tackle because of it, he just played through it and that’s the type of person he is. He’s a football player. He understands the game, different concepts both offensively and defensively, and he has the talent to really be as good as he wants to be going forward,” Sacco said. “When you see him on film, he doesn’t stop. He likes the contact, and that’s the mindset we want this team to have. We want to be physical and we want to play all 48 minutes at a high level, and it all starts with guys like him.” Contact Dave O’Sullivan: sully@acglorydays.com; on Twitter @GDsullysays
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OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR JADA BYERS/ST. JOSEPH
Byers did a little of everything for Wildcats From staff reports June bugs are small, quick and can cause a lot of damage. So it’s probably fitting that Jada Byers’ teammates gave the junior running back that nickname. St. Joseph’s star player, and Glory Days Magazine’s Offensive Player of the Year, has done plenty of damage throughout his varsity career and all of his talents were on display every week this season as he helped lead the Wildcats to a 10-2 mark and the team’s 20th sectional title since 1993. Byers didn’t waste any time on his quest to be the best running back in South Jersey this season, as he lit up the scoreboard with six touchdowns in St. Joseph’s season-opening 52-24 win at Hamden Hall in Connecticut. He scored on runs as close to the goal line as three yards and from as far out as 66 yards. He also piled up 267 yards. For the season, Byers rushed for 1,738 yards and scored 35 touchdowns, both school records. He found paydirt 29 times as a running back, four times as a receiver and twice returning interceptions to the house. He also had 40 tackles as a defensive back. During a victory against St. Augustine Prep early in the season, Byers scored three different ways. He threw a touchdown pass on a halfback option, scored as a running back and also returned an interception 74 yards for another score. “Jada, what I saw tonight, was unmatched,” senior lineman/linebacker Brad Lomax said following that win. “I’ve never seen anything like that on a football field. He’s the little June bug, is what we call him. He’s a great player. When you make a block, it’s always nice to see him run 60 yards down the sideline. That’s all you really need to say about Jada,
Glory Days Magazine photo/Dave O’Sullivan
St. Joseph junior running back Jada Byers scored 35 touchdowns this season while leading the Wildcats to their 20th sectional championship since 1993. he’s dominant.” Added sophomore quarterback Jayden Shertel, “He threw a touchdown pass today, he ran all over, (a touchdown) got called back, he ran this way and that way up the field. It’s like he’s playing Madden. Aside from his talent, he has awesome spirit, even in the
huddle when something is going wrong he’s always trying to keep the spirits up. He never gets down, he’s always smiling, and the talent — he can do whatever he wants.” And guess what, fans? You still have another year to watch him play in red and white!
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DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR JOE BONCZEK/ST. AUGUSTINE PREP
Bonczek a tackling machine for Hermits By DAVE O’SULLIVAN Staff Writer hen you have a junior season with more than 100 tackles as a middle linebacker, it’s not easy to replicate that kind of production. Everybody knows who you are before your senior year even starts, and teams tailor plays specifically to keep you away from making 10 tackles a game. But St. Augustine Prep’s Joe Bonczek is pretty smart and he knew that heading into the 2018 football season. He is going to Princeton, after all. He knew teams would design plays to hopefully avoid guys like himself and fellow linebackers Joey Kolonich and Shane Quast, but, then again, opponents also had to deal with beasts like Isaiah Raikes on the Hermits’ defensive line, so there really weren’t a lot of options. Bonczek studied film like he never had before and learned how to disguise what he was doing so that he could have the same kind of production this year. He did just that. Glory Days Magazine’s Defensive Player of the Year was a tackling machine this year, registering 132 stops in 11 games. Bonczek made 20 percent of the teams tackles for the season, averaging 12 per game, had nine tackles for loss, two sacks, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. In a September loss to St. Joseph, one of the best teams in South Jersey, Bonczek finished with an astounding 17 tackles. “I’ve just been able to adapt, and with the help of the coaches was able to dissect plays to where you know where they are going before they even run the play. As you watch film and study more and more as you get older, you’re able to predict more where the ball is going and that’s how you’re able to make plays. The confidence as a senior leader, too. When you’re on another team’s watch list, you know you have to bring your ‘A’ game every single day because you know they are going to bring theirs, so you have to make sure you’re more prepared than they are. When
Senior LB Joe Bonczek led a talented St. Augustine Prep defense with 132 tackles this season.
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they are keeping an eye out you have to shadow, fake some reads, give them something a little different every time,” said Bonczek, a Northfield resident. “The first big thing is film study, and technique — making sure that when you get there you can make the tackle and you’re not missing tackles. You have to make sure you can be in position to make the play, and it’s also just flying to the ball, making sure you’re on the play until the whistle blows.” When you play football at St. Augustine Prep, there are no easy games, but that’s what drew Bonczek to the school. He wanted to face the best competition every year. “It’s always great going up against the best competition. That’s when you get to prove you’re good, going up against guys like Jada Byers and E’lijah Gray, going up north and facing the big guys up there. It brings out the best in you,” he said. Just like that, Bonczek’s brilliant high school ca-
reer is over, but he has plenty more football to play when he begins suiting up for the Princeton Tigers next fall. But he’s already looking back nostagically on his high school career, and what St. Augustine Prep has meant to him. “It’s crazy, I can still remember the first day coming in as a freshman. It’s almost like I’m a whole new person. That was 40 pounds ago. I’m a lot bigger, stronger, more knowledgeable. This school has done so much to help me develop into a strong young man and great athlete, and I can’t thank them enough for that. I still don’t want to think about my high school career being over. I’ve been looking back on some film, watching old highlights and reminiscing on the old days,” Bonczek said. “This has been an amazing four years, everything this school has done for me. I can thank them enough for all the opportunities, both with football and academically, to get me where I am today.”
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OTHER OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR CANDIDATES
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Gray the engine that drives Spirit’s offense Star running back continues to churn out yards, TDs From staff reports Ever since E’lijah Gray stepped onto campus at Holy Spirit High School he was viewed as the Spartans’ next great running back. The past three years, the current junior has not disappointed in any way. The 2018 season was another sterling campaign for the bruising little running back, who stands only about 5-foot-7, but he bulked up to about 190 pounds this offseason in preparation for the pounding he would take as Holy Spirit’s featured back. Gray carried the ball 233 times and churned out 1,366 yards and 16 touchdowns, averaging nearly six yards per carry for a team that went 8-4 and made its second trip to the Non-Public Group 2 championship game in the past three years. What made Gray even more of a valuable running back was his ability to play well in some of the Spartans’ biggest games. Coming off an opening season loss at Mount St. Joseph in Baltimore, the Spartans needed a win at Eastern and Gray delivered, rushing 35 times for 247 yards and three touchdowns, one of the best games of his varsity career. That helped Spirit avoid an 0-2 start and jumpstarted the Spartans, who won four of their next five games. Gray was nearly unstoppable in the state playoffs, as he rushed for 57 yards and a touchdown in a blowout win over Morris Catholic in the opening round, then racked up 122 yards and three touchdowns on 25 carries in a muddy win over Hudson Catholic. In the sectional championship game, a 41-22 loss to St. Joseph, Gray rushed for 153 yards on 25 carries against one of the best defenses in the state. For the sea-
Glory Days Magazine photo/Dave O’Sullivan
Holy Spirit junior E’lijah Gray lived up to any and all expectations this season, rushing for 1,366 yards on 233 carries while also scoring 16 touchdowns for the Spartans, who made another trip to the NonPublic Group 2 championship game, their second in the past three years. son, he averaged 113 yards per game and also chipped in 76 receiving yards on 11 catches out of the backfield. He certainly left an impression on some of the veteran players on St. Joseph’s roster. Gray was instrumental in leading a furious Spartans comeback attempt in the the third quarter that saw Spirit close the gap to 26-22 before the Wildcats eventually pulled away after Holy Spirit quarterback Ryan Yost went down with a broken collarbone late in the third. “What a great game. Holy Spirit, wow, we were up for a little bit and they came battling back. That’s a tough
team. E’lijah Gray is a helluva player, he’s really tough to take down,” said St. Joseph senior linebacker Bobby Hyndman after the game. “They showed good resiliency. That’s a good team, you can tell they are coached well and they have a great attitude, and you know they have to have all that to come back like that.” “E’lijah Gray, he’s a helluva back. That kid has a lot of heart,” star Wildcats running back Jada Byers said of his counterpart. “We’ll see him out there again next year because he’s in the same grade as me. We text on the phone almost every day, that’s my A-1
brother right there and I just told him, ‘let’s come out here and do our thing and put on a show for these fans.’” u Ryan Yost, QB, Holy Spirit: Yost had the unenviable task of taking over for star signal caller Josh Zamot, who now is a freshman at Stony Brook University. Yost also had virtually no varsity experience, having to sit out half of last season after transferring in from Shawnee. But he adapted quickly to the starting role and put up one of the better seasons among South Jersey
See Gray, page 19
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Dec. 14, 2018 w Glory Days Magazine w Page 19 Gray, from page 18 quarterbacks. He completed nearly 60 percent of his passes (152-of-260) for 1,906 yards and also threw for 22 touchdowns against just eight interceptions. His passing yardage accounted for nearly 50 percent of Holy Spirit’s total offense for the season and he threw touchdown passes to seven different receivers. u Brandon Lashley, WR, Ocean City: Anytime fans came to Carey Stadium in Ocean City, they were wondering what Lashley would do next. The Red Raiders’ baseball star proved he’s just as talented at football, doing everything from making acrobatic catches to punting rugby style to returning interceptions for touchdowns. He returned two for scores, including one of 100-plus yards against Washington Township, and also had nearly 800 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns on offense. u Ian Aungst, QB, Ocean City: Aungst only got the chance to play one season as the Red Raiders’ starting quarterback, but he made the most of it, connecting on 142-of-278 passing attempts for 1,972 yards and 17 touchdowns. Aungst helped lead Ocean City to three straight wins to start the season, as well as a 35-0 win over Washington Township in a consolation game in November. u Jaylen DeCoteau, WR, St. Augustine Prep: Defenses had to know where this guy was at all times. He finished with 30 receptions, more than 400 yards and six TDs for the Hermits.
Glory Days Magazine photo/Dave O’Sullivan
Ocean City senior wide receiver Brandon Lashley made all kinds of acrobatic catches this season, finishing the year with nearly 800 yards while also scoring 13 touchdowns.
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OTHER DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR CANDIDATES
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Linebackers set tone for ’Stangs’ success
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DeMorat, Fraser, Pohlman helped lead Mainland back to the state playoffs By DAVE O’SULLIVAN Staff Writer here wasn’t going to be any magic formula that would rescue the Mainland Regional football program from a pair of 1-9 seasons. It was going to take varsity leaders who were willing to get in the weight room every day in the offseason, push through the pain and fatigue, watch film, make adjustments and start believing the Mustangs could be a playoff caliber program again. Senior linebackers Sonny Fraser and Drew DeMorat, and junior Brayden Pohlman, took the bull by the horns and got to work just a few days after Thanksgiving in 2017, and the result was one of the more remarkable turnarounds in South Jersey. Mainland went from 2-18 in its previous 20 games to 8-3 this year. The Stangs also won the West Jersey Football League Independence Division title, securing the crown with a gritty overtime win over rival Egg Harbor Township the night before Thanksgiving, and also made it back to the state playoffs for the first time in several years, and the first time under coach Chuck Smith, who took over a few years ago for Bob Coffey. The three linebackers worked in tandem to back up a defensive line led by senior Hector Guerrero, and combined for 164.5 tackles, including 12 sacks and 45.5 tackles for loss. Mainland won three of its first four games and held opponents in those wins to eight points or less, including a 27-0 shutout win over Absegami. Mainland also played well defensively in their three losses this year, losing just 21-14 to Cherry Hill West and 24-17 to Clearview in the regular
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Senior Drew DeMorat, along with fellow senior Sonny Fraser and junior Brayden Pohlman, helped Mainland make a return trip to the state playoffs and finish with eight wins after back-to-back 1-9 seasons. season, and 25-7 against eventual sectional champion Shawnee in the first round of the state playoffs. DeMorat racked up 78.5 tackles to lead the team, 54 of which were solos, and he had 23 TFLs and six sacks. Fraser added 58 tackles, including 36 TFLs, and Pohlman chipped in with 28 tackles and 4.5 sacks. “I saw these kids play when they were little in the (junior league) and I knew they had talent. You never anticipate going 1-9, 1-9, but those kids stepped up and played as freshmen and sophomores, and their work ethic
is what sold me on them. There was never any quit, never any relaxing, nobody was feeling sorry for themselves no matter what the score was week to week. That really showed in the offseasons, especially going from year two to three, the amount of participation numbers increased in those offseason workouts,” coach Smith said in late October. “We knew coming into the offseason that we had something special. We had most of our starters coming back and we’re a lot bigger. Everybody was in the weight room and we knew we were going to be better this year. All of
us just took out all of our anger in the weight room. We wanted to get better and stronger. Coach (Antoine) Lewis motivated us, everyone was there every week,” Pohlman added. “From the two preseason games we had, we saw we were pretty good then, and then the first game we really made a statement.” u Isaiah Raikes, DL, St. Augustine Prep: There’s a reason the Division I offers keep pouring in for Raikes, a huge defensive lineman with a mean
See Linebackers, page 21
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Dec. 14, 2018 w Glory Days Magazine w Page 21 Linebackers, from page 20 streak. Raikes, who goes about 300 pounds, was a game-wrecker all year long despite facing double and sometimes triple teams from opposing offensive lines. The big fella finished with 32 tackles and eight sacks, but, more importantly, the junior freed up linebackers like Joe Bonczek (132 tackles) and Shane Quast (78 tackles) to make some big-time plays throughout the season for the Hermits, who went 7-4 and nearly upset powerful St. Joseph-Montvale in the second round of the state playoffs. u Malachi Valentine, DL, Holy Spirit: Valentine didn’t get a whole lot of press this year, but he quietly had a really good season, racking up 58 tackles while leading the Spartans with 9.5 sacks. He anchored a defensive line that helped Holy Spirit win eight games and reach the Non-Public Group 2 championship game. u Azim Baker-Coley, LB, Holy Spirit: The reason Holy Spirit was so good on defense this year was that if opposing running backs were able to get past the defensive line, they then had to get past Baker-Coley. Not an easy task. The se-
nior led the Spartans with 73.5 tackles, including 11 TFLs, and chipped in with six sacks. He also had a fumble recovery and an interception, including a big turnover to start the second half as Spirit tried to rally against St. Joseph in the sectional championship game. u Elijah Glover, DB, Pleasantville: One of the biggest, strongest defensive backs in the West Jersey Football League, the senior and Villanova commit acted almost like a DB/LB hybrid, covering receivers but also coming up into the box to make big hits on running backs. He finished with 62 tackles, including 40 solos, and had eight TFLs. He also chipped in three sacks, three interceptions, three fumble recoveries and two forced fumbles for the Greyhounds, who went 8-3 and made it to the South Jersey Group 2 semifinals. u Darrien Dejean, LB, Oakcrest: The Falcons went 4-5 this year, but had a pretty stout defense, led by Keevon Berry and Dejean, who is still just a junior. Dejean averaged nearly 10 tackles per game, finished with 88 and added a pair of sacks. Contact Dave O’Sullivan: sully@acglorydays.com; on Twitter @GDsullysays
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Glory Days Magazine photo/Dave O’Sullivan
Elijah Glover, a senior at Pleasantville and a Villanova commit, was one of the top defensive backs in the West Jersey Football League this season, finishing with 62 tackles and three interceptions.
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FIELD HOCKEY PLAYER OF THE YEAR
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Bloomstead brought title back to Carey Stadium After a disappointing finish in 2017, Ocean City is right back where it expects to be By DAVE O’SULLIVAN Staff Writer t was a long bus ride home from Clearview Regional High School in November 2017 when the Ocean City field hockey team came up short in its bid for another South Jersey Group 3 championship, losing 1-0 to the host Pioneers. Reese Bloomstead, now a senior, remembers how it felt to come up short when at least a South Jersey title is expected every year out of the Red Raiders. “I think that really showed us that we can be beaten by other teams and we can’t come into every game thinking that just because we are Ocean City and we have that legacy, we can’t take that for granted and we had to work toward what our goals were. That was really sad. I remember I cried a lot. I hugged my best friend, Shannon (Decosta), hugged my parents and got right on the bus. I felt a lot of responsibility on my shoulders for letting the team down, which I know I shouldn’t have but that’s the way it was,” Bloomstead said. “But I worked a lot harder in the offseason to be more prepared this year. We all expected it to be a tough game against Clearview (this year) and that helped us beat them. Sometimes you have to lose to become a better team.”
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Glory Days Magazine photo/Dave O’Sullivan
Senior Reese Bloomstead scored 27 goals this year and helped lead Ocean City to another South Jersey Group 3 championship. Bloomstead took it upon herself to come back even stronger and better in 2018, and the Glory Days Magazine Field Hockey Player of the Year took the Cape-Atlantic League by storm, scoring a team-high
27 goals and tying for the team lead with 14 assists. At Ocean City, it’s championship-or-bust when it
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Dec. 14, 2018 w Glory Days Magazine w Page 23 Bloomstead, from page 22 comes to the field hockey program, but even Bloomstead said she was surprised how well the Red Raiders did considering Ocean City still had a pretty young team, as well as a second-year coach in former Eastern star Kelsey Mitchell. “We really exceeded my expectations. In the beginning of the year, we started out extremely young, which is a good sign for the coming years. By the end of the year we really became a team. We started working together early in the year and that really benefited us in the end,” she said. “Winning this year proved a point to us that we could win it again, and to everyone who doubted us because we did lose last year. We were still a young team last year with new coaches, but we really pushed ourselves to the limit this year, even in nonconference games in the middle of the year, which really got us more prepared for the Clearview game. I feel like our defense this year was very strong. It was hard for fast forwards to get past our backs, and Sophia Ruh, who is a sophomore, really stepped up and surprised everyone.” The Red Raiders went 19-4-1 this year, with their only losses coming against state powers such as West Essex, Oak Knoll, Bishop Eustace and Moorestown. Ocean City also exacted some revenge on Clearview, beating the Pioneers this time around in the sectional championship to bring the trophy back to Ocean City. A big reason for that was the leadership of players
After a 14-8 season in 2017, Bloomstead and the Red Raiders rebounded this year to go 19-4-1 and win another South Jersey title. Glory Days Magazine photo/Dave O’Sullivan
like Bloomstead. “It was obviously and honor and a compliment that the girls knew I would be there to help if they needed it,” Bloomstead said. “Toward the end of the season, everyone became more confident on the ball, which was nice. I was glad the team could rely on me, but I was also happy they could rely on each other and have trust in all the girls on the team.” Bloomstead still has a spring lacrosse season before she graduates and moves on to play Division I field hockey at Monmouth University, and said she’ll have plenty of memories to take with her. “I definitely have a lot of good memories. One of
the best ones was beating Clearview this year, and also last year when we had to play Mainland for the third time that season in the South Jersey Group 3 final. One of their forwards was going for her 100th goal and we were like, ‘no way. We can’t let a goal go in and have them stop the game to reward that,’” she said. “One of the lessons I’ll take with me is managing my time correctly, and a sense of responsibility. And also being confident in myself. Last year, when I was a captain, I would be afraid to say anything for fear of overshadowing the seniors. But one of our coaches was like, ‘just talk, you can’t be afraid to say something.’”
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OTHER FIELD HOCKEY PLAYER OF THE YEAR CANDIDATES
Santiago, Spector sparkplugs for Mainland From staff reports If you want to keep pace with powerful Ocean City in the Cape-Atlantic League’s American Conference, you better have some experienced players on offense who can make things happen and find the back of the cage. Mainland had a pair of players who were up to the challenge and helped lead the Mustangs to a 13-6 record, including 10-4 in the CAL American, second behind the rival Red Raiders. Robin Spector led the way with 12 goals and five assists, and Gab Santiago (pictured at right) added five goals and an assist, but more important than the numbers were the presence an experience these players had that helped the Mustangs stay in contention for league and South Jersey titles. u Tori Wilson, Cedar Creek: The senior saved her best for last, leading the Pirates with 15 goals and adding 12 assists while helping Creek to perhaps its best season ever (13-4-2). u Liz Picardi, Absegami: The Braves finished two games under .500, but Picardi was one of the toughest goalies in the Cape-Atlantic League. She finished this year with more than 200 saves in 20 games and also posted six shutouts.
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BOYS SOCCER CO-PLAYERS OF THE YEAR
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MATT BROOK/OCEAN CITY; JACK SARKOS/MAINLAND REGIONAL
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Brook, Sarkos were the heartbeats of their programs Pair of seniors raised the bar for what it means to be the Cape-Atlantic League’s best By DAVE O’SULLIVAN Staff Writer he best thing about Matt Brook’s high school soccer career being over is that he will never again have to try to stop Mainland Regional star Jack Sarkos from scoring. Conversely, Sarkos is probably just as happy not having to go up against a Brook-led Ocean City team ever again. The two seniors will forever be linked as their rival teams did battle throughout their four years, and each had a great senior year that will leave their respective teams some pretty big shoes to fill in 2019. For that reason, Brook and Sarkos are Glory Days Magazine’s Boys Soccer Co-Players of the Year. Sarkos, one of the top strikers in the state and a Lehigh University commit, helped lead Mainland to its first state championship game last year as a junior, and this year returned as one of only a couple of players with any substantial varsity experience, as the Mustangs were hit hard by graduation. Every opponent knew it had to shut Sarkos down in order to have a chance to beat Mainland, but even with all that
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Mainland’s Jack Sarkos followed up a tremendous junior season with an equally impressive senior year and finished as the school’s all-time leading scorer. attention, not many teams were successful at keeping him off the scoresheet. He scored 23 goals, giving him a school-record 74 for his career, and also dished out nine assists for a Mainland team that went 14-7
overall and finished just one game behind Ocean City in the CAL National Conference standings. In his final two seasons, Sarkos racked up 49 goals and 17 assists. “I remember freshman year hearing about how they had a really good freshman on varsity, then learning about him and each year playing against each other more and more. He’s very good. I feel like whenever we played Mainland, we were the matchup and our names were together a lot. We got to play together in an all-star game, which was fun,” Brook said. “He has a really high soccer IQ and his movements, both on and off the ball, were really good. He knew what to do, was experienced, and he was really good at getting in behind the defense and using his body to control the ball, and his finishing is really good, too. He’s the toughest striker we faced. The game plan always was ‘defend Sarkos.’ We didn’t one-v.-one mark him, but we told the defense we had to communicate and there always had to be one player near him, on his back the whole time, and we would help each other out. We thought we did a good job the first game (this year) but the second time we played them he scored. You just always have to be in his back pocket and not let him get the ball.” Brook didn’t have quite the gaudy numbers that
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Dec. 14, 2018 w Glory Days Magazine w Page 27 Heartbeats, from page 26 Sarkos produced because he was moved from striker back to center midfielder to help solidify Ocean City’s lineup. But coach Aaron Bogushefsky said that was what made Brook so special, not only could Bogey put Brook anywhere he wanted, but he also knew that Brook would never complain and would give 100 percent and do whatever it took to help the Red Raiders win. And win, they did. Ocean City went 15-5-1, won the CAL National title and also took home the crown in the inaugural CAL Tournament, coming from behind to beat top-seeded St. Augustine Prep 2-1 on a pair of John Lindsay goals, one of which was set up on a beautiful set piece from 40 yards out by Brook. “The first time we played them it was at the Philadelphia Union stadium and they won, 2-0, but it was a really close game. The second time, we knew how they played and we knew what we needed to do. We came out slow to start but then we started picking it up. They had kind of a fluke goal and we were like, ‘we’re not losing off of that.’ So we huddled up at halftime and talked about what we needed to do. John (Lindsay) just came out of nowhere with some clutch goals. Once we tied it, they just kept saying we were trying to push the game into PKs but we weren’t trying to do that, and we scored another on them,” Brook said. “I was just trying to find someone’s head. Our set pieces were really good this year and we could really connect with each other, so I was just trying to get the ball into the box because we have some guys who are good at heading the ball, and it just happened to fall perfectly.
“We thought what better time to win it than the first time, and we just played how we know how to play.” Brook, who likely is headed to Arcadia University, spent much of his career as a striker but said he wasn’t sure what kind of role he might have coming into his senior season. It didn’t matter to him, though, as long as he was in the lineup and helping his team succeed. “I wasn’t really sure where I was going to get put, but Bogey felt like we needed to fill some spots in the midfield. I never played midfield before, but he thought I could do it and I felt like I fit in really well there, controlling the middle of the field. I played center back up until eighth grade, then was a striker freshman through junior years. I’ve always been very unselfish and whenever somebody would ask what my best attribute was, Bogey would always say my passing. He thought playing center mid would really open things up for me. I’ve been playing with most of these guys since third grade, I knew how everyone played, and it just flowed really well,” said Brook, who scored seven goals and added nine assists this year, and finished with 34/19 for his career. “I don’t need a lot of stats, it’s all about the team, so I was up for whatever. We thought this was going to be our year and we thought we didn’t have any bad weaknesses that would take away from our game. As a whole, we thought we were pretty strong and played well together. It didn’t turn out the way we wanted it to (in the end) but we still had a great season.” Contact Dave O’Sullivan: sully@acglorydays.com; on Twitter @GDsullysays
Check out our great photos at glorydaysonline.smugmug.com
Glory Days Magazine photo/Dave O’Sullivan
Senior center midfielder Matt Brook helped lead Ocean City to 15 wins this season, including a Cape-Atlantic League National Conference title and the championship trophy in the inaugural CAL Tournament.
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OTHER BOYS SOCCER PLAYER OF THE YEAR CANDIDATES
Teams have to game plan around Oakcrest’s Paz From staff reports Opposing teams aren’t real fond of traveling to Oakcrest to play the Falcons on their home turf, and that’s because Oakcrest plays an aggressive style of soccer that is both physically and mentally draining for opponents. The Falcons also can put the ball in the back of the net, especially their leading scorer, Gabe Paz. A true “No. 10” as they say in soccer (it’s a tradition in many countries that No. 10 is reserved for the national team’s most potent playmaker), opposing coaches always had to know where Paz was because he has the talent and breakaway speed to score at any time. Paz led the Falcons with 15 goals this season and also chipped in eight assists, best on the team. u Kevin Witkowski, St. Augustine Prep: A tough, hard-nosed midfielder, Witkowski led the Hermits with 12 goals and also helped them post 17 wins, most in the Cape-Atlantic League. u Jacob Evenson, Egg Harbor Township: The senior midfielder scored six goals and added four assists, but his real value was in his consistency and leadership. He was one of the most relentless midfielders in the league all year long.
Oakcrest junior Gabe Paz was one of the most potent scoring threats in the Cape-Atlantic League this season, finishing with 15 goals and eight assists. For his career, he now has 45 goals and 16 assists. Glory Days Magazine photo/ Dave O’Sullivan
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GIRLS SOCCER PLAYER OF THE YEAR ALIVIA HANDSON/MAINLAND REGIONAL
Handson led the charge as Stangs reached new heights Mainland quickly becoming one of South Jersey’s best soccer programs By DAVE O’SULLIVAN Staff Writer few years ago, Mainland Regional was a pretty good girls soccer program, a team that could certainly hold its own in the Cape-Atlantic League and was a pretty good bet to at least make the state playoffs. These days, the Mustangs are the best team in the league and a threat to win a South Jersey title every year, and that’s because talented players such as Alivia Handson have helped raise not only the level of play, but expectations. Handson, Glory Days Magazine’s Girls Soccer Player of the Year, was one of the best defenders in the state this season and helped lead Mainland to an 18-4-1 record that included a championship in the inaugural CapeAtlantic League Tournament and a run to the South Jersey Group 3 semifinals, where the Mustangs eventually were upset by Toms River South on a late goal. Early in the season, coach Alex Weidman pushed Handson up more to try to create an offensive spark, and she delivered, then freshman Camryn Dirkes came on strong in late October, which allowed Handson to hang back and help solidify one of the best defenses in South Jersey. “I think this was our best year yet out of my four years. We worked really well on and off the field, and I think knowing our players really helped. We knew our strengths and weaknesses. We worked a lot on our offense because our defense was already pretty strong, and I think that helped make our attack
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stronger this year. I’ve been starting on defense since my freshman year, but they’ll push me up sometimes. I come up for corner kicks because I’m very aggressive, and when we needed a goal I knew I could get one if I wanted it enough. Coach Weidman would push me up there and I would do my best to put one into the back of the net,” Handson said. “Our freshman, Camryn Dirkes, we’re actually really close and I worked a lot with her over the summer. She originally started out on defense before they moved her to midfield. She just started attacking the net and that allowed me to focus on defense. She really stepped up when we needed that energy and drive toward the goal.” The season was highlighted by three wins over rival Ocean City. The teams played nearly 300 minutes of soccer with only two goals scored, and Mainland beat the Red Raiders in a shootout to win the league tournament title. “There was definitely a lot of passion in that game because they know us and we know them, and it was our third time playing them this season. They really wanted it because we only scored one goal to beat them (each of the previous two times). The pushed Delaney (Lappin) up so that put a lot of pressure on us, so we just tried to hold it down and when it came down to the shootout we were able to capitalize, and we won. It was very exciting,” Handson said. “I was the fifth shooter, so I didn’t end up going, which was a little sad because I wanted to put one in, too. We hadn’t played Ocean City — they hadn’t been in our division since my freshman year — but I knew we were a strong team and when it came down to it, we were able to beat them when we needed to. This was our fourth year winning the CAL (conference title) and the first CAL Tournament, and it was just awesome. I couldn’t have asked for more from my teammates and coaches.”
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OTHER GIRLS SOCCER PLAYER OF THE YEAR CANDIDATES
Rolls rebounded well from injury plagued junior year From staff reports Tori Rolls expected to be a key offensive contributor to the Ocean City girls soccer team in 2017, especially coming off a sophomore year in which she scored 16 goals, but she suffered a season-ending injury in the first game. She got back out on the pitch this year and became one of the most dynamic scoring threats in the Cape-Atlantic League, leading the Red Raiders to 14 wins and a berth in the inaugural CapeAtlantic League Tournament championship. Rolls (pictured above) combined speed with a knack for finishing, and although her goal totals were down due to a lot of double coverage in the offensive third, she finished the season with a career-high 10 assists and opened things up for teammates such as Delaney Lappin and Summer Reimet to have outstanding seasons. She finished her career with more than 30 goals and also had 14 assists. u Christine Napoli, Mainland Regional: Napoli was essentially the
quarterback for the Mainland offense from her center midfielder position, directing one of the most fluid and potent scoring attacks in South Jersey. She can beat just about any defender one-v.-one and finished her career with 25 goals and 19 assists while leading Mainland to 18 wins, a division championship, a CAL title and a berth in the sectional semis. u Brielle Smith, Oakcrest: Smith has been perhaps the best goalie in South Jersey throughout her career, and this year was no different. She finished with 208 saves this year and had more than 800 in her four-year varsity career. u Nicole Danz, Egg Harbor Township: The sophomore led the Eagles with nine goals and six assists and helped lead EHT to a CAL American championship. u Faith Slimmer, Ocean City: Slimmer followed up a breakout freshman season with a sophomore year that included 14 goals and 12 assists. She now has 35 goals and 20 assists just halfway through her career.
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Dec. 14, 2018 w Glory Days Magazine w Page 33 Midfielder Christine Napoli had an outstanding season for Mainland, leading the Mustangs to Cape-Atlantic League National Conference and tournament titles. Glory Days Magazine photo/Dave O’Sullivan
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BOYS CROSS COUNTRY RUNNER OF THE YEAR KEVIN ANTCZAK/MAINLAND REGIONAL
Antczak ran with plenty of determination, purpose Mainland star kept chasing down opponents, PRs By DAVE O’SULLIVAN Staff Writer hen Mainland Regional junior Kevin Antczak ran a blistering 15:16.85 to win the Cape-Atlantic League Championships relatively easy in late October, he wasn’t overly excited. This was just the first step on a journey he hoped would lead to an overall NJSIAA Meet of Champions title. That was the level of focus and determination the junior had this year, and no doubt finishing eighth in the state will fuel his hunger even more this offseason as he prepares for what should be an outstanding senior campaign. A season of high notes began with a shocking win by the Mustangs, and, of course, Antczak led the way. In early September, Mainland took down Ocean City, ending the Red Raiders’ 94-meet winning streak and handing Ocean City its first Cape-Atlantic League loss since Atlantic City beat the Red Raiders in the 2008 season. The win also was significant in that it gave Mainland coach Dan Heyman his 200th career victory. Antczak posted a time of 16:46 in that race, and teammates Artur Menesez and Antczak’s older brother, Kyle, also finished in the top five to lead Mainland to a 25-31 win. “We realized it, but in the end it’s just a regular dual meet and doesn’t really mean anything,” Kevin Antczak said following that big victory. “But we’re still proud we got the win, and hopefully we can stay undefeated this season. We really grinded this summer, and we’re not at our highest yet, that will take a couple more weeks.”
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There was plenty more to come from Glory Days Magazine’s Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year, and choosing Antczak for this honor was one of the easier ones of all the fall sports. He completely dominated the Cape-Atlantic League, as he proved by winning the league championship by 30 seconds over EHT star Gobi Thurairajah. Antczak ended up running a PR that day at the Millville Soccer Association complex. “I just felt good. I took it early on and just kept picking it up. I was able to handle (the course). I was just thinking about placing, I didn’t think I was going to PR,” he said. “I had no clue (where Gobi was), I just knew nobody was near me and I kept trying to build that gap.” But Antczak didn’t take much time to revel in his victory. He was already focused on the rest of championship season. “I’m focused on sectionals, states, MOC, Foot Locker. I feel good. I haven’t personally toned down the miles yet, but this was a good win and I’m looking for good times to come,” he said. “Obviously toning down my mileage a little bit and just to get there mentally. I just have to convince myself that I can beat these people I’ll be going up against. It’s a lot of pressure when nothing other than first is bad.” Antczak continued to stay hot, winning the Group 3 South championship the following week. He averaged a 5:08 mile and clocked in at 15:58.28 at Delsea Regional High School, and then scored a top 20 finish at the group championships to punch his ticket to the Meet of Champions. There, at Holmdel Park, he ran a 16:01 to finish eighth, just 25 seconds out of first place. Contact Dave O’Sullivan: sully@acglorydays.com; on Twitter @GDsullysays
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OTHER BOYS CROSS COUNTRY RUNNER OF THE YEAR CANDIDATES
EHT’s Gobi continued to prove he’s one of best in Cape-Atlantic League Egg Harbor Township senior Gobi Thurairajah began to make a name for himself on the cross country circuit a few years ago and continued to progress until he became one of the top runners in the Cape-Atlantic League the past two seasons. He finished second at the league championships this year, clocking in at 15:46.71, just 30 seconds behind Mainland Regional’s Kevin Antczak. He then clocked in at 16:25.11 to finish ninth at the Group 4 South sectional at Delsea Regional, and was the only CAL runner to finish in the top 25 of that race. Gobi continued to impress during championship season when the following week he scored a top 25 finish at the group championship. u Anthony Conte, Ocean City: There’s a reason the Red Raiders annually are one of the best teams in South Jersey, and it’s because they keep churning out runners like Conte, a junior. Conte was right there in the thick of things at the CAL championships in Millville in October, finishing third behind Antczak and Thurairajah, clocking in at 15:50.67. He followed that up with a silver medal at the Group 3 South championships, finishing just 14 seconds behind Antczak, then took 26th overall in Group 3 by clocking a 17:17.00 at Holmdel Park. u Artur Menesez, Mainland Regional: To have a special cross country season, it takes talent, but also senior leadership, and that’s what Menesez brought to the Mustangs. In September, he helped Mainland snap Ocean City’s 94-meet win streak in the CAL, then placed fourth overall at the league meet in Millville. The senior followed that up by taking 11th at sectionals and clocking 18 minutes flat to finish up his season at the Group 3 championships.
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GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY RUNNER OF THE YEAR OLIVIA SHAFER/EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP
Shafer overcame injury as sophomore to dominate the Cape-Atlantic League in ’18 By DAVE O’SULLIVAN Staff Writer f it seems as though Egg Harbor Township junior Olivia Shafer burst onto the cross country scene out of nowhere this fall, well, she sort of did. Shafer dealt with injuries throughout her sophomore campaign and wasn’t much of a factor during championship season, but this year’s Glory Days Magazine Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year made up for it in a big way in 2018. Shafer started her championship season with a win at the Atlantic County Championships at Stockton University, then scored a gutsy win over Ocean City sophomore Alexa Palmieri at the Cape-Atlantic League Championships in Millville, edging Palmieri by just five seconds at the Millville Soccer Association complex. It was a tough course with some long hills, but Shafer nearly broke the 18-minute mark, clocking in at 18:00.97. “I went out more conservatively than I did last week. It was great that Alexa Palmieri was pushing me the whole race. I didn’t realize what my time was until I crossed the line, but I felt fantastic today. It is a tough course and the footing was bad in the beginning, but toward the end I was just so focused that I didn’t really pay attention to the ground too much. The course was tough, though, especially the hills. I thought I had a pretty good shot at getting first or second, but I wasn’t sure because Palmieri is an awesome runner. I knew it would be really close and I’m happy with how it turned out,” Shafer said at the CALs, which were a week after the county meet. “It’s fantastic being able to get a CAL championship because last year I wasn’t able to compete as well because I was injured. It’s such a great feeling. I felt
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amazing on the last home stretch and just went for it. The first half mile was tough because of the hill, and at about the mile mark with that same hill, and there were a couple hills in the field where all the trees were. I thought it was a pretty tough course.” Shafer stayed hot throughout November and ultimately ended her season at the NJSIAA Meet of Champions after finishing seventh at the Group 4 South meet and 22nd at the overall Group 4 championships; something that didn’t surprise Joe Lucchio, one of EHT’s cross country coaches. “She’s worked hard since June and has overcome a lot of adversity. She really bought into the training and never questioned the coaches. It’s all hard work. She’s very race-savvy. She knows how to race and comes from a great race family — her older sister, Abby, was a great runner, a county champion — and Olivia has definitely come out of her shadow. She’s the sweetest girl, the most polite runner you’ll ever meet, and she doesn’t think about things like (trophies),” he said after the CAL Championships. “What really makes Olivia special is it’s not really about winning or times, it’s about pushing herself to the limit, seeing how fast she can run and doing her best. Getting the win is really special, but what I saw today is she pushed herself harder than she ever has, no doubt about it. As a coach, when you see that happen at this meet, that’s the most rewarding thing. Alexa is such a great runner, she beat Olivia twice this year, and Olivia was a little behind at the start today but she didn’t panic. She stayed within herself and didn’t worry about anybody else in the race. It was probably one of the most impressive races I’ve ever coached.”
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OTHER GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY RUNNER OF THE YEAR CANDIDATES
Palmieri quickly becoming one of best in South Jersey One of the toughest things for any cross country runners to realize is that there is somebody hot on their heels. If Egg Harbor Township junior Olivia Shafer hopes to repeat as Cape-Atlantic League champion in 2019, she’s going to have to contend with current Ocean City sophomore Alexa Palmieri. Palmieri (pictured below) began making a name for herself as a rookie last year, and this fall has cemented herself as one of the top runners in the league, following in the footsteps of former teammate Alexa Weber, who graduated in 2018. Palmieri was just five seconds off Shafer’s pace at CALs in Millville in late October, clocking in at 18:05.96. She did get a championship of her own, however, the following week, taking the No. 1 spot at the Group 3 South championships at Delsea, beating out two other runners as well as a pair of her own teammates. At the Group 3 championships at Holmdel Park, Palmieri scored a top 15 finish when she placed 12th overall with a time of 20:01. u Rebecca Millar and Casey McLees, Ocean City: This pair of juniors is a big reason why the Red Raiders are one of the top cross country teams in all of South
Jersey. They helped lead Ocean City to an undefeated CAL season, another Cape May County championship, a third-place finish at the Manhattan Invitational and team titles in the CAL and Group 3 South races. Ocean City also took fourth overall in Group 3. Millar and McLees finished fourth and fifth, respectively, at CALs, and finished in the exact same positions at the Group 3 South championships at Delsea. At the Group 3 meet at Holmdel Park, Millar finished 25th overall. u Alyssa Turner, Mainland Regional: It’s not easy following in the footsteps of two-time Meet of Champions winner Alyssa Aldridge, even if you do have the same first name. But Turner should be a runner to watch for years to come, as she’s just a freshman but quickly got used to top finishes during the 2018 championship season. She took third at CALs behind Shafer and Palmieri, sixth at sectionals and 17th at groups (including being the fourth freshman overall). u Raelynne Miller, Millville: The senior has been one of the most consistent runners in the CAL throughout her career, and this year she took sixth overall, clocking in at 19:02.15 at the league championships. She also scored a top 25 finish at a very tough Group 4 South sectional race.
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GIRLS VOLLEYBALL PLAYER OF THE YEAR ALEXANDRIA ZAREMBA/CEDAR CREEK
Zaremba setting Pirates up for future Senior setter helped Cedar Creek put together its best season ever By DAVE O’SULLIVAN Staff Writer n the long run, Alexandria Zaremba hopes to be known as a successful businesswoman. In the next few years, however, she’ll likely be looked at as one of the players who helped put Cedar Creek girls volleyball on the map. The program was only in its sixth year this fall and had a few good seasons, but nothing compared to this season when the Pirates went 13-8, made the state playoffs and shocked the Cape-Atlantic League by winning the league’s inaugural Tournament. The Pirates took down Oakcrest in the semifinals, then beat a very talented ACIT team to win the championship. “That was really cool. I don’t think we even expected to be in the finals, but all of a sudden we started winning. It was amazing,” said Zaremba, a senior. “It felt great to show everybody that just because we are a small school and we only started six years ago, we’re still here for a fight and we have girls who will work hard for what we want. Some of the other schools have had volleyball for longer than us and we knew it was going to be a tough challenge to go in and win that, but we pushed through and handled it one point at a time.” Zaremba, Glory Days Magazine’s Girls Volleyball Player of the Year, was right in the middle of all the Pirates’ success as perhaps the best setter in the league. She finished the year with 302 assists, but that was only part of what made her so valuable to the Pirates. She was also an outstanding server, scoring 91 service points — including 33 aces — and also had 15 kills and 77 digs. She even had two blocks, which is no small feat for one of the shortest players in the league. “I thought we would have a good season. We had really strong players this year and girls who really wanted to put their heart into it. I knew we could go pretty far,” Zaremba said. “When I was 14 years old I was the shortest one, and my team was like, ‘you’re 5-foot-1, you can be the setter. Try it out.’ And from there I just started training and working at it. It took a good three months (before I got comfortable with it). I remember crying at my first tournament when I was 14 years old because I was getting called for a double (hit) every other set. But I had this weird obsession where I would research everything about volleyball
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Senior setter Alexandria Zaremba finished the year with more than 300 assists and helped lead Cedar Creek to the inaugural Cape-Atlantic League girls volleyball tournament title. so I could learn all the rules and know how to play. I wanted to know what I was doing.” Zaremba said she and her teammates knew this was going to be a pretty good season inside the Pirates’ gymnasium. “This year was definitely one of my best years. I really grew as a player and I had my coaches and my teammates to back me up with my decisions and what plays we should run. This year was a great year overall, and I felt confident with my sets,” she said. “I felt a lot more confident because I was the only setter, so I was like, ‘OK, this is my time to shine.’ Everyone was following my decisions, so I wanted to make this year the best this school has seen. It was definitely stressful, but I would walk into every match with the mindset that I was the best one in the room and that nobody was better at setting than me. I had the mindset that if I messed up, it was next point, just keep going. Push
for another point and keep going. Even when you are down you just have to know that your teammates are supporting you and they all have your back and I knew they wouldn’t be mad at me (if I didn’t play well). That kept me going.” In less than a year Zaremba will be off to college, and she’ll look back fondly on her high school career, she said. “The best thing about my career is by far the friendships and the family that I made,” Zaremba said. “I understood playing at Cedar Creek what a real team is supposed to be like, and that means more to me than anything. They always have your back, and I knew if I was having a rough day, or if somebody else was, we could reach out to each other and that shows what a team should be like.” Contact Dave O’Sullivan: sully@acglorydays.com; on Twitter @GDsullysays
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OTHER GIRLS VOLLEYBALL PLAYER OF THE YEAR CANDIDATES
Alves a force at the net for Oakcrest Senior finished with 128 kills while leading the Falcons to 14 victories From staff reports Ionyonia Alves’ name is certainly unique, as was her ability to finish around the net this year in leading Oakcrest to a 14-5 record. The senior was one of the most feared front-line players in the Cape-Atlantic League, and for good reason. She led the Falcons with 128 kills this season, and also was a factor from the service line, where she contributed 25 aces. What made her even more valuable is that teams struggled to score against Oakcrest when she was in the lineup, seemingly only having success when she was subbed out as part of the rotation. The Falcons will be hardpressed to replace her offensive and defensive contributions next year. u Isabelle Felix, ACIT: The RedHawks had a very balanced and talented lineup this year, as evidenced by their 17-7 record, with players such as Alix Proctor, Samantha Dangler and Brooke Armitage. Fe-
lix may have been the most valuable player in the lineup because of all that she can do on the floor. She finished the year with a teamleading 104 kills and was second on the team with 30 aces. She also was an adept defensive player, finishing with 119 digs, which was third on the team. u Kailyn Fortis, Absegami: The Braves had another solid year and Fortis was right in the middle of the action, setting up her teammates with 309 assists while also contributing 11 kills and 36 digs. u Nina Casselberry, Cedar Creek: Not only did Casselberry fill up the stat sheet, she also helped lead the Pirates to a championship in the inaugural Cape-Atlantic League Tournament. Casselberry was hugely versatile, racking up 153 kills, 11 assists and 94 service points (including 39 aces) on offense, but also contributing 15 blocks and 76 digs on defense. u Yancely Hernandez, Pleasantville: Hernandez did just about Glory Days Magazine photo/Dave O’Sullivan everything Pleasantville could have Ionyonia Alves was one of the most feared front-line players in the asked this year, finishing with 19 aces, 111 service points, 141 kills, Cape-Atlantic League, finishing with 128 kills while leading Oakcrest to a 14-5 record. She also chipped in 25 aces and 46 digs. 34 assists, 26 blocks and 77 digs.
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GIRLS TENNIS PLAYER OF THE YEAR
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EMILY MANZO/EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP
Creek’s Tigrado gives a glimpse of what’s to come
Glory Days Magazine photos/Dave O’Sullivan
Egg Harbor Township senior Emily Manzo finished off her high school tennis career in style, racking up more than 100 career wins and her first Cape-Atlantic League individual championship.
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OTHER GIRLS TENNIS PLAYER OF THE YEAR CANDIDATES
Manzo closed out her brilliant EHT tennis career as a league champion By DAVE O’SULLIVAN Staff Writer gg Harbor Township’s Emily Manzo had just about everything a high school tennis player could want by her senior year; three years as the No. 1 singles player, on track to finish with more than 100 victories and a chance to lead her team to a fourth straight sectional championship match. Just one thing was missing: an individual Cape-Atlantic League title. Manzo had the misfortune of playing the bulk of her career against Vineland ace Tess Fisher, the 2017 New Jersey state champion and one of the best the state has ever seen. Manzo faced Fisher 11 times in her career, and went 0-11, including twice in the CAL final. But with Fisher graduating last
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spring, Manzo had one shot to finish her career as a league champ, and she took advantage, besting outstanding Cedar Creek sophomore Charise Tigrado in the title match after a tough semifinal matchup with Morgan Grimmie of Holy Spirit. But even with 104 wins, a league champion trophy and all her other accolades, Manzo kept talking about her teammates during an interview for a recent Glory Days Magazine cover story. “I think that was something that really helped us make it to four straight South Jersey finals. Our team was so strong because it was more about the team than about ourselves. It was important for it to not be all about me,” she said. “Ever since I was young, playing tennis in tournaments and stuff, it’s always just been myself, so it was really nice to have teammates and other people to support.” It’s easy to see why Manzo became one of coach Alene Hartman’s favorites during her careeer.
Cedar Creek’s Charisse Tigrado is just a sophomore, but she proved this fall she’s ready for the best competition South Jersey has to offer. She helped lead the Pirates to a 19-2 record as Cedar Creek’s top singles player, including a run to the South Jersey Group 2 final with wins over Pinelands, Sterling and Seneca before the Pirates were stopped by top-seeded Haddonfield, 4-1, in the championship match. She scored the team’s only point in that match, beating Haddonfield’s Molly Parks in straight sets. Tigrado also advanced all the way to the Cape-Atlantic League championship match before falling to EHT’s Emily Manzo. u Morgan Grimmie, Holy Spirit: Grimmie (pictured below) has been one of the top players in the Cape-Atlantic League for three years and helped lead the Spartans to a divisional championship this year while also making her way into the CAL semifinals before falling to Manzo. She certainly will be one of the contenders for the title next year as a senior. u Jenna Crawford, Cedar Creek: The freshman helped Cedar Creek to 19 team wins and gave Manzo all she could handle in the CAL quarterfinals. Expect her to be in the mix for a league title in 2019. u Gaby Guimapang, EHT: The senior capped off her career by making it to the CAL doubles championship for the third year in a row and also helped lead the Eagles to appearances in four straight sectional title matches during her career.