Page 2 w Glory Days Magazine w Dec. 21, 2018
ABOUT THE COVER
Kylee Watson, who is now a junior at Mainland Regional, began receiving bigtime media coverage before she even stepped onto the court her freshman year. She was coming off a Belhaven Middle School career in which she scored more than 1,000 points in two years and was projected to be one of the best players in South Jersey, even as a freshman. That’s a lot of hype to put onto the shoulders of a 14-year-old, even if she was about 6-foot-1 at the time. But Watson has handled all the attention like a pro, which she might very well be one day. Her level of maturity is extremely uncommon among teenage athletes, and she is always accommodating when it comes to media requests or little girls in the area who want a picture taken with her after another Mustangs win. It’s hard to believe that Watson is only halfway through her career, as she scored her 1,000th high school point in the first game of her junior year. She has a long way to go before she graduates and is learning new things every day, but so far she has been everything Mainland could have asked for. — 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.
gar. ore in of
ell htle in. ed
ry
er
ry gn
M
Su ge th
u
en ev we wi on th Ci Re an To
u
th on th Ra
g
Dec. 21, 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 What a way to start!: The Ocean City PBA Tipoff Week-
end showcase event has become one of the top season-opening events in the state, and it didn’t disappoint again this year as the weekend featured a host of great matchups and was capped off with a thriller, as Atlantic City outlasted host Ocean City 63-58 on Sunday night. The event featured some of the best teams in the Cape-Atlantic League, such as St. Augustine Prep, Atlantic City, Ocean City and Holy Spirit on the boys side and Mainland Regional and Ocean City on the girls side. It also had some upand-coming teams, like the Pleasantville boys and Egg Harbor Township girls. u A new top team?: Don’t look now, but Ocean City’s reign as the top girls swimming team in the CAL might be over, or at least on a slight hiatus, as Egg Harbor Township is quickly becoming the dominant team. The Eagles scored a 90-80 win over the Red Raiders, beating them for the second straight season.
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.
Page 6 w Glory Days Magazine w Dec. 21, 2018
NATIONAL SIGNING DAY
Vi
’Ville football, track stars draw a crowd Four players signing Division I letters of intent shows strength programs have gained in recent years By DAVE O’SULLIVAN Staff Writer uring the past four years, a lot has changed for Pleasantville football coach Chris Sacco. He’s added a couple of kids to his family, and his football family also has begun to grow and prosper. When Sacco took over prior to the 2015 season, the Greyhounds were in the midst of a long losing streak, and in his first season that continued, as they went 0-10. Pleasantville wasn’t even much of a destination for fans on Friday nights, much less college recruiters. But Sacco and his staff, and the group of freshmen he had back in 2015, set to work on changing everything about Pleasantville football, from the uniforms to the attitudes of fans and opponents, the offseason condition programs — everything. The fruits of their labor was realized in the school’s library on Dec. 19 when a National Signing Day ceremony was held for seniors Mohamed Toure, Jabril Shakur, Sahmir Jones and Elijah Glover, the players who have been instrumental in rebuilding the Greyhounds’ football and track teams and making them state championship contenders. Toure (Rutgers), Shakur (Monmouth) and Glover (Villanova) all signed Division I football scholarships, while Jones, the quarterback, signed a D-I scholarship to run track
D
Glory Days Magazine photos/Dave O’Sullivan
Pleasantville athletes Mohamed Toure, Jabril Shakur, Elijah Glover and Sahmir Jones signed their National Letters of Intent on Dec. 19; Toure, Shakur and Glover for football and Jones for track. They are pictured with Greyhounds football coach Chris Sacco. at Boston University. The ceremony drew a huge crowd of friends, family and faculty, and even some younger athletes who came over from Middle School of Pleasantville, some of whom might be sitting in those very chairs in just a few years. “This means a lot, just to know that you can come from Pleasantville (and get this kind of attention.)
We were counted out so many times but we just persevered, and this will be good for the youth to see guys in college representing our town. Since I came here, our football team has been really good and (in
See Ville, page 7
tra wa the se lan fre the ou ou yo gr ers tog A we the 8se Oc the “ I-d ars ag Fr wo mo tru sa sh to the the so T Pl hit an an of in he So the the as se “ alu mi co let the an — Dwa the
d
an
ed es
eree me (in
e7
Dec. 21, 2018 w Glory Days Magazine w Page 7 Ville, from page 6 track) we won a state championship, so we just want to improve from here,” said Jones, who led the football team to 15 wins in his two varsity seasons after transferring back home from Mainland, where he was a choice school student his freshmen and sophomore years. “This means that the community is really rooting for us and has our backs, and we want to help them put a name out there for Pleasantville and help some of the younger kids get to where we are today. It’s a great feeling just to know I did it with my brothers, we’re a family, and for all of us to do this together just means a lot to us.” After that 0-10 freshman year, the Greyhounds went 4-6 when these four were sophomores, then went 7-3 a year later and this fall posted an 8-3 record that included a trip to the South Jersey Group 2 semifinals and a big win over rival Ocean City on Thanksgiving. They also scored their first state playoff win since 2003. “When we first got here, our record was 0-andI-don’t-even-know, now we have four D-I scholarships, and hopefully many more to come. It’s a great accomplishment over the last four years. Freshman year, I didn’t think something like this would be possible, to be honest, but after sophomore year, I thought it was possible. We stayed true, we stayed home and got it done,” Glover said. “This is better than winning a championship. A championship would have been nice, but to see my friends going to college for free and the future of the program looking good — this is the ultimate accomplishment. This is special and something I’ll never forget.” Toure was Glory Days Magazine’s overall Player of the Year for the 2018 season, a hardhitting linebacker who led the team in tackles and also doubled as its featured running back and gained nearly 1,000 yards. Glover was one of the top defensive backs and wide receivers in the West Jersey Football League, and Shakur helped anchor one of the toughest defenses in South Jersey as a linebacker. Jones was one of the most dynamic dual-threat quarterbacks in the league and also helped lead Pleasantville to a state championship last spring during the track season as one of the area’s top sprinters. “This is an outstanding, beautiful day. I see alumni, I see parents, family members, students, middle school students — this is a long time coming, and I definitely want to thank these athletes for their hard work and dedication, that’s the reason we’re here. And for staying in Pleasantville — and for coming back to Pleasantville — to let the world know that you can receive a D-I scholarship from Pleasantville High School. I want to thank the parents for pushing them when they were young and keeping them going, and
Baskeball player Iisihr McFadden takes some video of Elijah Glover during National Signing Day festivities.
“When we first got here, our record was 0-and-I-don’t-even-know, now we have four D-I scholarships, and hopefully many more to come. It’s a great accomplishment over the last four years.”
Elijah Glover Pleasantville senior and Villanova football commit
impressing upon them that it’s all about not just athletics, but academics as well,” Athletic Director Stephen Townsend said during the ceremony. “I hope they can inspire and motivate students that are in this library to do better, to represent themselves, their parents, their school and the community in a positive direction.” “I just want to say that this is a blessing to have all four of these guys signing,” added track coach Alan Laws. “I’m proud of every one of them, and like coach Sacco said, it can get done at Pleasantville. I had a son sign from here years ago and he’s now a state trooper, a Delaware State graduate. So, it can get done out of Pleasantville.” The event was a crowning achievement — at least so far — in Sacco’s young career as football coach. “Like Mr. Townsend said, this has been a long time coming. We have four high quality kids, high quality athletes and they absolutely deserve what they have right now in front of them,” he said. “This is four high quality educations for four high quality kids. We’re very proud, the school is very proud and the community is very proud. (For younger guys) this just goes to show that if you work hard, you can come here and really perform well and do well for yourself moving forward.” Contact Dave O’Sullivan: sully@acglorydays.com; on Twitter @GDsullysays
Page 8 w Glory Days Magazine w Dec. 21, 2018
NATIONAL SIGNING DAY
Sm
‘Go big, or go home’ Oakcrest’s Brielle Smith hits the big time with full-ride offer to Stanford By DAVE O’SULLIVAN Staff Writer ormally, moms are pretty good at keeping secrets, but Veronica Smith had a very hard time keeping the lid on her daughter’s college choice. Brielle Smith, one of the most dynamic athletes in South Jersey, wanted to reveal her selection in a ceremony at Oakcrest High School on Dec. 14. She probably should have kept her mom in the dark until the actual ceremony, because when Veronica found out that Brielle had chosen Stanford over such other elite track and field universities such as Texas, Auburn, Texas A&M and Oklahoma, she was just about bursting to tell anyone and everyone she knew. “It was so hard. That was probably one of the most difficult things she had to do because she’s very proud — all of my family is very proud of me — but I was like, ‘OK, we have to keep this under wraps. You can’t say anything to anybody,’” Brielle said. “Once I made the decision, she was so excited and couldn’t wait to tell everybody that her daughter is going to Stanford. She loved the process.” Veronica and Frank Smith’s daughter began her varsity sports career as a goalkeeper on the Oakcrest girls soccer team, and was outstanding from the start. She was also a basketball player for the first two years of her high school career, and figured she would probably be able to play college ball in either of those sports. Until former Falcons football player Terrence Smith changed her life in the spring of her freshman year by coaxing her to throw the javelin for the track team. Smith went from never having thrown a javelin
N
Glory Days Magazine file photo/Dave O’Sullivan
Oakcrest’s Brielle Smith is one of the top high school javelin throwers in the nation, and on Dec. 14 she announced that she plans to further her track and academic career at Stanford University beginning in fall 2019. in March to challenging for a state championship in June. That summer, she won the AAU Junior Olympic title, and in the two-plus years since has made a meteoric rise to become one of the best high school javelin throwers in the nation. Once she got a taste of big-time success as a freshman, Smith said she began to dream about going to a big-time college, and continued to work hard at her craft to make sure some of the heavyweights of NCAA track and field began making their way to Mays Landing. “My coaches new my goals and the schools I wanted to look at me. I wanted to go big, or go home, and I guess that’s what I ended up doing. I wanted the big-time programs, the elites, the people who are placing at NCAAs — that’s how I make my goals for the season, especially at the end of sophomore year
when I saw where I could go. That’s when I knew I could get there, I just had to pick up 10 or 20 feet. I knew once I got to 160 feet, that was going to be what was going to open the doors to all the big-time recruitment that I was hoping for,” she said. “It was crazy to see how neat the schools were that were trying to get me to their programs. It makes you feel elated and really special. It’s like, ‘wow, these huge schools who anybody would be blessed to go to are reaching out to me and want me there with them.’ It’s a surreal feeling. I had full-ride offers from (Texas, Auburn and Stanford) and everything was just amazing at all the schools. It came down to my official
See Smith, page 9
vis ca lik ge kn all co fee kn fel T wi on an ha sc “ of go pe wa ing rel sc tha diffi wh ce lik fer fro up pa fir ex ing ne tha lik S big wh at pr ho sh tig “ sc No ca ca go be “It be og sh
an
on rd
wI et. be me as yeel ge are t’s as, azial
e9
Dec. 21, 2018 w Glory Days Magazine w Page 9 Smith, from page 8 visits and how I felt when I was on campus. My family and everybody was like, ‘yeah, you’ll know.’ But I didn’t get it. But they kept saying I would just know, and once I took a step back after all three of my visits, where I felt most comfortable was Stanford. I just got a feeling that couldn’t be matched and I knew that’s where I was meant to be. It felt like coming home.” The recruiting process was a whirlwind, she said, as Smith made official on-campus visits to Texas, Stanford and Auburn. The toughest part was having to tell two of those outstanding schools that she wouldn’t be attending. “It was one of the hardest decisions of my life, honestly. It was really hard going on visits and making bonds with people on those teams, even though it was a short period of time, and interacting with the coaches and establishing relationships. To break the news to the schools you’re not going to is harder than I thought it would be. It was very difficult,” Smith said. “I had no idea what to expect from the recruiting process. I just thought (official visits) were like a big sleepover, but it’s very different, especially when you are so far from home. You don’t get to just roll up to campus and look around; we jampacked everything into 48 hours. My first visit was to Texas, and I was so exhausted. I was like, ‘how are we doing so much?’ You’re meeting so many new people, and all the visits were like that. I was there for 48 hours and felt like I was there for a week.” Smith’s recruitment is perhaps the biggest at Oakcrest since Brandon Bell, who is now playing in the NFL, landed at Penn State, and Smith said she is proud to represent the Falcons with the honor of being offered a full scholarship to Stanford, one of the most prestigious universities in the world. “I love being able represent my school, my town and my community. Not just Mays Landing, but where I came from. I love being able to say I came from Pleasantville, and now I’m going across the country to one of the best schools in the nation,” she said. “It just means everything to be able to be a face and a name that people recognize and respect, and to be able to share that moment with my peers and
my Oakcrest family was amazing. The overwhelming support, love and pride they have for me, now that was an amazing feeling. There were so many people there. I figured it would be a decent turnout, but to see all the people who went out of their way to see where I was going and support me in that choice, it’s a lovely thing.” Smith’s announcement came just days before four of her friends, Pleasantville’s Mohamed Toure, Jabril Shakur, Elijah Glover and Sahmir Jones, signed Division I offers for football and track. Toure, Shakur and Glover signed to play football at Rutgers, Monmouth and Villanova, respectively, while Jones, the Greyhounds’ quarterback the past two years and also a basketball star, signed on to run track at Boston University. “A lot of my friends who I grew up with in Pleasantville are also doing great things,” Smith said. “To be able to see Sahmir (Jones) do awesome in football, basketball and track, that’s great to see. There are so many other people who I could name, they are doing great things and I’m really proud of them.” A few years ago, Veronica Smith was interviewed by Glory Days Magazine for a cover story during the soccer season. “She doesn’t do a whole lot besides sports because she’s always doing some kind of sport. But, at home, she’s a great young lady. She’s helpful around the house, she’s a humble kid. She’s really great. I can’t say too much bad about her. She doesn’t have much of a social life because she’s always playing sports. When she’s not in school playing she’s playing on teams outside of school,” Veronica said at the time. “Brielle, as far as sports are concerned, she’s always played up (in age). Any team she’s ever played on, she normally played up. As a freshman she played on varsity, and the position she plays, goalie, you have to kind of control the field. She’s a quick learner, so everything was always moved up. I’m so proud of everything she does. She excels at whatever she does. She just has this natural talent. She has heart, strength, mental drive.” Contact Dave O’Sullivan: sully@acglorydays.com; on Twitter @GDsullysays
Page 10 w Glory Days Magazine w Dec. 21, 2018
VIC’S SUBS COVER STORY
W
The prodigy becomes the leader M
ore than 95 percent of all high school athletes in South Jersey never see themselves featured on the front page of The Press of Atlantic City’s sports page, and if they do it’s because they are stars of their particular team and have spent years building an outstanding career and the notoriety that comes along with stellar performances on a consistent basis. Mainland Regional’s Kylee Watson appeared on the front page before she ever even put her Mustangs uniform on prior to her freshman basketball season in 2016. A prodigy from an early age, the daughter of Cedar Creek football coach and former NFL player Tim Watson and Mainland assistant girls basketball coach Courtney Watson,
Mainland junior Kylee Watson is halfway through her high school career, and she’s fully in control of her basketball destiny
Story, Photos by Dave O’Sullivan, Staff Writer Kylee was expected to step onto the floor at Mainland and make a huge impact immediately. She hasn’t disappointed, and in many ways has been more than Mustangs coach Scott Betson and her teammates could have dreamed of. On the court, Watson has been a force from her first game, averaging nearly 17 points per game during her career, which is only just now
half over. She’s also led Mainland to 62 wins in 72 games, the Stangs have made two straight appearances in the South Jersey Group 3 championship game, and last season won the CapeAtlantic League Tournament title. She’s also been just as impressive off the court, becoming a spokesperson of sorts for the team to South Jersey media outlets and a mini-celebrity (if you
can call her mini; she stands 6-foot4) in her hometown of Linwood. Following her freshman season, Watson earned a berth on the USA Basketball U16 team and traveled to Brazil. Linwood held a parade in her honor upon her return, and she was greeted by a throng of adoring little girls. “I tried not to think about (all the attention) too much because I knew if I got into my own head too much and worried about that, I wouldn’t live up to the expectations I had. So, I just worried about working on my game and playing my role, especially freshman year, I was still kind of feeling things out. I had a lot of great girls around me who guided me, and even
See Watson, page 11
thi be mu so an sa we fo ar of so bu us wa “ ed es Ig fre we co no cre no T po an ha “ of wa en on US in se ye sh sh
r
otolon all non a
atfI nd up ust me hng rls en
11
Dec. 21, 2018 w Glory Days Magazine w Page 11 Watson, from page 10 this year I keep learning from them every day. It’s been a fun experience and I try not to worry too much about the media or anything like that,” Watson said. “There was a great group of girls last year and I think it helped that we had pretty much the same team my freshman and sophomore years, so we were able to build that chemistry and I felt comfortable enough to ask them questions and just build a relationship on and off the court. I learned plenty of things from them about leadership, and bringing some of that back from USA Basketball. The contributions from all the girls on the team is what made us be so successful last year, and we’re looking forward to bringing that back this year. “From a young age, my parents have always talked to me about being respectful to other people, and especially the media. My first interview was after I got my 1,000th point in eighth grade and I was freaking out, I was so nervous. I think I did pretty well, although I don’t remember it too well,” she continued. “I just try to be team-oriented and I know not everything I do is about myself. I give all the credit to everyone in my life for what I do because nothing can happen without them.” Think about this: Watson, who scored 1,000 points in two years of middle school basketball, has an opportunity to graduate from Mainland at age 18 having scored 3,000 points in six years. “I’ve seen it in sizeable chunks at a time in terms of her growth. When she started as a freshman, she was obviously talented but she lacked some experience in tight games and we saw some of that early on. Then after her freshman year she went off to USA Basketball and came back a very different kid in terms of understanding how to be vocal and assert herself. That spilled over into last year, and last year into this year she’s really embraced a leadership role. She had four seniors with her last year, so she was playing with kids who had kind of already
Watson scored the 1,000th point of her career in the first game of her junior season, and in 72 career games has led the Mustangs to 62 victories. established themselves as leaders. Now, with that core group gone, it created a vacuum and she’s really stepped up to fill it. It’s been noticeable, not just in terms of her game but also in her as a player on the court and just as a person,” Betson said. “She’s so mature, so well-balanced, she’s an outstanding student and a great teammate. The kids all love her, the ones on the team and even in the hallways at school, she’s universally loved. It’s been a dream, not just from a talent perspective but with all the other things that go into it. She’s been an absolute
treat to have as a coach.” Talking to Kylee is like speaking with a professional athlete. She’s well-versed in dealing with the media, and a lot of that comes from coaching from her parents, who themselves deal with the media on a regular basis. “I definitely have some family classes with him about basketball and other things. I think just being around him, he’ll be on the football field doing in-
See Watson, page 12
Page 12 w Glory Days Magazine w Dec. 21, 2018 Watson, from page 11 terviews after games and I’ll be right next to him — both my parents played high school sports so I’m sure they’ve had their fair share of interviews over the years and they’ve had a lot of tips for me. And coach Betson talked to our whole team this year about the media and how important a role that plays and how the things you say really matter, Watson said. Last year, the Mustangs’ lineup featured Watson along with four seniors — Fran Geromini, Aly Nazarok, Gabby Boggs and Georgia Schoen — so Watson had the luxury of deferring to them when it came to leadership responsibilities. But there is no doubt now that this is Kylee Watson’s team, and she said she’s embracing the leadership role. “The biggest thing was I knew I would have to step into a leadership role this season, especially being the only returning starter and having only a few girls who played varsity last year, so I just want to focus on that and just work on some things, especially in my outside game,” Watson said. “My first two years I would usually be in the paint and teams would pack it in, so I wouldn’t have too many opportunities. Now I’m trying to create my own shots off the dribble, and if they play help defense on me to be able to kick it out and find the open shooter.” And while her main focus right now is making sure Mainland has another great season, and can challenge for league and sectional titles, Watson
has a lot to deal with in terms of the recruiting process. She’s being sought by such prestigious universities as Florida, UCLA, South Carolina and Oregon, among many others. It can be an overwhelming experience, but Watson said she just reminds herself that not every high school athlete is fortunate enough to have the best programs in the nation trying to convince them to sign on the dotted line. “It’s an amazing experience and I know a lot of girls don’t get to experience these things, visiting all these places and making relationships with all these amazing people. More than anything I’m just thankful for it. It can get kind of hectic sometimes, but it’s for the right reasons and I just have to remind myself that, hey, not everyone can experience this. It’s a once-in-alifetime opportunity and I’m trying to make the most of it. It’s going to be tough saying no to some of the people I’ve made really great relationships with. Everyone I’ve talked to has been amazing. It’s crazy how fast things happen, but I’m excited, and nervous,” she said. “I love it, I wouldn’t change my high school experience for anything. I’m with all the girls I grew up with my whole life. This season, and the last two seasons, have been so great because of the relationships I’ve made outside of basketball and how much closer I’ve gotten with the girls, and how many memories we’ve made. We still reminisce about out trip
See Watson, page 13
W to
“ ho ba yo tha kn be tha gir fo tio po “ pe tiv ex the tal of the it tha diff co be po
he ght as nd an but elf is oce
d I pese ith an an t’s to ne -ato be ple ps en gs ern’t or ew on, en ps nd he ve rip
13
Dec. 21, 2018 w Glory Days Magazine w Page 13 Watson, from page 12 to Disney last year because it was so fun. “I look at myself and think about how I have to go home and do all this homework, practice for basketball — but when you have little girls looking up to you as a role model in a lot of ways, I try to embrace that. It really keeps me humble,” Watson added. “I know I have a lot of eyes on me so I try to be my best and be respectful in everything I do, and I think that’s shaped me as a person. Knowing I have little girls looking up to me, I want to set a good example for them. I never thought I would be in this position, but it’s really cool and I’m blessed to be in this position.” “It’s a unique experience, but she has such a good perspective on it all and she views it as all the positives that come along with (the notoriety) and all the experiences she gets to be a part of because of all the work she has put in and all the physical gifts and talent she has. In terms of the stress of it, she thinks of it more as how great is this that I get to do all these things that not many kids get to do? She does it so well that other kids look at her and understand that’s how it’s supposed to look, and it sets a whole different tone,” Betson said. “Anyone who has ever coached knows how valuable that is to have your best player also be your hardest worker. At this point, I think she’s done everything you could ask
The 6-foot-4 Watson has helped the Mustangs get off to a 3-0 start this season as they work to defend their Cape-Atlantic League title. or expect a kid to do in terms of basketball, I just want her to enjoy this experience. Hopefully, we, as coaches, can give back to her and give her an op-
portunity to be a part of a lot of special moments.” Contact Dave O’Sullivan: sully@acglorydays.com; on Twitter @GDsullysays
Page 14 w Glory Days Magazine w Dec. 21, 2018
GIRLS BASKETBALL
New lineup, same goals for Mainland Stangs going after titles, even with four new starters By DAVE O’SULLIVAN Staff Writer ost teams would be in a freefall if they returned just one starter from a team that went 28-1 and won a league championship last year. But most teams don’t have Kylee Watson and a bunch of competitive guards who bring success from other sports to the basketball court. Mainland Regional might be in more of a reloading state of mind rather than rebuilding, if the first week of the season is any indication. Watson — a 6-foot-4 forward who just scored her 1,000th career point, as a junior, no less, and is one of the most highly recruited players in the nation — showed in the first couple of games that she is by no means resting on her laurels and continues to improve her game every offseason. In the season opener she dropped 31 in a win over Atlantic City,
M
Glory Days Magazine photo/Dave O’Sullivan
Senior guard Claudia Mairone set a program record on Dec. 19 when she nailed eight 3-poiners in Mainland’s win over Oakcrest. then came back the next day and scored 19 points and added 10 rebounds, five blocks, two steals and two assists in the Mustangs’ 44-24 win over Rancocas Valley in the Ocean City PBA Tipoff Weekend event. The Mustangs lost guards Fran Geromini (St. Leo University) and Georgia Schoen, as well as forwards Aly Naz-
arok and Gabby Boggs (Albright), and have a much different look this year with Watson and four guards, including seniors Taylor Dalzell and Claudia Mairone, junior Madi Hafetz and freshman Camryn Dirkes. The days of finishing a game with 32 points might be over, as the Stangs are averaging 54 points per game through the first three
games and have a much more up-tempo style. “We definitely — because of our size disadvantage and losing a lot of size from last year — need to play a lot quicker and we try to get a lot of looks in transition. Especially in the Rancocas Valley game, and that’s kind of how our third-quarter run started, with defensive intensity and that eventually led to offense and getting some easy buckets,” said Watson, who scored career point No. 1,000 in the first quarter of the season opener. “Last year, we had Gabby and Aly inside and even Fran and Georgia were pretty tall guards, so we were able to move our offensive half-court sets along, but this year we don’t have that size so we have to open up the floor more. We have a lot of shooting threats this year.” “It’s a little bit of a different challenge, as we’ve had some good size the past number of years, so we have to be a little more creative defensively and things like that. But it’s super-nice group of kids and that makes it fun. Some of what we are doing is the same,
See Mainland, page 17
m-
ur of a of he nd rthat ng ho he ast nd all ur his ve ea
alze ve ely ce un. me,
17
M
so ati tha du wo pla pu fo Sc ula fo up an loo wh the sh A the jus we M is — 3sta ve the
Dec. 21, 2018 w Glory Days Magazine w Page 17 Mainland, from page 14 some of it is just things we do programatically, but I’ve always been a believer that the things you run should be conducive to the players that you have. I wouldn’t say we’ve thrown the old playbook out, but we definitely try to put kids in positions that suit them best for what they do well,” said head coach Scott Betson. “For this group in particular, this is what they’ve been waiting for, for it to be ‘their team.’ They grew up playing together in middle school and even before that, so they’ve been looking forward to this opportunity where it’s that core group of them and they get to step up and take a leadership role.” And, contrary to popular belief, the Mustangs are much more than just the Kylee Watson show. In this week’s 69-32 win over Oakcrest, Mairone — who along with Hafetz is one of the stars of the tennis team — nailed a program record eight 3-pointers. Dirkes and Dalzell, both starters on the soccer team, make it very hard to press Mainland because they can handle the ball so well. Bet-
KEY JANUARY GAMES
u Jan. 3 at Absegami, 7pm: This will be a good test for Mainland’s guards, as the Braves can match up with them on the outside with players like Gianna Hafner, Haleigh Schafer and Liz Picardi. u Jan. 5 vs. Gloucester Catholic, 11am: Gloucester Catholic is a very tough team and gave the Stangs all they could handle last year. u Jan. 23 at Lower Cape May Regional, 7pm: It’s never easy to take a ride down the Parkway to take on the Caper Tigers, and Lower will be looking to contend for the division title. son said the key right now is just getting these players used to expanded varsity minutes and all the scenarios they will face throughout a game. “We have Claudia, Taylor and Kylee returning with a ton of varsity minutes, but for the rest of them extended varsity minutes is a relatively new thing for them. Cam is a freshman and Madi had spot minutes last year, so for her to step up into a full-fledged starting role is a pretty significant jump in one year,” he said. “We just try to remind them that everything right now is about growth, and we talk about the process of getting better game-to-game and hope we’re playing our best basketball in March.” What’s evident so far is that this
team has a ton of chemistry, and that shouldn’t be a surprise as they’ve all played together since about the third grade. “That’s a great thing and almost all of us have played together since third grade, so it hasn’t been a thing where we needed a few games to figure out what our strengths and weaknesses are. We’ve been doing this for so many years now, so we kind of hopped right back into it. It was evident with the slow start against RV that we need to come out with more defensive intensity, and against Atlantic City we have to stay composed in those difficult late-game situations because we are a young team on the varsity level in some respect,” Watson said. “Having Atlantic City as
our first game and facing stressful situations was good for us to kind of get that out of the way. We worked on it in practice, press breaks and remaining calm and letting the other team foul us if we have the ball with time running out, and not to rush anything. I’m so proud of all the girls so far this season, even though we’ve only had a few games. There are plenty of girls on the team who can handle themselves and I don’t think people realize how good the girls on our team are because a lot of teams have been putting people in the paint to defend us, but if you leave Madi or Claudia open they are going to knock down shots. That really makes us an offensive threat.” Mainland, the defending Cape-Atlantic League Tournament champion and a South Jersey Group 3 finalist, has a big rematch with Ocean City, the team that beat the Mustangs in last year’s sectional final, before the holiday break and begins CAL National play the first week of January with a road game at Absegami. Contact Dave O’Sullivan: sully@acglorydays.com; on Twitter @GDsullysays
Page 18 w Glory Days Magazine w Dec. 21, 2018
BASKETBALL
q
O.C. Tipoff Weekend gets better every year Marquee matchups kept fans at the edge of their seats for two straight days By DAVE O’SULLIVAN Staff Writer t was fitting that the finale of the Ocean City PBA Tipoff Weekend between Atlantic City and host Ocean City came down to a final minute filled with timeouts, foul shots and white-knuckle moments for respective head coaches Gene Allen and John Bruno. The 2018 version of the highly anticipated showcase, and the 21st overall, featured some serious heavyweight matchups and great games throughout the weekend, in both boys and girls basketball. The event has come to signal the official start of the high school basketball season in South Jersey, and it seemingly keeps getting better every year. The tournament began with Pleasantville, one of the most exciting offensive teams in the Cape-Atlantic League, blitzing Howell of the Shore Conference 80-50, and the Saturday slate also featured the Wildwood girls, led by star Maddie McCracken, beating Cedar Creek and the Mainland girls, led by big-time recruit Kylee Watson playing a great second half to take down Rancocas Valley. The night games featured a very good St. Augustine Prep team, with new transfer brothers Andrew and Matt Delaney, taking down Toms River North, a South Jersey Group 4 semifinalist a year ago, and last year’s CAL champion Wildwood Catholic beating 2017-18 Central Jersey Group 4 champion Trenton Central. The Sunday slate was just as good, as it kicked off with upstart Egg Harbor Township girls scoring a win over Holy Spirit, and the Spirit boys putting up 70 points in a dominating win over Cape May Tech. The St. Joseph boys followed with a convincing win over Ewing, setting up two thrilling games in the Atlantic City vs. Ocean City
I
Glory Days Magazine photo/Dave O’Sullivan
Atlantic City forward Stephen Byard puts up a jumper over Ocean City defender Gannon Brady during the Vikings’ 63-58 win over the Red Raiders in the finale of the Ocean City PBA Tipoff Weekend.
“This is the premier opening tipoff event in South Jersey, in my opinion. They do a great job and you get to see a lot of quality teams, and some good out-of-the-area teams as well. The girls game that preceded us was just as good as our game.”
Gene Allen Atlantic City boys coach
girls/boys doubleheader. The girls game came right down to the final seconds, as Atlantic City’s desperation 3-pointer was off the mark, allowing Ocean City to escape with a 45-42 victory. In the boys game, Atlantic City got 21 points and 13 rebounds from Stephen Byard, 13 points from Corey Yeoman and 10 more from Zion Teague to outlast Ocean City and Donovan Graham’s 23 points. “This was great basketball for South Jersey. The Wildwood Catholic game was good, the Prep game, it was just great basketball and great players,” said Atlantic City senior guard Joe Persiano. “It brings all the communities together. It’s a great, great place to play to start the season. That’s why you play basketball, for the crowds and being in pressure situations where you can show what you can do.” “This is the premier opening tipoff event in South Jersey, in my opinion. They do a great job and you get to see a lot of quality teams, and some good out-of-the-area teams as well. The girls game that preceded us was just as good as our game,” added Atlantic City boys coach Gene Allen. “It’s exciting, and I
See Tipoff, page 21
u de an ov u re ad u pl 18 W u be pr dr To u hi ov u ge u in u 13
me
en ach
to y’s rk, ha nds om on n-
uth me ust s,” oe nice hy nd ou
off on. ee od rls od ys dI
21
Dec. 21, 2018 w Glory Days Magazine w Page 19
qqq Tipoff Stars qqq u Jalen Freeman, Pleasantville: The Middle Township transfer endeared himself to his teammates with his first performance in maroon and white, finishing with 20 points, 10 rebounds and five steals in a win over Howell. u Imene Fathi, Wildwood: The freshman point guard showed she’s ready for the varsity spotlight, as she scored a team-high 14 points and added six rebounds and five assists in a win over Cedar Creek. u Trina Deveney, Cedar Creek: The senior forward might be the best player in the CAL not named Kylee Watson, as she scored a game-high 18 points and added 10 rebounds, two blocks and three steals against Wildwood. u Charles Solomon, St. Augustine Prep: The Delaney brothers might be the talk of the Hermits as high quality transfer players, but Solomon proved he’s likely going to be one of the top scorers in the CAL when he dropped 22 along with six rebounds and five steals in Prep’s win over Toms River North. u Taj Thweatt, Jacob Hopping and Jalil White: Wildwood Catholic’s high-scoring trio combined for 52 points in the Crusaders’ 70-51 win over Trenton Central. u Isaiah Gerena, Holy Spirit: The Spartans’ star tight end in football gets it done on the hardwood as well; 11 points, 13 rebounds. u Sanai Garrison-Macon: Atlantic City’s freshman point guard poured in 18 points in a tough loss to Ocean City. u Stephen Byard, Atlantic City: The rangy forward scored 21 and had 13 rebounds to lead the Vikings past Ocean City.
Ti
kn it. co the T Je W ne of Co his “ ab ab wo thi wh len he Ba so are tes B fo off
Dec. 21, 2018 w Glory Days Magazine w Page 21 Tipoff, from page 18 know our kids always look forward to it. It’s really cool. I can’t wait to become a fan so I can just sit and watch the games.” The showcase is run by veteran South Jersey high school sports reporter Tom Williams and his team at primeevents. net, and Matt Ulmer, owner/operater of Ulmer’s Appliance in Cape May County, streams several games live on his internet feed. “(Great games) are what this is all about, and that’s what it should be about. I don’t understand anyone who would turn away a chance to play in this, I really don’t. I don’t understand why somebody would not want to challenge themselves and play somebody here,” said Ocean City girls coach Paul Baruffi. “The 25- or 30-point wins sometimes give you bad habits. They are nice to have, but you need to be tested, and this was good for us.” Baruffi said the tournament is huge for host Ocean City, as it gets to show off its facilities and basketball passion
to teams from throughout South and Central Jersey. “This is a great place. It attracts people to begin with, even in the wintertime. I see kids come in here and look out at that Ferris wheel, and you even see it during football season, they look out at that and are like, ‘wow, there’s the beach.’ It’s just a great atmosphere,” Baruffi said. “It’sa great facility and Tom does so much and always has. It’s a first-class tournament and I think people really like it because of the competition. I would rather watch this any day than any professional sport, personally. “Even if you don’t even know the teams, and I don’t get to see boys play that much and that’s what I started coaching. Just watching the pace of their game is fun,” Baruffi added. “It’s fun, I can just sit back and enjoy the boys games. I was here Saturday, then my brother and I went over and watched Temple play at Boardwalk Hall. If you like basketball, there is plenty of stuff going on around here, this is one of the events and it’s great.”
Page 22 w Glory Days Magazine w Dec. 21, 2018
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Lasko brings passion, experience to bench New Absegami coach excited to shock some teams in the Cape-Atlantic League By RAY LEWIS Student Correspondent obby Lasko is not unaccustomed to the aspect of coaching a girls basketball team, nor is he unfamiliar with the girls he is coaching. And while Lasko is unsure exactly how this season will play out, he certainly will not be very disappointed with the memories that will accompany him on his quest to be a successful first-year head coach of the Absegami girls basketball team. To be a head coach is to be more than just an instructor. The coach must be able to connect with the players he is coaching. Without that connection, you might as well kiss every goal, ambition and objective goodbye. Lasko knows this, and since he already knows some of the girls he’s leading this winter, it would be an understatement to say that this coach is excited for what the next few months will bring. “I’m ecstatic. This is a historic program that’s known for winning in girls basketball and I’ve been in girls basketball for a long time, so I know the history of it. To continue that history is pretty cool,” said
B
See Lasko, page 25
Glory Days Magazine photo/Dave O’Sullivan
Bobby Lasko is in his first year coaching the Absegami girls basketball team after taking over for Brian Coyle, and picked up his first win Dec. 17 when his Braves beat Holy Spirit.
h
an
ng it.
La
La Co A sh ce it we tor ho se tak his sp T in ov Cl wo ers T co ba he sis the Ju an ali
Dec. 21, 2018 w Glory Days Magazine w Page 25 Lasko, from page 22 Lasko, who is taking over for Brian Coyle. Although coach Lasko certainly shined a light on his enthusiasm recently, he did not hesitate to showcase it throughout the fall sports season as well. According to senior forward Victoria Clarke, who doubles as a field hockey midfielder, Lasko showed how serious he was about this season by taking time out of his day to support his future players in their various fall sports. That dedication wasn’t just apparent in the fall season, however. It’s carried over into hoops season. According to Clarke, “he comes to practice ready to work hard and to make us better players each day.” This coach-to-player relationship, combined with his experience in girls basketball through the years, should help Lasko — a former Holy Spirit assistant — prepare himself for what has the potential to be a very good season. Just take one look around the court on any given day, and the various personalities will leave you with the impres-
Glory Days Magazine photo/Dave O’Sullivan
Lasko and the Braves lost their first game of the season to OLMA, but rebounded with a win over Holy Spirit. The Braves start CAL National division play in early January with a home game against Mainland Regional, the defending league champion. sion that something memorable will take place at any moment with this group of players. While the personalities of any high school girls basketball team might look daunting no matter who the coach is or what the circumstances are, Lasko
should not at all be worried, having learned quite a lot from one of the most remarkable individuals in his life, Tom Feraco — a legendary Middle Township high school boys basketball coach. “He’s the man,” Lasko said. “You wanted to run through a wall for the
guy because he had that way of connecting with kids and I feel like that’s the biggest thing I’ve gotten from him.” Lasko said he hopes to achieve that same level of respect and plans to do so in part by demonstrating his desire to win every single game throughout the season. And the Braves certainly have the talent to win and contend in the Cape-Atlantic League’s National Conference, with players such as Clarke, Haleigh Schafer and Liz Picardi leading the way. “I want to win, and I think sometimes I want to win just as bad as the kids and I think they feed off that,” Lasko said. With this fierce desire and an unparalleled passion for the game, Lasko has a feeling this team could exceed expectations this year as the Braves try to get back on the road to bringing a championship title back home to Absegami. “We were predicted to be a rebuilding team… that’s not going to be the case,” he said. “We’re going to shock people.” Ray Lewis is a senior at Absegami High School and a member of the cross country and baseball teams.
Page 26 w Glory Days Magazine w Dec. 21, 2018
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Glory Days Magazine photo/Dave O’Sullivan
Senior forward Victoria Clarke is one of just a few upperclassmen on an Absegami roster that could surprise some teams in the CapeAtlantic League this season.
Absegami believes it has the talent to shed ‘rebuilding’ label By RAY LEWIS Student correspondent he Absegami girls basketball team went 10-16 last year, and under new head coach Bobby Lasko the Braves were labeled as a “rebuilding” team heading into the 2018-2019 season. What many people don’t know, however, is that neither the coaching change nor low expectations from some outside the gym is affecting how the girls play, what their mindset is or how they believe they have the talent to make the state playoffs and be competitive in the Cape-Atlantic League’s National Conference. “I’m not really worried about showing people how we play,” said Lasko, a former Holy Spirit assistant. “The kids
T
know they’re good, and we just have to go out there and perform. We have to just stick with what we do and not listen to all the noise, because all of those (labels) are just noise.” This new mentality of simply ignoring the chatter and letting the Braves’ play speak for itself is something new that Lasko is bringing to the court. He hopes that attitude will rub off on the players as they seek to accomplish some of their goals set at the beginning of the season. “We want to make it into the CAL tournament this year and have a home playoff game,” said Haleigh Schafer, a returning sophomore who is coming
See Absegami, page 27
Ab
off T int ho sc tw mo mi mo A Vi the up als gu (fr of T at bo da in fen sta as thi A in
an
en e-
l
to to isse
ores’ ew He he sh ng
AL me er, ng
27
Dec. 21, 2018 w Glory Days Magazine w Page 27 Absegami will be relying on junior point guard Gianna Hafner to run the show offensively this year, and also provide a defensive spark in the back court.
Absegami, from page 26 off a very successful freshman campaign. These goals, though attainable, certainly have an intimidating demeanor to say the least. To host a home playoff game in any sport, regardless of what school, a team needs to prove itself with not one or two above-average players, but with an entire set of more-than-capable teammates. Luckily for Absegami, it has a considerable number of athletes to fit that mold. Along with Schafer, the Braves are led by seniors Victoria Clarke and Liz Picardi, who are described by the head coach as players who have “really stepped up and become leaders on this team.” Absegami also has some talented underclassmen, such as point guard Gianna Hafner (junior), forward Jackie Fortis (freshman) and sixth-man Rylee Getter (junior), one of the stars of the Braves’ soccer team. The Braves began the season with a tough road loss at Our Lady of Mercy Academy on Dec. 14, but rebounded quickly with a solid win at Holy Spirit three days later. They’ll find out just how good they are in the first week of January when they take on defending league champion Mainland Regional, which started this season 3-0. They also take on teams such as Ocean City, Clearview and Cedar Creek before the third week of January. Although wins and losses certainly play a large part in determining how this season will be remembered,
Glory Days Magazine photo/Dave O’Sullivan
the girls also believe that one of their strongest team qualities will ultimately decide if their goals will be accomplished. “Our strongest quality is working together as a team,” Picardi said. “We have been learning how to connect with each other.” This connection, though incredibly important, is certainly not something new for the Braves. Some of the best memories from last season arose in situations when the team really started to become cohesive as a unit, from winning a big game against Holy Spirit
to the away-game bus rides, and even the pregame singing in the locker room. This season, the Braves have changed, however. They have a new head coach, new freshmen joining the team and new challenging opponents that look to stand in their way. With their team-first, relationship-driven attitude that has carried over from last year, though, they hope to push themselves into the playoffs — breaking through the various labels as they go. Ray Lewis is a senior at Absegami High School and a member of the cross country and baseball teams.
Page 28 w Glory Days Magazine w Dec. 21, 2018
ROUNDBALL REPORT
Statement wins and black eyes: A wild start to the 2018-2019 season The Atlantic City boys basketball team went through a lot even before this season started, as head coach Gene Allen was voted out of his position by the Board of Education the day after tryouts began, he then sued the school district and a saga played out for the next few weeks until ultimately he was reinstated to his position for the remainder of the season. Then, in the first week of games, the Vikings found themselves on both sides of statement wins. The Vikings, who lost four starters from last year’s South Jersey Group 4 finalist roster, got their doors blown off on opening night at St. Joseph in a game that was marred by a fourth-quarter scuffle that led to players from both teams being ejected. But two nights later, Atlantic City made a big statement that it could still be a contender in the CapeAtlantic League when it scored a gutsy win over a very good Ocean City team in the finalie of the Ocean City PBA Tipoff Weekend showcase event.
Dave O’Sullivan
The Vikings beat Bridgeton the following night on the road, but found themselves on the wrong end of a statement win on Dec. 19 when host Egg Harbor Township nailed a three at the overtime buzzer to score a 72-70 victory. It was one of the biggest wins in years for the Eagles, and certainly the biggest for coach Cameron Bell, who took over the program a few years ago. St. Augustine Prep also had an early statement win at the O.C. Tipoff Weekend, getting a big game from Charles Solomon as well as transfers Andrew and Matt Dunleavy as the Hermits took down Trenton, one of the toughest teams in Central Jersey. On the girls side, Absegami needed an early win to help new coach Bobby Lasko break the ice, and the Braves got exactly what they were looking for when they beat host Holy Spirit 58-41 on Dec. 17. The Braves played very well in the second half, and may have proved that they can be the kind of team that can remain in contention in the CAL National Conference deep into February. u Girls play rough, too: If you thought high school girls basketball in South Jersey isn’t rough, think again.
See Report, page 31
n
olnd tegg he icin he ho go. rly kes ew its est
ed by es ng rit ed ay nd on ep
ou in in.
31
Dec. 21, 2018 w Glory Days Magazine w Page 29
Page 30 w Glory Days Magazine w Dec. 21, 2018
ttttttttttttttttttttttt GAME REWIND
Girls basketball OCEAN CITY 45, ATLANTIC CITY 42 This game was one of the last of the Ocean City PBA Tipoff Weekend showcase event, and one of its best. The host Red Raiders jumped out to an early lead, in much the same way Mainland did against the Vikings in the season opener, but Atlantic City is a tough, scrappy team that can force a lot of turnovers and get back into games in a hurry. Ocean City normally is very good at keeping possession of the ball, but the Vikings forced the Red Raiders into an uncharacteristic 25 turnovers and scored 19 of their 42 points off thos turnovers. WHAT WE LEARNED Ocean City still is a championship caliber team, and it proved that by remaining composed and hitting its free throws in the final minute to help secure the victory. We also learned that when opposing teams see Atlantic City coming up on their schedule, they know they’re going to be in for some heartburn, as this team has the talent and energy to cause even the best teams in the league some discomfort. KEEP AN EYE ON A.C. guard Sanai Garrison-Macon, she might be the best guard in the league already and she’s only a few games into her varsity career as a freshman. Also watch out for Molly Hoffman, she’s going to play a key role on the inside for Ocean City when the schedule heats up.
Glory Days Magazine photo/Dave O’Sullivan
Senior guard Tori Rolls connected on some key free throws down the stretch as Ocean City held off a tough challenge from Atlantic City at the Ocean City PBA Tipoff Classic.
Re
Th in fea no lan Ca fac
M M ba
an
wn tic
Dec. 21, 2018 w Glory Days Magazine w Page 31 Report, from page 28 There were some hard scrabble games in the first week of the season that featured some black eyes and broken noses. In the season opener against Atlantic City, Mainland freshman guard Camryn Dirkes took a hard hit to the face and suffered a broken nose and
black eye. But that didn’t stop her from being in the starting lineup the next day as the Mustangs took down Rancocas Valley at Tipoff Weekend. Similarly, Absegami guard Liz Picardi suffered a black eye in a seasonopening loss to OLMA, but was right back out there a few days later in a win over Holy Spirit.
Glory Days Magazine photo/Dave O’Sullivan
Mainland freshman Camryn Dirkes suffered a broken nose in the Mustangs’ season-opening win over Atlantic City, but was right back in the starting lineup the next day.
Page 32 w Glory Days Magazine w Dec. 21, 2018
ttttttt GAME REWIND
Glory Days Magazine photo/Dave O’Sullivan
Pleasantville guard Iisihr McFadden drives through Howell defenders to the hoop during the Greyhounds’ big win over the Rebels at the Ocean City PBA Tipoff Weekend showcase event on Dec. 15.
Boys basketball Pleasantville 80, Howell 50 Pleasantville had been itching to get its 2018-2019 season started, and for good reason. The Greyhounds have a talented linup, led by swingman Jacob Valeus and point guard Sahmir Jones, as well as Jalen Freeman, an outstanding guard who transferred in from Middle Township for his senior season. The Greyhounds play basketball at a frenetic pace, almost like in the schoolyard on a weekend night, and almost dare teams to keep up. Howell certainly couldn’t, as Pleasantville wore the Rebels out with a 22-7 advantage in the second quarter to go into cruise control. WHAT WE LEARNED Freeman adds a huge dynamic to this team. He gets after it defensively and can do so many things offensively that it frees up guys like Valeus and Jones from any type of double teams they might encounter. KEEP AN EYE ON Pleasantville’s role players, who have some talent and can do a lot when opposing teams are focused on the top three scorers. Iisihr McFadden is a second point guard off the bench, and guys like Alejandro Rosado and Sam Growalt do a lot of the dirty work inside and get rebounds. QUOTABLE ”We’re fast and we have a lot of seniors who are more mature this year. We’re going to turn the ball over with our style of play, but the defense was outstanding. We’re a defensive team and we had some good onthe-ball pressure and took away the wings. We didn’t want them to get any second looks at the basket,” coach Butch Warner said.
an
dat
nd geip ce, re he se
ely us
en is nd
ar. se net
t
G
A
Th se lea lei fo 14 W W se re Bo go m Oc
Dec. 21, 2018 w Glory Days Magazine w Page 35
ttttttttttttttttttttttt GAME REWIND
Girls basketball ABSEGAMI 58, HOLY SPIRIT 41 The Braves notched their first victory of the season on Dec. 17, opening up a nine-point lead by halftime and building from there. Haleigh Schafer, Absegami’s talented sophomore forward, took over in the second half, scoring 14 of her game-high 22 points. WHAT WE LEARNED Well, for starters, we found out that while Absegami may have been predicted to be in a rebuilding mode this season under new coach Bobby Lasko, the Braves have some pretty good talent and chemistry and certainly will make life difficult for teams such as Mainland Ocean City in the Cape-Atlantic League Na-
tional Conference race. They may not have the experience or inside presence to knock those two teams from the top spots, but will definitely compete. KEEP AN EYE ON Absegami point guard Gianna Hafner. She didn’t score in the game, but played solid defense and, more importantly, handled the ball well against Spirit’s pressure defense in the second half. Also, don’t be surprised if Spirit’s Paige Sofield ends up as one of the top scorers in the the league. She can score in a variety of ways and has some good moves off the dribble.
Glory Days Magazine photo/Dave O’Sullivan
Point guard Paige Sofield scored 18 points to lead Holy Spirit when the Spartans took on Absegami on Dec. 17.
snapshots
Glory Days Magazine photos/Dave O’Sullivan
Cedar Creek point guard Jezlyn Cross sets up on defense during the Pirates’ matchup against Wildwood at the Ocean City PBA Tipoff Weekend showcase event. Pleasantville’s Jacob Valeus throws down a dunk during the Greyhounds’ win over Howell.
Vineland’s Noah Jones competes during the Fighting Clan’s early season win over Absegami at the Brigantine Aquatics Center.
Holy Spirit guard Melody Pugliese brings the ball up against Absegami on Dec. 17.
check out more great photos at glorydaysonline.smugmug.com!