Schedule

Absegami High School has the top public school boys varsity-eight crew in the South Jersey-Philadelphia region so far this season.

The Braves' leading boat has led the team to a No. 2 ranking in The Press Elite 11.

There are still a few boats left for Absegami to beat, mainly St. Joseph's Prep, of Philadelphia, and La Salle College High School, of Wyndmoor, Pa., and St. Au…

ATLANTIC CITY - The Wildwood Catholic High School boys basketball team was off to a sluggish start Saturday afternoon.

Coming off two losses in their past three games, the Crusaders trailed Absegami by double digits with less than three minutes remaining in the first half.

During a stoppage in play, Wildwood Catholic coach Dave DeWeese yelled to junior point guard George C…

Dayshawn Reynolds sank a 3-pointer to propel the Atlantic City High School boys basketball team to a first-round overtime win over Absegami last season.

At the time, the basket seemed nothing more than a nice shot that helped the Vikings avoid a first-round upset.

In reality, it began one of the most dominant stretches ever by a local basketball team and was the first of m…

The Atlantic City High School boys basketball team boarded a bus at Pine Belt Arena in Toms River for the ride back to school just after 10:30 p.m. Wednesday.

The Vikings had just rallied from a 19-point, third-quarter deficit to beat Pt. Pleasant Beach 80-73 in double overtime in a Tournament of Champions quarterfinal.

The Atlantic City players discussed the game. They te…

Bridgeton resident Dominique Williams was rewarded for his stellar 2012 football season Friday when he was named to the College Sports Journal's FCS All-American team.

Williams, a junior running back for Wagner College, is the only Northeast Conference player on the 63-man team (FCS teams have 63 scholarships).

Williams ran for 1,228 yards this season as the Seahawks reach…

Motivation is not something the Bridgeton High School girls basketball team lacks.

This year, neither is experience. The Bulldogs return all of its key players and welcome some new additions.

In her second season at Bridgeton, coach Audrey Carter said her squad will benefit from quickness and teamwork. The Bulldogs do not rely on one playmaker and will see contributions fr…

BUENA VISTA TOWNSHIP — Players from the West Deptford High School softball team looked confused when the South Jersey Group II title game was stopped after just one batter in the bottom of the first inning Firday.

Buena Regional coach Pam Pickett gathered the softball and briefly presented Ashley Surran with the same ball the senior captain had just dropped into no-man’s land in …

The high school wrestling season has been a balancing act of sorts for St. Augustine Prep coach Bill Ward.

Ward has had to go back-and-forth between his roles as proud dad and first-year head coach all year.

“It has been great,” Ward said. “The administration, the parents and the wrestlers have all truly supported me from the beginning. They bought into my system and reall…

ABSECON - A young Egg Harbor Township High School baseball team needed a few innings to gain its confidence Tuesday afternoon.

The Eagles rallied to beat Holy Spirit 7-6 in eight innings in the season opener for both Cape-Atlantic League American Conference teams. EHT trailed 6-1 after five innings.

The Eagles sprinted off the field as if they had won a playoff game after …

ABSECON - Holy Spirit High School senior guard Paul Moore said he just tried to play his usual game as the Spartans boys basketball team hosted Egg Harbor Township on Friday.

Moore reached 1,000 career points early in the third quarter with a pair of foul shots and Holy Spirit pulled away to beat EHT 63-45 in a Cape-Atlantic League American Division game. Moore led the Spartans w…

David Williams says he’s ready to work.

“I want to be a champion,” Williams said.

The Hammonton High School senior has decided to try to make that goal a reality at Bloomsburg University. Williams committed to wrestle for the Pennsylvania school’s Division I program on a partial athletic scholarship

“I’m really excited,” Williams said. “This is what I’ve always want…

The Timber Creek High School boys basketball team pulled away to a 60-35 win over host Hammonton in a South Jersey Group III semifinal game on Saturday. Hammonton (21-7) was the top seed.

Christian Mortellite led host Hammonton with 13 points. The Blue Devils trailed 29-19 at halftime and Timber Creek outscored Hammonton 15-7 in the third quarter.

Sameen Swint topped the C…

The Holy Spirit High School girls lightweight-eight crew powered it’s way into a run for the championship Saturday at the USRowing Youth Nationals in Oak Ridge, Tenn.

The Spartans finished second in a semifinal race on Melton Hill Lake and qualified for today’s “A” (championship) final against five junior rowing clubs.

The Holy Spirit crew consisted of stroke Cailin McCully,…

The unbeaten Holy Spirit High School girls lightweight-eight boat will be an underdog this weekend at the USRowing Youth National Championships in Oak Ridge, Tenn.

The St. Augustine Prep varsity-eight and lightweight-eight crews also will compete at the regatta, which brings together the top high school-age rowers in the nation.

Racing begins at 8 a.m. today, Saturday and …

The Lower Cape May Regional High School contingent could have fit into a car for the trip up the Garden State Parkway to the state individual wrestling championships at Boardwalk Hall this weekend.

But the Caper Tigers' three state qualifiers were not about to abandon their bus for the biggest event of their careers. More importantly, they weren't about to abandon the driver of t…

LOWER TOWNSHIP - The Lower Cape May Regional High School girls basketball team picked a great time to play its best game of the season.

The eighth-seeded Caper-Tigers dominated ninth-seeded Deptford from the outset to earn a 72-46 victory in the opening round of the South Jersey Group II tournament Monday night.

But they can't celebrate for long.

Lo…

Mainland Regional High School senior Ryan Brenner likes the football and education at Wagner College.

Brenner, a three-year starter for Mainland, has committed to Wagner in Staten Island, N.Y., and will be an outside linebacker for the Seahawks. He'll receive a partial academic scholarship, but could earn an athletic scholarship if he gets playing time.

"They recruited me,…

The Mainland Regional and Atlantic City High School girls swimming teams will be in familiar territory today and Thursday at Gloucester County Institute of Technology.

The top-seeded Mustangs (11-1-1) will compete in their third straight sectional final 6:30 p.m. today against second-seeded Haddonfield (9-2) in a South Jersey Public B final.

Meanwhile, Atlantic City, the N…

VINELAND — Middle Township High School senior twins Jeremy and Zack Novick have shared many accomplishments in their 18 years together.

Add a Cape-Atlantic League individual singles title to the list.

Jeremy Novick, the Panthers’ No. 1 singles player, defeated Vineland senior Rahi Patel 6-0, 6-1 on Thursday at Vineland High School.

Zack Novick was the defending cham…

CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE - The Middle Township High School boys basketball team seemed destined to win Friday night.

With the right to host the South Jersey Group II title game on the line, the Panthers played a sloppy game against Medford Tech but still managed to tie it with five straight points in the final minutes.

Tom Catanoso scored, Jacob Cowan stole the ball in the bac…

ABSECON - Gina Lewis was emotional as she spoke to her teammates Friday night.

In a postgame meeting in the locker room, the Holy Spirit High School senior expressed overwhelming pride about the Spartans girls basketball team and its spectacular efforts. Her teammates gave her much to admire.

Holy Spirit defeated Millville 68-40 in a first- round game of the Cape-Atlantic …

The sound of a bouncing basketball or of a shot clanging off the rim reverberated around the gym when the Millville High School girls basketball team played at home from 2008 to 2010.

Few fans sat in the stands. Silence dominated. Teams on 55-game losing streaks don't draw big, enthusiastic crowds.

"It was kind of boring," said Ashli Weems, a senior center and a four-year …

Cedar Creek High School senior Michelina Hesse celebrated her 18th birthday over winter break.

She rang in the new year with her friends. She played in yet another holiday basketball tournament, just as she's done every year.

However, this winter break was unlike any Hesse had in the past. Hesse and her Cedar Creek girls basketball teammates were among four local teams tha…

WILDWOOD — Oakcrest High School’s Kanesha Foster scored all 11 of her team’s points in the third quarter against Rob-binsville at the Boardwalk Basketball Classic at the Wildwoods Convention Center on Wednesday.

Three of Foster’s field goals in the quarter came after she stole the ball.

It appeared at the time that the 5-foot-9 junior guard would lead the …

The Ocean City High School girls lacrosse team has a lot to be excited about as the regular season comes to an end.

The Red Raiders, the Cape-Atlantic League champions last season, defeated Oakcrest 15-8 this past weekend and brought themselves one step closer to the league title again this year.

"That game (against Oakcrest) was really awesome," first-year coach Alyssa Pr…

TOMS RIVER — No loss is easy, but the Ocean City High School girls basketball team will have an easier time getting over Tuesday night’s than most.

The Red Raiders lost 45-23 to Red Bank Catholic in the first round of the Tournament of Champions at the Pine Belt Arena.

While they were emotional afterward, the Red Raiders didn’t need to be reminded that the…

MAYS LANDING - Armin Cane didn't have many options after graduating from Pleasantville High School two years ago.

The 6-foot-1 guard was lightly recruited by NCAA basketball programs but didn't receive any scholarship offers.

"Nobody would give me a chance," he said.

Cane is on his way to earning that chance.

ATLANTIC CITY - The Battle by the Bay finale between the Atlantic City and Pleasantville high school boys basketball teams is usually one of the highlights on the season.

Not this year.

Both teams probably would like to forget Sunday's Battle by the Bay finale.

Atlantic City beat Pleasantville 61-39 in a ho-hum game that had none of the thrills of past Battle by the…

The Holy Spirit High School girls lightweight-eight crew placed third in a 2,000-meter preliminary heat in its division Friday at the USRowing Youth Nationals on Melton Hill Lake in Oak Ridge, Tenn. The Spartans finished in 6 minutes, 34.13 seconds.

The St. Augustine Prep varsity eight finished fifth in its preliminary heat in 5:55.65, and the Prep lightweight placed sixth in its …

PINE HILL — St. Augustine Prep’s baseball team picked the worst possible game to struggle for one of the few times this season.

The Hermits’ quest to win their second state Non-Public A championship in three years ended Wednesday with a 7-0 loss to defending state champion Gloucester Catholic in the South Jersey final at Overbrook Regional High School.

As a result, the Ram…

The Sacred Heart vs. St. Joseph high school softball game to decide the South Jersey Non-Public B title has been moved to Buena Regional on Tuesday at 4 p.m.

The game was originally to be held at Northern Burlington High School. Sacred Heart (30-3) is the No. 3 seed and No. 3 in The Press Elite 11. St. Joseph is the top seed in S.J. Non-Public B.

GALLOWAY TOWNSHIP - The St. Joseph and Absegami high school softball teams are both young, but beyond that the two teams don't have a lot of similarities.

St. Joseph, all non-seniors, returned many varsity letter winners and a strong lineup this spring. Absegami, which lost seven starters to graduation, is rebuilding.

St. Joseph sophomore Dominique D'Andrea pitched a two-h…

Vineland High School senior Toure Douglas is a large wide receiver (6-foot-4, 190 pounds) with solid speed and agility.

"4.34," Douglas said.

That's not Douglas' 40-yard-dash time. Douglas runs the 40 in 4.6 seconds.

The 4.34 is his grade point average at Vineland - currently good for top 10 in the senior class.

Vineland High School athletic director Don Robbins said he was caught by surprise when Josh Hedgeman abruptly resigned as the school's football coach during their end-of-season evaluation meeting last month.

Hedgeman went 10-20 in three seasons with the Fighting Clan, including 2-8 this season. But Robbins said the program was moving in the right direction.

"I thought he w…

The Southern Regional High School boys volleyball team returns to the Tournament of Champions final for the fifth straight season 5 p.m. today at South Brunswick High School to face Central Jersey sectional champions St. Joseph-Metuchen (41-4).

Both teams moved into the final by 2-0 scores. However, the Rams (35-4) knocked off two-time defending champions and nemesis Fair Lawn to…

The Southern Regional High School boys volleyball team beat visiting Cherry Hill East High School 2-0 in a South Jersey semifinal match in Stafford Township. The game scores were 25-13 and 25-18.

Southern (33-4) hosts Williamstown at 5 p.m. Friday in the South Jersey championship match.

Southern's Kyle Ficken had seven kills, while teammate Brandon Lee added six kills and …

The Barnegat High School boys basketball team returns just one player from last season.

However, the Bengals' program as a whole is growing. Last year's 17-9 campaign, which included the team's first-ever playoff victory, has drawn attention to the team.

Erik Mazur has coached the Bengals since their inaugural varsity season began in 2006. The school opened in 2004.

The Barnegat High School football team evened its record at 5-5 with a 49-0 rout over host Pinelands Regional on Wednesday in the teams’ third annual Thanksgiving game.

A.J. Opre led the Bengals with three rushing touchdowns, including scores of 99 and 85 yards. Barnegat had a 36-point lead going into the half.

Chris Stoma, Ryan Ulrich, Pat Moran and Kevin Hoffman also sco…

Cheri Caravano, the new coach of the Lacey Township High School girls team, wants the Lions opponents to remember playing Lacey this season.

"I'm looking for improvement from game to game," she said. "I want to end each game regardless of wins or losses with teams saying, 'Wow, that's a tough team.' "

Caravano is a product of one the state's premier girls basketball progra…

LACEY TOWNSHIP - Running back Ray Lawry of the Kingsway Regional High School football team broke into the clear on his way to the end zone late in the fourth quarter Saturday afternoon.

The Kingsway fans began to roar. The Lacey Township fans began a quiet walk to the parking lot.

Lawry's 34-yard touchdown with 1 minute, 53 seconds left clinched the Dragon…

A lot of new faces will be sitting on the bench of the Pinelands Regional High School girls basketball team this year.

With just three returning starters, the Wildcats have almost 10 newcomers that are expected to contribute.

Some of the newcomers are from the junior-varsity program. One player, Stephanie Healy, has transferred back to Pinelands, and another player, Gabby …

The Barnegat High School football team evened its record at 5-5 with a 49-0 rout over host Pinelands Regional on Wednesday in the teams’ third annual Thanksgiving game.

A.J. Opre led the Bengals with three rushing touchdowns, including scores of 99 and 85 yards. Barnegat had a 36-point lead going into the half.

Chris Stoma, Ryan Ulrich, Pat Moran and Kevin Hoffman also sco…

WILDWOOD - Wildwood High School girls basketball coach Dave Troiano spent his 890th game Tuesday pacing the sideline with the same energy and intensity he displayed in the first game of his career 35 seasons ago.

He barked plays against Cape May Tech with a booming voice that has been heard in Wildwood's tiny gym since 1977.

The 65-year-old implored the Warriors to maintai…

Wildwood High School junior girls basketball player Jessica Freeman hit two foul shots with 3 minutes, 52 seconds left in the first quarter to pass the 1,000 career-point mark in a 52-25 win over visiting Clayton on Tuesday in a Tri-County Conference game.

Freeman, who needed seven points prior to the game, scored 15 points to give her 1,008 for her career. She is the seventh pla…

The Cumberland Regional High School girls basketball team must replace one of the top players in school history.

Lauren Whelan, a 1,000-point career scorer, graduated last spring.

She now plays soccer and basketball for Rosemont College, a Division III school in Pennsylvania. The Colts must replace her scoring this season.

"We have to find scoring," Cumberland coach…

Why this game is special: This rivalry began in 2002 and has a neighborhood feel. The schools are located a short drive from each other. Schalick won 7-0 last year.

Cumberland update: The Colts come off a 28-7 win over Ocean City in a consolation game. Cumberland has won three of its last four games. Runing back De'Han Milledge has rushed 169 times for 1,087 yards and nine touchd…