Page 2 w Glory Days Magazine w August 20, 2019
ABOUT THE COVER
There are some players who we, as fans, never really full appreciate until their careers are over, and somebody else has to try to fill their shoes the following year. Taylor Dalzell might be the epitome of such a player. She was a defender on the Mainland Regional girls soccer team, and that’s a position there aren’t many stats for, so it can sometimes be difficult to determine how valuable a player in that spot is. And even on the girls basketball team, Dalzell never lit up the scoreboard. But what she did do was play relentless defense and always seemed to have a knack for coming up with a big assist or rebound that would help the Mustangs win a game. State championship teams almost always have a player like Dalzell, a senior who provides leadership, skill and a tremendous attitude every day. Dalzell may think she won’t be missed all that much now that her career is over, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. — 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 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 digital or specialty print platforms? Call us anytime at 609-788-4294. Volume: 6 Issue: 27 Overall Issue Number: 134. Cover Photography: Dave O’Sullivan. 2019 Glory Days Magazine. All rights reserved.
August 20, 2019 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 The boys of fall: The long-awaited 2019 high school football
season is nearly upon us, and there are all kinds of great storylines to follow. Pleasantville, once a team that saw winless seasons as routine, is going “All In” on trying to make a third straight state playoff appearance, and possibly challenge for a South Jersey Group 2 title. The Greyhounds have won 15 games the past two seasons and return some very talented players, particularly on defense. Mainland is brimming with confidence after the Mustangs won the West Jersey Football League’s Independence Division a year ago and made a return to the state playoffs after a pair of 1-9 seasons. Ocean City and Cedar Creek are looking to bounce back after tough state playoff losses, and Holy Spirit has its sights set on returning to the state championship game.
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 August 20, 2019
Glory Days Male Athlete of the Year Nominees u Joe Massari, Mainland (Football, basketball): Massari is only about 5-foot-7, but played much bigger in two sports. In football, he led a remarkable turnaround as the Mustangs went from consecutive 1-9 seasons to 8-3 last fall, including a division championship and a berth in the state playoffs. In basketball, he helped Mainland record a big midseason winning streak that propelled it to the South Jersey Group 3 championship game. u Jack Sarkos, Mainland (Soccer): He finished his career as the school’s all-time leading scorer, and for the past couple of years has been perhaps the most dynamic offensive player in South Jersey. u Angelo Barron, Mainland (Basketball): The Mustangs were one of the best teams in the Cape-Atlantic League, and Barron was a big reason. The lanky forward could score in a variety of different ways, and helped lead the Stangs to one of their best seasons ever. u Jada Byers, St. Joseph (Football): Byers was one of the best running backs in the state as a junior, leading the Wildcats to a 10-2 record and a state championship as one of the leading scorers in New Jersey. u Elijah Gray, Holy Spirit (Football): Another dynamic junior running back, Gray rushed for more than 1,000 yards again while leading the Spartans into the state title game. u Isaiah Raikes, St. Augustine Prep (Football): There’s a reason that Raikes was recruited by, and eventually gave a verbal commitment to, Texas A&M University. The kid is an absolute beast on the defensive line, proved to be a huge asset in the short-yardage running game
for the Hermits, and, oh yeah, he still has one more year to go. u Malachi Melton, Cedar Creek (Football, track): When your last name is Melton, you’re expected to make a big impact at Cedar Creek, and that’s exactly what Malachi has been doing the past three years. He recently gave a football verbal commitment to Purdue as one of the top receivers and defensive backs in New Jersey, and also is a very accomplished track athlete in the sprints and long jump. u Mohamed Toure [pictured] (Football, basketball): Toure was one of the fiercest linebackers and running backs in all of South Jersey last year, helped lead Pleasantville football to 15 victories the past two years, and would have made more of an impact on the basketball court but he graduated early and enrolled
in Rutgers University in January, where he will be continuing his football and academic career. He was also Glory Days’ Football Player of the Year. u Marty Cattie, Ocean City (Lacrosse): Cattie had one of the most impressive careers in school history, mainly because he drew all kinds of attention from opposing defenses yet still managed to finish his career as the program’s leading scorer. u Jayson Hoopes, St. Augustine Prep (Baseball): Glory Days’ Pitcher of the Year was completely dominant on the hill this spring, leading the Hermits back to the state championship game for the third straight year. He was also selected in the Major League Baseball Amateur Draft, but has decided to continue his career at the University of Virginia.
August 20, 2019 w Glory Days Magazine w Page 7
Glory Days Female Athlete of the Year Nominees u Brielle Smith, Oakcrest (Soccer, track): There isn’t a whole lot left to say about Smith that hasn’t already been said. She was one of the best goalies in the state during her soccer career, and in track she can throw a javelin farther than anyone in state history, and holds two Meet of Champions gold medals. She also happens to be pretty good with the books, too. She’ll be continuing her career at Stanford University. u Ionyonia Alves, Oakcrest (Volleyball, basketball): Alves was a combination of height and power that few girls in either volleyball or basketball could match. u Haleigh Schafer, Absegami (Basketball, lacrosse): Still just a sophomore this past school year, Schafer already is one of the top athletes in the Cape-Atlantic League. She can score on anybody in basketball, and does pretty much the same in lacrosse. She helped lead both programs into the state playoffs this past year. u Danielle Donoghue, Ocean City (Basketball, lacrosse): Glory Days’ Female Athlete of the Year as a junior, Donoghue finished her career with another strong basketball campaign, then all she did in the spring was win Glory Days’ award for girls lacrosse Player of the Year. She’ll be continuing her lacrosse career at Mount St. Mary’s College. u Reese Bloomstead, [pictured] Ocean City (Field hockey, lacrosse): Glory Days’ field hockey Player of the Year was lethal on offense and was one of the toughest players for any field hockey opponent to guard. In the spring, she spent her time on defense, making life mis-
erable for opposing offensive players with her tanacity and high motor. u Camryn Dirkes, Mainland (Soccer, basketball, track): Maybe the best freshman female athlete in the Cape-Atlantic League in the last 10 years, Dirkes can do it all. The soccer team moved her up top halfway through the season and she proceeded to score 12 goals, leading the Mustangs to the inaugural CAL Tournament championship. She then helped Mainland win its first girls basketball state championship in school history, and in track was one of the top javelin throwers in the league.
u Grace Curry, Egg Harbor Township (Swimming): Curry was so versatile, able to swim at a high level in multiple events and relays, and was a genuine leader of a team that has made huge strides the past two years. u Claudine Smith, Atlantic City (Track): Smith is one of the nicest young ladies you’d ever want to meet ... until she’s on the track, where she turns into a fierce competitor. The Rutgers recruit made the Meet of Champions in two events and brought home a gold medal in the triple jump and a silver in the hurdles.
Page 8 w Glory Days Magazine w August 20, 2019
Glory Days Male Senior of the Year Nominees u Hunter and Trevor Paone, Ocean City (Soccer): These twins continued the long-standing tradition of great soccer at Ocean City, helped lead the Red Raiders to an upset victory over St. Augustine Prep in the inaugural Cape-Atlantic League Tournament, and provided outstanding leadership throughout their careers. u Billy Kroeger, Ocean City (Football, wrestling, lacrosse): Kroeger was one of the best leaders in the Cape-Atlantic League in three of the toughest sports there are, and had outstanding success in all three sports, leading the football team into the playoffs, earning a bid to regions in wrestling, and helping Ocean City to perhaps its best lacrosse season ever. u Sahmir Jones, Pleasantville (Football, basketball, track): Glory Days’ Male Athlete of the Year when he was a junior, Jones was just as impressive as a senior. As a quarterback, he led the Greyhounds to their second straight playoff appearance and first postseason win in 15 years, in basketball he helped “The Ville” become one of the top teams in the CAL, and in track he was nearly unbeatable in the sprint events in South Jersey Group 2. He’s heading to Boston University on a track scholarship. u Jacob Valeus, Pleasantville (Basketball): The heart and soul of this program, Valeus worked his tail off to become a college basketball player, and made tremendous strides as a student and leader in a school that has seen a resurgence in its athletic programs. u Robbie Petracci, Egg Harbor Township (Baseball): The Eagles were struggling halfway through the season after beginning the season ranked No. 16 in New Jersey, and Petracci showed a lot of leadership by putting the team on his back and guiding EHT into the sectional semifinals. u Alec Rodriguez, Oakcrest [pictured] (Foot-
ball, baseball): The Falcons may not have won a lot of games in either of his sports, but Rodriguez was an outstanding player in both, and, more importanly, was one of the best leaders and students in the school. He’s planning on continuing his football and academic career at Cornell, an Ivy League school. u Thomas Decker, Egg Harbor Township (Football): The Eagles may have struggled the past couple of years with the win/loss record, but Decker will always be considered a winner because of his work ethic, commitment to the program and his ability to display all the characteristics that a team captain should. u Jimmy Pasquale, Holy Spirit (Baseball): Pasquale provided some much needed thump in the middle of Spirit’s batting order, played a very solid first base, and was one of the top leaders in the school, both academically and socially. He’ll be continuing his career as an NCAA Division I baseball player at Iona.
u Ryan Yost, Holy Spirit (Football): Yost, a transfer from Shawnee, only had one year to guide the Spartans, but what a year it was. The strong-armed quarterback helped lead Spirit into the state championship game and was one of the toughest quarterbacks in the West Jersey Football League. u Sam Daggers, Absegami (Baseball): Daggers was the key guy on a team with a dozen seniors, and helped lead a resurgent Absegami program into the state playoffs. He shut down Mainland, 1-0, in a complete game victory in the opening round of states, and helped Northfield capture a championship last summer and make a return trip to the ACBL finals this year. u Kyle Bronco, ACIT (Baseball): Bronco was a solid hitter in the RedHawks’ lineup, played a great first base, played through injuries, and helped lead a young squad with his determination on a daily basis. A true building block of a program on the rise.
August 20, 2019 w Glory Days Magazine w Page 9
Glory Days Female Senior of the Year Nominees u Anna Devlin, Ocean City (Soccer, lacrosse): She rarely had much to say to the media, preferring to let her play do the talking. But she was the kind of player who coaches and teammates would talk about at length. She was rarely the leading scorer and a lot of casual high school sports fans may not know her name, but throughout her career Devlin has been one of the most important players for two high level programs at Ocean City. u Emily DiMarino, Ocean City (Lacrosse): Good luck trying to stop DiMarino from finding the back of the cage on a lacrosse field. One of the most dynamic scorers in program history, DiMarino helped lead the Red Raiders to consecutive South Jersey Group 3 championship game appearances. u Andrea Teafanova, Ocean City (Swimming): Teafanova is another Ocean City athlete whose exploits flew mostly under the radar, but she was a highly trusted and counted on team captain for one of the best teams in South Jersey, and helped lead her squad into the sectional championship. u Trina Deveney, Cedar Creek [pictured] (Cheerleading, basketball): One of the most unique athletes around, Deveney went from the football cheerleading squad to being one of the most feared forwards on the Cape-Atlantic League hardwood. She was a double-double machine during the basketball season and opposing teams routinely had to use multiple players to try to stop her. u Kayla Sykes, ACIT (Basketball): Sykes was one of the most important players in program history, not only because she is its all-time leading scorer, but also because she helped el-
evate the RedHawks into the upper eschelon of CAL girls basketball. She also spent a lot of time, along with her mom, coaches and teammates, in launching the Kiss Cancer Goodbye Tournament, now an annual event that helps raise thousands of dollars for cancer research. u Mary McLaughlin, Mainland (Soccer, lacrosse): The youngest of 12 McLaughlin siblings, Mary helped transform the Mustangs’ soccer program from pretty good to elite, and helped the team win the inaugural CAL Tournament last fall. She also was one of the leading scorers for the lacrosse program at Mainland. u Claudia Mairone, Mainland (Tennis, bas-
ketball): Mairone was the Mustangs’ No. 1 singles player and could have challenged for a league title had it not been for a late-season illness, but she rebounded to help lead the basketball team to a state championship and was one of the most clutch 3-point shooters in the league. u Emily Manzo, Egg Harbor Township (Tennis): Manzo was one of the best tennis players in South Jersey throughout her career, and took home the CAL individual title as a senior. She also was a team captain and helped lead the Eagles to four straight sectional team championship matches.
Page 10 w Glory Days Magazine w August 20, 2019
VIC’S SUBS COVER STORY Glory Days FEMALE SENIOR of the Year EXCELLENCE IN ATHLETICS, ACADEMICS, LEADERSHIP, SPORTSMANSHIP
Unforgettable ending Mainland’s Taylor Dalzell capped an impressive career with a CAL title in soccer and a state championship in basketball By DAVE O’SULLIVAN Staff Writer s a young soccer and basketball player at Mainland Regional, Taylor Dalzell was never really sure how much she was actually contributing to her teams’ success. In soccer, she played defense, and while she was a stout defender, there really aren’t many stats or metrics to measure how good a fullback is. Similarly, in basketball, Dalzell was a defensive-minded guard who often would pass up an open shot to continue to work the ball inside to standout forwards such as Gabby Boggs, Aly Nazarok and Kylee Watson. “I always had to think, ‘am I really contributing?’ But as I got older I knew my role. In the beginning of my career I would always wonder if (not compiling stats) was going to affect my playing time, but by senior year I knew my role. Especially in basketball, we all knew our roles — Maddie (Hafetz) and Claudia (Mairone) were shooters, Kylee does her thing. And in soccer, Christine (Napoli) and Alivia (Handson) were really good leaders, and Kailyn (Gallagher) and Mary (McLaughlin) always pushed us,” said Taylor, who is beginning her college academic career this month at Nova Southeastern in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. “My career was 100 percent better than I thought it would be. That ending was so perfect. It was really awesome. Freshman year I came in and had leadership roles in soccer and basketball, and so did other girls, like Alivia and Christine in soccer. We knew what we wanted to do and we were all in. In basketball, I had a big role as a freshman, and I think I contributed pretty well. I never wanted to overstep the seniors.” There were certain characteristics that Dalzell dis-
A
Glory Days Magazine photo/Dave O’Sullivan
Taylor Dalzell, second from left, poses for photos with the state championship trophy along with fellow seniors Claudia Mairone, Lauren Toner and Jillian Gatley after Mainland beat Chatham in March to capture the school’s first state title. played throughout her career that not only made her Glory Days’ choice for Female Senior of the Year, but also helped her team win a lot of games — and some big-time championships. Last fall, Dalzell was a key defender on a Mainland soccer team that beat Ocean City in the inaugural Cape-Atlantic League Tournament, and in the winter she was perhaps the most valuable player on the Mustangs’ state championship-winning basketball team — which is saying a lot, considering the team’s focal point is Watson, a University of Oregon recruit and one of the best players in the country. But Dalzell was valuable in a dif-
ferent way. She played tremendous defense, usually on the other team’s best guard, was maybe the best rebounding guard in the Cape-Atlantic League, and seemingly always had a knack for coming up with a key assist or making the right decision at a crucial time in the game. “Taylor is amazing. She’s been one of my best friends for as long as I can remember, and she was an insanely vital part of this team because of the heart
See Dalzell, page 11
August 20, 2019 w Glory Days Magazine w Page 11 Dalzell, from page 10 she brought to the court. We’re really going to miss her next year, just for the small things that she did that might not come up on the stat sheet, or things people who don’t watch basketball all the time might not notice. The hustle plays, the energy she brought on defense, the ability to lead a team and bring a team together — it was an honor to play with her and I’m so happy to be able to call her a friend and win a championship with her,” said Watson, a rising senior. “She’s awesome. She’s definitely not one to take any credit, but she deserves as much credit as anybody for us winning a state championship and all the success she had the past four years in soccer and basketball at Mainland. She’s someone you could always count on, both on and off the court, and the effort and heart she gave every game was something that can’t be matched. That’s something we’ll really miss next year.” Mainland, which had lost the previous two years to Ocean City in the South Jersey Group 3 basketball finals,
went on a magical postseason run this winter, capturing the school’s first state championship in girls basketball. Watson was injured in the opening round but the Stangs got past Camden Tech, then they beat Absegami, Winslow and Ocean City to win the South Jersey title before taking down Westhampton Tech in the Group 3 semifinals. In the state championship game, a 42-35 win over Chatham at Toms River North High School, Dalzell finished with 11 rebounds, second only to Watson’s 13. The run finally came to an end with a loss to Manchester in the Tournament of Champions. “I felt really strong on the court senior year. This was my favorite year because everything just came together. Coach (Scott) Betson always says that we want to keep playing until The Custard Hut (in Somers Point) opens, and after we made it past that point — actually, after the Ocean City game, we knew we had this. We had two more games to get through, but we knew nothing was stopping us after that,” Dalzell said. “It’s just so weird to say
Glory Days Magazine photo/Dave O’Sullivan
As a senior, Dalzell helped lead the Mainland soccer and basketball See Dalzell, page 13 teams to a 46-8-1 record, a league championship and a state title.
August 20, 2019 w Glory Days Magazine w Page 13 Dalzell helped lead the Mainland soccer team to victory in the inaugural Cape-Atlantic League Tournament last fall.
Dalzell, from page 11 (that we’re state champions). It was like a movie. At that game at Deptford (in the Group 3 semifinals), there was foul trouble and Kaitlin (Boggs) was stepping up, Camryn (Dirkes) was doing her thing, Maddie was making shots. That was just a whole team effort. And then at the state championship game, Camryn was at the foul line (late in the game) and when she made her shots, Kylee and I looked at each other and we were just like, ‘we’ve got this.’ I still watch that game video on Twitter. Sometimes I forget what it was like in the moment and I have to watch the video again, because it was such a blur and so surreal.” With Dalzell leading the way, Mainland’s soccer and basketball teams combined to go 46-8-1 this season, and more often than not, Dalzell came up with big plays in all those wins. “She’s fun to be around. We have plenty of inside jokes. I would mess with her, call her the most underrated player in the CAL, try to gas her up and she hates all that stuff. She shies away from the media, but she’s awesome to be around,” Watson said. “She would always come up with a huge offensive or defensive rebound. She would sneak in there when teams were looking to box out a taller girl. I remember when I was in eighth grade and watching Mainland play against Ocean City, and she had the pass
Glory Days Magazine photo/Dave O’Sullivan
for the assist to Gabby on a buzzer beater. I was so excited for her as a freshman playing in a big varsity game, but that’s in her blood. She’s clutch.” Dalzell’s competitive sports career is now behind her, as she shifts her focus to college and hopefully one day becoming a speech therapist, but she’ll always have some amazing moments to remember from her high school athletic career. And, chances are, after all she did for two programs, the Mainland faithful will remember her for years to come. “Coming into high school, I was always all about sports, but then I realized I have to find out what I
like to do, another passion in life. I always wanted to go into education. Sports take up a lot of time, but I also had to focus on school and what I wanted to do. Now, I’m going to school for speech therapy,” she said. “(My career) was unforgettable. I miss it, but I’m excited for what I’m doing down here (in Florida). It went by so quickly. I keep telling Camryn to soak in every moment of it because it goes by so fast. This year was the perfect ending to the story, especially because I did it all with my best friends.” Contact Dave O’Sullivan: sully@acglorydays.com; on Twitter @GDsullysays
Page 14 w Glory Days Magazine w August 20, 2019
Glory Days MALE SENIOR of the Year EXCELLENCE IN ATHLETICS, ACADEMICS, LEADERSHIP, SPORTSMANSHIP
Gobi When you’re as well known in the running community as EHT’s Thurairajah is, you only need one name By DAVE O’SULLIVAN Staff Writer f you drive around the neighborhoods of Egg Harbor Township, chances are you’ll see Gobi Thurairajah running down the side of the road, clocking mile after mile. And if you do happen to spot him, go ahead and give a honk and a wave because the recent EHT graduate loves all the support he gets from his hometown. With an easy running style, a pearly white smile and a charismatic personality, Thurairajah is known simply as Gobi, and he’s about as well known as any other star in the South Jersey running community. Other athletes gravitate toward him at cross country or track meets, teammates and coaches love him, and he’s one of the big-time favorites among the youngsters at EHT’s youth running club. It’s hard not to like Gobi, Glory Days’ Male Senior of the Year. He’s an excellent stu-
I
dent, a humble teammate, a kid who enjoys giving back to the community, and an athlete who above all craved team success during a high school career in sports that are individual oriented. During his final two years as an Eagle, Thurairajah (pronounced Thur-A-RA-jah) became one of the top distance runners in the Cape-Atlantic League, and all of South Jersey. In cross country he was one of the top contenders for the league title, and in track he set a school record in the mile, helped lead his team to a sectional championship, and as an individual earned a berth in the Meet of Champions, where he finished 10th in the 1,600 meters with a time of 4:17.68. And to think, growing up, Gobi wanted to be a basketball player. “In my early years, in elementary school, I came in second-to-last place in the Miller Mile, and from there I kind of had the motivation to get better and keep mov-
ing forward. In middle school, I was on better footing and was one of the top three runners on the middle school team. As I was coming into high school, coach (Ryan) Smith and coach (Joe) Lucchio got me out there for summer practices. Then school started and things just kind of took off. I had a few injuries freshman and sophomore years and I wasn’t really that serious about it, but once I found out I could be pretty good I took it a lot more seriously,” Gobi said. “We got a new distance coach for spring track this year. Coach Lucchio has young kids so he kind of took a step back, so we had Tom McLaughlin, who had the mile record at our school, so he coached me and I beat his mile record, which was pretty cool.” Above and beyond his outstanding times, Gobi became the face of the EHT cross country and track programs. His dedication and happy personality had a profound effect on a number of teammates and coaches. “When I think of anyone to summarize our track team, it’s Gobi. He’s the funniest, goofiest person you
See Gobi, page 17
August 20, 2019 w Glory Days Magazine w Page 17 Gobi, from page 14 could be around, but when he gets in that competitive mode and gets serious, he knows what he has to do. He taught me so much during track and he’s one of my great friends. He’s such an awesome competitor. He always goes out and does what he needs to do and what the team needs him to do. He’s one of the most dedicated people I’ve ever seen in any sport. I’d be driving my car down the street and see him running. He puts his heart and soul into everything he does,” said Mubeen Momodu, a bronze medalist in the triple jump at the MOC. “He’s an amazing kid, great energy and very passionate about what he does.” “He’s always running. I’d be driving down the street and see him running with his sunglasses on. He was a great teammate. My entire life, I’ve never seen him sad. He’s always laughing and putting smiles on peoples’ faces. He broke the school record in the mile, and it’s funny because the guy coaching him (Tom McLaughlin) had the school record,” added fellow senior Trey Henry. “He definitely should have gotten more recognition. He’s been doing great things ever since he came in freshman year. Sometimes he would be like, ‘I just broke the school record and there’s nothing out there about it.’ I would tell him, ‘sometimes things aren’t recognized. You just have to shake it off and make people see you.’ He definitely should have gotten recognized more. He had a great career.” Added track coach Ryan Smith, “He’s the face of our program. He’s well known in the track and field community. You go to any event, even sectionals, states and Meet of Champions, guys come up to him. He’s well known in our sport. You see this real skinny kid come in as a freshman and we were like, ‘let’s send him to the distance team.’ His dream was to play basketball, and to see a kid like that succeed in our sport — he’s the mile record holder — we have this event in our school district called the “Miller Mile” named after the Miller School in EHT, he came in second to last in fourth grade and didn’t even qualify in fifth grade. I brought him down there this year and just had him talk to those kids. I said to them, ‘look at this kid, he was in this event and look at him now, he’s a big thing on the track scene who is going to Rider University.’” As much success as he had during his career, Gobi said he’s most proud of two
things — becoming a team leader and helping out younger kids in the track club. “Becoming a leader of these teams was awesome. I remember freshman year, looking up to guys like Eric Barnes and others. They pushed me to be a leader, and once they saw what I could do they were really supportive and helped me through that process. Guys like Trey Henry and Mubeen, we became really good friends senior year, we would have little hangouts, just to hang out and become closer. I think this was the closest team I’ve ever been on and it was fun to be a part of it. I had so much fun senior year,” he said. “After I started getting noticed it was nice to be able to be a coach (at the EHT running club), and make sure the kids have fun and realize that running doesn’t have to be something you have to force yourself to do just to stay fit, that it can be something where you have fun with friends and make something of yourself. It was great, I love giving back to the community. That was my favorite thing about being a good runner, was being able to go help out little kids and have fun with the sport.” And that says a lot about who Gobi is, that all he wants to talk about after an allstar prep running career is the impact he has on kids. “As much success as he’s had as an athlete, he’s an even better person. We’re running this track camp and he’s by far the favorite of all these kids. My 4-yearold son calls him his best friend. He just has an effect on people. He’s still hungry for success in the sport, and he’ll have an even bigger impact as a person in that Rider program,” Smith said. “With distance runners, you have to do a lot on your own to succeed. I’ll be on my ride home from the high school and I’ll see him on the street running, and that’s a huge example. If you do things on your own, they’ll pay off in the long run. His reward for all that work is now he has his name in the record books of our program, he was 100 percent a team captain for us. In his four years of high school, he won two outdoor sectional titles, we were undefeated in the Cape-Atlantic League (39-0) and we won four county titles. With him, we never lost a dual meet or a county meet, so that’s big-time.” Added Gobi, “I always had a bunch of energy to just have fun and go for runs. Freshman year, I tried out for basketball and got cut, but I’m glad it didn’t work out. I had hopes and dreams (for running) but I never expected it to work out the way it has.”
Page 18 w Glory Days Magazine w August 20, 2019
Glory Days MALE ATHLETE of the Year
Accepting any challenge Ocean City’s Brandon Lashley did it all during his high school career, excelling at multiple positions in both football and baseball By DAVE O’SULLIVAN Staff Writer eed a wide receiver? Brandon Lashley is your man. How about a defensive back? Punter? Lashley is your guy. Or maybe you need a pitcher? Or how about a shortstop? A No. 3 hitter in the lineup? Somebody to run the snack stand, wash your car, do the laundry, pick up the dry cleaning, feed the dog. Whatever a high school coach might need, Brandon Lashley could probably provide the service. The Glory Days Male Athlete of the Year was a do-it-all performer for the Ocean City football and baseball programs, and left a lasting legacy that anyone wearing No. 21 will have a hard time equaling. The Red Raiders football team went 4-6 last fall, but did make the state playoffs, and Lashley was a big reason why. He had nearly 800 receiving yards, scored 13 receiving touchdowns and set three school records: receiving TDs in a game and in a season, and the longest interception return for a touchdown (103 yards vs. Washington Township). “I knew my senior year was going to be one to remember, from summer football practice when it was 90 degrees out on the turf, just grinding and working on the little things that would make me better. It was a lot on me, but I was 100 percent up for it. I knew it was going to be tough playing both sides of the ball, especially when the weather is still hot (early in the season), but I just had to dig deep and stick in there as long as I could every game. If I needed a play off, I wouldn’t go 50 percent on the next three plays. I knew we had good back-ups who could come in for me, so I would have somebody come in for two plays then I’d be
N
Glory Days Magazine photo/Dave O’Sullivan
Brandon Lashley set three school records during his senior football season at Ocean City, and also was the Press of Atlantic City’s Baseball Player of the Year. back in there going 100 percent again,” Lashley said. “I wasn’t focused on any personal goals or trying to break school records. It was definitely something I wanted to do, but it wouldn’t have killed me if I didn’t. I don’t even really count those as my records because none of those touchdowns would have happened without the other 10 guys, so it really should be a team record.” On the baseball diamond he was even better, finishing the year with 32 hits, 19 RBIs, 11 stolen bases and a .451 batting average. As a pitcher,
Lashley allowed just four earned runs while striking out 50 batters in 38 innings, and went 6-1 with a 0.74 ERA while facing some of the best teams on the Red Raiders’ schedule. In Ocean City’s 3-2, 10-inning state playoff loss to Toms River East, Lashley allowed just two hits in nine innings while striking out 12 and walking just two. Lashley continuously came through in the clutch, and that’s why he was named the Press of Atlantic City’s Player of the Year in baseball. “Even in years past, I’ve always been
looking forward to my senior year of baseball. I loved playing football, but in baseball I knew my senior year was going to be the best it could be. I never thought it would come, I remember two years ago thinking it was so far away, and now it’s over. I put in a bunch of work. When you look around, everybody else in South Jersey is working really hard so I knew I had to work just as hard as them, if not harder, and just grind every day at practice. I knew I
See Lashley, page 19
August 20, 2019 w Glory Days Magazine w Page 19 Lashley, from page 18 had to grind every day and set a good example for the younger kids,” he said. “The last two years, the two best games I thought I pitched were my two playoff outings, but they still didn’t come out way we wanted them to. But, I was proud of the way I pitched and the way our team fought. You can’t be mad after losing in the 10th inning to a team like that.” Lashley has great perspective on his high school career, and he knows there will be bigger challenges — as well as good times — ahead as he plans to continue his baseball career at Stony Brook University, along with recent Mainland Regional graduate Devin Sharkey. But no matter where college baseball takes him, there will always be a special place in his heart for his high school baseball and football teammates and coaches. “One thing about our baseball and football teams, we were more than just a team. During football season, I hung around with all the football guys and that made us closer, and then in baseball season I was hanging out with all the baseball guys. Whatever team I was on, it was like family, and that’s something special about our team. We would go out to eat and do everything together. That was something special that stood out to me,” Lashley said. “Two years ago I was looking so forward to my senior year and thinking that it would never come, and it feels like five minutes later we lost
As a baseball player, Lashley racked up 32 hits and 19 RBIs, and also went 6-1 with a 0.74 ERA on the mound. Glory Days Magazine photo/ Dave O’Sullivan
that playoff game and then we’re done. I couldn’t even grasp the thought that it was all over. I remember sitting in the outfield after that last game and thinking that I was never going to play a baseball game again with this team, these guys, this group of coaches that I’ve been playing baseball with my entire life.” Lashley said he knows what he’s getting into with the grind of college baseball, but based on how he performed in high school with so many demands on his
time and body, he’s ready for whatever comes his way. “I’m super excited. I want to see where baseball takes me. I know Stony Brook is a great program with great coaches, and they’ll definitely help me get better than I am now,” he said. “I know it’s going to be one helluva of a commitment and one helluva grind, but I’m 100 percent down for it and ready.” Contact Dave O’Sullivan: sully@acglorydays.com; on Twitter @GDsullysays
Page 20 w Glory Days Magazine w August 20, 2019
Glory Days FEMALE ATHLETE of the Year
Living up to the hype Mainland fans have been expecting star forward Kylee Watson to help the Stangs win a state title. This year, she delivered. By DAVE O’SULLIVAN Staff Writer ylee Watson was taller than 6 feet and had already received a high-level NCAA Division I scholarship offer before she even entered Mainland Regional High School in the fall of 2016. Mustangs fans were eager to see the once-in-a-generation star lead the girls basketball program to new heights and a place it has never been before — holding up the state championship trophy. That’s a lot of pressure on a 14-year-old who didn’t even know where her locker was, but Watson has handled all the expectations with style and grace, and this year delivered what fans, parents, teammates and alumni were hoping for, as the Mustangs went 28-4 and captured
K Glory Days Magazine photo/Dave O’Sullivan
Kylee Watson averaged 18 points and 10 rebounds per game for a Mainland team that won its first state championship in program history.
“She is so professional. She must have taken a class because she has a way with words. And even outside of basketball, it’s not like she’s just like that during interviews, she’s always so humble and it’s never about her, it’s about everyone else who helps her.”
Teammate Taylor Dalzell
the first girls basketball state championship in school history. Watson reached career point No. 1,000 in the season opener — of her junior year, mind you — and the Glory Days Female Athlete of the Year went on to average more than 18 points per game and nearly 10 rebounds per game, all while drawing double- and sometimes triple-team coverage from nearly every opponent on Mainland’s schedule. The Mustangs went 12-0 in the Cape-Atlantic League National Conference, beat Ocean City in the South Jersey final, took care of Westampton Tech in the Group 3 semis, then fought off a tough Chatham squad, winning 4235 in the state championship game. “I try not to focus on it too much,
See Watson, page 21
August 20, 2019 w Glory Days Magazine w Page 21 Watson, from page 20 and even if I was facing double- or triple-team coverage, just trying to do whatever I could to get my teammates open looks so we could win the game. The whole year, it showed our success was a total team effort, even when teams tried to do that. Even if it was just energy or defensive effort, I knew I had to find ways to contribute,” said Watson, who now is a 6-foot-4 rising senior and earlier this summer verbally committed to the University of Oregon, one of the best NCAA women’s basketball programs in the nation. “Throughout my high school career, I’ve gotten a lot better with my guard skills. When I’m in the post, I do tend to draw double-team coverage, so being able to create my own shots or kick it out to an open teammate, I try to be a very versatile player all around. My confidence level overall (is higher). I’ve had the ability to shoot outside shots, but it was the fact that I wouldn’t have the confidence to take them. And also trying new things and not being afraid to try them during games was one of the biggest things for me this year.” And even with all the headlines and accolades she gets, Watson is quick to credit her teammates and coaches, often telling reporters after a game to speak with one of her teammates instead of her. “That’s why she deserves every single thing she gets. I’m so happy she committed (to Oregon) because now she doesn’t have to worry about that, and she chose a school she loved. When I’m on the court, it feels so normal, because we grew up playing basketball together, then she goes to her AAU tournaments and I’m like, ‘oh yeah, I play basketball with this girl.’ She’s so awesome, and outside of basketball we’re so close. That was a hard goodbye,” said Taylor Dalzell, a senior on this year’s squad. “She’s so humble, too. She has so much on her back and she just handles it with ease. Senior year it hit me. When she was a fresh-
man, of course she had offers, but it wasn’t her main priority to pick a college, but then we she committed it was like, yup, there it is — she is that good. I sat back and I was like, ‘wow.’ She is so professional. She must have taken a class because she has a way with words. And even outside of basketball, it’s not like she’s just like that during interviews, she’s always so humble and it’s never about her, it’s about everyone else who helps her.” “I was so happy to win one with the group of girls we had. Some of them are leaving for college now, which is really sad, but the fact that we have been together for so long and got to accomplish (a state title) — the years of early morning practices and workouts — just seeing all that pay off, and at the end being able to do it with girls I call family was so much fun,” Watson added. “It was one of the most enjoyable times of my life, that playoff run we had. Every game there was so much energy from the fans, and the community supporting us. There were people who made the trek up to Toms River (for the state championship) and that meant a lot to us.” There will no doubt be plenty more headlines, stories, awards and accolades before Watson’s high school career ends next spring, and you can count on her doing exactly what she’s done up to this point — pushing her teammates in front of the microphones and cameras to make sure everyone knows it’s about the team, and not just Kylee Watson. “As long as they know they are playing such a huge role in our success, I don’t think they care as much what the media says,” Watson said. “Sometimes I get all the press, and I’m not a huge fan of that because they are just as vital in everything we do. Everything they do, the energy they bring to the court, all that is just as important to us winning.” Contact Dave O’Sullivan: sully@acglorydays.com; on Twitter @GDsullysays
Page 22 w Glory Days Magazine w August 20, 2019
Glory Days Male Athlete of the Year Nominee
Winning mattered most to O.C. standout With Joey Sacco in the lineup, the Red Raiders always had a chance to earn a victory By DAVE O’SULLIVAN Staff Writer ohn Bruno has been coaching boys basketball at Ocean City High School since 1989, and twice the Red Raiders have won 20 games in a season. Those two 20-win seasons have come in the last two years, and it’s no coincidence that leading the way was point guard Joey Sacco. Sacco was one of the most underrated players in South Jersey throughout his career because, well, he doesn’t really intimidate anybody on the court. He’s about 6 feet tall and maybe weighs 160 pounds, but being undersized has never stopped Sacco. The youngest in a large family, he’s had to fight, scratch and claw for everything he’s ever gotten, and that type of attitude transferred onto the soccer field and basketball court, where he had a tremendous senior year in both sports. In soccer, he helped lead the Red Raiders to a championship in the inaugural Cape-Atlantic League Tournament, as Ocean City upset top-seeded St. Augustine Prep, 2-1. In basketball, Sacco helped lead Ocean City to 20 victories, the CAL National Conference regular-season title, and into the second round of the South Jersey Group 3 tournament. Sacco certainly was undersized as a freshman, as he was only about 5-foot2, but he kept finding his way into the lineup because of his grit and determination. In the end, he had an outstanding high school career that has led him to a college basketball opportunity, as he was recruited to play for Vassar College in upstate New York. “I’m definitely going to miss it. I’m missing it now, even the soccer sessions we had every summer. Nobody thought I’d be able to do what I did, so it
J
Glory Days Magazine photo/Dave O’Sullivan
Joey Sacco was one of the top point guards in the Cape-Atlantic League during his high school career, and in his final two seasons he helped lead Ocean City to 40 wins. feels good to prove people wrong. The strength factor was a big thing because when I came into high school I was about 5-foot-2. But then I hit a growth spurt and things got easier,” said Sacco, one of Glory Days’ Male Athlete of the Year nominees. “I definitely thought we would have the opportunity to win 20 games (junior year), and senior year the same thing because we had a good returning group. We came up short in the playoffs, but I’m proud of what we did, winning the CAL National Conference. We had a solid season and I knew we could make things happen.” There’s a saying in sports that the numbers don’t lie, and Sacco certainly was a part of some gaudy numbers. He averaged about 14 points as a point guard and was one of the best rebounding guards in the Cape-Atlan-
tic League, but more importantly than individual numbers was the fact that his teams won. A lot. During his fouryear high school career, the Ocean City basketball team won 76 games, including five in the state playoffs, and won a conference title. In soccer, the Red Raiders posted 58 wins, two conference championships, went 8-4 in state playoff games and earned a berth in the South Jersey Coaches Association Tournament in 2017. Overall, Ocean City teams that Sacco was a part of posted a combined record of 134-51-5. “I was underrated, as was our whole team. I’m glad that every game, my team and I, people would look at us and think we couldn’t do anything and then we’d run all over the other team. We had good energy and we expected to win,” Sacco said. “Having back-to-
back 20-win seasons was really cool, and in soccer we were CAL champs, beat St. Augustine Prep, so that was cool. And playing for coaches like Bruno and Bogushefsky was a lot of fun.” A lot of Sacco’s tenacity and neversay-die attitude comes from his time spent growing up and trying to beat his older sister, Grace — a former Press of Atlantic City Player of the Year and current player at the University of North Carolina-Wilmington — in games of one-on-one. “Growing up, me and Grace would play one-on-one in the driveway. It would usually end in a big fight, but we made each other better. And my older brother, Patrick, he’s always been
See Sacco, page 23
August 20, 2019 w Glory Days Magazine w Page 23 Sacco, from page 22 there for me, helping me out in the weight room. And my mom and dad, of course, I can’t thank them enough,” he said. “When we were younger, Grace was always bigger and stronger than me, but she taught me a lot of stuff and helped me become the kind of player I am today.” Like nearly every high school athlete, Sacco’s career ended with a loss, as the Ocean City basketball team, the No. 2 seed in the South Jersey Group 3 tournament, was upset 62-57 by No. 10
Seneca in the quarterfinals. But years from now, Sacco won’t be thinking much about that loss, rather, he’ll remember all the great times he had with his teammates and coaches at Ocean City. “We were the No. 2 seed and we definitely could have won, but it was just one of those games,” Sacco said. “It was a shame it had to end, but I had some great times so I can’t complain.” Contact Dave O’Sullivan: sully@acglorydays.com; on Twitter @GDsullysays
Page 24 w Glory Days Magazine w August 20, 2019
Glory Days Female Athlete of the Year Nominee “I like when people say I’m tough. Sometimes I get a little too determined, but I try to keep my composure. But, yeah, I won’t stop until the end, and even if the game ends in a loss I won’t stop until the end.” Liz Picardi/Absegami field hockey, basketball and lacrosse star
Full Throttle Liz Picardi doesn’t know how to do anything halfway By DAVE O’SULLIVAN Staff Writer f you happen to be in some trouble in a few years and require the services of a paramedic, and Liz Picardi gets the call, you can have full confidence that the former Absegami three-sport star will do whatever it takes to get the job done. Because that’s exactly what she did for four years in various Braves uniforms, cementing herself as one of the best athletes in the Cape-Atlantic League with an outstanding 2018-2019 senior year. Picardi had a unique sports career at Absegami, as she was the goalie for the field hockey team, a shooting guard in basketball, and one of the Braves’ leading scorers in lacrosse. And in each of her roles, she brought an intensity that was tough for opponents — and even teammates — to match. “She was not only valuable to all her sports, she was so valuable to this school. She’s definitely the female Athlete of the Year at our school, and to be a first-time goalie (in field hockey), she scored more than 100 goals in lacrosse and averaged double-digit points in basketball — that’s pretty amazing. She’s an amazing kid. Usually kids specialize in one sport, but she’s talented in all three. You could make a case that she’s a first-team athlete in all three sports. We call her ‘Big Game Liz’ because when it’s a big game, she shows up, whether it’s Ocean City, Mainland — you saw how good she was in that Mainland (playoff) game,” said Absegami girls basketball coach Bob Lasko. “With a girl like Liz, just give her the ball, she’ll be fine. She made more than 40 three-pointers this year. It was kind of like (Mainland senior Claudia) Mairone, if she had her feet set, it was going in. I’m missing her already. The cool thing is, she is such a humble kid. She was one of the captains of our team, and she showed the younger girls that if you play your role, good things will happen. She was never flashy, just did her job. She always made the right play, which you don’t see very often. Some kids are about themselves and they want to see their name in the paper, but she just wanted to play. She’s a fierce competitor who always wants to win.
I
See Picardi, page 27
Glory Days Magazine photo/Dave O’Sullivan
Recent Absegami graduate Liz Picardi was a true three-sport star, as she racked up more than 200 saves in field hockey as a goalie, hit 40 threes as a sharp-shooting guard in basketball, and tallied 49 goals in lacrosse.
August 20, 2019 w Glory Days Magazine w Page 25
August 20, 2019 w Glory Days Magazine w Page 27 Picardi, from page 24 We couldn’t have won half the games we did without her.” In field hockey, she led the Braves to eight wins and a berth in the South Jersey Group 3 semifinals, and had more than 200 saves as a goalie. As a basketball player, Picardi scored double-digit points 12 times and averaged nearly 11 points per game for a team that won 13 games and advanced to the sectional quarterfinals, and in lacrosse she scored 49 goals for another state playoff qualifier. “I miss it already. I did the day after it ended, I can’t believe it’s over. I enjoyed every single sport. I’m a very determined person, so I always wanted to get better in all the sports, and since I enjoyed them I didn’t mind the work it took. I had friends in each sport, so it was manageable. I had time to do my school work and hang out with my friends, even though most of the times it was hanging out on the court or the field,” said Picardi, who, surprisingly, is not going to college to play a sport but rather studying to become an EMT with an eventual goal of getting into the medical field in some capacity, like older sister Victoria, who is an ICU nurse. “Looking back on it, this year was definitely my best athletic year. I really tried to make the most of my last time playing each sport. In anything I do, I want to do well and be successful, so I always wanted to put myself out there for the team and do whatever I could to finish on top.” Coach Lasko said there were times when he had to corral Picardi’s energy and aggressiveness, knowing that he would need her to still have some gas left in the tank for big games in February. “She got stronger as the year went on, and the leadership she showed — a key example was our two state playoff games. She was unbelievable, hitting big shots. I knew she was a special player when (Mainland coach Scott) Betson had somebody pick her up at half court and guard her the whole way down,” Lasko said. “Off the court, Liz is a great kid who just wants to be part of the team. She was thinking about the other players, never worried about herself. On the court, I’ve never seen
Glory Days Magazine photo/Dave O’Sullivan
Picardi was as tough as they come during her high school career, wearing a black eye as a badge of honor early on in the basketball season. She helped lead all three teams she played for into the state playoffs.
“Off the court, Liz is a great kid who just wants to be part of the team. She was thinking about the other players, never worried about herself.”
Bob Lasko, Absegami girls basketball coach
somebody as intense as her. It scared me, because I’m a pretty intense guy, but she would be so fired up for games. She was never afraid of contact and would get in there and mix it up with the bigger girls. Sometimes I’d have to try to calm her down. She’s intense, and we’re going to miss that about her.” “I like when people say I’m tough,” Picardi said. “Sometimes I get a little too determined, but I try to keep my composure. But, yeah, I won’t stop until the end, and even if the game ends in a loss I won’t stop until the end.” Picardi likely will have to find some other way to channel all that competi-
tive energy now that she has graduated. It wasn’t easy taking off those Absegami uniforms for the last time, she said. “For lacrosse, the game I’ll remember is my 100th goal, and also senior night. We lost that game, but it was something I’ll always remember. And in basketball, I just remember that last time I walked off the court in that Mainland playoff game. And in field hockey, also, that last game was probably my best game. Walking off the field for the last time was a crazy feeling. (After my last lacrosse game) I felt like it wasn’t real, and it still hasn’t hit me yet and it probably won’t until they start go-
ing back to school and I’m not there. It didn’t feel real at all,” she said. “It means a lot to me that I got a chance to be a part of it. I loved the girls I played with all four years, and all the coaches I had. I’m really glad I’ll always have those memories to take with me.” “I don’t know if you can say there has been an athlete like her around here. She was a 100-goal scorer in lacrosse, one of the best shooters in the league (in basketball). I’ve never seen anything like it,” Lasko said. “What senior can say they are that good at three sports? She’s a throwback. Maybe on the one person you could compare her to is Kira Sides (of Middle Township). Seeing kids like that is rare now because most kids only play one or two sports. She didn’t get recognized as much as she should have.” Contact Dave O’Sullivan: sully@acglorydays.com; on Twitter @GDsullysays
Page 28 w Glory Days Magazine w August 20, 2019
Glory Days TEAM of the Year
Mainland Regional girls made history Mustangs captured first girls basketball state title By DAVE O’SULLIVAN Staff Writer or most high school basketball teams, losing four starters means a long year of ups and down, bumps and bruises, and trying to find some chemistry that hopefully can lead to a return to the state playoffs in another year or two. The Mainland Regional girls basketball team lost four starters from a 2017-2018 team that advanced to the South Jersey Group 3 championship game, but the Mustangs were in no mood to rebuild. They simply reloaded. Coming off back-to-back sectional championship game appearances, the Stangs took things even further this past winter, finally exorcising the demon that is rival Ocean City — the team that had beaten them in those sectional finals — and winning the first state championship in program history. Mainland, Glory Days’ Team of the Year, went 28-4 —including 12-0 in the Cape-Atlantic League National Conference — its only losses coming to South Jersey powerhouses Gloucester Catholic and Paul VI, Middle Township in the CAL Tournament, and to state power Manchester in the Tournament of Champions. Mainland also beat Middle Township twice and Ocean City and Absegami three times each. “We knew we had the potential, not only because of the talent we had but also the chemistry. Even when we were younger, people would say this team was going to win a state championship just because of how well we played together,” said star forward Kylee Watson, a junior who earlier this summer announced a verbal commitment to the University of Oregon. “It’s so tough in South Jersey, especially going up against a team like Ocean City — we know their players so well and they know our players so well, and we always have to play them multiple times each season. Having that urge for revenge after having lost to them (in the South Jersey Group 3 final) the past two years really played a role and pushed us to be successful this year.” The four new starters played their roles perfectly, as Maddie Hafetz and Claudia Mairone provided scoring from beyond the three-point line, Taylor Dalzell locked up opposing guards on defense, and freshman Camryn Dirkes provided something Mainland really needed — a dynamic point guard who could not only
F
distribute, but also get to the rim and the foul line with regularity. Mainland also had some key contributions from the bench, as seniors Lauren Toner and Jillian Gatley played big roles, as did freshman Kaitlyn Boggs and junior Lila Schoen. “It was almost like we were reloading, in a sense. We came back as a different team — (in 2017-2018) we were a much bigger team and we were able to use players like Gabby (Boggs) and Aly (Nazarok), but this year we were mostly guards,” Watson said. “Being able to open the floor, move the ball in transition and get up and down the court — we lost some very good players, but it was easy for us to mesh well because we’ve been playing basketball together for the past 10 years.” “I think we all had confidence in ourselves. We all wanted the best for each other, and we all served our roles so well. We fit together like a puzzle,” Dalzell added. “I know I was going to assist to Claudia or Maddie and they would knock down a three, we knew Kylee was going to do her thing, Camryn fit perfectly and Kaitlyn did, too. We were such a team, and we knew we had to be because the seniors last year were so good. Lauren’s defense, she would come in and stop everyone, and Jillian would come in and support Kylee.” The Mustangs drew the No. 1 seed in the South Jersey playoffs and rolled to a title, beating the likes of
Absegami and Ocean City along the way, then took down Westhampton Tech in the Group 3 semifinals before grinding out a 42-35 victory over a very good Chatham squad in the state championship game. “Everyone asks about the biggest difference between last year and this year, and you can’t have that conversation without talking about Camryn. Just how effective she is off the dribble. We have kids who can shoot, and Kylee is obviously a threat around the paint, but the other piece we had to have to win a game like this is a kid who can put it on the floor and get to the rim. She’s been doing that all year, as a freshman. I thought the biggest difference between us from the beginning to the end of the year was the evolution of the two freshman, Cam and Kaitlyn Boggs, who gave us great minutes tonight, too,” head coach Scott Betson said after the win over Chatham. “I don’t even know how to process this yet. It’s what everybody is spending all their time trying to do, everyone is trying to get to this point. I’m just really happy for our kids, they work really hard all the time, and they are such a likeable group. I know I say it all the time, but because it’s true I have to keep repeating it. Above all else, I’m just really excited for this group.” Contact Dave O’Sullivan: sully@acglorydays.com; on Twitter @GDsullysays