Page 2 w Glory Days Magazine w Oct. 4, 2019
ABOUT THE COVER
In this edition we take a closer look at three of the top senior athletes and leaders at Atlantic City High School, from left, Alex Fader, Katie Master and Ella Mackler. If those names sound familiar, they should, as each has older siblings who made names for themselves as Vikings athletes. Alex, Katie and Ella also come from very successful families who have instilled in them the values of hard work, passion and pride. This trio has worked hard to make a name for themselves, and so far they have accomplished that mission, as they have been successful in other sports and also have Atlantic City on the verge of yet another state playoff berth in field hockey. — 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 on our website or digital magazine? Call us anytime at 609-788-4294. Volume: 7 Issue: 2 Overall Issue Number: 136. Cover Photography: Benjamin Hale Photography 2019 Glory Days Magazine. All rights reserved.
Oct. 4, 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 race is on: The Cape-Atlantic League soccer tournaments
will be upon us soon, and teams on both the boys and girls side are jockeying for position. The Ocean City girls currently are 10-1 and could be in line for a No. 1 seed, but they’ll have to contend with the likes of Millville, Egg Harbor Township and OLMA. On the boys side, teams like Oakcrest, St. Augustine Prep and EHT are fighting for the top seed. u Clutch kick: A few weeks ago, Cedar Creek had some trouble on an extra point snap in the final seconds that led to a 42-41 loss to Camden, but the special teams unit of snapper Tyler Hendrickson, holder Malachi Melton and kicker Taylor Manning made up for it in a big way when Manning nailed a 30-yard field goal to beat Woodrow Wilson, 29-28, to close out September.
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 Oct. 4, 2019
BOYS SOCCER
Oakcrest, EHT tear through Sept. schedules Both teams showing offensive prowess, stingy defense early in 2019 season By DAVE O’SULLIVAN Staff Writer he past couple of seasons has been all about St. Augustine Prep, Mainland Regional and Ocean City when it comes to CapeAtlantic League boys soccer, but there are a couple of teams this fall looking to crash the party — not only in the second-annual CAL Tournament, but possibly in the South Jersey Coaches Association tournament and state playoffs as well. Both Oakcrest and Egg Harbor Township have gotten off to tremendous starts in the month of September and it doesn’t look like the Falcons or Eagles are going anywhere. These teams both have staying power, as their rosters boast a number of potential goal scorers as well as solid, athletic defenses and keepers. Heading into the first week of October, Oakcrest had an 8-0 record overall and was 8-0 in the CAL National with a two-game lead on Mainland (7-3), and EHT (10-1, 7-1)
T
Glory Days photo/Dave O’Sullivan
Mason Stokes and Oakcrest started the season 8-0, outscoring opponents 34-5. was hot on the heels of St. Augustine Prep (7-2, 6-0) for superiority in the CAL American. The CAL Tournament, which takes place in mid-October, will feature the leaders of the three conferences plus one at-large bid, and right now the tournament would feature Prep, Oakcrest, EHT and Wildwood Catholic. That could remain the same in a few weeks, as teams like Mainland, Mill-
ville, Middle Township and Pleasantville would have to do a lot of work to leapfrog any of the conference leaders. “Coach Lambert always has this ideology that we need to play as a team, play like a family, and we take that chemistry that we have on and off the field very seriously. We take pride in that bond and we play well together,” EHT captain Burak Cimen said after a recent 3-0 win over Millville.
“We have a couple of big games coming up and then we go to Prep (Oct. 2). We’re trying to get healthy, we still have a couple guys banged up. So if we can get healthy, stay healthy and continue to build off what we’re doing, get better at training — we’re hoping to make a run through South Jersey Group 4, maybe get into the Coaches Tournament, and turn some heads. We have the horses this year and we’re pretty deep off the bench. We returned 11 seniors, we have a good core of juniors, a couple sophomores and two freshmen who log a lot of minutes. Nate (Biersbach) has six goals, so he’s contributing in the attack, and Luca (Lainez) is kind of our utility guy. We try to beat teams with our legs by staying fresh,” EHT coach Pete Lambert said after the win over the Bolts last week. “The boys are having fun. They all get along on and off the field, which is a good thing. That’s a positive. We’re just trying to stay positive and take it one game at a time.” Egg Harbor Township has perhaps the most dynamic scorer in the league in junior striker Ahmad Brock, who is tall and fast and can find the back of the net in a variety of ways, whether it be on set pieces or a teammate playing
See Oakcrest, page 7
Oct. 4, 2019 w Glory Days Magazine w Page 7 Oakcrest, from page 6 a ball through and allowing him to go 1-v.-1 with a defender. But the Eagles are far from a one-man bad, as they have guys such as Cimen, E.J. Martin, Lainez, Jayden Guy and freshman Nathan Biersbach who are all creative in the midfield, which allows the Eagles to attack opposing defenses in different ways. The Eagles have taken care of business when they’ve needed to, rolling to big wins over teams like Vineland, Bridgeton and Atlantic City, and also have shown the ability to get wins against some of the toughest competition on the early schedule. They topped Delsea 3-1, beat Mainland 3-1 and also scored a 2-1 win over Moorestown. Their only loss came on Sept. 11, 2-1 to St. Augustine Prep. Oakcrest has been just as dominant, maybe even more so, and this might be the best team coach Joe Seaman has every fielded. In their first five games the Falcons outscored opponents 23-4, and through their first eight contests have yielded just five goals while scoring 34. Their best challenge came in a 1-0 win over Ocean City, the defending CAL Tournament champion, on Sept. 19. “Today was probably one of my worst games, but the team still rallied around and we got the win. That’s why I love this team so much, not everybody has to be on their perfect game for us to get a win,” senior Mason Stokes said after that victory over the Red Raiders. “This year, everybody wants it. The past couple of years, we were a young team, but we have 13 seniors this year and I think we all realize this is our last chance to really win something. We want to be remembered.” “I think we needed that close, physical game with the ‘W’ to move ahead mentally,” Seaman added. “I know it’s not going to be a walk through the park in the conference. The CAL is just too talented. So this was a good wake-up call that we need to keep working hard at practice, we have to keep everything focused and be ready for these teams the second time around.” Ocean City coach Aaron Bogushef-
sky — who came into the 2019 season with 135 wins, including 20 postseason victories, in 10 years — said this is the best Oakcrest team he’s seen during his coaching tenure. “They always give us a good game. I think — for what my opinion is worth — this is the best Oakcrest team I’ve seen, and I’ve been around awhile. They moved the ball around really nicely. Senior leadership is of utmost importance and they are loaded with it. They are taking teams apart,” he said. Oakcrest is similar to EHT in that the Falcons can attack an opposing defense with a multitude of talented players up top, including Gabe Paz, Stokes, Juan Gonzalez, Asemba Augo and Colin Veltri, and Oakcrest also has a pretty good defense led by Shawn McCourt and goalie Ryan Liberty. “We like to think of it like a dam, and when the holes start leaking, you can only put your fingers in so many holes before the whole dam breaks. That’s the way Oakcrest is because they can hurt you in so many different ways,” Bogushefsky said. “The hardest thing for us was how to generate an attack after worrying so much about them scoring. We were playing a certain way today and it’s not the way we usually play, but seeing the way they play I thought that was the best game plan. I think Joe (Seaman) would agree that this was the best look they’ve seen so far. We tried our best, but these guys are loaded.” October will tell a lot about how ready these two teams are for the postseason, as each will get tested throughout the month. Oakcrest has tough road games at Mainland, Middle Township and Ocean City while EHT — which has outscored opponents 53-10 so far — travels to St. Augustine Prep on Oct. 2 and also has to play Millville, Absegami and Glassboro later in October. “Teams are going to start preparing for us more often because before they didn’t,” Oakcrest’s Paz said. “Now they are going to see what we have and are going to try to stop us, and we have to get through that.” Contact Dave O’Sullivan: sully@acglorydays.com; on Twitter @GDsullysays
Oct. 4, 2019 w Glory Days Magazine w Page 9
GREATE PERFORMANCES PRESENTED BY GREATE BAY RACQUET & FITNESS
Sophomore GK comes up big for Gami
T
he Absegami girls soccer team has been struggling with some injuries, most notably to senior striker Allie Tierney, who tore her ACL in the first week and was lost for the season, and the Braves struggled a little bit in the month of September. When the calendar flipped over to October, Gami needed a big win over rival Cedar Creek to get the month started on the right foot. Sophomore goalie Rebecca Silipena came up with a huge effort in a 1-0 win over the Pirates on Oct. 1, registering eight saves, including one on a penalty kick and another on a breakaway by Cedar Creek freshman Corinne Morgan. It was one of the more impressive clean sheets in the Cape-Atlantic League so far this season. “It’s difficult because I had a lot going through my mind. A lot of it is just patience. In my head was just patience, just wait for her to make a mistake and pounce,” Silipena said of the breakaway save. “I honestly do this all for (my teammates). Every single game I come out here doing it for them, everything is just for the team. I work off of them and they work off me, and if we don’t work together, it doesn’t work. I had a really good game, but everybody works. I do it all for them.” “She saved a penalty kick, and the first time we played Cedar Creek she saved one, too, so that was two big saves by her,” added senior captain Rylee Getter. “She saved us a couple times near the end, like when their freshman forward almost scored but she got right in there. She’s been doing amazing this season.” The win was the sixth overall for the Braves and helped Absegami pull into a third-place tie with Cedar Creek in the CAL National standings. u Taylor Manning and Tyler Hendrickson, Cedar Creek: Hendrickson’s bad snap on a potential game-tying extra point a few weeks ago cost the Pirates in a 42-41 loss to Camden, and for the next two weeks the long snapper practiced his snaps 100 times a day. All those repetitions paid off as the Pirates got another chance at a big-time kick, this time against Woodrow Wilson. Hendrickson’s snap was true and Manning drilled a 30-yard field goal as time expired to lift the Pirates to a dramatic 29-28 win over the Tigers. u Louie Barrios, Cedar Creek: The Pirates’ quarterback has been unstoppable so far this season. Twice he has thrown for five touchdowns in a
Glory Days photo/Dave O’Sullivan
Rebecca Silipena, a sophomore goalie at Absegami, had a tremendous game in a recent 1-0 win over rival Cedar Creek, registering eight saves to earn the clean sheet. game, and through the first four games the senior had passed for more than 1,000 yards, rushed for more than 200 and accounted for 18 touchdowns. u Ja’Briel Mace, Mainand: Mace is just a freshman, but he sure is making his presence felt as the new star running back for the Mustangs’ football team. Mainland (4-0, 2-0) currently is a half-game behind rival Ocean City for first place in the West Jersey Football League Independence Division, and Mace is a big reason why last year’s champs will have an opportunity to repeat, as he has rushed for nearly 700 yards and 11 touchdowns in the first four games of his career. u Gabe Paz, Oakcrest: The Falcons’ senior captain has been on fire this year, leading the soccer team to a perfect 8-0 record through September. He’s already equaled his goal output from last year with 15 tallies and has scored in every game Oakcrest has played this year, including the only goal in a 1-0
win over Ocean City in mid-September. u Emma McErlain, Oakcrest: In a recent volleyball match against Cedar Creek, the Falcons dropped the first set, 25-23, but came back to win the next two as McErlain finished with three aces, eight digs and 11 assists. u Franklin Sims and St. Augustine Prep offensive line: The sophomore running back had quite an impressive varsity debut in a recent 28-12 win over St. Joseph, racking up more than 100 yards and a touchdown. A big reason for that was the play off the offensive line, which dominated up front so much that the Hermits had to throw just one pass the entire game. u Joe Repetti and Issac Wilson, Ocean City: The quarterback and running back combined for six touchdowns in a 44-6 win over Absegami, with Repetti passing for three and Wilson rushing for three more.
Page 10 w Glory Days Magazine w Oct. 4, 2019
VIC’S SUBS COVER STORY
creating their own identity Alex Fader, Katie Master and Ella Mackler each have older siblings who were star athletes at Atlantic City. Now is their time to make sure they’ll be remembered. By DAVE O’SULLIVAN Staff Writer tlantic County high school sports fans — and fans throughout South Jersey, for that matter — are very familiar with the surnames Mackler, Master and Fader. No, it’s not a law firm — although the Mackler name is the “M” in GMS Law — but rather an Atlantic City High School sports legacy that the younger siblings are now carrying on. Hannah Mackler was a star field hockey player for the Vikings and now is attending the University of Delaware; Josephine Mackler was a part of the Vikings’ crew and swimming teams during her prep days; Ryan Fader helped lead the A.C. boys basketball team to a state championship berth during his high school days and then attended Duke University; and Megan Master led the Cape-Atlantic League in strikeouts her senior year as a softball pitcher and is continuing her career at University of the Sciences in Philadelphia. The younger sisters of those star athletes have been making names for themselves the past four years and now are senior captains on a Vikings field hockey team that is in contention for a state playoff berth once again under sixth-year head coach Ali Marsini, who herself was a standout player at Mainland during her high school days, when she was known by her maiden name of Juliano. Ella Mackler is one of the best defenders in the CAL who also played a couple years of lacrosse, Alex Fader is one of the top players on Atlantic City’s girls basketball team and Katie Master is among the best softball players in the CAL and recently received a scholarship offer from Central Connecticut State, where she plans to sign her National Letter of Intent. “We only have three seniors this year, which is the lowest number we’ve had in my six years, but even though they are few they have a big presence both on and off the field. All three of them have been playing varsity since their freshman year and they are a huge part of this team. They know how we like to run things and they are a huge help to me. They play other sports, too, are involved in a lot of other things and are all great students,” Marsini said. “Katie’s biggest thing is softball. She made it clear to me that’s her main thing but she still wants to play field hockey because she loves it. She said there might be times where she had to go on college visits and different things like that, but she’s been great with it. Softball is her thing, but she’s been a huge part of the field hockey program as well. And it’s
A
See Identity, page 11
Benjamin Hale Photography
Atlantic City seniors, from left, Alex Fader, Katie Master and Ella Mackler have helped turn the Vikings into a contender for a state playoff berth, are outstanding students and some of the best leaders in the school.
Oct. 4, 2019 w Glory Days Magazine w Page 11 Identity, from page 10 the same thing with Alex, who plays basketball. Both of them do things year-round. Katie’s playing softball all year and going to tournaments on weekends, so it’s a lot for them. “All three of them have older siblings who were standouts at Atlantic City, so it’s nice to have the same families back with me again,” she added. “I’ve had a Mackler since I started coaching and it’s been great to build relationships, not only with them but with their families as well.” Heading into October, Atlantic City was right in the middle of the standings in the very competitive CAL American Conference at 5-3-1, behind stalwarts such as Ocean City, Millville and Egg Harbor Township and ahead of other solid programs like Mainland Regional and Absegami. If the Vikings play well this month they should be able to secure a state playoff berth once again. They enjoyed a four-game winning streak in the middle of September that included a signature win over Mainland, 4-3, as
well as victories over Absegami, Bridgeton and Winslow, and after a tough 6-0 loss to EHT the Vikings bounced back with a 2-0 win over Vineland. Master is one of the team’s leading scorers while Fader holds down the midfield and Mackler captains the defensive unit. “I just always know I have to go 100 percent, and by showing that everyone will follow and give 100 percent,” Master said. “For myself, I just try to be the best I can be and I encourage others to do that as well. Going 100 percent in practice and putting all the work you possibly can in gets you to the point where you want to be.” “All of us are very competitive people so we were like, ‘this is our senior year and we might not play field hockey again after this, so we might as well go all out and try to finish this season with a bang,’” Fader said. “We don’t mind being the underdog and sneaking up on people. When we come out and beat teams like Mainland, it’s just amazing.”
Benjamin Hale Photography
Mackler, a senior and captain, has become one of the better See Identity, page 13 defenders in the Cape-Atlantic League.
Oct. 4, 2019 w Glory Days Magazine w Page 13 Identity, from page 11 “Individually, our skills have developed a lot. (A few years ago) we weren’t as good as we are now. And as a team, me and Alex on defense really connect well, and Katie is also on the left side with me, so we all just have this connection and we use that to sort of be the core to help everyone else, talking and getting everyone together and up the field,” Mackler added. “It’s such a good feeling to know that all your hard work is paying off — all the practices, all the early mornings are finally starting to pay off.” Coming into high school with well known older siblings isn’t easy for any athlete, but these three seniors have created their own identity and in some ways are different than their brothers or sisters, although equally talented. In softball, Master is known as a powerful hitter, where as Megan — and mom, Margie (A.C. High Hallof-Fame member) — were known more for their pitching prowess. And Alex is much more quiet and reserved than older brother Ryan. “I don’t think I can ever top my mom, but that’s OK. We’re all different players than our siblings. I’m not a pitcher, I know I can’t be like Megan,” Master said. Added Alex, “I’ll always be called ‘little Fader.’ It’s good, though, because when you come into high school everyone knows you, but you get a chance to build your own image.” What makes this such a special group of seniors for Marsini — aside from the fact that they are the only three seniors on the team — is their family background. All three are the children of highly successful parents, and perhaps that’s where they get their drive and motivation. Mike Mackler is a partner at GMS Law and Ella’s mom, Rina, runs Make It Pop, a successful advertising agency in Atlantic City. Glenn Master handles the financial accounts at the Ocean City Free Public Library and Margie Master is a well respected teacher in Ventnor. Keith Fader has had a long and successful career in advertising and Alex’s mom, Susan, works for AtlantiCare.
“Ella is a stoic leader and Katie likes to get things done, and Alex, she is just a great leader on the field. She knows so much about the sport and leads by example. All of them have successful parents, great families and great siblings, and you can tell sports have been an important part of their upbringing. Every year I say, ‘wow, how am I going to replace these seniors?’ Not only do we build strong relationships with them but they make up a huge part of the culture at our school and in our program,” Marsini said. “To lose these three is going to be really hard. Ella and Alex have been huge defenders for us and Katie has been our leading goal scorer, so to lose all of them will be a big challenge. All three of them make up different parts of the team.” Marsini said she’s just hoping her younger players can watch and learn from these three how to become impact players on the varsity level. “The younger girls watch them on the field and see what they are all about,” she said. “Especially with Ella and Alex on defense, it’s kind of a science that we’ve been building back there and they lead by example. They show the younger kids how it’s supposed to get done.” What this season holds for the Vikings is yet to be determined, but Mackler, Master and Fader are just trying to enjoy every minute of it. This is the last time all three will be teammates, so they are soaking in the experience, one that has led them to become great friends outside of high school sports. “Freshman year, I knew Alex but I didn’t really know Ella, but through the years we’ve gotten really close,” Master said. “I wouldn’t have half the friends I have now without the field hockey team. I’ve met some of my best friends through it and you build the best relationships,” Mackler added. “I just want to have a good season and win as many games as we can, and in the games we lose just play as hard as we can.” Contact Dave O’Sullivan: sully@acglorydays.com; on Twitter @GDsullysays
Benjamin Hale Photography
Fader, above, and Master have become stars in basketball and softball, respectively, during their athletic careers at Atlantic City High School.
Page 14 w Glory Days Magazine w Oct. 4, 2019
CHEERLEADING
More than just pom-poms and bows Mainland, like many other schools, is proving that cheerleading is much more than just ‘go, team, go!’ on Friday nights By DAVE O’SULLIVAN Staff Writer f you swing by the campus of Mainland Regional High School on any hot August day you might see about three dozen girls running laps around the football field or doing sprints, and you’d probably think to yourself, “it looks like the soccer or field hockey team is getting ready for the season.” You’d be partially right, because those teams do go through extensive summer workouts to prepare for the fall season. But so does another team, one that might surprise a lot of casual high school sports fans — the cheerleading squad. Mustangs cheer coach Tiffany Unsworth is serious about her team being taken seriously, and physical fitness is a top priority since the Mainland cheerleaders don’t Caroline Gitsas stop cheering, dancing and stunting durMainland senior ing the entire course of a football game. Mainland cheerleaders are required to run a mile every day, the have offseason conditioning programs just like other sports, and — like a lot of cheer teams in South Jersey — have employed the use of acrobatics during games to not only get the crowd roaring but also to show off their athletic ability and talents. In some moments, it’s almost like being on a gymnastics team.
I
“We run a mile every single day before practice, we do work in the weight room. It’s not just cheering your team on, it actually takes a lot.”
Glory Days photo/Dave O’Sullivan
Mainland has nine seniors, including Olivia Carfagno, Olivia DeLeo, Olivia McGhee, Caroline Gitsas, La’Shauna Spence, Ava Broux, Regan Hickey, Kelley Welsh and Evan Daily. “A lot of the girls have a history of either all-star cheerleading or gymnastics, so we try to use those talents and showcase it on the sidelines,” Unsworth said. “We make them run. They are going the entire game and they have to keep up their stamina, especially when they are stunting. People don’t think it’s a cardiovascular endurance sport like other sports, and it’s probably not as much, but they have to be able to keep going, especially when they are stunting and dancing. It helps their strength. “Our team has come a long way and I’ve heard comments from other sport teams on campus about how serious we take things, and it’s nice to hear that,” she added. “Sometimes we get girls come out for the first time and we make them run the mile in tryouts and I say, ‘we do this every day.’ Sometimes it turns some people off because they’re not sure they want to do that every single day, but I want people who are able to keep up. I want us to be more respected and
recognized as a sport rather than just an activity.” “People usually say cheer isn’t a sport, but we actually do a lot of work,” said Caroline Gitsas, one of nine seniors on this year’s team along with Ava Broux, Regan Hickey, Kelley Welsh, Evan Daily, La’Shauna Spence and the three girls named Olivia — Carfagno, DeLeo and McGhee. “We run a mile every single day before practice, we do work in the weight room. It’s not just cheering your team on, it actually takes a lot.” “We got to different places to work out, we’ve done yoga on the beach. Just because it’s a cheer team we get labeled, but people don’t see all the work we put in,” said McGhee, whose father, Mike, is the athletic director at Cedar Creek and whose older sister, Alexa, is a former Mainland cheerleader. “We’ve been
See Mainland, page 17
Page 16 w Glory Days Magazine w Oct. 4, 2019
Oct. 4, 2019 w Glory Days Magazine w Page 17 Mainland, from page 14 working since the beginning of July. We do sprints and run a mile every day and people just don’t see that. And stunting and tumbling, people don’t realize how hard some of that stuff is.” Cheerleading also is about much more than just standing on the track on Friday nights and waving pom-poms. Mainland’s cheerleaders are expected to keep up good grades and be leaders in the school, and they also are heavily involved in a lot of community outreach events. “They really come alive and are personable at community events. I really enjoy watching that as a coach and letting their personalities shine. Some of them are very kid friendly. We do the family fun walk in Absecon, which is for kids with special needs, and it’s nice to see the cheerleaders get involved and give back,” coach Unsworth said. “We also do things with the Susan G. Komen Foundation, we go out for National Night Out in Linwood. They are good with all ages and at any kind of event. They’re always willing to dive in and help out wherever they need to. I really don’t have to work to get them to do community service, they really enjoy it. It’s gotten to the point where they bring up events to me.” Daily said one of the best things about being one of the seniors this year is she and her classmates get the opportunity to set a good example for the younger girls on the team. “I also do competitive cheer and have friends from all over the county.
Glory Days photo/Dave O’Sullivan
The Mainland Regional cheerleaders love having fun with kids and also do a lot of community service, including events such as the family fun walk in Absecon and National Night Out in Linwood, as well as fundraising events for the Susan G. Komen Foundation. Mainland cheer definitely has the best family atmosphere,” she said. “These girls are like our little sisters, they look up to us, we take them out to dinner, we’ll bring them shopping or they’ll come to my house and practice cheer.” Welsh echoed those sentiments, and said she likes the fact that with so many girls on the roster there are different
groups of friends who get a chance to come together and be part of a team. “The most fun thing about cheer is definitely making all these new friendships and bonds. This team is a whole different group of people. It’s not like we all sit together at lunch, there are different groups of girls and guys coming together,” Welsh said. “When you
see teammates in the hallways you say hi, and they may not have been a person you would have ever said hello to, so it’s a bond that we grow with everybody. It’s great being friends with people from all different grades.” Contact Dave O’Sullivan: sully@acglorydays.com; on Twitter @GDsullysays
Page 18 w Glory Days Magazine w Oct. 4, 2019
CHEERLEADING Junior Josh Knorr pals around with senior cheer captain Olivia Carfagno prior to Mainland’s game against Absegami in September. Josh, a lifelong competitive dancer, has joined the Mustangs’ cheerleading team and says the decision has opened up a whole new world of experiences for him. Glory Days photo/Dave O’Sullivan
TAKING A CHANCE Josh Knorr decided to join the Mainland cheerleading team this year, and he’s having the time of his life By DAVE O’SULLIVAN Staff Writer ver since high school was invented there’s one thing that nearly every student craves: to be accepted for who they are and be given the opportunity to learn about themselves without fear of being judged. The high school years can sometimes be a social minefield that is difficult for any teenager to navigate, and going out on a limb to try something different makes it all that much harder to fit in. For two years, Josh Knorr, now a junior at Mainland Regional High, wanted to be a part of the Mustangs’ cheerleading team, but he didn’t have the confidence to go out there and be the only boy in a sport that for generations has been predominantly all girls. He thought about it, but ultimately decided against putting himself out there and having to possibly face
E
the stares and whispers among fellow students and fans. There wasn’t an 80s-movie-like epiphany this summer, Josh just simply gave in to the requests of some of his friends who were already on the team to come out and give it a try. He said he was nervous but, now that he’s halfway through his high school career, what was there to lose? Now, a few weeks into his junior year, he’s having the time of his life and is out there every Friday night with the more than two dozen cheerleaders, rooting his high school’s team on and trying to work the Mainland faithful into a frenzy. “I wanted to try it my freshman and sophomore year, but I was always scared to go (to tryouts). But this year my friends were like, ‘just come with us.’ One thing led to another, I tried out, and it’s been going well. I’m a dancer and I always thought that
cheer and dance were different things, kind of opposite even though they relate in a way. I didn’t want to be really bad and embarrass myself. I’m a competitive dancer outside of school and I’ve been doing that since I was about 4 years old. My mom took me to a class and I fell in love with it,” Knorr said. “When I first started I was nervous about that because it is high school and kids will judge you, so that makes it nerve wracking, but once I was on the sidelines and knew the cheers and dances, it’s like you don’t care what anyone might say because you’re out there having fun.” Knorr credits the support of his mother, Michelle, siblings Ethan (13 years old) and Sophia (age 8), as well as the girls on the team for helping him come out of his shell and take on a challenge that came with the risk of being ridiculed, ostracized or possibly even bullied. (None of which, Knorr said, has happened). “I love all the girls on the team, we’re really close. We’re all like one big family. Even with JV and var-
See Knorr, page 19
Oct. 4, 2019 w Glory Days Magazine w Page 19 Knorr, from page 18 sity, it’s not really split. We all practice together and do a lot outside of cheer. It’s been different for me, but it’s a good different. I’ve always wanted to get more involved in high school. I felt like I wasn’t as involved as I could be, but now I feel like I’m a lot more involved and my high school experiences have been getting better as a result,” he said. “So many parents — dads and moms — will come up to me and say I’m doing so well on the sidelines. That’s really cool because you’d normally think that wouldn’t happen. It’s nice to see how the world is changing, and changing for the better.” “Times are changing and it’s becoming more accepted. There’s now the first male (Kyle Tanguay) on the Philadelphia Eagles’ cheerleading squad as well and I thought that was interesting. We had a male on our squad two years ago, so it’s not that new to me, but I was excited when we had Josh come out because he’s a strong dancer and back spot. It can be tough, no matter what, because there are stereotypes, but he’s handling it well and doing a
“So many parents — dads and moms — will come up to me and say I’m doing so well on the sidelines. That’s really cool because you’d normally think that wouldn’t happen. It’s nice to see how the world is changing, and changing for the better.”
Josh Knorr, Mainland junior cheerleader
great job,” said Mainland cheer coach Tiffany Unsworth. “I’ve been open with him about what he’s comfortable with. For instance, I asked him if he wanted to use the poms and he said, ‘yeah, it’s totally fine.’ There are males who use them and those who don’t, so it’s really whatever he’s comfortable with. He seems to be pretty popular. All the cheerleaders knew him and they love having him around. I think it’s something you’ll see a lot more often. Cherry Hill West had two male cheerleaders, so it’s something that’s becoming more common. I think there will be more male cheerleaders coming out for teams because it’s something they want to do, but maybe a few years ago it wasn’t socially acceptable. Colleges have them and I think it will
trickle down to high schools, and now the Eagles have one. It might be a little awkward for people at first, but for us it’s normal.” The girls on the team have thoroughly enjoyed having Josh as part of their cheer squad. “Some people might make comments, but with the people making comments, he’s probably stronger than them and can out-run them. When we run the mile, he laps every single one of us. He runs about a six-minute mile and I bet he could run track faster than a lot of guys,” said Olivia Carfagno. Added Kelly Welsh, another senior, “There are a lot of guys doing competitive cheer, so it’s nice to see some guys coming out for high school cheer. Guys on other sports teams might think he’s
weird, but Josh is amazing. He’s the best dancer on the team and he brings something different to our team. It really adds to what we do. You’re starting to see NFL teams have male cheerleaders now. The people in the stands see him, and hopefully that inspires other boys to want to come and try out.” Knorr, who has an extensive background in competitive dance, said he’s still getting used to cheering, but the thrill of Friday night football is just as intense on the track as it was when he was sitting in the stands the past two years. “It’s exciting but it’s very stressful at the same time. It seems like the crowd is watching you, but mostly they are concentrating on the game. Having all those people looking down at you from high on the bleachers is intimidating, but you get used to it after awhile,” he said. “In dance competitions, you dance and at the end the crowd cheers for you, but at football games it’s constant cheering and yelling. It definitely hypes you up.” Contact Dave O’Sullivan: sully@acglorydays.com; on Twitter @GDsullysays
Page 20 w Glory Days Magazine w Oct. 4, 2019
BUSINESS PROFILE
Action heats up in fall at King Pin Leagues, NFL Sundays, $2 Tuesdays highlight current schedule By DAVE O’SULLIVAN Staff Writer lot of folks only think about going bowling when it’s a rainy or snowy winter day, maybe one of those options when it’s inconvenient to do anything outside. But King Pin Bowling and Entertainment on the Black Horse Pike in Egg Harbor Township wants you to know that their facility offers so many things that the general public might not even think about. The facility has been around for years and has been a staple for generations of South Jersey sporting enthusiasts, and has transformed itself under new ownership the past couple of years to become one of the premier bowling alleys in all of South Jersey. It’s a huge structure with plenty of parking that offers 40 lanes and so much more. There’s a full-sized billiards room inside, a full-service kitchen that serves not only the snack bar, but also the restaurant/lounge, party rooms, an arcade and even a miniature alley that the youngest of children can bowl on as they begin to learn the game. You can even purchase a custom-made bowling ball right on the premises. Unlike most businesses in this area, King Pin’s busy season is heating up right now with fall leagues, NFL football Sundays and so much more. “Fall is a very big time for us, starting in the first week of September. That’s when most of our leagues start and those will be Monday through Friday. We’re a little backward from most
A
Glory Days photo/Dave O’Sullivan
General Manager Mary Ann Ross says there are all kinds of entertainment options available at King Pin Bowling, including weeknight leagues, children’s leagues, poker nights, birthday parties and more. businesses around here because we’re busiest in the fall and winter, where as most places at the shore are busiest in the summer,” said General Manager Mary Ann Ross. “We have 40 lanes of bowling, so even when it’s packed on a Tuesday night you can usually get in. We have our lounge, which is really more like a restaurant. They cook really good food here. And we also have our pool room and arcade. People will come here to do fundraisers, we’ve even had Bar Mitzvahs here and we have a lot of parties here. We have a lot of different packages for parties, so you can come here and see what fits. This way, you can sit back and relax with the kids and we’ll clean up after
everything.” Leagues are a big draw in the fall, and King Pin has a variety of them. “Most of our leagues start up in September, then we go full throttle from there. Most of the people take it very seriously. Wednesday night is our biggest night and all 40 lanes are taken up for that league, but on other nights we do have (some lanes available) for open play. Everybody is happy with what we offer — we have the arcade and the pool room, plus the lounge, the snack bar. We have very good food here and people even call in for take-out orders. The kitchen here is very good,” said Assistant Manager Ray Westphal. “We have quite a few good players here. We
see a lot of 300 games, especially the last couple of years. We have a lot of strong players who come here.” Westphal is one of many familiar faces inside King Pin, and one of the perks of his job is that he gets to talk to customers all day long and help convince them to join one of King Pin’s various leagues. “I get to converse a lot with customers and help convince them to join leagues. I’m doing that all day long. If people like the place and ask about the leagues, or if they call on the phone, I try to explain to them everything we have and we take it from there,” he
See King Pin, page 21
Check out kingpinbowlingnj.com for more information!
Oct. 4, 2019 w Glory Days Magazine w Page 21 Oakcrest, from page 6 said. “We have a children’s league on Saturday mornings throughout the fall and winter, we have a senior league on Thursday mornings, which we call our ‘Fountain of Youth League.’ We also have mixed leagues, women’s leagues, men’s leagues — we have quite a variety. We even have adult/child leagues where kids get a chance to bowl with their parents, so we have a lot of families involved. We have family value packs that we offer seven days a week.” The great thing about bowling, Ross said, is it’s an affordable option not only for families but also for teams, corporate outings, birthday parties and other occasions. “We have a big party here on Super Bowl Sunday. We’ve sold out the last couple of years, which has been nice, and we have football every Sunday. We also have poker on Monday and Tuesday where you can come in and play poker for free,” Ross said. “Bowling is pretty reasonable, you can get a package for $54.99 for six people for two hours, shoes are included and you get some popcorn, so it’s a rea-
sonable thing. We have days of the week when it’s really cheap — for instance, on Friday at 4 p.m. you can come in and get a game for $1 and shoes for $1. Tuesday is busy, we have $2 Tuesday, which is very popular, so as soon as the league finishes at 9:30 p.m. we fill the house. Fridays have become very popular with the ‘Beat the Clock’ games. In our leagues, we have people who are 80 or older coming in. We have a woman who will come in and bowl 10 games and she’s 86 years old, and she doesn’t look tired afterward. She can bowl me under the table.” Not only does King Pin employ people of all ages, but it caters to any age as well. Ross has been at the helm a long time and she’s now seeing loyal customers who started bowling when they were youngsters bring their own children in to learn the game and have fun. “We have a lot of kids who started here when they were 5 years old and now they are coming back and bringing their kids,” she said. “I’m aging myself a little bit here, but there are twin girls — one is married with a baby and the other is just getting married — so it’s nice to see different generations. This place is big, the snack bar is great. It’s a nice environment
and the new owner did make everything better when he took over. Everything is family oriented, we cleaned up the outside and he always wants to make sure everything inside is clean and tidy.” In addition to being a very popular local entertainment attraction, Ross said it’s important to let people know the business is community oriented, which is why King Pin has been partnering with Glory Days for several years now. King Pin wants people to know they support thousands of high school athletes and their families, and even Egg Harbor Township High and ACIT use King Pin as their home lanes during the winter season. “Glory Days helps bring kids out and that gives them an opportunity to bowl, and that will help us in the future. They connect with the kids, and I think the kids have a good time here,” Ross said. “(Partnering with Glory Days) helps let people know that we’re not just out here for business purposes, we are here for the community as well. We try to do stuff for the community and help out.” Contact Dave O’Sullivan: sully@acglorydays.com; on Twitter @GDsullysays
“We have a big party here on Super Bowl Sunday. We’ve sold out the last couple of years, which has been nice, and we have football every Sunday. We also have poker on Monday and Tuesday where you can come in and play poker for free.” GM Mary Ann Ross
Page 22 w Glory Days Magazine w Oct. 4, 2019
SENIOR SPOTLIGHT: Hailey Gould, ACIT girls soccer
Gould flying high as a RedHawk Mays Landing resident will finish her career as leading scorer in ACIT history By DAVE O’SULLIVAN Glory Days Magazine ven at the tender age of just 10, Hailey Gould had to shoulder a lot of responsibility. With both her parents, Laura Gould and Michael Abelson, working — and sometimes multiple jobs — Hailey was asked to look after younger sister Hannah, nine years her junior, on more than one occasion. Gould, now a 17-year-old Mays Landing resident and captain of the Atlantic County Institute of Technology girls soccer team, says having to mature quickly and take on adult tasks before even becoming a teenager helped mold her into the leader she is today. “I remember throughout the years, I’d be 10 years old and watching her. I had to take on a lot of responsibility. When I wasn’t playing soccer and had free time, I’d be here watching her while my friends
E
Hailey Gould has more than 40 goals and 30 assists during her ACIT soccer career, and said she plans to continue to play in college at Division III Rutgers-Camden. Glory Days photos/ Dave O’Sullivan
would be out,” said Gould, whose RedHawks have gotten off to a 4-8 start in the very competitive CapeAtlantic League American Conference. “In retrospect, she did have to get dragged to a lot of early morning tournaments, and I give her credit for that. Looking after her has helped me mature. As soon as an assignment is given I want to get it done, I don’t like procrastination. I try to get things done as soon as possible.” ACIT’s soccer program is now led by Jason Embs, who is trying to build a foundation for a program that has seen several head coaches in its brief history, and Gould is putting more bricks into the wall that was started by players such as Tess Carty and Anna Attardi. In fact, Gould recently overtook both those former players in the ACIT record books, as she is now the RedHawks’ career leader in both goals scored and assists, passing Carty and Attardi, respectively, in those categories on the ACIT career leaders list. “I came here as a freshman, mainly for education. The soccer team didn’t have much of a foundation, but it was fun because I love the girls on the team. Freshman year I only scored four goals but sophomore year I scored about 16, so I’ve definitely grown throughout my four years and quickly adapted to the
style of play (on varsity). It’s been fun, I’ve grown and learned a lot from the girls,” she said. “Coming into sophomore year, I got thrown the captain’s band, so that was quite interesting being a young captain. But I quickly adapted to it. One of the things I realized from freshman year was I really took losing to heart, it would ruin my whole day and I would be so upset when we lost. But the girls taught me that it’s going to happen, you’re going to lose some and win some. Eventually, I learned how to have fun with the sport and they’ve really taught me how to enjoy it. “I expected to just be an average player, be in the books for four years and eventually fade away as time goes on,” added Gould, who now has more than 40 goals and 30 assists during her high school career. “I never expected to have a lasting impact (on this program). I’m extremely proud. To be able to do this, and do it with these girls who back me up on everything, and still being able to have fun along the way is really great.” Gould said that while the RedHawks have struggled in terms of their win-loss record during her career,
See Gould, page 23
Oct. 4, 2019 w Glory Days Magazine w Page 23
Gould, from page 22 she’s learned to relish the experience of being a part of this high school team, and said she has had a great opportunity to develop her leadership skills the past couple of seasons. “I came in with thoughts of, OK, this is going to be a normal high school team, we’ll have a .500 record, and that wasn’t exactly what happened. I think we had two wins the whole season my freshman year, and I think that really put things in perspective. From there we’ve moved on and these girls have turned into sisters for me. They’ve taught me so much and I’ve really loved the experience. I try to be as positive as possible for the girls, someone who they can rely on for leadership or anything they need help with — whether it be school or soccer — I always try to be there for them. I try to set the tone and be the best leader I can be. Some of these girls have never played soccer before, so it’s hard to come into a sport that is so competitive. I just try to make their experience the best it can be,” Gould said. “Coming into sophomore year, I got thrown the captain’s band, so that was quite interesting being a young captain. But I quickly adapted to it. One of the things I realized from freshman year was I really took losing to heart, it would ruin my whole day and I would be so upset when we lost. But the girls taught me that it’s going to happen, you’re going to lose some and win some. Eventually, I learned how to have fun with the sport and they’ve really taught me how to enjoy it.”
Gould says she’s focusing on doing everything she can to help the RedHawks improve their spot in the CAL standings, and when her career ends she’ll then turn her attention to playing college soccer and pursuing a nursing degree at Rutgers-Camden University. She’ll have the unique opportunity to attend college with her mom, a social worker, who is studying for her master’s degree in psychology at the same university. “I did get a few Division II offers, but ultimately I wanted to stay closer to home and committed to Rutgers-Camden. It fits what I want to do with my future because I want to be in nursing, plus, my mom goes there now, so it’s a perfect fit. That will be interesting (going to school with her). She’s a social worker who is going for her master’s in psychology,” Gould said. “Growing up, that was always what I strove for. When I was little, I would go to college games and think, ‘that’s what I want to do. I want to be that, I want to play college soccer.’ To be able to do that — even though it’s at the Division III level — this is what I wanted and everything I’ve dreamed of, so it’s an amazing thing. I’ve prepared a lot for that, it’s constantly been on my mind. Their assistant coach (Kelvin Murray) has been a trainer of mine for a long time, ever since I was a little girl. He was the one who really opened me to the idea of going to Rutgers-Camden.” Contact Dave O’Sullivan: sully@acglorydays.com; on Twitter @GDsullysays
Page 24 w Glory Days Magazine w Oct. 4, 2019
bunting family pharmacy FOOTBALL REPORT
O.C. gets after it during Sept. schedule
D
uring the preseason, Ocean City football coach Kevin Smith talked about his desire to see his Red Raiders finish games strong. He felt as though the squad let some wins get away last year in games he thought Ocean City should have won. And during those hot August practices, he routinely would make his players go through the final drill of the day again and again until he was satisfied they hadn’t lost focus. Through the first four games of the season, not only have the Red Raiders been finishing strong, they’ve been finishing opponents off early and often. In Ocean City’s matchup against Absegami on Friday night, the Red Raiders blitzed the Braves with 30 points in the first 13 minutes to put the game out of reach after just one quarter in an eventual 44-6 victory that boosted Ocean City’s record to 4-0, the first time the red-and-white faithful have seen that mark since just after Ronald Reagan finished up his presidency. “We stepped right on the gas and put them down early. We have a bunch of dudes who can play football. We’re a family. That’s four weeks straight we’ve come out in the first quarter and played some ball, run around and hit people, score touchdowns — that’s
Glory Days photo/Dave O’Sullivan
Mike Rhodes and the Ocean City defense have allowed just six points in four games so far this season. what we do here,” said senior two-way lineman and captain Chris Armstrong. “This is the first time since 1989 that we’ve started out 4-0. It’s awesome. We
have a bunch of dudes who can play, we’re a family and we stick together through adversity.” There hasn’t been a ton of adversity just yet, as Ocean City has taken down Lower Cape May, Egg Harbor Township, Bridgeton and Absegami. In four games, the Red Raiders are outscoring opponents 716, and Gateway is the only other team in the entire West Jersey Football League to allow less than seven points so far this season. The schedule, however, will get decidedly tougher very soon for a team that is leading rival Mainland (4-0, 2-0) by a half game in the WJFL Independence Division standings. Ocean City goes on the road this week and faces a tough St. Augustine Prep team, then, after a bye week, returns home to face Triton before a road game at Oakcrest on Oct. 26. If the Red Raiders can take care of the Falcons they’ll have a shot to win a division title at Mainland on Nov. 1. “I like how we just start fast and keep our foot on the pedal, we don’t let up until the end of the game,” junior quarterback Joe Repetti said following the win over Absegami. “It’s a little surprising (that we’ve allowed just six points all year), but we know teams
See Schedule, page 27
Page 26 w Glory Days Magazine w Oct. 4, 2019
Oct. 4, 2019 w Glory Days Magazine w Page 27 Schedule, from page 24 are going to score against us, so it has to happen sometime. But our defense is playing really well. Our confidence is high, we just have to keep rolling and keep getting after it.”
Stangs stay hot
Ocean City will have plenty of competition when it comes to the Independence Division title because rival Mainland Regional has also been taking care of business. Following a 30-19 victory over Cherry Hill West at home, this past weekend the Mustangs went on the road and beat Bridgeton. Sophomore quarterback Cole Campbell, who has come in for injured senior Zach Graziotto, is now 2-0 in his career and has helped Mainland score 59 points in his first two starts. Mainland, which has won 12 of its last 15 games, has a pair of home games the next two weeks, against Clearview and Oakcrest, then travels to Middle Township on Oct. 18 before getting a bye week heading into the Ocean City game on Nov. 1. Freshman running back Ja’Briel Mace has been a sensation so far for the Mustangs, as he rushed for 192 yards and three touchdowns against Bridgeton. In the first four games of his career, Mace has racked up more than 600 yards and 11 touchdowns, and he’s averaging better than seven yards-percarry.
Huge bounce-back win
Cedar Creek (4-1, 2-1) has put itself in position to win the WJFL Constitution Division thanks to an impressive victory over Woodrow Wilson of Camden on Saturday afternoon. Taylor Manning nailed a 30-yard field goal as time expired to lift the Pirates to a 2928 win over the Tigers, and that was huge considering two weeks earlier Creek suffered its only loss, 42-41, to Camden because of a botched snap on an extra point attempt after Malachi Melton caught a touchdown pass from quarterback Louie Barrios with less than 10 seconds remaining. Long snapper Tyler Hendrickson was so upset with himself after that bad snap that he practiced snapping 100 times a day every day since then. The repetitions paid off as the snap was good on Saturday and Manning, one of
Glory Days photo/Dave O’Sullivan
Senior wide receiver Yasir Triniwell and Egg Harbor Township came back from a tough loss to Kingsway to take down rival Oakcrest on Friday night and secure the Eagles’ first victory. the most accurate kickes in the league, split the uprights to give the Pirates a huge divisional win. Cedar Creek (4-1, 2-1) is now tied with Willingboro (4-1, 2-1), a team it beat in the season opener in Week 00. Camden, however, is just a half-game behind and holds a victory over Cedar Creek.
Eagles respond
A little more than a week ago, Egg Harbor Township suffered a crushing loss to Kingsway. After going into halftime in a scoreless tie, the Eagles watched the Dragons rack up 28 points in a six-minute span in the third quarter, as Kingsway bolted to a 42-0 victory. The Eagles showed some resiliency this past weekend, however, toughing out a 7-6 win over Oakcrest to get into the ‘W’ column for the first time this season.
Loaded American Division
The American might be the best division in the entire WJFL, as Williamstown, the No. 1 team in the Glory Days Best 11 rankings compiled by football writer Mark Trible and former Lenape coach Tim McAneney, isn’t even in first place in the division standings heading into October! That honor belongs to Shawnee, which is 3-0 in the division (Williamstown is 2-0 so far). And Lenape, the No. 2 team in our rankings before the Indians’ 28-21 loss to Williamstown on Friday night, is 1.5 games behind Shawnee in the division race. The division also features Cherokee and St. Augustine Prep, a team that beat then-No. 5-in-the-state St. Joseph two weeks ago and took Shawnee into overtime this past weekend before falling 14-7. To show you how good this division is, Cherokee is plus-48 in scoring differential and is in third place.
Royal parity
So, who will win the WJFL Royal Division? Might have to check back in a few weeks on this one. Four of the five teams in the division have 2-2 overall records, with Hammonton and Kingsway sitting atop the standings with 1-0 divisional records. Hammonton took a big step toward a division title by beating Holy Spirit this past weekend so the Spartans will have to beat Washington Township and Kingsway, and hope that the Dragons can knock off Hammonton. Holy Spirit has a bye this week before returning Oct. 11 at Township, then the schedule gets really rough as the Spartans take on St. Augustine Prep, Kingsway and St. Joseph. Hammonton still has three division games remaining: at Kingsway Oct. 11, at Eastern Oct. 25 and home against Washington Township on Nov. 1.
snapshots
Glory Days photos/Dave O’Sullivan
Ocean City junior forward Faith Slimmer gets hit from behind during the Red Raiders’ recent win over Cedar Creek.
Absegami’s first singles player, Sarbjeet Devi, returns a shot during the Braves’ matchup against Oakcrest in early September.
Cedar Creek receiver JoJo Bermudez tries to get past a Camden defender during the Pirates’ 42-41 loss to the Panthers.
snapshots
Glory Days photo/Dave O’Sullivan
St. Augustine Prep’s Nasir Hill celebrates after scoring a touchdown during the first half of the Hermits’ 28-12 upset victory over St. Joseph of Hammonton in September.