Marlton Sports Magazine Winter 2018 by Marlton Sports Magazine

Celebrating Our Community Sports

Cherokee Girls Volleyball A Season Like No Other p. 24

Winter 2017

BUSINESS

The of Youth Sports p. 6

Local Hockey Star Serving as

INSPIRATION

p. 10

MEHIGAN SAYS GOODBYE

to a Phenomenal Run at Cherokee p. 28 What Can You Do to Help the Opioid Epidemic? p. 9

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MARLTONSPORTS Celebrating Our Community Sports

Winter 2017 Co-Owners

Contents Features 6 The Business of Youth Sports

8 Flag Football update 10 Local Hockey Star

Serving as Inspiration

Will Stith

Stephanie Biddle

Publisher Stephanie Biddle Copy Editor Dubravka Cortese Content/Photography Will Stith Graphic Design Corporate Imagination Contributing Writers Ed Benkin Dubravka Cortese Dr. Lance Knaub Marc Narducci Shawn Teske Account Executives Dave Brodack Nicole Weiner

MSM © 2018 Marlton Sports Magazine. All Rights Reserved. Printed in U.S.A. Published three times a year by Creative Publishing, LLC. Marlton Sports Magazine and Creative Publishing neither endorse nor take responsibility for products or services advertised herein. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without permission from the publisher. Creative Publishing makes no warranty, representation or guarantee as to the accuracy or timeliness of its content. The publisher reserves the right to reject or cancel any advertising at any time. To submit a news item or offer a feature story idea to Marlton Sports Magazine, email marltonsports@gmail.com. To advertise in Marlton Sports Magazine or to receive a media kit, email marltonsports@gmail.com.

24 On the Cover: A Season Like No Other

ehigan Says Goodbye M to a Phenomenal Run at Cherokee

35 Sports 101

All About Rugby

Fall Sports Recaps 12 Girls Tennis 14 Field Hockey 15 Boys Soccer 18 Gymnastics 20 Girls Soccer 26 Football 14 30 Cross Country

Departments 4 Middle School MVPs Coaches’ Picks Boys and Girls Soccer

Expert Advice

What Can You Do to Help the Opioid Epidemic?

16 Sports Unity Profiles 22

Sports Advice

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Middle School MVPs Coachesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Picks - Boys and Girls Soccer Maggie Abate

The Marlton Middle School girls soccer team selected Maggie Abate as this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s MVP. As starting sweeper, Maggie's ability to control the ball and direct our defense helped lead the Mustangs to an undefeated season. Maggie's strength and presence on the field made her an integral part of this year's success. She is a versatile player who could handle any position. She will be sorely missed, but we look forward to seeing her bright future as a player at Cherokee.

Emily Sheehan

For DeMasi Middle School girls soccer, Emily Sheehan is our MVP. Emily is dedicated, hard working, and shows extreme leadership skills. Other players look up to Emily as a mentor and as a motivator. In her position of goalie, Emily displayed a knowledge of the game well beyond her years. As a field player, Emily was unselfish and always looking for the best play, as well as coaching on the field. Any team that Emily decides to play for will be empowered by her skills and leadership. 4

Brandon Michael

Brandon Michael was the Marlton Middle School MVP. Brandon, a seventh grader, was a true leader of the team. He played center halfback and helped control both the offensive and defensive end of the field. He helped lead the Mustangs to a 10-3 record.

Alex Wieliczko

Our MVP, Alex Wieliczko, demonstrates leadership on and off the field. He has been a great role model for the the younger players because of the respect that he shows. He was a true example of a captain. He was a consistent playmaker on the field and contributed critical goals that led to many DeMasi victories. Marlton Sports Magazine

Winter 2017

The

BUSINESS

here was a time when kids had the opportunity to participate on maybe one of three teams per sport at one time – their school team, the town team, and, if they were really talented, a club team. The explosion of youth sports today has produced a bounty of choices for young athletes. Children now have the opportunity to play multiple sports in one season, even the same sport on multiple teams. Town recreation leagues have grown exponentially over the past decade or so. Along with that has come an upsurge of club and elite teams, sometimes several in the same town. The growth in youth sports has created a competitive environment among the various

youth sport organizations, with each club, team and league vying for the “business” of today’s young athletes. The appeal of participating in national tournament play and competing against the best of the best is difficult to pass up. But with so many youth sports clubs, new ones popping up regularly, and many calling themselves “elite,” it can be difficult for parents to discern the difference between the programs. Likewise, there is no easy way to determine if a pricier club is necessarily a better one. One of the oldest of the elite youth sports organizations is the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU). Founded in 1888, AAU was originally meant to be a stepping stone for future young Olympic Athletes. In 1949, the AAU Junior

of Youth SPORTS By Dubravka Cortese

Olympic Games was started for young athletes age 8 to 16. After a split with the Olympic Committee in the 1970s, AAU’s primary focus was shifted to promoting youth sports. Today, the AAU sanctions 34 sports programs across 56 district associations. It hosts 250 national championships and more than 30,000 age-based events with more than 500,000 participants. Retired NBA player Kobe Bryant has been an open critic of the AAU. The former Los Angeles Laker grew up learning to play basketball in Europe, where his father was a professional player. In a 2015 interview, Bryant said AAU “doesn’t teach our kids how to play the game at all so you wind up having players that are big, and they Marlton Sports Magazine

bring it up, and they do all this fancy crap and they don’t know how to post. They don’t know the fundamentals of the game.” He said he believed AAU was “treating [amateur basketball players] like cash cows for everyone to profit off of.” Bryant is not alone in his belief that an increased focus on promoting the success of the individual player has diminished the importance of the individuals contributing to the success of the team as a whole. It’s not unheard of for a young athlete to team hop in the middle of a season because the child or the parent is not happy with the current team. Coaches are often left scrambling to fill rosters at the beginning of a season. Many club teams put their games at a higher priority than high school games, thus putting high school coaches at a disadvantage when trying to field teams and run effective practices. Further diminishing the importance of high school sports teams is the growing trend of college scouts increasingly recruiting from club teams rather than high school teams. In a bold move, U.S. Soccer in 2012 banned its academy athletes from participating in high school sports. Former professional basketball player, coach and sports analyst Steve Kerr has also spoken out against clubs diminishing the importance of winning, with teams playing multiple games in one day and sometimes on more than one team. This in turn can make it difficult for coaches to get their young athletes to bring their best to each game and focus on the improvement of basic skills training. In a 2012 article for ESPN’s Grantland blog, Kerr wrote, “The process of growing as a team basketball player — learning how to become part of a whole, how to fit into something bigger than oneself — becomes completely lost within the AAU fabric.” Then there’s the issue of cost. Participating in a club or elite team is far from free. Even with team fundraising drives, the out of pocket cost for parents can easily reach into the thousands annually. According to WinterGreen Research, a market research and analysis firm, youth sports has become a $15.5 billion market in the United States, more than the NFL’s $14 billion. According to Time Magazine, that’s a 55 percent increase since 2010. Parents are regularly shelling out funds for tournament fees, as well as travel expenses to attend those tournaments. Which begs the question, how many families can actually afford club sports for their children? A study conducted by the Aspen Institute’s Sports & Society Program found that the numWinter 2017

ber of children age 6-12 playing team sports on a regular basis has been steadily decreasing over the past 10 years. Furthermore, the data reflects that lower income children are being priced out of club and travel sports. According to the Aspen study, the amount of children from lower income households participating in sports is about half that of children from households earning $100,000 or more. There’s never been more options for today’s young athletes to experience a variety

of sports at a skill level that’s right for them. School team sports and local recreational leagues aren’t going away, and club and elite teams are on the rise. Whatever choice is made, the focus should remain on making the decision that is best for the child, and the family unit as a whole, without losing sight of the most common tenets of youth sports – building character, learning the value of teamwork and having fun. MSM

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Expert Advice

What Can You Do to Help the Opioid Epidemic?

he opioid problem has now become massive and is a national crisis. It took the lives of more than 33,000 people in the U.S., and in New Jersey, there were 1,587 drug overdose deaths (2015 data). More alarmingly, the trend is headed the wrong way with a 41 percent increase in drug overdose deaths in 2016 versus 2015. Most of us now know someone who has been affected. My first intimate experiences were through the lives of some clients whom I am close with who had children affected. I have seen their literal and figurative pain and suffering. This summer, I had a cousin who died of a drug overdose, and it has been extremely difficult for our family. From a physical therapy perspective, I have a few simple recommendations to offer to help make a change in the trends and this epidemic: • Know what medication is in your home. Have awareness and knowledge. Awareness is always the first step in problem solving. • Remove medications from your cabinets and home which you no longer need. Use your local resources. Evesham and other local police departments offer convenient drop-off boxes. • When seeing a physician, or after an injury or dental/medical procedure, participate in the process and discussion. Try to take non-opioid pain medications as much as possible to effectively manage your recovery. Ask about non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDS) and topical medication options. Discuss this proactively to come up with an agreed upon plan. • Have realistic expectations about pain following surgery and procedures. New recommendations and expert opinion state 5/10 pain or less may be the goal in immediate term recovery rather than 0/10, which will lead to intermediate and long term success. • Get another opinion if your pain is lasting and not improving for whatever condition it is you are experiencing, (becoming chronic is defined as persisting more than three months). • Consider conservative treatment options. Physical therapy, chiropractic, acupuncture, and medical massage utilize non-surgical and non-drug options for many painful conditions. Investigate which options have some research for your situation, and then meet the local providers. • Consider lifestyle changes as part of the plan. Exercise, nutrition, and sleep play a role in becoming healthier and alleviating pain. For chronic pain, this is a good place to start and may make other treatments more effective. MSM Dr. Lance Knaub PT, DPT, OCS, CSCS Adjunct Assistant Professor Rutgers University Doctor of Physical Therapy BREAKTHRU Fitness and Physical Therapy drlanceknaub@breakthrupt.com

Winter 2017

Local Hockey Star Serving as Inspiration

aison Houser has a passion for the game of hockey. That passion has helped the Marlton teen get through a terrifying ordeal. Earlier this year, Maison lost his right eye in a hunting accident. Despite the loss of his eye, Maison was determined to make it back onto the ice for his hockey team at Bishop Eustace Preparatory School. On Dec. 8, Houser returned for his first game since the accident. For Maison, hockey is proving to be the great escape. “It’s an hour or two hour escape from everything,” Maison said. “You’re just thinking about shifts and what you’re going to do out there.” Maison could have understandably lost faith after such a horrifying moment. For most people, the loss of an eye takes both a physical and emotional toll. Maison had to make the decision of wondering why he was the victim of such an ordeal or accepting his situation and moving forward. He chose the latter. “I realized that it sucked that I was going to lose the eye and not have any vision in it,” said Maison. “But there are people who go through a lot worse. I’ll be able to live a good, normal life and get back to everything I was doing.” Maison’s father, Trevan Houser, was impressed with the way his son handled his situation and believes it was a big reason why Maison was able to make a full recovery. “I believe it’s a huge part of it,” said Trevan. “From an emotional standpoint, he is in such a good place. For the people that know him, especially the adults, they will tell you that he is an old soul. I think the maturity that he brought to

By Ed Benkin this incident is a testament to that.” Maison’s approach not only helped him make a faster recovery, but also inspired many of his family and friends. The elder Houser was expecting to have to be the driving emotional force in Maison’s recovery. It turned out it was the son who inspired the father. “He was giving me the pep talks,” said Trevan. “He was telling me, ‘I know this is no good and no fun. I wish I could undo it, but I can’t, so we’re going to move forward.’ That will give you a little bit of insight as to where he was.” Maison also received inspiration from the father of one of his hockey teammates. During his time in the Flyers Youth Program, Maison skated with the son of current Flyers assistant coach Ian Laperriere, who decided to find another way to lift Maison’s spirits. Laperriere had several members of the Flyers put together a short video with messages of support for the Marlton resident. “That was great,” Maison said. “I’ve always known Coach Lappy was a great guy. For him to go out of his way and get the Flyers to send a video was just great. They’re just awesome people. It helped lift my spirits even more in the hospital.” For Maison, the transition back to his hockey team at Bishop Eustace served as an inspiration. However, he also realized he had to change several parts of his game in order to be successful in his situation. “I kind of have to transition as both a left and right winger,” said Maison. “On the left wing on the breakout, it helps me to see defensemen coming along the half-wall. When rushing the

puck up the ice, it’s good to be on the right side, so I can see through the middle. My blind side is to the boards and not to the middle.” Dozens of friends and teammates decided to surprise Maison with a gathering in front of his house. Maison and his family were blown away by the gesture. Unfortunately, it was far from a surprise when Maison arrived at his home. “One of the goofs of the team put it up two miles before,” said Maison. “Everybody was not too happy with them once I told them that.” “The love and support of his community, and especially his hockey community, are going to see us through,” Trevan said. “It has done so much to help him accept and to lighten the load. I don’t know how we would have done it without them.” Even with plenty of support and a positive attitude, Maison still had to deal with his physical situation. He realized his approach to his vision, along with his daily activities, would require changes in order to go about his daily routine on and off the ice. “The first week or so was kind of the adjustment to having to reach a little further to what I saw to things,” said Maison. “It was judging my balance and getting all of that situated. After that, it was pretty normal again.” Normalcy is difficult to come by in Maison’s situation, but he has found a way to motivate himself going forward. His father believes his story will also lift the spirits of others who are also dealing with similar issues. “He continues to inspire other people,” said Trevan. “I hope that he can hopefully help some other kids as well.” MSM Marlton Sports Magazine

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TENNIS

Cherokee Girls Tennis Recap By Coach David Haney

he Lady Chiefs improved to a 9-9 record this season and advanced to the sectional quarterfinals, losing to Millville. Seniors Katie DeLia, Kaitlyn McVeigh, Aykys Salchak, Lauren Juliano and Lindsay Mullen will be missed next season, and we wish them the best with their future in college. Katie DeLia was a four-year varsity starter at third singles this season and finished with an 11-9 record. Junior Sanjana Panjala has played first singles for the last three years. She reached the round of 16 at the South Jersey Coaches Tournament for the second year in a row. Panjala also advanced to the semifinals of the Olympic Conference Tournament and was recognized by the SJCA as a Group IV singles All-Star. Her record was 19-8. Kaitlyn McVeigh and sophomore Carly Fronczak battled back at first doubles to win both matches versus Lenape after losing the

first set, sealing the victory for the team in both matches. Salchak and sophomore Kelly McVeigh finished with a solid 8-5 record and a big comeback in the second Lenape match. Junior Shreya Cheepi subbed in for a sick Katie DeLia in the first round of the playoffs for her first ever varsity singles match. She lost the first set, forced a second set tiebreak and came back to win her match in the third set tiebreak! Juliano was out most of the season with an injury and was able to come back the last week of her senior year to be back in the swing. Cheepi and sophomore Danielle DeLia played at third doubles and rounded out the lineup. MSM

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FIELD HOCKEY Cherokee Recap

CONGRATULATIONS

he Cherokee field hockey team had a great season, living up to their motto of being the "hardest working team." Led by captains Gab Bodine, Lindsey Florio and Christina Orio, the team ended the season in the second round of playoffs with a 13-7-1 record. Emma Altenburg, Gab Bodine, Bella Evans, Lindsey Florio and Alli Yocum were all selected to 2nd Team All-Conference, while Zoe Musick earned a spot on 1st Team All- Conference. Bodine also broke a school record in her last season with the Chiefs, becoming the 2nd All-time Career Assist Leader. Bodine was also named to the Burlington County 1st Team while Altenburg and Musick were named to the 2nd Team. Not only did the Lady Chiefs have a remarkable season, together through their persistence and work ethic, they had the best record the program has seen since 2007. MSM

The following athletes from Cherokee signed Letters of Intent to the following schools as of December 2017:

Softball Amanda Riley ~ Clarkson University

Lacrosse Gabryelle Bodine ~ Butler University Victoria Hampton ~ George Washington Gabriella Evans ~ Sacred Heart University Mary Carroll ~ Stockton University Dakota DeMaise ~ Catholic University Gabrielle Krug ~ Kean University

Baseball Jimmy Franchetti ~ P, Villanova Matthew Stil ~ RHP, Charleston Southern

Basketball Tymere Bennett ~ Bloomfield

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Soccer PJ Fiore ~ Marywood University

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BOYS SOCCER Cherokee Recap By PJ Fiore

herokee High School soccer will always be a huge part of my life. I think I can speak for my teammates, too, when I say this. Spending the last four years with most of these boys has been an experience I will never forget. I’m not going to sugarcoat it, we did not have the year we wanted. As incoming seniors, we thought that this year would be the same as the last, and maybe we could even go a little further. We finished with a record of 6-10-3, a record no team wants to see. Although we didn’t have the record we would’ve liked, during the season, we as a team, came a very long way. Hope. That was the one thing we lacked at the beginning of the season. Hope. After our first three losses or so, I could see it, everyone was losing faith and hope in the season. It was heartbreaking. I wanted this season, especially for the seniors, to be the best one yet. I didn’t want to give up on the season, or any of the boys, ever. After our fourth loss, our assistant coach pulled me and two of my teammates into his office. Our conversation was all about hope and not giving up. He told us he could see it in us, that we were the three main kids that hadn’t, and wouldn’t, give up on the season, that we wanted to make the difference in the season and give the rest of the team a sense of hope. My two teammates and I talked after that conversation, and we all agreed, we needed to be that sense of hope. We all agreed that the season wasn’t over yet. We overcame obstacles, came together as one, and pulled in some wins. The game where I think we came together the most was against Winslow. We went into overtime that game, after playing our hearts out, and overcame adversity and won. The whole season I think, was a very positive one. It was a learning experience. We, as a team, learned how to come together and never lose hope. For my senior brothers, thank you for growing up with me and making me the man I am today. I know you all are on to big things. For the underclassmen, show everyone what Cherokee soccer is next year. It’s your time. Best of luck to you all. MSM

Winter 2017

Varsity seniors: Tatum Cinelli, Travis Gould, Trevor Nation, Sebatian Graterol, Becker Albanna, Nick DiCostanzo, Keith Fisher, PJ Fiore, Ryan Rafferty, Colton Schneeweis and Rome Young.

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Sports Unity Profiles Tori Sax Athlete Profile

ori is a very social 11-year-old girl who has participated in the Sports Unity Program since the beginning. She has played soccer, basketball and baseball. Tori has also participated in cheer and swim. All of these experiences have been wonderful for Tori. She has developed relationships with many of her buddies over the years. Every time she walks up to sign in, she is met with a big hello and smiles. The program is great for Tori, because she is able to play or work at her own pace. Physical activities can be challenging, and Sports Unity allows Tori to have fun in a more relaxed, safe environment. Tori really enjoys all of the sports, but her favorite has been swim. We were so excited to hear that Sports Unity was partnering with Woodstream Swim Club this summer. Tori worked with some wonderful buddies and learned to swim! The end of the season was wonderful with a swim meet where she was able to show off all that she learned. We are so thankful that Sports Unity is available for Tori and that we are fortunate enough to have this program in our own hometown.

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ive years ago I began working with children who have a variety of disabilities through a program called Sports Unity. Over the years, I spent many Saturday afternoons and weeknights as a buddy on the soccer field, basketball court and street hockey rink. I originally got involved with the Sports Unity program in the eighth grade because my older sister was volunteering, and I thought it would be a good way to serve my community, but I never imagined the program would influence me the way it has. Through volunteering, I met many special young athletes. In particular, I met a boy who has changed my outlook on life. He and I have repeatedly partnered playing sports, thereby getting to know each other and building a unique relationship. He became more than just a boy I assist; he became a friend and an inspiration and even invited me to his birthday party one year, which I happily attended. Although my young friend has a disability that can present challenges, he truly appreciates life, never letting the obstacles get in his way. Embracing the program and meeting these children helps me to remain optimistic in even the most difficult situations and to motivate and encourage others. What I have come to understand from volunteering in the Sports Unity program is that sometimes you learn the most from the people you are teaching. I would highly recommend volunteering to others who want to make a difference, support a worthwhile cause and meet new people. Marlton Sports Magazine

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GYMNASTICS

Cherokee Recap The Cherokee girls gymnastics team members include: captain Madison Fearon (senior), varsity team members Jenny Costella (junior), Mackenzie Davis (junior), Bella Cinelli (sophomore) and Skyler Sustek (freshman). Other team members include: Palak Jain (junior), Madison Santangelo (junior), Diana Cornacchione (sophomore), Bridget Wilson (freshman) and Kailee Daley (freshman). The team is coached by Brain Moore and Meghan Mastoris. The team set a dual meet season record of 5-4. Coach Moore achieved his 50th win at the Seneca Dual Meet. ALL OLYMPIC CONFERENCE TEAM Madison Fearon - 1st Team Mackenzie Davis – 2nd Team OLYMPIC CONFERENCE VARSITY MEET RESULTS: Madison Fearon - 1st Place Floor Exercise – Olympic Conference Floor Champion 4th Place All - Around 4th Place Balance Beam and Vault 6th Place on Uneven Bars 18

Mackenzie Davis - 6th Place (Vault and Balance Beam), 7th Place (Floor and All - Around) Jenny Costella - 10th Place Balance Beam 11th Place All - Around Skyler Sustek - 8th Place Vault 11th Place Balance Beam SOUTH JERSEY SECTIONAL MEET QUALIFIERS: Madison Fearon – All-Around, Vault, Uneven Bars, Balance Beam, Floor Exercise Mackenzie Davis – Vault, Balance Beam, Floor Exercise Jenny Costella – Balance Beam OLYMPIC CONFERENCE NOVICE MEET RESULTS: Mackenzie Davis - 6th Place Uneven Bars Jenny Costella - 4th Place Floor Exercise 5th Place Uneven Bars 6th Place Vault Skyler Sustek - 5th Place All – Around (Vault, UB, BB, FX)

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he Cherokee girls soccer team wrapped up their 2017 season with a 10-9 record, 4-6 in the division. They had a great amount of senior leadership, carrying 12 on the roster. They were invited to the Coaches Cup, entering as the 10th seed in South Jersey, and played a tough Shawnee squad. Cherokee beat Shawnee earlier in the season with a 3-2 victory in OT, which is the first time that Cherokee beat Shawnee in the previous eight plus years. Shawnee eliminated Cherokee 2-0 to move on in the tournament. Cherokee entered the Group IV state tournament as the ninth seed and played against the eighth-seeded Clearview Pioneers. Cherokee gained a 2-0 lead, but was unable to sustain the momentum, and Clearview was able to tie it up to force the game into overtime. With only 1:08 left on the clock, the Pioneers added a goal to end the Lady Chiefs’ season. MSM

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hy is there a purse in amateur cycling? Participants are spending literally thousands of dollars, upwards of 10 thousand on one bicycle. You don't get into this sport if you are trying to rub two pennies together. It's an expensive sport to begin with. Generally, cyclists have a minimum of three bikes: a road bike, mountain bike and a time trial bike. Each bike costs thousands of dollars, that's not to forget rain bikes, trainer bikes and fat tire bikes. These participants aren't after money - they clearly have it. Amateur bike racing should be about health and glory, not the possibility of winning a mere $40 to $80, and that's if you win! It’s almost insulting, if you ask me. I would much rather have a medal with a podium presentation and my name in lights, so to speak, or social media, if you know what I mean. Races should be about safety over money. Limiting the size of the fields to no more than 50 is a good place to start. Substituting medals for money could offset the cost. Plus, it should be recognized that a nominal amount of money shouldn't be the reason for competing in the first place, especially in amateur sports. There is almost a moral imperative here of not letting money corrupt the purity of amateur competition. This really was the intent of the Olympics, to take the money away from the sport and put the intent on the glory over the money. Of course this eventually failed because of huge sponsorship from multimillion-dollar companies. These companies would pay the athletes through sponsorships, which could then corrupt the sport by affording athletes the ability to buy performance enhancing drugs. Money should not be part of amateur sports. A trophy or a medal is priceless and personal to the individual who wins it! A money prize can be used to pay off your competition, where a trophy cannot. After all, there's really not enough money to quit your day job anyway!! MSM

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On the Cover

A Season Like No Other By Marc Narducci

t wasn’t so much about the wins - although 28 in a row caught plenty of people’s attention - or about the division or sectional titles, or the appearance in the first-ever state championship for Cherokee’s girls’ volleyball team. It was the entire process that has guaranteed lifelong memories for a team that achieved more than was forecasted or could have been expected. That process included one clutch win after another, including a comeback for the ages performed before a rabid fan base. For the players on Cherokee’s 28-1 team that didn’t taste defeat until losing 2-0 to Ridge in the Group 4 state final, the regular season, and a wild postseason, was something nobody could have quite envisioned. Every day, the players and

coaches would be reminded and congratulated for the program’s staggering success throughout the postseason. “It was awesome,” said Kayleigh Kitchen, one of the senior standouts on the team. “You would be walking into school, and people you didn’t know would walk up to you and ask you if you won. Everybody was rooting for us.” The players and coaches fed off the excitement. “You had the students, the teachers, the administration, the town, everybody was excited about Cherokee volleyball,” said coach Erika McGinley. The hoopla reached a frenzy when the Chiefs hosted North Hunterdon in a state semifinal battle between two of New Jersey’s true heavyweights. North Hunterdon was the No. 3 seed and Cherokee

was No. 2. With the higher seed, Cherokee got to stage the game in its gymnasium, and the Chiefs benefited from the home court advantage. “It was crazy,” Kitchen said. “We never had that many fans.” And they never heard that much noise. The Chiefs needed all the energy in a match that defined the team’s determination and resiliency. Entering with a 27-0 record, Cherokee’s season appeared ready to come to an end. The visitors won the first set and appeared ready to wrap things up after taking a 23-17 lead in the second set. With defeat staring them in the face, Cherokee never blinked. Facing that 23-17 deficit, Cherokee senior Alexis Bickett began serving and never stopped. Marlton Sports Magazine

“We still had confidence, because Alexis is one of our strong servers,” said Kitchen, who had a dominating performance in the match with 17 kills and 11 digs. “We realized it wasn’t the end, it couldn’t be the end.” No it wasn’t the end at all. The only thing that ended was the second set being won by Cherokee, 25-23, as the Chiefs earned the final eight points with Bickett serving. And then Cherokee won the third set, a 27-25 thriller, to capture the Group 4 Section B championship and earn a trip to the state championship game. This match was just another that tested the Chiefs’ character. It was the third straight match in which the Chiefs needed three sets to win, with the others against No. 15 seeded Old Bridge and No. 23 Clifton. “It certainly wasn’t an easy road,” said McGinley, who just completed her ninth season as the Chiefs’ coach. It also wasn’t easy eliminating Cherokee from the tournament. But it finally came when an undefeated Ridge team won in straight sets, 25-19 and 25-20. Thus, the record-setting season had concluded, one in which the Chiefs won two major championships and made their first-ever state championship appearance. Besides the Group 4 Section B championship, the Chiefs captured the Olympic Conference American Division title, no small feat with the likes of some of South Jersey’s top teams such as Williamstown, Washington Township and Cherry Hill East. “It was one of the best divisions in the state, and then we competed in Group 4 where there were also so many great teams,” McGinley said. What made this season so special was that nobody saw this coming, at least not such a deep run. continued on page 34.... Winter 2017

FOOTBALL Cherokee Recap By Jack Walters

he Cherokee Chiefs football team ended the season with a 7-3 record and as champions of the WJFL American Division. But our season was not all glory and triumphs. Beginning in the summer, our team was doubted and underestimated. With the loss of many key play makers from last year and an inexperienced senior class, many newspapers and journalists wrote off the Chiefs as having a "rebuilding year.â&#x20AC;? Coach Mehigan and the rest of the coaching staff were determined not to let this happen, so they implemented hustle periods in the beginning of every practice. My teammates and I dreaded seeing these 10-minute sessions of grueling conditioning on the schedule every August morning. But, as we soon came to see, the running was a necessary complement to our no- huddle offense. This offense was new to Cherokee foot-

ball, and although there were learning pains, the fast pace proved vital to our offensive success. We saw the effects of our tireless work over the summer in the first game against Shawnee. The sister school was heavily favored, but we pulled off the upset in thrilling overtime fashion. After we scored first, the Renegades held a 14-point lead early in the fourth quarter. Our team showed resilience by tying the game up with two more scores, the second coming with less than two minutes left in the game. These scores were a testament of will and persistence, as many Shawnee players went down with cramps from the humidity and our fast pace. In overtime, we blocked the Shawnee extra point, and on our ensuing possession, we scored and our kick went perfectly through the uprights. We won 42-41. As our season continued, we defeated Kingsway, Hammonton, Paul VI, Washington Township, Williamstown and Seneca. Our championship hopes came to an end on a frigid night in Howell, N.J. Although we did not walk away with a victory, our team gave all that we had and put forth our best effort. This game went nowhere near defining our season, as we crushed Seneca in the Turkey Bowl on Thanksgiving two weeks later. This was coach Mehiganâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s final year as head coach at Cherokee. As head coach, Mehigan never had a losing season, but what is more impressive is the impact he had on every player and the men he taught us all how to be. Ultimately, our team became a brotherhood this year. MSM

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Mehigan Says Goodbye to a Phenomenal Run at Cherokee

he tradition of coaching excellence within the Cherokee football program stacks up against any in South Jersey. A school that has employed just three head coaches since beginning as a varsity program in 1976 will now be looking for a fourth. That’s because P.J. Mehigan made the difficult decision to resign as head coach shortly after the 2017 season ended. Mehigan and his wife, Melinda, have three children: Hayden, who is a sophomore at Seneca

High School, Hannah, a Seneca freshman, and Haylee, a sixth grader at Indian Mills Middle School. All three are active in sports. “I couldn’t coach other kids while missing my kids’ stuff,” Mehigan said. He admits it was an emotional meeting with his players to tell them of his decision. “Cherokee football has been a huge part of my life,” said Mehigan, who will continue to teach at the school. “Going way back to my dad

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By Marc Narducci and I attending, watching my brother play in the 80s and me later playing.” Cherokee’s football program was started by Jim Horner, and then the tradition was carried on by the late John Scott. “I learned so much from both of them,” Mehigan said. Mehigan was a standout center and linebacker at Cherokee. A 1991 graduate, he played for Horner through his sophomore year and then for Scott the final two years. Mehigan enjoyed a standout college career as a linebacker, first at New Haven, and then his final three years at Rowan, where he played in two NCAA Division III championship games. He was a starter on a New Haven team that was 12-1 and advanced to the Division II semifinals. Mehigan changed his college major to education and decided to transfer to Rowan. His team went to the NCAA championship during his sophomore season in 1993 and senior year in 1995. “It was an amazing experience, all four years of playing college football,” he said. After graduation, Mehigan became a Cherokee assistant coach under Scott for six seasons before taking over the head coaching job at the age of 28 in 2002. In 16 seasons, he compiled a 135-41 record, but there is more. He won seven division titles, while competing in arguably South Jersey’s toughest division, the Olympic Conference American, and then the WJFL American. The titles came in 2003, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2015 and this past season. Want more? Under Mehigan, Cherokee won five South Jersey championships: 2005, 2009 and 2010 in Group 4 and 2013 and 2014. The excellence of Cherokee under Mehigan was the Chiefs’ consistency. In each of his 16 seasons, Cherokee won at least six games, while usually playing one of the toughest schedules in South Jersey. Despite all its success, Cherokee wasn’t an assembly line for Division I talent. Sure, there were some like current Baylor freshman running back John Lovett, but Mehigan’s true talent was getting players to perform the way he did. One of his major strengths, and one of the most underrated aspects of coaching, was developing cohesive offensive lines. As a former lineman, Mehigan knew what it took to succeed, and Cherokee has shown over the years that there is a place for the so-called undersized lineman to excel. Marlton Sports Magazine

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8 Route 70 West • Marlton 856-988-7212 WE ARE MARLTON’S HOT SPOT The turning point in his career came in 2005 when Mehigan guided the Chiefs to the first of his five sectional titles as a coach. Cherokee beat Absegami in a classic 32-25 overtime affair. “We were down 19-0, and I thought, ‘boy, this isn’t good,’” he recalled. “We got a few turnovers, a kickoff return and got it back 19-19. We couldn’t have written a better script.” That was a season full of comebacks. Cherokee began the year 0-2, losing to Pennsauken and Washington Township, and then won its final 10 games. Mehigan, who always remained calm amid the craziness of a game and a season, never panicked. A case in point was 2014, when the Chiefs began the season 3-3. Cherokee then ran the table in the final six games, including a resounding 30-10 win over Rancocas Valley in the South Jersey Group 5 final. Even though he will enjoy watching his children compete, Mehigan understands how difficult it will be when the football season arrives and he is not a head coach. “I can always smell football season, when it is right around the corner, the grass is being cut, and it’s been an exciting time since I began playing at the age of six,” Mehigan said. “I know next August I will be missing it.” Mehigan won’t close the book on future coaching, and he will remain close to the game which has meant so much to him. “I will leave it open, and I still love to talk to coaches about football,” he said. And it is certain that coaches will be talking to Mehigan, picking the brain of one of the most successful coaches in South Jersey history. MSM Winter 2017

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CROSS COUNTRY Cherokee Boys Cross Country Recap

he Cherokee boys cross country team completed another successful fall campaign. An early season trip to the highly competitive Carlisle Invitational in Pennsylvania resulted in a fourth place team finish in a field of 22 teams. Back home, on Oct. 13, the varsity team won a fourth consecutive Burlington County Championship (19th overall), while in the JV race, Cherokee runners took the first six places to win with a perfect score. Senior Justin Kelly was the county champion, finishing ahead of sophomore teammate Chris Spisak, who was second. The following week, Cherokee won a third consecutive Olympic Conference Championship with Kelly and Spisak once again taking the top two spots. Two weeks later at the Olympic Conference JV Championship, Cherokee again came out on top led by freshman Brett Shea, who was the individual champion. On Nov. 4, the Chiefs took second to Kingsway at the South Jersey Group 4 Sectionals, led by Kelly’s first place finish. Kelly was Cherokee’s second consecutive sectional cham-

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pion, following in the footsteps of Jack Shea, who won last year and is now running for national collegiate champions Northern Arizona University. The team finished seventh at the Group 4 State Championship, even though Kelly was hampered by a severe cramp and finished as Cherokee’s fifth man. The team’s first three finishers were sophomores. Spisak was 21st, Ethan Wechsler, 35th, and Chase Miller, 37th. Seniors Kelly, Jon Conn, Brandon Marks and Matt Smith were the other members of the squad. Spisak earned a spot in the State Meet of Champions, held one week later, where he finished 49th among the best runners in the state. With a strong group of underclassmen returning, the Chiefs are primed for an even better season in 2018. Meanwhile, Kelly went on to race in the Footlocker Northeast Regional Championships on Nov. 25, placing 16th in a 180-man field made up of the best runners from Maine down to Maryland. As a result, he was named to the Second Team All-Northeast Region. MSM

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Cross Country Team Sets MRC Record Finish

T Cherokee Girls Cross Country Recap By Coach Mark M. Jarvis

his past year was definitely a step in the right direction for our program. It all started with a great showing at the Carlisle Invitational in Pennsylvania. Kate Rathman won the championship race and helped lead our team to a fifth place team finish. The week prior, the team finished second in the SJ Shootout. The next hurdle in our season was the Burlington County Open. The team ran exceptionally well and placed second. The following week at the Olympic Conference Championship meet, the team placed third overall and won the American Division title by beating all of the teams in our division. Going into sectionals, we were looking to secure a top five finish to advance to the state meet. Rathman and Sophia Eick had an incredible day, both finishing in the top 10 to lead the team to a fourth place finish. The state meet did not go as planned for the team. Unfortunately, Eick was unable to finish, and the team placed 16th. Rathman placed 10th and advanced to the Meet of Champions, where she finished 53rd. The team’s success this year would not have been possible without the hard work of seniors Shannon Young, Eick and Kayla Fericy. MSM

he 11- to 12-year-old boys cross country team finished in an MRC record-setting 4th place at the AAU National Championship in Charlotte, N.C. on Dec. 2. This marks the fifth year in a row the boys team has finished in the top 10 in the nation. The girls 12- to 13-year-old cross country team finished in 9th place, the third time in the last four years a girls team has made it to the top 10. The official national rankings for the boys are: Nicholas Kuenkel, 13th; Patrick Ditmars, 22nd; Ari Greenberg, 18th; Matteo Evola, 20th; Luke Reistle, 54th; Julian Hatch, 56th and Rocco Clifford, 61st. The girls rankings are: Nicole Clifford, 17th; Noelle Falzone, 37th; Hailey Wrightson, 67th; Arianna Cane, 69th; Elizabeth Salamanca, 70th and Ali Weir, 62nd. The teams are coached by Bill Shea, Alex Falzone, Geoff Rathman, Frank Wechsler and Ivana Clifford. Congratulations to both teams on their impressive accomplishments! MSM

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Winter 2017

PHOTO WALL

....continued from page 25, On the Cover

FLAG FOOTBALL

“I know I had seven seniors coming back and a lot of experience and talent,” McGinley said, “so I knew we would be strong, but did I think we would go 28 games without losing? That is a rarity in any sport, to keep playing at such a high level on a day-to-day basis. I thought we would be good, but did I know we would be as strong as we were?” The answer is nobody could have forecast this, especially since the Chiefs played such a challenging schedule. Yet as the wins accumulated, so did the excitement level. That’s why as much as the team wanted to win a state title, the Chiefs were able to keep the last match very much in perspective. “Losing was hard, because it meant the season was over,” said Kitchen, who along with Bickett and Alaina Santacroce were first-team all-conference selections, with Amber Conley and Erica Marchlowitz earning second-team honors. “But I was proud of every single girl and all that we accomplished.” MSM

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SPORTS 101:

All About Rugby By Dubravka Cortese

he origin of modern day gridiron football in America can be traced back to rugby, a centuries old sport that originated in Europe. Similar in play to the game of football, but differing greatly in the lack of protective gear players wear, rugby, once considered an elitist sport, is enjoying a resurgence of popularity here in the United States. HISTORY The sport owes its name to the Rugby School in England, which was instrumental in the development of the modern rules of the sport in 1845. A split of England’s Rugby Football Union in 1895 resulted in two distinct forms of rugby — union and league — each with their own set of rules. In the early 1900s, a ban on gridiron football in the U.S., due to concerns about player injuries, resulted in an increased interest in rugby on the West Coast, so much so that the U.S. men’s rugby union team won the gold medal at the 1920 and 1924 summer Olympic Games. The sport’s popularity waned in the U.S. for the next 40 years, until it had a resurgence in the 1970s. USA Rugby, the national governing body for American rugby, was formed in 1975 and held its first national match in 1976. Today, USA Rugby, a member of World Rugby, oversees 1,200 high school teams, 900 college teams, 700 senior club teams and 400 youth teams. There are more than 119,000 male and female members of USA Rugby, which includes 34,000 collegiate members. There are several national rugby competitions, including the Collegiate Rugby Championship held at Talen Energy Stadium in Chester, Pa. every June. The USA Sevens is held at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas, also in June. And the U.S. Winter 2017

men’s team, the Eagles, has been competing in the Rugby World Cup since 1987. The sport returned to the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, where the U.S. women’s team made it to the quarterfinals. Rugby sevens is the version played in the Olympics. In rugby sevens, each team has seven players on the field, and the game is played in two 7-minute halves. HOW THE GAME IS PLAYED There are some distinct differences between gridiron football and its predecessor. Rugby league teams have 13 players and rugby union teams have 15. The rugby ball is more diamond shaped than a gridiron football. Rugby players wear little, if any padding, and only soft helmets are allowed. The physicality of the sport has been toned down from its origins, when moves like “hacking,” or tripping an opponent and then kicking him in the shins – were common practice. What rugby lacks in protective gear, however, it makes up for in action. Rugby matches last just 80 minutes, but they are played at a much faster pace than gridiron football, as there is no downtime in between plays. As soon as the tackled player can return the ball to play, the rugby match continues. In rugby, only the player with the ball can be tackled. And there are no special teams in rugby. All team members play both offense and defense. However, players are divided into backs, faster players who score most of the points, and forwards, who do most of the tackling. Instead of downs, the rugby team with the ball must score before receiving six tackles, after which they must turn over possession of the ball to the opposing team.

Another major difference between gridiron football and rugby is that the ball cannot be passed forward. The only way to move the ball forward is by running or kicking the ball. Points are scored when the ball is touched down to the ground over the goal line. The team then has a chance to earn another 2 points by making a conversion, or kicking the ball through the goal post, which is shaped like the letter H. Rugby also has field goals, but they are not commonly attempted, are only worth 1 point and are attempted via a drop-kick. RUGBY TERMS Drop goal – a field goal worth 3 points; the ball is dropped to the ground and kicked after the first bounce Interception – the ball is caught by a player on the opposing team; that team then gains possession of the ball Knock-on – when a player causes the ball to move forward by either dropping it or by using any part of the body beside the feet Penalty goal – worth 3 points in union and 2 points in league Pitch – the playing field Scrum – restarting play after an infraction with players from each team binding together in an attempt to gain possession of the ball Try – touching the ball to the ground over the goal line; worth 5 points in union rugby and 4 points in league rugby MSM 35

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