ABOUT THE COVER SOUTH JERSEY
GLORY DAYS
As we wrap up another awesome year of high school sports, the staff at South Jersey Glory Days honors some of the best athletes we covered the last 12 months. Surely there are tons of great athletes we probably omitted, and we apologize for that, but in the pages of this digital magazine you’ll find athletes who caught our eye, the ones we weren’t able to get around to writing full length features about. There are a few features included in this edition, and we hope you enjoy them! Our cover story gives a look back at the Mazur twins, who helped bring Mainland girls basketball to another level by winning nearly 100 games in their careers and each scoring 1,000 career points, to go along with the Stangs’ second state championship in the last five years. Thanks to Ben Hale of Benjamin Hale Photography for the awesome cover photo shoot!
General contact information: Publisher Dave O’Sullivan: Email: sullyglorydays@gmail.com On X @GDsullysays
@glorydaysmag on Instagram
Contributors:
Mark Trible, Senior Football Writer (@MTrible on X)
Brian Tortella, Correspondent (@tortreports on X)
Ben Hale, Social Media & Web Development
VOLUME 3, ISSUE 4/ AUGUST 2024
(ISSUE NO. 170) ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
HEADLINES
PRESENTED BY BUNTING FAMILY PHARMACY
HOT STUFF
The South Jersey South Shore Baseball League season came to an end in the second week of August, as the third-seeded Hammonton Hot Shots knocked off No. 1 Margate Hurricanes, the defending league champions, in four games in the Best-of-5 championship series. The Hot Shots finished the season with a 24-7 record, including winning seven of their last eight games. In the deciding game, Josh Wagner twirled a threehit shutout and got help in the form of two RBIs each by Dan Gavlik and former St. Augustine Prep standout Mason Dorsey. The Hot Shots became the third league champion in the four years of existence, joining the Hurricanes and the South Jersey Surf, which won the title the first two years, in 2021 and 2022.
HEADED NORTH
One of Atlantic County’s top girls basketball players, Averie Harding of Egg Harbor Township, has made her college choice as she recently committed to the University of New Hampshire. The Wildcats went 9-20 last season and 3-13 in the America East Conference, but Harding will
bring a winning background to the squad. She’s helped build EHT into one of the top teams in the Cape-Atlantic League, as the Eagles went 23-5 this past winter and made it to the sectional semifinals. Harding faced double-team defenses all year long but still averaged nearly 17 points and 9 rebounds per game. She also had 39 steals and proved she could step out and shoot when she needed to, hitting 15 three-pointers.
BIG-TIME MATCHUP
This year’s Battle at the Beach football showcase, to be played in Ocean City and Egg Harbor Township the final weekend of August, features a couple of national powerhouses taking the field on Thursday, August 29. That’s when IMG Academy of Florida will battle Bergen Catholic. In the USA Today’s preseason Super 25 national poll, IMG is ranked No. 2 while Bergen Catholic is No. 22.
Class of 2024 Senior Stars
Showing what he’s made of
Mainland’s Ethan Mitnick
stared down adversity as a junior and came back strong
By DAVE O’SULLIVAN Staff Writer
On X @GDsullysays
Ethan Mitnick was a talented baseball player in his youth, up through the 13-year-old Atlantic Shore Babe Ruth all-stars, and he fully expected his trajectory to continue upward when his high school career started.
Things were going according to plan — at first. He got a little taste of varsity as a sophomore, reached base 12 times, scored seven runs, then took over as the starting shortstop to begin his junior year. What could go wrong?
Everything.
He had just five hits the entire month of April in his first action as a varsity starter, and subsequently lost his starting position. He was relegated to relief pitching duties, but still was a key contributor on a Mainland Regional team that caught fire in the state playoffs and made an improbable run to the Group 3 state championship game before falling to Morris Knolls.
Mitnick hit just .167 with one stolen base and six runs scored that season. There was no reason to believe things would get any better the following spring. If a kid can’t hit as a junior, why would anybody think he suddenly will as a senior?
Well, a lot of people don’t know Ethan Mitnick, and what he’s made of. Instead of getting down on himself, instead of throwing in the towel, he took a good, hard look at himself in the mirror, knew what he had to do to show that he could be a college level baseball player, and set about getting to work in the offseason. He hit the gym, got bigger, stronger and faster. He tweaked his swing mechanics and spent countless hours in the batting cage.
He could have simply accepted his fate as a relief pitcher, but Mitnick isn’t the type of guy who does well sitting the bench. He’s got too much energy and passion for the game. He wants to be part of the action, every day, every game, every inning.
This spring saw one of the most remarkable turnarounds of any player in South Jersey. Mitnick won the starting job at third base in the preseason and became one of Mainland’s best hitters. He had seven multi-hit games, batted .348 (second on the team to Chase Camac), scored 22 runs, was third on the team with 18 RBIs and added two home runs, 21 walks, six stolen bases and a .530 slugging percentage. He helped lead Mainland to 20 wins and the Mustangs’ first Cape-Atlantic League Tournament championship.
“It definitely wasn't what I was ex-
South Jersey Glory Days photos/Sully Mainland third baseman Ethan Mitnick hit just .167 as a junior, but this past spring batted .348 and led the Mustangs to a Cape-Atlantic League championship.
pecting, but obviously I respect the coach’s decision. We made it all the way to state championship, so he clearly made the right decision. As I started getting more innings on the mound I just tried to embody that role and do the best I could when I was given the opportunity,” Mitnick said of his reduced role as a junior. “(Bryan) Perez was a senior last year so I knew he was going to be gone (in 2024), my senior year. So toward the end of my junior year I started taking reps at third base because I knew that would be an open position. I put in the work at third base and showed my coaches what I could do there during practice and kind of gave them a little sneak peek of what they might be able to expect my senior year. I feel like (junior year) I was too caught up with worrying about messing up or worrying about the stats when really I just had to slow everything down for myself and trust my skills and know what I can do. I realized the situation that was in front of me and was trying to take advantage of it during practice.”
“I think the most impressive thing about Ethan dealing with adversity is
that he never pouted, he never blamed anyone. It was just, ‘how can I help this team win?’ And if you look at our late-season playoff surge, he's the one with the ball in his hands on the mound at the end of a lot of those games,” said Mustangs coach Billy Kern. “The big thing with him is that he saw where we had a need. Perez was graduating, so he committed himself to the weight room and improved himself offensively. His junior year he just slides over to third base and the last month he's taking ground balls at third, kind of signaling to everyone else on the team — and signaling to me — this is where he was going to be (as a senior). I think it was a mature move of him. And obviously the work he put in between his junior and senior year — physically he put on good weight, and when you get stronger like that, your confidence naturally comes with it. He started hitting well from early March in the preseason and never really cooled off.”
Mitnick — who has committed to play at Gettysburg College in Pennsylvania — admitted he got too caught up in the recruiting process as a junior, instead of just playing his game and letting college coaches decide if he was worth a spot on their roster.
“I was uncommitted my junior year and was in the recruiting process. I was caught up in my own head with the numbers, worrying about my batting average, worrying about my fielding percentage, worrying about all the different metrics, when in reality I should have just been able to play my own game and not worry about that,” he said. “Because once you get caught up in in the statistics, it all goes downhill. Coming into my senior year, I was committed to Gettysburg and had that weight off my shoulders, not feeling like I had to prove anything to anyone else. It just freed my game up a little bit, took pressure off and I was able to play loose and have fun with the game again.”
Kern said it wasn’t easy to take a kid like Mitnick, one who could be a sparkplug and drive the energy of the team, out of the lineup. But when a player is barely hitting his weight, a change has to be made, and Mitnick understood that.
“We've always tried to worry about relationships over results. When you build really good relationships with the kids, those conversations are a little bit less difficult because you're having them every day rather than just when things are going bad,” Kern explained. “A lot of times what ends up happening — and in the case with Ethan — he knew what was going on. He’s a team guy so it wasn’t super difficult to have that conversation.”
“I was never expecting not to see my name on the lineup sheet, but I owned up to it. I was a good teammate on the bench, cheering my guys on and ready to get my name called in the bullpen whenever my opportunity was given. But yeah, that was definitely a shock when I first saw the lineup sheet with my name not somewhere in the order because my whole life I've been a position player and a pretty strong batter. That was definitely a change for me,” Mitnick said. “It was pretty clear what I had to do because the coaches know my potential and know my ability, and clearly I didn't live up to it last season. I knew what I had to do to secure a spot in the lineup this season. I definitely put the work in at the gym to get bigger, stronger, faster, honed in on my swing mechanics and my glove skills so I would be able to have a starting spot again.”
Struggling so much at the plate as a junior also affected Mitnick on the defensive side of the ball, and too many errors also was a determining factor in putting Brady Blum at shortstop to finish out the year.
“Baseball is a team sport, but there are individual
aspects to it. When the ball is hit to you in the field, there's no one else making the play besides yourself. So when you boot a lot of balls, like I did my junior year, there's no one else to point fingers at besides yourself. I had to look in the mirror and understand the situation and the reality that I was not the best option to be a shortstop. So during the offseason I really focused on my fielding skills that would help me regain a starting position in the infield, no matter where the position was. Being able to get playing time somewhere on the field is better than being on the bench,” Mitnick said. “My junior year I didn't play up to my potential, didn't play up to how I knew I could play, how my coaches knew I could play, how my teammates knew I could play. So in the offseason I really tried to free myself of pressure and not get caught up in the stats. I just wanted to play the game the way I knew how. I was definitely pleased with myself and proud of how I was able to bounce back from such a shaky junior year to a have a successful senior year. Baseball is a game of ups and downs. It's a game of failure. So I think it was definitely a good experience for me to learn how to bounce back from adversity.”
Kern said he was proud of how Mitnick responded to his demotion. Not many guys would have handled it the same way.
“You see guys come back and do something different, like maybe you see it on the mound where a kid struggles in the field and then all of a sudden you see him really firing it from the outfield or firing it across the infield. All of a sudden you say, ‘we can get an inning or two out of him on the mound.’ You don’t see that kind of transformation offensively that much because it takes a lot of commitment, and you have to make adjustments later in your career. He committed to revamping what he was doing,” Kern said. “To see Ethan not just commit to the weight room
and commit to making mechanical changes, but to then see the success come through — it's really a cool moment. They're the kids that you remember through the years, the guys who completely transformed and you can use them as the example moving forward of what work ethic can do for you.”
Were there moments when Mitnick doubted himself?
Absolutely.
“There's always points where you second guess yourself, but in the long run you understand what you're able to do as a player and you're able to trust yourself as a player — and with good teammates behind you; it definitely helps having guys pick you up and guys who will cheer you on or pick you up after making a bad play,” Mitnick said. “Ever since freshman year, I always wanted to be that guy people could rely on and people could lean on to make that big play, the guy they wanted up to bat in the tight game, bottom of the seventh. So it really felt great to be able to contribute that much (as a senior).”
Kern said the best way to tell how important a player is to your program is to ask yourself, as a coach, would you be proud seeing that kid out in public wearing a T-shirt that features your logo?
“I think he’s going to be a steal for Gettysburg the next couple of years. He was our top GPA guy three years running, and I’ve never had that. He did everything, on the field, off the field. He’s a perfect example of what you want in a high school baseball player,” Kern said. “He’s somebody when you’re handing out your hats and T-shirts and you have guys walking around wearing something that you’re so proud of — he’s one of the guys we want wearing our gear out in the community. You feel good about that.”
Contact Dave O’Sullivan: sullyglorydays@gmail.com
VIC’S SUBS COVER STORY
THE WONDER TWINS
Ava and Bella Mazur capped their illustrious Mainland careers with nearly 100 wins and a state championship
By DAVE O’SULLIVAN Staff Writer
On X @GDsullysays
The Mainland Regional High girls basketball program enjoyed a generational talent a few years ago when the Mustangs boasted one of the top prep players in the country in Kylee Watson. She helped the Stangs win the first state championship in program history in 2019 before heading off to the University of Oregon, and currently she’s a standout player at Notre Dame.
Losing a player like that — a 6-foot-4 guard/forward combo who finished as the school’s all-time leading scorer with more than 2,000 points — to graduation would crush a lot of programs, but Mainland coach Scott Betson had the good fortune of ushering in an outstanding class of freshmen the following year.
Four of those players blossomed into future college recruits, including point guard Kasey Bretones and forward Sydney Stokes. The class was headlined, however, by a pair of dynamic twins — Ava and Bella Mazur — who helped take the standard of winning that Watson set a step further.
The Mazur twins, younger sisters of former Mainland standout Luke Mazur, put up some eye-popping numbers, even with a freshman year that was cut short due to the Covid-19 pandemic. They led the Mustangs to 97 wins in four years against just nine losses, won three straight Cape-Atlantic League Tournament titles, a pair of South Jersey Group 3 sectional championships and finished off their careers by capturing the second overall state championship in program history.
“We were excited about that whole class when they came in. That was the covid year, so we didn't really get a chance to compete for much. But they were tenacious competitors and really eager to play,” Betson recalls. “I don't think at that point I was doing the projections out that far (as to what they would become). I was just kind of thinking about their sophomore year, Camryn (Dirkes) and Kaitlyn (Boggs)
South Jersey Glory Days photos/Ben Hale Bella, left, and Ava Mazur each scored 1,000 points during their Mustangs careers.
were seniors and they were perfect examples for them to look at as younger players in terms of what we want the program to be. And that year, we ended up making it to the state final. From there they kind of realized how much talent and ability they had.
“A lot of people use the word relentless about the two of them,” he continued. “They just never stop. They attack you on offense and really come at you with their defense. They found a way to be really complementary players to one another. Ava was kind of celebrated as more of a shooter and Bella was more of an attacker. They just play so much basketball. They love it and are playing non-stop.”
Mainland had perhaps its greatest season in history this past winter as the Mustangs went 31-1, won the CAL championship and South Jersey Group 3 titles with relative ease, scored a heart-thumping 45-43 win over Ewing in the Group 3 semifinals, then took down Chatham, 59-51, to win the state championship.
“Coming into high school, Bella and I, Sydney and Kasey, we all knew we were following Kylee Wat-
son and Cameron Dirkes, players like them, and our dream was to win a state championship, too. We knew we were capable of doing it, but actually doing it meant a lot. To have the success we had as a team was amazing,” Ava said. “We were pretty confident. All four of us have been playing basketball with each other since third grade. Our bond off the court really helped on the court. And we worked so hard. I feel like we just dreamed it into a reality. Confidence helps, and having a coach like Betson helps. He always taught us to remain humble and just work every day. He always reminded us that our season could be over anytime (in the playoffs). He warned the younger girls that it was going to be a long December, a long winter, and that it would be a grind — but that we would love it. We would play music at practice, different days we’d have different themes, but we’d make it competitive, too.”
“Not a lot of people know when their last game is, and it's usually a heartbreak. It was just so special to know that we were going to be together on the court one last time. We knew it was our last game with everyone. It felt really nice to top it off with the state championship we've been working so hard for these last four years at Mainland,” Bella added. “I'm so proud of my teammates, and coach Betson has pushed us so hard. He's always told us we can do it but he also taught us to remain humble and never get ahead of
ourselves. He always said we’re going to focus on this game, then when this game is over we’ll flip the page and get ready for the next game. That’s just how it went every winter, and it worked out well for us.”
The Mazurs played basketball with a confidence and edge that is rarely seen at the high school level. Only 5-foot-7, they seemed to play much bigger than that, mixing it up with taller girls for rebounds, getting after it on defense, running the fast break. There wasn’t much that the two of them couldn’t do.
During their senior years, Bella scored
445 points, Ava 396; Ava had 173 rebounds, Bella 83; Ava 97 assists, Bella 61; and Bella had five more steals, 75-70, than Ava. And each scored more than 1,000 points during their careers.
“They are really strong rebounders, which is surprising for their size, and for their defensive matchups because often they were guarding somebody out on the perimeter. But they had games when each of them had eight or 10 rebounds. Most people see their scoring, but when you take a deeper look at the stats, they can really rebound the ball,” Betson said. “That class, for a public
school, is pretty unique. To have four players in the same group going on to play pretty high level college basketball — they love playing basketball and they got after it. It was fun to watch.”
“One of my favorite things about this team is that you never knew who was going to have a great night. Whoever it was, we knew we were going to get that person the ball,” Bella said. “If I wasn’t on, Ava always told me to keep
See TWINS, Page 12
, From Page 11
shooting. We always picked each other up and trusted each other, and that’s what was so special.”
That relentless quality they both possess, they said, comes from growing up trying to beat their older brother all the time.
“Playing against Luke growing up, he was so competitive and rough with us but that just made us who we are today. We would play one vs. two and whoever cried, lost,” Bella said. “And Luke didn’t care if we cried, but that’s what made our bond so special with our family. They pushed us, but Luke and our parents were always there for us.”
Added Betson, “they had an expectation that they were better than everyone they played. It's one thing to say that, but they also felt they had to play that way. They truly expected to win every time they played.”
So, what’s different about the twins? Not a lot, really.
“When you get to really know us, our personalities are pretty similar. But I think there's a couple of things where you can point out where it's like, ‘OK, yeah, that's Ava, that's how she acts.’ Bella has certain things that she does that people know. We were in every class together, so people didn’t really call us by our first names. Everyone just says ‘twins’ or ‘Mazur twins.’ If Bella and I were to switch our seats the teachers would probably have no idea,” said Ava, who, along with Bella, committed to play college basketball at West Chester University in Pennsylvania. “I don't really know my life outside of having a twin. I can't imagine my life without her. That's why for college we knew that we wanted to go together because our whole life we were known as the twins, and I feel like it would be so out of the ordinary to go to a college and people would not know you as having a twin. That being said, we’re confident in ourselves and that we have different personalities and can be our own person.”
“A lot of people tell us apart by our voices or our laughs. They're definitely different, but everything else is really
similar. It's hard to even point out a difference on our faces,” Bella said. “Just having her by my side through everything. I just can't imagine not having her right there whenever I need something, whether it's for school, studying with someone — literally I can just turn over and she's right there and I can ask her a question or if I need help, she's right there. We just understand each other and I think that's so important. Not everyone has that bond and it’s really special to me.”
Betson said sometimes people see how intense the twins are on the court and assume they are the same way off the court.
“It's like it's like night and day, comparing the way they are on and off the court. On the court, I'm glad they played for me. They must be an absolute menace to have to play or coach against. But then they could flip a switch and after the game they’d be the ones in charge of my 2-year-old or babysit people’s kids,” he said. “On the
court they flip that competitive switch, but off the court they are sweethearts. They are such likable kids and have had such an impact on me and my family. I’ll miss them not being around. They're just so well-rounded. They are great to have in class, good students. I think if you only ever got a snapshot of them on a basketball court, you might think that they are totally different than they really are.”
Soon, the twins will embark on their college basketball careers and no doubt will make a name for themselves at West Chester. Packed into their suitcases will no doubt be a host of memories made while wearing the Kelly green of Mainland, particularly the thought of how they ended their high school careers — as champions.
“It's really a surreal feeling. I remember I got a memory (on my phone) of Bella and I and a couple of our teammates going to watch Kylee and that team that won the state championship in 2019. And it it's so surreal that liter-
ally it was five years ago to the day that we won the state championship ourselves,” Ava said. “We just knew that after the upset last year against Ocean City (in the sectional final) that we were going to be so hungry (in 2024). We thought about that loss every day and we worked hard until we won the state championship.”
“The last couple minutes,” Bella remembers, “I actually fouled out and it was getting a little tight and my emotions were literally through the roof. I was shaking on the bench. I don't even know what was going through my head. I was freaking out because it was getting close, but I had trust in my in my twin sister and my best friends who were on the court. I trusted Reilly Nagle coming in as a freshman to step up and she did great out there. We got the win and that's all that matters.”
Contact Dave O’Sullivan: sullyglorydays@gmail.com
South Jersey Glory Days photos/Ben Hale
Ava, left, and Bella Mazur led Mainland to a 31-1 record and a state title as seniors.
“I don’t really know my life outside of having a twin. I can’t imagine my life without her. That’s why for college we knew that we wanted to go together because our whole life we were known as the twins.”
Ava Mazur
“Just having her by my side through everything. I just can’t imagine not having her right there whenever I need something, whether it’s for school, studying with someone — literally I can just turn over and she’s right there."
Bella Mazur
Class of 2024 Senior Stars Carrying the torch
Dollard kept up Egg Harbor Twp’s long tradition of pitching prowess
By DAVE O’SULLIVAN Staff Writer
On
X @GDsullysays
You can go back more than a decade and see that the Egg Harbor Township High softball program has had dominant pitching. From Hunter Irvin to Nicole Wisser to Tori Szrom to Haley Korsak, the Eagles have been strong inside the circle for many years, and won the 2017 state championship with Szrom leading the way.
The past four years were no different, as Korsak gave way to Madison Dollard, who continued EHT’s legacy of outstanding pitching. Dollard had a brilliant career, leading the Eagles to a couple of Cape-Atlantic League titles while guiding her team to a 25-2 record in 2022 that featured a berth in the Group 4 state championship, where the Eagles lost 2-1 to Watchung Hills in walk-off fashion in the ninth inning.
A loss like that might have derailed the career of many a sophomore, but Dollard said she used it as motivation, and went on to have an amazing career that saw her finish with nearly 800 strikeouts.
“(Sophomore year) I knew I didn't have anybody older than me. I knew it was going to be a lot of work, but I was ready for it,” Dollard said. “The first couple games I was nervous to be by myself because there was nobody else
South Jersey Glory Days photo/Sully
Madison Dollard had a brilliant career at Egg Harbor Township, leading the Eagles to several Cape-Atlantic League titles while finishing with more than 750 strikeouts.
behind me. But I had to get that out of my head, and we had a great year. I didn't think I was ready, but I was. It kind of just all happened. I think a lot of it was the group of girls behind me, we had a great defense and we also had great bats. So if I had a bad inning they’d pick me up.
“I played a lot of travel softball, so I've always been used to playing with older girls. I wasn't ready for it at first, but once I got used to the older girls and knowing that I can compete at their
level I was fine.”
Dollard split time with Korsak when Dollard was a freshman, as she logged 57 innings and posted an impressive 0.73 ERA. She allowed just 12 walks and six earned runs all season while striking out 76, and that was a harbinger of things to come. She struck out 175 batters as a sophomore, then 236 as a junior and 266 as a senior to finish with 753 to go along with a 0.97 ERA in 502 career innings pitched. Those numbers are even more im-
pressive when you consider the type of competition Egg Harbor Township was playing every year — teams like Vineland, Kingsway, Lenape, Donovan Catholic, Audubon, Southern Regional. There were no creampuffs on EHT’s schedule, and yet Dollard still led the Eagles to a 68-14 mark the last three years.
DOLLARD
, From Page 14
“Once I got to know Haley Korsak and got to work with her in the bullpen, I feel like she definitely helped me mentally prepare for the beginning of my career,” Dollard said. “She's a great athlete, but after she graduated I knew that I was going to be by myself. She helped me mentally. My sister (Kayla) was also on the team and I felt a lot more comfortable with her being there.”
“My favorite part was the coaching staff. They knew exactly what they were doing. They had won a state championship, so I had a lot of confidence in them. They’re like family to me."
Madison Dollard Class of 2024
EHT pitcher
“I was fortunate to work with Mary Dunlap before taking over, and she was somebody who liked to do things the right way. Corners didn’t get cut with her, rules got followed. You were expected to do certain things and maintain a certain level. That level of excellence, the players know that’s the expectation now. There were a couple of games we lost when we shouldn’t have lost and I was like, ‘I don’t know if some of you missed the memo, but we don’t lose.’ We don’t often have to remind them of that because they’ve all grown up in our program and they’ve seen it. They come in here knowing (the expectations) and want to be a part of it,” said current EHT head coach Kristi Troster.
“Having a pitcher like Dollard takes pressure off you in some ways. You don’t have to have your best hitting day to win. If she’s having a really good day, you don’t have to have your best fielding day. She didn’t have many bad days, and, damn, I’ll take her on her worst day.”
Dollard didn’t rest on her laurels after success early in her career. She couldn’t afford to because of the types of teams EHT plays every year. She had to continue to get better, and she did just that, adding pitches to her arsenal as she got older so other teams
South Jersey Glory Days photo/Sully
As a sophomore, Dollard led her team to a berth in the Group 4 state championship game.
couldn’t just time up her fastball.
“You have to have multiple things you can rely on all the time, and you have to do that in a very consistent fashion, and she was really good at that. She put in the work to make sure she can throw a change-up or throw some of these other pitches that get people to chase and keep them off balanced,” Troster said. “You’re not going to be able to hit your spot every time, so what else can you do to be successful? She put in a lot of work and focused on that. To be a true master of your craft, those are the things you have to do.”
Dollard gave a lot of credit for her success to the EHT coaching staff.
“My favorite part was the coaching staff. They knew exactly what they were doing. They had won a state championship, so I had a lot of confidence in them. They're like family to me. Even now that I’m graduated, we still talk almost every day. And I know they'll be there for me in college as well,” said Dollard, who is committed to Fairleigh Dickenson University in Hackensack. “My confidence spiked after my sophomore year. I knew that if I could make it to a state championship at that young age, I knew I could do it again. We just fell short. But I knew I was ready for it.”
What marked Dollard’s career as much as her suc-
cess inside the circle was how good a teammate she was. She was constantly cheering on her teammates on offense and providing valuable leadership every day in practice.
“She’s a phenomenal kid and her teammates had so much respect for her. Just being inside the circle brought a level of comfort to them. You can’t put whatever that makes them feel into words,” Troster said. “When she was out there, most of us were thinking it was going to be a good day. You can really tell how mature a kid is in their developmental process when they are able to help younger players, especially those who play the same position. It was good for our sophomore (Gabi Jones) to learn from her and watch her work through some things. That helped her be more confident in herself.”
When asked what was most memorable about her time in the black-and-silver uniform, Dollard didn’t point to any one game or particular performance, but, rather, the people she was surrounded with the past four years.
“I’ll remember the friendships I've made,” she said, “and I think I've learned a lot as a pitcher. I'll definitely remember all the teammates and friendships. We played really well together.”
Contact Dave O’Sullivan: sullyglorydays@gmail.com.
Class of 2024 Senior Stars Charging forward
Timber
Creek QB Victor Oquendo lost his starting job at the start of his senior year, but he
never
sulked. Instead, he worked even harder and finished his career with his head held high
By DAVE O’SULLIVAN Staff Writer
On X @GDsullysays
In the fourth game of the 2023 season, Timber Creek senior Victor Oquendo watched from the sidelines as his team — which came into the game undefeated — fell behind Rancocas Valley 18-7 after three quarters.
The Chargers got to within 18-13 after a crazy defensive play that led to a touchdown, and then Oquendo took over. The starting quarterback as a junior when he completed 100 passes for nearly 1,300 yards and 10 touchdowns, Oquendo lost his job to junior Reilly Hoffacker at the start of the 2023 season.
But he didn’t hang his head. Didn’t quit the team. Didn’t blame the coach.
In fact, coach Brian Wright said Oquendo did the exact opposite. The Timber Creek 2024 valedictorian took it upon himself to get better and instead of blaming the coaches, he sought out their advice on what he needed to do to have a shot at winning the starting job back.
“He's a kid who was fun to be around, very coachable. He's a kid who worked at his craft got the most out of his ability. The thing that I really appreciated with him was, not only was he very intelligent — he graduated No. 1 in his class — but he was the ultimate team player. He lost his spot for a good part of last year and when he was called upon to come in and perform for us, he did that at a high level. It was a lot of fun getting to know him and see him grow over the course of the last four years. We came in together — my first year was his freshman year — and he certainly developed, leaps and bounds, from where he was as a freshman to last year,” Wright said. “It gets old, once in a while, the whole thing with kids chasing (ratings) stars and scholarship op-
South Jersey Glory Days photo/Sully
Timber Creek quarterback Victor Oquendo started just four games as a senior but still threw for more than 1,000 yards, including a 444-yard, 6-touchdown effort in a win over Robbinsville in the first round of the state playoffs.
portunities. Deep down, I would hope that’s what every kid wants, but that wasn’t Victor’s personality. He just wanted to be the best version of himself for his team. It was the same thing with him as a baseball player as well. He’s kind of a throwback kid in that he played the sports because he loved the sports. It didn’t make a difference to him if it was Friday Night
Lights or meeting up with his friends after school in sixth grade to go play football in the park. He always had the same demeanor.”
OQUENDO
, From Page 16
Oquendo came in against RV and led a game-winning drive that included converting a 4th-and-6 just before throwing a 28-yard touchdown pass with less than a minute remaining that gave Timber Creek a thrilling 21-18 victory. He started several games down the stretch, leading the Chargers into the state playoffs, where they were upset by Cedar Creek in the sectional semifinals.
“Coming off the bench in that game and taking charge and winning that game, that was unbelievable,” Oquendo said. “That feeling was unmatched. I was working hard that whole year as much as I could, and I finally got an opportunity. That was awesome. I was working so hard the entire year to get that spot back. And when I finally did, I finally proved everybody wrong. That felt awesome.”
Oquendo went on to complete 61of-94 passes for 1,085 yards and 13 touchdowns against just four interceptions. He finished his career with nearly 2,400 passing yards and 23 touchdowns, but, more importantly, he finished his career with pride. He could easily have given up, having lost his spot as a senior, and turned his attention to baseball in the spring.
But he didn’t. He wanted to continue to inspire his teammates, no matter what it took. He was going to show them — and everybody else — what Victor Oquendo is all about.
“My junior year I could have done more, especially with preparation. It kind of hit me very hard just seeing what the varsity level was really like, but I'm glad that I had that experience to go into my senior year, even though I didn't play (early on). That experience really let me just lead the team in a better way than I did the year prior,” Oquendo explained. “It definitely didn't feel good (losing my spot), but that just gave me more motivation to keep my head down and keep working. There wasn't anything else to really do besides just keep working every day, keep trying to get better, try to find some way to help out the team. Deep down, I just couldn't give up. I've been playing for so long and I didn't want
“Some of my favorite conversations with him were some of the more difficult ones. He was a kid who started for us as a junior and did pretty well, then came in as a senior and lost a very close battle (for the starting spot). But anytime we called on him, he rose to the occasion.”
Brian Wright Timber Creek football coach
to quit just because things didn't go my way. I wanted to see what could happen, because you never know what can happen in football.”
Wright said it was a very difficult conversation to have with one of his favorite players, that he thought playing somebody else was the right move for the team. A coach never really knows how that’s going to land on a player.
“Some of my favorite conversations with him were some of the more difficult ones. He was a kid who started for us as a junior and did pretty well, then came in as a senior and lost a very close battle (for the starting spot). But anytime we called on him, he rose to the occasion. We were struggling a little bit against Rancocas Valley and he came in and didn’t miss a beat. Same thing against Eastern in the last game of the regular season. He starts throwing the ball all over the yard, running with it a little bit, and he ended up being our guy heading into the playoffs. He never wavered, at least publicly. I know he was disappointed (to lose his starting spot), but we had conversations heading into last season and his big thing was, ‘what do I need to work on? This isn’t the end of my story, I’m going to continue to show up and work. What do I need to do to get back on the field?’” Wright said. “Myself and my coaches went over it with him, showed him those things and he did them at a high level, with a smile on his face, which was refreshing. I’m sure it was difficult for him and his family because of all the work he put in, but he continued to show up. There’s a life lesson there that we try to teach our guys: football helps you build character. More times than not, things go against you in football. How will you respond? He responded as I expected, and even more than I had hoped. He’s a great kid
with the kind of demeanor you want your quarterback to have.
“Whether he went home and blamed me and my coaches to his parents, you would never know because he handled it like a professional,” Wright added. “He’s going to do great things, because that’s how he handles everything. Those kinds of conversations aren’t easy, but it was better than conversations you have with other kids.”
Oquendo viewed the demotion as a teaching moment — for himself.
“I think everything happens for a reason. To say I have any regrets or anything that I would want to change, I don't think that would be true. I think it went how it went and it taught me a lot, especially that senior year. All four years taught me a ton. My junior and senior years taught me so much about life and adversity, that although it didn't go exactly how I planned, it was amazing to have that experience,” he said. “It just shows the entire person that I am and that will definitely help me in anything. If I can act this way and have that fight in me, I think that’s going to help me a ton, especially in life in general as I get older and out of college. I think the traits I possess now will definitely help me keep going.”
Wright said having to name somebody else as the starter instead of Oquendo caused a lot of sleepless nights because of how much he thought of Oquendo as a person and member of the football program.
“There are tough moments as a coach that you lose sleep over, and that was one of those moments,” the coach said.
“You don’t want to see a kid like Victor hurt, especially because of a decision that you make as a coach, but sometimes you have to make decisions that you feel are best for the team overall. But it’s tough when the person on the
other end of it is a kid like Victor, who in four years did everything we asked. He was a true student-athlete, No. 1 in his class, volunteers a lot. He’s a kid every parent would love having as a son. When you make decisions for your program, you’re naturally going to hurt someone and that was difficult. But he rebounded and that’s something I will remember for the rest of my life. Some of these decisions are not handled well by the athlete or parents, but he handled it the right way, and in the end everything worked out for him.”
No doubt Wright will use Oquendo’s story as a teaching moment for his players for years to come. Don’t be surprised if you see this story tacked to the wall in the locker room as a reminder of how a player should handle himself in a difficult situation.
“We always talk about handling things the right way. Our program is more than just wins and losses, and this is an example where we can use real life experiences of one of their peers to show players how to handle a situation the right way. It kind of speaks what we’re talking about into existence, and that makes our jobs a lot easier,” Wright said. “Here’s someone who worked so hard, was a starter as a junior, and senior year where things are looking pretty good for us and the ceiling kind of falls on him a little bit. But he showed up for work every day and did his job. At our end-of-season banquet, it seemed like Victor was being called up for all kinds of different awards. Those are the kinds of kids who make you feel good because you know he deserves it. It’s not based on just numbers, but the true essence of what a high school football player should be.”
Contact Dave O’Sullivan: sullyglorydays@gmail.com
Class of 2024 Senior Stars JACOB ZAMOT
JAKE ZEARFOSS
GLOUCESTER Football, WRESTLING, BASEBALL
There were few athletes who were more impactful to a small school than Zearfoss. He helped lead the Lions’ football team to a 9-2 record and a berth in the sectional semifinals by rushing for nearly 1,000 yards and eight touchdowns along with racking up 78 tackles on defense as a linebacker. As a wrestler at 165 pounds, all Zearfoss did was finish fourth in the state while finishing his career ranked No. 46 in nj.com’s pound-for-pound best wrestlers rankings. He really showed his value in the spring, as he came back out to play baseball for the first time in his career. His tenacity and willingness to improve was contagious, as he helped lead the Lions to 22 wins and a division championship. He hit .388 with 22 RBIs and 10 steals in his only season of baseball.
Millville Football
The Thunderbolts had one of the most exciting offenses in the state, due in large part to their dynamic quarterback. Zamot led the Bolts to a 10-2 record that included a berth in the South Jersey Group 4 championship game. He completed nearly 150 passes, throwing for 2,340 yards and 26 touchdowns against just seven interceptions. He and explosive receiver Lotzeir Brooks teamed up 61 times for more than 1,200 yards and 22 touchdowns, one of the most prolific duos in the state. For his career, Zamot, younger brother of former Holy Spirit star QB Josh Zamot, threw for more than 5,500 yards and 53 touchdowns in just two full varsity seasons.
Class of 2024 Senior Stars KACI MIKULSKI
WILDWOOD CATHOLIC ACADEMY BASKETBALL
If you were to start building a basketball franchise, this is the player you’d model everything after. Mikulski can do just about anything on the court, she can score, defend, make great passes, and she had a knack for making everyone around her better, which is the ultimate mark of a great player. She led the Crusaders to a 23-4 mark her senior year that included a berth in the Cape-Atlantic League championship game for the second straight year. She scored more than 400 points as a senior and finished her career as one of the best to ever do it at Wildwood Catholic, racking up 1,266 points and more than 250 rebounds and 250 assists. She also hit more than 200 three-pointers in 94 career games.
JOE LYONS
ATLANTIC CITY FOOTBALL
The guy they called “Boardwalk Joe” had a tremendous senior season and helped lead the Vikings back to prominence.
Atlantic City won six of its first seven games and made it to the state playoffs with Lyons guiding an explosive offense. He completed 155 passes for 2,526 yards and threw a whopping 30 touchdown passes. During his career, Lyons completed nearly 300 passes and racked up an impressive 4,264 passing yards to go along with 48 touchdowns, including throwing for four touchdowns on two occassions during wins over Clearview and Bridgeton during his senior year.
Class of 2024 Senior Stars
RYDER GARINO
CHERRY HILL WEST BASEBALL
Garino’s tall, lanky frame belied what he could do with a baseball in his hand. He was far from the most intimidating pitcher in the state, until he released his mid-90s fastball to the plate and shut down just about every lineup he faced all year. The Lions went 24-5, won the prestigious Joe Hartmann Diamond Classic, and made it to the sectional semifinals in large part because of what Garino was able to do on the mound.
The state’s Pitcher of the Year allowed just three earned runs in 53 innings while striking out 94 and allowing just 14 walks. His ERA was an almost mind-boggling 0.39, and he allowed just 27 hits the entire season.
JON YOUNG JR.
CHERRY HILL WEST BASEBALL
As good as Garino was on the mound, Young Jr. was nearly as good on offense and defense. The University of Alabama commit had a tremendous senior season, batting .458 with 44 hits, 47 RBIs, 38 runs, seven home runs, 14 walks and eight steals. His slugging percentage was better than .850, nearly 300 points higher than anybody else on the team.
A solid defender with an above-average arm, Young was one of the top shortstops in South Jersey.
A four-year starter, young had nearly 300 high school at-bats, collecting 112 hits, including seven home runs and 25 doubles. He amassed 100 RBIs and 90 runs scored while batting .397 with 55 walks and 38 steals.
Class of 2024 Senior Stars SAVANNAH PRESCOTT
JAKE MEYERS
ST. AUGUSTINE PREP BASEBALL
This spring, the Hermits baseball team was known for its outstanding pitching, with the 1-2 punch of John Podgorski and Matt Kouser. Offensively, St. Augustine Prep was talented, but young, and in the middle of the season the Hermits struggled, losing more games than they are used to.
Senior Jake Meyers knew he had to step up and get the offense going, and he did just that, batting .385 while providing some pop in the middle of the order with eight extra-base hits and 27 RBIs. He had 30 hits and tied for the team lead with 21 stolen bases.
In his two-plus years on varsity, Meyers hit .312 with 42 runs scored and 39 RBIs. He was a huge factor in Prep winning the Non-Public A state championship this spring with a dominating win over Delbarton.
OLMA BASKETBALL
Prescott didn’t see her name in many headlines this past winter. She was a quiet, unassuming point guard for the Villagers, not a team that typically draws a ton of media coverage. But while she may have gone overlooked by sports writers, she certainly didn’t to her teammates or opponents. One of the most valuable players in the Cape-Atlantic League, Prescott racked up a team-high 103 assists and led the squad in free throws made as OLMA put together one of its best seasons ever, posting a 23-6 record and advancing to the Non-Public A South semifinals. Prescott scored more than 400 points this season, and for her career she eclipsed the 1,000-point plateau. She also finished with nearly 500 rebounds and more than 250 steals.
Class of 2024 Senior Stars
ALIM PARKS
CEDAR CREEK FOOTBALL
There’s a reason Billy Smith had such a good senior year as the starting quarterback for the Cedar Creek Pirates. He had fellow senior Alim Parks to throw to anytime the squad was in a tough situation. A big, physical receiver, Parks had the size of a tight end and the speed of a wideout. He also had the toughness of a linebacker and was never afraid to go over the middle, and often times would drag opposing defenders with him for extra yardage. He finished the year with 700 receiving yards and was on the receiving end of 10 of Smith’s 22 touchdowns. Parks had four 100+ yard games and finished his career with more than 1,600 receiving yards and 17 touchdowns. He also had 58 tackles as a defensive back.
BILLY SMITH
CEDAR CREEK FOOTBALL
Cedar Creek High hasn’t been around all that long, but the Pirates seem to keep churning out solid quarterbacks. From Jesse Milza to Louis Barrios to now Billy Smith, head coaches Tim Watson and James Melody have had the luxury of signal callers who not only were talented, but tough as well. Smith fought through a couple of injuries his senior year to help the Pirates post an 8-4 record that included a run to the South Jersey Group 3 championship game. Smith passed for more than 200 yards in five of Creek’s 12 games, including more than 300 yards on two occasions. He finished the year with more than 2,000 yards, and in his career he topped 4,000 yards with 32 touchdowns. He also rushed for more than 200 yards and three scores as a senior.
Class of 2024 Senior Stars
BENNY LYLES III
KINGSWAY FOOTBALL
Benny Lyles III.
That just sounds like the name of an elite wide receiver. Kingsway’s football team won 6 games last fall due in large part to the talent of Lyles, who put up an outstanding senior season, leading the Dragons with 1,078 receiving yards. He also had 15 touchdowns. No other receiver on the team had more than one.
A track star who ran the 200 and 400 meters, Lyles III showcased his speed an athleticism to the tune of nearly 2,000 career receiving yards and 24 touchdowns. In three varsity seasons, he caught 113 passes and became one of the best receivers in South Jersey. As a senior, he had six games with 100 receiving yards or more and scored a touchdown in all but one of the games he played in.
MACKENZIE McCREADY
SHAWNEE SOCCER
The Olympic Conference girls soccer schedule can be a grind, so teams need solid senior leaders to help guide them through tough games every week.
McCready was the kind of midfielder every coach would love to have. Somebody who is tough, physical, smart with the ball and makes everyone around her better.
She had a tremendous senior year, leading the Renegades to a 19-2-2 record that included an appearance in the Coaches Cup semifinals, a South Jersey Group 3 championship and a berth in the state championship game.
McCready finished with 11 goals and 17 assists, including five goals and four assists in the state playoffs. McCready and Shawnee nearly won the state title, falling in the sixth round of a shootout to Chatham after a 1-1 tie.
Class of 2024 Senior Stars
JAMIE TYSON
MAINLAND REGIONAL FOOTBALL, BASKETBALL
You’d need a couple of pages to describe how athletic Jamie Tyson is and how much he elevated the Mainland Regional football and basketball programs the last couple of years. As a sophomore, he led the Mustangs’ basketball team to an improbable Cape-Atlantic League championship, the first in program history, and as a senior he helped Mainland post a 26-7 record that included runs to the CAL final and sectional semis. He finished his career with more than 600 points in 73 games played. He was even better on the football field, where he was named the state’s Defensive Player of the Year. The Villanova University-bound Tyson had 31 tackles and 12 interceptions, including four that he returned for touchdowns. He also finished with more than 500 yards receiving as a senior.
J.J. SINCLAIR
MAINLAND REGIONAL FOOTBALL
A guy you rarely heard much about, Sinclair was the heart and soul of one of the best defenses in the state last year. The sturdy linebacker led Mainland to a perfect 14-0 record that included the first state championship in program history. His numbers were off the charts: 132 tackles, six sacks, 30 tackles-for-loss. After a solid junior year, Sinclair really came into his own as a senior. He played in every single game and recorded double-digit tackles in six games, and multiple sacks on two occasions. In a 49-20 win over Clearview in the middle of the season, Sinclair racked up 17 tackles. He was part of a defense that posted six shutouts, including a dominating 56-0 win over Ramapo in the state title game.
Class of 2024 Senior Stars
COHEN COOK
MAINLAND REGIONAL FOOTBALL, BASKETBALL, BASEBALL
Whenever Cohen Cook becomes eligible for the Mainland Regional High and South Jersey halls of fame, he’s sure to be a first-ballot inductee. One of the best athletes to ever wear the Kelly green, Cook certainly had a senior season to remember. On the football field, all he did was lead Mainland to a perfect 14-0 record and a state championship as a key contributor at linebacker and running back. During the basketball season, he led Mainland to 26 wins and a berth in the Cape-Atlantic League championship game. And on the baseball diamond, the Press of Atlantic City Male Athlete of the Year batted .333 with 25 runs scored while leading the Stangs to 20 wins and a league championship.
STEPHEN ORDILLE
MAINLAND REGIONAL FOOTBALL, BASKETBALL
It’s hard to imagine a running back having more of a breakout year than Ordille did as a senior. He had to play second fiddle to former star Ja’Briel Mace as a junior, but had the spotlight all to himself this past fall, and boy did he shine. He finished with 1,841 yards, and would have had well more than 2,000 but the Stangs were involved in so many blowout wins that his services weren’t needed much in fourth quarters.
A guy who came into his senior year with less than 300 career rushing yards finished with nearly 2,100 to go along with 37 TDs, including 30 that came last fall.
Ordille rushed for more than 100 yards eight times, including in Mainland’s final six games, when the Stangs leaned on him to win a state championship. He also led the hoops team to 26 victories.
Class of 2024 Senior Stars
WAYNE ADAIR
DELSEA REGIONAL FOOTBALL
When you think of Delsea Regional Crusaders football, you picture in your head a kid like Wayne Adair. The kind of kid who looks like he could pick up a car if there was a puppy stranded under it or toss hay up into a barn for eight hours and still have the energy to get in a quick workout. The dude was tough as nails, and that’s what you have to be to play for a coach like Sal Marchese. There’s nothing fancy about Delsea football. The Crusaders come right at you with that Wing-T offense and use guys like Adair (6-foot-1, 200 pounds) to pound opponents into submission. It worked well, as always, as Delsea went 12-1 last fall and won a state championship. Adair (1,004 yards) was one of two backs, along with Dan Russo (1,673 yards) to eclipse 1,000 yards, and the two combined for nearly 50 touchdowns.
GEORGE STARR
DELSEA REGIONAL BASEBALL
One of the faces of the Delsea Regional baseball program the past four years, the aptly-named Starr was part of a group of players that brought the Crusaders to new heights during their careers. They won a couple of South Jersey Group 3 championships, played in the sectional title game three times, and this spring made it all the way to the state championship game before falling to Morris Knolls.
Starr was a key figure on the mound for Delsea throughout his career, racking up more than 20 wins, and as a senior he had a 2.15 ERA in 55 1/3 innings pitched. He allowed just eight walks all season and had 62 strikeouts. Never one to shy way from a pressure-packed moment, Starr finished his career with a 2.48 ERA with 165 strikeouts in 158 1/3 innings.
Class of 2024 Senior Stars JARED DZIERZGOWSKI
AJANI DWYER
WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP SOCCER, TRACK
There aren’t many high school soccer players who move up and down the field with the grace of a ballerina. Dwyer was so smooth with the ball at his feet that it seemed as if he was gliding around the pitch, almost like a hockey player on ice. Supremely talented as a striker, Dwyer decided to come back to high school soccer from the club scene as a senior and that decision paid huge dividends. He led Township to an 18-win season that included appearances in the Coaches Cup final and sectional semis, and he scored 19 goals and added 14 assists. And he’s not even going to college to play soccer! Dwyer is off to Penn State to run track as an outstanding sprinter.
WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP FOOTBALL, BASEBALL
His name may be one of the hardest in South Jersey to spell, but the impact he had while at Washington Township High was easy to see. Dzierzgowski was one of the toughest QBs and safeties around in football, and in baseball he helped lead a Minutemen team that made it to the Diamond Classic quarterfinals and sectional semis. He hit .325 with 19 RBIs and 21 stolen bases, and for his career he hit .323 with 51 hits, 47 runs and 39 RBIs. In football, he helped lead Township to one of its most successful seasons ever, as the Minutemen went 9-3 and made it to the Central Jersey Group 5 championship game. He had more than 1,000 yards passing and rushing combined, and on defense he finished with 56 tackles and four interceptions.
Class of 2024 Senior Stars
TYE DORSET
LENAPE BASKETBALL
Sometimes, basketball can be a rough game, like the way the Detroit Pistons played it in the 1980s. Other times, it can be a beautiful game full of artistry and free-flowing movements by superior athletes. Basketball took on a symphonic quality whenever Lenape senior Tye Dorset laced up his shoes. A smooth, fluid point guard who could seemingly score at will or distribute the ball to teammates if opponents tried to focus on him too much. Dorset led the Indians to 28 wins, including a Burlington County championship, a sectional title and a berth in the state championship game. He scored more than 500 points as a senior and added 181 rebounds and 91 assists, and for his career Dorset scored nearly 1,300 points and finished with 388 rebounds and 244 assists.
ANDREW WEHNER HAMMONTON FOOTBALL
Star running back Kenny Smith grabbed a lot of headlines, rightfully so, and rushed for a lot of yards last fall for the Blue Devils, but there were plenty of other hard-nosed players who helped make Hammonton a playoff team and come within eight points of taking down Mainland, an undefeated state champion. The 6-foot-1, 210-pound linebacker was the heart and soul of Hammonton’s defense, one that pitched a shutout in the season opener at the Battle at the Beach, allowed just 14 points to Mainland (the Stangs’ season low), as well as just 21 points to Timber Creek, a team that won nine games and made it to the state playoffs. Wehner had a nose for the ball and always played at 100 percent, setting the example for the underclassmen.
Class of 2024 Senior Stars
ANTHONY TROMBETTA
MIDDLE TOWNSHIP BASKETBALL
The Panthers were one of the best teams in South Jersey all season long last winter, and Trombetta was a big reason why. He’s a bit of an undersized guard, but his play was anything but small. Trombetta led Middle Township with 37 made 3-pointers and finished his senior season with nearly 500 points while leading the Panthers to a 28-3 record that included a Cape-Atlantic League championship and a 17-game winning streak before the Panthers’ season came to an end in the sectional championship game against Camden.
There were only six games all year in which Trombetta didn’t score in double digits. He scored 20 or more points nine times, including a season-high 23 in a win over St. Augustine Prep in early January. He finished just 28 points shy of 1,000 for his career while hitting 73 three-pointers.
IRIONA GRAVLEY
WILLIAMSTOWN BASKETBALL
Williamstown typically isn’t known as a girls basketball powerhouse, but this past winter the Braves took a huge step forward and Gravley was at the center of it all. The Braves won the Tri-County Conference’s Royal Division title, posted 21 wins and advanced all the way to the South Jersey Group 4 championship game before falling to Lenape.
Gravley had a monster senior season, scoring 509 points while adding 333 rebounds and 50 blocked shots. A force on the low blocks, Gravley was nearly unstoppable in the paint, recording 22 double-doubles, including a stretch of 13 games in a row in which she scored at least 10 points and had at least 10 rebounds. She finished her career with 1,414 points, 946 rebounds and 141 blocked shots.
Class of 2024 Senior Stars
DYLAN SCHLATTER
OCEAN CITY BASKETBALL
Opposing teams had to focus a lot on stopping star forward Kori Segich if they wanted to beat the Ocean City basketball team last winter. But if they didn’t pay enough attention to Dylan Schlatter, they’d find themselves with an ‘L’ on the scoresheet by night’s end. With Schlatter directing the offense as the Red Raiders’ point guard, Ocean City put together one of its best seasons ever, going 26-4. Two of their losses came against rival Mainland, once in the Cape-Atlantic League semis and the second in the sectional championship game, a 3-OT thriller. Schlatter had 21 points, 6 rebounds and 4 steals in that game, typical of how he rose to the occasion. During his career, Schlatter racked up nearly 800 points, hit 76 threes and was one of the best free-throw shooters in the league.
AUSTIN BOWKER
HADDON HEIGHTS BASEBALL
Having a two-way player like Austin Bowker is a luxury for any high school baseball coach to have. Haddon Heights went 21-7 this past spring, including a perfect 10-0 mark in the Colonial Conference’s Liberty Division. A big reason why the Garnets were so successful was because of the pitching and hitting of Bowker. He was second on the team in hits with 33, batted .371, racked up a team-high 35 RBIs and added seven doubles, 23 runs and even a home run.
On the mound he was just as good, striking out 29 in 31 innings while allowing just 10 earned runs all year, good for a 2.23 ERA. During his career, Bowker had 50 hits, 46 RBIs, 30 runs and hit .340, while on the bump he finished with a career 1.85 ERA in 45 innings of work.
Class of 2024 Senior Stars
MEGAN
HARRELL-ALVAREZ
VINELAND SOFTBALL
Megan, the twin sister of Morgan, didn’t see her name in the headlines all that often, but was an integral part of Vineland’s success this past spring, as she hit .351 with 33 hits, 34 RBIs, 32 runs scored and five stolen bases. One of the big bats in the middle of the Fighting Clan’s order, she led the team with five home runs while adding five doubles and a triple. She slugged .574, second only to Leah Mears on the team. Harrell-Alvarez continued to get better every season, as she hit .244 as a sophomore, .286 as a junior and then .351 in her final season. She finished her career with 58 hits, 54 runs scored, 45 RBIs, 20 walks, 15 steals and a .310 lifetime average.
MORGAN
HARRELL-ALVAREZ
VINELAND SOFTBALL
The argument about the best second baseman in the Cape-Atlantic League in 2024 probably starts and ends with Morgan Harrell-Alvarez. Vineland went 26-3, won the South Jersey Group 4 championship and made it all th way to the state final with Harrell-Alvarez leading the way. She hit .443 with a team-high 43 runs scored while also leading the Fighting Clan with 30 stolen bases, seven more than anybody else on the squad.
For her career, Morgan tallied more than 100 hits and more than 100 runs scored, batted .469 and added four home runs, eight triples, 52 stolen bases, 44 walks and 45 RBIs. She also was one of the best defensive players, at any position, in the CAL.
Class of 2024 Senior Stars
DENVER OBERMEYER
MAINLAND REGIONAL SOFTBALL
Obermeyer admitted she was getting a little tired of teams pitching around her late in her senior season, but when you’re one of the best power hitters in South Jersey you have to expect some respect from opposing pitchers.
Denver could hit a softball a mile high, and deep, as she blasted nine home runs and batted .458 as a senior, leading Mainland Regional on one of the most improbable playoff runs in the state.
The Stangs were just 7-12 heading into the postseason, but rode Obermeyer’s hot bat to a berth in the sectional final before being stopped by Moorestown. In her four-year varsity career, Obermeyer collected 99 hits, 71 RBIs, 80 runs scored, 19 home runs and 21 steals while hitting .360.
BELLA D’AGOSTINO
MAINLAND REGIONAL SOFTBALL
Perhaps the biggest reason for Mainland Regional’s postseason success was the grit and fortitude shown by D’Agostino as her career came to an end. Mainland struggled to a 7-12 regular-season record with a young team, but D’Agostino put the Stangs on her back in the postseason as Mainland made a run to the sectional championship.
She beat Timber Creek, Ocean City and Cherry Hill West in succession in the playoffs, allowing only two runs each to the Chargers and Red Raiders before fanning 10 in the semifinals and outdueling Cherry Hill West’s Ella Davis in a 6-5 Mainland win.
D’Agostino was a workhorse throughout her career, striking out 526 in 443 innings. She finished with a 3.70 ERA, and in her senior season she struck out 10 or more batters five times.
Class of 2024 Senior Stars MCKENNA CHISHOLM
MIKE McGINLEY
DELSEA REGIONAL BASEBALL
Take a look at any high school baseball coach who doesn’t have a good catcher and chances are you’ll find a lot of gray hairs atop his head. A premium position at any level of baseball, how good a team is often times is determined by who is behind the dish. A big reason why Delsea went to three South Jersey Group 3 finals in the last four years, and a state championship game this spring, is because the Crusaders had Mike McGinley wearing the gear. Mentally and physically tough, McGinley didn’t let the grind of catching take away from his offense, either, as he finished his career as Delsea’s all-time hits leader with 130. He batted .372 for his career with 20 doubles, five home runs, 86 RBIs and 83 runs scored. He helped lead the Crusaders to 27 wins as a senior.
ocean city soccer, BASKETBALL
A couple of years ago, Summer Reimet scored an eye-popping 62 goals as a senior at Ocean City. After she graduated, the Red Raiders needed to find a striker who could carry the torch and help Ocean City remain as one of the top teams in South Jersey.
Chisholm did just that, racking up 25 goals and adding nine assists to lead the Raiders to a 21-2 record that included a Cape-Atlantic League championship and a trip to the South Jersey Grouop 3 title game.
A tall, strong attacker, Chisholm dominated the middle of the field and could score from just about anywhere inside of 40 yards. She finished her career with 43 goals and 26 assists, and scored nearly 250 points and added 254 rebounds in two seasons of varsity basketball.
Class of 2024 Senior Stars
KASEY BRETONES
MAINLAND REGIONAL BASKETBALL
What’s it like to have a point guard, center and power forward all in one player?
Ask Mainland Regional girls basketball coach Scott Betson, because that’s what he had in Kasey Bretones the last couple of years. One of the best guards in the state, Bretones was an invaluable piece in the Mustangs’ run to their second state championship since 2019 this past winter. Bretones was unstoppable as a senior, scoring more than 500 points, adding 153 rebounds, 120 assists and 74 steals while leading Mainland to a 31-1 record and the Cape-Atlantic League, South Jersey Group 3 and overall Group 3 titles. She was also one of the best defenders in the state, and routinely locked down high-scoring players on opposing teams. She finished her career with 957 points and nearly 200 rebounds.
TIM TRAVAGLINE
MAINLAND REGIONAL BASKETBALL
When Travagline played well, it was almost a lock that the Mustangs would win the game. Playing Robin to Cohen Cook’s Batman, Travagline was a lethal sharpshooter from 3-point range who could completely turn a game around with just a few shots. He scored nearly 500 points as a senior while leading Mainland to a 26-7 record that included a berth in the Cape-Atlantic League championship game and the South Jersey Group 3 semifinals. Trav hit 42 threes, 13 more than anybody on the team, and finished his career with 115 made threes to go along with 1,122 points. He also was one of South Jersey’s best free-throw shooters, missing just 20 during his entire career.
Class of 2024 Senior Stars AVA FISHER
ZACH MAXWELL
DELSEA REGIONAL FOOTBALL, BASEBALL
Maxwell quietly had an outstanding career in multiple sports for Delsea Regional, often getting overlooked because the teams he played on were filled with other star players.
But if you had Maxwell on your roster, chances are you were going to win a lot of games. He helped lead the football team to another state championship as the Crusaders’ quarterback, and on the baseball diamond he hit nearly .500 with 39 hits, 30 runs scored, 24 RBIs and 13 steals. The outfielder finished his career with a .433 average that included 110 hits, 75 RBIs, 71 runs scored, 15 doubles, 40 walks and 31 stolen bases. As Delsea’s quarterback the last couple of years, Maxwell accounted for nearly 2,000 yards of total offense and 28 touchdowns.
ST. JOSEPH ACADEMY SOFTBALL
You’d be hard-pressed to find a more intimidating pitcher inside the circle in South Jersey the last couple years than Fisher. Tall and strong, Fisher came at hitters with a fastball that reached as high as 66 miles-per-hour, the reason she wore that jersey number.
With Fisher leading the way, both as a pitcher and hitter, St. Joseph Academy became a force in Cape-Atlantic League softball and in the Non-Public state playoffs. She led the Wildcats to a 21-9 record this spring that included a trip the CAL and Non-Public B state championships. As a hitter she boasted a .473 average with nine home runs and 28 RBIs, and as a pitcher she fanned 236 in 137 innings while posting a 1.64 ERA. In her career she had 118 hits and 109 RBIs, while adding 675 strikeouts as a pitcher.
Class of 2024 Senior Stars
TATE DeRIAS
GLOUCESTER CATHOLIC BASEBALL
Few high school athletes can dominate their sport the way Tate DeRias did as a pitcher, and hitter, for the Gloucester Catholic Rams this past spring. The Rams went 27-2 and won the Non-Public B state championship, and a huge reason for that success was the guy wearing No. 27 on his back. Consider this stat: DeRias threw 716 pitches this season, and opposing players got a hit on only 16 of those pitches.
Yikes!
He threw 53 innings, allowed five earned runs, struck out 91 and finished the year with a 0.66 ERA. The University of Miami commit fanned 135 in two seasons of varsity pitching and his career ERA was 1.07. As a hitter, all he did was bat .411 this year with 37 hits, 22 runs and 22 RBIs. He finished his career with 94 hits and 66 RBIs.
KAMERON BROWN
WINSLOW FOOTBALL
Winslow was a menace on the football field last fall, with athletes all over the place who could change a game with one play.
Kam Brown was that kind of player on both sides of the ball, even if he wasn’t the most heralded Eagles player on the field.
He rushed for a team-high 782 yards and scored five touchdowns, added 267 receiving yards with a pair of touchdowns through the air, and on defense he was one of the best defensive backs in South Jersey. He finished with 78 tackles, including four for loss and a pair of forced fumbles, plus an interception.
For his career, Brown scored 10 touchdowns and finished with 221 tackles on defense, including 133 solo tackles.