SJ Glory Days Nov 22

ABOUT THE COVER SOUTH JERSEY

GLORY DAYS

John Stone’s father, also named John, came up with a mantra that the Washington Township senior offensive lineman used throughout his high school football career. “Bigger, stronger, fast er.” That’s what Stone has been working to become the past four years, and the culmination of all that effort was a senior season in which Stone proved to be one of the best offen sive linemen in the state. He’ll be graduating early and headed to Rutgers in the spring to start his Big Ten Conference career, and he spent some time with South Jersey Glory Days Publisher Dave O’Sullivan early in the season to discuss his high school career and what he hopes to achieve in the future. Check out Page 10 of this digital edition for the latest Vic’s Subs Cover Story featuring not only one of the best players, but best all-around young men in South Jersey.

General contact information:

Phone: 856-336-2600

Publisher Dave O’Sullivan: Email: sullyglorydays@gmail.com On Twitter @GDsullysays @glorydaysmag on Instagram

Contributors:

Mark Trible, Senior Football Writer (@MTrible on Twitter)

Larry Henry Jr., Correspondent (@Lhenry019 on Twitter)

Ben Hale, Social Media & Web Development

HEADLINES

PRESENTED BY BUNTING FAMILY PHARMACY

NJSIAA MAKING FOOTBALL HISTORY

For the first time ever, New Jersey high school football will be playing down to true state champions. The first week of December features five public school championship games at Rutgers University, and those contests certainly will have a South Jersey feel, as three of the 10 finalists hail from the West Jersey Football League. The WJFL is comprised of 90-plus schools in the seven South Jersey counties of At lantic, Cape May, Cumberland, Salem, Gloucester, Camden and Burlington.

Millville in Group 4, Delsea Regional in Group 3 and Woodbury in Group 1 all will have the opportunity to make history as first-time “state champions.” In years past, the furthest a team could go would be winning a sectional championship, and the past two years a team was able to win a “Regional” title, or what some were calling “Bowl Games.”

In the next digital edition of South Jersey Glory Days we’ll have a cou ple of features involving Woodbury, a team that won a sectional title but lost to Salem in the regional championship a year ago. This year’s team is a special group and one of the best teams in school history.

HEADING DOWN SOUTH November is special for a lot of high school athletes because it features “Signing Day”, the first of two throughout the school year. The second comes in February. This time around, Atlantic City High garnered some

big-time headlines as girls basketball star Quanirah Montague, a 6-foot-6 guard/forward, announced she’ll be attending Mississippi State on a full scholarship. Montague led Atlantic City to 13 wins a year ago, including berths in the Cape-Atlantic League Tournament semifinals and the South Jersey Group 4 quarterfinals, and in 2.5 varsity seasons (she was limited in 2020 because of covid) she has scored more than 500 points and grabbed nearly 500 rebounds. She also has more than 100 steals and 131 blocked shots. Another national recruit, Hannah Hidalgo of Paul VI, announced she’ll be joining former Mainland standout Kylee Watson at Notre Dame next year.

FIELD HOCKEY

O’Connell up to the task

Former Mainland star player, assistant coach looking to keep winning tradition going

By DAVE O’SULLIVAN Staff Writer

Jill Hatz had an outstanding run as head field hockey coach at Main land Regional High, building the Mustangs into one of the better teams in the Cape-Atlantic League year in and year out. Mainland was a perennial state playoff qualifier under her leader ship, so it came as a shock that Hatz decided to step down after last season. She led the Stangs to 28 wins in her fi nal three seasons.

The program is looking to continue that tradition under former Mainland standout player and assistant coach Erin O’Connell, who took over for Hatz thi season. The Mustangs went 5-10-2, but with a young roster and a new head coach there is plenty to build on heading into 2023.

O’Connell said she hasn’t had to change much because Hatz built such a successful program, and she’s trying to take the wisdom she learned in five years as an assistant under Hatz to help formulate her own vision for the future of the program.

“She left me in good hands. In five years of coaching under her I learned a lot. I learned a lot about coaching this team, and in taking over this team I’m excited. I love coaching this team,” said O’Connell, 27, who went on to play at Fairleigh Dickinson Universi ty after her playing days at Mainland ended following the 2012 season. “The biggest thing I learned from her is un derstanding that my players are high school females and that there is a lot more to life than this. Sometimes I have to take a step back and remem

ber that there are so many other outside factors that go into this. We have to re member that as coaches. I think that’s the biggest thing we can do as coaches is take a step back and realize that there may be something else going on (with a player).”

O’Connell said she believes her fa miliarity with the program and its play ers played a big role in her feeling so

comfortable guiding this team in her first season as the one calling the shots. She also has some great help with as sistants Angela Robbins and Taylor Klever.

“I think overall it’s been positive. I’m keeping a lot of the same traditions that they are used to, and the transition has been pretty seamless,” O’Connell said. “I think when the girls heard Jill

was stepping down that can definitely be shocking — for rising seniors, es pecially. I think they were excited to hear (much of the staff was returning).

Taylor has been on staff and I’ve been on staff for the past couple of years, so

South Jersey Glory Days photos/Sully

Erin O’Connell, who is in her first year as head coach of the Mainland Regional field hockey program, is a former star player for the Mustangs who played college field hockey at Fairleigh Dickenson University.

TASK, From Page 6

I think it’s been a good transition.”

O’Connell, who teaches eighth-grade English in Upper Township, said she was nervous for her first gig as a varsity head coach, but wasn’t about to show any trepidation in front of her players when sum mer practice began.

“It was a seamless transition. I was nervous, but I didn’t let them see that I was nervous,” she said. “It was seamless because I had been here and the girls on the team know me, so it was just stepping into a new role for me and them understanding that I have more and bigger deci sions to make as head coach now, rather than just being an assistant. They did a really good job of adjusting to that.”

Having understanding parents of players is a huge advantage for a first-year coach, and O’Connell said her field hockey parents have been nothing but supportive.

“The parents have been great. As a coaching staff we do a lot in terms of getting the girls to advocate for themselves. If there is a prob lem or if they need to tell us they have to go here, or have to go there, or if they need to adjust something (in their schedule) they do a good job of communicating that themselves,” she said. “It can be a lot and overwhelming at times, but it’s been going well.”

What’s the biggest difference between being an assistant and run ning the show? All the little things you have to keep track of, O’Con nell said.

“I find myself noticing more things as a head coach. Not that I wasn’t noticing things as an assistant, but now I’m really paying attention to things like, OK, we worked on that in practice the other day and they were able to do it in the game, that’s great,” O’Connell said. “Or I’ll see something and say to myself that we need to make sure we’re working on that the next day in practice. As an assistant, your role is different. As a head coach, I find myself noticing a lot more things.”

One thing Mainland field hockey fans likely will notice for a long time to come is O’Connell roaming the sidelines as head coach of the Stangs. She’s not planning on giving up this job anytime soon.

“I love this team, I love being here, I love the girls and I love this sport,” she said. “My assistants, I couldn’t do it without Angela Rob bins and Taylor Klever. I would not have been able to take over this program had it not been for them. A lot of credit has to go to them.”

Contact Dave O’Sullivan: sullyglorydays@gmail.com.

On Twitter: @GDsullysays

“I think when the girls heard Jill was stepping down that can definitely be shocking — for rising seniors, especially. I think they were excited to hear (much of the staff was returning). Taylor has been on staff and I’ve been on staff for the past couple of years, so I think it’s been a good transition.”

Erin O’Connell, first-year varsity coach for Mainland field hockey

SOCCER

Earning her respect

team. I felt like the higher level would be good for me.

By DAVE O’SULLIVAN Staff Writer

In 2021, the Oakcrest girls soccer team went 7-101, made the state playoffs and won five of its last six games. Gabby Dittus was a sophomore that year who had 11 goals and 12 assists, both second on the team to Jayda Shehadi. She was looking forward to a big junior season this past summer.

But head coach Jason Hearn stepped down to take over at Rowan College of South Jersey-Cum berland, and with dwindling numbers the Falcons simply didn’t have enough players to field a team in 2022. Dittus was left in limbo. She really only had two choices — play for Oakcrest as the Falcons went down to a junior varsity schedule to try to build the

program up, or transfer to district rival Absegami.

She didn’t want to do either of those things, so she and her father approached Oakcrest boys soccer coach Scott Meile about Gabby possibly joining his team.

“We started in the summer and we were confident and hoping that more girls would come out, but un fortunately that didn’t happen,” Dittus said. “They are running a really great JV program at the school, but that wasn’t the right fit for me this year. (The ad ministration) gave me the option of going to play for Absegami, which is one of our district schools, but I’d have to transfer there and I didn’t really want to move my whole life over there. It was either that or just play for JV, so I asked if I could play on the boys

“At first, I talked to Mr. Meile, my dad and I, and we asked if it would be OK if I played for his team this year. He was like, ‘yeah, we’d love to have you.’ The team was very welcoming. They let me come on and were very supportive of me.”

Meile said his players weren’t sure what to make of their new teammate when summer workouts began. Could a high-level club soccer girl actually make an impact on a boys team that had aspirations of win ning Cape-Atlantic League and South Jersey Group 2 championships?

“I was really wondering how this was going to work out. I talked to her father about it, the boys were kind of like, ‘what’s going on? Why is this happening?’ I get what the girls coach is trying to do, she’s trying to

Oakcrest junior Gabby Dittus proved she could hold her own while playing on the Falcons’ boys team

build the team back up. They weren’t going to be able to have a varsity sea son, so we took Gabby over here, and it took me one or two games to realize what she’s good at and what we can get out of her. We saw a lot in practice. She serves a really nice ball — the assists she has are not fake assists, they are off her foot to someone’s head or foot and into the back of the goal,” Meile said. “What I’m looking at is what is that next level for Gabby? When she goes back to her club team and starts play ing with the girls again, this is going to help her. And that’s the thing, you want all these kids to get something positive out of your program.”

Dittus certainly proved her worth. She finished with four assists and helped the Falcons to a 9-5-3 record that included berths in the CAL and sectional tournaments. At one point, the Falcons were 8-1-2 and one of the top teams in South Jersey.

“You can tell she has played a ton of high level soccer. At first, I think she was frustrated. We had the Bue na tie earlier this year and I think she, and everyone else, walked off the field that day feeling frustrated. But I think Gabby, more or less as the season has gone on, has bought in. She’s like all the kids, she’s just getting better and better,” Meile said after a 2-0 win over Mainland in October. “In that first week I told the guys, ‘we’re all going to face adversity and challenges, how do you face those challenges? It’s not just about this game or this season, you have to persevere and overcome.’ I talked about that with Gabby. It’s not all going to be fun and easy, if it was everyone would do it. There’s commit ment and sacrifice, and Gab is doing great. I’m just happy it has been re warding for her and her family.”

“My first couple games it was a change, for sure, and it took some get ting used to,” Dittus said. “The boys play a lot faster than the girls — they run faster and are stronger. But I felt that because I was a girl sometimes (opponents) were scared to pressure me.”

It took a while for Dittus to feel com fortable playing soccer on a boys team,

Meile said. And he had to do some coaxing to get her to celebrate with her teammates after some early wins. She was feeling like an outsider early on, but it wasn’t long before she was just one of the guys.

“After one of the early games, we beat Cedar Creek and the kids were all celebrating on the field and Gab was just over with us coaches. I was like, ‘Gab, you can go over there with them.’ They were running onto the field going nuts and she was standing over there with us,” Meile said. “But now she’s a real active voice on the bench, always talking and always cheering on the kids where as in the beginning of the year she was kind of on her own. So that part is super cool. As a teacher, that’s what you want — that bonded feeling for your team.”

Her teammates said they came to respect Dittus because of her commit ment. They learned to trust that she could be a player who could be count ed on in tough games.

“We love having her. She has a cou

ple assists — she’s assisted me a cou ple times and her passing is amazing. It’s good to have her on the team,” said star junior striker Jack O’Brien. “I kind of see her as one of the guys. She fits right in with us.”

Added senior striker Andrae John son, “I can definitely rely on Gabby. She gives us great crosses and her cor ner kicks are fantastic. She’s there for the left-foot crosses and a lot of teams aren’t ready for that, which gives us a big advantage. Like Jack said, we’re as one and we don’t see a difference with her. She’s a part of this team and every one respects her.”

Dittus said it wasn’t easy to gain that respect. It didn’t happen overnight.

“On the girls team I always tried to work really hard, but on this team I had to work 100 percent harder for the boys to respect me. And I worked really hard for that respect. It took a while. They do a lot more intense fitness than the girls, so that was a big thing to get used to. The biggest challenge was, on the girls team I was like Jack O’Brien —

I could dribble through anybody and score. (Playing against boys) it’s more like I’m the one who passes to the scorers. I can’t really dribble through or around anybody because I’m not as fast as them, so I’ve had to have a real ly good passing game,” she said. “I’ve heard a lot of people taking Oakcrest as a joke because I’m on the team, but you can’t let that stuff get to you. I know when I come on the field (the opponents) are all like, ‘what is going on?’ But I think everyone on this team works really hard, and that something I respect about this team. Whether they have the soccer skills or not, they all work really hard and they’ve been great to me.”

Dittus said she doesn’t really know what the future holds as far as her high school career goes. If Oakcrest can field a girls team next year she’ll gladly suit up for them, but if not, may be she’ll have one more season under coach Meile.

“I’ve thought about what it’s going to be like when I get back to my club season. It’s going to be different. I’ll have a lot more confidence, for sure,” Dittus said. “Getting to know the boys and hanging out with them has been fun, and the coaches are great. The whole experience has been great.”

“I’m interested to see what happens next year. If they send her back to the girls team, whatever the case is I know she’ll adjust. She’s been here every day, she works her tail off and does ev erything we ask. I know what kind of encouragement she needs. It’s a little different going from playing 40 min utes a game and being one of the stars to playing maybe 20 minutes a game,” Meile said. “I would hope this gives her confidence. Just to get through the fitness things we do and seeing her play — as the game goes on these kids forget she’s a girl and she’s getting knocked around. But she’s a physical player, too. I think this is going to be nothing but great for her in the future. This is going to be something she’ll be talking about forever. I was not expect ing much, but we really have gotten a lot out of her.”

Contact Dave O’Sullivan: sullyglorydays@gmail.com; on Twitter @GDsullysays

South Jersey Glory Days photos/Sully Gabby Dittus helped the Oakcrest boys soccer team post a nine-win season that included berths in the Cape-Atlantic League and South Jersey Group 2 tournaments.

VIC’S SUBS COVER STORY

Bigger, stronger, faster

By DAVE O’SULLIVAN Staff Writer

Imagine being a high school defen sive back playing against Washing ton Township High this past fall, and the Minutemen run a play that calls for left guard John Stone to pull around and put a kick-out block on you. He’s roughly the same size as Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce (6-foot-3, 290 pounds).

You’d be in for a rough day. And you wouldn’t be alone.

There are dozens of defensive play ers throughout South Jersey who are happy they’ll no longer have to square up against one of the biggest and best offensive linemen in the state of New Jersey in 2023. By next fall, Stone hopes to be making a big impact at Rutgers University, giving South Jer sey defensive backs a collective sigh of relief.

“He’s a big fella, that’s for sure. He’s a great kid. As big as he is, he’s a very good kid — respectful, coachable, all the things you look for in a really good football player. Him having the oppor tunity to head to Rutgers and be a part of his staff with coach (Greg) Schiano and what he’s trying to rebuild there, that’s a huge bonus for him. He’s ex tremely impressive,” said Township coach Mike Schatzman. “For as big as he is, he’s extremely athletic. This past year he got on the wrestling mat, placed in districts and regions and got a chance to be in the state tournament as a first-year wrestler. He hadn’t wres tled since he was in fifth grade.”

Stone was as impressive this season as he had been his entire high school career. The Minutemen went just 5-5, but they played a very tough sched ule and despite the .500 record they

had one of the more dominant running games in South Jersey. The Minutemen put up more than 2,000 rushing yards as a team and averaged 6.6 yards per carry. A big reason for that was Stone plowing people over in the middle of the field.

“Obviously he’s a big kid, but when he gets to the next level there will be guys who are bigger. I think what sep arates him is his athleticism. If you watch a guy like Jason Kelce, he’s not overly big — John is probably bigger

than Kelce — but his speed and ath leticism, being out in space and doing things that aren’t necessarily normal for a high school lineman to do, that’s probably what stands out the most,” Schatzman said. “We probably take it for granted because we’ve been seeing it, but seeing him get out on a lineback er and pancaking him, that’s probably what stands out the most. His nastiness and that ability to turn that on, to go from being a really respectful kid off the field to being nasty on the field;

having him out there is a sense of secu rity for our guys. He’s a very confident kid, very sure of himself and that’s only grown over time. He asks all the right questions, helps guys out, he’s a good teammate. Yes, he’s our star player, but the guys feel comfortable around him and can joke around. He just has that type of personality.”

OL John Stone was all those things during his career at Washington Township High. Now, that’s his mantra going forward as he gets set for his college career at Rutgers University.

South Jersey Glory Days photo/Sully

Senior offensive lineman John Stone helped paved the way for Washington Township’s rushing attack, as the Minutemen put up more than 2,000 yards this season and rushed for 6.6 yards per carry.

STONE, From Page 10

Stone said he always played a physical brand of football, but his mentality changed going into his junior year. Prior to that season, two of his grand parents died. He felt a lot of pain, and naturally he channeled that into football aggression. But while something like that might have eaten away at anoth er high school player, Stone found a way to take the pain he was feeling, dish it out on the field but then leave it behind once the Friday night lights dimmed. That ability to, as he calls it, “flip the switch” when it came time to play on Friday nights turned him from a good player to a great one. He was able to channel the emotions and aggression he was feeling while still being able to stay focused on the task at hand and the fundamentals he had been taught since his youth football days.

That made for a scary combination for opposing defenses when No. 71 was coming at them.

“That switch just flips. I put the headphones on, get in the locker room and it goes from nice, even-keeled John Stone to a maniac. I go crazy,” he said. “Going into my junior year I lost my grandmother and grand father, and losing them made me put my head down and work extra hard. That season was when I really flipped that switch. You have to have an ‘Off’ and

‘On’. When you come out of football you can’t be all aggressive, but once that uniform goes on, nothing else matters except running people over.

“It was difficult to go through at first, but I just used that pain and hurt and tried to inflict it out on the football field. It was nothing personal (against oppo nents), it was just all business.”

That “all business” mentality has helped guys like Stone — and players such as Jaden Allen and Jo’Na than Silver before him — completely change the cul ture and expectations around Washington Township football. When Schatzman first took over, the team was struggling to win a game or two. Now, if the Minutemen don’t make the state playoffs the season is a disappointment.

“All those things you look for in a player, he’s defi nitely that. And I think that’s a testament to all the

players who have come before him, the Silvers and Jaden Allens of the world who have kind of molded what it’s supposed to look like to be a star player; the leadership, all those things. John works his tail off. He’s a blue-collar type of kid,” Schatzman said. “Even coming off an all-South Jersey year last year, he’s really committed himself to getting better. His body, his frame, he’s invested in the weight room. We knew (four years ago) he was going to be a good player, but he’s turned himself into a great player. He has a chance to be a big-time player in the Big 10 with Rutgers, and maybe even eventually beyond See STONE, Page 13

“He’s a very confident kid, very sure of himself and that’s only grown over time. He asks all the right questions, helps guys out, he’s a good teammate. Yes, he’s our star player, but the guys feel comfortable around him and can joke around. He just has that type of personality.”

Mike Schatzman, Washington Township head coach

that. He loves football and he’s going to do all the right things.”

Stone, believe it or not, played on the freshman team as a rookie in high school. He was only about 5-foot-9 and maybe 200 pounds back then. But head ing into his sophomore year he was intent on mak ing a big impact on the varsity level. He’s done that, leading the team to 13 wins the past three years, in cluding two state playoff berths.

“I came in as a freshman at about 5-foot-9 and maybe 200 pounds. My dad is pretty tall and my mom is about 5-foot-8, so I knew the growth spurt was coming, I just didn’t know when. So that fresh man year I was a little bit undersized, but sophomore year I ended up earning a starting spot at left tackle. By then I was about 6-1, 230. Going into junior year I put on another 30 pounds, and this past season I was playing at 6-3, 285. It’s pretty cool to compare and contrast the pictures of me from when I was a fresh man. It’s crazy. I look like a whole different person,” he said. “I’m a smart offensive lineman and I like to think I’m good at the game mentally and not just

physically. Offensive line requires a lot more mental stuff than defensive line. On the defensive line you’re just reading and reacting.

“I just got to work that offseason after my fresh man year. Coach Schatz has most of the freshman play freshman ball so you can get used to the whole practice aspect and getting into high school. You’re with all your friends that year. Once you get to varsi ty it’s a mix of all grades. Freshman year was a lot of fun being with the guys I had been with all through youth football, but after that the fun was over. I had to put my head down and work because I was trying to earn a varsity position by sophomore year,” Stone said. “The biggest challenge was the experience and the knowledge that the guys had on me. They were a little bit smarter, but I had a guy next to me in Danny Guetens and he was also a first-year starter that year. We started clicking, and once me and him started working together everything came a lot easier.”

Soon, Stone will be headed off to Rutgers as an ear ly enrollee in time to start working out with the team in the spring. He’s eager to start his college career and who knows, maybe someday he’ll be just like Kelce, playing on Sundays in the NFL. He certainly has the size and athleticism, now it’s a question of

how much better can he get at Rutgers?

“Rutgers is home. It’s an hour away and the coach ing staff is amazing. Coach Schiano is a dude. There’s no reason why I wouldn’t want to play for him. And the offensive line coaches, they are crazy and I love it. I have that type of crazy mentality and I love running people over, and they preach that all the time. It’s a perfect fit for me. My family won’t have to fly out to see games, and that was a big thing for me,” Stone said. “I hope to be in the NFL. That would change the lives of a lot of people around me, and mine, too, of course. I have to improve on my footwork and I know I have to get bigger, stronger and faster. Those are things I work on constantly. My dad preaches that to me all the time — bigger, stronger, faster. The biggest thing is speed in football. From freshman to varsity the speed is totally different, and once I get to college that speed will be on another level. So I just have to go in there with my head down and work, and try to pick things up as quickly as possible in the spring. I think it’s a realistic dream if I just keep my head down and work.”

Contact Dave O’Sullivan: sullyglorydays@gmail.com; on Twitter @GDsullysays

At 6-foot-3 and 285 pounds, John Stone was a man among boys at the high school level.

South Jersey Glory Days photo/Sully

Paul Lombardo, Mainland Regional Football CAPTAIN’S CORNER

Positive influence

Lombardo’s attitude, consistency had a huge impact on Stangs’ success

By DAVE O’SULLIVAN Staff Writer

Certain jersey numbers have meaning in sports. The No. 10 typically is designated for the star player on international soccer teams. There is no shortage of great quarterbacks who wore No. 12 during their careers. The No. 34 is associated with great running backs like Bo Jack son, Earl Campbell and Walter Payton.

At Mainland Regional High, the No. 55 is starting to become synony mous with all-out beasts on defense. A couple of years ago it was Brayden Pohlman who terrorized opponents as a linebacker and helped lead the Mus tangs to a 9-1 record and a West Jersey Football League Independence Divi sion championship.

The torch was passed to Paul Lom bardo, and he kept that flame burning bright the past three years as an offen sive and defensive lineman. He played left tackle, and did a great job helping to pave the way for record-setting run ning back Ja’Briel Mace, but on de fense is where Lombardo really earned his varsity letters. He was the key cog in a unit that posted four shutouts and led Mainland to a 10-2 record, anoth er division championship, and the Mustangs’ first sectional title since 2008. Mainland was three minutes away from a berth in the state cham pionship game before a miraculous comeback drive by Millville ended an otherwise spectacular season for

the green-and-white.

“He’s one of our team leaders and was a team captain this year. He was right in the mix right away, from the beginning of the season when we talk ed about team captains,” Mainland coach Chuck Smith said. “He’s done well on both sides of the ball, especial ly on defense. He’s very fast in pursuit and makes a lot of plays away from his position because he has a motor that just doesn’t stop. He’s always in pursuit. He doesn’t take any plays off. There have been quite a few plays that he’s made down the field. He might be

South Jersey Glory Days photos/Sully

10 or 15 yards down the field making a play.”

“Freshman year, we were just watch ing the seniors and they had a real ly successful year. After all of them graduated we had a couple of rough years, but we were looking forward to this year,” said Lombardo, who also wrestles and plays lacrosse. “At the start of the season we were so excited. (Assistant coach Tim) Watson came over (from Cedar Creek) and he really brought us together with a mindset de velopment, and coach Smith, through his leadership program, brought us to

gether, too, and really emphasized this year and the impact we could have.”

After Pohlman graduated, the Main land program endured a couple of lean seasons as young players such as Lombardo began to cut their teeth on the varsity level. The Stangs went just 2-4 during the covid-shortened 2020 season, then posted a 4-6 record in 2021. And heading into this year it looked as though the Stangs might be

Under the guidance of senior captain Paul Lombardo, Mainland’s defense was one of the best in South Jersey and the Mustangs registered a 10-win season and a sectional title.

in for a rough ride again as star quarterback Marlon Leslie Jr. transferred back to Pleasantville before the season. But with the leadership of seniors like Mace, Lombardo, Joe Sheeran, Nate Wagner, Nick Timek and others, freshman quarterback John Franchini was brought along and after an early loss to Ocean City the offense started clicking. Mainland scored more than 100 points in the next two games — a 49-0 win over Oakcrest and a 56-26 victory over Atlantic City, both state playoff teams — and things rolled from there. The Lombardo-led defense didn’t give up more than 14 points per game for the next five weeks, all Stangs wins.

“A lot of our guys have played for a while here. They went through the down seasons. They had to get thrown into the frying pan way before they should have, in all reality, but that’s just the way it was. And now they are benefitting from that experi ence,” Smith said.

“We were really confident coming into this season, even with the quarterback situation. But we believed (in John) and that brought us closer as a team. Our of fense looked really good, and our defense was getting better every game. We could really rely on both sides of the ball,” Lombardo said. “(Ocean City) is our big gest rival and we always want to beat them, but we had to look at that game and take the best from it. It brought us even more focus and more determined to have the best season we could have. Each game our confidence grew and we were rolling. We felt like we were unstoppable.”

So, where did Paul Lombardo come from and why did seemingly nobody know who he was prior to his

senior season? As coach Smith said, he’s just a guy who grinded throughout his high school career, and with getting older came getting bigger and stronger, and also more mature.

“I think it was part of the maturity process and un derstanding his role better. Coach (Antoine) Lewis does a great job with our defensive line, and he’s one of those guys day in and day out with coach Lewis. They take a lot of pride in their performance. When we have film breakdown, they all sit around coach Lewis and they talk about every single play. And I think, also, there was a mindset difference this year with our defense. We knew if we were going to be better — yeah, we knew we had some dudes (on of fense) — but we knew we had to be better defensive ly first. Defense always dictates how the offense will do, and defense was our emphasis in the offseason. They really turned the switch on, and Lombardo is one of the biggest reasons why,” Smith said. “He’s a true leader and a captain out there. He really leads by example, and that’s big because we have a lot of young kids in the program. The reason Paul wears No. 55 is because of Brayden Pohlman, who was a senior when he was a freshman and he idolized the way Braydon played. As soon as that number became available, he asked if he could wear No. 55 because that’s how much he thought of Brayden Pohlman. Now, somebody next year will want to wear No. 55 because of the way Paul Lombardo played.”

“My role was just showing work ethic. I always prided myself on trying to out-work everyone. When you take that into practice it makes you grow as a team, when you’re trying to get a little bit better ev ery day,” Lombardo said. “We’re very happy with (winning a sectional title). We were really trying to get that for coach Smith. We know how proud he is

of us, and that was the best feeling for us.”

What Smith said he loved most about coaching Lombardo was the attitude the senior captain brought to the field every day.

“He’s always positive and has that positive energy all the time,” he said. “And a lot of these kids are, when you see them in the hallways they are always upbeat. Paul always has a positive way of thinking and he exudes energy all the time.”

Lombardo said he’s not sure what the future will hold for him and whether or not he has played his last down of football. If so, he’s got plenty of memories to carry with him wherever he goes.

“My teammates and I, we were with each other on the practice field, day in and day out hanging with each other and that’s really what I take away from this year — my teammates and my coaches and how we are really more of a family than a program,” Lom bardo said. “My biggest takeaway is the relationships I’ve built throughout the years with my teammates and coaches. Those will last a lifetime. And the im pact the coaches have had on myself, just in every day life and imparting wisdom that I can take with me throughout my life and apply to all aspects of my life.”

And all the headlines and post-game interviews from South Jersey media? That was just icing on the cake to a tremendous senior season.

“I wasn’t expecting that,” Lombardo said. “I was always just trying to be the best version of myself and have a valuable part on this team. But that was cool.”

Contact Dave O’Sullivan: sullyglorydays@gmail.com; on Twitter @GDsullysays

Lombardo also was an outstanding offensive lineman during his career, helping pave the way for record-setting running back Ja’Briel Mace.

Lucas Lainez, Egg Harbor Township Soccer

Man in the middle

By DAVE O’SULLIVAN Staff Writer

Sometimes, it can be really hard to get noticed when you’re a de fensive fullback in soccer. There really aren’t any quantitative stats that show how good of a player you are, save from helping the team get shut outs or goals-against average.

Everybody knew about Nate Biers bach and Gilmer Mendoza when the Egg Harbor Township boys soccer team was playing. That duo combined for 40 goals and 13 assists — 77 per cent of the Eagles’ goal-scoring output. A big reason why the Eagles won 14 of the 20 games they played this fall was because of the scoring prowess of those two.

But another huge reason for EHT’s success was center back Lucas Lainez. To the casual fan, how well Lainez played this season probably went largely unnoticed. Not to coach Pete Lambert, however. He knows well how valuable a standout center back can be.

“We’ve been fortunate to have him on board since he was a freshman, and even more fortunate to have him healthy for all four years. He’s just a good kid, hard working, solid kid. He’s a gamer. He’s willing to put in the work, with us, with his club team, traveling back and forth to Delaware County (Pa.) to train with his club. He gave us a lot over his four years here and we couldn’t be happier for him. He’s going to play at the next level,” Lambert said. “He’s not the biggest kid out there but he has one of the biggest

hearts. He has all those intangibles that you just can’t coach. He’s passion ate and he plays with emotion. He’s a good, coachable kid.”

For really high level soccer players in New Jersey there’s a bit of a strug gle that goes on. Club soccer is very important to the recruiting process for colleges, but players also love playing for their hometown team. Lainez, like Biersbach and others in the EHT pro gram, faced this dilemma during their high school careers — do I fully com mit to high school soccer, or go through the Major League Soccer “Next” pro gram, a national club circuit that al lows players to square off against the best players in their age group through out the country. Lainez tried to balance that as much as possible throughout his career, he said, but nothing compared to fully committing to the EHT squad as a senior and seeing what the Eagles could accomplish.

With Lainez and the other seniors leading the way, EHT posted a 14-5-1 record, made it to the semifinals of the Cape-Atlantic League Tournament be fore a tough penalty kick shootout loss to St. Augustine Prep, and advanced to the quarterfinals of the South Jersey Group 4 tournament. As a freshman, Lainez was part of a group that pushed EHT into the sectional final, where the Eagles suffered a tough 2-0 loss to Toms River North.

“I remember my freshman year like it happened yesterday,” Lainez said. “For my career to already be over it just shows how fast life can hit you. I

still can’t believe it. It was a very mem orable career, and if I could, I would do it all over again.”

Lainez said he didn’t know what to expect when he began his high school career. All he knew was that he was in tent on being a four-year varsity player. He was willing to do whatever it took to make that happen.

“Coming into the program my goal was always to be on varsity. Even as far back as seventh grade I just kept telling myself that I wanted to play varsity. It wasn’t necessarily to be a starter, but

just to be on varsity and be with the big guys. I didn’t know what position I was going to play because growing up I played everywhere. My mindset was just wherever there was an open spot on varsity, I wanted it. That was my mindset, just be openminded about it,” he said. “I think I had a great career. To bring home a Cape-Atlantic League

Lainez held down center of EHT’s defense with consistency and determination

South Jersey Glory Days photo/Sully With senior center back Lucas Lainez leading the way, Egg Harbor Township’s defense posted eight shutouts in 20 games in 2022.

championship (in 2021) and that being the first one in our school history, that really meant a lot. Nobody can ever take that away from me. My freshman year we made the sectional finals. For years we were always an underrated team in South Jersey and were never looked at as one of the top teams. I felt like we never got the recognition we deserved. I wish we would have brought home that trophy (four years ago) but if you would have told me at the beginning of that season that we would have made it to the sectional final, I would have laughed. I just couldn’t believe that.”

Lambert said that what made Lainez so valuable was his reliability. He never got hurt — in fact, he never even came out of a game this season. Lambert just didn’t have to worry about No. 10 in the back, he was just always there, doing his thing. And with Lainez leading the way, the Ea gles posted eight shutouts this past season.

“He’s one of the few guys who played every minute of every game. We always try to find guys minutes where they can rest, but we don’t typical ly look his way for that. As far as an EHT player, he’s not the biggest kid but has great knowledge of the game and is super competitive. He’ll play anywhere on the field that we ask him. He played mainly center back for us even though he’s probably more of a true holding center mid. But we needed him back there to lock up our defense, and he did that, without question, for four years,” Lambert said. “We’ve been lucky for four years to not really have to worry about anything in the back because he’s there. And through the years we’ve put players next to him that he could work with and kind of direct them and facilitate. He’s been like a coach on the field. He’s not the flashiest as far as numbers and goals and assists, but he does all the dirty work that oftentimes goes unnoticed.”

“I’ve always been used to playing a certain position, but (in high school soccer) you have to focus on what the team needs first,” Lainez said. “Put me anywhere, I was ready to play. And I learned how to be a leader this year. I had to adjust to that (as a senior). Everyone was looking up to me, so I had to be a role model, and I had never been put to that responsibil ity.”

Lainez said he’s been in talks with La Salle, and hopes to play soccer at the next level. Wherever he ends up and whatever his soccer future holds, he’ll have a great past to look back on during his four years at Egg Harbor Township High. That’s something he said he’ll take with him no matter what.

“What made this season so special for me was the fact that it was my last year, so I had to give it my all. My goal was to have no regrets and give this program everything I’ve got,” he said. “I’ll remember the friendships I was able to build throughout my four years at EHT. To this day, I still talk to the seniors who led the team when I was a freshman, and I consider them some of my closest friends. Even though they grad uated four years ago, they are still my brothers.

“High school soccer meant so much to me, so I had to be a part of it. I really enjoyed it, and this senior year was very memorable for me. There will be stories I can tell my grandchildren.”

Contact Dave O’Sullivan: sullyglorydays@gmail.com; on Twitter @GDsullysays

BASEBALL

A chance worth waiting for

college baseball

By CAMERON CARMEN Correspondent

Sports fans always hear about first-round picks in the Major League Baseball Amateur Draft, but what about the rest of the family? In 2021, Main land Regional star pitcher Chase Petty was draft ed in the first round by the Minnesota Twins after an illustrious high school career with the Mustangs that brought him national notoriety.

Part of the reason that Chase became such a good baseball player is because of his older broth er, Logan, himself a star first baseman during his days as a Mustang. Logan is Chase’s older brother by two years, and at 21 years old Logan commit

ted this past summer to Arcadia University for the spring 2023 season.

After a few seasons with the Atlantic Cape Community College Buccaneers, Logan battled injury and a covid season, but with plenty of work with Baseball Performance Center in Pleasant ville, hitting the gym and a tremendous summer ball playoff run in the South Jersey South Shore Baseball League, he impressed the coaching staff at Arcadia and is hoping to help the Knights get the championship they were so close to last year.

This summer, Petty was a huge part of the South Jersey Surf repeating as champion in the SJSSBL, a league in its second year of existence

that showcases top high school and collegiate tal ent in South Jersey. For the second straight year, the Surf took down the Buena Blue Dawgs in the best-of-5 championship series and it was thanks in no small part to Petty. The Championship Se ries MVP, all Petty did was hit .692 (9-for-13) in four games with a single, four doubles, a triple, three home runs and a whopping 10 RBIs as the Surf won the series three-games-to-one.

Petty “carried the team with his bat,” said Surf coach Jeff Ball, who also is an assistant at ACCC under Rod Velardi.

This South Jersey South Shore Baseball League playoffs linked Petty to Arcadia. A few of Petty’s teammates on the Surf play for Arcadia and they

Logan Petty’s

career is back on track at Arcadia after a tough couple of years

put in a good word to the Knights’ coaching staff.

“I have a couple kids on my team from Arcadia and they said ‘hey, we are going to talk to the coach at arcadia for you.’ Time passed and I was invited to a visit and saw all the facilities and the campus, and I fell in love with it. They are coming off an amazing season, so now we are looking to get further,” Petty said.

Arcadia, an NCAA Division 3 school in Pennsylvania, went 40-9 last year — including a 19-2 mark in the Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom Division.

At Arcadia, Petty will be joining longtime childhood friend Hunter Sibley, a former player at Millville High. Petty spent his youth days in Millville before moving to the Main land Regional school district. It was during that time when the Petty brothers starting making a name for themselves in youth baseball.

“I’m always going to cherish the moments we had playing sports to gether,” Logan said. “Not too many people can play competitive sports with their siblings.”

They didn’t have too many compe titions like home run derbys or who can run the bases the fastest, Lo gan said, but when the season came closing in the two would always go to the local fields and return to the basics to fine-tune the little things.

Logan credits his many coaches and how much they helped, but none more than the guys at Base ball Performance Center, which is run by former professional players Mike Adams (Holy Spirit) and Ed Charlton (St. Augustine Prep). He has been going to BPC for about five years with Chase and has the highest praise for them, saying, “I can’t put into words how they have developed me as a ball player, and a person, especially.”

During his time at BPC his swing

Former Mainland star Logan Petty, on growing up with younger brother Chase, a 2021 Major League Baseball first-round draft pick

has improved tremendously, he said, and he doesn’t let it go unknown that BPC had a lot to do with that. They’ve also helped with his mental approach as he’s come back from some tough injuries. Logan had two hernias in his stomach that required season-ending surgery one year apart from each other. Coming back from one injury is hard enough, coming back and then getting set back again for the same injury can be extremely frustrating. But Logan kept an upbeat attitude, and he said

that was his No. 1 priority.

“The big thing for me was ‘don’t give up, it’s only going to put you back a few weeks.’ I had to under stand it was just a minor setback. I thought that this injury was going to be the end of me for baseball, but I talked to my parents and talked to my brothers and they all said it’s a small setback and you’re going to get back on it,” he said.

Coach Ball is not short of words when praising Logan’s good attitude, baseball IQ and his performance

during this SJSSBL championship series. Said Ball, “he’s fun, jovial and just a good person to be around, but when he gets on the field he’s strictly business.”

It’s clear that Logan Petty is all business now. He parlayed a solid junior college career into an op portunity at Arcadia, and after suf fering through two seasons lost to injury and another to covid, Petty said he’s looking forward to carry ing his summer success over to the Knights.

South Jersey Glory Days photos/Sully Logan Petty, a former standout at Mainland Regional High, used a tremendous South Jersey South Shore Baseball League playoff run to earn a spot at Arcadia University.

“I’m always going to cherish the moments we had playing sports together,” Logan said. “Not too many people can play competitive sports with their siblings.”

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