South Jersey Sports Weekly is a publication that launched in April. It’s produced by Sun Newspapers and appears in the physical copy within the Suns throughout South Jersey (in Moorestown, Medford, Cherry Hill, Washington Township, Deptford, etc). each Wednesday. Most of the content also appears online. The weekly, online notebook will provide you with even more of the content within SJSW’s physical pages.
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While teams in other sports are posing with trophies, football teams remain focused on putting their best foot forward each Friday of their regular season schedules. In the last two seasons, no team has done that better than Williamstown.
The Braves won their 21st straight game over a South Jersey foe (a streak that began two years ago) by defeating a very talented Shawnee team 17-0 in a matchup of 2018 championship teams on Friday in Medford. Williamstown (8-0) is led by arguably the best defense in the state: their shutout of the Renegades was the team’s fifth of the season, all over Group 4 or Group 5 opponents. (Stay tapped into SJSW in the next couple of days for Mike Monostra’s story on the Braves).
In the other football, or what American’s call soccer, South Jersey’s premiere in season tournament, the Coaches Tournament, crowned champions last weekend. Eastern’s girls team collected its third straight title wile upstart Moorestown pulled off one upset after another to win on the boys side.
Instrumental in the Quakers’ effort was senior goalkeeper Kevin Muhic, who recorded his third shutout of the tournament in a 2-0 win over Clearview in the championship match. Muhic was South Jersey Sports Weekly’s Player of the Week.
“We’re a very determined, motivated group ready to prove something,” Muhic said prior to Moorestown’s win over Clearview. “I think this was a great chance. This is a goal we worked toward, making it to Coaches Cup. Having the chance to play these top teams in South Jersey, everyone has been at their best performance.”
Moorestown (14-5-2) has 10 shutout victories this season.
“He has kept us in every game,” Moorestown coach Mike Randall said. “First at Eastern, he made a couple of great saves at home. But at St. Augustine, he might have made five or six, point-blank reaction saves that kept us in that game. At one point, we could have easily been down 2-0 in that game if not for Kevin. He came up huge. The one time, he came flying across the goal and gets (the ball) in his chest. The next time, he gets it in his hands. He had one on the near post, he gets with his hands. Kid goes to kick it, he gets up, gets it with his hands again and then gets up one more time and picks it up from the kid. Shutouts are one thing, but it’s how you get the shutouts. He’s been playing with a ton of confidence.”
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ICYMI: Stories from Last Week
- As we mentioned, Eastern girls soccer also won a Coaches Tournament title on Saturday. The Vikings are ranked No.1 in the country according to USA Today. But what’s even more interesting: Eastern has two female teams in the fall that have been ranked No.1 in the country this season, as its perennial field hockey powerhouse is making a math toward a 21st straight state championship. We caught up with Riley Tiernan of the soccer team and Ryleigh Heck of the field hockey team for a fun Q&A about the school’s success.
- Moorestown Friends girls tennis team didn’t collect a Tournament of Champions trophy last week. But what the Foxes have done in the last two years won’t be forgotten anytime soon. Mike Monostra checked in with the two-time defending Non-Public B state champions to recap their memorable run.
- Cross country season is kicking into high gear as the fall season draws to a close in the next month. The best of the best in the Olympic Conference showed off their stuff in the conference meet at DREAM Park in Logan Township last week, with Cherokee and Cherry Hill East playing starring roles.
- The Olympic Conference also hosted its own conference championships last week at Cherokee High School. The overall champion was one of the event’s youngest competitors: Washington Township freshman Isabella Nelli. Catch up with her story and all of the details from the event with our coverage from last week.
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Games to Watch: Oct. 30 – Nov. 29
Wednesday, Oct. 30
Cross Country: Tri-County Conference Showcase
Races begin at 3:30 p.m. at Cumberland Regional High School
Thursday, Oct. 31 and Nov. 1
Field Hockey: Public Sectional Championships
South Jersey Group 4: Kingsway at Eastern, 2 p.m. on Thursday
Central Jersey Group 1: Collingswood at Haddonfield, 2 p.m. on Thursday
Central Jersey Group 4: Lenape at Rancocas Valley, 4:30 p.m. on Thursday
South Jersey Group 3: Ocean City at Clearview, 2 p.m. on Friday
Central Jersey Group 3: Brick Twp. at Burlington Twp., 2:30 p.m. on Friday
Central Jersey Group 2: Seneca at Wall Twp., 2 p.m. on Friday
Friday, Nov. 1
Football: Haddonfield vs. Deptford
7 p.m. at Deptford High School
Monday, Nov. 4
Girls Soccer: Sectional semifinals
Game times TBA, hosted by higher seed
Tuesday, Nov. 5
Boys Soccer: Sectional semifinals
Game times TBA, hosted by higher seed
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Scenes from Last Week
Gymnastics: Olympic Conference Championships
All photos: Mike Monostra, South Jersey Sports Weekly
Cross country: Olympic Conference Championships
All photos: Ryan Lawrence, South Jersey Sports Weekly
Football: Williamstown at Shawnee
All photos: Mike Monostra, South Jersey Sports Weekly
