Shawnee has two players who may help to determine the team's future this season. They are Elite Futures players Amily Arnot and Marissa Cutry.

A four-year starter, Arnot is a playmaking forward. A three-year starter, Cutry is listed as a defender but she is more of a midfielder with defensive and offensive responsibilities.

They are part of a nucleus around which a talented cast can thrive. -Bill Iezzi

Rancocas Valley has adopted a wait and see attitude towards the field hockey team.

The Red Devils have two returning starters, five letter winners, a goaltending job up for grabs and a group of eager players anxious to get varsity experience. - Bill Iezzi

Dan Mastromatteo, Holy Spirit's heavily recruited linebacker, said 20 schools were after him before he committed to North Carolina in early June.

The Tar Heels were one of 12 Division 1 programs who wanted him, he added.

Mastromatteo decommitted in late July, then recommitted in early August. He is happy with his decision.

Spartans' coach Charles Roman said Boston College, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan State and Rutgers were among the teams that sought Mastromatteo. 

Holy Spirit won the state Non-Public III football championship last season with a good team. This year's squad is deeper and is the favorite to win another state crown, this time in the less competitive Non-Public II.

Schools were reclassified by enrollment

If opponents thought there was a soft spot in the Spartans' armor at quarterback, they'd better think again.

Tom Hehre, back-up signal caller for the last two years, is now the starter, and coach Chalie Roman says he's ready.

"He was a very good understudy and got lot of playing time the last two years," Roman said. "We're excited about him  He is more athletic, and will allow us to run the option, which we haven’t been able to do last two years."

Kaiwan Lewis, a rising senior linebacker at St. Joseph of Hammonton and one of the highest recruited players in South Jersey, has made an oral commitment to attend the University of South Carolina.

The 6-foot-2, 226-pound Lewis said he chose South Carolina over Florida and Florida State. He recently made unofficial visits to all three schools.

“I felt comfortable at the campus and really liked it there,” said Lewis, who had 79 tackles and six sacks last season.

Shawnee offensive lineman Bob Bradley (6-4, 270) has recently made an oral commitment to attend Tulane.

Bradley was recruited by Tulane assistant Doug Colman, a former NFL linebacker and star from Ocean City High.

“When coach Colman came to talk to me he was really nice and seemed like a good guy and when I went down there all the other coaches were just like him,” Bradley said. “It just felt like a really good fit.”

There are 15 known commitments from rising South Jersey seniors to either Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly 1-A) or Football Championship Subdivision (formerly 1-AA) schools.

- Marc Narducci

With Council Rock Newtown's elimination from the Little League baseball Pennsylvania state tournament Wednesday, all eyes are on Erial.

In the first game of the New Jersey state Little League tournament, Erial is scheduled to take on Paramus at 5 p.m. Friday at the Monroe Township Little League Complex in Williamstown.

In a girls' basketball game featuring The Inquirer's top two rated teams, Sterling holds a 16-15 halftime lead over visiting Rancocas Valley.

Despite leading, Sterling has been hurt by 11 first half turnovers. Rachel Hodge has six points for Sterling while Lauren Gaskill has five points for Rancocas Valley.

Will Clearview be able to upset Cherokee Thursday in a South Group 4 softball quarterfinal?

Seeded 15th, Clearview sent home No. 2 seed Oakcrest Tuesday with a 3-2 win.

Cherokee is seeded seventh and is on a nine-game winning streak. Clearview has won its last three and is playing with confidence.

Mav Hering is a motivator. 

The Camden Catholic softball coach has been at the helm two years and she has guided the Irish to their second consecutive Olympic Conference National Division title.

One big reason for their success is pitcher Laura Messina. The junior struck out 15 batters Tuesday in shutting out Bishop Eustace, 2-0, to win the crown.

Also, the defense, which has had issues lately, didn't commit one error against Eustace. If it can continue to play flawlessly, the Irish, seeded fourth in the Non-Public South A tournament, are a good bet to beat Red Bank Catholic, the fifth seed, in a quarterfinal round on May 25.

 Hering has stressed the importance of playing good defense, especially during the playoffs.