Friday’s South Jersey roundup: Haddonfield girls’ lacrosse downs Camden Catholic for third straight South Group 2 sectional title

Caroline Beckett’s four goals and four assists led Haddonfield to a 15-8 win over Camden Catholic in the South Group 2 final. The top-seeded Bulldogs defended their sectional title with ease, going into halftime up 10-2. Gabi Connor had a game-high five goals, while Emily Smart and Ashley Campo combined for eight assists, as Haddonfield downed the Irish for the second consecutive year in the sectional final. Last year, the Bulldogs won, 18-7. Haddonfield outscored opponents 56-16 in the sectional playoffs this year, scoring goals in the first half and giving up just five.

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Rancocas Valley fell to Princeton in the Central Group 4 final, 10-5. Sydney Sventy scored all five goals for the Red Devils, who led 4-2 at halftime before being outscored 8-1 in the second half. Mariana Lopez-Ona and Chaylah Marciano both had hat tricks for Princeton.

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Eastern beat Lenape in the South Group 4 final, 15-5. The Vikings controlled the game early, going into halftime up 9-1.

Kaya Fynn’s grand slam in the sixth inning sparked a seven-run rally for Audubon, completing an 8-7 comeback win over Cinnaminson in the South Group 2 semifinals. Cinnaminson went ahead 5-0 after two innings and brought the lead up to 7-1 going into the sixth. Olivia Malinowski brought in the first run for the Green Wave, a solo home run in the fourth, then hit another solo shot in the sixth before Fynn’s grand slam. Maddie Figiel went 3-for-4 with a triple, while Candace Delio had two doubles and two runs for the Pirates. No. 1 Audubon meets No. 2 Delran in the final.

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Pennsville kept its Cinderella Story alive with a 6-3 win over Woodbury in the South Group 1 semifinals. The No. 9 Eagles scored five runs in the fifth inning to advance to their first sectional final since 2015. So far, Pennsville has beaten No. 8 Palmyra, top-seeded Gloucester, and the No. 4 Thundering Herd. Paige Wilson and Danielle Werts had two hits each and combined for five RBIs. Pennsville plays No. 2 Buena in the final.

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In the other South Group 1 semifinal, Buena shut out Schalick, 7-0. Bridgette Gilliano went 3-for-4 with a triple, three runs, and two stolen bases. Natalie Ampole had 11 strikeouts for the Chiefs. April Laury had a triple for the Cougars.

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Anita Hassen’s 4-for-5 day led No. 4 Delsea to an 11-2 win over Cherry Hill West in the South Group 3 semifinals. Hassen drove in three runs and scored three. Diana Parker pitched a complete game for the Crusaders, striking out six and going 1-for-3 at the plate with a double and three RBIs. Brooke Clark had a home run and drove in four runs. Delsea plays Moorestown in the title game.

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Julia Cooker’s two-run double in the fifth inning helped lead Shawnee past Vineland, 3-1, in the South Group 4 semifinals. Zoe Frisko provided the offense for the Fighting Clan with a solo home run in the sixth inning. Nicole Ortega pitched a complete game, striking out 12 and giving up just three hits in the loss. No. 2 Shawnee plays No. 4 Kingsway in the final on Tuesday.

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Morgan Fisher went 3-for-4 with a home run, double, and two RBIs in Paul VI’s 3-1 win over Notre Dame in the South Non-Public A quarterfinals. Lilly St Jean and Alexa Caulder both had doubles for the Eagles, as McKendamin Champion pitched a complete game, striking out three. No. 5 Paul VI faces top-seeded Donovan Catholic in the semifinals.

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Northern Burlington lost to Middletown North, 1-0, in the Central Group 4 semifinals in a game that began on Thursday but was postponed in the fourth inning due to weather. Malori Bell pitched a complete game for Middletown North, striking out 14 and giving up three hits. Ashley Kofsky drove in Cara McNulty for the game’s only run in the third inning on Thursday. Haylei Archer struck out 12 and allowed two hits in the loss.

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Burlington Township lost to Steinert, 1-0, in the Central Group 3 semifinals. Kaylee Whittaker’s solo home run in the top of the sixth inning was the difference maker for the Spartans.

Matt Woods’ game-winning, two-out single to center field drove in the game’s only run and lifted Triton over Pinelands, 1-0, in nine innings in the South Group 3 quarterfinals. Both teams had chances to score in the seventh inning, as No. 9 Pinelands had the bases loaded in the top frame. The top-seeded Mustangs had runners on second and third with one out in the bottom frame but couldn’t produce a run. Triton plays No. 12 Toms River East in the semifinals.

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Maple Shade scored six runs in the third inning and then five in the fifth, beating Overbrook, 13-4, in the South Group 1 quarterfinals. Dom Acevedo paced the Wildcats with three hits and two RBIs. Derek Andrada struck out six in four innings for No. 2 Overbrook, which will play Schalick in the semifinals on Tuesday.

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Staying in the South Group 1 quarterfinals, Schalick beat Buena, 12-7. The Chiefs came within 9-7 in the fifth inning before the Cougars put up three runs in the bottom of the sixth. Staus Pokrovsky went 3-for-4 with a triple, double, three RBIs, and two runs for Schalick. Sam Long and Jacob McCafferty both went 2-for-3 with two RBIs. Jake Guglielmi had a triple, double, and drove in three runs for Buena.

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Jayson Hoopes’ game-winning diving catch down the left field line got St. Augustine out of a bases-loaded jam to beat St. John Vianney, 5-4, in the South Non-Public A quarterfinals. Hoopes pitched six innings, striking out 13 before Kenny Levari pitched out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the seventh to pick up the save. The top-seeded Hermits play No. 5 Notre Dame in the semifinals.

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Cherry Hill East broke a 2-2 tie in the bottom of the fifth, scoring three runs and beating Howell, 5-2, in the South Group 4 quarterfinals. Ellis Schwartz had two runs and was walked twice for the Cougars. No. 5 Cherry Hill East faces red-hot No. 16 Egg Harbor.

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In other South Non-Public A quarterfinal action, Paul VI lost to Christian Brothers Academy, 4-1. The Eagles began the season 1-4 before going 8-2 in their next 10 and 6-1 in their last seven before the quarterfinal loss.

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Also in South Non-Public A, Bishop Eustace lost to St. Joseph-Metuchen, 6-2, in eight innings. The Falcons were led by Adam Boucher, who went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run. Matt Orlando pitched 7 1/3 innings, giving up eight hits and five runs while striking out eight for the Crusaders.

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St. Joseph-Hammonton lost to Immaculata, 6-2, in the South Non-Public B quarterfinals. Jayden Shertel pitched 5 2/3 innings and struck out eight while giving up six runs.

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Ian Brennan picked up the win on the mound and doubled at the plate to lead Haddon Heights over Audubon, 3-1, in the South Group 2 quarterfinals. Patrick Campbell and Matt Speakman both had doubles as well, while Vincenzo Macolino hit a triple for the Garnets. No. 5 Haddon Heights faces top-seeded Haddonfield in the semifinals.

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Kevin Hallenbeck struck out eight and earned his first career win in the final game as a senior, as Millville beat Bridgeton, 14-1. Nate Goranson had a home run, double, and three RBIs, while Jalon Jones had a double and drove in three runs.

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West Deptford shut out Gateway, 10-0, in five innings. Ryan Sawyer had a double and two RBIs. RJ Mason went 2-for-2 with a double, two runs and an RBI.