Friday’s South Jersey roundup: Mainland dominates Ocean City in ‘Battle for the Bridge’

Mainland capped off an undefeated regular season with a 21-6 win over Ocean City in the “Battle for the Bridge” on Friday. The name refers to the Route 52 causeway separating the two areas. Jake Cook caught two touchdown passes from quarterback Zack Graziotto, one for 56 yards and another for 16. Jabriel Mace opened the scoring with a 40-yard touchdown run at the end of the first half. Jake Schneider hauled in a 16-yard pass from Joe Repetti for Ocean City’s lone score of the night. The causeway lit up green following the Mustangs’ win.

Hamza Bruce and Xavier Coleman punched in two touchdowns for Lenape in a 34-18 win over Cherokee. Bruce scored on a 9-yard run in the first half and a 1-yard run to open the third quarter. Coleman powered in 1-yard and 2-yard touchdown runs in the second half. Tyler Davis’ 65-yard fumble return for a touchdown sealed the game in the fourth quarter. Cherokee opened the game with a successful onside kick and a 45-yard pass from quarterback Billy Osborn to Caden Burti. Osborn found Brandon Boria for a 13-yard score in the second half after the Chiefs’ Joe Gasparone recorded a sack in the end zone for a safety.

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Deswa Evans’ fourth-quarter touchdown and two-point conversion gave Pennsauken a 15-14 win over Triton. Evans scored on a run from 2 yards out and then connected with Ejani Shakir on a 2-point conversion pass to take the lead in the final frame. Evans also scored a touchdown on a 1-yard run in the second quarter. Justin Brown scored both of Triton’s touchdowns on a 6-yard run in the first quarter and 32-yard run in the second quarter.

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Josh Pessoa ran for three touchdowns as Clayton shut out Riverside, 24-0. Pessoa opened his scoring in the second quarter with a 27-yard run. In the second half, he added touchdown runs of 10 yards and 3 yards. Quarterback Kevin Pretlow opened the scoring by finding TiJere Jackson for a 23-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter.

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Malin Jasinski threw for a touchdown and ran for two more in Seneca’s dominant 46-0 win over Cherry Hill East. Jasinski broke off for a 50-yard run in the first quarter before finding Najheem Johnson for a 20-yard touchdown reception and running for an 8-yard score in the second quarter. Travis Laster opened the scoring with a 17-yard run in the first quarter and followed it up with an 18-yard run in the second half. George Thorp got the Seneca defense on the board with a 47-yard interception return. Lavar Kelly capped the scoring with a 10-yard run in the fourth quarter.

Five players scored touchdowns in Florence’s 36-21 win over New Egypt. Quarterback Jason Baldorossi threw for two touchdown passes in the win. Baldorossi connected with Cole Connelly for a 19-yard pass in the first half and found Jaden Ricketts for a 36-yard score in the second half. Deiyer Coleman punched in a 1-yard touchdown, Damon McCarty broke off for a 45-yard score, and Wade Andre capped off the offense with a 19-yard run in the second half. Jack Kudrick threw for a touchdown, rushed for a touchdown, and kicked three extra points successfully in the loss for New Egypt.

Alex Odom scored three touchdowns to lead Kingsway over Eastern, 38-13. After touchdown runs of 9 yards and 2 yards in the first half, Odom broke away for a 43-yard run in the second half. The Dragons also scored through the air as Ben Maiers found Nate Maiers for 59-yard touchdown pass in the second half. Dalton Menasion’s 20-yard fumble return for a touchdown helped Kingsway pull away.

Niko Rubio’s golden goal in overtime gave Egg Harbor Township a 3-2 victory over Shawnee in the South Group 4 quarterfinals. Kevin Aguiriano also scored for the Eagles in the win. Ahmad Brock had an assist. Mike Bolognone and Andrew Kitch scored for Shawnee. The Eagles benefited from an own goal. The Eagles will face Washington Township on Tuesday in the semifinals.

Washington Township also advanced with a thrilling overtime win as Mason Regan scored the golden goal to beat Kingsway, 1-0. Justin Bautista assisted on the winner. Kyle Stone recorded four saves in the shutout.

Elsewhere in South Group 4, No. 16 seed Toms River North, fresh off an upset of the bracket’s top seed, knocked off No. 8 seed Cherry Hill East, 2-0. Parker Nickelsen and Jake Baurerband scored in the second half to deliver the victory. Mattia Asante had an assist.

Ezekiel Estrada-Catalan found the back of the net in overtime to give Lindenwold a dramatic 3-2 victory over Pitman in the South Group 1 quarterfinals. Estrada-Catalan had an assist and also scored another goal in regulation with Christian Bonilla. Ober Gonalez added an assist. The Lions will battle Schalick in the semifinals on Tuesday.

Schalick also advanced in a nail-biter, downing Clayton 6-5 in a penalty shootout after two overtimes couldn’t break the 1-1 tie. David Naylor recorded four saves in the win and had a decisive stop in penalties. Mike Bergholz scored Schalick’s goal in regulation and Matt Price had the assist.

In other South Group 1 action, Glassboro knocked off Woodstown, 3-2, in double overtime. Colin Bridges, Ephraim Hernandez and Gorkem Ozdemir scored in the win. Aaron Harrison had two assists and Justin Tongue had one. Glassboro will travel to Haddon Township in the semifinals on Tuesday.

Haddon Township took down Audubon, 3-0. Chris Fletcher, Justin Merryfield and Nasir Morris scored in the win.

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Ocean City defeated top-seeded Moorestown, 4-2, in penalties in the South Group 3 quarterfinals. The game ended in a 1-1 tie. Ocean City will travel to Toms River South in the semifinals on Tuesday.

In other South Group 3 play, Ryan Gale’s first-half goal was all Triton needed to beat Cumberland, 1-0. The Mustangs will host Mainland on Tuesday in the semifinals.

Mainland enjoyed a comfortable 5-0 win over Seneca. Nick Bozzi, Devon Ford, Tommy Gordon, Austin Padula and Ryan Pellegrino scored in the win.

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Matt D’Ottavi scored twice to lead Moorestown Friends over St. Rose, 4-0, in the South Non-Public Group B quarterfinals. Jack Bader and Astin Galanis also scored in the win. Galanis and Alex Boller added one assist. The Foxes will battle Holy Cross Prep in the semifinals on Tuesday.

Nico Yiatrou scored twice to lead Holy Cross over Timothy Christian, 2-0.

Sophia Abate and Cassidy Strittmatter scored to lead Seneca over Wall Township, 2-0, in the Central Group 2 final.

Vanessa DiDonato and Christyana Kane scored twice as Burlington Township beat Brick Memorial, 5-0, in the Central Group 3 final. Corinne Harper also scored in the win. DiDonato and Makenna LeHenaff added one assist.

Sarah Bergan scored twice to lead Cinnaminson over West Deptford, 4-3, in the South Group 2 quarterfinals. Emma Fuegel and Meredith Updike also scored in the win. The Pirates will host Delsea in the semifinals on Monday.

Tatum Devault scored twice to lead Woodstown over Clayton, 3-1, in the South Group 1 quarterfinals. The Wolverines will host Buena on Monday in the semifinals.