What you need to know about the NJSIAA South Jersey high school softball finals
June softball means championship softball.
Get ready for all the sectional final action:
More: Which softball teams advanced to the sectional finals?
South Jersey Group 4 Final
(4) Cherokee (20-4) at (3) Kingsway (17-9)
When: Saturday, 2 p.m.
Sectional titles: Cherokee 15 (1980-84, 1988, 1991-92, 1994-96, 1998, 2001, 2003-04); Kingsway 8 (1998-99, 2006, 2008, 2011-12, 2019, 2021)
Coaches: Cherokee-Mary Madgey; Kingsway-Jill Ward.
How they got here: Cherokee- Eastern, 2-0; Southern, 3-1; Egg Harbor Township, 8-1; Kingsway-Millville, 9-1; Washington Township, 14-3; Lenape, 2-1.
By the numbers
25: Runs scored by Kingsway in three postseason games this spring. After flexing their muscles in wins over Millville and Washington Township with 23 runs, the Dragons showed they can win a tight, low-scoring game when they knocked off Lenape 2-1 in the semifinal round.
33: Hits for Kingsway sophomore Hannah Weismer. The hitting machine has 74 knocks in 169 career at-bats, good for a .438 batting average. When Weismer doesn’t get a hit, the Dragons are 1-4 in those games this season. She also leads the team with 33 runs scored and 26 RBIs.
14: Wins for Cherokee in its last 15 games. Since a sloppy 8-1 loss to Lenape on April 17, Cherokee has cleaned things up nicely, including an 8-4 win over defending South Jersey champ and top-ranked Egg Harbor Township in the semifinals.
5: Cherokee players with 20-or-more hits, including a team-high 33 for Emily Lafferty.
Prediction: Cherokee’s bats have heated up down the stretch of the season and posting eight runs against EHT was one of the bigger surprises of the tournament so far. If Cherokee can score five or more runs in this game, one has to like its chances especially with Sammie Friel in the circle.
Cherokee 5, Kingsway 4
South Jersey Group 3 Final
(5) Shawnee (15-9) at (2) Moorestown (21-4)
When: Saturday, 11 a.m.
Sectional titles: Shawnee, 1 (1978); Moorestown, 0.
Coaches: Shawnee-Ashlie Donzuso; Moorestown-Bill Mulvihill.
How they got here: Shawnee-Absegami, 9-0; Lacey, 13-1; Ocean City, 5-2; Moorestown-Timber Creek, 5-0; Mainland, 3-2; Delsea, 11-1.
By the numbers
4: Consecutive wins for Shawnee with the team scoring 45 runs over the stretch.
6: Homers for Shawnee's Madison Parola. The senior has connected for three homers, including a pair in the semifinal win over Ocean City.
8: Losses for Shawnee in games decided by three-or-fewer runs. Five of those defeats have been by one run, including three 1-0 setbacks.
187: Strikeouts for senior ace Alexandra Pley, who has punched out 35 batters in her three postseason starts.
12: Wins by Moorestown in May. After going 0-7 in May last spring, the Quakers went 12-2 in the season’s second month.
213: Strikeouts for Moorestown junior pitcher Violet Marta. The ace has held opposing batters to 74 hits and 18 walks over 135 innings pitched this season. Marta is one of the best two-way players in the region as she has driven in a team-best 29 runs and homered seven times.
26: Stolen bases for Moorestown’s Julia Miller. One of the best table setters in the business, Miller has produced team-highs in hits (31), runs scored (30), walks (11) and SBs.
Prediction: Moorestown is in the midst of one of the finest seasons in program history. Twenty wins? Check. First-ever division title? Check. First South Jersey crown??
Moorestown 4, Shawnee 2
South Jersey Group 2 Final
(2) Cinnaminson (21-4) at (1) Haddon Heights (20-6)
When: Saturday, 11 a.m.
Sectional titles: Cinnaminson, 0; Haddon Heights, 3 (2000-01, 2022)
Coaches: Cinnaminson-Louis Arnold; Haddon Heights-Michelle Hastings.
How they got here: Cinnaminson-Haddonfield, 14-0; Collingswood, 8-0; Cedar Creek, 3-1; Haddon Heights-Camden, 17-0; Barnegat, 15-0; Sterling, 9-0.
By the numbers
19: Wins by Cinnaminson in its last 20 games. Since a 2-3 start, the only blemish over the following 20 games was a 14-6 loss to Southern on May 17.
191: Runs scored by Cinnaminson – the fourth highest total in the Burlington County Scholastic League behind Pennsauken (210), Maple Shade (200) and Delran (197).
49: Team-best hit total for senior Zara MacNair. She also owns 116 career hits and leads the team with 34 runs scored and a .570 batting average this spring.
14: Extra-base hits for Hannah Derbyshire. The sophomore has been an ace in the circle, but has also inflicted plenty of damage with the bat too. She’s batting .346 with 27 hits, including five doubles, five triples and four homers.
0: Baserunners against Haddon Heights’ pitching combo of Sophia Bordi and Maddy Clark in three postseason games this spring, for three straight perfect games by Garnets’ pitching.
3: Runs allowed by Haddon Heights in its last 12 postseason games.
73: Postseason innings thrown by Bordi in her scholastic career. Over that span, she has allowed just three runs and 24 hits with six walks and 145 strikeouts.
3: Homers launched by Bordi in her last South Jersey championship game against Cedar Creek last spring.
Prediction: With Cinnaminson’s Hannah Derbyshire vs. Haddon Heights’ Sophia Bordi forecast as the pitching matchup, runs will be at a premium. Experience will be a big factor here.
Haddon Heights 2, Cinnaminson 0
South Jersey Group 1 Final
(2) Audubon (17-7) at (1) Clayton (25-1)
When: Saturday, 11 a.m.
Sectional titles: Audubon, 5 (1976-77, 1984, 1993, 2005); Clayton 2 (2021-22).
Coaches: Audubon-Erin Small; Clayton-Joe Moore.
How they got here: Audubon-Glassboro, 21-0; Buena, 9-4; Woodstown, 3-2; Clayton-Schalick, 4-0; Haddon Twp., 5-1.
By the numbers
24: Consecutive wins by Clayton. The Clippers have own a plus-223 run differential this spring.
251: Total hits for Clayton this season including four players with 20-or-more knocks.
50-50: Clayton’s Gianna Muhaw has posted 53 hits and 51 runs scored this season – both career-bests – and raised her career totals to 151 hits and 129 runs. She’s batting .570 on the spring.
2: Clayton’s 1-2 pitching combo of Meadow Lake and Allyson Koerner have posted eerily similar numbers for innings pitched (76.1 Lake, 78.2 Koerner), hits (41, 41), runs allowed (17, 13), walks (8, 8) and strikeouts (123, 158).
Same could be said for Audubon’s pitching combo of Emily Bobo and Alaina Copsetta for innings pitched (76 Bobo, 75 Copsetta), hits (51, 51), runs allowed (39, 20), strikeouts (112, 125)
36: Team-best hit total for Audubon freshman Emma Speyerer.
Prediction: Is this the final voyage for a Clippers’ squad which has sailed to one of the most dominant stretches for a Group 1 school in area history?
Clayton 3, Audubon 2
South Jersey Non-Public B Final
(3) Gloucester Catholic (14-6) at (1) St. Joseph (20-6)
When: Friday, 4 p.m.
Sectional titles: Gloucester Catholic, 14 (1983, 1986-88, 1990-91, 1993-94, 2001-03, 2006, 2010-11); St. Joseph 9, (1984, 1998, 2000, 2007, 2009, 2014, 2019, 2021-22)
Coaches: Gloucester Catholic-Mark Hutchinson; St. Joseph-Les Olson.
How they got here: GC-Wildwood Catholic, 7-0; Timothy Christian, 16-0; SJ-Rutgers Prep, 18-1; Doane Academy, 6-0.
By the numbers
7.75: Average runs per game for Gloucester Catholic. The Rams have scored 24 runs in two playoff games.
142: Strikeouts for Gloucester Catholic senior Adrianna Green this season. She has fanned 44 batters over her last 18 innings. Green also had a 21-strikeout outing against Pitman on April 17.
239: Strikeouts for St. Joseph junior Ava Fisher this spring. She has 13 double-digit strikeout games this season.
Prediction: There will be plenty of heat when two of South Jersey’s best fireballers enter the circle. It’s a rematch of last year’s final, when the Wildcats earned a 3-2 decision.
St. Joseph 4, Gloucester Catholic 2
Central Jersey Group 4 Final
(4) Northern Burlington (15-10) at (3) Marlboro (21-6)
When: Saturday, 2 p.m.
Sectional titles: Northern Burlington, 5 (1980, 1982, 1992, 2002, 2005).
Coaches: Northern Burlington-Brian Wolverton; Marlboro-Nick Scalzo.
How they got here: NB-West Windsor-Plainsboro North, 8-0; Freehold Twp., 1-0; Jackson Memorial, 6-0; Marlboro-Manalapan, 11-2; South Brunswick, 6-1; Old Bridge, 10-5.
By the numbers
0: Runs allowed by Northern starter Mikayla Fontana in three postseason starts this spring. The sophomore has struck out 24 batters over 21 innings of work in the playoff.
38: Team-best hit total for Abigail Todd, who also leads the team with 18 RBIs. The junior has at least one knock in eight straight games and 10 of her last 11.
Prediction: Bumps and bruises absorbed during the course of a tough regular-season schedule often develop muscle come playoff time. Just ask the Greyhounds.
Northern Burlington 3, Marlboro 1
Central Jersey Group 2 Final
(9) Bordentown (14-8) at (2) Delran (21-4)
When: Friday, 11:30 a.m.
Sectional titles: Bordentown 2 (2019, 2022); Delran 2 (1995, 2019)
Coaches: Bordentown-Nicole O’Leary; Delran-Danielle Carlotto.
How they got here: Bordentown-East Brunswick, 14-0; Metuchen, 9-2; Gov. Livingston, 4-2; Delran-Bound Brook, 6-0; Manasquan, 2-1; Wall, 6-2.
By the numbers
13: Consecutive wins for Delran going into the sectional final.
7: Consecutive wins for Bordentown.
2: Wins for Delran against Bordentown this spring. The Bears swept the season series with 16-4 and 4-2 decisions. When the teams were in different divisions, Bordentown won the regular-season meeting in each of the previous two seasons by a combined three runs.
47: Total hits for Delran’s Aly Reim this season. Reim and teammate Devyn Jordan joined the 100-hit club for their careers this season.
4: Homers for Delran’s Riley Ahrens.
25: Team-leading hit total for Bordentown’s Erin Hoppe.
Prediction: Could be the most competitive game of any of the sectional finals. Bordentown has been one of the hottest teams down the stretch, but Delran has been even hotter.
Delran 4, Bordentown 3.
Tom McGurk is a regional sports editor for the Courier-Post, The Daily Journal and Burlington County Times, covering South Jersey sports for over 30 years. If you have a sports story that needs to be told, contact him at (856) 486-2420 or email tmcgurk@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @McGurkSports. Help support local journalism with a digital subscription.
This article originally appeared on Cherry Hill Courier-Post: NJSIAA softball tournament has reached sectional finals.
