SJ Sports: Inside Medford Sports

Tourney Triumphs
Bill Gartlan played baseball at Shawnee for four years. The third baseman graduated in June and headed to Veterans Stadium for the annual Carpenter Cup Tournament which pits the top players from the Delaware Valley against each other. Gartlan was selected to represent Shawnee for the Burlington County all-stars. "It was unbelievable playing at the Vet," said Gartlan. "I played at the same spot as Scott Rolen played. It's the same spot where an all-star starter plays."

Gartlan and his Burlington County teammates advanced all the way to the semifinals before falling to Chester County. In a tournament where playing time is limited because of a long roster list, Gartlan made the most of his opportunity, picking up three hits in six at bats. "I would have been happy just playing on that field once," Gartlan said. "Instead, we kept winning and I got to play three games there. We played well and managed to go far."

Another unique part of the Carpenter Cup is the chance for former rivals to play together. Players from schools such as Lenape and Cherokee were in the same dugout as Gartlan, and the former Renegade welcomed the chance to play with his former opponents. "Everyone on the team was really nice," Gartlan said. "They all encouraged everyone to do well. They were always behind you. It was great to finally play with them."

Gartlan can also be proud of his senior season at Shawnee. He was one of the few experienced players on a team that advanced to the Group 4 semifinals. "We started out slow," said Gartlan. "We got on a roll after we beat Steinert and still made the Diamond Classic."

Lacrosse Roads
A successful Shawnee lacrosse team advanced to the state championship game and finished with a record of 21-2 on the season. Shawnee's only two defeats came at the hands of unbeaten Moorestown, with the second loss coming in the state title game. After suffering a loss to Moorestown in the second game of the regular season, Shawnee won 20 straight matches and rolled into the Group A tournament.

The Renegades breezed through Cherokee and Ocean Township in their first two post-season contests as they outscored their opponents by a combined total of 41-7. Next came a matchup with Eastern in the South Jersey finals and the Renegades rolled over their conference rivals, 17-6. Only Bridgewater-Raritan stood in Shawnee's way as the Renegades looked to advance to the finals. The game was expected to be close, but Shawnee blasted their North Jersey opponents, 16-3. Stephanie Janice led the Renegades in scoring with 61 goals. The junior now has 144 goals in her career, the most ever by a three-year player at Shawnee.

Anne Marchitello was another junior that provided plenty of scoring punch. She scored 58 goals on the season and was the hottest scorer in South Jersey through the first month of the spring campaign. Dina Morrone was the defensive leader for the Renegades. The junior was a big reason why Shawnee allowed three goals or less in 11 contests.

With this strong group of juniors returning, the Renegades could be the team to beat in 2003. The girls team will have company next season. The Lenape Regional School Board approved the creation of boys lacrosse for Shawnee, Lenape and Cherokee. The boys program will take the field for the first time next spring.

District Champs
Each summer, the district baseball tournaments allow players of all ages to battle for regional supremacy. One local squad seized the first district crown of the season. The Medford 10-year old team won the District 6 championship. Medford opened up the double elimination tournament with wins over Pemberton and Southampton. Then New Egypt defeated Medford, 7-5, dropping the locals into the elimination bracket. Medford bounced back with a 7-1 win over Indian Mills and faced the daunting task of having to beat New Egypt two straight times. Medford pulled out two nail biters as they won two straight games by a single run. "It was exciting," said head coach Bob Brusco. "It was gratifying to see the kids step up and come into their own. Everybody knew what it took to win."

Content provided by South Jersey Sports Club.

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Author: SJ Sports Club-Ed Benkin