Rookie Keeper Ruben Torres Saenz shuts out Pennsville in statement win for PG
CARNEYS POINT – Mano Massari had a big problem. His all-star goalie had graduated, leaving a big hole on the back line of his Penns Grove defense.
He was just about resigned to promoting last year’s backup who had never played in a varsity game anywhere before and take his chances. Then, about a month before school started, a freshman named Ruben Torres Saenz showed up on his doorstep putting that backup plan on permanent hold and the rest, as the world is discovering, is becoming history.
Saenz has proven in five games already to be a reliable replacement, some say even better than his predecessor at that age. He came up big for the Red Devils Thursday night, making 14 saves, surviving two penalty kicks and recorded his first career shutout in a 3-0 win over Pennsville.
“We lucked out with him, we really did,” Massari said. “I don’t think I’m being very biased by it. I think for a freshman he’s really solidified a tough position to play.
“I think we have a tough division historically, a lot of good teams, a lot of good coaches, but having a keeper you can depend on, especially at a young age who can contribute right away, is a blessing for anybody. So, I’m very blessed to have him.”
Of course he has some big shoes to fill. Dwayne Guzman was one of the top goalkeepers in South Jersey and a big reason the Red Devils won 37 games over the last four years. He feels “very honored” and “very excited” to be the next in line.
“I know he was amazing; he was something,,” Saenz said. “I’m very glad to take the position since he left because he graduated. I feel very happy to be in his spot and very proud.”
Ironically, he was this close to landing on Pennsville coach Derek Foglein’s doorstep as he considered his options for high school before the family decided Penns Grove was more convenient to where they lived. It didn’t hurt that the goalie already had relatives on the Red Devils roster.
Saenz said he was just a “pretty meh” goalie in the Pitman Summer League as he prepared for his first high school season, but he worked at his it all summer and has turned into a stone wall on the goal line.
He has looked very much like the keeper he replaced, standing his ground without flinching even as opposing attackers came at him one-on-one. He stoned several Schalick players in the first half of their game last week and was the reason the score stayed as close as it was at halftime. Massari called him the “one bright spot for us” in an otherwise 7-0 loss.
Massari said Guzman told him Thursday night the freshman was better than he was at that age.
“I saw him a couple times in the summer and I’ve seen really big glimpses of myself in him,” Guzman said. “He was scared coming into the first high school match, but I told keep everything calm, play simple and play what you can do. You can only do so much. I just told him he has to control what he can control. I only see really big things for him, really big things.”
While Saenz continually turned back the Eagles in the first half, he faced his biggest channel shortly before halftime when he found himself staring down the first penalty shot of his varsity career. He gave up two in the Pitman league, but said he learned from that experience. This time he turned away Sam Hassler, diving to his right and stopping the low shot at the post to maintain the Red Devils’ 2-0 lead.
He faced a second penalty shot midway through the second half and survived that as Justin Michaca banged a rocket off the crossbar.
“The first penalty, and I’m being completely honest, a teammate pointed at where he was going to go,” Saenz said. “I just went for it and I saved it with one hand and I felt very happy because that’s first penalty I saved in my high school season. I’m going to remember that one.”
Foglein is going to remember him, too.
“A keeper stopping a PK, the odds are against him, so I’m always going to give hat’s off to a keeper who stands tall on a PK,” he said. “I’ll be excited to see what he does for his next four years. He’s a great keeper already and he’s only going to get better as he gets better and better and more refined.”
NOTES: The Red Devils have won all five of their Homecoming Week matches under the portable lights in the football stadium (Pennsville, Gloucester Catholic, Pitman, Salem Tech, Woodstown) … Their goals Thursday were scored by Ricardo Vichi Torres in the sixth minute, Prince Ledbetter (17th minute) and Juan Ortiz (early in the second half)… Penns Grove has won three in a row and is 4-1 for the first time since 2017. Pennsville is 1-5 for the first time since 2023.
Schalick girls score statement win with road shutout of Cherry Hill West
Bloomer scores, Berger saves in Schalick’s shutout
CHERRY HILL — One thing about the Schalick girls soccer program: The Cougars have never backed down from playing up in the schedule. It toughens them up during the season and gets them ready for post-season play.
Those bigger challenges have typically been a tough nut to crack, but Thursday the Cougars came through with a statement win, knocking off Cherry Hill West 1-0 in a battle of top 10 programs on the Lions’ Senior Day.
“It was great,” Cougars coach Will Kemp said. “I thought the girls really showed up today against a really good Cherry Hill West team, especially traveling here, it’s always difficult, especially playing on their turf. It was good.”
The undefeated Cougars (4-0) solidified their hold on the No. 1 spot in the South Jersey Group I power points standings. The Lions (3-2) remained No. 6 in the South Jersey Group 3 standings. Kemp can’t recall knocking off a similar quality larger classification team before in his tenure.
“It just allows them to see that they can overcome a lot of the bigger schools when they play against them,” he said. “In the past that’s been our Kryptonite when it comes to our seasons. Most of the time those are our losses on our records, but this time around they actually stepped up, they rose to the occasion and they played the beautiful game the way you’re supposed to play.”
Freshman Nicolette Bloomer scored the only goal of the match, finishing off a pass from Karlie Bakley midway through the second half. It was her sixth goal of the year. She has found the back of the net in every game this season.
Despite the low score, the Cougars’ dominated the play and their back line four of Emily Miller, Kassady Sickler, Ava Mayne and Brooke Valentine limited the Lions’ challenges. Schalick keeper Eve Berger recorded 11 saves in recording her third straight shutout and 21st over the last three seasons.
“Our back line was rock solid today,” Kemp said. “They handled business. They cleared their lines, prevented a lot of 1-v-1 situations, won their battles and did exactly what they were supposed to do together. We did a lot of defensive shape work this past work. It really showed inside this game.”