Panther Athletics Enters 2013 with Momentum

The Collingswood girls' basketball team is currently undefeated, while the boys' basketball and wrestling teams have also tasted some early successes.

It was a fine close to the 2012 calendar year for several winter athletic teams at Collingswood High School. Below is a look at some of the highlights from the last month of athletic action. GIRLS' BASKETBALL No team enters the new year hotter than the Panthers, who finished 2012 with a 6-0 record. Collingswood has been able to pick up a half-dozen wins thanks to a stifling defense that has held three opponents under 20 points, and hasn’t given up more than 36 in a game. Prior to the start of the season, Collingswood head coach Nancy O’Neill expressed her passion to develop players who think defense-first. “Defense is definitely my coaching staff’s passion,” said O’Neill. “We did a nice job last year and we are coming back with a pretty …

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Collingswood Athletes Showered with Praise, Scholarships

The Collingswood Athletic Hall of Fame alumni booster club awarded $70,000 in scholarships to 15 Collingswood High School student-athletes at its annual awards banquet.

Collingswood High School feted its star athletes at its annual athletic banquet Tuesday night, acknowledging the individual achievements of MVPs, Colonial Conference all-stars and multi-sport athletes with a small ceremony and numerous awards presentations. “This is the culminating activity of our sports year,” said CHS principal Ed Hill. “We recognize student-athletes in all sports, all grades.” Among the outstanding achievers of the group were eight four-year, three-sport athletes: Andrew Brandley, Allison Hawco, Braheem Ingalls, Christopher Michael, Daniel Pennisi, Sirelle Torres, Anthony Valianti and Krystal Valianti. Each of those students was awarded a commemorative lifetime pass to all Collingswood athletic events and a special …

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Could Colls Baseball Break Through in 2012?

A hot start could spark the team's season, says Collingswood coach Rob Skowronek.

Entering his third season as head coach, Collingswood’s Rob Skowronek sees this year’s edition of Collingswood baseball as one that can surprise a lot of people. “I consider us a spoiler,” Skowronek said. “Last year we were 8-12; this year I think we can be around the 12-8 mark." The Panthers must get off to a hot start this season. With only two games before the team’s five seniors go away to Walt Disney World for their class trip, Skowronek knows that a pair of quick losses could set the team back, and depth is already a concern on his squad. “If we go 0-2 and have a week off because of the senior trip, it’ll be a lot of work to get back," Skowrownek said. "It’s tough to get guys focused when they get back.” “If we can start 2-0, that’ll…

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Boys' Basketball Falls Flat in Season Opener

The Panthers get blown out by rival Bulldawgs on opening night.

It was a potential recipe for disaster: a young and inexpericened team met an aggressive, trapping defense. And unfortunately for the Collingswood Panthers boys' basketball team, the underdogs couldn't pull off a come-from-behind victory. The Panthers fell to rival Haddonfield, 93-37, in the team's season opener Friday night.  The Bulldawgs' aggressive half-court trap was executed nearly perfectly as the squad translated turnover after Panther turnover into fast-break points. “That’s our focus this season,” said Haddonfield head coach Paul Wiedeman. “We’re running a new type of defense that is predicated on ball pressure the entire game. We want to focus on forcing opponents into quick, bad shots, which will then open up our fast-break …

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Viewfinder: Colls Boys' Soccer Falls to West Deptford In Playoffs

West Deptford pulled away from the Panthers in a 6-0 win.

Coming in as underdogs, the Collingswood High School boys' soccer team hung with No. 5 seed West Deptford for the first half Tuesday at West Deptford Park, but the Eagles struck hard in the second half to send the Panthers to an early playoff exit in a 6-0 loss.

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Viewfinder: Panthers vs. West Deptford Football

Collingswood fell to the visiting Eagles, 46-0, on Homecoming Night.

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Colls Field Hockey Shuts Out Lindenwold

Panthers' field hockey team improves to 7-2 with a win on Friday.

After a tough loss to Haddonfield Memorial High School this Wednesday, Collingswood High School's field hockey team bounced back against Lindenwold High School Friday, winning 7-0. “I think Wednesday was a really upsetting day for the girls,” Panthers head coach Val Dayton said. “They took (the loss) really hard. I think they just needed a nice win, and to regroup.” Panthers scored early and often Friday, with Krista LaMaina netting a goal off a pass from Emily Madden—a play that put Collingswood on the board seven minutes into the first half. Just 26 seconds later, Melissa Cunningham set up Krystal Valianti for a goal, giving the Panthers a quick 2-0 advantage. “It’s been a goal of ours in each game to score within the first 10 minutes,” …

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