South Jersey Magazine - Cherry Hill / Haddonfield / Voorhees

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SJM_WinterAthletes_1224_V2FINAL.qxp_Feature 12 / 20 / 24 1 : 08 PM Page 5 footsteps . I felt like I my year - round coach . He’s always said the right ML : Yes . I wanted to follow in his was good at it and I wanted to stick with it . things and they seem to work . M I C H A E L L A M B SJM : How has your dad impacted your wrestling SJM : Have you started thinking about college ? career ? ML : Yes . [ The recruiting process ] is going pretty good Haddonfield wrestling ML : He’s impacted me a lot because he’s pretty much and there’s a couple of places I would like to go to — definitely the University of North Carolina , and Vir - Just a junior , Lamb is already a two - time dis - ginia is also up there . I’d be cool with anything I can trict champion after claiming his second at get . 106pounds last year . He also placed fourth at regions and earned his first trip to Atlantic SJM : How is the team looking this year ? City for the state championships , and has his ML : We’re definitely looking young , but the team eyeson even bigger accomplishments this works hard , for sure . I think we can go far , but every - season . body has to do their part . South Jersey Magazine : What are your goals SJM : How do you prepare for a big match ? Is for your junior year ? there a certain routine you go through ? Michael Lamb : Honestly , just to get on that ML : I don’t really have a routine . I just go out there podium [ at states ] . I’m hoping for whatever place I and wrestle my hardest , pretty much . That’s all you can get , but I’m going for top three . have to do . A lot of people listen to music or warm up in different ways , but that’s not really me . SJM : What did you work on this offseason to get to that level ? SJM : What else do you do for fun away from the ML : Just the grind part of it . I’ve been at practice mat ? almost every day and lifting every day . ML : Wrestling is what I do pretty much every day . I do like golf . I haven’t played that much , but I got to play SJM : What was the experience like at states at Trump National and that was really nice . last year ? ML : It was definitely fun and a little nerve - SJM : What do you like about going to school at wracking , but once I finished my first match , I was Haddonfield ? fine . I was ready to roll . ML : A lot of the kids are nice and the teachers all help people . me out when I need it . They’re good SJM : Did you get into the sport at a young age because of your dad [ Mike , a former standout wrestler and coach ] ? SJM : Did you play AAU this offseason ? SJM : Are you looking to play in college ? GC : I did . I played for the South Jersey Titans and the GC : Yes . I have some coaches texting me about G E V O N Jersey Legends . It was good but we only won one coming to my games . I’m looking to go somewhere tournament , the first one that we were in . far — I don’t want to be around here . C O N R A D SJM : What’s it like playing for coach [ Todd ] Powers , who was new to the program last Washington Township year ? GC : He’s funny . He yells a lot , but coach [ Andy ] Thies boys basketball is even worse . [ Laughs ] He can shoot though . Conrad , a senior , established him - self as one of the most explosive SJM : Is there a certain game you’re looking for - guards in South Jersey last ward to the most ? year , when he averaged GC : Kingsway . They beat us last year for the division 22.1 points per game and so I’m looking to get it this year . I think Kingsway is our biggest rivalry . had five games in the 30s . A perimeter SJM : Do you watch a lot of basketball ? threatwho can also get GC : I watch a lot of college , not the NBA . I like tothe basket , he enters to watch Cooper Flagg and Isaiah Evans his final season with 843 career points [ from Duke ] and Elliot Cadeau [ from and is looking to lead the Minutemen North Carolina ] . Mostly I’ve been to a division championship . watching Tahaad Pettiford [ from Auburn ] though — I like the way he South Jersey Magazine : What are you looking plays . He’s from North Jersey . to accomplish this season ? Gevon Conrad : I’m looking to accomplish a medal . far do you want to go SJM : How We look good this year and I really want a champi - with basketball ? onship . GC : I want to go to the NBA . [ It’s going to take ] a lot of hard work . SJM : You had a breakout season as a junior . What stands out when you look back on it ? GC : It was really my team and my coaches that helped me . I do everything through them . SOUTH JERSEY MAGAZINE volume 21 issue 9 SouthJerseyMagazine.com 22 |

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SJM_WinterAthletes_1224_V2FINAL.qxp_Feature 12 / 20 / 24 1 : 08 PM Page 6 mers , like Henry McFadden and Maddie Waggoner . It’s investment banker . It seems pretty interesting — num - helping me prepare for college . bersand stocks definitely interest me , and I’m taking a R I L E Y S M I T H few classes right now . SJM : How did you first get into the sport ? RS : I started when I was 6 but I only swam in the sum - SJM:What else do you do for fun ? Easternboys swimming mers.When I was around 12 , I fully committed to RS : I fish , I go to car shows and I cook once in a while swimming and started practicing and working out every withmy mom . Smith , a senior , placed eighth in the state in the day , multiple times a day . I did baseball and a variety of 100breaststroke last year with a time of 57.43 sports before that , and baseball lasted until I was 12 , secondsand also shines in the 500 freestyle . butthen swimming took over . Afterhelping the Vikings go 11 - 3 with a trip to the sectional semifinals , he has high expecta - SJM:Do you have days when the alarm goes off in tions for himself and the team this season themorning and you dread going to the pool ? beforemoving on to The College of New Jersey . RS:Oh , for sure . There are definitely days like that , but I just remember that if you want to be the best , you have SouthJersey Magazine : What personal and team to train to be the best . I just put my head down and get goalsdo you have for this season ? in the pool . No matter how hard it seems or how tough RileySmith : I want to make All - American for the 100 the practice is going to be , it’s all about mindset . breaststrokeand I want keep my team in the top divi - sion . SJM:Does your mind wander during the distance races ? SJM:Do you enjoy high school swimming as com - RS:Oh yeah , absolutely . I just sing a song in my paredto club swimming ? headand that helps it go by quickly . RS : I love it ; it’s really fun . My club team is more strict with practices . With the high school team , I feel like I SJM:Have you started looking at colleges ? can relax a little bit and have fun on the bus rides . My RS : Yes , I’m committed to TCNJ . I have a friend mom is my coach too , so it’s awesome to share the wins who’s there and as soon as I got on campus , I together . immediately loved it . On my official visit , the team was awesome , the coach was awesome and their SJM:How long have you been swimming with practices were amazing . I just knew that I had to go JerseyWahoos , which is a renowned local club there . team ? RS:Ever since 2020 , so four years now . I think it’s defi - SJM:Do you know what you want to study ? nitely shown colleges that I’m a competitor . It’s very RS:Business , finance and investments . I want to be an competitiveand they’ve produced a ton of good swim - for the third time , placing seventh at of 1 : 55.73 in the 200 IM to win the G I R L S B A S K E T B A L L G I R L S W R E S T L I N G 150 pounds . He will look to spark the state title , and she also took first in the BrielleAlaba , Cherokee : Alaba , a Jada Pichardo , Pennsauken : Crusaders to their fourth state crown 500 free . She went on to compete in juniorsharpshooter , came into the Pichardo is eyeing a state champi - in a row and has a chance to become the U.S . Olympic Trials last summer seasonwith 60 3 - pointers and 613 onship in her senior season after the prestigious program’s all - time along with her older sister Lilly . pointsfor her career . She averaged a placing fourth as a sophomore and S T A R W A T C H leader in wins . team - leading14.8 points as a sopho - second as a junior . Alyce Lehman , Bishop Eustace : moreto help the Chiefs post a 20 - 8 Colton Hagerty , Washington Lehman , a junior , had a year she’ll record . AriTyson , Cherry Hill West : After J Township:Atwo - time district cham - remember forever in 2024 . After fin - becomingthe Lions ’ first state cham - pion who also has a region title on his ishing second in the 100 butterfly and B O Y S B A S K E T B A L L JahzaraGreen , Gloucester pion as a sophomore , Tyson fell just resume , Hagerty took seventh in the fourth in the 200 IM at the Meet of Elijah Crispin , Pitman:Crispin , a Catholic:A dominant force at forward , short of repeating last year as she state at 113 pounds last year . He is Champions , she headed to Indi - four - yearstarter who entered his thisjunior already had 879 career returned to the state final . She will closing in on 100 career wins . anapolis last summer for the U.S . seniorcampaign with 1,314 career pointsentering this season after look to end her remarkable career Olympic Trials and won her opening points , led the Panthers to their first pouringin 17.9 as a sophomore . She is with another memorable season . Chase Hansen , Lower Cape May : heat in the 200 fly . She also com - sectionalchampionship since 2014 thelatest in a long line of standouts to Hansen entered his junior season with mitted to Stanford . lastseason . suitup for the Rams . Shaelie Young , Gateway:Young 88 career wins after securing his enteredher senior season with 80 B O Y S I N D O O R T R A C K seconddistrict and region crowns and Judd Holt , Cherokee:A senior for - El - AnitaJoe - Samuel , Lenape : careerwins , 74 of them by pin . She Jonathan Harris , Delsea:One of placingthird in the state at 132 ward , Holt is one of the top 3 - point AllJoe - Samuel did as a freshman has reached the podium at states thebest shot putters in New Jersey , poundslast year . shootersin the area and is closing in wasknock down 52 3 - pointers and twice , including a third - place finish at Harriswas the Group 3 state champion onthe 1,000 - point milestone for his averagea team - high 15.2 points for 185pounds last year . lastyear as a junior and took second at KageJones , Camden Catholic:Just career . theGroup4 state champs . It will be theMeet of Champions . ajunior , Jones already owns two dis - excitingto see what she has in store B O Y S S W I M M I N G trict and region titles and was the lone LukeKennevan , Camden Catholic : forher sophomore season . Tre Cottrell , Haddonfield:Cottrell , G I R L S I N D O O R T R A C K SouthJersey wrestler to reach the Afour - year varsity player who has asenior , placed second in the 200 free NatalieDumas , Eastern:Dumas statefinals last year , dropping a 2 - 1 averageddouble figures in points MacieMcCracken , Wildwood : and fourth in the 100 breaststroke at wasthe Group 4 sectional and state decisionto Southern’s Matt Henrich at everyseason of his career , Kennevan is McCracken is proof that the Shore is a last year’s Meet of Champions . championin the 400 as a sophomore , 157pounds . oneof the area’s most reliable scorers . hotbedfor basketball . The West andshe also excels in the 800 and the Chestercommit has led Wildwood to a Jake Greenleaf , Moorestown : This 55hurdles . JordanSegaland Luke Isaiah Thomas , Paul VI:Not to be pairof sectional titles , including last senior clocked a time of 4 : 38.70 to Sherlock , Shawnee:These team - confusedwith the Hall of Famer or year , and is on pace to become the place sixth in the 500 free at the Meet SianniWynn , Pennsauken:Wynn , mates were both state place winners anotherformer NBA All - Star , this fourth girls player in Cape May County of Champions . ajunior , is coming off a terrific sopho - last year , as Segal took fourth at 106 seniorforward is making a name for historyto score 2,000 career points . moreseason in which she set a state pounds and Sherlock finished seventh himself.He averaged a team - high G I R L S S W I M M I N G recordof 6.81 seconds to win the 55 at 126 . They will continue to push 14.7points as a junior to help the W R E S T L I N G AudreyDerivaux , Haddonfield : meters at the Meet of Champions . She each other and be team leaders for Eagles capture a sectional title and JamarDixon Jr . : This Delsea senior In her phenomenal rookie season , wasalso the Group 3 state champ in the Renegades . n reachthestate final . reachedthe podium at states last year Derivaux set a meet record with a time thatevent and the 400 . SOUTH JERSEY MAGAZINE volume 21 issue 9 SouthJerseyMagazine.com | 23

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