By BRIAN TORTELLA
Correspondent
On X @tortreports
WOODBURY HEIGHTS — Gateway High junior Penelope Floyd tore her ACL nearly a year ago — 353 days, to be exact, on Sept. 24, 2023.
It was a devastating injury that brutally ended her sophomore campaign and started a string of losses for the Gators — who without Floyd (who tallied seven goals up to that point) won just one of their final nine games, including a first round playoff exit.
Days turned into weeks, weeks turned into months, and months — well months turned into the present.
What a difference a year can make.
Floyd scored two second-half goals for Gateway — including the game-winning head strike in overtime — as the Gators edged divisional rival Gloucester, 4-3, on Wednesday. The game-winner came off her header from a Layla DeMaise pass after a corner kick.
“I just kept my eye on the ball,” she said. “I’ve been really wanting a header, so that’s what I knew I wanted to do. We’ve been stressing over this team (Gloucester) a bit. We know their capabilities, so we came prepared. We used our drills and we just made it happen. Emily’s (Sewell) great corner. We came prepared. We knew what we were up against and we kept it up.”
“It feels really good coming back from an injury. It’s great to be back,” she continued. “I tore my ACL last year, and only played half of the season. We’ve been practicing corners in practice over and over again.”
Gloucester (2-1, 2-1 Colonial Patriot) had a 3-1 lead midway through the second half, but it didn’t last long. Floyd’s first goal cut the deficit to only one with 10 minutes left in the half, and stud freshman DeMaise tied the game up at 3 on a penalty kick to send the contest into overtime shortly after.
“It feels really good,” she said of contributing to the program immediately as only a freshman. “Just seeing their season last year, they obviously didn’t do too well with injuries, so it’s great to see everyone thriving and working as a unit. I think Penny and I connect really well up top.”
“It’s only up from here.”
Gateway coach Ari Ford is in his first year at the helm of the Gators after 17 seasons leading the Woodbury girls program, and he said he couldn’t be more thrilled that his new squad is off to a 3-0 start.
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“We had this marked on the calendar as our first test, and I know Gloucester’s going to be good,” he said. “(Gloucester coach Keith) Gorman and I have spoken, talked, traded scouting reports, bumped ideas off each other for three years now. We knew it was going to be tough. We know they’re physical. That’s the best Gloucester team they’ve had, maybe ever. They’re stacked with some seniors, they have his daughter (Meghan), they have (sophomore Bailey) Schoenfeldt in the middle.”
So did his girls surprise him on Wednesday?
“No,” a determined Ford said. “We played Pitman in a scrimmage, so right there I kind of started seeing it. I wasn’t here last year so I understand there were some injuries, I understand the season didn’t end great, so people are probably overlooking us, in my opinion. Some people might be overlooking us. I told the girls, ‘today is our day to make our statement. We’re here, we’re back, and last year was an anomaly.’”
Schoenfeldt, a standout shortstop who led the Lions to a group 2 softball state title in June, paced Gloucester with two goals. She wasn’t in the best mood after the game, but assured Lions fans that her team would be back with a vengeance.
“I had a goal coming in, I was hoping to have a hat-trick in this game,” she said. “I didn’t get it, but I scored two goals. We didn’t come out with the win, but we play them at a night game at our place (Oct. 21) and we’re definitely going to be waiting for that game.”
Gorman credited Gateway (3-0, 3-0 Colonial Patriot) for the tough game they played, despite the Lions’ loss.
“It was a great game, really high quality high school sports,” he said. “These are the type of games you want to play in, two competitive teams, two similar teams as far as their toughness. I really respect the game that (Gateway) they played. I thought they came to play today and they earned the win. We’re looking forward to the rest of the season.”
