VIDEO: SOUTH JERSEY CHAMPS! Murphy’s post presence helps guide Wildwood to third sectional title in five seasons

Posted: March 7th 2026

By BRIAN CUNNIFF

CapeAtlanticLive.com

HADDON TOWNSHIP – When Joelle Murphy joined the basketball program at Wildwood High School after transferring from Wildwood Catholic Academy early in the scholastic year, those in and around the guard-heavy Wildwood program surmised she was exactly what the team needed.

That was never more evident than in Saturday’s South Jersey Group I championship game.

The 6-2 junior forward dominated the paint, particularly in the first half, to the tune of 14 points, 14 rebounds and six blocked shots to help the Lady Warriors to their third sectional championship in five years following a 38-28 road victory over top-seeded Haddon Township.

Wildwood, the No. 2 seed in the South section, will face Central Jersey champion New Providence in the state semifinal game Wednesday at Monroe High School, with the winner earning the right to play at Rutgers University for a state championship next weekend.

Wildwood senior guard Angie Wilber, the lone Lady Warrior player to see action in a South Jersey title game in each of the last four seasons, had to wipe away tears of joy from her face before speaking to the media after the game.

“This is an overwhelming feeling,” said Wilber, who didn’t score but had four rebounds, three assists and two steals and handled the ball well against Haddon Township pressure in the fourth quarter. “It’s really exciting. This means the world to me. I didn’t want to end my season with a loss here in this game after we made it this far.”

After falling behind 5-2 to start the game, Wildwood finished the first quarter on a 13-2 surge to take a 15-7 lead, capped by Murphy’s 40-foot buzzer-beating three-pointer from just inside halfcourt that banked off the backboard and through the basket.

After leading 22-15 at the half behind Murphy’s 10 points and 12 rebounds, Wildwood went on a 13-2 run to start the third quarter to open its largest lead of the contest at 35-17. Murphy hit two free throws and sank a layup and Rebecca Benichou posted two layups – one off a steal and the other off brilliant execution of a back-door play – and Addison Troiano recorded a traditional three-point play to highlight the surge.

Haddon Township (22-9) picked away at the Lady Warrior lead from there. After scoring the final four points of the third quarter, Haddon Township then scored the first five points of the fourth to bring its deficit down to nine points halfway through the quarter.

But Wildwood’s Laila Fathi responded with a three-pointer with 3:53 remaining that represented her team’s only points of the final quarter to increase the Lady Warrior lead to 12 points. Wildwood never led by less than 10 points the rest of the way as its halfcourt defense held Haddon Township to only two points over the game’s final 3 ½ minutes.

Troiano added nine points and five rebounds and Benichou had nine points and six rebounds for Wildwood.

Kiersten Callahan and Julianne Martin each scored nine points for Haddon Township.

Wildwood (23-7) was making its seventh straight appearance in the South Jersey championship game. The Lady Warriors also won titles in 2022 and 2024 during the recent stretch.

Overall, Wildwood is now 12-6 in program history in South Jersey championship games. Saturday’s victory avenged a defeat to Haddon Township on the same court in last year’s title game.

Wildwood traveled home Saturday afternoon to enjoy a quickly organized parade across the island to celebrate its championship.

“Everyone supports us,” Wilber said, “so getting to finish the job, not just for us, but for the whole community is very special.”

Wildwood starters (from left) Rebecca Benichou, Joelle Murphy, Angie Wilber, Addison Troiano and Laila Fathi with the South Jersey championship trophy after Saturday's victory over Haddon Township.