CYAN YELLOW MAGENTA BLACK
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13
Raiders Win Fifth in-a-Row; Whip Wolfpack Boys, 2-0
shift positions with Ferrara. Wolfpack midfielder Todd Trautz did a fine job of heading the ball away from his defensive center, but the Raiders kept getting more aggressive. With 4:02 left in the half, Kobliska penetrated the center and burned a power shot just over the crossbar.
The Raider noose got tighter. Raider Dave Sigmon crossed to Zotti who thumped a header which was knocked away by Barnes with 2:22 left. Eighteen seconds later, Ferrara took a pass from Sigmon in the center and rippled the net to put the Raiders ahead, 1-0.
“I was in the back all the time as sweeper. Then he (Breznitsky) moved me up. I got real anxious. The ball was just out and I hit it in the corner, then turned around and celebrated that one,” said Ferrara about the first goal.
The second half began with the Wolfpack assuming offensive control for the first nine minutes, but the Raiders soon took over the reins. With the physical play accelerating, pushing and tripping occurred and some yellow cards were displayed. Moser fired a few free kicks which were deflected out of bounds by the goalie.
A neat play occurred when Raider Ryan Hahner tossed in to Tafarie Laing who tapped it back to Hahner. Then Hahner hooked a shot to Ferrara in the middle who headed the ball just to the right of the pole.
With 16:36 remaining, Jeff Fiorino had a corner kick on the right side. He launched a shot to the center. Ferrara flew to the center and headed the ball into the upper right side of the net to give the Raiders a 2-0 cushion.
“It was another corner kick. Jeff puts the ball right across. I saw it and jumped up, called Pete (Kobliska) off of it and it just went in,” explained Ferrara. “Jeff likes to play me the ball so I use him as much as I can.”
Commenting on the strategy used by Breznitsky, Moser explained. “They stuck somebody on me in the beginning and the guy was real tight on me. He did a good job. When Eugene and I switched, they (Wolfpack) didn’t mark him (Ferrara) man-to-man and they didn’t have anyone shadowing him. Obviously it showed it when he scored both goals.”
Moser continued, “We switched about 11 minutes in the first half. We got the ball in the box and we wouldn’t let them get it out. We kept it in and got a goal.”
Commenting to myself (David B. Corbin) and to a reporter from The Courier News, Breznitsky was allowed to kill two birds with one stone. With reference to a question about his feelings of winning five straight titles, Breznitsky replied, “Well, I think this year is very, very rewarding, not that any isn’t. I don’t think that many people even dreamed that we would have an opportunity to get to this stage because 13 kids graduated. It was one of the best teams without a doubt that we had last year.”
“At times we had six to eight sophomores on the field. I think that that was a tremendous accomplishment.” Said Breznitsky. “We try to pride ourselves on the fact that we have soccer players and we try to teach the game and encourage a soccer brain in making a good decision at the right opportunity.”
Commenting on his use of Moser and Ferrara, Breznitsky said, “We
had Moser in the midfield at first. I scouted them (West Morris). I didn’t necessarily think that we needed Todd back there. Eugene is an outstanding defender. I wanted a little more offense which Todd gives us. Todd has tremendous vision and he makes a lot of things happen out there; but, it is kind of ironic that it was Eugene who made both of the goals.”
Breznitsky concluded, “On any given day on this team anybody can put it in.”
The Raiders improved to 23-2-1. West Morris fell to 15-8-1.
West Morris Central 0 0 0 Sc PlainsFanwood 1 1 2
First-Seeded Cougars Win Shootout Over Blue Devils By DAVID B. CORBIN
Specially Written for The Westfield Leader and The Times
The top-seeded Cranford High School girls soccer team had a late, tying goal in regulation, then went on to win a shootout against the Westfield girls in Cranford on November 10 in the semifinals of the Section 2, Group 3 State Championships. Despite the loss, the Blue Devils dominated offensively nearly the entire game.
In their first meeting early in the season, the Cougars had the edge offensively throughout the game; however, the young Blue Devil girls entered the sectional game with a fierce determination and had the Cougars desperately defending their den.
The first score of the game came when Blue Devil freshman Jen Hayes, from the right side, caromed a shot off the left post and the crossbar with 8:15 off the clock in the second half.
It was quite clear that the Blue Devil forwards meant business as they came right back and took two quick shots on the Cougars’ goal. They were running like sprinters and beating the Cougars to the ball. Both shots were blocked by Katie Donnelly the Cougar goalie.
The Cougars broke downfield and launched a shot which sailed over the crossbar, but Blue Devils Suzanne Heinkel and Liza Yannuzzi soon sent the Cougars back-peddling to their den. In desperation, the Cougar defense began to get physical but the strategy failed to work. Andrea Constandis blasted a shot from left to right past the post, then moments later, sophomore Jen Korecky whizzed a shot over the crossbar.
On a few occasions, the Cougars had some breakaways. Blue Devil goalie Michelle Meglaughlin made a leaping save to quell one brief attack. Within seconds of Meglaughlin’s save, Constandis and sophomore Kerri Anness brought the ball downfield and bounced some shots off some Cougar fullbacks.
Minutes later, Devil Donna Shaller banged a shot from right to left past
the far post. Seconds later, sophomore Taryn Wyckoff was overtly knocked down and the Blue Devils were awarded a free kick. With 11:20 remaining in regulation, the kick deflected off the hands of Donnelly and out-of-bounds.
The Cougars avoided giving up another potential goal when Donnelly dove on a loose ball four yards in front of the goal just before Blue Devil Kristen Salmond could get to it. Moments later, near the Cougar goal, Salmond and Heinkel ricocheted some shots off some Cougar defenders.
With victory nearly in their pockets, the Blue Devils suffered a brief mental lapse. A ball sailing toward the Blue Devil goal bounced near midfield. Cougar Devon Murray, who was at full gallop, beat all the Blue Devil defenders and charged toward the goal. Only Meglaughlin stood between Murray and the goal. Meglaughlin charged, but Murray looped the ball over her head and the
ball rolled over the goal line with just 1:58 remaining in regulation.
The game shifted into overtime and neither team was able to score. A shootout was to decide the outcome.
Cougar Lauren Signatella began the shootout and zipped the ball past Meglaughlin and into the right side of the net. Blue Devil Heinkel’s shot was blocked. Cougar Erika Stewart’s shot was blocked, then Blue Devil Salmond’s shot was knocked away. The Cougars went up 2-0 when Murray rippled the right side of the net. Schaller whacked the ball into the upper left side of the net to narrow the score to 2-1.
Sue Flamini put the ultimate pressure on when she ripped a shot into the upper left side of the net to give the Cougars a 3-1 lead. The Blue Devils needed to make their next shot good to stay alive. The kick sailed over the crossbar.
Westfield 0 1 0 0 (1) 1 Cranford 0 1 0 0 (3) 2
MOSER NAILS TWO, ZOTTI & FERRARA POUND 1 EACH
Top-Seeded Raiders Hammer Parsippany Hills in Sectionals
By DAVID B. CORBIN
Specially Written for The Westfield Leader and The Times
Todd Moser, Eugene Ferrara and Mike Zotti provided the sparks as the top-seeded Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School boys soccer team hammered Parsippany Hills, 4-0, in the semifinals of the North 2, Group 3 State Tournament at Scotch Plains on November 11. Moser flashed in two goals while Ferrara and Zotti pounded in one apiece.
Nine minutes into the first half, Moser penetrated Viking soil and struck pay dirt from inside the box
off an assist from Jeff Fiorino. Seventeen minutes later, with 14:04 left in the half, Zotti zinged in the second Raider goal. Andrew Babicz got the assist.
The game got a little heated and Zotti was flagrantly taken out in the box by a Viking defender. Moser got the penalty kick and whizzed the ball into the net with five minutes remaining to comfortably up the lead to 3-0.
In the second half, the Raiders went right to work putting the Vikings on the defensive. Still having a little bad blood, a few Vikings and
Zotti exchanged some extra-curricular banging and elbowing. Yellow cards flew.
Head Coach Tom Breznitsky had Ferrara and Moser switch positions with 27:00 left in the game. Raider Tafarie Laing brought the ball down the right side and passed to Ferrara who then headed the ball into the head of a Viking defender.
The combination of Laing to Ferrara hooked up again with 22:00 left and the result was the ball sailing just over the crossbar. One minute later, Ferrara charged down the center and launched a shot from about 17-yards out. The Viking goalie made a diving save to prevent further scoring.
With 15:57 remaining, Zotti passed the ball from the right toward the center. The Viking goalie came flying out to intercept the ball, but Ferrara came from out of nowhere, beating the goalie to the ball, and buzzed the ball into the net for the fourth score.
The Raiders used a different combination to assault the Vikings’ goal in the following five minutes. Dave Sigmon banged a corner kick from the left side to Mike Franzone who had a minor collision with the goalie as he headed the ball. The goalie smothered the rebound. Later, from 22-yards out, Franzone zipped a shot over the crossbar.
In the final ten minutes, Raider goalie Brad Lowyns got a rest and was replaced by sophomore Rob Bugg. With less than two minutes remaining, the Vikings attacked the Raiders’ sacred turf. One shot rolled just to the left of the goal and other shots were saved by Bugg. Time ran out and Bugg had preserved the shutout.
“We did well. We came out and wanted to capitalize early if we could again,” said Breznitsky. “Teams coming in against the number one seed, knowing our reputation. You can’t allow them to stay in the game like the other Parsippany team did.”
Breznitsky commented on his use of Moser. “We played him in midfield because from what I saw, I thought that we would be all right with Eugene. Eugene is a quality sweeper.”
On his thoughts for the upcoming sectional finals game with either Cranford or West Morris (winner was not known at time of interview), Breznitzsky mused, “I’m not sure how I will play my team. It depends on who wins.”
If Cranford would win the game, Breznitsky cautioned, “It’s tough to beat a team three times. We will just have to wait and see.”
Breznitsky concluded, “We have won nine sectional championships. Hopefully, we will make it ten.”
The Raiders elevated their record to 22-2-1 while Parsippany Hills lowered to 15-7-1.
Parsippany Hills 0 0 0 Sc PlainsFanwood 3 1 4
The Westfield Soccer Association will hold tryouts on November 21st – 10a.m. – Sycamore Field
and November 28th – 1p.m. – Sycamore Field
for Division I and II Girls Spring 1999 Travel Program.
WESTFIELD SOCCER ASSOCIATION Division I and II Girls Traveling Team Tryout Dates for Spring ’99 Season
Information and Tryout Rules 1) Division Ages:
Division 1 Under 19 Born after 8/1/79 Division 2 Under 16 Born after 8/1/82
2) Tryout Apparel: No part of a WSA travel uniform may be worn to a tryout. Players wearing such will not be allowed to tryout. Shin guards must be worn and cleats are highly recommended.
3) Excused Absences: If a player is unable to attend a scheduled tryout, they must contact the VP of Travel prior to the tryout.
Neil Hutchinson VP of Girls Travel, 778 Knollwood Terrace Phone: 233-4482 – Box 2
4) Rainouts: A message will be left on the WSA Telephone Message Center with directions as to the cancellation of the tryouts, alternate field locations or changes in time. The WSA Message Center can be accessed by dialing 233-4482. Cancellations are on Box 1.
For information on Boys Division I and II Spring Travel 1999, which will be Sunday games only, please contact
Bob Lynes at 233-4482 Box 3. A. L. Johnson Tops
Jefferson, 2-0
The Crusaders of Clark girls soccer team eliminated Jefferson High School in the semifinals of the North Jersey, Section 2, Group 2 playoffs in Clark on November 10. Senior Erin Black scored both goals for the Crusaders.
In the first half, Black rippled the upper left side of the net, then in the second half, she vibrated the upper right corner of the net.
Jefferson 0 0 0 A. L. Johnson 1 1 2
GIRLS SOCCER NORTH SECTION 2
GROUP 2 FINALS: Mendham 5, A. L. Johnson 0
The seventh-ranked Mendham High School girls repelled the Crusaders in Mendham on November 12 and claimed its seventh Section 2, Group 2 title.
Mendham improved to 23-2 while A. L. Johnson dropped to 16-5.
GIRLS SOCCER NORTH SECTION 2
GROUP 3 FINALS: Cranford 2, Warren Hills 1
The 20th-ranked Cougars won their first sectional crown by defeating Warren Hills, 2-1, in Cranford on November 12. Cougar Sam Morano scored nine minutes into the first half, then Devon Murray took a pass from Katie Sands and hit the net with 31:00 remaining in the game.
Cranford upped its record to 192 while Warren Hills slipped to 116-6.
Warren Hills 0 1 1 Cranford 1 1 2
BOYS SOCCER: NORTH, SECTION 2
GROUP 1 SEMIS: New Providence 5, Kennelon 0
The top-seeded Pioneers pounded their way to the finals. Senior forward Tommy Doyle hammered three goals to lead the assault in New Providence on November 10.
Tristan Peterson and Chris Reich each added a goal. Nick Fuschetto, Reich and Joey Gennaro had one assist apiece for the Pioneers who boosted their record to 18-2-2. Kennelon sagged to 10-6-2.
NORTH, SECTION 2 GROUP 4 SEMIS: Elizabeth 3, Irvington 0
Daniel Sobkowicz, Camilo Betancourt and Guillermo Benvidz each scored in the second half for the Minutemen in Elizabeth on November 10. Elizabeth (15-5-1) played Columbia (19-1-2) in the finals.
Irvington 0 0 0 Elizabeth 0 3 3
Westfield Lacrosse to Hold Registration
Westfield Lacrosse Club Holding Registration for the 1999 Girls and Boys Lacrosse Season
The Westfield Youth Lacrosse Club is conducting registration for 3rd through 8th grade boys and girls. Boys and girls who participated in the 1998 spring season will receive their registration forms through the mail. The Club will also have flyers available at the Middle and Elementary Schools.
The registration fee which includes boys membership in US Lacrosse, is $65 for the 5th through 8th grade boys and girls. For the 3rd and 4th grade boys and girls the registration fee is $55. Registration is due by December 12 and a $20 late registration fee will be due after December 12.
Boys are required to have their own helmet, mouthguard, gloves, arm pads, shoulder pads and stick. Girls will need to have a stick and mouthguard. Contact Lois Hely at 233-3960 regarding the Girls program and Ron Prunesti at 789-4252 or Skip Prybylski at 232-8390 about the Boys program.
Mendham Halts Vikings in Semis
The seventh-ranked Lady Minutemen from Mendham halted the 11th-ranked Union Catholic girls soccer team, 2-1, in the semifinals of the North 2, Group 2 State Tournament at Mendham on November 10.
Kate Neupert took a pass from Casey McCann and punched it into the net with 18:39 remaining in the first half to give the Lady Minuteman a 1-0 lead. Viking Erica Schweikert tied the score with 11:58 left in the half.
Neupert slanted a shot toward the Viking goal. Goalie Lisa Henderson knocked the ball away, but Lady Minuteman Lauren Velella came to the ball and blasted it into the net with 3:28 left of the half.
Despite the score, the Vikings put on an offensive blitz throughout the game and forced Lady Minuteman goalie Sarah Herskee to make 17 stops. Union Catholic slipped to 19-3 while Mendham improved to 22-2.
Union Catholic 1 0 1 Mendham 2 0 2
SP-Fanwood HS Sets Homecoming Date
This year’s Homecoming will take place at Scotch PlainsFanwood High School on Wednesday, November 25. The ceremony will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the gymnasium. Activities will include performances by cheerleaders, the BSU step squad, and the marching band. Fall sports teams will be introduced and the ‘99 Homecoming King and Queen will be crowned. For more information, please call
(908) 889-8600.
David B. Corbin for The Westfield Leader and The Times
GETTING THE DROP ON THE BALL…Raider Eugene Ferrara, right, outflanks a Parsippany Hills player and gets to the ball first during the semifinals of the Section 2, Group 3 game. See additional picture on page 17.
David B. Corbin for The Leader and The Times
CLOSE ENCOUNTERS…Raider Mike Franzone, right, collides with the Wolfpack goalie after a corner kick.
David B. Corbin for The Westfield Leader and The Times
VERY CLOSE ENCOUNTERS…Blue Devil junior Kristen Salmond, right, battles with two Cougars for possession of the ball during the semifinals of the North 2, Group 3 State Tournament on November 10 in Cranford.
David B. Corbin for The Westfield Leader and The Times
KEEPING WARM…Several Raider fans have definitely decided to keep warm while watching the Raiders defeat the Wolfpack in the Section 2, Group 3 finals.
David B. Corbin for The Westfield Leader and The Times
FOLLOWING THROUGH…Raider Mike Franzone, No. 7, follows through with the action even though the ball is out of bounds. The Raiders defeated the Wolfpack, 2-0, in Scotch Plains on November 13.
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