Trabilsy, Barbieri score in 2-0 victory
By: Rudy Brandl
The Hillsborough High boys’ soccer team played like it was beginning a new season in Tuesday afternoon’s Central Jersey Group 4 playoff game vs. visiting South Brunswick.
Hillsborough didn’t reach its pre-season goal of repeating as Delaware Division champions for the fourth straight year. The team wasn’t able to make a serious challenge for the Somerset County title. So, the state playoffs give the Raiders one last chance to accomplish something huge in 2004.
The seventh-seeded Raiders (13-5-1) played like they were on a mission in Tuesday’s 2-0 triumph, which sends them to No. 2 North Brunswick for Friday’s quarterfinal round. Kickoff at NBHS is set for 11 a.m.
"There’s a sense of urgency when you don’t win a conference title or a county title," HHS head coach Eric Puma said afterward. "Now, we’re at that point where we’re playing for something. We have that fire back. We have a goal now."
Danny Trabilsy gave the Raiders the lead in the 23rd minute when he one-timed a shot into the net after a head ball pass from fellow senior Chad Barbieri. The Raiders continued to carry most of the action but didn’t gain the comfort level of a second goal until sophomore Chase Barbieri made a sweet move in the box and fired home a shot with 2:33 remaining in the second half.
Hillsborough goalkeeper Cameron Koplik made three saves to earn the shutout, but two of them were tough ones that prevented the tying goal in the second half. North Brunswick keeper Matt Hart made 12 saves against the Raiders, who enjoyed a 29-11 advantage in shots and 5-2 edge in corner kicks.
For a full account of all the state tournament action involving the HHS soccer and field hockey teams, see next Thursday’s edition of the Hillsborough Beacon.