BOYS SOCCER
By: John. E. Powers
The Lawrence High School boy’s soccer team hopes that they will look back at a 3-0 win at Nottingham Tuesday as a turning point.
Everything came together for the Cardinals as they raised their record to 3-4. Head coach Keith Fithen hopes that it was the start of a run that will end with a state playoff berth.
"We’re looking to the states, that’s our main goal," Fithen said. "After the game I told the kids that we have seven games until the cutoff date and we need four in seven. If we take the games one at a time it should take care of itself."
The Cardinals, coming off a rough 3-1 loss at North Hunterdon Saturday in Clinton, got on the board midway through the first half when junior center-mid Mike Forker converted.
Senior Joey Mitchell and Jason Zegarski scored second half goals. All scored their first goals of the season. Keeper Dave Schindewolf made 11 saves for the shutout.
The Cardinals were very opportunistic from the start. Forker’s goal was the result of the Cardinals pressing.
"He was outside the box and one our players hit a ball toward the keeper, and the defense played it out, but when they did they didn’t clear it out too far and Mike came in and creamed a shot upper 90 past the keeper," Fithen said. "The keeper had no chance. The ball hit the bottom of the crossbar and went in."
"We have been struggling with offense and this one got us going really quick," he added.
Mitchell made it 2-0 on another unassisted goal.
"One of our middies hit a shot and the keeper didn’t collect it right away," Fithen said. "Robbie Hollowell took it away from the keeper, but couldn’t get a shot off, but Joey did."
The third goal came when the keeper made a save on Stephen Sikora’s breakway chance, but the ball came across the crease where Zegarski finished.
"We finished a lot of shots and a lot of rebounds we hadn’t in the past," Fithen said. "We’ve played some really good competition and we’re battle tested. We got our legs and we really were able to dictate play. I thought we played well against Notre Dame and in the third game of the season against Hightstown, but we lost in overtime and then we had Trenton and we rallied to win. North Hunterdon took it to us. We looked at the Nottingham game as another game on the schedule."
But they needed it.
"We had to get back on the winning side and we did a very good job we dictated play," Fithen said.
The Cardinals had a 19-4 advantage in shots as they earned their first shutout of the season.
"Overall, it was a great effort by the kids," he said.
Next up is Allentown at Mercer County College Thursday at 5:30.
"They are a quality squad, they are very tough, they have a new coach and they’re playing well and learning the system," Fithen said. "But we have a good quality squad too. We’re experienced. Now we have to show it every day."

