Defeating the Vikings aids image for MTHS

By: David Gurney
   A young Andre Agassi proclaimed, "Image is everything."
   Same goes for teams in the Greater Middlesex Conference as well.
   At this time of the year, image and seeding is everything for the many GMC boys soccer teams, scrambling to improve their stock before the GMC and NSIAA state pairings are determined.
   The Monroe Township High School boys varsity soccer team is certainly no exception.
   After dropping a hard-fought 1-0 contest last week to rival North Brunswick to fall short in its bid for a White Division crown, Monroe defeated Red Division champion South Brunswick, riding junior forward Ivan Barretto’s goal in the final 10 minutes of the game to win 2-1 last Saturday.
   The win helped Monroe collect the No. 3 seed in the GMC tournament, with White Division foes Sayreville and North Brunswick grabbed the top two seeds.
   As a result, Monroe gets a bye through the first two preliminary rounds, and will either play Highland Park, Woodbridge or Perth Amboy, the 14, 19 and 24 seeds, respectively.
   Ultimately, if the seeds play out to form, Monroe would get a game against Blue Division champ Spotswood in the quarterfinals and a potential rematch with No. 2 seed North Brunswick in the semifinals. But after the game the Monroe players reflected on the importance of the win over SB, not just important in terms of jockeying for position in the seedings, but also in restoring confidence after another nail-biting loss to North Brunswick.
   "This was a pretty big win," sophomore midfielder Brendan Sebastian said following the win Saturday. "Since our loss to North Brunswick we had to get this game to improve our seeding for the GMC’s which is always big.
   "I had to pick it up and we all had to pick up our play in the game but we pulled through."
   Sebastian and Monroe had the better of play early, out-shooting the visiting Vikings in the first half and dictating the tempo.
   Knocking on the doorstep, the Falcons missed close on several shots before tallying with less than 15 minutes to go in the first half.
   Midfielder Spencer Lawrence took the ball into the box and sent a ball through traffic, somehow moving unscathed through a team of defenders. Senior forward Frank Carr was the lucky beneficiary, knocking the ball in from seven yards out to take an early 1-0 lead.
   Yet, the Falcons couldn’t put the Vikings away.
   Early in the second half, SB forward Zach Zenda was tripped in the box, setting up a penalty kick at the 35 minute mark. Forward Troy Confessore beat Monroe goalie Mike Rettberg low left corner on the penalty kick for the equalizer.
   "We need to play with a lot of intensity, but what happens is sometimes we play with too much and we don’t play the way we’re capable of playing," Monroe head coach Steve McKenzie said. "We try to preach playing relaxed and hard. There was a focus for us today and we were able to regroup."
   Regroup they did, applying pressure to a suspect SB defense and just missing on several shots. Yet, the game remained tied until Sebastian drove down the center of the field, giving the ball up to Sean Lawrence on the left side.
   With the goalkeeper out, Lawrence sent a cross through the box that Monroe couldn’t capitalize on. But, after a couple odd bounces, the ball caromed to Barretto with his back almost to the goal. Barretto spun to his right and sent a driving shot to the low right corner of the net, which trickled under goalkeeper Chris DeSouza for the eventual game-winning goal.
   "I just saw the ball and wanted to keep it low because I had been kicking it over the crossbar the entire game," Barretto said. "I was getting frustrated, but I knew I could get one in."
   Once he did, it certainly looked good for Monroe’s image.