By: Dave Gurney
PRINCETON They had their chances, their opportunities.
A couple diving saves, a couple shots just missing wide.
But the game is about inches and breaks, and Monroe simply came short of both departments in the state sectional finals against Princeton.
For the Monroe Township High School boys varsity soccer team, their incredible run through the postseason ended in the NJSIAA Central Jersey Group III sectional finals, as the Falcons dropped a 2-1 decision to Princeton last Friday to finish the season at 21-5.
For the second consecutive season, Monroe’s hopes of advancing deep into the state tournament fell in the sectional finals. Princeton’s season ended on Tuesday when SJ III champ Shawnee took a 1-0 victory.
"Throughout the year we’ve played with a lot of heart and when you get into the postseason it becomes more difficult to score goals," Monroe head coach Steve McKenzie said after the game. "These guys fought through a lot of difficult elements and it’s very tough playing Mercer County.
"Princeton did a good job executing what they wanted to do and capitalized on our mistakes."
An early mistake put Monroe in a hole midway through the first half.
Making a run out of the back, senior sweeper Zach Theinert’s pass was intercepted at around midfield. With numbers countering, Princeton’s Sam Kotowski made a run down the right sideline and eventually fired a shot at senior goalie Mike Rettberg at the top of the box.
Rettberg blocked the shot, but couldn’t control the ball. The deflection caromed over to an unmarked Ross MacDonald to the left of the net, who one-touched the goal past a diving Rettberg (six saves).
Despite holding an 8-4 shot advantage in the first half, Monroe went into halftime with a one-goal deficit.
"We were dominating in the first half, anybody who was watching the game could see that," Theinert said. "But when we don’t finish the ball, that’s what happens. They get a chance and finish and we’re behind a goal.
"They were playing kick-and-run and got one goal and the game changed."
For Monroe, a one-goal deficit has been one of those, ‘been there, done that’ situations.
But rarely have the Falcons fallen behind by two goals.
In the game’s 61st minute, another counter by Princeton led to a goal for Javier Ramirez to make it 2-0.
"They did a good job executing on our mistakes," McKenzie said. "It was hard for us to get quality shots on goal, so going down by two was very difficult to overcome."
The Falcons weren’t without opportunities early in the second half.
Theinert’s corner kick to senior Mike Buffalino led to a shot over the crossbar and sophomore Brendan Sebastian’s direct kick was flicked and eventually hit the bottom of the crossbar and was punched out by Princeton goalie Jason Barber.
A few minutes after falling behind by two, Monroe was able to finally take advantage of a set piece. Theinert’s corner was run onto by junior Ivan Barreto, who headed it into the upper left corner to bring Monroe to within one.
"We got the first goal and it felt like we could come back," Theinert said. "It was just tough to deal with. The chances were there and we couldn’t finish. It happens sometimes."
A couple diving stops by Rettberg from point-blank range kept Monroe within striking distance, but the Falcons just couldn’t net the equalizer.
"Rettberg saved his best game for last," McKenzie said. "He played outstanding. The game could have easily been three, four to nothing. We just couldn’t deliver offensively."
For Rettberg and many of the seniors, it was an emotional end to a season that delivered the program’s first GMCT Championship since 1993 and led to another 20-win season.
"I’m going to remember the season for the rest of my life," Rettberg said. "This is the greatest season of soccer I’ve ever played with the greatest team I’ve ever played with.
"If we won this, the season would have been a little sweeter. But this season was pretty sweet."

