By Rich Fisher, Sports Editor
You think the weather has been unseasonably hot?
Check out the Cranbury School boys soccer team, which has been hot in season.
The Vikings defeated Pond Road, 5-1, on Monday for their third straight victory in a five-day span. Scott Barbano opened the scoring on an assist from Aidan Passannante, and Zach Halliday then scored the second goal and assisted Barbano on the third. Alex Rifkin and Callahan O’Meara also scored with assists from Elliot Wilson and Kellen Kenny.
Last Friday, Wilson scored two goals, Cliff Mawn had a goal and an assist and Halliday tallied off a feed from Alex Rifkin as the Vikings beat MacFarland, 4-0.
In the JV game, Cranbury won, 4-0, as Rifkin, Mike Papakonstantinou, Alden Reyes and Kenny all had goals. Papakonstantinou scored on what varsity coach Sean Cox called “a monster shot from midfield.” Adam Durner, Kenny and Brandon Carreno had assists.
Last Wednesday, the varsity took a 2-1 win over Pond Road as Halliday took a pass from Mawn and scored the game-winner on a break-away with 30 seconds remaining. The other goal came from Passannante, who scored off a feed from Halliday.
The JV fell, 4-0 against Pond Road.
GIRLS SOCCER
Despite losing to MacFarland, 2-1, last Friday, coach Meredith Montenare said “it was an unbelievable game.”
”In the beginning of the season, we lost 7-1,” Montenare said. “Even though we lost again, it was only by one goal. It was scoreless at halftime, which indicates tremendous improvement.
”But it is still very difficult to keep momentum when there are only two players coming in to substitute.”
Logan O’Meara got moved up to forward and responded by scoring the team’s lone goal.
On Monday, Cranbury lost to Pond Road, 5-0.
”They are incredibly talented this year,” said Montenare, whose team dropped to 5-3-1.
FIELD HOCKEY
The school’s newest team tied Community, 1-1, and dropped a 3-0 decision to Pond Road.
”That doesn’t sound good,” coach Cathy Elliott said. “But considering they beat us 7-1 in our first outing, we played extremely well defensively. Our goalies (Haley DeSimone and Ally Rogers) did a fantastic job.”
