SOCCER CLUB REPORT
The Hillsborough U9 Red Knights traveled up to Oldwick to face the Tewksbury Ligers and returned home as 4-1 winners.
On a sunny, but chilly afternoon, the Knights continued to exhibit the solid team play they have shown through most of the season and came away with an impressive win. Right from the start, the Knights were able to effectively work the ball through the Ligers’ defense. The team’s first opportunity came early, with Nicholas Palmer feeding Phillip Masiakowski for a terrific shot on goal that was narrowly stopped by the opponent’s keeper.
A few minutes later, defender Nicholas Manuelli managed to score from 25yards out with a solid shot off a ball kicked out by the Ligers’ defenders. The Knights threatened with many other first-half opportunities created through the solid passing of forwards John Agosta and Liam Jurkowich and several corner kicks from Phivos Christodoulides. Excellent defense from Nicholas Palmer and goalie Matthew Ludwig kept the Ligers to a shutout in the first half.
The Ligers returned to the field somewhat invigorated after the halftime break and increased the pressure on the Knights. The Knights remained steady in their game, though, and managed to get back on the board with an early goal from Prashant Subramanian. The Ligers threatened with some good shots in the third quarter, but after a couple of spectacular diving saves by goalie Trevor Mateyka, the Knights managed to keep the shutout going for one more period.
The Knights capitalized on two more opportunities in the fourth quarter. Panayiotis Christodoulides scored off a well-placed shot to the far end of the goal on a breakaway opportunity. Only a few minutes later, defender Nicholas Melfi scored another goal with a high arcing shot above the goalie’s head from 25 yards out. The Ligers managed to score their only goal midway through the fourth quarter when they converted on a loose ball coming off a corner kick.
Red Knights 1
Flemington 1
On a crisp November morning, the U9 Red Knights headed west for their first game of their young careers against the Flemington Fever. The boys’ style of play was very well coordinated and they played in the opponent’s half for most of the game. If not for the outstanding efforts of the Fever’s goalie, the Knights would have likely come away with another victory.
In the first half, the Red Knights played consistently with great teamwork and passing. On the front line, Prashant Subramanian, Chris Gacek, Phivos Christodoulides and John Agosta worked the ball up the field several times and finished with strong shots on goal, which were deflected by Fever’s goalie. On the defensive end, strong play by Nicholas Manuelli and Nicholas Palmer helped to limit to the Fever to only a few shots on goal in the half. Unfortunately, the Fever did manage to get in close on a rare defensive lapse and scored during the fifth minute of play.
Undeterred, the Knights continued to play their own game during the second half and maintained steady pressure on the Fever. Solid passing and playmaking by Nicholas Coira, Panayiotis Christodoulides and Nicholas Melfi in the midfield set up several goal-making attempts for the Knights, who continued to be foiled by the Fever’s goalkeeper until late in the game.
Early in the fourth quarter, the Knights finally tied the game as Phillip Masiakowski scored on a long throw-in from Liam Jurkowich. The Fever managed a few breakaway plays down the stretch, but were successfully denied by the excellent defensive play of goalies Matthew Ludwig and Trevor Mateyka.
Panthers 3
Hunterdon 0
The U12 Hillsborough Panthers upped their fall season record to 5-2-2 with an impressive 3-0 win over the Hunterdon United.
Hillsborough was again fueled by an outstanding defensive effort as the Panther fullbacks and midfielders kept the home team from generating any consistent attack. Ironically, fullback Nick Theodore had the first scoring chance as he took a Shane Nuara feed and shot just wide. The Panthers jumped out in front at the 20:00 mark as Nathan Paget started a Hillsborough corner with a cross into the lower box. Bryce Forke cashed in from there, directing the ball into the right hand corner for a 1-0 lead.
A Hunterdon counterattack nearly produced the equalizer but goalie Bryan Yaskowski came up with a pinpoint save. For the game Yaskowski extended his scoreless streak to three halves. Boro extended its lead minutes later as Ameer Metwally kept the ball in the upper box, and found Callum Humphrey on the offensive right wing and the Panther forward blasted it home for a 2-0lead.
The defense came out aggressively in the second half as Joe Spaniol, Theodore and Alex Tang continued to disrupt the United’s offense. Eric Boyer provided an insurance goal as his high, looping shot beat the Hunterdon keeper to extend the lead to 3-0. Varad Joshi provided a good offensive burst in the second half for the Panthers, and Evan Hawkes, Michael Troeller and Phil Rudio played solid midfield defense.
Roma 2
Livingston 0
The Hillsborough Roma boys’ U-12 soccer team recently hosted the Livingston Lizards on the high school turf on a beautiful fall day. Roma needed to come away with a strong showing today after some difficult prior games that didn’t swing their way.
Roma started out very strongly, playing through the Livingston defense to get some solid shots on their goal. Jordan Steiner, Danny Pankulics, Drew Brenn, Corey Cochran and Nick Tabernero used crisp passing and excellent footwork to get the ball open for shots. But nothing seemed to want to settle into the net, going just wide or getting picked off by the Lizard goalie on soft shots.
The Roma back line of Cameron Dennis, Greg Amato, Kenny Dundorf and Cochran did a fine job stopping up the Livingston offense. Roma keeper Ryan Papp was there to scoop up four shot attempts including a flying slide outside the box.
Hillsborough finally opened the scoring up in the second half when Pankulics settled a pass and brought it up the right side followed closely by two Livingston defenders. Pankulics managed to outpace the opponents and chip it over the approaching goalie. It didn’t have enough speed on it to make it to the net. Fortunately, Scott Timko was in a perfect position to knock it home for the go-ahead goal.
Roma continued to attack the Livingston net. Mike Liska, Gareth Dennis, Andre Confuorto and Timko worked the ball despite the physical intimidation Livingston tried to pull. At about the 53rd minute, Liska unleashed a high lofter from the 20-yard line that bounced off the post and into the net, giving Roma a more comfortable 2-0 lead. After that, it was a matter of the Roma defense of Jordan Gilberti, Tristan Gadson and Amato holding their lines to finish out the game.
Roma came away from the physical confrontation with a slew of injuries to the team, loose teeth from an uncalled high kick, a black eye from opponents both going for a header, a bloody nose and head injury from running into the steel bleacher seat. Despite these problems, all the Roma players deserve a big hand for playing their hearts outs and coming away with the solid win.
Blaze 2
Montgomery 2
On Sunday, Nov. 4, in a tale of two halves, the Blaze gave up a two-goal lead and had to settle for a tie in a disappointing match against the Montgomery Tornadoes.
In the first half, the Blaze dominated every aspect of the match, and Montgomery had no answer to Hillsborough’s superb ball control. In the opening minute, Alyssa Giarrusso and Alexis Pezza both registered solid shots on goal that were stopped by the keeper. At the three-minute mark, Allie Prosinski’s shot went wide to the right. Four minutes after that, a shot from Abby Seel was caught by the keeper. In the ninth minute, Giarrusso’s shot on goal was stopped by the keeper.
The offensive pressure finally paid off at the 13-minute mark when Pezza sent a smart pass back to Tessa Mayhew, who kicked it into the back of the net from 30 yards out. A minute later, Mayhew had another shot on goal, but it was blocked by the keeper. Pezza just missed knocking in the rebound. In the 18th minute, Giarrusso’s shot on goal was too high.
Three minutes later, pressure from Giarrusso caused a Montgomery player to send the ball to Mayhew, whose shot from 35 yards out to give Hillsborough a two-goal lead. In the 27th minute, Mayhew’s cross was nearly knocked in by Abby Hewel. A minute later, another Giarrusso shot went a bit too high. A minute after that, a shot from Prosinski couldn’t reach the back of the net, and in the 31st and 35th minutes, two Giarrusso shots on goal were stopped by the keeper.
The first 20 minutes of the second half were dominated by the Blaze, though they began to show signs of sluggishness. In the opening minute, Julie DiAlfonso rapidly brought the ball up the field and took a shot on goal that went wide right. In the sixth minute, DiAlfonso crossed the ball to Mayhew, whose shot went over the top post. At the 18-minute mark, Giarrusso sent a terrific cross in front of the Montgomery goal, but none of her teammates was able to knock it in. In the 20th minute, a shot on goal from Hewel went wide right.
A minute later, Montgomery caught the Blaze defense sleeping and scored on a breakaway. Four minutes later, Montgomery again caught Hillsborough off guard and drew the match even. In the remaining 15 minutes, as the Blaze struggled to take back the lead, shots on goal were registered by Katerina Albanese, Giarrusso and Hewel, but none found the back of the net.
Also contributing to keeping this one out of the loss column were Abby Goodrich, Ashley Landesman, Jacki Schwankert, Lauren Sochacki, Kristian Wasdick, and the newest addition to the Blaze roster, Sabrina Rodrigues.