Bordentown boys’ soccer toughening up for playoffs

BY: Sean Moylan Sports Writer
    Although last Thursday’s 6-0 loss at Moorestown was probably the Scotties’ worst defeat of the season, the Bordentown High boys’ soccer team should be in good shape entering next week’s NJSIAA state tournament.
    In the Moorestown game, the Scotties’ usually stingy defense surrendered three goals in each half to the Quakers. The first time Bordentown played Moorestown this season it lost just 2-0.
    One can blame a portion of the loss on just bad timing, as the Scotties’ had lost a hard-fought 1-0 decision to Delran at Joe Lawrence Park the previous day.
    Although he didn’t score, Scotties’ forward D.J. Kafer played very well against the Bears. And defensively the Scotties played an excellent game too. In fact, Delran’s Dominic Nocito scored his team’s lone goal on a second-half penalty kick with 33:50 remaining in regulation. Delran took nine shots while Bordentown shot eight times. Chris O’ Leary, however, made several brilliant saves throughout the entire contest and ended the game with eight saves.
    Bordentown (9-7-1) was scheduled to host Lawrence today (Thursday) but that game has been cancelled. Bordentown was scheduled to have played a game at Cinnaminson yesterday (Wednesday). Bordentown is scheduled at Rancocas Valley on Saturday, in what should be the ultimate playoff warm-up game.
    FLORENCE
    Locally, the Florence High boys’ varsity soccer team suffered a tough 1-0 loss at Riverside last Friday. Riverside’s Heider DaSilva’ scored the only goal. Florence’s goalkeeper Zach Ronyack played well and had seven saves.
    Florence, which failed to qualify for the post season this year, was scheduled to have hosted Pemberton in a night game this past Tuesday. Unfortunately, that contest was rained out and will not be rescheduled. Mike Flynn’s Flashes are scheduled to finish up their season with a home game versus New Egypt today (Thursday). The two teams are friendly Patriot Division rivals who enjoy playing and competing against one another, so it should be an entertaining contest.
    NBC
    With a 2-0 road victory over Collingswood on Monday, the Northern Burlington County Regional High boys’ varsity soccer team picked up its second win of the season.
    “They were okay and they had some decent players but we had the better of play,” said NBC coach Tim Tedesco.
    And as one might expect, NBC’s best player Brandon Korneluk set up both of the Greyhound goals. Early in the second half, he crossed a gorgeous pass to Nico Belardo who netted the game winner. Then off a corner kick, Korneluk found an open Mike Anzengruber, who took the ball out of mid air and then knocked in an insurance goal.
    “Mike (Anzengruber) had a nice finish,” added Tedesco.
    NBC probably should have won by more but Collingswood’s goalie Bob Voigt stopped 15 out of the 17 shots which came his way. NBC’s Steve Fenstermacher made five saves to post the shutout.
    “Their goalie made a bunch of decent saves,” said Tedesco, who was happy to see his boys win their second game of the year. “We’ve never stopped trying.”
    NBC was trying in a 3-0 loss to the Falcons at Burlington Township last Friday. That was a 1-0 game much of the way until the Falcons posted a pair of second-half goals.
    The Greyhounds were certainly giving their all in a heartbreaking 1-0 overtime loss to the Pirates at Cinnaminson on October 22. Fenstermacher came up with 11 saves in that one and kept a very good team off the board for over 80 minutes before Brian Hill delivered the game winner. While the Greyhounds’ defense was sharp the whole contest, NBC got off just nine shots on goal and couldn’t score.
    “We’ve lost eight 1-0 games this year. It’s ridiculous,” said Tedesco, who, as a practical person who never looks at things through rose colored glasses, knows his team has to score more to win. “We’re not that good, obviously. We’ve won just two games and lost (15) and tied 2. We’ve been better than most of the teams we’ve played (from goal box to goal box), but we just don’t put the ball in the net. It’s disappointing for the boys.”
    This season, Tedesco’s club has only lost one game by more than four goals and that was when it lost a 7-0 decision to Rancocas Valley earlier in the season. But RV is ranked as one of the best soccer teams in the entire Nation and the next time the Greyhounds played the Red Devils they lost by one goal. The score, of course, was 1-0.
    Tedesco credits his assistant coach Rob McMullen for encouraging his players and keeping them thinking positive thoughts.
    After a decade’s worth of phenomenal success as the Greyhounds’ boys varsity soccer coach, Tedesco was prepared for his first real rebuilding year.
    “We knew it was going to be tough because 16 out of our 19 varsity players either graduated or moved,” said Tedesco, who ironically, coached NBC’s boys’ varsity track and field team to one of its finest seasons ever last Spring.
    Tedesco knew that he had Korneluk and a solid veteran goalie in Fenstermacher, who would keep his team in most of its games. He also knew he had a rising star in Ryan Walsh.
    “Ryan Walsh has played well. He’s been our leader on the field,” said Tedesco. Walsh will surely be the team’s leader next season too
    NBC will try to finish its season on a high note today (Thursday) as it is scheduled to host Bishop Ahr.