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Boys Varsity Soccer


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News (11)

2019 Boys Soccer Outlook (Suburban Family)


Updated on 06/10/2022

HADDONFIELD BULLDAWGS 

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Center midfielder Tommy Mollis is primed for a big senior season after recording 11 goals and 12 assists as a junior to make the All-South Jersey and all-conference first teams. He is the orchestrator of a dangerous offense that also includes senior forward Geno Mariano (six goals, three assists), junior forward Alessandro Meucci (four goals) and sophomore forward Christian Ball, who had eight goals and three assists in an impressive rookie campaign. Seniors Connor Fell and Hadi Mohammed are experienced players in the midfield, and returning starters on defense are seniors Cole Roddy and Mike Zappetti. Players hoping to compete for the starting goalie position include juniors Henry Courtney and Declan Malcarney and sophomore Joe Lamb. 

OUTLOOK: The Bulldawgs gave eventual champion Delran a test in the sectional semifinals before finishing with a 15-7 record. After finishing second in the Colonial Conference Liberty Division, they have the potential to reclaim the crown and put together a playoff run as well.

The Heart of Haddonfield Boys Soccer (South Jersey Sports Weekly)


Updated on 06/10/2022

Seniors Tommy Mollis and Cole Roddy provide talent, leadership and experience for the Bulldawgs

By

MIKE MONOSTRA

September 5, 2019

Tommy Mollis gains control of a loose ball during Haddonfield’s game last Tuesday against Triton. Mollis is coming off a 2018 season where he tallied 23 points for Haddonfield and was named first team All-South Jersey at midfielder.

Senior Tommy Mollis and Cole Roddy were just named two of Haddonfield boys soccer’s captains this season, but they’ve been leaders for the program since the first time they pulled on a jersey.

“Coach Nixon always preaches leadership,” Roddy said.  “Even as we were coming up through the program, we were always taught that the older guys and the younger guys have to take responsibility.”

Mollis and Roddy entered the 2019 season as a formidable duo in the Haddonfield lineup. Mollis is coming off a season where he tallied 11 goals and 12 assists as the Bulldawgs’ center midfielder, while Roddy has established himself as Haddonfield’s leader on defense, using his speed and instincts to clear balls out of the the Bulldawgs’ end of the field.

Beyond their contributions on the field, however, head coach Ryan Nixon believes the leadership of Mollis, Roddy and the team’s other seniors is crucial to the program’s success in 2019.

“They’re really trying to take the younger guys under their wing,” Nixon said. “They’re doing a really nice job of that.”

Last year, Mollis established himself as a top-tier player in South Jersey. Starting at center midfield at the varsity level for the first time, Mollis took advantage of the opportunity and was a strong contributor on both sides of the ball. His efforts earned him a first team All-South Jersey selection.

“After last year, starting there, I’m a lot more comfortable in that role now,” Mollis said. “I feel like that’s more my position to play.”

While Mollis has already been honored as one of South Jersey’s top players, Nixon believes Roddy could join him this year as an All-South Jersey player with his ability to keep opponents from getting quality scoring chances on the net.

The biggest change in Roddy’s role this year is how he’s become a more vocal leader on the back line.

Cole Roddy strikes the ball on a penalty kick during Haddonfield’s game last week against Triton. Roddy is the vocal leader of Haddonfield’s young defense in 2019.

“I think a lot of the younger guys are starting to pick it up as far as understanding their positioning,” Roddy said. “I just try my best to make sure we’re organized and in the right position to help keep goals out of the net.”

While acknowledging how Mollis and Roddy are two of Haddonfield’s most talented players, Nixon added the pair’s work ethic may be what sticks out more than anything, calling both players the “heart and soul” of the Bulldawgs’ lineup.

The pair’s heart and work ethic could be seen in what was a disappointing opening game last Tuesday against Triton. The Bulldawgs fell, 5-2, after a series of defensive miscues allowed the Mustangs to pull away early and lead nearly the entire game by multiple goals.

Despite the disappointing outcome, Mollis and Roddy played the entire 80 minutes as if it were overtime of a playoff game. One example came early in the game. With Haddonfield down 2-0, Mollis muscled his way past multiple Triton defenders and got the ball into the box before being tackled, earning Haddonfield a penalty kick. Roddy would score on the penalty kick for the Bulldawgs’ first goal.

Later, with Haddonfield down, 5-2 and the outcome decided, Roddy showed why it’s important to continue competing until the final whistle. On one play in the offensive end, he dribbled his way past multiple Mustang defenders and fired a shot that deflected behind the Triton goal, earning Haddonfield a corner kick.

Neither play made a difference in the outcome of the game, but it was an example of both players’ heart and it didn’t go unnoticed by Nixon, who said Mollis and Roddy personify Haddonfield’s philosophy of playing 100 percent, even when the team is down.

“One of the really positive things about this team and over the last couple years is I’ve been really fortunate and blessed to have kids who never quit,” Nixon said. “It doesn’t matter what the score is.”

It also doesn’t matter what outsiders think of Haddonfield’s performance in the season’s opening game. Mollis and Roddy recall how Haddonfield also had a lopsided loss, 6-2, loss against Sterling early in the 2018 season. The Bulldawgs went on to win their next four games in a row and finished the year with a 15-7 record and a trip to the semifinals of the South Jersey Group 2 playoffs.

“We don’t really listen to the expectations coming from the newspapers and stuff like that,” Mollis said. “We set our own expectations.”

“We always have the same expectations,” Roddy added about the team’s goals. “Every game we’re going to come out and compete.”

South Jersey Mean-15 for September 10th (Courier-Post)


Updated on 06/10/2022

Opening week for most teams is in the books.

While the season is just beginning, here are the first regular-season Mean 15 rankings:

Boys' soccer

Mean 15 rankings - Sept. 10

1. St. Augustine (1-0). The Hermits rolled to an easy 8-2 win over Malvern Prep (Pa.) to kick off what could be a promising campaign.

2. Washington Township (1-1). A 2-0 loss to a good Christian Brothers Academy program, the first regular-season loss for the program in almost two years, shouldn't dampen high expectations for the Minutemen.

3. Delran (1-0). Four different goal scorers tallied for the Bears in their season-opening victory over Northern Burlington.

More: Boys soccer: South Jersey Players to Watch in 2019

4. Shawnee (2-1). A big win over Seneca and a close defeat to Washington Township highlighted a strong opening week for the Renegades.

5. Rancocas Valley (2-0-1). The Red Devils have shown some offensive firepower to start the 2019 campaign with 11 goals in three games.

6. Glassboro (2-0-1). The Bulldogs have outscored opponents 8-0 so far this season and have a big matchup coming with Schalick on Wednesday.

7. Triton (2-1). Aiden Sommers tallied four times in two victories to start 2019 for the Mustangs.

8. Haddonfield (2-1). A loss to Triton was a tough pill to swallow but a bounce-back 3-1 win over Hun got the Haddons rolling in the right direction.

9. Seneca (0-2). Though competitive in both games so far, the Golden Eagles dropped contests to Shawnee, 2-1, and Bishop Eustace, 3-2. A tough contest Tuesday against Cherokee is next.

10. Haddon Township (2-0-1). Despite a tie with Williamstown, the Hawks have outscored opponents 16-1 through three contests.

11. Williamstown (1-0-1). Goalkeeper Gunner Hoffman made 10 saves in a season-opening tie against Haddon Township.

12. Moorestown (3-0). The Quakers scored two impressive victories in the opening week: 4-1 over Bordentown and 1-0 over Northern Burlington.

13. Mainland (1-0). Ryan Pellegrino and Nick Bozzi combined for four goals and two assists in a win over Vineland.

14. Clearview (3-0). The Pioneers outscored opponents 13-1 and beat a strong Kingsway program for a good first week.

15. Eastern (1-0-1). What will prove to be a tough campaign for a mostly rebuilt Vikings program began with a 4-0 shutout over Paul VI and a 1-1 tie with Lenape.

Under consideration: Bishop Eustace (2-1), Kingsway (2-1).

Haddonfield Fights Off Adversity (NJ.com)


Updated on 06/10/2022

Boys Soccer: Haddonfield fights off adversity to keep unbeaten streak alive in OT win

Geno Mariano (9), pictured in earlier action this season, scored the game-winning goal for Haddonfield Saturday morning.

Al Amrhein | For NJ Advance Media

Geno Mariano (9), pictured in earlier action this season, scored the game-winning goal for Haddonfield Saturday morning.

By Brian Deakyne | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Like a prized fighter, Haddonfield absorbed one major blow after another from Northern Burlington over the final 20 minutes of regulation, but refused to hit the mat.

After a promising first 40 minutes, things went awry for Haddonfield in the second half when a two-goal lead was quickly erased with Northern Burlington knocking on the door late for a game-winning goal.

But it was Haddonfield that delivered the knockout blow after withstanding all that pressure, earning a 3-2 double-overtime win Saturday against Northern Burlington in a big, early-season non-conference game in South Jersey.

Geno Mariano was the hero for Haddonfield, heading down a service from Christian Ball in the 93rd minute to seal the win and send the Bulldogs into a euphoric celebration.

“I knew Christian was going to put a good ball in,” Mariano said. “I was just trying to head it down low and hard and it went in.”

In a tale of two halves, it was Haddonfield that raced out of the gate and took a 2-0 lead on an early goal from Connor Fell in the seventh minute and penalty conversion in the 39th off the foot of Tommy Mollis.

But that script flipped dramatically in the second half when Northern Burlington drew even on the scoring touch of Robby Kokotajlo and Austin Lovenduski.

Northern Burlington drew within a goal in the 43rd minute when Kokotajlo played Lovenduski into space and he sliced a shot inside the left post to make it 2-1.

In the 55th minute, Kokotajlo was taken down from behind inside the box and Lovenduski calmly converted the penalty to equalize.

With momentum promptly on its side, Northern Burlington pinned its ears back and went on the attack over the final 25 minutes of regulation, but the tie-breaking goal never came.

“I think we just came out flat, we weren’t really connecting passes or anything,” Mollis said of Haddonfield’s second-half struggles. “Eventually when they tied it, we brought everyone together and said that we had to start connecting on passes and move the ball.”

Extra time gave Haddonfield a moment to recollect itself, re-establish its play in the middle third and a rejuvenated effort followed. The Bulldogs’ play was crisper throughout, its buildup was connected and that led to the game-winner when Ball was played into the corner and his cross cut through the box and found Mariano in the perfect spot.

“We just came together as a unit,” Mariano said. “We’ve been playing together since we were little kids. As a senior — I’ve talked to some other other leaders on the team, the other seniors — we have to make this last year special. We had to turn it around. It’s been great.”

Since a disappointing 5-2 loss to open the season against Triton, Haddonfield hasn’t lost, producing a 4-0-1 record over its last five games and playing like the true South Jersey, Group 2 title contender that it was expected to be out of the gate.

“We don’t really listen to what other people say," Mollis said. "How we lost to Triton 5-2 in the opener, we don’t really care what the newspapers say about us after that loss. We just had to come out and prove that we’re the team that we know that we are.”

Even when Northern Burlington controlled the possession numbers in the second half and won a majority of the 50/50 balls in the process, Haddonfield was dangerous in the counter attack and getting Mollis and Ball out into open space moving forward.

Fell’s goal, which came early to give Haddonfield the start it desperately wanted after playing to a 2-2 tie with West Deptford two days earlier, was a tap-in goal after Hadi Mohammed pinned a shot off the crossbar. The ball dropped to Fell outside the goal line and he punched it into the netting to put the Bulldogs up. Mollis’ PK late in the half came after he was pulled down in the box.

Northern Burlington fell under .500 with the result, but don’t be fooled: this is a team built for a deep postseason run. The Greyhounds’ other losses came against two top-level programs in the Burlington County Scholastic League: No. 9-ranked Delran and Moorestown. Northern Burlington’s quality level of play in the second half proves it has the ability to play with any team on the schedule this year.

Jake Hentnick made six saves for Northern Burlington and Jacob Strasser turned away five shots for Haddonfield.

Brian Deakyne may be reached at bdeakyne@njadvancemedia.com

South Jersey Mean-15 for September 17th (Courier-Post)


Updated on 06/10/2022

It's mid-September and soccer season is getting into full swing.

Here are our latest Mean 15 rankings for South Jersey.

1. St. Augustine 3-0 (Last Week - 1). The Hermits are averaging five goals per game so far this season.

2. Delran 3-0-1 (3). The Bears battled to a tie with Rancocas Valley on Sep 10. before scoring two more wins to round out their week.

3. Washington Township 3-2 (2). Two 1-0 victories this week coupled with a 1-0 loss to Lenape showed the Minutemen's talent to compete in close games but they are still searching for some scoring depth.

4. Shawnee 2-1-1 (4). Andrew Kitch tallied the lone Renegade goal and Daniel Ferrer turned away four shots in a 1-1 tie with Eastern.

5. Rancocas Valley 2-1-2 (5). A 1-1 tie with Delran last Tuesday proved the Red Devils are ready to hang following a rough 2018 season.

6. Haddonfield 4-1-1 (8). The Haddons played a lot of soccer this week, which included three games overall and two that went into overtime with them splitting them all (2-0-1).

7. Clearview 5-0 (14). Following a statement week one victory over Kingsway, the Pioneers added another this week over Williamstown.

8. Kingsway 4-1 (NR). Two wins boosts the Dragons into an appearance on the Mean 15. Sean Fatiga tallied two goals and two assists in those contests to boost their offense.

9. Triton 4-1 (7). With their 2-1 win over Delsea on Friday, the Mustangs are now 3-0 against Tri-County Liberty Division competition.

10. Eastern 2-0-2 (15). The Vikings staked their claim to a higher spot in the Mean 15 with a hard-fought tie against talented Shawnee.

11. Haddon Township 4-0-1 (10). The Hawks have allowed only two goals this season as they continue to roll out of the starting gate.

12. Glassboro 3-0-2 (6). The Bulldogs kept their undefeated start to 2019 going with a win over Penns Grove and a tie with a tough Shalick program.

13. Schalick 4-0-1 (NR):. A 1-1 tie against Glassboro vaulted Schalick into a spot on the Mean 15 in week two. The Cougars have been impressive to start 2019 with four or more goals in four of five games.

14. Williamstown 2-1-1 (11). The Braves hung in there but a good Clearview program handed them their first loss this week.

15. Moorestown 3-2 (12). A 3-0 start to the season took a turn as the Quakers dropped two contests by a combined 6-2 final. A key contest with Rancocas Valley on Wednesday looms on the horizon as a chance to bounce back.

Under Consideration: Lenape (1-1-2), Cherry Hill East (3-1-2)

Daniel Spevak is a freelance reporter for the Courier-Post. He can be reached at (856) 486-2420 or cpvarsity@gmail.com  Help support local journalism with a Courier Post subscription.

South Jersey Mean-15 for September 24th (Courier-Post)


Updated on 06/10/2022

September is quickly coming to a close and the state tournament isn't far off now.

Which teams are the top in South Jersey as the season's first month is completed?

Here are our latest Mean 15 rankings:

1. St. Augustine 5-1 (Last Week - 1). The Hermits have allowed only two goals to in-state competition this year and their only loss was a close 2-1 defeat to Salesianum in Delaware.

2. Washington Township 5-2 (3). Two strong victories over No. 6 Haddonfield and Cherry Hill East gave the Minutemen wins in four of their last five contests.

More: Boys soccer: South Jersey Players to Watch in 2019

More: H.S. girls' soccer: Mean 15 rankings for Sept. 23

3. Clearview 8-0 (7). The Pioneers claimed a season-defining win over a very good Delran program and also toppled Kingsway thanks to two goals from Jack Accorsi, who has a team-leading 11 on the season.

4. Delran 5-1-1 (2). A 2-1 week was slightly dampened by a shutout loss to Clearview, but the Bears still possess a ton of talent and appear poised for another strong run.

5. Shawnee 5-1-1 (4). The Renegades tallied their first two shutouts this season with Aidan Giquinto picking up a hat trick in a victory over Cherokee.

6. Haddonfield 4-2-2 (6). A 3-0 loss to Washington Township suggests that while the Haddons are a good program, they may have a little bit more room to grow to be a top five team in the region.

7. Kingsway 5-2 (8). The Dragons competed well this week with a close loss to Clearview and a 2-1 win over a solid Williamstown team.

8. Haddon Township 6-0-1 (11). Two more shutouts brings the Hawks' total to five this season, including three in a row.

9. Glassboro 6-0-2 (12). A 3-0 week in which the Bulldogs flashed their offense (14 combined goals) kept the Bulldogs spotless in the loss column

10. Schalick 6-0-1 (13). The Cougars edged out a win over Woodstown before a commanding 6-0 victory over Gloucester Catholic wrapped up the week.

11. Williamstown 3-2-1 (14). The Braves hung with Kingsway in a tight defeat but scored a competitive 1-0 win over Triton to keep their stock on the rise.

12. Triton 5-2 (9). A tough loss to Williamstown showed how tight the Tri-County Conference is right now. The Mustangs did flash some scoring depth with five different players tallying in a 5-0 win over Highland on Sept. 17.

13. Cherry Hill East 5-2-2 (NR). A win over Eastern and barely losing to No. 2 Washington Township boosted the Cougars to a spot on this week's list.

14. Eastern 4-1-2 (10). Two wins marked a strong week for the Vikings but a tough 3-0 shutout defeat to Cherry Hill East dampened the mood just a bit.

15. Moorestown Friends 5-1 (NR). Four wins in a row, including one over former No. 15 Moorestown has the Foxes riding high.

Under consideration: Florence (6-0), Moorestown (4-2), Northern Burlington (5-3)

Daniel Spevak is a freelance reporter for the Courier-Post. He can be reached at cpvarsity@gmail.com or (856) 486-2420.

Home Grown: Nixon wins 100th game as Haddonfield takes a big step forward (NJ.com)


Updated on 06/10/2022

Haddonfield vs. Triton boys soccer, Sept. 3, 2019

Al Amrhein | For NJ Advance Media

Haddonfield's coach, Ryan Nixon, watches as his players warm up before the Haddonfield vs. Triton boys soccer game at West Deptford Park, Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2019.

 

Humble and sincere to his core, Ryan Nixon tried to deflect the praise and credit thrust his way after a crucial late-September win Thursday afternoon.

Standing on the same ground that molded him as a player years ago, Nixon was drenched with water after a thrilling 2-1 win over longstanding South Jersey power Rancocas Valley.

That win itself was critical for a Haddonfield team hoping to make up ground in the South Jersey, Group 2 state tournament field and eager to earn a spot in the upcoming South Jersey Soccer Coaches Association Tournament.

But those considerations paled in comparison to the biggest celebration taking place at Haddonfield Stadium postgame after Nixon won his 100th game.

“I’ll be honest with you, it’s been all about the kids during that time,” Nixon said. “As I told them after the game, I’ve never kicked a ball in those 100 victories. I’ve always just been so lucky to have great kids, really hard working kids from great families. To do it here, at my alma mater is a really big deal to me and just giving back to this place that I loved so much when I was growing up. It’s special.”

Nixon has been blessed with enormous talent during his short tenure, but to win 100 games in a little more than six seasons is no small feat.

Even if it took longer than expected to reach with 12 days in between wins 99 and 100.

“It was amazing,” Haddonfield midfielder Connor Fell said. “We were looking for it three games ago because we tied, tied, then lost. It’s been on our minds for a while to do it for him.”

BOX SCORE

A minute before the goal, Nixon had a conversation with Fell after a turnover, but he went right back to work to give Haddonfield the lead.

“I think he showed today why we put an armband on him before the year,” Nixon said. “I’m not sure how many people expected him to be a captain. He’s willing to put his head where some players probably won’t and get stuck into some challenges that a couple other guys won’t. That was a difference in the game for me."

Haddonfield doubled down on its lead in the 57th minute off a quick counter as Tommy Mollis found Fell who hit a streaking Christian Ball along the left wing.

That goal came after a dangerous sequence for Rancocas Valley that forced keeper Jacob Strauss to make two big saves and became even bigger 14 minutes later when Rancocas Valley cut the deficit to one.

 
It was Haddonfield’s first win over Rancocas Valley since Sept. 15, 2017 when Jack Dugan netted an overtime game-winner on the road. That year, Haddonfield was one of the best Group 2 teams in the state and a win like this proves that this team has that capability, too.

“There are certain landmarks along the way that we don’t want to just stop and take a gander at,” Nixon said. “We want to go and attack and try to conquer them. Today was one of those days. When you play a team like RV, you really have that game circled on your schedule.

“Our goal every year is to get one of the higher seeds if not the top seed in South Jersey, Group 2 and I feel like you really have to win a game like this to be one of those teams that’s in the mix for that spot.”

Nixon pointed toward Rancocas Valley and the program that coaches Damon Petras and Rob Craig have created and cultivated as the bar in South Jersey.

But in his first six seasons, Nixon averaged 16 wins each year and made a couple of trips to a sectional title game. Haddonfield, like Rancocas Valley and Delran and Washington Township is one of those banner programs south of I-195 and doesn’t appear to be going anywhere anytime soon.

“The fact that we’ve remained competitive in the last seven seasons has spoken to the culture and the work that we’ve put in during that course of time,” Nixon said. “To be honest, look at RV and what they’ve accomplished: a big Group 4, powerhouse program and they’re really at the level that we’ve always aspired to be.”

Brian Deakyne may be reached at bdeakyne@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @BrianDeakyne. Like NJ.com High School Sports on Facebook

South Jersey Mean-15 for October 8th (Courier-Post)


Updated on 06/10/2022

With the postseason getting closer, here are the latest Mean 15 soccer rankings.

1. St. Augustine 11-2 (Last Week - 1). A win over No. 4 Egg Harbor Township highlighted another strong week for the Hermits.

2. Clearview 12-0-1 (2). The Pioneers continue to impress with a tie against Washington Township in late September being their only blemish.

3. Delran 9-3-1 (3). The Bears lost two competitive games last week but to out-of-region opponents before picking up a solid 2-0 win over No. 12 Moorestown.

4. Egg Harbor Township 11-2 (7). A tough 1-0 loss to No. 1 St. Augustine prevented the Eagles from avenging their only previous defeat.

5. Kingsway 8-2 (9). A statement 3-0 win over previously-ranked No. 4 Washington Township gave the Dragons a big boost as we get closer to the home stretch.

6. Haddon Township 11-0-1 (8). The Hawks continue to play some of the best defense in the region. They now have four shutouts in a row and nine overall this season.

7. Shawnee 7-4-1 (8). An impressive win over Eastern ended a three-game losing streak for the Renegades.

8. Eastern 6-3-2 (5). The Vikings dropped a tough opportunity to stay above Shawnee but bounced back with a crucial double-overtime victory over Washington Township.

9. Washington Township 7-4-1 (4). With losses to Eastern in double overtime and Kingsway, the Minutemen have dropped four of their last six contests.

10. Schalick 11-0-1 (11). The Cougars avenged the only blemish on their record, a tie with Glassboro, by defeating the Bulldogs 3-1 last Wednesday.

11. Moorestown Friends 9-2 (13). A loss to Rancocas Valley on Sept. 5 still reflects the only loss for the Foxes versus in-state competition this season.

12. Moorestown 8-4 (14). The Quakers tallied a win over a solid on-the-fringe Northern Burlington squad and battled against Delran despite a loss. They now have wins in five of their last seven games.

13. Lindenwold 10-2-1 (NR). An under-the-radar season for the Lions is no longer going unnoticed following a big win over Haddonfield on Oct. 1.

14. Haddonfield 7-3-2 (6). The Haddons are in search of consistency above all else. They are 3-2-2 since Sept. 12.

15. Glassboro 7-3-2 (12). Losses to Woodstown and Schalick, which gives the Bulldogs defeats in three of four contests, has Glassboro on the brink of being knocked off the Mean 15.

Under Consideration: Florence (11-2), Williamstown (6-2-1), Triton (8-3), Cherry Hill East (6-3-3)

Daniel Spevak is a freelancer reporter for the Courier-Post. He can be reached at cpvarsity@gmail.com or (856) 486-2420.

First Round Games to Watch (SJ Times)


Updated on 06/10/2022

The longtime rivalry between West Deptford (7-8-3) and Haddonfield (10-5-3) continues in South Jersey, Group 2. The 11th-seeded Eagles and sixth-seeded Bulldawgs will play under the lights at Haddonfield on Tuesday at 7 p.m.

The teams tied 2-2 back on Sept. 12, and Haddonfield won 1-0 on Oct. 14 as Christian Ball netted the only goal. Nate Schultes has 10 goals and four assists for the Eagles; the Bulldawgs have several scoring threats, including Geno Mariano (nine goals, three assists).

By Matt Cosentino | For NJ Advance Media

Manasquan's Electric Offense Keys Victory (NJ.com)


Updated on 06/10/2022

By Brian Deakyne | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Defending set pieces — or a lack of doing so — nearly kept Manasquan out of the Shore Conference Tournament.

Three straight double-overtime losses in September all ended with Manasquan on the wrong end of a set piece and the Warriors haven’t forgotten that.

“We were scored on early in the season and we lost three double-overtime games on set pieces,” Manasquan midfielder Tommy Johnson said. “We’ve put that in practice, every single day, we’re defending set pieces. We always have a man on the front post, so we’ve been working on that.”

BOX SCORE

Manasquan faced a daunting test against a scrappy Haddonfield team that excels on set pieces Friday afternoon, but this time did the job out of the back. Johnson went for three goals and Manasquan’s back line stood tall in the second half to earn a 4-1 win in what could be its final home game of the season.

No. 3-seed Manasquan will play in the South Jersey, Group 2 semifinals on Tuesday against the winner No. 2-seed Oakcrest and No. 7-seed Barnegat.

Manasquan never trailed in Friday’s win, but had to work for everything that came its way. The Warriors hung on to a 2-1 lead for the first 25 minutes of the second half before Johnson struck for a pair of counter-attack goals, on assists from teammate Drew Greenblat, to put the game away and keep Manasquan’s state tournament run alive.

“They were winning a lot of head balls and that’s what they’re good out,” Manasquan coach Tom McGill said. “(Tommy Mollis) is one of the best guys around. I saw him the other night and I knew he was skillful but I didn’t realize he was that skillful and that fast with the ball. When we foul him, that’s the ying and the yang of it because they’re right on top of us. We did alright but they had a lot of head balls.”

Manasquan jumped ahead in the first half when Johnson, who was man-marked all game, broke free from a defender and worked the ball to his left foot to rip a shot under the crossbar in the 18th minute.

Haddonfield, which played a remarkably tough schedule in South Jersey and won a divisional title in the Colonial Conference, equalized quickly. Finn Morgan finished at the back post in the 20th minute off a low, hard service from Auden Yowler to get Haddonfield level.

But it was Manasquan, ultimately, that had the answer.

Simon Cardenas put Manasquan ahead for good in the 26th minute when he pulled the ball back to beat one Haddonfield defender and then struck a shot inside the left post to give the Warriors the 2-1 lead they would take into halftime.

That play began with Johnson, who beat his defender one-on-one with plenty of space to get in free on goal. Haddonfield keeper Jacob Strasser (seven saves) came off his line to deny Johnson a second first-half goal, but the ball made its way to Cardenas 30 seconds later and he finished.

“He just knows where to be and he and Greenblat have the symbiotic thing,” McGill said of Johnson. “Drew wasn’t even looking and he knew where Tommy was. We scored some good goals today. We usually don’t score goals like that, so that’s good. Simon played well, too.”

Haddonfield pinned its ears back and went for goal in the opening 20 minutes of the second half, but could never find the equalizer despite a few near-misses. That set up Johnson’s final two goals, four minutes apart, to send Manasquan into the next round.

Haddonfield had a pair of dangerous set pieces in that stretch, but couldn’t break through Manasquan’s back line.

“It’s all motivation and attitude,” Manasquan defender Chris Pierro said. “Before, we thought we were big shots and didn’t have to focus on the set plays. But we realized it’s really important for set plays, both offensively and defensively. Once we started to need to win games, we picked it up.”

Manasquan, which played in the Shore Conference Tournament final for the first time in program history two weeks ago, surprised some teams with its run to a South Jersey, Group 2 sectional final appearance last season.

This Manasquan team won’t sneak up on any teams.

“I don’t really look too much into that, but last year we weren’t expected to win,” Johnson said. “This year, getting back into it, I feel like from last year when we got to the sectional final, we want to do it again. We’re just working hard to keep going at it until the end.”

The experience of getting there, and playing in Delran in the championship game, will be useful for this Manasquan team entering next week.

“Last year, we were just feeling it out and no one was really used to making it far,” Pierro said. “Now we know what to expect and what type of teams we’re going to play. Now we know what we have to do to get the result against those teams.”

Manasquan was expected to be one of the best teams in the Shore Conference this season — and has proven to be — but this was no walk in the park. When the Warriors were under .500 in late September and staring at missing the Shore Conference Tournament, they kicked things into gear. The Warriors’ last loss came by way of a 5-2 result against No. 5-ranked Holmdel on Sept. 25.

“There was no doubt, there was real doubt,” McGill recalled. “Once we got into the tournament — we haven’t lost in 12 games — we were fine. There was never any bickering. It was stressful. We thought we were going to roll the ball out to play soccer this year and all of the sudden we lose three straight double-overtime games and we’re 3-5 and they moved the Shore Conference cutoff date to Oct. 4 and we’re like, ‘We have to win them all, boys.’ And we did.”

The loss ends a solid year for a Haddonfield team with a promising future. Ryan Nixon won his 100th career game earlier this year and a team littered with young and prospering talent battled for 80 minutes against a quality, championship-level team.

Brian Deakyne may be reached at bdeakyne@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @BrianDeakyne. Like NJ.com High School Sports on Facebook.

All-South Jersey Teams (Courier-Post)


Updated on 06/10/2022

SECOND TEAM

Forwards

Matthew D'Ottavi, Moorestown Friends, Jr.

Sean Fatiga, Kingsway, Sr.

Ahmad Brock, Egg Harbor Township, Jr.

Luke Leach, Seneca, Sr.

Midfielders

Christian Bonilla, Lindenwold, Sr.

Kevin Donahue, Clearview, Sr. 

Aaron Harrison, Glassboro, Sr.

Tommy Mollis, Haddonfield, Sr.

Defenders

Ethan Leacott, Rancocas Valley, Sr.

Ryan Cleary, Washington Township, Sr.  

Evan Schlotterbeck, Moorestown Friends, Jr.

Goalkeeper

Zac Moore, Woodstown, Sr.

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Daniel Spevak is a freelance reporter for the Courier-Post. He can be reached by email at cpvarsity@gmail.com or phone at (856) 486-2420. Help support local journalism with a Courier Post subscription.

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