Both top-seeded Schalick and No. 2 Woodstown fall in PK shootouts in South Jersey Group I boys soccer semifinals
SJ GROUP I SEMIFINALS
Haddon Twp. 2, Schalick 1 (4-1 SO)
Palmyra 2, Woodstown 1 (4-2 SO)
FRIDAY’S SECTIONAL FINALS
South: (4) Haddon Twp. at (3) Palmyra
Central: (9) Brearley at (3) Middlesex
North I: (2) Waldwick at (1) Emerson Boro
North II: (11) Verona at (1) Glen Ridge
By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News
PITTSGROVE – Brody Beals was as surprised as anyone that he was in the shootout lineup in his team’s biggest game of the year.
After all, he’s only a freshman and he hasn’t taken a penalty kick all season.
But there he was, the fourth Haddon Twp. player on the spot, just six yards separating him and the Hawks from their moment of glory.
Beals buried his shot into the right side of the goal to clinch the shootout and give the Hawks a 2-1 victory over top-seeded Schalick in the South Jersey Group I boys soccer semifinals.
“I have no idea how that got determined; I didn’t expect to kick a PK, actually,” he said. “I felt a little bit of pressure. (When it went through) it was such a great feeling for my team, all these seniors, trying to keep their seasons alive (in) their last go at it. I was just super happy to get the win.”
The Hawks (14-6-2), who beat Schalick 1-0 on an early goal in the opening round of the Coaches Cup two weeks ago, didn’t miss in the shootout. They picked up on Schalick keeper Evan Sepers’ preference for diving to his right, so they kept shooting it to their right. Sepers, meanwhile, figured they all couldn’t go the same way.
Eamonn Sheehan, who got a PK past Sepers in the second half for the tying goal, got the Hawks started. Gabe Chatten and Mason McCarthy also put it into the right side setting the stage for Beals’ clincher.
“The first penalty taker was the same kid who took their penalty and I felt like he wasn’t going to go the same way twice, but he did, and I guessed the wrong way. And I kept guessing wrong way. It’s just unfortunate,” Sepers said. “I’m thinking they’re not all going to go the same way, but they did.”
Schalick’s shooters tried mixing it up. Jaxon Weber missed wide to his right, Mike Nelson was stopped on a relatively straight shot with HT keeper Collin Feeley favoring his left side, and Eli Cummings’ shot flew left over the crossbar.
“They just took very solid penalties,” Cougars coach Joe Mannella said. “Once that first one goes in and we miss our first one the pressure intensifies quite a bit. It kind of just got the best of us, I think.”
In a match that had all the markings of a sectional final in the semis, the teams battled strong winds as much as themselves all game. Actually, the Cougars were getting the better chances – and more of them – through regulation.
The Cougars (19-3) broke on top when Oscar Hernandez finished off a Luke Price rebound a little over 10 minutes into the second half. The Hawks tied it on Sheehan’s PK inside the right post after a Haddon Twp. player was dragged in the box. Weber hit the crossbar with a long left to right shot with 6:10 left in regulation.
“I thought our guys played as good as they possibly could; best game of the year, especially considering the other team and the situation,” Mannella said. “One of these times I want to be on the side of the team that gets outplayed and then wins the shootout.
“I’ve never been on that side, always the other end of it and it kind of sucks to have these guys in that situation, but overall they did what we set out to do other than win. They played a great game, outplayed I think a very good team. Unfortunately, it happens.”
PALMYRA 2, WOODSTOWN 1: The Wolverines were looking to make a little history, but their dream of reaching the sectional final for the first time since 1996 was dashed in a penalty kick shootout.
Palmyra (13-7), the No. 3 seed, won the shootout 4-2 after the teams played to a 1-1 tie through regulation and overtime. Cole McCamy, Connor McCann, Jaden Jennings and Jaxon McCamy all hit for the Panthers.
Grant Prater and Erich Lipovsky hit Woodstown’s first two attempts in the shootout. Panthers keeper Deakon Haines stoned Adrian Ibarra on the third attempt and Ben Lippincott shot high with the fourth.
Palmyra took a 1-0 lead in the second half on a goal by Jaxon McCamy. The second-seeded Wolverines (16-5) tied it on a goal by senior Dante Holmes with six minutes left in regulation. It was Holmes’ third career goal, all in the last three playoff games.
The loss snapped Woodstown’s six-game winning streak that included coach Darren Huck’s 300th career coaching win.
Riverview Sports News 