Penns Grove soccer shakes the effects of a two-game funk just in time for the playoffs, beats Clayton behind Ortiz’ hat trick
THURSDAY’S SCORES
BOYS SOCCER
Penns Grove 7, Clayton 1
GIRLS SOCCER
Penns Grove at Clayton
Salem at Winslow
By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News
CARNEYS POINT — All it took for the Penns Grove soccer team to get back on track was coach Mano Massari reminding them who they are.
The Red Devils beat Woodstown for the first time in years last week and as these things sometimes do they started feeling full of themselves.
Their next two games were dull at best, losses that threatened their chances for a first-round home playoff game.
A meeting between Massari, assistant coach Jesus Lopez and the captains, then with the players and a one key lineup switch and they were right back on track.
That brought them to Thursday. The Red Devils scored two goals in the first six minutes, Juan Ortiz had a hat trick and they went on to rock Clayton 7-1 in a game that ended by rule with 18 minutes left in the clock.
They the Red Devils (10-6-1) did more than just talk about what needed to change. Massari flip-flopped two players in the lineup and it produced immediate results.
Right wing David Adu switched places with left back Denis DePaz and it produced three goals. DePaz opened the scoring with his first career goal and notched a second nine minutes into the second half. Adu scored midway through the first half to make it 3-0.
Cameron Vile also scored in the first half.
The other three goals came from Juan Ortiz, moving him within one of tying the single-season school record. The junior forward now has 25 goals. Sebastian Reyes scored 26 goals for the Red Devils in 2017.
The win gave the Res Devils their first 10-win season under Massari.
GIRLS SOCCER
CLAYTON 1, PENNS GROVE 0: Audrina Giglio scored the game’s only goal in the first half.
This story will be updated.
Top photo: Penns Grove’s Richie Vichi (22) tries to control the ball between two Clayton defenders.
