Shore Conference Boys Soccer Wednesday NJSIAA Scoreboard, Nov. 1

NJSIAA Tournament

Sectional Semifinals

Central Jersey Group IV

(2) Howell 3, (14) Old Bridge 0

Junior Tyler Borenstein posted his first career hat trick to carry the Rebels past the Knights and into the Central Group IV championship game for the second time in three seasons.

Borenstein has been one of Howell's starting center backs for most of the season, but played on the wing of Howell's attack Wednesday with the Rebels missing both of their starting wingers -- senior Bryce Ocholla and junior Kam Brown -- due to injury.

With a chance to be more offensive-minded, Borenstein went to work in the 12th minute. He settled a cross floated into the box by fellow junior Nick Turturro, settled it inside the six-yard box, and knocked it past Old Bridge goalkeeper Chris Liberal.

Borenstein struck again in the third minute of the second half, winning a ball sent to the the top of the box by junior John Fiorillo and smoking it to the lower left of the frame, just inside the post for a 2-0 Rebels lead.

Howell put the game on ice in the 67th, then Nick Turturro ran down a long pass and carried it from midfield to the goal. When Liberal stepped to the ball, Turturro laid a pass off to Borenstein, who completed the finish and the hat trick.

Borenstein entered the game with two goals and five assists on the season.

Howell will travel to play top-seeded Princeton Saturday in the sectional championship -- a rematch of a 2021 first-round game in which Howell upset fourth-seeded Princeton on penalty kicks as a No. 13 seed. The Rebels went on to reach the sectional final and lost to Freehold Township.

(1) Princeton 2, (4) Monroe 1

Central Jersey Group II

(1) Holmdel 2, (5) A.L. Johnson 1 (OT)

Senior David Weiner converted the game-winning penalty kick in the first minute of overtime and the Hornets survived a late equalizer by the Crusaders to advance to the sectional final for the second straight season.

Martin Venezio pulled Johnson even with a left-footed shot off a cross into the box on the ground, tying the game at 1-1 with 5:20 left in regulation.

Holmdel's first run at the Johnson goal produced a throw-in near the left corner and Kieran Hynes drew a foul inside the penalty box to earn the potential winning kick.

Weiner -- who scored the winning goal in the previous round against Wall on a penalty kick in the 75th minute -- stepped to the spot and drilled a low strike into the right side of the frame to end it.

Holmdel jumped out to a 1-0 lead five minutes into the match on a goal by senior Frankie Brusco, who pounced on the ball after a quick touch by Joe Wang off a through-ball from Stephan Kapranov.

Holmdell will look to capture its second straight NJSIAA Central Group II championship Saturday, when the Hornets host No. 6 Manasquan. The two Shore Conference adversaries met in September in Holmdel, with the home team topping Manasquan, 3-2, in overtime.

(6) Manasquan 3, (2) Governor Livingston 2 (OT)

Junior Shayne Byrne scored the golden goal in the seventh minute of overtime and the Warriors pulled out a wild win over the Highlanders to earn a trip to Saturday's Central Group II championship game at top-seeded Holmdel.

All four regulation goals by Manasquan and Governor Livingston came in the final nine minutes of the second half. Junior Brandon Kunz gave Manasquan the first lead in the 72nd minute, when won a race against the goalkeeper to a through-ball from senior Lucas Farkas and poked it in for the icebreaker.

Blake Ortiz answered for Governor Livingston in the 74th minute when he stole the ball and ripped a 20-yard strike to make it 1-1.

Senior Cristian Gonzalez came back with a spectacular response, launching the ensuing center kickoff off the crossbar, then the goalkeeper and into the goal for a lightning-quick answer and a 2-1 Warriors lead.

Governor Livingston shocked itself back to life on a free kick by Emil Montes that found the mark and tied the game in the 79th minute.

In the 87th, Lucas Farkas sent a corner kick into the box, where Byrne lined up a volley and knocked it in for the clincher.

Manasquan will hope to avenge a 3-2, overtime loss to Holmdel when the Warriors head back to the scene of the defeat on Saturday. The game will mark Manasquan's first trip to a sectional final in five years.

Central Jersey Group I

(3) Shore 2, (7) Roselle Park 1

Senior Maxx Eichenbaum struck off a cross from junior Stephen Molnar in the 25th minute and sophomore Cooper Attaway added a critical penalty kick in the 55th as the Blue Devils held off the Panthers to punch their ticket to a second straight Central Jersey Group I championship game.

Shore will host College Achieve Central of Plainfield on Saturday at 10 a.m. in search of its second consecutive sectional championship.

(8) College Achieve Central 2, (4) South Hunterdon 1

South Jersey Group IV

(3) Toms River North 2, (2) Lenape 1

Senior Anthony Ruggiero scored twice in the first half and the Mariners held on to beat the Indians and reach the sectional final round for the fourth time in the last five seasons.

Ruggiero opened the scoring with a goal off a pass from senior Kosta Papanikolas, then extended Toms River North's lead to 2-0 off a set-up from senior Luke Montanile.

Lenape cut its deficit in half four minutes prior to halftime, but Toms River North's defense and goalkeeper Mike Vivolo held strong in the back to nail down the semifinal road victory.

Toms River North will attempt to win its fourth sectional title in five years Saturday, when the Mariners again take to the road -- this time to face top-seeded Washington Township. The Mariners went on the road and defeated Washington Township in last year's South Jersey Group IV quarterfinal round.

(1) Washington Twp. 6, (5) Rancocas Valley 0

UP NEXT: NJSIAA Public Sectional Finals

Saturday, Nov. 4 (Times to be announced)

Central Jersey Group IV

(2) Howell at (1) Princeton

Central Jersey Group II

(6) Manasquan at (1) Holmdel

Central Jersey Group I

(8) College Achieve Central at (3) Shore, 10 a.m.

South Jersey Group IV

(3) Toms River North at (1) Washington Twp.

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