Boys Soccer – Jackson edges Lacey in Overtime

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Overtime had not been kind to the Jackson Memorial boys soccer team prior to its Shore Conference Class A South game Friday against Lacey, the No. 10 team in the Shore Sports Network Top 10. Although a 0-2-1 mark in three previous overtime matches has hurt the Jaguars’ overall record, the three battles served to prepare them for Friday’s crucial game.

Senior Jordan Hodges scored the golden goal from close range with his left foot with 47 seconds left in the first overtime period and Jackson Memorial topped Lacey, 1-0, to jump the Lions for second place in Class A South behind Toms River North.

Jackson Memorial battled Toms River North to a scoreless draw on Sept. 19 but dropped its next two overtime matches. The Jaguars lost to Toms River South, 1-0, in the first minute of overtime on Oct. 3 and two days later, lost 1-0 to Manalapan on a goal that came in the final minute of the first overtime period.

“One thing we’ve talked about after those two losses is coming out strong in overtime,” Hodges said. “The most important part of overtime is the first five minutes because usually, teams are going to come out hard, and we have to be able to be the team with more energy. We didn’t score until later, but we were able to set the tone in the first few minutes.”

Friday against Lacey, the Jaguars both started the overtime with more energy and figured out how to close it as well. Jackson Memorial took the last seven shots of the game to polish off a 12-5 advantage in shots and outshot the Lions 3-0 in 9:13 of overtime play.

[onescreen item="5148389"]“I definitely felt (a goal) coming,” Hodges said. “We hit the post a few times, and we were in their end a lot late in the game.”

The shot barrage finally paid off in the 90th minute off a throw-in by senior Garrett Muzikowski from the right sideline. Pat Squeo tracked Muzikowski’s throw-in on the right side of the 18-yard box and crossed the ball to the far post. Justin Kritou left his feet to head the ball to the middle and after taking a touch to control the ball, Hodges struck a left-footed shot over the head of Lacey goalkeeper Paul Lynch and into the upper netting.

“Jordan has been playing really well for us this year, and it’s really been on both sides,” Jackson Memorial coach Steve Bado said. “He scored the winning goal against Toms River East to beat a good team, so he’s shown he can score against tough competition. He’s very active as a defender in the midfield, and he can be very disruptive. He gives 100 percent for an entire game and finds a way to contribute, which is exactly what you want as a coach.”

Two of Jackson Memorial’s 12 shots drew the iron of the goal frame during regulation. Hodges hit the left post on a shot from the right side of the 18-yard box in the 11^th minute and late in the second half, the ball hit the Lacey crossbar on a shot that ricocheted off the head of a Lacey defender.

Jackson Memorial also put four shots on Lynch prior to the goal, including a dangerous strike by Muzikowski in the opening minute that Lynch snared before it sneaked inside the near left post.

Lacey had limited opportunities against Jackson Memorial’s defense, but did keep possession in the midfield for much of the game. Once in the attacking third, however, the Jaguars back line – led by senior sweeper Anthony Provini – protected goalkeeper Devyn Josko, who made three saves to earn the shutout.

“The main thing was to keep the ball wide on the big field,” said Bado, whose team lost at Lacey, 2-1, on Sept. 23. “Their strength is up the middle and they really won the fifty-fifty balls up the middle when we played them at their place, so we thought it was best to get the ball to the sidelines and have one of our forwards or midfielders take them in space.”

Jackson Memorial entered Friday behind Lacey in the standings coming off of a 3-0 loss to Toms River North on Wednesday that severely damaged the Jaguars’ hopes of an outright division title.

“I wasn’t sure how my team was going to respond after that loss to Toms River North,” Bado said. “They deserved to beat us, but we went down there thinking it was going to be a one-goal game either way, and they just beat us. It was definitely disappointing, but I’m really proud of our guys for putting it behind them and going back to work.”

“We’ve looked at the math (to win the division), and it’s going to be hard to do at this point,” Hodges said. “But that doesn’t mean we can’t go out and try to keep winning. If we do that, we’ll give ourselves as good a chance as we can.”

Box Score

Jackson Memorial 1, Lacey 0

Goals (Assists): Hodges (Kritou) 90’
Shots: Jackson Memorial, 12-5
Saves: (L) Lynch 4; (JM) Josko 3