NJSIAA Tournament

Sectional Finals

Central Jersey Group III

(2) Toms River South 2, (1) Ocean 1

Senior Dustin Urbaczek scored the go-ahead goal in the 62nd minute and the Indians (17-5-2) beat the Spartans (18-4-2) to capture their third consecutive sectional championship. Urbaczek poked in a flicked header by sophomore Shane Kluxen, with the ball crossing over the line just before Ocean keeper Max Winters cleared it away.

Kluxen also assisted the first goal of the game, which came just 1:07 into the match. Kluxen lined a cross from right to left and classmate Jack Seitz headed it to the right corner of the goal.

Ocean equalized in the 15th minute when junior James Schutz headed in a free kick by junior Zach Sintic. The Spartans appeared to grab a 2-1 lead in the 58th minute, when Santieno Harding was called for a foul just before poking the ball into the goal.

Toms River South will play Mainland in a rematch of last year's Group III semifinal, which Toms River South won. The teams will again meet at Toms River North on Tuesday night.

 

Central Jersey Group II

(1) Holmdel 6, (2) Monmouth 0

Junior Anthony Arena recorded a hat trick and assisted another and initiated an own goal to lead the Hornets (20-1-1) past the Falcons (15-10) to their sixth sectional championship and second in three years.

Arena drilled a direct kick in the 11th minute to open the scoring and converted a penalty kick in the 33rd to stretch the lead to 2-0 after Cyrus Darvish drew the foul in the box. The junior scored his 34th goal to cap the hat trick in the 63rd, with Darvish assisting the goal to make the score 5-0.

Holmdel's third goal came 2:23 before the half on an own goal. Arena sent a cross toward the back left post and while fighting Holmdel and a strong wind for the ball, Monmouth freshman goalkeeper wound up with the ball in the net.

Senior Mikey Neff and sophomore Eric Hinds each added a goal for Holmdel, with Arena assisting the sixth goal by Hinds.

Holmdel will take on Delran in an anticipated Group II semifinal Tuesday at Hopewell Valley High School.

 

(1) Highland Park 5, (2) Asbury Park 1

Felix Rojas scored two goals less than a minute apart and Highland Park (16-3-2) all-time leading scorer Jonah Beberman hit a free kick from just inside midfield to key the Owls to a win over the Blue Bishops (15-5-1) for their first ever sectional championship.

Rojas hammered a free kick off the far right post and in to put his team ahead, 2-0, with 25:34 left to play and one-timed a corner kick from Ethan Gildenberg 55 seconds later to stretch the lead to three goals.

Luckenson Joseph pulled Asbury Park back to within two goals with an upper-90 strike from the top of the 18-yard box in the 66th minute, but Beberman put the game away with a 50-yard free kick that Asbury Park freshman goalkeeper Woodley Cagilus mishandled into the goal.

That error was one of few that Cagilus made while playing an otherwise standout game in goal. The freshman saved 10 shots and helped keep the Blue Bishops within striking distance before a pair of goals in the final 11 minutes put the game on ice.

Highland Park opened the scoring in the 49th minute when Ian Hammond knocked in a corner kick by Gildenberg, who also assisted the fifth Highland Park goal, scored by Harry Peska in the 72nd minute.

Highland Park will play Glassboro Tuesday at Paul VI High School in the Group I semifinal.

 

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