Boys Soccer – SCT: O’Donnell’s Golden Goal Lifts Freehold Twp. Over Jackson Memorial

Written by Robert Pratka
SSN Correspondent

FREEHOLD TWP. - Freehold Township beat Jackson Memorial, 2-1, Tuesday in the Shore Conference Tournament quarterfinals but needed overtime to do so.  Winger Chris Orrico delivered the assist on the golden goal by Sean O’Donnell with 2 minutes left in the first half of overtime. Orrico struck a ball in from the side looping over Jackson freshman keeper Joe Weinstein and finding O’Donnell’s head.

Jackson Memorial senior Mike Schoener opened the scoring in the third minute by taking the ball from midfield and driving up the left wing, cutting in to his right and slotting the ball past the Patriot’s goalie. Schoener was amongst the action for most of the game as he played a lone forward and pressured the Township defense.

The game was rather slow throughout with long balls practically every 10 seconds and it took until the 60th minute for Township to equalize. Matt Nastarowicz headed in a Sean O’Donnell corner as he rose above everyone else in the box.

Schoener had the last attempt to break the deadlock as he was played through, but Freehold Township goalie Josh Nastarowicz stopped the breakaway sending the game into extra time.

Freehold Township dominated for most of the game, taking shot after shot on goalkeepers Nicholas Kinzler and Weinstein. Weinstein played the second half and overtime producing an incredible save on an Adrian Barajas’s free kick and punching out corner after corner.

“It was the best feelings in the world, you know we work hard as a team for these moments and I’m glad that this run is bringing us closer together,” Orrico said. “There is no better feeling than hard work paying off and we can’t wait to be back out on the field again.”

Freehold Township looks to be hitting top gear as they rumble onto Central Regional, the site of Thursday’s SCT semifinals. Searching for their second SCT title in three seasons, the Patriots are only two more wins away. However, divisional rivals Marlboro stand in their way and last time out, the two teams couldn’t be separated in a 2-2 draw.