Boys Soccer – Thorsheim’s Strike at 77′ Puts CBA in Non-Public A Final

VOORHEES TWP. - Matt Thorsheim has scored enough big goals in his three varsity soccer seasons at Christian Brothers Academy to suggest the junior center midfielder usually knows what he is doing.

Even Thorsheim, however, would not have guessed that the shot he took in the 77th minute of his team's NJSIAA Non-Public A South championship match at Eastern High School against St. Augustine was going to find its mark. When it did, CBA's money scorer did not know how to react.

Thorsheim buried a shot to the far side netting from along the endline on the right side with 3:31 left to break a tie and give CBA - the top seed in the section - a 2-1 win over the No. 3 Hermits. The Colts will play for the overall Non-Public A title Sunday at Kean University at 10 a.m. against Delbarton (22-1).

Photos by Larry Murhpy, Sports Pix NJ

"From that angle, I was just trying to be dangerous," Thorsheim said. "I saw the keeper come out and I just tried to get the ball to the front of the net."

Thorsheim won the ball 30 yards away from the goal in the 77th and played it on the ground to Ryan Nigro, who was just popping up off the ground after a tackle on him. Nigro one-touched the ball out wide and Thorsheim ran it down as goalkeeper Matt Heist came off his line to attempt to retrieve the ball.

"Nigro somehow got up really quickly and play the ball wide and I was able to split the two defenders," Thorsheim said. "After that, I just got lucky."

Thorsheim got off a shot over Heist as both were falling to the ground and the ball tucked inside the far left post and into the side netting. Thorsheim, whose post-goal routine normally entails running to celebrate with the CBA bench or student section, stayed on the ground in near disbelief after watching the goal go in.

"We were getting chances and it was only a matter of time before we got one to go in," Thorsheim said. "They got a breakaway that they missed and we knew we got a break. It felt like we were close and to see one go in was definitely a relief."

The goal was the second of two for Thorsheim, who converted a penalty kick in the 56th minute to break a scoreless tie. Thorsheim was fouled turning back toward the goal along the endline on the left side of the field and after a long delay because of a substitution, Thorsheim buried the kick to the right side of the goal.

St. Augustine equalized in the 68th on a penalty as well. Nigro was whistled for a handball inside the 18-yard box and Connor Lindsay hit a shot just out of the reach of a diving CBA keeper Aedan Boriotti to tie the game.

Less than a minute after the equalizer, Niko Basolis broke loose for a one-on-one chance against Boriotti, but fired a shot wide of the far left post.

CBA will seek its sixth Non-Public A championship Sunday morning and first since a 21-0 season in 2011. Coach Dan Keane - coach for 38 seasons and all five prior titles - will be coaching in his final game.

Box Score

CBA 2, St. Augustine 1

Goals (Assists): (SA) Connor Lindsay (PK) 68’; (CBA) Matt Thorsheim (PK) 56’, Matt Thorsheim (Ryan Nigro) 77’
Shots: CBA, 11-4
Saves: (SA) Matt Heist 4; (CBA) Aedan Boriotti