NJSIAA Tournament
Sectional Finals

Central Jersey Group IV

(2) Manalapan 1, (4) Monroe 0

Senior Adam Weisberger hammered a shot in from close range in the fourth minute and the Braves held that one-goal lead for 76 more minutes to beat the Falcons and win the Central Jersey Group IV title for the first time since 2007.

Junior Mitchel Volis served a corner kick to the far right post and sophomore Rocky Garretson volleyed the ball back to the center of the goal mouth with a header. With the ball hanging in the air, Weisberger popped a one-timed shot from inside the six to open the scoring 3:57 into the match.

Just 1:30 earlier, the Braves hit the crossbar and only a minute after the goal, Monroe missed a clean look on a service to the back right post.

Senior goalkeeper Justin Terr made two saves as part of Manalapan's goalkeeper platoon and saved a near-post strike with 35 seconds left to help the Braves thwart Monroe's last push. Garretson also clear the ball off the goal-line and Mike McNicholas sent the ball forward toward midfield as the final 10 seconds ran off the clock.

Terr gave Monroe a chance to take the lead when he picked the ball up and put it back down in the 75th minute, giving Monroe a rare free kick inside the box. The shot sailed over the crossbar to end the threat.

Senior Mike Cavanaugh also saved two shots in the first half during his time in goal.

Manalapan will play South Jersey power and defending Group IV champion Washington Township (23-1) in the Group IV semifinals on Tuesday at Summerfield School in Neptune.

 

Central Jersey Group III

(1) Princeton 4, (6) Red Bank 1

The Little Tigers scored the equalizer before halftime and broke the game open with three second-half goals to beat the Bucs and win their fourth Central Jersey Group III title in the last six years.

Red Bank jumped out to a 1-0 lead on a goal by Sam MacPherson off an assist from Justin Gilson in the 24th minute. Princeton answered just before the half on a goal by Nick Kapp.

Princeton took the lead on an own goal early in the second half on a corner kick by Nick Halliday. Andrew Goldsmith scored off a Chase Ealy pass to take a 3-1 lead and Luis Lazo capped the scoring 47 seconds later.

Red Bank's season ends in the Central Jersey Group III  championship for the first time in program history after the Bucs reached the sectional final for the first time ever. Princeton, meanwhile will face Ocean City in the Group III semifinals Tuesday at Toms River North High School.

 

Central Jersey Group II

(13) Gov. Livingston 0, (7) Holmdel 0 (Gov. Livingston advances on penalties, 4-3)

After winning only four games during the regular season, the Highlanders outlasted the Hornets in penalty kicks to complete an improbable run and win the Central Jersey Group II championship.

Holmdel nearly won the game in the first overtime when Gino D'Agostino drilled a shot off the crossbar four minutes in. Menos Hiras also had a shot on goal denied in the first half for Holmdel.

Governor Livingston will take on South Jersey Group II champion Cinnaminson in the Group II championship.

 

Central Jersey Group I

(1) Shore 1, (2) New Egypt 0

Jake Friedland headed in a chipped ball into the box by Eric Bolsch for the game's lone goal in the 51st minute and the Blue Devils held on to beat the defending sectional champion Warriors to capture Shore's first boys soccer sectional title in 16 years.

Shore won the Central Jersey Group I title for the fourth consecutive year in 1998 and last appeared in a sectional final in 2008 in Central Jersey Group II.

Evan Coffey made five saves to earn the shutout and made a diving save on a shot by New Egypt leading scoring Nick Sample to preserve a scoreless game early in the second half.

Shore will play Haddon Township on Tuesday at Haddonfield High School in the Group I semifinals.

 

South Jersey Group IV

(2) Washington Twp. 1, (5) Toms River North 0

Derek MacKinnon scored off a corner kick midway through the second half of a scoreless game and the Minutemen held off a battle from the Mariners to win the South Jersey Group IV championship for the third consecutive season.

The Minutemen have now won 20 straight games and will play Manalapan in the Group IV semifinals on Tuesday at Memorial Athletic Complex at Summerfield Elementary School in Neptune.

 

South Jersey Group III

(1) Ocean City 2, (2) Toms River South 0

Donnie Vanmeter broke a scoreless tie with a goal in the 61st minute and Aaron King iced the game with a goal in the 73rd to lead the Red Raiders to their second straight sectional title by beating the Indians.

Ocean City will play Princeton in Tuesday's Group III final at Toms River North High School.

 

South Jersey, Non-Public A
At Eastern High School

(5) Notre Dame 5, (3) CBA 2

Rutgers University recruit Brian Dawkins scored four goals for the third straight game to open the NJSIAA Tournament and the Irish beat the Colts to win the South Jersey Non-Public A championship for the first time since 1997.

Dawkins scored four goals each against St. Joseph Metuchen and St. Augustine in Notre Dame's first two state tournament wins. Russell Romano scored to pull CBA within 2-1 late in the first half and Jimmy Cavanaugh cut Notre Dame's lead to 3-2 in the 67th before Hawkins tacked on two scores to put the game away.

Notre Dame will play the winner of Thursday night's North Jersey Non-Public A final between Don Bosco Prep and Delbarton in the overall Non-Public A final Sunday at Kean University.

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