After a pair of first half goals in the New Jersey State Final Saturday, Go Soccer SC and Jersey Shore Boca went deadlocked for the remainder of the contest, sending the match to overtime and eventually penalties. Jersey Shore would prevail 5-4 with a save in the final round, advancing to the Region I USASA tournament.
It marked the end of a dominant streak for 2011 Region I semifinalist Go Soccer FC, snapping their three-year run as state champions.
The win puts Boca one win away from a berth in the 2012 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup, as they will face the winner of Massachusetts champion Battery Park Gunners and Eastern New York representative Greek American Atlas on April 22. The state of New Jersey has never had a USASA representative in the Open Cup in the Modern Professional Era (1995-present).
The defending champions took the initial advantage approximately 15 minutes into the contest. They built it up along the right side through Chase Barbieri, who looked to cross, but played it back and eventually sent it to Chad Barbieri about 30 yards from goal in the middle of the pitch. Chad Barbieri then took a few touches towards goal and rifled a shot saved by the keeper to he left, allowing his brother to follow up and tuck in the rebound.
Tomas Banionis, also a star on the club’s over-30 side, leveled the score back up 20 minutes later.
The remaining hour of regulation and 30 minutes of extra time went fruitless for both sides. Go Soccer’s Dom Paolella would come out of the contest in the second half with a concussion and Robert Wynn would replace the injured Simon Muckle in overtime for Jersey Shore, which would also insert Christian Pontier at the close of the match for the upcoming tiebreaker.
Pontier and the rest of the Jersey Shore shooters converted all five attempts, but it was goalkeeper Robert Feeney coming up the hero. He stopped Go Soccer’s Matt Heitmann in the final round to give Dane Feeney the opportunity to clinch the win with his conversion.
New Jersey USASA State Championship
Go Soccer FC 1:1 Jersey Shore Boca
(Boca wins 5-4 in penalty kicks)
Scoring:
GS: Chase Barbieri 15
JSB: Tomas Banionis 35
Penalties:
GS: Chase Barbieri – goal, Dennis Maldonado – goal, Bryan Davis – goal, Chad Barbieri – goal, Matt Heitmann – saved
JSB: Rypan Sherman – goal, Vasili Foukarakis – goal, Christian Pontier – goal, John Carrozza – goal, Dane Hodge – goal
Lineups:
Go Soccer: Ryan Goehring; Collin Gumbiner, Matt Heitmann, Bryan Davis, Edgardo Alfaro; Jesus Gregorio (Oscar Araya 112), Dennis Maldonado, Chad Barbieri, Nathan D’Aversa (David Breines 50); Chase Barbieri, Dom Paolella (Ray Arce 60, Isaac Rodriguez 91)
Jersey Shore Boca: Robert Feeney, Rypan Sherman, Vasili Foukarakis, Dane Hodge, Simon Muckle (Robert Wynn 91), Chris Beekman, Andrew Hawtin, Nick Tarquinon (John Carrozza 46), Joe Sellitto (Dan Pires 46), Tomas Banionis, Andrew Cottrell – sub: (Christian Pontier 111 – unknown whom for)
Past New Jersey Open Cup champions
2011: Go Soccer FC
2010: Go Soccer FC
2009: Go Soccer FC
2008: SC Vistula Garfield*
2007: No entry
2006: Sport Club Portuguese
2005: Kappa Real Wyckoff
2004: Sport Club Portuguese
2003: SC Vistula Garfield
2002: ZPA Perth Amboy
2001: ZPA Perth Amboy
2000: SC Vistula Garfield
1999: SC Vistula Garfield
1998: SC Vistula Garfield
*Withdrew from Region I tournament before it began