One Short: SPF Soccer Loses to Chatham in North 2, Group 3 Final

While it was no surprise that last year's senior-dominated boys' soccer team advanced to another North 2, Group 3 final, it was a bit of an overachievement for a much younger, inexperienced squad to reach that same plateau this season. However, the ninth-seeded Raiders did get that far again before falling to second-seeded Chatham 3-0 Thursday at Chatham's Cougar Field.

As the season's campaign entered its midpoint, it appeared that Scotch Plains-Fanwood might fall short of a winning record, let alone have a chance of doing any damage in the county and sectional tournaments. The Raiders were just 2-6-3 after falling at home to eventual Union County Conference-Watchung Division champion Westfield 1-0 on Oct. 8. Adjustments were made, players gained more confidence with the experience of each game and then Scotch Plains-Fanwood made its move.

After consecutive ties against conference foes Cranford and Plainfield, the Raiders went on a six-game winning streak to reach the Union County Tournament semifinals as the seventh seed.

Then Scotch Plains-Fanwood downed third-seeded Johnson 1-0, winning a penalty kick shootout 6-5 in seven rounds. Last year, Scotch Plains-Fanwood lost to Westfield in the semifinals 4-3, losing a seven round penalty kick shootout 4-3.

Next, the Raiders won their first two state games, with the second one a 2-1 decision at top-seeded South Plainfield after Scotch Plains-Fanwood won another penalty kick shootout 3-1.

Heading into the UCT final against top-seeded and favored Westfield, the Raiders were 7-0-4 in their last 11 games, although nine of them were wins, with the games they won by penalty kick shootout counting as ties instead of victories.

In the UCT final, Scotch Plains-Fanwood came back to tie the game late and gave Westfield all it could handle before falling in overtime. Scotch Plains-Fanwood then went to Nutley and blanked the fourth-seeded Raiders 2-0 in Monday's sectional semifinal.

Chatham ultimately proved too much for Scotch Plains-Fanwood on Thursday, sparked by a defense led by junior Matt Proto, junior Thomas Stephan, senior Jack Eisenreich and senior Nate Bard. They consistently cleared the ball and pushed it back up field, often preventing the Raiders from getting beyond the 25-yard line, especially in the first half.

Still, it was more than a fine season for Scotch Plains-Fanwood. The Raiders finished with a winning record of 10-8-7, they managed to tie Westfield once in regular season play, they reached the UCT final for the first time in three years and they got back to the North 2, Group 3 final.

"I couldn't be prouder of this team," Scotch Plains-Fanwood head coach Tom Breznitsky said. "They did a fine job this season."

Breznitsky said he is looking forward to 2011, his 37th season at the helm. He said he expects 20 of his 23 players to return. He will begin next year with 596 career wins.

Four more wins will make him the fourth coach in state history to reach 600, with the others being present coaches Miller Bugliari of Pingry, Gene Chyzowych of Columbia and Brian Gibney of Shawnee. Bugliari, whose first year was 1960, and Chyzowych, whose first year was 1964, have more than 700. Gibney, whose first year like Breznitsky's was 1975, has more than 640.

Chatham, which also shut out 15th-seeded Barringer 7-0 in the first round, seventh-seeded West Morris 1-0 in the quarterfinals and third-seeded Mendham 3-0 in the semifinals all at home, improved to 21-1-1 with its fourth straight victory.

The Cougars will next take on North 1 champion Montville Tuesday at 5 p.m. at Ridge High School in Basking Ridge in a Group 3 semifinal.

Chatham tied its first match of the year and then won 17 straight before falling to Montville 1-0 in overtime Oct. 30 in the championship game of the Morris County Tournament in Roxbury.

Chatham had Scotch Plains-Fanwood on its heels a bit as soon as Thursday's match started and dominated possession of play for most of the first half.

"To a degree we were a little lazy," Breznitsky said. "We were waiting for the ball to come to us."

Scotch Plains-Fanwood sophomore goalkeeper Vincenzo Bianco made back-to-back, acrobatic, leaping saves 20 minutes into the match. Twice he tipped headers over the crossbar.

Bianco, who played well and finished with 10 saves, had no chance to prevent Chatham's first goal, which came with 2:03 left in the first half. Chatham initially pushed the ball closer to the 18, but it was headed toward a Scotch Plains-Fanwood player, who was ready to head it away.

However, instead of the Scotch Plains-Fanwood player heading it away, the ball grazed off the head of a Chatham player, with another Chatham player then able to pass the ball to the right flank. There, senior Conner McMahon – on a 2-on-1 – passed the ball inside the box to an open Trip Burke, with the junior blasting a right-footed shot into the goal.

Scotch Plains-Fanwood managed just two shots in the first half, the first a header by sophomore Morgan Ellman that went wide right after the first Raider corner kick and the second by junior Alex Markovits, which went right to Chatham senior goalie Brian Ballard.

"We weren't in our usual game in the first half," Breznitsky said.

Chatham was not as dominant in the second half and Scotch Plains-Fanwood began to create some opportunities. However, the Cougars struck again to make a Scotch Plains-Fanwood comeback that much more difficult. Senior midfielder Conor Goepel received a pass in the box and blasted a strong, right-footed shot into the left side of the goal to give his team a 2-0 advantage midway through the second half.

Scotch Plains-Fanwood came right back and had a strong shot from beyond the 18 that bounced off the crossbar with 10 minutes left. Junior forward Michael Daly had a header go wide right of the goal with 6:25 remaining.

The Raiders kept on pushing and produced another shot that almost went off the crossbar and just missed going in.

Then Bianco came out of the goal and came all the way up to give Scotch Plains-Fanwood another offensive player. He took two free kicks that were sent inside the box, but the Raiders were unable to put the ball in the net.

Chatham was then able to get the ball past Bianco, with Goepel putting the ball in an empty net from long range to make it 3-0 with 3:20 remaining. After he got back in goal, Bianco made one more kick save with 1:30 left.

"We gave a heck of an effort at the end," Breznitsky said. "We felt we could get here and were playing with a lot of confidence. Nobody expected us to be in the county final or in the sectional final, but we managed to reach both."

NORTH JERSEY, SECTION 2, GROUP 3 FINAL

AT COUGAR FIELD IN CHATHAM

9-SCOTCH PLAINS (10-8-7)              0        0      - 0

2-CHATHAM (21-1-1)                         1         2     - 3

FIRST HALF:

CHATHAM: Goal – Trip Burke. Assist – Conner McMahon.

Time of goal: 37:57. Chatham leads 1-0.

SECOND HALF:

CHATHAM: Goal – Conor Goepel. Assist – Trip Burke.

Time of goal: 58:08. Chatham leads 2-0.

CHATHAM: Goal – Conor Goepel. Assist – John Gildersleeve.

Time of empty net goal: 76:40. Chatham leads 3-0.

SHOTS: Scotch Plains 7. Chatham 13.

GOALIE SAVES:

Scotch Plains sophomore Vincenzo Bianco 10.

Chatham senior Brian Ballard 5.

2010 NORTH JERSEY, SECTION 2, GROUP 3

BOYS' SOCCER

SEEDING: 1-South Plainfield. 2-Chatham. 3-Mendham. 4-Nutley.

5-Colonia. 6-Millburn. 7-West Morris. 8-Irvington.

9-Scotch Plains. 10-Cranford. 11-Newark East Side. 12-Plainfield.

13-Parsippany Hills. 14-Belleville. 15-Barringer. 16-Newark West Side.

FIRST ROUND

Monday, Nov. 1

South Plainfield 8, Newark West Side 0 – at SP

Scotch Plains 2, Irvington 1 – at Irvington

Colonia 6, Plainfield 3 – at Colonia

Nutley 3, Parsippany Hills 1 – at Nutley

Mendham 3, Belleville 0 – at Mendham

Millburn 2, Newark East Side 1 – at Millburn

West Morris 2, Cranford 1 – at West Morris

Chatham 7, Barringer 0 – at Chatham

QUARTERFINALS

Thursday, Nov. 4

Scotch Plains 2, South Plainfield 1 (PKs 4-1) – at South Plainfield

Mendham 2, Millburn 1 – at Mendham

Chatham 1, West Morris 0 – at Chatham

Friday, Nov. 5

Nutley 2, Colonia 1 – at Nutley

SEMIFINALS

Monday, Nov. 8

Scotch Plains 2, Nutley 0 – at Nutley

Chatham 3, Mendham 0 – at Chatham

FINAL

Thursday, Nov. 11

Chatham 3, Scotch Plains 0 – at Chatham