SP-F Soccer Third Seed in Union County Tournament

There were no surprises as far as the top three seeds for this year’s boys’ soccer Union County Tournament.

The top seed went to undefeated Cranford (9-0), with the second seed going to Westfield (6-1) and the third seed to Scotch Plains (6-1-1).

The seeding meeting took place Thursday night at Brearley High School in Kenilworth.

Cranford, the only unbeaten, untied team remaining in the county, earned the top seed for the first time. The Cougars have never won the tournament and last appeared in the championship game in 2002 when they lost to Scotch Plains 1-0.

Westfield last reached the championship game and last won the title in 1996 when the Blue Devils defeated Rahway 3-1 in the final.

Scotch Plains has won the most UCT crowns with 14, while present head coach Tom Breznitsky has led the Cougars to their last 12. The Raiders failed to reach the championship game last year for the first time since 1996 and last won the title in 2007.

Cranford improved to 9-0 Thursday afternoon, defeating non-conference foe Rumson-Fair Haven 5-0 at home. Rumson was 5-2 before the match.

The deciding factors in Cranford getting the nod for the top seed, Westfield getting the second and Scotch Plains the third were Cranford beating Westfield 1-0 in Westfield on Sept. 17 and Westfield defeating Scotch Plains 2-1 in Westfield on Sept. 23.

Scotch Plains and Bridgewater-Raritan played to a 0-0 tie Tuesday in Scotch Plains.

The Cougars have outscored their first nine opponents by an impressive 38-3 margin that includes six shutouts. The most goals Cranford has allowed in a game so far this year has been one. The Cougars have also not needed overtime to win any of their games so far.

The closest Cranford came to overtime was a 2-1 win at home over Union Catholic Sept. 25 at Walnut Avenue School. Cranfords’ Nick Pace snapped a 1-1 tie when he scored on a header inside the penalty box with just seven seconds left in the second half.

Senior captain and forward Pat Hartnett leads Cranford with 13 goals, while senior goalkeeper Scott Boyer has been in goal for almost 100 percent of the team’s six shutouts and has earned all nine victories in net, giving him 48 for his career.

“Our kids have met every challenge so far, so I think the top seed is well-deserved,” fifth-year Cranford head coach Mike Curci said. “The win over Westfield was huge.”

Ray El-Khoury scored on a pass from Josh Barrera 17 minutes into the match to lift Cranford past Westfield. Boyer made six saves for the shutout.

It was Cranford’s first win over Westfield since 2004.

Cranford is scheduled to host Scotch Plains on Oct. 28, according to the Scotch Plains schedule on www.highschoolsports.net. Cranford’s schedule on the same Web site lists the game to be played at Cranford’s Memorial Field on Oct. 29.

“I’m proud of the way we’re playing,” Curci said. “We’re playing great and now we’ll see what we can do in the tournament.”

Cranford lost in the quarterfinals the past two years to the eventual champion. In 2007, the eighth-seeded Cougars were defeated at top-seeded Scotch Plains 3-2 after being outscored in penalty kicks 4-3. In 2008, seventh-seeded Cranford lost at second-seeded Elizabeth 1-0.

“Two years ago this group had a chance to see the old group make that first run, which was a 15-win season and a first-ever conference championship,” Curci said.

Cranford’s 2007 Mountain Valley Conference-Mountain Division crown was the first title of any kind the boys’ soccer program captured.

Cranford won 15 games again last year, finishing 15-6 and reaching the Central Jersey, Group 2 quarterfinals. This year the Cougars are back in North 2, Group 3.

“Last year many of these players stepped into the starting lineup and surprised a lot of people,” Curci said. “They now have a lot of experience under their belts and are playing better and smarter. That experience could very well make the difference when the time comes to play these big games.”

There will be one prelim match, which will be 17th-seeded Roselle Catholic at 16th-seeded Union Catholic. That match must be completed before Oct. 10, with the winner to play at top-seeded Cranford on Oct. 10, which is the day of the eight first round games. Those matches will be played at the higher seeds and at various times.

Westfield will host 15th-seeded Brearley and Scotch Plains will host 14th-seeded Dayton in other first round matches on Oct. 10.

Another first round matchup that day pits ninth-seeded Summit at eighth-seeded Elizabeth. In last year’s championship game at Johnson, Elizabeth edged Summit 1-0. It was the first time Summit was in the title contest since 1981. Summit last won the UCT in 1980.

The quarterfinals are set for Oct. 17, also at the higher seeds and at various times.

The semifinals will take place Oct. 23 at Johnson in Clark, with the bottom side of the bracket game (the lower seeds) set for 5 p.m. and the top side of the bracket game (the higher seeds) set for 7 p.m.

The championship game is scheduled for Oct. 31 at 5:30 p.m. at Johnson.

Players on both teams that night will be dressed as soccer players for Halloween. 

2009 UCT BOYS’ SOCCER SEEDS:

1-Cranford (9-0)

2-Westfield (6-1)

3-Scotch Plains (6-1-1)

4-Union (4-2-2)

5-Governor Livingston

6-New Providence

7-Johnson

8-Elizabeth

9-Summit

10-Linden

11-Plainfield

12-Rahway

13-Oratory Prep

14-Dayton

15-Brearley

16-Union Catholic

17-Roselle Catholic 

PRELIMINARY ROUND

Match to be played before Oct. 10

17-Roselle Catholic at 16-Union Catholic, 4 p.m. 

FIRST ROUND

Saturday, Oct. 10 at various times

TOP SIDE OF THE BRACKET:

12-Rahway at 5-Governor Livingston

13-Oratory Prep at 4-Union

9-Summit at 8-Elizabeth

17-Roselle Catholic/16-Union Catholic at 1-Cranford

BOTTOM SIDE OF THE BRACKET:

11-Plainfield at 6-New Providence

14-Dayton at 3-Scotch Plains

10-Linden at 7-Johnson

15-Brearley at 2-Westfield 

QUARTERFINALS

Saturday, Oct. 17

Matches at the higher seeds at various times. 

SEMIFINALS

Friday, Oct. 23 at Johnson

Bottom side of the bracket match, 5 p.m

Top side of the bracket match, 7 p.m. 

FINAL

Saturday, Oct. 31 at Johnson

Semifinal winners, 7 p.m. 
 

BOYS’ SOCCER

UNION COUNTY TOURNAMENT

CHAMPIONSHIP GAME SCORES SINCE 1994

2008: Elizabeth 1, Summit 0

2007: Scotch Plains 4, Elizabeth 0

2006: Scotch Plains 4, Union 2

2005: Elizabeth 4, Scotch Plains 3

2004: Scotch Plains 1, Union 0

2003: Linden 1, Scotch Plains 0

2002: Scotch Plains 1, Cranford 0

2001: Scotch Plains 1, Johnson 0

2000: Scotch Plains 1, Johnson 0

1999: Union 2, Scotch Plains 0

1998: Scotch Plains 2, Cranford 0

1997: Scotch Plains 3, Elizabeth 0

1996: Westfield 1, Rahway 0

1995: Johnson Regional 2, Union 1

1994: Governor Livingston 2, Westfield 1 

NOTES: Scotch Plains has won a record 14 titles, 12 under present head coach Tom Breznitsky. The Raiders made it to the championship game 11 straight seasons from 1997-2007, winning eight times in that span.

Elizabeth won its first crown in 2005 and its second in 2008. The Minutemen have appeared in three of the last four finals and the last two.

Linden won its first and only title in 2003.

Union won its fourth championship in 1999, with its first three coming in 1967, 1978 and 1990.

Westfield last won the title when it last reached the championship game, in 1996.

Cranford has never won the championship and last reached the final in 2002.