Is This Soccer? Massachusetts High Rules

 Just as it has touched everything else in our lives, the coronavirus has altered high school soccer, at least in Massachusetts.  Andrew Keh in today's New York Times describes the rule changes there that have affected the way the game is played. No headers, no throw-ins (replaced by free kicks), no defensive walls.  Games are no quarters rather than halves.  Goalies cannot punt past midfield.  Physical contact with an opponent is permitted.

A violation of one of these rules is a "covid foul" and give the other team an indirect free kick.  

Phil  Silva, coach of Bishop Sheehan, says the rules have slowed down the game because of the number of stoppages for the covid fouls.

It's sad to see the game so drastically altered and especially slowed down, but as Keh reports, most believe playing by these rules is better than not playing at all.

Coach P Retired - From High School Soccer

Can't believe it's been six months since I posted anything here.  Not like there wasn't anything going on in soccer.  Just not enough hours in the day.  Maybe once taxes are finished I'll be able to write more.

For now I just wanted to mention my "retirement" as treasurer of Haddonfield High School Girls Soccer Booster Club and stadium announcer.  I started the group in 1994 when Kirsten was a sophomore (her first year on varsity) and as I always used to joke, she graduated in 1997 but they never found a way to get rid of me - until now.

As I told this year's Booster Club coordinator (I don't use "president" because that suggests an election) Jen Siok: "It's time."  Twenty-six seasons is plenty.  The bookkeeping isn't that hard although I always like to say I can barely count past 10 and thank heavens for Excel.  But the most fun has always been the games and we have virtually no night games any more where we used to have a third to a half of our schedule under the lights.    We always drew good crowds at night against West Deptford and the local schools: Audubon, Collingswood, Haddon Heights and Haddon Township and we would play some of our games at night at their fields.

As long as I keep a day job I can only get to games on nights and Saturdays.   So less games to attend means less contact with the players and their parents.  That aside, I am closer in age to the team grandparents than parents - keep in mind our oldest grandson is a freshman in high school.

I recall how much Kirsten enjoyed playing under the lights, especially on a Saturday when a lot of her friends would come to the game then they'd walk over to someone's house for a party.  I remember one year at our post-season banquet one of the captains said how much she loved hearing the National Anthem and running out onto the field when I announced her and the other starters.  She told me I was part of her high school experience.

The parents who did not have flexibility with work schedules liked the night games as well.

I always tried to run a professional operation to make the experience the best possible for the players and parents.  This post from 10 years ago describes the production:
http://coachpssoccerblog.blogspot.com/2009/09/nighttime-in-high-school-stadium.html

And this post from the same year detailed things that could go wrong:  http://coachpssoccerblog.blogspot.com/2009/10/fans-dont-mind.html

But times change.  And the lack of night games was not the reason I decided to step down.  As I told Jen, it was simply time.

It was a great run and I met so many exceptionally nice young ladies and equally nice parents.  I worked with three head coaches: Charlie Keil, Glenn Gess and the current coach, Lori Quintavalle, whose older sister, Beth was on the team with Kirsten.  Lori is a great coach and a great friend.  I was honored to serve on the committee which recommended her to the AD for the head coaching job - we obviously made a good decision.  I was also on the committee that recommended Glenn, another excellent choice.

I had the pleasure of working with eight Booster Club coordinators:  Greg Lupinski;  Siegrid Kiep; Pat Cosnet; Ginger O'Malley; Michelle Sehdev; Chris Stanton; Lynn Green; and these past two years, Jen Siok.  The enthusiasm and energy each of these awesome people put forth for the program and our girls was inspiring  

I leave with many fond memories of great games and great people, including those named elsewhere in this post.  Some of the memories are recounted on this blog under the "High School" label.  

I gave a farewell speech at our banquet last week and as I told everyone, it was truly my pleasure over the 26 years.  I was touched that Lori gave me the game ball from the South Jersey final (that we won), one of the T-Shirts that the girls wore, and a nice plaque.   

I'm not going anywhere and maybe if I ever retire from my day job I'll be able to get to more games.  And if Lori or the Booster Club needs anything, they know that help is just a phone call or email away.  But it was time to let someone else to take over the checkbook.  I told Glenn when he stepped down as coach that we'd miss him but the program would get by.  Trust me they will get by just fine without me.

I enjoyed all 26 years.  As I said every year at the end of the Seniors Night ceremony and at last week's banquet, "Ladies, thanks for the memories."

SJ Coaches Cup Is Here

Officially it's the South Jersey Coaches Tournament but it's really the Coaches Cup.  Everyone knows that in soccer the players compete for the Cup, not in a tournament.  And one of the best cups is that run by the South Jersey Coaches Association.
http://www.eteamz.com/sjsca/news/index.cfm?cat=702053
Anyone who has a .500 record by a certain date gets in the State  Tournament, er … Cup, and you play within your group against similar sized schools.  But the Coaches Cup picks the 16 best schools in South Jersey, regardless of size.

Play got underway today with Eastern boys shutting out Bordentown, 2-0, while Washington Township girls downed Kingsway, 3-1 and Moorestown girls edged Williamstown, 2-1.

Ninth-seeded Haddonfield girls travel to 8th seed Delsea tomorrow for a first round match with the winner to play the winner of Cherry Hill East and Shawnee.  On the boys side, 12th-ranked Haddonfield travels to 5th seed Williamstown.

The finals are October 27 at DeCou  Field in Chery Hill,

Haddonfield Girls Off to Strong Start

Another high school season is well underway - my 25th as treasurer, announcer and whatever for the Haddonfield High School team.  Last Monday we picked up a nice win over Ocean City, 2-0 with a report on NJ.com.  My recollection of Katie McCormick's goal in the 22nd minute, watching from the press box, was that she got the ball well outside the 18 and dribbled straight in before shooting into the lower left.  And Nic Green's goal off a free kick in the 2nd half was another of her patented lasers.

We dropped our first game of the year last Thursday, 4-1 against Moorestown, to go to 4-1-1, but bounced back today with a 1-0 win over neighboring Haddon Township.  Two big non-conference matches coming up: Thursday against Rancocas Valley and Saturday at Eastern.

The End Of a Soccer Mom's Career

Good story in today's Philadelphia Inquirer by Noel Dolan of suburban Philadelphia about the end of the line for her career as a soccer mom.  Seems her son was a goalkeeper for a local high school whose season ended with a loss in post-season play last week.  No more sitting at games in all weather, washing uniforms, driving to practices, working the snack bar and all the other things soccer moms and dads do.

While being a soccer mom (or dad) for a high school team is different than for a club team with its travel and year-around play, the ideas about which Dolan writes are the same.  But the piece is about more than supporting your kids' activities be they soccer, ballet, ice hockey or whatever.  It's about kids growing up - her son is off to college next fall, she wrote - and parents aging.  She quotes from "Landslide" by Stevie Nicks: "even children get older, and I’m getting older too."  As one who has watched countless games my kids played in countless rec league, travel team and high school games and is now a soccer granddad, I can identify.  

As much as I enjoyed the story, I take issue with Dolan's statement, "I must confess, I was not a very good soccer mom, at least not in the stereotypical imagining" because she did not have a team decal on her car or wear a team shirt.  But she goes on to say, "I was there for my son, to support him in a sport that he enjoyed and in which he found meaning and friendship. That is what moms do, soccer moms, football moms, ballet moms, field hockey moms, the dads too, you name it. Show up and offer support, win or lose."

Sounds like she was the best soccer mom to me.

SJ Coaches Cup: A Matter of Inches

HADDONFIELD, NJ --  If the goalposts were 24 feet6 inches wide instead of just 24, or if the crossbar was 8 feet three inches above the ground instead of just 8, the result of last Saturday's opening round game between Haddonfield and Moorestown  in the South Jersey Soccer Coaches Association girls tournament might have been different.

Whoever said football is a game of inches referred to the gridiron version popular in the United States.  Turns out it's true in the football more popular in the rest of the world.

Haddonfield was nursing a 1-0 lead in the 47th minute when Moorestown was awarded a penalty kick.  The Bulldogs dodged a bullet there when the shot hit the crossbar and was cleared.  Two minutes later Moorestown shot one off the crossbar, hit the rebound into the left post and then shot that rebound barely wide right.

"I can't buy a goal," wailed Moorestown coach Bill Mulvihill.  "If they were selling goals they wouldn't take my credit card.

His lament proved to be true again, after Haddonfield had gone up, 2-0, when a Moorestown shot hit under the crossbar, bounced down and out.

The game ended up 2-0 and Haddonfield went through to the quarterfinals where they downed Oakcrest, 4-1, three days later to advance to the semifinals Wednesday night against Washington Township.

The boys were equally as successful with a 1-0 golden goal victory over Williamstown to advance to the semis against Rancocas Valley.

Close Of The High School Season

The magical 2016 season for Haddonfield High School girls officially ended today with the annual team banquet, a brunch at Tavistock Country Club.

Coach P with Lynn Green (left) and Chris Stanton.

Coach Lori Quintavalle was emotional yet eloquent in describing a team that went 25-2 while outscoring opponents, 86-19 and recording shutouts in more than half (14) of its victories.  The team ran the table in conference play and its only losses were in the semi-finals of the South Jersey Coaches Cup and the final game of the State Cup.  In my remarks I asked the girls to promise me two things: 1) they would continue to get good grades in class; and 2) they would win one more game next season.

This was my 23rd year with the Girls Soccer Booster Club, which I started in Kirsten's sophomore year.  In recent years we've had phenomenal support from the parents and I have been blessed to make a new friend each time a new person took over in charge.  This year was no exception as Chris Stanton and Lynn Green succeeded my good friend Michele Sehdev.  The energy and enthusiasm these ladies put into the program was nothing short of remarkable and it has been a joy working with them - even though they did most of the work.

Already looking forward to the pre-season picnic next August!

Co-Champs OK In NJ High School Soccer

Unlike the World Cup and other high level competitions, the New Jersey high school soccer play-offs accept a tie in the final and declare co-champions.  It happened to Haddonfield girls nearly 20 years ago and it happened to Haddon Township boys last week when they tied Verona, 1-1.

Chris Melchiorre of the Inquirer, one of the region's top high school sportswriters, took a look at the game and the concept of co-champions and concluded,  "It didn't look right. It didn't feel right.  But, yes, on balance, it was the right call."  I agree.

First of all, the only viable alternative would be the shootout .  This has been criticized endlessly over the years, but there are only so many minutes in players' legs and at some point more overtimes would be impossible as well as dangerous.  And in the games leading up to the final someone has to advance so the shootout is as good a method as any.

But in the last game of a competition?  "PKs would have just made the outcome that much harder on somebody,"  Melchiorre quoted Hawks senior goalie Kieran Burns as saying . You wouldn't want to see it end like that."

So by declaring co-champions you have twice as many kids who get to wear a state champion jacket and who 20 years from now can tell their kids that daddy won a state cup back when he played.

Melchiorre wrote, "The dejection on the players' faces was tough to watch last week when the game ended in a tie. But it lasted all of 15 minutes.

At the end of the day, the Hawks were, in fact, state champions.

And that's the feeling that will last a lifetime."

State Cup Dream Ends For Haddonfield

A perfect header from the shortest player on the field brought perhaps the best season in Haddonfield girls soccer history to a sudden end.

Parsippany Hills senior Paige Restaino, 5'-1" tall, was in the right place and placed a corner kick from Nathalia Gallo-Lopez into the upper right corner with 9:19 to play to account for all the scoring in the Group 2 final at Kean University.  Haddonfield keeper Maya Olimpio, had no chance.

If there was ever a team that gave meaning to the clichés "On any given day . . . " and "There's a reason they roll the ball out . . ." it was Parsippany Hills.  The Vikings started the season 0-8-1 and was seeded 12th in its section, not expected to survive the first round.  They finished with a sub-.500 record but as state champs.  Talk about peaking at the right time.

Several Haddonfield parents felt - and I agree - that Haddonfield had a slight edge in the first half and played better in the second half.  But as I have often told players I coached, there are no style points in soccer.  You have to put the ball in the net more than the other team to win the game.  Parsippany did just that this morning.

There is good coverage of the game, including a video clip of the goal, at NJ.COM.   And Chris Melchiorre had a good story in Sunday's Inquirer.

Haddonfield certainly had some chances.  Bella Nugent made a nice cross from the right in the 6th minute but Vikings keeper, Aytana Muschajew, looking into a bright sun, made the catch.  Two minutes later, Nic Green launched a well-placed free kick from 35 yards out but it sailed inches above Madison Bee's head.  In the second half Wayden Ay broke through the defense with 13:20 left only to see Muschajew save her shot.  A minute after Parsippany scored, Muschajew took the ball off Bee's foot before the Bulldawgs forward could equalize. 

Parsippany had its chances as well, including a ball headed over the bar by Restaino before with 17:03 left. 

This was Haddonfield's first trip to the state final since 2009 when they beat Mahwah, 2-1 in overtime on Kate Johnston's golden goal.  They were 25-1 coming in with the only loss being to Group 4 Lenape in the semi-finals of the South Jersey Coaches Cup.  A 25-2 season with the losses in the Coaches Cup semifinal and State Cup final is pretty good in my book.  And it took a perfect play by the Vikings with two Haddonfield starters on the bench with injuries to beat them.

"Our girls were ready, we just couldn't find the net. We fought extremely hard," Haddonfield coach Lori Quintavalle said to the Inquirer.

There were a few tears after the game, but as always the Haddonfield girls showed class.  When they look back they will realize what a spectacular season they had.  And with only one senior starting, the potential for more great things next year is there.

We have not seen the last of this team.

On To the State Finals

Julia Parker's header off a perfectly placed corner kick from Nic Green in the 65th minute gave the Haddonfield girls all the scoring they needed to defeat Robbinsville and advance to the State Cup final Saturday.

The Courier-Post reported the story with video clips of Green and Parker.  Veteran Inquirer sportswriter Phil Anastasia also covered the game and has a video of Parker. 

With the win Haddonfiedl, now 25-1, goes through to the State Cup final Saturday at 10 a.m. at Kean University against Parsippany Hills.

I had to miss the game because of a Zoning Board meeting but as always received text updates from Nic's mom, Lynn - much appreciated.

HMHS Girls Face Robbinsville In State Semifinals

When we last left the Haddonfield girls team, they had just lost their first game after 20 wins, a 2-0 decision to Group 4 Lenape in the semi-finals of the South Jersey Coaches Cup. 

It didn't take long to get over the defeat.  Five days later the Bulldawgs ripped Manasquan, 5-0, in the opener of the South Jersey Group 2 tournament.  This was followed by wins over West Deptford and Deptford, 2-1 and 3-2, respectively, to put Haddonfield into the sectional final against Cinnaminson, whom they had beaten 1-0 less than three weeks ago in the Coaches Cup.

Same opponent, different tournament, same score.  Nic Green nailed a PK with 29:07 left to provide all the scoring needed.  In the first half Cinnaminson had a goal called back for obstruction of Haddonfield's goalie. Afterwards, Cinnaminson coach Matt Digney called both the disallowance of his team's goal and the penalty kick for Haddonfield, "soft calls," according to the Burlington County Times. 

Haddonfield plays Robbinsville Tuesday at St. Augustine in the state semifinal  The winner advances to Saturday's final at Kean University.

I have missed all these games because of with work or my wife's hip replacement surgery a week ago.  Thankfully, my good friend Lynn Green, our awesome co-chair (with the equally awesome Chris Stanton) of the girls soccer booster club has been kind enough to text me updates during the match.  Next best thing to being there.

Looking forward to a text at about 4 o'clock Tuesday saying we're headed to the final.

Coaches Cup Over, State Cup On Horizon For Haddonfield Girls

Lenape scored twice in the second half to end Haddonfield's hopes of winning the South Jersey Coaches Cup.  The game was played on a rainy evening at Paul VI High School and I had to miss it because of my day job.  My good friend Lynn Green, co-chair of our Girls Soccer Booster Club, was kind enough to text me updates to the bitter end.

One cup ends but another begins Tuesday as HMHS, seeded second in South Jersey Group 2, will take on 15th seed, Manasquan in the first round of the State Cup.  The game is at 6 p.m. in Haddonfield's stadium.  Winner plays the winner of West Deptford - Manchester Twp. on November 4.  The state bracket can be found here.

Haddonfield Boys, seeded 7th,  begin their quest for a state title on Monday, October 31, when they face Lower Cape May at 4 p.m. in the stadium.

Now it gets serious.

Stanton Does Carli Lloyd Imitation As Bulldawgs Go Through In S.J Coaches Cup

HADDONFIELD, NJ, October 22, 2016 -- Sweeper Annie Stanton took a page from Carli Lloyd's book (you remember THAT goal in the 2015 World Cup final) when she lofted a ball from maybe 40 yards out towards the goal and saw it take a high bounce over opposing  keeper Angelina Blanchet's head and into the net with 28:11 left in the second half.

Haddonfield was up, 1-0, over Mainland Regional High School in the first round of the South Jersey Coaches Cup in the Haddonfield Stadium.  The Bulldogs made the lead stand up to go through to the second round Monday at 2:00 p.m. at Cinnaminson.

The game was played on a chilly , overcast day with a few sprinkles and enough of a wind blowing towards the school building (the direction of Stanton's goal) to be noticed.  The game was televised on Varsity Sports Net and will be shown several times this week on Channel 19 on Comcast and Channel 46 on Verizon.

I sat in the press box the second half and got to listen to the play-by-play, which I thought was pretty good.  All three announcers showed preparation and a knowledge of the game.

At halftime the broadcasters thought Mainland had the better of the play in the scoreless first half although Haddonfield goalie Maya Olimpio did not make a save until there were just under three minutes to play.  The Mustangs did put one shot just inches wide left in the 28th minute.

Mainland came out fast to open the second half and in the 44th minute appeared to have drawn first blood only to see the goal called back for offsides.   "We've already seen more action here in the first five minutes of the first half than in all 40 minutes of the first half," commented on of the TV guys.

But the tide began to turn.  "Whatever Coach Lori Quintavalle said at halftime seems to have worked," said one of the announcers.  The Bulldogs began to apply more pressure and when Stanton had the ball she said she just wanted to loft it over the head of Mainland's back line so one of her teammates could run on to it and shoot from close in.  I always told my players that good things can happen when they put the ball on net and Stanton learned - as Lloyd already knew - that this is very true.   Whether it was the wind, Blanchet's unfamiliarity with the turf field or something else, doesn't matter. 

There were a few nervous moments after Stanton's goal.  With 17:25 left Olimpio made a difficult clutch save when she tipped a hard shot over the bar.  With 12:29 left the Mustangs had a free kick from far out and like Stanton's goal, it took a high bounce but went off the left post into Olimpio's arms.  "The soccer gods giveth and the soccer gods taketh away," said one of the announcers.

Haddonfield seemed to get stronger as Mainland tried to mount an attack that would send the match into overtime.  One of the broadcasters said, "Mainland looks work down out there."  After the final whistle, another remarked, "Some teams might have sat back and played defense but they kept the pressure on.  That's why they're 19-0-0.  Teams like that find a way to put the ball in the back of the net."

HMHS keeps rolling, 3-1 over Kingsway

I finally got to see the Haddonfield girls play yesterday and watched most of an impressive 3-1 win over Group 4 Kingsway.  (For those outside of New Jersey, Group 4 is the largest schools.  Haddonfield is in Group 2.)  The game was at Kingsway, which has a campus just slightly smaller than that of, say, Penn State.

We were already up, 2-0, when I arrived midway through the first half, and added another goal in the 2nd to make it 3-0 before the Dragons finally scored.  There were about 10 or 12 nervous minutes midway through the second half when Kingsway kept the ball in our end and we seemed to be content to watch them.  But we suddenly woke up and once we did there was no doubt that if any more goals were scored they would come from Haddonfield.  As it turned out, no one scored and the game ended 3-1.

Some of the parents said this was our toughest opponent yet.  Coach Q wasn't sure but did not necessarily disagree.  Doesn't matter.  Haddonfield is 8-0 going into the first night game of the season Monday against neighboring Haddon Township.

Back to High School

We're already five games into the high school season and the Haddonfield girls are off to a spectacular start:  five wins, no losses, 18 goals scored, two allowed.  Most recent win was 4-1 at West Deptford yesterday.

I never got around to writing about the traditional pre-season picnic, graciously hosted by Dave and Chris Stanton, so there are two phots above, both courtesy of Chris Stanton.  Top is our awesome coach, Lori Quintavalle, whom I have known since she was maybe 14.  Next to her is Freshman Coach Jessica Miller.  Bottom photo is yours truly.

Looking forward to the first night game in the stadium on September 26 against Haddon Township.

Russ Rogers, noted S.J. High School Soccer Fan, dies

Another fan just took a seat in Heaven's grandstands.  I just learned that Russ Rogers, a fixture at South Jersey high school girls sporting events for many years, passed away on July 28 at age 88.

Russ was a retired tool and die maker with a distinctive gravely voice that frequently mentioned Jesus.  As in the time I was sitting with him in a packed Haddonfield High School gym before the Haddonfield - Sterling girls basketball game back in the '90s.  You had to arrive by halftime of the JV game to get a seat, but Russ had already watched the freshman and JV games.  As he looked around at the crowd, the excitement building as game time neared, he said to me, "Jesus Christ!  This is great!  This is great!"

Or the time Strikers coach and president Len Imielinski was busting Russ about how many games he saw every week between high school and club teams and said how difficult it must be to keep track of it all.  Russ took the remark very seriously and replied, "Jesus Christ, yes."

Russ was well-known by parents, coaches and officials at girls high school basketball and soccer games and club soccer games over the years, and I think he watched softball, too.  One year a freshman parent wondered how some old guy knew so much about his daughter and should he be worried and was assured by another team parent, "It's just Russ."

Back when I was coaching the '79-'80 Medford Strikers girls with Jerry Ciser and then Len and Dave Rauer, it was not unusual for me to get a phone call the day before a game that would start out with, "This is Russ.  From soccer."  Like a) I wouldn't recognize the voice; and b) would not know who he was.  He was usually calling to check a game time and location.  Len and I and others used to bust on him about reading about him on some of the on-line forums, and he would rise to the occasion with something like, "Jesus Christ.  You guys and that internet!" 

As often as I saw Russ at Strikers and Haddonfield games, I never knew much about him other than he was retired and lived in Pennsauken.  My late wife, Louise, once asked if there was a "Mrs. Russ" and I never knew until I read his obituary today that he was married at one time and had three kids.

I also never knew how Russ began watching the Medford Strikers, why he seemed to confine his high school following to Shawnee and Haddonfield girls and why he eventually switched allegiance to Haddonfield's big-time conference rival, West Deptford.  But none of that mattered.  He was enjoying himself at all the games and we should all be so lucky to relax and enjoy life.

I hadn't seen Russ in a number of years - probably was at a Haddonfield - West Deptford girls soccer game a few years ago - when he told me he didn't like to go out at night much any more. 

Russ probably never knew that he lent his name to a breed of older sports fans who follow teams.  I think it was the summer of '93 when a Strikers girls team played in a tournament up in Ottawa and their coach, Hank Roberti, told us of an older local gentleman who somehow began following their team at the tournament.  The next summer our team played in the same tournament and this guy recognized the club name in the program and came out to root us on.  Thus was born "Canadian Russ."

My friend, Mark Adlen, whose daughter played on that same '79-'80 Strikers team then went on to Ferrum College, told me of meeting "Ferrum Russ" at her games down in Virginia.  So of course when I met an older gentleman at a women's college soccer game in Brunswick, Maine, and he told me how he followed the college teams, he became "Bowdoin Russ."

I am sure wherever Russ is he will be cheering for his favorite teams in the upcoming soccer season and there will be another generation of Russes just like him in the stands at games around the country.

R.I.P. Kara

The card that arrived in yesterday's mail was heartbreaking.

The front showed a photo of a girl dribbling a soccer ball and the text at the top read, "In Loving Memory of Kara Lynn Lemanowicz July 11, 2001- September 5, 2015."

Kara was the Eastern H.S. freshman who died at a sleepover with friends from her club team shortly before the school season began last September.

The card came to me as treasurer of Haddonfield's girls soccer program because many of our families contributed to send a donation to the Lemanowicz family in Kara's memory.

I did not know Kara or her family and cannot imagine the grief they felt and surely still feel to this day.  I can only hope there was some comfort in the support from the Haddonfield team and so many others in the South Jersey soccer community and that Kara's spirit lives on.

The inside of the card read:

A friendly smile
A casual touch,
These are the things
That mean so much,
To know you are with us 
In our time of sorrow,
Sharing our prayer,
Today and tomorrow,
God gives us comfort 
In the form of good friends,
May his peace be with you,
His love never ends.

The family of 
Kara Lynn Lemanowicz

Bummer! HMHS Girls Fall in State Quarters, 2-0

Manchester Township scored a goal in each half to shut our Haddonfield, 2-0, in the South Jersey Group 2 quartefinals at HMHS Stadium today.  The Hawks go through to Monday's sectional semifinals against West Deptford.

It's a tough end to the season for the Bulldawgs, but they have nothing to be ashamed about.  Coach Quintavalle's young team at times started as many as six freshmen and sophomores, including the impressive Wayden Ay and Madison Bee.  After two losses to open the season the girls went a month - 12 games - without losing, including two defeats of West Deptford.  A 1-0 loss to Audubon at home under the lights on October 15 ended the streak. 

No problem.  The girl ran off another five straight wins, including a 1-0 shutout of Rancocas Valley and a 3-0 opening round State Cup victory.

For the season HMHS finished 15-4-2 (7-2-1 in the Colonial Liberty Division), scoring 54 goals and giving up only 15 (an average of .71 per game) and posted 10 shutouts.  Not a bad season in anybody's book.

I had hoped to see us play in the South Jersey finals a week from today, and beyond, but it will have to wait a year.

Good luck to Haddonfield boys, playing in the quarterfinals tomorrow against Delran.

 

Haddonfield Girls Off to Strong Start In State Playoffs

Freshman Madison Bee scored two goals and Taylor Sehdev pitched the shutout in goal as Haddonfield girls opened the NJSIAA play-offs with a 3-0 win over Lower Cape May today.
Isabella Nugent scored the other goal for the Bulldawgs while Nic Green had a pair of assists and Claudia Brong added an assist.

Fourth seeded Haddonfield hosts #12 Manchester Township Thursday in the sectional quarterfinals.  The other three matches include top-ranked Cedar Creek against # 8 West Deptford, #3 Cinnaminson squaring off against # 6 Middle Township and #7 Delran playing #2 Point Pleasant Boro.

Haddonfield boys, seeded #1, start their state title run tomorrow against  #16 Barnegat.

The girls bracket is here and the boys draw at this link.

Green Wave Snaps Haddonfield Streak

Last night's game had everything except a good result for Haddonfield.

Beautiful night for soccer.  Big crowd in the stadium.  Local conference rival in Audubon.  Two closely-matched teams who tied 1-1 0n September 28 at Green Wave Park.  And to top it off, the game was televised locally on Varsity Sports Network.

Neither team seriously threatened in the first half.  Freshman Wayden Ay made a quick turn and got off a hard shot late in the half, but too close to keeper Grace Borden.With 27:59 left in the second half, Audubon's Rebecca Van Arnam put in a rebound after Bulldawgs' keeper Taylor Sehdev tipped a shot up off the crossbar.  Haddonfield complained that the ball went up from the soccer crossbar and hit the football crossbar, which would have been out of play.  The referees disagreed and the goal stood.  From the pressbox it looked as though the refs got it right.

Haddonfield pressed for the equalizer but their best opportunity was a shot by freshman Maddie Bee that sailed just over the crossbar in the 61st minute.

Haddonfield was on a 10-game winning streak and 12-game unbeaten string going into last night's contest.  They'll have a chance to start a new streak Tuesday night against Woodbury.

The television was fun.  The announcers did a very good job and without thinking came up with a great line in the first half when Wayden Ay (pronounced like the letter "A") passed to Bee.  The play-by-play call was, "So that was from Ay to Bee.  I can't believe I just said that."

I watched the game on Comcast Channel 19 tonight and it wasn't bad for having only one camera and no replay capability.  The sound level could have been a little higher, but otherwise it was fun  to watch.  Below is one of our captains, Kate Walters, in a post-game interview.

The only downside - other than the loss - was that the stadium sound system failed, so I didn't get to announce or play the national anthem - which would have sounded good in the background of the TV broadcast.

Captain Kate Walters in post-game interview with Varsity Sports Network's Kevin Schules.