Bordentown, Steinert tussle to draw in opener
BORDENTOWN » It started with a burst of offense and ended with lots of defense.
That could be the story of the 2017 New Jersey high school boys soccer season, but for now, this told of one opening-day game.
When the Steinert and Bordentown High boys soccer teams met on the Scotties’ turf Tuesday to kick off a new school year, the home team scored twice in the first 27 minutes, and the Spartans responded with a pair before halftime.
After that, both teams showed what solid defense they are capable of playing as the game went two 10-minute overtimes and remained a 2-2 tie.
Honestly, how well the two teams played defensively over the final 60 minutes was a bit of a surprise after how decent their offenses looked in the first 40.
Gilbert Yeboah scored an unassisted tally in the first 20 minutes, then Isaac Bruccoleri converted a penalty kick with just under 13 minutes left in the half to give Bordentown and first-year head coach Jason Zablow a 2-0 lead.
The game changed with eight minutes left in the half when Frank DiNatale finished a pass from Max DiPierro to get Steinert and second-year head coach Anthony Tessein on the board.
With just under three min- utes left in the half, DiPierro did it again, this time leading Tristan Spadola for the tying tally.
“We didn’t really change anything at halftime,” Spartans second-half ’keeper Tom Kozemchak said. “We just shored up our defense.”
Kozemchak was the most noticeable change, taking over in goal for first-half goalie Todd Jewell. The two seniors combined to make eight saves, yet because of his spirited play in the second half, Kozemchak stayed in net for overtime.
“Todd and I make each other better,” he said.
The Scotties only had one goalkeeper all game, but it seemed as though there were two as well as Stratos Gromitsaris played in net.
The 5-foot-10 sophomore earned his keep by making 12 saves to keep Steinert’s rejuvenated attack from leaving with the win.
“At halftime, we mostly talked about how we needed to keep it up,” Gromitsaris said of his team’s offense. “Defensively, our midfielders weren’t getting back, and we needed to keep (the Spartans) from getting in so deep down the wings.”
With defensive help from players like Evan Carr and Anthony Viteritto on Bordentown’s side, and from Sam Cohen and Mason Wal- czak for Steinert, neither offense was able to connect again even though the Spartans had the better of the chances the rest of the way.
DiPierro sent a shot off the post with nine minutes left in the second half before the Scotties’ Braeden Clemens countered at the other end with a shot just over the crossbar.
Thirty seconds into OT, Gromit- saris came up big with a diving, one-handed save on a curling shot by DiPierro. The rebound went to Spadola, but his header popped over the cross.
Steinert (0-0-1) Bordentown (0-0-1) Goals —
(B). DiNatale, Spadola (S), Yeboah, O’Leary
Assists — Shots — Saves —
12 (B).
2000— 2000— 2 2
DiPierro 2 (S).
15 (S), 10 (B).
Jewell 3, Kozemchak 5 (S), Gromitsaris
HOPEWELL 1, WESTFIELD 1 HOPEWELL TWP. » Owen Burnett scored in the first half for the Bulldogs, and Henry Schwartz scored in the second half for the Blue Devils as these two soccer powers tied after two 10-minute overtimes.
Westfield (0-0-1) Hopewell Val. (0-0-1) Goals — Assists — Shots — Saves — 1 1
Schwartz (W), Burnett (HV). Hinkel (W), Tartaglia (HV).
5 (W), 5 (HV). Mendelson 4 (W), DZangrilli 4 (HV). EAST BRUNSWICK 2,
NOTRE DAME 0 LAWRENCE » Josh Newton’s two first-half goals kept the Irish from an initial win at their football stadium.
E. Brunswick (1-0) Notre Dame (0-1) Goals — Assists — Shots — Saves — 20—2 00—0
Newton 2 (EB).
Lee, Loncar (EB).
11 (EB), 4 (ND).
Espada 4 (EB), THogan 9 (ND). N. BRUNSWICK 3, TRENTON 1 NORTH BRUNSWICK » Erick Lopez’ goal kept the Tornadoes even through halftime.
Trenton (0-1) N. Brunswick (1-0) Goals — Assists — Shots — Saves — 10—1 12—3
Lopez (T), Cobb, FReyes, Scariano (NB). David (T), Spataro (NB).
5 (T), 8 (NB).
Osorio 5 (T), Bayoumi 1, Randall 3 (NB). HIGHTSTOWN 3, SHORE 2 WEST LONG BRANCH » Goals by Jamal Anderson, Diego Reyes and Andres Uribe helped the Rams slip past the Blue Devils in two OTs.
Hightstown (1-0) Shore Regional (0-1) Goals —
Anderson, DReyes, Uribe (H), Barth, Montesinos (SR).
Turner (SR).
16 (H), 10 (SR).
Forst 8 (H), Panduri 13 (SR).
Assist — Shots — Saves — 0100— 1000— 1101— 0200— 3 2
ROBBINSVILLE 5, WESTAMPTON TECH 0 WESTAMPTON » George Fotiou’s hat trick and a goal and assist from Vin Iorio highlighted the Ravens’ opening-day victory.
Robbinsville (1-0) Westampton Tech (0-1) Goals — Assists — Shots — Saves —
Fotiou 3, Iorio, Jadamec (R). Billings, Iorio, Makkay (R). 13 (R), 3 (WT). Herbert 3 (R), Patel 8 (WT). PALMYRA 3, FLORENCE 0 PALMYRA » Gio Narhwold had a goal and an assist to direct the Panthers’ win.
Florence (0-1) Palmyra (1-0) Goals — Assist — Shots — Saves — 32—5 00—0 00—0 21—3
PDS 5, WARDLAW 0 PRINCETON » The Panthers shut out the Rams in their opener with Luke Franzoni scoring a pair of goals.
Wardlaw-Hartridge (0-1) PDS (1-0) Goals — Shots — Saves — 0 5
Franzoni 2, Leggett, Hughes, Amer (PDS). 3 (WH), 13 (PDS).
Nader 8 (WH), Sood 3 (PDS). L’VILLE 7, LIFE CENTER 1 LAWRENCEVILLE » Meinhardt Rentrup tallied twice, while Abhi Joshi and Alex Wey each added a goal and an assist as the Big Red rolled past the Warriors.
Life Center (0-0) Lawrenceville (0-0) Goals —
Fields (LC), Joshi, Rentrup 2, Park, Schellscheidt, Therrien, Wey (L).
Wey, Schellscheidt, Tatum 2, Joshi, TMott (L).
5 (LC), 19 (L).
Gidney 12 (LC), Vogel 2, Desnoes 2 (L).
Assists — Shots — Saves —
Maute, Narhwold, Shover (P). Narhwold (P).
3 (F), 7 (P). Carnivale 4 (F), Brett 3 (P).
0 0 — 3 2— 0 1— 6 1— 1 7