Bordentown edges Florence on Yeboah’s goal
BORDENTOWN » As Gilbert Yeboah was serving as ball boy on the far side of the Bordentown High soccer turf in the second half of Tuesday’s varsity game with Florence, a fan told the Scotties senior, “You are going to score today.”
That had to be a bit of a surprise to Yeboah, who, after spending a good portion of the first half in the game, spent more of the second half off the field.
Then, after the junior varsity game ended and he was replaced on the far sideline, Yeboah was inserted into the game by first-year head coach Jason Zablow with a little over 10 minutes remaining.
The move paid off when Yeboah crashed the far post to score the game’s only goal with 4:40 to play as the Scotties defeated the Flashes, 1-0.
“I have to make sure I thank that fan,” Yeboah said of his prophet.
Yet, this was more than just a matter of believing in one player or believing in self. This was a matter of the Bordentown players believing in what they set out to do.
The Scotties dominated the majority of the first half, and despite seeing Florence even play in the second half, kept the game scoreless to give themselves a chance.
“We have about 13 guys who are kind of interchangeable,” Zablow said. “So, no, I wasn’t surprised when Gilbert scored. At halftime, we talked about needing to be at the far bar, to see the first deflection, read it and stay calm. Gilbert did all of that.”
Senior Evan Carr started the play by sending a ball through the box. The initial target seemed to be Hector Harris, who was marked well and tied up at the near post. As a result, the ball got through and appeared headed out of bounds when Yeboah came flying down the flank where he had been chasing errant balls just a little while earlier.
“We did talk about that at halftime,” Yeboah said after scoring his third goal of the season. “I just stayed after it. They were really making us for it.”
While there were plenty of kind words for the goal scorer, Zablow also made sure to credit the work of senior midfielder Sean O’Leary and sophomore midfielder Cam Schroeder in dropping back to help the Scotties’ defense contain Flashes senior scoring sensation Nick Hazel.
Hazel, who has 29 goals this season (85 career), was held scoreless for only the third time this year.
“We had been on a big winning streak, so it felt like a goal was going to come for us even if we had to go to extra time to get it,” said Florence sophomore goalkeeper Antonio Carnivale, whose team had gone 11 straight games without a defeat. “Their goal was mostly a miscommunication. They loaded up the box a lot. Our defenders did a good job, but, that time, they got through.”
Considering this was the only regular-season game in which Mike Flynn’s club was playing on a turf surface, it was a rather well played game for the Flashes, at least in the second half.
“In the first half, Antonio (nine saves) kept us in it,” said 18th-year head coach Flynn, who is on the verge of winning the 160th game of his career. “In the second half, we figured out how to play on turf and did a much better job. I told them this will help us in case we play on this surface in states.”
With Bordentown in South Jersey Group II and Florence in Central Jersey Group I, they will not face each other again. So now all the Flashes have to hope is no fans tell an opponent he will score like Yeboah did.
Florence (11-2-1) Bordentown (9-3-2) 0 0— 0 1— 0 1
Yeboah (B).
Carr (B).
7 (F), 10 (B).
Carnivale 9 (F), Gromitsaris 7 (B).