Pennington, WW-PS meet in final for third time in last four years
Funny meeting you here again.
The West Windsor-Plainsboro High South and Pennington School boys soccer teams could very well greet each other this way Thursday when they meet in the 2018 Mercer County Tournament final.
Three times in the last four years, the Pirates and Red Raiders have met in the county championship game. Like last year, this season’s final will again be held at The College of New Jersey.
The boys will get an earlier start this season, 5 p.m., with second-seeded Pennington (11-4) chasing its fourth consecutive MCT title and fifth overall in seven championship game appearances since the tournament returned in 2003 after a 13year hiatus. Fifth-seeded WW-P South (12-4-1) returns to its fourth county title game, seeking its first crown.
Ninth-year head coach Chad Bridges’ troops have outscored its three MCT opponents this season, 14-1, including a 2-1 win over thirdseeded Steinert Tuesday at Hopewell Valley High. Led by speedy junior midfielder Ousmane Gueye (16 goals), the Red Raiders enter on a four-game winning streak, having won seven of its last eight.
Ninth-year head coach Bryan Fisher’s squad has taken a more defensive route to the championship game,
out-scoring its opponents, 4-0, in three games, including a 1-0 double overtime victory over eight-seeded Hopewell Valley Tuesday at Notre Dame High. Led by senior midfielder/forward Elijah Moore McGuinness (11 goals), the Pirates enter on a seven-game unbeaten streak, including five straight wins.
Pennington has won each
of the previous MCT final match-ups between these familiar foes, defeating WW-P South, 2-0, in 2017 and, 3-1, in 2015 at Hopewell Valley High. If this season’s county title game (or the 7:30 p.m. girls game between Pennington and Allentown High) should wind up tied after 100 minutes, penalty kicks will be held to determine who goes home with the trophy.