R’ville moves to 6-0 with big win over Princeton
ROBBINSVILLE >> Johnny Morales is the kind of boys soccer player that everyone wants on their team.
The senior forward at Robbinsville High knocks in balls which no one thought were going to go in.
In the process, he usually pays the price for his hardnosed play by winding up on his backside.
Morales provided the Ravens with one such goal Thursday, and it proved to be exactly what coach Jeff Fisher’s team needed to pull off the biggest upset in R’ville history by defeating Princeton, 3-1, at the Steven J. Mayer Athletic Complex.
“It’s weirdest thing,” Fisher said as he gathered Morales for a postgame interview. “Whenever Johnny scores, he seems to end up on the ground.”
“When we play World Cup at practice, those are the only goals I score,” Morales said. “I just clean up the trash.”
His second-half goal versus the Little Tigers was by no means “trash.” Lucky, definitely, because when he chopped a shot at Princeton goalkeeper Patrick Jacobs with 12:51 left in a tie game, it looked as though it would be an easy cover for the junior ’keeper.
But the ball slipped under Jacobs, then he may have accidentally hit it when he lunged back toward the goal line to try to keep it out of net.
It seemed unjust for a goalie who had come up with a nifty, leaping, one-handed punch save on a point-blank blast by Robbinsville’s Brian Wojton 17 minutes Robbinsville’s Anthony Rossi, left, controls the ball defended by Princeton’s Andrew Goldsmith.
earlier.
Yet again, those are the kind of goals Morales scores. And moreso, it was the kind of change of luck the Ravens needed.
This had seemed like Princeton’s game to win after the Little Tigers senior midfielder T.J. Korsah ended the home team’s five-game unscoredupon streak by knocking in a pass from sophomore Josh Nieman 15 seconds into the game.
“I think we got a little complacent after that goal,” Korsah said. “We didn’t capitalize on our chances. We’ve been playing well, as have they. But if we finish our chances, I believe we can beat that team.”
Both teams entered the game with 5-0 records with Princeton gaining a little more notoriety as the No. 6-ranked team in the state.
However, the Ravens did not let their early misfortune haunt them. Instead, Wojton dribbled through the Little Tigers’ defense to tie the score in the 18th minute, and that was where the game stood until Morales found a way.
“Scoring in the first half helped,” Morales said. “Going down, 1-0, at halftime can really hurt a team. But after they scored, I thought we worked hard to get the momentum going our way.”
Moreso, once Morales gave the home team the lead, they never let up.
In fact, 3:24 after taking the lead, R’ville sophomore midfielder/forward George Fotiou won a ball from a defender from about 30 yards out of net, then beat his mark and Jacobs into the near post with a shot which gave the Ravens some much needed insurance.
Korsah almost got Princeton within a goal with 4:30 to go when he headed a free kick from his classmate Sam Serxner right in front of Robbinsville senior goalkeeper Walter Romanow, only to see his shot curl over the crossbar and carom off the football goalpost.
The Ravens may need more Morales magic when they head to Bound Brook 4 p.m. Friday, while the Little Tigers will try to get back on track at the Lawrenceville School 2 p.m. Saturday. (R). Korsah (P), Wojton, Morales, Fotiou (R). Nieman (P), Evans, Petagna, Wojton
6 (P), 6 (R). Jacobs 3 (P), WRomanow 5 (R).