PDS shares Prep B crown with MKA again
MONTCLAIR » The girls soccer teams from the Princeton Day School and Montclair Kimberley Academy have had to learn how to share.
The two sides were crowned NJISAA Prep B cochampions for the second straight season after they battled to a 0-0 draw on Wednesday afternoon.
For PDS (12-6-1) it goes down as a fourth straight Prep B crown, while MKA (14-4-4) gets its second in a row.
“Although it is common for a team to be unsatisfied with a co-champs title, I was very proud and pleased with how our team battled,” Panthers coach Pat Trombetta said. “MKA is a very solid opponent that won a strong Essex County Conferene and was ranked in the top 20 during the season.”
This was the third consecutive season these two met in the championship game. There’s been just one combined goal — an overtime winner for the Panthers in 2015 — in those three contests.
Last year’s match was halted with 6:25 remaining in the second half due to inclement weather and then co-champions were declared when it became to dark to continue.
This time it went the full 100 minutes without either breaking the deadlock. PDS did put the ball in the net during the second half, but it was chalked off for a foul on the goalkeeper as players contested a 50-50 ball inside the six-yard box.
“I feel this year’s team competed stronger in the championship game,” Trombetta said. “I can’t say enough about our two seniors Rebecca Kuzmicz and Madison Coyne. They played their hearts out today and were very good role models throughout the season.”
PDS has now collected hardware in each of the last five seasons (four straight Prep B titles and the ’13 Mercer County Tournament crown).
“We have been fortunate to have a number of talented players contribute and achieve these results,” Trombetta said. “With a young team, we look forward to continued success down the road.”
PDS (12-6-1) MKA (14-4-4) 0 0 0 0 0 0—0 0 0—0
17 (PDS). 11 (MKA). Felsher 8 (PDS). Jobst 11 (MKA).