Notre Dame boys soccer uses layoff to refocus, beats St. Joe's Metuchen in Non-Public A South playoffs | Sports | trentonian.com
Notre Dame's James Ferraro (21) shields the ball from Hopewell Valley's Tiago Bombo (18) during Tuesday's game. (Kyle Franko/ Trentonian Photo)
HS Boys Soccer >> Non-Public A South
ND uses layoff to refocus, beats St. Joe's Metuchen
Notre Dame boys soccer uses layoff to refocus, beats St. Joe's Metuchen in Non-Public A South playoffs
LAWRENCE — Despite not playing for eight days since losing in double overtime to the Pennington School in the Mercer County Tournament final, the Notre Dame High boys soccer team was able to get back on track Friday when it began NJSIAA Non-Public A South Tournament play at Msgr. Walter E. Nolan Field.
It took head coach Dan Donigan’s team 64 minutes before they got on the scoreboard, but the third-seeded Irish continued to be stingy defensively in shutting down sixth-seeded St. Joseph’s High of Metuchen by a 2-0 score.
With the win, Notre Dame (17-3) advances to play at second-seeded Christian Brothers Academy (11-3-3) Tuesday in Lincroft. The Colts advanced by defeating seventh-seeded St. Thomas Aquinas (formerly known as Bishop Ahr), 8-0.
“We used those eight days off to fix our minds,” Irish senior back Pedro Navroski said. “Yes, we lost in the county tournament. But we needed to realize that is not as big as the state tournament.”
With time to help some players’ injuries heal and time to figure out what changes would be made for players who could not return, Donigan’s boys did their best to hold off the Falcons, especially in the first half when the visitors were playing with the wind and the sun at their backs.
Navroski had a little more responsibility with sophomore back James Watson still out from an injury he suffered versus Pennington in the county final. In his place, as in the MCT final, was senior Brett Harris, who helped nail down the back line with Navroski and classmates Matt Jakim and Eric Suschke.
Senior goalkeeper Nick Wilke made six saves to hold off St. Joe’s until freshman James Ferraro was finally able to break through for the home team with 16:08 left.
Ferraro kicked in a pass from sophomore Danny Bensch, who won a ball deep in the Falcons’ end before centering to Ferraro.
“It being a close game was more motivation for us to push harder,” Navroski said. “I play the game to the best of my ability and try to keep everything calm. If that happens, then I know things will go our way.”
While Navroski was nailing down the defense, Harris got the opportunity to push forward and aid the offense with 10:17 to go when he took a throw-in along the sideline. His throw sailed into the center of the goal box, where it was inadvertently headed by a St. Joseph’s defender into the net over goalkeeper Matthew Abode for an own goal.
It was a tough turn for the Falcons, who had played well enough to stay in the game. Abode made 10 saves to give the visitors a chance.
However, Navroski and the Irish did not let up, posting their 10th shutout of the season to advance in states despite the long gap between games.
St.Joe’s-Metuchen(3-13-1) 0 0 — 0
Notre Dame (17-3) 0 2 — 2
Goals: Ferraro, [own goal] (ND); Assist: Bensch (ND).
Shots: 6 (SJM), 12 (ND); Saves: Abode 10 (SJM), Wilke 6 (ND).
Notre Dame boys soccer uses layoff to refocus, beats St. Joe's Metuchen in Non-Public A South playoffs | Sports | trentonian.com
Notre Dame's James Ferraro (21) shields the ball from Hopewell Valley's Tiago Bombo (18) during Tuesday's game. (Kyle Franko/ Trentonian Photo)
HS Boys Soccer >> Non-Public A South
ND uses layoff to refocus, beats St. Joe's Metuchen
Notre Dame boys soccer uses layoff to refocus, beats St. Joe's Metuchen in Non-Public A South playoffs
LAWRENCE — Despite not playing for eight days since losing in double overtime to the Pennington School in the Mercer County Tournament final, the Notre Dame High boys soccer team was able to get back on track Friday when it began NJSIAA Non-Public A South Tournament play at Msgr. Walter E. Nolan Field.
It took head coach Dan Donigan’s team 64 minutes before they got on the scoreboard, but the third-seeded Irish continued to be stingy defensively in shutting down sixth-seeded St. Joseph’s High of Metuchen by a 2-0 score.
With the win, Notre Dame (17-3) advances to play at second-seeded Christian Brothers Academy (11-3-3) Tuesday in Lincroft. The Colts advanced by defeating seventh-seeded St. Thomas Aquinas (formerly known as Bishop Ahr), 8-0.
“We used those eight days off to fix our minds,” Irish senior back Pedro Navroski said. “Yes, we lost in the county tournament. But we needed to realize that is not as big as the state tournament.”
With time to help some players’ injuries heal and time to figure out what changes would be made for players who could not return, Donigan’s boys did their best to hold off the Falcons, especially in the first half when the visitors were
 playing with the wind and the sun at their backs.
Navroski had a little more responsibility with sophomore back James Watson still out from an injury he suffered versus Pennington in the county final. In his place, as in the MCT final, was senior Brett Harris, who helped nail down the back line with Navroski and classmates Matt Jakim and Eric Suschke.
Senior goalkeeper Nick Wilke made six saves to hold off St. Joe’s until freshman James Ferraro was finally able to break through for the home team with 16:08 left.
Ferraro kicked in a pass from sophomore Danny Bensch, who won a ball deep in the Falcons’ end before centering to Ferraro.
“It being a close game was more motivation for us to push harder,” Navroski said. “I play the game to the best of my ability and try to keep everything calm. If that happens, then I know things will go our way.”
While Navroski was nailing down the defense, Harris got the opportunity to push forward and aid the offense with 10:17 to go when he took a throw-in along the sideline. His throw sailed into the center of the goal box, where it was inadvertently headed by a St. Joseph’s defender into the net over goalkeeper Matthew Abode for an own goal.
It was a tough turn for the Falcons, who had played well enough to stay in the game. Abode made 10 saves to give the visitors a chance.
However, Navroski and the Irish did not let up, posting their 10th shutout of the season to advance in states despite the long gap between games.
St.Joe’s-Metuchen(3-13-1) 0 0 — 0
Notre Dame (17-3) 0 2 — 2
Goals: Ferraro, [own goal] (ND); Assist: Bensch (ND).
Shots: 6 (SJM), 12 (ND); Saves: Abode 10 (SJM), Wilke 6 (ND).