The Philadelphia Inquirer from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania • Page 103

Qtfte fnkMpfua Inquirer sn Friday, November 20, 1992 NJSIAA Boys' Soccer Tournament 0 1 1 aaaonne la esto South Jersey Highlights Today's best bet The 1992 South Jersey football playoffs will open with a Group 3 semifinal game. Absegami will play at Egg Harbor Township at 7 tonight, and the Braves (6-2) will be out to avenge a 10-7 loss suffered In the second week of the season at Egg Harbor Township (6-2). It's a fact Florence, Rancocas Valley and Shawnee will play for state field hockey titles on Sunday. Only twice in the last 17 years 1977 and 1980 has South Jersey failed to produce at least one state champ. South Jersey has had three winners in the same year eight times.

Yesterday's heroes Tom Lyons and Chris Humes scored the goals that gave Gateway its first boys' soccer state championship in a 2-0 win over Harrison. Will the Gators suffer a letdown when they go back to finish their regular-season schedule today in a match at West Deptford? "fx championship, 2-0. Two nullified by penalties I wiped out by a dangerous-play Haddonfield took the lead with 15 minutes, 44 seconds remaining in the half after Justin Reeb sliced between two defenders and drove in from the 'I right side. He sent a shot toward the net that was stopped by Pompton Lakes goalie Matt Brennan. The rebound bounced directly t6 Damian Cohen, cutting in from the left, and he scored his seventh goal from about five yards out.

A little more than five minutes into the second half, Haddonfield appeared to put a ball in its own net off a Cardinal corner kick, but that goal also was disallowed, this time by a pushing penalty. The Bulldogs' biggest challenge was still ahead, though. Forward Dan, -Tyrell was ejected after tangling with a Pompton Lakes defender. Down a man, Haddonfield switched to a man-to-man defense, clearing the ball from its own end at every opportunity. The Bulldogs got some insurance, however, a little more than a minute into the man disadvantage.

Gerrit' Kemps was awarded a penalty kick after being tackled, and he converted for his 23d goal of the season with 25:23 remaining to give Haddonfield a 2-0 lead. Pompton Lakes Haddonfield 0 1 Goals: H-Damian Cohen lun.l, Gerrit Kemps (pen-' arty kick). Goalies: PL-Matt Brennan. H-Andrew Bokan, Rob Fisler. title Groin) The Bulldogs took the state Pompton Lakes goals were By Matt Toll INQUIRER CORRESPONDENT EWING TOWNSHIP The final score was 2-0, but Haddonfield's victory over Pompton Lakes in the NJSIAA Group 1 state championship game last night was anything but straightforward.

The Bulldogs, who won their third state championship the first they haven't had to share played the final 26 minutes, 38 seconds one player down. Still, they managed their 18th shutout of the season, one shy of the South Jersey record. Pompton Lakes (14-5-1) had two goals nullified by penalties, leaving the Cardinal faithful on hand at Trenton State College disappointed. For Haddonfield (24-2), the feeling was decidedly different. "I'm so twisted up inside that it doesn't quite feel good yet," said coach Joe Falana.

"The other state titles in 1984 and 19901 are terrific, but deep down inside everybody wanted an undisputed championship." "I don't want to sound like sour grapes, but it's madness," Pompton Lakes coach Sam Ciervo said of the calls that cost his team the two goals. "It's a pretty big thing to have subjective calls take away from the kids. It breaks my heart." The first came early in the first half. Bryan Purcaro knocked the ball past Haddonfield goalie Andrew Bo-kan for an apparent goal, but it was The Philadelphia Inquirer RON CORTES Tom Lyons leaps in celebration after the final whistle of Gateway's 2-0 victory over Harrison in the Group 2 final. Lyons (right) had a big hand in the win, scoring one goal and assisting on the other.

Gateway tops Harrison, 2-0, to take state Group 2 crown of the half. Lyons lofted a pass from midfield toward the Harrison end, and Humes outraced two Blue Tide defenders to the ball. Melo came about 25 yards out from the goal to stop the breakaway, but as he and Humes met, it was Humes who emerged with control of the ball and an empty net in front of him. He punched the ball in with 1:21 left to give the Gators a 2-0 lead. "It was all a footrace," Humes said of his 19th goal of the season.

"The keeper and I met at the ball, it bounced off my leg, and luckily, I got control of it." The second half played itself out much like the first. The Blue Tide outshot Gateway, 8-3, but Kunz was unbeatable, finishing with 11 saves. "We just came out and played our hearts out," Lyons said amid a wild Gateway celebration on the field. "Ever since day one, we've just gone game by game. It's the greatest feeling ever." Harrison Gateway 0 0 Goals: G-Tom Lyons (Mike Kane), Chris Humes (Tom Lyons).

Goalies: H-Pedro Melo. Steve Kunz. Goalie Steve Kunz led the Gators to their first state championship by stopping everything in sight. Tom Lyons and Chris Humes took care of the scoring. Football Game of the Week No.

5 Eastern (7-0-1) at No. 1 Wash. Twp. (8-0). TIME: 1 p.m.

tomorrow BACKGROUND: This is a South Jersey Group 4 semifinal game between two Olympic Conference American Division powers. What makes the meeting really intriguing is that it is the first of two games the teams will play in a span of eight days. Their regular-season game will be Nov. 28, and it will be for the division title. Eastern has qualified for the playoffs nine times, but has never won a title.

Washington Township has qualified five times, and won Group 4 in 1987. Eastern was tied by Camden, 0-0, on Oct. 3. The Vikings have defeated Triton, 39-. Highland, 20-12; Overbrook, 34-8; Bishop Eustace, 33-0; Cherry Hill East, 33-14; Cherry Hill West, 32-13, and Edgewood, 28-0.

Washington Township has defeated Pennsauken, 21-7; Overbrook, 40-14; Cherry 1 Hill East, 42-21; Cherry Hill West, 42-7; Deptford, 28-0; Edgewood, 24-15; Highland, 2 1 -6, and Camden, 28-0. Washington Township coach Tom Brown is 1 1 1-34-4 in 14 years at Paulsboro and Township. He has won a South Jersey record five playoff titles, a mark he went all the way. This is the best feeling in my life." "These are the guys who matter," said Henhaffer, motioning toward his players. "But I can't feel any better than I do now." Harrison (204) spent the better part of the first half in the Gateway end of the field, and in most aspects, dominated the first 40 minutes.

The Blue Tide outshot Gateway, 7-3, in the period. On two of those shots, however, Gateway scored. The first goal came with 15 minutes, 24 seconds left in the half after a Gators throw-in from the right side near the Harrison end line. Gateway's Mike Kane controlled the ball about 25 yards from the Harrison goal, and served the ball into the box, where Lyons wheeled and right-footed the ball into the right corner of the net, past diving Harrison goalkeeper Pedro Melo. Gateway struck again near the end By Matt Toll INQUIRER CORRESPONDENT EWING TOWNSHIP It was the beginning of this soccer season, and Joe Henhaffer wasn't impressed.

His Gateway boys' soccer team had looked shoddy in its scrimmages. The coach wasn't sure the Gators would manage a .500 record. Last night at Trenton State College, they became state champions. Gateway shut down Harrison, 2-0, to win the Group 2 state title, the first in the school's history. The Gators were outshot by 15-6 in the game, but goalie Steve Kunz was there to make every save.

As usual, Tom Lyons and Chris Humes took care of the scoring they've combined for 42 of the team's 64 goals this season as the Gators ran their record to 20-3. "We were picked to win four games this season," said Lyons, who scored his 23d goal of the season. "But we ByDONMcKEE It's quiz lime in Playoffs 101 The weather has cooled to late-autumn crispness, the wretched election is gone and forgotten, and the leaves have fallen across New Jersey. That can mean only two things: The NJSIAA football playoffs are imminent, and the annual Don McKee playoff trivia quiz is at hand. As always, we'll give you one free answer, just to encourage the slower students.

Question No public school has won championships in each of the three decades since the playoffs began in 1974. But two Catholic schools have won titles on the field in the 1970s, the 1980s and the 1990s. Name them. Answer Holy Spirit won Parochial A championships in 1975, 1978, 1987, 1988 and 1990. Holy Cross won Parochial A championships in 1978, 1982 and 1991.

From now on, you're on your own. Teams. 1. Which team in the current playoff field is making its first postseason appearance? 2. Three public schools have won playoff championships on five occasions.

Which two have a chance at a sixth title this season? 3. What school won a record four straight titles? 4. Which team set a record by qualifying 10 straight years? 5. St. Joseph has qualified a record 13 times.

What is the public school record and which team holds it? 6. Which team in the current field has never lost a playoff game? 7. Which school has played the most postseason games without a win? 8. Which school has made the most playoff appearances without winning a championship? (Hint: The school is in the current field.) 9. Name the only defending champions in the current field.

1. Group 4 Shawnee. 2. Paulsboro and Brick Township. (Delsea did not qualify this year.) 3.

Group 1 Voodbury, from 1988 through 1991. 4. St. Joseph. 5.

Paulsboro has qualified 12 times. 6. Delran is 6-0. The Bears won Group 2 in 1987, 1989 and 1990 in their only postseason appearances. 7.

Vineland is OA in playoff games. 8. Eastern has qualified eight times, but has never won a title. 9. Holy Cross and St.

Joseph. Coaches. 1. Washington Township's Tom Brown is the only coach to have won playoff titles at more than one school. Which coach can match that feat this year? 2.

Name the two first-year head coaches in the current field. 3. Three coaches have won playoff championships in their first year as head men. Who is the only coach to win championships in each of his first two years? 4. Which coach in the current field once played in the USFL? 5.

Which coach in the current field is making his 10th playoff appearance? See DON McKEE on S14 7 7-rn Hi. jffslr" J- shares with Delsea's John Oberg and Brick Township's Warren Wolf. Brown, the only South Jersey coach to win championships at two schools, won Goup 1 titles at Paulsboro in 1979, 1980, 1982 and 1984, and the Group 4 title with Township in '87. Eastern's Larry Ginsburg is 92-52-7 in 15 years at Woodbury and Eastern. He won Group 1 titles at Woodbury in 1988 and 1989.

KEY FACTOR: Eastern uses seven running backs, led by junior Andre Dixon and senior Qawi Samuels. That kind of depth could give the Vikings fresher legs than Township late in the game. Township has one of the best backfields in 1 i South Jersey, with quarterback Tim Huckel Chris Canty and running backs Mike Koerner, Antony Jordan and Jim Colongo. But the three running backs play both ways, and late in the game, fatigue could be a factor. KEY MATCHUP: Washington Township's defensive line against Eastern's offensive line.

Township has one of the best pass rushes in South Jersey, led by senior Chris Marcucci (5-foot-10, 230 pounds) and junior Derrick Alston (6-2, 230). Eastern's offensive line, led by its tackles, senior John Ralston (6-0, 220) and junior Mike Steffen (6-1, 240), has been steadily improving all season. The Vikings, however, have not had to deal with a pass rush as ferocious as that of Washington Township. KEY STAT: Eastern hasn't allowed a first-half point all season; Township has scored 143 first-half points. KEY INJURIES: Both coaches report that all starters will play.

OUTLOOK: One of the keys will be the quarterbacks. Eastern's Chris Canty is one of the best athletes in South Jersey. He runs the option well, and he has the ability to go all the way any time he touches the ball. Township is known as a running team, but the underrated Huckel has thrown nine touchdown passes. Huckel and Canty also do the punting, and both have the ability to make a big play off a fake punt.

The game seems destined to come down to the play of the lines. If the offensive line can give Canty and Eastern's regiment of backs room to run, the Vikings will have a good chance to win. If the Minutemen's defensive line is able to dominate, the game may not be as close as the teams' records indicate it should be. Marc Narducci Gateway's Chris Humes takes to the air while battling a Harrison player. Humes (left) scored Gateway's second goal, beating three defenders, including the goalie, to the ball before scooting into an open net.

imiiAjiju.