Courier-Post from Camden, New Jersey • Page 47

COURIER-POST, Sunday, November 24, 2002 7C VARSnY EXTRA tennsville earns a stare of (Hrrap 1 cSiam pooiiship I 9, i VM -is. By DAVID MURPHY Courier-Post Staff EWING On a chilly Saturday night at The College of New Jersey, the Penns-ville High School girls' soccer team set out to achieve its preseason goal of becoming the top Group 1 team in the state. For now, the Eagles will have to share that distinction. After 80 minutes of regulation and two 10-minute overtime periods, Penns-ville finished the Group 1 title game in a 1-1 tie with Glen Rock. Because the NJSIAA does not use penalty kicks in its title games, both teams were declared champions.

"It's OK," said goalkeeper Paige Yeich, who saved the game for Penns-ville several times in the second half and overtime. "We wanted to be champions, but we went the whole season without losing a game except for in the Coaches Tournament, and I don't think many teams can say that." Pennsville was on the defensive for most of the overtime periods. Yeich, who was peppered all night with shots, made three big saves as the Eagles weathered a fierce offensive attack from the Panthers. With seven minutes left in the second overtime, Photos by CHRIS LaCHALLCourier Post Jamie Mundell (center) of Pennsville battles Glen Rock's Sarah Reynolds for control of the ball In Saturday's state final. A www --M CI Eagles battled Glen Rock to The team scored its first goal 9:35 into the game when senior forward Jamie Mundell chased down a header from junior forward Lindsay Hitchner about 20 yards in front of the net.

The shot blew by Glen Rock goalie Sarah Volk-mer to give the Eagles an early 1-0 lead. Glen Rock tied the game with 10:06 remaining in the first half. Senior forward Kim Mineo sent a from 18 yards out was played perfectly by Yeich. With 15:37 remaining, Yeich again came up big, making a diving stop of a low shot by Jerome. "She was the hero tonight," Greenzweig said of his goalkeeper, who finished the game with 12 saves.

"Paige just played such a great second half and overtime." Reach David Murphy at cpsportscourierpostonline.com Gutsy Schalick back before falling in overtime Pennsville goalkeeper Paige a 1-1 tie and a share of the the goalkeeper stuffed a shot by Glen Rock star forward Leah Jerome to help preserve the outcome. Earlier, four minutes into the first overtime, Yeich made a game-saving stuff of a shot by Jerome, who had a perfect look at the net from seven yards out. "It was very nerve-racking," said Yeich, who had seven shutouts and nine goals allowed this season. "I tried to tell myself just to stay calm and not Go to courierpostonline.com Varsity for a photo gallery from this game. failed to put Schalick away.

After Brett Copare tied the game 3-3 with 22:19 left on possibly the best goal of the year the Patriots went defensive and tried to counter several times. It paid off in overtime. "They kept trying the same play over and over," Jackson said. "If you do it that many times, at some point it's going to work." Work it did as O'Donoghue, who had a hat trick in the game, raced down-field and just passed Willis at the end of the run. A sliding Burt couldn't knock the ball away just inside the 18-yard line and O'Donoghue was able to knock home the game-winner.

"I don't know a coach that practices plays like that," Jackson said. "We don't have a set situation on whose ball that is." That said. Schalick had plenty to be proud of on this day. North Warren built a 2-0 first-half lead on O'Donoghue's first two goals. The senior scored just 18 seconds into the game and again with 30:44 on a shot from 30 yards.

That despite the fact Schalick had a clear ad -7 i a Yeich celebrates after the Group 1 state title. Go to courierpostonline for a photo gallery from this game. worry. We made it this far, and as long as I stayed calm and cool the whole team would stay calm and cooL" Pennsville was dominated by Glen Ridge in a 3-0 loss in last year's Group 1 final. This year, the Eagles were determined to avoid a repeat performance.

battles vantage in possession, not only in the first half but also in the entire game. "I'd say we had possession about 80 percent of the time," Copare said. "They made the best of their chances." "From what I can remember, I think they had maybe five shots but they scored on four of them," Jackson said. "Give them credit." Coaches have a tendency to over-exaggerate. But on this occasion, Jackson was right.

The official shot count at the end of this game was an astounding 14-5 in favor of Schalick. "I think if we could have scored in the first half we would have won going away," Bauer said. "But we didn't and we had to fight the whole way back." With the score 2-0, Bauer assisted Shannon Dalton's goal with 36:51 left in regulation to make the score 2-1. Minutes later, Warren's Ro-ry Quinn put the Patriots up 3-1 with 30:29 to play. Schalick again responded and after Phil Marino scored, also on an assist from Bauer, the score was 3-2 with 25:36 to play.

The stage was set for Co-pare. "He's played big all year but I was ready to kill him because he hasn't scored in so long," Jackson said. "But A SCOTT ANDERSONCourierost 6i i when we needed him the most, he came through." With just under 23 minutes to play, Copare controlled the ball some 80 yards away from the North Warren net The junior split a pair of defenders and took off down the middle of the field with more room than Moses had when he crossed the Red Sea. He beat two more defenders on the way and moved to his left about 30 yards out. A swerve right, then back left and only one defender remained.

"We were down 3-2 and somebody needed to step up," Copare said. "As soon as I got by the first kid, there was no way I was stopping until I got us tied. I got to the sweeper and, he's a big dude, so I thought if I cut him one way real quick he'd be done." Done, stunned, lost it didn't matter what the condition was of the wreckage Copare left in his wake. Now all alone inside of 10 yards, Copare easily beat North Warren keeper Ian Lock-wood and Schalick had tied the game. "It was a great run," Jackson said.

"You could see all the guys smiling. At that point, we were tied. We had the momentum." Reach Michael Radano at (856) 486-2424 or mradanocourier postonline.com By MICHAEL RADANO Courier-Post Staff UNION This was worse. The Schalick High School boys' soccer team traveled to Kean University for the Group 1 state final for the second straight year. Last year, Schalick came away with a co-championship and the Cougars talked all season how they didn't want another co-championship.

"I got my wish, that's all I can say," senior Brent Bauer said. This was much worse. North Warren's Chris O'Donoghue beat Schalick defender Bill Willis and keeper Justin Burt to a long ball that came out of the back, and scored with 43.9 seconds left in the first overtime to beat Schalick 4-3 on Saturday. The golden goal ended the season for the Cougars (21-2-1) and left them with a two-hour bus ride to think what might have been. "This is a great bunch of kids," Schalick first-year coach Kevin Jackson said.

"I know they're disappointed, but they showed a lot of heart. They came back twice and one bad defensive play was the difference." Despite leads of 2-0 and 3-1, North Warren (16-3-1) 3 -w. .1 centering feed from the right side of the field to fellow forward Danielle Pa-toir, who one-timed it into the left side of the net. "With the way the ball was skipping around, and the fact that there were two goals pretty early on, I thought it was going to be higher scoring, maybe a 3-2 game," said Pennsville coach Greg Greenzweig. "We just didn't create enough opportunities in the second half." Schallck's Shannon Dalton trails the play In Saturday's that with his speed and power." Salem coach Dave Lin-denmuth called Redman's punt return the game-breaker.

"I thought we had a chance until he broke that one," Lindenmuth said. "Isaac is an excellent football player. He's the type of kid you can only hope to contain. You're not going to stop him. I thought we did a good job in the first half containing him but he exploded at the start of the second half." Redman's 6-yard run and Nino Polimeni's first of three extra points staked Paulsboro to a 7-0 lead in a first half that was fairly even in yardage.

But Paulsboro made a quick move at the outset of the third quarter. Returning the kickoff to its own 31, Paulsboro shook Redman loose for 34 yards and a first down at the Salem 35. Jerome Beverly busted up the middle to the Salem 13. Redman then picked up In the first 20 minutes of the second half, Glen Rock had a number of quality scoring opportunities that just missed. With 35:17 remaining in regulation, Mineo took a hard shot from 20 yards out that Yeich managed to get a hand on and knock over the net.

A couple of minutes later, Jerome made a great move at the center-line to get past two Pennsville defenders, then fed a pass to Mineo, whose shot Jl gains possession of the ball as Group 1 state final. Go to courierpostonline.com Varsity for a photo gallery from this game. four yards but a penalty set Paulsboro back to the 14. Redman then slashed outside tackle and raced into the end zone for a touchdown. Polimeni kicked the point.

"Coach made a couple adjustments at halftime," said Redman, who had been limited to 35 yards in the first half. "Zach Garren and Beverly did a great job blocking and I was just cutting off their blocks." While Redman and the offensive line shared the glory, it was a rugged performance by the defense that kept Salem from sustaining anything that resembled a serious threat. Redman and Garren were the ringleaders of the Red Raiders no-trespassing defense along with ends Matt Petrutz and Greg Lopez, all coming up with big stops at one time or another. 11 if 1 CARLOS J. ORTIZ Courier-Posl North Warren's Mark Skok championship PaulsboroRedman leads Red Raiders past Salem and into South Jersey Group 1 Sophomore linebacker I utJi Vil sir 1 (J Continued from Page 1C the Courier-Post Top 20, got two other touchdowns from Redman, who finished with 18 points and took over the lead in the individual scoring race with 184 points, two more than Moores-town's Albert Young.

Redman carried the ball 15 times for 150 yards in Paulsboro's 33rd straight victory. "We expect him to make big plays," Paulsboro coach Glenn Howard said. "I've seen him four years. He's just a great athlete, a man on a mission who has been stepping up every week. "What makes his achievements even greater is that every team we play gears their defense to stop him.

But we have a good offensive line and a nice fullback to help him along." Howard marveled at Redman's punt return. "That was Isaac Redman, running through and over people," the coach said. "He's capable of doing Lamont Robinson and se-nior linebacker Walter Carter made their share of tackles for the Rams, who are now 8-2 with a game left with Woodstown orr Thanksgiving Day. "We had some things going in the first half," denmuth said, "but we made some mistakes. You can't do that against a team as good as Paulsboro." Paulsboro won't have much time to celebrate unbeaten rival West Deptford on tap night.

"We've been waiting for that game all year," said Redman, who has a planned visit to Syracuse on Dec. 13 and another to Iowa sometime in "You couldn't ask for any-thing better with two un- beaten teams. "I'm sure they're -looking forward to it, too." Reach Walt Burrows at (856) 486-2424 or wburrowscourier postonline.com i.j Isaac Redman (20) of Paulsboro runs over Salem's Andrew Hecksher for a first down In the opening quarter of Saturday's Group 1 sectional semifinal game. .1.