WAYNE -- Kearny's Scott Millar didn't want the ball. Not again. He had missed his first two chances in the Kardinals' penalty shootout against Westfield in yesterday's State Group 4 semifinal and couldn't believe it was up to him once more.

"I told the coach I couldn't take it. I didn't want to let the team down for the third time," said Millar. "But they gave it to me anyway."

Turns out the coach's instincts were right.

After Kearny's Dane Coleman tied it 4-4 in the best-of-five first round, and a 2-2 tie in the second round sent it into a sudden death round, Westfield's sharpshooter Anthony Tomasso missed and it was Millar's turn again.

This time, though, he nailed the team's 11th penalty kick, beating the Westfield goalkeeper left after faking to his right to give Kearny (17-3-2) a dramatic 2-1 win in overtime.

"My first two shots went to his right, so I guess he thought I was going the same way," stated a jubilant and relieved Millar. "I guess it was meant to be."

Millar's dad and head coach John said he didn't doubt his son for a moment.

"You know, in situations like this, you have to give him another chance or it's a show of not having confidence," said coach/dad Millar. "Most of all, I wanted him to be confident in himself. He had to take it, and if he missed, he missed."

But the younger Millar didn't miss and the Kardinals are heading into the finals at The College of New Jersey on Friday night to meet Shawnee High School for all the marbles.

"We've been there before so I know we're capable of doing these things in a big game," said the younger Millar. "We'll be ready for Friday."

But the chance at an incredible 14th state title almost eluded the Kardinals. Westfield (15-6) got out of the gate quickly, scoring on a perfectly angled wide shot by Lee Tomasso at 5:52. Twin brother Anthony crossed a pass in front and Lee timed it just right, sneaking it past Kardinal goalkeeper Rob Gorski low and right.

That goal, however, was the only mistake Gorski would make for the remainder of the contest. Millar knotted the game at 30:45, fielding a pass at midfield, spinning and launching a rocket to the high left corner of the net.

And it was all Gorski from there. He dove, leapt, lunged, and grabbed everything that came near him, putting on quite a spectacular show in net for the Kardinals through a scoreless second half and two 10-minute sudden death periods.

"That's my job," said Gorski, who stopped 19 shots on goal, including five in the penalty frame. "I felt we were playing strong so I had to do everything I could."

Daringly, Gorski came way out to the top of the box at least half-a-dozen times in the closing minutes of regulation and made some incredible acrobatic saves in overtime.

"I have all the confidence in the world when my team is playing like that in front of me, so I wasn't nervous when it came to the penalty kicks," Gorski said. "I looked directly in their eyes and tried to read them as best I could."

Coach Millar praised his keeper for coming off the line without fear, but more so for his poise late in the game.

"He could've quit after letting those penalty shots get past him," said the coach. "But he didn't back down. I knew he'd hang tough. "This was a terrific game," he added. "One more to go."

Westfield goalie Kevin Cutro had his hands full as the Kardinals recorded 33 shots and five corner kicks. The Blue Devils' took 14 shots and two corner kicks.