Sunday, October 26, 2008

By Rich Barton
NJS.com Staff Writer

WAYNE – Normally in any county tournament where if the final finishes in a tie that both teams are crowned co-champs, there is disappointment felt on both sides. This would be especially true in most cases if one team has six times as many shots as the other, but could only muster a tie. However there are some instances like this where everyone really does go home a winner, sometimes even for the first time ever on this level.

In yesterday’s Passaic County final, second-seeded Passaic County Tech surprised nearly everyone in attendance by dominating the possession game against top-seeded Clifton. They outshot the Mustangs by a whopping 21-3 margin, but could not get a shot past Clifton goaltender Thomas Fraczek. The end result was a scoreless tie, the first tie in a Passaic final since 1992. It also marked Clifton’s record 16th title in the 26-year history of the tournament and PCT’s first-ever county title through a driving rainstorm.

“The conditions didn’t help either team, but we both had to play through it,” said Clifton head coach Joe Vespignani. “PCT came out with a gameplan and they took it to us. We knew they were talented offensively, but our defense came up big time after time.”

The first half was telling with Clifton having the wind at its back, but struggling to get any offense going. That is in large part to the play of PCT senior Michael Encarnacion in the back, who was all over the field making plays. The Bulldogs allowed just one shot in the first half and went out on the attack in the second.

Rafael Donado had the first scoring chance of the game for either team in the 53rd minute when his 27-yard shot bent just wide. Later in the half, Donado fed Sean Escalante for a breakaway. Fraczek charged off of his line to make a diving save and then made another diving save on the rebound shot by Christian Villamar.

PCT was on the offensive for most of the game, but was held off by a fantastic performance from Clifton sweeper Ryan Ware. Not the fastest player on the field, or the most skilled, but he was the most steady player on the field in this match. He controlled the middle of the field, forcing the Bulldogs to take most of their shots from outside the box.

“I thought Ryan (Ware) played great today and he gives us stability in the back,” added Vespignani. “I was hesitant about moving him from stopper where he was so effective marking top players. But we needed to be stronger back there and it was a move that needed to be made and it has worked out lately.”

The best scoring opportunity for PCT in the entire contest came with 7:25 to play in the second overtime. Once again, it was Donado drawing in the defense, then slipping a pass to Escalante. For the second time in the came, Fraczek saved the breakaway, and Encarnacion’s follow went wide.

Neither team got off a shot the rest of the way, and the teams had to settle for a split of the Passaic crown. Fraczek, in just his second game of the season after returning from injury, finished with a career-high 13 saves. PCT’s Santiago Mesa needed to make just two saves for the shutout and the Bulldogs’ first-ever soccer championship of any kind.

“Both sides played hard and we both deserved to be county champs,” said PCT head coach Marc Foti. “Some people would rather see penalty kicks, but I’d personally rather see co-champs. It would be tough to play for (100 minutes) and then win or lose it on a penalty kick. I thought we played well in all aspects; we just didn’t put one in. But we didn’t allow one either and it means a lot to our kids to prove ourselves on this level of competition.”

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