Wednesday, November 16, 2011

By Cory K. Doviak
NJS.com Editorial Director

Ian Fayorsey getting up for the lone goal in Ramapo's 1-0 win over Scotch Plains-Fanwood in the Group 3 state semifinals on Tuesday night.

BASKING RIDGE – There is no 'play' in soccer that can be called upon in a late game situation to help kill the clock. There is no quarterback to kneel on the ball or point guard to dribble away the final seconds. In soccer, killing the clock is all improvisation with a couple of tricks of the trade thrown in.

If a ball goes over the end line, maybe the ball boy assigned by the team in the lead rolls his ball in even if it is not needed, therefore using a few extra seconds to get the second ball off the field. There are substitutions to be made and always for the player who is stationed in the furthest reaches of the field and a goalie taking an extra second or two to get a punt off. Waiting to the very last moment before switching the player designated to take a throw-in works and so does getting the ball into the corner and holding it there while defenders whack away at the ankles.

All of those tactics and more were on the table on Tuesday night as Ramapo tried to protect its lead against Scotch Plains-Fanwood in the Group 3 state semifinals at Ridge High School.

“Offense is not really on the mind in those situations. It's all about holding on and moving on,” said Mike O'Brien, Ramapo's right fullback who was right in the firing line late in the game. “In the last 10 minutes the whole defense – me, [Matt] Deziel, Joey [Doughan], Ian [Fayorsey] and, of course, Will [Sheil] in goal, we just made sure that nothing went in the net. That is our job.”

A free kick and serve by Jassiem Wahtuse set up Scotch Plains' two best chances.

When Sheil came off his line to pick off Scotch Plains' final free kick and Sean Etheridge cleared the rebound down the field, Ramapo had finally finished its job, finishing off a 1-0 win against a physical team that played the man just as much as it did the ball. The Green Raiders now move into Thursday night 's Group 3 state final at The College of New Jersey against some school called Timber Creek.

“I am as proud of this team as any team I have ever coached. To come through game after game with the youth and our senior leaders and to see the senior leaders help these kids grow into better people and better players have been great to watch,” said Evan Baumgarten, who has been the Ramapo head coach for the past 23 years. “This might not have been the best game [in the history of the program], but this is certainly one of the best wins.”

Ramapo had the defensive end covered, but where it would find its offense was another matter, especially when junior Mikey Taranto, who scored the game-winner in overtime of the state sectional final on Friday, went down with a knee injury just three minutes into the game. Baumgarten had employed a defense first strategy anyway (the same one he used to beat Don Bosco Prep in last season's county semifinal), giving Scotch Plains the first 30 yards of the field to do with what it wished, but without Taranto, a physical player, against a physical defense, the Green Raiders found tough sledding in the offensive third.

Mike O'Brien and the Ramapo defense used all means to keep Scotch Plains off the board.

What Ramapo missed most with Taranto out for final 37 minutes of the first half and the first 15 of the second were his long throws, an integral part of the Green Raiders' attack. So Baumgarten started putting Taranto on the line and subbing him in when the situation called for a restart and pulling him back when it didn't. That lasted for as long as the referee allowed it to go on and it worked with just over 18 minutes to go in regulation.

Taranto stepped on the field to play a long throw to the near post for Sean Etheridge, who was dangerous enough to force a Scotch Plains defender to play the ball out for a corner. James Bounavita then took the restart and Fayorsey took a break from his defensive chores to score the biggest goal of his life.

Fayorsey got up over his defender and flicked a header into the middle of the net from about 16 yards away to give Ramapo (21-1) the goal that allowed it to fall back for the final 18:28 and win the game with its defense.

“I saw when we got the corner kick that they lined up in a zone and they weren't really paying attention to the people behind them. I just made eye contact with James Bounavita and said “Give this to me,” said Fayorsey. “I felt it. I knew my teammates had my back and I wanted to deliver for them. This was for Mikey, for the coaches and for the fans that have been supporting us.”

Ramapo keeper Will Sheil hauling in Scotch Plains last gasp inside the final 10 seconds.

Aggressiveness has been the calling card of the Scotch Plains-Fanwood program under head coach Tome Breznitzky, who picked up his 600th career win earlier this season, but the inability to turn a possession advantage into scoring chances and then into goals clearly turned into frustration.

Scotch Plains was robbed of a goal by Sheil just four minutes into the game. A nifty back heal by Travis Cortes sent Ryan McKenna in at the left post and he was a touch away before Sheil slid over to create a collision and break up the play. Scotch Plains was in the offensive third many times after, but never did get a better opportunity over the final 86 minutes and the frustration became clearly evident with 15 minutes to go in the game.

Scotch Plains' Jassiem Wahtuse served a free kick from the left sideline into the wrestling match in front of the net and it rattled around before Sheil could corral the second ball. As he walked up out of the fray to punt, Cortes took him out from behind and was sent off for good courtesy of a yellow/red.

With just under 10 minutes to go in regulation, Scotch Plains produced what turned out to be its last good chance when Wahtuse played in a serve from the left and Giovanni Tobon moved it along with the back of his boot to Colon Stripling, who took one dribble to his right to create an angle. Tobon turned, but Fayorsey never lost his assignment and took the hard shot down with his chest.

From there it was all about playing the ball out and stealing a few seconds along the way.

“I looked up at the clock every minute and it couldn't end fast enough. But as long as our defenders stayed composed and everyone worked and didn't make any stupid fouls, I knew we would be fine. It was probably the longest 10 minutes of my life, but probably the best 10 minutes of my life,” said Deziel, Ramapo's senior sweeper. “Just knowing that there is one more game left in my high school career makes me excited to play one more game with these guys. I can't wait.”

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