Sunday, November 8, 2009

By Cory K. Doviak
NJS.com Editorial Director

Freshman Samantha Wilkes scored 4:13 into the first overtime period to give IHA a 1-0 win over Northern Highlands and its third straight Bergen County championship.

OAKLAND -- The Immaculate Heart Academy girls soccer team had tried just about everything. The Blue Eagles used the wind advantage and an overwhelming advantage in possession in the first half to pressure the Northern Highlands net. They used the counter attack when Northern Highlands gained its footing in the second half and had at least three golden opportunities inside the final five minutes of regulation to get the goal that would give them a third straight Bergen County champions.

But heading into overtime, all IHA had to show for its efforts were two disallowed goals, a still scoreless game and a starring role on the highlight reel of Northern Highlands goalkeeper Carline Broder.

Broder was steady in the first half, better than that through the first 20 minutes of the second half and brilliant thereafter, but IHA senior Tara Schwitter finally found a way to solve the puzzle just over four minutes into the overtime when she took possession of the ball right on the 18 with her back to the goal and a defender getting close.

“I knew I couldn’t turn on her because their sweeper was staying back the entire game. I knew if I turned the ball would just get cleared away,” said Schwitter, a four-year starter playing in her final county tournament game. “I saw Sam [Wilkes] and honest to God I thought she was going to cross it.”

Caroline Broder was brilliant in goal for Northern Highlands.

Schwitter was referring to her short pass to freshmen Samantha Wilkes, at the upper corner of the penalty area. Instead of sending in a service, Wilkes decided to take a shot, a perfect volley that snuck inside the far post and into the side-netting for the game-winner in IHA’s 1-0 victory that gave the Eagles their third straight county championship and fourth in the last five years.

“I just kept my head down and I was just looking at that ball getting ready to strike it. Once I let it loose I knew it was in and I was just in shock,” said Wilkes, fighting a losing battle against tears of joy. ”It means a lot to me. This team is like my second family and as a freshman, this just means a lot. It shows they have trust in every player on this team no matter what grade level you are in.”

Wilkes’ shot was perfectly placed and had pace, but even still Broder came within a whisker of keeping it out. Had she done that, no one would have been surprised as Broder was what kept Highlands within one counter attack or combination from grabbing the title for itself.

Just a few of Broder’s standout saves came in do-or-die situations against three of Bergen County’s best goal scorers, Schwitter, Wilkes and Erin McGovern. With just over four minutes to go in regulation, Schwitter put a feed right on the foot of Wilkes, who took a quick rip that Broder dove low to her left to save. With 2:26 to go, Stephanie Scholz and Schwitter came in 2-v-1 with Scholz leading the charge.

Tara Schwitter, a four-year starter, assisted on the goal that gave her a piece of a third straight county championship.

Scholz slipped a pass to the right and Schwitter made solid contact, but Broder was already way off her line, reading the play and cutting the angle before making a bang-bang save. With just over one minute left, McGovern stepped onto a loose ball that was a creation of a collision near the top of the area. McGovern sent one toward the near post, but again Broder went low to her left for another diving stop that forced the overtime session.

“Kiki had an unbelievable game,” said Highlands head coach Tara Madigan, referring to Broder by her nickname. “She single-handedly saved at least four goals, unbelievable game.”

Early in the game Broder’s contributions were more of the picking off crosses and cleaning up long balls as IHA applied relentless pressure. It looked as if IHA was going to run roughshod, but what wasn’t evident early was just how much of a factor the wind was playing in keeping NH confined to its defensive third.

Because after halftime the game evened out somewhat and Highlands was able to generate some offense of its own with its two best chances coming in a seven-minute span. In the 45th minute, Sam Fiorenzo knocked down an IHA clearance attempt and took possession near midfield. She quickly played the ball to Tara Corbett, who took off up the right side. Corbett drew the transitioning defense toward her, and then played a cross into the middle that Valerie Sydnor was first to, but in traffic. Sydnor used her left foot to rush a shot toward the net and it was curling, but not fast enough to avoid sailing just wide of the second post.

Catherine Zysk nearly headed home a free kick for NH in the 52nd minute.

In the 52nd minute, Kristine Battle stepped over a free kick near the left sideline and it found its way to the back post where Catherine Zysk was running through. Zysk pushed a header on target, but IHA keeper Kate Courter responded with her toughest save of the game.

IHA looked like it had taken the lead in the 54th minute when Gabby Cuevas slotted a through ball to Scholz, who entered the 18 and drove her shot right at the sliding Broder, who again was quick off her line. Cuevas followed her pass and was there to knock home the rebound, but the referee ruled that Broder was in possession of the original shot and Cuevas had wrested the ball out of her grasp.

“When you put so much pressure on the goal like we do, goals get taken back. Say what you want about what you thought about the call, but ” said IHA head coach Steve Silver, who also saw a goal erased when it was correctly ruled that Broder pushed back over the goal line while in possession of a corner kick. “We’ve had more goals taken back this year because we do apply so much pressure, but I really felt like it was a matter of time.”

And when Wilkes buried IHA’s final opportunity, Silver’s program had its third straight county championship. That it was a senior and a freshman that teamed up on the winning combination was further proof that its future is as bright as its recent past.

IHA's Gabby Cuevas had a goal disallowed in the 54th minute.

“I thought that we played great and I would have been happy even if we had lost. If they would have found a way to slip one by us, I don’t think it would have been just, but this is the game we have chosen. We created and we were dangerous all game and I was happy that it finally happened,” said Silver. “Winning a county title never gets old. It’s a new group; we are quite different than we were four years ago when we were co-champs with Northern Highlands. They continue to work hard, we continue to attract great players, I am very lucky in that regard, and I thought it showed on the field today.

“The game is never too big for us and that is what I am most proud of,” Silver continued. “That on the grand stage, we can play and we don’t get caught up in any nonsense.”

IHA will continue to seek the grand stage in the state tournament when, as the No. 5 seed, it visits No. 1 Morris Catholic in the Non-Public North A sectional semifinal, while Northern Highlands, which suffered its first loss of the season, will have to get right back on the beam as it is set to host rival Ramapo in the North 1, Group 3 sectional final on Monday in Allendale.

“We are going to start focusing on Monday’s game,” said Madigan, “but right now we have at least 24 hours to try to get over this one.”

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