Lawrence Hamnett Soccer Travel Roundup (Sept. 22-23)

Editor's Note: The following Travel/Competitive Division game summaries were submitted by the Lawrence Hamnett Soccer Association.

GIRLS 

Lawrence U-9 Leopards  

The U9 girls Leopards continue to dominate as they beat the Voorhees SC Dynamos 3-0. Mackenzie Esposito exploited the opponent’s defense and powered her way to score her first hat trick. Maggie Gronenthal and Emily Chess displayed great defensive instincts at fullback, limiting the opponent to a single shot on goal and no goals scored for the second week in a row. Teagan Sinkewicz and Briana Audet lead the effort at midfield, applying constant pressure on the ball. The Leopards’ season record now stands at 3-0.   

BOYS

Lawrence U-9 Strikers

It was a 2-1 nail biting win for the Lawrence U-9 Strikers over the Piscataway Cosmos on Sunday. Goalkeepers Davin Jodoin, Zach Berardi and Dylan Adamsky helped limit the Cosmos to only one goal during the contest and midfielders Sam Bowes and Adamsky controlled the ball and each pounded a goal past their keeper.

The defensive unit of Will Schuler, Ryan Milano, Luke Longo, Harrison Bohra and Aidan McChesney contained the Cosmos players limiting their shots at Striker keepers. Jodoin set up his teammates on a couple crosses that just missed the toes of Matt Sargent, Ian Stuckey and Berardi and teamwork by midfielders Theo Sardain and Andrew Lynch, showing their ball handling skills, helped keep the ball in the offensive end throughout the game.

Lawrence U-11 Sharks - Sharks Rumble Thunder

The Sharks traveled to neighboring Hopewell Valley to play their match against the Thunder. The cooler temperatures could not cool off the Sharks, as they were able to gain a 4-2 victory. The boys possessed the ball – the crisp passing and communication was too much for the Thunder defense.

In the 14th minute they were able to mount a strong attack and on a very unselfish pass from Zachery Young to Freddie Young Jr. who ripped a shot into the back of the net for his first goal as a Shark. The Sharks kept the pressure on Hopewell as midfielders Michael Kemo, Trevor Stio, John Caccavale and Foster Wakeman dominated the center of the pitch and were eventually able to free Young Jr. again on a thru ball from Justin Krisak for Freddie’s second goal of the match. Ben Cohen and Joey Briggs continued to disrupt the play across the backline of defense but were unable to punch the ball into the net. The halftime score remained at 2-0.

The Thunder regrouped at the intermission and came out pressing in the second half, in the 35th minute they were able to find the back of the net. With a score of 2-1 the Sharks wasted no time to increase their lead, as halftime personnel changes at the midfield slots Devon Meth, Aidan Kane and Harry LaZelle were able to gain control of the game and initiated many attacks. On an overlap run by Jack Collins the Sharks pushed the ball down the right side line and Collins found Krisak who buried his shot.

The Thunder did not give up and were able to slide past the Shark defense for a second goal. The Lawrence boys were able to mount one more attack and put the game out of reach when Young Jr. returned the favor to Zachery Young and found him inside; Young pushed the ball to his left foot and lofted his shot into the far corner. This concluded the scoring as Ian Wang and Collins were able to stop the late Thunder runs allowing the Sharks to gain their first victory of the season.

Lawrence U-13 Charge – Milk Can Comes Home to Lawrence!

The Charge, who lost last season at home to the Wolverines, were determined to bring Milk Can back to Lawrence after a long absence. With a tremendous display of possession style play and committed teamwork, the Charge took the lead in the opening ten minutes and doubling their effort mid way through the first half to start the second half 2-0.

However, the Wolverines put on a display of fine attacking soccer and pressed hard from the beginning of the second half getting a goal back before for the Charge got their third. Down two goals, the Wolverines quickly pulled even as a result of lapses in defending. The game got physical and heated with a yellow card issued to a player from each team.

The Wolverines not wanting to lose, and the Charge knowing that a tie was not good enough to take possession of the trophy, pressed until the dying seconds of the game, when Hakim Hachicha made a run from the center circle calling loudly for the ball, with the ball played back into his path he neatly chipped the ball above the opposing keepers outstretched hands. With only a minute of injury time added, the Charge withstood the force to hold on for a sweet and well deserved victory.

The relentless pressure of the Wolverines was contained by the defensive unit of Joseph Giuliano, Luke Annand , and Patrick Franceschini. Logan Hillegas came up with a huge save mid-way through the second half, diving at the opponent’s feet to rescue the ball – a certain goal without his valiant effort.

Additional offensive opportunities were created by Eric Broadway and Kieran Humphreys working the midfield with well placed balls down the wings. Relentless play by Aidan Jodoin and Dylan Pawar in the center of the field to keep the ball moving and Kyle Schuler and Ryan Monaghan put in a strong effort and pressured the opposition to deny them time on the ball.

Adam LeCompte and Christian Fang put on a entertaining display of attacking skills. Ethan Crutchley and Hutch Collins combined their strength and speed to spark creativity in the midfield with runs down the wings. Estuardo DeLeon played both sides well to provide key passes to his teammates, and shutting down the opponents with well timed tackles. Although injured, Sean McLaughlin kept the team charging and focused on the prize.

In 2009 “The Milk Can Game” was born, the brainchild of coaches Paul Lobben of Lawrence Hamnett and Doug Morgante of the Greater Flemington Soccer Club (GFSC).

The milk can, was designed by Doug’s wife, and is a vintage 10 gallon metal container measuring 24 ½ inches in height and 13 inches in diameter and weighing 20 pounds. The outside is painted jet black and emblazoned with the patches of both GFSC and Lawrence Hamnett. The date and result of each contest is written on the can. The milk can will be protected by the Lawrence Charge, shared among the team members until it is contested again.