November 1, 2010
Kearny wins first county title
Amine Zaouia (in red) and his teammates celebrate after defeating Bayonne.
Click Here for more photos from Bayonne vs Kearny Boys Soccer.
By Jason Bernstein
Editorial Director
JERSEY CITY – When Kearny found themselves in the Hudson County finals a year ago, it ended in heartbreak. Yesterday, the Kardinals quickly made sure history would not repeat itself.
Top-seeded Kearny erupted for three goals within the first 19 minutes of the game as they rolled past Bayonne 5-0 yesterday at Caven Point.
“I think for the guys who were on the team last year it was important that we won it this season,” Kearny head coach Billy Galka said. “We definitely wanted to take that championship. We got to the championship game last year and it was a sour feeling losing that.”
“It’s the best feeling,” said Amine Zaouia. “We can walk with our heads high now.”
Any comparisons to last year’s 1-0 loss in the final to Harrison were quickly dashed as the Kardinals got off to a blistering start on offense. Kearny (16-2-2) seized the momentum just three minutes in as Zaouia found Almir Batista for an easy goal into an open net.
The Kardinals, ranked 15th in the state continued to click on offense. In the 10th minute Zaouia redirected a Chris Huacon shot into the left side of the net to make it 2-0. Kearny would effectively end the game nine minutes later Ryan Wilson found Huacon on a one-timer as Huacon delivered low liner into the goal for a 3-0 lead midway through the opening half.
“We went into the game (on defense), knowing the players we wanted to sort out and pay attention to them,” Bayonne coach John Calcaterra said. In the first 10 minutes we didn’t do that. To their credit they put pressure on us and when they had the opportunity to score they did. When you take a 3-0 lead like that it’s very, very difficult to bounce back from that.”
“There was pressure in the beginning,” said Kearny goalie Tyler Anderson, calling yesterday his team’s best of the season. “We had our nerves, we had our butterflies, but we were able to push through it.”
Anderson was brilliant in net, making seven saves in the victory, highlighted by a diving stop on a Darwin Cruz direct kick in the sixth minute.
Zaouia and Alejandro Dianes added goals in the second half for the Kardinals, which had defeated the Bees (12-4-3) 2-1 twice during the regular season. Christian Videiro added a save for Kearny after coming in for Anderson late in the second half.
Ahmed Bendary withstood the constant barrage of shots to make nine saves for second-seeded Bayonne in defeat.
The Bees will have little time to dwell on the defeat, the most lopsided one they’ve endured all season long. Today they host Linden at 4 p.m. in the first round of the NJSIAA North 2, Group IV tournament.
Kearny also has a quick turnaround as they have their first playoff game today at home against East Orange. As gratifying as the winning a county championship was, the Kardinals still have bigger goals in sight.
“We need to move on past this,” Anderson said. “It was a good win, but we need to move on to bigger things and we need to win bigger games now.”
Senior Wilfredo Alvizures and Bayonne will face Linden in the state tournament.
1st |
2nd
|
Total |
|
| Bayonne Bees (12-4-3) | 0 |
0 |
0 |
| Kearny Kardinals (16-2-2) | 3 |
2 |
5 |
| K: Almir Batista (Amine Zaouia) 3rd minute | |||
| K: Zaouia (Chris Huacon) 10th minute | |||
| K: Huacon (Ryan Wilson) 19th minute | |||
| K: Zaouia (Renato Vigo) 69th minute | |||
| K: Alejandro Dianes (Thomas Cruz) 78th minute | |||
Goalies: B: Ahmed Bendary (9 saves), Ryan Sprague; |
|||