October 26, 2011

Elmer Hernandez (left) and Miguel Lopez celebrate after a first half goal for Ferris. (Photo: Jason Bernstein)

North Bergen at Ferris Boys Soccer Photo Gallery

JERSEY CITY – Roberto Escobar was confident this type of performance would eventually come. Even as his Bulldogs struggled to generate offense for most of the season, he was the potential to be a team capable of scoring in a big way.

Yesterday might have been only one game, but for Ferris it was a glimpse into the type of offense Escobar always felt it was capable of.

Ferris, which had scored just 23 goals in its first 15 games, unloaded for a season-best seven goals yesterday as it dominated North Bergen 7-2.

"Today we showed what we're capable of playing," Escobar said. "Today our strikers really put the ball in the goal. Our problem all season has been that we dominate teams, but that we cannot finish. Today we finished and that's a big difference. So I wasn't surprised at all."

It didn't take long for Escobar and the rest of the Bulldogs (6-9-1) to realize that this game would be different for the team. It only took three minutes for Ferris to get on the board when Miguel Lopez converted on an Esa Ndoye cross to make it 1-0.

"(I knew on) the very first strike that we had. I realized that we were much faster offensively," Escobar said. "On the first strike I knew, boom this was our game."

Steven Zamudio would tie it for the visiting Bruins (9-9) just one minute later with a goal from 30 yards out, but it proved to be just a blip on the radar for Ferris.

Mohammed Wally broke the tie in the 19th minute with a goal just inside the far post and would strike again for his second goal 16 minutes later. Esa Ndoye would add a fourth goal in the 40th minute as the Bulldogs scored more in the first half than in all, but one of its first 15 games of the year.

"The other games when we were playing, we have trouble getting together and playing as a team," said Wally, who also assisted on the fourth goal. "But Coach gave us a few pointers that we needed to build upon to build a chemistry and when we get on the field we saw it and that's what we did today."

"When we went to play North Bergen (on Sept. 29) they beat us," senior captain Elmer Hernandez said. "We didn't like that. Nobody likes to lose. We got excited and we didn't want to lose at home."

Hernandez added a goal of his own in the 67th minutes as the Bulldogs weren't content to rest on the early lead. Ndoye would connect for his second goal of the game (to go with two assists) and sophomore Ansumana Wally scored on a bicycle kick in the victory.

"No excuses, we should never lose with seven goals (allowed)," said North Bergen head coach John Belluardo of his team which was short-handed on defense due to injury. "We just got to learn from it."

Juancarlos Car made six saves in net for North Bergen, facing constant pressure from the Ferris offense. Javier Gonzalez chipped in with a second-half goal in defeat.

Anthony Bonilla made three saves in net for Ferris, which has now won four of its past six games. After missing the playoffs the past three seasons, the Bulldogs and their core of eight seniors will finally get a shot at the state playoffs next week. After surviving a grueling regular season against larger Group IV schools, Ferris believes it will make the most of its opportunity.

"I've been telling them. I truly believe in our abilities," Escobar said. "And I believe that for a smaller school playing in a bigger division we have played very tough."

"We want to go there and represent our school," Mohamed Wally said. "That's the first thing we want to do. We want to play and come home with a victory."

North Bergen's David Cardenas (right) beats Bangaly Diane (left) for position. (Photo: Jason Bernstein)

North Bergen at Ferris Boys Soccer Photo Gallery