State final tickets were punched all over the Garden State as JSZ brings you three great state semifinal matchups in boys soccer. Check back as the highlights are posted throughout the night!
Randolph 1 Rahway 0 (2OT) | Group 3 State Semifinal
David Martinez delivered the biggest goal of his senior season Tuesday night and now his Rams are headed to the Group 3 state championship game. Martinez’s golden goal in double overtime came in the 99th minute with just 15 seconds left on the clock, thus sending Randolph (16-5-3) to their first state championship contest since the 1996 season. Rahway (17-7-1) fought incredibly hard until the final whistle. Randolph will face Shawnee in the Group 3 final at 10 A.M. on Sunday, Nov. 24 at Franklin High School.
JSZ’s Jay Cook has the highlights and reaction from Rahway River Park:
Jersey Sports Zone’s coverage of Rahway is brought to you by Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in Rahway.
Scotch Plains-Fanwood 3 Ridgewood 2 (2OT) | Group 4 State Semifinal
Freshman Aavik Akarte headed in a Jack Sponheimer cross with 2:24 to go in the second overtime to send the Raiders to the Group 4 state championship. The Raiders took a 2-0 lead with Anastasio Pavlou and Jayvon Young finding the net. Ridgewood rallied to force overtime thanks to goals by Niko Martirossian and Bassim Masri. Akarte started the year on the SPF freshman team before getting promoted twice to JV and varsity. He didn’t make his varsity debut until the state playoffs and delivered the biggest goal of the season for the Raiders. SPF (19-1-2) will face Southern for the Group 4 state championship.
JSZ’s Rich Chrampanis has the highlights and post-match reaction from a thriller:
Jersey Sports Zone’s coverage of Scotch Plains-Fanwood is brought to you by Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in Rahway.
Southern Regional 1 Princeton 0 | Group 4 State Semifinal
Ryan Schweigart and Brody Reynolds delivered a pair of clutch saves during a wild sequence in the 77th minute as the Rams advanced to their first state final in program history. Schweigart finished with four saves to earn a clean sheet in the victory. Aidan Donnelly netted his 28th goal of the season, which proved to be the difference for South champion Southern (18-5-1). Nicolas Holmelund had four saves in the loss for defending state champion Princeton (18-3-4). Southern will face the winner of Ridgewood and Scotch Plains-Fanwood for the Group 4 state title this weekend at Franklin High School.
JSZ’s James Mooney has the highlights and reaction from Manahawkin:
Jersey Sports Zone’s coverage of Princeton is brought to you by Princeton Orthopaedic Associates.
