Before the school board meeting began on November 18, board members, students from both high schools, and even South Principal Charles Rudnick were murmuring about it.##M:[more]##
“Any word yet?” asked one official. Rudnick pulled out his phone and tried to get in touch with someone who was in Toms River amid the action. In fact, he would have had many sources from whom to get the information — at least 15 faculty members made the trip to the shore town in the brisk weather to watch the team that has evoked spirit into the entire district — the North boys’ soccer team.
Just days before, the same anticipation filled the stands as the Knights, soaked from the rain, embraced each other after taking down Wall for the NJSIAA Group III Sectional Title, 2-1, for the second year in a row. In the games leading up to the team’s appearance in the state semifinal on November 18 against Moorestown, faculty at North had been allowing students to leave a little early during last period when the top-seeded team played at home during its run to the states.
While the final outcome was a 2-1 loss, the team’s contribution to the school’s — and district’s — pride cannot be contested as the team met all of its expectations by earning the sectional title and ending with a nearly impeccable 19-2 record.
“We had gotten to the same point we were last year,” says Coach Trevor Warner. “Last year was an amazing run, and one that was unexpected. This year it was expected, and it’s a testament to our guys and their approach that we managed to fulfill that expectation. A lot of teams that have that expectation of winning the sectional again, fail at that.”
Last year the 12-seed Knights had to pull out of a slump near the end of the season to make it as far as it did. This year they were given the top-seed. Also, Kody Sun, who scored the game-winning goal in the sectional championship with 25:37 left in the second half to help give the Knights the 2-1 edge over Wall on November 14, was in Connecticut at this time last year (he transferred this year).
Warner gives Moorestown credit. “I do think we were fortunate to [have the score remain] zero-zero at the end of the first half,” he said. “I do think they created a lot of scoring opportunities.”
Still, goalkeeper Dan Hayduchok came up big for the Knights, says Warner. Hayduchok replaced Eric Scala, who has been out with a broken jaw. “When you have that kind of attack, and you get through it, we talked about some things at half time,” said Warner. “We came out a completely different team in the second half. In my mind, we had a lot of the play. We put one away in the first five minutes of the second half. Unfortunately, as we sustained that attack, we failed to put away that very elusive second and important goal. I think if we could have done that, we would have been in a very good position to win the game.”
Unfortunately for the Knights, Moorestown came back with the winning goal with a little more than a minute remaining. “We had a couple of opportunities to make it 2-0 in our favor,” Warner says. “We just failed to convert, but not by lack of effort.”
While the Knights will be losing 12 seniors next year, players like Scala, Sun, and Nassir Silwany will return.
One key to the team’s success this year more than anything else has been its togetherness. And just as the team’s successful run has given life to High School North’s pride, it has also exemplified that good sportsmanship and bonding can take a team far.
Warner witnessed this first hand. A sophomore in one of his classes — Warner teaches in the district — who is not affiliated with the soccer team approached him the day after the Moorestown game and told the coach, “I don’t know if you know how much spirit this season, from a soccer standpoint brought to our student body,” Warner recalls the student saying. “I just wish that everybody had the same approach this soccer team had. They cared about each other. They played with class.”
Warner says the student’s comments “just spoke volumes for a 15-year-old kid. And you know what? He was right. They understand that the game is bigger than them, and they care about each other. I’m proud that our team takes value in that.”
