In the first round of the state tournament last night, the Verona High School boys soccer team defeated Whippany Park on penalty kicks after the overtime period ended with the score tied at 2-2.
Verona jumped out of the gate early when, just 30 seconds into the game, Patrick Mann crossed the ball into the path of Brian Cleaver, who shot the ball over Whippany Park’s charging goalie and into the goal. Cleaver returned the favor just eight minutes later when he drove down to the left corner with the ball and passed it through the opponent’s box into a charging Mann, who shot the ball through traffic and into the net for a 2-0 lead. Whippany Park pulled one goal back before halftime and Verona maintained that 2-1 advantage until, with just 3 minutes left in regulation, Whippany Park leveled the game with a headed ball off a corner kick.
Regulation ended with the score still tied 2-2 and the game went to sudden death, but neither team scored in overtime and the game would have to be decided on penalty kicks.
In the first round of five penalty kicks each team scored four, with Verona’s Cleaver, Evan Spong, Dean Rizzi, and goalie Joey Farmer all making their shots. With the penalty shot score tied at four after the round of five, each shot going forward could mean victory or defeat for Verona. Cleaver then stepped up to take his shot and smashed it past Whippany Park’s diving goalkeeper. Farmer, Verona’s goalie, made a diving save on Whippany Park’s next penalty kick and won the game for the boys, who ran onto the field and celebrated a well-earned victory over a tough Whippany Park team.
Verona travels to number-one seeded North Arlington this Saturday at 6:30 p.m. in the next round of the tournament.
