FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP — Randolph boys soccer coach George Mousis tried to keep his players from hanging their heads after a 2-0 loss to Shawnee in the Group 3 final. Instead of discussing the match, Mousis talked about the Rams’ path.
Coming out of the challenging NJAC-American, Randolph earned the seventh seed in North 1, Group 3. The Rams needed penalty kicks to get through their first-round match against No. 10 Paramus. They upset second-seeded Garfield, 2-1, then went to overtime against No. 11 Bergenfield.
Randolph went up to top seed Ramapo for a frigid night game, and walked away from a 1-0 win with the first sectional trophy since 1996 – long before any of the players were even born. Taking the last step to the Group final required double overtime on the road against Rahway.
“We started believing we could accomplish something,” Mousis said. “Confidence was built up, and gradually culminated in the state final.”
The Rams had won six straight heading into the Group final. Shawnee (21-2-1), the top seed from South Jersey, ended its season on a 10-match winning streak. It is the Renegades’ first Group title since 2006. They allowed just two goals in six NJSIAA Tournament matches.
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Shawnee scored both its goals in a span of less than five minutes late in the first half. Senior midfielder Jacob Santamaria pounced on a rebound, and with 22 seconds left, senior defender Danny Williams was able to loop a high ball into the corner.
“It’s quite a journey, quite a ride,” Mousis said. “It’s disappointing they couldn’t finish on a high, but these guys have a lot to be proud of this season. …. This is their legacy: reaching the state final. Not many teams can say that.
