HIGH SCHOOL BOYS SOCCER: No time for rest as state

HIGH SCHOOL BOYS SOCCER: No time for rest as state playoffs get underway

Staff Writer

With a very impressive Mercer County Tournament now behind everyone, public and parochial soccer teams in Soccer Jersey can focus on their state tournament opponents.

Considering the tournament starts today (as opposed to tomorrow as was originally listed on most teams’ schedules),flags, that leaves little time for teams that went far in the counties to shift gears and lick their wounds.

Princeton High head coach Wayne Sutcliffe, for one, thinks that’s a good thing. His team lost its first MCT title in four years Saturday night in stunning fashion when Princeton Day School’s Hugo Meggitt scored with 5:51 left in the second 10 minutes of overtime to snap the Little Tigers’ 41-game unbeaten streak.

“I can’t wait for Monday and I know neither can they,” Sutcliffe said of his players after their 1-0 loss in the Mercer County final. “The best thing for them will be to get right back out there to play and forget about this.”

Only time will tell if that, in fact, is true, especially since Princeton (15-1-1) opens state play in Central Soccer Jersey Group III with an always tough pairing against Red Bank Regional (10-7-1) at 2 p.m. today at home.

Even though the Bucs are the 16th seed, RBR and the Little Tigers have had their share of wars through the years, so anything could happen.

If Princeton can survive, however, the second round is no easier as they get the winner between today’s 2 p.m. Burlington Township (8-6-1) at Hopewell Valley (13-6) matchup in the 8/9 game.

Elsewhere in Group III Central today, 12th-seeded Northern Burlington (8-7-2) visits fifth-seeded Freehold Boro (12-4); 13th-seeded Lawrence (7-9-1) heads to fourth-seeded Colts Neck (12-4); 10th-seeded Allentown (9-7-2) heads to seventh-seeded New Brunswick (12-6-2), and sixth-seeded Hightstown (12-5-1) hosts 11th-seeded Ocean Township (7-9).

In Central Soccer Jersey Group IV, Steinert and Trenton will carry the local torch. The 10-3-3 Spartans are seeded sixth and will host 11th-seeded Montgomery (10-7-2) at 2 p.m. The Tornadoes (8-11) travel to fourth-seeded Howell (11-4-2) for a 3 p.m. contest.

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