FARMINGDALE — Traip Academy continued its improbable run through the Class C South boys soccer tournament Saturday by knocking off another higher seeded team.
Teddy Driscoll and Pablo Zapata scored second-half goals to lift the seventh-seeded Rangers to a 2-0 victory over No. 2 Hall-Dale. Traip (11-4-1) advanced to the regional final Wednesday while Hall-Dale finished at 13-2-1.
Hall-Dale had a number of scoring chances in the first half that were either turned back by sophomore keeper Jayce Nelson or his defense. Nelson, who finished with six saves, made his best off Akira Warren’s header late in the first half.
“That’s the best game I’ve seen Jayce play,” Rangers coach Michael MacLeay said. “Some of those saves (Saturday) we’re unbelievable.”
The Rangers came on strong in the second half and eventually capitalized on a defensive error by the Bulldogs.
“Just talking at halftime we were all talking about how big the field was,” MacLeahy said. “We weren’t really taking advantage of it in the first half with patience. In the second half we were a lot more patient with our offense and created looks rather than forcing looks.”
Three and a half minutes into the second half, Traip freshman Devon LaRoche stole a clearing attempt in the Hall-Dale defensive end, then fed the ball to Driscoll on the right wing. Firing with his left foot, Driscoll found the top left corner of the net just over the outstretched fingertips of keeper Sam Sheafer.
“I was talking to (Devon) on the bus, we need that one last pass, that one diagonal,” Driscoll said. “It worked out. It was my left foot. You’ve got to take a hit from outside.”
The goal shifted the momentum to the Rangers, who held the Bulldogs to two shots on goal in the second half.
“It was a great shot,” Hall-Dale coach Andy Haskell said. “You can’t complain about that. That’s what happens. Everybody wants a quick counter and they took advantage of it.”
Traip’s second goal, with 11:14 left to play, sealed the victory. Taking a long left-to-right serve from Ryan Perkins, Zapata headed the ball past new Hall-Dale keeper Jett Boyer.
“That was a nice ball to the back post,” MacLeahy said. “The finish was almost even better, though.”
Traip won its only state soccer title in 2006.
“I was telling them (Friday) at practice I don’t think a Traip team has gotten even to the semifinals in a long time,” MacLeay said. “They know they have the talent to go even farther.”
Added Driscoll: “We have so much senior talent. It’s impressive what we can do out here.”
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