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The Observer | www.theobserver.com
Wednesday, November 24, 2021
Kardinals tallied 114 goals this season in 24 games, a total of 4.75 goals per game. Continued from Page 9 No wonder why they lost only once this season. 30 yards out. Rojas then un“Forty years from now, furled a laser blast that Freewe’re going to look back and hold Township goalkeeper realize how great this really Richard Lockard never had a was,” Rojas said. “This team chance to stop. It was Rojas’ is like my second family. We 21st goal of the season, but it had so much fun all season. might have been his prettiest. I’m so thankful to God just The Kards had two chances how awesome this was. This to put the fourth goal up, but was one of the best days I’ve two shots from close range ever had.” sailed over the crossbar. “It’s overwhelming,” net Sure enough, the Patriots minder Rodriguez said. “I pulled to within to one goal can’t show my excitement again, when Josh Hocheiser more.” Photo by Jim Hague knocked one in at the 73rd The Kardinals all rallied minute. They were not going Kearny midfielder Nico Gomez (6) takes control of the ball from Freehold Saturday in honor of junior Township’s Noah Jones (14) during the Kardinals’ 6-2 win in the NJSIAA to go away easily. Teams Christian Escandon, who Group IV state championship Saturday at Kean University. usually don’t in state title suffered a serious knee injury games. in the first five minutes of in the stands on both sides of the scoring and the season But the Kardinals put the Elizabeth game Tuesday the field. It was impressive to with his 13th goal of the the game away in the final night. Escandon was on see the turnout of Kardinal season with just one minute 10 minutes, scoring three crutches on the sidelines, loyalists who made it to remaining, setting off the times. Alejandro Alvarado but he was on the field with Union and loaded up both celebration on the Kardinal was pulled down in the box, several teammates wearing bleachers. bench. awarding Kearny a penalty Alvarado returned Rojas’ Astoundingly, the Kardinals T-shirts under their jerseys kick that Rojas drilled for honoring Escandon. Galka had seven players to reach his 22nd and final goal of the favor with five minutes double figures in goal scoring thought that Escandon was season. You could almost feel left, scoring his 16th goal this season – scoring balance just coming into his own. the collective exhale from the of the year to push it to 5-2 “Over the last three weeks, and Johan Baez capped that is just unheard of. The Kearny sideline and the fans he was one of our best players,” Galka said. “He’s been fantastic. He’s been
great on the ball. It was a terrible time for him to get hurt and miss the big game.” Escandon’s knee requires surgery in the near future. With two torn meniscus ligaments, Escandon will require nine months of rehabilitation, but should be fine for the start of next season. Galka had a sense that the Kards were ready for an explosion. “I told my wife (Patricia) that we were going to score six goals,” Galka said. “Before I left the house, I said that we would win 6-0. The kids believed in themselves and in each other. I think once we got through Elizabeth, we were ready for the big one. This team was very similar to 2017. There was great cohesion and camaraderie. I’m going to miss the (11) seniors, but it’s time for the younger ones to step up.” And as for the 33 state championships coming from “Soccertown, USA?” “It’s been well documented in books and movies,” Galka said. “It’s safe to say that the moniker is alive and healthy.”
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