Haddon Heights sweeper Zach Palese kept answering.

The Silver Knights kept asking.

Palese kept shaking his head and closing the door.

"That definitely wasn't boring," Palese said of the second half of yesterday's Colonial Conference boys' soccer game on the windswept steppes of Somerdale, also known as Sterling's home field.

Palese wasn't alone in guiding Haddon Heights to a 2-1 victory in the Liberty Division clash. Austin McCleary and Cody Emery found the back of the net for the Garnets (7-1-1), while goalie Jamie Hill made five saves and fullback Dylan Weil, midfielder Brian Whitman, and forward George Gans played strong games.

But this was no day for the Garnets to have anybody but a polished senior with a cool head and quick feet at sweeper.

"He has so much poise," Haddon Heights coach Jeff Eppright said of Palese. "It seems like he always makes the right decision with the ball."

The 5-foot-11, 150-pound Palese saw plenty of action during the final 40 minutes, as Sterling used a combination of the gusting wind and terrific play by midfielders Taylor McGrory and Mustafa Said to spend most of the second half in Haddon Heights' end of the field.

"I think our goalie touched the ball one time in the second half," Sterling coach Pete Marlys said. "It was very frustrating because this was a game we could have won. They finished their chances, and we didn't."

Sterling (5-5) had a bit of bad luck as Said got loose for two great chances in the game's first 10 minutes. The talented senior blasted his first shot just high, and his second attempt hit the crossbar.

But the story of the second half was Haddon Heights' ability to withstand Sterling's pressure. That's when Palese was at his best.

"The main thing is not to get nervous," Palese said. "You're the last person back there, other than the goalie. You have to see the whole field and try to make good decisions.

"A lot of times it's a matter of being in the right place at the right time."

Palese hopes to play soccer in college. He's talked with coaches from Rider and Catholic University, as well as St. Michael's in Vermont. He also has interest in trying to walk on at the University of Vermont.

"I'm really into snowboarding so I'd love to go to college in Vermont," Palese said.

Palese was a sweeper for the Garnets as a sophomore, then played some midfield last season. He prefers the midfield, and spends much of his time at that position for his club team, the Cherry Hill Renegades.

But with some inexperience in the back line, Eppright wanted Palese to move back to sweeper this season.

"He controls the tempo of the game from the back," Eppright said. "He'll bang it out of there when he has to bang it out of there. He also has a knack for getting us going the other way."

There wasn't much counterattacking for the Garnets in the second half. The wind knocked down every clearing attempt, and Sterling kept pushing forward to get the tying score after falling behind by 2-1 in the first half.

Palese had an ongoing battle with McGrory, his teammate on the Renegades.

"That was fun," Palese said.

The Silver Knights kept knocking, creating five corners in the second half to none for Haddon Heights.

But the Garnets always had the answer, mainly in the unruffled play of their senior sweeper.

Haddon Heights 2 0 - 2

Sterling 1 0 - 1

HH: Austin McCleary, Cody Emery. S: Jefferson Giraldo.

Saves – Jamie Hill, HH, 5; Colin Pierce, S, 6.