Haddon Heights advances with double OT win over Gateway in Group 1 boys'soccer

The scene on the field was something out of an old war movie. The grass had been ground into a muddy slop. Most uniforms were covered in mud.

Exhausted, banged-up players on the Haddon Heights and Gateway boys' soccer teams were struggling to shake off injuries.

After 99-plus minutes of physical postseason soccer, penalty kicks seemed the inevitable ending.

"I was already thinking about burying one in the back of the net," Heights midfielder Kevin Nelan said.

But Nelan's head connected with the ball off a throw-in from about 15 yards out with 21 seconds left in double overtime. Nelan put enough power behind the shot to beat the keeper to the upper left corner of the net, sending the top-seeded Garnets to a 2-1 win over No. 5 Gateway in the South Jersey Group 1 semifinals Monday at Devon Avenue field.

Haddon Heights (17-3-1) is scheduled to play for the title at home against second-seeded Haddon Township next Monday.

"I just went in there and got a piece of it," Nelan said. "It feels great to win this game for the school and for the community."

Haddon Heights held an advantage in the run of play for most of regulation but didn't score a goal until Dan Hovern converted a header in the 65th minute.

"We knew it was going to come eventually," Hovern said. "We knew we had the potential."

Heights looked especially strong defensively. Senior Kevin Miller was glued to Gateway striker Anthony Colofranson, arguably the most dangerous scorer in South Jersey.

Miller and the Heights defense neutralized Colofranson through most of regulation. But the senior nearly converted on at least a couple of opportunities in overtime, including a bullet that sailed just wide of the upper right corner of the net with 9 minutes, 13 seconds to play in the second OT.

"I've been marking him for three years, so I know what his tendencies are," Miller said. "It's a battle every time. But I wanted to make sure he didn't get the best of me today."

Gateway (16-5) converted one of its only quality chances in regulation. A sequence that started with a somersault throw-in by Chris Norris ended with Brett Blaker scoring the game's first goal in the 33d minute.

"I feel bad for my players," Gateway coach Steve Pasquarello said. "Fifteen more seconds and we're in penalty kicks. But that's the way playoffs go sometimes."

Gateway 1 0 0 0 - 1

Haddon Heights 0 1 0 1 - 2

Goals: G-Brett Blaker; HH-Dan Hovern, Kevin Nelan.

Saves: G-Matt Spissell 12; HH-Jon Weaver 5.