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Dummy play vaults Cherokee into state final

NEPTUNE, N.J. - It had the look of an innocent pass and no one from either team reacted - until the ball was in the back of the net.

NEPTUNE, N.J. - It had the look of an innocent pass and no one from either team reacted - until the ball was in the back of the net.

Regardless of the intent, the free kick that Cherokee's Sam Savoia sent toward the goal went into it and propelled the Chiefs into Friday's state Group 4 final.

Savoia's goal gave Cherokee a 1-0 win over Freehold Township during Tuesday night's state Group 4 semifinal at Neptune Memorial Field.

Ranked No. 3 in South Jersey by The Inquirer, Cherokee (16-5-2) will face Hunterdon Central at 8 p.m. Friday at The College of New Jersey for the state championship.

The game-winner was the first varsity goal of Savoia's career. He is a senior right back, so offensive chances have been few.

Savoia was about 23 yards from the goal on a left angle when he sent the free kick near the 6-yard line in the 21st minute.

"We had three players around there, and I was just trying to get the ball to one of them," Savoia said.

The key was the instincts of Cherokee's Angelo Dambalas, who could have headed the ball, but chose not to. It was a dummy play that fooled Freehold Township.

"I didn't think I could flick it on goal, so I decided to let it go," Dambalas said.

Nobody else touched it, either.

"Angelo is one of the headiest players around," Cherokee coach Anthony Gallo said. "His intelligence is one of the great intangibles he brings to the field."

Savoia said he thought that Freehold Township goalie Phil Horan was expecting a deflection, and Horan confirmed that assumption.

"I first thought it would be cleared, and then I was looking for a deflection," Horan said. "Give their player credit for a good play."

Even after scoring that goal in the 21st minute, Cherokee kept attacking and, even during a second half played in pouring rain, applied heat.

In the 51st minute, Horan made a diving save from point-blank range against Ross Staudt.

Late in the second half, Freehold Township (17-7-1) began sending more players up on the attack, and in the 75th minute, the Patriots fanned on a shot from close range on what proved to be their final scoring chance.

Freehold Township   0 0 – 0

Cherokee   1 0 – 1

Goal: Sam Savoia.

Saves: FT-Phil Horan 8; C-Barry Fitzgerald 11.