A South Champs: No. 5 Central defeats No. 6 Point Boro 2-0

Bayville – The Central Regional Golden Eagles have waited a year to get back on the field against Point Pleasant Boro, the team who ruined their chance to win back-to-back Class A South titles last season. Central (7-0-1) had something to prove on Monday night against Point Boro (7-1) and that is what they did in a 2-0 victory to secure their second division title in three years.

Point Boro, who is currently ranked No. 6 in the Shore Conference, came into the game averaging three goals a game going up against a defense who has only allowed one goal all season. The Golden Eagle defense, lead by Nicole Kangas and Emma Christensen, once again dominated on the field and earned their seventh shutout of the season.

“Listen we had this game marked on our calendar and I will be lying if we said we didn’t,” Central head coach Marykate Sullivian said. “We were ready for it and we prepared well and they wanted it. They knew if we just came out and played our game that it would be ours for the taking.”

The first half went as expected in a back and forth battle until the final minute of the half. Sophomore Ava Bozinis was able to get into the box off a pass from Brianna Nelson and blast a shot of her own just under the crossbar to beat Panther goalie Stella Stevenson with 50 seconds left on the clock. 

That goal to end the half sparked a fire in the Golden Eagle offense as they came out of the half putting a lot of pressure on the Panther defense. Bozinis just missed her second goal five minutes into the half when her shot hit the crossbar. That came right after Central almost scored off a corner kick a few moments before.

“Ava has been awesome,” Sullivan said. “She is someone we move all over the field. She plays in the middle, she plays out wide and she kinda does it all. She has been working hard and I am super proud of her.”

Central was finally able to add an insurance goal in the 49th minute of the game. Kangas, who is one of the anchors of the backline, was able to head in a corner kick from Leah DiCillo into the back of the net to make it 2-0.

“I was really mad because 30 seconds earlier I scored a banger of a header that was taken away,” said Kangas who had a goal called back that was ruled the ball hit the football uprights. “So I had to get it back.”

Point Boro was not able to create much offense in the second half against Central’s defense. With the senior leadership of Kangas and Christensen in the middle of the defense and the speed of Emma Boturla and Katie Ytreboe on the outside, it makes it difficult for any team to generate offense.

“They have been lights out,” said Sullivan about the defense. “Our two senior captains in the center are great leaders. Last year we had Katie (Ytreboe) as a freshman and Emma (Boturla) as a sophomore so we had a young backline, but they gelled last year. This year they have it really figured out and they work so well together and it’s off the field as well.”

Behind the backline is vocal goalkeeper Addison Frulio who has only allowed one goal this season to Toms River South. Frulio, who is only a sophomore, made six saves to earn her seventh shutout of the season, tying her with Trinity Hall’s Emily Venezia for the most shutouts in the Shore Conference.

“It is mentally rewarding putting in all the work at practice and that is why it is all coming together because we work hard at practice,” Frulio said. “It means a lot to me because last year I did not have as much confidence as I do now. Having only one goal against me is a confidence booster.”

Central has achieved one of the goals it set at the start of the season, which was winning the division title. Now, the focus shifts to making a deep run in the Shore Conference Tournament which slipped away last year when they were eliminated in the second round by Lacey.

The Golden Eagles return to action tonight against Neptune.