Point Boro blanks Haddonfield to reach first state final in program history

POINT PLEASANT — With a trip to the state championship game on the line, Point Boro’s girls soccer team delivered one of its most complete games of the season to put the Panthers on the brink of history.

Freshman midfielder Maddie Renna and junior midfielder Elise Viggiano scored in the first 10 minutes of the game and Point Boro’s airtight defense did the rest as the Panthers rolled to a 4-0 shutout over visiting Haddonfield in the NJSIAA Group 2 state semifinals on Monday night at Al Saner Field.

Viggiano added her team-leading 18th goal in the 46th minute and an own goal increased the lead to 4-0 in the 66th minute, sending the Panthers to the Group 2 state championship game for the first time in program history. Point Boro will face Madison in the title game at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday at Franklin High School. The Dodgers shocked previously-undefeated Ramsey 2-1 in overtime to knock off the defending state champs.

After dispatching Wall in an intense and thrilling sectional final, Point Boro showed no emotional hangover in controlling Haddonfield from start to finish. Now the Panthers are one win away from capping the best season in program history with the ultimate prize.

“The Wall game is always so emotional for us because they usually knock us out and this year our seniors as leaders said ‘that’s not happening’,” Viggiano said. “Winning that game has given us so much confidence and we brought that into this game. We didn’t really dwell on the win. We came out firing, and once we start there’s really no stopping us.”

“We’re a bit more battle-tested than we’ve been in years past and I think because of that the emotions that go up and down they’ve been able to reset every game,” Point Boro head coach Mike Edolo said. “ Monday afternoon is never a good situation on paper but they stayed locked in. The seniors kept the focus where it needed to be and led the way they’ve led all year.”

Point Boro was in complete control from the opening kickoff and took a 1-0 lead in the fifth minute when a long ball was corralled by Renna 30 yards from the goal. She made a move around a defender and freed herself for a shot attempt that she struck past Enya Carthy to draw first blood.

Less than five minutes later, Hanemann created a scoring chance off the right wing and sent a shot into the box that caromed out to Viggiano, who buried the rebound to give the Panthers (19-2-2) a commanding 2-0 lead before the crowd was settled into their seats.

“Ending with a result like that where Wall was able to come back so quickly and we had to come back and win in PKs, it was an amazing feeling to score right off the bat with Maddie Renna and be able to outplay them the whole way,” said senior forward Abby Hanemann, who assisted on a pair of goals to continue her outstanding season.

A 2-0 deficit against a Point Boro team that has allowed just nine goals all season may as well have been 100-0. The Panthers thoroughly controlled the midfield for all 80 minutes and any potential danger was quickly erased by an excellent Point Boro back line led by senior standout Gabby Mellet. That meant another game of light work for star senior goalkeeper Ava Bjorndahl, who needed to make just two saves to post her 15th shutout of the season.

Point Boro’s work was rewarded again six minutes into the second half when Hanemann created off the right wing and sent a ball into the box. A Haddonfield defender got a foot on it, but Viggiano found the rebound and scored with her left foot off her second touch to put the Panthers up 3-0.

It was another impressive outing for Viggiano, who has shined with 18 goals and 4 assists to tie Hanemann for the team lead with 40 points. An ankle injury derailed her sophomore season after only one game but she has returned with a fury to help the Panthers forge a special season.

“Getting hurt last year really sucked because I was so excited for that year. It was also a really great group of girls that I felt we could have gone far with,” Viggiano said. “Being back this year has been so amazing, especially with this team.”

The combination of Viggiano and Renna has helped Point Boro get to the next level with a combined 30 goals and 75 total points.

“They’re both excellent players so that’s an injection of (30) goals right there,” Edolo said. “To have so much focus on Abby they’re going to find space and they’ve done well all season to use that space when they find it.”

Point Boro’s lead grew to 4-0 with 14 minutes left when Haddonfield attempted to clear the ball from inside its own 6-yard line but the kick hit off a Bulldawgs player and bounced into the net for an own goal.

On Saturday, the Panthers will head up to Franklin High School with a chance to end their season at the very top. They know exactly what they need to do in order to make it happen.

“It’s so exciting and I’m so proud of this team,” Hanemann said. “We need to make history. We have a week to prepare to lock in and win this game.”

“We’re just going to be locked in and working hard,” Viggiano said. “I fully believe that if we play the way I know we can, we have this game.”