WALLINGTON — A cold night saw two boys soccer teams riding hot streaks clash and one long title drought finally come to an end.
Junior midfielder Sal Vassallo scored a game-winning golden goal with 5½ minutes left in the second overtime as eighth-seeded Verona stunned third-seeded Wallington, 2-1, to win the North 1, Group 1 sectional Thursday night. The victory gave the Hillbillies their seventh state championship in school history, but their first in 35 years.
“I was just thinking ‘Don’t put it over the goal,’” said Vassallo, who scored his seventh goal of the season off a rebound. “I’m just so happy that I put it in the net.”
As for Wallington, who won the NJIC Meadowlands title, an 11-game winning streak was snapped and the Panthers suffered just their second loss in the past 20 games.
Now, the Panthers look forward to beginning a new campaign next fall.
“I’m optimistic,’’ Wallington coach Alessandro Barchi said. “We lose four starting seniors, but we will return seven starters with this experience. We have high hopes. We will be back.”
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