Story by Sean Farrell / NorthJersey.com
OLD TAPPAN – There were times when Eric Zawada questioned his future in soccer during 14 hard months of recovery.
But on Saturday, the Garfield senior left no doubt in his team’s quest for a title.
Zawada scored on a beautiful turn-and-rip early in the second half, helping the Boilermakers race by Old Tappan, 3-0, in the North 1, Group 3 boys soccer final.
The Boilermakers took control from the start with their pace, crisp passing and technical ability in tight. And after a goal in the third minute, it seemed like only a matter of time before new coach Piotr Sala would hand over the trophy to his gleeful group of players.
The top offense in North Jersey would not be denied.
“In the first five minutes, we came out hot,” Zawada said. “We were ready. That was our tactic to hit them hard at first. Then we got that goal and got the beautiful finish from Leland (Gonzalez) and kept pushing from there.”
Zawada was full of emotion after pushing Garfield to its first sectional title in eight seasons. The Boilermakers midfielder thought back to a rainy practice a few years ago when he tore his left ACL and meniscus while training for an MLS Next academy team.
In his first practice back, he tore his meniscus again. Another five months of rehab ensued.
“It was honestly the most painful experience I ever had,” Zawada said. “After 14 months of recovery and sitting in bed, doing stretches, I honestly didn’t think I would be here today. But here we are.”
What it means
After the game, Sala and his players echoed the fact that their journey is far from over. The next step comes on Wednesday when Garfield (18-1) hosts Summit in the state semifinals. Only three Garfield teams have advanced past that round.
“I’m very proud of the boys,” Sala said. “Everyone put full effort and full energy. So they deserve it. They are a great team and a great group. I enjoy coaching every single practice and every single game.”
The effort started way back in the summer when Sala was building the culture of his new program. His team held morning practices at 6:30 a.m. sharp. Sala said it was about having respect for each other and understanding that the little things are a part of building something big.
“Attendance was perfect,” Sala said. “The first practice, some players thought I was joking but no, 6:30, I lock the gate.”
“There were times when boys would oversleep and we would have to wake them up or drive to their houses,” senior Brenden Baeza said. “There were times when boys wouldn’t be able to sleep at night because we were so excited for this season to come.”
Path to the top
One of the most impressive parts of the Boilermakers is their youth with seven juniors in the starting lineup.
Their impact was felt early on in Saturday’s match with Gonzalez ripping in a cross for his 16th goal of the season.
The next two goals came from a pair of seniors, though, with Zawada (50th minute) and Baeza (66th) both getting on the board. Zawada doubled the lead on a free kick pass from Johannes Alvarez.
“I was going to pass it, but I felt a (defender) behind me,” Zawada said. “So I just ripped it with my left foot. I saw it go bottom right. I was honestly stunned.”
Garfield junior Jakub Piszczatowski made three saves in his team’s second road win of the tournament. Old Tappan was the second seed, while Garfield came in at No. 5.
“Our main thing is we’re not really on the map,” Baeza said. “There’s nothing posted about us. We want to show our faces and show who we are today. We’re going to keep progressing and put Garfield on the map.”
