UNION – Joe Raffaele put his hand over his mouth as the weight of a state championship began to sink in.
Nick Ciano led a mad dash to the student section as Waldwick fans cheered in delight.
So began a celebration 26 years in the making that lasted deep into the November night.
The Warriors danced, posed and kissed the trophy after beating Haddon Township, 2-0, on Saturday in the Group 1 state final at Kean University.
There was even a backflip from Waldwick senior Brendan Ryan.
One of the benefits of playing in the final game of the soccer season – as in, the last of four championships at Alumni Stadium – was that Waldwick had all the time afterward to revel in their success.
And it was pure bliss.
“When the time was counting down, I always say to everybody, it’s too early,” said Waldwick coach Jonathan Noschese, who finally reached the pinnacle in his 24th season. “[My assistant Joe Kelly] gave me a big hug with about a minute left. I couldn’t deny it. I felt too happy to hold it in. You usually don’t see me this happy, because I’m usually so driven.”
Waldwick (22-2-1) was driven from the opening whistle and showed passion, precision and poise on the way to a title. The Warriors pinned the South Group 1 champions in their own end for large stretches of the game and held the Hawks to a mere two shots on net.
Senior Kyle Jahnke capped a brilliant high school career by deflecting a shot off a Haddon Township defender, giving Waldwick the only goal it needed. Daniel Perdomo continued a recent hot streak with his seventh postseason goal before showing off his salsa moves.
“His hips were moving,” senior captain Kyle Carroll said in approval.
“My parents told me I had to do something,” Perdomo added. “Tonight, it just felt right.”
What it means
Waldwick has captured its second state title and the first since beating A.P. Schalick in 1995. This was the program’s first state-championship berth since losing to Haddon Township a decade ago. Noschese pointed out that there were members of the 2011 squad on hand Saturday to watch their team turn the tables.
“I just have to credit all the guys in the past,” Carroll said. “We look up to every single one of them. It’s not just this team that won the state. It’s every single guy in the past.
For Carroll and his fellow seniors, the win was the culmination of a journey that began well before high school.
“We met with these boys in fifth grade,” Noschese said. “We said we need a core group to win the state championship. Who wants to be a part of it?”
“It’s hard to reckon there’s a stronger group that’s come through Waldwick in my opinion.”
Turning points
The Warriors jumped all over Haddon Township in the first half, earning a bevy of corners and chances in the box with their high-press. The reward came in the 29th minute with what goes down as an own goal.
Jahnke cut back to his left, crushed a shot from the top of the box and watched as the ball ricocheted to the top right corner.
“I picked my head up and saw the net,” Jahnke said. “I ripped a shot, and good things happen when you put it on net.”
For good measure, the Warrior scoring leader helped put away the game in the 59th minute. Jahnke settled a deep ball on the left side and centered a pass to Perdomo, who scored for the third straight game. Perdomo has been the missing piece for Waldwick after sitting out last year due to the pandemic.
“Everybody sees it in practice,” Noschese said. “He’s the kid that can carve you up.”
The Warriors locked up their fifth straight shutout with Carroll, Ciano and Philip Centineo manning the back row.
Final words
“I want to make sure to thank my coaches,” Noschese said. “They’ve been with me for so long. Coach [Sean] Cosgrove. Coach Kelly. And a shout-out to all the alumni who’ve been pushing this program for so long. It’s because of them. They keep raising the bar.”
Sean Farrell is a high school sports reporter for NorthJersey.com. For full access to live scores, breaking news and analysis from our Varsity Aces team, subscribe today. To get breaking news directly to your inbox, sign up for our newsletter and download our app. Email: farrells@northjersey.com Twitter: @seanfarrell92
