Ramapo Boys Down, But Not Out

At least the members of the Ramapo boys’ soccer team won’t have to spend the rest of their lives wondering.

Despite overcoming a 2-0 deficit to pull even, Ramapo came up on the short end of Sunday’s Bergen County championship game against Old Tappan at Indian Hills High School, 3-2.

Thanks to a rare gift from the scheduling gods, however, a rematch was already set in the form of the state sectional final on Tuesday at Ramapo at 2 p.m.

That’s perhaps the only reason the Raiders may not have all fallen asleep agonizing about all the “what-ifs”—as in what if they could do it all over again, would they have beaten Old Tappan?

“We’re obviously disappointed,” said Raider coach Evan Baumgarten, “but that’s the great thing about sports. You lose one day, and you’re right back at it again the next day.”

The tournament’s top seed and an unbeaten entering the title game, little went according to plan for the Raiders yesterday. Ramapo fell behind 2-0 in a first half in which they had the better scoring opportunities and a distinct territorial advantage.

But thanks to goals by Chris Nash and Sean Etheridge three minutes apart in the second half, it was anyone's game to win. Ramapo poured on the pressure, but couldn't finish. Instead, the third-seeded newcomers to the party broke through with just over three minutes remaining to secure their first county crown in their first appearance in the finals.

As much of a knock-down, drag-out soccer game as it was, chances are Tuesday’s festivities will be every bit as rough-and-tumble.

“Ramapo is a obviously a very physical team and they took it to us,” said Old Tappan coach Mike Hanchar. “We’ll assess the damage tomorrow and come back strong Tuesday. We have some guys who were already banged up from Friday. We’ve said all along, we’re in it to win it.”

That certainly appeared to be the case when Old Tappan’s John O’Reilly scored off a scramble in front of the Ramapo goal 10 minutes in.

While Ramapo sniper Mike Taranato generated several quality scoring chances in the ensuing minutes, it was Old Tappan that struck next on Adam Bodenstein's goal with six minutes in the half to provide a 2-0 lead.

Ten minutes into the second half, Ramapo turned it up again offensively. After near-misses by Taranto, Nash and James Bounavita, Nash finally got the Raiders on the board 14 minutes into the half. Just three minutes later, Etheridge tied it, and all signs pointed to a stunning comeback.

“We’d been in that situation before [down by two at the half],” said Baumgarten. “We just reminded them to stay positive and stay with each other. Give Old Tappan all the credit, we had them on their heels but they stayed resilient.”

Old Tappan’s Ryan Walsh converted a header off a free kick with just over three minutes left, which sent Ramapo to its second loss in a county final by the margin of a goal in two years.

When asked what he’ll have his team to do differently 48 hours later, Baumgarten said: “To take more responsibility as a team. All game we appeared rushed and frenzied. We had our chances, but we need to be more controlled.”

Even after a raucous midfield celebration, Old Tappan couldn’t help but focus their immediate future.

“We both know what’s at stake Tuesday,” said Hanchar. “And neither one of us wants to pack the uniforms away.”