CBA boys soccer gets OT win over Freehold Township in stormy battle of Shore's Top 2 teams
LINCROFT – Dylan Millevoi’s celebration with his teammates had to be held off for a few brief, confusing moments. Millevoi thought he had scored a golden goal against Freehold Township on Monday afternoon, but the referee lifted his arm, apparently disallowing the goal due to offside. .
CBA’s elation turned to disappointment on a soggy Dan Keane Field. Eighty-five minutes in, and the Colts had come that close to winning the game in overtime.
The confusion continued, but the referee didn’t seem to know why. He told the players the goal was good, and the game was over. The hand signal was erroneous. CBA immediately returned to its wild celebration.
Millevoi’s golden goal lifted the Colts – the No. 1 ranked team in the Shore Conference – to a 1-0 victory against Freehold Township in a battle of the top two teams in the conference in monsoon conditions.
“The celebration had to wait,” Millevoi said. “But once it happened, it was such a great feeling.”
CBA (9-1) senior Dimitry Cobra assisted Millevoi on the game-winner. After receiving a pass in the middle from senior Lawrence Mancino, Cobra passed the ball to Millevoi, who was wide open in the box. His left-footed shot got past the Freehold Township (8-2) goalkeeper and into the bottom right corner of the net.
“I was waiting so I wouldn’t get offsides,” Millevoi said. “He passed the ball to me, and I saw that corner. I hit it, it happened, and it felt so good.”
Stormy conditions
With the remnants of Hurricane Ian battering the Jersey Shore, the playing conditions were abysmal. Though the Colts played on their brand-new turf field, the playing surface was slippery as heavy rain and strong winds made for tough conditions.
“It’s hard to play in these conditions, the ball’s bouncing everywhere, it’s a different kind of ball when it’s played to you,” Millevoi said. “It’s fun to play in it sometimes, sliding all over the place and having a good time with your friends. That’s all that matters.”
The weather kept the scoring to a minimum. Freehold Township’s best look came in the 25th minute on a strike that was miraculously saved by junior goalkeeper Miles Gallagher.
CBA’s chances weren’t the most dangerous, but they outshot the Patriots. It was only a matter of time.
“It’s one of those days when ugly goals are going to count, and it’s going to be the one,” Millevoi said. “All you have to hope for is those close moments where you can get that tap in to win it for your team.”
CBA hitting its stride
With the win against Freehold Township, CBA further cemented its status as the top ranked team in the Shore. And with the Shore Conference Tournament seeding meeting occurring this Thursday, it appears the Colts are a near lock for the top seed.
But it hasn’t been a perfect season. On Opening Day, the Colts fell to Marlboro in overtime, ending their 37-game Shore Conference winning streak that dated back to 2019.
It was a major upset, one that temporarily knocked CBA out of the top spot. Since then, the Colts have gone on a tear.
The Colts have beaten the rest of their A North foes, putting themselves in a great position to win the divisional title outright. They also defeated quality out-of-conference programs like Gill St. Bernard’s and state-ranked Delran. Wins against LaSalle of Pennsylvania and Chaminade of New York were also impressive results.
Since the loss to Marlboro, CBA has won nine games in a row and has outscored its opponents 28-2. Of those nine wins, seven were shutouts.
“After Marlboro, we didn’t know how good we’d be doing,” Millevoi said. “But then we’re beating teams all over the state and even other states like New York.
“The fact that we can win in this kind of conditions just shows how good we are and how good we can be later in the Shore Conference and state tournaments.”
Danny LoGiudice has covered local sports across New Jersey since 2014. Contact him at dlogiudice@gannettnj.com or @danny_logiudice on Twitter.
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: CBA NJ boys soccer takes down Freehold Township in OT
