Nolan Wasserman scores the golden goal in double overtime
The boys soccer team wins the state sectional finals for the first time in PV history
Nolan Wasserman gets raised in the air by the crowd as seconds before he scored the winning goal. Valley defeats Roxbury by a score of 2-1 in the State Sectional Finals.
For the first time in Valley history, the boys soccer team are the champions of Section 1, Group 3.
No. 12 seeded Pascack Valley took on No. 2 seeded Roxbury at Roxbury high school at 3 p.m Thursday. Valley edged out Roxbury in double overtime as Jr. Nolan Wasserman scored the game winning blast with less than a minute remaining in extra time. The Panthers forced overtime against the Gaels from a Nick Bonanos goal with 10 seconds left in regular time and continued with their momentum to win the game 2-1.
“It felt incredible, [they are] such an incredible group of boys and the fact that Nick scored that goal with 10 seconds left in our season and kept us playing [was great],”Nolan Wasserman said. “The entire tournament has just been unbelievable. It’s just [everyone on] the team. From Shane [Feder] scoring the overtime winner at Garfield, to Michael [Caminneci] scoring the overtime goal at Ramapo, it’s just such a great group of boys.”
To add on to the excitement this is Nolan Wasserman’s first varsity goal for Valley and it could not have come at a more perfect time.
Nolan Wasserman kicks the game winner for the 12 seeded Pascack Valley to win the State Sectional Finals. pic.twitter.com/CCo0bnd4xA
— PV Student Publication Sports (@pvsportscenter) November 11, 2021
Following Wasserman’s goal the crowd stormed the field as they jumped over the fence and began to lift him in the air.
— PV Student Publication Sports (@pvsportscenter) November 11, 2021
This wasn’t the only huge surprise of the night, as head coach Luciano Cofrancesco was unable to make the game. According to assistant coach Ron Villone, Cofrancesco was not there due to personal reasons.
As Villone stepped in to try and fill the boots of Cofrancesco, he really felt the love and compassion that the team put forward. From being the assistant coach of the team, to crying after a massive upset to win them the title, Villone couldn’t be happier for the boys after such a grueling battle.
“We are just on the ship and the boys steer it in the right direction,” Villone said. “Coach Co has built such a great culture, and continued the culture of Pascack Valley boys soccer and the boys were the true embodiment of that, [including] not giving up. ”
The Panthers were projected to lose to Garfield in the first round, yet they weren’t going to let the seedings depict how they were going to finish their season.
Despite the people who doubted Valley, the team was true to themselves and believed they could do it from the beginning.
After being a late knock off for the country tournament, Valley knew they had something to prove as this just fueled the fire even more for the team. The boys hope to keep their win streak alive as Villone said it perfectly.
“They have mastered the craft of not knowing how to lose, they’ve done everything in their power to keep playing and play another day.”
From all the hard work of the players, to the chemistry that the team has formed, they are bound to continue their success against Summit for the semifinals of the Group 3 state tournament at home.
Noah Silver is a senior who has been part of The Valley Echo since his freshman year and has written multiple articles, including one that was in the Pascack...
