Belief, Panizza goal keep Randolph alive

MOUNT OLIVE -  After a quick cooldown lap, the Randolph boys soccer team gathered into a tight huddle.

"I believe that we will win," the players shouted in unison. That simple chant has been the Rams' NJSIAA Tournament theme.

Randolph head coach George Mousis tells his team, "We've got to believe good things will happen" before every state match, including Tuesday's rain-drenched 1-0 defeat of Mount Olive.

Rams senior Mateo Panizza scored the lone goal with 28:48 to go in the first half. Senior Rodrigo Avila took a shot, which Mount Olive goalkeeper Tim Watral was able to block. The rebound went back into play, and Panizza called Avila off, then sent the ball back into the top left corner of the Marauders' net.

It was the lone goal as the 10th-seeded Rams sealed their third straight NJSIAA Tournament upset. Randolph will visit No. 1 West Orange in the sectional final on Friday.

"I have to do whatever it takes to score," said Panizza, who scored both goals as Randolph defeated Mount Olive 2-1 in overtime in a Morris County Tournament semifinal on Oct. 18.

"We always wanted to be the state champ or county champ. We have so many seniors who have been playing together since we were little kids. We believe because we know each other inside and out."

Randolph junior goalkeeper Evan Miele made seven saves for his ninth shutout. He also got some help from his defenders, particularly center backs Kyle Ross and Drew Linz. Despite playing much of the match with cotton in one nostril to stop a bloody nose, Ross slid in to block a shot by Mount Olive striker Hugo Almeida in the final minute of the first half.

Marauders goalkeeper Watral, who set the school record for career shutouts, blocked a couple of good shots by Avila and Randolph midfielder Kevin Weber midway through the second half. Weber's shot was a long ball, which Watral knocked down then, from a seated position, scrambled to stop the rebound before it crossed the goal line.

"(I believe) has been our slogan in these playoffs," Ross said. "We lost in counties, so we need to avenge ourselves."

Staff Writer Jane Havsy: 973-428-6682; jhavsy@gannettnj.com; www.dailyrecord.com/writerjane/