After downing, the (4-3-1) Sonics twice in the regular season the (4-4-1) Rockets needed to muster one more victory as the two squads locked horns in the JCC of Bayonne Sr. Division Indoor Soccer “Gold Metal” round. Unable to corral the Rockets scoring duo of Thomas Arias and Kyle O’Hara in their previous meetings, the Sonics opted to shadow the “dynamic duo” with speedsters Jacob Kowal and Harsh Easwar while Joyce Gabrael and Kasper Hooks took away the passing lanes. For thirty six minutes, the game stayed scoreless as the Rockets’ Emya Irwin and Nicholas De Pinto equaled the Sonics’ defensive strong hold. Rolling towards a scoreless tie and an overtime shootout, both squads never took their foot off the pedal as they pressed for any advantage. Finally, after a key stop by Khaled Rasslan the Sonics raced up court on a fast break with Harsh Easwar slipping a gem of a pass to Jacob Kowal who cashed in with a scoring boot. With 5 minutes and thirty four seconds on the clock, the Rockets’ offense went “All In”, firing shots from every angle. Facing a hailstorm of blasts, the Sonics’ defense dug in just long enough to secure a thrilling 1-0 victory and the “Gold Medal”. For the Rockets, their heroic team effort fell just short as they capped off their season with the “Silver Medal”.
Additionally, the following players were recognized for Week 7 Sr. Division:
Offensive Player of the Week: Thomas Arias – Rockets
Defensive Player of the Week: Jacob Kowal – Sonics
Teamwork/Leadership Player of the Week: Kyle O’Hara – Rockets
“Championship Tournament” Fan of the Week: Jason Subacz, father of Dylan Subacz – Comets