It’s looking like deja vu all over again in the Passaic County Tournament as Wayne Hills has put together another tremendous run at just the right time to fight up from the fifth seed into the final (Saturday at Wayne Valley, 2:30).
But second-seeded DePaul is out to change that script this time around and has the weapons to give Wayne Hills fits.
Click the link below to see a preview of the Passaic County Boys Soccer Final.
PASSAIC COUNTY BOYS SOCCER TOURNAMENT
FINAL
at Wayne Valley
Saturday, 2:30 p.m.
(5) Wayne Hills (7-3-3) Â vs. (2) DePaul (10-3)
How they got here:Â WH-beat Kennedy (4-0), (4) Hawthorne Christian (5-4) and (1) Passaic Tech (1-0). D-beat (7) Passaic Valley (3-0) and (3) Clifton (2-0).
Key players:Â WH-Grant Kelly, GK; Julian Roma; Marcello Menucci; Justin Diglio; Erik Thomas. D-Jorge Pelayo; Nick DiBiase; Kyle Hartigan, GK.
Storyline: This is a rematch of last season’s Passaic County semifinal, won by Wayne Hills, 2-1 and 6-5 in penalty kicks on the way to winning its first Passaic County title since 1995. It’s the fourth straight year that the two teams have met in the county tournament, and DePaul, which knocked Wayne Hills out of the tournament in the semis in 2011 and 2012, is looking to reverse last year’s decision.
Except for a high-scoring affair in the quarterfinals against the potent offense of Hawthorne Christian, the Patriots have again been getting the job done with defense. They have allowed just nine goals in the 12 games other than the quarterfinal win over Hawthorne Christian. Grant Kelly hasn’t given up a goal in the four games since the victory over Hawthorne Christian in the quarterfinals and  has posted 7 shutouts behind a defense led by Erik Thomas and Justin Charkowski.
That defense is going to be put to the test by the Spartans, who scored 40 goals in 13 games. Jorge Pelayo has 14 goals and 8 assists and Nick DiBiase has 12 goals and 9 assists. Â DePaul has scored at least four goals four times this season.
DePaul, which as reached the county final for the third time in four years and is looking to regain the title it last won in 2011, has dropped two of its last three games, falling to Big North United Division rivals St. Joseph and Bergen Catholic surrounding last week’s 2-0 win over third-seeded Clifton in the tournament semifinals. But that could just serve to make them more motivated.
Defense again will be the key for Wayne Hills as they look to keep the score close while keeping Pelayo and DiBiase away from the front of the net until Roma (5 goals), Menucci (4 goals, 1 assist) or one of a host of players who have a goal or two can put one in the net past Hartigan.