Cougars' Comeback - One for the ages!

Cougars Battle Back to Keep Season Alive

Cougars, Cosgrove rally to defeat Bernards, advance in states.

by Coach Carchietta for MCHSS.net (11-1-07)

Chatham, NJ - There are some games that define a high school career. Some games are embedded as a lasting memory that you’ll always seem talk about. Some become an instant classic, a game that goes down in school history. For Charlotte Cosgrove and the Chatham Cougars, Thursday’s state game may have been all of the above.

The Chatham Cougars bounced back from a 2-0 deficit to score three second-half goals and stun visiting Bernards 3-2.

At halftime Thursday afternoon, the host Cougars faced a 2-0 deficit and a final 40 minutes leading to the conclusion of their season. The thoughts of packing up the lockers, turning in the uniforms and going home immediately after school were all shoved aside by an astonishing three-goal 2^nd half.

True, it looked shaky at the start. Bernards was in complete control during the first half. There was a study wind moving toward the scoreboard goal at Haas Field, but it was only slightly noticeable in the 1^st half. Despite all five goals being scored on the same half of the field, it was a rocket against the wind that decided the game.

Bernards broke open the 0-0 stalemate and jumped to a 2-0 lead just halfway through opening frame. Bernards was off to a promising start when Dana Perotti connected for the Mountaineers with only 10 minutes remaining until halftime. The determined squad from Somerset County kept the ball rolling and connected less than 2 minutes later as Lindey Smooth found the back of the net. It may have been safe to say that Bernards was well on their way to their second victory of the season over Chatham. Bernards had beaten Chatham, 2-1 on September 24.

The huge second half surge was sparked by Charlotte Cosgrove. Chatham came out strong in the second half, utilized the increasing wind and stormed back. Paige Farmakis fed Cosgrove from just outsize the box. A wide-open Cosgrove easily picked the top left corner to cut the lad in half with 33:20 left in the 2^nd.

Bernards took the ensuing start and walk down field launching a shot just over the outstretched arms of keeper Julia Cremonni continuing to sail over the cross bar. The Cougars definitely controlled play from here on out, but Bernards was still packed in, and playing well defensively.

But Chatham continued to apply pressure and tied the game at two with 11:43 left to play in the second. Biz Shenk flat out robbed a Mounteer midfielder and and spotted Cosgrive working back up the field. A composed Shenk, who is now back from a injury and was sorely missed, fed Cosgrove, who slid up the field. Cosgrove, despite being closely guarded, ripped the ball to the top right corner from nearly the same spot as the first goal. This shot came from outside the box and hooked nicely over the sprawled out Mountaineers keeper. Credit Shenk, who is headed to Holy Cross next fall, with the assist as well as seeing an opportunity for the play to develop.

Neither team looked eager to move into overtime and the offense attacks commenced. Cremonni came up big for the Cougars a few times in the final 10 minutes, but two saves really stand out. The first came off a ball headed twice towards the goal, where Cremonni was perfectly positioned making the save look easy. The second came as Mountaineer attacker passed the ball past a Cougar defender and Cremonni herself, but the swift senior pivoted back towards the net, sprinted and dove to trap the ball securely against her torso.

The decisive goal came with only 3:55 left in second. Junior Charlotte Cosgrove took a corner just to the right of the scoreboard. The kick, moving toward the goal against the wind, propelled with such force and spin that as his hooked back towards the goalie with such a backspin that it rickashayed off the keeper and into the net, giving Cosgrove the natural hat-trick. This was Cosgrove’s second hat-trick of the year, the first coming last week against Parsippany. The final goal of the game sent the Cougar bench into a frenzy, but the celebration had to wait. Bernard still attacked and the Cougar defense was still strong, denying centering passes, clearing balls and marking up.

Head Coach Tony Mendes remarked that this was “a nice win for girls, they really played the second half with heart.” Mendes said his halftime speech was short and to the point as he credited the players for leaving it all on the field. His advice - “just go to the ball and play with heart.”

Annie Weichert and Lauren Cremonni split the goaltending duties for the Cougars – combing for 9 saves in the victory. The goaltending tandem was challenged often by the relentless Mountaineers. Chatham advances to the North II - Group II semifinals against #1 seeded Summit. Chatham, now 14-5, has beaten Summit twice this season. Bernards fell to 12-8.