RBR Boys Soccer Stings Hornets to Score Upset Win

By Rich Chrampanis

LITTLE SILVER – The Red Bank Regional boys soccer team has been on a rollercoaster ride in the 2021 season. A 3-4-2 record is definitely deceiving as the Bucs have shown they can play with some of the Shore’s best teams. And RBR’s 2-0 home win Sept. 27 against Holmdel is one of the biggest wins for the program in recent years. Sometimes it’s a fortunate bounce or a lackluster effort from the favorite that results in an upset. But Red Bank Regional was able to assert itself for the entire 80 minutes and play with confidence. Early in the first half the Bucs had a free kick from 22 yards out near the right corner of the field. Senior Jacob Kirkpatrick struck a perfect left foot that pierced the left side of the net.

“I’ve been sitting on that all season,” Kirkpatrick said when describing his goal. “I hit one a few games ago. We’ve been working on it and it felt great.”

The Hornets had chances to draw even. Brendan Worobel (nine goals in five games) made a strong run toward the goal and appeared to beat the keeper but Red Bank defender Phil Stolfa was on the far post to steer the ball out of harm’s way. When Braeden Carroll made a stop on a scramble in the final minute off a corner kick, the Bucs took a 1-0 lead into halftime. Rather than fall into a defensive shell, RBR continued to apply pressure and got a critical insurance goal midway through the second half. Kirkpatrick served the ball from a corner kick and it went through a pile of bodies landing on the right foot of Lucas Selino who wasted little time putting the ball into the net for a 2-0 cushion.

“I was just waiting at the top of the box,” Selino said. “I was waiting for my opportunity and then I jumped on the ball, hit it one touch with the laces and it found the back of the net.”

Red Bank came into the match winless in its last four (0-2-2) but now have a signature win to springboard them to the remainder of the Shore Conference schedule. The Bucs were able to end Wall’s 26- game winning streak with a 2-1 victory Sept. 15 and followed that with a 2-2 tie against Rumson Fair Hav- en three days later. Those two results along with the Holmdel win show that the Bucs are capable of breaking through to not only a winning record but are a dangerous team come the postseason.

“If you look at all our games it was the first 10 minutes we’ve been asleep,” head coach Vincent Gruosso said. “That’s what we had to correct. We’re coming out more focused and more determined with purpose. We can’t just wake up and build a mountain. We’re playing good teams. If we’re down a goal, down two goals we’re just making it too hard on ourselves. Coming out strong, playing hard whistle to whistle, that’s what it’s all about.”

It’s been six straight seasons with a losing record at Red Bank Regional. The Bucs are one game under .500 and know if they bring the same blueprint of the Holmdel upset to future games, they will be one of the most improved teams in the Shore Conference.

The article originally appeared in the September 30 – October 6, 2021 print edition of The Two River Times.