Haledon Settle For A Tie
11/23/2003 (Haledon, NJ)

Haledon created chances, but was only able to get a PK from them as they settled for a 1-1 tie with Doxa on Sunday.

Coming out of the gate, Haledon looked more energetic than they had in the previous week's 3-1 win at Oakland. They played well defensively, and generated more chances in the first half than they did in the whole Oakland game. Going into halftime, the score was tied 0-0.

In the second half, the seesaw battle continued and Haledon created some chances but was not able to capitalize on them. Finally, they broke through twenty five minutes in when Giancarlo Lepore was taken down in the box. Frank Piccininni drilled the ensuing penalty kick. Ten minutes later Doxa evened the game when a foul was called on Haldon twenty yards out, and they were able to curve it over the wall and in the corner.

Haledon Starts Slow, Ties Black Label
11/16/2003 (Haledon, NJ)

Coming out of the gate slowly, and falling behind early, Haledon managed to come back and tie a quality Black Label team 3-3 on Sunday.

Haledon came out flat, and within twenty minutes found itself down 2-0 to Black Label. Before the first half was over, the home team began to get re-energized, and put the pressure on the visitors. It finally paid off when after controlling the ball in the Black Label 18 yard box, Lona Ozrek was trying to elude a defender who began to fall and place his hand squarely on top of the ball. The resulting PK was neatly tucked away by Frank Piccininni.

In the second half, Haledon was not greatly inspired, but played considerably better. Twenty five minutes into the half, Steve Robinson took a cross off his chest, Lona Ozrek darted past him after relieving him of the ball, and put it in the back of the net.

After a Black Label goal, Frank Piccininni took a Matt Kastner punt by the corner of the Black Label 18, touched it once and then blasted it into the far upper right corner from a very difficult angle. Although the game wasn't pretty, it did continue Haledon's unbeaten streak since losing the season opener.

Haledon Shuts Down Teaneck
10/19/2003 (Haledon, NJ)

Haledon scored some early goals, and then shut down the Teaneck attack to win 2-0 on Sunday, and run their unbeaten streak to four games.

Playing against an always tough Teaneck squad with many extra bodies, and only having one sub themselves, Haledon controlled the play early and made their oppenents chase the ball. After an indirect was called on a foul thirty yards out, Frank Piccininni lofted it into the box where Lona Ozrek was able to get above the keeper and head it in for a 1-0 lead.

A short while later, Giancarlo Lepore was tackled from behind by Teaneck's right back, who had already received an earlier yellow card and was sent to bench. Haledon kept pressing against their opponents, now down to ten men. It soon paid off as Piccininni received a pass from Ozrek, and was able to put in a tough shot into the far corner from top left of the Teaneck eighteen yard box. Haledon controlled the rest of the half, knocking the ball around and giving Teaneck no offensive opportunities at goal.

In the second half, the offense came out flat, and Teaneck was reengergized. Haledon had to keep repelling Teaneck attacks, and the counter attack was not as effective as in the first half. The defence kept bending but wouldnt' break, as they turned away all Teaneck's presses into their defensive third. One Teaneck shot went off the cross bar and was smothered on the goalline by keeper Matt Kastner. A short while later, the home team keeper made a tremendous save by tipping one over the crossbar that was heading for the upper 90. This helped preserve Haledon's first clean sheet of the year against a good Teaneck squad, in well played game by both teams.

Haledon Draws With Nevada Smiths
10/12/2003 (Bloomfield, NJ)

Avenging a bad loss in the spring, Haledon dominated Kappa Real Wyckoff in cruising to a 6-1 victory on Sunday. Showing no signs of rust after a week layoff due to a rainout the previous week, the home team took control early on, knocking the ball around nicely, and finally connecting ten minutes in when Vinnie Gatto fed Giancarlo Lepore for the opening score. A short while later, Jim McIntyre put home what would be the game winner on a feed from Werner Mashig. Next, Frank Picininni got into the scoring column for the third game in a row when he got the ball around 40 yards out, dribbled in 12 yards closer and put it into the corner. The team capped the first half scoring with about 10 minutes left in the half when Lona Ozrek was the recipient of Piccininni's generosity.

In the second half, Haledon came out a little cocky and flat. Wyckoff took advantage when only seven minutes in they were able to press up through the midfield and knock one home. After that, Haledon settled down, "battened down the hatches," and began asserting control again. The defense hung tough, and Mashig, ever in the giving mood, fed Steve Robinson for goals on two separate occassions.

It should also be noted that former player/coach Ken Kneis played 45 minutes (more than all last year), making runs with speed to the corner, and if double-assists counted...would have one right now.

Haledon Cruises, 6-1
10/6/2003 (Haledon, NJ)

Avenging a bad loss in the spring, Haledon dominated Kappa Real Wyckoff in cruising to a 6-1 victory on Sunday. Showing no signs of rust after a week layoff due to a rainout the previous week, the home team took control early on, knocking the ball around nicely, and finally connecting ten minutes in when Vinnie Gatto fed Giancarlo Lepore for the opening score. A short while later, Jim McIntyre put home what would be the game winner on a feed from Werner Mashig. Next, Frank Picininni got into the scoring column for the third game in a row when he got the ball around 40 yards out, dribbled in 12 yards closer and put it into the corner. The team capped the first half scoring with about 10 minutes left in the half when Lona Ozrek was the recipient of Piccininni's generosity.

In the second half, Haledon came out a little cocky and flat. Wyckoff took advantage when only seven minutes in they were able to press up through the midfield and knock one home. After that, Haledon settled down, "battened down the hatches," and began asserting control again. The defense hung tough, and Mashig, ever in the giving mood, fed Steve Robinson for goals on two separate occassions.

It should also be noted that former player/coach Ken Kneis played 45 minutes (more than all last year), making runs with speed to the corner, and if double-assists counted...would have one right now.

Haledon Wins Thrilling Home Opener 4-3
9/21/2003 (Haledon, NJ)

Haledon won its 2003 home opener in brilliant fashion Sunday, coming from behind twice to beat Doxa 4-3. The game featured a matchup of two of the three last league champions, as Haledon won in 2000, Doxa won in 2001 and 2002, and was runner up last season.

Haledon fell behind in the first ten minutes, and it figured to be a long day. But as they did last week against Parmalat, the team didn't let the game get too far out of their reach. Fifteen minutes later, a give and go combination between Steve Robinson and Werner Mashig ended with Robinson taking a rare brilliant first touch, and placing a bullet in the back of the net. Ten minutes later, John Ezmat collected a cross, and finished in spectacular fashion with a bicycle kick where he never seemed to leave the ground. The sailed over the defense and goalie and into the net for a 2-1 lead.

After halftime, Haledon was not able to put much together offensively, and found themselves on their heels for the better part of 30 minutes. The constant defense without possessing the ball for any appreciable amount of time finally caught up with them, and the home side found themselves down 3-2.

The final fifteen minutes, the team show determination in working its way back into the game. They continually pressured the Doxa defense, and finally Werner Mashig was able to collect a pass from Brett Weiss, dribble it by the touchline, and finish off a no-angle shot passed a quality Doxa goalkeeper. Haledon didn't let up, and with under five minutes left, Frank Piccininni took a pass from Weiss, was able to get some touches on it before sending a rocket past the Doxa keeper.

Click here to see the great pictures Brandi Rehberger took of the game.

Haledon Drops Season Opener 4-3
9/14/2003 (Cranford, NJ)

Haledon lost a thriller on Sunday, as they fell to Parmalat on a goal in the waning minutes of the game. Haledon started out of the gate fast, going up 1-0 on Parmalat ten minutes into the game. Brad Smith knocked the ball wide to Werner Mashig, who beat his man and took the ball to the goal line and crossed to to Frank Piccininni. Fifteen minutes later, the home team tied the score. Haledon started to lose steam, and before halftime they found themselves down 2-1.

In the second half, the visitorshad a seesaw battle with Parmalat as neither team was able to score. Haledon finally broke the stalemate twenty minutes in, when off a short corner kick from Lona Ozrek to Frank Picininni, which was crossed to a charging Mark Wright, who scored his first goal as a member of the team. Ten minutes later, Picininni's playmaking again paid off when he chipped a ball behind Parmalat's defence to a charging Ozrek, who beat the goalkeeper to the ball and headed over the keeper and into the goal.

A short time later Parmalat tied up the game on a penalty kick off an errant hand ball in box. Haledon seemed to run out of gas at the end though as a Parmalat forward was able to escape coverage in the box and put the ball in for the game winner with two minutes left in regulation.

9/6/03 Haledon 4-0 Hopatcong (Elizabeth, NJ)

Haledon won its only scrimmage of the preseason Sunday at the Rex-Plex in Elizabeth by a score of 4-0. Playing against an unfamiliar foe in Hopatcong from the Garden State League, the team made a good showing for its first test of the fall. Tied 0-0 at halftime against a speedy opponent, Haledon had their chance but were unable to capitalize. Unlike the Spring season however, the team exploded for four goals, powered by Frank Picininni's 2 goals and an assist. The team opened the scoring ten minutes after the break, when Gregg Rehberger double-kneed the ball into the net following a scrum in front of the net off a corner kick. A little while later Frank Picininni tucked one home to put Haledon up 2-0. Ten minutes later, he again scored converting a pass off a ball stolen by Scott Shappell. Finally, the team finished the scoring with about ten minutes left, when on a counter attack the ball was place outside to Picinninni, who chipped it over the defense to Lona Ozrek who ran onto it and one-timed it over the goalie from 30 yards out.

Haledon opens their season on September 14th, against 2003 regular season division champion Parmalat. The full schedule for the 2003-2004 season is now available on the Haledon website.