Late goal helps No. 5 Ramsey boys soccer keep unbeaten streak alive in tie with Glen Rock

It used to be unfamiliar territory for Ramsey senior midfielder Joe Ariyan.

But on Saturday night, he couldn't have looked more comfortable.

With 10:38 left in the game, Ariyan's teammate crossed the ball from the left side of the field into traffic at which point two Ramsey players went for the ball along with a Glen Rock defender and got enough of it to knock the ball to the ground, where eventually Ariyan collected it and put it in the back of the net to tie the game at 1-1 for Ramsey and keep the Rams' unbeaten streak alive.

"He's been great all season and making a difference with scoring goals, defending and attacking," Ramsey coach Cesar Blacido said. "I'm really proud, man. He worked really hard over the summer and it's been paying off in-season."

Ariyan's goal was a big one as the No. 5 ranked Rams came back from down 1-0 and used Ariyan's goal to come away with a 1-1 tie over longtime rival Glen Rock, extending their unbeaten streak to 29 games dating back to last year.

The goal was the fifth of the season for Ariyan, who has become the Rams' leading scorer after netting just one goal and two assists last year.

So even though it's a new role for him, he's clearly settled in well, as he showed on Saturday.

"It was just a great ball by my teammate and I was in the right place at the right time and I'm glad I finished the job," Ariyan said. "It's been sort of a new thing for me this year, but I'm glad to help out the team in any way I can."

It wasn't just Ariyan's play that was pivotal for Ramsey on Saturday night, either.

Glen Rock, with significant size and strength, was happy to play over the top and a lot of direct balls but also made its presence known on long throw ins, corner kicks and on direct and indirect kicks.

Harrison Wortley's size up top also played to Glen Rock's advantage as he was able to draw a foul late in the first half to set up a PK, which he buried to give Glen Rock an 1-0 lead.

"Ramsey's been the class of the county and of Group 2 for a while," Glen Rock coach and former Monmouth teammate with Blacido, Matt Beverin said. "I think the biggest difference sometimes between the teams in our leagues [the NJIC and the Big North] is the quality and the toughness and the speed of the play. And coming into today, that was our focus."

And Ramsey's focus, at least defensively was on those long balls and neutralizing Glen Rock in the middle of the field and out wide.

It worked, as though Glen Rock possessed well in the second half, many of their best looks came on set pieces.

But this is a new look defense for Ramsey. After conceding eight goals in 24 games a season ago with an All-State defender in Patrick Weir and an All-County point guard in Max Nirenberg helping on the back line, the defensive responsibility this year fell to the only returning defender — Dan Capuano — to shoulder much of that responsibility and shepherd his teammates along.

"They're big shoes to fill, but we're doing a great job of it, especially my teammates Nick Laurino and Owen Morycz," Capuano said. "Yes, there's some pressure but at the same time, somebody needs to do it."

It's worked well for the Rams thus far as they moved to 4-0-1 on the season with an eye toward another Group 2 state title.

But being defending champs comes with a price.

"It doesn't make things any easier," Ariyan said. "We do the work day in and day out as a team and we work on every aspect of our game to win one game at a time and get the job done."