VIDEO, PHOTOS: Panzini’s extra-time tally gives Middle Township a deserved playoff victory

Posted: November 4th 2025

Middle Township's Angelo Panzini takes a shot at goal in the first half against Oakcrest in Tuesday's South Jersey Group II Tournament game as teammate Kyle Petit looks on from behind..

By BRIAN CUNNIFF

CapeAtlanticLive.com

CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE – Angelo Panzini made sure the Oakcrest High School boys soccer team didn’t steal a state playoff victory Tuesday afternoon.

The Middle Township sophomore scored 41 seconds into the second period of extra time to give the Panthers a deserved 2-1 victory over the Falcons in an opening-round South Jersey Group II playoff game.

Oakcrest had the opening kick of the second period of extra time and sent the ball forward. After a throw-in, Middle eventually cleared the ball to the halfway line to Guilherme Candido, whose perfectly weighted ball dropped over the Falcon back line. Panzini’s terrific speed allowed him to get behind the defense, before he used his first touch to chip the ball over charging Oakcrest goalkeeper Cole Sanders. The ball bounced across the goal line before an Oakcrest back could get in position to clear.

Panzini pulled off his jersey as he ran toward his team’s bench in celebration, his teammates joining him to form a sea of euphoria in reaction to the outcome.

“I thought we deserved it,” Middle coach Scott Kurkowski said. “I was telling the boys all game that we were all over them and we just had to find one.

“Winning games in the playoffs is tough. Credit to Oakcrest for hanging around. They defended the box very well. Their keeper played great. He stood on his head. We didn’t finish well, and that’s kind of been the story for us this year but I’m proud of the boys for finding a way.”

The result was a just one for eighth-seeded Middle (11-5), which dominated the proceedings throughout. After a first half that produced some pleasing soccer but no goal for the hosts, the Panthers finally got the breakthrough three minutes into the second half through Kyle Petit, whose shot from 19 yards caught the Oakcrest keeper leaning the wrong way and snuck inside the right post. The play was started by Lucas Matthews’ sublime cross, which was headed down by a Falcon defender into Petit’s path a step outside the penalty area.

Middle went on to play rather comfortably with its one-goal advantage for the next 15 minutes, adeptly and consistently knocking the ball around and making ninth-seeded Oakcrest (14-3-2) chase the game. But one mistake in the back led to an equalizer, as Oakcrest’s Samuel Rueda Gil capitalized on uncharacteristic miscommunication by the Middle defense to free himself for a rocket of a shot from the right flank that snuck inside the far left post almost exactly on the game’s hour mark. Rueda Gil’s goal represented Oakcrest’s only true shot attempt for the game.

Middle pressed late and had plenty of chances to reestablish its lead but couldn’t finish. That set the stage for extra time, and after a nervy first extra period that saw Middle control the flow of play without carving out a good chance, Panzini made the home side a winner in its final game of the season on the Boyd Street Field with his tally in the opening moments of the second extra period.

“It’s fantastic for the seniors to get this win in this last game here at Boyd,” Kurkowski said. “They’ve had great careers here since they’ve been in the program.”

Middle will move to play at top-seeded Lindenwold in the second round on Friday.

“They’re a talented team, the No. 1 seed for a reason,” Kurkowski said. “But I think our team can hang. I think our team has a lot of talent and if we put it together we can really compete up there. I’m really looking forward to the matchup.”