PHOTOS: Rosario’s stunning late strike allows nine-man Wildwood to rescue a point against motivated Wildwood Catholic

Posted: October 5th 2026

Wildwood's Jason Velasquez is defended by Wildwood Catholic's Evan Papageorgiou (left) and Charlie Flickinger during Monday's soccer game.

By BRIAN CUNNIFF

CapeAtlanticLive.com

WILDWOOD – Angel Rosario scored a stunning equalizing goal three minutes from full time and a Wildwood High School boys soccer team reduced to nine players in the second period of extra time held out to rescue a point as the Warriors played crosstown rival Wildwood Catholic to a 1-1 draw Monday evening.

The contest was played in front of a large, spirited crowd under the lights at Maxwell Field.

Wildwood (5-3-2), held without a good chance at goal for much of the second half, leveled the game as Rosario got free in the left side of the penalty area before whipping a curving shot that kissed the far right post and settled into the side panel of the goal as he and his teammates erupted in euphoria.

“With Angel, anytime you give him space he finds a way to put it in the back of the net,” Wildwood coach Sal Zampirri said. “He’s been a lifeline more than once for us this year and he stepped up again today for us.”

Wildwood Catholic (4-3-2) was a bit unlucky not to come away with a victory. The Crusaders were much more aggressive and dangerous than in the first meeting between the two teams, a 2-0 Wildwood victory early in the season. The Crusaders won a majority of the midfield battles and enjoyed more possession throughout Monday’s game.

“That was a game-changer for us because we didn’t match their intensity the first time. They were winning every ball and going through every ball the first time we played. Doing that better tonight is what kept us in the game and gave us the opportunities we did have,” Wildwood Catholic coach Tommy Bolle said.

Wildwood played without key midfielder Jose Herrera, who was given what appeared to be a very harsh direct red card in the team’s previous game. The Warriors certainly suffered without his presence.

“We definitely missed Jose in there,” Zampirri said. “He’s been our physical presence in the midfield. But in terms of the rest of us, that’s where everyone else has to step up and be physical in there. We knew Wildwood Catholic was going to come out and play a physical game. Nothing caught us off guard. But we didn’t step up to the challenge enough.”

To be fair, Wildwood Catholic has also been without one of its top players in senior midfielder Nick Catanoso, who suffered a season-ending injury in the teams' first meeting of the season.

Wildwood Catholic got its goal 12 minutes into the second half when multiple Warrior players failed to properly deal with a long ball played straight down the field, allowing an opportunistic Ryan Hebert to pounce on the mistake and easily slot the ball into an open net.

The Crusaders appeared to be headed for victory until Rosario saved his side with his magical strike in the final minutes of regulation.

“We made a couple mistakes and they pounced,” Bolle said. “I’d like for us to be walking out of here with a win tonight but unfortunately they capitalized on one of our mistakes.”

Wildwood was forced to play a man down when one of its players received a second yellow card with more than six minutes to play in the second period of extra time. The Warriors then had to survive a nervy final 20 seconds after another Wildwood player also was issued a second yellow card and was sent off, reducing the team to nine players. Wildwood Catholic managed to get the ball into the edge of the penalty area in the game’s dying embers, but Wildwood’s Oscar DeJesus eventually managed to put the ball out of play just before time expired. The clock ran out before the Crusaders could get the ball back in play.

Wildwood Catholic goalkeeper Theo Margarites was sensational in the loss. He made two terrific saves in the first half, the best coming early in the contest when he dove to his right and got a hand to a difficult shot by Wildwood’s Angel DeJesus and parried the ball out of harm’s way.

Margarites also frustrated Wildwood with his anticipation in coming off his line to beat Warrior players to many balls played forward.

“He’s been a huge difference for us,” Bolle said. “He saved us in the first half. They should have gone up 1-0 but he made a huge save. He’s really shown up for us the last two years. Having someone back like that back there who’s that solid has been a big help for us.”

Wildwood’s defense was stout as well, aside from the mixup on the Crusaders’ goal.

“I’m confident in our back three because Drew (Collinson), Louis (Sewell) and Oscar have been solid for us,” Zampirri said. “And then Michael McWade at keeper, he was a little unlucky on that goal and I know he’s going to beat himself up over it, but he’s gotten so much better and he’s been a wall for us all year back there. He’s been near-perfect for us.”