VIDEO, PHOTOS: Shorthanded Crusaders battle valiantly to the finish but fall in PKs in playoff game

Posted: November 3rd 2025

Wildwood Catholic's Evan Papageorgiou defends against a Bishop Eustace player as teammate Evan Landis looks on from behind.

By BRIAN CUNNIFF

CapeAtlanticLive.com

STONE HARBOR – A severely undermanned Wildwood Catholic Academy boys soccer team did all it could to steal a state playoff victory Monday afternoon.

The Crusaders, with just 13 players in uniform for the game, were reduced to 10 players late in regulation after one of their players received a second yellow card. A few of those 10 remaining players were competing through various bumps, bruises and turned ankles. They somehow held out through the remainder of regular time and two periods of extra time but ultimately were eliminated when Bishop Eustace forged a 5-3 advantage in penalty kicks after a 1-1 draw in a South Jersey Non-Public B Tournament game.

“Effort is all we ask for,” Crusader coach Tommy Bolle said. “We’re not here making excuses. We had guys hurt and other guys got banged up but that’s when you have to step up. Playing with 10 men is a mistake on our part. But all we ask for is effort and they gave it to us.”

Wildwood Catholic (4-14), the No. 4 seed in the tournament, grabbed an early lead through Andrew Catanoso’s first-half goal and held that advantage into the match’s late stages. But 13th seeded Eustace (3-15) equalized seven minutes from full time when Logan Esposito slid through a long free kick by Massimo Sergi just a few yards from goal.

Shortly thereafter, a Wildwood Catholic player was sent off after receiving his second yellow card. Eustace surged onto the front foot from there but failed to produce a winner as the Crusaders desperately held out through defenders Chris Papageorgiou, Charlie Flickinger and Joey Tenaglia and a handful of solid to excellent saves by goalkeeper Theo Margarites. Wildwood Catholic was also twice saved by the post.

That set the stage for penalty kicks. Wildwood Catholic missed one of its early tries, so the fifth conversion by Eustace clinched its victory.

Wildwood Catholic loses four senior starters to graduation in Papageoriou, Calvin Kiker, Jack Kurtz and Evan Landis.

“We’ll do our best to keep things positive and do what we can with the guys coming back and we’ll see what we can do to get some other kids out,” Bolle said. “Hopefully, everyone can really bring it for next year.”