VIDEO: DiDonato rescues OT playoff victory for Crusaders

Posted: October 25th 2023

The Wildwood Catholic High School boys soccer team won a wild state playoff on an extra time tally from an unlikely source Wednesday.

Junior T.J. DiDonato tucked a shot under the crossbar in the first period of extra time to give the Crusaders a 3-2 victory at St. Joseph in the first round of the South Jersey Non-Public B Tournament.

DiDonato, whose goal was just his second of the season, scored from just inside the top of the penalty area by converting a cross from Nick Antonicello. His shot sailed over the St. Joe goalkeeper’s outstretched hand and under the crossbar.

The win moves Wildwood Catholic (7-11), seeded ninth in the tournament, into a second round game at top-seeded Moorestown Friends on Tuesday.

Wildwood Catholic trailed 1-0 at the break to No. 8 St. Joseph before Teddy Woolery tallied to level the score. Peyton Rosenello’s header off a corner kick gave Wildwood Catholic a 2-1 lead, before St. Joseph scored very late in regulation to send the game to extra time.

That’s when DiDonato rescued the Crusaders with his perfectly placed golden goal.

The match was the third of the season between the two teams. They split the first two meetings, with both previous contests also decided by one goal.

The state playoff victory was Wildwood Catholic’s first since 2017.

(Video clips first posted by the Wildwood Catholic Boys Soccer Instagram account.)