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Navarrette leads Plainfield in double overtime

Lauren Knego
@laurenknego

PLAINFIELD The Plainfield High School boys soccer team has quietly put together quite a season so far, and had to go to double overtime against Governor Livingston on Tuesday in order to preserve it.

After almost giving the game away in the first overtime, the Cardinals managed to win it in double overtime. In the fifth minute, sophomore Chris Navarrette scored his first goal of the season on an assist from senior William Guzman that Highlanders goalie Jake Topor couldn't corral to lead Plainfield to a 1-0 victory.

"We knew they were a great team — every team brings something to the table; you can’t just walk on the field and say, 'Oh, we’re about to score 76 goals,'" Navarrette said. "You have to be prepared for everything."

With the win the Cardinals improved to 6-0 and recorded their fifth shutout of the season. Plainfield has allowed only one goal in six games, and it was during a 4-1 win over Linden on Sept. 21. 

"In my four years here, I believe it is our best start. I don’t think we’ve ever been 6-0," Plainfield coach Ronald Umana said. "It’s just the whole team. Every game, somebody else shows up — sometimes it’s Johnathan Hernandez or Jose Rosa, today it was Chris Navarrette. Our goalies, the defense is just very solid. We’ve only given up one goal in all six games, so it’s a team effort, I would say."

On Tuesday both teams battled through torrential rain in the first half looking to strike first. Plainfield outshot the Highlanders 6-3 in the first half, and in the 10th minute Hernandez had a wide-open look at the goal, but his shot just went wide right. In the second half, Rosa was almost the hero, but Topor just got his hand on the ball and sent it over the crossbar for the save.

In the third minute of the first overtime period, it was almost Governor Livingston that walked away with the win. Josiah Crawford managed to get a shot off and sent it arcing towards the Cardinals' net, but senior goalie Luis Arevalo, making his first start of the season, sent it up and over the goal to preserve the shutout.

"There was a little bit of pressure, but now with this victory, it’s the best season that we’ve had so far, and this is my first game of the season. I’m happy — I did my best, my team put a lot of effort, and it was just a team effort," Arevalo said. "(My team) didn’t give up, and they kept trying and trying until they got the goal, so I’m really proud of them, and I have to do my part."

So far this season Plainfield has outscored opponents 12-1 and on Monday night was given the No. 3 seed in the Union County Tournament. With a top-four seed the Cardinals earned a double-bye into the quarterfinals, but the team believes that every game up until that point is a test in order to prepare for the upcoming competition.

"It’s a big test — we have those teams like Elizabeth, Scotch Plains, Westfield," Arevalo said. "We’re having a great season, and we’d like to face them and beat them."

Staff Writer Lauren Knego: lknego@gannettnj.com