Peters' Golden Goal in the Second Overtime Gives Chatham Boys Soccer 2-1 Win vs. Mendham in Morris County Tournament Opener

CHATHAM, NJ – Jasper Peters made it a happy ending for the Chatham boys soccer team with his golden goal in the second overtime of a tense battle with Mendham in the opening round of the Morris County Tournament on Wednesday at Cougar Field.

The Cougars were in danger of losing a game they deserved to win, but needed senior striker Peters to bookend the game with goals in the fourth minute of action and the 93rd minute for the 2-1 wipe-the-sweat-from-the-forehead squeaker.

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The sixth-seeded Cougars (7-5-1), who stretched their unbeaten streak to six games at 5-0-1, earned an MCT quarterfinal round matchup at No. 3 seed Randolph (8-2-2) on Saturday.

Chatham needed a game-saving stop from junior goalie Jack Paone in the first overtime before Peters made a diagonal run in the second OT and finished the feed from junior Ryan Hoffelder to set off the game-ending celebration (see below).

Mendham (3-5-3) had gotten a goal from Cooper Politan in the 66th minute to tie the game at 1-1.

Jack Paone, Ryan Hoffelder, Marco Mannino and Jasper Peters talk about the win

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Chatham has scored a 4-0 win vs. Mendham on Sept. 24th and it looked like it might be an easy time when Peters scored in the fourth minute of the first half to make it 1-0. Hoffelder hit a ball over the top of the Minutemen defense and Peters won a footrace to the ball from charging Mendham goalie Will Andrews to knock it into an open net (see below).

But after the early goal, Chatham hit the post with shots multiple times and Andrews came up with several excellent saves, finishing with 15, as the Cougars struggled to add to their lead.

“We probably should have had three or four in the first half, but I'm happy that we stayed with it,” Mark Maka , Chatham coach, said. "They're a good team and I knew they were going to create a few chances in the game, that's why I was a little tense on the sideline not scoring those.

“The game of soccer can be very cruel in those moments but I think the better team won today. Our guys showed a little grit today, which is something we've been talking about.”

Chatham nearly avoided overtime in the 80th minute when the Cougars had a corner kick and got it off with just nine seconds showing. Freshman Brooks Loftin lifted the corner and junior Marco Mannino headed the ball down off the left post before it was cleared by a Mendham defender (see below).

Paone, who came up with a clutch leg save of a point-blank shot by Mendham in the first extra session, credited the defense in front of him for the Cougars' six-game unbeaten streak.

Chatham changed its defensive formation to include Mannino as a central defender flanked by senior Declan Leahy and junior Owen Fraser . Junior Braden Faust has also keyed the defense from his midfield spot.

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