Manasquan Secures Victory in Shore Conference Showdown Against CBA

photo by: Christian Oldhafer

Under the bright morning sky, a storied rivalry wrote its latest chapter as the Manasquan Warriors hosted the CBA Colts in what would become a Shore Conference spectacle. The anticipation set by the opening face-off at 10 am was met with an encounter that delivered drama, skill, and a nail-biting finale.

The first quarter set the pace with Manasquan establishing an early lead, thanks to Ryan Aldi's two goals and Jack O'Reilly's contribution, making it 3-1 for the Warriors. However, the Colts snatched the momentum with a buzzer-beater from defenseman Manolis Paragioudakis, a full-field goal that would ignite the Colts' fighting spirit. Ryan Martin's skillful execution off a pass from Ben Breeden completed two consecutive goals for the Colts, tying the game at 3-3. The deadlock remained as both teams regrouped at halftime, each having scored three goals in a game that was proving to be as tightly contested as predicted.

The third quarter continued the intense back-and-forth game with Manasquan briefly taking the lead through Ryan Aldi's hat trick, only to be matched by CBA's Davis Campbell, who leveled the game at 4-4 from an assist by Ryan Martin. Chris Carhart's ground ball pick-up and subsequent transition led to Brandon Kunz scoring on an assist from Brody Muly, pushing Manasquan ahead. However, CBA's Cameron D’Alterio responded, once again evening the score.

In the closing moments, with the game tied at 5-5, Nick Bounassi’s crucial save for Manasquan and a successful clear set the stage for a time-out, a moment for the Warriors to regroup and plan the final attack. 17.8 seconds was left on the clock and the game found its hero in Brody Muly, who, with composure and skill, scored the game-winning goal, securing a thrilling 6-5 victory for Manasquan.

The final whistle marked the end of an "instant classic," a game that lived up to its billing and then some. Manasquan remains undefeated with a 9-0 records and will look to challenge for the top spot in the shore with a meet against Rumson-Fair Haven this coming week. Despite the loss today, the Colts have been a tough team this season and will carry this momentum into the back half of the year.