For 35 years the Haddonfield varsity soccer squad has had the same coach prowling up and down the sidelines for every game, imploring his young athletes to be smart and keep the ball out of the middle of the field. Coach Joe Falana is one of the most successful soccer coaches in New Jersey history and cemented his status as a coaching legend last week with his 600th win as a head coach, all with Haddonfield Memorial High School.
Falana is the sixth soccer coach in state history to reach the 600 win plateau and only the second in South Jersey, trailing Brian Gibney of Shawnee High who has over 650 victories.
The Bulldogs defeated Sterling High School in a tight, well-played 3–2 victory with Haddonfield’s Brendan Werner scoring the winning goal in the 35th minute of the second half off of a corner kick. Haddonfield dominated play throughout the game, but allowed two “own” goals in the first half to put the Bulldogs into a 2–1 deficit.
However, Sterling seemed content to sit back in the second half and try to hold onto the lead, but Sam Ottenberg tied the game at 2–2 about halfway through the half, heading in a goal in a crowded scrum in front of Sterling’s net off of a Haddonfield throw-in.
The Bulldogs held onto their 3–2 victory with two spectacular saves from goalie Vince DelDuca. Sterling threatened to tie the score with a late burst in the final two minutes of the game, when a forward threaded a perfect cross across the goalmouth to a wide-open attacker, who one touched a shot that DelDuca dived to stop. DelDuca was able to pounce on the rebound before another Sterling forward to preserve the victory.
As his players celebrated the victory at the final whistle, Falana made perhaps his best coaching move of the day when he dumped out the team’s water jug to avoid a celebratory dousing.
Haddonfield Athletic Director Lefty Banos presented Falana with a plaque commemorating his 600th win. Surrounded by friends and family, Falana thanked his team for the win and his assistant head coach Jim Dugan for his dedication to the game.
“I never played a game for Haddonfield, I never scored a goal for Haddonfield, I never made a save or ever made one single play for Haddonfield in those 600 wins. But, I’ve been lucky enough to be on the sideline enjoying the athletes, the fine young men and great soccer players going out on the field like they did today and making Haddonfield the school, Haddonfield the town and Haddonfield the soccer program proud. This win is for you guys, not me,” he told his team.
Haddonfield improved to 9–1 on the season. Two weeks ago the program also celebrated its 600th victory.
