Harrison Wortley ran his goal total to 20 on the season as Glen Rock advanced to the North 1, Group 2 quaterfinals with an 8-2 win over Manchester.

GLEN ROCK – Suffering heartbreaking losses in the most important games can either divide a team or make them closer and force them to work even harder. After a shocking loss in overtime to Indian Hills in the first round of the state tournament last year and another upset loss in a shootout to Rutherford in the Bergen County Tournament last month, Glen Rock has been chomping at the opportunity to get back on the pitch with something to play for.

With every team’s record essentially wiped clean to start the state tournament, it also gave the Panthers a chance to re-channel their energy not towards dwelling on past losses but towards a potential run at a section title. Facing upstart Manchester Regional, they wasted little time in showing their dominance.

Harrison Wortley and Alex Kim combined for five goals. Three of those came in a 2:07 span early in the first half as third-seeded Glen Rock busted out with an 8-2 romp on Tuesday afternoon at Glen Rock High School.

“We focus on working hard and doing the basic fundamentals properly,” said Glen Rock head coach Matt Beverin. “We feel like we can attack in a variety of different ways depending on the gameplan. Getting goals on some hustle plays early is always good to see. We have guys who can play all over the field and have played together for a number of years so there’s a nice chemistry there. It’s about buttoning things up this time of year and not making any mistakes in the back. We’re holding ourselves to a higher standard this season and we’re ready for the stretch run.”

Glen Rock is a methodical, patient team that uses the whole field to create scoring chances. Another way to create opportunities is more direct, running through every ball in the offensive third of the field. It was those hustle plays that put Glen Rock in front early. On a long ball played in towards the top of the box, Alex Kim went full speed to get to it just before Manchester goalie Robinson Santo arrived. Kim toe-poked it past the keeper and then tapped into the open to give Glen Rock the lead less than five minutes in.

Alex Kim scored twice for Glen Rock, which will host Mahwah in the quarterfinals.

Just 49 seconds later, Kim took advantage of a misplay in the back and hit a streaking Wortley down the middle of the field for a two-goal lead. Kim created havoc all over the field throughout the first half. He took a through ball up the left flank from Victor Kubasek and beat a defender before slotting a shot inside the far post. Before the Falcons knew what hit them, Glen Rock was in complete control with a 3-0 lead just 7:02 into the match.

“To score any goal, but particularly a hustle goal, in the first few minutes of the game sets the tone for the rest of the team,” said Kim. “In big games like this it’s the little things that count and make a difference between your team and the other team.”

Manchester had chances to cut the deficit with a pair of dangerous corner kicks and a hard shot on net. That was merely a blip in an otherwise dominant first half. Lukas Damevski also found the back of the net as the Panthers all but put the game away at halftime with a 4-0 lead.

Wortley was subbed out early in both halves, but did not take long to make his presence felt. He scored again less than four minutes into the second half. The Falcons got on the scoreboard with a goal from Emmanuel Luna Hernandez. Wortley answered right back by converting another nice feed from Kim to complete his third hat trick of the season.

Wortley now has a team-high of 20 goals for Glen Rock (13-3-2). Kim finished with two goals and two assists, and the Panthers also got tallies from Andrew Kim and Jacob Grinberg.

Mateo Orozco assisted on both goals for Manchester Regional, who finished the season with an 8-15 record. Matias Moran Lara also had a goal for the Falcons.

Glen Rock will get at least one more home game in state tournament play. The Panthers will take on sixth-seeded Mahwah, who rallied from a two-goal halftime deficit with four unanswered goals in a 4-2 win over Lodi in its first-round game. With the pressure increasing and the painful tournament losses over the past calendar year now well in the rear-view mirror, the Panthers hope that this is the start of a special run towards championship glory.

“We’ve been motivated all season by how last year ended with the loss to Indian Hills,” added Kim. “We didn’t think we went as far as we should have in both the states last year and the counties this year. That has forced us to be better prepared to make a run. This team refuses to get complacent. We work really hard to become a better team every day. We really feel like we have the talent to win a section title. Just have to put it all together.”

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