Ramsey's Ellie Balanoff took the lead on raising funds for Ewing's Sarcoma, a rare bone cancer. The Rams 2-1 win over Wayne Hills was in support of the CL7 Foundation.
RAMSEY – After a blowout loss to Northern Highlands in the Bergen County Tournament final this past Sunday, the Ramsey players were dejected. It was not only that the Rams lost, but how they lost. With the state tournament less than two weeks away, they looked to refocus their efforts towards finishing the season strong. Playing against a sneaky good Wayne Hills team in a game to benefit the Charlie Landers Foundation, the Rams needed all hands-on deck all the way until the final buzzer.
Ellie Thumm’s only save of the second half was a huge one. She saved a blast off of a corner as the final buzzer sounded to secure Ramsey’s 2-1 win over Wayne Hills on Tuesday afternoon in Ramsey.
“This was a really big game for us for multiple reasons and the girls stepped up,” said Ramsey head coach and former All-Bergen standout Lia DiPiazza. “I thought we learned from the loss on Sunday and came into this game with a positive mindset. Ellie Balanoff came to me with this idea and asked if we could do a fundraiser for the foundation and we were happy to make this happen.”
When Balanoff was doing her DECA (Distributive Education Clubs of America) project, she and her project partner Grace Ernst wanted to help raise money and awareness for the Charlie Landers Foundation. Charlie Landers was a student-athlete at Ramapo High School who passed away at the age of 15 from a rare form of bone cancer called Ewing’s Sarcoma.
“Grace is very close with the Landers family and for one of our fundraisers we wanted to raise awareness about Ewing’s Sarcoma,” said Balanoff, a senior captain. “We’ve been doing it for two weeks now and we’ve raised over $2,000 so far. We’re excited about being able to raise awareness and help out the Landers family and those battling Ewing’s Sarcoma however we can.”
Emily Gougousis gave Wayne Hills an early lead with a first quarter goal.
The lingering effects from losing in the Bergen County final was evident early and the Patriots took advantage of it. Corners were dangerous for both teams all game long with Wayne Hills jumping ahead when Emily Gougousis drilled home a pass from Emma Cataline for a 1-0 lead midway through the first quarter.
“You never like to get scored on first, but I think it lit a fire on us that we needed,” added DiPiazza. “We were down a goal, but we had to figure things out and keep moving forward.”
While the Rams were shocked by falling behind, it may have been the wake-up call they needed. They needed just three minutes to respond on a corner of their own. Julia Maciag set it up and Reese Connell whacked a shot home to tie the game at 1.
With the score still tied heading into the third quarter, the Rams started to connect quicker passes and take control in both the midfield and offensive third. They earned a couple of quick corners and cashed in on the latter of those. Maciag flipped a shot into traffic in front of the net with fellow sophomore Ella Corzet re-directing into the back of the cage to put Ramsey ahead, 2-1.
Ramsey controlled the third quarter, but the Patriots flipped the script in the fourth quarter spending most of it near the Rams’ cage. Although the Patriots controlled possessions throughout the quarter, they were unable to get shots on net with defenders Lilly DiSalvo and Abby Featherstone making play after play to keep them at bay.
Ella Corzet re-directed home the game-winning goal for Ramsey
“We had to step it up and hold our ground,” said DiSalvo. “There was a lot of pressure today, especially when we were down a goal. We only have a few games left and we want to win them all heading into the states, so we had to get this one first.”
With the final seconds winding down, the Patriots earned a corner and sent the entire team to the edge of the circle to try and force overtime. They got the shot they wanted with Gougousis having a clean look from close range. She hit a hard shot on target. However, Thumm slid into position to block it away as time expired as the Rams celebrated a much-needed bounce back victory.
The win was a big one for Ramsey, but also a win for Ewing’s Sarcoma awareness.
Ewing’s Sarcoma is a rare cancer with less than 500 people per year diagnosed. The 5-year survival rate is 30% and for those who have a recurrent form it is less than a 10% survival rate. The last treatment that was approved by the FDA was over 30 years ago and survival rates have not improved over that time.
Please join us in the fight to raise awareness about Ewing’s Sarcoma. Every little bit that you can contribute towards the Charlie Landers Foundation will make a lasting impact for Ewing’s Sarcoma patients and their families. You can donate at charlielandersfoundation.org,
(Writer’s Note: I know first-hand how important this foundation is. I have been battling Ewing’s Sarcoma for the past eight years. I had to receive a cadaver transplant along with metal rods in my leg and need crutches to get around. Every second of every day is a struggle both physically and emotionally. Currently, I am in remission and hope one day to be cancer-free.)
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