Romario Hulea scores winner as Suffolk CC wins NJCAA national championship
Romario Hulea (7) leaps to control the ball during Suffolk Community College's quarterfinal match against Camden. Credit: Herkimer College
It was as if an echo were traveling through the Adirondacks. One player after another, screaming into the cold night: "Nobody gave us a chance!"
The old battle cry of the underdog. But given that it was the fourth seed in a national championship tournament facing a team that had dominated them two months ago, not too many people could give Suffolk Community College much of a chance.
No matter. The Sharks gave themselves a title Sunday, edging No. 2 Richland (Texas), 2-1, to capture the NJCAA Division III men's soccer crown.
"I think we were underestimated from the start," said freshman Romario Hulea, a native of Sweden. "But we're champions now!"
Hulea scored the winner 3:04 into the second half. He gathered a deflection about 7 yards to the left of the left goalpost and, with a defender approaching, awkwardly twisted his left leg and used his instep to flick a shot into the far corner. "It wasn't pretty and there was no power in it," he said with a grin. "Good placement, though."
Suffolk CC (21-4) earned a second national championship -- the first was in 2010 -- and redeemed itself for a loss in last year's final. The Sharks stunned No. 1 Herkimer, the defending champion and host, in the semifinals on Friday, then topped a Richland squad that had beaten them, 5-2, in September.
Joseph Lopez put the Sharks on the board 28:56 before halftime. Hulea collected a loose ball and skipped a short pass to Lopez, who lined it into the right corner. Danny Barnard tied it eight minutes later for Richland (22-2-1).
"Romario's game complements mine so well," said Lopez, a Brentwood native whose 32 goals this season is a Suffolk CC record. "Playing alongside him makes my job so much easier."
Nothing came easy for the Sharks as Richland controlled possession for most of the second half and applied pressure. But Jon Zapata, who was named game MVP, made six saves, including a spectacular diving stop to thwart a fast break with 11:31 remaining.
Sharks coach Frank Vertullo said "having two amazing forwards in Joseph and Romario" immediately convinced him this team could contend. From the preseason on, he said, they had designs on a championship.
Now it's designs for a championship ring. Vertullo, an art teacher in the Deer Park school district, said he would like to draw up the diagrams for his team's commemorative jewelry.
Why not? Give him a chance.
