The final score reads 3-0 for Mountain Lakes, but anyone who only reads the scoreboard will miss the best story of the afternoon. Kinnelon goalkeeper Matias Geler turned in a performance full of courage, making 13 saves and refusing to let a busy day become a runaway.
Do the math on Geler's afternoon and it gets even more impressive. Mountain Lakes scored three times and Geler still stopped 13 more shots, which means he faced at least 16 shots on target and kept the great majority of them out. That is a goalkeeper standing tall under constant pressure, giving his team a chance on every single play for the full match.
Efforts like this are the foundation teams build on. Kinnelon kept competing behind a keeper who never backed down, and performances built on that kind of fight tend to turn into results as a season goes on. The Colts can walk away knowing their last line of defense was absolutely fearless on Thursday.
There is no quit in a 13-save game. Every stop is a fresh decision to battle, and Geler made that decision again and again. Kinnelon fans should be proud of the heart their team showed on the road against a strong Mountain Lakes side.
Stars of the Game: Matias Geler, the Wall, whose 13 saves were one of the biggest goalkeeping performances of the day anywhere in Morris County. And the Kinnelon Colts, the Never-Quit Crew, who kept fighting in front of him until the final whistle.
Game details compiled from published box scores.