EWING — All the hard work and perseverance finally paid off for the Ewing High varsity boys’ soccer team Friday. After a close call at Bound Brook Thursday, the Blue Devils snapped a 15-game losing streak (dating back to the last game of last season) by defeating Triton, 4-3, in overtime yesterday at Bruce S. Martz Field in the John B. Housman Athletic Complex. Following a loss by the same OT score a day earlier, first-year head coach D.J. Zedalis’ team came out on top when sophomore Nick Tackacs led his classmate Jon Davila for the game-winner 51 seconds into Friday’s extra time. It was an equally impressive turn of events for Ewing because the team had to come from behind twice to flip the script on the Mustangs. Plus four goals is the most the Blue Devils have scored in a game this season. “You guys chipped away yesterday, but fell short,” Zedalis told his players after the game. “You guys chipped away today and got it done.” “It definitely has not been easy,” Davila said. “The motivation was there today. This game reminded me a lot of things that went on (Thursday). We didn’t want that to happen again.” In dropping their first 14 games of 2024, Zedalis’ troops had to work their way through plenty of change. “We only had one returning starter, so we had a young group to begin with,” Zedalis said. “Then it was nothing but injuries at the start of the season. Luckily, this is a resilient group.” The Blue Devils showed that again Friday. After falling behind, 2-0, when Triton’s Zac Briggs and Alex Ratling scored in the final 14:26 of the first half, the home team got on the board as Tackacs led Nate Muntone 44.4 seconds before the half. Tackacs then tied the score 43 seconds into the second half when he cashed in on a pass from Noah Williams. Three minutes later, Ewing almost took the lead when Williams took a free kick, only to see it skip wide of the net. Instead, five minutes after that, the Mustangs’ William Gallagher avoided an offside call to receive a pass from Lincoln Connally and put the visitors back up, 3-2. Rather than sulking, the Blue Devils came back to even the score once more when Williams and Tackacs teamed up again to tie the game, 3-3, with 15 minutes remaining. It was Tackacs’ third goal of the season, which ties him with Davila for the team lead. Despite being tired when they headed to their second OT session in as many days, the Ewing players found a way to come out on top this time with Tackacs handing out his second assist as Davila sliced toward the net and put a shot past Triton sophomore goalkeeper Sean McBride. “We just have to get the negatives out and go with the flow,” Davila said of what still needs to be done to keep the Blue Devils on their winning ways. With more scoring, solid defense and steady goalkeeping from senior Elias Martinez (eight saves), Zedalis’ charges just might be able to end the season with a flourish. Triton(3-10-1)                2   1   0    —    3 Ewing (1-14)                 1   2   1    —    4 Goals: Briggs, Ratling, Gallagher (T), Muntone, Tackacs 2, Davila (E); Assists: NPerez, Connally (T), Tackacs 2, NWilliams 2 (E). Shots: 11 (T), 10 (E); Saves: McBride 6 (T), EMartinez 8 (E). LAWRENCE 1, JACKSON MEMORIAL 0 JACKSON — Ethan De Leon Angon converted a pass from Kacper Kulesza in the second half to lift the Cardinals over the Jaguars. Tim Dowd made 11 saves to earn his first shutout. Lawrence (8-6-1)          0   1    —    1 JacksonMem(7-9-2)      0   0    —    0 Goal: De Leon Angon (L); Assist: Kulesza (L). Shots: 11 (L), 11 (JM); Saves: Dowd 11 (L), Cohn 10 (JM). MOORESTOWN 4, LAWRENCEVILLE 1 MOORESTOWN — David Holland’s first-half goal was the only scoring for the Big Red in this loss to the Quakers. Lawrenceville(4-10-2)   1   0    —    1 Moorestown (10-3)        3   1    —    4 Goals: Holland (L), Capps 3, Sahas (M); Assists: Damien, Depaula, Canton, Vernick (M). Shots: 3 (L), 12 (M); Saves: Boanoh 8 (L), Della Rosa 2 (W). NO. BURLINGTON 3, BURLINGTON TWP. 0 COLUMBUS — Elijah Font had a goal and an assist to lead the Greyhounds past the Falcons in a BCSL Liberty Division clash. George Senf earned the shutout in net. BurlingtonTwp(6-8-1)    0   0    —    0 No.Burlington(6-5-1)     1   2    —    3 Goals: Font, Bondoc, Troy (NB); Assists: Castor, Font (NB). Shots: 6 (BT), 12 (NB); Saves: Bennett 9 (BT), Senf 6 (NB). FLORENCE 3, WOODBURY 0 WOODBURY — Derek Tindall notched two goals and one assist to propel the Flashes past the Thundering Herd. Michael Habingreither worked the goal for Florence in the shutout. Florence (10-4)             2   1    —    3 Woodbury (3-8)             0   0    —    0 Goals: Tindall 2, Kyeremeh (F); Assists: DGonzalez, ESmith, Tindall (F).