2026 Shore Conference Boys Soccer Preview: Class C South
With only five teams and some of the Shore’s lowest power-point accumulators of the past two seasons, the Class C South division is set up to be one of the two weaker divisions in the Shore Conference, but last year was a reminder that in any given year, the division can produce a dangerous team. Brick rolled through Class C South, qualified for the Shore Conference Tournament and was in the conversation for the Shore Conference Top 10 for most of the season.
Brick has moved into Class B South this season, so C South has opened up for a new champion. Pinelands is the most recent division champion of the bunch, while you would have to go back more than a decade for the most recent division titles of either Donovan Catholic or Lakewood. Barnegat and New Egypt, meanwhile, could capture their first division title if they can survive a four-game spring against the division.
If there is one Class C South team that has a chance to stand out above the rest and make noise against the rest of the Shore, it is indeed one of those teams looking for its first ever championship in boys soccer.
In predicted order of finish
1. Barnegat
Barnegat heads into 2026 still seeking its first Shore Conference division championship and in this, their 21st season of existence as an athletic program, the Bengals might finally get it. Graduating top scorers Riley Stolte, Leo Chamorro, Aiden O’Halloran and Ethan Yllanes raises the degree of difficulty to get it done, but the return of senior midfielder Nate Scisco will be a boon for the team. Scisco spent last fall playing in Spain and is two years removed from posting 13 goals as a sophomore in 2024.
With Scisco as the centerpiece, Barnegat returns two starters on the attack in senior midfielder Jacob Yudman and senior forward Ethan Salazar, plus two other players who scored goals in 2025. Senior Nelson Argueta Cedillos (two) and junior midfielder Oscar James-Villa both got on the score sheet in 2025 and will be joined by sophomore midfielder Jeancarlo Escobar Velasquez on the offensive side.
Senior Matt Arbasetti and junior Vinny Santos will lead the defense as returning starters on the back line, with sophomore Christian Sarmiento and senior Jovanny Mbah both moving into starting spot alongside them. Goalkeeper, meanwhile, is not entirely settled heading into the season, but Barnegat has four quality options in sophomore Connor Feeney, Mason Wheeler, Ethan Eanonne and Ian Soberano – three of whom saw time between the posts with then starter Donovan Paul dealing with an injury. There will be some new pieces to break in, but with Scisco in the middle of it all, Barnegat immediately becomes the Class C South favorite and a threat to qualify for the Shore Conference Tournament.
Barnegat at a Glance
Head Coach: Kevin Peters, eighth season
2025 Record: 8-10-2 (3-1, second in Class C South)
SCT Group: 3 (Toms River East, Ocean, Lacey, Raritan)
Key Losses: Leo Chamorro (Midfield/Forward), Riley Stolte (Midfield), Ethan Yllanes (Forward), Aiden O’Halloran (Forward), Donovan Paul (Goalkeeper), Pablo Tapia (Defense), Junior Licona Romero (Midfield), Madiel Vargas Velasquez (Defense)
Projected Starting XI (With 2025 Stats)
Returning starters in bold
Connor Feeney, So., Goalkeeper (1 shutout)
Matt Arbasetti, Sr., Defense
Christian Sarmiento, So., Defense
Vinny Santos, Jr., Defense (1 goal, 1 assist)
Jovanny Mbah, Sr., Defense
Jacob Yudman, Sr., Midfield
Oscar Jaimes-Villa, Jr., Midfield (1 goal, 1 assist)
Jeancarlo Escobar Velasquez, So., Midfield
Nate Scisco, Sr., Midfield (2024 Stats: 13 goals, 7 assists)
Ethan Salazar, Sr., Forward (2 goals)
Nelson Argueta Cedillos, Sr., Forward (2 goals)
Other Key Players
Connor Glines, Sr., Forward
Adam Sabine, So., Midfield
Mason Wheeler, Sr., Goalkeeper
Ethan Eannone, Jr., Goalkeeper
Ian Soberano, Sr., Goalkeeper
2. Donovan Catholic
In search of its first winning season in 11 years and its first season with more than four wins since 2018, Donovan Catholic is set up to have its best season of the post-COVID era. The Griffins graduated only three starters from a year ago, so what was a young, developing team is now an experienced group much closer to being a finished product. The operation starts with returning all-division seniors Charlie Yuro and Dan Zaic, plus the presence of fellow senior captains Matt Logan and Hunter McDonald.
Yuro and 2026 graduate Max Durazzo accounted for almost all of Donovan Catholic’s goal-scoring last season, so the Griffins will be looking for some finishers to step forward. Sophomore Sal Reynoso will join Yuro up top, while senior Jack McAteer and junior Matias Tabares round out the midfield with Zaic and McDonald.
Logan and fellow seniors Harrison Langella and Nick Leone are set to lead the defense in front of returning junior goalkeeper Connor Ryan, while freshman Cogan Simpson slots in as the fourth fullback in Donovan Catholic’s formation. Simpson, Reynoso and fellow sophomore Lorenzo Dellisanti represent the next wave of impact players for Donovan Catholic, but the senior-heavy roster has the Griffins thinking about a promising present for a program looking to recapture the winning feeling.
Donovan Catholic at a Glance
Head Coach: Michael Benson, second season
2025 Record: 3-10-3 (1-3, fourth in Class C South)
SCT Group: 8 (St. John Vianney, Shore, Howell, Manchester, Keyport)
Key Losses: Max Durazzo (Forward), Demitri Maugeri (Midfield), Christian Dzialowski (Defense)
Projected Starting XI (With 2025 Stats)
Returning starters in bold
Connor Ryan, Jr., Goalkeeper (1 shutout)
Matt Logan, Sr., Defense
Harrison Langella, Sr., Defense
Nick Leone, Sr., Defense (1 goal)
Cogan Simpson, Fr., Defense
Dan Zaic, Sr., Midfield
Hunter McDonald, Sr., Midfield
Jack McAteer, Sr., Midfield
Matais Tabares, Jr., Midfield (1 goals)
Charlie Yuro, Sr., Forward (9 goals, 7 assists)
Santi Reynoso, So., Forward
Other Key Players
Jack Lauder, Sr., Defense/Midfield
Mateo Alvarez, Sr., Midfield
Lorenzo Dellisanti, So.
Anthony DeBonis, Jr.
3. Pinelands
After being shutout of a victory in divisional play last season, Pinelands enters 2026 hoping to climb out of the bottom spot in Class B South behind one of the younger starting groups in the division. Center back Max Taurgrasso and midfielder Acim Savich are the two returning senior starters and first-year starting goalkeeper Michael Quintenz adds another senior to the starting XI, but the rest of Pinelands’ starting group will be juniors or younger.
Sophomore Steven Amato showed his scoring ability as a freshman last season and be the team’s top target this season. Classmate Cayden Andrews will move into a starting spot up top along with Amato, while freshman Dylan Auermuller brings more underclass skill to the midfield along with entrenched starters Savich and junior Stevie Leek. Junior Jack Nilson id set to complete the starting midfield.
With Taurgrasso anchoring the defense, juniors Ricky Pacheco and Vincent Scarpone move into starting roles, as does sophomore Travis Kinze. Taurgrasso was an all-division selection as a junior and he will attempt to pick up the slack with three new starters and a goalkeeper on the back line. Winning within the division should work out better for the Wildcats this year and even though the games outside C South figure to be a challenge for a young roster, Pinelands showed last year it can be dangerous by beating Brick Memorial in Shore Conference Tournament group play.
Pinelands at a Glance
Head Coach: Jim Campbell, fifth season
2025 Record: 4-10-2 (0-4, fifth in Class C South)
SCT Group: 6 (Marlboro, Rumson-Fair Haven, Brick Memorial, Freehold Boro, St. Rose)
Key Losses: Mikel DeMilio (Forward), Peyton Auermuller (Midfield), Lance Heuston (Defense), Jake Miller (Goalkeeper), Alex Dudas (Defense), James Maleski (Defense), Alexandros Kontogiannis (Midfield), Jacob Soliman (Defense)
Projected Starting XI (With 2025 Stats)
Returning starters in bold
Michael Quintenz, Sr., Goalkeeper
Max Taurgrasso, Sr., Defense (2 goals)
Ricky Pacheco, Jr., Defense
Vincent Scarpone, Jr., Defense
Travis Kinze, So., Defense
Acim Savich, Sr., Midfield
Dylan Auermuller, Fr., Midfield
Jack Nilson, Jr., Midfield
Stevie Leek, Jr., Midfield
Cayden Andrews, So., Forward
Steven Amato, So., Forward (2 goals, 2 assists)
Other Key Players
George Adomako, Sr., Forward
Liam Witherup, Sr., Forward
4. Lakewood
The won-loss record was not pretty for Lakewood last season, but the Piners were more competitive than a 1-14-1 record might suggest and this year, they bring back most of their lineup while moving from Class B South to a more forgiving Class C South division. Two key goal sources are gone – Jay Oliva to graduation and Abraham Torres as a transfer to Toms River North – but the Piners return another reliable scorer in junior Johan Rodriguez, an experienced midfield and a senior leader on the defense in Efrain Garcia Chapulin.
All-division senior Jonathan Bravo leads a returning midfield that also includes senior William Alejo and junior Olin Cortez. Senior Christian Rodriguez is also back as one of three forwards in the attack along with Johan Rodriguez and freshman Ramon De Oliveira Amorim.
The defense will be a mix of seniors and freshmen, with fellow senior David Rojas working the back line with Garcia Chapulin and freshmen Diego Gonzalez and Javier Padilla ready to jump into varsity action. Sophomore Jafeth Gonzales takes over the goalkeeping duties for a Lakewood team that will try to get its bearings in a new division and with some young starters, but has the potential to make a push for its first division championship in 20 years.
Lakewood at a Glance
Head Coach: Tim LaBarre, second season
2025 Record: 1-14-1 (0-5, sixth in Class B South)
SCT Group: 7 (Middletown South, Point Boro, Wall, Neptune)
Key Losses: Jay Oliva (Forward), Yosiah Cruz (Defense), Abraham Torres (Jr., Forward; transferred to Toms River North)
Projected Starting XI (With 2025 Stats)
Returning starters in bold
Jafeth Gonzales, So., Goalkeeper
David Rojas, Sr., Defense
Diego Gonzalez, Fr., Defense
Javier Padilla, Fr., Defense
Efrain Garcia Chapulin, Sr., Defense/Midfield
William Alejo, Sr., Midfield (2 goals)
Jonathan Bravo, Sr., Midfield (1 goal, 3 assists)
Olin Cortez, Jr., Midfield/Forward (1 goal, 1 assist)
Cristian Rodriguez, Sr., Forward
Johan Rodriguez, Jr., Forward (3 goals, 1 assist)
Ramon De Oliveira Amorim, Fr., Forward
Other Key Players
Miguel Tehutle, Sr., Midfield
Alexander Gil, Sr., Defense
Jose Chavez, Sr., Forward
Samuel Naranjo, So., Midfield
Stalen Laureano, So., Midfield
Christopher Blas, Fr., Forward
5. New Egypt
In theory, the Class C South division is supposed to be one of the easier Shore conference divisions in which to compete, but New Egypt faces unique challenges in this division as a Group I team facing off against teams from Groups II and III, plus a non-public program. The Warriors will be put to the test this season after graduating most of their scoring from a third-place team in the division.
Senior Nico Ferriolo returns after emerging as a dependable supporting scorer and will be part of the attack again this season. Junior Chris Perez moves into the starting lineup after earning time and scoring a pair of goals as a sophomore, while freshman Henry Schorr figures to make an immediate impact up top as well. The Warriors also have some experience coming off the bench in senior Pablo Milan, plus some additional freshmen who could see time.
The midfield is where New Egypt should be at its best thanks to the return of starters Wyatt Burgess, Dylan Rotundo and Caden Stillson. Senior Nick Pizzolongo is back to lead the defense, with classmate Mark Voorhees, sophomore Tyler Marotta and junior Max Grike all jumping into the starting back four to protect sophomore and first-year starting goalkeeper Caden Adelung. There are some shifted roles among the group, but New Egypt has some experience to take with them into what should be a even five-team field in Class C South.
New Egypt at a Glance
Head Coach: Pat Snyder, second season
2025 Record: 7-14 (2-2, third in Class C South)
SCT Group: None
Key Losses: Dylan Harper (Forward), Braeden Fischer (Midfield), Bryce Giordano (Forward), Ryan Reynolds (Defense), Cameron Cassandra (Goalkeeper), Jahir Mendoza (Midfield)
Projected Starting XI (With 2025 Stats)
Returning starters in bold
Caden Adelung, So., Goalkeeper
Max Grike, Jr., Defense
Nick Pizzolongo, Sr., Defense/Midfield
Mark Voorhees, Sr., Defense/Midfield
Tyler Marotta, So., Defense/Midfield
Wyatt Burgess, Sr., Midfield/Defense (1 goal, 1 assist)
Dylan Rotundo, Sr., Midfield/Defense
Caden Stillson, Sr., Midfield/Forward
Chris Perez, Jr., Midfield/Forward (2 goals, 1 assist)
Nico Ferriolo, Sr., Midfield/Forward (4 goals)
Henry Schorr, Fr., Forward/Midfield
Other Key Players
Jared Anderson, Sr., Midfield/Forward
Corby Johnson, Sr., Midfield/Forward
Pablo Milan, Sr., Forward/Midfield (2 assists)
James Testa, Sr., Forward/Midfield
Tyler Wright, Sr., Goalkeeper
Daniel Lear, Fr., Defense/Midfield
Greg Nevers, Fr., Midfield/Defense
Cole Regner, Fr., Midfield/Forward
Bryce Witiszin, Jr., Defense/Midfield
Class C South Starting XI
Charlie Yuro, Forward, Donovan Catholic
Steven Amato, Forward, Pinelands
Johan Rodriguez, Forward, Lakewood
Nicco Ferriolo, Forward, New Egypt
Nate Scisco, Midfield, Barnegat
Jonathan Bravo, Midfield, Lakewood
Dan Zaic, Midfield, Donovan Catholic
Efrain Garcia Chapulin, Defense, Lakewood
Max Taurgrasso, Defense, Pinelands
Vinny Santos, Defense, Barnegat
Connor Ryan, Goalkeeper, Donovan Catholic
