Guess Who’s Back? Returning All-Shore, All-Division Boys Soccer Players in 2025

Shore Conference soccer is back for 2025, with teams around New Jersey beginning tryouts on Monday in preparation for the start of the season. After The Shore Conference was responsible for claiming an overall NJSIAA Group IV championship (Southern Regional) and an additional sectional championship as well (Long Branch), so there is championship pedigree and expectation returning. In 2024, Colts Neck won its first ever Shore Conference Tournament championship — a reminder that any year can be a historic one for a given program.

So, how promising is 2025 for the Shore Conference in boys soccer? Answering that question starts with a review of the impact talent returning from last year. Here are the returning Shore Sports Insider All-Shore selections, plus the returning selections from the Shore Conference Soccer Coaches’ All-Division Teams.

 

Returning SSI Boys Soccer All-Shore Players

 

First Team

Sean Moore, Jr., Forward, Colts Neck

After leading the Shore Conference in total scoring (29 goals, 13 assists), Moore is in position to finish his career with staggering numbers. His older brother, Kyle, became Colts Neck’s all-time leading scorer last year and Sean is on pace to shatter Kyle’s new record — most likely before his junior year is over. While those individual accolades are great, Moore and his team has unfinished business after ending their season with a shocking loss to Long Branch in the NJSIAA Central Jersey Group III quarterfinals. A repeat of a Shore Conference Tournament championship is also high on the list, but Moore and the Cougars will be eager to get another shot at a sectional title.

Ethan Lustig, Sr., Forward, Manalapan

Manalapan was the Shore’s breakout team in 2024, finishing the season ranked No. 3 in the final Shore Sports Insider Top 10 and Lustig led the charge. His 20 goals and 13 assists placed him sixth in the conference in scoring and his four hat tricks matched 2024 Player of the Year Aidan Donnelly of Southern for the conference lead. With Lustig leading an impressive returning group, Manalapan heads into the 2025 season on the short list of favorites to win both the Shore Conference Tournament and Central Jersey Group IV championships — titles that have eluded the Braves for a little more than a decade.

Tanner Grozinski, Sr., Forward, Lacey

Grozinski led the Shore Conference in assists a season ago and matched Donnelly for second in overall scoring in the Shore Conference with 64 points (23 points and 18 assists). That performance helped his Lacey side reach heights not seen in the program since 2011, which was the last time Lacey made it to a Shore Conference Tournament semifinal. The Lions made the SCT run behind a stellar performance by Grozinski that included five goals and four assists in four tournament games.

 

Second Team

Cruz Farkas, Sr., Forward, Manasquan – Farkas was the top scorer for a Manasquan team that graduated most of its starting lineup this past spring and will look to lead the new-look lineup after his 14 goals and seven assists landed him an All-Shore spot.

Mason Boles, Sr., Forward, St. John Vianney – The Lancers had their best season in more than a decade, which included a second straight division championship and their first top 10 finish at the Shore in 10 years. Boles was the offensive catalyst, finishing with 16 goals and four assists, including a game-winning goal vs. Christian Brothers Academy.

Alex Salvo, Sr., Midfield/Forward, Red Bank – The 19 goals and six assists put Salvo among the Shore’s leaders in overall scoring, but it was his impact on team success that landed Salvo on the All-Shore Second Team. Red Bank won its first division title since 1972 and won its first NJSIAA Tournament game in nine years with Salvo scoring a hat trick in the victory.

Ilyas Ciltepe, Sr., Midfield/Forward, Central – Ciltepe played his sophomore season and the start of his junior year as a central midfielder, then moved up top during the 2024 to become a big-game scorer who posted 15 goals and five assists as the Golden Eagles reached the South Jersey Group IV semifinals.

Chris Ruggiero, Jr., Defense, Toms River North – The Mariners maintained their stranglehold on the Class A South division, wrapping up their fifth straight division crown. Ruggiero helped fortify the back line by moving from the midfield to the defensive end of the formation as the center fullback, sparking a Toms River North side that rode its defense to a division title and a sectional final appearance for the fifth time in six years.

Dylan Graham, Jr., Goalkeeper, Lacey – While Grozinski put up big numbers at the top of the formation, Graham held it down on the opposite end of the field. He put on a shot-stopping clinic in a 2-0 loss to CBA in the SCT semifinals and made double-digit saves one round earlier in a 5-0 win over Central.

 

Third Team

Connor Shaw, Jr., Forward, Ocean – Shaw scored in 11 different games last season, including goals against sectional champions from Long Branch and Southern.

Dan Altman, Sr., Midfield, Manalapan – While finishing as the second-leading scorer for the Shore’s No. 3 team, Altman recorded his lone hat trick against No. 1 Southern and also scored two goals vs. Class A South division champion Toms River North.

Brayden Kurak, Sr., Midfield/Defense, Manchester – Kurak wore multiple hats for a pesky Manchester team that beat Lacey, 1-0, behind a Kurak goal — one of eight scored by the versatile Class of 2026 standout.

 

Returning Coaches Selections

All-County

 

Monmouth County

First Team

Sean Moore, Jr., Forward, Colts Neck (29 goals, 13 assists)*

Ethan Lustig, Sr., Forward, Manalapan (20 goals, 13 assists)

Mason Boles, Sr., Forward, St. John Vianney (16 goals, 4 assists)

Dan Altman, Sr., Midfield, Manalapan (12 goals, 8 assists)

Cruz Farkas, Sr., Forward, Manasquan (14 goals, 7 assists)

*- Voted Monmouth County Player of the Year

 

Second Team

Owen Brackett, Sr., Forward, Raritan (14 goals, 6 assists)

Alex Salvo, Sr., Midfield/Forward, Red Bank (19 goals, 6 assists)

Eduardo Russo, Sr., Forward, Manalapan (7 goals, 8 assists)

Connor Shaw, Jr., Forward, Ocean (14 goals, 2 assists)

Ben Kazani, Sr., Midfield, Colts Neck (2 goals, 8 assists)

Jack DelPriore, Sr., Goalkeeper, Rumson-Fair Haven (7 shutouts)

 

Third Team

Brett Denery, Sr., Defense, Middletown South (2 goals, 2 assists)

Cam DelGrosso, Sr., Midfield, Middletown North (7 goals, 11 assists)

Cooper Attaway, Sr., Forward, Shore (10 goals, 5 assists)

Isaiah Boone, Sr., Defense, St. John Vianney

Matt Makower, Jr., Goalkeeper, Ocean (10 shutouts)

 

Ocean County

First Team

Tanner Grozinski, Sr., Forward, Lacey (23 goals, 18 assists)

Dylan Ryan, Sr., Forward, Point Pleasant Beach (16 goals, 9 assists)

Ilyas Ciltepe, Sr., Midfield/Forward, Central (15 goals, 5 assists)

Nate Stryker, Jr., Forward, Brick Memorial (9 goals)

Brody Powers, Jr., Midfield/Forward, Point Pleasant Beach (16 goals, 9 assists)

Ryan Wheeler, Sr., Goalkeeper, Brick Memorial (5 shutouts)

 

Second Team

Chris Ruggiero, Jr., Defense, Toms River North (3 goals, 1 assist)

Madden Leszczynski, Sr., Midfield, Central (2 goals, 2 assists)

Max Durazzo, Sr., Midfield/Defense, Donovan Catholic (16 goals, 7 assists)

Nate Scisco, Jr., Forward, Barnegat (13 goals, 7 assists)

Kervin Martinez, Sr., Forward, Lakewood (11 goals, 1 assist)

Karl Loffredo, Sr., Forward, Brick (8 goals, 6 assists)

Shane Gambarony, Sr., Forward, Toms River South (13 goals, 8 assists)

Brayden Kurak, Sr., Defense/Midfield, Manchester (8 goals, 7 assists)

Dylan Graham, Jr., Goalkeeper, Lacey (5 shutouts)

 

Third Team

Christian Gilani, Sr., Defense, Lacey

Jonathan Bravo, Jr., Midfield/Forward, Lakewood (2 assists)

Nigel Graham, Sr., Defense, Toms River South (2 goals)

Elin Torres, Sr., Midfield, Brick Memorial (1 goal, 7 assists)

 

 

All-Division

Players listed in their 2025 divisions, which may differ from 2024 divisions

Class A North

Sean Moore, Jr., Forward, Colts Neck*

Ethan Lustig, Sr., Forward, Manalapan

Dan Altman, Sr., Midfield, Manalapan

Eduardo Russo, Sr., Forward, Manalapan

Ben Kazani, Sr., Midfield, Colts Neck

Jack DelPriore, Sr., Goalkeeper, Rumson-Fair Haven

*- Voted Class A Central Player of the Year

 

Class A Central

Mason Boles, Sr., Forward, St. John Vianney

Cruz Farkas, Sr., Forward, Manasquan

Connor Shaw, Jr., Forward, Ocean

Brett Denery, Sr., Defense, Middletown South

Cam DelGrosso, Sr., Midfield, Middletown North

Cooper Attaway, Sr., Forward, Shore

Isaiah Boone, Sr., Defense, St. John Vianney

Silvio Pessoa, Jr., Midfield, Shore

Matt Makower, Jr., Goalkeeper, Ocean

 

Class A South

Tanner Grozinski, Sr., Forward, Lacey*

Ilyas Ciltepe, Sr., Midfield/Forward, Central

Chris Ruggiero, Jr., Defense, Toms River North

Madden Leszczynski, Sr., Midfield, Central

Christian Gilani, Sr., Defense, Lacey

Dylan Graham, Jr., Goalkeeper, Lacey

*- Voted Class B South Player of the Year

 

Class B North

Owen Brackett, Sr., Forward, Raritan

Alex Salvo, Sr., Midfield/Forward, Red Bank

Humberto Hernandez, Jr., Midfield, Freehold Boro

Jackson Whitehead, Sr., Defense, Red Bank

 

Class B Central

Eddie Magherini, Sr., Forward, Ranney

Jack Fallon, Sr., Defense, Ranney

Devin Ryan, Sr., Midfield, Monmouth

 

Class B South

Dylan Ryan, Sr., Forward, Point Pleasant Beach

Nate Stryker, Jr., Forward, Brick Memorial

Brody Powers, Jr., Midfield/Forward, Point Pleasant Beach

Kervin Martinez, Sr., Forward, Lakewood

Shane Gambarony, Sr., Forward, Toms River South

Brayden Kurak, Sr., Defense/Midfield, Manchester

Jonathan Bravo, Jr., Midfield/Forward, Lakewood

Elin Torres, Sr., Midfield, Brick Memorial

Nigel Graham, Sr., Defense, Toms River South

Ryan Wheeler, Sr., Goalkeeper, Brick Memorial*

*- Voted Class C South Player of the Year

 

Class C South

Max Durazzo, Sr., Midfield/Defense, Donovan Catholic

Nate Scisco, Jr., Forward, Barnegat

Karl Loffredo, Sr., Forward, Brick

Gianno Godenzi, Sr., Midfield, Brick

Peyton Aurmuller, Sr., Midfield, Pinelands

Jake Miller, Sr., Goalkeeper, Pinelands