Shore Conference Boys Soccer 2024 Preview: Class A Central

Outside of a Class C South division created out of thin air, no division looks as different from last year until now as Class A Central does. Wall is the only team left from last year’s group, with three teams from the traditionally-loaded Class A North moving into the division, as well as defending division champion Colts Neck and St. Rose.

There are two opposite ends of the spectrium in Class A Central, with a couple of its teams returning a ton of scoring and the rest of the field wondering where its scoring will come from. Colts Neck and Middletown North both bring back dynamic forwards and capable midfields; on the flip side, Manalapan graduated a huge senior class, while Freehold Township, Middletown South, Wall and St. Rose each graduated multiple top scorers.

The division sets up nicely for Colts Neck and Middletown North, but every team in this field has proven it can reload and remain competitive, which should make Class A Central as fun as any division this season.

In predicted order of finish

1. Colts Neck

Colts Neck was an offensive machine in 2023, leading the Shore Conference with 65 goals and doing so in only 15 games. What made that feat even more impressive is that none of those 65 goals was scored by a senior, which means the Cougars return every single goal from the highest-scoring team in the conference from a year ago. Two senior starters did graduate, but between the returning attack and the return of a standout goalkeeper from the academy ranks, 2024 is shaping up to be a special season at Colts Neck.

The Shore’s most dangerous attack starts with the Moore brothers, who combined for 43 goals on the way to earning All-Shore spots. Senior Kyle Moore is heading into the final year of his stellar four-year career and coming off a season in which he scored the most goals of any returning player in the Shore. Sean Moore debuted as one of only four players in the Shore Conference to account for 50 total points and one of five to reach 20 goals – all as a freshman.

The two Moores are what separate Colts Neck from most of the field in the Shore Conference and the rest of the starting lineup is now experienced, as well as capable. Senior Tim Foley and junior Jonah Chiang each demonstrated an ability to score while playing off the two 20-goal scores, while senior Sam Gershon and junior Ben Kazani held down the midfield and set up their teammates. With so many players back, Colts Neck coach Art Collier will have enough midfield depth to keep players fresh, with Gabe Krulyanksky, Pedro Navrosky, C.J. Collins, Nick Sergio and Daniel Killick all capable to providing quality minutes.

As good as Colts Neck’s scoring was last year, there is a reason the Cougars only went 10-5 and were bounced out of the Shore Conference Tournament in their first game. Colts Neck allowed 35 goals in 15 games thanks to a relatively inexperienced group in the back. There will indeed be more experience back there this season, with Ryan Spencer, Josh Katsnelson, Dillon Younger and Sebastian Faila all back together.

The key to keeping the ball out of the net this season could be the goalkeeping group, which once again includes senior Justin Appel. Appel impressed as a freshman starter in 2021, but played academy soccer each of the past two seasons. Dan Ravelo and Liam Calluro held the fort in goal while splitting time last year and give Collier two more capable keepers should the need arise. If that group can slash the number of goals allowed, Colts Neck will have a chance to make a run at the top teams in the Shore Conference and in Group III.

Colts Neck at a Glance

Head Coach: Art Collier, 26th season
2023 Record: 10-5 (5-1, tied first in Class B North)
SCT Group: I (Manasquan, Jackson Liberty, Raritan, Red Bank Catholic)
Key Losses: Ben Berkovsky (Defense), Tim Nadolny (Midfield), Danielson Chinchilla (Forward)

 

Potential Starters

Kyle Moore, Sr., Forward (22 goals, 10 assists)

Sean Moore, So., Forward (21 goals, 10 assists)

Tim Foley, Sr., Midfield/Forward (4 goals, 3 assists)

Jonah Chiang, Jr., Forward/Midfield (4 goals, 3 assists)

Sam Gershon, Sr., Midfield (3 goals, 3 assists)

Ben Kazani, Jr., Midfield (1 assist)

Ryan Spencer, Jr., Defense (1 goal)

Josh Katsnelson, Sr., Defense (1 assist)

Dillon Younger, Jr., Defense

Sebastian Failla, Sr., Defense (1 goal, 2 assists)

Justin Appel, Sr., Goalkeeper

 

Other Players

Gabe Kruglyanksky, Jr., Midfield

Pedro Navrosky, So., Midfield/Forward

Daniel Ravelo, Sr., Goalkeeper

Nick Sergio, Sr., Midfield

C.J. Collins, Jr., Midfield/Forward

Daniel Killick, Sr., Midfield

Liam Calluro, Jr., Defense/Goalkeeper

Luis Rojas, Sr., Forward

Dean Natale, Jr., Defense

Andres Mallqui, Jr., Defense

 

 

2. Middletown North

Over the last two seasons, Middletown North has gone from a competitive Class A North team on a year-in-year-out basis to a program that has taken the next step as a threat to win a tournament championship. The Lions head into 2024 looking to reach the final four of the Shore Conference Tournament for a third straight season and although there is more to replace on this year’s roster than there was a year ago, Middletown North is still stocked with talent.

Like Colts Neck, Middletown North has a duo of forwards that will pose major problems for opponents. Senior Josiah Stepney is coming off a First-Team All-Shore season as a junior and junior teammate Paulie Que proved to be the ideal complement to Stepney last season. On top of the 24 goals between the two forwards, Middletown North returns half of its stellar midfield, with senior Nick Dinella and junior Cam DelGrosso both coming off productive seasons. Senior Ethan Kinch and freshman Giovanni Reyes move into the open spots in the midfield and should make an immediate impact on one of the Shore’s better offensive outfits.

If there is a concern for Middletown North heading into the season, it is in the back, where the Lions must replace three quality defenders and an All-Shore goalkeeper in Landon Terrell. Fortunately for coach Eric Morely and his team, the one returning starter is senior standout Ryan Barnao, who played through injury last season and is heading into his fourth year as a starter on the back line. Junior Christos Dounis also got a chance to start with Barnao missing time and seniors Dylan Croce and Declan Chenoweth will round out the back four along with senior goalkeeper Connor Marinelli.

The defense could be a work in progress, but with Barnao leading it and some major firepower up top, Middletown North should again be considered a championship threat in a wide-open Shore Conference field.

Middletown North at a Glance

Head Coach: Eric Morley, fifth season
2023 Record: 12-6 (3-3, tied third in Class A North)
SCT Group: F (Point Boro, Lacey, Freehold Boro, Barnegat, Keyport)
Key Losses: Landon Terrell (Goalkeeper), Tommy Valinotti (Midfield), Matt Silva (Midfield), Travis Soto (Midfield), Liam O’Keefe (Defense), Jake Isaksen (Defense)

 

Potential Starters

Josiah Stepney, Sr., Forward (16 goals, 8 assists)

Paulie Que, Jr., Forward (8 goals, 5 assists)

Nick Dinella, Sr., Midfield (3 goals, 5 assists)

Cam DelGrosso, Jr., Midfield (2 goals, 6 assists)

Ethan Kinch, Sr., Midfield

Giovanni Reyes, Fr., Midfield

Ryan Barnao, Sr., Defense (4 goals, 1 assist)

Christos Dounis, Jr., Defense

Dylan Croce, Sr., Defense

Declan Chenoweth, Sr., Defense (1 assist)

Connor Marinelli, Sr., Goalkeeper

 

 

3. Manalapan

With a whopping 19 seniors in its program last season, Manalapan is set to look much different in 2024 than it did a year ago. That indeed means that the Braves will be inexperienced in several places throughout the formation and they do not return a whole lot of scoring, but the group that is moving up this season has been lying in wait for its chance to play and will finally get it this fall.

Manalapan featured a balanced scoring sheet last year and returning senior forward Jon Luz was among the top producers on that list. Luz finished second on the team in scoring as a junior and will pair up top with fellow returnee, junior Ethan Lustig. Three more juniors – forward Eduardo Russo and midfielders Dan Altman and Ethan Rosenfeld – move into the starting attack and should provide an immediate boost as new starters. The lone returning starter in the midfield is Joe DeLanzo, who will provide senior leadership after proving himself as a junior.

Senior Dylan Cassidy will lead the defense as its lone returning starter and will help cover first-year varsity goalkeeper Chase Lee. Lee and fullback Evan Gluzman are both first-year sophomore starters, with senior Ethan Dass and junior Patrick Hearn also in the fold as new defensive starters. The division schedule will not be easy by any stretch of the imagination, but moving out of Class A North should give Manalapan some room to grow as a unit and by season’s end, the Braves should be a tough out in both tournaments.

Manalapan at a Glance

Head Coach: Kerry Eisman, 10th season
2023 Record: 9-7-1 (2-4, sixth in Class A North)
SCT Group: H (Rumson-Fair Haven, Jackson Memorial, Lakewood, Henry Hudson)
Key Losses: Tyler Pylarinos (Midfield), Mike Pepe (Forward), A.J. DeRosa (Midfield), Vinny Bright (Defense), Matteo Paolillo (Goalkeeper), Tyler Kats (Forward), Ano Anzivino (Forward), Travis Butash (Defense), Luca Marano (Forward), Jeremy Hocheiser (Defense), Steven Bechutsky (Forward)

 

Potential Starters

Jon Luz, Sr., Forward (5 goals, 7 assists)

Ethan Lustig, Jr., Forward (2 goals)

Eduardo Russo, Jr., Forward

Dan Altman, Jr., Midfield (1 assist)

Joe DeLanzo, Sr., Midfield (1 goal, 1 assist)

Ethan Rosenfeld, Jr., Midfield

Dylan Cassidy, Sr., Defense (1 goal, 1 assist)

Ethan Dass, Sr., Defense

Patrick Hearn, Jr., Defense

Evan Gluzman, So., Defense

Chase Lee, So., Goalkeeper

 

Other Players

Bryan Rolzhausen, Sr., Goalkeeper

Ariel Darocha, Sr., Defense/Midfield

Christian Laverde, Sr., Forward

Jeremiah Ortega, Sr., Midfield/Defense

Mike Pietropaolo, Sr., Defense

Brandon Modica, Jr., Midfield

Gavin Halcomb, So., Forward

Ryan Seybuck, So., Forward/Defense

 

 

4. Middletown South

It appears that Middletown South is this year’s Shore Conference team that will be hit hardest by academy soccer defections. On top of losing a senior class that included All-Shore forward Shawn McCann, talented scorers Luke Strada and Dylan Sibilia are not playing high-school soccer this season, further adding to the production coach Dan Riverso and his team will have to replace after turning in a strong 2023 campaign that included handing CBA its first loss to a Shore Conference opponent since opening day of 2022.

Speaking of CBA, Middletown South will bring in some help courtesy of the Colts. Brendan Millevoi – who came off the bench for CBA last season and whose older brother, Dylan, was CBA’s top scorer in 2023 – transferred to Middletown South and will strengthen an already strong midfield. Senior Matteo Niglio and junior Jack Cohen are returning starters, with Niglio the top scorer returning after notching four goals as a junior.

Middletown South’s biggest changes will be on either end of the field, with junior Gian Luca Zito the only returning starter back among the group of forwards and junior Brett Denery the lone returning defender. Junior Mason Petke scored a goal in a reserve role last season and classmate Jorge Ximil-Carranza will provide a spark up top as well. On the other end, Ryan Kapler is another junior along with Denery on the back line, while seniors Tyler Lavender and Mike Malvica round out the defense in front of first-year starter and junior Carson Perry in goal. Riverso and his staff will have to blend it all together, but there remains some promise on the Eagles roster, even with all the players they lost from 2023.

Middletown South at a Glance

Head Coach: Dan Riverso, fourth season
2023 Record: 9-6-2 (3-3, tied third in Class A North)
SCT Group: B (CBA, Manchester, St. John Vianney, Monmouth)
Key Losses: Shawn McCann (Forward), Dom Lupu (Midfield), Justin Sibilia (Midfield), Ryan Denery (Defense), Will Welsh (Defense), Chris Plessing (Defense), J.T. Anderson (Goalkeeper), Christian Lupu (Midfield), Tom DiLouie (Midfield), Ray Anichino (Forward), Quinn Pipercic (Midfield), Luke Strada (Jr., Forward), Dylan Sibilia (Sr., Midfield/Forward)

 

Potential Starters

Gian Luca Zito, Jr., Forward (1 goal)

Mason Petke, Jr., Forward (1 goal)

Jorge Ximil-Carranza, Jr., Forward

Matteo Niglio, Sr., Midfield (4 goals)

Jack Cohen, Jr., Midfield (1 goal, 1 assist)

Brendan Millevoi, Sr., Midfield (transfer from CBA; 1 goal, 2 assists)

Brett Denery, Jr., Defense

Ryan Kapler, Jr., Defense

Tyler Levander, Sr., Defense

Mike Malvica, Sr., Defense

Carson Perry, Jr., Goalkeeper

 

Other Players

Connor Saul, So., Midfield

Brody Illingworth, So., Defense

Joe Fielding, Jr., Midfield

 

 

5. Freehold Township

Last season marked the end of a remarkable run for the Freehold Township program, in which the Patriots qualified for the Shore Conference Tournament in 19 consecutive seasons. It did not help that Freehold Township found itself in one of the two toughest SCT groups along with Manasquan, St. Rose and Raritan during a season in which the Patriots roster was dealing with more turnover than they have been used to over the past two decades.

There will be more for third-year coach Mike Tepedino to replace this season, with his top three scorers from last year all graduating. On the plus side, Freehold Township relied on the entire field unit for scoring, so there are plenty of candidates to step up to the challenge. Senior Vin Brando and sophomore Greyson Fitch will head up the attack at the top of the formation, while senior Nate Reiser and juniors Sebastian Polo, Caine Massey and Gino Castaneda anchor the midfield. All four players played important minutes last season, also none scored more than two goals.

Freehold Township’s defense appears to be a strength thanks to the return of both senior Michael Gorman and Bobby Lockard, as well as Castaneda’s versatility as both a defender and creator. Sophomore Lucas Torres and senior Brandon Cooperman will step in as starters in the back and senior Klaud Martyna goes from backup goalkeeper to starter. That defensive group and Martyna has the makings of a capable goal-prevention group, so if the Patriots can control the ball and find some finishers, they could present a challenge to Colts Neck and Middletown North at the top of the A Central table.

Freehold Twp. at a Glance

Head Coach: Mike Tepedino, third season
2023 Record: 6-11-1 (1-5, seventh in Class A North)
SCT Group: D (Toms River North, Toms River South, Matawan, Point Beach)
Key Losses: Victor Torres (Forward), Alessandro Principato (Midfield), Nate Furie (Goalkeeper), Vincent DiUbaldi (Defense/Midfield/Forward)

 

Potential Starters

Vin Brando, Sr., Forward (2 assists)

Greyson Fitch, So., Forward

Nate Reiser, Sr., Midfield (2 goals, 2 assists)

Sebastian Polo, Jr., Midfield (1 goal)

Caine Massey, Jr., Midfield (2 goals, 2 assists)

Gino Castaneda, Jr., Defense (1 goal, 1 assist)

Michael Gorman, Sr., Defense (1 goal)

Bobby Lockard, Jr., Defense

Lucas Torres, So., Defense

Brandon Cooperman, Sr., Defense

Klaud Martyna, Sr., Goalkeeper

 

Other Players

Isai Quiroz-Torralba, Jr., Defense (Transfer from Freehold Boro)

Jackson Klein, Sr., Midfield

Gabriel Bormolini, Jr., Forward

Sean Sparks, Sr., Forward

 

 

6. Wall

A loaded Class A Central division made life difficult for Wall during the 2023 regular season, but the Crimson Knights showed their mettle in making it out of the group stage of the Shore Conference Tournament and winning a round in the NJSIAA Central Group III Tournament. A 10-9 finish is not a standout year by Wall’s standards, but there was a lot to like given how tough the schedule was.

This season, the schedule is not a whole lot easier, with six new teams joining Wall in the new-look Class A Central. On top of the new slate of opponents, Wall will have to deal with heavy losses in graduation, particularly in the scoring department. Bo Pepe and Jake Petillo handled most of the 2023 scoring, so the returning midfielders and forwards will set out to collaborate on a solution. Senior midfielder Robert Keegan is the top returning scorer, while senior Michael Southwell and junior Tanner Griffin will be targets up top. Sophomore Kevin Anderson and junior Christian Garduza gained valuable experience a year ago and senior Griffin Lecorchik is set to join them in the starting midfield this season.

Wall’s defense will be entirely new, with senior Ryan Anderson leading the group in front of senior goalkeeper Tom Ekberg, who has some playing experience during his varsity career. Dan Mendes, Evan Kerr, Paul Fury and Matt Appel are all in the mix as potential junior starters and developing that defensive unit will be crucial for Wall to compete against this schedule. Coach Garry Linstra routinely irons out the defense during a season, so expect Wall to again be tough in the back – a necessity in a division loaded with standout scorers.

Wall at a Glance

Head Coach: Garry Linstra, 23rd season
2023 Record: 10-9 (2-4, fifth in Class B North)
SCT Group: G (Marlboro, New Egypt, Neptune, Pinelands)
Key Losses: Bo Pepe (Midfield), Jake Petillo (Midfield), Cooper Harmon (Midfield/Defense), Charles Schirmer (Goalkeeper), Tristan O’Neill (Defense), Colin Roarty (Forward), Chris Dailey (Midfield), Luke Bigley (Midfield)

 

Potential Starters

Tanner Griffin, Jr., Forward (1 goal)

Michael Southwell, Sr., Midfield

Kevin Anderson, So., Midfield (1 goal, 1 assist)

Robert Keegan, Sr., Midfield (3 goals, 2 assists)

Griffin Lecorchick, Sr., Midfield

Christian Garduza, Jr., Midfield (2 goals, 1 assist)

Matt Appel, Jr., Midfield/ Dan Mendes, Jr., Defense/Midfield

Evan Kerr, Jr., Defense/Midfield

Ryan Anderson, Sr., Defense

Paul Fury, Jr., Defense

Tom Ekberg, Sr., Goalkeeper

 

Other Players

Brody Burns, Sr., Midfield

Jesus Chaves-Fernandez, Sr., Midfield

Joe Donofio, Sr., Defense

Ryan Krupa, Sr., Midfield

Christian Suckey, Sr., Defense

Andrew Vario, Sr., Midfield

Luca Rulli, Jr., Defense

Shane Womack, So., Midfield

Brendan Grober, Jr., Defense

Rafael Martinez, Jr., Midfield

Harrison Novick, Jr., Goalkeeper

Nick Herrera, So., Midfield

 

 

St. Rose

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St. Rose at a Glance

Head Coach: Brian Swider, first season
2023 Record: 12-3-5 (5-0-2, second in Class B Central)
SCT Group: A (Holmdel, Toms River East, Ranney, Donovan Catholic)
Key Losses: Jack Tiernan (Forward), Aidan Bonczek (Forward), Diego Nieves (Midfield), Andrew Restiano (Midfield), Matt Alexis (Defense), Jack Kane (Defense), Carlos Ramos (Midfield), Jack Harmon (Goalkeeper)

Potential Returning Players

Matt Dayton, Jr., Forward (3 goals, 3 assists)

Vladislav Aguirre, Sr., Forward (2 goals, 1 assists)

Gavin Fahy, Sr., Midfield (2 goals)

Henry McLean, Sr., Defense (3 goals)