Shore Conference Boys Soccer 2024 Preview: Class B North
The new Class B North division features the return of a team that left for one year and two more teams that have resided in Class A Central in recent years. St. John Vianney dropped to Class B Central in 2023, won the division and is now back in Class B North as a threat to repeat as a division champion playing in a new division. Shore Regional, meanwhile, will try to win its first division title since 2015 and will benefit from not having to deal with Holmdel and Rumson-Fair Haven any longer.
Shore will still have to deal with Raritan again after the Rockets moved over from A Central as well. Shore, St. John Vianney and Raritan will also have to contend with Ocean, which is one of three Shore Conference program to win both a state championship and a Shore Conference championship in the last decade. The other three teams – Matawan, Neptune and Freehold Boro – all appear to be in various stages of a rebuild, so the B North title is likely to come down to Ocean and the three newbies.
In predicted order of finish
1. Shore
Coming off its first Group I championship in school history in 2023, Shore heads into 2024 thinking even bigger. The Blue Devils will have to replace four starters in the field – including All-Shore midfielder Maxx Eichenbaum – and a goalkeeper, but the Blue Devils were impressively deep considering their Group I classification. Much of that depth was also young, plus Shore is welcoming back a standout senior that has not played high school soccer since his freshman year.
Although there are four first-year starters in Shore’s top XI, the three new starters in the field all played important minutes. Junior Cooper Attaway is back up top after a 10-goal sophomore season and he will have some firepower up there with him. Senior Jadyn DeRosa scored six goals as a freshman in 2021 and opted to play academy soccer in each of the past two seasons, but is back this season. Eichenbaum took the same route on the way to leading the Blue Devils to the state championship as a senior and DeRose has similar plans. Sophomore Andreas Barrett rounds out the group of forwards after he was a scoring threat off the bench as a freshman.
The midfield gets shakeup after the graduation of Eichenbaum and the loss of junior Santino Scarponi (four goals, four assists) to academy soccer, but the return of seniors Stephen Molnar and Joey Ilvento to the starting lineup, plus the promotion of sophomore Silvio Pessoa and senior Riley Murphy will keep the middle of the field strong for the Blue Devils.
Jackson Motzenbecker was a breakout defender as a freshman in 2023 and he returns with senior Grant Hess and sophomore Mike Ilvento. Senior Thomas Wenner will have big shoes to fill in goal after the graduation of three-year starter Kevin Barfield. Despite all the moving parts, Shore retains enough talent to not only defend its Group I championship, but also win its first division championship in nine years while climbing higher up the Shore Conference rankings.
Shore at a Glance
Head Coach: Christian Pontier, 15th season
2023 Record: 17-7 (4-2, third in Class A Central)
SCT Group: C (Howell, Central, Brick, Red Bank)
Key Losses: Maxx Eichenbaum (Midfield), Tyler Jackson (Defense), Kevin Barfield (Goalkeeper), Sean Newbert (Midfield), Lorenzo Tagliasacchi (Midfield), Santino Scarponi (Jr., Midfield), Lukas Villa (Sr., Midfield)
Potential Starters (returning starters in bold)
Cooper Attaway, Jr., Forward (10 goals, 4 assists)
Andreas Barrett, So., Forward (3 goals, 3 assists)
Jadyn DeRosa, Sr., Forward (6 goals, 2 assists in 2021)
Stephen Molnar, Sr., Midfield (4 goals, 7 assists)
Joey Ilvento, Sr., Midfield (2 goals, 3 assists)
Silvio Pessoa, So., Midfield (1 goal, 1 assist)
Riley Murphy, Sr., Midfield (2 assists)
Jackson Motzenbecker, So., Defense (1 assist)
Grant Hess, Sr., Defense
Mike Ilvento, So., Defense (2 goals, 2 assists)
Thomas Wenner, Sr., Goalkeeper
Other Players
Joao Domingos-Viera, Sr., Midfield
Madden DeRosa, Jr., Midfield
Joseph Mariani, Jr., Defense
Corey Hazel, Sr., Midfield
Declan Drucker, Jr., Midfield
Bobby Gifford, Jr., Defense
Carlos Insuaste, Sr., Midfield
Jack Kelley, Sr., Midfield
Henry Azzolini, Jr., Defense
Hudson Chambers, Jr., Defense
Finn Murray, Jr., Defense
Sean O’Rourke, So., Midfield
Bryan Barbosa, Fr., Forward
2. Ocean
Ocean is one of the Class B North holdovers and with Colts Neck, Manasquan and Long Branch all leaving the division, the Spartans return as the closest team to the top of the 2023 standings. Injuries have beset Ocean over the past couple of seasons, so staying healthy is Ocean’s main hope for 2024. If that happens, there is a lot to like about the roster, both based on what the Spartans have coming back from last year and what they have coming back from 2022.
Six starters return from last year’s squad, including a combined 17 goals between three players: senior forward Noor Eraky, senior midfielder Jacob Gomez and sophomore forward Connor Shaw. Senior Zach Sutton is also back in the midfield along with classmate Niall Tantrum, while senior Duke D’Erasmo joins the starting attack. Tantrum worked his way into the starting XI as a junior while D’Erasmo gets his first crack at starting in 2024.
Ocean’s defense will get a jolt with the return of senior Leon Leon, who started as a sophomore in 2022 before opting to play academy soccer in 2023. Leon will play in the center with sophomore Luciano Ibarra, who was another Spartan who showed significant promise as a freshman. Senior Ryan Fernandes returns at one of the outside defender spots, with Lucas Renvoize moving into a starting spot on the other side.
Goalkeeper is Ocean’s most glaring question after three-year starter Zach Frabizio graduated following an All-Shore senior season. Senior Kevin Daniel and sophomore Matt Makower are the two keepers battling for the starting job and if at least one of them can settle in, the Spartans have a chance to make a run at the division title and the Central Group II title.
Ocean at a Glance
Head Coach: John Terlecsky, eighth season
2023 Record: 8-6-3 (4-2, tied third in Class B North)
SCT Group: E (Long Branch, Southern, Brick Memorial, Asbury Park)
Key Losses: Alexander Korolev (Midfield/Defense), Zach Frabizio (Goalkeeper), Andrew Palumbo (Defense), Marc Gleason (Defense), Joe Critelli (Defense)
Potential Starters (returning starters in bold)
Noor Eraky, Sr., Forward (7 goals, 3 assists)
Connor Shaw, So., Forward (5 goals)
Duke D’Erasmo, Sr., Midfield/Forward
Jacob Gomez, Sr., Midfield (5 goals, 5 assists)
Zach Sutton, Sr., Midfield (1 goal)
Niall Tantrum, Sr., Midfield
Ryan Fernandes, Sr., Defense
Leon Leon, Sr., Defense (1 goal, 1 assist in 2022)
Luciano Ibarra, So., Defense (3 assists)
Lucas Renvoize, Jr., Defense (1 goal, 1 assist)
Kevin Daniel, Sr., Goalkeeper/Matthew Makower, So., Goalkeeper
Other Players
Angel Moldanodo, Sr., Forward
3. St. John Vianney
The Lancers stand out among the Class B North field because they are the only one of the seven teams in the division to win a division title in 2023. In its first season in Class B Central, St. John Vianney beat out St. Rose for the division crown – its first since 2005. What made SJV’s breakthrough season extra exciting is that so few of its regulars were seniors. Now in a new-look division that includes programs with some major résumés, Vianney will have a chance to really show what it can do this season.
Playing in B Central, the Lancers’ forward had a field day and all three are back for more. Seniors Anthony Marano and Kyle DiMarco both cracked double-digit goals and assists, with DiMarco leading the Shore in assists. Junior Mason Boles (eight goals), meanwhile, made a run at those benchmarks as well as a sophomore. Marano, DiMarco and Boles are three of St. John Vianney’s 10 players returning with starting experience, which means there will be competition for the last spot in the starting lineup with the addition of out-of-state transfer and defensive center midfielder Logan French.
Senior Jack Scheuing will captain the midfield, with juniors Alex Siniscalchi and Alex Cardenas coming off productive sophomore seasons at the varsity level. Dylan Smith returns as the lone senior on the back line, with a trio of returning juniors – center back Luke Noble and outside backs Ethan Bellone and Isaiah Boone – joining him. The one new varsity starter in the group is in goal, where Liam Steiner gives coach Ryan Tetro another junior in the 2024-25 mix.
Coming out of Class B Central, St. John Vianney will have to stand up against a tougher schedule. SJV went 4-5-1 outside of B Central in 2023 and did not beat a team that finished with a winning record. They did, however, finish the season by nearly shocking St. Peter’s Prep, 1-0, in the NJSIAA South Jersey Non-Public A quarterfinals, so there is no shortage of optimism among this SJV side heading into the most anticipated season the program has had in a decade.
St. John Vianney at a Glance
Head Coach: Ryan Tetro
2023 Record: 10-5-2 (6-0-1, first in Class B Central)
SCT Group: B (CBA, Middletown South, Manchester, Monmouth)
Key Losses: Will Keegan (Forward), Ty Peperoni (Defense)
Potential Starters (returning starters in bold)
Anthony Marano, Sr., Forward (14 goals, 10 assists)
Mason Boles, Jr., Forward (8 goals, 5 assists)
Kyle DiMarco, Sr., Forward (10 goals, 17 assists)
Alex Siniscalchi, Jr., Midfield (4 goals, 1 assist)
Jack Scheuing, Sr., Midfield (2 assists)
Alex Cardenas, Jr., Midfield (1 goal, 4 assists)
Logan French, Jr., Midfield/Defense
Luke Noble, Jr., Defense (1 goal)
Dylan Smith, Sr., Defense (2 goals, 1 assist)
Isiah Boone, Jr., Defense (1 goal, 1 assist)
Ethan Bellone, Jr., Defense (1 assist)
Liam Steiner, Jr., Goalkeeper
4. Raritan
The move from Class A Central to Class B North should benefit Raritan, which started 0-5 in 2023 thanks to a loaded schedule to open the year. The Rockets then went 7-2 over their final nine games and roll into this season with Greg Casha taking over as head coach and eight starters back from last year’s squad.
Two of Raritan’s top three scorers in 2023 graduated in the spring, so the few starters that did graduate were impact players. Senior Sean Burnett is back at striker after scoring nine goals as a junior and current junior Owen Brackett will join him at the top of the formation. Seniors Eion Davis and Pete Geoghan will lead the midfield, while junior Steven Russo and Joe Grzankowski will both move into more prominent roles in the middle of the field.
The defense will be senior-heavy, with returnees Travis Evernham, Carter Kelly and Alan Warren leading the experienced back four and junior Justin Kasmer joining him as a first-year starter. Junior Dylan Rojo saw time in goal as a sophomore and is ready to take over full-time after starter Vinny Sadowski graduated. That senior defense should serve as a foundation for another competitive season for the Rockets, who again look like a top-four team in a competitive division.
Raritan at a Glance
Head Coach: Greg Casha, first season
2023 Record: 7-7 (3-3, fourth in Class A Central)
SCT Group: I (Manasquan, Colts Neck, Jackson Liberty, Red Bank Catholic)
Key Losses: Stefan Cojocariu (Midfield), Andrew Badalamenti (Forward), Liam McGinn (Defense), Vincent Sadowski (Goalkeeper), Justin Cusumano (Midfield), Devin Szoke (Defense)
Potential Starters (returning starters in bold)
Sean Burnett, Sr., Forward (9 goals)
Owen Brackett, Jr., Forward (2 goals)
Eion Davis, Sr., Midfield (3 goals, 2 assists)
Pete Geoghan, Sr., Midfield (1 goal, 1 assist)
Steven Russo, Jr., Midfield (3 assists)
Joe Grzankowski, Jr., Midfield
Travis Evernham, Sr., Defense (1 goal, 1 assist)
Carter Kelly, Sr., Defense (1 assist)
Alan Warren, Sr., Defense (2 goals, 2 assists)
Justin Kasmer, Jr., Defense
Dylan Rojo, Jr., Goalkeeper
Other Players
Anthony Barone, Jr., Forward
Jake Bennett, Jr., Midfield
Matei Cojocairu, So., Midfield
Mario Aquilone, Jr., Defense
Anthony Fazioli, Jr., Defense
Joe Piereth, Jr., Defense
Sebastian Sanchez, Jr., Goalkeeper
Connor Keane, Jr., Midfield
5. Matawan
Longtime Matawan coach Tyler Isaacson stepped down this summer after a successful run – first as an assistant before taking over as head coach for the past eight seasons. Matawan’s M.O. under Isaacson was winning multiple state tournament games as a double-digit seed, so the Huskies have made a habit of improving over the course of the season. This year’s team will try to do the same against a new-look division while also trying to battle its way into the tournament stage of the Shore Conference Tournament against a challenging group of teams.
Matawan brings back leading scorer Nico Skeete, who has topped the Huskies’ goal-scoring list in each of the past two seasons. Juniors Anders Nielsen and Gavin Heyward will lead the midfield after playing varsity minutes as sophomores, while senior Evan Coco captains the defense in front of returning junior goalkeeper Gavin Veres.
The rest of the starting XI will be new, with a mix of juniors and sophomores vying to earn playing time. Sophomores Arthur Przbyla and Ryan Hart will be scoring threats up top, while Justin Lopa, Anthony Attardi and Derek Busch are young defenders to watch. New coach Will Carl will have an intriguing collection of first-year midfielders to work in with Nielsen and Heyward and as that group gains experience, Matawan could again develop into a team that poses a tough matchup in the state tournament.
Matawan at a Glance
Head Coach: Will Carl, first season
2023 Record: 6-8 (2-4, fifth in Class B North)
SCT Group: D (Toms River North, Freehold Twp., Toms River South, Point Beach)
Key Losses: Owen Nappi (Defense), Andrew Battipaglia (Midfield), Noah Pagan (Defense), Erik Friedman (Defense), Sean Hart (Forward), Sal Fassano (Forward), J.P. Pinto (Forward)
Potential Starters (returning starters in bold)
Nico Skeete, Sr., Forward (8 goals, 1 assist)
Anders Nielsen, Jr., Midfield (1 assist)
Gavin Heyward, Jr., Midfield (1 goal)
Evan Coco, Sr., Defense
Gavin Veres, Jr., Goalkeeper (2 shutouts)
Other Players
Nick Capogrosso, Sr., Defense
Aiden Nunez, Sr., Defense
Carlos Pavon Zuniga, Sr., Forward
John Lopa, Jr., Defense
Mark Mallozzi, Jr., Midfield
Sean Sabocinski, Jr., Midfield
Anthony Attardi, So., Defense
Derek Busch, So., Defense
Kian Leung, So., Midfield
Ergi Gijno, So., Midfield
Ryan Hart, So., Forward
Niccolas Romero, So., Midfield
Arthur Przbyla, So., Forward
6. Freehold Boro
A challenging schedule was a culprit in Freehold Boro’s 13-loss 2023 season and to improve upon that record, the Colonials will need to replace some production and experience, not to mention fair better against Class B North competition. An early loss to Matawan started a five-game losing streak and they later suffered a loss to a two-win Neptune side.
Freehold Boro returns just three of its 23 goals from last season, but the Colonials will be solid in goal with the tandem of Angel Tlacoxolal and Cade Cascone and the defense in front of them has a chance to be solid thanks to the return of senior John Ward. The rest of the defensive group will consist of juniors: Jason Melone, Joe Haney and Cole Turner.
The Freehold Boro midfield lacks experienced scoring, but there is experience. Juniors Ryan Dominguez and Michael Hughes and sophomore Humberto Hernandez all started games for the Colonials last year and Braeden Bulger adds a senior to the group. Senior Senior Michael Faller is also back in the starting lineup and junior Kristian Jaku and sophomore Ade Franklin will be impact newcomers, with at least one of them starting. With a slightly more forgiving schedule and solid goalkeeping, Freehold Boro has a good chance to improve on last year’s showing despite losing a lot of scoring.
Freehold Boro at a Glance
Head Coach: Mike Parshelunis, seventh season
2023 Record: 4-13 (0-6, seventh in Class B North)
SCT Group: F (Point Boro, Middletown North, Lacey, Barnegat, Keyport)
Key Losses: Ammar Danish (Forward), Nelson Orellana (Midfield), Danny Vazquez (Defense), Danny Austin (Defense), Mike Pennachio (Forward), Jason Munoko (Defense), Ansael Garcia (Midfield), Isai Quiroz Torralba (Jr., Midfield) – transferred to Freehold Twp.
Potential Starters (returning starters in bold)
Michael Faller, Sr., Forward (1 goal)
Kristian Jaku, Jr., Forward/Ade Franklyn, So., Midfield
Braeden Bulger, Sr., Midfield
Ryan Dominguez, Jr., Midfield
Humberto Hernandez, So., Midfield (1 goal, 1 assist)
Michael Hughes, Jr., Midfield
Jason Melone, Jr., Midfield/Defense
John Ward, Sr., Defense (1 goal, 1 assist)
Cole Turner, Jr., Defense
Joe Haney, Jr., Defense
Angel Tlacoxolal, Sr., Goalkeeper/Cade Cascone, Jr., Goalkeeper
7. Neptune
Last year presented a major challenge for Bobby Feeney in his first season as head coach. Following a run of competitive soccer in the prior seasons, Neptune brought back just two starters in 2023 and one of them (Nate Kerr) got a late start to the season. The Scarlet Fliers were an especially young team, so this year’s group figures to benefit from a full year for the players to grow both physically and mentally.
Senior Julian Lemus was one of Neptune’s top scoring threats a year ago and returns at striker. Irving Rojas Quiroz and fellow junior Harin Gutierrez Moreno will also play up top, while midfielders Lenskey Raoul, Hunter Reynolds and Joey Taylor round out the attacking unit.
Seniors Kenny Northrup and Ivan Quiroz will lead Neptune’s back four, with sophomore Denilson Mata-Fabian and junior Dylan Cruz looking to take a step forward to balance out the group. Senior Eddier Altamarino jumps into the starting goalkeeper job and figures to be tested by some dynamic attacks in the division. Improvement is the goal for Neptune this year and with Lemus back up top, the Scarlet Fliers have a good chance to grab a few more wins in 2024.
Neptune at a Glance
Head Coach: Bobby Feeney, second season
2023 Record: 2-12 (1-5, sixth in Class B North)
SCT Group: G (Marlboro, Wall, New Egypt, Pinelands)
Key Losses: Sebastian Canaverde (Midfield), Nate Kerr (Defense), Lowenski Fifi (Forward)
Potential Starters (returning starters in bold)
Irving Rojas Quiroz, Jr., Forward
Julian Lemus, Sr., Forward (4 goals)
Harin Gutierrez Moreno, Jr., Forward
Lenskey Raoul, Sr., Midfield
Hunter Reynolds, So., Midfield (1 goal)
Joey Taylor, Jr., Midfield
Kenny Northrup, Sr., Defense (1 assist)
Ivan Quiroz, Sr., Defense
Denilson Mata-Fabian, So., Defense
Dylan Cruz, Jr., Defense
Eddier Altamarino, Sr., Goalkeeper
Other Players
Mason Imbracio, So., Midfield
C.J. Hankins, So., Forward
Andrew Wardell, Jr., Defense
Brando Fierro, Jr., Defense
Dominic O’Neill, So., Forward
Joe Cooper, Jr., Midfield
