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SSI 2024 Boys Soccer All-Shore Team: Second and Third Teams

Matt Manley|December 6, 2024|Last Updated December 12, 2024

2024 Shore Sports Insider Boys Soccer All-Shore Team

Click Here for the First Team

Shore Sports Insider All-Shore Teams are selected by Soccer Editor Matt Manley based on stats, input from coaches, first-hand accounts, and team success. 

 

Second Team

Cruz Farkas, Jr., Forward, Manasquan

2024 Stats: 14 goals, 7 assists

The top scorer and one of the few non-seniors on Manasquan, Farkas was a steady scorer for the Warriors. He posted two hat tricks, but more impressive was the list of opponents against whom Farkas scored: No. 1 Southern, No. 2 Colts Neck, No. 8 Toms River East, No. 9 Long Branch, Howell and Holmdel.

 

Luke D’Angelo, Sr., Forward, Rumson-Fair Haven

2024 Stats: 12 goals, 5 assists

As one of four returning starters from last year’s team, D’Angelo shouldered a lot of the load early for a Rumson team that went toe-to-toe with just about every ranked team in the Shore Conference. He posted braces against Red Bank, No. 3 Manalapan and Freehold Township and notched a goal each in tournament wins over Toms River South (SCT), Toms River North (SCT) and Wall (Central Jersey Group II).

 

Josiah Stepney, Sr., Forward, Middletown North

2024 Stats: 19 goals, 5 assists

Stepney has been a gifted goal-scorer since his sophomore season and he closed out his high-school career with the highest-scoring campaign of his Middletown North career. The Lions striker finished seventh in the Shore Conference in goals while posting a pair of hat tricks – adding an assist in each of them – and four additional two-goal games. He also scored in each of his team’s losses to Wall, once in a win over crosstown rival Middletown South and capped his career with a goal and his assist in a first-round loss to Chatham in the NJSIAA North 2, Group III Tournament.

 

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

2024 Stats: 16 goals, 4 assists

Boles had a breakout year for a St. John Vianney squad that cracked the final Shore Sports Insider Top 10. He tied for 11th in the conference in goals, which included a hat trick vs. Manchester and two-goal games against Class B North division rivals Ocean and Shore Regional to help SJV win its second straight outright division title. Boles also scored game-winning goals vs. Christian Brothers Academy an Matawan – the latter of which was a golden goal to clinch the B North title – and posted three goals in four tournament games.

 

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

2024 Stats: 19 goals, 6 assists

Red Bank enjoyed its best boys soccer season in a decade and Salvo’s emergence as one of the Shore’s top juniors had a lot to do with the breakthrough. Salvo and Co. ran through the Class B Central division for the program’s first division title since 1972, with Salvo scoring four goals and three assists in divisional play. He did some of his best work, meanwhile, against the top teams on Red Bank’s schedule, with Salvo scoring against Ocean, Howell, Central and Wall and capping his 19-goal campaign with a hat trick in a win over Brick Memorial to help the Bucs win their first NJSIAA Tournament game since 2015.

 

Ilyas Ciltepe, Jr., Midfield/Forward, Central

2024 Stats: 15 goals, 5 assists

After starting the season in the midfield, Ciltepe shifted to the top of the formation, where he became a big-game scorer for the Golden Eagles. The junior scored twice – including the golden goal – in an overtime win over Toms River East, which led the Shore Conference in goals allowed (16). Ciltepe also posted two-goal games vs. No. 10 St. John Vianney, Class B South division champion Toms River South and South Jersey Group IV No. 1 seed Washington Township, with the Golden Eagles knocking off the Minutemen, 3-2, in the sectional quarterfinals.

 

Tommy Renkin, Sr., Midfield, Toms River East

2024 Stats: 14 goals, 8 assists

Toms River East senior Tommy Renkin (7) challenges Lacey senior Aidan Fitzgerald. (Photo: Tom Smith | tspimages.com) - TRE Tommy Renkin

Toms River East senior Tommy Renkin (7) challenges Lacey senior Aidan Fitzgerald. (Photo: Tom Smith | tspimages.com)

Part of a senior duo on the attack with teammate Luke Bodziak, Renkin was both a scorer and a facilitator out of the midfield, where he helped the Raiders control most of their 21 games on the season. He posted five multi-goal efforts and also notched goals against crosstown rivals Toms River North and Toms River South. When Renkin was dishing out assists, they were often to his fellow All-Shore Second-Team member from Toms River East.

 

Luke Bodziak, Sr., Midfield, Toms River East

2024 Stats: 16 goals, 4 assists

Bodziak joins his teammate on the All-Shore Second Team as the top scorer on a Raiders team that went 16-4-1 against one of the tougher slates that any Shore Conference team faced. Bodziak was particularly adept in the air, which included finishing with his head – something he did in Toms River East’s 1-0, NJSIAA South Group III quarterfinal win over Lacey. Bodziak also scored a goal apiece against No. 3 Manalapan, No. 7 Manasquan, No. 10 St. John Vianney, Central and Toms River South.

 

Chris Ruggiero, So., Defense, Toms River North

2024 Stats: 3 goals, 1 assist

Toms River North sophomore Chris Ruggiero. (Photo: Tom Smith | tspimages.com) - TRN Chris Ruggerio

Toms River North sophomore Chris Ruggiero. (Photo: Tom Smith | tspimages.com)

Toms River North opened the season with a number of holes to fill in its varsity starting XI and Ruggiero was one of the easy choices to fill one of them. After coming off the bench as a midfielder in 2023 as a freshman, Ruggiero opened his sophomore season again playing in the midfield before coach Joe Mahon shifted him to center fullback to strengthen the Mariners defense and overall formation. The move paid off, as Ruggiero led a defense that shut out Central and Southern in back-to-back games to clinch Toms River North an outright Class A North championship.

 

Dylan Cassidy, Sr., Defense, Manalapan

2024 Stats: 3 goals, 5 assists

Manalapan senior Dylan Cassidy. (Photo: Tom Smith | tspimages.com) - Midd North vs Manalapan-17

Manalapan senior Dylan Cassidy. (Photo: Tom Smith | tspimages.com)

Manalapan is three years removed from playing in the Shore Conference Tournament semifinals and 10 removed from winning an NJSIAA sectional title and whenever the Braves have reached that level, it has been on strength of a strong defense. This year’s team had a talented back line that boasted a wealth of offensive skill on the outside, led by Cassidy. The senior captain pushed up for goals against Rumson-Fair Haven and Wall, assisted two goals against Toms River North and consistently helped the Braves play possession soccer all over the field.

 

Evan Santiago, Sr., Defense, Long Branch

2024 Stats: 5 goals, 2 assists

A starter since the end of his freshman year, Santiago has been part of a Long Branch program that has been in the championship mix without breaking through. Over the first 12 games of the season, Long Branch looked nowhere near said championship mix but by the end, the Green Wave were more than just in the mix; they were on top. Santiago scored three of his five goals during the Green Wave’s run to the Central Jersey Group III championship – its first since 1997.

 

Braeden DeAngelis, Sr., Defense, Manasquan

2024 Stats: 6 goals, 2 assists

Manasquan boasted what might have been the best center back duo in the Shore Conference with DeAngelis and All-Shore First-Teamer Griffin Linstra. While Linstra was the more defensive of the two, DeAngelis was the offensive threat, while primarily came from his ability to win balls in the air. He scored five of his goals on headers, including a game-tying goal in the final regulation seconds of a 3-2, overtime loss to Colts Neck and an equalizer at Bordentown in a 3-2, comeback win in the NJSIAA Central Group II quarterfinals.

 

Bobby Calvo, Sr., Goalkeeper, Toms River East

2024 Stats: 2 shutouts, 9 goals allowed in 20 games

Calvo makes his third appearance on an All-Shore team after completing his fourth season as a starting goalkeeper at Toms River East. This year was a unique one for Calvo and the Raiders, with Calvo splitting time in goal with talented junior teammate Mike Moore and playing a forward position in the field. Calvo got credit for two shutouts and allowed his nine goals in four complete games and in 16 games that he split. Combine the halves, plus the overtimes and Calvo’s nine goals in 12-plus-games-worth of minutes is still better than any goalkeeper in the Shore Conference in 2024.

 

Dylan Graham, So., Goalkeeper, Lacey

2024 Stats: 5 shutouts, 27 goals allowed in 22 games

Graham was as dynamic a shot-stopper as any goalkeeper in the Shore Conference and he is still, essentially, just getting started at the varsity level. Playing with a revamped back line compared to last season, Graham was Lacey’s lifeline and turned in some of his best work in losses – including a 3-0 loss to Notre Dame (19 saves), CBA (15) and Toms River East (13). He also posted double-digit saves in Lacey’s 5-0 win over Central that sent the Lions to the Shore Conference Tournament semifinals for the first time in 13 years.

 

Third Team

Jadyn DeRosa, Sr., Forward, Shore

2024 Stats: 15 goals, 12 assists

After foregoing high-school soccer to play academy soccer as a sophomore and junior, DeRosa returned to the Blue Devils and finished ninth in the Shore Conference in total scoring. He scored two goals six times this season and added a golden goal and two assists in Shore’s biggest win of the year: a 3-2, overtime win over Central in the group stage of the Shore Conference Tournament.

 

Jake Langella, Sr., Forward, Marlboro

2024 Stats: 15 goals, 8 assists

In the loaded Class A North division, no player scored more goals than Langella’s 15, which also ranked him in the top 20 of the entire Shore Conference. The senior striker scored multiple goals in three games, including a hat trick vs. Neptune in SCT group play. He also scored a game-winning vs. Holmdel, the lone goal of a 1-1 draw vs. Rumson-Fair Haven, goals against top 10 opponents Long Branch and St. John Vianney, and the equalizer in a 2-1, come-from-behind win over Lenape.

 

Robert Keegan, Sr., Forward, Wall

2024 Stats: 15 goals, 5 assists

Against a demanding schedule on a team that relied on him to create a high percentage of its scoring chances, Keegan stepped to the forefront for the Crimson Knights. He was one of 20 Shore Conference players to reach the 15-goal mark and he authored four games with two goals scored – including both goals in a 2-0 win over Central Regional. Keegan also torched Middletown North for three goals and an assist in two wins over the Lions and beat First-Team goalkeeper Justin Appel for a goal in a 5-1 loss to No. 2 Colts Neck.

 

Connor Shaw, So., Forward, Ocean

2024 Stats: 14 goals, 2 assists

The top scorer on the No. 5 ranked team in the Shore Conference to end 2024, Shaw built on an impressive freshman debut with an even betting showing as s sophomore. He was a consistent source of scoring for Ocean, posting at least one goal in 11 of Ocean’s 21 games, including two multi-goal games. Shaw also scored against both sectional champions from the Shore (Southern and Long Branch).

 

Sam Gershon, Sr., Midfield, Colts Neck

2024 Stats: 5 goals, 7 assists

If Colts Neck’s standouts during its historic season were brothers Kyle and Sean Moore (53 combined goals, 27 assists) and First Team goalkeeper Justin Appel, Gershon was first on a long list of unsung heroes for the Shore Conference Tournament champions. He initiated the attack out of the midfield and provided the assist on one of Colts Neck’s biggest goals of the season – Kyle Moore’s game-winning goal in a 2-1 win over Ocean in the SCT semifinals. Gershon also scored in Colts Neck’s sectional quarterfinal game vs. Long Branch to stake the Cougars to a 2-0 lead before Long Branch rallied in the second half to complete the upset in one of the defining games of the 2024 season.

 

Nick Tesauro, Sr., Midfield, Christian Brothers Academy

2024 Stats: 5 goals, 1 assist

Tesauro was one of nine new starters at CBA this season, which opened with the Colts trying to implement a whole new lineup with a whole new playing style. After some early growing pains, CBA rounded into form, with Tesauro playing a key role in the midfield as both a dominant defender, a winner of 50-50 balls and an offensive instigator. CBA spread the scoring wealth around and Tesauro’s role was to deliver in the SCT. He scored all five of his goals in SCT group play and in the actual tournament, including a goal in the SCT final vs. Colts Neck.

 

Dan Altman, Jr., Midfield, Manalapan

2024 Stats: 12 goals, 8 assists

Altman is another of Manalapan’s talented juniors and the Braves’ second-leading scorer during the 2024 campaign. Seven of Altman’s 12 goals this season came in a span of nine days at the start of October and included a hat trick in a wild, 4-3, overtime win over No. 1 Southern. Altman scored two goals apiece vs. Wall and No. 6 Toms River North and notched the first goal of Manalapan’s SCT win over Howell.

 

Nick Prosperi, Sr., Midfield, Southern

2024 Stats: 10 goals, 5 assists

Before Aidan Donnelly began his scoring barrage in the Group IV Tournament, Prosperi kicked off the Rams’ run to their first ever state championship with a first-round hat trick in a win over Pennsauken. The captain of the Group IV champions later scored another postseason goal in Southern’s 6-3 win over Toms River North in the South Jersey Group IV final to cap a double-digit-goal season – one that ended in Southern’s first ever championship.

 

Alejandro Flores-Lopez, Sr., Midfield/Defense, Long Branch

2024 Stats: 2 goals, 8 assists

Another four-year starter on the Green Wave, Flores-Lopez was a defense-first midfielder who was the team’s set-piece extraordinaire. Most of his eight assists came on set-piece services, including four of them during Long Branch’s run to its first NJSIAA sectional title since 1997.

 

Nick Bisconti, Sr., Defense, Marlboro

2024 Stats: 1 goal, 1 assist

Only two teams in the Shore Conference this season surrendered fewer than 20 goals for the season: Toms River East (16) and Marlboro (17). Bisconti was the senior leader of Marlboro’s lockdown defense, which limited opponents to 0.89 goals per game this season. Bisconti’s only goal of the season came, fittingly enough, against the Shore’s other defensive juggernaut: Toms River East.

 

Carlos Cano, Sr., Defense, Christian Brothers Academy

2024 Stats: 4 assists

CBA’s defense was its strength in 2024, with the Colts holding opponents to 21 goals in 22 games behind a group led by the senior Cano at outside back. That defensive track record included a 4-0 loss to Pennsylvania powerhouse LaSalle and 5-0 defeat at the hands of 5-0 Pingry early in the season, after which the Colts surrendered just 10 goals in their final 18 matches. Cano did not score a goal but assisted two in a win over No. 6 Toms River North and set up one of his team’s two goals vs. Colts Neck in the Shore Conference Tournament final.

 

Brayden Kurak, Jr., Defense/Midfield, Manchester

2024 Stats: 8 goals, 7 assists

Kurak floated around the field as needed for Manchester, serving as a defender, defensive center midfielder and on the attack as well. The result was a 23-point season from natural defender, including goals in two of Manchester’s better performances of the season. Kurak scored the lone goal in a 1-0 win over SCT semifinalist Lacey early in the year and buried both Manchester goals in a wild, 3-2 loss to No. 10 St. John Vianney in Shore Conference Tournament group play.

 

Sean Najdzinowicz, Sr., Goalkeeper, Christian Brothers Academy

2024 Stats: 12 shutouts, 21 goals in 22 games

After starting the season allowing 11 goals in four games, CBA’s defense got organized at the back of a revamped formation, which helped Najdzinowicz thrive over the season’s final 18 games. During that stretch, the first-year starter in goal posted 11 of his 12 shutouts, including a run of five in a row vs. No. 6 Toms River North, Manchester, No. 7 Manasquan, Central Jersey Group IV runner-up Monroe and Holmdel. Najdzinowicz allowed four goals in five postseason games, with three of them coming in the Shore Conference Tournament final against Colts Neck – including a penalty kick.

 

Ryan Schweigart, Sr., Goalkeeper, Southern

2024 Stats: 8 shutouts, 29 goals allowed in 25 games

Like his fellow All-Shore teammates, Schweigart earned his postseason accolades while standing out during a state championship run. During the first four rounds of the Group IV Tournament, Schweigart did not have to be perfect in goal thanks to a Southern attack that scored 18 goals in four matches. After no shutouts in the South Group IV playoffs, Schweigart closed his season with shutouts against Princeton and Scotch Plains-Fanwood, delivering the Rams the final two wins to complete their first ever Group IV championship.

 

All-Shore Final Vote

The All-Shore Fan Vote is now open! Pick the final four members of the 2024 Shore Sports Insider Boys Soccer All-Shore Team by clicking the link above and voting in the four polls. The winner will be announced on Tuesday, Dec. 10.

 

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