South Jersey Boys’ Soccer Public School Tournament Preview
The NJSIAA boys’ soccer public school tournament began this week, with the first-round games on Tuesday. Second-round games are Friday, Nov. 8, with the semifinals on Nov. 12 and the sectional finals on Nov. 15. State semifinals are Nov. 19. Locally, the South Jersey champions will host the Central Jersey champs in the state semifinals. The state finals will be Nov. 23 or 24 at Franklin High School.
Here is a look at the public school teams:
South Jersey Group 1
Defending champion: Palmyra beat Schalick, 2-1.
Outlook: Schalick, which seems to be in the hunt virtually every year, is the top seed and will be very dangerous. The Cougars began the week 16-2, losing only to Cinnaminson, 2-1, and fellow Group 1 school Haddon Township, 1-0 in the South Jersey Coaches Tournament. Sophomore Luke Price began the week with a team-high 13 goals. Woodstown is the No. 2 seed, but lost to Schalick 5-2 and 2-0. A real threat should be No. 4 seeded Haddon Township, which stunned Washington Township, 3-2 in a Coaches Tournament quarterfinal and then lost just 4-3 to powerful St. Augustine in the semifinal. A potential semifinal between Schalick and Haddon Township could be a classic matchuup.
Defending champion: Palmyra beat Schalick, 2-1.
Outlook: Schalick, which seems to be in the hunt virtually every year, is the top seed and will be very dangerous. The Cougars began the week 16-2, losing only to Cinnaminson, 2-1, and fellow Group 1 school Haddon Township, 1-0 in the South Jersey Coaches Tournament. Sophomore Luke Price began the week with a team-high 13 goals. Woodstown is the No. 2 seed, but lost to Schalick 5-2 and 2-0. A real threat should be No. 4 seeded Haddon Township, which stunned Washington Township, 3-2 in a Coaches Tournament quarterfinal and then lost just 4-3 to powerful St. Augustine in the semifinal. A potential semifinal between Schalick and Haddon Township could be a classic matchuup.
South Jersey Group 2
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Defending champion: Delran beat West Deptford in penalty kicks after the teams played to a 1-1 tie.
Outlook: It must be noted that traditional South Jersey Group 2 contenders Delran (the defending sectional champ) and Cinnaminson, are competing this year in Central Jersey Group 2. Cinnaminson is the top seed in Central Jersey Group 2 and Delran is No. 4. The absence of these two Burlington County powers makes this a wide-open tournament. Two teams from the Colonial Conference Liberty, top seeded West Deptford and second seeded Haddon Heights will be among the major contenders. Haddon Heights won the Colonial Liberty, while West Deptford finished second. Haddon Heights is led by a top finisher in senior Nolan Lachall, who entered the week with 17 goals, and a top keeper in Sean Fisher. No. 3 seed Manchester Township and No. 4 Sterling (yet another Colonial Liberty team) bare watching. A dark horse could be No. 6 Seneca, which will benefit from playing in the difficult Olympic Conference.
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Defending champion: Delran beat West Deptford in penalty kicks after the teams played to a 1-1 tie.
Outlook: It must be noted that traditional South Jersey Group 2 contenders Delran (the defending sectional champ) and Cinnaminson, are competing this year in Central Jersey Group 2. Cinnaminson is the top seed in Central Jersey Group 2 and Delran is No. 4. The absence of these two Burlington County powers makes this a wide-open tournament. Two teams from the Colonial Conference Liberty, top seeded West Deptford and second seeded Haddon Heights will be among the major contenders. Haddon Heights won the Colonial Liberty, while West Deptford finished second. Haddon Heights is led by a top finisher in senior Nolan Lachall, who entered the week with 17 goals, and a top keeper in Sean Fisher. No. 3 seed Manchester Township and No. 4 Sterling (yet another Colonial Liberty team) bare watching. A dark horse could be No. 6 Seneca, which will benefit from playing in the difficult Olympic Conference.
South Jersey Group 3
Defending champion: Clearview beat Shawnee, 3-1
Outlook: Shawnee is the top seed and will be the favorite after beating St. Augustine, 2-1 in the championship of the South Jersey Soccer Coaches Tournament. Second seeded Toms River East will contend. No. 3 Moorestown can’t be discounted. The Quakers are 0-2 against Shawnee, losing 2-0 in a regular season meeting and 2-1 in a South Jersey Coaches Tournament semifinal. A dark horse to watch is 11 Clearview. The Pioneers enter the tournament with a 7-9-2 record, but is 1-0-1 against Washington Township and split with Kingsway, the top two seeds in Group 4. A rugged regular season schedule will help Clearview.
Defending champion: Clearview beat Shawnee, 3-1
Outlook: Shawnee is the top seed and will be the favorite after beating St. Augustine, 2-1 in the championship of the South Jersey Soccer Coaches Tournament. Second seeded Toms River East will contend. No. 3 Moorestown can’t be discounted. The Quakers are 0-2 against Shawnee, losing 2-0 in a regular season meeting and 2-1 in a South Jersey Coaches Tournament semifinal. A dark horse to watch is 11 Clearview. The Pioneers enter the tournament with a 7-9-2 record, but is 1-0-1 against Washington Township and split with Kingsway, the top two seeds in Group 4. A rugged regular season schedule will help Clearview.
South Jersey Group 4
Defending champion: Washington Township beat Toms River North, 3-0.
Outlook: Defending sectional champion Washington Township is the top seed and the Minutemen will be difficult to beat. Junior Sean Tarstana has scored a team-high 17 goals for Washington Township and is the type of finisher needed in the state tournament. Another major contender is No. 3 Kingsway, which split on the season with Washington Township and edged the Minutemen out to win the Tri-County Royal Division. Kingsway is coming off a 3-1 loss to powerful Shawnee in a South Jersey Coaches Tournament quarterfinal, so the Dragons can compete with anybody in Group 4. No. 2 Howell will benefit from playing in the competitive Shore Conference.
Defending champion: Washington Township beat Toms River North, 3-0.
Outlook: Defending sectional champion Washington Township is the top seed and the Minutemen will be difficult to beat. Junior Sean Tarstana has scored a team-high 17 goals for Washington Township and is the type of finisher needed in the state tournament. Another major contender is No. 3 Kingsway, which split on the season with Washington Township and edged the Minutemen out to win the Tri-County Royal Division. Kingsway is coming off a 3-1 loss to powerful Shawnee in a South Jersey Coaches Tournament quarterfinal, so the Dragons can compete with anybody in Group 4. No. 2 Howell will benefit from playing in the competitive Shore Conference.
Photo: Haddon Heights No. 7 Quinn Dahem / Marc Narducci
Author: Marc Narducci
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