NUTLEY, NJ (updated Friday Oct. 25, 11:07 a.m.) – The Nutley High School boys’ varsity soccer team hopes to make a good run in the NJSIAA North Jersey Section 2, Group 3 state tournament.
Under head coach Tom Tolve, the fifth-seeded Raiders will host No. 12 seed Matawan in the first round Oct. 29 at Father Glotzbach Field at 4 p.m. The winner will face the winner of No. 4 seed Ferris and No. 13 seed Summit in the quarterfinals on Nov. 1. The semifinals are Nov. 5 and the final is Nov. 8.
The Raiders hosted Cranford on their Senior Night on Oct. 18 at Father Glotzbach Field and won 2-1.
The first half ended scoreless after a competitive 40 minutes. The Raiders were able to convert on a goal scored by junior JP Maruri early in the second half. Cranford quickly responded with a goal. After regulation ended in a 1-1 draw, it took two overtime periods to decide the game. Senior Garrett Groeling scored the game-winning goal on an assist from Maruri.
Junior Cam Schilp made five saves in net, while senior Christian Torres made four.
The Raiders hosted Bloomfield on Saturday morning, Oct. 20, but lost 4-2.
It was an exciting first half as the teams scored two goals apiece. Groeling scored a penalty, and scored again on an assist from senior Chris Salisbury. During the second half, Nutley let up two goals, and was unable to respond. Torres and Schilp both had four saves each in net.
NHS defeated Cedar Grove, 1-0, Oct. 22 on the road in a Super Essex Conference-Colonial Division game. The only goal of the game came during the second half. Maruri was able to get past a defender and send a ball that Groeling was able to put in the back of the net. Nutley was able to pick up its 10th win of the season. Torres made five saves.
Nutley defeated Orange, 3-0, Oct. 23 at Glotzbach Field.
Nutley’s Hernan Castaneda scored the only goal in the first half to put the team up 1-0. In the second half, Castaneda found the back of the net again, and senior Charlie Williamson was scored a goal to put the Raiders up 3-0. Senior Austin Sweeney, and Maruri and Dean Polewka all had an assist in the win.
The Raiders defeated Newark West Side, 3-1, Oct. 25, at Glotzbach Field.
Nutley started the game strong by scoring a quick goal by Maruri. Groeling also found the back of the net in the first half for his 17th goal of the season. Senior Javier Argudo scored a goal for the Raiders in the second half to put the team up by three goals. Schilp made four saves in net and sophomore Sebastian Lembo made 5 saves for the Raiders, who improved to a 12-4 record.
Editor’s note: This article was updated to include the recaps of the Orange and West Side games.