Seton Hall Prep soccer team primed for another great year

WEST ORANGE, NJ – The Seton Hall Prep varsity soccer team enjoyed one of its best seasons last fall,  finishing with an 18-2-3 record that included capturing the Essex County Tournament championship and advancing to the state North Jersey Non-Public A tournament semifinals where they lost to eventual champion Delbarton, 3-2.

Marty Berman, entering his 31st season as the Pirates head coach, has reason to feel optimistic for another stellar season.

In the midfield, the Pirates need to fill big holes left by graduated all-state players who will be playing in college this fall: Trisan Stowell (Providence), Achim Younker (Johns Hopkins) and Brett Rojas (Tufts).

Nick Kriak, a junior who resides in West Orange, and senior Adam Ned will lead the midfielding unit. Both saw considerable time last season.

Berman said the big strength of the team should be returning attacking players Mason Toye, Ryan Vazquez and Brian Tevlin, three seniors who all started a year ago, and Michael Pavick, a junior. “Toye is committed to Indiana University and could be one of the best strikers in the state,” said Berman, a West Orange resident. “Pavick opened eyes last postseason when he had a hat trick against Newark Academy in the Essex County Tournament semifinals and then followed that up with the winning goal against Livingston in the championship game. Michael also scored against Delbarton in the state tournament.”

Pavick notched nine goals and two assists; Toye had eight goals and six assists; Vazquez collected six goals and five assists; and Tevlin posted six goals and four assists last season.

The defense returns three players who saw considerable time last year: seniors Johnathan Santos and Michael Georgiou and junior Max Engelbrechtsen. Senior James Reardon rounds out that unit in front of sophomore goalkeeper Liam Bertrand.

Two other sophomores, Joe Kearns and Brian Zimmermann, will also be counted on in both the midfield and defense, Berman said. “These young players will be counted on to contribute heavily as The Prep hopes to defend its county title as well as contend for the Super Essex Conference-American Division, and Non-Public A state titles,” said Berman. “We have raised the bar very high here over the past 15 years, and as a result, expectations  and goals are also very high. Since 2001, Seton Hall Prep has averaged 18 wins a year while establishing our program as a perennial state power that also receives national recognition. We are very proud here of the 11 conference championships, four Essex County Tournament titles and two Non-Public A state titles won over that span, as well as the numerous superb players who’ve gone on to college soccer careers. This year’s team aims to live up to that legacy.”

SHP is ranked No. 6 in the East Region by topdrawersoccer.com.

The Pirates open the season Sept. 8 against Westfield at Rutgers-Newark at 4 p.m. and play neighboring West Orange High School, Sept. 10, at Millburn HS at 5 p.m.

“Our field is being resurfaced and bleachers being installed, so we’ll probably have no home games this year,” said Berman, noting that having no homes will be quite a challenge.