West Orange HS boys soccer team defeats Livingston to advance to ECT final

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WEST ORANGE, NJ — The third-seeded West Orange High School boys soccer team defeated second-seeded Livingston, 4-0, Oct. 12, at Caldwell to advance to the Essex County Tournament final.

It was a sweet victory for the Mountaineers, whose only defeat this season was against Livingston on Sept. 20 and their first win against them since 2018.

“This was a huge win for the boys in the Essex County Tournament semis,” said WOHS head coach Doug Nevins, whose team improved to 13-1 overall on the season..“Beating an excellent Livingston team was huge because it was the only team we’ve lost to all year.”

A red card issued to Livingston goalie Logan Paredes for coming off his line to challenge too late at the top of the box gave WOHS senior Ari Rosu the second goal of the game and put the Mountaineers in the lead, 2-0, towards the end of the first half. Goals by Rosu, Arthur Rosu, Kennedy Ibizem and Mason Bashkoff, who recently was named one of the three top juniors in the state for boys soccer by NJ.com, sealed the win, sending West Orange to the ECT final for the first time since 2012. Their last ECT championship win was in 2006.

West Orange will face top-seeded and neighbor Seton Hall Prep on Oct. 16 at Belleville High School at 5 p.m.

Photos Courtesy of Buzz 1441