West Orange HS boys soccer team enjoys strong season

West Orange junior Marcus Jackson, No. 4, dribbles the ball past a Nutley player in the Mountaineers’ 3-0 home win on Oct. 14.

WEST ORANGE, NJ — The West Orange High School boys soccer team enjoyed another strong season.

The Mountaineers, under longtime head coach Doug Nevins, finished with a 14-5-1 record after losing a tough 2-0 decision to fifth-seeded Montclair in the quarterfinals of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association’s North Jersey, Section 1, Group 4 state tournament on Friday, Nov. 8, at Lincoln Field in West Orange in a battle of Super Essex Conference-American Division. West Orange was the No. 4 seed.

In the first round, the Mountaineers defeated No. 13 seed Memorial (West New York), 4-1, on Tuesday, Nov. 5, at Lincoln Field. Carl Hall, a junior, had a hat trick to lead the Mountaineers. Alex Deza, a junior, had the other goal. Senior Lucas Andrada, junior Marcus Jackson, senior Theo Mairo, sophomore Miles Kalajaye and sophomore Niko Chiavaro each had an assist. Sophomore goalie Augstin Arrieta had four saves.

Nevins completed his 25th season as the WOHS head coach. The Mountaineers are traditionally one of the best teams in the area. In 2022, the Mountaineers won the North Jersey, Section 1, Group 4 state tournament title and finished as Group 4 state runner-up with a 18-3-1 record. In 2023, they went 11-8-1.

Photo by Steve Ellmore