Doug Nevins beams as he holds a sign commemorating his 400th career victory.
WEST ORANGE, NJ — In the landscape of high school sports, achieving sustained greatness is rare. For West Orange High School boys soccer head coach Doug Nevins, the recent milestone of his 400th career win isn’t just a number — it’s a marker of a two-decade-plus journey built on relentless effort, strategic evolution and deep-seated relationships.
Nevins achieved the milestone on Monday, Sept. 22, when the Mountaineers defeated Belleville 6-0 at Belleville.
When Nevins began coaching at West Orange in 2000, his initial goal was to make the program strong, one that could compete year in and year out. Building one championship-level team against some of the best high school competition in the country is challenging, but building them year after year is “next to impossible.” He credits the years they were “just pretty good” for making him appreciate the greatness of the best teams. Honestly, he never imagined the program growing to be what it has become.
For Nevins, this historic mark is a moment of reflection. He realized that the thing he likes most about coaching is the relationships. While the win total is great, milestones like this make him think back to all the players, parents, assistant coaches, community and other people that have helped him get here. While he has devoted countless hours of his life to the soccer program, he feels blessed and lucky in life to have so many great people around him.
The most rewarding part of his career has been seeing the development of the guys as players and human beings. He’s known some players since they were 5 or 6 years old, and watching them grow into excellent high school players, and sometimes college players or professionals, is a heartwarming feeling. He’s also incredibly proud of the many who have grown and matured off the field, overcoming hard obstacles to become great husbands and fathers. The WOHS boys soccer program is a family that guys can lean on.
Nevins recalls the legendary games that forged the program’s identity on the road to 400 wins:
2003 sectional title vs. Clifton: Goalkeeper Kyle Perdelwitz “stood on his head” and Jeremy Lippel’s amazing goal and assist secured the win. Beating a legendary program in a sectional final at home was “insane.”
2005 sectional final vs. Montclair: Beating their big rivals 2-0, highlighted by Brayan Martinez’s two goals, including a “ridiculous volley.”
2006 Group 4 final vs. Manalapan: Despite being close in the state rankings, West Orange won 3-0, securing their first-ever Group 4 state title. Nevins still gets chills looking at the picture of him hugging Chris Christian after the game.
2010 sectional final vs. Clifton: Despite Clifton being ranked higher, Fabo Acosta scored a great free kick, Jelani Williams put pressure on the defense and Thomas Attamante made great saves in the 1-0 win.
2013 sectional semis at Montclair: A scrappy team rallied around Matthew Wilson, who was diagnosed with a serious illness. After giving up the lead twice, they won in overtime when Ian Faloye headed in a cross from Michael Vargas. Freshman goalie Diego Pedrido also played huge. The team went on to win their second Group 4 state title.
2015 sectional final vs. Randolph: They beat a very good Randolph team 3-0 at home. Assistant coach Josh Lopuski showing up in his NJ State Trooper uniform “fired the team up.”
2022 sectional final at Clifton: Mason Bashkoff scored a great header, and in the second half, Lucas Andrada went on a “superman run over 70 yards” to assist Jack Dvorin for the winning tap-in. It was their first time winning at Clifton, following a 1-0 win over Kearny, which was the first time Kearny had been shut out in years. Goalie Justin Scavalla was amazing throughout the state playoff run.
The culture of West Orange soccer is defined by the fact that their kids play so hard. Their best teams were super talented, but their ability to outwork the other team always secured big wins. The general focus is on keeping their standards ‘ridiculously high. Nevins tries to get them to adopt this standard, both on and off the field. The most successful teams have been when the kids buy-in, which starts with the best players leading the charge, such as seniors Marcus Jackson, Carl Hall and Luc Brown this year. He also tries to instill a love for the game by having them play all summer long.
So many people have been influential in the program’s success. Nevins cites his parents for ingraining a fierce work ethic and self-sacrifice, and his in-laws Pic and Sue Longo, as huge supporters. His former coaches, including Larry Sullivan at Villanova, all contributed to the coach he is today. Players have played a huge part in the program’s success — when they buy-in, it’s easier to coach and win. Special thanks go to parents who host pasta parties and help with fundraising, and to amazing assistant coaches, such as Sean Devore, Charlie Rowan, Austin Alvarado, Greg Marchesi, Freddy Christian, Ricardo Carias, Brayan Martinez and Greg O’Brien.
But perhaps most influential of all are his wife, Angie, and daughter, Natalie. They provide the essential foundation, supporting him through the good and the tough years. “They were there during the years that were not that great, which were the hardest years for me personally.” Angie, he adds, not only brings him back to earth — she “can take my mind off the team and also gives some great coaching suggestions as most of you know.”
Nevins has continually adapted his coaching style and formations and tries to stay ahead of the curve by watching professional and college teams, with his assistant coaches adding to the creative strategic planning. He’s also studied coaches, such as Bill Belichick, learning that the key to success is preventing the other team from doing what they do well. His secret weapon is his self-proclaimed “obsession with details” — a commitment to coaching technique at a granular level that surpasses typical instruction, fundamentally elevating player development.
The ultimate lesson he hopes his players take away is to set their standards high and realize they can be great at anything in life if they put their heads down and get to work.
The achievement has drawn praise from district leaders, who recognize the profound impact Nevins has had both on and beyond the field.
“The consistency with which coach Nevins operates and the relationships that he has built with our students and families is truly unmatched,” said athletic director Stephan Zichella. “This milestone is a testament to his dedication, passion and incredible work ethic.”
Superintendent Hayden Moore highlighted the broader legacy. “Coach Nevins has not only built a winning tradition, but also a program that develops young men of character,” Moore said. “His 400th win is a historic achievement, and we are incredibly proud of his commitment to our student-athletes and our community.”
High School Principal Oscar Guerrero noted the depth of his leadership. “Coach Nevins is a leader in every sense of the word. His dedication to our students and his passion for the game are evident in every practice and every game,” Guerrero commented. “This achievement is a reflection of his incredible talent and the strong foundation he has built at West Orange High School.”
At 52 years old, Nevins is just taking things one year at a time. He knows retirement is coming sooner than later, but for now, he still loves it, and the enjoyment far outweighs the stress. His goals are to help get the program to an incredibly high place at WOHS and with West Orange United, ensuring a smooth transition when he passes the program to the next head coach. He even mused about being the assistant coach to stay involved.
For this year, the mission is clear. “We are focused on being the best version of ourselves and getting fractionally better every day. If we keep improving and things go well, it would be amazing to add another star or two to our shirts,” Nevins said, referring to the county and state championships.
The Mountaineers remained unbeaten with a 12-0 overall record and 4-0 in the Super Essex Conference–American Division, as they defeated town neighbor Seton Hall Prep 1-0 on Wednesday, Sept. 24, at home; Voorhees 4-1 on Saturday, Sept. 27, at Voorhees; and Bloomfield 6-0 on Monday, Sept. 29, at Bloomfield.
Jackson scored on a penalty kick in the second half in the win over SHP. Junior Agustin Arrieta made five saves for WOHS.
Jackson had two goals, and Hall and junior Darius Millington each had one goal in the win over Voorhees.
Junior Yankee Suarez had one goal and one assist; and Jackson, Hall and Millington each had a goal and an assist in the win over Bloomfield.
Sophomore Marcus Williams and sophomore Aidan Ackerman each had a goal, and sophomore Maddox Brufau and senior Nick Jimenez each had an assist. Arrieta made three saves, and sophomore Sebastian Candido and senior Dylan Flitt each made one save.
WOHS will host South Brunswick on Saturday, Oct. 4, at 6 p.m. and visit Columbia on Monday, Oct. 6, in Maplewood at 4 p.m.
Photos and Video Courtesy of West Orange High School Sports Media Association
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