Towards the end of the season the term “Redemption Week” became a motto for the Westfield High School boys soccer team. In order for the Blue Devil boys to win its second North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4 title, they had to knock off a pair of foes who had beaten them earlier in the season then gain the advantage on another team that they battled to a 00 deadlock.
NEMATADZIRA, PREUCIL, WADE, IANUZZI LED IN ‘O’
Towards the end of the season the term “Redemption Week” became a motto for the Westfield High School boys soccer team. In order for the Blue Devil boys to win its second North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4 title, they had to knock off a pair of foes who had beaten them earlier in the season then gain the advantage on another team that they battled to a 00 deadlock.
The Blue Devils got “Redemption” by defeating the Union Farmers in the section quarterfinals, the Elizabeth Minutemen in the semifinals and by gaining a 3-2 advantage in penalty kicks over the Scotch Plains-Fanwood Raiders to claim the crown en route to a 13-5-4 record.
The Blue Devils presented a very solid defensive scheme, recorded 12 shutouts and outscored their opponents
37-22. Blue Devil senior goalkeeper Luke Tennant recorded 74 saves and senior Lucas Gunzberg, who was their go to man for the penalty kick phase, recorded 16 saves.
After an opening-season 1-0 victory over the Cranford Cougars, the Blue Devils whittled 12-5-2 Long Branch in overtime, 1-0. The Blue Devils fell to the 11-3-2 Union Farmers, 1-0, then recovered to edge 12-52 Don Bosco Prep, 1-0. A 4-2 setback to 15-2-3 Bergen Catholic was followed with a 4-3 win over the 12-7-3 Summit Hilltoppers and a 0-0 stalemate with the Governor Livingston (GL) Highlanders.
The Blue Devils cleaned the Linden Tigers, 4-0, and Union City, 3-0, but fell 2-0 to the 16-4 Elizabeth Minutemen, who would also win the Union County Tournament (UCT). A 0-0 tie with the SPF Raiders at Red Bull Arena was next. Three straight wins followed – New Brunswick (10), 15-6-2 Monroe Falcons (3-2) and GL Highlanders (1-0) in the quarterfinal round of the UCT.
A second loss to Elizabeth, 3-2, in the UCT semifinal round planted the seed of “Redemption”. Next, the Blue Devils tied the Chatham Cougars, 00, then toppled Kingsway, 2-0, in the regular-season finale. A 3-0 shutout of the Piscataway Chiefs in the section first round set up the road to “Redemption”.
The Union Farmers fell to the Blue Devils, 4-2, in the quarterfinal then the Minutemen fell, 2-1, in two overtimes to set up the championship showdown with the SPF Raiders.
“Yeah the boys had to be mentally prepared for this challenge to play Union County schools to win the sectional title,” Blue Devil Head Coach Eric Shaw explained. “It always started with knowing we where the better team. Certainly against Union the first game we made one mistake and they punished us scoring a goal but we created chances, played well the first match.Also motivating them, I believe, was my absents do to my family situation. I returned for the Elizabeth match and again though we lost, 2-0, the first time and 3-2 the second time, we knew we where the better team most of those matches and we needed to have a good performance. We had great performance!”
After 100 minutes of scoreless soccer, the penalty kick phase resulted in the 3-2 advantage with sophomore Alex Rokhsar, junior Ethan Wade and finally, junior Niko Pierce striking gold.
Coach Shaw expressed, “The same with SPF. We know how they play and knew how defensive they would be. (We) created good chances just couldn’t finish but with some luck again, we won in PKs.”
The Blue Devils’ season ended with a 3-2 loss to the Kearny Kardinals in the Group 4 semifinal.
Offensively, senior forward Benedict Nematadzira led the team with seven goals and five assists for 19 points. Nematadzira was especially effective with his devastating headers.
Coach Shaw commented, “Ben had a very good hold up play allowing our team to get up the field and also very dangerous attacking header.”
Senior midfielder/co-captain Zach Preucil finished with seven goals and two assists for 16 points and Wade (forward) netted five goals and two assists for 12 points. Junior midfielder Henry Ianuzzi put in four goals and added a pair of assists for 10 points.
Senior forwardAdam Tukaczynski ripped in four goals and senior cocaptain/ midfielder Dave Savransky, their primary free kick and corner kick specialist, scored once and added five assists. Senior forward Manny Gayanilo netted a pair of goals and three assists. Senior midfielder Ty Flannery and midfielder Pierce each scored twice and added an assist. Midfielder Rokhsar provided five assists.
Junior back Austin Williams and sophomore forward Sam Judka finished with a goal and an assist. Senior back Pat Cadigan scored once. Junior back Jake Pardes had two assists and senior back Derek Acevedo had one assist. Others on the roster who contributed were seniors Nick Rodrigues and Jack Kurtz, along with juniors Dan DeSousa, Max Burrick, Dan Gonzales and Will Sun.
Nematadzira on Savransky’s assist, scored in the opening-season win over Cranford.Against Long Branch, Preucil and Nematadzira rippled the net. Nematadzira scored in the win over Don Bosco Prep. Savransky and Pierce scored in the loss to Bergen Catholic. Preucil, Wade, Cadigan and Nematadzira scored in the win over Summit. Williams, Ianuzzi and Nematadzira each netted a goal and an assist, and Pierce scored once in the victory over Linden.
Ianuzzi ripped in a pair of goals and Nematadzira scored once in the win over Union City. Tukaczynski scored against New Brunswick. Preucil, Tukaczynski and Gayanilo scored against Monroe. Flannery struck gold against Governor Livingston. Wade and Preucil scored in the UCT loss to Elizabeth. Wade netted a goal and an assist and Gayanilo scored once against Kingsway.
In the sectionals, Tukaczynski, Ianuzzi and Judka scored against Piscataway. Nematadzira and Wade scored against the Minutemen then Rokhsar, Wade and Pierce nailed the PKs against the SPF Raiders. Tukaczynski and Preucil scored the team’s final goals in the game against Kearny.
Co-captains Savransky and Preucil provided the much needed leadership to earn the Blue Devils success in their road to “Redemption”.
“Couldn’t ask for better leaders/ captains, they led by example, always outworking every player on the field, very good communicators with the team, always encouraging the players. They built good relationships with all players on and off the field to help build that team culture,” Coach Shaw said.
