WW-PN’s Quezada is our boys soccer CVC Player of the Year
This was supposed to be the year when Mercer County boys soccer teams had a better chance against the Pennington School.
The three-time defending Mercer County Tournament champions were said to be not as strong as in previous seasons. That just created more of a challenge for ninth-year head coach Chad Bridges and his charges.
All the Red Raiders did was go 13-5, win their record fourth consecutive MCT crown and finish second in the NJISAA Prep A Tournament behind St. Benedict’s, the nation’s No. 1-ranked team.
Pennington definitely had talent, as its six players on The Trentonian’s All-Prep and All-Area teams indicates, but it was up to Bridges to pull that talent together and get the players (only four of whom were seniors) on the same page.
It doesn’t always happen the way Bridges was able to get his team playing. He got the squad to use its strength — scoring.
The Red Raiders connected on 55 goals this season, the most of any team in the area this fall. That was an important stat once the Mercer County Tournament rolled around. Pennington went on to outscore its four MCT opponents, 16-1.
The accomplishments earned Bridges Trentonian All-Prep and All-Area Coach of the Year honors.
While there may have been more talented individual scorers like Univer- sity of Connecticut-bound, All-Prep Player of the Year Wesley Leggett of Princeton Day School (22 goals, five assists), New Egypt High junior Chase Sempervive, the All-Area Player of the Year after leading the way with 28 goals and 12 assists, and Trenton Catholic Academy senior Loyalty Bush (24 goals, seven assists), few can keep up with Red Raiders speedy junior forward Ousmane Gueye (18 goals, four assists).
As one of 21 players Bridges figures to have returning, including junior Ian Albuquerque, plus sophomores Mansour Diop, Jack Borden and Babacar Niang (each an allstar), Gueye and Pennington are sure to have more pressure on them next season. Their coach will have them ready.