Coaches announce 2021 All-CVC picks
The Colonial Valley Conference’s varsity boys’ soccer coaches were eager to honor their charges this fall after a fine campaign which saw two CVC squads reach state semifinals and eight teams finish with winning records, seven of those reaching double-digit wins.
But, with concerns about the coronavirus pandemic lingering, especially for indoor gatherings, the coaches had to cancel their annual season-ending banquet at Mercer Oaks this December for a second consecutive year.
That downer has not stopped these 14 proud head coaches from honoring the league’s top performers as they release their 2021 All-CVC Coaches’ Teams.
Atop the list of 72 players chosen by these coaches for All-CVC honors were a trio of Notre Dame High seniors, a fitting tribute since the Irish had one of the league’s strongest teams in going 18-3-2 and reaching the NJSIAA Non-Public A South Final. Along the way, head coach Bryan Fisher’s team also played nationally ranked Pennington to a scoreless tie in the Mercer County Tournament final and upset nationally ranked Pingry on the road in the state tournament.
For their efforts, Aiden Hoenisch was named as the Dom Stillitano Forward of the Year. Owen Barlow was selected as the Billy Gazonas Midfielder of the Year, and James Watson was chosen as the Bobby Smith Defender of the Year. They accounted for half the ND players who were coaches’ first-team selections in 2021. Hopewell Valley and Princeton High had the next most first-teamers with three apiece.
One of the other top awards helped recognize the tremendous season head coach Ed Gola’s Hopewell squad had in going 19-5 and winning the NJSIAA Central Jersey Group III title. The Bulldogs’ senior goalie Austin Roell was picked as the Judge Al Cooper Goalkeeper of the Year for a second consecutive year.
Two other clubs which improved as the season went on, yet missed out on the postseason, received special honors as Trenton High senior allpurpose back Luis Gonzalez was named as the Brian “Maynard” Welsh Award winner, while Allentown High senior fullback Nick Walkley was the recipient of the Vince Palmere Award.
Shortly before learning the news that wellregarded Trenton High boys’ head coach Joe Fink, a Mercer County Soccer Hall of Famer, would not be returning for a seventh season in order to spend more time with his family, the CVC coaches decided upon two of their peers to receive Glenn “Mooch” Myernick Coach of the Year honors.
Hightstown High sixth-year head coach George Wolkiewicz was one recipient after leading the Rams to a 105-3 finish, their most victories since 2015. West Windsor-Plainsboro High South first-year soccer head coach Matt Coburn was the other winner after steering the Pirates through an 11-8-3 season and reaching the NJSIAA
Notre Dame’s Owen Barlow, right, slide tackles the ball as Pennington’s Ryan Yang, left, tries to control it during the Mercer County Tournament final. Barlow was named the prestigious Billy Gazonas Midfielder of the Year.
Central Jersey Group IV semifinals, one year after their school district chose not to play out-ofhouse games because of COVID-19.
Here is a look at the rest of the 2021 Coaches’ All-CVC boys’ soccer picks:
First Team
Goalkeepers: Austin Roell (Hopewell Valley), Carl Birge (Princeton).
Defenders: James Watson (Notre Dame), Liam MacDonald (Steinert), Sean Smith (Robbinsville), Breno Azevedo (Princeton), Pedro Portilla (WW-P South).
Midfielders: Owen Barlow (Notre Dame), Owen Deming (Princeton), Chris Hines (Notre Dame), Alex Tagliareni (Hopewell Valley), Luke Finkielstein (WW-P North), Robinson Melendez (Hightstown). Forwards: Aiden Hoenisch (Notre Dame), Nick Tagliareni (Hopewell Valley), Danny Bensch (Notre Dame), Kyle Allen (Notre Dame), Jermaine Meisel (Lawrence).
Second Team
Goalkeepers: Chase Rotteveel (Lawrence), Shane Dowling (WW-P South).
Defenders: Austin Warren (Hopewell Valley), Brandon Deutsch (Hightstown), Sal Famularo (Steinert), Pablo Argueta (Notre Dame), Myles Ryan (Notre Dame), Charlie Novak (Princeton).
Midfielders: Adrian Matamoros (Trenton), Nick Savoca (Robbinsville), Kyle Mason (Hopewell Valley), Emanuel Noyola (Princeton), Cade Maglione (Allentown), Alan Mathew (WW-P South).
Forwards: Bora Turker (Robbinsville), Nico Carusone (Princeton), Cris Soliz (Hightstown), Aiden Gardiner (Steinert).
Third Team
Goalkeepers: Emerson Santiago (Trenton), Ethan Bazydola (Notre Dame), Arnav Nair (WW-P North). Defenders: Joe Lenzo (Hightstown), Davin Jodoin (Lawrence), Drew Foden (Steinert), Dean Hunsberger (WW-P South), Jayce Pagano (Allentown), Dylan Adamsky (Lawrence).
Midfielders: Ryan Jacobs (Robbinsville), Anthony Durling (Steinert), Erik Carchipulla (Hightstown), Liam Collins (Lawrence), Dawid Majkut (Lawrence), Matthew Rigby (Hamilton West), Steve Cardona (Allentown).
Forwards: Diego Carpio (Hightstown), Matt Vernon (Steinert), James Ferraro (Notre Dame), Richard Wegmann (Princeton).
Honorable Mention
Manny Olorunnisola (Allentown), Robert Yates (Ewing), Sonny Panfili (Hamilton West), Kevin Pintado (Hightstown), Ben Thompson (Hopewell Valley), Matt Sargent (Lawrence), Ryan Watson (Notre Dame), Aiden Holman (Nottingham), Drew Petrone (Princeton), Justin Parisi (Robbinsville), Andy Marin-Beteta (Steinert), Fabio Villarevia (Trenton), Akash Parekh (WW-P North), Dylan Elias (WW-P South).
Judge Al Cooper Goalkeeper of the Year: Austin Roell (Hopewell Valley).
Bobby Smith Defender of the Year: James Watson (Notre Dame).
Billy Gazonas Midfielder of the Year: Owen Barlow (Notre Dame). Dom Stillitano Forward of the Year: Aiden Hoenisch (Notre Dame). Glenn “Mooch” Myernick Coaches of the Year: Matt Coburn (WW-P South) & George Wolkiewicz (Hightstown).
Vince Palmere Award: (Allentown).
Brian “Maynard” Welsh Award: Gonzalez (Trenton).
Nick Walkley
Luis