With conference title in tow, Colts ready for state tournament run
After winning a second Shore Conference Championship in a row, the Christian Brothers Academy soccer team is heading to the state tournament as hot as could be.
The Colts are looking to find their way back to the Non-Public A State Championship for the second consecutive year, but first, they’ll have to get through some roadblocks.
After losing captain and Colgate-commit Will Thygeson in the final two Shore Conference games due to a hamstring injury, his teammates picked up the slack to power through to the title. Despite the loss of Thygeson, Cameron D’Alterio stepped up with a goal in a 2-1 win over Howell, winning CBA’s 12th Shore Championship.
With Thygeson trending to return for the state quarterfinals game, the Colts will play Shore opponent St. John Vianney on November 2. The Lancers beat Union Catholic, 2-1, in the tournament’s first round.
The Colts’ forwards are looking strong with goal contributions from D’Alterio, Dylan Millevoi and Jack D’Eletto in the final rounds of the Shore Conference Tournament. The Colts have shown their resilience with three of their four games coming down to the wire, including a 3-2 win over Southern Regional in overtime and a last-minute goal against Middletown North.
The Colts could play two very good teams in the sectional semifinals, a NJ.com top-10 team in Pingry plays St. Augustine in the quarterfinals. Pingry has been a state powerhouse the past couple of years, ranked highest at number two. However, they have proven to be a very vulnerable team with a loss to Bernards in the Somerset County Tournament semifinals.
On the other side of the bracket, the Colts have a chance to have a rematch of last year’s sectional finals against NJ.com No. 15 Notre Dame, who has been consistently putting up big numbers in recent games. Notre Dame has been inconsistent in the back with a most recent loss to Pennington, 4-0, in the Mercer County Tournament.
If all the cards fall into place, the Colts are lined up to face No.1 Seton Hall Prep for the second straight year in the state championship game. The Pirates are looking sharp, with another Essex County Championship under their belt. Eddie Krupski is their leading scorer with 17 goals on the season. The Pirates also have senior Joaquin Niehenke, who is committed to the University of Pennsylvania and a rock in the midfield.
Overall, the Colts will be favorites to return to the state final and face Seton Hall Prep, with CBA looking for revenge for last year’s loss.
