Preseason helps prepare WOHS boys' soccer team
By Steve Carfagna
Staff Writer
Head coach Doug Nevins is certainly excited about what his West Orange High School boys’ varsity soccer team could achieve this season.
And with the talented schools that the coach lined up to scrimmage his team, the Mountaineers will find out quickly just how good they really are.
“We definitely loaded up the schedule in terms of teams we will be playing in the off-season,” said Nevins, whose squad will return eight starters from last year.
To start the season, the WOHS coach said his team will take part in a quad scrimmage on Aug. 28 at Cinnaminson.
“We will certainly be facing some real talented teams there,” said the coach, who talked about the competition that will also be present. “Rancocas Valley from South Jersey is the Group 4 champions from two years ago, Cinnamson went to the Group 2 finals two years and South Brunswick, who’s always good, will also be participating in the quad scrimmage.”
After that, Nevins said his team would then scrimmage Plainfield at home on Tuesday.
“That game should give us a real good chance to get to play everyone and to see who is deserving of playing time,” said the coach, whose team would then face Scotch Plains on Thursday. “Scotch Plains is still a very good program and just last year they went all the way to the sectional finals before losing to Millburn.”
On the following Tuesday after Labor Day, Nevins said his squad would then scrimmage Montville at home.
“Montville lost in the Group 3 semifinals last year to Millburn but they still wound up wining a county and sectional title, so we know they’ll be another good test for us to scrimmage against,” he said. “Aside from Plainfield, all of the teams we are scrimmaging are champion-caliber teams.”
Prior to the scrimmage, Nevins said his team deserved credit for winning the annual summer league.
“We had four of our best players away playing in another tournament, and yet, without those players, we still went on to beat Cliffside Park, 3-1, in the summer league finals,” he said. “Considering Cliffside Park is the Group 2 finalists, champions and co-champions for the last three years, that was a pretty impressive feat on our part.”
Nevins, whose team competed in the first official practice on Sunday, said he was optimistic on the upcoming season.
“We had a really good season last year and just about everyone is back so we’re definitely looking forward to this year,” said the coach, noting he had the opportunity to take some of his players to a soccer camp at his alma mater, Villanova University. “Unlike the past, where our entire team would go, we only took a handful of guys this year and the guys who did go were some of our younger guys, so at the very least, I got the chance to get a good look at the players who will lead the way for the next years to come.”
Staff Writer
Head coach Doug Nevins is certainly excited about what his West Orange High School boys’ varsity soccer team could achieve this season.
And with the talented schools that the coach lined up to scrimmage his team, the Mountaineers will find out quickly just how good they really are.
“We definitely loaded up the schedule in terms of teams we will be playing in the off-season,” said Nevins, whose squad will return eight starters from last year.
To start the season, the WOHS coach said his team will take part in a quad scrimmage on Aug. 28 at Cinnaminson.
“We will certainly be facing some real talented teams there,” said the coach, who talked about the competition that will also be present. “Rancocas Valley from South Jersey is the Group 4 champions from two years ago, Cinnamson went to the Group 2 finals two years and South Brunswick, who’s always good, will also be participating in the quad scrimmage.”
After that, Nevins said his team would then scrimmage Plainfield at home on Tuesday.
“That game should give us a real good chance to get to play everyone and to see who is deserving of playing time,” said the coach, whose team would then face Scotch Plains on Thursday. “Scotch Plains is still a very good program and just last year they went all the way to the sectional finals before losing to Millburn.”
On the following Tuesday after Labor Day, Nevins said his squad would then scrimmage Montville at home.
“Montville lost in the Group 3 semifinals last year to Millburn but they still wound up wining a county and sectional title, so we know they’ll be another good test for us to scrimmage against,” he said. “Aside from Plainfield, all of the teams we are scrimmaging are champion-caliber teams.”
Prior to the scrimmage, Nevins said his team deserved credit for winning the annual summer league.
“We had four of our best players away playing in another tournament, and yet, without those players, we still went on to beat Cliffside Park, 3-1, in the summer league finals,” he said. “Considering Cliffside Park is the Group 2 finalists, champions and co-champions for the last three years, that was a pretty impressive feat on our part.”
Nevins, whose team competed in the first official practice on Sunday, said he was optimistic on the upcoming season.
“We had a really good season last year and just about everyone is back so we’re definitely looking forward to this year,” said the coach, noting he had the opportunity to take some of his players to a soccer camp at his alma mater, Villanova University. “Unlike the past, where our entire team would go, we only took a handful of guys this year and the guys who did go were some of our younger guys, so at the very least, I got the chance to get a good look at the players who will lead the way for the next years to come.”
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