Boys Soccer Preview: Aviators March On

The cards are stacked for the Hasbrouck Heights boys soccer team since the state changed the rules for the state seedings.

Before last season the state strictly went by the win-loss record for state playoffs. For 2010 soccer season the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association switched to a power rating. Part of that rating has to do with the group of the opposition so if  you face a Group 4 team you received more power points as opposed to a Group 1 school.
   
For the Hasbrouck Heights team that is a coop with Wood-Ridge, they are a Group 2 school with most of its opponents in Group 1 as part of the North Jersey Interscholastic Conference.

The result is that the Aviators are going to be hard pressed to get a home game in the state tournament, Hasbrouck Heights head coach head coach Vinny Marchese said.

"I think we are going to have to go undefeated to get a home game," said Marchese. "It would be great to have the players think during class that they can just go out in their backyard and play a state playoff game."

Heights will be hard pressed to do that just starting with the season opening game which was Friday at Group 1 state champion Wallington. The Aviators will face Wallington one more time along with Harrison on its schedule.

For the state playoffs instead of playing in their own ’backyard’, the Aviators have had to travel to faraway places like Hopatcong, Ramsey and Kinnelon the last couple of years.

With eight starters returning of which four were All North Jersey Interscholastic Conference players, the Aviators have a very good chance of improving on its 11-5-1 record.

Marchese has his top scorer back in senior forward Dylan Colombo who had 13 goals to lead the Aviators in 2010 and was first team All NJIC. "His speed," said Marchese about the best aspect of Colombo's best game. "He's probably the fastest player on the field in 90 percent of our games."

The other all NJIC players back are senior stopper Alex Garcia and senior midfielder Kyle Lopez along with junior midfielder Tyler Nascimento, all which were second team All NJIC. "He distributes the ball well and has spatial awareness on the field," said Marchese.

Other returnees are junior defenseman Thomas Hughes, junior midfielder Chris Bini, senior John Robol who had six goals last season and junior defensemen Kevin O'Leary.

One of the toughest spots to fill is senior graduated goalie keeper Dan Sartori who was an All NJIC keeper. Taking over for Sartori is junior Roland Gomez who will have a tough task right off the bat against Wallington.

The other players who will be new are junior midfielder Gabe Toledo who will join the strong group of midfielders in Bini, Lopez and Nascimento.

Marchese said that the goals are on the line of having a shot of winning the NJIC Meadowlands B division championship, making the Bergen County tournament and win at least a game in the state tournament.

After traveling to St. Mary on Tuesday, the Aviators hosts Saddle Brook in the home opener on Thursday (4 p.m.).

Hasbrouck Heights 2011 boys soccer schedule
(Games at 4 p.m. at high school)

Sept. 9      at Wallington
Sept. 13    at St. Mary
Sept. 15    Saddle Brook
Sept. 19    Weehawken
Sept. 23    Manchester
Sept. 27    Harrison
Sept. 29    at Lyndhurst
Oct. 1        at Ridgefield Park, 11 a.m.
Oct. 3        Secaucus
Oct. 5        at North Arlington
Oct. 7        Queen of Peace
Oct. 11        at Becton
Oct. 13        Wallington
Oct. 14        at New Milford
Oct. 17        St. Mary
Oct. 19        at Saddle Brook
Oct. 21        at Weehawken
Oct. 25        at Pompton Lakes