Although both Hasbrouck Heights soccer teams did not go far in the state tournament, both teams still had big seasons.
Both the Heights girls and boys teams lost in the first round. The Aviators boys team lost 4-1 in Newton while the girls team was upset, 2-1, in the first round to Kittatinny in overtime, both in the Group 2 North 1 state sections.
The girls finished with a 16-3-1 record overall and 14-0 in the North Jersey Interscholastic Conference, bringing home the Meadowlands Division B title.
The boys team finished with a 9-8 record and was second only to powerhouse Wallington in the NJIC Meadowlands Division B.
The season was so impressive for the boys team that Heights head coach Vinny Marchese was named Coach of the Year.
Boys soccer
For the Hasbrouck Heights season, one of the team's top striker was senior forward Dylan Colombo who scored the lone goal in the Aviators loss to Newton in the state tournament.
For head coach Marchese and Heights they have three players who were first team All NJIC players back for 2012 in junior midfielders Gabe Toledo and Tyler Nascimento along with junior defender Thomas Hughes.
In addition to Colombo, Heights will have to replace senior forward John Robol and senior defender Alex Garcia who were named to the NJIC second team. Robol had a pair of goals in a 3-0 win in Lyndhurst midway through the season after a loss to Harrison.
Also graduating is senior defender Tyler Wyrostek who was named to the honorable mention all NJIC.
Despite losing to Wallington twice during the season, Heights played them tough and lost 3-2 on Sept. 9 in Wallington for the season opener and then lost 2-1 to the Panthers in Heights on Oct. 13.
Hasbrouck Heights has a large portion of its starters returning for 2012 and should be in a position to make another run at Wallington in the league and hope to get a home game and go further in the state tournament.
Girls Soccer
The Hasbrouck Heights team continued to dominate the area soccer clubs in taking the divisional title, beating out Saddle Brook this season. The Lady Aviators tied the Lady Falcons last season to share the NJIC Meadowlands B title.
But this season Heights defeated Saddle Brook both times. "We had a tremendous season, but unfortunately injuries hurt us down the stretch," said Hasbrouck Heights head coach Joe Mastropietro who was without forward Jodee Giarratana in the state playoffs. Giarratana had suffered an injury in the last week of the regular season.
In terms of honors for the league title holders, senior defender Johnna Trotter led the way and was named to the second team All Bergen County defense while senior Giarratana was third team All-Bergen County forward. Both were honored against some very good larger schools in the county.
Giarratana led offensively for the Aviators with 20 goals and 17 assists.
Along with Giarratana and Trotter on the first team All North Jersey Interscholastic Conference are sophomore Maggie Filja, junior midfielder Danielle Cannici, senior co-captain midfielder Jenny White, senior co-captain midfielder Jordyn Anderson, sophomore defenseman Jenna DiGiacinto, sophomore defenseman Kristin Delcalzo, sophomore defenseman Angelika Barris and senior goalie Julie Sheridan.
On the second team is sophomore forward Joelle Tondi of Wood-Ridge, and senior co-captain midfielder Jordyn Anderson, junior midfielder Theresa Ayala, junior midfielder Kristine Dugay and senior defenseman Emily Batcho. On the honorable mention list is junior midfielder Morgan Barral.