Columbia Boys Soccer Eyeing Championships This Fall

For the 49th straight season, the Columbia boys soccer team will open up this fall with head coach Gene Chyzowych at the helm. Something else that hasn't changed are his expectations.

Despite losing most of last year's starters to graduation (including two who are now playing at Seton Hall University), Chyzowych still expects his team to compete for  conference, county and state titles this season.

"We are almost ready to meet and challenge other teams at this stage," Chyzowych said. "I'm very happy and satisfied with the progress that we have made, because we lost a majority of the team last year."

A year ago the boys finished 13-9 and reached the second round of the North II Group 4 state sectional playoffs, before losing on an own goal to Bridgewater-Raritan. Senior losses included leading scorers Jeremy Witherspoon, Kai Greene and Luke Horowitz.

"We lost some top players so we had to reorganize the whole team. It's extremely difficult," Chyzowych said.

Key returnees include co-captain Emmanuel Ntow-Mensah, and Victor Jimenez, Alberto Troya, Drew DeFluri, Myrvens Noel and Mark Yearick and David Ferruggiaro.

Chyzowych said that right now he is experimenting with different lineups and playing different at positions they hadn't played previously. Most of the team's major losses came on the offensive side of the ball, so many of the experiments will be to try and find ways to create scoring opportunities, with the team defense being their biggest strength.

"We're just trying to figure out where everybody goes. We're at that stage," Cyzowych said. "We will be ready."

While they'll be trying to figure out the lineup, things won't be so easy going in one of the most difficult divisions in the state, the Super Essex American. Teams like West Orange, Millburn and Seton Hall Prep make for a treacherous schedule.

"We still have a lot of work to get done before the season starts," Ntow Mensah said. "I think we're going to be near the top [of the division]. We're shooting for the top."

Knocking on the door of 50 years at CHS, Chyzowych said that he has not lost the passion nor the energy for coaching. He still maintains the enthusiasm and appears to still be going strong as he heads into his next half century.

Columbia gets its season started on Friday in West Orange against the Seton Hall Prep Pirates. Their home opener is the next day against Peddie High School.