By Rich Fisher, Contributing Editor
Top photo: After a strong finish to last season, senior Justin Arias has carried it over to this year as he led CBA with seven goals and four assists through the season’s first nine games. Photo by Larry Levanti/https://larrylevanti.zenfolio.com/
Despite losing eight starters, including players who collected 46 of the 60 goals it scored last season, the Christian Brothers Academy, Lincroft, soccer team is off to another stellar start.
“It’s early but based on what we had returning overall, I guess I’m pleasantly surprised that we’re able to get some results against some very good teams so far,” said coach Tom Mulligan, whose Colts carried a 6-2-1 mark and No. 8 state ranking into their Sep. 24 match with Freehold Township. “We’re almost at the halfway point of the regular season, so to have won six games is pretty good at this point.”
CBA’s tradition is so good, in fact, that two years without a tournament title seems like forever. The Colts last won a Shore Conference Tournament crown in 2023, the same year it last won the NJSIAA South Jersey Non-Public A championship. A year before that was the last state title.
Mulligan feels the “drought” doesn’t make this group any hungrier than any other, since players know the legacy the day they arrive.
“It’s an expectation to at least get to those finals,” Mulligan said. “That’s the standard and that’s what this CBA soccer program attempts to achieve each season. There’s pressure, obviously, from preceding teams. The kids see the numbers on the board and fence (of past champions) and I’m sure they aspire to keeping the standard high and making their mark as well at some point.”
This year’s side is a bit different from those in the past. The Colts are traditionally a stingy team that thrives on defense. But through their first nine games the offense paved the way as CBA had scored 29 goals while yielding 13 with just three shutouts.
“It seems like we have the potential to score goals each game, but the defensive side of the ball is where we’re trying to focus on right now,” Mulligan said. “I’ve had teams in the past where double-digit shutouts are expected. I think that’s gonna be a reach right now.
“It’s not my goaltending necessarily, it’s just the whole defensive effort. It’s a work in progress; I’ve had a sophomore, freshman and two seniors that never played a defensive position starting. We have a lot of inexperience in the back and I think that’s shown. Hopefully as the year progresses, we can gain a little more experience back there and begin to lock down on defense.”
The one veteran is returning starting goalie Brady Lepore, who has been steady.
“He’s a good-sized kid, a good athlete,” Mulligan said. “He’s a pretty good goalie. Hopefully his experience will pay off in post-season play.”
Helping Lepore out is junior Romeo Guida, who has bounced between midfield and the back line and has begun to grow into the defender role. Mulligan hope Guida will anchor the defense heading into the season’s stretch run.
The offensive production is spread out as 13 different players have scored. Leading the way have been red-hot senior Justin Arias with seven goals and four assists and junior Alex Alvarez with five goals.
Arias began coming on at the end of last season after growing into a quality high school player. He is the Colts’ most technical player and exudes confidence with the ball at his feet. He lacks height but “can make up for it with his skill and a little quick step he has. He’s definitely an asset to our offense. I think he has the potential to play at the next level,” the coach said.
Alvarez is a grinder who originally came off the bench but has gotten some starts lately.
“He’s one of those hustling forwards with a lot of courage in his game,” Mulligan said. “He plays fearless. What he lacks in, maybe technical ability, he more than makes up for with this grit. He’s been a nice surprise.”
Senior Matt Papgani, a returning starter, has been a steadying influence at midfield, helping CBA control the game. Senior John Little is a Villanova commit in lacrosse but is a leader on the pitch.
“Matt wins balls and helps distribute though the middle to the rest of the team as we attack,” Mulligan said. “Little has also been a surprise with his versatility. We’ve been able to move him around the field to a couple spots.”
Mulligan said he is still looking for some leaders to come to the forefront but has been happy with the players’ energy level and feels it’s a matter of time before things really start clicking.
As usual, the goal is to make it to the finals of a tournament, whether it’s conference or state.
“In a final anything can happen,” Mulligan said. “It’s pretty tough to get there; you have to play some pretty good teams to get to a South Jersey final or a Shore Conference final. It’s exciting for the kids to play in that atmosphere. I just like for the kids to enjoy it and remember it. “Someone is gonna win, someone’s not. But all the work pays off when you step on the field for a final and say ‘OK boys, this is the time. Let’s go bring a title home to CBA Lincroft.’”