BY SHAWN LAYTON
Staff Writer
METUCHEN — Despite coming off a 2-1 week with wins over Piscataway and Old Bridge, the St. Joseph High School soccer team is not playing the way head coach Michael O’Boyle is accustomed to.
The defending Greater Middlesex Conference Tournament champion is currently 6-5 and 5-5 in the Red Division.
“We’re struggling,” O’Boyle said. “It’s been either feast or famine with us, and consistency has been an issue.”
Last week was a perfect example of O’Boyle’s words. Coming off an 8-4 victory over Piscataway, led by senior forward Tico Garzon’s two goals and Scott Jenkins’s pretty chip over the Chiefs’ keeper from 35 yards out, the Falcons failed to find the back of the net in a 1-0 loss to South Brunswick. It was the Falcons’ second loss to the Vikings. South Brunswick took the first meeting 2-1 in overtime.
“They [South Brunswick] played hard and wanted it more,” O’Boyle said. “The Red Division is tough to be successful in, and we can’t succeed if we are struggling with consistency.”
St. Joe’s picked up its first of two wins last week with a thrilling 2-1 victory over Old Bridge Oct. 4. Sean Gilmartin scored the game-winner.
This week’s schedule can change the entire scope of the season. On Monday the Falcons faced Red Division powerhouse East Brunswick. The Bears took the first of two scheduled meetings 3-1.
“Playing at our field will be a great advantage to us,” O’Boyle said. “The field at East Brunswick is very narrow and it poses some problems. Of course, it causes problems for the East Brunswick players as well, but our field plays to our style.”
Also on this week’s schedule is Edison (today) and J.P. Stevens (Friday). The Falcons took their first meeting with Edison 4-0, but dropped the first game with Stevens 5-3.
“J.P. Stevens has a very good team,” O’Boyle said. “We will have to mark better and avoid having mental breakdowns on defense. Against South Brunswick this week, we made one mistake and paid for it.”
O’Boyle is expecting perhaps a top-eight seed in the GMC Tournament; although it’s still too early to tell. Of course, this week’s outcome should have a lot to do with the seeding. The county tournament is set to begin Oct. 24.
“Unless we beat some of the better teams in the conference we will doubt ourselves,” O’Boyle said. “Of course we hit a bump last year, and despite the midseason skid, we finished well.”
Garzon continues to be dominant in the league with 12 goals through 11 games, and Gilmartin is getting deserved recognition from the opposition.
“Sean is playing well,” O’Boyle said. “He’s always a good producer and the kid is a quiet producer. Opposing teams respect what he does for us.”
Although a plethora of college teams would love to have a player like Garzon next season, Garzon is willing to try his hand at jumping to the professional ranks.
“Tico has aspirations to make it on the professional level,” O’Boyle said. “I think he will need to develop more from a physical standpoint, but nevertheless it’s a tough route to follow.”
O’Boyle recently moved junior Michael Atehortua to the forward line alongside Garzon, and he’s produced a couple of goals and assists.
“We’re dealing with a number of injuries, including three players with back injuries,” O’Boyle said. “Tico is suffering from a back injury, which has definitely slowed him down, so the addition of Michael Atehortua to the front line has been effective.”
The propinquity of the GMC Tournament to the state tournament makes it difficult for area teams to recover from such injuries and to put its best foot forward in both competitions.
“I think it’s time for the GMC to spread the tournament out like other county tournaments,” O’Boyle said. “I think it’s physically impossible to do well in both the county and state tournament. Teams need time for recovery.”
O’Boyle’s wish won’t come true for this season, so instead he’s concentrating on what he can control.
“Our defense has to reduce its mistakes,” O’Boyle said. “The kids know we can be in every game, but we’ve made mistakes that have cost us dearly. Against good teams, you can’t do that and expect to win.”