Injuries could not negate a season worth of positives

By: David Gurney
   South Brunswick High School boys varsity soccer coach Chris Hayston doesn’t like to get caught up in the ‘what ifs’ and ‘what could have been.’
   Even if it’s easy to do that after injuries and bad luck caught up to a team that started the season 10-1-1 and was eventually ranked in the top 20 of the state according to one daily paper’s ranking.
   Because, even with the disappointment of bowing out in the first round of the NJSIAA Central Jersey Group IV state tournament and losing 3-0 to division rival St. Joseph’s in the Greater Middlesex Conference Tournament semifinals, Hayston knows there are too many positives to overlook.
   A Red Division Championship.
   A run to the GMCT semifinals.
   A one-goal defeat in the state tournament to eventual Group IV state finalist Manalapan on the road.
   "I think the season was successful in a sense that winning the Red Division is a great accomplishment," Hayston said. "We beat East Brunswick twice, which is not as big a deal now, but years ago would have been unheard of. I think the season is representative of how far the program has come.
   "And to eventually take the state finalists (Manalapan) to within four minutes of winning, I’m just proud of their effort."
   It was an effort that brought the program its first Red Division championship since moving up from the White for the 2001 season, and an effort that brought the team a No. 4 seed in the county tournament.
   Only a one-goal loss to Old Bridge marred a near-perfect beginning of the season, but after defeating Edison it was a steady downhill slope for the Vikings (12-7-1).
   The team dropped its final four regular-season contests, including losses to eventual GMCT champion Monroe and GMCT semifinalist and rival North Brunswick.
   But that defeat proved to be more devastating than a notch under the loss column, as the Vikings lost junior forward Zach Zenda for the season after breaking his ankle.
   Losing Zenda forced drastic lineup changes and took away half of the potent scoring attack of Zenda and junior forward Troy Confessore (16 goals, six assists), the team’s two leading scorers.
   "They both (Confessore and Zenda) worked well together, but obviously losing Zach hurt us," Hayston said. "What one doesn’t do, the other does. They create opportunities for them and their teammates. It’s very rare you have two players of that caliber to score goals. When we lost Zach, it was very hard to replace."
   Yet, despite the loss of Zenda and a banged-up squad, the Vikings were able to win two dramatic GMCT contests, defeating JFK 2-1 off two late goals by Confessore, and a 2-1 victory over East Brunswick in the quarterfinals in penalty kicks.
   Sophomore goalie Kevin Gramata’s key saves during the shootout and senior sweeper Dan Miller’s game-deciding kick stood out as the marquee moments of an eventful season for Hayston.
   "By far the biggest moment of the season," Hayston said. "Gramata making the save in the shootout versus East Brunswick and Miller making shot was the most emotional moment. It was just a great moment for our team."
   The squad will be losing eight players due to graduation, including starters Miller, fullback Randy Perez, stopper Kevin Kling and midfielder Steven Smoke. Other graduating seniors include forward Jeremy Boyd, midfielder Tommy Clickner, and fullbacks Donnie Kodersha and T.J. Sarnowski.
   The departures will leave the team with some holes to fill, but seven starters will return for the Vikings, including sophomore midfielders Kazuki Yamada (four goals, four assists), Evan Beck and Sean Tyree (three goals, five assists), junior midfielders/fullbacks Bryan Keller and Shane Foley, as well as goalie Chris DeSouza.
   Those returnees will make it a much easier transition for Hayston and the coaching staff.
   "I would like to think we built a solid program, and we’ve really seen it expand and grow," Hayston said. "Having seven returning guys in a huge help. Not as many question marks, guys are already excited about prospects."