Season ends with three victories
by John Beisser, Sports Writer
A long, tough, yet rewarding season for the Manville High boys’ soccer team ended on a positive note when the Mustangs tied Sussex Tech 2-2 before capping off the year with a sharp 4-2 victory over Highland Park.
The Mustangs made the near two-hour trek to Sparta to face Sussex Tech and, perhaps still feeling the effects from the long bus ride, they quickly found themselves in a quick 2-0 hole. Tech got on the board in the third minute and slammed home a second goal just eight minutes into the contest. Manville sliced the lead in half just minutes before intermission when Richie Hernandez buried a shot to make it 2-1 at halftime.
Following a wild scramble off a corner kick in front of the goal, Jason Diaz rocketed the game-tying goal home 10 minutes into the second half. From that point on, Manville got the better of the play but each team squandered scoring chances as the game ended in a 2-2 draw.
”They were a pretty fast team and they kind of jumped on us at the beginning,” MHS second-year head coach Tim Moore said. “I’d say the first half was like 50-50. It was pretty evenly played. I’d say we dominated the second half but we just couldn’t get another goal in. It was a cold night and a tough night to play and I think that affected both offenses.”
The Mustangs put a cap on the season with a feel good 4-2 home win over the Owls of Highland Park on Oct. 29. The victory gave Manville a final record of 3-12-1, a mark which is not indicative of the major improvement the team showed in comparison to last season’s 2-15-1 campaign. The Mustangs were a much more offensive-minded and dangerous team this season and lost their share of close games, including five by a one-goal margin.
While the season had its share of twists, turns and injuries, Moore could not have scripted a better ending , however, as three of his top seniors tallied a goal and an assist in the win over Highland Park. Dawid Brozyna, Pawel Maziarz and Nick DeSantis each turned in one-goal, one-assist efforts in the win. The fourth Mustang goal was registered by Hernandez, a junior.
”That was a really nice way to end the year,” Moore said. “I thought it was fitting that our seniors played so well. When we built the lead to 3-1, I subbed in some of the guys, a lot of sophomore and juniors, who didn’t get a chance to play that much this year. So, in that sense, it was also a good way to end the year and point towards next year.”
Healthier than they had been all season, the Mustangs posted a .500 mark over their final five games, going 2-2-1 during this stretch.
The other seniors who concluded their Manville High soccer careers last week include Diaz, Bryan Munoz, Chris Sinchi, and goalkeeper Matt Zangara.

