By Justin Feil, The Packet Group
After a 1-4 start, the Bordentown Regional High School boys soccer team is starting to find its groove.
The Scotties remained unbeaten in October and evened their overall record at 4-4-1 with a 4-1 win over Willingboro on Monday. Omer Kaya scored two goals and Scott Gorish and Brandon Hudik had a goal apiece, while Gunnar Decker made nine saves.
”We’re 3-0-1 in our last four games,” said Bordentown head coach Michael Brennan. “We’re making strides.
”We did a lot of learning in preseason,” he added. “My coaching staff and I had to do a lot more coaching than in the past. It led to a very rewarding preseason and early part of the season. The team wasn’t firing on all cylinders at the beginning, which you would expect with a young team. Now we’re starting to play some decent soccer.”
The Scotties are dependant on some new young starters, and it’s taken a bit to get everyone on the same page. But they are coming around in perfect time for a big finish.
”I think we’re figuring out how to play with each other,” Brennan said. “We start four freshmen and we feature five. We’re getting them to blend with some of the older guys. We’re figuring out who needs to play all the different roles on a high school soccer team.”
Kaya scored the lone goal in Bordentown’s 1-1 tie with Palmyra on Friday. It’s their only blemish in the month. Earlier in the week, they got two goals from Esteban Torres in a 2-1 win over a New Egypt team that was 7-2.
”The big goal going forward,” Brennan said, “is to get to the playoffs and make the cutoff and get above .500. I think that is well within our grasp. The teams we have before cutoff are difficult, but winnable. I think the boys are starting to get a little more confidence in how they play.”
Their current four-game unbeaten streak going into today’s game at Palmyra began with a 3-0 win over Woodrow Wilson in which Torres scored twice and Hudik once. Richard Stoveken and Robert DiPiero had assists in the win.
”Brendan Hudik has been the rock of the team,” Brennan said. “He’s a sophomore, but you might confuse him for a 20-year-old. He plays the game with a high level of intensity. He plays at a high level all year-round. He keeps the kids moving in the right direction.
”My seniors have really been great, particularly Zach Burgher, Scott Gorish and Dylan Scaccetti. Not only are they senior players on the team, but they’re taking leadership roles and helping the younger guys find their place. It’s starting to pay off now.”
The Scotties have allowed only three combined goals in their last four games. They have not allowed an opponent more than two goals in any game this season, which has kept them competitive in every game.
”Our defense has been really good,” Brennan said. “I can’t say enough about them. It’s led by Brandon. He was the top center in the conference as a freshman, and he’s continued with that. Dylan Scaccetti has stepped up and really helped us solidify things. Freshman Nate Hilbert has stepped up and done a great job. A kid new to us, Drew Pedersen, who came from the football team, he’s turned out to be an excellent defender for us. And we have a football transfer in net in Gunnar Decker, who’s been good.”
Adding to the excitement for the Scotties is the chance that they’ll be on their new turf field by the end of the week. They have played thus far on their grass field.
”It looks more like the surface of the moon,” Brennan said. “It’s very tough to play on it. When we play on some good fields, we look all right.”
The Scotties are hoping that they will be able to put a product out on their new field that matches its playing quality. They are anxious to show what they have on the new field.
”It is a tease,” Brennan said. “We have to be patient. I don’t know if there’s a school in the state that has a nicer facility than we have. But playing on one of the worst facilities right now, it is a tease. The kids are very, very excited. They’re looking at it through the fence. They’re begging me to let them get on it.
”When we get on our new field, our brand of soccer should come out more and some good things should happen in the next couple weeks.”
As the recent stretch shows, they already have started.

