By Wayne Witkowski
Coach Tyler Isaacson and Matawan Regional High School’s boys’ soccer team is getting the last laugh on the prognosticators.
The Huskies were predicted to finish last in the Shore Conference A Central Division but lead a very balanced division at 5-2-1. Matawan is 7-2-1 overall and assured of a spot in the NJSIAA Central Jersey, Group III tournament based on power points at the cutoff of the first 13 games played.
The Huskies can pick up a lot of points toward a home-field game in the state tournament if they knock off Asbury Park High School (7-0) Oct. 7. On Oct. 5, they had a return match at home against division favorite Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School — a team it beat, 1-0, earlier this season. A 3-0 victory in the early season over Manasquan High School (6-2-1) has given the Huskies plenty of power points.
Isaacson was surprised at the low preseason prediction for a team that returns eight starters and a lot of firepower from midfielder Jacob Labinger, whose six goals and five assists leads a balanced attack that has had nine goal-scorers in 10 games.
“We have 14 guys back who played considerable varsity minutes, so I felt confident we’d be competitive in the division,” Isaacson said. “We have seniors and juniors who have been playing together for years. When you have an older team, you have less mistakes.”
Senior Ethan Goldenthal has taken over the goalkeeping duties after playing behind proven veteran keepers in prior seasons and has four shutouts, including three in a row. He can share the credit with a stingy defense that has limited opponents’ scoring threats and forced many hurried and softly touched shots on goal when they were taken.
Seniors Tyler Chin, Keleb Mehari and Liam Nappi and junior Matthew Weisberg clog the attacking third of the field for many opponents with their defense.
Labinger scored the goal in overtime Oct. 2 when Matawan beat Holmdel High School for the second time this season by a 1-0 score. He is joined in an effective midfield that has helped control play by seniors Tyler Walling and Charlie Costello and juniors Bobby Johns and Griffin Heyward. Senior striker John Vail is the second leading goal-scorer with three.
Seniors Ryan Cavanaugh and Anthony Quattrochi give Matawan depth, which Isaacson considers a leading strength of the team.
“Any three or four of our subs can be starting,” Isaacson said.
Matawan took command of its division when it avenged a season-opening loss, 4-3, to Shore Regional High School with a 2-1 victory on goals by Vail and Johns.
Matawan also shoots for a different result when it plays in rematches with division opponents Red Bank Regional High School, which handed the Huskies their only other loss, 1-0, in overtime Sept. 27, and Raritan High School, which played to a 2-2 tie Sept. 23.