Renegades dominant in Manalapan Memorial Day Tournament

The Battle of Monmouth Renegades soccer team beat the odds, winning the 31st annual Manalapan Memorial Day Tournament in dominating fashion.

The U-17 Renegades team won big on the final day of the three-day tournament May 28, posting shutouts in three of the four games it played. The champions also scored 11 total goals in the tournament and only gave up two, according to Renegades coach Rich DeFabritus.

The tournament is hosted by the Manalapan Soccer Club, and games were played on various fields in Manalapan and Marlboro. The Renegades won the title on Rec Center E in Manalapan.

The Renegades’ Jordan Yagos led all scorers, netting six goals in the tournament, according to DeFabritus. The team competed with four other teams from New York and New Jersey.

The win was a big accomplishment for the team, which is peaking at the right time and competing for first place in its league, according to DeFabritus.

“We have competed in this tournament before, but it’s been a while. … I think we last competed in 2011 or 2012,” DeFabritus said. “The Manalapan Memorial Day Tournament has been contested for over 30 years, and it does get teams from New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, etc. So for a non-showcase tournament, it’s pretty prestigious.”

The Renegades are located in Freehold and have girls from all over New Jersey and New York, including Freehold, Howell and Staten Island, according to DeFabritus. The team will continue league play, as well as look for other tournaments to compete in over the summer.

“The team is considering playing some of the summer tournaments in Hammonton, such as the EDP Summer Classic or the Central Jersey Invitational,” DeFabritius said.