Varsity Soccer Wrap-Up

The 2016 soccer season had some bumps, but it was surely not one to forget.

Led by three captains (Santiago Robertson-Lavalle, Steven Hadley, and Charles Cadena) and a total of ten seniors, the Delbarton varsity soccer team was one of the most talented teams to come through the school. After the numerous successes of last year, the team came into the season ranked #1 on NJ.com.

The first challenge of the year came in preseason when the team traveled to Maryland for the QACHS Play Day, a prestigious tournament for the top high school soccer programs in the country. After finishing with two wins and a tie, the team exploded out of the gate in their conference division, outscoring opposition 22-0 in the first six games.

The next challenge came with the Delbarton Invitational, a tournament Delbarton hosts at Ryan Field. In two close games, the team fell to Chaminade 2-1 and then DeMatha 2-1. After the tournament, the team lost again (3-1) to Southern New Jersey powerhouse, Delran. Despite these setbacks, the team rebounded and looked to win the Morris County Tournament. However, it fell to Randolph 5-3 in penalty kicks.

After counties, the team looked to defend its Non-Public A state title. Seeded fourth, Delbarton had a very tough road to the finals, having to face powerhouses Pingry, Bergen Catholic, and then Seton Hall Prep. Under the lights at Passaic Tech, Delbarton fought back from a 2-0 deficit to send the semifinal game into double overtime and then penalty kicks. Despite a hard fought game, Seton Hall won in penalties, winning the North Non-Public A final.

Overall, the team finished perfect in their conference and will look to rebound next year.