With a record of 20-1-1, the 2024 Delbarton Varsity Soccer Team had a historic season. Outscoring opponents 79-15 and maintaining fourteen shutouts, the team was incredibly well-balanced with a strong defense, a creative midfield, and a clinical attack.
Ranked as the number one team in the state heading into the year, the Green Wave opened their season strong, defeating the eventual Non-Public B State Champions in Gill St. Bernard’s 1-0. Following their opener, Delbarton won six consecutive conference games, defeating Morris Hills, Randolph, Chatham, Mendham, Roxbury, and Mount Olive by a margin of twenty-four goals.
The Green Wave then hosted their annual Delbarton Soccer Invitational Tournament, where they faced two national powerhouses in St. Ignatius of Ohio and Chaminade. In its first-ever matchup against St. Ignatius, the seventh-ranked team in the nation, the Green Wave secured a thrilling 4-2 victory, scoring goals in both the first and last minute of the game. Two days later, Delbarton battled to a scoreless tie against Chaminade, a team ranked as high as fourth in the nation, ultimately bringing the Green Wave to an undefeated record of 8-0-1 through the first nine games of the season.
The Green Wave then won the rest of their regular season conference games, sealing the NJAC title with an impressive 12-0 record and securing the number one seed in the Morris County Tournament. In the county tournament, Delbarton defeated Morris Hills 5-2, Morris Knolls 4-1, and Morristown 5-0, punching their ticket to the finals to face an undefeated Madison team. Despite a tight first half, the Green Wave sealed their third consecutive county championship with a commanding 5-1 victory over Madison, thanks to a hat-trick from Finals MVP Owen Miller and two goals from Morris County Tournament MVP Liam McElderry.
With their outstanding play, Delbarton secured a first-round bye as the number two seed in the competitive Non-Public A North NJSIAA Tournament, one of the toughest sections in the state. Facing a physical Don Bosco Prep squad in the quarterfinals, Delbarton maintained their composure and secured a 2-0 victory to move on to the semifinals. There, the Green Wave faced a formidable St. Peter’s Prep squad, the number three ranked team in the state, and shut out them out 1-0 to move on to the Non-Public A North Final. With St. Benedict’s Prep re-entering the NJSIAA State Tournament for the first time in thirty-three years, the Green Wave faced the number-one ranked team in the nation, and despite falling 4-0, the team fought valiantly and embodied the program ideals of discipline, accountability, teamwork, and growth throughout the entire season.
The team had various player accolades with eight all-county players and three all-state players. For Morris County, Liam McElderry, Brady Hyland, and Owen Miller were voted on the First Team, Ryan Zangara was placed on the Second Team, Matias Deicas-Sykora and Dylan Mazzarella were on the Third Team, and Henry Kovacs and Peter Lines were named as honorable mentions. For New Jersey, Owen Miller was named First Team All-State, and Liam McElderry and Brady Hyland made the Second Team. Beyond the state, Liam McElderry was named a United Soccer Coaches Regional and National All-American. Leading scorers for the team included junior Owen Miller with 20 goals and 10 assists, as well as senior captain Liam McElderry with 16 goals and 7 assists.
Despite the tough ending to the season, the team finished as the number two ranked team in the state according to NJ.com, and was ranked as high as tenth nationally. With many key players returning next season, the Green Wave looks ready to make some noise in 2025.
