By Sean Farrell – Record Sports Department
Colonial Division
Elmwood Park
2018 record: 1-14-1
Players to watch: seniors Thomas Dimovski, Daniel Sarzynski and Michael Nowobilski, junior Mateusz Lyczko.
Outlook: The Crusaders could win a few games with the help of a returning goalie and an experienced defense. The rebuild will take some time for coach Marco Chung.
Garfield
2018 record: 7-9-1
Players to watch: seniors Nick Cardenas, Diego Vallejo, Kamil Stolarz and James Barrera.
Outlook: Garfield wants to vie for the league title after an uncharacteristic losing season. Its offense is directed by senior midfielder Gene Carlo Altamirano (7 goals, 10 assists), one of many four-year players.
Glen Rock
2018 record: 23-1-1
Players to watch: seniors Conor Daly, Ryan McCarthy, Koki Otsu and Oscar Horwitz.
Outlook: The Panthers are the defending champion in Bergen County, but most of the heroes are gone. Coach Casey Schick must replace seven starters and will lean on the playoff experience from last year’s state final run.
Hawthorne
2018 record: 8-9
Players to watch: seniors Kris Miller, Jason Melendez and Neal Mendez, sophomore Benett Megnin.
Outlook: Hawthorne will shoot for a winning record with six returning starters. The No. 1 scorer has graduated but the Bears are still strong up the middle and have a good group of seniors.
Lodi
2018 record: 7-11-2
Players to watch: seniors Jonathan Arias and Sebastian Velasquez, juniors Joshua Bueno and Samir Munenaka.
Outlook: The Rams hope to parlay their NJIC tournament championship into even better things in 2019. The lineup is experienced and senior-led.
Rutherford
2018 record: 12-4-3
Players to watch: senior Jason Alves, juniors Shane Kelly and Henry Gomes.
Outlook: Rutherford hopes a new goalie and rebuilt lineup can maintain the program’s level of success. That includes four straight seasons with 12 wins and a top-three finish in the Colonial.
Pompton Lakes
2018 record: 12-8-1
Players to watch: seniors Rigon Abedini, junior Jared Ekkers, Brennan Foster and Cade Goodwin.
Outlook: Pompton Lakes is one of the best small-school programs and has the potential for another winning season. While half the roster is new, coach Rob Edgar is pleased with his team’s commitment to getting better.
Manchester
2018 record: 5-14
Players to watch: seniors Albroz Aloush, Erce Savas and Jonathan Alvarez, junior Eliseo Arevalo.
Outlook: The Falcons could surprise some teams with almost all of the starting lineup intact. Last year was a step in the right direction, and the expectation now is a second straight trip to the state tournament.
Liberty Division
Bergen Charter
2018 record: 10-9-1
Players to watch: seniors Casper Pastula, Konrad Nowak and Osman Yigit, junior Angelo Janeta.
Outlook: The Yellow Jackets made program history a year ago with their first trip to the state tournament. Bergen Charter needs to replace seven starters, including in goal, but did keep some of its biggest pieces.
Leonia
2018 record: 4-15
Players to watch: seniors David Park, Nate Dizor and Brendan Russell, junior Jun Choi.
Outlook: Player development will be key for the Lions, who return six starters but lost a big senior class. Leonia is looking for its underclassmen to step up and grow from the varsity reps.
Lyndhurst
2018 record: 11-8
Players to watch: seniors Richard Alvarez and Tyler Liuzzi, juniors Bryan Cosman and Thomas Zurkowski.
Outlook: Coach Denis Jelcic is excited about this team with 10 starters back and a true star in midfielder Bryan Cosman. The Golden Bears could make a name for themselves and start challenging the top programs.
Ridgefield
2018 record: 1-17-1
Players to watch: seniors Gabriel Lana, Victor Sayde and Jong Hyeon Park, junior Matthew Lema.
Outlook: Ridgefield needs to rebuild the lineup but could take a step forward. The Royals have a few top players in the midfield and a good group of upperclassmen.
Secaucus
2018 record: 8-13
Players to watch: juniors Daniel Youn, Amine Ayoub and Ergen Banja, sophomore Alex Nguyen.
Outlook: The Patriots don’t have any seniors and will rebuild under coach Don Somerset. There is potential in the midfield and a strong desire to learn to reach expectations.
Meadowlands Division
Becton
2018 record: 9-9-2
Players to watch: seniors Andri Barrios, Ibrahim Regal and Luisrony Andrade, junior Manny Alvarez.
Outlook: Becton is pushing for a 10-win season and a home state tournament game. Despite losing a goalie and high-volume scorer, the Wildcats still have a solid group of upperclassmen to lean on.
Hasbrouck Heights
2018 record: 14-1-2
Players to watch: seniors Ryan Garden, Killian Turner, Mario Gomez and Victor Barris.
Outlook: Hasbrouck Heights has a deep roster with seven seniors who started for the league championship team last year. The question is how the offense will fare without senior academy star Emiland Elezaj.
North Arlington
2018 record: 10-9-2
Players to watch: senior Jaden Seguera, juniors Antonio Alho and Victor Batista, sophomore Ethan DeJesus.
Outlook: The Vikings will be in good shape if they can replace the top two scorers. The defense is stable and a lot of players are in their second or third year on the varsity level.
Saddle Brook
2018 record: 6-11-3
Players to watch: juniors Angelo D’Amore, Brandon Roldon, Ramo Cekic and Gabriel Mendoza.
Outlook: The Falcons lost a lot to graduation and lack depth as a Group 1 program. To remain competitive, Saddle Brook will need to stay healthy and outwork its opponents.
St. Mary
2018 record: 1-14
Players to watch: seniors Vincent Vargas, David Ortega and Jake McGovern, junior Samuel Diaz.
Outlook: The Gaels should be more competitive after returning the starting goalie and entire defense. Turnout has gone up, and the program might have a JV team for the first time in a while.
Paterson Charter
2018 record: 2-15-2
Players to watch: seniors Christopher Zuniga, Atilla Turkmen and Abrian Moran, junior Juan Uribe.
Outlook: The Lions could win a few games behind captain and three-year goalie Christopher Zuniga. Some experience in the midfield should help Paterson Charter overcome key graduation losses.
Wallington
2018 record: 16-4-2
Players to watch: seniors Nick Zielonka, Damian Zurawski and Joseph Tabaka, junior Omar Shaarawy.
Outlook: This is the year for Wallington to do something special. The Panthers will be state championship contenders with nine starters back, including two of North Jersey’s top scorers in Zielonka and Zurawski.
Weehawken
2018 record: 6-11-3
Players to watch: senior Ulises Isern, juniors Lucas Pardo-Rea, Sofian Rahhali and Miguel Torres.
Outlook: Coach Brian Fischer has his strongest offense ever, so the Indians could push toward .500. With an explosive forward in Lucas Pardo-Rea, there is some leeway for an entirely new defense.
Wood-Ridge
2018 record: 12-7-2
Players to watch: seniors Philip Iacovelli and Jason Lopez, juniors Marcus Benavides and Dillan Suelto.
Outlook: The Blue Devils want to elevate their play after winning 12 games and getting to the state second round. Wood-Ridge has started to close the gap between itself and the league favorites, and will gain more ground if scoring improves.
Patriot Division
Bogota
2018 record: 0-17-1
Players to watch: seniors Jonathan Duque, Omar Ebid, Sebastian Cabrera and Sebastian Martinez.
Outlook: The Bucs hope to snap a long winless drought and improve on defense.
Cresskill
2018 record: 14-6
Players to watch: seniors Jin Yoo and Gianpaolo Colannino, juniors Brandon Tilp and Robert Boiardi.
Outlook: The Cougars might have their strongest team in a while under new coach Tim Serbe. Goalie Gianpaolo Colannino is a force in net and leading scorer Conor Tobin will look to top a 19-goal season.
Emerson
2018 record: 6-13
Players to watch: seniors Patrick Plunkett, Danny Gordon and Eric Clouse, junior Eric Rausch.
Outlook: The future is bright for Emerson and new coach Rich Compagnone. The Cavos should get a boost from their sophomore class, which makes up about half the roster.
Hawthorne Christian
2018 record: 10-9
Players to watch: seniors Cole Foster, Shane Littel and JJ Jobson, junior Brian Sanchez.
Outlook: The Defenders consistently make the most of their resources and finish above .500. To reach its potential, Hawthorne Christian needs to develop scoring and be healthier than last season.
Park Ridge
2018 record: 19-3
Players to watch: seniors Bobby Ciarletta, Sebastian Leduc, Robert Nicolich and Wouter Schuitt.
Outlook: The Owls won the Patriot last year and have the depth to overcome important changes. Senior Nick Depasquale is a top-notch goalie and will help Park Ridge as it develops a new defense.
Waldwick
2018 record: 19-5-2
Players to watch: seniors Harry Durant and John McHugh, juniors Lucas Ruehlemann and Jagger da Silva.
Outlook: Last season, the Warriors won their fourth sectional title of the decade with a group of 14 seniors. There will be growing pains this year but Waldwick has upcoming talent and a winning tradition.
