BY: SEAN FARRELL – RECORD SPORTS
“Before we talk about that…”
Alessandro Barchi cuts himself off there.
Creative and explosive and every other adjective don’t begin to describe his budding soccer superstar.
To the Wallington coach, Nick Zielonka is still the bright student in his honors U.S. history class who sometimes doubles as the water boy.
Zielonka is among the most complete players in the game.
But off the field, it’s hard to tell.
“With the way he acts, you would think he’s the worst kid on the team,” Barchi said. “He’s the first one to grab the water cooler. He’s the first one to put away the balls and do all the work. If you just watched him without seeing him play, with the way he acts, he’s like one of those benchwarmers trying to earn their keep. That’s not the case.”
That attitude has served the Panthers’ sophomore well.
He is a magician on the ball, dangerous in space and effective even without much room.
This year, Zielonka has established himself as an elite offensive player with 17 goals and 12 assists going into Monday.
No one else in Bergen County ranks in the top ten in both categories.
His focus now is on bringing another state title back to the tiny borough with a huge passion for the World’s Game.
“We’re expecting to win it all,” Zielonka said.
Zielonka knows they can.
Like many in town, he followed the program as a little kid.
His bond with the Panthers grew by watching championship games of years past, by seeing his cousin play goalie, and by being the team ball boy in middle school.
His breakout year came last season.
An injury kept him out of the first seven games, yet he finished third on the team in goals.
An incredible rookie campaign turned bittersweet.
It ended in double overtime of the sectional final with a loss at home to No. 8 seeded Verona.
“It’s all we think about,” Zielonka said. “We just want to make up for that. Sometimes you’re sitting there like, I wish I would have given that extra bit.”
“Being that close and then watching them celebrate helps when you’re tired and have to run that extra mile,” Barchi said. “They know. In practice, when you don’t want to go that extra lap, they know.”
Zielonka came back stronger.
He became an even better playmaker with the touch of a finisher, a calm leader in times of trouble.
Wallington has gotten at least a point from Zielonka in all but three games this fall.
A balanced attack that also has Damian Zurawski, Derek Orjuela and Krystian Dziob makes life even easier.
“He has very good control of the ball,” Zurawski said. “He can distribute well. He has great vision so he knows where everyone is on the field.”
The NJIC Meadowlands race swung heavily in Wallington’s favor on a goal by Zielonka.
He kept his team alone in first place with a well-struck free kick against Becton last week.
As the state tournament approaches, Barchi and the Panthers are excited to know that their humble scorer is just getting better.
“To be this good as a sophomore is remarkable,” Barchi said. “It’s the way he carries himself and his demeanor and the way he’s mature. The fact that he is such a great person helps him put it together. Someone who doesn’t have the great upbringing or great parents can’t handle being that good and being a leader as a sophomore. He does a good job at it.”
