The 2017 boys’ soccer season produced another winning record at Old Bridge High School.
And the 12-10 finish featured an appearance in the semifinal round of the Greater Middlesex Conference semifinals. Old Bridge also qualified for the Central Jersey, Group 4 state sectional tournament where the Knights were eliminated in the opening round.
It was a successful season by coach Chris McGrath’s standards.
“Going 12-10 matched the year before,” McGrath said. “That was a pleasant surprise because most would agree we had more talent two years ago than last year.”
Old Bridge will need another pleasant surprise in 2018 since the Knights return just two starters.
“Relative to years gone by, it’s the fewest number of guys I’m bringing back,” said McGrath, who is entering his 13th season as Old Bridge’s coach. “The average team has 20 players. I got to find 14 bodies who have never kicked a varsity ball.”
The returning starters are senior defender Josh DeWitt and senior midfielder Antonio Andre.
DeWitt anchored the center of Old Bridge’s back line last fall, while Andre played either next to him or up in the midfield. Both should play the same roles in 2018. That will likely be the only constant for the 2018 Knights.
“They are good athletes. Josh is a state champion volleyball player. Antonio plays on a high level travel team. I expect big things out of both of them,” McGrath said. “But they were surrounded by seniors last year.”
DeWitt was a key player when Old Bridge defeated Southern Regional High School to win the boys’ volleyball state tournament championship match in June. That was Old Bridge’s first state boys’ volleyball title.
The rest of the boys’ soccer lineup and varsity roster will be a chemistry experiment for McGrath.
“It’s an opportunity. Kids are going to have to step up to the plate. A lot of young kids will play. It will be a baptism by fire. It’s going to be a challenge. High school soccer is always about making the best jigsaw puzzle you can,” McGrath said. “That’s part of the process. We have some time on our side, including five scrimmages, to do some experimenting. Sometimes you have to change the style of the game to fit the players you have, and this year we have different sets of tools.”
This does not mean there aren’t young players who excite McGrath. There are plenty.
Goalkeeper Eric Siciliano, a big, strong, confident player with quick reflexes, seems like a potential standout. Junior Alex Park can play anywhere on the field.
Sophomore Nick Medeiros, a “super fast athlete,” McGrath said, ran on Old Bridge’s track team last year. Adam Meliani and Tshonbe Austin both came off the bench to provide offense. McGrath will depend on all three to score this year.
But the coach is especially excited about the guy who will be preventing goals.
“Eric has a good set of tools to succeed at his position. You need to have a strut in your step to do well,” McGrath said. “He’s tall. He’s brave. He’s a good shot stopper. That’s all important.”
Old Bridge has potential. It’s just hard to forecast potential. But even though expectations are modest, McGrath says the goal for this team will be no different than the goal for every Old Bridge team.
“We start with an optimistic outlook and try to improve on the year before. That’s always the goal,” McGrath said. “So we have to get back to that semifinal and try to win it, not lose it.”
