Optimism is high once again when the Bordentown Regional High School boys’ soccer team enters this season.
Bordentown’s 2018 season came to a close when the Scotties were eliminated from the South Jersey, Group 2 state sectional tournament’s semifinal round by Manasquan High School in double overtime, 1-0.
Bordentown finished with a 15-4-3 record and fifth-straight Burlington County Scholastic League Patriot Division title.
Coach Jason Zablow has his sights set on another promising year.
With a majority of his squad returning, Zablow predicted that a state sectional title this year is the goal.
“We talked at our end of the season meeting last year about setting goals for this year,” Zablow said. “We got of taste of what it was like to be successful and make a run into states past the first and second round, so the guys are hungry. We have been talking about our goal to get to a sectional final.”
As the Scotties look to return to their winning ways though, a successful 2019 season will not come without tough competition among their group and outside of the county league, according to the coach.
“We want to challenge the likes of Delran High School and Haddonfield Memorial High School. The Group 2, South Jersey section is loaded,” he said. “We are trying to compete. We are working hard, but we are not looking past our county teams, too. We want to win a Patriot Division title again for the fifth straight year. We have our goals set.”
Zablow said he will count on the likes of returning starters such as outside back Shane Ritter, center back Aiden Amankwah and forward Cam Schroeder.
Although the Scotties will miss forward Kevin Cryan, who graduated after he led the team with 14 goals, Zablow said that Ritter, last year’s assists leader, can have another big impact in the midfield with multiple other players.
The Bordentown coach said that Ritter can play an important role in adding depth to the center half of the pitch.
“Even with the graduation of a couple real talented midfielders, our midfield became deeper this year with the talent that we brought in by bringing up another back or allowing Shane Ritter to jump into the midfield. He is one of our more talented players,” he said. “Our midfield depth is going to allow us to be creative and try some different things out.”
As the Scotties prepare to get their year started, Zablow said he will see the potential of his squad once their regular schedule is under way.
“Once the games start and we begin competing, we will see how we fare,” he said. “I think we can be possibly more successful than last year, so we are seeing if we can out that to the test.”
Bordentown is set to kick off its 2019 season against Rancocas Valley Regional High School at home on Sept. 4 at 3:45 p.m.
