Boys Soccer – Vote: Week 8 Player of the Week

Throughout the season, Shore Sports Network readers have been voting on the SSN Player of the Week and this week’s installment will be the penultimate vote of the 2017 campaign. This list of condidates includes six divisional players of the week and three wild cards – one more than usual – who all turned in standout performances during the first week of the NJSIAA Tournament.

Take a look at the nine candidates below and vote early and often over the next 24 hours to pick a winner. Voting ends at noon on Tuesday.

Class A North Player of the Week

Jason Tango, Howell

The Rebels picked up a thrilling, 3-2 road win over Eastern in the first round of the NJSIAA South Jersey Group IV Tournament behind a big effort from Tango. The junior pushed up out of the back to score two goals, including the golden goal in overtime.

A North Honorable Mention: Jake Brower, Freehold Boro; Alex Langa, Freehold Twp.

Class A Central Player of the Week

Jeremy Nives, Rumson-Fair Haven

Rumson entered the NJSIAA Tournament in a minor scoring rut, but Nives has pulled the Bulldogs out of it. The junior midfielder has scored five of Rumson’s eight goals in their two tournament wins over Hillside and Raritan, including a hat trick in the first-round win over Hillside.

A Central Honorable Mention: Justin McStay, Holmdel; Griffin Hayward, Matawan; Anthony Sparacino, Raritan; Kieran Kane, St. John Vianney; Leonardo Montesinos, Shore; Owen Greengrove, Rumson-Fair Haven

Class A South Player of the Week

Nico Leonard, Southern

It appears as though the future is bright at Southern with the way a number of its underclassmen have stepped up, particularly Leonard last week. The freshman scored two goals in a 3-2 win over Williamstown in the South Jersey Group IV first round and scored the lone goal in a 2-1 loss to Shawnee on Friday.

A South Honorable Mention: Shane Kluxen, Toms River South; Clem Slavick, Toms River South; Trevor Zabilowicz, Toms River East

Class B North Player of the Week

Liam McGregor, Middletown North

One of two Shore Conference players to score five goals in two tournament rounds, McGregor went off for three first-half goals in a 5-1 win over Orange during the North Jersey Section 2 Group III first round and scored two in a losing effort against top-seeded Mendham which had to rally from two one-goal deficits to beat the Lions.

B North Honorable Mention: Santieno Harding, Ocean; Renan Azevedo, Long Branch; Riley Powers, Wall; Brian Waltsak, Monmouth

Class B Central Player of the Week

Davensky JoinVilmar, Asbury Park

JoinVilmar has made the Central Jersey Group I playoffs his personal playground. The senior scored a goal in a hard-fought win over Riverside in the opening round and racked up three goals and three assists in a 9-2 rout of South Amboy.

B Central Honorable Mention: Luckenson Joseph, Asbury Park; Christian Bodine, St. Rose; Ethan Bodine, St. Rose; Brandon Thomas, Ranney

Class B South Player of the Week

Aniello Lubrano, Pinelands

With eight goals in two games, Pinelands and its balanced attack have been on full display during the NJSIAA Tournament. Lubrano gets the nod as the Player of the Week with a goal in each of his team’s two wins over Gloucester Tech and Winslow while also adding an assist in the wild 5-4 win over Winslow in the sectional quarterfinals.

B South Honorable Mention: Cory Branz, Barnegat; Kieran Sundermann, Pinelands; Jake Brzyski, Point Boro; Riley Hunt, Lacey; E.J. Lucas, Donovan Catholic

Wild Cards

Alex Langa, Freehold Twp.

Freehold Township exploded for six goals in an opening-round win over Sayreville and Langa took care of three of them. The senior was one of five Shore Conference players to record a hat trick in the opening round of the tournament and six over the first two rounds of the tournament.

Renan Azevedo, Long Branch

Azevedo opened the season with a hat trick in an opening-day win over Red Bank and struck for three goals in the Green Wave’s final win of the season – a 3-2 road win over Mercer County Tournament finalist West Windsor-Plainsboro South in the Central Jersey Group IV first round.

Justin McStay, Holmdel

Holmdel has continued its breakneck scoring pace into the state tournament with 16 goals in its first two wins. McStay led the 10-0 first-round blowout with a hat trick and added a goal and an assist in a 6-1 win over A.L. Johnson on Friday in the quarterfinals.