Surf Taco Week 7 Boys Soccer Team of the Week: CBA
The first ever Shore Conference Tournament in boys soccer was played in the fall of 1984 and two years later, Christian Brothers Academy was the two-time defending champion after winning each of the first two tournaments conducted.
CBA failed to reach the championship game the following year and since giving itself a chance to win three consecutive championships right from the inception of the tournament, the Colts spent the next 36 years without winning three championships in a row -- despite racking up a record 12 championships between 1984 and 2022.
This past Saturday, the Colts joined Jackson Memorial as one of only two teams to win at least three Shore Conference Tournament championships in a row, doing so 31 years after Jackson Memorial won the last of its fifth consecutive championships.
It is rare for a program as decorated as CBA's soccer program to accomplish something it never has, but that is exactly what the Colts have done. In light of that historic accomplishment for a historically good program, CBA is the Week 7 Surf Taco Team of the Week.
For the second consecutive year, CBA had to finish off its SCT championship run while playing without a key starter due to injury. Last year, it was Shore Sports Network Player of the Year Will Thygeson. This year, it was 2022 All-Shore midfielder Dimitry Corba, who missed both the semifinal vs. Middletown North and the championship game vs. Howell.
From the time Corba exited CBA's quarterfinal win over Marlboro late in regulation, the Colts went the next 180-plus minutes without allowing a goal, including shutouts against both Middletown North and Howell in the final two rounds.
As for the scoring, the Colts got it from all angles. After senior and leading scorer Dylan Millevoi scored the golden goal to beat Marlboro in the quarterfinals on Oct. 13, CBA had three different scorers the rest of the way.
Senior center back Christian DeOliveira headed in a service from fellow senior defender Sean Galvin for the lone goal in a 1-0 win over Middletown North. In the final, senior John Gambale buried a shot to open the scoring and junior Brayden Perry put the game on ice with a second-half goal.
After successfully defending its Shore Conference Tournament championship, CBA will now try to do the same in the NJSIAA Tournament. The Non-Public A playoffs represent a chance for CBA to win consecutive overall state championships for the first time in program history.
2023 Surf Taco Boys Soccer Team of the Week Winners
Week 1: Central
Week 2: Colts Neck
Week 3: Howell
Week 4: St. Rose
Week 5: Middletown South
Week 6: Middletown North
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