VOTE: Thrive Week 5 Boys Soccer Player of the Week

Each week, Shore Sports Network selects the top players in each Shore Conference boys soccer division and gives the Shore Conference fans a chance to vote for their pick as the overall Thrive Player of the Week.

Below are the Players of the Week from each of the six Shore Conference divisions, as well as three wild cards to push the list of nominees to eight players. With the Shore Conference Tournament in full swing, two wild cards was not enough to recognize a collection of players who showed out with so much on the line.

Vote for the top performer in the poll at the bottom of the post and come back every hour to vote again. The poll closes Thursday at 10 p.m. and the winner will receive a shirt and a free training session, courtesy of Thrive.

Class A North Player of the Week

Nick Turturro, Howell

Howell’s goal-scoring operation is operating at close to full efficiency during the Shore Conference Tournament and it’s no surprise Turturro is right in the middle of it. Last week, the junior forward scored two goals to with an assist in each of the Rebels’ two SCT wins – first over Manasquan and again against Ocean three days later.

Class A North Honorable Mention: Ryan Barnao, Middletown North; Dylan Millevoi, CBA; Arnav Bitla, Marlboro; Shawn McCann, Middletown South; Tyler Pylarinos, Manalapan; Victor Torres, Freehold Twp.; Tye Maser, Howell; Jon Luz, Manalapan

Class A Central Player of the Week

Stephan Kapranov, Holmdel

Holmdel is making its play for the Coaches Cup championship and Kapranov has been overwhelming the competition so far. He scored two goals and assisted the other two in a 4-0 win over Brick Memorial, then went for a goal and three assists in the Hornets’ 4-3 win over Lakewood on Saturday, giving him a piece of all eight Holmdel goals last week.

Class A Central Honorable Mention: Frankie Brusco, Holmdel; Padraig Flynn, Rumson-Fair Haven; Jake Petillo, Wall; Joey Ilvento, Shore; Dan Dougan, Red Bank; Carlos Guerra, Red Bank; Maxx Eichenbaum, Shore; Sean Burnett, Raritan

Class A South Player of the Week

Bobby Calvo, Toms River East

Toms River East caught fire leading into the Shore Conference Tournament and stayed hot once it started. Calvo was the Raiders’ star throughout the tournament, making a huge save to prevent a golden goal in the final minute at Central on Oct. 9, then making two clutch saves during the penalty shootout to pull the Raiders through to the next round. In a 1-0 loss to Middletown North, Calvo stood on his head to make 11 saves, which was nearly enough to keep the Raiders going.

Class A South Honorable Mention: Anthony Ruggiero, Toms River North; Jack Smyth, Toms River East; Peyton Collimore, Jackson Memorial; Kenny Caruso, Toms River South; Nick Prosperi, Southern

Class B North Player of the Week

Zach Frabizio, Ocean

Tournament time is a keeper’s time to shine and just like Calvo did for Toms River East, Frabizio came through for Ocean when the Spartans needed him. The senior goalkeeper held Manalapan off the board for the final 80 minutes in the SCT round of 16, then saved three penalty kicks during the shootout to send Ocean to the SCT quarterfinals.

Class B North Honorable Mention: Chris Garcia-Lopez, Long Branch; Brandon Kunz, Manasquan; Cristian Gonzalez, Manasquan; Nico Skeete, Matawan

Class B Central Player of the Week

Diego Nieves, St. Rose

St. Rose is in the midst of what could very well be its best season since winning the NJSIAA Non-Public B championship in 2010 and this past week, the Purple Roses made it to the SCT quarterfinals for the first time since 2009. St. Rose took down Toms River South to get there and it was Nieves who jumpstarted the scoring with the game’s first goal, followed by his usual poise and control in the middle of the field throughout that match, as well as in a 1-0 loss at Toms River North on Saturday.

Class B Central Honorable Mention: Landon Hoberman, Point Beach; Anthony Marano, St. John Vianney; Tyler Yang, Ranney; Jack Tiernan, St. Rose; Dylan Gonzalez, Henry Hudson

Class B South Player of the Week

Mateusz Torba, Brick

Brick made an eye-opening run in the Coaches Cup with wins over both Keyport and Raritan to make it to the tournament quarterfinals. Torba was the goal-scoring star for the Green Dragons, scoring twice in a 5-1 win over Keyport, the recording his first career hat trick in a 3-2 win over a Raritan side that as seeded No. 4 in the tournament entered the game on a four-game winning streak.

Class B South Honorable Mention: Jose Oliva, Lakewood; Matt Sisco, Pinelands; Dan Eberlin, Pinelands; Noah Riley, Lacey; Steven Aguilar, Lakewood; Devin Baldwin, Brick; Joey Kurak, Manchester; Anderson Ordoñez-Mejia, Manchester; Julian Marfino, Barnegat

Wild Cards

Ryan Barnao, Middletown North

A back injury has limited Barnao for most of the season, but he rejoined the Lions starting lineup for regular minutes beginning with a game vs. Neptune on Oct. 7. That gave him a chance to enter the SCT ready to help lead the Lions back to the tournament semifinals and he has delivered. Barnao scored two goals in a 5-0 win over Monmouth, then did it again in a 2-1 road win over fifth-seeded Southern. The junior center back capped his standout week by leading a defensive effort that shut down a red-hot Toms River East team in a 1-0 Middletown North win in the SCT quarterfinals.

Arnav Bitla, Marlboro

No goalkeeper had a tougher assignment last week than Bitla, who conceded two goals in just under 194 minutes. Bitla authored a shutout in a 0-0 draw vs. Long Branch Wednesday in the SCT round of 16, then saved three Green Wave shots during the shootout to push the Mustangs through to the quarterfinals. Two days later, he baffled top-seeded CBA through the overtime match and it took two clinical finishes by All-Shore forward Dylan Millevoi for the Colts to survive Bitla and Marlboro, 2-1, in overtime.

Dylan Millevoi, CBA

Speaking of Millevoi, CBA’s top scorer deserves more recognition for his clutch play last week. The senior stepped up to score the equalizer vs. Marlboro in the 52nd minute of the Colts’ quarterfinal classic against the Mustangs, then he won it with a header in the 94th. The second goal also came with Colts standout midfielder Dimitry Corba off the field with a knee injury and CBA needing someone to step up in order to avoid a penalty shootout.