CBA boys soccer captures second straight, 12th overall Shore Conference Tournament title
NEPTUNE – Christian Brothers Academy had a bucket of cold water dumped on itself on the first day of the season. An overtime loss to Marlboro was a shock to the system.
As down as the Colts were on that day, they kept at it. They won their next game and the next before taking down South Jersey powerhouse Delran.
By that point, the Colts realized that maybe something special was brewing. That Opening Day loss was perhaps a fluke.
CBA proved it was on Saturday night.
The top-seeded Colts weathered a late goal and survived 2-1 against No. 2 Howell in the Shore Conference Tournament final.
For CBA (15-1), it was the second consecutive conference title and 12th overall, the most of any team in the Shore Conference.
“It wasn’t handed to us. We definitely had to work,” CBA senior Lawrence Mancino said. “The first game of the season, we definitely had a quick realization that we have to work for what we want, and we have to persevere through a lot of things.”
The win against Delran was eye-opening. It’s what made this run possible.
“We looked at each other and said, ‘I think we’re pretty good,’” CBA head coach Tom Mulligan said. “I think the confidence took some time to be established and once we established our confidence, we never looked back.”
Second half action
The Colts have played a number of one-goal contests, some going to overtime. They needed a clutch Jack D’Eletto goal in the 78th minute in the semifinals just to advance. So went the Colts scored two quick second half goals, it was a relief.
CBA broke through in the 45th minute. Dylan Millevoi sent a perfect cross into the box, and Cameron D’Alterio, who headed it in for the goal.
It was an interesting moment for D’Alterio, who is from Howell and knows the players well.
“It’s a weird feeling,” D’Alterio said. “I grew up playing club with them, so I also told my team how they play. It actually helped us.”
CBA doubled its lead on another fantastic play. Howell cleared a header by Max Koczan, but the ball ended at the feet of Mancino. He sent a laser into the net in the 61st as CBA took a 2-0 lead.
While the two-goal advantage was great, it was short-lived. Howell cut its deficit in half four minutes later when RJ Eckelman headed in a corner kick from Nick Spisack.
From there, CBA had to refocus and keep the Rebels out of the net.
“Once they scored that header, it was definitely a quick change,” Mancino said. “We got rick back into it and realized the game’s not over. We still have 15, 10 more minutes, so we can’t doze off. We have to always stay in it.”
Resiliency
CBA made this run without one of its star players, Will Thygeson. The speedy senior forward has been out since the Colts’ conference second round game with a nagging hamstring injury. He did not play in the final.
While no team would have pity on a routinely loaded CBA squad, the Colts still needed to look to unlikely heroes to win the title.
“Our team has been very resilient all year, just like that Howell group. Those Howell kids were tough,” Mulligan said. “They’re heavyweight fights, you’re going to go blow for blow. Fortunately, we ended up with more goals tonight.”
Boys soccer SCT finals history
2022 -- CBA 2, Howell 1
2021 -- CBA 3, Toms River North 0
2020 -- Tournament canceled due to COVID-19
2019 -- Freehold Township 2, Manasquan 2 (FT 4-3 on PK's)
2018 -- Ocean Township 1, CBA 0
2017 -- Holmdel 7, Ocean Township 1
2016 -- CBA 2, Marlboro 0
2015 -- CBA 2, Ocean Township 0
2014 -- Freehold Township 2, Wall 1
2013 -- Manalapan 2, Rumson-Fair Haven 1
2012 -- Ocean Township 2, Holmdel 0
2011 -- CBA 4, Holmdel 0
2010 -- CBA 3, Toms River North 0
2009 -- Marlboro 2, CBA 1
2008 -- Freehold Township 3, Marlboro 1
2007 -- Howell 1, Manalapan 0
2006 -- Manalapan 4, Toms River East 2
2005 -- Toms River North 3, Ocean Township 1
2004 -- CBA 2, Toms River North 0
2003 -- Toms River North 5, Middletown South 2
2002 -- Monsignor Donovan 3, Brick Memorial 1
2001 -- Ocean Township 3, Colts Neck 0
2000 -- Manalapan 8, Ocean Township 0
1999 -- Toms River North 3, Neptune 0
1998 -- CBA 3, Neptune 1
1997 -- Brick Memorial 1, Ocean Township 0
1996 -- Brick Memorial 2, Middletown North 0
1995 -- Ocean Township 3, Toms River East 0
1994 -- Ocean Township 1, Shore 0
1993 -- CBA 2, Raritan 0
1992 -- Jackson 2, Wall 1
1991 -- Jackson 3, Toms River South 2
1990 -- Jackson 3, Brick Township 1
1989 -- Jackson 2, Wall 1
1988 -- CBA 0, Jackson 0 (co-champions)
1987 -- Brick Memorial 0, Freehold Township 0 (co-champions)
1986 -- Jackson 3, Toms River East 1
1985 -- CBA 1, Raritan 0
1984 -- CBA 4, Toms River North 0
Danny LoGiudice has covered local sports across New Jersey since 2014. Contact him at dlogiudice@gannettnj.com or @danny_logiudice on Twitter.
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Shore Conference NJ boys soccer: CBA wins 12th SCT crown
