WEST WINDSOR — After a two-year hiatus because of the coronavirus pandemic, the Colonial Valley Conference’s varsity boys’ soccer coaches, in cooperation with Ewing Sports, got the opportunity Wednesday night to resume their traditional postseason banquet at Mercer Oaks in which the coaches take time to honor their top picks for the league’s best players.
Considering Robbinsville High became the first CVC boys’ team to win a state title in nine seasons when it claimed the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletics Association Group III crown by tying West Morris Mendham, 1-1, then winning a penalty-kick shootout round, 4-2, back on Nov. 12 at Franklin High under New Jersey’s Coach of the Year Jeff Fisher, this seemed the perfect year to get back at it.
Atop the list of 56 players chosen by these coaches for All-CVC honors were seven players from the 18-4-1 Ravens as well as seven from 15-6-1 Hopewell Valley High, plus six from 16-4 Notre Dame High, which went undefeated in CVC play this fall.
For their efforts, R’ville’s Ronit Rijhwani was named as the Judge Al Cooper Goalkeeper of the Year, and Sean Smith was selected as the Bobby Smith Defender of the Year.
The Irish also had two big award winners as James Ferraro was picked as the Dom Stillitano Forward of the Year, which was presented to him by the award’s namesake, while head coach Bryan Fisher was selected by his peers to receive Glenn “Mooch” Myernick Coach of the Year honors.
Meanwhile, Steinert’s Anthony Durling was chosen as the Billy Gazonas Midfielder of the Year, making him the lone junior among the big award winners.
Two other seniors got special honors as Allentown High forward Jordan Duffy, who worked his way back from a car crash in his junior year, took home the Brian “Maynard” Welsh Award, and West Windsor-Plainsboro High South fullback Quinn Ferri, who missed this season with an injury, was the recipient of the Vince Palmer Award.
Here is a look at the rest of the 2022 Coaches’ All-CVC boys’ soccer selections:
First Team
Goalkeepers: Ronit Rijhwani (Robbinsville).
Defenders: Sean Smith (Robbinsville), Chris Turnbull (Hopewell Valley), Liam Gardiner (Steinert), Nicolas Matese (Princeton).
Midfielders: Anthony Durling (Steinert), Austin Warren (Hopewell Valley), Aidan Grund (WW-P South), Adrian Ivanov (Robbinsville), Ryan Watson (Notre Dame).
Forwards: James Ferraro (Notre Dame), Cade Maglione (Allentown), Allen Jarrin (Hightstown).
Second Team
Goalkeepers: Alex Szymanik (Hopewell Valley).
Defenders: Luigi Barricelli (Notre Dame), Carlton Cummings (WW-P South), Aidan Cutty (Nottingham), Nolan O’Grady (Robbinsville).
Midfielders: Tom Hooks (Hopewell Valley), Pablo Argueta (Notre Dame), Emanuel Noyola (Princeton), Julian Ramirez (Allentown), Erik Carchipulla (Heightstown).
Forwards: Bora Turker (Robbinsville), Chase Bolden (Ewing), David Ramos (Hopewell Valley).
Third Team
Goalkeepers: Aarya Patel (Allentown), Nick Genovesi (Ewing), Santino Panfili (Hamilton West).
Defenders: Jayce Pagano (Allentown), Aldo Branham (Hopewell Valley), Leo George (Princeton), Maddox Hoehne (Lawrence), Esteban Caicedo (Heightstown).
Midfielders: Robbie Yates (Ewing), Abraham Salama (Nottingham), Felipe Matar Grandi (Princeton), Alex Ivanov (Robbinsville), Nelson Guerra (Steinert), Nick Vernon (Steinert), Rory Grace (WW-P South), Daniel Pulido (WW-P South), Gideon Lubin (WW-P North), Bryan Blanco (Trenton), Jason Romero Silver (Lawrence).
Forwards: Ethan Johnson (Hamilton West), Joel Montalva (Hightstown), Alex Luedeke (Hopewell Valley), JP Colter (Notre Dame), Will Lynch (Notre Dame), Robert Addo (Nottingham), Nana Kofi Appiah (Robbinsville), Sylvester Harryson (Trenton), Praneel Pothukanuri (WW-P North).
Judge Al Cooper Goalkeeper of the Year: Ronit Rijhwani (Robbinsville).
Bobby Smith Defender of the Year: Sean Smith (Robbinsville).
Billy Gazonas Midfielder of the Year: Anthony Durling (Steinert).
Dom Stillitano Forward of the Year: James Ferraro (Notre Dame).
Glenn “Mooch” Myernick Coach of the Year: Bryan Fisher (Notre Dame).
Vince Palmer Award: Quinn Ferri (WW-P South).
Brian “Maynard” Welsh Award: Jordan Duffy (Allentown).
Media of the Year: Rich Fisher.
Referee of the Year: John Carmignani.