Soccer team aims to be competitive

The Vernon Township High School boys soccer team faces unrelenting competition this season.

The Vikings have been preparing with preseason scrimmages and practices.

The team is scheduled to begin the regular season at Newton at 4 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 4. The home opener is at 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 7 against High Point.

“Goals for this year include qualifying for the (New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association) States, winning a game in the Hunterdon/Warren/Sussex Tournament and being competitive in our division,’’ head coach Joseph Jones said.

Senior Kyle Mangone, a forward, and junior Ty Mountain, a back, are two of the top players this year.

The Vikings feature a host of key newcomers, including seniors Michael Onysko-Koch (midfield), Darius Ziabakhsh (midfield), Ayden Mora (midfield), Jade Obrotka (midfield), Will Budden (forward) and Dax Lewicki (forward); juniors Ethan Jones (goal keeper), Robert Burdzy (midfield), Kevin DeStani (back) and Mason Heilmann (back); sophomores Robert Vazquez (midfield), Chris Perrotta (midfield), Matt Rugel (back) and Jean Arrazola (back); and freshmen Kaden Gibson (forward), Marcus Arias (back) and Haven Delehanty (back).

Dependable leadership will be important for the Vikings this fall.

“The team leaders and captains are Ty Mountain and Kyle Mangone,’’ Jones said. “They are expected to lead the team both on and off the pitch.

“They are asked to be the communicators between the staff and the players and to organize and delegate team responsibilities and serve as representatives of the team in the community.’’

Vernon’s overall record last year was 4-11-2 and 1-8-1 in the division.

This season, the Vikings play in the Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference Freedom Division along with High Point, Dover, Hackettstown, Jefferson and Newton.

Jones believes that each team in the Freedom Division presents a difficult challenge on the field.

“While we are in somewhat of a rebuild this year, I still fully expect us to be competitive in our division,’’ he said.