The 2024 FTHS Boys Soccer team, led by coach Michael Tepedino, recently concluded their long season. The team finished 6-13-2, going 2-3-2 in conference play. The conference record was an improvement from the 2023 season, where they went 1-5.
The Patriots started the season off by losing five straight games, dropping to 0-5. The opponents they lost to during the span of September 4-14 included Southern, at Marlboro, at Colts Neck, at Manalapan, and at Toms River South. They did not score a goal until their final loss of the stretch against Toms River South, as senior Michael Gorman gave the Patriots an early 1-0 lead in the game. Up to that point, they had allowed 11 goals. Despite the stretch, the defense looked strong, as the Patriots only allowed no more than three goals in each game.
On a higher note, the team finished September strong. They tied Wall at 0 on September 17 and recorded their first win of the season at Trenton four days later. Following that, they also won their first home game of the season on September 25 against St. Rose. During this span, senior Sean Sparks led the team with 4 goals. Other scorers include junior Bobby Lockard (1 goal), senior Vin Brando (2 goals), and senior Peter DeSantis (1 goal). Senior goalie Klaud Martyna recorded 46 saves during the month, with his most in a game being 11 during the season-opener.
Things were looking promising for the Patriots to begin the month of October. They had won 4 of 6 between September 21 and October 9. They tied Middletown South at 0, lost to Scotch Plains-Fanwood, and won against Matawan to record their first conference win of the season. They also won on the road against Point Pleasant Beach. The second win would prove to be a big one, as PPBHS went on to finish 12-7 (4-1 SCT) at the end of the season. Goals came from junior Gabe Bormolini, Sparks, and sophomore Greyson Fitch. Martyna recorded three saves on the day. The Patriots’ record was 4-6-2, as they looked to turn their season around for a strong SCT run.
Unfortunately, things came to a grinding halt later that month. The Patriots lost five straight again, including games vs. Toms River North, at Colts Neck, vs. Jackson Memorial, at Manalapan, and at Toms River East. Senior Brandon Cooperman was the only scorer during that time frame, scoring one goal in the 2-1 Manalapan loss on the road. They had allowed 9 goals, with the most in a game being 4 against Colts Neck.
It was not all doom and gloom to end the season, though. The team won two of their last three games to give the fans something to cheer about. Their sole loss came against Rumson-Fair Haven 3-1 on the road on October 28. They defeated Middletown North on the road 1-0 on October 26, thanks to a goal from Sparks. Additionally, the Patriots secured a Halloween dub on the final day of the regular season against Irvington, 4-0. This tied Trenton for their largest victory of the season, as senior Julian Santos recorded two goals. Gorman and senior Shireef Moharm tallied one goal each in the shutout. This was a great way to motivate the team, as the teams they beat to end the season finished with records of .500 or better overall (Irvington was 11-8-1, Midd North was 9-9). Irvington had a winning conference record at 3-2, while Midd North went 2-4 in conference play.
The season ended officially when the Patriots lost in the SCT’s first round to Monroe, 3-0, on November 5.
For 2025, as the seniors begin college, the Patriots are committed to setting goals for the upcoming season. They will train hard, and find ways to improve as a team on offense while continuing to maintain a strong defense. They are looking to advance further in the SCT, eventually to the point where they achieve a long-awaited, well-deserved championship. If we all want the boys to improve next season, we must go out, support, and most importantly, stay classy! Let’s go Patriots!
