Boys soccer: Latest North Jersey rankings, picks for Bergen and Passaic county finals
Dave Fitzmaurice once ran the offense on Ramapo's first state championship team.
On Saturday, he'll take a seat in the stands with a throng of other nervous parents.
His sons Andrew and James are starting for the same team and the same coach more than three decades later. Andrew is a senior left back who took the same number (6) as the family patriarch. James is a sophomore midfielder who adopted his dad's position.
Both will be counted on this weekend when the Raiders battle Ramsey in the Bergen County boys soccer final.
"They are just fantastic kids who are students of the game like their dad," said coach Evan Baumgarten, now in his 38th season at Ramapo. "Their dad was very smart on and off the field. Both of them are the same."
Saturday's title game is a chance to add another chapter to the Wyckoff family legacy. One built by Dave Fitzmaurice, an All-American at Ramapo ('92) who went on to win three national titles at the University of Virginia.
Baumgarten laughs that he's mellowed out a bit since going from Gen X to Gen Z players, and from the natural grass of the 1990s to the turf used today.
What hasn't changed is the quality on the field and the man calling the shots.
"It's an honor to play for such a prestigious program and a great coach who's been here for so long," said Andrew, whose mom was on the tennis team at Ramapo. "It's a great experience."
This is the second varsity season for both Fitzmaurice brothers. Andrew is one of three newcomers on defense along with Jake Weis, Jake Kramer and incumbent starter Jacob Marcos.
"I think he's a really good defender 1-on-1," James said. "He can take people on and he can also keep the ball pretty well."
Andrew cites his brother's awareness as a key strength.
"He always knows where the defenders are and where everyone else is," the senior said. "That's really important as a centermid."
Top 25 rankings
Ramsey 14-0-1
Bergen Catholic 12-1-2
Clifton 11-1-1
Ramapo 11-2
Don Bosco 8-4-1
Tenafly 10-2-2
Pompton Lakes 11-1-2
Old Tappan 10-4
Garfield 11-1
DePaul 8-2-2
Cliffside Park 10-1-2
Demarest 6-5-2
Glen Rock 8-3-1
Waldwick 11-3
Ridgewood 8-4
Wayne Valley 10-3
Passaic Tech 11-4
Pascack Valley 7-5-2
Dwight-Englewood 10-4
Lakeland 12-3-1
Bergenfield 9-7
Northern Highlands 8-7
Wayne Hills 6-6-1
Rutherford 7-5
Wallington 10-6
(Records through Tuesday.)
Bergen County final
No. 5 Ramsey vs. No. 6 Ramapo
6 p.m. Saturday at Indian Hills
The road: The Rams clinched a spot in the semifinals by blanking Paramus and returning finalist Ridgewood. Luke Ernst pushed them a step further on Sunday, scoring a late goal to lift Ramsey past top seed Bergen Catholic, 1-0. Ramapo relied on a similar formula, shutting out Garfield (2-0), Old Tappan (1-0) and Don Bosco (1-0). Damian DiLisio set up the winner in the quarters and sent Don Bosco home with a free kick in the 78th minute.
Last title: Ramapo (2022), Ramsey (never).
Storyline: Ramapo beat Ramsey, 1-0, in the 2021 final and blew out Ridgewood in the same round last year for a record 15th title. Senior goalie Antonio Spina now has the Raiders back on the big stage with five clean sheets in the last six games.
The challenge for Ramapo will be breaking down the top defense in North Jersey. Senior centerback Patrick Weir has done a remarkable job for the Rams, scoring eight goals and leading a backline that's only conceded five. Ernst and goalie Steven DePinto will be other X-factors for Ramsey in the program's fifth trip to the final.
The Rams didn't have a ton of possession on Sunday against Bergen Catholic, but showed a bend-but-don't-break quality with a 3-6-1 formation. Will it work one more time against a well-oiled Ramapo machine?
The pick: Ramsey
Passaic County final
No. 1 Clifton vs. No. 7 Wayne Valley
3:30 p.m. Saturday at Clifton Stadium
The road: Clifton advanced to the quarterfinals with a bye, then rolled past Manchester (4-0) and Pompton Lakes (4-1). Wayne Valley opened up by beating Hawthorne (2-0), then upset second-seeded Lakeland (3-0) to avenge a regular season loss. The Indians went across town on Saturday and beat No. 3 Passaic Tech, 2-1, in the semifinals.
Last title: Clifton (2021), Wayne Valley (2009).
Storyline: Clifton is looking to win the Passaic County title for the third time in four tournaments after falling to Kennedy in the final last October. The Mustangs brought back 20 varsity players from that run and continue to fire on all cylinders as the top team in the Big North Liberty. Senior Cameron Zutic has seven shutouts and seniors Alex Fiedoruk and Vitalii Datsyk have sparked an offense that's averaging 3.46 goals per game.
Wayne Valley has looked like a completely different team this month after starting 3-3. The Indians have reeled off seven straight wins since then with only two goals allowed during that streak. Senior Dominic Valenzuela has broken out with a team-high 12 goals and sophomore Sebastian Sianozecki has morphed into one of the top young goalies. No one seeded outside the top five has won this tournament in more than 30 years, but that could change on Saturday.
The pick: Clifton
News and notes
Saturday was a milestone day for Wood-Ridge (11-6-1) and coach Alberico De Pierro. Both earned their 100th win with the Blue Devils defeating Bayonne, 5-2, in Wood-Ridge. DePierro is the only coach in program history after launching the varsity team in 2014 following its split with Hasbrouck Heights. Senior Brian Harasek scored twice against the Bees and senior Salvatore Catanzaro added another goal to his school career record.
Congratulations to Coach Alberico DePierro and the Boys Soccer Team on earning the programs 100th victory. Coach DePierro has led the Blue Devils since the inception of the program in 2013.Congrats to all players both past and present and Congrats to Coach DePierro @woodridgeMSOC pic.twitter.com/FgU3yJ2xt4
— Wood-Ridge Athletics (@woodridgehs) October 14, 2023
Eastern Christian (8-6) has doubled its win total this season under Rich Troast. Seniors Manny Lazor and Lucas Genuario have provided an effective scoring tandem with 20 goals between them, while freshman Joseph Virga has gained confidence as a rare rookie goalie. Troast sees the development of centerbacks Lukas Faasse and James Wiegers as another reason why the Eagles have a chance at their first winning season since since 2018.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: NJ boys soccer: Rankings, picks for Bergen and Passaic county finals
