<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=1TGJH0_0vj9jhh500" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1TGJH0_0vj9jhh500" width="800" height="653" ></figure>As an assistant coach at Belleville for the past seven years, new boys soccer head coach Joseph Pontoriero saw firsthand the potential of this group of seniors.“I saw these kids growing and I knew coming into this season that the 12 seniors that we had, that this was going to be a team, that we would have a chance to kind of do something and make a run possibly in the counties of the states,” said Pontoriero. “These kids worked hard in the off season. They all played on the same club team, and they’re a good group of guys. They’re coachable. They’ve been with us since day one and I’ve seen them grow and mature and I knew right off the bat that coming in that these kids were going to be something special.Through the first three weeks of the season, Pontoriero’s belief has been on point. Belleville has started the season with an impressive 6-1-1 record, the lone loss, a 2-1 game against a West Orange team currently ranked No. 12 in the state.“I saw from Day one against Newark Academy that we would have no problem competing, and they’ve stayed true to that,” Pontoriero said. “They’ve kept their heads for the most part. We said we need to win the mental game as well.It was a concern going into the season, but then once I saw them playing against Newark Academy, I knew for sure they’re 100% committed. They bought into what we do. They’ve executed our game plans perfectly.The focus has been on one thing and that’s winning games.”That maturity has been especially evident on the defensive end for the Buccaneers.Leading that defense and its old-school diamond formation is Jhon Mendez at sweeper. The 6-foot-3 junior has already established himself as one of the top defenders in the state.“He’s got the size, he’s got the skill, he’s got all the tools. He’s definitely our anchor back there,” said Pontoriero. “He’s a guy that’s on everyone’s radar. Our focus is how do we get the ball through him so that we’re not getting beat out wide. Because once it comes through the middle, Jhon’s going to swallow it up. “Two veteran seniors man the outside back spots in Connor Egovail, a returning starter, and Kevin Chumbimune, who previously started as the stopper spot at the top of the defense. The move has opened up the stopper role for senior Raul Pineda.Another player who has changed positions for this season is senior Eric Castillo, who was the team’s second leading goal scorer last year with nine. This fall, Castillo has shifted from attacker to a holding midfielder.“His vision on the field is so huge that pushing him up in the center mid with Nico (Bustios) is when we’re at our best,” Pontoriero said. “But Eric has more of a center defense and midfield role.”Bustios, a senior, leads Belleville in assists with seven to go with a pair of goals on the year. Both Bustios and Castillo are captains for the Bucs.Freshman Leo Vergara has also been pressed in a role there due to injuries and has shown why he has the tools to be a big-time player in the future, recording three assistsSenior Wilberto Solorzano, a three-year starter and sophomore Michael Rivera are the starters on the outside.Belleville’s fortunes took a dramatic turn when it learned junior Sebastian Sierra was returning after playing club soccer last year. The striker leads the team in scoring with six goals and two assists.“Sebastian, he’s just a motor. He’s nonstop,” said Pontoriero. “He goes for every ball hard. He’s constantly in the challenge of defenders. He makes it difficult, he makes their job difficult there. The center back doesn’t have time to have the ball on his feet and make a decision because Sebastian’s always there. It’s been huge for us to get him involved more.”Also up top is junior Uriah Vergara, who was the team’s leading scorer last year and has four goals with two assists this season.Sophomore Nicholas Cooper has been the primary keeper and was off to a stellar start with two shutouts before getting injured. With backup Justin Valenzuela also injured, Belleville turned to senior midfielder Charlie Chabla in goal. Chabla has hit the ground running with consecutive shutouts over Caldwell and Technology.In addition to Chabla, seniors Xavier Pitti and Jorge Carrion provide added depth in the midfield as well as Kevin Escobar.Escobar and junior Ralby Nunez are also vying for time on defense, while freshman Santiago Flores and junior Marco Salomone are seeing minutes at striker.Pontoriero has made it a point to consistently challenge his team this season and on Saturday at 1 pm, the Bucs will face by far its great challenge when it hosts the legendary St. Benedict’s program currently ranked No. 5 in the country. Before that are division games with rival Nutley (Sept. 24) and Verona (Sept. 26) as it not only takes aim at a SEC Colonial Division title, but also making a deeper run in the county and state tournaments than it has in years.“I’m expecting to have a high seed this year (in the Essex County Tournament), probably the highest we’ve ever had just because of the teams we beat,” Pontoriero said. “If we can make it to a quarter final, maybe upset somebody, that’d be great. There’s so many teams that we can run into that can give us some trouble, but I think we can compete with the best. They’ve had a schedule that’ll prepare them for it and then we just got to see what happens.”<h2>Learn more about the writer ...</h2>Jason Bernstein | Observer Sports WriterJason Bernstein joined The Observer as its sports writer in March 2022, following the retirement of Jim Hague. He has a wealth of sports-writing experience, including for NJ Advance Media (nj.com, The Jersey Journal, The Star-Ledger.)</div></body>

Mountain View, CA

NewsBreak

Belleville boys soccer off to a fast start, ready for challenge of St. Benedict’s

As an assistant coach at Belleville for the past seven years, new boys soccer head coach Joseph Pontoriero saw firsthand the potential of this group of seniors. “I saw these kids growing and I knew coming into this season that the 12 seniors that we had, that this was going to be a team, that we would have a chance to kind of do something and make a run possibly in the counties of the states,” said Pontoriero. “These kids worked hard in the off season. They all played on the same club team, and they’re a good group of guys. They’re coachable. They’ve been with us since day one and I’ve seen them grow and mature and I knew right off the bat that coming in that these kids were going to be something special.