Chatham Boys Soccer Hopes the Same 'Bleached' Look Can Produce as Good/Better Results in 2024; Leading Scorer Peters Returns

CHATHAM, NJ -- Jasper Peters wasn't exactly thrilled with the idea of bleaching his hair blond for a second straight Chatham boys soccer season, but the senior striker is all in for 2024.

"The bleach is back," Peters, the Bowdoin College commit, said. "There is a lot to build on this year and obviously to work on. Adam ( Petitjean ) and Danny ( O'Brien ) are going to control the midfield and I'm super excited. We have a lot of young talent out there. The bleach is back and so are we."

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Chatham's bleach-blond soccer team is coming off a 10-8-2 season in which it went into the NJSIAA North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3 state tournament and advanced to the sectional semifinal before it lost a 2-1 nailbiter to top-seeded Colonia .

"I feel the team is pretty solid and it will quickly click for us," senior O'Brien said. "We lost guys from our defense that we really depended on, and the replacements for them have been very, very good. I think this team is more talented than last year's team."

Peters is one of the keys to a successful season since he led the Cougars with 10 goals and also was credited with two assists, netting 30% of the 33 goals scored by Chatham last fall.

"Obviously, we have Jasper is back and Milind (senior forward Talwalkar ) has had a good preseason," Mark Maka , Chatham head coach, said. "Danny O'Brien and Adam Petitjean have been key guys for us and will be key for us again this year."

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O'Brien and Petitjean are the workhorses in the midfield for Chatham behind Peters, Talwalkar, junior Ryan Hoffelder (4 goals, 1 assist last season) and senior Shaan Modi . Added to the midfield/forward mix for Chatham is senior Cillian Kalika .

Junior Jack Paone returns as a starter in goal, but he'll have a whole new crew in front of him with junior Braden Faust and senior Declan Leahy taking over as the central defenders. Colin Fitt and junior Owen Fraser are the outside backs.

"We have high hopes for this team," Maka said. "I think we have a really good team. Everything just needs to be turned up a little bit in terms of intensity."

Chatham opens its season on the road vs. Morris Hills on Sept. 4.

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