Summit Boys, Girls Soccer Teams Hit Pre-County Tournament Strides

SUMMIT, NJ – Nearly a month into the 2024 season, Summit boys soccer remains on a tear.

The Hilltoppers (9-0-1) are undefeated after ten matches, having allowed a mere seven goals and showing no signs of slowing down with the playoffs inching closer.  Most impressively, Summit has shown the ability to win in every which way.  In contests where they were far superior, the Hilltoppers have dominated; against tougher opposition, they’ve found ways to grind out victories.

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In a road contest against Johnson on Sept. 24, senior midfielder Thomas Flack’s goal pushed the Hilltoppers to a 1-0 triumph.  Just two days later, they welcomed Roselle Park to town and promptly defeated the Panthers, 7-1.  Senior forward Jarreth Barrantes and sophomore midfielder Quinten Taelman each scored twice in the rout.

Summit’s only non-victory came Monday afternoon in Berkeley Heights, as Governor Livingston played the Hilltoppers to a 3-3 tie.  Showing resiliency, Summit rebounded to beat visiting Hillsborough on Tuesday, 2-0.

Sophomore defender Teddy Mixon leads Summit in points after ten games with 16 (six assists, five goals).

The Hilltoppers were awarded the fourth seed in this year’s Union County Boys Soccer Tournament and will host a quarterfinal game on Oct. 17.

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Summit Girls surge after brief slump

A tough late-September slate could have caused Summit girls soccer to spiral, but the Hilltoppers proved they are more than capable of dealing with adversity, bouncing back from a three-match winless streak to take three-in-a-row.

Summit (6-2-1) struggled throughout a stretch in which they played Kearny, Scotch Plains-Fanwood and Blair, surrendering eight total goals and going 0-2-1.  To put it in context, the Hilltoppers had allowed just two goals in their first three outings.

But head coach Matt Carder and crew turned things around with a big 3-2 victory at Governor Livingston last Tuesday.  Against the Highlanders, senior left wing Joelle Ma had yet another big-time performance, scoring twice in the second half to rally her team from a one-goal halftime deficit. Ma assisted on the first half goal by Parker Febo, a senior striker, that got Summit on the board.

The momentum carried over to last Friday, when senior forwards Catalina Zumbado and Avery Mayer and sophomore midfielder AnneGrace McGovern each scored a goal in Summit’s 3-0 home win over Brearley. In a 1-0 defensive slugfest at Cranford on Monday, junior striker Emma Busam’s first half goal was the difference.

Ma’s numbers are unsurprisingly outstanding this year for the defending county champions. She has nine goals and seven assists (25 points) heading into Saturday’s matchup with Bayonne.

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