Kearny head coach Bill Galka might not have fully known what to expect from a largely inexperienced team a year ago. But after a stellar 11-3 record last season, and several players returning from that team, the expectations are high in Kearny for 2021.
”We had a good season for the most part last season. This year, I think we’re fairly heavy with seniors, certainly more than last year,” Galka said. “A few of them have been with us for three years and played as sophomores. They know what to expect and they’ve learned to become leaders.”
Seven starters are back from that team, most notably senior striker Juan Rojas. Rojas, who didn’t play high school soccer his first two years, burst onto the scene as a junior with 23 goals and nine assists to earn Second Team All-State honors by NJ.com.
”Right off the bat he started scoring goals,” said Galka about Rojas, one of the state’s top returning talents.” He’s a crafty guy, he’s very tricky with the ball, he’s the kind of guy we enjoy having (up top) and he fits in really well. He was able to adapt to (high school soccer) quite easily.”
Rojas will be joined up top by versatile senior Aiden Mansilla, who had eight goals and 11 assists last year and is expected to improve upon those numbers this fall.
Dalton Davila (six goals, four assists) returns to start at center midfield, a position which received a major boost with the return of senior Christian Escandon, who’s family moved back to Kearny after spending the previous two years in Ecuador. Escandon is the younger brother of Jose Escandon, who was NJ.com’s Boys Soccer State Player of the Year in 2017 when the Kardinals won the Group 4 title.
Alan Antonelli is another returning starter in the midfield, while senior Angel Tovar is a holding midfielder. Juniors Nicholas Gomez and Johan Baez are also expected to see meaningful time in the midfield.
The backline is anchored by a pair of three-year starters at center back in Alan Castillo and Daniel Velazquez. Castillo was a First Team All-HCIAL selection a year ago by the league’s coaches.
”We expect them to be leaders back there,” Galka said. “They know what to expect after playing two years together back there.”
Junior Michael Reis is a returning starter at right back and senior Gerald Cohetero takes over at left back. Junior Max Silva will also be in the mix for time in the back.
In net, senior Joshua Rodriguez has a leg up in what has been a tightly contested competition for the spot with junior Roger Basantes and sophomore Alexander Cruz fighting for time.
Kearny, which is ranked No. 11 in the NJ.com Preseason Top 20, will be tested right off the bat when it plays Union City on Tuesday in a showdown between last year’s HCIAL co-champions, followed by night games with division foes Dickinson, St. Peter’s Prep and North Bergen with the season’s first 10 days.
”The expectations are certainly to do well in the county tournament and states,” said Galka. “We always have the desire to do well in those. Hopefully we can do things that we want to do in November.”
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Jason Bernstein can be reached at jbernstein@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JBernsteinHS.
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