No. 6 Bernards’ special duo propel Mountaineers into Somerset County semis

Bernards' Drew Elliott (24) moves the ball past Hunterdon Central's Ryan Nourbakhsh (18) during the boys soccer game at Hunterdon Central High School on 10/2/21. Elliott scored and assisted a game in Bernards' win over Hillsborough on Saturday.

Drew Elliott came up as a center back and defensive midfielder at Bernards, and it’s easy to see why.

He has the size and strength to play either position.

And then you see the ball skills, the pace, his finishing ability and his knack for taking on defenders as to why Bernards coach Joe LaSpada decided two years ago to have Elliott play further forward.

Elliott, a senior, is making the Bernards’ coaching staff look like geniuses. He has formed a formidable duo with senior JJ Zaun, and the two had their imprints on Bernards’ game on Saturday.

Elliott scored and assisted a goal, and Zaun also scored as second-seeded Bernards, the No. 6 team in the NJ.com top 20, defeated 10th-seeded Hillsborough 3-0 in the quarterfinals of the Somerset County Tournament.

“Him and JJ working off each other has been really special,” LaSpada said.

Bernards (11-1) will face sixth-seeded Montgomery in the semifinals next Saturday. Montgomery will have its hands full dealing with Elliott and Zaun.

Elliott has the size, speed and strength to bully opposing center backs and full backs. Zaun is more crafty, finding pockets of space and creating a yard of separation to get a shot off.

The two combined on Saturday’s opening goal against Hillsborough off a corner. Zaun had the delivery from the corner, and Elliott got free and lashed the ball into the net with his weaker left foot, his 18th goal of the season.

Elliott understands how a center back has to defend because he played as one growing up. His knowledge and understanding of the position have helped transform him into a lethal forward.

“It’s kind of like insider trading, to be honest,” Elliott said. “I’ve played (center back) my whole life, and I know what’s going on, and I know what to expect. I know when I can turn because I just kind of have a feel when I should, especially if a good defender is on me.”

Zaun and Elliott had several interchanges with each other on Saturday, posing plenty of issues for Hillsborough’s defense.

Hillsborough (5-6-2), which had a five-game winning streak snapped, was still in the game until the 62nd minute when Zaun scored his 20th goal of the season in the second half when he ripped a shot with his weaker left foot from a tight angle into the net.

“I love playing up top with Drew. He helps me score goals,” Zaun said. “We got six animals behind us who win the ball every play. We got two defensive mids who make it easy for us to do that. Our center backs win the ball every time, and it’s easy for us to run up and score goals.”

“He kind of needs me to score, and I need him to score. That’s how it is. We really can’t score without each other,” added Elliott.

A frightening proposition for opposing defenses is Elliott is only getting more comfortable playing as a striker. He is beginning to make more intelligent runs before receiving the ball, stretching the defense, and opening things up for his teammates.

He is a nightmare on the wing, especially on the right side of the field, given his size and speed. Elliott recorded his 11th assist of the season in the 80th minute when he fed the ball to Charlie Giebel.

LaSpada said they tried Elliott out as a winger his sophomore season, and he looked good in the position. He played his junior season primarily on the wing before moving more centrally this season. LaSpada added Elliott’s unselfishness and willingness to do what’s best for the team has allowed him to shine in his new role, even if took Elliott a few games to get used to playing as a striker.

Elliott is getting better, and so is Zaun and the rest of Bernards attack.

“He’s such a threat up top,” LaSpada said. “He’s so big and so strong. He’s progressing, and I see him getting even better.”

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You can reach Luis Torres at ltorres@njadvancemedia.com and you can follow him on Twitter @ByLuisTorres.

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