By: Joe Haemmerle '86
HERE COME THE CRUSADERS!
GAME DAY: NOVEMBER 1, 2025 - 7:00 PM - OAKLAND, NJ - Indian Hills Regional HS is the host of the 2025 Jerry Lewis Memorial County Tournament Final sponsored by the Bergen County Coaches Association BC has reached this round 6 times and won three! Coach Pete Berkanish is the first coach to lead his BC team into the finals twice. Crusaders are focused and ready to attack to return to the final for the first time since they won the title in 2019.
BC PREVIEW
The top-seeded Crusaders enter with a 15-3-2 record and have a six-game win streak entering today's game. They are coached by Mr. Peter Berkanish who boasts a 149-40-16 overall record (.766 winning percentage) since taking the reins in 2015. He is one of three Crusade alumni coaches to win titles and is going for his second.
Six Crusaders have scored double-digit points this year with
#8 James Melia and
#21 Dangelo Tavarez (10G, 5A, 25P) share the honor of leading the pack.
#6 Frank Burns (6G, 6A, 18P),
#31 Liam Agans (5G, 4A, 14 P) and
#17 John Semelsberger with (5G, 3A, 13 P) and
#20 Tyler Oehm with (4G, 3A and 11P) pace a hot team
Junior goalkeeper
#0 John Coleman is having a strong season with 42 saves on the season and senior
#0 Ian Chung has turned away 18 shots for BC.
RAMAPO PREVIEW
The second-seeded Green Raiders are 14-1 on the season and riding an 11-game winning streak. Their only loss of the season came at the hands of the Crusaders, 4-3 in the middle of September. Coach Evan Baumgarten is in search of his 16
th County title since his first in 1986. His Raiders have won the last 4 championships and are in search of #5.
Forward
#9 Caden O'Connell leads Ramapo with 13 goals, 11 assists, 37 points. Junior
#22 Jacob Preziosi is the team's second leading scorer with 7 goals, 14 assists 28 points.
Midfielder #19 Jordan Hunt has 8 goals, 5 assists (21 points) and midfielder
#7 Julian Cuttita has 20 points on 9 goals and a pair of assists.
Goalkeeper
#0 Julian Lora has saved 43 goals against.
#1 Dylan Kleinschmidt, sophomore, has recorded 22 saves.
BERGEN CATHOLIC SOCCER HISTORY IN THE COUNTY FINAL
| YEAR |
OPPONENT |
VENUE |
WL |
BC |
OPP |
COACH |
| 1985 |
Ramapo |
BCC |
W |
1 |
0 |
Hugh Beattie |
| 1999 |
Don Bosco Prep |
Ramapo Coll |
W |
2 |
1 |
Jim McGirr |
| 2001 |
Don Bosco Prep |
Indian Hills |
L |
1 |
3 |
Chris Tully |
| 2009 |
Don Bosco Prep |
River Dell |
L |
0 |
3 |
Mark Edge |
| 2012 |
Ramapo |
Ramapo HS |
L |
1 |
3 |
Rui DosSantos |
| 2019 |
Ridgewood |
Indian Hills |
W |
2 |
1 |
Pete Berkanish |
DID YOU KNOW? Six different coaches have led the Crusaders to the County Finals. All three BCCA championship teams were coached by BC alumni. Coach Berkanish is the first BC coach who will be coaching for the second time in the finals.
BERGEN CATHOLIC VS RAMAPO
IN THE COUNTY TOURNAMENT
The Crusaders are 6-4 vs. Ramapo in the County Tournament and 1-1 in the finals against the Green Raiders. Actually, the first ten times the two schools met were in the counties before the last two meeting in which they split a win and a loss.
BC won its first county title in school history in 1985 against Ramapo. The Crusaders, coached by Hugh Beattie, had a slew of stars including BC Hall of famers Chris Unger, Greg Schwake, Mike Ferrence, Gerard Maron, Kevin O'Hara and Greg Tramontozzi.
| DATE |
HAN |
GAME |
WLT |
BC |
'PO |
OT |
| 10/28/1984 |
A |
BCCA Quarter |
W |
4 |
3 |
2 |
| 11/10/1985 |
N |
BCCA Final |
W |
1 |
0 |
|
| 11/1/1998 |
N |
BCCA Semifinal |
L |
0 |
3 |
|
| 10/31/1999 |
N |
BCCA Semifinal |
W |
3 |
1 |
|
| 10/28/2001 |
A |
BCCA Semifinal |
W |
2 |
1 |
|
| 10/31/2004 |
A |
BCCA Semifinal |
L |
1 |
2 |
|
| 10/25/2009 |
H |
BCCA Quarter |
W |
4 |
1 |
|
| 10/27/2012 |
A |
BCCA Final |
L |
1 |
3 |
|
| 10/13/2019 |
H |
BCCA Quarter |
W |
2 |
0 |
|
| 10/15/2022 |
N |
BCCA Semifinal |
L |
1 |
2 |
|
| 9/19/2024 |
A |
Regular Season |
L |
0 |
3 |
|
| 9/15/25 |
H |
Regular Season |
W |
4 |
3 |
|
| 11/1/25 |
N |
Indian Hills |
|
|
|
|
BC - 'PO BY THE NUMBERS 2025
| STATISTIC |
CRUSADERS |
RAIDERS |
| W/L/T |
15-3-1 |
14-1 |
| WIN % |
.816 |
.933 |
| STREAK |
W 6 |
W 11 |
| GF |
69 |
54 |
| GFPG |
3.6 |
3.6 |
| GA |
19 |
7 |
| GAPG |
1.0 |
0.5 |
| Head to Head – BC 4-R 3 on September 15, 2025 @ BCHS |
In twelve meetings between the two schools, BC holds a slight 7-5 advantage. Today's match will be the third time the teams meet in the County Finals and the first time the two will meet twice in one season.
BERGEN COUNTY COACHES ASSOCIATION
JERRY LEWIS MEMORIAL TOURNAMENT
CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES 1972-Present |
| (Cas Muehlek Trophy Winners) |
| YEAR |
SCHOOL |
COACH |
RUNNER UP |
SCORE |
| 1972 |
Hackensack |
Jerry Lewis |
Teaneck |
2-0 |
| 1973 |
Ridgewood |
Dick Bennett |
Tenafly |
2-0 |
| 1974 |
Ridgewood |
Dick Bennett |
Hackensack |
3-1 |
| 1975 |
Ridgewood |
Dick Bennett |
NV Demarest |
1-0 |
| 1976 |
Hackensack |
Gus Migliore |
NV Demarest |
5-4 |
| 1977 |
NV Demarest |
Charley Luethke |
Hackensack |
2-0 |
| 1978 |
Ridgewood |
Dick Bennett |
Ramapo |
3-0 (replay) |
| 1979 |
Ramapo |
Chuck Swenson |
Tenafly |
1-0 |
| 1980 |
Ridgewood |
Dick Bennett |
Ramsey |
2-0 (replay) |
| 1981 |
Ramapo |
Chuck Swenson |
Hackensack |
1-0 |
| 1982 |
Don Bosco Prep |
Rich Zawacki |
Englewood |
3-0 |
| 1983 |
Don Bosco Prep |
Rich Zawacki |
No Highlands |
2-0 |
| 1984 |
Indian Hills |
Arvi Saar |
Don Bosco Prep |
2-0 |
| 1985 |
Bergen Catholic |
Hugh Beattie |
Ramapo |
1-0 |
| 1986 |
Ramapo |
Evan Baumgarten |
No Highlands |
1-0 |
| 1987 |
Don Bosco Prep |
Rich Zawacki |
Glen Rock |
2-0 |
| 1988 |
Don Bosco Prep |
Rich Zawacki |
Midland Park |
2-1 |
| 1989 |
Hackensack |
Gus Migliore |
Lyndhurst |
1-0 |
| 1990 |
Ridgewood |
Dick Bennett |
Ramsey |
3-0 (replay) |
| 1991 |
Dwight-Englewood |
Chris Schmid |
Tenafly |
3-1 (replay) |
| 1992 |
Tenafly |
Bill Jaeger |
Don Bosco Prep |
4-3 |
| 1993 |
Ridgewood |
Dick Bennett |
Waldwick |
2-1 |
| 1994 |
Pascack Valley |
Andy Schmidt |
Tenafly |
2-1 |
| 1995 |
Waldwick |
George Farago |
Ridgewood |
2-1 |
| 1996 |
Hackensack |
Bernie Petrocelli |
Don Bosco Prep |
1-0 |
| 1997 |
Don Bosco Prep |
Roy Nygren |
No Highlands |
2-1 |
| 1998 |
Don Bosco Prep |
Roy Nygren |
Ramapo |
4-1 |
| 1999 |
Bergen Catholic |
Jim McGirr |
Don Bosco Prep |
2-1 |
| 2000 |
Ramapo |
Evan Baumgarten |
Don Bosco Prep |
1-0 |
| 2001 |
Don Bosco Prep |
Roy Nygren |
Bergen Catholic |
3-1 |
| 2002 |
Don Bosco Prep |
Roy Nygren |
Ridgewood |
1-0 |
| 2003 |
Ramapo |
Evan Baumgarten |
Don Bosco Prep |
1-0 |
| 2004 |
Don Bosco Prep |
Roy Nygren |
Ramapo |
1-0 |
| 2005 |
Ramapo |
Evan Baumgarten |
Tenafly |
2-1 |
| 2006 |
Ramapo & Paramus
Co-Champions |
Evan Baumgarten(R) Michael Ben-David (P) |
|
0-0 |
| 2007 |
Don Bosco Prep |
Roy Nygren |
Cliffside Park |
3-1 |
| 2008 |
Ramapo |
Evan Baumgarten |
Don Bosco Prep |
2-0 |
| 2009 |
Don Bosco Prep |
Mark Maka |
Bergen Catholic |
3-0 |
| 2010 |
Northern Highlands |
Sean Devore |
Ramapo |
2-1 |
| 2011 |
NV-Old Tappan |
Mike Hanchar |
Ramapo |
3-2 |
| 2012 |
Ramapo |
Evan Baumgarten |
Bergen Catholic |
3-1 |
| 2013 |
Cliffside Park |
Jim Fucci |
Don Bosco Prep |
1-0 |
| 2014 |
Ramapo |
Evan Baumgarten |
No Highlands |
2-1 |
| 2015 |
Ramapo |
Evan Baumgarten |
Tenafly |
3-0 |
| 2016 |
Ramapo |
Evan Baumgarten |
Pascack Valley |
2-1 |
| 2017 |
Ramapo |
Evan Baumgarten |
NV-Old Tappan |
2-1 |
| 2018 |
Glen Rock |
Casey Schick |
Ramsey |
3-0 |
| 2019 |
Bergen Catholic |
Pete Berkanish |
Ridgewood |
2-1 |
| 2020 |
COVID-19 NO TOURNAMENT |
|
|
| 2021 |
Ramapo |
Evan Baumgarten |
Ramsey |
1-0 |
| 2022 |
Ramapo |
Evan Baumgarten |
Ridgewood |
5-0 |
| 2023 |
Ramapo & Ramsey Co-Champions |
Evan Baumgarten(RP) Cesar Blacido (RS) |
|
1-1 |
| 2024 |
Ramapo |
Evan Baumbarten |
Ramapo |
1-0 |
#1 BERGEN CATHOLIC CRUSADERS (15-3-1)
2025 VARSITY SOCCER ROSTER
HEAD COACH: Mr. Pete Berkanish
31 Liam Agans JR
#2 RAMAPO GREEN RAIDERS (14-1)
2025 VARSITY SOCCER ROSTER
HEAD COACH: Mr. Evan Baumgarten
| NO |
NAME |
GR |
NO |
NAME |
GR |
| 0 |
Julian Lora |
SR |
15 |
Dylan Dungo |
SR |
| 1 |
Dylan Kleinschmidt |
SO |
16 |
Anthony Bono |
JR |
| 2 |
Jayden Heinsohn |
SR |
17 |
Jackson Rijo |
SR |
| 3 |
Brody Benner |
SR |
18 |
Will Pennachio |
SR |
| 4 |
Connor DeMarco |
JR |
19 |
Jordan Hunt |
SR |
| 5 |
Luke D'Altilio |
JR |
20 |
Alex Johnson |
SR |
| 6 |
Evan Didato |
SR |
21 |
George Zahka |
SR |
| 7 |
Julian Cuttita |
SR |
22 |
Jacob Preziosi |
JR |
| 8 |
Declan Tosney |
SR |
23 |
Aidan McHale |
JR |
| 9 |
Caden O'Connell |
SR |
25 |
Eli Martinez |
JR |
| 10 |
James Fitzmaurice |
SR |
27 |
Aidan Szoke |
|
| 11 |
Nick Didato |
SR |
28 |
Justin Madigan |
JR |
| 12 |
Ryan Kramer |
JR |
29 |
Owen O'Connell |
FR |
| 13 |
Zach Zarzar |
SR |
|
|
|
