By: Joe Haemmerle '86
WELCOME TO THE JACK AT BERGEN CATHOLIC HS
The Crusaders play their home matches at Jack McGovern Field at Bergen Catholic's Crusader Stadium. The field was dedicated in memory of BC Hall of Famer, Alumnus, Alumni Parent and former Athletic Director, Jack McGovern who passed in 2019. You can watch a tribute to Jack with the link above.
The Jack unveiled a brand-new scoreboard for the 2022 season. We hope it enhances your experience at BC.
As you enjoy today's contest between two outstanding Catholic high schools, please remember to keep your focus on the positive encouragement of your team.
A message from the NJSIAA:
Today's contest is being conducted according to the rules of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. These rules provide for fair competition among players. Spectators can help promote good sportsmanship by observing the rules of fair play. Any verbal, written, or physical conduct related to race, gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, or religion shall not be tolerated, could subject the violator to ejection, and may result in penalties being assessed against your team. Everyone is requested to take personal responsibility for keeping this competition at a high level of good sportsmanship.
PRAYERFUL TRADITIONS
Responses to the following intercessions:
ST. BENEDICT:
PRAY FOR US!
OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL HELP:
PRAY FOR US!
BLESSED EDMUND RICE:
PRAY FOR US!
LIVE JESUS IN OUR HEARTS:
FOREVER!
2025 CRUSADER SOCCER PREVIEW The second-seeded Crusaders enter with a 16-4-1 record and have a six-game win streak entering today's game. They are coached by Mr. Peter Berkanish who boasts a 150-41-16 overall record (.763 winning percentage) since taking the reins in 2015.
Six Crusaders have scored double-digit points this year with
#8 James Melia (11G, 7A, 29P) and
#21 Dangelo Tavarez (13G, 5A, 31P) leading the pack.
#6 Frank Burns (6G, 6A, 18P),
#31 Liam Agans (6G, 4A, 16 P) and
#17 John Semelsberger with (5G, 3A, 13 P) and
#20 Tyler Oehm with (5G, 4A and 14P) pace a hot team
Junior goalkeeper
#0 John Coleman is having a strong season with 48 saves on the season and senior
#0 Ian Chung has turned away 19 shots for BC.
| DATE |
HAN |
OPPONENT |
WLT |
BC |
OPP |
| Thu, 9/4 |
H |
DePaul |
W |
2 |
0 |
| Sat, 9/6 |
H |
Old Bridge |
W |
1 |
0 |
| Tue, 9/9 |
A |
Don Bosco Prep |
W |
3 |
1 |
| Thu, 9/11 |
H |
St Joseph Regional |
W |
4 |
1 |
| Mon, 9/15 |
H |
Ramapo |
W |
4 |
32OT |
| Wed, 9/17 |
A |
Paramus Catholic |
W |
6 |
0 |
| Sat, 9/20 |
A |
Westtown (PA) |
T |
0 |
0 |
| Sun, 9/21 |
A |
Western Reserve Academy (OH) |
L |
1 |
4 |
| Thu, 9/25 |
H |
Fair Lawn |
W |
4 |
1 |
| Tue, 9/30 |
A |
DePaul |
L |
1 |
3 |
| Mon, 10/6 |
H |
Don Bosco Prep |
W |
3 |
1 |
| Thu, 10/9 |
A |
St. Joseph Regional |
W |
7 |
0 |
| Sat, 10/11 |
A |
CBA |
L |
2 |
3 |
| Tue, 10/14 |
H |
Demarest* |
W |
5 |
0 |
| Sat, 10/18 |
N |
Leonia* |
W |
1 |
0 |
| Tue, 10/21 |
A |
Clifton |
W |
2 |
1 |
| Thu, 10/23 |
H |
Paramus Catholic |
W |
10 |
2 |
| Sat, 10/25 |
N |
Ridgewood* |
W |
3 |
2OT |
| Tue, 10/28 |
H |
Passaic |
W |
4 |
3 |
| Sat, 11/1 |
N |
Ramapo* |
L |
0 |
2 |
| Thu, 11/6 |
H |
#10 Pope John XXIII** |
W |
7 |
0 |
| Mon, 11/10 |
H |
#3 Delbarton** |
|
|
|
* BERGEN COUNTY TOURNAMENT
** STATE TOURNAMENT
2025 DELBARTON PREVIEW
Head Coach David Donovan led his Green Wave to a 16-4-1 record this season, helping them earn the #3 seed in this year's tournament. Delby is ranked # 9 in the state by nj.com.
A fabulous freshman is leading the Wave in scoring this year.
#26 Cortland Martin has 12 goals (20% of Delbarton's goals) this year. With 4 assists, he is having a terrific year. Senior forward
#7 Owen Miller has six goals on the year and four assists.
#16 Matt Brusco and
#9 Aiden Abere each have five goals and 4 assists on the year and
#17 Dylan Mazzarella knocked in four goals and four assists.
The Green Wave have two goalies who have seen considerable time this year. Senior
#1 Sebastian Rubio (46 saves) and sophomore
#0 Vayam Swamy (20 saves) have been solid for a team that has posted 12 shutouts and only one game yielding three goals.
2025 GREEN WAVE RESULTS
| DATE |
HAN |
OPPONENT |
WLT |
D |
OPP |
|
Tue, 9/9 |
H |
Mendham |
W |
3 |
1 |
| Thu, 9/11 |
H |
Randolph |
W |
2 |
0 |
| Sun, 9/14 |
H |
Hun |
W |
4 |
2 |
| Mon, 9/15 |
A |
Chatham |
W |
1 |
0 |
| Wed, 9/17 |
H |
Sparta |
W |
5 |
0 |
| Fri, 9/19 |
A |
MKA |
W |
1 |
0 |
| Tue, 9/23 |
A |
Mount Olive |
W |
3 |
1 |
| Fri, 9/26 |
H |
St. Augustine Prep |
L |
2 |
0 |
| Sun, 9/28 |
H |
Chaminade (NY) |
T |
2 |
2 |
| Mon, 9/29 |
A |
Mendham |
L |
3 |
2 |
| Wed, 10/1 |
A |
Randolph |
L |
2 |
1 |
| Tue, 10/7 |
H |
Parsippany Hills* |
W |
4 |
1 |
| Thu, 10/9 |
H |
Chatham |
W |
2 |
0 |
| Sat, 10/11 |
A |
Roxbury |
W |
4 |
0 |
| Tue, 10/14 |
H |
Morris Knolls* |
W |
2 |
1 |
| Sat, 10/18 |
H |
Chatham* |
L |
1 |
0 |
| Tue, 10/21 |
A |
Summit |
W |
3 |
0 |
| Wed, 10/22 |
A |
Sparta |
W |
6 |
0 |
| Mon, 10/27 |
H |
Mount Olive |
W |
4 |
0 |
| Wed, 10/29 |
H |
Roxbury |
W |
5 |
0 |
| Thu, 11/6 |
H |
St. Joseph Regional** |
W |
6 |
0 |
| Mon, 11/10 |
A |
BERGEN CATHOLIC |
|
|
|
* MORRIS COUNTY TOURNAMENT
** STATE TOURNAMENT
CRUSADERS VS. GREEN WAVE
IN THE STATE SEMIFINALS
The first time these two programs met in the state semifinal resulted in a 1-1 draw, which is a problem when playing in a tournament that requires a winner in order to move forward. They continued playing on the following day, Wednesday, and Jay Berhalter drove a second-quarter 25-yard free kick into the net, the game winner.
After that win, the Crusaders experienced a dry spell against their Morris County foe, dropping seven straight semifinal game decisions. That streak ended in 2022 when BC defeated Delbarton on this very field on a low, left-footed kick on the run by Sebastian Londono, assisted by Graham Ewers in the games' sixtieth minute. Goalkeeper Kyle Tencza saved nine Delbarton shots to help the Crusaders advance to the sectional finals at Seton Hall Prep.
| Date |
HA |
WLT |
BC |
D |
11/08/1988
Game Called - Darkness |
A |
T |
1 |
1 |
| 11/09/1988 |
A |
W |
1 |
0 |
| 11/13/1996 |
A |
L |
1 |
3 |
| 11/10/2008 |
H |
L |
2 |
3 |
| 11/16/2012 |
A |
L |
0 |
3 |
| 11/7/2016 |
H |
L |
2 |
6 |
| 11/5/2018 |
A |
L |
0 |
4 |
| 11/5/2022 |
H |
W |
1 |
0 |
This is BC's thirty-third semi-final game dating back to a 6-1 victory against Hudson Catholic, played at Lincoln HS, Jersey City, in 1975. The Crusaders have won 11 times, locking up a .387 winning percentage through the years. Their last semi-final round game was in 2023 vs. Seton Hall Prep, a 3-2 loss in double overtime.
TODAY'S NON-PUBLIC "A" GAMES
#4 Seton Hall Prep @ #1 St. Benedict's Prep
#3 Delbarton @ #2 Bergen Catholic
#2 BERGEN CATHOLIC CRUSADERS
2025 VARSITY SOCCER ROSTER
HEAD COACH: Mr. Pete Berkanish
#3 DELBARTON GREEN WAVE
2025 VARSITY SOCCER ROSTER
HEAD COACH: Mr. David Donovan
| # |
NAME |
POS |
GR |
# |
NAME |
POS |
GR |
| 0 |
Vayun Swamy |
G |
SO |
16 |
Matt Brusco |
F, M |
FR |
| 1 |
Sebastian Rubio |
G |
SR |
17 |
Dylan Mazzarella |
M |
JR |
| 2 |
Peter Lines |
B |
SR |
18 |
Peter Wynne |
F |
SO |
| 3 |
Will Antenen |
B |
SR |
19 |
Jordan Douglas |
B |
FR |
| 4 |
Max Horwitz |
B |
SO |
20 |
Henry Ferro |
M |
SO |
| 5 |
Caleb McCormick |
M |
JR |
21 |
Luc Guarino |
F |
SR |
| 6 |
Franco Piarulli |
M |
SR |
22 |
Ryan Shannon |
F |
JR |
| 7 |
Owen Miller |
F |
SR |
23 |
Ben Raab |
M, F |
SR |
| 8 |
Skanda Damaraju |
B |
SR |
24 |
Gabe Rotolo |
M |
SO |
| 9 |
Aidan Abere |
M |
SO |
25 |
Luke Miller |
M |
SO |
| 10 |
Henry Kovacs |
M |
SR |
26 |
Cortland Martin |
B |
FR |
| 11 |
Marcus Arthur |
F |
SR |
27 |
Sthir Khandelwal |
M |
SR |
| 12 |
Max Miller |
M |
JR |
28 |
Ryan Alessi |
B |
SO |
| 13 |
Liam Murphy |
F |
JR |
29 |
Tomas Martin Aloe |
M |
JR |
| 14 |
Evan Johnson |
F |
SO |
30 |
Frank Zupa |
G |
SR |
