Jersey Shore Boca teams aim for titles – Asbury Park Press
March 28, 2011
Jersey Shore Boca teams aim for titles
Chris Christopher
Asbury Park Press
Published March 28, 2011
As the Garden State Soccer League’s winter break comes to an end, the Jersey Shore Boca men’s open team, women’s open team and men’s over-30 team will each have their work cut out as they set their sights on winning division titles and individual awards during the remainder of the 2010-11 season.
Boca’s men’s open team is 5-4-1 and is in sixth place in the Men’s Super Division. It’s seven points shy of first-place Sporting Club Portugese of Newark. Boca has outscored its opponents, 29-24, in 10 league matches.
Tomas Banionis of Berkeley leads the Boca men’s open team in scoring with nine goals. He’s tied for first place in the race for the division lead.
He’s also a member of the Boca over-30 men’s team.
Toms River native and former York College player Jay Mancuso is second on the team in scoring with six tallies.
Jamie Nelson (Toms River High School North, The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey) and Christian Pontier (Lacey, the Stevens Institute of Technology) follow with three goals each.
Jim Keady of Belmar, a former professional player in the USL with the North Jersey Imperials, has been solid for Boca between the pipes in goal.
The Boca men’s open team resumed play March 25, as it hosted the United Nations FC of North Jersey.
The Jersey Shore Boca women’s open team is 3-4-0 in the GSSL Women’s Premiere Division.
The team is seventh with nine points heading into the first round of league play after the break.
The Peninsula Aztecs lead the division with 27 points.
The Boca women have scored 17 goals and allowed 20.
Jeanie McCafferty (Monsignor Donovan, Georgian Court University) and ex-Jackson Memorial and Rider University players Jen Marcella and Sarah Artale share the team’s scoring lead with three goals each.
Katie Batiuk (Jackson Memorial, Rutgers University) and Kristen Kowit (Red Bank Catholic), a two-time All-American and two-time ODAC Player of the Year at Lynchburg College, have scored two goals each for the Boca women.
Boca will resume its season April 3 when it hosts US Parma at the John Patrick Sports Complex in Lakewood at 9 a.m.
In only its third year of play, Boca’s men’s over-30 team leads the Over-30 Elite Division.
Boca will host the Monmouth Kickers at the Berkeley Soccer Complex on April 3 at 9 a.m. Boca (9-0-1) leads the Elite Division with 28 points and has outscored its opponents, 35-16.
Banionis, who won last year’s Over-30 league scoring title, is on track to earn his second accolade in as many years. The forward has scored 19 goals in 10 games and leads the scoring race by six goals over his closest opponent.
Former West Chester University standout and Berkeley native Luke Hurley and Sal Colino (Toms River North) are next on the team in scoring with three goals each.
Doug Laperry, who played at Toms River South and Rowan University, is the team’s goalie.
The team holds the 2010 GSSL Over-30 Super Division League Cup.
Home games are open to the public. Admission is free.
Jersey Shore Boca is celebrating its 33rd anniversary.
Asbury Park Press
Published March 28, 2011