Before the recent high school soccer season began, veteran St. Peter’s Prep head coach John Irvine surveyed his team’s situation and figured that the Marauders were in for a tough year.
"Basically, all we had returning were a few players," Irvine said. "I figured it was the proverbial rebuilding year. We lost our entire midfield and two of our four starters along the back line. We had one returning forward. We were totally cleaned out by graduation. I figured we had a young team that would take some time to get experienced."
But there was a side of Irvine that burned with optimism.
"I thought we had a good defense," Irvine said. "I thought if we played hard and kept the good defense that we could win a few games."
The Marauders opened their season in auspicious fashion, defeating North Arlington, losing to Westfield, tying Emerson. One win, one loss, one tie. On the road to mediocrity, much like the coach believed.
However, something happened along the road to becoming middle of the road. The Marauders caught some lightning in a bottle, courtesy of their lone returning forward from a year ago.
Junior Drew Buzzio has evolved into a clutch scoring machine, scoring the game-winning goal in three straight Prep victories over Bayonne, previously undefeated and state-ranked Hudson Catholic, and North Bergen.
And the once-rebuilding Marauders find themselves atop the Hudson Reporter High School Soccer Top Five this week, a team brimming with confidence, ready to possibly make a run at HCIAA glory.
"Without a doubt, this is a big surprise," Irvine said. "We’ve come together faster than I thought we would."
Before the Marauders faced Hudson Catholic, the defending HCIAA champion, someone said that they looked out at the Prep squad and could hardly recognize them.
"Who are those guys?" the person asked. "They’re a bunch of no-names."
Irvine quickly picked up on that thought.
"We are kind of nobodies in their eyes," Irvine told his players. "So they bought into being the no-names."
Buzzio has been the one mainstay, the player collecting the attention and the accolades. Junior Jesse Luis, who spent all of last year with the junior varsity squad, has been the other Marauder performer along the forward line, scoring four goals thus far.
"I knew that if we were going to be a good team, we needed to get scoring from Drew," Irvine said. "He’s a powerful player with great ball skills and relentless around the goal. Jesse has been a hard worker as well. I think they’re both determined to make their shots."
The Marauders’ inner midfield is being manned by a pair of sophomores, namely Pat Mellea and Mike Rooney, the son of local basketball legend Mike "Mickey" Rooney. The elder Rooney, who played basketball at the University of Oklahoma and St. Bonaventure, is currently the athletic director at Hudson County Prep in Jersey City. The younger Rooney may be tougher than the old man.
"He’s as tough as nails," Irvine said of the younger Rooney.
Seniors Gary Bogdanski and Joe Battista are the outer midfielders.
The defense line is keyed by senior Sean LaFond at sweeper and Nick Hamilton at stopper. Fellow seniors Nick Tehlikia and Marek Dudziak also man the back line to key the Prep defense.
A year ago, goalkeeper Tom Schmitt was lost for the season after back surgery, and he turned the net-minding duties over to Brett Prime, who earned All-Area honors. Since Schmitt came back this year, healthy and ready, the pair are evenly splitting the time in goal.
"It really has worked out nicely," Irvine said. "They have really become comrades in arms together."
And the result is three thrilling victories in a row and a leap into the forefront.
"It’s definitely been better than expected," Irvine said. "I just hope we can ride it out for a while. The good thing is that I don’t we’ve played our best soccer yet. We’re just trying to get better."
And, of course, become less anonymous in the process.