Doug Nevins has seen it all as West Orange’s successful soccer coach the past quarter century, including winning 400 games, two Group 4 state titles and a pair of Essex County Tournament crowns.
His 2006 Mountaineers, with Gatorade national Boys Soccer Player of the Year Brayan Martinez and other standouts such as ace defender Chris Christian, Chris Edwards and Jonathan ‘Goofy’ Silva, rolled to the program’s first Group 4 title with a dominant 3-0 win over Manalapan in the state final.
There was another state crown in 2013 and a Group 4 runner-up squad in 2022 which posted its first-ever road wins at both Kearny and Clifton on the way to the state final.
The 2025 West Orange side may not be as flashy as some past Mountaineer squads, but this might be Nevins’ best defensive team ever.
“The 2006 team was special with players like Brayan, Chris Christian, Chris Edwards and Goofy, who were all great players,” the veteran West Orange coach remarked when asked to compare his current group to past great teams after finishing as the runner-up to St. Benedict’s following a last-minute 1-0 setback to the nation’s No. 1 team in the 2025 ECT final at Livingston. “Is this the best defensive team I’ve had?
“They very well could be and we’ll see for sure in the Group 4 state tournament where I believe if we play to the level we’re capable of against the other public schools in our section and group that we can do very well!”
And, how well the Mountaineers (23-2) have done, including in their most recent triumph, a hard-fought 1-0 win at Scotch Plains in the Group 4 state semifinals on Tuesday (Nov. 18).
West Orange will meet Central Jersey, Group 4 champion North Brunswick, which was a 1-0 winner over South champ and defending Group 4 champ Southern Regional at 3 p.m. on Sunday at Franklin High School in Somerset.
Aidan Ackerman headed in a corner kick from fellow sophomore Marcus Williams in the 61st minute for the game’s only goal as West Orange defeated N2G4 state sectional champ Scotch Plains (18-3-2), which held a 6-2 edge in shots in the match.
The West Orange defense, led by UCLA-bound senior all-state candidate Marcus Jackson along with teammates Justin Amaya, Niko Chiovaro and Chase Winds, who shined in front of stellar goal keeper Agustin ‘Auggie’ Arrieta, who had six saves, all excelled in helping the Essex County soccer stronghold post its 15th shutout of the season.
West Orange remains the No. 2 ranked team in the state according to nj.com with its only defeats coming by 1-0 scores to St. Benedict’s in Super Essex Conference-American Division and ECT play.
