West Orange's Ace Defender
Is National Player of the Year

West Orange can boast of having one of its best defensive soccer sides in program history and a leader for the Group 4 state championship Mountaineers – UCLA-bound senior Marcus Jackson- recently received a prestigious honor when he was named the National Player of the Year by the United Soccer Coaches.

Jackson also earned nj.com’s statewide Player of the Year honor and a Regional Player of the Year awar after leading West Orange (24-2) which was capped by defeating North Brunswick, 5-0, in the Group 4 state final.

The Mountaineers’ only two defeats were to the nation’s No. 1 ranked team, St. Benedict’s, a 2-1 regular season match, and a pulsating 1-0 contest in the Essex County Tournament final.

The standout defender and all-around talent on the soccer pitch, is the fifth West Orange All-American selection and second to be selected as the National Player of the Year as he follows in the footsteps of another memorable Mountaineer booter, 2007 WOHS graduate Brayan Martinez.

In speaking to the audience gathered in the high school’s Library Media Center, West Orange Athletic Director Stephan Zichella praised Jackson before an audience of family, friends and teammates, praising the Mountaineers’ latest all-time great.

“This year, you helped lead us to a state championship, a sectional championship… one of the best years any team has ever had at WOHS,” said the Mountaineers AD. “This is about you today. In Essex County, 1,500 kids sign up to play soccer. You made First Team All-Conference. You then were named by NJ.com Essex County Player of the Year, and of 20,000 soccer players in NJ, NJ.com named you State Player of the Year.

“You chose West Orange High School to play, and we are better for it; you are better for it, and I believe wholeheartedly that there’s nothing better than playing at the high school in the town where you grew up. And, I also believe that, when you commit to others, you become a better individual. You achieve greater.”

“So the United Soccer Coaches Association informed us that you were an All-Region player, and they then informed us that you were an All-American. There were 110 boys soccer players chosen as All-Americans, and you were one of them.

“Head Coach Doug Nevins told us that out of 485,000 boys soccer players in the country, you were selected the 2025 National Player of the Year!

“We couldn’t be any more proud of you!”

West Orange High School Principal Oscar Guerrero also praised the Mountaineers’ National Player of the Year.

“What more can I say,” he added. “On behalf of myself, the administration, the teachers here in West Orange, and the superintendent, we are extremely proud of you, not just because of the amazing soccer player you are, but the student you are and the man you are.”

Defense was such a staple for West Orange soccer this past fall, so much so that the Essex County team’s consistently-stellar resistance while facing almost all advances toward the 18-yard area ultimately protected by junior goalkeeper Agustin Arrieta never fully penetrated the goal line and into the back of the net.

In fact, the 2025 Group 4 state champion Mountaineers wound up allowing just 13 goals while posting 16 shutouts with the culmination of one of the top seasons in program history coming with its resounding 5-0 victory over North Brunswick in the Saturday, Nov. 22nd, state final at Franklin High School.

Veteran coach Doug Nevins’ No. 2 ranked soccer side captured its third NJSIAA state title and first since 2013. The 2006 squad, considered one of the best in school history, achieved the program’s first Group 4 crown.

The 2025 edition was spearheaded by its outstanding defense, led by the future UCLA Bruin Jackson along with juniors Justin Amaya, Niko Chiovaro and sophomore Chase Winds, who all shined in front of stellar goal keeper  ‘Auggie’ Arrieta, who had six saves in both the state final and in the impressive Group 4 semifinal victory at Scotch Plains.  

The Mountaineers made quick work of North Brunswick (15-10) in the state final

Junior Darius Millington (13 goals and 7 assists on the season) got things off to a terrific start for West Orange with his first of two goals just two minutes into the state championship match.

Jackson (18 goals, 5 assists), who was a potent scorer all season long in addition to being the state’s top defender, made it 3-0 Mountaineers in the 34th minute, while Joseph Castillo and the team’s leading scorer on the season, senior Carl Hall (22 goals, 26 assists) also added goals for the Essex County side.

Junior Jatniel Vargas-Espino had two assists in the match.

Now Jackson can be talked about for years to come along with other West Orange soccer greats such as Martinez, who helped lead the 2006 Mountaineer state champs under Coach Nevins.

“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 goal by the Gray Bees in a narrow 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!”