The 2025 West Orange side may not have been 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!”

The Mountaineers were very impressive as well in their hard-fought 1-0 win at Scotch Plains in the Group 4 state semifinals on Tuesday (Nov. 18).

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.

“Hats off to West Orange because they are a very good team,” said St. Benedict’s coach Jim Wandling after his team managed to edge the Mountaineers in the 2025 ECT final at Livingston. “Their boys are a committed group, they are relentless workers, and are very well coached.”

The Mountaineers have simply continued to produce banner seasons ever since the 52-year-old Nevins took over the reins of the program in 2000 following a fine scholastic career at nearby Seton Hall Prep and college playing career at Villanova.

Essex County’s other state champ on Nov. 22nd was Glen Ridge (20-4) which defeated Delaware Valley (20-6) by a 3-1 score in the Group 1 final.

Christoffer Cabrera, who finished with 12 goals on the season, along with Ryan Law and Robert Runnions scored the Ridger goals while the always-dangerous Max Fleischer added two assists and Dylan Arnett had one assist.

Coach Brian Ianni’s Ridgers, who had last won an overall Group 1 championship in 2019, avenged state semifinal losses to Waldwick in both 2022 and 2024 by exploding past the Bergen County school, 5-0, in the Group 1 semis.

Leading scorer Fleischer scored his 27th and 28th goals of the season in the first half as Glen Ridge took control of the match early on and roared past Waldwick (14-9-1) to the semifinal victory.

On the girls side veteran coach Brian Carr's Livingston Lancers had outstanding run through the Group 4 field with victories over North Bergen, 7-0; Passaic Tech, 3-0; Fair Lawn, 1-0, Ridgewood, 3-1, (for N1G4 state sectional title), previously-undefeated Westfield, 1-0 (in Group 4 state semifinals) before the triumph vs. Cherokee on PKs in Group 4 state final.