Jefferson boys soccer looking to get over quarterfinal hump

Jefferson boys soccer

Heading into his senior year, Hunter Jacobus looks to be the driving force for Jefferson.Photo courtesy of Don Vassallo

Jefferson’s boys soccer team could only watch as Lakeland’s final shooter hit the back of the net to secure a 3-1 penalty kick victory in the North 1, Group 2 quarterfinals last November.

A 15-3-3 season that showed so many glimmers of promise was over and Jefferson was eliminated in the sectional quarterfinals for the second straight year.

“That was a hard one to swallow for sure,” Jefferson coach Travis Gage, in his eighth year as head coach, said. “We’re looking to get over the quarterfinal hump and make some noise in our section. I think since the last kick from the PKs against Lakeland, the boys have been looking to improve our state tournament run.”

Jefferson seems primed to get over that hump with a strong core returning. That group is headed by senior midfielder and four-year starter Hunter Jacobus.

Jacobus had always been a known face around Jefferson but put all of Morris County on notice when he broke out last season with 12 goals and 12 assists. He was named to third team All-Morris County and first team All-NJAC, Freedom Division. He enters his senior year seven assists away from owning the school’s record.

“Our offense starts and ends with Hunter,” Gage said. “He has so much playmaking talent and scoring ability. He makes you open when you’re not open. He sees things that you don’t see. He’s fun to play with. I wish I could’ve played with him.”

Jacobus found himself in a leadership role last season and took then-freshman Bryan Gaviria under his wing. The rookie came in with a lot of hype and certainly lived up to it with 14 goals and four assists to earn second team All-NJAC, Freedom Division honors.

“In the summer before Bryan came, the kids kept telling me that I had to see him because he just scores goals,” Gage said. “Kids say stuff like, but once he came to practice, my first thought was just, ‘Oh man. I get to coach this kid.”

While Jefferson’s talented duo will pace its offense again, its backline will be extremely difficult to penetrate.

Senior James Ryan is a four-year starter. He is a bit of a utility player and saw time at center mid his sophomore year before transitioning to the backline. He still possesses the mindset and vision of a midfielder, which allows Jefferson to create from the back instead of just clearing the ball.

Fellow senior Dan Profaca - an NJAC, Freedom Division honorable mention - is a true defender and provides a sense of poise in the back that his teammates feed off of.

When teams do get past Jefferson’s backline, things do not get any easier with senior goalkeeper Jacob Wacker as the last line of defense. He already owns the school record with 21 career shutouts and has been the starting keeper since his sophomore year. Known for his work ethic and dedication, Wacker is a vocal leader in the back that directs his teammates all the way up to the attack.

“When you have three seniors behind you, you are so comfortable playing because you’re not worried about turning the ball over," Gage said. "You know that they’ll clean it up for you.”

Jefferson is armed with as complete of a team as it has had in recent years and with last season’s state tournament loss still haunting them, this year’s squad is looking to make a statement.

Richard Greco covers boys soccer for NJ.com and may be reached at rgreco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @Richard_V_Greco. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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