It was a high-flying week in Verona High School boys soccer.
The team, which had started the season with a loss, has had nothing but wins since, putting its record at 4-1. As this week opened, the boys were coming off a 4-0 rout of Glen Ridge. They soon handed defeats to both Irvington (2-1) and next-door rival Cedar Grove (3-0), showing in the process that Verona has a lot of scoring strength on its bench.
Chris Yeates, a senior, leads the squad in scoring this season. He had two against Glen Ridge and one on Irvington, for a total of six goals and one assist since the team’s first game. Thiago Queiroz, a junior coming off a banner year in 2014, already has two goals and two assists to his credit. And the scoring is spreading: Sal Vassallo, Billy Gault and Gianluca DelBarba each got on the scoreboard against Cedar Grove.
The DelBarba score was captured in three rapid-fire shots by photographer Andy Yeates. At first, Cedar Grove’s goalkeeper seems to be expecting the kick from Verona’s Giancarlo Visentin. But as the junior provides a big block (and tackle), DelBarba swoops in for the score.
The boys square off against Bloomfield in an away match on Saturday morning. The Bengals also have a 4-1 record.
The VHS girls team, meanwhile, is still trying to find its footing. After a strong opener against West Orange, the Lady Hillbillies were on the losing end of a 7-0 score against Montclair Kimberley Academy and a 4-1 match with Columbia High School. The girls have until Tuesday to regroup, when they travel to Newark to take on Science Park High School.
Photos copyright Andy Yeates. Used by permission.
