Local players part of CSAC champion men’s soccer team

The Cabrini University men’s soccer team captured the Colonial States Athletic Conference championship with a 1-0 victory over Keystone College in the title game on Saturday. Pictured are Cabrini’s Cape May County natives (from left): Jared Irwin (Wildwood), Brendan Forrest (Middle Township), Trent Canter (Middle Township), Sal Zampirri (Wildwood Catholic), Anthony Zampirri (Wildwood Catholic), Ray Wilson (Middle Township). (photo courtesy Zampirri family)

On Sept. 23, the Cabrini University men’s soccer team lost a 3-0 decision to Eastern University to fall to 0-7-1 on the season.

On Nov. 4, that same Cavalier team celebrated winning the Colonial States Athletic Conference championship.

Cabrini, which features six players from Cape May County high schools, finished off a remarkable six-week run by edging Keystone College, 1-0, in the conference tournament championship game on Saturday.

The victory gave Cabrini (10-8-1), which has won 10 of its last 11 games, its second CSAC title in three seasons and an automatic berth in the NCAA Division III Tournament.

Wildwood High School graduate Jared Irwin and Wildwood Catholic High School graduate Sal Zampirri each started for Cabrini in the championship game. Middle Township graduate Ray Wilson came on as a substitute.

Other members of the Cavaliers include Middle Township graduates Brendan Forrest and Trent Canter and Wildwood Catholic graduate Anthony Zampirri.

Irwin connected from the penalty spot in the eighth minute for the lone goal in the team’s 1-0 win over Neumann in the tournament semifinal on Thursday.

Irwin (first team) and Sal Zampirri (second team), both junior midfielders, were named CSAC all-stars this season. Irwin leads Cabrini with six goals. Zampirri has added one. Both have played in all 19 of the team’s games. Zampirri has started every game, Irwin all but one.

Wilson has played in all 19 games, with one start. Canter has seen action in 14 games, with three starts. Anthony Zampirri, a goalkeeper, has appeared in five games, with four starts, and has been credited with a 2-1 record with one shutout. And Forrest has played in three games. Wilson, Canter, Forrest and Anthony Zampirri are all freshmen.

— Brian Cunniff