UNION, NJ — The goals that a veteran Union High School boys soccer team set for itself are now out there for the Farmers to attain.
Reaching the Union County Tournament championship game for the first time in five years was one of them.
Mission accomplished.
In the semifinals at Arthur L. Johnson High School on Sunday, Oct. 15, traditional Union County powers Westfield High School, the two-time defending champion, and Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School, the school with the most UCT titles, were ousted by Elizabeth High School and Union.
Elizabeth took care of third-seeded Westfield, 3-2, preventing the Blue Devils from a three-peat. Union ousted fifth-seeded Scotch Plains-Fanwood, 2-1. Both games did not see overtime.
That sets up the final on Saturday, Oct. 21, at 7 p.m., between second-seeded Elizabeth and top-seeded Union at Arthur L. Johnson High School’s Nolan Field in Clark. With heavy rain in the forecast for Saturday, Oct. 21, there’s a chance the game will be postponed and played at a later date.
The game will go to kicks from the penalty mark to decide a winner, if it is still tied after both overtime periods.
As of Monday afternoon, Oct. 16, Union sported an overall record of 8-1-2 and Elizabeth, 11-3. Union was leading the Union County Conference’s always-challenging Watchung Division at 5-1, while Elizabeth was second at 4-2.
Union defeated Elizabeth 1-0 at home on Thursday, Sept. 21.
“Elizabeth is a technical team that has a lot of speed,” said Union head coach Lester Lembryk, who has been at the helm of the Farmers since 2008.
Christian Palmer’s first of two goals so far this season, coming in the first half, was the lone goal in Union’s win against Elizabeth. Fellow senior Kayden Grave made nine saves in goal for the shutout.
“We have to continue to focus on what got us here,” Lembryk said. “Elizabeth has a great program and a strong tradition, so we know it’s not going to be an easy game. We have to continue to do what we’re doing.”
In Elizabeth’s 3-2 semifinal win against Westfield at Arthur L. Johnson, Brandon Quishpi-Aquiles scored twice and Mark Ibarra once. Andrew Gonzalez made four saves. Elizabeth led 2-1 at intermission.
Scoring for Union in its 2-1 semifinal win against Scotch Plains-Fanwood at Arthur L. Johnson were seniors Josias Mendez and Paulo Ferreira. Grave made 10 saves. All the scoring was done in the second half.
“Scotch Plains has a very good program and the history of being the best,” Lembryk said. “We had two opportunities and took advantage of them.”
Lembryk said this has been a season of unexpected players coming through to add to the team effort element. One of them against Scotch Plains-Fanwood was Mendez.
“He had a beautiful goal for us,” Lembryk said. “He’s a senior who comes in off the bench and makes a big contribution for us.”
Union last reached the UCT final in 2018 and last won the title outright in 1999. Union’s only title since then is a shared crown with Westfield in 2018.
Elizabeth is in the final for the second straight season, after falling to defending champion Westfield, 1-0, in last year’s final. The Minutemen last won the championship outright in 2008. Since then, Elizabeth won a share of the title with Westfield in 2017 and with Summit in 2019.
Jacques Gonzales was promoted to head coach in 2018, succeeding longtime Elizabeth mentor Joe Cortico.
Lembryk succeeded longtime head coach Jim Jeskey, who was at the helm of the Farmers for 47 seasons, from 1961-2007. Union’s only other boys soccer head coach was Gordon LeMatty for the 1959 and 1960 seasons, when the program began.
“Our efforts from playing together for a while now are beginning to pay off,” Lembryk said. “We have a great group of kids on and off the field.
“Our conference is very demanding and one of the best in the state.”
Governor Livingston High School, also in the UCC’s Watchung Division, defeated both Elizabeth and Union in division play. Governor Livingston downed Union at home, 2-1, on Tuesday, Oct. 3, which is Union’s only loss, and then bested Elizabeth, 2-1, at Elizabeth on Monday, Oct. 9.
Governor Livingston began the week in third place in the Watchung Division standings, behind Union and Elizabeth at 3-2-1. The Highlanders were 9-4-1 overall.
Union is also seeking to win the UCC’s Watchung Division title for the first time during Lembryk’s tenure. The Farmers previously won the Mountain Division when they were situated there.
Years Elizabeth won UCT outright or shared
• 1966: Edison Tech 2, Westfield 1
• 1968: Edison Tech 1, Pingry 0
• 2005: Elizabeth 4, Scotch Plains-Fanwood 3
• 2008: Elizabeth 1, Summit 0
• 2017: Elizabeth 1, Westfield 1 – co-champs
• 2019: Elizabeth 2, Summit 2 – co-champs
Years Union won UCT outright or shared
• 1967: Union 2, Westfield 1
• 1978: Union 2, Linden 0
• 1990: Union 3, Elizabeth 0
• 1999: Union 2, Scotch Plains-Fanwood 0
• 2018: Union 1, Westfield 1 – co-champs
When Union and Elizabeth clashed in the final for the first time in 1990, Union’s goalkeeper was sophomore Eric Shaw, who posted the shutout in the championship match.
Shaw, after a stellar college career at Seton Hall, was a successful head girls soccer coach at Union before becoming the head boys soccer coach at Westfield.
Shaw has guided Westfield to its last five UCT titles, three of them outright and two shared. Those Westfield teams won county titles in 2016, 2017 shared, 2018 shared, 2021 and 2022.
2023 Boys Soccer Union County Tournament
Seeds: 1-Union. 2-Elizabeth. 3-Westfield. 4-Rahway. 5-Scotch Plains-Fanwood. 6-Governor Livingston. 7-Cranford. 8-Arthur L. Johnson. 9-Summit. 10-New Providence. 11-Plainfield. 12-David Brearley. 13-Linden. 14-Oratory Prep. 15-Jonathan Dayton. 16-Hillside. 17-Roselle Park. 18-Union Catholic.
First Round
• Arthur L. Johnson 4, Roselle Park 0 – at Arthur L. Johnson
• Summit 3, Hillside 0 – at Summit
• David Brearley 3, Linden 0 – at David Brearley
• Oratory Prep 1, Plainfield 1 (PKs) – at Plainfield
• Cranford 5, Union Catholic 1 – at Cranford
• New Providence 5, Jonathan Dayton 3 – at New Providence
Second Round
• Summit 2, Arthur L. Johnson 0 – at Arthur L. Johnson
• Scotch Plains-Fanwood 3, David Brearley 2 – at Scotch Plains-Fanwood
• Governor Livingston 2, Oratory Prep 1 – at Governor Livingston
• New Providence 2, Cranford 1 – at Cranford
Quarterfinals
• Union 3, Summit 0 – at Union
• Scotch Plains-Fanwood 2, Rahway 1 – at Rahway
• Westfield 1, Governor Livingston 0 – at Westfield
• Elizabeth 2, New Providence 0 – at Elizabeth
Semifinals at Arthur L. Johnson High School
Sunday, Oct. 15
• Elizabeth 3, Westfield 2
• Union 2, Scotch Plains-Fanwood 1
Final at Arthur L. Johnson High School
Saturday, Oct. 21
• 2-Elizabeth vs. 1-Union, 7 p.m.
UCT boys’ soccer championship game scores, 1966-2022
• 1966: Edison Tech 2, Westfield 1
• 1967: Union 2, Westfield 1
• 1968: Edison Tech 1, Pingry 0
• 1969: Scotch Plains-Fanwood 2, Arthur L. Johnson 1
• 1970: Pingry 0, Scotch Plains-Fanwood 0 – co-champs
• 1971: Governor Livingston 1, Pingry 0
• 1972: Governor Livingston 1, Arthur L. Johnson 0
• 1973: Governor Livingston 1, Edison Tech 0
• 1974: Pingry 1, Westfield 0
• 1975: Pingry 1, Arthur L. Johnson 0
• 1976: Summit 1, Pingry 1 – co-champs
• 1977: Pingry 2, Scotch Plains-Fanwood 0
• 1978: Union 2, Linden 0
• 1979: Governor Livingston 3, Westfield 2
• 1980: Summit 2, Westfield 2 – co-champs
• 1981: Westfield 3, Summit 1
• 1982: Westfield 8, Scotch Plains-Fanwood 0
• 1983: Pingry 2, Westfield 1
• 1984: Westfield 4, New Providence 1
• 1985: Westfield 3, Scotch Plains-Fanwood 2
• 1986: Scotch Plains-Fanwood 1, Westfield 0
• 1987: Scotch Plains-Fanwood 2, Westfield 1
• 1988: Westfield 2, Scotch Plains-Fanwood 1
• 1989: Scotch Plains-Fanwood 1, Westfield 0 (shootout)
• 1990: Union 3, Elizabeth 0
• 1991: Westfield 1, Cranford 0
• 1992: Scotch Plains-Fanwood 2, Westfield 1
• 1993: Westfield 2, Scotch Plains-Fanwood 1
• 1994: Governor Livingston 2, Westfield 1
• 1995: Arthur l. Johnson 2, Union 1
• 1996: Westfield 1, Rahway 0
• 1997: Scotch Plains-Fanwood 3, Elizabeth 0
• 1998: Scotch Plains-Fanwood 2, Cranford 0
• 1999: Union 2, Scotch Plains-Fanwood 0
• 2000: Scotch Plains-Fanwood 2, Arthur L. Johnson 0
• 2001: Scotch Plains-Fanwood 1, Arthur L. Johnson 0
• 2002: Scotch Plains-Fanwood 1, Cranford 0
• 2003: Linden 1, Scotch Plains-Fanwood 0
• 2004: Scotch Plains-Fanwood 1, Union 0
• 2005: Elizabeth 4, Scotch Plains-Fanwood 3
• 2006: Scotch Plains-Fanwood 4, Union 2
• 2007: Scotch Plains-Fanwood 4, Elizabeth 0
• 2008: Elizabeth 1, Summit 0
• 2009: Cranford 1, Westfield 0
• 2010: Westfield 2, Scotch Plains-Fanwood 1 (OT)
• 2011: Scotch Plains-Fanwood 1, Union 0
• 2012: Scotch Plains-Fanwood 5, Governor Livingston 2
• 2013: Scotch Plains-Fanwood 4, Elizabeth 2
• 2014: Scotch Plains-Fanwood 2, Westfield 1
• 2015: Scotch Plains-Fanwood 1, Elizabeth 0 (OT)
• 2016: Westfield 2 Scotch Plains-Fanwood 1
• 2017: Westfield 1, Elizabeth 1 – co-champs
• 2018: Westfield 1, Union 1 – co-champs
• 2019: Elizabeth 2, Summit 2 – co-champs
2020: Final was to be Westfield vs. Scotch Plains-Fanwood,
but it was canceled due to COVID-19
• 2021: Westfield 1, Scotch Plains-Fanwood 0
• 2022: Westfield 1, Elizabeth 0
Championships, 1966-2022
• Scotch Plains-Fanwood 19, 1 shared
• Westfield 15, 3 shared
• Elizabeth 6, includes Edison Tech 2, 2 shared
• Pingry 6, 2 shared
• Governor Livingston 5
• Union 5, 1 shared
• Summit 3, all shared
• Arthur L. Johnson 1
• Linden 1
• Cranford 1
Championship game appearances, 1966-2022
• Scotch Plains-Fanwood 30
• Westfield 27
• Elizabeth 13, includes Edison Tech 3
• Union 9
• Pingry 8
• Governor Livingston 6
• Arthur L. Johnson 6
• Summit 5
• Cranford 4
• Linden 2