The state playoffs start this week and players from around New Jersey will come to play with titles on the line.
NJ Advance Media is highlighting the best of the best, featuring the top playmakers in Group 1 who will play at an MVP level in the 2025 NJSIAA state tournament.
North, Group 1
Dylan Bellinger, Westwood, Sr., A
With fellow senior attackman Luke Biello out much of the season with an injury, Bellinger kept the team’s offense humming with his balanced play. The Mary Washington commit has scored 28 goals and assisted on 22 and now has additional support with Biello’s return five games ago. Bellinfer has generated 144 career points with 83 goals and 61 assists.
Cooper Consoli, Glen Rock, Sr., A
The Fairfield commit enters Wednesday’s first round game against Saddle Brook just one point shy of reaching 200 for his career. Consoli has recorded 61 points this season on 30 goals and 31 assists and has scored eight goals and assisted on 12 in the last four games.
Holden Gillespie, Mountain Lakes, Jr., M
Gillespie has used his steady playmaking skills to help the reigning Group 1 champion win four of its last five games, including a 13-9 upset against No. 13 Chatham on May 17. The Bucknell commit has produced 13 goals and eight assists over those five games and has 43 goals and 28 assists for the season.
Matt Goldstein, Kinnelon, Sr., A
Fourth-seeded Kinnelon (9-8) has lost its last four games, so will be hoping for early offensive spark from Goldstein in Thursday’s opening-round game against Park Ridge. He has scored 33 goals and assisted on 17 for a team-high 50 points this season and has 167 career points on 99 goals and 68 assists.
Calen “Chubb” Reid, Jefferson, Sr., A
The Stockton commit became the state’s all-time assist leader at 262 last Tuesday in a 10-8 win over Randolph, and he was only barely satisfied with his achievement. Three days later, he scored two goals and assisted on six to spur a 14-5 win against Lenape Valley. Reid has compiled 104 points this season on 32 goals and 72 assists and has 380 career points with 111 goals and 269 assists.
Josef Zengerle, Ramsey, Sr., D
Zengerle is a forward on the Ramsey hockey team, but all about defense once he changes his skates for cleats. The Drew commit anchors a defense that yields 6.0 goals a game to help the Rams (12-3) earn the No. 2 seed. Zenfgerle has scooped up 55 ground balls this season and has 164 in his career.
South, Group 1
Frank Argilagos, Rumson-Fair Haven, Sr., D
The 6-foot-2, 190-pound Dartmouth commit is a tone-setter for Rumson-Fair Haven. His strong defensive play has helped the Bulldogs turn things around toward the end of the season. If that defensive group can play well here in the playoffs, Rumson-Fair Haven could win the Group 1 championship. The Bulldogs’ offense has a lot of good options. Joseph Whitehouse just scored a massive goal, hitting the game-winner in overtime to win the Shore Conference title.
Mac Clancey, Haddonfield, Jr., A
Clancey leads the team with 33 goals and 23 assists. Haddonfield’s defense is going to need to clog things up to keep games close. If it can do that, Clancey needs to find a way to make an impact on the offensive end. Haddonfield hits the road to play at Madison in the opening round. That’s a long bus ride, but it will be worth it if the South Jersey squad leads with a win.
Tucker Malfa, Shore, Sr., A
Malfa has matured into the top scorer for a Shore squad that is putting together one of the best seasons in program history. The senior is the son of a coach, Shore’s Gregg Malfa, and he has his dad’s trust in big moments. Malfa leads Shore with a career-high 38 goals. He scored twice and sent out an assist in an upset win over Rumson-Fair Haven earlier this spring. Those two teams could see each other again in the sectional semifinals, with a spot in the title game on the line. Junior Reid Spallone is another scoring option that Shore will count on in big games.
Sean Murtagh, Caldwell, Sr., M
Murtagh has netted 40 goals and assisted on 11 and also scooped up 57 ground balls for the Chiefs (9-9), who have won five of their last seven games to claim the No. 2 seed. He helped Caldwell reach the sectional final in North, Group 1 last season. The Marist commit has produced 115 points in his career on 92 goals and 23 assists and he has 211 ground balls.
Logan Stevens, Bernards, Jr., A
The Cornell commit had a freak injury in the preseason, breaking his ankle after slipping on ice at practice. Stevens is back now and adds another element to the attack. He has 19 goals in seven games since he rejoined the lineup. Senior Finn Vaccaro has been awesome as a distributor for this offense. He has 42 assists in 2025, and 93 in the past two seasons. Bernards has the talent to make a deep run and advance to the sectional final again. The Mountaineers won the section last year and won the program’s first-ever Group 1 championship.
Connor Sutton, Glen Ridge, Sr., A
Sutton has helped the Ridgers (11-8) earn a No. 5 speed by steering them to four wins in the last five games. He has recorded 64 points on 38 goals and 26 assists and also picked up 45 ground balls this season. Sutton has 72 goals and 49 assists in his career.
Jackson Trevaskiss, Voorhees, Sr., M
Trevaskiss is a defensive player by trade and will play with a long pole in college at Messiah. He grabbed a shortie last year, though, and became an offensive force for Voorhees. Trevaskiss had 32 goals and 29 assists as a midfielder in 2024. He has 30 goals and 28 assists so far this year. Voorhees made it to the Hunterdon/Warren/Sussex final. This squad is looking to have the same success here in the sectional playoffs. Senior long-stick midfielder Jake Vernieri is another veteran leader that the Vikings will lean on in big games here in the postseason.
AJ Whitehead, New Providence. Jr., A
Whitehead has helped the Pioneers to a 9-6 mark and seventh seed by scoring 26 goals and assisting on 19 for a team-leading 45 points. He has 143 career points on 93 goals and 50 assists.
Mike Kinney can be reached at mkinney@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) @MikeKinneyHS.
Brandon Gould can be reached at bgould@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) @BrandonGouldHS.
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