By Andrew Ferrucci
Zach Zurita is a former All-American soccer player and the leading scorer in his high school’s history. He is now the starting forward for the Central Connecticut men’s soccer team. With three goals through seven games, Zurita is the team’s leading scorer, and also had the game-winning assist against UMass Lowell in their 1-0 home opening victory on Wednesday.
On Saturday September 28th, Central will square off against Zurita’s former team and prior conference rivals, the Monmouth Hawks. Monmouth, now a member of the MAAC (Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference) was the home of Zurita before he became a Blue Devil. Since making his decision to leave, the 2011-2012 Gatorade Connecticut Soccer Player of the Year has continued his impressive play. Zurita was awarded the “Golden Boot” award in Bradenton, Fla. after scoring four goals in three games in his team’s U-20 super summer league.
Zurita transferred from Monmouth University after his freshman season, and made the decision to join the home-state team. “I knew head coach Shaun Green and a couple of the kids on the team, so I thought it was a perfect at the time I was transferring,” he said. As a freshman, Zurita played in 11 games at Monmouth, and only started one game. This season as a Blue Devil, he has started in all seven of their games, and leads the team with 26 shots.
His play can be reflected by the tight-knit relationship he has formed with his new teammates. “All the guys when I first got here treated me real well. They welcomed me with open arms. The relationship has been great both on and off the field.”
Zurita is originally from Stratford, Conn. where he played his high school soccer at Bunnell. He racked up 96 goals and 42 assists in his four-year high school career, making him the highest scorer the school has ever seen. Central now has an experienced goal scorer at the throne of its offense, something that needed to be filled after Herman Trophy candidate Reece Wilson graduated last year. Along with fellow striker counterpart Eddy Bogle, Zurita hopes to tally up goals, something that helped lead Central to its 2011 NEC championship. So far this season, Bogle and Zurita have been the only ones to score, and Zurita has the team’s lone assist.
The Central Connecticut men’s soccer program has had some of the best talent out of Connecticut come play for them of recent years, including Jesse Menzies, Nick Cianci and current players Manny Nobre, and Freddy Metullus. “I feel more at home here at Central. It feels more like a family here on the soccer team. They’re just as good (as Monmouth) so it was a win win situation.” Zurita and his teammates have time to turn their 2-4-1 record around. They have played only two home games so far this season, and have faced some of the top competition in the country, including West Virginia and Penn State. Zurita leads the team in points this young season with five.
Still only a sophomore, Zurita has three years of eligibility left, including this season, to further his soccer playing future. Central is eligible to compete in this year’s post season play, after not being able to last season. This gives Zurita and the team plenty of motivation to kick off NEC play with a bang, starting October 11th against LIU Brooklyn. Only 19 years old, the striker has no intentions of parting ways from the sport he loves. “As for my future plans of soccer after college, I will to play somewhere professionally. If not I hope to get involved with the youth and coaching.” Zurita and Central have 11 games left to play this season, with hopes to earn a post season bid, and furthermore an NCAA tournament berth.
