Boys, Girls Soccer Teams At Bridgewater-Raritan HS Honored For Educational Excellence

BRIDGEWATER, NJ — Scoring in the classroom goes along well with scoring on the soccer field at Bridgewater-Raritan High School.

For the second consecutive year, the boys’ and girls’ soccer programs at the high school were honored for their excellence in school.

On Sept. 4, the United Soccer Coaches Association announced its high team academic award winners, which included both the boys’ and girls’ teams at Bridgewater-Raritan High School.

The award recognized scholastic soccer teams for their educational excellence during the 2024-2025 school year.

Many of this year’s current Bridgewater-Raritan players were members of the teams last fall when both the boys’ and girls’ soccer teams were also the recipients of this elite award for the 2023-2024 school year.

According to Sean Casey, Bridgewater-Raritan’s girls’ soccer head coach, only 35 high schools in the country had both their boys and girls teams recognized.

Casey said that the team GPAs were calculated by Tito Santos, the boys' freshman soccer coach and Bridgewater-Raritan High School Guidance Counselor.

"Without his help, applying for the award wouldn't be possible," Casey said about Santos. "I believe only three New Jersey girls' high school teams were recognized, and the boys were one of two boys' teams recognized from New Jersey."

"This award is something Sean and I are very proud of," Mark Heinbach, the Bridgewater-Raritan boys’ soccer head coach, said. "It exemplifies the term student-athlete."

Bridgewater-Raritan’s captains shared how proud they and their teammates are about receiving the award.

"This award shows just how important hard work is not only on the field but also in the classroom. Winning it two years in a row shows just how dedicated this program is to academics in addition to athletics," said goalkeeper Mike Battista, the senior captain of the boys’ team.

Reese Reimann, a star midfielder who is serving in her second year as the captain of the girls’ team, which sported a 1-1 record through September, agreed.

"Being a two-year captain on a team that has earned this national academic award two years in a row is something I’m incredibly proud of," the University of Delaware-bound Reimann said. "Last year, we did extremely well, winning the conference and making it far in the tournaments. For the girls to be able to do that while prioritizing academics shows our commitment as a team."

— Bridgewater Raritan Regional School District