FRANKLIN LAKES, NJ — The Bergen County Tournament favorites have a new star, and his name is Kyle Braithwaite. The senior forward scored all three goals on Saturday as top-seeded Bergen Catholic beat Northern Highlands 3-1 in the county quarterfinals at Ramapo High School, sending the Crusaders to the semifinals for the second straight year — and one step closer to their first county championship since 2019.
THREE GOALS, ONE STATEMENT
Braithwaite opened the scoring late in the first half, then struck again in the 42nd and 63rd minutes to complete his second hat trick of the season. The three goals gave him 18 this fall, tying him for second in the Big North — a remarkable total for a player who played club soccer only before this year. Even after the hat trick he kept hunting, dancing past two defenders and firing just wide of a fourth goal.
Around him, Bergen Catholic showed why it is unbeaten at 12-0-2. The Crusaders own the county's most prolific offense at 4.43 goals per game, started 10 seniors on Saturday, and did it all without starting midfielder Jake Lee, who sat out with a foot injury, as Riaan Vora shifted into the back line. This was also a far calmer afternoon than their previous tournament game, when they needed double overtime to survive River Dell.
Next comes a semifinal against Demarest, and Bergen Catholic will carry both the target and the momentum into it. With a hat-trick hero in this kind of form and an unbeaten record still intact, the Crusaders look every bit the team to beat in Bergen County.
Game details compiled from published box scores.