Parella sets new career goal mark at Brookdale

Joe Parella is the face of junior college soccer, according to Brookdale Community College coach Mike Costa.

Although he was overshadowed at Howell High School, Parella had a chance to shine at Brookdale and he took advantage of the opportunity.

Parella, a sophomore striker, set the Jersey Blues' record for career goals (45) and will likely earn his second All-American certificate when the honors team is announced later this month.

"Joey is just an outstanding kid," said Costa. "He is an example of what junior college does for you."

While playing on Howell High School teams that won back-to-back Shore ConferenceANorth Division championships and a Shore Conference Tournament crown, Parella played out of position at outside midfield.

Up front, the Rebels had All-American Kyle Bethel (now playing at Duke) and an All-State player in Cody Calafiore (now at Rutgers).

At Brookdale, Parella was able to play up front at striker, the position he played in travel soccer, and he took off.

"Playing outside midfield [in high school], my job was to stay wide; at striker I can use my speed more," Parella explained.

Parella's speed, Costa noted, separated the Brookdale striker from everyone else.

"It's that extra gear," said Costa. "He'll be running fast and all of a sudden he's going faster. It's that change of pace. He has a very quick first step."

Like all good strikers, Parella has a killer instinct when it comes to finishing off a scoring chance.

"You have to believe that you're going to make it," he said.

Parella credited his teammates with making his Brookdale scoring record possible. After an All-American 2008 season in which he scored 22 goals, he was a marked man this season. Yet he was still able to find the back of the net 23 times for the Jersey Blues.

"It was frustrating at first," he said of the variety of defenses he encountered. "We have a lot of good players, and they created open space for me. It was a team effort."

Parella was named the NCAA Division III Player of the Week for Oct. 29. In that week he scored a three-goal hat trick in a 5- 1 win over Raritan Valley, and he had a goal and an assist during regulation and scored on a penalty kick during a shootout as Brookdale defeated Middlesex, 4-3, in the Region XIX playoffs.

In scoring three times against Raritan Valley, Parella tied and then set the Brookdale school record for career goals.

The previous record was 43 goals by Mike Lonigro. Parella's third goal against Raritan Valley gave him 44 goals for his career, and he extended his record to 45 goals against Middlesex.

"I never really anticipated [the school record]," said Parella.

However, Parella said he had a good idea that he could get the record after he scored 22 goals in 2008. He wasn't keeping count, though, because winning was more important. But his time came, and he set the mark against Raritan Valley.

Parella was not a starter when he arrived on the Brookdale campus in Lincroft last year, but when injuries hit the Jersey Blues early in the 2008 season, Costa put him in at striker when the team was playing in Maryland, and Parella immediately found the back of the net.

And, Costa added, the Howell graduate kept on scoring for the next two years.

Costa turned out to be the link between the record holders. He coached Lonigro at Jackson Memorial High School, and Lonigro's record stood for 22 years until Costa was coaching Parella at Brookdale.

With 23 goals and four assists for 50 points, Parella ranks third in the country in scoring.

The Jersey Blues finished the 2009 season with a 15-2-3 record and were ranked No. 7 in the nation. The season ended with a 4-1 loss to Union in the Region XIX semifinals. The loss signaled the end of one of the college's greatest careers.

"It's been a great experience," said Parella, who is now looking at four-year colleges where he can continue his soccer career.

Costa said Parella will be sorely missed.

"There is no way to replace him," the Brookdale coach said.

Parella was one of three Brookdale players named to the All-Region XIX First Team. Joining Parella on the first team were Augusto Dragonetti (Wall) and Andrew Donoghue (Old Bridge). Eric Frye (Matawan) was a second-team pick.