Parsippany Hills Tops Demarest 2-1 in Playoffs
The 16th-seeded Parsippany Hills boys soccer team upset top-seeded Demarest in the NJSIAA North 1, Group 3 first round.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Soccer
Parsippany Hills High School boys soccer defeated Demarest 2-1 in a first-round game of the NJSIAA North 1, Group 3 tournament on Wednesday, November 4. The win advances the 16th-seeded Parsippany Hills to the quarterfinals.
Why it matters
The result is a notable upset, as Demarest was the tournament's top seed and had just won the Bergen County Tournament. For Parsippany and the surrounding community, it marks a strong postseason run for a team that finished the regular season at 6-8-6.
Goalkeeper Emanuel Castellanos made five saves as Parsippany Hills held on after Demarest's second-half goal. Demarest's 15-5 season ends with a first-seed exit, while Parsippany Hills improves to 6-8-6.
The players
Parsippany Hills High School
A public high school in Parsippany, New Jersey, whose boys soccer team competes in the NJSIAA North 1, Group 3 tournament.
Demarest High School
A public high school in Demarest, New Jersey, whose boys soccer team was the top seed in the NJSIAA North 1, Group 3 tournament.
The details
Gabriel Paixao-Nascimiento scored the first-half opener off an assist from Owusu Agyekum, and Santiago Restrepo added the second-half goal to make it 2-0. Demarest scored later in the second half to close the gap to 2-1, but could not equalize.
Timeline
Saturday, October 31: Demarest won the Bergen County Tournament, beating Tenafly 4-2 in the final.
Wednesday, November 4: Parsippany Hills defeated Demarest 2-1 in the NJSIAA North 1, Group 3 first round.
Season Trajectory
Demarest's first-round exit follows its Bergen County Tournament title on October 31, a success the program had not matched since its 1977 county title. Parsippany Hills' upset shifts the North 1, Group 3 bracket, removing the top seed from the quarterfinal field.
With Demarest eliminated, the North 1, Group 3 bracket opens up for the remaining teams, and fans can track Parsippany Hills' next tournament game. Parsippany Hills' quarterfinal opponent and date will determine its path toward the sectional title.
The takeaway
A single-elimination tournament can reward a lower seed that plays a clean, disciplined game, as Parsippany Hills did against a top-ranked opponent. Following the bracket closely is the best way to track how the remaining teams advance.
What happens next
Parsippany Hills will play in the NJSIAA North 1, Group 3 quarterfinals, with the date and opponent to be determined by the tournament bracket.
Further reading
For more high school results, see Soccer coverage in Parsippany.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Parsippany Focus | "All Local, All Parsippany".
