The 2023 USL League Two season was another success for the Ocean City Nor’easters. The club’s 26th season, and the 20th in USL-2, saw the Nor’easters win a second straight Mid-Atlantic Division title, and earn a third straight trip to the playoffs.

Under the leadership of first-year head coach Matt Perrella, the success was very much a team effort, but a number of individual players stood out.

This year, it was too difficult to choose just one “most valuable player” so the Nor’easters are breaking with tradition and have chosen co-MVPs: Alessandro Arlotti and Nick Pariano.

“These players both deserve to be the MVP,” said Nor’easters president Giancarlo Granese Sr. “They drove the team two years in a row, and without them, the team doesn’t win back-to-back Mid-Atlantic Division titles. Both of them really cared and stayed till the end. It was a really special year.”

Below are all of the 2023 Ocean City Nor’easters team award winners:

CO-MOST VALUABLE PLAYER / OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Alessandro Arlotti (Harvard / San Remo, Italy)

For the second season in a row, Arlotti was a key piece to a successful season in Ocean City. And for the second straight season, the team captain was honored as team MVP award and was also named the Offensive Player of the Year. Ocean City created the team awards in 2006 and this is just the second time that a player has been named a team MVP in consecutive seasons (Deri Corfe 2018-19). This is also the second time in club history that a player was named the Offensive Player of the Year multiple times (Byron Carmichael 2007-11).

Arlotti played in 12 of the team’s 14 regular season games, starting 11 of them. He also played every minute of the team’s three playoff games. The Harvard standout scored three goals and led the team with eight assists. He added one more assist in the Eastern Conference Final against Lionsbridge FC to give him nine helpers, which tied the single-season club record for all competitions.

CO-MOST VALUABLE PLAYER
Nick Pariano (Duke / Philadelphia, PA)

For the second year in a row, Pariano was one of the anchors of the midfield. The only game he didn’t play in was the last regular season game of the season after the Storm had already clinched the division title. And then played nearly every minute of the team’s three postseason games. He was one of five players on the roster to play in 13 or more games, and one of four field players to play more than 1,000 minutes.

Pariano was the team’s third leading scorer in all competitions, scoring six goals and dishing out two assists. Three of those goals came in the playoffs. He had two game-winning goals, one of them was in the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Hudson Valley Hammers when he scored a PK in second half stoppage time. He also had a game-winning assist in the season opening road win against Real Central New Jersey.

Pariano was also named to the USL League Two Team of the Year (Best XI) and was voted the Mid-Atlantic Division Player of the Year.

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Stefano Camerlengo (Missouri-KC / Pescara, Italy)

Camerlengo started the second game of the season for the Nor’easters and never let go of the starting job. He was given the day off for the regular season finale since the team had already cliched the division title. He did not lose a single game in the regular season, finishing with a 7-0-5 record. He earned four clean sheets and only allowed more than one goal in a game once. He finished with a 0.67 goals against average in the regular season, which was among the league leaders. It was also the third best single-season GAA in club history behind teammate Felix Schafer (0.55 in 2022) and Pat Hannigan (0.56 in 2004).

Out of the many big saves by Camerlengo this season, one of the biggest came in the Nor’easters home opener at the Beach House on May 26. After Andrew Kitch scored a first half goal to give the Storm a 1-0 lead, the Philadelphia Lone Star were awarded a penalty kick in the 77th minute. Camerlengo saved the PK and it preserved the Nor’easters’ 1-0 win and a fifth straight home opening victory.  

YOUNG PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Andrew Kitch (North Carolina / Medford, NJ)

Andrew Kitch was the youngest player on the Nor’easters’ roster at 18. Kitch played in nine of the 14 regular season games (starting three of them). He also played in two of the team’s playoff games (starting one). He scored two goals this season and both of them were game-winners. On May 24, Kitch started his first game in an Ocean City uniform and scored the game-winning goal in a 3-1 road win over Lehigh Valley United. Less than 48 hours later, the Medford native got another start in the Nor’easters’ home opener and scored what would prove to be the game-winner in the 8th minute. The Storm would beat Philadelphia Lone Star 1-0 at the Beach House.  

Kitch was a top recruit after an impressive career at Shawnee High School and playing club ball for Real Jersey Football Club. He won the US Youth Soccer National Championship in 2019 and 2021. Kitch was also named to the Best XI at the national tournament four times (2017-19, 2021). He also won the Olympic Conference Player of the Year in 2021. With all of his accomplishments, the Medford, NJ native got the attention of the Tar Heels and he's heading to Chapel Hill to play for the University of North Carolina in the fall.

CREATIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Jamie Davis (New Hampshire / St. Peter’s / Cheshire, England)

Jamie Davis was a regular in the Nor’easters lineup all season and helped create numerous chances for the team. He was one of five players on the roster to play in 13 or more games, and one of four field players to play more than 1,000 minutes. He started the last 11 games of the regular season and played in all three playoff games (starting two of them) In the regular season, he was tied for third on the team in scoring with three goals and two assists (8 points).

BREAKTHROUGH PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Colin Veltri (St. John’s / Mays Landing, NJ)

After coming off the bench for the first half of the season, Colin Veltri played a big role in the club’s playoff push in the second half earning the club’s Breakthrough Player of the Year award. In total, Veltri played in nine games, and started three of the last four games of the regular season and played significant minutes in the playoffs (starting two of the three games he played in).

He was part of one of the biggest comebacks of the season when the Nor’easters came back from a 2-0 deficit against West Chester United on June 27. Veltri came off the bench and moments later he assisted on Joao de Oliveira’s goal that cut the lead in half. Ultimately, the Storm would find a late equalizer and keep its club record unbeaten streak alive. In the playoffs, Veltri played all 90 minutes in Ocean City’s 2-1 road win over the Long Island Rough Riders. He assisted on Josh Jones’ opening goal in the fourth minute.

PRESIDENT’S AWARD (formerly “Nor’easter Award”)
Galen Flynn (St. Louis / West Hartford, CT)

Flynn was a key returning player, playing nine games as an outside back (starting six), but missed five games due to injury. He came back and played the last three games of the regular season. He started all three playoff games and played nearly every minute. He scored two goals on the season, one in a 4-1 home win over Lehigh Valley United on June 10 and the second was a first half equalizer in the season finale at the Beach House against West Chester United.

The President’s Award (formerly the Nor’easter Award) is given to a player who represents the club at a high level on and off the field.