Devyn Sullivan’s ascent into one of North Jersey’s better midfielders has been all about comfort. So even as Sullivan has enjoyed a breakout season, the North Arlington sophomore is quick to credit everyone else in helping create this situation.
“I feel good with myself (and how I’m playing), but it depends on my whole team around me. I feel comfortable where I am because of how everyone’s making me feel,” said Sullivan. “My captains are doing great, my coaches are doing great. Everyone around me is just putting me in the right spot to help my team wherever I can.”
For Sullivan and her Vikings team, comfort has turned into incredible production. North Arlington is currently enjoying a five-game winning streak with Sullivan scoring a goal in each of those contests. During the stretch, Sullivan has eight goals and five assists to quarterback an offense that has averaged an eye-popping 5.8 goals a game on its winning streak.
Overall, Sullivan has 11 goals and five assists, both team highs. The stats not only match her total from a year ago, but make Sullivan The Observer Athlete of the Week.
As impressive as Sullivan’s individual numbers are, head coach Mike Vivino has been most impressed with how she’s incorporated her teammates within the offense.
“She understands and trusts the teammates that she’s with,” Vivino said, noting Sullivan’s passing has helped create several other goals even if she wasn’t officially credited with an assist. “She’s spreading the wealth and she’s become much more multifaceted this season.”
After a strong freshman year, Sullivan made incorporating her teammates more a priority heading into her sophomore season.
“(Improving my) leadership and making sure everyone’s doing their part and everyone’s good was a priority,” said Sullivan. “Everyone’s feeling good about themselves.”
“When you have a center-mid that knows how to control the game and move the ball around, make the players around them better, that’s a key factor in any team’s success,” Vivino said. “Devyn is becoming that player.”
North Arlington has had a history of strong center midfielders in recent years, a lineage that Sullivan has been able to learn from.
Former North Arlington star Joanna Seca, who played with Portugal’s U19 National Team is currently a Vikings assistant that Sullivan credits for “giving me the points that I need.”
More recently, the Vikings were led in the midfield by current Manhattan University player Arancha Antunes. Antunes, who had 60 goals and 70 assists at North Arlington is the best friend of Devyn’s older sister Brenna. That friendship allowed Devyn to learn from Antunes.
“I’ve been around (Antunes) a bunch, I’ve watched her and I’ve definitely seen how she’s a leader on the field,” Sullivan said. “She was a really strong player and she just made it look very easy. I try to stay as calm and collected as she did.”
“Devyn is a big student of the game,” said Vivino. “She’s like a sponge. Anytime you can give her that little piece of advice, it’s fun to watch her apply it.”
Sullivan also credits running distance events during the winter indoor track season for improving her speed and stamina this fall.
When asked about her goals however, she didn’t state any specific stats, instead just wanting to continue adding more aspects to already impressive skillset.
“I want to keep being a leader, I want to keep being humble and I want to keep learning from the people around me,” Sullivan said. “I want to stay ready for my games, stay healthy, stay fit and just keep up with everything around me and finish the season strong.”
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Jason Bernstein | Observer Sports Writer
Jason Bernstein joined The Observer as its sports writer in March 2022, following the retirement of Jim Hague. He has a wealth of sports-writing experience, including for NJ Advance Media (nj.com, The Jersey Journal, The Star-Ledger.)