16 The Voyager
Sports
Fall 2021
Mr. Bolen takes the reins as football head coach also included standout players such as T.J Gardner, Ryan Delaney, and NFL firstround pick Eli Apple. ince he came to Eastern, Mr. After continuing as a defensive backs Bolen has made a career out of coach for the next eight seasons, Bolen helping students find success came upon the opportunity to take on a after high school. He’s been a larger role with the Vikings when former guidance counselor here for almost a dehead coach John Doherty resigned in Decade, and he’s worked with the football cember 2020. team for just as long. But this year, he “It was just good timing on my end, and landed the opportunity to increase his imthe right situation, and I was able to interpact on the team, and leave his mark as view and discuss the things that I wanted head coach. to do with the program. They liked what I Having grown up in nearby Westhampwas putting out there, and I got the opporton, New Jersey, Bolen has local ties to tunity to lead the young men and coaches, Eastern. After graduand do my best,” Bolen ating from Rancocas said. “They liked what I was Valley High School When Bolen heard in 2001, he attended putting out there, that he won the job, he the University of was ecstatic, because and I got the Notre Dame as part he knew that he was opportunity to lead of the Class of 2005, inheriting a great group the young men and majoring in anthroof players and coaches. coaches, and do pology, economics, His assistant coaches and computer applimy best.” include offensive cocations. He played on ordinator Nick Yotsko, the football teams at defensive coordinator both schools as a defensive back, gaining Kenny Foulkes, linebackers coach Gary notoriety as a strong, physical defender. Worthington, as well as defensive line In the years after, Bolen found a job at coach Jacob Gruber and wide receivers Synthes USA Trauma, a medical device coach Delaney, who played on the 2012 manufacturing company, as a medical squad. sales consultant. However, he realized Bolen’s first win as head coach came that he wanted to return to football as a in the season opener against Seneca on coach, and enrolled at Wilmington UniSeptember 2nd. Since then, he’s collected versity in order to obtain his master’s in wins against Trenton Central on Septemschool counseling. A month after graduatber 17th and Highland Regional on Ocing in 2012, Bolen was hired at Eastern tober 8th. On October 22nd, the Vikings as a guidance counselor, a position he has finished the season strong against Rancoheld ever since. cas Valley with a 31-21 comeback victory. 2012 also marked Bolen’s first year of With every Friday night that passes, Boinvolvement with the Vikings, when he len and his players have improved. signed on as a volunteer coach for the “We’ve played some very tough players defensive backs. Led by quarterback and had a few setbacks, but the kids play Tom Flacco, the brother of former Super tough and respond well. We’re just lookBowl MVP Joe Flacco, that year’s roster ing forward to progressing and getting By ANDREW SHINKLE ‘22 Editor-in-Chief
S
Coach Bolen (left) and Coach Yotsko (right) communicate with the team during their blowout victory against Trenton Central on September 17th Photo by Andrew Shinkle ‘22 at McAleer Stadium. better than we were last week, and being and once you have a seat at the table, go ready for the game on Friday night,” he and compete, and hopefully win a state said. title one day,” he said. So far, Bolen’s favorite aspect of head However, he realizes that at the end of coaching revolves around the playerthe day, the end goal for his players is bigcoach relationships. On his squad, the ger than football; that developing highplayers care about and play for each character people is the ultimate prize in other, which is crucial for a team’s locker life. room health and overall performance. With the way things currently stand, it The coaches also play a role in fostering a looks like Coach Bolen will be in it for the sense of camaraderie and trust throughout long haul with the Vikings. Supported by the team. those around him, and with an honorable Going forward, Bolen wants to focus on goal on his radar, the sky will be the limit building the Vikings into a perennial playfor where he can take the program. off contender. “As long as they’ll have me, I’ll be here.” “The goal, always, when you get into a position like this is to make the playoffs,
Girls’ Tennis experiences a season of transition By JOSEPH LOVERDI ‘22 Sports Editor
ond have been key to the Vikings’ success this year. Every team needs a strong dout’s been a season of transition for bles core to provide support; we saw that the Eastern Girls Tennis team. with both the girls’ and boys’ teams in the Last year’s team went 6-4 and 2020-21 season, and this year’s team is no made a strong run to the semifidifferent. “First doubles ended up defeatnals of their NJSIAA group tournament, ing every team in the Olympic Conferbut this year’s team has seen some changence having never played together before. es. There’s been rotation within the lineSecond doubles is always underrated but up; with Melody Dias, Lily Coyne, and they drive our record,” Kemery said. Sydney Gold graduating (three fourths It’s especially noticeable at first, where of the 2020 team’s doubles lineup). Also, Serata and Riquelme boast the team’s best senior Abby Serata record. The two had never has moved from 3rd played together before “The girls worked singles to first douthis season, and quickly and earned their way gelled to form a near-unbles alongside junior Violet Riquelme, stoppable unit, arguably to those spots and while Lela Phung has the best doubles pairing in ultimately made the moved from first to one of the toughest conteam as strong as it third singles as sophferences in the state. was.” omore Magha Kumar Meanwhile at first rose to first singles. singles, it’s been a year Coach George Kemery sees this as of learning for Kumar, who played first good competition. “The girls worked and doubles with Dias last year. Kemery deearned their way to those spots and ultiscribes her play as “powerful, dedicated, mately made the team as strong as it was,” and laser-focused, hitting hard and flat.” he said. Only a sophomore, Kumar’s an athlete The theme of this season was one of to watch throughout her remaining two transition from the old guard to the new, years at Eastern. one that will continue next year as SeWhen looking back at the season, Kerata, Phung, Nadine Litvak (second sinmery singles out both of their wins against gles) and Dara Hammel (half of second Cherokee as standout moments. doubles) will graduate. The Vikings went “They’re a good team and we murdered 9-8 and bowed out in the second round of them this year,” he said. Standing out is their NJSIAA group tournament followhard in the “toughest conference for tening a 4-1 loss to Lenape. nis in South Jersey,” but the Vikings did One of the season’s pleasant surprises just that this year. With a solid foundahas been the excellence of Eastern’s doution to build on as Kumar, Riquelme, and bles teams; Serata and Riquelme at first Kulkarni return, things will definitely and Hammel and Aastha Kulkarni at seconly go up from here.
I
Junior Aastha Kulkarni stands ready for an opposing shot.
Photo by Tiana Cyrelson ‘22
Fall Season Standings Field Hockey: 25-2, NJ TOC State Champions Marching Band: NJ State Champions Boys Soccer: 11-9 Girls Soccer: 18-3-1 Football: 4-5 Girls Volleyball: 8-14
