Sports

Sports & Recreation

WITH Jim Hague

ogsmar@aol.com

Kearny boys’ soccer: Just like old times

Even though the Kearny High School boys’ soccer team posted an impressive 11-3 record during the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic world of 2020, there was still a level of concern heading into the 2021 season.

“The kids were worried whether we were going to play or not,” said veteran Kearny head boys’ soccer coach Bill Galka. “They were worried whether we were going to have a full season.”

Well, the Kardinals did have the best record in the Hudson County Interscholastic AthleBut tic League a year ago, it wasn’t full slate of games. And there wasn’t either a Hudson County Tournament or an NJSIAA Group IV state playoff to hang their hats on. There was just the 11-3 record and not much else.

But with the pandemic more than likely now in the rearview mirror and all schools scheduling a full allotment of games prior to the county and state playoffs, the Kardinals have to be considered a favorite to win both postseason tourneys.

“We’re glad to have a full compliment of games,” Galka said. “I’d say that we’re back to normal.”

The Kardinals have a deep and talented roster, led by senior Luis Rojas, who came out of nowhere a year ago to collect a state-best 23 goals in just 14 games. Rojas will see time at both forward and midfield this season.

One thing’s for sure: Everyone and their mother knows that Rojas is a potent scorer.

“I’ve been telling him that all summer,” Galka said. “I said, ‘Now you’re known.’ Teams have to be paying more attention to him. He was recognized as the league’s MVP, so the league’s coaches know who he is. We have to keep him level headed.”

The Kards won their first two games of the new season last week, soundly defeating Hudson County rivals Union City (3-1) and Dickinson (4-0), two squads who should be among the HCIAL’s playoff teams come November.

Rojas scored a goal in the Kards’ win over Dickinson.

“We’re hoping that he can do what he did last year,” Galka said. “We certainly want the team to be more balanced scoring than we were last year, but we certainly want him (Rojas) to be scoring goals.”

Senior forward Dalton Davila has scored two goals in the first two games. Davila had six goals and four assists last season.

“He gets us going both ways,” Galka said of Davila.

New coach, same results for Nutley grid team

Photo by Jim Hague The Nutley High School football program has won eight straight games, six last season and two in 2021 thus far. From left are Billy Mielnicki, Anthony Pinal, Daniel Reyes, head coach J.D. Vick, Will Jennings, Joey Alberti and Paul Poplawski.

By Jim Hague ogsmar@aol.com

NUTLEY – When J.D. Vick was appointed to take over permanently for Steve DiGregorio as the head football coach at Nutley High School, he knew that he was inheriting a solid program, especially since in 2020, the Maroon Raiders posted their first undefeated season since 1939, winning all six of their contests in the truncated schedule caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

“Everything went pretty smoothly,” said Vick, a longtime assistant coach who was the interim head coach in 2019 when DiGregorio was taking care of his battle with pancreatic cancer. “Since we were in the same situation before, it wasn’t new. We also brought back the same coaching staff.”

But the Maroon Raiders lost 23 kids to graduation, an uncharacteristically large number to lose to graduation for an NJSIAA Group III enrollment school.

As Vick took over as head coach, he had just three returning starters on offense and four on defense.

“I think we were going to give an opportunity to play for a lot of guys,” said Vick, a native of Alabama who has been with the Maroon Raiders for the better part of the last decade. “They were going to get the chance to step up and see playing time. I think we found out what we needed to work on during the preseason and our scrimmages. And the kids did great.”

The Maroon Raiders most certainly handled the transition in roaring fashion, because they have won their first two games of the 2021 season, defeating neighboring rivals Bloomfield (18-13) and Belleville last Friday night, winning a 29-28 thriller on the new surface at Doc Ellis Field at Belleville Stadium.

The Maroon Raiders led from start to finish, but maintained the lead despite some scary moments down the stretch to secure the victory, improving Nutley’s winning streak to eight straight games.

Leading the way for the Raiders is talented senior quarterback Matt Harbison (6-foot-1, 215 pounds). Harbison has been the starter for the previous two seasons and has been everything anyone would ever want in a signal caller.

“Obviously, being a quarterback is such an impact position,” Vick said. “Matt’s worked so hard in the offseason to get ready. No one will ever outwork Matt. There’s no substitute for his experience. He’s like having a coach on the field. He can run with the ball and he can