Wednesday, October 14, 2020
The Observer | www.theobserver.com
Sports & Recreation WITH
Jim Hague
9
Lyndhurst football looks to rebuild it all back up again
ogsmar@aol.com
Sylvia takes over as new coach, but Kardinal girls soccer rolls on It’s a new era for the Kearny High School girls’ soccer team, as former boys’ assistant coach Mike Sylvia has taken over for Stefanee Pace Kivelhan. “I did a little bit of double duty,” Sylvia said. “This wasn’t something that I had planned. But when the position opened up, I thought it was a great opportunity. My roots are firmly set in Kearny. I thought I could move in pretty well. I know most of the core group pretty well. I’ve taught some of them. I think they know my style and know my personality. I’m happy that they have someone they knew.” It certainly appears as if the Kardinals have responded well to their new coach. Just three games into the Mike Sylvia era and the Kardinals are on an absolute roll, outscoring their opponents by a total of 31-0 over the three games. That’s called making a splash. But to the new head coach, soccer is more than putting the ball into the back of the net. “I believe in building character,” said Sylvia, who gained his reputation as being a solid goalkeep-
ers’ coach. “I believe in having values and what it means to be a Kearny soccer player, what it means to wear the Kearny crest, the Kearny badge. I want the players to do everything like it’s the last time they’ll ever play the game.” So far, it looks as if the message has hit home. Sylvia is so fond of goalkeepers that he’s kept three on his roster for the 2020 season. “Working with these girls and my goalkeeping background, I know what they have to do,” Sylvia said. “So we get on the field before everyone and train earlier before practice. I think we get a lot from that. We’ve had a good goalkeeping tradition here with players like Jen Pettigrew and Meaghan McClelland (both of whom had stints with the United States National Team). I hope to stoke that flame a little.” The Kardinals will utilize all three in sophomores Natalie Osorio and Gabriela Matias and freshman Aracely Vazquez in goal. Natalie Osorio is the younger sister of Samantha Osorio, last year’s Observer Female Athlete of the Year. “It’s definitely an adSee VIEW, Page 11
Photo by Jim Hague
The Lyndhurst High School football team will look to rebound after a tough 0-2 start. Front to back are linemen Angel Velez, Izaak Castellon, Ethan Rodriguez, Kledis Leka, Daniel Martinez and Karam Daoud. Head coach Rich Tuero is to the left.
ro, who begins his seventh season as the head coach at his alma mater. “It is what it It was a mystical, magical is. We knew this was going 2019 high school football to be an uphill battle.” season for the Golden Bears Sure enough, the Bears of Lyndhurst High School, have already lost more tying the school record for games this year than they wins in a season with 11 did last year. The Bears have and capturing the school’s already lost to neighboring first NJSIAA state sectional rival Rutherford (45-24) and championship since 1983. Waldwick (41-20) in the first But that season is history. two games of the abbreviThe trophy is tucked away ated COVID-19 season. nicely and the banner hangs “We have only two returnin the gym as a reminder. ing varsity starters,” Tuero It’s a new season and the said. “We have a very young Golden Bears were ravaged team.” by graduation, losing an And the poor get poorer. unfathomable total of 26 kids Starting two-way lineman to the Pomp and CircumDanny Martinez suffered stance that was eventually a torn anterior cruciate held with social distancing ligament (ACL) in his knee guidelines in July. during the first set of downs When one football team in the Rutherford game. loses 26 kids to graduation, “It was a non-contact that team is usually known injury,” Tuero said. “He just as Penn State University, not turned awkwardly and went a small NJSIAA Group II down. It was devastating. I school. feel bad for the poor kid.” “We lost a lot,” said LyndBut Tuero remains upbeat. hurst head coach Rich Tue“The kids are getting By Jim Hague ogsmar@aol.com
better,” Tuero said. “The coaches, the players, we’re all excited to build it back up again. Lyndhurst is a small town. These things happen. But we’ve done it before, so let’s do it again.” In 2014, the Golden Bears went 1-9 with new head coach Tuero, taking over a program that was in somewhat of turmoil. And six years later, the Golden Bears were the toast of Bergen County, going 11-1. “We just have to go back to work,” Tuero said. “We understand it. So we go through every practice, just trying to get better. If we do something wrong, we identify it and get back on it. Watching these kids get better has been great for me. And I have no doubt we will be back.” Leading the way for the Golden Bears is junior quarterback John Lembo (5foot-9, 165 pounds). He’s the See LYNDHURST, Page 10
