Wednesday, November 4, 2020
The Observer | www.theobserver.com
Sports & Recreation WITH
Jim Hague
9
Once again, Kardinals are a soccer power
ogsmar@aol.com
Not the first year rookie Harrison grid coach Jackson expected When Jonathan Jackson was finally elevated to the position of head football coach at Harrison High School last August – incredibly becoming the eighth head football coach the school employed in the past decade – Jackson assumed that it would be just a bit easier of a transition. After all, Jackson was an assistant coach under former head coach Brian Capriola last season. Jackson was also the head freshman boys’ basketball coach and was the strength and conditioning coach as well, so Jackson was more than familiar with the territory. But the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic didn’t allow Jackson to take over as head coach until August. In fact, the 26-year-old Jackson didn’t even know if he wanted the job in the first place. He needed some coaxing and prodding from others to put his name into the hat when the interviews began. So Jackson was given the opportunity in August, had his first Zoom meeting as head coach with his team – and then had to endure a two-week shutdown mandated by the NJSIAA until midSeptember.
“Once Sept. 14 came, we had to get the ball rolling,” Jackson said. “We didn’t have time for conditioning. We couldn’t do anything. Not to make excuses, but we knew that we were going to have some challenges.” Things got worse before they got better. Just as the season was set to kick off in early October, six members of the team simply walked away. “They simply stopped showing up,” Jackson said. “I told them that they should hand in their pads.” Jackson could have panicked. The rest of the Blue Tide could have done the same and quit as well. “It helped me figure out the kids who wanted to be here,” Jackson said. “It gave me the opportunity to give the younger kids a better look.” Jackson wasted little time and started moving people around. “We had three sophomores who became starters on our offensive line,” Jackson said. “By the time we get to our offseason, we will have kids in the weight room with some experience. Those kids will get the chance to See VIEW, Page 11
Photo by Jim Hague
The Kearny boys’ soccer team is once again strong, evidenced by the Kardinals’ 7-1 record. Front row, from left, are Carlos Zapata, Michael Reis, Matheus Ferreira and Emanuel Valentin. Back row, from left, are head coach Bill Galka, Max Silva, Alan Castillo, Matthew Brun, Pablo Pedroza and Daniel Velazquez.
the team lost 14 seniors to graduation from last year’s team that finished 17-3 and went to the semifinals of the Once again, the Kearny NJSIAA North Jersey SecHigh School boys’ soccer tion 1, Group IV tournament. team is one of the best in “That was unusual,” Galka New Jersey – although the said of the massive loss to latest state ranking doesn’t graduation. “This year, we’re show that. heavy with underclassmen. The Kardinals now own I think the COVID (coroa 7-1 record, after a solid navirus COVID-19) made 5-1 victory over previously things difficult because we undefeated Waldwick last couldn’t get a look at the Saturday. The Kards’ lone younger kids in the summer. loss came two weeks ago, I wish we had more time to a 2-1 setback at the hands see what we had. We had to against Hudson County foe make cuts after just a few Union City. days of practice.” But the Kards have outGalka said that he made an scored some of their oppoinventory of the players he nents in downright devastathad coming back from last ing fashion, winning games year’s junior varsity squad. by outcomes of 15-0, 13-0 and “We had a good idea of the 10-0. kids who we could move up “You can’t complain with from JV,” Galka said. “We the results,” veteran head have three sophomores on coach Bill Galka said. “This this year’s team. We were comes without having a real preseason. We’ve been find- trying to find some consistency with the younger kids.” ing out about ourselves as Leading the returnees is the games go on.” senior goalkeeper Matthew The Kardinals have posted Brun, who has been solid in the solid record, even though By Jim Hague ogsmar@aol.com
net for three seasons. “He’s bigger and stronger this year,” Galka said. “He came in pretty fit and it showed. He’s kicking the ball better and handling the ball better. He stepped up in a big way to become a good leader for us.” The two center defending backs are both juniors in Daniel Velazquez and Alan Castillo. Velazquez is the younger brother of the late Adrian, who was tragically killed in an automobile accident in Delaware two years ago after finishing his freshman season playing for RutgersNewark. Daniel Velazquez even wears the No. 17 jersey number that his older brother donned while playing for Kearny. “There’s definitely a resemblance between the two,” said Galka, who made sure that there was a memorial to Adrian placed at Harvey See LYNDHURST, Page 10
