Wednesday, September 1, 2021
The Observer | www.theobserver.com
Sports & Recreation WITH
Jim Hague ogsmar@aol.com
9
North Arlington begins new era with new coach Borkowski Kick off new season at Rutgers Sunday morning vs. Wood-Ridge
Harrison boys’ soccer: Another talented squad The Harrison High School boys’ soccer team only played nine games in the COVID-19 ravaged season a year ago. The Blue Tide, perennially one of the state’s best programs, had a very unconventional 4-3-2 record, which reads more like a phone number than a soccer record. “We had 14 games cancelled,” said veteran Harrison head coach Mike Rusek. “It was not a year that I would ever want to go through again. I know a lot of other people feel the same way. I think we were all just happy to get some practices and some games in. I think the one thing that we all took from last year is that you can never take anything for granted. I think we all came to appreciate high school soccer even more.” The Blue Tide, who open their 2021 season next Thursday at Leonia, suffered serious losses to graduation. An NJSIAA Group II school should not be able to recover from graduating 11 seniors in one clip. However… “We had 14 graduate the year before,” Rusek said. “But I think these kids came in working hard, knowing that we
haven’t won a championship in a while. I think we were starting to go through the motions. We got spoiled by our own success. I think what happened last year made us all appreciate it more. The kids lost something last year and now they’re getting it back. Last year we’re throwing into the archives and moving forward.” Rusek said the pandemic put a little bit of a cramp in what he usually did as a coach. “I hadn’t seen some of them for nine months,” Rusek said. “Some of them have grown into young men. I just hope we can carry on through this year.” Senior Emiliano Torres is the returning starter in goal for the Blue Tide. “He’s come into the year excited and knows he has to be a leader,” Rusek said. The Blue Tide will use a diverse rotation with five defenders. Senior Carlos Dionisio is the team’s returning starter among the defenders. “He’s a really big kid with a nice soft touch on the ball,” Rusek said. Senior Hector Canales See VIEW, Page 11
Photo by Jim Hague
The North Arlington High School football team is prepared to open the 2021 season at SHI Stadium on the campus of Rutgers University Sunday morning. From left are Nicholas Healy, Devin Rivas, head coach Joe Borkowski, Dylan McDermott, Jaivon Aquino and Giovanni San Giacomo.
By Jim Hague ogsmar@aol.com
NORTH ARLINGTON – After
spending the past decade as an assistant football coach at places like Fair Lawn, Wood-Ridge and his native Ridgefield Park, Joe Borkowski decided that his time had come to become a head coach somewhere. So when he learned that Paul Savage had stepped down after three seasons at North Arlington High School, Borkowski believed that it would be a good fit. The 32-year-old Borkowski applied for the job and eventually got it. “I wanted to be a head coach for a long time,” Borkowski said. “Ever since I was a little boy, I always said that I wanted to be a football coach, that I
wanted to be the guy wearing the whistle.” Borkowski said that he did his due diligence and liked the idea that the Vikings had a winning record in the convoluted COVID-19 season last year, posting a 4-3 record. “I did my homework and it reminds me of home,” Borkowski said. “Win or lose, the fans are in the stands. They’re supportive. They’re awesome. It’s a great facility in a good location.” And Borkowski has fallen in love with his players. “The kids are great,” Borkowski said. “They bring their lunch pail and come to work. I think if you define ‘small town feel,’ it’s North Arlington. I think we can build off a 4-3 record and move forward, keep this thing rolling in the
right direction.” The Joe Borkowski era cannot begin in a better scenario. The Vikings will kick off the 2021 season Sunday morning at SHI Stadium on the campus of Rutgers University with kickoff slated for 11 a.m. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime memory for these kids,” Borkowski said. “They’re getting the chance to play in a Big 10 stadium. I think we’re all super excited. It’s my first game as a head coach and I’m coaching there? It can’t get any better than that. I think everyone is excited to have this opportunity.” Borkowski inherits a team that does not return a host of veteran players, so perhaps he begins his new job with a totally fresh See BORKOWSKI, Page 10
