Wednesday, March 16, 2022
The Observer | www.theobserver.com
Sports & Recreation
SPORTSVIEW with Jim Hague
9
For NJCU volleyball, it’s all about Kearny
Observer Sports Writer OGSMAR@AOL.COM
Toodleloo, friends, for now Almost 22 years ago, I received a phone call from my late great friend Joseph “Jay” Sticco, a man who I knew very well from his days involved with North Bergen Recreation and my days with the old defunct Hudson Dispatch. My friend Jay called me to ask if I knew of The Observer newspaper. “Yes, Jay, I live in Kearny,” I told him. “I’m aware of The Observer.” Jay told me that The Observer was in the market for a sportswriter. I told him at the time that The Observer didn’t have a regular sports section, that the paper only printed local recreation scores and information that was provided to the paper. “Well, they want to have a regular sports section,” Jay said. “Would you be interested in writing for them?” In a career that has now reached 41 years, with stops at practically every newspaper and news gathering organization known to man, I have never been one to turn down a possible paycheck. I think I even told Jay, “I’d be willing, as long as they pay me.” Jay had set up another freelance gig for me that didn’t end well, because the owner of that paper didn’t want to pay me. Another that Jay was behind was with a Bergen County weekly chain. I went to meet with them and the owner said that he wanted
sports. When I asked the owner what he was looking for, like local features or perhaps an Athlete of the Week feature, the owner said, “Fifty dollars worth. I’m looking for fifty dollars worth of sports.” But this tip from Jay was the real deal. I set up a meeting/interview with the owner/operators of The Observer, namely publisher Lisa Tortoreti Feorenzo and general manager Robert Pezzolla. The meeting was one that changed my life for the positive, because I was quickly hired by The Observer and began a 21-year career with The Observer that unfortunately ends with this week’s edition. I have made the decision to retire in all aspects of my incredible career, which has exceeded my wildest dreams. I’ve covered Super Bowls, World Series, NBA Finals and Stanley Cup Finals. I even covered the old Meadowlands Grand Prix, the Indy Car race that maneuvered through the parking lots of the old Giants Stadium and Brendan Byrne Arena. I also served as the public address announcer for both Rutgers-Newark for 18 years and New Jersey Institute of Technology for 15 years. At one point in my life, a colleague, Mike Moretti, dubbed me as “the hardest working sportswriter in See VIEW, Page 11
Photo by Jim Hague
The New Jersey City University men’s volleyball team features six players who hail from Kearny. Front row, from left, are Mahmoud Serour and Leandro Perez. Back row, from left, are Nate Aguilar, Brandon DaSilva, Aaron Mantilla and Leo Ferrari.
By Jim Hague ogsmar@aol.com
Carlo Edra is a veteran college and professional volleyball coach who has enjoyed two stints as the head coach at nearby New Jersey City University, where he played volleyball from 2004 through 2006, then turned his attention toward coaching the sport. Even though Edra just returned to coach the Gothic Knights two years ago, he is blessed with a roster that is packed with players who hail from Kearny. Incredibly, almost unthinkably, the Gothic Knights’ roster features a total of six players who went to Kearny High School. “It’s absolutely unheard of,” Edra said. “We recently had a Kearny against the rest of the team scrimmage and the Kearny kids almost won. It was really a close match.”
The Gothic Knights are also enjoying an incredible season, posting a 13-6 record including two wins over Kean and a win over Ramapo, the first win over the Roadrunners since 2006. One would think that it would be easy for a coach to have so many players from the same high school program. But Edra said that it was a bit of a struggle to get all the former Kardinals on the same page together. “It was like a crash course of playing the brand of volleyball that I wanted to see played,” Edra said. “At first, we experienced a little bit of growing pains. It was a huge struggle at first. But then the Kearny guys were able to get a hold of things easier.” Edra said that it was a big help that the players all played club volleyball together during the offseason, playing for Sideout Sports based in Fairfield.
“That experience really helped them,” Edra said. “Once you start getting experienced players like that, then the program gets better.” The infiltration of Kearny products at NJCU began with senior setters Leo Ferrari and Aaron Mantilla. Incredibly, the two are best of friends who recently had to deal with an event that could have altered their relationship. Ferrari was always a libero or an outside hitter at Kearny, but approached Edra with a plan when Mantilla was out of commission. “He said to me, ‘You know I can set if you need me,’” Edra said of Ferrari. “He ran the offense and really did a better job. He evolved as our setter and he basically took Aaron’s spot. Leo can play multiple positions, but has been better now as our setter.” See VOLLEYBALL, Page 10
