By Jim Hague Observer Sports Writer Dylan Hoch didn’t know what to expect when Kearny High School brought in Bill Schoener to be the new boys’ basketball coach. As a senior returning player, Hoch knew that his role would be enhanced, but he didn’t know how much. Hoch also didn’t know if he had [...]

By Jim Hague Observer Sports Writer The calendar year of 2012 brought a wide variety of stories in local sports. Here’s a list of the Observer’s Top Sports Stories for 2012: 1-Kearny native and Giants legend Webster dies at 80 In December 2011, Kearny native Alex Webster was inducted into the New York Giants’ Ring [...]

  By Jim Hague Observer Sports Writer The Kearny High School wrestling team began the 2012-13 season Saturday by hosting its annual Holiday Tournament. With a highly competitive field coming to Kearny, the Kardinals finished a respectable fourth overall, as DePaul won and New Providence finished second. The Kardinals crowned one individual champion, as senior [...]

  By Jim Hague Observer Sports Writer When Bill Schoener took over the head coaching duties of the Kearny High School boys’ basketball program in August, he had a simple goal. Schoener just wanted the Kardinals to improve. It had to be the first step, considering the Kardinals have not been competitive for a few [...]

  By Jim Hague Observer Sports Writer The Lyndhurst High School girls’ basketball team had a great season a year ago, winning 16 games and placing two players on the All-NJIC Meadowlands Division team. With those two players back plus two other starters, Lyndhurst girls’ basketball head coach Perrin Mosca is confident that the Golden [...]

  By Jim Hague Observer Sports Writer A year ago, the North Arlington girls’ basketball team suffered through a trying season, winning just two games all year. But in the eyes of third-year head coach Karen Smith, the Vikings got some valuable experience going through all those setbacks. “I think we’re very much battle tested [...]

  By Jim Hague Observer Sports Writer After spending the last six years as an assistant coach with the men’s basketball team at Rutgers- Newark, Kurt Villani was looking for a little bit of a change. There was no better place to begin to look than at his alma mater. “When I heard about the [...]

  By Jim Hague Observer Sports Writer When the high school soccer season began in September, veteran Harrison High School head coach Mike Rusek didn’t know what to expect of the Blue Tide. “Last year, we had 16 of 23 seniors that had been working with us since their sophomore years,” Rusek said. “We thought [...]

  By Jim Hague Observer Sports Writer The revolving door of head athletic coaches continued to spin last week, when the powersthat- be at Queen of Peace decided to fire head football coach Steve Romano and his entire coaching staff after three seasons. Romano’s team qualified for the NJSIAA Non-Public Group 1 state playoffs for [...]

  By Jim Hague Observer Sports Writer When Lexus Lopez was just starting out in athletics as a little girl, she always had high hopes and aspirations. “To be honest, I always thought I would turn out to be a gymnast,” Lopez said. “I was really into gymnastics when I was little. My Dad made [...]