The Bergen County All-Star Football Game has always had a special significance for Rich Tuero since it provides one more opportunity to coach his seniors from Lyndhurst.
So while the most recent edition of the game, held annually at Lyndhurst High School, resulted in a lopsided win for the North team, the final score was secondary to Tuero, the South team’s head coach.
“It’s truly an honor to have the opportunity to coach my guys one last time,” said Tuero. “I genuinely love it. It means the world that I get to be out there with them one last time.”
In total, seven of Tuero’s Golden Bears – Anthony Amaro, Shawn Bellenger, Michael Longo, Abraham Martinez, Roddy Morinho, John Rodriguez and Ziad Selim – played in Saturday’s game. North Arlington’s Kevin Barone and Julian Moya also were selected and competed in the game.
“It means everything to me,” Longo said before Saturday’s contest. “I’ve played football in Lyndhurst my entire life, since I was 3-years-old. So to be able to play one more time with a few of my teammates who I’ve played with throughout the years is really, really special to me.
“I know that I’ve learned great lessons and had great opportunities here in Lyndhurst. I’m forever thankful for Lyndhurst and their program for what they’ve offered me.”
For Longo, those early years hold a special meaning as his dad, also named Michael, was a coach, something the younger Longo said “holds a special place in my heart
Longo, a 300-pound center, is set to continue his career at Moravian University is one of three Lyndhurst seniors set to play in college, as is Bellenger (Rochester) and Morinho (Norwich). According to Tuero, it’s the most seniors playing college football from Lyndhurst since 2018.
This group in particular showed the ability to be special for years. Longo remembers being in seventh grade when they reached the Bergen County Junior Football League Super Bowl.
In high school, this class broke a three-year state playoff drought as juniors while also winning the NJIC Liberty Division. A year later, it went 7-2, going on the longest winning streak the program has enjoyed since its state sectional title team in 2019.
“I’ve known these kids since they were 9/10 years old and this was a special group,” said Tuero. “It’s unique and a pretty cool thing to watch. Coaching them and watching them become a family is the coolest part.”
Many of the players, who served as foes during the Lyndhurst’s run to the BCJFL Super Bowl and, later in the NJIC, became teammates the last two weeks.
“It’s definitely interesting because it’s the first time we’ve ever been on the same team together,” Longo said. “It’s definitely a pretty cool experience. It’s kind of cool to be able to team up with these people (from rivals like Rutherford and Becton). It’s a pretty cool experience to share the field with some of those guys that you’ve been going against for the past few years.”
“They’re such great kids,” said Tuero. “This is what it’s all about.”
One of those rivals, Becton QB Jonathan Palsi gave the South team its only lead of the night at 7-6, when he ran for a 1-yard touchdown in the first half. From the North dominated its way to a 35-7 victory with Hackensack QB Jordan McCoy earning Offensive MVP and Northern Highlands LB Michael Pembroke earning Defensive MVP honors.
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Jason Bernstein | Observer Sports Writer
Jason Bernstein joined The Observer as its sports writer in March 2022, following the retirement of Jim Hague. He has a wealth of sports-writing experience, including for NJ Advance Media (nj.com, The Jersey Journal, The Star-Ledger.)