Wednesday, May 11, 2022
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Sports & Recreation
Kearny’s crew teams having solid seasons, prepare for Nationals in late May
NJ Generals of the USFL sign Lyndhurst’s Guerriero lows,” Tuero said. “We could make a lot of excuses as to why it’s happening, Petey Guerriero has but he doesn’t do that. been defying the odds, The kid has thick skin, he exceeding expectations doesn’t let this stuff bother dating back to when he him. It’s so admirable, it’s joined the Lyndhurst High unbelievable. School football team. “He’s had so many As one of the newest opportunities to put his members of the New head down and say I’m Jersey Generals of the done, I’ll just get another USFL, the storybook tale of job and be done with this Guerriero’s football career dream. But he refuses to do adds another chapter. that.” The Generals signed Guerriero’s football Guerriero April 26. Since career seemed over nearly then, he has appeared seven years ago. As a senior in two games for them, quarterback at Lyndhurst both wins. In his debut he ran 2,161 yards and 21 against Philadelphia May 1, touchdowns his senior Guerriero made a tackle on season, but at the time, his special teams. best sport was considered “It’s a huge opportunity track and he earned a and he’s taking advantage scholarship to run at of it. He wants to show Monmouth. in every which way what His first year at he can do (on the field),” Monmouth saw him win Lyndhurst coach Rich the Metro Atlantic Athletic Tuero said. “He has one Conference championship goal, his work ethic is in both the 100 and unbelievable. It’s second 200-meter dash, but the to none. He’s not going to desire to play football stop.” remained. “It’s just another After that freshman opportunity for me,” year, Guerriero was given Guerriero told The a spot on the football team Observer’s Jim Hauge this where he was initially January before February’s the No. 4 halfback on the USFL Draft. “I had some depth chart. It was a spot doubts that I’d get another he wouldn’t be in for long, chance, but if this is my eventually seizing the opportunity (to get back to starting role and rushing the NFL), then I’m taking for 1,061 yards and nine it. I’m grateful to have touchdowns on just 178 another chance.” carries. Until a few weeks ago, it Guerriero followed it up appeared Guerriero wasn’t with a strong 2018 season, going to get that chance. running for 918 yards Despite having brief and eight touchdowns in tenures in the training nine games, but it was in camps of the New York 2019 when he emerged as Jets, Carolina Panthers a star and legitimate pro and most recently, the prospect. That year he Pittsburgh Steelers, led all Division FCS backs Guerriero went unselected in rushing with an eyein the USFL Draft. “Petey’s been going See GUERRIERO, Page 11 through the highs and By Jason Bernstein
Observer Sports Writer
Photo courtesy of Lissette Gomez
Assistant Coach Jennifer Harris, JAckie Narucki, Vanessa Salgado, Sofia Faleiro, Emilia Sikorski, Julia Sikorski and head coach Dave Paszkiewicz.
By Jason Bernstein Observer Sports Writer
Neither the Kearny boys’ or girls’ crew teams might have anticipated a trip to nationals were in their future when they first started practicing for this season. But after finishing in second place at the Lightweight 4+ event at the Garden State Scholastic Championship Regatta on April 30, both Kardinals teams are heading to the nationals. The National Scholastic Rowing Association of America Regatta is set for Memorial Day Weekend, May 27-28, at the Cooper River in Camden County Park. “They are delighted, they are super-excited. I think everyone is surprised that we made it,” boys’ head coach Lissette Gomez said.
“We might not have been expected to before the season, but here we are.” “It’s a big deal for us,” said girls’ head coach Dave Paszkiewicz. “The seniors especially, they had given their blood for four years and finally it’s paying off.” For Paszkiewicz, who has been coaching for more than 30 years, the berth, Kearny’s first since 2017, was especially rewarding due to the struggles they had gone through in recent years. “I was hoping that we’d be able to pull something off because these seniors have been with me for four years and these have been four very, very lean years (for the program),” Paszkiewicz said. “These kids because they had been with me for four years and hadn’t had a successful season.”
Paszkiewicz’s Lightweight 4+ team is headlined by two seniors. Jacqueline Narucki serves as the coxswain, who steers from the back end of the boat. Next to Narucki is senior Julia Sikorski, who serves as the “stroke” a position, which Paszkiewicz likens to the quarterback. Freshman Vanessa Salgado, a first-time rower, is at the bow (No. 1) position on the front end of the boat. Sofia Faleiro is in the No. 2 position and freshman Emelia Sikorski is in the 3 spot. Kearny’s quintet took second in the Women’s Lightweight 4+ final with a time of 6:31.16, beating Nutley for the second qualifying spot alongside champion Egg Harbor. “We thought we had a See CREW, Page 10
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