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he said, was anything but honest in the run-up to Nov Things got so bad between the one-time allies Fife said even if his opponent had called him to congratulate him on his victory — he didn’t, by the way — he wouldn’t have accepted his phone call. “By not stooping to the other campaign’s level with all the charges and counter- charges (we won big),” Fife said. “And all the nasty names they called us, all that stuff, we stuck to the facts, talked about his suspension from his job, which he denied a few times, all over the place, and that’s how we did it — we just told the truth.” The aforementioned suspension revolves around Millan’s job in Hudson County. A memo from his superiors in 2018 indicated he was suspended form work

Sports & Recreation

Harrison’s tournament run ends with PK loss to Ramsey

Photo by Jason Bernstein

By The Observer Staff

The sadness of Harrison’s soccer players was painted on their faces as they left the Harrison High School turf for the last time this season. But while the pain of a season coming to a sudden end in penalty kicks remained fresh in their minds as they walked out of the locker room and started to head home, they were greeted with appreciation by their head coach for bringing the program back to the level it expects to be.

This year’s Harrison team, a group heavily composed of juniors and sophomores, finished the season at 17-2-2.

“We look at ourselves as one of the best small programs in New Jersey. But you have to win the sectionals and get to those final two rounds to call yourself that and we haven’t done that the past few years,” head coach Mike Rusek said after his team was eliminated by Ramsey in the Group 2 semifinals last week. “So now we’re back in that situation, we want to be talked among the other great small schools. I feel like next year we pick up where we left off and we go back at it.”

Ramsey won the PKs by a 5-3 margin after 100 minutes of soccer, which concluded with the teams tied at 1.

While Harrison ultimately fell two wins short of its ultimate goal — a 26th state championship — this season represented a return to the standard of what is expected in the soccer hotbed. Harrison won its first state sectional title since 2016 when it defeated Voorhees in the North 2, Group 2 final Nov. 5.

In Wednesday’s Group 2 semifinal against Ramsey, luck seemed to be on the Blue Tide’s side early on. Harrison withstood an offensive onslaught by the visiting Rams and despite that, led 1-0 after a Brando Moreno shot from 30 yards out went off the hands of the goalkeeper in the ninth minute

On the other end of the field, Ismael Kone continued his brilliant playoff run with several saves on a relentless Ramsey attack.

“During the state tournament, we really felt like we had the best goalie in the state of New Jersey,” said Rusek about Kone, who finished with 10 saves. “Every game, he’s gotten more confident. He’s turned into a leader back there and he’s just so big and quick and agile. And he’s a junior so we can’t wait to see what he’s capable of doing next year.”

Rather than going into a shell in hopes of escaping with a 1-0 victory, the Blue Tide instead ratcheted up the offensive pressure in the second half. The result was a much different Harrison team, which went blow-for-blow with Ramsey rather than one on its heels like it was for most of the first half.

In the 71st minute, Ramsey broke through on a restart when Lucas Chung crossed it from left to right past the defense to Luke Ernst, who slid a shot past Kone for the tying goal.

“In the second half we were trying to make it 2-0 because we felt like 2-0 would have put that game away,” said Rusek.

Barber steps down as NAHS boys’ soccer coach

By Jason Bernstein

jason@theobserver.com

For Kevin Barber, this isn’t a retirement from coaching. In fact, the veteran North Arlington coach for boys soccer and practically every other sport already knows the next time he’ll be back on the sidelines.

“The next time I coach will be her little biddy soccer league where everyone just chases the ball and some kids just pick the grass,” said Barber while looking at his sleeping two-weekold daughter Melina. “ She’ll keep me busy (in the meantime) and it will be worth it.”

Barber let the players and parents know of his impending decision to step down as North Arlington’s boys’ soccer coach during the season. The move became official during Monday’s Board of Education meeting. Barber has spent 10 years as a part of the Vikings’ soccer program, the last two as head coach. In addition, Barber is stepping down as the head golf coach.

“(Melina’s) sitting here next to me sleeping. I’m looking at her and I have a smile on my face right now. But I know it’s going to hurt not seeing those kids on the field anymore, not seeing those kids on the golf course anymore,” Barber said. “I’m going to do what I can to know that they have me as a fan and if they need me, they know where to go.”

While Barber was best known for his coaching on the soccer field, simply calling him a soccer coach would only be a small part of what he’s done during 14 years at North Arlington. Barber had nine different coaching positions in the district, ranging from eighth grade and freshman boys basketball, JV baseball, golf and even girls bowling.

“He’s a Viking. He might not have grown up in North Arlington, but I don’t think he’d coach anywhere else,” North Arlington athletic director Josh Aronowitz said. “He is just in it for the community and they put the kids first which is something I really, really appreciate about him.”

Barber is the first to admit he inherited a good situation when he took over as head coach for Jess Dombrowski before the 2021 season and year one produced an incredible 18-3 record and a NJIC Meadowlands title. This past season, while it did not match the same level of regular season success, going 10-13, but the Vikings finished the season strong, making the North 2, Group 1 semifinals before losing to eventual champion Glen Ridge.

A week later, Barber was at Rip Collins Field collecting jerseys, an annual reminder of a season now finished. And for Barber, it marked his own jersey return as he closes this chapter of his career.

“I’m just standing at the field staring out there knowing I’ll never