The Bruins of North Bergen are coming off a 7-3 season where they made yet another appearance in the NJSIAA state playoffs, losing to Hackensack in the first round of the North Jersey Section 1, Group IV bracket.
No Hudson County school has appeared in more state playoff games than North Bergen. Since the inception of the NJSIAA state playoffs in 1975, the Bruins have been in 34 state playoffs, having missed the postseason only twice in all that time.
Former Hudson Reporter Male Athlete of the Year Czar Wiley begins his fifth season as the head coach at his alma mater and knows that he has a lot of work to do with his roster.
“We lost a lot, a whole lot,” Wiley said. “We have only one returning starter on defense and four returning starters in offense. We’re very young and we’re searching for an identity right now on both sides of the ball. But our younger kids are very talented. We’re just a little immature right now and we need to find an identity right now. It’s time for the young kids to step up and be young men.
Added Wiley, “If we do, we can have a successful season. If not, we’re going to have a losing season.”
Wiley is worried about his team’s attitude.
“I don’t think we have that sense of urgency,” Wiley said. “That’s why we are pushing fundamentals every day. We have to get this team ready to play football. I see some progress. We’re getting better.”
And Wiley is reiterating that he’s gone back to old-style North Bergen football. He experimented with high-octane, no-huddle, passing attack ideas, but those days are gone. Wiley has gone back to what made North Bergen the state powerhouse it became under the late, great Vince Ascolese, who died last December.
“We’ve gone back to the main philosophy,” Wiley said. “We want to run the football. Defensively, we want to be tough and get after people. I’m trying to pass that down to these kids. A lot of them have not played varsity football and don’t understand that concept. So we’re making small steps in the right direction.”
Wiley is not worried about his quarterback. Junior Kyle DeOrio (5-11, 170) takes over the starting role there.
“Kyle played a little last year, but it’s his job now,” Wiley said. “He has the makeup and character of being a pretty good high school quarterback. He went to camps to learn more. He’s had the training and the background. He’s done all the right things necessary and he’s been rewarded by being the starting quarterback.”
The main running back is returnee Ronald “Axel” Fuentes (5-6, 210), who had some moments of brilliance last year carrying the ball for the Bruins, becoming the first 1,000-yard rusher the Bruins have had since 1995. Although low to the ground, Fuentes has the perfect mix of speed and strength to be a top-flight back.
“He’s a cannonball,” Wiley said of Fuentes. “He’s the catalyst of our offense. When he gets going, good things happen for us. He bounces off people, goes over people. You need three people to take him down. He gets the hard yards and then some. He really gets the offense going.”
The fullback position is being shared by three players, namely senior Nathaniel Zamot (5-10, 170) and juniors Frank Inglese (5-9, 165) and David Bush (5-10, 185).
Wiley is very high on junior wingback Roland Urgiles (5-9, 170), who has the potential to be a game breaker.
“Roland is a versatile back,” Wiley said. “He’s a good slasher and has good speed. He also can catch the ball.”
Senior Tommy Rivera (6-2, 185) is the wide receiver with senior Anthony Ramos (6-2, 210), who was last year’s starter at quarterback.
A lot of kids might have looked at losing the starting quarterback job as a demotion, but not Ramos, which pleased Wiley.
“Ramos is just a very versatile leader of this team,” Wiley said. “We thought we would be a better team if he was at receiver. He’s excited about the move. We’re going to move him around a lot.”
Wiley also moved Ramos because he believed that Ramos’ best chance for playing college football was at another position.
The tight end is senior Joe Zerener (6-4, 210).
Wiley likes the makeup of his offensive line.
“It’s probably the biggest line I’ve had,” Wiley said. “We have some work to do with them, but they do have some nice size. They just have to learn to work together.”
Senior Darius Ryan (6-3, 235) and sophomore Jacob Rodriguez (6-1, 240) are the tackles, with seniors Anthony Izzo (6-3, 235) and Carlos Lopez (5-10, 200) and junior Rafael Ponce de Leon (5-11, 240) sharing time at guard. Senior Jimmy Perez (5-10, 240) is the lone returning starter along the line at center.
The defensive alignment is a 3-3-5 set, putting many of the talented skilled people in the secondary.
Zerener and senior Michael Jacobo (6-1, 215) are the defensive ends, with Ponce de Leon returning at nose guard.
Senior Taurean Jarrett (5-10, 200), a native of Jamaica who never played football before this season, has impressed Wiley enough to make him a starting outside linebacker.
“He’s very athletic and runs to the ball well,” Wiley said of the talented newcomer.
Ramos, a returning starter, and Lopez are the other linebackers.
Bush, Inglese, Rivera and Zamot are all in the secondary, along with senior Josue Argueta (5-10, 185).
Lopez will handle the placekicking duties and Zamot will handle the punting.
The Bruins open the 2015 season on Sept. 10 when they face Bloomfield on the road. They come back for their home opener a week later against Columbia.
“We have a chance to be pretty good,” Wiley said. “We just have to find that sense of urgency.”
It’s the main focus we have right now.” – Jim Hague
Jim Hague can be reached at OGSMAR@aol.com.