When Eamonn Matthews decided to attend Xavier High School in Manhattan, he was taking a bit of a risk, considering his father, Terry, is one of the top administrators at Hudson Catholic in Jersey City.
When Matthews first enrolled at Xavier, he decided to try out for the school’s rugby team, forgoing all other sports. After all, the Matthews family has been involved in the sport of rugby for ages, going back to Terry’s playing days.
“I’m very thankful to have found this sport and the opportunities the sport has given me,” Matthews said. “I’m excited to have found it and excited to be in the middle of it.”
Matthews had a great career at Xavier, graduating last month from the prestigious private New York school.
Recently, Matthews learned that he received the ultimate honor. He was selected to participate in the third annual Stars and Stripes Camp, organized by USA Rugby, at the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley, Colorado, one of only 45 boys nationwide to earn All-America status and invitation to the week-long camp.
“I was shocked to say the least,” Matthews said. “I thought I was done and I wasn’t going to get a chance to be an All-American.”
The reason why Matthews thought he lost all chance of getting All-America honors was a wrist injury that kept him on the sidelines for the New York State All-Star game last month.
“I wasn’t able to go to the All-Star game because of my injury,” Matthews said. “Usually, to make the team, you have to play in that game.”
Matthews suffered a severely sprained wrist that Matthews equated to a high ankle sprain.
“Doctors said that it was almost worse than if I broke it,” Matthews said. “I needed time to let it heal.”
So because of the injury, Matthews thought his chances of making the All-America team were gone.
“My Dad was the one who got the e-mail,” Matthews said. “I never received an e-mail. I had no idea. When my Dad told me, I didn’t believe him at first. I thought he was joking.”
Matthews was slated to make the journey to Colorado for the camp, but had to decline the offer because of the injury.
“But this is the culmination of a pretty good career,” Matthews said. “I have a bunch of incredible coaches who worked with me. I managed to put in a lot of work in the offseason. I think it’s just being a part of Xavier rugby.”
Matthews said that he was more than disappointed that he wasn’t able to go and participate in the camp.
“It’s really killing me not to go,” said Matthews, who would have been in Colorado this weekend for the camp. “I just can’t do it. It’s really tough to put in all the hard work and then not get the chance.”
Matthews will continue to play rugby at St. Bonaventure University in the fall on a combined academic/athletic scholarship. St. Bonaventure has NCAA Division I rugby.
“I’m incredibly excited to be able to play at the next level,” Matthews said. “I can’t believe how much the sport has grown. I now have kids come up to me and ask me how they can play and practice rugby. It’s really becoming popular.”
Thanks to the efforts of local kids like Eamonn Matthews…
North Bergen’s football Bruins will not have one last chance to appeal the decision that took away their NJSIAA North Jersey Section 1, Group IV state football title that the team won in 2011.
The New Jersey Supreme Court ruled Monday that they will not hear North Bergen’s appeal, backing up decisions that already had been made by the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, the state’s governing body, and the state Department of Education.
The NJSIAA ruled in 2012 that North Bergen had to vacate the title, when it was learned that two players were believed to be recruited into the township by then-head football coach Vince Ascolese, who has since passed away.
North Bergen officials announced Thursday they have given up their plan to appeal to the United States Supreme Court.
North Bergen won the state title in miraculous fashion in MetLife Stadium in December, 2011, earning a 14-13 decision on the game’s final play.
A few months later, the NJSIAA stripped North Bergen of the title after it was learned that the two players were recruited and moved into residences owned by Ascolese and his family.
The North Bergen Board of Education appealed the decision and that initial appeal was turned down in April of 2014. Ascolese died after a long battle with cancer last December.
The North Bergen Board of Education then appealed to the New Jersey state Supreme Court without success…
Bobbie Morgan, the Jersey City native who was a standout player at St. Aloysius High School, then spent four years as an assistant at St. Al’s, one at Hudson Catholic and three at Marist, has been named the new head coach of the men’s basketball team at Bergen County Community College.
Morgan, now 40, was the head girls’ basketball coach at North 13th Street Tech in Newark last season.
“It was very emotional when I told the girls I was leaving,” Morgan said. “I got emotional. They were emotional. They went from winning only three games to 14 last year. But they understood that this was a big chance for me. I had to take this job to advance my career.”
Morgan said that he applied for the Bergen job two years ago and didn’t get it, but was told by the school’s athletic director Jorge Hernandez to reapply this year.
“When he told me to resubmit my resume, I said, ‘Why not?’” Morgan said. “I honestly didn’t expect this to happen. I had to take this opportunity when it was presented to me to have the chance to coach young men.”
One of the first prized recruits Morgan has brought in is Weehawken product McKay LeDuke, who earned Hudson Reporter First Team All-Area honors last March. The 6-foot-9 LeDuke will be a major player for Bergen right away.
“Size is at a premium,” Morgan said. “He’s ready to go for us.”
LeDuke’s teammate at Weehawken, Alain Ravelo, is also headed to Bergen, along with Maurice Mills of St. Anthony, Carmine Marchitto of Dickinson, Darcel Wood of Marist, Marquise Hallman of Lincoln and Issacar Albert of Hudson Catholic.
“We have a lot of Hudson County guys,” Morgan said. “We want tough, skilled kids who are ready to play some defense. I’m extremely excited about this opportunity. I’m ready to get going now.” – Jim Hague
Jim Hague can be reached at OGSMAR@aol.com.