Eric McMullen was ready for a major change in his life. After spending three years at Paulsboro High School in southern New Jersey, McMullen needed a change of scenery for his senior year. A member of both the football and wrestling programs at Paulsboro – traditionally strong in both sports – McMullen felt like he had to leave his childhood in the rearview mirror and head somewhere to start anew.
“There were a lot of things going on,” McMullen said. “I really wasn’t happy there. I sat down with my mother [Debra Johnson] and told her that I had to transfer somewhere.”
Last June, McMullen attended a football camp at Rutgers University. One of McMullen’s fellow campers was Vin Ascolese, the standout linebacker from North Bergen. The two struck up a conversation and later a friendship.
“I heard of North Bergen before,” McMullen said. “I talked to Vinnie and he told me about North Bergen. I thought it would be a great place to go to school. I talked to my Mom and she decided to make the move for me. She’s my inspiration and I owe everything to her. She made the sacrifice to move for me.”
So McMullen and his mother moved to North Bergen last summer. At first, it was a tough transition, getting used to the new surroundings.
“It was a little rough at first,” McMullen said. “But I hooked up with the right people.”
McMullen quickly made friends with graduated North Bergen players Peter Ramanand and Mike Mentor, as well as Ascolese, set to be his teammate.
“They really helped me a lot,” McMullen said. “They made me feel comfortable right away.”
It didn’t take long for the veteran football coach to see he had a winner.
“When he came up here to look around, I was very impressed with his size,” North Bergen head coach Vince Ascolese said. “I thought he fit right in. Everyone liked him. He liked being here. It was a good fit.”
McMullen became a part of a very talented and deep Bruins backfield that featured the younger Ascolese (the coach’s grandson) and returning starters Anthony Calabrese and Denzel Leitch.
At 6-foot-1 and almost 200 pounds, McMullen was the picture perfect combination of size, speed, and strength. He was a welcome addition to the package in the backfield.
“He has a lot of strength and quickness,” the elder Ascolese said.
McMullen played running back and linebacker last year for Paulsboro, which lost to Glassboro in the South Jersey Group I state championship game.
“I think that got me ready for anything,” McMullen said.
McMullen was a steady force throughout the 2011 season for the Bruins, but made a costly mistake Oct. 28, during the Bruins’ 14-12 loss to Union City. McMullen fumbled the ball early and Union City pounced on the mistake, returning the fumble for a touchdown. In fact, the Soaring Eagles scored two touchdowns that game, one on a fumble recovery and the other on an interception return.
So when the Bruins defeated Passaic County Tech in overtime in the first round of the NJSIAA North Jersey Section 1, Group IV playoffs two weeks ago and Union City took care of Roxbury, it set up a semifinal showdown and rematch.
More importantly, it gave McMullen a shot at redemption, a chance to make up for the mishap of last month.
“I didn’t want to make a big deal about it, because it was in the past,” McMullen said. “I understood that I fumbled. I knew that we had a better team. I definitely felt like I owed it to my teammates to play a little better.”
McMullen knew right away that it was going to be a physical battle against the neighboring rivals.
“It was a tough game,” McMullen said. “I knew that we couldn’t take any plays off. But I like those kinds of games. It’s a physical challenge and I like challenges. I embraced the idea of getting the ball more. It makes me more mentally focused than anything.”
McMullen was certainly up to the challenge. He carried the ball 28 times for 143 yards and scored his team’s lone touchdown in a 10-7 victory, a win that enabled the Bruins to head to MetLife Stadium next Saturday at 4 p.m. to play in the North 1, Group IV state title game against Montclair.
For his efforts, McMullen has been selected as The Hudson Reporter Athlete of the Week for the past week.
Coach Ascolese was pleased with the way McMullen handled the increased workload.
“I’m sure he was upset about the fumble against Union City the first time, but he didn’t say a word,” Ascolese said. “He just runs hard and keeps his feet moving. He is able to get the extra yards and in a game like that, it’s very important.”
McMullen is also a standout linebacker and is part of perhaps the best linebacker corps in the county.
“I take pride both ways,” McMullen said. “I actually think I take more pride in being a defensive player. Most of the colleges are recruiting me as a linebacker. We all take pride in our defense. Our linebackers are the strength of the team. We’re solid all around.”
McMullen said that he liked having a huge role in a close game.
“I’d much rather play in a 10-7 game than a 42-0 game,” McMullen said. “The pressure is on and I can handle it. I think that comes from being a wrestler, going to nationals and big tournaments. I have to perform then with the pressure on.”
McMullen was a standout wrestler at Paulsboro last year, capturing the District 29 and Region 8 championships at 189 pounds, posting a 34-3 record. He suffered a knee injury before the state championships in Atlantic City, so he went out of the states by injury default. He will certainly be a welcome addition to coach Jerry Maietta’s wrestling program at North Bergen as well.
“I don’t know what I do better,” said McMullen, who is getting recruited by major colleges both as a football player and a wrestler. “People always ask me that.”
McMullen is being looked at as a football player by New Hampshire, Delaware, Indiana and Rutgers. As a wrestler, he’s received interest from North Carolina State and Maryland.
“I really want to play football in college,” McMullen said. “We’ll see what happens.”
For now, McMullen will be happy to lead the Bruins to the state title game.
“I’ve never been to the new stadium,” McMullen said. “Obviously, I’ve never played there. I’m definitely excited about that.”
And as for the road he’s taken to get to the Meadowlands?
“If someone would have told me this would happen, I definitely would not have believed it,” McMullen said. “It’s been a crazy ride.”
One that he hopes ends with a state championship. – Jim Hague
Jim Hague can be reached at OGSMAR@aol.com.