North Arlington has continuity, and now, a taste of success to build on.
Coming off a two-win campaign – the most since 2015 – Vikings coach Paul Savage can point to strong signs entering this fall, most notably that his participation numbers are surging, his coaching staff is unchanged and he has a bevy of players returning with experience.
The backbone of the offensive line is Pete Ziakos at center. He’s been a four-year starter there and goes both ways. Giovanni San Giacomo was an All-League linebacker last season as a freshman. He also plays offensive tackle.
Senior Joey Witt is back under center after a solid junior season. He is a converted wide receiver and brings a playmaker dynamic to the field.
Ricky Joa and Dante San Giacomo are vying for one of the slots in the backfield. Dylan McDemott, a junior, has one backfield spot.
Savage said he likes what he’s seen from junior wide receiver Jaivon Aquino and that sophomore Kyle Villani has been impressive so far at the other receiver spot.
Off the field, Savage is proud to note that he’s seen a real foundation coming together for the future, noting how he had to miss the Bogota game with an illness last season, but was proud of how the team responded in his absence.
The Vikings’ schedule doesn’t have many gimmes, but North Arlington enters the season knowing they have the ingredients to be victorious.
History
North Arlington is one of the oldest programs in Bergen County, dating back to before World War II, but hasn’t had a ton of success in the modern era.
The Vikings have made the playoffs four times, the last coming in 2015. Interestingly enough, in 2015, the Vikings didn’t finish with a winning record. They went 4-6.
Their last winning season came in 2010, when they finished 7-3, yet didn’t qualify for the playoffs that year.
Expectations
Savage has seen true signs of growth since taking over the program in 2017. They’ve gone from zero wins to one (by forfeit) to two on the field last year.
What’s even better is the fact that the Vikings were close in two other games in the last two weeks of the season. That would indicate that the program is becoming more competitive.
This senior class has been with Savage for years and there’s a strong bond there. While not putting a win total on it, he’s hoping for something special in 2020.
Coronavirus impact
The Vikings started summer workouts on Aug. 3. Savage praised the work of the school’s athletic director Josh Aronowitz and trainer Joanna Salway for having a system in place to allow the team to get on the field and start conditioning. They have followed the standard protocols.
