Isaiah Lopez’ football career was just starting to take off when it all crashed down.
On Saturday, the Lyndhurst senior will get one final shot, suiting up for the South team in the annual Bergen County Football All-Star Game sponsored by Sinner’s Steakhouse and broadcast live on NorthJersey.com. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. at Lyndhurst High School.
“I am extremely grateful for this moment,” Lopez said. “I can’t wait to put the pads on and be coached again by my head coach.”
Lopez will wear No. 2 for the South team and play linebacker. Of all the players in the game, he may have the least experience of anyone. Growing up he played a lot of different sports, but never played real tackle football until junior year.
“Isaiah was a kid talking smack in my driver’s ed class about being such a tough, good athlete, so I challenged him,” said Lyndhurst football coach Rich Tuero, also an assistant with the South team. “He came out and worked his tail off and became a huge part of our defense.”
Lopez didn’t even know the rules of football until he started playing. He was partial to basketball and ran some track. As a junior, he played on the JV team and had orders to watch the guys in front of him and learn. Bears assistant Joe Castagnetti helped mentor him and Lopez said was the first to believe in him.
“I took that advice and ran with it,” Lopez said. “I watched the varsity film and tried to learn as much as I could and soak it all in so when I was a senior, I could be the best player I could be.”
Lopez devoted himself to working out, getting stronger and faster, then was able to start playing instinctively rather than having to read and react. As a senior, he plugged into the Golden Bears line-up from day one and became an impact player.
In a Week 4 in a showdown against Waldwick/Midland Park to decide the division title, Lopez blocked a punt, setting up a touchdown as the Bears took a 21-0 lead. But a few series later, his Bears career came to an end.
“I remember seeing the running back go in motion and I knew it was a toss on the weak side, so I was coming off the edge and I was thinking I had a free shot at the quarterback,” Lopez said. “At the last minute, the left tackle saw me and pushed my shoulder pad, I tried to land on my right foot and my knee gave out. My knee erupted.”
Tuero came out to console his player.
“I was telling my coach, ‘no, no, no, this can’t be happening’,” Lopez said.
“When he was laying on the field, we knew he tore his ACL,” Tuero said. “I promised him if he did his physical therapy, he would get to play in the [All-Star] game.”
Without Lopez in the line-up, Lyndhurst didn’t win another game, finishing 4-5. He underwent surgery on Oct. 20, just after his 18th birthday, and was on crutches for two months. He completed his rehab work and physical therapy just in time for practice for the All-Star game to start.
“I knew about the game because two years ago, I watched from the sidelines when it was at Lyndhurst,” Lopez said. “When I asked coach if I could play, he said of course, he will make it happen. It filled me with joy. I couldn’t believe I had another shot at doing what I loved doing in high school.”
Lopez will graduate from Lyndhurst next week and is planning on attending Bergen Community College and studying business.
Senior All-Star games (in every sport) are usually rough around the edges. Play can be chippy, and the rules are somewhat modified, but they exist for players like Lopez to have one more chance to run on the field and feel the thrill of a sack or big play one last time. Lopez knows, almost for certain, this is the last football game of his life. He’s not taking it for granted.
“I feel great, I feel ready to go,” Lopez said. “I feel like I never even got hurt.”