ROSELLE, NJ — Another Union County school will have a new head football coach for the upcoming 2024 season.
While Union and Westfield promoted from within, with Jason Scott named the interim head coach at Union High School and Matt Andzel the head coach at Westfield High School, Abraham Clark High School in Roselle decided to go a different direction once Ibrahim Halsey left to become the head coach at South Brunswick High School.
Succeeding Halsey, who was the head coach of the Rams for three years, at Roselle is Tyrone Turner, who was previously the co-defensive coordinator at much-improved Plainfield High School for one season in 2023.
For Turner, an East Orange Campus High School graduate, this is his second time as a head coach. He was the head coach at Malcolm X. Shabazz High School for four seasons, from 2019 to 2022, with a record there of 13-23.
“It’s a blessing to be here,” Turner told Mike Pavlichko of Central Jersey Sports Radio.
Roselle got off to slow starts the past two seasons under Halsey, with the 2023 and 2022 squads both beginning 0-4. The 2022 team rebounded to finish 8-4, while the 2023 squad closed at 4-6, after winning four straight following a second straight 0-4 start.
Halsey’s three-year record at Roselle was 17-16, including a 5-6 finish his first year in 2021.
Turner was also the offensive coordinator at Weequahic High School in 2015 and 2016. After the 2015 team went 4-7, losing its final two games, the 2016 squad went 12-0 and captured the North 2, Group 1 sectional state championship by beating Shabazz, 18-8, in the final played at Kean University’s Alumni Stadium in Union.
The undefeated, state champion 2016 Shabazz squad, under Turner’s offensive guidance, averaged 35 points a game.
Although his first season as the head coach at Roselle will be one without a heavy amount of preparation, Turner is still optimistic he can lead the Rams to a successful 2024 campaign.
“Taking the Roselle job was an opportunity to show leadership and show poise and a little bit of determination,” Turner said. “I felt as though it was my time to step back in and Roselle just came in at the right time.”
Turner getting the job at Abraham Clark completed somewhat of a coaching carousel. Joe LaSala left Woodbridge High School in March and then the Barrons hired former South Brunswick High School head coach Joe Goerge to lead its program. Then Halsey left Roselle for South Brunswick, with Turner now taking over at Roselle.
LaSala just accepted a college assistant coaching position at Fairleigh Dickinson University–Florham Campus to mentor the wide receivers there in Morris County. LaSala’s father, Ben, just retired from his athletic director position at Colonia High School, with former Union and Roselle head football coach and Colonia native Lou Grasso Jr. stepping into the position earlier this month.
Turner coached under Plainfield High School head coach James Williams last year. Williams was previously an assistant coach at East Orange Campus and then the head coach at Roselle before taking over at Plainfield in 2021. Williams has guided Plainfield to a 16-16 record so far in his first three seasons at the helm of the Cardinals. Twice Williams led the Rams to sectional semifinal appearances.
Last year, Plainfield finished 6-5, which was its first season better than .500 since 2005.
“One of the greatest things I can say that I never had a problem with is that Union County student–athletes show up for practice,” Turner said. “They show up and do everything.
“Plainfield kind of showed me a little different of the student–athletes here. It kind of renewed my spirit into coaching as well.”
When Turner played at East Orange Campus, his head coach was Marion Bell. Turner then played collegiately at Delaware State University, before also coaching under Bell after college.
Turner guided a Plainfield defense last year that produced two shutouts and held three other teams to nine points or less.
“That was probably one of the best teams I ever coached,” Turner said. “We had very good, disciplined kids.”
Roselle won its only sectional state championship in the playoff era 35 years ago in 1989, when the Rams captured the North 2, Group 2 crown. The Rams may still be a year or two away from getting back to that kind of glory; however, there are still plenty of goals for the team to make an attempt at attaining.
“We’re just going to try to do the best we can to get through this season and win some football games,” Turner said.
Tyrone Turner’s head coach record at Shabazz
2022: 5-6. 2021: 3-7. 2020: 2-3. 2019: 3-7. Total: 13-23.
Photo Courtesy of New Jersey Minority Coaches Association