North Hunterdon head coach Kevin Kley talks to his team at practice on Wednesday, November 9, 2022. (Photo: Mike Pavlichko)
Most head football coaches who decided to move on after the 2022 season was done did so months ago. It just took Kevin Kley a little longer.
After a four-year run as head football coach at North Hunterdon – capped with a North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4 title this past season – Lions’ head coach Kevin Kley is stepping down to focus on starting his family.
He and his wife are due to have their first baby this Spring, and Kley says told Central Jersey Sports Radio Tuesday afternoon that it’s time to focus on that, though he’ll remain a teacher of English and Special Ed at North Hunterdon High School.
Kley went 24-16 in his four seasons at the helm, with an 11-2 mark this year fueled by a senior-laden, experienced team that won the North 2 Group 4 title in wild fashion over Randolph on a sunny Saturday afternoon in Annandale. This year’s team was blessed with standouts like runningback Kente Edwards, quarterback Luke Martini, and two-way stars like Derek Vaddis and Alex Uryniak, plus a host of others.
The North Hunterdon school district has just posted the job opening.
Kley stepping down also means that both Big Central schools that won sectional titles in 2022 will have new coaches in 2023. Back in January, Edison’s Matt Fulham announced his retirement after 18 years with the Eagles, following their Central Jersey Group 5 title, their first sectional championship since 1991.