NUTLEY, NJ (updated Saturday Dec. 17 8:33 a.m.) – Pete LaBarbiera, who turned around the Nutley High School football Raiders during the 1980s, died Dec. 15. He was 78.
LaBarbiera coached the Raiders from 1982 to 1989, leading the team to three state sectional playoffs in an era when only four teams qualified. In 1988, he guided the Raiders to the North Section 2, Group 3 championship game where they lost to a highly-regarded Randolph team. NHS current athletic director Joe Piro was a senior on that 1988 team.
After enjoying a legendary career at Hasbrouck Heights, LaBarbiera took over as head coach of the Raiders for the 1982 season, a year after Nutley had won just one game.
LaBarbiera turned the Raiders program around and restored the rich Nutley football tradition. He also coached at Paramus.
In all. LaBarbiera had a phenomenal 168-83-8 career record, including five state titles, in 27 seasons that spanned four decades. He was inducted into the New Jersey State Hall of Fame in 1981 and the New Jersey Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1998.
About the Author
