Top Five in 35 . . .

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  The 2009-10 school year was my 35th covering sports in Philadelphia -- two for the long-gone Bulletin and
33 for the good, ol' Daily News. This summer I'm picking the top five athletes for each school in the Public,
Catholic and Inter-Ac leagues on a day-by-day basis (or close to that) and posting the choices on this page.
  Ground rules: I'm only picking guys who played the three major sports -- football, basketball and baseball.
However, if a guy was also prominent in track, another sport I've usually covered at Penn Relays and
championship time, that can enhance his chances to make the list. (Pub and Cath only; I have not covered
I-A track -- sorry. Also apologies to guys who starred in lacrosse, soccer, wrestling, etc. Not my strength.)
  Things to think about: Is a guy who's pretty good in two sports "better" than someone who's tremendous in
one? Is greatness in football or basketball more impressive than greatness in baseball? Should what happened
after high school affect a guy's placement? (Though it's hard not to be affected to some extent by what
happened later, I'm trying to stick to high school accomplishments only).
  Anyway, I hope you enjoy the lists. Your sensible comments will be posted at the bottom of this page (smile).
silaryt@phillynews.com.
  (Click here for a link to previous 30-year teams -- and offshoots -- that will influence, to some extent, these
decisions. Football and basketball, 1976-2005. Baseball 1978-2007.)
  Thank you,
  Ted Silary   

OTHER SCHOOLS

(Note: This list only includes basketball players. No football or baseball players have been prominent enough.)

1. Maureece Rice, Strawberry Mansion '03 . . . Bask . . . First team pick on the overall 30-year squad. Broke
    Wilt Chamberlain's long-standing record (since 1955) for career points. Mainstay for two PL titlists. George
    Washington. NBA Developmental League/Overseas pro.
2. Lynn Greer, Engineering & Science '97 . . . Bask . . . Player of the Year in '97 (led team to Pub final) and
    second team honoree on the overall 30-year squad. Temple. NBA/overseas pro.
3. Sam Prescott, Imhotep '09 . . . Bask/Track . . . First team All-City basketball player as a senior. Led team to
    Class AA state title. In track, he captured the Pub long jump at 22 feet and triple jump at 43, as well as the
    City Title long jump at 23 feet. Marist.
4. Tyrone Weeks, Franklin LC '93 . . . Bask . . . Earned third team honors on the overall 30-year squad. Bobcats
    made four consecutive title-game appearances during his career and captured the '92 title (Gratz won the
    others). Massachusetts.
5. Faron "Meatball" Hand, Franklin LC '92 . . . Bask . . . listed right behind Weeks on that 30-year squad. Had
    14 points and 16 boards in the '92 final. Dixie JC (Utah)/Nevada-Reno. Overseas pro.
    Overall comment: Rice broke Wilt's record with a 44-point effort on Dec. 27, 2002, as Mansion beat Olney in
    the consolation game of Olney's tourney. Wilt scored 2,206 points. "The Scorelord" lifted his total from 2,206
    to 2,209 on a left-wing trey with 1:52 left. Greer finished with 1,991 points. He faced a very difficult situation
    heading into his final game. With 28, he would have hit 2,000. He managed 19 while setting PL and city records
    for points in a postseason with 138. I LOVE the fact that Prescott did great things in a second sport. His track
    exploits vaulted him over some basketball-only guys. Weeks and Hand were big strong guys who powered FLC
    into prominence. It was the first "other" Pub school (one without football, in other words) to enjoy lofty status.
    The best late bloomer/overlooked guy would have to be a baseball player. At E&S, Bobby Filler was twice a
    second team coaches' All-Pub outfielder and then a first team pitcher. At Temple, he played OF and all he did
    was set career records for games, at-bats, hits and singles.

WILLIAM PENN

(Note: This former PL member, now closed for renovations -- or maybe forever, we'll see -- did not field a
football team for 19 seasons -- 1985-2003. Thus, we'll list just three guys.)

1. Aaron Moore '81 . . . FB/Bask . . . Second team All-City football honoree (DE) as a senior while helping
    to lead this relatively new program (fourth season) to the Pub semis. Pub third teamer for the decade. In
    basketball, as one of Penn's few two-sport factors, he was a two-year starter. Central State (Ohio).
2. Henry Jackson '85 . . . Bask . . . Third team All-City selection (AGAIN, in a very strong year) and our
    choice as Penn's top player in the program's 34-season varsity history. New Mexico JC (died in March after his
    sophomore season; collapsed while playing in a pickup game).
3. Anthony "Hubba Bubba" King '82 . . . Bask . . . Entertaining, high-scoring swingman. Third team All-City
    honoree and the No. 2 Lion hoopster. Shaw (among others).
    Overall comment: In '01, Mustafa Shakur was a coaches' second team All-Pub basketball choice. He then
    ditched Penn for Friends' Central and went on to play in the NBA. (Hakim Warrick left U. City around the
    same time for FC. He, too, advanced to the NBA, and is still there.) A true Only in the Pub moment: When
    Penn resumed football in '04, its first result was a forfeit loss to King. The Lions were not yet fully organized
    and backed out of the game that morning. In the early '80s, the baseball squad had a quick little outfielder named
    Raymond Washington, who wound up playing some in the minors. Raymond and the other two outfield starters
    batted righthanded and threw lefthanded. How weird is THAT? In '89, a guard named Omar Sanders was a
    third team coaches' All-Pub hoops honoree. He was also the No. 1 student/class act in the school and I wrote a
    feature story about him. Channel 6 anchorman/legend Jim Gardner saw the story, called to ask for Omar's phone
    number and wound up getting him into Columbia, his alma mater. Omar did well there (playing-wise and books-
    wise) and got a job on Wall Street immediately upon graduation. In '06, a soph lefthander named Guiceppy Cruz
    recorded 21 strikeouts against Delaware Valley Charter. He left the city after that school year. Not sure what
    happened to him thereafter. In the '82 season, Hubba Bubba (27.3) and junior Jerome Brisbon (28.4) combined
    to average 55.7 points in Pub play. HB became a true playground legend and one of these days he'll even tell me
    how many colleges he actually attended (smile). 

MARTIN LUTHER KING

1. Dawan Robinson '00 . . . Bask . . . Our choice as King's top player of the 35-year period. Only player in
    school history to surpass 1,000 career points. First team All-City. Paced Cougars to first semifinal visit
    since '81. Rhode Island. Overseas pro.
2. Jimmy Harris '90 . . . FB . . . In an era when few did so, twice earned first team coaches' All-Pub honors
    for his rushing exploits. Was only the third guy in Pub history to surpass 3,000 career yards. Second team
    all-decade honoree for Pub. Cheyney.
3. Rasheim "Feet" Wright '99 . . . FB/Bask . . . First team All-City honoree at DB, but was also an exciting,
    competent QB. Third team All-Pub for the decade. In basketball, when these honors were still doled out for
    the entire league, not by division, he was the No. 1 vote-getter on the All-Pub third team. Gloucester County
    CC (NJ), University of DC (basketball). Overseas pro.       
4. John Adams '83 . . . FB . . . Only King guy (as OL) to make the 30-year squad; third teamer among Pub
    players. Winston-Salem.
5. Wayne Marshall '03 . . . Bask . . . King's No. 2 player of the 35-year period. First team All-City as a senior
    behind co-players of the year. Teams made quarters in '02 and semis in '03. Temple.
    Overall comment: Robinson spent some time in the Clippers' camp in '07. Injuries have stifled his success in
    recent years overseas. One website says he broke his foot three times in two years. King rode Harris' rushing
    skills to the Pub final in '89. In the semis, he ran 45 yards for the final TD as the Cougars topped Frankford,
    21-20. LB Wally Mitchell had 22 tackles in that tilt. He also blocked a PAT and stopped a conversion run.
    Not bad, eh? The fact that Wright has done so well in hoops is surprising only because I could have sworn his
    best sport was football. He had some definite Randall Cunningham-type skills. Guess he liked basketball better,
    though, because he never played FB beyond King. Adams was an agile bear. Marshall had oak tree qualities.
    Tall and strong. His cousin, Quincy Marshall, was King's point guard during the same time frame. Talk about
    frustration: Mark Bristol, a third team All-Decade Pub lineman (Class of '95), kept blossoming while at Mansfield
    and came close to making the NFL. How close? Well, he was on training camp or practice squad rosters with
    FIVE different teams (Packers, 49ers, Jaguars, Dolphins, Jets) but never played in a regular season game. Not
    fair! Mark was a high quality young man. Did not deserve that fate. Another tidbit: my grandparents' home, at
    1357 E. Haines Street, was one of those knocked down in the early 1970s to make way for King. It stood right
    where the fire hydrant is (smile).

UNIVERSITY CITY

1. Rasheed Brokenborough '95 . . . Bask . . . Third team member of the Pub's 30-year squad. Player of the
    Year in '95. Led UC to only Pub title. Thrice earned first team coaches' All-Pub honors and was the No. 2
    votegetter even as a junior. Temple. Overseas pro.
2. John DeLeon '79 . . . Base . . . First team All-City honoree (1B) and third teamer on the Pub's 30-year squad.
    Only UC player to ever appear on any level of an All-City squad. Minor leagues. (Also was a basketball starter.)
3. Ed Giddings '97 . . . FB . . . First team All-City pick (Rec.) and second teamer for the Pub for the decade.
    Cheyney. (Also was a basketball starter at UC.)
4. DeAndre McClurkin '90 . . . FB . . . Twice earned first team coaches' All-Public honors and was a second teamer
    (OL) on the Pub's all-decade squad. Temple.
5. Kenny Moore '07 . . . FB/Bask . . . First team coaches' All-Pub pick (QB) and made third team All-City at punter.
    Third team All-City honoree in basketball. Midland JC (Texas). Committed to St. Francis (NY).
    Overall comment: Kind of a mish-mash. A decent number of respectables. Few gotta-be-on-heres. DeLeon was
    (still is) a big, friendly guy. If he'd made the majors, he would have been the second coming of Ernie Banks in terms
    of fan admiration. Moore is the son of Dawn Hoover, former UC star and one of the few women to coach a boys
    basketball team (a few years at West Philly). Her dad, Tom Hoover, starred at Villanova and played in the NBA.
    For whatever reasons, UC has produced lots of cool nicknames. Sam "Wobbles" White, Thomas "Skimoe" Hinton,
    Vincent "Butter" Smalls, Rudy "Pumpkin" Barnes, Vincent "Ham Head" Mason, Tyriuq "Pop Tart" Gordon, Anwar
    "Fis" Blagmon, Anthony "Chop" Harris, Sylvester "Bam" Westcott, James "Muggsy" Gaymon. One of UC's decent
    baseball players was Tom McGlawn ('89). He went 72-for-72 on stolen base attempts in his career and was still
    fast despite breaking the same kneecap TWICE. He then went 52-for-52 at Bethune Cookman and played briefly
    in the Phillies' system. In one season, at Martinsville, he stole four bases and was caught . . . . . . . . once. Damn!

ROXBOROUGH

1. Damon Bethel '89 . . . FB . . . First team honoree (LB) on overall 30-year football unit. Miami.
2. Rob Patete '84 . . . Base . . . Twice earned first team All-City honors in baseball (INF) and second team
    status on the overall 30-year squad. Minor leagues.
3. Ryan Smith '98 . . . FB . . . First offensive lineman listed on the overall all-decade team for the '90s. Second
    team pick on overall 30-year squad. Pitt.
4. Dave Coyne '83 . . . Base . . . First team selection (OF) to Public League 30-year squad. Temple.
5. Clayton Brothers '08 . . . Bask . . . Our choice as Roxborough's top player of the 35-year period. One of only
    two Indians to appear anywhere on the All-City teams (third) during this span. Hartford.
    Overall comment: No obviously strong two-sport contenders in Indianville. Kinda surprised me, actually. A
    strong contender would have been baseball star Ed Lowery ('78), who soared as high as AAA in the Royals'
    system. After spending much of his youth in this area, he left with his family and then returned only for 12th
    grade. Two tidbits involving baseball: In '80, with a fresh-faced intern named Rich Hofmann covering the game
    (a PL quarterfinal), Bartram coach George Tomosky lodged a protest over what he kept insisting was a pickoff
    (pitcher Carl Soupik to first baseman Dave Turtle) that should not have been allowed. Lo and behold, PL
    chairman John Koskinen upheld the protest! Roxborough's 5-2 win was erased and the game was replayed from
    the fourth inning on two days later (with yours truly on hand). Roxborough finally won it for sure, 7-0. The first
    part was played on what was then the team's home field, right on the football field (with a very short RF). The
    resumption was played at Roxborough and Henry. The '89 Pub final, won by Roxborough over Northeast, 7-5,
    and played at Frankford, was memorable for numerous reasons. Here's the recap:
    Folks are still having fun talking about all the wacky occurrences in this one. The best was the triple play turned by Roxborough in the
     home fifth. With runners on first and third, pinch-hitter Ed Kraus flied to leftfielder Dave Brotherton. Jeff Weiss was out at the plate on
     a relay from third baseman George Shepherdson. Catcher Joe Turvey spotted Tom Cross, trying to advance from first, and fired to
     second for out No. 3. Twice there were 10-minute arguments -- first when plate ump Ron Burgis rescinded an infield-fly call and awarded
     Northeast's Mark Ertel a single and later when Weiss batted in the No. 5 hole even though he'd entered the game in the No. 7 hole. During
     the waits, Northeast's fans heckled Roxborough pitcher Eric Kay about his 255-pound frame and brief, fans-only scuffles ensued. Chris
     Deskiewicz, the No. 9 hitter, gave 'Boro a 6-1 lead with a three-run homer in the sixth. For Northeast, Jim Callahan went 4-for-4 with one
     RBI on a solo homer.

ST. JAMES . . . (RIP)

(Note: This former CL member, located in Chester, closed in June '93. Thus, we'll list just three guys.)

1. Warren McIntire '88 . . . FB/Base/Track . . . First team All-City (DB) as senior and third team CL honoree
    on the 30-year squad. In baseball, he earned third team All-City honors (OF). His track contribution included
    participation on a winning 4x100 relay. Delaware (football).
2. Donny Dodds '78 . . . Bask . . . Second team All-City selection and the Jimmies' best player of the 18 years.
    Temple.
3. Pat Van Horn '88 . . . FB/Base . . . First team coaches' All-Catholic pick (WR) in football. Twice earned
    coaches' All-Catholic laurels in baseball (2B) and was a third team All-City honoree as a senior. Williamson
    Trade.
    Overall comment: Dodds was a second team All-City pick at SJ Prep in '76. He transferred to St. James for
    his junior year and was prohibited from playing in league games. Van Horn's three brothers (Paul, Brian, Mike)
    also had athletic success at St. James. Here's guessing that Pat owns the best batting average in Veterans Stadium
    history for someone with at least 20 at-bats. Back then, all Carpenter Cup games were played there. He banged
    out 14 hits in 20 at-bats over two years for a .700 average!! Lots of tidbits involving this place. One of the
    decent basketball players was Chris Gardler, whose dad, Buddy, was O'Hara's basketball coach. When the teams
    met, Dad used a box-and-one on his Son. Tom Jones, a second team coaches' All-Catholic basketball pick in '82,
    is the father of NFLer Kevin Jones, an O'Hara grad. The Warrington family had at least six guys who contributed
    (back to the early '70s): Bill, John, Greg, Steve, Andy and Mike. Perhaps St. James' most amazing sports moment
    occurred in '82. In an era when Roman NEVER lost at home, it did to the Jimmies even though Roman, in effect,
    got 12 free points. The wrong uniform numbers were entered into the scorebook. (Back then, teams often wore
    even numbers at home and odd on the road.) Roman shot seven techs, making six, and scored six more points
    off follow-up possessions. When SJ closed, jr. FB player LaMar Campbell was already a factor. He enrolled at
    Strath Haven for the 1993-94 school year and later made the NFL.

MURRELL DOBBINS TECH

1. Raheem Brock '97 . . . FB . . . First team honoree (LB) on the overall 30-year squad (one of eight Pub guys
    to make it). Twice was a first team All-City selection. Temple. NFL.
2 and 2A. Greg "Bo" Kimble and Eric "Hank" Gathers '85 . . . Bask . . . For anyone with knowledge of
    back-in-the-day stuff, you KNOW I had to put these guys together. Dynamic Duo for Dobbins' '85 Pub champs.
    Both earned second team status on the overall 30-year squad. Southern Cal/Loyola Marymount (both). Bo
    played in the NBA. Hank would have; he died of heart problems late in his senior season.
4. Derrick Millhouse '92 . . . FB/Bask/Base . . . In football, he was a first team All-City honoree (QB) as a senior
    and the Pub Player of the Year; second team (DB) as a junior. In basketball, he was a third team coaches' All-Pub
    pick in the era when the squads were not picked by division. His baseball exploits included second team All-City
    laurels as a senior after third team status as a junior (P both times). Gloucester County CC (NJ).
5. Kevin Ingram '80 . . . FB . . . First team All-City (QB) and a third teamer on the overall 30-year squad. No doubt
    he was also the best Pub QB over the last 35 years. Villanova/East Carolina. CFL/NFL.
    Overall comment: Wow, what a group! It wasn't so much that Dobbins produced loads of "almosts" for this list.
    But there definitely were enough high level guys that it made things VERY difficult. Put it this way: Two guys who
    were basketball Players of the Year did not make the list. Brock won a Super Bowl with the Colts in '06. He was
    released last March and is trying to latch on somewhere else as of this writing (Aug. 12). Hank's tragic death was
    the inspiration for a movie and book. LMU just flew up and down the court, scoring points like crazy, and those
    games were so much fun to watch. The Lions still hold NCAA records for highest scoring average (122.4 points)
    and most games with more than 100 points (28). Millhouse created quite the stir in '91 by recording 18 strikeouts
    in three consecutive games. As a senior, he allowed just one hit through his first 19 innings of the season -- a homer
    by future NBAer Malik Rose (Overbrook). Ingram's crowning moment was a '79 Pub semi. It was the league's first
    postseason night game and what a classic. Though Dobbins lost, 30-28, Ingram rushed for 161 yards and passed
    for 108 more. The game featured 742 yards of total offense and 197 more on returns . . . It should also be mentioned
    that Dobbins produced two off-the-charts-tremendous female hoopsters -- Linda Page ('81) and Dawn Staley ('88).
    Page scored 100 points in ONE game.

NEUMANN/N-G

1. Mark Donato '10 . . . Base . . . One of only three players in 33 years of All-City baseball teams to be named
    a Player of the Year (jr.) AND a Pitcher of the Year (sr.). One of only four to thrice earn first team All-City
    honors. (Attended Roman as a frosh. A third team All-City pick.) Bound for Indian River CC (Fla.)
2. Steve Benton '85 . . . Bask . . . First team All-City as a senior and second team honoree on the CL's 30-year
    squad. Fourth leading career scorer in CL history (1,808). Boston College.
3. Jerry Smith '77 . . . FB/Bask/Base . . . First team All-City in football and still holds the school record for
    receiving yards in a season (853); highly unusual accomplishment for a TE. Second team CL honoree on
    all-decade squad. Starter/sixth man for the basketball team. First team coaches' All-Catholic honoree in baseball
    (1B) in the time before All-City teams were picked; second teamer as jr. Penn (football and baseball).
4. Tony Chennault '10 . . . Bask . . . Player of the Year in '10. Led N-G to the Class AAA state title and 30-1
    overall record. Three times earned first team coaches' All-Catholic honors. Wake Forest signee.
5. Rick Jackson '07 . . . Bask . . . Only Neumann/N-G player to twice earn first team All-City honors. Starter for
    two CL champs ('05-'06) and one runner-up ('07). Syracuse.
    Overall comment: Donato's most impressive moment came in the '09 Carpenter Cup, when he hit two homers
    in one game. The games were still being played at Penn. One homer traveled an estimated 425 feet, clearing a
    a restraining fence that's at least 40 feet high AND a grassy area AND the two-lane off ramp for the Schuylkill
    Expressway's University City exit. Benton is ranked the highest of the basketball guys in part because his
    playmates -- though hustlers, etc. -- were much less talented than Chennault's/Jackson's. In the '85 final, won by
    Neumann over La Salle, 57-54. Benton missed a one-and-one with 0:06 left. Howwwwwever, a La Salle player
    entered the lane too fast. Given the reprieve, he then hit both ends to clinch it (three-point shots did not yet exist
    in high school ball). Smith was a factor in both sports at Penn and was first team All-Ivy in baseball. Spent a few
    minutes today trying to be SURE how to list his first name. Even in high school, he was listed as "Gerry" as often
    as "Jerry." His name is Gerard X. Smith. I reached his paralegal at the law firm where he works and she assured
    me he goes by Jerry. Also thanks to the wife of one of Jerry's Neumann teammates. I'd forgotten his college.
    Looked up that guy's (unusual) name on whitepages.com. He still lives in Philly. Called the number. His wife
    answered. Asked her if her husband would remember where Jerry went to college. SHE remembered, as it turned
    out. Nice. Thanks again.

SOUTHERN

1. Lionel Simmons '86 . . . Bask . . . Proud member of the Golden Five on the overall 30-year squad. Player of
    the Year as a senior. Led Rams to Public League title. La Salle (at least one organization named him the National
    Player of the Year in '90). NBA.
2. Kareem "Rab" Townes '91 . . . Bask . . . A third team honoree on the overall 30-year squad. Player of the Year
    as a senior. Outrageous scorer. Averaged 30.2 in Pub play as a junior, then 41.2 as a senior! La Salle. Overseas
    pro.
3. Al Baur '86 . . . Bask/Base . . . Effective starting forward for the '86 Pub basketball team that featured Simmons.
    First team All-City in baseball (P) and second team member of the Pub's 30-year squad. Minor leagues.
4. Shaquille Gaskins '10 . . . FB/Bask . . . Third team All-City (QB) in football. Twice earned coaches' first team
    All-Pub honors and was the division MVP as a senior. Second team coaches' All-Public selection in basketball.
    Bound for Westchester CC (NY) for basketball.
5. Nate Blackwell '83 . . . Bask . . . First team All-City honoree as a senior. Just missed (by one spot) being a two-time
    selection to the coaches' first team All-Pub squad. Temple. NBA.
    Overall comment: My most vivid memory involving Simmons was a game at U. City. Again and again, numerous
    Southern fans in attendance -- yes, Southern -- kept busting Train's cubes because, faced with double-teams, he
    was making great passes for easy layups. Huh? Yes, they were mad that he was showing good court sense. Their
    prevailing thought was, "You're the team's best player! YOU take the shots!" (These were some seedy-lookin'
    dudes. Maybe they'd bet money on how many points he would score?) Baur's best moment came in the first
    Carpenter Cup Classic; he fanned seven in his three-inning stint. His son, Albert, starred for Neumann-Goretti the
    past couple years. Gaskins was also a great leader for his various squads. Blackwell became an assistant coach at
    Temple under the legendary John Chaney, for whom he'd played. Blackwell was one of SIX lefties on the Rams'
    1981-82 squad. Click here for a pic of those guys (scroll about three-quarters down that page). The school's top
    late bloomer was football player Dwayne White, a third team All-City OL in '84. He made the NFL out of Alcorn
    State. Last fall, my mom and Dwayne's mom happened to exchange pleasantries while doing physical rehab a few
    feet apart at a place in Montgomery County. I was standing right there when my mom, embarrassing me no end,
    like always (smile), said, "This is my son. He's a sports writer for the Daily News." Mrs. White said, "Oh, that's
    nice. My son played in the NFL." (Serious oneupsmanship. Ha, ha.) I asked her what school and when she said
    Southern, bingo, I told her, "I'm pretty sure I wrote about him . . . and that YOUR picture was in the paper that
    day, too." She flashed a huge smile. The story was written when Dwayne was drafted out of Alcorn. Though the
    interview was done on the phone, the paper sent a photographer to Dwayne's house in South Philly and the pic
    was taken outside on the front steps . . . of Dwayne and his mom.

ST. JOSEPH'S PREP

1. Victor Hobson '98 . . . FB . . . Accomplished the extremely rare feat of earning first team All-City football
    honors (LB) three times. Career highlight: a game with 22 tackles. First team honoree (duh) on overall
    30-year All-City squad. Michigan. NFL.
2. Frank Costa '90 . . . FB . . . Second team honoree (QB) on overall 30-year squad. Held many of the passing
    record later broken by La Salle's Brett Gordon (No. 1 on the "30.") Miami.
3. Rich Gannon '83 . . . FB . . . Third team honoree (QB) on overall 30-year squad; behind Gordon and Costa.
    Twice earned first team All-Catholic honors and was first team All-City in '82. In a VERY uncommon
    development, he also earned first team All-City honors at punter. (No one else was even close. Would have
    been a joke not to honor him there, also. By the way, he punted left-footed.) Delaware. NFL. 
4. Mark Zoller '03 . . . Bask . . . Player of the Year as a senior after pacing Prep to a 30-2 overall mark and its
    first CL title since '71. First Hawk hoopster to twice earn first team All-Catholic honors since Mo Howard in
    early '70s. Second team honoree on CL's 30-year list. Shot 31-for-45 (one trey) and 22-for-28 for 85 points
    in three playoffs. Penn. Overseas pro.
5. Brian Tracz '04 . . . FB . . . Second team honoree (LB) on overall 30-year squad. First team All-City as a
    junior and senior for CL Red champions. Player of the Year in '03. Also earned second team coaches'
    All-Catholic laurels as a soph. Indiana/Fordham.
    Overall comment: So, did you notice anything? All five guys are one-sporters. Gave hard consideration to two
    guys who were All-City honorees -- one in football/baseball, the other in football/basketball -- in two sports. Yet
    neither was even a borderline all-timer, so to speak, in either of his sports. Hobson was so appreciative of how
    much football coach Gil Brooks had influenced his life, he wrote a guest opinion for the Daily News to comment
    on Brooks' firing. Costa passed for 2,547 yards as a senior and 4,660 overall; both were city records. Last time I
    saw him was in "Invincible" (about Vince Papale). Gannon is now a TV analyst. At one point during his high
    school years, Zoller wore his hair in very curly fashion. One time he walked into La Salle University to watch
    a Neumann-Dougherty semi and Neumann's fans began busting on him about his do. The best crack compared
    him with "Sideshow Bob." Good sport that he was, Mark laughed as hard as anyone. Tracz is now making inroads
    as a strength and conditioning coach; he pursued his graduate degree at The Citadel.

NORTHEAST

1. Scott Hunter '93 . . . FB/Base . . . First team All-City (DB) in football and second team honoree on the PL's
    All-Decade squad. In baseball, he twice earned first team All-City Honors (DH, C) and was a third teamer on
    the overall 30-year squad. Picked in fifth round of draft by Dodgers. Minor leagues (reached AAA).
2. Howie Freiling '84 . . . Base . . . First player in city history to be named first team All-City three times (all at
    1B). One of just four to attain that honor in 33 seasons. First team honoree on 30-year squad. Tabbed by Reds
    in 26th round of '84 draft (signability issues). North Carolina. Picked by Dodgers in 8th round of '87 draft.
    Minor leagues (reached AAA) . . . (Also a basketball starter at Northeast, though not prominent).
3. Charles Way '90 . . . FB . . . Listed at LB on second team of overall 30-year squad. First team among PL guys.
    Virginia. NFL.
4. Sean Evans '07 . . . FB/Bask . . . First team All-City (DL) in football and second team All-Decade honoree for
    the Pub squad. Second team All-City selection in basketball. St. John's (basketball).
5. Jesse Levis '86 . . . Base . . . Twice earned first team All-City honors (C) in baseball and was a second teamer
    as a soph. Best Pub catcher over 35 years and a third teamer on the overall 30-year outfit. Drafted by Phillies
    out of Northeast. North Carolina. Selected in 4th round of '89 draft by Indians. MLB.
    Overall comment: Hunter, Freiling and Levis all remained in baseball after their playing days as managers or
    scouts. Way is now a front office bigwig for the New York Giants (director of player development). Evans also
    had D-1 offers for football, but opted for basketball. Last season he averaged 7 points and 6 rebounds. The
    best feel-good story involves Brent Grimes, a second team All-City football honoree at MP in 2000. (Also was a
    respectable point guard). He starred at D-2 Shippensburg, then had to go the free agent route after not being
    drafted. He's now a starting cornerback for Atlanta. In his very first game in late Dec. '07, he maybe set an NFL
    debut record for a DB (for anybody?) by making 11 tackles. And last season he made one of the best picks you
    could ever hope to see.

ARCHBISHOP WOOD

1. Dan Kusters '91 . . . Bask/Base . . . Third team coaches' All-Catholic honoree in basketball. Twice earned
    first team All-City honors in baseball. Pitcher of the Year as junior. Player of the Year (1B) as senior. Listed
    at DP spot (dual purpose) on overall 30-year squad. CL champs in '90. Runner-up in '91. Villanova (baseball).
2. Chris Lorditch '07 . . . FB/Track . . . First team coaches' All-Catholic football selection (WR) as a soph, junior
    and senior. Set city record for career receiving TDs. Also won coaches' All-Catholic honors four times total as
    as a kicker-punter (twice first, twice second). Won three gold medals in CL track championships (twice in 200,
    once in 400). Harvard (football).
3. Steve Kettelberger '82 . . . FB . . . Twice earned MVP honors in the Northern Division for his play as a
    wishbone QB. Third team CL All-Decade. Brown.
4. Brian Schaller '93 . . . Bask/Base . . . Third team coaches' All-Catholic honoree in basketball. First team
    All-City pick in baseball (DH). Mainstay on a team that won FIVE games en route to capturing the CL crown.
    (Had to survive a pre-playoff). Homered in the second round and semi. Scored both of the Vikings' runs in the
    final. La Salle.
5. Brian O'Grady '10 . . . Bask/Base . . . Third team coaches' All-Catholic selection in basketball. First team
    All-City (OF) in baseball after earning second team honors as a junior. Rutgers signee (baseball).
    Overall comment: For whatever reason, Wood has had very few athletes of multi-sport prominence. Kept going
    over and over the various lists and kept saying, "Where ARE these guys?" Before the '93 baseball semi, in which
    Schaller hit a three-run homer, coach Bill O'Toole had FOUR pitchers warming up and told La Salle coach Joe
    Parisi he would probably use a righthander. Instead, he went with lefty Rob Wertz. The following April, O'Toole
    was fired after using a non-Wood student (an early cut from Council Rock, at that) as his starting pitcher in a
    non-league game vs. Hatboro-Horsham. The kid pitched three shutout innings. Meanwhile, in the category of
    Most Interesting Development After High School, we give you Walt Gogola. He was a first team All-City offensive
    lineman in '89. And has since become a headliner on the Strongman circuit. Google Gogola.

JULES MASTBAUM TECH

1. Uhuru "Joby" Hamiter '91 . . . FB/Bask/Track . . . First team All-City receiver for Mastbaum's championship
    team in '90 and third team honoree on PL 30-year squad. Twice earned coaches' second team honors in
    basketball in the era when the teams were NOT picked by division. Also won PL shot put championship. ONLY
    guy in Mastbaum's history to win a gold medal in the PL championships. Delaware State (football). NFL.
2. Chafie Fields '95 . . . FB . . . First team selection (DB) on overall 30-year football squad. Twice earned first
    team All-City honors (DB as jr., MP as sr.). Penn State. NFL.
3. Ed Bowman '97 . . . FB/Base . . . First team All-City honoree (DB) in football and second team member of the
    Pub's 30-year all-decade outfit. First team All-City in baseball (INF) and third team pick on Pub's 30-year team.
    Massachusetts (football).
4. Ernell Harley '81 . . . Bask/Base . . . Second team honoree on coaches' All-Pub basketball squad. First team pick
    (OF) on the Pub's 30-year all-star baseball team. Three-year starter in both sports. Only soph starter for 'Baum's
    '79 baseball champs. Millersville (baseball).
5. Marc Baxter '91 . . . FB . . . Star QB on '90 championship squad. First team All-Decade selection for Pub and
    second teamer on Pub's 30-year list. Temple.
    Overall comment: Very few of Mastbaum's better basketball players have dabbled in other sports. Hamiter (spent
    some time with Eagles) and Harley were two of the prominent exceptions. Hamiter played two seasons of semi-pro
    football in South Jersey, then was part of NFL Europe before finally getting his NFL shot. Fields is now a sports
    agent. He majored in cosmetology at Mastbaum because he wanted to be around the ladies (smile). Bowman's
    brother, Lovato, was a FB/base headliner at Frankford. Best late bloomer: James Brown, an offensive linemen,
    played eight years in the NFL out of Virginia State. He earned NO honors at Mastbaum (was quick, but by his own
    admission was nowhere close to ornery at that point in his life).

ARCHBISHOP CARROLL

1. Burt Grossman '85 . . . FB/Track . . . One of the headliners on the '84 football All-City Team (DL) as CL
    Player of the Year with Bonner's Ed Monaghan. First team honoree on overall 30-year squad and No. 1 DL
    guy. In track, he won the shot put with a 60-foot effort as a junior, then did even better as a senior. Still holds
    the CL record. Pitt (football). NFL.
2. Maurice Stovall '02 . . . FB/Track . . . Dominant WR for Carroll's early-decade football powerhouses.
    First team All-City, Player of the Year and likewise a first teamer on the overall 30-year squad. Captured the
    400 (48.04) in the '02 CL track championships. Notre Dame (football). NFL.
3. Martin Ingelsby '97 . . . Bask . . . First team member of CL's 30-year squad. Second team All-City as a junior
    and first teamer as a senior. Notre Dame.
4. Keith Conway '91 . . . Base . . . Twice earned first team All-City honors as a major factor. Player of the Year
    as a junior. Pitcher of the Year as a senior (15-0 record). Gloucester County CC (NJ). Drafted in '93 by St.
    Louis Cardinals. Minor leagues.
5. Kevin Mullen '78 . . . FB/Base . . . First team All-City in football as WR and long held the city records for TD
    catches in a season and career. Second team All-City in baseball (OF). Won first team coaches' All-Catholic
    honors twice in each sport. St. Joseph's (baseball).
    Overall comment: Grossman's cousin, Randy Grossman (Haverford High), was a star tight end for the Steelers.
    Stovall's dad, also Maurice, was a quality lineman for Bartram. Ingelsby's dad, Tom, starred at O'Hara and
    Villanova and played in the NBA. He was Carroll's coach during a strong run in the mid-'90s (and current coach
    Paul Romanczuk was a headliner, as well). I STILL need to know how Conway did not advance Class A ball.
    Career minor league stats over five seasons: 17-8 record, 2.25, 294 Ks to 117 BBs. All he did was get people
    out. Lots of strong baseball candidates for the Patriots. In fact, seven other guys (in all three sports) received
    strong consideration.

BEN FRANKLIN

1. Jerome "Pooh" Richardson '85 . . . Bask . . . Player of the Year as a senior. Also first team All-City as
    a junior. No. 6 honoree on overall 30-year squad. UCLA. NBA.
2. David Carter '96 . . . FB/Bask/Track . . . Second team pick at MP on Public League's 30-year football list.
    Third team coaches' All-Public selection in basketball. In track, he won the Pub high jump with an effort
    of 6-10 in '95. No one since then has come closer than four inches of that height. West Va. (football).
3. Deron Miller '84 . . . Base . . . This P-SS earned third team honors on the overall 30-year squad. In '83, he
    did the pitching as Franklin beat Roxborough, 4-2, to become the first all-minority team (seven African-
    Americans, two Hispanics) to win the Pub title. The Electrons and Miller made another strong run in '84,
    falling to Northeast, 2-0.
4. Steve Harvey '78 . . . FB/Base . . . An overall football handyman, he was used at punter on the '77 All-City
    first team. Also the second teamer on the PL 30-year squad. First team All-City (OF) in baseball and the
    first listed OF on the Pub 30-year team. Minor leagues.
5. Randy Woods '88 . . . Bask . . . First team All-City as a senior. Third team honoree on Pub 30-year squad.
    La Salle. NBA.
    Overall comment: Basketball stars Rico Washington ('83) and Paul "Snoop" Graham ('85) were ineligible for
    this list; both only played one season at Franklin. We published a classic picture of Carter when he was a
    senior. All the offensive linemen were down in their stance and he was soaring over them toward the
    photographer. He's now a Pub assistant. What a brassy kid Miller was. Up until the late '80s, Franklin
    every so often produced players who were scouted/signed. Speaking of signed: Harvey was inked by the
    Phillies and advanced as high as Class AA Reading. The best late bloomer, undoubtedly, was James "Quick"
    Parker, a '76 grad who was a small, aggressive nose guard. He was second team All-City and was spotted by
    Wake Forest in City All-Star Game practices. Starred at Wake and then enjoyed a tremendous career in the
    Canadian Football League. Voted the CFL's best defensive player three times! (Another tidbit, though it goes
    back more than 35 years: J.T. Turner, a 1970 grad, was an offensive lineman for the Giants for seven seasons.
    Talk about a late bloomer! He made his first athletic strides in fencing -- yes, fencing -- and played just one
    year of varsity football. He went to Duke on an academic scholarship and got better and better . . . )

ROMAN CATHOLIC

1. Marvin Harrison '91 . . . FB/Bask . . . In football, he was a first team multi-purpose choice on the overall
    30-year team and CL Player of the Year in '90. Twice first team All-City. In basketball, he was the CL
    South MVP in '91 and a second team All-City pick. Starter for two CL title squads and sixth man for another
    as a soph. Syracuse (football). NFL.
2. Joe McCourt '01 . . . FB/Bask/Base . . . Shared that MP spot with Harrison on the overall 30-year FB squad.
    Twice was a CL Player of the Year and paced Roman, as a junior, to its first FB title since 1947. Important
    sub for CL basketball finalist as a senior. First team All-City in baseball (OF). Lafayette (football).
3. Eddie Griffin '00 . . . Bask . . . Golden Five member of 30-year squad. Player of the Year as junior and senior
    after pacing Cahillites to back-to-back titles. Also named National Player of the Year in '00 by some media
    organizations; definitely PARADE magazine. Seton Hall. NBA.
4. Donnie Carr '96 . . . Bask . . . First team member (listed at No. 8) on overall 30-year squad. Player of the Year
    as a senior for averaging 27 points (division play) for a CL champ. La Salle. Overseas pro.
5. Charron Fisher '04 . . . FB/Bask . . . Second team All-City in football (LB) and first team coaches' All-Catholic.
    Three times earned first team coaches' All-Catholic laurels in basketball. MVP as senior. Second in voting as soph
    and junior. Second team All-City honoree three times. Niagara (basketball). Pro overseas.
    Overall comment: Mostly because of hoops, Roman has been loaded with stars. How strong has THAT sport
    been? Well, four guys NOT in this Top Five advanced to the NBA (Rasual Butler, Dallas Comegys, Marc Jackson,
    Lari Ketner -- alphabetical order; meanwhile, FB star Scott Paxson advanced to the NFL). Harrison, of course,
    became one of the greatest receivers in  NFL history. McCourt had an all-time career at Lafayette and is now
    Roman's coach. Griffin died in '07 of injuries suffered in a car accident. In Dec. '95, at Drexel, Roman and Carr
    beat Lower Merion and Kobe Bryant, 67-61, in a non-league classic. Kobe had 30 points, four rebounds, six
    assists and two steals. Carr had 34 points, five rebounds, two assists and a steal, then said, "Kobe's the best player
    around. But he's not the only good player in the area." 

EDWARD BOK TECH

1. Michael Russell '93 . . . FB/Bask/Base . . . Twice named first team All-City in football, first at receiver
    and then at DB. First team DB on Pub All-Decade team. Second team coaches' All-Pub selection in
    basketball and baseball. Fort Scott (Kan.) CC.
2. Charles Kennedy '00 . . . FB . . . Public League Player of the Year in '99 (OL) and first team member of
    overall All-Decade team. Delaware State.
3. Kevin Beaford '79 . . . Bask . . . Second team All-City honoree and school's top player of the 35-year period.
    Averaged 27.7 points in Pub play. Fairmont (West Va.).
4. Shawn White '89 . . . FB . . . Second team QB on All-Decade Pub team. Still holds school record for
    passing yards in a season.
5. Ron Kenney '01 . . . Base . . . Twice earned third team All-City honors (C) -- only Bok player to make an
    All-City diamond squad -- and three times was named first team coaches' All-Public.
    Overall comment: Beaford was one of the more amazing athletes I've covered. Reason? He was extremely
    cross-eyed and yet scored points almost at will. I'm no expert on medical things, but how does that happen?
    White has gone on to do great things and is now pursuing a doctorate. The Wildcats' best late bloomer was
    Rodney McCarter, a third team All-City RB in '00 who became a star DB (and captain) for James Madison's
    '04 national champs in I-AA. Another tidbit: star lineman Eddie Williams (Class of '82) is now an assistant
    at West Phila. He's a big guy and I'll see him this fall, so I figured going the shoutout route would make
    sense (smile).

NORTH CATHOLIC    (RIP)

1. Chris Heck '95 . . . Bask/Base . . . Second team coaches' All-Catholic pick in basketball. Named Pitcher
    of the Year in baseball after leading Falcons to championship. Third team member of CL's 30-year
    squad. Earned coaches' All-Catholic laurels six times total (first or second team; multiple positions). St.
    Joseph's/Clemson (baseball). Drafted three times total; once out of North and twice while in college.
    Minor leagues.
2. Tom Bonk '79 . . . Bask/Base . . . Second team coaches' All-Catholic basketball honoree. First team
    All-City (C) in baseball and third teamer on CL's 30-year squad. La Salle (baseball). Minor leagues.
3. Dave Mastropietro '87 . . . Bask/Base . . . Third team coaches' All-Catholic basketball selection while
    starting for a championship team. First team All-City (OF) in baseball and third teamer on CL's 30-year
    squad. La Salle (baseball). Tabbed by Detroit Tigers in 22nd round of draft. Minor leagues.
4. Jerry Rose '86 . . . FB/Base . . . First team All-City in football (RB) and honorable mention choice on
    All-Decade team. First team All-City pick in baseball (OF); leadoff hitter for championship team. (Also
    a substitute guard on basketball team.) La Salle.
5. Jim Gilmore '81 . . . FB . . . First team All-City honoree (OL) and third team member of CL 30-year squad.
    Ohio State/Villanova. NFL.
    Overall comment: Lots of medium to good possibilities for North. Not many obvious gotta-be-strongly-
    considered guys. I agonized over the order, also. There were some quality brother acts in Falconville during
    this time frame: Comeys, Gilmores, Szychulskis (apologies to any I'm forgetting). Soccer and wrestling were
    also top-notch. How can it be that Thanksgiving won't include North-Frankford anymore? And that there'll
    be no more visits to The Pit? Beyond sad . . .

CENTRAL

1. John Marzano '81 . . . Base . . . Twice earned first team All-City honors (C) and Player of the Year as a
    senior. First team honoree on overall 30-year squad (DH). Picked by Minnesota Twins in third round of
    draft. Temple. Drafted again -- in first round (No. 4, Boston Red Sox) --in '84. Major leagues. (Also played
    football as a junior -- FB/LB -- but was prevented from playing as a senior due to injury).
2. Rich Drayton '87 . . . FB/Track . . . Twice earned first team All-City laurels (Rec.) and made second team
    on the overall 30-year squad. In track, he was a member of three relays that finished first in Pub champs.
    Temple (football).
3. Bob Keels '76 . . . FB/Bask . . . First team selection (Rec.) on All-City football team and second team overall
    honoree for decade. (Guys from '75 FB season were not part of 30-year squad.) In basketball, he was a first
    team coaches' All-Pub pick (No. 6 in voting) in an era when teams were not picked by division. Temple (football).
4. Craig Wise '91 . . . Bask . . . Our choice as the Lancers' top hoopster of the 35-year period. Averaged 33.3
    points in league play for a squad that reached the semis in '91. Had 46 in first round AND quarters. First team
    All-City. Canisius.
5. Kenyatta Rush '86 . . . FB . . . First team All-City (DL) and second team selection on overall 30-year squad.
    Temple.
    Overall comment: Marzano died a few years ago of injuries suffered in a fall. He had just made great strides
    in his second career as a TV analyst. Our '81 Pitcher of the Year was Penn Charter's Mark Gubicza. That's the
    only time both honorees have reached the majors. Drayton is now Central's football coach and his son is an
    up-and-comer. Wise and his older brother, Charles, combined to average 42.3 points in '90. Though they didn't
    play our so-called "major" sports, sprinters Carlton Young ('70s) and William Reed ('80s) were ALL-timers
    and deserve to be mentioned. Both had national profiles.

KENRICK/K-K   (RIP)

1. Chris Lubanski '03 . . . Base . . . Twice a first team All-City honoree (OF) and first teamer on overall
    30-year squad. Player of the Year as senior and Gatorade National Player of the Year. Kansas City
    Royals' first round pick (No. 5 overall). Minor leagues.
2. Christian "Ya-Ya" Walker '09 . . . Base . . . Twice a first team All-City honoree (INF) and Player of the
    Year as senior. Drafted in 49th round by Los Angeles Dodgers. South Carolina.
3. Scott Lawler '92 . . . Bask/Base . . . Second team coaches' All-Catholic honoree in basketball. Baseball
    Player of the Year (C) in '92 and second team honoree on CL's 30-year squad. North Carolina State
    (baseball). Minor leagues.
4. Brian Leahy '84 . . . Bask . . . Kenrick/K-K's top player in the 35-year period. Twice earned second team
    All-City honors and thrice was a CL coaches' first team selection. St. Joseph's.
5. Cullen Rota '10 . . . FB/Bask/Base . . . Third team All-City pick in football (WR). Honorable mention DN
    All-Catholic pick in basketball (team's top player). Second team All-City honoree in baseball (OF).
    Bloomsburg.
    **Special note: We did not cover Kenrick's football team 1989-1992; not in Catholic League.**
    Overall comment: The fact that Lubanski has not advanced to the majors through eight minor league seasons
    truly does show how difficult baseball can be. He's now playing with Toronto's AAA team. If not for some
    miscommunication on money demands, Walker would have been drafted very high last year. He had MANY
    major moments this past spring as the Gamecocks won the national title. One could make a strong argument
    that Rota was K-K's top player in each of the three major sports during the school's final year. Quite a legacy.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN

1. Marc Foster '85 . . . FB . . . Second team honoree (DB) on overall 30-year squad. Top DB on '84
    All-City team (in a very strong year). Purdue.
2. Steve Holiday '81 . . . FB/Bask/Base . . . Listed as first DB on '81 All-City football team. Second team
    Pub All-Decade honoree. In basketball, he finished fifth among all Pub players in scoring. Second team
    All-City selection (OF) in baseball. Delaware State (FB/base).
3. Keita Crespina '89 . . . FB . . . Listed as second team honoree (WR) on Pub 30-year squad. Temple.
    Long-time pro indoor career.
4. Bill Cook '78 . . . FB/Base . . . Second team overall All-Decade choice (Rec.; played TE) in football.
    Third team All-City pick (OF) in baseball. Arizona (football).
5. Keith Michalak '92 . . . FB/Base . . . Four times won coaches' first team All-Pub honors; twice in each
    sport. Second team All-City in football (DB) and twice a third team All-City honoree in baseball (1B).
    Overall comment: When I sat down to figure out Lincoln, no obvious No. 1 choice was hittin' me. Then
    I began poring over the assorted lists and, bingo, there it was. Marc Foster was a great player at Lincoln
    and wound up starting for three years (maybe part of a fourth?) at Purdue. In the '88 season, he was the
    first DB to be named team MVP. Crespina is now a feisty assistant at George Washington HS. Michalak
    is now a mild-manned assistant (mostly) at Judge. Smile.

WEST CATHOLIC

1. Michael Brooks '76 . . . Bask . . . Golden 5 honoree on first team of overall 30-year squad. And CL's
    No. 2 player behind Roman's Eddie Griffin. La Salle. NBA.
2. Rob Hollomon '09 . . . FB/Bask . . . Second team overall All-Decade in football (RB) after twice earning
    All-City honors (MP-RB). Third team All-City in basketball and first team coaches' All-Catholic pick.
    Kent State signee (after prep school).
3. Curtis "Boonah" Brinkley '04 . . . FB . . . Second team selection (RB) on overall 30-year football squad.
    CL Player of the Year in '02 and '03. Leading career rusher in city history. Formerly held one-game record.
    Syracuse. In training camp with NFL's San Diego Chargers.   
4. Pat Kane '79 . . . FB/Base . . . Second team All-City choice in football (RB) as a senior and honorable
    mention All-Decade choice for West. Listed as third team member of overall 30-year squad (OF) in
    baseball and Player of the Year in '79.
5. Curtis Drake '09 . . . FB . . . Listed at the MP spot on the overall All-Decade team. Third team All-City
    as junior at QB and first teamer as senior at MP (also CL Player of the Year). Penn State.
    Overall comment: Tough decisions here, too. Lots of highly decorated football players through the 2000s
    and, though it's hard to believe now, there were some quality baseball guys into the early '90s. A shoutout
    goes to Dave Bertoline ('88), who earned various level of coaches' All-Catholic honors in four sports -- soccer,
    football (as kicker), basketball and baseball -- en route to 11 varsity letters. His top Daily News honor in a
    "major" sport: second team All-City infielder. Oh, and to two great website contributors, Ed "Huck Palmer
    and Amauro "Amar" Austin, who are also West grads. (So is another legend, Mark "Frog" Carfagno, though
    he graduated a shade before the 35-year time frame -- smile.)    

GEORGE WASHINGTON

1. Sharrif Floyd '10 . . . FB . . . First team All-City lineman as junior and senior. PL Player of the Year in
    '09 season and for the decade. Considered by some the country's top DL. Florida signee.
2. Jerry Butler '05 . . . FB/Track . . . Star rusher for '04 Pub football champs. First team honoree on overall
    All-Decade squad and second teamer on overall 30-year squad. In track, as a soph, won the 100 and 200
    in the Pub champs. Wisconsin/Delaware (football).
3. Aaron Wilmer '10 . . . FB/Base . . . First team member of All-Pub decade squad (MP) in football. QB of
    consecutive PL champions. Only Pub guy to make first team All-City (DH) in baseball in '10. West Chester.
4. Andrew Goodman '08 . . . FB/Bask/Base . . . Second team All-City in football as WR. Third team coaches'
    All-Pub selection in basketball. Second team All-City honoree in baseball (OF). Penn State (football walk-on).
5. Kengo Honda '87 . . . Base . . . First team All-City (INF) as junior and senior. Player of the Year as senior.
    Second team honoree on overall 30-year squad and listed as Pub's top infielder. South Carolina.
    Overall comment: The pick I like the best on here is Goodman. True, he wasn't tremendous at anything, but
    in an era where so many guys don't bother with two sports, let alone three, he DID do the triple thing and
    was a very important contributor in all three. Plus, he had a great attitude and was a team leader in all. Honda
    was an interesting kid. He came here from Japan in September of '83. Checked around on the internet. It
    appears he now lives in Florida and has some enjoyed some success in out-of-the-mainstream golf events.
    In '85 I began a story about Honda in sufficiently goofy fashion. Sometimes I can't help it -- smile.
      Most observers of schoolboy baseball are in accord that a certain young man from George Washington High is the Public League's
     best sophomore and one of its top players, period.
       They don't feel it's their civic duty to say that merely to be nice to the kid. They do so because it's a fact. Also, they've come to
     believe that what he is showing this year is only a prelude.
       Wait. Accord, Civic and Prelude. Aren't they three automobile models imported here by Honda?

LA SALLE

1. Jack Stanczak '89 . . . FB/Bask/Base . . . Catholic League Player of the Year in football for his
    play at QB; third team All-Decade for CL. Starter/key sub for basketball squad that advanced to the CL
    final. City Player of the Year in baseball (1B) for a CL finalist. Second team honoree on overall 30-year team.
    Drafted in the fifth round by Houston Astros. Villanova for baseball.
    (Drafted again in 8th round, by Texas Rangers, in '93 draft.) Minor leagues.
2. Brett Gordon '98 . . . FB/Bask . . . CL Player of the Year in football (QB) as a junior and senior and
    our choice as Philly's top high school player of the century. Also a high quality kicker. Basketball starter
    for two years for playoff qualifiers. Dealt nine assists in a quarterfinal victory. Villanova (football).
3. Keith Conlin '91 . . . FB/Bask . . . Listed as first DL on second team of overall 30-year football squad.
    Two-year starter in basketball for squads that advanced to CL finals. Penn State. NFL draftee.
4. Drew Loughery '10 . . . FB . . . CL Player of the Year as a junior and senior (QB). First team honoree
    on overall All-Decade team. Led team to CL's first state football championship as a senior. West Chester
    (likely will not play as a freshman).   
5. Chip Greenberg '82 . . . Bask . . . City Player of the Year as a senior. First team honoree on CL 30-year
    squad and third team pick overall. La Salle.
    Overall comment: It's 1:24 a.m. as I'm getting ready to post this and my head is darn near splitting open.
    And I never get headaches. Eighteen names. Some were first team All-City in two sports or even first
    team All-City in the same sport two times. Tremendous challenges. Gordon finished his career with 6,837
    yards and what was then a state record for TD passes (84). His numbers for PAT (91) and field goals (15)
    were four and 13 short of the city records, respectively. He's now an assistant at La Salle to his dad, Drew.
    If I had any sense, Pat McLoone would have made this list (smile). He's the Daily News' managing editor
    and started in basketball for La Salle in '77. Could shoot the jumper, too, baby! Averaged 12.3 points in
    division play.

OVERBROOK

1. Lewis "Black Magic" Lloyd '77 . . . Bask . . . First team selection on overall 30-year squad. New
    Mexico Military Institute/Drake. NBA.
2. Tony Costner '80 . . . Bask . . . Co-Player of the Year as a senior. Second teamer on 30-year Pub
    squad and third teamer overall. St. Joseph's.
3. Deworski Odom '95 . . . FB/Track . . . Honorable mention All-Decade choice for his play at WR in
    football. An all-timer as track sprinter. Won EIGHT gold medals in individual events in the Pub
    championships and two more while anchoring relays. St. Augustine's.
4. Malik Rose '92 . . . Bask/Base . . . Second team All-City honoree in basketball in a VERY strong year.
    Honorable mention 'Brook choice on 30-year squad. Made first team coaches' All-Public in baseball
    as a first baseman. Drexel. NBA.
5. Eric Pugh '99 . . . Base . . . Only 'Brook player to make first team All-City (INF). Also thrice won first
    team coaches' All-Public honors. Greensboro College.
    Overall comment: Lloyd forever cemented his rep while playing against West Philly and Gene Banks in
    a '77 classic played at what was then Sayre Jr. High (West's old gym had been demolished. New one
    wasn't yet finished). Anyway, though 'Brook lost, Lloyd had 34 points and 24 rebounds! In the 6-10
    Costner's final two seasons, 'Brook went 34-1, then 34-0. He also started as a soph, when the Panthers
    ended West Philly's state record 68-game winning streak. For those who might be wondering, long-time
    major league outfielder Jeff Leonard graduated a couple years too early to make this list.

FATHER JUDGE

1. Mike McCloskey '79 . . . FB/Bask . . . Second team honoree (WR) on overall 30-year football squad
    and coaches' third team All-Catholic selection for CL basketball semifinalist. Penn State. NFL.
2. Tom McHugh '83 . . . FB . . . Third listed OL on first team of overall 30-year squad. Top CL prospect
    as a senior. Notre Dame.
3. Kevin McGerry '97 . . . FB/Base . . . First team All-City (P) in football. Pitcher of the Year in baseball
    and fourth round draft choice of the Giants. Did not sign. Second team honoree on overall 30-year squad.
    Drafted again in fourth round in 2000 out of St. John's. Minor leagues.
4. Dale Curry '04 . . . FB/Base . . . Third team All-City (QB) selection in football. Twice earned first team
    All-City laurels in baseball (DH, then C). Gloucester County (NJ)/Alvernia. Independent minor league.
5. Chris Fagan '88 . . . FB/Bask . . . Second team All-City football honoree (QB) after passing for 2,000
    yards. QB on 30-year Judge team. Second team coaches' All-Catholic honoree in basketball. Millersville.
    Overall comment: This was another toughie. Track was no help in making decisions. I wrote down the
    names of 17 contenders. One year I had to cover the Broad Street Run. Imagine the surprise of seeing
    Mike McCloskey (6-5, 245 as a player; though he'd slimmed down some) participating in THAT. While
    at PSU, Mike was involved in a highly controversial catch vs. Nebraska. Click here for a tidbit on that.

OLNEY

1. Jason Lawson '93 . . . Bask . . . First team All-City honoree in '92 and '93 and third team member of
   overall 30-year squad. Villanova. NBA.
2. Jorge Oquendo '86 . . . FB/Track . . . Second team selection (OL) on overall 30-year squad. Captured
    the Pub shot put championship as a junior with an effort of 52-plus feet. Penn State.
3. Kenyatta Carter '94 . . . FB . . . Twice named first team All-City (WR), Pub Player of the Year as a
    senior and third team Pub honoree on 30-year squad. Temple.
4. Wilson Duran '95 . . . Base . . . Twice earned All-City first team honors and made second team as a
    sophomore.
5. Ronald Barnett '82 . . . Bask . . . Second team All-City as a senior and listed as Olney's top player of
    the 30-year period. Cheyney.
    Overall comment: How many of you remember this? Lawson called a press conference to announce his
    decision to attend Virginia. Oops. He canceled the press conference after calling Virginia to say he'd
    changed his mind. He did commit to 'Nova not long thereafter. I couldn't come up with anyone at Olney
    who'd managed to make an impact in two of the three major sports, let alone three. Recent basketball
    star Jesse "Booge" Morgan is not listed because he played just one year at Olney. I don't think one-year
    guys should be included. Not fair to others. One late bloomer: Jonathan Young, a third team All-City RB
    in the '79 season, wound up winning two letters at BYU and was even a first team all-conference
    cornerback (after first attending a JC out there). As a senior, he was one of only five black players on
    BYU's squad.

HAVERFORD SCHOOL

1. Mike Mayock '76 . . . FB/Bask/Base . . . First team honoree (DB) on overall All-Decade football team.
    (Was not eligible for 30-year team because his senior football season was '75). First team coaches'
    All-Inter-Ac honoree in basketball and baseball. Boston College (football/baseball). NFL.
2. Will Barker '05 . . . FB . . . Earned third team honors (OL) on overall 30-year football squad. Virginia.
    Signed with Cowboys after going undrafted.
3. Mike Edelman '78 . . . Bask . . . First team All-City honoree as a senior; after making third team as a
    soph and second team as a junior. Penn State.
4. Dave Stilley '92 . . . FB . . . First team selection (RB) on Inter-Ac All-Decade team. Duke (lacrosse).
5. Mike Galetta '07 . . . Base . . . Only Ford to twice earn All-City honors (INF). Player of the Year as
    a senior. Boston College/Saint Joseph's.
    Overall comment: Mayock is now a TV star as a football commentator/draft analyst. (On Aug. 9, he
    was hired to serve as analyst for Notre Dame's games.) His brothers (Mark, Dan, Pete, Matt) also
    experienced success in various sports. Stilley enjoyed a long pro lacrosse career. Honestly, my feel for
    this list was not as strong as it was for the other I-A schools. Lots of thoughts on who did/didn't
    "deserve" it. Went around and around in circles.

BISHOP McDEVITT

1. Mark Zataveski '91 . . . FB/Bask/Track . . . First team honoree (OL) on overall 30-year squad in football.
    First team coaches' All-Catholic choice in basketball. Also scored points in weight events for a championship
    track squad. Notre Dame (football).
2. Terence Wiggins '92 . . . FB/Track . . . Second team selection (DB) on overall 30-year football list (and CL's
    top DB). In his senior track season, he won the 400 and anchored a record-setting 4x400 relay for a
    championship squad. Boston College (football).
3. Chris Conlin '83 . . . FB . . . First team honoree (OL) on overall 30-year football squad. Led the Lancers
    to their first playoff berth. First team CL coaches' pick in baseball (C). Penn State. NFL.
4. Dan Taylor '88 . . . FB/Track . . . First team All-City (QB) in '87 as McDevitt completed a second consecutive
    perfect season on the field and won second straight CL title (three wins in '86 were forfeited due to the use of
    an ineligible player). Also coaches' first team All-Catholic selection in '86. In track, he won the javelin in '88
    for a title squad. Maryland/Villanova (football).
5. John O'Connell '88 . . . Bask . . . Earned second team All-City honors as a senior. All-City basketball teams
    began in '72. He's the only Lancer to be found on any of the first three teams in those 39 seasons. Loyola
    Marymount.
    Overall comment: Until just recently, McDevitt was always packed with quality two-sport guys who did
    football and track. Conlin and Taylor hail from outstanding sports families. Among the tidbits: Conlin's brother,
    Craig, recently was named Episcopal's basketball coach and two others, Keith and Kevin, also were linemen at
    Penn State (that trio went to La Salle HS). Taylor's brother, John, still owns the CL javelin record (set in '91)
    and another, Tom, twice won the CL javelin to start the family's dominance in that event (five wins total in a
    seven-year period). Zataveski was listed at 6-7, 275 while at McDevitt. He was quite a sight on a basketball
    court. Very mobile. Great hands.

THOMAS EDISON

1. Joe Jefferson '87 . . . FB/Bask . . . Decent QB on a team with almost no help; he made the DN All-Pub
    squad as a punter. Earned first team All-City honors in basketball. Northeastern Christian JC (basketball).
2. Anthony Robinson '83 . . . Bask . . . Second team All-City honoree as a senior and his school's top choice
    on the 30-year squad. Cheyney.
3. Timothy King '01 . . . FB . . . Only Edison football player (RB) to make an All-City team in two seasons
    (third, then second). His staunch rushing in the '99 season led the Owls (nee Inventors) to their first playoff
    spot in forever. Well, 32 years.
4. George Bobe '80 . . . Base . . . First team All-City (INF) and third team honoree on Pub's 30-year squad.
5. Steve Martin '05 . . . Bask . . . Earned second team All-City honors and was school's No. 3 guy on the
    30-year team. Logan JC (Ill.)
    Overall comment: Not a hotbed of sporting legends, of course. Just on general principles, I should have
    included Nick Stinson. His punt return TD against U. City in '82 broke Edison's national record 27-game
    scoreless streak. You read that right. Edison went 27 games without scoring one measly point (while the
    opponents rattled off 689). The guys were so inspired after Nick's TD, they went on to win that game,
    20-18. George Bobe, now deceased, became a Philadelphia policeman. RIP, George.

CHESTNUT HILL ACADEMY

1. Tito Nanni '78 . . . FB/Bask/Base . . . First team All-City as DB and third team All-Decade. First team
    coaches' All-Inter honoree in basketball. Player of the Year in baseball (1B) and first team honoree on
    overall 30-year squad. Drafted in the first round (No. 6) overall by Seattle Mariners. Minor leagues.
2. Paul Burke '91 . . . FB/Bask/Base . . . Only player to make one of the All-City teams in all three sports.
    First team All-City in football as DB (but also played QB). First honoree on second team All-City basketball
    squad as senior; also second team as junior. Twice earned third team All-City honors as INF. La Salle
    (basketball).
3. Jon McAllister '10 . . . FB/Base . . . Twice earned second team All-City honors as WR in football. Twice
    earned first team All-City honors in baseball (OF) and made four total appearances on All-City teams above
    honorable mention. Bound for Maryland (baseball).
4. Ibraheim Campbell '10 . . . FB . . . Two-time first team All-City honoree (RB as jr.; DB as senior) and
    Inter-Ac Player of the Decade. Bound for Northwestern
5. Mike Gizzi '94 . . . FB/Bask . . . Third team All-City in football (LB). Second team All-City in basketball
    for Inter-Ac co-champion. La Salle (basketball).
    **Note: We did not cover CHA's football team from the '95 through '05 seasons.**
    Overall comment: Burke and Episcopal's Jerome Allen, both playing QB, staged a classic duel in a non-league
    game. Episcopal won, 43-29, as Allen passed for 135 yards and ran for 71. Burke passed for 234 and ran for
    52. Classic game!   

CARDINAL DOUGHERTY (RIP)

1. Lawrence "Buffalo" Reid '76 . . . FB/Bask . . . Catholic League Player of the Decade for his exploits
    at RB; long held the city record for rushing yards in a game with 379. First team All-City in basketball
    and second team CL honoree on 30-year squad. Owned the school record for points in a game (42) for
    15 years. Three-time first team coaches' All-Catholic honoree. Michigan (football).
2. Kyle Lowry '04 . . . Bask . . . Second team honoree on CL 30-year squad. First team All-City as senior
    and second-teamer as junior (played at Northeast through sophomore year). Villanova. NBA.
3. Bob Loscalzo '78 . . . FB/Bask . . . Second team All-City in football (QB). First team All-City in baseball
    (OF) and second team honoree on 30-year CL squad. Villanova. Minor leagues.
4. Cuttino "Cat" Mobley '92 . . . Bask . . . First team All-City in a very strong year (even three guys on
    second team made the NBA). Rhode Island. NBA.
5. John O'Brien '83 . . . FB/Bask . . . Third team All-City in FB (WR) for championship team. First team
    All-City in baseball (OF) and Player of the Year. Third team CL honoree on 30-year squad.
    Overall comment: Reid started at FB for a Rose Bowl champion. Both of his record-setting efforts in high
    school (379 & 42) came against Egan. One guy not on this list (FB lineman Harry Swayne) was a classic
    late bloomer who went on to a LONG career in the NFL. As a senior (on the '82 CL title squad), he made
    third team All-City and a fellow down-lineman teammate was even picked ahead of him on second team
    (with no complaints . . . that I remember, anyway -- smile).

FRANKFORD

1. Eddie Gaskins '98 . . . FB/Track . . . Four-year starter and graduated with the city's all-time record
    for career rushing yardage. First team RB on overall 30-year squad and Public League Player of the
    Decade. In track, he was a member of a championship relay team as a sophomore. Utah State (never
    played).
2. Blair Thomas '85 . . . FB/Track . . . Also an all-time RB, listed right behind Gaskins on the overall
    30-year first team. Public League Player of the Decade. As a junior, he won the PL shot put with an
    effort of 51-plus feet. Penn State. NFL.
3. Darrell Miller '77 . . . FB . . . An all-time WR, graduated with the Pub record for season yardage. PL
    Player of the Decade and first team honoree on the overall 30-year squad. West Virginia.
4. Joe Farina '04 . . . FB/Base . . . Earned third team All-City honors (LB) in football. Twice named first
    team All-City in baseball and was the Pitcher of the Year in '04. Also a pitcher on the Pub's 30-year
    squad. Part of two title teams apiece in those sports. East Stroudsburg.
5. Bobby Higginson '88 . . . FB/Base . . . Not a major factor overall in football, but did start at DB for
    the only Pub champ to finish 12-0 and earned second team DN All-Pub honors for his punting. In
    baseball (INF), he was a first team All-City honoree as a senior and first team Public League choice
    on 30-year squad. Temple. MLB.
    Overall comment: It's hard to pick against three guys (Gaskins, Thomas, Miller) who were All-Decade
    choices for their league in football. Hard to believe Frankford actually threw the ball a lot, right? (smile)
    Miller was THAT good and had a successful career at West Virginia as well. Farina transferred to Fkd
    from Northeast after his freshman year. He also was a star wrestler and his PL record at Fkd in the
    three sports was 97-2, counting playoffs! Higginson could have been a Phillie. He was drafted by the
    Phillies after his junior year at Temple (he'd switched there from 2B to OF), but opted not to sign and
    was drafted again by Detroit after his senior year.

MALVERN PREP

1. Ben Davis '95 . . . Bask/Base . . . Inter-Ac basketball MVP as a senior and third team All-City.
    Twice earned first team All-City honors in baseball (C), Player of the Year in '95 and Top Player
    on overall 30-year squad. No. 2 pick in first round of MLB draft (by San Diego). MLB.
2. Chris Downs '98 . . . FB . . . Inter-Ac Player of the Decade (at RB) and second team honoree on
    overall 30-year squad. VFMA/Maryland.
3. Gary Duda '88 . . . Bask/Base . . . Second team All-City in basketball and thrice a first team choice
    on the All-Inter-Ac team. Twice earned second team All-City honors in baseball (INF) and three
    times was an All-Inter-Ac first teamer. Merrimack (bask).
4. Josh McKinley '98 . . . Base . . . Twice earned first team All-City laurels (INF). Player of the Year
    in '98 and first team honoree on overall 30-year squad. Montreal's first round pick (No. 11) in draft.
    Minor leagues.
5. Ryan Polley '95 . . . FB/Bask . . . First team All-City honoree in football (at DB; also played QB) and
    third teamer on 30-year Inter-Ac squad. Twice earned first team coaches' All-Inter-Ac laurels in
    basketball. Merrimack.
    Overall comment: Numerous good candidates. Malvern has also produced a lot of guys who were
    good to great in lacrosse in addition to a "main." Polley was one of them, but he did enough to make
    this list on "just" football and basketball. Found a bio for him online AFTER putting him in the fifth
    spot (had forgotten his college). He played all three sports in college, though just lacrosse for the last
    two.

ARCHBISHOP RYAN

1 and 1A. Jim and Ken Pawloski '80 . . . FB/Bask/Base . . . Yes, we're talking twin brothers.
   Each was a first team member (Jim at Rec., Ken at DB) of our All-Catholic football team
   for the 1970s. Each started at forward for a basketball team that won the Northern Division
   regular season championship. Each started for a championship baseball team (Jim at 1B, Ken
   at SS) that many consider the best in CL history and Jim earned first team All-City honors.
   Jim graduated first in his class. Ken settled for third (smile). Both played football at Delaware
   and won three letters apiece.
3. John Price '00 . . . FB/Base . . . Second team All-City in football as DB. First team honoree
    (at P) on overall 30-year baseball team. Co-Pitcher of the Year in '00 and one of just four
    players to thrice earn first team All-City baseball laurels. Temple (baseball).
4. Dan Cataline '80 . . . Base . . . Twice earned first team All-City honors (OF) and was the
    Player of the Year in '80. First team honoree on overall 30-year team. Cubs' second round
    choice. Minor leagues.
5. Rich Schonewolf '84 . . . FB/Base . . . First team honoree (DL) on overall 30-year squad. Also
    earned second team coaches' All-Catholic honors at two positions (3B-P) and was the winning
    pitcher in the CL title game. Penn State (football).
    Overall comment: The Pawloskis' dad, Stan, played briefly in the majors for Cleveland. There
    were a handful of other football/baseball candidates. If not for a senior-year injury, Joe Zeglinski
    ('06, FB-bask) would have appeared on the upper portion of this list.

JOHN BARTRAM

1. Michael White '77 . . . FB/Bask/Track . . . Quarterbacked the football squad to the Pub title in
    '76 while earning third team All-City honors. Finished 11th in the voting for the coaches' All-Pub
    basketball team in '77 (a strong year). Spectacular high jumper; cleared 7-plus feet and won the
    event at the Penn Relays. Wyoming (FB and track). Qualified for '80 Olympic trials, but chose
    not to compete due to impending boycott.
2. Tyrone Garland '10 . . . Bask . . . Twice earned first team All-City honors while topping 2,000
    career points. Virginia Tech signee. 
3. Tom Dunfee '78 . . . FB/Base . . . Second team LB on overall 30-year football squad. Third team
    honoree on All-Pub 30-year baseball squad. Played baseball at Dodge City CC (Kan.).
4. Bryan Anderson '98 . . . FB . . . Second team DL on overall 30-year football list. Pitt. NFL.
5. Billy Dunfee '87 . . . FB/Base . . . Tom's brother. First team All-City honoree in football (LB) and
    baseball (C). Stevens Tech (FB).
    Overall comment: Except for Garland, Bartram has had no over-the-top basketball stars during this
    time frame. If we'd gone back to '72, we could have included Kobe's father (Joe Bryant). A few
    more FB-only guys were very good, but they were one-sporters.

GERMANTOWN ACADEMY

1. Alvin Williams '93 . . . Bask . . . Listed as top Inter-Ac player on 30-year team and third team
    on overall squad. Villanova. NBA.
2. Mark Nori '92 . . . FB/Bask/Base . . . Second team OL on overall 30-year football team. Starting
    center for Inter-Ac co-champion in basketball. Twice earned All-City honors in baseball (third team
    one year; second another). Boston College. Indoor FB (also was a member of several NFL teams,
    though he never appeared in a game.)
3. Sean Grieve '04 . . . FB/Base . . . First team d-back on Inter-Ac's 30-year football squad and first
    teamer on overall all-decade squad (also played QB). Twice earned first team All-City honors in
    baseball and was the Player of the Year (as OF) in '04. Also a star pitcher. William & Mary. Minor
    leagues.
4. Michael "Pup" Turner '91 . . . FB . . . Listed as top LB on 30-year Inter-Ac team and earned third
    team honors on the overall squad for that time frame. Penn.
5. Sean Coyle '10 . . . Base . . . Player of the Year (as INF) and third round draft choice of the Boston
    Red Sox. (Nixed commitment to North Carolina to sign with Sox on Aug. 16 for a $1.3 million bonus.)
    Overall comment: Talk about pulling teeth. SIXTEEN guys were under consideration. In baseball,
    GA has had six guys chosen as Player or Pitcher of the Year.

EGAN/CONWELL-EGAN

1. Rick Burns '83 . . . FB/Base . . . Named first team All-City four times total; twice apiece in each
    sport (as Rec./OF). Baseball Player of the Year as a junior. First teamer on overall 30-year squad.
    Temple. Independent minor league.
2. Bob Zupcic '84 . . . FB/Base . . . First team All-City once in football (QB) and twice in baseball
    (DH-OF). Second teamer on overall 30-year baseball squad. Oral Roberts. MLB.
3. Joe McEwing '90 . . . Bask/Base . . . Second team All-City in basketball. First team All-City in
    baseball (OF) and third team honoree on overall 30-year squad. College of Morris County (N.J.). MLB.
4. Steve Slaton '05 . . . FB . . . Second team RB on overall 30-year squad. West Virginia. NFL.
5. Jim Hvizda '84 . . . FB/Base . . . Second team All-City in football (played TE). First team All-City
    in baseball as pitcher. Old Dominion. Minor leagues.
    Overall comment: This was the easiest task so far. All five were obvious choices. It was just a matter
    of putting them into order. All-City basketball teams go back to '72. McEwing was the only Egan/C-E
    player to earn anything above honorable mention prior to Ike Robinson (third team) this past winter.           

GERMANTOWN

1. Lance Johnstone '91 . . . FB . . . Second team linebacker on overall 30-year team. Temple. NFL.
2. Carlos Bradley '77 . . . FB . . . Third team linebacker on overall 30-year team. Wake Forest. NFL.
3. Ramadan Abdullah '10 . . . FB/Bask . . . First team QB on Daily News All-Public Team for '09.
    Fourth team DN All-Public in basketball. Rhode Island.
4. Ernest "Pop" Lewis '83 . . . Bask . . . Third team All-City honoree. Germantown's top player of
    30-year period. Providence.
5. Spencer Whetts '95 . . . FB . . . Second team QB on Public all-decade team. Florida A&M.
    Overall comment: G-town has produced VERY few multisport factors during this 35-year period,
    and no one's chances were enhanced by track heroics. You could call it Linebacker High, however,
    because two other star LBs came close to making the cut.

PENN CHARTER

1. Mike Samuel '94 . . . FB/Bask/Base . . . First team QB on the All-City football team (twice) and the
    Inter-Ac's 30-year squad. Key sub on Inter-Ac basketball co-champ. Twice named first team All-City in
    baseball, Pitcher of the Year ' 94 and member of Inter-Ac's first team for 30-year period. Wisconsin.
2. Courtney Batts '93 . . . FB/Bask/Base . . . Second team honoree at multi-purpose position on overall
    30-year football team. Inter-Ac Player of Year in '92. Made second team coaches' All-Inter in basketball.
    Twice made first team All-City in baseball. Third team honoree on overall 30-year squad. Delaware.
    Minor leagues.
3. Matt Ryan '03 . . . FB/Bask/Base . . . In football, made first team All-City in his senior season and for
    the decade on the Inter-Ac team. Twice made second team coaches' All-Inter-Ac in basketball. Third
    team All-City in baseball. Boston College. NFL.
4. Mark Gubicza '81 . . . Base/Bask . . . Named top pitcher on overall 30-year team. MLB.
5. Sean Singletary '04 . . . FB/Bask . . . Second team All-City as junior in football (did not play as senior).
    Player of Year on the All-City basketball team as senior; second team as junior. Also third team honoree
    on overall 30-year team. Virginia. NBA.
    Overall comment: Phew, this was a task and a half. PC has had MANY multisport stars. I gave hard
    consideration to seven other guys.

CARDINAL O'HARA

1. Kevin Jones '01 . . . FB/Track . . . No. 1 running back on overall 30-year team. Catholic League's
    leading career rusher at time of graduation. Won 100/200 in track as a soph. Virginia Tech. NFL.
2. Corey Brown '10 . . . FB/Track . . . Second team all-decade in football. In track, set CL records in
    100 and 200 and 4x100 relay as anchor (four first-place finishes total). Ohio State.
3. Jeff Randazzo '99 . . . Bask/Base . . . Second team All-City in basketball and listed as second player
    on school's 30-year team. First team All-City in baseball. Pitcher of Year in '99. Minor leagues.
4. Sean Barksdale '05 . . . FB/Base . . . Second team All-City in football. First team All-City in baseball
    and listed as top OF on O'Hara's 30-year team. Temple. Minor leagues.
5. Dan Haggerty '77 . . . FB . . . Second team honoree on overall 30-year team. Notre Dame.
    Overall comment: The first three choices were easy. Lots of contenders for the final two. This stuff
    ain't easy, folks. I still remember Jones' first varsity TD as a freshman. Came vs. McDevitt in a game
    at Springfield Delco (on his second carry). Picture yourself standing on O'Hara's sideline. He scored
    in the left end zone, close to McDevitt's sideline. Please share any trivia contest winnings (smile).

SIMON GRATZ

1. Rasheed Wallace '93 . . . Bask . . . Second listed player on overall 30-year team. Thrice made first team
    All-City. North Carolina. NBA.
2. Roderick Coleman '95 . . . FB . . . First team honoree on overall 30-year team. East Carolina. NFL.
3. *-Brian Shorter '86 . . . Bask . . . Second team selection on overall 30-year team. Pitt.
4. Aaron McKie '90 . . . Bask . . . Made second team on 30-year All-Public squad. Temple. NBA.
5. Antoine "Ness" Bland '10 . . . FB/Bask . . . First team All-City in football and second team all-decade
    for Public League. Second team Daily News All-Public in basketball. West Chester.
    *-transferred to Oak Hill Academy (Va.) for senior year.
    Overall comment: Though he did not perform well enough to qualify as a major factor, Wallace also ran
    track. Watching a 6-11 guy clear hurdles was quite a sight! Shorter scored 1,869 points in three years at
    Gratz and almost certainly would have scored 1,000 as a senior, thus crushing Wilt's career mark of 2,206
    long before Mansion's Maureece Rice did so in the '03 season. McKie also played baseball and had some
    decent pitching moments.

EPISCOPAL ACADEMY

1. Dan Dougherty '80 . . . FB/Bask/Base . . . First team All-Inter-Ac on 30-year teams in FB and baseball.
    Twice made coaches' All-Inter-Ac first team in basketball. Wake Forest. Training camp with NFL's Giants.
2. Wayne Ellington '06 . . . Bask . . . Twice named first team All-City. Co-Player of the Year in '06. North
    Carolina. NBA.
3. Gerald Henderson '06 . . . Bask . . . Ditto. Duke. NBA.
4. Chris Flynn '84 . . . FB/Bask . . . Player of Decade for Inter-Ac and first team All-City on overall 30-year
    football team. Sixth man for championship basketball team. Penn (football and lacrosse).
5. Joe Rosati '05 . . . FB/Bask/Base . . . Twice earned first team All-City honors in FB; first team All-Decade.
    Second team All-City choice in baseball. Two-year basketball starter. Villanova (baseball).
    Overall comment: Ellington and Henderson co-headlined what I consider the best hoops squad in I-A
    history. Could have made them 2 and 2A (smile). Flynn became a lacrosse headliner with the Phila. Wings.

MONSIGNOR BONNER

1. Wally Rutecki '79 . . . FB/Bask/Base . . . First team All-City in FB. Second team All-City in baseball. Second
    team coaches' All-Catholic in basketball. Harvard.
2. Ed Monaghan '85 . . . FB . . . First team All-City three times (at different positions; DE/LB/OL) and top
    O-lineman on our 30-year All-City team. Penn State.
3. Rodney Blake '84 . . . Bask . . . Second team honoree on overall 30-year team. Player of Year in '84. Also
    first team All-City in '83. St. Joseph's.
4. Brian Daly '88 . . . Bask . . . Player of Year in '88. Scored 38.1 percent of the Friars' playoff points while
    leading them to a championship. Also first team coaches' All-Catholic in '87. St. Joseph's.
5. Mike Hemmert '93 . . . FB . . . Third team honoree on overall 30-year team. Twice made first team All-City.
    Boston College.
    Overall comment: The Inter-Ac still produces some athletes with Rutecki's three-sport versatility. (Plus, he
    was doing well enough in school to gain entrance to Harvard.) It's almost never seen anymore in the Cath. While
    there are no honorees from the last 17 school years, there were some solid almosts.

WEST PHILADELPHIA

1. Gene Banks '77 . . . Bask . . . Paced Speedboys to 79-2 record in three varsity seasons. No. 1 honoree on our
    30-year All-City basketball team. Considered by some the nation's No. 1 player in '77 (ahead of Magic Johnson).
    Duke/NBA.
2. Clarence "Eggy" Tillman '78 . . . Bask . . . One of Top 10 guys on the 30-year team. Kept the Speedboys from
    skipping a beat in '78. Kentucky/Rutgers.
3. Oliver Strickland '88 . . . FB/Track . . . First team offensive lineman on 30-year Pub list. Also won Pub shot put
    title with a 51-foot effort. Florida State.
4. Reggie Barnes '85 . . . FB . . . Third team RB on overall 30-year list. Delaware State/CFL.
5. Howard Evans '84 . . . Bask . . . Third team guard on 30-year Pub list. Temple.
    Overall comment: It's hard to believe West Philly has gone so long without producing someone worthy of this list.
    Not one Speedboy has made coaches' first team All-Public in basketball since '93.

Your Comments . . .

  I just saw Bartram and was wondering why Erik Williams wasn’t on it. Was he a late bloomer after HS? He may
go down as one of the best OL in NFL history IMO. Just curious.
-- John Rex
  (Ted's note: Hi John. You hit the nail on the head, hard. Though Erik was a first team All-City honoree, that was
largely on potential and he was our fifth guy listed. He had to go the off-the-beaten-path route, to Central State in
Ohio, and of course became an all-timer. Another late-blooming lineman from Bartram, Jon Clark, also made the NFL.
Another classic late-bloomer in football: Bonner's Anthony Becht. He was the No. 2 receiver for the championship
Friars in '94, but West Virginia liked his potential and still-thin frame -- lots of room to grow -- and gave him a shot.
Worked out pretty well, eh?)
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   IF IT ISN'T THOSE SCHOOLS ON THAT LIST, THEN IT ISN'T THE REAL THING...THOSE SCHOOLS LAID DOWN THE GROUND WORK FOR EVERYTHING AND IS THE BEGINNING. All the other schools are cool but this is definitely how the public school system should go back to. It would make things a lot easier, even though I know the city's population does grow. But the athletics are watered down and too spread out and it should go back to how it use to be. Remember those days of 21 teams and it was north, mid, and south and it was do or die for everything. now everybody got a chance to win unlike when I played. I miss those days....lol..listen to me...and YES..TO ALL MY WASHINGTON & NORTHEAST FANS AND PLAYERS..I'M STILL UPSET WE (DOBBINS) LOST TO y'all in the semifinals back to back years by a total of 8 points.....AIN'T THAT SOMETHING? and we had the lead into the fourth quarter in both games. ..WOW, HOW TIMES FLY?...Now there is a 1 million teams...lol
-- Amos Leak
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