30-Year All-Star Football Teams
(Selected by Ted Silary)
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THERE'S ONE thing about switching
newspapers in the middle of a school year: It throws the anniversaries
off-kilter.
So, while 2004-05 was my 30th season covering high school basketball in
this wonderful (well, most of the time) city, the 2005 campaign had to end
before I could say the same for football.
That was a function of my move from the original, long-gone Bulletin to
the good, ol' Daily News, aka The People Paper.
Anyway, these lists offer one man's opinion on which players were the
best in the Public, Catholic and Inter-Ac leagues, and overall in the city, over
the last 30 football seasons, 1976-2005.
Along the way, I named All-Decade Teams for the 1970s, '80s and '90s and,
of course, players from 2000 to '05 have now been mixed in.
As always when doing such projects, and while acknowledging that such
discipline is difficult to achieve, I have tried to make decisions strictly
based on what players accomplished in high school.
More than basketball, football is replete with late bloomers, who get
bigger and stronger and find their niche and even go on to long NFL careers.
Erik Williams, from John Bartram, was a classic example. Though he did
make first-team All-City in '85, he was the fifth offensive lineman listed. He
blossomed at Ohio's Central State and later was widely considered the best
tackle in the NFL while collecting three Super Bowl rings with the Cowboys.
A current-day example of what can happen is Anthony Becht, from Monsignor
Bonner.
In '94, when the Friars were winning the Catholic League title, Becht was
the No. 2 receiving option. He was already tall, at a listed 6-6 (fudged
slightly), but weighed just 210 pounds.
His dad, George, sent a highlight tape to 30 schools. A West Virginia
assistant said he liked what he saw and wanted to come to Bonner to meet with
Becht, but insisted that Anthony had better be telling the truth about his
height. Close enough. West Virginia offered.
In 2000, at 270 pounds, Becht was the Jets' first-round pick (No. 27
overall) in the NFL draft. A tight-end starter virtually throughout his pro
stint, and now with Tampa Bay, he has made 149 catches for 1,276 yards and 17
touchdowns.
Meanwhile...
As was mentioned at the end of the 30-year basketball teams, thank you
for paying attention, whether it has been throughout or for a much shorter
period.
THE BEST
FIRST TEAM
OFFENSE
51 L Ed Monaghan Bonner '84
75
L Marques Slocum W. Catholic '04
79
L Tom McHugh Judge '82
53
L Chris Conlin McDevitt '82
58
L Mark Zataveski McDevitt '90
21
Rec. Maurice Stovall Carroll '01
--
Rec. Darrell Miller Frankford '76
9
QB Brett Gordon La Salle '97
2
RB Kevin Jones O'Hara '00
24
RB Eddie Gaskins Frankford '97
34
RB Blair Thomas Frankford '84
34
MP Marvin Harrison Roman '90
44
MP Joe McCourt Roman '00
31
K Pat Kaiser SJ Prep '02
84
P George Winslow La Salle '81
DEFENSE
71
L Burt Grossman Carroll '84
73
L Roderick Coleman Gratz '94
99
L Rich Schonewolf Ryan '84
70
L Ray Kane Carroll '90
43
LB Victor Hobson SJ Prep '97
47
LB Gene McAleer Ryan '92
89
LB Raheem Brock Dobbins '96
74
LB Damon Bethel Roxborough '88
27
B Chris Flynn Episcopal '83
2
B Chafie Fields Mastbaum '94
1
B Bruce Perry Washington '98
SECOND TEAM
OFFENSE
76
L Jorge Oquendo Olney '85
52
L Ryan Smith Roxborough '97
69
L Derick Pickett McDevitt '88
--
L Dan Haggerty O'Hara '76
58
L Mark Nori Gtn. Acad. '91
88
Rec Mike McCloskey Judge '78
83
Rec Rich Drayton Central '86
14
QB Frank Costa SJ Prep '89
1
RB Curtis Brinkley W. Catholic '03
22
RB Jerry Butler Washington '04
22
RB Steve Slaton Con.-Egan '04
21
RB Chris Downs Malvern '97
1
MP Courtney Batts Penn Char. '92
5
K Greg Davis Gtn. Acad. '98
--
P Dennis Gallagher Washington '76
DEFENSE
89 L Keith Conlin La Salle '90
78
L Bryan Anderson Bartram '97
73
L Kenyatta Rush Central '85
80
L Scott Paxson Roman '00
34
LB Lance Johnstone Germantown '90
21
LB Charles Way Northeast '89
15
LB Tom Dunfee Bartram '77
47
LB Brian Tracz SJ Prep '03
31
B Marc Foster Lincoln '84
49
B Terence Wiggins McDevitt '91
5
B Derrick Downs Malvern '95
THIRD TEAM
OFFENSE
78
L Imani Bell Dougherty '95
70
L Gerry Feehery O'Hara '77
75
L Walt Parrish Frankford '78
66
L Will Barker Hav. School '04
76
L Matt Lowry O'Hara '04
22
Rec Vic Bellamy Central '80
46
Rec Steve Quinn SJ Prep '04
12
QB Rich Gannon SJ Prep '82
11
QB Kevin Ingram Dobbins '79
--
RB Michael Gold Bartram '76
36
RB Kyle Ambrogi SJ Prep '01
43
RB Reggie Barnes W. Phila. '84
5
MP Paul Northern Bartram '97
8
K Dan D'Orazio O'Hara '87
16
P Mark Skoczynski Penn Char. '86
DEFENSE
83
L Matt Parkhurst SJ Prep '03
88
L Dolph Tokarczyk Episcopal '83
48
L Irvin Sigler Washington '93
49
L Jeff Vanak Carroll '00
--
LB Carlos Bradley Germantown '76
27
LB Michael Turner Gtn. Acad. '90
11
LB Andy Cobaugh SJ Prep '89
44
LB Mike Hemmert Bonner '92
--
B David Martin Bartram '76
80
B John Maddox W. Catholic '05
22
B Tim Chambers O'Hara '80
---
ALL-PUBLIC
FIRST TEAM
OFFENSE
Linemen: 76 Jorge Oquendo, Olney, '85; 72 Ryan Smith, Roxborough, '97;
75 Walt Parrish, Frankford, '78;
52
Gary Downing, Washington, '87; 77 Oliver Strickland, West, '87.
Receivers: -- Darrell Miller, Frankford, '76; 83 Rich Drayton, Central, '86.
Quarterback: 11 Kevin Ingram, Dobbins, '79.
Running backs: 24 Eddie Gaskins, Frankford, '97; 34 Blair Thomas, Frankford,
'84; 22 Jerry Butler,
Washington, '04.
Multipurpose: 5 Paul Northern, Bartram, '97.
Kicker: 1 Dave Parkinson, Northeast, '84.
Punter: -- Dennis Gallagher, Washington, '76.
DEFENSE
Linemen: 73 Roderick Coleman, Gratz, '94; 78 Bryan Anderson, Bartram, '97;
73 Kenyatta Rush, Central,
'85; 48 Irvin Sigler, Washington, '93.
Linebackers: 89 Raheem Brock, Dobbins, '96; 74 Damon Bethel, Roxborough, '88;
34 Lance Johnstone,
Germantown, '90; 21 Charles Way, Northeast, '89.
Backs: 2 Chafie Fields, Mastbaum, '94; 1 Bruce Perry, Washington, '98; 31 Marc
Foster, Lincoln, '84.
SECOND TEAM
OFFENSE
Linemen: 60 Mark Hrubar, Central, '88; 70 Charles Kennedy, Bok, '99;
52 Jameel
McClain, Washington,
'02; 73 Eric Leaks, Frankford, '80; 76 Damone Jones, Central, '98.
Receivers: 22 Vic Bellamy, Central, '80; 34 Keita Crespina, Lincoln, '88.
Quarterback: 12 Marc Baxter, Mastbaum, '90; 12 Andre Davis, Dobbins, '98.
Running backs: -- Michael Gold, Bartram, '76; 43 Reggie Barnes, West, '84;
9 Marcus Godfrey, Mastbaum, '95.
Multipurpose: 22 Jerrod Washington, Central, '88; 8 David Carter, Franklin,
'95.
Kicker: 10 Roger Price, Washington, '00; 1 Karl Siegle, Northeast, '79; 6 Rick
Pohl, Washington, '85;
Punter: ?? Steve Harvey, Franklin, '77.
DEFENSE
Linemen: 77 Brian Ramsey, Frankford, '81; 51 Dave Gonser, Washington, '04;
77 Scott Smith, Washington,
'98; -- Mike Wisher, Central, '76; 42 Cornelius Bunch, Central, '04.
Linebackers: 15 Tom Dunfee, Bartram, '77; -- Carlos Bradley, Germantown, '76;
33 Maurice Bennett,
Washington, '01; 36 Angel Moultair, Germantown, '99.
Backs: -- David Martin, Bartram, '76; 16 Ed Bowman, Mastbaum, '96; 25 Arnold
Mullins, Frankford, '03.
THIRD TEAM
OFFENSE
Linemen: 73 Terrance "Ted" Cook, Frankford, '98; 77 Yaroslav Mukha,
Northeast, '05; 72 Raymond Harris,
Frankford, '95; 55 Tariq Sanders, Central, '01; 71 Tom Riess, Lincoln, '79.
Receivers: 5 Kenyatta Carter, Olney, '93; 48 Uhuru "Joby" Hamiter, Mastbaum,
'90.
Quarterback: 15 Mike Roche, Central, '86.
Running backs: 28 Kevin Duckett, Northeast, '78; 25 Lamone Fox, Northeast, '05;
42 Maurice Dantzler, Franklin, '05.
Multipurpose: 34 Kevin McCoy, Frankford, '86.
Kicker: 19 Alex Peev, Frankford, '94.
Punter: 14 Jim Wark, Washington, '88.
DEFENSE
Linemen: 54 John Adams, King, '82; 89 Darren Harris, Dobbins, '84; 73 Kareem
"Wink" Williams, Roxborough, '89;
73
Kevin Glover, Franklin, '86.
Linebackers: 40 Julian Graham, Bartram, '94; 66 Steve Kelly, Washington, '80;
80 Manny Carlis, Bartram,
'83; 12 Ken Coffin, Germantown, '79.
Backs: 20 Bruce Carthon, Lincoln, '78; 9 Michael Baldwin, Dobbins, '00; 9 Chuck
Hughes, Washington,
'04; 18 Michael Russell, Bok, '92.
ALL-CATHOLIC
FIRST TEAM.
OFFENSE
Linemen: 51 Ed Monaghan, Bonner, '84; 75 Marques
Slocum, West, '04; 79 Tom McHugh, Judge, '82;
53 Chris
Conlin, McDevitt, '82; 58 Mark Zataveski, McDevitt, '90.
Receivers: 21 Maurice Stovall, Carroll, '01; 88 Mike McCloskey, Judge, '78.
Quarterback: 9 Brett Gordon, La Salle, '97.
Running backs: 2 Kevin Jones, O'Hara, '00; 1 Curtis Brinkley, West, '03;
22 Steve Slaton, Conwell-Egan, '04.
Multipurpose: 34 Marvin Harrison, Roman, '90; 44 Joe McCourt, Roman, '00.
Kicker: 31 Pat Kaiser, SJ Prep, '02.
Punter: 84 George Winslow, La Salle, '81.
DEFENSE
Linemen: 71 Burt Grossman, Carroll, '84; 99 Rich Schonewolf, Ryan, '84;
70 Ray
Kane, Carroll, '90; 89 Keith
Conlin, La Salle, '90; 80 Scott Paxson, Roman, '00.
Linebackers: 43 Victor Hobson, SJ Prep, '97; 47 Gene McAleer, Ryan, '92;
47 Brian Tracz, SJ Prep, '03.
Backs: 49 Terence Wiggins, McDevitt, '91; 80 John Maddox, West, '05; 22 Tim
Chambers, O'Hara, '80.
SECOND TEAM
OFFENSE
Linemen: 69 Derick Pickett, McDevitt, '88; -- Dan Haggerty, O'Hara, '76;
78 Imani Bell, Dougherty, '95;
70
Gerry Feehery, O'Hara, '77; 76 Matt Lowry, O'Hara, '04.
Receivers: 46 Steve Quinn, SJ Prep, '04; 8 Jermaine Pierce, Kennedy-Kenrick,
'05.
Quarterback: 14 Frank Costa, SJ Prep, '89.
Running backs: 36 Kyle Ambrogi, SJ Prep, '01; 22 Art Condodina, O'Hara, '84;
33 Marty Cull, O'Hara, '80.
Multipurpose: 11 Chris Pennington, La Salle, '98.
Kicker: 8 Dan D'Orazio, O'Hara, '87.
Punter: 8 John Shay, Judge, '91.
DEFENSE
Linemen: 83 Matt Parkhurst, SJ Prep, '03; 49 Jeff Vanak, Carroll, '00;
82 Michael White, Dougherty, '78;
78
Manny Gonzalez, Dougherty, '92.
Linebackers: 11 Andy Cobaugh, SJ Prep, '89; 44 Mike Hemmert, Bonner, '92;
28 Brian Mattaway, Carroll,
'00; 34 Phil DiMaria, McDevitt, '87.
Backs: 12 Brian Quigg, McDevitt, '87; 1 Dan Jones, SJ Prep, '03; 3 Jermaine
Slade, SJ Prep, '97.
THIRD TEAM
OFFENSE
Linemen: 70 Emil Boures, Kenrick, '77; 63 Mark Murphy, Egan, '83; 70 Marty Lippincott, North, '84;
55 Jim
Gilmore, North, '80; 72 Scott Oster, Neumann, '94.
Receivers: 7 John Laumakis, SJ Prep, '89; 21 Mike Mattia, La Salle, '96;
25 Sean
Sullivan, O'Hara, '81.
Quarterback: 12 Rich Gannon, SJ Prep, '82;
Running backs: 31 Pat Kaiser, SJ Prep, '02; 22 Gerard Phelan, Carroll, '80;
8 Al Settembrino, Ryan, '86;
*20 John Shaw, SJ Prep, '05; *20 Joe Zeglinski, Ryan, '05.
Multipurpose: 23 Jerry Magallanes, Judge, '81; 9 Anthony Walters, O'Hara, '05.
Kicker: 21 Bill Wright, Dougherty, '83.
Punter: 87 Mike Roberts, Carroll, '92.
DEFENSE
Linemen: 71 Bill Haas, Wood, '82; 73 Bob Arnold, McDevitt, '82; 75 Mike
Fitzsimmons, Neumann, '82;
43
Charlie Noonan, SJ Prep, '05.
Linebackers: 40 Michael Bazemore, West Catholic, '00; 1 Rockeed McCarter,
Roman, '05; 37 Neal Regan,
Ryan, '99; 44 Jim Emanuel, Ryan, '94.
Backs: 49 Jaime Brown, Ryan, '93; 10 Sean McDermott, La Salle, '92; 81 Warren
McIntire, St. James, '87.
*Honorary selections (had excellent career halted by severe injury early
in senior season).
ALL-INTER-AC
FIRST TEAM
OFFENSE
Linemen: 58 Mark Nori, Gtn. Academy, '91; 66 Will
Barker, Hav. School, '04; 77 Steve Ryan, Malvern, '83;
57
Chris Treston, Malvern, '86; 71 Greg Isdaner, Episcopal, '04.
Receivers: 82 Dan Dougherty, Episcopal, '79; 88 Andy Person, Episcopal, '90;
7 Trey Womack, Malvern, '05.
Quarterback: 12 Mike Samuel, Penn Charter, '93.
Running backs: 21 Chris Downs, Malvern, '97; 28 Dave Stilley, Hav. School, '91;
35 Kyle Eckel, Episcopal, '99.
Multipurpose: 1 Courtney Batts, Penn Charter, '92.
Kicker: 5 Greg Davis, Gtn. Academy, '98.
Punter: 16 Mark Skoczynski, Penn Charter, '86.
DEFENSE
Linemen: 88 Dolph Tokarczyk, Episcopal, '83; -- Joe Happe, Penn Charter,
'76; 2 Damon Myers, Gtn.
Academy, '93; 88 Fran Person, Episcopal, '00.
Linebackers: 27 Michael Turner, Gtn. Academy, '90; 88 Joe Rosati, Episcopal,
'04; 26 Jim Turner, Gtn.
Academy, '82; 10 P.J. Maley, Penn Charter, '85.
Backs: 27 Chris Flynn, Episcopal, '83; 5 Derrick Downs, Malvern, '95; 7 Sean
Grieve, Gtn. Academy, '03;
15
Ryan Polley, Malvern, '94.