Saying goodbye to the seniors before the Frankford game . . .

  North Catholic played 84 years of varsity football, including a patchwork season
in 1926. The Falcons joined the Catholic League in 1927 and remained there through
2009 (though there was no formal CL competition in 1929). They won championships
in 1935, 1936, 1937, 1949, 1950, 1952 and 1956 and shared one in 1934. They
won City Titles in 1949, 1952 and 1956.

RECAPS OF CL CHAMPIONSHIPS

1934
At Baker Bowl
North 0, Salesianum 0 (tie)
    North accumulated 11 first downs with the help of 252 rushing
yards, but could not get into the end zone. Early in the fourth quarter,
North gained only 2 yards on fourth-and-3 from the 5. When Salesianum
failed to move the ball, Tommy Conaty uncorked a booming punt and later
made an interception.

1935
At Baker Bowl
North 9, West 0
    North led at halftime, 2-0, on an errant snap that squirted out
of the end zone. The clinching score came in the third quarter on a pass
from Ed Reagan to John "Buzz" Howlett. West was held to two first downs.

1936
Decided in Regular Season
North (7-0-0)
  Frank Reagan accounted for four TDs as the Falcons swamped St. Joe's
Prep, 32-0, to clinch the title in game No. 6. Reagan ran for two - one on
a punt - and passed to George Tranausky for two more.

1937
At Baker Bowl
North 13, SJ Prep 0
    John Sadlik ran for a second-quarter TD after North got a huge
break -- "Moe" McCarthy intercepted for Prep, then tossed an errant
lateral that was recovered by "Bucko" Kilroy and Dick Donahue. Marty
Toohey, whose block had led Sadlik into the end zone, ran for a TD of
his own on the final play of the game. For Prep, Phil Clay passed
7-for-19 for 52 yards.

1949
Decided in Regular Season
North (8-0-0)
    As the Falcons subdued St. James, 33-0, to win the title, Vince
Furlong ran for two scores and John Seixas, Ed Parker and John McDonnell
caught one TD pass apiece. South took the runner-up spot at 6-1-1.

1950
Decided in Regular Season
North (7-0-0)
    The Falcons went to 7-0-0 and captured their 24th consecutive
overall win by downing West, 19-7. John McDonnell (11 yards) and Rod
Haughey (74) ran for fourth quarter TDs as North overcame a 7-6 deficit.

1952
Decided in Regular Season
North (6-0-1)
    John Goshow capped a 40-0, title-winning rout of host ST More by
scoring on a 2-yard interception return. Jim Walsh scored the Falcons'
first two TDs on a pair of 2-yard runs. The Golden Bears were blanked in
all seven league games. South was second at 6-1-0.

1956
Decided in Regular Season
North (7-1-0)
    Marty Qualtieri rushed for two scores and Don Rankin ran for one
and passed for two more as the Falcons took to the road in their finale
and licked La Salle, 34-12, to go to 7-1-0. La Salle's highlight was an
86-yard TD return for a score by Scott Maxwell.

RECAPS OF CITY TITLE APPEARANCES

1949
At Franklin Field
North Catholic 21, Gratz 6
    Fran Berk (17-88) and Joe Andreotti (10-82) led North in
rushing, with the TDs going to Andreotti, Vince Furlong and John
McDonnell. Tom Formica kicked three PAT for the Falcons, who won their
16th straight game. Gratz was held to minus-14 yards rushing, but got a
score on a 52-yard pass from Bill Reddish to Les Graves.

1950
At Franklin Field
Bok 13, North Catholic 0
    Just two seasons after going winless in their first PL season,
the Wildcats of coach Anthony "Mex" Siani stunned the experts by halting
North's 25-game winning streak. Bok scored twice in the first four
minutes of the second half as Charlie Guida (5-for-8, 74) passed 11
yards to Bill Jennings and Bob Percell (15-49) ran in from the 3 after a
fumble on the kickoff. Frank Ventrola rushed 14 times for 55 yards and
made a 76-yard kickoff return to set up the first score. For North, John
McDonnell caught three passes for 64 yards.

1952
At Franklin Field
North Catholic 25, Lincoln 0
    John Hilferty turned four completions into 108 yards and TD
passes to John Lauch (58 yards) and Ed Kerpius (39 yards) and rushed
nine times for 42 yards and a score of his own. Jim Walsh produced the
fourth score by hitting John Conroy with a 37-yard halfback pass. The
Falcons accumulated 384 yards total offense. Lincoln's chances were
hampered by an ankle injury to ace passer Bill Zador, who hobbled
through a brief appearance.

1956
At Franklin Field
North Catholic 12, Lincoln 0
    The blocking of guard Bob Koreck enabled North to grind out 190
rushing yards in the tightly-played game. Andy Lavin (15-68) led the
Falcons in rushing, but the TDs went to Walt Sroka and Don Rankin on
1-yard efforts. Jerry Wenclawiak knocked down a fourth-down pass in the
end zone to terminate Lincoln's most serious scoring opportunity. For
Lincoln, stifled by an eight-man defensive line (and sometimes nine),
Dick Constable gained 57 yards on 12 carries.

ASSORTED LASTS FROM FINAL GAME . . .
(Reverse Order)
Tackle: Daniel Clark, on trick-play pass TO quarterback Michael McGroarty.
Kickoff: John McCarthy, from Frankford's 45 (following penalty); reached
  end zone.
PAT: John McCarthy, making the score 28-22.
TD: A 20-yard pass from Anthony Reid to RB Eugene "U-Turn" Byrd.
Kickoff return: Gabriel Toledo, a 1-yarder to North's 38 before final drive.
Conversion run: by Anthony Reid, following North's next-to-last TD.
Rush: Eugene "U-Turn" Byrd, 3-yard loss.
Rushing TD: Taishan Tucker, 5 yards, 8:19 left in fourth quarter (first carry
  since September; Byrd momentarily hurt).
Fumble recovery: Daniel Clark, early in fourth quarter.
Punt: John McCarthy, 38 yards to Frankford's 2 (downed by Dave Sherman),
  early in fourth quarter.
Penalty: procedure, late in third quarter.
TFL: Tyrone Brown, 3 yards, late in third quarter.
Kickoff return: Eugene "U-Turn" Byrd, 15 yards, to start third quarter.
Interception thrown: Anthony Reid, to end second quarter.
Fumble recovery: Jack Schanz, late in second quarter.
Punt return: Julian Huggins, 7 yards, midway through second quarter.

OTHER LASTS . . .
Recovery of opponent's fumble: John Ziegler, vs. C-E, 11/7/09.
Sack: Stephen Rooney, vs. Wood, 11/13/09.
Shutout: 41-0 over Neumann-Goretti, 10/17/09.
Field goal: Kerry Shields, vs. Ryan, 9/12/09.
Interception: Julian Huggins, vs. Wood, 11/13/09.
Fumble return touchdown: Daniel Clark, vs. Conwell-Egan, 11/7/09.
Playoff appearance: loss to Wood in AAA final, 11/13/09.
Playoff victory: 20-17 over Conwell-Egan in AAA semi, 11/7/09.
Interception return touchdown: Eric Moore, vs. Judge, 11/3/07
Kickoff return touchdown: Yusuf Lingham, vs. Bonner, 10/5/07.
Punt return touchdown: Daryl Robinson, vs. Conwell-Egan, 9/9/05

Here is the recap of the last playoff victory:
2009 AAA SEMI
At Ply.-Whitemarsh
  North Catholic 20, Conwell-Egan 17: NC's hole was even bigger at 17-0.
A defensive TD (Daniel Clark, 79 yards with a fumble) got the Falcons started,
then Anthony Reid (8-for-15, 106) passed 64 yards for one to Julian Huggins
(3-82) and burrowed 1 yard for another. Huggins and Dave Sherman had
interceptions. Anthony Singlar was sensational for C-E, accumulating 346
yards of rushing/passing/returning. He carried 23 times for 170 and one TD
and passed for 124 and another score to Ryan Bond. He added a 52-yard
return on an interception. Bond accumulated 202 yards of rushing (17),
receiving (93) and returning (92).

Here is the recap of the last playoff appearance:
2009 AAA FINAL
At Ply.-Whitemarsh
  Wood 21, North Catholic 7: Kevin Murt ran 21 times for 60 yards and
two early TDs, then packed 44 of his yards into the fourth quarter, enabling
his squad to maintain and expand a 14-7 lead. The Vikings' last score was a
pass from Jerry Rahill to Kevin Shaw, who also uncorked a 31-yard catch to
set up Murt's first TD and a 20-yard run to help make the second one possible.
For North, Eugene "U-Turn" Byrd ran 13 times for 87 yards and a TD, Julian
Huggins posted an interception and David D. Williams' 10 tackles included
eight solos.