 |
Where There's a Will
Will McGonigle served in great fashion as the chief manager for Cardinal O'Hara's football team, and has
also done some grade-school coaching. He's now at Delco Community and also
contributes to easternpafootball.com. O'Hara coach Danny Algeo
was the first to say Will had a chance to be
more famous than Hockey Puck ever thought of being. Many
have since agreed (smile). |
MAY 9, 2009
SPEACIAL REPORT
My Day with the Philadelphia Belles
If you’re a football fanatic like myself like
now is probably a depression time. This is the time of the year when there’s no
football . . . But wait a second, there is! That’s right, football fans, I
found football during spring and summer and it’s right here in Philly. After
receiving an email from my Easternpafootball.com boss Dave Mika telling
me about the Philadelphia Belles and how he would like me to cover a game of
theirs for the site I got in contact with Belles Head Coach Bill Sytsma,
who happens to be the football boss at Neumann-Goretti. Once I got the OK with
the parents, who always have been supportive of my writing career, I needed to
secure a Saturday off. After securing the Saturday off from work, which wouldn’t
have happened without the understanding and support of Tom Matyok,
my manager at Sam and Sams, it was time to get the details for the trip. Finally
the big day arrived -- the day I would get to travel and cover a professional
football game. My day started at 12:30 where I was to meet Coach Sytsma and the
team to catch the bus. The plans got altered when there was a festival at NG and
it was decided that we would park where the Belles practice near the old
Neumann. At around 3 o’clock or so it was time to load the bus and make the trip
to Wayne New Jersey and Passaic County Technical Institute, home of the New
Jersey Titans. Since I was only doing stats for the game I decided I would do
the game from the press box. I have to admit prior to the game I was nervous
since I never did stats on my own even through Ted is always telling me
to have confidence in myself I can do it. After a scoreless first quarter, in
which the Belles only ran seven plays, the Belles broke a scoreless tie with a
little trickery as they used the old flea-flicker; Mik Austin connected
with Dawn Yerger from 29 yards. Jeanette Hibbs added the PAT for a
7-0 lead. The Belles would use more trickery this time with a fake field goal
option, and Carolyn Grubb would pitch it to Hibbs for the 6-yard TD.
Hibbs would add the PAT giving the Belles a 14-0 lead going into the half. The
Titans cut the lead to 14-6, but Hibbs intercepted the conversion pass. The
Titans drove 53 yards on their first possession of the 4th before punching it in
from 2 yards out. The Titans had a shot to win the game when Austin was
intercepted for the second time in the game, however Jena Echevarria
put an end to the Titans' hopes when she intercepted Townsend with 36 seconds
left, persevering the 14-12 victory for the Belles (3-0 on season). Next
Saturday the Belles take on cross-state rival Keystone Assault. The Belles
return to 10th and Bigler on May 30 when they take on the Baltimore Burn. In
closing I would like to thank the Belles for allowing me to travel with them and
treating me like a member of the team. I also highly recommend everyone checking
out a game of theirs.
OCT. 3
CATHOLIC AAAA
O’Hara 21, Roman 14
Heading to Friday evening contest between the Cardinal O’Hara Lions
and the Cahillites of Roman Catholic one might had expected a classic ground
battle has two of the best backs in the area in Corey Brown and
Kasseim Everett were ready to square off. One problem: The Lions would be
without their Brown, who missed the game with a knee injury. Everett would get
the Cahillites on the board first but it would be on an interception of Sr.
Tom Savage; Everett would proceed to return it 8 yards for the score. The
PAT was good, giving RC the 7-0 lead. Once again the Lions' defense looked
powerful and like the great defenses of old. Tonight Sr. Chris Nolan
led the charge as he pressured Dennis Regan all night and helped to
contain Everett to just 129. Thanks to great defense by both teams the Lions
entered halftime down by 7. Coming out in the 2nd half, the Lions knew they
needed to strike quick to take momentum. And that’s what they did as on the
first play from scrimmage Savage would hook up with Sr Billy Morgan on a
screen play. Morgan would then use his speed to race 71 yards for the TD. Alex
Penza would add the PAT, tying the game up at 7. And that’s the way it stayed
until the first Lions drive of the fourth quarter when Savage would hit his good
friend, Bob Royal, for the 18 yard touchdown. Penza would add the PAT for
a 14-7 lead. Savage would finish the game with 199 yards passing on 12
completions. O’H special teams would get the on the board next as they took
advantage of misplayed snap by Kyle Haber. Evan Higgins would
recover the fumble and return it 15 yards. Penza would add the PAT, giving the
Lions the 21-7 lead. Following a fumble by Adam Dempsey, the Cahillites
behind Everett would make things interesting as with less than a minute left
Everett would a cap a 32-yard drive with his 4- yard TD. Haber would add the
PAT, making 21-14. On the ensuing kick off Dan Curry would recover the
onsides kick, sealing the victory for the Lions. Up next for the Lions is a date
with the Raiders of Archbishop Ryan
SEPT. 27
NON-LEAGUE
O’Hara 31 Woodson (D.C.) 7
Heading into Saturday’s night midseason non-league matchup with the
Warriors of HD Woodson from Washington, D.C., the Cardinal O’Hara Lions were
looking to do something they hadn't done in a while, and that’s defeat an
out-of-state opponent. Early on the Lion defense looked as mighty as usual as on
4th play of the game Jr. Corey Brown would intercept Ricardo Young
and return 7 yards. The interception proved to be costly for Brown and the Lions
as Brown suffered and injury and was out the rest of the game. It didn’t take
long after the Int for the Lions to attack as on their third play of the game
Sr. Evan Higgins would power his way in from a yard out. Alex Penza
would add the PAT, giving the Lions the 7-0 lead. On the next Lion drive they
managed to drive down to the Warrior 19 where Higgins would fumble the ball in
the end zone, which was picked up by the Warriors for a touchback. On the
ensuing drive the Warriors drove down 80 yards on six plays before Kayvone
Spriggs would punch it in from 4 yards out. The PAT was good tying the game
at 7. The next Lion score would come compliments on its defense and Higgins, who
intercepted Young and raced 52 yards with help from his blockers for the
touchdown. Penza would add the PAT to make it 14-7 O'H. Sr. Tom Savage
would add to the Lions lead early in the 2nd quarter with his 1 yard sneak.
Penza would add the PAT, giving the Lions the 21-7 lead. On the opening drive of
the second half the Lions would drive down to the Warrior 26 yard before
stalling, setting up Penza’s first career field goal from 33 yards out, giving
OH the 24-7 lead. Sophomore Adam Dempsey would cap the scoring with his 3
yard TD run. Penza would add the PAT, giving the Lions the 31-7 victory. Up next
for the Lions is the defending champs Roman Catholic.
SEPT. 19
CATHOLIC LEAGUE AAAA
O’Hara 33, Bonner 0
Some things in life are just better than others. Like dollar dog days
and beating a neighborhood rival, and that’s exactly what the Lions of Cardinal
O’Hara did for the second time season. In Week 1 they took care of Archbishop
Carroll by a 35-0 score and on Friday night they took of the Friars from
Monsignor Bonner, thus sweeping their fellow Delaware County Catholic League
schools. The Lions' attack would get on the broad on their first drive of the
game when Jr Corey Brown would strike like lightning and hit the Friar defense
for a 59-yard touchdown. The PAT by Alex Penza was good giving OH the 7-0 lead.
On the next two MB drives, the Lions defense, which is showing glimpses of being
one of the greatest defensive teams in the state, continued their dominance. The
first drive was ended by an Evan Higgins interception of an Anthony
DiGalbo pass. The Lions wouldn’t turn the drive into any points. On the next
Friar drive they drove down to the Lions 2 yard line behind the running of
Eric Petransky who rushed for 102 yards 12 carries. Ninety-nine of
those yards came in the first half. With the Friars facing a 1st and goal from
the OH 2, the Lions' defense stepped and forced a turnover on downs. On the
ensuing drive the Lions would march down the field 98 yards on 12 plays behind
the legs of Brown before Higgins powered his way through the tackles on his way
to an 11-yard touchdown. The PAT would be blocked, giving the Lions the 13-0
lead. On the next OH possession, Brown would strike again, this time from 2
yards out. Brown's touchdown capped a five-play, 26-yard drive. Brown would run
for the PAT to give the Lions the 21-0 lead. The Lions would strike once more.
This time Tom Savage would hook up with Higgins from 50 yards out. The
PAT was no good, giving the Lions the 27-0 halftime lead. On their second drive
of the second half Brown would cap the score with his 5-yard touchdown plunge.
The 2-point conversion was no good, giving the Lions the 33-0 lead. Even though
there was no scoring in the fourth quarter, there was plenty of excitement.
Perhaps none bigger than with about 9 1/2 minutes remaining, when two Friar
players were ejected for their role in a fight. After the game when asked about
the rivalry and the fight O’H head coach Dan Algeo responded, "It was an
intense game and intense Delaware County rivalry." Up next for the Lions is
their first home game of the season when they host HD Woodson from Washington DC
on Saturday night at Widener University while the Friars will host the defending
champions the Roman Catholic Cahillites Saturday night at Upper Darby.
SEPT. 5
NON-LEAGUE
O'Hara 48, Germantown 6
To start this report I have to say I admire what Germantown
Head Coach M.W. Hawkins and his staff are doing for the Bears by
scheduling the toughest non-league schedule in the Public. That will only help
their program in the long run and I wish them success this year. Their opponent
for week brought a Catholic League powerhouse in the form of the Cardinal O’Hara
Lions. It didn’t take long for the high-powered Lion attack to get started, as
on the first play Jr. RB Corey Brown, with help from his friends up
front, broke through the defense for a 62-yard TD. The PAT by Mike Huf
was good giving O’H the 7-0 lead. On the ensuing kickoff the Bears had trouble
coming up with the ball, which ultimately was recovered by O’H Sr. Bobby
DeMaio at the Bears 5. On the next play Brown would strike for his second
touchdown of the day. This time he was the target of Sr. QB Tom Savage.
The 2-point conversion was no good, making it 13-0. After both teams traded
3-and-outs, Savage and O’H would strike again this time from 35 yards and his
target was SR. Billy Morgan. Savage would run it in for the 2-point
conversion giving O’H the 21-0 lead. O’H would add one more 1st quarter score
and again it was Brown, using a combination of his speed and the line made up of
Kevin Lalor, Dennis Mushrush, Andrew Glace, Matt Williams, Jesse Acri, Dan
O’Hara and Mike Huf to punch it in from 55 yards. The PAT would be no
good, giving O’H the 27-0 lead. Following an interception by Brown on
Germantown's last possession of the half, the Lions would march 80 yards on 7
plays and the Savage-Morgan combination would again hook up, this time from 10
yards out. The 2-pt conversion was good giving O’H the 35-0 halftime lead. On
the third play of the second half Savage would hook up with Brown for the
38-yard TD. The PAT was no good giving O'H the 41-0 lead. Germantown would get
on the board when Ramadan Abdullah would hook up with Jarell McClennan for a 10-
yard TD. The PAT was no good, giving O’H the 41-6 lead. O’H would respond the
last play of the game when So. QB Ryan Laughlin would scramble for the
37-yard TD, giving the Lions 47-6 victory. Up next for the Lions is a trip to
the Haverford School Friday, where they will take on the Fords at 3:45. While
the Bears will continue their tough schedule by traveling up to take on the
District 1 power Neshaminy.
AUG. 30
NON-LEAGUE
O'Hara 35, Carroll 0
Hamburgers and hot dogs on the grill. School and homework. Some
things just go together and one of those things is O’Hara Football down the
shore on Labor Day weekend. It’s by far one of the most anticipated games of the
year. Once again this year the Lions were taking on a new opponent in the annual
shore game and this time it was an old rival from the Catholic League South.
That’s right, folks. For the first time since 1998 the Lions of O’Hara and the
Patriots of Archbishop Carroll were playing a game. This game was part of a
three-game series as both soccer teams played over in Sea Isle City. The O’H
boys soccer team won, 2-1,while the girls played to a 1-1 draw. The Lions struck
first on their first drive of the game when Jr. RB Corey Brown -- with
help from his friends Kevin Lalor, Dennis Mushrush, Andrew Glace, Matt
Williams, Jesse Acri, Dan O’Hara and Mike Huf -- busted through the
defense from 18 yards out. Huf’s PAT would be no good giving O'H the early 6-0
lead. Three possessions later Brown would do his best Devin Hester
impersonation as he showed his dazzling speed to return a Chris Kennedy
punt 67 yards for another score. O’Hara would add the two points with his run on
a trick play, giving O'H the 14-0 lead. Sadly for the Patriots, Brown was just
getting warmed up. On the first play of the Lions' second drive of the second
quarter, he would again show his speed as he took the draw and didn’t stop for
80 yards, which was when he crossed into the end zone. Huf would add the PAT,
giving O’H the 21-0 halftime lead. In the second half the mighty O’H defense and
FB Evan Higgins stole the show. The defense looked in midseason form as
the stat of holding the Patriots' offense to just 141 yards of offense shows.
Higgins would first put O'H on the board in the second half just six plays in
when he bulldozed his way from 18 yards out. Huf would add the PAT giving O’H
the 28-0 lead. Higgins would cap the scoring when he showed his speed along with
his powerful running style to break a few tackles on his way to a 73-yard TD.
Higgins would finish the day with 121 yards on 6 carries Huf was money on the
PAT, giving OH the 35-0. O’H will look to improve to 2-0 next week when they
travel to take on the Bears of Germantown High at 7 on Friday night while the
Patriots will look to get to 1-1 on the season when they take on Conwell-Egan
Saturday night on Radnor’s brand new turf surface. I would also like to extended
my wishes for a speedy recovery to Patriot Srs. Dillon McClernon
and Sean Crossan, who were taken off in ambulances after a collision on
the last play of the game. I would also like to extend my wishes for speedy
recovery to long time Upper Darby Head Coach and O’Hara assistant coach Jack
Shingle. Get well soon, coach. We love you and miss seeing you every day.