Philadelphia High School Football
History of North Catholic High in Philadelphia, PA
(Officially Northeast Catholic; Rarely Called That for Much of Its Existence)

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 This page details much of the football history of North Catholic
High in Philadelphia, PA. The Falcons played a patchwork schedule
for one season (1926), then joined the Philadelphia CatholicLeague
in 1927 and remained there through 2009. The school closed in
June 2010. (Note: There was no formal CL competition in 1929).
  North was located at Torresdale and Kensington avenues.
  If corrections are needed, please contact Ted Silary at tedtee307@yahoo.com
and provide verification of new information, if possible. Thanks!
  Some research is still being conducted/cross-checked.
  (Information prior to 1976 was provided mostly by Dr. Roger B. Saylor,
a famed Pennsylvania football historian. He passed away in 2013.) 

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SCHOOL RECORDS

Most Wins Season
          11 in 1949 (11-0)
Longest Winning Streak
          25, last five games in 1948, all 11 games in 1949, first nine games in 1950
Most Losses Season
          11 in 2002 (1-11) and 2005 (1-11)
Longest Losing Streak
          15, last four games in 2004, first 11 games in 2005
Most Points Scored
          Season: 279 in 2006 (8-5 record)
          Game: 64 vs. St. Thomas More in 1945 (64-0)
Most Points Allowed
          Season: 389 in 2002 (1-11 record)
          Game: 63 vs. St. James in 1969 (63-14) 
Fewest Points Scored Season
          19 in 1928 (1-5-1) and 1941 (0-8-1)
Fewest Points Allowed Season
          13 in 1936 (8-0)
Most Shutouts Season
          7 in 1935 (9-0-1) and 1937 (8-1-1)
Most Times Shut Out Season
          7 in 1941 (0-8-1)
Biggest Winning Margin
          64 vs. St. Thomas More in 1945 (64-0)
Biggest Losing Deficit
          62 vs. O'Hara in 2000 (62-0)
Longest Shutout Streak
          6, last three games in 1934, first three games in 1935
Longest Streak Times Shut Out
          8, last five games in 1991, fiirst three games in 1992 two through six in 1941
Longest Streak Without Being Shut Out
          38, last nine games in 1947, all 20 from 1948 through 1949, first nine games in 1950
Longest Streak Without a Shutout
          37, all 29 games from 1962 through 1964, first eight games in 1965
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CATHOLIC LEAGUE TITLES

1934, Overall: 4-1, 8-1-1 . . . tied Salesianum for CL title
1935, Overall: 5-0-1, 9-0-1
1936, Overall: 7-0, 8-0 
1937, Overall: 7-0-1, 8-1-1
1949, Overall: 8-0, 11-0 . . . also won overall City Title
1950, Overall: 7-0, 9-1
1952, Overall: 6-0-1, 9-0-1 . . . also won overall City Title
1956, Overall: 7-1, 9-1 . . . also won overall City Title

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HOW CATHOLIC LEAGUECHAMPIONSHIPS WERE WON (with one tie)

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.

HOW CITY TITLES WERE WON

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.

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.