Bok Football History

The End of Bok Football . . .

On March 7, 2013, the School District finalized plans to close Bok in June. The Wildcats played their final game on Nov. 17., falling to Wood, 49-28, for the Class AAA City Title, at Northeast's Charlie Martin Memorial Stadium. Below are some items concerning the program itself and assorted lasts.

The Wildcats celebrate after beating Gratz, 28-22, to win their fifth consecutive Public League title; this one at the AAA
level with the previous four at AA . . . Photo by Joe McFadden.

Bok played 65 years of Public League football. The Wildcats joined the
Public League in 1948 and remained there through 2012. They won
overall championships in 1950 and 1951, Class AA titles in 2008, 2009,
2010 and 2011, and the Class AAA crown in 2012. They also won 43
consecutive PL regular season games from 2002-10. Click here for info
on that streak. On 11/13/04, Bok was the first PL school to compete
in a PIAA playoff. It fell to Great Valley, 35-0, in a District 1-12
subregional regional.

PUBLIC LEAGUE HISTORY
Name	Years	League	Overall
Anthony "Mex" Siani	1948-57	38-22-5	45-38-5
John Pendino	1958-61	7-24-1	7-26-1
John Urban	1962-67	5-41-2	6-46-2
Charlie "Pops" Guida	1968-92	47-97-9	65-133-10
Tom DeFelice	1993-10	77-16-0	129-50-1
Frank "Roscoe" Natale	2011-12	13-2-0	18-4-0

RECAPS OF PL CHAMPIONSHIPS

1950
At Shibe Park
Bok 0, Frankford 0 (tie)
Bok was chosen to represent the PL in the city title game
because it outgained Frankford in scrimmage yardage, 164 1/2 to 132 1/2,
according to official statistics compiled by former Dobbins coach Jerry
Kean. Bok came closest to scoring. On a second-quarter run from the
1-foot line, Bob Percell fumbled and Frankford's Gene Oscilowski
recovered on the 3.

1951
At 29th and Cambria
Bok 22, Central 19
Bok built a 22-7 lead after three quarters, then held on as
Central received TDs from Tom King (67-yard pass from Bernie Osherow)
and Lonnie Fuller (fumble recovery in end zone, offensively) and got
within 18 yards of a go-ahead TD before Nate James and Vince Clavon
changed the momentum by dropping Osherow for a 12-yard loss. Harry
Remshard, Ken Falkenstein and Jim Nelson scored for Bok. Central
co-captain Joe Torg suffered a concussion in the first quarter and did
not return to action.

2008
CLASS AA
At Southern
Bok 32, Franklin 12
Andre Frazier accounted for the game's first three TDs, sandwiching two shorties
around a 26-yard pass to Troy Martin. Ray Tucker added 138 yards and two scores
on 15 carries and Brahkim Poole made two picks, raising his career total to 16. Chris
Sherrod, Kevin Bryan and Gary Jackson recovered fumbles to set up TDs; Jasaan
Thomas did likewise by blocking a punt. For Franklin, which played without star
rusher Marquis White (broken foot), Shuron Briggs carried 22 times for 109 yards
and one TD.

2009
CLASS AA
At Southern
Bok 32, Imhotep 8
Andre Frazier passed 5-for-8 for 100 yards and one TD apiece to Jihad Ward and
Gary Jackson, and added a score of his own. Faison Perry also posted a rushing TD
while Robert Quarterman had an interception. Imhotep's Christopher Lewis passed
7-for-16 for 71 yards and the TD went to Dasir White on a 1-yard run. The Panthers'
18 rushes netted minus-11 yards.

2010
CLASS AA
At Gratz
Bok 41, Imhotep 0
Shaquil Sammons ran 16 times for 154 yards and four TDs and was one of four
Wildcats (also Jihad Ward, Michael Riley, John Richardson) to post interceptions. Riley,
a freshman, returned his pick 15 yards for a score. For Imhotep, Jeraal Boone made five
catches for 48 yards. This result was part of a 63-point turnaround. Imhotep had beaten
Bok, 28-6, in September, ending the Wildcats' 43-game, nine-year Pub regular season
winning streak.

2011
CLASS AA
At Southern
Bok 22, Imhotep 19
Shaquil Sammons (28-71) ran for the final two TDs as the Wildcats overcame a 19-8
deficit to claim their fourth consecutive AA crown. For Imhotep, Eerin Young (18-103)
and Deandre Scott (12-94) ran for one score apiece and added six points on an 82-yard
interception return.

2012
CLASS AAA
At Northeast
Bok 28, Gratz 22
Going without three of its top players, including star rusher Larry Pelzer (school
suspensions), the Wildcats captured their fifth consecutive championship; others in AA
Division. Star wideout Antoine Whitney moved to running back, carrying 29 times for
132 yards and one TD. He also scored on a 41-yard toss from Michael Riley (two rushing
TDs) and intercepted a pass. Vittorio "Vito" Goggins added 111 yards on eight rushes.
For Gratz, which entered with a record as gaudy as 10-0 for the time in the program's
84-year history, Davone Cornish passed 8-for-21 for 235 yards and one score apiece to
Daqwan Freeman and Cornelius Middleton.

RECAPS OF CITY TITLE APPEARANCES

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.

1951
At Franklin Field
West Catholic 42, Bok 0
Jack McEachern rushed for 118 yards and a TD and passed 6-for-12
for 75 yards and another TD for West, which never punted en route to
completing its first perfect season (10-0) since 1943. Art Dettra ran
for two TDs and John Bauer kicked six PAT. The Burrs won the total
offense battle, 341-71. Bok advanced to the West 13 late in the first
half, but was immediately pushed back to the 37.

2008
CLASS AA
At Southern
W. Catholic 55, Bok 0: Curtis Drake accounted for the first four TDs,
rushing for the first and fourth and passing to Eric Young for those in
between. Drake finished with eight carries for 72 yards and passed 8-for-9
for 121. Ray Manuel represented the defense by taking an interception 64
yards for a score. Bok coach Tom DeFelice, like Drake, had twice earned
coaches' All-Catholic honors while playing QB for West (in '62 and '63).

2009
CLASS AA
At Southern
West Catholic 21, Bok 0: The Burrs entered with a 36.6 scoring average,
but found themselves trailing at halftime, 7-0, thanks to a TD pass from Andre
Frazier to Gary Jackson. John Ruppert, a starter on the defensive line since his
freshman year, then added guard duties and West again looked somewhat like
its usual self. Brandon Hollomon finished with 177 yards (149 beyond
intermission) and two TDs on 29 carries. Jarred Evans ran for a 2-yard score
and passed 13-for-17 for 119 yards while eclipsing the school season record
(1,586, David Long collected 1,488 in 1982). For Bok, ends Chris Sherrod
and Jacqual Dobbs halved 14 tackles and combined for seven losses.

2010
CLASS AA
At Southern
West Catholic 34, Bok 6: Bok coach Tom DeFelice, in the last game of his 18-year
stint, created nervous feelings for his alma mater in a 6-6 first half. But the Burrs then
rolled, scoring four TDs in an 8-minute, 9-second span. David Williams turned eight
carries into 52 yards and three TDs (two in the spurt) while Brandon Hollomon's
15-carry, 162-yard, one-TD performance enabled West to have a 1,000-yard rusher
for the 11th consecutive season. Jim Lynch, back in action after a one-game suspension
(he'd incorrectly been thrown out of the CL final vs. McDevitt; there was no video to
prove he'd only been acting as a peacemaker), notched eight solos and two TFLs
among 12 stops while also forcing a fumble. Jaleel Reed lost a 98-yard interception
return score to a penalty. Khalil Neal (21-79) and Shaquil Sammons (25-50, TD) led
Bok. This game was played at 11 a.m. A 6 o'clock Friday night start was nixed by
community pressure.

2011
CLASS AA
At Southern
West Catholic 30, Bok 23: The Burrs needed a late TD to survive despite 412-108
dominance in scrimmage yardage. A 50-yard pass from Jaleel Reed to Shaquille James
provided major life for the final drive and Reed scored from the 1 with 1:31 left,
erasing a 23-22 deficit. Reed suffered a second-quarter injury and during his absence
Kevin Malone threw a 9-yard scoring pass to Bruce Mapp. David Williams carried 42
times for 228 yards and two TDs. For Bok, Shaquil Sammons rushed 27 times for 77
yards and one score and added another on a 92-yard kickoff return.

2012
CLASS AAA
At Northeast
Wood 49, Bok 28: Before sitting down early in the third quarter, Josh Messina rang up
14 tackles (eight solos, four for losses) forced a fumble and picked off a pass as the
Vikings captured their fifth consecutive CT. He also ran for a TD. Jarrett McClenton
zoomed to 217 yards on three consecutive touches, thanks for runs of 69 and 56 yards
(TD) and a 92-yard kickoff return for another score. Bok’s Antoine Whitney generated
329 all-purpose yards – 13-87 rushing, 6-138 receiving, 6-87 kickoff returns, 1-17
interception return – and tallied two TDs.

ASSORTED LASTS . . .
Conversion catch: Dylan Edmonds-Carty, vs. Wood, 11/17/12
TD run: Vittorio "Vito" Goggins, 10 yards, vs. Wood, 11/17/12
Conversion run: Michael Riley, vs. Wood, 11/17/12
TD reception: Antoine Whitney, 51 yards (from Riley), vs. Wood, 11/17/12
Interception: Whitney, vs. Wood, (order TBA), 11/17/12
Fumble recovery TD: Goggins, vs. Boys' Latin, 11/3/12
PAT: Larry Pelzer, vs. Bartram, 10/26/12
Kickoff return TD: Larry Pelzer, 84 yards, vs. Dobbins, 8/31/12
Punt return TD: Whitney, 57 yards, vs. Dobbins, 8/31/12
Fumble return TD: Mark "Spider" Webb, 15 yards, vs. Prep Charter, 10/28/11
Interception return TD: Terrell Miles, 20 yards, vs. Future, 9/22/11
Field goal: Ty Vaughter, vs. Overbrook, 10/24/80 (likely the only one in school history!)

Here is the recap of the last playoff victory:
2012 AAA PUBLIC LEAGUE FINAL
Posted above . . .

Here is the recap of the last playoff appearance:
2012 AAA CITY TITLE
Posted above . . .