John McAneney The McAneney Brothers' All-Scholastic / All-City Players W - West Catholic N - Northeast F - Frankford FIRST TEAM     W - Bill Burns C 1959 W - Fran Dougherty B 1960 W - George Southcott B 1961 W - Bob Mahan RB 1962 W - Tony Hanson DB 1970 W - Nick Sama LB 1972 W - Bill "Babs" Haines C 1973 W - Joe Yarabinee RB 1973 W - Tom Stellman L 1973 W - Jim Coyle E 1974 W - Brett Egan LB 1974 W - Mike Glavin DE 1974 W - Joe Rush DB 1975 N - Lonnie Moore DB 1983 N - Dave Parkinson K 1984 F  - Matt Evangelist DB 1985 F -  Kevin McCoy RB 1986 SECOND TEAM     W - Nick Cirone T 1960 W - Tom Bazis G 1961 W - Tom DeFelice B 1962 W - Tom DeFelice B 1963 W - Bob Davis T 1965 W - Tony McGonigle L 1971 W - Tony Hanson DB 1972 W - Joe Manion DB 1975 W - Dan McShane LB 1976 N - Dave Parkinson K 1983 N - Steve Cullmann DE 1983 F - Kevin McCoy AP 1985 F - Tim Hartman DL 1986 THIRD TEAM     W - Joe Crisanti DL 1970 N - Steve Roberts C 1982 N - Chris Riley L 1983 N - Virnest Beale DB 1984 F - Alex Ljachin DL 1985 F - Ralph Marano LB 1986

Vince / John McAneney Bros. Tribute Page   The McAneney brothers, Vince and John, coached for 21 total seasons in the Catholic/Public Leagues. They combined for 134 wins, four league championships and one City Title (along with a tie in another City Title). John won his first PL title in his second season at Northeast. Here is that story . . .  By Ted Silary   All John McAneney asked of his players was that they maintain their intensity for 48 minutes. All they did was go him 20 minutes better.   Because of wave after wave of question-askers, handshakers and backslappers, it took Johnny Mac at least that long to reach the locker room Saturday after Northeast had deflated Frankford, 14-7, to win its first Public League football championship since 1968.   While waiting, many of the players sat atop lockers. Meanwhile, all of the players pounded on lockers and/or heating ducts and took part with cheerleaders, parents, ex-players, other students and McAneney's huge entourage (it's uncanny how John and his four brothers look exactly alike) in rollicking chants of "We Want Mac, We Want Mac."   Eventually, a glimpse of the beloved Mac was what they got, along with a short, top-of-his-voice speech that concluded, "In Frankford, you beat one of the best teams that ever were and you guys now are the Public League champions!"   Ever were?   Hey, when a guy can pump life into a program that recently was little more than comatose, he's entitled to fracture the language.   "When Mr. Mac was the assistant, he wasn't much of anything. It just wasn't his program," said Steve Cullmann, a star at tackle and defensive end. ''Then he took over and he became everything - more or less, The Franchise.   "He's told us over and over, 'Men, I have yet to make a tackle.' That's true. But you can't go anywhere without coaching, even if you have great personnel. In Mr. Mac, we have coaching."   McAneney's career dates back to 1957, when he started an eight-season stretch as an assistant to his brother, Vince, at West Catholic. In '65, John became the head man and led the Burrs to the Catholic and City championships.   With that, it was off to Temple for four years as an assistant. Then back to West for seven more years as head coach. Then a year off in '77. Then up to Northeast for the past six years, the first four as an aide.   If the school's still standing after Saturday's maxi-celebration, Johnny Mac will be back for an encore.  continued below . . .

Vince McAneney SEASON BY SEASON Catholic League (Vince in regular type) (John in italics) 1957, West Catholic: 0-8 / 1-8 1958: West Catholic: 4-4-1 / 5-4-1 1959, West Catholic: 7-2 / 8-3 1960: West Catholic: 6-1-2 / 7-1-2 1961: West Catholic: 7-1-1 / 8-1-1 1962, West Catholic: 7-1 / 10-1-1 1963: West Catholic: 4-2 / 7-2 1964: West Catholic: 4-2 / 6-3 1965: West Catholic: 7-0 /  10-1  1970: West Catholic: 7-1 /  7-3 1971: West Catholic: 2-5 / 4-6 1972: West Catholic: 4-3 / 6-4 1973: West Catholic: 3-4 / 5-4 1974: West Catholic: 5-2 / 6-5 1975: West Catholic: 4-3 /  4-5  1976: West Catholic: 2-5 / 3-6 Public League (John in italics) 1982: Northeast: 2-3-1 / 6-3-1  1983: Northeast: 5-1 / 10-1 1984: Northeast: 4-2 / 7-2 1985: Frankford: 5-1 /  6-3 1986: Frankford: 5-1 / 8-3 Vince 39-21-4 / 52-23-5 John: 55-31-1 / 82-46-1 Totals: 94-52-5 / 134-69-6 -- CATHOLIC LEAGUE TITLES (Vince in regular type) (John in italics) 1962: West Catholic 1965: West Catholic PUBLIC LEAGUE TITLES (Vince in regular type) (John in italics) 1983: Northeast 1986: Frankford CITY TITLES (Vince in regular type) (John in italics) 1962: West Catholic (tie) 1965: West Catholic

   "People told me what went on in the locker room and, of course, I saw some of it for myself," said McAneney, who became
the first football coach to win a championship in both the Public and Catholic leagues. "I'll tell you, it was exhilarating.
  "We've been an emotional team in every way all year, so that was just an extension. We don't have an excessive amount of
talent. If we don't go out there filled with emotion, we play so-so and lose."
  As it was, the Vikings didn't play a so-so game all season (possible exception: 7-6 victory over King) and they lost just once
- 7-0 to Frankford during the Northern Division regular season.
  The way they lost was on a 48-yard screen pass with 1:56 remaining. The way they came away was unimpressed.
  "We thought they quit the last game," said Cullmann, whose 14 tackles tied for game honors with teammate Lonnie Moore, a
most-time cornerback and part-time linebacker. "It looked like they gave up on moving the football . . . then they got that lucky
screen pass. We thought it was a fluke."
  This time, Northeast limited superstar junior Blair Thomas to 89 yards on 28 carries and caused 13 plays to end in losses.
Also, 12 more plays went for a gain of 1 yard or less and, except for its scoring drive, Frankford penetrated no deeper than
the Vikes' 33. 
  About 15 percent (according to McAneney) or 25 percent (according to Cullmann) of the time, Northeast employed a 5-3
defense featuring Moore at middle linebacker.
  "I was supposed to watch Blair," Lonnie said. "I loved it. Any responsibility Mr. Mac wanted to give me, I was ready for it.
  "Coming in, I'd guess I'd say we were confident. We didn't know we were going to win. How can anyone say they knew
they were going to win? But off of our last game with Frankford, we had no doubt we could win. Put it this way: We're
certainly not surprised by this."
  Neither was Frankford coach Al Angelo.
  "I had some worries about how we were going to move the ball," he said, ''and they proved to be founded. Northeast had
some very quick, very good linemen and that Lonnie Moore - phew, he made some great, open-field tackles to stop plays
that showed promise."
  When Johnny Mac assumed command at Northeast, he didn't promise a title.
  He sure provided one, though.
  TITLE TIDBITS: Northeast got 80 of its 124 yards, and all of its first downs, on four plays. Virnest Beale gained 26 on
a middle screen to set up the first TD, 22 more on a run with 1:32 left to seal Frankford's fate . . . Frankford
receiver-linebacker Neal Ali, who recently underwent two brain operations, was able to watch from the sideline . . .
Frankford has made 13 title-game appearances since '69, getting eight wins . . . The Vikes had to drive only 36 yards for their
first score (Cary Boyd's 1-yard run), 24 for their second (Lonnie Moore's 20-yard reception from Boyd). . . . Blair Thomas
scored on a 2-yard run with 5:45 left to cap a 32-yard drive and Frankford got the ball on its 30 with 4:07 left. Thomas ran
12 yards on the first play, but Andy Killion tripped up Ken Bozzelli on a fourth-and-8, counter crisscross from the 44 . . .
Northeast joins Abraham Lincoln's 1977 team as the league's only wild card champs.

This story was written after Vince guided West Catholic to the 1962 Catholic
League crown . . .

This column was written after John steered West Catholic to the 1965 City Title . . .

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  Below are the players who earned first or second team Coaches' All-Catholic / All-Public honors
while playing for brothers Vince / John McAneney.
 

FIRST TEAM Pos. Year Bill Burns B 1959 Len DeFiore G 1959 Fred Paglia T 1959 Jack Thornton E 1959 Fran Dougherty B 1960 Nick Cirone T 1960 George Southcott QB 1961 Tom Bazis G 1961 Bob Mahan RB 1962 Tom DeFelice QB 1962 Tom DeFelice QB 1963 Bill McGrath E 1963 Tom Bielli C 1964 Bob Davis L 1965 Mike DiDonato RB 1965 Frank "Roscoe" Natale L 1970 Denis Brennan RB 1970 Joe Crisanti DL 1970 Jim Nestor LB 1970 Tony Hanson DB 1970 Terry Rishkofski L 1972 Isiah Jones DL 1972 Nick Sama LB 1972 Tony Hanson DB 1972 Bill "Babs" Haines C 1973 Joe Yarabinee RB 1973 Jim Coyle E 1974 Dave Rodgers L 1974 Mike Glavin DE 1974 Brett Egan LB 1974

FIRST TEAM Pos. Year Lou D'Alonzo C 1975 Joe Rush DB 1975 Dan McShane LB 1976 Steve Roberts L 1982 Robert Lewis RB 1982 Lonnie Moore Rec. 1983 Dave Parkinson K 1983 Steve Cullmann DL 1983 Chris Riley DL 1983 Shawn Rementer L 1983 Joe Osherow RB 1983 Virnest Beale DB 1984 Paul Osherow L 1984 Cary Boyd QB 1984 Keith Sharp DL 1984 Dave Clarke LB 1984 Matt Evangelist QB 1985 Kevin McCoy RB 1985 Alex Ljachin L 1985 James Brooks L 1985 Shurland Farrell RB 1985 Kevin McCoy RB 1986 Tim Hartman DL 1986 Ralph Marano QB 1986 Demetrius Mims RB 1986 Scott Stevens LB 1986

SECOND TEAM Pos. Year Jim Powell G 1958 Jim Fitzpatrick B 1958 Nelson Townes B 1959 Tom Ostrowski E 1960 Al Caputo E 1961 Angelo Masciantonio T 1962 Tom George G 1962 Bill McGrath E 1962 Tom Healy G 1964 Harry Schumacher G 1964 Jim Phillips RB 1965 Tony Hanson DB 1971

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Recaps of Wins in  Championship Games 1962 / Vince At Franklin Field West Catholic 38, Judge 16     Bob Mahan ran for three TDs, scored another on a 30-yard pass from Tom DeFelice and threw for a score to Bill McGrath. DeFelice (thigh injury) was seeing his first action in a month. Tom Stretch ran for both Judge TDs. 1965 / John At Kennedy Stadium West Catholic 28, Egan 13     John Barth passed 9-for-15 for 94 yards and a TD to Mike DiDonato, who also rushed for a score, to give first-year coach John McAneney the win. John Small returned a kickoff 79 yards for a TD and Jim Phillips (20-96) ran in from the 2 after Barth fired a 41-yard completion to Pat Egan. Bill Travers and George Croyden made fumble recoveries to set up scores. QB Sylvester "Pancho" Micir scored both Egan TDs. 1983 / John At Northeast Northeast 14, Frankford 7     Steve Cullmann and Lonnie Moore made 14 tackles each and Joe Osherow added 11 to pace a defense that caused 13 Frankford plays to go for losses and made sure that Northeast's scoring drives would have to cover just 36 and 24 yards. Cary Boyd ran 1 yard for the first TD and passed 20 yards to Moore for the other. For Frankford, Blair Thomas rushed 28 times for 89 yards and a 2-yard TD. 1986 / John At Northeast Frankford 42, Bartram 6     Under John McAneney, who'd coached Northeast to its 1983 title, Frankford frolicked after spotting Bartram a 6-0 lead. Kevin McCoy rushed 13 times for 106 yards and two TDs and added a third score on an 85-yard interception return. Sean Parish contributed 64 yards and two TDs on nine rushes. The Pioneers' primary lead blocker was 5-2, 135-pound fullback Demetrius Mims. Bartram was limited to 40 yards total offense and five first downs.

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Recaps of Tie/Win in  City Titles 1962 / Vince At Franklin Field West Catholic 20, Southern 20 (tie)     Bob Mahan rushed 20 times for 70 yards and two TDs, including a game-tying, 2-yard run with 42 seconds remaining. On a conversion run, Mahan was tackled by George Gambone. Tom DeFelice passed 13-for-26 for 160 yards and a TD to John Paczosa. For Southern, Joe Briddell carried 16 times for 67 yards and a TD, but saw only spot action in the second half due to a leg injury. 1965 / John At Franklin Field West Catholic 34, Southern 18     West scored on its first two possessions of the third quarter to pull away from a 12-12 halftime tie and make a winner of first-year coach John McAneney. Mike DiDonato ran 2 yards for the decisive TD moments after reeling off a 39-yard punt return. Tom Jordan's interception set up the next TD, John Small's 5-yard run. For Southern, Frank Gorman passed for two scores and ran for a third.

 

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