St. Anastasia . . . CYO Champs, 2007

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   On 11/10, in a game played at Villanova Stadium, St. Anastasia (Newtown
Square), coached by Dave Gueriera, defeated St. Agnes (West Chester),
26-13, to win the Archdiocese of Philadelphia championship.
   Look below for more info.

                                                                                                                                                                                                       Photo by Beth Paradise

The roster . . .

St. Anastasia Spartans 26, St. Agnes Stags 13

Story by Eugene Williams

          The Academy Awards for Archdiocesan football were decided Saturday evening at Villanova Stadium. Amidst an electric atmosphere, the Division One Five-County Championship, a celebration of this year’s biggest and best program, welcomed fans who weathered cold temperatures to witness two star-studded teams battle beneath the bright lights at Villanova. Excitement was everywhere. The paparazzi, in the form of on-field photographer Binh Pham, were on hand. Monsignor Cribben and Father Taglianetti made guest appearances on the sidelines. Injured Graeme Weaver donned his uniform for the first time in weeks. Pre-game buzz at the tailgate party centered on how the Spartans would respond in such a prime-time setting. Another buzz of non-alcoholic nature at the party was whose barbeque sauce – John Weaver’s, Ed Morris’, Dan Cahalane’s, or Tom Smith’s – is the best. Lancaster Avenue was red hot like Hollywood on Oscar Night.     

The Spartans, spurred by the teams’ first meeting during the regular season, saved their best performance for when it counted the most, taking home top honors with a thrilling performance and victory over the previously-unbeaten and top-seeded Stags.

Best Performance by a Team was earned by the defense, which set the tone early in the first quarter with a safety for a 2-0 lead. On the play, penetration by linemen Grant Jamgochian and Tom McCarthy caused the center and quarterback to collide in the end zone. Throughout the game, the defense also blocked a PAT attempt, sacked the quarterback two times (Ed Morris and Sean Ridinger), caused three fumbles (recoveries by Morris, Ridinger, and Steve Perpiglia), and made two interceptions (Ryan Schollenberger and Gene Williams). Individually, Morris was maniacal in the middle, Ridinger was steady and explosive in the trenches, and Tom Antista made several key stops in the backfield due to quick penetration from the corner.

A Best Supporting Performance Award was earned by the defensive coaching staff, which completely retooled the unit’s schemes and moved players around to take advantage of their many skills and attributes.

Figuring that the Stags would pass more this time around, one such skill and attribute the coaches maximized was the ball-hawking abilities of 6’2”Gene Williams. Moved to safety by the coaches, their hunch about him paid dividends early in the second quarter. Moments after he, as quarterback, followed a great seal block provided by center Sean Smith and motored untouched 58 yards straight up the middle for a 10-0 lead after a Perpiglia two-point conversion kick, Williams read pass, intercepted the ball in the flat, and raced 25 yards for a score. A successful two-point conversion followed. The resulting 18-0 lead caused warts to appear on the Stags’ once supremely-confident countenance.  

Offensively, the Spartans’ multiple looks and wide-open style of play also caused the Stags’ countenance to wince and their make up run like mascara in the rain. Best Actors Awards were earned by the entire offense for its performance, while the coaches were recognized in players’ acceptance speeches afterwards for placing them in unbeatable and once-in-a-lifetime roles they will never forget. 

Perpiglia further contorted the Stags’ countenance, turning everyone’s Division One diva into just another pretty face, when he scored from 30 yards late in the second quarter. Mike Doherty and Bill Ghaul gave RB Perpiglia just enough room to reach the corner. Once there, he turned on a dime, raced into overdrive, and beat the Stags to the end zone. His third successful PAT gave the Spartans a 26-6 lead they took into halftime.

As though its nightmarish first half was similar to having tripped on the red carpet leading into the Awards Show, the Stags regained their footing and redeemed themselves on the initial drive of the second half by covering 60 yards in 12, time-consuming plays to score a touchdown. And although a one-point PAT closed the scoring gap to 26-13, with time no longer an ally, looking ahead the Stags saw the red carpet being rolled up from under them.

Yet for the Spartans, with time on its side for the remainder of the game, they were content to put the ball into the capable and firms hands of Williams, Perpiglia, Morris, Connor Breslin, and Hunter Tierney. And when they were unable to make good on third-down conversions, booming punts by Williams twice pinned the Stags deep in their own end. Lifetime Achievement Wards were garnered by the special teams’ play of Williams (punt), Perpiglia (PAT), and Morris (kick off), Tierney (punt center), Dan Cahalane (holder), and coverage corps (top eighth-grade gunners Joe Pham and Nick Ciarrocchi), for collectively, they sucked the life out of the Stags. That the play of special teams was so important is illustrated by the fact that nearly one half the margin of victory (six points) was scored by PAT’s. Such consistency is a testament to all of the special teams’ players and staff.

As Gatorade-soaked Head Coach Dave Gueriera accepted the championship trophy on behalf of the CYO and Touchdown Club, the Spartans’ happy faces beamed with true pride and satisfaction. Beguiling those faces was the character displayed by such a clutch group of individuals. Closing to rave reviews by all who witnessed these individuals’ performances, they are, as a whole, the stuff legends are made of.