Philadelphia Scholastic Football, 2004

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All-City

Public League

Quarterfinals
Doubleheaders on Back-to-Back Days at Northeast
Frankford 27, Overbrook 8
   Halfback Malik "Flip" Walker (21-99) ran 8 yards for the first TD on
the new artificial surface while fullback Frank Jubilee added 134 yards
and a score on 26 carries. Lamont Brown scored twice on short keepers.
Shariff Mintz had an interception and Walker made a tackle for a safety.
The Panthers, 0-10 in '03 and outscored, 290-12, were playing a postseason
game for the first time in the program's 77-year PL history. A shutout was
avoided on Sylvester Broxton's late 17-yard pass to James Morgan.
Northeast 17, Central 14 (OT)
   The Thanksgiving rivals put on a great show before an evening crowd of
roughly 3,000. As regulation ended, a roughing-the-kicker penalty gave
Central a second chance at a game-winning field goal. Jeff "Milky" Jones
blocked the attempt. Central went first in OT and lost a fumble. Chris
Mountney then hammered a 22-yard field goal. Northeast's Jeremiah Pitt
ran 20 times for 167 yards and a TD and Kyle Sample had an interception.
For Central, which won the yardage battle, 341-264, Joe Marshall passed
for 93 yards and ran for 65 and a TD.
Dobbins 32, Bartram 13
   Dobbins suffered an early shock when wideout Cedric Graham (arm) and
tight end Michael Harris (elbow) broke bones on successive plays. Rashad
"Reds" Williams zoomed for 174 yards and three TDs on 17 carries and added
a fourth score on a 54-yard fumble return. QB Steve Sydnor ran for an 85-yard
score and made an interception. Bartram soph John "Fudgie" Pratt posted 210
yards and two tallies on 23 rushes.
Washington 49, Germantown 8
   Jerry Butler started slowly with gains of 4, 7 and 5 yards on his first three
carries. He certainly picked up the pace, generating 216 yards and four TDs
on just nine carries. His scores covered 28, 79, 45 and 30 yards. Chuck Hughes
passed 4-for-6 for 81 yards and one TD apiece to Jelani Washington and
Raymond Roy. Thomas Wilmer, making his first start, set an early defensive
tone with two tackles for losses and an interception. Brandon Cuff fired to
Aaron Terrell for Germantown's points.
Semifinals
Doubleheader at Northeast
Northeast 7, Dobbins 6
   Chris Banks (16-81) and Jeremiah Pitt (17-80, TD) collected almost identical
rushing numbers and Chris Mountney's PAT made the difference. Kyle Sample
posted a fourth-quarter interception and Rockeed recovered two fumbles.
Dobbins' Rashad "Reds" Williams rushed 19 times for 92 yards and a score.
Washington 48, Frankford 12
   Washington's Jadrien "J.J." Reynolds, who suffered a spinal-cord injury in a
preseason scrimmage, came out to support his teammates and the emotions were
flowing. The Eagles' stars were two of Reynold's best friends and fellow Frankford
residents, rusher Jerry Butler (17-182, three TDs) and QB-safety Chuck Hughes
(two TD runs, scoring pass to Jelani Washington, interception). The 36-point
victory margin matched the one posted by Washington over Frankford in the
regular season; it's the highest in Frankford's history vs. PL opposition.
Final
At Northeast
Washington 30, Northeast 12
   There was early energy in the stadium as the Vikings, significant underdogs,
seized a 6-0 lead on Jeremiah Pitt's 36-yard interception return. Washington
gradually squeezed the life from the game and gave coach Ron Cohen his
eighth title in 20 years. Dominique Curry scored two TDs (fumble return,
reception) and made three tackles for losses. Jerry Butler (15-115) zoomed 77
yards for a score and Chuck Hughes passed 8-for-14 for 153 yards and two
TDs; the other went to fullback Jerome Lewis. Dave Gonser made four stops
for losses and Hughes made two interceptions. The game ball was awarded
to defensive back Jadrien "J.J." Reynolds, who suffered a spinal-cord injury
in a preseason scrimmage. For Northeast, Rockeed McCarter made nine
catches for 89 yards and a late TD from Cordia "Chops" Mosley.

State Playoffs

Class AAAA
Eastern Semifinal
At Northeast
Easton 15, Washington 10
   Before roughly 6,000 on a waterlogged night, the Eagles stormed downfield
on the game's first possession and received a 2-yard scoring run from QB
Chuck Hughes right after a 38-yard burst by Jerry Butler (22-188). Mike
Kline's 23-yard field goal provided a 10-9 lead with 5:29 left in the game, but
Easton answered and the Eagles' last thrust was ruined by a procedure penalty
on fourth-and-1 at the Easton 26. An end-zone incompletion followed.
Class AAA
District 1-12 Subregional Semifinal
At Great Valley
Great Valley 35, Bok 0
   The Wildcats finished first in Public South at 6-0, but instead opted to become
the first team ever to represent the league in a PIAA playoff. GV proved to be too
much. Cory Moultrie led Bok with 35 rushing yards and Nafis Edwards had an
interception.

Standings

Coaches' All-Public

Champs' Thumbnail Sketch

Washington
Coach
Ron Cohen
Record
6-0-0, 12-1-0
All-Stars
Stefan Ruff, L
Jason Patton, L
Jerry Butler, RB
Mike Kline, K
Dave Gonser, DL
Dominique Curry, DL
John McFillin, DL
Chuck Hughes, DB

Catholic League

Red Division
First Round
At Wissahickon
Ryan 21, La Salle 7
   Playing despite an ankle injury, Joe Zeglinski ran 25 times for 135 yards and a TD and
made two big plays (41-yard run; 47-yard pass to QB Charles McGinn) to set up a pair
of short scoring runs by Ron James. George Colbert hustled for three sacks for nine yards
and Mike Varanavage had two sacks and one TFL for 21 total yards. La Salle's Mike Lynch
passed 16-for-28 for 186 yards, largely to Tom Jorfi (9-120). This was the first CL playoff
in 14 years to be played on an artificial surface.
At Norristown
Bonner 16, Roman 12
   The Friars, the No. 6 seed, pulled the upset as Carl Graham rushed 14 times for 145 yards
and a TD and Marc Verica whipped a scoring pass to Mike Tomasco. Also, Ryan Juisti
kicked a 33-yard field goal. Mike Heppler had a late interception and two of Mike Licci's
nine tackles went for losses. Evin Jones was a workhorse in defeat, scoring both TDs and
generating 237 total yards (82 rushing, 30 receiving, 125 returning). His punt-return score
covered 84 yards.
Semifinals
Back-to-Back Nights At Plymouth-Whitemarsh
SJ Prep 37, Bonner 0
   Rotating QBs Jim McCormick (to Steve Quinn) and Chris Whitney (to Matt Leddy)
threw for one score apiece and John Shaw (31-176) rushed for three as The Prep
advanced to the title game for the fifth consecutive year. Whitney added an interception.
Bonner's Marc Verica passed 7-for-16 for 57 yards, but the rushing attack went
backward (minus-9 yards).
O'Hara 34, Ryan 6
   In brutal weather, and with most players slipping and sliding and going nowhere, soph
John Dempsey turned six carries into 183 yards and three long TDs. Ryan avoided a
shutout on Charles McGinn's late pass to Ron James.
Final
At Villanova Stadium
O'Hara 14, SJ Prep
   The Lions rallied from a 13-2 halftime deficit to prevent The Prep from
capturing a fourth consecutive title. Quarterback Anthony Walters, installed
as the starter late in the season specificially with beating the Hawks in mind,
began the comeback with a 55-yard scamper that set up his own 2-yard TD.
Pat Macaulay scored the game-winner on a 9-yard run two plays after Mike
Marotta recovered a fumble on the Hawks' 21. That play was controversial.
Tom Elliott caught a pass and lateraled to star rusher John Shaw (24-147,
two TDs, one for 71 yards). The ball hit the turf and Mike Marotta recovered.
As TV replays showed, Elliott's knee was down. Greg Smith ensured the win
by blocking a late field goal attempt. O'Hara's Brian Giacobetti had two
interceptions. Danny Algeo, O'Hara's first-year coach, had won the Red title
exactly five years earlier with Roman.
Blue Division
First Round
At Norristown
Conwell-Egan 3, McDevitt 0
   The yardage was almost identical (246-233, C-E's favor) and the only score came on
Ryan Terry's 25-yard field goal in the second quarter. C-E's leading rusher, Steve Slaton
(23-89), blocked a field-goal attempt. McDevitt's Damian Jorden ran 24 times for 108 yards.
At Plymouth-Whitemarsh
Carroll 40, North Catholic 14
   The Falcons stormed to a 14-0 lead on Joe Waclawski's 60-yard pass to Daryl Robinson
and Shane McNamara's 3-yard run, but Carroll dominated from there. Jake "The Snake"
Szulinski posted 123 yards and three TDs on 23 slithers and Dave Puliti returned one of
three interceptions (others by Pete Novak, frosh Ellis Rogers) for a score.
Semifinals
Back-to-Back Days at Truman
West Catholic 14, Carroll 12
   Down the stretch, Mike Evans blocked a short field goal and John Maddox made his
ninth interception of the season as the Burrs held on. Chris Diaferio rushed 28 times for
153 yards, though the TDs went to Evans and Wayne Donahue. Diaferio's conversion
run made the difference. Carroll's Greg Kobilka ran for one score and passed to Mark
Smith for another.
Wood 40, Conwell-Egan 20
   Passer Chris Hanson (11-for-14, 211, two TDs) and rusher Bryan McCartney (24-200,
three scores) paced an offense that rang up 502 yards. Hanson went 6-for-6 on a late,
second-quarter drive that produced a two-TD lead. For C-E, Steve Slaton made 13
tackles and ran 21 times for 195 yards and all three scores.
Final
At Villanova Stadium
Wood 29, West Catholic 0
    The Vikings cruised in the first game of a day-night doubleheader as Chris
Hanson became the first player in the history of CL title games to pass for
three TDs. He went 8-for-9 for 94 yards while the scoring tosses went to Jim
Harrigan, Chris Lorditch and Ryan Dolan and raised his season's total to 21.
His number of rushing TDs for the season? One. It came in this one (14 yards)
and capped the scoring. Bryan McCartney gained 132 yards on 25 carries.
West, 8-0 during league play, trailed only by a TD as the third quarter began
and drove straight down the field. Harrigan (solo) and Bill Gross (with Harrigan)
made no-gain tackles on third and fourth down at the 3 to keep the Burrs out
of the end zone. Lorditch and John McFadden had interceptions. Wood
became the first team to win back-to-back CL titles under different coaches
(Art Barrett, then Joe Powel) since West in 1944-45.

Standings

Coaches' All-Catholic

Champs' Thumbnail Sketch

Red
O'Hara
Coach
Danny Algeo
Record
5-1-0, 11-1-0
All-Stars
Jerry Feehery, L
Matt Lowry, L
Joe Glace, L
Dan Gough, L
Tom Green, TE
Sean Barksdale, Rec.
Steve Cook, RB
Pat Macaulay, RB
Frank D'Angelo, K
John Paul Conneen, DL
Mike Marotta, LB
Scott Taylor, LB
Brian Giacobetti, DB
Anthony Walters, DB
Blue
Wood
Coach
Joe Powel
Record
6-2-0, 8-4-0
All-Stars
Christian Szablowski, L
Chris Lorditch, Rec.
Chris Hanson, QB
Bryan McCartney, RB
Mike Gallagher, DL
Bryan Howard, DL 
Bill Gross, LB
John McFadden, DB

Inter-Ac League

Standings

Coaches' All-Inter-Ac

Champs' Thumbnail Sketch

Episcopal (tie)
Coach
Rick Knox
Record
3-1-0, 7-3-0
All-Stars
Greg Isdaner, L
Brian FitzPatrick, QB
Ben Kissner, DL
Zach Morse, DL
Joe Rosati, LB
Pete Wichmann, LB
Dylan Brown, DB
Gtn. Academy (tie)
Coach
Michael Turner
Record
3-1-0, 4-6-0
All-Stars
Tom Matteo, L
Alex Holcombe, RB
Phil Azarik, K
Joe Traynor, DL
Matt Brown, LB
Tyler Stampone, B
Penn Charter
Coach
Brian McCloskey
Record
3-1-0, 7-3-0
All-Stars
Ryan Nanni, Rec.
R.J. Hollinshead, Rec.
Paul Sweeney, RB
Colin Hitschler, DL
Joe Rauchut, LB