CYO All-Star FB Game, 2003
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Link to 2002 game.

   The 9th annual Delmont Conference CYO 8th grade football All-Star Game
was held Saturday April 26th at Upper Darby High School. The game
involved players from Delaware, Montgomery and Chester Counties as well
as a few from Philadelphia.
  The Blue team, which was comprised mainly of parishes that attend
Bonner and St. Joe's Prep, defeated the Gold team, which is made up of teams
that traditionally attend O'Hara and Bishop Shanahan, 25-19.
  The Gold team struck first when quarterback Matt Izzi (O'Hara)
followed a block by tight end Steve Schell (Prep) and ran it in 7 yards
out to put his team on the board. The kick was no good and it was 6-0
Gold.
  The defenses took over for the balance of the first quarter and
middle line backers Paul Ostick (Malvern) of the Gold and Neil
Doogan (Prep) of the Blue spearheaded their teams efforts.
  Both teams featured strong backfields and for most of the first half
they were content to try and move the ball on the ground. The Blue squad
featured halfback Michael Dougherty (Bonner), who led his CYO team St. Bernadette
of Drexel Hill to four straight Parade of Champions. The Gold countered
with halfbacks John Dempsey and Kevin Truitt (Malvern). Dempsey found
success running both inside and out and also caught the ball several
times out of the backfield.
  In the second quarter Blue Quarterback Craig Love (Bonner) found his
CYO teammate from St. Cyril's, T. J Long (Bonner) for an 8-yard touchdown
strike and then a moment later passed to Dougherty for the extra point
and a 7-6 Blue lead.
  Late in the second Quarter the Blue was stuck deep in its own
territory and went to option quarterback Gregg Epps, who used one move to
get around the left end and then simply outran the Gold defense on his
way to a 94 yard touchdown. Teammate Brent Christie (O'Hara??) hustled downfield
from his halfback spot to throw a key block on the run. Joe Buckley
kicked the two point conversion and it was now 15-6 Blue.
  On the ensuing kickoff return man John Dempsey almost broke through
but was stopped on a fine open field tackle by Mark Holloway. The teams
went to half with the Blue ahead 15-6.
  In the third quarter Blue halfback Dougherty carried the ball several
times showing his versatility in running around end but also being able
to get tough first downs between the tackles. Christie was rewarded for
his fine downfield block earlier when he took the ball at the 5 yard
line and found the endzone for another Blue touchdown. Buckley was once
again perfect on the extra point kick and it was 23-6 favor Blue.
   The Gold did not quit and in the fourth quarter Dempsey went back to
work and scored on a 75 yard touchdown run up the middle following the
block of center Tom Mulligan (Prep)which cut the lead to 23-12.
The Gold stiffened on defense led by Joe Goldschmidt and Matt
Bernier (O'Hara) and was able to get the ball back.
  Blue Linebacker Joe D'Orazio made several big plays in the backfield
taking valuable time off the clock.
  With under two minutes to go the Gold once again utilized the talent
of Dempsey splitting him out wide and having quarterback Rob
McLaughlin (O'Hara) use his cannon arm to throw him a 58 yard scoring
strike to cut the gap to 25-19.
  The Blue team fielded the onsides kick and needed one more big first
down running behind guard Andrew Fitzgerald(Bonner) and tackle Dan
Connors (LaSalle) enabling them to run out the clock and take their
second straight in the annual game which this year was attended by over
1500 fans.
  Like last years stars John Shaw (Prep) and Wayne Donohue (West
Catholic) who saw time on the varsity this year, it won't be long before
Michael Dougherty and John Dempsey earn their first letters. Both are
rumored to be headed to either Catholic League Red (Big Schools) Division
Bonner or O'Hara with interest from several other schools.
  Several other players in the game who are also seeing interest from
several schools are lineman Jordan Faust, two way end Joe Goldschmidt
and linebackers Joe D'Orazio and Jack Bogan. St. Joe's Prep and Bonner
are once again getting many excellent players and figure to finish at
the top of the Red Division Freshman league. Malvern Prep also did well
this year and will continue to contend for the Inter-Ac Crown.