Inter-Ac FB Thumbnails, 2011

Inter-Ac Football Preview/Thumbnails, 2011

Malvern, Haverford teams to beat

Sep 07, 2011

BY TED SILARY silaryt@phillynews.com

IT'S NOT TOO OFTEN an Inter-Ac League school sends two football players to Division I-A programs in 1 year, let alone has that number commit even before their senior seasons.

The guy over there not turning cartwheels is Kevin Pellegrini, and, please, don't hold it against him.

"It's nice to hear, but it really doesn't get you anywhere," he said. "We have a long way to go as a team. "

Pellegrini is the coach at Malvern Prep, and his spoken-for studs are linemen Connor Mahoney (Northwestern) and Mike Mooney (Virginia). The Friars also return a 1,000-yard rusher in Shawn Wilson (he played for North Catholic's final team in 2009) and a sniffed-1,000-yard passer in Tommy Rumer. Plus, linebacker Joe Nilan is well known for rattling teeth.

Alas, the season opener yielded a 21-20 loss to Ridley.

"We're 0-1 and it's still a building process," Pellegrini said. "We hope it's going to be a special season. We'll see. "

Not inclined to wither is Haverford School, which last year overcame an 0-6 nonleague record to seize its first outright title since 1971.

"When you finish 5-6, that means you left some things on the table," coach Michael Murphy said. "We're reminding the kids to keep the hunter mentality; not to see themselves as being hunted. "

Of the others, Penn Charter figures to push the hardest. Its conversation piece, junior man-child Mike McGlinchey (6-8, 290), is yet another cousin of Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan.

There is one new coach, Episcopal Academy's Todd Fairlie.

RETURNING ALL-LEAGUE PLAYERS

(Selected by coaches)

FIRST TEAM OFFENSE

Linemen: Connor Mahoney and Mike Mooney, MP; Lou Moeller, HS.

Receiver: Daryl Worley, PC.

Running back: Cedric Madden, CH.

Kicker-punter: Aron Morgan, HS.

FIRST TEAM DEFENSE

Linemen: Connor Mahoney, MP; Tyler Hightower, CH; Grant Jamgochian, HS.

Linebackers: Keith Corliss, GA; Joe Nilan, MP; Matt Galambos, HS.

SECOND TEAM OFFENSE

Linemen: Chuck Boddy, GA; Mike McGlinchey and Mark Opaliski, PC.

Running back: Shawn Wilson, MP.

SECOND TEAM DEFENSE

Linemen: Joe Flannery, EA; Tyler Mercer, PC.

Linebackers: Michael Hayes, CH; Colm Cummins, HS; Tom Monzo, PC.

THUMBNAIL SKETCHES

CHESTNUT HILL ACADEMY

Coach: Rick Knox, 7th year (also Episcopal, 2001-04); Education: Chestnut Hill, Penn. Career: 57-32, 43-17 at CHA (fifth year in I-A).

Last year: 3-2, 3rd; 4-6.

Great eight: Bobby Keyes, TE-DB, 6-foot, 200; Cedric Madden, RB-DB, 5-10, 185; Tyler Hightower, L-DL, 6-1, 295; Christian Salem, TE-DE, 6-3, 210; Michael Hayes, QB-LB, 6-1, 195; Jamie Young, WR-DB, 6-foot, 185; Chris Howard, L-DL, 6-foot, 260; Lewis Lake, FB, 5-9, 185.

Happy about: Running game, becoming more multidimensional.

Concerned about: Early injuries, game-day effort.

Knox' comment: "If we fix some things and learn from a very competitive nonleague schedule, we'll compete in the Inter-Ac. "

EPISCOPAL ACADEMY

Coach: Todd Fairlie, 1st year; Education: Marple-Newtown, Widener. Career: 0-0.

Last year: 0-5, 6th; 2-7.

Great eight: Adam Strouss, QB, 6-2, 190; Joe Flannery, TE-LB, 6-5, 215; Ian Strain, WR-DB, 5-11, 180; Shane Malenfant, L-LB, 6-foot, 195; Quinn Hager, WR-DB-K, 6-3, 190; Jack Florio, L-DL, 6-2, 270; Julian O'Neill, WR-DB, 6-foot, 170; Matt McLaughlin, TE-LB, 6-2, 200.

Happy about: Attitude/energy, depth at TE/DB.

Concerned about: Size/inexperience on lines.

Fairlie's comment: "We're young, with only six seniors, but I feel we can compete. The determining factor will be how healthy we stay. "

GERMANTOWN ACADEMY

Coach: Luke Harris, 6th year; Education: Germantown Academy, Dickinson. Career: 18-29.

Last year: 1-4, 5th; 3-6.

Great eight: Keith Corliss, RB-LB, 6-2, 205; Chuck Boddy, C-DL, 5-11, 285; Ryan Dolan, RB-DB-KR, 5-9, 180; Marcus Anthony, RB-DB, 5-10, 190; Aaron DePue, C-NG, 5-11, 195; Ryan O'Connell, G-DE, 5-11, 180; Cullen Doyle, L-DL, 6-4, 295; Robert Gorman, TE-LB, 5-10, 190.

Happy about: Productive camp, veteran leadership.

Concerned about: Inexperienced perimeter players.

Harris' comment: "We'll work our butts off to be in games into the fourth quarter. Then, hopefully, we'll win them. "

HAVERFORD SCHOOL

Coach: Michael Murphy, 7th year; Education: Quakertown, East Stroudsburg. Career: 28-36.

Last year: 5-0, 1st; 5-6.

Great eight: James Chakey, QB, 6-1, 185; Chris Dibello, C-LB, 5-11, 225; Lou Moeller, T-NG, 6-3, 280; Grant Jamgochian, T-DE, 6-4, 245; Ethan Brown, FB-LB, 6-foot, 205; Colm Cummins, FB-LB, 6-foot, 215; Matt Galambos, TE-LB, 6-2, 215; Zachary Rego, RB-DB, 5-8, 185.

Happy about: Leadership/focus, Chakey's skills/presence.

Concerned about: Having lost star RB-LB Rashaan Hollman to injury; lack of speed on perimeter.

Murphy's comment: "We're trying to find this team's identity. "

MALVERN PREP

Coach: Kevin Pellegrini, 3rd year; Education: Malvern, Georgetown. Career: 14-8.

Last year: 4-1, 2nd; 7-4.

Great eight: Connor Mahoney, T-DE, 6-3, 270; Mike Mooney, T-DT, 6-5, 270; Joe Nilan, FB-LB, 6-foot, 220; John Bradford, T-DT; 6-2, 270; Shawn Wilson, RB-CB, 5-10, 190; Blake Gunther, CB, 5-10, 175; Sam Schmucker, LB, 5-10, 195; Tommy Rumer, QB, 6-2, 215.

Happy about: Experience, size.

Concerned about: Playing consistently at a high level, working through adversity.

Pellegrini's comment: "We will be as good as we practice day in and day out. Can't just expect to beat people by showing up. "

PENN CHARTER

Coach: Jeff Humble , 4th year; Education: Coughlin (Wilkes-Barre, Pa.), Cortland State (N.Y.). Career: 13-17.

Last year: 2-3, 4th; 4-6.

Great eight: Tom Mongo, TE-LB, 6-1, 200; Tyler Mercer, G-DT, 6-2, 280; Mike McGlinchey, T-DE, 6-8, 290; Daryl Worley, WR-S, 6-2, 185; Mark Opaliski, G-DT, 5-10, 255; Eric Neefe, RB-LB, 5-10, 220; John Moderski, Rec.-DB, 5-10, 185; Eddie Malandro, C-DE, 5-10, 185.

Happy about: Unity/leadership, purposeful practices.

Concerned about: Rugged nonleague schedule, having lost star FB-LB Jackson Tamasitis to injury.

Humble's comment: "We're taking steps forward every day. Not missing a beat. I'm taking the optimistic slant, that we'll be competitive."