Philadelphia High School Football
History of Roman Catholic High in Philadelphia, PA

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 This page details much of the football history of Roman Catholic
High in Philadelphia, PA. The Cahillites played patchwork schedules
for 26 seasons (1893, 1895-1919), then joined the Philadelphia
Catholic League for the initial season in 1920. They have remained
there since; there was no formal CL competition in 1929.
  Roman is located on the northeast corner at Broad & Vine streets,
three blocks north of City Hall.
  If corrections are needed, please contact Ted Silary at tedtee307@yahoo.com
and provide verification of new information, if possible. Thanks!
  Some research is still being conducted/cross-checked.
  (Information prior to 1976 was provided mostly by Dr. Roger B. Saylor,
a famed Pennsylvania football historian. He passed away in 2013.) 

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SCHOOL RECORDS

Most Wins Season
          12 in 2007 (12-2)
Longest Undefeated Streak
          19, all 19 games in 1922 (7-0-4) and 1923 (8-0)
          note: chronological order for games in 1921 and 1924 currently unavailable
Most Losses Season
          11 in 1971 (0-11)
Longest Winless Streak
          31, last three games in 1969, all 20 games in 1970 and 1971, first eight games in 1972 (0-30-1; tie in '72)
Most Points Scored
          Season: 385 in 2007 (12-2 record)
          Game: 67 vs. Roxborough in 1999 (67-12)
Most Points Allowed
          Season: 363 in 2018 (1-10 record)
          Game: 60 vs. O'Hara in 1983 (60-0) and O'Hara in 1984 (60-14) 
Fewest Points Scored Season
          6 in 1933 (0-6-2)
Fewest Points Allowed Season
          27 in 1938 (6-2-2)
Most Shutouts Season
          7 in 1945
Most Times Shut Out Season
          7 in 1933 and 1970
Biggest Winning Margin
          55 vs. Roxborough in 1999 (67-12)
Biggest Losing Deficit
          60 vs. O'Hara in 1984 (60-0)
Longest Shutout Streak
          6, last five games in 1939, first game in 1940
Longest Streak Times Shut Out
          6, last two games in 1959, first four games in 1960
Longest Streak Without Being Shut Out
          48, last five games in 1997, all 35 games from 1998 through 2000, first eight games in 2001
Longest Streak Without a Shutout
          61, last games in 1969, all 58 games from 1970 through 1974, first eight games in 1975
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CATHOLIC LEAGUE TITLES

1922, Overall: 3-0-1, 7-0-4
1923, Overall: 4-0. 8-0
1926, Overall: 3-1, 6-2-1
1927, Overall: 5-1, 9-1
1928, Overall: 3-1, 8-1 (tied for title with SJ Prep; no playoff)
1947, Overall: 8-0, 10-0 . . . also won overall City Title
1999, Red: 6-1, 11-2
2007, Red: 5-2, 12-2

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HOW CATHOLIC LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIPS WERE WON

1922
Overall
At Baker Bowl
Roman 13, Villanova Prep 9
  In the dying moments of the game, Charlie McKinney caught a punt
on Roman's 5-yard line and zig-zagged 95 yards for the game-winning TD.
Villanova had taken a 9-6 lead earlier in the quarter on Vail's 35-yard
field goal. A 35-yard pass from McKinney to Francis "Dibby" Cassidy set
up the game's first score, Vince McNally's 4-yard run. Villanova countered
with Jimmy Quinn's 3-yard run. The Cahillites finished with a quite unusual
overall record of 7-0-4. Included was a 6-6 road tie against St. James, of
Haverhill, Mass.
1923
Overall
  The Cahillites posted a 4-0 record.
1926
Overall
  The Cahillites posted a 3-1 record.
1927
Overall
At Baker Bowl
Roman 26, La Salle 0
  Andy Boyle returned an interception 62 yards for the most
exciting TD as the Cahillites rolled. Frank Hickey and Clarence McNally
scored on running plays and Len Tanseer recovered a blocked punt for a
TD.
1928
Overall
   The Cahillites and SJ Prep tied for first at 3-1. No playoff.
1947
Overall
Decided in Regular Season
Roman (8-0-0)
  Larry Chiodetti ran for two scores and Frank Brill settled for
one as the Cahillites bested SJ Prep, 19-6, to land their first title
since 1928. A crowd of 22,000 witnessed the game at Shibe Park. Dick
Wiess had an excellent day punting, sending the ball to the 1, 4, 9 and
12. He also had a key interception. West went 7-1-0 for second.
1999
Red Division
At Northeast
Roman 21, La Salle 7
    Derek Clayton carried 17 times for 128 yards and TDs of 20 and
55 yards to give the Cahillites their first title since 1947. On the
bench was the framed No. 41 jersey of Bob Evans -- a star in '47 and
later the school's biggest supporter until his death in Dec. 1996. Joe
McCourt added 105 yards and the clinching TD on 25 carries while Tim
Schmidt made an interception and passed 5-for-12 for 84 yards. La Salle
was held to 27 plays, four first downs and 131 yards -- 55 on a TD run
by Chris Dougherty (15 tackles).
2007
Red Division
At Northeast
Roman 10, SJ Prep 9
  Though the teams' regular season meeting had produced a 36-7 defeat,
Roman received an early confidence boost when 320-pound Jewhan Edwards
rumbled straight up the middle to block a punt and Andrew Regan recovered
the ball for a TD. Roman's Chris Fioravanti 39 yards) and Prep's Tim
Edger (45 yards, two short of the city's postseason record) blasted field goals.
With 28.5 left, Jim McGoldrick uncorked a stirring, 77-yard punt return for
a TD, but Edger's PAT hit the left upright and Regan recovered the onsides
kick. Roman's Balial Lewis Sloan-El ran 29 times for 118 yards, raising his
season's total to 2,141. This was the fourth time in eight seasons that Prep,
unbeaten in division play, suffered a title-game upset.

HOW A CITY TITLE WAS WON

1947
Overall
At Franklin Field
Roman 40, Frankford 12
  Largely behind the blocking of tackle Bob Evans, Larry Chiodetti
scampered for 186 yards on 12 carries, scoring TDs of 58 and 26 yards.
He set up his second score with a 30-yard interception return. Frank
Brill added 127 yards and a 55-yard TD on 18 carries. The Cahillites
rushed for 399 yards and attempted only one pass, which went incomplete.
For Frankford, Ernie Liberati returned a kickoff 87 yards (but not for a
TD) and Dave Markloff turned 18 carries into 83 yards and a score.