65 Seasons of PA HS Football

“Here’s a look back at 65 – seasons of Pennsylvania High School Football through the eyes of Kmac”

WHAT HAS IT ALL MEANT?

When I first went to a game in 1951, just past age 10, I had no comprehension at all that I would develop a hobby out of high school football. It was just a chance to follow the local alma mater team and its ups and downs. Being age 10 in a crowd of 16- and 17-year olds and being readily accepted was my first social interaction, and pleasing to say the least. Joining the high school band in my freshman year enhanced the closeness to football and brought additional peer-age friends, and got me to every game the team played; seeing new stadiums and new teams.

Only in my senior year (1958-1959) did I decide to log the results of all of the teams in the Lower Bucks County League in a 3-ring binder for the 1958 season.

I also logged the statistics of every Morrisville game for this season; something never repeated.

Working locally at a bank starting in June of 1959, I was close enough and had the time to also see and log the 1959 season, and once I had two seasons of stats I was not going to stop; I had found a hobby, beyond just going to see games. Much later I backfilled the 1951 to 1958 Morrisville games seen seasons from programs I had retained from Morrisville games; and at some point much later on (possibly 2002) backfilled each of the other teams in my area from team histories purchased from Don Black, who formerly had the ePAsports website.

Perhaps the most fascinating thing of the first 65 years (so far) is the social and unlikely events that I have lived through this hobby.

First, my cousin, 6 or 7 years older than me suggesting I go with his “crowd’ to the first game. He was the oldest of 5 cousins in this family, and the youngest of the 5 as he aged looked very much facially like the late Bruce Stansbury, who coached at Morrisville in 1982-1988 and later Council Rock North and South. Without ever seeing the two side-by-side; to me the resemblance was uncanny.

One of the early older crowd members I met was a real home-team “fan” and supported the three major male sports, baseball, basketball, and football at Morrisville and drove to away games for all of them when possible. Through meeting him and being invited to join the crowd, I got to see away games in all three sports before I got my own car after graduation. And this included college games (Penn-Princeton football), the Harlem Globetrotters, semi-pro basketball in the Trenton area, and other events. During my army service years (1964-68), he got out of following most sports, and I only saw him once ever again in the bank.

But while still active for football at Neshaminy in 1961 or 1962, we met our Bensalem buddy. Bud 1, as I have termed him through the narrative, was older than all of us, but knowledgeable in sports, usually had a joke or two to spin when we met him, and was good company; even got me to a Neshaminy Booster Club meeting and coach-narrated game film of a Neshaminy-Allentown game at the meeting, about 1962 or 1963. I lost touch with him during my service time and first marriage (1964-1975). I did recognize him at a distance at some of the few games I saw in the time period just mentioned, but did not make an effort to chase him down and re-establish contact. In 1985 I ran into him at a Morrisville game and did reestablish a friendship that endured until his death at 89 in 2008 before that season started. Without a count I can say I saw more games with my Bensalem buddy than any other single individual. Most times were chance meetings, but for a period of two or three years after I re-met him, we did coordinate by phone for many games; after that it was more common knowledge of where either of us would be that determined some game choices. He was the source of three or four or more Suburban One League passes that enabled me to see a lot of free high school games.

The second posse member I met because I had a drum corps baseball cap on at a game when the member’s father recognized it and started a conversation.

It was the second drum corps that I had belonged to, and another twist, I had played with the first corps on that very War Memorial Field in 1962 and 1963 long before I saw a football game there. Likewise, I saw two junior drum corps (DCI) shows as a fan at Crawford Stadium in the mid -1970’s before I saw a football game there in 1984. Once I met this man’s son (Bud 2), there was a four person posse for games – me, Bud 1, Bud 2 and Bud 2’s dad for basically 1987-1991. It was likely 1988 or so when I introduced Bud 1 and Bud 2 and his dad; if not shortly thereafter.

What was the chance of a high school football nut like me having a brother-in-law that was originally from the Berwick area? In 1991 he suggested we take in some Berwick games as he knew the area intimately. When he married my wife’s youngest sister, he was living and working out of the Rocky Hill, NJ area and had matriculated at a central Jersey high school. I never really knew about his early childhood in the Berwick area until he mentioned going to see the Dawgs. From 1991-on he became Bud 3 and before long met Bud 1 and Bud 2 and his dad; and our group had grown to five for a couple of years until the all-too-soon passing of Bud 2’s dad in early 1993.

All the time 1985-1993 I became aware of how important this company at games had become. I still soloed to certain games if I wanted to see them, and I still saw more games than any of the other buddies; it was just me. But the most fun was when we all congregated at the same game; what laughter, game discussion, and how quickly time flew during those moments.

My second and present wife went to many games with me, but although she met and knew all my buddies and their wives; usually went with just me, when I had no one else to go with.

But more importantly, three different times in our now 37-year relationship; it was she that got me back on track for high school football when I was having some difficulty with it for some reason. I was truly blessed the second time around with a woman that fully understood me, and saw no threat to me enjoying a hobby outside of the practical routine of life.

Through her, the fourth Buddy relationship began when a classmate of mine all through high school came into the bank when she was working on a Friday afternoon in 1997 and posed the question as to whether I would be interested in a long trip the next day to Wilkes-Barre to see a CB West-Wyoming Valley West playoff game. He wanted to go and had no company for the trip. I knew him since first grade, but he was an athlete – baseball, basketball, and football up to his senior year, and I was not. We spoke cordially many times that I saw him at games beginning when I got back to it in 1968, but he had family, and other ex-Morrisville and Pennsbury athletes that he mostly attended games with. So this, in 1997 was new, and somewhat fleeting; it was 2001 to 2004 that it was mostly he and I and occasionally others attending games.

All Buds brought more to the table than just company; Bud 1 knew all the administration and officials at Neshaminy and Bensalem where he concentrated his interest. That’s why he often got two league passes a year, one from each school, and I was a big beneficiary of that situation.

Of the people he knew, I eventually became known with Bob Schopp, Sheldon Par, John Chaump, and Tom Adams Sr. and Jr., administration, coaches, and fans at Bensalem and Neshaminy. Of course, when I knew Bob Hart was at Bensalem; I already knew him from Morrisville High School. Surprisingly, he also knew me from school.

Bud 2 knew well enough to speak to, all of the old BuxMont coaches, including Mike Pettine Sr., and radio personality Jim Church, along with literally hundreds of other people; he was recognized by someone at almost every game we went to. In fact, he went with us (me and Bud 4) to Wilkes Barre in 1997 to see the game mentioned above. Over 100 miles away at a place where none of us had ever been before we hear a voice call out, “Hey _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _”; (Bud 2’s name of course). It was someone who knew him from Lambertville and also followed high school football. It wasn’t the only time it happened. Bud 2 was the most outgoing one of us all, always ready to strike up a conversation in a ticket line, in the stands; anywhere, anytime.

Bud 3, my brother-in-law, was quieter as was I, but if drawn into a conversation was all there, and with a soft-spoken, warm way toward others and their feelings. Key with bro was his knowledge of Berwick and the surrounding area. He knew it like the back of his hand and this was including the trip to West Pittston. And he knew right where Villanova Stadium was, which was one-up on me at the time. He also had no problem with long runs such as Berwick or Hershey, either. The fact that he was originally from Nescopeck, near Berwick, set us up nicely with the Berwick fans when we attended games there as outsiders.

Bud 4 knew all of the athletes of his era and somewhat beyond it, as he was always associated closely with Morrisville doings and also in various sports organizations in the county.

He also knew John Chaump personally as he had coached at Morrisville at one period. The same was true with Mike Ortman and Bruce Stansbury. He was friends of many ex-athletes from numerous schools.

I, as a non-athlete, brought only a deep love of high school football to the table. But, it was due to my pre-season visits to football practices that I began in 1993 on my own, that all of us expanded our knowledge with additional coaches around the league. In 1994 I got Bud 2 to join me, and eventually Bud 4 also joined, and we had some great talks with coaches at these pre-season practices. There was always rest sessions here and there, and depending on the coach and his specialty always time for a few words; we were soon recognized year-to-year, and became warmly greeted at most locations. It was a wonderful ride for a high school football fan.

Now completing 65 seasons, I have seen 913 games, an average of 14 games a season. Only one season missed entirely, no games – 1967. The number seen per year varies at every number between 1 and a top 32, except 19 and 31. No seasons produced total games seen of 19 or 31.

Total different teams seen sit at 157, and are from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, DC, Maryland, and Massachusetts. The top five teams in number of times seen are Pennsbury – 202; Neshaminy – 157; Morrisville – 139; Council Rock (& CR North) – 135; and Central Bucks West – 131. They are the only five teams over 100 views each.

Twenty teams I have seen no longer exist at all, or under the name that I once saw them.

I have seen many great games, many good teams; (it does not take a team winning a state championship for me to tag them “good”). My parameter for a good season is 7-3 a .700 winning percentage. Any win-loss record that exceeds or equals .700 is a “good” team. I make specific exceptions for 8-4 (.677) depending on an analysis of schedule and who they lost to; and all other win-losses speak for themselves. I have seen many fine high school football players without saying. Far too many in 65 years to make a list here. I also missed many of the great categories in lean years that I could not make games; and this I truly rue. I would be to a thousand games easily without about 14-15 lean years for high school viewing.

But it is the various incidents or occurrences that have happened that are keen in my mind as special to me that has made my hobby interesting.

I have given some examples, but here’s one special moment: In 1951 in the first and second games I saw at Morrisville, the Bulldog QB was Charles Galambos. As he was 16 or 17 and I was 10 I didn’t know him, but his sister Barbara was in my class grades 1-12. I met him as kicking coach at Pennsbury about 2008. Just last year (2015 season) before the Neshaminy at Pennsbury game Charlie and another man joined the two Falcon gatemen and me in pre-game conversation. Charlie, it was explained, was suffering some age ills and was in a care facility of some sort. When I told him that I had seen two of his games in 1951, especially the win 6-0 over Neshaminy, he lit up like a bulb.

We went on to name players from that team and he was seemingly very happy with the conversation. He mentioned John Krysa who loosened the ball that was flopped on in the Redskin end zone for the only score of the game. Sixty-four years later I talk with a man that played in the first game I ever saw! (I had spoken with him on several occasions when he was kicker specialist at Falcon Field in the mid 2000’s, but I am sure he wouldn’t have remembered that).

And John Krysa who he mentioned I had met at a Pennsbury home game and sat with him and others out at Neshaminy one game also. I do not see the notation, but the original meeting was likely the late 1980’s. His son played at Pennsbury.

At an early 2014 game I saw Tom Adams Jr. at a game and moved to sit with him. He was with another man and I was introduced to Pancho Micir, a man that was QB at Bishop Egan and took the Eagles to the PCL and City titles in 1966. Only this year (2015) in conversation with my sister, I learned that she once took tennis lessons from Pancho Micir.

Tom Adams’ father, T A Senior, besides being a Bensalem hall-of -fame athlete, was a pretty good country dancer before he passed, and I also learned that he and my sister danced together many times at various country dances. Go figure; it is a small world!

Jeff Johnson was a really good high school football player at Morrisville according to Bud 4, who knew him well. I just do not know the era, it was likely when I was not close to the Dogs in given years. But I got to know him to speak to at various Council Rock and other games. He was in the Council Rock Junior High coaching system. I saw him again to speak to at the Rock North-Pennsbury game this (2015) season. In 2005 Bud 4 and I journeyed to East Stroudsburg for a college playoff game against C W Post. In the Campus store pre-game, we run into Jeff Johnson and his daughter, who was attending East Stroudsburg.

Jeff also went there and I believe holds some sort of defensive record at the school. We all sit together at the game; afterward Bud 4 and I depart. Hour or two later, we run into Jeff at Hot Dog Johnnies, a well-know hot dog eatery on the Delaware River in northwest Jersey. None of this was planned, and a just happy coincidence among very nice people. (Not including myself, only others can make that decision).

This season (2015), I was totally surprised to be honored at halftime of the O’Hara-Wood Sunday October 18th game at Tennent as an army veteran. Eight of us, or so, were walked to midfield between the Wood cheerleaders who were in two rows with small American flags. Then a prayer was made over the PA system and a young lady sang two choruses of God Bless America. We were presented with camo shirts with appropriate wording, and a thank you to all servicemen was read. It was truly touching and I will always consider it a high honor among the events of my long time hobby.

Various coaches greeting any of the group of us with, “You guys are everywhere” was another thing we eventually prided ourselves on. I have mentioned numerous times in my narrative when this occurred. Mike Pettine Sr. doing it in Hershey at a game was probably the apex.

Meeting the coaches in one way or another beginning in 1994 was a special part of my hobby never dreamed of at the outset. I knew Coach Gordon Davies and Dick Lee of Morrisville in high school obviously, had them as teachers and Mr. Davies also drivers education. Although I was not an athlete I got along well with Mr. Davies who called me “Mac”. Mr. Lee was a favorite of our entire class of 1959. His son Rick Lee played at Morrisville, coached at Neshaminy and Bensalem, and I have sat with him at games, most prominently from 2013 through 2015. Spoke with him many, many times before that.

In my solitary viewing era 1968-1983, I made no effort to meet coaches, never thought about it. It was my wife getting a Morrisville schedule early pre season in 1993 that led me to try to get schedules at other schools by myself which I did. Then in 1994 we began touring pre-season camps as a regular part of the coming season. For whatever reason we developed an early, warm relationship with the CB East coaching staff, at one time Larry Green, Bill Heller, Tony Schino, Craig Phillips, and Chris Rittenhouse.

Another twist, Craig Phillips was the son of the head teller that was friends with my wife that got me back to the hobby, the first time for her in 1984.

He played for a good 1984 Morrisville team that my wife wanted to see. He didn’t know me upon our first meeting around 1996 until I told him my wife and his mom’s connection. He did know Bud 4 from Morrisville connections once Bud 4 started to do the pre-season tours. From our first visit to CB East, the staff truly seemed glad to see such interest by fans and welcomed us each and every season we did the tours. And Bill Heller, who ran a fishing business on the Delaware River offered to buy my house if I ever wanted to sell, and became the closest of associates; I still see him every summer as he still uses the area around me. He stopped to chat summer of 2015 and I chatted with him at the CB South-Pennsbury game this season. There is irony here too; Bill was on the 1960 Bensalem team and instrumental in laying one of only two defeats on the Bulldogs that season 19-13. He is really hobbled with bad knees now, and I do not envision much future football involvement for Bill. He got me my only sideline pass viewing of a game, CB East-North Penn in 2002.

Our second closest coaches’ relationship was Council Rock and later when it became CR North. This developed after Bud 4 joined our pre-season jaunts as he was a close personal friend of the Ortman’s from their years at Morrisville. Bud 4 had two sons matriculate at Morrisville and at least one played football, so he was both skin- and residence- connected at Bulldog land. But Mike and the late Buddy Ortman and Bruce English were wonderful to talk with and always warmly greeted us. I was offered a sideline pass twice for Rock games, but had to decline for various reasons both times.

I did my only scouting ever with the Ortman’s at a Bensalem at Tennent game when Buddy asked me to outline all of the starters and senior replacements in the program. Huzzah!

We met Biz Keeney when he took on the Bensalem job and spoke with him there, when he was scouting at other games, and again at Tennent when he moved there. This relationship was more of an, “I know you guys” when we saw Biz then some of the others. But we always had nice conversations.

Mike Pettine got to know me and Bud 2 from an actual invasion of his office at the school by us one time. Either after school or a non-school day, there was activity at the school and we were there for some reason; I think for a big pre-game ticket sale, and Bud 2 saw Mike alone in his office and said let’s give it a try. We said we were long-time high school football fans and just wanted to meet him and not bother him or stay if it was inconvenient. Mike was totally amenable to shooting the breeze and we must have spent a half hour or 45 minutes with him. Deep-voiced, he was a towering presence that talked with us as if we were old friends. He knew us by our first names from then on whenever we saw him. We only once visited a CB West pre-season practice however. But we saw Mike on numerous occasions thereafter and were recognized. I was the first person to greet Mike Pettine as he stepped from the bus in 1991 after returning from Altoona and the Bucks’ first state championship. Among a crowd of perhaps 500, I just happened to have the right spot for the bus that stopped with the door directly in front of me. I also had worked at the bank with Tony Rohach that was then a Bucks’ assistant coach, and also greeted him. Bud 3 and I had learned when the busses were due and had made the jaunt to Doylestown. It was around 9:00 PM.

Mark Schmidt and John Chaump, later Roger Grove were our main connections at Neshaminy. None of our group was closer to Mark than me for some reason. Bud 4 knew John Chaump from Morrisville coaching days. But, it seems that I was mostly solo when I ran into Mark Schmidt except at pre-season visits. And visits at Neshaminy were usually from a distance as they practiced on a field quite distant from the parking and we usually just watched from the lot.

But I ran into Mark a lot while he scouted other games or sometimes just seemed to be there watching. And I mentioned in my narrative that he seemed to be alone at times before his own games a lot. I talked to him at Truman and Neshaminy in a quiet moment before games his team was playing. I talked to him at Council Rock and Pennsbury while he was there scouting. He knew of an illness of mine that eventually required surgery; and he asked me about how I was doing from a year to another year; I found that amazing. I spoke with him as line coach for LaSalle at Tennent where they faced Wood and won in 2014; and for the last time to date at the 2014 Thanksgiving Day game at Harry S. Truman.

For some reason we didn’t seem to get to Pennsbury for pre-season visits until about 1997 and although I have met and talked to Mike Elko, then coach; I do not think it was until later.

Justin Fee was a contact there until I finally met Galen Snyder to speak with, somewhat after I had met his parents.

At times Bill Heller and Tony Schino were there, and I knew them from CB East, of course. I spoke to Galen at the Pennsbury-Neshaminy game this past season (2015). As luck would have it, on senior night a long line of parents-player-cheerleaders-band people lined up behind the temporary stands I was on and there was no movement for a while and Galen, Luke, and Mr. Snyder (Galen’s dad) were right alongside me. It was a night for family; I only exchanged a few pleasantries and left them alone.

And as fate would have it, I got to speak with two of the greatest coaches (there are many more) in Pennsylvania history in Mike Pettine Senior and the late George Curry.

When I attend games now, I usually look for a familiar face, and most times ask them if I can join them. I have never had a “no”, and the easy conversation after sitting that has occurred is an indication that the recipient of my company’s response was not truly “just politely offered”. After a few years of seeing Falcon coach Galen Snyder’s mom and dad in the stands, they insisted that I call them by their first names. Since the demise of the posse, I have also taken a page out of Bud 2’s book, and offered conversation to stranger’s and for the very most part have benefited with some nice response also.

I have struggled emotionally with the loss of the posse and loss of the known coaches and pre-season visitations that are no longer really likely. As age infirmities catch up with me, I miss games now that I would never have missed some 10-, 20- years back. Such is life.

I do not expect my high school football enjoyment to end until I cannot any longer physically, or otherwise, get to games. Even then, hopefully there is some TV and video stream coverage to see, and worst-case scenario, radio to at least hear the game. I also hope to maintain my written and computer logs even if I cannot for some reason get to games.

If I have any goal to achieve, it is likely only to try to get to the century mark someday in games seen in person. I would likely be 80 or 81 if I continue to get near 20 games a year; but Bud 1 saw his last games at 89; so I have a shot, fate willing.

And so whoever might have read this saga; has my life story 1951- 2015 as it pertains to high school football. What it has meant is precious to me. Hours of enjoyment; at one time a deep rooted live-or-die emotional roller coaster for a particular team to win, camaraderie with fans and coaches for a long period, trips to games I never dreamed I would see; games in the most beautiful weather and time of year, and in brutal weather; and a hobby I can augment every fall.

I am far from a high school football expert, and my records are for a small segment of Pennsylvania high school football, but I hope I can enjoy local high school football through my final year whenever that may be, as Bud 1 did at 89 years of age.

“Here’s a look back at 65 – seasons of Pennsylvania High School Football through the eyes of Kmac”

My thoughts about my high school football hobby continued on October 30^th when I made the Tennent at Truman game my choice for the night. But Pennsbury, both Rocks, Neshaminy, and even Bensalem were all “away”, my usual haunts; and Truman really was a normal destination. And the away destinations were Quakertown, North Penn, Abington, CB South, and Norristown; two I have never been to (Norristown and the present Abington stadium) and three that I don’t venture to anymore. In any case I thought Tennent (4-5) and Truman (2-6) should be a good game as the Tigers were getting healthy to a degree (no QB Lopez-Shefcyk though), and Tennent had wins against three practically winless teams.

But the Panthers looked to be snake-bitten from the get-go. The Tigers Paulson broke a 47-yard gallop early, 2-pt pass try failed and it was 6-0 Tigers. Stalling on their first possession the Panthers punt attempt was blocked and returned 52-yards to the house by the Tigers Akinwande. This time the 2-pt pass PAT connected and it was 14-0 Tigers. The next Panther punt was made cleanly, the only problem was that the Tigers DeLeon returned it 55 yards for a TD. Another missed 2-point try left it at 20-0 Tigers. Still in the first on another Truman possession, Freeman took it in from the 13 yards and the run PAT was stopped short, 26-0 Tigers at the end of one quarter. Tennent could not move the ball much at all in the first half.

In the second quarter Freeman had another short 4-yard TD and a Hirsch PAT kick made it 33-0. Next Freeman who was the Tigers QB hit one of the formerly injured returned stars Justin Fant on a 53-yard pass TD. Hirsch again kicked the PAT and it was 40-0 with still 6 minutes and 57 seconds left in the half. Another Tennent disaster nearly occurred when the tigers picked off a Tennent pass right at the Tiger goal line, but the Truman picker lost the ball while trying to break loose and Tennent recovered at the Truman 2-yard line. Costello than ran it in and averted the first half mercy clock 40-6 at the half.

Due to the score, the urge to get home to see how other important games were going, and a 20-minute senior bandsmen halftime, I decided to book it. Another factor was the Truman asinine practice of yellow taping off the area in front of the grandstand so no one can even walk there. If the stands were free of tape you could clear across them but the band area is yellow-taped on both sides so you can’t cross there either. The front of the grandstand taping is done after the initial crowd is in so if you sit on the far end of the home stands where I do, you have to go all the way around the closed end of the stadium to hit the concessions, restrooms, or leave.

In the future I will either abandon Truman or just always sit on the visitors side.

At least for this season, I decided to take my “zoo crowd” phobia head-on and Friday night see Neshaminy at Pennsbury and Saturday the Rock-Rock battle for the first time ever. This was a departure from all of the things that bother me now and a return to, “let’s give it a try.”

The Neshaminy-Pennsbury game was important this season; it is always important to these two schools and fans. But getting into the playoffs was a destination for the Redskins; a loss and they would not likely make it. The Falcons could have at least one home game if they won it; but would make the playoffs win or lose.

I shunned the big visitors side stands because of the possibility of “aisle sitting” and took a spot on one of the little additional 5-high bleachers near the visitors-side entrance to Falcon Field. Two years ago this worked fine and the bleachers filled with standees as I was on the top. This year this bleacher did not fill and I had all the room I need yet had a good field view. The game evolved as many between two good teams, basic and sound, defense pretty much ruling, with not much spectacular happening. Neshaminy had a determined opened drive capped by a Mason Jones to Zach Tredway 13-yard TD strike. The PAT was blocked, 6-0 Skins.

I think the top prize for the Skins should have gone to the D for this one. They pretty much held the Falcons in check the entire game. In the second quarter the Skins put together a 12-play 77-yard drive. Will Dogba carried the rushing load (31 carries – 197 yards for game) and keyed the drive with a 31-yard dash to the Falcons 2 yard line. Then on a fourth down play, Mason Jones got the needed two yards and McDonald made the PAT to make it 13-0 Neshaminy.

This seemed to awaken the Falcon O and the ensuing 80-yard drive was highlighted by two long QB Alley bursts around the right side. It was capped by a Rupprecht 4-yard carry and Knop kicked the PAT, 13-7 Skins at the half. In the third quarter Neshaminy kicker Dylan McDonald hit a 33-yard field goal to increase the Skins lead to 16-7, while the defense continued to stifle the Falcon offense. Only with 3:32 left in the game did the Falcons Alley hit Luke Snyder for a 5-yard TD strike; with Knop PAT 16-14 final. As I was gone I do not know if an onsides kick was tried, but some sort of difficult kick to possibly handle must have been called for.

I braved an even bigger crowd for my first ever Rock versus Rock classic at Council Rock North Saturday night. I sat on the home side, a rarity at Rock, and pre-game with the “Mike” I had met this year after seeing him at games for years. But it got jammed and I moved just before the game, and that lasted just a half.

Just as the prior night this one had major implications for playoffs and Council Rock South would be eliminated with a loss and Council Rock North was also close to, if not eliminated, with a loss. The teams parried to a first quarter 0-0 stalemate. In the second quarter Brandon McIlwain got in from the two and Tyler Nowmos kicked the PAT, first lead CRN 7-0. Behind the rushing of Brendan Patterson the Golden Hawks answered with a drive capped by a QB Shaun Stackhouse 1-yard run, but the low PAT kick hit the goal post cross bar and was no good. As John Madden would say it went “doink” off the crossbar; 7-6 CRN at the half.

Council Rock South opened the second half scoring on a drive and Patterson 32-yard scamper and then he ran the 2-point PAT and it was the Golden Hawks first lead of the game 14-7. The rest of the third quarter was fittingly the Brandon McIlwain show as he carried the team with passes and runs and scored three times on runs of 3, 22, and 2 yards to make the score (with PATs) 14-14, then CRN 21-14, and 28-14. In the fourth quarter, McIlwain hit Tyler Nowmos for a 26-yard pass TD and Tyler kicked his fifth PAT of the night and it was 35-14 CRN Indians and that was the final score.

The crowd crush was huge, although certainly not unpleasant, and I got an idea. I watched the first half conclude from down by the main gate home side. Then I beat it to my car with thoughts that I could get home in time to see the second half that was video streamed and thus not miss any of the game. And I made it. I was home in time to get the computer up and witness the entire second half. Another first for me – half game attended – half game seen on video stream.

Even though all of the teams I would normally follow in the PIAA playoffs were away on 11/13-11/14; I did have a local option for a game – Cheltenham at Truman. Had I made my original first Saturday game at CB East on September 5^th, I would have opened and finished the regular season with Cheltenham away games, indeed a rarity; since I had only ever seen the Panthers once before, in 2003.

I expected a decent game as the Panthers were 4-6 coming in and the Tigers were 4-6 on the year also. And the two played to a 28-27 Cheltenham win the prior year. As it was a playoff night and games and results waiting to be discovered on computer at home, I knew I would stay only the first half most likely. Truman received the opening kickoff and on the second play from scrimmage, Lucas Gray bolted 50 yards to the house; the run PAT failed and it was 6-0 Tigers. That was it for the first quarter; as the Cheltenham offense could not seem to find a rhythm. In the second period a Tiger QB Freeman to Jackson screen pass resulted in a 49-yard romp to paydirt; the pass PAT failed and it was 12-0 Tigers. Later in the second Tiger kicker Tim Kenny-Schwartz hit a 22-yard FG to make it 15-0 Tigers. But Cheltenham got on the board when tall QB Branden Mack ran it in from 10 yards out, the kick PAT missed and it was 15-6 Tigers at the half, when I departed as planned.

The Panthers opened the second half scoring when Mack again ran one in from 16 yards out, and then also ran in a 2-point PAT to make the score 15-14 Tigers. The third quarter ended with the score remaining 15-14. In the fourth the Tigers answered with a Quinten Mulbah 6-yard TD run; Kenny-Schwartz kicked the PAT, 22-14 Tigers. The Panthers answered with an Abdul-Haqq 10-yard run and a Mack pass PAT to knot the game late at 22-all. Regulation time ended with the 22-22 tie. Cheltenham had scored last and won the OT coin toss and momentum seemed to be on the Panthers side. They chose to go on D first to see what they would need to do to win in response to how the Tigers made out on their possession. The tigers QB Freeman snuck it in from the 6 and Kenny-Schwartz hit the PAT and it was 29-22 Truman.

On the Panthers OT possession Browne ran it in from the 10 and the Panthers decided to go for two and the win. The Tigers flushed Mack out of the pocket and pressured him just enough to cause an overthrow to intended receiver Matthew Tuszl; final Truman 29-28 in OT. It was the Tigers third win in a row. In March 2016 it was announced that Mack will play at Temple.

On Saturday day-night 11/14/2015 I again eschewed live PIAA playoff games Quakertown at CB East 1:00 and Carroll at Wood (Tennent 7:00). Instead I opted to watch the video stream of Pennsbury at Downingtown West PIAA playoff game. This was an excellent choice, a good, very physical, back-and-forth, just enough scoring, exciting game. It was the Falcons ground and pound against the Whippets speed and finesse. They played dead even almost. They tied in regulation 28-28; the Falcons then scored in OT and on defense caused a first down loss, and three pass attempts, the last, a pick; to win the game 35-28. I made the right choice.

PIAA playoffs gave me an added opportunity for Friday night 11/20. Doylestown was the neutral site for the District One, Class AA Championship game between the Springfield Montco Spartans and New Hope-Solebury Lions.

This was ideal for me. Do-able distance and the big War Memorial Field should be no crowd problem for two 2A schools; and indeed it wasn’t. I sat high on the home side, about the 30 yard line and had nothing but space all around me. Two West Catholic coaches came up the near stairs and sat about six rows behind and to my right. Twenty-five minutes to kickoff there were 12 people in the away stands, but the game eventually had a good 2A crowd; nothing like the big schools followings.

Springfield Montco played a more difficult schedule for sure with its Suburban One American opponents such as Upper Dublin and Plymouth-Whitemarsh, and other 3A and 4A teams. They came in 4-6 including a playoff win over Bristol 26-12. New Hope-Solebury was having the best year of its (fairly new) existence coming in at 10-1; but this was against all A or AA class competition. A good game was expected. The 30-man Springfield squad elected to receive. On their first play from scrimmage, RB Ben Fisher took it off tackle, split two defensive backs and raced 78 yards to paydirt untouched. PAT kick good, 7-0 Spartans. Although both teams did move the ball, both D’s seemed to have the answer when needed. With 5:43 remaining in the first half, the Lion’s Jack McKenna broke one for 54 yards and with the PAT kick knotted it at 7.

Neither team had a band, and it was a very quiet, restrained halftime. Nothing much happened in the third quarter, and I left early in the fourth. After I left, very late in the game, the Lions mounted a drive capped by a Nick Garritano 1-yard plunge and good PAT to win the game 14-7.

I added my first District One 2A championship game to my resume.

I fully intended to see the Conwell-Egan-Truman turkey day game solo this year as I knew Bud 3 was not going this season.

I had also a now rare phone conversation with Bud 2 a few days before and he was wondering about the New Hope-Solebury, South Hunterdon Thanksgiving game move to the Wednesday night before to accommodate the Lions’ further playoff game on the following Saturday. He was considering that, or possibly an actual Turkey-day game, possibly meeting me at Truman. In the end one of my age infirmities ruled out a Thanksgiving game this year and I listened to it on WBCB computer radio.

Both the North Penn-Upper Dublin District One Championship and the following week Upper Dublin-Parkland Eastern Championship games were at Souderton, a stadium I have yet to visit, but certainly do-able if I wished to do so. The weather was certainly amenable, but I chose not to go to either game; when clearly I could have. I had set up the first game with my brother-in-law (Bud 3), and called and cancelled it the morning of the game. I knew Bud 2 would be there without contact, as this stadium is as close to him as North Penn’s Crawford Stadium; and he did see the Pennsbury-Coatesville game there the prior season.

But the thought of my leaving time for Bud 3’s, time then to Souderton to arrive an hour and a half pre-game, 3 hours at the game, and possible couple of more hours clearing the after-game crowd and trip home changed my mind. I just did not want to invest the time necessary to take in the game. For the second game there was no possibility of Bud 3 being available; and I had a family commitment as a result, so only under strained circumstances could I have made that one. But there is no doubt that the disappearance of the old “posse” of men that used to be willing and ready to travel to games, along with my aging and ailments, have curtailed my high school football viewing hobby.

Still, I made 20 games this season and that is the total I shoot for to classify a “good’ season, less is not as good and more is icing. My total stands at 913 games, and I have 18 additional TV/video stream/radio prior to the four state championship games which should give me 22 for the season. Most are TV/video stream, which means “seeing’ the games.

There are a few additional factors now playing into my hobby. I have several computer matrix programs that I use to update all 44 class 4A teams records in District One each week, and starting with week 5, I do my own playoff calculations for the 4A classification. This takes a great amount of time, especially the playoff calculations. And the fact that I have written 25 articles for easternPAfootball has added to my football interest while sitting at the computer keyboard. There are now seven high school football websites that I scan several times a day during the football season; of course EasternPAFootball the most prominent. It is possible now to enjoy my hobby without actually going to games.

But, I have no intention of not going to games as long as I am physically able and hope to hit the thousand-game mark someday.

Next time – Recap – What has it all been about?

“Here’s a look back at 65 – seasons of Pennsylvania High School Football through the eyes of Kmac”

I was very much looking forward to the 2015 season, and my Suburban One League thumbnail team write-ups for easternPAfootball that ran in January 2015 were an expression of that feeling.

It would be my 65^th season and the first game my 894^th. First goal for the year- get to the 900 games seen total; shouldn’t be a problem.

I soloed to the Wood-Pennsbury scrimmage and sat on the Pennsbury side for a change – not knowing anyone on either side normally. But by doing so I missed Bud 4 who opted to come on the visitor’s side, as far as I know, for the first time in several seasons. This year the teams played a four-quarter 12-minute refereed game, but with no play clock as a lot of time was used before plays, especially by the Falcons. Wood dominated the first half 28-0 on mid-season running form and Russo pinpoint passes. I switched to the Wood side at the half (but missed Bud 4; he might have departed) to talk with Mr. and Mrs. Snyder, as pre-game I had seen HC Galen Snyder and he said they would be there. Having known them for some time by first names now, at that scrimmage they confided in me that this was it for Galen, he would retire after the season. I had to live with this locked inside me the entire season until Galen made it public. I would not betray the trust.

My desire to see “new” teams led me to switch my planned Council Rock South at Pennsbury opener for Perkiomen Valley at Council Rock North instead. It worked to a tee, because of my love for offense in football the Falcons-Golden Hawks ended 13-6; this one saw 92 points put on the board. This one was a battle of the Quarterbacks – and 902 yards of offense; Perk Valley 329 passing and 217 rushing for 546 total, and CRN 225 passing, 131 rushing and 356 total.

Now senior and South Carolina-bound Rock QB McIlwain bolted for a 70-yard romp on the Rock’s first possession and then ran in the 2-pt PAT and it was quickly CRN 8-0. Then he hit Thompson with a 6-yard TD and again ran the 2-pointer, 16-0 CRN. But PV also had a fine QB and junior Steven Sturm ran in a 9-yarder and the PAT was kicked by Patla, and it was 16-7 Rock at the end of one. PV then scored first in the second quarter when Strum again ran 7 yards and Patla kicked the PAT 16-14 CRN. Sturm next hit Williams with a 65-yard strike; Patla kick to take the first PV lead 21-16. Rock now stormed back with another McIlwain 16-yard run, but a 2-pt pass PAT attempt failed and it was 22-21 CRN. Then Big Mac hit Nowmos for a 48-yard strike and McIlwain ran in his third 2-pt PAT, 30-21 CRN at the half. All 7 first half TDs were by arm or run of the two quarterbacks.

Obviously, PV made the best second-half adjustments and scored four consecutive times, 3 in the third and the first in the fourth. The scores were Sturm 3 yards to Jaworski; Arch 11-yard run; and Sell – two passes from Sturm, 2 and 5 yards. Patla 4 PATs.

This barrage led the score to be 42-30 PV at the end of three and my usual start out. I heard the fourth TD early in the fourth quarter as I walked to my car, 49-30 PV. After I left in the 4^th, McIlwain again hit Nowmos for 48 yards; the run PAT failed, 49-36. PV was not yet finished and a Williams 2-yard run; kick good, final 56-36 Perkiomen Valley. The Vikes finished 10-2, losing only to Spring Ford in conference and Pennsbury in the playoffs. I read in mid-December 2015 that PV Head Coach Scott Reed had stepped down.

I had all intentions of celebrating the opening of the new CB East home stadium on the first Saturday of the season. But the 11:00 AM kickoff time and an expected monster crowd for the opening just gave me second thoughts. I would get up there later.

The lure of another new team got me to Tennent that Saturday night for Allentown, NJ at Wood. Years and years ago, I used to follow in the papers the local, or Central NJ, teams at a glance, and at one time some of them were rated with PA local teams in the Trentonian newspaper polls. As far as I knew the Allentown Redbirds were a very rural farming-area team and not so good; but that was way back when. I would imagine farm land sell off and urban sprawl had caused growth in the system since way back then. Be that as it may, they were no match for Archbishop Wood.

It was another quarterback show of sorts. First, Wood’s Joe Davis took the opening kickoff 79 yards to the house. Dan Zanine kicked the first of many PATs; 7-0 Wood in a heartbeat. I learned that the Redbirds had played for their region championship the prior year and had returned the entire O line. Their blocking led to a 57-yard burst by Jordan Winston deep into Vikings territory. He then dove two yards for a score and the PAT knotted it at 7. Wood answered in one play from scrimmage after the kick off. Russo hit Mark Webb for 58-yards; 14-7 Wood. The Redbirds answered again by driving 80 yards in 15 plays culminating in a Winston 8-yard run; PAT – 14-14. In only three plays, ending with a Thompson 3-yard run and PAT the Vikes got up 21-14. It was all Wood from that point on: 28-14; 35-14; and 42-14 at the half. All three scores were Russo aerials – 28 yards to Webb; 51 yards to Jordan Johnson; and 59 yards to Thompson.

After the first score of the second half (Russo to Gillespie 18 yards), and 49-14 Wood, I left the building. Two more rushing Wood TDs – Nasir Peoples 34 and Jalen Reynolds 10, with one of two PATs made it 62-14 Wood after three. Second kicker Longenhagen’s first PAT was wide but he made the second. In the fourth, Allentown’s small, but quick RB Joe Mannio scored on a three-yard run to make the final 62-21. The Redbird’s were 5-4 before their last regular season game on 11/14/2015 which is the date I am writing this portion.

There is no question that one way or another I was a bit Brandon McIlwain enchanted this season and I believe for good reason. I had watched this fine young man and QB for the fourth season now as a starter. At first unconsciously I was scheduling the games for the opponents as well as the attraction. But I saw 7 of his 11 games this season, and I will be forever glad I did. Despite others opinions, I feel it’s not often you see a man of this caliber play in local football. I believe all of the well-deserved post season awards vindicated my position.

When the CB South Titans came to Council Rock for North 9/11 I got to speak with coach Tony Schino at the stadium bottom for a bit. He was still one of the few coaches I still knew to speak with. Today’s McIlwain show included him running for two TDs, threw a TD pass, on safety returned a pick 65 yards for a TD, ran in a 2-pt PAT and threw for two 2-pt PATs, a nice day’s work. He was responsible for 30 of the Rock’s 36 points. CRN won 36-29.

Rain near departure time kept me from Gratz at Wood Saturday night, 9/12 and seeing another new team in D12’s Simon Gratz. It was a 44-30 Wood victory.

My first Falcon Field visit of 2015 was 9/18 and was a double purpose CRN and McIlwain at Pennsbury. The Indians only scored 19 against the Falcons and Mac’s two runs accounted for 12 of that total.   The Falcons had rung up 35 points in the first half and the fast clock was in effect the whole second half. It was here that I noted that it would seem that the rest of the Indian team was not up to the caliber needed to guarantee a fine season for an outstanding athlete. The defense especially seemed wanting.

My wife joined me for Truman at Bensalem the next evening. She knew a former Bulldog that was now on Truman and was interested in getting out of the house and seeing him play and he did on special teams at times. The Owls were riding a 20-game losing streak back to 2013. But the critical hand of fate stepped in the late first quarter when the talented Tiger QB Mark Lopez-Shefcyk went down hard on a short run towards the Bensalem goal line right in front of where we sat in the visitors stands. It was serious; so much potential, he was done for the season. And it was not the only key injury to a possible fine Tiger team, three stars of the team would be out for extended periods; they were not deep enough to reach their potential. They won this game 21-7, and the Owls currently sit on a 28-game losing streak back to 2013; being 0-10 in 2015.

The historic visit of Pope Francis to Philadelphia moved many games around and one was Roman Catholic-Archbishop Ryan rescheduled for Bensalem on Thursday 9/24. It was actually Roman’s home game. I have no stats as I follow neither team, but I always try to see some PCL games each year if they fall in my now short viewing range. It was a good game. It was tied at 7 and tied at 14 and Ryan was deep in Roman territory about to score when I left after three quarters. They did score, the final 21-14 Ryan.

On Friday night 9/25 Souderton at Pennsbury was the choice for my historic 900^th game in person.

I sat with former Morrisville athletes Bud 4 and Denny Poland and talked for a brief time with a man I had seen for years primarily at Council Rock North games. His name was Mike.

It was another solid Falcon performance 37-0 over what I had thought would be a much better Souderton edition this season. But this just did not materialize and the Indians finished under .500 at 4-6.

After passing on two 11:00 AM starts at CB East, I made my first visit to their fine new edifice for their third home game, hosting Council Rock North and Brandon McIlwain. This was a good one. Council Rock scored 26 points and McIlwain had a hand in all of them.

Brandon ran for two TDs, threw for two TDs and threw for one two-point conversion. Down 26-7 in the third quarter the Patriots prime RB Alex Gibson bolted 53 yards for a TD; Kittleson kick PAT and it was 26-14. Still in the third quarter, but after I had departed, CBE ran a wide receiver option pass Owen Griffith to Wes Verbit for a 56-yard TD. The score narrowed to 26-21 after only three quarters. But no one scored again and two lost East fumbles likely cost them the game. The evenness of the game was seen in some stats – first downs 17 each team; yards passing CBE 192, CRN 189; and penalties CBE 8-82 and CRN 8-85.

On Monday night 9/28 I capped a rare 4-game weekend counted as Thursday and Friday nights, Saturday afternoon and Monday night. I returned once again to where it all started 65 seasons back, Morrisville hosting Lower Moreland. Not used to winning seasons anymore the Bulldogs were 2-1 coming in this year. I sat with Bud 4 who rarely missed a Morrisville game home or away, and later another classmate of ours joined us. I also got to talk with AD John Hubiak a couple of times during the evening. A look at the teams physically told me that the Bulldogs were going to have to gang tackle. But it was a good even close game won by the Lions of LM 10-7. It seems that whether Morrisville has size and/or speed they lack experience. This year fully 10 freshmen and 10 sophomores were on the roster. There were only 3 or 4 seniors on the squad. They looked and played well, only inexperience mistakes seemed to hurt them. Second-year Coach Derek Savage seems to be doing well with the program overall.

Missed a game Friday night 10/2 due to winds and rain. CB East at Council Rock South was on the docket, but passed. I watched a video stream of Downingtown East and Unionville instead. Cary Angeline was as advertised for the Cougars.

Saturday 10/3 was still gray, windy and misty, but ok for a 2:15 Tennent at Council Rock North kick off. I got a chance to talk with Mike Ortman pre-game who was an advisor on the Rock North staff. He also said it was a wrap after this season for him. We shall see. In this one McIlwain threw four TD passes and did not carry the ball once. A blocked kick defensive score and run, both by Leuz of CRN helped the rout. The final was 53-0 CRN with subs scoring late.

 

That night I made it to Neshaminy early and got a perfect parking spot, when one of the parking attendants came up to me and said, “Did you know you had a flat tire on the right rear of your car?” Not being particularly adept in mechanics, I opted to try to get it home rather than affix the doughnut in the parking lot. So I missed that game and it cost me a tire. I did get home, almost on the rim.

The Friday night rain moved the Falcons home game with Abington to Monday night and gave me that one. The Ghosts were suffering terribly this season, I can’t believe Woody with the big “A” was very happy. Another rout ensued and the teams got “chippy” as sometimes happens in lopsided games. Both teams were flagged 13 times and for Abington 100 yards and Falcons 125 yards and a possible ejection (it was not announced, but I saw an official give the thumbs “out’ sign). The final was 52-21 Pennsbury.

Rain, thunderstorms right at departure time caused me to pass on CB West at Council Rock South Friday evening October 9^th. So I watched the Pennsbury at Bensalem video stream. For the second straight game the Falcons scored exactly 52 points, this time 52-12.

I returned to CB East’s new stadium for Saturday 10/10 not realizing it was the dedication of the stadium game. That meant political speeches, oh boy. But some well- deserved thank you’s were included and that was fine. Tennent had ideas of ruining the day for the Patriots. Their Dakota Wherrity hit a 25-yard FG, 3-0 Panthers which held up for most of the first half. CB East was without starting QB Lamb and it showed; they could not get a sustained O going in the half. In the closing seconds of the half, a drive by East finally reached paydirt on an Alex Gibson 2-yard plunge and PAT and the half ended 7-3.

Although it was a perfect fall day for football, bright sun, cold breeze, pleasant atmosphere, it was also another homecoming (and I sit though about every school’s each year), I did not want to do it again and I left at the half. CB East came out and iced the game in the third quarter with three scores and the final was 28-3 Patriots.

My 74^th birthday night 10/16 was a planned solo trip to Bensalem for a chance to see North Penn in person. Of all things, an accident on the PA Turnpike with the road closed had traffic backed up every which way in the Bensalem area. Under normal conditions the run for me to Owls stadium can be a nightmare; now it was decidedly worse. Channel 6 was saying that massive traffic jams were occurring in the Bensalem area. That was out.

Just as I considered an alternate of Council Rock South at William Tennent, the same news also said that there was an accident at Jacksonville and Bristol Roads stopping traffic and that was a key intersection on my route to Tennent. It was as if this night was jinxed.

My option was to see the video stream of Pennsbury at Pennridge and as it turned out this was a honey.

My brother-in-law (Bud 3) has a good philosophy in “everything happens for a reason” and maybe this was it. On my birthday I get to sit in comfort and enjoy a very entertaining game!  It ended 38-32 Pennsbury.

The next day was an easy run to Council Rock for the invasion of Harry S. Truman. It was a cold, windy bundle-up day. Rick Lee soon came and sat with me. We had the greatest time talking about old Morrisville anecdotes and stories from the late 1950’s and on.

Rick’s father was the late Dick Lee, a favorite of our class of 1959, and at times football, basketball, and baseball coach at Morrisville. He also umpired for baseball. He had a wonderful outward disposition and offered humor in many ways. Rick and I traded old stories of his dad. I laughed more than I had for a long time.

Not that the game was a dud, it wasn’t. Unknown to me at the time was that Brandon McIlwain had suffered a broken thumb the previous game and couldn’t throw. So he was converted to a running back for this game with direct snaps to someone else. So Mac promptly ran for 170 yards and four TDs. He also made one high, long, punt that went sideways at the Truman one.

But it was a close good game 20-15 after three quarters with Rock leading. After the beautiful punt rolled out on the 1 yard line, the ensuing Truman punt gave the Rock good field position and as I walked to my car I heard the PA announce the McIlwain 9-yard TD run and Nowmos PAT to make it 27-15 Rock. After I left a blocked Tiger punt at their one yard line gave McIlwain a one-yard field to cover and he did, final 34-15 CRN.

A Sunday game opportunity was for 10/18 with Cardinal O’Hara at Wood, of course at Tennent. As expected the crowd was thin as expected for Sunday high school football, but still a nice group on both sides. Little did I know then that I was to be part of the halftime entertainment. About ten minutes before the opening kickoff the PA announcer said would all veterans line up in the end zone away from the scoreboard end about five minutes before the half ended to be honored. I decided to wait and see if there were any others, as I was a Vietnam Vet, but was not going solo for this.   About 7 or 8 of us gathered and so we were honored with the Wood cheerleaders forming two lines out from the goal posts for us to walk out to center of the field. They all had American flags. In a very nice ceremony a young lady with a fine voice sang two choruses of God Bless America, there was a prayer for American servicemen, and a thank you message and we were each given a camo shirt with appropriate wording.

It was a fine experience and a well-thought exercise by the Wood officials; and I very much was thrilled by it. Included were a Korean vet old timer, a Desert Storm vet, Vietnam, and career retired men, army, navy and air force in our little group.

Wood won the game 50-7 in their usual workmanlike fashion.

They returned the opening kickoff for an 82-yard score; then returned a punt 59 yards to the house, and it was 14-0 before the Vikings O got on the field. When they did Russo connected for a 18-yard pass/run score. And so it went 35-0 at the half and a fast clock the second half.

I had a tough choice to make for Friday night October 23^rd. North Penn was at Pennsbury, or Quakertown was at Council Rock South. The deciding factor was that I had seen the Falcons numerous times and the Knights at least on TV; while I had seen neither the Panthers nor Golden Hawks this season. It was CRS. The two teams traded two scores each in the first quarter and it was 14-14 after one. Then the Panthers D began to slow down the Golden Hawks offense. The second quarter saw only a Burns TD and Soriano PAT to give the Panthers the 21-14 halftime lead. As I left after three the Panthers were again close to a score.

I was too far towards my car to hear the PA announcer, but the away crowd roar told me Burns had made the yard needed to go up 28-14 with the PAT. Another Burns late fourth quarter score made the final 35-14 Quakertown.

A Saturday double header was a possibility on Saturday 10/24. At 1:00 Bonner-Prendie was at Wood. The Friars were only 3-4 and I had seen Wood twice already, so I no-no’d this one. Then I opted out of the West Catholic at Conwell-Egan nightcap simply because “I did not want to sit that lonely pre-game hour this night”. What was happening to me? I questioned myself on how important high school football was to me anymore?

“Here’s a look back at 65 – seasons of Pennsylvania High School Football through the eyes of Kmac”

The Titans of Central Bucks South with Notre Dame-bound Josh Adams were coming to Falcon Field for Friday night 10/24/2014. Both clubs were 7-1 at the time. Bill Heller and Tony Schino, coaches I knew from past CB East days were with the Titans and Bill came over to the track and stadium bottom to talk with me pre-game. I had not seen him for a while, except a stop once or twice at my house in the summer as he came through. I got seated and soon Bud 4 and then Rick Lee sat with me.

The Titans wasted no time revealing the prowess of Josh Adams as he took a short swing pass from Witchey and bolted 61 yards to the end zone; Fischer PAT kick and it was 7-0 CBS with 45 seconds expired in the game. But the Titans D was no match. The Falcons drove and Snorweah plunged 2 yards; Josh Leon kicked the tying PAT 7-all. The Falcons D immediately keyed on Adams and his next few runs netted only 3 yards. Late in the first quarter an ankle injury ended Adams’ night. This seemed to take all of the air out of the Titan balloon. Snorweah next again plunged two yards, and a rare missed Leon kick made it 13-7 after the first quarter. The Falcons added two more in the second quarter – Alley capped a drive with a 1-yard run 20-7 Falcons; and then Alley hit Snorweah on a beautiful 69-yard pass/run to make it 27-7 Pennsbury at the half. Without Adams the Titan’s running game had vanished.

Holding the one-dimensional Titans in the third the Falcons again scored twice – Alley one-yard plunge; Leon kick 34-7; and Rupprecht 4-yard run; Leon kick 41-7 Falcons after three. I saw some of the fourth quarter before leaving; subs were playing. Falcon subs in the 4^th got a Strong 4-yard plunge, Leon PAT 48-7; and then Pitt had a 95-yard bolt; Hartman PAT final 55-7 Falcons. Graphic evidence of the power of a superstar. If Adams had stayed in the game, likely they would have held the ball longer and made the score more respectable. But I have no doubt about the outcome as the Titans D could not stop the Falcons.

Saturday afternoon following it was Quakertown (8-0) at Council Rock North (6-2). I met CB South coach Tony Schino in the stands and sat with him until my early departure. This game was a one quarter – three quarters split with Rock North only winning the first period. Brandon McIlwain had a 5-yard run (pass PAT failed) for 6-0 and then a Chris Welde 80-yard pass connection from McIlwain (run PAT failed) to open a 12-0 lead. But even in the first, the Panthers answered with a Rob Burns 55-yard TD and Soriano PAT kick to make it 12-7. But McIlwain was able to get in position for a 1-yard plunge; McMullen PAT kick 19-7 first quarter victory for Rock North. To make it seem even worse, Big Mac had another 1-yard plunge, McMullen PAT to make it 26-7 early in the second quarter. Then Quakertown’s Burns got loose again, this time for 62 yards, but the PAT was missed; 26-13 CRN.

Burns added a 3-yard TD; Soriano kick PAT and the half ended 26-20 CRN Indians. I had to leave earlier than usual from this one because I had Archbishop Carroll at Wood at Tennent that evening. I did see the fourth Burns TD of the day, a 9-yard run; and the Soriano PAT to give Quakertown its first lead of the game 27-26. The third quarter ended with that score. After I left, Burns scored his 5^th (5-yard run) and 6^th (12-yard run) TDs of the game; and with two Soriano PATs made the score 34-26 and then 41-26. Rock’s McIlwain got in from one yard again and the PAT kick was blocked, and it was 41-32 Panthers. The last score was a Panther QB Vera to Wood-transfer Tom Garlick 28-yard aerial TD, Soriano PAT – final 48-32 Panthers.

As I constantly monitor high school football websites I learned that the Carroll-Wood affair had been played at 1:00 at Tennent, a 43-0 Wood victory. But I had an alternative, Bishop McDevitt at Conwell-Egan at Truman at 7:00. Had I known I could have stayed longer at CRN-Quakertown though.

I rarely got to see the Lancers of McDevitt; this was the third time in 64 seasons. They came in 3-5 and the Eagles of C-E were 2-5; so you could either expect not much, or a good even game. It was Schrodinger’s cat all over again. The Lancers dressed about 30 or 31 troops.

But a fine seesaw, back-and-forth first half proved most entertaining. I had no follow-up newspaper write up for details but I write from what I noted the next morning. Egan scored first and took a 7-0 lead. With mostly an aerial assault, the Lancers answered, 7-7. The Eagles scored again and missed the PAT, 13-7 Eagles. The Lancer’s answered again, and their good kicker Hanigan gave them their first lead 14-13. But the Eagles would not be denied and came back to score again, this time with a 2-pt PAT, 21-14 C-E. Back yet again came McDevitt and it was soon 21-21. These scores were not every series, there were stops and punts, etc.; and it was during the first half, I didn’t have the quarter by quarter breakdowns. Both teams traded scores again and it was 28-28. Near the half, Egan was forced to punt but the kick was muffed by McDevitt at about their 25-yard line. With 46 seconds left in the half C-E scored again; missed the PAT and the half ended 34-28 Conwell-Egan.

The third quarter was a standoff, back and forth, up and down the field, but no cigar. In the fourth before I left, the Eagles scored again and missed the PAT to go up 40-28. I missed only the last Egan score to make the final 46-28 C-E Eagles.

My three-game weekend saw offensive-minded games of 55-7; 48-32; and 46-28. That is 216 points of football, and as I like “O”; a really nice weekend. I should clarify that I can also appreciate strong defensive efforts between two such minded teams. It is when scores are held down due to penalties, mistakes, or poor offense that I find games not so hot.

My wife joined me for Norristown at Truman on Halloween night. This was a very good game won by Norristown 18-17 as a last second Truman FG for the win sailed wide right. But it brings me to point out what these improving Tigers of Truman’s year was like.

Truman is a football program that has struggled since its inception in 1981. It has enjoyed but 3 winning and two .500 seasons in it’s (through 2014) 34 football seasons. Ed Cubbage began a restoration program, coming on as interim coach in 2010 when the former coach quit a week before that season began. A class AAAA school, Cubbage had 23 players to work with. Cubbage and his staff brought the program to a 6-6 season in 2013 and had to leave, but left the program in the hands of Jon Craig who had been on the staff.

This 2014 season would see the third winning season of the three mentioned although modest at 7-5. But here is the kicker; the Tigers if they had scored 19 more points at the right time/games, would have been 12-0. Their five losses were to Upper Dublin (who went deep into 4A playoffs post season) 21-28; Council Rock South 14-16; Quakertown (11-2) 21-24; Norristown 17-18; and Cheltenham 27-28. Losses by 7, 2, 3, 1, and 1 points. Of course one more point was needed to break a tie and win each of those games hence the 19 total above. As many fine players were back for 2015 a potential for great things was in place; but as we will see; it was not to be.

Another “game for all times” was my fate for the Downingtown West at Pennsbury District One PIAA first-round game at Falcon Field 11/7/2014. If I lived anywhere near the Downingtown-Coatesville area I would likely have to be removed as a squatter from Kottmeyer Stadium. Ever since my Bud 2 and my 1996 visits to the area, I really admire the brand of football played there. Every time the Red Raiders, Cougars or Whippets are an opponent of a local team I know there is going to be some good football. Once again, I was not disappointed.

A cold stiff wind likely held the crowd down a bit as I had elbow room on the away side; not expected. Tom Adams soon appeared and sat with me for the game. Pennsbury opted to receive and after a nice return, on a very early play from scrimmage Snorweah broke one for 55 yards to score. Josh Leon converted his first PAT of the busy night, 7-0 Falcons. Not to be outdone, on the Whippets first play, QB McNulty hit Jimmy DeSantis for a 75-yard bomb; Bowler PAT, and quickly 7-7. But things settled in a bit then and the first quarter ended 7-7.

In the second Snorweah again busted one 66 yards; Leon PAT 14-7 Falcons. The Falcons D held and on a later possession the Falcons got close enough for Alley to plunge one yard; Leon stayed perfect, 21-7 Falcons. With the half winding down, the Whippets finished a nice drive with a Riddick 1-yard run; Bowler PAT 21-14. The Whippet defense held the Falcons in the less than minute left until the half and it ended 21-14 Falcons. It was just a warm-up to the second half deluge of scoring.

Advantage Whippets to receive the second half kickoff, but it was lost when the QB was blind-sided and lost a fumble to the Falcons. But the favor was returned when substitute RB Luke Snyder lost the handle back to the Whippets. Unknown to me at the time is that two prime Falcon RBs, Hose and Delgado were sitting with injuries. Subsequent Falcon possessions saw Snorweah 3 and 64 yards to put the Falcons up successively at 28-14 and 35-14. But McNulty then hit Colin Dombelsky for a 64-yard TD; Bowler PAT and it was 35-21.

But before the third ended Snorweah again found the end zone, this time from 11 yards out; Leon remained perfect 42-21 Falcons at the end of three, and breathing room; but not so fast, my friend. The Whippets Riddick capped a drive with a 1-yard run and it was 42-28. They then recovered an onsides kick off. Another Whippet drive ended with a McNulty to Carbone 10-yard TD and it was 42-35 and a one-score game. But the Whippet D could not solve for Snorweah (or rather the blocking for him). He punched another one in from 16 yards and it was 49-35 Falcons. But not for long. McNulty hit Riddick for a 7-yard strike as I was leaving, and it was 49-41, due to the only missed PAT of the night. The Falcons were having as much problem against the Whippets aerial game as the Whippets were with the Falcons rushing attack.

After I left the Falcons called Snorweah’s number again this time for 41 yards; 56-41 Falcons. The Whippets drove again and capped it with a 6-yard McNulty keeper TD; 56-48. This time the onsides kick bounced right up into Rob Daly’s hands and he raced it 46 yards to the end zone, Leon’s 9^th PAT made it 63-48 Falcons. There was still a minute left in the game. In that time the Whippets managed another 2-minute drill drive capped with a McNulty to Carbone 10-yard aerial. Bowler kicked the PAT for the final score of 63-55 Pennsbury.

It was a new in-person game high score for me, 118 points. And I saw an all-time Falcon record as Charles Snorweah carried 29 times for 427 yards and 7 TDs. Once again my feeling that anytime a Downingtown/Coatesville opponent is in town, you can expect a challenge was fulfilled.

A heavy cough and chest congestion that lasted a couple of weeks kept me from the next two Falcon home playoff games. A doctor’s visit by me was necessary on Monday 11/17. The fact that these games would be video streamed made the decision a no-brainer, for if that were not available, I likely would have risked pneumonia to get to those games.

The first game was Garnet Valley at Pennsbury. After leading only 17-14 after three quarters, the Falcons defense stepped up big, and batted down passes, fumble recoveries, and an interception led to three Falcon possession/scores to get up 38-14. The final was 45-14 Falcons.

I have described the Upper Dublin – Pennsbury playoff game elsewhere in my writings. The Falcons were pressed to their closest game all year so far and the Cardinal’s led at the half 14-13. Only with 4:20 left in the game did Snorweah bust for 8 yards and the first Falcon lead of the game. They got the ball and scored again to make it 25-14 Falcons final.

My Bud 3 (brother-in-law) and I made Turkey Day this year, and it was another Truman-Conwell-Egan matchup, breaking three years of New Hope-Solebury versus South Hunterdon. It was on my pressing because I wanted to see the fine improved Truman squad again. It was one-sided and the Egan offense was flat, 90 yards total O for the game. I met and talked with former Neshaminy HC Mark Schmidt at the game, the last time I have seen him to this 2016 writing. Truman won 24-0.

The District One Championship between Pennsbury and Coatesville was held at do-able Souderton, but I had never been there and it was video-streamed so why face the winter cold.

It was indeed a good one and anybody’s game, only saved by a last ditch fourth and goal stop by Pennsbury in a 21-14 claim to the District One AAAA Championship.

For the second consecutive year, possibly the best team a public school could put together (Neshaminy in 2013 was similar), couldn’t match the talent-laden club that a private school can put together and St Joes Prep won the Eastern final over the Falcons 37-7, on their way to their second straight state title 49-41 over Pine-Richland. The Hawks were a joy to watch.

The 2014 season, my 64^th; was very enjoyable, but not quite up to the prior 2013 tour. Oddly perhaps, I made 17 games, and that was the first season in 64 that I made that number. Between zero and 32, now only 19 games in one season and 31 games in one season are missing; all other numbers 0-32 have been made. And I could have made 3 additional PIAA playoff games, but succumbed to illness or lethargy and opted for video streaming.

It is very evident that I am not so inclined anymore to solo to games that I can watch or listen to even. In the past there was always someone to meet at the game if not go with. It still happens, but by pure chance.

And that brings us to the 2015 season still in progress (when I wrote this), and in a way; the final chapters.

“Here’s a look back at 65 – seasons of Pennsylvania High School Football through the eyes of Kmac”

Monday, June 23, 2014, I took in my first-ever 7 on 7 at Council Rock North at 6:00 PM. A three-way round-robin among CR North, Father Judge, and Harry S. Truman was the slate. Of course these are all passing plays for both QB and receiver development and on defense – coverage practice. CR North’s McIlwain, junior QB, certainly stood out among the QBs; Judge showed good fundamentals needed for the tough PCL. Overall size looked small without pads and padded pants, and Truman looked very small. I saw Judge versus Truman O and D; and Rock North versus Judge O and D; but left before the Truman-CR North matches.

Saturday, August 16, 2014, I made the Pennridge at Council Rock North scrimmage for 10:00 AM. It was good to see teams in full uniforms and playing for real at least for one quarter when I left. After running 10 or 12 plays each per first O and D’s; the second O and D’s got a chance for 10 or 12 plays. Then it was about five kickoffs per team. Next it was six or so punts per team. Then it was on to six or seven PAT’s and FG’s per team. All of this took about 55 minutes. Then the officiated, down and distance “game” began, probably for two quarters; I left after they called one quarter. Rock’s McIlwain was sharp in the air with pinpoint long passes his forte. Defensively, the Rock had trouble stopping the double-wing O of the Rams. Rock also did not look overly big player-wise; the Rams looked bulkier overall. The Rams’ QB looked inexperienced but capable. It was 7-0 at the end of the quarter on a fine McIlwain toss to the corner of the end zone at the closed end of the field. The Rams were driving the same way on the ground when I left in the second quarter. Size and defense will have to be watched for Rock.

Such was my pre-season activity for 2014 as written on computerized notes for the beginning of the season.

The lure of seeing a new team, and what a team, took me to Tennent on Friday 8/29 for DeMatha (MD) at Archbishop Wood. The Stags brought considerable size, speed and tradition but Wood was up to the task. The Wood D held the Stags’ speed mostly in check. DeMatha received the opening kickoff and had some success but were held from scoring. Later in the first quarter a Wood drive resulted in a McClenton TD of 1-yard and McDonald kick to take the 7-0 lead after one quarter of play. The second quarter saw more Wood solid defense and steady offense resulting in another McClenton TD and McDonald kick and it was 14-0 halftime lead for Wood.

The Vikings received to start the second half and the steady beat continued. Junior QB Russo took it in from the 1 and dependable McDonald added his third PAT and it was 21-0 Vikings. DeMatha’s speed got untracked a bit for some long gains and McFarland scored on a 1-yard bolt. The PAT kick was good and it was 21-7 Wood. Wood’s McClenton answered with a beautiful twisting, cutting, multiple-direction changing 42-yard TD run and McDonald PAT, 28-7 Wood.

That was the end of three quarters and I had gone at halftime to my car for a sweatshirt as an unexpected cool, damp breeze chilled the Tennent air and I watched the third quarter from outside the stadium. I now departed. The teams’ traded 4^th quarter TDs to make the final 34-13 Wood as their PAT try was blocked and DeMatha went for two and missed. The discipline of Wood football looked great, two flags for 10 yards total.

The next night the Bensalem Owls were at Truman in what I expected might be a good game. But it seemed that the Tigers and Owls were now on different levels in their programs. Truman unveiled some speed and a good QB in Mark Lopez-Shefczyk, a junior. Mark had 118 yards on the ground and three TDs. He also completed 2 of 7 passes for 61 yards and included a 42-yard pass/run TD. Senior RB Trystan Hunt had 111 yards rushing and a TD; a 75 yard dash was in those 111 yards. The Tigers led 20-0 at the first quarter. Each team had a second quarter TD and missed PAT 26-6 Truman at the half.

The Owls scored first in the second half, on a 37-yard O’Connell to Moore pass; Riley PAT kick, making it 26-13 Tigers. But the Tigers answered on a Lopez-Shefczyk 29-yard keeper. A pass for a 2-point PAT was good and the score climbed to 34-13. I left after three quarters; my seemingly new departure time; and only missed one more Truman score and blocked PAT; final 40-13 Tigers.

Leaving the first two games after three quarters in 2014 was another shortening of my game stays. The “beat the crowd leaving” started years ago, usually about the 4 minutes left in the game mark. Then it crept up to half of the fourth quarter, 6 minutes remaining. Now it was three quarters of the game.

My logic was that, “I see so much high school football” (Bensalem-Truman was game #878); and I root for no one in particular and do not care who wins; why not? This was Saturday night, but the lure of getting home on Friday night to catch up with scores from around the whole state, and complete my logs for the District One 44 AAAA teams also beckoned.

Computerizing my records allowed many things to be broken out from them, and over the course of 65 seasons, Pennsbury became the team I have seen the most times, 202 times through 2015. This makes the team a de facto favorite, while I do not root for them necessarily. I merely go and watch the games since about the mid-1990s.

That being said, I think the 2014 Pennsbury team was their best since the 1985 undefeated squad, and close with the 2006 Eastern finalist team. Both the 2006 and 2014 teams finished 13-2; both were District One Champions. The 1985 squad was 10-0 before state championship playoffs.

On Friday 9/5 I caught the Falcon’s opener at home with Frankford. Junior QB Egan transfer Mike Alley threw 6 times and connected 3 times for 56 yards and two TDs. RB Charlie Snorweah was moved to fullback for the first time and had 66 yards and three TDs. Midway in the first, Alley hit Vinnie Ratamoss for a 27-yard gain to the Pioneers two.

Two plays later Snorweah cracked the two yards and (now senior) Josh Leon kicked the PAT, 7-0 Falcons. Late in the first Alley hit Victor Delgado with a 3-yard TD pass, Leon kick 14-0 Falcons. In the second quarter Alley ran a QB sneak for an 11-yard TD. Added in the second quarter were a Snorweah 4-yard run; Alley 26-yard TD to Tom Augustin; and Snorweah 8-yard run. Leon hit all 6 PAT kicks and it was 42-0 and mercy rule Falcons at the half.

The Falcon reserves then got some action; Cody Tabeek had a 4-yard TD run; and Hartman kicked the PAT; 49-0 Falcons. Early in the fourth quarter the Pioneers scored on the Falcons second defense and with a 2-pt PAT it was 49-8. I left after that point in the game. More Falcon reserves scored the last TD – Harrah 2-yard run, and Geary PAT, final 56-8 Pennsbury.

On 9/12 I trekked to Council Rock North and I sat with Tom Adams, of Bensalem history, and he introduced me to his friend, who was Pancho Micir who had quarterbacked the Bishop Egan Eagles. He led Egan to the 1966 PCL and City Championships. It was 2-0 Pennsbury at the 2-0 Rock. Again the massive Falcon’s O dominated and it was a 57-20 victory with 440 yards rushing and Alley throwing just enough to keep defenses honest (2 for 6, one TD). This was a fun offense to watch, rugged backs, big QB, and massive O line to operate behind.

I decided to see the D’Andre Pollard show for Friday 9/19. The Abington Ghosts were in town and these two clubs have had some classics in the past. A good one was expected once again. I met the Abington cameraman for some pre-game discussion and asked him to introduce me to Mr. Kretschman, the father of the good Ghosts QB, this year a junior. I was introduced and thanked this fine gentleman for the kind comments he had for me for an article I wrote for easternPAfootball. I then sat with a knowledgeable high school football Ghost fan and had a most pleasant game. It inspired me to plan my first trip to Abington’s new stadium (opened 2005 I believe) for the Falcons visit the following week, but that did not happen.

On the first Redskin possession, Pollard did a nice spin-move and burst around left end 32 yards to paydirt. McDonald made the kick PAT and it was 7-0 Skins. The Ghosts answered with a 69-yard drive capped by a Kretschman 20-yard swing pass to Daron Boone for a TD. Bevilaqua kicked the PAT and it was 7-7. The Ghosts then forced a Neshaminy punt, but a Kretschman pass was picked and juggled; but returned for a 22-yard TD by the Skins Stephens. With the McDonald PAT it was 14-7 Neshaminy after one quarter. The Skins sophomore QB Mason Jones hit several receivers in the ensuing drive, capped by a Dogba (sophomore) 1-yard plunge; 21-7 Skins. The Ghosts then got their possession down to the Skins 11-yard line and near stalled. Ghosts HC Sorber let the clock wind down to 3.3 seconds, called TO, and went for a 32-yard field goal. Bevilaqua hit it and the half ended 21-10 Neshaminy.

While there was no scoring in the third quarter, Neshaminy had the ball most of it, had a field goal attempt blocked, and picked off another Ghosts aerial. I missed only one 4^th quarter Ghost score and 2-point PAT to make the final 21-18 Neshaminy.

Age ailments caused my planned trip to Abington the following Saturday to be abandoned.

But I was ok the Friday night before to visit Tennent for Archbishop Ryan at Archbishop Wood. Wood was anxious to avenge their 2013 loss to Ryan and uncharacteristically had three false start penalties on their first drive. Forced into a punt formation, the snap was to an up-back Cooper who lofted a pass to a wide-open Gianni Cruel for a 48-yard pass/run TD; McDonald PAT 7-0 Vikings. Both Neshaminy and Wood kickers were “McDonald”. I had met Cruel’s father at the Pennsbury-Wood scrimmage in 2013, very nice gentleman. Later in the first quarter QB Russo hit Cooper for a 38-yard strike and with McDonald PAT it went to 14-0 Vikings. Then Cruel got his only carry of the day and made it count, an 8-yard sweep TD. End of one quarter it was 21-0 Vikings. In the 2^nd quarter Russo hit Bensalem-transfer Alex Archangeli with a 12-yard pass, and it went to 28-0 Wood. Ryan then finally got their fine RB Shamir Bullock some space to run and it became 28-7 after his 1-yard plunge and the PAT. Penalties again stalled the Vikings and a punt attempt snap went over the head of the kicker who scooped it up, ran to his right and attempted a soccer kick, but it was blocked by Smith and scooted 22 yards to the Vikings end zone where Smith recovered it, TD Ryan. Stock kicked another PAT and it was 28-14. But now McClenton answered with a 40-yard run, and so it was 35-14 Wood at the half.

McClenton also got the only third quarter score, a 22-yard run and a 2-point conversion try failed to make it 41-14 Vikings. I made my usual 3^rd quarter exit and missed only a Thompson TD for Wood, a 25-yard run; the PAT failed and the final was 47-14 Wood. I was psyched for LaSalle-Wood the following Friday.

Meanwhile the Jewish Holiday Thursday scheduling had some choices for the second of October. I passed on my usual Falcon Field haunt as the Bensalem matchup was thought ahead to be a blow out. It was: 56-0. I opted instead for Quakertown (5-0) at an improving Harry S. Truman (3-2). One first quarter Quakertown TD, a 49-yard scamper by RB Nick Bonomo, and Soriano kick PAT made it 7-0 Panthers after one. The Panthers increased their lead in the second quarter on a Rob Burns 12-yard run and PAT 14-0. Truman then answered on a Lopez-Shefcyk 44-yard aerial to Hunt. A pass PAT attempt failed and it was 14-6. Before the half ended the Panthers Soriano hit a 26-yard field goal to make it 17-6 Quakertown at the half.

I saw no scoring in the third quarter and made my usual departure. Early in the fourth the fine Truman QB hit Justin Fant with a 26-yard strike. A Breece kick PAT made it 17-13. The Panthers answered with a drive and 1-yard Bonomo plunge, Soriano PAT to make it 24-13. The Tigers McCloud finished scoring with a 7-yard run and Breece kick PAT would make the final 24-20 Quakertown, a good one.

I did get to Tennent Friday 10/3 for LaSalle and Wood. Again this was two potential state champions in Classes 4A and 3A meeting; just as St Joes and Wood in 2013. I knew that Mark Schmidt, former HC of Neshaminy was now with LaSalle and hoped to talk with him briefly pre-game. I did get to speak with him briefly as the linemen and coaches headed down the long slope from locker rooms to field at Tennent. Of course, this is one that my leaving after three quarters cost me seeing a lot of football.

Both teams did what they do – Wood ran (McClenton 293 yards); LaSalle threw (Shurmur 263 yards); and the part I did see was beautiful to see. I did not get the recap of this one, but constructed a few notes from memory. Wood mishandled the opening kickoff and it popped out of bounds at their own one yard line. But I believe that they were undaunted and put on a 99-yard drive to score and go up 7-0. They mostly controlled the ball and clock on the ground and kept the ball from the LaSalle explosive O. But when LaSalle had it mostly with aerials it was soon tied at 7. The Vikings scored again to go up 14-7. With scant time left in the half, Shurmur hit their great receiver Herron from 8 yards and the game was knotted at 14 with not much time until the half. But with long runs, McClenton got the Vikings to the Explorers 32-yard line with one second left in the half and a Wood timeout. The Vikings McDonald then kicked a 49-yard field goal which hit the crossbar of the goal posts and bounced over – good! It was Wood 17-14 at the half.

Wood owned the third quarter. LaSalle ran just 9 plays and resulted in two short punts that resulted in the Vikes’ getting the ball on the Explorers side of the field. First, 4 plays resulted in a 30-yard Russo to Cooper strike and McDonald PAT, 24-14 Vikings. Then again it was just 4 plays when McClenton finished a short drive with an 8-yard dash, McDonald good, 31-14 Vikings. LaSalle was punting again as I began my long walk to a new spot I parked in that was in front of the school. The ball bounced off of an unsuspecting Wood player whose back was to the ball and it was recovered by the Explorers. It took 10 plays, but on the first play of the 4^th quarter Shurmur hit WR Herron on a 12-yard screen left; with PAT 31-21 Vikings. The ensuing Vikings possession saw one first down gained, and then a punt; their first of the night. With about 5:48 remaining in the game, Shurmur again hit Herron for a 5-yard TD and it was the n 31-28 Vikings. On Wood’s first play after the kickoff, McClenton burst one for 20 yards, but lost a fumble at the end of the run at the LaSalle 44. In only two plays Shurmur hit Herron for a 45-yard pass/run TD; 35-31 LaSalle with time left 4:50.

Wood had time for a couple of first downs, and then the ball went over on 5 consecutive Russo incompletions. A couple of LaSalle kneel downs ended the great ball game.

On Friday October 10 I ran into one of those “good game” categories, when one was not expected. William Tennent (2-4) was at Council Rock South (3-3). I met a few nice Tennent folks, including Tennent HC Rosenberger’s father in the stands.

Rock South’s Alimenti opened scoring on a 27-yard dash; Patterson kicked the PAT and it was 7-0 CRS. But the Panthers answered on a Banks to Ryan 12-yard TD pass; Mannon kick PAT 7-7. CRS then made a sustained drive capped by a Patterson 2-yard run, but the PAT missed and it was 13-7 CRS. Tennent’s Banks got loose for a 65 yard run and Mannon converted and it was 14-13 Tennent at the end of one quarter. In the second Alimenti sprung one for 88-yards; and then ran in a 2-pt PAT and it was 21-14 CRS. Tennent again answered with a drive and Finley 1-yard plunge; Mannon PAT and it was 21-all. Alimenti after a drive got one more, a 1-yard plunge; Patterson PAT and CRS took a 28-21 lead into the locker room at the half.

William Tennent received the second half KO and sustained another drive capped by a Finley 6-yard plunge; Mannon PAT and it was knotted again; at 28-all. The Golden Hawks’ Patterson then sprinted 37 yards for a TD, but as when he scored before, he missed the PAT 34-28 CRS. Scrappy Tennent QB Banks then hit Ichabone with a 69 yard strike and Mannon’s PAT gave the Panthers the lead back 35-34. But Alimenti took it in again from 14 yards out; and a run 2-pt PAT failed making the score 40-35 Golden Hawks at the end of three quarters.

I took my departure and watched some fourth quarter from the fence but saw no more scoring. But Banks again hit Ryan for an 11-yard score, and a pass PAT attempt failed making it 41-40 Tennent. But the panthers D just could not hold and Alimenti got his 5^th TD of the game to make the final CRS 46-41. Alimenti had 219 yards rushing and it was a 63-yard drive for his last score with just 40.2 seconds left in the game for the win.

The next night was homecoming Saturday night at Falcon Field and I caught the Falcons win over the Pennridge Rams 41-14.

The following Friday it was CB West at Council Rock North. Here I sat next to and met the very successful girls basketball coach for CB West. Of all things, I later found out he was also my Bud 2’s dentist by trade. Yet another stranger-than-fiction event in the long history of my high school football hobby. The Indians received the kickoff and sustained a drive with a Choi 3-yard plunge finishing it. Chris Welde then ran the PAT and it was quickly 8-0 Rock North. But Rock opened it up in the second quarter. McIlwain hit a 61-yard dart to Nowmos; McMullen PAT 15-0 Rock. The Indians’ Welde then ran for a 62-yard score; McMullen PAT 22-0 Rock. A little later Welde again got loose, for 29-yards and a TD; McMullen good 29-0 Rock. As the half was ending, McMullen hit a 33-yard field goal to make it 32-0 CRN at the half.

CB West was not without offense, but could not sustain a drive long enough for a score in the first half. In the third quarter McIlwain hit Bibbens for 28 yards and a TD; McMullen kick and it was 39-0 and fast clock time. The third quarter ended that way and I began to exit and stopped to talk with Rick Lee along the way. Rock’s subs got the action and yielded two Bucks’ TDs – a 7-yard Shields to Kilkenny pass; Shields running the PAT for 39-8; and a Reichwein 5-yard run; run PAT failed to make the final 39-14 CRN.

I was now ready for a big National Conference matchup with CB South (7-1) at Pennsbury (7-1) at Falcon Field on Friday October 24^th. I will start part 27 with that event.

 

Sources: Ted Silary website – Huck Palmer account of Wood-LaSalle game.

“Here’s a look back at 65 – seasons of Pennsylvania High School Football through the eyes of Kmac”

On Friday October 25, 2013, I returned to Doylestown and the Continental Conference of Suburban One for the first time since the opening night of the season. The attraction was the North Penn Knights (5-0 league) versus the CB West Bucks (5-0 league). An old fashioned battle royal as in the Pettine-Pettine era was expected; but lasted for only one quarter. I spoke to Dick Beck briefly pre-game; he would not have remembered me, but I was sure he would remember my Bud 2 who frequented North Penn practices and games, and he sure did.

An early interception put the Knights in business and Hudimac bolted for 25 yards and a Knights 6-0 advantage. The Knights again had a fine place kicker in Amendola who booted the PAT and placed kickoffs in the end zone all night. The Bucks started at their own 20, but speedy Truman transfer Marvin Todd bolted 80 yards off-tackle and it was quickly 7-7. The Knights also had some speed and sophomore Nyfease West went 23 yards and a 14-7 Knights lead resulted. The Knight’s QB Shearer had a 9-yard TD, and it was 21-7 North Penn at the end of the first quarter. But West came back again with Todd earning a 3-yard TD, and it was 21-14 early in the second and the kind of game expected. But as it turned out, from then on it was all North Penn. Nyfease West got a short run TD and when the Bucks’ defense jumped on the PAT try, Nyfease ran in a two-pointer making it 29-14 Knights. Getting the ball back, the Knights’ QB Shearer threw a backwards pass to Akins, who then lofted a long, high arcing pass to a wide open Wright for another NP TD; 36-14 Knights. With the half winding down the Knights ran an excellent 2-minute drill with short passes and runs to the sidelines. It ended with a Shearer to Hudimac 10-yard pass; Amendola stayed perfect, 43-14 Knights at the half.

Hudimac returned the second half kickoff to the CB West 17 and it took one play for Nyfease West to run the 17 yards and PAT kick made it 50-14 and fast clock time. I did not stay long in fast clock time and missed nothing as there was no further scoring.

The crowd was estimated at about 7,000 for the annual Neshaminy (at) Pennsbury clash this season. I had not seen this one since 2005; at 8 years, probably my longest break from this one ever. Because aisle-jamming was anathema to me I picked the extra small bleachers – visitor’s side away from the scoreboard end. They would be jammed, but only about 5-high, I could climb out of them if necessary. A very close, low scoring game was anticipated and the Skins came in 9-0 while the Falcons were 8-1.

The Falcons Daly picked off a Skins Wombough pass and returned it 44 yards to the entrance end of the field end zone, right past our bleachers. Leon kick made it 7-0 with less than three minutes elapsed in the game. The Neshaminy offense never gained a sustaining rhythm.

But for most of the rest of the first quarter the Neshaminy defense looked like it would stifle the Falcons vaunted O. Still in the first the Skins’ good kicker McDonald hit a 22-yard field goal and the first quarter ended 7-3 Falcons. Both scores had been at my end of the field which was nice. In the second quarter the Falcons started to find some gaps and Snorweah bolted 17 yards for a TD; Leon PAT 14-3 Falcons. The Falcons fine kicker Josh Leon had missed a FG attempt in the second but when he got a second try later he hit it from the 25 and the Falcons took a 17-3 lead into their field house. Every score had been at our end of the field, which somewhat justified my choice of seating.

The Falcons took the second half kickoff and drove 66 yards, eating up half the 3^rd quarter and QB Breon Clark plunged in from the one to finish the drive. Leo stayed perfect on PATs for the game 24-3 Falcons. The third ended that way and I was sure the Skins were not coming back this night, and made my usual early fourth quarter departure. The Falcons Ronquay Smith had an 18-yard run; Leon PAT to make the final score 31-3 Pennsbury.

I now had a satisfactory dilemma facing me – Neshaminy, Pennsbury, and CB West would all have home playoff games the following week.

I scanned the three opponents and had seen all of the teams play before. I chose what had practically become my “home” field over the last few years – Falcon Field. The Upper Darby Royals would be coming in. The Falcons would be facing a good QB in Chris Rossiter; he could scramble, was fast if he got loose, and had a strong pinpoint arm when letting it fly. The Falcons received and on the first play from scrimmage QB Breon Clark broke it for a 65-yard score. The Leon PAT made it 7-0 Falcons about 10 seconds into the game. But Rossiter found a receiver for a 22-yard scoring strike and then kicked the PAT, 7-7. The Royals did not have an answer for the Falcons ground and pound. A drive was capped by a Snorweah 8-yard scamper; Leon good, 14-7. But, evading a strong Falcon rush, Rossiter again hit receiver White for a 39-yard wide-open score. The QB-kicker again booted the PAT; 14-14 and a potential barnburner in the works.

The Falcons stepped it up in the second and a bunch of Royals’ penalties did not help their cause. Smith ran 5 yards; Snorweah 31 yards, and Smith 5 yards; Leon hit all 3 PAT’s and the Falcons had a comfortable 35-14 halftime bulge. But they had to kickoff in the second half. And the Royals scored first in the second half – a Rossiter to Vendetti 55-yard pass/run made it 35-20, the PAT was missed. The Falcons answered with two more 3^rd quarter scores – Smith 18 yard run, and Snorweah 56-yard run. One of the two PATs was missed, and after three quarters the score was 48-20 Falcons. I moved to the sideline fence for 4 minutes of the last quarter before leaving. I missed a last Falcon score, a Thompson 1-yard plunge to make the final 55-20 Pennsbury. The Falcons amassed 530 yards rushing and the ground and pound could not be stopped. Both teams got “chippy” and there were 21 flags, 11 on UD and 10 on Pennsbury, including more than 10 total unsportsmanlike and personal fouls. But they didn’t slow the game, nor either offense, as most times the good offenses made up the lost penalty yards.

The November 15^th weekend I had a family wedding in Connecticut to attend. It was a moot point, but I don’t know whether I would have seen Spring Ford at Neshaminy or Perk Valley at CB West if the wedding wasn’t that weekend.

The wedding weekend (15^th) before the next weekend (22^nd) broke the momentum of the season and I did not go to Neshaminy for Abington Friday night the 22nd. I listened to that game on WBCB computer radio.

Thanksgiving 2013 was bright, but windy and cold, for the 3^rd annual “battle of the bridge” between South Hunterdon and New Hope-Solebury. Both teams were solid this year, both had lost in their respective playoffs and the Eagles from NJ came in 8-1 while the home team Lions was 8-3. A defensive battle marred by early flags ensued. This led to a 0-0 first quarter. In the second quarter the Lions gradually won the battle of field position with trading punts throughout and a brutal wind factor favoring the Lions’ kicks. This led to the Lions trying and making a 30-yard field goal by Danny Sutton with the wind at his back. At the half it was 3-0 New Hope-Solebury.

South Hunterdon received the second half kickoff and used the whole quarter before scoring a short running TD just as the third quarter ended. The PAT was no good and it stood at 6-3 after three. About then Bud 3 and I began to leave. Of course we had talked to many folks at the game, including Bud 2, who said this was the only game he had seen this season. He too, just as Bud 3, was down to T-day games only. The game ended 6-3 South Hunterdon continuing the tradition that the visitor always won this game since its young establishment three years’ prior.

My 63^rd season was in the books.

I had made 21 games; the most since the 23 in 2010; and that was the only season since 2004 that I had so many games.

My notes at seasons’ end indicated that I thought I had shaken the past finally and was at last mentally resolved to find a new delight in high school football. I noted; “No season in history was so planned, and the plan executed week to week to provide the greatest, most enjoyable season in years; and a prototype for the future seasons.”

And again it was my wife attending 3 of the first 4; and 4 of the first 7 games with me that led to my enjoying high school football again and not lamenting all that was not there anymore.

I got back to Neshaminy for the first time in 8 years. I got back to Bensalem for the first time in 6 years, the first time since I lost long time friend Bud 1 who was always there. A great number and variety of teams were seen – 26 different teams. Of the 19 teams that I followed in my written records, I saw 17 of them. I saw the eventual state 4A and 3A champs play – each other. It was the only time I ever saw two (future) state champs play each other in the same season.

I once again thought about how to maximize my future seasons.

I recast my priorities and listed first the categories that I could control. The number of games per season was always first since I began attending games in 1951. It is controllable as to scheduling, but weather, illnesses, and family priorities can alter it in progress. I always like seeing new teams, and I can switch a game choice here and there to accommodate seeing a new team, but the more years pass, the less “new” teams there tend to be.

The number of local teams with good season records is a must; I want to see the good teams at least once a year. This requires schedule adjusting as the season progresses and records dictate game choices. Seeing the teams with highly-rated or touted athletes is desired. Most teams end up having all star choices, but there are all-state and national attention athletes too; and those I would like to try to see each season.

Then there are the “good games” that I can list, a number per year hopefully. Any two teams, good records or poor, can have a good game. Certainly close and even is one type of “good”. Another is active scoring without going overboard, ala a 41-39 game. Back and forth, winner uncertain until the final whistle is a good game. There are many ways each person can judge their good games.

Getting to PIAA playoff games is very desirable, but only do-able for me anymore if a local team permits close by home games.

But I put 2013 to bed with a new good feeling about enjoying high school football again.

“Here’s a look back at 65 – seasons of Pennsylvania High School Football through the eyes of Kmac”

I seemed to rally for the 2013 season from the following note I made prior to it:

I am again looking forward to 2013 and again plan to stay mostly at Pennsbury, Council Rock, Truman, and the T-day game, this year at New Hope. Perhaps a playoff or two depending on what team it is; and certainly Doylestown, Bensalem, Tennent, and Neshaminy fields are second level choices and do-able if I really want to go.

It would be my 63^rd season, and the first game of the year, my 856^th.

I continued to mentally adjust to the fact that the golden era (1989-2004) seasons were gone forever and would not ever be matched. No more league passes, very little company, no pre-season camp visits, and coaches that were strangers to me were the truths. Many facets I had loved were gone, and the fact that just about everybody I followed played Friday nights made the number of games I could see in a year a challenge. Just like everything else in the world, the high school football landscape was changing too.

I noted: “I feel right now (June 3, 2013) that I want to possibly go back to the “old days” and just follow Pennsbury, or the Rock’s, or Neshaminy like it was the old Lower Bucks County League; a sort of ‘retro’ movement for closeness and simplicity.”

I did get to the second Pennsbury scrimmage as normal, but gone was LaSalle and the new opponent was Archbishop Wood. At 7:00 PM the two squads went right to an officiated game of two 12-minute quarters. No free play session this year. I met the father of a Wood player who was a transfer from Lower Moreland. We had a nice chat and that player was a senior in 2015 at Wood. I also spoke to Tom Adams Jr. at some length. Tom was the son of, obviously, Tom senior whom I had spoken with for some years’ at Bensalem. Tom junior also coached at Bensalem for some years and I knew him to speak to also in those times. Over this season and the next, I would speak with and sit with Tom at several games, and I saw him for the first time the past (2015) season at the Neshaminy-Pennsbury game. The sad part is that I learned from Tom at that scrimmage in 2013 that his dad had passed a few years back; I did not recall seeing an obituary in the papers. No sign of Bud 4 who usually was at this one.

A great start to the season was a day-night doubleheader at different fields, and my wife decided to accompany me to both. I could ask for no better company as she was pretty football-savvy and knew the game well. The first game was possible because Truman chose a 1:00 PM weekday kickoff to entertain the Abraham Lincoln Railsplitters of Philly D12.

That would be a brand new team for me. Knowing zilch about Lincoln I noted that they seemed to experience execution problems to a degree on both sides of the ball.

The fine Truman band kept us entertained by playing their great “Grease” musical book in the stands, their drill apparently not quite in place yet. A bunch of Truman players scored in building a 41-7 halftime bulge; a point shy of fast clock. Tigers’ QB Zolna had a score, RB Livingston had 2 scores, receivers McCloud and Adamo had a TD apiece, and RBs Hill and Bloh had a TD apiece and the final was 47-7 so the fast clock was instituted at some point in the second half.

The missus rode with me to Doylestown to see Boyertown at CB East in the nightcap. I had never seen the Boyertown Bears play either and that was the choice factor for this game. It turned out to be an exceptional game; the kind I liked. East had four pre-season heralded players this time around. They were QB Zach Nelson, WR-DB Ilkiw (Ill-Q), and a brother-duo linemen Jake and Nick Duncan. In the game Nelson hit 16 of 27 attempts for four TDs and no picks. Ilkiw had 6 catches for 154 yards and two TD’s. CB East received and on their first play from scrimmage RB Gibson (I believe this was Alex, in his sophomore season) got 65 of his total 82 yards for the night and a TD. 7-0 CB East. But Boyertown had a good team, and fine RB Richmond, who would put in a night’s work of 27 carries for 210 yards and three TD’s.

The scoring parade was 7-0 East; 7-7; 13-7 Bears; 13-10 Bears at the quarter. Then 19-10 Bears; 19-17 Bears; and 25-19 CB East at the half. Boyertown owned the third quarter with four TDs. They added three PATs and it was 46-25 when we left 3 minutes into the last period. In that remaining time East scored twice to close it to 46-39; and then a last second East TD was actually (or called) a fumble short of the goal ending East hopes.

The second week of the season I soloed to Bensalem for the first time since 2007 and the death of my friend Bud 1 in 2008. The Pennridge Rams and Mike Class were in town. I spoke with Dan Taylor again and also Mr. Schopp, who was a long-time friend of my deceased Bud 1 and school-connected in ways I didn’t know. Now a senior and state-recognized, Class had a somewhat subdued day with 12 carries for 66 yards and one TD. His 5-yard run in the first quarter opened the scoring. Ram QB Pasquale was 9 of 11 passing with one TD and no picks. He also had 93 yards rushing and a TD. Rams other RB Imeir Simmons had 4 carries for 76 yards and two TDs.

The Owls jumped offside on the PAT attempts after the first two scores, so the Rams went for two and made both, 16-0. The Owls only score was a 35-yard pass TD just seconds before the half ended. I left with 9 minutes left in the game, and the final was 37-6 Rams.

My next two games were a wife-accompanied thumping of Morrisville by Lansdale Catholic 42-6, and solo a rare Sunday evening game Bristol at New Hope-Solebury. This was a good one won by the NH-S Lions 35-32. They had a fine looking QB in Connor Hayden. But the Lions were senior-laden, and that is usually bad news for the following season.

New Hope-Solebury had a fine 8-4 season and their first trip to the PIAA Class 2A playoffs. Unfortunately, they had to play West Catholic for their first (and last this year) playoff game.

Storms on the Jewish-holiday scheduled Thursday 9/12 date made that Sunday-night and a Monday night game available also. On Monday night it was Hatboro-Horsham (2-0) at Council Rock North (2-0). While the lopsided ending score could not classify this in the great game category, the number of big plays executed by Rock North made it fun to watch, except for the Hatter faithful. The opening kickoff was returned to the house for 99 yards by Rock’s speedy Canadian transfer Dejuan Martin. QB McIlwain then hit Martin for the 2-point PAT, 8-0 Rock very early. On their second possession, McIlwain faked a handoff and sped 66 yards to paydirt. Indian kicker Greenberg hit the PAT, 15-0 Rock. Next the Indians blocked a Hatter punt and McWilliams scooped it up and ran it 12 yards for a defensive TD, PAT was off, 21-0 Rock. A second defensive score in the first quarter was when Leuz picked a Hatter aerial and returned it 51 yards to the house; Greenberg PAT kick – 28-0 Rock at the end of one quarter.

In the second quarter the Hatters stopped the bleeding when QB Morris ran it in from 13 yards out. The PAT kick was off, 28-6 Rock. But the bandage soon slipped off. McIlwain connected for a 72-yard pass/run strike to Martin, 35-6 Rock. Then the Indians blocked another Hatter punt and incredibly it was McWilliams who again scooped it up and bolted 14 yards for another defensive score, 42-6 Rock. Before the half ended McIlwain hit Maisel for 21 yards, and another Greenberg PAT kick made it 49-6 at the half.

The Indians started subs in the second half as they should have. The Hatters Panera scored on a 36-yard rush; the 2-point PAT failed and it was 49-12. The fresh Indian seconds answered and perhaps the Hatter seconds were also playing, Welde ran it in from the 9. Greenberg still did the PAT and it was 56-12 after three. As I headed to the car, I could follow the Hatters coming up field towards the open end of the stadium, and saw a 2-yard plunge score. I didn’t wait for the PAT which was good 56-19 Rock. It was definitely all-JV by this time and the Hatters scored after I left again, final 56-26 Indians.

For the record-setting fifth time this season, my wife was with me for Pennsbury at Truman, as much for the bands as the game. We liked the Truman book “Grease” in the stands and wanted to see the drill. The “long orange line” was always entertaining and by this era, Pennsbury was always the biggest of the local bands. And as in football, with bands there is strength in numbers. The football Falcons seemed flat at the outset. The Tigers stopped the first Falcon offensive series and took the ball for the first score of the evening on a Fisher 1-yard run, Kenny PAT kick, 7-0 Tigers. This awakened the Falcons and they answered on a Ronquay Smith 11-yard run TD. Leon PAT kick, tied at 7. The score didn’t change by halftime as the Falcons again looked unlike themselves with miscues and allowing pretty good gains and possession by Truman; but no breaks for scores. The ground and pound and trademark hitting defense for the Falcons dominated the second half as most of Truman’s 4 fumbles occurred in half two. Smith scored twice for the Falcons in the third, on runs of 1- and 6-yards.

A lost fumble led to another Falcon’s possession and Snorweah 25-yard TD burst. It became 28-7 after three, and the rest of the game was after the departure of wife and me also. On the first play of the fourth quarter Smith got his 4^th TD of the night, and it climbed to 35-7 Falcons.

Reserve back Chris Rupprecht with 8:30 left in the game had a 16-yard excursion to the end zone and junior kicker Josh Leon converted his sixth PAT of the night making it 42-7 and starting the fast clock.

The next day I soloed to Rock for Bensalem (0-3) at Rock South (0-3) for what I thought would be an even, entertaining game. It was! Dan Taylor arrived and we sat together for the first (and only) time. I had known him and his wife for years. The first quarter scoring drought was broken by a Rock South 63-yard interception return for a TD by Woelk. PAT kick missed, 6-0 CRS. In the second quarter Rock South QB Paprocki hit Anderson for a 31-yard TD strike, and the 2-point PAT run failed to make it 12-0. Then the Owls put on a nice drive, capped by an Archangeli 9-yard TD. Rosenfeld good PAT kick, 12-7 CRS. The South answered when Anderson bolted for a 58-yard score and Paprocki hit Haun with the 2-pointer; 20-7 CRS. With little time remaining in the half, the Owls QB Pisarchuk got in from 8 yards, PAT kick good, 20-14 CRS at the half.

This battle of the birds saw the Owls own the third quarter over the Golden Hawks. Pisarchuk had a 29-yard run TD. And Pegram hit a 6-yard pass to Forkpa. The progression ran to 21-20 Bensalem and then 28-20 Owls. I stayed the fourth quarter long enough to see a Pegram 24-yard strike to Mays TD and Rosenfeld PAT to make the Owls bulge 35-20. I missed three TDs by leaving that made the score 35-28 Owls, 42-28 Owls, and finally 42-35 Owls. It got closer but the team leading when I left still won it. Good game.

I motored to Tennent that night for West Catholic at Archbishop Wood. I only mention that I noted that the Wood O line blocked like the great CB West teams of the 1990’s. From my note I may not have known at the time that Mike Carey, the author of all of those fine CB West lines, was at Wood. It was Wood 42-0 at the half and it was raining and heavier downpours expected, so I called it a night at half this time. It is sometimes good to be right, I hit blinding torrential downpours on the way home; I was at least dry in the car, although driving was treacherous.

On Friday, September 27, 2013, I soloed to Neshaminy for the first time since November 2005, almost 8 years since I had been to Heartbreak Ridge. I spoke to HC Mark Schmidt outside of the main gate; for some reason, many times he was alone at games in which his team was playing.  Just coincidence; or perhaps he used some pensive time before games? I was surprised that he asked me about how I was doing regarding a health condition that came up perhaps a year ago when I talked with him. I felt kind of honored that he had remembered that. I had it taken care of in early December 2013 through DaVinci Robotic Lathroscopic Surgery. My surgeon was a Council Rock North graduate some years’ back.

This was another fine edition of the Skins, and they were sporting a 4-0 record at the time, having allowed exactly 7 points on defense in their first four games. A 1.75 defensive average should get you a lot of wins. Of course this was the D’Andre Pollard team and this night he had 11 carries for 167 yards and 3 TDs. By 3 minutes into the third quarter it was 35-0 and mercy rule, and I was on the way out. Truman was on the upswing but no match for these Skins.

As it was homecoming with king and queen crowning and numerous booths strung along the fence at the entrance end of the field; this was an example of the “zoo crowds” I talk about; and I was going out real early this time.

On Friday October 10^th, I started my notes with: “An absolutely superb season to date continued this weekend. Already I have loads to write about what has made a special season.” I seemed to be back; enjoying the season’s again. I made personal history this night, as for the first time since the concrete stands were erected at Council Rock North in 1977; I sat on the home side. (For a regular-season game, I had sat home-side for the CB West- Abington Heights 1998 PIAA playoff game).  The opponent was Neshaminy, who as a neighbor school and territory got to this one in home field numbers. So many fans attended that they usually sat in the aisles solidly and this totally skived me close to claustrophobia. I sat next to a man who just happened to be from Neshaminy and was on this side for the same reason. It was full on the home side, but not sardine-like; and the aisles were kept clear.

The final was 42-20 Neshaminy and I made the comment: “Two things for sure – Neshaminy is for real, and so is Rock’s McIlwain.” This was Brandon McIlwain’s sophomore season of course.

The next night I again went to a “big crowd” game. I trekked to William Tennent for the big PCL St Joes Prep at Wood cross divisional matchup. Although I knew the potential was there I did not realize I was watching the two 2013 AAAA and AAA State Champions play. I noticed website man and recently retired Daily News sportswriter Ted Silary on the track very early in the night and I had to meet him. I hailed him with something about his website, and he came over to talk a few minutes. He was the nice guy I thought he would be; and a tremendous source for Philly high school sports.

Wood’s QB Tom Garlick opened scoring on a nice fake and keep 9-yard run. McDonald kicked the PAT, and it was 7-0 Wood. The Prep answered on a Martin to Reid 23-yard strike and Walsh PAT made it 7-all. In the second quarter Wood’s elusive McClenton looked unstoppable and had 24- and 80-yard TD bursts and it was 21-7 Wood. And then occurred one of the things that changes games. Late in the 2^nd quarter Wood lost a fumble at about their own 36-yard line. Soon, the Preps premier RB Zaccheaus broke it off-tackle and was gone; Walsh kick 21-14 Wood at the half, but big “mo” had changed; and Prep would receive the second half kickoff.

The third quarter got defensive and the teams traded fumble recoveries. I left before the end of the third quarter because the lots at Tennent were the most packed with autos that I had ever seen there. Martin threw to Zaccheaus for a 6-yard score and the third ended 21-21.

In the fourth quarter Zaccheaus had another TD, a 4-yard run and it was then 28-21 with the Walsh PAT. Walsh later added a 33-yard field goal to ice it 31-21 Hawks.

I had a, now rare, three-game Friday night-Saturday day-night trio of games the weekend of October 11-12. I saw the Falcons 40-0 win over Tennent at Falcon Field Friday night.

The Saturday day game was Bensalem at Rock North and a 36-10 Council Rock Indian win. Here I got to speak with Neshaminy HC Mark Schmidt who would retire after the 2013 season. But he was not yet done with high school football. At night it was to Truman for Roxborough at Conwell-Egan, a nice game won 27-13 by the Indians of Roxborough. Another first-time look at a new team for me.

On Friday October 18, 2013, I stayed close to home for Abington at Council Rock South. RB Craig Reynolds of the Ghosts was the attraction. As the Ghosts were 6-1 and Rock South Golden Hawks 1-6, an unbalanced game might be the case. I sat with Rick Lee this time and met one of his sons. The Ghosts and Hawks programs were far enough apart this season for the Ghosts to dominate despite playing what was then their 3^rd starting QB David Kretschman, who was a good one in 2015, and also was in 2013 as I noted. This might have been his first start and all he did was throw three TD strikes of 24, 12, and 33 yards to three different receivers. Reynolds had 30 carries for 192 yards and two TDs. It was only 21-7 Abington after three quarters and the final 41-14 Ghosts.

The next night I attended my fourth consecutive homecoming game, this time at Falcon Field for Council Rock North at Pennsbury. After a great opening drive and McIlwain long TD run was negated by a holding call, it was all downhill for the Indians. The Falcons promptly went on a 6-play 72-yard drive capped by a Snorweah 23-yard TD burst and Leon PAT – 7-0 Falcons. They followed a little later with a Thompson 7-yard run; Leon kick 14-0 Falcons. Just as time was expiring in the first quarter, the Falcon’s Rob Daly picked off a McIlwain aerial and returned it 82 yards to the house. It was 21-0 Falcons after one. Only one score in the second quarter made it 28 Falcons on a Snorweah 12-yard run and Leon PAT at the half.

Pennsbury received the second half kickoff and before long Thompson scored from four yards out and at 35-0 the fast clock became the rule. After the Falcon kickoff, on the 2^nd play from scrimmage, the Indians Chris Welde broke one 64 yards up the middle and McIlwain hit Bibbens for the 2-pt PAT making it 35-8 Falcons. The third ended with that score. I left soon after the fourth quarter started and missed only a Smith 3-yard run; Leon Kick for the final 42-8 Falcon win.

By this point in the 2013 season I had already eclipsed my total games from 2012 and I was having a good season, and feeling good about high school football again. This was a big relief.

“Here’s a look back at 65 – seasons of Pennsylvania High School Football through the eyes of Kmac”

Following the disastrous season of 2011 I began to use the computer to organize my thoughts so I could read and ponder on them and make some analyses. I came up with the following, among other thoughts:

For 2012 key on four fields – Pennsbury, Council Rock, Truman, and War Memorial, Doylestown. When the schedules come out, from day and time see who can be caught on these fields. If needed, extend to Bensalem and Tennent, both with worse traffic routes, but both have good parking. After the first three weeks of the season see if tweaking is necessary based on records. Perhaps somebody thought to be 3-0 after three is 0-3; or vice versa. Be mindful of who they played, but see if you need to get someone not scheduled to see on the docket.

As with most situations in life, if you make a sound plan and stick with it and allow for tweaking if necessary, you can usually find a win.

The planned early, first-week scrimmage, which I had rarely ever attended – Council Rock North at CB West did not work out due to one of my age-ailments, but it didn’t deter me.

I did again make the LaSalle-Pennsbury scrimmage and there spoke with a woman whose son was a LaSalle starter. He was a stud-looking young man and played well. I found they were from Hatfield, where my Bud 2 was from, and had they not chosen LaSalle would be a North Penn Knight. It was a fairly even scrimmage, the free session, Pennsbury 19-7; half game LaSalle 7-0.

The opener this year was CB South at C Rock South. Having witnessed 6 playoff games of Rock South the last two seasons, it was a kind of natural; but I had no allusions about all of that 2 and 3-year talent that had graduated at Rock South. A 42-7 Titan victory was testament to the Golden Hawks being young and green almost to a man. They would struggle to a 2-8 season after two seasons of 11-2 and 12-2.

Well, my plan said what stadiums to concentrate on, and for the first 9 games of the season I alternated at Council Rock and Pennsbury. Rock was sometimes for North and sometimes for South, and they were exactly alternated – at Rock games 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9; and at Pennsbury games 2, 4, 6, and 8.

So week two it was Frankford at Pennsbury. The normal gatekeeper, an institution there, I learned was ailing and due back in a couple of weeks. I ran into no one that I knew.

I thought that Pioneer QB DiGeorgio was indeed as advertised. He was a quick, elusive QB; cool under pressure, and an accurate southpaw passer. But at least this night the Pioneers did not throw as much as I thought they might. It was a good, close game score-wise, but I also thought that the Falcons discipline (penalties), ball handling (fumbles), kickoff coverage, and pass defense lacked at times. But it was only the second game of the season and they faced a strong running Easton the first time out.

The first quarter was scoreless. In the second period the Falcons scored from 4 yards out and kicked the PAT to take a 7-0 lead. Then Frankford put on a 76-yard drive, aided by two Falcon 15-yard penalties. A DiGeorgio to Compton 4-yard TD pass made it 7-6 Falcons. On the PAT try, the Falcons jumped offside twice. So DiGeorgio ran in the PAT and the half ended 8-7 Frankford.

In the third quarter a short Falcon run made it 13-8 Pennsbury after a run PAT attempt failed. Next, a short Pioneer run TD was followed by a DiGeorgio to Compton pass PAT and it was 16-13 Pioneers. But before the third ended, Pepper had scrambled for a 15-yard score; kick PAT good – 20-16 Falcons at the end of three. In the fourth quarter DiGeorgio hit his receiver Turbeville for a 7-yard TD and a kicked PAT made it 23-20 Frankford. I saw that one up close as I was at the fence in the last quarter. As I was leaving I did see the 30-yard Stewart burst that put the Falcons back on top 27-23 after the kicked PAT. After I left I missed an electrifying 89-yard interception return by Falcon Tom Hose and Falcon kicker Kniaziewicz hit his fourth PAT to ice the game at 34-23.

Rain kept me from Tennent that Saturday night for North Penn at Wood. I did see the broadcast of NP-Wood on Comcast TV 8 live. If I had made this game, the strange alternating fields at Rock and Pennsbury would have been skewed.

Week 3 Friday it was Pennridge at Rock South and I was there to see Mr. Michael (Mike) Class. And I was right, as the Ram outstanding RB had 29 carries for 274 yards and two TDs. His yards per carry average was 9.5. It was 31-7 Pennridge as expected.

Week 4 was Pennsbury’s turn again and this time the building Truman Tigers were in. Coach Cubbage and his staff and plans were producing, as among the Tigers 60 players, fully 25 were freshmen. Three years prior the entire team was 23 players. This was the nucleus that would produce a fine 2014 team and one with great prospects for 2015 before perhaps 3 of their top 5 key players were injured for the season. Unfortunately for these Tigers, Falcon 255 lb FB Daquan Mack was back, and tonight he scored four TDs on runs of 1, 2, 31, and 6 yards. His first made it 7-0 at the quarter. His second made it 14-0 Falcons in the second, after both kicked PAT’s. The Tigers forced a safety on the Falcons before half and it ended 14-2.

The Falcons came out smoking in the third quarter and scored three times – Mack 31, Snorweah 9, and Mack 6. The Falcons successfully converted a 2-point PAT after each score on a Mack, and 2 Pepper runs. The 24-point third put it away at 38-2, but a fourth quarter was still to be played. I took off as there was no doubt, and Falcon reserve Smith had two run TDs in the last quarter – 2 and 8 yards. The final was 51-2 Falcons.

On week 5 it was back to Rock North and this time to see Council Rock North and their freshman sensation QB/S Brandon McIlwain. Tonight this young man was 10 for 19 passing including a 30-yard TD, and also rushed for 62 yards and a TD. Receiver Brandon Knotts had two receptions for 72 yards and the 30-yard TD. Senior RB A. J. Neilson had 86 yards rushing on 16 carries. The Indian kicker Pedinoff had two high PATs and a FG late which I did not see. William Tennent was the opponent and it ended 17-0 Rock North.

The Friday night Council Rock South at Pennsbury game was moved to Monday night due to a staph infection outbreak at CRS. As this was my scheduled game, again fate twisted things into the perfectly alternate schedule mentioned. Tonight it was RB Shawn Pepper that did the damage on 10 carries for 214 yards. That was exclusive of an 85-yard burst he had that was called back by a hold. The Falcons threw some utilizing the talents of QB Breon Clark. Again it was only 5 passes, but he hit two for 84 yards. One was a 49-yard TD strike to Pepper. The other a 35-yard completion to Dan Chaudhri. The Falcons went for the 2-point conversion after each of their first three scores. It was 8-0 at the quarter and 16-0 at the half, then 28-0 after three quarters. After I left CB South scored on a 14-yard run TD to make the final 28-7 Pennsbury. Game switches such as this usually produce various coaches looking at future opponents. Tonight I had the pleasure of speaking briefly with Mark Schmidt of Neshaminy, Biz Keeney of Tennent, and Tim Sorber of Abington. This was the only game this season where I noted such activity.

I thought that Truman (2-3) might beat C Rock South (0-5), but the Rock program was still stronger despite the records. I took this one in at CRN and it was a CRS 32-13 win.

Saturday same week it was Abington (4-1) at Pennsbury (3-2) and I was also there. The Ghosts opened scoring with a first quarter Carraba 23-yard FG, 3-0 Abington. But Pepper hit Tom Hose for a 28-yard strike; Kniaziewicz (K) PAT kick 7-3 Falcons after one. Pepper broke one 29 yards in the second quarter’s only score; K kick – 14-3 at the half.

In the third quarter the Ghosts’ Collins had a 4-yard rushing TD, but the run PAT try failed, and it was 14-9 Falcons. On the next series the Falcons’ Pepper broke one 54 yards and the K-kick made it 21-9 home side at the end of three. As I moved to the sideline fence for the fourth, before long, Falcon Safety Muse intercepted a Ghost aerial in front of my direct view and raced it up the near sidelines for a 76-yard pick six.

Kniaziewicz kick – 28-9 Falcons and I did my thing and started home. Falcon sub Pfender got the last Falcon score to make the final 35-9 Pennsbury.

The weekend closest to my 71^st birthday, October 12-13-14 was spoiled by another of my age-afflictions and I saw no games in person.

At Council Rock North for the 5^th (and last) time this season the opponent was guess who? —- Pennsbury. Pennsbury was coming in 5-2 and Rock North was 3-4. This game was a rivalry of sorts, the teams pretty much didn’t like each other; but nothing like Neshaminy-Pennsbury. I sat with Falcon HC Snyder’s mom and dad who I was getting to know and converse with as I had so many bygone coaches. The Falcons got the first score on a Pepper 2-yard run; K kick 7-0 Falcons. But the Rock’s McIlwain’s 4-yard answer and Pedinoff (P) PAT tied it up at 7. Breon Clark scored from the one for the Falcons and the PAT was blocked – 13-7 Falcons. On another possession, Clark ran a beautiful 27-yard sprint and then hit Hose for the 2-point PAT, 21-7 Falcons. Rock with the ball and running out of time in the half ended with a controversial one second added back by the officials. Set up for a field goal, Pedinoff drilled it from 27 yards out – halftime 21-10 Pennsbury.

In the third quarter Pedinoff hit a 42-yard FG and it was 21-13 Falcons. But Pepper bolted 65 yards for a TD, K kick for Falcons, making it 28-13 after three. After I had left in the fourth quarter the teams traded pass TDs and PAT’s to make it 28-20, and finally 35-20 Falcons. I noted that for the first time in some time that the Falcons rushing attack was enhanced by the passing of Bensalem (Conwell-Egan)-transfer Clark. He was 6 of 10 for 102 yards, one TD, one 2-point PAT, and no picks. Rare stats for the Falcons.

And with this game my alternate Council Rock-Pennsbury field rotation odyssey came to an end. I would not see Rock stadium again this season but would be back to Falcon Field.

On the next day, actually Saturday night, I was at Truman for a Bishop McDevitt – Conwell-Egan matchup. The visiting Lancers were few in numbers (a Class A team), and suffered on the offensive line. A pistol or shotgun offense saw many high snaps causing a second or two for the QB to gain control and thus affected was the timing of the offense. The Conwell-Egan Eagles amassed 329 yards rushing and scored one TD in each quarter; leading 28-0 when I left. The final was 28-6 Eagles.

I’ll take a local Sunday day game when I can get it, and this Sunday I made it a 3-game weekend. When I arrived at Tennent and saw the Archbishop Carroll Patriots I knew that they were in trouble. Although defending AAA state champ Archbishop Wood was but 5-2, both losses were respectable to AAAA powers, and the Vikings were getting it in gear. Carroll simply had no studs; about 30 players- they looked like a cross country team. No weight program?

I was quite surprised. The Wood lines looked to outweigh them 50 pounds a man. The next day Ted Silary said on his excellent website for Philadelphia sports, “at times Carroll looked disinterested”, and I saw it too. I don’t know if I ever saw a game where the entire staff and team seemed to have thought, we can’t win, we have to be here, so let’s play and go home. I may be 100% wrong, maybe there was just little talent or experience to play with; it was an amazing situation for all of the years I had followed football. Wood just scored and continued scoring, 21-0 at the quarter, 42-0 and mercy rule at the half. At the end of three 49-0 and the end of what I was to see. Wood subs even won the fourth quarter 13-7 to make the final 62-7.

It was a far cry from the 2000 Carroll Patriots that put a 13-0 season on the board.

Post-Tropical Cyclone Sandy left us without power from Monday 10/29 until Saturday night 11/3 at 9:00 PM. It resulted in a Monday night game 11/5 – Bensalem (2-7) at Truman (2-7). As the records indicated mutual lack of success I thought that this might be a good one, and I was correct. Truman scored first on their fine RB Fisher’s 9-yard run. The PAT went wide right and it was 6-0. The score held for the first quarter. I noted that the Owls had a strong sophomore back in Alex Archangeli, whose 7-yard plunge and Rosenfeld PAT made it 7-6 Owls. A little later, Alex went in from the 9 and with PAT kick it was 14-6 Owls at the half.

In the third, the Tigers Fisher again got in from the one, and a 2-point pass PAT knotted it at 14-all. The third ended with that score. The Owls speedy Elijah scored from the 11 and it was 21-14 Owls. As I spent a minute or two at the rest room, I missed Truman’s Bobby Hill’s 51-yard run to the house, but I did see a botched PAT attempt turned into a 2-point pass PAT. That made it 22-21 Tigers. As I was leaving I saw a Tiger defensive back pick off a Hopkins’ pass and return it to the Owls 11. Fisher then took it in and the PAT was blocked and it was 28-21 Tigers. After I was humming home in the car The Owls Elijah scored from the two and the PAT was good to knot the game at 28 at the end of regulation play. The Tigers got a Kenny 29-yard field goal on their OT possession, but the Owls got a 1-yard Archangeli plunge TD to win the game 34-31. A real good one!

Next it was the District One 4A first round game between the West Chester Rustin Golden Knights (8-2) and Pennsbury Falcons (8-2). The Knights’ looked stud-like and athletic and I sensed a good close game. Rustin also ran a wing-T and so knew what Pennsbury ran and how to defend it. It would come down to either personnel or breaks, I thought. With their vaunted running game bottled up the Falcons went to the air for two first quarter TDs. Clark hit Pepper for a 39-yard TD and Bullaro for a 53-yard TD. It was 14-0 Falcons after one. There was no scoring in the second period. In the third quarter the Knights’ QB Fithian hit Burke for a 30-yard TD, but the PAT was missed and after three quarters it was 14-6 Falcons.  I left with about 6 minutes left just before Pepper finally got loose for an 85-yard TD run to put the Falcons up 21-6. The scrappy Knights then came back with another yard 25-yard pass TD for a 21-13 final.

The new Turkey-Day tradition of South Hunterdon-New Hope Solebury continued in Mt. Airy, NJ (the region outside of Lambertville where the South school is located) this year. As I followed neither team (except NH-S wins-losses) except for this game, I listed no names. A long pass TD on their first possession put the NH-S Lions up 7-0 early. The South Eagles had a strong run up-the-gut game all day (shades of Woody Hayes and the OSU “3 yards and a cloud of dust”). They drove the field and tied it at 7. In the second quarter another mirror drive the other directions made it 14-7 Eagles. But, just before the half, another nice aerial right in front of our viewing area pulled the Lions into a 14-14 tie at the half.

We began our hiatus with about 6 minutes left in the game, as South is a rural setting and the parking not adequate, cars were lined the rural farm roads and woodlands in every direction. Very near the end of the game, the Lions hit a 48-yard field goal to win the game 17-14. A very well-played game.

The wisdom of officials of both schools was shown by making this natural cross-river rivalry a reality. In two games the scores were 12-10 and 17-14, and in both cases the visiting team won.

This was the season finale for me this season, but I got 15 games in, far better than the 7-game disaster of 2011 and a move toward a more “normal” season for me.

But another telling note at the end of the season revealed that PIAA playoffs were just not close enough for me this year, other than the Rustin-Falcon game. That said; there were playoff games this year at Poppy Yoder in Perkasie (3); and CB South (3). Granted some were the same nights, but I had been to those two stadiums before; but now, they were “too far”. If only the “company factor” of the golden era were available; but it was not so.

Travel, age, weather conditions, traffic, and the fact that games are readily more available on TV, radio, or computer stream definitely ruled my game-seeing decisions now.

It may be Hell to get old; but it does beat the alternative!

“Here’s a look back at 65 – seasons of Pennsylvania High School Football through the eyes of Kmac”

The 2011 HSF season was a total disaster from my usual perspective. In 2011, I fell back 50 years to the same amount of games I saw in 1961; and these two years were the only years that I saw this many games – seven! Only seven games!

In the spring of 2011 my wife and I decided the time had come for a major home improvement – a new kitchen with elements like a new kitchen backsplash tile. We began the planning process with a kitchen designer-supplier.

My wife was not so much interested in the all star game this season and so I did not even plan to go in June. Kitchen planning was well along by then. In late June we lost our beloved Lhasa Apso of 13 years, and the normal pet-loss grief took hold of both of us. Kitchen construction was to begin on August 24 and run to October 17 (actual dates – the projected times were very close to these). I knew that high school football season would be affected.

My wife was amazing in constructing meals with the outside grill, and she did a wonderful job using the basement recreation room for a second “kitchen” with Nu-wave oven, crock pot, toaster oven, steamer, and electric fry pan. Of course we ate out and called in as well at times. But every day for the most part for almost two full months it was contractors, plumbers, electricians, heating and duct men, sheetrock people, insulation man, flooring installers, painters, and storm door man; requiring us to be present.

And during it all we were twice evacuated with the prospect of the river flooding and wiping out our basement during the construction. My wife and I did very well through it all keeping level and balanced, but I think it took a toll nevertheless; especially with the pet grief throughout it all. The kitchen came out beautifully, and we were spared the flooding (barely). But a lot of time hauling things out of the basement and then putting them back was necessary.

All of this took its toll on high school football.

The two flood events were post-Hurricane Irene, Aug 26-29, 2011; and then Tropical Storm Lee rainfall Sep 5-9, 2011. We were out of our house at least two days each event, and without power at least two days each, adding to the mayhem of the period.

The first event wiped out the planned LaSalle-Pennsbury scrimmage for me. It was likely held or moved and held, I have no idea.

I tried to open the season as usual with Easton at Pennsbury. It was Labor Day weekend, 9/1, in between the storms, nice night, and I noticed how much the Falcon gatekeeper had aged in one year at the gate. I hoped he would be back in 2012; he said he had been having back problems.

I sat where I usually sat the last few years, toward the scoreboard-end stairwell, where Mr. Snyder (Galen’s father) always went up to his seat. I nodded hello as usual when he arrived. But, for some reason it did not feel the same. I had a feeling of strangeness at the game; not like it always felt for the past 60 years going to the games. I felt alone, like I did not know anybody anymore. Soon, great ex-Morrisville athlete Denny Poland appeared, and I went down a few rows and sat with him for the game. The game was decidedly Easton, 3-0, 10-0, 17-0 and 24-0 all in the second quarter. That was the final as well. Easton had a big, college sized band, not the trend around here, as almost all the bands are smaller these days.

I enjoyed getting started, enjoyed the band, but the strangeness I couldn’t really shake. It was surreal, like I had never been to Pennsbury before. And I had been going there since 1968.

The next weekend was the threat from Tropical Storm Lee, another evacuation, and we were just back in the house Friday Sep 9 and power restored about 2:00 PM. We had all the stuff we had moved from the basement (again) to be moved out (again) so the contractors could work in the kitchen again on Monday, so there was no time to even listen to games.

After just one game, and its strangeness, the motivation left me to get out and go to games. F-S Sep 16-17, I had Neshaminy at C B East programmed for Friday and Wood at Conwell-Egan Saturday.   I noted that we were still “coming down” from the two flood threats, and there was no kitchen. Later, in the back of my mind was the thought of leaving my wife alone Friday nights with no kitchen, and the first season without our pet, and I felt that played a part too. She was very tearful over the pet right up to and including Christmas, because he loved it so much; or at least appeared to as animal/pets often do.

I didn’t get to my second game of the season at Council Rock South for the invasion of William Tennent, until Friday 10/21; the 8^th week of the season. Our kitchen was finished on October 17^th and things were somewhat normal again. It was not expected to be much of a game as the two teams were going in different directions. Tennent was the smallest team (individual player size) I had seen in a long time; really looked like a lot of 8^th graders. Tennent HC Biz Keeney’s troubles continued. Rock South I noted was looking like a high playoff seed (they became number 1, you don’t get any higher). The Golden Hawks won 35-14. I felt a little more comfortable at this game, more normal, not as “strange.” I was very relieved by this.

On Saturday night 10/22 I again ventured to Falcon Field for Council Rock North and the Falcons. I sat alone again, but felt a little more normal than week 1; I spoke to Mr. Snyder briefly. I noted here that I thought the Falcon’s would probably make the playoffs, but have to travel and likely lose early. I think the Falcons this year fooled everyone a bit. A two-game weekend was most refreshing at this point.

A cold breeze foreshadowing a brutal October storm started on Friday night Oct 28 and caused me to sit this weekend out. Then a terrible October Northeaster hit on Saturday with snow and ice that knocked out power to about 200,000 in the area, and millions in the Northeast.

Needless to say there was no game for me Saturday, although some were played in the miserable weather. Power wasn’t back until Sunday night at 9:40 PM for us.

After missing so much of the season I couldn’t get motivated to any of the Friday Nov 4 traditional matchups – Falcons-Redskins; battle of the Rock’s; or even Bensalem at Truman. The one I really wished I would have gone to was in Doylestown, C B South at C B East. South won that one 61-40. I would have like that one.

The fact that Council Rock South repeated with a fine team in 2011 was somewhat of a saving grace for me. I would again be able to see three PIAA playoff games close by; but of course the Golden Hawks would have to win to keep it so.

The D1 PIAA 4A quarter final was Friday November 11 – Upper Dublin at CRS. I noted that I knew no one at the game and this was a big change as in the past I almost always knew someone. A good first half ended at 14-7 Council Rock South. I heard a fan in the away stands say: “We could win this”, which likely was because of the first half closeness, and the fact that the Cardinals were a 16 seed and Rock South 1 seed. But in fact, UD could not contain the triple-option offense by the wishbone rushing Golden Hawks. They would get five TDs on runs of 30, 32, 29, 80, and 31 yards. No 1-yard plunges here. Allowing 496 yards rushing will get you beat. Making these dashes were Alimenti and Donnelly – two each, and Steinmetz, a junior. The final was 34-7 Council Rock South, assuring another game for me the following Friday.

Downingtown East was the opponent next time, and I expected this would be a tough, close game; and I was right for three quarters. The Golden Hawks efficient offense and future all-state kicker Ben Solis got them up 7-0. But the ensuing kickoff went to the Cougars’ speedy Jay Harris and he raced 83 yards; quickly it was 7-7. But bruising Hawks runner Alimenti got loose for a 29-yard, “won’t go down” burst and it was 14-7 Hawks after one. In the second the Cougars passing attack was razor-sharp and led to a capping 1-yard plunge; but the PAT kick was off and it was 14-13 Golden Hawks at halftime.

In the third quarter Donnelly broke a 41-yarder and Solis was deadly, 21-13 Hawks. But not for long. A 75-yard pass completion made it 21-19, and of course you go for two here. But it was not made and the very even three quarters ended 21-19 Hawks. I was leaving 2 or 3 minutes into the 4^th quarter, but I did see Rock drive up field and score on a one-yard plunge and the Solis PAT to go up 28-19. I saw the ensuing kickoff which was towards me in the exit end of the stadium, and the first two Cougar plays. Fine East QB Lauletta was sacked twice as it looked like the Hawks’ defense was just letting it all out with furious rushes. After I left, Solis put it on ice with a 32-yard field goal and it ended 31-19 CRS.

A Thanksgiving game change this season was a natural for many reasons. South Hunterdon had finally dropped Del Val and with the town across the bridge from Lambertville now playing football again, a game with New Hope-Solebury was certainly a natural.

For my brother-in-law (Bud 3) and me, it was (at New Hope) walking distance from his home in Lambertville and across the bridge, but with hills and traffic concerns; we rode. Bud 2, now of Hatfield, had graduated from New Hope and scouted for South Hunterdon, so a natural on two counts. It was the first game of the series, and deemed “battle of the bridge” with a bridge-like, rotating trophy built for the winner each season.

These two schools were much closer in size than the old Del Val situation and a good match was expected. When we last saw South Hunterdon in 2008, they were down to about 23 players and lacked any physical size in general. We were surprised to see 42 this time and with some good-size physically also. We met Bud 2 there, fully expecting him although not discussing it beforehand and as usual many other Lambertvillians we knew. South got the kickoff and drove the field and scored, eating half the first quarter; but missed the PAT, 6-0 Eagles. But the Lions did not take long to answer, and made the PAT and it was 7-6 NH-S. In the second quarter the Lions also hit a nice, fairly short field goal to take a 10-6 halftime lead.

The third quarter was scoreless, but the Eagles had received a punt deep and began a long drive that led to a TD just as the 4^th quarter began. They went for 2 and missed and it was 12-10 South Hunterdon. We watched the ensuing kickoff to be sure it was not a quick score, but it was routine and we left for much-anticipated turkey. We missed no scoring, and the historic first modern meeting of the two schools ended 12-10 South Hunterdon.

The following night was the District One semi-final featuring Garnet Valley at Council Rock South, of course at Rock North’s stadium. My first-ever viewing of the Jaguars, or “Jags” and I was impressed. The team was numerous, big and sparkling in away all-white and maroon numbers and wide pants’ stripe and it looked as if every uniform was brand new. Equally impressive were the band and crowd that was large, full of vocal support, and courteous.

That they could score was no secret, but could they defend the wishbone triple option? A Golden Hawks 59-yard opening drive was capped by an Alimenti 10-yard rush. Early 7-0 Hawks. The Jags offense was obviously balanced and was proficient both on the ground and in the air; very dangerous. But the Hawks got a stop early, and soon Donnelly broke one for 36 yards; and with the accurate Solis kicking, a 14-0 Golden Hawks lead with about 5 minutes left in quarter number one. The Jaguars did not take long to counter this time, but missed the PAT and it was 14-6. Likely in the second quarter, the Golden Hawks 32-yard pass to P. J. Gallo set up another score and it went to 21-6 CRS. But the scary Jags O again took little time to answer, but again missed a conversion (2-pt try of course); and it was 21-12 CRS. Before the half Solis hit a decent-length FG to put the Hawks up 24-12 at the half.

The hand of fate stepped in early in the third period. Garnet Valley received the second half kickoff and were deep in their territory.   On the second play from scrimmage the fine-looking Jags’ QB Ryan Corkery went down on a scramble, I believe untouched by a defender; but he was injured enough to remain sidelined for the evening.

Unfortunately for the Jags’, his replacement was quickly picked off on a pass attempt, and it was  31-12 CRS early in the second half. All other scoring was after I left, but the final was 38-24 Council Rock South, and I understand the last two Jags scores were late in the game.

Had the District One Championship been at Council Rock North as it was last season, I surely would have taken it in this dismal season; but it was at Plymouth-Whitemarsh. I had only been there once, in 1993, and it was now “too distant” for me. Unfortunately for the Golden Hawks it was against North Penn again. And the Knights were destined to represent the east at Hershey this season. The Knights beat the Golden Hawks 34-14.

In the snow at Hershey, the Knights played a good game except for one play on defense; and lost to Central Dauphin 14-7 on a long pass completion/run TD.

So far that was the last hurrah for the Suburban One League to date; silver at Hershey; now 5 years past.

In late December 2011 and early January 2012 the news was circulating that the Philadelphia Archdiocese would likely close Bonner, Conwell-Egan, and West Catholic. But private funding was found to keep all open; and as they all remain in 2016, so far- so good.

One thing for certain resulted from the disaster of the 2011 season. I was determined to pick myself up, dust off, and get back INTO high school football. With the events of the year it was an anomaly; I could, and would, get back to high school football as I liked it.

“Here’s a look back at 65 – seasons of Pennsylvania High School Football through the eyes of Kmac”

The day after the Friday night 10/29/2010 Abington-Council Rock South game I was back to Rock North for an expected even game between Bensalem (2-6) and Council Rock North (0-8). It was a day game between two teams with rough seasons and I knew there would be little crowd and that was part of the appeal. A half-hour before kickoff there were 8 people in the away stands; 5 Bensalem fans, 2 Council Rock South coaches scouting North; and me. By kickoff maybe 50 or 60 people were in the away stands.

The return of the two big college-bound players out all year to date was evident this game for Rock North. But first there were still problems as the Indians fumbled the kickoff and it was returned 27 yards for a TD by the Owls Newkirk. Vogler PAT kick good – 7-0 Owls. But Rock North scored the next three – Cottom 11, Parker 10, and Cottom 2-yard runs with two Henritzy kick PAT’s and a Terry run PAT made the score 22-7 CRN at the half.

Bensalem’s Vogler hit a 27-yard FG to open second half scoring, 22-10 CRN. But still in the third, the Indians QB Knotts hit Cottom with a 7 yard TD; kick good 29-10 CRN after three periods. As I was exiting in the 4^th quarter at the sideline fence, Bensalem QB Prisco hit Newkirk for 8 yards in the corner of the end zone right in front of me. Prisco ran the 2-pt PAT in and it was 29-18. I left and later missed a 55-yard Cottom run; and PAT to make the final 36-18 and Council Rock North’s first (and only) win of the season.

I got a double bonus in 2010 not since repeated. The final regular season night was big rivalries and “zoo crowds” I now shunned. And by that I mean big crowds, heavier traffic, possibly ticket lines, bathroom rushes, and sometimes particularly zealous crowds due to the rivalries. But the PCL had scheduled a class AAAA Playoff game at Harry S Truman, a stadium very familiar to me. And due to the distance from the schools playing and the diversely scattered population base for these schools the crowds were usually never too large. I went and there was indeed elbow room, I sat completely alone in an entire section of the huge home-side bleachers.

It was LaSalle-Father Judge. Interestingly, I had seen both of these teams this year – LaSalle in a scrimmage with Pennsbury, and Judge in the season opener at Council Rock North. The first score was right in front of me, an Explorer pick and return for a TD by Mike Piscopo; Winslow kick PAT 7-0 LaSalle. Still in the first quarter Explorer QB Kevin Forster, subbing for an injured Matt Magarity, broke either an option or keeper for a 52-yard TD; Winslow converted, 14-0 LaSalle. In the second period Forster repeated his feat, this time for 46 yards; 21-0. In the third period, the Explorers Coleman took a punt return 64-yards to the house, 28-0.

And finally, after star RB Abdur-Rahman finally got his helmet adjustment right (he was fussing with it all game), he broke a 51-yard TD run (PAT blocked) 34-0 LaSalle, end of three.

I left early in the fourth and the final score was a Father Judge 85-yard drive and Myers 1-yard plunge; Foley kicked the PAT and the final was 34-7 LaSalle.

Only while getting all the days scores late Friday night did I notice that the other PCL 4A semi-final would also be at Truman on Saturday night. I returned Saturday and parked in the same spot and sat in the same spot. To illustrate my crowd comments, 20 minutes before kickoff there were 2 people in the stands on the visitors’ side, which was actually the St Joes Prep “home” side. I had no newspaper to recap this one, but there was some fine play and a Roman Catholic win 27-19. It was my first-ever viewing of Roman Catholic.

On Friday night 11/12 my wife was again in Connecticut with her youngest sister and oldest sister for sisters’ weekend on my wife’s birthday. I had a PIAA playoff game at Council Rock North. Despite anticipated crowds, I still did local PIAA playoffs when possible. The opening kickoff was returned to the Souderton 47 by the CRS Golden Hawks giving them good field position. It only took about 3 or 4 plays for QB Billy Fleming to take it in for a 3-yard TD and the dependable Ben Solis PAT gave the Golden Hawks an early 7-0 bulge. The Souderton Indians responded with a drive right down the field, but it stalled at the 6 or 8 or so. They opted for a field goal and it was 7-3. In the second quarter the Indians looked solid on both O and D, and entered the halftime locker room with a 10-7 edge. And they would get the ball to start the second half.

But, the Indians could not convert their initial second-half possession. When the Hawks got the ball, Solis hit a 35-yard FG to knot it at 10. Then Fleming broke one for 38 yards and accurate Solis made it 17-10 Golden Hawks near the end of the third quarter. The ensuing kickoff was returned for a long gain to about the South 17-yard line across the field from me as I was now at the sideline fence on the visitor’s side. A first down was made, and several short scoring attempts turned back when the third quarter ended and the teams marched away from me to the closed end of the field. Then a pass scored for Souderton and the PAT made to knot it at 17 and I moved to the home side near the concessions area and watched the Golden Hawks put it away with about 4 and ½ minutes left in the game. Actually, I heard the 1-yard plunge by Fleming, and PAT by Solis “good!” as I was walking to my car. The final was 24-17 in a very good game.

The Golden Hawks were home again the following week for CB West and this game was one for the record books. I of course took it in. Rock South received the opening kickoff, drove the length of the field and scored on a 1-yard plunge by Whitely. Rock’s fine kicker Solis then kicked the first of every PAT attempt that he would try. West’s first possession resulted in a three-and-out and punt; the only punt this game would see. Rock then repeated their long drive routine with QB Billy Fleming capping it with a 2-yard plunge; with Solis PAT it was 14-0 Hawks at the end of the first quarter.

In the second quarter the West offense sprang to life and a 16-yard run by Poeske (PAY-ski); and an Edwards kicked PAT made it 14-7 Hawks. Then, on one of the rare miscues of the night, an errant pitchout by Fleming was recovered by the Bucks and they were back in business. West’s star running back Rasheed Williams then galloped 28-yards, and with Edwards PAT it was knotted at 14.

Rock South responded with an aerial, Fleming to Gallo, 34 yards to retake the lead 21-14. Then C B West emulated the first two Rock possessions and put on a long drive with a 2-yard Udinski to Poeske pass capper; Edwards PAT; 21-all. The Hawks then put on another drive, this time in big run chunks, with Fleming keeping the final 4 yards; Solis remained perfect 28-21 Rock South. There would be no quit in either team this night. Featuring Williams runs, the Bucks again answered with Rasheed lugging the final 7 yards. Both kickers remained perfect, 28-28 with 3 minutes left in the half. Council Rock South then put on a 54-yard drive in 7 plays to score with 6 seconds left in the half to enter the locker room with the edge 35-28. The second quarter had seen 49 points scored and a total of 964 yards from scrimmage gained!

This pace was bound to slacken, and it did. Despite a lot of offense again in the third period there was only one score, a Rock South Dimirgian 59-yard bolt; and with another Solis PAT, a 42-28 lead for the Golden Hawks. In the fourth stanza, Solis hit a 29-yard FG to put what I thought was the game out of reach for West. It was 45-28 with 8 minutes left in the game. While I was correct there were three more scores; for CB West; a Udinski 1-yard run made it 45-35 and with time left. Then Rock South’s Dimirgian scored on a 4-yard run to make it 52-35. West still wouldn’t quit, and Udinski hit Bell with a 13-yard strike to make it 52-41. West then missed the only missed PAT of the night by either team; I believe it was just a kick attempt, but I had left early to avoid the big crowd exit and don’t know for sure. The final was 52-41.

My brother-in-law (Bud 3) drove to Truman this year for the Truman Conwell-Egan Turkey Day classic. It was only my third company game of the season – my wife once (other than the June all-star game also), Bud 2 once (a chance meeting), and now this. As Egan was 0-9 and Truman 2-9, a close, good match was expected. Cold gray, threatening skies had the lights on at the stadium upon arrival.   A long, successful opening drive by the Tigers ate about 7 minutes of the clock and was capped by a QB Thompson 1-yard plunge and Bryant kicked the PAT, 7-0 Tigers. The first quarter ended with that score. In the second the Eagles answered on an 8-yard Benedetti run after the drive was mostly aerial oriented. The PAT snap was bobbled, but QB-holder Clark scrambled around his left side and made it 2 points and it was CEC 8-7. During the second quarter the rain-sleet-snow started. Truman then had a big run (Thompson I think) to the CEC 1-yard line. Thompson again plunged a yard for the score, but a run PAT attempt was stopped and it was 13-8 Truman at the half.

The snow was now coming down in big wet flakes and it was only going to get worse, and sloppy play was likely, so we called it a day at halftime this year. Two short TDs by Egan in the third made it 21-13 Egan after three quarters. Both teams traded scores in the fourth with the CEC PAT blocked and the Truman PAT missed to make the final Conwell-Egan 27-19. The Egan QB Breon Clark was just back from a most-of-the-season injury this game and it was the difference in the game. His passing and rushing and 2-pt PAT run added up to the slim victory for the Eagles, their first and only of the season.

There was a big crowd at Council Rock North for the D1 semi final between North Penn and Council Rock South Thanksgiving Friday night. This time I expected the big and seasoned Knights would be too much for the great-season Golden Hawks and I was right. The Knights used their offense for defense by keeping the ball out of the hands of that talented O of the Golden Hawks.

On the first play of the second quarter, Knights’ senior FB Dom Taggart broke a scoreless tie with a 1-yard TD plunge, capping an 8-play, four minute drive. Mandes kicked his first of four for the evening and it was 7-0 Knights. The Knights’ scored again in the second when QB Ernst hit Wendowski for a 3-yard TD. The Knights took a 14-0 lead at halftime.

As they had won the coin toss and deferred, the Knights would get the ball first in the second half; they were right where they wanted to be. And per game plan, the Knights executed a 12-play, 6:44 drive capped with a 6-yard TD pass to Taggart to go up 21-0 and pushing the Golden Hawks into uncomfortable territory – behind and late. They had to score, and did – a Dimirgian 1-yard plunge and Solis PAT and it was 21-7 Knights at the end of three. Early in the fourth, the Knights’ erased any momentum felt by the Hawks with a reverse to speedy Mercer who raced 47 yards to paydirt and a 28-7 lead with about 9 minutes left in the game. I then departed and missed a meaningless, but ending to a fine career, Billy Fleming 8-yard TD and PAT to make the final 28-14 North Penn. Talk about a fine old-time football score!

Just as my observance of high football crowds revealed a perception that North Penn was not overly crowded for most away games, and that the PCL did not draw well with exceptions, I was convinced that Neshaminy drew as well as anybody away from home. And as the District One final was Neshaminy-North Penn at Council Rock North, I passed to listen to it on computer. I realize that this is silly to a degree, as I have met and talked to a lot of fine fans from everywhere if they are amenable to conversation; and I can sit and deeply observe the game if the crowd does not want to talk to a stranger. But one thing I cannot stand is people sitting in the aisles for seats at the concrete and aluminum bleacher seating. If this is the case I have to exit the stands and watch from field level.

But my 2010 season was a rebound from the downers after the end of the golden era. I made 23 games, the most since 2004 (28) the last year of my golden era. And I saw 5 PIAA playoff games, also the most since the 2004 season. The company factor was never going to come back, and I enjoyed my wife at two games, Bud 2 at one game, and Bud 3 at one game this season. This company factor was so important to travel and games now that I was aging, and it was now not around. I saw a lot of quality teams in 2010. Locally Abington 10-3, twice; C Rock South 11-2; five times; Neshaminy 12-2, once; C B West 9-3, twice; North Penn 13-2, three times; and Wood 13-1, once. I also saw Harrisburg 9-3 at Pennsbury; and Friendship Academy (DC) at Wood in Doylestown. Friendship was extremely good with about 10 Division 1 prospects, and could not have lost many games. I also saw Souderton 7-4; state 4A runner-up LaSalle 13-2; Father Judge 8-3; and Roman Catholic 8-4.

The 2010 season renewed my spirits for high school football; but disaster lay ahead.

“Here’s a look back at 65 – seasons of Pennsylvania High School Football through the eyes of Kmac”

Once again it was my wife that was the catalyst for a rebound of my HSF viewing hobby; just as it had been in 1984. In 2010 she wanted to see the Lion’s All-Star game in Doylestown because a couple of Morrisville players she knew and liked were playing. We did it, my first all-star game since 2007. South won 34-10. And 2010 would be my 60^th season, another milestone; but nothing exceptional was planned.

I soloed to the annual LaSalle-Pennsbury scrimmage and found no one there I knew. The Explorers were the defending State 4A Champions, and without their top RB this night still looked solid. A new QB was Matt Magarity, and he rarely missed a receiver this night. The Falcons rebuilding defense looked shaky.

The Falcons were at Cottingham Stadium and getting blasted by Easton 34-13 in week one, so I opted for Father Judge at Council Rock North. A new Head Coach, Adam Colluchi was at Rock North. After the Ortman-English crew departed with their record-setting 10-1 and first PIAA playoff season-ever year in 2006; Tom Coates from within the system was the coach for 2007-2009. After seasons of 3-7; 3-7; and 6-5, Coates was not rehired for the 2010 season in a bit of controversy that never left the school grounds.

The new coach would suffer a 1-9 first season, the worst year for Rock North since 1956 (1-8). The Indians were not without talent for they had a Purdue-bound RB in Brandon Cottom, and another fine Iowa-bound player John Raymond; I believe a tight end, defensive end. But bad luck with injuries would hamper both their senior seasons; Raymond was not available from game one. And Cottom was injured on the first play from scrimmage game one, and out for a long time.

I chose the game to see a touted Judge 3-year starting QB; but he had transferred elsewhere before the season; and to see Cottom, who did not carry the first play and still was hurt and gone for the game. Disappointing to say the least. The game was good though. Judge got the lead 7-0 and then it was a 7-7 tie. North went up 14-7, and then suffered a safety, 14-9. The Crusaders answered with a TD and missed 2-point pass PAT try, 15-14 Judge. With about 10 minutes left in the game I departed as delays for players cramping for Rock North really broke the pace of the game. Judge iced it in the 4^th, final 22-14 Crusaders.

Harrisburg was at Pennsbury the second week of the season, and I had to see that one. John Chaump, now fully retired from coaching, and I talked for a while pre-game. His brother, the PA Hall of Fame George Chaump was still coaching Harrisburg, I believe; the reason for John’s attendance. I met and sat with Bud 4’s brother-in-law, Denny Poland, and Phil Lanctot, all three ex-athletes from Morrisville originally.

This one was a good one. The high-powered Cougar O hit a 70-yard catch/run TD on the first play from scrimmage, 7-0 Harrisburg with 18 seconds elapsed. The Falcons answered, but a blocked PAT kick made it 7-6 Cougars. It seemed difficult to keep the Cougar O off the board and they scored again and it was 14-6. But the Falcons answered again and had to go for two, and missed 14-12 Harrisburg. With 1:39 left in the half Pennsbury kicked off high and short and all of the Cougars peeled back to block. The Falcons recovered the ad hoc onsides kick. With 27 seconds left in the half the Falcons scored and made a 2-point PAT to take the lead 20-14. On the Cougar’s last play of the half as time expired, they completed a 50-yard pass/run on which the receiver reached out across the goal line as he was tackled. The official called him down at about the 3-inch line before the score. Only a replay, not available in high school, could have cleared it up.

The Falcons appeared in good shape as they would get the ball to start the second half. But as they drove QB Pepper had the ball pop up in the air at about his own 20, and the Cougars’ Julian Bouleware caught it in mid-air and raced into the end zone. It was 21-20 Harrisburg and the initial second half possession advantage was lost for Pennsbury.  The Cougars scored again and their perfect PAT kicker made it 28-20 Harrisburg. In the fourth quarter the Cougars set up for a 29-yard field goal. It was either partially blocked or shanked short to the Falcon 5-yard line. An alert Adam Lewis picked up the ball for the Falcons and raced up the visitors sideline before the Cougars reacted and carried it 95 yards for a TD. It was 28-26 Harrisburg. A 2-pt PAT pass was accurate but dropped. My now long-time practice of leaving early no matter how good the game or how much the outcome is in doubt prevailed, and I began to depart. In the end with 3 minutes and 34 seconds left in the game the Falcon’s Pepper ran one in from 4 yards out; PAT not made and it was 32-28 Pennsbury. Only an interception in the end zone with 56 seconds left in the game by Falcon Jay Jabat saved the game for Pennsbury.

I have to add this one to my list of “best games seen” if I ever get around to really making a study and constructing such a list.

By this season and my 69^th birthday, I was suffering from a variety of age ailments that would be a burden to getting to games at times. Accordingly I did not get to a scheduled Council Rock South at CB East game in Doylestown for 2:00 pm Saturday 9/11.

On the annual Thursday-scheduled games, heavy rain kept me from two games, a 4:00 kickoff I planned to see the first half, and then get to a 7:00 pm game.

Still on Friday night was Delaware County Christian, a 1950 school that came to the Bicentennial League from the Southern Chester County League, at Morrisville. My wife was interested; so we took it in. Three-year starting QB Cookson was out and the Bulldogs called on junior Eric Wilcox to fill in. And did he ever! Eric had 12 completions for 234 yards and four TDs – three to Julian Walker of 63, 37, and 44 yards; and one to McClease for 44 yards. Jimmy Miller, Wilcox, and Matt Beyer had short rushing TDs; while Goodwin kicked 5 of 7 PAT’s.

The Bulldogs were never behind, but the Knights could score too. The sequence was 7-0; 7-6, 14-6 (1^st Qtr.); 20-6; 26-6 (half); 33-6; 33-12; 33-18 (3^rd Qtr.); 33-24 when we left a few minutes into the 4^th quarter. Another Bulldog score made it 40-24, and then the Knights’ Boyd returned the ensuing kickoff to the house and it was 40-30. The Bulldogs got the final tally to make it 47-30. I wrote in my notes: “The Dogs need a little ‘D’ to go with all that ‘O’.”

A bizarre Monday night sort-of doubleheader was caught on 9/20 due to two games moved from the rain and lightning Thursday past. One would be a full game, and the other a completion of a lightning-suspended game.

The full game started early and for some reason I was either unaware, or wanted to see the suspended game, because I got to the full game with a little over 5 minutes left in it. It was Hatboro-Horsham at Council Rock North. The score at that time was 21-14 H-H. Incredibly, the Hatters punted to a returner with 18 seconds left in the game. He raced it some 70+ yards to the house and the tying TD with PAT, 21-21 end of regulation. The first OT ended 0-0, or still 21-21, as a CRN field goal try was blocked. In the second OT, Rock tried a third-down field goal and it was blocked again. So they set up on fourth down for another try, and believe it or not, it was blocked for a third consecutive time. The Hatters than ran in a TD with no PAT necessary, final 27-21 Hatboro-Horsham. I noted, “With their top three players injured, C. R. North looks awful.” And it appears that the team was very down due to the injuries. That made them 0-3 while two committed Division 1 players sat.

The second game started with 1:56 left on the clock in the first half. The status was Council Rock South up on Pennridge 7-0 at that time. Rock South had possession deep in the Rams territory. A Fleming to Donnelly 4-yard slant-out pass made it 13-0 quickly. The PAT sailed high, but to the right; no good.

After a normal halftime, in the third quarter Fleming sneaked a yard and Donnelly ran in a 2-point conversion to make it 21-0 Golden Hawks. A little later Ben Solis, who I noted “was a good looking punter and place kicker”, made a 27-yard field goal, 24-0 Rock South. Ben would be all-state in his senior year in 2011. With about 7 minutes left I departed and after I did the Rams turned it over on downs at their own 11 yard line with 4:36 left in the game. Rock South’s Damirgian pounded it in from the 4, and the accurate Solis kick made the final 31-0 Golden Hawks.

On this Monday night I sat near Galen Snyder, Pennsbury Coach in the stands and he recognized me from various practices and games I saw him at Falcon Field. At halftime I spoke with him for some time and I rarely spoke of various teams’ strengths and weaknesses, etc. because I knew that the man, or men, I spoke to knew a lot more about that data then I did. His next game was the Owls of Bensalem, and all I said was that they were 0-3 but hungry, dangerous, and capable.

I was at the game on Friday 9/24 when the Owls came a-calling.

Diminutive but dynamite Owl Christian Fernandez had three TDs, 74 yards rushing, and 2 interceptions for the Owls. At the half the score was 6-0 on a 4-yard Fernandez scamper and blocked kick PAT. In the third quarter the Owl’s hit a 32-yard field goal and at the end of three quarters it was 9-0 Bensalem. The Falcons finally got on the board when Sibel rushed for a 15-yard TD. The Falcon kicker was wide-right all night. It was 9-6 Owls. The Owls answered this score with a Fernandez 1-yard plunge and kick PAT 16-6 Owls. Pepper’s 1-yard plunge after I left made it 16-12 Owls. On the Falcons last chance, Fernandez picked off a Prine pass and returned it 40 yards for the clincher, final 23-12 Bensalem.

It was the first Owls victory over Pennsbury since 1998. I spoke with Mr. & Mrs. Snyder, the parents of HC Galen and got to know them over the ensuing years. What terrific people they are. I saw Rick Lee another former Morrisville athlete who goes to various games, even in 2015; sat with him twice in 2015 season.

I made a note on Sunday 9/26/2010 indicating that I did not know it before, but the previous Friday night game Council Rock South at Truman was called at halftime; a 35-0 Golden Hawk win, because the Tigers did not have enough varsity-eligible players to play the second half.  The season was in doubt for Truman and the football program there in a deep trough. It would take a few seasons for new coach Ed Cubbage to turn it around at Truman, but he and his staff did. He reportedly had 23 players to work with this first season.

I checked out the North Penn Knights on Friday, 10/1 at CB East on Doylestown War Memorial Field. They were 3-1 losing their opener to defending 4A state champion LaSalle 14-27. CB East was reportedly improved under new HC John Donnelly and had upset Abington in their opener 13-7. They were 2-2 coming in. I made no detailed notes, but it was 28-6 Knights. There was plenty of room in the away stands, and I think it was here that I formed an opinion that the Knights did not necessarily travel as strongly as some other schools. Perhaps I am wrong, perhaps it depends on the game, or perhaps it is chance that I was at less-attended Knights games. But I do remember games at Neshaminy and Pennsbury hosting the Knights, and I always had elbow room on the away side of the stadiums.

I tested my theory again the following week as at the same field the Knights 4-1 met CB West 4-1. CB West scored first on a Udinski to Bell 27-yard aerial; Edwards PAT 7-0. The ensuing kickoff was returned for a TD, but called back for a penalty. But Mercer then broke a 30-yard score and Mandes booted the PAT and it was 7-7 after one quarter. A Knights’ Taggart 3-yard plunge and Mandes PAT and 48-yard field goal just before the half put the Knights up 17-7 at the half.

Having deferred at the original coin toss the Knights got the second-half kickoff and scored twice in the third quarter. Needhammer broke a 55-yarder and Ernst hit Mercer for a 20-yard TD; Mandes kicked the two PAT’s and the third quarter ended Knights 31-7. In the fourth period Wendowki had a 43-yard punt return TD; Mandes stayed perfect and it was 38-7.

In the fourth quarter possibly against some subs, Williams finally got loose for a 39-yard score and Edwards kick made it 38-14. I then made my exit. I only missed another CB West score – a 21-yard Udinski to Bell air strike and with Edwards PAT kick the final was 38-21. Ironically as I write this in October 2015, the present North Penn QB is Udinski; and of the same family. I didn’t mention crowd size in my notes.

The Pennsbury Falcons had experimented with a Power I the first half of the season and posted a 2-3 record. For their homecoming on October 9 against William Tennent they returned to their vaunted wing-T. The Panthers drew first blood when, after recovering a Falcon fumble, a Kofa 19-yard wounded-duck pass was hauled in by their receiver Hunter Wuensche on the Falcon one on a fourth-down play. Geiger plunged the yard and Excell kicked the PAT 7-0 Panthers. But Tennent could not stop the Falcon run game. Just installed at a RB slot was Daquan Mack, a sophomore for the Falcons. Having never carried the ball before, Mack had 151 yards on 19 carries, and scored the first Falcon TD. The run PAT attempt was stopped and it was 7-6 Tennent. Falcon QB Pepper had 113 yards on 15 carries and 3 TDs. A 12-yard burst, again run PAT failed; made it 12-7 Falcons at the end of one. Pepper added a 25-yard scamper; PAT kick Kniaziewicz and it was 19-7 Falcons. Just before the half, the Panthers’ Excell hit a 31-yard FG and the half ended 19-10 Pennsbury, a nice game.

Zach Gainie, a Falcon Junior, had 71 yards rushing and an 8-yard score in the third quarter. The PAT kick was again good and it was a 26-10 game after three. I moved down to the fence along the visitor’s side exit end of the stadium for a different perspective. I had been doing this for years, but depending on whom I was sitting with; if there was no company, I would almost always take a fence spot before I left. I was close enough to see a nice spin-move that Pepper executed to get into the end zone from 13-yards out. Kick PAT good again and it was now 33-10 Falcons and certainly out of reach. With about 7 minutes left in the game I trundled out. Falcon back up player Brown scored the final Falcon TD after an interception set it up. His 2-yard plunge and the PAT made the final 40-10.

My birthday-eve I again visited Falcon Field for Abington 4-2 and Pennsbury 3-3. Once again, I passed on a 6-0; 6-0 matchup Council Rock South at Neshaminy due to the “zoo” atmosphere I expected there. A strong gusty wind howled, but thankfully it was not extremely cold; still, full bundling was necessary. The Falcons got off to a good start. Adam Lewis returned the kickoff 36 yards to the Abington 48-yard line. Brandon Garrett ran 18 yards to the 30. Pepper then raced the remaining 30 yards for the score. Kniaziewicz nailed the PAT; 7-0 Falcons after two plays from scrimmage. The Ghosts were more patient and answered with a 10-play, 61-yard drive with Schreiner getting the final 13 yards for the score, and the MacMillan PAT kick was good; tied at 7. The half ended with the same score.

The Ghosts opened the second half with an 8-play, 66-yard drive capped by a Schreiner 8-yard run and good PAT 14-7 Ghosts.

Pepper then led the Falcons on a 15-play, 56-yard drive and he capped it himself with an 8-yard scamper. There was still 9:22 left in the game but the Falcons sought a 2-point PAT and the win.

They were stopped short. It was 14-13 Ghosts and it ended that way. I mulled in my mind the decision for 2 with that much time left. But Falcons’ 6-6 310 lb all-state lineman J. J. Denmen and RB Daquan Mack were both out of action this game. The Ghosts had a better record and Galen likely figured he should take the chance and not allow the Ghosts more chances by risking overtime; plus there was still time left in regulation as well for another possession and score.

On October 22, 2010 I chose Neshaminy at Truman because I had seen all the other teams that were playing each other that night at least once, and I had seen neither of these clubs yet this season. Truman had about 24 to 26 players and Neshaminy 63. But the Tigers were scrappy and had speed in their small numbers. Still, it looked bad for them when on the second play from scrimmage, the Skins’ Sean Ulmer took it 47 yards to the house; Sheridan kick – quickly 7-0 Neshaminy. But when the Tigers got the ball they kept it on a long time-consuming drive, scoring with about 2 minutes left in the first quarter. Kick good it was 7-7. In the second the Skins’ Ulmer and Woodruffe scored and it was 21-7 with scarce time left in the half. But Tiger QB Thompson hit Lionell Chapman with a 35-yard TD strike with only seconds left in the half. A penalty set the PAT try back 15 yards and a pass failed, and it was 21-13 at the half, a good game.

A routine 3-yard plunge for the Skins made it 28-13 in the third; and as the third was winding down and I was winding my way to the car, the Skins were in scoring position again. A Woodruffe 10-yard plunge capped it and it was 35-13. Truman’s Winton scored in the fourth to make the final 35-19 Neshaminy.

The next day I soloed to Doylestown for Quakertown (3-4) at CB East (3-4) and a possible playoff elimination decision. Just by chance I ran into Bud 2 there, a rare occasion anymore. East was bigger and stronger this season and it was 13-0 East at the half. It was 26-6 with 9 minutes left in the game when Bud 2 and I strolled out. East added two long 4^th quarter runs of 50 and 38 yards to close out the scoring 40-6 CB East.

I opted for another good matchup when I chose Abington (6-2) at Council Rock South (8-0) for Friday night 10/29 at Council Rock North. The CRS Golden Hawks had played practically error-free ball in their 8-game win streak, having 1 turnover in those 8 games! Tonight they had 4 turnovers in one game and it cost them 17 points in a 10-point loss. Go figure. The Ghosts scored first on Halloween weekend; Ireland for 7 yards; MacMillan kick 7-0. Abington HC Tim Sorber opened the playbook for this one. A 60-yard halfback-option pass/run Schreiner to McFadden followed and with the kick PAT 14-0 Ghosts. Tired of handing out treats and getting tricked, Hawks QB Fleming dashed 24 yards and a run PAT failed and it was 14-6 Ghosts end of one. In the second the Hawks’ triple option got going and the result was two short scores off of drives and a run 2-point PAT and a Solis kick PAT to make it 21-14 Golden Hawks. But the Ghosts rattled the chains on a 78-yard drive and with just 18.1 seconds left in the half, Ireland hit Lee with a 14-yard pass and with the Mac kick the half ended 21-21.

In the third period South’s Damirgian broke a 50-yard score and Solis kick, 28-21 C Rock South.

Abington answered with a drive and Ireland 1-yard plunge; Mac kick 28-28. Then a 36-yard field goal by the Ghosts MacMillan made it 31-28 Ghosts at the end of three. Early in the fourth the Ghosts’ Ireland went in from the four; 38-28 Abington. Woody with the big “A” was happy again. I made my usual early departure – about 9 minutes left in the game. Both teams scored in the last 9 minutes; Abington’s was another playbook page when off of a fake punt, a 75-yard pass/run scored another TD. I don’t know the sequence but it ended 45-35 Abington, the same 10-point margin as when I left. It was a very good game.

The rebound 2010 season continues in part twenty-one.

“Here’s a look back at 65 – seasons of Pennsylvania High School Football through the eyes of Kmac”

While I did not go to the Lions game again in 2009, I did do a solitary pre-season visit to Falcon Field and spoke with a bunch including Bill Heller, Tony Schino, Justin Fee, and Mike Elko. I was also acknowledged by Galen Snyder. Rain caused me to be absent from two Falcon scrimmages I thought I might do. Too bad I missed LaSalle this year as they went on to the state championship and won it in 4A.

I expected Pennsbury to be good again this season, and planned to pretty much follow them and see other teams if they were away too far on given weekends. It was part of a simplification plan to try to get my mind back to how I could best enjoy my hobby. I felt, or knew, that the kibitzing with many coaches was over as they were leaving the sport; that company would be at a minimum as they were leaving the sport; and that PIAA playoff games were only available if a local team was good enough to gain home field advantage for a number of them; always chancy.

I did open with Pennsbury hosting Conwell-Egan, a schedule shift back to the 1960’s. I noted expected Falcon standouts – Dante Devine TB, Brandon Pepper QB, Eric Williams (WR-S), and Josh Mitchell DL. And particularly in this game DL Colin Healy stood out at just 215 pounds. Devine had two TDs and Pepper 3 TDs and looked hard to bring down at times. Wingback Jeff Fisher also showed potential. I spoke with Bud 4’s brother in law who was there sans Bud 4, who was likely again doing stats at Morrisville. The final was a Falcon victory 34-3.

A tougher test was expected the next Friday when the Pioneers of Frankford invaded Falcon Field. I braved the bad weather and getting wet (I did) to see it. A crowd of about 50 on the away side gave me plenty of elbow room. It poured just before the first half ended and the fine Falcon “Long Orange Line” played in raincoats and left after their halftime show. I left just into the 4^th quarter and it was then 24-0 Pennsbury. The final was 24-12 Falcons.

Even a tougher game was expected for the Thursday night encounter next week with an always-tough Glen Mills Battling Bulls squad. For the third week a single game weekend, a solo trek, and to the same field. But the expected toughie turned into a blowout, keyed by four Falcon defensive scores! The Falcons received and eventually were held on downs and forced to punt. On the Bulls’ first play from scrimmage the center-QB exchange popped straight up in the air, was grabbed by Falcon LB Chris Liccione, and he rumbled 41 yards for a Falcon TD. Rumph kick PAT, 7-0 Pennsbury. Next a Glen Mills player fielded a Falcon punt near his own end zone, and trying to elude Falcon pursuers retreated into the end zone and was tackled for a safety. It was 9-0 Falcons D. The free kick from the 20 set the Falcons’ O up with a short field and soon Dante Devine ripped off a 45-yard score, Rumph kick 16-0 Falcons, an offensive score. Next Falcon’s LB Ralph Ciotti ripped the ball from the hands of a stood-up (but not stopped) Bulls’ ball carrier and raced it 68 yards for a score. It climbed to 23-0 Falcons.

A Brown 5-yard scamper on offense made it 30-0 Pennsbury at the half. Only 1:48 into the second half Ciotti picked off a Glen Mills pass and returned it 39 yards for the 4^th defensive score of the day. The PAT was missed, but at 36-0 the fast clock was in effect. The Falcons reserves, Berger 4-yard run; closed out scoring, final 42-0 Falcons.

After a 5-season absence, my wife decided to join me for a viewing of the undefeated (2-0) Bulldogs of Morrisville. As she worked at Morrisville, AD John Hubiak was kind to grant her a League Pass, very nice. The visiting school was Conrad Science of Delaware a first-year football school (school originated in 1935) and a third Bulldog victory was expected. The Redskins had no seniors and some 8^th graders on the team. In the first quarter the Bulldogs’ Ruben Bresnan had two 6-yard run TDs and Eugene Figueroa an 8-yard pass reception TD. Douglass had two kick PATs and at the end of one it was Morrisville 20-0. In the second quarter fine junior QB Matt Cookson had a 9-yard run TD; Matt Beyer a 9-yard run, and Cookson hit Figueroa with a 60-yard strike TD. Two more Douglass PATs made the count 40-0 at the half. The Morrisville subs did play the second half as much as possible, and scored once more, a Jim Miller 4-yard run, Douglass PAT and it finished 47-0 Bulldogs.

Of course it had to be a great social night at the alma mater with my wife working there. I thanked John Hubiak for the pass; got introduced to some of the wife’s cohorts; saw three of my old classmates, including Bud 4; sat with former bank and personal friends of ours; and spoke with Dr. Scott the band director. It was like a personal homecoming. Eventually, Dr. Scott presented me with the brass plaque from the school that had my name on it as the outstanding bands-person of 1959. It hangs in my music/computer room.

After another Pennsbury game; 30-7 over Council Rock South; I was joined by my brother-in-law (Bud 3) for his first non-Thanksgiving game since 2004. The occasion was to see the newly restored New Hope-Solebury Lions football program at Morrisville. It had 74 years since (then) New Hope had dropped football after the 1935 season. My Bud 2’s dad, who had passed in 1993, had played for early New Hope teams. Somewhat historic for me; it was my 800^th game.

The first varsity year for the Lions, they were 0-3 coming in and the Bulldogs 3-1, coming off of a 7-point loss to Lower Moreland the week before. The Lions did well with a JV schedule the prior year going 7-1-1. The game was competitive as expected. The Lions opened scoring with a 15-yard pass play, but it was their rushing attack that kept the game close. But the Bulldogs miscues – 2 fumbles, 2 interceptions and 7 penalties kept them in check. In the second quarter Bulldog QB Cookson got loose for a 25 yard run and it was 7-7. But the Lions had no problem moving up field quickly to score a field goal with only seconds left in the half; 10-7 NH-Solebury at the half.

It hadn’t changed when we left the game for home in the fourth quarter. A late Bulldog score pulled it out for Morrisville 14-10.

Nice social night again; spoke with Bud 4 and his brother in law, another classmate, AD Hubiak, and the two friends and banker associate that my wife and I sat with two weeks earlier.

At one of those two Morrisville home games in speaking to Bud 4 I asked him if he got to other games anymore. He said he had “retired” from both other games and keeping stats for Morrisville. At least for a few years that certainly seemed true, for I only saw him at Morrisville.

My fifth straight at Falcon Field was next for Council Rock North. Pennsbury’s Dante Devine ran the opening kickoff back 82 yards for a TD. Kicker Corte Rumph did not play and the Falcons went for two after each TD. The first was a success 8-0 Falcons. Three minutes of play later a flash signaled lightning and a mandatory clearing of teams and stands. Lightning seemed very distant, no thunder, no rain. This time I waited around and when play resumed it was typical Pennsbury ground and pound with scores of 1, 1, and 9 yards. All other two-point attempted PATs failed. When Rock scored their two-point try failed after a muffed (fake) kick snap. The final was 25-6 Falcons. The game got tedious late with yellow flags littering play. There were 19 penalties, 12 against the Falcons.

I made the next Falcons game away, as they had opened with 5-straight home. It was only at Truman, a stadium I liked to visit. I met the Pennsbury gatekeeper there as he lived walking distance from Truman and that is why I often saw him there for Truman or Conwell-Egan games. Due to the crowd and seating of the Falcon “long orange line”, we moved to the Truman stands which were never filled. Especially now as Truman was in an extremely depressed state, the 32^nd largest high school in the state (PIAA 2013-2014 numbers); AAAA; and 30 players dressed. The game outcome was predictable, the big, strong, numerous Falcons ground and pound versus perhaps 8 or 10 two-way players that had to play the whole game. It was 41-0 Pennsbury. The Tigers did move the ball on offense, but 3 lost fumbles and an interception kept them off the board.

My wife and I made the Morrisville homecoming and the opponent was Dwight-Englewood, another struggling program from far north Jersey (near Ft. Lee). The Morrisville Bulldogs took the opening kickoff, drove the field and a Cookson to Walker 17-yard strike and Cookson run PAT made it quickly 8-0 Bulldogs. The opponents were also Bulldogs and they came right down the field also, but missed the conversion, 8-6 Morrisville. Then on two consecutive kicks – first the kickoff and then a punt, Morrisville muffed them both. D-E capitalized and the “other” Bulldogs led 20-8. But Morrisville came back on a 9-yard Bresnan run and Douglas kick PAT 20-15 visitors after only one quarter.

Morrisville’s Bulldogs put five scores up in the second quarter – Cookson to Beyer 31 yards; Cookson to Figueroa 38 yards; Cookson 1-yard run; Safety on D-E; Cookson 1-yard run, and Douglas 4 PAT’s. At the half Morrisville 45-20. The third produced two more Morrisville TDs – Bresnan 6-yard run and Wilcox 56-yard interception return. Two more Douglass PATs and it was 59-20 Morrisville as the wife and I departed.

Morrisville’s Miller had a 41-yard run to end the scoring 65-20 Morrisville. The score was a record for Morrisville, beating the 55-20 win over Yeadon in 1971. It still stands.

My birthday weekend in 2009 it started raining on late Thursday or Friday morning, and it was still raining on Sunday morning. The games were played and I just might have followed Pennsbury to Bensalem had it not been for the rain. It was my first Pennsbury miss this season.

The all Pennsbury or Morrisville and their opponents continued for one more week as Tennent was at Falcon Field on Thursday night 10/22. This was not Jewish holiday scheduling, but something about a Junior Prom and other going-ons at always busy Pennsbury. Devine bolted 28 yards for the initial Falcon score and it was 6-0. Kicker Rumph was not available again until late in the game and I suspect he was with a soccer team when absent. But the Falcon’s muffed a punt on their own two-yard line. Even a 1-6 team can make two yards in four tries and it was soon 6-6. But soon Devine was on another jaunt this time 80 yards and a second 2-point run PAT attempt failed 12-6 Falcons. On an ensuing Falcon drive, the runner fumbled a pop-up, grabbed by a speedy Panther defender and raced 60 yards to knot the game 12-12.

From that time on it was all Falcons. Fisher scored from 10 yards out. Devine ran the PAT, 20-12 Falcons. Pepper hit Williams for a 21-yard pass TD; Stango run PAT – 28-12 Falcons. Pepper than ran one in from the 6 and Devine ran the PAT, 36-12 Falcons at the half. In the third quarter Devine added a 9-yard run and Rumph was there to kick and it was 43-12 and the final score. Subs played liberally in the late 3^rd and 4^th quarters.

Rain again ruined a chance for a Thursday night – Friday-Saturday 3-game weekend.

The final week of the regular season I again passed on the traditional “zoo crowd” games for Abington at Truman. The Ghosts had shattered the Pennsbury 8-0 streak the prior week at Abington 27-13. They sported a record of 6-2 and another mismatch might develop. I arrived early as I always do; and although the gate was unattended and not locked I stood at the window sort of “first in line” when the time came. Soon a gentleman came by and he was the Truman AD Mr. Collins. He appreciated the fact that I did not just walk in and bid me now go in before the ticket sellers were present. As the rest room was beckoning I did accept his offer. I met him inside later to thank him again and we talked a little bit; what a fine gentleman.

The game was more even than expected but the Ghosts were always ahead and in charge. A bad option lateral and a pick again hurt the Tigers, but in most cases they looked as though they could have won. The final was Abington 35-19.

I returned to Truman Saturday night for a PCL AAA playoff game between Lansdale Catholic and Archbishop Wood. The Crusaders got up 12-0 on the Wood Vikings. By halftime the score was 12-7 Crusaders. Seesawing most of the second half, Wood scored to take a 14-12 lead. Lansdale catholic came back with a pretty pass play to a wide-open receiver to the entrance-end of the field and kicked the PAT to go up 19-14, end of the third.

Coming in the same direction in the fourth quarter Wood QB Jerry Rahill (PCL AAA MVP for 2009) hit a receiver in the end zone. Wood went for a 2-point PAT and got it, final 22-19 Wood.

Friday November 13 was PIAA playoff day for Unionville at Pennsbury. My first-ever viewing of Unionville who had a fine tradition for football. A nor’easter storm was about and high winds and rain kept the crowd down. The Falcon band played the national anthem and departed for dry. Brandon Pepper ran one for a 98-yard TD and Rumph kicked the PAT and it was Falcons 7-0. But still in the first quarter Unionville answered with a 32-yard strike to a wide-open receiver in the middle to make it 7-6. The run PAT failed and it remained 7-6. The third quarter battle was for field position in the tight game, and the Indians of U’Ville won. They put one in to take a lead of 12-7 after another failed run PAT attempt. Almost at the games’ end the Falcons had the ball on the Unionville 5-yard line. Time for two plays and they couldn’t get it done; final 12-7 Unionville. It was an upset if you consider a 15-seed beating a 2-seed. But although not as big as the Falcons, the Indians were athletic, well-coached, and disciplined. On defense they had 8 or 9 men in the box and were quick to the ball. In the first half they ran a double wing and switched to an I formation in the second half. Very impressive was my only viewing of Unionville in person to date.

The next day I soloed to Truman again for a non-league encounter between Stroudsburg and Truman. Unbelievably, I was early again and afforded the same courtesy by Mr. Collins who I promised I would bring paying customers for the Thanksgiving Day game; and I did. The Mounties of Stroudsburg, whom I had never seen before were having a poor season and yet it was a good game, final 21-7 Truman. I made no game notes but was impressed with the band and told the director so. They had drum corps-like white feather-like adorned shakos, and bell-front basses or contra basses and mellophones. They played a modern book augmented by amplified guitars and a keyboard. It was a very entertaining show.

My brother-in-law (Bud 3) and I did visit Truman on Thanksgiving Day and I had hoped Bud 2 might join us, but this T-day match up did not interest him. The Pennsbury gateman showed up and we moved to sit with him and I introduced Bud 3 and he to each other. Both QBs – Singlar for Conwell-Egan, and Peterson for Truman were superb this day. Peterson was QB, safety on D, played deep on kickoff returns, and punted. Singlar was QB and played safety on D.

Conwell-Egan opened scoring when Singlar hit McAnany for a 17-yard TD; 7-0 Egan. Truman answered with a Peterson 4-yard keeper; 7-7 at the end of one. Next C-E used a wide receiver (Bond) pass to Bonner for a 27-yard trick play strike; 14-7 CEC. Truman drove close enough for another Peterson 4-yard run and it was 14-14 at the half. Truman took the second half kickoff and executed a time-consuming drive and capped it for their first lead 21-14. A Thomas 14-yard run had been the capper. Still in the third CEC’s Singlar ran one in from the four; but the PAT kick was blocked – by who else? – Peterson. At the end of three it was Truman 21-20 in a fine T-Day game. Then CEC used most of the 4^th quarter for a sustained drive ending with a 13-yard strike from Singlar to Bond.

Singlar then ran the 2-point PAT and it was 28-21 CEC with about 2 minutes left in the game. We left; late for us, but we were enjoying this one. There was no further scoring.

And so my 2009 and 59^th season came to a close as it used to – on Thanksgiving again. My total of 15 games was better than the two prior years, but far from the golden age. Of the 15 games, 11 were solo, but I did meet and sit with my friend from Pennsbury at one. My wife joined me for two and bro-law (Bud 3) for two. That was very nice. I did add five new teams to my viewing list – Conrad Science (DE), New Hope-Solebury, Dwight-Englewood (NJ), Unionville, and Stroudsburg.

But the golden era 26 games per year average had suffered 2005-2009. In these five seasons my average had dropped to 16 games per year average, a full 10 down. Many were the reasons for the decline.

The count of different teams seen was now at 147 from PA, NJ, DE, and Massachusetts. The determination to follow a single school (Pennsbury) with a side of Morrisville being thrown in by my wife, caused me to not see the greatest number of schools in quite some time. In 2009 I did not see Bensalem (rare); Neshaminy (unheard of); C B East, C B South, C B West; Pennridge; Quakertown; Bristol, or North Penn. I saw 9 schools that I follow not at all. In essence I did not see one school of the Suburban One Continental Conference at all in 2009.

But I did enjoy following the Falcons and their 9-2 season, and seeing my alma mater at least competitive again with their best QB in years, Matt Cookson; a junior this season. A 7-5 season was the Bulldogs best in 17 years since the 1992 10-2 season.

“Here’s a look back at 65 – seasons of Pennsylvania High School Football through the eyes of Kmac”

In early 2008 I received a call from Bud 1’s wife informing me that he was in a nursing home in the Langhorne-Penndel area and recuperating (no information on what/why). I got directions and made a visit in late February or early March. He was sitting up in bed and looking as good as always, smiling and joking, showing and claiming no discomfort; seemingly possibly better than a while. We had a nice visit, the only time I had ever seen him outside of high school football, or way back in the 1960’s, basketball games. He was expecting to be released in a short period.

I was indeed shocked to see his obituary in the Bucks County Courier Times in April 2008. A unique relationship extending over 46 years and hundreds of high school football games was over. I felt it deeply and it had an effect on my high school viewing for some time thereafter.

The 2008 season would be my 58^th. For the first time in 5 years I did not see the annual June all-star game. My attendance at this game was driven primarily by Bud 1, now gone. I only went to socialize for this game; I was not a fan of summer football.

On July 20, 2008 I made up my paper schedules for the season; the earliest ever. This was a good sign and it was thanks to their being available on easternPAfootball.com.

No pre-season camp visits were made, primarily due to all of the coaching changes. The next season, 2009, I made a solo pre-season visit, and that was the finale.

I soloed to the LaSalle-Pennsbury scrimmage Friday 8/22 at Falcon Field. I ran into Bud 4 there, who I did not contact much anymore, knowing he was a Morrisville stat man and tied to their schedule. The scrimmage was pretty even. Pennsbury had a good team again, and certainly the Explorers did as well; they were only a year away from a 4A state championship.

I soloed to Pennsbury for the season-opener with Archbishop Ryan, and noted that this would be the normal situation this season with Bud 1 deceased, Bud 2 staying only locally, Bud 3 only Thanksgiving, and Bud 4 tied to Morrisville. The Falcons were highly rated, but inexperienced, and it showed with 4 fumbles and 2 picks. The game was in the ending, and, as usual I left with about 4:30 left and missed it; heard it on the radio travelling home. Archbishop Ryan scored with 30 seconds left in the game, missed the PAT, but had a 20-14 lead at that juncture. Falcon QB Pepper completed a pass to the Raiders 15-yard line and out of bounds. The clock expired, but the officials met and put one second back on the clock. Pepper then promptly ran it in from 15 yards out and the PAT was good with no time left, 21-20 Falcons. Raider Coach Galeone protested the game, but I think the score eventually stood.

Next Friday I repeated to Pennsbury for Frankford and the Falcons. The Pioneers looked big and burly and also featured a run-oriented offense. And they outrushed Pennsbury this game 255 yards to 163. The teams exchanged field goals in the second quarter 3-3.

Then Frankford drove it in with a capping 3-yard plunge, 10-3 Pioneers at the half. The Falcons took the second half kickoff and drove the field, knotting it at 10. With 6:05 left in the game the Falcons’ Montgomery hit a 23-yard field goal to make it Pennsbury 13-10. The next Falcon possession, Pepper iced it with a 10-yard TD and PAT was a botched run, final 19-10 Pennsbury.

The next day, Sunday 9/6/2008 I was shocked to read of the death of Council Rock South line coach Bruce Stansbury that occurred suddenly after his team’s Friday night 35-14 win at CB East. I had spoken with him once or twice and did not know him as well as some other coaches, but he was known as a fine coach and gentleman. He had been with Mike Ortman at Morrisville 1982-1988 and Rock North 1989-2001, moving to C Rock South when it opened in 2002. I always thought that he facially very much resembled a cousin of mine. This cousin was the youngest brother of the cousin that got me into high school football in 1951; and so I make another ethereal connection in my long hobby.

Tropical Storm Hanna moved some games and gave me and Bud 2 a chance to see Tennent’s newly renovated stadium on Monday night 9/8/2008. It is truly a great field now; best bathroom facilities of any stadium. The game was CB West at Tennent. We spoke with HC Biz Keeney pre-game, our first with him in quite some time, but he remembered us. West’s Rasheed Williams returned the opening kickoff 97 yards to the house. Quickly 6-0 Bucks’. They led 12-0 at the half and the Panthers looked small and had troubles tackling, in one case taking 7 defenders to make a stop. It was all West 25-7 final.

I missed the Friday night 9/19 Pennsbury-Council Rock North game in Newtown due to being ill. I believe that this was about only the second or third time in 58 years that I have such an entry. Thank goodness, rarely was I not well enough to go to a game———yet!

I was good enough the next night to visit Truman and a Conwell-Egan – Cardinal Dougherty matchup. I noted –“small squads, no bands, and no C-E cheerleaders (?), makes the PCL different to see.” It was expected to be no-contest and it was. Egan put up 303 rushing yards and 117 passing and won the game handily 40-6. I noted that C-E’s QB Della-Croce looked good along with tall receiver Golin. Also RB Tretter looked good and that dinged FB Benedetti should be back soon. I moved to the away side at the half as I noticed the Pennsbury gatekeeper, was there and as I knew him well, had a nice quarter or more visit.

I returned to Truman the following Friday night to see Neshaminy at Truman, mainly because I rarely got to Neshaminy with all of the construction involvement there. I spoke briefly with Coach Schmidt as for some reason he entered the field alone after the team was already warming up, and he took a minute to speak with me. Another mismatch was expected and occurred, 42-0 Skins. This was the third consecutive shutout for the Redskins.

On Friday 10/3 I motored to Doylestown and met Bud 2 for North Penn (5-0) at CB West (2-3). Yet another lopsided contest was anticipated. The programs were now far apart from the Pettine-Pettine era and it was 47-7 Knights’.

A now rare Friday-Saturday chance saw me at Pennsbury the next night. Yet a fourth-in-a-row blowout was expected and occurred, Pennsbury (4-1) over Truman (0-5) 40-0. At least I again had some social contact speaking with my gatekeeper friend and Falcon kicking Coach Chuck Galambos; who was the quarterback for Morrisville in the first game I ever saw in October 1951. Tony Schino was now at Pennsbury, and I spoke to him for some length also.

The following Friday night at Pennsbury set my all-time social night experience. Bensalem was at Pennsbury. Because I knew them all, I sat with 6 former Morrisville football players, who were taking in the game. Bud 4 was one of them along with Bill Swope, Jerry Coffee, Ed Neumann, Jack Weaver, Denny Poland, plus Phil Lanctot, formerly of Morrisville who had played for Bishop Egan. Then Rick Lee, ex-Morrisville player and ex-Bensalem and Neshaminy coach stopped by to chat with us all. Through school or banking I knew all of them save Jerry Coffee to whom introductions were made.

These Owls, while 3-4 were expected to play tough and they did. It was but 7-0 Falcons at the half. A third quarter safety made the Falcons edge 9-0 and then still in the third Montgomery hit a field goal to make it 12-0 Falcons at the end of three. In the fourth quarter with about 7 minutes to go, a Pepper to Williams 49-yard aerial set up a TD; with PAT 19-0 Falcons. A long 75 yard pass/run by Owls Davis averted the shutout, 19-7 Falcons.

I was so elated about all of the social activity that I noted from my computerized records that it was my 790^th game; and 165^th Falcon game and 85^th Owls game.

The day after my 67^th birthday, I motored to Doylestown for Quakertown (5-2) at CB East (4-3). I thought that Bud 2 might just be there and I was correct. This was a very good, back-and-forth contest quite different than most I had seen this season. It was 6-0 East; then 6-6; 14-6 Quakertown; 14-14; 20-14 East; and finally 21-20 Quakertown at the half. The defenses showed up for the second half and only a single Panther score with missed PAT made the final Quakertown 27-20.

On Friday October 24^th, Bud 2 tripped down from Hatfield and we motored to Falcon Field for a 7-1 Falcon versus 7-1 Abington matchup. This seemed to be the social field for whatever reason and we ran into and spoke with Neshaminy coaches Schmidt and Grove, and sat with ex-Bulldog athletes Denny Poland and Bob Lee, and eventually Bud 4. Saw and spoke with Rick Lee, and the Falcon’s gatemen and earlier all the Pennsbury Coaches briefly as they left their warm-up field next to the field house.

The Falcons, behind their fine O line got the ball and scored early for a 7-0 lead. Still in the first, the ghosts tied it at 7. A 40-yard Montgomery field goal made it 10-7 Falcons at the half.

In the third period Montgomery hit another FG, this one from 25 yards; 13-7 Falcons. Still in the third quarter the Ghosts Hensley made a great 34-yard pass reception and with the PAT the Ghosts got their first lead 14-13. Halfway through the 4^th quarter, the Falcons’ Lollis took an inside reverse and raced 64 yards to paydirt; just as Bud 2 and I were leaving.

A 2-point PAT was converted to make it 21-14 Falcons. A Falcon interception then led to another Montgomery FG (19 yards) and the final score 24-14 Pennsbury.

On Halloween night I again chose not to go to a game on a nice, temperate evening. I tried to listen to the Pennsbury-Neshaminy internet radio of WBCB, but in the second half it kept cutting out. Neshaminy won 16-13, and I noted “heard all scoring”, so it must have been all in the first half, or before it began cutting out.

Likewise I eschewed the PIAA playoff game at Neshaminy against Downingtown East. It was the construction-parking issue that had me gun-shy for games at Heartbreak Ridge. The construction was supposed to be finished by 2009; so I would see.

I did solo to Falcon Field for a PIAA playoff game with Penncrest in; my first-ever viewing of that Central League team. Bill Heller was now coaching defensive tackles for the Falcons and I hailed and spoke with him a bit at the practice field early, as the team came into the field house.

The Falcons received and drove right down the field, capped by an Applegate 3-yard dive, Montgomery PAT 7-0 Falcons. Later in the first, Montgomery hit a 20-yard field goal and the first ended 10-0 Falcons. Penncrest’s speedy Boyer then burst for a 63-yard score and it was only 10-7. But the Falcons answered immediately on an Applegate 51-yard scamper, and it was 17-7 Falcons. A Lion drive and Boyer 2-yard plunge made it 17-14. But, just before the half, Applegate again ran it in from the 6, and the half ended 24-14 Pennsbury.

The only score in the third quarter was a Falcon Pepper to Devine 13-yard TD pass; and the third ended 31-14 Falcons. In the fourth quarter an almost exact repeat – Pepper to Devine; 11 yards, and of course Montgomery PAT made it 38-14 with about 6 minutes left and my signal to make for an exit. After I left, the Falcon’s Washington returned an interception 48 yards to the house to make the final 45-14 Pennsbury.

On Friday 11/14 I had intended to try a run to Neshaminy for their playoff game with Ridley. But my wife had some knee surgery around this time and I was needed at home.

Thanksgiving was the closure this season as it had been back in the olden days before playoffs. And with my brother-in-law’s children now out of South Hunterdon, likely our last tie to this game as the T-Day choice. It was another 37-8 pounding by a much bigger Del Val program now, and if this series didn’t end; it did for us. Bud 3 and I met up with Bud 2 at South for the game and very social day which it was for all of us now.

I only made 12 games in 2008, down from 15 in 2007. I was starting to doubt the possibility of getting 20 games in anymore. The death of Bud 1 was a factor. There were games in the past that I chose to do just because I knew he would be there for company. I still shunned the construction at Neshaminy, bad traffic venues, weather situations I used to go in but not now, and health issues for my wife, myself, and even our beloved dog weighed on my mind.

I stayed mainly close to home with games at Pennsbury, Truman, Tennent, and Doylestown. No visit to Council Rock, the closest stadium to me, was rare. I had not the heart to visit Bensalem yet, so many Bud 1 memories there.

During my “golden years’ era” of 1989 through 2004 inclusive, I had seen 417 games for an average of 26 games each season. For 2005 through 2008 I saw 67 for an average of about 17 games per season.

Although I had many categories or components that made up my seasons’ status, the number of games seen was always the prime factor. And that was down 9 games a season from its acme.

“Here’s a look back at 65 – seasons of Pennsylvania High School Football through the eyes of Kmac”

My first post-season note in 2006 was that I noticed recent newspaper articles that announced the pending arrival (in 2008) of the Philadelphia Catholic League teams to the PIAA. Likely private schools St Joes Prep and LaSalle would also join, and they certainly did!

The 2007 annual June Bucks County Lions all star game was in Doylestown this year. It would be my 5^th straight and I met Bud 1 and Bud 2 there. Bud 4 was expected, but would be late as he was following the Pennsbury Girls softball team with relatives playing on the team; but we did not see him. Two of my favorite coaches were the big attraction for me this season – Larry Green had the North and retiring Mike Ortman had the South. I did speak with both coaches before the game which was my big highlight. South won 31-23.

Bud 2 and I made a two-party camp visit this season as Bud 4 had a water line replacement issue at home this season. We started at CB East and had a nice visit with Larry Green, Tony Schino, and Chuck Rocconi; and then on the way to Morrisville stopped by Bud 4’s and indeed a backhoe was digging up his front yard while he sat watching on the back of the hauler that brought the backhoe. The Bulldogs weren’t out, so we headed back to my house for lunch and then to Falcon Field. They weren’t out either so we headed for Heartbreak Ridge. We caught Mark Schmidt and Roger Grove, former Norristown Head Coach, who was at Neshaminy now. It was the longest we had ever got to talk with the two coaches mentioned. We noticed that they had a good-looking tight end this season (Luke Carrezola).

I soloed to the annual Falcons-LaSalle Explorers scrimmage. Bud 4 was supposed to be there, but didn’t show up, possibly still experiencing plumbing issues which can be addressed by an emergency plumber (our camp trip was just the day before). The Falcons had lost a lot to graduation from their first ever District One Championship and Eastern runner-up 2006 squad. And I had no clue about the ramp-up that the PCL schools were accomplishing to enter the PIAA. Thought the Falcons were going to be in trouble this season. (They finished 4-6, quite different from 13-2 in 2006).

My first three games this year were solo runs. Company was really thinning out now, plus Bud 4 was still doing Morrisville stats; Bud 2 scattering a few games here and there, Bud 3 only Thanksgiving games, and Bud 1 reaching 89 years young in September 2007.

On the Thursday 9/20 Jewish holiday scheduled week game I soloed again to Pennsbury, but met Bud 4 and his brother-in-law there. CB South and Eric Reynolds, their 5-10, 190 pound speed and power back were in town. After a 7-7 tie, a Reynolds 59-yard burst in the second quarter and PT made it 14-7 Titans. A little later South QB Johns hit Donnelly with a 13-yard TD strike and the PAT was missed, 20-7 Titans at the half.

In the third quarter the Falcons closed with a 22-yard Lollis run, and missed PAT to make it 20-13 Titans. A fourth quarter 4-yard Reynolds run sealed the deal 27-13 CB South.

On Friday 9/21 I parked at Bud 4’s house and walked with him to Robert Morris Field for a Morrisville-St. Andrews (DE) game. For the first time this season, I met Bud 1 there. He was 2 weeks past 89 this night. Among many I knew at my old alma mater’s field was Buddy Ortman, visiting just to see a game. The Cardinals had some stud-looking players for a 2A-sized school, but Morrisville was scrappy and hung in there for a while. The final was 24-6 St Andrews.

The following Friday I expected Bud 1 at Falcon Field (and North Penn), but he called me during the week and said he was going to Bensalem at CB South instead. A good first half ended 14-14. Knights’ QB Davey broke a 19-yarder in the third quarter and it was 21-14 Knights. In the fourth period, Katch plunged 2 yards to make it 28-14 Knights and that is the way it ended. I noted, “Knights’ kicker (Brandon) McManus a weapon, made all four PATs and kickoffs consistently in the end zone.” He kicked for the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl 50 in 2016.

My first trip for a regulation game (I had seen a scrimmage there) to CB South was made on Friday night 10/12/2007. I met Bud 2 there, I believe we had arranged by phone for the meet. We weren’t alone as Neshaminy (6-0) versus CB South (6-0) was the draw. In addition, Neshaminy travels well; they almost always pack away stands for games. In the first quarter the Skins got up by 14 on a 5-yard TD pass and an Ulmer 31-yard scamper. The Titans’ defense then stiffened, but on offense mistakes (fumbles and penalties) kept them off the board; 14-0 at the half.

The third quarter was all CB South. A Johns to Donnelly 57-yard strike closed the gap to 14-7. Then a Titan drive and 1-yard plunge knotted it up at 14. The Redskins’ had a good drive going but fumbled the ball at the Titans 5-yard line. On the first South play from scrimmage, Eric Reynolds bolted 95 yards for a TD. This time Bud 2 and I had a double reason for leaving early. The parking scheme at CB South was a bit confusing with various “one-way” signs indicating that you would have to go around the school and past the stadium to get out. I was parked in front of the school with clear exits there and as there was no one else around at all, I used the natural exits and did not know if I was in violation or not (the ‘one ways’ possibly being just for school hours). It is one reason that I have never seen another game at South.

The PAT after the Reynolds’ dash was missed and it was 20-14 Titans. Then the Skins hit a 34-yard pass TD and PAT to go up again 21-20. But the CB South offense was now warmed up and answered on a drive and 1-yard plunge; missed a 2-pt PAT attempt and led 26-21. Their D then held for the win.

On Saturday October 20, 2007 I traveled to Bensalem for the first of a day-night doubleheader day, but at two different fields. Of course Bud 1 was there; he seldom missed a Bensalem home game. It was Abington (3-4) at the Owls (3-4). The Ghosts Kevin Morton generated 322 yards of mixed offense, throwing for 2 TDs, and running for one. On defense he had a pick.

It was Bensalem homecoming and the most long, drawn-out, long-winded woman narrating that I ever experienced. It extended so long that I had to leave before three quarters to make the night game at Pennsbury. The final was 28-7 Abington.

That was the last time I saw Bud 1 for football. That sad story in the next chapter.

I soloed to three more games up to and including the Friday night 11/2 match. These were Pennridge at Pennsbury, 33-14 Falcons; CB West at Council Rock North, 27-9 Bucks’; and Abington at Truman, 28-0 Ghosts.

Now I noted that I chose the Tigers-Ghosts affair over Neshaminy-Pennsbury, North Penn-CB South, and Council Rock North-South for two reasons. One I wanted to see that high-powered Abington offense again; and two, “the other three games would be ‘zoos’”.

Even more telling was my notes for Friday night 11/9/2007. I tell it exactly as I wrote it in 2007: “Sign of the times. I was tired from raking leaves and there was a ‘chance’ of possible light showers. Years ago I would have made one of many possible choices – Tennent at Bensalem and Bud 1; and playoffs – Upper Dublin at Neshaminy; Wissahickon at North Penn; Calvary Christian at Bristol; even Downingtown East at Souderton. All were possible. But with games available on TV and computer stream (I thought); I chose to stay home.”

Again on 11/16: “I eschewed another chance for a ‘local’ playoff game either at Neshaminy or CB South. My traffic and weather concerns made it another choice to sit home and try to catch a media game.

With brother-in-law (Bud 3), and Bud 2, I did again travel to Kingswood Twp, NJ for the annual Thanksgiving Day game for South Hunterdon and Del Val. It was a good one this season, a 14-7 Del Val game until we left with a short time remaining in the game; possibly Del Val scored again, they were close. It was almost a solo game for me as both Bud 2 and Bud 3 knew just about everybody on the Lambertville side and even some on the Del Val side and were engaged in conversations all game. I had a few myself; as my Lambertville years gained a few people to talk to also.

I saw only 15 games in 2007; my lowest total since 1986 (9). I saw no PIAA playoff games for the first time since 1993. I had company at about half my games 7 out of 15. I saw or heard 22 media games, and this availability was also playing into my choices for comfort over attendance.

By my notes near the end of the season I see now that self-imposed feelings were causing some of the decline. I may not be a Dr. Sheldon Cooper, but I know that if you let things be a barrier they indeed will be a barrier.

My year-end notes were in a down tone for certain. I only mentioned those not already covered. Wood was playing home games at Wissahickon this season due to a renovation at Tennent. Neshaminy was in the midst of heavy school construction and parking for games was impeded by a mass of construction equipment which you can click here for info, trailers, semis, etc all over the school property.

And recent news was that Larry Green was stepping down at CB East. I indicated that the pre-season camp visits were now likely done, as we had not established relationships with the various new coaches and only Mark Schmidt remained at the big schools who knew us. Bud 2 had also established himself with Dick Beck of North Penn, but we never went that far for pre-season visits.

I also noted the entrance of the PCL to the PIAA for 2008. The Suburban One league realigned yet again, and I made the note and planned to reshuffle my record pages and what teams I followed. I actually dropped North Penn as they were not an original Bucks County school, nor in my prime National Conference for 2008. I later reneged and put NP as a “guest school” in my records.

I was not going to quit high school football, nor my local records keeping; but I was mentally struggling with the loss of the posse, contact with coaches, and traffic, crowds, and weather concerns for games that never before bothered me.

“Here’s a look back at 65 – seasons of Pennsylvania High School Football through the eyes of Kmac”

In 2006, for the fourth consecutive season I caught the early June Bucks County Annual Lions’ All-Star game, this year at Falcon Field. Once again Bud 1, Bud 2, and Bud 4 and I were together for it. The South won this one 21-3.

On August 17, Bud 2, 4, and I were a threesome for the annual camp visits. We started at CB East and were warmly greeted by coaches Tony Schino, Mike Elko, and Larry Green. We were now an institution and fairly long conversations were had with all three men as they were available. Next we went to Council Rock North and found equally warm hellos by Mike and Buddy Ortman and Bruce English. These cordial meetings took so much time we broke for lunch at my house before heading to Falcon Field. We were too early for their afternoon session, so we backtracked to Morrisville and some chats with AD Hubiak and then Coach Gober. Then it was back to Falcon Field where Coach Snyder gave us a wave and we chatted a bit with Justin Fee. We did not yet know Coach Snyder, but he was getting used to seeing us. It was a very nice rewarding day, and it was our last 3-party go around for this tradition.

On August 19 (Saturday) Bud 4 and I made our first-ever visit to Central Bucks South High School for their scrimmage with Council Rock North. CRN had the edge 14-0 when we left. We routed home through Doylestown in order to see the new synthetic turf being installed at Doylestown War Memorial Field this season.

The following Friday, I met Bud 4 and his brother-in-law at Council Rock North for their second scrimmage (with Abington). We again saw the coaches to speak with, and as they had also seen us out at CB South the past Saturday, it seemed we would be closest we would ever be to the Rock this season. While true in a way, I still saw 6 Pennsbury games to 4 Rock North.

For whatever reason at the time, the erosion in my hobby continued a bit in 2006. I did not see at all this season – Neshaminy (6-4); Pennridge (7-5); Council Rock South (3-8); Quakertown (4-8); Bristol (8-3); or Morrisville (5-6). I saw all the other teams I follow at least once, but North Penn (10-3) only once.

And once again, I noted the start of the season as “absolutely bizarre”. Tropical Storm Ernesto was due to drop heavy rain all over the area, and every game but Morrisville had been moved or the kickoff time moved with kickoff times such as 12:30, 1, 2, and 3 PM. I opted for Ridley at Bensalem, a 12:30 start and a chance to be with Bud 1, who in one week would turn 88 years old. While he still looked healthy and was getting to more games than when he had the bad legs, I began to wonder how long he would still be getting out to games. He did this season for sure! Ridley won the contest 21-7.

I made the right choice; it began to rain during the game and continued to rain heavier. I was going to leave a bit early and catch the Pennsbury-Archbishop Ryan game, but it was raining too hard and I just went home. I listened to parts or all of the Pennsbury, Neshaminy, and North Penn games as they all started at different times on radio or computer.

A solo trip the next Friday night was for Frankford at Pennsbury. For some years’ now I had seen a man at various high school games wearing a “101^st Airborne” baseball cap at games. He was aged and likely a WW II vet, but could have been Korea also. As I met him this time before the game and with no commotion about I told him I had seen him at many games. He was just a high school football follower such as I was; and he was “Jack” from Northeast Philly. We spoke for a few minutes in the quiet outside the stadium. Incongruously, I never again saw him; yet I had seen him in many years before, and can picture him mentally to this day. The Falcons were good this season and the ground and pound in full force. Fagen and Parkes on offense and C J Marck on defense were a load. The Falcons dressed about 90 players. They won this one 22-0.

The following Friday I soloed to Truman, to get a look at Council Rock North who would also have a record-setting season this time around. The Rock had instituted the no-huddle, fast-paced run/pass offense and had the people to operate it. QB Bradish was for real, and there were three good backs Collins, Lugg, and FitzMaurice to carry the ball. The latter name was likely a relative of a whole family of Pennsbury football-playing FitzMaurices’, the father of whom I knew well from banking days; in fact was a great RB on the 1970 Falcon squad (2^nd team AP all-state RB). In the game Rock amassed 195 yards rushing and 127 passing and won the game 34-6 over Conwell-Egan. The Eagles had a nice running game of their own, with backs O’Hara and Domzalski. A fumble and 3 picks hurt the Eagles.

More rain and a game changed to Saturday gave me a next day game at CB East in Doylestown. It was versus CB South and I only mention it, because I never before or after saw a cheerleading squad such as CB South this day – 60 cheerleaders! I had to count them they were so numerous. Otherwise the game was flat, 0-0 at the half. And the final was 10-7 CB East on a field goal in the last 50 seconds of the game. But the day was saved socially as I again got to speak with East Coach Larry Green pre-game, sit with Mike and Buddy Ortman the entire game, and Bruce English joined us later.

And a rain-changed Monday game gave both a 3-game weekend and a chance to get together with Bud 4 as he was always tied up at Morrisville games on Friday nights. We trekked to Tennent and the Ryan-Wood game, a good one won by Archbishop Ryan 21-19.

Next the Jewish holiday rescheduling gave me a chance for a Thursday double-header in Doylestown, and a rare chance to see Bud 2 again; he didn’t make many games anymore. CB East beat an undefeated Norristown squad in the first game 21-7.

But the second game bears historical mention.

Because of what I observed I looked up my count of CB West games on the computer before writing up my notes and it was my 125^th CB West viewing. This team looked far from the CB West of the Pettine-Carey era. First, they dressed 36 players, (CB South had 60 cheerleaders), way down from the old 70 to 80 man squads of yore.

Physically they also did not look to have near the size of long-gone teams (nor of the opponent Souderton’s 62 players). The Indians premier RB Ronnie Powell returned the opening kickoff about 75 yards and a 7-0 lead with only seconds off the clock. A CB West fumble on their first series led to a very early 14-0 Indians lead. Rushing and passing well, the Indians took a 35-0 mercy rule lead into the locker room at the half. At the end of three it was 42-0 Souderton. We left to get some scores via radio, and the final was 49-6 Souderton. I felt I had seen the total decline of CB West from their glorious past. The Bucks’ finished the season 2-8 under second-year HC Chris Felton.

Council Rock North (5-0) was at Souderton (5-0) on Saturday, October 7^th. In the old days this battle of unbeatens would be attended by me for sure (CRN won 26-10). But times had changed and if there was any game closer, I would likely now opt for that. So I chose Falcon Field for the Truman Tigers visit and another chance to see Bud 1; and he was there. After the half we were joined by Bud 4, and the three of us decided to see Bensalem at Pennsbury the following Friday night. The best Falcon team since Galen Snyder took the helm in 2002 beat the Tigers 42-13.

We did meet as planned for Bensalem-Pennsbury, but Bud 4 had to be late again as he had dinner at his son’s first. This one was about as expected 27-0 Falcons. But even back then I noted that “The Falcons’ look like they might be in trouble if they ‘have’ to throw.” A lament some critics have repeated in very current times.

I next had a wonderful three-game weekend of games followed by a weekend of no games due to obnoxious steady rain.

On Friday 11/10 this year’s playoffs began and I chose Abington at Council Rock North over Wissahickon at Pennsbury, both first round 4A games. It was the first-ever playoff appearance for Rock North who had just posted their first ever 10-win season and first-ever undefeated regular season. Council Rock had never had more than 8 wins in a season no matter how many games played since the school started playing in 1919. And I hoped for perhaps a last handshake with HC Mike Ortman as he had announced his retirement after the season ended. His entire staff was going with him.

Bud 4 and four of his relatives joined me at the game and Bud 4 was likely there for the same reasons as I was. But we had no allusions, this was no normal #16 (Abington) versus #1 (CRN) game. We feared indeed that the Ghosts would win it. They took the lead 7-0. A long Bradish pass answer made it 7-6, and the PAT was missed. Abington again scored in the second quarter and it was 14-6 Ghosts at the half. In the third period the Indians scored and successfully converted a 2-point PAT to knot the game at 14 after three quarters.

As I was making my usual early exit, I did see the Ghosts execute a 50-yard strike to the far end zone, and PAT making it 21-14 Abington. Woody with the big “A” for Abington along the cheerleaders sideline was happy. I was still loitering outside the fence when Rock started their successful drive for a score. They scored after I had left, but again missed the PAT and it ended 21-20 Abington.   I was more concerned with the departure of the well-known Council Rock coaching staff.

The following week, I did visit Falcon Field for the West Chester East Vikings playoff invasion. I met Bud 1 and Bud 4 and his brother-in-law there. The Vikings ran a similar attack as Pennsbury, but with an added aerial competence and I was somewhat fearful. But at the outset I could see that the Vikes’ might have a problem matching the size of the Falcons. The East backs were smaller and the Falcons D pounded them unmercifully. And it took gang tackling to bring down the big Falcon backs. Parkes and Fagan were big strong running backs and the latter had 170 yards rushing and two TDs. Parkes had two short plunges for TDs. Falcon QB Iturbides 1-yard plunge made it 34-0 Falcons on the first play of the fourth quarter. Some of the West Chester crowd and I; began our march out. The Vikes got two fourth quarter scores, perhaps against the Falcons second D; final 34-14 Pennsbury.

The Falcons next had Abington at home. Their regular-season matchup at Pennsbury resulted in a 4-overtime 35-28 Falcon victory. So a barn-burner was expected. Bud 2 trekked from Hatfield to my house to see it, and we met Bud 1 at Falcon Field. More rain had Falcon Field, a heavy natural grass field, muddy and slick. Both sides experienced slips and slides and they parried to a first quarter zero stalemate. In the second stanza, Falcon RB Jackson Fagan broke a 17-yarder and the Falcons had a 7-0 lead at halftime. After a Falcon punt in the third, Ghosts QB Kevin Morton hit receiver Eaton for an 81-yard TD. But the Falcons Josh Parkes blocked the PAT attempt; 7-6 Falcons. Fagan added another 23-yard TD scamper in the third and the PAT made it 14-6 Falcons after three.

In the fourth another Morton-Eaton 38 yard strike narrowed the game to 14-12. Six minutes remained in the game. We three attendees began to clear the stairs. Bud 2 and I began to walk the muddy field behind the visitor’s stands. We heard the 2-point conversion try was missed and it remained 14-12. We clicked on the radio in my car to hear another Fagan 51-yard scamper, but the PAT was missed and it was 20-12, the game was not iced. But, with about a minute and a half left in the game the Falcons picked off a Morton aerial and Ryan returned it 48 yards to the house. The PAT made it 27-12 and finally put the game in the freezer.

I thought this was my last game of the year as the Falcons had to go through Ridley next; never an easy chore; and even if they won, where would the eastern final be held? I had to wait a bit in 2006 for answers.

I listened to the Pennsbury at Ridley game on the radio. Defenses ruled the whole first half and it ended 0-0 with few first downs and 12 punts executed.

More of the same in the second half until two Falcon pass interceptions set up two third quarter scores. After it became 14-0 Falcons, the bigger Falcons controlled the rest of the game on both O and D for the rare visitor win in Phil Marion Stadium.

I was very happy to learn that the eastern final Pennsbury-Bethlehem Liberty would be held at Doylestown War Memorial Stadium and its new turf field. I could go there. I met Bud 2 in the ticket line and we met Bud 1 inside.

Later Bud 4 and brother-in-law joined us; and my old banker friend again made it. I saw him four or five times in Doylestown in the 4 or 5-year era span. Fittingly, our whole posse that started in June at the all-star game was together for the final 2006 game. And this was the very LAST time that all four of us were together.

This was some game; it was one of those in cliché – “Nobody wants to lose.” It was 14-14 when I left with about 8 minutes left in regulation. Of course I clicked on the car radio to listen to the finish. Both teams scored in the fourth quarter and it ended 21-21 in regulation. The first OT produced a 28-28 tie. The second OT resulted in a 31-31 tie. The third OT ended 38-38. In the fourth OT Liberty scored and had to defend leading 45-38. The Falcons were down to fourth down. QB Iturbides could not find an open receiver and ran for the goal, but was stopped two yards short; final 45-38 Bethlehem Liberty.

Dan Persa, who was QB for the Hurricanes made first team all-state as “Athlete”. Offensive lineman Mike Hitchings was 2^nd team all-state. And DB Oscar Rivera and LB Al Petros were third team all-state defense for Liberty. For Pennsbury Jackson Fagan was 2^nd team RB all-state; C J Marck was first team LB; and Greg Bickel was second team DL all-state.

While there were many fine things in the 2006 season, I could not restart a golden era with it. The total games was only 20 again; I was by now hoping to make 20 as my annual total; where once 30 games were in near reach each season.

In fact I added a new category – “media games” because with the less attendance in person it seemed I should actually list those games that I saw on TV or computer stream, or listened to on the radio or computer. And starting in 2006 I did that – getting 14 media games in addition to my second 20-game total season in a row. Of course the media games were not added to my games attended total, but were supplemental to that figure.

I had company at 14 of my 20 games which was an improvement over 2005 also. I saw no new teams or visited no new stadiums in 2006.

Although I could not wait to get to games each week, and certainly enjoyed my time there, there was just some kind of different feeling about the seasons since 2004. I didn’t know what it was then, and still don’t; but I continue to march on.

Source: Pennsylvania Football News annual resource guides.

“Here’s a look back at 65 – seasons of Pennsylvania High School Football through the eyes of Kmac”

The 2005 season had no indication of any let down as the June North-South all-Star game at Truman had our normal posse of me, Bud 1, Bud 2, and Bud 4. It was a great way to start my 55^th season. And socially we got to speak with Mark Schmidt and John Chaump, and a third coach we did not know of Neshaminy; Mike Ortman of Council Rock North, Jeff Johnson- Morrisville alumnus and of CRN Junior High coaching; Larry Green and Tony Schino of CB East; and a newer CB East coach who said he saw us “Everywhere”; which was a source of pride as a group and made us always smile.

In some cases this was a little deeper than the surface greetings, Bud 1 had known John Chaump since he came to Neshaminy, and was the prime contact there. Bud 4 was a personal friend of Mike Ortman since the days’ way back when he coached at Morrisville; and also with John Chaump who coached at Morrisville too. Bud 2 was the most outgoing, willing and able to speak with, or start a conversation with anyone; and I was the long-term benefactor of it all.

Bud 1 was 86, and would be 87 in September and we all thought he looked “pretty good”. The early departure (about 6 minutes left in the game) really hurt me in this one. It was 28-14 North at the time. This game was played in 13-minute quarters. So in the 46 minutes I was there I saw six scores. In the last 6 minutes I missed 5 scores! They were four TDs (1 North, 3 South) and a field goal that swung the victory to the South 38-35.

Thanks to a call from Bud 4, I was informed of a tri-scrimmage on Saturday Aug 20 at Council Rock North among Morrisville, Rock North, and CB South. School sizes what they were, the Bulldogs varsity only scrimmaged the JVs of Rock and South. But the Rock and South scrimmage included both JVs; all were on the practice fields above the playing field, behind the school. Then the Rock and South varsity teams scrimmaged on the stadium field. Another very social day and we both knew many people from Rock and Morrisville.

Bud 4 and I made the pre-season camp day as the original day we had scheduled to include Bud 2 would have been too late, and his work schedule would not allow an adjustment. At CB East we were saddened to learn of HC Larry green suffering severe health problems and also Tony Schino was sidelined for health reasons. We no longer knew anyone else at East, so departed in but a few minutes. We were happy to see Mike and Buddy Ortman at Council Rock North, and although Bruce English had retired, he was there as a “substitute” coach. At Neshaminy we were able to see Mark Schmidt and John Chaump just as the session was ending.

We lunched at my house this year, a nice lunch prepared by my wife. We then journeyed to Morrisville where I met Coach Gober; I already knew AD John Hubiak; who was also there.

We went on to Falcon Field and spoke with assistant coach Justin Fee, who Bud 4 knew a bit and introduced me to him. The Falcons were practicing about 108 troops and had to use orange, white, and black jerseys there were so many of them; unless they had other reasons for the multi-colors.

So, other than Bud 2 not making the pre-season visit, and sad news at CB East, there was nothing to suggest this would not be another of my golden age seasons.

Bud 4, his nephew, and I caught the annual Falcons – LaSalle scrimmage the Friday night before the season opened, and the Falcons did alright in the game-like session, 27-3 over the Explorers.

We same three opened the season the next Friday night at Neshaminy hosting St Joes Prep, and both teams were ranked in state and national rankings. John Krysa, a 1950’s era Morrisville athlete sat with us; he knew Bud 4 well and he had spoken with me before. John was the lineman for Morrisville that jarred the ball loose from a Neshaminy player in their end zone in 1951 and Ed Gater flopped on it for the TD that provided Morrisville’s last win over Neshaminy 6-0. I noted that the Hawks looked athletic, well-built, and also “National” and they would need it versus St. Ignatius of Ohio the following week. The Hawks’ defense, sturdy line and quick secondary pretty much stifled the Skins O all night. The Hawks first offensive play was a 76-yard aerial for a TD and they never looked back. The Prep won 28-14.

The next Friday I soloed to Falcon Field for a first look at Frankford which I had never before seen. There was not a big away crowd, and the second half I sat with Rock North’s Jeff Johnson, who by-the-way; was a terrific player for Morrisville in his high school days and another friend of Bud 4. He was with, and introduced me to, Chuck Kane Junior, son of legendary Falcon HC Chuck Kane. Chuck, Junior was also married to Rock North’s HC Mike Ortman’s daughter.

The Falcons probably looked much this season as they have for the last two or three current seasons. I mentioned 4 good running backs and some passing too, made the Falcons look dangerous this season. And they would be, going 8-3, losing only to Neshaminy and North Penn regular season and to Downingtown East in the playoffs.

Bud 4 and I sat with Mike and Buddy Ortman the next night, Saturday 9/10/2005 at Truman. The coaches were scouting Conwell-Egan who was on the docket for the following week for Rock North. North Catholic was the opponent. NC had trouble with both lines; allowing C-E penetration on offense, but rarely getting any penetration on defense. But they stayed in the game with speed and special teams. Con-Egan got up 6-0 and then North’s Cruz ran the ensuing kickoff 86 yards to the house; after the kick PAT North led 7-6. Egan answered with a drive and 2-point conversion to go back up 14-7. The Eagles’ defense then held, and another Egan score, missed PAT made it 20-7 Egan. But a North 60-yard punt return TD and PAT made it 20-14 Egan at the half. In the third quarter a North 22-yard aerial TD, but missed PAT knotted it at 20 each. In the fourth quarter Eagles’ QB Schaefer plunged in from the one to close out scoring, final 27-20 Conwell-Egan, in an entertaining match.

On Friday night 9/23/2005 I soloed to Falcon Field for Council Rock North (3-0) versus Pennsbury (3-0). I noted in my record book, “Another solo trip and Friday night only in what is becoming the norm as Saturday games of interest and distance preclude two games a week. High gas prices and not liking being “on the road” anymore play in. At least this year trips to Pennsbury and Council Rock mostly: are fine.”

Definite erosion in my own mind was evident and obviously played a part in the end of the golden era that I classified as 1989-2004. It was a combination of factors in the end, but my own conscious reasoning was certainly part of it. And retirement had me more than ever settled in with comfort at home. I was always a home body; enjoyed many hobbies during my life, and was never bored at home.

This was expected to be a good one and it was. Rock opened scoring on a Cinzio FG, 3-0 CRN. In the second quarter, the Indians’ Collins bolted 80 yards for a score; Cinzio PAT 10-0 Rock North. With 2 minutes left in the first half, the Falcons scored on a 24-yard Crowell to Reilly pass; Craven PAT; 10-7 Rock North. Then a recovered fumble by the Falcons led to a short field. Just seconds before the half ended, Pennsbury’s Branham scored; PAT missed; and it was 13-10 Falcons at the end of the first half.

The only 3^rd period score was a Vivacqua 8-yard run for Rock North. With the Cinzio PAT, North re-took the lead 17-13. I left the stands for a close-up sidelines look to start the 4^th quarter; something I often did at many fields. The action was at that end and I watched the Falcons’ Parkes plunge a yard for the TD and it was 19-17 Pennsbury. Just as they lined up for the PAT the stadium lights went out. I left and listened to the restart on WBCB radio and the game was just finishing as I pulled into my garage at home in Washington Crossing. The final score was Pennsbury 27-24.

The following Friday night at Pennsbury it was North Penn (4-0) at Pennsbury (4-0).

Of my 20 games this season, I had company at 10, just half, and this was the coming trend until all company was extinguished to a greater degree. I do not know what happened this season with Bud 1, except he followed Bensalem and Neshaminy primarily, and those games I was not attending. Bud 2 was down to a couple of games a season, Bud 3 only Thanksgiving. Bud 4 was doing statistics for Morrisville which he often did, and of course they played Friday nights just as about everyone else.

This was the game that set bad feelings in place between North Penn and Pennsbury for some years to come. Two pre-game incidents occurred. Pennsbury would not allow North Penn to set up their tower apparatus in the end zone for taping purposes. Second, the Pennsbury band started to march on the field early while the Knights were still in pre-game drills. Orange shirt-clad adults were also on the field as if to protect the bands-people. It was not homecoming, about the only time that the band started that early.

I never saw an explanation, but I have been to more Pennsbury games than any other team, and truly, I never saw the band start that early unless for special activities for which none existed that evening.

The game was well played, few penalties and was just 21-13 North Penn late. But two late scores by the Knights made it 35-13 and on the last one someone on the North Penn sideline yelled, “That one’s for the band” loud enough for all to hear. There were reportedly angry words between the teams’ staffs after the game. But the Knights’ amassed 432 total yards in the game to the Falcons’ 212, and were clearly the stronger team.

A trip to Bensalem on Monday night October 17 was my first chance to see Bud 1 since the all-star game in June. The Falcons (5-1) dominated the Owls (1-5) in the second half to win 39-9. Spoke with Dan Taylor, whom I knew as his wife had worked in banking with me at one time. She also was an actress/singer in local theater, and I most recently saw her a few years back volunteering at St. Mary Hospital in Langhorne.

Now 2005 was a very rainy year, and in fact, our house was flooded for the first time in the spring. We were back in shape by football season, but there was a lot of rain during the season moving games to Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays in many cases. Thankfully, the rains were not hard enough to cause more flooding, but that would come again in June 2006.

I had no closer games for Friday night 10/21, so I soloed to Doylestown for my first-ever look at the CB South Titans at CB East. Eventually CB South would grow to be the, so far, marginally strongest of the three Central Bucks schools, but they were only in their second season here. East dominated in the late 3^rd and 4^th quarters to win 41-13; but it was a “game” up until then.

Heavy rain at times on the next day at Pennsbury had the lights on for the second half. The weather and the fact that Neshaminy-North Penn was that day also, kept the crowd down at this one. Pennridge was the foe, and at halftime the crowd matriculated to under the bleachers for protection from rain until the second half began. Here I got to talk with Bob Cook, an old drum corps associate of mine from the Lambertville corps days. His son was playing for Pennridge as he had moved from Levittown to Sellersville some years back. Bob was still playing the bugle with the Bridgeman Alumni Corps, and he was a fine soprano bugler, just as his dad was in the 1940s and 1950s with Archer Epler of Upper Darby. The game was a nice, hard-fought game won by Pennsbury 14-7.

After a Monday night game still in rain, 10/24, I noted in my records that, “Three consecutive weekends of rain have made an unprecedented mess this year!”

On Friday night 10/28 I soloed to Newtown and an expected CB South at C Rock South game and arrived to find the area dark, quiet, and “dead”. The game had been moved to Saturday unbeknownst to me; I had seen nothing in the papers about it.

So I hiked to Morrisville and watched my alma mater play a much more athletic Academy of New Church squad pretty well; just a 7-0 ANC win. Bud 4 was doing statistics at the sideline and I believe I stayed all game and spoke with him after the game when he asked me about the next day.

The next day I had accepted his Friday night offer for a trip to Millersville for a Division II college game between Millersville and Mansfield.

We were there to see ex-Morrisville player Juan Jones get the 1000 yard rushing mark. It was a no-chance given; he only needed 3 yards to get it. But he got about 160 in a display of bruising small college rushing. After the game we met Juan and spoke with him a while. Very nice gentleman; my wife, who had long back departed banking to work at Morrisville High School knew Juan and had echoed how nice he was. Bud 4 knew him well from his long time Morrisville connections. Former Neshaminy Redskin players were also on both Millersville – Andy Koch, Nick Fezko; and Mansfield – Rodney Davis.

Soloing to Doylestown for the CB East – Conestoga playoff game, I ran into another old banking associate, Kevin Cornwall, whose son attended CB East. This was a very good ball game back and forth, with East finally pulling it out 23-21.

I also saw most of the Neshaminy-Downingtown East game; or the “Pat Devlin Show” if you prefer, the next Friday. Pat Devlin, Downingtown East QB, Miami-bound, threw for 316 yards and three TDs, and carried the team on his back the final drive of the game and plunged one yard for the game-winning TD with 19 seconds left in the game. East won 45-38.

Bud 4 drove the next day to Delaware Valley (then College, now University), just outside of Doylestown, and I saw my first-ever Division III college game; a playoff game at that. Curry was the opponent and Del Val won 37-22. At the level considered just above high school I was amazed at the difference that level made. The stud-looking athletes, precision aerials, and schemes and hitting was quite different. In conversation with Bud 4 here he intimated that he was somewhat tired of high school football and wanted to pursue some doable college venues. I very much enjoyed what we had done, and still would do, but I kept records on high school football, and that was where my heart was.

On Thanksgiving, Bud 2, Bud 3 and I abandoned our 6-year streak of South Hunterdon-Del Val, NJ games because we expected a complete blowout there (we were correct 68-0). The three of us saw our first-ever Truman-Conwell-Egan Turkey day game. Also a wet snow that ended at daybreak made the artificial turf at Truman a good option. For 3 and ½ quarters this was a good close game at 26-15 Truman that anybody might win. A Truman 95-yard interception return and another late score made the final 40-15, and it seemed worse than it was.

 

This game choice was on my account; because of the three of us I had the most interest in Truman and Egan. As Bishop Egan I saw 28 games of the Eagles basically in two periods; 1960-1965 (13), and 1976-1979 (9), none 1966-1975, the remaining 6 scattered between 1980 and 1982. When the school became Conwell-Egan in 1993, I did not see them until Steve Slaton drew me back in 2002 when the Eagles became a regular again.

The 1976-1979 period for Egan was particularly significant as part of the Bill Travers Head Coaching era at Bishop Egan that extended from 1976-1984 and generated a rebirth at Egan. Beyond the halcyon days of Bedesem after 1970 Bishop Egan began to suffer enrollment issues due to the decline of Fairless Steel and other industry centered in Morrisville and Bristol. Coming over from North Catholic, Bill Travers and his no-nonsense, fiery approach fit at Egan. Bill restored the quick-hitting power running game out of the “I” formation. After a settling in year in 1976 at 3-5-1; Bill’s next four seasons were 7-3, 7-3, 6-4, and 8-1-1; and his career at Egan was 55-35-4. And Egan went back to the playoffs three times during this tenure, in 1981, 82, and 83; winning the division title in 1983.

More importantly, Bill Travers was the type of coach that inspired and was a positive influence for the players that played for him and youth in general. He followed his Egan career as Coach at North Penn and was a teacher and counselor for 46 years in the Catholic and Public school systems until his retirement in April 2016.

Thanksgiving Friday night I motored to Bud 2’s and we went to Crawford Stadium for the Downingtown East – North Penn playoff game. Having seen East at Neshaminy the prior week, I was not too sure how the Knights would do against the superb Devlin.

A high-scoring affair was expected and it started just that way. With the East aerial game and the Knights’ pounding style, both teams scored twice in the first quarter and it was 13-13.   But only one second quarter score occurred; a Tyrece Evans 65-yard sprint made it 20-13 Knights at the half.

After trading fumbles on each teams’ first possessions in the second half; the Knights’ Turner bolted 70 yards to put them up 27-13. Less than 3 minutes later, the Cougars answered with a Walls scamper and it was 27-20 North Penn. Then the North Penn lines and speed took over the game. Pete Stoll had bursts of 66 and 20 yards to get the Knights up 41-20.

Then Knights QB Feiser hit Jim Levens with a 79-yard pass/run play to make it 48-20 in the fourth quarter, and the packed away side of the stadium began in exit mode.

With 9:34 left in the game, and we were listening in the car heading for Bud 2’s house; Stoll broke another one 47 yards to set the final at 55-20.

 

The next day Bud 4 picked me up early in the morning and we headed to East Stroudsburg for an NCAA Division II college playoff between the visiting CW Post Pioneers and the home Warriors. Both teams sported 10-2 records. Post’s away white, green and yellow looked like the Green Bay Packers while the Warrior’s red looked like the Kansas City Chiefs. The Warriors eventually gained domination and a 55-28 victory, but it was just 17-14 at the half.

A great experience; we had arrived early and visited the college store and ran into Newtown’s Jeff Johnson, an East Stroudsburg alumnus, and whose daughter was attending there at the time. We all sat together in the stands for the game. Later, on the way home, we ran into them again at “Hot Dog Johnnies”, a renowned eatery on Route 46 in New Jersey. It was my last college game to the present time.

I did not write why, but the next playoff, North Penn – Bethlehem Liberty at J. Birney Crum in Allentown didn’t materialize for me, nor did another state championship game trip. I listened to the Knights – Hurricanes game on radio and it sounded like the Knights were totally flat for some reason, but the fine Liberty team and its defense was likely the reason.

I could not rate the 2005 season as a continuation of the golden years. First I saw 20 games, down 8 from 2004, and the lowest total since 1988, the year before the golden era began. Second, the poor weather season with numerous rainy games and rain-changed games took the pace and continuity from the schedule unlike any season I could remember. Third, I chose to go to three college games instead of high school football games further diminishing the pace of the season; my choices, but I made them.

I did see four new teams – Frankford, CB South, Academy of New Church, and Downingtown East, and that was good. But company faded from the high 70 and 80 percentiles to 50% for 2005. Everyone but me and Bud 1 of the once strong posse was leaving high school football in various stages. In late October 2005 I already had in one of my notes something to the effect of “this surreal season”.

Of the various factors that I rated my seasons on, every one of them was down significantly from the prior “golden era” seasons. Perhaps it was psychological more than anything else; but the 2005 season seemed different from 1989-2004; my golden era had ended.

The only post-season notes for 2005 I made were related to some realignment in the Suburban One League and the pretty much dissolving of the small-school Independence League, which I had not much observed for many years anyway.

 

Sources: Letter from Rob Lucenti, Bishop Egan 1976-79.

“Here’s a look back at 65 – seasons of Pennsylvania High School Football through the eyes of Kmac”

In 2004, I again caught the Lions’ All Star game in June; and Bud 1, 2, and 4 were there at Council Rock North this time. The North turned the tables this time 17-14.

Many times it is events unrelated to high school football that impact a season in a major way. It is life, you cannot escape them. In August 2004, my wife’s mother was in a terminal stage of cancer, and I cancelled the annual camp visits. This fine lady passed at 5:45 AM on August 30, 2004 and is still sorely missed and revered by many. She is forever at rest in north Jersey.

I made one short solo trip to CB East pre-season and found that of the coaches I knew real well there, Bill Heller, had retired; Andy Szarko and Chris Rittenhouse; possibly others, had gone to the brand new Central Bucks South High School. Brian Penacale, whom I met a few seasons back, had also departed. Only Larry Green, HC, and Tony Schino were left, both of whom I spoke with.

Also pre-season I traveled to Bud 4’s house and we went to Falcon Field for the Pennsbury-LaSalle scrimmage. In the officiated, down-and-distance portion the Falcons won 28-27, a nice fairly penalty-free exhibition. It was my first scrimmage since Phillipsburg-CB West in 1994 and the 1995 stop-in while driving by at CB East with Easton.

The remaining posse of four all went in different directions to open this season. Bud 4 was with Morrisville at Schuylkill Haven. Bud 1 was at Falcon Field for Ryan-Pennsbury. Bud 2 was near home in Crawford Stadium for Glen Mills-North Penn; and I chose Philadelphia’s Dobbins at CB East; primarily because I had never seen Dobbins. CB East won 35-7.

In addition to the new Central Bucks South High School this season; this was the season the PIAA welcomed District 12 into competition, but from Philadelphia it was the Public League only. The PCL would have to wait until 2008. But I think that history would show that the PCL did not cool their heels, waiting for 2008.

The next day Bud 4 and I made an infrequent trip to Abington, mainly to see J P McCaskey, another team none of us had ever seen. Bud 1 was there, and walking a bit better this season. McCaskey won 38-14 and we sat with Neshaminy coaches Mark Schmidt and a returned John Chaump until we moved for a clearing viewing area. This was my last jaunt to this old field. The Ghosts opened their fine new stadium in 2005, and I have yet to make a visit.

The following Friday my brother in law (Bud 3) rejoined for a game other than on Thanksgiving for the first time in 5 years.

It was for a trip to Poppy Yoder and the dually green & white clad and also Ram duality of Central Dauphin at Pennridge. Two teams – same colors, same mascot. Bud 2 joined us there and it was a good game with the local Rams winning 16-0.

Ever since I lived in the Washington Crossing home from June of 1980, and with my wife from February of 1981, we had one instance of high Delaware River in 1996 that just covered River Road with a thin veil of water in locations above and below my home and no evacuation was necessary. But in 2004 although I went to a game on Friday night 9/17 at Bensalem; Saturday was not for the two games I had scheduled, but instead for flood evacuation. The water was the highest since the great flood of 1955, but thankfully, not near as high. I got no water in the house, but my detached garage and storage shed in the back of the property had a minimal water level in them. A creek 100+ yards behind my property caused the rear of the property to flood before the front river-side did. My wife and I and the pooch spent the next three days with my brother (Bud 3) and sister in law in Lambertville.

We were flooded with basements full of water (about 8 feet) in both 2005, and again in 2006; but neither were anywhere near football season, and we were whole again by the time the season rolled around those years.

This year Mark Schmidt at Neshaminy put together another fine football team. I did see them 6 times all together, but not until the 6^th week of the season for the first time this year. It was home with Pennridge. Both teams entered the fray 5-0. I noted that the Neshaminy defense especially looked good and they were not overly big physically, but were quick, hard hitting and gritty. They had the numbers with about 88 players dressed. They won the game 31-15.

The following week, on my 63^rd birthday, I saw the Skins take on Council Rock, again at Heartbreak Ridge. I was joined by Bud 4; and in the second half by Bud 1 (coming over from the home side). Again the defense was featured when the Skins beat the Indians 24-0.

Then I would see four of the Skins five playoff games to make the six I saw. I will discuss them later.

Friday 10/22 my brother-in-law (Bud 3) and I planned and executed a work-game trip to Berwick, our first since 1993. There was work to be done on a vacant house that was Bud 3’s grandparents, then his parents (actually now his in 2016), and I would help at the house, and we would see Williamsport at Berwick in Crispin that night. I had never seen the Millionaires play. Tom’s Kitchen (Conyngham); Barb’s Hoagies, and Tozzi’s Pizza provided us nourishment for the day and a half we were there. Berwick won 41-19 and I did not detail the game as the next day, many miles away at home I had no local papers to review the game. That was the last time to the current time that I had the pleasure of seeing the Dawgs play.

Another of the factors which I noted each season was the number of teams with good records that I saw in a season.

That count was 7 this year and included Neshaminy 13-2, North Penn 10-3, Pennridge 10-3, Conwell-Egan 10-3, CB West 9-2, Tennent 8-3, and Archbishop Wood 8-4. My arbitrary cutoff was 7-3 for a 10-game season, and 7-4 for an eleven game season, any seasons longer than that were usually self-explanatory.

And it then only included the local teams I followed, not any opponents that I saw that might be good also. This I altered later to include any opponents not local with good records.

This total of 7 teams with good records was the highest number in my then 54 seasons of high school football. It was one factor to include this season in my “golden era” seasons. And it was the last season of my golden era.

The one regular season loss to North Penn 30-31 in overtime put Neshaminy in a travel situation for the playoffs and the first stop was in Doylestown at CB West.

In 2004 the situation at CB West was this: Randy Cuthbert as Head Coach had posted three winning seasons in the Colonial and Patriot Divisions of Suburban One 2001 through 2003.

But the records were 7-3, 6-4, and 6-4 and the Bucks’ had not made the playoffs since 2000. Another league realignment saw CB West in the smallest schools conference, the American, for the 2004 season. Here they found the going more CB West-like and went 9-1 in regular season; having lost only their non-league season opener to Easton 12-17. They were the higher seed for their playoff contest, so at home against Neshaminy.

Rain Friday night 11/12 moved the game to Saturday night 11/13. A van full of 6 people, including me and Bud 4, hauled to Doylestown for the game. We all met Bud 1 there. CB West used a short, tower kickoff strategy to Neshaminy up backs all night. And viola! The first one produced a Skins fumble recovered by the Bucks’. They then drove the shortened field and capped it with a Tyler Dinnis 4-yard plunge. A repeat kickoff went to the same Skins up back. As if to atone for the first result, this time he returned the kick deep into Bucks’ territory. A five yard Flogel to J. Kinney pass and Kevin Kelly kicked-PAT knotted it at 7. The score then moved to 13-7 CB West after a blocked PAT attempt. The Skins premier RB Georg Coleman then went 60+ yards to the house and the Kelly kick made it 14-13 Neshaminy. The Skins added another TD and it was 21-13. Just before the half, Bucks’ QB McMonigle hit McNeil on a 32-yard strike to make it 21-19. The obvious choice was to go for 2. The attempt to run it in failed and the half ended 21-19 Neshaminy.

In the second half the Redskins’ scored first and the Kelly PAT made it 28-19 Neshaminy. Later Kevin Kelly converted a 25-yard field goal to make the count 31-19 Skins. But the Bucks’ came back with two scoring drives of their own, with Dinnis scoring twice on short drives. After the first of those scores the PAT was kicked and it was 31-26 Neshaminy. After the second of these Dinnis plunges, a 2-point conversion was made and it was 34-31 Bucks’ with about 6 minutes left in the game.

A good kickoff return followed and then the Skins’ rode Coleman bursts to a 38-34 lead with 3 minutes left. CB West could not make a first down on the ensuing possession, and the Skins held the ball for the last minute, final 38-34 Neshaminy.

I followed this car-full trip with a solo trip to Perkasie the next Friday for the D1 4A semi-final pitting a rematch of an earlier North Penn – Pennridge contest.

I had not seen the first match up, won by Pennridge 35-27. The Knights came in 9-2; and the Rams 10-1. This was an excellent hard-hitting, exciting, trick play-filled game that it was a shame anyone had to lose.

North Penn took a 7-0 lead. Before long the Rams executed a double handoff, pitch, option pass to knot it at 7. Not to be outdone the Knights answered with a perfectly executed double-pass, or lateral-pass, forward pass if you prefer; to go up 14-7, and the first half ended with that score.

In the second half the Rams answered again, missed the PAT, and it was 14-13 Knights. Then a ball-strip fumble recovery by the Knights gave them a 6-yard field; converted to 21-13 after three quarters. I began my lonely trip home at that point. With one minute and 39 seconds left in the game the Rams scored and converted a clutch 2-pt PAT and it was 21-21. But the Knights returned the ensuing kickoff 53 yards to the Rams 39 yard line.

After a 5-yard penalty set the Knights back to the 44; Knights QB hit Gallagher on a 35-yard pass/run to the Rams 9 yard line. With 14 ticks left on the clock, a successful Knights’ field goal won the game 24-21 North Penn.

I soloed to Neshaminy, but ran into Bud 1 there, for the District One 4A Championship, Friday night 11/26/2004. Another rematch – North Penn – Neshaminy, the first won in OT by the Knights 31-30. The first score was set up when Neshaminy recovered a muffed punt. This led to a drive that stalled at the Knights 28-yard line. Dependable senior kicker Kelly hit the field goal from there; 3-0 Neshaminy. Then Kelly’s kickoff sailed into the end zone, not unusual. But on the first play from scrimmage, the Knights’ Pete Stoll raced untouched around the left side for the TD. It was 7-3 Knights’ in a heartbeat. Another Redskin drive featured 32- and 37-yard bolts by Coleman. They scored on a 6-yard hook-and-ladder pass Flogel-Kinney-Coleman. It was 10-7 Neshaminy. Then the Redskin defense held and another drive led to a Coleman 8-yard run, Kelly kick – 17-7 Neshaminy. Next Pete Stoll near repeated his 80-yard burst, this time 77 yards and it was 17-14 Skins. The ensuing kickoff was returned by Jason Kinney’s twin brother Jarred 71 yards to the Knights 5. Coleman plunged the five yards and it was 24-14. Now, get this – END OF FIRST QUARTER. It was a 38-point back and forth initial stanza, definitely my kind of ball game. The pace indicated a 96-56 final score, but anyone who knew football realized the pace wouldn’t continue. (Except the 2015 season Meadville 107-90 over Dubois)!

Indeed, the second quarter produced only a single score. With 1:03 remaining in the half, the Knights Carpenter went off-tackle for an 8-yard TD; the PAT kick bounced off of one of the uprights – no good; 24-20 Neshaminy at the half.

Again in the third quarter there was only one score. On fourth-and-inches for the Knights on the Neshaminy 42; everyone was up tight on defense. Again Pete Stoll bounced outside and flew the 42 yards for the TD; 26-24 North Penn. The Skins’ Jason Kinney blocked the PAT try.

Once again I leave a great game in progress. After I did the Skins put on a 7-play 57-yard drive with QB Flogel finishing the final 3 yards. A bad snap ensued on the PAT attempt – no PAT. That’s about the only way Kelly did not make them. It was 30-26 Skins. After a later North Penn punt, on the first play from scrimmage Coleman bolted 57 yards for another TD and the holder got the snap for the PAT, no problem for Kelly; 37-26 Neshaminy. With 8:05 left in the game, for whatever reason the Knights third QB (sophomore Levens) was in and he connected on a 72-yard strike to Carpenter and it was only 37-34 after a successful 2-point conversion.

But Neshaminy could not be shut down this night. Coleman broke another 23-yard haul to the Knights 15 after which Jarred Kinney broke a 15-yarder off the right side; Kelly kick 44-34 Neshaminy with 5:52 remaining. Getting yet another possession, Coleman scored his 5^th TD of the night and Kelly’s PAT kick closed out the scoring for the evening, a 51-34 Neshaminy win.

Four of the six that had van pooled three weeks earlier, including Bud 4 and me, rode to Bensalem for the eastern 4A final between Neshaminy (12-1) and Easton (12-0). It was a Saturday day game on December 4, 2004 in bright sun, but cold breeze. The game had been moved from Friday night due to heavy rains in the area and the natural grass field at Bensalem was muddy. I neglected to write up the game until after the state championships, so I believe it was basically as I state it. Although Neshaminy seemed to be controlling, it was only 7-0 Neshaminy at the half. Easton received the second half kickoff and drove the field and scored knotting it at 7 apiece. I think Neshaminy regained the lead and Easton again tied it up pretty late in the game 14 all. With about 52 seconds left in the game the Redskins got up 21-14 and we began to exit as it was an overflow crowd and we did sit as sardines in a tin. We were on the away (Easton) side, and it had been the first time I ever sat on that side of the stadium for a full game since it was erected in ca. 1967 when I was still in the service.

But we were able to stand outside the band gate open-end of the stadium and watch the Red Rovers good kickoff return along with a good two-minute drill come right down the field. Several pass attempts ended when Neshaminy intercepted to finally ice the game; another good one in the books.

On December 11, 2004, I drove down to Morrisville intending to pick up Bud 4 and do the driving to Hershey and the 2A and 4A championships. But another relative of Bud 4 and the same nephew that was part of the 6-group, and 4-group entries also were there, so Bud 4 drove his van to Hershey.

As a District One follower all of my life, this was an especially interesting state final duo as both the eastern 2A and 4A teams were from D1. The AA representative was Lansdale Catholic, then a member of the Pioneer Athletic Conference and so, D1. Their opponent was Grove City from D10. Grove City looked sharp early in an aerial game and took a 7-0 lead. But LC had an elusive, not-so-huge running back named R. C. Lagomarsino. Mr. R C broke one for 78 yards soon on, but a 2-pt pass attempted PAT was no good and it was 7-6 Eagles.

In the second quarter R C got loose for a 37-yard TD and another failed PAT made it 12-7 L C. The half ended 12-7 Lansdale Catholic.

In the third quarter, Crusaders’ QB Adams took it in from 44 yards out and after the third failed PAT attempt it was 18-7 Crusaders. Next it was R C again, this time for a 72-yard dart, and this time a kicked PAT was good and made it 25-7 Crusaders. Later, very late in the third quarter, a bad pitchout in their own end zone cost the Crusaders a safety and it was 25-9 L C, but this seemed to really inspire the Eagles and their fans as they would get the ball. The Eagles received the free kick to start the fourth quarter and then drove the field (mostly through the air), to score and tack on a 2-pt PAT, and it was 25-17 with 11:43 left, plenty of time and a one-score game. But the Crusaders were not to be denied and took the kickoff and marched down the field until FB Noochi burst the final 6 yards to make it 32-17 with the PAT. There was 6:20 left in the game.

In another possession the Crusaders Lagomarsino tacked on another 27 yarder and with a 2-point PAT the score was an unreachable 40-17 with little time left. Lagomarsino had a state playoff record 353 yards rushing. I do not know if this was within class or overall, or if it still stands.

By the time the ensuing 4A championship was history I had realized something that I had likely not before. I realized that for all my years of high school football, I finally was ready to just appreciate all ball, in all leagues, in all districts, in all classes; because there was good football to see in it all. I was ready not to just put it all on the line for the Suburban One League, District One, or Bucks County teams; but to just enjoy game performances, whoever they were.

We sat in the bleachers opposite the press box side as we did in 2002, and it was the Grove City side for 2A and Neshaminy side for 4A. We were high enough, about halfway up, and about the 15 or 20 yard line near the scoreboard end of Hershey Stadium. When the Pittsburgh Central Catholic Vikings lined up across the end zone line opposite our vantage point, I was awe-struck. Was this a small college team? Did these kids start to lift weights when they were three? One player looked to be about 6-6 and 300 pounds, possibly Pat Illig a junior, who made all-state the following year. The rest, no matter what height, looked like studs; there were no short or thinner players to be seen, and there were about 88 of them or so. I remarked to Bud 4 after a few moments of stunned silence; “Neshaminy’s in trouble”. Bud 4 heartily agreed.

And trouble it was. PCC led at the quarter 14-0; at the half 35-0 and mercy rule; and as we departed with about 3 minutes left in the third quarter 42-0 and driving. We heard the 49-0 tally as we were behind the main side stands walking to the car. The Skins got a couple on the PCC subs and final was 49-14.

I believe that this was the best high school football team that I ever saw; and still do. They went 16-0 for their title; across the always competitive WPIAL and then the state. Pennsylvania Football News agreed with me and no less than 9 players were on all state teams.

In the PCL Cable pre-championship predictions show in a recent year (perhaps 2012 or 2013), this PCC team was again mentioned by all sportscasters as one of the best ever. Three more made the 2005 all-state team and probably played as juniors this season.

There was not a weakness that could be seen in this team at least in this game. Size, depth, speed especially, aerial, rushing, special teams; it was just all there. Most impressive was speed to the ball on defense. There were close to 7 defenders around every tackle. The normally potent Neshaminy backs could not establish anything. I have not seen all of the good teams, and it is always difficult to compare different eras, but it will take some time for me to acknowledge I saw any better team than PCC 2004.

All-state for teams I had seen this season were the 9 from PCC, Georg Coleman, Kevin Kelly, Tom McEuwen, Kevin Staub, and Joe Mautox – Neshaminy; Dotun Akintoye North Penn; Brandon Pirrone, Tennent: Ryan Greiser, Pennridge; Shaamar Coates, Williamsport; Steve Slaton & Ryan Biernat, Conwell-Egan; Joe Haldis, Council Rock South; Ryan Hamilton, Council Rock North; Brad Veiling, CB East; Zach Pizzarro, Easton; Tyler Dinnis, CB West; Brant Quick, Dan Erdman, Jeremiah Morris, Keith Ball, Tristan DiPippa, and Christian Force, Berwick Area; Mike Craig, R C Lagomarsino, Brian Cottone, Matt Moneta, and Sal Nocci, Lansdale Catholic; Tony Alosio, Jesse Alfreno, and Kent Uber, Grove City.

I saw 28 games in 2004, a total in the high range with only one 32, one 30, one 29, and another 28 game season the same or any higher. While there were no new stadiums, I visited 13 different venues, one off my all-time high of 1992 – 14. I got to Berwick again, likely for the last time.

Company was around for 22 of 28 games, particularly Bud 4 who I had seen 15 games with in 2002 and 2003 also; and 13 this season. But for all intents and purposes, he was now going to slowly exit to a great degree.

For the seasons 1989-2004, I had seen 417 games, an average of 26 games a season. All of my highest years totals were in those 16 years – 32 games (1990), 30 games (1996), 29 games (2002), and 28 games (1992 and 2004). All four state championships I had seen came in the period (2002 and 2004). My one time on a sideline for a game was 2002. Socially, the greatest amount of buddy camaraderie was in these 16 years; and I spoke with the greatest concentration of coaches in this era. More new stadiums were visited, more new teams seen, and the most state champions I ever saw, regular season or playoff/championships were in this time frame.

My glorious, golden era – 16 seasons, had come to an end, but I had no way of knowing it then.

Sources:

Pennsylvania Football News annual resource guides.

“Here’s a look back at 65 – seasons of Pennsylvania High School Football through the eyes of Kmac”

My 53^rd season in 2003 began earliest ever as I, along with Bud 1 and Bud 4, took in the annual Bucks County Lions All-Star game at Bensalem in early June. This was a North versus South structured orientation, in recent years dominated by the North’s CB West, Quakertown, and Pennridge-loaded players, but now the CB West domination phase was over. Bud 1 had attended this event for years. I never was interested before, but probably because this year it was at Bud 1’s Bensalem I chose to go. It was a good game and the South won 19-11.

On August 14 we made a three-person visit; me, Bud 2 and Bud 4 to camps at CB East, Council Rock North, and Neshaminy. We had nice conversations at times with coaches, and were sorry to hear that John Chaump had retired at Neshaminy. I had not made notes for the 2002 visitation, and from this year’s notes I get the feeling that Bud 4 had been with us last year also.

High school football wasn’t the only thing on my mind in August 2003, because my retirement letter was already submitted and accepted at the bank, and on Halloween 2003 I would retire. It would be the end of 44 years, 4 months, and 4 weeks of a banking career. I was not a true Type A personality and was more than ready. If I could do it; I had no intention of ever working again. Thirteen years later – so far so good.

Ten of the teams I normally followed were opening at home this season causing a conundrum of where I would go. But aging Bud 1 would be at Bensalem, and so would the Ridley Green Raiders whom I had never seen. So that would be the choice to open and see my 676^th game. (I now had the games I had seen computerized with numbers, so I could talk about the number when appropriate). This was the year that Bud 1 was having severe problems with his legs and would only be at Bensalem home games most likely. And it was true, I saw him only 4 times, the least since 1988 at 4 again. A Ridley person that sat right under the home press box near us said that they were breaking in a new QB this season. Could be, the usually mighty Green Raiders and usually not so mighty Owls played to a 10-7 Ridley win.

Saturday, September 20, 2003 daytime I traveled to Doylestown solo for Bensalem at CB East. I had a feeling that Bud 2 might be there and he was. He would come out much more this season, but it was an anomaly; he was slowly leaving the viewing end of high school football. We were very early and gathered with the East coaches, actually walked across the playing field with them to the benches. We were offered a sideline pass for the game, but we knew we would likely not stay all game and thanked them very much for the offer. Neshaminy’s Mark Schmidt was there and we spoke with him a bit; he was very down due to a political situation then in the program. Then Bensalem AD Sheldon Per, whom we had met, stopped by as we said hello and gave us each a Suburban One League pass! My 12^th in 14 years and very last.

That was kind of unbelievable. CB East won the game 14-7.

Bud 2 followed me home in his car and we trekked to Morrisville and Bud 4’s house. He then drove to Bristol for all of us to see their newly renovated field. Springfield Montco was the opponent. The field was thick green natural grass, bright new lights, and new aluminum stands only about 20 feet from the sidelines made a fine arena for football. A good game it was with lots of offense, my kind of game. The Spartans looked unstoppable early taking a first quarter lead of 14-0. Bristol then answered 14-7, but again the Spartans scored; 20-7 at the half.

The Warriors came out for the second half fired-up and you could hear the hits; but still the Spartans hit a long pass and TD and it was 26-7 Springfield. Bristol got another score before the third quarter ended and it ended 26-14 Springfield. About halfway through the final stanza the Warriors scored again and it was 26-20 Springfield. The Warriors got possession of the ball with 3 minutes still left in the game, but the score did not change. Over the entire game, the Warriors had three TDs called back for penalties and would have won the game.

I have commented in articles at times about the supporting cast making a difference for a superstar on a team from year to year. This year it was prominent regarding the 2002 sophomore sensation Steve Slaton at Conwell Egan. The big linemen of 2002 were gone, including Brazil and Biernet, both all state in 2002 AAA.   We saw a strong Archbishop Carroll squad this season keep Slaton in check and beat the Eagles 18-6. But against Kennedy-Kenrick Slaton got loose for 72-yard, and 71-yard sprints and Marty O’Hara had 3 interceptions and a 36-yard punt return for the Eagles to put this one away 29-6. That was the only two Egan games we saw this season, and Slaton or not, the Eagles’ ended only 5-6.

On my retirement night 10/31/2003 I soloed to Falcon Field, but met Bud 1 and later Bud 4 arrived. We sat much lower than usual due to Bud 1’s walking problems. He was then 85 and he often spoke with one of the chain gang there, Tony Fortunato, who was then 90. It was the annual Neshaminy-Pennsbury clash. It was a good close game 20-14 Falcons and only salvaged when the Neshaminy squad was driving late and a 15-yard penalty killed their chances.

Playoff games at Quakertown with West Chester East, who won 41-24; and at Cheltenham with Pennridge, who won 35-0 were next. Bud 4 and I met Bud 2 in Quakertown. Bud 4 and I drove to Cheltenham; I believe I drove this time. It was my first, and only, time at Cheltenham.

The night of Saturday November 15, 2003 Pennridge played North Penn in a playoff game at Wissahickon. But completely kept from me was a big retirement party in my honor at Michael’s Tavern in Morrisville. My wife had planned and did all the work, and the premise was a surprise anniversary party for my Bud 4 and his wife, who were well-known to my wife from the bank connections. I was truly honored. It was a stone cold gas. Family, friends, football acquaintances; people I worked with at the end, and former banker relationships, and even an attorney with whom I had done numerous real estate closings and his wife. I will never forget it.

The next Friday it was back to playoff football.

Bud 4 came up and we met Bud 2 at Wissahickon for the Interboro (then 4A) at North Penn District One Championship. My first ever visit to this fine stadium. This was another game of offense and highly entertaining. The Knights were likely heavily favored and likely did dominate on offense, but the defense was stretched to contain the elusive run-pass offense of the Interboro Bucs. The Knights powered to a 14-0 lead. The Bucs then answered 14-7. Then it was 21-7 and again the Bucs answered 21-14. The Knights’ coaching staff probably realized the scoring potential of the Bucs and on the next Knights TD went for two on the PAT successfully and it was 29-14 Knights. They were correct; the Bucs did come back 29-21.

But the Knights offense was just too much and went up 36-21 and 43-21 just as we were leaving with about 5 minutes left in the game. With little time left on the clock the Bucs put up a pride TD and the final was 43-28.

Thanksgiving was the traditional (5-year span now) of Del Val – South Hunterdon NJ schools, this year at Del Val. Bud 3 and my nephew, Bud 2, and I made the trip. Being tied to Morrisville in many ways, Bud 4 always made the Bristol-Morrisville T-day game. Each year the score was getting worse in our New Jersey mismatch of small and getting-really-big schools. This year it was Del Val 48-13 with 6 minutes left. I never got the final score unless that was it.

And with that the 2003 season came to an abrupt and unplanned end.

I had expected as many as four more games. First, Bud 2 and I were planning to visit J. Birney Crum Stadium Friday night 11/28 for the Eastern class AA final between Northern Lehigh and Lakeland, two teams neither of us had ever seen. Rain and wind caused us to cancel, and the game was moved to Saturday afternoon also.

Bud 2, Bud 4 and I had Saturday night 11/29 scheduled for the same stadium and the eastern AAAA final between North Penn and Easton. But Bud 4 had become ill, and Bud 2 usually did not drive the long hauls, and I just didn’t feel like making the long night drive.

How different than just two years past (2001) when we drove to Hershey and from there to Coatesville for a double-header day of football; and just in 2002 when we drove to Hershey for the 2A and 4A State Championships. By 2003 we never considered the trip to J. Birney Crum for both the postponed 2A and scheduled 4A eastern finals doubleheader.

Finally, Bud 4 and I had planned to attend the AA and AAAA state championships in Hershey again as we had last season. But snow storms on both Friday and Saturday 12/5-6 ended that. The 2A and 4A games were played Sunday 12/7, but we did not even consider going and in fact were involved in snow removal at our respective homes.

So, instead of 30 games I had to settle for 26 for the 2003 season.

But I had a much unexpected league pass this season, saw 3 PIAA playoff games, got to 2 new stadiums – Wissahickon and Cheltenham, and had company at 21 of the 26 games. Another season that I felt was in the golden era streak that had begun in 1989.

The Knights of North Penn got their state championship with a 15-0 record in 2003, and I saw three of their games, including the playoff with Interboro already described.

I think I would have seen more of the Knights, but the drop off of activity from Bud 2 of Hatfield, my prime contact in that area, was probably a factor. I first saw them this year on Thursday September 25; so scheduled in observance of Rosh Hashanah. Bud 4 came up to my house and I drove to Poppy Yoder where we met Bud 2. My first viewing of the 4-0 Knights caused me to note: “The Knights are as advertised. They are talented, strong, deep, fast, and good!” The Pennridge Rams were 3-1 and on the opening drive managed a field goal and 3-0 advantage. A while later the Knights converted a screen pass to a long TD and got the lead 7-3. Not long after that on another Knights’ possession, the QB dropped the ball, but scooped it up and bolted around the right side and up field for another TD; 14-3 Knights. Before the half ended a punt return for a TD highlighted the speed of these Knights and at the half it was 21-3; and over although not conceded yet.

Another third quarter score by North Penn made it 28-3 and Bud 4 and I hit the road; traffic would be considerable in the confined in-town Poppy Yoder setting at games’ end. Bud 2 had already left. Just out of the parking spot we heard the crowd roar for another Knight punt-return TD and a 35-10 final. My car radio faded on WNPV and I do not know what the final Ram score was.

The other Knights game I saw was at Pennsbury on a Saturday afternoon homecoming game 10/25/2003. I soloed, but Bud 1 and Bud 4 were soon with me. This one was a close game to halftime, in doubt at the half, 21-19 North Penn. I noted in my records that Pennsbury had good drives in the first half against the stiff Knights’ D, but that, “without a passing attack to keep the D honest, the Knights’ adjusted in the second half and completely shut down the Falcons”. The Knights’ had two TD passes (Hearns to Oliver 16 and 65 yards), an 87-yard Akins gallop, 27-yard jaunt by QB Hearns, and two short TDs, 7 yards by Akins, and 2 yards by Casertano.

This supreme Knights edition went on to beat Easton 38-21 for the state semi, and handled Pittsburgh Central Catholic 37-10 in Hershey for a state title.

This PCC team did not come into the title match unscathed, having suffered a regular season loss to Woodland Hills 48-49. But they avenged that in the playoffs 19-0, and were 13-1 coming in. Along the playoff trail they had defeated names everyone that knows PA high school football are familiar with – McKeesport 44-14, North Hills 24-6, State College 30-0, and Upper Saint Clair 42-10, along with the Woody High win. It was just the Knights very special team and year.

So, a third Suburban One League team earned a state championship, a fourth from District One, and the first AAAA from Montgomery County. It was also the last District One State Championship in Class 4A to the present.

Pennsylvania Football News was now offering state all star teams in all four classes and first, second, and third teams offense and defense.

North Penn’s Kevin Akins was 2^nd team RB; and on defense Jim Casertano was 1^st team specialist, and Deanco Oliver DB and Jeff Ball LB 2^nd team defense.

Also locally Conwell-Egan’s Steve Slaton, as a junior, made 3^rd team RB.

I am sure I felt at the time that since I now was retired the doors would open wide to games everywhere I could get to as all days were “off days” and trips could be planned regularly; and perhaps 1996 could be repeated some year.

But that is not the way it worked.

 

Sources:

Pennsylvania Football News annual resource guides.

Don Black’s various individual high school history books.

“Here’s a look back at 65 – seasons of Pennsylvania High School Football through the eyes of Kmac”

I did not write up any preseason notes for the 2002 season which may have still been part of   what I called the “possible erosion of interest” to a degree in 2001. But two of us, and possibly three; did do the usual pre-season camp visits.

I did not have a league pass this season which broke a string of 8 consecutive years with one, and also 11 of the past 12 years with one. It did not greatly matter to my plans for 2002.

In 2002 the new Council Rock South High School opened in Holland. The existing Council Rock then became Council Rock North. The same thing happened the next year in the Downingtown School District with Downingtown East opening in Uwchlan Township and the existing Downingtown becoming Downingtown West.

A Suburban One realignment was necessary. For the teams that I followed the new Patriot Division was CB East, CB West, Neshaminy, North Penn, and Pennsbury. The new Colonial Division was Abington, Bensalem, Council Rock North, Pennridge, Tennent, and Truman. The new Rock South would play its first season in the American Conference-Liberty Division.

The new Rock South HC was Vince Bedesem, son of the renowned Dick Bedesem who had guided Bishop Egan, Neshaminy, and Archbishop Wood at times. Vince was in his 14^th season in that capacity in the 2015 season. The Golden Hawks posted a fine 8-3 season for their first time out. Quakertown, their sister-school Rock North, and Upper Merion were the only losses. I saw three of their wins at home (Rock North’s established field).

I soloed to start the season for Reading at CB East. I wanted to see the Red Knights for the first time. I got to chat early with the usual CB East foursome of coaches. The gates were open early even though I did not have a pass. Reading was considered a state contender this season, and although the Patriots shut down their ace RB Bryant early the Red Knights still had enough speed and athletes to handle CB East for the second straight year. I left with about 10 minutes left in the game and it was 19-7 Reading. As the final was 40-21 Reading there were 5 TDs scored in the last 10 minutes. I wrote in my book, “I have to rethink my early departures as I missed 5 touchdowns!” But that didn’t happen; I leave after about three quarters these days.

The next day began the three-year term of Bud 4 and me talking on the phone and coordinating games and setting up trips. On Saturday August 31 we journeyed to Harry S. Truman’s to see Bristol host Kennedy-Kenrick. Bristol was going to use this Bristol Township stadium for home games in 2002 as their venerable old field behind the school in Bristol was completely renovated. Bud 1 took advantage of the Saturday game and joined us in the stands.

It was a nice, even game, no real highlights; and a Bristol Warrior victory 14-0.

For the Jewish holiday scheduled game the following Friday, Bud 4 and I did not coordinate, and I journeyed down Trenton Road to Bensalem to be with Bud 1 for Pennsbury’s visit. The final was 14-7 Falcons. Only the next week I learned that Bud 4 was at that game also, but on the Falcon’s side of the field. To that time in history, I had never been on the visitor’s side of that field for an entire game; Bud 2 and I did spend some time there during one CB East visit.

On Saturday night 9/7, Bud 4 and I met Bud 1 again at Truman for Bristol at Conwell-Egan. This was to be the combination for the next few years, me, Bud 4, Bud 1. Bud 2 had lost interest in seeing all but a couple of games a year or so, the most was next season – 8 in 2003; he would see 2 in 2002. Bud 3, my brother-in-law was only Turkey Day games now.

The attraction this game was Steve Slaton, sensational sophomore running back for Conwell-Egan. We were not disappointed. He carried 18 times for 239 yards and 4 touchdowns. On his first play from scrimmage he bolted 68 yards to the house and you could see the gap grow between him and chasing defenders; blazing speed! On another run up the gut, he broke about 6 tackles for a 20-yard gain showing his power as well as speed. It was 35-0 Egan, and we all pledged to see this player again.

We did follow Mr. Slaton as much as possible. The following week Conwell-Egan hosted North Catholic. Steve had 262 yards in this one, including an 87-yard romp from scrimmage, and another 4 touchdowns. And the third straight Saturday at home against Archbishop Wood, Bud 4 and I took in. Slaton had over 200 yards rushing including an 83-yard bolt. Once he got clear and a step on any defender, he could not be caught. This game we noticed that the Egan backfield was all “esses”; Slaton, Smith, Schaffer, and QB Savage, who in 2015 was in his second year as HC at Morrisville. The only other time we saw Egan and Slaton this season was at home versus West Catholic, a 13-6 Egan win in overtime. Slaton was nursing an injury and was held in check. We actually stayed to see the OT, a rarity; Bud 4 must have driven.

Once in a lifetime happened for me on the night of Friday October 18, 2002, just two days past my 61st birthday. The CB East coaches that I had known so well for a few years now invited me to the sideline for the game. Bill Heller suggested it and got me the tag, and Coach Green asked me to spot close to the goal situations as the coaches couldn’t advance past the 30-yard lines. Only once it was needed but I signaled the distance which was less than 6 inches, the play was called and CB East scored. The Patriots led at the half 14-7. But the opponent was North Penn. They had just come off of a loss to Neshaminy and weren’t about to lose two in a row. They controlled the second half and won the game 28-21.

Oddly, this was the second time I had been offered a sideline view this season. The first time was by Rock North coach Mike Ortman. But I had to cordially decline because I was expecting Bud 2 to make a rare appearance at a game this year, and didn’t want him to think I didn’t show up. He did arrive as expected.

Another aspect of the Bud 4 connection was that he would break with high school football on occasion for a college game. On Saturday night 9/19/2002 he invited me to join him, his son, and two family children for the Lafayette-Princeton game in Princeton, NJ. The reason was to see former Council Rock QB Matt Verbit, who was on the Princeton roster. He did play some in the second quarter, and Jon Veach, a Mount Carmel alumnus had a few carries.  Ironically, Jim Renistsky, who had been Verbit’s chief target at Rock, was on the Lafayette sideline. Princeton won the game 34-19. It was my first college game since the mid 50’s.

On Saturday October 26, 2002 Bud 4 came up to my house and I drove out to Tennent (0-6) for a visit by the Bensalem Owls (5-3). This season Tennent had two early open dates, hence the difference in the games played. Arriving to sit right in front of us were Rock North Coaches Mike Ortman and the missus; Buddy Ortman, and Bruce English. Bud 4 had known the Ortmans’ for a long time, back to Mike’s coaching days at Morrisville when one of Bud 4’s sons was the QB there. Conversation was easy pre-game as when the game started it was to scout Bensalem, Rock North’s next opponent. Buddy Ortman asked me to outline the Owls starting O and D in the program and also senior substitutions. It was the first; and only time ever, that I was part of a “scout team”. Sometime during the evening I was again offered a future sideline pass, but I never did appear on the sideline again.

The Owls did not show much to our Rock scout team. They were flat and lifeless for some reason. Winless Tennent dominated the game and won 42-7 for their first win of the season. It was a true upset as Tennent finished 3-8 while Bensalem finished 7-4, including a win over Rock North the following week, 34-24.

This was an odd year for Council Rock North; but we must remember it was the first year of the school split. How many teammates and coaches from 2001 were now wearing the blue and gold of Council Rock South? North finished 7-4 with losses to CB West 6-7, CB East 10-14, Bensalem 24-34, and a forfeit to Neshaminy. I did not list the reason for the single forfeit. As both Bensalem and Rock North ended 7-4, you can’t say the Owls over Rock was an upset.

Bud 4 and I met Bud 2 in Quakertown for a Scranton Knights playoff game with Quakertown. This was a District 1-2-4 AAAA Quarter-final. It was a very good game and the Knights won it 19-13. Their white, gold and maroon looked like Florida State away uniforms.

I journeyed solo to Truman for a regional Class A playoff game Old Forge at Bristol. But Bud 1 surprised me and I wasn’t alone long. This was a close, hard-nosed affair plagued with numerous penalties on both sides. The final was 14-10 Blue Devils.

Bud 4 and I journeyed to a now refurbished J. Birney Crum Stadium in Allentown for Central Dauphin and Parkland, an Eastern AAAA semi-final matchup and the winner the next opponent of North Penn. The Rams of CD were ranked as high as 13^th in the nation in some polls. But were they ever flat at the outset of this one. Doing nothing offensively, the Rams trailed 7-0 at the half.

Parkland’s Penn State-bound RB Austin Scott gritted it out, and then broke a long one to set up another short score. The score was 28-0 Parkland before the Ram O snapped out of it and got things going. We started to clear out with 3 minutes left in the game and it was then 28-14. The Rams did put one more across to make the final 28-21 Parkland.

The eastern final would be held at Neshaminy between Parkland and North Penn. I expected the entire old posse except my brother-in-law, Bud 3. But Bud 2’s wife had become ill, and Bud 4 was involved at a Morrisville basketball game. But I did meet up with Bud 1, Mr. dependable at 84 years of age. I also got a chance to speak with broadcaster Jim Church, who I had met before, and Neshaminy’s John Chaump and Mark Schmidt, and also two more former Morrisville athletes from long ago, Jack Weaver and Denny Poland.

In the game Austin Scott broke a long one early and the Knights were never in it. They trailed the Trojans 19-0 at the half. The Knights did execute a second half opening drive and trick play to get on the board 19-7. But the Trojans quickly answered with a long pass and a 26-7 bulge after three quarters. Both teams scored one in the fourth, final Parkland 33-13.

Now was the opportunity to see my first ever state championship games in person. Bud 4 would drive and we figured on seeing the 2A opener as well as the 4A evening match which is what we came for.

We would get to see Seton-LaSalle of the west and Mt. Carmel of the east do battle in the 2A championship. The press box side was opposite of where we sat and so we were opposite from the Mount Carmel side. I could feel the tradition of the state’s highest win program as in unison the whole stands were vocal in backing their Red Tornadoes. Physically the Rebels of Seton-LaSalle looked overmatched, but they were there for a reason. Both teams had a good run-pass attack and Mount Carmel always led, but the score progression was 6-0; 12-0; 12-7; 18-7; and 18-13 with three minutes left in the game and an onsides kick off to the Red Tornadoes coming up. Mount Carmel recovered it, but a few plays later had to give it up. But an interception and then a couple of kneel-downs sealed another win for Mt. Carmel.

I was happy to get a chance to see the Red Tornadoes. Here was the winningest high school football program in the state with 827 wins (through 2014). Here was a team whose first undefeated season was in 1901 at 7-0-1. The 1901 offense scored 163 points and defense allowed 6; for the 6-6 tie with Bloomsburg University. Their two best decades were the 1960s (90-18-3; 82.4%); and 1970s (96-18-1; 83.9%). But even the 1980s and 1990s are positive winning averages. I say this because Mount Carmel is besieged with shrinking population, down each of the last 8 decade census reports since it peaked at 17,967 in 1930. Estimated 2014 population was 5,785. The future, as they say; “is in doubt—.”

We stayed in the stadium between games having hot dogs and Hershey’s hot chocolate. Although 2-1/2 hours to kickoff, it wasn’t long before Parkland folks were drifting in for this was their side for the AAAA final. Woodland Hills won the toss and deferred. Bad decision. On the first or second play after the kickoff, Austin Scott broke one 60+ yards to the house, 6-0 Parkland very early.

The Trojan defense held and the next drive got to the Woodland Hills 4-yard line. But they were held on downs. And then the Wolverines showed why they were there and drove for a score; knotting it at 6-6. Next a punt went to the Wolverines’ Ryan Mundy. Another bad decision; he returned it 56 yards to paydirt. It was 12-6 Woody High. But the Trojans answered before the half and made the first successful PAT of the night to take a 13-12 lead at halftime.

The Parkland defense had all of the answers the second half.

And just the right offense with Scott rushing and QB Piontek hitting the passes when necessary to build up a 27-12 lead with about 8 minutes left in the game. The score, thought of the crowd leaving, cold and wind, and about 11 hours of high school football told us it was time to go. While we were walking to the car outside the stadium we heard the crowd yelling again and it was the final Parkland nail in the coffin, and it ended 34-12 Trojans.

Woody High’s Ryan Mundy went on to West Virginia and the NFL, and was still with the Chicago Bears in August 2015.

The season of 2002 has to be one of my best ever. I saw 29 games, third highest total for a season. I saw 6 PIAA playoff games, tie for my highest seasons. I saw 12 new teams this season, the most ever in a single season. I had the only sideline pass I ever had for a game. And I saw two state championship games; my first of only 4 ever through 2015. I saw my first college game since the late 50’s or early 60’s. The company was plentiful at 23 of the 29 games attended; although only one or two buddies at a time, the posse days were over. Although I did not have a pass this season, the 10 games I attended with Bud 1, I likely had free entry on his pass; they were good for two parties. One of my last notes for the season was, “I think it will be hard to beat this season!”

Between my written records and computerization, I had lots of records to maintain, and that was part of the whole purpose of the hobby for me.

 

Sources:

Don Black’s various individual high school history books.

Wikipedia – Mount Carmel, Pennsylvania.

“Here’s a look back at 65 – seasons of Pennsylvania High School Football through the eyes of Kmac”

Coaching changes this year were Art Barrett in at Wood; Biz Keeney moved from Bensalem to Tennent, Dan McShane was hired at Bensalem; and Tim Sorber was made permanent, from interim, HC at Abington for the 2001 season.

On Saturday May 26, 2001, Memorial Day weekend, my buddy 2 called me from Hatfield with some interesting news about North Penn. Apparently, celebrated Souderton ex-HC Drew Darrah was hired as the line coach at North Penn. Additionally Mike Pettine Senior was being looked at as advisor (morale & strategy); and Mike Carey for strength and conditioning. Of course Mike Pettine Junior was still coach in what would be his last year at North Penn. I do not know how much of this was fact, but the Knights reportedly had 50 players back from 2000 and it sounded as though they were going to make a run at a state championship.

I opened the 2001 season solo in Doylestown. Threatening thunderstorms likely kept some from the game, but I wanted to see what the “new” Bucks could do, and they were facing St. Joes Prep, nationally ranked and featuring a D1 prospect RB, Kyle Ambrogi. CB West reportedly had but 5 returning starters and a new coach; unranked. And for the three quarters that I saw, it looked like a ranked-unranked match. CB West did pretty much contain highly-touted Ambrogi, but Prep was sharp with a short-passing game and also a few good runs. But the Bucks scored on two big plays. Behind 17-14 in the last quarter the Bucks connected with a long pass TD for the win, 21-17. I thought the Bucks’ looked kind of “regular”, but had beaten a nationally ranked team; I noted “time will tell”.

I relate my second game the next day for mainly philosophical reasons. It was a Panthers-Panthers matchup, Quakertown at William Tennent. I had it as my scheduled game, but was pleased to go for Bud 1 who had lent his pass to a friend and wanted to get into this game on mine. I was glad I could do it, for Bud 1 was responsible for so many of the passes I had over the years. It was Biz Keeney’s debut at Tennent, so I saw two teams with new coaches in the first two games. A 9-3 Quakertown win made it a kind of slow game and I noted that talking with Bud 1 who would be 83 the following week made the day. While he and I shared hundreds of games ca.1960 – 1964; and 1985- on; high school football season was the only time we saw one another. Bud 2 and his wife became social friends; Bud 3 was a relative, and Bud 4 former classmate.

A big note in my record for the game was this – “I don’t know if I really can get into “games” just because they are “games” anymore. I really want to follow CB East & West, North Penn, Pennsbury, Neshaminy, Council Rock, Pennridge, and Bensalem. Best records dictate interest; along with travel.”

For a rare time in my history it was a comment that said I was getting selective, and might miss games if there was not one I particularly wanted to see. I always liked to follow teams with good records because they were a treat to watch for efficiency and program strength, but I do not understand today what I meant by “along with travel”. Travel was perhaps becoming a factor, but in what way?

For the game of 9/14/2001 I noted that I went to Pennsbury, but saw Abington at Council Rock this evening. This was of course just after 9-11 and the attack on American soil. Pennsbury had moved the game to Saturday night and neither Bud 1 nor I knew it as we met at a darkened Falcon Field with little signs of activity. So we opted to see the Ghosts at Indians.

I noted four options for games this night that might indicate what I meant about travel – Regarding this nights choice of games – I wrote first choice CB West at North Penn – “zoo” expected plus distance; second choice Neshaminy at Pennridge – distance alone; third choice Truman at Pennsbury, game moved. Abington-Rock was the fourth option. It was a good game, 20-10 Rock.

This was also the first indication that I called big crowd games “zoos”. This would continue for some time. And having traveled in the past to Allentown, Berwick, West Pittston, Wilkes-Barre, Downingtown, Coatesville, and Hershey it seems that I did not want to travel so much anymore, at least for regular season games. And apparently, the big-crowd games were becoming less appealing.

This season was more of an old fashioned, “anyone can win on a given night” since the Bucks were no longer super elite, and North Penn hadn’t quite got there yet. Neshaminy surprised me; but more of that later.

CB West lost to North Penn, Neshaminy, and Pennridge to post a 7-3 season, no playoffs; the first time since 1990. North Penn lost to Pennridge, Neshaminy, and CB East to post a 9-3 season, and no playoffs. Pennridge lost to Carlsbad, California, Neshaminy, and CB East, went 8-3 no playoffs. CB East lost to Reading, CB West, and Neshaminy twice, once in the playoffs. Neshaminy lost to no one, went 15-0 and was the second team from Suburban One and Bucks County to win a state championship. I wrote up that season in an article for easternPAfootball.

Perhaps the big surprise was Truman who posted a 6-6 season, the last for Galen Snyder as HC there. I saw them only once, at Pennsbury on the moved game to Saturday 9/15. Bud 1 was there and also Bud 4. Later Bud 4’s son and another classmate of ours, and former Morrisville football player, Dave Fabian came up and sat with us. Actually, he and Bud 4 were fast friends since high school. Anyone who knows the Falcons of the last few years can imagine the offense the Tigers under Snyder used against Pennsbury; a good QB and three deceptive, speedy backs and ground and pound formula; the Tigers beat Pennsbury 27-13.

I managed to get to 7 of Neshaminy’s 15 contests this season. This was a championship team of grit and guts because it didn’t come easy. This was no 44-0 every game champion. The Skins struggled mightily in some contests.

Four times during the season the Skins were down by as many as 12 points in the fourth quarter of games; 12 – 14 – 14 – and 15 were the tallies behind. Six games were won by a TD or less. Two games were won with under a minute to go in the game; one with 00:00 left on the clock. It was not a season for the faint-of-heart. The fact that the Skins came back to win all of those games makes it a truly magical season for Neshaminy.

Examples include that they beat CB West at home 21-19 on a pass play, the last play of the game. I was already beating traffic, but I saw the first three quarters. A 2-point PAT was the difference in a 15-14 win over CB East in Doylestown. Their non-league opening season game was a 28-27 win over Father Judge.

I took full advantage when others wanted to drive for road trips, and again this was Bud 4’s specialty. We two arranged to go to Hershey on 11/24 for a look at who would be Neshaminy’s next opponent and a rematch of a game we saw the season before – Cumberland Valley-Bethlehem Catholic. This was a terrific game. The offenses dominated with Becahi mostly airborne and Cumberland Valley a ground attack.

The Golden Hawks took the kickoff for an opening drive TD and the 6-0 lead. The Eagles were offside’s on the kick PAT attempt so the Golden Hawks decided to go for two. They failed. CV answered with a drive; scored and kicked a PAT, 7-6 Eagles. Becahi then put on another scoring drive and 2-point PAT try, and again failed, 12-7 Bethlehem Catholic. Cumberland Valley then marched down the field again, scored and missed the PAT kick, 13-12 CV. Back again came the Golden Hawks, again missing a 2-point PAT attempt, 18-13 Becahi. You can guess what happened next – Cumberland Valley marched down the field yet again; scored, and converted a 2-pt pass PAT, 21-18 Eagles. It was nearing halftime but it was enough time for Becahi to connect on a long pass for another score, this time kicking the PAT and it was 25-21 Bethlehem Catholic at the half, and an entertaining half it had been!

The Eagles received the second half kickoff and were stalled deep in their own territory. Fourth and short was thought makeable, but the Eagles were stopped short. It cost them as Becahi converted, but again missed a 2-pt conversion try; 31-21 Golden Hawks. But CV then put on another successful drive and scored and kicked the PAT and it was 31-28 Becahi. Then a late pick by CV gave them the lead either 34 or 35 to 31. One of their last two TD PAT conversions was missed, but I am not sure which one. Either way they tacked on another late TD icing the game and the final score was Cumberland Valley 41-31. This was a great ball game.

I drove out to Coatesville with Bud 4 the next Friday night to see the Manheim Central-Strath Haven Eastern AAA final. It had rained heavily earlier in the day and there was no activity at the Coatesville Stadium. A security guard verified our fears that the game had been postponed. We were going to Hershey again the next day for the Cumberland Valley-Neshaminy AAAA Eastern final. We planned to still do it; but travel from Hershey to Coatesville for the moved AAA nightcap. Bud 4 would drive that one.

We decided to see if Bud 2 could join us, he had only been to 3 other games so far this season. He was undecided on the Friday night inquiry, but he called early Saturday and said he was in.

I wrote an article on this day also called “One Great Game Day” – see Archives on easternPAfootball.

We got seated in Hershey next to an aisle and soon Mike Pettine Senior and possibly someone else came walking up the aisle. We spoke to Mike and he stopped a few seconds and led with the usual retort, “You guys are everywhere”.

Two sustained first-half drives and an interception deep in their own territory gave Cumberland Valley a 12-0 lead at the half. As Neshaminy received the second half kickoff, I dusted off the old axiom and said, “The Skins have to score on their first possession and then stop the Eagles on their first possession”. And that is just what they did, 12-7 Eagles. In the third Jamar Brittingham got a short TD off of a drive for Neshaminy and the third quarter ended 13-12 Neshaminy. The Skins blocked a punt and returned it for a score in the fourth and it was 19-12 Neshaminy. I don’t remember why so many conversions were unsuccessful, only one made for 5 TDs so far in the game. The Eagles roared back with a short-drive (time-wise); when an inside reverse went 41 yards for a TD. A kicked PAT knotted the game at 19 with 6 minutes left to play. But the Skins Keith Ennis received the ensuing kickoff and raced to the CV 20 yard line before he was stopped. The short field was conquered by Jamar Brittingham making it 25-19 Neshaminy, after a 2-point PAT attempt failed. The Eagles were in a nice two-minute drill drive with less than 2 minutes left when an aerial strike to the tight end was completed deep in Redskin territory; but a Redskin defender stripped the ball and Neshaminy recovered it. Neshaminy won the east title 25-19 and would meet Woodland Hills in the state final.

Because we were motoring down US Route 344 to Coatesville and we had time, we of course saw this game to the end; very rare for me. We got to the Coatesville Stadium just in time to get a low-level seat at the very end of the visitors side; eastern end of the stadium. It seemed to be the LAST seats available also! The Manheim Central – Strath Haven game mainly was defensive and featured some hard-hitting football. Just 7-0 Strath Haven nearing halftime, the Barons muffed a punt in their territory and the Panthers recovered. A quick long strike then made it 14-0 Strath Haven at the half. Late in the game it was 14-7 Panthers. Then within less than a minute left in the game the Barons scored again and it was 14-13 with a PAT option to consider. Time out, Barons. They would go for two and the win! Time out Strath Haven. Then the try; a pass to the left side of the far (western) end zone – incomplete. An onsides kickoff was recovered by Strath Haven and that was the end; final 14-13 Panthers.

The first heavy rain in months caused me to cancel my initial opportunity to see a state championship game. Bud 4 and a van full of his relatives included an invitation for me, but I had tired of sitting out for bad weather games. I listened to the game on WBCB, and Neshaminy brought a state championship back to District One, Suburban One, and Bucks County.

I put my 51^st season to bed with notes in my written, and now also computerized, records. I added 21 games; on par with 22 and 21 the prior two seasons.

Lights at Pennsbury, the last stadium I regularly visited to add them, had completed the minimization of Saturday afternoon games. Signs of possible erosion in the delight of high school football arose in the notes for the season, especially to crowds, travel, and game choices. I did have company at 18 of 21 games, but it was more one at a time than the old posse we used to have at games. Bud 4 for 9 games was an indication of greater participation and in fact, he and I were going to be at the greatest concentration of games the next three years.

While 2001 was seemingly down a bit in many ways, 2002 would see a BIG rebound!

“Here’s a look back at 65 – seasons of Pennsylvania High School Football through the eyes of Kmac”

For the 1999 season still in progress for a few playoff teams, I wrote a series of notes about what I had thought to be an “odd” season. It was on November 26^th, a Friday. I noted that CB West was again in Wilkes-Barre to meet Abington Heights at 1:00 PM Saturday. My wife and I had chosen to attend my high school’s 40^th class reunion that evening and it would have been too much to go to Wilkes-Barre too. Of course my main buddy for these trips was my former classmate (Bud 4), and he was attending the reunion also.

CB West won that game 35-7 and the following week would play Bethlehem Catholic in Lehigh’s Goodman Stadium, another venue I was familiar with. But the wife and I would be motoring to Florida that weekend. CB West won 26-14.

I was home in time to see the TV state championship game won by CB West 14-13 as related in the prior installment.

But I attributed the “oddness” of the season to two rain-shortened games; the fact I opted not to go to four different games within my grasp; and I had no visits to Council Rock or Bensalem this season. The drop off in company by Bud 3 (only 2 games), and Bud 1 (6 this season from 12 prior) continued my “odd” season. I noted that I had no intention of trying for a “new record” for games seen in the coming 2000 (my 50^th) season; the 32 games in my 40^th season (1990) would be it; and indeed has been to date.

At 3:30 pm on Thursday January 13, 2000 a press conference was held in Doylestown and legendary coach Mike Pettine Sr. announced his retirement. A record of 326-42-4 and winning percentage of .886 (ties not included) was his legacy. I had been ill with flu and home and the grey, cold day with snow flurries seemed to suit the mood at the time. Newspapers and TV were full of tributes for a while, and well they should have been.

I know I did see Mike again at games before he got away for good to Florida and golf; because I remember asking him how his golf was going at some point. And we did see him at a state playoff game to speak with for a minute in Hershey in the future. Mike Carey, a 20+ year “second man” for Mike Pettine was the chief candidate to replace him, and did; but not for long.

At least two of us made the usual pre-season camp visitation, but I wrote no notes on it the next season of 2000. My buddy 1 again mailed me his “second” Suburban One League pass and I was set for my silver anniversary season to begin.

Bud 2 and I hooked up in Doylestown for Pennridge at CB East.

This was the Philadelphia Inquirer’s game of the week to open the season, the Rams of Pennridge were ranked 14^th in the state in some polls. CB East was improved this season and running backs Tingle and Holmes led the Patriots to a 17-0 halftime edge. But apparently Ram HC Jeff Hollenbach, in his 4^th year of his first tenure in Perkasie, was a master of halftime adjustment. (We just saw that again in the 2015 season when down to Pennsbury 30-6; Hollenbach’s Rams scored 23 third quarter points and the final was only 38-32 Falcons). In 2000, behind Jason Rhodes the first possession of the 2^nd half led to a drive and score 17-7 Patriots. But CB East answered, 24-7. The Rams used a trick play which I didn’t detail to get it to 24-14; but then East’s Tingle scored what looked like the capper 31-14 CB East; and we started to depart with about 5 minutes left in the game. In those five minutes the Rams scored twice, but the final was CB East 31-28. East was on its way to a fine 9-2 season.

It was getting to the apex of my knowing and speaking to coaches’ era because as coaching changes occurred in the future, we were past the camp visitations and lost touch with the new coaches. In the next two games I spoke with Biz Keeney of Bensalem, Mike Pettine Jr. of North Penn, Mike Ortman of Council Rock, Mark Schmidt of Neshaminy, and the best known to me CB East coaches Green, Heller, and Phillips.

In the first 4 games, Bud 1 and I were the posse. I noted at Falcon Field on September 9 that Bud 1 was now 82 years old.

CB West opened their first season ever with a different coach (Pettine had been there the first season it was CB “West” in 1967) with four straight away games I did not take in. The first game was in Orlando, Florida. Although that was a standard haunt for me and my wife since 1984, sometimes twice a year, I did not go to that one. The next three were at Abington, Bensalem, and Tennent. I rarely got to Abington, but the other two were usual venues, but I chose other games for some reason.

The fifth week of the season I soloed to Doylestown for a Thursday day-night doubleheader of Pennsbury-CB East and Neshaminy-CB West. I noted in the first game won by CB East 28-7 that it was one of a few games in recent years that I stayed until the end; and it was because I was staying for the second game. And this gave ample time for social contact. I spoke to Mike Pettine Sr., Dick Beck, Green and Heller, and Mark Schmidt and John Chaump of Neshaminy. I also spoke with sportscasters Vince Reed (whom I didn’t know previously) and Bill Redner who I knew very well. Bill had banked with our bank for years back as he also owned a tavern at one time, and I knew him as he knew me.

CB West won 54-28 and I was very impressed with the Bucks’ O. They were averaging 48.6 points per game, and were in a streak of four straight 50+ games where they scored 51, 55, 54, and 55 points. The Neshaminy win extended the Bucks 4-year win streak to 50 games.

The weekend of 10/6-10/7 was historic in nature for me in a small, personal way. The wife was again in Connecticut this weekend. (These visits were to her oldest sister who lived there).

Bud 2 was recovering from a bout with pneumonia, and I knew Bud 1 was not interested. Bud 3 was now Turkey-day only, and Bud 4 I saw at many games to speak with, but he traveled solo or sat with family or many old acquaintances as an ex-athlete.

My Friday night game was a 55-7 pounding of Council Rock by CB West. The Saturday afternoon game was North Penn at Neshaminy, a 35-12 Redskin victory.

Saturday night was the historic first-ever game at Falcon Field under lights. The first person in the visitor’s stands for the game was me. That personal part of history affects no one but me, but I liked the fact. Up until 45 minutes before kickoff I was still one of only four in the stands. An electric atmosphere was evident (no pun intended) on the home side. Bud 4 arrived fairly late and sat with me. The game against Abington was a 22-0 Falcon victory. Spoke briefly with 4 different scouting coaches on the night.

I realize now the importance that I then attached to this coach-kibitzing as my notes for many games this season have little play-by-play and mostly socializing with coaches. It was one factor that made this “golden era” as I term it so pleasing. At Council Rock on Friday night 10/13 with North Penn in, I noted speaking to East staffers Green, Rittenhouse, Phillips, and Heller who sat behind me scouting. Bill Heller and I chatted all halftime. I also noted talking to the Pettines’ senior and junior briefly. The Knights vanquished the Indians 31-14.

My wife had left banking in 1999 and now had a co-worker from Bensalem in her present job. Bensalem was at Council Rock Saturday October 21 and my wife knew that her co-worker would be there. So she joined me, Bud 1 and Bud 2 for a “different” viewing foursome than normal. The game was 32-0 Council Rock.

On Friday November 3 I got off early to Bud 2’s house in Hatfield for an anticipated CB West at North Penn contest. CB West won their 55^th straight game, but I noted the game as a “possible chink in the armor” of mighty West. More likely it was the father-son coordination within the Pettine family that knew the West program so well. It was perfectly natural, and I thought nothing of it, but some diehard West fans did not like the record-setting coach aiding his son versus his former black and gold.

West got the ball first, drove the field and scored; looked like West, 7-0. But the rest of the half, the Bucks’ could not score from the Knights’ 10 yard line on 4 plays; had a field goal attempt blocked, and allowed two long North Penn pass completions, one for the tying score, 7-7. And it stayed that way until 8 minutes left in the game. As we were leaving West began a determined fourth-quarter drive to eventually seal it 13-7. I noted in my records “It looks like they could have their hands full with a Downingtown or an Erie Cathedral Prep. And next year —-???”  The Bucks were loaded with seniors and a lot of them three-year players.

When both the Bucks’ and Patriots made the playoffs and gained home field advantages; it was super. As both teams used the same stadium, there had to be a double-header or Friday night-Saturday day or night games available to me. Such was the case in 2000.

Friday night 11/10 Upper Darby was at CB West in one D1 4A quarter-final. Although the score was 32-8 CB West, the aerial game was needed as the Bucks’ rushing O was held to less than 100 yards for the first time since 11/17/1995. But they moved on once again.

I was cranked pretty well for the Saturday night 11/11 game, a rematch of the season opener I had seen between Pennridge and CB East. The Ram loss 31-28 in that one had been the Rams only loss of the season to date. The Rams played in another division and did not face CB West, North Penn, Neshaminy or Pennsbury regular season. Bud 4 and his brother-in-law showed up for this one and sat with me. A short analysis was that the Rams had three good running backs, the Patriots one. The Pats could not get Tingle untracked. The Ram trio of Kochen, Harris, and Rhodes was hard to stop. But it was still a close game, 7-7 at the half, and the final was Pennridge 13-7 in a defensive battle.

Where my wife now worked was a man from Doylestown and through the two of them, I got two tickets for the next weeks’ Pennridge-CB West D1 semi-final. In those days advance sales were thought advisable and the possibility of sell-outs a frightening concept. But it was not a problem as even though Bud 2 and I had the two tickets, Bud 1 showed up on his own, and Bud 4 and his brother-in-law also joined us and took this one in. The Rams won the toss and deferred. The Bucks’ took the kickoff and began a long ball-control drive that got them up 7-0. When the half ended it was still 7-0 Bucks’. Early in the third quarter, just a couple of plays after the Rams’ got the kickoff, Division 1 prospect Jason Rhodes took an inside scissors handoff 57 yards to the house; 7-7. Then CB West answered with a long drive to success and it was 14-7. The Bucks’ D then forced the Rams to punt. West’s Dave Camburn received the punt and went 75 yards to put the Bucks up 21-7. The Rams answered. Another long run set up a 3-yard Rhodes plunge; 21-14 at the end of three. Next Phil DiGiacomo busted one for 25 yards, but the PAT was missed and it was 27-14 CB West. Just before I began my normal early exit, Rams’ QB Jeff Hollenbach Jr. hit his speedy receiver Fox on a 53-yard bomb; PAT good; 27-21 CB West with 8 minutes left in the game. Finally, with only a minute or so in the game, DiGiacomo sealed it with a 6 yard plunge. A 2-point conversion was good, making the final 35-21 CB West.

I knew the season was ending for me with a three-game Thanksgiving Day through Saturday this season because the following Saturday the wife and I were leaving for Florida again.

The Turkey-day flip to South Hunterdon home made it my first visit to that field. Another good game ensued, final Del Val 35-20; but in truth, while Lambertville was a somewhat small city and limited surrounding area school, Del Val was growing exponentially and this series was doomed to be very one-sided in the near future.

I trekked solo to the District One 4A Championship between Downingtown and CB West in Doylestown. But I was soon joined by Bud 1 and Bud 4. And I again saw my former banker acquaintance which I had seen the prior game also, and we spoke for a while again. We had worked for different banks since I changed jobs in February 1997. Downingtown was equally 11-0; likely with a bit tougher schedule than CB West overall. West was 12-0 because of that early game in Orlando. The Whippets were just as numerous and just as big as the Bucks and they had a battering ram back similar to the Bucks of Mike Pettine’s last few years. The Whippet’s star back, Mike Rechiutti got his 137 yards and at least one of the Whippet’s touchdowns, but West contained most of the other Downingtown producers. And in a somewhat surprise, the Bucks went for two points after each of their four TDs, and got them all. The Bucks’ went to the air early and added their rushing game later and were successful at both. Deep into the first half it was 24-0 Bucks when QB Orihel was picked off deep in their own territory which led to 8 points for the Whippets, and the half ended 24-8 CB West.

In the third quarter the Whippets put on a long drive of power football that would have been fatal if they had been able to do it all game; but they couldn’t. Meanwhile West continued to score also and the final was 39-14 CB West.

I guess it was at the game when Bud 4 and I discussed a trip to J. Birney Crum in Allentown the next day to see the District 3-11 regional between Cumberland Valley (12-0) and Bethlehem Catholic (9-3). Becahi’s three losses were the result of their playing a national schedule. The losses were to Mullen of Denver, CO; Brooklyn’s Poly Prep; and Moeller of Cincinnati.

There were still visitors-side stands in Birney Crum this season and we sat near the end of one of these, practically having the whole section to ourselves. It was my first-ever viewing of Bethlehem Catholic (Becahi). A long interception return put Becahi up 7-0. The Eagles answered with a long pick return of their own; 7-7. Then a Becahi field goal made it 10-7. Cumberland Valley answered 14-10 Eagles. But the Golden Hawks came back again in this battle of the birds, to take a 17-14 lead into the locker rooms at the half. It was an excellent back-and-forth game to that point. Scoring picked up in the second half, with the Golden Hawks getting the better of it 26-14 to make the final score Becahi 43-28. The difference was that Becahi had a two-pronged air/ground attack, while the Eagles had trouble moving the ball on the ground. I noted that I thought CB West would be challenged by these Golden Hawks next week.

I was (almost?!?) sorry I was going to Florida that Saturday, because the game would be at Neshaminy, an easy trip for me. And West won 27-12 sending them into their fourth consecutive state championship game this season and on a win streak of 59 games.

Unfortunately, it all ended in Hershey this season when it took OT to do it, but the Erie Cathedral Prep Ramblers’ finally got a win over CB West, 41-35.

This particular Rambler edition came in 13-0 and at season’s end had scored 667 points for an average of 47.7 points per game. That was first in the state in 2000 of 590 teams.

Their margin of victory of 35.9 was good for third in the state. They had games of 77-0, 62-21, and 54-6 on their resume. A 27-20 playoff win over Altoona was their only single TD victory of the season prior to the championship game. All state for these Ramblers were Dale Williams (OL), Josh Lustig (WR), Tim Dance (RB), and on the defensive side Charles Rush (DL), Joe Dipre (LB), and Ed Hinkel (Spec). All three defenders were first-team all state as was Williams.

So it was no slouch that ended CB West’s reign at 59 games; taking OT to do it. Phil DiGiacomo, Justin Outten, Fran Golden, and Dave Camburn made all-state for the Bucks’; none were first-team selections.

Back on October 25, 2000 I had a question about the District One playoffs that I wanted to explore. I called the PIAA and a nice lady told me that it was handled at the district level.

I knew that Mike Pettine Junior was a D1 representative, so I called North Penn on a chance I would get connected. I did and Mike did not know me but to see, and as no visual phones were available, I gave him a quick “who I was” and what I wanted, and was very nicely told the information that I wanted to know. In previous meetings, I thought Mike was a bit more reticent than pop; but then I knew senior better also. But Junior was more than nice and happy to help me. Little did I know that I was speaking with a future (now-ex-) NFL Head Coach.

I got to 22 games in 2000, one better than the prior season. Bethlehem Catholic was the only new team I saw. I did get 5 PIAA playoff games, just short of my all time best 6. The turn of the century saw the interest in attending high school games start to wane for Buddy number 2 from Hatfield. He made 6, half of the dozen of the past two seasons. Bud 3 was already Thanksgiving Day only, and Bud 1 and I were only together at 5 games in 2000, the least since 1988. Conversely, Bud 4 was actually at 5 games with us, the most ever, plus many games we just ran into him, or he showed up.

Sometime in 2000 I also got a personal computer, a first for home use. Starting in 2001 I began to convert my hand-written records to various computer logs for easy reference, but never dreaming I would someday write some articles for easternPAfootball. I still continue to maintain my handwritten records to this day even though the records are computerized.

For the second consecutive year a Thursday January press conference was held at CB West. At 1:30 PM Mike Carey announced his resignation due to a personal “burn out” after 24 years at it; plus he had 4 daughters he wanted to devote more attention/time with. What he didn’t say is that he owned or had interests in several bar/taverns in the area also. But the announcement was not totally unexpected by those in the know; which wasn’t me. Ex-CB West graduate Randy Cuthbert, already on the coaching staff was the leading candidate, and indeed the next coach. Randy had matriculated at Duke and had a short NFL career 1993-94 with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Archbishop Wood, Tennent, Bensalem, and Abington also had coaching changes for 2001.

Sources”

Don Black’s various individual history books.

Pennsylvania Football News annual resource guides.

 

Looking Back at Sixty-Five Seasons of Pennsylvania High School Football.

Part Nine

Our pre-season visit in 1999 was brief this season, just one school- CB East where we had made so many friends of the coaching staff. It was the only staff that called us by name regularly; others did from time to time. We also visited with Bud 4 in Morrisville as we had heard he had some heart problems over the summer past.

As CB West was riding a 30-game win streak and was defending two-time state champions, I was going to follow them in 1999, but I did not venture to Upper Darby for their opener there. I do not know the story but the score was 54-27; the oddity was the four TDs given up by the Bucks’ D. Especially considering the next 12 games their opponent’s score was either 0 or 7, nothing else. They held their next 12 opponents to seven shutouts and five scores of 7. They would end up yielding just 89 points in 15 games for defensive points per game average of 5.9.

And it was pretty much a year of “CB West and all the rest” this season. Other than West’s third consecutive 15-0 season and third straight state championship; the rest of the teams I followed were pretty flat. True North Penn was 11-2 and beat St. Joes Prep 47-6. The Hawks’ were a consistently strong private program over the years with 12 PCL Championships, including the initial two in 1920 and 1921. But the Knights’ still lost to CB West twice again; their only two losses.

Mark Schmidt was steadily building might at Neshaminy and had an 8-2 season, losing only to CB West and North Penn and I saw both of those contests. Pennsbury was in the middle of the road having posted 4-6, 5-5, 5-5, 3-8, and 5-5 tours for the last five seasons. Council Rock was the only other team I followed that had a fine season at 8-3, and their losses were to Neshaminy, CB West, and North Penn. The Indians had a fine QB, Matt Verbit (2^nd team all-state QB) this season, and a decent defense, but I noted that their efficiency was marred by dropped passes in the two games I saw; although Verbit’s chief target Jim Renitski usually hauled them in.

To open this season my wife journeyed with me out to Bud 2’s home and she hung out with his wife while he and I caught CB East up at Poppy Yoder with Pennridge. We greeted the busses as they got there and were in conversation for a brief time with some East Coaches. A pretty even game was expected as both clubs had young lines and East was pretty young all-around. And balanced it was: 13-6 Pennridge as the experienced Ram backs were the difference in the game.

 

Next day I met Bud 1 at Falcon Field for their opener with Archbishop Ryan, and he presented me with a Bucks County Lion’s All-Star game program (June 1999) AND a Suburban One League pass; he again had two. I briefly spoke with Bud 4, who went to various games exclusive of our posse yet, and the Matuza brothers again.

Also spoke to Bensalem Coach Keeney and I congratulated Council Rock HC Mike Ortman on his prior night’s opening victory over Hatboro-Horsham 31-6. As usual with so many social notes; game notes suffered as yet. But I noted that it was a good back-and-forth game into the fourth quarter. I thought the Falcons looked improved over 1998, and their kicker T. J. Cochran looked good with four field goals, punts, and kickoffs to the end zone.

On Friday 9/10 my wife and I reciprocated and had Bud 2 and wife for dinner and then he and I went to old Robert Morris Field for Kennedy-Kenrick at Morrisville. He was particularly fond of Morrisville, and of course, I had graduated from there. But he had cousins in town, and while he was not from there he spent many hours there in his early years. In fact, we once figured out that, although we met in 1987, we had been at the same Morrisville-Neshaminy game in 1959, 28 years earlier, sitting on opposite sides of the field. We met Bud 1 at the game and spoke to Bud 4 who was ALWAYS at Morrisville games.

The Bulldogs dressed 18 to 20 troops this game, but had some size and speed. Obviously the problem was fatigue with mostly 48-minute players. The crowd was nice-sized, and the game decent, a 21-12 Kennedy-Kenrick victory.

I soloed for North Penn at Pennsbury the next weekend Saturday. The Knights dominated, 42-3.

That night I met Bud 2 in Doylestown for Bensalem at CB West, another rout 44-0 Bucks’. But the idea was that I wanted to see the two top-rated teams North Penn and CB West on this same day.

The first “big game” was October 1 at Neshaminy with the Bucks’; both teams entering 4-0. I soloed and was surprised to see Bud 1, because his number one, Bensalem was home with a winnable game with Abington (they did), and he usually chose the Owls one and Skins two. Yet again the genius of Mike Pettine Senior was in evidence. Speedy Dave Camburn was out with an injury. QB Orihel was just back from an injury; and Picciotti had been ill all week with strep. So Phil DiGiacomo was the man and had a big game for the Bucks’. The final was 38-0 CB West.

My 58^th birthday in 1999 was an indication of perhaps some erosion in my almost fanatic pursuit of my high school football hobby. It was a Saturday and I had two games scheduled –Bensalem at Neshaminy (1:30) and CB East – CB West (7:00). My wife was again in Connecticut. I was reluctant to leave a new dog we had about a year home alone all day, the yard needed a lot of work, and there were good college games on TV, and I did not want to rush between games to eat and care for the dog, so I did no games. Why didn’t I just take in one game?

Only the previous Saturday I had opted to pass on Pennsbury at Abington. I just decided not to make the haul. Three games I could have made; missed over 8 days, very unusual for me. I did follow both college and pro ball up to these years as indicated. Both of these have severely tailed off in recent times. Some college bowl games and playoffs, and pro playoffs still are followed mostly. The Pros I follow mostly for my wife’s interest in that aspect of football.

But I couldn’t miss the Friday 11/5 game with Bud 2, and approximately 8,498 others; channels 3, 6, 10, 29, ESPN, and cable networks. It was North Penn 9-0 at CB West 9-0. In some places it was being billed as, “The High School Game of the Century”.

My buddy (2) was in town at noon for the 7:30 kickoff. I arrived at about 4:15 PM. The crowd really started to grow from about 4:30 PM to a large gate-opening bunch. Here my Suburban One League pass got me in the pass gate with no line, no problem. We choose not to sardine ourselves in the bleachers, but stand along the fence, home side, at about the goal line at the scoreboard end of the field. We felt a standing sardine was better than a sitting sardine, and there was no one that could pass in front of you at the fence. The first CB West score, an Orihel to Kinyon pass was right in front of us. The Bucks’ led 14-0 at the half, gave up a long drive and NP score in the second half, then ate the clock with a long drive of their own capped by a Tumelty FG for a final 17-7 CB West.

The next day, Saturday, 11/6, Bud 2 trekked from Hatfield to my house, and we made the trip to Falcon Field where we met Bud 1, and Bud 4 and Al Matuza for a nice group of five cordial football fans. We were all witness to history being recorded. Neshaminy finally ended the Falcon Field “jinx”. They had never won a game here since the field opened in 1968. Thirty-one years, roughly 15 games every-other-year and no Neshaminy victories; there was one tie. It looked like the jinx might hold as Pennsbury took the opening drive and scored 7-0 Falcons. Early in the second the Skins nailed a field goal to narrow it to 7-3 Pennsbury. Two TDs in the second half by Chris Vincent iced it for Neshaminy, 17-14; a record first victory at that venerable field. Ironic was the fact that Chris was the nephew of Troy Vincent, then with the Philadelphia Eagles; but who as a Pennsbury Falcon scored 3 touchdowns in the “Ice Bowl” 1987 game at Falcon Field continuing the jinx as the Skins had come in to that one 9-1 to the Falcons at 7-3. How the world turns!

I traveled to North Penn for Bud 2 and the Norristown Eagles District One 4A semi-final at Crawford Stadium on Friday 11/12 (my wife’s birthday, but she was in Connecticut on mine, so no problem). The Knights had a nice drive early and got up 7-0. The speedy Eagles returned the ensuing kickoff to the Knights’ 4-yard line and easily put it in from there; 7-7. The Knights drove again, mostly on runs by Hikee Johnson, 14-7 Knights after one. On the first or second play from scrimmage after that kickoff, Eagle QB Stewart hit a blazing fast receiver Terrell with a 69-yard bomb to knot it at 14. More speed was evident when Eagle defender Powell scooped up a Knights’ fumble and raced it 48 yards for the Eagles second long speed score; and the first score had been set up by the big special teams play. It was 21-14 Norristown at the half.

In the third quarter Norristown scored more conventionally, but missed the PAT and it was 27-14 Norristown at the end of the third. In the fourth quarter, the Knights answered with a drive to make it 27-21. Holding the Eagles, a high snap on a punt attempt, set the Knights up with a short-field situation. Per our usual procedure no matter how exciting or dramatic the game, we began our exit and listened to the game on WNPV on the way back to Bud 2’s house. The Knights scored again and made the PAT to take a 28-27 lead with about 3 minutes still left. Norristown drove until they were forced to try a 37-yard field goal for the win. The kick was long enough, but wide; but FLAG ON THE PLAY. Roughing the kicker Knights.

Already proving he had the distance, the kicker now had only a 22-yard FG for the win. But, the ensuing try was shanked.

Final 28-27 North Penn who would get a rematch with CB West for the District One 4A Championship.

I soloed to the other semi-final the next day in Doylestown for Pennridge-CB West. Bud 2 was working, Bud 3’s daughter had a soccer match, Bud 1 was at Council Rock-Stroudsburg; Bud 4 was not a regular yet, just mostly long trips and chance meetings. This one was all West 49-7.

The next week CB West dispatched North Penn 21-0; and this was the one that Mike Pettine Sr. told Junior pre-game that it was his last chance to beat dad. Dad had decided to retire unknown to anyone else at that time. So Junior never did beat pop, 0-5 lifetime, but a lot of other coaches did not beat him very often or at all either.

More history was made this Thanksgiving when I saw my first all- New Jersey turkey day game. There were now multiple natural ties to South Hunterdon High School outside of Lambertville. One, my brother in law’s (Bud 3) son was now going there; and two, Bud 2, who was originally from New Hope across the river from Lambertville, used to scout for South Hunterdon on occasion. And as Bud 3’s daughter was now into soccer, a possible future link to South Hunterdon, or at least sports, was feasible. Not to mention my wife and Bud 3’s wife had both graduated from there. At one point my wife and I had talked about alternating Morrisville-Bristol and South Hunterdon-Del Val Thanksgiving Day games. But we never did.

Four of us made the trip to Kingswood Twp and Delaware Valley High School, always called Del Val in Jersey; South’s traditional T-day opponent. It was a beautiful rural setting out in open spaces, something not seen in my normal viewing area for a good many years. A good opening drive put South up 7-0 in the first. Two long scores, one special team (punt return) and one defensive (fumble return) put Del Val up at the half 12-7. In the second half South regained the lead 13-12. But Del Val was not done, and the Terriers’ again turned the tables 19-13 Del Val. But the Eagles’ again forged into a 20-19 lead. Then with about 5 minutes left in the game, South Hunterdon iced the game with another TD, final 27-19 Eagles’.

Talk about a social day; my brother-in-law and his wife both lived and worked in Lambertville. He knew just about everybody on the home side, and some on the away side. Bud 2, in his youth spent years in Lambertville and he knew or was known by a great number of people also. I was the outsider in this group, but was introduced to scads of people including South Hunterdon Asst. Head Coach Steve Maguire. I did know a few people due to all of my drum corps years (20) in Lambertville; but most of the drum corps personnel were from areas other than Lambertville.

This would be our Turkey-day game for 7 of the next 8 years, home and away.

This year was another Thanksgiving ending to the season, just as it always was in my earliest days of high school football. I had added another 21 games to my total; but this was the lowest number since 1988 (20). Three PIAA playoff games were the lowest in four seasons. New teams seen were Kennedy-Kenrick, South Hunterdon (NJ), and Del Val (NJ).

Bud 2 and I thought that the Bucks’ might have a problem with a “three-peat” in Hershey this season. Even though Berwick had four-in-a-row 1994-1997, no one in 4A had even two in a row, except the Bucks’ presently and three seemed against the law of averages. For this factor and the fact that the title foe was again Erie Cathedral Prep, surely “up” for the Bucks’; we just had our doubts. The Ramblers’ were also 14-0 with wins over Cincinnati Moeller 21-19; Cleveland St. Joseph 21-0, and Bishop McNamara (MD) 48-6. Six of their wins were shutouts, and four other opponents were held to one score. Playing similar opponents each season, the Ramblers’ were coming off five seasons of 10-2; 11-1; 10-1-1; 10-2; and 10-1.

Prep won the toss and deferred. West’s opening drive looked good with Camburn sweeps and Picciotti dives going right up the field. Then a fumble halted the drive; until the favor was returned by the Rambler’s QB. Deep in Rambler’s territory, the Bucks’ Picciotti suffered a game-ending ankle injury, and Bud 2 and I saw our prophecy as a stronger possibility. But QB Travis Blomgren on a dive; took it in and Tumelty kicked the PAT and the Bucks’ led 7-0. Prep came back when the Bucks’ Kinyon intercepted a pass in the end zone only to have the Ramblers’ athletic receiver snatch the ball from him for a TD. At the half it was 7-7 and anybody’s game. The Ramblers’ second-half opening drive appeared very West-like; a long ground, time-consuming drive with success at the end, but the PAT kick was short; 13-7 Ramblers.

Next, West’s Camburn suffered a leg injury; and the score and momentum was definitely with the Ramblers’. With only 2:52 left in the game West forced a Prep punt attempt from their end zone. West senior Andrew Elsing blocked the punt, scooped it up on the one and dove into the end zone tying the game at 13! Senior kicker Tumelty had been accurate all season and drilled the PAT and it was 14-13 Bucks, but with enough time for the Ramblers’ to answer. But D-back Kinyon intercepted the Prep again, and was not about to let this one go. Incredibly, the Bucks had their third straight state championship and 45^th win in a row. Only St Joes Prep D12, has even back-to-back 4A titles; in 2013-2014.

I ended my 1999 season with a note that CB West had QB Orihel, and Camburn, DiGiacomo, and Warden back for 2000. They would have to rebuild the line yet again. And last line: Unless Pettine retires, the Bucks will be strong again in 2000. I did not know that he was going to do exactly that.

In 49 seasons of high school football I had seen 601 games, an average of over 12 a season, greatly skewed by some very lean years and enhanced since 1987. My “golden era” would march on into half of the 2000’s; but who knew it at the time.

The decade of the 1990s belonged to Berwick 127-13 for most wins, and CB West 121-8 for winning percentage (93.8%). I was fortunate to see Berwick 9 times and CB West over a hundred times during this decade.

Although the season was over for me, there was still a bit of it to relate in the next edition.

Sources:

Don Black’s various individual high school record books.

Pennsylvania Football News annual resource guides.

Looking Back at Sixty-Five Seasons of Pennsylvania High School Football.

Part Eight

For the 1998 season I noted in July that I had a scheduled pre-season school visitation date already but I made no further notes about it. Once we started doing this, we continued for years until it finally stopped. Since this would be the 6^th season I am assuming that Bud 2 and I made the day.

This year Betty (Mrs. Bob) Hart dropped a league pass off for me with my wife at the bank, about the third week of the season. I first had it at the September 18^th game I attended.

For reference and possibly those not seeing earlier editions of this saga, let me remind the reader that my company at games was organized, and for reference I call them Bud (for buddy) and they are numbered for the sequence in which I met them or when they started coming to games:

Bud 1 – a Bensalem elderly gentleman (79 this season) I had met at Neshaminy games in the 1960s, and was reunited with him at a game in 1985. I never saw him anywhere but high school football games.

Bud 2 – I met in 1987 at a CB West game through his father, who also used to go to games, an unnumbered buddy that passed on in 1993. Bud 2 lived in Hatfield near Lansdale.

Bud 3 – My brother in law from Lambertville. Knew him long before he got interested in high school football in 1991, of course, but he got me to Berwick for games; he was originally from near there.

Bud 4 – An old classmate of mine still living in Morrisville. Saw him at games for years, but just hooked up with him in 1997 for a long road trip playoff game. In 1998 not a “regular” yet.

Some combination of the four of us – me through Bud 3 was usually at every game.

Bud 2, Bud 3 and my nephew and niece joined me at Doylestown for the Spring Ford at CB East season opener. I knew little of the Pioneer Athletic Conference (PAC), but I noted that the Golden Rams looked good and probably capable of winning their league. CB East capitalized on two Ram fumbles deep in their own territory to win the game 14-13. The Patriots also had to stop a 2-pt conversion attempt with 46 seconds left in the game to preserve the victory. I also noted that CB East’s Bryan Scott showed signs of what he could be, but was pretty much bottled up most of the game. He made all-state as a D-back. It was a good game to start the season.

Next day at Pennsbury I joined Bud 1 and we sat behind scouting CB East coaches Larry Green, Bill Heller, and Craig Phillips. To my right were Norristown Coach Roger Grove and a crew.

To my left a Neshaminy video recording scout, and to his left Truman coach Galen Snyder, former Pennsbury all-stater from the 1985 undefeated Falcon team in his first year as HC at Truman.

I spoke with all but Coaches Grove and Snyder as I did not yet know them, but would in time. I also saw Bud 4 (to be soon) in attendance with both Al (Junior) and Len Matuza, prominent Pennsbury folks and sons of Al Matuza senior, former Falcon coach 1955-1961. Al Matuza Junior coached the Falcons 1988-1991. As normal when I logged the social end of the day, I didn’t get game details, but I noted that the Falcon’s looked “sluggish” while still beating Archbishop Ryan 21-6.

That night I soloed to Doylestown for the Bucks’ opener with Upper Darby, another team I had never seen. I was overwhelmed by the Bucks’ performance on opening night. My notes: WOW! West appears better than last year and at least this night to have no weaknesses. Offense, defense, talent, size, speed, depth, rushing, passing, kicking; it was all there tonight. In reality, it was there all season as fate would have it. It was 59-7 CB West and the Royals did not score an offensive TD. A fumbled punt return for a TD on special teams was it. Bucks’ seconds scored four times on the Royals.

I followed this three-game opening weekend with three games again the second week of the season. With company at all I saw Council Rock 3 Bensalem 0 in double overtime; Norristown 19 Pennsbury 17; and CB East 35 Neshaminy 0.

Of course, CB West was the defending state champion and the team to beat again in 1998, but the surprise team was Norristown who would post an 11-2 season, both losses to CB West.  Under Mike Pettine Jr. the Knights of North Penn went 9-3 with only one loss to Norristown and two to CB West. CB East had a nice 7-3 season with their three losses Norristown 10-12; North Penn 6-28; and CB West 20-42.

Council Rock had a winning 7-4 season and Dave Sanderson did a nice job at Tennent, posting an 8-4 season. That was about it.

Neshaminy was only 3-7 as Coach Schmidt did not yet have the program where he wanted it. And Pennsbury posted a record poor 3-8 season. By that I mean it was their worst season since 1954 (2-5-2); 44 years between and back then my 4^th high school season.

I was still concentrating on the Central Bucks schools and saw West 9 times and East 7 times. For West it was just to enjoy well-executed football, and for East it was primarily for the friendships we had established with Coaches Green, Heller, Phillips, Schino and Rittenhouse.

Mike Pettine senior was asked in interviews after his eventual retirement about which team was his “best”.

Both truthfully and diplomatically, he said it was difficult to pin down because of the different elements for different fine teams. He casually mentioned a few that might qualify, and the only one I remember is the 1991 team because it won the first state championship for West.

But in my years watching the Bucks’ (from 1987), this 1998 squad had to be high on the list. One reason was that they had one of the best offensive lines that I ever saw play in my time; until and through1998 for sure.

The Bucks’ linemen were Ben Carber, 6-3, 310; Jon Wilson 6-3, 255; Joe Wilson 6-4, 280; and Chris Havener 6-5, 285; all Pettine-Mike Carey-coached, and talented. West had 30 players that weight squatted 400 pounds. Assistant Head Coach Carey was defensive coordinator, offensive line coach and weight room man. Anyone following high school football from the 1990’s to 2015 likely knows of this man’s acumen. By 2014 he had coached or advised at three different state champion programs.

The bruising fullback era continued for the Bucks’, as 6-6 235 pound junior Dustin Picciotti followed in the Swett-Armstrong slipstream. Sophomore RB-DB Dave Camburn at 5-10 was a speedy and efficient back on both sides of the ball.  Bryan Buckley was senior LB at 6-1 220 and his name was frequently heard on defensive stops. Mike Orihel was a sophomore QB at 6-2 165 beginning a three-year run in that position. Junior Bryan Colahan, 6-3 215 was a fine defensive stalwart at linebacker. Phil DiGiacomo QB-DB, a sophomore 6’ 190 would be prominent for three years for the Bucks’. Ted Kinyon, Andrew Elsing, Bob Warden, Angelo Palena, and Bob Bowser were names of prominence either this year or the next few. Handling the kicking duties (both punting and placekicking) very capably this season was Bob Tumelty, junior, 6’ 160. Talented, smartly-coached, and disciplined described the West program’s athletes at that era and they were a joy to follow.

And follow them I did in 1998, the opener mentioned with Upper Darby, then wins at home with Pennsbury 41-0 and Neshaminy 42-14. Then it was time for another Pettine-Pettine duel between West 5-0 and North Penn 5-0. This was at Crawford Stadium in the rain. The opening score was a CB West wet-ball fumble that popped up in the air and was grabbed by number 50 for North Penn and returned 68 yards for a score. The PAT was missed and it was 6-0 Knights. West answered with a sustained drive and capping Picciotti 6-yard blast. The Tumelty PAT made it 7-6 West. Then, just before the half, the Knights ran a direct snap to the fullback in a tight T-formation who hit Fitzpatrick with a 17-yard strike. A 2-pt PAT pass attempt was close, but dropped. The half ended 12-7 Knights.

CB West got the second half kickoff and proceeded with their ground and pound ball-control scheme, eventually Picciotti capped a drive with a 4-yard blast. The PAT attempt was muffed, but the Bucks still led 13-12 which would be the final score. It would be the closest Junior would ever get to beating pop.

After this game I took a three-week break from West as they met and beat Bensalem 62-7; Truman 35-0; and Council Rock in a good game 21-17. Now it was time for the annual CB West 9-0 sister school duel with CB East 7-2.

Thanks to my brother-in-law, Bud 3, for the first (and only) time ever we had reserved seats for this game. They were compliments of a friend of his where he worked, who lived in the CB East school district.

It was low seats, visitors’ side at about the scoreboard-end 30 yard line. The day was cool and breezy with showers expected, there was one; but thankfully not too long or recurring. CB West dominated this one from the start 42-20, chasing many of the crowd early. I did not detail this one in my written logs.

Our whole posse, plus my nephew and a fast friend of his took in the District One Quad-A semi final rematch between North Penn and CB West. My only pre-game comment was that the game would not be as close as the first meeting, a 13-12 West victory at Crawford Stadium. The Knights’ received and had two 10-yard first down runs plus a few more gains; then the first of three NP turnovers put the West offense on the field. They drove but had to settle for a Tumelty field goal 3-0 CB West. With only 1:57 left in the half, Picciotti had a short TD burst and it was 10-0. But the Bucks forced a Knights punt and then went 62-yards in 3 or 4 plays to take 16-0 lead at halftime. It was over, but no one knew it. The final was 29-8 CB West.

The District One AAAA Championship went through Doylestown literally and figuratively as the West school was there and CB West was playing. Many do not realize that the stadium just across the back street from the school does not belong to the school, but the Borough of Doylestown. A rematch with speedy Norristown was the Bucks’ challenge this night. The Bucks’ had won a good game back on September 25^th in Norristown 28-13, giving Mike Pettine Senior his 300^th career win. West got off to an early 7-0 lead on a Picciotti plunge, but then seemed a little flat, and the Eagles’ Swittenburg broke a 60+ yard run to the house; 7-7. This fired up the Bucks who answered quickly on a Dave Edwards long run to go up 14-7. Another Picciotti score gave the Bucks’ a 21-7 halftime bulge. Picciotti outscored the Eagles’ 14-7 in the second half the game ended up 35-14 CB West. Sometime before the following week we learned that the eastern semi-final would be played at Council Rock, right in my “back yard”, excellent!

The next day, Saturday November 21^st, a pre-planned trip to Hershey to see the District 3 Quad-A Championship was taken. Plans for this had been made when my old classmate (Bud 4) had stopped by my house one day when I was raking leaves and asked if I, and Bud 2, might want to go. We three went and it was Central Dauphin (11-0) in a rematch with Cumberland Valley (10-1), their one loss regular season to Central Dauphin. There were about 8,000 in the stadium for a good hard-fought, defensive struggle. The CD Rams constantly threatened in the first half with at least 5 deep penetrations, but only a field goal resulted in a 3-0 halftime edge.

The Eagles’ scored twice in the second half to lead 14-3 before a fourth quarter CD screen pass got a TD, but that was it, final 14-10 Cumberland Valley.

This Thanksgiving Bud 3 and I trekked to Tennent for the Archbishop Wood-Tennent turkey day game. We left Lambertville in heavy rain, but it was predicted to let up and it did. The Panthers handled the Vikings 21-7 this turkey day.

Thanksgiving Saturday saw a packed Council Rock stadium for Abington Heights at CB West in the Eastern 4A semi-final. Bud 1 and I met there and originally sat on the away side, but the Comets’ brought a huge following, and as we were definitely for West, we thought we had better switch to the home side of the field. My brother in law’s (Bud 3) wife dropped him off prior to game time and I don’t know how he found us in that mob, but he did.

The Comets’ were big and burly and came to play. They got off to a 3-0 lead. Both their offense and defense looked dominant early. Midway in the second period Heights was set for a second field goal attempt. The snap was high and the QB-holder retrieved it and lofted a pass to the left corner of the entrance-side end zone. CB West’s sophomore speedster Dave Camburn picked it off on the goal line and raced 100 yards up the away sideline to give West a 7-3 lead after the Tumelty PAT. The half ended that way, anybody’s game.

The second half was all Bucks’ and it fell apart for the Comets’. The score mounted to 30-3 before the Comets’ got a valid score against the Bucks’ first defense, but West answered with a long Picciotti burst to climb to 37-10, and that would be the final.

The eastern final was at Neshaminy, another stadium close-enough for me, and this meant I would get to see the Eastern Final, state semi final between the CB West Bucks’ and Parkland Trojan’s who had eliminated Cumberland Valley. My buddies 1 and 2 and I took this one in. I only noted that CB West scored on their first three possessions and never looked back, winning the game 34-7. For me season over!

The total this season was 27 games, and 5 PIAA playoff games. Plenty of company and four new teams – Spring Ford, Upper Darby, Abington Heights, and Interboro which I saw regular season at Tennent.

As I reflect back on these years, I see what I didn’t realize as it happened regarding my buddies participation. Why hadn’t we followed CB West to a state championship game in the 1990’s? Had any one of the four suggested it I would have gone for sure. My brother-in-law (Bud 3) and I planned for the 1991 Altoona trip. But the distance and predicted bad weather deterred us. Bud 2 was flatly “not interested” in state title games. Bud 1 was getting up there in years and had a few rough years ahead yet before he seemed to recover even later. Bud 4 was the “trip” man, so far inspiring all of the Wilkes-Barre and all but one Hershey trips. But he was not so much interested in CB West, seeing a game of theirs once in a while, depending on the opponent.

This season was the first switch from Altoona to Hershey for the championship games and CB West set records in playing almost a perfect game, scoring on all 8 possessions; the last two by the subs.

Talented but undersized New Castle was plummeted 56-7 in a record-setting performance. This is another reason I think this was indeed one of the best CB West teams of all time. I saw the game on TV.

The New Castle Red Hurricanes had a rough go around this time, but was a storied, formidable program through the years. Through 2013 they were fifth on the PA all-time wins list at 710, the top western school behind four eastern powers. Their first multi-game undefeated season came in 1907 when they yielded 2 points and were 7-0 with 5 shutouts and a forfeit win. They strung three straight undefeated seasons (with two ties) 1922 through 1924. Dr. Saylor ranked them number one in 1924. The 1932 and 1933 seasons were both 11-0-0, earning Dr. Saylor’s 2^nd and 1^st spots in the state respectively. The Red Hurricane’s 1970’s era ranking was 9^th in the state at 81-20-5. The 1990’s was the roughest of all decade breakdowns for New Castle, at 42-63, their first truly losing decade. This is most likely due to the city’s high population of 48,834 of 1950 declining to 23,273 for 2010. That is a 53% drop in 6 decades. Such is the story in a lot of western PA unfortunately.

The season of 1998 was the last for multiple games for my brother in law (Bud 3) who had made 63 games with us including 14 in each of 1991 and 1992; and most importantly got me to Berwick for games. From 1999 on he would do Thanksgiving games mainly with an occasional extra game here and there.

 

Sources: Don Black’s High School Football Histories

Pennsylvania Football News Resource Guides

“Here’s a look back at 65 – seasons of Pennsylvania High School Football through the eyes of Kmac”

I made my first-ever job change after 38 consecutive years technically with one organization, but through a succession of mergers. February 2, 1997 I began with a new bank, but for a boss who had moved there that I had worked for a number of years. We knew each other for a long time and worked well together; he had kept in touch with me about joining him in the future. This eliminated the daily trip to Delaware four days a week and after a few months starting in Doylestown I would be back in Newtown, about 5 miles from home. It was a tremendous move and a win-win for all as it turns out in the end. I finished my career right there in Newtown 6 years later.

As early as March 8, 1997 I noted that it was expected that Council Rock would have lights for the 1997 season, a major change from daytime football at the Rock. A bit of surprise was that after two seasons at Tennent, Mike Pettine Jr. was now the coach at North Penn.

Among numerous other musings about the previous and future season I noted that struggling Bensalem was suffering from low turnouts; the first such negative notes that I could remember.

Our 2-party pre season field visits took us this year to Bensalem, Neshaminy, Council Rock, and CB East before lunch; and Pennsbury and a Morrisville drive-by after lunch. It was in light rain and at Bensalem we were given league passes again, and at CB East we had sideline conversations with Head Coach Larry Green and Bill Heller. There was no one at Falcon Field and Morrisville had about 13 players practicing.

The season of 1997 had to have seemed dull by comparison to the great 1996 season, but two highlights were the CB West story and the North Penn story.

Most teams I follow had mediocre seasons – Abington 1-10; CB East 5-5 (officially); Council Rock 6-4; Truman 1-10; Neshaminy 4-6 (officially); Norristown 5-7; Pennsbury 5-5; Bristol 2-8; Morrisville 6-5; Wood 6-4; Conwell-Egan 0-10; and Tennent 3-8 (officially). Bensalem had a good year for the era at 7-3 (officially).

Neshaminy had posted an on-field performance of 7-3, but had to give back 3 wins for an ineligible player surfacing. Most of the adjustments above were because of that, but Tennent’s was because of a Cheltenham ineligible situation.

Nevertheless, I did see various game combinations and these included Bensalem 5 times, Neshaminy 6, Pennsbury 6, CB East 7, and CB West 9. There were a smattering of other teams and a 4-consecutive North Penn string, an anomaly.

My brother-in-law (Bud 3) had another go-around with my favorite hobby again this season. He, my nephew and I chose to open with Cumberland Valley at CB West this year. CV was a District 3 power with a state title the year after West’s’ and West was uncharacteristically jittery if you consider inconsistency, fumbles, penalties, and inefficiency; jitters. The Eagles led 6-0 at the half. But West got the Dave Armstrong show in gear the second half and “power-footballed” the Eagles 21-6 in the end.

For the most part we will follow this season through CB West and the four consecutive NP games.

The third week of the season I was at Falcon Field with Bud 3 and my nephew and Bud 1 for the invasion of CB West. I noted that the Bucks’ were now rated 5^th in the nation, 1^st in the east, by USA Today. This was the Dave Armstrong year, and he was outstanding on both offense (FB) and defense (LB). He made first team all-state in the latter capacity. He scored all three TDs today to blank the Falcons 21-0. This gave him 10 of the 12 the team had scored so far this season.

On September 27, it was the much anticipated CB West (4-0) and Neshaminy (3-1). It was before the ineligible situation arose for the Skins, and the week before this game they had an unexpected loss at Council Rock 14-17, negating the battle of unbeaten team’s anticipated earlier. Homecoming, bright sun, and big crowd made for pleasant surroundings. Today it was Armstrong, Armstrong, Armstrong, I wrote in my game notes. They knew he would carry it. He did and they could not stop him. After three quarters it was 41-12 Bucks and we left to beat the crowd. The subs were playing and we missed no scoring.

This set up the next week’s CB West – North Penn game as the battle of the unbeatens and more; much more. Both were 4-0, but the Pettine Sr. – Pettine Jr. matchup was a national happening. In Doylestown, I was joined by Bud 2 and wife, Bud 3 and son and daughter, and an estimated total of 7,000, TV 6, TV 29, and USA Today for this much hyped match. But it was business as usual for the Bucks’. The Knights were mistake-prone and West controlled the ball. Two picks and a fumble recovery were converted into CB West scores. It was 21-0 after one quarter as the Knights had the ball for 6 plays and 2 punts in the first. It was 35-0 at the half and at the end of three quarters, but the quarter ended with the Knights on the Bucks’ one yard line. In the fourth they converted that score and got a second against subs later and it ended 35-14 Bucks’. Both Pettine’s said they were “glad it’s over!” from various sources. Many times it was reported that Mike senior said he hated having to play against his son.

I soloed to Doylestown for CB East hosting Abington and it turned into another nice social experience. I spoke with coaches Green and Heller pre-game, and spoke to Council Rock coaches Mike Ortman and Bruce Stansbury post game, who were scouting the Ghosts’; their next opponent. And I again met Dave Armstrong, CB West star who I had met and spoken with the prior season at that Sunday CB East-Bensalem game.

Dave pointed out his teammates with him who were Carber, Volitis, Buckley, Tillman, and Potter. I met a lot of football talent that night. All this negated notes regarding the game, but it was 31-7 CB East.

I met up with Bud 1 at Falcon Field the next week for a Friday 2:30 kickoff due to the Jewish holiday time constraints. This was the second North Penn game of four in a row after the loss to CB West. Pennsbury was 10-0 for the last 10 seasons versus North Penn. This may surprise some modern readers who know the block Pettine-Beck has had on Snyder in recent years. We were feeling that this was about to change this season. It was on an 80+ degree day, in almost mid-October. At halftime the Falcon’s held a 10-7 edge. But the second half was a 28-0 Knights’ show. They went up 14-10 on a sustained drive for a score and PAT. Then a long pick return for a TD made it 21-10 and the Falcon’s never recovered. It ended 35-10 Knights.

Next Friday night I traveled to Bud 2’s house and enjoyed his wife’s fine spaghetti dinner before he and I motored to Crawford Stadium and CB East-North Penn. It was an important game for playoff considerations. It was expected to be good, and close, and it was. My Bud and I were asked to do a few words for the CB East TV organization as we were pointed out by the East coaches to have followed football for many years; a rather unique experience. The game was even at 7-7, and at the half 14-14. Both offenses proved efficient on sustained drives with few penalties. With 8 minutes left in the game East was up by 10; 24-14. We knew it was not over, but were leaving games about this point to beat traffic, having seen football, and with having no stake in who won. The Knights scored twice in the last 8 minutes to win the game 27-24.

I repeated the visit and had a second dinner at Bud 2’s for the Neshaminy at North Penn game the following Friday. Bud 1, who primarily followed Neshaminy and Bensalem made the trip out and we hooked up. The improving Redskins under Coach Mark Schmidt had a decent running game and passing attack to get the job done close. They took a 10-point halftime lead. North Penn took the second half kickoff and a “patented Pettine drive” soon made it 10-7. Later the Knights moved the ball again and took a 14-10 lead. Neshaminy quickly answered with a second long pass TD, missed the PAT, and it was 16-14 Neshaminy. We started to leave and missed nothing; that was the final score.

I also caught Bensalem’s final four games in a row as they were having a good 7-3 tour and Bud 1 followed them first and foremost. On the first of the last two games of the season, Bud 2 and I trekked down early enough to greet the CB East busses when they arrived. We drew the normal remark from the coaches, “You guys are everywhere!”   I can’t tell you how many times I heard that in the 1990’s. The Owls got out to a 20-0 lead at the half. They were for real this season. The second half East adjusted and closed the gap to 20-14. With 20 seconds left in the game, the Patriots had the ball on the Owls’ six yard line with no timeouts left. The Owls held for their first victory over CB East since the 1986 start of this Suburban One association. We of course spoke with Bob Hart, Tom Adams (Sr), and with Bud 1. Since we spent so much time on the East side early we didn’t sit where Bud 1 normally sat, just under the home side press box.

When the Ghosts play on Halloween, you just have to be there. And Abington was at Bensalem the following week. I soloed down, but knew Bud 1 would be there as always, and he was. I again spoke with Hart and Adams, who were seemingly always there also. Both Bensalem and Abington featured speed and poor defense, so we expected a track meet. But the Owls defense had tightened up and the mistake-prone Ghosts coughed up the ball on four fumbles and two interceptions, so it was a wipe out 36-0 Bensalem. The tricks were on the Ghosts’ tonight.

CB West at 10-0 was the only local playoff team and would have home-field advantage for the two district playoff games if they won the first. I liked that arrangement; it assured me two more games if they won the first.

Hatboro-Horsham was the opponent for the semi final. They were likely 7-3, but possibly something close to that. They ended the season 9-4, including this loss to CB West, and I do not know if they had a contingency game before Thanksgiving, and if they still played T-day versus Upper Moreland. Bud 2 met me at the game. Anyway, the Hatters were no match for the Bucks size, strength, speed, and experience.  It was 41-0 at some point and the Hatters put one in on the subs, final 41-8.

The next Friday night D1 final was pushed back to Saturday night because of the rain and wet field; I know for a fact because I was there Friday night early and watched a gang of officials meet in the center of the field and move the game.

It was cooler, but clear Saturday night and the D1 Championship foe was nemesis Plymouth-Whitemarsh who would try to knock off the Bucks for the THIRD time in a row. And the Colonials were coming in off of a 62-24 demolishing of Downingtown the prior week. But the ground-trip minded Bucks’ didn’t need one pass attempt in their crusade this evening. Armstrong and Potter could not be shut down on O. Along with Warden the three posted 384 yards on the ground and West was practically mistake-free.   Five long ball-control drives leading to scores kept the ball from the P-W offense. A 13-0 first quarter lead became 21-7 at halftime. But the Colonials of this era were still the real deal. In the second half they showed their speed and quick-strike capability and narrowed the game to a 28-22 West bulge with about 7 minutes remaining. A heavy snow squall began and I began my departure. Dave Armstrong’s 2-yard plunge and Corey Potters 2-pt PAT sealed it 36-22 with 3:15 remaining. But, even so the Colonials fought. They drove to the West 5-yard line and a 4^th down pass was incomplete with about 10 seconds left in the game.

A new twist of fate got me to the next West playoff game I had no thoughts I would see. It was to be Saturday 11/22, and on Friday night 11/21 my wife called me from the bank in late afternoon and said an old classmate of mine was in the bank and wanted to drive to Wilkes-Barre for the game but had no one to go with for such a haul. He wondered if I wanted to go.

Once again it took me a nanosecond to say yes, but I thought about Bud 2 and called the driver and asked if it would be ok if Bud 2 came along. I would have him come to my house and we would meet at the driver’s instruction.

My classmate was well known to me through almost the full 12 years of school, but he was an athlete and I was not and we only “knew each other” through school. I had seen him on numerous occasions at other games since high school and we would always speak and trade pleasantries. It would take awhile but he was to become Bud 4.

We went to the stadium in Wilkes-Barre (I had never been to Wilkes-Barre before) with no trouble and I guess this was at the W-B G. A. R. school, but possibly used by several local schools. The foe was Wyoming Valley West from District 2. We met with a Berwick guy who  stayed with us and while rooting for opposite teams found no problems. He gave us his number for reference to anything about Berwick we might want to know and I still have it but have not used it.

The maroon and gold clad Spartans ran a wide open offense, but the Bucks’ D was ready and didn’t allow much. And typical Pettine, the Bucks’ unveiled an aerial attack missing almost all season from the Bucks’ arsenal. They still had the solid running game working and the addition of aerials to wide-open receivers led to 28-0 halftime lead for the Bucks’. Later the Bucks’ second and third stringers allowed two scores, but by then the Bucks had 35 and it was 35-14. The Bucks then tacked on a defensive score and it was 42-14. With exactly 1:00 minute left in the game, the Spartans got to the halfway point, final 42-21 Bucks’.

This Thanksgiving, Bud 2, my brother in law (Bud 3) and I returned to my alma mater for the Bristol-Morrisville T-Day classic.   Of course Bud 4 was there as he had remained in Morrisville, had children in the school, and supported all the Bulldog activities. We probably saw him that day, but likely stood in the good-size crowd along the fence. It was the 70^th renewal of this game. The Bulldogs were down 8-18 in the 4^th quarter due to, as I entered in my notes, “no sustained offense and many bone-headed mistakes”. (I was hard on my alma mater and the fact that the program had fallen so far from when I attended there was psychologically difficult; the reason I did not see more Morrisville games). But the Dogs had some speed and talent. We three stooges were leaving when; the Bulldog’s Juan Jones had a long breakaway dash to close the gap to 14-18. I was home in my music room (music/computer room now) when I heard on the radio the Bulldog long pass/run hookup that won the game for Morrisville 20-18.

I wanted to mention this game because of the tie-in that in 2005, this Bud 4 of Morrisville and I would journey out to Millersville University to see former Bulldog Juan Jones break the 1,000 yard rushing mark there.

I don’t remember who inspired who now, but Bud 4 and I decided to repeat our trek to Wilkes-Barre Thanksgiving Saturday to see the Eastern final between Berwick and Manheim Central in the same stadium we had seen CB West – Wyoming Valley West the week before.

It would be the fifth meeting of these two annual contenders, and the Dawgs had won all prior four. Supposedly a close, even matchup, it proved that the Dawgs were superior again this day.

Senior Dawg QB Jeremy Chapin had experience over sophomore QB Jeff Smoker from Manheim Central, who I noted “will be a good one”; already was. Solid in all areas the Dawgs’ led 30-0 by half and still at the three-quarters mark. We shuffled out with about 8 minutes left in the game knowing it was over. We learned later that it ended 37-0 Berwick.

I don’t recall now, nor do I have any notes on why we chose to return to Wilkes-Barre instead of following the local CB West Bucks to Hershey for Central Dauphin the same day. The Bucks’-Rams’ was certainly a closer, better game 27-24 Bucks’ in overtime. Then the Bucks went on to their third try for a state championship and won 44-20 over Upper Saint Clair. It was still in Altoona and we were not going there. I was able to see it live via a cable TV presentation.

And so my 47^th season came to an end. I made 25 games this season, down a bit from the past two seasons. But I saw 4 PIAA playoffs, no new teams, 1 new stadium (Wilkes-Barre twice). I again saw two state champion’s regular season and playoffs – CB West and Berwick. Ironically, it was Berwick’s last hurrah as state title winner through 2015. I had a league pass and made pre-season visits, all elements that made these golden seasons so exceptional to my way of thinking. It was my 9^th consecutive “super” season and I did not think it would, nor did I want it to, ever end.

“Here’s a look back at 65 – seasons of Pennsylvania High School Football through the eyes of Kmac”

Little did I know that the 1996 season would be the most exciting season I had to that time, and among the top three high school football seasons of my life. For January through August I had worked in Philadelphia in the Penn Mutual Building behind Independence Hall, and became a SEPTA Rail commuter for 8 months. This changed over Labor-Day weekend as noted below.

On August 12 I again noted that Bob Hart was in the bank and again told my wife he had a pass for me this season. This year our school practice visitation was too late. Schools were already in and practice was only after school. But we did see Bob at Bensalem this year and he gave both me and my Bud 2 a Suburban One League pass.

Bud 2’s employment situation had changed, he was now out of work entirely and while looking for employment was free for the high school football season. And the week after Labor Day I was transferred from Center City Philadelphia to Delaware to work, and when I did I negotiated a work week of 4 ten-hour days with Friday’s off for two reasons. One was that it lessened the drive up and down I-95 by one day a week, and two, it opened up Fridays for high school football travel. And another change was that my brother-in-law, Bud 3 was leaving the sport slowly and was only at three games this season, but he was very instrumental in helping me with a particular major game decision.

I opened solo at CB East hosting Monsignor Bonner Friday August 30. This was where traditionally I would be with my Lansdale Bud 2’s late father; I missed him. I had only seen the Friars’ once before, in 1976. This was to be a special year for CB East, perhaps their best since I picked them up for records in 1988. They won 35-7 and I wrote the names Ficzko, Mitchell, Moosbrugger, Scott, and QB Borstein as players to watch for the Patriots.

The next day was the Falcon’s of Pennsbury’s opener at home. Bud 2 motored from Hatfield and we joined Bud 1 for the game. All three of us had league passes, plus again through my wife’s Pennsbury contacts at the bank I had two complimentary tickets, so we could have had a party of 8 for that game! In addition this game set off the most amazing round-robin of good teams for a season that I would ever witness.

The Falcon’s were hosting Parkland High School. This would be my first-ever look at the Trojans. It was a good close even game and a Pennsbury victory was only averted by a Parkland interception at the goal line with less than 4 minutes left in the game; final 20-18 Parkland. I wrote that the Falcon’s were big, (how many years were they not?), and that FB Mendenhall should give opponents fits. I also noted that I would not favor them over their next foe, CB West.

I soloed to Doylestown the following Friday night to see the Falcon’s – Bucks’ game that I had predicted at Pennsbury. Hurricane Fran was dumping copious amounts of rain, but off-and-on, and the wind was not high, just breezy.

This looked like another CB West possible championship team, big, fast, and experienced. They dispatched the Falcons’ 30-6 as I had forewarned.

On Thursday night September 12, Pennsbury severely tested CB East in Doylestown. For some reason the Patriots were flat with 4 lost fumbles and inconsistent offense. With the East score first, the progression was 7-0, 7-3, 7-6, and 7-9. As can be seen the Falcons used three field goals to establish a 2-point lead over a sputtering Patriot offense. With only 3-1/2 minutes left in the game the Patriots were facing a fourth and 9 from the Falcon 27-yard line. Borstein lofted a 27-yard strike to the end zone and the catch was made. I was still not writing all names in my notes but the PAT kick was good and the only kicker listed in a program I have was John Schumann. Final 14-9 Patriots in a good game, for suspense anyway.

Another oddity, the type of thing I delight in, happened in the Friday night (9/20)-Saturday afternoon (9/21) games. On Friday night CB West beat Neshaminy 35-8. On Saturday afternoon CB East beat Council Rock 35-8. Exact same score. I had company both games as my Hatfield buddy was making numerous games due to his unemployment.

The following week it almost repeated and it was getting uncanny. CB East beat Abington 26-0, and CB West beat North Penn 27-0. Both were Friday night and we were at the game in Crawford Stadium. This left both Central Bucks schools 5-0 and on a collision course.

The October weekend of Friday 18-Sunday 20 was set asunder by a strong northeast storm that disrupted schedules greatly. Games were rescheduled for Sunday afternoon and night and Monday afternoon and night. As a result I journeyed to Doylestown for my first-ever public league game on a Sunday. Bensalem (0-7) was at CB East (7-0) and while obviously a close game was not expected, the social experience made the day worthwhile. Crowds were very slim on both sides, the field still wet and no bands. I made no notes on the game won by CB East 42-14.

But I got a chance to talk with Bensalem folks Bob Hart (AD) who again had provided me a league pass, and Tom Adams (Sr.), an Owl hall-of-famer and gentleman I spoke to at Bensalem on numerous occasions. He was also the father of Tom Jr. who coached at Bensalem and I would meet and talk with regularly later. Owl Coach Ron Buckley told me that fully 15 players didn’t make the switch to Sunday and star Alex Houston arrived just before game time. I also spoke with Coaches Larry Green and Bill Heller of East; Larry, used to seeing Bud 2 every time he saw me, asked “where’s —-?”   I got to know Bill Heller well, he used to operate his fishing interest near my Washington Crossing home and he said if I ever wanted to sell the home, please contact him.

I still see him occasionally, last summer (2015) he stopped to chat while passing through. Finally, I also spoke with CB West star Dave Armstrong who was watching from the stands. He impressed me as a fine young man, and was certainly a fine athlete.

On Friday Nov 11, I was rejoined for the first time this season by my brother-in-law, or Bud 3, for the annual Pennsbury-Neshaminy classic at Heartbreak Ridge. The Skins (7-3) handled the Falcons (5-5) this year 39-21, but had to score three times in the last 4 minutes to do it!

The reason that Bud 3’s reappearance was so important was this: I was very negative on attempting to get to the CB East – CB West game. Both teams were entering 9-0. The hype was huge and ominous. It was a battle for the league title, a battle to stay unbeaten, a battle for playoff position, it was homecoming, it was a natural rivalry, and a crowd of 20,000 was expected (which that stadium would not have accommodated). I would not even consider trying to use my league pass to get in. But my brother-in-law talked me into giving it a try, and we journeyed to Doylestown at 4:30 for the 7:00 kickoff. We arrived just as the traditional parade for the occasion was passing by and I parked in my normal spot (on a street a half block from the school); first problem solved. We got in the ticket line for $5.00 SRO tickets on the home side of the field and were about 14^th in line, so we liked our chances.

While SRO means standing-room-only of course, the smaller portable end-zone bleachers erected for the occasion were available and being early we obtained seats, or to stand if necessary on these portable conveniences. The crowd was estimated at 8,000 to 12,000 as it turned out. The game ended as all but three games had in the 26-year prior history of the two schools meetings; CB West won 21-3. CB East had two wins and there was a tie previously. I just noted that the Bucks’ won with their usual workmanlike job, capitalizing on mistakes, and making few. West held when they had to, and battered the East D with Dave Armstrong.

I had seen the two best local teams in the area 7 times each to this point. Over at Tennent, Mike Pettine Jr. in his last season there led the Panthers to a fine 9-3 tour and I did see them twice also. Neshaminy posted a 7-3 season in Mark Schmidt’s second go-around; a nice turn-around after his initial 1-10 tour. I saw five of their games.

Weather again played a part in the first-round (semi-final) District One playoffs. Both CB East and CB West drew home games so they were originally scheduled for Friday-night, Saturday-night in Doylestown. Heavy wind and rain and a possible tornado threat moved the first game to a Saturday afternoon- Saturday night doubleheader at War Memorial Field.

Neither Bud 1 nor 2 were interested in these games, Bud 3 was in Lancaster, my wife was in Connecticut, so what was I to do? No way possibly miss these games; that’s what! The opener was Downingtown at CB East and I expected a Whippet win. They did, but it was a very good game and close and see-saw; physical, and two defensive plays were the margin of victory, pick-sixes by Whippet stars Dan Ellis and Arlen Harris.

Although they did not occur as the sequence of the win, they were the difference as the two offenses and special teams played to basically a 25-25 stalemate; but the final score was 37-25 Downingtown.

I had to buzz home and eat and feed the dog and take her out for a while before returning to Doylestown and the nightcap.

I got back about quarter to six, the gates were open and the crowd was going to be considerably larger than the afternoon game. CB West’s opponent would be Plymouth-Whitemarsh who was a particular fly in the Bucks’ ointment in this era. The Bucks’ had only beaten them by a point twice, and lost to them 0-16, (or 0-12, I have seen both scores), in the 1995 playoffs.

The Bucks’ rarely lost to the same team two times in a row and I had high hope for the Bucks’. But the Colonials were the real deal. They appeared highly motivated and their offense shifted multiple times on each play and had the West defense jumping all over to adjust. As a result they were successful on the ground and in the air against the Bucks’. For the second time in a row the Colonials defeated the Bucks’, this time 21-16.

This set in motion the greatest string of playoff games and combination of teams and related-team interactions that I ever had the pleasure to experience. I will explain this at season’s end.

It was due to my Friday’s off and Bud 2’s unsuccessful job search so far that we were able to do what we did. We decided to trek to Downingtown for the District One AAAA Championship. This game turned out to rival my greatest game ever (Berwick-Manheim Central 37-30 in 1994). It was both of our first visits to Kottmeyer Stadium. This game was see-saw, never quit by both squads. It was 22-22 at the half. The Whippets opened second half scoring with a field goal 25-22. P-W answered with a TD and went up 29-25. Downingtown then took the score to 32-29 and 39-29, when the Colonials’ answered with a 70+ yard pass/run TD to make the score 39-36 Whippets. The score stayed that way until the final whistle.

The crowd was friendly and fun to talk with as we were “outsiders”; and the bands were great.   Remember, both Bud 2 and I were former drum corps guys and we could appreciate the modern high school bands programs with sophisticated books, synchronized on field percussion, pit section percussion, brass power, dynamics, and intonation, overall general effect, and marching execution and band front and flag squad performances. It was a great social night and one of football.

The following Friday night we moved a little further out US Route 30 to Coatesville and our first time at that fine stadium. The state quarter-final matchup would be District Two’s Wilkes- Barre Coughlin (10-2) at Downingtown (11-1). When the Crusaders’ entered the field they had two linemen that looked like house trailers. They just looked huge entering the field. We both remarked that if they can play to their size, oh my.

But we both still expected a Downingtown win. But not by the score that it was. The Whippets defense looked tighter than the prior week and the always effective offense had a 21-0 first quarter lead.

Early in the second half it was 38-0 Whippets and it was before the era of the fast clock I think. The Whippets had three picks on defense. And QB Dan Ellis was pin-point on his aerials. Harris had some good, elusive runs. The final was 51-0, and it was the Whippets’ first shutout of the year.

After another Turkey-day game in Quakertown, won by the home team 34-6 over Pennridge, we repeated our past two week treks out the pike and Route 30 to Coatesville on black Friday.

The Whippets’ opponent was Parkland (13-0), whom we saw play on the opening Saturday of the season at Pennsbury. The first quarter was scoreless and then in the second Downingtown ran an end-around reverse for a 20+ yard TD, 7-0 Whippets. About 5 plays later the Trojans tied the score on a 33-yard pass to the end zone. But the game tide then became Downingtown as they slowly built the lead 13-7; 21-7; and 27-7.

After we left to beat the crowd Parkland scored again to make the final Downingtown 27-14. Arlen Harris again had a great TD run and a second one called back by a penalty.

My brother in law (Bud 3), Bud 2 and I decided to take in the Class AAA eastern final at Lehigh Goodman Stadium. It was Berwick versus Allentown Central Catholic yet again. The Vikings had two losses on the season (one to Parkland) but was responsible for the one loss on Downingtown’s slate (42-25 in the early season).

This was the season that I thought Berwick looked the biggest I had ever seen for a team, especially 3A. There were just no “small guys” on the squad. Everyone was stud-looking, and a few linemen huge. And at least the linemen for ACC were no different. Defense dominated the game on both sides. ACC took a 3-0 field goal lead. A short fumble return TD and an interception to set up a short-field TD put the Dawgs in business 6-3, and then 14-3 with the successful 2-pt conversion. Two more fourth quarter Berwick field goals made the final 20-3 Dawgs’. It was their 39^th win in a row; they were in a streak.

I saw 30 games in 1996, only two short of my deliberate record in 1991. And most were far better games than those that I used for padding my record year. I saw six PIAA playoff games in two classes, the most in a season yet; and a total I would never top, at least through 2015.

But the ironic twisting of interwoven team associations is what fascinated me most this season.

First I saw the two best local teams CB East and CB West 8 times each; including West beating East.

Then I saw Downingtown beat East; and Plymouth-Whitemarsh beat West.

Next it was Downingtown over Plymouth-Whitemarsh in the D1 4A Championship game.

Downingtown over Coughlin was next. The thing here was that Coughlin had played Berwick (15-0) to a loss of only 3-6, Berwick’s arguably toughest game of the year. At least it was the closest score. Likely Berwick-Woodson was tougher, but at 26-22 Dawgs, it was one point more margin.

Next it was Downingtown over Parkland. We had seen Parkland open the season at Pennsbury, and Parkland had one of eventually three victories over Allentown Central Catholic.

Finally it was Berwick over Allentown Central Catholic. In the opener of the season ACC had handed Downingtown its only loss of the season, and then lost to Parkland. And the closeness of the Coughlin-Berwick game was related here.

Of course Downingtown and Berwick went on to win the state title this season, so we had seen two state champions play, and both eastern silver winners.

There never was or will be again a season such as this for me. But there are still delights to high school football to enjoy each and every season.

“Here’s a look back at 65 – seasons of Pennsylvania High School Football through the eyes of Kmac”

My 1993 season started on August 21^st when my wife presented me with a Morrisville schedule she obtained at the bank. This gave me the idea to visit schools and gain additional schedules as it was still pre-computer days for me, and I needed to write up the schedules in advance. On Tuesday 8/24/93 I visited Council Rock and Neshaminy and was successful in obtaining both teams’ schedules. The team was not out at Rock, and at Neshaminy, given directions by a young man, I walked through the gym where the team was inside in a blackboard session and on to a small office beyond where I was warmly greeted and given a schedule. I noted that this was a new wrinkle I should do each year, and for many years I did, soon with company.

I did not have a Suburban One league pass for 1993, breaking a three year run, but I would have them again for the next 8 consecutive seasons.

I noted an inauspicious beginning to this season. I soloed to Doylestown to see CB East host Pennridge in threatening weather, one of the reasons I was likely alone. The first half ended dry and with East leading 21-0. Then the heavens opened up and it was rain, and thunder and lightning and I beat it home soaked to the skin. When they did start the game again the final was CB East 35-13.

And I mention rain in many of my early-season games; it was obviously a rain-plagued season to start. And early in the year Bud 2 lost his dad, who had been at many games with me; was the reason his son and I met, was hosted by my wife and me one Thanksgiving, and was called “Pop” by me after a season or two. He had been a widower a long time and lived the last few years of his life with his son and his wife. He was a nice man.

In addition to the lack of the pass for the first time in three years and early rainy weather, and the loss of “Pop”, my wife did not make a game for the first time in 10 seasons. My brother in law (Bud 3) halved from 14 games to 7 this season. Unknowingly, 15 games with Bud 1 in company were the most I have for him in any given year. Next season would show a drastic reduction in games with company which was mostly due to my work situation. But it would rebound.

The Jewish holiday Friday break this season occurred for Friday September 24, and Bud 3 and I used the lack of activity here to make a third-straight-year trip to Berwick. This Friday night the Dawgs at 3-0 were hosting Wyoming Area also 3-0. I mentioned the best weather of the season so far in my notes, clear and cool. Berwick was trailing 7-6 with about 4 minutes left in the half when they roared back to take a 13-7 lead at the half. They tacked a second half TD on to win the game 20-7. It was a well-played game between two good upstate teams.

The Dawgs ended the season 13-1, losing in the Eastern final to Allentown Central Catholic 8-13. Wyoming Area had an 11-2 season.

Inexplicable this season was a 17-6 Norristown victory over CB West in the second game of the season for West. It was the Eagles’ first game as their original first game was rained out and rescheduled for later in the season. It was in Doylestown and the Eagles’ ended the year 6-4; while West played in another state championship. I never saw a review or remember explanations, but kudos to the Eagles. It was the only CB West game that I did not either see in person or listen to on the radio this season.

This year’s signature game was CB West 5-1, at Council Rock 5-1 on Saturday October 23^rd in the afternoon. Bud 2, Bud 3 and son, and I took it in. Council Rock sustained a drive from the opening kickoff and went up 7-0. The Rock defense held pretty well, but a West fumble recovery gave them good field position and allowed a short-drive TD to even the score at 7 at the half. The West defense stiffened and held Rock at bay most of the third quarter. The Bucks’ drove and went up 14-7 just near the end of the third quarter. Early in the fourth quarter the West punter dropped the snap and Rock’s Chiarello scooped it up for a 25-yard fumble-return defensive score. Rock passed for a 2-pt PAT and it was 15-14 Rock. Late in the game, an interception by CB West initiated a 71-yard, 13-play drive and two-point conversion to go up 22-15. But Rock answered with a 2 minute and 16 second drive capped by a 39 yard Wellen to Cozza pass that Cozza made a spectacular diving catch in the end zone and it was 22-21 West.

The Indians decided to go for two and the win. Wellen again put it up in the air. It was batted up in the air on the receiving end and both receiver and defender were right under the descending ball. West grabbed it at the goal line for another interception. About two minutes were left in the game. There was no more scoring, final CB West 22-21.

Rain is again mentioned in late October and early November as I mentioned on two consecutive games that “only Bud 1 and I braved the rain to see —“.

Another break in “normal team” following occurred on November 12 when Bud 2 was interested in seeing Souderton at Plymouth-Whitemarsh; a game which had division championship implications. This was both of our first-ever visits to P-W, and my only one to date. Souderton won 13-12 in a good ballgame and annexed their division’s title.

A trip to Coatesville was planned for me and Buds 2 and 3 for the CB West visit for the D1 Championship Friday 11/19. But Bud 2 was ill, the weather again threatening, and on this very day my bank was absorbed by a really big one and both my job and my wife’s job were under some uncertainty.   I listened to the game on the radio.

Coatesville took a 21-18 lead into the locker room at halftime. The third quarter was scoreless. CB West scored twice in the fourth quarter and held off a furious last ditch effort to win the game 32-21.

Thanksgiving saw two firsts recorded this season. Bud 2 and I returned to Poppy Yoder field for my first-ever Pennridge-Quakertown classic which was also the first time I had ever seen Quakertown. Here I saw another current coach play as a student, RB George Banas, who was pretty much contained by the Rams this day. It was close and at 13-13 one point, but the Rams had the last two scores to win it 27-13.

We cancelled our planned trip to Lehigh for a CB West-Easton match again due to the weather. It was a scrum-oriented mud bath won by CB West 6-3.

No plan to go to Altoona was afoot and I listened to the championship game on radio. This year CB West was facing the number 2 or 3 ranked team in the country in North Hills. Their QB was ranked as the top QB prospect in the country, Eric Kasperowitz. (He now coaches Pine-Richland H S). There was also wide receiver Ken Bollens, both first team all state. On the defensive side of the ball North Hills had Seamus Murphy DL 6-5 250 first team all state, and DL Chris Barie 6-3 240 third team all-state. Lavar Arrington was a freshman RB and LB on the team also. Todd Volitis represented CB West for all-state, DL first team at 6-3 240.

CB West held a 14-0 lead until 9:00 minutes left in the game. Then the talent superiority kicked in as it is wont to do, and the Indians scored two 4^th quarter TDs and with the last converted a 2-pt conversion try to win the game 15-14 with just a few seconds left. The West and WPIAL annexed the big school championship yet again.

Another glorious season was in the books. A total of 27 games were made, a fine season. Many firsts and highlights outlined in the narrative above were realized. Weather was a mess, though.

On August 18, 1994 I was notified by telephone that Buddy number 2 would miss this coming 1994 season due to job shifts at his employment. There might be a few exceptions. And my wife and my employment stabilized ok with the new bank, but by football season I was transferred from Newtown to Doylestown.

For the 1994 season Harry S. Truman was coming back in to the Power Ten Conference and William Tennent was going to Truman’s old division. William Tennent was also adding lights to their field for 1994. A not-that-often-used Saturday afternoon game destination was history.

On Saturday morning 8/20 I journeyed solo to Doylestown for my first-ever scrimmage, Phillipsburg NJ at CB West. I was surprised that the concession stands were open and humming and about 250 fans were in the stands. I made no notes, but thought that West looked to be good again this season. I knew that P-burg had a fine reputation for high school football.

Because Wednesday-Thursday was his weekend in his new work schedule, I picked up Bud 2 on a Thursday and we made my second school practice tour to Council Rock, Neshaminy and Bensalem. At Bensalem, A D Hart again presented me with a league pass. I was now set for the new season, my 44th.

My company factor dropped from 81% to 58% for 1994. I went to 10 of 24 games solo. My wife did get back for two contests, but Bud 1 dropped from an all-time high of 15 to 6 for 1994. It was due to my choice of games, and my work situation, as I will explain later.

Bud 2’s work situation narrowed him to only 2 contests for 1994, and Bud 3 got to 8, one up from 7 in 1993. It was what had to be, and the numbers would go back up before this tradition just about disappeared.

CB West had been to another state championship game in a losing cause, but they were still the team to beat in my local area. I would see 10 of their 12 games this season, my record for that team, or any team for that matter. The opener was Chester at Doylestown. I had last seen the Clippers in 1962 in a 0-54 loss to Neshaminy; 32 years back.

The Bucks led the game 22-0 in the fourth quarter, with senior QB Snyder throwing strong accurate passes. Receiver drops kept the score from being greater. The Clippers then did score against the first D; but the second tally was a scooped up 67-yard fumble return against the subs to end the game 22-14 CB West.

Bud 3 and son, and Bud 1 and I wanted to see some history made at Council Rock who had portable lights for the first night game at this Rock stadium on Friday, September 9, 1994.

And next-door neighbor Neshaminy was the foe. Two quick Rock scores made it look like it was going to be a runaway. But things settled down and the final was Rock 21, Neshaminy 6.

I noted: “Neshaminy looks to be in for a rough year while Rock looks to challenge” in my game notes. Right and wrong. Neshaminy did flop in legendary coach Dick Bedesem’s last year at Neshaminy ending 1-10 on the field and officially 2-9 as they were awarded a win for a loss for this game, as Rock ran into an ineligible player situation. But Rock didn’t fare much better, officially posting a 2-9 record because of reversing four wins due to the ineligible. On the field they were only 6-5 though.

Norristown was the surprise this season opening a week later and with CB West in town. I have never seen a game at Roosevelt Stadium so I report that the Bucks won this one 34-24. That was the last time the Eagles would lose this season, finishing 9-1. The district playoffs were expanded to four teams this season, but the Eagles 9-1 was not good enough to make it.

I saw the Eagles twice; the first at Council Rock October 8^th. The Indians moved the ball fairly well on the ground, but turned the ball over on fumbles twice deep in the red zone. In fact they turned the ball over 7 times in the game, not a formula for success.

The game remained 0-0 for a long time before Rock eventually cracked the goal line and took a 6-0 lead —–for about 13 seconds. The ensuing kickoff got to speed burner Daimon Carroll for the Eagles and 92 yards later with PAT it was 7-6 Norristown.

With about 8:00 left in the ballgame, the Eagles other speed merchant Jeff Butler raced 58 yards off tackle to seal it for the Eagles’ 14-6. This was a solo trip for me.

Two weeks later, I soloed to see the Eagles again at Falcon Field. I purposely sat close to Mike Pettine who was scouting the Falcons, CB West’s next week’s opponent.

I did not bother him except halftime and times when I saw he was not involved on the field. I mentioned the speed of Carroll, and Mike said he was the fastest he had ever seen, and THAT is a testimonial. A good game and study of opposites. Pennsbury’s pound and ball control worked and produced three scores. But the Eagles big-play philosophy worked even better and produced four scores. Most of the third and fourth quarters were tied 20-20. But the Eagle speed produced one more than the Falcons and it ended 26-20 Norristown.

One aspect of the new bigger bank I now worked for was that I was transferred from Newtown to Doylestown to work as I mentioned earlier. As a result, when football season started I would grab a bite and go right from work to War Memorial Field for CB East or West games. This led to less involvement of Buddy 3 that usually rode with me to games, and as I said Buddy 2 was out this season due to work shift changes. The fact that I was in Doylestown so much isolated me from Buddy 1 who primarily followed Bensalem and Neshaminy. I noted that I soloed to five games in a row at one point in the year.

The District One AAAA semi final at CB West had an oddity this season in that both star running backs for West and Wissahickon were named Lowe. West had Bill Lowe and the Trojans had Shawn Lowe. They were possibly cousins, but that is unfounded.

Both did their stuff in the game. Bill Lowe had about 200 yards rushing and a TD and they won the game. The Trojan’s Shawn Lowe had about 175 yards and two TDs. Tied at 7; and then 14 at the half, the Bucks’ adjusted and scored the only TD in the second half (4^th quarter) to win 21-14. I made a note: “In the other D1 semi-final Downingtown blasted Springfield Delco 56-13; and I would make them the favorite at CB West next Friday night”.

Sometimes I’m right. My brother-in-law and my nephew joined me for the D1 championship game and I noted it was good to have them back. West was hosting Downingtown. This was the game it was expected to be. It ended 14-7 Downingtown. Their star running backs Aaron Harris and Bryn Boggs did not hurt the Bucks so much, but a counter to a third back plus a long halfback option pass to Harris and a not much heralded defense that was very solid kept the Bucks’ at bay. I noted, “The Whippets look capable of a state championship”.

They didn’t win it this year, but they did make it to states, and it was only a 14-17 loss to McKeesport; and they did win it in 1996. Yet again, the west and WPIAL won the big one; there is still some magnificent football in western PA beyond the days of Montana, Ditka, Marino, and so many more.

The two of us that saw the Turkey Day game at Pennridge in 1993 were joined by Bud 3 for the reverse, Pennridge at Quakertown in 1994. It was my first visit to the Panthers’ Alumni Field. The game was even – no score through three quarters.

A 70-yard fake reverse opened the door to a 7-0 Quakertown victory. Unfortunately it was not so much good defenses that kept the score low as somewhat inept offensive lines. I do not think the stats were impressive for this game.

On Thanksgiving Saturday 1994 I did something I never did before or since. I journeyed alone to Goodman Stadium, Lehigh to see the 3A state semi-final between Berwick and Allentown Central Catholic. Trips of an hour or more I seldom did alone, it was just too boring.

I just never was so cranked to keep a season going and I knew exactly how to get there. Berwick took a 7-0 lead and then fell behind 7-12 at the half. But the Dawgs opened the second half with a TD and 2-pt conversion to go up 15-12. They never relinquished the lead, but the Vikings moved the ball well and the game was in doubt. The final score was Berwick 29 ACC 18. I was still inspired and wanted to motor to Hershey for the Dawgs’ next playoff game.

My brother-in-law (Bud 3) agreed with me so out we motored to Hershey on Friday December 2. Even though I had gone through two bank acquisitions, my work record went from 1959-1994, so I had 35 years seniority and ample time I could take off for these occasions. Bud 3 worked where he could schedule his time and work load, so we both were free to go on a Friday.

This was arguably one of the best high school football games I ever witnessed. It was Manheim Central 13-0 versus Berwick 12-1; Eastern AAA Championship, state semi-final. The Dawgs’ recovered a fumble early and drove in for a 7-0 lead. Manheim answered with the best short, quick passing game I’ve ever seen, 7-7. If they can’t stop something, continue to use it, and Manheim did and drove to a second score and 2-pt conversion 15-7 Manheim Central.

Berwick drove and stalled at the Central 6 or 7 yard line. They settled for a field goal 15-10 Manheim Central. The Dawgs defense stiffened and held and then Dawg junior QB Dave Robbins launched a strike that the receiver jumped up and caught between double coverage in the end zone.

The 2-pt conversion attempt was no good and it was 16-15 Berwick. The Dawgs D had figured out the quick passes by the last series, so Manheim Central next scored on a 60-yard running TD burst. They were successful in their 2-point conversion and the first half ended 23-16 Manheim Central.

Having won the original coin toss and deferred, Berwick received the second half kickoff, drove the field and scored and then kicked the PAT and it was 23-23. The Dawgs D looked tighter in the 2^nd half and they scored again, but missed the PAT and it was 29-23.

With about 2 minutes left in the game the Barons’ scored and made the PAT kick and took a 30-29 lead. But Berwick returned the ensuing kickoff to good field position and then a 15-yard penalty on the Barons shortened the field to where another Robbins pass found its mark to make it 35-30. A Robbins 2-point pass conversion made it 37-30 with 1:18 left to play. I said to my brother-in-law; that’s too much time for this Barons’ offense, they can score again. I was almost right by a hair. Manheim put on a pro-like 2-minute drill and ended up on the Berwick 4-yard line with time remaining.

Another short pass was launched and number 90 caught it, but he was wearing the visitors white of Berwick, a game-saving end zone interception. The Dawgs still had to run a play or two, but it was over 37-30 Berwick. A truly great game and way to end my 44^th season.

I saw 24 games this time around. Also saw my first scrimmage, did the first of many to come all-day school pre-season visits, first (and only) long haul game solo, first visit to Hershey Stadium, first triple A playoff game seen, and my first visit to Quakertown’s Alumni Stadium. These factors were important to how I rated my seasons.

The year of 1995 was the year the PIAA eliminated ties and made the overtime rule mandatory. New coaches this season would be Mike Pettine Jr. at William Tennent, Biz Keeney at Bensalem, a new man at Morrisville, and Mark Schmidt at Neshaminy. I was negligent in my records keeping over the years in regards to coaching. I wish I had done better now that I write about such things.

My early notes dated August 12 had the coaching notes above, and also that Bensalem A D Bob Hart had seen my wife at the bank and said he had a pass for me again this season. I noted – “a weaker season for CB West (2 losses)? They did end 10-2. Obviously all of the years I had been to high school football were imparting some knowledge to me.

On Saturday August 19^th on the way home from a Saturday bank work day in Doylestown, I stopped to catch a scrimmage in progress, Easton at CB East. I liked the East offense this year and I would see 7 of their games.

On Wednesday August 23, Bud 2 and I made our day of practice stops and we hit CB West, Council Rock, Pennsbury, Morrisville, Neshaminy, Bensalem and Tennent.

It was a bit too early. West and Rock had no schedules (published) yet, it was all quiet at Neshaminy, and Bob Hart wasn’t in at Bensalem. We did some kibitzing where there was activity.

I had three reasons to open at Bensalem this season.

One, to thank AD Hart for the pass, two, to see Bud 1 yet another season; and three, to see Penn Wood, the visiting team I had never seen before. Bud 3, his son and I made the jaunt. It was here that I found out that Bob Hart was battling cancer.

But he is with us in 2016, so he must have been successful over the last 20+ years. In what could not have been a very exciting game the Penn Wood Patriots won 6-0.

Bethlehem Freedom at Council Rock the next day was my second outing, I met Bud 1 there. Council Rock looked real good in spurting out to a 27-0 lead and then playing subs which scored 21 more while allowing the Freedom Patriots to score 27. Final 48-27 CR. I was still not writing the games up as I would in later years, actual score-by-score descriptions with names. I was still working; the better game descriptions came closer to retirement.

I soloed for CB East the next Friday. For any reader unfamiliar with the CB West- East situation; both schools played at War Memorial Field in Doylestown. Only in 2015 did CB East open their stadium at the school in Holicong. I was the only one of our 4-posse that had much interest in East. It was a drizzly night but I wanted to see an improved Truman and very improved CB East. I wasn’t disappointed in East, their Delaware Wing-T with deceptive motion and counters looked very good behind their sizable line on both sides of the ball. I noted I wanted to see more of them and predicted a high finish this season.

I couldn’t get away from the Patriots this year as one team in each of my first three games was “Patriots”; Penn Wood, Freedom, and CB East.

Next day I de-Patriotized and saw CB West at Pennsbury with Bud 1. CB West had a line rebuilding job to do. I noted that it appeared that they will rely on defense and a power-running game this season. But as they always execute, they will do alright. I thought Norristown, Council Rock, and CB East might give them a challenge. I made a point to see those three matches when they occurred. But this game at Pennsbury was only 16-6 CB West, closer than some of the challenges that I mentioned.

The next Friday was the Norristown (2-0) at CB West (2-0) game and I went right to it from work in Doylestown. Coach Pettine usually deferred if he won the toss, but in no way wanted to put the ball in the hands of Daimon Carroll, a senior Eagle this season. They won the toss and took the ball. The Bucks power running game and keep-away strategy, along with staunch defense allowed a Bucks’ 21-0 bulge at halftime. Sure enough, the second half kickoff to Norristown inadvertently got to Carroll and he promptly returned it 90 yards for the Eagles lone TD of the night. We had a group of 7 for this game including Bud 2 (on vacation) and his wife, who usually didn’t go to many games, a friend of Bud 3 and him, and two children.

On Friday September 29 North Penn came to Doylestown and turned the table on the Bucks’. North Penn played flawless and the Bucks’ fumbled three times in the first half. Knights’ premier running back Harold Padgett was a bludgeon and the Knights’ lines were superior this night on both sides of the ball. When a pass was necessary the Knights connected. Final 19-14 North Penn. This was an upset as the Knights ended up 7-4 while the Bucks had a 10-2 season as I had predicted.

This only heightened my apprehension for West this season. Next, Council Rock was away on Saturday October 21. Here a rain-soaked heavy wet field reduced the game to a shoving match. The Bucks’ used one drive off of a fumble recovery to score and come away a 7-0 victor.

A rain-switched Monday night game, P-W at Tennent allowed me to see my first game at night under Tennent’s second-year lights. P-W was 8-0 and came from behind to win this one 33-13.

Saturday Nov 11 CB East and CB West met for all of the marbles. Both teams were 7-1 in the league (North Penn had also beaten East 27-7 and was also 7-1 in the league, having lost to Pennsbury). I soloed with my pass for an SRO position and I stood at the fence on the visitors’  side, scoreboard end about 2 yards deep in the end zone.

Fortunately, a lot of activity was at my end zone. Early CB East drove deep into West territory but was stopped on fourth and one near my end of the viewing area. The quarter ended 0-0 and West was coming my way in the second, and scored. West took the second half kickoff and staged one of their patented ball-control drives using almost the entire third quarter with numerous 4^th down situations and even a fake punt. This TD was also in front of me. After I left a long interception return made the final 26-0 CB West a bit of a surprising score.

CB West again obtained home field for the first round of D1 play because Coatesville was upset by Conestoga the prior Friday.

Bud 3 and I took it in; he hadn’t been to many games in 1995 and was indeed pulling away from high school football. Coatesville was big physically. And they moved the ball behind that girth; and probably had more yardage and first downs than CB West. But you can’t be mistake-prone on West and win, and the Red Raiders turned the ball over five times. This led to a 25-0 CB West bulge when we left. Coatesville did score to make the final 25-6.

I rarely visited Bristol other than Turkey-day games versus Morrisville, but I wanted to see the District 1 one-A championship game there versus Jenkintown. The Drakes got a 20-7 lead; but at halftime led 20-14. I left with 2 minutes left in the game and it was 28-20 Bristol. The teams traded TDs in the last two minutes to make the final Bristol 34-26. I could add a Class A District 1 championship game to my resume.

On Friday November 17 I went to Neshaminy to see the regional class 1A game between Bristol and St Pius X of Rosetto. I did not expect much for Bristol because Pius was a storied 1A program at 10-1 (Bristol was 5-4) and the Royals were putting up scores such as 62, 59, and 48 in some of their games. Both offenses put on a fine first half show with Bristol actually leading at the half 21-19. But the senior-laden Royals led by 6-4 200 QB Stambaugh owned the 2^nd half. And I had seen yet another future head coach to be. The final was St Pius X 31-21, not bad considering the two teams records.

While I was at this game CB West was losing to Plymouth-Whitemarsh 0-16 at P-W in the D1 AAAA semi-final. The two losses I predicted in August for CB West were a reality.

Thanksgiving means high school football and this time Bud 2 and Bud 3 and I caught a late-schedule change Upper Merion at North Penn. The normal Knights’ opponent, Lansdale Catholic was involved in playoffs. This was my first-ever Upper Merion Vikings viewing. It was 14-0 UM through most of the game until about 3 and one half minutes left in the game when the Knights converted on a recovered fumble deep in the Vikings red zone for a short drive 14-7 final.

With that my season abruptly ended. My bank schedule now had me alternating one week in Doylestown and one week in Philadelphia and on Phila Fridays it was tough to make games. This and lack of interest by any of my Buds in pursuing playoffs made any more games not possible. Still with no computer and as such having trouble getting some information, I dropped Berwick from my records after this season; I had picked them up in 1991 the first season we got up there to see them. Later, I added one or two teams to my records each season as “guest schools”. These are usually teams that have a shot at a State Championship from District’s 1, 11, or 12. This was only possible after the PC was a household item for obtaining information on such teams.

Despite the sudden end to the season, I made 26 games this season the kind of total that I liked.

 

“Here’s a look back at 65 – seasons of Pennsylvania High School Football through the eyes of Kmac”

The 1990 season would be my 40^th tour and I thought I should commemorate it by trying to set a record for number of games seen. After all, who knew if there would be a 50^th? This would mean seeing games I might not otherwise be interested in, but if I could get to a game I should do it. I saw 32 games and I have never even tried to match it since.

I saw all 16 teams that I follow as indicated: 6 times – CB East and CB West; 5 times – Bensalem, Neshaminy, Pennsbury, Archbishop Wood; 4 times – Truman; 3 times – Council Rock, Tennent, Abington, North Penn; 2 times – Norristown, Pennridge, Bristol; once – Morrisville & Bishop Egan.

My Bensalem buddy was well-known at both Bensalem and Neshaminy and by chance obtained Suburban One League passes at both schools. About a month into the season I received one of those passes from him by mail. Talk about a help to accomplish my mission of seeing a record number of games, WOW! The free entrance was really not the key element for having a pass. The pass would let you enter the fields anytime if there were no closed gates and many fields were not, and this allowed kibitzing with coaches if they were at leisure pregame just for a short period. It also would allow you entrance at sold-out games, standing room only sometimes, but not a problem. From one source or another, I would have a pass for 12 of my 16 “golden years” of high school football.

I opened at CB West this season as my Lansdale buddy and father and I caught the Souderton Big Red in town. Troy Myers was a threat for Souderton, but the Bucks’ were too strong and well-prepared. An 80+ yard interception return for CB West, and two Matt Soncini long TD punt returns sealed the deal 35-6 CB West.

The second West challenge at home was Plymouth-Whitemarsh who just missed beating West in 1989 by a point 9-10. So guess what happened this year – CB West won by a point 14-13. We were impressed by the Colonials; I logged that I thought they outplayed the Bucks, but lost by a PAT kick that was true in line, but just short, under the goal post at the hospital end (north) of the field. I noted that the Bucks’ were 2-0 but “needed work”.

My wife accompanied me in several early games this year; she had developed a fondness for the game and she liked the bands and cheerleader routines as well as the game; but she knew what was going on in the games. As I was once a band and drum corps snare drummer, the bands always interested me too. I began to make some notes on those as well as the games at times.

I noted on Sunday October 14, 1990 that heavy rains caused me to pass on North Catholic (0 – for) at Bishop Egan (0-4-1) Saturday night after the Pennsbury game. Dougherty was at Wood that Sunday, but a wet basement and cleanup from the heavy rains caused me to pass on this one too. I noted my record would have to be 35 instead of 37; so I had pre-planned a very heavy slate, which ended up at 32 as I mentioned.

After the first weekend of the season, I caught the next 6 consecutive games of CB East this year. They had opened with a 7-0 win over Bishop Coughlin. Then I saw them beat Wood at home 28-6, LaSalle at home 28-12, at Council Rock 24-12, home for Bensalem 21-7 and Truman 14-6. Finally I saw them at Pennsbury where the streak ended in a 6-14 loss to the Falcons. While finishing 8-3-1 they lost to CB West this season 7-8.

The signature game of the year this season was Saturday Oct 6 Council Rock at CB West. You could feel it in the air. Across the field on the CR side the crowd was pumped and electric. When the game started the team demonstrated the same emotion. The Rock’s Tom Coleman, a junior, lit up this night. He returned the opening kickoff 58 yards, deep into West territory. During the game he caught two passes for TDs and threw a halfback option pass for another TD. He also ran for a 15-yard score. At one point in the game the score was 40-11 Council Rock. CB West recovered in the second half to make the final 40-33, but I never again saw such an assault on the Bucks by a team even though said team might have beaten them. Once again this single loss, the Bucks ended 10-1, cost them a shot at the playoffs. Ridley posted an 11-0 regular season, beat Wilson West Lawn 14-12 and then lost to North Allegheny 14-21 in the final.

State championships on the field had now been played for three seasons. When they were first announced, many of us “just fans” in the east had much apprehension about the storied competition the west would bring to the table. I still admire the WPIAL for its impressive cast of power football schools across (formerly) all four classes. I was surprised that after three championship series, the east held a slim win edge 7-5 for the 12 games played. But the east had not cracked the big 4A class in three tries, so far. Tracking the state championships became another part of my high school football hobby.

The next day my wife and I visited Tennent to see LaSalle and Wood for a Sunday matchup. It was a 26-7 Explorer victory, but with this game and the fact I had seen LaSalle-CB East earlier, I had two looks at the Explorers 6-8, 275 pound defensive tackle, Kevin Conlin. He was a member of the football-playing Conlin family, the most prominent being Chris that went on to Penn State and the NFL. Only in 2016 did I learn I had seen another coach play – Kevin will lead Abington in 2016.

On Saturday Nov 3 I journeyed to Abington’s field which was then a day-only, old field off of Huntingdon Road near Susquehanna Road. I met my Lansdale buddy and his dad there for the CB West visit.

The Bucks’ won 17-7, but the reason that I mentioned this game is that with it I broke my previous game-viewing record of 27 (1977); this was my 28^th this season. This was my first visit to this field, but not my last.

Only on Thanksgiving did I finally reach my goal of seeing every team I logged and of all teams it was my alma mater, Morrisville – at Bristol. I had seen Bristol earlier, but it was my first Bulldog viewing of the year. My Lansdale buddy and his dad, my brother-in-law (my sister’s husband) and I took the trip, but the Bulldogs came out on the short end 6-35. Bristol senior QB Jerry Devine went over 1,000 yards for the season during the game.

And Turkey Day was my 32^nd game this year out of a possible 37 at the start. I will never beat this number, although I have come close without consciously planning a few times.

Suburban One League realignment was the big issue for 1991. While not the reason in publicity, H S Truman and Pennridge were struggling in their National Conference divisions and both dropped to the Sub One Liberty Division for 1991. The remaining 10 large-school teams were lumped in one National Division. This was Abington, Bensalem, CB East, CB West, Council Rock, Neshaminy, Norristown, North Penn, Pennsbury, and William Tennent. It got the colloquial title “Power 10 Conference” in some circles.

I rearranged my records pages accordingly for the new alignment and dropped Pennridge from my records. My thinking at the time was that it was not an original lower Bucks County school, which was the first rule of my keeping teams in my records. Over the years I vacillated on when to keep records and when to drop schools. Sometimes it was keep only Bucks County Schools, sometimes it was only lower Bucks County Schools. I have never tracked Palisades, which, while in Bucks County, plays in a District 11 league.

Again about the fourth week of the season a Suburban One League pass arrived by mail from my Bensalem buddy. Except for PCL or Bicentennial/Independence games, they would be all free.

My Lansdale buddy’s father and I opened the tour with Bishop Coughlin at CB East. I talked to an old bank customer of mine at some length, whose son was a big lineman for CB East. I was starting to experience the social value of these games more and more with the company and people I would run into. The Patriots of CB East won the game 28-8.

The following Friday night I journeyed to Souderton and met my Lansdale buddy, sans father, for CB West at Souderton. A balanced West attack saw two rushing TDs and two via the airways in a 27-0 shutout of the Big Red. But the Bucks’ were penalized quite a bit, somewhat uncharacteristic for them.

I soloed to the next three games, unusual then, but both buddies were at other games the middle time. Neither of my pals was interested in certain teams and games, but I was going because they were available games.

The big event of 1991 was my Lambertville brother-in-law (he married my wife’s youngest sister) and his new involvement in high school football. He was originally from Nescopeck, PA which is just across the river from Berwick. He wondered if I would be interested in traveling up and seeing a Berwick game. My yes answer was akin to the speed of light.

I was on vacation the week of September when on the 20^th, he and I made the 2-hour plus trek to Berwick. We were going to see Wyoming Area (3-0) at Berwick (2-1, sporting a 25-26 loss to Glen Mills who I had just seen the week before at Pennsbury). Glen Mills had beaten the Falcons 41-17 and dressed about 90 players, big-fast- and talented.

But here at Crispin Field in Berwick it seemed we stepped back to the 1950s. The crowd gathered early, both sides were raucous with catcalls back and forth across the field. The stands were packed. Before the game fireworks were set off behind and on the goal posts.

I had a little notebook with me and made about five pages of notes. I have no idea where this little book got to over the years. Berwick won 34-14 and I was totally impressed with the area, team, crowd, everything. We both planned to come back next season; but we got back again this season!

The following Friday my new Lambertville football buddy joined me and he met both Lansdale and Bensalem buddies at CB West for a 3-0 Neshaminy visit. The Bucks’ handled the Skins 27-0. Greg Moylan was the Bucks fine field general. He ran the O and when he passed it was most times successful. Matt Soncini was a primary receiver. Dave Binder was a bruising FB, but not quite the size of the later Swett, Armstrong and Picciotti. But this Bucks’ squad lived on defense. The names on defense are more anonymous unless of all-state character, but Rob Swett was all-state LB in his junior year at 6-3, 220 pounds. Moylan made third team QB.

My 50^th birthday was the occasion for a surprise birthday party for me in the bank office in which I worked in Newtown, PA on Friday, October 11^th. (Actual birth date is 10/16). Of course it was on a second floor private office area, not a retail banking office. I was totally floored by this with lots of attention by many bank employees above and below my level. And my Lambertville football buddy/brother in law was there and to this day I do not get that connection; there were no other relatives of mine, it was basically a business birthday party. Whatever, he and I left after the festivities for North Penn at CB West to arrive to a dark field and no activity; game postponed until Saturday night. We then quickly departed for Morrisville who I knew was home, hosting Archbishop Kennedy. We took it in, a scrappy little affair, basically 9-7 Saints until late in the game when Kennedy iced it with a TD with 47 seconds left in the game, final 15-7 Kennedy.

We figured on catching the NP-West game Saturday night after the afternoon Pennsbury hosting Council Rock game in which all four buddies – me, Lambertville, Lansdale, and Bensalem attended. This year the Indians Tom Coleman, who destroyed CB West in 1990 was a senior. He got wide open on the first play from scrimmage and QB Albrecht hit him for a 78-yard TD. The Falcons countered on a long drive in their style and it was 7-7. Still in the first quarter Albrecht hit Coleman for 77 yards on the fly, 14-7 Rock at the quarter and at the half. The Falcons tied again in the third quarter, 14-14. In the fourth quarter, the Falcons scored and took their first lead 21-14. We were filing out with about 5 minutes left when Coleman came streaking up the sideline just in front of us, grabbed a perfectly thrown aerial and finished a 90-yard pass/run TD. Albrecht then ran in a 2-point PAT and Rock won the game 22-21.

Now, this game had been a giant deke to keep me out of the house while my wife organized a second huge 50^th surprise party at our home in the basement recreation-room bar.

Both my Lambertville and Lansdale buddies were in on it. This was one to remember and I still do today. Needless to say we did not get to the North Penn-CB West game that night. Most of us actually couldn’t have gotten anywhere that night. Thank goodness all that had to go home; got there safely.

I do get a bit misty though, remembering so many people that are gone since that date almost exactly 24 years ago. (I am writing this portion October 14, 2015).  The next day the wife and I left for a New England vacation.

It occurs to me to shorten my buddy relationships for brevity to Bud 1 (Bensalem); Bud 2 (Lansdale), and Bud 3 (Lambertville); with a sole addition to come a few years later.

On Friday November 1, Bud 3 and I, and two other people (former South Hunterdon H S of Lambertville athletes) motored to Berwick once again for Berwick hosting Wyoming Valley West. Both teams sported 7-2 records. Berwick had since played Central Dauphin and lost 15-17. At the time we were not aware that this was not one of Berwick’s finest teams, both losses were to good teams, but Berwick was used to winning those games. I noted that the Dawgs started only 3 to 5 seniors on both O and D. Obviously this was why the 2 losses this season, and they were close (1 point and 2 points) to good teams; but I said we would definitely have to see Berwick again next season. They had no problem this night, 47-14 over the Spartans.

The next day, home from Berwick, Bud 3, his son – my nephew – and I took in CB West at Council Rock. Remember Rock beat West in 1990 40-33 and the chief culprit was Tom Coleman, now a senior at Rock. Typical of Mike Pettine, the Bucks looked super-prepared to avenge last year’s game and were perfect in control and execution, and out-ran, out-passed, and out-defended the Rock on the way to a 49-7 victory. Rock got a little chippy, highly unusual at that school even though I saw it once before at Tennent. CB West now stood 8-0 on the season.

On November 23 (Saturday) Bud 3 and I journeyed the short run to Council Rock. Bud 1 had called me that morning and said he would be at that game, and he was. In my 41 seasons so far I had never seen Tennent AT Rock before and it was my motivation over the Neshaminy-Pennsbury classic this season. I also thought that would be a blowout this season and it was, 41-0 Pennsbury. This game was much more entertaining.

Tennent consistently moved the ball on the ground with Adcock, Livezy, and Pernsley. Rock’s passing attack this year; especially Albrecht to Coleman also was effective again. But in the end a field goal and one PAT was the difference, 17-13 Council Rock. We bid farewell for the season to Bud 1, as he spent the Thanksgiving period in the Poconos, and he said he was not interested in following CB West if they made the playoffs, which were still elemental; next season district playoffs would be initiated.

My Suburban One League pass got Bud 3 and me into the CB East – CB West Thanksgiving Day game at War Memorial Field this season. It was SRO; an estimated 10,000 in attendance, so we stood at the fence at about the 15-yard line, visitor’s side, school-end of the stadium.

We could see ok, except when the play was down close at our end and a mass of sideline people blocked the view somewhat. West looked a bit sluggish early, and they fell behind 6-7 early and QB Moylan went down with an injury (thankfully, he was back in the game in the 4^th quarter).

By halftime it was 14-7 CB West, and with about 37 seconds remaining in the game CB West’s Patterson hit a field goal to make the final 17-7 Bucks’; completing an 11-0 regular season.

Ridley went 7-4 this year, possibly 6-4 regular season, Interboro (Ridley win) was likely still on Thanksgiving. Coatesville posted a 10-0-1 season with a tie with Henderson marring their chance. Neshaminy was but 4-7. These were the three protagonists that had kept CB West from the first three playoffs. Now it was West’s turn.

On Saturday, December 7 Bud 2 and I journeyed to Lehigh University’s Goodman Stadium to see CB West and Easton butt heads in the PIAA Eastern Championship, or state semi-final. Bud 3 was scheduled to go, but was suffering a back strain and his daughter was ill. Surprisingly, we ran into Bud 1, who had at the last minute decided to come with someone who provided the transportation. I found it mildly amusing that the announcer said that Easton would have the West bleachers and C B West the East bleachers, reversing a part of the name of each team. (Well, you had to be there). According to local Bucks County sources the Easton players had been jawing that the Buck’s had not played anybody like them and another dig that had CB West annoyed. Whether this was true or pre-game hype is unknown to me.

But I did know that Easton was good. Easton was almost always good, going back a long time. This year they were 13-0 coming in, with a playoff win over Pottsville 25-15 included. Their offense averaged 34.8 points per game. CB West averaged 30.5 points per game. The Easton offensive line averaged almost 6-3, 237 pounds. Their chief threat was running back Juan Gaddy, whose career 5,116 rushing yards was tops at Easton through 2013, at least. West’s defense held the edge 4.6 (coming in) to 12.0 for Easton; and as the old cliché goes – “defense wins championships”.

Easton got the opening kickoff and drove the field and scored, but missed the PAT and it was quickly 6-0 Easton, and it looked like they were right on their brag (if it actually happened).

But CB West had a balanced attack running and passing, and I remember one long pass completion on the opposite side of the field that put West in scoring position, I don’t remember when it occurred, but I believe it was the first half. Whatever, the rest of the game was West, soon 7-6 West; then 14-6, 21-6, 28-6, and late in the game 34-6. I do not remember when the PAT was missed in the score progression, but West did get up by four touchdowns. Easton scored again against either the subs, or a relaxed defense. Final 34-12; and CB West would play for a state championship.

Bud 3 and I considered the trip to Altoona for the state championship game, but the 4 to 5 hour ride after a rainy Friday continuing into Saturday game day precluded a go.

CB West went on to win the state AAAA Championship 26-14 over Erie Cathedral Prep of D10. Key was that it was the first eastern team to win in 4A, the first District One team to win at states, the first Suburban One team to win at states, and the first Bucks County team to win at states. All of this was significant to me if not the world. One would have to notice that it was not a WPIAL team West beat.

I made 26 games in 1991; saw five new teams – Bishop Coughlin, Glen Mills, Berwick, Wyoming Area and Wyoming Valley West; saw my first PIAA playoff game; got to 2 new stadiums – Crispin Field and Goodman Stadium; and saw a state champion play – CB West.

Big for 1992 was the beginning of elemental district playoffs. They were not fully developed, but it was a start. On a closer note, Council Rock and Morrisville fielded their best teams in a while; but those two and CB West were the only teams posting outstanding records this year.

To open this season I picked up Bud 2 in Hatfield and we journeyed to Poppy Yoder field for C B East at Pennridge. This was a good opener. East took a 10-0 lead. And they maintained it long – at 10-7, 17-7, 17-14, and 20-14. But late in the game Pennridge had moved ahead 21-20. With 3 minutes left in the game, CB East kicked a field goal and held on to win the game 23-21.

Next day, Bud 3 and my nephew joined Bud 1 at his Bensalem main post for Truman at Bensalem. Here Bensalem AD and Morrisville Alum Bob Hart awarded me my own Suburban One League pass; my first direct pass, not second hand from Bud 1. Bensalem won the game handily 28-8.

Second week of the season Friday I picked up Bud 3 and his son in Lambertville and we met Bud 2’s father and Bud 1 at Doylestown for defending state champ CB West’s opener with Souderton. A good game, CB West extended their reign, 21-6. I noted the Buck’s running game and defense as very good and a lack of passing. But sophomore QB Snyder was subbing for an ailing senior QB Bill Marsland and this was not known to me at the time.

I noted the first three games to illustrate that there was now a gang of five including me, and that for most games there was some combination of the five that I eventually called my “posse”. Lansdale Bud 2’s father was the fifth, and not as often member, but sometimes it was just he and I. It was most unfortunate that we were soon to lose him. I was not consciously aware at the time of how much this “posse” social end of the game would mean to me. Only Bud 3 was family, but when we gathered at games, it all seemed liked family.

On the fourth week of the season we made a pre-planned trip to Berwick to see the 1992 edition of the Dawgs. A foursome that included me, Bud 3, Bud 2, and one of the foursome from Lambertville that had gone with us to the second game of 1991. This was an away game at West Pittston against Wyoming Area. This was the time that I have mentioned in other stories that we met and talked with HC George Curry as he walked alone around the track near where we were pregame, and he stopped for a couple of minutes to talk to us. We told him where we were from and had come all this way to see his Dawgs.

He seemed pleased at this and asked if we knew Mike Pettine at CB West which we assured him we did. Bud 2 was the talker among us and the one that had such amazing memory of high school football and drum corps. He had introduced me to Mike Pettine at CB West in his office on some occasion that we were at the school, but school was not in, although there was a lot of activity there. After that we talked with Mike on many occasions, but never at a West practice.

Berwick won the game in West Pittston 28-0. Ron Powlus was the QB and he revealed a quick accurate release on pinpoint passing.

On vacation and my 51^st birthday, Oct 16, 1992 I was in Berwick again, with my wife and Bud 3 (my brother-in-law) and his wife, my wife’s youngest sister. The distaff side decided they wanted to see Berwick football too. This night the Dawgs were tested by the red and silver clad Cougars of Hazleton Area.

Fast Cougar backs likely had the better stats in the game, but Berwick led 7-6 in the 3^rd quarter. Then Ron Powlus broke a 70+ yard keeper up the home sideline to ice it 14-6 Berwick.

The Bensalem-Pennsbury game was good this year, a back and forth affair at Bensalem viewed by my wife and I and Bud 1’s wife and he. The final was 28-25 Bensalem who had a 6-4 season while Pennsbury finished 6-3-1 this season.

I decided to check out my old alma mater on Halloween night at 6-1 against Jenkintown in Morrisville. This Dog edition was for real and was under Chuck Knowles. Many years later I met Chuck courtesy of a Morrisville classmate of mine, who would become Bud 4. Usually a strong running team, tonight the QB was 5 for 5 passing for both TDs and there were two 2-pt PATs to make the final Morrisville 16-0. This Bulldog team ended 10-2. They were the first class A District 1 champions, 22-6 over Jenkintown again. But in the early PIAA playoff system, they could advance no further on point ratings. This was the only 10-win season in the Dogs’ history. Their offensive average was 2^nd of the 15 teams I followed at 20.3, behind CB West’s 23.5. And their defense was also second to West – 8.8 Morrisville to 8.0 CB West.

CB West got the home field advantage for the playoff round against Coatesville. Bud 3 and I sat with a fellow banker acquaintance of mine, who was also a former Neshaminy Redskin. In a way these were mirror-image teams living on the run and good, burly defenses. I do not think the Red Raiders threw one pass; the Bucks’ had to when their run game was halted. At the half Coatesville led 12-6. In the third quarter West got the equalizer and it was 12-12. Then Coatesville’s speedy Washington broke a 50 yard run on a delayed handoff up the gut. The final was19-12 Coatesville and it was the end of West’s current 29-game win streak.

For the first time three of the posse took in a playoff game not involving local teams on December 5^th. For some reason my brother-in-law knew right where Villanova Stadium was and he and I, and Bud 2 motored there in his van.

It was to see the Coatesville-Cumberland Valley state 4A semi final, or Eastern Championship. These two had met in a regular season game and CV had beaten the Raiders 28-19, the Raiders only loss of the season to date.

Cumberland Valley featured a running attack with occasional aerials. And FB Jon Ritchie at 6-3 235 pounds was a battering ram. The line was big and stud-like; and all-state along with Ritchie was lineman Brian Potteiger 6-3 230; and specialist Corey Gumby.

The result was about the same as the first game between these two – 22-6 Cumberland Valley. Ritchie went on to Michigan and Stanford and 94 games in the NFL with Oakland and the Eagles.

I saw 28 games in 1992, two PIAA playoffs, saw the D1 class A champion play regular season, and saw two state champions play, Berwick 3A and Cumberland Valley 4A. I had a league pass for the third consecutive season, and I got to two new stadiums- West Pittston and Villanova University. Two new teams I saw were Hazleton and Cumberland Valley. I had company at almost every game, a nice social factor and slow-time ennui reducer.

The East swept the state championships in all four classes, the only time that this has happened by either side 1988-2015. Cumberland Valley, Berwick, Valley View, and Scotland School all won gold for the east.

I was cranked to keep the football season going, and added off-season notes to my records. One was that the Philadelphia Archdiocese was closing Archbishop Kennedy and merging Kennedy-Kenrick. More locally, the present Tullytown Bishop Egan High School would be moving and merging with all-girl Bishop Conwell as Conwell-Egan High in 1993. Enrollment shrinkage issue was the big concern with the costs involved of the open schools.

I had no way of knowing, nor any concept of it at the time; but the year of 1992 would cap my “company” at games years at 89% of the games this season, just up from 88% the prior season.

I would never reach that percentile again, but still enjoyed percentages in the 80s and high 70’s for several more seasons of my “golden period” yet.

Sources:

Don Black’s various individual high school record books.

Pennsylvania Football News annual resource guides.

 

“Here’s a look back at 65 – seasons of Pennsylvania High School Football through the eyes of Kmac”

The season of 1980 would be my 30^th season of high school football. But in May 1980 I bought the home I still live in; in Washington Crossing, PA; and was in it only 3 months come football season. In order to swing it I had to take three jobs temporarily to please the mortgage people and prove that I could do it; I never had a doubt. But one of the three jobs took Friday nights and Saturdays, some Sundays and even Holidays, and my primary bank job was also working late Friday nights and some Saturdays as well. The third job I did in about an hour before getting in to the bank in the morning. In addition, in a few years, I would have a pager that called me out any time before 11 at night and anytime weekends for Automatic Teller Machine needs. There was obviously no time for high school football.

So I repeated the two-year one-game each year cycle of 1974-1975 again in 1980-1981.

The one game I saw in 1980 was C B West at Pennsbury. It was not my first viewing of CB West; I had seen them in 1977 at Council Rock, a 33-0 West win. I remember the pregame write up for Pennsbury indicating that both teams were first class, but that C B West “played at another level” quoted by the late Dick Dougherty, an icon of high school sports in Lower Bucks County. I said I had to see this game and I did on a Saturday afternoon at Falcon Field. The Bucks won 28-13.

Now I know that I hit a very low point when I gaze at what I wrote just before the 1981 season in my main ledger of records:

“Changes once again will probably make this the last year of records-keeping for me. By summer of 1981 it was official that the Lower Bucks County League would dissolve after the 1981 season and the schools would become part of the Suburban One league. Additionally, the Bristol Twp. Schools Delhaas and Woodrow Wilson were closed and for 1981 will be Harry S. Truman H S, I believe physically in the old Wilson School.”

Just as I wrote it in 1981. I was also too heavily worked then to consider picking up the new teams that would make up the new league in two divisions. It was long before the PC-based websites for obtaining scores also, and I reported having trouble getting some for my records.

I mentioned more changes, Lansdale Catholic coming into the Bicentennial League and Lower Moreland leaving for a Sub One conference.

And more changes, Morrisville was shunning night games for 1981, a tradition dating to 1951; for Saturday afternoon contests. And Archbishop Wood that had provided me with Saturday and Sunday games at Council Rock was switching to Tennent for 1981.

I think with my three job routine plus the pager for all but 11 PM to 7 AM hours, I was near exhaustion; had to be the only reason that I would ever consider stopping my high school football hobby.

The one game I attended in 1981 was the Morrisville-Bristol Thanksgiving Day classic at Morrisville won by the Bulldogs 32-14.

Sometime during the 1981 season, on the sheet that I wrote all of the negative things; I wrote a note saying that I had easily navigated the 1981 season for data; and that I would probably reconsider what I wrote; and I did. By a hair, I continued to collect records for local teams.

I should also mention that on Valentine’s Day 1981 I married that Lambertville girl that I had met in September 1978, and finally met my true soul-mate. The second time around indeed! While she was not a football fan originally, she now is; mostly the pros, but she was very instrumental in getting me back to my hobby in a big way when it seemed I was losing it; and she did this more than once, too!

The next big life trauma was my first-ever possible job disruption, because the bank for which I worked since 1959 was merged into a much bigger, although still regional, bank over the New Year’s weekend 1981-1982. I maintained my position, but it meant considerable more pressure in my primary job. Eventually the other two jobs I held would have to go, and besides my wife and I now had her income input as well. But the pressure and hours, long hours necessary for my primary job would still keep me from much high school football for a few more years yet.

I had not seen William Tennent in years and I planned to see them in 1982, and I did for the only two games that I saw that year. I saw them at Truman, a 27-6 win which was also my first ever viewing of the Harry S. Truman Tigers. Then I saw the Panthers at Neshaminy, and they won 27-21. In fact Tennent beat all five of their old LBCL foes in 1982, the first year they were all in the Suburban One League. In addition to the two I saw, the Panthers beat Bensalem 34-6, Pennsbury 20-14, and Council Rock 41-21 in games I did not see.

Both Neshaminy Langhorne and Neshaminy Maple Point (in their last season) were 1-9 in 1982. In fact the former LBCL teams did not fare well their first season in the Suburban One. All the old Sub One teams – Abington, Norristown, and Tennent were ahead of all of them in the final league standings. The only win of an old LBCL team was Council Rock’s 17-7 victory over Norristown. Maple Point spent its last season before closing in the American Conference of smaller schools. Maple Point may have closed entirely for a while, or operated as a Middle School as it does in present times.

My employment situation continued through 1983 and it was just two games again that season. The first weekend of the season I caught the traditional Friday night opener Bishop Egan at Neshaminy.

Although Neshaminy was back to a single school and team in 1983, it didn’t help much, the Skins lost to Egan 6-21, and posted a 2-8 season. The next day I caught Pennsbury’s opener at Falcon Field with Easton. Pennsbury won 19-0 on the way to an 8-3 season.

Pennsbury, Tennent, and Bishop Egan all posted 8-3 records for the 1983 season.

Both Pennsbury and Tennent ended up with a league record of 6-1 and a playoff was held at Bensalem for the league championship. While Pennsbury had beaten Tennent in the regular season 17-0, the Falcons had slipped to Norristown 0-7. In the championship game which I heard on the radio, William Tennent won the league championship 19-6.

By 1984 my job situation had loosened just a bit; but not enough that I jumped right into the 1984 football season. But my wife had come to the bank to work and she was good friends with the head teller whose son was playing for a decent Morrisville team this season. Slowly during the season she decided it would be fun to go to the Morrisville games.

Our first game was home with Jenkintown and Morrisville came in 4-2. Jenkintown was 3-1. Morrisville won the game 26-7. Next it was a Saturday night game versus Lansdale Catholic in Crawford Stadium. I had been there in the past for drum & bugle corps shows as a fan twice, but never for football. The Crusaders were too tough for the Bulldogs, 17-0 LC. Springfield was home next and they came in 4-2. But the Bulldogs won 35-19. Next it was Chestnut Hill home on a Saturday afternoon. CHA had an end or wide receiver that was nothing short of great. He caught anything thrown in his direction, but you can’t throw every down. Morrisville pulled out a squeaker 34-31. The Thanksgiving day game was at Bristol this season and we went. Never a sure thing even though Bristol came in 1-8 this year. But the Bulldogs did prevail 33-6 to wrap up a nice 8-3 season. The Bulldogs had the top offense of the 15 teams I followed that year with 27.9 points per game average. The head teller’s son that I mentioned above went on to coach at C B East where I met him in later years. I also saw the annual Neshaminy-Pennsbury game at Neshaminy this season won by Pennsbury who capped an 8-2 season with the 12-0 win.

So my 6 games in 1984 totaled the sum of the previous 4 years combined (1-1-2-2), and I felt good about high school football again. Thank you, Mrs. Kmac.

In the spring of 1985 I was offered a bank promotion that took me out of retail banking and into what would again be a 9-5, Monday through Friday job (in theory) again. Although there were extra times and meetings, etc., I could pretty much schedule them myself, and the window to high school football was again opened wide.

Now, since about 1968, football had been pretty much a solitary hobby. I went to games myself and occasionally would meet someone I knew at a game. From the beginning in 1951 to my joining the high school band in 1955, there was always a crowd at home games with folks that I knew; and I only went to two away games those early years (1 in 1953 and 1 in 1954).

Relatives were involved in seeing both away games. The band provided a different crowd for 1955, 1956, 1957, and my senior year of 1958-1959.

Around 1956 the older Morrisville fan that I had met probably the first year of 1951 at the home games had me join the crowd that he took to games all over the place for the then three major sports, baseball, basketball, and football.

It was mostly following Morrisville, but catching other games as well in basketball and football. This lasted until I went into the service in 1964, and sometime during my four year hitch he finally tired of high school sports and was done with it.

But at the Neshaminy games about 1961 or 1962 we met another yet older gentleman that was a high school sports nut as we were and he became a group member by meeting us at various games. I believe he had attended Northeast High in Philadelphia but now resided in Bensalem and followed Bensalem and Neshaminy, but also other teams when he could. When I returned to football in 1968; and again in 1976, I thought I saw him at a distance many times, but I did not check it out.

Along with the company aspect of high school football, I got my start following my alma mater exclusively from 1951 through 1960 to the greatest degree. In 1959 I also picked up on Neshaminy and followed them primarily until I entered the service in 1964. In 1968 it was more Pennsbury that I followed, and this continued until 1988.

I caught a dozen games in 1985, more like it, but nothing to what was ahead. Pennsbury posted another 10-0 season and I saw three of their games. All-state for the Falcons that season was OL Bob Burns and LB Galen Snyder. Also all state was Dick Beck OL from C B West.

In 1985 Morrisville had a 9-1-1 tour and I saw 4 of their games. At their 7^th game of the season, a 14-28 loss to Lansdale Catholic in Morrisville I ran into my old Bensalem/Neshaminy buddy from the 1960’s and it was ‘old home’ time. From that season on there was not a single season that we did not attend some games together until he died in 2008 at the age of 89. I saw more games with him than any other single person over about 28 years, ca. 1961-1965, and 1985-2007.

Neshaminy had a decent 8-3 season in 1985 and I saw three of their games, including a 16-28 loss to C B West, so I saw Dick Beck play as well as Galen Snyder that year.

My returned enthusiasm for high school football was evident in my extra notes I wrote in my written records log for the season. I called 1985 the “best season since 1978”.

News in January 1986 indicated big changes in high school football for teams I followed. Because I had not been following the small schools, except Morrisville at times, I did not realize that the Bulldogs had joined a second league in 1985, the Independence League. And Jenkintown had left the Bicentennial and joined only the Independence.

For 1986 Lansdale Catholic was leaving the Bicentennial (BAL) for the Pioneer Athletic Conference. Springfield was leaving the BAL for a Suburban One conference. This would leave a 5-team Independence League and 4-team BAL for 1986, with Morrisville the only team playing in both leagues.

But the biggest change of all was the admission of the old BuxMont League schools to Suburban One. Envisioned was a 24-team league of 2 conferences each with 2 divisions of 6 teams each, one dubbed National Conference with divisions A & B (before names were assigned).

The second conference was the American Conference with divisions A & B until named.

National A – Bensalem, Council Rock, Neshaminy, Pennsbury, Tennent, Truman.

National B – Abington, CB East, CB West, Norristown, North Penn, Pennridge.

American A – Cheltenham, Methacton, P-W, Quakertown, Souderton, Upper Merion.

American B – H-H, Lo Moreland, Springfield Montco, Up Merion, Up More, Wissahickon.

Eventually the divisions became the Patriot, Colonial, Liberty and Freedom respectively.

I was pumped for the 1986 season despite the changes, but as it turned out I only made 9 games, not even averaging one a week for an 11-week regular season including Thanksgiving possibilities. I noted in my records that “I couldn’t get motivated to go to games in threatening weather or longer distances just as in 1985”. Traveling alone was obviously getting to me somewhat, traffic was definitely worse in the 1980’s than the 50s and 60s, and would get worse yet in the future. My Bensalem buddy, back in the 60’s, drove me to a game in Allentown or Bethlehem once. That was the only time. We never again were in the same car for a game, mostly just met at games. I did listen to some of the weather-related games on radio.

Likely due to the renewal of my Bensalem/Neshaminy football buddy, I saw 5 Neshaminy games to 3 Pennsbury in 1986. Included was my first time viewing of Downingtown and North Penn. Both were at Neshaminy and the Skins beat the Whippets 26-21 and the Knights 21-6.

All 9 games I saw involved big schools as I continued to move away from small school viewing primarily. And I was becoming aware of the perks of having someone to talk with during the games, which made the pre-game time go faster (I usually arrived an hour or more before games), and it was fun to discuss plays and coaching decisions, et cetera, during the game.

I again took in the Pennsbury-Neshaminy classic at Neshaminy this season won by the Skins 17-14. Neshaminy posted a good 8-3 season, sharing the division title with Council Rock at 5-3 each in the league. In cross-division play which counted in league standings, the old BuxMont (plus Abington & Norristown) schools dominated cross-division play with the old LBCL schools. Abington, CBE, CBW, Norristown and Pennridge were all 3-0 versus old LBCL schools. North Penn suffered the only loss to an old LBCL school, the 6-21 loss to Neshaminy.

I motored to William Tennent for their season-ending game with Council Rock in 1986, my first visit to that Tennent field (the present one, but highly refurbished since then), and first to a home Tennent game since 1963 at the old field.

Tennent won 19-0 and the teams got chippy late and the game was ended by officials with less than a minute left on the clock as a result.  I do not remember that occurring before in my viewing history; and it also demonstrated that I was staying to games’ end in those days.

My notes at the end of the 1986 season were much more upbeat. I envisioned traveling a little further to see “good teams” or “good games” such as Doylestown for CB East and West, Poppy Yoder in Perkasie for Pennridge, and Crawford Stadium in Lansdale for North Penn.

I was keeping 14 school records for the 1986 season having dropped Lansdale Catholic and Springfield as they had left the local leagues. For 1987 I decided to drop Archbishop Kennedy, Harriton, and Jenkintown as they were not “Bucks County” schools and I had been following them just because they were in leagues with Bristol and Morrisville. I also dropped George School which was a Bucks County school, but they did not stay in the local leagues more than two seasons. I envisioned picking up the Colonial Division of the Sub One League, but did not do it until the 1988 season.

The year of 1987 turned out to be a very pivotal year in my hobby career. I saw 7 Neshaminy games, who turned in a fine 9-2 season, losing only to C B West (11-0) and Pennsbury (8-3).

At Neshaminy on Monday night 10/5 due to Friday rainouts, the Abington Ghosts 3-0 and unscored upon with an 80-0 three-game scoring record faced the 3-0 Redskins with a 73-14 scoring log to date. While I was not yet doing detailed game notes, I classified this as one of the great games. Neshaminy was down 20-14 with 40 seconds left in the game and pulled it out with a TD, PAT – final 21-20 Neshaminy.

Next week I followed Neshaminy to Crawford Stadium and for the first time saw North Penn play at home. Neshaminy cruised 42-6. That set up a 5-0 Neshaminy for next week’s matchup with C B West.

At Neshaminy on the night of my 46^th birthday, 5-0 Neshaminy hosted 5-0 C B West, who had last lost a game on Thanksgiving 1983 to C B East 6-7. The Bucks’ were riding a 37-game winning streak into this one. Skins cheerleaders and fans had signs reading, “The Bucks’ stop here”; a clever play on the old President Truman saying that the buck stops here; his acknowledgment that he was responsible for making hard decisions. But of course, the Bucks’ did not stop, but proceeded to a 25-0 shutout of the previously undefeated Redskins.

Earlier in 1987 I fatefully decided to motor to Doylestown War Memorial Field for my first football game there; I had participated in senior drum & bugle corps activity on that field in 1962 and 1963. It was a Thursday afternoon game due to observance of the Jewish holiday.

The crowd was very thin for Tennent (0-3) at C B West (3-0). I had my drum corps (baseball cap) hat on as a sun visor. An older gentleman standing in the stands near me mentioned the corps, and said that he and his son had both been in the corps at different times.

This led to discussion during the game (42-7 CB West), and the man said that he thought that his son would like to meet me as we both obviously had common interests in drum corps and high school football, and even Morrisville, as the man and son had relatives there years ago. The gentleman lived in Doylestown and his son in Hatfield, near Lansdale.

On October 23^rd I traveled to Doylestown again for Abington (only one loss) versus C B West. Being a good matchup, the gentleman I met earlier was there with his son, whom I did indeed meet. As far as high school football and drum corps history this guy appeared to have had Big Bang Theory’s Dr. Sheldon Cooper’s identic memory.

He rolled off the entire offensive lineup of the Morrisville 1958 team, my senior year; that even I didn’t fully remember. He did the same for a 50’s- era Ambler team. Star players and scores and records from BuxMont teams during the 50s and 60s came to him like a computer. Same with drum corps information – various years championship corps, scores, names of key drummers and buglers; I was literally amazed. We immediately became friends, later involved both of our wives meeting, and down the road exchanging house visitations, etc.

Now I had a Bensalem buddy and a Lansdale buddy and his dad, for company at some games. It was a definite changing point in the social end of high school football for me.

My wife’s contacts through the bank with Pennsbury people led to the only time in my history that I had reserved seats for the big Pennsbury-Neshaminy game at Pennsbury this season. In fact we had a block of 6 together. I invited my new Lansdale buddy and his father, and with my wife and me, my sister and her husband to make the six. The day was bitter cold, gray, and with a howling wind, the worst I ever experienced at a high school game. My buddy’s father said in advance it was too rough for him, so five of us tried to take it in. Big mistake! Forever will this game be known as the “Ice Bowl” to us. Neshaminy (9-1) was favored over Pennsbury (7-3), but one Troy Vincent of the Falcons had different ideas. Early on he ripped an 80-yard dash into a 6-0 lead and it was all but over. The wind prevented successful kicks or accurate passing. The bands tried at halftime but both bands-people and sound were blown aside. It was 18-0 at the half and we five all decided unanimously that it was enough; we were frozen and headed home. We missed nothing – it ended 18-0 Falcons. Troy Vincent went on to Wisconsin and 200 games in the NFL with Miami, Philadelphia, and Buffalo 1992-2006.

I saw all the top teams in both divisions in 1987, Neshaminy 9-2 and Pennsbury 8-3 in the Patriot, and CB West 11-0 and Abington 9-2 in the Colonial. I had extended to Doylestown and Lansdale, met a new football buddy and his dad, saw good teams, good games, and a total of 18, more like it. I wrote voluminous notes on the season that set the stage for game-by-game notes for 1988, a feat I wish I had started in 1951.

I have far more games seen that I cannot reconstruct any memory of seeing than those that I do vividly remember. Notes on the games help tremendously.

Pivotal as 1987 was personally, 1988 brought high school football championships played on the field. It also brought beautiful new higher metal bleachers to Doylestown War Memorial Field. I added the Colonial Division to my records and thus had 16 teams to track, 6 Patriot, 6 Colonial, 2 Philadelphia Catholic League, and Bristol and Morrisville from their respective leagues.

I would hit the 20 mark for games seen in 1988, a pleasing total, and most since 1977 (27), my record year to date.

The year would complete my conversion from a Morrisville-Neshaminy-Pennsbury stage follower to a full CB West enthusiast. Why wouldn’t you want to follow a team with a nation-leading win streak of 42 games entering the season?

I had seen them 5 times in 1987, and would be 8 of 11 for 1988. But I also managed to see 5 Pennsbury and 4 Neshaminy among a smattering of other teams.

With the notes on each game I wrote the day and date of each game another improvement over the just home or away (no day or date) status that I had used from the beginning in 1951.

CB East opened a week earlier than West and I was there with my Lansdale buddy and his dad to see Archbishop Wood return the opening kickoff for a TD and 7-0 lead. But it was all defenses from there on and CB East got a 10-7 win in the end.

The following Friday it was Wood again, this time at Neshaminy where the home team won 48-6. I wrote in my notes “Looked like the Neshaminy of old – ground game, passing, kicking, and defense looked great”. This notation has several aspects to it. First, it was the first time I took notice in my notes of some mechanics of the game. For 37 seasons I had merely been a viewing fan of the sport, following the teams I mentioned above without regard to noting such things. Both the friendship with my new buddy who also knew the dynamics of football, and the fact I was now following a super program in CB West, lit up that part of me more than ever before. I was right on my assessment as Neshaminy went on to an 11-0 regular season; became the first-ever local state 4A playoff team, but unfortunately lost the playoff game big to Cedar Cliff 0-24.

Team rankings now became evident due to the championship availability. I noticed that local rankings had CB West’s second opponent Cardinal O’Hara third in the area. I took this in at Doylestown and West handled the Lions’ 28-6.

Next up was West Chester Henderson, 10^th ranked in the local polls. The Warriors brought a running back named Reeves with them and he kept this a close contest. Although the final was 21-6, the game seemed closer than that with Reeves always a threat, and possibly the last Bucks’ score came late.

The main purpose of my taking in West’s next game was to be at a game where a state record is broken; how often can you say that? Not only I; but channels 3, 6, 10, and 29 and 5000 fans also decided to take this one in.

The channel 6 news clip proved I was there, a rare TV appearance however so fleeting. CB West beat Truman 50-19, unleashing a fine aerial attack not seen earlier.

In this early version of state championships there were no district playoffs yet. The PIAA chose the teams from the east and west for a semi-final game before the winner went to the state final. I would imagine they used a rating system similar to that later devised and revealed to place the teams chosen. Both Neshaminy and Ridley ended regular seasons 11-0. Either the Ridley-Interboro game was still Thanksgiving, making the Green Raiders 10-0 regular season; or the fact that Ridley played several AAA teams, while Neshaminy played all AAAA; put Neshaminy in the playoffs for the first championship. Unfortunately, Cedar Cliff had end Kyle Brady.

He was instrumental in the Neshaminy defeat, and went on to Penn State and 200 games in the NFL from 1995 to 2007. Brady was a 6-5 240 pound junior in 1988 and first team all-state TE, which he repeated as a senior in 1989 at 6-6 and 250 pounds. Cedar Cliff lost the State title close 7-14 to Pittsburgh Central Catholic. I sat with Rick Lee at a game in 2013, who was a Redskin assistant coach in 1988 and he gave me some vivid descriptions of Brady and that game. Wow!

I finished the 1988 season at Neshaminy for Pennsbury Friday night Nov 18, a 49-14 Neshaminy victory. The two teams were uncharacteristically worlds apart this season. The Falcons ended 5-6 and had given up over 30 points in four losses this season. I bid my Bensalem friend and his wife goodbye for the season here. I had an early 3:30 AM Saturday morning call; my wife and I were motoring to Florida for 10 days.

Next was the end of another decade, 1989; how time flies. To me this was the year of the Abington Ghosts and a very un-typical C B West team. Nine of the 16 teams I now followed had winning records this go around. I upped my annual total to 25 games, second highest count to this season.

On Friday Sep 10, the “whole gang” moved south to the lower end of the county to see Archbishop Wood open at Bensalem. By this I mean that my Lansdale buddy and his dad joined me for the trip to Bensalem and we met our Bensalem buddy and his wife there. My wife still went to occasional games with me, but more for Morrisville or when I had no other company. The Owls of Bensalem won this one 34-20 and they featured a 96-yard kickoff return TD and a 65 yard gallop from scrimmage for a TD. They looked big and fast, and the season proved out, they had a winning, 7-3-1 season.

I caught the first three Neshaminy games this season as they were coming off of an 11-1 season. The second game was the signature win for the Skins.

Abington came in and this season the Ghosts were loaded. Neshaminy always led in this game, but the score changes were 7-0 Skins, 7-7; 14-7; 14-14; 21-14; 28-14; 28-21; 28-27, and finally Neshaminy victory 35-27.

The game was 14-7 Neshaminy at the half with the kickoff to Abington. Jason Hughes returned it for 90+ yards and a TD to make the 14 tie. After the ensuing kickoff, Neshaminy’s Rob Latronica bolted 60+ yards to make the 21-14 score. Unknowingly, it was to be the only loss Abington would suffer this season and it was enough to keep them out of the early championship playoff scheme.

West played Cardinal O’Hara home again in 1989 on a Saturday, switched from rain Friday night originally at O’Hara. This was to make history either way it went. C B West would tie Braddock’s state unbeaten streak at 56 games with a win. A loss would break the 55-game unbeaten streak of CB West. Notice the wording, CB West had tied CB East the prior year which cost CB West the first state playoffs and ended their win streak, but not unbeaten streak as a tie is not a loss. This atypical CB West team had opened at Plymouth-Whitemarsh and just escaped with a 10-9 decision. This O’Hara game was close and back and forth, mostly defensive, but a fake O’Hara field goal attempt turned into a TD made the Lion’s the winner 13-10 and C B West tasted defeat for the first time since Thanksgiving 1983.

The next week I followed Neshaminy to Doylestown where Mike Frederick and company handed the Bucks’ a 27-13 defeat. CB West had a 2-game losing streak and I won’t even research how long before that had happened. Mike Frederick was an all-state (2^nd team) linebacker in 1989 and returned to coach Neshaminy for a single season in 2014.

Pennsbury dispatched CB West 20-17 later in the season in a game I heard on radio due to being ill; a situation I can thank goodness say did not happen much in 65 years; only in the last decade or so have age ailments caught up with me. I listened to it on the radio.

Abington only lost to Neshaminy early, so they too dispatched the Bucks’ 31-13 and the Bucks’ ended with a 7-4 campaign in 1989. I was impressed with the Ghosts’ this year and wanted to see them again. At North Penn late in the season the 7-1 Ghosts would be thought to make short work of the 1-7 Knights. But the determined Knights led the game into the fourth quarter, before the Ghosts took the lead for the first and last time and won the game 29-22.

The next week I saw the Ghosts edge by CB East 21-19. They then beat Cheltenham 21-6 to close out a 10-1 season and still missed the playoffs. Coatesville (10-0-1 regular season) was the D1 rep and lost to D3 rep Wilson West Lawn 20-32 and then Upper Saint Clair beat Wilson 12-7 for the state 4A title. Making all-state from this Abington squad were offensive lineman Tim Sorber 6-3 275; DB Tinker Harris who also quarterbacked the team, and LB Steve Gaskins who was also a 5-10 220 pound fullback. Also on this team were talented Jason Hughes, and junior Shawn Wooden who would have to wait until 1990 for all-state honors as a defensive back. Shawn went on to Notre Dame and 107 games with the Miami Dolphins 1996-2003. Taz Orlina was a bruising linebacker with the squad also.

Snow on Thanksgiving ruined our plan to have my Lansdale buddy and his wife and his dad down for the Morrisville-Bristol T-Day classic and then turkey of course.

Morrisville won in the snow 41-8 which I listened to on the radio. On the following Saturday I journeyed to Lansdale for the postponed Lansdale Catholic-North Penn T-day game, won by the Knights 14-0 to end a 2-9 season. My buddy and I talked about possibly going to the class AAAA playoff game if within reach, but it was December 1 at Millersville with snow predicted, so it was no go.

The 1980’s decade win prize went to Berwick who posted a 108-17-1 record for the decade. Locally Ridley won it 100-5-2. CB West was 2^nd to Ridley in District One at 95-11-1.

Not only did I not know these facts at the time, but I also had no way of realizing I had seen six future head coaches play – Mark Schmidt (junior year at Lower Moreland 1976), Galen Snyder, Dick Beck, Mike Frederick, Tim Sorber, and Andy Szarko (not previously mentioned), and an assistant, Craig Phillips (Morrisville alum, CB East Coach).

I consider the 1989 season as the start of my golden era of high school football. It would last for 15 more seasons until various elements ended the possibilities of ever matching that era.

Sources:

Don Black’s various individual high school record books.

Pennsylvania Football News annual resource guides.

 

“Here’s a look back at 65 – seasons of Pennsylvania High School Football through the eyes of Kmac”

The 1970 decade got off to a great start for me, I thought I was going to be back to high school football. I was offered a ride to the Pennsbury at Coatesville opener by an older fellow banker who was a great Falcon follower. A beautiful warm late summer Saturday provided what seemed like a long ride from Fairless Hills. The field at Coatesville was not the beautiful stadium of today, but a nice rural-feeling field not far off local Route 30. There were stands, but we stood at the sidelines which was available without fencing. The game was solidly Pennsbury this season, 39-0 as the Red Raiders would have a poor 2-9 season in 1970. I believe this was known as Scott Field, and future all-stater (1972) Able Joe was a sophomore for the Red Raiders and already very good.

In the end I saw four Falcon games and one Morrisville game that season, a total of five. I missed a good Neshaminy club that went 9-1-1 with the loss 6-22 to Liberty and the tie 7-7 with Pennsbury who finished 7-3-1. At least 5 games in one season were better than the 6 games seen all of 1966-1969. Woodrow Wilson also posted a 9-1-1 slate in 1970 and was joining the big time in scheduling and beating Coatesville (48-0), Wyoming Valley West (28-14), Johnstown (43-14), and J F K, NJ (33-22). The Wilson Golden Rams sole loss was to Neshaminy 6-17, and they tied with Bishop Egan 14-14.

I notice that I began marking games “heard” in large numbers in 1970 in my written records. I am sure I listened to games before that on WBUD or WBCB radio, but now that I was not able to attend games I was logging that I had at least listened to them. At least it was involvement, and being to most of the stadiums before, I could get a good mental picture as the games unfolded over the radio. I heard 6 Wilson games, 5 Neshaminy, 6 Pennsbury, and a smattering of other teams as well. Television provided the Bishop Egan-Phila Central City Championship game, won by Central 13-7 which I watched.

Missing arguably the best Neshaminy team pre-state championship era was a big lament of 1971. I wrote an article on this team for a 2015 March edition of Throwback Thursday for easternPAfootball. The Skins went 11-0 winning most games by at least three touchdowns, except the annual Pennsbury match which they did win 21-17; coming from behind. This team put three first-team all state selections (UPI) in end Dale Forchetti, center Chuck Lodge, and QB Pete Cordelli (“Jr” – generation not class). All three also made the AP all-state on three different echelons.

I saw only three games, two Morrisville (9-2 season) and one Pennsbury (9-2 season). But I heard a lot of games on radio. The Section II small school division of the LBCL had gone through numerous changes with teams entering since the early sixties.

But I was obviously by now taken by the big school programs with the big bands, crowds, hype, etc, and was moving away from the small schools. This would continue and grow, but I was glad to see my Bulldogs have a fine 9-2 turn in 1971.

William Tennent made a major change for the 1971 season. They had been locked into a 4-team league with Neshaminy, Pennsbury, and Wilson for most of the time, and recently Council Rock and Bensalem were added; then Council Rock went independent for a short period, leaving a 5-team league. Long and short of it, Tennent was up against it every year, never winning the title, and highest finish was a tie for second with Wilson at 1-1-1 league for 1967. Most of the time Tennent was at the bottom, holding up the rest of the league.

Although I do not believe that the administration at Tennent made a decision based solely on football, Tennent was the first team to leave the old Lower Bucks County League for another league (Council Rock left and went independent for 1968-1970, but came back in 1971); and Tennent moved to the Suburban One League for 1971. Sub One in 1971 was a 10-team league of Abington, Cheltenham, Methacton, Norristown, Plymouth-Whitemarsh, Springfield (Montco), Upper Dublin, Upper Merion, Upper Moreland, and William Tennent.

Tennent maintained its long relationship (rivalry of sorts) with Council Rock for the last game of the season. For the 1971 season Tennent was 0-10, last in the league, and lost to Rock 8-30; go figure. But Tennent would have their day in football down the road, and as I said; I do not think the move was only for football reasons.

In the fall of 1971 we moved out of Bucks County to New Egypt, NJ to accommodate my first wife’s love of horses. We bought an 8-acre farm with stable facilities and began to own and stable horses for others. Now more than ever did I depend on radio for my football interest.

In 1972 I did see one game of one of the best teams to ever come out of the Pennsbury Falcon nest. It was the second game at home with Bethlehem Freedom, a 14-10 Falcon victory. In addition I listened to every other Falcon game on radio except Easton for some reason. This team under Chuck Kane in his third season was the first-ever undefeated Falcon team. Dale Delise was UPI all-state at running back and Ron Dundala was AP all-state at Linebacker. Players from this team ended up playing in colleges – Memphis State, Pitt, Dayton, Vanderbilt, Penn, Franklin & Marshall, Georgia, Lafayette, Indiana U of P, Duke, Dickinson, and Princeton.

But I only saw 2 games in 1972; and 3 in 1973 as distance, along with of all things – a national gasoline shortage – was now another factor in keeping me out of the sport. The 1973 games were all three at Morrisville (8-2 season), as I still worked there and probably tied it with staying in town before going home to New Egypt. I did hear most of the Pennsbury games who posted another fine 9-1-1 season, with one of their best defensive teams ever. These Falcons shut out 8 of their 11 opponents. The three teams that scored on them were Wilson (21), Allen (13), and Bensalem (6). Wilson was the one loss 20-21; the tie was 0-0 with Liberty. They posted a defensive average of 3.64 for the season.

The years of 1974 and 1975 were the only two years to that time in my hobby that I saw ONLY a single game in each year. Unfortunately, there would be two more such years later in my hobby.

Both years it was Morrisville, whose teams were playing decent ball again and the games were intriguing for one reason or another. One was a Thanksgiving game postponed to the Saturday after (1975). With a better record coming in the Bulldogs lost to Bristol 0-9.

I missed another great Falcon team in 1974, 11-0-0 again. I did listen to all 11 games on the radio, not quite the same as being there. This team sent Frank Prior, center, and Randy Wagner, defensive tackle, to all-state (AP).

And in 1975 I missed the turnaround for the William Tennent Panthers and their move to the Suburban One League when they went 8-0-2 and won the league title (8-0-1). They tied Springfield 7-7, but Springfield also tied another league team and ended 7-0-2. Tennent’s other tie was non-league with Council Rock 6-6.

By the 1976 high school football season I was a single man again, living temporarily in Morrisville, and among all the other proceedings going on, I set my sights to have a mighty football season. And I did just that, catching 22 games in person, an all-time record to that date.

But I had for all intents and purposes missed the entire life of the Eastern Big 8 League, which dissolved after the 1975 season. I covered its history as far as the two local teams involved in part 1 for 1966-1969. In 1970 Neshaminy was 2^nd (4-1-1) and Pennsbury 4^th (3-2-1); Liberty won the title at 5-1. Of course the Neshaminy “team of the century” at 11-0 won it all in 1971. Pennsbury’s first undefeated 1972 season capped it for that year. Pennsbury won it again in 1973 at 6-0-1 league. And another undefeated Falcon squad in 1974 won it again. The last Big 8 title went to Bethlehem Liberty in 1975.

The Neshaminy School District split into two high schools for 1976 with the old school being now dubbed Neshaminy Langhorne and the new school was Neshaminy Maple Point. This split lasted until 1983 and as might be expected, neither school had very good seasons until it was all one again. But it was a new school to follow and it played at the Neshaminy stadium. Likely Saturday nights as I did not yet record dates and days in my records, only home or away.

Opportunities to see games were numerous as all fields did not have lights and Saturday afternoon games were common at Pennsbury, Council Rock, Tennent, and for a period Morrisville. Teams sharing fields had to vary days when both teams were home and this made Saturday nights also possible. Delhaas-Wilson-Egan all used the same field. The two Neshaminys’ used the same field, and Central Bucks East and West used the same field, although I barely knew they existed in 1976; seeing CB East in 1976 for the first time I ever saw any Central Bucks school.

I saw 11 teams I had never seen before in 1976 tying 1965 for the most “new” teams in one season to date. These were St. Pius X (Pottstown), Harriton, Ewing (NJ), Harrisburg, Neshaminy Maple Point, Archbishop Ryan, Central Bucks East, St. Joes Prep, Monsignor Bonner, Cardinal Dougherty, and North Catholic.

I got to Council Rock’s new stadium (opened in 1969) for the first time in 1976, still with wooden bleachers for the last year. I saw an 8-1-1 team and four 8-2 teams in 1976, and these were the best records of any of the teams that I followed.

These five teams were Lower Moreland (8-1-1) at Morrisville (8-2) and the Bulldogs administered that only loss to the Lions 16-14 in a good game. Woodrow Wilson was also 8-2 and I saw two of their games; Council Rock was 8-2 and I saw two of their games, and Pennsbury was also 8-2 and I saw 7 of their games. I saw Harrisburg for the first time-ever; twice; at Pennsbury, a 10-6 Falcon victory and the next week at Wilson, a 42-14 Ram victory. The Cougars must have been tired of two back-to-back trips to Bucks County that year.

I was truly inspired by my return to high school football in 1976. I wrote up some notes on the season which was the first time. Previously all seasons were just the records of the teams.

As an example of my earlier comment about the Neshaminy split, Langhorne was 2-8 in 1976, and Maple Point was 4-6. Unlike we see today with the Downingtown’s or the Council Rock’s to a lesser degree, the division of schools back in the 1970’s definitely thinned the Neshaminy talent.

For the Bicentennial year of 1976, Section II, the small school division of the LBCL was renamed the Bicentennial League for the year and it has remained as such ever since. Teams in it in 1976 were Archbishop Kennedy, Bristol, Jenkintown, Lower Moreland, and Morrisville.

In writing this discourse, I realize that I was still viewing high school football as a hobby with the added touch of keeping records that would build each year, accumulating data on win-loss records, offensive and defensive averages, team versus teams’ records, and so on. Seeing the games in beautiful fall weather, the day games in sun with leaves turning red and gold seemed a magical time and place. The night games were not different until the late-season games brought the necessity of bundling up as much as possible to keep warm enough to enjoy the game. There were still no state championships played on the field and I was not concerned in any way in 1976 of state recognition, realizing that Neshaminy and Pennsbury in our area was recognized statewide and satisfied with that. Neither was I a big follower of players moving on to college from local teams after high school. Those mentioned above were not known to me at the time, but now with the hindsight of recorded history we can plot some of their various courses.

For 1977 I would set a new record of games seen – 27, a mark that would stand for 13 years until I deliberately set out to set an all-time mark, and did. Of the 16 teams I followed, in 1977 10 had winning records and I saw 13 of the 16 teams I followed at least once.

But I did not see Lower Moreland this season and so missed seeing future Neshaminy Head Coach Mark Schmidt as senior center and linebacker on defense.

Morrisville provided a 1977 oddity of note. I saw four of their games, all wins and all shutouts. They were Jenkintown 26-0, Harriton 32-0, Archbishop Kennedy 20-0, and Bristol (Turkey Day) 20-0. To my viewing the Bulldogs were world-beaters. The problem was that they lost the 6 games I did not see them play, finishing 4-6.

Outstanding in 1977 was Bensalem under Coach Bob Hart, a Morrisville and Penn State alumnus. I saw them 3 times including the playoff-championship game held at Woodrow Wilson against Neshaminy. It was a bitter cold, breezy night and these two teams got after one another. In the regular season, Neshaminy had handed Bensalem their only loss of the season so far – big 42-14. But the Skins had suffered a regular season loss to sister school Maple Pt. 0-7 making the championship playoff necessary. You could hear the pads and hits from the opposite end zone! When it was over the Bensalem Owls had won it 12-7. The Champions were 10-1, and they did it with defense. The Owls only averaged 16.1 points per game on offense.

But that team only allowed 7.7 points per game on defense. Take out the one-game 42 points given up to Neshaminy and the defensive average falls to 4.3 points per game.

Neshaminy Langhorne had played for, but lost, the league championship and was 7-4 for the season. Maple Point posted another 4-6 season.

Pennsbury had offensive problems in 1977. They won their first three games 22-0, 14-10, and 20-0, and then their O put up in consecutive games 7, 13, 3, 0, 3, 7 and 7; most un-Falcon like. Their defense kept them in the games and produced a 5-4-1 season, winning two more games, one at 13-7 and one at 7-0.

The first 7 points in the streak above was at home against Steelton-Highspire, a game which I took in; and it rained of Biblical proportions that day. Of all 65 years so far I think that was the heaviest downpour I have ever been to a game in, for the longest duration. It was likely the reason for the low no-win score, a tie at 7, but who knows.

My life was to change again in 1978 when in September I met this girl. The song, “The Second Time Around” would be most appropriate, but for this discourse let’s just say my 1978 season was somewhat less active than the prior two seasons. I got to 13 games, about half the 27 of 1977. Four new teams were seen – Penn Charter, Cardinal O’Hara, Abington, and Valley Forge Military Academy. The latter team had joined the Bicentennial League in 1976.

An anecdote this season was in the third game of the year for Bensalem at home against Bishop Egan. After their 1977 10-1 league championship year and coaching change, the Owls were 0-2 coming in to this 1978 game. I sat on the Bensalem side and the cheerleaders were gathering near enough to me that I could hear the casual conversations among them.

A senior cheerleader said, “last year we were great and I can’t believe now in my senior year we’re screwing it up”! I chuckled to myself, but this young lady was prophetic, the Owls finished 0-11 in 1978.

I was now entering a second down period for my high school viewing hobby for all different reasons than the first time. I took an apartment in Lambertville, NJ in May 1979 and by the 1979 season was again slightly out of the area.

Lambertville held much interest for me in 1979; the girl I had met lived there, and I had played in the Lambertville Senior Drum & Bugle Corps since 1968; and still did at that time. This was not the field competition corps I was in 1961-1963.

I attended four games in 1979 – Bishop Egan 27-0 at Bensalem; Delhaas 0-47 at Neshaminy Langhorne; Plymouth-Whitemarsh 12-13 at Pennsbury; and Archbishop Ryan 35-13 at Archbishop Wood, played at Council Rock High School. It was my first-ever viewing of Plymouth-Whitemarsh.

As to winning games, the 1970’s belonged to Frankford of Philadelphia, not yet in the PIAA, but with a 99-15-2 record.

Locally the C B West Bucks under Mike Pettine since 1963 posted a 90-14-2 record for best in District One; and 4^th in the state. Second in D1 and 9^th in the state, Ridley posted a 1970’s slate of 81-14-4.

For the first time since the decade of the 1900’s Lower Merion had a losing decade at 42-59 in the 1970’s. Up in District 4 Mount Carmel continued their winning ways finishing the 1970s at 96-18-1, second in the state to Frankford. And the Dawgs of Berwick were just warming up with a 77-34-2 decade and preparing for even greater things.

I was oblivious to all of this in 1979 as I became involved in house hunting for 1980.

Sources:

Don Black’s various individual high school record books.

Pennsylvania Football News annual resource guides.

Pennsbury High School Football website – history.

 

“Here’s a look back at 65 – seasons of Pennsylvania High School Football through the eyes of Kmac”

I was 11 days past my 10^th birthday on October 27, 1951 when my older cousin from down the street suggested I go to the local high school football game that night. It was in then bucolic Morrisville, Pennsylvania, just across the Delaware River from bustling Trenton, NJ, about as far to the east as you could go in southeastern PA. The athletic field was about 7 blocks walking distance through residential neighborhoods and streets lined with trees.

Morrisville was playing their closest geographical rival, Pennsbury. The Pennsbury School District completely surrounded Morrisville, north, west, and south; with the Delaware River being on the east. And the Pennsbury Falcons used Morrisville’s field for their home games, playing Friday nights while Morrisville played Saturday day or nights normally. At 10 years of age I had been playing sandlot baseball, basketball, and football of course, but had not quite realized yet that I was not an athlete. I was too short for basketball, too skinny for football, too slow for any sport, and would give Little League Baseball and Midget Football a shot in the next few years; but soon realized that I was not an athlete.

But this night football game got my interest locked tight from this first game. There was something about the lights (portable with a generator truck humming outside the end zone), the live, vocal crowd, bands on both sides blaring, cheerleaders leading yells printed in the program for students to follow, and a camaraderie among the crowd to whom I was soon introduced.

Morrisville won 21-14. That was the important thing. And in this small school, supporting your  athletic teams if you didn’t play was an activity in which many of the student body participated; along with the townsfolk in general. There was just a “feeling” about it you could not escape.

The Morrisville Bulldogs were 2-1-2 after the win and the next game with Bangor was cancelled, probably a good thing for the Bulldogs in those days. I next saw the game at home against Neshaminy in the mud, cold and slop on November 17^th at 2:00 PM. A Morrisville player recovered a Neshaminy fumble in the Neshaminy end zone and it was all the scoring; final 6-0 Morrisville, and little did I know that I had seen the last time the Bulldogs would beat Neshaminy. I do have mental images of this game, now 65 years ago; but not of the initial game. There was a different “feel” about a daytime game, but it was still positive; I enjoyed it also.

Morrisville ended the season 4-2-2, and in a two-way tie with Bensalem for second place in the league at 4-1-1. Bristol won the league championship at 5-1-0 league, 5-5-0 overall.

My initial feelings about the games were based on the home team winning or losing. We yelled, cheered, and even started our own yells as a group, “push em back, shove em back; way back!” Only old timers will remember this; especially some Neshaminy elders, a group of fans standing on the top row on the home side at Neshaminy always yelled this in the late 50’s, early 60’s.

Everything was centered locally, at home games. I knew nothing of offensive and defensive schemes, the importance of the offensive and defensive lines; and of course, I became a “ball watcher” ignoring good blocking and basics such as tackling. Local teams did not pass much.

I had no knowledge of football around the state. I didn’t know that Ridley was posting another 11-0 season in 1951; and that Lower Merion, that now struggles mightily, was 8-1 with their only loss to Ridley 28-14. The LM Aces had come off of a 9-0 1950 season. I had no knowledge that Berwick had gone 11-0, 10-1, 10-0-1, and 10-1 for 1941 through 1944. Statewide recognition had no meaning for me then, but at least for the eastern side of the state recognition would come along as Neshaminy started to schedule big name eastern PA opponents in the late 1950’s. Ambler, Easton, and Allentown were among them.

I had no concept of western PA football or the WPIAL. The late Dr. Roger B. Saylor, who developed a pioneer ranking system for Pennsylvania high school football-playing schools, was not known to me. I did not know that Farrell 9-1-0, and Aliquippa 11-0-0 won his 1951 and 1952 rankings top spots; and both appeared in 2015 state championship games.

Little by little I gained better knowledge of the game and officiating. I learned that Morrisville was part of the Lower Bucks County League that seems to have existed since 1935. It consisted of seven teams in 1951 – Bensalem, Bristol, Council Rock (formerly Newtown), Morrisville, Neshaminy (formerly Langhorne-Middletown), Pennsbury (formerly Fallsington and Yardley), and Southampton (in 1955 to become William Tennent).

Through the 1950’s Morrisville and Bristol were slowly relinquishing their “big school” (small schools but organized earlier and more urban) mantels as the construction of Levittown, Fairless Hills, and the Fairless Steel Plant were bringing massive migration to the lower Bucks County area that had primarily been vast farms and woodlands.

Following my alma mater through the fifties, first as a young fan; then from my freshman year (1955-56) as a high school band member, I got to see almost all of the games. The Bulldogs could hold their own in the league most seasons, although as with Bristol, they were slowly and surely being outgrown and would someday not be able to compete with other local schools.

Some examples from the fifties were that Morrisville held Council Rock scoreless for five consecutive years 1954 through 1958 winning 20-0, 33-0, 27-0, 33-0, and 13-0. Morrisville was 5-4 with Pennsbury 1951-1959. Neshaminy beat Morrisville 14-12 in 1955 and 6-2 in 1957.

In my senior year during the 1958 football season I began to keep handwritten records for all of the teams in the Lower Bucks County League, which by then included Delhaas (Bristol Township) that had entered the league in 1953.

As luck would have it, with my love of high school football, Morrisville gained the only undefeated season in the school’s history to date (2015) at 8-0-1 in my 1958 senior year. A 6-6 tie with Neshaminy prevented 9-0, but the two teams shared the LBCL Championship. Though my records are now computerized, I still maintain the written records in 3-ring binders; 65 years worth to date.

Through an older Morrisville fan/student I met at early games, I also started to visit other games besides my Morrisville Alma mater in 1958. Just two, Bristol-Council Rock and Delhaas-Neshaminy, but it was the start of an expansion of my football interest beyond my alma mater.

While not all events can be cataloged into even time frames, it is easiest to tell my story in decade blocks for the early years, with a shortened 1951-1959 the first block, because I only started in 1951. Later when I made notes of each game I saw I will have to go yearly and even less. It will take me 30 installments to tell my story.

There was no statewide recognition in the early 1950’s for the local teams. Neshaminy was growing the strongest, and Pennsbury was beginning to climb. And in 1958 Bishop Egan Catholic High School opened just outside of Tullytown, lower Bucks County. As with most starting programs, they played an independent schedule – all Catholic Schools, and ended 0-8-1, the tie 7-7 with Pottstown Saint Pius X. But the Egan Eagles would also grow to a strong program. Malvern Prep and Bishop Kenrick were on the Eagles original schedule.

Another new school came in 1959 and it was Woodrow Wilson High School in Bristol Township and a sister school of Delhaas. They played just the 8 LBCL teams in 1959 and went 1-7. They also ran the single-wing offense just as Neshaminy and it was the only other team doing so in that era. Simpler times; most teams ran T-formation, full house backfield offenses in those days.

The top wins record of the 1950’s decade was Old Forge High School at 80-17-11 up in coal country while locally Ambler 78-17-4 in Montgomery County was tops. At the time, I had no idea of such stats; at that time it was just root for the alma mater.

But a lot of that coal country talent was, or would be, moving into our local area, either favoring steel mill employment, or assisting in filling the services that were needed by local communities due to the population explosion; teachers and coaches for example.

Neshaminy gained coaches’ John Petercuskie from Old Forge, Peter Cordelli from Blakely, and Jack Swartz from Carbondale. Al Matuza came to Pennsbury in 1955 from Shenandoah High School and from the Chicago Bears (1943).

There is no doubt that starting in 1952 Neshaminy was the lower Bucks power football school with a 9-1 season and a LBCL Championship (6-0). Their lone loss was non-league to Ambler 7-25. The 1953 season saw co-champs, both Bensalem and Neshaminy 6-1 league. Neshaminy won the title outright in 1954, 1955, 1956, 1959, and 1960.

In 1957 Neshaminy and Pennsbury shared co-championships and in 1958 Neshaminy and Morrisville shared co-championships. Shared or outright, Neshaminy was in every LBCL title 1952-1960. But they were not recognized by Dr. Saylor until the 1962 season.

The start of a new decade in 1960 was a transition year in many ways now that I look at it in retrospect. Morrisville’s long-time coach Gordon Davies, I believe also an upstate product, but well before the recent influx, retired after the 1960 Morrisville season.

The Bulldogs posted a 7-2 slate, losing only to Neshaminy (0-42) and Bensalem (13-19). This followed an 8-1 and the 8-0-1 seasons, making the 1958-1960 era, one of the best in school history at 23-3-1 for the three seasons. I saw six of the Bulldog games that 1960 season, and it was the last time I saw my alma mater that many times in one year. They have only met with a scattering of success here and there since that time, and have struggled mightily most of this century, and the last four decades of the prior century.

A second transition was that in 1960 Pennsbury opened the first field of their own; the first Falcon Field behind the Charles Boehm school in Lower Makefield Township. Prominent was the bright orange wooden press box.

1960 was also the final season of a unified 9-team Lower Bucks County League. For 1961 the league would be split up into big school and small school divisions, Section I and Section II.

And state recognition came to lower Bucks County for the first time when Neshaminy’s Harry Schuh was named second team all-state Fullback (AP) for 1959. This would be followed in 1960 by Neshaminy RB Jack Stricker (UPI); and John Carber (T) first-team all state 1961.

And it continued in 1962 and 1963 as well with Redskins’ Bob Cummings (C) and Bob Baxter (HB) making all-state respectively. In 1964 Pennsbury joined the ranks of local all-staters with two selections – Dennis Woomer (T) second team and Joe Fiorvanta (G) third team.

And Dr. Saylor accorded Neshaminy as 9^th in the state at 10-0-1 in 1962, and the Skins appeared on his list for the next three seasons – 1963 (3^rd), 1964 (5-way tie for 4^th), and 1965 (5^th).

Neshaminy and Pennsbury were bringing state recognition to the area and I had the pleasure of seeing those athletes play. Dr. Saylor had Pennsbury in a 3-way tie for 10^th in 1966; and then Bishop Egan tie for 9^th in 1967. I was still oblivious of this in my early to mid-teens.

I eschewed college after graduation in 1959 to go directly to work in banking from high school (in three weeks actually), and purchased a used car and began more serious dating.

But I continued my interests in hobbies and music, joining a community marching band in nearby Hamilton Township, New Jersey and joining a hobby group I was interested in. In 1961 I joined a field competition senior drum & bugle corps.

I think the decline of Morrisville football (1-7 in 1961) along with all of my other continued interests, temporarily stifled my high school football interest for a year or two. While I got to 18 games in 1959, my first season out of high school, and 12 in 1960; I made a low of 7 in 1961. But I still continued to log the records of all the teams that I had started with, plus the newcomers in lower Bucks County.

The big school Section I of the LBCL was Neshaminy, Pennsbury, William Tennent, and Woodrow Wilson; while the Section II of smaller schools was Bensalem, Bristol, Council Rock, Delhaas, and Morrisville.

Neshaminy added their big concrete stands for the 1963 season and I saw the first game there that year when the Redskins hosted the Central Dauphin Rams. In a defensive struggle the Skins won 7-0. I saw 8 of the Skins 10 games that season, 7 at Neshaminy and one at Tennent. I had begun to realize the pleasure of watching well-executed high school football, and Neshaminy was the place to be for me.

I also got out to Falcon Field for 4 Pennsbury games, including a 65-0 drubbing of Morrisville in the last game between those two schools whose programs were going in different directions. I also saw the Falcons away twice that season.

I saw all 9 LBCL teams plus Bishop Egan in 1963, a total of 21 games, a new record total for a season to that time.

There was motivation to see as many games as I could in 1963. In early 1963 I had received my military draft notice with a pending entrance date of January 1964. For once I would be on a team, a vast military team; I did some research, talked to recruiters, and chose to enlist in the Army for four years, at the time the only 4-year hitch in the Army; the ASA or Army Security Agency. Among many thoughts about such a venture was “missing high school football”.

After basic training at Fort Dix, NJ, in late March 1964 I motored to Fort Devens, Massachusetts and the ASA Training Center and School. This article is for high school football, and I say only that I remained for all 4 years of my hitch at the School, eventually as Administrative NCO of the data processing division.

It was a 6-hour ride home and once I was permanent party at the school by the 1964 football season, I could get home for games on weekends. I was able to take in 16 games in 1964 and 14 in 1965 in this manner. Included in 1965 were two games between Massachusetts teams up there and Bergen Catholic (NJ) at Bishop Egan. This was a competitive, close game going to Bergen 14-7. Egan was growing powerful and was 9-3 in 1965. Also included was the first game ever for Archbishop Wood and it was on a field behind the school sans bleachers as I remember. It was with Morrisville and the Bulldogs won 13-7. The Wood website only includes their first PCL season 1966, but they did indeed play an independent schedule in 1965 and were 0-9; and I saw the first game they ever played.

By the 1966 season I was married and living in Fitchburg, Massachusetts. As a result I saw only a Massachusetts high school all-star football game Lawrence versus Lowell, 21-18 Lowell.

The year of 1967 is the only year in my 65-year high school football hobby, 1951-2015, that I did not see any games. We had been moved from an apartment in Fitchburg, Mass onto post at Fort Devens, and I was preparing to leave the service in early 1968 and had much to do, and of course had no reason to come back to Lower Bucks County in 1966 or 1967 to a greater degree.

On January 15, 1968 I returned to being a civilian, a banker, and in May a first-time homeowner in Fairless Hills, PA not very far at all from the new Falcon Field of Pennsbury, dedicated in 1968. The Falcons first game there was against (then) Bishop Neumann, won 42-0 by Pennsbury. I did not get to that one. But Pennsbury held the stadium dedication the second week when Altoona was in and I had to get to that one and did. The Falcons dispatched the Mountain Lions 33-20 on the way to a 10-1 season, losing only 12-13 to Easton all season. Frank Dykes (T) was second team all-state (AP) from that Falcon eleven.

Before the season started I had made an appointment at the Bucks County Courier Times newspaper building in Tullytown to search their records for the 1966 and 1967 local football seasons so I could keep my written records intact. I was fortunate and treated very nicely there in completing my mission. Some years back from our present time a murder at the building made such research visitation off limits; and I couldn’t do that now.

I only saw two games in 1968 and three in 1969 as I adjusted back into civilian life, home ownership, job requirements, and in ways a restrictive marital regimen.

I basically missed some big doings in the 1966 season. Background: Neshaminy had grown mighty, known state-wide, but had a massive coaching change after their 10-0-1 1965 season.  Pennsbury had grown strong losing only to Altoona 26-28 and Neshaminy 0-7 and going 6-2-1 (tie Wilson 0-0). And Bishop Egan went 9-3, losing the Philadelphia Catholic League Championship to West Catholic 13-28. All this was in 1965, a season in which I did see 14 games; and a preview to the 1966 season.

John Petercuskie left Neshaminy after compiling an on-field 59-1-5 record 1960-1965.

There was an ineligible player issue costing all or some of the 1962 season officially, but I list the on-field accomplishments as I know for fact the ineligible player did not play often and was not involved in any win in any way. In 1966 the Skins went 2-6-2, their first losing season in 15 years (since 2-5-3 in 1951).

Meanwhile in 1966 Bishop Egan went 12-1 and won the PCL and City Championships. A regular season 0-6 loss to LaSalle was their only blemish. They beat Neshaminy 41-0 in the season opener. Pennsbury went 8-1-1 and Wilson went 8-1-1. Yes the tie was with each other. Pennsbury lost only to Allentown Allen 13-20 and Wilson lost only to Egan 0-9. Pennsbury beat Neshaminy 60-0 in the final game of the season for each team.

Additionally, starting in 1966 both Pennsbury and Neshaminy played in a second league commonly called the Eastern Big Eight, although in 1966 it only contained 6 teams. Easton and Pennsbury shared the title in this league at 4-1 each in 1966. Other teams were Allentown Allen, Allentown Dieruff and Bethlehem Liberty.

As I said above, I missed the 1967 season entirely while living in Massachusetts. Getting the local team’s records in 1968, I learned that I missed some good football. Among it was perhaps one of the best Bristol squads ever that went 9-1 with their sole loss to bigger Bensalem 13-14. They averaged 32.7 points per game while allowing 12.3. Among the Warrior’s wins: 35-0 over Archbishop Ryan and 35-7 over Lansdale Catholic.

Pennsbury put up an 8-2 season losing their opener 0-14 to Altoona out there, and also to Easton 14-34 at home, which would have been the last season of the old Falcon Field near Charles Boehm. Neshaminy was still slumping with a 3-7 slate.

Bishop Egan was again only plagued by one upset loss 25-27 to Bishop McDevitt, while posting a slate of 11-1 and including PCL and City Championships. While I cannot locate his name in any all-state teams, Larry Marshall played for Egan around this time and he went on to Maryland and then 75 games in the pros 1972-78 with four different teams.

Although I only saw two games in 1968, I did see the best local team as Pennsbury went 10-1, losing only to Easton 12-13 at Cottingham.

I saw the Altoona stadium dedication game mentioned above and I also saw the final game, the annual Neshaminy-Pennsbury tussle, won by the Falcons 17-13. Neshaminy bounced back somewhat to 7-4 for 1968.

In 1969, the end of the 1960’s decade I only saw three games, two Morrisville and the Neshaminy-Pennsbury affair again, this time at Heartbreak Ridge. It was Bucks County Courier Times icon Dick Dougherty that dubbed the Neshaminy stadium “Heartbreak Ridge” in 1965. The Falcons again prevailed 13-7. They finished 8-2, the best local public team record.

By the end of the 1960 decade I was in a slump of four years, 1966-1969 having been to only 6 games over the four years. I missed it greatly; but it would get worse before it got better.

Because 1965 was the last of what I would call my first continuous cycle of high school football 1951-1965; I was not really tuned to the results of the period of the 1960’s as to league championships and local teams in the Eastern Big 6, 7, or 8, depending on the years.

In the LBCL, section I Neshaminy continued to dominate, winning the league in 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, and 1965. Pennsbury had taken the lead in 1966, sharing the crown with Woodrow Wilson that year, then winning the league outright in 1967, 1968, and 1969.

The Eastern Big 8 (probably called Big 6 in the first season) only started in 1966 when I saw no games locally in the LBCL and this happened again in 1967. I remember being aware of it from news accounts and the local Neshaminy and Pennsbury schedules though. Easton and Pennsbury shared the first 1966 title at 4-1 each in the league. Easton won it outright in 1967 and 1968 and Pennsbury was second in both years. In 1969 a three-way tie for first at 4-2 occurred among Allentown Dieruff, Neshaminy and Pennsbury.

As the league started the year that Neshaminy tanked, they were last in the league in 1966 (1-3-1); and in 1967 (1-4). The Skins sat in fourth place in 1968, and were in the three-way tie for first at 4-2 mentioned above in 1969.

There were 6 teams in this Eastern Big league 1966-1968; and 7 in 1969 when Bethlehem Freedom entered. The league continued through the 1975 season and Reading entered in 1973 finally making it the “Big 8”. As I did not get to return to very active high school football until the 1976 season; I basically missed the entire existence (1966-1975) of this second league for the two local teams.

I was still “localized” in my views of high school football. I did not know that Harrisburg John Harris won the 1960s decade for wins at 95-7-3; or that locally Ridley went 78-12-3 for the best record in District One. I didn’t know that Mike Pettine Sr., who graduated from Conshohocken, had become coach at Central Bucks High School in Doylestown, PA in 1963. I didn’t know that Easton had one of those rare losing seasons at 3-7-1, after a three year run at 28-1-1 the prior three seasons.

High School Football was going on without me and I didn’t like it!

 

Sources:

Don Black’s various individual high school record books.

Pennsylvania Football News annual resource guides.

Neshaminy Football website – history.