la salle college high school football: in retrospect · 2014-06-10 · due to an injury to...
TRANSCRIPT
La Salle College High School Football: In Retrospect
NOTE: This is the thirty-sixth of, I hope, many retrospectives highlighting some unique
history of the football program at La Salle. The topics to discuss seem endless at this
time. Hope you enjoy these.
Bill Wasylenko, ‘69
Issue Number Thirty-Six: Brothers in Battle
Our sons Steve and Dan are one grade apart, and their experiences in grade school and
high school were often shared experiences, along with shared friendships. They often
played together on the same team, and the conflicting emotions of a sibling rivalry and a
sibling loyalty often presented itself.
They each selected their “main” sport prior to high school, and so they never got to play
together at La Salle. I always wondered what it would have been like for them to be on
the same team in high school, and I also felt that playing on the football team together
would have been a most unique shared experience.
And then I realized that many of our La Salle football players went through that particular
experience, and I wondered what it was like for them. So I identified many sets of La
Salle brothers who happened to be on the Varsity team at the same time, and wanted to
see what it was like together during the Senior year of the older brother. In most cases, I
looked at brother sets who were one year apart, but also considered some that were two
years apart; the senior/junior combination was more likely to have a more substantial
shared experience than a senior/soph combo.
I identified brother combinations between the 1948 and 2011 seasons to consider. In
some cases, I chose to write something about them without any consultation, feeling that
I had enough to tell a story. But in many cases, I sent out a bunch of interview questions
to the brothers to get their personal take on that experience.
What I got back was so revealing. Most significant was the passion that each of them had
for their time in La Salle football, as well as their fraternal love for each other. This got
me really excited to put something together worthy of that shared experience that they
had, and I’m hoping that my words reflect the intentions that they meant to express.
I chose to do 12 sets of brothers, but there are more of you out there, and someday there
could be a Chapter 2 to this Retrospect, but I’m hoping that you enjoy the 12 stories that
I’m presenting to you of the “Brothers In Battle”.
I welcome your questions, comments, and corrections.
Bill Wasylenko, ’69
May 31, 2013, revised April 6, 2014
1990 – Running With the Big Dogs
The Conlin family seemed to be an
assembly line of All-Catholic
production from the late 70’s to the
early 90’s, spreading their gifts
across Bishop McDevitt, their local
archdiocesan high school, as well as
La Salle.
Keith Conlin ‘91
The Conlin parents nurtured the love of sports within each of their 8 children, pushing
them to achieve lofty goals without pushing them too far. They were a big family of large
athletes, a feature that the coaches would notice immediately in the perennially
undersized Explorer student body.
Ken was the first of the boys to make his abilities known as a three-time All-Catholic
baseball player for the Royal Lancers from 1978 to 1980, and went on to play in the
minor leagues. Chris, nicknamed “Buckwheat”, was a star gridder at Bishop McDevitt,
growing to 6’-5”, 255 lbs by senior year. He went on to be a major part of Penn State’s
National Champions in the 1986 season, and played five years in the NFL for the
Dolphins and Colts. Craig was the first of the Conlins to go to La Salle, where he starred
on both the diamond and the hardwood, and became a great hoops player for La Salle
University.
In their wake came along Keith, and also Kevin, the last of the brood, affectionately
nicknamed “Pup”. They were coming to La Salle.
Keith had a stellar junior season in 1989, when the Explorers regained the Catholic
League Championship that they had last won in 1960. He was a tremendous force on the
front line of a stingy defense that gave up only 27 points in their last 9 games, including
the 13-0 whitewash of Roman in the title game. In senior year, he was also asked to play
a lot on offense, and needed two numbers to play during the year, playing both offensive
tackle with number 67, and tight end with number 89.
In that 1990 season, Keith, grown to 6’-8”, 265 lbs, got to welcome younger brother
Kevin as a teammate for the first time in football, though they were together on teams in
other sports while growing up.
Like most older brothers, Keith looked out for Kevin, showed him some aspects of
defensive line play and game preparation at La Salle, and also introduced him to his
classmates, guys like Craig Fitzgerald and Kevin Schmidt, who also made the
sophomore comfortable, and always offered their help.
Kevin Conlin ‘93
Conlin
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Kevin ended up as Keith’s backup in his sophomore year, so they rarely shared the field,
but the Thanksgiving Day game against St. Joseph’s Prep became a special day for
them. Due to an injury to defensive lineman Dave Gathman, Keith and Kevin Conlin
finally got to play together, and that 21-0 victory over the Prep made the many turkeys
cooked at the Conlin house that day all taste good.
Kevin grew to a mere 6’-4”, 257 lbs by his senior year at La Salle, and was a mainstay on
the 1991 and 1992 squads.
Ketih and Kevin Conlin followed brother Chris to Penn State, but, despite of the many
defensive combinations used by the Nittany Lions, never really got to play together on
the field in an actual game. That Thanksgiving Day game in 1990 against the Prep is the
only extended time that they got to share the field together, but that memory endures
forever.
Keith and Kevin Conlin, best friends, achieved All-Catholic status in their respective
senior years, joining their three older brothers with those honors, showing that they
could indeed run with the big dogs.
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1995 – Coyle and Re-Coyle
If you look up the term “Irish Twins”
in Wikipedia, there has to be a
picture of the Coyle brothers. Pat
and Brendan Coyle are only 9
months apart, though they were in
different grades.
Pat Coyle ‘96
They started playing touch football together at age 5 for the Southampton Knights, and
moved on to tackle/weight football in the Keystone League, being on the same team for
all but one or two years until high school.
They learned to hit, and that usually meant hitting each other, going head to head in
what became known as “brotherly love” drills. Pat claims that no one has ever hit him
as hard as Brendan, and he never had any fear because he faced the best everyday while
growing up.
As the 1995 season approached, both brothers were excited and apprehensive. It would
be the first year since weight football that they would be on the field together. Brendan
won a starting spot on the defensive line as a junior, lining up right in front of Pat at
linebacker. Pat taught Brendan to never give up on a play, and also that size doesn’t
matter, though Pat thought the coaches were crazy about putting Brendan on the line.
Brendan Coyle ‘97
Coyle
You see, the Irish twins were a wee on the small side. But getting the best players out on
a field in a 5-2 defense may mean that a Brendan Coyle has to be a lineman.
The Coyle brothers were two “little engines that could” on the Explorer defense. A twist
to the older/younger brother storyline: when Pat was a freshman at La Salle, he got to
pick his number, and picked the number that Brendan had for his Southampton team,
#51. Pat kept that number in sophomore year, and Brendan had to pick another number,
because Pat had stolen his! But people in the stands got to know quickly who #51 and
#47 were.
The early apprehension that the Coyles had about the season seemed justified, as non-
league losses against West Catholic and Cherokee NJ had them concerned. But several
teammates, most notably John Mallach, exuded confidence that the season would be a
success. Many juniors and seniors had worked hard in the weight room together during
the summer, and that effort and that camaraderie paid off as the season unfolded. The
team pasta dinners at a teammate’s house the night before the game didn’t hurt.
The second league game was against Archbishop Ryan, perennial powerhouse, and the
Coyles both agree that this was the watershed game in defining this season. That 29-19
victory obliterated any lingering apprehension.
As the season rolled on, the father of the Irish twins was in his glory. Following his boys
on the sidelines during their youth football days, Mr. Coyle was now La Salle’s number
one cheerleader, and President of the Touchdown Club. He would spread out all of the
local papers at Sunday breakfast, and everyone would read the articles, and talk about
Saturday’s game.
The Coyle brothers had great relationships with their opposite classes on the team,
especially the Mallach brothers. Even when Brendan was still in 8th grade, Pat would
invite him along with all his new high school friends. Those off-the-field bonds only
helped the on-the-field bond that was needed of champions.
The Coyle brothers became a great force as the season progressed. One play in
particular against Bonner in the playoffs epitomized their fraternal teamwork: the Friar
quarterback rolled out, and both Coyles broke through the line, and simultaneously
Brendan hit him low and Pat hit him high. Just like back in the day in Southampton.
The PCL Championship game against Ryan was the apex of the season, and the 17-3 La
Salle win was sheer happiness for the Coyle brothers. After hugging their teammates
and posing with the trophy in front of cameras, Brendan and Pat broke away from their
teammates to join their dad for a unique photo opportunity. Mr. Coyle had invited their
old coaches from youth football to the game, and they got to pose with them and the
trophy for a unique picture, the circular trophy symbolic of the Coyles going full circle
back to their days when they could only dream about playing high school football
together.
Pat and Brendan Coyle both were awarded All-Catholic honors. Brendan didn’t think he
had a chance; the feeling of being named All-Catholic alongside his brother Pat was
indescribable. He was ecstatic, but only half as excited and ecstatic as his dad.
That Championship game was Pat’s last time in uniform. Brendan went on as a senior to
excel on the undefeated 1996 Champs. Mr. Coyle would send Pat the game tapes at
college, and Pat would get a crowd of friends together in a dorm room to watch for #47,
And when #47 made a great play, Pat would announce to no one in particular, but really
to everyone, “That’s my brother!”. By the time the Championship game tape against
Judge arrived, there were 25 guys in that dorm room in Vermont pulling for La Salle and
Brendan.
Pat came back to La Salle to be the linebacker coach in the 1998 and 1999 seasons. Two
of his favorite players were twins Kevin and Chris Dougherty, two real hitters who may
have reminded him of another set of brothers. Ironic that an Irish twin ends up coaching
twins who were Irish.
Brendan (#47) and Pat (#51) Coyle on Thanksgiving Day 1995 vs. St. Joseph’s Prep
1998/99 – What About My Brother?
Chris and Kevin Dougherty were
fraternal twins who were identical in
their approach to football. As part of
a stellar defense in the 1998 and 1999
seasons, they loved to get physical,
would finish every tackle, would be
brutally honest with each other, and
their brotherhood was infectious to
the entire defensive squad. Chris Dougherty ‘00 Kevin Dougherty ‘00
Dougherty
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Chris was a 6’-1”, 195 lb middle linebacker, one of the hardest hitters in the Catholic
League. Kevin was a 5’-10”, 168 lb safety and kick returner, who played a lot bigger.
They had each other’s back, combining on crushing gang tackles that buried opposing
ballcarriers and often popping the football loose. While Chris would blitz the
quarterback and make him hurry his throw, Kevin would zero in on the errant toss, and
intercept the ball, garnering 8 pilfers in each of the 1998 and 1999 seasons. Chris got to
his share of ballcarriers himself, leading the team in tackles in 1999.
If an opposing player had an issue with one of them, they had an issue with both of
them, and that mentality cascaded across the whole defense, as these 1998 and 1999
teams were marauders, and took great pride in their closeness, aggressiveness, and
competitiveness.
They knew what each other was thinking, and Chris figured that he could take some
chances at his linebacker position, knowing that Kevin would be there to back him up
and help to finish the tackle. The Doughertys looked up to each other and would do
anything for each other, a unique bond that started in the womb and flourished on the
football field.
In their junior year of 1998, they competed for and won starting positions on defense,
and learned what it was like to prepare for a game from the seniors, as they all
experienced a magical, hard-fought journey to the Catholic League Championship. As
seniors in 1999, they were part of the team leadership, with Chris as a captain, passing
on their knowledge and preparation to the underclassmen, making it to the
championship game again, only to lose to Roman Catholic.
The Dougherty family relished the game days in the 1998 and 1999 seasons. Jim
Dougherty, Class of ’67, couldn’t have been a prouder Dad on game day, having once
played for Tex Flannery. On the morning of the 1998 championship game, he was a
bundle of nerves while making breakfast for his family, and waking everyone up with
some old La Salle chants.
After defeating Archbishop Ryan for that championship in 1998, La Salle players were in
a mob scene after the game ended, except for two players: Chris and Kevin Dougherty
were in their own fraternal-twin hugfest, before joining their exuberant teammates.
Late in the 1999 season, after a game at Northeast High School, head coach Joe Colistra
went up to Kevin Dougherty, and told him that he made first-team Al-Catholic. Kevin’s
immediate words were: “What about my brother?” Joe Colistra broke into a big smile,
and said: “Yeah, he made it, too”.
After the 1999 football season was over, the Doughertys went their separate ways in
winter and spring sports. Chris wrestled and played baseball, and Kevin swam and
played lacrosse. The spring of their senior year gave their parents one more chance to
see their sons play at the same time, as they parked their lawn chairs strategically
between the baseball diamond and the lacrosse field at La Salle.
After La Salle and college, the twins continued their separate ways, with Chris in the
investment world and Kevin in significant administrative academic roles that eventually
brought him back to La Salle. But they remain very close, and have an unbreakable
bond with their former teammates, especially those on defense in those great seasons of
1998 and 1999.
They each have great memories of their days at La Salle, coming in as twin brothers
knowing very few classmates, but leaving with dozens of brothers, as well as the words
of wisdom and examples set by coaches like Joe Colistra, John Steinmetz, and Paul
Kubach that they will use for the rest of their lives.
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2011 – Two-Sport Duo
Casey and Andrew Eidenshink
followed older brother Ryan onto the
football field, but also onto the
lacrosse field, excelling in both
sports. Their cross-over talents were
evident on the football field, and they
got to share some gridiron time
together in the 2011 season. Casey Eidenshink ‘12 Andrew Eidenshink ‘13
Eidenshink
Casey was a wide receiver and kick returner, and, though usually used in third-down
passing situations, was involved in many key plays, resulting in first-down receptions as
a possession-type of receiver. Younger brother Andrew played on the defensive side of
the ball, first as a defensive end in his junior year, but eventually migrating to outside
linebacker in his senior year due to his footspeed.
They played on opposite sides of the ball, but often teamed up on special teams, where
Casey excelled as a return man, using his lacrosse skills in making moves in small
spaces and gaining valuable field position. Andrew had a nose for the ball, using his
speed to make tackles on both sides of the field.
Though they didn’t achieve All-Catholic status like their brother Ryan, they had a habit of
being involved in some of the key plays of the 2011 season. In the regular-season game
against the Prep, La Salle was rebounding from a 17-0 deficit, trailing 17-15 early in the
4th quarter. The Explorers faced a 4th and 9 on the Hawk 32-yard line, and took a time
out. They chose to go for it, and QB Matt Magarity hit a streaking Casey Eidenshink on a
slant pattern for the touchdown the gave La Salle the lead for good. In the PCL
Championship game against Roman Catholic, Andrew Eidenshink recovered a Cahillite
fumble late in the 4th quarter to seal the Explorer victory, 16-6, for their 4th straight PCL
Championship. See the pictures below.
The Eidenshinks combined on
the lacrosse field in the spring
of 2012, and then headed their
separate ways to play lacrosse
in college, with Casey at
Lehigh and Andrew on his way
to Fairfield. But their time on
the football field in 2011 will
be remembered not only by
them, but also by their
teammates, as their
contributions were invaluable
on that 12-2-0 team.
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1964 – The Foley Fraternity
Jay Foley ‘65 Tim Foley ‘66
Foley
Jay Foley was a 2-way back for the 1963 and 1964 La Salle teams, and was a great
ballhawk in the defensive backfield, intercepting 2 passes in the 1964 game against
Kenrick among his thefts. Younger brother Tim was bigger than Jay, and made the
Varsity as a soph in 1963, playing end. By 1964, Tim was a starter alongside his brother.
In 1964, the Foley brothers were two-way players, as Jay got some touches as halfback,
but they were featured more on defense. Tim had moved to a “roving linebacker”
position, and brother Jay, the defensive back, seemed to always be playing right behind
him, backing him up like an older brother should.
They have great memories of that year, from coming up from the shore to begin August
practice, through camp with scrimmages against “farm boys”, and all the way to the last
game against Father Judge. Jay enjoyed seeing his younger brother Tim making plays
in front of him against some of the best offensive talent in the Northern Division, like
running back Charlie Jarvis of Father Judge. Tim would often make the initial hit, and
Jay would finish the runner off. Nothing like fraternal teamwork to get the job done.
While Jay enjoyed seeing his brother on the field with him, Tim felt more pressure to
produce than other juniors on the team because of their brother act. But produce he did,
along with his brother Jay and the strong Blue and Gold defense, as the 1964 Explorers
gave up only 43 points all season.
One benefit that they shared was getting to know the opposite classes well, and that
helped to foster camaraderie across the team. And, of course, when either made a good
play, he was greeted loudly by his brother, and then by the rest of the team. This made
for a very special year for both of them.
The 1964 season was a special season for La Salle as well. After an opening season
loss to a great Neshaminy team, and a non-divisional win over the Burrs of West
Catholic, the Explorers ran off 4 straight league wins, and were in a position to control
their own destiny with just two games remaining.
The entire Foley family came to all of the games, and Mr. Foley was intensely proud of
Jay and Tim, but, like many parents of that generation, reserved his emotions in the
stands, and saved it for the ride home, replaying the games with his boys as the Sunday
afternoons cascaded into evenings.
Cardinal Dougherty upset La Salle in the next to last game, 13-0, and the Explorers
needed to beat the Father Judge Crusaders in the final game to have a shot at the
playoffs. In an intensely defensive game at Northeast High School, Judge’s quarterback
Bill Kelly kicked a short field goal near the end of the first half. Who would have
imagined that the 3-0 lead would hold up, but it did, and the Explorer hopes of a post-
season was dashed, not to be attained till 1988.
Jay and Tim still shake their heads at that loss; field goals just weren’t kicked much
back then, and certainly not to win an important game. That bitter memory, along with
all of the sweet ones, gets resurrected every time they get together to talk about 1964, a
really special time in their lives. Jay still feels that playing football was the most fun he
ever had at La Salle, and playing with his brother Tim in 1964 was a unique reward.
1976 – James and John –
Apostles of Defense
Jim and John Gillies followed their
brother Bill ’74 into La Salle, and
onto the football field. These two
Gillies brothers were part of the
unique 1976 season that proved to
be Tex Flannery’s last great team.
Jim Gillies ‘77 John Gillies ‘78
Gillies
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Jim Gillies was a senior defensive lineman that year, having been part of the Phoenix of
the 1975 team, rising from the ashes of a 0-9-0 team in his sophomore year. He was as
tough as old rawhide, and had great strength in his sinewy frame, which topped out at
6’-2” and 215 lbs.
Brother John was a year behind Jim, and was a solid defensive back at 5’-10” and 175
lbs, often playing behind Jim, and sometimes alongside of him in blitz formations. They
certainly were a major part of a rough and tough defense that registered three
consecutive shutouts on the way to a 9-2-0 record, winning more games than any La
Salle team since 1957.
John felt privileged to be able to hang around with the seniors, and gained their respect,
not only as Jim’s younger brother, but as a player in his own right. The Gillies brothers
did look after each other, but they knew that the job took precedence, including when
they went head to head in practice, something not uncommon for these two off the field
as well. But, after the whistle, a hand to get up and a pat on the back were always in
order, and their teammates respected them for understanding the rules of battle.
And battle it was: the Gillies brothers always felt like warriors going into battle, relishing
the thought of delivering such a punishing blow to the enemy that they would remember
your number (Jim - #71; John - #38). Their closeness, both personally in life and
geographically on the field, was a great source of pride for both of them.
They were able to push each other during hours and hours of training and practice, both
on the field and in the gym, hitting the free weights and the universal machine for hours
with no one else around but each other. And their trek back home was done together as
well, often thumbing a ride or walking for miles, together.
The season started with incredible promise, as the Explorers ran off three straight wins,
but Judge’s Crusaders knocked the Blue and Gold down in a 34-7 drubbing. Three more
wins followed, putting La Salle in position to win the Suburban section of the Northern
Division.
A 13-0 halftime lead against Archbishop Wood in the regular season finale had the
faithful anticipating the playoffs. But the Vikings came back to tie the game in the fourth
quarter, and then scored on a short run with 8 seconds to go to dash the hopes of the
Explorers, depriving them of a playoff spot that they hadn’t experienced since 1961.
John was sidelined with a head injury for that Wood game, and he still has memories of
the difficult experience of seeing Wood march down that field for the winning score, and
not being able to do anything about it.
Jim and John Gillies played exceptionally well on that 1976 defense, and they had their
individual moments in the sun. In the Kenrick game, John ran from one sideline to the
other to tackle a runner and cause a fumble, and was baptized with the nickname
“Shark” by fellow defensive back John Steinmetz. In the North Catholic game, Jim
stripped star running back Lou Sigmund of the ball, and returned with the pilfered
pigskin till he was stopped at the North 4-yard line. That thievery led to one of two
scores in a La Salle shutout.
They have great memories of Tex Flannery (“Stop posing for holy pictures!”) as well as
Joe Colistra (“A tie is like kissing your sister!”), and they think back often to their
teammates, especially those who have passed on at a young age, like Vince Kostos and
Mike Vesey. Their opportunity to play together on that great 1976 team has provided
them with a lifetime of memories, and all the workouts, practices, scrimmages, and
games that they shared, together.
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2003 – Tight Ends, Tighter Brothers
Frank and Tom Jorfi both played
tight end at La Salle. Contrary to
what you may have expected, they
were in fierce competition for playing
time, continuing a rivalry from their
days of one-on-one basketball games
in the driveway.
Frank Jorfi ‘04 Tom Jorfi ‘05
Jorfi
That competition continued on the CYO football field for Corpus Christi, where Frank
(8th grade) and Tom (7th grade) finally got to play with each other for the first time. And
their battles in CYO were probably a lot more serious than their battles 4 years later at La
Salle. Frank was big and strong, and grew to be 6’-2” and almost 200 lbs as a freshman.
He was good enough as a sophomore to gain a lot of meaningful playing time.
Freshman Tom had a unique set of emotions going, being intensely jealous of Frank’s
success, and yet was passionately proud of his brother, and enjoyed watching him play
Varsity ball.
Tom wanted the opportunity to prove himself, but watching Frank succeed, in Tom’s own
words, was “like standing in a shadow that just kept stretching”. Tom grew to be tall as
well, was leaner of build, and was a faster receiver than Frank.
Frank was an excellent receiver and a great blocker, and at home he worked with Tom on
technique as well as routes. They didn’t share much time on the practice field, and
didn’t have much of an opportunity of looking out for each other, except for when Coach
Joe Colistra screamed out for “Jorf!!”, and both Jorfi brothers responded at full speed,
with one knowing he’d be walking away with his tail between his legs.
Frank played end/outside linebacker in addition to being a stellar receiver amidst a great
crop of receivers in his senior year, and that meant that Tom would have to bide his time
to get onto the field on offense. Frank made sure he attended as many of Tom’s JV
games as possible, supporting him and enjoying his success at that level.
Frank’s and Tom’s dad tried to make it to every one of their games - all the way from
freshman to JV to Varsity, and every Varsity game was a major event for the whole Jorfi
family; Mr. Jorfi made it a point to try to tape all of their games.
On car rides after hard practices or games, the Jorfi brothers were either too exhausted
to even talk to each other, or they were talking trash to each other about something that
had happened. If Frank celebrated a catch or a touchdown a little too much, Tom made
sure to put him in his place on that ride home.
Frank was awarded All-Catholic honors as an end/outside linebacker in his senior year,
and brother Tom would have been furious if he didn’t make it, because he knew his
brother deserved it. At the same time, Frank felt that Tom didn’t get enough of a shot to
play in his junior year, and hoped that he’d get that long-overdue chance in his senior
year.
Tom took that opportunity and made good on it, becoming an outstanding receiver with
great speed and great hands. Frank, playing at La Salle University, got back to many of
Tom’s games in his senior season, and he remembers the Archbishop Ryan playoff
game when Tom caught about 9 passes in La Salle’s loss to the Raiders. Many people
came up to Frank, telling him how great Tom played all season.
When Tom was awarded his own All-Catholic berth, Frank was elated, and, in his words:
“Finally, someone else sees how good he is, and he's getting the credit he deserves. I
seriously could not have been prouder.”
Tom had his own opportunity to play college ball at either Moravian or Lycoming, but
instead chose to go to La Salle University and be with his brother. They ended up
sharing an apartment for one of their years together, rekindling their closeness with
each other, while at the same time, rekindling their competitiveness, arguing about
which one of them was better at La Salle.
1953 – Lamprechts Light Up The Line
Coming to 20th and Olney from the
Glenside “wilderness” were the
Lamprecht brothers, whose La Salle
resumes were more like twins,
except they were a year apart.
Getting to play together in the “new
dawn” of the 1953 season was
certainly special. John Lamprecht ‘54 Frank Lamprecht ‘55
Lamprecht
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John was a three-year letterman on the gridiron who was a senior in the 1953 season; he
wore number 48, was an honorable mention All-Catholic in 1953 as a tackle, went by the
nickname of “Herman”, and was a mainstay on the crew team in the football “off-
season”.
Frank was a three-year football letterman as well, and was a junior in the 1953 season;
he wore number 45, was a second team All-Catholic guard in the 1954 season, went by
the nickname of “Bo”, and also rowed for La Salle when he wasn’t playing football.
And the Lamprechts were both about the same size, listed at 5’-10”, 170 lbs (though the
pictures make John look somewhat bigger).
The 1953 season was the “Season of Coming Attractions”, where John was one of just 8
seniors, and the team came on strong as the season progressed. Early in the year, the
Explorers battled the Prep to a 0-0 tie, and the Wisterian noted the “defensive line
presence” of John and Frank Lamprecht. They also were a big part of the greatest La
Salle win in years, anchoring the defense in an 18-0 shutout over North Catholic, and
they followed that up with an equally exciting win against the Burrs of West Catholic, 31-
26. On offense, they helped to open up holes for the great skill position players like QB
Bill Magee, end John Duffy, and back Jim Ward.
Though the stars of renown of the 1953 team seem to be spotted in the backfield, the line
play on both sides of the ball by the Lamprecht brothers were surely an important factor
in turning around the fortunes of La Salle football.
John was the long-time proprietor of the Blue Bell Inn, where the Class of 1954 would
hold a monthly lunch, and the footballers would get a chance to re-live that great season
of 1953. Though the Blue Bell Inn is in new ownership, the Class of 54 has continued
their monthly lunches, relocating to other local establishments, talking about their
senior year, when the Lamprecht brothers wore the Blue and Gold together.
1995 – Long-Time Teammates
John and Kyle Mallach were
teammates for a long, long time,
going back to their JV CYO days at
“Little Gwynedd”. But, as they
approached their last year as
teammates in 1995, that bittersweet
thought of a final season was the
furthest thing from their minds. John Mallach ‘95 Kyle Mallach ‘96
Mallach
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John was a year ahead of Kyle, and was always the first to play at a higher level for a
year before Kyle joined him. In virtually all instances, when together, the Mallach boys
were on a team that never lost. It wasn’t just them, of course, but the chemistry of those
teams clicked to produce winners every time.
La Salle’s 1994 season ended with another “one and done” excursion into the playoffs
for the fourth straight year. They were unable to beat Archbishop Ryan and Father
Judge; the Crusaders knocked the Explorers out of the playoffs in 3 of the last 4 years.
And a lot of people felt that the Blue and Gold would not be able to climb that summit
again.
But things were going to change in 1995. Drew Gordon had become quarterbacks coach
in 1994, and would renovate the offense into a spread-type that got the ball into the
hands of many different skill-position players, exploiting their athleticism. And
sophomore Brett Gordon stepped into the starting quarterback position. But perhaps
the biggest change occurred within the team itself, as the winter of 1994/95 saw the
rising seniors of the 1995 season bring a can-do attitude with them, with a little swagger
thrown in, and merged their energies and their aspirations with the rising juniors,
welcoming them into the mission of the 1995 team. And all of them had great confidence
in that sophomore signal-caller Gordon.
It didn’t hurt to have two sets of brothers (Coyles, Mallachs) to be part of that
senior/junior merger. John Mallach claims that this group knew well ahead of time that
they were good, and that they would win the Catholic League. It didn’t hurt to have that
swagger, and other team members adopted that feeling.
John and Kyle always played on opposite sides of the ball. John was a free-wheeling
defensive back, and Kyle was a solid north-south runner in quite a stable of Blue and
Gold rushers. The brothers sometimes collided in practice, and trash-talked like any
other teammates. They also talked to each other after practice, eager to find out what
was happening on the other side of the ball.
But there was a third Mallach involved in that magical year of 1995 as well. David
Mallach would film his sons’ games, and after the battle all would head back to the
Mallach house to watch the game, trailed by many teammates as well. That was just
another ingredient in the team’s chemistry that year.
Despite two early season non-league losses, the team was confident going into league
play, and defeated Conwell-Egan in the opener. Kyle had 13 rushes for 79 yards,
including a 1-yard touchdown run to give La Salle a lead they would hold for good.
Anytime that Kyle scored that year, John felt like he scored as well, a family-style
touchdown.
Next game was a watershed event against Archbishop Ryan, and the 1995 squad felt that
there was no way the Raiders would win this game. But the Explorers had to come from
a 19-7 deficit to pull it off, as a happy band of extended brothers caravanned their way to
the Mallach house to see how it really happened. Judge fell next, then Wood, Dougherty,
and North. Three of those four games were shutouts, as the defense still maintained
their rightful place as one of the league’s best.
John Mallach is convinced that the defense got better during the year because they were
facing the league’s best offense in practice every day. The multiple sets and options
they battled on what is now known as Flannery Field was tougher than what they would
face in the weekend game.
The confidence and swagger of the 1995 team, and of the Mallach brothers, now headed
into the playoffs. A shutout of Judge and a tough win over the Friars of Bonner got La
Salle back into the Championship game for the first time since 1989, against the dynastic
Ryan team. But first, the Prep was dispatched on Thanksgiving, as Kyle Mallach scored
twice, one on a 50 yard run. The Championship game was scoreless at half, but Kyle
scored on a 2-yard run to break the ice, and La Salle won the PCL crown, 14-7.
There was a tremendous sense of accomplishment that the 1995 team still exudes today
when they meet with each other. John and Kyle Mallach won together yet again, in their
last game together. John followed the 1996 team from afar up as a member of Fairfield’s
football squad, but got back in time for the run to the playoffs, getting to see his brother
Kyle be a part of a second PCL Championship.
The Mallachs’ combined journey through football success that started back in JV CYO
continues into the business world today, as they take some of the principles of
teamwork, drive, trust, and yes, swagger, into their profession. The 1995 PCL
Championship was so special to them, providing them not only with great memories
with their teammates, but as a launching point to bigger and better conquests in their
lives.
1966 – Meehan My Brother
While I was at La Salle, I always
looked up to the football players, but
especially when I was in my
freshman and sophomore years.
One of those football players was
Kevin “Bear” Meehan, a burly and
energetic lineman who went both
ways for Tex Flannery. Kenneth Meehan ‘67
Kevin was a stalwart in his junior and senior years, earning first team All-Catholic
honors in the 1967 season. He was certainly a big man on campus, with a popular and
dynamic personality to go with his exploits on the gridiron. And, along with other great
footballers like Charlie Zapiec, Bill Hartman, Steve Bukowski, John Kent, and others,
Kevin Meehan was my hero.
Kevin Meehan ‘68
Meehan
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Two items for me to confess:
one, I did not know that Kevin
and Kenneth were brothers. My
alibi is that there were so many
Meehans at La Salle that I
needed a scorecard. My second
item: football players were my
heroes, not managers in suits
and ties. Even I wore a suit and
tie.
But heroes come in all shapes
and sizes, and wardrobe. And
different people have different
heroes, and a person’s idea of a
hero changes with time.
Kenneth Meehan loved the sport
that he managed, and I’ve grown
to appreciate what a dedicated
manager brings to his football
team. Kenneth was also brilliant
in the classroom, scoring a 1592
on the old version of the SAT,
and taking his talents to
Georgetown, while brother
Kevin, a year later, also headed
south to play at Virginia Tech.
Both brothers went on to
achieve doctorate degrees.
But he was the younger of the Meehan brothers who patrolled the football field in 1966.
His brother Kenneth was on that field as well, but Kenneth’s uniform was a suit and tie,
not a jersey and short pants. He was the manager of the football team, and served in
that role for all four years. He also seemed to be everywhere in school, involved in many
activities like the Wisterian and in Student Council as a senior.
About three years ago, Kenneth Meehan passed away after a long, courageous battle
with cancer, and younger brother Kevin was asked to speak about Kenneth during a
ceremony celebrating his life, in front of many of Kenneth’s peers in the academic world.
And Kevin tried to explain to those bastions of academia how their fraternal relationship
was forged during CYO baseball in grade school, and on the football field at La Salle.
And Kevin “Bear” Meehan, tough and dynamic lineman, hero to a lot of us
underclassmen, let everyone there know, in no uncertain terms, that Kenneth Meehan,
his older brother, the football manager, was indeed his hero.
And now, Kenneth is mine as well.
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1948 – Palo Mine
Leon Palo ‘49 Salvatore Palo ‘50
Palo
Leon and Salvatore Palo came to La Salle from St. Madeline Sophie parish, and both
brothers landed in the Explorer backfield. As a junior in the 1947 season, Leon stepped
up to become a reliable back, due both to his abilities as well as injuries and
suspensions to other backfieldmates. In the second game of the 1947 season, Leon
broke through the St. Thomas More defense for his first touchdown. but 1947 was a
difficult season for La Salle, as they limped home with a 3-7-0 record.
In 1948, younger brother Sal, a junior, joined Leon in the crowded Explorer backfield,
and Sal, seemingly bigger than Leon, made his presence known in a hurry as well,
scoring against the Prep in the second game of the year.
There was a lot of talent in the Blue and Gold backfield, starting with the great senior
Dick Bedesem, but the Palo brothers were vital parts of the La Salle offense, and the 4-4-
0 season record didn’t do justice to the abilities of this team. Sal also played in the 1949
season, and went on to play at Temple, and then taught in high schools in South Jersey,
also establishing athletic programs at several schools.
Leon Palo scores vs. Tommy More in 1948
But for us, the Palo
brothers in the 1948
backfield were quite a
rarity in La Salle circles,
and I’m sure that they
would have had some
great stories to tell
about their times
together on that 1948
team.
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1957 – Nitro and Glycerine
Tom and Frank Yannessa were
sturdy guards in the late 50’s who
each were about 6’-3” tall and
weighed about 250 pounds, except
that they weren’t – it just seemed that
way to enemy ballcarriers and
linemen.
Tom Yannessa ‘58 Frank Yannessa ‘60
Yannessa
Tom was a senior on the 1957 team, and was listed a 5’-9” and 183 lbs. He was a
grenade on the defensive line, rolling and exploding into unsuspecting ballcarriers with
a low center of gravity that always won the leverage battle. His play in the 1957 City Title
game was exceptional, helping to stifle the vaunted Roxborough running game as La
Salle pitched a defensive shutout (only Indian TD came on an interception).
Frank was one of just a few sophomores to make the Varsity in 1957. Though he did not
start, he gained some valuable field experience in some of the late season games when
the Explorers were comfortably ahead. By the 1959 season, Frank was a mainstay on
the line for La Salle, with similar dimensions as brother Tom, and with the same impact
on collisions with ballcarriers.
Tom Yannessa won first-team All-Catholic honors as a guard in 1957, and Frank
Yannessa replicated that achievement in 1959; Tom also was second team All-Scholastic
in 1957.
To those who saw them play, the name Yannessa connoted impact, a compact car hitting
you like a 1954 DeSoto, two packages of dynamite that blew up opponents every
Sunday.
Brothers In Battle
Brothers In Battle