A friend of a friend of mine from South Philly, who is close to the football program at Neumann-Goretti, told me a story about a player at Neumann-Goretti that I just couldn’t believe. But, I’ll piece it together the best that I can so maybe someone out there can explain the logic (or lack thereof).
The Saints of Neumann-Goretti had, I guess what can best be described as, a tough year on the football field. With shrinking enrollments throughout the Catholic League, Coach Billy Sytsma did his best to put a decent team on the field for the 2008 campaign. After all, football at Neumann goes back to the 1930’s, when they were known as Southeast Catholic. The team suited several freshmen for the varsity games and they ended up winning 3 games of their scheduled 11 games. So, when the Saints failed to make it to the post season, they scheduled a contingency game with AAAA team, Monsignor Bonner. Bonner is to the AAAA division what Neumann-Goretti is to the AAA, a team struggling to etch out their own identity and win some games along the way.
During this game, Bonner dominated the game in beating the Saints 48-0, but there is one play that stands out and has caused a lot of concern about how decisions are made in this new world of the PIAA. I’ll do my best to set this up and explain what happened in the aftermath.
Neumann-Goretti senior, James Dougherty, who is listed as a RB and LB, was pass rushing on a random play in the game. What James and the Neumann-Goretti faithful didn’t know, was that this play would be his last as a Neumann-Goretti player. You see, while rushing the passer, a Bonner player took a run at him, punching James in the mid-section. James, trying his best to get to the QB, continued his pass rush, only to be grabbed by the face mask and pulled down to the ground. A flag was thrown and both players were ejected for fighting. When asked why Dougherty was ejected, the referee stated that he saw him throw a punch. Well, there wasn’t much you could do about that. Most people, including myself, believe that if you throw a punch in a football game, you should be ejected. The matter didn’t get much attention the rest of the evening. But, this gets better……..
Bill Sytsma, the Neumann-Goretti Head Coach, while watching the game film, noticed that the camera caught the entire play mentioned above. It showed the coach one thing for certain; James Dougherty never threw a punch. As a matter of fact, he was all but mugged in the Bonner backfield. Now, Coach Sytsma knows the rules, and those PIAA rules state that if a player is ejected from a game, he is not eligible to play in the next game. The only problem here is that the next game would have been James Dougherty’s last game. It could be the last time that James ever puts on football equipment and plays competitive football in his life. Sytsma saw the injustice here and decided to do something about it. He sent the film and a note to the Andy Hafele, the assignor of referees in the city. What happened next will make your head explode.
Andy Hafele looked at the film and decided that the player in question should not have been ejected from that game. Rumor has it that some sanctions would be brought against the officiating crew at that game, but I haven’t been able to confirm that at this time. The good news here is that as much grief at referees get, in this case they were able to see the error of their ways and do what was right by admitting that a mistake was made here. It’s not easy for refs to do that, but the integrity of the officiating and of the game was more important than trying to justify what was a horrible call in a game that could end a kid’s high school career. You do have to applaud the referees for this decision.
As Paul Harvey used to say, “….and now, the rest of the story…..”
To sum this up, you have a kid who was ejected from a football game for something that he didn’t do, and the head referee agreeing that he should have never been ejected. You’d think all is well now, right? Not so fast, bucko. We’re now in the world of the PIAA, where some guy in West Bumblefutch, PA gets to make decisions on kids’ lives, for the good of the organization. Forget that the decisions are sometimes awful. Well, Brad Cashman, the Executive Director of the PIAA ruled that despite the fact that James Dougherty shouldn’t have been eject AND the referees agreed that it was a mistake, it is still listed as an official ejection, effectively ending James’ high school football career. Remember, this was in a game that meant nothing to anyone outside of the friends and families of the Bonner and Neumann players. Apparently, Mr. Cashman has decided that the decision couldn’t be overturned by video evidence. Or, maybe this is part of the PIAA’s new “we’re going to keep an eye on the PCL” policy that we heard so much about. Whatever his reasoning is, it’s a bad decision. After years of all bark and no bite from the PIAA, they finally decided to get some teeth, and unjustly prevent a young man from playing in his final high school football game. Click here for an early opinion piece I did on the PIAA’s all bark, no bite policy.....The PIAA is All Bark, No Bite.
Mr Cashman, people are routinely taking transfers and you do nothing. People are getting mugged on the sidelines of games, and you do nothing. A young man is unjustly prevented from playing in his last high school football game, and now you grow a set. Now you understand why many people in Philadelphia didn’t like the decision to join the PIAA.
As a sidenote, I contacted Coach Sytsma to ask him if this story was true, and all he could say was, “I really can’t comment on this situation, but I also can’t deny anything that you said.” You see, PCL coaches are pretty much muzzled from criticizing anybody publicly, so I understand Sytsma’s reluctance to tell me much more.
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It's 2:18pm on Tuesday, November 25th, and I just received a phone call from someone who is very close to the football program at Neumann-Goretti. From what I understand, Robert Coleman, District 12 chairman, has given the okie dokie for James Dougherty to play in his final high school game. I'm glad that someone had the common sense to do the right thing in this situation. After all, it truly is all about the kids. Congratulations, Mr Coleman, on a job well done.
The Wrong Time For The PIAA To Grow A Set
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Week 13 - Top Philly Teams
|We didn't post a poll in Week 12 for many reasons. First, the entire staff has been busy with jobs that actually pay the bills around here. Second, we had our computer take a dump on us and we had to rush it to NJ to get it fixed. Third, well the third reason is very personal, so we won't get into that. Anyway, we will most likely only post one more list this season, and that will be next week after the 4th and final district 12 champion is crowned and the Thanksgiving Day games have all completed. We're looking to post that final list on Black Friday or Saturday. Stay tuned.
1. LaSalle (4) 9-2 Last Week: Beat Father Judge 28-20 (PCL AAAA Championship)
I've been on the fence with LaSalle most of this season. Not sure if they were as good as their record. But, when you beat Prep twice in the same season, beat a very good West Catholic team, and then avenge your only PCL loss (Father Judge) in the PCL championship game, you have no choice but to move this team to the top of the list.
Next Week: Washington (District 12 AAAA Championship)
2. West Catholic (2) 10-1 Last Week: Beat Ben Franklin 56-6 (District 1/12 subregional championship)
I know West is a real good team, and many believe they should be at the top of this list. And, they would be had LaSalle not had the quality wins that they have had. The Burrs tore through their AA schedule this season, beating teams by an average of 60-5, which makes them a team to be rekoned with at the AA level. But, an early season near miss against Roman (non-playoff team), a loss to LaSalle, and a hard fought win against AAA Wood hurt them just enough to get them this position in our poll.
Next Week: Palisades (First round of AA State playoffs)
3. St Joe Prep (1) 8-3 Last Week: Idle
It just didn't seem the same without Prep in the championship. Well, at least they won't be upset in the big game for the 4th time in 5 years. We're still not sure if the Prep is having a big down year, or if the rest of the league has caught up to them. My money is on the latter. Thanksgiving will still be a good game between two real good teams.
Next Week: Idle (Will play Malvern on Thanksgiving)
4. Father Judge (3) 8-4 Last Week: Lost to LaSalle 28-20 (PCL AAAA Championship)
The Crusaders didn't reall catch their groove until about week 5 or 6. A close loss to Prep in week 5 and then 6 straight wins, including a week 6 win at PCL AAAA champion LaSalle set this up as a contender. Judge lost a heart breaking championship game to LaSalle, but they end their PCL season knowing that they were close enough to taste the championship, which they have not won since the mid-1980's.
Next Week: Idle (Will play Lincoln on Thanksgiving)
5. Archbishop Wood (6) 10-2 Last Week: Beat Dobbins 56-7 (District 12 AAA Championship) What can you say about this team? They are definitely on a roll. They shut out the entire AAA division during the season and rolled through the city playoffs. Now, the Vikings will take a week off as they prepare for the winner of the distict 1 championship on Black Friday.
Next Week: Idle (Will play on Nov 28th against District 1 champ)
6. George Washington (5) 9-1 Last Week : Idle
The Eagles got a week off as they prepare for the first big school City Title game in 29 years. This Washington team will certainly have their hands full when they play LaSalle on Saturday, at high noon. As usual, the PCL team will be a heavy favorite, but you really can't count out the Eagles, as they certainly can play football, and they have one of the better coaches in SE PA running things.
Next Week: LaSalle (District 12 AAAA Championship)
7. Northeast (7) 6-5 Last Week: Beat Olney 37-0
The biggest problem with Northeast is that you never knew which team was going to show up from week to week. Would it be the team who beat Judge or the team who lost to lesser suburban teams Norristown and Abington. Well, the Vikings showed up when it mattered, and came oh so close to capturing the Pub AAAA crown. When the playoffs started, the Vikings beat previously unbeaten Bartram in the quarter-finals and then Pub powerhouse, Frankford in the semi-finals. They fell a touchdown short in the championship game, in a game that posted 75 points.
Next Week: Idle (Plays Central on Thanksgiving)
8. Cardinal O’Hara (8) 7-4 Last Week: Idle
The Lions started out with 7 wins, but what really matter was the last four games when they lost each week, including a first round playoff game to Father Judge. It would have been nice to see what this team would have been able to do without some of the injuries that they suffered this year.
Next Week: Season Over
9. Conwell-Egan (9) 7-4 Last Week: Idle
We're pretty sure nobody took the Eagles very seriously earlier in the season. But, beating North Catholic two times in three weeks put this team on the map and in this top ten, and effectively knocked the Falcons into the "also ran" category. Conwell-Egan made their first PCL championship appearance in a very long time, but they ran into the steamrolling Vikings of Wood.
Next Week: Idle (Plays Truman on Thanksgiving)
10. Bok (NR) 10-1 Last Week: IdleBok once again showed that they are the class of the small schools in the Philly Pub. Good coaching, diciplined team, and now a history of winning. Unfortunately, they ran into the wall known as West Catholic in the District championship game to end their run and season at 10-1.
Next Week: Season Over
Just missing the cut: Frankford, Roman Catholic, Northeast Catholic
AAAA - Top 5
1. LaSalle (9-2)
2. St Joseph Prep (8-3)
3. Father Judge (8-4)
4. Washington (9-1)
5. Northeast (6-5)
Bubble Teams: O'Hara, Frankford, Roman
AAA - Top 5 (Final List)
1. Archbishop Wood (10-2)
2. Conwell-Egan (7-4)
3. Dobbins (7-4)
4. Norteast Catholic (6-4)
5. Mastbaum (7-4)
Bubble Teams: Lansdale Catholic, Roxborough
AA - Top 5 (Final List)
1. West Catholic (10-1)
2. Bok (10-1)
3. Franklin (7-4)
4. Archbishop Carroll (4-7)
5. Bishop McDevitt (4-5)
Bubble Teams: None
Week 11 - Top Philly Teams
|It's crunch time all over District 12. In the "A", the District champ and runner up will play in a state playoff game. The "AA" will crown a District champ. The AAA division will crown league champs, along with the Pub AAAA. The PCL AAAA is just getting underway. So, there you have it, all division in both leagues will be in the middle of playoff season. It's a great time to be a fan of Philly High School Football. But, for now, this is our best attempt at providing our 10th week of top teams in the district.
1. St Joe Prep (1) 8-2 Last Week: Beat Roman Catholic 45-3
Prep finished their season very strong. After back to back losses to North Penn and LaSalle, and a 4 point win against Judge, the Hawks beat the remainder of their opponents by an average of 35 points. Going into their first playoff game of the 2008 season, the Hawks look to avenge their week 4 loss to LaSalle to position themselves in their 9th straight PCL title game.
Next Week: LaSalle (PCL AAAA Semi-Final)
2. West Catholic (2) 9-1 Last Week: Beat Archbishop Carroll 56-7 (PCL AA Championship)
Boring!!! The Burrs will have yet another walk in the park as they capture the district 12 championship this week. I'd hold off on watching this team until they get to the state quarter finals. At least they should have a half decent AA team by then.
Next Week: Bok (District 12 Championship)
3. Father Judge (3) 7-3 Last Week: Beat Upper Merion 28-7
The Crusaders won their first division title since 1982. Forget the fact that they didn't win the league crown that year. But, they did the next two years. We believe that if Judge is going to win the title, this is the year they'll need to do it. Rumor has it that the injured O'Hara players may make a return this week. Should be interesting.
Next Week: Cardinal O'Hara (PCL AAAA semi-final)
4. LaSalle (4) 7-2 Last Week: Beat Cardinal O'Hara 48-21
The Explorers are averaging almost 34 points per game, while giving up only 17. And, like Prep, they are a team that is on a roll heading into the playoffs. With a QB that is averaging over 200 yards per game and almost 2 TD passes per game, look for the Explorers to put it up quite a bit. But, if that doesn't work, they still have a capable back who is average over 100 yards per game rushing and almost 2 rushing TD's per game. That's one mean machine of an offense.
Next Week: St Joseph Prep (PCL AAAA Semi-Final)
5. George Washington (5) 8-1 Last Week : Beat Overbrook 38-0 (Pub AAAA Semi-final)
The Eagles have only given up 9 points in their last 4 games, with shutouts in both of their playoff games. They will play a team this week that came close, but not close enough in week 6, as the Eagles try to win their second straight Pub title, and 5th in 9 years.
Next Week: Northeast (Pub AAAA Chamionship)
6. Archbishop Wood (7) 8-2 Last Week: Beat Lansdale Catholic 27-0
The Vikings have a 5 shutout steak going as they head into their 6th straight PCL Championship game (other 5 were as a member of the old PCL Blue Division). This team is definitely on a roll, and if they can get past Conwell-Egan, they certainly could make some noise at the state level.
Next Week: Conwell-Egan (PCL AAA Championship)
7. Northeast (NR) 5-4 - Last Week: Beat Frankford 3-0 (Pub AAAA Semi-Final)
This team is one of the most difficult to figure out. Earlier this year, we had them ranked high, but losses during the season, along with close games against teams they should have blown out helped move them out of the top ten. But, our thinking is that they beat a pretty darn good Frankford team, after beating a previously unbeaten Bartram team. The Vikings will once again have an uphill battle as they take on defending Pub champ, Washington this week.
Next Week: Washington (Pub AAAA Championship)
8. Cardinal O’Hara (8) 7-3 Last Week: Lost to LaSalle 48-21
We've been a little down on the Lions this year, mostly due to the weak non-league schedule that they had. But, nonetheless, we kept them in our top 10 all season. And, even with 3 straight losses, they are still here. The main reason they are still here is that even though they lost 3 straight, they lost those games to the three teams who are above them in the standing, and we honestly don't see any other District 12 teams who are better.
Next Week: Father Judge (PCL AAAA Semi-Final)
9. Conwell-Egan (10) 7-3 Last Week: Beat Northeast Catholic 17-14
As we stated last week, this team has flown under the radar most of the season. But, after beating Northeast Catholic twice in three weeks and heading into their first PCL championship game in a real long time, the Eagles will face a team who should know who they are by now, in Archbishop Wood. My advice to Wood......don't make any mistakes against this team, or you will regret it.
Next Week: Archbishop Wood (PCL AAA Championship)
10. Frankford (6) 6-2 Last Week: Lost to Northeast 3-0We fully expected Frankford to play in the title game against Washington. But, we can admit when we're wrong. I'm sure we're not the only people who were surprised by the outcome of their game last week. Heck, the usually high flying offense of Frankford has been limited to a grand total of 3 points in their games against Washington and Northeast.
Next Week : West Philadelphia (non-league)
Bubble Teams: Bartram, Northeast Catholic, Roman Catholic, Bok
AAAA - Top 5
1. St Joseph Prep (8-2)
2. Father Judge (7-3)
3. LaSalle (7-2)
4. Washington (8-1)
5. Northeast (5-4)
Bubble Teams: O'Hara (7-3) , Frankford (6-3),Roman (4-5)
AAA - Top 5
1. Archbishop Wood (8-2)
2. Conwell-Egan (7-3)
3. Northeast Catholic (6-4)
4. Lansdale Catholic (4-6)
5. Mastbaum
Bubble Teams: Dobbins (6-3), Roxborough (6-3)
AA - Top 5
1. West Catholic (9-1)
2. Bok (10-0)
3. Archbishop Carroll (4-6)
4. Franklin (6-3)
5. Bishop McDevitt (4-5)
Bubble Teams: None