La Salle College High School Football: In Retrospect

NOTE: This is the forty-first 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 Forty-One: 1959 & 1961 – Gemini Seasons

The first “Golden Era” of La Salle football spanned from the mid-50’s to the early 60’s.

The teams from 1955, 1957, and 1960 each won both the Catholic League Championship

and the City Title against the Public League Champions. The 1958 team won their

league championship, but faltered against a powerful Lincoln team in the City Title

game. The 1956 team was a young team with plenty of heart, but understandably fell

short of the league crown with losses to Bishop Neumann and North Catholic.

But there were two seasons where the Catholic League Championship was within reach,

could be tasted, but the fates kept the title out of the Explorer hands, leaving “what if”

memories that have spanned decades. But for those fates, La Salle would have won five

consecutive Catholic League championships in an era of great Catholic League teams.

Those seasons were the Gemini Seasons of 1959 and 1961.

This is the story of these twin teams that came so close to the title, but suffered a bitter

loss in the end.

The Season Before

The 1958 team was a senior-laden team that had a great offense, led by great rushers

like Scotty Maxwell and Jerry Woltemate, and junior quarterback Howie Guarini,

stepping in a void left by the season-ending injury to starting quarterback Joe McNichol.

A staunch line helped the offense to jell as the season progressed, and the high-flying

Explorers scored 116 points in their last three league games. Though the defense

registered only three shutouts, other potential whitewashes were scrubbed to allow the

second-liners to get valuable playing time. Winning the Catholic League Championship

in the regular season had the Explorers wait 20 days before playing in the City Title

game against Lincoln. The Railsplitters spotted La Salle a 7-0 lead en route to a 28-20

victory, using their size and speed to defeat the Explorers.

The 1960 team also had a core group of seniors that would carry the team. These

Explorers had only one blemish on their record – a scoreless tie with West Catholic.

The Burrs were a real nemesis to the Explorers during this era, as you’ll see later. The

1960 team also had a high-powered offense, led by their versatile halfback Tom Crow,

explosive Vic Gittens, inside runner Harry Heinzl, and ends Vince Dennery and Ed Dale.

The defense was sturdier than the 1958 model, shutting out 6 opponents prior to the City

Title game, where they registered yet another shutout, 24-0, against Frankford.

The 1959 Team

Front Row: E. Stranix, J. Pressler, D. Fanelle, C. Mattia, G. D’Ambrosio, J. Ormond, D. Maiden, J. Cattie, V. Gittens.

Second Row: R. Agin, H. Appleton, R. Kuss, E. Quinn, K. Quigley, C. Cangelosi, B. Dunleavy, R. Tragemann, H. Haaf.

J. McCarty, D. McDermott, manager, J. McGowan, manager.

Third Row: John Flannery, head coach, John Harbison, line coach, William Magee, assistant coach, John DiSangro,

assistant coach, H. Guarini, E. Kelly, T. Koss, E. Dale, F. Yannessa, K. Buck, V. Dennery, W. Cheney, Brother G. James, FSC.

Fourth Row: T. Emhof, E. Brennan, T. Crow, H. Heinzl, M. Ginieczki, J. McDonald, E. Bogdan, R. Biggans, C. Hopkins, J. Putz,

J. Osborne, F. Poellnitz, J. Boland.

The 1961 Team

Front Row: M. Vergare, manager, J. Filinuk, K. Karaszkiewicz, B. McFadden, D. Blake, W. Magarity, J. Maxwell, J. Colistra, J. Peszko.

Second Row: P. McGill, R. Griffith, C. Hopkins, J. Detwiler, G. D’Ambrosio, J. Osborne, J. Putz, T. Hendrick, M. Heebner, manager.

Third Row: T. Kelly, L. Galzerano, J. Coll, J. McCloskey, E. Brennan, H. Stoebenau, C. Mattia, R. Leone, J. Cattie, C. Hynek.

Fourth Row: D. McGill, L. Esposito, J. Robinson, J. Ormond, R. Tomei, F. Sciolla, J. O’Neill, F. Daniel, C. Walters, P. Reilly,

J. McGowan, manager.

Both of these Championship teams would require an overhaul in order to have

championship hopes the following year. Returning starters would be relied upon for

experience, and the previous year’s backups would need to step in and produce at a

high level.

Kennedy

Sept 21, 1959 Sept 18, 1961

Eisenhower

The line consisted of seniors Don Fanelle,

Lou Galzerano, Bob Griffith, George

D’Ambrosio, Jim Putz, and Joe Cattie, and

juniors Jim Coll and Frank Sciolla saw

meaningful playing time. This team had a lot

of options on offense, and had a solid

defense, and also a good blend of seniors

and juniors. This team would hope to be a

contender for the Catholic League title, and

would have to rely upon many juniors in

order to compete.

Assembling The Team

The 1959 squad had the benefit of a

returning starting quarterback.

Senior Howie Guarini was battle-

tested from the successful 1958

season, a versatile performer who

could both run and pass. His

backfieldmates would include mainly

underclassmen, including juniors

Tom Crow, Vic Gittens, Bob Biggans,

Harry Heinzl, Ed Stranix, and also

seniors Ken Quigley and Tom Koss.

Senior Harvey Appleton joined juniors Ed Dale and Vince Dennery at the end positions.

The line was in capable hands, as seniors Barry Dunleavy, Frank Yannessa, Joe

McCarty, Ray Kuss, and Dick Tragemann were supported by strong juniors like Roger

Agin, John McDonald, and Bill Cheney. Other stalwarts included junior Ed Bogdan, a

ballhawk in the defensive backfield. This was a team with solid offensive talent, a

strong line, and a good blend of experienced seniors and talented juniors, and would

definitely be a contender to defend the crown.

1961 had a different look, starting at the quarterback position. With the graduation of

Ed Stranix, junior Frank Daniel won the competition for the starting spot. Daniel had

similar skills to Guarini, with a stronger arm in an offense that was a little more wide

open than the 1959 model. Completing the backfield were a variety of skilled backs,

starting with senior Ed Brennan, a bruising fullback built for both power and speed.

Juniors Joe O’Neill, Jim Maxwell, and Jan Muller shouldered a lot of the load, and

seniors Carl Mattia, John McCloskey, and John Ormond were featured prominently in

the defensive backfield. Bill Magarity was the “extra point” quarterback, with a series of

very successful plays that would usually garner those two points. Senior ends Hank

Stoebenau, Tom Hendrick, and Jim Detwiler formed a solid receiving corps, supported

by juniors Charlie Walters, Carl Hynek, and Joe Osborne.

Competitors

Competition for each of these seasons would certainly come from West Catholic and

upstart Monsignor Bonner. Schools like Father Judge and Cardinal Dougherty were

still developing, North Catholic was in a bit of a lull, Roman Catholic And St. Tommy

More were struggling, and St. James and Bishop Neumann would be beatable but

would still produce bruising battles. Burrs, Friars, Explorers; but no Hawks!! St.

Joseph’s Prep was in the midst of a self-induced sabbatical from the Catholic League

between 1956 and 1962.

1959 & 1961

Chevrolet

Impala

Coaches

John “Tex” Flannery was starting his 4th

season as head coach of the Explorers in

1959, and was supported by line coach John

Harbison, and assistants Bill Magee and

John DiSangro. Magee was a former star

quarterback in the early 50’s, and would

focus his efforts on the offense and the

backfield. In 1961, the assistants were Dave

Diehl, former end in 1953 and 1954, and

Charles Flynn.

Week One: West And North

The 1959 squad would be thrown into the fire in their inaugural game to defend the

Catholic League title. Vince McAneney, former La Salle halfback from the mid-40’s,

took over a moribund West Catholic squad that lost a lot of its student draw to the new

Monsignor Bonner school in Drexel Hill, and turned it around in just two years to be a

serious contender. He and his Burrs ambushed the Explorers at Bartram Field, winning

convincingly, 22-0, as La Salle’s offense sputtered against a strong Burr line, and two

long runs aided West to score their first two touchdowns. A game like this could

certainly put a damper on the title hopes, though a whole season lay in front of them.

The 1961 squad was more fortunate, though; they opened up with the Falcons of North

Catholic, and the 16-8 decision got them off to a good start. Quarterback Frank Daniel

certainly got off to a good start, rolling out and scoring from 25 yards out on the first

drive. Ed Brennan ran north and south all game, contributing the other touchdown.

The La Salle defense was staunch, and didn’t give up a point, as North’s score came on

the defensive side of the ball.

Week Two: North and Neumann

The 59ers recovered from the West

loss to defeat North Catholic rather

easily, 18-0. The Explorers took the

opening kickoff, and Howie Guarini

scored on a 35 yard keeper. The La

Salle ground game dominated the

Falcons, as Bob Biggans ran it in from

15 yards in the second quarter, and

junior Tom Crow notched an 18 yard

touchdown in the fourth quarter after

the defense intercepted an errant

North pass. Howie Guarini

Meanwhile, week 2 for the boys of 1961 was a real struggle, as the offense bogged down

against the Pirates. However, La Salle gained field position after a John Ormond

interception, and though their drives were thwarted, their defense pinned Neumann back

to the shadow of their end zone late in the first quarter, and the Pirates were forced to

punt. Ormond grabbed the punt at the Pirate 35, and swept around the right side and into

the end zone for the only touchdown of the game, and the Explorer defense kept

Neumann off the board in their 8-0 win to go 2-0.

John Ormond

WIBG Top 10, October 5, 1959

1. Mack The Knife – Bobby Darin

2. Put Your Head On My Shoulder – Paul Anka

3. Teen Beat – Sandy Nelson

4. Mr. Blue – Fleetwoods

5. Til I Kissed You – Everly Brothers

6. Poison Ivy – Coasters

7. Sleep Walk – Santo & Johnny

8. Just Ask Your Heart – Frankie Avalon

9. Lonely Street – Andy Williams

10. Primrose Lane – Jerry Wallace

WIBG Top 10, October 2, 1961

1. Bristol Stomp - Dovells

2. Crying – Roy Orbison

3. Little Sister – Elvis Presley

4. Who Put The Bomp – Barry Mann

5. Mountains High – Dick and DeeDee

6. Take Good Care Of My Baby – Bobby Vee

7. Without You – Johnny Tillotson

8. Does Your Chewing Gum Lose Its Flavor – L. Donegan

9. Mexico – Bob Moore

10. Hit The Road Jack – Ray Charles

Week Three: Dougherty and More

Cardinal Dougherty had a breakout

year in 1959, going 7-2, and the

Cardinals were actually favored to

defeat the Blue and Gold in their

matchup. After a scoreless first

period featuring a couple of

fumbles, Ken Quigley electrified

the La Salle faithful in McCarthy

Stadium by picking off a long Card

pass and he streaked 57 yards for a

touchdown. The Explorers gained

momentum after that pick, and

Guarini found Quigley for a 10-yard

touchdown; a Crow-to-Biggans

pass converted the two points, and

the Explorers led, 14-0. The

Cardinals scored near the end of

the first half to get to within 14-8,

and the La Salle defense shut down

Dougherty in the second half. La

Salle scored their final touchdown

in the fourth quarter on a Guarini

pass to Tom Koss, and the 20-8

victory brought their record to 2-1.

St. Thomas More was typically a

team near the bottom of the

standings, but they played a rough

brand of football, and the 1961

boys were In for a fight with the

Golden Bears. They were fortunate

to get by the Tommies with a 12-8

victory to go to three wins without

a loss.

Daniel Bootleg

Quigley INT 1959 & 1961 Ford Thunderbird

Week 4:

Bonner and the Jimmies

The Friars of Monsignor

Bonner were led by ex-Eagle

Jack Ferrante, and they were

becoming a formidable team.

Though they had never beat

La Salle in three tries, all

games were very

competitive, and Ferrante

felt that his 1959 team would

seriously contend for the

Catholic League

championship. The offenses

were on fire in the first half. Oct 11, 1959 vs. Bonner Oct 22, 1961 vs. Bonner

La Salle College High School, in 1959 and 1961

After forcing Bonner to punt, La Salle’s first drive ended up in a touchdown on Tom

Crow’s short run after Howie Guarini streaked to a 30-yard gain. The two-point play was

also compliments of Crow. But the Friars’ return man Larry Sullivan took the ensuing

kickoff back 87 yards for a touchdown, and Bonner drew to within 8-6. La Salle took to the

air in the second quarter, as Guarini passed to Vic Gittens on a play that covered 45

yards, and then launched one to Tom Crow for a 20 yard touchdown. But Bonner

retaliated with a score of their own, and the Explorers held a tenuous 14-12 halftime lead.

After a scoreless third quarter, the Friars took to the air, but Joe McCarty intercepted a

pass at the Bonner 40 and returned it all the way to the two yard line, where Gittens

scampered in for the touchdown. The 20-12 victory put La Salle right into the

championship discussion, having beaten one of the contending teams.

The Bulldogs of St. James were in the midst of their worst season ever in 1961 when they

took on the Explorers, and were stubborn enough to make a game of it. The Jimmies

bottled up La Salle’s running game, so Daniel took to the air, and hit end Jim Detwiler for

a 26 yard touchdown in the first quarter. The two-point play to Joe O’Neill gave the

Explorers all the points they needed, and they added a third quarter touchdown by Clark

Hopkins and defeated St. James, 16-0, to go 4-0.

Week 5: Cahillites and Crusaders

Roman Catholic came into their 1959 matchup with La Salle surprisingly in the unbeaten

ranks, hoping for a return to their glory days. But La Salle had other thoughts. Gittens

started the scoring with an 18-yard run that culminated a 65-yard drive. A blocked punt,

recovered by Ed Dale in the end zone, was the Blue and Gold’s second score, and they

took a 14-0 lead into the locker room at halftime. A long drive near the end of a scoreless

third quarter resulted in a Guarini plunge for a touchdown, and he passed to Gittens for

the two point play. But a kickoff again led to an opponent touchdown, as the Cahillites’

Kahana took a lateral and ran 55 yards for Roman’s only score. La Salle wrapped up the

scoring when Harry Heinzl ran in from three yards, and the Blue and Gold brought

Roman down to earth with a convincing 28-6 win. The Explorers were now 4-1, and

operating on all cylinders.

Father Judge was an awakening giant that would be a dominant force in the Catholic

League in a few years, but not in 1961. La Salle dominated the Crusaders, 26-0, and were

now 5-0 and at the top of the Catholic League. Their defense was increasingly dominant,

registering their third shutout in 4 games, as gang tackling became a theme for the

defense, and the defensive backfield stifled all passing attacks.

Joe McCarty & Barry Dunleavy Don Fanelle & Carl Mattia

1959’s Junior backs Vic Gittens & Tom Crow; 1961’s John Ormond breaks up a pass

Week 6: Bulldogs and Friars, The Reverse Of Week 4

After a strong year in 1958, the St. James Bulldogs were just an average team in 1959, and

had trouble keeping up with the now high-flying Explorers. The Explorers’ second drive

resulted in a short run by Guarini for a touchdown, and the rest of the game belonged to

senior back Tom Koss, who scored three times, one on a 30 yard pass from Guarini, and

another on a 60-yard run after an Ed Bogdan interception stifled a Bulldog drive. La Salle

sprinkled the Jimmies, 28-0, to go 5-1.

Meanwhile, the 1961 squad would be tested by Ferrante’s Friars. The 1960 squad

avenged the 1959 playoff loss to Bonner in grand style, 42-24, and the Drexel Hillers were

ready for the Explorers at Villanova Stadium. The game was a defensive gem, and one of

field position. After Bonner’s QB McIlhenney was sacked for 12 yards back to his 8-yard

line by Charlie Walters, the right end who had a sensational game, the end zone punt

allowed La Salle to start at the Friar 37. Ed Brennan ran up the middle for 16 yards, and

La Salle methodically moved to scoring position at the 8-yard line, where Frank Daniel

bootlegged into the end zone. Magarity to Stoebenau for two made it 8-0. Late in the first

half, the Explorers had an excellent opportunity to score when Charlie Walters blindsided

McIlhenney, forcing a fumble that was eventually recovered by Joe Osborne at the Bonner

5 yard line. But the Friar line stiffened, and La Salle lost the ball on downs, but the punt

was returned to the Bonner 22 yard line. With seconds remaining in the half, Ed Brennan

ran it in from two yards, the two points were made again, and the 16-0 halftime lead stood

up. The Explorer offense sputtered a little, giving up a few fumbles, but their defense

stood tall in the face of the Drexel Hillers. 6-0, and counting.

Week 7 – Golden Bears And Cardinals

St. Thomas More was a perennial doormat, and La Salle’s 1959 team dispatched the

Golden Bears with ease, scoring twice in the first quarter on short runs by Howie Guarini

and Harry Heinzl. The second quarter saw Ed Dale break through the line and block a

Bear punt, and shortly after, junior Tom Crow knifed into the end zone from 6 yards out.

All three two-point plays were converted, and the 24-0 halftime lead stood up through the

second half, though the Tommies’ defense kept La Salle from further scoring. The

Explorers were now 6-1, tied for first place with Monsignor Bonner as West Catholic had

fallen by the wayside, and, unless something unexpected happened, the two squads

would be marching to a showdown in a playoff game.

Elvis in 1959

The Cardinals of CD were an improving team

under first-year coach Gene O’Pella, and there

was some concern of an Explorer letdown

after the big win the previous week against

Bonner. The Blue and Gold’s halftime lead

was just 6-0, as the Explorers registered a

second quarter score after a long drive on a

pass from Frank Daniel to Joe Osborne.

Elvis in 1961

1959 defense stifles runner

In the third quarter, the La Salle line allowed the running game to succeed, and the

Explorers drove down to the Cards’ 15-yard line, where Daniel did the rest on a rollout.

Brennan plowed into the end zone for the two point play, and La Salle led, 14-0. But the

subsequent kickoff created shock waves, as Dougherty’s Bob Mannis raced 90 yards for

a touchdown to get the Cards to within 14-6. La Salle got some breathing room as

another long drive resulted in a touchdown, this time by Ed Brennan from 7 yards out,

followed by a two-point play. The Explorers ended the game knocking on the door for

another score, as Jan Muller raced 60 yards to the Cards’ one-yard line, but the 22-6

victory sent the 7-0 Explorers into a tussle with their Brother Burrs of West Catholic.

Week 8 – Pirates and Burrs

At the 1959 Homecoming game, the Explorers dispatched the Pirates of Bishop

Neumann, 16-0, as field position led to two short drives that culminated in first-half

touchdown runs by Harry Heinzl and Howie Guarini. The two-point plays were

successful, the first on a run by Guarini, and the second on an 8-yard pass (due to a

penalty) from Tom Crow to Bob Biggans. The defenses tightened In a scoreless second

half, and Neumann was giving the La Salle offense a hard time, as they were a very

physical team. The shutout was the third straight for the Blue and Gold, and the fourth

overall. The defense had given up just 26 points in the 7 games since the West Catholic

opener, when they gave up 22 to the Burrs.

1961 – Magarity and his two-point magic

1959 Oscar 1961 Oscar

The 1961 version of the West Catholic

team had a lot of skill-position players,

including running back Bob Mahan, and

featuring quarterback George Southcott,

whose running and over-the-middle

passing tore holes in the La Salle

defense. Southcott was also a terror in

the defensive backfield, intercepting two

passes. The Explorers got off to a great

start when linebacker Bob Griffith made a

diving interception of a Southcott pass

deep in Burr territory.

1959 Heisman winner:

Billy Cannon, LSU

Soon after, running back Joe O’Neill dove over for the touchdown, and a Magarity to Tom

Hendrick conversion gave the Explorers a short-lived 8-0 lead. The Explorer offense had

trouble moving the ball all day long, as quarterback Frank Daniel was harassed by the

Burr rush. West scored in the 2nd quarter on a Southcott post pattern to Carmen

DeFelice, and two 3rd quarter TD’s by Bob Mahan sent La Salle to defeat, 18-8. The loss

threw the Catholic League race into a three-way tie between La Salle, Bonner, and West.

Left: With

protection from

Harvey Appleton,

QB Howie Guarini

arcs a long pass in

a 1959 game.

Right: three

members of the

vaunted 1961

defense.

1961 Heisman winner:

Ernie Davis, Syracuse

Week 9 – Crusader and

Cahillite Cakewalks, The

Reverse Of Week 5

The 1959 defense was really

motoring, bringing back

memories of the 1955 team that

ended the season with 8

shutouts in a row. Jim Adams’

Father Judge Crusaders would

limp home with a 1-8-0 record,

and were still a fledgling team

with a developing program.

La Salle got a break late in the first quarter when Ray Kuss recovered a fumble by the

Judge punter deep in Crusader territory, and a few plays later Harry Heinzl powered into

the end zone from two yards out. The Explorers went into halftime with a 20-0 lead as

Heinzl scored again, and Ken Quigley raced for a 5-yard touchdown. Heinzl scored his

third touchdown of the game in the second half, and the final tally was made by soph Ed

Brennan. The Blue and Gold defense completely baffled the Crusaders, and the 32-0

shellacking clinched a tie with Monsignor Bonner for the Catholic League title. The

playoff game would be scheduled for Sunday, November 29.

The boys from ’61 recovered from their upsetting loss to West by taking their

frustrations out on a winless Roman Catholic team, 50-0. The Explorers scored 6

touchdowns in the first half. Jim Maxwell tallied on the second play from scrimmage on

a 26-yard run. Not much later, Joe O’Neill hoofed it in from 30 yards.

Reserve Bob Leone had two TD’s, one on a short run, and the other on a pass from Bill

Magarity. Clark Hopkins, Hank Stoebenau, and Jim Detwiler also joined in the scoring

parade, and even the junior varsity held their own against the hapless Cahillites. La Salle

ended the regular season tied with Monsignor Bonner as West lost an 8-6 game to upstart

Cardinal Dougherty, and a playoff would take place on Saturday, November 25, at Temple

Stadium. But first, a real challenge.

Ed Brennan Week 10 – Rest, and Redskins

The 1959 team was on quite a roll, winning 8 consecutive games, and shutting out their

last 4 opponents. The offense was performing efficiently, while not the juggernaut of the

last two seasons, and the defense had started to remind people of the 1955 team.

All of their 8 victories were by more than one score, except one: the 20-12 victory over

Monsignor Bonner back on October 11. Were the 59ers battle-tested enough to win a

playoff game? They’d have an extra week of rest to answer that question.

Meanwhile, the 1961 team had a real treat on their schedule for Week 10. They would

journey up to Langhorne to take on none other than the Neshaminy Redskins in a non-

league game. Under legendary coach John Petercuskie, the Redskins amassed an 11-1-0

record in 1961, with their only blemish a Week 3 loss to Easton, 13-7. They would not lose

again until 1966, as they were in the early stages of a 51-game unbeaten streak (47-0-4).

After the Easton loss, the Langhorne boys had won 7 straight, scoring at least 22 points

in each game, and they tacked up 6 shutout scalps to their wall. This was to be an

incredible challenge to the Little Explorers, at a time when their minds could certainly be

on the Bonner Friars.

The Redskins ambushed the Explorers in the first half, scoring on their first drive. La

Salle fumbled on the subsequent drive, and Neshaminy took it in again for a 14-0 lead that

held up through the first half. In the third period, the Explorer offense got moving, and

Frank Daniel capped a 60-yard drive with a 5-yard bootleg around left end to bring the

score to within 14-7. The Blue and Gold defense had really stiffened in the second half,

holding the Redskins to just one first down until the closing minutes, when Neshaminy

got possession on downs near midfield, and then, with little time left, Bob Baxter of the

Redskins raced 30 yards to the La Salle 9 to virtually ice the game. Neshaminy scored

with 41 seconds to go, and La Salle gave a noble effort in the 21-7 defeat.

Hank Stoebenau

The 1958 and 1960 La Salle teams had the great fortune of winning the Catholic League

Championship in the regular season, and each team had a long time to prepare for their

next game, the City Title game. But it was different for the 1959 and 1961 teams; they

had to run the gauntlet through Monsignor Bonner teams that had lost to the Little

Explorers in the regular season, and who were out for revenge.

Jack Ferrante, the Bonner coach from the first day that they started out as Archbishop

Prendergast High School, was an ex-Eagle end who built up a program in a hurry.

Legend has it that in his first year as head coach he showed up with a trunk full of green

and white uniforms, which became the colors of the fledgling Drexel Hill school,

coincidental colors to that of Ferrante’s former team, the Eagles.

The Friars were competitive even in their first Catholic League year of 1956, and by 1959,

were one of the favorites to wrest the crown from the Explorers. Ferrante used that

early-season loss to motivate his troops in the playoff game, but in 1961, he had another

trump card: he had already announced that he was resigning at the end of the season to

devote more time to his business. At least that was the story leaked to the press about

two weeks before the playoff game – other reports indicate that he was asked to turn in

his resignation. Either way, the news seemed to motivate his squad even more.

The 1959 game was rated a tossup, with a confident Ferrante predicting a Friar win,

especially with the return of a couple of key players from injury. Ferrante drilled his

players vigorously in preparation for the game, even scheduling an 8 AM practice on

Thanksgiving Day. La Salle was certainly ready, having enjoyed a week of rest and

planning to continue their dominance of the Catholic League; the defense was set to

piggy-back on their 4 consecutive shutouts.

In 1961, certainly much mention was made of the 1959 playoff game, and La Salle had

the revenge motivation across the seasons, but Monsignor Bonner had the twin

catalysts of their only season loss and the imminent loss of their coach to fire them up

for the 1961 PCL title game.

Jack Ferrante

PCL Championship

vs Monsignor Bonner

November 29, 1959 &

November 25, 1961;

Franklin Field &

Temple Stadium

Channel Surfing Between The

Two Championship Games

On the first play of the drive, Harry Heinzl broke through the Green and White line for a 25-yard

gain to the Bonner 25. The rushing attack sprang to life, and La Salle has a first-and-goal at the

Bonner 8 yard line. Howie Guarini swept around right end to get to the 3 yard line, and a

touchdown was imminent. But La Salle was hit with a 15-yard penalty, and the drive fizzled at the

Friar 12-yard line. The game remained scoreless after the first quarter.

At Temple Stadium, the 1961 Championship game was played before a roaring crowd of 14,000

fans. La Salle had the ball first, but Bonner’s stifling defense forced a punt. Friar running back

Pete Padley took a pitchout and raced 37 yards to the La Salle 7 yard line, and a few plays later, he

plunged over left tackle to get Bonner on the board; the extra points gave the Friars a 7-0 lead. La

Salle’s offense couldn’t get started again, but the Explorers received a big break when Padley

fumbled the ensuing punt and the ball was recovered by Charlie Walters on Bonner’s 33 yard line.

A few plays later, Daniel found lonesome end Tom Hendrick behind the defense and hit him in

stride for a 20 yard touchdown. The Explorers went for a two point play to take the lead, but it

failed, and the Friars maintained the lead at 7-6 after the first quarter. The quarter ended as Jim

Putz tackled a Friar runner for a big loss on third down.

Second Quarter

Both the La Salle and Bonner defenses were stout in the 1959 affair, as neither team would give an

inch. The game remained scoreless at half, with La Salle having an 82-31 yardage advantage.

Frank Yannessa Jim Putz

Dick Tragemann Frank Daniel

First Quarter

Approximately 25,000 fans showed up at

Franklin Field to witness the classic

struggle for the 1959 Catholic League

championship. Bonner received the

opening kickoff, and the Explorer defense

threw the Friar running backs for two

losses, and they were forced to punt. But

the Friar defense was up to the task, and

La Salle punted. Again, the Blue and Gold

defense stiffened, and the punt pinned

Bonner deep in their zone. Their 2nd punt

allowed La Salle to start at midfield.

In 1961, the second quarter belonged to La

Salle, as they went to an aerial game to

counteract the strong line play of the

Friars. Daniel, under the gun all game long

from the aggressive Bonner rush, sent a

couple a deep passes well into Bonner

territory that were on the money, but were

dropped by the Blue and Gold receivers. It

seemed a matter of time before one of the

long bombs would click to give La Salle

the lead, but it wouldn’t happen in the

second quarter. Bonner took the slimmest

of leads, 7-6, into the locker room at

halftime.

The two games, at 0-0 and 7-6, certainly were winnable, but Monsignor Bonner had the emotional

advantage of being halfway home to avenge both regular season defeats. The 1959 game,

scoreless at half, had the distinct possibility of ending up a tie. The rules at the time would award

the team with the most total yardage, and La Salle was in the driver’s seat at the half with a 51 yard

advantage. The dominant Blue and Gold defense, with shutouts in their last 9 halves, could be

counted on to keep the Friars off the board. The 1961 team’s ground game was struggling, but

Daniel’s passing attack was getting its opportunities downfield, and it would just be a matter of

time before something clicked.

Third Quarter

Ferrante’s 1959 charges took the kickoff and marched down the field for the first time in the game,

setting the La Salle defense back on their heels, as they advanced to the Explorer 15 yard line.

But, much like La Salle’s first-quarter drive, a 15-yard holding penalty was called, and the drive

was stopped. Now it was La Salle’s turn; on a drive that entered into the 4th quarter, they

advanced deep into the red zone, but were faced with a 4th-and-1 on the Friar 9-yard line. Guarini

handed off to Harry Heinzl, but Ray Cugini of Bonner broke through the line to stop Heinzl and

keep the game scoreless. The fourth quarter had already begun to wind down, and the big crowd

were on the edge of their seats, wondering how this epic struggle would turn out.

In the 1961 game, Bonner also received the second half kickoff, but were stopped in their tracks

by the gang-tackling defense of La Salle. The Explorers had the ball at the Friar 30 yard line, and

big Ed Brennan gained 4 yards on 2 carries. On third down, Frank Daniel was sacked while under

a ferocious rush, and the Explorers punted into the end zone. The Green and White again went

three and out, and La Salle took possession again.

But the Bonner line was starting to dominate the game, and twice Daniel was sacked while

running for his life on a passing down. Then, with Daniel back in punt formation, a gasp from the

La Salle partisans as the center snap sailed over Daniel’s head, and he was tackled while

retrieving the ball at his own 13 yard line. Bonner seized this opportunity, and soon quarterback

Jack McIlhenney plunged in from one yard out for a Friar touchdown. But the PAT kick was

missed, and the Explorers were just down by seven, 13-6. Another La Salle drive failed, as

another long pass from Daniel was dropped. The Explorers would have one more quarter of play

to catch the now-exuberant Friars.

1959: Guarini close to flag; Dennery reaches 1961: Daniel uncorks bomb

Bonner La Salle

Fourth Quarter

The scoreless tie in 1959 was now well into the 4th quarter, with both defenses refusing to budge.

But Bonner had emotions on their side, holding the defending champs scoreless through three

quarters, and stopping a La Salle drive at their 9-yard line. Monsignor Bonner was successful on

two running plays by backs Tony Dolceamore and Russ Hendricks, getting the ball out to their

own 20 yard line.

Then the abominable and unexpected happened: Hendricks ran over tackle and burst through the

line and down the sidelines, with three La Salle defenders in pursuit. But they were not going to

catch the speediest Friar. Hendricks shocked the big crowd, sending the Friar fans into a frenzy

and La Salle fans into despair. The extra point was missed, and La Salle had about 6 ½ minutes

left to fight back from the 6-0 deficit.

Bonner had to punt to start the fourth quarter in 1961, and they received a gift when they

recovered a fumble of that boot. The Explorer defense held, but Bonner now was able to play a

game of field position, pinning the Blue and Gold back in the shadows of their own end zone. A

La Salle punt was returned to the Explorer 30 yard line, and yet again, the defense stepped up,

with two tackles in the backfield and then a sack of the Bonner quarterback on 4th and 11 from the

La Salle 31. But time was starting to run out on the Explorers as they mounted one of their last

drives.

Joe O’Neill ran for 3 yards, and Ed Brennan bulled for 2 more. Daniel completed a short pass to

Jim Maxwell to set up a fourth and a long one yard at the Bonner 46. Ed Brennan’s run up the

middle was stopped by the Friars, and Monsignor Bonner would look to get a couple of first

downs to run out the clock and win the game.

The 59ers were now desperate, and needed to score in the remaining few minutes of the game.

Despite the efforts by quarterback Howie Guarini, whose rollouts and passes were the biggest

threats to the Bonner defense, La Salle would be unable to get close enough to score. The La

Salle defense, led by lineman Barry Dunleavy, Roger Agin, and Frank Yannessa, were

impenetrable for the entire game, except for that one play, the 80-yard run by Russ Hendricks.

Monsignor Bonner won their first Catholic League Championship in 1959 with a breath-taking 6-0

victory over the game Explorers.

But the game was not over yet in 1961. The Friars played it safe, and ran into the line in an

attempt to run out the clock. La Salle was gang-tackling, hoping to pry the ball loose. And then it

happened: on a third-down play, McIlhenney ran into the line, but the ball was pried free by Jim

Putz, and Carl Mattia dove on it to give La Salle some life at their own 48 yard line, with but a few

minutes left.

On a scramble, Daniel got across midfield. On every passing play, Daniel was flushed out of the

pocket on a mad scramble, and finally, his fourth down scramble was stopped short of a first

down. The Friars ran a quarterback sneak to run out the clock and win the Catholic League

Championship for the second time in three years against La Salle, 13-6.

In both seasons, Ferrante’s Friars had a record of 10-1-0; their only blemishes in those two

seasons were regular season losses to La Salle.

He glowed about his defense after the 1959 game, and didn’t feel that his offense played a great

game. In 1961, he was much happier about his offense, as the Friars had a distinct yardage

advantage over the Explorers. He won a championship in his last game as a coach.

I welcome your comments, corrections, and additions.

Go La Salle!!

Bill Wasylenko, ‘69

explorerfb@gmail.com

February 3, 2014

Epilogue

The 6-0 loss in 1959 and the 13-6 loss in 1961 surely still sticks in the craws of those La Salle

players. So many “what ifs”, some key injuries, fumbles, dropped passes, missed tackles, all

were a part of the memories of those losses.

The quarterbacks, senior Howie Guarini and junior Frank Daniel, were noble in their efforts to

snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. The 1959 offense was predicated on the run, but the Friar

defense stymied the Explorer rushing attack. Guarini’s exploits in attempting to make something

happen with his own running and passing just fell short of the prize.

The stats for Frank Daniel in the championship game shows a 2-for-14 passing record, but those

cold numbers just don’t tell the story. There were multiple dropped passes, and others where a

Friar defensive back just tipped the ball enough to prohibit the catch. But Daniel was virtually a

one-man offense, gaining yardage on scrambles and bootlegs, while the La Salle rushing attack

was bottled up by Bonner. Heroic performances by both quarterbacks.

In 1959, Monsignor Bonner went on to win the City Title with a 54-0 bloodletting of Central High

School, and they captured the 1961 City crown by defeating Southern High School, 20-13.

Certainly, one could assume that the La Salle teams would have been victorious in those games

as well.

After resigning under pressure, Ferrante focused on his business, but did take the head coaching

position in 1965 for the Wilmington Comets of the North American Football League, a minor

league. Ferrante lived until he was 90 years old, and passed away in 2006. He received the

Monsignor Bonner Medal in 1990, and his 1959 team was inducted into the Monsignor Bonner Hall

Of Fame in 2005.

La Salle’s 1959 team had a core group of talented juniors who stepped up to reclaim the Catholic

League title in 1960, and they went on to win the City as well, defeating Frankford, 24-0. The 1961

team relied on many juniors as well, and the 1962 team won their first three games before

stumbling twice, once to Vince McAneney’s Burrs, and once to Cardinal Dougherty. Their 8-2-0

record did not qualify them for the playoffs. Little did anyone know at the time, but La Salle would

not return to the playoffs until 1988.

The 1959 team went 8-2-0, losing their opening game to West, and their closing game to Bonner.

They registered 5 shutouts, and had an identical league record (8-1-0) and overall record with the

1958 squad. The 1961 team also had an 8-1-0 league record, only losing to West. Their one extra

game was a loss to powerful Neshaminy. Their 8-3-0 season included 5 shutouts as well.

The Gemini teams of 1959 and 1961 were two truly great teams in La Salle football history. Each

team was virtually one play away from winning a Catholic League championship and a

subsequent City Title. That one play will not keep them from being talked about among all the

other great La Salle football teams of the past.