A Look at
Al Angelo's 21-Year
Coaching Career (1965-84, 1987) at Frankford High
This
page includes stories, special lists, record breakdown, recaps of wins in
championship
games and the names of All-Public and All-Scholastic/City honorees during Coach Angelo's
21 seasons. . . . To provide
additions/corrections: .
Thanks!
Blair Thomas (34 - Penn State/NFL) was Al Angelo's best Frankford player.
Al Angelo Coach Angelo's Honorees All-Scholastic (1965-70) All-City (1971-84, 1987) -Five County Area FIRST TEAM Greg Taylor E 1969 Mike Capriotti LB 1969 Tom Carpenter DB 1970 Steve Ebbecke DB 1971 Gary Hegh RB 1972 Willie Debnam RB 1972 Rich Geiger DE 1973 Lee Felice LB 1974 Randy Whiteman DE 1974 Bernie Laster L 1975 George Benson RB 1975 Darrell Miller Rec. 1976 Mike Anhalt L 1977 Mike McCann LB 1977 Walt Parrish L 1978 Chris Yurkow DB 1978 Tony Butler DB 1979 Eric Leaks L 1980 Bob Brett DE 1980 Brian Ramsey L 1980 Brian Ramsey DL 1981 George Heineman DB 1981 Dave Somerville L 1983 Blair Thomas RB 1983 Blair Thomas RB 1984 Mark Dooling DL 1987 Sean Parish RB 1987 SECOND TEAM Rich Glenn RB 1968 Warren Mays QB 1970 Gary Hegh RB 1971 Thurman Robinson DL 1971 Anthony Turiano RB 1973 Mike Hagen RB 1974 Mike DiSipio DB 1975 George Gordienko L 1976 Joe Garofalo QB 1976 Harry Cooke DB 1976 Charles Thomas RB 1982 THIRD TEAM Jim DeGregorio L 1970 Ray Wolkiewicz Rec. 1977 Ed Noble DL 1978 Scott Croft QB 1980 Jeff Brooks L 1981 Dave DeNofa K 1981 Blair Thomas KR 1982 Cliff Hubbard DB 1983 Tito Davis DB 1984 Dave Samuel LB 1987 Tom Honeyman K 1987 Scott Bonk DL 1987 Harun Reed DB 1987 | FIRST TEAM | Greg Taylor | E | 1969 | Mike Capriotti | LB | 1969 | Tom Carpenter | DB | 1970 | Steve Ebbecke | DB | 1971 | Gary Hegh | RB | 1972 | Willie Debnam | RB | 1972 | Rich Geiger | DE | 1973 | Lee Felice | LB | 1974 | Randy Whiteman | DE | 1974 | Bernie Laster | L | 1975 | George Benson | RB | 1975 | Darrell Miller | Rec. | 1976 | Mike Anhalt | L | 1977 | Mike McCann | LB | 1977 | Walt Parrish | L | 1978 | Chris Yurkow | DB | 1978 | Tony Butler | DB | 1979 | Eric Leaks | L | 1980 | Bob Brett | DE | 1980 | Brian Ramsey | L | 1980 | Brian Ramsey | DL | 1981 | George Heineman | DB | 1981 | Dave Somerville | L | 1983 | Blair Thomas | RB | 1983 | Blair Thomas | RB | 1984 | Mark Dooling | DL | 1987 | Sean Parish | RB | 1987 | SECOND TEAM | Rich Glenn | RB | 1968 | Warren Mays | QB | 1970 | Gary Hegh | RB | 1971 | Thurman Robinson | DL | 1971 | Anthony Turiano | RB | 1973 | Mike Hagen | RB | 1974 | Mike DiSipio | DB | 1975 | George Gordienko | L | 1976 | Joe Garofalo | QB | 1976 | Harry Cooke | DB | 1976 | Charles Thomas | RB | 1982 | THIRD TEAM | Jim DeGregorio | L | 1970 | Ray Wolkiewicz | Rec. | 1977 | Ed Noble | DL | 1978 | Scott Croft | QB | 1980 | Jeff Brooks | L | 1981 | Dave DeNofa | K | 1981 | Blair Thomas | KR | 1982 | Cliff Hubbard | DB | 1983 | Tito Davis | DB | 1984 | Dave Samuel | LB | 1987 | Tom Honeyman | K | 1987 | Scott Bonk | DL | 1987 | Harun Reed | DB | 1987 | Al Angelo Tribute Page Al Angelo coached Frankford High's football team for 21 seasons (1965-84,
1987),
winning 184 games and 10 Public League championships along with one City
Title. The CT triumph, earned in outrageous weather, ended a personal
drought. Here is that story . . . By Ted
Silary Shock No. 1 on a day that would wind up including many came a half- hour
before the kickoff when Frankford High two-way stars Walter Parrish and
Chris Yurkow, standing at midfield with their counterparts from Archbishop
Wood for an early toss of the coin, failed to interrupt its descent by
whipping out tin cups . . . the better to catch the coin, then pocket it. Shock No. 2 came at gametime itself when the remainder of Frankford's
players charged onto the field and it became obvious that nary a one would
sport holes in his cleats, a busted face mask, tattered pants or a crooked
hickory stick with a junk-filled bandana attached to the end. Shock No. 3, the 27-7 victory rung up by Frankford in the rain and
resulting slop at JFK Stadium on Saturday, took a wee bit longer to zoom
into focus, but by the time it did, well, it wasn't much of a shock any
more. The Pioneers, representing the league that most often comes into this
annual season's-end game just looking for handouts and the opportunity to
make things close, were that impressive, that dominant. And whether or not you care to admit it, the success of Frankford's
supposed bunch of ragamuffins was very much necessary to keep a
long-lopsided City Title football series from reaching the foregone
conclusion stage . . . though to some haughty people in the "best league
around" it had already done so. "Above and beyond what this victory means to people at Frankford and to
me," said Coach Al Angelo, who had been 0-8-1 as a player, assistant and
head man in previous visits, " I'm just really happy for the Public League
and all of its coaches. "o many people, we're just the poor, little, ol' Public League. A couple
of weeks ago, someone was quoted as saying, 'Frankford plays the Mastbaums,
the Olneys and the Kings while so-and-so plays the Judges, the Doughertys
and the somebody elses,' implying, I guess, that we play nobodies. "OK, I'LL ADMIT we're not as strong overall as the Catholic League, but
that remark kind of hurt me. It made me feel bad for Mastbaum, Olney and
King, and for their coaches. Well, the Judges and the Doughertys played Wood
and I don't think they did as well as we did today. So I have to feel really
proud." Proud ain't the word for it. Angelo's players, finally meeting a team
close to their own size and playing on a field that helped them stop the
Wishbone, were in command throughout. On offense, junior fullback Joe Galasso, a transfer from North Catholic
who seemingly gains 15 yards for every word he speaks, was almost the whole
show, turning 30 carries into 155 yards and two touchdowns. On defense, end Parrish, a transfer from Olney by way of Roman Catholic
who also plays offensive guard, was just as noticeable, accumulating four
tackles behind the line and recovering a botched pitchout to set up the
final score. continued right below . . . | SEASON BY SEASON Public League 1965: 4-3-1 1966: 6-1-1 1967: 5-3 1968: 3-4-1 1969: 8-0 1970: 8-0 1971: 8-0 1972: 6-0 1973: 7-1 1974: 9-0 1975: 9-0 1976: 6-0 1977: 6-0 1978: 5-0-1 1979: 5-1 1980: 6-0 1981: none 1982: 5-1 1983: 6-0 1984: 6-0 1985: inactive 1986: inactive 1987: 6-0 Total: 124-14-4 -tournament took place after teachers' strike --- Overall 1965: 4-5-1 1966: 7-2-1 1967: 5-5 1968: 4-5-1 1969: 10-2 1970: 9-2 1971: 11-1 1972: 8-1-1 1973: 10-3 1974: 11-1 1975: 12-1 1976: 11-1 1977: 10-2 1978: 9-1-1 1979: 8-2 1980: 10-0 1981: 6-1 1982: 9-2 1983: 9-1 1984: 9-1 1985: inactive 1986: inactive 1987: 12-0 Total: 184-39-5 -- PUBLIC LEAGUE TITLES 1969, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1978, 1980, 1981, 1984, 1987 CITY TITLE 1978 --
FIRST TEAM
Greg Taylor | E | 1969
Mike Capriotti | LB | 1969
Tom Carpenter | DB | 1970
Steve Ebbecke | DB | 1971
Gary Hegh | RB | 1972
Willie Debnam | RB | 1972
Rich Geiger | DE | 1973
Lee Felice | LB | 1974
Randy Whiteman | DE | 1974
Bernie Laster | L | 1975
George Benson | RB | 1975
Darrell Miller | Rec. | 1976
Mike Anhalt | L | 1977
Mike McCann | LB | 1977
Walt Parrish | L | 1978
Chris Yurkow | DB | 1978
Tony Butler | DB | 1979
Eric Leaks | L | 1980
Bob Brett | DE | 1980
Brian Ramsey | L | 1980
Brian Ramsey | DL | 1981
George Heineman | DB | 1981
Dave Somerville | L | 1983
Blair Thomas | RB | 1983
Blair Thomas | RB | 1984
Mark Dooling | DL | 1987
Sean Parish | RB | 1987
SECOND TEAM
Rich Glenn | RB | 1968
Warren Mays | QB | 1970
Gary Hegh | RB | 1971
Thurman Robinson | DL | 1971
Anthony Turiano | RB | 1973
Mike Hagen | RB | 1974
Mike DiSipio | DB | 1975
George Gordienko | L | 1976
Joe Garofalo | QB | 1976
Harry Cooke | DB | 1976
Charles Thomas | RB | 1982
THIRD TEAM
Jim DeGregorio | L | 1970
Ray Wolkiewicz | Rec. | 1977
Ed Noble | DL | 1978
Scott Croft | QB | 1980
Jeff Brooks | L | 1981
Dave DeNofa | K | 1981
Blair Thomas | KR | 1982
Cliff Hubbard | DB | 1983
Tito Davis | DB | 1984
Dave Samuel | LB | 1987
Tom Honeyman | K | 1987
Scott Bonk | DL | 1987
Harun Reed | DB | 1987
"It's just hard to believe,"
said Parrish, a major college prospect despite his 6-0, 215 dimensions. "The
City Title game is something you watch on TV or listen to on the radio. I never dreamed I'd
play in one . . . or win one, for that matter. "BUT COMING in here, we had what you'd call a quiet confidence. We had
watched films of Wood and I must admit, I thought they'd be tough. You could tell how much we bothered them out there,
though, never let them get started. Their TD (John Kafel's 80-yard scamper to start the second half as Frankford, hoping
to bottle up the Vikings, chose to kick off twice) wasn't scored against the D. "You know, all week around school, people told us, 'Good luck, this, good
luck, that,' and all we could do was accept that good luck and hope for the best. But out on that field today, I don't think
luck had anything to do with it." To accentuate Frankford's accomplishments, let us point out that the
Public League has now won just thrice (also Lincoln in 1958 and Central in '70) with a trio of ties since 1951 and that only two
P.L. teams (Northeast 33 in '46 and Lincoln 28 in '58) have scored more points. Surprisingly, the Pioneers showed their superiority early, driving 66
yards in 15 plays for a one-yard run by Yurkow with 3:26 to go in the first quarter and 42 in 9 for a 15-yard pass from Yurkow
(his only one of the game) to Joe Wolf. "We'd made so many changes, I don't think I'd ever had as many doubts
coming into a game," Angelo said. "We felt we were well-prepared, but still we had to wonder if it all would work out. "I DON'T KNOW what it was, but this team always came up with that little
bit extra, that intangible, when it had to. Maybe they weren't entirely sure they had it until today, but now they've got to
be sure. They have it!! "You know, I've had some teams with more talent that lost in this game
and some that never even got here, but those teams didn't do what this team did. I have to say this is the fightingest
team I've ever had. And, boy, do they hit. Wood was hit as well today as they're hit by anyone in the Catholic League." Following the heroics by
Kafel, Frankford's players, coaches and fans had to be getting an eerie
feeling, mindful that the '69 and '71 teams led Bishop Egan (20-7) and Archbishop Carroll (14-0),
respectively, at half only to lose. "Wood had a little spurt of morale," said Yurkow, "but after a few
minutes, we were back in control and in a few more minutes, we were over the hump. "WHEN YOU'RE starting off a season, you always have something like this
in the back of your mind but as you go along, you really don't think of it that much. You just take each game as it comes.
Then you win a few and get into a position to win the Northern Division and you do it. "Then you win the league and then, here today, you're up 13 points after
the first half and it starts to become reality. Then, the clock runs down and it gets closer and closer and closer. Then it's
there. You know what's funny, though? Here I am and everybody's celebrating and it still hasn't hit me." That was Saturday. Rest assured that today the celebration at Frankford
High, City Champs for the first time since 1940, lingers on and that Yurkow, as much as anyone else, is right in the middle
of it.
This story was written
after Al won his first PL championship in 1969 . . .
This story was written
after Al completed his last season with a
perfect record (12-0) . . .
By Ted Silary As proof that being elusive must be something like riding a bike, in that
once you learn you never forget, we offer Al Angelo. Angelo, who excelled in sprinting as well as football at Frankford High,
is 57 years old and his right hip is wracked by constant pain because of degenerative arthritis. But just try to catch this
man and pin him down. The wind is easier to catch. The date of California's next earthquake is
easier to pin down. Saturday afternoon, in a 42-14, thoroughly easy victory over Murrell
Dobbins Tech at Northeast High, Angelo's Frankford football team became the first in Public League history to fashion a 12-0
season. It also rewrote the city-league record for points in a season (454, breaking 438 by Bishop Egan in 12 games in 1966). Afterward, reporters hoped Angelo would say that the '87 team, which
raised his career record in 21 seasons (1964-84, '87) to 184-39-5 and gave him his 10th PL championship, ranked as
Frankford's best ever, or at least as one of its "better evers. " Talk about an exercise in futility. "It's soooo hard to compare teams or players," Angelo said, in his
patented, not-this-subject-again tone of voice. As veteran Angelo watchers realize, Al reacts to such discussions the way
he does because to tab Frankford's best teams and players would be to destroy the one feeling he cherishes most about the
program. That everyone is part of a huge, equal family, as hokey as that sounds. "Ex-players visit our practices almost daily," Angelo said. "Every time,
I stop what we're doing, I introduce the player to the kids and then the kids applaud. "Frankford isn't a coaches' team. It's a players' team. Players can
always come . We don't ever want someone to feel like, 'They're busy with the
'87 team. They don't care about the past teams.' No, no. We care about every team and every player." How does Angelo assure that that feeling prevails? Yes, by not comparing
players or teams. "If our players have listened to me through the years, they've heard me
talk a lot about Warren Mays (class of '71)," Angelo said. "I guess they could figure out that he was important to us. But
no one has heard me say, 'Warren Mays was our best QB ever.' "I like it that the comparison stuff is left open. We've probably got a
few guards walking around who think they were the best to ever play for Frankford. Or a few teams who probably think, 'We
bet Mr. Angelo thinks we were his hardest workers. 'Or, 'We bet the championship we gave Mr. Angelo pleased him the
most.' "If I started making comparisons, it would kill all of that." Saturday, fullback Darren Swift (19 carries, 137 yards, two TDs) and
halfback Sean Parish (11-106, two TDs) helped Frankford cruise to a 35-6 lead by halftime, so they combined for
only three carries thereafter. In all, Angelo employed 12 ballcarriers. Their output was 425 yards on 69 tries. Defensively, Frankford allowed Dobbins only 36 rushing yards, but
quarterback Marcel White did pass 11-for-29 for a title game-record 195 yards and both scores. In terms of making allowances, Angelo did say that the middle of this
year's line - center Mark Dooling, guards Tom Farrell, Joe Susinskas and sometimes Jim Noel - "was as good as any we've
ever had" and that the entire line - the others being tackles Scott Bonk and Duane Gould and tight ends Danny
Greenewald and Dave Samuel - "had seven good blockers on it. No weak links." If Angelo, who was assisted this year by John Litzke and a heap of part-
timers, belonged to the run-it-up school, there is no telling how many points Frankford could have scored en route to
its 21st PL championship. Another hundred, at least. In five games, Parish and Swift combined for less than 25 carries and
were spectators after the first series or two of the third quarter. Nevertheless, Parish finished with 1,508 yards and 20 TDs
on 184 carries; Swift had 945 and 14 on 146. "In the last six or seven minutes," Angelo said, "the starters kept
saying they wanted to go in for one more play, just so they could come off the field together one last time. They were begging,
like little kids. "I was tempted, because they've worked so hard. But I was worried how it
would look. I didn't want to have (Dobbins coach) Bob Smith think we were making a circus of things, or getting
involved in showmanship. So we didn't do it." Below are the players who earned first team Coaches' All-Public honors during Al Angelo's 21 seasons as the coach at Frankford.
Randy Tobin E 1965 Manor Prewitt B 1965 Jose Salamatin B 1966 Dave Tompkins B 1966 Joe Houghton B 1966 Joe Geiger L 1967 Chuck Morganti B 1967 Rich Glenn B 1968 Jim Roberts DL 1968 Glenn Trethaway C 1969 Greg Taylor E 1969 George Loos B 1969 Robert Lynch DG 1969 Mike Capriotti LB 1969 Warren Mays QB 1970 Vince Guida RB 1970 Jim DeGregorio DL 1970 Tom Carpenter DB 1970 Steve Ebbecke QB 1971 Gary Hegh RB 1971 Thurman Robinson DL 1971 Mike Bicich DL 1971 Gary Hegh RB 1972 Willie Debnam RB 1972 Andy Leszczynski DL 1972 Paul Michalak LB 1972 Rich Geiger T 1973 Anthony Turiano RB 1973 Gary Timm DT 1973 Lee Felice E 1974 Mike Hagen B 1974 Randy Whiteman DE 1974 Bernie Laster L 1975 George Benson B 1975 Dan Oldfield B 1975 Mike DiSipio DB 1975 George Gordienko L 1976 Darrell Miller Rec. 1976 Joe Garofalo QB 1976 Rick Bozzelli RB 1976 Fran Lepouski DL 1976 Harry Cooke DB 1976 Eric Devine L 1977 Nick Cervellero L 1977 Ray Wolkiewicz E 1977 Mike Anhalt DL 1977 Mike McCann LB 1977 Connie Miller DB 1977 | Randy Tobin | E | 1965 | Manor Prewitt | B | 1965 | Jose Salamatin | B | 1966 | Dave Tompkins | B | 1966 | Joe Houghton | B | 1966 | Joe Geiger | L | 1967 | Chuck Morganti | B | 1967 | Rich Glenn | B | 1968 | Jim Roberts | DL | 1968 | Glenn Trethaway | C | 1969 | Greg Taylor | E | 1969 | George Loos | B | 1969 | Robert Lynch | DG | 1969 | Mike Capriotti | LB | 1969 | Warren Mays | QB | 1970 | Vince Guida | RB | 1970 | Jim DeGregorio | DL | 1970 | Tom Carpenter | DB | 1970 | Steve Ebbecke | QB | 1971 | Gary Hegh | RB | 1971 | Thurman Robinson | DL | 1971 | Mike Bicich | DL | 1971 | Gary Hegh | RB | 1972 | Willie Debnam | RB | 1972 | Andy Leszczynski | DL | 1972 | Paul Michalak | LB | 1972 | Rich Geiger | T | 1973 | Anthony Turiano | RB | 1973 | Gary Timm | DT | 1973 | Lee Felice | E | 1974 | Mike Hagen | B | 1974 | Randy Whiteman | DE | 1974 | Bernie Laster | L | 1975 | George Benson | B | 1975 | Dan Oldfield | B | 1975 | Mike DiSipio | DB | 1975 | George Gordienko | L | 1976 | Darrell Miller | Rec. | 1976 | Joe Garofalo | QB | 1976 | Rick Bozzelli | RB | 1976 | Fran Lepouski | DL | 1976 | Harry Cooke | DB | 1976 | Eric Devine | L | 1977 | Nick Cervellero | L | 1977 | Ray Wolkiewicz | E | 1977 | Mike Anhalt | DL | 1977 | Mike McCann | LB | 1977 | Connie Miller | DB | 1977 | Ed Noble L 1978 Ed Gerety Rec. 1978 Ron Morman RB 1978 Bob O'Connell DL 1978 Walt Parrish DL 1978 Chris Yurkow DB 1978 John Felice Rec. 1979 Charles Parrish QB 1979 Roosevelt Jenkins RB 1979 Jim Otto DL 1979 Tony Butler DB 1979 Eric Leaks L 1980 Ike Hardy Rec. 1980 Scott Croft QB 1980 Bob Brett RB 1980 Pat Day DL 1980 Brian Ramsey DL 1980 Jeff Brooks L 1981 George Troemel Rec. 1981 Dave DeNofa QB 1981 Brian Ramsey DL 1981 Bob Oeschlin LB 1981 George Heineman DB 1981 Richard Kershaw L 1982 Gary Patillo RB 1982 Charles Thomas RB 1982 Chris West DL 1982 George Dugan DL 1982 Chris Croft DB 1982 Dave Somerville L 1983 Blair Thomas RB 1983 Shel Stroman LB 1983 Drew Cornog LB 1983 Cliff Hubbard DB 1983 Ken Bozzelli DB 1983 Brian Oechslin L 1984 Chris Porta L 1984 Blair Thomas RB 1984 Derrick Mathis DL 1984 David Stone LB 1984 Clyde Thompson LB 1984 Mark Dooling L 1987 Dave Samuel Rec. 1987 Darren Swift RB 1987 Sean Parish RB 1987 Scott Bonk DL 1987 Harun Reed DB 1987 | Ed Noble | L | 1978 | Ed Gerety | Rec. | 1978 | Ron Morman | RB | 1978 | Bob O'Connell | DL | 1978 | Walt Parrish | DL | 1978 | Chris Yurkow | DB | 1978 | John Felice | Rec. | 1979 | Charles Parrish | QB | 1979 | Roosevelt Jenkins | RB | 1979 | Jim Otto | DL | 1979 | Tony Butler | DB | 1979 | Eric Leaks | L | 1980 | Ike Hardy | Rec. | 1980 | Scott Croft | QB | 1980 | Bob Brett | RB | 1980 | Pat Day | DL | 1980 | Brian Ramsey | DL | 1980 | Jeff Brooks | L | 1981 | George Troemel | Rec. | 1981 | Dave DeNofa | QB | 1981 | Brian Ramsey | DL | 1981 | Bob Oeschlin | LB | 1981 | George Heineman | DB | 1981 | Richard Kershaw | L | 1982 | Gary Patillo | RB | 1982 | Charles Thomas | RB | 1982 | Chris West | DL | 1982 | George Dugan | DL | 1982 | Chris Croft | DB | 1982 | Dave Somerville | L | 1983 | Blair Thomas | RB | 1983 | Shel Stroman | LB | 1983 | Drew Cornog | LB | 1983 | Cliff Hubbard | DB | 1983 | Ken Bozzelli | DB | 1983 | Brian Oechslin | L | 1984 | Chris Porta | L | 1984 | Blair Thomas | RB | 1984 | Derrick Mathis | DL | 1984 | David Stone | LB | 1984 | Clyde Thompson | LB | 1984 | Mark Dooling | L | 1987 | Dave Samuel | Rec. | 1987 | Darren Swift | RB | 1987 | Sean Parish | RB | 1987 | Scott Bonk | DL | 1987 | Harun Reed | DB | 1987 | | |
Randy Tobin | E | 1965
Manor Prewitt | B | 1965
Jose Salamatin | B | 1966
Dave Tompkins | B | 1966
Joe Houghton | B | 1966
Joe Geiger | L | 1967
Chuck Morganti | B | 1967
Rich Glenn | B | 1968
Jim Roberts | DL | 1968
Glenn Trethaway | C | 1969
Greg Taylor | E | 1969
George Loos | B | 1969
Robert Lynch | DG | 1969
Mike Capriotti | LB | 1969
Warren Mays | QB | 1970
Vince Guida | RB | 1970
Jim DeGregorio | DL | 1970
Tom Carpenter | DB | 1970
Steve Ebbecke | QB | 1971
Gary Hegh | RB | 1971
Thurman Robinson | DL | 1971
Mike Bicich | DL | 1971
Gary Hegh | RB | 1972
Willie Debnam | RB | 1972
Andy Leszczynski | DL | 1972
Paul Michalak | LB | 1972
Rich Geiger | T | 1973
Anthony Turiano | RB | 1973
Gary Timm | DT | 1973
Lee Felice | E | 1974
Mike Hagen | B | 1974
Randy Whiteman | DE | 1974
Bernie Laster | L | 1975
George Benson | B | 1975
Dan Oldfield | B | 1975
Mike DiSipio | DB | 1975
George Gordienko | L | 1976
Darrell Miller | Rec. | 1976
Joe Garofalo | QB | 1976
Rick Bozzelli | RB | 1976
Fran Lepouski | DL | 1976
Harry Cooke | DB | 1976
Eric Devine | L | 1977
Nick Cervellero | L | 1977
Ray Wolkiewicz | E | 1977
Mike Anhalt | DL | 1977
Mike McCann | LB | 1977
Connie Miller | DB | 1977
Ed Noble | L | 1978
Ed Gerety | Rec. | 1978
Ron Morman | RB | 1978
Bob O'Connell | DL | 1978
Walt Parrish | DL | 1978
Chris Yurkow | DB | 1978
John Felice | Rec. | 1979
Charles Parrish | QB | 1979
Roosevelt Jenkins | RB | 1979
Jim Otto | DL | 1979
Tony Butler | DB | 1979
Eric Leaks | L | 1980
Ike Hardy | Rec. | 1980
Scott Croft | QB | 1980
Bob Brett | RB | 1980
Pat Day | DL | 1980
Brian Ramsey | DL | 1980
Jeff Brooks | L | 1981
George Troemel | Rec. | 1981
Dave DeNofa | QB | 1981
Brian Ramsey | DL | 1981
Bob Oeschlin | LB | 1981
George Heineman | DB | 1981
Richard Kershaw | L | 1982
Gary Patillo | RB | 1982
Charles Thomas | RB | 1982
Chris West | DL | 1982
George Dugan | DL | 1982
Chris Croft | DB | 1982
Dave Somerville | L | 1983
Blair Thomas | RB | 1983
Shel Stroman | LB | 1983
Drew Cornog | LB | 1983
Cliff Hubbard | DB | 1983
Ken Bozzelli | DB | 1983
Brian Oechslin | L | 1984
Chris Porta | L | 1984
Blair Thomas | RB | 1984
Derrick Mathis | DL | 1984
David Stone | LB | 1984
Clyde Thompson | LB | 1984
Mark Dooling | L | 1987
Dave Samuel | Rec. | 1987
Darren Swift | RB | 1987
Sean Parish | RB | 1987
Scott Bonk | DL | 1987
Harun Reed | DB | 1987
-- Recaps of Wins in Public League
Championship Games 1969 At Northeast Frankford 30, Dobbins 8 Craig Henry was the hero in the first regularly-scheduled
championship game. Henry, who'd spent much of the season serving only as
a blocking wingback, caught TD passes of 5, 39 and 23 yards from Warren
Mays as Frankford rolled. Henry scored two of his TDs in the final 24
seconds of the first half. The Pioneers picked off four passes. 1971 At Northeast Frankford 15, Central 0 Rather than its patented wing-T, Frankford used an I
formation and Gary Hegh responded with 24 carries for 144 yards and a
score. Steve Ebbecke passed to Mark Townsell for a TD and Mark Brenfleck
kicked a 33-yard field goal. On defense, the Pioneers used a six-man
line for the first time all year and Central was limited to 107 yards
total offense. 1972 At Northeast Frankford 14, Mastbaum 6 Gary Hegh rushed 24 times for 207 yards and two TDs and, in
his first start at safety, twice caused fumbles that Frankford
recovered. Willie Debnam added 101 yards on 23 carries. The Pioneers'
winning drive, which broke a 6-6 tie, covered 63 yards and began with
4:07 left. For Mastbaum, Nick Zampitella ran for a short score. 1973 At Northeast Frankford 14, Southern 13 In a wild affair, three touchdowns were scored in the final
3:52. Southern took a 7-6 lead as QB Mike DiFeliciantonio gained 2 yards
on fourth-and-3 then had the ball wrested out of his hands by teammate
Frank Otis, who ran 42 yards for the score. With 1:10 left, Frankford's
Anthony Turiano scored his second TD and Cliff Hutchens hit Jim Wetzel
on the conversion. Southern roared back as Mike McKenna raced 80 yards
for a kickoff-return TD, but on the conversion, George Hall was stopped
inches short of the goal line by Wetzel and Bernie Mullen. 1975 At Northeast Frankford 18, Mastbaum 6 George Benson rumbled to 170 yards and two TDs, including a
65-yarder, despite losing four fumbles. Receiver Darrell Miller scored
the other TD when he fell on a fumble by back Rick Bozzelli. The
Pioneers' dominant lineman was Bernie Laster, who played throughout the
season with a hernia. Mastbaum scored on a 32-yard return of a blocked
punt by John Adams. 1978 At Northeast Frankford 7, Lincoln 6 Chris Yurkow scored Frankford's TD on a 56-yard,
first-quarter interception return and made another interception on Frankford's 5 on
the final play of the game. He also recovered a fumble, forced by Mike Seonia, to end Lincoln's next-to-last series. Tony Verrillo kicked the decisive PAT. For Lincoln, Zachary Armwood rushed 29 times for 106 yards
and a TD and Wendell Birch passed 8-for-15 for 102 yards, with Corey
McElveen making two catches for 70 yards. 1980 At Northeast Frankford 22, Central 18 Scott Croft threw an 18-yard TD pass to Mike Gourdine to
give Frankford a 15-12 lead, then ran 2 yards for a score with 1:40 remaining
after Central had stormed ahead on a 58-yard bomb from Joel Murphy
(6-for-16, 127 yards) to Vic Bellamy. At 10-0-0, the Pioneers posted the
best record in school history and its first-team defense allowed just
three TDs all season. 1981 At Northeast Frankford 34, Washington 8 George Heineman scored four TDs as the Pioneers collected
their eighth title in 13 years. Heineman returned a fumble 48 yards for a
score to wreck Washington's first play from scrimmage. He also rushed 27
times for 158 yards and two scores and caught a 9-yard scoring pass from
Dave DeNofa. For the season, Heineman scored 17 of Frankford's 29 TDs.
DeNofa, who in the regular season had set an area record by kicking nine
PAT in one game, hammered field goals of 25 and 29 yards and added four
PAT. 1984 At Northeast Frankford 16, Central 0 Blair Thomas carried 42 times for 167 yards and a TD to
give retiring coach Al Angelo a 172-39-5 record in 20 seasons along with
nine PL titles. Thomas finished his career with career city-leagues
records for rushing attempts (626), rushing yards (3,941), rushing TDs
(55) and total TDs (59). For Central, Rich Drayton made three receptions
for 50 yards. 1987 At Northeast Frankford 42, Dobbins 14 With Al Angelo back as coach for one final season,
Frankford set a city-leagues record for points in a season with 454
(Bishop Egan had scored 438 in 1966) and became the first PL team to
finish a season 12-0. Darren Swift (19-137) and Sean Parish (11-106)
rushed for two TDs apiece. Angelo finished 184-39-5 and broke the
city-leagues record for career wins (170) set by Neumann's Paul
Bartolomeo from 1946-78. For Dobbins, Marcel White passed 11-for-29 for
195 yards and two TDs while Marc Keller made six receptions for 121
yards and a score. -- Recap of Win in City Title 1978 At Kennedy Stadium Frankford 27, Wood 7 In a driving rainstorm, which turned the natural surface at
Kennedy Stadium into a mud-covered mess, Frankford relied almost
exclusively on the straight-ahead running of fullback Joe Galasso, who
responded with 155 yards and two TDs on 30 carries. The Pioneers were
just the PL's third winner since 1951. Coach Al Angelo had been 0-8-1 in
city title appearances as a player, assistant and head coach. Chris
Yurkow ran for one TD and completed his only pass for another. Walt
Parrish made four tackles for losses and recovered an errant pitchout.
For Wood, John Kafel returned the second half kickoff 80 yards for a TD. --
Author
Published
March 5, 2026
Updated
March 5, 2026