Speedy recovery

Jimmy Porreca didn’t enjoy spending last season as a spectator at Neumann football games. But after tearing his left ACL in the Pirates’ opening game, that was about all he could do for the team.

This season the senior fullback, 17, is making up for lost time.

Porreca leads his team in rushing attempts (202), rushing yards (1,251) and touchdowns (16). More importantly, his efforts played a major part in helping Neumann finish the season 5-5 overall and 4-3 in the Blue Division.

Coach Ed DiCamillo said Porreca is Neumann’s most consistent player.

"Jimmy does everything he is asked to," the coach said. "He hits the right holes, holds on to the football, gets that extra yard and catches out of the backfield.

"We couldn’t go to war without him. That’s for sure."

One key battle was played Saturday night. Neumann won 26-20 over Conwell-Egan after fighting back from a 14-0 deficit.

Porreca, of 11th and Morris streets, rushed for 146 yards and three touchdowns. He also had a 50-yard touchdown run, but it was called back on a holding penalty. The player’s 20 points, including a two-point conversion, represent his greatest offensive output on the season.

The performance is quite a turnaround for Porreca, who suffered his season-ending injury in last year’s Labor Day weekend game against North Catholic. He got hurt while chasing a North Catholic player on punt coverage.

When Porreca returned to the Wildwood, N.J., football field — the scene of the injury — on Aug. 31, he said he didn’t know what to expect from himself.

His 173 rushing yards and three touchdowns soon put any concerns to rest.

"I felt more relieved than anything," said the athlete, who is considering La Salle, Temple, Widener and Gwynedd-Mercy. "I didn’t think I would be able to run like I used to."

The senior has nine games of 100 yards or more, including a season-high 180 yards against Cardinal Dougherty. Porreca also helps out on defense, where he recovered a big fumble in last month’s win over Archbishop Wood.


Porreca’s success this season is quickly serving to erase his junior-year frustrations.

"I was disappointed that I had to watch games from the sidelines when I wanted to play," the fullback said. "I could’ve done something to help."

He ended up playing the entire game against North Catholic last year, as the extent of his injury wasn’t discovered until after the game.

"I thought I just sprained it," the player recalled.

Doctors originally told Porreca, a Second Team All-Catholic first baseman, that he would be sidelined through Neumann’s baseball season. Instead of accepting the prognosis, he spent four days a week rehabbing his injured knee at Pennsport Physical Therapy. The two-and-a-half-hour sessions included everything from riding a stationary bike to weight-training for his legs.

He proved doctors wrong by suiting up for the Pirates on opening day, and returning to 100 percent by midseason.

Once football season comes to an end, the multi sport athlete will play for the ice-hockey club, and start his off season workouts at John Marzano Baseball Academy. Porreca said the South Philadelphia native and former major-league catcher teaches him how to look for certain pitches and "do everything right."

The player said he likes football and baseball about equally, and isn’t sure which sport he wants to play in college. He grew up playing football with the Capitolo Little Cowboys and baseball with the South Philadelphia Sabres. By playing high-school football, he is following in the footsteps of his father, Jim, and uncles Frank and Ray Rao, who regularly attend Neumann football games.

Porreca wants to make his family proud by helping Neumann win the Blue Division title. The Pirates open the playoffs Saturday night against fourth-place Bishop McDevitt, who finished the season 4-3. The record includes a 35-28 win over Neumann. Porreca said stupid mistakes, penalties and mental errors ended up costing his team some wins this season. The Pirates spotted McDevitt a 21-0 lead in the first quarter before making a valiant comeback effort.

"Between mistakes on offense and a slow start on defense, it put us behind the eight ball," DiCamillo said of the team’s performance before Saturday’s win. "To the kids’ credit, they play so hard that I feel sorry for them."


But the Pirates may not need sympathy for long. Heading into this weekend’s game — which will be played at Northeast High — Porreca and his teammates are riding the momentum of a three-game winning streak, which includes knocking Conwell-Egan out of first place last weekend. DiCamillo likes the Pirates’ chances in this contest.

"If we just stay away from the errors, I think it’ll be a great ballgame," he said. "I think we have as good a shot as anybody [to win the Blue Division title]. The kids truly believe they haven’t been beaten by anyone."

Porreca shares his coach’s confidence. With three more wins, the player’s comeback will be complete and the Pirates will be champions.

"If we limit our mistakes on offense and play solid defense, we can beat anybody," he said.


Final Blue Division Standings

West Catholic 6-1

Archbishop Carroll 6-1

Conwell-Egan 5-2

Bishop McDevitt 4-3

St. John Neumann 4-3

Kennedy-Kenrick 2-5

Archbishop Wood 1-6

Cardinal Dougherty 0-7

West Catholic defeated Archbishop Carroll for first, while McDevitt defeated Neumann for fourth.