Juicy

Could this be the year the South Philadelphia High Rams finally reclaim the bigger share of the wishbone from their Catholic League neighbor?

The Ss. John Neumann and Maria Goretti Saints have suffered a rocky debut season while Southern has shown marked improvement, setting up a real contest and an exciting opportunity for the Rams.

Southern is so long overdue for a win in the annual Thanksgiving game — a 70-year-old tradition — that the very course of history has changed in the interim. When the Rams last beat the Saints — then the St. John Neumann Pirates — back in 1989, the other George Bush was president of the United States, Batman was the number-one movie and Daniel Radcliffe, better known as Harry Potter, was born.

The majority of meetings since that season have been embarrassingly one-sided. Over the last two years, Neumann outscored Southern a combined 108-8.

After a winless 2003, the Rams are a program on the rise (2-4 Public League South, 5-5 overall). Stud junior running back Lamone Fox, who played for Neumann as a freshman, has unleashed a school-record 1,181 yards on the rest of the Public League.

Neumann-Goretti, meanwhile, has struggled to jell (1-7 Catholic League South, 2-10 overall). The combination of star athletes transferring to rival West Catholic, coaching changes and a merger with Goretti adds up to what the school has classified as a "transition year."

However, the Saints are putting aside the rest of the season for the chance to get their 15th straight win in the series (including a 2001 Rams forfeit) over Southern.

A win today would be a much-needed morale boost, said Neumann-Goretti senior linebacker Chris Baldwin.

"If we win this year it’ll be a lot sweeter than previous years because a lot of people are doubting us," he said.

The Rams also are craving a victory, which would be only the 19th since the series began in 1934. A conquest would give Southern its first winning season since 1997, a fact that has the Public League team plenty motivated for the 10:30 a.m. kickoff.

However, coach Bill Edger is worried his athletes could become too confident in their chances.

"It scares me a little because my players see that [Neumann-Goretti] has only won two games," he said. "They still have a lot of talent and play in a tougher league."

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Team: South Philadelphia High Rams

Coach: Bill Edger (fourth season)

Assistants: Stosh Tunney, Greg Harris and Fran Mackin

2004 record: 2-4 Public League South, 5-5 overall

The Rams need one more big game from number 25. Every time Fox has rushed for more than 100 yards this season, the Rams have emerged victorious.

In Southern’s most recent win, a 38-0 pounding of Freire Charter, the tailback averaged 15.5 yards a carry and finished with 155 rushing yards in the first half. The game was halted at halftime due to the lopsided score and heavy rain. Fox also broke the school’s single-season rushing record (1,056 yards).

Edger is hoping Fox extends his speedy streak.

"I just hope he stays positive and has some early success," the coach said.

The key will be establishing command of the game early, as many of the recent Southern-Neumann rivalries have been decided by halftime. Even though Southern is much more competitive this year, Neumann-Goretti still has an edge from playing talented, larger athletes in the Catholic League.

By establishing some early momentum, the Rams will have a legitimate shot at victory.

"If [the Saints] get a couple scores early, they’ll get all fired up," Edger said. "We’ve got to control the football."

If it takes gaining 3-5 yards a carry to keep the chains moving, that’s what the Rams will do.

Southern has several skilled offensive players in its corner. Senior quarterback Jalil Harris has been doing a solid job all season. In 10 games, he has passed for 655 yards and seven touchdowns. His favorite target is senior receiver Michael McClain, who has a team-high 328 receiving yards and has caught six of the seven touchdown passes.

This season, the Rams are exhibiting the teamwork that has been missing in past years. Every time Fox scores a touchdown, he credits the offensive and defensive lines first. Junior offensive lineman-linebacker Ricky Nguyen said the players have been learning from their errors and each other.

"We are communicating well and making adjustments to every mistake we have," said Nguyen.

The athlete is still hoping to play in the Thanksgiving Day game, despite a left knee injury. He already told the coach, "I’ve got to play the Neumann-Goretti game," and he will with proper medical clearance.

Senior offensive-defensive lineman Perry Woods is eager to play in his first Thanksgiving Day rivalry after spending the last three years at Furness. Woods, who will get his first start of the season at defensive tackle, is expecting a competitive contest.

"It’s going to be a pretty tough game. They have a pretty good team," he said, but added, "We have a better chance to win this year."

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Team: Ss. John Neumann and Maria Goretti Saints

Coach: Steve Smith

Assistants: Roger Kallenger, Jim Wilder, Charles Williams, Mike Concannon, Bill Sytsma, Greg Davis and Larry Tankewitz

2004 record: 1-7 Catholic League Blue, 2-9 overall

The Saints have remained upbeat this season, which might be one of their biggest strengths going into today’s game.

They are persevering despite multiple hardships: Neumann-Goretti was eliminated from the playoffs several weeks ago, and the squad is coming off a four-game losing streak in which it’s been outscored 136-13.

Still, "our spirits have been tremendous," Smith said. "I can’t say enough about the kids and the effort they’ve given us."

Even though this is his first year in the head coaching spot, Smith has participated in the storied rivalry against Southern as both a player and an assistant.

Smith has never been involved in a loss to the Rams, and he’s not looking to start now.

For the players, a victory would be a meaningful way to end their first year as the Saints.

"It’s going to be big," said senior quarterback Kenny Brown. "This is our first Thanksgiving game as Neumann-Goretti. We have to give back to the school."

The Saints will aim to duplicate past successes by scoring on Southern as early as possible. Previous teams have been able to dominate the Rams by building early insurmountable leads.

That said, the Saints offense is still a work in progress, as its season-high 40-point output came in a non-league game against first-year squad Freire Charter. Its lone league victory came against winless Cardinal Dougherty, 22-0.

Senior running back Bruce Holloman, who leads Neumann-Goretti with 486 rushing yards and nine rushing touchdowns, knows his team will be leaning on him today.

"I have to step up because it’s my last game," he said.

The Saints will keep running back Fox in their sights. Had he stayed at Neumann-Goretti, the Catholic League squad might have been a playoff team this year.

"I wish he was back here. He would’ve been a nice asset for our program," Smith said.

But Neumann-Goretti is making the best possible use of its remaining assets. Dan Chavis (172 yards, two touchdowns) and Khaillier Harris-Stevens (218 yards, one touchdown) are other key components of the running game.

The Saints are ready to step up, but know they face more of a challenge than their predecessors.

"Southern is better than in previous years," Baldwin said. "We have to play a complete game and come out strong."

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Southern’s Starting Lineup

OFFENSE

POS,	NAME	HT.	WT.	CLASS
T	Marquise James	6’4"	305	FR
G	Dante Okimey	6′	215	FR
C	Anthony Bouie	6’2"	200	JR
G	Brandon Sylvester-Johnson	6′	290	SR
T	Demetrius Tillman	6’2"	235	JR
FL	Michael McClain	6’1"	180	SR
SE	Eric Whitaker	5’9"	175	SO
QB	Jalil Harris	6′	170	SR
TE	Jahmel Bashir	6′	220	SO
FB	Tyrell Cooper	5’11	210	FR
TB	Lamone Fox	5’11	205	JR

DEFENSE

POS.	NAME	HT.	WT.	CLASS
DE	Derrick Williams	5’11"	180	JR
DT	Perry Woods	6’1"	290	SR
DT	Harry Walker	6’2"	260	SR
DE	Demetrius Tillman	6’2"	235	JR
WLB	Nick Moody	6’1"	180	JR
MLB	Dante Okimey	6′	215	FR
SLB	Lamone Fox	5’11"	205	JR
CB	Eric Whitaker	5’9"	175	SO
FS	Jalil Harris	6′	170	SR
SS	Preandre Watson	6′	180	FR
CB	Michael McClain	6’1"	180	SR

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Neumann-Goretti’s Starting Lineup

OFFENSE

POS.	NAME	HT.		WT.	CLASS
QB	Kenny Brown	5’10"	175	SR
QB	Mark Hatty	6’2"	170	SO
RB	Khallier Harris-Stevens	5’11"	190	SR
RB	Bruce Holloman	5’4"	140	SR
RB	Michael McLaughlin	5’10"	190	SR
SE	Marcus Williams	5’9"	160	SR
T	Dominic Orlando	6′	200	JR
T	Joe Chiaro	6’3"	200	SR
G	Joe Stankiewicz	5’9"	210	SR
G	Paul Bryson	6′	200	JR
C	Ernie Cimadamore	5’9"	230	JR
TE	Barry Canady	6′	230	JR

DEFENSE

POS.	NAME	HT.	WT.	CLASS
DT	Paul Bryson	6′	200	JR
DT	Barry Canady	6′	230	JR
DT	John Gamble	6’7"	350	JR
DE	Mike Flynn	5’10"	210	JR
DE	Jimmy Niven	6’1"	210	SO
LB	Anthony Colancecco	5’8"	200	SR
LB	Dan Chavis	6′	190	JR
LB	Chris Baldwin	5’9"	200	SR
DB	Michael McLaughlin	5’10"	190	SR
DB	Marcus Williams	5’9"	160	SR
DB	Hiram Bowman	5’10"	160	JR
DB	Tim Kopicko	6′	170	SR

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Public South final standings

Bok 6-0
Bartram 5-1
Overbrook 4-2
Ben Franklin 3-3
Southern 2-4
West Philadelphia 1-5
University City 0-6

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Rams 2004 schedule/results

William Penn W 36-6
Bartram L 16-12
Bok L 22-6
West Philadelphia W 28-6
Imhotep Charter W 42-0
Overbrook L 27-0
Ben Franklin L 22-12
University City W 28-0
Lincoln L 34-6
Freire Charter W 38-0

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Saints 2004 results

North Catholic L 15-12
Bishop McDevitt L 24-7
Episcopal L 39-0
Conwell-Egan L 20-12
Freire Charter W 40-14
West Catholic L 36-0
Cardinal Dougherty W 22-0
Kennedy-Kenrick L 21-7
Archbishop Carroll L 55-6
Archbishop Wood L 27-0
Bensalem L 33-0

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Catholic League Blue final standings

West Catholic 8-0
Archbishop Wood 6-2
Conwell-Egan 6-2
Archbishop Carroll 5-3
North Catholic 4-4
Bishop McDevitt 3-5
Kennedy-Kenrick 3-5
Neumann-Goretti 1-7
Cardinal Dougherty 0-8

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Neumann-Goretti leads series, 49-18-3

The Neumann-Goretti Saints hope to continue the dominance established by the Pirates for more than a decade. If the favorite team triumphs again, it will extend its win streak over Southern to 15 (including a 2001 Rams forfeit). Southern’s last Thanksgiving Day victory came in 1989. Here’s a history of the rivalry, from the first clash in 1934 to last year’s battle:

*Southeast Catholic/ Southern Neumann

1934	0	26
1935	9	0
1936	6	7
1937	0	33
1938	0	6
1939	0	0
1940	0	0
1941	19	0
1942	0	13
1943	0	13
1944	12	44
1945	6	33
1946	0	39
1947	12	14
1948	15	0
1949	7	12
1950	38	0
1951	13	6
1952	25	0
1953	25	0
1954	33	0
1955	6	14
1956	0	0
1957	25	0
1958	22	0
1959	9	0
1960	3	0
1961	12	9
1962	13	6
1963	28	14
1964	6	8
1965	28	16
1966	35	0
1967	12	8
1968	20	6
1969	21	6
1970	35	6
1971	6	14
1972	10	0
1973	12	0
1974	12	0
1975	24	6
1976	8	6
1977	9	7
1978	7	6
1979	27	14
1980	6	7
1981	40	22
1982	36	0
1983	25	13
1984	0	6
1985	14	0
1986	36	8
1987	43	0
1988	27	0
1989	6	26
1990	12	6
1991	49	0
1992	43	0
1993	69	12
1994	37	19
1995	32	0
1996	21	0
1997	21	6
1998	20	6
1999	20	12
2000	61	6

2001 Southern forfeits

2002	68	0
2003	40	8

*Southeast Catholic changed its name to Bishop Neumann in 1955 and then to St. John Neumann in 1978. This season, the school begins a new era as Ss. John Neumann and Maria Goretti High School.