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Summer at the beach is always fun. Spending the final weekend of vacation in Wildwood with friends is even better.
That’s exactly what Neumann-Goretti senior Mark McPherson plans on doing Saturday night following the Sept. 2 Beach Bowl between Neumann-Goretti and North Catholic.
"I usually go down to Wildwood with my aunt and cousins," he said. "This is the first time there will be no adults."
Last summer, the 18-year-old came straight home after the game. This year, the running back-linebacker from Germantown said he is looking forward to eating some pizza, going on rides and having fun. What will make the night more exciting is if his Saints can open the 2006 season with a win. In ’05, Neumann-Goretti walked away with a 19-0 victory. This time around, kickoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. at Wildwood’s Maxwell Field.
McPherson is just anxious to get the new year of play under way.
"I’ve been waiting for this feeling since Thanksgiving," he said. "We’ve been out here all summer long working our tails off trying to prepare for the season."
"No excuses" is the team theme and the saying is plastered on the back of T-shirts worn by coaches and players alike.
"There are no excuses for anything we do," McPherson said. "Everybody messes up. When you get that chance [to make things better] you don’t give any excuses. The next play you give it your all."
McPherson is expected to be a big contributor on both offense and defense again this season. As a junior, the athlete finished second on the team in rushing with 424 yards, which includes a season-high 177-yard performance against Southern on Thanksgiving Day. He also scored five touchdowns in the win, giving him nine for the year. On defense, the linebacker earned a spot on the Coaches All-Catholic team.
McPherson is looking to perform even better this year.
"This year I want to step up my game more," he said. "I want to go harder on everything I do."
Coach Steve Smith also is looking for his senior, who is one of the team captains, to be a leader.
"He leads by example," Smith said of McPherson. "If he has to get vocal, people listen to him."
It doesn’t matter what side of the ball he is playing, McPherson is ready to make an impact either way.
"I love running the ball," he said. "I was born to be a running back. You can’t play football without hitting somebody too."
The North Catholic game is one of three non-league contests the Saints will play before opening their league schedule Sept. 24 against Kennedy-Kenrick. In preparation, Neumann-Goretti will play at La Salle 7 p.m. Sept. 9 and at Father Judge 7 p.m. Sept. 16. The strange part is, this season, the Saints do not have a place to call home. They still practice behind the old Neumann building at 26th and Moore streets, but their home field at 12th and Bigler streets is scheduled to receive a major makeover starting next month. As a result, Neumann-Goretti will play scheduled home contests at the Penn Wood High field in Yeadon, which West Catholic also uses.
McPherson doesn’t see the scenario as a distraction.
"Whoever, where ever, whenever," he said. "We’re going to come out and bring the heat and not stop until the clock says zero."
The goal is to make it past the Catholic League Blue quarterfinals. (Last season, the Saints were eliminated by Archbishop Carroll.) Most likely, that won’t be McPherson’s last time on the field. Smith said the athlete has the talent to attend a low Division I or Division I-AA school. Temple has made preliminary inquiries, but more schools could figure into the mix as the season progresses.
"I think the world of this kid," Smith said. "He has got a lot of intangibles that would make a college take a chance on an athlete like him. He is a hard worker, a smart student and a gentleman."
For McPherson, playing college ball is just part of a bigger dream.
"My main goal is to get into college and finish getting my education," said McPherson, who is undecided on a major. "I would love to play Division I. Division II is a possibility too."
The story will start unfolding this weekend. A win would be a great way to kickoff a few days with the boys at the Shore.
"I want to celebrate the victory and have fun with my friends," McPherson said.
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Beach Bowl
Sept. 2, Maxwell Field in Wildwood; North Catholic vs. Neumann-Goretti, 4 p.m.
