148358321
When the School District of Philadelphia shuttered Edward Bok Technical High School, formerly 1901 S. Ninth St., in June, Michael Riley developed doubts about the scholastic and sporting integrity of his next stop, South Philadelphia High School, 2101 S. Broad St.
Letting reality trump anxiety, the 18-year-old has enjoyed an enriching senior year at the Lower Moyamensing location, with his fortitude in the classroom and on the football field paying off last month when he received a Mini Max Award.
“I feel honored to have the recognition,” the West Philly resident, one of 54 players from the Keystone State to earn kudos from the Maxwell Football Club, said Tuesday at his postsecondary education site. “It’s made me think of how I’ve evolved as a student and an athlete, and it’s made me very proud.”
Nominator and coach Frank “Roscoe” Natale notified the astute pupil and player of his selection in November, the month in which the Rams completed their 9-3 campaign with a 33-6 Thanksgiving thumping of Ss. Neumann-Goretti High School, 1736 S. 10th St., at the South Philadelphia super site, 10th and Bigler streets. The inhabitant of the 1600 block of South Juniper Street has observed the young man’s maturation for nearly four years, with Riley grateful for every interaction.
“I’m someone who wants to be vocal, who wants to be a leader, and the influence of coach Natale and [former Bok coach Tom] DeFelice has really helped me,” the teenager said. “I learned early on about how to be a solid player, but I also value the life lessons I picked up from them.”
Riley has received great tutelage from his mother, Takia, as well, with his matriarch accompanying him Jan. 9 for the Drexel Hill-based ceremony. The youth has always prided himself on providing positivity to any situation, even when making the switch from Bok to Southern.
“I wasn’t looking forward to it because of what I’d heard about the climate here,” he said. “However, when I got here, I saw that people are committed to making this place a really good school in all areas.”
Riley knew he could count on Natale for unwavering backing, as the two have always accented accountability. Having been a starting defensive back since his second game as a Bok Wildcat, he became the 2013 Readers’ Choice High School Coach of the Year’s quarterback during his junior year and anticipated hitting receivers in multiple manners as an ironman performer. Following this year’s 0-2 start, which included a 32-8 loss to Prep Charter High School, 1928 Point Breeze Ave., the Rams registered seven straight victories, including a 50-14 throttling of Fels that gave the program its first playoff win since 1965. They dropped their Class AAAA semifinal to Frankford before rebounding to dump Furness High School, 1900 S. Third St., and their aforementioned parochial rival, with Riley returning an interception for a score and tallying another touchdown off a run in the holiday affair.
“This year had so many highlights, but beating Neumann-Goretti was sweet, especially because we heard they expected to blow us out,” he said of downing the Saints for the first time since ’04. “It was great to end my career with that game. We knew early on, even after those first two losses, that we could be good, so we loved being able to prove it against them.”
Celebrating a decade as a gridiron presence, Riley initially gravitated toward football through video games. Fond of its physicality, he joined local teams and picked Bok at the urging of friends who were helping to make the now-defunct East Passyunk Crossing spot a winner.
“I don’t think I had huge expectations right away, but it didn’t take long for me to think that nobody should be starting over me,” he said of becoming a consummate courter of standout performances and victories.
Both became his over his three seasons, one under DeFelice, formerly of Bella Vista, and the other two under Natale, with the Wildcats advancing to the City title game each year. Accustomed to success, he wondered what would happen with his move to the Rams, who had, before this campaign, suffered more butts than they had delivered.
“I definitely wanted to bring the Bok mentality here,” Riley said of a mindset predicated upon wearing teams out with relentless play on both sides of the ball. “For the most part, that worked, and I had a great time mentoring some guys.”
The influential figure shared the divisional MVP award with teammate and fellow West Philly-situated senior Mark Webb, giving the Rams additional sources of pride as Natale looks to use their success as motivation for their successors. The coach also will factor into the future to Riley, as he wishes to emulate the athletic director and chemistry instructor in his professional endeavors.
“I’m thinking of going into education,” he said of his collegiate focus, which he will pursue at Lycoming or Ursinus College or Bloomsburg or Shippensburg University. “I’m thinking I would enjoy coaching, too, and if I do so, I want to coach like coach Natale.”
Seeing each day as a chance to charm youngsters into believing in the rewards of hard work, he looks forward to his final four months as a student in South Philly and who-knows-how-many years as an eager pursuer of worldly knowledge.
“I’m enthused about whatever awaits me,” Riley, who recently earned his first straight-A marking period, said, “because I’m not afraid to commit to my goals.”
Contact Managing Editor Joseph Myers at jmyers@southphillyreview.com or ext. 124.
148358341
148358331
