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The Class of
'87’s Streak has Ended
by
Jim Enright, '87
The class of ’94 has
finally defeated the 6 time Turkey Bowl Champions from ’87.
Unfortunately that only got them to the championship game.
Mike Noonan, Mike Hickey and Dan Heremonstyne led their team - who
will forever be known as “Always a bridesmaid, never a bride” against
the hungry crew from ‘91/’92/’00.
The new champions were led by Adam Tidball’s arm ('00), Mike Shuler’s
hands ('00), and Dan Ondeck’s mouth ('92). Other
team members included Brendan Fry ‘92, John Christmas ‘91, Tim Porter
’91, and Eric Brancaccio ’96.
 
The
Turkey Bowl Champions (left) with trophy and the Class of 1994 second
place team (right).
Despite rainy and
slippery conditions, 25 brave Alums joined together on Fegan Field on
Saturday, November 24th and played some smash mouth 7-on-7 football.
A special thanks goes out to Mr. Jay Hickey ’62 who meticulously
handle the time keeping duties. “It
wasn’t as easy as it seemed…” said Jay, “…technology has come a
long was since the sun dial.”
Not surprisingly, the
wet weather kept the scoring down. “The
balls were coming out wet, and I’m glad Shuler was there to go up and
catch them at their highest points” said Tidball.
Not even a little trickery could fool the eventual champions.
Facing a 3rd and 15, ’94 came up to the line of
scrimmage in a new formation. Ondeck
was quick to call out the adjustment of “Bizarre!” “Bizarre!”
“Bizarre!”
The class of ’87
vowed to come back strong next year.
“I kinda got use to having the trophy collecting dust on the
mantle” said Ed Enright ‘74, who was appearing in his record 28th
consecutive Turkey Bowl. “We wanted that trophy badly!” said Fry “I can’t wait
to bring it into work”.
Turkey
Bowl 2000: 6 Straight for
the Class of '87
The class of '87 captured their sixth consecutive
Turkey-Bowl Championship
back in November 2000. For the second year in a row,
they defeated a very
determined '94/'97 team. The winning team included
Frank Bergin, Jim
Brinkman, Rob Clark, Ed Enright, '74, Jim Enright,
Jim Geimer, Mike Green, '88, Mike Kubik (the Professor), Chris Ryan and
Roger Sion.
"Although our offense may not be as potent as in
prior years, we take what
they give us and let our defense carry us," said
Clark. Geimer added: "We
ain't no spring chickens. Chasing Kit Delgado, '97,
Mike Hickey, '94, and
Mike Noonan, '94, around all day makes you
appreciate that this tournament
is played only once a year."
The highlight of the day occurred just before
halftime. Mike Hickey was
leading his team down field for the go ahead
touchdown. With no timeouts
remaining and the clock showing less than twenty
seconds, Mike proceeded,
somewhat less than astutely, to spike the ball on
fourth and goal to kill
the clock. Needless to say his teammates are
still shaking their heads and
talking about that championship that could have been.
"One of these years we¹ll dethrone them and know
what it feels like to be a
champion," said James Woodward, '94. "Bring
it on sweet pea, bring it on," Sion responded.
Class of '87 Named Team of the Millennium
by Mike Kubik, '87
After hours of intense debate, the Alumni Association recently named
the Class of 1987 touch football team Prep's Team of the Millennium. The announcement came just one month after these monsters of the gridiron
racked up their fifth consecutive championship. Said Coach Pat Mulquin,
"One championship may have been a fluke, two could very well have been some
kind of statistical aberration, but five is without question a skein!"
The ragtag bunch showed up primed on the Saturday after
Thanksgiving. Chanting "One for the thumb," and proudly displaying the
"V" they had stitched on their tattered varsity jerseys, the rugged 87ers would not
be denied.
"I knew we were in trouble when they actually stretched,"
said opponent Mike
Hickey, '94.
Led offensively by the strong-armed Jimmy Enright and the
soft-handed Dean Campbell, the team executed its ball control offense to perfection.
Nonetheless, it was the team's heralded defense that carried the day. Trailing in each game, the defense gave up no second half points.
"I like to think we baffled opposing quarterbacks with our
mixture of man-to-man, cover two and cover three," said Rob Clark,
who bolted
the competition to attend a wedding. Morgan O'Donoghue concurred:
"Our blitz packages are difficult to pick up." O'Donoghue startled opposing
tackles with his quickness off the corner.
Despite all this, victory did not come easy for these rapidly aging
stars. Leading by a mere two points with only a minute left to play, the Class
of '94 mounted a heroic last minute drive to try and grab victory from the
jaws of defeat. Hitting his favorite target Chris Dionot, Tobin
Fanizio marched his team the length of the field. But with time running off the
clock, Steve Gwozdz intercepted a Fanzio pass to end the threat.
"It may well have been the greatest single moment of my
life," said Gwozdz, who was carried off the field by joyous teammates.
Super seventies veteran Ed Enright, '74, appearing in a record 23rd
Turkey Bowl, gave kudos to this touch football dynasty. "I think it
neither unfair nor inappropriate to compare these guys to the great Steeler teams of the
70s."
"I realize that we don't have a Hall of Fame, but if we did,
the Class of '87 Turkey Bowl team would certainly deserve membership," said Dan
Paro, '79, Prep's athletic director.
High praise indeed, but the Team of the Millennium moniker was icing
on the cake. During a brief presentation ceremony, Phil Merkle, '83,
president of Prep's Alumni Association, proclaimed: "A team like this only
comes along once every 211 years!"
Congratulations to the Class of '87, and thanks for the memories!
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