Back To school

Needless to say Vegas was the highlight of the summer. When we told all our friends about it and they wanted to go so bad. But they would have to wait 3 years for that, more about that on a future blog. Junior year would pose a new challenge ,since I was competing for a starting position on the football team. Seniors usually have the first crack at starting and to my dismay I was going to compete with a guy that attended Mount in his sophomore year but moved to Texas in his Junior year. my luck he was moving back and was attending Mount in his senior year, his name was Anthony Spartos. This guy was fast and had real good hands, a good player and athlete. I busted my butt that summer. I remember buying a 30lb. weight jacket so that I could work on my speed. I ran the fields in Van Courtland park in the dead of the summer, 90 degree heat, and I had anyone with an arm throw a football to me during that summer. As summer practice started I was in fierce competition for a starting job, I know I wasn't going to beat out Tony but I wanted that other starting position at flanker real bad. I hated the idea that I was going to be on the bench. All summer I didn't miss a day of practice but Spartos was good real good and being two years older that me he had a distinct advantage. During practice I was getting kudos's from our offensive line coach, Frank Leahy, but I needed the approval of a legend in High School Football , Howie Smith. Howie came to Mount in the early 30's and had been the Mount coach to Vince Pormuto, 2 time all pro tackle who played for the Washington Redskins and Artie Donovan, who played defensive tackle for the Baltimore Colts. So this was Howie's 42 year at Mount, unbelievable right? All I know is that he knew my name because he keep yelling at me for various reasons, dropped balls not running the right route, missing a block etc. etc. etc. But I was getting the attention of the offensive line coach since I weighted about 150lbs and I was taking on guys that weighed 50-60 lbs heavier that me. I remember doing a drill where I was opposite Bob Tunney, our offensive guard, and I just wasn't giving in to him. Coach Leahy grabbed me by the face mask and stared at the top of my helmet looking at the adhesive tape that indicated my name "Gione , Huh, good job". We played a few scrimmages but still no starting job. The coaches were mum on who was starting in the first game, I really worked hard but I still had no indication that I was going to start. We all gathered in the Mount Locker room for our first game. I had my father, brothers, and girlfriend, Donna, in the stands. I would of been so disappointed if I wasn't playing , but it was out of my hands. Howie, Leahy, Cargiulo, Tricario, and other JV Coaches came out of their locker room. We all gathered in front of the trainers room when Howie started to call out the offensive starting line-up, center Steve Salvo, guard George Cuesta co-captain and future graduate of West Point, guard Bob Cicalo, tackle Rich Credidio, tackle Kevin Whelan, RB Lou Mosca, the tight end was, I think, Joe Dowling, QB Frankie Micheli, Spilt end Tony Spartos, when I heard that name my heart went into my stomach, I started to doubt all the work I put in to get that position. It seem like an eternity before I heard the name of the other wide receiver, which at the time was called a flanker. All of a sudden Legend Coach Howie Smith called my name, as soon as I heard my name I probably grew 2 inches , adrenaline filled my body. I was going out there with all the seniors, I made the team as a starter. This was one of the greatest days of my life up to then. We were going to get the ball first. I lined up on the sidelines for the National Anthem. I don't think my feet were touching the floor. I ran out to my position in the huddle and the play was called. Me and Tony were to do a criss-cross pattern and he was the primary receiver on the play. We started down field and I went out towards the sideline and Tony went towards the middle of the field. He went up to make the catch and he was hit hard, his leg got sandwiched between two tacklers and I heard this sickening sound of something breaking. Tony hit the ground in a heap and was writhing in pain. I couldn't believe one of our best players was hurt bad. Turned out Tony broke his leg on the play. All the seniors in the huddle were in shock, especially our QB Frankie Micheli. They were saying stuff like what the heck are we going to do now, our best offensive player goes down. As soon as Tony went down I was moved to his postion which was the primary receiver position and Pete Mc Gowan came in to take the other spot. I was not going to let my team down. Frankie called a pass play "I right- 78-8- out on two READY BREAK!" As I broke the huddle I looked down field at the defensive back and I knew I could beat this guy. DOWN, SET, HUT HUT, I broke off the line and veered towards out sideline and then broke sharply to the post. The DB bit on the play fake, as soon as I saw him break I put my arm up, (this move should be credited to one of our DB's Billy Munch, who told me during practice that this move would get him beat every time) so what did I have to lose, as soon as I saw him slow down I broke my pattern towards our sideline, I was wide open. Frankie Micheli was about 6"4" and 220lbs., he was a easy person to spot behind our offensive line. Frankie saw I had the DB beat and threw hard towards our sidelines. I caught the ball for a long gain. This was the start of a season to remember, not that our team was real good but I gained my coaches, teammates, and friends confidence. It was another step in making my maturation to adulthood. It also helped keep my fantasy of one day playing for the NY Jets.