Welcome to the 2002 Highlights and Stats page

            On a bitterly cold and wet first night of November, the CB West Bucks and North Penn Knights did battle at War Memorial Field.  On the line was a share of the league title and a possible playoff berth.  On their first possession, West put on a strong display of power football with an eight play 64-yard scoring drive.  Excellent blocking from the offensive line led by senior Steve Moll and a long run by fullback Doug Kniese highlighted the drive, which was punctuated with a 3-yard run by Chris McGinn. When Joe McMonagle added the extra point, West owned a 7-0 lead.   Foreshadowing what was to become a slugfest between two heavyweights, North Penn answered with a drive of their own.  The Knights finished off their long drive with at 4-yard run by running back Jim Casertano, and a PAT to even the score late in the first quarter.  After stopping the Bucks on their next possession, North Penn took the lead on a 14-yard run by quarterback Justin Wutti, but missed the PAT.  West threatened to take the lead late in the first half by moving inside the North Penn 5-yard line, but was unable to punch it in.  North Penn took over on downs and left the field with a 13-7 half time lead.

 The Knights received the second-half kickoff and set themselves up nicely with a 53-yard return into West territory.  On the second play from scrimmage, North Penn running back Jim Laky went off the left side for a 31-yard score.  North Penn went for and made the two-point conversion to take a 21-7 lead early in the third quarter.  When North Penn put the early score on the board the Bucks could have easily given up.  They chose, however, to fight back in much the same way they have all season long.  West came with back-to-back scoring drives to forge a tie in the fourth quarter.  Chris McGinn's 2-yard touchdown run finished off a 15 play drive to bring the Bucks to within 7-points following McMonagle's successful PAT.  After stopping the Knights on their next possession, West then used 8 plays to tie the score.  Anthony Edwards, who had 96 yards rushing on the night, ran 13 yards for the score.  McMonagle's PAT made the score 21-all, making it, as they say, a whole new ball game.

 This time it was Knights that answered the bell.  They were once again set up by a nice return by their return man.  Although the Bucks defense made them fight for every last yard, North Penn went on top 27-21 on a two yard score by Casertano.  The door remained open for another late West win when the Knights kicker missed his second PAT try of the evening.   Following the kickoff, West moved to mid-field where they faced a fourth and ten.  McMonagle fired a pass to tight end Tim Dunn who was hit early by the North Penn defensive back.  The official made no call on the play and the Knights took over on downs.  Needing a stand to stay in the game, the West defense responded affirmatively.  The Bucks did the job by stopping the Knights at the West 45 on fourth and short with 1:52 left in the game despite a very favorable spot.  On second down Edwards made a super leaping catch to move the Bucks to the North Penn 43 yard line.  The comeback fell short when McMonagle, on fourth and forever, threw a last ditch pass attempt into the Knights secondary.  The ball was deflected, and despite a desperate diving attempt by Andrew Ackley to make the catch, it fell to the ground for an incompletion.  North Penn ran out the clock to end the Bucks season at 6-4, while they gained a share of the Patriot crown and a spot in the playoffs.  Coach Cuthbert's quote in the local paper summed up the Bucks effort:  "Even after the no-call, we had a chance to win it, and that's a credit to our kids.  A lot of our seniors stepped up and played a great game.  I was proud of the effort we had against a very good team."  Good luck to the seniors that have now concluded their West careers.        

 

STATISTICS - C.B. WEST vs. North Penn
November 1, 2002

It had been 19 years of futility and frustration for the C.B. East Patriots as they raced into War Memorial Field Saturday evening for their annual showdown with arch rival C.B. West.  The Bucks would need a victory to assure themselves of at least a tie for the Suburban One League, Patriot Division championship and a berth in the PIAA quad-A sub-regional playoffs.  The Patriots took the opening kickoff and marched 63 yards only to be stopped cold by a fiery West defensive effort led by linemen Winn, Burke, Quedenfeld, Moll, and Bilsland.  The game had begun to assume the look of so many of the previous 33 East-West meetings.  It would turn out to be anything …but predictable.  The East defense proved to be just as tough as West’s with the Bucks unable to move the ball on their first possession.  Following a West punt, the Patriots began a scoring drive highlighted by sophomore quarterback, Bill McDonnell’s 43-yard pass to senior wideout Bryan Brutto, setting up a 1-yard touchdown plunge by senior tailback Brian Hogan.  The PAT gave the Blue and Red a 7-0 lead.  That margin increased early in the second quarter when East capitalized on a West fumble at the Bucks’ 36-yard line.  McDonnell, who rushed and passed exceptionally well all evening, hit senior split end Dan McKelvey with a 7-yard pass for the Patriots’ second touchdown.  Freshman kicker Bryan Trymbiski’s PAT made the score 14-0.  With less than 7 minutes left in the first half, West got on the scoreboard with a powerful 8-yard off-tackle run by senior fullback Chris McGinn, who ended up the evening rushing for 68 yards on 13 carries.  Sophomore quarterback/kicker, Joe McMonagle’s PAT brought the Bucks to within 7 points of East by halftime. 

Whatever momentum West had after the break soon disappeared when the Bucks fumbled the second half kickoff deep in their own territory.  The young Patriot quarterback McDonnell, showing remarkable maturity, quickly hit his favorite receiver McKelvey on a tough slant pattern for a critical first down and then threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to senior tight end Eric Derr.  It was Derr’s second reception of the season!  Trymbiski’s third PAT of the game made the score East 21-West 7.  The Bucks were now confronted with the nearly unprecedented situation of being down 14 points in the third quarter of an East-West game.  The Black and Gold responded by marching 61 yards for a score as McGinn plunged into the endzone from the 1-yard line for his much-needed second touchdown.  McMonagle’s PAT made the score 21-14 as the home stands erupted with a deafening roar!  The Patriots put a quick end to the celebration by putting together their best drive of the evening, covering 80 yards in 10 plays.  In that series, McDonnell ran for 22 yards and Brian Hogan scored on a well-designed 21-yard screen pass.  The PAT attempt was wide-right as the game entered the fourth quarter.  The Bucks trailed 27-14.  The East defense, aggressive and opportunistic throughout the game, now took control of the contest as West failed to effectively move the ball on its final three possessions.  As the final seconds counted down on the game clock, thousands of East students, parents, and alumni who had waited 19 years (6,911 days) raced on to War Memorial Field and began to celebrate the unimaginable!  The final score East 27-West 14.  Editor’s Note: No player on the field last night was alive on November 24, 1983 , when East edged West, 7-6 at Delaware Valley College on Thanksgiving Day.

  STATISTICS - C.B. WEST vs. C.B.East
October 26, 2002

The Black and Gold entered Harry E. Franks Stadium on a cold, blustery Saturday afternoon well aware that they had to defeat the defending quad-A state champion Neshaminy Redskins to remain in the hunt for this year’s playoffs.  No one could have foreseen just how dramatic this game would be!  C. B. West struck first on a solid 9-play drive midway through the second quarter, which featured the power running of senior fullback Mike Winn.  Sophomore quarterback Joe McMonagle ran the final five yards on a clever misdirection play and following the successful PAT, the Bucks led 7-0.  The Redskins answered right back when their outstanding tailback Rodney Davis took a lateral from senior quarterback Joe Crostarosa and raced 60 yards for a Neshaminy score.  Kicker Kevin Kelly added the PAT and the score was even at 7-7 as the teams left the field at halftime. 

            The second half would turn out to be one of the most gut wrenching and exhilarating in the long, proud history of C. B. West football.  But it certainly didn’t start out well!   As the third quarter ended, the Redskins’ Davis caught a pass in the flat and sprinted 56 yards, untouched, for a Neshaminy touchdown.  The PAT was wide left and the Redskins led 13-7, much to the delight of the homecoming crowd.  Neshaminy again scored on the next series of downs as Davis exploded around right end for his third touchdown of the day.  The Redskins failed to convert a 2-point pass attempt, but led 19-7 with little more than 7 minutes left in the game.  And then…things got interesting!  Facing a 3rd and 20 from his own 22-yard line and time running down, Bucks’ quarterback McMonagle launched a 60-yard spiral to senior wide receiver Andrew Ackley for a game saving first down.  From the Redskins’ 33-yard line McMonagle again found Ackley, this time in the end zone!  Following McMonagle’s successful PAT, the Bucks were trailing 19-14 with 4:12 left in the game.  West’s defensive unit now rose to the occasion.  Anchored by a “front four” of seniors Winn, Moll, Burke, and Dunn, the Bucks held Neshaminy to 3-and-out, forcing a punt on the West 41-yard line.  With little more than a minute remaining, McMonagle rolled to his left and threw a 35-yard strike, nearly intercepted, to junior wingback Tony DiBrino who quickly wove his way to the 1-yard line.  Two plays later, senior Chris McGinn took it in and West led 20-19.  A 2-point conversion pass to DiBrino made the score 22-19.  And then things got even more interesting!   The Redskins took the ensuing kickoff and with the help of two 15-yard Bucks’ penalties, moved to the West 28-yard line with 3 seconds left in the game.  The Neshaminy kicker, who had nailed a 50-yard field goal last season, now lined up the kick as both sides of Franks Stadium went silent - the tension was unbearable. The tying kick was up…and sailed wide right as the Bucks’ coaches and players raced onto the field.  The Bucks’ win avenged last season’s defeat to Neshaminy in the closing seconds.  It was their 6th straight win to improve their season record to 6 and 2, keeping their playoff hopes alive!

 
 STATISTICS - C.B. WEST vs. Neshaminy
October 19, 2002

Against the menacing backdrop of a cold gray October afternoon, C. B. West met Glen Mills in a much-anticipated showdown game at War Memorial Field.  The contest had been postponed from Friday evening when a torrential rainstorm swept through the region.  The Bucks’ unusual season continued along its path to salvation as West won its fifth consecutive game with an impressive 33-13 rout of the Battling Bulls.  West scored the first 19 points of the game with three impressive touchdown drives in the second quarter.  Senior tailback Chris McGinn, who rushed for 118 yards, two touchdowns and intercepted three passes from his free safety position, scored the Bucks’ first touchdown.  Sophomore quarterback Joe McMonagle then ran for a two-yard score and threw a 32-yard pass scoring strike to senior wingback Anthony Edwards for the third touchdown of the first half.  Glen Mills made things interesting by moving 55 yards in the final 43 seconds of the second quarter.  Bulls quarterback Henry Atkinson plunged in from the one-yard line to make the score 19-7 at the half.  And the rains came!  The second half was played in a cold driving rain as West continued to pound the ball at Glen Mills with a relentless running attack (led by senior fullback Mike Winn) reminiscent of West teams of the past.  The Bucks scored two touchdowns in the fourth quarter on a determined eight-yard run by McGinn and a 27-yard run by sophomore tailback Tyler Dinnis.  The Battling Bulls’ final score came as a result of a strange 80-yard fumble recovery in the final moments of the game.  For the game, Glen Mills committed 15 penalties for 124 yards.  Following their convincing 33-13 victory over Glen Mills, the vastly improved Bucks stand at 5-2 for the season with every reason to believe that they are capable of qualifying for the playoffs.  But, as senior center and captain Steve Moll correctly observed after the game, “We have a huge game next Saturday (Neshaminy at Langhorne) so we can’t just be satisfied with this win.” As he spoke, the storm clouds grew defiantly in the distance and the rain continued to fall

 STATISTICS - C.B. WEST vs. Glen Mills
October 12, 2002