1972 LBCL Champs

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1972 LBCL Champions

Undefeated with 4 Shutouts

Head Coach: Chuck Kane

67 Knop, 76 Caine (kneeling, background, 82 Guertin and 22 Bowden (diving in attempt to make saving tackle).

All were starters in 73, a year later....

Click on the link to see a picture of the Falcons in a 1972 game as well as photos from 1971 and Coach Kane.

The pictures are from LBCL Online with text by Brien Martin, editor of that site.

1972 Falcons in Action

The starting Falcon offense:

E 83 Terry HOFFMAN       6-0     185
T 79 Gary METROKA        6-1     215
G 68 Gary PASEK          5-10    180
C 51 Mike PAGE           5-9     170
G 63 Pat SORIERO         6-0     190
T 73 Jim KETTLES         6-3     210
E 84 Don BREECE          6-4     190
Q 12 Gary KUTSMEDA       6-0     145
H 44 Dale DELISE         5-9     170
H 31 Bill PORTER         5-9     180
F 33 Jeff FITZ-MAURICE   5-11     180

15 Mike CURLEY 6-0 160 was the punter and 78 John GIORDANO at 5-11

and 245 handled the place kicking.

Pennsbury’s 1972 defensive stalwarts:

E 85 Kirk HARMAN        6-0    200
T 70 Tim MILLER         6-1    212
G 67 Warren KNOP        6-1    180
T 71 Cliff STOUT        6-3    220
T 72 Gary STADANLICK    6-3    235
E 52 Mike MCGRATH       6-3    200
L 61 John LERCH         6-0    165
L 66 Ron DUNDALA        5-10   190
M 22 Bob BOWDEN         6-1    175
C 15 Mike CURLEY        6-0    160
C 32 Frank LENNON       5-9    170
21 Mark KRYSA 6-0    165
S 17 John ASMA          6-0    175

Other key defenders included tackle 76 Mike CAINE 6-3 202 , as well as 16

Neil TANNICELLO 5-10 160 in the secondary.

The players on this superb team found many college opportunities. Tim Miller

starred at Memphis State, while Curley became the punter at Pitt. Dundala

went on to Dayton and Giordano was Vanderbilt’s placekicker. McGrath played

at Penn, Asma at F&M, Breece at Georgia, Harman at Lafayette, Lerch at IUP,

Knop at Duke, and Page and Mike Golub at Dickinson. Kettles, who had come in

as a transfer from the State of Indiana, played at Princeton.

The 1972 perfect record season:

W 44 CARLISLE 0
W 14 BETHLEHEM FREEDOM 10
W 23 ALLENTOWN ALLEN 12
W 16 BETHLEHEM FREEDOM 0
W 28 BENSALEM 15
W 50 ALLENTOWN DIERUFF 6
W 37 COUNCIL ROCK 8
W 42 EASTON 0
W 49 WOODROW WILSON 13
W 63 READING 0
W 23 NESHAMINY 21

In the West, the Gateway Gators had come through the WPIAL AA playoffs

unscathed, upsetting the defending champion Kiski Area Cavaliers. A Gateway

– Pennsbury state championship game would have been worth traveling to see.
In 1974, just two years later, Chuck Kane produced another fine team at

Pennsbury. This edition of the Falcons raced through another perfect 11-0

season. Pennsbury won tight games with Bethlehem Liberty and Council Rock

and buried Neshaminy 49-13. Offensive center Frank Prior at 6-3 217 and

defensive tackle Randy Wagner, a 6-4 245 tower of strength, both made the

All-State first team. Again, the Falcons won both the Big Eight (Reading now

included) and Lower Bucks crowns.

Pennsbury was balanced and dominating, gaining 2,370 rushing yards and 1,525

passing. The opposition gained less than 1,600 total. Tailback Billy Austin

was a worthy successor to Delise, while QB Joe Crossin was the field general

and passer.

In the WPIAL, Gateway and Upper St. Clair had played at 6-6 tie in the AA

final. Pennsbury versus either would have been another great state

championship match-up.*

*SOURCE FOR THIS INFORMATION:

Author: Hal Wilson, PA Football News: http://www.pafootballnews.com/

In 2008, Hal Wilson was inducted into the Delaware County

Hall-of-Fame Historian.

The full article can be read by clicking on the Link:

Great Pennsylvania Teams

This section is under construction and research, and incomplete. Information will be posted when available.

Thank you for your interest. Please check back at a later date.

The Falcon Nest Team

Pennsbury Football

1972 LBCL Champs

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