Malvern Prep Football 1987 Team Page

FINAL RECORD

9-1 overall, 4-0 league

244 PF, 64 PA

POST SEASON RECOGNITION

ALL INTER-AC

Jeff Caldwell MVP

1st Team Offense

Rich Liberatore RB, Dan Kelly , Mike Schlichtig OL

1st Team Defense

Bob Coleman DB, Mike Hickey, Frank Heller, Gene Chakejian DL, John McBratnie, Steve Le Strange LB

HM- John Fay QB, Dan Muphy REC, Anthony Tabasso OL, Mike Rooney, Chris Fay DB

DAILY NEWS INTER-AC PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Jeff Caldwell

DAILY NEWS PLAYER OF THE WEEK

John Fay-(Episcopal game

DAILY NEW ALL CITY

1ST Team Defense

Jeff Caldwell DB

2nd Team Offense

Gene Chakejian OL

3rd Team Offense

Mike Schlichtig OL

HM-Rich Liberatore RB, Steve LeStrange LB

DAILY LOCAL NEWS COACH OF THE YEAR

Gamp Pellegrini

ALL DAILY LOCAL NEWS

1st Team Offense

Jeff Caldwell RB

1st Team Defense

Gene Chakejian D

2nd Team Offense

Dan Kelly , Mike Schlichtig OL, Rich Liberatore RB

2nd Team Defense

Steve Heller

NOTABLE ACCOMPLISHMENTS

After finishing 9-1 and a top ten ranking in 1986, people were predicting a rebuilding year for the Malvern Prep football team. Graduation hit the Friars hard, losing 16-17 starters, including 2 year League MVP Mike Augsberger and 2 outstanding biggies in Chris Treston and Dave Rogers.

When the season started there were several question marks. Looking at the pre-season newspaper clippings it sounded like many did not know what to expect from the 1987 squad. One headline was “Following Their Own Tough Act”. When graduation hits it is time for other guys to step up and that is exactly what happened. Caldwell, Schlichtig, Murphy and Chakejian came back with experience. Add in guys like Kelly, LeStrange, Liberatore, Heller, Tabasso, Coleman, Rooney, the Fay brothers and McBratnie and you have a recipe for successful season.

With lots of hard work and dedication Malvern looked forward to a tough schedule. You can measure height and weight on a roster but sometimes it is tough to measure the intangible of team chemistry. The 1987 squad had a very strong bond on and off the field. I believe it was this bond that held the team together and motivated them to play better than anyone expected.They played for each other. The Friars did more than rebuild. Malvern continued to refine by soaring to a 9-1 record. As Coach Sells stated “These guys came together and did what Malvern always does”…. Yes they did, and then some.

The season started out with a win against St. Joe Prep and as you will see throughout the season it was Rich Liberatore and Jeff Caldwell providing a consistent one-two punch game in and game out. Throw in QB Fay adding some spice and these guys were tough to stop. Liberatore had 106 rushing and 1 TD, Murph caught one from Fay and Caldwell added the other 2 TDs, 60 yards rushing, 1 pass reception for 20, kick off returns for 75 yards and punted twice for a 35 yard average. That’s what you call a complete game.

They Friars avenged their only loss of last year by smacking Glen Mills 32-0… it was 32-0 at half. That is a smacking. Glen Mills had 13 total yards for the game and were held to -26 at half. They didn’t cross midfield until the last play of the game. Steve LeStrange led the defense with 2 picks which set up a Murphy TD catch from Fay and a Fay one yard run. It wouldn’t be a game unless Caldwell and Liberatore scored, so they contributed one each. Murph doubled up with another TD catch from QB1.

Ryan was a biggie. Most prognosticators picked Ryan to win. Wall of Famer and former Head Coach Kevin Pellegrini (a soph on the team at the time) relayed that before the game Gamp challenged the team, “there are times in life you need to step up. If I had to fight Coach Lou the Lump I know I would get beat up, but boys, if I had to, I would step up and fight him and give it all I got”. The Friars stepped up, fought and gave all they got. They mauled Ryan for 311 yards on 51 carries (the dynamic duo both over 100 yards), controlled the clock for 29 of the 48 game minutes, had two 10 play scoring drives, and totally shut down Ryan. The Friar D stifled the Ryan offense three times inside the 20. A Schlichtig and Mike Buono fumble recoveries shutdown 2 drives. Add in a pick and the Friars defense was near perfect. Let the shutouts begin.

Shutout #2 against Haverford School 36-0. The first score was 7 plays, 71 yards and it was 7-0, 3 minutes into the game. That set the tone. 23-0 at half with Rich Liberatore, Jeff Caldwell and Rob Levan all getting 6. Kicker Altomonte added 5 of his own with a field goal and two extra points. Caldwell had 122 yards Liberatore 96, QB1 was 4 of 6 for 59 yards. The defense picked off two ( Bob Coleman had one) and held the Fords to -9 yards rushing. Tough to score when you are going backwards. Caldwell and Cullen added two more scores in the 2nd half to put icing on the cake.

Shutout #3 against GA 28-0. Might sound like a broken record but these guys were hitting their stride. Lib had one, Caldwell had two, Levan got the 4th, and Altomonte kicked all 4 through the uprights. 1st drive in the 2nd quarter was 11 plays 81 yards. From then on, the game was all Malvern. Like last week the ground game totaled 329 yards while the opposing ground game totaled -9 yards. Double trouble AGAIN- Caldwell 15 for 111 yards and Libby 20 for 118 yards.

The Friars gave up 3 points against Penn Charter and actually trailed at half 3-0. In a memory that only the guys in the locker room will recall, Co-Captain Jeff Caldwell who came from the same parish as Gamp, came up to Gamp and “respectfully and urgently” demanded the rock. Gamp complied. No worries. 1st TD of the 2nd half ( Caldwell run) was set up by a Mike Rooney pick. Roon had two on the day. Friars had a 12 play 81 yards drive to close out the scoring in the 4th (Fay to Steve LeStange). Stop me if this sounds familiar- Caldwell 21 for 102, Liberatore 15-131. Hand the rock off and let the fatties do their job. PC only had 16 plays in the 2nd half. Have to give a shout out to defensive stalwart Gene Chakejian. He filled up the stat book on this day with 8 tackles, 5 assists and 2 TFLs. Probably a good reason Penn Charter only got 3 points. Nicely done Gene.

And then came EA. It started out like a rout and finished as a nail biter. Friars up 21-0 at half on the strength of solid defense and scores by Libs, Fay and Caldwell. Malvern ran 34 plays to Episcopal’s 14 in the 1st half and were in total control up until 4 minutes to go in the game… and then they weren’t. 28-14 became 28-26. EA scored 2 times in the final 4 minutes. And that’s not even the exciting part. EA goes for 2 and the tie. MP gets called for pass interference so EA gets ANOTHER shot from the 1 ½ yard line. Step up hero, Steve Heller, chases the option down from the backside and makes the tackle. I have to give a specials team shout. The margin of victory was Joe Altomonte’s extra point conversions. The win secures the IA championship for the Friars.

After a game like EA the Friars might have had a let down, but not these Friars. It did take them a bit to get going but it was never in doubt. 7-0 at half and 14-7 going into the 4th quarter. Malvern then exploded for 29 points to turn it into a 43-7 rout of V.F.M.A. Libby led the way with 3 TDs, Caldwell 1 and Cullen with a pick 6. Risnychok finished it off with a 19 yard run. The Risnychok score was set up by a Jim Murray interception. Libs 3rd score was set up by a blocked punt. Risnychok, Chris Fay and Bob Coleman all broke through and Dan Kelly recovered at the 4 yard line. One game left. Turkey day with Carroll.

I do miss Thanksgiving Day games. On this day the Friars appropriately garnered their fifth shutout of the year. I think it was a fitting way to end the season. 6-0 at half 12-0 final. Scores by Fay and Murphy were all that was needed. Libby and Caldwell combined for over 200 yards. The Friar drives were 82 and 80 yards. Murphy led the “aerial attack” with a season high 5 catches for 71 yards. Bob Coleman disrupted a 4th down end zone pass and Steve Heller recovered a fumble to stymie two Carroll drives. This marked the 4th straight TG win for the Blue and White.

On the year, the one-two punch of Caldwell and Liberatore consistently carried the offensive load and their final stats mirrored that. The paper had Jeff Caldwell 156- 932 yards and 12 TDs. Rich Liberatore 151-815 and 9 TDs. I don’t know how much closer you could get. They each took turns each and every week. This was one of those years when Malvern didn’t have to throw. It was ground and pound Wing T. The Bigs up front- Dan Kelly at center, Steve Heller and Mike Schlichtig at guard, Gene Chakejian and Anthony Tabasso at tackle did the job all year long. Games are won up front and the “Big Skill” did the job.

The 1987 squad was only the 4th team in the Inter-Ac era to record 5 shutouts in a season. The other teams were 1972, 1976 and 1980. They are the only team to have 4 in a row. The 1972 and 1980 teams were undefeated. That is being in some pretty good company.

Locally, Malvern finished #1 in the West Chester Daily Local News. They finished #5 in Silary’s City 10 (EA at #7) and 13 in the Daily News Top 15. Not too bad for a “rebuilding” year!

The seniors replicated what last years’ seniors did. The finished their 3 year career at 26-3-1 and 3 banners. Great memories.