Malvern Prep Football 1989 Team Page

FINAL RECORD

5-4-1 overall, 3-0-1 league

156 PF, 156 PA

POST SEASON RECOGNITION

ALL INTER-AC

Luke Leslie MVP

1st Team Offense

Luke Leslie QB, Kevin Pellegrini Rec, Kyle Kempton TE, Ron DellaVecchia OL

1st Team Defense

Tod Gannon DB, Frank Carr DL

HM Chris Pushaw, Joe Grace, Dave DeLiberty, Dan Heller, Joe Davis

DAILY NEW ALL CITY

2ND Team Defense

Frank Carr DL, Kevin Pellegrini DB

3rd Team Offense

Luke Leslie QB

ALL MAIN LINE TIMES (ONLY A 1ST TEAM AND HM)

Kyle Kempton TE/DE, Luke Leslie QB

HM- Kevin Pellegrini, Frank Carr, Joe Carter, Ron DellaVecchia, Todd Gannon, Chris Pushaw, Dan Heller

TEAM LEADERS

RUSHING

Joe Grace 90-464 yards

Passing

Luke Leslie 62-132 909 yards

Receiving

Kevin Pellegrini 25-367 yards

Kicking

Joe Altomonte 15 PATs, 4 FGs- 27 points

NOTABLE ACCOMPLISHMENTS

The 1989 squad had the same exact schedule as the 1988 team except they swapped out Glen Mills for West Chester East. Ironically both the 1988 and 1989 squads scored the same number of points over 10 games. The number was 156. Like 1988, it was an up and down year. Through a rash of injuries these Friars could also have checked out but did not. The 1st goal every year for any Friars team is to keep the IA Championship where it rightly belongs- at Malvern Prep. The 1989 team did just that. A quote by Coach Gamp summed up the season “They never stopped giving their all”.

In the opener Luke Leslie threw for 167 yards on 11 of 19, Kempton had 4 catches for 70 and Kev Pell had 5 for 70 yards. The Friars outgained CB East 220 to 181 but could not pull off the win. After a tough opening loss, the Friars went head-to-head with Council Rock. Most picked The Rock to win as Council Rock was ranked #2 in the preseason poll. But as you know, you never win a game on paper. It is why you play the game and keep score. The Defense held firm and picked off 4 Council Rock passes. The most important one was a 47-yard pick 6 by George Pushaw. Soph Brian Gallagher gave a taste of what was to come over the next 3 years with a 13-yard TD run. Joe Altomonte’s 2 PATs were the margin of victory. My choice for star of the game was Joe Grace who banged out 100 yards rushing and had a key game ending pick with 33 seconds to play. Friars take a tough, hard fought 14-13 W.

After tough losses to W.C East and Downingtown the Friars rolled into the Inter-Ac schedule at 1-3. There is a saying “It is not how you start but how you finish that matters”. First up for the Friars in the Inter-Ac schedule was an undefeated, 5-0 Haverford School team. Haverford had not been 5-0 since their undefeated 1971 team. Like the Council Rock, game many predicted a Haverford win as they handled W.C. East 33-12, a team the Friars had lost to, only two weeks ago. Haverford jumped on top quick 14-0 and it did not look good for the Friars. Malvern started slow but finished strong. As Gamp said “this team never stopped giving their all.” Two Grace rumbles from 6 and 3 yards got the Friars even at 14-14 at half. MP put the squeeze on in the 2nd half as they scored twice, giving up only 12 yards on defense. Kudos to Heller, Pellegrini, Kempton, Carr and Gannon for digging in. A 10 play 64-yard 3rd quarter drive put the Friars in front to stay. Joe Grace scored from 14 yards out. Play and maybe player of the game- Todd Gannon. With less than 4 minutes to go and Malvern protecting a 21-14 lead, Todd took a pick 100 YARDS to put the game away. The Blue and White finished it off with an exclamation point. On the day, Joe Grace had 3 scores and 81 tough yards. Kevin Pellegrini did double duty with 7 receptions for 101 yards and had a pick. Always reliable Joe Altomonte was 4 for 4 in extra points. This was a huge win for the Friars and set the stage for the rest of their IA battles.

Next up was Germantown Academy. Malvern scored 1st on a 12-yard Gallagher burst. GA came back with 2 scores to lead 14-7 with 6 minutes to go in the 1st half…. And then the Friars responded. Leslie to Kempton 75-yard TD pass and catch and a 56-yard Joe Carter punt return in the next 2 ½ minutes had the Friars up 21-14 at half. GA scored once more to forge the 21-21 tie. It was the 2nd year in a row Malvern and Germantown Academy tied.

With the tie, the Friars would have to win out to have a shot at the league title and they did just that. Coming into the season Penn Charter Head coach Bill Gallagher believed he had the horses and was the team to beat in the Inter-Ac. He felt he had more than enough to keep the title at Penn Charter. These Friars had other ideas. In a statement game, the Friars routed the Quakers 34-13. MP led 21-7 and half and scored two more in the next 24 minutes to leave no doubt at 34-6 late in the game. On the day Carter and Gallagher did the “double damage.” Carter had 3 scores and 118 yards rushing. Gal added 100 yards and a 19-yard TD run. Not to be left out in the TD parade, QB Luke Leslie scampered 9 yards for his 6 points. The defense constantly shut down the PC offense by generating 6 turnovers. Next up for the IA title was Episcopal

To quote a title summary from the late, great, and still missed, Ted Silary, “Malvern went to 3-0-1 with a week to go, downing host Episcopal, 22-7. Luke Leslie passed 8-for-14 for 135 yards and a TD to Kyle Kempton and he also ran for a score. Kevin Pellegrini, son of Friar coach Gaspare "Gamp" Pellegrini, made three receptions for 52 yards.” As Gamp offered up, “From 1984 to 1988 Malvern secured 4 titles with a run 1st mentality. Sometimes it was a run, run, run, run, then pass mentality. Against EA, 117 of Luke’s passing yards went to Kev Pell and Kempton as they combined for 7 catches. Do not want to forget the “team effort” running game. Carter 13-93, Gal 13-35, and Joe Grace 9-51. Yards 310, points 22. Throw in another Joe Altomeonte FG from 22 yards out into the mix and you have the title exactly where it belongs. Malvern’s 8th title in 12 years (1 tie). Well done gents.

The TG game with Carroll was a tight one. These Friars wanted to cap the IA title with another Turkey Day win. Gal from one yard out in the 3rd and a Joe Altomonte, finished off a great career, with a 34-yard field goal with 9 minutes to play. Luke Leslie was 3-4 for 38 yards on the field goal winning drive. Todd Gannon finished his career with a great memory- an interception to stop Carroll’s last drive. Todd also had 5 tackles from his DB position. It was MP 8th win overall and 6th straight against Carroll.

The end of season rankings had two MP opponents- Downingtown and Council Rock both in the Inquirer Top 10. Valley Forge finished undefeated. The non-league schedule, as always, was one of the toughest around.

These guys took some time to mesh but they accomplished the 1st goal of every MP team- win the Inter Ac title. This year it was a bring it back year. Nothing feels better as an alum than to come back to school and see your year on the banner in the gym. These guys “never stopped giving their all”.