U.s. Power Gets Past Feisty Seminary

By TIMOTHY J. RAUB Times Leader Sports Correspondent
Sunday, October 28, 2001 Page: 5C

KINGSTON – For all but about five minutes of Saturday’s high school
football game, Wyoming Seminary played harder and tougher then nationally
ranked Poly Prep.

But a lot can happen in five minutes.
The Blue Knights scored first, but Poly Prep rallied to score twice and
defeat Seminary 14-3 at Nesbitt Field. Ranked 10th in USA Today’s national
poll, the Brooklyn, N.Y., school improved its record to 6-0.

“I am very proud of my team,” said Seminary head coach Bill Russo, whose
team ended the season at 5-3. “We came out and stuck it to (Poly Prep), but
you have to play an error-free game in order to beat a team like that, and we
didn’t.”

The Blue Knights took the opening kickoff 65 yards to the Blue Devil 5-yard
line. They settled for a 22-yard Connor McCormick field goal.

Poly Prep took the lead with less than six minutes to play in the second
quarter, when fullback John Pannozzo rumbled in from 2 yards out for a 6-3
Blue Devil lead. A two-point attempt failed.

Seminary had an opportunity to retake the lead late in the third quarter,
but Joe Leonardelli coughed up the ball on the Poly Prep 17, stalling a


The Blue Devils then took the ball the length of the field and capped off
the drive with a 32-yard touchdown strike from John Polignone to Jahkeen
Gilmore that made it a 14-3 game after the two-point attempt.

The Blue Knights had one more chance late in the game, but failed to
convert on four consecutive pass plays, ending the drive and sealing the
victory for Poly Prep.

“(Wyoming Seminary) has nothing to be ashamed of,” said Blue Devil head
coach Dino Mangiero. “They came out and drove the ball right down the field
on us. They have a good offensive line, and two great backs.”

Martin Gibson led the Blue Knights offensively, carrying the ball 19 times
for 79 yards. Prep’s Gilmore answered with 84 yards receiving, a touchdown and
two interceptions.

“(Gilmore) was the major difference in the game for Prep,” said Russo of
the Blue Devils’ two-way standout, who is being recruited by South Carolina,
Pittsburgh and Maryland. “He is a quality player, and can come up with big
plays that hurt us.”