Ted Silary: Germantown’s West out with ankle injury
PASSING ALONG some city high school football tidbits...
The name is West, but the body keeps going south.
After missing all but the final game of the 2008 season due to a broken right collarbone, Germantown tailback Brent West is finished for '09 because of a broken left fibula - with torn ankle ligaments mixed in - suffered Friday night on a carry vs. University City.
The 5-6, 160-pound West, also a cornerback, is considered a D-II prospect by coach Mike Hawkins.
"It was one of those pile-up tackles," West said. "I was leaning forward, pushing to get more yardage, and my legs were sticking out the back. Somebody fell on them.
"I heard a crack. I thought my leg was going to be angled the wrong way. It wasn't that, but it was danglin.' I started crying. I knew my season was over. I was thinking, 'No college for me.' After the thing last year, I felt like I was just getting started..."
The '08 setback happened on the first play of the first scrimmage, vs. Del-Val Charter.
"I ran for about 80 yards, but got caught," West said. "The guy hit me on the left and we crashed down on my right shoulder. Two bodies' worth of weight."
Hawkins said West, a solid student with an interest in computer technology, doesn't need football to get to college, but a scholarship would help.
"I want to play again," West said. "I'm going to go for it. I could picture maybe being a coach or a trainer. Something to keep me around football. But there's nothing like playing the sport."
Jim Algeo, in his 42nd season as Lansdale Catholic's coach, will steer the Crusaders vs. McDevitt Saturday, 7 p.m. at Cheltenham High, around celebrating his 50th anniversary with wife Mickey. They have nine kids: Maggie, Jim, Mary Beth, Danny, Bridget, Veronica, Mary Fran, Mary Eileen and John. Danny is O'Hara's coach and John coordinates his defense. All but Mary Beth have coached some sport or another...Cullen Rota's block on No. 4 prevented Tim Carroll from going 9-for-9 on PATs in West Catholic's 62-0 crunching of Kennedy-Kenrick...Scott Paxson, member last season of the Super Bowl champion Steelers, watched best buddy Joe McCourt coach Roman vs. O'Hara. Danny Algeo was their coach at Roman. Afterward, Paxson talked with Algeo and his star lineman, Matt Williams...DB Ray "Cholly" Manuel, a team captain, was West's Homecoming king...In last week's battle for longest receiving TD, Wood's Scott Adkins edged Northeast's Eric "Flav" Brundidge, 95-94...After Lance Ryans raced 50 yards for a TD on his first carry of the season, giving Central a 40-0 lead over Edison, rookie coach Rich Drayton ordered his squad to take a knee on the conversion. Starting WR Brad Wilson caught a pass (from backup Keith Page) for the final TD in Del-Val's 50-0 frolic past Future...X-rays showed O'Hara RB/DB/KR/P Corey Brown (Ohio State commit) suffered no ligament damage to his right knee Sunday vs. Roman. An MRI exam is next...Junior Spencer Reid, son of Eagles coach Andy, ran for 176 yards and four TDs in SJ Prep's 55-7 romp past Ryan. Mike McCormack, son of another Bird boss, Mike McCormack (1973-75), was a third-team coaches' All-Catholic basketball forward for Carroll in '76...Dobbins coach Lou Zambino, after playfully being told by ref Ernie Gallagher to stop begging for calls: "We ain't beggin.' We just want them"...In 26 games over the last three seasons, Communications Tech is averaging just 19.8 passing yards In Neumann-Goretti's loss to Wood, Frosh John Mastrando (brother of starting QB Anthony) threw a TD pass to classmate/tight end Eric Holt.
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