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Without much prodding, it's now likely possible to convince Bobby McTague that his senior-year football experience at Conwell-Egan High included TWO victories.
One in early November. Another last night.
We're now deep into basketball season, of course, but if McTague had worn shoulder pads while helping the Eagles collect one of the more noteworthy victories in their largely undistinguished hoops history, everyone would have noted, "Very fitting."
You know how beefy post players tend to bang each other around? Well, McTague and Archbishop Wood sophomore Joe LoStracco were often so physical, more than once the refs could have whistled five personal fouls on each guy in the same possession.
There's wanting to win and then there's no other outcome will even remotely be considered, and that was McTague's mind-set.
C-E 60, Archest of Rivals (as in Archbishop Wood) 47. That was the final score in what might have been the final home game in school history.
Like Monsignor Bonner, West Catholic, Archbishop Prendergast and St. Hubert, C-E is slated to lock its doors this June. Like all of the others, except for West, C-E is fighting hard to avoid extinction.
Will C-E survive? Get back to us. Meanwhile, everyone in the packed gym knows this: Special occasions don't come much better.
The coaching staff, athletic director Ray O'Hara and the school administration organized a wonderful pre-game ceremony. Approximately 50 former players showed up -- ex-major leaguer Joe McEwing, also a star basketball player, was the No. 1 attention-grabber -- and they walked briskly into the gym, through greeting lines of cheerleaders, as PA announcer Rich Papirio called out their names and classes.
Later, those same players AND the cheerleaders formed two lines in the opposite corner and slapped five with the current Eagles as they charged out for warmups.
C-E's student rooters occupied about one-third of the stands across from the benches. Their lips were rarely sealed, if at all. They sang the alma mater. Bellowed, "Keep us open! Keep us open!" And with 1:00 remaining, they changed the end of the "I Believe" chant from "I believe that we will win!" to "I believe that we HAVE WON!"
They grow 'em smart in Levittown.
When asked whether it would have been impossible for C-E to lose, McTague shot back, "Pretty much. When you get this much support . . . The noise. The enthusiasm. It carried us."
Said coach Rick Sabol, a 1999 grad and former player: "It was great to see all the alumni and how much emotion was flowing through that gym. Just a fantastic night."
During football season, the 6-3, 240-pound McTague was a two-way lineman and the positive vibrations were scant. The Eagles dropped their first nine outings, many by large margins, and then were able to thump Morrisville, 36-6, in a slapped-together, non-league game while waiting around for Thanksgiving. On holiday morning, reality returned: They were skunked by Harry S Truman, 49-14.
"Football was tough," McTague said. "It was a battle every day (to remain motivated/upbeat)."
As for basketball . . . the win lifted C-E's league record to 5-7 with tomorrow's game at La Salle remaining. A monumental scramble is taking place, but C-E could even wind up with a home game Wednesday in the first round of the 10-team playoffs.
Meanwhile, McTague's contributions included five points, eight rebounds, four assists and two steals. Even better, he held the 6-7, 280-pound LoStracco to just four points on merely two attempts from the floor.
"That guy's a monster," McTague said. "He's just SO big. My goal was to shut him down. I just had to do it.
"He'd been scoring a ton of points. I played him last year, too, so we've had our battles."
Ryan Pepito, a pepperpot junior point guard who goes by "Pepi," scored 18 points for the Eagles with the help of three treys. One of them, a right-winger on a pass from franchise swingman Jamal Nwaniemeka, made it 24-22 right before intermission and the Eagles mostly maintained the momentum thereafter.
Nwaniemeka (also eight rebounds) finished with 21 points and needs 31 to reach 1,000, counting his time (through 10th grade) at now-closed Cardinal Dougherty. Mike Kelly had 10 points and three assists while Dylan Pease mixed six with two.
Pat Smith (17) and Shane Neher (13, 10 boards) paced Wood.
"I'm proud of the kids for how they handled all the distractions," Sabol said. "We brought in speakers on Tuesday just to prepare for how loud we expected it to be. It wasn't looking too good in the beginning. A lot of our shots were rolling around on the rim, then off. Then we got it together.
"I'm not sure what's going to happen here. I do know the administration and alumni are working very hard to keep Conwell-Egan alive. Tonight was surreal. After seeing this, more than ever, I don't want this place to close."
