Late additions adjust quickly for Camden Catholic

Adam Giordano still has questions about football.

"A million questions," Giordano said.

Like, what's this about an onside kick?

"One time he was asking me, 'If they kick an onside kick, is it like a fumble?' " said Colin Wharton, Giordano's classmate and teammate and fellow newcomer to the Camden Catholic football team.

Giordano and Wharton are seniors who decided to come out for football this season. Both are tall and athletic and have been better known during their high school careers for their play on the lacrosse field.

Both have made a major impact for Camden Catholic (7-2), which will visit rival Paul VI (6-3) on Wednesday night in one of the more intriguing games of Thanksgiving week.

"Sometimes we look at each other and smile," Giordano said. "I didn't expect this. We didn't expect this. I thought we might be OK players."

Said Wharton: "I was just hoping to get on the field."

Camden Catholic's first-year coach, Nick Strom, has been astounded by the impact of two athletes who didn't join the team until July.

And Strom said that in addition to the tackles and sacks and hurries that the duo has generated as defensive ends - and the touchdown catches that Giordano has made as a tight end - the two seniors have brought enthusiasm to the team.

"They're both like a breath of fresh air," Strom said. "It's all new to them. There's an innocence to them. They've reenergized the team."

Wharton, who lives in Cinnaminson, played football for Camden Catholic as a freshman and sophomore. He was a junior-varsity quarterback as a sophomore but decided not to play as a junior.

"I really wasn't that into it," said Wharton, who plans to play lacrosse for Jacksonville University.

Wharton approached Strom in the spring about returning to the team. He thought he might get another shot at playing quarterback.

Around the same time, Giordano decided to play football as a senior. He had been a soccer player in the fall in his first three years in high school.

"I figured, 'Let's see where they are after five practices,' " Strom said. "Before long, we put them on defense and they didn't have any idea what they were doing."

Wharton is 6-foot-3 and 195 pounds. Giordano is 6-foot-4, 210 pounds. They lacked experience and know-how. But they were rangy and athletic and difficult for offensive tackles to block.

"You can't play the defense we play without two edge rushers," Strom said. "Coach [Joe] McColgan has been around a long time. He says these are two of the best he's had."

Wharton and Giordano have been key members of a defense that has been dominant in the regular season. In eight games, the Irish allowed just 48 total points, with three shutouts.

Wharton has 30 tackles, 7.5 sacks, and five hurries. He had four sacks in a loss to Camden, the No. 9 team in The Inquirer's South Jersey rankings.

"That was one of the best games I've ever seen anyone play," Strom said.

Giordano has 35 tackles with 3.5 sacks and a team-high 10 hurries. As a tight end, Giordano has caught six passes, four for touchdowns.

"It's been like a tease for me," said Giordano, who lives in Pennsauken and likely will attend Rutgers-Camden next year. "I wasn't sure how it was going to go, playing a new sport. I've loved it. I wish I had played earlier."

Said Wharton: "I never thought it would go the way it has. We've had so much fun."

The two athletes were late to the party. And now the lights are about to come up: Wednesday's game will mark the end of their briefly brilliant varsity careers.

"It's bittersweet," Giordano said. "I wish we could play more."