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Former glory paired up with current success on Tuesday night at Neumann-Goretti High School’s annual athletic honors gathering. Held at the Renaissance Hotel at Philadelphia International Airport, the celebration highlighted the 1985 boys’ Catholic League Championship squad and its accomplished brethren from last season’s Catholic League, City and State championship team.
The ’85 rendition — then known as St. John Neumann — captured the first Catholic League basketball championship for the school since ’65, when that year’s team captured the Catholic League and City prizes. The current squad, based at 1736 S. 10th St., continued its impressive run by capturing its second straight Catholic League crown, and sixth under coach Carl Arrigale; its second straight City title and its premier Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association Class AAA crown.
Senior leadership and savvy coaching will forever link the two teams. The former won 11 of 14 league games and 27 out of 34 overall contests. First-team All-Catholic and All-City selection Steve Benton led the six seniors, who, along with five juniors and two sophomores, eked out three close playoff wins by a combined margin of six points. The third win, a 57-54 decision over La Salle University High School, ended the program’s two-decade title drought.
This year’s roster, with Wake Forest University signee Tony Chennault at the helm, did not have many close contests. Sporting a 30-1 record, the Saints, also with six seniors, maximized its aspirations by claiming its first PIAA crown in only its second season as a member. Its closest postseason result was a March 26 65-63 victory over Chartiers Valley in the state final.
Dave Duke and George Sumner guided the ’85 team. Duke, now an assistant coach for the Temple University men’s basketball team, won 81 games as head coach for Neumann-Goretti, then St. John Neumann, from 1981-1985. Though he has been a part of 10 teams that have qualified for the NCAA Tournament, Duke said he considers his ’85 title run the “most gratifying” experience he has had in basketball.
“That year was for all the guys who came between ’65 and ’85. It wasn’t about us at all,” Duke said.
Sumner, a varsity assistant and freshman coach in ’85, described the title team as “a great bunch of kids.” Success came “because we were able to bring together kids with a commitment to winning; these were hardworking South Philly kids,” Sumner recalled.
Arrigale, the school’s most accomplished coach with 271 victories, found bringing the two teams together “pretty neat.” His brother John was a sophomore in ’85, a year that Arrigale credits with “reviving” basketball at the school.
“They got it started and we’re happy to continue it,” Arrigale said.
The Millay club is happy, too. The school’s alumni association has inducted five teams, including the ’65 Catholic League and City champions, into its Hall of Fame since 2000.
“We are looking to honor all of our championship teams,” Walter Belovitz, director of alumnae and alumni development, said
If Arrigale’s troops keep unloading timely shots and forming defensive walls, Belovitz will have his hands full.
John Striano, a guard-forward on the 1985 team, hopes the fortune will continue.
“It is a thrill to be honored with this year’s team,” the Washington Township, N.J. resident said. “The game today is so different, but it is nice to be a link to the legacy that Carl (Arrigale) has going. I remember everything as if it had happened yesterday. It makes us feel really special after 25 years to be able to share this night.”
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