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Monday, September 20, 1999 Page:
Bishop Hoban’s Argents keeping their promise
Before the season, Bishop Hoban football coach Stephen Moore said his
Argents would surprise a few teamsTeams would take the Argents too lightly and
they might win a game or two or three.
WELL, SURPRISE, SURPRISE!
Hoban was forced to forfeit games to Nanticoke and Lake-Lehman after
several players got hurt in a 57-0 loss to Susquehanna, leaving the Argents
with just 13 healthy players.
In a press release announcing the forfeits, Athletic Director Jim Higgins
and principal Monsignor David L. Tressler cited concerns about the players’
safety. Safety is a good reason.
But what about the other teams?
Lake-Lehman coach Rich Gorgone said his team was disappointed it didn’t
play last week.
“Obviously you get in a routine and you like to keep the routine going week
in and week out,” he said. “You only get 10 of them and you hate to toss one
away. It takes a home game off our fans and off our booster club. Especially
coming off a big win (33-13 over Wyoming Area) like we did last week, it would
have been nice to play.”
Bishop O’Reilly was scheduled to play its homecoming game Oct. 16 against
Hoban. But Queensmen coach Gregg Yankovich said his school, fearing an Argents
forfeit, moved the annual game up two weeks and will face Jim Thorpe.
Higgins and Tressler should have anticipated problems with the team at the
end of last year.
If there were any doubt a situation like this would occur, the season
should have been called off early enough so that Hoban’s opponents could find
someone else to play.
And there was enough doubt.
The Argents graduated 11 seniors from a 23-man roster. With only one
returning starter, Higgins and Tressler should have foreseen low numbers again
in ’99. Students aren’t jumping at the chance to put on the pads for a team
that finished 2-8.
It’s simple math. Low numbers plus inexperience equals lopsided losses and
potentially serious injuries.
It appears Hoban will play games as it sees fit. If there’s enough players
and the team isn’t a powerhouse, the Argents will suit up.
“Uh-oh. We play Lake-Lehman this week. Nah, better forfeit.”
“OK, we have Northwest. They got beat 54-0 by Mahanoy Area. Game on.”
The Argents should have scheduled the Little Sisters of the Poor and Our
Lady of the Turnover. I heard they’re not too good either.
Hoban knew it couldn’t play with Dallas and Wyoming Area, so it dropped
them after the 1997 season. And so far this season, it can’t play with anyone
else.
But give the players credit. They worked hard in the weight room and at
practice. And it takes guts to go out on a field- outmanned- and get the snot
kicked out of you, 57-0.
But if I were an athletic director, I would be careful about putting the
Argents on my schedule next year- they might not show up.
So, Hoban administrators, maybe you should do the smart thing next season.
Think about the trainer’s words in Rocky IV, when Ivan Drago was
pulverizing Apollo Creed:
“Throw in the damn towel.”
Doug Pape covers high school football for The Times Leader.