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50th anniversary of Seton Hall winning the Club Football National Championship!

GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY – The Story of the 1972 Seton Hall Football Team Part 1

By Colin Rajala

This year marks the 50th anniversary of some significant historical events - the Watergate Scandal, the Black September terrorist attack at the Munich Olympics and the launch of NASA’s space shuttle program just to name a few.

1972 also carries some historical significance for those in and around South Orange, N.J. at the time as Seton Hall University’s football team, a group of forty-four players and five coaches, put their heart and soul into the gridiron to become National Club Football Champions.

bb3e4015-98f9-495a-8c02-c21f4bc4e02c-shu_football_progfram.jpg


The Pirates football team, then commonly referred to as the Bucs, captured the spirit of the university community on route to a 7-1 regular season record before defeating Marist College in the Eastern Club Bowl/Empire Bowl Championship for their place atop the club rankings and in the record books.

The 8-1 campaign featured games against NCAA Division III opponents, a bevy of late-game heroics that helped catapult The Hall to varsity status the following season, where they would compete at the Division III level until the program was eventually disbanded in 1982 as the Big East basketball conference ramped up.

“I never had a complaint, the players might not say that, but I never had a complaint about how much they gave us [the coaching staff and university community]. They worked hard. They gave us everything. They might have been placed at a different position than expected, but they didn’t complain, they picked it up and played well. They were so selfless,” Head Coach Ed Manigan said.

The extent of what or how much the football program gave the university may never be truly understood, particularly as time wears on, but the team was at the forefront of the institution and athletics during the 1970s. The basketball program had yet to regain its footing after the 1960s, while the baseball program had not yet solidified itself as a dominate program as Head Coach Mike Sheppard Sr. was still one year away from taking over the program.



Rich Program History Sets Stage

Few around Seton Hall’s campus today know about or even remember the football program sans those who have seen or purchased the vaunted ‘Undefeated Seton Hall Football’ t-shirts as it has been 40 years since the team played, but the program has a rich history.

The program traces its roots 140 years back to 1882 when the Setonia varsity eleven played the first American football game between two Catholic affiliated institutions against St. John’s College, which would later be known as Fordham University. The late 1800’s proved to be the golden era for the team as it had three undefeated seasons and amassed a 63-13-5 record between 1883 and 1899, including victories over name brands like Delaware, Fordham, Maryland, Rutgers and Villanova. The team consistently competed up until 1906 when records and documentation became scarce, before being resurrected by Richard “Red” Smith, the protégé of legendary coach Knute Rockne, in the early 1930s and later returning in earnest in 1965.

Seton Hall’s first seven seasons after their 1965 rebirth proved to be the building blocks of what was to come as the program recorded five winning seasons and achieved an overall record of 30-19-1.

Ed Manigan began as an offensive line coach at Seton Hall in the 1960s before taking the helm of the program as head coach in 1970 at the age of 29. He had a championship pedigree himself, winning the Lambert Cup Championship as a tackle for Bucknell University in 1964, his senior year. Manigan built the program in a similar vein to the identity of the institution itself – hardworking and blue-collar.

That identity was engrained throughout the program starting at the top with defensive coordinator Frank Antonacci, defensive backfield coach Frank Carpenter, defensive line coach Jim Lammers and offensive backfield coach Bill Holler and extending all the way down to the roster and through the team’s support.

“They [assistant coaches] were a dedicated bunch of guys, they worked hard. They did everything I asked, they all helped coach whether it was their position groups or someone else’s and they all scouted. We had our humor at times, but they knew when it was time to get to business,” Manigan said.

That focus and attention to detail coupled with grit was necessary to see the field under his tutelage and those characteristics were what would lead to more than a dozen former players receiving professional contracts and being invited to National Football League and Canadian Football League training camps for a number of teams, including the New York Giants, New York Jets, Dallas Cowboys and Denver Broncos.

“I was keeping track at one point and time and it was at least 12 to 15 guys that received pro tryouts and four who signed NFL contracts, including three from the National Championship team’s defense,” Carpenter said.

“We had a lot of blue-chip players on our team and it wasn't that we got them to come to Seton Hall [initially]. They were kids that got scholarships to play at Division I or Division II schools and found out that they were down on the depth chart and didn’t want to hang around until junior year or senior year to play, so they would come back to play for us,” Carpenter continued.

While no players would make the starting rosters for the NFL teams, more than a few held their own, including some that were among the last men cut.

“It will always be a what if with some of the guys, what if they came from a name brand football school and not Seton Hall. I think with a different school next to their name a few may have made it,” said Ken Scarpa, freshman defensive back for the 72 team, who would later sign with the Jets, Giants and CFL’s Hamilton Tiger Cats from 1976 to 1978.

The rich history extended beyond the field and sidelines as well. The Seton Hall Football Club, which was a student-led group that handled the business of the team, including finances, ticket sales, publicity, scheduling, travel arrangements, statistics and concessions, among other related activities, was led by President Ellen O’Kane.

O’Kane, the first underclassman and female to hold the football club president job at the university, would go on to work as an investment banker with Bache & Co. becoming the youngest and one of the first women on the New York Stock Exchange at the age of 25. O’Kane would later serve as a U.S. representative for California’s 10th congressional district from 1997 to 2009 and as undersecretary of state for arms control and international security affairs under President Barak Obama. She passed away in 2019 from pneumonia.

“Not bad for a Seton Hall kid from East Newark,” Carpenter said, when reminiscing about her successes.
 
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Rich Program History Sets Stage

Few around Seton Hall’s campus today know about or even remember the football program sans those who have seen or purchased the vaunted ‘Undefeated Seton Hall Football’ t-shirts as it has been 40 years since the team played, but the program has a rich history.

The program traces its roots 140 years back to 1882 when the Setonia varsity eleven played the first American football game between two Catholic affiliated institutions against St. John’s College, which would later be known as Fordham University. The late 1800’s proved to be the golden era for the team as it had three undefeated seasons and amassed a 63-13-5 record between 1883 and 1899, including victories over name brands like Delaware, Fordham, Maryland, Rutgers and Villanova. The team consistently competed up until 1906 when records and documentation became scarce, before being resurrected by Richard “Red” Smith, the protégé of legendary coach Knute Rockne, in the early 1930s and later returning in earnest in 1965.

football-shu12a199-e1607794883809.jpg

Late 19th century Seton Hall football team picture

Seton Hall’s first seven seasons after their 1965 rebirth proved to be the building blocks of what was to come as the program recorded five winning seasons and achieved an overall record of 30-19-1.

Ed Manigan began as an offensive line coach at Seton Hall in the 1960s before taking the helm of the
program as head coach in 1970 at the age of 29. He had a championship pedigree himself, winning the Lambert Cup Championship as a tackle for Bucknell University in 1964, his senior year. Manigan built the program in a similar vein to the identity of the institution itself – hardworking and blue-collar.

That identity was engrained throughout the program starting at the top with defensive coordinator Frank Antonacci, defensive backfield coach Frank Carpenter, defensive line coach Jim Lammers and offensive backfield coach Bill Holler and extending all the way down to the roster and through the team’s support.

“They [assistant coaches] were a dedicated bunch of guys, they worked hard. They did everything I asked, they all helped coach whether it was their position groups or someone else’s and they all scouted. We had our humor at times, but they knew when it was time to get to business,” Manigan said.

That focus and attention to detail coupled with grit was necessary to see the field under his tutelage and those characteristics were what would lead to more than a dozen former players receiving professional contracts and being invited to National Football League and Canadian Football League training camps for a number of teams, including the New York Giants, New York Jets, Dallas Cowboys and Denver Broncos.

“I was keeping track at one point and time and it was at least 12 to 15 guys that received pro tryouts and four who signed NFL contracts, including three from the National Championship team’s defense,” Carpenter said.

“We had a lot of blue-chip players on our team and it wasn't that we got them to come to Seton Hall [initially]. They were kids that got scholarships to play at Division I or Division II schools and found out that they were down on the depth chart and didn’t want to hang around until junior year or senior year to play, so they would come back to play for us,” Carpenter continued.

While no players would make the starting rosters for the NFL teams, more than a few held their own, including some that were among the last men cut.

“It will always be a what if with some of the guys, what if they came from a name brand football school and not Seton Hall. I think with a different school next to their name a few may have made it,” said Ken Scarpa, freshman defensive back for the 72 team, who would later sign with the Jets, Giants and CFL’s Hamilton Tiger Cats from 1976 to 1978.

The rich history extended beyond the field and sidelines as well. The Seton Hall Football Club, which was a student-led group that handled the business of the team, including finances, ticket sales, publicity, scheduling, travel arrangements, statistics and concessions, among other related activities, was led by President Ellen O’Kane.

O’Kane, the first underclassman and female to hold the football club president job at the university, would go on to work as an investment banker with Bache & Co. becoming the youngest and one of the first women on the New York Stock Exchange at the age of 25. O’Kane would later serve as a U.S. representative for California’s 10th congressional district from 1997 to 2009 and as undersecretary of state for arms control and international security affairs under President Barak Obama. She passed away in 2019 from pneumonia.

“Not bad for a Seton Hall kid from East Newark,” Carpenter said, when reminiscing about her successes.


Part 2 tomorrow.
 
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Part 2

Championship Profile

The 1972 Bucs were a mix of veteran experience, including 12 seniors and 10 juniors, who guided the youthful exuberance of the nine sophomores and 13 freshmen, some of which were playing football for the first time.

Manigan’s squad continued the program’s defense first mentality that he ingrained upon his arrival as opponents averaged a measly nine points per game with no opponent scoring more than 20 points over the course of the championship season. In fact, the team recorded two shutouts and held seven opponents to 13 points or less, including five opponents under seven points.

The Pirates defense held its opponents to 849 rushing yards on the season or 94.3 yards per game and 767 passing yards or 85.2 yards per game.

The prolific defense kept the team in every game as it won in the trenches thanks to a strong defensive front that included defensive ends Glenn Boyle and Carl Lombardi, defensive tackles Jim Hamley and Frank Brady and middle guard Bill Horne.

“We didn’t back down from anyone ... we weren’t afraid to mix it up,” Lombardi said.

Boyle and Lombardi were respected for their aggressive style of play with Lombardi being known as one of the more aggressive tacklers on the team.

“Coach kept it simple for us [defensive ends], our job was to hit and read – hit the offensive lineman in
front of us back, read the play, and then stay in our lane to make the play,” Lombardi said.

Hamley, who transferred in the year prior, was the biggest player on the team, standing six-foot-three and 235 pounds. The definitive pro prospect caused havoc in opponent’s backfields with tackles for losses, sacks and forced fumbles and recoveries, while also freeing up other players as he was constantly being double teamed.

“No one ran it [on] Jimmy’s side,” Lombardi said of opponents’ game planning around the hulking Hamley.

Horne described himself as “quick, not fast” finding that he had a penchant for getting off the ball “in full attack mode” before offensive linemen were out of their stances.

“I tried to anticipate the snap a lot of the time and I got pretty good at it. Nothing beat blowing by a lineman, getting into the backfield and hitting [the opposition],” Horne remembers.

The linebacking corps, featured mainstays freshmen Don Brundridge and Roy McTernan, while other players rotated in throughout the season at the coaches’ calling.

Carpenter described Brundridge as “the best athlete” he had ever seen, with Scarpa recalling him “flying across the field like a freight train and laying guys out.”
 
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Brundridge’s athletic talents were so pronounced that he would also practice with the Seton Hall men’s basketball team.

“He would leave the football field in late October and early November, go to the locker room and take off his football uniform and pads and put on a basketball jersey and go to practice. [Head Coach Bill Raftery] would delay practice to six o’clock to make sure Donnie could be there,” Carpenter said.

Brundridge would later sign with the New York Jets and attend training camp. He was assigned to cover All Pro and two-time Pro-Bowl wide receiver Wesley Walker while Carpenter was in attendance one day and “Donnie shut him down.”

“I wanted to say Wesley Walker had less than 10 receiving yards that day, something like seven or eight yards on a couple of little out patterns ... after the scrimmage was over, I walked up to Donnie and said ‘you made the team today.’ Long story short, Donnie makes it all the way to the last cut and actually gets cut ... I couldn’t believe it,” Carpenter said, wondering what could have been.

The Pirates defensive backfield featured senior standout Bill Looney alongside newcomers Scarpa and freshman Larry Simmons.

Looney was a decorated athlete, named to the Club Football All-America team at safety in 1970, and was the program’s all-time leader in interceptions with 11.

“Bill was our leader. He could do it all, he even returned punts and kicked extra points and field goals,” according to Scarpa, who attributed Looney’s guidance to the development of the green defensive backfield over the course of the season.

While the stalwart defense was the linchpin of the program, keeping the Bucs in every game; the offense proved to be the engine that propelled Seton Hall to victory more times than not as it generated deciding scores late in four games over the course of the season.

Manigan employed a differentiated offensive system than typical for the time period as he was willing to strike opponents through the air with a passing attack led by quarterback Joe D’Angiolillo, split end Jerry Alexander and senior wingback Joe Tesei.

The Bucs offensive attack averaged 19.1 points per game, generating 1304 rushing yards on the season, good enough for 144.4 yards per game, and 1103 passing yards, 122.5 per game.

D’Angiolillo was often referred to as ‘Joe D’ and revered as a Joe Namath-like character – aided by his mustache and white cleats like Super Bowl III MVP “Broadway Joe.’ He completed 76 of 162 attempts for 1103 yards and recorded 14 touchdowns compared to seven interceptions, where three would come in one game.

“While 47% [completion percentage] does not sound all that great, it was actually pretty good for that time, especially when you consider he threw for over 1,000 yards and however many touchdowns,” Manigan said.
 
“Passing offenses weren’t the norm back then, but coach [Manigan] let him air it out because of his talent, his arm. He was an exciting player back there for us,” said Scarpa, who is cousins with Seton Hall legend Dick Vitale.

Joe D’s success was made possible by a stout offensive line that featured tackles Bob Paladino and Ernie Travisano, guards Roy McTernan and Brian Corcoran, centers Ben Leone and Joe Brower and tight end Rich Carrig.

“They weren’t necessarily the biggest or the strongest, but they made us work every day in practice,” Lombardi said.

“When you look at the numbers our running game put up, it didn’t matter who was carrying the ball. We were successful because the guy’s up front, for the most part, controlled the game,” according to Horne.

The Pirates’ rushing attack featured five different players throughout the season due to injuries and coaches riding the hot hand.

Senior wingback Joe Tesei handled 48 carries for 187 yards, or 3.8 yard per rush, and caught 14 passes for 160 yards, notching five touchdowns as the team’s second leading scorer.

“He was a dual threat for us as a receiver and counter back ball carrier,” according to Scarpa.

Senior fullback Blaise DeMasi proved to be a bruiser for the Bucs, recording 33 carries for 155 yards, good enough for a 4.7 average.

The backfield also featured three newcomers, led by freshman Dennis Martenz, who came on strong late, rushing 96 times for 371 yards to lead the team, while crossing the goal line five times as the team’s third leading scorer.

Freshman tailback Euwanta “Bam” Fleming carried the ball 47 times for 150 yards, a 3.1 average, including two scores before transitioning to linebacker midway through the season, while freshman fullback Mike Gaus handled 15 carries for 126 yards, an 8.4 average, with one touchdown.

It did not matter who was carrying the rock in the Pirates rushing attack as the team’s power right rush was the offense’s bread and butter, causing fits for opposing defenses throughout the season.

D’Angiolillo’s favorite target was Alexander, who racked up 38 receptions for 668 yards, which both led the team. Alexander would eventually serve as wide receivers coach for his alma mater and was inducted into Seton Hall’s Athletics Hall of Fame in 2020.


297fba65-c69e-4505-9fe2-d7a2e9a86f5d-jerry_alexander_action_shot.jpg

Jerry Alexander hauls in a pass for Seton Hall

“He was a guy who was maybe five-foot-eight, one hundred and fifty pounds. He had great hands, he was quick and elusive, he was a great receiver who could jump with anybody,” Carpenter said.

Those sentiments were echoed in every interview, with Horne calling Alexander “one of, if not the best, athletes I have ever seen,” with Lombardi noting he could “dunk a basketball with ease even at his height.”

“With Jerry it was simply just throw it in the zip code and he’ll go get it,” Lombardi said, referring to Alexander as a “nightmare for opponents.”

“You know the old saying, iron sharpens iron, but that’s exactly what happened. Playing against him helped me in so many ways ... figuring out angles, just learning how to keep up with faster guys,” Scarpa said.

D’Angiolillo and Brundridge recorded two scores each on the season, while Carrig, who was described as a “salt of the earth” type of guy, and junior wingback Henry Reames each found paydirt once.


1e402b40-75d5-49d1-9963-85cc8ec6a27a-1972-100.jpg

Seton Hall football quarterback Joe D'Angiolillo hands off

“Most games were close and came down to a few plays or players and I think we won most of our game because we had the better personnel, especially on defense and in passing” Manigan said.

The players and plays were shaped during physical, grueling practices on Setonia Field, now known as Owen T. Carroll Field, which the team shared with the men’s soccer program and Seton Hall Preparatory School football team. They would typically practice after the soccer team, but they would only get 50 yards to work with as they split it with Seton Hall Prep trying to develop and refine their games as the daylight dwindled in the fall. To make matters worse the field was site of a former steam plant and clumps of coal were embedded in the grass turf.

“You would finish practice and be covered with coal and black dust all over your hands and knees, you wouldn’t believe how spartan it was unless you saw it,” Scarpa said.

“It took a lot of courage for those guys to play on that field, it was rough. But we used it to our advantage because we knew every divot and hole and rough patch out there,” Manigan remembers.

Part 3 tomorrow.
 
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“Passing offenses weren’t the norm back then, but coach [Manigan] let him air it out because of his talent, his arm. He was an exciting player back there for us,” said Scarpa, who is cousins with Seton Hall legend Dick Vitale.

Joe D’s success was made possible by a stout offensive line that featured tackles Bob Paladino and Ernie Travisano, guards Roy McTernan and Brian Corcoran, centers Ben Leone and Joe Brower and tight end Rich Carrig.

“They weren’t necessarily the biggest or the strongest, but they made us work every day in practice,” Lombardi said.

“When you look at the numbers our running game put up, it didn’t matter who was carrying the ball. We were successful because the guy’s up front, for the most part, controlled the game,” according to Horne.

The Pirates’ rushing attack featured five different players throughout the season due to injuries and coaches riding the hot hand.

Senior wingback Joe Tesei handled 48 carries for 187 yards, or 3.8 yard per rush, and caught 14 passes for 160 yards, notching five touchdowns as the team’s second leading scorer.

“He was a dual threat for us as a receiver and counter back ball carrier,” according to Scarpa.

Senior fullback Blaise DeMasi proved to be a bruiser for the Bucs, recording 33 carries for 155 yards, good enough for a 4.7 average.

The backfield also featured three newcomers, led by freshman Dennis Martenz, who came on strong late, rushing 96 times for 371 yards to lead the team, while crossing the goal line five times as the team’s third leading scorer.

Freshman tailback Euwanta “Bam” Fleming carried the ball 47 times for 150 yards, a 3.1 average, including two scores before transitioning to linebacker midway through the season, while freshman fullback Mike Gaus handled 15 carries for 126 yards, an 8.4 average, with one touchdown.

It did not matter who was carrying the rock in the Pirates rushing attack as the team’s power right rush was the offense’s bread and butter, causing fits for opposing defenses throughout the season.

D’Angiolillo’s favorite target was Alexander, who racked up 38 receptions for 668 yards, which both led the team. Alexander would eventually serve as wide receivers coach for his alma mater and was inducted into Seton Hall’s Athletics Hall of Fame in 2020.


297fba65-c69e-4505-9fe2-d7a2e9a86f5d-jerry_alexander_action_shot.jpg

Jerry Alexander hauls in a pass for Seton Hall

“He was a guy who was maybe five-foot-eight, one hundred and fifty pounds. He had great hands, he was quick and elusive, he was a great receiver who could jump with anybody,” Carpenter said.

Those sentiments were echoed in every interview, with Horne calling Alexander “one of, if not the best, athletes I have ever seen,” with Lombardi noting he could “dunk a basketball with ease even at his height.”

“With Jerry it was simply just throw it in the zip code and he’ll go get it,” Lombardi said, referring to Alexander as a “nightmare for opponents.”

“You know the old saying, iron sharpens iron, but that’s exactly what happened. Playing against him helped me in so many ways ... figuring out angles, just learning how to keep up with faster guys,” Scarpa said.

D’Angiolillo and Brundridge recorded two scores each on the season, while Carrig, who was described as a “salt of the earth” type of guy, and junior wingback Henry Reames each found paydirt once.


1e402b40-75d5-49d1-9963-85cc8ec6a27a-1972-100.jpg

Seton Hall football quarterback Joe D'Angiolillo hands off

“Most games were close and came down to a few plays or players and I think we won most of our game because we had the better personnel, especially on defense and in passing” Manigan said.

The players and plays were shaped during physical, grueling practices on Setonia Field, now known as Owen T. Carroll Field, which the team shared with the men’s soccer program and Seton Hall Preparatory School football team. They would typically practice after the soccer team, but they would only get 50 yards to work with as they split it with Seton Hall Prep trying to develop and refine their games as the daylight dwindled in the fall. To make matters worse the field was site of a former steam plant and clumps of coal were embedded in the grass turf.

“You would finish practice and be covered with coal and black dust all over your hands and knees, you wouldn’t believe how spartan it was unless you saw it,” Scarpa said.

“It took a lot of courage for those guys to play on that field, it was rough. But we used it to our advantage because we knew every divot and hole and rough patch out there,” Manigan remembers.

Part 3 tomorrow.
Is there a roster of players on the 1972 team?
 
D’Angiolillo was often referred to as ‘Joe D’ and revered as a Joe Namath-like character – aided by his mustache and white cleats like Super Bowl III MVP “Broadway Joe.’ He completed 76 of 162 attempts for 1103 yards and recorded 14 touchdowns compared to seven interceptions, where three would come in one game.
Joe D’Angiolillo was from Bloomfield and was quite a character to say the least. He was a hell of an athlete and was a senior teammate of mine my sophomore year on the baseball team.

He was the starting QB on the football team and actually beat out Mark Tripucka, also a sophomore in D’Angiolillo's senior year. Mark's father was the legendary QB Frank Tripucka of Notre Dame and the Denver Broncos fame as well as Mark being the brother of Kelly Tripucka, also an ND alum and NBA star for the Detroit Pistons.

Many years later Joe D opened up a restaurant/bar in Bloomfield.
 
Joe D’s success was made possible by a stout offensive line that featured tackles Bob Paladino and Ernie Travisano, guards Roy McTernan and Brian Corcoran, centers Ben Leone and Joe Brower and tight end Rich Carrig.
Ben Leone was also from Bloomfield but he was younger than me so I didn't get to know him until many years later when I was in my late 30s and played in a fast pitch softball league. By that time my legs were giving in and I switched from the outfield to first base. Benny was the catcher on that team and we got to know each other and really enjoyed each other's company.

Benny wasn't that big but he was tough as nails.
 
“Passing offenses weren’t the norm back then, but coach [Manigan] let him air it out because of his talent, his arm. He was an exciting player back there for us,” said Scarpa, who is cousins with Seton Hall legend Dick Vitale.

Joe D’s success was made possible by a stout offensive line that featured tackles Bob Paladino and Ernie Travisano, guards Roy McTernan and Brian Corcoran, centers Ben Leone and Joe Brower and tight end Rich Carrig.

“They weren’t necessarily the biggest or the strongest, but they made us work every day in practice,” Lombardi said.

“When you look at the numbers our running game put up, it didn’t matter who was carrying the ball. We were successful because the guy’s up front, for the most part, controlled the game,” according to Horne.

The Pirates’ rushing attack featured five different players throughout the season due to injuries and coaches riding the hot hand.

Senior wingback Joe Tesei handled 48 carries for 187 yards, or 3.8 yard per rush, and caught 14 passes for 160 yards, notching five touchdowns as the team’s second leading scorer.

“He was a dual threat for us as a receiver and counter back ball carrier,” according to Scarpa.

Senior fullback Blaise DeMasi proved to be a bruiser for the Bucs, recording 33 carries for 155 yards, good enough for a 4.7 average.

The backfield also featured three newcomers, led by freshman Dennis Martenz, who came on strong late, rushing 96 times for 371 yards to lead the team, while crossing the goal line five times as the team’s third leading scorer.

Freshman tailback Euwanta “Bam” Fleming carried the ball 47 times for 150 yards, a 3.1 average, including two scores before transitioning to linebacker midway through the season, while freshman fullback Mike Gaus handled 15 carries for 126 yards, an 8.4 average, with one touchdown.

It did not matter who was carrying the rock in the Pirates rushing attack as the team’s power right rush was the offense’s bread and butter, causing fits for opposing defenses throughout the season.

D’Angiolillo’s favorite target was Alexander, who racked up 38 receptions for 668 yards, which both led the team. Alexander would eventually serve as wide receivers coach for his alma mater and was inducted into Seton Hall’s Athletics Hall of Fame in 2020.


297fba65-c69e-4505-9fe2-d7a2e9a86f5d-jerry_alexander_action_shot.jpg

Jerry Alexander hauls in a pass for Seton Hall

“He was a guy who was maybe five-foot-eight, one hundred and fifty pounds. He had great hands, he was quick and elusive, he was a great receiver who could jump with anybody,” Carpenter said.

Those sentiments were echoed in every interview, with Horne calling Alexander “one of, if not the best, athletes I have ever seen,” with Lombardi noting he could “dunk a basketball with ease even at his height.”

“With Jerry it was simply just throw it in the zip code and he’ll go get it,” Lombardi said, referring to Alexander as a “nightmare for opponents.”

“You know the old saying, iron sharpens iron, but that’s exactly what happened. Playing against him helped me in so many ways ... figuring out angles, just learning how to keep up with faster guys,” Scarpa said.

D’Angiolillo and Brundridge recorded two scores each on the season, while Carrig, who was described as a “salt of the earth” type of guy, and junior wingback Henry Reames each found paydirt once.


1e402b40-75d5-49d1-9963-85cc8ec6a27a-1972-100.jpg

Seton Hall football quarterback Joe D'Angiolillo hands off

“Most games were close and came down to a few plays or players and I think we won most of our game because we had the better personnel, especially on defense and in passing” Manigan said.

The players and plays were shaped during physical, grueling practices on Setonia Field, now known as Owen T. Carroll Field, which the team shared with the men’s soccer program and Seton Hall Preparatory School football team. They would typically practice after the soccer team, but they would only get 50 yards to work with as they split it with Seton Hall Prep trying to develop and refine their games as the daylight dwindled in the fall. To make matters worse the field was site of a former steam plant and clumps of coal were embedded in the grass turf.

“You would finish practice and be covered with coal and black dust all over your hands and knees, you wouldn’t believe how spartan it was unless you saw it,” Scarpa said.

“It took a lot of courage for those guys to play on that field, it was rough. But we used it to our advantage because we knew every divot and hole and rough patch out there,” Manigan remembers.

Part 3 tomorrow.
Just a great group of Kids -- plus Coaches worked their tails off.
 
Part 3

Season Recap

Manigan traces back the success of the 1972 championship team to the work ethic and dedication instilled by the 1971 squad, which finished 6-2, including wins in six of its last seven contests.

The ‘72 also team carried a next man-up attitude from day one as the Pirates had to fill the shoes of one of the program’s all-time greats, Ralph Coccaro, who graduated in 1971 as the program’s all-time leading scorer and rusher with 92 career points and 1359 yards. While Coccaro’s all-time leading scorer title would get broken later the subsequent season, his prowess as a rusher was difficult for one player to fill, luckily the Pirates had a bevy of backs that would do more than enough to offset the loss.

“Losing Coccaro really hurt. I think that’s when Manigan really started to think seriously about moving more to the aerial attack,” Lombardi said.

Before the regular season began, Seton Hall participated in the first inaugural Oranges Bowl against Division III Upsala College in East Orange for Essex County bragging rights. The matchup was a litmus test for the Bucs to determine if their positive play from summer camp and practices would translate into game settings and continue the success from the prior year’s team.

Seton Hall earned the bragging rights, passing their litmus test across all facets of the game as the defense shut out the Vikings and the offense generated 16 points.

“We knew we had a good team, a solid team, but we didn’t know how good we could be. I think winning
the game and the way we did it instilled a lot of confidence in us, particularly us younger guys, that this
team was legit,” Scarpa said.

Seton Hall opened the regular season at home against Iona in a Friday evening contest under the lights of Setonia Field.

“They brought in the lights in specifically for games and for a lot of guys, it was their first time playing under the lights ... I will say that there were dark spots, it wasn’t like how the fields are nowadays,” Lombardi said, with a laugh.

“It was a lot of fun playing at night in front of all your [classmates]. It made us feel like we were pros,” Horne said.

Seton Hall jumped out to an early 7-0 lead behind a touchdown from “Bam” Fleming. The Gaels proceeded to create a pair of turnovers, an interception and a fumble, to take a 13-7 lead, but the Bucs showed their fortitude, weathering their early miscues and tying the game up 13-13 on another touchdown run from Fleming.

Late in the fourth, Alexander, who had already dropped a pair of touchdown passes in the second and fourth quarters, returned a punt 33 yards to the Iona 33-yard line with less than six minutes remaining. Two plays later, D’Angiolillo would connect with Alexander, who beat his man on an out route and made a falling reception in the left corner of the end zone for a touchdown and the game winner.

“I made two bad mistakes. I tried extra hard to make up for them,” Alexander told the Seton Hall Quarterback Club, after the game. The Quarterback Club, which was founded in 1968, served as the booster organization helping to support the team on its championship endeavors.

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Jerry Alexander (left) poses with Seton Hall Athletics Director Bryan Felt at the 2022 Hall of Fame induction
 
Seton Hall’s second game of the season would have them travel to West Haven, Conn. to square off against New Haven University in what ended up being a rainy, muddy affair where offense was hard to come by.

The Pirates took a 7-0 lead late in the first quarter behind a two-yard rush from D’Angiolillo. In the third quarter, Brundridge intercepted a pass to give The Hall the ball at the Chargers’ 23-yard line. A pair of rushes from Fleming and DeMasi led to a nine-yard sco ring run from Tesei to extend the lead to 15-0, which proved to be the final score of the game.

While Seton Hall’s offense was not clicking on all cylinders, the defense made sure the game was never in doubt as it held New Haven to 42 yards rushing and 22 yards passing for the entire game and forced three turnovers, including an interception from Simmons and a fumble recovery by Horne.

“Every win is a good win. I was not pleased by any means by the offensive performance against New Haven. We have got to be consistent. The one thing that is missing from last year’s team is consistency. Potentially ... we have the strongest team in my three years at Seton Hall,” Manigan told the newspapers, after the game.

The Bucs would find themselves on the road again in its third game of the season, a Sunday afternoon affair against Farleigh Dickinson University after a Saturday night postponement due to heavy rain.

Seton Hall opened the scoring in the second quarter on a 10 play 60-yard drive that was capped with a
two-yard rushing touchdown from Martenz, who was operating as the quarterback on the play. FDU
would knot the game up at 7-7 early in the fourth, prompting Manigan to reinsert D’Angiolillo into the
game after he had sat out much of the contest with an ankle injury. The Bucs, paced by senior tailback
Tom Sudol, would engineer a 12 play 77-yard drive with five first downs that resulted in the game
winning score – a screen pass from ‘Joe D’ to Alexander with just 53 seconds remaining.

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Manigan attributed the late rally in the 13-7 win to “a feeling of confidence in the people we had in
there. Joey was back and he gave me what I needed. Two clutch third down passes, one for a
touchdown. What more could I ask,” he said.

After the 3-0 start to the season, Seton Hall was ranked among the top ten club teams in the East region
and set to face off with the toughest opponent on its schedule – Jersey City State University, who
finished the 1972 season as Co–Champions of the NJSAC at 9-1. The homecoming affair would see the
university come out in droves to sell out Setonia Field.

“Jersey City State formed a team the year after [I helped form] St. Peter's program. As a matter of fact, a couple of guys I knew came up to St. Peters to pick our brains about it and we thought it would be great to have an intercity rivalry,” said Carpenter, who played as an undergraduate at St. Peter’s, helped found the school’s football club in 1964 and later served as defensive coordinator after graduating before leaving in 1967 to later join Seton Hall.

“It was extremely inexpensive to go to a state school back then, so they would get guys registered for classes and if you dropped out in the first two weeks you could get 100% of your tuition back. They would have guys drop out and get their money back but still continue to play football and it was a problem with club football back then because there were no supervisory agents,” Carpenter said.

The Pirates were facing an uphill battle, but they took an early 6-0 lead on a nine-yard touchdown pass from D’Angiolillo to Alexander before the Gothics would respond with a 10 play 89-yard drive to square the game up going into the half.

Things would take a turn for the worst after intermission as the Bucs would fumble the opening kickoff, which led to a Jersey City State touchdown. The visiting team would take a 20-6 lead in the third quarter on a four-yard score from Bruce Naszimento, his third of the game. The Bucs would not go down quietly as Studol and Tesei combined to bring the Hall out to their own 43-yard line to set up a ‘Joe D’ to Alexander 35-yard pass before Tesei topped off the drive with a wingback around for a four-yard score to cut the lead to 20-12. Seton Hall would have two more opportunities to tie the game up in the fourth quarter, but failed to convert against the bigger, older Gothics.

“We were the underdogs in that game and it was no surprise that they beat us, but I was disappointed in terms of the final outcome because we played a tough game and we had chances. We weren’t out manned,” Manigan said, when looking back at the lone defeat on the season.
 
Reeling from its first defeat on the season, Seton Hall took down winless St. Peter’s University 13-9 in an unimpressive game at Roosevelt Stadium in Jersey City, N.J.

“I know they had that game circled on their calendars. They came in there with nothing to lose and got to us first, but we were able to do just enough to win,” Carpenter said.

Trailing 6-0 with under two minutes remaining in the second quarter, the Pirates were able to drive the field and tie the game up going into halftime on a 26-yard touchdown pass from D’Angiolillo to Martenz in the back of the endzone with just 19 seconds remaining.

The Peacocks held a momentary 9-6 lead on a field goal in the third quarter, before Reames would return the ensuing kick-off 56 yards to set the stage for the decisive 19-yard touchdown reception from Carrig, the first of the sophomore tight end’s career. With the victory Seton Hall ascended to the number one ranking in the Daily News’ Metropolitan area ratings.

Next up for The Hall was Newark State College, which ended up a 36-7 blowout as the squad put up its highest scoring total on the season. The Bucs would also get interceptions from Scarpa and Brundridge, who also recorded a safety, to stymie any chance Newark State had of making the matchup interesting.

Tesei got the Bucs on the board for the early 7-0 lead on a six-yard touchdown pass from D’Angiolillo. After Newark State tied the game up, the Bucs would score twice within two minutes in the second quarter to put the game out of reach. The highlight of the game came in the third quarter when D’Angiolillo connected on a pass to Alexander, who spun out of reach of a defender and proceeded to outrun the secondary for a 66-yard score.

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All-American wideout Jerry Alexander (left) with Seton Hall football coach Ed Manigan

After the contest, Manigan was notified that the team was ranked second in the national club rankings, out of 95 teams across the country, and was eligible for a bowl invitation.

With bowl prospects on their mind, Seton Hall would go on to handle Pace University 29-0. D’Angiolillo completed just four of ten passes in the game, but three were for touchdowns. The first score of the game was a 39-yard reception by Alexander, which gave him 96 points for his career, surpassing Coccaro for the school record. The final touchdown of the game was a 50-yard catch by Tesei. After the game, Manigan announced that his club had accepted an invitation to the National Club Association Section One Bowl against Marist College, the number one ranked club team in the nation.

“The regular season was easy at that point to an extent. The practices were what was tough. Everyone was focused on winning and getting better every day. Everyone demanded a lot of each other especially as we got later in the season because they knew what was at stake,” Manigan said.

The bowl-bound Pirates closed out the regular season on the road against Fordham University and would need two late scores to earn the 13-7 victory. Early in the fourth quarter the Pirates would close the game to 7-6 after a 10-yard scoring run from Martenz capped a 47-yard drive. A few minutes later they would notch the game winning score when Gaus, the freshman fullback, would catch a three-yard touchdown pass from D’Angiolillo.

“I remember that being a bit of an upset. They were a tough team and gave us all we could handle, but we relied on ourselves and we did just enough to come out on top,” Horne said.


Tomorrow the conclusion
 
Conclusion

Championship Or Bust

With the regular season wrapped up, the Marist College Vikings and Seton Hall Pirates entered the Eastern Club Bowl/Empire Bowl Championship as the respective number one and number two ranked club teams nationally, but only one could leave as champions.

“There was no pep talk. When number one is within your grasp, you don’t have anything to say,” Manigan told the papers before the matchup.

Marist’s defense, which allowed only 43 points in seven games entering the championship, had no response to the combination of The Hall’s ground and pound run game and aerial attack, while the almost impermeable Pirates defense proved to be the difference makers as they held on for the 20-18 victory in front of more than 3,300 people at Fordham’s Jack Coffey Field in the Bronx, N.Y.

Seton Hall got on the board first in the opening stanza as ’Joe D‘ flipped to Martenz for a two-yard receiving touchdown to finish off a 14-play 82-yard drive. Marist closed the score to 7-6 when they blocked a punt off the foot of Lombardi and returning it for a touchdown in the second frame. Seton Hall responded to regain the lead, 13-6, after D’Angiolillo connected with Reames for an 11-yard score.

The Pirates stretched their lead to 20-6 in the third quarter after Brundridge caught a 12-yard touchdown from D’Angiolillo. Another special teams miscue by the Pirates would leave the door open early in the fourth quarter when Fordham’s 10-man line blocked another punt, this time off the foot of Martenz, as Marist returned the blocked punt for a touchdown to close the score to 20-12.

“I busted my nose early in the second half and that was it for me for the rest of the game ... In comes [junior defensive end] Kevin {Mulligan], who hadn’t played much during the season. I roomed with him at camp and he wanted to walk away from the team a couple of times during the season, but I was always able to talk him back into sticking with the team ... Lo and behold, he would make an impact in the second half with a couple of tackles,” Lombardi said.

The Pirates defense kept the Vikings at bay for much of the game, notching three turnovers – two interceptions by Simmons and a fumble recovery by Hamley. They thwarted Marist star halfback Nigel Davis for most of the afternoon, holding him to just 34 rushing yards, but Marist would not go down quietly.

Marist would recover a fumble at the Pirate 23-yard line with just 2:42 left to play. Seven plays later it was fourth and goal from the three-yard line, where quarterback Ed Bonnett would throw for a touchdown to close the score to 20-18.

It all came down to the two-point conversion.

Seton Hall’s ethos is ‘Hazard Zet Forward’ or more simply, ‘whatever the peril, ever forward.’ The team’s impending peril was more than evident, as was the path to right their lapses and come out on top as champions.

“We knew the game was on the line and our backs were against the wall. We had let ourselves get into that situation, but we still had confidence that we could dig deep and turn things around and get out of there with the win,” Scarpa said.

Marist opted not to feed its star halfback, instead running a bootleg with Bonnett.

Seton Hall’s defensive front would not be stopped as they penetrated the line before Bonnett could get going and Boyle would wrap him up to clinch the game and national title.

“[Reserve Mulligan] was in on the final play. It was another example of that next-man up approach we had throughout the season,” Lombardi said.

“I twisted my knee when we stopped the extra point. I went bananas,” Manigan said, after the game. “I’ve never been number one before and it feels absolutely tremendous. It’s nice to be up there. It’s only for a short time, so you might as well enjoy it.”

Leone sprinted across the field with both index fingers raised in the air, players shouted out and embraced on the sidelines in excitement as the time, effort and energy they dedicated to the program was rewarded.

D’Angiolillo completed 18 of 40 passes for 222 yards for three touchdowns to go along with three interceptions, while Alexander recorded nine grabs for 125 yards, but the MVP honors were awarded to Martenz as he was the leading rusher in the game, racking up 85 rushing yards on 32 carries and, the second leading receiver with four catches for 31 yards, including the opening score.

Seton Hall hoisted the Amos Alonzo Stagg Trophy as the National Club Football Champions to the jubilation of the friends, family and members of the university community in attendance.

The three-foot tall championship trophy would make the trek back to northern New Jersey with the team and be proudly displayed outside of Walsh Gymnasium for the coming decades, however, it would eventually be removed from its display case and never reinserted.

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Seton Hall football assistant coach Bill Hollar holds the 1972 Eastern Club Bowl championship trophy

Manigan, who lives in Maplewood, took a friend to check out the famed hardware a few years back and much to his dismay it was nowhere to be found. He would track it down in a storage closet and decided to bring it home to ensure its safekeeping, displaying it in his basement for all who will venture down to check it out.

Manigan wound up being named coach of the year by the New Jersey college sportswriters for guiding the national championships on an unprecedented run.

“We ended up winning the award more than once and I say we because they [assistant coaches] were so integral to our success and they had to put up with me,” Manigan said with a laugh.

With all the team and individual accolades received during and after the championship season, one rarified honor has yet to be bestowed upon the Bucs – enshrinement in Seton Hall’s Athletics Hall of Fame.

“We left it all on the field for each other, we were a true team. In fact, we all still keep in touch to this day,” Scarpa said. “There would be no bigger honor for all of us than to finally be inducted as a team into Seton Hall’s Hall of Fame.”


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The 1972 Seton Hall National Club Football Champions
 
Seton Hall ran buses from the campus to the game. Harty9 and I were on one of the busses.

I remember when we arrived and I saw the Marist team. I told Harty we were going to get destroyed. Their players were big and strong. They looked like men compared to our boys. To a man at every position they dwarfed us in size. But what I didn't take into consideration was the heart and desire of the Pirates.

Watching the game and seeing the 'little guy' go nose to nose against the size and strength of the Marist players and actually not only outplay them, but be the more physical team was inspirational. This group of players were tough with a refuse to lose mentality. They played like Holloway wants his BB team to play.

The school never had a team they could be more proud of.
 
He spent an incredible amount of time researching and talking to those involved.

I can't imagine how many hours he put into this, but all I can do is thank him for this Trove article that he pushed hard to be posted here for everyone to read.
 
Most impressive is that this happened 50 years ago. I can't even imagine how much time Colin dedicated to this project, considering how many sources had input. So glad that those involved had such fond memories & Colin was able to share with the campus community.
 
Loved the detail in the write-ups. I have always been fascinated by small college football and did a lot of web surfing over the years looking up local colleges and their football histories. There are a couple of sites out there that have the general information but none that I found that have the detail provided here. I'll bet it was a real labor of love. I am glad they'll be honored at the game. Great job by Colin.

I watched a number of the games in the mid to late 70's. I was of course disappointed when they dropped football as I was later when wrestling, men's tennis and track and field were all dropped. SIgns of the times unfortunately.

Somehow in my web surfing I found a copy of the commemorative publication a number of years ago that celebrated SHU's 75 year Anniversary. I had been googling SHU football and it popped up one day. Have not been able to find it again. There was of course, a write up about SHU sports including the 1931 football team. I was in pig heaven. The write-ups provided about the games were fun to read with the decidedly old English descriptions about the exploits of the stout but undersized boys from Setonia. (some things never changed) I'm sure Alan Delosier (sp?) has a copy of it. One thing that gave me a chuckle was the announcement that the basketball team was scheduling a tryout in the gym, which at that time was on the second floor of one of the buildings if I remember correctly.

Thanks for the writeups on the '72 team. I will happily applaud them on Sunday.
 
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