Is there a roster of players on the 1972 team?“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.
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.
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.
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.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.
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.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.
Just a great group of Kids -- plus Coaches worked their tails off.“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.
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.
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.