...L IV ES ON!
Craig Dimitri ’91, an original participant, is now the referee
Top photo: Longtime participants: [l-r] Victor Rauch ’92, Craig Dimitri ’91, Jonathan DiRenzi ’91 and Anthony Torre ’91. Bottom photo: Anthony San Filippo ’91 (#37) makes an interception in the 2012 game.
Craig doesn’t play anymore, but he is the referee who we yell at for missed calls all the time. And with us in our late 30’s, we now have families, and the kids come out to play too. Every year the game is offered to Prep alums first, specifically members of the Class of 1991, but anyone is welcome to play. In November, I won for the first time since 2008, and was able to proudly raise the trophy that Craig had made in 1996 for the game. It’s beat up. It’s missing a golden eagle that was broken off the first day we had it when my cousin sat on it accidentally, but it’s still there.
“Anthony was always dragging me to different things when we were kids,” DiRienzi said. “But now he doesn’t need to even call. I know to show up at St. Joe’s on the morning after Thanksgiving ready to play.” DiRienzi wears the same jersey he’s worn for years. Torre has the same sneakers from the original game in 1988. “They stay in the back of my closet and only come out once a year,” Torre said. McLaughlin has played in 20 of the 25 games while countless other classmates have been a part of the game over the years as well.
every year, not for the winning or losing, or even playing for that matter, but just knowing that I’m taking part in something special related to the Prep that I think will go on forever.” Though others may play, including my oldest son Anthony (a junior at Springfield HS), the game promises to be a Prep tradition for many years. My fifth-grade son Andrew got to score a touchdown this year. Afterwards, he came up to me and said, “Dad, I’m going to be playing in this game when I’m 38 with my friends from the Prep class of 2020.”
I guess that means he’ll be writing about the 50th anniversary of the game. I may not From Stefan Politz ’91 to Brian McCloskey The trophy has been stolen, left in ’91. From Carlo Sena ’91 to Fred Short ’91. be playing still at that point, but God restaurants, lost in storage, shipped through From Matt McCormick ’91 to Kevin willing, I’ll still be there on the sidelines the mail and has had countless other watching. And I’m betting at the very McGowan ’91 – who simply showed up for encounters, but it still exists. And we are least Dimitri, Torre and DiRienzi will the annual postgame social at Chili’s - the proud of it, no matter how junky it looks be there too. game has been a part of the Class of ’91 today. (and the Prep) for a quarter century. Craig, Torre and I are the only three “It’s really indicative of the spirit of members to have been a part of all 25 camaraderie and tradition that was instilled Anthony SanFilippo ’91 is the Inside Reporter for the games but honorable mention goes to Philadelphia Flyers. He can be read on PhiladelphiaFlyin us when we matriculated at the Prep,” Jonathan DiRienzi ’91, who has played in ers.com and his blog at FlyersInsideOut.com. He can also Torre said. “It’s a day I look forward to be followed on Twitter @AnthonySan37. all but the original game. WWW.SJPREP.ORG/PREPNEWS