Throwback Thursday - 1957

The 1957 Golden Rams Juggernaut

Sure the offense averaged 36 points per game, topping 50 points in two games with their lowest output being 13 against Bloomsburg. But the defense pitched four shutouts, only King's scored more then ten points against them, and opponents averaged a measly four points per contest. It all amounted to a 9-0 record for head coach Glenn Killinger.

Bob Mosteller scores a touchdown

Named to the All-PSAC team (no second team, no division breakdown) were end Bruce Shenk, tackle Dave Emerich, and back Bob Mosteller, all of whom are in the Killinger Football Hall of Fame

Head Coach W. Glenn Killinger

The 1957 West Chester Cheerleaders

Throwback Thursday - 1967

Had coach Bob Mitten was coming off an 8-3 record and an appearance in the Tangerine Bowl in 1966, so expectations were high. They 1967 squad did not disappoint.

1967 Golden Rams

The team opened with a 14-9 win at Villanova. Then the Golden Rams topped western division foe Shippensburg. West Chester defeated all six division opponents by an average score of 41-8, with Bloomsburg posting the highest total of 28. The defense also shutout non-conference opponent Ithaca College 47-0. The undefeated division run setup a repeat appearance in the PSCAC Championship Game against Clarion, the team the knocked off the Golden Rams in the 1966 championship tilt. But this time, West Chester would roll by a score of 27-7.

The Friars sponsored a live ram mascot

Earning first All-PSAC East honors on offense were end Don Wilkinson, tackle Dave Eavenson, guard Frank Mellor, fullback Bert Nye, quarterback Jim Haynie and end Bill Corcoran, tackle Brian Mulhern, guard Harvey Harr, back Fred McKonley, and back Denny Shank on defense. Second team accolades on offense went to tackle Frank Coleman, guard Denny McLaughlin, center Randy Kiehl, halfback Herb Landis, and halfback Richard Nye. Ten of West Chester's eleven players on offense were named all-conference.

Herb Landis scored the first touchdown in the win over Villanova

West Chester also made a repeat appearance in the Tangerine Bowl, falling to Tennessee-Martin for the Golden Rams' only loss of the season.

Team News - 2017 Roster Changes

The incoming transfers that appear on the 2017 roster have been examined, but there a few other changes that are worth reviewing.

Some notable departures:

• Eerin Young - in 2016, the Rhode Island transfer was the Golden Rams' third leading rusher with 333 yards and two touchdowns and the team's third leading receiver with 28 catches for 283 yards and another score. He ran for 97 yards at Bloomsburg and 110 yards at East Stroudsburg and hauled in six catches for 74 yards against Slippery Rock. The versatile player also returned four kickoffs last season.
  
• Steven Denby - as sophomore last season, Denby played in all 11 games, and started the final six contests after captain Ralph Reeves was lost for the season due to injury. The inside linebacker finished fourth on the team with 44 total tackles including 6.5 tackles for loss. Denby was the PSAC East Defensive Player of the Week for his 11 tackle effort against Shippensburg.
  
• Connor Foley - in 2015, Foley averaged 54 yards on 50 kickoffs with five touchbacks. Last season, he averaged 59 yards on 12 kickoffs and converted one PAT.
  
• Brandon Kuntz - the 6'4 receiver had nine catches in six games for a total of 102 yards. His best game came at Edinboro where he made five catches for 53 yards.
  
• Sean Steinmetz - as a true freshman in 2014, the West Chester Rustin product played the final ten games of the season, including the two playoff games. He registered 18 total tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss. He did not appear in a contest in 2015 or 2016.
  

Two players are back on the roster in 2017, after appearing in 2015 but not in 2016.

• Corey Kelley - the defensive back played in all 11 games in 2015, registering 17 total tackles and four pass breakups.
  
• Connor McGrath - the big tight end played in ten games in 2015 and made a 19-yard catch against Slippery Rock in the PSAC championship game.
  

Ben Smith who had four total tackles in seven games played last season, has flipped from the defensive line to the offensive line.

Finally, there were several uniform numbers changes that took place this offseason. You'll still need to buy a game program, but here they are:

• sr defensive end George Shipp changed from #93 to #6.
  
• so wide receiver Lex Rosario changed from #85 to #2
  
• so defensive back Jarey Elder changed from #29 to #7
  
• so defensive end Shane Griffin changed from #62 to #90
  
• so defensive back Matt Magdelinskas changed from #37 to #13
  
• r-fr wide receiver Rasheem James changed from #82 to #11
  
• r-fr freshman running back Nafeese Nasir changed from #28 to #27
  
• r-fr freshman defensive back Jordan Burney changed from #38 to #33
  

Player News - Ryan George Transfers to West Chester

Ryan George (Bonner-Prendergast) appears on West Chester's 2017 roster. The 6-4, 220lb linebacker spent last year at Delaware County Community College. The team co-captain also played tight end for the Friars who qualified for the District 12 Class AAA playoffs in each of his final two years there.

- 2015 First Team All-Catholic Class AAA
- 2015 Honorable Mention All-Delco
- 2014 Second Team All-Catholic Class AAA

papreplive - Bonner-Prendergast’s focus is on itself, and that’s a pretty big reflection

2015 Highlight Video

Throwback Thursday - 1977

Although some teams would relish a .500 season, at West Chester, going 5-5 was rather disappointing. A 28-18 win over Glassboro State (now Rowan College) was followed by losses at Delaware (15-17), at New Hampshire (0-26) and against Millersville (7-28). The team then made three consecutive trips to the central part of the state, topping Bloomsburg (20-7) for the 18th consecutive time, falling to Bucknell (13-24) and topping Kutztown (14-7). The next two games were at home and resulted in victories: 21-7 over American International and 28-14 over Cheyney. The season ended with a 24-0 shutout loss at East Stroudsbrug.

The 1977 Golden Rams

West Chester was not a member of the PSAC, so no players were named to the all-conference teams. Joe Senser, who later played with the Minnesota Vikings, caught 54 passes for 796 yards and four touchdowns and was named first team All-Eastern College Athletic Conference. Bill Blystone had 847 yards and three touchdowns rushing. Although the defense snared 23 interceptions on the season, West Chester set the team record of throwing 21 picks, a mark which still stands today. And the team had almost as many yards punting (2,444) as they did of total offense (2,922).

Bill Blystone rushed for a team high 847 yards

Player News - A.J. Long On WCU Roster

Player News - A.J. Long On WCU Roster

A.J. Long (Friendship Christian, TN) is on the Golden Rams 2017 roster. Long spent his first two years of high school at St Pius X in Bethlehem, throwing for 2,852 yards and 28 touchdowns as a freshman. In his sophomore season, he threw for 3,700 yards and 46 touchdowns while rushing for 931 yards and 16 touchdowns in leading the Royals to the District 11 Class A championship. He then transferred to Friendship Christian School in Lebanon, TN for his final two years of high school.

As a junior at Friendship Christian, Long threw for 2,476 yards, 37 touchdowns, and just one interception, while rushing for 669 yards and 12 touchdowns and guided the Commanders to the Class AA state championship. Scholarship offers rolled in from UCLA, Arizona, Syracuse, Ohio and UMass. He followed that up in his senior year with 1,168 yards and 15 touchdowns passing, 466 yards and 12 touchdowns rushing, and another state championship. Long graduated in December and enrolled at Syracuse for the spring 2014 semester.

As a true freshman at Syracuse, Long started five of the team's final six games of the season, completing 89 of 165 passing attempts for 935 yards and four touchdowns against eight interceptions. Although he tallied two touchdowns rushing, he ended the season with -4 yards net rushing. He was named ACC Rookie of the Week when he became the first true freshman in Syracuse history to win his first career start at Wake Forest. However, he has not played collegiate football since the end of the 2014 season.

In the middle of October of 2015, Syracuse medically disqualified Long from participating in any contact sports at Syracuse due to multiple concussions. Later that month, Syracuse granted Long his release. Six weeks later, a neurologist cleared him to play football and in early January 2016, the 6-1, 195lb signal caller enrolled at Wagner College on Staten Island. After the spring game, Long expected to vie for the starting quarterback job that upcoming fall, but a back injury during camp prevented him from seeing the field that entire season.

- 2013 DII Mr. Football Finalist
- 2013 Tennessee Sports Writers Division II-A All-State
- 2012 Tennessee Sports Writers Division II-A All-State
- 2011 Second Team MaxPreps Sophomore All-American
- 2011 First Team Associated Press Class A All-State

STAT - Sidelined by three concussions, former Syracuse quarterback still can’t get in the game

lehighvalleylive.com - Former Pius X QB AJ Long back in football, signs with Wagner after medical DQ

STAT - Disqualified after concussions, college football players recruited back onto the field

Syracuse.com - Former Syracuse QB AJ Long details concussion history after medical disqualification

cuse.com - Football Adds Four to the Program

Varsity Preps - Top Dual-Threat, Elite 11 QB AJ Long Has Five Offers

The Express-Times - AJ Long officially enrolls at Friendship Christian School in Tennessee

Player News - Jamil Pollard On Golden Ram Roster

Jamil Pollard at West Deptford (Photo Mat Boyle)

Jamil Pollard (West Deptford) appears on the Golden Rams 2017 roster. The 6-3, 285lb defensive lineman has endured a long and winding road from West Deptford to West Chester, and it started even before the Eagles won the South Jersey Group II Championship in his final year of high school. After Pollard's junior year, in which he posted 56 tackles and four sacks, he issued a verbal commitment to Penn State, foregoing offers from Alabama, Florida, Iowa and Rutgers. However he failed to qualify academically and Penn State pulled his scholarship offer in the summer prior to his senior year. Boston College, Rutgers, East Carolina and Temple remained in contention for the two-way phenom.

In his senior year, he registered 83 tackles, five sacks and two forced fumbles, as West Deptford went 11-1 and captured the title. Their only loss came to rival Haddonfield, and the Eagles avenged that loss in the championship game. In December, the 7th ranked player in New Jersey would issue a verbal commitment to Penn State, selecting the Nittany Lions over Boston College. He became the first commitment since the Jerry Sandusky scandal broke, stating that the issue had no effect on his decision. With improved grades, Penn State offered and he accepted a scholarship to Penn State.

Pollard spent that summer in State College taking classes. But when the NCAA's sanctions against Penn State were announced, he elected to not go to Penn State and chose to attend Rutgers, again foregoing several other Division I scholarship offers. Due to the Penn State sanctions, Pollard was eligible to play for Rutgers in the fall of 2012, but he ended up redshirting that season. Then prior to the 2013 season, Rutgers announced that Pollard retired from football due to unspecified injuries. Six months later, Rutgers announced that Pollard would be returning to the team. Although listed on the Scarlet Knights roster in 2014, he did not see game action.

Pollard did not participate in football team activities since the fall of 2014, and was involved in a criminal event that took place in a dorm room in December of that year. He was arrested and charged in September of 2015 with crimes associated with stealing cash and marijuana. He was one of six men who performed similar actions and, as a result, he was dismissed from the football team and suspended from the university. The case was finally settled this past March.

- 2011 Gloucester County Times Defensive Player of the Year
- 2011 Second Team Star-Ledger All-State (Offense)
- 2011 First Team Philadelphia Inquirer All-South Jersey
- 2011 First Team All-Courier Post
- 2010 First Team Philadelphia Inquirer All-South Jersey (Offense)
- 2010 First Team All-Courier Post

NJ Advance Media - Ex‑Rutgers football player accepts plea deal in home invasion

Reading Eagle - Penn State coach James Franklin has sympathy for Rutgers counterpart

OnTheBanks.com - Rutgers Picked up a 4* Former Penn State Commit Today ... From the Class of 2012

South Jersey Times - West Deptford High School graduate Jamil Pollard settling into new home with Rutgers University football program

South Jersey Times - West Deptford High School grad Jamil Pollard leaving Penn State, accepts scholarship from Rutgers way to go forward

Pittsburgh PostGazette - PSU recruit endures slayings of two sisters, finds way to go forward

West Deptford Talon - Pollard signs with Penn State

nj.com - West Deptford's Jamil Pollard is GCT Defensive Football Player of the Year

2011 Highlight Video

Player News - Gabe Schappell On WCU Roster

Gabe Schappell (Exeter) appears on the Golden Rams 2017 roster. At 6-2, 220lb, Schappell was primarily a tight end and caught 27 passes for 634 yards and seven touchdowns as a sophomore. Then as a junior, he caught 14 passes for 199 yards and four touchdowns prior to his Eagles suffering an injury at quarterback. Despite having never taken a snap, Schappell became a quarterback for the remainder of that season. He finished the year with 977 yards and 15 touchdowns rushing, and 443 yards and five touchdowns passing, leading Exeter to an 11-1 record and the second round of the District 3 Class 4A playoffs.

Schappell received interest from Syracuse, Richmond and New Hampshire before accepting an offer to Army prior to the 2016 season. This past season, Exeter qualified for the District 3 Class 5A playoffs, falling to eventual state runner-up Harrisburg. With their quarterback back from injury, Schappell hauled in 47 balls for 908 yards and eight touchdowns while adding 219 yards and three scores on 27 carries. He also played basketball for the Eagles, although his senior season was cut short due to an injury.

- 2016 Pennsylvania Football Writers' Class 5A All-State
- 2016 First Team PA Football News Class 5A All-State
- 2016 First Team Penn Preps Class 5A All-State
- 2016 First Team Class 5A All-EasternPAFootball.com
- 2016 Second Team All-Berks
- 2015 Honorable Mention Class 4A All-EasternPAFootball.com
- 2015 First Team All-Berks
- 2015 First Team All-Berks Section 1
- 2014 Second Team All-Berks Section 1

Pa Prep Live - Exeter goes down swinging in District 3 5A loss to Harrisburg

EasternPAFootball.com - Exeter Twp. Rolls Reading High 40-0

Army Football Insider - Versatile Schappell is Army’s second 2017 commit

Reading Eagle - Schappell accepts football offer from West Point

2016 Highlight Video

Throwback Thursday - 1987

Danny Hale's team was loaded with talent and was coming off an appearance in the PSAC championship game. Coming off a loss in the title tilt to IUP, a rematch of that game in the opening week of the season would give a sense of how things might end. West Chester hosted the Indians (as they were then known) and throttled them by a score of 31-7. Things were looking up.

Jason Sims rushed for 272 yards in a non-conference 30-3 win over American International which was followed by a trip to nearby Newark. A hard fought contest went to the Division IAA Blue Hens by a 28-21 score. The Golden Rams would then breeze through the remainder of their PSAC schedule, with the high octane offense putting up 41 points per game during that stretch of seven games. Besides the six teams in the east division, West Chester also downed the Edinboro Fighting Scots, a game in which Jason Sims and Todd Madison each eclipsed 100 yards rushing.

Al Niemela

This set up a rematch of the 1986 PSAC championship game with IUP, and after the early season dominance that West Chester showed, expectations for a crown were high. But once again, the Indians came away with a 21-9 win which cost West Chester a trip to the NCAA playoffs. The team finished 9-2 for the second consecutive season.

Jason Sims

The Golden Rams placed several skill position players on the first team All-PSAC East team including quarterback Al Niemela (2,445 yards and 22 touchdowns passing), running back Jason Sims (1,368 yards rushing), wide receiver Bill Hess (44 catches for 949 yards and 10 touchdowns), tackle Jay Buchanon, and guard Ralph Tamm. Second team offense members were tackle Bob Phillips, guard Joe Szczerba, wide receiver Jim Shehan, and fullback Todd Madison (12 touchdowns). From the West Chester defense, which had 27 interceptions, linemen Mike Testa and Mike Carnesale (10.5 sacks), linebacker Pat Tryson (79 total tackles), and defensive backs Dominic Kurtyan and Andre McFadden made All-PSAC East. Not to be overlooked was 28 yr-old punter Chart Hollenbach who was named to the first team All-PSAC East.

Chart Hollenbah

Ralph Tamm was named AFCA First Team All-American and was then selected in the ninth round of the NFL draft by the New York Jets.