From Michael Irvin to Maurice Jones-Drew to Brian Piccolo to Amani Toomer, this one is a barnburner. The big question is will the real game live up to the alumni game?
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - Imagine an alumni football game between two of high school football's most storied programs,
St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) and
De La Salle (Concord, Calif.).
Then imagine further, the game being scored like a boxing match - seven rounds of compare and contrast and debate.
That, in essence, is what you're about to read.
Hours before one of high school football's most anticipated showdowns in recent memory, the following alumni teams were picked with input from superb sources, starting with St. Thomas Aquinas historians Bart Reid and Andrew Stanley.
We thank you.
Those who offered De La Salle input were too many to name, but equally appreciated.
The criteria for choice was 75 percent of what each athlete did after high school, so if an alum went all the way to the NFL, he was pretty much a lock to be selected.
The referee of each round ultimately was the author of this piece.
With such rich histories, there are likely countless worthy players left off the list so feel free to chime in and let us know your picks.
Without further adieu, click away. {PAGEBREAK}
ROUND 1: Quarterback
De La SalleStarter: Matt Gutierrez (Class of 2002, Michigan, Idaho State, NFL).
Three-year De La Salle starter had mixed college career at Michigan and Idaho State before bouncing around NFL as backup. He's still getting NFL looks.
Reserve: Mike Bastianelli (1996, USC).
The late and dynamic Bastianelli was a dynamic athlete and veer quarterback who played receiver at USC. Bastianelli was killed in a car accident along with former NFL standout Darrell Russell in 2005.
St. Thomas AquinasStarter: Wesley Carroll (2007, Florida International/Mississippi State).
A three-year starter at STA with a 38-5 record and school career leader in TD passes, Carroll led both FIU and Mississippi State to bowl game wins.
Reserve: John Congemi (1982, Pittsburgh, CFL Argonauts and Rough Riders).
He replaced Dan Marino at Pittsburgh and was the Fiesta Bowl MVP in 1984.
ST. THOMAS AQUINAS 10, DE LA SALLE 10: Perhaps the hardest position to grade out. De La Salle's QBs tend to be groomed for high school success - no shame there - opposed to the college game. Almost all are managers and runners first. Probably both teams' top signal-callers have yet to take a college snap: Jacob Rudock (2011 Aquinas graduate) is a true freshman at Iowa and Wisconsin recruit Bart Houston is currently De La Salle's starter. {PAGEBREAK}
ROUND 2: Running backsDe La SalleStarters: Maurice Jones-Drew (2003, UCLA, NFL Jaguars), D.J. Williams (2000, Miami, NFL Broncos).
Maurice Jones-Drew.
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Impact starters and Pro Bowl players in the NFL.
Reserves: Patrick Walsh (1993, San Jose State), Leon Callen (1996, Arizona).
The Spartans boast at least a half-dozen others who had major high school careers and earned college scholarships, including Terron Ward, a current redshirt freshman at Oregon State.
St. Thomas AquinasStarters: Brian Piccolo (1962, Wake Forest, NFL Bears), Tony Sands (1988, Kansas, NFL Cardinals).
Probably the most famous figure in the bunch following his death in 1970 that inspired the movie "Brian's Song," Piccolo was a great college player. He led the nation in rushing as a senior at Wake Forest. Sands set single-game records at Kansas in yards (396) and carries, a staggering 58 of them.
Reserves: James White (2010, Wisconsin), Gio Bernard (2010, North Carolina).
White rushed for 2,568 yards and 38 TDs in high school and then immediately ran for 1,052 at Wisconsin as a true freshman. Keith Wilkerson (1993, Ohio State) was an All-American on Aquinas' 1992 team but did little in college.
DE LA SALLE 10, ST. THOMAS AQUINAS 9: Jones-Drew and Williams will likely wind up as the program's most famous and accomplished football players. (Total: DLS 20, STA 19). {PAGEBREAK}
ROUND 3: ReceiversDe La SalleStarters: Amani Toomer (1992, Michigan, NFL Giants), Demetrius Williams (2001, Oregon, NFL Ravens).
Toomer is one of the Giants' all-time greats. Williams is still getting NFL tryouts.
Reserves: Cameron Colvin (2004, Oregon), Rashad Floyd (1996, Portland State, AFL Colorado Crush).
Hall of Famer Michael Irvin.
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Michael Irvin (1984, Miami, NFL Cowboys), Leonard Hankerson (2007, Miami, NFL Redskins).
Irvin is a three-time Super Bowl champ and 2007 NFL Hall of Fame inductee. Hankerson broke all his records at Miami.
Reserves: Richard Goodman (2005, NFL Chargers), Rashad Green (2011, Florida State).
Green is already making an impact at FSU as he showed with an acrobatic 56-yard TD catch against Oklahoma last week. Phillip Dorsett (2011, Miami) and Duron Carter (2009, Alabama) - son of former NFL great Cris Carter - are likely future impact players on Sundays as well.
ST. THOMAS AQUINAS 10, DE LA SALLE 9: Irvin is the most accomplished player on the list for either squad and Toomer has done more than any DLS player. This could be a two-point margin for Aquinas as Green, Carter and Dorsett climb. (Total: STA 29, DLS 29). {PAGEBREAK}
Dylan Wynn has only played two games in college at Oregon State so he didn't make the list of De La Salle starters. It won't be long before he does.
Photo by Louis Lopez
Starters (six): Aaron Taylor (1990, Notre Dame, NFL Packers/Chargers), Derek Landri (2002, Notre Dame, NFL Panthers), Rob Hinckley (1985, Stanford, NFL Lions), Dave Loverne (1994, San Jose State, NFL Jets/Lions), Mawuko Tugbenyoh (1996, Cal, CFL Lions), Tosh Lupoi (2000, Cal).
Taylor won a Super Bowl with the Packers.
Reserves: Dylan Wynn (2011, Oregon State), Travis Pfeifer (1997, Stanford), Brad Thompson (1988, Cal), Robin Meadow (2001, Washington), Erick Sandie (2003, Colorado State), Joe Miklos (2001, UNLV).
St. Thomas AquinasStarters: Geno Atkins (2006, Georgia, NFL Bengals), Jeremy Cain (1998, Massachusetts, NFL Jaguars), Marcus Gilbert (2006, Florida, NFL Steelers), Sam Young (2006, Notre Dame, NFL Bills), Cameron Davis (1992, Florida), Stefan Humphries (1980, Michigan, NFL Bears).
Reserves: Andrew Datko (2008, Florida State), Nick Pieschel (2007, Central Florida), Dan Wenger (2006, Notre Dame/Florida). Datko and Pieschel started as true freshmen and are slated for NFL careers as well.
ST. THOMAS AQUINAS 10, DE LA SALLE 9: As high school players, De La Salle might grade higher than any line group in the country. But most of their linemen don't translate to the next level. Again, no shame there. St. Thomas' pipeline to the NFL is extremely impressive. (Total:STA 39, DLS 38){PAGEBREAK}
ROUND 5: LinebackersDe La SalleStarters: D.J. Williams (2000, Miami, NFL Broncos), Kevin Simon (2001, Tennessee), Nate Gelderman (1996, Cal).
One of De La Salle's deepest positions. Williams is the only two-way starter here for either team and certainly DLS' most dominant player in history. Only knee injuries prohibited Simon from a long and productive NFL career.
Reserves: Terrence Kelly (2004, Oregon), Blake Renaud (2011, Boise State), Brady Amack (2008, Air Force), Greg Brown-Davis (1997, Oregon State).
St. Thomas AquinasStarters: Tavares Gooden (2003, Miami, NFL Ravens/49ers), Twan Russell (1992, Miami, NFL Redskins/Dolphins/Falcons), Chris Shula (2005, Miami-Ohio).
Gooden recorded 90 tackles and 10 sacks as senior at Aquinas before starting three seasons for the Hurricanes. He was third-round pick of the Ravens in 2008.
Reserves: Vince Mauro (2010, Navy), Conor O'Neill (2009, Wisconsin).
O'Neill is now a strong safety for the Badgers.
DE LA SALLE 10, ST. THOMAS AQUINAS 9: Kelly, DLS' MVP in 2003 and earmarked to play on Sundays, was murdered in 2004, the low point in the storied program's history. He very well could have been the best of this entire lot. (Total: DLS 48, STA 48).{PAGEBREAK}
ROUND 6: SecondaryDe La Salle
Starters: T.J. Ward (2004, Oregon, NFL Browns), Jackie Bates (2004, Oregon, NFL Chiefs), Tuan Van Le (1986, Stanford), Willie Glasper (2004, Oregon, UFL Mountain Lions).
Another extremely deep position for the Spartans, Ward emerged as the top DLS DB despite missing most of his high school career with a knee injury. A truly inspiring story.
Reserves: Charles Favroth (2000, Oregon), Matt Clizbe (1990, Cal), Damon Jenkins (2003, Fresno State), Atari Callen (1999, Cal).
St. Thomas AquinasStarters: Major Wright (2007, Florida, NFL Bears), Lamarcus Joyner (2010, Florida State), Marcus Roberson (2011, Florida), Cody Riggs (2010, Florida).
Wright was a three-year starter for Aquinas and led the Raiders to three straight state bowl games. He then was a starter for 2008 national title team at Florida and skipped his senior season to be drafted in the third round by the Bears.
Reserves: Billy Brown (1995, Florida State/Florida Atlantic).
DE LA SALLE 10, ST. THOMAS AQUINAS 10. Really tough call here. De La Salle has more depth, but STA's rising stars are extremely impressive. (Total: DLS 58, STA 58). {PAGEBREAK}
ROUND 7: KickersDe La SalleStarter: Doug Brien (1989, Cal, NFL 49ers/Jets/Saints).
Won a Super Bowl ring with the 49ers in 1994, the same year he set a record for most PATs in a single postseason (17). Made 80 percent of his FGs and 98 percent of his PATs.
Reserve: Ryan Christian (1992, UC Davis).
St. Thomas AquinasStarter: Brett Swenson (2006, Michigan State).
MSU's career leader in points, field goals and extra points.
Reserve: Wes Byrum (2007, Auburn).
Game-winning field goal to clinch national title is nice way to end a kicking career.
ST. THOMAS AQUINAS 10, DE LA SALLE 9: Brien gets major points for being the only NFL kicker for either team, however STA gets the nod for sending 11 straight specialists to Division I programs.
FINAL SCORE: St. Thomas 68, De La Salle 67. As usual, the kickers decide it at the end.
