Ron Cohen

Tribute Page Ron Cohen coached George Washington High's football team for 30 seasons (1985-2014), winning 261 games and 13 championships (12 Public, one City). In 2008, the Eagles gave Ron his 10th PL crown with a three-OT win over Northeast. One hero was a second-generation "Cohener." Here is that story . . . By Ted Silary James Fowler is not the only member of his family who comes through in pressure situations. Football seasons. Lives. They both need saving. Fowler, a 6-1, 205-pound junior, plays tight end and linebacker for George Washington High, the newly crowned Public League AAAA champion. His mother, Fiona, is a firefighter for Haz-Mat 1, Engine 60, in South Philly, and James is dedicating the season to her. Not because she's sick or injured. She's fine. Just because. As in, James realizes the daily dangers his mother faces, and he feels it's important to keep reminding her how much her heroic efforts are appreciated. Did someone mention heroic? Fowler proudly earned that label Saturday as Washington outlasted Northeast, 41-34, in three overtimes. Yes, three overtimes. "It felt like it was 10," Fowler said, laughing. "I thought we were going to lose . . . I thought we were going to win . . . I didn't know what was going to happen . . . I felt we were going to go all night." Ultimately, the Eagles gave coach Ron Cohen his 10th title, tying the PL record of the late Al Angelo (Frankford), when quarterback Aaron Wilmer posted a 1-yard sneak and Lorenzo Adams intercepted a left-corner pass intended for Tennessee-bound wideout Je'Ron Stokes. Washington reached that stage because Fowler snagged touchdown passes in each of the first two OTs - a 5-yarder to open the first; a 6-yarder (on fourth down, no less) to close the second. No. 1: Despite double coverage, he made the catch a shade inside the 1 and fought his way into the end zone. No. 2: With very little room to work with, on an out, he made the catch in the front left corner and showed the necessary presence of mind to get one foot down. "On the first one, I just tried to find an open spot in their zone and sit down," Fowler said. "Aaron threw a rocket right at me. Hit me right in the hands. I thought I was in. Saw I wasn't. Had to turn and truck my way in. "On the second one, Aaron said to run a little out and that he was coming to me. Knew I'd have to make it since that ball was right there, too." The excitement started long before this became the second OT title-game final in city history. (In 1990, Archbishop Ryan topped Archbishop Carroll, 20-13, for Catholic League honors.) Regulation ended at 20-20, thanks to a 45-yard field goal by Northeast's Tim Freiling with 58 seconds left. Wilmer then fumbled and Darius Mosee recovered on the Washington 14 at 0:38. Northeast nixed a play-it-safe, win-it-with-a-field-goal approach and tried for a TD, with Stokes the intended receiver. The pass from his brother, Malik, was intercepted by freshman Nate Smith. Northeast's OT scores went to J. Stokes and Steve Pinckney on passes of 15 and 8 yards. As the game ended, the Eagles exploded in celebration. The Vikings were mostly inconsolable and some members of the offense lay face-down on the turf for a significant amount of time. Emotions swirled throughout the week, especially after Cohen went public with his disgust that Northeast, the No. 3 seed, was allowed to not only host the game, but occupy the home stands and sideline. "That got us fired up," Fowler said. Fowler, whose father, Chuck, was a starting lineman for Cohen's first Washington team in 1985, got his receiving start in youth ball, with Crispin Gardens. "I guess I never stopped," he quipped. "I line up wide occasionally, but I'm fine with being a tight end. It's like I'm a lineman, but I get to score a couple times, too. Best of both worlds." And mom was there to see it. "She makes sure she makes all my games," James said. "Even when she has work, she gets there late." This day, even very late would have sufficed. SEASON BY SEASON Public League 1985: 6-0 1986: 4-1-1 1987: 4-2 1988: 4-1 1989: 5-0 1990: 5-0 1991: 4-1 1992: 5-0 1993: 4-1 1994: 3-2 1995: 4-1 1996: 4-1 1997: 3-2 1998: 5-0 1999: 4-1 2000: 4-1 2001: 4-1 2002: 4-1 2003: 4-1 2004: 6-0 2005: 4-1 2006: 4-1 2007: 5-0 2008: 4-0 2009: 3-1 2010: 5-1 2011: 5-1 2012: 4-1 2013: 4-1 2014: 4-2 Total: 128-26-1 --- Overall 1985: 10-2 1986: 7-2-1 1987: 6-3 1988: 8-3 1989: 10-0-1 1990: 9-2 1991: 11-1 1992: 10-2 1993: 7-4 1994: 8-4 1995: 11-1 1996: 7-4 1997: 7-4 1998: 10-1 1999: 6-4 2000: 11-1 2001: 10-2 2002: 10-2 2003: 10-2 2004:12-1 2005: 7-5 2006: 9-4 2007: 10-3 2008: 10-2 2009: 8-3 2010: 8-3 2011: 8-4 2012: 8-3 2013: 5-6 2014: 7-6 Total: 261-84-2 -- PUBLIC LEAGUE TITLES 1989 1991 1992 1994 1995 2000 2001 2004 2007 2008: 4A 2009: 4A 2011: 4A CITY TITLE 2008: 4A -- STATISTICAL LEADERS 800 RUSHERS Yards Year Jerry Butler 1,759 '04 Jerry Butler 1,247 '03 Reuben White 1,228 '97 Cleon Jones 1,085 '86 Quadir Cobbs 1,058 '14 Rich Sago 1,052 '85 Bruce Perry 1,041 '98 Fateen Brown 1,018 '06 Fateen Brown 934 '05 Hakeem Sillman 911 '10 Rich Sago 882 '86 Tavis Anderson 816 '88 Ryan Gore 804 '00 800 PASSERS Yards Year Marcus Kennedy 1,301 '01 Tony Smith 1,235 '10 Chuck Hughes 1,228 '04 Aaron Wilmer 1,150 '08 Clinton Granger 1,129 '07 Dave Gavrilov 983 '12 Aaron Wilmer 975 '09 Thomas Wilmer 915 '05 Cedric Wright 905 '13 Edward Jean 863 '98 400 RECEIVERS Yards Year Kyle Bell 640 '01 Andrew Goodman 583 '07 Ramel Tiggett 579 '95 Jafar Williams 542 '98 Daquan Cooper 502 '10 Mike Van Allen 444 '01 Hasan Brockman 439 '13 Nate Smith 423 '10 Rasheed Black 423 '13 This story was written in 2008 after Ron and the Eagles continued their classic postseason run by shocking La Salle for the Class 4A City Title . . . By Ted Silary AT 6-4, 300 POUNDS, Sharrif Floyd is not easily worn down. Physically, that is. But in the middle of what has become a glorious football season for George Washington High, Floyd's spirit dipped to broken and finally, in a playful manner, he decided to keep his lips zipped. "I kept asking the coaches when they were going to let me play defense," he said. "They kept saying, 'Next week will be your turn. ' "It kept not happening and I reached the point . . . Didn't make sense to ask anymore. I still kept hoping, though." Saturday, in biting weather at Northeast's Charlie Martin Memorial Stadium, Washington captured the first City Title available since 1979, by surprising to even shocking La Salle, 23-14, and Floyd . . . You know what's coming, right? Yes, the junior stud, who also played guard, was one of the defensive heroes. Floyd imposed his game-long will as a down lineman, recording three tackles behind the line (two sacks included) for 13 yards and helping to harass passer supreme Drew Loughery into three interceptions and just 12 completions in 33 attempts. And then, with 3 minutes, 16 seconds remaining, he made The Block Heard 'Round the City Football World, batting Mike Donohoe's punt through the back of the end zone for a safety that made it a two-score game. Before long, the Eagles were celebrating in passionate fashion and most were yelling, often multiple times, "Nobody thought we could do this! 'Cept us! " Oh, and they might have added a combined, say, 3,000 times, "We shocked the world!" Was that how Floyd saw it? "We took the fact people saw us as underdogs into consideration," he said. "If La Salle wanted it, they were going to have to take it. No way we were laying down. "All we needed was for our coaches and staff and most of the students to be behind us. Those kids who said we'd lose, we blocked them out. " Of his punt-snuff, Floyd said, "I came close to one before. I just was saying, 'I'm gonna get this. ' I swim-moved the up-back trying to block me, put my arms up and there it was." The start was Floyd's second on defense. He finally had been green-lighted in practice leading up to the Public AAAA final vs. Northeast, in which the Eagles earned a 41-34, triple-overtime triumph. His contributions to that one included a sack and other tackles-for-loss. "The coaches said they wanted me to wait until I was really needed on defense," Floyd said. "I was happy when my number was called. "On defense you're more hyper, but on offense you still have to be aggressive when you're doing your blocking. I love pass-rushing, and I knew I just had to keep getting in the quarterback's face." A crucial moment, as it turned out, occurred before the game when La Salle won the toss. Coach Drew Gordon, like always, chose to receive, placing the usual confidence in his potent offense. Washington coach Ron Cohen, of course, chose to kick with the strong wind behind Will McFillin's back. By the third play of the second quarter, the Eagles owned a 21-7 lead thanks to runs of 22 and 6 yards by Kyle Glenn that sandwiched a 48-yard pass from Aaron Wilmer to Omar Hunter. Interceptions by Jamal Williams and Nate Smith set up two of those scores. "I didn't expect the aftermath [of the take-the-ball decision]," Gordon said. "They thought they'd move it down our throats," Cohen said. The game's only other TD came on an 81-yard pass from Loughery to Sam Feleccia with 1:22 left in the third quarter. Laughs were numerous after McFillin's popup punt hit lineman James Luckey smack on the top of his helmet with 2:40 left, but a return to business was quickly needed. Loughery was going to try to move his team quickly downfield. Didn't happen. The Explorers had to settle for little-by-little and the thrust ended with Lorenzo Adams' leaping pick at 26.4. Loughery, who was sacked six times for 36 yards, finished his season with 2,628 passing yards, just 19 short of the city record set by Brett Gordon, Drew's son and offensive coordinator, for La Salle in 1997. That season, Drew was Joe Colistra's OC. Meanwhile, Floyd is one who got away . . . from Frankford. He lives near Cheltenham and Tackawanna and attended one of Frankford's prime feeders, Harding Middle School. He said he was talked into attending Washington by a Harding gym teacher who at that time was a Washington assistant (but now works with Northeast). In late December, Floyd will head for San Antonio to participate in a underclass combine connected with the U.S. Army All-American Bowl. Funds for travel/lodging are being raised each Wednesday at Washington, when Floyd bakes brownies that are sold to students. Gooooood brownies, too. Floyd's dad, Anthony, is a chef. "I don't cook that much," Sharrif said. "But I can make a lot of stuff. My best is fried chicken." A national profile. Pretty heady stuff. "I have to keep it where it's at. Or even kick it higher," he said. "This feels great. I'm looking forward to the trip. I've never been any further than Pittsburgh." This story was written in 1989 after Ron won his (and the school's) first PL crown . . . By Ted Silary Terrell Jones is a young man of varied talents. Not only can he help a football team win a championship. He also can secure a site for the victory party. Last Saturday, Jones, a 5-8, 165-pound junior, carried 12 times for 108 yards and the first two touchdowns as George Washington melted Martin Luther King, 28-0, at Northeast to capture the school's first football title in 26 years of Public League membership. Jones then placed a call to his boss at Chuck E. Cheese's Pizza Time Restaurant, on Roosevelt Boulevard. "The manager said sure, he'll put together something for us," said Jones, who works weekends, mostly preparing pizzas. "We'll go over someday after school." Hey, guys, remember to hoist a soda to Jones. No. 1, he became the first Eagle to top the 100-yard mark all season. The previous best effort had been 93 yards, by Jones, against Northeast. No. 2, his 38-yard, second-quarter touchdown run was Washington's longest of 1989, by 18 yards. Incredibly, the average distance on the team's 31 rushing touchdowns this season was 6.6 yards. Even the four passing touchdowns averaged just 12.8 yards. Jones led the team this season with 87 carries for 517 yards. Malik Pettus (82, 370), junior Dennis Rivers (65, 324), junior Brian White (65, 306) and Michael Fritz (74, 265) also received significant backfield playing time. "I like running the ball, trying to avoid tacklers, getting touchdowns," Jones said. "But in our system, nobody gets the ball a lot. Coach Mac (offensive coordinator John McAneney) went by what plays he thought would work, not so much by what guys were running them. I did pretty well early (242 yards in the first three games), but then I was mostly a blocker. Coach Mac was on me to do that better. "When I wasn't getting the ball much, I just let it go. I'm not one to complain. I just played harder on defense cornerback) to help make up for it." Jones's first touchdown resulted from a "25 belly," out of an unbalanced line formation. "We've been using the 'end over' more and more lately," Jones said. "As I neared the opposite end, (tight end) Louis Rawls made a great block. He held it a long time, enabled me to make a good cut." The title was not Jones's first at Washington. In 1988, as a freshman, he competed in the floor exercise and vault for a Public League gymnastics champion. "I started gymnastics in elementary school, just on my own," Jones said. ''It was a thing where a friend of mine named Ronald was doing flips, then everybody want to imitate him. I stayed with it through middle school. We used to give shows in the auditorium for the other classes. It's good for balance. It probably helped me with football. I didn't do gymnastics last year because I hurt my toe right at the beginning. This year? I might go out for basketball. " Defensively, coach Ron Cohen's Eagles (10-0-1) were led by Terry Dillon (10 tackles, two sacks), Pat Whittle (five, two), Doug Tuley (eight tackles, a sack and a fumble recovery) and Ray McGettigan (fumble recovery). King franchise Jimmy Harris was limited to 32 yards on 12 carries, which meant he finished his career with 498 carries for 3,310 yards and 31 touchdowns (statistics for an '87 game against Olney are unavailable). The yardage total leaves him third in Public League history behind Frankford's Blair Thomas (3,941) and Lincoln's Charlie Peoples (3,346). King (8-2), a 14-year league member, was making its first final appearance. This story was written in 2005 after Ron claimed the Public League record for career wins . . . By Ted Silary AS MUCH TO himself as anyone else, Ron Cohen said in amazement, "That kid can throw, can't he?" Yes he can, coach. And so can those kids behind you. Splish, splash. Cohen was takin' a bath. Though Chris Bennett had just launched a bomb to Maurice Sullivan for an 80-yard touchdown and 54 seconds still remained, there was no longer any doubt - not that there was beforehand - about which team yesterday would in a Public Red game between George Washington and visiting Jules Mastbaum Tech. There was also no mistaking the significance. All kinds of TV cameras don't show up for a regular Pub game projected to be a blowout. And you can't spot people wearing suits along the sidelines. And the School District does not make arrangements to have the action broadcast over the Internet. Yes, it was a special day. Luckily, the weather was not cold, so the doused Cohen he did not have to utter his postgame comments through chat-chat-chattering teeth. With the former recordholder, Al Angelo, in attendance and carrying himself in a manner that had everyone saying, "What a class act," Cohen became the winningest coach in Pub football history as the Eagles soared to victory, 42-14. Angelo, who now lives in Seaville, N.J., went 184-39-5 in 21 seasons at Frankford (1965-84, '87). This is also Cohen's 21st, all straight through, and he is 185-48-2. With water still dripping off his baseball cap, Cohen was handed the game ball by head referee Andy Hafele as the clock hit 0:00. Then there were handshakes by all and the Eagles, joined by dignitaries, students, family members, etc., grouped on the field. Cohen, then a lowly junior-varsity aide, noted that Angelo, already approaching legend status, had been the first to befriend him long ago at a coaching clinic in Atlantic City. He also mentioned that Angelo had reminded him that records are made to be broken, and then he added, "I hope and pray that the man who breaks this record, whoever that may be, has as much fun as I do." Cohen was presented a white football by the principal, Alan E. Liebowitz, and a plaque with the date already inscribed (told you this was a gimme) by longtime assistant John McAneney. Ron's mother, Ethel, even made some remarks while his wife, Mimi, and daughters, Jamie and Elyssa, stood beaming nearby. The Eagles then raised their helmets and screeched out the fight song. No nearby windows cracked. There's a neat story line here. Angelo and McAneney attended West Chester and were captains of the track team in consecutive years. McAneney coached Frankford in the 2 years when Angelo was "retired," and he happened to be the victim in '85 when Washington, with Cohen in charge as a rookie, posted its first-ever win over Frankford. By '88, Johnny Mac was assisting Cohen (his assistant stints came at Abraham Lincoln, Roxborough and Simon Gratz, in addition to Washington), and he has been around for all eight Pub titles. Before the game, Cohen introduced Angelo to the Eagles and said about him: "This man is a living legend and a gentleman. A true gentleman." Speaking of Cohen and McAneney and another longtime assistant, former Temple All-America, Bill "Skip" Singletary, Angelo told the players, "You're the luckiest guys in the world to be playing for these coaches." The game itself? The headliner was senior quarterback Thomas Wilmer, who passed 4-for-6 for 114 yards and one touchdown apiece to Cecil Wise (also a rushing score), Albert Odusanya and Brandon Bynum. Angelo said afterward: "I had to be here. This is so nice. It's beautiful to see Ron do this. He does a terrific job with these kids and it doesn't end on the field. He makes sure they graduate. Gets them into colleges." And to think, the Cohen Era almost never started. Chris Roulhac, who moved on to college assisting, relinquished the Washington job in the summer of 1985 and two guys next in line, varsity assistant Al Oriold and JV head coach Glenn Simpson, had no interest in taking over. Did Cohen? He wasn't sure. Already by that point, in addition to teaching-coaching, he was something of a real estate mogul and some of the properties he was renting/having constructed were in, gulp, Vermont. "Forty weekends a year I was driving up there," he said. "As a head coach, you have to put in a lot of extra time. I didn't know if I wanted to make that big of a commitment. "One day on the beach, I had a talk with a friend of mine, Steve Gratz, who I'd taught with at, well, Gratz. He said, 'You've always wanted to be a head coach. This is a chance. Might not come again. You should do it. ' So I put in for it." Approval was not immediate. In fact, as he waited, Cohen directed practices on a volunteer basis. When he was finally appointed, he fielded a never-forget-it "request" from the then-principal. "She said she wanted me to beat Frankford, win the Public League championship and beat Archbishop Ryan on Thanksgiving," he said, laughing. The trifecta was accomplished by '91. And along the way, excellence has been the norm. Cohen, who has never endured a losing season, 11 times has posted double-digit wins. "No way could I have done this myself," he said. "I've had such good players and assistant coaches." When asked how long he intends to keep coaching, he shot back: "As long as they'll have me. I don't see myself going anywhere for a while. This is fun." Below are the players who earned first team Coaches' All-Public honors during Ron Cohen's 30 seasons as the coach at George Washington. Pos. Name Year Pos. Name Year Pos. Name Year L Rich Andreoni 1985 QB Andy Wrigley 1996 L Sharrif Floyd 2007 L Tony Iorio 1985 L-DL Kwesi Solomon 1996 Rec Andrew Goodman 2007 QB Keith Singleton 1985 L Dan Brunwasser 1996 QB Clinton "Juice" Granger 2007 RB Anthony Bellmon 1985 L-DL Eli Johnson 1996 RB James Johnson 2007 K Rick Pohl 1985 RB-DB Reuben White 1997 K Will McFillin 2007 LB Sean McAleer 1985 L-DL Charles Woodall 1997 L Lawrence Williams 2007 RB Rich Sago 1986 L-DL Sidney Stewart 1997 L Damien Wilmer 2007 RB Cleon Jones 1986 L-DL Mahmood Ibrahim 1997 LB Brett Sommerer 2007 LB M.L. Jackson 1986 Rec.-DB Jafar Williams 1998 B Devon Wallace 2007 B Scott Rosen 1986 RB-DB Bruce Perry 1998 L James Luckey 2008 Rec. Charles Crippen 1987 QB Edvard Jean 1998 L Sharrif Floyd 2008 RB Bobby Davis 1987 L-DL Scott Smith 1998 E James Fowler 2008 L Gary Downing 1987 RB-LB Joseph Holley 1998 QB Aaron Wilmer 2008 LB Ed Neeld 1987 L Sean Thomas 1998 RB Kessan Christopher 2008 B Tavis Anderson 1988 RB Harry Mims 1999 K Will McFillin 2008 B Jim Wark 1988 RB Sayyid Williams 1999 L Bryant Davis 2008 B Calvin Shakoor 1988 DL James Freeman 1999 L Waverly Harris 2008 L Eric Green 1988 RB Cory Sutton 1999 LB Martin Haynes 2008 L Greg Carlisle 1988 DE George Truitt 1999 B Jamal Williams 2008 L Pat Whittle 1989 L Darryl Alexander 2000 QB Aaron Wilmer 2009 L Ray McGettigan 1989 QB Ivan Kosty 2000 RB Vernon Dupree 2009 DL Todd Dawson 1989 L Anthony Nunn 2000 E Nate Smith 2009 DL Louis Rawls 1989 K-P Roger Price 2000 L James Fowler 2009 LB Mike Fritz 1989 L Chris Whittle 2000 L Abdel Kanan 2009 DB Brian Howard 1989 RB Terrance Young 2000 L Sharrif Floyd 2009 L Phillip Simmons 1990 DB Kyle Bell 2001 L Brandon Chudnoff 2009 Rec. Doug Tuley 1990 RB Ryan Gore 2001 LB Martin Haynes 2009 QB Ray Savage 1990 Rec. Mike Van Allen 2001 QB Tony Smith 2010 RB Brian White 1990 L Jason Bermudez 2001 RB English Peay 2010 RB Dennis Rivers 1990 LB Maurice Bennett 2001 WR Daquan Cooper 2010 DB Rick Hite 1990 L-LB Jameel McClain 2002 L Brandon Chudnoff 2010 DL Dan Ben-Tal 1991 QB-DB Marcus Kennedy 2002 L Claudy Mathieu 2010 LB Kevin Averette 1991 RB-DB Larry Turner 2002 B Donovan Morris 2010 LB Orlando Currie 1991 Rec.-DL Randy Brooks 2002 L Melvin McLeod 2011 L Dion Kinard 1991 RB-DB Andre Odom 2002 L Tyrone Smith 2011 QB Jamar Griffin 1991 DB Ricardo Rivera 2003 RB Hakeem Sillman 2011 DL Rick Woertz 1991 QB Rich McFillin 2003 K Jake Wright 2011 RB Ryan Barksdale 1992 DB Marcus Banks 2003 E Justin Moody 2011 Rec. Porfirio Barrera 1992 LB Zimier McCloud 2003 T Kevin White 2011 QB Apollo Wright 1992 L Andres Velasquez 2003 LB Miguel Caban 2011 L Gene Wigfield 1992 RB Jerry Butler 2004 WR Shaquon Allen 2012 L Aaron Goodman 1992 DL Dave Gonser 2004 K Jake Wright 2012 Rec. Jason Killich 1992 QB Chuck Hughes 2004 E Justin Moody 2012 DB Sulaiman Rahman 1992 LB Stefan Ruff 2004 B Rene Villafane 2012 RB-DL Irv Sigler 1993 DL John McFillin 2004 B Marquis Edwards 2012 RB-DB William Potter 1993 DL Dominique Curry 2004 L Zaire Hollerway 2013 QB Mike Curry 1993 L Aaron Murray 2005 WR Rasheed Black 2013 L-LB Jordan Nicgorski 1993 L Chris Clanton 2005 RB Akinyeli Everage 2013 L-DL Lydell Davis 1993 L Demitrius Wilson 2005 K Chris Schlegel 2013 L Roman O'Neill 1994 B Thomas Wilmer 2005 LB Tyrone McNeil 2013 RB-DB Julian Jones 1994 L Chris Clanton 2006 B Hassan Brockman 2013 LB Kerwyn Hackett 1994 L Mike Kelly 2006 LB Shawn Henderson 2014 LB Ron "Butch" Crawley 1994 RB Fateen Brown 2006 DE Shareef Miller 2014 DE Steve Smith 1994 L Aaron Murrey 2006 RB Qadir Cobbs 2014 L-DL Joe O'Reilly 1995 LB Aaron Hampton 2006 CB Terry Hall 2014 RB-LB Sam Bookard 1995 B Oliver Wallace 2006 WR Tavious Morgan 2014 Rec.-DB Ramel Tiggett 1995 B Brian Carter 2006 L-DL Brandon Brown 2014 RB-DB Curtis Callands 1995 K Chris Schlegel 2014 RB-DB Sylvester Bell 1995 -- Recaps of Wins in Public League Championship Games 1989 At Northeast Washington 28, King 0 With Terrell Jones producing 108 yards and the first two TDs on 12 carries, Washington won its first title in 26 years of PL membership. Jones was the first Eagle runner to top 100 yards all season. The Eagles had five rushers produce at least 250 yards on the season and their 31 rushing TDs covered an average distance of only 6.6 yards. The defense was led by Pat Dillon (10 tackles, two sacks), Pat Whittle (five, two) and Doug Tuley (eight tackles and a fumble recovery). King was held to 28 yards total offense. 1991 At Northeast Washington 34, Frankford 0 Apollo Wright passed 5-for-8 for 91 yards and TDs to Jason Killich and Porfirio Barrera. Barrera also returned a fumble 31 yards for a TD. The fumble was forced by Orlando Currie, who added two sacks and rushed nine times for 63 yards and a score. With standout rusher Damien Adams out with a knee injury, Frankford was limited to 11 yards total offense. 1992 At Northeast Washington 20, Mastbaum 0 Sophomore Desmon Heath made a team-high seven tackles and rushed 45 yards for the game's final score as Washington captured its third title in four years and became the first team in 24 years of scheduled title games to win by back-to-back shutouts. Ronald "Butch" Crawley (8-56) and Ryan Barksdale (10-44) also ran for TDs. Sulaiman Rahman ended Mastbaum's best scoring chance with an interception on the 2. 1994 At Northeast Washington 17, Mastbaum 8 Dan Cliggett provided a 10-8 lead by kicking a game-record, 45-yard field goal. That distance was only 4 yards short of the overall city-leagues record. The clinching TD came with 4:43 left when rusher Reggie Bynum fumbled at Mastbaum's 1 and receiver Ramel Tiggett recovered the ball in the end zone. Ronald "Butch" Crawley (10-38) led Washington's balanced rushing attack. For Mastbaum, Leonhard "P.J." McCray passed 8-for-15 for 137 yards and Marcus Godfrey rushed 12 times for 91 yards and a TD. 1995 At Northeast Washington 21, Frankford 0 Led by the likes of Don Russell (eight tackles), Samuel Bookard and Kenny Bivins (six each), Washington won its fifth title in seven years under coach Ron Cohen. The Eagles' first-line defense allowed no TDs in seven of the last eight games. Curtis Callands (8-71) and Bookard (11-65, TD) led the rushing attack. Both teams ended 11-1. Frankford played without rushing star Eddie Gaskins (shoulder injury), one of only three sophomores in history to earn first team All-City honors. 2000 At Northeast Washington 10, Frankford 0 Kyle Bell's interception set up the game's lone TD, Ryan Gore's 2-yard run, and Roger Price kicked his 11th field goal of the season, a 26-yarder. The title was the sixth for Washington in 12 years and the fifth to come by shutout. Maurice Bennett had 12 tackles. Frankford, also blanked by the Eagles during the regular season, won the total offense battle, 219-80, but lost a fumble on the 8 with 1:08 left. 2001 At Northeast Washington 19, Northeast 10 Bobby Young recovered a fumble on Northeast's 6 to set up the game's first TD and made a 32-yard reception on third-and-19 to immediately precede the second, Maurice Bennett's 2-yard run with 4:20 left to put the Eagles ahead for good. The reception was Young's third of the season. His second, resulting in a 6-yard loss, had come one play earlier. Ryan Gore added the clinching TD on a 46-yard interception return. Kyle Bell snagged four passes for 80 yards in addition to making five tackles at safety. Northeast's Darien "Party" Hardy ran 18 times for 80 yards. 2004 At Northeast Washington 30, Northeast 12 There was early energy in the stadium as the Vikings, significant underdogs, seized a 6-0 lead on Jeremiah Pitt's 36-yard interception return. Washington gradually squeezed the life from the game and gave coach Ron Cohen his eighth title in 20 years. Dominique Curry scored two TDs (fumble return, reception) and made three tackles for losses. Jerry Butler (15-115) zoomed 77 yards for a score and Chuck Hughes passed 8-for-14 for 153 yards and two TDs; the other went to fullback Jerome Lewis. Dave Gonser made four stops for losses and Hughes made two interceptions. The game ball was awarded to defensive back Jadrien "J.J." Reynolds, who suffered a spinal-cord injury in a preseason scrimmage. For Northeast, Rockeed McCarter made nine catches for 89 yards and a late TD from Cordia "Chops" Mosley. 2007 At Northeast Washington 34, Bok 6 Bok's hopes of hanging around and causing Washington some consternation were dealt a blow when James Johnson (7-97) ran 69 yards for a TD on the game's first scrimmage play. The Eagles maintained control from there as Clinton "Juice" Granger ran for a pair of 1-yard scores and passed 6-for-9 for 140 yards and a TD to Andrew Goodman (3-122). Bok's Luke Lassiter ran 25 times for a late TD and 163 yards, the third best title-game performance by a member of the losing team. He ended his career with 2,979 yards. The title was the ninth in 23 seasons for coach Ron Cohen. 2008 Class 4A At Northeast Washington 41, Northeast 34 (3 OTs) In a classic and then some, Washington gave coach Ron Cohen his 10th PL title (tying Al Angelo's record) by picking off a pass late in regulation (frosh Nate Smith did the honors) and then getting TDs on all three of its OT possessions. James Fowler posted TD catches on the Eagles' first two thrusts; the second came on fourth down in the front left corner of the end zone. QB Aaron Wilmer (9-for-16, three TDs) then succeeded on a 1-yard sneak in the third extra session and Lorenzo Adams intercepted a pass from Malik Stokes (22-for-42, 243, three TDs) to his Tennessee-bound brother, Je'Ron (9-86). The Vikings' Steve Pinckney added eight catches for 65 yards and a score while Tim Freiling boomed field goals of 45 and 44 yards. Smith's hit caused a fumble that Washington's Waverly Harris returned for the game's first TD. This was only the second OT title game in city history. Ryan topped Carroll, 20-13, for CL honors in 1990. 2009 Class 4A At Northeast Washington 40, Northeast 0 Simba Sellers set an early tone in the biggest rout in Pub finals history (breaking 42-6 by Frankford over Bartram in 1986) by posting a fumble recovery, an interception and 3 1/2 sacks worth 24 yards. Sharrif Floyd proved worthy of his best-DL-in-the-country rep by blocking a punt and making the deflection that led to Sellers' interception. With his first of three TD passes, a 4-yarder to Nate Smith, Aaron Wilmer claimed the PL mark for career TD passes; '95 Germantown grad Spencer Whetts had owned it with 38. The Eagles led at halftime, 34-0, thanks to a 27-0 second quarter. The win gave coach Ron Cohen his 11th PL title, breaking the record of Frankford's Al Angelo. The Eagles were the first winners of three consecutive crowns since Angelo's 1971-73 squads. With hopes of making the Pub look good on a reality show featuring Northeast teacher Tony Danza, the former star actor, the School District allowed all students free admission. On a drab day with the threat of rain, the attendance was nothing special. And, yes, many Washington people could not help but comment, "Guess we showed Tony who's the boss." 2011 Class 4A At Northeast Washington 20, Frankford 13 The winning TD, which snapped a 13-13 tie and gave coach Ron Cohen his fourth crown in five years (one overall, three in AAAA) and 12th total, came with 8:37 left on Hakeem Sillman�s 3-yard run. It capped a 3-yard drive given life by a gigantic blunder. Believing a trick play had been called on fourth-and-10, the long-snapper fired the ball at shocked up-man Aaron Allison, whose pass to no one fell incomplete. Sillman ran 24 times for 141 yards and two scores while Rene Villafane recovered his own fumble in the end zone to cap a 30-yard pass play from David Gavrilov. Kendale Truitt had an interception. For Frankford, junior lefty Tim DiGiorgio passed 13-for-28 for 182 yards and a TD to Kelly Johnson, thus raising his season total to 2,053 and breaking the Pub record set just one year earlier by Fels� Tyree �Bam� Rucker (1,994). Johnson carried 15 times for 91 yards and made three snags for 65. Geoffrey Phillippe mixed 11 tackles (seven solos) with a tumbling-backward interception. -- Recap of Win in City Title 2008 Class 4A At Northeast Washington 23, La Salle 14: On a bitterly cold day, the Explorers chose to receive against a very strong wind and Washington rolled to a 21-7 lead in the first 13 minutes, thanks in part to interceptions by Jamal Williams and Nate Smith. Kyle Glenn's two runs sandwiched a TD pass from Aaron Wilmer to Omar Hunter. Sharrif Floyd's blocked punt produced a safety and a 23-14 lead with 3:16 left. La Salle junior Drew Loughery passed 12-for-33 for 248 yards and one TD apiece to Mike Donohoe and Sam Feleccia (81-yarder; 3-134). He fell 19 yards short of tying the city record (2,647) belonging to his offensive coordinator, Brett Gordon, the son of coach Drew Gordon.