The North Catholic High School Soccer Hall of Fame will honor its 11th class this Sunday. Here are the inductees.
For the Falcons, forget Christmas, it’s the most wonderful time of the year.
On Sunday, the North Catholic High School Soccer Hall of Fame will honor its 11th class.
The event will be held at Romano’s Caterers, and once again great players will be enshrined in the sacred hall of fame.
This year’s class includes six players and one of the best teams to ever wear the red and white.
And while the reason for the outing is to honor some of the best players who ever played for the perennial powerhouse, it’s also a great day for every player, coach and fan of the program to come out and talk about the good times.
The 1929 North team that went 8–0–1 will also be inducted this year.
Also at the banquet, the club will give out the annual service award, as well as honor two of its greatest opponents over the years.
Here is a look at the latest inductees who are headed to the hall of fame:
Dennis Sullivan
Already a member of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Soccer Hall of Fame, this 1968 graduate helped the Falcons win Catholic League championships during his sophomore, junior and senior seasons. A three-year varsity player, Sullivan was an All-Catholic selection as a senior. He scored a goal in the championship game of his senior year.
Dennis Dolan Sr.
The 1968 graduate was a goal machine during his final year, leading the Catholic League in scoring. A two-year varsity starter, Dolan was named All-Catholic and All-Scholastic in each of his final two years. He scored a goal in the Catholic League championship during his senior year where North knocked off Monsignor Bonner 3–0.
Luke Hogan
A member of the class of 1971, Hogan was named All-Catholic in each of the two years he was a varsity player. He was one of the leaders of the team that won the 1970 Catholic League championship by knocking off Cardinal Dougherty. That year, the Falcons also earned a share of the city championship, as Hogan was named First Team All-American. Hogan went on to play soccer at La Salle.
Bill Pancoast
Pancoast, a 1988 graduate, had a knack for leadership at North. Not only was he a captain of the soccer team during his senior campaign, he was a captain on the basketball team that ended up winning a Catholic League championship. Also, the All-Catholic selection was class president at the school. He went on to play for La Salle University, where he was a four-year starter. During his senior year in college, he made All-Conference.
Joe Sears
When the Falcons needed a big goal, this 1994 graduate stood tall. He netted 20 goals during his senior season, and contributed to the varsity squad during his last three years, earning All-Catholic honors during his junior and senior campaigns. Sears went on to play college soccer at Elmira, where he led the Soaring Eagles in goals in each of his four seasons at the New York state school..
Albert Hewitt
Known to the Falcon faithful as “Alby,” this 2003 graduate was a three-year varsity player who played a huge role in helping North win Catholic League championships during his junior and senior seasons, both times knocking off St. Joe’s Prep. In both of those years, he was a First Team All-Catholic selection. He continued his soccer career at Holy Family.
All Opponents Team
Bill Snyder Frankford
The 1969 graduate spoiled the Falcons’ chances of winning a city title when he scored two goals (both assisted by longtime Frankford baseball and wrestling coach Bob Peffle) to lead the Pioneers to victory.
Frank Gillespie Cardinal Dougherty
North Catholic usually found success, but not so when it squared off against the 1974 graduate of Cardinal Dougherty. Gillespie, a goalie, maintained a 7–1–1 record against the talented Falcons.
North Catholic Soccer Service to Soccer Award
Jack O’Neill
North Catholic has produced many great coaches and none have given more to the sport than this 1966 graduate. O’Neill spent many years coaching at Lighthouse and also has had a long tenure at St. Joe’s Prep. His coaching career started after he served three tours of duty in Vietnam, and he’s on the board of the Veterans Multi-Service Center in Philadelphia. Along with his wife Marie, he has four children and 10 grandkids.
Tickets for the outing, which cost $85 and include dinner and a four-hour open bar, are on sale now, and while they will be available at the door, it is highly recommended to purchase the tickets ahead of time to avoid a line on the day of the event. For tickets, call 215–906–8496. The keynote speaker will be Dave Bontempo. ••
