Cappo clears way for La Salle's win

Cameron Cappo professes a love for science, and his overall academic skills, originally polished at St. Matthew School, in Mayfair, were what earned him entrance, via partial scholarship, to La Salle High.

Right now, though, he's mostly focused on X's and O's, and we don't mean the symbols for hugs and kisses.

Here's one thing about filling a starting role for a state title football team as a junior: You don't want to settle for anything less than a senior-year repeat.

"I know it's very tough to win two state championships in a row," Cappo said. "But I feel we have the guys to do it."

The 6-2, 215-pound Cappo serves coach Drew Gordon as a full-time guard on offense and a two-thirds-of-the-time end on defense, and Saturday night at Plymouth-Whitemarsh High he enjoyed success on both sides of the ball as the Explorers slapped archrival St. Joseph's Prep, 31-7, to finish 4-0 in Catholic AAAA.

Cappo's path-clearing helped the more famous guys collect 420 yards; Villanova commit Jamal Abdur-Rahman was particularly productive with 20 carries for 243 yards and touchdown spurts for 66 and 69. And on defense, Cappo made what was likely the sniff-out of the night.

The Prep tried a trick play with quarterback Skyler Mornhinweg rifling a backward pass to wideout Paul McGann on the right, and then moseying out to his left to catch a return toss.

McGann's throw was on the money, but the play produced no cash. Cappo was right there and immediately dropped Mornhinweg for a loss.

See, he's smart in venues other than classrooms.

"If not for La Salle, I would have gone to Judge," said Cappo, who now lives in Plymouth Meeting. "But I did well on the entrance test, so here I am. I'd heard of La Salle, but didn't know much about it."

Now, what he most enjoys hearing are nuggets of praise.

"The backs and ends, those guys know we work hard for them," he said. "The coaches always remind us that it takes good jobs by everybody to get to the end zone. Jamal appreciates what we do for him."

Always?

"Most of the time," he said, laughing. "He gets a little frustrated sometimes. Everybody does. Only natural."

He added, "It's really a thrill to see Jamal running down the field. When you just know he's going to score a touchdown. It's like, 'When we do our jobs, this is what happens.' "

Though Cappo was slated to be "only" a d-end starter in '09, he added tackle duties about halfway through because of an injury.

"Winning the state championship, of course, is the best memory," he said. "But beating the Prep for the PCL title was also very cool. I remember being in the locker room at halftime and we were all kind of looking around at each other with a we-got-this feeling."

La Salle's other TDs in this one went to rusher Tim Wade (12-78) and receiver Colin Buckley (pass from Kevin Forster) while soph Ryan Winslow added four PATs and his first career field goal. The Hawks' score came on Mornhinweg's 19-yard connection with Adrian Johnson.

Cappo also plays CYO basketball and participates in school/community service activities, though such outings are understandably limited right now.

In fact, he'd love being unavailable, just like last year, until right before Christmas.

Bok 41, Imhotep 0: Shaquil Sammons ran 16 times for 154 yards and four TDs and was one of four Wildcats (also Jihad Ward, Michael Riley, John Richardson) to post interceptions. Riley, a freshman, returned his pick 15 yards for a score. For Imhotep, Jeraal Boone made five catches for 48 yards. This result was part of a 63-point turnaround. Imhotep had beaten Bok, 28-6, in September, ending the Wildcats' 43-game, Pub regular-season winning streak.