Farrell's Falconi says adios; policy change is reason

Lou Falconi stood at mid-field. He was encircled by family, friends, players, assistant coaches and die-hard Farrell High School football fans.
It was a cold afternoon at Altoona's Mansion Park back in the mid-1990s but the celebration taking place certainly warmed things up, not only for Falconi, but for the huge delegation that was enjoying the moment.
Farrell had just whipped Eastern Pennsylvania titleholder Southern Columbia, 6-0, a team that just doesn't lose very many football games. Southern Columbia came into the game undefeated and had won 32 straight games.
The team had not been shut out in 51 consecutive contests. Farrell didn't blink by all the pre-game press and went on to capture the PIAA Class A state title in a titanic defensive struggle. It was the first PIAA Class A state football championship in the school's history.
Almost heaven
I will never forget the expression on Falconi's face following that title game. It was something to behold. He was close to heaven. He may have wiped a tear or two from his eyes, but remember it was a very cold day. It was hard to tell but I'll go with my first theory. His look was from the heart.
It was during those two years, 1995 and 1996, that Falconi coached back-to-back state championships. He has been a part of Farrell's coaching scheme since 1973 and in 1980 he took over the reins from former Steeler skipper Bill Gargano.
A few months after that championship win, Falconi addressed the regular meeting of Youngstown's Curbstone Coaches. He was accompanied by Chuck Branca, Farrell High athletic director. Falconi's talk, you better believe it, was about pride and tradition at Farrell High.
What followed after Falconi's takeover was an exciting run for the Steelers and over the following years the new mentor racked up a record of 210-91-6.
That mark just happens to be the second-best won-loss record in Mercer County football history. A great deal of those victories were recorded in the powerful WPIAL, a league in which the Steelers spent a number of their football-playing years.
Return to District 10
Only this year did the Steelers return to Mercer County and the District 10. That could have been a mistake as District 10 was loaded with talent this year and Farrell was termed in a rebuilding phase.
What unfolded this season had a nightmarish cast for Falconi and his Steelers. Perhaps three shocking setbacks led to Falconi's resignation following the Steelers final regular season game, a 41-0 loss to Kennedy Catholic which closed out a 1-9 season.
Other than the shift back into District 10 football, the Steelers had a 6-0 triumph over Sharon erased in the season's opener. Actually the victory, which came in the final seconds of regulation play on a long Farrell pass completion, was forfeited as Farrell had utilized an illegal player.
Academic policy change
And Strike 3, and perhaps the most lethal blow leading to Falconi's resignation, was the school's new academic policy which shelved a number of his players each week until their grades were suitable to return to play.
It's hard for any coach to attempt to field a squad and prepare for an upcoming game without a number of players on hand. The old saying goes, "If you don't have the horses, there's no race. "
There have been some great football coaches at Farrell, men like Tony Paulekas, Gargano and a few before them, Now Falconi is gone. He won't be forgotten and neither will his winning ways, coaching methods and his assistant coaches. Lou had a game plan for every team he ever met and most proved successful.
Of course academics are most important to a young athlete and Falconi, being a former educator, realizes this. He also believes that there are ample lessons to be gained on the playing field ... things like good sportsmanship, loyalty, teamwork, pride and tradition.
Falconi has made his decision.
Best of luck, Lou, in your future endeavors. Good things happen to good coaches.
Big Red rolling
West Middlesex High School's sports programs are on a roll. That in part is due to outstanding athletes, good coaching and a very strong desire to excel.
This year's edition of Big Reds' athletic programs is carving some records that are going to be hard to beat by any West Middlesex teams of the future.
The first eye-catcher of the Big Reds 2006 success story is Coach Bob Morris' cross country team that recently returned from Hershey bearing the PIAA Class AA team title. It was the first time a cross country team from Mercer County has ever secured a state championship.
Earlier this season, the Big Reds also nailed down the District 10 Class AA championship.
In the state competition at Hershey's Parkview course, the Big Reds literally "ran away" with the crown. The Reds totaled 132 points to win handily over runner-up Tulpehocken with 186 points and third-place finisher General; McLane with 207.
And while the cross country team has already locked away its championship run, the Big Red football team has also put up some highly impressive numbers.
The Big Reds recently put the cap on a perfect 10-0-0 regular season while going 7-0-0 in the Division I-A League. It was the first time in school history that the Big Reds reached double figures in the regular season while it was also the school's first undefeated season.
Coach Brian Hoffman's Big Reds are involved in the PIAA postseason playoffs with another state title hopefully just a few yards down the road.