1981 State Championship Football Team

The 1981 State Championship football team is still regarded as one of the best football teams in South Jersey ever.  South Jersey.com<http://jersey.com> published an article titled SJ Sports: South Jersey's Best, in which the South Jersey Sports Club ranked the top 20 teams of the past 25 years in all sports.   It was their inaugural list.  The 1981 Paul VI Football team placed 18^th in the State. Only the 1984 Pennsauken football team and 1988 Cherry Hill East football team finished higher, at No. 4 and No. 17 respectively.

 

Credentials cited included the fact the Eagles went undefeated, going 10-0, en route to winning the South Jersey Parochial A title, as well as the now defunct South Jersey North title. Coach Dave Capozzi's Eagles, behind the late Tim Curry at quarterback, Willie Fussell and Bernie Colaccico in the backfield, and a defense led by linemen Joe McGrail and Craig Power and linebacker Curt Tegeler dominated teams, shutting out their first seven opponents.  Curry, McGrail and Tegeler were All-South Jersey selections.  Curry rushed for 867 yards and completed 29 of 59 passes for 681 yards and 10 touchdowns.  Tegeler recorded seven interceptions and was the Eagles' leading tackler and McGrail was described by Capozzi as "the most consistent lineman I've had in my first 14 years."  The Eagles outscored their opponents 285-22.

 

The '81 Varsity Team consisted of: Tim Barnett, Kevin Breeze, George Burten, Tony Callahan, Joe Callahan, Phil Caracciolo, Bernie Colaccio, Tim Curry, Greg Devone, Frank DiGiacomo, Jack Franchi, John Frazier, Willie Fussell, Bill Gans, Garrison Hallman, Pat Harlan, Tim Kernan, Scott Lattimer, Glen Leary, Tommy Lee, Joe McGrail, Brian Orseno, Craig Power, Frank Risica, Frank Scramuzzo, Curt Tegeler, Daryl Washington, and Tom Wilson.  The team members went on to earn college degrees from military academies, Ivy League schools and other great colleges and universities and some played semi-professional sports.  By and large the members have had very successful careers spanning education, business, private industry, law, healthcare, and the military. 

 

Sadly this varsity team has lost four members over the last 35 years, the late Tim Barnett, Tony Callahan, Tim Curry, and Garrison Hallman. After all these years, we continue to cherish their legacy.

 

Our coaching staff had high expectations for us.  They knew what it took to win.  Coach Capozzi and the PVI coaching staff instilled in us a strong work ethic, a deep, abiding respect for one another, and a clear understanding that every player shoulders some responsibility in the overall success of the team.  We worked together, and we supported one another. We became a band of brothers who discovered a winning recipe that culminated in a state title.