| NEWS |
  
|
| FEATURES |
| ENTERTAINMENT |
  
|
| COLUMNS |
     |
| CONTACT US |
|
| HOW TO SUBMIT |
|
|
| BACK ISSUES |
|
|
 (Photo by Bill Allen/NJ SportAction) caption:
|
Giacalone's Perseverance at QB for PHS Football Earns Sunshine Honors, Shot at Carnegie Mellon
By Max Woolley
Vinny Giacalone has learned the value of perseverance during his Princeton High football career.
During his first two seasons at PHS, Giacalone was sidelined much of the time due to serious knee injuries. As a junior, the quarterback started to make progress despite being bothered by knee pain.
The strong-armed Giacalone's persistence paid off big time last fall as he put together a superb senior season which saw him pass for 1731 yards and 16 touchdowns to help spark PHS to a 5-5 record, the program's first non-losing season since the mid-1990s.
This week, Giacalone is reaping the rewards of that stellar campaign as he competes for the East squad in the 2005 Sunshine Football Classic on June 30 at The College of New Jersey.
For Giacalone, playing in the Sunshine Classic represents the ultimate achievement for his high school career.
"I learned about the game as a sophomore and it was a goal I wanted to get," said Giacalone, who will be continuing his football career this fall at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. "It is the final piece of my high school goals."
The Sunshine game will have a very different feel where now Giacalone's arch rivals from around the area will be his teammates.
"It is hard to realize that my teammates are the ones I hated," added the 6'2, 220-pound Giacalone. "At the practices they will become my teammates. It is very exciting and it will be tough competition. It is a gateway to college football."
In the view of PHS football head coach Steve Everette, Giacalone has what it takes to excel in just about any competition.
"Vinny's dedication to football and as a student puts him over the top," said Everette, who guided the renaissance at PHS which saw the program go from 1-9 in 2003 to nearly qualifying for the state tournament last season. "It is what allows him to be not just good but great."
In Everette's view, Giacalone's progress in and out of the classroom during his PHS career sets him apart.
"It is hard to pick any player that has grown as much as a person and a player as Vinny," said Everette of Giacalone, whose excellence on the field and in the classroom resulted in him being named a 2005 Delaware Valley Chapter National Football Foundation and College Football Hall of Fame Scholar-Leader-Athlete Winner.
"He is a leader; he gave the entire team a confidence to play with any team in the conference. Vinny knew every position; players would go ask him instead of asking a coach."
Giacalone's achievements off the field were as impressive as what he accomplished for the PHS squad. In the classroom, he carried a 3.9 GPA. Giacalone won the President's Leadership Award, was nominated as an American Legion Boys State delegate, and was chosen to attend the National Youth Leadership Forum on Defense, Intelligence, and Diplomacy in Washington. He was also involved in Habitat for Humanity and served as a peer leader within the school.
Giacalone's leadership was crucial as PHS turned heads in local football circles as it went from doormat to playoff contention.
Sparked by Giacalone's passing ability and presence in the huddle, PHS got off to a 2-0 start. The team got plenty of attention after it knocked off perennial nemesis Trenton 22-19 in mid-October.
While the team sputtered a bit down the stretch, it produced one more memorable victory when it rallied to beat Holmdel 34-33 in overtime in a stat consolation game.
For Giacalone, the highlight of his final fall was the win over Trenton. "The home game as a senior against Trenton was incredible," recalled Giacalone of the triumph which was PHS' first over the Tornadoes in more than 10 years. "I had never beaten them and it was always said we couldn't beat them and the win gave us a chance at the playoffs."
After competing in the Sunshine Classic, Giacalone will turn his attention to engineering some memorable wins for Carnegie Mellon.
Although he is a Jets fan, he is looking forward to his life in the home of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Giacalone joins the program as the only quarterback recruited this year and hopes to see some playing time.
"There are a few quarterbacks in front of me but I am looking to travel with the team and get in to a few games," said Giacalone in assessing his prospects in the upcoming season.
"My first year really depends on the first impression I make. Sophomore and junior year will depend upon how well I learn the system and perform."
If Giacalone can persevere at Carnegie Mellon like he did at PHS, he could make quite an impact at the next level.
