For the promises our teachers gave

If we behaved...

Despite being a Long Island native writing about Pennsylvania, Billy Joel knew what he was talking about.

In 1982 he emerged from his New York state of mind and wrote a song that captured the landscape of the old, factory town.

Joel sang of a gritty town with equally gritty people surviving the aftermath of an industrial exodus.

The despair and disillusion was accurate, but it didn't encompass the whole population — or the whole city.

Nestled between row homes on one of the many narrow streets stands Allentown Central Catholic High School. It is both a haven and a symbol of hope in the city.

Since 1942, the high school has been a place for top-notch academics. In recent years, it was one of 36 schools nationwide to be a Blue Ribbon School of Excellence.

"We are a Catholic high school first," said athletic director Thomas Hafner. "We emphasize the development of the kids as Catholic persons, and academics come first. We're not a public school. If you don't like it, you shouldn't be here."

When athletics were implemented, the programs soon became Pennsylvania powerhouses. Specifically, Central Catholic excelled on the gridiron.

"It's a school where kids come in with a predisposition that they wanted to be successful," said former Vikings football coach Jim Morgans. "I recognized the fact that there was potential because they were motivated and intelligent kids."

Today, Allentown's football reputation is as strong as ever. Many players continue to play football in college.

For the past five years, it's been Penn State that has benefited most from Central Catholic's dominance.

Seniors Tony Stewart and Mike Cerimele, junior Tom Williams, sophomore Matt Senneca and freshman Casey Williams each hails from the prestigious prep school.

Each player has his own special experience with athletics.

But combine the five and there is a tale as unique as Central Catholic High School itself.

Well we're living here in Allentown And they're closing all the factories down. . .

And the union people crawled away. . .

A snapshot of Allentown's North Fourth Street could almost fit in with a snapshot of a Brooklyn or Chicago street.

There are row homes, cars parked on both sides of the narrow roadway and children playing on the sidewalks. In the distance, the smokestacks of abandoned factories pierce the skyline.

The Central Catholic buildings are located on a block across from Sacred Heart hospital and about two blocks from the Lehigh County Prison. Homes and macadam surround it on all sides.

"You can't get more downtown than that," Morgans said.

The school's island-like nature makes acres of green, groomed athletic fields impossible. So the school uses county, city and other high schools' facilities.

"Beggars can't be choosers," Hafner said. "We're at the mercy of everybody else. It's an old school, and Center City doesn't provide much of an opportunity to expand."

But the school's limited facilities do have charm. Rockne Hall, the gymnasium, has been compared to the Indiana gyms in the movie "Hoosiers". It has an abundance of plaques and banners, although it has just one adjoining locker room.

Nonetheless, both the boys and girls basketball programs are consistently among the best in the state.

So is the football team, even though one of the more spartan practice facilities. The field, which was built in 1990, sits just above the bank of a river. It is muddy, uneven and at times, dangerous.

Hafner told stories of players combing every inch of the field, picking up rocks and throwing them back into the river. The equipment is kept in the trailer of an 18-wheel truck, and players walked about a quarter mile to the field from the school everyday.

But the players and coaches couldn't have appreciated it more. Thanks to Morgans' vision and hard work, the practice field was made possible. Mothers raised the money and spread grass seed while fathers and sons leveled the ground.

"We were happy as hell because it was ours," Morgans said.

The walk to and from practice in the cold, heat, rain and snow was barely an inconvenience.

"The boys didn't mind it," said Cerimele's mother, Rose. "It was such a team effort. The physical environment was not important. They just wanted to play football."

And we're living here in Allentown But the restlessness was handed down

And it's getting very hard to stay

Yes, coveting something is a sin. But sometimes it can't be helped.

Allentown Central Catholic athletes are coveted by many a university. They have the drive, dedication and talent that equate success at the collegiate level.

Football players are no different. That is why Penn State has arguably Central Catholic's five best players ever.

It is the first time Joe Paterno recruited that many players from a single high school in such a short time span. Well, almost.

"I think the first year I coached and went out and recruited, I think I recruited five guys from Beaverdale (Pa.)," Paterno said. "Two of them turned out to be pretty good football players. The other three were good people."

Fortunately for Paterno, all five are both good human beings and good athletes. He technically only recruited only four of the five, as Tom Williams transferred from Lafayette in 1998.

Each of the five had both team and individual glory. From Stewart's freshman year in 1993 to Casey's final season in 1998, the Class AAA Vikings won six district titles and state championships in 1993 and 1998.

It's no secret that the five players led these teams with their individual honors.

Stewart was an All-American, all-state and all-district selection and participated in the Big 33 Classic.

Cerimele also was an All-American selection and had 26 career touchdowns and 2,110 rushing yards.

Senneca was a three-year starter and an All-American, all-state, all-district and all-conference selection.

Casey Williams was an all-state pick, and Tom left Central Catholic with 44 touchdowns and three rushing records.

A big part of all the players' success is Morgans. He coached the Vikings for 31 years and now coaches at Salisbury.

"I had an awful lot of respect for Jim and the football program," Hafner said. "His guidance and leadership is what made the program what it is."

Morgans, who is Tom and Casey's uncle, is a well-known, well-respected name in Pennsylvania high school football. He is known for taking a personal interest in his players and making sure they learn important life skills that can be used off the field.

"He was like a second father to me," Senneca said. "I could go to him during school if I had a problem. He's a great role model."

When Senneca came to Penn State, he found he had two familiar role models in the form of Cerimele and Stewart.

They helped alleviate the homesickness and created a network of support and advice. In turn, the three expanded that network to include the Williams.

"It's like a piece of home," Cerimele said.

Every child has a pretty good shot To get at least as far as their old man got . . .

Central Catholic parents have double duty.

Not only do they pay property taxes for local publics schools, they also pay a yearly tuition fee for Central. It's often for more than one child, too.

"There is something special about kids at Catholic schools," Morgans said, "and I believe that starts with their families."

Most of their parents attended Central Catholic themselves. Rose Cerimele, Tom Williams Sr., Jim Morgans and his wife all attended the high school.

But the parents of each of the five players taught the importance of dedication regardless of their high school.

Stewart had a paper route in high school that began at 6 a.m. After he delivered the papers he and his father, Malcolm, shot hoops in the back yard or practiced his pitching.

"They were involved very much with me," Stewart said. "I learned a hard work ethic."

Malcolm, his mother Gisela, the Cerimeles, the Williamses and the Sennecas attended every game and were involved in the athletic boosters club.

"The parents are very supportive in all our sports," Hafner said. "It's always a sacrifice when you send your kids to a private catholic high school. They volunteer their services. You name it, they do it for us."

Well I'm living here in Allentown And it's hard to keep a good man down. . .

Saturday afternoon, eight men will assemble on the Beaver Stadium turf for a commemorative photograph.

Two of them will never compete in a Penn State uniform again.

Morgans and two assistant coaches are making the journey to Happy Valley to see his five former pupils in action.

"I told them no matter what happens, I expect them to be there," Morgans said. "No excuses. I want them on the field for a picture. It's going to be the eight of us, and I'm going to blow it up and hang it in my office."

If there are smiles in the picture from either Cerimele or Stewart, odds are they won't be smiles of pure joy. The season hardly had the makings of an ideal swan song.

No one wants to lose the majority of their games in their senior year. No one wants to see their teammate sustain what could have been a fatal injury. No one wants to hear incessant accusations and criticisms pertaining to their quarterback.

They were unaccustomed to losing and being disparaged by fans and media.

But for Cerimele and Stewart, the difficult events built upon the character they cultivated at Central Catholic.

Neither plan on giving up football. Both will continue to train in hopes of being drafted by a NFL team in April.

Senneca and the Williams brothers, however, have more chances to right the wrongs of the 2000 season. Yet another wave of Central Catholic's finest can lead the Lions.

After learning from quarterbacks such as Rashard Casey and Kevin Thompson, Senneca is ready to take the offensive reins.

"Naturally, I think of myself as the front runner," Senneca said. "I don't think I have the job locked up."

Next season, Casey could be on the receiving end of Senneca's passes as a tight end. Tom could see time next as a linebacker.

In any case, Central Catholic's legacy of hard work, dedication and discipline will be alive in Happy Valley for years to come.

Well we're living here in Allentown. . .

Central Catholic's tradition of academic and athletic excellence continues.

This fall, most of its sports teams competed in district playoffs. As long as the Vikings remain on North Fourth Street, there will be students that learn solid values. And as long as there is an Allentown Central Catholic High school, there will discipline, drive and a potent combination of academics and athletics.

"I really think we have something to offer that no one else does," Hafner said. "We are absolutely one of the most successful high schools in Eastern Pennsylvania. It's a neat place."