TyronePA e-cafe - Tyrone Pennsylvania Community Forum

Mike LaRosa
Football
Running Back
1972

Hey! What about the "Templeton" brothers. Tom played in the late 60's and went to the BIG 33 and played for PSU.
Tom was one of the best to ever come out of Tyrone!
Todd played in the 70's and 80's. Does anyone remember when Todd kicked the winning field goal at the Bellwood game...their field...in '79? He played several postitions for Tyrone and went on to play at PSU.

Wrestling: The Finks

Basketball: Nick Leisure

Did Todd play on the PSU team or was he just on the team?

Not sure...I think he played on special teams to start. Not sure what else he did.

Todd played at PSU until he was injured -- also went to the Fiesta Bowl. Tom Templeton and Terry Turnbaugh were on one of the best Tyrone teams in the 60's!

Since football is my thing, I'm going to cheat a bit and name more than one ball player who really left an impression on me.
Marcus Owens....He'd dissapear into a defensive line then come squirting out the other side of the linebackers. Always a threat to go the distance. He was electrifying.
Mike Larrosa..... Same type of back with the added bonus of POWER. He had the ability to just hammer a linebacker on his way to a long gain.
Scott Gummo.....From 9th grade on he was a varsity player. He'd chug out onto the field as a freshman ( all 280lbs or so of him) , and make kick after kick for the Golden Eagles. As a DT he would just lumber out onto the field, looking as though there was no way this big kid could make a play, then proceed to show you just how quick he could get off the ball as he swallowed up some poor tailback. He played with a hurt foot for at least his last two seaons. His last 3 games he played on a broken foot. I loved watching him play. Still my all time favorite "big guy".
Terry Tate.....The best darn lineman I think I've watched at Tyrone. Dominant in every area of his game. Made play after play despite being double teamed fo 2 seasons. Rich Vetock of Pafootballnews.com told me he was the best lineman, regardless of classification to play in Pa. in the 2004 season. Terry won PFN small school player of the year in 2004. Quite a feat for a guy in the trenches.
Brandon Hoover.....26-2 as a starter.over 1400 yds passing in 1999 with only 3 interceptions, two against Bellwood in his first game as a starter then one in the state championship game against MC. That means 13 straight without a pick. Unbelievable! A true field general with a knowledge of his position not often seen at the high school level.
Nate Verilla....Started at LB as a sophmore ending up as a safety. A great nose for the ball and able to deliver bone crunching hits. Just ask Nick Sebes. His interception at the end of the D6 championship game against Forest Hills in 1999 sealed the victory for Tyrone as FH was driving late. With time running out FH was successfully pounding the ball at Tyrone when Nate picked off a pass and returned it for the score. Nate was a joy to watch.
Matt Sharer....As a QB he did nothing but make plays, big plays! As a DB he did the same. 12 INT's in 1 season. He was always in the right place at the right time.
Jesse Jones...6902 yards in 3.5 seasons, Still holds all of the Golden Eagle rushing records. State championship. I could go on and on. Nuf said.
There have been so many great HS ball players pass though Gray Memorial field thats it almost unfair to pick just one, h*ll it's impossible. The list goes on and on as John Franco and his wonderfull staff just keep churning out great football memories for all the Tyrone faithfull to savor. We are so fortunate to have such a great progam.
I've left out many in my list but the question was really to just pick a favorite. Couldn't do it.
Thanks for the forum..........Team, Toughness, Tyrone! GO EAGLES!

Wow! Jesse Jones ... he would get a vote from me, too. Whatever happened to him? He seemed to have the goods to play in college ... didn't he head to University of Buffalo? Any success in football after high school?

Swimming- Krista K.(Getz)....class of '89 rocked!!
Track- KJ, I assisted on the hurdles training with all the neighbors fences he hurdled to catch me.
Football- Dennis Rozick(best single game performance 300+yds against BG and got me turned onto f-ball) Class off '00-- You boys made me literally cry, Steve.J., Josh L., Bigheads(Pat and Mike), Tyler, Mac, Tim D. and co. leadership and love baby!
Wrestling- many greats but nobody compares to Bruce!!Terry Tate is a not too distant second.
Baseball- I'm going with "Cupcake" Morrisey, Dave Brisben, John Molnar, Bill Beamer, and Jeff McNelis. The men who loved kids and the sport to teach and preach it the right way!!
B-ball- George Gripp, great player...great coach.. loves the game.
X-country- Lee Hayes
Soccer--- John Hayes.. because he at least has the nads to stone wall it!!