Former Dougherty, North Catholic players spread out to new teams

"I realize McDevitt was a pretty big rival for us," he said. "Coming over here, I thought maybe some guys would be turning their cheeks to us. Turns out, everything's fine. We're getting along. Maybe we'll have our little fights along the way. Who knows how guys are going to act? We'll get through it."

For Shields, who attended Presentation BVM, in Cheltenham (footsteps beyond the city limits), yet played his grade school football for St. William, in Lawndale, the journey to Roman (practice is held near the Art Museum) is not exactly proving to be a hardship.

"My dad gives me a ride," he said. "Or I take the train from the Cheltenham station."

For Shields, Reid, Newman and all the other former North/Dougherty footballers, the only thing to do is keep chuggin' along. While retaining warm memories, of course, of what used to be.

MOVING ON

The closing of North Catholic and Cardinal Dougherty has meant those players have had to find different schools. Here are the schools with the most players from each:

Archbishop Ryan: 6 from North, 2 from Dougherty; 5 projected starters

Bishop McDevitt: 5 from North, 8 from Dougherty; 5 projected starters

Father Judge: 6 from North, 0 from Dougherty; 2 projected starters

Roman Catholic: 9 from North, 3 from Dougherty; 8 projected starters

West Catholic: 4 from North, 0 from Dougherty; 3 projected starters