Malvern Prep favors being the favorite in Inter-Ac

AMONG THE MANY things Kevin Pellegrini learned from his father was how to see the big football picture.

So, at preview time, you won't hear him asking reporters to pick anyone but Malvern Prep to win the Inter-Ac League championship. Nope, you'll hear him embracing the favorite's role. And even going beyond that.

"We like being viewed as a program that's always going to compete for the title," said Pellegrini, who last year earned a tri-championship (with a vastly inexperienced squad) in Year 1 as the successor to his wildly productive dad, Gaspare "Gamp" Pellegrini. "We don't just want the Inter-Ac title, though. We want to be one of the best teams in Southeastern Pennsylvania. That's our thought every year. It's not just the players and coaches who want that. The school does, too. We set the bar high, then work to get there."

This year, help is coming from an unlikely source.

In last week's 20-0 nonleague win over Downingtown West, junior Shawn Wilson rushed 19 times for 154 yards and two touchdowns.

You won't find his name on the 2009 roster. Unless you have North Catholic's.

"With North's closing, Shawn was looking for a place with good academics and football," Pellegrini said. "A family member thought of us and I met Shawn at an open house last winter. He's a mature kid and is helping us right away."

Another of Malvern's headliners is two-way back Chris O'Brien, who is committed to North Carolina for baseball (lefthanded pitcher).

The Friars' strongest push likely will come from Penn Charter, which features strong-armed passer John Loughery, the cousin of Atlanta Falcons starting quarterback Matt Ryan.

PC coach Jeff Humble, getting back in the flow after the Sept. 3 birth of his daughter, Sadie, said Loughery is being pursued hard by Princeton and Harvard while Boston College (Ryan's alma mater), North Carolina, North Carolina State, Duke and Temple are among those waiting to make fall judgments.

"One [major college] assistant told me John would have had 150 offers 10 years ago," Humble said. "But now, so many teams use the spread and John's a pro-style QB."

Of the league race, Humble said, "Because so many big stars graduated, we're looking at parity. It should be very competitive."

Said Haverford School coach Michael Murphy: "I'm expecting Malvern to be very strong since they tied for the championship even in their 'rebound' year. It should be a very competitive league beyond that."

Returning all-Inter-Ac players (selected by coaches)

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