Football

Archbishop Charles J. Chaput has decided to allow girls to play football in Philadelphia's Catholic Youth Organization league next season, rejecting the recommendation of a panel he directed to review the league's policy banning them. That rule was subject to scrutiny this winter after Caroline Pla, 11, of Doylestown, was told by the archdiocese that she would not be allowed to play next fall. She played the 2011 and 2012 seasons due to an oversight. Caroline, who started an online petition in December urging the archdiocese to reconsider the rule, said she was surrounded by an elated cluster of classmates, friends, and neighbors when she learned the news from her mother after school.

Out in force, Pennsylvania State University football players from years gone by made impassioned pleas to the school's board of trustees Friday to reconsider the investigative report that they said unfairly tainted the reputation of their late beloved coach, Joe Paterno. "Joe Paterno held us to a higher standard. We're here today to hold you, the board, to a higher standard," Mark Battaglia, a letterman from Pittsburgh who was on the 1982 championship team, told the 32-member board during the public comment period.

Archbishop Charles J. Chaput has decided to allow girls to play football in Philadelphia's Catholic Youth Organization league next season, rejecting the recommendation of a panel he directed to review the league's policy banning them. That rule was subject to scrutiny this winter after Caroline Pla, 11, of Doylestown, was told by the archdiocese that she would not be allowed to play next fall. She played the 2011 and 2012 seasons due to an oversight. Caroline, who started an online petition in December urging the archdiocese to reconsider the rule, said she was surrounded by an elated cluster of classmates, friends, and neighbors when she learned the news from her mother after school.

STEUBENVILLE, Ohio - A 16-year-old girl was "substantially impaired" after an alcohol-fueled party, was unable to consent to sex and suffered humiliation and degradation when she was raped by two high school football players, a prosecutor said Wednesday in her opening statement at the boys' trial. But a lawyer for defendant Trent Mays said his 17-year-old client "did not rape the young lady in question. " Special Prosecutor Marianne Hemmeter and Mays' attorney, Brian Duncan, spoke at the opening of the juvenile court trial that has drawn international attention to a small town in a football-loving region of eastern Ohio.

It wasn't the wins, all those big games on all those Saturday mornings on the field that always felt so familiar under his feet. It wasn't the division titles, and it wasn't the playoff success. "It was the relationships," Gloucester's Leon Harris said of the best memories of his long, accomplished coaching career. Harris, a Gloucester graduate and the school's athletic director, has decided to retire after 26 seasons as football coach. His retirement was accepted by the Gloucester Board of Education on Tuesday night.

Calvin Thompson has resigned as football coach at Winslow Township, athletic director Eric Ball said Thursday. Thompson was 3-17 in two seasons at Winslow. The Eagles were 0-10 last season. Thompson did not return telephone calls seeking comment. Ball said the school has begun searching for a new coach. - Phil Anastasia

WE DON'T know what Big East football's new name will be yet. But unless somehow there is even more conference movement in the next whatever, at least its 2013 schedule is finally official. Temple is still opening at defending national runner-up Notre Dame on Aug. 31. And the Owls are playing six times at home, including a game with defending champion and likely favorite Louisville on Oct. 5 at Lincoln Financial Field. Their other league games in South Philly are with newcomers Houston (Sept.

The Big East Conference announced its 2013 football schedule Wednesday, and Temple opens the season at Notre Dame on Aug. 31. In their home opener, the Owls host conference newcomer Houston in a Big East game on Sept. 7 at Lincoln Financial Field. Rutgers opens its Big East schedule on Oct. 5 at Southern Methodist. The Scarlet Knights host Temple on Nov. 2. Temple Football Schedule Home games in bold, at Lincoln Financial Field. April 20   Cherry & White spring game,       Edberg-Olson Hall, 1 p.m.    Aug. 31   at Notre Dame    Sept.

PRETTY WOMEN in high-heeled, rhinestone-trimmed sneakers girl-tossing a pink football to each other. That's what I halfway expected to see the night I went to watch Philly's lingerie football team do some off-season conditioning. Boy, did I have it wrong. If they started out in makeup, they'd sweated it off by the time I got there. In fact, there was nothing the least bit glamorous about the Philadelphia Passion players I saw at 7 Deuce Sports, in Medford, N.J., last week. The women, whose team is part of the recently renamed Legends Football League , were hitting it hard, to the point that a few were hobbling.