Commonwealth Parkville School - Comet Yearbook (San Juan, Puerto Rico)

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Every year the coaches get together and elect players from every team to play in the All-Star game on Thanksgiving weekend. ln Commonwea1th's first year, we had five athletes elected to the City All-Star team and they played a big part in the City's 14-12 victory over the Outer-Island All-Star team. Mauricio Behar, Commonwealth's best all-around player, was selected as a line-backer. A fierce com- petitor all year round, he played a dazzling game on defense. Tearing ligaments in his leg in the third quarter, he simply ignored them until the gamewas over. Bruce Breslow, another of our departing seniors, was picked .as a linebacker. He reacted quickly and was excellent on pass coverage. Bruce was one of our key defenseman all season, one of the best tackles on the team. Mike Gilbert is probably the best passer in the league, and the coaches selected him as a quarterback for the City All-Stars. Unfortunately, Mike could not play due to a servere neck injury. Coming from Episcopal Cathedral School, Mike contributed a great deal to make our first season a success. Phil Hochstein was the youngest player we had on the All-Stars. Although bed-ridden the week before the game, he dressed out and took part in a number of plays. One of the best ends in the league, Phil, who is 6'4 , has two years of high school ball ahead of him. Gary Montilla was chosen as a defensive tackle. Using his size to get through the line, he exhibited the same tenacity, that is, tackling runners despite two bad knees. An important member of Commonwealth's team, he will graduate in June. MAURICIO BEHAR BRUCE BRESLOW MIKE GILBERT PHIL HOCHSTEIN , 4' . 'W' GARY MONTILLA

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Practice Practice, a word that drew every sort of dissension, from grunts and groans to excuses for not showing up. A necessary evil, composed of long grueling hours Linder a relentless sun that pushed the endurance of the strongest athletes, practice was made up of shouts, screams, push-ups, drills, races, exhaustion, fatigue. And that was just the beginning. Ioe Serralta drilled his defense re- lentlessly, until the players jumped to their positions at the defensive cap- tair1's calls without a moment's hesi- tation. Coach Furcolo went over a play fifteen, sixteen times with the offensive unit until the backs' timing was perfect: the cross blocks were executed without flaw. v , t , . But it was here that the football games were won or lost. On the field in the back of Commonwealth High, everyday from two to six, the Comets learned the hard way, the only way, how to play football. A half hour of exercise to strengthen arms, legs, neck, torsos, and passing drills was to assure pinpoint accuracy on the passers' part and to train the re- ceivers so that their timing became automatic. The mention of tackling and blocking brought shudders from the linemen, but a missed tackle could determine the outcome of a football game. It was a part of Commonwealth's first football season that few took notice of, but it was the most im- portant part, where bodies were tough- ened and techniques were learned. The dedication of the coaches, the willingness of the players and the co-operation of the school staff were factors which shaped successful prac- tices and a successful season.