Neumann-Goretti Saint’s OL Patrick Banning

By AL THOMPSON

Pat Banning is a big young man with even bigger dreams and goals. As a junior, the 6-foot-2, 290-pound offensive lineman helped Neumann-Goretti finish with a 9-5 record and provide the muscle behind an offense that produced 1,429 yards through the air with 13 touchdowns and 2,282 yards on the ground and another 24 touchdowns.

Neumann-Goretti made a late run, winning six consecutive games, landing a berth in the quarterfinals of the PIAA AA State Championship tournament before losing to Dunmore 30-18.
The Saints were dealt a serious blow to their 2015 aspirations when Banning suffered a broken leg and damaged several ligaments just 12 plays into the season opener, a 38-0 win over Valley Forge Military Academy.

Banning is lost for the season and Neumann-Goretti has lost three straight including a 39-36 heart-breaker to Cardinal O’Hara on September 24. “He was our anchor,” first year head coach Dan Concannon in a recent phone interview. “He was our leader.” Concannon said he felt for Banning because after his junior season he was getting attention from college football programs including several at the FCS (1AA) level.

The N-G alum believes Banning will hook up with a good program despite missing virtually all of his season season due to what the coach described a freak injury. “Pat’s dream is to play college football,” Concannon said. “It is really unfortunate that this happened. He was getting looks for a lot of schools at all the camps he attended during the summer.” Concannon said he is helping in the effort to get Banning into college football with a scholarship. He said Banning will be rehabbing and ready to go in 2016. “He’ll be ready for camp this summer,” Concannon said. “Pat is a really good player…he’s got quick feet and can really move. I am sure a Juco (Junior College) program or another school will give him a chance. He just needs one.”

Southeastern Pennsylvania Top 20 High School Football Teams (As of October 4)
1. Imhotep Charter (5-0)
2. Upper Dublin (5-0)
3. Archbishop Wood (5-0)
4. Malvern Prep (3-1)
5. LaSalle (3-1)
6. St. Joe’s Prep (2-2)
7. Haverford School (4-0)
8. Perkiomen Valley (5-0)
9.Downingtown West (5-0)
10. Coatesville (4-1)
11. Episcopal Academy (4-0)
12. Spring-Ford (5-0)
13. Downingtown East (5-0)
14. Academy Park (5-0
15. Pennsbury (3-1)
16. Germantown Academy (5-0)
17. Marple Newtown (5-0)
18. Garnet Valley (4-1)
19. Quakertown (5-0)
20. Great Valley (5-0)
20. Plymouth Whitemarsh (5-0)
Best of the rest (alphabetically): Ben Franklin (3-1), Central Bucks East (3-2),
Council Rock North (3-2), Council Rock South (3-2), Interboro (4-1), Neshaminy (3-2), North Penn (3-2),
Pennridge (3-2), Simon Gratz (2-2), Springside Chestnut Hill Academy (4-1)