St. Aloysius students enjoyed a new school building for the 1925-6 school year.

• Several years earlier, the city council decided to widen North Rampart Street, beginning at the Brothers' property at the corner of Esplanade Avenue. The college had to give way to the right of eminent domain. The city paid $40,000, the value for which the property was appraised.
• The Brothers borrowed $100,000 and began construction of a new and much larger building that was the equal of any educational institution in the city. Set back on the rear of the property, it faced Esplanade Avenue.
• The new school was completed in the summer of 1925. Rampart Street was then widened into the imposing thoroughfare we still see today. The new building would allow the 56-year-old school to increase its student body considerably over the next 15 years until it was the largest private school in the city and one of the largest in the South.

Brand new St. Aloysius High School with the widening of Rampart Street not completed

Brother Emmanuel, S.C., the AD, represented SA at the annual football meeting of the New Orleans Preparatory School Athletic Association September 27 at AAU headquarters on St. Charles Avenue. All the officers were reelected: president Peter J. Flanagan, vice-president Francis B. Burke, and secretary Claude "Monk" Simons.

The association welcomed a new member, McDonogh-Jefferson High School of Gretna. The roster of the two divisions read as follows, with the enrollment of each high school:

• Class A: Warren Easton (1200), Jesuit (450), Holy Cross (125), and Delgado (225) ("the latter school showing good sportsmanship by entering the heavier race despite an almost new team and the absence of a coach" according to the Times-Picayune writer)
• Class B: St. Aloysius (150), Isidore Newman Manual Training (125), New Orleans Academy (60), Rugby Academy (75), Verrina (110), and McDonogh-Jefferson (50)

The association rejected the application of Easton coach Perry Roehm to enter a team of boys weighing less than 135 pounds in the B league.

The officials' fees were set for the two divisions.

• Class A games: Referee $7.50, umpire $5, head linesman $5
• Class B games: Referee $6.50, umpire $4, head linesman $3

McDonogh-Jefferson would turn out to be a phantom team. Principal John Gauthier formally withdrew the school from the league as the first scheduled game drew near. His reason was interesting. The team's star player, Mel Ott, had signed a major league baseball contract with the New York Giants. Without him, the squad could not be competitive.

City competition also included the Maison Blanche Independent Football League for 135 and 90 lb. teams. Among the independent clubs participating were the Triangles, KWC, Galvez Tigers, Collegians, Audubon, and Uptown Tigers. Third-year SA coach Milton "Hippo" Phillips was designated an official for the league. The TP praised his selection, saying that he "played for several years as an all-around star at St. Aloysius." (Ron Brocato in Golden Game: When Prep Football Was King in New Orleans says Phillips played at St. Stanislaus. This makes more sense as Aloysius didn't field a varsity team until 1921, at which point Phillips would have been in college.)

The fifth St. Aloysius football team found themselves in the enviable position of defending Class B prep champions. Phillips pared his squad down to 19 during September practices at City Park. He was rich in RBs as QB Johnny Bremer, HBs Harry Stille and Leonard Enderle, and, best of all, All-Prep FB Salvatore Brocato all returned. Also several seniors anchored the line: Anthony Cuccia, captain Frank Donze, and Anthony Bologna.

The Wildcats continued their winning streak of three straight shutouts. Although outweighed by the Saints, Reserve held them to two first downs. In the last few minutes of play, the Wildcats lost the ball on the 3y line. The top players for the home team were Keller, Troxclair, and Keller.

SA	0	0	0	0	0
HC	0	12	14	14	40
TDs: McGlinchey 2, McVitch 2, Chowsing, Schmitz PAT: Lynch 4

The Saints started the prep season with a Class A opponent and showed why they were better suited to Class B.

• "The powerful Holy Cross team smothered the lighter St. Aloysius eleven. Substituting freely, Holy Cross gained at will around the ends. St. Aloysius never threatened."
• HC coach Jimmy Burns started his second eleven. However, the varsity took the field after the scoreless Q1. The last two HC scores came on passes.
• In the latter part of the game, SA passed with some success. "Donze and Bremer were the stars for St. Aloysius" according to the TP writer.
• Holy Cross gave notice that it was a force to be reckoned with in only its fourth year of varsity football. The Micks would tie for the 1925 Class A crown by virtue of a 0-0 standoff with Easton and an astounding 45-0 whipping of Jesuit.
• Even though they didn't know after the first game that they had lost to perhaps the best team in the city, St. Aloysius could take solace in the fact that it had fared better than Class B Manual Training, which Burns's squad had clobbered 53-0 the previous week.

The 1925 TP reporters never used a nickname for the St. Aloysius gridders except Saints. If Panthers was indeed the school's appellation, it had not made an impact on neutral observers which it probably would have if the name were used in cheers and on banners at games. The SA team was sometimes referred to as the "Black and Red."

The Saints would have almost two weeks to lick their wounds before starting Class B competition against Rugby Academy, which claimed to have its best team in several years. However, during the leadup to the game, the TP reported that Sal Brocato, "all-prep FB of 1924," had been injured and would be out for the season. Furthermore, junior Peter Chassaignac was also through because of "an unfortunate accident." Neither had played against HC. Fortunately, both did return to the gridiron before the campaign ended. However, they missed the crucial Rugby contest.

SA	0	0	7	0	7
Rug	13	6	0	0	19
TDs: Rug Jastrum 2, Thomas; SA Reisch PAT: SA Martin (drop kick), Rug Jastrum (DK)

• A "small crowd" was on hand in "splendid weather."
• You can't start playing until after the half against a quality opponent and expect to win. Rugby unleashed a "sweeping attack built around the speed and generalship of QB Adolph Jastrum to pile up a lead and gain sweet revenge for the beating [16-0] administered by the Saints last year."
• Rugby took the opening kickoff and marched to a score. After four first downs put the ball inside the 10, Jastrum scored from the 8.
• "Jas" struck again, taking an Enderle punt on his own 30 and racing to the EZ.
• Another long march ended with Lucien Thomas skirting RE from the 8 for Rugby's third TD.
• The Saints came out more determined in the second half. Mixing their plays with Enderle, Bremer, and Reisch all carrying on the second possession, they reached the 1 1/2 yard line. From there Reisch dove to paydirt. Martin drop kicked the extra point.
• Q4 was scoreless, although Rugby had reached the SA 6 when the final whistle blew.
• The "blue and white" rang up 18 first downs to 7 for the losers.
• "Brother Sebastian" of St. Aloysius was listed as one of the timers for the game.

SA	7	7	0	3	17
SSC	0	7	0	7	14
TDs: SA Enderle 2; SSC: Ducote, Baudin, FG: SA Martin; PAT: SA Martin 2; SSC 2

The St. Aloysius team and fans celebrated All Saints Day in Bay St. Louis with the most exciting game of the year. I can imagine the SSC brothers hosting their New Orleans confreres for dinner before they all walked to the stadium.

• On a day when the Stanislaus varsity was in New Orleans being creamed by the Loyola Freshmen 53-0, SSC started the reserves' second string. However, the usual starters took over when the Saints put over a Q1 TD by Enderle.
• Enderle scored again in Q2 on a beautiful 35y run.
• The home team scored in Q2 on a Fabacher to Ducote pass.
• Stanislaus tied the score in Q4 when Boudin scored from the one.
• In the waning minutes, SA drove far enough for Martin to attempt a drop kick FG from the 20. Good! Saints win!

SA	6	0	6	13	25
MT	0	0	0	0	0
TDs: Brocato 2, Enderle, Bremer PAT: Bremer (DK)

The TP article the day of the game called attention to "Red" Menke of MT. "When a youngster cries like a baby after pulling a mistake, his heart is in the game and that's just what Menge does, and his pleading, carry-on spirit has done much to bolster the Manual backfield."

• "A good big team met and defeated a good little team." All four SA TDs were scored after long marches.
• Brocato scored near the end of Q1 from the 4.
• In Q2, MT drove to the 8, but SA held. Later, MT completed a 35y pass from McCall to Caine. However, a Stille INT halted the advance. After that, Manual never threatened.
• In Q2 Enderle broke off the "featured run of the game." From near his goal line, he "gave a spectacular exhibition of broken field running when he stepped 50y around end before he was thrown out of bounds." However, the Saints didn't benefit from his exploits on the scoreboard.
• SA's size and depth began to take its toll in the second half. In Q3, Bremer rammed over from the 1 and then drop kicked the extra point.
• Aloysius broke the game open with two Q4 TDs. Brocato scored the first, Enderle the second.
• SA's domination showed in its 12-4 edge in first downs. SA was penalized 15y, MT 0.
• "Donze, Siragusa, and Gambino were rugged lads in the Aloysius line." (TP)

SA	7	0	12	0	19
Ver	6	0	0	6	12
TDs: Brocato, Enderle 2; Ver Fazzio, Bondi PAT: SA Martin

Despite the fact that Rugby had clinched the Class B championship, these two elevens produced a hard-fought clash the day before Thanksgiving.

• Verrina started its second string to get a line on next year's squad. SA received the kickoff and drove for the first score. Speedy Stille's running helped produce three first downs to the 19. Several plays later, Brocato dove over from the 6" line.
• The Napoleon Avenue crew came right back. A long pass from QB Danner to "Kid Joe" Fazzio and Nick Bondi's line plunges moved the ball to the 15 after four first downs. Fazzio then made a leaping catch of a pass and ran for the score. However, "Heavy" Moore's drop kick was wide, keeping the Saints in front 7-6.
• Verrina started another drive near the end of Q1 that carried over into the next stanza, reaching the SA 6 1/2 before being stopped.
• Q3 produced the "prettiest forward pass seen in the Prep league this year." Bremer hit Martin who made a "brilliant catch" and run for 65y to the 9. However, the defense stiffened until Enderle ran around end from the 1 for the score on fourth down.
• The Esplanade crew scored again in Q3. Enderle intercepted a Danner pass and rambled 40y for a TD.
• Verrina continued to gain ground passing. Danner tossed to Fazzio for 50y to the 1/2 line in Q4. Bondi plunged over. However, the drop kick PAT was blocked.
• "Darkness came over the scene in the last minute of play." (Starting at 3:30 gave only about an hour and a half of daylight to complete a game in late November. Heinemann Park had no lights as night baseball had not yet swept the nation.)

St. Aloysius finished second in Class B with a 3-2 overall record, 2-1 in prep. Undoubtedly, injuries, especially to Sal Brocato, a stalwart on both sides of the ball, hurt the team's chances, especially in the Rugby game that determined the championship.

1926 Season

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