Mt. Carmel Wins 800th

by Jeff Fisher
Pennsylvania High School Football Huddle

Growing-up in eastern Pennsylvania, I always knew about the football tradition at Mt. Carmel High School. Long before Hollywood glamorized Friday Night Lights, Mt. Carmel fans were creating a Friday night trend by turning the tiny community into a ghost town when their dearly-loved Red Tornadoes took to the road for away games.

Last Friday, on the road, Mt. Carmel became just the fifth team in America to reach the 800 win mark.

The Red Tornadoes, led by 1971 alum Carmen DeFrancesco, improved to 800-289-57 overall with a 35-14 win over Shikellamy. Mt. Carmel has been playing football since 1893.

Valdosta (Georgia) still is America's winningest team with 868 victories, followed by Highlands (Kentucky) with 822, Male (Kentucky) with 814 wins and Washington Massillon (Ohio) with 810.

Pennsylvania's Winningest Football Team Gets New Head Coach

by Jeff Fisher
Pennsylvania High School Football Huddle

With 800 all-time victories just 15 wins in the future, Mt. Carmel has decided to bring-in a former star to lead the Red Tornadoes to that historic mark.

Carm DeFrancesco, who played and coached under legendary Joe "Jazz" Diminick, is the school's new head football coach. DeFrancesco, who led Upper Dauphin to a 10-2 record, takes over for Bob Chesney, who was 7-5 in his one year on the job.

The Patriot-News reports that DeFrancesco is excited to return to coaching in the coal region.

Mount Carmel, which is Pennsylvania's all-time winningest program, brings a 785-290-59 all-time record (from Mt. Carmel team website) into the 2010 season.