Ursinus, Alvernia meet for 1st time since 2019
Local flair adds extra touch to Ursinus and Alvernia’s first game since 2019
As Alvernia senior tight end Owen Morton completed his postgame handshakes following a loss to Ursinus College on Friday night, he took a moment to say hello to an old friend.
Waiting at the end of the Ursinus handshake line was Bears’ senior safety Aaron Diamond — a former Pottstown teammate.
Both at the beginning of the end of their college careers, the two Trojans had a chance to reflect and reconnect.
“To be honest, it’s a beautiful thing because not a lot of guys go to the next level from where we’re from,” Diamond said. “To see us at the schools that we’re at and making a name for ourselves individually and collectively, it’s just beautiful to see . ... This is what dreams are made of.”
There were a total of four former Trojans taking part in Friday night’s season opener between the nearby Division III rivals that resulted in a 42-6 Ursinus victory. Diamond was joined by junior offensive lineman Destyn Snyder on the Bears’ squad while sophomore offensive lineman Cole Miller joined Morton with the Golden Wolves.
“It’s great, coming out of (Pottstown) not a lot of kids like us go to the second level to play football or any sports,” said Morton, who caught three passes for 29 yards. “Just to see another Pottstown native and seeing a lot of guys from Pottsgrove and around the area play at the second level, I’m proud of them.”
The local connection was strong Friday with a combined 11 Pioneer Athletic Conference alumni on their rosters.
Freshman defensive back Aaron Anderson (Upper Merion), freshman linebacker Marc Clayton (Upper Merion), senior defensive lineman Bailey Delp (Pottsgrove), sophomore defensive lineman Ryan Bodolus (Pottsgrove) and sophomore defensive back Dom Tomaselli (Boyertown) suited up for Ursinus, in addition to freshman running back Tony Holden (Perkiomen School).
On the other side for the Wolves were former Pottsgrove players Ryan Long and Zachary Van Horn, a senior kicker and sophomore defensive lineman, respectively.
“It was just great seeing (Delp) out there,” said Long, who graduated with Delp from Pottsgrove. “Seeing that we’re both out here competing now just brings back that love from high school.”
Though there are teammates on both sides from the schools, the PottstownPottsgrove rivalry presented itself a handful of times throughout the contest.
Bodolus, the 2018 Mercury All-Area Player of the Year playing in his first season at Ursinus after transferring from Dickinson College, matched up on the defensive line with Morton and Miller a handful of times.
Bodolus had to get recalibrated meeting Morton on the line considering the Alvernia tight end played quarterback in college.
“That was a little strange seeing that,” Bodolus said.
Diamond blocked an extra point attempt from former rival Long.
“I didn’t even know, but you know how we are with the Trojans,” Diamond said with a laugh. “Forget the Falcons. We don’t like them.”
Miller and Morton chatted with Ursinus assistant Jeff Endy — a former coach and teacher in the Pottstown School District — after the game.
Cheers for the local standouts on both sides were audible throughout the contest.
There will be other games this season that have more importance and provide more entertainment value. But for one night there was a chance to share the field with some old friends.
“It’s crazy, it’s a reunion,” Miller said. “It’s bad how the outcome came, but at the end of the day it’s just good to see the boys from back home. In the game, it’s a war but after it’s all love.”
NOTES >> Van Horn’s late father, Todd, was honored with a moment of silence before the game. Todd Van Horn, who passed away at age 51 last October was an assistant football coach at Ursinus from 1992-97. … Anderson made three tackles, including a tackle for loss, for Ursinus. Diamond and Bodolus each added a pair of tackles for the Bears. … Van Horn made a tackle for Pottsgrove.