Sunday, March 25, 2001
Elder Notebook
Tackle helped Panthers' run
By Dave Schutte
The Cincinnati Enquirer
COLUMBUS — Offensive tackle Phil Bengel, a 6-foot-7, 230-pound senior, played a key role in Elder's drive to the state championship game.
“I've played basketball since the first grade, and it's my first love,” Bengel said. “My role is to play good defense, rebound, set picks and mix it up on the inside.”
A substitute for the football team until midseason, Bengel took over at tackle after Zach Fugman went down with a season-ending injury against St.Xavier.
“We didn't miss a beat with Phil in the lineup,” assistant Elder football coach Don Reuss said. “We moved Paul Rapien to guard and Phil to tackle.”
Bengel played 29 minutes in the semifinals against Columbus Brookhaven, scoring six points, grabbing three rebounds and coming through with two assists.
“If Mike Mahon makes five 3-pointers, I usually set the screen on three, which makes me feel good,” Bengel said. “He acknowledges me before the player who passed to him. I know after every game what I contributed.”
The son of Steve and Gene, Bengel is the oldest of four children. His brother, Mike, is a freshman at Elder, and sisters (Laura and Anna) attend Our Lady of Lourdes grade school.
Bengel averages five points and six rebounds a game.
ATHLETIC SUPPORT: Elder volleyball coach Tom Silbernagel might have said it best.
“We knew we had arrived when the "super fans' showed up at our game several years ago,” Silbernagel said. “They have been two of our best supporters the past two years.”
Silbernagel was referring to 28-year-old Jeremy Pilot and Zisis Panos, a 1992 Elder graduate. These two have missed only one football and one basketball game in the past eight years.
“I was in the hospital both times with pneumonia,” Pilot, a Western Hills graduate, said. “The Elder kids give it 100 percent every night. This is better than watching professional sports.”
Pilot works at the Argosy Casino in Lawrenceburg; Panos is in graduate school.
Two years ago, the “super fans” attended Elder's regional championship baseball game at Wright State University and immediately drove to Columbus to attend the Panthers' state title volleyball game.
SEEN 'EM ALL: Tom White, a 1966 Elder graduate, attended the three previous state championship games in 1973, 1974 and 1993 and was in attendance against Cleveland St. Ignatius Saturday at the Jerome Schottenstein Center.
“I've had season tickets since 1967,” White said. “I work for Gannett (Florida Today) in Melbourne, Fla.), and fly back to Cincinnati for four basketball and three football games each year.”
“I spend about $3,000 each year on air fare and car rentals,” White said. “I've been married 35 years and my wife (Mary) understands.”
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Tackle helped Panthers' run
