With his football and faith intact, RBC’s McGonnell was ‘born to be a Casey’
October 25, 2024 at 7:00 a.m.
The Red Bank Catholic football team has been to the Non-Public Group B state finals each of the past three years and won it all in 2021 and ’23. Talent and discipline have defined the run but, according to Pat McGonnell, there is one other factor involved.
“In football, faith is everywhere at RBC,” said the senior linebacker, who belongs to St. James Parish in Red Bank. “We pray every day, before games, and even after them. We are a family, and I believe that faith contributes to the bond me and my teammates share.
Red Bank Catholic senior linebacker is having a stellar campaign as he leads the Caseys with 62 tackles and 15 tackles for loss. Photo courtesy of Jennifer Harms/jharmsphotography.com
That bond is aiding another strong season for the Caseys. Although a 4-3 record might seem pedestrian, RBC has lost to Middletown, the No. 1 team in Delaware, Don Bosco of Ramsey (No. 3 in NJ) and Rumson-Fairhaven (No. 10 in NJ). Those tests have the Caseys potentially poised for another strong playoff effort.
“I came to RBC to play against tough teams like Bosco and Bergen (Catholic),” McGonnell said. “Losing is a part of the sport, hopefully we learned from our mistakes and can make a run in the playoffs.”
However long the run lasts, the 6-foot-3, 205-pounder will be in the middle of it. Entering RBC’s Oct. 25 game with Middletown South, he leads the team in tackles (62) and tackles for loss (15), and his four sacks tie him for the team lead with Jamie Gutridge. He also has a forced fumble and interception.
“He’s versatile, he plays a couple different spots for us,” coach Mike Lange said. “He’s an outside linebacker, he’ll play inside. Sometimes at defensive end, sometimes he’ll be in space almost like an extra safety.”
There’s a reason for that.
“You’re seeing more teams trying to scheme away from him at times,” Lange said. “That’s why we change what his rules are week to week just to keep him in the mix all the time.”
McGonnell began playing with the Monmouth Falcons at age 7 and when his family moved from Eatontown to Colts Neck, he played American Youth Football and his 11U team won a B championship.
“When it was time to choose a high school, it was an easy choice for me since I went to St. James since kindergarten,” he said. “You could say I was born to be a Casey.”
Pat played running back/linebacker in youth ball and was a left tackle/linebacker on RBC’s freshman team. Due to weighing just 175, he became strictly a varsity linebacker as a sophomore.
RBC won the state title in McGonnell’s freshman year and although he didn’t play varsity, he was inspired by that team to want to win his own championship playing with his friends. He credited boyhood pal Aiden Donahue, a junior defensive end in 2021, as being “kind of like my mentor that year looking out for me.”
McGonnell played sparingly as a sophomore, and last year became a starter and finished with 56 tackles (nine for loss) and four sacks in helping the Caseys to another Non-Public crown.
Senior linebacker Pat McGonnell surveys the field between plays during RBC's Sep. 14 game at Long Branch. Photo courtesy of Jennifer Harms/jharmsphotography.com
“Last year was the greatest season of football in my life,” he said. “Not only did we win against DePaul (in the finals), but I built lifelong friends and brothers that I will see forever.”
RBC’s defense was hit hard by graduation last spring, and McGonnell has stepped up.
“He’s kind of become our leader,” Lange said. “He’s having one of these years where he could be an All-Conference, All-State type kid.”
In assessing what it takes to be a strong linebacker, McGonnell said, “There are three things that go into it – physicality, mental toughness and watching film.
“As a linebacker you have to be the most aggressive man on the field; bringing up your team’s morale and being able to call your plays,” he continued. “Watching film is also a huge part of the game, breaking down an offense and knowing what they are going to run before the ball is snapped.”
McGonnell, whose sophomore brother Kieran is a starting cornerback, says the secret to beating the double teams he gets is being aggressive and using speed to disrupt opponents’ timing. He credits his height and the ability to see over offensive lines as a key to wreaking havoc in the backfield.
Off the field, McGonnell is in the Rally Cap program that helps special needs children learn to play football. He has a grade point average of 3.3 and is working on a straight-A semester that will boost that. Recruiting interest is being shown by strong academic schools from the Patriot League.
“He’s a good kid,” Lange said. “He’s tough, he’s smart, he does the right things. Just a typical RBC kid.”
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The Red Bank Catholic football team has been to the Non-Public Group B state finals each of the past three years and won it all in 2021 and ’23. Talent and discipline have defined the run but, according to Pat McGonnell, there is one other factor involved.
“In football, faith is everywhere at RBC,” said the senior linebacker, who belongs to St. James Parish in Red Bank. “We pray every day, before games, and even after them. We are a family, and I believe that faith contributes to the bond me and my teammates share.
Red Bank Catholic senior linebacker is having a stellar campaign as he leads the Caseys with 62 tackles and 15 tackles for loss. Photo courtesy of Jennifer Harms/jharmsphotography.com
That bond is aiding another strong season for the Caseys. Although a 4-3 record might seem pedestrian, RBC has lost to Middletown, the No. 1 team in Delaware, Don Bosco of Ramsey (No. 3 in NJ) and Rumson-Fairhaven (No. 10 in NJ). Those tests have the Caseys potentially poised for another strong playoff effort.
“I came to RBC to play against tough teams like Bosco and Bergen (Catholic),” McGonnell said. “Losing is a part of the sport, hopefully we learned from our mistakes and can make a run in the playoffs.”
However long the run lasts, the 6-foot-3, 205-pounder will be in the middle of it. Entering RBC’s Oct. 25 game with Middletown South, he leads the team in tackles (62) and tackles for loss (15), and his four sacks tie him for the team lead with Jamie Gutridge. He also has a forced fumble and interception.
“He’s versatile, he plays a couple different spots for us,” coach Mike Lange said. “He’s an outside linebacker, he’ll play inside. Sometimes at defensive end, sometimes he’ll be in space almost like an extra safety.”
There’s a reason for that.
“You’re seeing more teams trying to scheme away from him at times,” Lange said. “That’s why we change what his rules are week to week just to keep him in the mix all the time.”
McGonnell began playing with the Monmouth Falcons at age 7 and when his family moved from Eatontown to Colts Neck, he played American Youth Football and his 11U team won a B championship.
“When it was time to choose a high school, it was an easy choice for me since I went to St. James since kindergarten,” he said. “You could say I was born to be a Casey.”
Pat played running back/linebacker in youth ball and was a left tackle/linebacker on RBC’s freshman team. Due to weighing just 175, he became strictly a varsity linebacker as a sophomore.
RBC won the state title in McGonnell’s freshman year and although he didn’t play varsity, he was inspired by that team to want to win his own championship playing with his friends. He credited boyhood pal Aiden Donahue, a junior defensive end in 2021, as being “kind of like my mentor that year looking out for me.”
McGonnell played sparingly as a sophomore, and last year became a starter and finished with 56 tackles (nine for loss) and four sacks in helping the Caseys to another Non-Public crown.
Senior linebacker Pat McGonnell surveys the field between plays during RBC's Sep. 14 game at Long Branch. Photo courtesy of Jennifer Harms/jharmsphotography.com
“Last year was the greatest season of football in my life,” he said. “Not only did we win against DePaul (in the finals), but I built lifelong friends and brothers that I will see forever.”
RBC’s defense was hit hard by graduation last spring, and McGonnell has stepped up.
“He’s kind of become our leader,” Lange said. “He’s having one of these years where he could be an All-Conference, All-State type kid.”
In assessing what it takes to be a strong linebacker, McGonnell said, “There are three things that go into it – physicality, mental toughness and watching film.
“As a linebacker you have to be the most aggressive man on the field; bringing up your team’s morale and being able to call your plays,” he continued. “Watching film is also a huge part of the game, breaking down an offense and knowing what they are going to run before the ball is snapped.”
McGonnell, whose sophomore brother Kieran is a starting cornerback, says the secret to beating the double teams he gets is being aggressive and using speed to disrupt opponents’ timing. He credits his height and the ability to see over offensive lines as a key to wreaking havoc in the backfield.
Off the field, McGonnell is in the Rally Cap program that helps special needs children learn to play football. He has a grade point average of 3.3 and is working on a straight-A semester that will boost that. Recruiting interest is being shown by strong academic schools from the Patriot League.
“He’s a good kid,” Lange said. “He’s tough, he’s smart, he does the right things. Just a typical RBC kid.”