Lower Merion’s legendary coach Gregg Downer with the game ball and t-shirt commemorating victory No. 700 (Photo by Mark Jordan/CoBL).
By Joseph Santoliquito
They spoke around it in the stands, some 40 past players and coaches that Gregg Downer had gathered over his brilliant 35-year coaching career at Lower Merion. It was as if it was on the minds of everyone who filled Haverford High School’s gym Friday night, yet it hovered in the rafters unspoken. No one wanted to blatantly utter the magical milestone that was at stake.
Everyone knew it though.
Things were in the works. Everything was set in place. Lower Merion athletic director Jason Stroup had a mission: Get the ball. The Lower Merion team had the other: Get their legendary coach his 700th career victory.
Both were accomplished rather easily, when the Aces rolled over Haverford, 67-39, and in a classy move, Haverford AD Greg Decina made sure he called for the game ball from the officials, then handed over it to Stroup, who made sure Downer got it.