Nick Colleluori Classic highlights: Ridley grad Terenick, Cabrini honor memory of Colleluori

By Chris Goldberg
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 10/11/10

Cabrini senior midfielder Dan Terenick says he will never forget what it was like to come up as a freshman athlete at Ridley High and have senior Nick Colleluori as a mentor.

“When I was a freshman in football and lacrosse, I worked out with him and watched him,” said Terenick. “He was relentless … he tried his hardest at everything he did. He was a born leader who showed everyone what to do and how to do it the right way.”

Terenick and the Cavaliers were one of 10 teams – nine from Division III – that competed Sunday in

the second day of action at the 4th annual Nick Colleluori Classic at Ridley. For Terenick, it was a perfect homecoming under ideal weather – and the chance to pay homage to Colleluori and his legacy.

The Nick Colleluori Classic drew more than 7,000 people during the weekend and will raise well over $100,000 for blood cancer research and awareness. More than 100 volunteers from the Ridley area helped run the event, the biggest of many run by the HEADstrong Foundation to honor Colleluori’s fight against blood cancer and fulfill his dream of beating the disease. He passed away four years ago.

“It means a lot – coming back to our home field where I graduated from,” said Terenick. “It’s going to keep getting bigger and bigger. People keep buying into it. It’s a good thing for Ridley and a good thing for everybody.”

Cabrini coach Steve Colfer’s Cavaliers have won 10 straight Colonial States Athletic Conference crowns. But the battle being fought every day against cancer is the bigger focus right now.

“This event is a good culminating point for us,” Colfer said. “We are figuring out who we have coming back and we are getting the new guys up to speed with how we drill and run offense and defense.

“It’s always good to have games and go against someone else. But the event is a great one as a whole because of the cause. This is one near and dear to our hearts. We always have a strong Ridley connection.”

Besides Terenick, Cabrini also brought Ridley grads sophomore long stick midfielder Timmy Grenier, junior attackman Brian Hill and junior defenseman John McSorley.