Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 3/20/15
The annual “Fallen Heroes Game” between La Salle and DeMatha Catholic (MD) will be held tonight at 6:30 p.m. at Anne Arundel Community College in Arnold, Md.
The game honors the memory of two true American heroes: First LT. Travis Manion (La Salle), who died in Iraq in 2007; and his best friend and roommate from the US Naval Academy, Navy SEAL, Lt. Brendan Looney (DeMatha), who died in Afghanistan in 2010.
When Travis died he was originally buried in a family plot near his hometown. However, after Brendan passed away, the decision was made to bury both men side by side at Arlington National Cemetery. The decision to do this made national news and was covered by all of the major networks.
The first “Fallen Heroes Game” game was played in 2011 at the Naval Academy. Game two was held in 2012 at La Salle, in 2013 the game was held at Catholic University in Washington D.C. and last year the game was held at Penn University’s Penn Park.
Travis played lacrosse in high school and wrestled at Navy. Brendan played football and baseball at DeMatha. At Navy, he played football and lacrosse, and was a key member of the Navy team that went to the National Championship Game in 2004.
La Salle, the defending Catholic League and District 12 champion, is making its season debut while DeMatha, of the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference, is 2-2.
“The schools do a great job of honoring both fallen heroes and this game is good fellowship,” said La Salle coach Bill Leahy. “It’s a positive thing. What are the odds that two young men, best friends, would die serving their country and can be honored by us playing a lacrosse game?”
There is a$5 admission and proceeds will be donated to Manion/Looney Foundations.
This year DeMatha also be honoring Marine Staff Sgt Marc Golczynski, father of Christian Golczynski class of 2016. Marc lost his life March 27, 2007 during his second deployment in Iraq. He was tragically shot and killed by a sniper in Fallujah, Iraq.
Below is a video about both young men.
[tubepress video = ” moRHtRMRN64 “]
