Alberto Mascaro ’92 was a quintessential Franklin & Marshall College football player.
Arrive on campus, learn from the team’s veterans.
Play a season or two, hone your game and become a role model to younger players.
“My first recollection is Al’s intensity,’’ said Andy Zuch ’90, a Mascaro teammate, who played defensive back for F&M and was elected into the F&M Athletic Hall of Fame in 2001. “He played the game with all-out emotion that’s required to be great. He was a physical football player. You wrap those two together and you have the kind of Division III football player that Al was.’’
Coming from a strong high school football program at Bergen Catholic in New Jersey, Mascaro, who played defensive end, was ready for the intensity of the college game right away. He helped F&M go 8-1-1 in his freshman year and 7-3 when he was a sophomore, contributing 41 tackles and a pair of sacks that season.
Zuch said it didn’t take long for all to see what kind of player Mascaro would be.
“We had a game late in the season at Johns Hopkins,’’ Zuch said. “We ran down the field and the ball carrier made a bad business decision to run it in Alberto’s lane. Alberto crunched the guy like I’ve rarely seen. He was a freshman and I remember thinking, this kid is going to be a heck of a football player.’’
Mascaro had arguably his best season as a junior in 1989, compiling 107 tackles and 10 sacks for a Diplomat team that was 6-1 in the Centennial Conference (CC) and 10-1 overall.
In a game against Muhlenberg that season, Mascaro had eight tackles, two sacks, and a blocked punt. The Mules attempted 32 rushes that game, gaining a net one yard.
He had nine tackles and a fumble recovery in the Diplomats’ 40-11 win over Gettysburg.
“Al played on the opposite of Matt Deschamps,’’ said F&M defensive coordinator Al Brooks. “Deschamps had the reputation of disrupting opposing offenses’ passing games by getting after the quarterback. Offenses paid attention to Matt and Al took advantage of that.’’
Mascaro was named a tri-captain at the start of his senior year but suffered a knee injury in the second game of the season against Ursinus. He tried to come back before the end of the season but the injury didn’t heal enough for him to be game-ready.
“He was extremely disappointed,’’ Brooks said. “But he used that downtime to get a little stronger and worked very hard at getting better. He became an even better leader.’’
Mascaro was granted another season of eligibility and returned for the ’91 season. A team captain again, Mascaro helped the Diplomats to a 6-4 record and the College Reporter’s assessment at season’s end was simply this: “Mascaro led the Diplomat defense to a stellar season.’’
Mascaro was a two-time All-CC selection and was twice an All-America pick, as a Second Teamer in ‘89 and Third Teamer in ‘91.
He finished his career with 265 total tackles and 24.5 sacks - the latter of which remains fourth in the program’s career record book.
“The intensity Al showed was inspiring to me,’’ Zuch said. “He played with his hair on fire and seeing that you knew you couldn’t let up.’’
Mascaro lists his greatest thrill as defeating St. John’s to win the ECAC Championship in 1989. His fondest memory is sharing the camaraderie and the field with so many great athletes, coaches and more importantly, great men.
He is a partner of The Mascaro Group (sales and marketing consulting) and partner of the m*ergy Experience (fitness training studio). Mascaro is actively involved in obstacle course racing, trail running races and fitness. He and his wife, Luli of 23 years, have two daughters, Mia, 18 and Nina, 16.
