Cato '05 Drafted

Former Dartmouth defensive lineman Derham Cato '05 was one of three Ivy League products taken in the inaugural All American Football League draft. Picked in the 40th round by Arkansas, the 6-3 1/2, 294-pound Cato spent time with the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League last season. He previously played in the Arena League and has been on an NFL Europe roster.

Find the Arkansas draft selections here.

Other Ivy Leaguers taken in the AAFL draft were Princeton defensive lineman Ben Brielmaier, selected by Alabama in the third round, and former Yale quarterback Jeff Mroz, grabbed by Tennessee in the 50th round. The complete draft list can be found here.

The All American Football League, which hopes to capitalize on football fever in college towns, will play in college stadiums and is putting a premium on education. From the league web site:

The player must, without exception, have earned a 4-year degree or more advanced degree to be eligible to play in League games. However, some players who have not yet earned their degrees may be invited to tryout in the hopes that the opportunity will inspire them to complete their education.

The AAFL is slated to begin play this spring with teams in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Michigan, Tennessee and Texas. Arkansas is scheduled to kick off the season April 12 at Texas. It will play at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock.

A couple of notes about an upcoming Ivy League football film. The working title of For Love And Honor has been changed to "8: Ivy League Football and America." Visit the film's website here.

Also, well-regarded actor Brian Dennehy, who played football at Columbia in the late '50's, has agreed to do narration for the film.

And finally, that certain Hanover High sophomore qualified for this weekend's New Hampshire state championships in a third event yesterday, the 1000 meters. Though she was disappointed with her time, she brightened when informed that she was four seconds behind a teammate going to Stanford on a running scholarship and nine seconds ahead of the next runner behind her. As of now it looks as if she's doubling in the 3000 and the 1500 at states Sunday in Leverone Fieldhouse.