Pat Risha dreamt of playing Ivy League football throughout his career at Elizabeth Forward. When no Ivy offers were forthcoming, it was with some regret that Risha chose Colgate of the Patriot League last winter. As his Ivy dream was dying, Risha spoke with his father, Pat Sr., the former Clairton coach who is now superintendent at South Allegheny, about the possibility of attending a prep school to get another chance at it. 'It was good, but it wasn't my dream,' Risha said of Colgate. 'I think that goes back to the thing where kids start to realize that, after college, you're not going to play football anymore. You have to think about what you'll do after college. My dad and I talked about prep schools. 'He said, 'You might as well go for it.'|' It was a risk, but one that was worthwhile. Risha enrolled at Deerfield Academy in Massachussets, which is reputable for sending its post-graduates to the Ivy League, and worked his way into an offer to play football for Dartmouth. Academics were only part of the equation for Risha's decision to bypass Colgate. After rushing for 3,749 career yards at EF, he was recruited as a fullback by colleges. That didn't sit well with Risha, a Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Terrific 25 selection as a senior, when he rushed for 1,619 yards and 20 touchdowns and led the Warriors to the WPIAL Class AAA semifinals. 'I wanted to get a shot at tailback,' said Risha, who dropped 15 pounds as a senior to 205 this year. 'My speed has improved slightly, but my lateral movement has improved more than anything.' At Deerfield, Risha tore a ligament in his left ankle in the fifth game of the season and missed the next 2 &*#189; games. He returned for the season finale and rushed for a season-high 215 yards and two touchdowns on 41 carries against rival Choate. Risha finished the season with 862 yards and seven touchdowns on 151 carries for averages of 170 yards per game and 5.7 yards per carry. The football was altogether different. 'You don't have the superstars, but everyone on the field is a solid player,' Risha said. 'They don't make the mistakes you see in high school.' Durability was never a question mark for Risha. It was more a matter of his grades. Despite a 3.62 grade-point average and a score of 1,140 on the SAT, Risha didn't meet Ivy League admissions standards. Even though he couldn't improve his academic standing at Deerfield, his year there opened Ivy doors. Risha also made friends in high places. One of his classmates is Teddy Pataki, son of New York governor George Pataki. Risha said he spent the Thanksgiving weekend at their home in Garrison, N.Y. Risha was recruited by Ivy schools Penn, Princeton and Yale, as well as Holy Cross. Maryland invited him to walk-on. But Dartmouth offered not only the chance to play in the Ivy League, but also the opportunity to play tailback. In the end, it all worked out perfectly. 'Prep school life is a lot different than high school,' Risha said. 'You don't have much freedom. It was something I had to sacrifice, but it was worth it.'

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