Captain of 1950 Georgia football team Merola dies

Michael Merola, who captained the 1950 Georgia football team, passed away Monday following a long illness.

Merola was a member of the 1948 SEC Championship team that finished the season ranked No. 8 by the Associated Press. He became a starter at defensive end in 1949.

Merola became the head football coach at Sandersville (Ga.) High School after he graduated and later worked in education in his home state of New Jersey until retirement. He and his late wife, Virginia, a native of Deepstep, Ga., retired in Athens. She passed away in 2007.

Survivors include: four daughters (Gina Maria Plotino and her husband, Vincent; Michelle; Marsha Salmon and her husband, Barry; and Maureen); four grandchildren (Stephanie Plotino; Samantha Plotino (a sophomore at UGA); Christina Salmon; and Michael Salmon). He is also survived by a brother, Ray, and a brother-in-law, Edward Antinozzi.