La Salle College High School Football: Chronicle 1964
Game 1, September 18, 1964: Neshaminy 13 – La Salle 0
Neshaminy Redskins Homepage
Striking twice in the second quarter, once on the ground and once through the air, the Redskins emerged victorious before nearly 10,000 fans at Playwicki Field. Neshaminy's first score was set up when La Salle fumbled a punt and Neshaminy recovered on the La Salle 15. Three plays later, Colbert went over from the two. Shortly afterward, Colbert found Irons for a 12-yard touchdown pass. Standing out on defense for the Redskins were linebacker Jack (Dynamite) Dunn and end Steve Pyle. Also having good games defensively were Rich McHale, Harold Odell, Bill Elswick and Fred Conger.
The Wisterian
La Salle Succumbs As Offense Fails La Salle College High School dropped the opening game of the 1964 football season to highly rated Neshaminy by a score of 13-0 at the Langhorners field on Friday the 18th. The Explorers made numerous errors in the opening quarter and a fumbled punt at the La Salle five yard line gave the Redskins their first scoring opportunity. Colbert Scores A courageous goal line stand led by Frank Bogle and Ed Plocha held the Redskin offense until the final down of the series when Neshaminy quarterback Jim Colbert rolled around end for a touchdown. The conversion was good and the Langhorners led 7-0. After a La Salle punt, a 27 yard aerial completion, a 6-yard jaunt around right end, and a short pass gave Neshaminy their second score. This time the extra-point attempt failed but the Redskins now led 13-0. Poor Air Attack In the second half, the La Salle defensive unit limited the big Neshaminy team to a minimum of yardage. Explorer quarterback Joe Sheehan, however, could not move his team in the air against the tough Redskin pass defense.
Game 2, September 27, 1964: La Salle 8 – West Catholic 6
The Wisterian
Texmen Triumph; End West Streak On Sunday afternoon, Sept. 27, La Salle defeated arch-rival West Catholic by an 8-6 score at John Bartram Field. The victory was La Salle first over the Burrs since 1958 in the series that started in 1919. Sheehan Tallies Quarterback Joe Sheehan scored La Salle’s winning tally on a quarterback sneak early in the fourth quarter with West holding a 6-0 advantage. The drive started when West kicked from their own end zone and La Salle, by virtue of a personal foul penalty, gained possession at West’s twenty-six yard line. Explorers then moved for two first downs, with senior halfback Steve McNichol supplying most of the yardage, before Sheehan spurted into the end zone for the TD. Quarterback Sheehan also scored the game-winning extra points on a sweep over left tackle. West Catholic’s score came on a very unusual play just before the first half ended. Burr quarterback John Barth took the ball at his own thirty and pitched out to fullback Harry Schumacher. Schumacher 1
La Salle College High School Football: Chronicle 1964 arched a long pass intended for end Bob Mills but La Salle’s Bob Logan intercepted at the La Salle thirty. Mills immediately tackled Logan and jarred the ball loose. Quarterback Barth, alertly following the play, recovered the loose ball and galloped the remaining thirty yards to paydirt. Barth stumbled on the extra point attempt and West took a 6-0 lead. Strong Defense West Catholic’s offense consisted of quarterback Barth’s passing. But his fine percentage (13 of 17) was counteracted by the play of the defensive backfield, especially junior halfback Bob Enoch. Defensive end Mike McCarthy also came up with an important interception that ended a West drive at La Salle’s thirty-five.
Game 3, October 4, 1964: La Salle 46 – Bishop Kenrick 0
The Wisterian
Explorers Open League Play; Easily Trample Weak Knights The Little Explorers opened the 1964 Catholic League season last Sunday by burying Bishop Kenrick, 46-0. As usual, La Salle’s defense was a major factor in the victory. The Explorers intercepted three passes, recovered three Kenrick fumbles, scored two safeties, and limited the Golden Knight offense to 10 yards in the first half and slightly more than 10 the rest of the game. Stosh Scores The game was all La Salle from the very beginning. The Explorers received the opening kickoff and marched 70 yards in twelve plays, including an 8 yard TD burst off left tackle by Stosh Fota. The impotent Kenrick offense lost 10 yards on its first three plays from scrimmage. Then Frank Venezia, the punter, received a bad pass from center and was swarmed under in the end zone for a safety. La Salle failed to hit paydirt and thus Kenrick took over on their own 31. The defensive line again trampled them for 10 yards and forced them to kick. This time the kick went out of bounds and on the first play, Fota ran 32 yards for a TD, only to have it called back because of a penalty. Shortly afterwards, Sheehan passed to Joe Donoghue for the score. Moments later, Sloane’s second fumble recovery was followed by a halfback pass from Steve McNichol to quarterback Joe Sheehan, who scampered past several would-be tacklers for another touchdown. Fota Tallies Again In the second half, interceptions by Jay Foley (his second) and Mike McCarthy set up another TD. Moments later, another halfback pass from McNichol, this time to Joe Jordan, set up a 30 yard touchdown gallop by Fota. A safety by Jim Cooney and an off-tackle TD burst by Mike Boerner finished off La Salle’s scoring before the game mercifully ended.
Game 4, October 11, 1964: La Salle 12 – North Catholic 0
The Wisterian
La Salle continued their domination of North Catholic on Sunday, October 11, when they defeated the Falcons for the eighth consecutive time. The team combined great defense with fine backfield work, notably the running of senior halfback Steve McNichol, in grinding out the 12-0 victory. Falcons Squander Chance 2
La Salle College High School Football: Chronicle 1964
The Falcons took the opening kick and proceeded to march down to the Explorer six yard line, where it was second down and three yards to go for a first. Frank Alba, who already had a beautiful 20 yard run to his credit, was stopped for no gain. Co-captain Tom Razzano then made two plunges into the line and fell inches short of the first. Shortly afterward, La Salle was forced to kick. On North’s first play, defensive back Jay Foley intercepted a pass and ran it back 15 yards. On Fourth down, John DiLanzo got off a long spiral punt, which was fumbled by a Falcon and recovered by lineman Len Sloane. Steve McNichol moved the ball to the eight on a six yard carry. Joe Sheehan then rolled out to his right and lofted a pass to Bob Gumrot, who was alone in the end zone. Following this, the alert La Salle defense recovered two more North fumbles but two drives fell short. The first time, McNichol’s running moved the ball well, but a fourth down play failed by inches. Following the second recovery, the clock forced La Salle to act quickly, and an offsides penalty and an incomplete halfback pass gave North the ball on their own eight yard line as the half ended. McNichol Tallies Midway into the third quarter, Bob Gumrot ran back a punt 20 yards to the North 45. Mike Boerner and Stosh Fota then picked up 17 yards on successive plays before McNichol broke through a huge hole in the Falcon line and sprinted 28 yards for the second Explorer touchdown.
Game 5, October 25, 1964: La Salle 20 – Bishop Egan 0
The Wisterian
Explorers Blank Eagles; Defense Sparkles Again The Explorers of La Salle defeated the defending champion Eagles of Bishop Egan, 20-0, at McCarthy Stadium, October 25. This marked the third straight time the Explorer defense had shout-out the opposition, and left the team undefeated and unscored upon in Catholic League play. Gumrot Snares TD Pass La Salle scored the first of its three touchdowns with less than a minute remaining in the first half. Following a fumble recovery at Egan’s 42 yard line, quarterback Joe Sheehan arched a 31 yard strike to halfback Bob Gumrot, who shook loosed from two defenders in the end zone for the TD. The try for the extra points failed, and the first half ended with La Salle on top, 6-0. The Explorers scored again at the opening of the second half, taking the kick at the 23 and marching 77 yards for the score. Halfback Stosh Fota led the way with a 40 yard sprint to the Eagles’ 33. Halfback Steve McNichol then picked up two first downs while advancing the ball to the 10. Fullback Mike Boerner followed with an off tackle burst to the one, and on the next play he ran through a gaping hole on the left side and scored standing up. Joe Jordan tallied the extra points on a halfback pass from McNichol, and La Salle led, 14-0. McCarthy Intercepts The Explorers’ fine defense accounted for the final tally. After Egan received a punt at their own 13, senior end Mike McCarthy made a beautiful interception of a pass from Eagle quarterback Tom Flynn at the 30, and leaving several would-be tacklers in his tracks, went in for the touchdown. Despite the size and power of its running backs, Egan never penetrated beyond he La Salle 30 yard line. Each time the Eagles began to move the ball, the alertness and crisp tackling of the Explorer defenders stopped them cold.
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La Salle College High School Football: Chronicle 1964
Game 6, November 1, 1964: La Salle 12 – Bishop McDevitt 8
The Wisterian
Explorers Defeat Unbeaten Lancers The Explorers combined explosive running and a hard-nosed defense to best Bishop McDevitt, unbeaten in its first six games, on Sunday, November 1, by a score of 12-8. Although the Lancers stopped La Salle’s unscored upon streak at seventeen consecutive quarters, their offensive production was far below their average of 21 points per game, thanks to the Explorers’ hard- rushing defensive line, particularly “Big Ed” Plocha, and a hard-tackling defensive backfield. Bender Injured From the beginning, the game promised to be a defensive battle, as both teams traded punts through the first quarter. However, McDevitt’s offense was dealt a severe blow by the injury of Tom Bender, their fine quarterback, on their first offensive play. Early in the second quarter, the Explorers received the ball on their own 36. Bill McCloskey moved the ball to the McDevitt 41 via three power plays. Steve McNichol burst off the left side for 20 and Mike Boerner followed with another 20 yard jaunt over the same spot. Quarterback Sheehan then sneaked the ball over from the one-foot line. An end run for the PAT fell inches short. After the kickoff, Tim Dunleavy, subbing for Bender, threw a bullet pass which was picked off beautifully by Bobby Enoch and returned to the McDevitt 35. A few plays later, Steve McNichol again scooted off the left side and this time followed great downfield blocking for a 28-yard touchdown. Defensive Battle The second half was strictly a defensive battle until the McDevitt offense began clicking with four minutes remaining in the game. Quarterback Bender, who had returned to the game at the end of the first half with twenty stitches in his leg, led the Lancers downfield with passes to Dunleavy, McNamara and Jenkinson. Finally, with fourth and two, on the La Salle 7, he arched a short pass that was hauled down by Dunleavy for the touchdown. McDevitt scored the extra points on a pass but the game ended before they could get the ball again. Prophetic Words After the game, Explorer coach Tex Flannery prophetically commented, “I was pleased with the team’s performance but our all-around play, particularly our offense, will have to improve for us to beat our other rivals.”
Game 7, November 8, 1964: Cardinal Dougherty 13 - La Salle 0
The Wisterian
Casertano Romps; CD Tops La Salle On Sunday, November 8, Cardinal Dougherty upset previously undefeated La Salle by a 13-0 score. Fine break-away running by the Cardinals, especially halfback Jim Casertano, who amassed 181 yards on the ground, enabled them to notch two second half touchdowns while a spirited Dougherty defense held the Explorers scoreless. Casertano Breaks Loose
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La Salle College High School Football: Chronicle 1964
All-Catholic candidate Casertano broke around right end for a spectacular seventy-eight yard touchdown gallop on Dougherty’s first play of the second half. Halfback Bill Dougherty booted the extra point to make the score 7-0. Later in the third quarter, Dougherty marched eighty yards for their second touchdown. Bernie Rodgers tallied, upping the score to 13-0, after Casertano had scurried for thirty-two yards of La Salle real estate before being collared at the three. A tough Cardinal defense and the inability of the Explorers to hold on to the pigskin combined to stymie every offensive effort of La Salle. Three times (once on the Dougherty 22), when the Explorers began to move the ball well, they were thwarted by fumbles. Scoreless First Half The first half ended in a scoreless tie although La Salle showed a better offense and its usual immovable defense.
Game 8, November 15, 1964: Father Judge 3 – La Salle 0
The Wisterian
Explorers Lose, End Season, As Judge Field Goal Decides La Salle closed the 1964 season short of its championship goal on Sunday, November 15, when dropped passes and a good Crusader defense brought a 3-0 defeat at the hands of Father Judge. The Explorers took to the air when they found that they couldn’t run against the big Judge line. Three times, receivers just missed good passes, at least one of which was a touchdown if caught. Four other times, the Judge secondary intercepted misguided aerials. The Crusaders took advantage of an interception to score the only points of the game. With time running out in the first half, Steve McNichol took a handoff from Joe Sheehan, feinted to the outside, and then dropped back to throw. Joe Flynn had a couple of steps on his defender on the Judge 25, but he failed by inches to haul in “The Baron’s” pass. On the next play, McNichol ran the same play and this time spotted Joe Jordan in the same spot. However, Chuck Jarvis picked off the pass, returning it to the La Salle 24, where Sheehan, the last man, finally tackled him. From here, the big Judge backfield battered down to the 7. But an incomplete pass and an offsides penalty made it fourth and goal on the 12 with only seconds remaining in the half. Then, Judge stunned everyone by making a field goal attempt. Quarterback Bill Kelly split the uprights from the 18, a 28 yard kick, and the margin of victory. Drive Stopped Short Shortly after the second half began, Bob Logan returned a punt to the La Salle 12. Then a pass to McCarthy, and alert fumble recovery by Joe Flynn, and a good run by McNichol made it first and 10 on the Crusader 29. On the next play, Al Bense intercepted one of Sheehan’s passes. After a Logan interception and an exchange of punts, La Salle began to march again. This time, McNichol’s running and Sheehan’s passing moved the ball to the Judge 19. Then, as Sheehan dropped back to pass, the Judge line charged in. Faced with either a big loss, which at that point could have killed the Explorers, or a “Hail Mary” pass, he chose the pass, and it was intercepted. Time Runs Out The Crusaders then quick-kicked to the La Salle 20. With time running out, the Explorers completed on desperation pass and then had a second one intercepted. Judge merely sat on the ball and ran out the remaining seconds. 5
La Salle College High School Football: Chronicle 1964
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