Chronicle 2003 Game 1, August

La Salle College High School Football: Chronicle 2003

Game 1, August 29, 2003: Plymouth-Whitemarsh 29 – La Salle 19

(no games reports found)

The Explorers opened the 2003 season with a loss to the Colonials. Mike Lynch was 10 for 24 with 198 yards and a TD in the passing department; Brian Hogan and Max Mullineaux each caught three passes, and John Trainer caught two passes for 72 yards and a touchdown.

Game 2, September 5, 2003: La Salle 27 – West Chester Henderson 7 by Joe Fite, Inquirer

La Salle takes to air in 27-7 rout of Henderson; The Explorers built a 27-0 lead before the Warriors were able to get on the board. Unlike its Catholic League brethren, La Salle had the chance to play football last night and took full advantage of the opportunity. The Explorers went to the air early and often and dispatched West Chester Henderson, 27-7, in a non- league game at West Chester East's Harold L. Zimmerman Stadium. Most of the rest of the teams in the Catholic League have had their seasons interrupted by a teachers' strike in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. La Salle (1-1) opened the game with three running plays, but was stopped on fourth and one and punted the ball away. The Warriors (1-1) answered by driving from their own 21 to the Explorers' 7-yard line, but Drew Medwid hurried Henderson quarterback Matt McGreevy into an incompletion on fourth down, ending the threat. La Salle's Max Mullineaux tried a run to start the ensuing series, but picked up just 2 yards to the 9-yard line. With the running game finding the going tough against the Warriors defense, the Explorers went to the air. Mike Lynch completed four consecutive passes to John Trainer, Frank Jorfi and Kyle Whitmire to move the ball to the Henderson 1-yard line. Lynch capped the rally with a 1-yard keeper through the middle for a touchdown with 2 minutes, 40 seconds left in the opening quarter. Lynch stayed with a good thing during La Salle's next drive. He was sacked for a 1-yard loss, but hit Trainer with a 36-yard completion. He then found Brian Hogan on the left side with a 28-yard scoring strike with 11 minutes, 53 seconds left in the half and the Explorers held a 13-0 lead. The Explorers crossed up the Warriors midway through the quarter. Perhaps looking for another pass, Mullineaux slipped through the defense for a 42-yard gain. Four plays later, Lynch threw a pass down the right side to Hogan, who was backing into the end zone 22 yards away. He caught the pass and La Salle held a commanding 20-0 lead with 6:58 left in the half. Lynch, who did not throw a pass in the fourth quarter, completed 13 of 18 passes for 247 yards. Trainer caught six passes for 116 yards; Hogan hauled in four passes for 71 yards. The Explorers got the ground game going in the final quarter. On his second carry, Eddie DiDonato went up the middle for 4 yards and a touchdown for a 27-0 La Salle lead with 8:38 left. Mullineaux finished with 100 yards rushing on 16 carries.

La Salle College High School Football: Chronicle 2003

Henderson averted a shutout with 54.3 seconds left when McGreevy threw a 69-yard scoring pass to Dave Peters. McGreevy completed 11 of 18 passes for 155 yards; Peters grabbed six passes for 136 yards. by Ted Silary

Not a whole lot of choices tonight. With 14 of the 16 CL schools idle due to the teachers' strike, La Salle was the only one in action. I made the long trek to WC East (Henderson doesn't have lights) and saw the Explorers put on a decent show. Jr. QB Mike Lynch looked VERY good. He's listed at 5-11, 150, and might not weigh even that much. But what a presence and QB aptitude! He also has pretty good feet. Lynch finished 13-for-18 for 245 yards (he hit on 13 of his first 15) and two TDs, both to sr. WB Brian Hogan (4-72). Hogan last year was strictly a DB and had seven picks. He's now important as a receiver and return man as well. He made a spectacular spin move on a punt return to evade what had to be, literally, an eight- or nine-man wall of defenders. Sr. John Trainer (6-114) is also a very competent receiver. Sr. Max Mullineaux added 100 yards on 15 carries. Sr. WB-RB Matt Malloy did not touch the ball all night, but blocked like a madman. Yo, guys, give the kid a carry once in a while (smile)! I liked that the Explorers appear to like and respect Lynch a whole lot. It always helps when someone so important to a team's success is held in high regard. Teammates kept yelling, "He's a beast! . . . He's sick! . . . "Watch what he does on THIS play." I'm not sure how La Salle's line will hold up against the physical teams in Catholic Red and Lynch will likely take a pounding or two, but this kid has some special qualities. He was masterful in running a no-back offense for parts of the game. The defensive tone was set by sr. SS Chris Mulholland. He delivered several punishing hits while notching a sack and two more tackles for losses. Sr. L Drew Medwid applied heavy pressure to force an early incompletion on fourth- and-4 at the 5 and later recovered a fumbled punt. Jr. LB Joe Sobocinski had a forceful sack. Jr. LB Eddie DiDonato made another impressive play when he smelled screen and dropped the receiver for a 3-yard loss (he also bulled for a rushing TD). Charting offensive plays for La Salle was backup QB Ryan Travers. Near the end of the first half, a teammate asked him how many yards Mullineaux had compiled to that point. "Probably a lot," he responded, "because he had 62 on that one run." I overheard the exchange and went over to bust Ryan's chops. "Sixty-two? C'mon, baby, where'd you get that number? It was 42 yards." Ryan turned red and shrugged. At this point, I only knew the kid as No. 12. I hadn't checked the program. I did at halftime and saw the name Travers. Hmmmmm. Yes, he's the son of Billy Travers, head coach at North Catholic and Egan back in the day. Billy happened to come down to say hello and I told him about his son's 20-yard error. He said, "I always thought Ryan was GOOD in math."

Game 3, September 12, 2003: Germantown Academy 27 – La Salle 12 by Don Beideman, Inquirer

La Salle falls to fired-up Germantown Academy To hear the Germantown Academy football players tell it, there was nothing more frustrating than to see their much anticipated season opening game with Roman Catholic canceled last week because of the strike by Catholic lay teachers. That was unfortunate for La Salle, because the Explorers paid for that frustration last night in a 27-12 loss to the Patriots at Plymouth-Whitemarsh High School.

La Salle College High School Football: Chronicle 2003

Germantown Academy, expected to be a strong contender for the Inter-Academic League title, made it look easy behind the two touchdown performances each of quarterback Sean Grieve and running back Tyler Yerk and a bend-but-don't-break defense that came up with the big play when it needed it. "After our game [with Roman] got canceled we were really pumped for this one," said Yerk, who ran for 109 yards on 13 carries. "We'd been preparing so much for Roman. When that didn't happen we really wanted at La Salle." It was Yerk who got GA on the scoreboard first with a 17 yard run with 23 seconds left in the first quarter. It was only his second carry of the night as the Patriots came out passing the ball behind Grieve. After La Salle tied it 6-6 late on a pass play from quarterback Mike Lynch to Frank Jorfi in the second quarter, the Germantown Academy defense seemed to have La Salle's number. Grieve gave GA a 14-6 halftime lead when he sneaked one yard with 24 seconds to play in the second quarter. With one interception to Mike Andrews' credit earlier, GA got its second on the first of two thefts by Tyler Stampone and turned it into another TD. The interception set GA up in business at the Explorers' 19 yard line. Yerk scored on the first play from that point. La Salle, which fell to 1-2 with the loss, had the ball on the GA five yard line when Stampone got his second interception in the third quarter. Dave Zuk completed La Salle's frustration when he intercepted a Lynch screen pass early in the fourth quarter to set up Grieve's second touchdown run. "He [Zuk] kept saying in practice that he was going to read that screen pass," Yerk said. "He said he could see it coming." Zuk got the ball at midfield and rambled to the Explorers' 10 before being dragged down. Grieve scored on a keeper on the next play. "We had some great defensive calls tonight," Yerk said. "I think we were able to take them out of their [passing] game." Grieve said the Patriots' passing game wasn't what he'd like but pointed out that it was his team's opening game. "Our timing was off a little bit tonight," he said. "I'm just sorry we didn't get that chance to play Roman. That's a prestigious program and they beat us last year. by Ted Silary

When I spoke with GA coach Michael "Pup" Turner for our Inter-Ac preview, he said he was devoting twice as many practices to defense as offense. It showed in this one. The Patriots forced six turnovers and won in comfortable fashion though the offense was hardly spectacular. Jr. DB Tyler Stampone had two interceptions. Sr. DB Justin Holiday and sr. DT Dave Zuk had one apiece. Zuk's came on a perfectly sniffed middle screen and he returned the ball 30 yards to La Salle's 10. Sr. DB Sean Grieve and jr. LB Matt Brown had fumble recoveries. Be honest. Did you think the Patriots could post this impressive a win with almost no passing game? Hampered by a strong wind that made most of his long passes sail long, Grieve went only 7-for-20 for 47 yards. He rushed eight times for 59 yards and two scores, though, and had a spectacular 35-yard run. As he eased to his left, he pump-faked and left several defenders flat- footed. He zigged and zagged several times and took the ball to the 5. That sparkling effort set up his own 1-yard TD run. Sr. RB Tyler Yerk, subject of my DN story, ran 13 times for 80 yards and two TDs. He was barely touched on a 16-yarder and impressively broke two tackles at the 11 on a 19-yarder. This has to be a big confidence-builder for GA: Winning more with defense than offense, and posting four TDs on a night when the passing game was nearly non-existent (Grieve's longest completion went for just 8 yards). As for La Salle . . . phew, not a good night. Jr. QB Mike Lynch, so impressive last week vs. West

La Salle College High School Football: Chronicle 2003

Chester Henderson, had night-long difficulties as the Patriots exerted constant pressure. Lynch went 9- for-21 for 73 yards and the four picks. He did, however, make an excellent play on a 5-yard TD pass, finding sr. TE Frank Jorfi in the back left corner of the end zone. Lynch had good protection on this play and he took his time to hit Jorfi, who was probably the third or even fourth option. The running game got a very late boost from soph George Hudson, who had runs of 13 and 27 yards on La Salle's last drive. He finished 13-76. Sr. Matt Malloy had a teeth-rattling block on a punt return. It came late, too, which showed he was still focused and trying. by Zach Berman, Ted Silary’s website

It wasn’t quite West Texas, but it’s as close to a Friday night frenzy as GA Football gets. Under the lights at Plymouth-Whitemarsh High School with an electric crowd behind them, and a prepared and talented La Salle squad ahead of them, the Patriots made a statement, triumphing to a 27-12 victory. With Mother Nature apparently upset, the prolific Patriots passing game was stymied by swirling winds, forcing the coaches and quarterback Sean Grieve to practically halt an aerial attack. No worries, however, as the significantly improved defense forced six turnovers and a reliable running game picked up the slack, thanks in large part to the “Tylers:” Tyler Yerk and Tyler Stampone. Yerk followed up on last season’s stellar campaign with a good start, rushing for 80 yards and two touchdowns. Stampone, an Honorable Mention All Inter-Ac performer last season on defense, opened the season with a bang picking off two passes. The offensive line also deserves much credit for opening up the holes and muscling up in the trenches with a solid La Salle defense. The other scoring came from Grieve, who rushed for two scores and recovered a fumble on defense. Justin Holiday also picked off a pass, while Matt Brown grabbed a fumble. Yet the most memorable play of the game came by way of captain lineman Dave Zuk. Earlier in the week, Zuk pledged that he was going to pick off a pass. He read a screen pass perfectly, snuck his way in, intercepted the throw, and almost returned it for a score. The play highlighted a thrilling evening, as GA proved worthy of the fanaticism displayed by the crowd and ready for the grind in their pursuit of an Inter-Ac title.

Game 4, September 21, 2003: Roman Catholic 28 – La Salle 7 by Joe Santoliquito, Inquirer

Roman shakes off early rust and rumbles by La Salle, 28-7’ Cahillites quarterback Andre Sloan-El threw two TD passes and ran in a third to lead the win. The Roman Catholic football team was going a little stir-crazy. The Cahillites had not played a game since Aug. 30, due to a teachers' strike in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. And the Cahillites were driving coach Jim Murphy a little crazy too, because they wanted to hit someone. Roman finally got back on the field yesterday, opening its Catholic League Red Division season with an impressive 28-7 victory over La Salle, at Springfield (Montgomery County). The victory gave Roman a 2-0 record overall (1-0 league). La Salle, a private school not affected by the strike, fell to 1-3 overall (0-1 league). With the teachers on strike, Roman players conducted players-only practices to stay sharp. Except for a slow first quarter, Roman didn't look like a team that had not played in nearly a month. The Cahillites picked up 347 yards of total offense, and allowed the Explorers just 87.

La Salle College High School Football: Chronicle 2003

"I think I found out I need these guys more than they need me in the time off," Murphy said. "This has been a tough time for these kids. I can't be more proud of the way they responded." The Cahillites trailed just once, 7-0, before scoring 28 unanswered points. Roman mixed the pass in with a strong running game, led by Marc Petricelli and Evin Jones, who combined for 128 yards and a TD. Roman quarterback Andre Sloan-El completed 12 of 18 passes for 160 yards and two touchdowns, and scored a touchdown late that gave Roman a commanding 28-7 lead. "It's been a long while since we played, and I know I'm going to be a little sore tomorrow," Sloan-El said. "We worked hard during the time off and didn't put our heads down." Roman led, 14-7, at intermission, even though it was La Salle that had started quickly. On the third play of the game, La Salle quarterback Mike Lynch scrambled 40 yards for a touchdown. From there, however, Roman's defense took charge. The Explorers gained just 15 yards of total offense after their initial series. Petricelli and Charron Fisher figured prominently in that total, with one sack each for a combined loss of 15 yards. Roman pulled within 7-6 on a six-play, 62-yard scoring drive that culminated with a 2-yard TD pass from Sloan-El to fullback Sean Matthews. The Cahillites took the lead when Sloan-El hit Charlie Squitiere, who darted through a host of defenders for a 28-yard touchdown. Sloan-El then hit Jones for a two-point conversion. Sloan-El completed 6 of 11 passes for 100 yards in the first half. Roman picked up nine first downs in the first two quarters; the Explorers had just four. "We were just so hyped to play," Squitiere said. "We were waiting so long. Our team captains were running practices, and anytime someone clowned around, we put a stop to it. It just showed everyone wanted to be here." by Ted Silary

When jr. QB Mike Lynch scampered 40 yards for a TD on the game's third play, staking La Salle to a 7-0 lead, one had to wonder whether Roman had gotten stale during the teachers' strike. Um, no. Not at all. The Cahillites basically dominated thereafter and came away with an easy win. My DN story focused on sr. QB Andre Sloan-El, who was near-perfect while going 13-for-18 for 176 yards and two TDs. The lefty is being eyed by Maryland, Clemson, Minnesota and Iowa and has already been offered by Kent State. In this space I'd like to say more about sr. WR Charlie Squitiere. "Squid" (I guess that's how he spells it) made six catches for 106 yards and was outstanding on a 29-yard TD catch. He caught the pass barely past the line of scrimmage and made people miss tackles at least three times with fancy footwork. In the fourth quarter, he made three catches on a TD drive that ended with Sloan-El's 1-yard burrow. Squitiere also does the kicking, is a fearless return man and he probably had this affair's most bone-crunching block. The rushing was handled by jr. Marc Patricelli (14-59, TD) and jr. Evin Jones (10-64). Jones goes 5-11, 195, and is solidly built with good speed. He's one to watch. Early, Jones was involved in almost every play. As the strong safety, he made tackles on La Salle's first two plays. Then, after Lynch's TD, Jones posted a 14-yard kickoff return, receptions for 10 and 7 yards and an 18-yard run. Pretty busy, eh? Roman's O-line: sr. C Bill Chomiszewski (6-2, 265), sr. G Nick Sarro, sr. G Frank Suplick, sr. T Jim Gullifer, sr. T Lenny DeMalto and jr. TE Matt Schenk. Roman had 363 yards total offense. The defense was paced by sr. OLB Charron Fisher, Jones, jr. L Tim Plona, sr. L Alex Garcia and sr. LB Tom Bowen. Each was involved in two tackles resulting in sacks or losses for running backs. Bowen also recovered a fumble (hit by soph DB Cory Jackson). Jr. Mike Guinter made a vicious hit while covering a kickoff, but was seriously wobbly as he came off the field. He looked a shade dazed the rest of the day, but maybe

La Salle College High School Football: Chronicle 2003 he's just a goofy kid (smile). La Salle is still searching for an offensive identity. Formations and approaches and personnel are changing constantly and there's very little flow. The Explorers had just five first downs after Lynch's TD and two of those came on penalties. Sr. DB Chris Garzone had an interception and sr. DB Brian Hogan recovered a fumble. La Salle forever has been known for having a tough defense. But in this one, only two Roman plays went for losses. One came on the fumble recovered by Hogan and the other came on a snap bobbled by Sloan-El. Amazing.

Game 5, September 28, 2003: St. Joseph’s Prep 37 – La Salle 0 by Pete Crispino, Ted Silary’s site

Two of the Catholic League’s biggest rivals met at Plymouth-Whitemarsh Saturday night. The La Salle Explorers (1-4) took on the nationally ranked St. Joe’s Hawks (5-0) in front of a capacity crowd. Both teams came out fired up- the Prep trying to extend its 27-game winning streak and La Salle hoping pull of a huge upset against its archrival. Two quarters and 37 points later, it was clear that La Salle wouldn’t be upsetting anyone that night. On just the third play from scrimmage, Prep RB Dan Jones dashed 51 yards for his sixth touchdown of the season. Later in the half, Jones took it 90 yards for another TD after the Prep was pinned on their own 10 following a La Salle punt. La Salle’s D got explored throughout the whole first half to the tune of 276 rushing yards and 5 scores. In addition to Jones’s tallies, TDs were notched by sophomore standout John Shaw, senior FB Brian Tracz and WR Greg Ambrogi on an eighteen yard pass from Mark Noonan. The Explorers were unable to get anything going until the fourth quarter, long after most of the Prep starters had gone to the bench. La Salle passing game looked as good it gets for a shutout. QB Mike Lynch (9-19 110 yards) was able to complete six passes to John Trainer for 64 yards and threw just one interception against a secondary which went into the game averaging 3 picks per game. The running games of the rivals were exact opposites. La Salle was unable to get anything going, rushing 23 times for only one yard. The Prep, on the other hand, ran for just under 300 yards. Shaw sprinted for 116 of those on 9 carries while Jones dashed 143 yards on just 3 carries. That’s right- the entire La Salle team combined had 20 more carries for 142 less yards than Danny Jones. Is any Catholic League team going to beat the Prep this season? It looks like the teams with the best chances are Roman and O’ Hara. Roman, who plays the Prep in two weeks, will attempt to overcome the top D in Catholic League using their passing game lead by quarterback Andre Sloan-El. The week after, the Prep takes on O’Hara led by top back Anthony Heygood who will face the challenge of running past the Hawks’ fierce linebacking corps of Brian Tracz, Steve Quinn and Andrew Spross. However, if a team is going to break the Prep’s winning streak, I doubt it will be from the Catholic League. Late in the season, the Hawks take on Maryland powerhouse Gilman. This is shaping up to be the best game of the season and a critical one at that. Until then, we’ll just have to wait and see if a Catholic League team is able to upset the #9 ranked team in the nation.

Game 6, October 3, 2003: Cardinal O’Hara 14 – La Salle 7 by Sean Woods, Ted Silary’s website

If you were like me and thought La Salle did not have what it takes to compete with the other Red Division teams, you were wrong. O'Hara had size, a franchise running back and an unshakable defense, 6

La Salle College High School Football: Chronicle 2003 but the Lions were tamed tonight by the La Salle Explorers. Although O'Hara scored on its first possession thanks to a 34-yard TD burst from Sr. RB Anthony Heygood, La Salle seemed very much in control of this contest. They were responsible for most of the game's highlight-reel plays, but it was a big play from O'Hara that proved the difference in this bout. After an exchange of turnovers, the Lions found themselves at their own 9-yardline late in the 4th with the score tied at 7. "Alright fellas, 2-minute drill, let's do this!" encouraging players could be heard saying from the sidelines. Not Necessary. As if Heygood hadn't already done enough for his team, the workhorse took a 1st down handoff and exploded 91 yards down the home sidelines to cap a 273 yard performance. It looked as though sr. DB Brian Hogan would be able to catch him past midfield, or at least slow him down enough to give the other Explorers a chance to catch up, but the much bigger Heygood shook off Hogan and turned on the jets for the end zone. Hogan made a great effort, but Heygood, who is the consummate RB with a perfect combination of size and speed, could not be taken down by one man alone. With 1:20 left, La Salle had an opportunity to tie the game, and was very confident behind QB Mike Lynch and the rest of the offense that had been ferocious all game. Lynch kept his team in the game by completing 20 of 34 passes for an impressive 152 yards, including a 9 yard end zone strike to Max Mullineaux (8-26 rushing, 6-56 receiving), to lock the score at 7 apiece. The junior quarterback was equally impressive on the team's final drive, but his inexperience got the best of him. A pair of 11-yard completions to John Trainer helped the Explorers march down the field, but two misfires and an ill-advised keeper put the team in some jeopardy. His final play was a bomb that fell short of pay dirt, and into the arms of O'Hara safety Mike Gowen to draw this one to a close. I hate to focus so much on the losing team, but you really can't say enough about the efforts of the La Salle offense. Mullineaux was a triple threat with his ability to score on the ground, in the air and off his foot, and the Lynch to Trainer hookup will certainly be one to watch. Had it not been for O'Hara's tenacious defense, the Explorers could have put more on the board. The Lion D forced four big turnovers and was excellent on punt coverage, which made my job a lot easier. On offense they used 41 carries to collect 313 rushing yards, and seldom resorted to the passing game. QB Matt Campbell went just 4 for 11 with 54 passing yards. It was a great night for football and an amazing atmosphere at Springfield, with a huge crowd in attendance. The student section was packed and hung a new custom-made sign to identify themselves as "THE PIT". Other than a few noisemakers, the pit was pretty quiet for a fan section of its size and nothing like the Krazy Korner. When my back was to them, it was easy to forget they were there. I was having nightmares about returning to Springfield. The last time I was there, my Lancers were trounced by the Explorers 35-0, in the worst loss in our coach's history, which has since been matched. I was also disappointed to see that for the first time in hundreds, if not thousands, of years, there would be no McDevitt-La Salle game. Truly devastating. RANDOM THOUGHTS * La Salle has the coolest ad-books, complete with player profiles and kick-ass caricatures. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't jealous. by Bill Wettstein, Ted Silary’s website

In a game experienced teams are supposed to win, the Cardinal O’Hara Lions defeated the host La Salle Explorers behind a steady dose of sr. RB Anthony Heygood. His 91-yard fourth quarter touchdown run in the waning seconds broke the 7-7 tie and calmed a nervous Lion bench. “I got great blocks from my receiver, my fullback, the entire line”, a relieved Heygood said after the game. “I saw the hole, got past the corner and somehow got past the safety. I just took off for the end zone, dove and I made it.”

La Salle College High School Football: Chronicle 2003

What made the 91-yard effort exciting was that while taking on half of the Explorer defense to get into the secondary, Heygood (26-273-2) fought a leg cramp that worsened as he ran closer to the end zone. An “A++” effort on the play goes to jr. WR Sean Barksdale, who made one of the initial blocks to spring Heygood near the line of scrimmage and blazed downfield to help Heygood into the end zone. The Lions wasted little time introducing the impressive Heygood as he capped an efficient six-play opening drive with a 34-yard touchdown run. Most of the O’Hara faithful thought Heygood’s touchdown was a sign of scores to come. That was until jr. QB Mike Lynch assumed the controls for La Salle. Lynch (20-34-152) was poised to the end. He had “Lions” breathing down his neck the entire game, but stood in there and fired one strike after the next. On La Salle’s first two offensive series’, he and the fine receiving core of sr. John Trainer, sr. Max Mullineaux and so. George Hudson managed to move into O’Hara territory both times, but came up empty when La Salle punted on the first possession and Lion sr. Steve Cook intercepted a pass in the other. The Lion defense managed to get a handle on the talented Lynch and limited his yardage for the remainder of the first half. Offensively, the Lions had troubles of their own during the first half. Despite the strong running of Heygood and bruising sr. FB Matt Gough, O’Hara failed to cash in on a 21-play drive, aided by a La Salle fumble on a punt, when a short field goal try sailed wide-right with just over two minutes before halftime. Following a three-and-out by La Salle to start the third quarter, O’Hara seemed to gain some control of the game until a botched exchange fumble gave the Explorers the ball 34 yards away from a tie game. Facing a stiff Lion defense and a fourth-and-three from the 27, Lynch calmly hit Mullineaux on the numbers for 16-yard gain to the 11 and, three plays later, found him again on a crossing route in the middle of the field for the tying touchdown. O’Hara was in great position to take the lead on their next possession when a pass from sr. QB Matt Campbell to Barksdale moved the Lions to midfield. From there, the reliable Heygood/Gough running attack pushed the Explorers defense to the 17, but a fourth down pass fell incomplete. Seizing the opportunity for a potential upset, Lynch completed three passes for 21-yards and Hudson added a 27-yard run to put the Explorers at the doorstep again. A 35-yard field goal attempt to break the deadlock missed wide-left and the game appeared destined for overtime. Although La Salle had an another chance to take the win due to a Heygood fumble, Lion jr. S Mike Marotta intercepted a Lynch pass shortly thereafter setting up the classic finish. With the pressure on, O’Hara used the first play from scrimmage to spring Heygood for the game-winning touchdown. For La Salle, a tough loss indeed but, time and challenge will heal their inexperience. On this night, they gained some of both. Other than O’Hara head coach George Stratts (and the energetic legion of Explorer fans!), few gave this team a chance to be close at halftime. “It’s never easy between us and La Salle”, he said. “Last year we had an opportunity to take one from them and they came back in the last few seconds to beat us. They’re a proud outfit and so are we.” Footnotes: A pair of sacks by La Salle sr. DE Frank Jorfi, (–7 yards) ended an O’Hara threat before halftime and forced them to punt late in the fourth quarter with the game tied. As reported by Ted, O’Hara sr. G Gabe DiBernadino is on “injured reserve” this season, but he and his crutches roam the sideline faster than most reporters do. While disappointed about his role this season, his spirit for the game and attention to detail are undiminished.

La Salle College High School Football: Chronicle 2003

Game 7, October 10, 2003: La Salle 24 – Father Judge 17 (OT)

(no game reports found)

It took overtime, but La Salle stopped their 4-game losing streak with a win over the Crusaders. Mike Lynch had a great day passing, with 25 completions in 38 attempts for 277 yards and 3 TD’s. Max Mullineaux and Brian Hogan each had a score, and Chris Garzone contributed 5 receptions for 95 yards and a touchdown. John Trainer was the leading receiver with 7 catches for 52 yards. Rob Forster notched two interceptions, and Brian Hogan pilfered another.

Game 8, October 17, 2003: La Salle 18 – Archbishop Ryan 14 by Sean Woods, Ted Silary’s site

What originally appeared to be the Joe Zeglinski show changed dramatically when La Salle QB Mike Lynch stole the scene. After a pair of TD runs from Ryan's Zeglinski, The Lynch-led Explorers took center stage. Along with a dynamic supporting performance from Brian Hogan, La Salle staged an inspiring comeback to overcome an early 14-point deficit. The onset of this presentation featured early dominance by Ryan, thanks in part to Zeglinski (20-81 rush, 1-31 rec.) The sophomore RB compiled 70 first half yards to help give his Raiders a comfortable lead. Ryan's first drive, which was set up by a Dave Levan interception, included a 77 yard march downfield, with the bulk of the plays going to Ziggy. It concluded with a four yard Touchdown pass from Tim Roken (7-17, 85) to Rick Ferraiolo (4-36), who was also a bright spot on defense. Their second score came on a one yard run by Zeglinski. Cue the comeback. With good field position at the 48, La Salle need just two completions to Hogan to reach the end zone just before the half. Hogan had a career night and finished with 8 catches for 126 yards and a key interception! La Salle sr. handyman Max Mullineaux, who missed the ensuing extra point attempt, was not himself tonight. He finished with just 5 carries for 14 yards and did not attempt any more field goals. While the Explorer offense continued to fire on all cylinders, the defense stepped up and dropped the curtain on Zeglinski and FB Ron James (8-40). Sr. LB Miles Miller did a great job clogging holes, while sr. DE Frank Jorfi applied constant pressure to Roken. CBs Chris Garzone, Hogan and OLB Eddie DiDonato stuck to the Ryan receivers like glue. With the opposing offense subdued, Lynch went back to work with an ensemble cast of Matt Malloy (2-25 rec, 6-16 rush), John Trainer (2-23), Garzone (2-13) and Hogan. Under the direction of Joe Colistra, La Salle used several different plays and interesting formations, which really opened the field up for Lynch. He had plenty of room to run on several occasions and even tucked the ball and ran for a 20-yard touchdown. The go-ahead TD came on a 6-yard toss to Garzone, and Ryan was denied any chance to get back in. On Ryan's last drive Roken had one highlight, a 31-yard completion to Zeglinski, but could he not connect on his next four attempts. This put the ball back into the hands of La Salle and signaled the denouement of this exciting drama.

Game 9, October 25, 2003: La Salle 21 – Monsignor Bonner 7 by Ted Silary

As a few La Salle players reminded me in kinda-friendly e-mails (smile), I hadn't seen the Explorers in a while and it was time to reappear. So I did . . . just in time to see the Let's Reward Matt Malloy for All of 9

La Salle College High School Football: Chronicle 2003

His Hard Work Show. Malloy, a 5-8, 170-pound senior back, went through games earlier this season where all he did, literally, was block. With passion. Never touched the ball. But in this one, he touched it 18 times (14-51 rushing, 4-30 receiving) and even tied a world record!!!! For the shortest TD reception, a 1-yarder. Of course, he also blocked like a madman. Sr. RB Max Mullineaux also rushed for 51 yards (12 carries), so the 'Splorers had balance. And then there was jr. QB Mike "He's a Beast!/He's a Wild Man!" Lynch. He passed 16-for-27 for 187 yards while, like always, spreading the ball around to sr. Brian Hogan (6-84), Mullineaux (3-42), Malloy and sr. John Trainer (3-31). The TD pass to Trainer was a tremendous play. Lynch got chased back all the way to the 35-yard line and hit Trainer in the right corner. The play was officially 19 yards. The line: jr. C Andrew Rocks, jr. G Stew Ryan, sr. G Gerald Dunn, sr. T D.J. Cunningham and sr. T Tom Craig (6-4, 300). Among the more impressive defensive performers: jr. LB Eddie DiDonato (two big hits), sr. CB Hogan (two interceptions), soph LB Joe "Tubes" Tubolino (good range and wallop-packing) and sr. DT Kevin Donohoe (sturdy, as always). On a return, Donohoe had one of the loudest hits I've ever heard. It didn't even sound like bodies. It sounded like one car hitting another. The Bonner player, soph Matt Boland, immediately went to the sideline in a daze. Bonner had a few "almosts" in the long-TD-pass department. The Friars dropped at least three long ones that could/should have been scores. They also, apparently, had a passing of the torch at the QB position. Jr. Andrew Case was replaced early by soph Marc Verica. Verica went 8-for-20 for 68 yards and was victimized by two of the drops. He's a rangy kid and has that QB bounce. I'm sure Case will regroup but that might not be until next season. Sr. WR Jordan McCauley made a spectacular leaping catch of a 10- yard pass, netting a score in the process. Sr. RB Drew Schiller had to settle for 41 yards on 13 carries. Sr. LB Anthony DiEmedio had the loudest hits on defense. Late in the game, one injured Explorer (sr. back Chris Garzone) was teaching a newly injured Explorer (sr. LB Miles Miller) the secrets of successful crutch use. They then decided to use the crutches as noisemakers. As they were tapping the crutches together, Lynch flipped to Trainer for a TD. Also late, coach Joe Colistra was telling someone about a player who makes the same mistake over and over, even in practice. "It doesn't do any good to yell at him," Colistra said. "It has no effect. It's like when I go to the horse races. I can yell all I want. It's not going to make the horses go any faster."

Game 10, November 2, 2003: La Salle 27 – North Catholic 11

(no game reports found)

La Salle snagged their fourth straight win with a non-league conquest of the Falcons. Max Mullineaux led all rushers with 9 carries for 81 yards. Mike Lynch was an efficient 11 for 16 for 142 yards and a touchdown pass to Brian Hogan. Angelo Garafalo contributed two receptions for 65 yards.

Game 11, Nov 8, 2003: La Salle 28 – Archbishop Ryan 14 – (PCL Qfinal) by Ted Silary

It's finally going to happen. After numerous "almosts" that frustrated fans of both schools, La Salle and SJ Prep are going to meet in a playoff game. The tilt will take place Friday night at Northeast, barring any late changes, and it's undecided whether the teams will still meet for a third time this season on Thanksgiving. Anyway, the matchup became assured because La Salle was able to mix three ingredients in this one: running, passing and tough-enough defense. The Explorers did some serious 10

La Salle College High School Football: Chronicle 2003 banging. Jr. DB Rob Forster uncorked one of the season's best hits in pass coverage. Sr. DT Kevin Donohoe again and again hammered away on opponents. Sr. DB Brian Hogan had a big-time, go- through-a-guy tackle. Even jr. Jack Crouse made a stop on a kickoff! (or so he claimed -- smile) Sr. Max Mullineaux gained 140 yards on 11 carries with two long gains (60, 59 for a TD). Jr. Mike Lynch passed 10-for-16 for 130 yards and a 49-yard score to sr. WR Chris Garzone (3-67). Hogan also had a good night receiving (4-55). Jr. RB George Hudson got just one carry, but made the most of it (15-yard TD). On defense, Forster and Hogan had interceptions and Donohoe made seven tackles. Hogan made his pick while on his back! Sr. Sean Adams, a 157-pound nose guard, recovered a fumble to set up a TD run for sr. RB Matt Malloy. Ryan received a terrific outing from sr. WR Rick Ferraiolo, who made eight catches for 141 yards. He showed the preferred hands-only technique and made 'em in stride, while turning around and absorbing contact, while crossing over the middle, while keeping his feet inbound along the sidelines . . . Soph RB Joe Zeglinski took an early rap on his right forearm/wrist. He did finish with 44 rushing yards and 21 receiving yards. Sr. QB Tim Roken passed 13-for-29 for 184 yards. He often stood tall (he's 6-4, 200) and delivered the ball in impressive fashion. When the Raiders ran onto the field before the game through a paper sign held by the cheerleaders, sr. Steve Zuccarini fell to the turf. Tough paper, huh? "My QB's trying to kill me," he said, smiling. Apparently, he fell after bumping into Roken.

November 10, 2003 by Rick O’Brien and Shannon Ryan, Inquirer

La Salle vs. Prep: Are three games too many? Will the Thanksgiving Day football game between St. Joseph's Prep and La Salle be played this year? "That's the million-dollar question at this point," Prep athletic director Jim Murray said yesterday. The Prep and La Salle will meet in a Catholic League Red Division semifinal playoff on Friday at Northeast High. The teams already met on Sept. 27, when the Hawks triumphed, 37-0. The question about potentially having to play a third game has been addressed many times over the last decade. However, in the end, it never had to be answered. Now, administrators will be forced to make a decision. Before, when the Prep and La Salle were in the semifinals but not playing each other, discussions were about the teams possibly playing for the Catholic League championship on Thanksgiving Day. That scenario has been possible four times in the last five seasons, but each time only one of the teams made it to the title game. Last year, the Hawks beat O'Hara, 38-13, in a semifinal. But a championship matchup was averted when La Salle was edged by Roman Catholic, 9-6, in the other semifinal. Roman Catholic meets Cardinal O'Hara in the other Red Division semifinal this weekend. Murray said he has not talked to La Salle athletic director Tony Resch. Resch could not be reached for comment yesterday. The two schools are fierce rivals. The Prep is ranked No. 1 in Southeastern Pennsylvania by The Inquirer and No. 5 in the nation by one poll. "We're in favor of playing on Thanksgiving," Murray said. "But I don't know how La Salle feels about it. "From their side of things, I could see why they might not want to play the game." Murray said no tickets for the game, scheduled to be played at La Salle University, have been sold. If his team pulls off a major upset on Friday, La Salle coach Joe Colistra said a "rubber match would be a natural." But if the Explorers lose this week?

La Salle College High School Football: Chronicle 2003

"If we lose, it would be flat-out stupid to play them three times," Colistra said. "It wouldn't make any sense." If the Explorers are defeated, Colistra said he would make his feelings known to school administrators. Prep coach Gil Brooks had a different stance. "To me, it doesn't matter that much," he said. "It's not the ideal situation to play a team three times in one season, but the Thanksgiving game is kind of its own entity. "The Thanksgiving game brings out a lot of alumni from both schools. It's a fun game, more of social thing. There's a different atmosphere associated with it." On Friday, La Salle will try to snap a nine-game losing streak against the Hawks. They last beat the Prep in 1998. Though the Hawks have won the last four Thanksgiving Day meetings, the Explorers hold a 18-9 advantage in that series. "It's a great game," Murray said. "It would be a shame if it didn't happen."

Game 12, November 14, 2003: St. Joseph’s Prep 41 – La Salle 14 (PCL Semi) by Rick O’Brien, Inquirer

Jones and Prep run over La Salle, 41-14 Because of his size, Danny Jones is not being recruited by many higher level Division I-A football programs. St. Joseph's Prep coach Gil Brooks thinks that Jones, a 5-foot-8, 170-pound running back and defensive back, is not getting a fair shake. "In my opinion, he's the most electrifying player in the area," Brooks said. "He's the full package." Jones, a senior with amazing speed, carried 18 times for a season-high 251 yards and two touchdowns as the Hawks rolled past arch-rival La Salle, 41-14, last night in a Catholic League Red Division playoff semifinal at Northeast High. Ranked No. 1 in Southeastern Pennsylvania by The Inquirer and No. 3 in the nation in one poll, the Prep (11-0) moved closer to its goal of a third straight division championship. "It's something that's never been done in Prep history," said Brooks, whose squad has won 34 consecutive games. "That would be a great thing for these guys to achieve." In the championship game, next Saturday at Plymouth-Whitemarsh High, the Hawks will face the winner of tonight's semifinal between Cardinal O'Hara (6-2) and Roman Catholic (7-2). Because the Prep and La Salle (6-6) have agreed not to play Thanksgiving Day, which would have been their third meeting this season, last night's game had added significance. The Explorers had hopes of an upset after scoring less than a minute into the game. A 32-yard TD pass from quarterback Mike Lynch to a wide-open Chris Garzone brought the La Salle faithful to their feet. The Prep bounced back. A 71-yard jaunt by Jones set up a 1-yard plunge by fullback Brian Tracz. Sophomore running back John Shaw scored on runs of 20 and 3 yards, and then Greg Ambrogi intercepted a pass and returned it 50 yards for a score. It was a school-record 12th interception of the season for Ambrogi, a senior defensive back. Lynch (8 for 25, 176 yards) was repeatedly rushed out of the pocket by the Prep's swarming defense. Led by Jones and Shaw, who had 110 yards on 15 carries, the Hawks rushed for 415 yards on the ground.

La Salle College High School Football: Chronicle 2003

Jones, who has rushed for 1,151 yards and 15 TDs this season, said he has heard from Division I-A schools Boston College, Florida A&M and Central Michigan. How does he feel about the top-flight programs that aren't recruiting him? "That only makes me work harder," he said. "That's a big source of motivation for me." by Huck Palmer, Ted Silary’s website

After a brief scare the Hawks finally settled in and rolled to their 34th straight victory and secured a date in the CL Red final for the fourth consecutive year. The Explorers came out firing and needed just three plays to cover 67 yards for the game’s first score. Brassy jr. QB Mike Lynch hit a wide open sr. WR/DB Chris Garzone (3-101) down the middle of the field for a 32-yard touchdown just 56 seconds into the game. The La Salle faithful had to be feeling good about themselves, but it wouldn’t last for long. On the Hawks first offensive play following the score, sr. RB/DB Danny Jones was shot out of a cannon and went 72 yards before being pulled down at the two-yard line. Two plays later sr. FB/LB Brian Tracz (8-38) burrowed in from the one. It took the Hawks just 1:09 to answer back. The rest of the first half belonged to the Hawks. La Salle would only manage one more first down in the half. Take away the 67 yards La Salle had on their first drive and the Prep out-gained them a whopping 329-to-6 yards. When this team is running on all cylinders they are a machine. Soph RB John Shaw (15-109) scored the next two touchdowns on runs of 20 and 3 yards. Shaw has tremendous feet and when he gets in the open it is lights out. It’s a safe bet that he will rack-up serious numbers in the next two seasons. Sr. DB Greg Ambrogi supplied the run of the night on a 50-yard interception return for a TD. After making an over-the- shoulder grab with a La Salle receiver clinging to him, he broke free and spun up field. He shredded numerous tackles on the return and spun-off at least two would-be tacklers. This was Ambrogi’s 12th pick of the year. Providing the half’s final score was Jones, who dazzled all evening long. On this play, he headed up the middle, bounced to his left and then made a wicked move on a La Salle defender leaving him in the dust. Jones added a 23-yard score in the second half. For the game he rung up 251 yards on 18 carries. This kid has serious speed and is stronger than he appears. He is arguably the best all- around football player in the city. It will be interested to see what offers come his way. He is not the biggest player, but he has done nothing but excel during his time at the Prep. Sr. QB Mark Noonan was not asked to throw much, he finished 5-for-8, for 48 yards. Jr. WR/LB Steve Quinn, who has been known to unleash the big play, did not have to in this tilt. He did however gather in four receptions for 34 yards. Two of these grabs went for first downs. Where he did make noise was on the defensive side of the ball. He led the Hawks with five tackles, with 2.5 of these being sacks. Sr. DT Brandon Friday (sack) and soph DT Charlie Noonan (.5 sack) also got to the quarterback. Tracz and Ambrogi evenly split eight tackles. Sr. DB Kevin Murray recovered a muffed punt late in the game. The Prep netted 476 yards of total offense (422 rushing yards). Much of the credit has to go to the boys up front. This group includes: Sr. T Dave O’Brien (6-4, 258), sr. T Mike Robinson (6-0, 272), jr. G Brendan Gilroy (6-2, 247) sr. G Mike Buscaglia (5-10, 244), sr. C Pat Regan, and sr. TE Matt Parkhurst (6-4, 243). What this bunch lacks in overall size they more than make up for with quickness, technique, and desire. The Explorers for as hard as they played were just flat-out overmatched. Lynch is a nice player, and showed his toughness on La Salle’s second touchdown. On a fourth down play, he kept the ball on a keeper and went around the left end. He was met at the goal line by Jones, but lowered his head and made it into the end zone. He passed for 176 yards, but went just 8-for-25. A bulk of his yardage came on four completions that went for 30-yards or more. Sr. WR John Trainer (3-70) pulled in two of these completions. Can a team abandon the run before the game actually begins? Well, that’s what it seemed like tonight. La Salle had

La Salle College High School Football: Chronicle 2003 just 9 yards on 15 carries, Ouch!!! Explorer RB’s had just 5 yards on 8 carries. In fact, a La Salle RB didn’t run the ball until the 6:09 mark of the second quarter. This was La Salle’s 15th offensive play. Defensively, the Explorers were on the field for long stretches. Sr. LB Kevin Donohoe had a game-high 11 tackles. Jr. DB Rob Forster was next in line with 10 tackles. He also had a busy leg, as he punted eight times for a 33.1 average, his longest kick was 55 yards. Sr. DB Chris Mulholland and sr. DE Frank Jorfi (sack) evenly split 18 tackles. Sr. DE Jack Crouse (7 tackles) and jr. LB Joe Sobocinski (6 tackles) each added a sack. Jr. DT Christian Barrett and sr. DB Brian Hogan each had 6 tackles apiece. Jr. LB Eddie DiDonato hustled for seven stops. Sr. DB Kyle Whitmire had an interception. Some notes to pass along: Danny Jones and Kevin Donohoe were presented with game MVP trophies afterwards. Prep Head Coach Gil Brooks and his team were presented with a trophy that is usually given to the winner of this game on Thanksgiving. For those of you who have been sleeping for the past two days, the game has been cancelled. I spent the duration of the game on the Prep sideline and I don’t think too many of the players, coaches, and supporters were pleased with this decision. The Prep had 22 first downs to La Salle’s 5. La Salle’s first six plays of the first half netted 86 yards. There first two plays of the second half 69 yards. Their 32 remaining plays netted just 30 yards. Jones (1,141 yds) and Shaw (1,047 yds) both surpassed the 1,000-yard barrier in the game. Quite an accomplishment, and not just for these two individuals, but for the entire team. The 7 o’clock start time saw the game start with probably only about 50% of the audience already in their seats. Later, the crowd looked good, but I wouldn’t call it one of the better turnouts for a Prep/La Salle game. The Prep student section got involved and landed two good chants late in the second quarter. After the score became 34-7, they bellowed out with, “start the buses, start the buses.” Then my personal favorite immediately followed, “Happy Thanksgiving, Happy Thanksgiving.” Jones’ 18 carries marked just the second time this season that he carried the ball more than 13 times in a single game. Former Philadelphia Eagle and current NBC-10 sports reporter Vai Sikahema was in attendance on the Prep sideline. He was joined by current Eagles player Reno Mahe. Both men played their college ball at BYU. by Sean Woods, Ted Silary’s website

Takin' care of business. On gameday. Takin' Care of Business. Every play, They've been takin care of business, They're sublime! Takin' care of business, they don't need overtime. That classic Bachman Turner Overdrive song, often heard being performed by Prep's magnificent band, has got to be the theme song for the Hawk team this year. Amid all the hype, rankings and controversy that besieged the team, they have stayed focused and taken care of business. Without worrying about individual accomplishments, team records, or who they will play on Thanksgiving, Saint Joseph's Prep has taken this season a game at time, and has won with little difficulty. The Prep cruised to victory again last night, with the usual disciplined attack spearheaded by running backs Dan Jones and John Shaw, who each surpassed 1,000 rushing yards for the season. La Salle made this game interesting early when they jumped to a 7-0 lead on a 32-yard TD pass from athletic QB Mike Lynch (8-25 passing) to Chris Garzone (3-101). Unperturbed, Jones answered right back with a 76 yard dart to the Explorer 2, which set up FB Brian Tracz's (8-38) 1-yd push to put SJ Prep on the board. On the Prep's next drive, Shaw took 6 carries for 64 yards, including a 20-yard go-ahead TD. Shaw, who stands only 5'7", used his swift feet and abrupt direction-changing ability to accumulate 109 yards and two touchdowns. His second score was a three yarder in the 2nd that put the prep on top 21-7.

La Salle College High School Football: Chronicle 2003

La Salle is one of the more exciting teams to watch, with a vibrant offense and an especially fecund passing game. The Explorers used their passing game almost exclusively, as Lynch was directly involved in 14 of the Explorers 18 plays in the first half. Little did they know that relying on a passing game against the Prep is asking for trouble. Because continuously putting the ball in the air when S Greg Ambrogi on the field is like taunting a caged wild animal, or sticking your fingers in a fan; eventually you WILL get hurt. Lynch found that out the hard way, on his 9th and final passing attempt of the half. Ambrogi made a great catch over his head for an interception, and shaked and baked for a 50-yard TD return. Prior to that pick, La Salle only handed the ball off one time. Jones, a shifty tailback who goes from 0 to 60 in the blink of an eye, racked up 251 yards on 18 carries. His astounding playoff rushing performance (in a non-title game) is second only to Jerry Magallanes of Judge, who notched 272 yards in a 1981 playoff game vs. Wood. Jones' first of two touchdowns came late in the first half, when he eluded defenders and bounced outside for a 38-yard run. His second came on a 3rd quarter sweep that went 24 yards. Explorer DB Brian Hogan, a quiet but effective performer, was impressively able to track Jones down or knock him out of bounds on several plays where Jones turned the corner and left all other La Salle defenders in his dust. Just as they had done at the start of the game, La Salle struck first in the 2nd half but could not accomplish much more. Their second and final touchdown came when Lynch, despite having an array of defenders in the vicinity, took in himself from nine yards out, and was met with some screaming helmet to helmet welcomes as he crossed the goal line. Defensively, Tracz put a quick end to La Salle's attempt to establishing a running game, and Ambrogi limited the Explorer's passing game as much as is possible, as each of them totaled 8 tackles. But the defensive hero of the game had to be La Salle sr. LB Kevin Donohoe, who shared the player of the game honors with Danny Jones. The Explorer captain had a game-high 11 tackles, applied constant pressure to Prep QB Mark Noonan, and embodied the "Refuse to Lose" attitude. When the Prep's victory was evident, The Prep rowdy unleashed a Krazy Korner Kaliber chant with "Happy Thanksgiving" comment directed toward La Salle, who cancelled their annual Thanksgiving game. The Prep will now face either Cardinal O'Hara or Roman Catholic, in their fourth consecutive trip to the Red division Championship. And if you think a perfect regular season and a semifinal victory is the extent of the Prep's abilities, "You Ain't Seen Nothin Yet." RANDOM THOUGHTS *In addition to a great football game, those in attendance were also treated to an equally entertaining music performance. La Salle's traditional school band went head to head with Prep's primarily rock (guitar, bass, drums) band. While La Salle had its awesome percussion section, Prep won this battle with their great song selections. The only song I could hear the Explorers play was Michael Jackson's "Thriller" which really made me want to dance. The Prep graced fans with hits such as "Tequila", "Seven Nation Army", "September", "Evil Ways" and of course "Takin' Care of Business". by Pete Crispino, Ted Silary’s website

Late in the third quarter, the La Salle band boldly performed “Lose Yourself” by Eminem…well, the Explorers did just that. This game certainly wasn’t as close as we all hoped it would be, but at least La Salle will get a chance to redeem themselves on Thanksgiving…oh wait. A fairly common tendency of the Prep this year has been to give up a quick touchdown to the opposing team. This game was no different, as in the Ryan and Roman games, La Salle put up a quick 6 before

La Salle College High School Football: Chronicle 2003 most of the fans were in their seats. Another tendency of the Prep has been to answer that touchdown with a 50+ yard run by Danny Jones. This too was no different. Before you could ask the person next to you if they thought La Salle could win, Jones was sprinting 72 yards downfield and simultaneously silencing the rowdy Explorer’s fans. Just like that- 7-7, less than 3 minutes into the game. After La Salle’s perfect first drive, Prep coach Gil Brooks began blitzing and sending more guys over to the other side than the Fab Five from Queer Eye for the Straight Guy. Steve Quinn led the charge, recording 2.5 sacks, including one colossal hit to force La Salle QB Mike Lynch out of bounds for a loss. For being under so much pressure from the pass rush, Lynch did very well, throwing for 176 yards and accounting for both of the Explorers’ scores. WRs Chris Garzone and John Trainer played with heart, together accounting for all but 5 of Lynch’s passing yards. The Explorers running game must have gotten left behind in Wyndmoor because it certainly wasn’t at the game. They totaled a meager 9 yards on 15 carries. The Prep had no trouble moving the ball on offense. Jones sprinted for 179 yards in the first half and finished with 251 total rushing yards. Sophomore RB John Shaw also chipped in with 109 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Together the two standouts averaged just under 10.9 yards per carry. That’s nearly 2 more yards than La Salle ran for all night. The credit for this achievement has to be given to the Prep offensive line, which was led by game-ball recipient Brendan Gilroy. The line has many times been overlooked but can’t be forgotten for their tremendous job of opening gaping holes through which the backs have continuously punished opponents all season. The top play of the night, possibly the season, goes to Prep DB/WR Greg Ambrogi who made an adroit over-the-shoulder interception then proceeded to run over, around and through just about every player on the field before reaching the end zone. This was his 12th pick of the season and second returned for a touchdown. Ambrogi now has more receptions on defense than offense and has caught more touchdown passes from opposing quarterbacks than from Prep QB Mark Noonan.

Thoughts on the Thanksgiving Day game cancellation, from Ted Silary’s website

“As a die hard La Salle fan it is hard not being able to see my team go on Thanksgiving Day. But there are a few reasons. If the two teams faced off on Turkey Day then both of them would have played a quarter of their season's games against each other. And even though it is the best rivalry in the city no matter what the score is. But playing someone 3 times is just too much in football. Also this gives athletes who play a winter sport to start a lot sooner and not fall two weeks behind. It also will not give the Prep another win towards their winning streak which will end within the first three games of next year. As always...” BC

“The one good thing about this cancellation is that it opens the door for a MCDEVITT vs. LA SALLE Thanksgiving game. McDevitt hasn't had a Thanksgiving game in years, and these teams did not get a chance to play against each other this season. This is a great opportunity for an excellent game, and the resuscitation of a dying rivalry.” -Woods

“There's no question that the cancellation of the La Salle - St. Joe's Prep Thanksgiving Day game is a shame, but if the idea I’m thinking of ever came to pass, I really think it would make everyone forget about any Prep-La Salle game. I'm not sure whether North Penn already has a Thanksgiving Game, but if not, I think setting up a St. Joe's Prep - North Penn game would be a solid solution. Think of it, two of the top teams in the country going head to head on Thanksgiving Day. I also think setting up a game for

La Salle College High School Football: Chronicle 2003

La Salle would be worth the effort, vs. either McDevitt or Wood. Everyone knows that La Salle's second most hated team (besides the Prep) is McDevitt, so if this could be arranged it would make for a solid matchup and bring in the alumni, most of whom share the same feelings towards McDevitt as they do towards the prep. And with Wood being a big-time rival of La Salle's in other sports, the idea of a La Salle-Wood Thanksgiving game would be a solid second option, granted that the La Salle - McDevitt idea fell through. I think the most important thing through all of this is that the powers that be find a way to get a game played on Thanksgiving involving both teams, and that both teams play against an opponent that means something. I like Huck's (or Puck's??) idea about having both teams play a different opponent, but playing an Inter-Ac team does not have the same meaning to most players and alumni of both schools. Pinning the Prep vs. North Penn would definitely bring the crowds, and La Salle vs. McDevitt, or Wood, would unquestionably draw major attention. I would not be surprised if neither of these ideas are possible, and even if they were possible, I would be surprised if it was actually put into play. All I'm saying is that it's just a shame that the students this year of both schools, the alumni, and all involved are going to miss out on an always outstanding outing, and I think if their is any way to salvage this shameful situation it should be worked on with the attention and dedication it deserves. Keep the Thanksgiving Day Game tradition for both schools, don't let a good thing die even if it is only for one year. Remember that this is the Senior's of both schools last year, make sure they have the game they deserve.”

“I think canceling the Thanksgiving Day game is a terrible idea. When I was a little kid my dad would take my brothers and me to the games. I always wanted to play in the Thanksgiving Day game against St. Joes. The three times I walked onto that field it was so special. I think that taking that away from both these teams is the worst thing that could happen, especially to the seniors. I would have been heart broken if they cancelled the game in my senior year; I’d rather play it and get slaughtered than cancel it. It doesn't matter how many times they have played each other, Thanksgiving is a sacred game and should be played no matter what.” -- Chris Galbally La Salle '03

“Actually I think that both schools should get out of the Catholic League. If you think recruiting is ridiculous now, just wait until the Catholic League decides to go to the PIAA and teams want to create a state champion and be on the USA today top ten list.”

“Hello all you fans of the La Salle- Prep rivalry! I am a player on the La Salle football team this year and I have been attending the game ever since I can remember. I am mad the game is not happening, but before everyone blames La Salle for this cancellation of the game I think both sides had something to do with it. Coach Brooks said in the paper that he found it silly to play three times. So everyone can go blame La Salle and talk stuff, but when it comes down to yeah we lost twice already but I know every player on our team would not mind another go around. We know Prep is better, that's a given, but never NEVER say we don't have any heart or are "scared" to play this game. We were never given the choice. The call came down from the powers that be and to my knowledge it was a joint decision. So please don't attack our players and administration for a decision the Prep had just as much control over. Also, all you Prep fans out there that are enjoying kicking us while we're down have fun, but we will always be ready to play Prep whenever the time comes no matter if we play 3,4, or even 10 times in a season. We enjoy playing Prep and they can beat us as much as they want, but we'll come back and someday soon we will reign victorious once again!” -- Eddie DiDonato, La Salle Football #10

La Salle College High School Football: Chronicle 2003

“Here was the timeline as I experienced it. When it was confirmed that we would play St. Joe’s in the PCL semi-final, we knew a decision would have to be made regarding Thanksgiving. On Monday, we held a meeting at La Salle with our president, our principal, the athletic director (yours truly), the former athletic director, the assistant principal of student affairs, and the head football coach. Prior to this meeting, I personally sought out input from our former principal and former-former athletic director. The meeting attendees brought up all of the issues that have been raised on your comment board: first and foremost the students, but also tradition and alumni. The fact of the matter was that the possibility of the two teams playing three times had been coming up for the last seven years. Each of those discussions with St. Joe’s resulted in a mutually agreed upon position that we would petition the PCL to have our playoff/championship game (depending on the situation in a given year) played on Thanksgiving because playing three times in one season was too much. (As an aside, a reporter personally -- told me that three times seemed a bit much and emailed me that there was no precedent for playing three times in football – and this guy knows the history of the area.) As it turned out it never came to pass until this year. This was the driving force behind the consensus reached at the meeting: two teams playing three times was too much for one season. At that point, our principal called St. Joe’s principal and informed him of our position. After some pursuant conversations at the principal and AD levels, the next day the principals agreed on a joint statement. If the disappointment was “severe” and there was much “head-scratching” at St. Joe’s, it was not communicated to us. The proverbial “fly-in-the-ointment” here was the preemptive newspaper article last Monday. If we could have had these discussions between schools before those comments were in print, it might have seemed more like a mutual agreement. From my perspective, it was a mutual agreement. Be assured that there was no internal discussion of “ducking” St. Joe’s or “being scared” of a third loss. Nor did we ignore the tradition or the alums who enjoy the rivalry. I completely understand tradition. I was a participant in the 100th Yale-Harvard football game. I have been a spectator/participant/coach for the last 30 or so years of the PC/GA game. The rest of the leadership of La Salle is equally committed to tradition and continuing this fine rivalry. But if this situation of three games in a season comes up again, the two schools will discuss the situation and come to an agreed upon solution. So there you have it, from one person’s perspective. I know this won’t be of much help to those who are disappointed by our decision. But I hope it gives them some context as to how we reached this point. -- Tony Resch

Miles Miller