La Salle College High School Football: Chronicle 2002
Game 1, August 30, 2002: Plymouth-Whitemarsh 18 – La Salle 16
(no games reports found)
The Explorers opened the 2002 season with a tough loss to P-W. Brian Donohoe led all Explorer rushers with 60 yards on 14 carries and a TD. Joe Winning was 6-for-10 in the air with one touchdown, and contributed an interception on defense. Sean Agnew snagged two balls for 32 yards, and Bill Loughery’s one catch went for 22 yards and a touchdown.
Game 2, September 6, 2002: La Salle 37 – Bishop McDevitt 0 by Joe Fite, Inquirer
La Salle decimates McDevitt, 37-0. By ground, by air, and even by punt return, the Explorers completely dominated the Lancers. Dominant. That is the only word to describe La Salle's performance in a 37-0 nonleague victory over visiting rival Bishop McDevitt last night at Springfield (Montco) Spartan Stadium. The Explorers (1-1 overall) rebounded nicely from an 18-16 setback last week to Plymouth-Whitemarsh to completely dismantle Bishop McDevitt in the Lancers' season opener. La Salle beat McDevitt in almost every way possible. The Explorers outgained the Lancers in the first half, 105 yards to 18 on the ground and 80-21 in the air. Most dominant for the Explorers was running back Brian Donohoe, who gained 97 yards rushing on 18 carries. All but two of those yards came in the first half. Running behind the blocking of Bruce Pohlot, Chris Galbally, Rob Brassell, James Finore, Joe Cosella and Tim Craig, Donohoe had little trouble shredding the McDevitt defense. During La Salle's second series of the first quarter, Donohoe carried the ball all five times during a 63- yard drive. He capped that series with a 17-yard blast off left tackle for a touchdown with 4 minutes, 26 seconds remaining. Matt McGurkin picked off Lancers quarterback Robert Dougherty at his own 28-yard line, giving Donohoe yet another opportunity to shine. He caught a 15-yard pass from Joseph Winning, rushed for 20 yards on five carries in the drive and threw a 33-yard halfback pass to John Trainer, setting up his 2-yard scoring run with 30.3 seconds left in the first quarter. Donohoe again dominated in the second quarter. Sean Agnew returned a McDevitt punt 36 yards to the Lancers' 18-yard line. Four Donohoe carries culminated in a 2-yard scoring run and a 21-0 lead. Max Mullineaux, son of Frankford head football coach Tom Mullineaux, blasted a 40-yard field goal with 26.2 seconds left in the half to give La Salle a 24-0 halftime lead. Things got worse for McDevitt in the third quarter. McGurkin raced 64 yards down the left sideline with a punt for a touchdown with 10:05 remaining in the quarter. After a 51-yard punt return by Agnew, Mullineaux scored from the 2-yard line with 7:25 left in the quarter for a 37-0 Explorers' lead.
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La Salle College High School Football: Chronicle 2002
On the play, Lancers lineman Michael Haggerty was injured and transported to the hospital with possible internal injuries. by Ted Silary
Who would have predicted this? A blowout in a matchup featuring two quality programs. The loss was the worst for McDevitt since 1981 (38-0 to Judge), which was the year before current coach Pat Manzi took command. About 2,000 fans were on hand for the first game under the newly installed lights at Springfield Montco. The renovated facility looks great, by the way! The Man Most on a Mission was sr. RB-P Brian Donohoe. The former QB looks much more comfortable in his new spot and he tortured the Lancers, accumulating 155 yards of rushing (18-98), receiving (2-24) and passing (33 yards to jr. WR John Trainer.) He was juiced and that probably had something to do with what had happened a week earlier: two of his punts were blocked, resulting in TDs, in an 18-16 loss to Plymouth-Whitemarsh. Jr. RB Max Mullineaux, the son of Frankford coach Tom Mullineaux, added 52 yards and a TD on nine carries and hammered a 40-yard field goal. The other headliner was sr. DB-KR Matt McGurkin. He made a leaping interception to help set up a TD and then scored on a 63-yard, thing-of-beauty punt return. McGurkin caught the ball in the middle of the field and zoomed to the left, where La Salle had set up a textbook wall of blockers. When a McDevitt defender approached at maybe the 20 yard line, McGurkin switched directions, put on a move or two and wound up scoring back in the middle of the field. Sr. Sean Agnew also had two impressive punt returns, of 35 and 51 yards. McDevitt offered little resistance in its opener, honestly. It posted just two first downs until the late going (it added two more) and showed little emotion until after two-way sr. L Mike Haggerty suffered a rib injury in the middle of the third quarter. There was a 25-minute delay as officials awaited the arrival of an ambulance. There'd been a serious auto wreck nearby on Cheltenham Avenue, so the EMTs were quite busy. Sr. P Robert McHugh (6-3, 215) had to punt seven times. He averaged 34.6 yards. Sr. QB Robert Dougherty gave an uneven performance, not surprising considering he's a first-year starter. He committed one cardinal sin early, reaching out with the ball while trying to get a first down. It was batted away, jr. DT Kevin Donohoe recovered (yes, that's Brian's brother), and La Salle took the lead for good five plays later on Brian's 16- yard run. Sr. DE Andrew Kovach made some impressive plays for the Lancers and as the game wound down, I heard him "reminding" his teammates (not so gently, either) that they'd better hit the weight room come Monday. La Salle has two guys named Joe Winning. Joe F. (for Francis) is the sr. QB starter. Joe W. (for William) is a substitute soph LB. They're cousins.
Game 3, September 14, 2002: La Salle 10 – Germantown Academy 3 by Rick O’Brien, Inquirer
La Salle contains GA attack in 10-3 win. The Explorers' Max Mullineaux accounted for his team's points with a TD catch, PAT and field goal. From his aggressive play on the football field, one might think La Salle High's Chris Galbally always acts like a person who's had one too many cups of coffee. "Actually, I'm pretty calm away from sports," said Galbally. "Most people, except maybe my parents, would probably say I have a laid-back personality." A two-way lineman, Galbally helped the Explorers down host Germantown Academy, 10-3, yesterday in a nonleague matchup played at Deacon Field. 2
La Salle College High School Football: Chronicle 2002
The 6-foot, 205-pound senior left defensive end helped contain slippery GA quarterback Sean Grieve. Galbally was involved in six tackles, including four solo stops, and registered a fourth-quarter sack. "We wanted to stop [Grieve] from getting to the corner," Galbally said. "We knew he was a dangerous runner [who] could do damage." Yesterday's game was believed to be the first official meeting between neighboring La Salle (2-1) and Germantown Academy (0-2). According to Jack Turner, who coached Germantown Academy from 1964 to 1986 and whose son, Michael, now guides the team, the squads last met in 1955; the Patriots won, but the game did not count toward either team's final record. That La Salle team went on to win the Catholic League championship. A 3-3 tie was broken midway through the third quarter when senior quarterback Joe Winning lofted a 23- yard TD pass to junior running back Max Mullineaux. Mullineaux, the son of Frankford head football coach Tom Mullineaux, broke free along the left flank and beat GA's drawn-in secondary. "We were pursuing like crazy and had our eyes in the backfield," said Michael Turner of the decisive play. The teams traded field goals in the second quarter. Mullineaux connected from 21 yards, and the Patriots' Steve Bowers booted a 30-yarder just before intermission. GA made things interesting in the fourth quarter, driving 63 yards to the La Salle 28-yard line. But the series, which lasted nearly eight minutes, ended on an incomplete pass with less than a minute to go. Grieve completed 11 of 19 passes for 98 yards. Though he was sacked five times, the junior accounted for 23 of his team's 57 rushing yards. "My hat's off to [Grieve] and their whole team," La Salle coach Joe Colistra said. "They showed a lot of courage." Galbally, who played tackle and guard on offense, began the fall with a 3.73 grade point average. Penn, Johns Hopkins, Tufts and Columbia are among the colleges he is considering. La Salle's defense was also sparked by junior linebacker Miles Miller, who equaled Galbally's six tackles and a sack; senior linebacker John Barrett, and senior safety Matt McGurkin. by Ted Silary
Not the most sensational game ever, but it was watchable and featured a respectable finish. Trailing by 10-3, GA took command on its 9 after sr. WR-DB Justin Holiday blocked a field goal attempt and kept the ball for 15 plays. On fourth-and-1 from its 30, GA gambled and jr. QB Sean Grieve (11-for-19, 101) hit soph RB Matt Brown for a 23-yard gain. Later, the Patriots were in business with first-and-10 at the La Salle 28. The sequence: two incompletions, a 2-yard loss by Brown on a draw (tackle by jr. DT Kevin Donohoe and soph DE Christian Barrett) and an incomplete pass into the end zone at 0:56. Jr. LB Miles Miller had a strong performance for La Salle. He made two early sacks and had some of the harder hits. La Salle had a strange day offensively. Jr. RB Max Mullineaux posted just nine carries total (51 yards) and six came on the first series of the third quarter. After a holding call made it third-and-18 from the 23, sr. QB Joe F. Winning hit Mullineaux with a perfectly thrown TD pass into the left corner of the end zone. It was a hot day and Mullineaux appeared to be winded as he lined up to kick the PAT. He even slumped over. Coach Joe Colistra yelled, "Need a time out!?" Mullineaux waved it off and then proceeded to hammer the PAT to the rim of the track. Mullineaux earlier booted a 21-yard field goal. Winning went just 1-for-3. Sr. RB Brian Donohoe gained 74 yards on 16 carries. Aside from blocking the FG attempt, Holiday showed his athleticism with a spectacular catch on a short pass, reeling in the ball one-handed.
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La Salle College High School Football: Chronicle 2002
Grieve, a lefty, had little time all day and La Salle's d-backs did an excellent job in coverage, so Grieve kept having to throw short. GA coach Michael "Pup" Turner played the angles in GA's last drive. After a lineman-downfield penalty was assessed on an incomplete screen pass, Turner said through his headset to an assistant, "I'm going to buy you some time here. Get the next call ready." He then demanded an explanation from head ref Tommy McClain. GA sr. lineman Dale Becker, who insists he's a big fan of the site, injured his trick left knee and went to the bench. His father, showing concern, came down out of the stands and got within a few feet when Dale stopped him dead in his tracks. "I'm fine. Go back up," he said, sternly. Dad turned around and did as told (smile). Incredibly, though the schools are rather close geographically (and were even close in their former locations; La Salle was at 20th and Olney, GA was at Greene Street and School House Lane), this was just their third meeting total and first since 1931! GA won that one, 6-0. La Salle won in 1924,13-0.
Game 4, September 21, 2002: La Salle 28 – North Catholic 12
(no games reports found)
The Explorers won their third straight game after an opening loss by besting the Falcons. Max Mullineaux was a real workhorse, lugging the ball 24 times for 124 yards. Joe Winning passed for 133 yards on 9-for-15. Sean Agnew caught three passes for 62 yards, Brian Donohoe scored two touchdowns, and Brian Hogan pilfered three errant Falcon passes on his way to a season total of 7 interceptions.
September 25, 2002 by Shannon Ryan, Inquirer
Traditions link generations. Football teams' rituals go back decades. The origins of some are a mystery. The pleasures of football - maybe as much as any other sport - are fueled by history and nostalgia. More so than events that take place between sidelines and in end zones, players cling to the memories of the traditions that bind them as a team. The anxious hush that settles into locker rooms minutes before a game when a captain leads the team in prayer. The ritualistic tap of an old photograph before heading out onto the field. A motivating sign. The design of a helmet. Team photos fade in scrapbooks and footballs from monumental wins collect dust behind glass cases, but traditions last. Like those on any high school team at any crossroad in America, football players in the region continue decades-long customs that unify teams and weave life-lasting memories. La Salle High School is steeped in tradition. Joe Winning, the Explorers' senior quarterback, grew up awaiting his turn to play football for the Explorers. As a little boy - he lives near the school - Winning longed not only to don the uniform and make big plays. He also wanted to take part in the traditions. Winning sat in the stands at football games and watched in admiration as the team raised gold helmets at the beginning and end of games as the band played the alma mater. Now, with pride, he raises his gold helmet with the school name scrolled across the side.
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La Salle College High School Football: Chronicle 2002
"After a big win, you look into the band and in the stands and you hope for a league championship," Winning said. "It's neat to stand there and have everyone looking at you with your helmet that says La Salle on it." The tradition - one of the most visible and memorable in the area - began with a loss in 1984. That season, coach Joe Colistra began getting his players to sing with the marching band before games, out of appreciation for band director Joe Ciccimaro and his crew, who attend every home and away game. When La Salle lost in the playoffs to rival Father Judge, Colistra said, the tradition of singing and raising their helmets after the game was born. The players lift their helmets with the line of the song, "High will hold your memory. Hail La Salle our Alma Mater, hail all hail." "I just gathered the kids and said, 'Rather than walk off the field crying, let's cheer ourselves up, and we'll sing the alma mater again with the band," said Colistra, himself a former La Salle player. "I don't want to say they get teary-eyed, but a lot of people say it raises the hair on the back of their neck." The helmet salute is not La Salle's only tradition. The team also says a prayer before games in the locker room - something the team has done since Colistra was a player in the 1950s. A game-day captain leads the team in the prayer in the locker room before the game. "We prayed for courage and we still do that," Colistra said. Colistra said traditions such as raising of the helmets and holding team prayers add a layer of depth to football. "Football can be simplified into just one formula: Did you win?," Colistra said. "It's very easy to make it into just winning or losing. When you lose, you feel terrible. When you win, you feel so great, but there's got to be more to it than that. Play your best. Try your best. I think that's a good life's lesson."
Game 5, September 28, 2002: St. Joseph’s Prep 49 – La Salle 12 by Rick O’Brien, Inquirer
Sophomore leads way as Prep rolls on. Steve Quinn, who plays both ways, had three TD catches as the Hawks routed the Explorers, 49-12. Steve Quinn is doing his best to stay levelheaded and keep everything in perspective. That's not easy to do when you are a sophomore and making a major impact, both ways, for a football team that has overpowered its first five opponents. Quinn, a wide receiver and linebacker, turned all three of his first-half catches into touchdowns as St. Joseph's Prep pounded La Salle, 49-12, yesterday in a Catholic League Red Division game at Plymouth Whitemarsh High. "I wasn't too sure how much I would play this season," said Quinn, who last year was a receiver and defensive back for the Prep's freshman team. "But I think I got quicker and stronger in the off-season. That made a difference coming into camp." The Hawks, ranked No. 1 in Southeastern Pennsylvania by The Inquirer, improved to 5-0 overall, 2-0 in the Red Division. The defending league champions have outscored opponents by 172-40. In losing to their archrivals for the seventh straight time, the Explorers (3-2, 1-1) were dealt their worst defeat since a 36-6 nonleague loss to Downingtown in September 1999. With 297 yards on only nine receptions this season, the 6-foot-2, 185-pound Quinn is averaging 33 yards per catch. Yesterday, his TDs covered 18, 44 and 33 yards. 5
La Salle College High School Football: Chronicle 2002
"He's a special talent," Prep coach Gil Brooks said. "He can do so many different things. Athletically, he's as gifted as any player we've had here since Victor Hobson [a linebacker who graduated in 1998 and is now playing at Michigan]." At weakside linebacker, Quinn was involved in six tackles. He had a solo sack in the first quarter and later assisted on two others. With Quinn and senior quarterback Matt Stefanski hooking up for three touchdowns in the last 13 minutes of the second half, the Hawks held a 34-0 advantage at intermission. The last two TDs were across the middle. "Not too many people can stay with Steve in the center of the field," said Stefanski (6 for 15, 122 yards). "All I have to do is air the ball out and I know he'll run under it." Pat Kaiser, the Prep's senior tailback and placekicker, continued an early-season tear. The 5-10, 190- pound workhorse rushed 15 times for 145 yards and two touchdowns. He also drilled field goals of 28 and 20 yards. Through five games, Kaiser has carried 84 times for 712 yards (8.5 yards per carry) and 12 touchdowns. Coupled with his four field goals and 20 point-after boots, he has accounted for 104 points, 60 percent of the team's scoring. The Prep held La Salle to 57 rushing yards on 38 attempts. "They are good," La Salle coach Joe Colistra said matter-of-factly. "They out-physicaled us." The Hawks' smothering defense was spearheaded by tackle John Quinn, middle guard Brandon Friday, and ends Matt Parkhurst and Mike Cappelletti. Linebackers Steve Quinn, Brian Tracz, Andrew Spross and Bill Gennaro combined for 13 tackles. "The guys up front are real tough," said Brooks, whose team won its 15th straight game. "Our linebacking corps is a little young, but they can all run to the ball." Both La Salle scores - a 74-yard punt return by Sean Agnew and an 18-yard pass from quarterback Joe Winning to tight end Frank Jorfi - came late in the third quarter. by Ted Silary
What is going ON here? Is The Prep this good, or are its opponents this bad? The Hawks frolicked and likely could have scored 60 or 70 if they'd been so inclined. The halftime score was 34-0 and I can say this without too much chance of being challenged: It was the Explorers' worst half of football in the modern era. La Salle has a veteran defense, but it was given no chance by the offense. Here are the results of each first-half possession: interception, lost fumble, 11-yard punt, 9-yard punt, lost fumble, interception, dropped snap on fourth down, 4-yard loss as time ran out. Those woes enabled Prep to take over at the 50, 36, 42, 36, 23, 6 and 34 (those last six numbers are in La Salle territory). Prep's leaders on offense were sr. RB Pat Kaiser (15-145) and the combination of sr. QB Matt Stefanski (6-for- 15, 123) to soph WR Steve Quinn (3 catches, 96 yards, all for TDs). Kaiser also kicked five PAT and two FGs and sent five of his kickoffs into the end zone; through a strong crosswind, no less. The balls landed nine, nine, eight, seven and three yards deep. Amazing! Jr. Danny Jones was spectacular also. He had two interceptions, returning them for a total of 56 yards, and scored on a magnificent, bob-and-weave, 89-yard kickoff return. Jr. DB Greg Ambrogi and jr. DT Brandon Friday had fumble recoveries to set up scores. Friday was also in on two sacks. After Kaiser's TD provided a 40-0 lead early in the third quarter, Prep posted a two-point conversion. There was no intent to embarrass. The snap was bobbled by Stefanski, who then scrambled and did a nice job finding jr. Brian Tracz. La Salle mostly abandoned its running game early when the coaches acknowledged that the O-line could not handle Prep's D-line. The
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La Salle College High School Football: Chronicle 2002 running game was hurt by the absence of jr. RB Max Mullineaux (high ankle sprain, maybe out for three more games). La Salle finally had a happy moment late in the third quarter when sr. Sean Agnew returned a punt 74 yards for a score. Jr. L Kevin Donohoe made a crushing block. Eighty-seven seconds later, sr. QB Joe F. Winning whipped an 18-yard scoring pass to jr. TE Frank Jorfi right after sr. LB Rob Brassell recovered a fumble. La Salle kids at one point were yelling at Kaiser, "Ham and cheese! Ham and cheese!" That's what one would find in a Kaiser roll, right? Even before halftime, Prep's were chanting, "Start the buses! Start the buses!" Even though this was a daytime game, a great crowd was on hand.
Game 6, October 6, 2002: La Salle 14 – Monsignor Bonner 7 by Mike Gibson, Inquirer
Donohoe's double duty lifts La Salle to 14-7 win. On offense, he scored the Explorers' two TDs. On defense, he helped stifle Bonner's attack. La Salle head football coach Joe Colistra describes Brian Donohoe as complicated. "I really don't know what kind of a kid he is," Colistra said. "He's complicated. He's like any 17-year-old. His father and brother played here. I'm just glad he's on our side." How complicated? Donohoe might be that rarest of combinations, a fullback on offense who doubles as a right cornerback on defense. It helps being 6-foot-1 and 210 pounds with power to run inside and speed to keep up with the fastest wideouts. Donohoe made the odd double-duty work yesterday, scoring both touchdowns and shutting down the receiver on his side of the field in La Salle's 14-7 Catholic League Red Division win over Monsignor Bonner at Springfield (Montgomery County). "It's tiring at times, but I'd rather be on the field," Donohoe said. "I like being out there, playing both ways. I like being around the ball." Donohoe, who says his favorite subject is "free period" and sees himself "retired" in 20 years, was a work-aholic against Bonner. He finished with 109 yards on 25 carries, most of those in the second half after the Explorers committed to the run. The Explorers (3-2 overall, 2-1 league) and Donohoe came out in the second half fired up. They scored on a 59-yard, 10- play drive after holding the Friars to a three-and-out. Donohue carried on all but one of the plays, a 2-yard keeper by quarterback Joe Winning. "We don't really do anything special on offense," Donohoe said. "We just run the ball mostly. We're pretty conservative, but it works." Not so conservative was left to Bonner coach Mike "Stumpy" Coyne, who called a double-pass with 7 minutes, 38 seconds left that tied the score at 7-7. Quarterback Drew Zagursky threw behind the line of scrimmage to wide receiver Frank Nunan, who hit Jordan McCauley open downfield. McCauley had to make one move and he was gone for a 55-yard touchdown. "That was a wake-up call for us," Donohoe said. La Salle came right back and needed only seven plays to score - the key one being Winning's 41-yard quarterback keeper that put the ball on the Bonner 24. Donohue went over from the 18 three plays later.
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La Salle College High School Football: Chronicle 2002
Playing particularly well for the Explorers was defensive back Matt McGurkin. He intercepted a pass after Bonner drove to the La Salle 13 late in the third quarter, and he broke up a key fourth-down pass to give the Explorers the ball with five minutes left in the game. Thanks largely to Donohoe, they never gave it back. by Ted Silary
Reporters weren’t the only people scratching their heads at halftime, with the score 0-0 and La Salle sr. RB Brian Donohoe having just three carries. Coach Joe Colistra was doing so, too, and he had the power to do something about it. Colistra told his offensive assistants to feed Donohoe the ball early and often and the result was 20 second-half totes, along with TDs of 10 and 18 yards. Donohoe finished with 23 rushes for 101 yards. Sr. QB Joe F. Winning had a 41-yard gain on the winning drive, and he noted later, “I had to do something. My arm wasn’t working.” La Salle’s line: sr. C Bruce Pohlot, sr. Gs Brad Kelly and Joe Cosella, jr. T Tim Craig and sr. T Chris Galbally, and jr. Es John Trainer and Frank Jorfi. My DN story focused on sr. DB-KR Matt McGurkin, who’s only 5-8, 135 pounds, but shows the heart of a giant. He had a pick and two deflections and uncorked the hardest hit of the game on Bonner sr. WR Frank Nunan (more on him later). Galbally, at DE, was in on two tackles for losses. Jr. LB Miles Miller had an interception and one TFL. For Bonner, sr. DL Matt Blong was in on six tackles in the first quarter alone. He twisted his ankle and had to leave for a spell, but returned to action and added three more stops. Sr. DE Chris Campanile also was effective. Sr. DT John Wickersham (6-4, 345; probably closer to 380!) forced a fumble and showed surprising quickness scraping down the line of scrimmage. Nunan has played some QB this season, but his throwing was subpar and now he’s a receiver. On a reverse, he whipped a pass to jr. WR Jordan McCauley and the play produced a 55-yard TD. Sr. WR Paul McNichol unleashed a vicious block; his helmet even popped off. Sr. QB Drew Zagursky, returning from injury, gave an uneven performance. He displayed good arm strength, but some of his passes were near nobody. We’ll chalk it up to rust. Dumb statement of the day: As the Friars grouped to psych themselves for the second half – remember, the score was 0-0 – one of them yelled, “We win the second half, we win the game!” Coach Mike “Stump” Coyne deadpanned, “I think he’s in my honors English class.” In noting the presence of a flag on the field, PA announcer Walt Kaminski said, “There’s laundry on the lawn.” Bill Donohoe, Brian’s father and a member of the chain gang, won the 50-50 drawing. He gave half of his winnings to the Touchdown Club.
Game 7, October 13, 2002: La Salle 12 – Cardinal O’Hara 7 by Ted Silary
What a way to win. What a way to lose. With 38 seconds left, La Salle sr. PR/handyman Sean Agnew owned five returns for 113 yards and was awaiting the chance to add to his totals and give his team a chance at victory. Then . . . oops! A bad snap sailed over the head of jr. P Shawn Anderson and a 27- yard loss resulted, as sr. Rory Heenan smothered Anderson at the O'Hara 32. To that point, sr. QB Joe F. Winning was only 2-for-6 for 2 yards. But he immediately hit jr. John Trainer for a 21-yard gain and two plays later, after La Salle nixed the idea of trying a field goal (the coaches feared a sack would cause time to expire), found Agnew in the very back left corner of the end zone for a TD! If this sequence happened in a Super Bowl, people would talk about it forever. I'd imagine these players will never forget what happened. O'Hara had one more play and sr. DB Matt McGurkin intercepted; he was also in on 8
La Salle College High School Football: Chronicle 2002 nine tackles (one was a textbook stop in the open field). Leading up to the bad snap, O'Hara was stopped for losses on three consecutive plays. Jr. DT Kevin Donohoe (brother of sr. RB Brian) had two solo tackles and combined with sr. DE Chris Galbally for a third. La Salle's leading rushers were soph Sean Guinan (14-60) and Donohoe (10-41). The Explorers missed a PAT and two FG attempts as they continued to struggle without jr. RB-K Max Mullineaux (injured). One of the FG misses had an asterisk attached, though. Late in the first half, the ball was exactly on the 17 when Winning threw an incompletion. Somehow the ball was placed exactly on the 18 and then jr. Kevin Moll's 35-yard attempt bounced off the crossbar. With that extra yard, of course, it would have been good. For O'Hara, jr. RB Anthony Heygood gained 120 yards on 30 carries in his second game back from injury. He's still not himself in the quick-burst department as his longest gain was only 11 yards. Jr. Matt Campbell started at QB, but gave way to sr. Craig Haywood pretty early. Haywood was also in his second game back from injury. His big moment was a 45-yard bomb to sr. WR Mark Greim, who made a leaping catch. Heygood followed right away with an 11-yard TD run. Sr. LB Corey Cannon was in on seven tackles. Sr. DT Brian Payne and sr. LB Warren Danenza had sacks. While moving up and down the sideline, looking for a place to see the game behind larger teammates, La Salle sub Matt Malloy, who goes 5-8, said, "Why's everybody so big? I don't like this." O'Hara had its Homecoming festivities at halftime. When the announcer excitedly said the big moments, the crowning of the king and queen, were coming, a La Salle kid yelled, "Pick the Lion!" Haywood and sr. L John Romano were runners-up for king honors.
Game 8, October 18, 2002: La Salle 17 – Father Judge 7 by Joe Fite, Inquirer
Donohoe carries La Salle to victory. The senior rushed for 106 yards and two TDs in leading the Explorers past Father Judge, 17-7. A mile-and-a-half from St. Matthew's School in Mayfair, La Salle senior Brian Donohoe hooked up last night with his former elementary school classmates now playing football at Father Judge. The reunion was anything but sentimental. Donohoe carried the ball 22 times for 106 yards and two touchdowns and led La Salle past the Crusaders, 17-7, in a Catholic League Red Division contest at Northeast High's Charlie Martin Memorial Stadium. In a game reminiscent of the smash-mouth brand of football that used to be played in the old Catholic League Northern Division, La Salle (6-2 overall, 4-1 league) smothered the Crusaders' running game. The Explorers allowed just 38 yards on the ground, and held Judge (2-6, 1-4) to 127 yards passing, despite a 13-for-25 night by Judge quarterback Mike Eaton. Right in the middle of it all was Donohoe, the hometown boy. "I'm from the Judge area," Donohoe said. "It's a great win. I know all of them. It means so much." After the Crusaders and the Explorers slugged it out through the first quarter, Donohoe took over in the second quarter. After a short Judge punt gave La Salle the ball at the Crusaders' 37, Donohoe carried the ball eight straight times. He finally went through the middle from the 1-yard line for a touchdown with 10 minutes, 41 seconds left in the second quarter. The Crusaders' defense gave up little else through the second and third quarters, stopping the Explorers at the 9- and 17-yard lines, respectively. 9
La Salle College High School Football: Chronicle 2002
They also stopped a 10-play La Salle drive at the Judge 36 late in the third quarter. But the Explorers finally wore them down. "It was pretty much keep it on the ground, kill the clock, and play smash-mouth football," Donohoe said. "I think we wore them down, wore them down the whole game, and we were just stronger and more in shape and just overpowered them. "It was just a matter of time until we scored." With 8:54 left in the game, Eddie DiDonato salvaged a 10-play La Salle drive by converting a 22-yard field goal. That gave the Explorers a 10-0 lead. Midway through the quarter, Judge gave the Explorers another short field to work with and they capitalized. Starting at the Crusaders' 28, La Salle needed just three plays to score. Donohoe took a pitch to the right and raced 21 yards for a touchdown with 6:04 left in the game. The Crusaders averted a shutout when Eaton connected with Bernie Mullen for a 12-yard scoring pass with 4:09 left.
Game 9, October 25, 2002: La Salle 17 – Roman Catholic 14 by Jeff McLane, Inquirer
Last-minute TD gives La Salle a 17-14 win over Roman Trailing by four points with 3 minutes, 15 seconds remaining in a Catholic League Red Division game yesterday against Roman Catholic, La Salle stood 30 yards from touchdown glory and a victory. That was 30 yards between the Explorers and sole possession of second place in the division. Thirty yards between La Salle and a win over a tough opponent. After six straight carries by running back Chris Mulholland, the Explorers had a first and goal from the 6 with 40 seconds remaining. They called time-out. On a designed "waggle" play, La Salle quarterback Joseph Winning rolled to his left and threw a dart to wide receiver Sean Agnew for the go-ahead touchdown. The clutch play gave the Explorers a hard- fought 17-14 victory over Roman at muddy Roxborough High School. "The 'waggle' is mostly designed to pull the fullback out in the flat," Winning said. "Then I stopped and I saw Sean coming back to the ball and I threw it against my body." La Salle (7-2 overall, 5-1 league) will play its final league game Friday at home against Archbishop Ryan. Roman (7-2, 4-2) will travel to North Catholic on Saturday night to complete its regular season. "It's fun to coach these kids because they don't get themselves down," La Salle coach Joe Colistra said. "Every team in our division is pretty even, except one." That one team is unbeaten St. Joseph's Prep, whose game against Cardinal O'Hara was postponed yesterday. Both La Salle and Roman were routed by the Prep earlier in the season and needed a win yesterday in order to avoid the Prep until the division championship game. The top two finishers in the division earn first-round byes. Yesterday's victory gave the Explorers one of those spots. "We could use that week off to get our players back for the playoffs and a run at Prep," said Winning, who completed 8 of 16 pass attempts for 131 yards. Players can think ahead, coaches can't.
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La Salle College High School Football: Chronicle 2002
"I'm not even thinking about that," Colistra said. "We're not thinking about the Prep, we're thinking about Ryan right now." With the score tied, 7-7, after the first half, neither team seemed to have an edge. Then La Salle took the opening possession of the second half and marched 54 yards on 12 plays, getting a 26-yard field goal by Eddie DiDonato. On the second play of its next possession, Roman went with a counter running play. Speedy running back Johnny Ortiz hit the hole and went 60 yards for the TD. Whenever the Cahillites needed a big gain, they often went to the counter. "That play forces you to play very fundamentally sound defense," Colistra said. "I think our kids momentarily were a little excited looking to run up the field and they got trapped." But when the Explorers finally needed a big stop, they got it, and forced the Cahillites into an errant punt that gave them the ball on the Roman 30. "When we saw that they started to stop the counter, we went to something else," said Roman coach Jim Murphy. "And they stopped that, too." by Ted Silary
Hope for a punting misadventure. Throw to Sean Agnew. Well, that strategy has now worked TWICE for the Explorers in the waning moments. Against O'Hara a couple weeks back, a bad snap gave Agnew, a sr. RB/WR/KR, a chance to be the hero. This time, jr. Charlie Squitiere punted the ball just 16 yards and La Salle took over at the Roman 30 with 3:15 left. The running of jr. Chris Mulholland (17-62) produced two first downs -- he got the second by squirting 5 yards around left end on fourth-and-2 -- to advance the ball to the 6, then La Salle stacked everyone on the short side of the field, the left, and sr. QB Joe F. Winning (8-for-16, 134) found Agnew just a yard over the goal line. Mulholland and soph Sean Guinan (14-46) did most of the running for the Explorers because sr. RB Brian Donohoe went out early with an injury to his right knee. Jr. RB Max Mullineaux was back in action, but saw only limited duty (6-10). Here's the most amazing fact: La Salle had no fumbles, and not even a bobbled snap, if I remember correctly, even though the field was a mudpit. The Explorers had few long gains, but kept grinding things out and reeled off 58 plays. Sr. safety Matt McGurkin had an interception and seven tackles, and his tackle for a 5-yard loss on the Roman possession proceeding the winning TD was huge. So was an 8- yard sack, courtesy of sr. LB Bill Loughery, that immediately followed. On its last series, Roman mostly tried to go long to jr. Charron Fisher. Nothing doing. Agnew, who took Donohoe's place at CB, knocked down the game's final pass. Jr. LB Miles Miller was in on six tackles. Roman ran 44 plays and only one was truly impressive; a 60-yard TD run by sr. RB Johnny Ortiz (8-107). Jr. QB Andre Sloan-El never got loose on scrambles and passed 5-for-12 for 38 yards. Fisher, at DE, had an interception (he sucked in the ball one-handed) and a sack. Soph OLB Sean Matthews also had a sack. Jr. LB Tom Bowen and jr. DT Lenny DeMalto also were active. Roman had two fumbles, with own-recoveries by sr. C Tom Sugden and sr. KR Tim Breslin. As halftime was ending, I had to walk through a very large puddle to get back to the field. Jr. FB Rob Deery came over and said, "You should have called me. I would have carried you across." An instant after sr. WB Kevin Magarity made a 10-yard catch for La Salle, a fan held up a head shot of him the size of a movie poster. In the first half, Donohoe gave Ortiz a slight shove to the shoulder after an incomplete pass to the former. Roman coach Jim Murphy yelled to back judge Ernie Gallagher, "What about the punch?" He was exaggerating, and knew it, but working the refs is part of the game. When I kidded Ernie with, "Yo, Ern, you gotta call those punches," he flashed a smile and said, "Those kids are best friends. I'm the only one who knows that." They are indeed buddies. Kudos to Roman
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La Salle College High School Football: Chronicle 2002 assistants Joe Dougherty and Andre Sloan-El, who before the game used rakes, brooms and shovels to remove from the field about half a trash can's worth of mud. The most frustrated guy in the place had to be PA announcer Dan Hoban. La Salle's band played at least briefly after almost EVERY play, often drowning out Dan's calls. I could see the steam coming out of his ears from field level. Note to La Salle's band director, with a legendary Saturday Night Live skit in mind: I need more cowbell.
Game 10, November 1, 2002: La Salle 14 – Archbishop Ryan 0
(no game reports found)
The Explorer defense notched their second whitewash of the season, as their win over the Raiders gave them a first-round bye in the playoffs. Chris Mulholland rushed for 77 yards on 6 carries with a TD; running mate Sean Guinan toted the pigskin 14 times for 46 yards and a touchdown. Brian Hogan helped keep the Raiders off the board with two interceptions.
Game 11, Nov 18, 2002: Roman Catholic 9 – La Salle 6 (PCL Semi) by Jay Nagle, Inquirer
Roman prevails in defensive duel. John Pendergast booted a 29-yard field goal late to oust La Salle in a Catholic League Red playoff. Roman Catholic avenged one of its two regular-season football losses last night. Now the Cahillites will have the chance to avenge the other. Senior John Pendergast connected on a 29-yard field goal with 12.5 seconds remaining as the Cahillites outlasted La Salle, 9-6, in a bruising Catholic League Red Division playoff semifinal at Plymouth Whitemarsh. The victory gave Roman a berth in the divisional championship game against unbeaten St. Joseph's Prep, the top-rated team in Southeastern Pennsylvania, according to The Inquirer. The title showdown is scheduled for Sunday night at Northeast High. The Prep handed the Cahillites (10-2) one of their two setbacks this season, 41-7, on Oct. 12. La Salle dealt Roman the other, 17-14, on Oct. 26. "These kids . . . play so hard, and they play together," Roman Catholic coach Jim Murphy said. "That's what was so great about tonight. We played like a team and we played like a family." Last night, with the game tied, 6-6, and the clock showing less than four minutes left in regulation, Roman also played with the poise and precision necessary in the playoffs. After the Cahillites took control of the ball at their own 45-yard line with 3 minutes, 19 seconds remaining, quarterback Andre Sloan El engineered a smooth seven-play drive that brought the ball to the La Salle 11. Roman, facing a fourth-and-4 play, made the call to Pendergast after fullback Rob Deery moved the ball into the center of the field on a tough 5-yard carry on third down. Pendergast's winning kick set off a wild celebration on the Roman sideline. The Cahillites intercepted La Salle's last-second Hail Mary pass to preserve the victory. "I never had a kick that big," said Pendergast, a 6-foot, 180-pound senior. "I tried to keep my head down.
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La Salle College High School Football: Chronicle 2002
"We did a great job even before the kick. We had the ball right in the middle of the field, and Coach Murphy managed all the time-outs. It worked great." So did the Cahillites' defense. Roman limited La Salle (8-3) to just 40 yards rushing on 31 attempts. The Explorers took a 6-0 second-quarter lead on a 2-yard run by sophomore fullback Sean Guinan, whose touchdown blast followed an electrifying 65-yard punt return by senior Sean Agnew. Roman blocked the point-after attempt. The Cahillites tied the game later in the quarter on a 23-yard touchdown run by tailback John Ortiz. But Sloan El was stopped short of the end zone on the try for two points; a high snap prevented the Cahillites from ever getting a kick off. Both defenses dominated play until Roman's game-winning drive. Next up for Roman: the Prep. "We know the Prep is good," Ortiz said. "But we believe. We believe in this team, and we believe in each other."
Roman Catholic 0 6 0 3 - 9 La Salle 0 6 0 0 - 6
LS: Guinan 2 run (kick failed) RC: Ortiz 23 run (run failed) RC: Pendergast 29 FG by Huck Palmer, Ted Silary’s site
Cahillites eked out a hard-fought win on sr. K/WR John Pendergast's 29-yard field goal with 12.5 seconds remaining. The play was executed perfectly all the way around. The line did an excellent job of blocking and denied the Explorers nothing resembling a sniff of a possible block. SR. QB Andre Sloan-El caught an placed the ball, while soph snapper Tim Hoban nicely sent the ball back to Sloan-El. This was Hoban's first career snap on a field goal try. The game was very physical and defensive-minded. The Explorers have thrived on being physical all season. On this night the gritty Cahillites matched them hit-for-hit. LaSalle sr. WR/DB Sean Agnew returned a punt 65 yards to the Roman 2-yard line midway through the second quarter. On the next play soph. FB Sean Guinan burrowed in giving the Explorers the lead. Roman wasted no time drawing even. Soph FB/LB Marc Patricelli returned the ensuing kickoff 41 yards and the Cahillites were in business at the La Salle 48-yard line. Eight plays later sr, RB/DB John Ortiz took an inside-counter and scampered in from 24 yards. The snap (not done by Hoban) was high, forcing Sloan-El to try and run it in. He was stopped nicely by feisty sr. DB Matt McGurkin. The game turned into a defensive struggle from this point. Late in the third quarter the Explorers did threaten briefly. After reaching the Roman 25-yard line the drive stalled. Jr. DB Mike Gavin nicely broke-up pass attempts on third and fourth down. Roman struggled as well on offense, but finally broke through late in the game. Led by Sloan-El, who many times this season performed late-in-the-game-magic, did it again. The Cahillites took over with 3:17 remaining at their own 45-yard line. Two huge completions to sr. TE Derek Dopkin (3-58) for 21 and 24 yard gains sparked the drive. Jr. bruising FB Rob Deery had runs of 4 and 5 yards, bringing the ball to the Explorer 12-yard line and setting-up Pendergast's heroics. The game featured a total of 14 punts. Roman held LaSalle to just four first downs and 46 yards of total offense. The Cahillites defense registered 5 sacks, amassing 43 yards. Sacks were had by, jr. DE Charron Fisher (two), sr. DT/OL Jeff Grimmie (two), and sr. LB Joe Miller (one). The Cahillites also got strong defensive
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La Salle College High School Football: Chronicle 2002 games from sr. DE Kevin Cahill 7 tackles (3 TFL's) and jr. LB Tom Bowen also with 7 tackles. Patricelli and soph LB Sean Matthews evenly split 10 tackles. Jr. DB Charlie Squitiere intercepted a desperation pass at midfield to end the game. Though the offense was limited, the prettiest play found Pendergast on the receiving end of a halfback pass from Ortiz that went for 30 yards. La Salle sorely missed the services of leading rusher Brian Donohoe, still out with an injury. Also, jr. RB/K Max Mullineaux, who played well earlier this season, was still used sparingly as he recovers from an injury. The Explorers did receive strong defense line play from sr. C/DT Bruce Pohlot (9 tackles & fumb. rec.) and sr. OL/DE Chris Galbally ( 9 tackles & sack). JR. DB Brian Hogan intercepted a pass for LaSalle. Sr. LB John Barrett played well and had 6 tackles and fumble recovery. Jr. LB Miles Miller contributed 7 tackles. The game featured a strong crowd for a Monday night. The Cahillites now have the unenviable challenge of trying to knock-off unbeaten SJ Prep. Good Luck!!! There is no doubt that this group will play hard and be prepared.
Game 12, Nov 28, 2002: St. Joseph’s Prep 24 – La Salle 3 (Thanksgiving) by Shannon Ryan, Inquirer
Prep achieves pure perfection. The tired Hawks top La Salle to finish 13-0. A circle of family and fans formed and a Prep flag waved behind the St. Joseph's Prep football team as it took turns rubbing and kissing a tall, bronze trophy yesterday at La Salle University. It was the perfect ending to a perfect season. The Hawks passed every test and finished a storybook season with a 24-3 victory over La Salle in the teams' traditional Thanksgiving Day meeting. The Prep (13-0), the No. 1 team in Southeastern Pennsylvania, according to The Inquirer, earned the trophy presented to the winning team for a fourth straight year. La Salle (8-4) leads the series, 18-9-0. The Hawks knew that without a win yesterday, their outstanding season would not have had that glow of perfection. "It's such a rare thing to achieve in the first place," Prep coach Gil Brooks said. "And to do it the way we did it. . . ." That way was by playing difficult nonleague opponents and claiming the Catholic League Red Division crown. It was also their 23d straight victory. The Hawks worried about their stamina yesterday. They have now played three opponents in two weeks - Cardinal O'Hara, Roman Catholic for the division title, and La Salle. Roman ran 70 offensive plays in the title game on Sunday night, Brooks said. The Hawks' best player, senior Pat Kaiser, also competed in the Prep's Catholic League soccer championship loss to North Catholic on Tuesday. Kaiser was no worse for the wear, despite the busy week. "I was nervous the whole day in school [on Tuesday]," he said of playing in the soccer game two days before a football game. "I didn't know if it was the right idea. But it was fun to do it." Yesterday was just as busy and just as much of a good time for Kaiser. The senior do-it-all player caught a 27-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Matt Stefanski, kicked a 35-yard field goal, ran 58 yards for a touchdown and kicked three extra points yesterday. When he left the field with 2 minutes, 35 seconds remaining in the game, the Prep faithful gave him a standing ovation. "That was nice," he said. "I can't really describe it. It was emotional." 14
La Salle College High School Football: Chronicle 2002
Kaiser was named Prep's most outstanding player yesterday. Tight end/defensive lineman Bruce Pohlot was similarly honored for La Salle. The Explorers' defense kept the Hawks in check until Kaiser broke loose in the third quarter. Despite being a heavy underdog, La Salle trailed by just 10-0 at halftime. After a Max Mullineaux field goal with 2:09 left in the third quarter, La Salle trailed by just a touchdown. "Maturing means facing any circumstance," La Salle coach Joe Colistra said, reiterating what he told his team before the game. "Some of them felt like they were climbing a mountain. "But as long as you do your best, you can climb a mountain. I think at halftime that paid off. We were happy we played so well against such a good team." Both teams had problems making their way down the muddy field early. Each went two possessions without a first down at the start. Kaiser's 4-yard rush with less than 4 minutes to go before the second quarter was the first first down. On the next play, he took a short pass from Stefanski and turned it into a 27-yard touchdown with 3:43 remaining. The teams exchanged field goals, then Kaiser took control. All day, he had chipped away, picking up short yardage. But there were no breakaway runs until he ripped through the Explorers' defense for a 58-yard touchdown run with 1:22 left in the third quarter. "It felt good to break away," Kaiser said. "Their defense was really good." St. Joe's scored again after a punt return by Dan Jones gave the Hawks possession on La Salle's 19- yard line in the fourth quarter. Five plays later, Stefanski scored on a 3-yard run. Steve Sizer, a senior defensive back, was a factor for the Prep on defense. He had three interceptions, stifling any momentum La Salle hoped to pick up and putting the ball back in Kaiser's reliable hands.
Captains John Barrett, Chris Galbally, Bruce Pohlot
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