La Salle College High School Football: Chronicle 2010

Game 1, September 3, 2010: La Salle 27 – North Penn 14

September 4, 2010 by Kev Hunter (for Montgomery Media) It looked as though North Penn was on its way to an opening-night win over defending state champion La Salle Friday night, as the Knights had their running game going, were playing well defensively and led by eight at halftime. But in the third quarter, the visiting Explorers displayed a passing attack that North Penn could not contain. La Salle scored touchdowns on three straight drives, and the Knights’ offense - meanwhile - made costly mistakes, as North Penn fell 27-14 in a non-league contest at Crawford Stadium. The defeat snapped the Knights’ 43-game home winning streak - the last time North Penn lost at Crawford Stadium was Sept. 1, 2006 when the Knights fell to Archbishop Wood 25-18. It also was North Penn’s first regular season loss since Nov. 2, 2007, when the Knights fell 41-27 to Central Bucks South. North Penn then reeled off back-to-back 10-0 regular seasons in 2008 and 2009. Early on, it looked like the Knights were on their way to their 21st regular season win in a row, but things changed in that third quarter, due in large part to La Salle quarterback Matt Magarity. “Just like I thought in the scrimmages I saw of them, I think he’s a fantastic player,” Knights’ coach Dick Beck said. “He’s got a nice arm, and he’s got a good feel for the game.” After a costly fumbled snap on 4th-and-1 for the Knights, La Salle took over at the North Penn 38 for its first series of the third quarter. Magarity then threw a pass down the right sideline to wide receiver Sean Coleman, and the sophomore caught it in stride, made a cut, and was on his way to the end zone, bringing La Salle within 14-13. “Turnovers hurt us, and we can’t fumble that snap,” Beck said. “We can’t fumble that snap - that’s all there is to it. That’s a killer. It’s 4th-and-1 - we get that every time. To fumble that snap is kind of a backbreaker.” The Knights (0-1) gained a first down on their next drive, but then had to punt. La Salle started going to a four wide-receiver set, and the Knights were having trouble covering. In just five plays, Magarity found wide receiver Colin Buckley in the left corner of the end zone for a 20-yard touchdown reception that put the Explorers (1-0) ahead for good, 20-14. “Number one, you have to keep the quarterback in the pocket when they’re spreading out, and I don’t know how many times we bit on the fake,” Beck said. “You can’t let that quarterback throw that corner route, and we just continued to let him because we never adjusted to them spreading out.” North Penn quarterback Corey Ernst, like Magarity, was making his first varsity start. He did not have the same kind of success as the Explorers’ quarterback, throwing an interception on a quick out on the Knights’ next series. La Salle then used the power running of Tim Wade and a great catch along the sideline by Coleman to help set up a 4th-and-goal from just a few inches out, and Magarity dove over the line for the score and a 27-14 lead with five seconds left in the third quarter. North Penn then drove to the Explorers’ 21 early in the fourth, but faced a 4th-and-2. Ralph Reeves was stopped for a gain of one, and the Explorers took over and began to run out the clock. Magarity finished 13-of-22 for 206 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception, and Ernst finished 8- of-16 for 77 yards, no touchdowns and two interceptions in the battle of rookie quarterbacks. “I thought he made a couple bad decisions. The screen pass at the end of the first half - he should have never thrown that pass,” Beck said when asked to evaluate Ernst’s performance. “For a first start, he did OK. He had (Brandon) Mercer open in the flat on that fourth down (in the first quarter), and he just didn’t throw a strike.” 1

La Salle College High School Football: Chronicle 2010

Despite sputtering a bit early, the Knights did score on successive drives in the second quarter. Fullback Dom Taggart had both touchdowns, the first one a 15-yarder in which he broke through an arm tackle to reach the end zone and put NP up 7-0. After Magarity hit Sean Coleman for a 24-yard touchdown pass to cut the deficit to 7-6 (the extra point sailed wide), the Knights had an 11-play drive, capped by Taggart’s two-yard run that made it 14-6 at the break. The Explorers didn’t allow many big holes to open in the second half though. “They were big up front on their defensive line. Our offense was trying, but they were big boys, so it was hard to push them back and get the yards that we needed,” Taggart said. “It wasn’t embarrassing (to lose this game) - they were just a good team. We’re a good team, but we just got outplayed today.” The Knights would have loved to start the season the way they did last year, by knocking off the defending state champ - last year it was Liberty in the season opener. But they know nine regular season games - and the possibility for another playoff run - remain. Losses are never welcome, but this one gives the Knights something to shoot for. “I think we’re better for it - we know where we’ve got to get to,” Beck said. “Like I told people, I watched these guys on film, and I thought they were very good. I think they’re big up front offensively, their receivers can run and catch passes, and they have two great backs.” “We did put a lot into this game, but we’re going to come back on Monday and work just as hard as we always work,” Taggart said. “We’re going to come back next Friday (against LC) and hopefully pull out a victory.”

September 11, 2010 from explorerfb The Varsity players and parents were a part of a unique event at practice on Friday. I thought I'd share that with the rest of you below: The Explorers will honor 9/11 starting on Friday at practice with guest speakers both before and after practice. The guest speakers will include Tom and Janet Manion, parents of 1st Lt. Travis L. Manion, USMC ’99 and Dan Pritchard ’94. On Saturday, the team will wear camouflage t-shirts underneath their pads, helmet decals, and wrist bands to honor those that lost their lives just 10 miles from the site of the game. This was a touching event that the players and coaches experienced on Friday. Travis Manion '99 gave his life for his country, and his parents celebrated Travis's life in their talk with the team on Friday. It was emotional to see the camouflage T-shirts underneath the uniforms at the Bergen Catholic game yesterday. Prior to the game, they announced the names of those Bergen Catholic alums that lost their lives on 9/11/01. Stunningly, there were about 12 to 15 names, until you realize how close Bergen is to Manhattan. And 9/11/10 was a brilliantly clear day, much like 9/11/01 started out to be, and having the privilege of playing and watching a distinctly American event like a high school football game in a beautiful, peaceful setting such as Crusader Stadium, tailgating with our parents, who invited the Bergen people to join us, is a memory in stark contrast to what happened across the river 9 years ago. For all who were there yesterday, take a moment to think about how special an opportunity like yesterday was to all of us there, and be thankful for the peace that we enjoy because of the sacrifices of others.

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La Salle College High School Football: Chronicle 2010

Game 2, September 11, 2010: Bergen Catholic 22 – La Salle 21

September 12, 2010 by Dan Long, Bergen Catholic In what was one of the most exciting finishes in Crusader Stadium history, Bergen Catholic held on to beat La Salle College High School 22-21 in front of a standing-room only crowd in Oradell on Saturday afternoon. With La Salle driving deep into Bergen Catholic territory with 12 seconds left, BC senior linebacker Karl Bostick forced a fumble from LaSalle quarterback Matt Magarity, turning the ball over to the Crusaders, and preserving a dramatic first win in the varsity coaching career of new BC Coach Nunzio Campanile. Neither team wasted any time putting points on the board, as each side scored touchdowns on their first offensive possession. On La Salle’s third play from scrimmage, Magarity connected through the air with a wide-open Mike Piscopo, and the senior tight end rumbled all the way down to the Crusader 10-yard line. La Salle found the end zone on a simple 7-yard touchdown toss from Magarity to his fullback Tim Wade that gave the Explorers a quick 7-0 lead on the road. On their first offensive drive, Bergen Catholic methodically moved down the field, powered in part by a 50-yard sprint by senior Spencer Kulcsar that put BC into scoring position. The Crusaders put their first points on the board when senior Tanner McEvoy threw his first-ever varsity touchdown, connecting on a screen pass to junior running back Mike Gerst. BC would have to settle for 6 though, as junior Austin Devine’s extra point attempt clanked off the right upright and was no good. Fans expecting a shootout after the first two drives were sorely disappointed as the defenses for both sides began to play well and dominate their offensive counterparts. When the BC offense got deep in La Salle territory, the Explorers’ defense stiffened and turned the Crusaders over on downs. The same happened for La Salle’s offensive unit when they had the ball at the BC 10-yard line with the final seconds of the first half ticking away. Thanks in part to a costly holding penalty, La Salle chose to forgo the field goal attempt and instead threw for the end zone, only to see the pass intercepted by BC’s Kulcsar. That play closed out the first half with the scoreboard frozen at 7-6 La Salle. BC came out of the halftime locker room a determined bunch, running the ball on the first five plays of the second half, and finding creases in the middle of the La Salle defense thanks to the sensational efforts of the BC offensive line. The Crusaders finally got their first lead of the game after McEvoy, with plenty of time in the pocket, found Kulcsar wide open on the far side of the field. The senior hauled in the pass, cut to the inside to juke past one defender, and ran into the end zone from 32 yards away. Coach Campanile elected to go for 2 points and the 7-point lead instead of attempting an extra point, and the conversion was successful on a McEvoy run behind the left side of his line. But as was the case all game long, it once again became a seesaw affair. When it looked like BC was about to break away from La Salle and potentially go up by two scores, the Crusaders would commit a couple of costly mental mistakes. On two third down-and-long situations, La Salle was able to prolong their drives due to personal foul facemask penalties on BC. That new life led to an eventual touchdown run by La Salle’s Jamal Abdur-Rahman and LaSalle pulled to within a point of tying the game. But after a BC offsides penalty was declined, Spencer Kulcsar shot through the middle and blocked Ryan Winslow’s extra point, preserving BC’s one point lead at 14-13. Penalties again doomed a BC drive after the Crusaders received a sensational kickoff return by sophomore James Dawson all the way down to the La Salle 30-yard line. The top team in Pennsylvania was given the ball back after a BC punt, and began to methodically pick apart the BC defense, many times on back-breaking third-and-long conversions. With perfect poise and precision, Magarity consistently found wide receivers Sean Coleman and Kevin Forster for big gains before finally 3

La Salle College High School Football: Chronicle 2010 connecting with Colin Buckley from 15 yards out on a crossing pattern in the middle of the end zone. The Explorers followed the Crusaders’ lead and went for the 2-point conversion, recapturing its 7-point lead at 21-14. BC faced a fourth quarter deficit against one of the top teams on the East Coast. Pressure was staring Coach Campanile’s team square in the face and the Crusaders never blinked. With under 9 minutes left in the game, the Crusaders marched down the field behind the sensational running of quarterback McEvoy. You would have never guessed that McEvoy was making his quarterbacking debut, as he was a calming influence for his offensive tro0p, taking what the defense gave him and never forcing a pass into coverage. That solid decision-making moved BC into the La Salle red zone, where McEvoy darted a pass to Kulcsar across the middle of the field, and the dynamic senior proceeded to stop on a dime, shift his momentum from right to left, and find open running room into the end zone from five yards out. Everyone in Crusader Stadium assumed that a game-tying extra point was about to happen with a little over 4 minutes remaining in the game. Everyone except for BC head coach Nunzio Campanile. Campanile decided to go for two and the lead, to the home crowd’s delight. With an empty backfield, Nunzio called for a quarterback keeper, and McEvoy easily got into the end zone behind the right side of his offensive line, then casually handed the ball to the umpire as his jubilant lineman patted him on the helmet. BC had regained the lead, but La Salle had one final chance to steal the game on the road. Facing two huge 4th down conversions on their final drive, Magarity connected with his favorite receiving threats in Coleman and Forster to move the chains and keep hope alive for the Keystone State visitors. After Sean Coleman scooped a low throw into his midsection, and Abdur-Rahman gained a yard on a bubble screen, La Salle called the first of their two remaining timeouts with 12 seconds left in the game and the ball on the BC 15-yard line. Rather than send his kicker onto the field for a potential game- winning 27-yard field goal, La Salle Coach Drew Gordon decided to take one last shot at the end zone before attempting a field goal with untested sophomore kicker Ryan Winslow. With Crusaders fans biting their nails and holding their collective breath in anticipation of a game- deciding field goal, the Crusader Crazies instead became witness to a defensive play that may well echo on for the rest of the season for this Crusader team. On 3rd down-and-3, Matt Magarity dropped back to pass and pump faked to the near end zone, looking for Kevin Forster to get open. Excellent coverage by senior Nick LaTesta left Magarity holding the ball in the pocket and enabled linebacker Karl Bostick to knife through the offensive line untouched, wrap Magarity up in a bear hug, and strip him of the ball. The ball wobbled free on the Crusader Stadium Field Turf, and a thousand-plus fans screamed for the players to take notice. BC plopped on the fumble and sealed the win with 5 ticks left on the clock. Crusader fans could officially exhale. Tanner McEvoy took a knee from the victory formation, and the entire red-clad BC sideline erupted in jubilation, sprinting from the far side of the field to greet the offense in a dramatic moment of celebration. Nunzio Campanile was doused with his first Gatorade bath as a victorious varsity coach, and got to celebrate that special moment with his father Mike standing alongside him on the field. What a way to open up a new era at BC, with a dramatic home win over a national power.

September 13, 2010 from Bill Wasylenko „69 This is an open letter to the Bergen Catholic High School family at large, the football players, coaches, security guards, concession stand attendees, students, fans, and specifically: President Br. Brian M. Walsh, C.F.C., Principal Timothy McElhinney, Head Football Coach Nunzio Campanile, and website writer Dan Long.

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La Salle College High School Football: Chronicle 2010

I’m just the parent of a La Salle College High School football player, but, in addition to writing for myself, I’m writing for dozens of other La Salle parents who went to the football game on Saturday, September 11, 2010. While many of us are still basking in the glow of our State championship last year, we looked at this year’s schedule as something new and anxious to experience. La Salle hadn’t ventured into New Jersey since 1995, and North Jersey was frontier territory for many of us. We pulled into a crowded parking lot about 2 hours before game time, as a Junior Varsity game crowd was filing out. We didn’t ask for permission on where we could set up a tailgate, but headed anyway to a secluded corner of the parking lot. Two of us wanted to see the inside of the stadium grounds, so we paid our admission, got our hand stamped, and entered to the strains of Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra over the loudspeakers. Yes, we did still feel like we were strangers in a different land. Walking around with our championship apparel usually elicits sneers and insults, if not outright slurs, back home. But we weren’t home; we soon found we were in a most welcoming place, and we were no longer strangers. Talking to many of the Bergen faithful, from the security guards, students, parents, and fans, had us realize ahead of time that we were here to be part of a purely American event, where friendship and camaraderie and good cheer was extended before and after the game, even though distinct partisanship ruled between the opening whistle and the final gun. We at La Salle pride ourselves in what we hope we portray as dignity and class, even though many of us are still afflicted with football’s original sin of yelling at the referees. And we don’t always see much dignity and class emanating from the other side of the field at our games. But, numerous La Salle parents commented many times on how great and welcoming the Bergen Catholic people were. Retreating to our tailgate after the one-point loss, we had several people stop by and congratulate us on our team, wishing us luck during the rest of the year. The Bergen people were genuinely happy to meet us and talk to us. Our pep band came to the game, and we had forgotten their drinks. Some of our parents went down to the concession stand to see if we could buy two cases of Gatorade for the band. I hope I’m not getting anyone in trouble by saying that we were just given the drinks to take back to the band with no charge. As the unofficial communications guy for La Salle football, I find news links for different write-ups of each game, and send them out to our email list. I found a few scattered, sparse articles on the game, sent the links out, and then found Dan Long’s article on your football website. I sent that link out, and mentioned to our faithful that this was the only article they needed to read. Dan’s passion and enthusiasm for Bergen Catholic football was evident in his article, but his attention to details, his flow of his story, and his intimate knowledge and descriptions of the key La Salle plays and players puts him quantum leaps above other more partisan reporters of high school sports. And he has a new fan in me, as I’ll look forward to each week’s write-up of the latest Crusader game. But, back to the day in general. September 11, 2010 was a memorable, emotional day for all of us; a beautiful, sunny day that stayed beautiful and sunny, unlike the beautiful, sunny day 9 years ago that was tragically interrupted. Playing a uniquely American game in a peaceful setting, playing to a dramatic ending, hosted by a most welcoming community, is now another distinct memory of a different September 11 for us. Your hospitality doesn’t happen by accident. You were brought up that way, and taught that way, and it’s imprinted in your hearts. And maybe we can also credit our mutual Christian Brothers heritage, as we all continue to live Jesus in our hearts. And I’ve learned that it is to be our turn next year. No matter how much class and dignity we think we have, we better start working now to live up to the welcome that you gave us this year.

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La Salle College High School Football: Chronicle 2010

Game 3, September 17, 2010: La Salle 14 – West Catholic 7

September 18, 2010 by Ed “Huck” Palmer As the season approached there were whispers that La Salle star sr. RB/DB Jamal Abdur-Rahman was not completely healed from last season’s knee injury that was suffered in the Explorers’ state championship victory. Maybe, during camp those thoughts had some validity to it, but make no mistake now, the Villanova bound rusher is back, and in this game looked top notch. On the very first play from scrimmage, they speedy Rahman took a handoff out of the pistol formation and zoomed 65 yards for an ultra-quick score. I’m sure this sudden jolt had the Burr faithful scratching their heads in wonder of what would take shape as the game progressed, but to their credit they kept their cool and the game was competitive throughout. Each of these clubs is highly regarded at their respective levels. A case could be made that La Salle (4A) and West (2A) sit right near the top of their classes across the state. Time will tell if that thought holds true. Even though both of these teams are known for explosive offenses, it was their defenses that stole the show for a good part of the contest. The score would remain, 7-0, La Salle until the first minute of the fourth quarter. Then, on a fourth-and-8 play from the Explorers’ 11-yard line, West sr. QB Anthony Reid found sr. WR/DB Quran Kent on the left-side of the end zone. With decent coverage being applied, Kent made a nice catch and showed great concentration in making sure he came down in bounds. The subsequent PAT tied the game with 11:08 left. The touchdown capped a 14- play, 64-yard drive for the Burrs. The Explorers wouldn’t waste any time answering, though. Behind the running of Rahman, they marched 67 yards on just six plays. Rahman carried on five of these plays for 50 yards, including a 13-yard touchdown with 8:11 left. On the play prior to Rahman’s score, soph. QB Chris Kane quickly hit soph. WR/DB Sean Coleman for a 17-yard gain. Kane had replaced starter sr. Matt Magarity at the intermission; he left the game after suffering an achy groin near the end of the first half. Prior to this scoring drive the Explorers had gone six straight possessions without reaching paydirt. When the Burrs got the ball back they immediately tried to regain the momentum. On their first play, Reid used a play-action fake and tried to hit sr. WR Jaelen Strong-Rankin (3-35) on a deep post pass. Initially, it appeared that Strong-Rankin had Coleman beat down the middle of the field, but Reid’s pass was underthrown, allowing Coleman to re-establish position and make an athletic pick. He returned the interception 35 yards to the Burrs’ 25-yard line. You got the sense that La Salle would put the final nail in the coffin at this point with this prime real estate, but a gritty Burrs’ defense dug in and didn’t allow a first down. A pair of La Salle penalties aided the stand. This marked the fourth time that La Salle traveled as far as the West 25-yard line, but were denied points. West’s last possession started at the La Salle 29- yard line with 6:13 left. Runs by Kent (4th-and-4) for ten yards and sr. RB/DB Brandon Hollomon for 11 yards had the Burrs sitting at the La Salle 31-yard line around the three-minute mark. However, a procedure penalty on the West OL pushed them back some after the Hollomon run. Later, on third-and- 11, Reid hit Kent (4-40) in the left flat for ten yards, setting up a fourth-and-one. On the play, the Burrs opted for a run to the right by sr. RB Joshua Mathis (15-37), but the Explorers easily bottled it up and threw him for a two-yard loss. Sr. S Mark DiFrangia was the primary pursuer on this play, but the La Salle DL was instrumental in causing much congestion. It was my thought that maybe a timeout could have been used here to better organize things. I just never had the sense that the Burrs were ready to execute that play. Ultimately, the Explorers took over with 1:34 left and iced the game when Rahman converted a third-and-one with 51 seconds left. As noted, Rahman was brilliant and ended the game with 219 yards on 22 carries. How important was he? Well, La Salle as a team only managed 246 yards. Talented jr. FB/LB Tim Wade was used sparingly in the first half and was saddled after halftime with a 6

La Salle College High School Football: Chronicle 2010 sore ankle that was originally injured versus Bergen Catholic a week ago. A lot of credit for Rahman’ exploits has to go to the boys in the trenches, who did a wonderful job of zone blocking throughout. These members include: sr. C Ryan Geiger, G’s sr. Cameron Cappo and sr. Shamus McGowan, and T’s sr. Daniel Ezzo and sr. Joseph Naji. While in there Magarity had a tough time of it and ended the half just 2-for-13, for 13 yards. Defensively, the Explorers were sound and fundamental throughout. West had moments, but LaSalle did a good job of not ever allowing them to get into a rhythm. I really admired the play of sr. LB Connor Daly, who severely injured his knee in game versus the Burrs a year ago. He put forth an inspiring performance and spearheaded the La Salle defense. He finished with seven tackles (six solos), including a sack. Two other stops went for losses. Sr. DB Kevin Forster led La Salle with 8 tackles (7 solos). On the DL Cappo (seven) and Naji (five, sack) were solid. Jr. LB Sean Burke played a good game with six tackles, while DiFrangia and sr. S Conor Murphy each made four stops apiece. For the Burrs, they’ll probably look back on this game as one of missed opportunities. A play here or there and the outcome very well could have been different. West had a 63-to-45 play advantage in the game, including a 36-to-17 edge in the second half. Still, there is no shame in dropping a one-score game to a team of La Salle’s caliber. West’s early-season tests should do nothing but strengthen their cause of what they hope will be a deep Class AA run. Offensively, Hollomon led with 83 yards on 14 carries. Reid misfired on a few passes that could have been completed, but he also was victimized by a handful of drops. He finished 11-for-25, for 83 yards. On defense, sr. LB Anthony McDonnaugh played a strong game with 7 tackles, including a sack. Sr. DB Dar-ray Jubilee and Kent made picks. Sr. LB Kevin Burns (five) and jr. LB TJ Waters (four) were next in the tackling department.

September 20. 2010 from Dan Morehouse „69 Very impressive performance by the D, only giving up one score to the vaunted but undisciplined O of the Burrs. I know it's early, but I see the boys playing for another crown. Not saying they will run the table, but once the PCL playoffs start, who's going to beat them? Could be a rematch with Easton in the East semis which would set up either another tilt with Ridley, or maybe Neshaminy. Between you and me, I'll be surprised if NP gets thru. Nothing would be sweeter than to have La Salle knock off Neshaminy.

Game 4, September 24, 2010: La Salle 28 – Monsignor Bonner 0

September 18, 2010 by Jack McCafferty In the midst of building a football program at Monsignor Bonner High, coach Tom Oropeza is not opposed to taking the occasional glance at a reliable blueprint. So as his Friars were stifled by La Salle Friday, 28-0, at Springfield (Montco), he found himself at cross emotions. He was not thrilled with the business result of the trip. As for the sightseeing, that could someday be worthwhile. “That,” Oropeza said, after his Friars dipped to 2-2, “is one of the best teams in the state.” If the Explorers’ distinction as the sitting PIAA Class AAAA champions did not provide that realization, their offense underlined the point Friday. Behind 126 rushing yards and three touchdowns from Villanova-bound back Jamal Abdur-Rahman, the Explorers controlled the pace, the score and play pattern to improve to 3-1. The Friars, forced to pass as the game tended to breeze by, enjoyed 78 passing yards from Sean Quarterman, but their ground game was too often stifled by the swarming La Salle defense.

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La Salle College High School Football: Chronicle 2010

“We made some mistakes that we can’t make,” Quarterman said. “We made some mistakes at some inopportune times. And when you are playing against the No. 1 team in the state, you just can’t make mistakes like that.” Bonner competed, particularly early, twice stopping La Salle on fourth down to survive a scoreless first quarter that was played almost exclusively in Friars’ territory. But with a champion’s calm, La Salle kept with its running game, which was spiced by some wildcat options and 92 rushing yards from quarterback Kevin Forster, plenty from the shotgun formation. Abdur-Rahman scored on runs of 1 and 2 yards in the second quarter, increasing Bonner’s second-half burden. La Salle, though, was just as relentless – and successful – on the ground in the second half. When Forster blasted for a six-yard, third-quarter TD, it was plain that the Explorers had the depth advantage to match their edge in size. “That wasn’t their quarterback that we saw on film,” Oropeza said. “He is one of their better athletes. So right off the bat, our defensive game plan became a little skewed. He did a tremendous job. He kept us off balance and had a couple of quarterback draws that really hurt us. He was able to move the sticks. A tremendous athlete. He gave us some fits. I thought our defense played well. But we gave them a short field a couple of times that contributed to them scoring 28 points.” Continuing to pound, the Explorers took that four-touchdown lead on an Abdur-Rahman 37-yard burst with 7:26 to play. Passing just seven times (all complete), La Salle finished with 259 rushing yards to Bonner’s 15. John McGilligan had 43 receiving yards to help the Friars’ offense stir. “The game was kind of quick, but that was a good team,” Abdur-Rahman said. “We played well. We came to the realization early that this was not an easy team and we just dug in. They showed us that they just weren’t going to back down from us. And when we realized that they were not going to back down, we accomplished what we had to.” At the minimum, the Explorers showed the Friars where the Catholic League football bar rests. “They are the state champions,” Quarterman said. “But you can put the bar wherever you can put it. And that’s what we want to do. It just shows that you can set the bar as high as you want.”

Game 5, October 1, 2010: La Salle 43 – Roman Catholic 17

October 02, 2010 by Dennis C. Way for Montgomery Media Superior La Salle upends Roman Catholic La Salle High can chalk up Friday night’s 43-17 win over Roman Catholic to three M’s – magic, muscle and a major catastrophe. The magic was provided by running back Jamal Abdur-Rahman, whose feet were quicker than the eye as he gashed the Cahillites for 158 rushing yards and four touchdowns, one coming on a 95-yard kickoff return. The muscle was supplied by an Explorers’ defense that limited the high-flying Roman offense to just 142 yards, while registering five sacks, two interceptions and a safety. The La Salle defense, however, got a key assist from the major catastrophe, an injury to Cahillites quarterback Michael Keir on the game’s first play from scrimmage. Keir stayed down after he was hit while throwing an incomplete pass, and was helped off the field favoring his left leg. He did not return. The highlight-reel portion of the evening was staged by Abdur-Rahman, who touched the football just 12 times. But those dozen totes produced 266 yards and four scores.

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La Salle College High School Football: Chronicle 2010

“That’s just a reflection of my line,” the Villanova-bound senior said. “They played their hearts out. I owe it all to them.” Actually, it was very much a joint effort. The Explorers front provided the opening crease, the dazzling Abdur-Rahman did the rest. La Salle saw a 12-play match on its first possession die on downs at the Roman 15-yard line. So Abdur- Rahman took no chances early in the second quarter. After the Explorers set up shop at their own 47 following a punt, the speedster broke into the secondary, cut to the outside to avoid a pair of tacklers, then cut back inside and showed off his tail lights. The Cahillites, understandably, saw a large portion of their game plan go out the window when Keir went down, and tried both Chris Cruz and Anthony Johnson to get their offense kick-started. Johnson had the most success, capping a five-play drive that followed the Abdur-Rahman touchdown with a 32-yard run that tied the game. But unfortunately for the visitors, the ensuing kickoff went to that magical guy. Ninety-five scintillating yards later, the Explorers (4-1, 1-0) were in front to stay. “I saw a big hole to the right,” said Abdur-Rahman of the return. “(Sean Coleman) gave me a big block in the middle of the field, and there was nothing but daylight.” With the Roman offense caught in neutral, the Explorers just loaded up, attacking the line of scrimmage. After falling behind, 14-7, the Cahillites’ next six plays lost a total of 15 yards. Continued... “I think the (Keir injury) really demoralized them,” said La Salle head coach Drew Gordon. “We don’t have the biggest linebackers in the world, so in order for them to be effective they have to be active. “And our coaches put in some good blitzing schemes this week.” By halftime the Explorers had taken command. Quarterback Matt Magarity, back in the lineup after missing the last game-and-a-half with a groin injury, went 3-for-3 for 52 yards on the next La Salle drive, a drive Abdur-Rahman polished off with a 2-yard score. Then, after La Salle forced Roman to punt from its own end zone, Kevin Forster gathered the punt in at the Roman 38 and streaked down the right sideline to put the Explorers up, 27-7, with 2:14 left in the half. A turnover led to a Cahillites’ field goal on the final play of the half. But Abdur-Rahman broke the second half’s first play from scrimmage for a 67-yard score, and the home team never looked back. “Jamal was the magic show in the first half,” Gordon said, “and it was a good thing he and our defense showed up. We made way too many mistakes tonight. “Defensively, this was probably our best game of the year.” “Some people picked us to lose this week, so we’re happy to get the win,” Abdur-Rahman said. “In our minds, we’re still No. 1. We’re doing well and we’re still growing.”

October 7, 2010 from explorerfb Neumann-Goretti: the school has undergone a lot in its 75+ years of existence, not the least of which have been name changes: originally referred to as Southeast Catholic High School, then South Catholic, it seems to have become Bishop Neumann for the 1954-55 school year. When Bishop Neumann was canonized, the school became St. John Neumann High School, maintaining their proud nickname of the "Pirates". Several years ago, the school was merged with the all-girls school, St. Maria Goretti, and the official name of the school is now "Saints John Neumann and Maria Goretti Catholic High School". Tough to fit all of that on a uniform, except maybe for the offensive tackles, so the school is commonly referred to as "Neumann-Goretti", and the nickname of the combined school is now the "Saints".

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La Salle College High School Football: Chronicle 2010

This Saturday will be only the second matchup (the other in 2006) between La Salle and Neumann- Goretti since 1962, when the Explorers trounced the Pirates of Bishop Neumann, 24-8. That was the last season of a combined Catholic League; Northern and Southern divisional play started in 1963, and the schools have just met twice in 48 years; hard to believe. La Salle's win in 1962 was their sixth straight in the series, but the Pirates had an 8-game win streak over the Explorers between 1947 and 1954. The overall series started in 1935 with a 7-6 La Salle loss to Southeast Catholic, but the Explorers lead in the series, 15-13-1, with 16 of the 29 games ending in shutouts. There have been many different venues for this matchup, but we are heading down Saturday to the 10th and Bigler site that hosted the La Salle/South Catholic games as far back as 1946. In 1937, the third game of the series, the teams battled to a 6-6 tie, the only tie in the series, but a game played at Philadelphia Municipal Stadium, only about 15 years old (built in time for the Sesquicentennial in 1926), located on the southeast side of Broad and Pattison; with a seating capacity of 100,000; I'm sure that good seats were still available for that tie game in 1937. One last note: I didn't find the St. Maria Goretti nickname on-line; perhaps some of you know it (note – it was the Lambs). We La Salle boys in the late 60's had our own nickname for Goretti girls, and it wasn't very nice, now that I think about it!! (note – it was Gorillas!!) See many of you Saturday; go La Salle!!

Game 6, October 9, 2010: La Salle 63 – Neumann-Goretti 0

October 9, 2010 by Danny Spinelli „14 The La Salle Explorers trounced the Neumann-Goretti Saints on Saturday night, in a game that never was a game. It was well known heading into this game, of N-G’s infamous 60-0 loss to O’Hara. La Salle never saw much of a response from the opposition, and led 35-0 at the end of the first quarter. The Saints do have an inexperienced roster, though, fielding ten freshmen on varsity. Explorer senior RB/DB Jamal Abdur-Rahman outdid himself tonight, scoring two touchdowns in 48 seconds to begin the game. On La Salle’s second play from scrimmage, Abdur-Rahman sprinted out of a play-action down the left sideline for a 61-yard score. On the first play of the Saints’ following drive, there was a fumble on the play, recovered by the Explorers. La Salle’s offense took over, and on the first play, junior QB Matt Magarity hit Abdur-Rahman for a 13-yard TD. The score was 14-0 with 11:12 remaining in the first quarter. N-G tried to get something going on the ensuing drive. Senior QB Mark Stinsman passed to freshman DE-SE Jamal Custis for a nice gain, but soon the Saints were forced to punt. La Salle’s heavy rush resulted in a bad punt, and great field position for the Explorers. They converted again with an eight yard pass from Magarity to junior WR Colin Buckley for a score. The Saints next drive ended early with an INT. A few plays later, junior RB John Palermo scored the first of his two TDs of the night, a two-yard run. Palermo performed excellently tonight, in lieu of fellow junior and under-the-radar blocking machine Tim Wade, who was injured. The Saints’ next drive resulted in another pick by the La Salle defense. The Explorers went to Palermo again, where he received his second scoring bill on a 27-yard pass from Magarity. At this point, the score was 35-0, the quarter was over, and the backups began flooding in. For the next three quarters, La Salle’s TDs came from: a QB keeper by sophomore Chris Kane, a 5 yd. run by senior Nick Sabia, and two runs of 44 and 22 yards by junior Colin O’Hara. Sophomore K/P Ryan Winslow played WR for the Explorers! Crowd favorite, La Salle sophomore RB/DB Dad Poquie even got a few reps. For the Saints, they rotated in sophomore John Mastrando and junior Shane Thomas at QB. Frosh HB Leroy Haigler was a target for N-G in the second half. Ultimately, La Salle was just more experienced, and executed better. N-G had too many turnovers, and could not capitalize on a good drive 10

La Salle College High School Football: Chronicle 2010 that took up most of the fourth quarter. I believe the “mercy rule” went into effect, making the clock keep on going. Whenever I looked up in the second half, the clock was always running. NOTES: La Salle’s defense was spectacular. Junior OL/DL Matt Maginnis notched a beautiful sack late in the first quarter. I wrote down plenty of “almost INTd” and “heavy rush by D line.” The special teams had a nice play midway through the first quarter, when the heavy rush made the Saints’ punter kick the ball out of bounds. La Salle plays Judge next week. The Crusaders will play them tough. That should be an interesting game, but I believe if La Salle plays the best way they can, like they did against Roman two weeks ago, it will be a sure Explorer victory.

Game 7, October 16, 2010: La Salle 42 – Father Judge 14

October 17, 2010 by Ted Silary DT Geiger helps La Salle stop Judge Ryan Geiger might now be hearing a new version of the praise phrase that's always thrown his way by his father. "You're a better player than I was" somehow seems inadequate once the football exploits of Saturday afternoon are considered. Twice the player? Thrice the player? It might be hard for Dad not to get carried away. In just one half and one more series of La Salle High's 42-14 mincing of Father Judge in a Catholic AAAA game on the new turf at Abraham Lincoln, Geiger, a 6-1, 260-pound senior defensive tackle, imposed his will again and again. He recorded 10 stops. Six went for losses. Two others resulted in no gain. Four times he swallowed running backs behind the line of scrimmage (for 5 yards in losses) and twice he thumped the quarterback to the ground for 23 combined yards - an 11-yarder alone and a 12-yarder with linemate Joe Naji. Oh, and in the waning moments of the first half, he picked off a pass and rumbled 59 yards for what he giddily insisted were the very first points of his football life. "In youth ball," he said, "they let me run conversions two or three times. But I never got into the end zone." Today in school, as word of his performance spreads, Geiger might have trouble getting through the hallways. "Yeah, I guess I'll be surrounded," he said, laughing. "Kids will want to ask me about it . . . Nah, no autographs." Geiger's dad, Rich, was no grid slouch. He earned first-team All-City honors in 1973 for his dominance at defensive end for Frankford, and then played for Wake Forest. Later, he was a respected, popular umpire as part of football officiating crews. A longtime postal employee, he couldn't attend this game. Here's guessing he'll watch the video 100 times. But mom and grandparents and an uncle were at Lincoln and their eyes are just now going back into their heads. "I had no idea I'd be able to do this well," Ryan Geiger said. "But I must say, the coaches prepared us well. We knew they'd mostly be running the ball and our linebackers made great reads, pretty much every play, once they saw how Judge was set up. They put me in the right spots. "I'd go in there and their guys would come right toward me because my teammates had forced them my way. It was incredible. Didn't have to do much."

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La Salle College High School Football: Chronicle 2010

That's a modest take. Often, Geiger overpowered the blocker(s) and was the first guy anywhere near the ball. Describing his TD, scored in the north end zone after a journey along the east sideline, Geiger said linebacker Connor Daly applied great early pressure to thwart the screen play, and lineman Matt Maginnis almost tipped the ball. As Geiger was being swarmed in the end zone, a teammate along the sideline was heard to comment, "That just made his high school football career." "I was surprised," Geiger said. "I had no clue I was going to catch it. Everyone said I was running downfield pretty fast. When I entered the end zone, I was so happy. I couldn't think of anything else. Just how happy I was. "I knew it'd be a touchdown. I had teammates there to block for me. Once I got to the 20, it was, 'This is gonna be good.' " Until about 8 years ago, the Geigers, now based in Southampton, lived in Wissinoming, and Ryan came back to play pound ball in the area even after the move. So, yes, he knows a lot of Judge's players and still considers them friends. Geiger also starts at center (he was a two-way contributor for last year's state champs) and gets a rush from helping halfback Jamal Abdur-Rahman, fullback Tim Wade and quarterback Matt Magarity rack up yardage and six-pointers. Abdur-Rahman posted 137 yards and two TDs on eight carries while Magarity passed 6-for-10 for 119 yards and three scores (two to Sean Coleman, one to Colin Buckley). The mercy rule took effect just 2 minutes, 10 seconds into the third quarter; Judge did post one TD in the second quarter (Raul Quinones' 20-yard run) and another in the fourth (Tim Mills' 29-yard snag of a pass from the backup QB, Rob Daniels). Geiger last year earned All-Catholic honors in wrestling (heavyweight) and track (shot put) in addition to football (center). Though it was only his second year on the mat, he advanced to the state tourney. "Wrestling helps with my footwork and quickness," he said. Still, football is his first love and that's what he wants to play in college. "I don't have interest yet," he said. "Soon, hopefully." Once the highlights of this one get distributed, the Eagles might be calling.

Game 8, October 23, 2010: La Salle 41 – Archbishop Ryan 0

Saturday, October 23, 2010 by Tom Kerrane, Times Herald Staff Explorers rough up Archbishop Ryan for sixth straight victory Fullback Tim Wade had gone five weeks without crossing the goal line. It had been just as long since the La Salle College High junior had caught a pass. After being injured in a Week Two loss to Bergen Catholic, Wade was among the lengthy list of Explorers who were either out or limited in their ability to play. Saturday afternoon at Plymouth Whitemarsh High, Wade did not show any ill effects from his ankle injury. He scored two touchdowns for La Salle, one on a three-yard pass from Kevin Forster, another on a 36- yard run. This was the right day to feel closer to being back to full health, the Explorers having little difficulty in defeating visiting Archbishop Ryan, 41-0. The victory extended La Salle’s streak to six straight wins, the team now 7-1 and 3-0 in the Philadelphia Catholic League. 12

La Salle College High School Football: Chronicle 2010

“I’m just trying to get back in the groove now,” said Wade, who finished with 58 yards rushing and 33 more receiving. “A game like this definitely helps me get back into it a lot. I’m just trying to do whatever I can for the team.” That sentiment has been shared throughout the huddle this season. Kevin Forster was at quarterback this week. He had gone a perfect 7-for-7 in Week Four against Bonner. This time, Forster was 8-for-11 for 151 yards and three TDs. Meanwhile, Jamal Abdur-Rahman had 93 yards receiving for a pair of touchdowns along with 34 yards rushing and a third score for his day. Still, La Salle will need to be at top speed the rest of the way. Next Saturday night, the Explorers revisit that annual war with St. Joseph’s Prep (at PW, 7 p.m.) and then the Catholic League playoffs begin the following week. “We take every game as if it’s a championship game,” Wade said. “It doesn’t matter who we are playing. Ryan’s tough. We had to play hard. “We have Prep next week. That’s the big rivalry. We have to take it and do our best.” There could have been a concern that La Salle would have a slight letdown this week. The Father Judge game last Saturday had been highly-anticipated as a crucial test for the Explorers, though it ended up as a 42-14 win. And with the Prep on the horizon, Ryan (2-6 overall, 0-3 PCL) might have been an unwitting benefactor of the schedule-makers. “We came out kind of slow in the first quarter, only had seven points, but we got together and got the job done,” Forster said. “Now we’re looking forward to next week.” La Salle’s initial TD came on a screen pass from Forster to Abdur-Rahman, who made a quick move before putting on the burners to go 58 yards for a 7-0 lead less than three minutes into the game. The Explorers failed to convert a fourth-and-long-one play on their next possession, only to get a reprieve when Forster intercepted a tipped pass from Ryan QB Mike Anusky. That series ended with Forster and Wade hooking up on the short TD pass, Wade then going 36 yards on a one-play scoring drive that gave La Salle a 20-0 lead with 4:43 to play in the opening half. “The concern’s been keeping the kids working hard,” said head coach Drew Gordon, whose team has outscored the opposition by an average of 40 points in its past four games. “And to be honest, up until the first half (Saturday), I thought we were. I noticed it before the game. “Everyone seems flat and that’s how we came out. We had good plays, but the half was ugly.” After taking the 20-0 lead, La Salle swapped back and forth between Forster and Chris Kane at quarterback. Kane even connected on a pass to Forster late in the second quarter. La Salle opened the second half with a pair of quick TDs, the first on a short run from Abdur-Rahman four plays after Forster found Wade for a 27-yard reception. On the ensuing kickoff, Ryan fumbled the return, recovered by Dad Poquie. Forster then hit Abdur- Rahman for a 35-yard strike this time and it was 34-0 in less than six minutes. Nick Sabia completed the scoring with a five-yard run in the fourth. “We’ve got the Prep next week and I don’t care what the records are, it’s the Prep,” Gordon said. “The season starts now. You finish the season strong and then you have the playoffs, and it’s one and out then. This is when it all starts.” If the season does start now, the Explorers seem to be getting back in the groove just at the right time.

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La Salle College High School Football: Chronicle 2010

Game 9, October 30, 2010: La Salle 31 – St. Joseph’s Prep 7

October 31, 2010 by Ted Silary, Philadelphia Daily News Cappo clears way for La Salle win over St. Joseph's Prep Cameron Cappo professes a love for science, and his overall academic skills, originally polished at St. Matthew School, in Mayfair, were what earned him entrance, via partial scholarship, to La Salle High. Right now, though, he's mostly focused on X's and O's, and we don't mean the symbols for hugs and kisses. Here's one thing about filling a starting role for a state title football team as a junior: You don't want to settle for anything less than a senior-year repeat. "I know it's very tough to win two state championships in a row," Cappo said. "But I feel we have the guys to do it." The 6-2, 215-pound Cappo serves coach Drew Gordon as a full-time guard on offense and a two-thirds- of-the-time end on defense, and Saturday night at Plymouth-Whitemarsh High he enjoyed success on both sides of the ball as the Explorers slapped archrival St. Joseph's Prep, 31-7, to finish 4-0 in Catholic AAAA. Cappo's path-clearing helped the more famous guys collect 420 yards; Villanova commit Jamal Abdur- Rahman was particularly productive with 20 carries for 243 yards and touchdown spurts for 66 and 69. And on defense, Cappo made what was likely the sniff-out of the night. The Prep tried a trick play with quarterback Skyler Mornhinweg rifling a backward pass to wideout Paul McGann on the right, and then moseying out to his left to catch a return toss. McGann's throw was on the money, but the play produced no cash. Cappo was right there and immediately dropped Mornhinweg for a loss. See, he's smart in venues other than classrooms. "If not for La Salle, I would have gone to Judge," said Cappo, who now lives in Plymouth Meeting. "But I did well on the entrance test, so here I am. I'd heard of La Salle, but didn't know much about it." Now, what he most enjoys hearing are nuggets of praise. "The backs and ends, those guys know we work hard for them," he said. "The coaches always remind us that it takes good jobs by everybody to get to the end zone. Jamal appreciates what we do for him." Always? "Most of the time," he said, laughing. "He gets a little frustrated sometimes. Everybody does. Only natural." He added, "It's really a thrill to see Jamal running down the field. When you just know he's going to score a touchdown. It's like, 'When we do our jobs, this is what happens.' " Though Cappo was slated to be "only" a d-end starter in '09, he added tackle duties about halfway through because of an injury. "Winning the state championship, of course, is the best memory," he said. "But beating the Prep for the PCL title was also very cool. I remember being in the locker room at halftime and we were all kind of looking around at each other with a we-got-this feeling." La Salle's other TDs in this one went to rusher Tim Wade (12-78) and receiver Colin Buckley (pass from Kevin Forster) while soph Ryan Winslow added four PATs and his first career field goal. The Hawks' score came on Mornhinweg's 19-yard connection with Adrian Johnson. Cappo also plays CYO basketball and participates in school/community service activities, though such outings are understandably limited right now. In fact, he'd love being unavailable, just like last year, until right before Christmas. 14

La Salle College High School Football: Chronicle 2010

October 31, 2010 from explorerfb The Explorers are now 8-1-0, and enter the Catholic League playoffs as the number 1 seed in AAAA. They will play Father Judge in the semifinals on Friday night November 5 at a yet to be determined site, hopefully P-W. I'll verify early this week. For the players, I'd like to add a few thoughts: I got to the game early last night, joining Jamal Abdur-Rahman's dad, Amin, as the first fans in the stands. Jamal's family showed up early, too, occupying the back row around the 50 yard line in the visiting stands, anxiously awaiting the game that woudn't start for at least an hour. Those stands filled to capacity with the La Salle faithful, coming out in force to watch the battle against the ancient enemy. Many "old" alums were there, including at least 7 members of my class of 1969. And All-Catholics like Rob Forster, Drew Loughery, and Matt DiGiacomo, recently in your shoes, supported you on the sidelines. The game ends, the handshakes at midfield are concluded, and you trot over to the band for the Alma Mater. Having never played the game, I allow myself sometimes to see what it would be like to be in your shoes. And I watch you searching up into the crowd for your friends, with the pride of accomplishment on your glowing faces. Yeah, I do wish I was on your side of the fence! And I got to walk across the field and out the gate with you, and saw senior holder Matt Killian hug sophomore kicker Ryan Winslow, congratulating Ryan on his first field goal, letting him know that the first one is the toughest, and I got to see your perspective on the crowd you walked through, especially the looks on the faces of the "teeny boppers" (what an antiquated term!!) as they made eye contact with you as you strode past them in your gladiator uniforms. And I certainly hope you are humbled by it all. Many people have put you into this position of adulation. Your parents, your youth coaches, your La Salle coaches and trainers, your teachers, your siblings, and most of all, God, have helped you grow, prepare, train, and execute, and you should dedicate your efforts and your successes to all those who have helped you along the way. And while La Salle allows you to be in that spotlight, it also provides you with service opportunities to give back to those in need, in less visible settings than a well-lit gridiron. In a few hours, the juniors will make a road trip to St. Vincent de Paul in Germantown, to help support the mission of that community by providing much-needed repairs, and working in the kitchen to prepare and distribute much-appreciated meals. And when that service project is over this afternoon, you won't be leaving through a crowd of teeny- boppers looking up at you in awe. But I hope that, in your heart of hearts, you will feel better about what you did today than what you did last night. Time for the playoffs! Go La Salle!

November 5, 2010 from explorerfb: Friends, the All-Catholic teams were announced late last night. Check the attachment, but here's the list of La Salle honorees: FIRST-TEAM OFFENSE: Ryan Geiger - C, Dan Ezzo - OL, Kevin Forster - WR, Jamal Abdur-Rahman - RB, Tim Wade - FB. FIRST-TEAM DEFENSE: Joe Naji - DL, Connor Daly - LB, Sean Burke - LB, Kevin Forster - DB. SECOND-TEAM OFFENSE: Cameron Cappo - OL, Colin Buckley - WR. SECOND-TEAM DEFENSE: Ryan Geiger - DL, Mark DiFrangia - LB, Sean Coleman - DB. Jamal Abdur-Rahman was named League MVP.

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La Salle College High School Football: Chronicle 2010

Coach Drew Gordon was named Coach of the Year Now let's take on Father Judge, tonight at 7 PM, at Truman High School. Go La Salle!!

Game 10, November 5, 2010: La Salle 34 – Father Judge 7 (PCL Semi)

November 5, 2010 from explorerfb: Friends, La Salle won their semifinal game Friday night against the Crusaders at Truman High School; the buck certainly stopped there. They will now try to do something that no La Salle football team has ever done: win three Catholic League championships in a row. Twice before, LS won two in a row: 57 and 58 (losing to Bonner in the Catholic League championship game in 1959, 6-0, followed by a 1960 City Championship), and 95 and 96 (upset in 97 quarterfinal by Judge, followed by a 1998 crown).

November 6, 2010 by Rick O'Brien, Inquirer Staff Writer Fill-in quarterback Kevin Forster leads La Salle past Father Judge, 34-7 Kevin Forster's arm won't make anyone forget injured La Salle starting quarterback Matt Magarity, but the senior more than makes up for a lack of throwing prowess with his speed and elusiveness. In a Catholic League Class AAAA playoff semifinal Friday night against Father Judge, Forster filled in again for Magarity (concussion) and helped spark the first-place Explorers to a 34-7 win over the fourth- place Crusaders at Harry S Truman High in Levittown. The 6-foot-2, 180-pound Forster, headed to Maryland to play lacrosse, carried nine times for 105 yards and a pair of scores. He completed 3 of 7 throws for 47 yards. "I like playing quarterback," said Forster, normally a wide receiver on offense. "I like having the ball in my hands and making plays. But I think we're a better team when Matt is in there. We can spread the defense more." Forster, who doubled at free safety and made a third-quarter interception, scored on first-half dashes of 52 (on a draw play) and 46 yards (on an option). "He's done a super job for us," La Salle coach Drew Gordon said. "He's a cool, composed athlete." Next Friday at 7 p.m. at Northeast High, La Salle, ranked No. 1 in Southeastern Pennsylvania by The Inquirer, will take on the winner of Saturday night's semifinal between second-place St. Joseph's Prep and third-place Roman Catholic. For the season, Forster, substituting for Magarity since Week 8, has nine catches for 130 yards. He has hit on 23 of 36 throws for 302 yards and four touchdowns. Against Judge, the Explorers (9-1) took an early lead when outside linebacker Mike Piscopo intercepted a Brian Hennessey pass and returned it 31 yards for a score. In the third quarter, after Villanova-bound tailback Jamal Abdur-Rahman (67 yards on six carries) put the defending PIAA state champions in front by 34-0 with a 51-yard TD burst, Gordon sent in most of his second-stringers. The Crusaders (7-3) averted a shutout on Nick Myers' 1-yard TD plunge with 3 minutes, 46 seconds to play. The score capped a 14-play, 85-yard drive. Judge, which will end its season on Thanksgiving against neighboring Lincoln, played the second half without two-way back Connor Thompson, who suffered an ankle injury.

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La Salle College High School Football: Chronicle 2010

Game 11, November 12, 2010: La Salle 35 – Roman Catholic 16 (PCL Champ)

November 12, 2010 from explorerfb Friends, La Salle's 2010 team has done what no other Explorer football team has done: win three consecutive Catholic League Championships. At Charlie Martin Stadium at Northeast High School tonight, LS overcame a 16-14 deficit to score 21 unanswered second half points to beat a stubborn Cahillite team. La Salle's opening second half drive featured four consecutive running plays to take back the lead, 21-16, and their defense shut down Roman the rest of the way. Congratulations to Coach Gordon and his coaching staff, congrats to the entire team, but special congrats to the seniors on the team, who have won the "Frisbee" three times. Entering 2010, in Catholic League history this has been done by Roman (1926-1928), North Catholic (1935-1937, coached by LS grad Cy Simendinger), West Catholic (4 years, 1943-1946), Archbishop Ryan (4 years, 1990-1993), Archbishop Wood (2003-2005, Blue Division), West Catholic (4 years, 2006- 2009, AA Division), and St. Joe's Prep (2001-2003). Add La Salle to this list now!!

November 13, 2010 by Mike Lawler, for the Times Herald La Salle recovers in second half to knock off Roman It’s not a good idea to make La Salle College High look bad. Roman Catholic High found that out the hard way Friday night at Northeast High’s Charlie Martin Stadium. The Cahillites took a 2-0 lead on La Salle’s first play from scrimmage. They held a 16-7 lead after recovering an Explorer fumble for a touchdown in the second quarter, and still led by two at the half. That’s when La Salle coach Drew Gordon let his squad know he was not happy with the way it played the first 24 minutes. After intermission, the defending state champs exploded for three touchdowns, the first drive taking all of 46 seconds off the clock, to defeat their rivals, 35-16, and take the PCL Class AAAA Division title for the third year. La Salle followed Jamal Abdur-Rahman, who ran for 173 yards and three touchdowns, two in the second half. He also had an interception on defense as the Explorers held the Cahillites to all of 41 total yards in the second half. Safety Kevin Forster also picked off two Roman passes in the half as the Explorers defeated Roman for the second time this season, overcoming their earlier mistakes. “We’re not used to the turnovers,” said Gordon. “(Matt) Magarity’s fumble, Jamal had one. We weren’t playing La Salle football. We had a long talk at halftime. I told them I was disappointed for them. I told them if they were going to get beat, they didn’t want to lose to themselves.” However Gordon put it, his team came out fired up. Starting from their own 35-yard line, it took the Explorers just four plays to regain the lead. Abdur-Rahman ran sweeps for 15 and 20 yards, Magarity scrambled for 21 more, and Abdur-Rahman, behind a lead block from fullback Tim Wade, rolled the final nine yards for the touchdown and a 21-16 lead. Later in the quarter, Magarity found receiver Sean Coleman open along the sideline for a 24-yard touchdown pass to put the defending state champs ahead 28-16. Coleman was instrumental in getting La Salle an early lead when Magarity found him on a fly pattern for a 61-yard gain before he got tripped up at the Roman one-yard line. “I don’t know how he didn’t make it into the end zone,” Gordon said. Magarity’s sneak gave the Explorers a 7-2 lead in the first period that was tenuous at best.

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La Salle College High School Football: Chronicle 2010

On the last play of the quarter Roman’s William Fuller rambled 46 yards with a Matt Keir pass that set up a 14-yard TD run by Matt Kelly, which put the Cahillites back on top, 9-7. Six minutes later, Roman added to the lead when Jack Schanz sacked Magarity deep in La Salle territory. Magarity’s fumble was picked up and run into the end zone by Jack Gallagher, who also created Roman’s first two points by tackling Wade in the end zone for a safety in the first period. La Salle appeared to answer quickly when Abdur-Rahman ran 59 yards to the goal line on first down, only to have the TD nullified by a holding penalty. However, the Explorers kept the drive alive and Abdur- Rahman pulled La Salle to within 16-14 with 1:14 remaining before halftime with a one-yard run. Finally, Abdur-Rahman finished La Salle’s night with a 29-yard TD with 1:49 left in the game. Afterward, the senior back let his feelings show. “I am just so happy,” he said. “We did not play La Salle football in the first half. We came out with a new attitude in the second half. We just weren’t making any plays, but in the second half we started to demonstrate how we play. The defense was lights out and has been all year.” The defense forced Keir into an 8-for-25 night passing with three interceptions and just 97 yards. Kelly, who ran for 92 yards in the first two quarters, could gain just six yards after halftime. La Salle will play the Philadelphia Public League champion next Saturday for the District 12 title.

November, 18, 2010 from Arnie Buben „59 I was able to watch the Roman game on the Internet feed. Reception/clarity was not real good, but it got better in the second half (if you know what I mean). It was tough to follow the ball on the screen. Then I realized the streaks I saw flashing across the screen were Jamal Abdur-Rahman scoring TD’s. He is something else! I couldn’t help but let my memories drift back 50 plus years to a slightly smaller person than Jamal, Johnny Herrera (’58). I’m sure there are many other great runners between Johnny and Jamal but he was the best I ever played with or against during my time at LSH. Jamal brings back those memories (and he also plays defense!). I can’t wait to see him in a Wildcats uniform.

Game 12, November 20, 2010: La Salle 35 – Northeast 0 (City Champ)

November 20, 2010 from John McMunn „69 Thanks for the link. It was great to watch the guys win again. I was surprised when I looked at the games in the other divisions. Looks like the Catholic League beat up on the Public and all by significant margins. One of the things the announcers were marveling about was how much support La Salle got and how it dwarfed the NE crowd. Papale, the analyst was particularly impressed. And both announcers were so impressed with Kevin Forster. He had a great game and definitely deserved the game's MVP. I thought #55 (whose name I can't remember; NOTE – Joe Naji) had a great game on defense. Let's Go Explorers!!!!!!!!!!!

November 21, 2010 from explorerfb Friends, La Salle won its 5th City Championship yesterday at Northeast High School, dispatching the Northeast Vikings, 35-0. The Explorers were never headed in this one, and will now await the winner of the Easton-Whitehall game. Thanksgiving weekend is a bye for La Salle; next game will be either Friday, December 3 or Saturday, December 4. Hot off the press: Coach Gordon just alerted me that a film crew from NBC Sunday Night Football (Football Night In America) had taken film of the locker room before the game, and filmed the first quarter of the game. 18

La Salle College High School Football: Chronicle 2010

Cut to the chase: LA SALLE WILL BE ON NATIONAL TV TONIGHT!!! Football Night In America starts with a pre-game show between 7 PM and 8:15 PM EST. Then the game starts somewhere between 8:15 and 8:30; the Eagles and Giants will have a lot of us tuned in anyway. Apparently, NBC highlights a high school team each week in their Sunday night program, and this week, it's US; I'm usually watching the ends of the 4 PM games, so I don't know for sure when they do this, but it's most likely in the 7-8:15 portion of the show. Look for our Explorers on national television tonight!!

November 21, 2010 by Ted Silary, Philadelphia Daily News

Two-sport star DiFrangia helps La Salle stick it to Northeast It's a good thing lacrosse coaches, as a rule, are not as narrow-minded as the bosses in some other sports. You know the jerks we mean. The ones who forbid their stars - heck, sometimes even their medium guys - from playing other sports, thus robbing them of a wonderfully fulfilling overall high school experience. Mark DiFrangia, a 5-10, 190-pound senior, is bound for St. John's University to serve the lacrosse squad as a defender. Once he arrives, he'd love to be able to tell his teammates how he played for a La Salle High football team that won two state Class AAAA championships. OK, so DiFrangia was not a prominent member of the Explorers' 2009 squad. But he did see part-time action on defense and special teams. Now he's a starter at outside linebacker and Saturday he made strong contributions as the Explorers muffled Northeast, 35-0, in the Vikings' own Charlie Martin Memorial Stadium, to capture their second consecutive City Title. "I still do football because I love it," DiFrangia said. "It's one of the greatest games on earth. I love it just as much as lacrosse. "The lacrosse coaches at St. John's encourage their recruits to play football. They love players who are physical. And my La Salle coaches support this, too." With eight total stops, five of which were made at or behind (two tackles-for-loss/half-sack) the line of scrimmage, DiFrangia headlined a defense that held Northeast to zero yards rushing. The defense was so effective, La Salle needed to cover only 39 total yards on four of its scoring drives. Even 10 minutes after the game, a still-amped DiFrangia found it hard to express his thoughts. "There's no feeling in the world that compares with winning a game like this!" he gushed. "This is so exciting! I'm speechless right now!" Take your time, buddy. Regroup. We're in no hurry. Ah, there we go. Just describe your role with this team. "My role? Just to go out and make plays and have fun with all my buddies," DiFrangia said. Pause. "I'm here to charge up the field and make plays happen behind the line of scrimmage. Oh, and I do drop back in coverage sometimes. But I'm licking my chops all the time. All the time. "Not a lot of teams can hang with our defense. We're awesome. If I don't make the tackle, God forbid, my boys are behind me ready to come up and smack 'em in the mouth." DiFrangia is not alone among La Salle's laxing gridders. Starters Kevin Forster (Maryland) and junior Sean Coleman are also prominent. As a wideout and rusher, both on regular/speed sweep carries and out of a "wildsplorer" formation, Forster contributed 72 yards and two touchdowns. Jamal Abdur-Rahman (11-69, two) and Tim Wade (6- 39) combined for three more rushing scores.

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La Salle College High School Football: Chronicle 2010

Connor Reilly blocked a punt, Abdur-Rahman posted an interception, Joe Naji registered two sacks and Ryan Otis, returning from a lengthy stay on the injury list, broke up a late pass to the end zone that at first appeared likely to ruin the shutout. Now comes a bit of a rest. The Explorers won't play again until the first weekend in December (state quarterfinal vs. the winner of Saturday's District 11 Easton-Whitehall contest). Somehow, it's suspected that DiFrangia, who lives in Fort Washington and plans to major in business, won't enjoy even one day off. "Hitting people is just so exciting," he said.

November 28, 2010 from explorerfb Easton came from behind to beat Whitehall last night, 13-10, to earn the right to play La Salle in the PIAA Class AAAA Quarterfinals. The Red Rovers will take on the Explorers at Charlie Martin Stadium at Northeast High School on Saturday, December 4 at 1:00 PM. And they will come in force. They have a big band that makes lots of noise; they take their football seriously, just like we do. So come out and root on La Salle to win this game!!

November 30, 2010 from Danny Spinelli „14 In honor of the Thanksgiving holiday and a much needed Explorer bye week, it is time for a retrospective on the La Salle football year so far. Looking back to the summer, La Salle was thought to be very good, but not this good. Coming off of a state championship year in which the Explorers lost eight Coaches’ All- Catholic seniors, many thought La Salle would struggle. The 4A Catholic League, though losing Bonner and O’Hara, initially looked very competitive at the outset. Roman Catholic had a great start to the season, beating 2A CL champ West Catholic, and looked to be a threat to La Salle. The Public League, led by George Washington, appeared very dangerous in the preseason as the City runner-ups now had a Judge transfer, senior QB Tony Smith, at the helm. Peering farther into the future, Easton and State College once again threatened the Explorers. To any Explorer fan, this preseason was one of excitement but also of fear. Soon, it would be realized how far this football team had come. La Salle, having its ranks depleted and a rookie QB at the helm, still faced one of the toughest non- league schedules in the area. An opening-week win over suburban power North Penn, surprising many, formed a season-long theme for the team: surprise. No one expected an exhausted Explorer team to walk into Crawford Stadium and win 27-14. Winning the battle of the junior QBs in the game was Explorer Matt Magarity, who tossed 3 TDs in his first game at the helm for the La Salle varsity. Foreshadowing what would be a dominant year for the La Salle defense was the way they rebounded from trailing by eight at halftime, and shutting out the Knights the rest of the way. An early road bump to a nearly-spotless regular season was a second-season road loss to NJ power Bergen Catholic. Bergen, currently ranked second in the state of NJ, beat the Explorers by one point 22- 21. La Salle’s valiant fight ended after a fumble occurred on La Salle’s final drive, inside the Bergen red zone with twelve seconds remaining. Mirroring last season’s 11-game win streak after an early season loss to the Prep, this season’s version of the Explorers has won 10 consecutive games since the loss to BC, showing over two years the consistent ability to rebound from losses, and learn from them. La Salle’s third non-league opponent was West Catholic, and the Burrs did come to play. After a gritty defensive battle, La Salle triumphed 14-7.

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La Salle College High School Football: Chronicle 2010

Homecoming in week 4 was a highlight of early season football. La Salle honored the 1960 City Champs, and easily beat Bonner 28-0. The Explorers’ dominance of the Philadelphia Catholic League soon began, as the Explorers racked off a 43-17 win over Roman, a 63-0 pounding of Neumann-Goretti, a 42- 14 victory over Judge in which Magarity suffered his second concussion of the year, and a 41-0 beating of Ryan. The regular season ended perfectly, with a 31-7 victory over the Prep. From West Catholic to the Prep, La Salle outscored its CL opponents by a combined 262-45. Playoffs began with Father Judge, and senior Kevin Forster having to quarterback his third game in a row. After downing the Crusaders easily 34-7, La Salle faced Roman in the 4A CL Title Game, in which Magarity would return. An exciting game ensued in which the Explorers faced a Cahillite lead at halftime, but thanks to 3 TDs and an INT by senior RB/DB Jamal Abdur-Rahman, La Salle won its 3rd consecutive CL Title 35-16. An entrance into the state playoffs was secured a week later with a 35-0 defensive beat- down of Northeast High on the Vikings’ home field. Capitalizing this win was a nod on Sunday Night Football, which featured a clip of senior LB Connor Daly pumping up his team. The Players No season like the Explorers’ could have been accomplished without a wide variety of accomplished personnel. Bursting off the list is 4A CL MVP Abdur-Rahman, who is having the season of a lifetime. Jamal set the La Salle single-season rushing record this year by galloping for 1,455 yards on only 169 carries, giving him an average of 8.6 yards per rush on the season. Being no slouch on defense, Abdur- Rahman also snagged three INTs on the year. Senior everyman Kevin Forster rightfully was blessed with serious athletic gifts. The Maryland-bound lacrosse star assisted the Explorers in every way possible this year, earning him a 2-way All-Catholic nod. When taking over for injured QB Magarity, Forster ran out of the Wildcat and saved numerous broken plays through the use of his athletic talents and agility. Junior QB Matt Magarity, playing in a season jagged by injuries, stepped up for the Explorers in the clutch. In the North Penn game, when the Knights’ defense was successfully shutting down Jamal, Magarity utilized the La Salle aerial attack. Matt is a traditional pocket-passer, in the manner of Drew Loughery of years past. Magarity’s arm will be of great use to La Salle throughout the continuing postseason, and next year. A player substituting grit and toughness for spark and finesse is junior FB Tim Wade. Wade, only 5’9”, is immeasurably tough. He notably makes hard blocks and hits with brute force. When running, Wade is hard to bring down, frustrating many defenses. Rightfully so, the warrior Wade received a 1st Team-All Catholic nod. The La Salle defensive line, led by seniors Joe Naji, Ryan Geiger, and Cam Cappo, was lights-out, complementing a total unit that led the CL in points and rushing yards allowed. The alert secondary picked off 17 balls, including 6 by Forster. Players like senior SS Mark DiFrangia, senior DL Ted Marino, and junior LB Sean Burke were always involved in defensive stops. Senior LB Connor Daly, also a captain, was the visible leader of the defense, as noted by his pep-rally nickname of the “Hallway Linebacker.” The La Salle O-Line is responsible for the holes that Abdur-Rahman and Wade had to run through. Noted are two All-Catholics, seniors Dan Ezzo and Ryan Geiger. These guys work to make holes for the runners, and then on defense do the opposite, leading the defensive squad that as I stated above, finished first in the CL in rushing yards allowed. Special teams are an integral part of any football team. It is an inspiration to watch players like senior Casey Gillespie and sophomore Dad Poquie make plays on what it their limited time on the field.

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La Salle College High School Football: Chronicle 2010

Sophomore K/P Ryan Winslow has shown great consistency over the year and La Salle fans are lucky to have him for two more. In the N-G vs. La Salle game, the fans witnessed what will be the future of the La Salle Explorers. Little- noticed players like junior RB John Palermo stepped up to show their stuff in this game. Palermo and junior Colin O’Hara scored two TDs each, while O’Hara rushed 4 times for 75 yards in the game. Sophomore FB Jeff Lieberman also galloped four times for 45 yards. Departing senior RB Nick Sabia also scored in the game. The coaches finally complete this team. The offensive wizardry of Brett Gordon, along with the outstanding dedication of John Steinmetz, form the offensive and defensive coordinators. Head coach Drew Gordon is the man to thank for bringing the La Salle Explorers to football prominence again. He delivered them four CL titles in five years, two City titles in a row, a state championship, and…? Only these final weeks will reveal what true magic this team can perform, and hopefully their work will pay off into a second trophy brought back to Wyndmoor. God bless this team for all they have done and the recognition they have brought on their school.

Game 13, December 4, 2010: La Salle 19 – Easton 7 (State Qfinal)

December 4, 2010 from explorerfb Friends, in a tough, tough game, La Salle came back from a 7-3 deficit to defeat a gritty Easton team in the PIAA Quarterfinals for the second straight year. La Salle moves on to the Semifinals (the Eastern Championship) against North Penn, who crushed Neshaminy, 42-6, last night. The game will be played on Saturday, December 11 at 1 PM at Plymouth/Whitemarsh; I believe we will be on the visiting side.

December 5, 2010 by Stephen Miller, The Morning Call La Salle's defense stifles Easton football team With his teammates already off the field, Justin Pacchioli trudged back to Easton's locker room. His tight calf caused him to walk with a limp as he weaved through La Salle College High School's celebrating players. The Explorer defenders had contributed to his soreness by forcing him to scramble from their grasp all afternoon. Pacchioli, a senior quarterback, delivered several more magic moments in his final football game with Easton, but he and his teammates could not produce enough drive-sustaining plays in the second half Saturday. La Salle limited the Red Rovers to just 41 yards after halftime to pull away for a 19-7 win in a PIAA Class 4A quarterfinal at Northeast High School's Charles Martin Memorial Stadium. District 12 champion La Salle, the defending PIAA Class 4A champion, advanced to next week's state semifinals against District One winner North Penn, a team it beat 27-14 in Week 1. District 11 champ Easton finished its season at 12-3, losing to La Salle in the state quarterfinals for a second straight season. "They beat us in a couple of one-on-one situations," Easton coach Steve Shiffert said. "We started to move there on that one [second-half] drive, and then it was the simplest of things we couldn't execute: the quarterback-center exchange. We talked to our kids about doing the little things. That basically was it. "We had a couple people open that we didn't hit. But give their kids credit. They executed, and we congratulate them on their win." 22

La Salle College High School Football: Chronicle 2010

After coach Drew Gordon lit into his team at halftime, La Salle delivered a championship-level effort in the second half. The Explorers (12-1) scored 16 unanswered points, taking the lead for good with a 62- yard touchdown drive to start the third quarter. Senior running back Jamal Abdur-Rahman, a Villanova recruit, led La Salle's surge. He ran for 47 yards, caught three passes for 57 yards and returned an interception 35 yards for a touchdown in the final 24 minutes. He finished with 108 yards on 17 carries. Easton, meanwhile, could never move the ball after halftime. The calf trouble that first started bothering Pacchioli last week in the District 11 Class 4A final against Whitehall reoccurred against La Salle. That limited the number of designed runs Easton called for him, especially as the game wore on. The Red Rovers had just 11 yards of offense and turned the ball over twice on their first four possessions after halftime as La Salle's defense took over. "You always come to that point in the season where you have to define yourself," Gordon said. "That was the moment for this season for us. I didn't think we played well at all defensively in the first half, and I think we ran 17 plays on offense. That's because our defense couldn't get us the ball back." Easton started the second half in good shape, holding a 7-3 lead after Pacchioli orchestrated a masterful drive in the second quarter. The Red Rovers marched 78 yards in 15 plays, taking 7:52 off the clock before Pacchioli scrambled and fired an 8-yard touchdown pass to Tyler Holjes in the back of the end zone. Tight end Justin Souders (two catches, 14 yards), running back Zack Bambary (72 rushing yards, 16 receiving yards) and running back James Middleton (31 rushing yards, 30 receiving yards) combined with Pacchioli to chunk off yardage on the drive. Unfortunately for the Red Rovers, that marked their high point offensively. Easton still had a chance to pull out a win when it took possession at its 34-yard line with 2:31 to play while trailing 13-7. An incomplete pass and a sack left Easton facing a third-and-18, and La Salle pressured Pacchioli into an interception that Abdur-Rahman returned for the game-clinching touchdown. "As soon as the snap of the ball, they blitzed," Pacchioli said. "There was just nothing I could do except for try to get rid of it real quick. I just underthrew it, and he made a good play." While disappointed with the loss, Easton's seniors left with their legacy intact. After graduating 30 players from last year's team that shared the Lehigh Valley Conference title with Central Catholic and won the District 11 Class 4A crown, Pacchioli, Bambary, Souders, lineman Tyler Thomas, lineman David Caldwell and wide receiver Jonathan Bisci led the Red Rovers to another district title. La Salle again just proved too tough to overcome. "La Salle made a lot of changes, and we've got to give a lot of credit to them," Pacchioli said. "They did all they had to do to come out, put the ball in the end zone and win a football game. "We played our hearts out today. It's not the way we wanted to go, but it is what it is. It was a good run."

December 8, 2010 from explorerfb Friends, but especially Players, Cathie (Mrs. Waz) and I went to a La Salle event tonight, the President's Dinner, hosted by Brother Richard Kestler. Many of the invitees were alums and friends of La Salle who have donated their time, talent, and treasure to make La Salle the pre-eminent boys high school in our area. I got to talk to many people that I had never met before, but who are on the football alum email list; it was a thrill to meet them. And many of my 1969 classmates and their spouses were there as well, and we greatly enjoyed each other's company.

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La Salle College High School Football: Chronicle 2010

But, no matter how each conversation started, it always ended up with discussions about this year's football team, and the upcoming game against North Penn. And we all acknowledged the great success you've had this year, and concluded how difficult Saturday's game will be. Many of us have followed you in person all year; attached is a picture of us 69ers before the Easton game, and more of us were there who didn't make the picture. When I look at that picture, I realized that us 69ers had one thing in common: none of us played Varsity football at La Salle. You guys have created that interest in the non-football types like those of us in that picture, but you've also animated the football alums as well. Football alums on 3 continents voted for Jamal in the Player of the Week quest; football alums all across the country have tuned in to the streaming video from the LS website for certain games, have tapped the Internet for articles about the latest La Salle win, have attended games, and have interacted with me in countless emails about your exploits. So many guys who were once in your shoes are avidly following you and hoping and praying for you. And I do mean praying: attached is a picture of Harry Eustace, a tackle on the 1957 City Championship team. This past Monday, Harry was at the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem, praying for the La Salle Football Team. I cannot make this stuff up. So what's my point? The question that I want to finally answer is: Why are we so interested in your success? And maybe I wonder why myself, as I type away into the night, but it's so simple, and it took being at this dinner tonight to make me see its simplicity. Many of you players think I'm an old guy, but there were many alums a lot older than me at the dinner. And dinners like these, and La Salle gatherings, and La Salle football games, in person or on the Web or in print, all do something special for all of us old alums: it keeps us young, or at least allows us some time in our lives to be a young La Salle guy again. And that's surely the reason for our interest in you! My non-football playing classmates were in those same stands at Northeast High School 40+ years ago, rooting for the La Salle football teams in the late 60's against Judge and Dougherty. Those football alums were on the same fields as you were, and now they stand alongside of you in spirit. And ALL of us alums, players or fans, we ALL have your backs. That's a phrase that Mrs. Trish Sinnott used in her keynote speech tonight about La Salle people: we all have each others' backs. Maybe that's what makes La Salle so special for all of us. We are in a fraternity that will last forever for us, will keep us young, and we will pass on that feeling to you every chance we get. Know that on Saturday, La Salle people all over the world will have your backs. Go La Salle!!

Game 14, December 11, 2010: La Salle 38 – North Penn 35 (State Semifinal)

December 11, 2010 from explorerfb Friends, La Salle will play in the Quad A State Championship Game in Hershey on Saturday, December 18 against North Allegheny. In just another game for the ages, the Explorers defeated the North Penn Knights, 38-35, as the see-saw affair was only decided on a Ryan Geiger interception of a Corey Ernst pass after Joe Naji tipped the ball with 1:14 left in the game. All right, I can't help it; here are a couple of vignettes: Before the game, I went to the men's room to do what I'm supposed to do, and I was getting quite nervous before the game. Another man was in there, too, and he was taking deep breaths, because he was nervous, too. But then I realized that Head Coach Drew Gordon had to be a million times more nervous than me, so I didn't even bother to say good luck to him. When I told him about this after the 24

La Salle College High School Football: Chronicle 2010 game, and asked him how nervous he would be if he knew the game was going to be like this, he said he would have stayed in the men's room! Ryan Winslow's dad George '82 passed by me before the game. George is one of a select few La Salle football players who made it to the NFL. I asked George if he was ever this nervous before a game, and he said no, not by a long shot. We all were very nervous. As nervous as we were, we had the power of prayer on our side. Harry Eustace '58 at the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem, Catholic grade school classrooms praying for us, and many personal morning and night- time prayers surely helped. And the spirit of La Sallians, old and young, having our players' backs, surely helped, too. The players and the coaches deserve so much credit for their preparation, sacrifice, and execution to send us to another wonderful journey to Chocolatetown!! Go La Salle!!

December 12, 2010 by Ted Silary, Philadelphia Daily News Geiger helps lead La Salle over North Penn and into state finals You know how the Red Cross always notes during the holiday season that its blood supplies are dangerously low? We've found a potential donor: Ryan Geiger's face. There are one, two, three cuts on Geiger's kisser, and at times they darn near gush. Why, just 2 days ago, in fact . . . Before a monstrous, ever-roaring crowd at Plymouth-Whitemarsh High, with La Salle and North Penn locked in a classic, back-and-forth brawl for the honor of representing the East in Saturday's PIAA Class AAAA final, time was called and the Explorers' defenders strolled toward the sideline for rest and instructions. The 6-1, 260-pound Geiger, a senior defensive tackle (and center), removed his helmet and . . . whoa, who invited the Red Sea? Dom D'Addona switched from assistant coach to cut man. With all the aplomb of Angelo Dundee, he used a white towel to wipe away the blood and assure Geiger could remain on duty. "In a moment like that," Geiger said, "you don't want to have to leave the game. We had to get rid of the blood." And the two-way force had to see to it that La Salle, the defending state champion, would again emerge as the winner over this vaunted foe; it had captured the season opener, 27-14. Seconds later, North Penn quarterback Corey Ernst lofted a short, right-side pass. La Salle end Joe Naji managed a deflection. Geiger, his eyes as big as saucers, spotted the helicoptering ball and used his big mitts to gather it against his belly. Just 1 minute, 14 seconds later, having mounted five comebacks (from 7-0, 14-7, 21-17, 28-24 and 35-31), La Salle owned a 38-35 win. "Every other time I went in there, [Ernst] put it right over my hands," Naji said. "I just could not get to it. I'm so happy I got it that last time. "I turned around and saw the ball falling into Ryan's lap. I was praying to God he was going to catch it." No sweat. During the post-game gather-'round, coach Drew Gordon kidded Geiger about how he now ranks as the team's top receiver. He remembered how Geiger, back in mid-October, picked off a pass against Father Judge and rumbled 59 yards for the first points of his life. "I caught this one with my stomach," Geiger said. "That made it pretty easy. I wasn't really thinking about going for another touchdown. I knew that was it because North Penn had wasted all their timeouts." The cuts on Geiger's face include one at exactly the point where the nose meets the forehead, and two more above. The larger one is roughly three-quarters the size of a dime.

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La Salle College High School Football: Chronicle 2010

"The one on my nose goes back to the first Roman game [Oct. 1]," he said. "The other ones go back about a month, and to last week. I thought the older ones would be scarred up by now. Well, one was, but it popped open last week vs. Easton. "You put bandages on them, but they slide off because of the sweat. You hate having to come out." You also can't stand surrendering yardage, and allowing your opponent to enjoy great success on third- down (and even fourth-down) conversions. As Naji noted, "We were struggling for a while. North Penn's offense was firing on all cylinders. They were giving us a lot of stuff we hadn't seen." At halftime, defensive coordinator John Steinmetz made a crucial switch. Geiger had been lining up over a tackle. For the rest of the way he'd be stationed across from the center. In those final 24 minutes, he made nine tackles. Two went for losses. "On top of the tackle, my legs were getting cut out," said Geiger, who's generating interest from Lehigh, Lafayette, Bucknell and Stony Brook. "I only had to face base blocks over the center and that made it easier to make my moves. Our ends were doing their jobs and the plays were coming right back to me in the middle." Despite its overall difficulties, La Salle's defense did experience some success. Sean Coleman posted an interception late in the third quarter and, in the second, Conor Murphy recovered a fumble on a kickoff return (forced by Dad Poquie) to set up what turned out to be the decisive points, on Ryan Winslow's 24- yard field goal. The offense leaned heavily on three guys. Matt Magarity passed 10-for-19 for 180 yards and two touchdowns, Coleman made five of the snags for 114 yards and one of the scores (Tim Wade had the other), and Villanova-commit Jamal Abdur-Rahman posted 142 yards and three TDs on 21 carries. Abdur-Rahman will enter Saturday's championship game vs. North Allegheny (5 o'clock at Hersheypark Stadium) needing 88 rushing yards to reach 4,000 for his career. He also boasts 1,106 receiving yards. Gordon already owns his milestone. This was win No. 100 in his 10-year association with the program. He's 51-15 in five seasons as the head coach and the Explorers were 49-13 in the five when he assisted Joe Colistra (1994-97 and again in 2005). Considering the nature of the game, and what was at stake, there were times on Saturday when Gordon was seeing red. Ryan Geiger could relate.

Game 15, December 18, 2010: North Allegheny 21 – La Salle 0 (State Final)

December 19, 2010 from Bill Wasylenko „69 Friends, it's now December 19, six days from Christmas, and one calendar day removed from a disappointing loss to North Allegheny. There are many little stories to tell. The team stayed in the Sheraton Harrisburg Hershey on Friday night. The regimen included Friday lunch in the cafeteria at noon, practice at P/W, bus trip from P/W to the Sheraton, dinner at 6, entertainment at 8, and bed by 11 or so. Saturday morning: 9 AM Mass, continental breakfast, free time, lunch, dressing and taping, and arrival at Hersheypark Stadium at 3:00. Practice on the field for an hour starting at 3:30, off the field at 4:30, game time at 5:00. The last scheduled sequence of events in a long season; they would be returned to us after their return to the Sheraton after the game.

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La Salle College High School Football: Chronicle 2010

Their free time on Saturday morning found some of them doing homework in the Sheraton lobby at the computer stations. Others were going over film on those computer stations with a coach. They seemed loose and confident as they practiced before the game. Many LS fans came to this game, having missed last year's game due to the snow. The scoreboard again showed us as "La Salle College", and the announcers did the same. We took that as a positive that we'd straighten everyone out again. The game did not go well for us; I'm hearing that it looked worse on TV than it did in person. Certainly, our players had not experienced anything like this before. The game is over, and the handshakes commence. The team comes in front of the band for the Alma Mater. Some of the toughest players on the team are bawling; whether they know it or not, they're showing their manliness by crying. The Alma Mater is ready to start, but the announcer calls out the La Salle seniors to come to accept the runnerup trophy. The seniors peel off to go to this trophy presentation, and then the Alma Mater is started. The juniors step up into the seniors place; the seniors stop going to the trophy presentation, and instead turn around in a separate group to honor the Alma Mater; a rite of passage, or a "graduation" occurs. The mood is somber at a post-game party, especially among the seniors, who just want to be together with each other. Sophs and juniors aren't as impacted by the defeat; that feeling will have to wait a year or two for them. Parents convene, rationalize on a great season, and talk about the banquet. For them, things do not end as definitively as they do for the seniors. A team that would have been congratulated for a close loss to Easton, after having lost 33 seniors from the previous year, instead became a team that made it to Hershey, but lost decisively to North Allegheny. How would losing close on a smaller stage be more acceptable than losing big on a bigger stage? It only feels that way now because it still hurts; time will heal this hurt, and a better perspective will be seen by those seniors who played in this game. My neighbor, Danny Spinelli, a La Salle freshman, has written many game accounts for Ted Silary, and has written a gem after this game. You’ll see it below. Danny and I will graduate from La Salle 45 years apart, and yet we are birds of a feather. Both of us love La Salle very much, and both of us look up to the LS football players as heroes. For me, my freshman year's 1965 team had heroes that I will never forget, like Bob Enoch, Steve Bukowski, and Len Sloane. For me, that parallels the heroes that Danny mentions in his article. But my hero worship extends 45 years later to the current team, as I look up to Ryan Geiger, Connor Daly, and Jamal Abdur-Rahman as my latter-day heroes, among others. And maybe a senior doesn't acknowledge a freshman's adulation, and maybe a senior doesn't acknowledge an old man's passion for his school's team and players, but I hope someday that they will. Because the stories we hear are so important to us, like the locker-room speeches by some of the seniors before today's game, containing items that we will use in our everyday life, and they supercede the winning or losing of a football game. So seniors, rest easy, knowing that your legacy will be forever remembered by the La Salle faithful, and that you took us to the land of chocolate again. If you want any solace, the 1965 team full of my heroes I had as a freshman went 3-6-0; because of your great year, Danny Spinelli has an awful lot more justification to consider you as his heroes. Finish your senior year by savoring every day and every class; graduation will come too soon. Help the juniors become leaders. And share this year with each other forever.

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La Salle College High School Football: Chronicle 2010

December 19, 2010 by Danny Spinelli „14 Oh, where to begin on this one? La Salle lost tonight, in a Class AAAA State Championship game in which they did not score a single point. The team that had averaged 33.6 points on offense could not hit paydirt today. When the PCN camera flashed to a weeping Connor Daly, I had to look away. I have written so many positive things about this team that this game almost seems unreal. The North Allegheny Tigers are the 2010 4A State Champs and now we must find a way to continue. WHY THIS TEAM MATTERS In the fall of 2009, I begged my father to bring me to a La Salle football game, and he obliged, as we were to see our neighbor and friend, DL Steve Sinnott. The Explorers lost that game, to the SJ Prep Hawks, 24-17. It was on that day when I first felt a connection to La Salle football. A couple weeks later, Sinnott drove me to my “shadow” day at La Salle, assuring me that if anyone made fun of me; he would “pound” them, giving a worried eighth grader confidence and a feeling of relaxation. On that day, I was given a tour by OL/DL Steve Szostak, and I fell in love with the school. When I received my acceptance letter, Steve Sinnott and his dad were at my front door, to congratulate me. What began as a respectful visit evolved into a long regale of the 2009 State Championship weekend. I still think of that team and those players every day. Szostak once left a UPenn (where he now attends) shirt of his at the Sinnotts' house, and I thankfully accepted it as a gift, which I now wear regularly. These small acts of kindness contributed to my love of the school, team, and were driving reasons in my decision to ask Ted Silary to write about this team. Seeing this team each week has inspired a legion of believers. Matt Magarity and Sean Coleman shocked everyone in Week 1 by decimating North Penn with their numerous passing connections. Ryan Geiger showed his athletic finesse in his wondrous pick-six against Judge and major INT in the final moments against North Penn in the State semis. Joe Naji (Szostak’s second coming) made big plays every week on defense, leading a strong 11 that only gave up 10.4 points up to the state final. Even when the defense surrendered 35 to the North Penn Knights, it came up clutch during the game’s end with Naji’s tip and Geiger’s subsequent pick. Jamal Abdur-Rahman…’nuff said. The coaching staff provided great leadership to the team, including defensive coordinator John Steinmetz (recently inked by Ted Silary), and will continue to do so in the future…yet the future is months away and the time is now: to reflect and wonder. Even though the players did not get the outcome they wanted, they can take solace in the impacts their season has had on the rest of the student body and surrounding La Salle community. As a freshman, I still shudder every time I recognize a La Salle football player in the hallway. It could be Jamal making an appearance in religion class, and a fellow classmate of mine exclaiming, “My prayers have been answered!”, or seeing Dan Ezzo walking into English, and another football diehard mouthing at me, “Ezzzo!!” Maybe walking by Kevin Forster or Tim Wade is what does it. Anyway, these players stand out as idols in the freshmen class, men we are proud to go to school with. A few weeks ago, Matt Magarity’s father approached me at a game and thanked me for writing positive things about the team. I was thinking silently Wait, you read this? My humble column…Matt Magarity actually reads? These sentiments echo the feeling of admiration felt for these football players. It only takes a former football player (CYO/Pop Warner, etc…) to know of the grueling two-a-days in August and the blazing hot practices into the fall. That is why the sport of football and the men who play it are so respected, even though the game is, as Sports Illustrated called it, “a pale imitation of war.” WHAT CAN WE TAKE FROM THIS Throughout tonight, the Explorer players will endure numerous parties and other gatherings. They will try to block out the tough memories from today’s game while many parents, coaches, and friends praise

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La Salle College High School Football: Chronicle 2010 their season. Hopefully, the fact of this season’s success will get through to the players. Even though they could not get it done in Hershey, a CL and District 12 Championship are pretty heady achievements. The terrific season included two great wins over North Penn, and a gritty victory over 2A State Champion West Catholic. The Explorers have once again generated a huge fan base of La Salle alumni across the country, drawing further attention to the school. Through the innovative live streams of the game, Explorer faithful from all around were able to follow their alma mater. This season was just another stepping stone in coach Drew Gordon’s magnificent tenure at the program and its drive to state and national (hopefully?!) prominence. Obviously, in a season like this, the statistics were terrific. Wins and losses; rushing yards per game; run defense…but what will that mean? If we are to truly measure the success of this season, we cannot use a barometer of statistics. I spoke earlier of Steve Sinnott, and what impact his few acts of kindness had on me in eighth grade. Through La Salle football I fell in love with everything blue and gold. Now, being a student, I wonder if some other kid is mesmerized by this football team. Maybe he will be the next to make the journey to La Salle. Those things you guys do on the field do affect people in ways you cannot understand. I hope through this, my expression to you, one day you can realize the full weight of your accomplishments. God bless.

December 19, 2010 from John McMunn „69 Over the last few weeks it has been cold and sometime dreary down here in the "Sunshine State". But one of the great solaces has been the ability to watch my alma mater via the internet as they proceeded on the "chocolate road". When I attended La Salle we just hoped to get a .500 season. But today that type of season would be considered a disaster. Who knew that this band of young men would win a third straight Catholic League title in a thrilling come from behind victory over Roman. Then repeat as City Champs by steamrolling Northeast on their home field! The North Penn game was like the "Thrilla in Manila" as each team punched and then counterpunched to a hard fought victory over North Penn for a return trip to Chocolate Town and a chance to repeat as state champs. Grabbing the brass ring turned out to be elusive but it wasn't for lack of trying. Sometimes we forget that we are watching 16, 17 and 18 year olds who have not fully developed. After all, even in the NFL it sometimes just isn't your day. The scoreboard will show a 21-0 loss but the pictures that we will retain in our memories (those of us who watched from afar) will not be of a defeat but that of a great team that fought hard to the final whistle. It would have been easy to pack it in after the game got to 21-0 but nobody did. The effort was surely 100% but as is sometimes the curse of youth, mistakes were made. One philosopher said that it is not in winning that you learn but in how you progress on the journey. And these young men in blue and gold certainly showed their resolve and character on a day "that wasn't meant to be" Coach Vince Lombardi is famous for coining the phrase "winning isn’t everything, it's the only thing". But little known is that soon after he utter that phrase, Lombardi realized it wasn't true. Lombardi went so far as to say he "regretted ever saying that" For even the legendary Lombardi came to realize that it’s the journey that you take, arm-in-arm with your fellow players, that teaches and molds the person that you are. Long after the loss has faded from my brain, the wondrous journey that I got to watch from afar will remain with me until the time I'm pushing up daisies. These incredible young men took us all on a journey that will forever be emblazoned in our minds.

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La Salle College High School Football: Chronicle 2010

December 19, 2010 from Bill Benz „72 How many high school players can say they have played for a state championship? It's an elite few who get to go to Hershey Stadium. For that reason I tried to get a shot of every player especially at the end of the game. When the dust settles on this one, I hope the young men who have had the privilege of wearing "La Salle" on their uniforms will realize that they have been part of something exceedingly rare and very special. The 2010 team will always be remembered by the alumni and friends of the La Salle community as a great team that has brought honor to our Alma Mater. My dad played with Tex Flannery and I played at La Salle. Back in the 1930's there was a Varsity Club at LaSalle and those who earned a varsity letter were given a certificate hand written in calligraphy with a gold seal and it closed like this: "May his loyalty, his deeds and his courage be a solemn tradition of his Alma Mater and an inspiration to her future sons." The 2010 Football team has lived up to that affirmation. On the drive up to Hershey yesterday my son Kristian '10 told me that if he winds up settling in Philadelphia he will send his sons to La Salle. I can't help but think that La Salle football has been and still is an inspiration to him and many many others and those football experiences have contributed greatly to his feelings of loyalty to his Alma Mater. Congratulations to the coaches, players, managers, Touchdown Club members, parents and supporters of La Salle Football on a brilliant season. And thank you Bill Wasylenko; your efforts to keep the history and lore of La Salle football alive. It has enriched all of our lives this season. Merry Christmas.

December 22, 2010 from explorerfb Friends, the All-State (nothing to do with insurance!) teams in Quad A have been named, and 4 of the La Salle Explorers have made this exclusive list.

Jamal Abdur-Rahman is a first team All-State running back. Ryan Geiger is a first team All-State offensive lineman. Kevin Forster is a first team All-State defensive back. Connor Daly is a second team All-State linebacker.

Congratulations to our four All-Staters!! You're in good hands with them!!

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