Nine losses in a row. Fourteen of the last fifteen, and it would be fifteen in a row if not for “The Catch” by Nick Rinella in 2015. It had to end sometime, but could it possibly be today?
Stay with them for the first half, and maybe you’ll have a puncher’s chance of knocking them out in the second half. It would be tough if you got down 14-0, like it seems to happen all the time in the last 7 years or so.
Well, the Explorers did hang with the Hawks in the first half, and then a couple of thundering punches put the Prep on the ropes, and the Blue and Gold defense stiffened down the stretch in the 28-21 victory. Let these old fingers type out what these old eyes witnessed at venerable Franklin Field on a beautiful fall afternoon:
La Salle won the toss, and deferred to the second half, trusting their defense to bottle up the Hawks. Santi Sturla’s kickoff curved toward the flag, and went out of bounds at the one, forcing a penalty, and the Prep would start at their own 35. Sophomore multi-talented quarterback Samaj Jones called his own number, a delay up the middle, and gained two yards while being stopped by LB Kevin Hawley, as Chris Thompson was still out with his shoulder injury. Jones then tossed a quick buttonhook to WR David Washington for a first down at the La Salle 49, as the Explorer defenders were playing off their receivers; LB Sean McFadden brought him down. RB Josh Barlow went up left guard for three, as Brennen Miller and Hawley combined on the hit. Jones again went to Washington on a buttonhook on the other side for a first down at the La Salle 36. Jones, very deceiving on the option play, ran an option keeper for just a yard, as Darold Dengohe, having another fine game, took him down. Jones tossed to senior QB/WR Dane Piciarello on the left side for a 6-yard gain, as junior DB Del Jackson wrapped him up. On third and 3 at the La Salle 29, RB Kahseim Phillips got a 3-yard gain and a first down while being tackled by DL Daniel Ford. Jones scrambled away from pressure and motored for 6 yards up the middle, with Hawley and Dengohe taking him down. Then, Jones ran a nifty option keeper up the middle after a great fake for a 20-yard touchdown. Kicker Antonio Chadha boomed the extra point, and the Hawks moved down the field at ease for a 7-0 lead, with 8:03 left in the initial period. So much for bottling them up early.
Chadha, a star kicker, nailed the kickoff into the end zone, and La Salle would take over for their first possession. Sam Brown tried to sweep the left end, but half of the Prep team was waiting for him, and he lost 4 yards. Brown then tried it again, and broke a tackle or two for a 7-yard gain, setting up a third and 7 at the 23. QB Alan Paturzo dropped back to pass, and fired a pass to the Swiss Army-knife Ryan Moore, who ran a skinny post. Moore caught the ball in traffic, and slashed down the field to the Prep 30 for a 47-yard gain and a first down. Paturzo tossed a quick screen to the right to junior WR Ryan Sorge for 3 yards. The same play was tried to the left side, and the Hawks smelled it out, and the play lost three yards. On third and 10 at the 30, La Salle was flagged for procedure. Paturzo then threw an out pattern to the left to Moore, which looked like it was caught for a first down, but the officials ruled that the ball had hit the ground. On fourth and 15 at the Prep 35, Paturzo threw an out pattern again to Moore on the left side, but the ball was late, and it was intercepted by Shamir Johnson, and the ball would turn over to the Prep at their own 15, with 5:19 left in the first stanza. It was time for the La Salle defense to keep St. Joe’s from cashing in on another drive.
Hawley stopped Phillips after a 5-yard gain up the middle. Phillips tried left guard, but Dengohe buried him for no gain, setting up a third and 5 at the 20. Jones let loose a long pass to WR Mike DiTrolio, and the pass just went off his fingertips. Chadha’s punt was downed on the La Salle 46, with 3:44 left in the quarter, and La Salle in good field position.
Stevie Davis ran up left guard for a yard. Brown tried right tackle for three, and it was third and 6 at midfield. Paturzo slipped a pass to EJ Wentz in the right flat for a gain of 4, and it was fourth and 2 at the Prep 46. It looked like La Salle would punt, but the Prep called time out, and La Salle then came out with their offense. Paturzo tried a few double counts to try to draw the Hawks offsides, but it wouldn’t work, and La Salle took a delay of game penalty. Sturla’s punt was downed smartly by Matt Mitchell on the St. Joe’s 2-yard line, and the Hawks would have a long way to go.
Jones snuck up the middle with his powerful line for a 5-yard gain. Josh Barlow gained three up right guard, stopped by Hawley and Abdul Carter, who would make his presence known throughout the game, lining up in many different positions on defense. On third and two at the Prep 10, Jones fumbled the snap, and scrambled for no gain as Carter crunched him down to end the first quarter, with St. Joe’s leading La Salle, 7-0. Chadha’s punt was fair-caught by Moore right at midfield, and La Salle would start in good field position in an attempt to tie the score.
Moore came in at wildcat, and picked up a great block by Brown on a sweep right to get a first down at the Prep 19. Moore gained two more yards off left tackle. Paturzo came back in and tossed a screen right to Sorge for 7 yards, following a great block by OL Luke Shissler. On third and one at the Prep 10, Brown powered up right guard for 6 yards and a first and goal at the 4. Off of a fake jet sweep left, Paturzo swung a pass countering to the right to Wentz, who blasted into the end zone for a 4-yard touchdown. Sturla’s kick tied the game up at 7-7, with 9:39 left in the half.
Sturla sent his kickoff into the end zone. Jones hit Washington on the left side, and Washington gained a first down on the Prep 30, breaking through some missed tackles before McFadden brought him down. Phillips found a hole up the middle, but gained just 3 yards as he was hit hard by Carter. A pass from Jones to Owen Garwood gained 4, setting up a third and three at the Hawk 37. Jones flipped a pass on the left side to Phillips for a 7-yard gain and a first down, and La Salle was hit for a 5-yard face mask penalty, and the Prep drive continued on their own 49. Jones continued with the safe passes, as a screen left to Phillips netted 8 yards, with tackle by Del Jackson. Jones ran an option keeper to the La Salle 36 for another first down, with hit by Chris Convey. Barlow went off right tackle to the La Salle 27, as Amir Anderson made the tackle. Barlow was stopped for no gain by Dengohe and Ford. On third and one, Jones kept the ball for a first down at the La Salle 25, and the Prep was moving. Jones scrambled, and made a nice pass to the flag to Washington for a 25-yard touchdown. Chadha’s extra point was good, and the Prep got their 7-point lead back at 14-7, with 5:39 left in the half.
The Hawks were flagged with an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty after the touchdown, and Chadha would have to kick off from his own 25. He boomed the ball to the 7, where Davis picked it up on one bounce and returned it to the 22. Brown broke through some tackles on the right side for a 15-yard gain, but the Explorers were flagged for holding. With the ball back on the La Salle 16, Paturzo swung a pass to Dom Martin on the left side, but it was smelled out by the Prep defense for an 8-yard loss. On second and 24 at the 8, Paturzo arced an alley-oop pass to Brown on the right side, and he leaped between two defenders to come down with the ball for a first down at the La Salle 40. Brown then went off right tackle for 5 yards. Paturzo hit Sorge with a quick swing pass for 2. On third and three at the La Salle 47, there was some confusion before the snap, and a play-action dropback by Paturzo resulted in a 12-yard sack. Sturla’s punt to the Prep 30 was returned by Omillio Agard to the La Salle 49, as McFadden made another tackle, with 2:25 left in the half, and La Salle in danger of going behind by 2 scores.
Jones was rushed in a passing situation, and he spiked the ball, but was not called for grounding. Jones ran an option keeper to the left for 19 yards to the La Salle 30, but the Hawks were called for holding, setting them back to the La Salle 45. Samaj Jones then threw to Elijah Jones on a screen left, with tackle by Dengohe, but the Prep was flagged for ineligible man downfield, and would face a second and 21 at their own 40. Samaj Jones tried to find Washington on the right side, but his errant pass was almost intercepted by Anderson. On third down, Barlow went up the middle for 7 yards, with tackles by Dengohe and Ford. On fourth and long, the Prep looked like they would go for it, forcing La Salle to take a time out. Instead, Chadha punted, and Moore made a fair catch on the La Salle 17, with 1:11 left in the half.
Moore wildcatted for a 1-yard loss. Brown then tried to sweep right, but was swarmed by the Hawks back to the Explorer 7-yard line, as the Prep took a time out, with 19 seconds left. Wentz gained just a yard up right guard, as the half ended, with St. Joe’s ahead of La Salle, 14-7.
St. Joe’s seemed to have the best of the Explorers in the first half, but La Salle kept the Prep from expanding their 7-point lead. The Blue and Gold had kept it close, and now had that puncher’s chance of winning the game. But they would have to make a statement in the third quarter, as they would receive the opening kickoff.
Chadha kicked a split-finger fastball that dove down in front of returner Matt Mitchell, who fell on the ball at the La Salle 15, as the Explorers would start with bad field position. To make matters worse, Paturzo had to keep the ball on a busted handoff, but actually gained three yards up the middle. Then, out of the blue, a haymaker right cross to the Prep’s chin. Sam Brown swept the right side, got the edge at about the 30, and outran the Hawk pursuers into the end zone for an electric 82-yard touchdown bolt. Sturla’s extra point was good, and La Salle had tied the game up, 14-14, just 40 seconds into the second half.
Sturla’s kickoff to the 6 was returned by DiTrolio up the right side to the 31, with a tackle by junior LB John Burnstiel. RB Blaine Bunch gained three yards up left guard, as Sam Ross took him down. Samaj Jones threw to Elijah Jones on the left side for a first down at the Prep 46, as Abdul Carter chased him down. Then, Jones to Jones again, on a nice fade on the left side for a first down at the La Salle 30, as the Hawks were punching back. Phillips got a yard up the middle, as the combo of Dengohe and Ford made the tackle. Phillips then swept the left side for three, as Amir Anderson bumped him out of bounds. On third and 6 at the Explorer 26, Samaj Jones scrambled, and gained four yards before Dengohe and Carter, both all over the field, brought him down. It was now fourth and two at the La Salle 22, and a pivotal moment in the game. All the fans on the south side of the ancient stadium rose to their feet and were yelling, La Salle on the west end and the Prep on the east end. Barlow got the ball and went off right tackle, but the penetration of soph LB Matt Wills, along with DB Kelby Hampton, held Barlow to a gain of just one, and La Salle took over on downs on their own 21, with 9:10 left in the third stanza.
Brown gained 4 up the middle. Brown then shaked through left guard to the 33 for a first down. On play action, Paturzo threw to Wentz in the left flat, but the pass was a little high and a little quick. Brown went left, then bounced outside for another first down at the La Salle 45, as the body punches were having an effect on the Prep defense. Brown was stuffed for no gain up left tackle. Paturzo, under a big rush, threw incomplete as his arm was hit while he was passing. On third and 10 at the La Salle 45, another thunderous punch stunned the Hawks. Paturzo tossed a screen on the left side to Moore, whose mercurial feet got him down the sideline before he was pushed out of bounds at the Prep 5 for a first and goal, and La Salle was knocking at the door to take the lead. Brown got just one yard up the middle. In a jumbo formation, with 7 linemen, Stevie Davis was hit immediately for a one-yard loss. On third and goal at the 5, Brown angled his way through the line and into the end zone for a 5-yard touchdown and an Explorer lead. Sturla’s kick was true, and the Explorers led for the first time, 21-14, with 5:54 left in the third quarter.
Sturla kicked to the 3, and Elijah Jones got out to the 20, as Sean McFadden and Collin Wade combined on the takedown. It was time for the Prep to counterpunch. Phillips got two up the middle, as Dengohe and Hawley made the hit. Phillips went around right end for a first down to the Hawk 41, bumped out of bounds by DB Mekhi Johnson. Phillips gained just one up the middle, as Carter made the stop. Samaj Jones threw to Elijah Jones for 6 yards with Amir Anderson on the bump out of bounds, but St. Joe’s was flagged for holding. Jones and Jones tried to combine on a deep pass in the middle, but the ball was overthrown, bringing up a third and 20 at the 31. Jones was forced to scramble, and Ford knocked the ball out. The fumble was recovered by the Prep’s Bunch, but gained nothing, and the Hawks would have to punt. But La Salle’s special teams came up with a left hook that floored the Hawks. Chadha was back to punt, and the snap was a little high, which allowed Matt Mitchell to come in from the left side and partially block the punt, which was downed at the Prep 25, with 3:29 left in the third period, and La Salle in great position to extend their lead.
Brown found no room on the right and took a 3-yard loss. Paturzo’s pass on the right side to Nole Henry was too low, but the Hawks were flagged for a roughing the passer penalty, and the Explorers had a first down at the Prep 14. Moore then ran an option keeper out of wildcat for a 5-yard gain up left tackle. Brown gained 3 up left guard to set up a third and 2 at the 6. At the very least, La Salle was in position to have Sturla give them a two-score lead with a field goal. In a tight formation, a phantom punch like what Ali did to Liston came out of the blue. Paturzo snuck up the middle, and somehow the Prep line parted like the Red Sea when Moses did the talking. His 6-yard touchdown, and Sturla’s extra point, gave La Salle a surprising 28-14 lead, with 1:29 left in a third quarter that saw the Explorers roll out 21 unanswered points.
But the Prep was not counted out, and would get up and fight back. Sturla’s kick found the end zone. Samaj Jones, the soph QB who was now under pressure, ran an option keeper for a first down at the Hawk 32, breaking through a missed tackle before being taken down by McFadden. On play action, Jones tried to pass, but the ball was batted back into his face by a blitzing McFadden. On another option keeper, Jones gained 7 up the middle before Ford made the hit, bringing up a third and 7 at the 37. On a less than perfect handoff, Dane Piciarello swept the left side, but Sam Ross took him down for a 2-yard loss. But Ross was flagged for a 15-yard face mask penalty, giving the Hawks new life at the La Salle 47. Jones to Jones went deep left, but was incomplete, as good coverage was provided by Anderson and Mekhi Johnson. Barlow ran hard up the middle, but was slammed down equally hard by Carter after three yards, as the third quarter ended with La Salle on top 28-14, but the Hawks were driving. With third and 7 at the La Salle 44, Jones and Jones connected for a 6-yarder, with Hampton on the tackle. It was now fourth and one, and Jones tossed a quick pass on the left side to Washington for a first down at the La salle 34, with Carter on the stop. Bunch tested the left side for 4 yards, as Ford and Wills combined to bring him down. Bunch then swept the left side, and was pushed out of bounds on the La Salle 23 for another first down, as the Prep was fighting back. QB Jones ran an option keeper up the middle for a first and goal at the La Salle 9, as Johnson made the takedown. Jones got 2 more on another option keeper, with McFadden bringing him down. But Jones’ helmet came off, and he had to sit out a play. The Senior Picariello came in at QB, and on play action, threw deep to the right corner of the end zone to Washington, but the pass was just slightly too long, as Anderson provided good coverage. On third and goal at the 7, Samaj Jones, back in the game with helmet on, had time, and found DiTrolio in the end zone for a 7-yard touchdown pass. The reliable Chadha sent the ball through the uprights, and La Salle’s lead was cut in half, 28-21, with 9:31 left in the game.
Chadha’s bouncing kick was returned by Mitchell from the 8 to the 25. It was now up to La Salle to move the ball and keep the momentum from going back to the Prep. Moore worked his wildcat magic for a 9-yard gain on a sweep right. Paturzo swung a pass to Henry on the left side to the La Salle 43 for a first down. Soph Stevie Davis went off left tackle, and broke a tackle for another first down on the Prep 44, and La Salle was gaining field position as well as making the clock move. Paturzo ran an option keeper that may indeed have been a busted play for a three-yard loss. Paturzo, not the renowned runner that Moore is, ran another option keeper up left tackle and got to the Prep 40, setting up a third and six. Paturzo screened right to Ryan Sorge, but the play only gained two yards. On fourth and four at the Prep 38, Moore entered the game at wildcat, and swept the right end. In a play out of the 20’s (the OTHER 20’s), Moore, on the run toward the sideline, quick-kicked through the Prep pursuers, and the ball was tapped out of bounds at the Hawk 1-yard line, with 6:13 left, and 99 yards separating the Prep from a tie game.
A delay of game penalty was called on the St. Joseph’s sideline, and the half-yard penalty put them further into the shadow of their own goal line. In a tight formation, Samaj Jones snuck forward for a yard, as the clock started to tick. Phillips gained a couple up the middle, but La Salle was flagged for another face mask penalty, bringing the ball out to the 18 for a first down. Jones kept the ball up the middle for another first down to the 28, with Carter on the stop. Phillips gained two up the middle, as Dengohe and Ford bottled him up. Jones tried the middle again, and gained three, as Carter and Wills comboed him down. On third and 5 at the 33, the Prep was flagged for a false start. In a passing down, Bunch swept the left side for 7 yards, as Carter made another takedown. On fourth and three at the Hawk 35, Jones ran a keeper for a first down at the Prep 40, and now the Hawks were just 60 yards away from paydirt. PIcariello came in at quarterback, and dropped back, but the downfield coverage was good, and he was sacked for a one-yard loss by McFadden and Tim Fiedler. Jones came back in at the helm, and under a big rush by Dengohe, he threw the ball away, and was flagged for intentional grounding, setting up a third and 27 at the Prep 23. Jones’ pass to Agard on the right side was wide, and it was now fourth down and very long. In a punt formation without a punter, the ball was snapped to erstwhile linebacker Josiah Trotter, but the play was smelled out for a 7-yard loss as Abdul Carter and Tim Fiedler combined on the takedown, and La Salle would have the ball on the Prep 16, with just 1:56 left, but the Hawks had all three timeouts left.
Brown got two up the middle, and a time out was used. Moore wildcatted up the middle for no gain, and another time out was used. On third and 8 at the 14, Moore optioned around the right side, and lost two yards but stayed in bounds, and the final time out was used, with 1:33 left. Sturla came on for a field goal attempt that would ice the game, but the middle of the line was blown up, and the kick was blocked, and the Hawks now had a last gasp on the 20, with 1:29 left. It was do or die for the Prep, and the La Salle defense had to rise up one more time.
Abdul Carter, lining up all over the field all game long, came in on a blitz as Jones dropped back to pass. The soph Jones fired the ball into the ground, and was again called for intentional grounding, and the Hawks would now face an impossible second and 27 at their own 3. Jones tossed to Owen Garwood for a gain out to the 15, but the clock was now running. And the Prep was then called for procedure, and the clock started again after the ball was placed. Under a big rush by Sam Ross, Jones threw incomplete, bringing up a fourth and 20 at the Hawk 10, with 49 seconds left. Jones dropped back, and threw deep in the middle. The Gorilla Glue-fingered Moore intercepted the ball, and slid down after a 5-yard return to the Prep 30, and now it was Victory-formation time.
Paturzo knelt down on the final play of the game, and the jubilant Explorer team started to celebrate its 28-21 victory over St. Joseph’s Prep on an October afternoon in Franklin Field.
Notes
This was not a miraculous victory, as has happened in years past in this rivalry. This was a hard-earned win by a well-prepared team, whose energy, enthusiasm, and senior leadership has led them to a 6-0 record to start the season. There were explosive plays, to be sure, but credit the play-calling, the execution, and the determination of this team as the reason for today’s success.
No, this is not the changing of the guard. La Salle took advantage of their senior experience, and St. Joe’s played a lot of sophomores in very responsible positions. They will only get better.
Playing at Franklin Field, and watching your team play at Franklin Field, is a very special memory, and supercedes the minor annoyances of parking, creating a “Green Pass” for yourself at the entrance, and not being able to pay cash for refreshments. If you listened closely, you could have heard the ghosts of Chuck Bednarik, Reds Bagnell, and Tommy McDonald, who starred on that field many years ago.
And also the ghosts of great La Salle teams in the past, who won City Title games there in 1955, 1957, and 1960. It may be difficult for an 18-year-old to appreciate the heritage of Franklin Field, and maybe it takes someone old enough who listened on the radio as the Eagles beat the Packers in the 1960 NFL Championship game there, 16 days after La Salle defeated Frankford, to recall those days of yore, but when those 18-year olds who won their game today are old and gray, they’ll know what I mean.
