In their first morning game since the 2007 Thanksgiving game against Bishop McDevitt, La Salle broke free from a pesky Archbishop Wood team in the second half to win, 20-0, celebrate Senior Day with their parents, go 8-1 in the regular season, and were awarded the Red Division Catholic League Championship hubcap, which now goes to the regular season winner. Here’s how the 11 AM game at Wissahickon High went down:
The Explorers won the toss, and deferred to the second half. With a strong wind at his back, Santi Sturla boomed the kickoff well into the end zone. Senior QB Trey Holsman handed off to workhorse senior running back Ricardo Delgado, who went through a big hole up left tackle for 7 yards, as soph DL Kieran Campbell and DB Del Jackson took him down. Delgado got two more up left guard, as Chris “Tacony Tough” Thompson stopped him. On third and one at the 29, FB Erik Meakim pushed the pile forward for 5 yards and a first down. Delgado gained just two up the middle, as Thompson laid the wood on the Wood back. Delgado then was hit immediately for no gain, ad DL Dan Ford and DB Mekhi Johnson combined on the stop. On third and 8 at the 36, Holsman made a nice pass on a slant by Andrew McHugh on the right side for a first down to the La Salle 46, and the Vikings were driving. Delgado gained two yards up left guard, as DL Darold Dengohe and LB Sean McFadden took him to the wet turf. Delgado got three more up the middle, with stop by Thompson and McFadden. On third and 5 at the La Salle 41, Delgado got five up left tackle for a first down despite a tackle by Dengohe. Delgado, always able to gain the last one or two yards, leaned forward up left tackle for 8 yards before LB Abdul Carter stopped him. RB James Bermudez tested right guard, but gained nothing on stops by the trio of Dengohe, LB Matt Wills, and Campbell. On third and two at the La Salle 28, Bermudez got a first down to the La Salle 21 through a hole at left tackle, as Jackson made the tackle. Bermudez gained just two off right tackle, as Johnson made a really good tackle. Holsman then rolled left, and threw in the middle to WR Markus Dixon, who dropped the ball. On third and 8 at the La Salle 19, Holsman threw left, missing his receiver, and Del Jackson made a diving interception, stopping the Wood drive, and getting the ball back at the La Salle 12, with 4:03 left in the period. The Vikings controlled the ball for almost 8 minutes, and had nothing to show for it.
Sam Brown went off left tackle, but was stuffed for a yard loss. On play action, QB Alan Paturzo found FB EJ Wentz over the middle for a first down to the La Salle 24. Paturzo scrambled to the right, and tossed the ball out of bounds. Paturzo swung a pass to the right to Brown, who gained 4 yards before being brought down by a good low tackle. On third and 6 at the 28, Paturzo, under a big rush, threw deep to the left side to Brown, who got his hands on the ball, but the pass was broken up as he hit the ground. Sturla’s punt was almost blocked by the Viking rush, but the ball rolled out of bounds on the Wood 25, with 2:32 left in the scoreless initial stanza.
Archbishop Wood’s offensive line, well-coached, had an advantage against the straight-up La Salle defensive line in their first drive. But the Explorers would make an adjustment, slanting some of their rushers, and sending some linebackers to neutralize the Viking O-line. Bermudez was hit immediately for no gain by DL Tim Fiedler. Soph Mekhi Wharton entered the game at QB for Wood, and scrambled up the middle for two yards before Ford took him down. On third and 8 at the 27, Wharton hit WR Ron DiPietro on a look-in, but the ball was dropped by DiPietro, right before Carter blasted him on a big hit. Freshman Leo Ricci came in to punt, and his short boot was downed at the Wood 42, with 40 seconds left in the first quarter.
In great field position, La Salle’s Paturzo dropped the snap, and scrambled for a 2-yard loss, as the quarter ended at 0-0. Paturzo found Brown on a drag pattern on the right side, but a good tackled limited Brown to a 1-yard gain. On third and 11 at the Wood 43, Paturzo was sacked for a 9-yard loss on a big rush by the Viking line. Sturla’s punt was almost blocked again, but was downed on the Wood 17, with 10:35 left in the half.
Delgado got three up the middle as Carter and Campbell, who played a great game, combined on the hit. Delgado then was hit immediately for a 1-yard loss by Campbell and Dengohe. On third and 8 at the 19, Holsman bobbled the snap, and was sacked for a 9-yard loss by Dengohe and Thompson. Ricci’s punt was shanked, and downed on the Wood 32, as La Salle had a chance to break the scoreless tie, with 8:37 left in the second quarter.
Brown ran hard up left guard for 5. In a hurry-up, Brown was stopped for no gain up right guard, but Wood was hit for a personal foul, and La Salle had a first down at the Wood 14. Paturzo found Ryan Sorge on the right side for 4 yards, and Wood was hit for yet another personal foul, this time a face mask, and La Salle had a first and goal at the 5. Ryan Moore came in at the wildcat, and patiently went up right guard and into the end zone for a 5-yard touchdown. Sturla added the extra point, and La Salle got on the board first, taking a 7-0 lead, with 7:42 left in the first half.
Sturla’s kickoff to the 10 was returned by McHugh to the 19, with tackles by Matt Mitchell and freshman Jimmy Dolan. Delgado went up right guard, and crawled his way to a first down at the 30, with tackle by Johnson. Wharton came back in at quarterback, and he handed off to Delgado for a yard, as Fiedler and Campbell knocked him down. Delgado tried left tackle, and got two before Carter and Ford made presidential hits on him. On third and 7 at the 33, Delgado was taken down for no gain on an ankle tackle by Carter. Ricci again got off a short punt, but the punt rolled about 25 yards before being downed at the La Salle 15, with 5:16 left in the half.
Paturzo hit Wentz on a left-side screen, and Wentz and his blockers made a big push to get the ball to the 32 for a first down. Brown hit left tackle for three. Paturzo threw to the right to Nole Henry, who got the edge on the sideline for a first down to the Wood 48. Brown was stopped for no gain on a sweep to the left. Stevie Davis came in and gained three yards up left tackle. On third and 7 at the Wood 45, the Vikes jumped offsides. Brown gained 6 yards and a first down, but La Salle was flagged for a holding call, bringing the ball back to midfield. On third and 12, Paturzo was sacked on a big rush by Wood for a 9-yard loss. La Salle was then called for a procedure call. Sturla’s punt to the Wood 33 was returned by McHugh to the Wood 41, with 2:09 left in the half.
Wharton was back in at the helm, and he handed off to Bermudez for a 1-yard loss, as Dengohe and McFadden broke through. Wharton rolled right, but before his pass, he stepped out of bounds on the Viking 33. On third and 18, Wharton bobbled the snap, and Carter, charging on a blitz, speared him for a 4-yard loss. Ricci got off a good punt to the La Salle 33, where Moore fielded it, but was boxed in for just a one-yard return, but Wood was hit for another face-mask penalty, and La Salle had the ball on their own 48, with 51 seconds left till halftime.
Paturzo’s pass to Moore was deflected and caught, but for a two-yard loss. Paturzo then threw deep to Moore, but the ball was intercepted by Dave Piotrowski on the Wood 25, with 37 seconds left in the half.
Holsman, back in at QB, tossed to Dixon for 6 yards in the middle, with Carter on the stop. Holsman then threw deep on the right side to Dixon, who dropped the ball. Holsman rolled right, and threw downfield, but soph Kolby Hampton intercepted the ball on the La Salle 49, with 5 seconds left in the half. Paturzo scrambled right and threw out of bounds, and the half ended with La Salle on top, 7-0.
The Explorer defense had made adjustments that stifled the Viking running attack, and exposed the weakness in their passing attack. La Salle needed to get their own running game moving, and that meant getting the ball to senior Sam Brown, who could break a long run off at any time.
Wood chose to kick into the wind to start the second half, hoping to keep La Salle off the board with their defense in the third quarter, and having the wind advantage in the fourth. Ricci’s kickoff got to the 10, where Amir Anderson returned it right up the middle to the 35. Paturzo handed off to Brown up the middle. Brown found no room, and slid to the left, and to the left a little more, like someone looking for a parking space at Montgomery Mall on Thanksgiving Friday. Brown then took it to the outside, and got the edge down the sideline, putting it in fifth gear as he sped away from the Viking defenders for a 65-yard touchdown run. Sturla’s extra point was good, and the Explorers ruined the Wood directional strategy just 21 seconds into the second half, now leading 14-0.
Sturla, with the wind, kicked the ball out of the end zone. Bermudez gained four up the middle, with Fiedler, making more plays, on the tackle. Wood was then called for a procedure penalty, setting them back 5 yards. Holsman tossed a screen pass to McHugh on the right side. McHugh changed course and headed to the left, but DB Hampton stood his position and made a great tackle for a 4-yard loss. On third and 5 at the 15, Holsman bobbled the snap, and was sacked by a rampaging Dengohe for a 3-yard loss. Ricci’s punt rolled dead on the La Salle 46, with 8:54 left in the third period.
Brown swept the right side for 9 yards. Brown, gained a half yard up the middle. On third and a half, Brown went off left tackles for a first down to the Wood 39, as La Salle was now going with their meal ticket. Grown gained 3 up the middle. Paturzo then rolled right, and hit Moore on the right side for a first down on the Viking 24. Brown got two off right tackle. Moore, in the wildcat, went off right guard, and patiently veered outside to the Wood 13 for another first down. Brown, showing patience as well, got 5 yards up left guard to the Wood 8. Brown then went off right guard, and got down to about the 3, but the ball was pried out of his hands before he hit the ground, and the Vikings weathered the storm with a fumble recovery at their own 2, with 3:50 left in the third stanza.
Meakim gained 5 yards up right guard, as Fiedler made the tackle. Delgado gained 4 more off left tackle, with Thompson and McFadden on the takedown. With third and one at the West 11, Delgado churned for two yards and a first down up the middle. Delgado gained two more yards off the right side, as Thompson and Fiedler made the tackle. Wood was moving the ball with short gains, and La Salle needed to force them into passing downs. Delgado notched 4 more up the middle, with Dengohe and Fiedler combining on the hit. With third and 4 at the Wood 19, the Vikings were called for another procedure penalty, forcing a passing down. Holsman was then sacked for a 3-yard loss by the soph O’Connor, really stepping up his game this day. That ended the third quarter, with La Salle leading, 14-0. Ricci’s punt rolled dead on the Wood 48, and La Salle would seek to administer the death knell to the Viking chances at a victory.
Wentz countered up the middle for no gain. Brown swept the left side, but was swarmed by a determined Wood defense for a 1-yard loss. On third and 11 at the Wood 49, Paturzo threw a pass into the right flat to Wentz, who took the ball up the sideline for a first down at the Viking 38. Brown took a pitch left for a yard. Davis took a pitch to the left side for 8 yards. On third and 1 at the 29, in a jumbo formation, brown went up left tackle to the 26 for a first down. Brown took a pitch to the left for 4 yards, as the clock continued to run down in the fourth quarter. Wentz went up right guard for 2 yards, setting up a third and 4 at the Wood 20. Paturzo went into a double count, drawing Wood offsides for a first down at the 15. Brown found no room up the middle for a 1-yard loss. Abdul Carter came into the game on offense for the first time all year, and the student body buzzed in anticipation of an alley-oop pass to the 6’-4” defensive star. But La Salle was called for a procedure penalty, and Carter went back to the sideline. However, wildcat Moore came in, and made a great fake on an option handoff, taking the ball through the line, zigzagging his way through to the right flag for a 16-yard touchdown that put La Salle up by three scores. Sturla’s PAT knuckled wide of the uprights, but La Salle now held a commanding 20-0 lead, with just 5:16 left between them and a Catholic League championship.
Sturla’s kickoff to the 9 was returned by McHugh up the middle to the 22, tackled by Colin Dunlap. Wood started their drive with a procedure penalty. Bermudez went up the middle for six, with Campbell making another sure tackle. Wharton was in at QB, and he overthrew Dixon on the left side, setting up a third and 9 on the 23. Wharton, on a scramble, found Dixon over the middle, and Dixon made a diving catch for a first down at the Wood 35. Nehemiah Shine went off right tackle, but fumbled the ball, and Campbell, playing his best game made the recovery for La Salle on the Wood 36, with 4:19 left in the game.
Senior Connor Mehlmann came in at QB, and he handed off to Dom Martin for a 1-yard gain. Martin tried right guard, but was hit immediately for a three=yard loss. On third and 12 at the Wood 38, Martin was swarmed again on a sweep right for a 3-yard loss. With no one back to receive the punt, Sturla got the kick off without a block, and the ball was downed on the Wood 9, with 2:58 left in the game.
Delgado went off left tackle f or 9 yards, with Campbell and Ford on the tackle. Wharton then threw deep down the right side, but McFadden had good coverage, and the ball fell incomplete. Wharton threw to McHugh for a first down, with Kevin Hawley on the tackle. Wharton scrambled up the middle for no gain, with Hawley again on the takedown. Wharton tossed to McHugh on the left side, and McHugh cut to the middle for a first down at the La Salle 49, with Carter and McFadden on the hit. Delgado gained 7 yards up left tackle before being taken down by Campbell. Wharton threw an incomplete pass, stopping the clock. On third and 3 at the La Salle 42, Wharton’s deep pass up the middle somehow found its way through La Salle’s prevent defense to “number 20” (not on the roster) for a first down at the Explorer 9, and the shutout was in jeopardy. There were just 50 seconds left in the game. On play action, Wharton was sacked for an 11-yard loss by the blitzing McFadden. Wood called its last timeout with 40 seconds to go. Wharton passed to the right side, but McFadden, also playing a great game, intercepted the ball, ran up the left sideline to about the La Salle 48, and the Vikings would stay scoreless. The Explorers were hit for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, probably for celebration. Paturzo kneeled down once, and the celebration started in earnest as the clock wound down. La Salle defeated Archbishop Wood, 20-0, to run their record to 8-1, and clinching their first Catholic League championship since 2015.
Notes
The success of this season started last year, as the team battled to a 5-1 record against independent opponents during the COVID season. The team was on a mission this season, with great energy, excitement, and enthusiasm, and the sight of them holding up the championship hubcap was a long time coming. The loss to Roman was shocking, but proved not to affect their standing, or their playoff opponent, which will be, of course, Roman Catholic, giving the Explorers an opportunity at avenging that loss. And the playoff game will be played at the scene of the crime, Springfield High School, at 1 PM on this Saturday, November 6.
It was great that the Wood game was moved to Saturday to avoid playing in the driving rain on Friday night. St. Joseph’s Prep and Father Judge decided to play in the rain that night, and the Hawks won a 21-13 game that featured no passing attempts. St. Joseph’s Prep will battle Archbishop Wood in the playoffs, and the Vikings can stay in this game if they win the line play against the Hawks.
This game was certainly a great day for the seniors, who celebrated Senior Day with their parents prior to the game. But it was also a day that La Salle got to showcase their future, with great games by sophs Kieran Campbell and Kelby Hampton.
This team will head into the PIAA playoffs with eyes wide open, as the COVID season of 2020 featured no playoff games. The “one and done” nature of the playoffs almost insures that the season will end with a loss, unless the team ends up in Hershey and wins the state championship. Too far to look ahead, though – avenging the loss to the Cahillites of Roman Catholic should be the only thing on their minds.
The Explorers won the toss, and deferred to the second half. With a strong wind at his back, Santi Sturla boomed the kickoff well into the end zone. Senior QB Trey Holsman handed off to workhorse senior running back Ricardo Delgado, who went through a big hole up left tackle for 7 yards, as soph DL Kieran Campbell and DB Del Jackson took him down. Delgado got two more up left guard, as Chris “Tacony Tough” Thompson stopped him. On third and one at the 29, FB Erik Meakim pushed the pile forward for 5 yards and a first down. Delgado gained just two up the middle, as Thompson laid the wood on the Wood back. Delgado then was hit immediately for no gain, ad DL Dan Ford and DB Mekhi Johnson combined on the stop. On third and 8 at the 36, Holsman made a nice pass on a slant by Andrew McHugh on the right side for a first down to the La Salle 46, and the Vikings were driving. Delgado gained two yards up left guard, as DL Darold Dengohe and LB Sean McFadden took him to the wet turf. Delgado got three more up the middle, with stop by Thompson and McFadden. On third and 5 at the La Salle 41, Delgado got five up left tackle for a first down despite a tackle by Dengohe. Delgado, always able to gain the last one or two yards, leaned forward up left tackle for 8 yards before LB Abdul Carter stopped him. RB James Bermudez tested right guard, but gained nothing on stops by the trio of Dengohe, LB Matt Wills, and Campbell. On third and two at the La Salle 28, Bermudez got a first down to the La Salle 21 through a hole at left tackle, as Jackson made the tackle. Bermudez gained just two off right tackle, as Johnson made a really good tackle. Holsman then rolled left, and threw in the middle to WR Markus Dixon, who dropped the ball. On third and 8 at the La Salle 19, Holsman threw left, missing his receiver, and Del Jackson made a diving interception, stopping the Wood drive, and getting the ball back at the La Salle 12, with 4:03 left in the period. The Vikings controlled the ball for almost 8 minutes, and had nothing to show for it.
Sam Brown went off left tackle, but was stuffed for a yard loss. On play action, QB Alan Paturzo found FB EJ Wentz over the middle for a first down to the La Salle 24. Paturzo scrambled to the right, and tossed the ball out of bounds. Paturzo swung a pass to the right to Brown, who gained 4 yards before being brought down by a good low tackle. On third and 6 at the 28, Paturzo, under a big rush, threw deep to the left side to Brown, who got his hands on the ball, but the pass was broken up as he hit the ground. Sturla’s punt was almost blocked by the Viking rush, but the ball rolled out of bounds on the Wood 25, with 2:32 left in the scoreless initial stanza.
Archbishop Wood’s offensive line, well-coached, had an advantage against the straight-up La Salle defensive line in their first drive. But the Explorers would make an adjustment, slanting some of their rushers, and sending some linebackers to neutralize the Viking O-line. Bermudez was hit immediately for no gain by DL Tim Fiedler. Soph Mekhi Wharton entered the game at QB for Wood, and scrambled up the middle for two yards before Ford took him down. On third and 8 at the 27, Wharton hit WR Ron DiPietro on a look-in, but the ball was dropped by DiPietro, right before Carter blasted him on a big hit. Freshman Leo Ricci came in to punt, and his short boot was downed at the Wood 42, with 40 seconds left in the first quarter.
In great field position, La Salle’s Paturzo dropped the snap, and scrambled for a 2-yard loss, as the quarter ended at 0-0. Paturzo found Brown on a drag pattern on the right side, but a good tackled limited Brown to a 1-yard gain. On third and 11 at the Wood 43, Paturzo was sacked for a 9-yard loss on a big rush by the Viking line. Sturla’s punt was almost blocked again, but was downed on the Wood 17, with 10:35 left in the half.
Delgado got three up the middle as Carter and Campbell, who played a great game, combined on the hit. Delgado then was hit immediately for a 1-yard loss by Campbell and Dengohe. On third and 8 at the 19, Holsman bobbled the snap, and was sacked for a 9-yard loss by Dengohe and Thompson. Ricci’s punt was shanked, and downed on the Wood 32, as La Salle had a chance to break the scoreless tie, with 8:37 left in the second quarter.
Brown ran hard up left guard for 5. In a hurry-up, Brown was stopped for no gain up right guard, but Wood was hit for a personal foul, and La Salle had a first down at the Wood 14. Paturzo found Ryan Sorge on the right side for 4 yards, and Wood was hit for yet another personal foul, this time a face mask, and La Salle had a first and goal at the 5. Ryan Moore came in at the wildcat, and patiently went up right guard and into the end zone for a 5-yard touchdown. Sturla added the extra point, and La Salle got on the board first, taking a 7-0 lead, with 7:42 left in the first half.
Sturla’s kickoff to the 10 was returned by McHugh to the 19, with tackles by Matt Mitchell and freshman Jimmy Dolan. Delgado went up right guard, and crawled his way to a first down at the 30, with tackle by Johnson. Wharton came back in at quarterback, and he handed off to Delgado for a yard, as Fiedler and Campbell knocked him down. Delgado tried left tackle, and got two before Carter and Ford made presidential hits on him. On third and 7 at the 33, Delgado was taken down for no gain on an ankle tackle by Carter. Ricci again got off a short punt, but the punt rolled about 25 yards before being downed at the La Salle 15, with 5:16 left in the half.
Paturzo hit Wentz on a left-side screen, and Wentz and his blockers made a big push to get the ball to the 32 for a first down. Brown hit left tackle for three. Paturzo threw to the right to Nole Henry, who got the edge on the sideline for a first down to the Wood 48. Brown was stopped for no gain on a sweep to the left. Stevie Davis came in and gained three yards up left tackle. On third and 7 at the Wood 45, the Vikes jumped offsides. Brown gained 6 yards and a first down, but La Salle was flagged for a holding call, bringing the ball back to midfield. On third and 12, Paturzo was sacked on a big rush by Wood for a 9-yard loss. La Salle was then called for a procedure call. Sturla’s punt to the Wood 33 was returned by McHugh to the Wood 41, with 2:09 left in the half.
Wharton was back in at the helm, and he handed off to Bermudez for a 1-yard loss, as Dengohe and McFadden broke through. Wharton rolled right, but before his pass, he stepped out of bounds on the Viking 33. On third and 18, Wharton bobbled the snap, and Carter, charging on a blitz, speared him for a 4-yard loss. Ricci got off a good punt to the La Salle 33, where Moore fielded it, but was boxed in for just a one-yard return, but Wood was hit for another face-mask penalty, and La Salle had the ball on their own 48, with 51 seconds left till halftime.
Paturzo’s pass to Moore was deflected and caught, but for a two-yard loss. Paturzo then threw deep to Moore, but the ball was intercepted by Dave Piotrowski on the Wood 25, with 37 seconds left in the half.
Holsman, back in at QB, tossed to Dixon for 6 yards in the middle, with Carter on the stop. Holsman then threw deep on the right side to Dixon, who dropped the ball. Holsman rolled right, and threw downfield, but soph Kolby Hampton intercepted the ball on the La Salle 49, with 5 seconds left in the half. Paturzo scrambled right and threw out of bounds, and the half ended with La Salle on top, 7-0.
The Explorer defense had made adjustments that stifled the Viking running attack, and exposed the weakness in their passing attack. La Salle needed to get their own running game moving, and that meant getting the ball to senior Sam Brown, who could break a long run off at any time.
Wood chose to kick into the wind to start the second half, hoping to keep La Salle off the board with their defense in the third quarter, and having the wind advantage in the fourth. Ricci’s kickoff got to the 10, where Amir Anderson returned it right up the middle to the 35. Paturzo handed off to Brown up the middle. Brown found no room, and slid to the left, and to the left a little more, like someone looking for a parking space at Montgomery Mall on Thanksgiving Friday. Brown then took it to the outside, and got the edge down the sideline, putting it in fifth gear as he sped away from the Viking defenders for a 65-yard touchdown run. Sturla’s extra point was good, and the Explorers ruined the Wood directional strategy just 21 seconds into the second half, now leading 14-0.
Sturla, with the wind, kicked the ball out of the end zone. Bermudez gained four up the middle, with Fiedler, making more plays, on the tackle. Wood was then called for a procedure penalty, setting them back 5 yards. Holsman tossed a screen pass to McHugh on the right side. McHugh changed course and headed to the left, but DB Hampton stood his position and made a great tackle for a 4-yard loss. On third and 5 at the 15, Holsman bobbled the snap, and was sacked by a rampaging Dengohe for a 3-yard loss. Ricci’s punt rolled dead on the La Salle 46, with 8:54 left in the third period.
Brown swept the right side for 9 yards. Brown, gained a half yard up the middle. On third and a half, Brown went off left tackles for a first down to the Wood 39, as La Salle was now going with their meal ticket. Grown gained 3 up the middle. Paturzo then rolled right, and hit Moore on the right side for a first down on the Viking 24. Brown got two off right tackle. Moore, in the wildcat, went off right guard, and patiently veered outside to the Wood 13 for another first down. Brown, showing patience as well, got 5 yards up left guard to the Wood 8. Brown then went off right guard, and got down to about the 3, but the ball was pried out of his hands before he hit the ground, and the Vikings weathered the storm with a fumble recovery at their own 2, with 3:50 left in the third stanza.
Meakim gained 5 yards up right guard, as Fiedler made the tackle. Delgado gained 4 more off left tackle, with Thompson and McFadden on the takedown. With third and one at the West 11, Delgado churned for two yards and a first down up the middle. Delgado gained two more yards off the right side, as Thompson and Fiedler made the tackle. Wood was moving the ball with short gains, and La Salle needed to force them into passing downs. Delgado notched 4 more up the middle, with Dengohe and Fiedler combining on the hit. With third and 4 at the Wood 19, the Vikings were called for another procedure penalty, forcing a passing down. Holsman was then sacked for a 3-yard loss by the soph O’Connor, really stepping up his game this day. That ended the third quarter, with La Salle leading, 14-0. Ricci’s punt rolled dead on the Wood 48, and La Salle would seek to administer the death knell to the Viking chances at a victory.
Wentz countered up the middle for no gain. Brown swept the left side, but was swarmed by a determined Wood defense for a 1-yard loss. On third and 11 at the Wood 49, Paturzo threw a pass into the right flat to Wentz, who took the ball up the sideline for a first down at the Viking 38. Brown took a pitch left for a yard. Davis took a pitch to the left side for 8 yards. On third and 1 at the 29, in a jumbo formation, brown went up left tackle to the 26 for a first down. Brown took a pitch to the left for 4 yards, as the clock continued to run down in the fourth quarter. Wentz went up right guard for 2 yards, setting up a third and 4 at the Wood 20. Paturzo went into a double count, drawing Wood offsides for a first down at the 15. Brown found no room up the middle for a 1-yard loss. Abdul Carter came into the game on offense for the first time all year, and the student body buzzed in anticipation of an alley-oop pass to the 6’-4” defensive star. But La Salle was called for a procedure penalty, and Carter went back to the sideline. However, wildcat Moore came in, and made a great fake on an option handoff, taking the ball through the line, zigzagging his way through to the right flag for a 16-yard touchdown that put La Salle up by three scores. Sturla’s PAT knuckled wide of the uprights, but La Salle now held a commanding 20-0 lead, with just 5:16 left between them and a Catholic League championship.
Sturla’s kickoff to the 9 was returned by McHugh up the middle to the 22, tackled by Colin Dunlap. Wood started their drive with a procedure penalty. Bermudez went up the middle for six, with Campbell making another sure tackle. Wharton was in at QB, and he overthrew Dixon on the left side, setting up a third and 9 on the 23. Wharton, on a scramble, found Dixon over the middle, and Dixon made a diving catch for a first down at the Wood 35. Nehemiah Shine went off right tackle, but fumbled the ball, and Campbell, playing his best game made the recovery for La Salle on the Wood 36, with 4:19 left in the game.
Senior Connor Mehlmann came in at QB, and he handed off to Dom Martin for a 1-yard gain. Martin tried right guard, but was hit immediately for a three=yard loss. On third and 12 at the Wood 38, Martin was swarmed again on a sweep right for a 3-yard loss. With no one back to receive the punt, Sturla got the kick off without a block, and the ball was downed on the Wood 9, with 2:58 left in the game.
Delgado went off left tackle f or 9 yards, with Campbell and Ford on the tackle. Wharton then threw deep down the right side, but McFadden had good coverage, and the ball fell incomplete. Wharton threw to McHugh for a first down, with Kevin Hawley on the tackle. Wharton scrambled up the middle for no gain, with Hawley again on the takedown. Wharton tossed to McHugh on the left side, and McHugh cut to the middle for a first down at the La Salle 49, with Carter and McFadden on the hit. Delgado gained 7 yards up left tackle before being taken down by Campbell. Wharton threw an incomplete pass, stopping the clock. On third and 3 at the La Salle 42, Wharton’s deep pass up the middle somehow found its way through La Salle’s prevent defense to “number 20” (not on the roster) for a first down at the Explorer 9, and the shutout was in jeopardy. There were just 50 seconds left in the game. On play action, Wharton was sacked for an 11-yard loss by the blitzing McFadden. Wood called its last timeout with 40 seconds to go. Wharton passed to the right side, but McFadden, also playing a great game, intercepted the ball, ran up the left sideline to about the La Salle 48, and the Vikings would stay scoreless. The Explorers were hit for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, probably for celebration. Paturzo kneeled down once, and the celebration started in earnest as the clock wound down. La Salle defeated Archbishop Wood, 20-0, to run their record to 8-1, and clinching their first Catholic League championship since 2015.
Notes
The success of this season started last year, as the team battled to a 5-1 record against independent opponents during the COVID season. The team was on a mission this season, with great energy, excitement, and enthusiasm, and the sight of them holding up the championship hubcap was a long time coming. The loss to Roman was shocking, but proved not to affect their standing, or their playoff opponent, which will be, of course, Roman Catholic, giving the Explorers an opportunity at avenging that loss. And the playoff game will be played at the scene of the crime, Springfield High School, at 1 PM on this Saturday, November 6.
It was great that the Wood game was moved to Saturday to avoid playing in the driving rain on Friday night. St. Joseph’s Prep and Father Judge decided to play in the rain that night, and the Hawks won a 21-13 game that featured no passing attempts. St. Joseph’s Prep will battle Archbishop Wood in the playoffs, and the Vikings can stay in this game if they win the line play against the Hawks.
This game was certainly a great day for the seniors, who celebrated Senior Day with their parents prior to the game. But it was also a day that La Salle got to showcase their future, with great games by sophs Kieran Campbell and Kelby Hampton.
This team will head into the PIAA playoffs with eyes wide open, as the COVID season of 2020 featured no playoff games. The “one and done” nature of the playoffs almost insures that the season will end with a loss, unless the team ends up in Hershey and wins the state championship. Too far to look ahead, though – avenging the loss to the Cahillites of Roman Catholic should be the only thing on their minds.
