Senior Quarterback Alan Paturzo threw for four touchdown passes to lead the unbeaten Explorers (5-0) to a surprisingly easy 38-14 triumph over the host Eagles of The McDonogh School. Here’s how the game went down:
La Salle would receive the opening kickoff, and Amir Anderson took the ball from the 2 to the McDonogh 48 on a great return that started the momentum for the Blue and Gold. Sam Brown gained 4 yards up the middle. On play action, Paturzo rolled right and swung a pass to EJ Wentz, who rolled to the 34 for a first down. Ryan Moore, the wildcat wonder, ran for 3 yards on an option keeper up left tackle. On a hard count, Paturzo got the Eagles to jump offsides. Moore, in pistol depth, ran up right tackle for 10 yards and a first down at the McDonogh 21. Paturzo tried his own option keeper, but was stopped for no gain. On play action, Paturzo found Moore on the right sideline for a gain to the 10 and a first and goal. Moore threw out of the wildcat, swinging a pass to Brown on the left side to the 2-yard line. Brown was then stopped for no gain on third and goal, but La Salle was called for its first, but not last, holding penalty of the game. With third and goal at the 14, Paturzo looked right, but threw a screen to the left to Wentz, who followed his blockers and rammed into the end zone for a 14-yard score. Santi Sturla booted the extra point, and the Explorers broke on top with a 7-0 lead on a definitive drive, with 7:53 left in the opening quarter.
Sturla’s kickoff found the end zone. McDonogh came out throwing, as Senior QB Kaden Martin, a southpaw, hit Jefferson Exinor on the left side for 6 yards, with stop by LB Sean McFadden. Powerback Stefan Egbe took a pitch left and gained 4 yards and a first down, with Brennen Miller on the tackle. Scatback Chase Green got nine up the middle, as Darold Dengohe and Kevin Hawley combined on the hit. Martin’s pass in the right flat was jumped by Anderson, who, if he didn’t muff the catch, would have scored easily. On third and one at the 39, Egbe bounced out to the right side for a first down at the Eagle 49, as Sam Ross brought him down. Martin dropped back, and with plenty of time, tossed a bomb to a wide-open Exinor, who dropped the ball. It wouldn’t have mattered, because the Eagles were called for holding, bringing the ball back to their own 34. Martin tried the left side for just a yard, as Hawley and Abdul Carter took him to the turf. Martin was then sacked for a five-yard loss by soph DL Kieran Campbell, the beneficiary of a blitz by fellow soph Matt Wills. On third and 29, Martin scrambled left and threw incomplete, as the coverage blanketed his receivers. Punter Sam Asplen had his kick roll dead on the La Salle 25, as the Eagle drive fizzled with 3:28 left in the first stanza. But the Explorers were hit for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty after the punt, and would start their drive on their own 13.
Brown got 4 yards up left guard. Paturzo, on play action, was bumped as he threw the ball, and DB Luke Miller intercepted the ball on a leap at the La Salle 36. With lots of time, Martin threw deep into the end zone to Exinor, but the pass was broken up by junior DB Del Jackson. Egbe tried the middle for 2 yards, as Wills made a nice ankle tackle. McDonogh was then hit for a procedure penalty, and faced a third and 13 at the La Salle 39. Martin threw to WR Preston Howard on the right side for 10 yards, but the Eagles were hit for another holding call. On third and 25 at the McDonogh 49, Martin scrambled up the middle for just two yards, as Wills and Dengohe brought him down. Asplen’s punt bounced to Moore on the 19, who brought the ball out to the 29, one tackler away from going the distance, with 8 seconds left in the first.
Paturzo swung a pass out to the right to Moore for a first down at the Explorer 44, as the first quarter ended with La Salle on top, 7-0. Moore then bootlegged to the McDonogh 38, but La Salle was flagged for holding again; however, the Eagles were hit with a personal foul, which offset the Explorer infraction, as the officials enjoyed seeing their yellow flags parachute down in the slight wind. Brown patiently went off right guard for 7 yards. Stevie “Energy” Davis came in and found a good hole up the middle, and pinballed outside to the McDonogh 28 for a first down. Davis gained a yard on a sweep right. Brown went in motion to the left, and Paturzo swung a pass to him, and Brown got a first down at the Eagle 17. Wildcat Moore optioned his way through right guard for three. Brown then burst through a big hole up left tackle for a first and goal at the three. Brown did the rest, powering up left guard and struggling into the end zone for a three-yard TD. Sturla banged home the extra point, and La Salle now led, 14-0, with 8:45 left in the half.
Sturla intentionally popped up the kickoff down the left sideline, but the ball bounced out of bounds, and McDonogh would take over on their own 35. Egbe got two up the middle, with stop by Campbell and Hawley. Martin avoided a rush and tossed to Malachi Jones for a first down at midfield, with tackle by Dengohe. And, La Salle was flagged for roughing the passer, so the Eagles were set up at the Explorer 35. Egbe swept the left side for two yards, as Hawley made the stop. Green was stopped for no gain up the middle on a bearhug by Dengohe. On third and 8 at the La Salle 33, Martin’s pass over the middle to Exinor was overthrown. On fourth down, Martin scrambled, and threw too low to Exinor, as the downfield coverage was excellent, and La Salle would take over on downs, with 5:20 left in the second period.
Paturzo, whose passes won’t register on the radar gun, but are extremely accurate and catchable, feathered a deep pass up the middle to Moore, who outreached two defenders for a first down at the McDonogh 30. Brown went off the right side, bounced to the outside, and got another first down at the McDonogh 13. Wentz was stopped for no gain up right guard. Wildcat Moore optioned up the middle, again for no gain. On third and 10 at the 13, Paturzo scrambled up the middle, for, you guessed it, no gain. Sturla came on and boomed a 30-yard field goal, and La Salle had a 17-0 lead, with 2:53 left in the half.
Sturla’s kickoff to the 4 was returned to the 23, with tackles by Colin Dunlap and Dom Martin. On play action, Kaden Martin hit Exinor on a look in for a first down at the 34. Martin tossed left to Howard, who went out of bounds after a gain of 6. Egbe went up left tackle for first down at the McDonogh 45, with Dengohe on the stop. Martin scrambled, ran over Wills, and got out of bounds on the La Salle 36, and the Explorers were slammed for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, and the Eagles were in business at the La Salle 21, as La Salle called time out to regain their composure, with 1:23 left in the half.
Keeping McDonogh off the board at the end of the half would keep the momentum from turning, as the Eagles would also be receiving the second-half kickoff. Martin ran an option keeper to the left, and got out of bounds on the 14 for 7 yards. Martin threw a post over the middle to Howard that missed, but La Salle was called for a phantom interference call, and the Eagles had a first and goal at the 8. Martin ran an option keeper up the middle for 2 yards, stopped by Hawley, who has done a great job replacing the injured Chris Thompson. Martin then threw a slant to Howard over the middle for a 6-yard touchdown. The point after by Drew Marcin was good, and McDonogh got on the board to trail 17-7, with 52 seconds left in the half.
It would be prudent for La Salle to just run out the clock and go to the locker room with a 10-point lead, and avoid any potential mistake. Marcin’s kickoff to the 16 was returned by Sean McFadden to the La Salle 30. On play action, Paturzo threw to Nole Henry on the left side for 10 yards, but (you guessed it), the Explorers were called for holding, prompting a call from the stands to outfit the linemen with mittens. On first and 14 at the La Salle 26, the Explorers would not run out the clock. Paturzo dropped back to pass, leaning right, while Brown ran a wheel route down the left sideline. Paturzo used his touch to hit Brown in stride at about the La Salle 40. There were two Eagles defenders about 10 yards ahead of Brown. It was a mismatch. Brown dodged past the first defender, juked past the second, and outran a third defender coming from the other side for a 74-yard touchdown, a lightning bolt of a score. After a false start, Sturla made good on the extra point, and La Salle regained their 17-point lead, 24-7, with 23 seconds left in the half.
Sturla then experimented with another popup kickoff, caught by Angelo Cooper, who was hit immediately, but the bad-boy Explorers were flagged for a face mask penalty, and McDonogh would start on their own 48, with time running out in the half. Martin flared a pass to Egbe, who was tackled out of bounds by Dengohe for 2 yards, with 13 seconds left. Martin threw over the middle to Exinor, who made a leaping catch at the La Salle 28, with 8 seconds left. Martin fired deep left to Howard, who made the catch but came down out of bounds. With one second left, Marcin tried a 45-yard field goal, but was wide left, and the Explorers took a 24-7 lead into the locker room (actually the tennis courts behind the visiting stands).
La Salle seemed to be able to do anything they wanted on offense, and the defense for the most part was bottling up the rather bland Eagle offense. But now it was time to shut down the McDonogh offense, as they would receive the second-half kickoff.
Sturla lined up to blast the second half kickoff, and made his third attempt at the popup kick. The ball was muffed by McDonogh along the left sideline, and Matt Mitchell of La Salle devoured it at the 28, and La Salle wouldn’t have to worry about any third quarter momentum by the Eagles. Moore ran an option keeper for3 yards. Brown was stopped for no gain, setting up a third and 7 at the 25. Paturzo then “touched” a deep out on the right side to Henry for a first down and goal at the Eagle 9. Paturzo ran a keeper up right tackle for 3 yards. Moore did the same up the middle for two. On third and goal at the 3, with a jumbo 7-man line formation, Davis gained just one up the middle. On fourth and goal at the two, Paturzo rolled right, with blockers ahead of him, stopped, and threw back left to Henry for a two-yard touchdown. This play is an “old chestnut” in the La Salle playbook, and it, along with Sturla’s PAT, sent La Salle to a 31-7 lead, with 8:28 left in the third quarter.
Sturla’s conventional kickoff to the 6 was returned by Exinor to the 24, with tackle by Wills and Dom Martin. Egbe ran up the middle, broke free, and went outside to the La Salle 19 before being stopped by Brennen Miller. Egbe got three more up the middle, as Abdul Carter and Dengohe combined on the hit. Green slanted off right tackle for a first and goal at the La Salle 5, as Jackson stopped him. On play action, Martin threw to Howard in the left flat, but the ball was dropped. Egbe was stopped for no gain up the middle by Dengohe and Daniel Ford. On third and goal at the 5, Martin connected with Howard on the left, but McFadden kept him from scoring at the 2. On fourth down, Martin ran an option keeper, but was smothered for a two-yard loss by a blitzing Carter and McFadden, and the Explorers would takeover, with 5:24 left in the third stanza.
Sam Brown went up right tackle for 8 yards. Brown swept the left side for 5, but, more laundry, and the holding penalty on La Salle moved them back to their 7. Dom Martin spelled Brown, and went up right tackle for 10 yards and a first down. Martin swept the right side for 6. On play action, Paturzo found Martin up the middle for a first down at the 35. And, miraculously, McDonogh this time was flagged for a personal foul, as penalties proved to be the biggest ground gainer in this game. At midfield, Stevie Davis gained 3 up right tackle. In a trips left formation, Wentz got one up the middle. On third and 6 at the McDonogh 46, Paturzo flared a pass on the left side to Wentz for 3 yards, but La Salle was called for holding. Paturzo then screened right to Wentz, who fought his way to the Eagle 44, setting up a fourth and 4. Moore was back in the game at wildcat, but surprised many with a quick kick, that bounded into the end zone for a touchback, with 11 seconds left in the third quarter.
Egbe gained 3 up the middle, as Carter and Dengohe brought him down, and the third quarter ended with La Salle comfortably on top, 31-7. Ebge swept the right side, but was pushed out of bounds for no gain by McFadden. On third and 7 at the 23, a pass down the right side to Demitrius Smith was incomplete, as Amir Anderson had him blanketed. Asplen’s punt to the La Salle 39 was returned by Moore to the 45, with 11:17 left in the game.
On play action, Paturzo rolled right, with Wentz providing the blocking, and threw down the right side to the sticky-fingered Moore for a first down at the McDonogh 26. Dom Martin went off the right side, made some dance moves, and stepped out of bounds at the Eagle 9 for a first and goal. Moore ran an option keeper for two yards off left tackle. Moore then passed off an option over the middle, but the pass was low. On third and goal at the 7, Paturzo threw to Ryan Sorge at the right flag for a 7-yard touchdown, Paturzo’s fourth touchdown pass of the game. Sturla did his thing, and the Blue and Gold now led, 38-7, with 10:17 left in the affair.
Sturla’s kick bounded into the end zone. Egbe ran for 3 up the middle, as Tim Fiedler and Cole Kozlowski combined on the tackle. Martin avoided two tackles, but was sacked for an 11-yard loss by the rampaging Dengohe. On third and 18 at the 12, Martin threw a flare on the right side to Howard, who dragged tacklers to the 29, setting up a fourth and 1. During the snap count, Howard suddenly went under center, but he fumbled the snap, and La Salle would take over on the Eagle 28.
Senior Connor Mehlmann came in at quarterback, and handed off to Davis, who found a hole up the middle for a first down at the 16. Davis was stuffed up right guard for no gain. Davis stepped left, then countered right for 5 yards. On third and five at the 11, Mehlmann stumbled on his drop, and was unbalanced when he made a pass into the right flat. The pass was intercepted by Egbe, who outraced the La Salle pursuit for an 84-yard touchdown. Asplen’s extra point was good, and the Eagles got a gift touchdown to make the score 38-14, with 5:25 left in the game.
Asplen’s ground ball kickoff was taken by Mitchell, who ran out of bounds at the La Salle 27. Davis went up right guard for a yard, then lost one off right tackle. On third and 10 at the 27, Mehlmann kept the ball up the middle for 4 yards. Sturla then came on for his first punt of the day, and the punt was muffed at the Eagle 27, but recovered by McDonogh, with 2:59 left in the game.
Martin’s pass over the middle to Exinor was overthrown. Martin was then sacked for a four-yard loss by Fiedler and Lukas Donahue. On third and 14 at the 23, Martin threw deep to Kayden Harris, but the pass was overthrown, with Mitchell on the coverage. Asplen’s punt was fair-caught by Sorge at the La Salle 44, with 1:52 left in the game.
Dunlap was hit immediately for a 1-yard loss. Davis gained 6 yards up right guard. Junior Zach Bache came in at quarterback, and ran an option keeper up the middle for no gain in the game’s final play. La Salle ran their record to 5-0 with a convincing 38-14 victory over the Eagles of The McDonogh School.
Notes
This team continues to surprise, especially on the offensive side of the ball. Alan Paturzo is becoming much more accurate with his throws, and the line is offering him fine protection. The offensive backfield is four-deep with Brown, Davis, Martin, and Wentz, sounding like a law firm but they can pound the rock. The ubiquitous Swiss army knife Moore can help out anywhere on the field, and the wide receivers Henry and Sorge are stepping up as well.
The defense has an energy and enthusiasm as they grow into a unit. The defensive backs are doing a great job with an aggressiveness that dares opponents to throw. Brown, Thompson (when healthy) and Dengohe are marauders near the line of scrimmage and in the backfield.
Who would have imagined at the start of the season that La Salle would be 5-0 with this difficult non-league schedule? Well, they are, and they have great momentum going into the St. Joseph’s Prep game this coming Saturday at 3 PM at Franklin Field. This should be a classic.
La Salle would receive the opening kickoff, and Amir Anderson took the ball from the 2 to the McDonogh 48 on a great return that started the momentum for the Blue and Gold. Sam Brown gained 4 yards up the middle. On play action, Paturzo rolled right and swung a pass to EJ Wentz, who rolled to the 34 for a first down. Ryan Moore, the wildcat wonder, ran for 3 yards on an option keeper up left tackle. On a hard count, Paturzo got the Eagles to jump offsides. Moore, in pistol depth, ran up right tackle for 10 yards and a first down at the McDonogh 21. Paturzo tried his own option keeper, but was stopped for no gain. On play action, Paturzo found Moore on the right sideline for a gain to the 10 and a first and goal. Moore threw out of the wildcat, swinging a pass to Brown on the left side to the 2-yard line. Brown was then stopped for no gain on third and goal, but La Salle was called for its first, but not last, holding penalty of the game. With third and goal at the 14, Paturzo looked right, but threw a screen to the left to Wentz, who followed his blockers and rammed into the end zone for a 14-yard score. Santi Sturla booted the extra point, and the Explorers broke on top with a 7-0 lead on a definitive drive, with 7:53 left in the opening quarter.
Sturla’s kickoff found the end zone. McDonogh came out throwing, as Senior QB Kaden Martin, a southpaw, hit Jefferson Exinor on the left side for 6 yards, with stop by LB Sean McFadden. Powerback Stefan Egbe took a pitch left and gained 4 yards and a first down, with Brennen Miller on the tackle. Scatback Chase Green got nine up the middle, as Darold Dengohe and Kevin Hawley combined on the hit. Martin’s pass in the right flat was jumped by Anderson, who, if he didn’t muff the catch, would have scored easily. On third and one at the 39, Egbe bounced out to the right side for a first down at the Eagle 49, as Sam Ross brought him down. Martin dropped back, and with plenty of time, tossed a bomb to a wide-open Exinor, who dropped the ball. It wouldn’t have mattered, because the Eagles were called for holding, bringing the ball back to their own 34. Martin tried the left side for just a yard, as Hawley and Abdul Carter took him to the turf. Martin was then sacked for a five-yard loss by soph DL Kieran Campbell, the beneficiary of a blitz by fellow soph Matt Wills. On third and 29, Martin scrambled left and threw incomplete, as the coverage blanketed his receivers. Punter Sam Asplen had his kick roll dead on the La Salle 25, as the Eagle drive fizzled with 3:28 left in the first stanza. But the Explorers were hit for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty after the punt, and would start their drive on their own 13.
Brown got 4 yards up left guard. Paturzo, on play action, was bumped as he threw the ball, and DB Luke Miller intercepted the ball on a leap at the La Salle 36. With lots of time, Martin threw deep into the end zone to Exinor, but the pass was broken up by junior DB Del Jackson. Egbe tried the middle for 2 yards, as Wills made a nice ankle tackle. McDonogh was then hit for a procedure penalty, and faced a third and 13 at the La Salle 39. Martin threw to WR Preston Howard on the right side for 10 yards, but the Eagles were hit for another holding call. On third and 25 at the McDonogh 49, Martin scrambled up the middle for just two yards, as Wills and Dengohe brought him down. Asplen’s punt bounced to Moore on the 19, who brought the ball out to the 29, one tackler away from going the distance, with 8 seconds left in the first.
Paturzo swung a pass out to the right to Moore for a first down at the Explorer 44, as the first quarter ended with La Salle on top, 7-0. Moore then bootlegged to the McDonogh 38, but La Salle was flagged for holding again; however, the Eagles were hit with a personal foul, which offset the Explorer infraction, as the officials enjoyed seeing their yellow flags parachute down in the slight wind. Brown patiently went off right guard for 7 yards. Stevie “Energy” Davis came in and found a good hole up the middle, and pinballed outside to the McDonogh 28 for a first down. Davis gained a yard on a sweep right. Brown went in motion to the left, and Paturzo swung a pass to him, and Brown got a first down at the Eagle 17. Wildcat Moore optioned his way through right guard for three. Brown then burst through a big hole up left tackle for a first and goal at the three. Brown did the rest, powering up left guard and struggling into the end zone for a three-yard TD. Sturla banged home the extra point, and La Salle now led, 14-0, with 8:45 left in the half.
Sturla intentionally popped up the kickoff down the left sideline, but the ball bounced out of bounds, and McDonogh would take over on their own 35. Egbe got two up the middle, with stop by Campbell and Hawley. Martin avoided a rush and tossed to Malachi Jones for a first down at midfield, with tackle by Dengohe. And, La Salle was flagged for roughing the passer, so the Eagles were set up at the Explorer 35. Egbe swept the left side for two yards, as Hawley made the stop. Green was stopped for no gain up the middle on a bearhug by Dengohe. On third and 8 at the La Salle 33, Martin’s pass over the middle to Exinor was overthrown. On fourth down, Martin scrambled, and threw too low to Exinor, as the downfield coverage was excellent, and La Salle would take over on downs, with 5:20 left in the second period.
Paturzo, whose passes won’t register on the radar gun, but are extremely accurate and catchable, feathered a deep pass up the middle to Moore, who outreached two defenders for a first down at the McDonogh 30. Brown went off the right side, bounced to the outside, and got another first down at the McDonogh 13. Wentz was stopped for no gain up right guard. Wildcat Moore optioned up the middle, again for no gain. On third and 10 at the 13, Paturzo scrambled up the middle, for, you guessed it, no gain. Sturla came on and boomed a 30-yard field goal, and La Salle had a 17-0 lead, with 2:53 left in the half.
Sturla’s kickoff to the 4 was returned to the 23, with tackles by Colin Dunlap and Dom Martin. On play action, Kaden Martin hit Exinor on a look in for a first down at the 34. Martin tossed left to Howard, who went out of bounds after a gain of 6. Egbe went up left tackle for first down at the McDonogh 45, with Dengohe on the stop. Martin scrambled, ran over Wills, and got out of bounds on the La Salle 36, and the Explorers were slammed for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, and the Eagles were in business at the La Salle 21, as La Salle called time out to regain their composure, with 1:23 left in the half.
Keeping McDonogh off the board at the end of the half would keep the momentum from turning, as the Eagles would also be receiving the second-half kickoff. Martin ran an option keeper to the left, and got out of bounds on the 14 for 7 yards. Martin threw a post over the middle to Howard that missed, but La Salle was called for a phantom interference call, and the Eagles had a first and goal at the 8. Martin ran an option keeper up the middle for 2 yards, stopped by Hawley, who has done a great job replacing the injured Chris Thompson. Martin then threw a slant to Howard over the middle for a 6-yard touchdown. The point after by Drew Marcin was good, and McDonogh got on the board to trail 17-7, with 52 seconds left in the half.
It would be prudent for La Salle to just run out the clock and go to the locker room with a 10-point lead, and avoid any potential mistake. Marcin’s kickoff to the 16 was returned by Sean McFadden to the La Salle 30. On play action, Paturzo threw to Nole Henry on the left side for 10 yards, but (you guessed it), the Explorers were called for holding, prompting a call from the stands to outfit the linemen with mittens. On first and 14 at the La Salle 26, the Explorers would not run out the clock. Paturzo dropped back to pass, leaning right, while Brown ran a wheel route down the left sideline. Paturzo used his touch to hit Brown in stride at about the La Salle 40. There were two Eagles defenders about 10 yards ahead of Brown. It was a mismatch. Brown dodged past the first defender, juked past the second, and outran a third defender coming from the other side for a 74-yard touchdown, a lightning bolt of a score. After a false start, Sturla made good on the extra point, and La Salle regained their 17-point lead, 24-7, with 23 seconds left in the half.
Sturla then experimented with another popup kickoff, caught by Angelo Cooper, who was hit immediately, but the bad-boy Explorers were flagged for a face mask penalty, and McDonogh would start on their own 48, with time running out in the half. Martin flared a pass to Egbe, who was tackled out of bounds by Dengohe for 2 yards, with 13 seconds left. Martin threw over the middle to Exinor, who made a leaping catch at the La Salle 28, with 8 seconds left. Martin fired deep left to Howard, who made the catch but came down out of bounds. With one second left, Marcin tried a 45-yard field goal, but was wide left, and the Explorers took a 24-7 lead into the locker room (actually the tennis courts behind the visiting stands).
La Salle seemed to be able to do anything they wanted on offense, and the defense for the most part was bottling up the rather bland Eagle offense. But now it was time to shut down the McDonogh offense, as they would receive the second-half kickoff.
Sturla lined up to blast the second half kickoff, and made his third attempt at the popup kick. The ball was muffed by McDonogh along the left sideline, and Matt Mitchell of La Salle devoured it at the 28, and La Salle wouldn’t have to worry about any third quarter momentum by the Eagles. Moore ran an option keeper for3 yards. Brown was stopped for no gain, setting up a third and 7 at the 25. Paturzo then “touched” a deep out on the right side to Henry for a first down and goal at the Eagle 9. Paturzo ran a keeper up right tackle for 3 yards. Moore did the same up the middle for two. On third and goal at the 3, with a jumbo 7-man line formation, Davis gained just one up the middle. On fourth and goal at the two, Paturzo rolled right, with blockers ahead of him, stopped, and threw back left to Henry for a two-yard touchdown. This play is an “old chestnut” in the La Salle playbook, and it, along with Sturla’s PAT, sent La Salle to a 31-7 lead, with 8:28 left in the third quarter.
Sturla’s conventional kickoff to the 6 was returned by Exinor to the 24, with tackle by Wills and Dom Martin. Egbe ran up the middle, broke free, and went outside to the La Salle 19 before being stopped by Brennen Miller. Egbe got three more up the middle, as Abdul Carter and Dengohe combined on the hit. Green slanted off right tackle for a first and goal at the La Salle 5, as Jackson stopped him. On play action, Martin threw to Howard in the left flat, but the ball was dropped. Egbe was stopped for no gain up the middle by Dengohe and Daniel Ford. On third and goal at the 5, Martin connected with Howard on the left, but McFadden kept him from scoring at the 2. On fourth down, Martin ran an option keeper, but was smothered for a two-yard loss by a blitzing Carter and McFadden, and the Explorers would takeover, with 5:24 left in the third stanza.
Sam Brown went up right tackle for 8 yards. Brown swept the left side for 5, but, more laundry, and the holding penalty on La Salle moved them back to their 7. Dom Martin spelled Brown, and went up right tackle for 10 yards and a first down. Martin swept the right side for 6. On play action, Paturzo found Martin up the middle for a first down at the 35. And, miraculously, McDonogh this time was flagged for a personal foul, as penalties proved to be the biggest ground gainer in this game. At midfield, Stevie Davis gained 3 up right tackle. In a trips left formation, Wentz got one up the middle. On third and 6 at the McDonogh 46, Paturzo flared a pass on the left side to Wentz for 3 yards, but La Salle was called for holding. Paturzo then screened right to Wentz, who fought his way to the Eagle 44, setting up a fourth and 4. Moore was back in the game at wildcat, but surprised many with a quick kick, that bounded into the end zone for a touchback, with 11 seconds left in the third quarter.
Egbe gained 3 up the middle, as Carter and Dengohe brought him down, and the third quarter ended with La Salle comfortably on top, 31-7. Ebge swept the right side, but was pushed out of bounds for no gain by McFadden. On third and 7 at the 23, a pass down the right side to Demitrius Smith was incomplete, as Amir Anderson had him blanketed. Asplen’s punt to the La Salle 39 was returned by Moore to the 45, with 11:17 left in the game.
On play action, Paturzo rolled right, with Wentz providing the blocking, and threw down the right side to the sticky-fingered Moore for a first down at the McDonogh 26. Dom Martin went off the right side, made some dance moves, and stepped out of bounds at the Eagle 9 for a first and goal. Moore ran an option keeper for two yards off left tackle. Moore then passed off an option over the middle, but the pass was low. On third and goal at the 7, Paturzo threw to Ryan Sorge at the right flag for a 7-yard touchdown, Paturzo’s fourth touchdown pass of the game. Sturla did his thing, and the Blue and Gold now led, 38-7, with 10:17 left in the affair.
Sturla’s kick bounded into the end zone. Egbe ran for 3 up the middle, as Tim Fiedler and Cole Kozlowski combined on the tackle. Martin avoided two tackles, but was sacked for an 11-yard loss by the rampaging Dengohe. On third and 18 at the 12, Martin threw a flare on the right side to Howard, who dragged tacklers to the 29, setting up a fourth and 1. During the snap count, Howard suddenly went under center, but he fumbled the snap, and La Salle would take over on the Eagle 28.
Senior Connor Mehlmann came in at quarterback, and handed off to Davis, who found a hole up the middle for a first down at the 16. Davis was stuffed up right guard for no gain. Davis stepped left, then countered right for 5 yards. On third and five at the 11, Mehlmann stumbled on his drop, and was unbalanced when he made a pass into the right flat. The pass was intercepted by Egbe, who outraced the La Salle pursuit for an 84-yard touchdown. Asplen’s extra point was good, and the Eagles got a gift touchdown to make the score 38-14, with 5:25 left in the game.
Asplen’s ground ball kickoff was taken by Mitchell, who ran out of bounds at the La Salle 27. Davis went up right guard for a yard, then lost one off right tackle. On third and 10 at the 27, Mehlmann kept the ball up the middle for 4 yards. Sturla then came on for his first punt of the day, and the punt was muffed at the Eagle 27, but recovered by McDonogh, with 2:59 left in the game.
Martin’s pass over the middle to Exinor was overthrown. Martin was then sacked for a four-yard loss by Fiedler and Lukas Donahue. On third and 14 at the 23, Martin threw deep to Kayden Harris, but the pass was overthrown, with Mitchell on the coverage. Asplen’s punt was fair-caught by Sorge at the La Salle 44, with 1:52 left in the game.
Dunlap was hit immediately for a 1-yard loss. Davis gained 6 yards up right guard. Junior Zach Bache came in at quarterback, and ran an option keeper up the middle for no gain in the game’s final play. La Salle ran their record to 5-0 with a convincing 38-14 victory over the Eagles of The McDonogh School.
Notes
This team continues to surprise, especially on the offensive side of the ball. Alan Paturzo is becoming much more accurate with his throws, and the line is offering him fine protection. The offensive backfield is four-deep with Brown, Davis, Martin, and Wentz, sounding like a law firm but they can pound the rock. The ubiquitous Swiss army knife Moore can help out anywhere on the field, and the wide receivers Henry and Sorge are stepping up as well.
The defense has an energy and enthusiasm as they grow into a unit. The defensive backs are doing a great job with an aggressiveness that dares opponents to throw. Brown, Thompson (when healthy) and Dengohe are marauders near the line of scrimmage and in the backfield.
Who would have imagined at the start of the season that La Salle would be 5-0 with this difficult non-league schedule? Well, they are, and they have great momentum going into the St. Joseph’s Prep game this coming Saturday at 3 PM at Franklin Field. This should be a classic.
