La Salle College High School Football: Chronicle 1993
Game 1, September 10, 1993: Plymouth-Whitemarsh 28 – La Salle 7
by Beth Onufrak, Inquirer
Four Touchdowns Put A Colonial Ahead Of Himself And Explorers
Mark Washington made the most of a big chance Friday night.
The Plymouth-Whitemarsh senior running back scored four touchdowns and ran for 164 yards as the
host Colonials beat La Salle, 28-7, in the season opener for both teams.
"My sophomore year, I really didn't play against them," he recalled. "My junior year, I was hurt (separated
shoulder) so I couldn't play against them. Now I finally got my first start against them, and I wanted to
show them what I had."
Washington carried the ball 23 times, while backfield mate Matt Matheson rushed for 119 yards on 20
carries.
"I can't imagine two better backs in the same backfield," Explorers coach Joe Colistra said.
The Colonials gained 325 yards - all on the ground.
"I think we're going to keep working hard on the passing game," said Colonials coach Joe Iacovitti,
whose team avenged back-to-back losses to the Explorers. "It's tough to just run the ball when they know
you are going to run it all the time."
Washington capped a 61-yard drive with a one-yard scoring run on the Colonials' first possession, and
Steve Clement added the kick for a 7-0 lead in the first quarter.
With 4 minutes, 36 seconds remaining in the second quarter, Washington broke through the line and
raced 46 yards to score, and Clement added the kick for a 14-0 lead at halftime.
An interception by Mike Ricci, who also had a fumble recovery, set up Washington's third touchdown.
With 2:52 remaining in the third quarter, he completed a 30-yard drive with a one-yard scamper.
While the Colonials offense was running right through the Explorers, their defense was being particularly
stingy. The Explorers were limited to 97 yards of total offense.
Helped by 25 yards in penalties against the Colonials, the Explorers capped a 68-yard drive with a 16yard touchdown pass from sophomore Dan Hangey to senior Andrew Wickersham and cut the lead to
21-7.
"To our credit, we did come back and score with a sophomore quarterback against an outstanding team,"
said Colistra, who had his starting quarterback, Jim Meehan, sidelined in the second half because of a
virus. "If we take anything positive away, it's that we did score."
Washington was on the sideline with an ice pack on his forearm when he got the call to return to the
game. He promptly took the ball 37 yards for his final touchdown of the day. Clement added the kick, and
the Colonials led, 28-7, with 2:56 remaining in the game.
"Everybody played well and stuck together for the whole four quarters," said sophomore defensive back
Paul Borusiewicz, who in his first varsity start had a tackle for a loss and an interception. "Everybody just
played great."
The defense had had Iacovitti worried entering the season, with senior defensive back Mark Fields as the
lone returning starter.
"I thought Drew Ferst had a fantastic game at outside linebacker, he's a first-year starter," Iacovitti said.
"I thought Tim Donovan, defensive end, played extremely well. Also, Mike Ricci came in an inside
linebacker when Jamie Fell went out with an injury, and he came in and made two big tackles and a big
interception. He feels he should start, and he kind of made a point tonight."
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La Salle College High School Football: Chronicle 1993
The Explorers hope to avenge last season's loss to Holy Cross of Delran, NJ, on Saturday. The
Colonials visit Hatboro-Horsham on Friday.
Game 2, September 18, 1993: Holy Cross NJ 6 – La Salle 0
by Matt Toll, Inquirer
No Mistaking It: Lancers Escaped Against La Salle; Holy Cross' Coach Said Something. So Did
An Official. The Confusion Almost Led To A Loss.
That sigh of relief reverberating through Delran belongs to Holy Cross coach Tom Maderia. The No. 2
Lancers outplayed visiting La Salle of Philadelphia Catholic League all Saturday afternoon, but barely
escaped with a 6-0 win after a mental lapse gave the Explorers a final chance to score from Holy Cross'
2-yard line with four seconds left.
They got that chance because Lancers quarterback Tom McKeown, told by Maderia to take a delay-ofgame penalty on a fourth-down play with 31 seconds left, was told by an official that he had to run a play
or take a delay-of- game penalty. Maderia wanted a delay call, but McKeown misunderstood either his
coach or the official. He dropped on one knee, and La Salle took over on the 2. Brian Bartleson then
saved the day for the Lancers by intercepting a pass.
Maderia was put in the strange position of preferring a 6-2 victory to a shutout.
"It's an embarrassing situation, because it looked like we didn't know what we were doing," Maderia said
yesterday. "I knew exactly what we were doing. We were going to take the delay of game, snap the ball
through the end zone (for a safety), and then punt the ball to them with five seconds left. The game was
going to end 6-2."
The finish was a lesson for the talented but inexperienced McKeown.
"I hope they realize that from now on, they should listen to me and not to the referee," Maderia said. "But
we got a win, and we deserved to win. It's not like we stole it."
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS: Before Delran High's opening 22-0 victory over Moorestown on
Saturday night, Bears coach Pete Miles had several questions that could be answered only by game
action. Most pressing was whether his inexperienced receivers could play to the caliber of Delran's
standout quarterback, Ralph Sacca.
Miles saw mixed results. Sacca was 7 for 16 passing, but only one of those completions was to a
wideout, and several other passes should have been caught, according to Miles.
"The one thing that game confirmed was that our receivers are a little questionable," he said.
Sacca's most productive target was tight end Sean Theis, who had three catches for 55 yards. The lone
reception by a wide receiver was made by sophomore Adam Ullberg, a converted tailback.
Miles said that Saturday's game, which featured running back Ervin Turner's 72 yards rushing and two
touchdowns, confirmed that despite an outstanding passer in Sacca, Delran's early focus will be on the
backfield. That doesn't sit well with Miles.
Game 3, September 25, 1993: La Salle 21 – North Catholic 6
by Mike Biglin, Inquirer
Explorers Find Way Onto Winning Track
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La Salle College High School Football: Chronicle 1993
LaSalle's 21-6 win over North Catholic on Saturday was like a magic elixir that swept away all the bad
symptoms of a frustrating 0-2 start and put the Explorers back in good spirits.
"That was a big win for us," Explorers running back Chris Brady said. ''We really needed it, especially
after last week's disappointing (6-0) loss (to Holy Cross, N.J.). We played well today, and it gets us set
for a run at the Catholic League title."
The game was the league opener for both schools. LaSalle raised its overall record to 1-2, while North
Catholic dropped to 0-3. LaSalle won the game for two reasons: North Catholic's inability to stop the
Explorers' running game, and North's penchant for killing itself with penalties. The Explorers exploited the
Falcons' defense all day with one play: the counter trap up the middle. Running back Tim Foster romped
unmolested through gaping holes all day, gaining 77 yards on seven carries - including three straight 15yard jaunts.
"Our biggest problem was stopping that counter trap," Falcon coach Jack Patton said. "They ran inside
center real well all day, and we just couldn't stop it."
Explorers coach Joe Colistra kept the Falcons off-balance by handing the ball off to six different running
backs, as well as passing the ball 12 times, the most during a game this season. His strategy worked to
perfection, as the Explorers gobbled up more than 300 yards in total offense with runners Tom Gorman
(six carries for 65 yards), Tom Grebis (nine for 51) and Brady (10 for 49) picking up lots of yardage per
carry.
"The offense ran smooth today," Brady said. "We were getting off the ball quickly, and the backs were
getting to the holes quickly. We were intense today."
Colistra really threw the Falcons for a loop by looking to the air inside the 20, scoring their first two
touchdowns via the pass.
Quarterback Jim Meehan hit Gorman in the flat, and Gorman waltzed into the end zone from eight yards
out with 2:29 left in the first quarter for a 7-0 lead. Then, Meehan capped off a 71-yard drive with 2
minutes left in the half with a perfect toss in the right corner of the end zone to a diving Andrew
Wickersham for a 15-yard score. Both these drives were aided by Falcon penalties, as North was
whistled for nine in the first half. Six of those were defensive, including three on the Explorers' first
scoring march.
North Catholic made the game interesting by coming right back to score just before halftime.
Quarterback Chris Hayes piloted the Falcons down the field in the air, with three big completions to get
the ball down to the Explorers' one-yard line.
From there, James Limper dove the ball over the plane to cut the deficit to 14-6 at halftime.
The second half was one big punt-fest, with no offense able to move decisively down the field. At the end
of the game, LaSalle took advantage of another Falcons mistake, a fumble on the North Catholic 42, to
finally put the game out of reach. Grebis ran the ball six straight times to travel the distance to the goal,
finishing with a five-yard run.
Meehan finished the day 5-for-12 passing for 72 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. His
counterpart, Hayes, had a great day, throwing for 152 yards on 11-of-21 passing, with one interception.
"Offensively, the line did a great job of blocking and opening up holes up the middle," Colistra said.
"We definitely improved offensively from last week. We were much crisper today. And defensively, we
were very aggressive."
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La Salle College High School Football: Chronicle 1993
Game 4, October 1, 1993: Bishop McDevitt 16 – La Salle 13
by Joe Fite, Inquirer
Fumble Sets Up Clinching Score For The Lancers
For Bishop McDevitt defensive lineman Todd Baker, the football stadium at Plymouth-Whitemarsh is his
field of dreams.
Last year, on the first play of his first varsity start against then-Bishop Egan, Baker sacked his first
quarterback. This year, in his first return trip to P-W, Baker had another memorable moment during the
Lancers' 16-13 Catholic League Northern Division victory Friday night.
Visiting La Salle (1-3, 1-1) was trying to get out of its end of the field in the third quarter. Explorers
quarterback Jim Meehan took the handoff and was almost immediately stripped of the ball by Baker at
the La Salle 13-yard line.
The ball rolled back to the Explorers' 2-yard line, where Wellington Deveraux pounced on it for McDevitt
(1-2, 1-1). The Lancers needed just one play to cash in on the opportunity, as Roger Wright bolted
through the middle for a touchdown with 4 minutes, 9 seconds left in the quarter. Charles Watson's extra
point gave McDevitt an insurmountable 16-7 lead.
Baker's strip and Deveraux's recovery broke open what had been a typical Northern Division game
featuring a close score and lots of hitting. The Lancers' defense was going after the ball all night.
Sometimes the La Salle runner made more yardage than he should have because a McDevitt defender
played the ball instead of the man. But this time, it worked in the Lancers' favor.
"That was one of our plans," said Baker, a 5-foot, 11-inch, 185-pound senior. "We were pretty upset
about the last two weeks (losing to Abington and Cardinal Dougherty) and we just knew the defense had
to go out there and set the tone, and the offense came up big for us too."
The offense came up big, but it took a while. In the first quarter, Fred Lorusso capped a six-play drive
with a 14-yard sprint off a trap play for a touchdown with 4 minutes, 26 seconds left. Tom Truitt's kick for
the extra point gave the Explorers a 7-0 lead.
The Lancers came back early in the second quarter and drove to the La Salle 9, but Wright was thrown
for a 3-yard loss. A 1-yard pass from Pat Doyle to Wright moved the ball to the 11-yard line, but a thirddown pass by Doyle fell incomplete.
McDevitt was flagged on the play for having an ineligible man downfield, but Explorers coach Joe
Colistra declined the penalty. Watson kicked a 28-yard field goal on fourth down to cut La Salle's lead to
7-3 with 9:16 left in the half.
Then, with a minute left until halftime, Doyle and Tim Funk provided another big play for the Lancers.
Facing a second-and-22 from his own 47-yard line, Funk ran a perfect out- and-up pattern on the left
sideline. Doyle's pass was on the mark and Funk outran the Explorers' defense to the end zone for a
touchdown. Doyle, who connected on right of 17 passes for 154 yards, passed for a two-point
conversion. It was incomplete, but McDevitt had the lead for good, 9-7.
La Salle made things interesting when Meehan found Andrew Wickersham for a 23-yard touchdown
strike on the first play of the fourth quarter to cut McDevitt's lead to 16-13, but the Lancers were able to
hold the Explorers in check and run out the clock.
"This is my field," Baker said. "My first varsity game last year, first play, I got a sack. It's a real good field
for me. I love playing here."
It's easy to see why.
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La Salle College High School Football: Chronicle 1993
Game 5, October 10, 1993: La Salle 20 – Cardinal Dougherty 7
by Joe Fite, Inquirer
La Salle Solves Dougherty Puzzle, 20-7
After suffering a tough 16-13 loss to Bishop McDevitt last week in the Catholic League's Northern
Division, La Salle wanted to stop what could be the most explosive offense in the city this week.
Mission accomplished.
La Salle used a tenacious defense that gave Cardinal Dougherty quarterback
Walt Bartle trouble all day, and the Explorers earned a hard-fought 20-7 victory over their Northern
Division opponents yesterday at Springfield (Montco).
The Cardinals (4-1 overall, 2-1 league) employ a run-and-shoot offense that is dangerous from anywhere
on the field. But the Explorers (2-3, 2-1) caused Dougherty to turn the ball over four times, with three of
the turnovers occurring in La Salle territory.
The Explorers were led by defensive linemen Brett Lofgren, Paul Maida, Mike Kilroy, Ron Puggi and
Kevin McAllister, and cornerback Brian Carmody.
The Cardinals send out three receivers, Lofgren said, "and that's to fake you for the pass, and they run
the ball right up the middle, off tackle, and we just shut down their run."
"We were concentrating on Mordecai and Indio because they've got the potential to really break one,"
Lofgren said, referring to Terrence Mordecai and Tom Indio. "We saw the back-side blitz would be open,
so we called it a couple of times and I got in today."
He wasn't the only one. With 3 minutes, 55 seconds left in the second quarter, La Salle's Dan Hangey hit
Andrew Wickersham with a 7-yard play-action pass to give the Explorers a 7-0 lead.
But the Cardinals came right back and drove to the La Salle 40-yard line after Bartle connected with Indio
for a 26-yard completion. On first down, Bartle went back to pass, but Kilroy came in like a freight train
and leveled him. The ball popped loose, and Maida recovered.
During Dougherty's next series, Bartle fumbled again when he pulled away
from the center too soon, and Puggi recovered. Then, in the third quarter and at the La Salle 24, Bartle
again dropped back to pass. The back-side blitz was called, and Lofgren raced in untouched to drop
Bartle. The ball came loose, and McAllister pounced on it.
Carmody intercepted Bartle at the start of the fourth quarter, and the Explorers scored an insurance
touchdown six plays later. Tim Foster took a pitch to the left from Hangey and raced 38 yards for a
touchdown with 8:11 left.
The Cardinals finally found the end zone with 4:32 left, when Mordecai went up the middle from the 1yard line, but La Salle kept a comfortable cushion with Hangey's 35-yard keeper down the right sideline,
which made the score 20-7.
Game 6, October 17, 1993: Father Judge 31 – La Salle 6
by Joe Berkery, Daily News
In Judge's Win, Receiver Helps End QB Controversy
With Chris Perks and Greg Yodis, Father Judge High had all the makings of a quarterback controversy.
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La Salle College High School Football: Chronicle 1993
Both are such good signal-callers that, through the Crusaders' first five games, coaches had been using
both of them, depending on the circumstances. Perks was the man they wanted for passing situations;
Yodis got the call on running and option plays.
But after Judge's 31-6 thrashing of La Salle yesterday at Springfield (Montco) High in a Catholic League
North matchup, figure on Perks taking the snaps for the rest of the season.
Perks was 11-for-20 for 120 yards, including a 5-yard touchdown pass to the team's most talented
receiver - Yodis. With Yodis at wideout and Perks at quarterback, it looks as though any controversy has
been resolved.
"During the week at practice, the coaches watched me on option plays and they liked what they saw, so
they decided to go with me this week," Perks said. "I wouldn't say there's a rivalry with me and Greg. I
just want to do what's best for the team and Greg doesn't really care where he plays."
Knowing Yodis to be a threat for the deep pass, La Salle double-teamed him throughout the game. He
still caught four passes for 34 yards, including his touchdown grab that capped a five-play, 51-yard
scoring drive on Judge's first possession in the third quarter. The extra coverage left Judge's other
wideout, Matt Jones, open for four receptions for 52 yards as the Crusaders racked up 407 yards of total
offense. La Salle finished with 185.
Judge's running game also scorched the damp turf. Fullback Mike Kropilak carried 15 times for 105
yards, including touchdown runs of 12 and 17 yards. Tailback Keith Boggi ran 80 yards on 23 carries.
And backup tailback Tony Kelly carried five times for 53 yards, including a 39-yard breakaway run in the
fourth quarter for Judge's final touchdown.
"They are outstanding runners," Perks said. "Once they get into the secondary, you can't catch those
guys. They're unbelievable."
Perks replied "oh, man" when asked about the pass protection he received. Given a choice, Perks said
he'll take his offensive line of Bill Hughes, Tim Hart, Dan Quinn, Rob Warburton and Kevin Filoon over
any other.
"I really think they are the best front line in the Catholic League," Perks said. "The protection they give
the quarterback and the help they give the runners . . . Every week, they work so hard, never slacking
off. Even in the fourth quarter, when they're all dead tired."
La Salle put the first points on the board on a 32-yard scoring run by quarterback Dan Hangey in the first
quarter. He finished as the Explorers' top rusher, with 47 yards on seven carries.
Game 7, October 23, 1993: La Salle 21 – Bishop Egan 7
by Ira Josephs, Inquirer
Eagles Are No Patsies, Explorers Find
Bishop Egan's football team is playing a lot better since the school merged with Bishop Conwell.
La Salle found that out firsthand in Saturday's Catholic League Northern Division game. The Explorers
overcame the Eagles, 21-7. But they didn't overwhelm them as they did in last year's 47-6 domination of
Egan, which finished last season 0-10.
In fact, the score was tied, 7-7, before La Salle (3-4, 3-2) pushed across two touchdowns in the final 9
minutes. Explorers' coach Joe Colistra said he expected Conwell-Egan (1-6, 1-4) to be competitive and
the game to be close.
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La Salle College High School Football: Chronicle 1993
"Yes, we did," Colistra said. "It's a Catholic League game. It's their homecoming. They are well-coached
and improved. No. 42 (senior running back Kevin Knox) might be the best back in the league. And they
have a gutsy quarterback (senior John Kelly) who can throw and run."
Knox did return a punt for 55 yards, but La Salle held him to 30 yards on eight attempts from scrimmage.
Kelly, meanwhile, completed 10 of 17 passes - five of them to Knox - for 119 yards and scored the
Eagles' only touchdown.
La Salle, which used five different running backs, had enough depth to make a difference at the end.
Neither team scored in the third quarter, although La Salle owned the ball for all but four plays. Finally,
early in the fourth, La Salle junior lineman Ron Puggi recovered a fumble on the Conwell-Egan 12-yard
line. Senior Chris Brady plowed ahead for two 6-yard gains, the second of which turned out to be the
game-winning touchdown with 8 minutes, 41 seconds left in the game.
Conwell-Egan had already come back once in the game, and the Explorers knew a one-touchdown lead
wasn't necessarily safe.
After forcing the Eagles to punt after four plays, La Salle took over.
Senior running back Tom Grebis squirted in from the 2 to conclude an 11- play, 47 -yard drive with 1:52
left to play.
Conwell-Egan came right back, however. Kelly connected with senior end Andy Waskie for passes of 13
and 11 yards, and hit Knox for a 14-yard gain, as the Eagles moved to the La Salle 31. A fumble in the
final seconds turned out to be the last play of the game, however.
The early stages of the game weren't much better for Conwell-Egan. La Salle senior end Paul Maida had
two sacks in the first quarter, the second ending an Eagles drive on the Explorer 17.
In the second quarter, senior running back Jamie Dezzi gave La Salle the lead on a 4-yard run. Junior
running back Tim Foster had raced 57 yards on the preceding play.
Foster finished the game as La Salle's leading rusher with 66 yards on nine carries. Grebis followed with
64 yards on 12 attempts in a backfield that also received production from Dezzi, Brady, sophomore
quarterback Dan Hangey and junior running back Fred Lorusso.
Speed is also something senior defensive back Brian Carmody showed in preventing an Eagles'
touchdown in the second quarter. Senior Jeff Perry slipped through for a 22-yard gain that could have
gone for a touchdown if Carmody hadn't hustled to make the tackle.
Conwell-Egan did tie the game with 14 seconds left before halftime on a 1- yard run by Kelly, who began
the play by handing off to Knox only to get the ball back again on a pitch.
However, that was all that La Salle would allow.
Game 8, October 30, 1993: Archbishop Ryan 34 – La Salle 0
by John Knebels, Inquirer
Explorers Find Raiders Country Hostile Territory
A bright yellow bus containing the La Salle High football team pulled out of George Washington High's
parking lot Saturday afternoon in smooth fashion.
It was the first thing that had gone the Explorers' way all day long.
In fact, immediately following a 34-0 Catholic League Northern Division whipping by three-time defending
league champ Archbishop Ryan, the Explorers' players and coaches had hurried through the traditional
post-game handshaking ceremony and then hustled away to their transportation without saying a word.
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La Salle College High School Football: Chronicle 1993
The final scoreboard said it all. Ryan dominated from start to finish. It appeared that the Raiders could
have scored more but ran the ball off-tackle time and time again just to run out the clock.
The Explorers' play reflected the awful weather. In a rain-filled and very chilly two hours of football, La
Salle (3-5 overall, 3-3 league) managed to fall behind by 14-0 after one quarter and 27-0 at halftime.
La Salle was just as futile in the second half. The Explorers ran six plays for minus-2 yards in the third
quarter. In the fourth, the Explorers could not get past their own 10-yard line, botched a fake punt attempt
and fumbled twice.
"Nothing went right for them," said Ryan quarterback Adrian Dumchas. ''After we went ahead by two
touchdowns real quick, it took a lot out of them. You can't blame them, really. It was too wet to throw, and
getting two scores against our defense is not easy to do."
Ryan (7-1, 6-0), which clinched the regular-season division title for the fourth consecutive year, did throw
early in the first quarter. Ryan's first drive was culminated by a 15-yard scoring strike from Dumchas to
Ron Norbury less than five minutes into the game. Two minutes later came what Ryan coach Glen
Galeone labeled "a major setback for La Salle." Explorers punter Frank Grosso's attempted kick was
blocked and rolled into the end zone, where Ryan's Santi Juarez pounced on it for a gift touchdown.
"That was the game right there," said Dumchas. "Everything was going great for us. We were playing
well on defense, and they, well, they just had an off day.
"La Salle usually plays us tough, especially the last couple of years. Sometimes a team has an off day
and the other team plays well. That's what happened today."
Ryan added second-quarter touchdowns on runs by Ray McFall (1 yard) and Curt Gallagher (6 yards) to
go up 27-0. The Raiders' final tally, thanks to a La Salle fumble, came courtesy of junior back-up Mike
Micucci's 4-yard run with 4:29 left in the fourth quarter.
After the game, Galeone tried to subdue the Raiders' boisterous midfield celebration by reminding them
that they may have to beat La Salle again in two weeks when the Catholic League playoffs commence.
Ryan will play the fourth- place finisher, which will be determined by Sunday's 1 p.m. battle between La
Salle and visiting Archbishop Wood.
"I told them that today, everything went right for us and nothing went right for them," Galeone said. "I
hope they understood."
Game 9, November 7, 1993: La Salle 24 – Archbishop Wood 6
by Ted Silary, Daily News
Brady's Play Worth A Bunch
Chris Brady was going to lift La Salle High's football team into the Catholic North playoffs.
Or, he was going to collapse while trying.
After a pass interference call gave the Explorers a first down on Archbishop Wood's 13 with a minute and
49 seconds remaining yesterday, coach Joe Colistra called Brady's number on five consecutive plays in
hopes of overcoming a 6-0 deficit.
First, Brady dropped a short pass from sophomore quarterback Dan Hangey.
Second, he burst 10 yards up the middle.
Third, he lost a yard as Dan Rush and Jeff Kapp made the tackle.
Fourth, he lost 4 yards and had to scramble to recover his fumble after Kapp made a strip.
Fifth, he moseyed into the end zone from his fullback spot, freed himself from a crowd and caught an 8yard touchdown pass from Hangey.
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La Salle College High School Football: Chronicle 1993
Twenty-seven seconds later, the Explorers had a 7-6 win - even a tie would have yielded the playoff
berth - and they were being mobbed by maybe 150 delirious students, who sprinted onto the field from
the west end zone.
Colistra said he relied on Brady so heavily because "that was our best chance to win the game."
When informed of Colistra's comment, Brady said, "When your coach has confidence in you, it makes
your job easier. It builds your confidence."
After watching his team get hammered last week by Archbishop Ryan, 34-0, Colistra junked his everpresent wing-T offense in favor of the I formation. He also used senior Jim Meehan at quarterback and
switched Hangey to receiver.
"We needed to change things," Colistra said. "We were looking for a spark."
But when La Salle's Paul Maida deflected Larry Chiusolo's pass, allowing Hap Brusca to make an
interception, Colistra went back to Hangey and the wing- T with 6:25 left.
"They're the only plays I know how to call," Colistra kidded.
That series flopped when Rush made an end-zone interception. But as Wood tried to run out the clock,
Brusca forced a fumble and Brian Meehan recovered on the Vikings' 27. The interference call came on
second down.
Brady, who also served the Explorers at linebacker and down lineman yesterday, gained 70 yards on 22
carries. He missed the first two games of the season after breaking his left thumb in a scrimmage and
has played with a soft cast ever since.
"Carrying the ball is new to me," Brady said. "I never did it before this season. Even though I might have
looked good as an individual out there, I couldn't have done it without blocking. The offensive line (center
Pat McDonald, guards Frank Grosso and Mike McGovern, tackles Chris Cooper and Scott Murphy) did a
great job."
In 1981, Chris's brother, John, was a second-team Daily News All-City defensive lineman at La Salle. He
played briefly at Fairleigh-Dickinson before suffering a career-ending knee injury. Chris, who lives in
Tacony, watched Villanova's game this weekend at the invitation of the coaching staff. He also is hearing
from Marshall.
"Villanova's looking at Chris as a possible Division I-AA player," Colistra said. "That's their call, but I sure
can vouch for what he does for us."
Game 10, November 13, 1993: Archbishop Ryan 19 – La Salle 3 (Qfinal)
by John McBride, Inquirer
Sloppy Offense And Muddy Field Hurt Explorers; La Salle Lost A Three-point Lead Early. Ryan's
Defense Was Too Much. "It Was A Great Accomplishment Just To Get Here," The Explorers'
Coach Said.
The first clue about the field condition for the Catholic League Northern Division semifinal came early,
even before the kickoff, at Northeast Saturday night.
La Salle coach Joe Colistra was slipping and sliding his way across the field, as if he were ice skating for
the first time. That was an obvious - and for La Salle, an ominous - sign.
"I don't know if it was awful for the kids, but I know I couldn't stand up on the sidelines," Colistra said after
his Explorers had dropped a 19-3 decision in a constant rain to three-time league champion Archbishop
Ryan.
Colistra, though, would not use the field as an excuse.
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La Salle College High School Football: Chronicle 1993
"We both had to play on it," Colistra said. "They're a great team."
In the previous meeting between the teams this season, the weather circumstances were similar. The
Raiders dropped a 34-0 decision at La Salle on Oct. 30.
"The type of field condition shouldn't have bothered either team," Ryan (9-1 overall, 7-0 league) coach
Glen Galeone said. "We're both kind of flat-footed teams."
La Salle got a 3-0 lead on its first possession. The Explorers took over the ball at their own 29 and on the
third play from scrimmage, La Salle's Chris Brady romped up the middle for a 57-yard run. Only a tackle
by Ryan's Jamie Brown at the 9-yard line prevented a touchdown.
"We were just in awe of No. 42 (Brady)," Galeone said. "He's a great player."
Ryan's vaunted defense stiffened, forcing La Salle into a 31-yard field goal attempt and kicker Tom Truitt
barely hooked the ball in with 5:09 remaining in the opening quarter.
La Salle forced Ryan to punt on its next possession, but handed the ball back to the Raiders on its first
play when quarterback Dan Hangey fumbled the snap on the Explorers' 31. Six plays later, Curt
Gallagher (82 yards, 18 carries) scored the first of his three touchdowns with 9:13 remaining in the
second quarter to give Ryan a 6-3 advantage.
From that point, the Raiders defense held La Salle without a first down and the Explorers managed just
32 yards from scrimmage.
Ryan opened up a 12-3 lead with 3:14 left in the first half when Gallagher capped an eight-play, 69-yard
drive with a two-yard TD dive.
Late in the second quarter, Colistra inserted Jim Meehan at quarterback in an effort to get the passing
game going. But, on La Salle's first possession of the second half, Ryan's Jim Emanuel picked off
Meehan to give Ryan the ball at the La Salle 36. Raiders quarterback Adrian Dumchas then connected
with Bill McVey for a 31-yard gain on the next play and Gallagher bulled in from five yards out to boost
the lead to 19-3 with 9:13 left in the third quarter.
La Salle was forced to punt five times in the second half.
"Again, we made mistakes against a good team, and you can't do that," Colistra said. "You fumble the
ball, they score. You throw an interception, they score."
The Explorers (5-5, 4-3) had eked into the playoff with a 7-6 decision over Archbishop Wood on the final
game of the regular season. The effort wasn't lost on Colistra.
"It was a battle all the way," Colistra said. "It was a great accomplishment just to get here. I think the
seniors just wouldn't give up. They should be very proud of themselves. I'm very proud of them."
Ryan takes on Cardinal Dougherty Friday at Northeast (7 p.m.) in the Northern Division title game.
Game 11, Nov 25, 1993: St. Joseph’s Prep 13 – La Salle 0 (Thanksgiving)
by Michael Bamberger, Inquirer
St. Joseph's Captures Trophy From La Salle
The great football trophy - reserved for the winner of the Thanksgiving Day St. Joseph's Prep-La Salle
High School affair - stood on a table, just off the field, flanked by orange water-coolers. The game,
played hard and clean and largely on the ground, was at its halfway mark.
Kevin McAllister, a gigantic La Salle lineman and a senior, approached the trophy and patted it.
"C'mon," he screamed, to nobody in particular, "we gotta keep this thing!"
Everything comes to an end, big guy. After six consecutive Thanksgiving Day wins by La Salle, the
trophy is headed for 17th and Girard. The Prep beat the Explorers on a bumpy and frozen field at La
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La Salle College High School Football: Chronicle 1993
Salle University yesterday, 13-0. For only the fourth time since the series began in 1976, the Hawks
defeated La Salle on the fourth Thursday in November.
The Hawks may not win the game often, but when they do, it's with defensive style: three of the four
victories have been shutouts.
Yesterday, the Hawks' fleet-footed quarterback, senior Jess Sodaski, was named most valuable player
for the winning side. (Junior running back Chris Brady took that honor for the Explorers.) And there's no
doubt Sodaski was deserving. He put the Prep on the scoreboard with a 73-yard run late in the first
quarter, breaking tackles as he high-stepped his way down the left sideline. He ran in the Hawks' second
touchdown, too, from the 1, seconds before halftime. That score was set up by a long Sodaski run,
followed by a 29-yard Sodaski pass, on a fourth and 5, to Henry Dorian.
But would the Hawks have enjoyed their turkey quite so much were it not for their defensive line, Messrs.
Big, Bigger, Biggest and Bigger-Yet? Probably not. Chris Hamwright, a strapping senior who hopes to
attend either Penn or Princeton next year, put pressure on the La Salle backfield down after down. When
the La Salle band played the old Blood, Sweat & Tears classic, "Spinning Wheel," it did not intend to
provide a musical epigram for the Explorers' offense. Unhappy coincidence.
The Hawks (8-3-1) lost by a point last week in the Catholic League South title game, and nobody was
sure what kind of mood the team would be in today. The Prep's coach, Gil Brooks, a little man with a big
bark, provided some inspiration.
"Dennnissss!" he yelled at tackle Dennis Johnson, when the Hawks' lead was only seven points. "Damn
it, Dennis, drive them back!" For the rest of the game, Johnson played in the manner of a possessed
man.
Through the season, the Hawks didn't throw much - just twice in their loss last week, but somewhat more
yesterday - and instead relied on the feet of two players: Sodaski and halfback Lance Shaw. The publicaddress announcer at yesterday's game must have grown weary: Sodaski hands off to Shaw, Sodaski
hands off to Shaw, Sodaski hands off to Shaw, again and again. Yesterday, though, the Explorers (4-7)
found a way to do what few other teams have been able to: They stopped Shaw. But they couldn't stop
the quarterback.
The small time clock in the southwest corner of the field died with 10 minutes left in the fourth quarter
and there was some confusion on the La Salle side when the final whistle blew. But the La Salle coach
knew. "That's it," Joe Colistra quietly told his assistants. "That's the game."
The Hawks huddled for a post-game team prayer. Their coach was drenched with ice water. The
Thanksgiving Day trophy was held high into the cold autumn sky.
by Bill Avington, Inquirer
Explorers Suffer Their First Loss To The Hawks Since 1986
The scoreboard clock at La Salle University shut off with more than 10 minutes remaining in the fourth
quarter on Thursday. As a result, the La Salle faithful did not have to watch the seconds tick down on
their first loss to St. Joseph's Prep since 1986, when the current seniors were in fifth grade.
More than 3,000 people in the bipartisan audience saw the Hawks beat the Explorers, 13-0, in the 18th
annual Thanksgiving matchup between the two prep schools.
The Prep's strategy was simple: run - early and often. Prep ran the ball 43 times while passing on only
eight downs. The strategy worked, as the Prep dominated the line of scrimmage, rushing for 233 yards.
La Salle tried to do likewise, controlling the ball for most of the third quarter, but when push came to
shove, it was big plays that did in the Explorers.
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La Salle College High School Football: Chronicle 1993
La Salle opened the game with a bit of trickery, running a flea-flicker where quarterback Jim Meehan
handed the ball to Andrew Wickersham, who lateraled the ball back to Meehan, but the ensuing long
pass fell incomplete.
"We expected La Salle to try something like that early," St. Joseph's coach Gil Brooks said. "I told the
defense to be aware of it."
St. Joseph's quarterback Jess Sodaski carried the ball 15 times for 160 yards, but no carry was bigger
than his game-winning 73-yard touchdown scamper late in the first quarter. On third and 3, Sodaski took
a quarterback keeper around right end and bolted down the sideline to the end zone.
The Hawks' second score came after two plays gained a total of 53 yards. The first was a 24-yard run by
Sodaski, who appeared to score on the play but was ruled to have stepped out of bounds on the La Salle
35. Two plays later, Sodaski connected on a pass to Dorian Henry, who brought the ball down to the 1yard line. Sodaski scored on the next play.
La Salle played the Prep tougher in the second half. The Explorers, after fumbling the ball on the
opening kickoff, regained possession on downs and controlled the ball for eight minutes, running 16
plays and gaining 43 yards. However, penalties stalled the drive, and the Explorers fell short on a fourth
and 4 at the La Salle 34.
La Salle's effort was led by Chris Brady, a senior who played fullback and linebacker. Brady gained 61
yards on 15 carries and played well on both sides of the line of scrimmage. He was named La Salle's
most valuable player of the game.
"(Brady is) a heck of a player," Brooks said.
The rivalry between the teams dates back to 1976, and La Salle has dominated, winning 14 of the
meetings, including the last six. The feelings run deep on both sides.
"We have a lot in common," La Salle coach Joe Colistra said. "It's a natural rivalry."
"Thank God for this rivalry," Brooks added. "It kept our focus after last week (a 13-12 loss to Archbishop
Carroll in the Southern Division playoffs). It made a difference. These players had never beaten La Salle.
They're a good football team and a class organization."
La Salle ended its season with a 4-7 record overall, while the Hawks rebounded to an 8-3-1 season after
going 2-8 in 1992.
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