Drew Gordon Coach Gordon's All-City Players: FIRST TEAM     Drew Loughery QB 2008 Sam Feleccia Rec 2009 Drew Loughery QB 2009 Mike Bennett K 2009 Steve Szostak DL 2009 Steve Sinnott DL 2009 Shane Brady LB 2009 Ryan Geiger L 2010 Jamal Abdur-Rahman RB 2010 Connor Daly LB 2010 Kevin Forster DB 2010 Tim Wade RB 2011 Sean Burke LB 2011 Sean Coleman Rec 2012 Ryan Winslow P 2012 Tom Spiteri DL 2012 Zaire Franklin LB 2012 Jimmy Herron Rec 2013 Ryan Coonahan DL 2013 Zaire Franklin LB 2013 Jimmy Herron Rec 2014 Michael Raczak P 2014 SECOND TEAM     John Harrison QB 2007 Ryan Eidenshink DL 2008 Sam Feleccia Rec 2008 Mike Donohoe P 2008 Connor Hoffman Rec 2009 Jamal Abdur-Rahman RB 2009 Joe Naji DL 2010 Cameron Cappo L 2010 Ryan Winslow P 2010 Ryan Winslow P 2011 Sean Coleman Rec 2011 Connor Kerrigan L 2011 Jon Naji DL 2012 Patrick Hoffman L 2012 Luke Persichetti L 2012 Kyle Shurmur QB 2013 Jordan Meachum RB 2013 Kyle Shurmur QB 2014 Ryan Brady LB 2014 Jordan Meachum LB 2014 THIRD TEAM Sean Abbott L 2008 Jamal Abdur-Rahman RB 2008 Mike Bennett K 2008 Kevin Forster DB 2009 Matt DiGiacomo L 2009 Matt Magarity QB 2011 Colin Buckley Rec 2011 Mike Piscopo LB 2011 Mike Eife LB 2012 Chris Kane QB 2012 Jimmy Herron MP 2012 Matt Raczak P 2013 Bill Frusco DL 2013 Matt McDermott L 2014

Drew Gordon Tribute Page   Drew Gordon coached La Salle High's football team for nine seasons (2006-14), winning 91 games and 10 championships (five Catholic, four City, one State). In 2009, in the snow in Hershey, the Explorers beat State College, 24-7, to capture the Class 4A state crown; the first for a highest-enrollment Catholic League team in a major sport. Here is that story . . . By Ted Silary   Some people apparently know for sure, but Sam Feleccia says he isn't among them.   In the 2005 season, he rushed for a touchdown total somewhere in the 30s as St. Genevieve, of Flourtown, terrorized the CYO football trail. Then again, it might have been in the 40s.   Late Saturday afternoon, with snow still falling at Hersheypark Stadium, and with a PIAA Class AAAA state title, which of course produced unabashed joy, having just been captured, Feleccia was trying his best to pin down a number. Just then, linebacker Ryan Saraceni walked over.   "Against his team I think I had eight," Feleccia cracked.   And Saraceni playfully pushed on Feleccia's right shoulder, as if to say, "Hey, don't disrespect my old school like that."   Though the St. Gen number is not in Feleccia's memory bank, here's suspecting he'll never forget the one rushing TD he posted as a La Salle High senior.   It covered 55 yards, highlighted a wonderful overall appearance, and was the Explorers' final score in a 24-7 crunching of State College High, accomplished in a relentless snowstorm that required nonstop plowing and shoveling of the playing surface.   At game's end, the Explorers rushed the field to celebrate. Coach Drew Gordon and his son, Brett, the offensive coordinator, were a little late thanks to a sideline hug that concluded with Brett quite misty-eyed.   There was the usual hooting and hollering as the Explorers received the championship trophy and then defensive coordinator John Steinmetz was urging the players to head back toward the stands, "So we can sing [the alma mater] . . . and pretend we've got a band." (Due to safety concerns and the high predicted snow amounts, the school had canceled two buses for the band and three more for other students.)   Once the warbling was completed, and they'd exchanged tossed chunks of snow with the fans, many players headed back toward the field to run and run and then uncork delirious headlong and/or baseball slides.  Ah, it's good to be the champion. Especially when the success comes in just the second year of the Catholic League's PIAA membership, and is the league's first at the large-enrollment level in one of the three major sports.   "It's a big deal for our school," said senior quarterback Drew Loughery, also a St. Gen product, who passed 5-for-11 for 109 yards. "But it's more important for what we're doing for District 12 and the city of Philadelphia. We're in the record books forever. "   Feleccia, a 6-3, 215-pound senior, generated 203 yards of offense in all. Both out of a Wildcat set and as a regular tailback after a late first-half injury to headliner Jamal Abdur-Rahman, he turned 21 carries into 160 yards. Showing he hadn't forgotten what earned him fame as a high school player, he also made two catches for 43 yards and both came in scoring drives.     continued below . . .

SEASON BY SEASON Catholic League 2006, Red: 4-3 2007, Red: 3-4 2008, 4A: 5-1 2009, 4A: 5-1 2010, 4A: 4-0 2011, 4A: 4-0 2012, 4A; 3-1 2013, 4A: 3-1 2014, 4A: 2-1 Total: 33-12 --- Overall 2006: 10-3 2007: 5-7 2008: 9-3 2009: 14-1 2010: 13-2 2011: 12-2 2012: 12-2 2013: 8-3 2014: 8-3 Total: 91-26 -- CATHOLIC LEAGUE TITLES 2006: Red 2008: 4A 2010: 4A 2011: 4A 2012: 4A CITY TITLES 2009: 4A 2010: 4A 2011: 4A 2012: 4A STATE TITLE 2009: 4A -- 1,000 RUSHERS Yards Year Jamal Abdur-Rahman  1,767 '10 Tim Wade 1,564 '11 Jamal Abdur-Rahman 1,198 '09 Jamal Abdur-Rahman 1,099 '08 1,000 PASSERS Yards Year Drew Loughery 2,628 '08 Chris Kane 2,524 '12 Kyle Shurmur 2,524 '14 Kyle Shurmur 2,472 '13 Drew Loughery 2,401 '09 John Harrison 2,274 '06 Matt Magarity 1,846 '11 John Harrison 1,779 '07 Matt Magarity 1,257 '10 500 RECEIVERS Yards Year Sam Feleccia 969 '08 Jimmy Herron 931 '14 Jack Forster 940 '06 Sean Coleman 908 '12 Jimmy Herron 734 '13 Joe Migliarese 699 '06 Sean Coleman 676 '11 Jimmy Herron 668 '12 Connor Hoffman 648 '09 Colin Buckley 601 '11 Charlie Hemcher 586 '14 Sean Coleman 539 '10 Connor Hoffman 515 '08 Sam Feleccia 505 '07

  Feleccia has received offers from New Hampshire and Delaware, but as he was talking, a teammate ran by and bellowed,
"He's going straight to the NFL!"
  Feleccia's touchdown came on a lead draw, and was his first non-Wildcat run of the day. Loughery said Feleccia had
received rushing calls via handoffs maybe three or four times all season. Feleccia noted the Explorers had practiced that play
maybe once since August.
  "I knew where to go, though," he said, laughing. "There was a huge hole from the line. I just ran as fast as I could [down
the left sideline]. I was thinking maybe someone was going to catch me. Didn't happen."
  Feleccia remained at running back for La Salle's freshman team and through the early part of his sophomore season with
the varsity. Injuries and concern about that season's offensive line caused his shift to wideout and there was no need to switch
him back once Abdur-Rahman emerged last season. 
  Was there a part of Feleccia that wished he'd never ditched rushing?
  He smiled and said, "I like the way this turned out. So not really."
  "Sam played the game of his life today," Loughery said. "I'm really proud of him. Historic performance."
  Ditto for the Man Upstairs in terms of snow. At least the Explorers (14-1) had experienced white-stuff success just 2 weeks
ago, in Bethlehem in a 17-14 win over Easton.
  "Once the snow forecasts came out this week, some publications in the State College area were saying our offense could be
thrown off," Loughery said. "We just sat back and smiled. We knew we were still going to come at them.
  "The Easton game helped because we knew what gloves and spikes to wear. My dropbacks were a little slower because I
needed to be sure of footwork and getting a good grip on the ball. The offensive line was key. Those guys gave me the extra
second or 2 I needed. They played one of their best games. "
  Mike Bennett, a leftfooter, opened the scoring with a 37-yard field goal that thumped off the left side of the crossbar as it
passed through the uprights. It was career No. 26 and enabled Bennett to tie Pat Kaiser, a 2003 St. Joseph's Prep grad, for
the city record.
  Abdur-Rahman and sophomore fullback Tim Wade, prior to Feleccia's, added one rushing TD apiece; the former suffered
his ding (slight tear of MCL) while blocking on Wade's score. Connor Hoffman contributed three catches for 66 yards and
his big one, a 40-yarder, immediately followed a 54-yard TD sprint by Abdur-Rahman that was lost to penalty.
  Of his TD, Wade said, "We audibled into that. It was supposed to be a pass play. It felt great to get that chance. I wanted
the ball so bad. To show what I could do."
  The defense, in effect, pitched a shutout because SC's TD was scored on a kickoff return. Steve Sinnott (seven stops)
forced/recovered a fumble, Vinny Migliarese intercepted a pass, and six tackles apiece were made by Kevin Forster (two
for losses), Shane Brady and Anthony Cognetti.
  Feleccia, at outside linebacker, posted three tackles.
  "I was not surprised that we shut them down," Drew Gordon said. "Our defense, the last 3, 4 weeks, was nothing shor
 of fabulous. From timing to chemistry to blitzing to covering pass plays to not blowing assignments . . . Everything you
look for, we had it. "
  With that, the field was just about empty. The coaches were looking forward to their post-game celebration. The white
stuff was still cascading down.
  A voice called out. It belonged to assistant Joe Wade, Tim's uncle.
  "Hey, we have a snow machine at La Salle that nobody knows about," he said.
  Sure looked like it.
--
  This story was written after Drew earned his first CL championship in 2006 . . .

By Ted Silary
  IT PROBABLY won't make an appearance on the list of world's greatest battle cries.
  Start strong. Finish stronger.
  See? Nothing spectacular. But it made perfect sense for a La Salle High football team that now is covered in glory, and
if it's not remembered years from now or copied by other teams hoping for postseason miracles, its significance to these
guys will never be minimized and, really, isn't that all that matters?
  The way linebacker JB Campanella figured, the Explorers indeed needed to grab onto something after finishing the
Catholic Red regular season with three consecutive losses.
  Start strong. Finish stronger.
  "We repeated that quote again and again in practice. Every single day," Campanella said. "Through each round of the
playoffs. "
  Actually, Campanella did more than say those words last night. He yelled 'em.
  High volume was necessary because, all around him, players and coaches and fans were making incredible amounts
of noise and students, one after the other after the other, were still hopping over the fence on the visiting side at
Northeast's Charlie Martin Memorial Stadium to dash onto the field to be part of the postgame party.
  La Salle 14, St. Joseph's Prep 7.
  Yes, whether you want to call it merely surprising or downright I-don't-believe-it shocking, that was the final last
night in the championship game.
  Campanella involved himself in 13 tackles and, with 27.5 seconds remaining, on a fourth-down play beginning at
La Salle's 30, he combined with down lineman John McBurnie to drop quarterback Chris Whitney for a 5-yard loss.
A kneeldown ended it.
  "We're probably one of the smallest teams in the league, but that doesn't matter," Campanella continued. "We have
the biggest heart. We keep fighting. We don't give up. "
  Nearby, his teammates were hamming it up for cameramen and taking turns getting the feel of the championship
plaque and receiving hugs and handshakes and kisses. And first-year coach Drew Gordon was telling reporters, "It
shows what you can do when you believe."
  Meanwhile, the stunned Hawks, winners of 48 consecutive division games going back to 1999 but now an upset
victim three times in finals of the last seven seasons (also 2000 and '04 to Cardinal O'Hara), were trotting/walking
off the field to face an endless stream of "how'd-that-happen?" questions. Both from others and themselves.
  La Salle's Jack Forster, a receiver, safety and punter bound for Penn State to play lacrosse, was saying how
turnovers had made the difference, especially in comparison with the Hawks' 42-14 frolic in the regular season, the
one that commenced the three-game losing streak.
  "Going into that one," he said, "we were forcing four turnovers a game. We got none. And then, what did we get
tonight? Four? "
  Exactly. None was bigger than the second.
  For the second time in the first quarter, Whitney lost a fumble within whiskers of the goal line. As Forster tried to
down him with one arm and pry loose the ball with the other, Rob Saraceni came barreling in and delivered a pop
that reverberated throughout the almost-packed stadium. (Some empty seats on Prep's side. Overflow on La Salle's.)
The ball flew out. Greg Frantz made a scoop at the 4 and dashed 96 yards for a touchdown. With 1:54 left in the
first quarter, La Salle was on top, 7-0.
  "I knew he'd score," Forster said. "Even though he's kind of big [6-2, 210], he's one of our faster guys. "
  Said Frantz: "We practice picking up fumbles every day. It was just bend down, pick it up and try to run all the
way. I was praying no one would catch me. I'm not our fastest, but I got lucky tonight. "
  In practice, Frantz acknowledged, the post-pickup runs are rather short.
  "Only about 10 yards," he said, smiling. "That's why I was a little winded."
  La Salle's other score came early in the second quarter as junior quarterback John Harrison (17-for-29, 175 yards)
marched his squad 78 yards in eight plays, all passes. Chris Ashley and Forster collected gains of 26 and 21 yards
on Nos. 2 and 3, respectively, and the TD went to 6-5 Joe Migliarese on an 18-yard fade to the left corner over a
smaller single defender.
  Fourteen-nothing over a team averaging 32 points per game. Could this be believed? The team whose fans
verbally taunted Forster during warmups and even chanted again and again before the kickoff, "It's all over! It's
all over! "
  "Yeah, I heard them," Forster said. "No big deal. You expect that stuff."
  La Salle's defense, coordinated by John Steinmetz, made one major adjustment from the first Prep meeting to this
one. Each guy was under orders to play his position, especially against rushes, and not give lightning-quick tailback
Jamir Livingston the opportunity for cutbacks.
  Livingston finished with 145 yards on 30 carries and ran 18 yards for an easy touchdown with 2:25 left in the third
quarter. But that was his longest run.
  "We knew we could control them," said Campanella, whose tackle number was even exceeded by his fellow
inside linebacker, Andrew Wood (15). "I looked around and had faith in every single guy who was out here with me.
I know they had that faith in me, too. That's what it takes. "
  La Salle's interceptions went to Mike Donohoe, at the goal line on the final play of the half, and to Forster 1 yard
deep in the end zone with 3:15 left in the game.
  Two plays later, Forster had the wind knocked out of him while being tackled and had to leave the field for a play.
On fourth down, there he was again, uncorking a 45-yard punt to the Prep's 43.
  Whitney hit Tim Edger for gains of 14 and 12 gains and Whitney managed 1 on a left-side scramble before
stepping out of bounds. The next two plays resulted in incompletions and brought up fourth down.
  Scramble . . . look . . . sack!
  "This is the best night of my life," Forster said.
  Care to wager that sentiment was not his exclusively?

  Below are the players who earned first or second team Coaches' All-Catholic honors during Drew
Gordon's nine seasons as the coach at La Salle.
 

FIRST TEAM		FIRST TEAM (Cont.)		SECOND TEAM (Cont.)
2006	Pos.	2011	Pos.	2007	Pos.
Jack Forster	WR	Dan Wasylenko	L	Pat Morrow	L
John McBurnie	DL	Colin Buckley	TE	Matt Alba	ILB
2008	Pos.	Sean Coleman	WR	2009	Pos.
Sean Abbott	C	Tim Wade	RB	Cameron Cappo	L
Steve Szostak	L	Tyler Kern	DL	Steve Szostak	L
Sam Feleccia	WR	Sean Burke	LB	Matt DiGiacomo	L
Drew Loughery	QB	Dad Poquie	B	Tim Wade	FB
Jamal Abdur-Rahman	RB	2012	Pos.	Anthony Cognetti	ILB
Mike Donohoe	FB	Patrick Hoffman	L	2010	Pos.
Mike Bennett	K	Jon Naji	TE	Cameron Cappo	L
Steve Sinnott	E/OLB	Sean Coleman	WR	Colin Buckley	TE
Kevin Farrington	B	Mike Eife	MP	Ryan Geiger	DL
2009	Pos.	Ryan Winslow	P	Mark DiFrangia	LB
Ryan Geiger	C	2013	Pos.	Sean Coleman	B
Steve Jones	TE	Nick Buckley	TE	2011	Pos.
Sam Feleccia	WR	Jimmy Herron	WR	Connor Kerrigan	C
Connor Hoffman	WR	Kyle Shurmur	QB	Matt Maginnis	L
Drew Loughery	QB	Matt Raczak	P	Tom Spiteri	L
Jamal Abdur-Rahman	RB	Ryan Coonahan	DL	Ryan Winslow	K
Mike Bennett	K	Zaire Franklin	LB	Tom Spiteri	DL
Steve Szostak	L	2014	Pos.	Mike Piscopo	LB
Steve Sinnott	E/OLB	Matt McDermott	L	2012	Pos.
Shane Brady	E/OLB	Charlie Hemcher	TE	Jon Naji	DL
Ryan Saraceni	ILB	Jimmy Herron	WR	Tom Spiteri	DL
Kevin Forster	B	Kyle Shurmur	QB	Zaire Franklin	LB
2010	Pos.	Michael Raczak	P	Dad Poquie	DB
Ryan Geiger	C	Ryan Brady	LB	2013	Pos.
Dan Ezzo	L	Jordan Meachum	LB	Bill Frusco	C
Kevin Forster	WR	Jimmy Herron	DB	Zaire Franklin	L
Jamal Abdur-Rahman	RB	SECOND TEAM		Jordan Meachum	RB
Tim Wade	FB	2006	Pos.	Ryan Brady	LB
Joe Naji	DL	Chris Cabrey	L	Jimmy Herron	DB
Connor Daly	LB	Joe Migliarese	WR	2014	Pos.
Sean Burke	LB	John Harrison	QB	Jim Morrissey	C
Kevin Forster	B	Chris Ashley	RB	Ryan Schutta	L
2011	Pos.	Ryan Cain	K	Anthony Piscopo	DL
Dan Wasylenko	L	Sean Saverio	ILB	Keith Wagner	DL
Colin Buckley	TE	Greg Frantz	DB	Sean Collins	DL

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Recaps of Wins in Catholic League Championship Games 2006 Red Division At Northeast La Salle 14, SJ Prep 7    These private-school rivals canceled their Thanksgiving game and played the next night before an overflow crowd. La Salle, a 42-14 loser in the regular season matchup, survived in this one, despite being outgained, 390-175, by forcing two fumbles at the 1 and making interceptions at the goal line and 1 yard deep in the end zone. The Explorers' first TD came when Jack Forster and Rob Saraceni forced a fumble within a whisker at the goal line and Greg Frantz picked up the ball and dashed 96 yards for a TD; it was the longest fumble return for a score in city postseason history. Saraceni had the other recovery while Mike Donohoe (goal line, last play of first half) and Jack Forster (1-yard into end zone, fourth quarter) made the interceptions. On the Prep's final play, JB Campanella and John McBurnie combined for a sack. Andrew Wood (15), Campanella (13) and Sean Saverio (11) racked up large tackles numbers as Prep ran 72 plays. La Salle had zero rushing yards, but John Harrison passed 17-for-29 for 175 yards (he finished with a city record for completions in a season, with 200) and a TD to Joe Migliarese (7-84) and was sacked just once. It was the second time in three years that a first-year CL coach won a title (Drew Gordon for La Salle, Joe Powel for Wood in '04). The Explorers became the first Red team to win the title without having the luxury of a first-round bye and just the third team in CL history to capture a crown after losing three league games (also Judge in '81 and '83). 2008 4A Division At Northeast La Salle 28, Judge 20   Mayfair resident Mike Donohoe, a first cousin of one Judge starter, best friend of another and buddies with roughly half of the prominent Crusaders, caught a pair of 12-yard TDs passes from Drew Loughery (12-for-19, 114, three TDs) and hit the latter with a trick-play conversion pass as the Explorers avenged a regular season defeat. Sam Feleccia made four catches for 63 yards and a score, Mike Bennett kicked two field goals and Kevin Forster posted a pick. Loughery's conversion catch made it 21-14 and that became huge when Judge missed the PAT after a 28-yard TD pass from soph Tony Smith (8-for-17, 119) to Tom Ryan (5-72) with 6:45 left. Donohoe notched his second TD at 1:42. Smith suffered an injury on Judge's last drive, forcing star receiver Adam Nowak to assume command of the offense. His last pass was knocked down by . . . you guessed it, Donohoe (also a linebacker/punter). Judge's Curt Wortham ran 29 times for 104 yards. This was coach Drew Gordon's eighth year with the program, over two stints, and his fourth title (first two as offensive coordinator). 2009 4A Division At Northeast La Salle 35, SJ Prep 28   Junior Kevin Forster, the last of four brothers to cause the Hawks so much heartache in football and/or lacrosse, scored the winning TD on a 37-yard pass from Drew Loughery and then ran to the sideline, right near that same end zone, to exchange hugs with Rob, Jack and Randy. It was his first TD catch of the season. The Explorers rallied from a 28-20 deficit as Loughery finished 21-for-31 for 297 yards and one score apiece to Jamal Abdur-Rahman (5-58), Sam Feleccia (4-59) and Connor Hoffman (6-91) in addition to Forster (4-74). In four games vs. Prep over two seasons, Loughery passed 74-for-130 for 1,182 yards and 12 TDs. The Hawks received three passing TDs from soph Skyler Mornhinweg (8-for-16, 151). Two went to Colin Rodgers. 2010 4A Division At Northeast La Salle 35, Roman 16   The Explorers roared to the final 28 points while claiming their third consecutive crown and fourth in five years. The start did not go well: Anthony Johnson dropped Tim Wade for a safety. Soon, Matt Magarity, after missing the last three games with a concussion, was turning his first pass into a 60-yard completion to Sean Coleman and Roman was losing star wideout William Fuller (3-61), a sophomore, to a broken collarbone. Jamal Abdur-Rahman turned 28 carries into 168 yards and three TDs while Coleman (on a backward pass) and Magarity also ran for scores. Casey Eidenshink, moved up the depth chart one day earlier after Ryan Winslow was diagnosed with pneumonia, went 5-for-5 on PAT. Kevin Forster (two; added punting duties) and Abdur-Rahman had interceptions. Marcus Kelly (run, 25-96) and Jack Gallagher (fumble return) posted Roman's TDs. 2011 4A Division At Northeast La Salle 16, Roman 6   Though always known for offense, the Explorers mostly used an opportunistic defense to capture their fourth consecutive big-school crown (and fifth in coach Drew Gordon’s six years). Chris Rocco and frosh Jimmy Herron made interceptions while David Losier, Dad Poquie, Sean Burke and Andrew Eidenshink pounced on fumbles. Sean Burke (11) and John Palermo (10) led in tackles. Sean Coleman scored the TDs on passes of 61 and 27 yards from Matt Magarity and Ryan Winslow hit a 25-yard field goal to extend a 13-6 lead. Winslow also averaged 48 yards on four punts, with a long of 57. Roman scored on a pass from Chris Johnson-Cruz to William Fuller. One week earlier, as a fill-in for the injured Michael Keir, Johnson-Cruz had set a city playoff record for TD passes (five) in a semifinal win over St. Joseph’s Prep. He’d also run 62 yards for another score. 2012 4A Division At Plymouth-Whitemarsh La Salle 28, SJ Prep 27 (OT)   City playoff records took a beating as the Explorers, before an overflow crowd, captured their fifth consecutive championship and avenged a regular season loss. Sean Coleman caught 14 passes (former record 12) for 138 yards and four TDs (FR three) and Chris Kane notched four TD passes while posting 328 yards and erasing the bests for completions (31, FR 22) and attempts (46, FR 42). In OT, after Olamide Zaccheaus scored for Prep on a 10-yard run and the PAT went awry, La Salle won it with Kane's 5-yard, right-to-middle slant to Coleman and Ryan Winslow's kick. Zaccheaus also tallied on a reception and 90-yard kickoff return. This was just the second OT final in CL history (also 1990).

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Recaps of Wins in City Titles 2009 Class 4A At Northeast   La Salle 31, Washington 20: This one started like 2008's -- La Salle chose to receive, Washington kicked off with wind and played good defense, and scored a quick TD (on Aaron Wilmer's 47-yard keeper). The one big exception -- Holding wiped it out. The Explorers not only regrouped. They coasted to a 31-7 lead before Washington posted a pair of fourth quarter TDs. Jamal Abdur-Rahman made two interceptions, returned a fumble 36 yards for a score and contributed 132 yards of rushing (40) and receiving (82, another TD). Drew Loughery passed 13-for-21 for 188 yards and three TDs, with the other two going to Sam Feleccia and Connor Hoffman (5-60). Mike Bennett hammered a 37-yard field goal and sent four of his six kickoffs to the end zone. Shane Brady made 11 tackles. Wilmer accounted for 306 yards, passing 16-for-28 for two scores and bagging another 140 on 18 carries. 2010 Class 4A At Northeast   La Salle 35, Northeast 0: Strong defense, twice coupled with solid returns, assured that four of the Explorers' scoring drives would need to cover just 39 yards. Jamal Abdur-Rahman (11-69) and Kevin Forster (11-53, on direct snaps and jet sweeps) ran for two scores apiece and Tim Wade contributed one. Connor Reilly blocked a punt to set up the second TD. Mark DiFrangia made eight tackles, with five occurring at or behind the line. Abdur-Rahman soared for a pick. Northeast's best chance for a score came late against the second unit. Ryan Otis, who would have been a key player all season if not for an injury, broke up an end-zone pass intended for franchise, two-way end Deion Barnes. This was the sixth time this season that the Explorers, usually beyond pass-happy under coach Drew Gordon and his son, Brett, the offensive coordinator, posted no aerial TDs. 2011 Class 4A At Northeast   La Salle 41, Washington 7: Five days before Thanksgiving, the Explorers must have thought it was Christmas en route to capturing their third consecutive AAAA City Title. After taking an early lead on the first of three successive rushing TDs by Tim Wade (12-79), Ryan Winslow lofted a kickoff about 35 yards downfield and Washington’s nearest return man merely watched. The ball bounced, Dad Poquie pounced and Wade made it 14-0 five plays later. Matt Magarity ran for one TD (65 yards) and hit Sean Coleman for another while frosh Jordan Meachum, Wade’s backup, sped for 101 yards and one score on 12 carries. Washington tallied on David Gavrilov’s 58-yard pass to Donald Smith. Hakeem Sillman, the city’s leading rusher, was held to 18 yards on eight carries. 2012 Class 4A At Northeast   La Salle 37, Frankford 20: Soph Jordan Meachum, limited or sidelined all season by a recurring hip injury, turned seven carries into 146 yards and one TD. Also, his long runs set up a field goal and six-pointer. The Explorers’ longest score went to soph Jimmy Herron on a pass from Chris Kane. Dad Poquie and Sean Coleman posted interceptions to help La Salle capture its fourth consecutive CT. In the second half, played with a running clock, Frankford’s Tim DiGiorgio passed for 170 of his 250 yards while enjoying streaks of five and four consecutive completions. Rene Herrera (62-yard reception) bagged the longest TD.

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Recap of Win in State Final Class 4A At Hersheypark Stadium   La Salle 24, State College 7: Again the white stuff agreed with the Explorers, who gave the Catholic League its first state football title in just Year No. 2 of PIAA membership. With heavy snow predicted (for once, the weather folks were correct), the game was moved up from 7 to 2 p.m. Mike Bennett opened the scoring by hitting a 37-yard field goal and that success enabled him to tie 2003 SJ Prep grad Pat Kaiser for the city record, with 26. Jamal Abdur-Rahman, Tim Wade and wideout Sam Feleccia (55 yards; 21-160), who received extended RB duty after Abdur-Rahman suffered a knee injury, ran for one TD apiece. Drew Loughery passed 5-for-11 for 109 yards. Steve Sinnott (seven tackles) forced/recovered a fumble and Vinny Migliarese intercepted a late pass. The artificial surface was kept relatively decent by a snow plow and guys with shovels. Due to safety concerns, La Salle officials canceled five buses (two for the band, three for other students).