Joe Colistra Coach Colistra's All-City Players: FIRST TEAM     Pat Gibson L 1987 Jack Stanczak QB 1988 Marc Borrelli DL 1988 Brian Daly DB 1989 Keith Conlin DL 1990 Dave Gathman L 1991 Kevin Conlin DL 1992 Sean McDermott DB 1992 Sean Hunsicker L 1995 Mike Mattia Rec. 1995 Keith Lachawiec DL 1995 Mike Mattia Rec. 1996 Brett Gordon QB 1996 Ed Boron DB 1996 Paul Weinacht L 1997 Jeff Pietrak WR 1997 Brett Gordon QB 1997 Chris Pennington MP 1998 Ed Bongard ILB 1997 Chik. "Obi" Amachi Rec. 1998 Mike Savage K 1998 Chris Dougherty DL 1999 Brian Donohoe P 2001 Ed Sabia LB 2001 Bruce Pohlot L 2002 Chris Galbally DL 2002 George Hudson LB 2005 SECOND TEAM     Jim Blount DL 1985 Dave DeMara Rec. 1989 Mark Houck DB 1991 Dave Gathman DL 1990 Chris Brady LB 1993 Bill Tatar RB 1992 Ron Puggi DL 1994 Brett Gordon QB 1995 Drew Middlemiss P 1996 Brendan "Bird" Coyle DL 1996 Kevin Noone L 1998 Tim McDonald DL 1998 John Poley DL 1999 Gabe Marabella QB 2000 Ryan Parfitt RB 2000 Nate Moss DL 2000 Ed Sabia LB 2000 Rob Forster P 2003 Jack Forster DB 2005 THIRD TEAM     Doug Atkinson Rec. 1985 Dave Kratz DB 1988 Ryan Marsh L 1989 Max Guevara RB 1991 Tom Craig L 1991 Mike Adamow L 1992 Dan McNichol QB 1994 Brian Curci Rec. 1995 Brett Gordon K 1996 Tim Black L 1999 Ernie Barile DL 1999 Sean Miller MP 2001 Matt McGurkin DB 2002 Mike Lynch QB 2003 John Harrison QB 2005 John McBurnie DL 2005

Joe Colistra Tribute Page   Joe Colistra, an alumnus, coached La Salle High's football team for 21 seasons (1985-2005), winning 153 games and four Catholic League championships. He won his first crown in 1989 with a triumph over Roman Catholic. Here is that story . . . By Ted Silary   Catholic League coaches in all sports are frantically checking their school's enrollment lists today.   Their hope is to find someone, anyone, named Brian Daly. That handle brings championships. In March 1988, Brian Daly scored a game-record 30 points as Monsignor Bonner topped North Catholic, 62-59, for the Catholic League basketball title.   In December 1989 - last Saturday, in fact - another Brian Daly made a game- record three interceptions from his safety position and returned the second-half kickoff for a 72-yard touchdown as La Salle bested Roman Catholic, 13-0, at Villanova for the Catholic League football title, its first since 1960.   "I remember when Bonner won with Brian Daly," said this Brian Daly. "I'm not much of a basketball fan, but that was neat. I kept reading about him in the paper. People kept asking if we were related - we're not. The best part is, our names are spelled the exact same way."   Saturday, Daly spelled d-o-o-m for Roman. Along with Jerry Rock and Jim McGoldrick (one interception apiece), Daly helped limit quarterback Jim McGeehan to six completions in 27 attempts for 84 yards.   McGeehan, because of an ongoing battle with the flu, had not practiced all week.   "Jimmy doesn't want excuses made for him," said Roman coach Ed Brodbine, whose team finished with a 9-4 record. "But his timing was off. He was a sick, sick kid. He was tired even before the game. At the half he was as pale as a ghost. He got us here. We had to go with him. But he probably shouldn't have been out here."   Said McGeehan, whose final career passing totals are 206 completions in 472 attempts for 3,271 yards and 26 TDs: "That flu business, that didn't bother me. I just had a bad game."   Incredibly, the interceptions were the first of the season for Daly, a 5-11, 185-pound senior and a coaches' first team All-Catholic selection.   "Early last week, just joking around," said defensive tackle Keith Conlin, a 6-7, 245-pound junior with great promise, "coach 'Stein' (assistant John Steinmetz) told Brian he was probably the first d-back in La Salle history to make All-Catholic without having an interception. See, the d-backs have a little contest going for interceptions. Then Brian goes out today and gets three."   For the first time all season, Daly said, his position was more free safety than strong safety.   "Usually, I'm paying attention to the run," he said. "But we respected Roman's speed and their passing, so I was back a little deeper and I had free rein on pass coverage. It was the first time I could just go for the ball."   Coach Joe Colistra's Explorers, who finished 10-2, posted five shutouts, allowed just 27 points in their last nine games and yielded an average of 95.7 yards in total offense in three playoff victories, needed all the defense they could muster. Their own offensive yield - 51 yards, two first downs (one on a penalty) - was pitiful.   Linebackers Delano Benton (eight tackles) and Derek Keough (five) and tackle Dan Reining (seven tackles plus a blocked punt) were Roman's defensive leaders.

SEASON BY SEASON Catholic League Northern Division 1985: 1-7 / 2-7 1986: 1-7 / 1-9 1987: 1-7 / 3-7 1988: 8-0 / 10-1 1989: 5-2 / 10-2 1990: 5-2 / 8-4 1991: 6-0-1 / 10-1-1 1992: 5-2 / 7-4 1993: 4-3 / 4-7 1994: 5-2 / 7-4 1995: 7-0 / 11-2 1996: 7-0 / 14-0 1997: 6-1 / 8-3 1998: 6-1 / 12-1 Red Division 1999: 6-1 / 8-5 2000: 5-2 / 8-4 2001: 3-4 / 3-5-1 2002: 6-1 / 8-4 2003: 3-3 / 6-6 2004: 2-4 / 4-8 2005: 4-3 / 9-4 League -- 96-52-1 Overall -- 153-88-2 -- CATHOLIC LEAGUE TITLES 1989: Overall 1995: Overall 1996: Overall 1998: Overall -- 700 RUSHERS Yards Year Ryan Parfitt 1,132 '00 Bill Tatar 940 '92 Doug Ward 864 '86 Max Guevara 853 '91 Chris Pennington 847 '98 Bill Tatar 807 '91 Eric Seiferth 803 '97 Ben Bailey 774 '99 Chris Ashley 728 '05 700 PASSERS Yards Year Brett Gordon 2,647       '97 Brett Gordon 2,136 '95 Brett Gordon 2,054 '96 Mike Lynch 1,918 '03 John Harrison 1,757 '05 Gabe Marabella 1,568 '99 Gabe Marabella 1,261 '00 Mike Lynch 1,151 '04 Dan McNichol 1,124 '94 Jack Stanczak 784 88 Joe F. Winning 715 2 500 RECEIVERS Yards Year Mike Mattia 1,023 '95 Jeff Pietrak 737 '97 Tom Truitt 677 '94 Jeff Pietrak 625 '96 Mike Lorusso 617 '97 Brian Curci 571 '95 Brian Hogan 558 '03 Mike Mattia 523 '96 John Trainer 515 '03 Chikwere Amachi 510 '97

  Said Brodbine of his defenders: "They didn't know they weren't supposed to be that good."
  The only break La Salle would need occurred nine minutes into the game. As McGeehan retreated from the Roman 22,
looking to pass, the ball was knocked loose by linebacker Martin Feeny. It then bounced into the end zone, and end Jim
onvey recovered for a touchdown.
  "I was hoping Jim would miss it. I wanted that one," kidded Conlin, who was right with Convey.
"All game, we just wanted to keep the pressure on. To us, Jim McGeehan was Jack Stanczak (star quarterback for La Salle
in '88). We said that all week. We had two guys being him in practice - Joe McNichol for passing, Geoff Crawford for
unning. I'm not as quick sideline to sideline as I am going straight upfield, so I liked it when they passed. Beating blockers.
Getting upfield. I love that."
  On the second half kickoff, Daly scored his third return touchdown of the season (the others were on punts). When Kevin
Myers's low kick skidded through an Explorer, it appeared that Daly might opt for merely flopping on the ball.
  Brian Daly? You kidding?
  "There was time," Daly said. "The guys weren't close yet. I figured I could pick it up, gain a couple of yards. I didn't think I
was going to gain . . . how long was it? I barely made it between the first two guys, then kept running."

This story was written after Joe steered the Explorers to a 14-0 overall record -- best
in city history -- and the 1996 championship . . .

By Ted Silary
  The football gods can release a collective sigh. The unthinkable hasn't happened.
  With decades of data on their side, the gods mandate that a team must run successfully to win a title. And now, they still
don't have to scramble to alter that mandate.
  Yes, La Salle High did roar to victory in first 13 games this season without receiving a 100-yard performance from any of
its rushers. But then came game No. 14 and the Explorers, somehow, transformed themselves from Team Pass into Team
Stay Close to the Grass, er, Mud.
  On a playing surface at Northeast High made sloppy-to-treacherous by heavy rains overnight, La Salle last night won its
econd consecutive Catholic League title by downing Father Judge, 20-7.
  The hero - Mike Durso.
  His primary duty - running!
  "Had to happen sometime,'' the smiling Durso said with a shrug. ``Have to run to win, right?''
  Durso, a 5-9, 170-pound senior, rushed 22 times for 113 yards and a touchdown as the Explorers extended their winning
streak to 25 games and became the first team in city history to have a 14-win season (they won 11 to finish last season
after an 0-2 start).
  That effort more than complemented a respectable, but hardly spectacular, passing effort turned in by junior quarterback
Brett Gordon (16-for-33, 162 yards, one TD). Durso's previous rushing high this fall had been a 91-yard effort in a
egular-season game against Bishop McDevitt.
  Durso knew his contributions were huge. At game's end, he quickly snatched the championship plaque and pranced
around the track on the home side, showing it off to reporters, cameramen and La Salle's boisterous fans.
  When a teammate reached for the plaque, Durso stepped back and said with a laugh, "You can look, but don't touch.''
  He could have added, "And don't step on my feet!''
  Feet have been a sore subject for Durso since late October, when he tried to score on a goal-line plunge against Archbishop
Wood and wound up getting his toes bent backward.
  Durso did not play at all in the Explorers' final two Catholic North games, carried just once in a quarterfinal, then eased
back to almost full-time duty in a semifinal and the Thanksgiving game against St. Joseph's Prep.
  Last night, he felt chipper.
  "He told me he was taking his first carry 60 yards for a score,'' Gordon said. "I told him, `Great, I hope you do.' ''
  Instead, Durso settled for 18 yards. But the run set an early tone and increased the confidence he felt from having filled
an important role in last year's championship game (14-7 over Archbishop Ryan).
  "This was the first week of practice where I wasn't in a lot of pain,'' Durso said. "I had a good feeling, like it was going to
be a good night.
  "Coach Gordon [Drew, Brett's father and the offensive coordinator] was saying all week, `We have to prove we can run.'
Actually, he said, `We have to run.' We knew we could do it. Using a three-man line and dropping eight guys back, that's
inviting the run. If you don't do it . . . ''
  La Salle's first series yielded Gordon's 23-yard field goal. Late in the first quarter, Judge's Pat Dowling muffed Drew
Middlemiss' punt and Matt Maloney recovered on the 25. Durso collected all 25 yards to get the ball into the end zone, 9
on a reception, and 7 and 9 on runs.
  The teams scored on three consecutive possessions in the third quarter, as Jim Casey's 1-yard run for Judge was
sandwiched by Gordon's 34-yard field goal and his 33-yard pass to Jeff Pietrak.
  Though the Crusaders at times seemed poised to provide stiffer opposition, they kept committing killer penalties. Prime
example: With the help of a roughing-the-kicker call, La Salle in the fourth quarter was able to hold the ball from 8:39
until Gordon took a knee at the Judge 13 with 0:25 left.
  In all, the Explorers rushed 35 times for 144 yards.
  "They were giving us the run,'' Gordon said. ``We ran it well early, which kept them honest, and made it easy to pass.''
  Gordon finished the season 170-for-298 for 2,054 yards and 28 TDs. His varsity career - with one year to go,
remember - has produced 307 completions in 583 attempts for 4,190 yards and 51 TDs.
  "We planned for two scenarios,'' coach Joe Colistra said. ``One, Judge would sit back and play pass defense or two,
come after us. We game-planned for both. The thing was, whatever Judge was doing, we had faith in Brett being able
to come up to the line and know when to check off."
  Said Brett Gordon: "Really, we didn't audible tonight as much as we did in some games. Judge didn't do a lot of
changing up. They stuck with the three-man line. That meant we could go with runs right out of the huddle.''
  Considering that La Salle returned eight defensive starters this season - as well as Gordon, star wideout Mike Mattia
and Durso - one would probably not be off base (pardon the baseball reference) in saying this title does not come as
a surprise.
  The 14-0 record, yes. But not the championship.
  "Oh, I can't say that,'' Colistra said. "You've stood beside our kids. There's not too much to them. I mean, we have
175-pound tackles. I will say one thing: We might be small, but we're quick and courageous.
  "To go through 14 games perfect, it is amazing. Something [North Catholic coach] John Quinn told me early this
season really stuck with me. He said when you play in this league, you can't get over winning and you can't get over
losing because you have to get ready for another game. There's always someone coming after you.''
  That someone is sometimes a reporter.
  How would you, Colistra was asked, compare this championship team with last year's?
  "I'm not going to try,'' he said, smiling.

This story was written after Joe nailed down his third championship in four years . . .

By Ted Silary
  So, how has your last calendar year unfolded?
  Perhaps not as well as Gabe Marabella's.
  In the fall of last year, Marabella was one of three guys sharing time at quarterback on La Salle High's freshman
football team.
  Saturday night, in a relief role, with 7,000 fans bearing witness at balmy Northeast High, he helped guide the
Explorers to a 17-3 win over Archbishop Ryan and the Catholic League title, their third in four seasons and fourth
in 10.
  With La Salle's offense experiencing, as coach Joe Colistra called it, "a constipation problem,'' Marabella came off
the bench late in the first half.
  Ryan's 3-0 lead held until intermission, but Marabella completed his first pass for an 18-yard gain to Matt Chapman,
then Mr. Versatility, Chris Pennington - having moved from QB to running back - motored for 27 yards on the final
lay of the half.
  The good vibrations felt like an earthquake.
  "We talked about it all week - don't be afraid to make the move,'' Colistra said of switching Pennington to running
back. "We couldn't fret. It would be, `Do it. Move on.'
  "We decided to do it then because it gave us a chance to get a feel for what would happen before we went into the
locker room. We looked more fluid. Putting Chris in another position spread out the defense.''
  The 5-11, 150-pound Marabella finished 6-for-9 for 117 yards. He hit Chapman for 17 yards on the first possession
of the second half, which yielded Mike Savage's 39-yard field goal. Next time around, he was dead on target with a
51-yard, up-the-sideline bomb to Mike Cattie and Pennington ran 1 yard for the decisive TD three plays later.
  And not to overlook . . .
  After La Salle's Tim McDonald recovered a fumble on his 23 midway through the fourth quarter, Marabella
converted two gigantic third-down plays - picking up 6 yards on a draw and showing nice touch on an 18-yard pass
to tight end Mike DeCrescio (he displayed great concentration while jumping) - and then watched in glee as
Pennington (17 carries, 135 yards) cruised 47 yards for a clinching TD at 1:45.
  Marabella first saw significant, non-mopup playing time Oct. 17 in a win over Father Judge.
  Thereafter, La Salle's coaches vacillated on whether the offense would fare better with Pennington or Marabella at
QB. During the semifinal win over Cardinal O'Hara, for instance, Marabella was only a spectator.
  "I was thinking that they might not use me tonight,'' Marabella said. "But the coaches had said, `You could go in
at any given time, so be ready.' I watched what was going on, tried to stay ready.
  "I was a little nervous at first. After the first play, I felt great. It helped greatly being out there with Chris.
Whatever you ask him to do, he does it. He's been helping me all year with quarterbacking.''
  Marabella had always played quarterback in youth football, so he was thrown for something of a loop on the
freshman team when he wound up playing QB and running back and wideout.
  "When he came back this fall, Gabe separated himself from the other two quarterbacks from that freshman
team,'' Colistra said. "I'm comfortable with him because of his personality. He doesn't fluster. We tell him to do
this or do that and he just says, `OK.'
  "We put pressure on him. He responded. We scrimmage full-bore every Tuesday or Wednesday. Sometimes
both days. If you want to be physical, you have to practice physical. We do.''
  While Marabella and Pennington were leading the offense, the defense was making sure Ryan would go without
a touchdown in the title game for the second straight year.
  The starters were ends John Poley and McDonald, tackles Chris Kerns and Joe Dillon, nose guard Ernie Barile,
linebackers Chris Dougherty and Kevin Merlini, cornerbacks Sean Kent and Jordan Mulrain and safeties
Kevin Dougherty (Chris's twin) and Paul Colistra (Joe's son). Subs Travis Manion and Ben Bailey helped on the
line while Pennington made several big plays at cornerback.
  On Thanksgiving, the Explorers surrendered 300-plus yards to St. Joseph's Prep, but eked out a 13-9 victory.
  "Just being able to win that game gave us confidence,'' Kerns said. ``Before that, being able to stop [rusher
supreme] Kevin Jones and O'Hara gave us the feeling, `If we can beat them, we can beat anybody. ' We had
to stand our ground tonight. We did it pretty well.''
  TITLE TIDBITS Mike Savage's field goal was his 11th of the season, tying a Catholic League mark set in
1990 by Ryan's Brian Hamill. Savage finished the season with 65 points . . . Joe Colistra is 4-0 in title games
. . . Ryan defenders Jim Hughes and John Brightcliffe both went out with knee injuries.

  Below are the players who earned first or second team Coaches' All-Catholic honors during Joe
Colistra's 21 seasons as the coach at La Salle.
 

FIRST TEAM Pos. Year Jim Blount DL 1985 Pat Gibson C 1986 Pat Gibson C 1987 Jack Stanczak QB 1988 Marc Borrelli DL 1988 Brian Vesey DB 1988 Ryan Marsh L 1989 Dave DeMara Rec. 1989 Brian Daly DB 1989 Max Guevara RB 1990 Keith Conlin DL 1990 Kevin Schmidt LB 1990 John Butler DB 1990 Dave Gathman C 1991 Tom Craig L 1991 Geoff Tragemann L 1991 Dave Gathman DL 1991 Sean McDermott DB 1991 Mike Adamow C 1992 Chad Ormond TE 1992 Bill Tatar RB 1992 Sean McDermott DB 1992 Tom Truitt WR 1994 Ron Puggi DL 1994 Mike Mattia Rec. 1995 Brett Gordon QB 1995 Keith Lachawiec E/OB 1995 John Mallach DB 1995 Paul Weinacht L 1996 Jeff Pietrak WR 1996 Brett Gordon QB 1996 Brendan "Bird" Coyle DL 1996 John Price DL 1996 Todd Carmody E/OB 1996 Jim Noone DB 1996 Paul Weinacht L 1997 Jeff Pietrak WR 1997 Mike Lorusso TE 1997 Brett Gordon QB 1997 Paul D'Orazio DL 1997 Chris Pennington E/OB 1997 Ed Bongard ILB 1997 Hugh Donnelly DB 1997 Kevin Noone L 1998 Chik. "Obi" Amachi WR 1998 Mike Savage K 1998 Tim McDonald E/OB 1998 Tim Black L 1999 Ryan Parfitt RB 1999 John Poley DL 1999 Chris Dougherty DL 1999 Ernie Barile DL 1999 Paul Colistra DB 1999 Kevin Dougherty DB 1999 Greg Schaible C 2000 Gabe Marabella QB 2000 Ed Sabia ILB 2000 Brian Donohoe P 2001 Mike Kelley DL 2001 Chris Galbally E/OB 2001 Ed Sabia ILB 2001 Bruce Pohlot C 2002 Chris Galbally L 2002 Kevin Donohoe DL 2002 Chris Galbally E/OB 2002 Matt McGurkin DB 2002 Rob Forster P 2003 Brian Hogan DB 2003 Christian Barrett DL 2004 Jack Forster DB 2004 Tim Clarke L 2005 Jack Forster DB 2005

SECOND TEAM Pos. Year Brendan McGowan Rec. 1986 Doug Ward RB 1986 Pat Gibson DL 1987 Joe McDonald C 1988 Ryan Marsh L 1988 Matt Rossanese L 1988 Chris Massella QB 1989 Jason Pennington RB 1989 Ken St. Clair DL 1989 Jim Convey DE 1989 Martin Feeney LB 1989 Joe Morrissey L 1990 Dave Gathman L 1990 Chris Hasson TE 1990 Dave Gathman DL 1990 Geoff Crawford QB 1991 Bill Tatar RB 1991 Mark Houck DE 1991 Kevin Conlin DL 1991 Craig Pensabene LB 1991 Greg Lavin L 1992 Kevin Conlin DL 1992 Joe McKenzie DL 1992 Mike Flanigan E/OB 1992 Chris Brady ILB 1992 Chad Ormond ILB 1992 Dave Cevallos L 1993 Ron Puggi DL 1993 Chris Brady ILB 1993 Mike O'Neill L 1994 Rocco Citrino L 1994 Dan McNichol QB 1994 Tim Foster RB 1994 Joe Colistra E/OB 1994 Henry "Hap" Brusca ILB 1994 Jim Koller DB 1994 Dave DiLullo L 1995 Brian Curci Rec. 1995 Brendan "Bird" Coyle DL 1995 Pat Coyle LB 1995 Ed Boron DB 1995 Mike Mattia WR 1996 Jack Hammond TE 1996 Mike Durso RB 1996 Jeff Pietrak K 1996 Jeff Pietrak DB 1996 Drew Middlemiss P 1996 Drew Middlemiss ILB 1996 Ed Boron DB 1996 Tom Cross C 1997 Puri Garzone L 1997 Chris DiLeonardo L 1997 Eric Seiferth RB 1997 Brett Gordon K 1997 Doug Appleby E/OB 1997 Tim Fenningham DB 1997 Chris Pennington QB 1998 Chris Kerns DL 1998 Kevin Merlini ILB 1998 Kevin Dougherty DB 1998 Paul Colistra DB 1998 Bob Felte L 1999 Gabe Marabella QB 1999 Ken Kempf P 1999 Matt Scott L 2000 Ryan Parfitt RB 2000 Ken Kempf P 2000 Nate Moss DL 2000 Emmett McGowan E/OB 2000 Tim Flynn L 2001 Sean Miller RB 2001 Dan Waters DB 2001 Sean Agnew WR 2002 Brian Donohoe RB 2002 Brian Hogan DB 2002 Andrew Rocks C 2003 D.J. Cunningham L 2003 Mike Lynch QB 2003 Kevin Donohoe DL 2003 Frank Jorfi E/OB 2003 Miles Miller ILB 2003 John Clifford L 2004 Mike Lynch QB 2004 George Hudson ILB 2004 Drew Wilkins TE 2005 Matt Ihlein WR 2005 John Harrison QB 2005 Ryan Cain K 2005 Jack Forster P 2005 John McBurnie DL 2005 George Hudson ILB 2005 Sean Saverio DB 2005

--

Recaps of Wins in Catholic League Championship Games 1989 At Villanova Stadium La Salle 13, Roman 0     Brian Daly made three interceptions -- he'd had none all season despite earning All-Catholic honors -- and returned the second-half kickoff 72 yards for a TD as La Salle took its first title since 1960. The Explorers, who generated just 51 yards total offense and two first downs, scored their other TD on Jim Convey's end-zone recovery of a fumble forced by Martin Feeny. For Roman, Delano Benton made eight tackles while flu-hampered QB Jim McGeehan was held to 84 yards on 6-for-27 passing. 1995 At Northeast La Salle 14, Ryan 7     Wearing heavy padding to protect a break at the base of his left thumb, Mike Durso collected 43 yards and a TD on 10 carries. Kyle Mallach added 50 yards and a score on eight carries. By going 9-for-18 for 109 yards, soph QB Brett Gordon finished the season with 2,136 yards and 23 TDs, one short of the city-leagues record. Keith Lachawiec made four sacks and two other tackles for losses. For Ryan, Chris Cavallaro produced 78 yards and a TD on 18 rushes. 1996 At Northeast La Salle 20, Judge 7     Mike Durso rushed 22 times for 113 yards and a TD, becoming the first Explorer all season to reach 100 yards, and Brett Gordon passed 16-for-33 for 162 yards and a TD to Jeff Pietrak. Gordon also kicked field goals of 23 and 34 yards. La Salle finished the season as the first 14-0 team in city-leagues history and extended its winning streak to 25 games. Gordon's two-year varsity passing totals stood at 4,190 yards and 51 TDs. Jim Casey ran for Judge's TD. 1998 At Northeast La Salle 17, Ryan 3     After playing most of the first half at quarterback, Chris Pennington moved to running back and finished with 17 carries for 135 yards and two TDs. His clincher, a 47-yarder, came with 1:45 left. Pennington's replacement, soph Gabe Marabella, passed 6-for-9 for 117 yards. Mike Savage kicked a 39-yard field goal, raising his FG total for the playoffs to four -- all from 39 to 42 yards. Chris Dougherty led the defense with 10 tackles. For Ryan, Joe O'Connell rushed 17 times for 60 yards, Nick Colacicco kicked a 38-yard field goal and Glen Galeone Jr., son of Ryan's coach, made two receptions for 93 yards.

--
  From Game No. 3 of the 1995 season through Game No. 7 of the 1997 season,
La Salle established a city record by winning 32 consecutive wins. Quarterback
Brett Gordon powered that dominance with impressive passing. Here are the
results along with passing yardage totals for Gordon (BGY) and the top receivers
in each game.
 

	1995  (11)	La S	Opp	BGY	Top Receiver	Yards
*	Conwell-Egan	25	13	152	Mike Durso	62
*	Ryan	29	19	173	Mike Mattia	61
*	McDevitt	17	14	178	Mike Mattia	120
*	Judge	14	0	171	Mike Mattia	62
*	Wood	21	0	155	Mike Mattia	82
*	Dougherty	21	12	167	Mike Durso	56
*	North Catholic	13	0	129	Mike Mattia	71
P	Judge	21	0	121	Mike Mattia	114
P	Bonner	23	13	218	Mike Mattia	118
TG	SJ Prep	35	9	149	Mike Mattia	82
P	Ryan	14	7	109	Mike Mattia	42
		233	87	1722
	1996 (14)	La S	Opp	#BGY	Top Receiver	Yards
NL	West Catholic	27	0	92	Mike Mattia	27
NL	Valley Forge	41	0	143	Jeff Pietrak	56
NL	Kennedy-Kenrick	21	18	249	Jeff Pietrak	124
*	Dougherty	42	10	194	Mike Mattia	41
*	Judge	24	3	160	Mike Mattia	62
*	North Catholic	10	0	62	Jeff Pietrak	29
*	McDevitt	14	6	DNP	Jeff Pietrak	45
*	Wood	14	0	140	Mike Durso	41
*	Ryan	24	0	102	Jeff Pietrak	59
*	Conwell-Egan	41	0	138	Mike Mattia	58
P	North Catholic	40	0	177	Tim McNichol	82
P	O'Hara	41	10	195	Mike Mattia	123
TG	SJ Prep	17	14	240	Mike Durso	69
P	Judge	20	7	162	Jeff Pietrak	72
		376	68	2054
	1997 (7)	La S	Opp	BGY	Top Receiver	Yards
NL	Valley Forge	31	0	251	Jeff Pietrak	97
NL	Kennedy-Kenrick	59	0	222	Jeff Pietrak	111
*	Dougherty	61	13	229	Mike Lorusso	129
*	Judge	31	7	211	Mike Lorusso	105
*	North Catholic	34	0	187	Mike Lorusso	78
*	McDevitt	45	17	292	Obi Amachi	86
*	Wood	28	0	225	Jeff Pietrak	86
		289	37	1617
		898	192
		28.1	6.0