La Salle College High School Football: Chronicle Game 1, September 3, 1999: La Salle 14 Plymouth-Whitemarsh 0

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1 Game 1, September 3, 1999: La Salle 14 Plymouth-Whitemarsh 0 by Jay Nagle, Inquirer La Salle's Defense Squelches P-W; The Explorers Opened The Season With A 14-0 Win. The Colonials Got Only Two First Downs In The First Half. La Salle High's dominating defense, a key ingredient in the Explorers' drive to the 1998 Catholic League championship, appears to have picked up where it left off. The Explorers, capitalizing on a distinct advantage in team speed, limited host Plymouth-Whitemarsh to 154 yards of total offense and registered a 14-0 nonleague victory in the season opener for both teams last night in Plymouth Meeting. "They have seven starters back from last year, and that defense, I think, was one of the best defenses in Catholic League history," Plymouth-Whitemarsh head coach Joe Iacovitti said. "They don't have great speed. But they run to the ball real well. They have great pursuit and great desire. They should be tough again this year." Plymouth-Whitemarsh generated only 92 yards rushing on 34 attempts (2.7-yard average) and managed only 62 yards passing. The Colonials finished the evening with seven first downs, including only two in the first half, when the Explorers' defense was at its swarming best. "La Salle's defense has always been 11 helmets on the ball," said linebacker Chris Dougherty, who led the Explorers with eight tackles. "This is a stepping stone. We still have a lot of things we can improve on. But you can see it's there. Tonight it was definitely there." Plymouth-Whitemarsh went three plays and out on each of its first four possessions. La Salle, by that time, had taken a 7-0 lead on a 24-yard run by junior quarterback Gabe Marabella with 3 minutes, 2 seconds remaining in the first quarter. Marabella's run capped a seven-play, 64-yard drive. Brian Gallagher added the first of two PATs. Senior fullback Ben Bailey scored La Salle's other touchdown, plowing in from 6 yards out with 8:49 to play in the second quarter. Plymouth-Whitemarsh's best scoring opportunity came late in the third quarter when it drove from its own 42 to the La Salle 18 in 10 plays. But the Colonials misfired on a fourth-down pass that would have kept the drive alive. Bailey led the Explorers with 39 yards on 13 carries. Marabella completed 8 of 14 passes for 108 yards. Bob Travaglini led Plymouth-Whitemarsh offensively with 59 yards on 11 carries. Inquirer Preview September 9, 1999 LA SALLE Coach - Joe Colistra, 15th year; Education - La Salle, Villanova; Career Last year - 6-1, second N; Great eight - Paul Colistra, DB, 5-11, 175; Kevin Dougherty, DB, 5-10, 160; Chris Dougherty, LB, 6-1, 210; John Poley, LB, 6-4, 200; Ben Bailey, RB-DT, 6-foot, 235; Jordan Mulrain, RB-DB, 5-9, 160; Tim Black, G, 5-11, 225; Gabe Marabella, QB, 6-foot, 170. Happy about - return of 12 starters, senior leadership. Concerned about - lack of size on defense. Colistra's comment - "We're good. That's hard for me to say. But we're good." 1

2 Game 2, September 11, 1999: Bishop McDevitt 13 La Salle 10 by Chris Goldberg, Inquirer Hughes' Boot Wins Thriller For McDevitt It may not have been sound advice, but it worked for Sean Hughes. The Bishop McDevitt kicker was lining up to try a 32-yard field goal with five seconds remaining in the game and his Lancers deadlocked, 10-10, with La Salle on Saturday night at Plymouth-Whitemarsh. What did his teammates tell him? One of the guys said, `You should miss it so we can play overtime,' '' Hughes said. I guess he said it to calm me down.'' Clearly, Hughes didn't listen. He drilled the kick through the uprights with 2 seconds left on the clock, lifting McDevitt to a stunning victory over the Explorers in its season opener. The winning boot capped a thrilling game between two teams expected to challenge for divisional titles in the realigned Catholic League, now based on enrollment rather than geographical boundaries. La Salle (1-1), the defending league champion, is in the big-school Red Division while the Lancers (1-0) are competing in the small-school Blue Division. McDevitt, though, proved that emotion can outweigh school size in this battle of longtime rivals. The Lancers rebounded from a 10-3 halftime deficit with two key interceptions and a clutch goal-line stand. The biggest defensive play occurred with 44 seconds left, when McDevitt's Pat Tuffy intercepted Gabe Marabella on La Salle's 18-yard line and returned it 9 yards. Marabella's ill-advised pass came as he was being tackled by senior linebacker Tom Vesey. Only three plays earlier, the Explorers had been given a reprieve when a 28-yard touchdown pass from McDevitt's Mike Hagerty to Ralph Walters was called back on a penalty for an ineligible receiver. After Tuffy's interception, the Lancers ran the ball twice and then sent in Hughes, who had already kicked a 31-yard field goal and a game-tying 30-yard extra point (which came after two 5-yard penalties). That extra point helped,'' Hughes said. It was the longest extra point in my life. When I was getting ready to kick the last one, I knew it was all mental.'' For a while, it appeared that Marabella would be the hero. The 6-foot junior threw for 208 yards, completing 14 of 25 attempts, including a 14-yard TD pass to Mike DeCrescio in the second quarter. However, with the Explorers holding a 10-3 lead and in possession at McDevitt's 23-yard line late in the third period, Matt Moyer picked off a Marabella pass in the left flank and returned it 37 yards. Six plays later, Walters scored on a 5-yard run and Hughes tied the game with his long extra point. McDevitt also made a key defensive stand earlier in the second half. La Salle had taken the opening kickoff and driven down the field, but Marabella was stuffed for no gain on fourth and goal from the Lancers' 1-yard line. It was all heart,'' Vesey said. We all came together when we needed it.'' With linemen Tim Conaway, Steve Malin and Dan Morris spearheading the defense, McDevitt held La Salle to 57 yards rushing. The Explorers managed only two first downs after the long drive to open the second half. My hat's off to [McDevitt coach] Pat Manzi,'' La Salle coach Joe Colistra said. Their stand on the goal line was huge, and perhaps we should have kicked a field goal there. But they made the key plays in the key situations, and that's what it's all about. They played tough when they had to, and we didn't. They played smart when they had to, and we didn't. I hope we learned something from this.'' 2

3 Tom Calahan accounted for La Salle's other points, hitting a 28-yard field goal with 39 seconds left in the first half. For McDevitt, Hagerty was 6 of 12 for 102 yards. Robert Clift hauled in four receptions for 94 yards, including a 33-yarder that set up Hughes' first field goal. We always tell our kids that a lot goes wrong in football games,'' Manzi said, but you can't dwell on it. The team that does usually loses. Tonight, we kept believing in ourselves even when things went wrong, and I couldn't be prouder. To open our season against a team as good as La Salle and come out on top is a great start.'' by Jay Nagle, Inquirer Game 3, September 18, 1999: Downingtown 36 La Salle 6 Bigger, Stronger Downingtown Pounds La Salle In 36-6 Victory Downingtown, which took down one Catholic League power last weekend, made it two in a row yesterday. Quarterback Brad Helm ran for two touchdowns and threw for another, and fullback Tron Morrison carried 22 times for 157 yards and a touchdown as the visiting Whippets rumbled to a 36-6 win over La Salle at Springfield High School in Montgomery County. The victory, which came on the heels of a 21-3 triumph over Archbishop Ryan a week ago, may have been costly for the Whippets, who lost standout tailback Mike Recchiuti to an injury to his right knee with 5 minutes, 24 seconds remaining in the first quarter. Recchiuti, who was on crutches by halftime, said he felt something pop as he tried to cut on his seventh carry. He is scheduled for an MRI today. Downingtown, which capitalized on a noticeable size and strength advantage at the line of scrimmage, finished with 370 yards in total offense to the Explorers' 228. The Whippets (3-0) set the tone on the game's first possession, marching 75 yards on 14 plays. The drive, which culminated in a 6-yard touchdown pass from Helm to Dave Humphries, took 8:06. "[Recchiuti] is a key player," Helm said. "But we have other guys who really stepped it up." Downingtown drove 73 yards in 11 plays on its next possession to take a 14-0 lead on a 2-yard run by Morrison, then extended its advantage to 17-0 on a 27-yard field goal by Nate Getchell on the final play of the first half. Helm scored on runs of 48 and 7 yards in the second half. Chris Cline added the Whippets' final tally on a 5-yard run. La Salle (1-2), which has lost two in a row for the first time since September 1995, avoided the shutout on a 44-yard run by fullback Ben Bailey in the fourth quarter. "That first drive indicated to me something that we thought all along," La Salle coach Joe Colistra said. "In a way, this game was sort of won in the weight room. They were stronger than we were in a lot of ways." September 20, 1999 by Frank Bertucci, Inquirer La Salle Out To Regroup After Two Early Losses As League Play Begins La Salle begins its Catholic league season this week in an unusual situation. It is starting league play with a losing record for the first time in several years. 3

4 After Saturday's 36-6 loss to Downingtown, the Explorers will be 1-2 when they line up to face Father Judge on Saturday afternoon at Springfield High School. We've played some really good teams,'' coach Joe Colistra said after Saturday's game. P-W, Bishop McDevitt and Downingtown are really good football teams. They have to be among the best. We're certainly not going to get a break when we play Judge or the Prep [St. Joseph's, on Oct. 1].'' The Explorers' rushing offense was limited to 80 yards by the Whippets, with 44 of those yards coming on a touchdown run by Ben Bailey, who finished with 57 yards rushing on three carries. Our seniors have been here before,'' said junior quarterback Gabe Marabella, who completed 11 of 20 passes for 148 yards. We know we have to work hard in practice this week so we can come out strong against Judge.'' Marabella, who started several games at the end of last season and split time with since-graduated Chris Pennington, had one touchdown pass nullified due to offsetting penalties. The game with Judge will be La Salle's first in the new Red Division of the Catholic League, made up of the eight schools with the largest enrollments in the league. by Joe Fite, Inquirer Game 4, September 25, 1999: La Salle 35 Father Judge 31 Marabella Keeps La Salle From Suffering A Crushing Defeat For the third straight week, La Salle was looking directly down the barrel of disappointment. The Explorers lost to Bishop McDevitt, 13-0, two weeks ago and fell hard to Downingtown, 36-6, last week. Then, on Saturday, against Father Judge at Springfield High in the first-ever Catholic League Red Division game, they squandered a 28-6 lead, falling behind by on a 92-yard bomb from Dave Kuptsow to Ricky Lannetti. Things would be different this time, though. Gabe Marabella completed four consecutive passes, the last going over the head of Judge's Dan Casey to Ryan Profitt on the left sideline for a 31-yard touchdown with 1 minute, 19 seconds remaining. La Salle (2-2 overall, 1-0 division) then held on for a victory. To be real honest with you, I know about the character of the team,'' Explorers coach Joe Colistra said. A play like that just happens. I don't know if it happens because of character or not, but it happens from practice. I'm sure glad I have Gabe Marabella on my side.'' Marabella, a junior, showed extraordinary poise throughout the game and completed 17 of 22 passes for 216 yards and three touchdowns. Mike DeCrescio caught seven of the passes for 77 yards and two touchdowns. Have you seen a better high school football game than this one?'' Colistra asked. Not many. by Jay Nagle, Inquirer Game 5, October 1, 1999: St. Joseph s Prep 6 La Salle 3 Field Goal Lifts Prep Past La Salle The kicking game, a St. Joseph's Prep weakness at the start of the 1999 football season, suddenly seems to be a strength. 4

5 Freshman Pat Kaiser booted a pair of field goals, including the game-winner with 7 minutes, 10 seconds to play, as the resurgent Hawklets outlasted La Salle, 6-3, in a Catholic League Red Division game last night at Plymouth-Whitemarsh High. Kaiser, summoned from the freshman team before last week's Catholic League opener against Monsignor Bonner, drilled a 19-yarder on the third play of the second quarter before converting the clincher, which came from 28 yards out. The Prep had struggled mightily with its kicking in each of its first three outings, misfiring on both its point-after and field-goal attempts. But when coach Gil Brooks spotted Kaiser booming the ball during a Saturday practice session two weeks ago, he said, "Son, you are now the varsity kicker." "In this division, you need to win these kinds of games, because there are going to be a lot of them," Brooks said. The Prep (2-2 overall, 2-0 division), which has won two in a row since dropping its first two, received big contributions in several key areas. Tailback Milton Johnson, running behind a solid offensive line, carried 26 times for 106 yards. Quarterback Kevin Stefanski set up Kaiser's winning kick with a 43-yard completion to tight end George Hess. And the Prep defense held Explorers quarterback Gabe Marabella in check, harassing him into an 8-for- 23, two-interception night. Tom Calahan gave La Salle (2-3, 1-1) its only points with a third-quarter field goal. Ben Bailey led the Explorers on the ground with 90 yards on 11 carries. "The first two games this year, we didn't know how good we were," Stefanski said. "The last two games, we're starting to find out." by Ted Silary, Daily News Kaiser Role Proves Valuable As Freshman Kicks Prep To Win Patrick Kaiser is not listed on St. Joseph's Prep's football roster, but today he ranks as the toast of the team. Kaiser, a 5-8, 170-pound freshman, doesn't run, catch, throw or tackle on the varsity, at least for now. However, he possesses an accurate right instep along with what must be nerves of steel, even though he doesn't think so. After badly flubbing his only PAT attempt last Sunday in the Hawklets' Catholic Red win over Monsignor Bonner, Kaiser last night went 2-for-2 on field goal tries before a large, noisy crowd at Plymouth- Whitemarsh to provide a 6-3 win over archrival La Salle. How does one figure? "I wasn't too good last week," Kaiser said. "I didn't know what to expect because it was my first varsity game. This week, I was even more nervous because I knew how big a game La Salle is for us... But when the time came, I did it. I didn't think about it as much. I just did it." Kaiser's first field goal, a 19-yarder, provided the Hawklets a 3-0 lead in the third quarter. His second, a 28-yarder (from the right hash mark, no less), made it 6-3 with 7 minutes, 10 seconds remaining. The boot came on the 10th play of a drive that began at The Prep's 20 after La Salle's Tom Calahan (successful from 32; darn close from what would have been a city-leagues record 52) was barely left with 5

6 a 37-yarder. The two big plays on the drive were John Paul Mantey's 18-yard run and Kevin Stefanski's 43-yard completion to George Hess. The Explorers advanced to the Prep 20 on their final possession before a pass by Gabe Marabella (8-for- 22, 138 yards) was deflected by Tim Giangiulio and intercepted by Howard Riley. After the Hawklets, who received 104 rushing yards from Milton Johnson, ran out the clock, their fans stormed the field. "I was really nervous for the first kick," Kaiser said. "I hadn't even made a PAT yet, and this was an important field goal. I thought I was going to miss it. When it went through, it took a load off my shoulders. I felt really good. It put my confidence real high. "The second one was a tough angle. But as soon as I hit it, I knew. It was one of those things. "It's a great feeling just to be on the varsity. I feel really honored." The Kaiser folks are old hands at surprise heroics. Mike Kaiser, first cousin of Patrick's father, Joe, was prominent among the stars in 1968 when North Catholic's junior varsity, subbing for the suspended varsity, stunned Bishop McDevitt in a Catholic League quarterfinal. A soccer star when he was younger, Patrick switched to football last season. He's a tailback and linebacker for the freshman team. "I'd played soccer for so long," he said. "Football looked like such a fun, different sport. I knew I'd do it in high school." Also, last spring, Kaiser, a Far Northeast resident, won the 100 (11.93 seconds) and 200 (24.93) and took second in the long jump ( /4) in the Philadelphia area CYO track championships. Prep coach Gil Brooks said he tried two football players at kicker during training camp, "but neither one could kick worth a lick." He next tried a soccer player, "but the kid didn't have enough leg strength." He said he noticed Kaiser's abilities one day when the varsity and freshmen were practicing on adjacent fields at Belmont Plateau. "I said, 'Who's that kid? Get him over here!'" Brooks said, laughing. "Then I told him, 'Son, you're now the varsity kicker.' " Game 6, October 8, 1999: La Salle 28 North Catholic 14 Ben Bailey rushed 22 times for 68 yards and the game's first two TDs as the Explorers defeated North Catholic. Gabe Marabella added a rushing score and 84 passing yards. Game 7, October 15, 1999: La Salle 17 Archbishop Ryan 7 (post-regular season notes about this game) We're a much different team than we were when we played them last,'' Explorers coach Joe Colistra said. We had had injuries - Kyle Callahan; Paul Colistra was hurt and that was his first game back. Our punter [Ken Kempf] didn't play at all that night. He hurt himself in the week of practice. So we were kind of shaky going in there. We had six sophomores playing on defense, as a matter of fact, because of injuries and things. So we played well, and I think that maybe was a turning point - that we had a couple of kids we could rely on and we found some new people as sophomores who at least now can back up others. So we're healthy now and we're pretty deep.'' 6

7 by Jay Nagle, Inquirer La Salle College High School Football: Chronicle 1999 Game 8, October 24, 1999: La Salle 21 Roman Catholic 6 La Salle Tackles Roman, 21-6 Junior Ryan Parfitt carried 12 times for 112 yards and a touchdown, and a repackaged La Salle defense limited Roman Catholic to 186 yards in total offense as the Explorers notched a 21-6 Catholic League Red Division victory yesterday at Springfield (Montgomery County) High School. Everywhere Parfitt, a 5-foot-8, 165-pound junior, looked, he saw signs of La Salle (5-3 overall, 4-1 division) playing like the team he thought it could be. And the reason, he said, is "because we're playing like a team." Quarterback Gabe Marabella completed 10 of 13 passes to six different receivers in throwing for 109 yards. La Salle's defense, revamped last month following a discouraging defeat to Downingtown, continued to rebound. Defensive backs Kevin Dougherty and Jordan Mulrain both picked off passes, and the Explorers sacked Cahillites quarterback Tim Schmidt (5 for 13, 72 yards) three times during the second half. La Salle's special teams also contributed, recovering a second-quarter kickoff that Roman left uncovered. "We lost two games, tough games, early in the year," said Explorers defensive lineman Chris Dougherty, who recorded eight tackles. "But they helped us build character. We're starting to show that character now." Roman (6-2, 4-1) took a 6-0 lead on its first possession as running back Joe McCourt scored from 1 yard out. But the Explorers responded with TDs the first three times they touched the ball. Chris Dougherty reached the end zone from 2 yards out with 43 seconds left in the first quarter, Parfitt scooted 63 yards on the Explorers' next possession, and Ben Bailey capped the scoring with a 1-yard, second-quarter run. Tom Calahan added all three point-after kicks. "After we scored that first touchdown, it seemed like everything went downhill," McCourt said. "We kind of got down on ourselves. "But we're still a good team. We came back after we lost to Strath Haven to win six in a row. And we can do it again." Game 9, October 31, 1999: La Salle 34 Monsignor Bonner 0 Ben Bailey rushed 11 times for 96 yards and two TDs to lead the Explorers in the Red Division. Game 10, November 7, 1999: La Salle 26 Cardinal O Hara 13 by Jay Nagle, Inquirer La Salle Heads To Playoffs On A 5-win Roll La Salle, which will take the honor of defending champion into the Catholic League football playoffs, will carry another item nearly as valuable: momentum. Ryan Parfitt carried 17 times for 125 yards and a highlight-film touchdown yesterday as the Explorers struck early in a Red Division victory over visiting Cardinal O'Hara at Springfield (Montco) High. 7

8 The victory, La Salle's fifth straight after it started the season 2-3, clinched not only the division's top seed, but also a first-round playoff bye. A loss would have dropped the Explorers (7-3 overall, 6-1 division) into fourth place. Instead, it was O'Hara relegated to the fourth spot. The Lions (6-4, 4-3) will face fifth-place Archbishop Ryan in a first-round matchup this weekend.the two teams will meet Saturday night at 7:30 at Plymouth- Whitemarsh. "I like where we are, but more importantly, I like the fact that this team has gotten better every week," La Salle coach Joe Colistra said. "That's something you always look for, especially at this stage of the season." "Right now, it seems like we're starting to peak as a team," Explorers defensive back Jordan Mulrain said. "Everything's coming together. We're going full steam ahead into the playoffs." La Salle grabbed a 6-0 lead on its first possession when Parfitt swept right, found his path cut off, reversed field, and raced around left end from 12 yards. Mulrain made it 12-0 after he scooped up the ensuing kickoff that bounced between a pair of Lions return men. Mulrain barely broke stride in racing 23 yards for the score. The Explorers made it 19-0 on a 1-yard run by Ben Bailey with 6 minutes, 3 seconds remaining in the second quarter. O'Hara scored on a 19-yard run by tailback Kevin Jones (18 carries, 132 yards) on its first possession of the second half to pull to within 19-7, but it got no closer. La Salle closed its scoring on a 2-yard run by quarterback Gabe Marabella in the fourth quarter. O'Hara's final points came on a 14-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Mike Lomas to wide receiver Greg Geraghty in the final 12 seconds. Now, it's on to the playoffs for both teams. One has a wave of momentum; the other will try to build some. "Given the circumstances that [La Salle was] our only defeat last year, and we were getting a chance for some revenge, we stunk," O'Hara coach George Stratts said. "We didn't play very well at all. I don't know why." November 19, 1999, by Joe Fite, Inquirer Healthy Now, La Salle Out To Beat Ryan Again When La Salle and Archbishop Ryan met during the regular season, the Explorers were saddled with injuries but still beat the Raiders, La Salle is healthy now and will go at Ryan full strength when the teams meet in a Catholic League Red Division football semifinal at 7 tonight at Northeast High. We're a much different team than we were when we played them last,'' Explorers coach Joe Colistra said. We had had injuries - Kyle Callahan; Paul Colistra was hurt and that was his first game back. Our punter [Ken Kempf] didn't play at all that night. He hurt himself in the week of practice. So we were kind of shaky going in there. We had six sophomores playing on defense, as a matter of fact, because of injuries and things. So we played well, and I think that maybe was a turning point - that we had a couple of kids we could rely on and we found some new people as sophomores who at least now can back up others. So we're healthy now and we're pretty deep.'' 8

9 First-place La Salle (7-3 overall, 6-1 division) will be prepared for a tough game against the fifth-place Raiders (4-6, 3-4). The Catholic League playoffs can be a minefield. Archbishop Wood found that out when it was upset by Cardinal Dougherty, 26-21, in the Blue Division playoffs last Friday night. It is always difficult to beat the same team twice in the Catholic League. The Explorers have history on their side, though. Ryan defeated La Salle during the regular season last year, 14-7, but the Explorers won the one that counted, beating the Raiders in the league championship game, Over the last 10 seasons, they have split four playoff meetings, with La Salle winning the last two, as well as the 1995 title game. The league was split into larger (Red Division) and smaller (Blue Division) schools before this season started. The Explorers don't have to look further than their senior offensive line of center Jason Ager, guards Tim Black and Bob Felte, and tackles Craig Dougherty and Callahan as a key reason they have won their last five games to recover from a 1-2 start. Our offensive line has really come on so that we can do a couple of different things,'' Colistra said. And we run and throw the ball very well because of them. [Black and Felte] are just outstanding. And early in the season, Kyle Callahan, the right tackle who started last year, hurt himself, and it's taken him a while to come back, but the last two games we've had him back. So it's really made a difference for us having him there. They're all seniors and they've come a long way.'' That line has made it possible for Gabe Marabella to complete 98 of 173 passes for 1,307 yards and five touchdowns. The linemen also have opened up some huge holes for running backs Ben Bailey and Ryan Parfitt to run through. The defense has come a long way, too. It will have the task of stopping Neal Regan, who has rushed for 848 yards on 131 carries. Regan rushed for 104 yards and Anthony Graziani added 124 yards in Ryan's 21-7 quarterfinal win over Cardinal O'Hara on Saturday. La Salle had a bye. We have been playing well,'' Colistra said of his defense. We moved Chris Dougherty from linebacker to defensive tackle, and that really makes us a legitimate defense. With him and John Poley at the tackles, we're for real.'' Colistra expects the Raiders to run the ball, then run it some more. He is looking for his defense to take the ball away and for his offense to control the clock. I think we're at the top of our game,'' the coach said. We've improved every game we've been in recently, and I think we're at the top of our game right now.'' Game 11, November 19, 1999: La Salle 16 Archbishop Ryan 0 (PCL Semi) by Rick O Brien, Inquirer Dougherty Twins Help Lift La Salle To Shutout Of Ryan Fraternal twins Chris and Kevin Dougherty have shared many special moments while growing up. That list of experiences grew considerably Friday night. With the Doughertys helping limit Archbishop Ryan to 99 yards of total offense, La Salle High eased to a 16-0 win in a Catholic League Red Division semifinal at Northeast High in Philadelphia. Afterward, La Salle head coach Joe Colistra approached the brothers, first Chris and then Kevin, and told them that each had been named all-catholic League by the Red Division coaches. The seniors, both smiling ear to ear, then exchanged high fives. 9

10 Chris Dougherty is a 6-foot-1, 195-pound defensive tackle and running back for the Explorers. He registered three tackles, including two solo stops, in the shutout of Ryan. Offensively, he carried six times for 26 yards. It's a great thing,'' Chris Dougherty said of being named all-catholic, but it doesn't mean a thing if we don't win the league championship.'' Kevin Dougherty is a 5-10, 165-pound safety and kick returner. In Friday night's win, he notched three solo tackles, had a fourth-quarter interception, and scored the first varsity touchdown of his career. Kevin Dougherty's score came with 7 minutes, 58 seconds remaining in the game. Senior linebacker Ed Sabia (five solo tackles) picked off a pass at the Ryan 38-yard line. Three yards shy of paydirt, Sabia lost possession and his chance for a TD. Dougherty scooped up the loose ball and dived into the end zone. Actually, I was just trying to get down there and help out by blocking,'' Dougherty said. I saw the ball bounce out, a big smile appeared on my face, I picked up the ball, and just jumped into the end zone before I got tackled.'' The win gave La Salle (8-3) a berth in the Red Division championship game against Roman Catholic (9-2). The contest, a rematch of the 1989 Catholic League title game won by the Explorers, is scheduled for Dec. 4 at Northeast High. La Salle topped Roman, 21-7, on Oct. 24. Before going to La Salle, Chris and Kevin Dougherty played football together for four years at St. Genevieve in Erdenheim. The brothers were coached by Dan Dougherty, no relation but a close family friend. Chris Dougherty, who also plays baseball for the Explorers, said he and Kevin have completely different personalities. I'm more laid-back and he's much more aggressive. Or at least that's what people tell us.'' Against Ryan, which La Salle defeated to claim last year's Catholic League championship, the Explorers' defense held bruising fullback Neal Regan to 24 yards on seven carries and tailback Anthony Graziani to 37 yards on nine attempts. Raiders quarterback Nick Pinto completed only 4 of 18 passes for 31 yards and was intercepted three times. La Salle's defense has always been well-respected,'' Chris Dougherty said. We played really well last year and we were determined to carry it over to this season. We had some tough games earlier in the season, but we've gotten a lot stronger since then.'' Kevin Dougherty also swims and plays lacrosse at La Salle. He has applied to four colleges: Catholic University, Lycoming, Mount St. Mary's and Rhode Island. He thanked La Salle's coach for making his three years playing varsity football enjoyable ones. If you don't do it his way, Mr. Colistra can get pretty mad,'' Kevin Dougherty said. But he's a great coach. He's the reason we've put it all together this year. Everybody loves him.'' La Salle senior fullback Ben Bailey carried the ball 22 times for 127 yards and a touchdown, a 1-yarder in the second quarter. Chris Dougherty - who is considering Penn, Georgetown, and Franklin and Marshall - also batted away two first-quarter passes. Game 12, November 25, 1999: St. Joseph s Prep 21 La Salle 20 (Thanks) by Jay Nagle, Inquirer St. Joseph's Prep Gets A Victory To Remember St. Joseph's Prep won't have a first-place jacket nor a first-place ring to show for a 7-5 season that concluded yesterday against La Salle. 10

11 But it always will have the special memory of a championship-caliber effort against a championship caliber-team. Quarterback Mike McGann tossed three touchdown passes, all to wide receiver Matt Ries, and the Hawklets forced the Explorers into five turnovers, as they nipped La Salle, 21-20, at McCarthy Stadium. The victory, which came before an estimated crowd of 5,000, capped an emotional week for St. Joseph's, which was eliminated from the Catholic League's Red Division title chase Saturday night in a 10-7 loss to Roman Catholic. The Hawklets, who lost starting quarterback Kevin Stefanski that night with torn ligaments in his left ankle, also lost their best wide receiver, senior Eddie Turner, yesterday. Turner never returned to action after taking a jarring hit on a first-quarter punt return. In their places stepped McGann, a towering 6-foot-4 junior, and Ries, a 5-10 senior. The pair teamed up for scoring passes of 46, 29 and 2 yards in the first half, providing an early adrenaline boost for a team coach Gil Brooks said was "devastated" by the Roman setback. "Today was my day to give thanks for the chance to coach these guys," Brooks said. "One thing that has characterized this team all year is their resiliency. "We didn't have two key players today. But the guys we did have played their hearts out. They gave everything they had. As a coach, you can't ask for more than that." La Salle (8-4), which trailed, 21-7 at halftime, closed to within with 23 seconds left in the third quarter on a 14-yard touchdown pass from Gabe Marabella to Paul Colistra. But on a wet and slippery field, Tom Calahan's feet went out from under him on the point-after attempt, which never reached the crossbar. La Salle (8-4), which will face Roman for the divisional championship Dec. 4, moved to the Prep 35 midway through the fourth quarter before a sack took it out of possible field-goal range. The Explorers' final possession ended in a fumble on the St. Joseph's 39 with 18 seconds to go. Linebacker John Paul Mantey keyed a big-play Hawklets' defense, taking part in 11 tackles. He also intercepted a pass. "We needed to play our best, because we knew the Prep [would]," La Salle coach Joe Colistra said. "We didn't do that." La Salle holds an 18-6 advantage in the Thanksgiving Day series. The Prep won both head-to-head meetings this season. Game 13, Dec 4, 1999: Roman Catholic 21 La Salle 7 (PCL Champ) by Chris Goldberg, Inquirer Roman Wins Catholic Red Title Roman Catholic was not the popular choice to win the large-school championship this year when the Catholic League was realigned based on enrollment. But last night, before an overflow crowd at Northeast High, the Cinderella Cahillites won their first title in 52 years by thumping La Salle, 21-7, in the Red Division final. Roman (11-2), the smallest school in the division, dominated on both sides of the ball. Derek Clayton (129 yards, two touchdowns) and Joe McCourt (109 yards, one TD) led a balanced offense that churned out 361 yards and 20 first downs. The Cahillites' defense, meanwhile, limited the dangerous Explorers to 131 yards and four first downs on just 27 plays from scrimmage. 11

12 "We weren't even picked to be in the league, let alone win the championship," McCourt said. "The only people who knew we would win the championship were the 40-some people on our sideline." The only time the outcome was in doubt was late in the third quarter, when La Salle senior Chris Dougherty went off tackle for a 55-yard touchdown run. That sliced the Roman lead to 14-7, but the Explorers would run only two plays the rest of the game. Roman then embarked on a 16-play, 65-yard scoring drive that lasted 9 minutes, 15 seconds. McCourt finished it on fourth down by leaping 1 yard into the end zone with 3:50 to play. "We switched our offense around," McCourt said, when asked about Roman's 21-7 regular-season loss to La Salle. "Coach [Danny] Algeo said he didn't want to hold anything back." Roman took a 7-0 lead with 4:08 left in the first half on Clayton's 21-yard touchdown run. Clayton struck again early in the second half on a 55-yard TD run, giving the Cahillites a 14-0 lead. "This feels incredible," Algeo said. "I remember when I took the job, it was on my wedding day, March 23, People kept coming up to me saying good luck. But it wasn't a sincere good luck. I knew some people were mocking me for taking this job." Roman two-way starter Scott Paxson said: "Revenge was a big factor for us. They scored 21 points on us last game. And Coach was on us all week about that. We said all year long that none one believed in us, except the players and the community at Roman. "Our coaches lit a flame in us. We could taste it all week in practice." La Salle (8-5) had won three of the last four league championships. "Some things did not go our way tonight," said Dougherty, the Explorers' defensive end and fullback. "Offensively, they did a lot of things that took away our speed on the defensive line." La Salle quarterback Gabe Marabella was limited to three completions and 36 yards in 10 attempts. Ted Silary, Daily News Roman Triumphs, Then Remembers Champs Honor Famous Alum Three years later, the players continue to wear No. 41 stickers on the backs of their helmets. That's almost all you need to know about the warmth still felt for Bob Evans, class of 1949, by everyone connected with Roman Catholic High School. This is the rest: In front of 5,000 spirited spectators Saturday night at Northeast High, the Cahillites won their first Catholic League football title (Red Division, in this instance) since 1947 by squashing La Salle, Afterward, during a celebration in front of Roman's stands, the players, coaches and fans took turns holding aloft two items - the championship plaque and Bob Evans's No. 41 framed jersey. At the time of his death, Evans was described as "Roman's best friend." He was a star junior tackle on the championship team and in '48 was named to a 44-member High School All-America Team. He then starred at Penn and was the school's first black captain in '52. He later became a successful businessman and a tireless supporter of all things Roman. "When we moved into our new clubhouse earlier this season, Mr. Evans's jersey came right in with us," said senior running back Derek Clayton. "The seniors, we got to know him when we were freshmen, and all the other guys have heard about him, how great he was and how much passion he had for our school. "We had Mass at the clubhouse and then a moment of silence for Mr. Evans - some of our alumni and teachers had earlier visited his gravesite - and then coach [Danny Algeo] said he was bringing the jersey on the bus. The whole ride up, we were talking about Mr. Evans and passing the jersey around. 12

13 "In the locker room, coach asked us what we should do with the jersey. I guess he thought he'd better leave it inside [for safekeeping]. We were yelling, 'Bring it out with us!' We thought Mr. Evans deserved to be on the sidelines. A lot of us were crying." Clayton, who boasts a 3.8 grade-point average, wants to major in premed, as did Evans. He also could wind up at an Ivy League school. Now, he shares a special status with Evans - headliner on a title team. The 5-8, 165-pound Clayton rushed 17 times for 128 yards and two touchdowns, finishing the season with 160, 1,068 and 12, respectively. His first score, a 20-yarder on which tackle Tony Chomiszewski made the key block, gave Roman a 7-0 lead with 4 minutes, 8 seconds left until halftime. His second, a 55-yarder on which he swept right but scored in the left corner of the end zone, made it The Cahillites began the game in the I-formation but later returned to their conventional wing-t. "La Salle did a great job shutting down our wing-t in the regular season [21-6 loss]," said Clayton, who is also a star sprinter. "Coach thought we'd give them a different look. But when we finally got moving, we were back in the wing-t." That's Clayton's second home. "It's all about patience in the wing-t," he said. "You have to let your linemen get in front and make their blocks. "It takes some getting used to." La Salle was held to 27 plays, four first downs and 131 yards of total offense, and 88 of those yards came on two plays - a 33-yard run by Ryan Parfitt and Chris Dougherty's 55-yard touchdown run with 1:13 left in the third quarter. That score stirred La Salle's students, who traded barbs all night with Roman's fans, but the Cahillites then were masterful at ball control. La Salle ran two plays the rest of the game. Roman ran 24. One was a clinching, 1-yard leap over the goal line by running back Joe McCourt with 3:50 left. McCourt finished with 25 carries for 107 yards. Coordinator Jim Murphy's defense included ends Scott Paxson and Dan Jankiewicz, tackles David Pringle and Bill McCafferty, inside linebackers Mike O'Leary (six tackles) and Gordie Bayard, outside linebackers Jim Wagner and McCourt, cornerbacks Jonathan "Turbo" Tarvin and Steve Taylor and safety Tim Schmidt (interception). For Algeo, the emotions were bubbling in many directions. He talked about how he got the job on his wedding day, March 23, 1996, and how he felt he was being mocked at the reception when people said, "Good luck," in a tone that seemed to indicate they felt like adding, "trying to do anything at that place." He also talked about last Feb. 25, his birthday, when he resigned because he was a leading candidate for other coaching jobs. He withdrew the resignation two days later. "I was overwhelmed by the amount of support I received to stay on." He also talked about the new realignment based on enrollment. Algeo was not a proponent. Many Roman alums wanted the school to withdraw from the Catholic League for football. "I did not want to be the person to take us out of the Catholic League," said Algeo, who at the time was also Roman's athletic director. "If you go, you're ducking a challenge..." He looked around. A lump was forming in his throat. "You're also going to miss out on something like this," he said. "I'm at a loss right now. This is truly amazing." Not far away, a player was using both arms to hold high Bob Evans's framed jersey. "This is for everyone," Algeo said, "who ever wore the Purple and Gold." 13

14 Rick O Brien, Inquirer La Salle College High School Football: Chronicle 1999 La Salle Seeks Some Solace After Loss Ernie Barile had difficulty accepting La Salle's loss to Roman Catholic in the Catholic League Red Division championship game, but the senior still managed to see the bigger picture. :It's real tough,'' Barile said, but we had an excellent season. To be one of the teams to reach the league championship game, at a time when most other teams have already finished their seasons, is a gift in itself. We accomplished a lot this year.'' Roman, correcting the offensive mistakes it made in an Oct. 24 loss to the Explorers, totaled 283 yards on the ground in a 21-7 victory Saturday night before an overflow crowd at Northeast High. La Salle's defense, a force while winning six of seven Red Division games in the regular season, allowed Roman running backs Joe McCourt and Derek Clayton 236 yards on 42 attempts. Such statistics have rarely been attained against a Joe Colistra-coached squad. My hat is off to Roman,'' Barile said. I thought they played an excellent game, never stopped battling. You have to give them credit for the way they played.'' Despite his size, the 5-foot-7, 180-pound Barile was one of La Salle's best defensive linemen. A varsity contributor the last three seasons, the nose guard - who began this year at linebacker - repeatedly slipped past bigger opponents and got to the ballcarrier. Barile, who played a pivotal role last season as the Explorers went 12-1 and earned their third Catholic League title in four seasons, posted seven tackles, including three solo stops, in Saturday's loss to the Cahillites. Clayton, who was held to 28 yards on nine carries in the first meeting between the teams, rushed 17 times for 127 yards and two touchdowns, including a 55-yarder in the third quarter that increased Roman's lead to McCourt, who netted 109 yards on 25 carries, clinched the game with a 1-yard scoring dive with 3 minutes, 50 seconds remaining. They're really good backs,'' Barile said. It's a situation where you really can't key on one player, which makes their offense a lot more dangerous. And overall, they kept coming at us with different looks and different plays. It was hard to get a read on them.'' Roman fourth-year coach Danny Algeo, son of longtime Lansdale Catholic coach Jim Algeo and a former assistant for the Crusaders, guided the Cahillites (11-2) to their first Catholic League championship since Their last trip to the final, in 1992, resulted in a 25-8 setback against Archbishop Ryan. They fell to La Salle, 13-0, in In the 21-6 loss to the Explorers (8-5) on Oct. 24, Roman gained only 117 yards rushing. We were very, very conservative on offense the last time,'' Algeo said. They totally stuffed us, embarrassed us. This time, we said we have to do what we do best, which is go straight at them and don't hold anything back.'' La Salle, which posted only one first down in the first two quarters and finished the game with just four, made it a 14-7 game late in the third quarter on Chris Dougherty's 55-yard touchdown jaunt off left tackle. I saw the opening, and there was no way I was going to get caught,'' Dougherty said. I had to leave everything I had out on the field.'' Sapping the life out of the Explorers, Roman responded with a 16-play scoring drive that covered 65 yards and lasted more than nine minutes. La Salle ran only 12 plays from scrimmage in the second half and 27 overall. Barile also participates in wrestling (the 171-pound division) and baseball (he plays catcher) at La Salle. He plans to play football in college, at Catholic University or Widener. 14

15 It's just starting to hit me that my days of playing football for La Salle are over,'' he said. I'm not ready to give up the game, though. I love playing it too much.'' Chris Dougherty, who doubled at defensive tackle, and senior defensive back Paul Colistra each made 10 tackles for the Explorers. Sophomore linebackers Brian Noone and Ed Sabia contributed nine and eight tackles, respectively. 15