La Salle Conquers District XII Title

Written by: Willie McGonigle on Sunday, November 29th, 2009. Follow Willie McGonigle on Twitter.

PHILADELPHIA: Last season a youthful group of La Salle Explorers found themselves leaving Charlie Martin Memorial Stadium the Saturday after Thanksgiving disappointed because they just saw their season come to an end with a disappointing upset lost at the hands of the George Washington Eagles in the PIAA District XII AAAA Championship game that game motivated the Explorers since they began working out in the weight room January 4. On Saturday the Explorers got their chance at revenge on Eagles when the two teams found themselves facing off for the second consecutive year in the District Championship this time it was the Explorers that walked away from Charlie Martin Memorial Stadium victorious has they used a great defensive effort to enact revenge on the Eagles by a score of 31-20. “ We came in last year and just got embarrassed we disrespected the (Philadelphia) Catholic League and we wanted to prove that we are the best team in the city and I think we did today.” Is how Linebacker Shane Brady would describe last season lost and how it motivated his teammates.

The Explorers would strike first with a nine-play 80-yard drive that ate 4:40 off the clock before Drew Loughery would take to the air and connect with WR Sam Feleccia for a 10-yard touchdown to give the Explorers the 7-0 lead with 2:28 to go in the first quarter.

The Eagles would respond on the on the second play of the second quarter when English Peay would capped a seven play 80 yard drive that ate three minutes off the clock with his ten yard touchdown plunge tying things up at 7.

The Explorers would turn to their All Catholic Kicker Mike Bennett to add to their lead and he did he come through with a 37 yard field goal giving the Explorers the 10-7 lead.

The next two Eagle drives would end with the same result a turnover. The first turnover came thanks to Jamal Abdur-Rahman interception of an Aaron Wilmer’s pass. The Explorers would not capitalize on the pick but they did on the next Eagle over has Abdur-Rahman playing on the defensive side of the ball for only the third time since returning from an knee injury took advantage of bad exchange between Wilmer and Peay as he picked up the fumble and showed his running back skills as he raced 36 yards for the touchdown giving the Explorers the 17-7 halftime lead. Abdur-Rahman would finish the game with two interceptions to go along with two interceptions to go along with five carries for 40 yards and five catches for 87 yards. “ The game put in the position to do what I did today, I just capitalized on my opportunities.”

The Explorers would add to their lead on their first series of the second half when Loughery connected with Connor Hoffman for a 40-yard touchdown. Two possessions later Loughery would strike again this time from 44 yards out and to Abdur-Rahman to put the Explorers up 31-7 at the end of three quarters.

The Eagles would not go down with out a fight thanks in large part to Wilmer who accounted for 166 yards on 16 of 28 passing for 166 yards to go with along with 140 yards rushing. It would be Wilmer’s arm that kept the Eagles in the game as he connected with Peay for 34-yards touchdown and 8 yards to Daquan Cooper make it 31-20 with under a minute to play but it would be the Explorers that would recover the onsides kick to preserve the win and earn a date with Easton Red Rovers

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