by Rod Frisco
LANSDALE — La Salle might have lost several seniors from last year’s PIAA Class AAAA football championship team, but it didn’t lose its football savvy.
Down 14-6 at the half to consensus preseason No. 1 North Penn, La Salle reeled off 21 unanswered points to defeat North Penn going away, 27-14.
First-year La Salle quarterback Matt Magarity threw three touchdown passes and sneaked across for a fourth, bouncing back from a nervous start to help the Explorers take command of the game.
In the first half, North Penn got big mileage from senior back Dom Taggart, who scored two short touchdowns up the middle. The Explorers just couldn’t bring Taggart down on the first hit.
In the meantime, La Salle’s offense was ragged, moving the ball just sporadically against a physical North Penn defense.
But everything flipped in the second half.
North Penn embarked on a series of horrendous mistakes: Failing to convert a third-and-1 deep in La Salle territory (oddly, North Penn called a QB sweep that was smothered for a yard loss when Taggart had been unstoppable); Bobbled a fourth-and-1 snap in its own territory; Smacked a La Salle punt returner who had called for a fair catch; and Committed two face mask penalties that gave La Salle the ball when North Penn desperately needed it back.
At the same time, La Salle looked calm and mature, converting those mistakes into scores or time-consuming possessions.
La Salle increased its winning streak to 12 straight games with the win.
15 Responses
Before this gets out of hand I am going to close the thread. Thanks for posting!
David
EasternPAFootball.com
Hey it didnt take long for the “R” word to rear its ugly head. Public school teams dont recruit? PLEASE!!!!!!!!!. And Berwick, CB WEST or Strath Haven never recrutied any players when they were winning state titles right? gimme a break. Recruting happens at many schools private or public. If you think any differnt you are kidding yourself. The question i have is ho0w come no one brings up the philly public league when it comes to recruiting? Why just the PCL? Oh thats right everybody kicks their butt so no one cares. Really, do you think all the good players on George Washington end up there by accident?
ipso4u,
Best in the country? Please.
paul from Philly,
Public schools are prohibited from recruiting.
If LaSalle can get past St. Joe’s & Easton, and NP can get past Ridley & Downingtown East, they should meet again in the Eastern final. Expect a good game, but a different result.
Dicky,
Sounds like sour apples to me! Stop crying and just admit that North Penn got their butts kicked! North Penn has the largest school district in the area, you don’t hear anyone complaining about that. They were outplayed, Beck admitted it and isn’t looking for excuses for the loss! Time to wipe your tears and look forward to their next game!
so a kicker traveled across the country just to kick for LaSalle ur an idiot Bennet is kicking for a D-3 team. He moved here when he was 10
sorry- don’t believe it- last years kicker was in fact from southern california- california kid competing for pa state title- thats just great……..
La Salle is a very good football team but so is NP. NP came out in the second half flat and made some really stupid mistakes where La salle played a great second half. I believe they will meet again in the playoffs, I can’t wait to see that game.
dick deck, sorry to bring it up but most and I mean most of the kids who had a hand in the scoring the other night are from Montgomery County and they all played for St. Genevieve’s Parish CYO team coming up. If you want to know the real reason for La Salle’s success, look to the coach. I was at the game and North Penn’s coach had all of 5 plays. 2 runs to the right, 2 to the left and 1 up the middle. Kind of easy to defend. And don’t tell me public schools don’t recruit.
Dicky,
One state. I was the one getting all those NJ boys, get your facts straight. The new kicker for LaSalle lives 5 minutes from school, his dad is an alumni from 1980 and played pro ball as a kicker. I think he was going to LaSalle since he was born.
lasalle’s whole team lived in a 10 mi radius of the school. Jamal lives probably the closest, Wade lives furthest. Last yrs team the same, last yrs team was probably the best in the country. Coaching is what makes them stand out from everyone else.
Does one game a season make? I think not. Take it to the bank, NP will win it’s next 9 games. To joe, no, it’s not that simple. That’s the worst you will see NP QB & secondary play all year. LaSalle was just lucky it happened against them. Good chance we meet again. To dick, frank brooks ( above) is right. No need for sour grapes here. NP will be in the playoffs, you can bet your house on that.
3 counties and how many states?
Hey dick deck – i think you have been looking at the st joe prep roster. lasalle players come from local CYO programs in phila, bucks and montco. The kicker is just another gifted soccer player.
how many players on the lasalle roster outside the state of pennsylvania this year- anymore placekickers from southern california?
lasalle’s qb and secondary can play. north penn’s qb and secondary cannot. the game was that simple.