Photos: Kathy Leister
By: John Knebels
PHILADELPHIA – La Salle won the Philadelphia Catholic League soccer championship. Then the Explorers came from behind to win a district title four days later.
Can a state title be next?
First things first.
Like every team in every sport, perennial winners endure stretches of struggle, fall victim to questionable officiating, and suffer a few unlucky bounces.
Ultimately, however, they possess an uncanny ability to finish the job. Regardless of the challenge, no matter the opponent or venue, they become the most important common denominator – they’re the winner.
For the first time in their historically rich program history, La Salle snared its third consecutive PCL soccer championship. Behind two head-ball goals over the last nine minutes of regulation – first by senior Ryan Shenko and next by junior Jan Axsom – and a bend-but-don’t-break defense, the third-seed Explorers blanked five-seed Father Judge, 2-0, before a typically boisterous crowd on October 25 at St. Joseph’s University.
“Another fun, fun Catholic League final,” said La Salle coach Tom McCaffery.
With spectators bundled in their sweats on a frigid evening, speed and athleticism on both sides wowed the crowd. Though both teams had chances, it appeared as though the championship would ultimately need extra time to decide a victor.
Then a goal by Shenko with 8:58 left in regulation unleashed elongated exuberance from La Salle's players and sideline. When Axsom doubled the advantage 1:47 later, any potential drama ended.
Both goal scorers described their contribution as a career-best moment. They also followed McCaffery’s guidance in not taking unnecessary chances that could put the team in danger.
“Need to be patient,” said McCaffery. “Judge hadn’t allowed any goals in the playoffs. It took us 71 minutes to do it. It’s a testament to how good they are defensively.
“Patience doesn’t mean we have to be slow. We could still play quick and could still do what we like to do, but try to do it in a way that is gonna move the ball and get us in position to score.”
La Salle vs. Father Judge 2025 PCL Championship Highlights by John Knebels for PSD
(L-R) Ryan Shenko & Jan Axsom scored two late goals in PCL championship - PSD Video by John Knebels
Since 1993, La Salle has won 14 PCL titles and lost four. More recently, the Explorers have amassed three straight crowns, five of the past six, and seven of the past nine.
In his 10-year career (excluding COVID in 2020), McCaffery’s head coaching fingerprints appear on seven PCL plaques. He has never lost a league final.
“Each group is something different,” said McCaffery. “Each match is a new challenge, and tonight, it took a little while to figure it out. But we finally cracked the code.
“You can’t take each group and just put them into their own box. They’re all going to be their own personalities and playing styles. It’s a different shape almost every year. Different players and different talents that they bring. For me as a coach, it’s fun because it’s a puzzle to figure out during the year, and then to see it pay off was huge.”
Last year at this time, the Explorers’ celebration suffered a short shelf life after they dropped a shocking 2-1 decision against Northeast in the PIAA Class 4A District 12 final. Shortly after they defeated Father Judge in the final this year and celebrated in unison, McCaffery promptly embraced the much-needed “party pooper” role by reminding his troops not to let history repeat itself.
Incredibly, the Explorers found themselves in a major dilemma on Wednesday when they entered halftime trailing Northeast, 1-0, this despite dominating large stretches of the win-or-go-home contest.
However, halfway through the second half, junior Justin Jarymovych tied the game off a corner kick. Relieved, but still concerned, the Explorers desperately wished to avoid overtime.
Liam Connaghan to the rescue.
With five minutes remaining in regulation, the first-team All-Catholic senior also scored off a corner to give La Salle a 2-1 lead, which proved to be just enough.
“I had a feeling it was coming,” said senior Shea Crawford. “We were applying pressure all match. Just needed to capitalize, and when we did, it was amazing. It gave us full momentum to keep pushing through and get the game winner.
“Coming out of half, the message was that this is the final 40 minutes of the season that is on the line, so we need to leave everything out there to get another guaranteed 80 minutes to play.”
Like all of his teammates, junior Mateo Puntel tackled understandable anxiety.
Shea Harrington provided constant positive energy all game long - PSD Video by John Knebels
La Salle coach Tome McCaffery reflects on program-first three-peat - PSD Video by John Knebels
Celebrating championships never gets old for La Salle senior Shea Crawford - PSD Video by John Knebels
“It was pretty nerve-racking, but we knew that the goal-scoring opportunities were there and that if we were going to come back, we were going to have to give it everything we had going into the second half,” said Puntel. “We talked about having no regrets and how we’ve been in these situations this year before, so we knew we could come back. We began to dominate and we knew a goal was coming.
“Getting key goals shows how even when things might not be going our way, we keep pushing and don’t give up. Also, we are pushed really hard at practice with conditioning, which gives us an advantage with how in shape we are when games are close until the end.”
In the PIAA Class 4A state tournament that begins November 4, La Salle will host Emmaus at 6 PM.
(Contact John Knebels at jknebels@gmail.com or on ‘X’ @johnknebels.)
