CHESTER, PA –
For the past 10 years, the champion of the Catholic League’s highest Class size – this year 6A – has been determined by either St. Joseph’s Prep or La Salle.
The latest installment of Red Division dominance occurred Friday night at a packed Widener University, where the Prep survived a sluggish start and a no-nonsense speech from the coaches at halftime. Two quarters later, the Hawks returned to their jubilant locker room after a 28-14 triumph that clinched their second straight league title and fourth in the past five years.
Prep senior Zach Snider talks about his team's approach
D'Andre Swift, SJP '17 graduate and current running back for the University of Georgia, surprised his former teammates & coaches at the game! - PSD photo by Zamani Feelings
“The first half gave them a lot of confidence,” said Hawk’s senior defensive lineman Ryan Bryce. “We didn’t like that.”
La Salle (6-2 overall, 4-1 league) had taken a 7-0 lead with 6:59 left in the opening quarter when senior quarterback Danny Solecki (17 for 25, 147 yards) scored on a three-yard run to cap a 10-play, 58-yard drive.
Thanks to a massive interception by senior Dejuan Dandridge that killed a scoring drive, the Prep (7-0, 5-0) was able to tie the contest two minutes into the second quarter on a 16-yard touchdown pass from senior Marquez McCray to senior Brandon Sanders.
Heading into the halftime, La Salle led in most statistical categories, particularly in time of possession (18:19 to 5:41). But the Explorers weren’t able to capitalize, and that would be their downfall.
“We got a little yelled at during halftime,” said senior linebacker Zach Snider. “We shifted into gear. We had to start wrapping up our tackling.”
The second half was a complete turnaround.
The Prep scored three unanswered touchdowns in a 13-minute, 46 second span to move in front, 28-7. Midway through the third quarter, a 40-yard pass to a streaking senior James Cherry put the ball at the one-yard line, and sophomore Kolbe Burrell did the touchdown honors.
Prep senior Ryan Bryce analyzes his team's victory
Senior QB Marquez McCray talks about the Hawk's second half momentum
Less than three minutes later, junior Marques Mason dashed 51 yards for another score. The backbreaker occurred 46 seconds into the fourth quarter when McCray raced 45 yards for a touchdown to increase the lead to 28-7. An eight-yard touchdown pass from Solecki to senior Troy Holland cut the Explorers’ deficit to 28-14, but La Salle was unable to do much with the remaining 5:38.
“It’s always big (to win the Catholic League),” said McCray. “We say we have three championships – the Catholic League, the city, and the state title. We just have one of the three right now.”
McCray said he wasn’t overly concerned with the Prep’s atypical first-half production.
“We were a second away or a block away from making big plays,” he said.
Bryce agreed.
“Our offensive line held their own as it progressed and got better and better,” said Bryce. “The defensive line had to settle in a little bit. We made some adjustments at halftime and then we were okay.”
PSD Photo - Zamani Feelings
Snider, standing tall despite wearing a cast that protected what turned out to be a broken right hand that will necessitate surgery on Friday, put the victory in perspective.
“We don’t look at it as a rivalry,” said Snider. “We look at it as a next step. They’re a great team, but we work hard and we watched them all year. We started off slow. They came out with a couple of different reads. It was definitely difficult.”
In the end, the Prep prevailed.
Again.
(John Knebels can be reached at Jknebels@gmail.com or on Twitter @johnknebels.)
