La Salle Explorers - photo courtesy of @LaSalle_Sports
Archbishop Wood Vikings - PSD photo by Brandon Stivers
CATHOLIC LEAGUE GAME OF THE WEEK
Who: La Salle vs. Archbishop Wood
When: 7 PM Friday, October 27
Where: William Tennent High School
Records: La Salle 6-2, 4-1; Archbishop Wood 6-2, 4-1
Most Recent Performance: La Salle was eliminated from any hopes of a Catholic League crown after losing, 28-14, to St. Joseph’s Prep; Archbishop Wood dispatched Archbishop Carroll, 49-7.
Importance: Both of these squads are of legitimate state championship caliber, La Salle of Class 6A and Wood of Class 5A. Both teams desperately want to avoid the ignominy of finishing third in the seven-team Red Division before embarking on their post-season journey.
All-Time Record: La Salle leads, 21-15-1
La Salle Notes: Senior QB Danny Solecki continues to shine. After a solid performance against the Prep, Solecki has completed 102 of 150 passes for 1,225 yards and 14 touchdowns. He has also rushed for two scores . . . Senior Troy Holland was also unfettered against the Prep, his eight catches for 64 yards and a touchdown giving him 36 receptions for 417 yards and seven scores . . . Senior linebackers Austin Lemke and Liam Trainer have been as consistent as any defenders in the tri-state area.
Wood Notes: Senior Nasir Peoples is a major threat in the backfield, with 788 yards and 11 rushing touchdowns. Peoples has scored in seven consecutive weeks and has found the end zone more than once three straight games . . . The Vikings’ secondary is outstanding. Seven different players have shared in the team’s 10 interceptions, including three by junior Kevin Otto and two by senior Ryan Loughlin.
EXPLORER CHAT: “It will not be difficult (to play after losing to the Prep),” said senior linebacker Austin Lemke. “We took a loss to a good team, but we still have a task at hand. We are not going to pout around about a loss. Rather, it is only going to put more fuel in the fire. It’s our last regular-season game. With all the seniors on the team, it’s crazy that’s it’s our last regular-season game. We are going to be treating this as if it’s a playoff game. Wood is going to be just as physical and tough as the Prep and they can’t be taken lightly. We have our focus on Wood and not what happened last week because Wood is a very good team. They have talent and it will be just as competitive of a game as the one we were in last week. It is going to be another dogfight, and I know my teammates and I are ready for it. We all have a bitter taste in our mouths because of the results last week and we plan to come out with the same amount of energy. It’s going to be a great game and we are excited to get back out there.”
“This game means a lot,” said senior defensive back/quarterback Isaiah Jones. “We will go at Wood like it is the state championship game. That’s how we should approach every game from now on.”
VIKING CHAT: “This weekend’s game is a matchup of two very strong Catholic League teams,” said senior linebacker Eric Bauer. “Both us and La Salle are top-10 teams in the state and have had great regular seasons. Both teams get pumped for this game. It's a really cool rivalry. This game is our Homecoming Game and senior night, so it just adds to our excitement. The past few years have been very exciting games and I don't expect this year’s game to disappoint.”
“It’s so important because it’s a big PCL Red Division rivalry game and will prepare us for the playoffs,” said junior quarterback Jack Colyar. “I think they’ll definitely be prepared and ready to go.”
La Salle Explorers - PSD photo by Zamani Feelings
La Salle Explorers - PSD photo by Zamani Feelings
Wood Football - PSD Photo
Wood Student Section - PSD Photo by Brandon Stivers
Prediction: If La Salle had beaten the Prep last week, this would have been a battle for Catholic League supremacy. The Explorers lost a game to undefeated Prep that they dominated in stretches. As for Wood, since losing to the Prep, 27-7, the Vikings have beaten overmatched opposition by scores of 38-6, 42-6, 49-19, and 49-7. This game is a significantly more difficult assignment. In a contest that remains close throughout, La Salle prevails 27-24.
(John Knebels can be reached at Jknebels@gmail.com or on Twitter @johnknebels.)