From First-Year Coach to First Upset
Drew Gordon didn't arrive at La Salle in 2006 with a grace period. In his debut season as head coach, he took the Explorers to the Catholic Red title game at Northeast's Charlie Martin Memorial Stadium and beat St. Joseph's Prep — winners of 48 consecutive Catholic Red division games dating to 1999 — 14-7. The Hawks had been upset in just two other finals that decade, both to Cardinal O'Hara in 2000 and 2004. La Salle made it three.
Linebacker JB Campanella made 13 tackles and combined with John McBurnie on a fourth-down sack. Defensive tackle Greg Frantz scooped up a fumble and returned it 96 yards for a touchdown — a play that, against any other opponent, becomes the postgame story by itself. On this night, it was merely a chapter.
“We practice picking up fumbles every day. It was just bend down, pick it up and try to run all the way. I was praying no one would catch me. I'm not our fastest, but I got lucky tonight.”
We're probably one of the smallest teams in the league, but that doesn't matter. We have the biggest heart. We keep fighting. We don't give up.
It shows what you can do when you believe.
