Defense looks to keep La Salle on top of PCL Red Division
SPRINGFIELD >> Darold Dengohe is enjoying the energy and effort La Salle football’s defense is giving on the field this preseason.
“I love the intensity on our defense – everybody’s flying around, making plays,” the Explorers senior defensive lineman said. “Everybody’s being physical and I feel like that’s our identity of this team, this squad.
“We’re a very physical team, we’re very talented and it’s a lot of hungry kids out there trying to, you know what I’m saying, get their name out there, trying to make plays for the team, sacrifice their body. So it’s the type of team we have and I really love it.”
A 2021 All-Philadelphia Catholic League Red Division first team selection and James Madison verbal commit, Dengohe is ready to maintain that level of play into the fall but is also confident the rest of the defense behind him can do it just as well.
“Every play starts with us so I do feel pretty confident in our self but we also have some amazing players behind us in the linebacker position and DBs so we’re pretty confident,” Dengohe said. “But all around I think we’re all the strength of the team, we’re all going to do pretty good.”
Dengohe, who last season per easternpafootball.com’s Ed Palmer tied for the team lead in sacks with six and second in total tackles at 75, is one of eight returning starters for a La Salle defense that allowed just 11.5 points per game a year ago. The Explorers posted three shutouts in finishing 9-2 and winning the PCL Red Division title, the program’s first league crown since taking the PCL Class 4A Division in 2015.
“Anytime when you’re starting with Darold that’s a really good spot,” said La Salle coach John Steinmetz, who is entering his eighth year with the Explorers. “But we got three really good defensive ends so we’re going to figure out a way to rotate and get them in.
“Our linebackers, again we’re losing Abdul (Carter) and we’re losing (Chris) Thompson but Matt Wills filled in for Abdul a couple times last year and did a great job so Matt’s a really sound football player and we had a transfer, Mike Fileppo, come in and he’s a nice football player.”
Last season’s nine victories – including La Salle’s first over St. Joseph’s Prep since 2015 – were the most for the Explorers under Steinmetz. But the campaign ended with a tough 35-7 loss to Prep in the rivals’ rematch in the District 12-6A final at Franklin Field.
A talented group that included PCL Red Division MVP and first team running back Samuel Brown (Rutgers), Carter (Penn State) and Thompson (West Chester) have graduated but Dengohe is positive the Explores can continue their recent success. Over the last three years, La Salle has gone 22-6 with five of its losses coming to sides that won PIAA titles that season.
“Everybody’s happy, rejuvenated, we’re excited about the season,” Dengohe said. “We had a great season last year but we’re over that. It’s a new season, it’s a new start and we’re focused on this season. We’re not really looking back at previous success – we’re worried about the future success we’re going to have with this squad. And I think it’s going be a pretty good one. We’re going to go pretty far with this team.”
Senior all-division second team linebacker Sean McFadden returns after finishing third on the squad with 57 total tackles. Wills, meanwhile, added 37 total tackles and 3.5 sacks.
Junior defensive lineman Kieran Campbell was an All-PCL Red second team pick after his six sacks and 29 total tackles. Senior Mekhi Johnson was also an all-division second team selection at defensive back and is part of a secondary that includes junior Kelby Hampton.
“I’m confident this year,” McFadden said. “I think most of the team is confident. Great o-line, great d-line, good offense, good defense. It’s all-around, it’s exciting.”
La Salle’s offense has a new coordinator (Vernard Abrams) and graduated its leading rusher (Brown), passer (Alan Paturzo) and receiver (Ryan Moore) but still has a pair of All-PCL Red receivers in seniors Ryan Sorge and Nole Henry along with some experience on the line.
“The best thing for us is just taking baby steps and just getting into the groove with all the new players coming in,” Sorge said. “And best thing for that is just getting repetition over and over.”
Sorge was an all-division first-team pick after hauling in 22 passes for 283 yards. Henry made the PCL Red second team after catching 16 passes for 191 yards.
“Sorge has worked really hard in the offseason so he’s gotten stronger and he’s tall, you know he’s a basketball player so he goes up and gets the ball,” Steinmetz said. “Nole’s a little more physical and he’s got really good hands and good feet so they’re both solid, solid wide receivers. They’ll be a challenge for anyone to cover.”
The Explorers are still sorting out the quarterback position while the ground attack may be more of a group effort with Brown, who ran for 1,064 yards on 152 carries, no longer in the backfield. Junior Stevie Davis was second on the Explorers with 384 yards rushing on 56 carries.
Up front, junior Andrew Brennan and Lukas Donahue return while Steinmetz has like what he has seen so far from senior Cole Kozlowski and sophomore Mike Carroll.
“Almost everything feels new but there’s a lot of guys that are coming off, they didn’t necessarily start last year but they got a lot of reps,” Henry said. “Lukas, Stevie, Cole, they all came in. I mean Stevie, he could start pretty much anywhere in the state last year but it’s not just us returning we got a lot of other guys coming back.”
La Salle starts its season visiting SOL National Conference champion North Penn on Friday, Aug. 26 then heads to Ocean City, New Jersey on Sept. 2 to face Inter-Ac champ Malvern Prep.
The Explorers host PIAA-4A finalist Bishop McDevitt (Sept. 9 at Wissahickon) and Haverford School (Sept. 16 at Upper Dublin) before capping its non-league slate with a trip to Maryland’s Calvert Hall Oct. 1.
“I say it’s as good as anybody’s schedule and I’m not getting on a plane,” Steinmetz said.
La Salle defense of its PCL Red Division title begins with a clash against St. Joseph’s Prep on Oct. 8 at Franklin Field. A matchup with Archbishop Wood follows Oct. 14 at William Tennent.
“We know we can be the best in the league, we know we can be the best in the state,” McFadden said. “It’s really just our teammates and ourselves we have to push each other. Push each other to the limit and be what we can be.”
2022 Schedule
Friday, Aug 26 at North Penn, 7 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 2 vs. Malvern Prep, 6 p.m. at Ocean City HS (N.J.)
Friday, Sept. 9 vs. Bishop McDevitt, 7 p.m. at Wissahickon
Friday, Sept. 16 vs. Haverford School, 7 p.m. at Upper Dublin
Saturday, Oct. 1 at Calvert Hall (Md.), 1 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 8 vs. St. Joseph’s Prep, 2 p.m. at Franklin Field
Friday, Oct. 14 at Archbishop Wood, 7 p.m., at William Tennent
Friday, Oct. 21 at Roman Catholic, 7 p.m. at Cardinal O’Hara
Saturday, Oct. 29 vs. Father Judge, 6 p.m. at Springfield (Montco)
