TOWAMENCIN — Gavin Sidwar’s second connection with Julian McFadden Friday night came up a yard short of a touchdown.
However, when La Salle’s sophomore quarterback found McFadden again late in the second quarter, the junior wide receiver made sure he was going to reach the end zone.
“We ran the play before and we got a penalty, came back, escaped the pocket,” Sidwar said. “When you give the ball to Jules out in space, you know he’s going to make something with it. So, just getting the ball to Jules in space and let him run.
McFadden hauled in a Sidwar pass, raced downfield before cutting over to the right sideline to score from 69 yards out with 1:02 remaining before halftime of the Explorers’ season-opening matchup against North Penn.
“That’s the reason why we’re on the field,” McFadden said. “When you get your opportunity you got to make up for it.”
A two-point completion to James Dolan made it 27-0 La Salle and capped off a superb half for Sidwar. Back on the field after missing the Explorers’ last five games of 2022 with a broken collarbone, Sidwar threw for 310 yards and three touchdowns before the break as La Salle went on to roll past the Knights for a 34-3 victory at Crawford Stadium.
“I’ve been waiting for this all offseason, getting hurt last year,” Sidwar said. “I love football and it feels great to be back out here and get the win with my guys.”
Sidwar completed 10-of-13 passes in the first half and finished 11-of-16 for 322 yards. McFadden, a transfer from SCH Academy, caught three passes for 132 yards and a score.
“Have some space, make some moves, be a playmaker for this team,” McFadden said.
Sidwar had four completions of 51 yards or more, two of those by McFadden. Senior running back Stevie Davis added another big play for the Explorers (1-0), his 73-yard TD run in the third extending their advantage to 34-0. Davis had a game-high 91 yards on seven carries.
“We were settled in after the second drive,” Sidwar said. “I knew we’d be OK. And we just kept it going all night. Credit to the defense too, only allowing three points in garbage time, credit to them.”
Sidwar began his freshman season starting Week 1 against North Penn, throwing for 204 yards and four touchdowns in a 37-28 victory. But in a 40-11 loss to St. Joseph’s Prep Oct. 8, the QB broke his collarbone and spent the rest of 2022 on the sideline. La Salle ended the year 5-6 after falling against Prep in the Philadelphia Catholic League Class 6A final.
“I’ve been really focused in the weight room but just getting back to the field, being back healthy and being confident with my guys all offseason,” Sidwar said.
North Penn avoided the shutout in the fourth quarter as Ryan Bocklet connected on a 44-yard field goal with 10:19 remaining. The three points were the fewest scored by the Knights since falling 49-3 to Archbishop Wood in 2013.
North Penn (0-1) collected just 156 yards on offense, 101 coming on the ground. Amir Major’s 76 yards on 24 carries paced the Knights, who host Quakertown Thursday. La Salle faces Malvern Prep Friday in Ocean City, New Jersey.
The Explorers’ first series was a three-and-out. North Penn drove to the La Salle 31 but penalties and a sack forced it to punt from the Explorers 49.
On 2nd-and-10 from La Salle’s 29, Sidwar went deep to John Patrick Oates for a 58-yard completion. Three plays later, Sidwar hit Dolan for a five-touchdown and a 7-0 La Salle lead at 4:39 in the first quarter.
After forcing a Knights three-and-out, the Explorers needed just one play to make it 13-0 – Sidwar hitting a streaking Desmond Ortiz down the right seam and the sophomore running back sprinted away for an 81-yard touchdown at 2:07 in the first quarter.
“The first series is on me, I’ll take that one but after that we settled in,” Sidwar said. “We know what we can do. If we do our job we can score against anybody and that’s what we did tonight.”
The Knights picked up a pair of first downs on their next possession but ended up punting from the 50. La Salle proceeded to go 85 yards on nine plays to go up 19-0.
On a 2nd-and-4 from the Explorers 48, Sidwar went downfield to McFadden, who hauled in the pass, fought off being tackled until getting pulled down at the one. Gavin Muller took it over the goal line on the following play with 6:29 left in the second quarter.
“I have confidence in my guys against anybody,” Sidwar said. “One-on-one, I’ll take us any day so I’mma just give up to my guys. Credit to the o-line too for giving me time to throw them.”
Three 15-yard penalties on La Salle moved North Penn to the Explorers 25 with sophomore quarterback Matt Bucksar – in his first varsity start – rushing for 17 yards to give the Knights 1st-and-Goal at the 8. North Penn, however, ended up having to settle for a 23-yard field goal with La Salle blocked.
Taking over at their own 20 with 1:50 left in the half, the Explorers need just four plays and 48 seconds for its fourth touchdown of the opening half – on a 1st-and-15 from the Explorers 31 Sidwar hitting McFadden, who raced through and by the defense for a 69-yard TD at 1:02.
“It felt like I was proving myself,” McFadden said. “My first time doing something for the team and making right with the team.”
Davis, committed to Penn for lacrosse, tacked on La Salle’s fifth and final touchdown of the night at 5:52 in the third quarter, finding space on the left side, shedding a tackle attempt and dashing away for a 73-yard score.
La Salle 34, North Penn 3
North Penn (0-1) 0 0 0 3 — 3
La Salle (1-0) 13 14 7 0 — 34
Scoring
First Quarter
L — Gavin Sidwar 5 pass to James Dolan (Christopher Heck kick) 4:39.
L — Sidwar 81 pass to Desmond Ortiz (kick failed), 2:07
Second Quarter
L — Gavin Muller 1 run (kick failed), 6:29.
L — Sidwar 69 pass to Julian McFadden (Sidwar pass to Dolan), 1:02.
Third Quarter
L — Stevie Davis 73 run (Heck kick) 5:52
Fourth Quarter
NP — Ryan Bocklett 44 field goal, 10:19.
TEAM STATISTICS
NP L
First downs 13 13
Rushes-Yards 39-101 22-140
Passing yards 55 322
Total yards 156 462
Passing 5-11-0 11-17-1
Punts 5 4
Fumbles-Lost 1-0 0-0
Penalties-Yards 3-20 7-75
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING
North Penn: Amir Major 24-76; Owen Harris 1-17; Matt Bucksar 12-8; Chris Scruggs 1-1; Marc Cobbs 1-(-1).
La Salle: Stevie Davis 7-91; Jack Druger 2-24; Ahzir Nelson 6-23; Sean Long 3-4; Gavin Muller 1-1, TD; James Dolan 1-(-1); Gavin Sidwar 2-(-2).
PASSING
La Salle: Gavin Sidwar 11-16-0, 322, 3 TD; Sean Long 0-1-0, 0.
North Penn: Matt Bucksar 5-11-0, 55.
RECEIVING
North Penn: Amir Major 1-18; Rashad McNeill 1-15; Zach Duld 1-10; Marc Cobbs 1-8; Jack Staugaitis 1-4.
La Salle: Julian McFadden 3-132, TD; Desmond Ortiz 1-81, TD; John Patrick Oates 2-69; James Dolan 4-28, TD; Stevie Davis 1-12.
INTERCEPTIONS
North Penn: None.
La Salle: None.
