Game of the Week Preview: La Salle vs. St. Joe’s Prep for the PCL title

Here they are, just as everyone expected. The archrivals, who met for 29 years on Thanksgiving Day, will slug it out for top honors in what has the makings of a classic football game.

Friday night at 7, St. Joseph's Prep, 9-1 overall and ranked No. 2 in The Inquirer's top 10, will take on 9-1 and No. 3 La Salle in the Catholic League Class AAAA championship game at Northeast.

The potential for an all-timer exists because the regular-season meeting between the La Salle Explorers and St. Joe's Hawks was a thriller. With the help of two fourth-quarter La Salle turnovers, the Prep, scoring twice in the last minute and a half, triumphed, 24-17, at Plymouth Whitemarsh on Sept. 26.

La Salle is trying for its second straight Catholic League crown and third in four seasons. The Prep's last title came in 2005.

The victor advances to play Public League Class AAAA winner George Washington for the District 12 championship next weekend.

Here is a look at Friday night's game:

Coaches. In four seasons at La Salle, Drew Gordon is 33-13. Gil Brooks is 162-55-2 in 18 seasons at the Prep.

Title history. The squads met for the Red Division crown in 2006, with La Salle posting a 14-7 upset victory. Five weeks earlier, St. Joe's had coasted to a 42-14 win.

Finally healthy. The Explorers will have the services of tailback and part-time cornerback Jamal Abdur-Rahman, who sat out the first meeting with a bruised knee. Teammate Sam Feleccia, a wideout and linebacker, played but was just coming back from an ankle injury.

Rushing threats. Since rugged tailback Garrett Compton went down with a torn anterior cruciate ligament, the Hawks have relied on quick-footed sophomore Desmon Peoples (95 carries for 863 yards and 10 touchdowns) and junior Spencer Reid (65 for 416 and 6 TDs).

"Reid is a big, tough kid, and Peoples is a game-breaker," Gordon said. "If Peoples gets into the secondary, he can take it all the way."

Reid is the son of Eagles coach Andy Reid.

Seeking redemption. Against the Prep this season, La Salle's Drew Loughery completed 15 of 34 passes for 190 yards and one TD. But he was intercepted twice, including Steve O'Hara's pick and 49-yard return that set up a Prep score, cutting La Salle's lead to 17-12, just 13 seconds before halftime

Defensive stalwarts. The leaders of Prep's improved defense are linebackers O'Hara and Mike Labor, end Bill Mancini, nose guard/tackle Mike Zikoski, tackle Sean McGinn and free safety Skyler Mornhinweg, the son of Eagles offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg who also starts at QB.

Mixing it up. Look for La Salle defensive coordinator John Steinmetz to throw different looks at the Prep.

"He's probably got a pad full of new defenses for us," Brooks said. "They love to blitz, pressure the corners. You never know what you're going to get. It forces you to do different things."

Analysis. The Prep has to do a better job of stopping the interior run. La Salle sophomore Tim Wade, filling in at tailback for Abdur-Rahman, burned the Hawks for 162 yards on 30 carries. Key for the Explorers is avoiding ill-timed turnovers. We expect them to do that and, with better down-the-stretch poise, especially from Loughery, win a close one.

Pick. La Salle, 28-21.

Contact staff writer Rick O'Brien at 610-313-8019 or robrien@phillynews.com.