A Closer Look: La Salle vs. North Penn

When it comes to openers, it doesn't get much better than this.

It's La Salle, defending PIAA Class AAAA champion and the No. 3 team in The Inquirer's preseason top-10 poll, against No. 1 North Penn at 7:30 p.m. Friday at sure-to-be-packed Crawford Stadium in Lansdale.

Last season, the Explorers went 14-1, losing only to archrival St. Joseph's Prep, en route to their second Catholic League title and statewide glory.

The Knights went 13-1, easily repeated as Suburban One League Continental Conference titlist, and advanced to the District 1 final before bowing to Ridley, 19-10.

Here is a closer look at the game.

Coaches. Dick Beck, a lineman at Central Bucks West and Temple, enters his ninth season at North Penn with a 93-16 record (.853 winning percentage). Drew Gordon, a passer at Bishop McDevitt and Villanova, begins his fifth year in Wyndmoor with a 38-14 mark (.731).

Quality tailbacks. North Penn's Craig Needhammer gained 1,500 yards and 26 touchdowns last season. La Salle's Jamal Abdur-Rahman, a Villanova recruit, totaled nearly 1,198 yards and 16 scores in 12 games.

New QBs. For the Explorers, 6-foot, 180-pound junior Matt Magarity replaces Drew Loughery, who threw for 5,355 yards and 50 TDs over the last three seasons. The Knights' new signal-caller is 5-10, 185-pound junior Corey Ernst, who takes over for one-year standout Todd Smolinsky.

Stout defense. The Knights' defense, which yielded only 9.7 points per game last year, is headed by linemen Marcus McGraw, Dave Jackson, and Chuck Knower, and linebackers Ralphie Reeves, Ryan Hessenius, and Dom Taggart.

New roles. On defense, Taggart was moved from the secondary to linebacker. Offensively, he switched from wideout to fullback.

Mainstays. The sturdy two-way linemen back for La Salle are Ryan Geiger (6-1, 260), Cameron Cappo (6-2, 215), and Joe Naji (6-2, 225).

Sidelined. La Salle's Connor Kerrigan, a 6-3, 255-pound junior offensive lineman, is out three to four weeks after injuring an ankle in practice last week.

Analysis. It's a baptism by intense fire for Magarity, who threw only seven passes in mop-up duty last year. That spells trouble against a quick-to-the-ball, attack-from-all-angles defense. With North Penn's ball-control attack and numerous backfield threats, Ernst's initiation won't be as stressful.

Pick: North Penn, 27-14.