By Rick O'Brien
INQUIRER STAFF WRITER

Not surprisingly, La Salle takes the award of Southeastern Pennsylvania football team of the year back to Wyndmoor.

Following a Week 4 loss to archrival St. Joseph’s Prep, the Explorers stormed, literally, to statewide glory at the highest classification. Two of their final three victories were earned in heavy snow.

Quarterback Drew Loughery and company defeated State College, District 6’s representative, for the title at snow-covered HersheyPark Stadium. Two weeks earlier, with the white stuff falling at Banko Field in Bethlehem, the squad rallied for a 17-14 win over District 11 champ Easton.

Against Easton, La Salle trailed, 14-0, less than seven minutes into the state quarterfinal. From there, over the final 137 minutes of a banner season, the defense yielded only a late second-quarter touchdown to Ridley.

In soundly beating State College, 24-7, the 14-1 Explorers became the first Catholic League – and District 12 – school to secure a state football championship.