D12 6A Semifinal Preview: La Salle vs St. Joe’s Prep @LaSalle_Sports @SJPrep_Football

Tagged under: District 12, Gameday Hub, News

Will Ryan | November 12, 2021

Setting:

The stage is set: Historic Franklin Field on Saturday at 2:00pm. The Explorers of La Salle College High School will take on the Hawks of St. Joseph’s Prep. Small chance of rain in the pregame, but the rain will clear out and it should be partly cloudy and a cool 48° at kickoff. The forecast is calling for winds at around 18mph coming out of the west.

What are the Stakes:

Winner will face the 6A Public League representative in the D12 6A final. Ask around, and you will hear that Prep and La Salle are two teams that both have a real chance at winning 6A, so the winner of this game could be on their way to a state championship.

Keys for La Salle:

The Explorers are at their best when their offense is mixing in everything. When the Explorers go run heavy, they sometimes get in trouble. The Explorers need to balance Ryan Moore in the Wildcat, feeding Sam Brown, and having QB Alan Paturzo get his share of opportunities. The Explorers defense is not in question and they will be in this game no matter what. The linebacking core for the Explorers, which is headlined by Abdul Carter, Sean McFadden, and Chris Thompson, lead the defensive unit.

Keys for Prep:

Frankly, the consistency and ability to score for St. Joe’s has been in question this season. At QB, it is unknown weather or not Samaj Jones will be active. If he is, expect a heavy diet of QB Draws and Read Options. If he is not, Dane Picariello will be at the helm. Expect to see a lot of Blaine Bunch and Kahseim Phillips regardless of the QB. Prep’s defense has also been solid for them this year, headlined by Omillio Agard, Keenan Nelson, and Josiah Trotter.

Ticketing and Audio:

To purchase tickets, click here

District 12 has announced that they will not allow a live video broadcast for the game. Click here to listen to the game.

Why go to this game?

Prep vs La Salle is one of the most well known rivalries in the state. Historic Franklin Field is one of the best football stadiums in the nation. Put the two together, plus add a lot of D1 talent on the field, and you’ve got the makings to an instant classic!

Cover Photographer: Christian Daikler

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