LaSalle College Explorers Shut Out Crusaders For Week 0 Win @LaSalle_Sports @StevieD23468449

Tagged under: District 12, District 3, Gameday Hub, News

Tristan Klinefelter | August 28, 2021

LaSalle running back Stevie Davis rushes for a 50-yard touchdown in Friday’s season opener against BishopMcDevitt. Davis finished the game with 97 yards rushing and two touchdowns. Friday, August 28, 2021.

The 2021 Pennsylvania high school football season officially kicked off last night and in Harrisburg, it was a night to remember for the LaSalle Explorers. Sophomore running back Stevie Davis led the Explorers to a 21-0 victory over the Bishop McDevitt Crusaders with a game to remember. Davis rushed for 97 yards on 10 attempts and added two touchdowns and a huge 82-yard kickoff return.

The night started out with an unexpected delay as storms ran through the area and lightning caused a delay to push kickoff back from 6 p.m. to a 7:15 kickoff. With a slippery field and two top-ranked teams going at each other, it showed on the field as it was a defensive battle the entire way through the game.

The Crusaders came out strong on offense to start the game. Freshman quarterback Stone Saunders was making his varsity debut and on the first pass attempt of his career, he found Old Dominion commit Mario Easterly for a hookup of 39 yards. However, the Explorers defense would hold later in the drive and force a 39-yard field goal attempt that slightly missed the uprights.

LaSalle failed to convert on their first possession but on their second possession of the game Davis scampered for a 50-yard touchdown on the first play of the drive. The extra point attempt by Santi Sturla was good, giving the Explorers a 7-0 lead with four minutes to go in the first quarter.

The second quarter of Friday night’s game was a battle for the defense. For the Explorers, late in the second a sack by Kieran Campbell forced a Crusader punt in which the Explorers couldn’t convert. Sturla attempted a 39-yard field goal late in the second but it missed wide right. The halftime score stood at 7-0 LaSalle.

Bishop McDevitt receiver Rico Scott catches a pass in Friday night’s 21-0 loss to LaSalle. Friday, August 28, 2021.

To start the second half LaSalle received the ball. On the kick, Davis fumbled the ball, picked it up at the five-yard line, and scampered 82 yards before being caught at the 13-yard line. Davis commented on being caught saying, “Just improve, instead of being caught and not scoring I need to score next time.”

With the rain falling in Harrisburg, LaSalle fumbles on the two-yard line after a huge return of 82 yards to open the second half. The big kick return by Davis put the Explorers at the 13-yard line, but just three plays later on the two-yard line a fumbled snap caused a fumble and the Crusaders recovered.

The Crusaders were forced to punt deep in their own end and were only able to get it to the 30-yard line. Just four plays later the Explorers would find the endzone again, this time a screen pass from quarterback Alan Paturzo to running back Dominic Martin from 23 yards out. Sturla nailed the extra point attempt giving the Explorers a 14-0 lead with 7:36 to go in the third quarter.

The Explorers didn’t stop there. Early in the fourth quarter, Davis would find the endzone again as he bulldozed his way in from 14 yards out. Sturla made the extra point pushing the lead to 21-0. This would be the final score of the night and after the game, Davis commented on his team’s performance saying, “We had a lot of kids leave from last year. We are a young team, we have a whole new offensive line and winning this game by a shutout gives us a lot of confidence for the rest of the year.”

The LaSalle College Explorers move to 1-0 on the season and will face Malvern Prep next Friday night. For the Crusaders they lose week one but look to bounce back next Friday as they take on Middletown.

Picture Gallery Link Below:

https://pafootballnews.smugmug.com/Bishop-Mcdevitt-vs-LaSalle-2021-/

Box Score: M – McDevitt L – LaSalle

Score by quarters

M – 0 0 0 0

L – 7 0 7 7

First Quarter

L – Stevie Davis 50 yard rush, Sturla pat

Third Quarter

L – Alan Paturzo 23 yard pass to Dominic Martin, Sturla pat

Fourth Quarter

L – Stevie Davis 14 yard rush, Sturla pat