Explorers outfoxed by Marist, 24-10

By Andrew Neumann
Collegian Staff
October 17, 2007

The La Salle Explorer football team traveled up to Poughkeepsie, N.Y. last Saturday night to take on the Marist Red Foxes. This game was different from most of the previous games this season, in that the team remained competitive throughout the contest.

However, the ending was the same as it had been five previous times this year for the Explorers: with a loss. This time, it was by a score of 24-10.

“Despite our record, I see improvements in the freshmen starting for our team,” sophomore defensive lineman Brian Winn said. “We are starting a freshman quarterback along with two freshman running backs, and on the defensive side, a couple of great freshman defensive backs. We are building our young program for the future.”

Coming into the game, both La Salle and Marist were looking for their first victory of the season. The Red Foxes got on the board first; by way of a 29-yard field goal from Chris Collins to give Marist a 3-0 lead.

The Red Foxes then caught a huge break on offense, when the Explorers were flagged for another unnecessary and careless penalty. On the play, Explorer junior Jake Cornely hit Marist quarterback Stephen McGrath out of bounds, resulting in a 15-yard penalty. Later in the drive, the score would become 10-0, as Adam Hanson scored from nine yards out.

The Red Foxes added another score late in the half when WR Robert Spano landed on a fumble in the La Salle end zone for a touchdown. The teams headed to the locker room at halftime with the Explorers trailing 17-0. They seemed to be writing an all-too-familiar story.

But the second half is where the story began to be penned by different authors, at least for a little while. The Explorers took possession of the football on their second drive of the half at the Marist 39 after senior John Costello recovered a fumble forced by freshman Dan Oliver.

On third and 10, freshman quarterback Steve Panasuk was sacked by the Red Foxes’ O.G. Igbinosun, who had four sacks in the game. However, a 15-yard facemask penalty was assessed on Marist, resulting in a La Salle first down. The Explorers capitalized on the mistake, and drove down the field. Sophomore Dave Macknet plunged in from one yard out to trim the Marist lead to 17-7.

“Coming out of halftime, our offense was determined to take a step forward,” Winn said. “They struggled early in the game, but rebounded, scoring a touchdown in the third quarter. We looked like a team in the second half, as opposed to individuals, the way we looked in the games prior to the Marist Game.

Winn also recovered a fumble later in the game.

La Salle capitalized on another Marist turnover at the end of the third quarter when Oliver picked off a McGrath pass and took it 25 yards to the Red Fox 21. Four plays later, Anthony Perlozzo drilled a 36-yard field goal to pull the Explorers within a score at 17-10.

However, just as the Explorers appeared to be getting serious about contending for their first win, old tendencies began to creep up. Junior kickoff specialist Chip Ingle booted the ensuing kickoff out of bounds, giving Marist the ball at the 35.

The Red Foxes then marched 65 yards on 11 plays to score on a McGrath keeper that upped the tally to 24-10. The drive was kept alive by a pass interference call on Oliver that gave Marist a first down on what would have been a fourth and eight. The Explorers were unable to get within striking distance again.

“I think our team needs to improve in our confidence on both sides of the ball,” Winn said. “It’s not all about the defense or all about the offense. Without one, you can’t win. We need to trust each other.”

Statistically, La Salle was out-gained by the Red Foxes in most categories. Marist rushed for 175 yards, compared to the Explorers’ 74. Panasuk was 6-of-19 for 37 yards. Much like the last time a team from Philadelphia played a team from New York, the Philadelphia quarterback spent much of the day on his back, and Panasuk was sacked eight times.

La Salle was kept in the game mostly by Marist’s carelessness with the ball. The Red Foxes threw an interception and had five fumbles, three of which were lost. All of the Explorers’ points came off of these turnovers.

This week, the Explorers will be off. They return to action Saturday, Oct. 27 at 3 p.m. against Assumption College. The game will be played as part of Homecoming Weekend at La Salle, and the school has once again gone to great lengths to try and find a winnable game for the occasion.

The Worcester, Mass. based school is 1-6 and plays in the Division III Northeast 10 Conference. The only common opponent for the Explorers and the Greyhounds is Sacred Heart, which beat Assumption 41-20 on Aug. 30 and beat La Salle 54-14 the next week.

“We are hungry for a win,” Winn said. “Our fans don’t think much of our program, so we have to show them that we are making improvements and that we are capable of taking over a game.”

neumanna1@lasalle.edu