Grace Lord battling through some contact as she turns up field. (courtesy of @doms.pov)
In a world full of frontrunners and fair weather fans, it’s good to know that some people are loyal to their favorite squads despite a middling record or, frankly, the lack of watchable product on the field. One team that has decided to test the faith of those who rally behind them is the La Salle University women’s lacrosse team. To say that the Explorers have done little to inspire in their opening five out-of-conference fixtures would be a fair and accurate assessment from an abused fan who’s watched almost every minute of this year’s campaign (my hate for FloSports can be witnessed here). Despite the pain that I and many others have endured this year, the crowd was still bumping in La Salle’s recent home opener, the first of two games the Explorers played this past week.
Raquel Nieves feeling the love at McCarthy Stadium. (courtesy of @doms.pov)
The La Salle Explorers (0-5) kicked off their most recent week of suffering with the team’s first matchup of the year within the cozy confines of McCarthy Field. The opponent for their Mar 1st contest was the Lehigh Mountain Hawks (3-1), a team who the Explorers fell to on the road in the 2022 season. This year, the Explorers were seeking to put on a show for their home crowd, as the bleachers were moderately packed for the 3PM EST clash against the Mountain Hawks. Despite the home crowd’s support and cheers, Lehigh opened the game by scoring the first two goals to open their tab for the day. The Mountain Hawks were not going to just run the Explorers off the field quite yet, as Sara Grassi took advantage of a man-up situation to set the score at 2-1. Another Lehigh goal would find its way on the board before the end of the 1st Qtr, but a goal in the opening moments of the 2nd Qtr by Maddie Henderson would keep the Explorers within a score. It wouldn’t be long before the Mountain Hawks answered the Henderson goal, but Claudia Steinmetz and Mackenzie Click would bring the Explorers level at 4-4. Angered by La Salle’s insolence, Lehigh promptly ripped four straight possessions into the La Salle net to establish a sizeable four goal advantage. The home team and crowd were not to be silenced though, as an Alana Lathan man-up goal left the score at 8-5 going into halftime. Play resumed in the 3rd Qtr, and with it came three straight Explorer goals by Molly Maloney, Lathan, and Steinmetz. With the score level at 8-8 only five minutes into the half, you sure as hell know that a twenty-four minute La Salle scoring drought was about to set in. By the time a late Katie Johnson goal ended the dry spell plaguing the Explorers, the Mountain Hawks had already done all they needed to do to ensure their 11-9 victory.
The final from McCarthy Field. (courtesy of @lasallelacrosse)
La Salle’s week was not over despite their earlier misfortunes, as they still had another matchup against the Mount Saint Mary’s Mountaineers (1-3) scheduled for Mar 4th at 2PM EST. The Explorers knocked off the Mountaineers at home last season, so they were hoping that the weekend trip to Waldron Family Stadium might be their chance to finally get in the win column this year. The game started off right, with Steinmetz striking early to claim a 1-0 lead just two minutes in. The ensuing 12-2 Mt. St. Mary’s run kills any desire I have to write about this game. Click scored twice during those forty minutes from hell, and when the dust settled, an 18-7 Mountaineers victory was all that was left. Ellen Stickney combined with Lathan, Steinmetz, and Maloney to try and make the end result look more respectable, but the damage was done.
The final from Mount Saint Mary’s Waldron Family Stadium. (courtesy of @lasallelacrosse)
This upcoming week, the girls in blue and gold (and white) look to once again harness the energy provided by the rocking McCarthy environment as they kick off A10 play next Saturday, Mar 11th, at 1PM EST against the George Washington Colonials (0-4). The match will be streamed on ESPN+. Depending on how the Colonials midweek matchup goes, both they and the Explorers may be squaring off this upcoming weekend with the honor to not be 0-6. Win or lose, I will be back here with updates considering both La Salle’s women’s and men’s basketball teams seem to be winding down their seasons (aka losing their first A-10 tourney matches).
FloSports.tv with an incredibly favorable and generous review. (courtesy of sitejabber.com)
The La Salle women’s lacrosse team kept their early season out of conference slate cooking with their third… I mean second match of the season this past week as they traveled to no one’s favorite Philadelphia school, Villanova University. While Villanova might be a sad excuse for a city school, they do not hold a candle to the joke of a streaming service used to broadcast this heater of a lacrosse match between unranked opponents on a weekday afternoon (very thrilling). The contest was streamed on FloSports.tv, which, to my knowledge, no one owns a subscription for, including Mark Floreani, the CEO of FloSports (or so his LinkedIn claimed). Due to this broadcasting oversight by the almighty Augustinians running “Villa-No-Fun,” yours truly was forced to watch the play-by-play of this game instead of the actual tape. In all honesty, it made no difference for my viewing experience as I do not understand the game of lacrosse in video or text form. Now, on to game.
Mark Floreani: Public Enemy #1. (courtesy of linkedin.com)
For the third straight season, the La Salle Explorers (0-3) faced off against the Villanova Wildcats (4-0) after the series took nearly a decade off in the 2010s. Since the revival of this rivalry, the Wildcats have taken both matchups with varying degrees of certainty. A narrow 11-10 Villanova win in 2021 was followed up by a 14-3 thumping of La Salle in 2022, so this year’s game was up in the air when it came to how the Explorers would eventually lose. The 2023 edition of the series commenced on Wednesday, Feb 25th, at 1PM EST, at Villanova Stadium. The Wildcats opened the game with an early 4-0 lead before Mackenzie Click got the Explorers on the board with 4:54 remaining in the 1st Qtr. Villanova would tack on another three scores to make it 7-1 halfway through the 2nd Qtr, but a 3-1 La Salle run featuring goals from Alana Lathan, Katie Johnson, and Maddie Henderson saw the game at what looked to be a mildly contested 8-4 scoreline. Angered by the Explorers’ efforts, the Wildcats tacked on two goals in the closing twenty seconds of the 1st Half to secure a 10-4 lead at the break. Villanova got the better end of the orange slices and juice boxes during the rest, as they came out and proceeded to lay the hammer down on La Salle, scoring five goals in the 3rd Qtr without conceding once (few things worse than reading fifteen minutes of play-by-play just to see your team never score). With the score at 15-4 entering the 4th Qtr, the game slowly crept to a close. The final was 16-7, as La Salle secured another late 3-1 run with more guest appearances courtesy of Henderson, Click, and Sara Grassi.
Henderson, Click, and Lathan led the team in points with 2 (2 goals for Henderson and Click, 1 goal and 1 assist for Lathan), Click got the most shots with 7 (4 on target), and Maya Rhymes and Liza Dellaratta both secured the most ground balls with 3. Starting keeper Julia Dellaratta put up 7 saves against 16 shots on goal, good for a 43.75% save percentage.
The final from Villanova: Public Enemy #2’s very uncreatively named Villanova Stadium. (courtesy of @lasallelacrosse)
This upcoming week the girls finally get to celebrate their home opener with a Wednesday, Mar 1st, clash against the Lehigh Mountain Hawks (3-1) at McCarthy Field. The 3PM EST matchup will be a rematch of last year’s game, where the Explorers fell 13-5 in Bethlehem, PA. This match will be streamed on ESPN+ (thank you). And if one La Salle women’s lacrosse game in a week was not enough, the Explorers get a second opponent this week, as they will go toe-to-toe with the Mount Saint Mary’s Mountaineers (0-3) on Saturday, Mar 5th, at Waldron Family Stadium. The Explorers topped the Mountaineers 10-9 in 3OT last season, so hopefully they prevail in this year’s affair. This game will stream on ESPN3 at 2PM EST (second thank you). By the time I sit down to write another one of these masterpieces, I hope to speak of an Explorers win. Or of my resignation. Either would suffice.
Official branding for this week’s upcoming A10 Women’s Championship. (courtesy of atlantic10.com)
La Salle women’s basketball has concluded their regular season with a pristine record of 17-13 overall, featuring a crisp 8-7 mark in conference play. In the modern economy of the Atlantic 10 Conference, that would be good for the #8 Seed in the league’s upcoming conference tournament in Wilmington, Delaware. Instead of recapping this past week’s games (nothing like losing on the road to 6-20 Dayton), I will instead solely focus on what the Explorers’ actual chances are at being crowned the A-10 Tournament champions for the first time in program history.
Molly Masciantonio thinking about that automatic bid La Salle will get from winning the A10 tourney. (courtesy of shotbyscornely)
La Salle will open the tournament on Thursday, Mar 2nd, with a matchup against the #9 Seed George Mason Patriots (15-14, 8-8) at Chase Fieldhouse. The matchup will start at 11AM EST and will be broadcast on ESPN+. For the Explorers, the matchup is not the best draw. While La Salle beat George Mason earlier this season by a score of 69-62, that came with the backing of homecourt. Also, the Patriots have won four of their last five, with their only loss coming against the league’s best team and reigning A-10 Tournament champion, the UMass Minutewomen (24-5, 14-2). To say La Salle would have wanted to face one of the teams that play in the tournament’s opening games on Mar 1st would be an understatement. To play a team on short rest would be a great break for the Explorers, but unfortunately, they must play an equally rested Patriots team.
The next big obstacle standing in La Salle’s way is their potential opponent for the Friday, Mar 3rd, quarterfinal matchup. Due to the A-10 bracket not reseeding teams, a win over the Patriots on Thursday gives La Salle a date with the UMass team that I touched on earlier, the same Minutewomen that trounced the Explorers earlier this year in Tom Gola by a score of 66-42. UMass is on quite the tear too, with their only loss in their past fourteen games being a two-point loss at the A-10’s #3 Seed, the Saint Louis Billikens (14-17, 10-6). Not an ideal opponent. If La Salle does find their way into this matchup, the game would be at 11AM EST and stream on ESPN+.
The bracket for the 2023 A10 Women’s Championship. (courtesy of atlantic10.com)
If the Explorers do somehow make it to the semifinals and the finals, those games would take place on Saturday, Mar 4th, at 11AM EST, and on Sunday, Mar 5th, at 12PM EST, respectively. The semifinal would stream on CBS Sports Network while the final would be on ESPNU. I pray that next week I will be writing about the A-10 Champion La Salle Explorers. Realistically, I will be writing their obituary.
If any of you are familiar with my work, you will know I am an avid hater of the Men’s Basketball program at La Salle. While I must admit that some of my comments against the team are due to a personal vendetta against the program and the Athletic Department, none of my comments nor my negativity against the basketball team have ever been misplaced. I have seen this team fail to live up to their hype for three years in a row, and I feel confident that the basketball team will continue this downward spiral long after I leave 20th and Olney.
Because of this avid hatred, I never fell for the “Our Men’s team is actually good this year” lies that have been floating around campus all season long. I said from day one the team will continue to disappoint all season long, no matter who they bring in to coach and what second-hand talent from other schools they manage to trick into coming to La Salle. Slowly but surely, the Men’s team has continued to prove me right about my hatred for them, and I would be remiss not to admit that their failure brings me joy.
It is hard to exactly place when the hype train for the basketball team began. Still, I believe it began around January, when the team managed to pull an enormous upset and beat Rhode Island 77-75 in overtime. The team continued to grow this hype when they managed to beat UMASS 78-77 on the road. Considering both schools’ success in previous years, these two wins were significant, and it seemed like the men’s teams might be actual contenders for the A-10 championship. But if we look at the current rankings, Rhode Island is second to last place (we lost to them during our second face off), and UMASS is only one spot above them. After these two wins, the men’s team went on a (I must admit, somewhat impressive) 5 win streak, putting the team at the cusp of being one of the top teams in the conference. The only thing the team had to do was either defeat George Mason, Duquesne, or George Washington. This was when the school started pushing the narrative that the men’s team was good and could compete against big teams. I, however, was not convinced about their ability and told multiple people to “just wait” and assured people that “the team will fail soon enough, you just have to give them time.”
To the surprise of very few people, the team did, in fact, fail. They failed to win against George Mason on the road, stop Duquesne from putting up 91 points at home, and failed to at least stop George Washington from putting up 92 points on them on the road. The Explorers dropped from one of the top contenders in their conference to number ten within the A-10’s, once again proving their talent is nothing more than bottom tier. If you recall the article I mentioned early, you’ll be able to remember that the Athletic Department praised the improvement of the experience for the athletes and team that remained after the Title IX fiasco. Yet, it seems that the athletic department only wanted to make the experience better for the basketball team rather than give actual funding to other teams, and the results of which can be seen in the results from not only the basketball team, but also all of our other sports. No single team that remains on campus had a winning season (none even went above .500), and the teams that are currently active are failing to produce any form of momentum or winning streaks. The men’s team has two regular season games left, one on the road against Dayton (currently ranked 3rd in the A-10s) and their senior night against Loyola Chicago (currently ranked last in the A-10s), meaning the best record the team can finish with is 15-16 in the season, a game short of being .500 . I must admit, I would not be surprised if the men’s team managed to lose both games in the season, pushing themselves even further down in the A-10 rankings.
The La Salle University Explorer at Franklin Field. (February 18, 2023, colorized)
The University of Pennsylvania administration unveiled a new addition to their historic Franklin Field, home of the Penn Quakers’ football, lacrosse, and track teams. A plaque, paid for by several donations from the La Salle University women’s lacrosse team, is to be erected at the stadium to commemorate the event of absolutely nothing significant happening recently at the famous Philadelphia sports venue. The plaque is said to read “Franklin Field: On This Site, In 2023, Nothing Happened.” The plaque is to be placed at the foot of the east end of the stadium, the side at which the Quakers’ women’s lacrosse team has not scored thirteen goals on this season. The decision to create the memorial for such a nonexistent reason was a choice that has no real purpose, considering last Saturday was totally uneventful and had nothing interesting surrounding it.
The plaque that is to be erected at Franklin Field. (courtesy of “The Simpsons”)
Penn Quakers’ women lacrosse (0-0) will have their home opener on Wednesday, Mar 22nd, against the #6 ranked Maryland Terrapins (1-1). It is strange that the Quakers do not play a single home game for the first month of the season, but that is something the university’s administration is clearly set on considering they just never thought to schedule any home games earlier in the year.
A child running on Franklin Field’s track because there definitely was not a game played there recently. (courtesy of the child’s mother)
The La Salle Explorers’ women’s lacrosse team (0-1) continues their season with a road trip to the Villanova Wildcats (2-0) on Wednesday, Feb 22nd. The game is set to tip off at 1PM EST and will be streamed on flolive.tv. Hopefully the Explorers are well rested for this contest considering they are coming off a long break after opening their season with a narrow loss to the Iona Gaels. The girls have most certainly not played another game this season and their trip to Iona is the only time they have touched the field this year. If you enjoyed this article, please send any positive feedback or the Navy Seals my way because I am definitely not being forced to write this article against my own will.
Molly Masciantonio feeling herself while the Explorers’ offense is cooking. (courtesy of shotbyscornely)
La Salle University women’s basketball had another middling week when all things were said and done, splitting their two games, and leaving plenty of questions unanswered as the final week of regular season A-10 play approaches.
The Explorers opened their week at Tom Gola Arena on Thursday, Feb 16th, with an early game against the Fordham Rams (16-10, 8-5). Although the game tipped-off at 11AM (peak class hours for Lasallian students), the gym was not without a great home crowd. The game was labeled as “Kids Day,” meaning Gola was packed with young students from local schools who were spending their field trip cheering on the girls in blue and gold. The Explorers opened the 1st Qtr strong, amassing an 18-12 lead heading into the first break, but a dismal 2nd Qtr left the girls defending a 26-25 advantage into the locker room. Needing a strong second half to secure the home victory, La Salle pulled through. Kayla Spruill led the effort, leading the Explorers with 24 points and going 4 of 6 from deep, further adding to her record of most career 3-Pointers made in La Salle women’s basketball history. La Salle’s twenty-one point 4th Qtr was enough to give the Explorers the 61-49 win and some momentum heading into the weekend.
The final from Tom Gola Arena. (courtesy of lasalle_wbb)
La Salle finished their week with a trip to the Midwest to face off against the Saint Louis Billikens (12-17, 8-6). The Sunday, Feb 19th, contest was big for both teams who find themselves caught in a logjam of quality sides contending for a coveted bye in the A-10 tournament only a few weeks away. The early going saw the Explorers trade blows with the Billikens, amassing a 19-12 lead at the end of the 1st Qtr that would be trimmed down to a 33-31 advantage heading into halftime. A strong 3rd Qtr by St. Louis would give the home squad a six-point lead going into the 4th Qtr, but a 13-2 La Salle run gave the Explorers a 59-54 advantage with just over six minutes left. It is here that an agonizing 11-0 Billikens run would seal La Salle’s fate as the Explorers eventually fell 74-63.
The final from Saint Louis’ Chaifetz Arena. (courtesy of lasalle_wbb)
The split week now leaves La Salle with a record of 16-12, with a mark of 7-6 in conference play. What this means is that the Explorers will need some wins this upcoming week if they wish to have a chance at a double-bye for the upcoming A-10 tournament. Luckily for the Explorers, the upcoming slate has two winnable games. The first contest will be at the Dayton Flyers (5-19, 4-9) on Wednesday, Feb 22nd, with a start time of 7PM EST. The Flyers have been horrid this year, so hopefully this is a win. La Salle’s next game is their regular season finale, which means it will be Senior Day when the Explorers face off against the VCU Rams (7-19, 4-10) at Tom Gola Arena on Saturday, Feb 25th, at 2PM EST. The Rams did beat the Explorers earlier this year, so hopefully the girls get revenge on their Virginian foes. Both games will be streamed on ESPN+. I hope to report back next week with good news concerning those contests.
The final from Iona’s Mazzella Field. (courtesy of lasallelacrosse)
Before I start writing this article, let me preface that as one of the La Salle Collegian’s sports editors, I know very little about the game of lacrosse and the overall scope of NCAA Division I women’s lacrosse. What I do know is that once both La Salle’s women’s and men’s basketball teams cap off their seasons in early April by hoisting national championship trophies, I’m going to need something to write about for the remaining two months of our spring semester. That is where I find myself attempting to write about lacrosse, a sport I have never played, cared about, or even watched until about two years ago. Thankfully, my dedication to our university’s athletics is unwavering, so prepare to read some absolute garbage in my attempt to shine a light on a sport that I am fairly certain is only played in the northeast of the United States. Now enough of my nonsense. On to the real article.
For the second season in a row, the La Salle women’s lacrosse team opened their season with a contest against the Iona Gaels of the MAAC. While last year’s game took place within the confines of cozy Olney, Pennsylvania, this year’s matchup was staged in lovely New Rochelle, New York (I never have and never will go there), on Iona’s very own Mazzella Field (it looked nice in the pictures). Last season’s opener ended with the Explorers winning a thrilling 14-13 battle, so hopes were high for this year’s edition to pack the same amount of quality entertainment.
Julia Dellaratta was a brick wall last year in net for the Explorers. (courtesy of lasallelacrosse)
The Explorers kicked their new campaign off on Saturday, Feb 11th, with a slow start. Iona opened the game with two early goals in the 1st Qtr, forcing La Salle to come up with an early response. Luckily, Maddie Henderson was up to the task. Just two minutes after Iona established their two-goal lead, Henderson cooked the Gaels defense to score a goal that would cut the lead in half. Minutes later, Henderson found herself a free position opportunity that she would convert to even the game at deuces. Iona would close out the initial period with three unanswered goals. The 2nd Qtr was also a bit of a sleeper until Alana Lathan got herself on board with a goal that would cut the Gaels lead to 5-3 going into halftime. If Lathan’s goal was the meat of the sandwich, the bread would be another 3-0 Iona run that would be used to establish a daunting 8-3 lead for the home team midway through the 3rd Qtr. Needing some goals to get back into the game, La Salle dug deep and began cooking up a run with dreams of saving their season opener. Claudia Steinmetz got the ball rolling with a free position score to trim the lead to four, and, two minutes later, Tori Rolon got her own look from the free position to bring the game within three. An Iona goal looked to have halted the Explorers rally, but Lathan was back at it just a minute later, catching a peach from Ellen Stickney in traffic and firing home a shot to make the score 9-6 heading into the final period of play. Stickney would continue the La Salle run with a laser beam on her free position attempt, while Mackenzie Click would tack on another goal from the free position to cap off a 5-1 Explorers run that had the scoreboard reading 9-8 Gaels with 11:45 left to play in the 4th Qtr. The bad news: La Salle couldn’t get anything going for the rest of the game. Iona answered with a goal three minutes after Click’s effort to extend the lead to two and a late Gael’s goal left the Explorers settling for an 11-8 loss in their season opener and moving to 0-1 on the year.
Maddie Henderson grilling the opposing defense to the tune of two goal and an assist. (courtesy of goexplorers.com)
Henderson led the team in points with 3 (2 goals, 1 assist), Rolon got the most shots with 4 (all on target), and Sara Grassi secured the most ground balls with 4. Starting keeper Julia Dellaratta put up 9 saves against 20 shots on goal, good for a 45% save percentage.
This upcoming week, La Salle gets back on the road on Saturday, Feb 18th, against the Ivy League’s Penn Quakers. The two sides will face off at Penn’s Franklin Field (have been there, took some nice pictures), where the two squads met last season when the Quakers walked away with a 16-11 victory in front of their home crowd. The Explorers look to exact revenge on their local rival at 1PM EST in what will be Penn’s season opener. The game will be streamed on ESPN+. Expect me to know even less about lacrosse by the time I cover that game.
Hassan Drame gets set to rip a ball from beyond the arc. (courtesy of shotbyscornely)
The last time the La Salle University men’s basketball team lost a game, Herbert Hoover was still holding the keys to the Oval Office. Luckily for me, the La Salle Collegian does not employ a single fact-checker, so no one can disprove this statement, but a minor logistical error should not take away from the work Fran Dunphy and the boys are putting in on the hardwood these past two weeks (Dunphy might have been alive during the Hoover administration, don’t fact check that one either). After dropping five contests in a row in the month of January, the Explorers have bounced back, risen from the dead (in accordance with the scriptures), and rolled off four straight victories to find themselves sitting nice and pretty in the middle of their conference standings with a little under a month of regular season basketball to play. We shall now dive into the efforts Olney’s finest put out this past week.
La Salle’s journey to stability in mediocrity started with a dreaded trip to Olean, New York, to face the Saint Bonaventure Bonnies (13-12, 7-4) in the Reilly Center on Wednesday, Feb 8th. The Explorers have not won a game at the Bonnies since 2015, and the home team was bringing their own three-game win streak into the contest. None of that fazed La Salle, as the Explorers were cooking in the 1st Half. Josh Nickelberry and Andrés Marrero contributed four and two long balls respectively in the early going to spark a 26-10 La Salle run that helped the Explorers build a 44-35 lead going into intermission. The 2nd Half would feature a close knife fight, with the score staying locked at 67-66 in favor of the Explorers for over four of the final five minutes. Some timely points from Mamadou Doucoure mixed with some clutch free throw shooting helped La Salle put the game away 76-70 and leave frigid, hellish, western New York with a big win in hand. Nickelberry’s 18 points off the bench paired well with Khalil Brantley’s 16 to set the Explorers up for a big game a few days later.
The final from Saint Bonaventure’s Reilly Center. (courtesy of lasallembb)
The second chore La Salle had to take care of this past week was cleaning up the house as they had a Saturday, Feb 11th, date at home against the UMass Minutemen (13-12, 4-9). The Explorers had already taken care of the Minutemen earlier this season in Amherst by the score of 78-77, so this past Saturday’s preferred cleaning tool would have been the broom, a necessary item for sweeping. The game was hotly contested in the 1st Half with an intermission score of 35-33, meaning La Salle would have to turn it on in the 2nd Half. Spoiler: they did. Nickelberry turned on the oven and began baking the UMass defense. He finished with 21 points on seven deep balls and was one of five Explorers in the double-figures. Those high-powered efforts led to La Salle closing out the contest 86-72 in front of a stellar home crowd. As a big man, I have to shout out Rokas Jocius, who put in 12 points and 4 blocks.
The final from Tom Gola Arena. (courtesy of lasallembb)
With their win streak now at four, La Salle sits at 12-13 with a 6-6 mark in conference play. There is a chance a couple more wins could seal the Explorers a bye-week come the A-10 Tournament in March, so every win is going to really matter from here on out. La Salle’s upcoming contests are against the Richmond Spiders (13-13, 6-7) on Wednesday, Feb 15th, at Tom Gola Arena and on Saturday, Feb 18th, at the George Mason Patriots (14-12, 6-7). The Spiders game is at 7PM EST, while the Patriots game is at 4PM EST. Both games will be streamed on ESPN+. Next week, I will hopefully return to report on a six-game win streak.
Some of Super Bowl LVII’s stars. (courtesy of usatoday.com)
Nicholas Signoretta, Editor
Super Bowl LVII kicks off in a little under a week and this year’s big game has some obvious meaning to the local Philadelphian community that La Salle University finds itself nestled into. The matchup will feature the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs in what is expected to be a hard-fought battle highlighted by a thrilling duel between MVP finalist quarterbacks. With another chapter of the NFL finale looming on the horizon, the La Salle Collegian is here to break down the information you have probably already read on ESPN or TikTok but are willing to read again because you’re in a justified football craze.
To start off with the basics that need to be known for Sunday’s contest, Super Bowl LVII (57 for those who couldn’t be bothered to remember some random symbols they were taught in grade school) is set to kickoff Sunday, Feb 12th, at 6:30PM EST from State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. For those not lucky enough to have a golden ticket to the event (the cheapest seat is currently north of $4,400), the game will be broadcast on Fox and will feature Kevin Burkhardt with the play-by-play and Greg Olsen with the color commentary. This will be the duo’s first appearance as Fox’s big game broadcasters, as the network formerly trotted out the pair of Joe Buck (play-by-play) and Troy Aikman (color), who called both Super Bowl XXXIX and Super Bowl LIV, both games that will be addressed later. The halftime show is set to star Rihanna, while the United States national anthem is to be sung by Chris Stapleton.
Now that the logistics have been sorted out, attention must shift to the game itself and the teams contesting the NFL’s greatest prize. The location of this Super Bowl is a great place to start. State Farm Stadium, home of the Arizona Cardinals, was constructed in 2006 and will be hosting its third Super Bowl. The previous two installments, Super Bowls XLII and XLIX, were two of the most iconic games in the storied championship’s history (think 18-1 New England Patriots and Malcolm Butler interception, respectively). With the location addressed, the competitors are obviously the next big thing to get into for Sunday’s finale. The Eagles and Chiefs are no strangers to the big stage, as both squads are making their third appearance in the big game in the twenty-first century, tied for third most behind only the Los Angeles Rams and the Patriots. The Eagles enter the contest boasting a 1-2 all-time Super Bowl record, with losses in Super Bowl XV and XXXIX and a triumph in their most recent trip, Super Bowl LII. The Chiefs bring in a cool record of 2-2, with early appearances in a Super Bowl I loss and a victory in Super Bowl IV complemented by a more recent run of good form with back-to-back showings in a Super Bowl LIV win and Super Bowl LV loss. Both squads having Super Bowl appearances in the past six years might lead one to think these two sides have been consistent contenders in recent history, but a deeper dive into the teams will tell the true story of who is playing for the Lombardi Trophy.
Jalen Hurts has been a machine this year, amassing 13 rushing touchdowns. (courtesy of The New York Times)
First, it feels right to start with the Eagles, the team that went from preseason NFC East favorite to league juggernaut in just a couple of months. There is no other place to begin talking about the Eagles than starting quarterback Jalen Hurts. Throughout the offseason, much of the Eagles potential success involving the 2022-23 season revolved around the third-year signal caller taking the next step to becoming the Eagles long-term answer under center. Hurts was being asking to take a leap forward so his team could do the same, but Eagles general manager Howie Roseman was going to make sure the former Heismann finalist had all the pieces around him to make it happen. Picks were sent to the Tennessee Titans for former Pro Bowl wide out A.J. Brown, who Roseman would then hand a four-year contract extension. To take pressure off Hurts’ offense, the defense was bolstered too. Linebacker Haason Reddick and cornerback James Bradberry were signed in free agency. Safety Chauncey Gardner-Johnson entered the fold via trade with the New Orleans Saints. A first-round draft pick was spent on run stopping defensive tackle Jordan Davis. The result, a 14-3 record that was good enough for the NFC’s #1 seed with Hurts joining his new teammates Brown, Reddick, and Bradberry as AP Second Team All-Pros, while two more Eagles were selected to the First Team (right tackle Lane Johnson and center Jason Kelce, both pieces from the Philly’s last Super Bowl run). The Eagles played dominant football, scoring 28.1 Points Per Game (3rd in NFL) while only letting up 20.2 (7th in NFL) and registering 70 sacks (3rd most in NFL history). They dodged major setbacks, keeping a relatively healthy lineup while playing to such a level where most games were won with certainty and ease. They have hammered their playoff opponents by a combined score of 69-14, and they have just one test left to cap off a dream season for second-year head coach Nick Sirianni.
The Kansas City Chiefs are only a few years out from potentially becoming the next generation’s equivalent of the hated Patriots of the past two decades when it comes to consistent dominance. This year marked the team’s fifth straight AFC Championship appearance (all five contests played at home) and their third victory in that game in the past four years. At the center of the whole operation is former (and favored to soon be two time) league MVP Patrick Mahomes. Clocking in at twenty-seven years of age, Mahomes has already built the foundation for a potential GOAT argument a decade from now and watching him on any given Sunday will show you why he is arguably the most talented quarterback who has ever graced the NFL with his presence. Mahomes is a Madden cheat code on the field, slinging passes and escaping pressure with ease, inventing new ways for viewers’ jaws to drop to the floor week after week. While some may have believed the former Texas Tech man was going to take a step back after losing All-Pro wide receiver Tyreek Hill to free agency, Mahomes just walked right back out and continued to display his greatness without missing a beat. With Hill gone, it became easier to appreciate Mahomes’ future Hall of Fame counterparts, tight end Travis Kelce and head coach Andy Reid. Both men are going to be two of the biggest narrative cogs in this year’s contest. Kelce is the younger sibling of the previously mentioned Jason Kelce (a future Hall of Famer himself), while Reid was the man patrolling the Eagles sideline only a decade ago, leading them to the earlier mentioned Super Bowl XXXIX, which he lost 24-21 to the Patriots. Reid has since gotten his ring, winning with this core of Mahomes and Kelce just three years ago in the Super Bowl LIV. Kansas City’s two most prominent ballers can’t be the only ones focused on here as, like the Eagles, the roster is loaded with star talent. Defensive tackle Chris Jones is a Defensive Player of the Year finalist and joined Mahomes, Kelce, and punter Tommy Townsend as AP First Team All-Pros, while left guard Joe Thuney and center Creed Humphrey made the Second Team. Free agency like wide receivers JuJu Smith-Schuster and Marquez Valdes-Scantling have combined with draft selections like wide receiver Skyy Moore and running back Isiah Pacheco to keep Kansas City’s offense as potent as ever, while the defensive has been strengthened by the selections of cornerback Trent McDuffie and defensive end George Karlaftis. The pieces are here for the Chiefs to win the ultimate prize and solidify their position as the NFL’s next great dynasty.
Mahomes hoisting the Lombardi Trophy after winning Super Bowl LIV. (courtesy of telegraph.co.uk)
So, who wins? What’s the verdict? Who’s going to Disney World after their crowning as Super Bowl LVII champion? Las Vegas likes the Eagles, with Philly clocking in as a 1.5 to 2 Point favorite depending on the sports book, which reasonably makes sense. They are the team on a roll, with the wind at their back, and the world liking their odds (ironic when you consider the narrative surrounding their last Super Bowl run). Despite all this though, I can’t reasonably pick the Eagles to win. Or better way to put it, I can’t reasonably pick Mahomes to lose. The man is Tom Brady 2.0 in every way. The only time I ever used to believe the Patriots were dead was when the clock read zero and they had less points. I always assumed they were winning until that moment because, as the Atlanta Falcons showed, anything is possible when you have strange voodoo magic in sports. I believe Mahomes has that strange voodoo magic. The man has already clawed back from the abyss of a major fourth quarter deficit in one Super Bowl, so why would I bet against him to do it again? Could this just turn out like Mahomes’ other trip to the big game, where he was hounded for sixty minutes by a dominant Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive front? Yes, I believe the previously mentioned Reddick, along with other double-digit sackers Brandon Graham, Javon Hargrave, and Josh Sweat could kill Mahomes in a defensive bloodbath. But I’m taking the dude who I think is going to retire as the greatest man to ever throw the pigskin. Whatever happens, both teams should be proud of themselves for the seasons they put together. In the end, the NFL is just the friends we made along the way.
Jhamir Brickus dribbles the ball up the court in La Salle’s 75-64 win over the George Washington Colonials. (courtesy of doms.pov)
Nicholas Signoretta, Editor
The La Salle University men’s basketball team is back, baby. After taking off for what seemed like the entire second half of the calendar month of January, the boys in blue and gold had a stellar week that featured not just one, but two wins to stop their freefall into utter irrelevance.
La Salle’s big week began on Wednesday, Feb 1st, with a contest at home in the Tom Gola Arena against the George Washington Colonials (11-11, 5-4). The Explorers opened the game with some strong play, cutting up GW early for a double-digit lead only eight minutes in that ballooned to a 32-18 lead with 4:39 left in the 1st Half. The lead would shrink down to just seven as the scoreboard read 35-28 as the teams entered the locker rooms for some rest and adjustments. The Colonials certainly took the time to change things up, as they opened the 2nd Half with a 17-4 run that saw them secure a 45-39 lead only five minutes into the half. Despite the visitor’s rally, the Explorers would not be deterred as they staged their own 10-0 run to reclaim a 49-45 lead just three minutes after GW completed their run. The teams would spend the next seven minutes trading small leads, until a huge three-ball from Jhamir Brickus ripped the game open with just over four minutes remaining. The Explorers would go on to close the game 75-64 in front of a popping home crowd (there was a decent student attendance due to the celebration of National Girls & Women In Sports Day) to end a painful five-game losing streak that hadn’t seen them win a game since their 78-77 win at the UMass Minutemen on Jan 11th.
Khalil Brantley is cool, calm, and collected from the free-throw line. (courtesy of shotbyscornely)
After La Salle took care of business earlier in the week, a Sunday, Feb 5th, trip to Hawk Hill to face the hated Saint Joseph’s Hawks (5-6, 11-12) at Hagan Arena was on the docket. A loss to society’s least favorite Jesuit university would give the Hawks their first sweep of the Explorers since the 2015-16 season and would also move the Hawks ahead of the Explorers in the overall Philly Big 5 standings for this current season. Needing this win, La Salle again came out playing the better basketball through the game’s opening, securing a 22-11 lead halfway through the 1st Half. Just like the GW game, the Explorers did their best to let that lead bleed away, taking only a 35-30 advantage into the break. Both sides would trade blows in the opening frames of the 2nd Half, with the score finding itself level at 45 all with twelve minutes remaining in the contest. It was here where Josh Nickelberry decided to take over the game, scoring the next eleven La Salle points to give the Explorers a 56-51 lead with 7:30 on the clock. Nickelberry hits three long balls in this period, which helped him pace the Explorers with 16 points on the day, including a 4 of 6 mark from beyond the arc. The Hawks would never be able to shrink the La Salle lead below five for the rest of the contest, as the Explorers combined timely baskets and stellar free throw shooting to ward off any late comeback attempts. The 73-65 win avenged La Salle’s earlier loss to St. Joe’s and brought the Explorers overall record to 10-13 on the season, with a 4-6 mark in A-10 games.
Andrés Marrero locks in on defense against the Saint Joseph’s Hawks. (courtesy of doms.pov)
This upcoming week for La Salle features a trip to Olean, New York, where the Explorers will face off against the Saint Bonaventure Bonnies (13-11, 7-4) on Wednesday, Feb 8th, at 7PM EST. The Bonnies will bring a three-game win streak into the matchup, which includes a 61-58 win at the A-10’s best team, the VCU Rams (18-6, 9-2). After their midweek trip, La Salle returns home to face off against the UMass Minutemen (13-10, 4-7) on Saturday, Feb 11th, at 2PM EST. The Explorers already knocked off the Minutemen 78-77 in Amherst as mentioned earlier in the article, so a sweep here would be huge for future tiebreakers. Both contests will be streamed on ESPN+.
The La Salle Collegian 