PHILADELPHIA, PA -- It took until the fourth quarter to score its first touchdwon but a late rally propelled by a pair of Bernie Cevis (Port Deposit, MD/Hartford Tech) touchdown passes gave the Explorer offense (blue team) a 32-28 win in the 9th Annual La Salle Spring Game held on Saturday at McCarthy Stadium.

Played with a modified scoring system which rewards the defense with points for stops, turnovers and turn-over-on-downs, the Spring Game was dominated defensively for the first three quarters.  Twelve of the defense's points came on a pair of turnovers.  Taylour Lauri (Larkville,PA/Wyoming Valley West) recovered a fumble in the first quarter and freshman John Scripione (Hammontown, NJ/Hammontown) picked off a pass to account for the dozen points and give the defense the early lead.

The offense's first score came on a naked bootleg run into the end zone from 13 yards out by freshman quarterback Mark Julian (Easton, PA/Notre Dame).  Julian started and played most of the game.  Fellow freshman Chris Hanson (Southhampton, PA/Arhbishop Wood) ran the offense for most of the second quarter and the final drive of the game.

Cevis' two touchdown catches came on consectuive series in the fourth quarter and were the results of long passes plays of 48 and 52 yards from Julian.  Although no official statistics were kept Cevis' contribution is estimated at six catches for over 200 yards.

The Explorer defense shut down almost all semblance of a running game with consistent penetration from Casey Walsh (Ocena City, MD/Stepehn Decatur), Thomas Grossman (Chesilhurst, NJ/Winslow Twp.), Chris Reiter (Newtown Square, PA/Penncrest)  and others.  Explorer running backs were routinely down immediately upon receiving the ball.