New starting quarterback Tommy LaMorte prepares for the new season with coach, John Steinmetz (right) looking on. (Photo by Jonathan Vander Lugt)

by Jonathan Vander Lugt

Shoulder pads clash. Whistles, strung around the necks of middle-aged men shouting out new plays and drills, pierce the humid air with their shrill blow.

Hot temperatures hang around into the early evening. Summer vacation is still on, but it’s growing tiresome. The first sign that the seasons’ pages are starting to turn—the beginning of August—means the start of another season on the gridiron.

The La Salle College High School Explorers got underway at the start of last week. The 2015 version left a lot to live up to—they won the team’s first Philadelphia Catholic League AAAA title since 2012 and took the city championship with a rout of Simon Gratz—but that doesn’t mean this year’s team isn’t up to the task.

“This is day three,” said Explorer coach John Steinmetz last Wednesday. La Salle gets right into action Saturday with a scrimmage against Downingtown West before taking on North Penn High School in a non-league regular-season game next week. “We’ve got 85 kids, so we’re happy about that. We’re trying to get some young guys to step up.”

The offensive line, for one, will need to. The Explorers lost all five starters along football’s perennially-underrated, but probably most valuable positions.

“We’re working hard at that,” Steinmetz said. “A lot of guys are working, and a lot of guys are sacrificing. Everybody’s an offensive lineman until we find five or seven of them. Even starting defensive linemen from last year are participating until we find our five starters.”

On top of the new offensive line, La Salle will have a new signal-caller behind them: senior Tommy LaMorte. LaMorte, who stands at about six feet tall, spent last season as Chris Fergusson’s backup.

“It’s a lot of pressure,” a confident LaMorte said, “but I feel like I’ll be in good shape by the start of the season. The coaches are great, so when North Penn comes around, I’ll be ready to play.

“I’ve never really been in a leading position before. Trying to command a huddle…it’s just different. I’ve got to get used to getting the team together and getting their minds in the right spot.”

Last year, LaMorte’s reps with the first team, but according to him, the offense looks “strong” nonetheless. He’s not worried about the green o-line.

“I trust them all in front of me,” he said. “They’re all my good friends. They’re strong. They’re inexperienced, but if we coach them up, they’ll be fine. I’m not concerned one bit.”

Elsewhere on offense for the Explorers is lead returning back Syaire Madden. Better known as Sy, the senior back shared the same sentiments his quarterback and coaching compatriots did. Basically, the team isn’t that experienced, but they’ll find a way to make it work.

“It takes patience,” he said. “You’ve got to learn how to trust [a new line]. They’ve got my back.

“We’ve got to take it one day at a time. We’ve got to take every practice and make the most of it.

“We’re having our ups and downs. First day of camp was good, and it’s all about staying focused. The season will have ups and downs, and it’s just about how we persevere through them.”

Steinmetz, in his second year following Drew Gordon’s tenure at the helm of the program, will need to lean on his handful of players with the experience that Madden has.

“We’ve got a lot of juniors,” Steinmetz said. “They’re going to have to grow up fast.”

That said, a number of them started last year. According to Steinmetz, six or seven of this year’s juniors saw regular playing time.

“We have a fast-paced, high-octane practice,” he said. “We put a lot of pressure on them. It helps them learn quickly.”

La Salle’s game at North Penn will take place on Friday, August 26. Their first conference tilt doesn’t come until mid-September when they’ll open the Catholic League slate against Archbishop John Carroll High School.