The 5-foot-9, 185-pound senior tailback, who paid his dues as a blocking fullback the last two seasons, carried the football 25 times for 151 yards and a second-quarter score.
La Salle, ranked No. 2 in Southeastern Pennsylvania by The Inquirer, needed a last-second interception to turn back No. 10 Roman.
"Roman is a really good team," Wade said. "They have a lot of athletes. It was good to pull out a win, but we could have done a lot better."
After stopping the Explorers (4-1) on four downs, the Cahillites (3-2) took possession at their own 40-yard line with 42.7 seconds to go. Mike Keir completed two throws to move the ball to the La Salle 23.
After a first-down spike, Keir tried to connect with wideout William Fuller on a left-side fade. After Matt Magarity tipped the ball, fellow defensive back Dad Poquie made the clinching pick in the rain.
At quarterback, Magarity converted 10 of 22 passes for 126 yards and two second-half touchdowns, both on bootleg plays. The second, a 10-yard strike over the middle to wide-open tight end Mike Piscopo, was the difference.
Keir kept Roman in position to eke out a win. The junior hit on 18 of 36 throws for 204 yards and a score. Late in the third quarter, his 16-yard scamper cut La Salle's lead to 17-14.
In the fourth quarter, with Roman down by 23-14, Keir directed a 13-play, 80-yard scoring drive. Marcus Kelly (17 carries for 111 yards) capped the series with a 2-yard touchdown dash.
Magarity's feet and arm had helped the Explorers go in front, 10-7, just before intermission. His runs of 11 and 12 yards set up Ryan Winslow's 27-yard field goal.
Earlier in the second quarter, La Salle forged a 7-7 tie with a six-play, 75-yard series. Wade's 40-yard burst set up his 4-yard TD run around right end.
Roman had scored on its first possession of the night. Keir's 11-yard fade to Fuller capped a five-play, 67-yard drive. Keir had opened the series with a 27-yard strike to Taishan Tucker.
La Salle 0 10 7 6 – 23
Roman Catholic 7 0 7 7 – 21
RC: Fuller 11 pass from Keir (Isaac kick)
L: Wade 4 run (Winslow kick)
L: FG Winslow 27
L: Buckley 1 pass from Magarity (Winslow kick)
RC: Keir 16 run (Isaac kick)
L: Piscopo 10 pass from Magarity (kick failed)
RC: M. Kelly 2 run (Isaac kick)
Contact staff writer Rick O'Brien at 610-313-8019, robrien@phillynews.com, or @ozoneinq on Twitter. Read his blog, "The O'Zone," at www.philly.com/ozone
