His top target? Workhorse rusher Tim Wade. Coming out of the backfield, the senior tailback caught five passes for 131 yards, including gains of 26, 47, and 50 yards.
"They did a good job of stopping the run, so we had to pass more," Wade said. "Matt's a great passer, and he kept hitting the open guy. You have to credit the line, too, for giving him time to throw."
Ahead by 35-33 with 41/2 minutes to play, the Explorers faced a fourth-and-1 from their own 44. They went for it, and Wade, following blocks from fullback Jarred Herrmann, center Connor Kerrigan, and left tackle Patrick Hoffman, burst through the line and raced 56 yards to pay dirt.
"I was just looking to go straight ahead and get a yard or two," Wade said. "I wanted to get the first down. But I saw the hole open up, hit it, and took off. It was nice to take a little of the pressure off us."
Next for La Salle, ranked No. 2 in Southeastern Pennsylvania by The Inquirer, is a repeat state semifinal against third-ranked North Penn (12-2) next weekend at a site and time to be determined. The Explorers nipped the Knights, 38-35, last year.
In the first half against Nazareth, the District 11 titlist, La Salle lost junior Sean Coleman, a speedy receiver and safety, to an apparent right-foot injury.
Early in the second quarter, the 5-foot-9, 185-pound Wade (16 carries, 108 yards) turned a right-side pass into a 26-yard TD. Wideout Casey Eidenshink nicely wiped out a would-be tackler at the 12.
In the third quarter, Magarity and Wade, streaking wide open in the middle of the field, connected for a 47-yard TD to make it 35-20.
The Explorers won despite a strong effort from Nazareth's Dan Harding. The 6-4, 205-pound senior completed 25 of 38 passes for 273 yards and a TD.
"We thought we'd get people in his face a little more," La Salle coach Drew Gordon said.
Early in the fourth quarter, the Blue Eagles (12-2) put together a 15-play, 78-yard scoring drive to cut the gap to 35-33. Soon after, La Salle rolled the dice on fourth down, and Wade's surprising jaunt squashed the comeback.
La Salle 14 14 7 6 – 41
Nazareth 7 13 6 7 – 33
LS: Palermo 18 pass from Magarity (Winslow kick)
N: Gray 10 pass from Harding (Portnoy kick)
LS: Herrmann 1 run (Winslow kick)
LS: Wade 26 pass from Magarity (Winslow kick)
N: Harding 1 run (Portnoy kick)
N: Harding 2 run (kick failed)
LS: Kane fumble recovery in end zone (Winslow kick)
LS: Wade 47 pass from Magarity (Winslow kick)
N: Andrew Bridgeforth 4 run (pass failed)
N: Adam Bridgeforth 6 run (Portnoy kick)
LS: Wade 56 run (run failed)
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
