In punching a ticket to the state semifinals for the fourth straight year, La Salle (12-1) stopped Baranek (24 carries for 31 yards) and company behind the line of scrimmage 18 times.
"I was a little bit surprised we had as much success as we did, but I knew we had it in us," junior end Ryan Coonahan said.
Naji and Coonahan were joined up front by tackles David Losier, Tom Spiteri, Andrew Carlone, and Luke Persichetti. Coonahan and Losier each had a pair of sacks.
"The guys next to me are special," Coonahan said.
Said Explorers coach Drew Gordon: "I think our guys did a real good job against their speed."
In the semifinals, La Salle, ranked No. 1 in Southeastern Pennsylvania by The Inquirer, will face No. 3 Coatesville (12-2) at 7 p.m. Friday at Downingtown West's Kottmeyer Stadium.
"From what we've heard, Coatesville is very fast and dynamic," Naji said. "But if we come out and play like we did against Parkland, we'll be fine. It's all in how we prepare for an opponent."
Also solid against Parkland, which arrived averaging 40 points per game, was a linebacking corps composed of Mike Eife, Zaire Franklin, and Trent Simmons.
Through three quarters, the Explorers held the Trojans (11-3) to 16 yards rushing and 18 passing, and five first downs.
"We just never got any tempo going on offense," Trojans coach Jim Morgans said.
In the first quarter, Eife's 1-yard plunge and Chris Kane's 29-yard strike to a wide-open Sean Coleman put La Salle in front, 14-0. Coleman set up Eife's score with a juggling, 33-yard catch.
Jimmy Herron, filling in for Kane and taking snaps out of the wildcat formation, rushed 14 times for 85 yards. His 5-yard, second-quarter dart made it 21-0 at the break.
Coleman's second touchdown catch, again made with ample space over the middle, covered 33 yards.
"In their Cover 2 defense, they were giving us the center of the field," Gordon said.
Parkland averted a shutout on Baranek's 4-yard run with 31/2 minutes to go. The bulk of Jarel Elder's 127 rushing yards came on his 74-jard jaunt for the Trojans on the game's final play.
Parkland 0 0 0 7 – 7
La Salle 14 7 7 0 – 28
LS: Mike Eife 1 run (Ryan Winslow kick)
LS: Sean Coleman 29 pass from Chris Kane (Winslow kick)
LS: Jimmy Herron 5 run (Winslow kick)
LS: Coleman 33 pass from Kane (Winslow kick)
P: Tim Baranek 4 run (Zach Owen kick)
Contact Rick O'Brien at robrien@phillynews.com, or @ozoneinq on Twitter. Read his blog, "The O'Zone," at www.philly.com/ozone
