For La Salle, Wednesday night was about proving that a new team with young faces can still do big things.
"This was our first year without those stars, those guys who finished third or fourth in the state," La Salle coach Richie Gebauer said, referring to graduated Explorers Matt Cimato and Casey Kent.
"These guys needed to let everyone know that this is a new era, and we're a brand-new team who's going to fight tooth and nail for every single point."
In the Philadelphia Catholic League wrestling championship, the Explorers easily defeated visiting Father Judge, 39-25.
The win gave La Salle its fifth consecutive PCL wrestling championship. The Explorers have won 50 straight matches against PCL opponents.
The two teams had faced each other 21/2 weeks earlier, on Jan. 12, with La Salle winning, 37-28.
In front of a passionate home crowd, La Salle jumped out to an early 24-0 lead behind three straight pins - by Sal Anderson at 113 pounds, Patrick McGinley at 120, and Andrew McLaren at 126.
Judge cut the deficit to 24-12 on victories by Joe Galasso (forfeit at 145) and Nick Reidy (pin at 152), before the Explorers retook command of the match behind wins from Kolby Stein at 160 and Nathan Ezzo at 170.
"Those pins kind of set the tone for us," Gebauer said. "But I think Stein was really the star tonight.
"He got beat by Vickson Krah earlier in the year, and for him to come out here and get that win today really put the icing on the cake."
Stein earned a 4-2 decision against Krah.
La Salle pushed the lead to 36-18 with a forfeit in the 195-pound bout and sealed the match with a decision by Antonio Pelusi at 285.
The Explorers will move on to the District 12 championship match on Friday.
"We're going to enjoy this tonight and worry about who we're [wrestling] tomorrow," Gebauer said. "We'll get back at it in the morning."
The results
LA SALLE 39, FATHER JUDGE 25
113: Sal Anderson, LS, pinned Adam White; 120: Patrick McGinley, LS, pinned Richard Custer; 126: Andrew McLaren, LS, pinned Dan Candelaria, 132: Tim Walker, LS, dec. Vince Manzi, 12-6; 138: Greg Konieczny, LS, dec. David White, 10-3; 145: Joe Galasso, FJ, won by forfeit; 152: Nick Reidy, FJ, pinned Joe Sullivan; 160: Kolby Stein, LS, dec. Vickson Krah, 4-2; 170: Nathan Ezzo, LS, dec. Joe D'Imperio; 182: Idris White, FJ, pinned Dad Poquie; 195: Anthony Piscopo, LS, won by forfeit; 220: Jim Galasso, FJ, dec. Joey Padraza, 9-1; 285: Antonio Pelusi, LS, dec. Eric Drains, 3-2; 106: Tim McCall, FJ, dec. Mark Rounbehler, 7-1.
Contact Austin Odenbrett at aodenbrett@philly.com.
