Tyler Sheehan stood in the pouring rain at midfield, more than happy to take countless postgame slaps on his shoulder pads.
The La Salle senior quarterback returned from his much-publicized broken collarbone Friday night, and led the Lancers to a resounding 40-20 rout of Greater Catholic League South rival Elder.
Sheehan completed 11-of-18 passes for 238 yards and three touchdowns, and rushed six times for 77 yards and another score. Rain started falling late in the game, but La Salle was pretty much in control after building a 20-13 halftime lead.
La Salle senior wide receiver Mike Reed caught 10 of Sheehan's passes for 230 yards himself and scored four touchdowns (three receiving, one rushing).
It was La Salle's first win over Elder since 1992, as the city's No. 6-ranked Lancers beat No. 5 Elder before a standing-room crowd of about 7,500 at La Salle. La Salle students raced out of their end zone seats and mobbed their players afterward, notably Sheehan.
"All I heard was people saying, 'He's not coming back, he's not coming back,' '' Sheehan said. "I wanted to prove I could do it. Nobody thought we could beat Elder, but we knew we could."
Sheehan, a 6-foot-4, 205-pound senior who has committed to Bowling Green, is rated by most scouts as the top senior quarterback in Cincinnati.
Sheehan broke his collarbone in a 35-7 win over Sycamore in a season opener Aug. 27. Sheehan threw for 152 yards and four touchdowns in that game, and had missed three straight games before returning to the lineup Friday. He had been projected to miss as much as eight games, but only missed three with aggressive rehabilitation.
Sheehan and Reed, the two offensive stars, were also quick to credit La Salle's defense. La Salle held Elder to just 56 yards rushing, while the Lancers rushed for 205 yards.
"It's the best feeling in the world to finally beat Elder," Reed said. "We came in with a lot of confidence. This one was won by everyone, from the guys that started down to the guys who didn't play. We were all ready."
Overall, La Salle (4-1, 1-0 GCL-S) held a 443-341 edge in total yards as the Lancers generally had their way in the trenches.
"They just played better," Elder coach Doug Ramsey said. "They caught the ball, they ran it, they blocked, they tackled. We've just got to get better."
La Salle coach Tom Grippa, who beat La Salle many times himself as Elder coach himself from 1987-96, got his first win over the Panthers in three years as Lancers coach.
"Look at that," Grippa said, as La Salle students stormed onto the field afterward. "We don't get to do that much here. I've won some games in my time, so the people I'm happiest for our students and our alumni."
Of Sheehan, Grippa said, "Number 7 is pretty good, isn't he? He makes a difference."
Elder senior quarterback Nick Zeiser was himself outstanding, completing 16-of-26 throws for 227 yards and three touchdowns (two to Jake McQuaide). But La Salle generally played mistake-free football.
<TABLE class=enqtable cellPadding=0 border=0><TBODY><TR class=enqtdhead><TD align=left>Elder</TD><TD class=enqtd align=left>0</TD><TD class=enqtd align=left>13</TD><TD class=enqtd align=left>0</TD><TD class=enqtd align=left>7</TD><TD class=enqtd align=left>- 20</TD></TR><TR><TD class=enqtd align=left>La Salle</TD><TD class=enqtd align=left>7</TD><TD class=enqtd align=left>13</TD><TD class=enqtd align=left>6</TD><TD class=enqtd align=left>14</TD><TD class=enqtd align=left>-40</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
L-Reed 25 pass from Sheehan (Walter kick)
E-McQuaide 12 pass from Zeiser (Siefke kick)
E-Jeff Brinck 40 pass from Zeiser (run failed)
L-Reed 5 run (kick failed)
L-Reed 58 pass from Sheehan (Walter kick)
L-Reed 70 pass from Sheehan (kick failed)
L-Sheehan 41 run (Walter kick)
E-McQuaide 14 pass from Zeiser (Siefke kick)
L-Burger 2 run (Walter kick)
Records: E 2-3 (0-1 GCL-S), L 4-1 (1-0).
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