In second season, Moore leads Cincinnati LaSalle to its first state football title
COLUMBUS -- It ended up being quite a day for Cincinnati LaSalle head coach Nate Moore.
Before his Lancers played in Friday's Division II final, Moore got to see Minster, a team he coached from 2010-12, win the Division VI title. In Moore's second season at LaSalle, he has led the school to its first state title as they dominated Nordonia 55-20.
When it comes to coaches who are establishing a reputation as turnaround artists, Moore is developing one. From 2007-09 Minster won only six times in 30 games. In the three years under Moore they went 25-13 and made three straight trips to the playoffs. In 2012, he was named the Ohio Division VI Co-Coach of the Year.
LaSalle has been the perennial little brother of Cincinnati's Greater Catholic League South Division. While Moeller, St. Xavier and Elder had combined to win 13 state championships, the Lancers hadn't even won a playoff game when Moore was hired last March.
After going 3-7 in his first season, Moore led LaSalle to a 9-1 mark in the regular season including wins over Moeller and Elder. Their only loss was by three points to St. Xavier in Week 7. In its fifth playoff appearance, LaSalle beat Glen Este 48-28 on Nov. 7 for their first win. From there they won their next three games by an average of 33 points. This past week Moore was the Ohio Division II Co-Coach of the Year.
Before taking the field for pregame warmups, Moore was able to see Minster's fourth-quarter rally over Kirtland. He came out to the field as the Wildcats took a knee to end the game.
"That was pretty neat. I'm really happy for Minster and the community. It's such a great town full of great people," Moore said. "To do it back to back and to walk out on the same field and do it with these guys is special."
While everyone expected a track meet, this game ended up being a rout. LaSalle had the throttle down from the opening kickoff, scoring on their opening drive on a Jeremy Larkin 4-yard touchdown. En route to a Division II record for points in a final, LaSalle pulled off the trifecta scoring on offense, defense (a Pick Six) and special teams (blocked punt). When Phil Anderson scored on a 23-yard touchdown pass from Nick Watson midway through the third quarter, the running clock was used for the first time in a state final.
"We came out in our chapel meeting last night and the offense called for the ball so we took it and they went down and scored. That was a huge momentum builder from the start," Moore said. "The interception return at the end of the half was a huge play and the blocked punt for a touchdown that one probably did it at that point."
While Moore was still trying to soak in what winning a state title meant, for LaSalle's players what this represents for the school was clearly evident.
"I feel like now LaSalle has a name for itself," defensive lineman Jordan Thompson said. "When I was at Finneytown people asked why I wasn't going to Moeller, Elder or St. X. I really didn't know much about LaSalle. But I came and got to know the people it is like family and now we have respect. We can put our name out."
The Lancers could make another run next year as they have a good number of returning players with many at the skill positions.
EVANS IMPROVING: Nordonia running back Tye Evans was injured during the fourth quarter fielding a kick and was down on the field for nearly 15 minutes. He was taken off on a stretcher and his head was held in place but X-rays came back negative and he was reported to have movement in his arms and legs.
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