Future Tigers: Mizzou QB signee Gavin Sidwar wins state title at La Salle College

With Gavin Sidwar at the helm, Wyndmoor (Pa.) La Salle College bookended the 2025 season with wins over Pittsburgh (Pa.) Central Catholic.

The Explorers, the top-ranked team in Pennsylvania, won the the 6A PIAA Football Championship on Saturday, 34-20. The victory marked La Salle’s second state title in program history, the first since in 2009.

Sidwar, who signed with Missouri on Wednesday, threw for 188 yards and two touchdowns on 21-for-29 passing. The Class of 2026 three-star navigated his senior season after suffering a separated left shoulder in the third game of the season Sept. 5 against Wilmington (Del.) Salesianum.

“It pretty much was no longer a problem after the first Philadelphia (Pa.) St. Joseph’s Prep game (Oct. 4),” Sidwar said. “The Salies game, I took a sack on the first series and literally played that game with one arm. I tried to hide it the best I could. Every week I’d get hit, and it would become an issue again. Somehow, I made it through Prep in Round 1 (of the playoffs Nov. 1) without a setback and finally could get it healed.”

Sidwar ended up not visiting Missouri for a game during his bye week Sept. 20, with his father not wanting him to sit on a plane for multiple hours and aggravate his injury. While his shoulder healed, Sidwar will enroll at Missouri next month fully healthy.

Season totals: 238-for-333, 3,374 yards, 41 total touchdowns, 5 interceptions (3 on end-of-half deep throws), 21 carries, -37 yards

Johnnie Jones Jr. & Tajh Overton

During his National Signing Day press conference Wednesday, Tigers coach Eli Drinkwitz relished the opportunity to highlight Sidwar, Johnnie Jones Jr. and Tajh Overton all still competing for state championships.

But unlike Sidwar, the two linemen came out on the losing end.

Jones transferred to Venice (Fla.) High for his senior season, but the four-star offensive tackle fell one-score short of advancing to the 7A FHSAA state title. Lake Mary (Fla.) High came away with a 31-26 victory.

Owasso (Okla.) defensive lineman Tajh Overton, who suffered an upper-body injury in his junior season, fell to in-state powerhouse Bixby (Okla.) High, 31-17. The Rams suffered two of their three losses this season to the Spartans.

Season totals: 49 total tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 5 sacks, 10 hurries (10 games)