Peery’s Return Sparks Canyon

Notre Dame High’s defense must have awoken this morning with the feeling of Canyon running back Chris Peery’s shoulder pads stuck in its ribs.

Playing exclusively in the second half, Peery rushed for 134 yards on 17 carries and caught a 48-yard touchdown pass as the Cowboys edged Notre Dame, 10-8, Friday night at Canyon.

Bursting through the middle every time Canyon needed yardage, Peery carried would-be tacklers with him.

All the Knight defense could do was play ride ‘em Cowboy.

For his part, Peery was back in the saddle after having quit the team earlier in the week along with tailback Cam Cross.

“I just ran with my legs bent and my knees popping,” Peery said. “I haven’t been doing that this year. I just wanted to show the coaches and everybody that I could do it and not be a quitter.

“I was enjoying myself.”

Canyon Coach Harry Welch said before the game that Peery would only play if needed. After a scoreless first half, Welch decided Peery’s time had come.

“I’m no dummy,” Welch said. “He runs the ball hard. Just wait until he learns how to run. He’s just a baby.”

Peery, a sophomore who played on the defensive line last season, gave Canyon the lead midway through the third quarter when he streaked down the left sideline and gathered in quarterback Rod Baltau’s underthrown pass. Peery cut in front of defensive back Reggie Dominique to make the catch and raced untouched into the end zone.

Tom Gahry provided the winning points by kicking a 39-yard field goal that barely cleared the crossbar with 5:38 left.

After wasting two opportunities, Notre Dame (2-2) scored on a 5-yard pass from quarterback Morgan Shepherd to Mike Rimkunas with 2:20 to play. Shepherd passed to Bill Brewer for a two-point conversion.

Shepherd had a 45-yard touchdown pass to Rimkunas nullified by a holding penalty in the third quarter. Late in the first half, Notre Dame failed to score from Canyon’s 1-yard line when Shepherd was stacked up by the Cowboy defense on fourth down.

“That was a fabulous goal-line stand,” Welch said.

Said Notre Dame Coach Kevin Rooney: “We had a foot to go. We should have been able to make it.”

Peery credited Canyon’s win to the offensive line.

“They did most of it,” he said.

Said Welch: “Rooney told me after the game ‘Your offensive line beat the stuffing out of us.’ ”

One of the Cowboys’ front five, tackle Dom Spainhower, represented many of his teammates by questioning Peery’s return.

“We were kind of hesitant,” Spainhower said. “We wondered if he was going to give 100% But he did. And he’s back.”

Said Peery:”It feels great to be back. Not just because I had a good game. I just didn’t want to go away and let my teammates down.”

Tailback Mike Lilly, who replaced Cross, rushed for 50 yards on 13 carries. The Cowboys totaled 212 yards on the ground. Cowboy quarterback Rod Baltau completed 4 of 7 passes for 82 yards and 1 touchdown.

Notre Dame tried an onside kick after scoring the touchdown, but Canyon’s Brian Zemojtel smothered the ball on the Canyon 40.

After an illegal procedure penalty, the Cowboys were forced into a first-and-15 situation. But Peery helped Canyon run out the clock by gaining 24 yards on four carries.

“He certainly ran with a purpose,” Welch said. “He wanted to prove to his teammates that he could do it.”