While White Limps, Redlands Cripples No. 1 Crespi, 28-6

Crespi High critics, and there are only a handful, whisper it only occasionally: “Without Russell White, Crespi is just another football team.”

After Redlands’ 28-6 upset of the Celts in a season opener Friday night at Birmingham High, however, there were a few more Crespi crunchers in high-volume form.

“Their team is just one man, and if they would have pulled themselves together when he came out of the game, it would have been a much better game,” Redlands defensive back Jimmy Payne said.

Payne and Redlands, just as they were in last year’s opener, were a major pain for the Celts, pulling off a stunner that should knock Crespi for a loop in the national and state rankings. Crespi is ranked No. 1 in The Times Valley poll.

With White, Crespi’s All-American tailback, making what amounted to a cameo appearance--he finished with only 39 yards in 10 carries because of a badly sprained left ankle sustained in practice on Wednesday--Crespi folded under the pressure of the Redlands offense.

Redlands, which shocked Crespi last year in a 17-17 tie that cost the Celts the No. 1 ranking in the nation, ran the Delaware Wing T to near perfection. Redlands fullback Gary Yesionek rushed for 89 yards in 16 carries and scored on runs of 38, 13 and 1 yard to account for the brunt his team’s attack.

Without White, the pressure fell on Crespi quarterback Ron Redell, considered one of the state’s best college prospects. But Redell threw five interceptions and finished with 20 completions in 31 attempts for 187 yards.

“I think he was pressing quite a bit,” said White, who carried three times in the second half. “Everybody looked to him to come through in the clutch.”

Instead, Redell could only look on as Payne intercepted three of his passes. Crespi turned the ball over six times.

“I think they were all pressing a little bit,” Crespi offensive coordinator Jim Benkert said. “We never really established the run.”

After taking a 7-6 lead in the first half, Redlands put relentless pressure on the Crespi defense with its wing T, a sleight-of-hand formation that Riverside Poly used to score 38 points against the Celts the last time Crespi played at Birmingham.

For Crespi, it was impossible to stop.

Redlands took a 13-6 lead on the first possession of the second half, driving 69 yards in 11 plays, topped by Yesionek’s 13-yard run up the middle on a misdirection play.

On Crespi’s ensuing possession, a Redell pass was intercepted at the Redlands’ 26 by Jason Benge, who raced up the right sideline. After a personal foul call against the Celts on the runback, Redlands had the ball at the Crespi 21. Four plays later, Ryan Kana knifed in for the touchdown over a missed tackle by Crespi’s Patrick Benson. The score gave Redlands a 21-6 lead with 8:34 left.

Forced to play catch-up, a pass thrown by Redell again was picked off, this time by Payne, who pulled down a deflected ball off the hands of receiver Chad Nichols and raced in for a touchdown.

The score was nullified, however, because of a clip. Seven plays later, Redlands scored on Yesionek’s one-yard run to take a 28-6 lead with 4:12 left.