Brown’s Late Run Bails Out Crespi

Derek Brown doesn’t play for Servite High anymore.

And without a Brown in the Friars’ backfield, Crespi supplied a flashy, game-breaking Brown of its own.

Leonice Brown, a junior tailback, broke two long touchdown runs Friday night to lead the Celts to a 13-10 nonleague win over Servite at Pierce College.

His 28-yard touchdown dash with 3:19 left erased a 10-6 deficit and sent the Crespi sidelines into a frenzy. Brown finished with 176 yards in 16 carries.

Brown admitted that he was flattered by the comparison to Derek Brown, a former All-Southern Section pick, but said that he was striving for a different comparison.

“I’d rather be matched up with my nephew Russell (White),” he said.

Brown spent much of last year watching White run wild for the Celts. White and Derek Brown got together for three memorable match-ups over the past two seasons. Derek Brown got the better of White in the last two meetings, which included a 41-21 win over the Celts in the second round of last season’s Division I playoffs.

This season, the marquee showdown involved Crespi’s Brown and Servite quarterback Rob Walker.

For a while, it appeared that Walker and the Friars (1-3) would walk away with their third consecutive win over the Celts. Walker completed nine of his first 10 attempts and finished 22 of 41 for 275 yards. Mike Kroll caught eight of Walker’s passes for 120 yards.

Walker threw two interceptions, both registered by the Celts’ Ken Kuras. Kuras’ first, early in the fourth quarter, squelched a scoring opportunity for Servite. With the Friars at the Crespi 22, Kuras stepped in front of a Walker pass at his 11 and returned it to the Celt 43.

Walker, a senior, also misfired on seven of his last nine attempts, including his final three after marching Servite to the Crespi 12 in the final minute.

The Friars had an opportunity to tie on the final play, but Servite Coach Larry Toner elected to go for the touchdown, rather than a field goal, on third and 10 at the 12.

Walker never had a chance. He was hit by Frank Romano as he released and the ball fell harmlessly to the ground.

Afterward, Toner defended his decision.

“Isn’t that the name of the game?” he asked. “We play to win. It’s obvious to me. We didn’t come down here to tie.”

Crespi Coach Tim Lins agreed.

“I think that any coach would have done the same thing in that situation.”

Servite had taken a 3-0 halftime lead on a 37-yard field goal by Jeff Gardner.

The Friars increased the margin to 10-0 when Walker scored on a one-yard bootleg on Servite’s first drive of the second half.

After the ensuing kickoff and on the Celts’ first play from scrimmage, Brown broke loose for an 85-yard touchdown run. Bill Canalez’s point-after attempt was wide right, however, leaving Crespi (3-1) in arrears, 10-6.