Crespi Stays in Hunt, 10-7, as Sophomore Paces Victory

Crespi High had two new prospects to deal with at Pierce College on Thursday night, one palatable and the other less than appetizing.

First, the unsavory. With a loss to St. John Bosco, the Celts would have been mathematically eliminated from the Southern Section playoffs for the first time since 1985.

Next, the promising. Crespi made a quarterback change to sophomore Cody Smith, a junior varsity starter who became eligible to play varsity when he turned 15 two weeks ago.

With Smith’s help, the new-look Crespi team was able to stave off postseason extinction--at least for a week--by beating St. John Bosco, 10-7.

It didn’t come easily.

The Braves (4-4 overall, 1-1 in league play) had a chance to even the score with 15 seconds to play. Trailing, 10-7, St. John Bosco mounted a 13-play, 56-yard drive to the Crespi two-yard line. The drive was kept alive when quarterback Gary Manley followed three consecutive incomplete passes with a 17-yard completion to Doug Petzer at midfield on fourth down.

The Braves worked the ball downfield and had a first down at the nine but were unable to punch the ball in. On fourth and goal from the two, Sergio Diaz took a handoff, was met head on by Jerry Thompson and was stopped for no gain.

The Celts ran out the clock on the next play.

“We rose to the occasion,” Thompson said of the defense. “It was like a square-on hit. Me on him.”

Said Crespi Coach Tim Lins: “It was a helluva goal-line stand. My heart is gone.”

Some had questioned the heart of the Celts (5-3, 1-2) after they had lost close games to Loyola and Alemany and dropped to 0-2 in league play.

Judging by its 36-yard performance in the first half, after which St. John Bosco led, 7-3, it appeared as if Crespi again would stumble.

Then the defense came alive. Late in the third quarter, the ball was batted out of Manley’s hand and recovered by Crespi’s Frank Romano at the Braves’ 27.

Four plays later, Smith lofted a 17-yard pass toward the right corner of the end zone where Zach Rayner made a sliding catch.

“I really didn’t see the ball at first,” said Rayner, who was covered closely by Jim Frausto. “It was in the lights. When it came out I picked it up and just reached out and got it.”

The reception and Bill Canalez’s conversion kick gave Crespi a 10-7 advantage.

There were few outstanding catches in the game. Smith completed eight of 17 passes for 80 yards but four passes were dropped.

“That’s just part of the game,” Smith said. “They’re going to come back and catch many more for me.”

Leonice Brown, Crespi’s leading rusher who sat out the first half because of sore ribs, gained 28 yards in six carries. Lucas Freeman led the Celts with 33 yards.

In all, Crespi was held to an uncharacteristically low 127 total yards.

St. John Bosco took a 7-3 lead with 4:23 to play in the first half. Brent Bell took a pitch, cut inside and scored from 11 yards.

Crespi took a 3-0 lead with 4:44 to play in the first quarter when Canalez booted a 31-yard field goal.