SOUTHERN SECTION FOOTBALL ROUNDUP : Fauria Matches Harvard’s Total Offense in 28-6 Crespi Victory

See if this sounds familiar: A team enters a game heavily favored, plays indifferently, disappoints its coach, but still wins.

On Friday, Crespi fit the description.

Although the Celts defeated Harvard, 28-6, in a nonleague game at Harvard, it was less than a memorable day for the victors.

Crespi (6-3) started strongly, scoring on the first possession of the game, then remained nearly dormant until the fourth quarter when two touchdowns gave the Celts a 22-point victory.

Celt tight end Christian Fauria finished with nine catches for 113 yards, matching Harvard’s total offense. Sophomore quarterback Cody Smith, making his second start, completed 18 of 32 passes for 174 yards and two touchdowns.

Crespi ate up most of the first quarter, fashioning an 85-yard drive in 18 plays that was capped by Lucas Freeman’s four-yard scoring run. Freeman led all rushers with 44 yards in 15 carries.

However, that was the last peep out of Crespi until the final 23 seconds of the half when linebacker Frank Romano batted an Adam Rowins pass to Joe Mahoney for an interception at the Harvard 23. On the last play of the half, Smith completed a nine-yard scoring pass to Fauria for a 14-0 halftime lead.

“He made good plays when he had to,” Crespi Coach Tim Lins said of Smith. “He’s only a sophomore, so he’ll get better.”

Crespi snoozed through the third quarter, making only two first downs. Harvard’s Mike Chumo picked up a Smith fumble and ran 17 yards for a touchdown at the start of the fourth quarter to cut the lead to 14-6. Crespi responded as Smith threw a nine-yard touchdown pass to Mark Hollenbeck on the next possession. Reserve running back Rich Carranza added a 15-yard touchdown run to complete the scoring.

Harvard (1-8) had 20 yards in total offense in the first half and 113 for the game. Adam Rowins passed for 70 yards (eight of 23) and Jeremiah Aguolu rushed for 31 yards in five carries.

“We were outmanned and we knew it,” Coach Gary Thran said.