Notre Dame Tips Its Hand to Serra

It took a while for Serra High’s vaunted full-house backfield to get started Friday in a Southern Section Division VII semifinal football game at Notre Dame.

But Serra faithful need not worry about the slow start. Notre Dame was dealing away its aces.

The Knights turned the ball over five times, twice in scoring position, and lost, 12-3.

Serra, which did not earn a first down until early in the second quarter, put the game out of reach with 13 seconds to play when Dennis Gerard charged in from the one-yard line after Notre Dame turned the ball over on downs. The conversion pass failed.

The Knights, whose previous low point total was 12, finished 11-2 after advancing further in the playoffs than any team in Notre Dame history.

Notre Dame’s only points came on a 28-yard field goal by Chris Afarian in the first quarter.

But Notre Dame did have its opportunities. The Knights drove to the one-yard line late in the second quarter but on a second-down sneak, quarterback Greg Andrachick fumbled on the goal line. Serra lineman Corey Long pounced on the ball to preserve a 6-3 lead.

Earlier in the quarter, Notre Dame moved to the Serra four before Andrachick’s pitch, which was intended for Errol Small, was picked off by Louis Laffitte, who was tackled after he rambled 10 yards.

“We knew we couldn’t make mistakes and expect to win,” Notre Dame Coach Kevin Rooney said. “Everybody was kind of nervous and tight. There’s no excuse.”

Serra’s ground game, which employs three running backs, had accounted for all 57 regular-season touchdowns. Ironically, the Cavaliers’ first score came on a 34-yard pass from Alex Marcelin to Donald Godden on fourth and 16 with 9:35 to play in the first half. Lamont Daniel’s conversion run failed.

Daniel led all rushers with 138 yards in 15 carries. The Cavaliers gained 254 yards rushing.

It was just Serra’s third touchdown pass of the season. Godden has caught a scoring pass in each playoff game.

The Cavaliers’ first scoring drive was kept alive largely on a 15-yard pass-interference penalty and a 19-yard pass play from Fred Safford to Jerald Henry.

Serra’s defense limited Notre Dame to 97 yards rushing and put a lot of pressure on Andrachick, who completed six of 17 passes and threw two interceptions.

Small led the Knights with 63 yards in 17 carries but was stopped for losses five times.

The Cavaliers’ defensive effort was no shock to Small.

“No one makes it to the semifinals being a chump team,” he said.

Said Serra Coach Leo Hand: “Our defensive speed is very good. I don’t know who Notre Dame has played in the past but they probably haven’t seen a team with this kind of speed.”