Alemany Rolls Behind Big Plays by Dice, 20-0

Some say that football is a game of inches. On Friday night, that’s about how Notre Dame High measured its offensive output.

The Knights gained only 43 yards on their home field, and Alemany needed only three big plays to walk away with a 20-0 Mission League victory.

“They just started blitzing and we couldn’t pick it up,” said Notre Dame quarterback Darren Firestone, who was sacked four times.

This was a game in which Firestone completed three of 14 passes for 15 yards and the Knights’ leading rusher, Damon Germanides, gained just 30 yards in five carries.

The Alemany offense wasn’t exactly marching up and down the field, either. But the Indians’ Richard Dice provided enough offense on his own, catching a 58-yard pass for the game’s first score, then substituting for an injured Terry Barnum to rush 10 times for 98 yards and the final touchdown.

“I had to step forward when Terry went down,” the senior wide receiver said. “I wanted to go in because it was clutch time and that’s when I do best.”

Dice wasted little time in showing what he could do. In the first quarter, Notre Dame’s Jabbar Craigwell fumbled a punt near midfield and Byron Towers recovered.

On the next play, Dice caught a pass from quarterback Adam Romandi along the right sideline, cut across the middle and dashed for the 58-yard score.

The Knights (1-3-1, 0-2) came back throwing but Firestone wasn’t up to the task. He missed his first eight passes, including an interception by Dice after Notre Dame had returned a punt to the 50 for its first good field position.

While Firestone’s arm was lacking, he kept his team in the game with his foot. Doing double-duty as punter, he pinned Alemany (3-2, 0-2) inside its 15 three times in the first half.

But with lightning slicing through the sky just south of the campus, Alemany struck again. Halfway through the second quarter, Romandi flipped a short pass to Barnum who turned it into a big gain, outrunning the secondary for a 62-yard score. The Indians missed the extra point but led, 13-0, at halftime.

After a scoreless third quarter, Barnum went out with a bruised shin and Dice put the final touches on a brilliant performance. With two minutes remaining, he ran around right end for a 55-yard score. In all, the Indians racked up 303 yards. Romandi completed five of 11 for 142 yards. Barnum finished with 17 carries for 64 yards.