Determined Alemany Comes Up Short Against High-Powered Crespi

Emotionally devastated this week by a pair of auto accidents involving members of its student body, the Alemany High football team came out Friday night against Crespi and gave it the ol’ high school try.

To their credit, the Indians rallied. Twice.

But they couldn’t rally three times against Crespi, which shredded the Alemany defense for 451 yards during a 31-18 victory in an important Mission League game at Pierce College.

Alemany freshman football player Andrew Blatter was killed in an auto accident last weekend, and Courtney Cummings, the girlfriend of Indian receiver Richard Dice, suffered a broken pelvis and femur Thursday in an auto accident.

In memory of Blatter, Alemany players wore his number, 25, on their helmets and a moment of silence was observed before the game in his honor.

“We were kind of up and down all week, but you have to pull through those things,” said Dice, who caught six Adam Romandi passes for 84 yards, including one for a 43-yard touchdown in the fourth period that brought Alemany (5-3, 3-2 in league play) to within 24-18.

Romandi completed 16 of 33 passes for 227 yards but had three passes intercepted. Two of the thefts were credited to Joe Ruggiero.

Meantime, Crespi quarterback Cody Smith showed no ill effects from the concussion he suffered last week against Chaminade, passing for 267 yards and three touchdowns on 11 completions.

Tight end Alex Pupich caught all of the touchdown passes, including one of 64 yards with 2 minutes 33 seconds remaining that clinched the victory for the league-leading Celts (6-2, 4-0).

Crespi tailback Torie Lee also got into the act, rushing for 165 yards in 25 carries.

Alemany running back Terry Barnum, meanwhile, was held to 38 yards in 12 carries.

Crespi led, 17-3, at halftime, but Romandi’s one-yard sneak and two-point conversion pass to Brian Shaw pulled the Indians to within six, 17-11, in the fourth period.

The Celts countered with a nine-play, 62-yard drive capped by Smith’s two-yard touchdown run, and Bach Stabile’s kick put Crespi ahead, 24-11, with 4:40 to play.

Dice’s ensuing touchdown catch and Travis Russell’s kick got the Indians within six points again, but they could not get closer.

Crespi rolled to 263 yards in the first half against a defense that had allowed just 172 yards per game.

Smith passed for 180 yards by halftime. He was seven of 11 and threw two touchdowns to Pupich.