Crespi Expels Jinx in Ripping St. Paul, 35-15

All week long it was described in practice by various terms. But the most appropriate and popular characterization, it seems, was “the jinx.”

Over the past 18 years, Crespi High has sent dozens of players into the college ranks, sent a quarterback to the NFL and produced California’s former career rushing leader.

Five years ago, Crespi won the Southern Section Big Five Conference title, becoming the first Valley school to do so.

In 1973, Crespi lost at the Coliseum in the 3-A Division final. In 1987, the Celts were ranked No. 1 in the nation at the start of the year.

And until Friday night, 1973 marked the last year the Celts had won an outright league title.

The skein ended on Friday as visiting Crespi hammered St. Paul, 35-15, to end the ignominious streak and clinch the Mission League title.

How long has it been? When Crespi won its league title in ‘73, an assistant by the name of Harry Welch was on hand.

“We talked about it a little bit,” Crespi Coach Tim Lins said. “We told ‘em that most of them hadn’t even been born yet.”

This was a title borne of hard work by the Celts’ offensive line, which buried the St. Paul defense almost at will. Crespi (7-2, 5-0 in league play) rolled up 466 yards and scored on four consecutive possessions spanning the second and third quarters to blow the Swordsmen (2-7, 2-3) away.

It was by land and by air. Crespi quarterback Cody Smith had all night to pass, completing 15 of 24 for 206 yards and two touchdowns.

“The offensive line was great,” Smith said. “I was really able to hit the receivers.”

The run attack was hitting too. Tailback Torie Lee rushed for a career-high 231 yards in 31 carries, and scored on runs of two, one and 92 yards.

The victory was especially noteworthy for Lins, who graduated from St. Paul in 1979 and was making his first appearance as a coach at his alma mater. It might have been St. Paul’s homecoming game, but Lins’ team owned the night.

Doubly so in that the Celts had the stigma of the league streak hanging over their collective heads.

Neither team was able to mount much of a scoring threat in the first 1 1/2 quarters, but on Crespi’s third possession, the scoring dam broke. The teams scored three touchdowns in the final five minutes of the half.

The Celts drove 80 yards in 10 plays and Lee scored from two yards on a pitch around right end for a 7-0 lead.

A 62-yard kickoff return by Travis Griffin gave St. Paul possession at the Crespi 37, and four plays later, tailback Shawn McKinney scooted 24 yards for a touchdown through the middle of the Celts’ defense with 2:15 left in the half.

The Celts moved ahead on their next possession by going through the air. Smith completed passes of 12, 15 and 36 yards to move Crespi to the St. Paul nine. From there, he hit receiver Dereck Williams for a 13-7 lead with 15 seconds remaining in the half.

Crespi scored on its first two possessions of the second half on a pass from Smith to Joe Ruggiero and a one-yard run by Lee.

Lee’s 92-yard run came with 3:51 left in the game and gave the Celts a 35-7 lead.