Alemany’s Dice Scores Lone Touchdown in East Win

For Alemany High receiver Richard Dice, patience was more than a virtue Saturday night. It provided salvation.

For three quarters, Dice and everybody else at Birmingham High waited for something to pop, for someone to make the big play. Dice said he believed it was inevitable, though a scoreless tie seemed like a definite possibility.

“I just had to wait,” Dice said with a shrug. “And it paid off.”

Dice hauled in a 38-yard scoring pass from Hart quarterback Ryan Connors in the fourth quarter to lead the East team to a 7-0 victory over the West in the Daily News all-star football game.

The East committed four turnovers and blew a second-quarter scoring opportunity inside the West 10-yard line. But with offensive threats like Connors and Dice on the team, it was just a matter of time.

With the West defense zeroed in on Sylmar receiver Brian Roberson--who caught four passes for 90 yards and carried twice for 30--the East finally broke the big one.

“We noticed they were doubling Roberson,” said East co-Coach Mike Plaisance of Village Christian. “We told Connors to look first at Roberson, then throw long to Dice.”

Dice broke loose down the right sideline, sprinted past defensive back Anthony Jones of Kennedy, hauled in the pass near the 10 and scooted in with 10 minutes 6 seconds to play.

“This is an all-star game and the best of the best are out here,” Dice said. “You can’t expect us to score on every play.”

Connors completed six of nine passes for 136 yards, despite taking a shot on the chin from Crespi defensive end Alex Pupich on the first play of the scoring drive. Banged up, bandaged, but unbowed--there was blood all over the front of his jersey at game’s end--Connors finally hit pay dirt.

“We went to Roberson enough times that it set it up for Dice,” Connors said.

The West blew its best chance to tie midway though the fourth quarter. On second and 12 from the 50, East quarterback Ryan Walker of Sylmar was sacked and fumbled the ball into the open field. It was recovered by linebacker Viliami Langi of Kennedy at the East 27.

The drive lasted one play. Vince Lampkin of Birmingham gained 10 yards on a draw play on first down, but fumbled and East linebacker Chris Portugal of Montclair Prep recovered at the 17.

The East failed to cash in a textbook drive in the second quarter. On fourth and goal from the three, Walker was stopped for no gain on a bootleg around right end with 1:20 left, leaving East empty-handed after a 16-play, 65-yard drive.