Craigwell Passes Test to Propel Notre Dame to Rout of Harvard

A few games into last season, Notre Dame High’s Jabbar Craigwell moved from tailback to quarterback.

For a while, some still considered him just a good running quarterback.

Not anymore.

Craigwell completed 12 of 16 passes for 167 yards and two touchdowns in the Knights’ 42-3 Mission League rout of Harvard-Westlake on Friday at Notre Dame.

“He is really improving,” Coach Kevin Rooney said. “He’s making a lot of big plays.”

Craigwell, who completed his first nine passes, also rushed for 49 yards and another touchdown. He had a 69-yard run called back by a clipping penalty.

“Our offense is putting things together,” Craigwell said. “When we are playing good, I don’t think there is anyone that can stop us.”

Notre Dame (5-2, 2-0 in league play) outgained Harvard-Westlake, 430-129. It was the second consecutive 400-yard performance for the Knights, who beat Chaminade, 36-3, in their Mission League opener last week.

Junior tailback John Garcia led the Notre Dame ground attack with 101 yards in only 10 carries.

“They ran well, passed well, kicked well,” Harvard Coach Dave Bennett said. “They did just about whatever they wanted.”

The Wolverines (4-3, 0-2) started the game well, getting a field goal at the end of an 11-minute, 36-second drive that spanned both quarters in the first half, but their offense stalled when fullback Danny Mason went out with a foot injury in the second period.

Mason had gained 25 yards in five carries. Left on his own, tailback Don Donester could manage only 40 yards in 19 carries for the Wolverines.

Notre Dame led only, 13-3, at halftime, but the Knights blew the game open with two third-quarter touchdowns, a 10-yard run by Lei Malieitulua and a 15-yard pass from Craigwell to Robbie Brewster. Both scores were set up by Wolverine fumbles.

Notre Dame sophomore running back Alvan Arzu was the hero of garbage time, scoring on runs of 21 and 26 yards in the fourth quarter.