Giovannettone Fills Big Shoes in 28-7 Chaminade Victory

Chaminade may have finally found a replacement for injured star running back Franklin Saunders.

Sophomore Jason Giovannettone carried 22 times for 120 yards and scored two touchdowns Saturday to lead the Eagles to a 28-7 Mission League victory over Harvard-Westlake.

Giovannettone scored the game’s first touchdown on a 14-yard run in the second quarter. He also scored on a three-yard run in the fourth quarter, giving the Eagles a 21-7 lead.

The Wolverines tied the score, 7-7, with 16 seconds left in the first half when Kadar Lewis took a reverse 64 yards for a touchdown.

Chaminade (4-5, 2-2 in league play) opened the second half with a 16-play, 80-yard drive, capped by Brian Simmers’ one-yard touchdown run. The Eagles also mounted an 11-play, 51-yard scoring drive in the fourth quarter, capped by Giovannettone’s second score.

The Eagles forced two turnovers and had three sacks and a blocked field goal by Giovannettone while giving up 209 yards.

Chaminade quarterback Tom Racius completed nine of 16 passes for 143 yards, including a 21-yard touchdown strike to Gabe Crecion in the fourth quarter. The final score was set up by Lenny Grossi’s interception of Chris Gabriele’s pass.

Don Donester carried 16 times for 43 yards for Harvard-Westlake (4-5, 0-4). Gabriele completed seven of 11 passes for 66 yards.

Adam Crecion caught three passes for 63 yards for the Eagles and Kevin Goldfein had four receptions for 39 yards.

Chaminade gained 316 yards, 173 on the ground.