Taft Gets Passed by Crespi

One back-breaking run by tailback Jerry Brown usually is all it takes for Taft High to polish off an opponent.

But Brown’s 96-yard, third-quarter touchdown dash only set the stage for a dramatic comeback, as Crespi scored 14 consecutive points to claim a 20-19 victory Friday night at Pierce College.

Senior quarterback Dave Lins led the Celts on touchdown drives of 68 and 37 yards to overcome a 19-6 deficit that Taft opened with two touchdowns early in the third quarter.

Lins scrambled eight yards for a touchdown late in the third quarter, then connected with Jeff DeFinney for a 20-yard touchdown with 8 minutes 5 seconds to play.

Lins, who threw an eight-yard touchdown pass to Marcos Solorzano in the second quarter, completed 21 of 27 for 210 yards. Under pressure throughout the game, Lins was sacked four times and had a pass intercepted and returned 26 yards for a touchdown by linebacker Antuan Simpson in the third quarter.

But like his teammates, Lins rebounded. “We never give up,” Lins said. “We have a lot of heart. We showed some pride.”

Brown, among the best backs in Southern California, rushed for 172 yards in 14 carries and appeared to give the Toreadors a comfortable lead with his coast-to-coast dash that came one play after Lins was stacked up on fourth down inside the five-yard line.

Brown accounted for 21 yards on Taft’s opening drive, as the Toreadors marched 57 yards in seven plays to take a 7-0 lead. Quarterback Dayon Shaw connected with Dashon Polk for completions of 17, 17 and five yards before capping the drive with a seven-yard bootleg for the score.

Taft kept Lins under pressure throughout the first half. Linebacker Emon Afshar snuffed one drive with a third-down sack.

Lins was sacked again by Dion Gaston on third down early in the second quarter.

Solorzano caught 10 passes for 96 yards. DeFinney caught six for 69 yards.