HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL: WEEK 4 : Notre Dame Beats Crespi Despite Sloppy Play, 27-14

Notre Dame High’s 27-14 nonleague victory over Crespi won’t make many appearances on either team’s highlight reel at the end of the season.

But the good news went to the Knights, who won Friday night’s contest at Notre Dame despite 14 penalties and several stalled drives.

“We made so many mistakes, it makes it hard to enjoy,” said Notre Dame Coach Kevin Rooney, whose Knights moved to 4-0. “But any time we beat Crespi, we feel good about it.”

Ryan Bowne threw for two touchdowns and 116 yards on eight of 13 passing and scored on a 49-yard option keeper.

Troy Garner caught a 22-yard touchdown pass four minutes into the game and added a back-breaking, 32-yard scoring run on a reverse in the third quarter that put the Knights in control, 27-7.

Yet on a night when perfection eluded nearly everybody--save Notre Dame punter John Lee, who returned from a groin injury and booted punts of 66 and 57 yards--Garner also had his troubles, fumbling a punt in the second quarter.

“I didn’t play well and I didn’t think the team played well,” said Garner, who finished with three receptions for 40 yards. “But we played well enough to win and that makes all the difference.”

At times, Crespi (2-2) played well enough to win.

Jamian Barbour’s one-yard run capped a drive that lasted nearly 5 1/2 minutes and put the Celts up, 7-6, in the first quarter.

The Crespi defense also had no problem bottling up Alvan Arzu, who was held to 11 yards rushing in the first half. He finished with 60 yards in 11 carries.

But the Celts couldn’t stop Bowne, who bolted down the sideline untouched on an option keeper midway through the second quarter that put the Knights up for good, 12-7.

Crespi quarterback Todd McLean completed eight of 29 for 89 yards. Barbour rushed for 112 yards in 31 carries.

“I think we played pretty hard,” Rooney said.

Just hard enough to win.