Notre Dame Runs Away

Garrett Green, Rodney Glass and Cary Harris, members of Sherman Oaks Notre Dame’s 400-meter relay team that finished fifth in the state last spring, left no doubt about their speed Friday night in reinforcing their reputation as perhaps the fastest football backfield in school history.

Glass rushed for 131 yards and scored two touchdowns, Harris gained 110 yards and scored two touchdowns and Green added 89 yards and one touchdown as the unbeaten Knights (7-0, 2-0) cruised to a 43-14 victory over Santa Fe Springs St. Paul in a Mission League game at Notre Dame.

“Those guys do a great job when they get into the open field,” said Notre Dame Coach Kevin Rooney, whose team has won 15 consecutive games since losing to St. Paul, 24-21, last season.

Green, a junior quarterback who also passed for 95 yards, ran 57 yards for a touchdown on a draw play.

Glass, the 200-meter champion in the Mission League, had touchdown runs of 10 and 13 yards. And Harris’ most impressive burst of speed came when St. Paul tailback Dwight Tardy seemed headed for a touchdown, only to be dragged down from behind by a charging Harris.

Notre Dame’s offensive line, led by guard Anthony Santa Croce, was in top form. And so was Knight junior kicker Kai Forbath, who made field goals of 18 and 20 yards, making him 14 of 14 on field-goal attempts. He also sent eight kickoffs into the end zone for touchbacks, giving him 44 touchbacks in 53 kickoffs this season.

Tardy did his best to keep St. Paul (4-3, 1-1) competitive, rushing for 178 yards in 14 carries and scoring on a 10-yard run with 3:20 left in the first quarter to briefly tie the score, 7-7.

But the Swordsmen couldn’t stop Notre Dame’s rushing attack.

The Knights scored on all four of their first-half possessions and rolled up 259 yards rushing in opening a 24-7 halftime lead.

Notre Dame’s defense was burned for several long gainers in the first half. Tardy had runs of 28 and 42 yards. Tight end Phil Molina seemed to roam the field uncovered, catching three passes for 96 yards.

But the Knights, who are trying to win their third consecutive Southern Sections Division III championship, countered with interceptions by Green, Matthew Estrada and Shane Horton.