Crespi still flying high

Quarterback Kenny Stenhouse and receiver Devin Lucien are the most prolific passing combination in the history of Encino Crespi football, and on Thursday night, they made a statement that they’re not quite ready to call it quits.

Stenhouse completed 10 of 18 passes for 230 yards and three touchdowns, including a 96-yarder to Lucien, to help the Celts (8-3) upset Sunset League champion Los Alamitos, 28-14, in a Pac-5 Division playoff opener at Long Beach Veterans Stadium.

It was the biggest victory yet for first-year Coach Jon Mack, the former Ventura St. Bonaventure coach who has turned the Celts into a quarterfinal team after the program hadn’t made the playoffs the last two seasons.

Crespi was holding a seven-point lead when its defense stopped Los Alamitos (8-3) on a fourth-down play at the four-yard line. A play earlier, Los Alamitos thought that it had scored a tying touchdown on a catch in the end zone, but the official ruled the receiver, Richard Turner, was out of bounds.

Crespi took over, and Stenhouse dropped back in the end zone and threw the ball as far as he could. Lucien caught it in full stride and completed a 96-yard pass play with 2:14 left.

“From start to finish, the kids played their hearts out,” Mack said.

Crespi held a 7-6 halftime lead on the strength of an 11-yard touchdown reception by Lucien.

The Celts increased their lead to 14-6 with an 80-yard scoring drive on their first possession of the third quarter. Trevon Calahan caught a 15-yard touchdown pass.

Los Alamitos tied the score in the third quarter on a 14-yard touchdown reception and two-point conversion reception by Kyle Roberts.

Then Terrence Williams gave Crespi a 21-14 lead with a one-yard touchdown run on fourth down with 5:42 left.

Nick Richardson rushed for 113 yards in 14 carries for Los Alamitos.

Crespi, the third-place finisher from the Serra League, will play the winner of Anaheim Servite-Long Beach Jordan next Friday.

eric.sondheimer@latimes.com