Crespi football pulls away from Cleveland to remain unbeaten

RESEDA — The Crespi High football team knew it was going to have its hands full with a Cleveland team that had scored 70 points in its previous game, but it the Celts were up to the task.

Crespi quarterback Chase Curren passed for 214 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Celts to a 44-16 nonleague victory on Friday night at Cleveland High.

Curren, a 6-foot-2, 190-pound sophomore who already has scholarship offers from Florida State, Arkansas, Houston, Oregon State and Purdue, according to 247sports.com, was poised throughout while leading his team to a 3-0 start to the season.

“We found a way to be resilient and work through self-inflicted adversity,” Crespi coach Brad Vonnahme said. “There were a lot of fundamental flaws, but I’m pleased that we still found a way to win. (Cleveland) has some dangerous playmakers. We knew that, and on defense, we knew it wouldn’t go our way if we gave up explosive plays. Fortunately, in the front, we were disruptive and made them struggle down the line. I’m excited to see what Cleveland does in their league.”

Curren and the Celts started slow, but after scoring just three points in the first quarter, they found the end zone twice in the second. Curren had a 3-yard scoring strike to Grant Woods and a 13-yard touchdown pass to Harlem Bullock.

The Cavaliers (1-2) struggled to move the ball on offense, but tried to hold their own on defense. Special teams was a difference-maker for Crespi, which came up with a blocked field goal, pinned the Cavaliers at their 1-yard line with one punt and returned a Cleveland punt that set up the Celts’ first touchdown drive.

Curren started strong after halftime, connecting with Marcus Daley on a 44-yard touchdown pass. Cleveland answered quickly with a 49-yard pass from Julio Avalos to Cobe Green that set up a 2-yard touchdown run for Avalos.

On the next Crespi possession, Moyosoreoluwa Odebunmi intercepted a Curren pass and returned it for a touchdown that cut Cleveland’s deficit to 23-16, but the Cavaliers never scored again.

Crespi responded with 21 unanswered points.

Oliver White, who was also returning punts, grabbed a muffed snap and scored a touchdown.

Jaden Ayala had a 14-yard touchdown run, and Royel McFarlane added a 6-yard touchdown run. With less than two minutes to play, McFarlane recorded a safety.

Bullock finished with a team-high five catches for 74 yards and a touchdown, and Daley added four catches for 69 yards and one touchdown.

“Anytime you come out and score 40, it feels great, but there are definitely some things we need to work on,” Curren said. “I just focus on going out and doing my thing out there, and when the colleges come out, I’m super grateful for it. My teammates help keep me centered and focused on the game, and they’re right there with me when colleges come out to see me play. Now it’s just about getting back to the film room and improving each day as we get into league play.”

Odebunmi rushed for 92 yards for Cleveland, and Green had a team-high 83 receiving yards on two catches.

“We started well, and things got deflated,” Cleveland coach Mario Guzman said. “They are big up front, it’s no surprise, but we didn’t execute plays that we normally execute. The pick-six was a huge momentum shift for us, but we shot ourselves in the foot and couldn’t take full advantage. At the end of the day, there is no excuse, and we just have to get back to playing Cleveland ball.”