Keenan routs Stanford, earns bragging rights
By KEVIN BERCHOU
Sports Writer
When the Keenan Knights beat their arch-rival Stanford Griffins 20-0 on Sunday, they won much more than their 16th consecutive interhall football game. They garnered an entire year's worth of building bragging rights.
In a much-anticipated renewal of one of the league's greatest rivalries, it was only Keenan that came to play.
Plagued by a rash of turnovers, the Griffins were unable to muster a sustained offensive attack.
Senior defensive back Joe Klopp pounced on a Griffin fumble in the game's opening minutes, and it was all Knights from that point on. Just five plays later, tailback Nick Costanzo scampered to pay dirt from seven yards out to put Keenan up 6-0. Kicker John Rossi's successful extra-point made the score 7-0.
"My line opened up a huge hole," said Costanzo of the scoring play. "Mark Stalka [ at center] and [right tackle] Mike Collins gave me room to run all day. The whole line played awesome."
The second quarter began in the same fashion as the first, with Stanford again turning the ball over. This time it was Keenan cornerback Kevin Carney who intercepted an errant throw at midfield.
Doug Kraft applied the heat in the backfield, forcing an ill-advised toss over the middle.
Later in the quarter, the Knights extended their lead as freshman quarterback Billy Ellsworth got the ball to senior wideout John Gentine on a 22-yard scoring play. Ellsworth, faced with a fourth-down situation, showed excellent poise in evading the rush, moving to his left and floating a perfect ball in the direction of Gentine, who made the grab with ease.
After another Rossi extra-point, Keenan's lead was stretched to 14-0 at the half.
Frustrated by its tendency to turn the ball over repeatedly, the Stanford offense was unable to make any significant half-time adjustments.
The Keenan defense, however, took no time off, as it continued to make its neighbors' afternoon a miserable one.
Facing fourth down half way through the third period with the ball at midfield, Stanford decided to go for it.
When a last-gasp pass attempt fell at the feet of its intended target, the game, for all intents and purposes, was over.
Not content with its 14-0 lead, Keenan continued to apply pressure, perhaps in an attempt to show the rest of the league that this year's Knights are in fact every bit as good as the two previous editions, both of which captured interhall titles.
Captain Herb Giorgio intercepted a tipped pass as the third quarter expired, as the Keenan defense forced a sixth Stanford turnover.
"Our defense played very well," said Keenan player and coach Dong Min. "I keep telling them that they have to force turnovers and get our offense back on the field, and that's exactly what they've been able to do. We'll be in every game if they continue to play like this."
With the fourth quarter about to expire and Stanford scrambling for precious yards, Dong Min picked off a pass for his second interception of the game, and weaved his way 37 yards for a touchdown that put an exclamation on the tail end of a dominating effort.
All Sports Stories for Tuesday, September 28, 1999
