Upsets dominate first weekend of playoffs
By KEVIN BERCHOU
Sports Writer
The Sorin Otters had the right attitude heading into Sunday's playoff showdown with the two-time defending league champion Keenan Knights.
They knew they could win. And that's exactly what they did, stunning the Knights in a 10-7 thriller and snapping their opponents' 18-game unbeaten streak in the process.
"We knew we could do it," said Sorin captain Fred Faber, who left the game early with an injury. "Our whole team stepped it up."
While it was a team victory for the Otters — one that avenged their defeat at the hands of the Knights in last year's title tilt — it was the passing tandem of quarterback Luke Beuerlein and wide-out Greg Carney that stole the show. The pair connected countless times as it exploited the chink it found in the Knights' defensive armor.
The Otters came out of the gates smoking, showing the Knights that a 19th-consecutive game without a loss would not come easily. Beuerlein connected with Carney on pass plays covering a total of more than 50 yards on the game's first possession. It took a tremendous effort from the Keenan defense to stop Beuerlein on a fourth-down quarterback draw just inches short of the goal line to keep the game scoreless.
As the second quarter opened, the Knights were forced into a punting situation. In a gutsy move, Keenan player and coach Dong Min called for a fake. Min himself then fired a perfect strike in the direction of Knights' running back Kevin Carney who failed to hold on, squelching his team's momentum.
The Otters capitalized on Keenan's miscue just plays later. After relying on Greg Carney's hands for much of the game, the team turned to his leg and he didn't disappoint, drilling a 22-yard field goal, the first points allowed by the Knights' defense all season long.
After going into the half trailing by three, the Knights looked to regain the form that saw them go 18 games without a loss. Now in on defense, Kevin Carney redeemed himself picking off Beuerlein and returning the ball to the Otter 20. Just six plays later, Carney gave his team the lead, scoring from four yards out.
Kicker John Rossi's successful extra point made the score 7-3.
With time running down in the game's final quarter, the Otters saw their season flash before their eyes as they got the ball back for one last gasp possession.
"We knew it was a do-or-die situation, and we just had to get it done," Beuerlein said.
And get it done they did, turning in a comeback drive that would make even John Elway proud. Faced with a third down deep in his own territory, Beuerlein eluded the onslaught of Keenan rushers, before ducking away and heaving the ball in the direction of his favorite target Carney, who came down with the pass on a play the covered thirty-five yards.
Now with the ball on the Keenan 20 with less than two minutes remaining, the Otters once again found themselves faced with a third-down scenario. Beuerlein, while rolling to his right, hit Carney for 16 yards on a play worthy of an ESPY. Carney's catch, on what would prove the game's most important play, was nothing short of spectacular. He dove to his right, snaring the ball just before it hit the turf.
"We ran a post flag play and Carney said he'd be open," Beuerlein said of the catch. "Greg just made a great play."
Now with less than 30 seconds to play, Beuerlein called on his line to make one last stand.
"I told them to step it up for one more play," the Otter's senior passer said.
The line opened up a massive hole for its signal-caller, allowing Beuerlein to sneak through on a draw play for what would be the game's deciding score.
Greg Carney ended what little chance Keenan had of getting back in the game when he picked off a pass from Keenan quarterback Billy Ellsworth.
Fisher 8, Alumni 0
On a day of playoff upsets none was bigger than the eighth-seeded Fisher Green Wave's win over the top-seeded Alumni Dawgs.
Fisher's first drive turned out to be all it needed as it used a touchdown and an ensuing two-point conversion to shock previously unbeaten Alumni, 8-0.
Poised to show that it belonged on the same field as the top seed, the Green Wave came out with extra intensity. The Green Wave used its smash-mouth style known as "Fisher Ball" to score on the previously unscored upon Dawgs' defense.
A strong Fisher backfield tandem of Zack Allen and Mike Waldo combined to run the ball down the field. Waldo capped a drive that had featured the run with a four-yard touchdown.
With Alumni already reeling, Fisher moved to send them into a nosedive, faking an extra point before running the ball in for two to extend their lead to eight.
The Dawgs never recovered. The Fisher defense did an good job in containing Alumni's star rusher Tom Dietrich, who played well but never was allowed to make the big play.
Green Wave defensive lineman Mark Auernick played brilliantly in sacking Dawgs' quarterback Matt Anton-Giovanni twice.
Fisher's ability to establish early momentum was the deciding factor. An inspired defense played its best ball of the season, stymieing the Dawgsâ attack time after time.
"We knew if we could get one [score], we'd have a great chance," Waldo said. "Our defense is the best in the league."
"I thought that if we could score early, we could hold on to win," agreed Fisher coach T.C. Kazmierczak. "Our line played great and we ran the ball well."
All Sports Stories for Tuesday, November 2, 1999
