Dynasties collide as powerful Juggs take on Knights
By ANDREW SOUKUP
Sports Writer
When Keenan and Knott meet in Sunday's interhall football final at Notre Dame Stadium, it will be the first time the two powerhouse teams have ever played each other. And players from both teams feel it's about time.
"The two best teams from the two divisions finally get to play each other," Keenan junior Brian Kunitzer said.
"We're glad we get to come out and play a solid team," Knott junior Pat Virtue said.
Despite the impressive records of Knott and Keenan over the past three years — the two teams have only lost a combined seven games — both teams are approaching Sunday's game with a tremendous amount of respect for their opponent.
While Knott brings a 13-game winning streak into Sunday's final, it knows Keenan has a history of playing well in the Stadium.
"Keenan is really a force," said Knott junior Brian Pawloski. "When I first came here, the team in the final always seemed to be Keenan."
"We're happy we get to play Keenan in the finals," Virtue said. "They're the most recent team to win back-to-back titles. I think it says a lot about us if we can beat them."
Since 1997, the Knights have compiled an astonishing 22-2-1 record and captured the 1997 and 1998 interhall football titles. The only blemish on Keenan's record was a loss last season to Sorin in the first round of last year's playoffs, but that doesn't take away from Keenan's impressive history.
"We're proud of our past, and that's something we want to build on," Keenan senior Herb Giorgio said.
But this season, Keenan has had to struggle hard in every game, especially in the playoffs. In their quarterfinal game against Alumni, Keenan's Kevin Fallon blocked a field goal attempt in overtime to send the Knights to the semifinals. There, Keenan battled their way through double-overtime as the Knights knocked off Dillon and advanced to the final.
"This team is pretty different from the team that's been to the Stadium before," said Giorgio. "The first two teams I played on, talent wise, were outstanding. This team has talent, but it relies on determination."
"I think the thing that's gotten us through the two overtime games so far has been our will to win — it's the strongest in my four years here," he said.
However, when Keenan faltered last season in first round of the playoff, Knott jumped into the spotlight. The Juggs battled their way through the playoffs to claim last year's championship and ever since then, they haven't looked back.
Knott carries a 13-game winning streak into Sunday's final and relies heavily on a defense that hasn't given up a point all season.
"There's something to be said about a team that hasn't been scored upon,"
Keenan senior JJ Frigge said. "They're the defending champs, and they're going to be tough."
"We get a chance at Knott, and we're thrilled," Giorgio said. "We have a lot of respect for what they've accomplished the last few years, and they're going to force us to go out there and raise our level of play."
Sunday's game pits the dynasty of the past with the powerhouse of the present. The gritty Knights want to show the upstarts that they still have the talent and determination that has characterized their interhall teams of the past.
But Knott is out to prove that they are the new dynasty in interhall football.
"I remember seeing Keenan players walking around with back-to-back patches on their varsity jackets and thinking, `wow, that would be cool if we could do that'," Virtue said. "Now, here we are."
All Sports Stories for Friday, November 10, 2000
