Chaminade Comes On Strong to Make Playoffs

LA CANADA â€”  The schedule says the playoffs start next week. But for Chaminade High, they started Friday night.

Needing a victory to finish in third place and clinch the final playoff spot in the Mission League, the Eagles held on for a 29-22 victory over St. Francis.

The Eagles (5-5, 3-2) won their last three league games after being blown out in their first two.

“After that St. Bernard loss, we just sat down and looked at each other and said we’ve got to just keep playing and doing the best we can if we want to make the playoffs,� Chaminade Coach Rich Lawson said.

For the Golden Knights (3-7, 1-4), Bill Redell’s first season as St. Francis coach ended on a sour note.

“I’m very disappointed,� Redell said after his team lost for the seventh time in eight games. “I’ve just never seen any team make so many mental mistakes in a season, by the players and coaching staff. It starts with the head coach.�

Sophomore Jason Giovannettone led Chaminade with 198 yards and three touchdowns in 25 carries. Giovannettone scored on runs of 53, three and 13 yards. “The kid’s pretty good for a 10th grader,� Lawson said.

Giovannettone helped the Eagles take control of the game quickly, scoring on a 53-yard run on Chaminade’s second play of the game. He added a two-point conversion run after St. Francis was flagged for being offside on the extra-point attempt.

After holding the Golden Knights to three plays and a punt, Chaminade took the ball and scored again. This time Kevin Norton ran into the end zone from 28 yards out, giving Chaminade a 15-0 lead not nine minutes into the game.

St. Francis began to move the ball in the second quarter, largely because of a hot start by quarterback Luke Barrett, who completed his first seven passes, including a 28-yard touchdown to Justin Vandercook with 6 minutes 10 seconds to play in the second quarter. The two-point conversion pulled St. Francis to within 15-8.

Barrett finished 11 of 21 for 191 yards and three touchdowns.

Chaminade rebuilt its lead in the third quarter by taking advantage of a fumbled punt by St. Francis’ Ben Collins at the Golden Knight 27. The Eagles took a 22-8 lead on Giovannettone’s three-yard run five plays later.

Barrett then hit Vandercook on a 71-yard touchdown pass play one play from scrimmage after Giovannettone’s score.

The Eagles came right back with a 76-yard scoring drive, capped by Giovannettone’s third touchdown. Chaminade led, 29-15, after three quarters.

St. Francis took advantage of another Chaminade turnover, a fumble near midfield, to set up its final score, a nine-yard pass from Barrett to Chris Ross but could get no closer.

Barrett threw four consecutive incomplete passes on St. Francis’ final possession to end the Golden Knights’ postseason bid.

Collins was the Golden Knights’ leading rusher, gaining 48 yards in 22 carries.