Football: Crespi’s Bennett shows plenty

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I have not been lucky when going to see Encino Crespi quarterback Bryan Bennett perform. He didn’t play well last season when I saw the Celts lose to Ventura St. Bonaventure, and his receivers couldn’t catch passes during the summer in a tournament I watched.

But his performance Friday night against Sherman Oaks Notre Dame showed me why Oregon is fortunate to get him. Besides passing for 302 yards and two touchdowns and scoring a touchdown, Bennett also saved two TDs as a cornerback.

Yes, Crespi lost, 23-21, and the Celts could be in jeopardy of not making the Pac-5 playoffs if they don’t beat Bishop Amat and Loyola in the next two weeks, but there should be no doubt about Bennett’s quarterback skills. He’s definitely Pac-10 caliber, and we’ll be seeing him on TV over the next four years.

-- Eric Sondheimer