Crespi Dusted by Notre Dame : High school football: Knights break 17-17 tie with Celts by scoring 17 consecutive points in third quarter.

WOODLAND HILLS —  Notre Dame High exploded for 17 points in the third quarter to break open a seesaw contest and defeat Crespi, 34-24, in a nonleague game Friday night at Pierce College.

Junior quarterback Ryan Bowne, who completed 17 of 29 passes for 187 yards, drove the Knights to a field goal and a pair of touchdowns after an exciting first half that ended with the score tied, 17-17.

Notre Dame (4-0) went ahead to stay on a 46-yard field goal by Chris Sailer. On the next play from scrimmage, Troy Garner intercepted a pass by Crespi’s Dave Lins at the Crespi 33-yard line.

It was Crespi’s only turnover, but Bowne made the Celts pay. Six plays later, he rolled right and hit tight end Andy Breman with a five-yard touchdown pass to give the Knights a 10-point lead.

The Knights’ third drive of the second half, an eight-play, 58-yard march, culminated with a one-yard touchdown run by John Garcia.

“We were moving the ball all night, but we really weren’t clicking until the third quarter,” Bowne said. “Our receivers ran perfect routes.”

Notre Dame’s defense, coming off a 38-0 victory over Glendale, gave ground but held when it had to. Crespi (2-2) outgained Notre Dame, 393 yards to 282. Lins completed 19 of 43 for 278 yards and a touchdown.

Lins tossed a 16-yard touchdown pass to Marcos Solorzano early in the fourth quarter to close the gap to 34-24. But Lins was sacked three times and spent the final minutes playing with one shoulder pad exposed from his jersey.

Crespi drove 67 yards on the game’s opening possession and took a 7-0 lead on Jamian Barbour’s 19-yard run. Notre Dame pulled even on the ensuing kickoff, which Steve Lee returned 80 yards for a touchdown.

Notre Dame went ahead, 14-7, with a 12-play, 69-yard drive that ended with Garcia diving one yard for a touchdown early in the second quarter.

Two minutes later, Barbour broke off tackle and ran 52 yards for a touchdown to pull Crespi even, 14-14.

Barbour led all ballcarriers with 113 yards in 14 carries. Garcia led Notre Dame with 54 yards in 20 carries.

Both teams engineered lengthy drives in the final minutes of the half that resulted in field goals. Sailer’s 31-yarder gave Notre Dame a 17-14 lead. Crespi’s Greg Boskin connected from 25 yards to tie the game, 17-17, with two minutes left.