HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL: WEEK 7 : Serra Pins First Loss on St. Francis

LA CANADA —  Defense is the name of the game at St. Francis High.

Unfortunately for the Golden Knights, Serra beat St. Francis at its own game for a 34-9 Mission League victory Friday night at St. Francis.

Serra (4-3, 1-1 in league play) scored five touchdowns against St. Francis (6-1, 1-1), which has shut out four opponents and had not been scored upon in the past 12 1/2 quarters.

Serra also stymied three St. Francis drives in Cavalier territory and sacked quarterback John Carnevali three times for minus-24 yards.

“We were concerned about their defense going in,” Serra Coach Charles Nash said. “They had a really good blitz package. But we could see when it was coming and we were able to pick it up.”

Quarterback Darnell Lacy did most of the damage. Repeatedly scrambling free from St. Francis’ pass rush, Lacy completed 13 of 17 passes for 275 yards and two touchdowns. Tailback Bryce Montgomery rushed for 104 yards and three touchdowns in 18 carries.

All told, Serra outgained St. Francis, 389-192.

“We lost to a better team tonight,” St. Francis Coach Bill Redell said. “We just never seemed to get in the game.”

St. Francis managed only a 26-yard field goal by Chris Palic in the first quarter and a 24-yard touchdown pass from Carnevali to Darin Maxwell on the final play of the game.

Serra scored two first-half touchdowns on lengthy drives sustained by big plays. On the Cavaliers’ opening drive, Lacy scrambled away from heavy pressure and connected with David Burr for a 50-yard pass play and a first down at the St. Francis 23. Three plays later, Montgomery swept 14 yards for a touchdown.

Late in the first quarter, Lacy lofted a screen pass to fullback Joe Hall, who rambled 74 yards to the St. Francis 19. Two plays later Lacy, who completed seven in a row in the first half, found Burr in the corner of the end zone for a 21-yard strike and Serra took a 14-3 lead.

In the fourth quarter, Montgomery ran 37 yards for a touchdown to give the Cavaliers a 21-3 lead. St. Francis fumbled away the ensuing kickoff and the Cavaliers capitalized. Seven plays later, Montgomery scored on a four-yard run.

Carnevali finished 14 of 22 for 147 yards and a touchdown. Robert Milton led St. Francis with 47 rushing yards in 10 carries. Maxwell rushed for 19 yards in four carries and caught five passes for 68 yards.