Notre Dame upsets Crespi in 4 OT

By Kevin Askeland Oct 12, 2012, 11:11pm

Khalfani Muhammad scores winning touchdown for Notre Dame.

Khalfani Muhammad scored on a 13-yard run to lift Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.) to a 40-34 win over Crespi (Encino, Calif.) (Encino) in four overtimes Friday, but it was a pair of missed opportunities on field goal attempts that may have cost Crespi the game.
Khalfani Muhammad, Notre Dame
Khalfani Muhammad, Notre Dame
File photo by Ian Tennant

With a chance to win the game in the third overtime, Crespi had a field goal blocked by Notre Dame's Jj Muno to set up a fourth overtime. Crespi then missed a field goal attempt in the fourth overtime, giving Notre Dame the chance for the win.

According to Los Angeles Times' Eric Sondheimer, Notre Dame missed a potential game-winning 35-yard field goal by Lucas Alfonso, but Crespi was called for running into the kicker.

Given second life, Notre Dame got the win on Muhammad's run.

Notre Dame needed a touchdown in the final minute to force overtime. Kelly Hilinski threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to Koa Farmer and Alfonso booted the extra point with under a minute to play to make the score 24-24.

In the first extra period, Hilinski threw a 21-yard touchdown pass to Daniel Khan. However Crespi answered with a 10-yard touchdown pass from Cody Cordell to Tyler Foreman.



In the second overtime, Patrick Cassley gave Crespi the 34-31 lead with a 36-yard field goal. However Notre Dame countered with Alfonso's 36-yard boot.

Crespi built a 17-3 lead midway through the third quarter. JB Blackwell and Timothy Hayes each scored rushing touchdowns for Crespi to turn a 3-3 deadlock at halftime into a 17-3 Crespi advantage.

Muhammad scored on a 1-yard run late in the third period and added a 2-yard scoring run midway through the fourth to tie the game at 17-17. Hayes gave Crespi the lead with his second touchdown of the game, an 18-yard run, setting up Hilinski's last-minute pass.