IRVINE Fresh off a bye week, Crean Lutheran coach Brett Mertens was thrilled Thursday night to have his injury-plagued squad showing signs of improved health.
By the fourth quarter, though, the Saints were marching at full strength.
Running back Mark Sharp scored three touchdowns and Crean Lutheran forced five turnovers to power past Calvary Chapel of Downey, 39-7, in an Academy League matchup at Irvine High.
Quarterback Paul Sardo celebrated the Saints’ homecoming by completing 19 of 34 passes for 207 yards and two touchdowns.
But Sharp set the table. The senior running back had 19 carries for 78 yards. He ran for two touchdowns, including a 16-yard scoring run late in the third quarter.
Sharp’s 2-yard scoring scamper with 8:21 remaining in the first quarter sparked the offensive outburst by the Saints (5-2,1-0).
On Crean Lutheran’s next possession, Elwein’s 33-yard counter run set up a 19-yard touchdown pass from Sardo to Sharp on the 14th play of the drive. The Saints tacked on another touchdown with Matt Frisbee’s 2-yard jaunt into the end zone with six seconds remaining in the second quarter, giving them a 19-0 halftime advantage.
Calvary Chapel (4-3, 0-2) was forced to punt on its first three possessions of the game. The Grizzlies turned the ball over five times, and Crean Lutheran converted three of those turnovers into scores.
In the second half, the Saints added three more touchdowns, including Frisbee’s 13-yard TD reception and Daniel Ruiz’s 79-yard kickoff return for a touchdown with 1:09 remaining in the game.
Calvary Chapel’s lone score came on Angel Solorza’s 60-yard run late in the fourth quarter.
