Football: It's drama, excitement when Notre Dame faces Crespi

The first of the big rivalry games takes place on Friday night, when Sherman Oaks Notre Dame (4-3, 0-1) hosts Encino Crespi (7-0, 1-0) in a Serra League game.

JJ Muno, Notre Dame’s senior linebacker, watched in 2009 when Notre Dame beat Crespi on a 51-yard field goal on the final play. In 2010, he had a cast on his foot and wasn’t able to stop Crespi’s miracle final-play victory. “I remember being on the sideline in shock,” he said.

Last season, he was on the field when Notre Dame couldn’t convert a fourth-down pass play in the end zone in the final minute of a 28-26 loss.

“It’s awesome,” he said of the atmosphere for Crespi-Notre Dame game. “It’s what a high school football rivalry should be like. It’s two teams that want to beat each other.”

Adding to the fun is that Crespi Coach Jon Mack is a Notre Dame graduate. He started this week barely able to talk because of a cold. Something tells me he’ll find his voice by game time.

-- Eric Sondheimer