Victory takes control of division race with win

Keswick Christian falls 33-7 to the Storm, who take sole possession of first in Class B, District 6.

By BOB PUTNAM
Published October 7, 2006

ST. PETERSBURG - The collision between Victory Christian and Keswick Christian was all about control - control of the division race, playoff seeding and the rivalry.

The way the Storm defeated the Crusaders in a 33-7 win Friday pushed the power to Victory. With three regular-season games left, the Storm (4-3) is on top, Keswick Christian (6-1) is gazing up at them, and both teams know the order is set.

Each entered the game tied for first in Class B, District 6 and ranked in the state poll. Only Victory left with first place in tow. The Storm did it by scoring the final 29 points and taking advantage of several special teams miscues.

Keswick Christian's first mistake came on its opening possession. After going three and out, the Crusaders were forced to punt.

The kick netted 1 yard.

Victory capitalized on the good field position, marching 24 yards on a five-play drive that was capped off by quarterback Mike Skjefte's 1-yard plunge for a touchdown.

Keswick coach Rick Sanson said part of the reason for the botched kick was that he was trying to keep the ball away from the Storm's speedy returner, Art Evans.

"He is a difference maker," Sanson said of Evans, who has orally committed to Tennessee. "This is probably the only game we'll play where we were trying to purposely kick the ball out of bounds.

"Of course, I wasn't expecting it to go 1 yard."

Nevertheless, Keswick came back to make a game of it. Behind the running of Jared DiMaggio, the Crusaders drove to Victory's 8-yard line. Rather than kick a field goal, Sanson elected to go for it. The run failed, and the Storm took over on downs.

However, Keswick picked off a pass, then scored on a 42-yard run by Kenny Shorter. Kenny Lucas made the extra point to tie the game.

The Crusaders had the momentum after the defense forced a punt. But a 15-yard penalty for roughing the kicker gave the Storm new life.

Three plays later, Skejefte hit Sean Beckford on a 42-yard pass for a touchdown to give Victory the lead for good.

The Storm added another score on a 2-yard run by Skjefte before the half.

"It was the little mistakes that were killing us," said DiMaggio, who finished with 137 yards on 25 carries.

Trailing by two scores and forced to pass, Crusaders quarterback Jared Stacy was picked off four times in the second half. One was returned 77 yards for a touchdown by Evans.

Markus Harper rounded out the scoring on a 16-yard run.

"The score looks like the game was out of hand, but we're confident we play with this team," Sanson said. "I have a hunch we'll see them somewhere down the road again in the playoffs."

[Last modified October 7, 2006, 06:06:23]