Crespi 20, Birmingham 6

Big win for Crespi considering starting QB Kevin Prince left with a right knee injury in the first quarter and didn't return.

This was rather ugly game in terms of penalties and turnovers, but in the end, it came down to a couple key plays in the fourth quaarter.

Birmingham looked to be turning things around in the second half and could've tied things up when Milton Knox broke off a run of about 40 yards late in the game. But the officials ruled he stepped out of bounds at the 4 and negated the TD. On the next play, Knox rushed for two yards, then lunged forward with the ball, trying to get the TD. The ball popped out and his future UCLA teammate EJ Woods snapped it up and returned it 98 yards for a TD. Instead of 14-13 Crespi it became 20-6 Crespi.

The Birmingham sideline erupted in anger after the play and Knox lay on the ground for a long time afterwards. The Patriots felt Knox's knee had been down before he lost the ball, and, that the ground caused the fumble.

I really couldn't tell from my spot on the opposite side of the field, although a cameraman who was in front of the play said it did appear his knee was down. UPDATE: A different camera angle seemed to show that the ball came loose on the initial hit, before Knox's knee landed.

Either way, it was a close and you have to give Woods and the Celts defense a lot of credit for pouncing on the ball and playing until they heard the whistle.