Serra 2013 surprised itself as much as anybody trouncing the Chaminade Eagles 36-0 Friday night under a harvest moon at Kretzschmar Stadium. 

Serra turned in a defensive masterpiece, totally neutralizing the Eagles' running attack; controlling a dangerous passing game, forcing two turnovers, and holding twice in fourth-and-short situations.  In hindsight it was a walk over, but it doesn't take a good memory to recall that last year Serra twice got commanding leads only to have Chaminade come back and win or come within a hair's breath of winning.  Despite the shut out and the big lead, the Cavs did not put the game in the refrigerator until the fourth quarter.

Serra scored what turned out to be the winning points on the second play from scrimmage, a 76-yard strike from Jalon Greene to Jordan Lasley.  Lasley was all alone on the far (east) sideline.  Greene's twenty-five yard pass hit him in stride and that was that.  PAT was high and true.  Serra 7-Eagle egg at 11:20 in the first.

Chaminade moved the ball well on its first possession, completing every pass thrown (five) and gaining 47 yards, but fourth and one at the Serra 45, the Cavs smothered a power run over center and took over on downs.

The Cavs moved 55 yards in five plays, featuring Adoreé Jackson's amazing run to the Eagle 3 after catching a short pass at the 50.  Serra scored on the next play.  PAT good.  Serra 14-Eagle egg.  6:43 to play in the first. 

Serra held the Eagles again, and moved to the Chaminade nine in 7 plays.  The highlight play a great catch bt Deontay Burnett of a slightly underthrown ball. A good run by Greene was nullified by a block in the back call.  Two incomplete passes, and the Cavs tried a 40-yard field goal.  The kick was apparently touched in flight and went ten yards wide of the goal posts. 

Chaminade was again successful passing, but ran out of gas at the Serra 26.  Serra stuffed another dive at the middle on fourth and one, and Serra took over on downs.

Serra couldn't generate anything.  Then Jackson's pouch punt hit a retreating Eagle.  Serra recovered the live ball and ran it down to the Chaminade 30.  Five running plays overcame a motion penalty and took the ball down to the Chaminade 6.  Greene threw a dart over the middle for a third touchdown.  PAT good Serra up by 21 with 8:58 remaining in the half. 

Eagles couldn't move and punted, Serra couldn't move and punted, Eagles couldn't move and punted in the general direction of Jackson.  He had to backpedal to field the ball on the fly; and breaking past the coverage, he was off.  Across the field, dodging or bouncing through tackles and coasting into the end zone.  Looking back down the field, of course, there were the mandatory yellow flags. 

Serra called for two penalties...both of which were paced off.  Great cut for the highlight film, but the ball ended up on the Serra nine.

Three more punts and the half was over.  Serra dominating 21 to eagle egg., but the Cavs took the brooding memory of Chaminade's second half come backs into the locker room.

Trench warfare continued through the first ten minutes of the second half.  It got exciting with two minutes remaining in the third quarter.  Serra intercepted a Chaminade pass.  The no-good-return-goes-unpunished rule was duly enforced after a nice run back, and Serra had the ball at the Eagle 37.  Running third and five from the twenty five, Jalen Greene was hit out of bounds and thrown into the kicker's net.  A squabble erupted and someone in stripes took offense at something someone on the Serra sideline did or said.  Offsetting penalties were called.  Serra ends up fourth and two at the Chaminade 26.  Greene dropped back to pass, pulled the ball down and ran for the first.  Two plays later, Serra ran the ball in for touchdown #4, by now about 40 seconds into the fourth quarter.

The Eagles again had temporary success through the air.  A very nice ten yard pass completed at the Serra 50 was followed by a hard tackle, fumble and Serra recovery.  Then followed a series in which Serra ran the ball into the end zone on each play, the refs called each back, and Serra did it again.  The fourth try was finally allowed.  Trouble with the snap on the PAT, the holder picked the ball up and lobbed it into the end zone.  Serra up 36-eagle with 7:30 remaining.

With 7:30 left, the game went to a running clock. Serra's next generation got a chance to dirty their game uniforms and looked good.  Coach Altenberg never wants to pile on, but the Cavs subs stopped the Eagles, then held on to the ball for the remainder of the game.

Serra passed the stiffest test of the league schedule with flying colors.  There was one dark cloud, no bigger than a man's hand given the defense, bout a cloud never the less.  Something is definitely wrong with Serra's passing attack.  Despite getting two throwing touchdowns, Greene had trouble passing.  Unofficially, Green ran the ball 18 times, and was sacked five times.  An unknown percentage of those runs resulted when Greene either decided not to pass or wasn't given time enough to pass.  Hard to tell from the stands which is which, but unmistakable that Greene was having trouble finding his receivers. 

On Friday night, Greene's ability to escape and his skill as a runner compensated, but against a stronger run defense, it might have been a different story.