July 5, 2007

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NOTRE DAME, Ind. – The Gold team used offensive efficiency and tenacious defense to shut out the Blue squad 21-0 Wednesday afternoon in Notre Dame Stadium at the Blue-Gold flag game, the culmination of Session II of the Notre Dame Monogram Club’s fifth annual football fantasy camp.

Gold’s quarterbacks led their team to victory, completing 50% of their passes and racking up 118 yards through the air. Sean McGuinn (Petaluma, Calif.) completed five of 10 passes for 64 yards and Brian Salerno (Grand Rapids Mich.) went four of eight for 54 yards. While it was the passing game that moved Gold down the field, it was the feet of McGuinn that put them in the end zone. McGuinn scampered for two touchdown runs on the afternoon, finding the type of success on the ground (four carries, 32 yards) that is traditionally rare in fantasy camp contests.

The victorious team featured strong performance by several other athletes. Joe Laughlin (San Rafael, Calif.) caught three passes for a game-high 57 yards while Ken Myers (Agoura Hills, Calif.) added five receptions for 30 yards. Myers and Steve Filbert (South Bend, Ind.) accounted for all of the sacks on the day (one each), while Laughlin made three tackles and Tony Sarro, Ronald Crisafulli and Charlie Eckhart registered interceptions.

Leading the Blue team was quarterback Joe Coltelli (Fredon, N.J.) who completed 11 of 23 passes for 112 yards. His top targets included Todd Gabriel (Eagle, Idaho), who racked up five catches for 44 yards, and Michael Kane (Ocean View, N.J.), who hauled in three passes for 52 yards. Mark Krivoruchka of Newton, Iowa, led the team with four tackles and Steve Cassidy (San Rafael, Calif.) made the lone Blue interception on the day.

Gold–coached by Notre Dame assistant coaches Rob Ianello and Bill Lewis, as well several former Irish greats–asserted itself early on. After a hot start by Blue that included a nifty hook-and-ladder play orchestrated by quarterback Coltelli and receivers Todd Gabriel and Ken Femiano (Northport, N.Y.), Gold intercepted a pass and began its march down the field. The highlight of the drive was a halfback pass by Salerno that was pulled down by receiver Joe Laughlin for a 31-yard gain to reach the Blue seven yard line. Two plays later McGuinn rushed for a seven-yard touchdown and Michael Whelan (Evansville, Ind.) added the point after to give Gold a 7-0 first quarter lead.

It was Gold’s defense that struck it big in the second quarter. Charlie Eckhart (Indianapolis, Ind.) intercepted a Joe Coltelli first down pass and returned it 48 yards to put Gold up 14-0 and close out the scoring in the half.

After a Gold missed field goal and a three-and-out by Blue, Gold found the end zone for its third and the game’s final time at the end of the third quarter. Gold started with the ball in Blue territory, chipping away at Blue’s defense with short gains until McGuinn made his second touchdown run of the game, a nine-yard effort. The score put Gold ahead 21-0, a lead that they would go largely unthreatened the rest of the game.

— ND —