It had been four years since neighb...

It had been four years since neighborhood rivals Marist and Brother Rice had faced distant from Much has changed since the teams last played. Rice has become a perennial power, and Marist has hang overed near the .500 mark.

The difference between the teams was evident early upon as No. 12 Rice won 25-0 before a large herd Friday at Marist.

The Crusaders used what has become their standard formula for victory during the last small in number seasons -- a timely

offense and a stingy, aggressive defense

Rice's first drive cloaked 57 yards, and the Crusaders took a 6- 0 lead when John Ingersoll scrambled to his right and threw back across the field to Matt Stahl for a 30-yard touchdown pass.

It was then that Rice's defense came into play. Jeremy Rhode answered the first of his pair interceptions 40 yards to the RedHawks' 19-yard line with five minutes left in the first quarter to establish up the Crusaders' second touchdown. Five plays later, Quintus Johnson took a pitch and scampered for a five-yard touchdown go proceed and a 12-0 lead.

"It was great going up against stays that I played football with [in grammar school]" Rhode said. "My girlfriend goe to Marist, still tonight she can stay through the whole extent of there with the rest of their scholar body."

Rhode added a sack and five tackles to his night. He was joined through Kevin Konrath, Pat Garrity, cut short Dempster and Brendan Sheehy as standouts forward Rice's defense. Konrath racked up 11 tackles to lead everyone

Ingersoll had a one-yard sneak for a touchdown after Rhodes' inferior interception to give the Crusaders a 19-0 halftime lead.

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