Anthony, Hales race past Chargers

Updated: October 15, 2011 6:52PM

Hales capitalized on early St. Joseph miscues and Andre Anthony ran for four first-half touchdowns Saturday as the Spartans rolled to a 68-0 Catholic League Red win in Westchester.

Hales (5-3, 3-1) earned a share of the league title with Leo, and Gordon Tech can make it a three-way tie for the championship if it beats St. Ignatius next week. But because the conference has just five schools, it has no automatic berth in the IHSA playoffs and any qualifiers will have to earn at-large bids.

Anthony ran three times on Hales’ opening drive for 77 yards and an early touchdown.

“It was the line,” said Anthony, who finished with seven carries for 205 yards and four touchdowns. “I just hit the hole they created. I just followed my blocks.”

“Our philosophy is to block at the point of attack and let Andre run downhill,” Spartans coach Randall Townsel said. “We can throw the ball, too. But we take whatever the defense gives us.”

Then came a series of Charger miscues that put the game out of reach. First St. Joseph snapped the ball out of the end zone for a safety making it 9-0. Hales took advantage of the short field to give Anthony another opportunity and he ran it in for a touchdown on one play from the 41, making it 16-0.

St. Joseph junior wide receiver Aaron Bell was pressed into service as quarterback and his first pass of the afternoon was intercepted at the Charger 19-yard line. Two more runs by Anthony and the score was 22-0.

Bell was sacked and fumbled on St, Joseph’s next two possessions. Each time Hales senior Willie Allen picked up the loose ball and took it into the end zone for touchdowns. There were still over three minutes left in the opening quarter and Hales was already ahead 36-0.

“It’s the fundamental things we have to get better at,” said St. Joseph coach Anthony Griffin said. “We need to learn to tackle better.

“Our motivation wasn’t always there after the two turnovers.”

The Spartans increased their lead to 49-0 by halftime. Then in the second half sophomore running back Dale Johnson (seven carries, 149 yards, two TDs) took over for Anthony. On his first play from scrimmage he ran 83 yards for a touchdown making the score 55-0.

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