Neumann Celtics overturn Vikings

St. John Neumann finished the last football season with a 7-2 record and was a strong contender for a district championship. Following their spring game at Bishop Verot May 26, Celtic Coach Steve Howey considers a repeat completely within their grasp.

Photo by KEN LANE, Collier Citizen

Bobby Davis, St. John Neumann sophomore, May 26, in the Celtics 24-21 victory at Bishop Verot.

"We are hoping to challenge for the district," Howey said. "We have a good nucleus and think we can play with anybody." The 24-21 defeat of the Vikings was much more of a wallop than it sounds. After going into the half with a 24-0 lead, Neumann's second string gave the Vikings a glimmer of spring hope, only to be snuffed out by games end. Sophomore quarterback Bobby Davis gave Celtic fans a lot to look forward to in the fall.

"I couldn't be happier with the way that Bobby was under the center and leading the offense down the field," Howey said. "He made very good decisions running and throwing the ball." The first half shut out for the starting defense was not a surprise for Howey; what was surprising was the progress of the starting offense.

"I didn't think we would have been that well tuned for the spring game," he said. "The offensive line did very well in helping to move the ball down the field." Davis led the Celtics to an early lead with a touchdown pass to Sonny Dillinger with 7:06 left in the first before handing the ball off to Brian Provost who ran it in with 3:37 left in the quarter. A scoring run by Jessie Davis and a field goal by Jack Griffin was enough to build a wall that the Vikings failed to scale.

"I couldn't have been happier with the outcome," Howey said. "We scored 24 points on a 2A squad. If we can beat these guys, we can beat anybody. We proved that tonight." Having lost nine seniors, tops on the list for the Celtics will be getting stronger and, with eight guys starting both sides of the field in the fall, more conditioned as well.

"We can be pretty good," he told his squad following the game. "We can be playing for a district championship. But you have to put the work in to be that good." Last season the Celtics took third in districts behind Glades Day and Evangelical Christian, Neumann's only losses of the year.