De La Salle football to open 2023 at home versus familiar Trinity League foe — Orange Lutheran

More familiarity for Spartans against NorCal powers Serra, St. Mary's, Saint Francis and Folsom; Oakland juggernaut McClymonds also on docket

National juggernaut De La Salle-Concord will renew a contract with a Trinity League foe to start the 2023 football season. 

The Spartans, a legendary program known for its national record 151-game win streak (1992-2004) and a 2014 Hollywood movie made about them "When the Game Stands Tall," will host Orange Lutheran on Aug. 25. 

The teams met only once — also in Concord — in Week 4 of the 2015 season, a 41-3 De La Salle victory. 

The Spartans went on to win their seventh and most recent CIF State championship, a 28-21 victory over another Southern Section powerhouse, Corona Centennial. The week before its win over Orange Lutheran, De La Salle beat another Trinity League foe, Servite-Anaheim, 52-14. 

De La Salle quarterback Toa Faavae (13) returns after accounting for 277 yards and three touchdowns in the state D1-AA title game against Lincoln-San Diego. Photo: Joe Bergman

From that season on, the Spartans, like all in the state — and country — have struggled against two specific Trinity League teams, defending national champion St. John Bosco-Bellflower and reigning No. 2 Mater Dei-Santa Ana, losing four straight games, all in the CIF Open Division title game. 

De La Salle lost to Mater Dei 52-21 (2017) and 35-21 (2018), and to St. John Bosco, 56-33 (2016) and 49-28 (2019). Bosco also beat the Spartans for the 2013 state Open crown, 20-14. De La Salle defeated Mater Dei three consecutive years, starting in 1998. 

They've also fared well against another Trinity League squad, Servite, going 5-0 against the Friars since 2004. The Spartans haven't played the other two Trinity League teams, JSerra Catholic and Santa Margarita, during that span.  

The rest of De La Salle's nonleague schedule is filled with familiar Northern California powers, including two-time defending NorCal Open representative Serra, Folsom, St. Mary's-Stockton and Saint Francis. Perennial small school power McClymonds-Oakland is also on De La Salle's schedule. 

The Spartans will have a little payback on their minds after losing to Serra, Folsom and St. Mary's during the regular season last season. They did get a measure of revenge in the December, knocking off Folsom for the NorCal Division 1-AA playoff title.

De La Salle, which lost to Lincoln-San Diego 33-28 in the 2022 state 1-AA finals, returns a strong core from last year's team, including sophomore quarterback Toa Faavae, who accounted for 277 yards and three TDs against Lincoln, and sophomore running backs Dominic Kelley and Derrick Blanche Jr. 

Orange Lutheran, 7-5 a year ago, should be stacked with the return of 4-star sophomore quarterback TJ Lateef (6-foot-2, 185 pounds), ranked California's No. 14 recruit overall from the Class of 2024. 

TJ Lateef (9) leads Orange Lutheran. Photo: Terry Jack

Last season, Lateef completed 202 of 320 passes for 2,446 yards and 18 touchdowns in 11 games. 

Like De La Salle, most of Orange Lutheran's top recruits are from the Class of 2024, including tight end AJ La, backup quarterback John Gazzaniga (6-7, 230), defensive lineman Jireh Moe (6-1, 290) and LSU-bound athlete Jakob Coleman. 

Orange Lutheran will have a game under its belt before facing De La Salle. It hosts Serra-Gardena on Aug. 18 to open its season. 

Edge rusher Matt Johnson (6-5, 240) and safety Robert Santiago — both from the Class of 2024 — and 2024 linebacker Drew Cunningham (6-3, 220) are other top prospects for De La Salle.

DE LA SALLE FOOTBALL SCHEDULE 2023

8/25 — Vs. Orange Lutheran

9/2 — At Serra-San Mateo

9/8 — At Saint Francis

9/15 — Vs. St. Mary's-Stockton

9/22 — At Folsom

9/29 — Vs. McClymonds

10/13 — Vs. San Ramon Valley

10/20 — Vs. Foothill

10/27 — At Monte Vista

11/3 — Vs. Clayton Valley Charter