De La Salle gets payback, runs past St. Mary's with speed, dominating defense

A year after St. Mary's recorded its first win very against the Spartans, host De La Salle get two touchdown runs by Dominic Kelley and 84-yard backbreaker by Toa Faavae in 24-10 win

The last time they met a season ago, host St. Mary's pulled off a monumental victory over storied De La Salle in Stockton. On Friday, the teams met again, this time at Owen Owens Stadium in Concord. 

In a battle of state-ranked teams, the host Spartans got their payback. 

Dominic Kelley rushed 20 times for 102 yards and touchdowns of 3 and 12 yards, Finn Sepic kicked a 39-yard field goal on the last play of the half and fleet quarterback Toa Faavae added the clincher, an 84-yard TD run early in the fourth quarter to post a 24-10 victory. He finished with seven carries for 140 yards.  

St. Mary's scored at will last season, winning 45-35. On Friday, De La Salle's defense was brilliant, especially in the secondary. 

The Rams (3-1), who came in averaging more than 40 points per game, were held without a touchdown until 3 minutes, 10 seconds remaining on a 45-yard touchdown pass from Samson Hunkin to Cayden Ward. By that time the game was well in hand. 

St. Mary's took took a 3-0 lead with 2:34 left in the first quarter on a 23-yard field goal by Matthew Kaine. 

But Johnathan Guerrero returned the ensuing kickoff 79 yards to the St. Mary's 20. Three runs later, Kelley scored his first touchdown, a 3-yarder, with 40 seconds left in the first quarter to go up for good, 7-3. 

After Sepic's field goal to end the half, Kelley's 12-yard TD started the third quarter and Faavae put it away in the fourth. A 10.9 sprinter in the 100 meters on De La Salle's track team, Faavae finished with more than 130 yards rushing. 

After two unimpressive losses to start the year, the Spartans (2-2) won their second straight following a 35-17 win at St. Francis. 

Hunkin was 14 of 26 for 197 yards and he rushed 14 times for 85 yards. The Spartans held Asante Carter to 19 yards on just 10 carries. 

Pregame: Another great intersectional matchup as SJS No. 2 St. Mary's travels to NorCal Coast No. 2 De La Salle. It’s the season of payback for De La Salle, which lost 45-35 at St. Mary’s last season. The Spartans won 35-17 last week at St. Francis, which ended DLS’ 318-game NorCal unbeaten streak in 2021. To beat St. Mary’s, the Spartans will have to slow RB Asante Carter (305 yards, eight TDs) and the dual threats of QB Samson Hunkin and WR Kenneth Moore III. The Rams have also shored up their defense. DLS’ running attack is led by speedy QB Toa Faavae (five TDs) and rugged junior RB Dominic Kelley, who had 135 yards rushing and a TD last week. 

All photos by Dennis Lee: