High School

De La Salle dominates again, beats down California to increase NCS unbeaten streak to 275 games

Dominic Kelley, Derrick Blanche each rush for more than 100 yards on limited carries in a 48-10 trouncing of strong Grizzly squad

Mitch Stephens

De La Salle senior RB Dominic Kelley with some tough rushing yards Oct. 25 against Monte Vista in a 42-7 win. On Friday he rushed seven times for 120 yards and two touchdowns during a 48-10 win over California.
De La Salle senior RB Dominic Kelley with some tough rushing yards Oct. 25 against Monte Vista in a 42-7 win. On Friday he rushed seven times for 120 yards and two touchdowns during a 48-10 win over California. / Photo: Eric Taylor

This is more than a pattern. Yes, De La Salle-Concord, the state's No. 5 team, increased its winless streak to a proposterous 275 games against North Coast Section opponents with a 48-10 win at California-San Ramon on Friday night.

It's just that year after year after year after year, the Spartans always get stronger down the stretch as others wear down.

That certainly looked the case as De La Salle rushed for more than 300 yards, gained more than 400 yards and led 35-3 at halftime before the rest of the game was played with a running clock.

Kelley took De La Salle's first play of the second half for a 65-yard touchdown, one of just seven plays they had in the second half. Gregory Jones added a 58-yard TD run in the final five minutes on the team's only other possession as the Spartans improved to 9-0.

California, ranked fifth in the second got more than 100 yards rushing from the section's leading rusher Jhadis Luckey.

Kelley carried the ball seven times for 120 yards and Derrick Blanche Jr., the team's leading rusher on the season, added 110 yards on five carries. He also rushed for two scores.

Third-year starting quarterback Toa Faavae had his best passing game of the season, going 8 of 11 for 108 yards. He also rushed for a touchdown.

De La Salle, which owns a state-record seven state titles, hasn't won one since 2015, largely because of the emergence and dominance of Southern California's Mater Dei and St. John Bosco. Those two teams have vied for mythical national championships every year for almost a decade now.

This Spartan squad looks like their best since that 2015 season, due to a whole brigade of speedy backs, along with experience on the line, a strong defensive line and defensive backfield.

They haven't been threatened lately however, winning their last three games against NCS ranked teams by a combined count of 132-31.

The last time De La Salle lost to a NCS opponent was the 1991 3A title game to Pittsburg, 35-27, at the Oakland Coliseum.

All statistics and video supplied by Damin Esper, DeLaSalleTV

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Mitch Stephens
MITCH STEPHENS

Mitch Stephens is a senior editor at SBLive Sports for California, a state he's covered high school sports since 1984. He won multiple CNPA and CPSWA writing awards with the Contra Costa Times, San Francisco Chronicle and MaxPreps.com before joining the SBLive staff in 2022. He's covered the beat nationally since 2007, profiling such athletes as Derrick Henry, Paige Bueckers, Patrick Mahomes, Sabrina Ionescu, Jayson Tatum, Chiney Ogwumike, Jeremy Lin and Najee Harris as preps. You can reach him at mitch@scorebooklive.com.

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