De La Salle too much for Centennial of Corona
CARSON – Coming into Saturday night's CIF Open Division state championship bowl game at The Home Depot Center, De La Salle of Concord had won 49 consecutive games against in-state opponents dating to 2008.
Its last loss to a fellow California team?
A 21-16 defeat in the 2008 Division I state championship game at the hands of the same opponent the Spartans faced on Saturday night — Centennial of Corona.
Four years later, De La Salle (15-0) got its revenge over Centennial with a 48-28 victory to claim the Open Division state championship, the schools' fifth since 2006.
The first half saw De La Salle dominate both offensively and defensively leading to a 28-7 advantage, but credit Centennial (14-2) with a never-say-die attitude as it came out in the second half with renewed energy. The Huskies struck quickly in the third on a 64-yard TD pass from Robert Webber to Chase Krivashei less than two minutes into the third quarter, bringing the Spartans lead to 28-14.
After a De La Salle punt, Webber connected with Krivashei who had the ball stripped at the 38-yard line, the Spartans jumped on the ball and on the opportunity to capitalize on another Centennial turnover.
Chris Williams extended De La Salle's lead to 35-14 with a 38-yard touchdown pass to Austin Lonestar with 6:39 left in the third.
After a Centennial score on a TD pass from Webber to Ryan Pascarella, De La Salle answered with a long drive and a 4-yard TD run from Das Tautalatasi, extending its lead to 42-21 early in the fourth and essentially putting an end to the Huskies' comeback.
The Spartans took control of the game from the opening kick, as it recovered a fumble on a Centennial punt attempt early in the first period.
De La Salle took advantage of the Huskies miscue as Tiapepe Vitale punched in a touchdown from 1 yard out at the 9:24 mark of the first quarter.
The Spartans again forced a Centennial punt on the Huskies next possession, and De La Salle marched 61 yards down the field with Vitale getting his second TD of the first half.
In Division II:
Serra of Gardena 42, Oakdale 15: Marques Rodgers ran for three touchdowns and Adoree Jackson caught two touchdowns and ran for another as the Cavaliers (14-2) defeated the Mustangs.
In Division III:
San Diego Madison 38, Marin Catholic 35: Pierre Cormier ran for 272 yards and three touchdowns as the Warhawks (14-1) defeated the Wildcats (14-2).
