De La Salle sacks Pittsburg for 30th straight North Coast Section title

All of the De La Salle-Harmony streaks continued Friday night time on a cold night time in Dublin. 

With a 30-23 win over Pittsburg, the nationwide juggernaut Spartans received their thirtieth straight North Coast Part title, this one within the Open Division, giving them an automated bid into the CIF State Regional match. 

The Spartans additionally beat the Pirates (10-2) for a thirty second consecutive time, the final loss was 35-27 within the 1991 NCS 3A championship. 

That was additionally the final time De La Salle misplaced to an NCS opponent interval, a ridiculous streak of 265 video games (264-0-1). 

The Spartans (9-3) obtained two landing runs from Fresno State-bound operating again Charles Greer, three discipline objectives by Spencer Brien, excellent quarterback play from Toa Faavae and an lively, aggressive protection that intercepted Florida-bound quarterback Jaden Rashada twice and sacked him six instances. 

The victory was additionally De La Salle’s sixth straight win on the season after a difficult 3-3 begin. At that time, one other part championship appeared in query. 

PIttsburg (10-2), which obtained landing runs from Rashada and Elijah Bow and a TD reception by Khai Taylor, continues to be alive for postseason play. 

In a novel setup from the NCS, the Open runner-up will get new life and can play subsequent week in opposition to Clayton Valley, a 21-13 winner over Liberty, within the NCS Division I championship recreation. The winner of that additionally advances to regional.  

Overcoming youth and a barrage of accidents, De La Salle lastly obtained its groove again whereas beating a particularly gifted Pittsburg squad, which options at the least a half-dozen Division I faculty abilities.

They beat an impressed Pittsburg squad that was enjoying for coach Vic Galli, who introduced earlier this month this is able to be his ultimate season after 21 years. 

An interception by Samu Iosia and 40-yard return arrange a 24-yard discipline purpose by Brien to provide De La Salle a 3-0 lead with 3:20 left within the first quarter. The sector purpose would set the tone for the primary half. 

Pittsburg drove down discipline on its ensuing possession however a sack from Chris Biller pressured a punt. A 63-yard go from Toa Faavae to Notre Dame-bound Cooper Flanagan arrange an 8-yard TD run by Faavae and the Spartans led 10-0 with 11:19 left within the second quarter. 

One other sack, this one by Dylan Greeson, arrange a brief discipline and after the Pirates held within the pink zone, Brien kicked his second discipline, this one a 28-yard to make it 13-0 halfway by the second quarter. 

The Pirates, behind sophomore operating again Bow, drove 74 yards capped on a 7-yard scramble and run by Rashada on fourth down. That made it 13-7 with 3:07 left within the half. 

A 37-yard completion from Faavae to JC Romo, put the ball contained in the Pittsburg 10 as soon as extra. However as soon as once more, the Pirates held and Brian drilled his third discipline purpose of the half, a 22-yard to go up 16-7 at halftime. 

The Spartans picked off Rashada for a second time, this time by linebacker Colton Seastrand. That arrange a 3-yard landing run by Greer and the Spartans appeared on their manner, up 23-7. 

However Pittsburg confirmed some combat. Bow greatly surprised from the 2-yard line for a landing, adopted by a 37-yard discipline purpose by Octavio Lopez and the Pirates had been inside a landing, 23-16 late within the third quarter. 

However the Spartans took management, due to a pair of lengthy runs from Faavae (15 carries, 98 yards), two extra by Derrick Blanche (10-65), establishing Greer’s second TD, a 2-yard dive during the last facet, making it 30-16 with 11:45 left within the fourth quarter. 

The Pirates threaten on their subsequent possession, however two extra sacks led to a turnover on downs. 

By no means quitting, Pittsburg obtained a 7-yard landing go from Rashada to Taylor within the ultimate quarter to shut to 30-23 with 1:23 left to play.  

However the Spartans recovered the onside kick and ran out the clock.

De La Salle outgained the Pirates 324-251, holding Rashada to simply 16 completions in 27 makes an attempt for 151 yards. 

Pictures under from Dennis Lee