FYI, for those of you who liked the LeBron coverage... Fri 10/24/03, ESPN2 8 ET/5 PT, it's HS football on national TV as Evangel Christian HS of Shreveport, LA travels out here to take on De La Salle of Concord, CA. DLS is rolling with a 144-game win streak, by far a national record. DLS are on TV out here once or twice a year. Overall a small but deep team that executes flawlessly. Each of the past three years, they've played the mythical "#2" team in the country, and won relatively easily. Spartan alums in the NFL include(d): Amani Toomer, Doug Brien, Aaron Taylor and more. Currently playing in college are DJ Williams (Miami), Kevin Simon (Tenn), Matt Guitierrez (Michigan), among others. Evangel Christian apparently started out this season as the mythical "#2" team in the country, but dropped after losing two out-of-state games to "Top 25" teams in TX and AL. They produced current Miami QB Brock Berlin and current USC freshman QB John David Booty. Here's an article from today's SF Chron about it: "De La Salle's win streak on the line on national TV" by Ron Kroichick.
Normally, I haven't followed prep sports much since I graduated from high school, but this matchup has intrigued me enough to give it some time. De La Salle has had a lot of pub over "the streak" and since the school has not played anyone east of the Cal-Nevada border, there has been a lot of criticism that the Spartans have mostly been beating up on "weak" California teams. Mostly this has been because the coach has been reluctant to travel too far. Last season, DLS apparently playe a team in Hawaii. Not that I care one way or the other, but this game will show how well California football stacks up (or doesn't) to a major program in the South. If DLS survives this test, I can definitely see a high school in Texas or Florida booking plane tickets for next fall to come out to Concord.
California and Florida have ALWAYS produced outstanding atheletes. Its a result of a combination of great weather and a massive population. Also, both states have Spring practice. something that states like Pennsylvanie do not have. Evangeline is a highschool thats actually very famous these days. As BM noted, both Berlin and Booty have com efromthere. And Berlin was an understudy to the elder Booty, highly touted Josh Booty, who was basically a bust at LSU.
Yes, they played St. Louis of Honolulu, ranked #2 in the nation going into the game, at the Aloha Bowl, and won easily. DLS was way up at halftime, then put in the sophomores. It was a good game for about a quarter. I only remember watching the first half. They also beat Long Beach Poly (a huge public school from SoCal) each of the last two years. One of those years, LBP was "#2" as well. That year, LBP was featured in ESPN the Magazine because they had something like nine D-1 prospects. DLS spanked them. Every year, DLS has taken on increasingly difficult opposition, reflecting that their team has improved as more and more good players want to go there. Hell, they got kicked out of their own league (and now enter the playoffs each year as an at-large independent) because other schools (mostly with 2-4K students) were threatening to forfeit. Whoever says California teams are "weak" (overall) is tripping. We have some of the biggest schools in the country, which forces some of the small and mid-sized private schools like DLS (with around 1,000 students, all boys) to recruit to keep up. They didn't hold the game this past year, but prior to that, the California All-Stars had beat the Texas All-Stars several years running. I don't think any one region is "better" than others, though. Eventually, some team will end the streak. Could be tomorrow, could be next year when they again take on the mythical "#2". Could be just some upstart local opponent who plays out of their minds. I'm still not sure what I think about HS sports on TV, but I guess they're looking at this as a rare treat, and the article I linked above specifically states ESPN is NOT looking to make this a regular thing. National rankings in high school sports are idiotic, too, especially preseason rankings.
I'd probably go see this game if it wasn't at 5 pm. There are two new books about De La Salle published this fall: "One Great Game" by Don Wallace; about the first DLS-Poly game (author is a Poly grad). I've read part of it and it's pretty good. "When the Game Stands Tall" by Neil Hayes; a chronicle of the 2002 season. I haven't seen this one yet, but I saw that it will be excerpted in the Contra Costa Times next week. In the early years of the streak, people did have a point when they said that NorCal football isn't as good as SoCal, because it isn't (DLS beat NorCal's #2 team, Foothill of Pleasanton, 48-0 a few weeks ago), but DLS has proved themselves with their games against the likes of Mater Dei and Poly. My prediction is that Pittsburg High, the last team to beat DLS, will be the team to end the streak, but probably not for a few more years.
I seem to recall reading somewhere that Amani Toomer, currently of the New York Football Giants and a former Michigan Wolverine, was a senior on that '91 DLS team that lost to Pittsburg. I'm sure he hears about that to no end.
Other sports mods, please slap an [R] on this thread.... Because I thought I would let you know that "The Streak" is still alive. 145 wins in a row. De La Salle (Concord, CA) 27 Evangel Christian (Shreveport, LA) 10 Excellent execution, incredible team speed on the part of DLS. Their team is noticably smaller and lighter than Evangel, but still outperformed them as a team. Even after DLS' starting QB went down, the backup went in and the team barely skipped a beat. Wow.
I watched that game. I still don't understand how DLS's O-line doesn't get a penalty when they shift right before the snap on about every other play. Is this some HS rule?
...and DLS has been missing their top RB since early in the season (they used a converted TE), and it was their top WR's first game this season (the guy who muffed a couple punt returns), and they used a lot of subs on D after the half, AND they took three straight knees on the Evangel 2 yard line to end the game...and that's not even mentioning that DLS gave Evangel the field position for their FG after muffing that punt deep in their own territory. Score could've easily been 34-3. Double- DLS impresses because when they score, they act like they've been in the end zone before (no flashy celebrations or taunts). Evangel had a few late hits or other unsportsmanlikes, but DLS never seems to whenever they're on TV. In today's SF Chronicle, they had quotes from Evangel's coach. He was very flattering, except when he said he thinks some team from Longview, TX Evangel lost to like 43-26 was better, but he also acknowledged that DLS has a very basic, limited playbook but execute flawlessly.
In the NYC area, the only HS stuff are football games that show mostly North Jersey football (usually involving Don Bosco, Bergen Catholic or St Joe's Regional) which is usually loaded with D1 or Ivy prospects.
Huh funny you should mention Don Bosco... as someone who attended school in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Paterson, I remember that Don Bosco Prep in Ramsey (the school with the nationally-ranked football program) is the home of a lot of Bergen snobs, whereas Don Bosco Tech in Paterson is where a lot of the low-lifes ended up going... I don't think Bosco Prep does a lot of traveling out of state, but any matchup with DLS would certainly have my attention.
Bosco's running back is getting recruited to play at Miami, and he was in the recent issue of Sports Illustrated. I live around these parts, so HS football is kind of big.
There were negotiations over the summer between Bosco & De La Salle to play this year. Bosco's league voted on it and a majority of league members shot the idea down. Some crap about screwing up the schedule. I guess they weren't impressed about national tv coverage on ESPN2. Many people sensed jealousy since the big parochials in North Jersey (Bosco, St. Joseph's & Bergen Catholic) routinely beat the public schools by 40-50 pts. Bosco only got to this level in the last 5 yrs. Bergen for many years was the top dog. St. Joe's got really good in the 90s and now Bosco is the reigning king of NJ. BTW - Rudy Giuliani's kid kicks for St. Joe's and is a decent golfer. Phil Simms son is a backup QB on Don Bosco.
Brian Toal is getting recruited by everybody. Not sure who leads, but his older brother, Greg is the starting FB for Boston College. His Dad is an awesome sounding coach. I watched The Bergen Catholic Story on MSG Network and coach Toal (who coached Ramapo when Chris Simms was there) worked his Bosco players up into a frenzy and beat Bergen. IIRC, Bergen, before this season, had lost about 4 games, 3 of them to Bosco. Academically, I'm told that Bergen has better students who go on to really great colleges.
Tragic news: 2004 De La Salle graduate Terrance Kelly, a linebacker headed to the University of Oregon, was shot and killed last night, two days before he was to leave for Eugene. http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/sports/9394106.htm http://oregon.theinsiders.com/2/283495.html
Let's not hype high-school sport like this. What DeLaSalle player has ever won a Heisman Trophy or made the Hall of Fame? None. Next hypee.