CIF State Bowl Game
Division I
Score: Centennial (Corona) 21, De La Salle (Concord) 16
Stars: Taylor Martinez (C) 243 yards passing, 1 TD running; Vontaze Burfict (C) 9 tackles, interception, Noah Perio (DLS) 10 tackles.
Last year’s score: De La Salle 37, Centennial 21
Other Bowl Game Stories: Open, D1, D2, D3, Small Schools.
Game previews: Open, D1. D2, D3, Small schools.
Final MaxPreps National Rankings: 6. Centennial (15-0), 14. Grant (14-0); 15. Long Beach Poly (14-1); 19. De La Salle (12-2); 20. Bellarmine (12-1); 22. St. Bonaventure (14-1); 23. Tesora (13-1).
Final California rankings: Click here.
By Mitch Stephens
MaxPreps.com
CARSON, Calif. – Winning a CIF State Division I Bowl title was sweet to be sure.
So was going unbeaten and breaking the school mark for most victories with 15.
But what had members of Centennial (Corona) doing internal and external cartwheels on the floor of the Home Depot Center following a 21-16 victory on Friday was whom the Huskies beat.
The six-time mythical national champions.
The program that once owned a national-record 151-game win streak.
But mainly what truly sweetened the deal was that they knocked off those dastardly De La Salle Spartans who broke their heart in the same game last year with a 37-31 defeat.
“All the space that was filled with pain a year ago is now filled with happiness,” said UCLA-bound receiver Ricky Marvray. “We accomplished everything we wanted to do tonight and best of all we beat the team that beat us.”
A dominating, fast and physical defense, led by All-American candidates Vontaze Burfict and William Sutton, plus the all-around play of quarterback Taylor Martinez and receivers Marvray and Geshun Harris keyed the hard-fought victory.
De La Salle (12-2) came in ranked 10th in the country by MaxPreps and Centennial No. 18, though the Huskies (15-0) are as high as No. 2 in some national polls.
Burfict, an absolutely menacing 6-foot-2, 235-pound senior linebacker, led a dominating defensive effort with nine tackles, three for loss, an interception and a sack. The Huskies held De La Salle to a season-low 182 yards - less than half its season average - and didn’t allow the Spartans renowned veer attack to get outside.
"D.J. Williams," was De La Salle defensive coordinator Terry Eidson's only response when asked about Burfict. Williams was a Parade All-American and the most dominating player ever at De La Salle. He's now a Pro Bowler with the Denver Broncos.
The comparison was just.
Centennial’s secondary was also outstanding, limiting De La Salle quarterback Blake Wayne to just 9 completions in 20 attempts for 64 yards. Wayne, a tremendous dual threat, was also held to 21 yards on 12 carries. He could never find a seam.
“Their defense was better than our offense, that's just a fact,” said De La Salle coach Bob Ladouceur, whose gaudy career mark dropped to 344-22-3. He missed out on becoming the state’s all-time winning coach. "When our linemen tried to get wide on speed option, they were faster than us."
Wayne said: “They were unbelievable. We saw them on film and knew they were a good team but when you step on the field with them they just raised their game to a new level. They just fly around. And man do they hit."
Wayne actually injured his shoulder on a tipped pass that was intercepted by Burfict in the first quarter. The 5-9, 180-pound Wayne, the East Bay Athletic League's Most Valuable Player, played through the pain throughout.
Asked about Burfict, Wayne said: "He's unbelivable. Ridiculous."
The Nebraska-bound Martinez was pretty special too, completing 15 of 21 for 243 yards. All of his completions went to Harris (nine catches, 122 yards) and Marvray (6-121), a pair of Division I wideouts.
De La Salle’s defense was stout and remarkably improved from earlier in the year. The Spartans held Washington State-bound running back Arthur Burns to just 83 yards in 25 carries, but he scored on touchdowns of 4 and 2 yards, the latter broke a 14-14 tie with 2:25 left in the third quarter that was the game-winner.
The 21 points scored by the Huskies was their lowest total in five seasons.
Martinez, who scored on a 4-yard run, ran out of the end zone with eight seconds left and after the Spartans gave a very good Tennessee Titans “Music City Miracle” imitation but was stopped at the Centennial 30, the Huskies celebrated like it was 1999.
Or something like that.
“The kids have been so resilient all year and played with so much heart,” Centennial coach Matt Logan. “We made a lot of mistakes tonight and it wasn’t our best game but we got it done. We did what we had to do to win and I’m so proud of them. To finish 15-0 is absolutely incredible. This team made its mark. It’s an honor beating De La Salle but being a state champion is what’s most satisfying.”
Said Arizona State-bound Sutton, who predicted before the season that the Huskies would go undefeated: "De La Salle has a great legacy and they beat us last year. Our defense didn't play well last year. We were challenged and we got it done. It feels fantastic."
Said Burfict: "This year we were more of a family on defense. It was our last game for most of us. We couldn't end with a loss."
Said Centennial senior defensive lineman Ben Letcher, who had five tackles and a pass deflection and is talking with UTEP and Fresno State: "I just think we played more aggressive this year, played our butts off and didn't make any mental mistakes."
Ladouceur was proud of his team's second-half effort and defense. Remarkably the Huskies rushed for just 76 yards on 44 carries, though those numbers were somewhat eschewed by minus 57 yards on Taylor’s safety and the bad punt snap.
Centennial did an equally good job shutting down De La Salle’s running game which averaged less than three yards per carry. The Spartans came in averaging 7.5.
"I really didn't think their offense was better than our defense tonight. I think we made enough stops for us to win. We just didn't follow through offensively.
“It would have taken a complete game to beat those guys and we didn’t get that. At halftime I told the guys we were proving we didn't belong here. But I thought the second half they redeemed themselves. ... We just didn't make enough plays."
A bad punt snap and fourth-down penalty on Centennial all but handed De La Salle a 7-0 lead midway through the first quarter.
After the Huskies got one first down on its first possession a bad punt snap caused punter Trevor Romaine to fall on the ball at the Centennial 18.
Three plays netted eight yards and on fourth-and-2, the Spartans brought in their field goal team. But a hard count drew the Huskies offside, making it first-and-goal at the 5. After a 4-yard run by Wayne, Terron Williams-Ward punched it in for a 1-yard touchdown. With 6:57 left in the first, De La Salle led 7-0.
Centennial responded immediately with a 47-yard pass from Martinez to Marvray. A couple short passes and runs by Burns pushed the ball to the De La Salle 7 and on 4th-and-1 Burns had a sure first down to the 3, but fumbled. De La Salle’s Khyri Knowles recovered but two plays later, a tipped Wayne pass was intercepted by Burfict and return to the De La Salle 17.
After a 13-yard completion to Marvray, Burns waltzed into the end zone, tying the score at 7-7 with 2:42 left in the quarter.
“This feels so much better than last year,” Burns said. “Those guys (De La Salle) play tough for sure, but we were just a little tougher.”
Centennial took its first lead on its next possession, going 51 yards in just four plays capped with a 4-yard TD run by Martinez, who set up the score with a spectacular 33-yard completion to Harris.
Martinez was flushed from the pocket and while going to his left – he’s right handed – he fired a perfect ball that was well covered but Harris went way up to grab it just in bounds at the 7. After a short inside run to Burns, Martinez faked inside and went in untouched, making it 14-7 with 8.7 seconds left in the first quarter.
At that point the Spartans had to consider themselves fortunate down just seven. They were outgained in the first quarter 139-18.
After a scoreless second quarter, De La Salle tied it up at 14-14, taking the second-half kickoff and traveling 56 yards in 13 plays capped by a 1-yard TD sneak by Wayne. The Spartans couldn’t get more than three- and four-yard gains, but it got a big 18-yard completion from Wayne to tight end Carlton Walter.
“That was a good drive and we showed some toughness,” Ladouceur said. “But we couldn’t stop them on the very next drive.”
Indeed the Huskies went 84 yards on 16 plays, finished off with a spinning 2-yard TD run by Burns with 2:25 left. Centennial was especially good on third down, converting three times.
“I think we just wanted this so bad nothing was going to stop us,” Marvray said. “Not even De La Salle."
E-mail Mitch Stephens at mstephens@maxpreps.com
Centennial 21, De La Salle 16
De La Salle 7 0 7 2 - 16
Centennial 14 0 7 0 - 21
First quarter
DLS – Terron Williams-Ward 1 run (Biel kick), 2:43
C – Burns 4 run (Romaine kick), 2:42
C – Martinez 4 run (Romaine kick), 0:09
Third quarter
DLS – Wayne 1 run (Biel kick), 6:55
C – Burns 2 run (Romaine kick), 2:25
Fourth quarter
DLS – Safety, Martinez ran out of end zone, :08
Team Statistics
First downs: DLS 12, Centennial 16
Rushes-yards: DLS 41-118, Centennial 44-56
Passing 9-20-1-64, Centennial 15-21-0-243
Turnovers: DLS 1, Centennial 2
TOP: DLS 24:14, Centennial 23:46
Penalties: DLS 6-45, Centennial 6-62
Individual Statistics
Rushing
DLS, Butler 19-66, Williams-Ward 9-25, Wayne 12-21, Anderson 1-6; Centennial, Burns 25-83, Martinez 17-30, Team 2-(-57).
Passing
DLS, Wayne 9-20-1-64. Centennial 15-21-0-243.
Receiving
DLS, Butler 3-22, Williams-Ward 2-8, Perio 2-6, Walter 1-18, Bouza 1-10. Centennial, Harris 9-122, Marvray 6-121.
Tackles
DLS, Perio 10, Wynn 9, Wishom 7, Waldren 6. Centennial, Burfict 9, Sutton 8, Hollick 6, Whitlow 5, Letcher 5.
