Video: The Season: De La Salle (CA) vs. Servite (CA)There's much more that goes into the season than what fans see on Friday night. Especially if that high school football team is one of the most successful in all the land.
De La Salle (Concord, Calif.), which once won a national-record 151 straight games, has preached since Bob Ladouceur took over in 1979 that winning was simply a byproduct of not just a winning effort, but the perfect effort.
Since he took over, combined with what new head coach Justin Alumbaugh started three seasons ago, the Spartans have won 429 games and at least eight mythical national crowns.
But that's not what "The Season" is about.
Shot, directed and narrated by Taylor Lambert of of Cal-Hi Sports, it's inside stuff. Like in episode No. 3, about senior tight end and defensive lineman
Jacob Butler, who has overcome a challenging disorder to thrive as a Spartan. There's also some superb inside footage of former De La Salle and NFL back Maurice Jones-Drew and how he talks to the current Spartans.
There's also footage of what it takes to appease two-hard-to-please gents: Alumbaugh and defensive coordinator Terry Eidson.
It wasn't so much that De La Salle beat Servite convincingly on Friday night, it was how the Spartans did it.
To feel the complete impact of why the win was so satisfying, check out Labert's first two episodes of The Season. The one versus Trinity (Euless, Texas) is particularly moving.
Jacob Butler is an inspiration to all the Spartans.
File photo by Robbie Rakestraw
