After 11 seasons, two nationally-ranked California high school football teams will renew a rivalry Saturday at California Memorial Stadium in Berkeley.
No. 20
Centennial (Corona) has something of a score to settle — although a longstanding one — while traveling more than 400 miles north to face No. 25
De La Salle (Concord) in the first 151 Showcase.
How to watch
Date: Saturday, Sept. 26
Kickoff: 2 p.m. PT
Location: California Memorial Stadium | Berkeley
Broadcast team: Pat O'Rourke, Damin Esper
In a 55-9 win over St. Mary's last week, UCLA commit Duece Jones-Drew of De La Salle went 55 yards for a touchdown. (PHOTO: Dennis Lee)
History lesson
De La Salle has won four of the five meetings between the longtime national powers — all for state titles — including the last meeting in 2015, a 28-21 Open Division victory. It was the last of seven state championships for the Spartans. Since then, De La Salle has lost seven consecutive state title games. All five of Centennial's state appearances were against the Spartans, including its only win in 2008, a 21-16 Division 1 victory. Future NFL linebacker Vontaze Burfict recorded 13 tackles, a sack and an interception in that contest.
Ladouceur history
Legendary De La Salle coach Bob Ladouceur's last game was a 48-28 win over Centennial in 2012, his 399th win (against 25 losses, three ties). He retired as the winningest coach in California history and his percentage of .938 ranks No. 1 in national history. His team's 151-game winning streak from 1992-2004 is also a national record and is the inspiration for the event's title and the Hollywood movie, When the Game Stands Tall, based on a Neil Hayes best-selling book.
2026 seasons to date
Even though De La Salle's 4-0 record is better than Centennial at 2-2, the Huskies are ranked higher based on strength of schedule. In fact, Logan's team could easily be 4-0, losing one-point games to two other nationally-ranked teams, No. 4
Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita) and No. 17
Mater Dei (Santa Ana). A late missed extra point and chip shot field goal cost the Huskies in each loss. De La Salle first-year starting quarterback
Jaxon Loftin has led his team to a 186-47 scoring margin.
Walk-Green injury update
Centennial might be unbeaten had it not been without senior safety and Washington commit
Jaden Walk-Green, out indefinitely following offseason surgery. Walk-Green not only had 10 interceptions last season but was the team's place kicker, making 63 of 65 extra points and 4 of 5 field goal tries. His status for Saturday has not been confirmed.
Centennial's dynamic one-two punch
There may not be a more electrifying offensive duo in Southern California than Centennial quarterback
Jaden Jefferson (Hawaii commit) to wide receiver
Quentin Hale (USC). Jefferson leads the team in both passing (852) and rushing yards (277) while Hale has 22 catches for 388 yards and three scores. Both players transferred from Cathedral (Los Angeles) after their junior seasons.
Wide receiver
Damari Dean caught many off guard during the spring track season running sprint times of 10.32 seconds (100 meters) and 20.92 (200) as a sophomore. Longtime Spartan fans have brought up names like Amani Toomer, Demetrius Williams and Cameron Colvin in comparison to Dean, who has eight catches for 204 yards and four touchdowns.
Lupoi connection
New Cal head coach Tosh Lupoi is a 2000 De La Salle graduate. According to De La Salle coach Justin Alumbaugh, Lupoi was a major advocate for the game being played at California Memorial Stadium. De La Salle has played only three previous games at the venue, a 28-7 win over
Long Beach Poly (Long Beach) in a 2001 meeting of national No. 1 vs. No. 2 teams, a 41-0 North Coast Section title win over
Amador Valley (Pleasanton) in 2004 and a 63-0 victory over
Jesuit (Carmichael) to start the 2014 season.
Son like father?
In the win over Long Beach Poly in 2001, Maurice Jones-Drew rushed 19 times for 161 yards after scoring all four touchdowns in a 29-15 win over Poly the season before. Jones-Drew, now a De La Salle assistant coach, has inspired son
Duece, the team's current leading rusher at 315 yards and three touchdowns. "Hopefully, I can have a performance like my dad's or even better," Duece told the Bay Area News Group.
