SEASON OUTLOOK
De La Salle has always played well in the trenches, but this season features a much bigger group of players than normal.
Photo by Dennis Lee
With 6-5, 260-pound defensive end Matt Dickerson leading the team's defensive line, Serra (San Mateo) will be a good early-season challenge for the Spartans to see if the offensive line will live up to expectations.
Question mark: Will this team jell quickly enough to justify the No. 1 ranking? In recent years, it has started off relatively slow. With a less rigorous schedule than other teams on the list, any struggles with Northern California competition could mean a drop in the rankings. Not that Alumbaugh and his staff are concerned about that. Their priority is winning football games.
Local outlook: Looming in the Sac-Joaquin Section is Folsom, which is favored to contend for a CIF Bowl Game berth. Elsewhere, in the Bay Area, Palo Alto could be due for a big season, as it returns highly touted quarterback Keller Chryst. Neither is in the North Coast Section that the Spartans have owned for decades now, so the path to the Bowl Games looks favorable.
Overall outlook: De La Salle has been automatic in earning Bowl Game bids. Barring a total collapse, it will once again make a trip to the Home Depot Center in December. The absence of a marquee interstate game could have an effect on the team's strength of schedule and consequently, its shot at finishing No. 1.
Coach quote: "He's still my mentor, still sits a few feet away. Every day he gives me another little tidbit on a situation or a kid. He always has something to give."
- Head coach Justin Alumbaugh on his assistant coach, Bob Ladouceur
