By Mitch Stephens
MaxPreps.com
MISSION VIEJO, Calif. - Maybe the best and most unique coaching trait of Bob Ladouceur is his fundamental feel for the game and his players.
The legendary De La Salle-Concord coach, who's led the Spartans to five mythical national crowns and the most storied winning streak in high school sport (151 games from 1992 to 2004), doesn't even wear headsets.
He doesn't believe in them. They block his good senses.
So when he felt the collective pulse of his players 24 hours before their showdown at perennial Southern California power Mission Viejo, he came away with a good vibe.
"I picked up on their confidence," he said. "I felt like they felt they were capable of doing something just like this."
"This" was a thoroughly dominating 35-7 victory over the Diablos before 8,000 rather stunned and subdued fans along with a regional FOX television audience on Saturday night. The contest was also selected as the MaxPreps National Game of the Week.
Michael Czyz continued his remarkable receiving run with three catches, all touchdowns, for 179 yards, Tito Pico rushed for 133 yards and the Spartans first-string defense, after giving up their first score this season on the game's first drive, settled down and forced three turnovers and sacked Allen Bridgford four times.
De La Salle (4-0), ranked between fourth and 20th nationally (No. 12 by MaxPreps), used a big-play offense to pile up 491 yards and score the final 35 points.
"Scoring 35 straight points against that team is pretty impressive," Ladouceur said.
The team's new two-quarterback set continued to flourish and Mike MacGillivray and Blake Wayne combined to complete 6 of 8 passes for 200 yards and four touchdowns.
The Spartans, known forever for their veer run attack, has now diversified and by doing so has completed a remarkable 39 of 49 passes for 881 yards, 15 touchdowns and no interceptions.
"Wow," Ladouceur said when told those numbers. "What's the quarterback rating on that?"
Answer: Off the charts.
The slight (5-foot-8, 157 pounds) but fleet Czyz has been the chief benefactor with 10 touchdowns in just 13 receptions. That's a fantastic free throw percentage.
Following TD grabs of 54, 85 and 40 yards, Czyz (pronounced "Siz") is averaging a sizzling 35.5 yards per catch.
"Wow (again)," Ladouceur marveled who doesn't marvel often.
The win helped take the sting out of a pair of losses the Spartans experienced their last two trips to Southern California, including a 36-26 at Mission Viejo two years ago.
The other was a 27-14 loss to Canyon-Canyon Country in last year's CIF State Division I Bowl game in Carson.
The Spartans seemed to unleash some frustration in the form of numerous hard hits on both sides of the ball.
"We haven't played well the last couple times down here," said senior linebacker Brady Amack, a third-year starter who led a hard-hitter defensive unit. "I think we played with a lot of passion with the idea of making a strong statement."
A couple of close losses to nationally-ranked teams would hardly be something to scar most programs. But this is De La Salle.
The Spartans, under Ladouceur, have now run up a simply staggering record of 323-20-3 since 1979 including 22 North Coast Section titles, the last 15 consecutively.
They've shown a few chinks in their respective armor since losing The Streak to start the 2004 season, but this squad before Saturday showed signs of being on par with some of De La Salle's best teams.
Saturday those signs were flashing with neon lights as the Spartans excelled in all phases while not committing a turnover.
Contributions were all over the map, especially on defense as Matt Ramirez, Andrew Garaventa, Michael Jensen and Michael Haley recorded sacks and Graylon Sanders, Dominic Russo and Andrew White added interceptions.
"They're certainly showing a lot of resolve and ability to step up to challenges," De La Salle defensive coordinator Terry Eidson said.
They were socked right in the mouth on Saturday, when Mission Viejo (3-2), coming off a bye and humbling loss to Vista-San Diego, zipped down the field 80 yards in six plays on the game's first drive to take a 7-0 lead.
It was only the second time this year a team had got beyond midfield against De La Salle's first string defense.
"We knew that wasn't going to last," Eidson said. "But I'll take giving up just seven points any day. Especially against one as good as this one."
A beautiful 35-yard touchdown pass from Bridgford to Corbin Davis capped the drive and was set up by three runs for 20 yards by Craig Woods. The TD came on a 4th-and-1 call and after Mission Viejo coach Bob Johnson called timeout.
"Gutsy and great call," Eidson said. "We were in man coverage and in theory should have been able to contend with the play. But give them credit."
The touchdown certainly got the Spartans attention.
"It was probably good for us," said Amack, who also caught a 4-yard touchdown pass from Wayne as the team's tight end. "It told us (Mission Viejo) was totally ready to play."
The Spartans immediately answered as junior quarterback Wayne pitched outside to Pica, who sprinted around the left corner 71 yards to the Mission Viejo 8 before being hauled down by Alex Mascarenas.
Three short runs and a timeout later, Kylan Butler (12 carries, 61 yards) dove over a pile and just made it into the end zone from 1-yard, tying it at 7-7.
Wayne, used primarily in running situations, started the next drive but was replaced by MacGillivray, a two-year starter, on a 2nd-and-15 call.
Following an incompletion, MacGillivray found Czyz streaking down the middle of the field with a pretty lofting 54-yard pass just beyond the outstretched hands of Mascarenas, making it 14-7 with 2:37 left in the first quarter.
"I went in, busted out, then busted back in," Czyz said. "The ball was right there."
Said MacGillivray: "(Czyz) is probably the best receiver I've ever thrown to and I've been lucky enough to throw to some good ones. He's so quick and fast and no one runs better routes."
De La Salle's next touchdown call should probably be illegal.
Wayne (5-9, 161), a terrific runner and ball distributor with ultra quick feet, faked an inside handoff, sprinted left like he was going to run but saw Mission Viejo's secondary in man coverage.
He pivoted and found Czyz on a quick slant.
Czyz split the safeties and was gone, sprinting the final 60 yards untouched to complete an 85-yard touchdown, making it 21-7 with 4:22 left in the half.
"That was a long run," Czyz said. "Blake made a great read and made a perfect throw."
Said Eidson: "Pick your poison. If you zone us we'll run. If you man us we'll pass."
Said Johnson: "They just big-played us to death."
Indeed, Pica's long run and Czyz's two TD catches accounted for all but 38 of De La Salle's 248 first-half yards.
"But that's football - making big plays," Ladouceur said. "Especially in big games. I couldn't be prouder of our guys."
They took complete control with another beautiful 40-yard TD bomb from MacGillivray (3-of-5, 111 yards, two TDs) to Czyz on the opening drive of the second half, then sealed the win with a textbook and massive 19-play, 78-yard drive that chewed up most of the third quarter.
In fact, it spilled into more than three minutes of the fourth quarter as Wayne (2-for-2, 89 yards, two TDs; 15 rushes, 61 yards) found Amack on a fourth-down 4-yard pass to make it 35-7 with 8:47 left.
It was a perfect caper, Ladouceur said, and a long time coming.
"When we first started coming down (to Southern California) we always played well, but the last two times I thought we were awful," Ladouceur said. "The guys on this team can play at the highest level and tonight they played with emotion and enthusiasm."
Johnson also thought his team played hard, but the turnovers and De La Salle's speed and big-play prowess was too much. He called this the best De La Salle team he's faced. The teams have now split four games with the Spartans winning the last two.
"We took some steps in the right direction," Johnson said. "To lose to a team that will be in the state (Division I) title game is nothing to feel bad about."
Bridgeford was 13 of 21 for 170 yards and Woods ran effectively rushing 13 times for 83 yards. The Diablos finished with 280 total yards.
De La Salle, with a superb athletic secondary, was able to offer a new blitz package that led to minus-27 yards in sacks.
"The first series I told our guys that we didn't do any of the things we'd been talking about the two previous weeks," Eidson said. "I had a pretty good feeling they would settle down and get into a (defensive) rhythm."
These Spartans seem to elicit a lot of good feeling. Opponents notwithstanding.
E-mail Mitch Stephens at mstephens@maxpreps.com
