De La Salle in good state after convincing win over Byrnes

CONCORD, Calif. — Street cred, the De La Salle (Concord, Calif.) football program has earned. With a major motion picture currently highlighting the Spartans' three decades of dominance, they actually have global credentials.

But over the last 10 years, De La Salle is a less-than-stellar 3-5 against out-of-state competition, giving Friday's home game against 11-time South Carlina state champion Byrnes (Duncan, S.C.) a little extra juice for the Spartans.

Anyone watching starting junior quarterback Anthony Sweeney fire up his team could sense De La Salle seemed extra animated and it showed in a 56-28 victory before a mostly entertained crowd and national television crowd.

"We love Anthony's passion and leadership," De La Salle coach Justin Alumbaugh said. "It was great to have him back."

For the third straight game against a tough opponent, the Spartans tallied 35 points in the first half to take complete command.

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The nation's No. 8 team piled up 530 yards overall, including 315 on the ground, led by 118 yards rushing and three scores by junior tailback Antoine Custer and 92 yards and two more touchdowns from Andrew Hernandez.

Sweeney, making his first start after injuring his knee in a scrimmage, was intercepted on De La Salle's first play but rebounded to complete five straight passes for 152 yards and a score. He finished with 230 total yards and two touchdowns as the Spartans improved to 3-0.

Sweeney replaced junior Chris Vanderklugt, who was superb in his place for two games. Vanderklugt played some wide receiver and defense on Friday.

"It's no indictment on Chris that we got Anthony back in there," Alumbaugh said. "Chris is a fantastic quarterback in his own right. And he did superb the last two weeks. He really did. But I've been at De La Salle for about 20 years and Anthony does things we haven't seen for a long while. He played very well tonight."

De La Salle built a 35-7 halftime lead, but Byrnes (2-1) never gave up, behind the play of super athletic quarterback Micah Young, who completed 27 of 42 for 221 yards and two scores. He also rushed for 42 yards.

The Rebels got the better of play in the third quarter, blocked a punt which led to a 9-yard TD pass from Young to Tavin Richardson, cutting the lead to 35-14.

When Byrnes held De La Salle without a first down for the third straight series, things were looking good for the Rebles. But on a 4th-and-10 play, punter Jordan Katz evaded a all-out rush, and dumped a short pass to Custer, who turned it into an electrifying 65-yard touchdown, just about sealing this one.

The De La Salle coaching staff had seen Byrnes' all-out punt block on film and worked on the fake all week. Defensive coordinator and special teams' coach Terry Eidson suggest on second down to go for it. Everything worked to perfection.

"It was a great call by Terry and the kids executed it perfectly," Alumbaugh said. "We were struggling at the time. (Katz) did what he was supposed to do and got it to Custer and Antione did the rest."

Katz, like Vanderklugt, was pressed into duties at punter because of Sweeney's injury. Sweeney is the team's starting punter.

"(Katz) is an excellent athlete himself and he stepped up and said he could punt," Alumbaugh said. "We like kids with moxie in this program. With confidence. Jordan has been doing a heck of a job at punter and he did a heck of a job on the fake."

Lyrics Klugh returned the ensuing kickoff 92 yards for a touchdown, and again Byrnes closed to within three scores. But once again De La Salle responded, converting a fourth-down play, then getting a 39-yard run by Sweeney and a 10-yard TD run around the left end by Custer, to again put the Spartans up by four scores, 49-21.

Custer followed with another 10-yard TD run and Richardson hauled in his second touchdown and that's the way this one ended.  

Lost in all the scoring and penalties, was a terrific hustle play by De La Salle wide receiver David Bartolomucci to put the Spartans up 14-0. Custer broke off a beautiful 50-yard gain and appeared destined for the end zone. But he fumbled at the 1. With three Byrnes defenders around, it looked like the Rebels would get the ball on a touchback. But the Bartolomucci dove head first and dug the ball out in the end zone.

The Spartans were on their way.

Well, until TV timeouts and a lot of penalties turned this into a 3 hour, 15-minute marathon. The Spartans were whistled seven times for 70 yards in penalties — in the third period alone.

Still, they made more than enough big plays to double the score of one of the nation's top programs.

"That's an excellent football team," Alumbaugh said of Byrnes. "(Young) is an amazing athlete and he's got some fantastic receivers. They are really tough to stop. I'm sure they'll be fine."