Is No. 5 St. John Bosco really a heavy favorite over unranked De La Salle?

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SACRAMENTO, Calif. — De La Salle (Concord, Calif.) senior quarterback Abel Ordaz was a freshman, watching the game on TV, the last and only time his Spartans played St. John Bosco (Bellflower).

"I remember it being a very tough, hard-fought game," he said. "I remember it being a dog fight. I remember Bosco having a lot of big, fast and athletic guys and them all being in position.

"I'm seeing a lot of the same thing on film now."

Ordaz won't be watching on TV or in a locker room on Saturday.

De La Salle and St. John Bosco battle for the second time in four seasons for the CIF State Bowl Open Division title.

Unlike the 2013 game at Carson's Home Depot Center in Southern California — a 20-14 Bosco victory — Saturday's 8 p.m. game will be played in Northern California, at Sacramento State.

Unlike that game, that featured two of the nation's top 10 teams, this one only features one, fifth-ranked St. John Bosco (12-2), coming off back-to-back monumental wins against then 12th-ranked Centennial (Corona) 49-47 and then 42-28 over third-ranked Mater Dei (Santa Ana).

Both wins were emotional payback wins. Centennial ended the previous two Bosco seasons in the Southern Section playoffs and Mater Dei had defeated the Braves 26-21 on Oct. 21.

"I honestly think we turned a corner after that loss to Mater Dei," said Bosco coach Jason Negro, whose team also lost 35-20 to No. 1 Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas) on Sept. 9. Both games the Braves led at halftime. "We had a nine-point lead with four minutes to go and afterward our guys knew between those two games, if we cleaned up a few things, we could beat any team in the country." De La Salle also had a rough patch.

The two-time defending Open champions lost most of its top players to graduation from last year's squad and a talented, but young team struggled early.

In a four-game stretch, the Spartans won two games 28-27, another 28-21 and lost 23-21 to East (Salt Lake City, Utah). In three of the four, De La Salle was outgained significantly.

"We were really down," Ordaz said. "We really ramped up our practices and got more physical and disciplined. We studied more film."

The result was six straight decisive wins while allowing a scant 24 points combined, including three shutouts.

The offense, with Ordaz, a converted wide receiver running the veer, has finally got into gear, averaging 43 points per game behind junior tailback Kairee Robinson (1,833 yards, 23 touchdowns) and senior Jonathan Hackett.

Still, the Spartans are not ranked and unlike 2013, they come in as a considerable underdog.

Negro scoffs at such a notion.

"One, they are De La Salle, so they have that mystique and that history is behind them," Negro said. "Two, they are one of the most physical and disciplined teams in the country. They are not going to back down from being smacked in the mouth.

"And three, and most important, they are one of the best coached teams in the country."

De La Salle coach Justin Alumbaugh smiles at the compliment, but clearly Bosco has a talent advantage.

Junior quarterback Re-Al Mitchell (3,757 total yards, 43 TDs), with 10.60 speed in the 100-meter-dash, is simply one of the most dynamic players in the country.

Behind a stellar offensive line, led by the nation's top-rated guard, Ohio State bound Wyatt Davis (6-5, 310), has paved the way for Terrance Beasley (1,281 yards, 10 TDs) and Demetrious Flowers (863, 17). Mitchell can throw to up to four Division I receivers, led by Berkeley Holman (43 catches, 1,024 yards, 11 TDs) and Terrell Bynum (52, 673, 6). A rash of injuries to the offensive line early led to some struggles early, but the Braves are rolling now, especially on the ground. They average 44 points and 488 yards per game.

"We're going to have to be so good up front, not miss any tackles and be super physical and disciplined to have a chance," Alumbaugh said. "And that quarterback. … He's fun to watch but not to coach against. In some regards, we just have to pick our poison against them."

As good as Bosco is offensively, they are probably better defensively. They have seven starters with Division I offers, including defensive end Jacob Callier (6-3, 250), junior safeties Jaiden Woodbey and Stephan Blaylock (6-0, 170) and linebackers Travis Tuitasi and Cross Poyer.

"It's not just like they roll out Division I kids and let them go," Alumbaugh said. "They know exactly what they are doing. In addition to being great athletes they have smart, intuitive, well-coached players. It's impressive."

Because of it, there is no room for error, according to Alumbaugh. He said last year's 28-21 win over Centennial was played on a razor's edge.

"For us, we'll have to be even sharper," Alumbaugh said. "We just hope to in the game as late as the fourth quarter."

Negro anticipates De La Salle to be there right to the end. He's seen on film the Spartans' young bunch grow up.

"For people to say that this De La Salle team is down this year may not watch a whole lot of football," he said. "They are still as good as anyone in the country."