De La Salle Wins Third Straight State Football Championship

by Jeff Fisher
High School Football America

De La Salle's dominance of the California State Bowl Championships continued Saturday night with a 35-0 win over Westlake in the Open Division Championship game.

It was the Spartans third straight state title.  Head coach Bob Ladouceur has taken his school to six straight championship games, winning four, which is the most be any school in the current era of state championships.

The victory was the result of a well-rounded performance by the offense and the defense.

The defense pitched its fifth shutout of the season.  For the season, the Spartans only allowed 110 points with 30 of them coming in the team's only loss of the year (30-6) to St. Thomas Aquinas (Florida).

On offense, Wisconsin-bound quarterback Bart Houston rushed for two touchdowns and threw for one.  Houston finished his career with a record of 39-1 as a starter.

Westlake entered the game ranked #7 nationally by MaxPreps.com.

Before the game, I spoke with Westlake head coach Jim Benkert on the High School Football America radio show.  Click here to listen to that interview.

California Tries to Clear-up High School Football Championship Game Qualifications

by Jeff Fisher
California High School Football Huddle

I consider myself a fairly intelligent person,however, when it comes to the way California chooses its high school football championship game participants...let's just say, I'm confused, like most fans.

The only thing you can count on is, De La Salle WILL play for a title.  The Spartans are the only school to play on every championship weekend since the the state title games began in 2006.

Let's face it, without a true playoff system, it will always be "kind of" an arbitrary thing.

So with that in mind, the California Interscholastic Federation has changed its selection parameters for this year's game at the Home Depot Center in Carson.

Basically, the CIF has placed its 10 sections in three divisions based on competitive equity and enrollment.  A team must win their sectional championship, which has always been the case since the State Bowl Game structure was put in place in '06.

To give you an idea of what sections were placed where, please click here to read the CIF news release.

But the best summary I can give you is...once again...on December 12th this year, the Selection Committee will meet and determine the teams that will play for the titles the following week on December 17th and 18th.

California State Football Champions


Open Division
2009- De La Salle  28  Crenshaw  14
2008- Grant 25  Long Beach Poly  20

Division I
2009- Oceanside  24  Bellarmine Prep  19
2008- Corona Centennial  21  De La Salle  16
2007- De La Salle  37  Centennial Corona  31
2006- Canyon Country Canyon  27  De La Salle  13

Division II
2009- Servite  33  Rocklin  30
2008- San Diego Cathedral Catholic  37  Stockton St. Mary's  34
2007- Oceanside  28  Novato  14
2006- Orange Lutheran  42  Palo Alto  28

Division III
2009- Gardena Serra  24  Marin Catholic  20
2008- St. Bonaventure  28  Santa Rosa Cardinal Newman  6
2007- St. Bonaventure 35  Modesto Central Catholic  21
2006- Oaks Christian  27  Santa Rosa Cardinal Newman 20 (OT)

Small Schools Division
2009- Modesto Christian  44  San Diego Francis Parker  40
2008- San Juan Capistrano St. Margaret's  59  Hamilton City Hamilton Union  7

De La Salle Tumbles in Latest USA Today Super 25

By Jeff Fisher
The High School Football Huddle

Don Bosco Prep's (Ramsey, NJ) come-from-behind 23-21 win over former #9 De La Salle (Concord, CA) helped to shuffle this week's USA Today Super 25. DBP pops-up three spots to #22, while the Spartans fall to #25.

Otherwise, a couple of close calls by former #4 Long Beach Poly (CA) and #13 Lakeland shuffled the deck a little with #10 Centennial (Corona, CA) and #21 Trinity (Louisville, KY) joining DBP as the biggest movers going up three spots each.

1. Byrnes (Duncan, SC) 5-0, LW: #1
2. Trinity (Euless, TX) 4-0, LW: #2
3. Gateway (Monroeville, PA), LW: #3
4. St. Thomas Aquinas (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) 3-0, LW: #5
5. Armwood (Seffner, FL) 5-0, LW: #6
6. Long Beach Poly (CA) 3-0, LW: #4
7. Carmel (IN) 6-0, LW: #7
8. Colerain (Cincinnati, OH) 6-0, LW: #8
9. River Hill (Clarksville, MD) 4-0, LW: #10
10. Centennial (Corona, CA) 3-0, LW: #13
11. Lowndes (Valdosta, GA) 5-0, LW: #11
12. Madison County (Madison, FL) 2-0, LW: #14
13. Lakeland (FL) 4-0, LW: #12
14. South Panola (Batesville, MS) 5-0, LW: #15
15. Oscar Smith (Chesapeake, VA) 5-0, LW: #16
16. Skyline (Issaquah, WA) 4-0, LW: #17
17. Lake Travis (Austin, TX) 5-0, LW: #18
18. Stone Bridge (Ashburn, VA) 5-0, LW: #19
19. Northside (Warner Robins, GA) 5-0, LW: #20
20. Plano (TX) 5-0, LW: #21
21. Trinity (Louisville, KY) 4-0, LW: #24
22. Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, NJ) 2-1, LW: #25
23. Tuscaloosa County (Northport, AL) 5-0, LW: #22
24. Glenville (Cleveland, OH) 5-0, LW: #23
25. De La Salle (Concord, CA) 2-1, LW: #9

#25 Don Bosco Prep (NJ) Nips #9 De La Salle (CA) On Last Second Field Goal

By Jeff Fisher
The High School Football Huddle

The game between two of the top high school football programs in the country lived up to the hype Saturday night as Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, NJ) edged De La Salle (Concord, CA) 23-21 before a national television audience on ESPNU.

DBP (2-1) came back from a 21-7 halftime deficit and beat the Spartans on a 19-yards field goal from Patrick Murray with just 10 seconds to go in the game. Don Bosco Prep entered the game ranked #25 in the country by USA Today, while De La Salle (2-1) was #9. The win snapped De La Salle's 15-game win streak.

To read a game recap, click here.

Click here to go to The High School Football Huddle for scores and news from around America.

De La Salle/Don Bosco Prep Preview

Jeff Fisher
The High School Football Huddle


Two of the best high school football teams from each side of the country will square-off in northern California Saturday night.
De La Salle (Concord, CA) will host Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, NJ) in a nationally televised game on ESPNU at 7:30.

This one should live-up to the hype that has been building since the game was announced back in February. De La Salle (2-0) enters the game ranked #9 by USA Today, while DBP (1-1) is ranked #25. The Ironmen began the year ranked #4 in the USA Today Super 25, but lost their opener to St. Xavier (Cincinnati, OH), which at the time of the win two weeks ago was also ranked by USA Today.

For a preview of the game, click here.

To go to the New Jersey High School Football Huddle, click here.

To go to the New Jersey High School Football Huddle, click here.

De La Salle Changes Leagues, But Probably Not Results

By Jeff Fisher
The High School Football Huddle

The name is synonymous with all that is good with high school football. De La Salle in Concord, California is pretty much unmatched in the sport.

Most know the Spartans because of their incredible 151-game win streak that stretched between 1992 and 2003, but it's really the incredible dominance the school has shown under head coach Bob Ladouceur (332-20-3), who has put together winners, usually without a ton of blue chippers.

Last year, De La Salle captured its first-ever California Division 1 State Championship (statewide championships only began in 2006) defeating also nationally-ranked Centennial 37-31.

This year, the Spartans have the usual list of goals and challenges.

First, will be the showdown with New Jersey power Don Bosco Prep on September 27 in Concord. DBP is ranked #4 by USA Today, while De La Salle is #7.

Then there's the move by the Spartans a new league...East Bay Athletic League.

To read more about the Spartans, who open the season next Saturday against Serra, click here.

Finalists for California State Bowl Championships Announced

#3 De La Salle (Concord, CA) will face #14 Centennial (Corona, CA) for California's Division I championship Saturday at the Home Depot Center.

The choice of Centennial was a tough one with nationally-ranked Birmingham (Lake Balboa, CA) and Long Beach Poly vying for the spot. In De La Salle, Centennial will have its hands full with a team that was won 16 North Coast Section championships. The Spartans played in last year's inaugural State Bowl and was ranked #1 in the country before losing to Canyon Country 27-13.

The Division II championship will feature San Diego Section champ Oceanside playing Novato. In Division III, St. Bonaventure (Ventura, CA) plays Modesto Central Catholic.

Click here to read more about how the teams were chosen.