In a much-anticipated game between Northern California powers and nationally-ranked teams, No. 19
De La Salle (Concord) disappointed a jammed packed crowd at 22nd-ranked
Folsom (Calif.) by racing to a 28-0 lead late in the first half en route to a 42-27 win Friday night.
Junior quarterback
Dorian Hale rushed for four touchdowns and the Spartans overcame a big performance from
Elijhah Badger and a late rally from Folsom to win a big game before more than 5,000 fans.
Video: Previewing De La Salle at Folsom
Northern California supremacy plus a 301-game unbeaten streak are on the line Friday night.
Hale scored on the game’s fourth play, a 69-yard scamper, setting the tone for the wire-to-wire win, while extending De La Salle’s unbeaten streak to 302 against Northern California opponents.
"I'm pleased with our effort, our physicality and I thought our offensive line won the day," De La Salle coach Justin Alumbaugh said. "But I wasn't pleased with the scores late or onside kicks. Those things we have to work on, Give Folsom credit. They're a great team and program."
With 11 players offered college scholarships, Folsom (2-1) appeared to have a team able to more than give the Spartans a game. But De La Salle (3-1) used strong offensive line play, elusive backs and its veer offense to roll up more than 200 first-half rushing yards to take control.
It was the fourth straight win for De La Salle over Folsom since 2013.
Dorian Hale scored four touchdowns leading De la Salle to 42-27 win at Folsom.
Photo by Dennis Lee
and Hale each capped long drives with 1-yard touchdown runs in the first half and
Blas Guerrero added field goals of 39 and 27 yards to go up 28-0.
"What I saw on game film I saw out here tonight," Hale said. "I just tried to make the same reads and for the most part, it worked out."
Folsom showed great fight, especially four-star receiver Badger, who hauled on a highly contested 26-yard touchdown from
Jake Reithmeier on the last play of the first half to cut the margin to 28-7. The play before the touchdown, Badger turned an intermediate catch and turned it into a 37-yard gain, giving the Bulldogs momentum going into the second half.
The Bulldogs took advantage. They drove 86 yards to open the second half, capped by another Badger touchdown, a 19-yard catch on a pass over the middle from Reithmeier. That made it 28-14 with 7:38 left in the half.
Badger, a 6-foot-3, 215-pound senior, finished with 14 catches and 169 yards.
"After each (De La Salle) score, I just told our guys to keep our heads up," Badger said. "We know what we have to do."
With two straight penalties on long gains, De La Salle was pushed back to its own 11. But on a third-and-21 play, Hale threw a perfect 22-yard completion to
Grant Daley. The Spartans then just about put it away, driving the final 58 yards on the ground, capped by a Hale 2-yard sneak, his third touchdown, making it 35-14 with 2:30 left in the third.
Following a
Charles McAdoo interception, Hale cemented things with his fourth touchdown, a 13-yard run, making it 42-14 early in the fourth.
Folsom didn't go down without a fight, as Reithmeier (267 yards passing) threw his third touchdown pass, this one a 16-yarder to CJ Hutton. Then after recovering an onside kick,
Daniyel Ngata, hampered much of the night with leg cramps and a hip injury, powered it home from the 1, making it 42-27 with 4:34 left left.
The Bulldogs recovered their second straight onside kick, but couldn't convert and the Spartans hung on.
De La Salle defensive end Tanner Dougherty (17) with one of five sacks on Jake Reithmeier, who threw for 267 yards and three touchdowns.
Photo by Dennis Lee
Four-star Folsom running back Daniyel Ngata was bottled up most of the night, but broke free here. He finished with 66 yards rushing and a late touchdown.
Photo by Dennis Lee
Dorian Hale rushed for 90 yards and four touchdowns leading De La Salle to a 42-27 win at Folsom.
Photo by Dennis Lee
