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CONCORD — They worked the entire summer for this moment, watching game after game, remembering play after play.
The De La Salle Spartans were so ready for Folsom’s high-powered offense — the one that scored more than 700 points last year, the one that includes a Clemson-bound man-child at receiver — that star linebacker Henry To’oto’o could rattle off the names of the important players nearly three weeks before kickoff.
Yeah, they were ready. But did anyone expect a shutout?
Before an overflow crowd on its home field, De La Salle forced five turnovers and scored two second-half touchdowns in a 14-0 season-opening victory Friday night that extended the Spartans’ winning streak over California teams north of the Fresno area to 291 games, a streak that began 27 years ago.
“Unbelievable job by our defense,” De La Salle coach Justin Alumbaugh said. “That team is really good. To shut them out, you’ve got to tip your cap, man. I am really, really proud of our boys. They played hard.”
Shamar Garrett intercepted two passes and Amir Wallace answered the toughest assignment of the game — defending 6-foot-3, 210-pound wideout Joe Ngata on corner’s island — with spectacular play.
Folsom had four turnovers by halftime — the latter the most costly.
Daniyel Ngata appeared to be on his way to a touchdown but fumbled. De La Salle recovered in the end zone, and the teams went in the locker room tied 0-0.
Folsom coach Kris Richardson called that play a huge swing in momentum.
“We go in 7-0, it’s a big difference than being 0-0,” he said. “But that wasn’t the reason we lost. We didn’t execute offensively. Didn’t play to the best of our ability.”
De La Salle’s offense sputtered in the first half but scored the only points it needed on its first series of the third quarter.
Garrett’s 22-yard punt return gave the Spartans the ball at the Folsom 28.
Three play later, sophomore Dorian Hale — making his first start at quarterback — tossed an 18-yard pass over the middle to tight end Isaiah Foskey for a 7-0 lead.
De La Salle had opportunities to extend the advantage but a fumble inside the 10-yard line ended one threat and two false-star penalties squelched another.
The Spartans scored their second touchdown after To’oto’o recovered a fumble at the Folsom 46.
Garrett’s’s 19-yard run moved De La Salle to the Folsom 25, and Hale’s pass over the middle three plays later bounced off a couple of defenders before landing in the hands of Vince Bianchina, who got the present while on the ground.
The 19-yard pass play gave De La Salle a first down at the 5. Hale scored from the 1 to make it 14-0.
When it ended, Alumbaugh showed plenty of emotion, hugging his coaching staff for a job well done. Folsom had not been blanked since a 23-0 loss to Woodcreek-Roseville in September 2004.
“We prepped the entire summer for these guys,” Alumbaugh said. “The reason why is because they’re outstanding. Those guys are a great team. That was a great game. That was a like a state-championship-caliber game right there.”
In reality, it was a playoff game. De La Salle wants to represent the North in the Open Division state championship game in December. A loss Friday would have put Folsom in the driver’s seat for that game.
Folsom had a final opportunity to score with about three minutes left. A pass over the middle from the De La Salle 14-yard line was directed at Joe Ngata.
But Wallace, who is two inches shorter and 45 pounds lighter than the star receiver, knocked the ball away.
It prevented a first down and put an exclamation point on the defensive gem.
“I just knew I had my defensive line; they were going to help me,” Wallace said. “They got pressure. They made my job easier. We just worked harder than them. I don’t get intimidated by football players. We’re all in high school. We’re all the same age.”
De La Salle’s defensive line put constant and heavy pressure on Folsom’s dual-threat quarterback Kaiden Bennett, limiting him to minus-18 yards rushing and 184 passing.
“We knew every single play they did from, like, years,” Foskey said. “We watched 2012 film, 2013 film, when they played us. We’ve been watching film every single day.”
If Folsom had won, it would have ended De La Salle’s unbeaten regional run at 9,750 days.
But, instead, this night will be remembered for the Spartans holding an opponent that returned 15 starters from a 16-0 state championship team — one that scored 770 points along the way — to zero.
“I’m wordless,” To’oto’o said. “I am extremely proud of everybody.”
